BCC Announces New, Returning Staff

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announces the addition of three new staff members and two staff members returning to BCC after a hiatus necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 

New to BCC  

Gabriella Martinez has joined BCC as a Clerk IV for the SUCCESS Program (Supporting Urgent Community College Equity through Student Services). A native to Berkshire County, Martinez attended American International College (AIC), where she earned her B.A. in sociology and worked in the Student Affairs Office. In her free time, Martinez enjoys hiking with her dog or doing yoga.  
 
Sean Reagan has joined the BCC Academic Advising & Transfer team as an Academic Counselor. He arrives from Holyoke Community College, where he had been teaching English and journalism for ten years. Reagan is a graduate of Saint Michael's College and Western New England University School of Law, and he also holds an M.F.A. from Goddard College. He lives in Cummington with his wife, three children, two horses and a flock of geriatric chickens. When not teaching and advising, he spends his time gardening and hiking. 
 
Ross Ryan has joined BCC as a Database Analyst. He attended New York University and Columbia College in Chicago. Ryan brings experience he gained while working at Crane & Company in Pittsfield, starting as a designer and working his way up to the positions of Senior Systems Analyst and Database Administrator. In his spare time, he enjoys writing and painting. 
 
 
Returning to BCC  
 
Eric Nystrom has returned to BCC as an Academic Success Coach through the SUCCESS grant. Nystrom has been with BCC in a variety of roles since 2005, when he started as the coordinator for the Fitness Center. He has been an adjunct faculty member and served as Interim Director of Recreation Services before assisting as Special Projects Coordinator at Paterson Field House. Nystrom graduated from Nichols College with a bachelor's degree in psychology and received his master's degree in counseling psychology. He is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. 
 
Patricia Wright has returned to BCC as a Maintainer I for Facilities in the Administration and Finance Division. Previously, she worked at BCC as a Maintainer II evening shift supervisor. Wright, who goes by "PJ" to family and friends, grew up in Sheffield, MA and currently lives in Pittsfield with her husband Lee. Her interests include reading, gardening and spending time with her dog Indy. 

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Berkshire Museum Explores Ancient Egypt With ‘Soulful Creatures’

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Following its multimillion-dollar renovation, the Berkshire Museum is welcoming an exhibition unlike any it has been able to host before.
 
Marking the museum's first major exhibition since its renovation, "Soulful Creatures: Animal Mummies in Ancient Egypt," opening Saturday, Oct. 10, thins the veil between the ever-evolving history of Egyptian culture and society and modern day people. 
 
"The most important thing about history is recognizing people from the past as actual people. Ancient Egyptians are no different than us," said William Dore, the museum's chief curator. "They have different cultures and beliefs and different viewpoints, but you can say the same thing about people today."
 
When audiences experience the exhibit, they will see the humanity in the people of the past, which in turn helps them connect with different views and perspectives around the world today, he said. 
 
Combining archeology with modern scientific imaging, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Museum curators Yekaterina Barbash and Edward Bleiberg designed an exhibit that works to uncover the mysteries behind these objects and the beliefs and rituals that surround them. 
 
"I think something that people kind of misunderstand about history is none of it's ever settled. ... History is a science that is constantly questioned,” Dore said. "It only works if everyone's constantly rethinking things, learning new things ... which is for me super exciting because as much as we know a lot about the ancient Egyptians, there's a lot we don't know.”
 
The installation features dozens of artifacts on loan from the Brooklyn Museum that explores the practice of animal mummification and the role animals played in ancient Egyptian religion. 
 
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