FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Liz Cooper
781-239-2636
ecooper@massbay.edu
![Mena Fenwick]( "Mena Fenwick")
MassBay Community College graduate Mena Fenwick, on the MassBay Wellesley Hills campus, Wellesley Hills, MA, May 2023 (Photo/MassBay Community College).
WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass. (May 18, 2023) — MassBay Community College elementary education student Mena Fenwick of Natick, MA will transfer to Wellesley College in the fall to pursue a bachelor’s degree in education. Her long-term goals include completing her bachelor's at Wellesley College, pursuing a master's degree, teaching special education at a middle school level, and eventually shaping special education policy reform.
“Before coming to MassBay, I worked with children with special needs in the United Kingdom, which really lit a fire in me to continue this line of work,” said Mena. “I want to help children who are on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and help develop policies with inclusive practices for all students. It’s important to me to remove barriers and meet special education students where they are so they can be included and supported in a way that helps them grow and learn. I passionately believe every child deserves to have the tools to learn and advance in our education system.”
“My five-year old son is on an IEP,” she continued. “I am his greatest advocate to ensure that he has what he needs to be successful, but not all parents have a background in this field or know how to advocate for their kids. This issue is one in which I’d like to get involved to make a difference. Unfortunately, the notion exists that kids need to fit into a certain learning mold, but we need to reverse this thinking and make policy changes so that education systems become student-ready, which will have the biggest impact on our youngest learners.”
Mena began her studies at MassBay in the fall of 2021 and has been named to the Dean’s List every semester, with a perfect 4.0 GPA. In addition to attending classes and taking care of her son Elijah, Mena is a peer mentor, serves as the Student Government Association (SGA) secretary for the academic affairs committee, is the student representative for MassBay’s teaching and learning committee, strategic planning committee, and its New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) committee, and works at the Hometown Sweat Yoga Studio in Natick. She is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa and Psi Beta National Honor Societies.
“I came to MassBay and found a community here,” said Mena. “I always felt so welcomed and a sense of belonging here. I am excited to transfer to Wellesley College, but I will miss the support and comfort of MassBay. I recently received an Impact Award from MassBay, which I was truly humbled by, because MassBay has, in turn, impacted me in so many ways. I loved every second of my time at the College. I love studying education and following this career path. I can’t wait for the next chapter of my story at Wellesley College.”
Mena will graduate from MassBay on May 25, 2023, with her Associate of Arts degree in Elementary Education and will start classes at Wellesley College in September 2023.
MassBay Community College is the most affordable higher education option in MetroWest Boston, offering a robust portfolio of courses and more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs with flexible day, evening, and weekend classes in Ashland, Framingham, Wellesley Hills, and online. MassBay students receive an unmatched educational value by earning stackable credits that transfer to bachelor’s degree programs, and workforce-ready skills necessary to advance careers in high-demand fields such as health and life sciences, automotive technology, engineering, business, cybersecurity, and the humanities. MassBay’s Associate Degree in Nursing (RN) and Practical Nursing (LPN) programs were both ranked as the #1 Nursing Program in Massachusetts in 2020-2021 by national nursing advocacy organizations RegisteredNursing.org, and PracticalNursing.org. Since its founding in 1961, MassBay has been accredited by several governing bodies and remains firmly committed to its mission of meeting the needs of the diverse local communities it serves. We value the intrinsic worth of all individuals, collectively in pursuit of inclusiveness and prioritize our work towards achieving equity within our community and beyond.