Community Celebration, Impact Fund, Initiatives Planned as BCC President Prepares to Retire
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — In honor of Berkshire Community College (BCC) President Ellen Kennedy's 14 years of leadership, the College will hold a community-wide celebration on Thursday, June 4, from 4-6 p.m. in the Robert Boland Theatre.
The community celebration is open to all students, alumni, employees, retirees, partners, donors and community members, who will come together to celebrate BCC, reflect on shared memories and recognize President Kennedy's leadership and lasting impact.
She will retire at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year.
To register for the free event, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/
"President Kennedy's impact on Berkshire Community College and the Berkshires is profound. Her guidance has shaped generations of students, strengthened community partnerships and deepened BCC's role as a place of opportunity, access and transformation," said Board of Trustees Chair Julia Bowen. "She will be deeply missed."
In further recognition of her service to the College, BCC has launched a special fundraising initiative to grow the Berkshire Community Impact Fund, an endowed fund that reflects President Kennedy's values and priorities.
The Impact Fund, established by a donor, provides flexible, long-term support to address critical needs at BCC. Donations help to ensure that BCC can respond to evolving priorities and continue to build promising
Rather than being earmarked as a program-specific fund, it is a mission fund, designed to respond to evolving student and community needs. Specifically, the fund supports student success and persistence; basic needs and essential support; emergency assistance; equity-driven access to education; and long-term community impact.
"The Impact Fund will build a lasting foundation of access, dignity, opportunity and care for generations of BCC students to come. It ensures we can respond to critical priorities so that we may uplift our students and community," said Executive Director of Development Rebecca Wehry. "We can't imagine a more meaningful way to carry Ellen's vision forward and create a brighter future for our students and the Berkshires."
To give to the Berkshire Community Impact Fund, visit www.berkshirecc.
A philanthropic legacy initiative called "Dear BCC" was created to reflect and sustain President Kennedy's values, her love for Berkshire Community College and her belief in education as a force for equity, dignity and opportunity. The collective, community-wide archival project invites the community to share stories, memories, reflections, photos and messages that celebrate the impact of BCC, the relationships built at the College, the opportunities created and the lives changed. The tribute will live as a digital collection on the BCC website and as a permanent physical archive in the BCC Library. In addition, a commemorative book will be presented to President Kennedy in honor of her service.
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