Greenfield Community College serves everyone in the community, whatever their goals, whatever their life circumstance: Students who seek to enter the workforce right out of GCC and those seeking to continue their learning toward a Bachelor's degree and beyond. Traditional college-aged students, dual enrolled high school students, and older, non-traditional-aged students. Single parents, people in recovery, mid-life career changers, life-long learners, and more.

GCC President Bob Pura said, "About half of GCC graduates transfer on to a four-year college. Many are attending colleges to which they previously felt they couldn't dare aspire. Our data show that GCC transfer students do as well or better than students who start at four-year colleges. These ‘Fantastic Five' GCC graduates are examples of the diversity of GCC's alumni who continue on in higher education. GCC's commitment to access and excellence made these graduates' journeys to their impressive baccalaureate institutions possible, in most cases where there was no other pathway. Each of these students are following in the footsteps of the thousands of GCC alumni who have transferred to four-year colleges. In so doing, they also pave the way for future GCC graduates."

Meet the "Fantastic Five" who transferred to the Five Colleges:

CYLA O'CONNOR, Pelham, 37 years old

Attended GCC: 2005 – 2007, GPA 3.96

Transferred to: Smith College, graduated with a B.A. in Mathematics in May 2010

Currently: Studying toward M.Ed. in Mathematics Education at University of Massachusetts Amherst, will graduate in May 2013, working as a research assistant on an adaptive mathematics tutoring software project at UMASS Computer Science department

How GCC helped her get to where she is today:

"My professors at GCC were inspiring and supportive. They helped me realize my potential and affinity for mathematics and suggested I apply to Smith College. I had not considered Smith because I was not aware of their program for nontraditional age students (Ada Comstock Scholars). My education at GCC really prepared me well to succeed academically at Smith and at UMASS."

EVELYN STANKOWSKI, Sunderland, 19 years old

Attended GCC: 2010 – 2012, GPA 3.9

Transferred to: Isenberg School of Management, University of Massachusetts, majoring in Finance, will graduate with Bachelor's degree in May 2014

How GCC helped her get to where she is today:

"Studying at Isenberg has been one of my biggest goals in recent years. My time at GCC prepared me well for classes I'm taking now. In Finance and Political Economy, I'm already familiar with many of the concepts being discussed. I'm grateful for the solid, well-rounded foundation that GCC provided and professors at GCC were easy to reach for help. I am really glad I did my senior year of high school at GCC as a Dual-Enrollment student."

HILARY MATILAINEN, Millers Falls, 22 years old

Attended GCC: 2009 – 2011, GPA 3.5

Transferred to: Hampshire College, studying Dance and Biology, working at Hampshire College Cole Science Center, will graduate with Bachelor's degree in May 2014

How GCC helped her get to where she is today:

"I came to GCC as a non-traditional student with very little direction trying to make changes in my life. I quickly enrolled full-time in the dance program where I not only learned how to utilize dance as an effective, positive outlet, but gained more confidence in myself. I also cultivated a passion for life sciences during my time at GCC. With the support of my advisor, I transferred to Hampshire College with help from a GCC Dance Scholarship and a generous grant from Hampshire. I am now a Molecular Biology major with a Dance minor. I would not be where I am today without the experience, support, and knowledge I gained at GCC."

 JACOB (JAKE) POWERS, Northampton, 24 years old

Attended GCC: 2008 – 2009, GPA 3.71, served on GCC Board of Trustees as student representative, started GCC's project for students in recovery

Transferred to: Amherst College, majoring in English focusing on creative writing, will graduate with Bachelor's degree in May 2013

How GCC helped him get to where he is today:

"GCC's doors were open for me when I made the decision to continue my education. As a high school drop-out, I believed college was an opportunity I had missed but GCC faculty and staff told me otherwise and showed me I have the ability to thrive and excel beyond what I ever thought possible. I have carried these lessons forward to Amherst College and continue to excel, building upon the solid foundation I established at GCC. After graduation, I plan take time off to travel and write before applying to an MFA program."

 JENNIE BERGERON, Pelham, 28 years old

Attended GCC: 2001 – 2010 with a break to work, travel some of the U.S. and have son Aidan, GPA 3.8

Transferred to: Mount Holyoke College, currently a senior Francis Perkins Scholar majoring in Environmental Studies with Nature/Culture/History concentration and an English Minor, will graduate with Bachelor's degree in May 2013

How GCC helped her get to where she is today:

"GCC has been the cornerstone of my academic pursuits. GCC's supportive environment helped me believe in my strengths as a student, writer, naturalist, and person in the world. GCC opened its doors to me when I left high school early and wanted to begin college, and again over five years later when I had the opportunity to return and finish what I started. The teachers of GCC have changed my life because I always found encouragement and support from them. My current academic path began in Environmental Studies courses at GCC, where I learned that once you learn about the state of the world, you can never go back."

By Mary McClintock, '82

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