MassBay Awarded $75K from Cummings Foundation for Career Pathways for English Language Learners

MassBay Community College (left to right) Executive Director of Corporate Partnerships, Workforce Development and Community Education Colleen Coffey and Vice President for Enrollment Management Lisa Slavin pose at the Cummings Foundation $30 Million Grant Program announcement, Burlington, MA, June 2025 (Photo/MassBay Community College).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Liz Cooper
ecooper@massbay.edu

Grant will support disadvantaged students and English Language Learners in high-demand fields like healthcare, behavioral health, and IT

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (September 4, 2025) — MassBay Community College has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the Cummings Foundation to expand programs for English Language Learners (ELL) and disadvantaged students in career certificate pathways for high-demand fields including Behavioral Health Technician, Certified Nursing Assistant, and Computer Support Specialists.

“We are deeply grateful to the Cummings Foundation for their continued support,” said MassBay Community College President David Podell. “Over the years this Foundation has made significant contributions to MassBay that have changed the trajectory of the lives of hundreds of individuals, and has made a substantial impact by strengthening our regional economy. This latest funding enables MassBay students who otherwise could not afford to accept an unpaid professional experience to develop their career-based skills on-the-job. The Cummings Foundation has once again generously invested in a program that will make a difference for worthy students and will have a lasting impact on our regional workforce.”

The Cummings Foundation grant will support MassBay students sharpen their English skills and transition into career-focused training programs that align with regional workforce needs. This initiative addresses critical workforce shortages in MetroWest by training people in roles that are urgently needed and have career stability including working with the aging population and people with mental health issues, as well as meet the constantly growing need for Information Technology and cybersecurity support.

“This generous grant from the Cummings Foundation allows us to equip English Language Learners and students in need with the skills they need to succeed in today’s workforce,” said MassBay Executive Director of MassBay’s Corporate Partnerships, Workforce Development, and Community Education Colleen Coffey. “We are proud to help students transition into careers that are vital to our community’s health and economy.”

The Cummings Foundation, established by Bill and Joyce Cummings, is one of the largest private foundations in New England and focuses its philanthropy in the Greater Boston area. The grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations in a wide variety of causes, including human services, education, healthcare, and the environment. To date, the Cummings Foundation has awarded more than $600 million to local organizations and in 2025, MassBay was one of 150 nonprofits selected as recipients of the $30 million grant program.

For more information about MassBay’s Corporate Partnerships, Workforce Development and Community Education programs, visit www.massbay.edu/workforce.

MassBay Community College is the most affordable higher education option in MetroWest Boston and is free to most Massachusetts residents without a bachelor’s degree. With more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs, along with comprehensive workforce and educational training, MassBay provides a wide range of courses with flexible day, evening, and weekend classes in Wellesley, Framingham, the Automotive Technology Center in Ashland, and online, in high-demand fields including health and life sciences, computer science, engineering, cybersecurity, business, and the humanities. MassBay students receive unparalleled value, with free one-on-one academic and social support services, compassionate and experienced faculty, and stackable credits that easily transfer to bachelor’s degree programs and that provide hands-on, workforce-ready skills. Health sciences, human services, early childhood education, and many general education programs are offered at the 65,000 square foot, state-of-the-art MassBay Framingham, which has served the community since January 2024. Founded in 1961, MassBay has been accredited by multiple governing bodies and remains dedicated to serving its diverse communities, fostering inclusiveness, and advancing equity for all.