You Can Enroll in BCC – for FREE!

04:17PM / Friday, May 09, 2025Print Story | Email Story

Erin Laundry and James Burden

It's no secret that the rising cost of college tuition, together with unprecedented increases in the cost of living, creates a barrier for many people seeking to better themselves through higher education. It's also no secret that this barrier can be even harder to overcome for historically marginalized people. At Berkshire Community College (BCC), we strive every day to break barriers and make quality education accessible to all.

Now, college is even more accessible, because the majority of BCC students qualify for free tuition. Two programs launched by the Commonwealth — MassReconnect and MassEducate — make getting an associate degree or certificate at BCC easier than ever.

MassReconnect, designed for Massachusetts residents 25 years of age or older who have not previously received an associate or bachelor's degree, can provide free tuition and fees to eligible students. Similarly, MassEducate can provide free tuition and fees for students of any age who have not earned a bachelor's degree, but it is also available for those who have previously earned an associate degree.

The programs are quickly gaining in popularity, and the student population at BCC is growing as a result.

Since the launch of free community college, BCC's enrollment has surged—up 34 percent from fall 2022 to fall 2024, and 45% from spring 2023 to spring 2025. For many students who dreamed of going to college but never thought they'd be able to afford it, their dreams are becoming reality.

Pittsfield native Erin Laundry, a business major at BCC, is one of those students.

"Free community college is a wonderful opportunity to return to college and finish my degree without placing a financial burden on my family. My son will be graduating high school next year and heading off to college himself. Without free access to community college, I would have had to put my education on hold to prioritize his education," says Laundry, who plans finish her associate degree at BCC and transfer to a four-year college to earn a bachelor's degree.

"I am excited to take what I learn in my classes and apply it to my small business," Laundry says. She is the owner of Bottomless Bricks, a LEGO-themed retail store and creative space in Pittsfield specializing in parties, STEM workshops and community events.

James Burden, who lives in Berkshire County with his wife Meghan, is currently enrolled in the Business Administration Program at BCC. A veteran of the United States Coast Guard, he served after finishing high school, happy to work and learn on the job — but something was missing.

"I have traveled to many interesting places and met many amazing people. While I have learned a lot from my work experience, I never made time to finish getting a degree, and I felt as though I was missing that," Burden says.

Several months ago, he started thinking about continuing his education. The timing was right, because he also became aware of the MassReconnect program.

"It seemed like the perfect time to rekindle my academic journey and keep learning, reinforcing and sharpening my business education," says Burden, who is passionate about the opportunity to go to college.

"I believe that one of the most important things we can do in life is to be curious and to continue learning, to better ourselves, and to be able to help others," he says. "The ongoing work at Berkshire Community College is helping me to bring more value to the fabric of my life. I am excited to be part of this community, and I am inspired by the people, both faculty and students, who bring amazing energy every day."

One area of study seeing a surge with the advent of free tuition is BCC's nursing program. Now that so many nursing students can attend the College for free, BCC is ready to accept more students every year and anticipates a larger, more diverse student nursing population. Nursing students can choose from a wide variety of degrees and career paths, with jobs in high demand in Berkshire County and beyond. Those interested in a shorter path to the healthcare industry can earn a certificate in health information management or medical coding.

Meanwhile, BCC offers scholarships and grants for students interested in short-term job training opportunities through its Workforce and Community Education department. These courses fill needs in the local workforce and, in turn, significantly boosting the economy of the Berkshires. With a new focus on teaching trades, BCC offers training in HVAC, an Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) certificate and a Class B commercial driver's license (CDL) training course. And, because the local workforce is always changing, BCC recently added paraprofessional training, beginner computer training and a four-part social work series called Foundations of Substance Use. Most students enrolled in these courses are eligible for financial assistance, with some receiving full coverage.

Those are just a few examples of the wide variety of academic programs at BCC — all of which can be explored for free. BCC is eager and ready to help people of all backgrounds and experiences improve their work readiness, sharpen their job skills, find a new career, earn a promotion, connect with employers or enroll in an associate degree or certificate program.

"Free college opens doors that might have never been opened before. It makes the college experience possible for almost everyone. Whether you're thinking about enrolling in college full-time or taking just one evening class, whether you're looking to reenter the workforce or change careers and learn a new trade, now is the time to do it," says BCC President Ellen Kennedy. "Come see us, and we'll talk to you one-on-one about your interests and goals. We encourage you to explore all that BCC has to offer."

To explore the possibilities, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/academics, where you can browse programs of study or view a detailed course catalog. Or, attend a free information session and learn how easy it is to get started. Ready to begin? Applying to BCC is free and easy. Visit www.berkshirecc.edu/apply, or drop in the One Stop Enrollment Center, located on BCC's main campus at 1350 West Street, Pittsfield. Our staff and faculty are ready to help you on your journey. Applications are accepted year-round, so don't wait — apply today!

Tags: BCC,

Lanesborough Looks to the Future of Zoning Bylaws

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:33AM / Monday, July 27, 2026

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Planning Board is reviewing the town's zoning bylaws with an eye to amending zones to align with planning documents and projects.

Members started at last week's meeting to at priority zoning projects that align with the Open Space and Recreation Plan and the Master Plan that was adopted last year. Earlier in the meeting, the board accepted the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission's draft of the OSRP, which the Select Board accepted late last month.

Town planner Andrew Groff informed the board of upcoming projects that will need to be looked at for zoning purposes to try and stay ahead of the bylaws that aligned in both the OSRP and Master Plan.

"Principally, would be going back and thinking about this idea of a mixed-use zoning district for the northern part of town that's responsive to the growth of outdoor recreation as it is really an industry. So you've got Shaker Ridge, you've got the folks at Donnybrook that proposes a glamping resort, Ramble Wild, and Brodie Mountain just over the town line in New Ashford with some new ownership and expanded interest in some development there, so that's one item that's called for in both."

Groff also explained they need to look into agriculture zones to help local farmers

"Seeing if we can't do something to better support our farms because we have a couple great little farm clusters in Lanesborough. You know, zoning for agriculture is pretty expansive in Massachusetts. The exemption for agriculture is pretty wise, but we want to take a closer look and talk to some of our farmers and figure out there's some tweaks we can do that would make their lives easier."

He also brought up how they can help fix the zoning bylaws around the lake that are nonconforming and want to look into grant funding to help.

"Work that's going to be done to further protect Pontoosuc Lake, and we have a lot in our master plan regarding the zoning issues on Pontoosuc from the issue that you had mentioned to me, bringing back the citizens who were concerned about building heights down there, but you know, more fundamentally identified in the master plan is the problems with how everything is basically nonconforming. The zoning doesn't conform to what the actual built environment is. That's something we probably want to look into talking with folks in the community planning office," he said.

Groff mentioned there is a ballot question that, if it passes, would mean changing zoning regarding public water and sewer, and affect properties near the lake.

"There is going to be on the ballot in November a question that will essentially require any community in Massachusetts that has built an environment that's on public water/sewer, you're going to have to reduce your lot sizes to 5,000 square feet. So I feel like if that passes, that has massive implications for that part of town. So, just another one to put out there, but maybe we want to wait to really tackle that with some grant funding once we know what the Legislature's done."

Chair Leanne Yinger said she lives in that area and it already seems very congested, meaning that the passage of the ballot question could have big implications.

She also mentioned another implication for the health of the lake she would like to see happen.

"I would like to see us ban pesticides and people treating their lawns," she said. "Part of the problem of the health of the lake is that when I say that out loud, and I'm saying it out loud to anybody who will listen to me, it is not a popular thing to say. But it is killing the lake."

Yinger said she would like to clarify who governs the sewer system around Pontoosuc Lake, noting the new owner of a friend's house needed to purchase access to the sewer from a private party. Groff said he couldn't remember if it is water district or town, but that there is something "funky" about the governance over there.

"I need to understand what that looks like, because the way it came down was interesting. The line comes in from Pittsfield, but there are people claiming that they have rights to it because they bought into it originally. I just want to understand what that's like and who's saying you're in charge with it, because it seems to me that that's a town-managed situation," Yinger said.

View Full Story