Governor Launches Program to Support Students Returning to College

07:54AM / Sunday, December 14, 2025Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced a new pilot program to re-engage students who previously began, but did not complete, degrees and certificates at the state's public colleges and universities.

There are more than 766,000 Massachusetts residents in the "Some College, No Credential" (SCNC) population. The effort is designed to bring greater economic opportunities to Massachusetts residents while boosting the state's workforce and competitiveness.

The learner re-engagement initiative will include direct student outreach and coaching provided by ReUp Education during a one-year pilot. The six institutions taking part include Bunker Hill Community College, Cape Cod Community College, Greenfield Community College, MassBay Community College, Fitchburg State University, and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

"Higher education brings better opportunities for families and strengthens our economy, which is why we've invested significantly in making college more affordable," said Governor Maura Healey. "Re-engaging students who didn't complete their degrees is another way to support our residents and strengthen the talent and skills that make up our workforce."

Prior to this pilot program being launched, some public institutions in Massachusetts had established partnerships with ReUp to re-engage learners, including Framingham State University, Salem State University, and the University of Massachusetts Boston.

"For so many residents, life and finances get in the way of completing a credential," said Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. "This pilot brings residents guidance and support to return to college, grow their skills, and complete the degree they once started."?

"I'm grateful to our college and university leaders for their ongoing dedication to student success, including their existing and growing efforts to re-engage adult learners," said Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega. "By bringing students back to complete a degree or earn a credential, we're not only expanding individual access and opportunity, but we're also strengthening our Commonwealth's workforce."

This learner re-engagement pilot program advances a recommendation of the Advisory Council for the Advancement of Representation in Education (ACARE) that was highlighted in a report issued in October 2024.?

"There are a number of barriers to adult learners completing credentials and this dedicated effort will help residents overcome them," said Department of Higher Education Senior Deputy Commissioner José Luis Santos. "As someone who was a ‘non-traditional' aged college student myself, I know that added support goes a long way in making it across the finish line, and the student outreach and guidance that come with this effort will be invaluable to helping adult learners reach their goals."

ReUp is a national provider of re-enrollment and success coaching and leads re-enrollment efforts at 140 institutions across 33 states. ReUp engages students through an Education to Workforce Marketplace, which provides comprehensive support across the entire student journey—from initial outreach to graduation—helping learners navigate barriers like cost, time, and uncertainty. Connecting public institutions and learners across Massachusetts through a central platform and live coaching will provide adults returning to college with guided access to programs aligned with their career aspirations and statewide workforce needs.

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Fenton: Governor's Council Must Deliver for the Berkshires

Community submissionGuest Column
10:22AM / Friday, August 28, 2026

I am a Springfield lawyer running for Governor's Council and I am asking for Berkshire County residents to support me over an incumbent from North Adams.

Here's why: Last year I learned about staffing issues in our regional courts that I could not ignore. In 2025, it was reported that four of Western Massachusetts' 11 Superior Court judgeships were vacant, all at the same time. A few weeks later, that grew to five vacancies. This meant there were only six Superior Court judges serving all of Western Mass at a time when Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden counties had more than 100 pending homicide cases.

Those numbers were alarming to me, so I started to engage with leaders in the community who work most closely with the court system and I came to learn that these vacancies were only the tip of the iceberg here in Berkshire County.

I learned that no Superior Court or District Court judge had been appointed from the Berkshires since the current incumbent took office. As a result, there is not a single Superior Court judge who lives in the Berkshires today, and several of the District Court judges drive in from other counties to support Berkshire courts in Pittsfield, Great Barrington, and North Adams. Court staff also informed me about severe staffing shortages at the Berkshire Clerk of Courts office resulting in other counties needing to loan staff to the Berkshires just so hardworking employees can take a brief and planned summer vacation. This is not normal. These issues are a reflection of genuine problems with the Berkshire County court system and show a lack of proactive attention from our Governor's Councilor.

Instead of focusing on regional equity, I watched as the current incumbent celebrated that she has voted against the governor's nominees more than any other councilor, without much explanation as to why. Most recently, she voted against two extremely qualified former prosecutors for the Parole Board. This was despite an in-person plea from the governor and a letter of support from all the three of the district attorney's from Western Mass. Those votes do not show independence or standing up for principles, they demonstrate naivete, and an unwillingness to work with the key stakeholders.

I had seen and heard enough. I decided to jump in the race and challenge the incumbent to address these problems head-on.

I am a partner of a regional law firm. I understand our courts and the importance of having qualified, fair and hardworking judges. And I know how important it is to have judges from the Berkshires serving the Berkshires. To achieve that, you need strong relationships with the legal community and local stakeholders. You need to know how to use the power of the Governor's Council to fight forcefully for our region. And you need to be laser focused on identifying vacancies before they occur so that they can be filled quickly with local candidates.

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