MassReconnect brings free community college to state

Kevin Brito is one of the first Bunker Hill Community College students to receive MassReconnect funding, and it has given him a new opportunity and a fresh start.

At 27, Brito is now a firsttime college student, and like many BHCC students, the journey to college involved trying different learning settings and getting to know himself better. Brito graduated from TechBoston Academy but thought he needed more time to be ready to continue his education.

“I always wanted to be financially sound. I never wanted to put myself in a position where I would have to make more difficult choices than needed, and at Bunker Hill, I get the same quality education as a four-year college but at a fraction of the price.”

If Brito, who lives in Brockton and works in security, wasn’t aware of MassReconnect before, it has become the keystone of his nascent college career. Brito is enrolled in BHCC’s Electric Power Utility Training (EPUT) program. This unique program offers students a paid internship with Eversource, along with an associate’s degree in science and a certificate in natural gas technology.

Graduates of the program can then interview with Eversource for a position in their field. Affordability and a high return on investment drew him to community college in the first place, and with MassReconnect, that equation has moved in his favor.

“I had already taken out loans,” Brito said. “It was a relief to get to return that money…and know that I wouldn’t be going into debt to go to school.”

MassReconnect is making free community college a reality for thousands of Massachusetts students who are aged 25 and older without a prior college degree.

Learn more at bhcc.edu/ massreconnect.