Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts Awards MWCC Career Readiness & Educational Access Grant

MWCC's on campus Child Watch is staffed by student parents and a Team Leader supported by CFNCM grant funding.
Photo courtesy of Nia Carignan

GARDNER, MA - July 25, 2025 - The Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts (CFNCM) Career Readiness & Educational Access Grant Committee has awarded the MWCC Foundation $30,000 in continued funding to support the Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) Child Watch Program.

The MWCC Child Watch is a supervised place where registered and eligible students can safely leave their child(ren) for up to four hours while they attend class, study, meet with their advisor, or receive tutoring. Student-parents must remain on campus and be reachable by cell phone while their child is in the Child Watch and return to the Child Watch if they are needed.

In addition to the support it provides parenting students, the Child Watch program has had significant success in preparing students for careers in early childhood care and education; the part-time work that is performed by the Team Leader compliments their classroom work with experiential learning. The Child Watch Team Leader role is filled by Sara Leopaldi, who graduated with her associate degree in 2025 and is now continuing her studies at Framingham State University.

"We live in a state with the highest cost of childcare in the US. Many student parents are forced to patch together childcare with partners, relatives, and other possibly less dependable care," states Ann Reynolds, MWCC Coordinator of Student Parent Supports. "The Child Watch program helps student parents overcome these challenges, and the program would not be sustainable without the staff and resources the grant makes possible."

One in four community college students are parents. Since its inception in April 2022, MWCC's Child Watch has served 154 parent-students and 218 children. Of these, 115 students are the first generation of their family to attend college and 66 have graduated. Child Watch participant students have an average GPA of 3.18 and a 75% graduation rate.

Nypro Foundation Provides Scholarship Support to MWCC Summer Adventures Program

GARDNER, MA - July 28, 2025 - The Mount Wachusett Community College Foundation, Inc. has received a grant of $5,649 from the Nypro Foundation in support of the MWCC Summer Adventures Program. The grant will provide scholarships for three children of MWCC student parents to attend the 7-week Summer Adventures Program. This support will enable current student-parents to enroll in summer courses without the added financial burden of summer enrichment activities for their children, allowing them to focus on their academic success while ensuring their children have a safe and engaging summer experience.

"Summer vacation poses a significant challenge for low-income families in our region and we are thankful to the Nypro Foundation for helping us to meet that challenge," said MWCC Foundation Executive Director Carla Zottoli. "Many children miss out on critical educational and enrichment opportunities, widening the gap in academic achievement and personal development. Our Summer Adventures Program bridges that gap, offering outdoor education experiences that help children build an appreciation for nature and sustainability."

For MWCC parenting students, many of whom struggle to afford enrichment opportunities for their children during the summer, the Summer Adventures Program also presents a unique solution. One in four students at MWCC is a parent, and many report difficulty securing affordable care or educational enrichment during the summer months. Scholarships allow these students to continue their studies while ensuring their children participate in educational and recreational activities.

The Nypro Foundation was founded in 1993 by a ten-year annual contribution by Gordon Lankton and further supported by Nypro and now Jabil Corporation. The Nypro Foundation focuses on Health and Human Services, Education, Community/Civic, Arts/Cultural, Disaster Relief and Employee Matching. The Nypro Foundation supports organizations that promote, sustain and strengthen the town of Clinton where Nypro was headquartered and founded and the surrounding areas where Nypro employees reside. Visit nyprofoundation.org for more information.

The MWCC Division of Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development has run the Summer Adventures Program for twelve years, offering enriching activities that engage youth through active learning, excursions, and hands-on experience. Visit mwcc.edu/youth to learn more.