Press Release

Bunker Hill Community College Helps Students with Remote Learning

Thursday, April 23, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the inequities in our society, especially when it comes to education. BHCC students face significant financial challenges in the best of times and an estimated 20 -25 % do not have the technology – personal computers and internet – to support remote and on-line learning. The College’s shift to complete remote instruction, tutoring and advising during the COVID-19 crisis presented an obstacle to these students’ ability to stay enrolled.

BHCC recently received funding sufficient to purchase up to 800 Chromebooks through the generous support of three foundations. These include the Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, the City of Boston GRAD Last Mile Fund, supported by the Frieze Family Foundation, and The BHCC Foundation, Inc.

“BHCC wants to provide our students with the tools and resources they need to stay in school, including technology and basic needs. The gifts from these three foundations will make a big difference to our students’ ability to succeed,” said BHCC President Pam Eddinger.

The Chromebooks, which are on loan to the students, were initially distributed through the College’s DISH (Delivering Information Sustenance and Health) food pantry. A local community partner, SnapChef, stepped in to provide Chromebook deliveries during a temporary disruption in services at the DISH due to the COVID-19 surge.

BHCC students are facing tremendous financial hurdles created by the pandemic, such as job loss and increased family obligations. To help BHCC students during these unprecedented times, the BHCC Foundation has created a COVID-19 Student Relief Fund. This flexible fund enables the College to respond quickly to student needs caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

Learn more about BHCC’s COVID-19 Student Relief Fund.

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About Bunker Hill Community College
Bunker Hill Community College is the largest community college in Massachusetts, enrolling approximately 18,000 students annually. BHCC has two campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, and a number of other locations throughout the Greater Boston area. BHCC is one of the most diverse institutions of higher education in Massachusetts. Sixty-five percent of the students are people of color and more than half of BHCC's students are women. The College also enrolls nearly 600 international students who come from 94 countries and speak more than 75 languages.