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Elms College Bringing Human Services Degree Program To BCC Campus
By Andy McKeever, iBerkshires Staff
02:51AM / Friday, July 31, 2015
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Ellen Kennedy.

Mary Reap.

Mayor Daniel Bianchi.

The two college presidents signed the agreement Thursday.


BCC President Ellen Kennedy and Elms College President Mary Reap sign an agreement on Thursday to bring the Elm's bachelor's degree program in human services to the BCC campus.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two years ago, Berkshire Community College and Elms College signed an agreement to bring a bachelor's program to Lee.
 
On Thursday, the two colleges brought the human services degree program right to the BCC campus to make it easier for BCC students to make the transition into the higher-level degree.
 
"It just seems like a next step and a natural transition," said Elms College President Mary Reap. "The benefits for the students just goes without saying."
 
The colleges have a long relationship and students "have made easy transitions into our community life," Reap said.
 
The Program Director Maureen Holland said Elms College has been offering the degree program for 60 years. BCC students have been commuting there for the weekend offering. That weekend program was moved to Lee Middle and High School to accommodate more BCC students.
 
"That social work program is not watered down," she said, adding that the syllabus, expectations, and books are all the same as the weekday program.
 
The first class just graduated from the program in Lee and, after two successful years, the program is now moving to the Pittsfield campus. 
 
"Our students are wildly excited about this program coming to our campus," said Audrey Ringer, a professor of human services at BCC. "They are absolutely overjoyed."
 
The program is a "life changer" for many students. Ringer said she had one student enter the program with a severe hearing disability, and who was living in low-income housing in North Adams and taking care of her mother and a child.
 
"She went on to Elms, graduated from Elms and is now getting a master's degree," Ringer said, hoping the accessibility roadblock for many will now be reduced to give the college more success stories like that one.
 
Mayor Daniel Bianchi lauded the move, saying it will help reduce the cost of education, allowing more people to go to school. He added that it will also support local social service businesses in the city by providing them with "quality" workers.
 
"It will make it easier for folks to get a bachelor's degree," Bianchi said. "I'm pleased this program is being developed."
 
Elms College staff and professors will oversee the program and Holland said the students will be prepared to get social work certifications right after graduation. Betty Hukowicz, dean of the school of graduate and professional studies at Elms, added that there are also two online programs being offered to help with the commute.
 
BCC College President Ellen Kennedy said many BCC students attend not knowing if they'll even be able to complete an associate's degree. This paves the path for those students to do more than they expected.
 
"We are very excited to welcome Our Lady of Elm to our physical campus," Kennedy said, adding that the agreement helps both the students and area social service agencies.
 
There will be some hurdles to overcome in the first year, however, as the college is currently undergoing a massive renovation to the main classroom spaces. But Kennedy said that over the next two years, the classroom setting for the program will be top notch.
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