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!

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BRPC Exec Search Panel Picks Brennan

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:11AM / Thursday, March 12, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Executive Director Search Committee voted Wednesday to move both finalists to the full Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, with a recommendation that Laura Brennan was the preferred candidate.

Brennan, BRPC's assistant director, and Jason Zogg were interviewed by the committee on Saturday.

Brennan is also the economic development program manager for the BRPC. She has been in the role since July 2023 but has been with BRPC since 2017, first serving as the senior planner of economic development.

She earned her bachelor's degree from Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania and earned a graduate-level certificate in local government leadership and management from Suffolk University.

Zogg is vice president of place and transportation for Tysons Community Alliance, a nonprofit that is committed to transforming Tysons, Va., into a more attractive urban center.

He previously was the director of planning, design, and construction at Georgetown Heritage in Virginia, where he directed the reimagining of Georgetown's C&O Canal National Historic Park.

They each had 45 minutes to answer a series of questions on Saturday, and the search committee said they were both great candidates. Meeting virtually on Wednesday, the members discussed which they preferred.

"In my own personal opinion, I think both candidates could do the job and actually had different skills. But I do favor Laura, because she can hit the ground running and with the time we have now, I think she is very familiar with the organization and its strengths and weaknesses and where we go from here," said Malcolm Fick.

"I would concur with Malcolm, especially because she was the only candidate who could speak directly to what's currently going on in the Berkshires, and really had a handle on every aspect of what BRPC does, could use examples, and showed that she actually understood the demographic information when that information was clearly available on the BRPC website, and through other means, and she was the only candidate who was able to integrate our regional data, our regional demographics, into her answers, and so I find her more highly qualified," said Marybeth Mitts.

Brennan was able to discus the comprehensive regional strategy the BRPC has worked on for Berkshire County and said she made sure they included voices from all over the region instead of what she referred to as the "usual suspects."

"That was an enormous priority of ours to make sure that the outreach that we did and the input that we gathered was not from only the usual suspects, but community groups that were emerging in a lot of different corners of the region and with a lot of different missions of their own, and try to encompass and embrace as many voices as we could in that," Brennan said in her interview.

Member Sheila Irvin said she liked Brennan’s knowledge of Berkshires Tomorrow Inc.

"I think that her knowledge of the BTI, for example, was important, because that's going to play a role in the questioning that we did on funding. And she had some interesting insights, I think on how to use that," said Irvin. "And in addition, I just thought her style was important.

"She didn't need to rush into an answer. She was willing to take a minute to think about how she wanted to move on and she did."

In her interview, Brennan was asked her plans to help expand funding opportunities since the financial structure is mainly grants and the government has recently been withdrawing some interest.

"With Berkshires Tomorrow already established, I would like to see us take a closer look at that and find ways to refine its statement of purpose, to develop a mission statement, to look at ways that that mechanism can help to diversify revenue," she said. "I think, that we have over the last several years, particularly with pandemic response efforts, had our movement to the potential of Berkshire's Tomorrow as a tool that we should be using more, and so I would like to see that be a big part of how we handle the volatility of government funding."

Member John Duval said she has excelled in her role over the years.

"Laura just rose above every other candidate through her preliminary interview and her final interview, she's been the assistant executive director for maybe a couple of years and definitely had that experience, and also being part of this BRPC, over several years, have seen what she's capable of doing, what she's accomplished, and embedded in meetings and settings where I've seen how she's responded to questions, presented information, and also had to deal with some tough customers sometimes when she came up to Adams," said Duval.

"She's done an excellent job, and then in the interviews she's just calm and thought through her answers and just rose above everyone else."

Buck Donovan said he respected all those who applied and said Zogg is a strong candidate.

"I think both and all candidates were very strong, two we ended up were extremely strong," he said. "Jason, I liked his charisma and his way. I really could tell that there was some goals and targets and that's kind of my life."

The full commission will meet on Thursday, March 19, to vote on the replacement of retiring Executive Director Thomas Matuszko.

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