Massachusetts Community College Is Now Free For Adults 25+

In late August, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey launched a new education initiative that will make community college free for residents 25 and older.

In total, 15 Massachusetts community colleges will participate in this program. Each school was awarded $100,000 to put towards implementation.

“Make your Dream of Higher Education a Reality with MassReconnect (the program name),” Mass.edu states in announcing the program. The goal here is to ultimately make higher education accessible and affordable for all applicable residents who desire a degree. Furthermore, in addition to MassReconnect covering your tuition, you will get an allowance to cover the cost of books and supplies.

Governor Healey said, “It will bolster the role of community colleges as economic drivers in our state and help us better meet the needs of businesses to find qualified, well-trained workers.”

How To Apply

First, interested individuals need to seek at their local community college to ensure they are part of the program. Then, the 23-24 FAFSA must be completed. The final step is to enroll at your community college. Finally, “MassReconnect awards will be made directly by the community colleges at the point of enrollment throughout the academic year,” the program explains.

How To Determine Eligibility

The student must be 25 or older on the first day of classes. However, you must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident and physically reside in Massachusetts for at least one year at the start of your term. You must also intend on remaining a Bay State resident.

What Are The Eligible Colleges?

In conclusion, here is the list of the Massachusetts public institutions that will be part of MassReconnect, allowing community college to be free for those 25 and older.

Berkshire Community College
Bristol Community College
Bunker Hill Community College
Cape Cod Community College
Greenfield Community College
Holyoke Community College
Massasoit Community College
MassBay Community College
Middlesex Community College
Mount Wachusett Community College
Northern Essex Community College
North Shore Community College
Quinsigamond Community College
Roxbury Community College
Springfield Technical Community College

Massachusetts: Local Street Art Is Getting National Exposure

A New Bedford, Massachusetts street art display is now getting national attention by being published in a book by Simon & Schuster.

On the Wall Posters: Street Art is described as a one-of-a-kind collection of posters, all from local artists. This book showcases 30 graffiti and street mural-inspired wall posters. Furthermore, it is all from the local mural art project, Superflat NB.

Founded in 2017, Superflat NB works directly with New Bedford’s residents and other artists around the world. Together, they are creating transformative public art. The collection of posters they will be publishing into a colorful book will bring these art pieces to life. In fact, you can now insert them right into your home.

What Superflat means

Japanese contemporary artist, “Takashi Murakami coined the term to express spatial compression and the blending of high and low art in his own work.” Superflat NB explains via their website. “Surperflat NB will provide access to the arts by directly engaging New Bedford’s youth, artists, and its residents in the ideation and creation of transformative public art through the traditions of mural-making,” they conclude. Their aim is to revitalize the city of New Bedford by inspiring youth with this creative outlet. In addition, their murals will bring national artists’ work into the community.

Book Introduction

“Today, street art is used worldwide for self-expression and to add character to unexpected places,” the book quotes. What can you expect to find when you crack open this poster book? On The Wall Posters: Street Art explains it as “wildstyle graffiti tags and colorful B-boy characters, to pop-art, stencil-style mural and more.”

Here, we will look at three pieces featured in this Massachusetts street art book that will now receive national distribution.

The book is available for pre-order now. It will be officially released on September 19, 2023. In the meantime, you preview the images and find more information on their Simon & Schuster page.