Bunker Hill Community College | Office of the President

Late today, the Jury returned a guilty verdict for Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd, bringing justice to the light of day after so much pain and turmoil. As we continue to mourn the loss of George Floyd, and are consoled by the triumph of justice today, we also acknowledge his important place in history. Mr. Floyd’s death served to reignite the civil rights movement of our age, and added to urgency to our search for justice and for healing.

Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) English Professor Caroline Kautsire was featured as a notable author for Women’s History Month on CBS Boston and WCVB Chronicle. During the interview with WCVB Chronicle, Professor Kautsire talked about her journey as an author in America and Malawi and her book, What Kind of Girl? An African Child Caught Between Worlds.

Bunker Hill Community College | Office of the President

The shooting in Atlanta yesterday that resulted in the death of six Asians, and the rise in attacks on the AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Community across the nation have left many of us feeling outraged, disheartened, and fearful.  In mainstream press and social media, we hear reports of targeted acts of verbal and physical violence.  From our own students, we hear about experiences of aggression on and off-campus that have made them feel unsafe. With the recent attacks on elders in the Asian communities, in which respect for family and older generations is especially important, the physical and psychological insult is severely felt.

Plough Quarterly announced the first annual Rhina P. Espaillat Poetry Award in honor of the achievements of the Dominican-American poet and Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) Distinguished Artist and Scholar in Residence. Plough Quarterly is an award-winning international magazine of faith, culture, and society.

Bunker Hill Community College | Office of the President

Dear BHCC Community,

Our nation observes Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 18 in the aftermath of an insurrection in the Capitol that threatens our democracy. The presence of white extremists and their violent acts make it clear that the movement led by Dr. King to find equality and opportunity for all is far from complete. On this commemorative day, in the spirit of Dr. King’s work, I invite all of us to reflect on our own efforts in lifting up our Black communities and our communities of color, in recognizing the cultural wealth that our students and employees bring to our institution, and in envisioning a world where Dr. King’s vision of social and economic equity can come about.

Bunker Hill Community College | Office of the President

Dear BHCC Community,

On Wednesday, our nation experienced an unimaginable insurrection during the final, and normally ceremonial, phase of our presidential election. The incursion into the Capitol Building and the disruption of the certification of electoral votes was a direct challenge to our democracy. It breached the peaceful transition of power, a hallmark of our republic and a beacon of hope for so many around the world aspiring to democracy.

Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) was awarded $250,000 from the City of Somerville’s Job Creation and Retention Trust Board. The grant project, entitled SELL –Somerville English Language Learners – is shared with employer partner East Somerville Main Streets (ESMS), the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS), and The Welcome Project (TWP). The funds will provide no-cost English as a Second Language classes and customer service training to low-income Somerville residents through June 2021. To learn more, visit https://www.bhcc.edu/somerville-esol/

Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) Learn and Earn Internship Coordinator Katie Colello accepted the Strong Women in Action (SWIA) Spotlight Award on behalf of the College’s Learn and Earn program and the BHCC Foundation at the SWIA Annual Gala, held virtually on November 13, 2020. SWIA is dedicated to building a strong and effective network of partners and aims to empower families and break the cycle of family poverty in Massachusetts by promoting pathways to economic independence.

As part of a Veterans Day series on supporting veterans, the American Council on Education (ACE) recognized the work of the Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) Veterans Center in ensuring a smooth transition to college for student-veterans, active duty military, Guard/Reservists, and their eligible dependents. Over the past decade, BHCC’s Veterans Center has supported nearly 5,000 student-veterans in achieving their education goals, with nearly half transferring to four-year institutions.

Bunker Hill Community College | Office of the President

Dear Members of the College Community,

As I write you this morning, yesterday’s Presidential Election shows Biden-Harris at 238 electoral votes, Trump-Pence at 213, with a small number of states still tabulating. We do not currently have a definitive winner of the contest.  The final accounting and possible legal challenges might extend this uncertainty for a week or more.

Bunker Hill Community College | Office of the President

Dear BHCC Community,

As I am sure you know, tomorrow, November 3, is Election Day in the United States.  In the 232 years, since we elected the first U.S. President in 1788, we have held 58 elections, through a Civil War, two World Wars, and many other crises.  All of these elections are examples of a core principle of democracy: the peaceful transfer of power.

Bunker Hill Community College | Office of the President

In June 2020, the Mayor of Boston declared racism as a public health crisis and began implementing strategies to mitigate its damaging effects. Shortly after, the cities of Somerville, Revere, Everett, and Chelsea joined this declaration. In September, amid growing evidence, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey, and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley challenged the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to acknowledge the role of racism in precipitating the current deep public health crisis.

On July 22, 2020, Bunker Hill Community College President Pam Eddinger, along with Roxbury Community College President Valerie Roberson, joined the Boston Globe’s Marcela García for a Globe Op-Talk titled, “Community Colleges in Crisis: How COVID-19 & race are reshaping higher education.”