Middlesex Community College Announces Tuition-Free Links Program to Provide Students Extra Support

Middlesex Community College provides students of all ages and backgrounds with opportunities to pursue higher education. Students who have a high school diploma or equivalency credential can take advantage of MCC’s Links program. The tuition-free program is designed to provide extra support for students starting college.

“Links students benefit from extra support while taking classes toward their chosen associate degree major or certificate program,” said Karen Spengler, MCC’s Links Program Coordinator/Advisor. “Links offers cohort classes along with individualized academic and career guidance. The program is a unique opportunity for students to acclimate to college in a supportive setting while earning free college credits.”

MCC’s 2023-2024 Student Trustee Sarah Alzate-Pérez is a Fine and Performing Arts Theatre major from Colombia who now lives in Lowell. She credits Spengler and the Links program for impacting her experience at Middlesex most.

“The Links program gave me the opportunity to get involved in college as a way to start pursuing my dreams,” Alzate-Pérez said.

The Links program is supported by a grant from the Massaschusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Students attend at no cost to them while earning an associate degree, certificate or industry credential.

The program collaborates with MCC’s Adult Learning Center (ALC), as well as other centers throughout Massachusetts. While students who come from the ALC are given priority, other students are encouraged to apply.

In small class sizes, students gain skills needed to succeed in college-level courses. The program also provides guidance on their next academic and professional steps.

From Uganda and now Acton, Donnah Mukanziza is part of MCC’s Biotechnology Learn & Earn Experience. She appreciates how the Links program focuses on students’ individual needs.

“The teachers’ involvement with the students made it easier to learn,” Mukanziza said. “They give enormous guidance on what to do next.”

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