WELLESLEY HILLS (November 9, 2016) — MassBay Community College is pleased to announce that it has received a $10,000 grant by the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation for the 2016 – 2017 fiscal year. The award will enhance MassBay’s Leadership Ambassador’s (MBLA) Program in areas such as staffing, monthly career-focused workshops and networking events, college student visits to local companies, and the recruitment of volunteers. By increasing the mentoring program’s capacity, MBLA staff and mentors will be able to guide more students toward college completion.
The MassBay MBLA program is a central resource at MassBay that is aimed at improving college readiness, retention and degree completion. There are currently eight targeted initiatives that serve students in middle school through college. The eight programs include;
- Boston Scientific Mentoring — students with an interest in business are mentored by Boston Scientific employees;
- Fuller Middle School — in collaboration with Big Brothers Big Sisters of MetroWest, MassBay students perform a year of service as mentors to Framingham school children, engaging them in college awareness and readiness activities;
- Multicultural Mentoring — acclimates students from other cultures to life in the US and college;
- STEM Mentor Program — focuses on increasing minority and female participation in STEM fields. Mentees attend skills-based workshops, career exploration programs, and networking events;
- Success Boston Coach to Completion — this initiative’s goal is to double the number of Boston Public Schools graduates who earn college degrees. Collaborators are Bottom Line and West End House;
- Veterans and Military — matching students interested in the military with veterans and military professionals;
- Young Men of Color — Black and Latino male students are matched with successful men of color in athletics, business, community, education, and other fields. YMOC offers positive role models, improved academic outcomes, increased retention rates, and supportive peer networks.
- 100 Males to College — a commitment with Framingham State University, Framingham Public Schools, and Keefe Regional Technical School to prepare and support male high school students going to college.
Through MBLA, the college has successfully engaged employees from over forty Massachusetts companies and organizations to serve as mentors. These volunteers share their experiences with students pursuing a diverse range of interests and provide them with real world insights.
MassBay Community College is a nonprofit organization serving the MetroWest Boston area with the mission of fostering personal, academic, career, and community development of all the students we serve. In the next year, MassBay’s MBLA program goals will include recruitment of more students and mentors to ensure development of strong relationships, while providing a support system for educational and career goals. Local residents can see how the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation grant and local funds are benefiting MBLA by visiting us at www.MassBay.edu.
“Middlesex Savings Bank has always cared deeply about the communities we serve,” said Dana Neshe, president of the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation. “Through the Foundation grants, we are able to provide support to the people and organizations who work the hardest to both solve problems and create opportunities.”
About the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation
The Foundation was established in 2000 to carry out further the philanthropic mission of Middlesex Savings Bank by supporting the communities served by the Bank. Over the past 15 years, the Foundation has provided more than $4 million in grants to over 400 nonprofit organizations, supporting services, and programs in a wide variety of fields, including education, and basic human services. Since the inception of the Foundation, Middlesex Savings Bank has funded the endowment with over $15 million in contributions. More information is available at https://www.middlesexbank.com/community-and-us/community-support/Pages/charitable-foundation.aspx.
About Middlesex Savings Bank
Middlesex Savings Bank, founded in 1835 and headquartered in Natick, Mass., is a mutual savings bank. As one of the largest independent banks in Massachusetts with assets exceeding $4 billion, the bank has been committed to providing outstanding value in consumer banking and business banking products for 180 years. The FDIC and DIF insured bank has 30 branch offices located in 24 communities – Acton, Ashland, Bedford, Bellingham, Boxborough, Concord, Framingham, Franklin, Groton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Littleton, Maynard, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Natick, Needham, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Walpole, Wayland, Wellesley, and Westford. For more information, please visit www.middlesexbank.com, www.facebook.com/connectwithmsb and www.twitter.com/middlesexbank.