BCC Now Admitting Students into Respiratory Care Program

08:05AM / Friday, March 10, 2023Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) is now accepting applications for the fall semester for its Respiratory Care program.

The program is part of a workforce development pipeline at Berkshire Health Systems (BHS), otherwise known as the "talent pipeline," which is designed to create a direct career path from education and training to full-time employment at BHS.

The largest employer in the Berkshires, BHS covers the cost of all training in its pipeline programs and also offers trainees full-time pay with benefits while they are completing their training.

"In as little as two years, students can earn an associate degree in respiratory therapy at BCC, then complete their training at BHS, where respiratory therapists are in demand," said Lori Moon, BCC Dean of Nursing. "It's a fantastic partnership that benefits both BCC students and the growing healthcare workforce in the Berkshires."

Respiratory care practitioners help treat patients with a wide range of cardiopulmonary illnesses, including asthma or heart failure. Respiratory care includes diagnostic testing and administering oxygen, various other gases and aerosol drugs.

BCC's two-year Respiratory Care program, a sequence of lecture, laboratory and clinical courses, prepares students to become Certified Respiratory Therapists (CRTs) and Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRTs). The program combines coursework and hands-on training, emphasizing the rigorous technical and academic competencies required of a respiratory therapist. Students who complete the program are eligible to take the National Board for Respiratory Care examination.

Graduates of the program are employed in diverse areas of healthcare, holding positions such as neonatal/pediatric specialists, adult critical care specialists, pulmonary rehabilitation specialists, critical care transport therapists, home-care therapists, clinical educators and many more. The projected average salary of respiratory therapists working in the United States is more than $73,000 per year. In Massachusetts, respiratory therapists earn a median wage of $73,000 to $87,000.

The Respiratory Care program at BCC is accredited by The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).? For more information, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/respiratory-care.

Tags: BCC, BHS, BMC,

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BCC Begins Search for New President

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
12:52PM / Sunday, January 04, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College has begun its search for a new president as Ellen Kennedy prepares to retire at the end of the school year.

Led by a Presidential Search Committee and a search firm, candidates will be interviewed in early 2026, and the college’s new leader is set to begin work in July.

"The new President will strengthen and expand partnerships with regional businesses, industries, and community organizations that create pathways to student success and workforce development," the job profile reads.

"With a sincere commitment to fostering an environment of care for students, employees, and the broader community, the President will work alongside dedicated faculty and staff, community partners, and elected officials to advance the College's regional prominence. In an era of rapid technological, demographic, and educational change, this leader will champion innovative approaches to teaching and learning while maintaining the College's historic commitment to access and opportunity."

Kennedy announced her intent to retire a few months ago, feeling that BCC is in a good place to welcome new leadership. Her last term will end in the spring, after more than 17 years with the college, 14 of which she spent as president. She looks back on the students, faculty, and campus as a whole with pride.

In 2025, BCC was designated as a Leader College by Achieving the Dream, a national non-profit focused on student success and community economic mobility. The college's enrollment is up 20 percent this year, and, in an interview with iBerkshires, Kennedy said the state's tuition coverage for all 15 community colleges has been a game-changer for Berkshire County. BCC's nursing program has also doubled in size.

The college is seeking a "visionary, collaborative leader" to lead the institution’s mission of providing equitable, accessible, and transformative learning opportunities that meet the current and evolving needs of Berkshire County's diverse community.

The next president will earn between $240,000 to $300,000, a salary established by the Board of Higher Education, and candidates are asked to submit application materials by Jan. 26.