Greetings to everyone, and thank y
ou so much for joining
with me to celebrate nearly 40 year
s of progress at
Middlesex Community College!
When I announced in June that I was planning to retire from Middlesex after nearly four decades,
I heard from so many of you from within the college community as well as among our community partners.
The well-wishes and congratulations were all much appreciated and reminded me how fortunate I am to
number all of you among my friends and colleagues.
Believe me, when I started as a faculty member with the college on the grounds of the V
eterans Administration Hospital in 1976,
I never dreamed I would have the opportunity to someday lead what I consider to be the finest community college in the United S
tates.
When I interviewed for the job of Middlesex Community College'
s third president in the late summer of 1990, I told the Search
Committee and Board of Trustees that, if elected, I would focus on four key areas for the college:
Capital Expansion
I was proud to oversee the establishment of permanent campuses in both Lowell and Bedford, as
well as the rehabilitation of historic properties for both campuses that could serve as academic and administrative buildings
for the college. I am happy to report that with the new arts building poised to open in the Boston and Maine railroad depot, a
new STEM building on our Bedford campus, and yet another new academic building in Lowell, the college is well positioned for
growth in the coming decade and beyond.
A Commitment to Developing a Strong W
orkforce Development Program
Our Corporate and
Community Education programs have become a cornerstone of our community outreach, and we look for new business
partnerships on a daily basis.
Expanding Community and Business Par
tnerships in MCC's Service Area
We have enjoyed solid
relationships with school districts throughout the region and collaborate regularly with our municipal partners in both our re
-
gions.
Preparing Students for a Global Econom
y Our Global Studies program, with the help of the MCC Foundation, has
provided our students with unprecedented global learning opportunities, with assignments in China, Belize, Cambodia, Peru,
Russia, Ireland, Costa Rica, and India, to name just a few of our partners. When I started as President, it was unheard of for
community college students to have these types of opportunities to travel and study abroad. Now
, Middlesex is worldwide.
None of these accomplishments were achieved alone. I have been fortunate to have staunch supporters within the college
administration, up and down the ranks of the faculty
, and with our Student Government Association. Likewise, our community and
business partners, our education partners such as the University of Massachusetts Lowell and the Board of Higher Education, as
well
as the legislators from the Massachusetts State House, the United States Congress, and our local boards have always been there
for
Middlesex. I would have never have been able to achieve the successes Middlesex has witnessed without the unyielding support of
our Board of Trustees and our Foundation.
I know that I leave the college on solid footing as it continues advancing into the 21st century
. I am proud of what we have been
able to achieve together. I will continue to serve the college as a member of its Foundation, and eagerly look forward to the next
challenges in life.
I thank all of you for having joined me on this remarkable Middlesex Community College voyage. I wish you all well.
~
Dr. Carole A. Cowan, Middlesex President