PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College has selected Dean of Nursing, Health and Wellness Lori Moon as the keynote speaker for commencement exercises sy 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 29, at Tanglewood in Lenox.
"Lori Moon embodies the spirit of Berkshire Community College. She is a graduate of BCC, a former?practical nurse faculty member, and now the leader who has transformed our nursing program into a model of excellence, accountability, and care," said BCC President Ellen Kennedy. "Her hospice nursing background, her belief in second chances, and her deep commitment to students make her not just an ideal speaker — but the right one."
Moon joined the college in 2016 as an assistant professor in the Practical Nurse Program, where she discovered a passion for nursing education and mentoring future health-care professionals. After three years, she was appointed dean of nursing and program administrator for both the associate degree and Practical Nurse programs. In 2022, her leadership role expanded further when she became dean of nursing, health and wellness, providing guidance and vision for Allied Health, Health Sciences, and Fire Science programs.
During her time at BCC, she has built meaningful connections with colleagues and students alike, and she takes great pride in seeing her former students out in the community making a difference in the lives of others.
A BCC alumna and first-generation college student, Moon earned her associate degree in nursing in 1990. She continued her education through an RN-to-BSN program offered by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst on the BCC campus in 1992, and later went on to complete her master's in nursing education from UMass Amherst in 2019.
Before transitioning to academia, Moon spent 20 years in hospice nursing, a calling that remains especially close to her heart. Her career also includes being a substitute school nurse, as well as roles at Berkshire Medical Center and with the Visiting Nurse Association. She will retire from her role at BCC at the end of this summer and says she looks forward to continuing part-time work in nursing and, most importantly, spending cherished time with her three beloved granddaughters.
More information on commencement and end-of-year activities here.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
15 People Displaced in Pittsfield Home Fires
Staff Reports
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fifteen people were displaced after 2-alarm home fires this weekend on Springside Avenue and Elaine Drive.
On Friday evening, the Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 209 Springside Ave., which took a four-hour battle to extinguish and resulted in a partial roof collapse. The next day, on Saturday evening, crews knocked down a fire at 121 Elaine Drive in about an hour.
The garage and part of the single-family home on Elaine Drive were gutted to the frame, along with a vehicle parked in the driveway. On Springside Avenue, the top level and porch of the multifamily were burned through.
A GoFundMe has been started for the family of the Elaine Drive home, which includes several young children. The fundraiser, with a $5,500 goal, explains they lost their home and all of their belongings. (iBerkshires.com does not confirm or endorse fundraisers; they are provided as information only.)
There were no civilian or firefighter injuries, and both incidents are under investigation. One dog was rescued on Springside Avenue.
On Oct. 10, around 6:15 p.m., PFD responded to the Springside Avenue home for a reported structure fire and saw a 2 1/2-story wood frame multifamily with a heavy blaze showing from the second-floor front porch, extending out.
The building suffered a partial roof collapse, which prolonged extinguishment. The fire was brought under control after about four hours.
“An aggressive offensive attack was mounted by first arriving crews stretching hose lines into the building as well as primary searches that proved negative. Ladders were placed around the structure to provide access as well as escape if needed. An off-duty Fire Captain had also been on scene early in the incident to help evacuate the structure and rescue a dog,” PFD wrote in a press release.
While all three West Side school sites must be considered for the proposed MSBA project, early studies show Crosby Elementary is likely the best fit. click for more
His water clarifier can physically remove captured material rather than letting the nutrient-rich material settle back into the lake, which occurs when herbicides are used.
click for more
NAMI of Berkshire County celebrated community advocates and gave its annual report on how the organization has been navigating troubling times. click for more
The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative will provide public vaccination clinics in Berkshire communities this fall, including the Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. There are about 49 clinics. click for more