Sean Fortney

Former Academic & Transfer Counselor at MassBay Community College, Sean Fortney, talks about the “American dream” as the idea that individuals can do whatever they want, work as hard as they want, and get whatever they want. He knows that in much of the world, that's not true and sometimes not true in much of America, however, he believes that community colleges are the places that can make it happen. Sean came from a working class, low-income background and, through his own work ethic and a lot of support, was able to make it through, earn amazing degrees, and truly enjoyed his time on staff at MassBay.

Sean thinks our MassBay students are incredible and multifaceted. They work multiple jobs, juggle families, take care of grandparents at home — all while doing well in school. Additionally, they want to make a difference in the world once they finish their degree. He is proud of the work he did with these students, who care so much for others. He tried to give them everything he had just to help them reach their goals.

People think an advisor probably sits down with students and helps them choose their classes and that’s it. But, the large majority of the day of an advisor is a lot more complex. Sean would not only help students figure out what courses to choose, but he helped them figure out what they’re good at, what things they’re not good at, and what possible opportunities might exist for them in the future. There’s also a logistical piece. He spent a lot of time working with students to help them build schedules that work for them and for their home life. Finally, there’s a human piece. Everyone needs a personal connection. He viewed his job to be an arm of the college, and he often would simply checks in with students to see how things are, ask how their classes are going, and to see how they’re feeling.

Sean’s path to MassBay was winding. His higher education journey began at a community college, but he felt lost as a student. People at the community college cared about him, invested in him, and helped him figure out that he was good at some things, even while he thought he wasn’t. Shortly thereafter, he was able to find his way through scholarships and discovered some amazing opportunities to earn degrees in business, education, and then eventually student affairs administration. He loved residence life and worked in that field at a few different institutions: Duke University, Michigan State University, and College of the Holy Cross. However, he very much missed working with community college students. After his third year at Holy Cross, he was ready for a change, and came directly to MassBay.

Sean has moved on to a different community college, a little closer to his home. And while we miss Sean here at MassBay, we know he is finding joy, helping his students and seeing them succeed.