Zachary Colby 25 Biology

I love being part of a learning community at GCC.

Zachary Colby secured a job as a laboratory technician when he only had a high school diploma. He initially thought that getting a college education was out of reach and would only result in “drowning in debt.” Life threw him a curve ball in January 2023 when he and everyone at his organic chemistry lab were laid off. He found that he couldn’t even land an interview for another lab tech job without a college degree. Through the Training Opportunities Program, Zach found a way to secure funding to enroll at Greenfield Community College.

“I love being part of a learning community at GCC,” Zach said. Amanda Hyde’s Biology II class was life-changing. Professor Hyde encouraged Zach to pursue an honors project based on his semester-long research on the invasive plant knotweed. He presented his research at the University of Massachusetts Undergraduate Research Conference and the GCC Student Symposium.

Along with classroom work, Zach wanted hands-on experience. GCC Internship Coordinator David Brown helped him secure a paid research internship at the UMass Amherst Invasive Species lab. That’s when Zach encountered a challenge many GCC students face—the ability to afford gas for the commute to Amherst for his internship. He learned that GCC’s Coordinator of Student Emergency Funds, Rosemarie Freeland, might be able to help.

“Rosemarie is incredible,” Zach said. “She made sure I didn’t feel judged in any way or looked down on. She was able to get me gas cards the same day. She came from a place of empowerment, so I could be on equal footing with the other students at UMass who could easily afford transportation to their internship.”

When Zach started at GCC, his plan was to stop after earning his associate degree and find another lab tech job. However, his experience at GCC inspired him to dream bigger. He now plans to transfer to a four-year school to obtain a bachelor’s degree in biology, focusing on natural resource conservation. He may even pursue a graduate degree in forest ecology. His ultimate goal is to work in invasive species-informed land management for a federal or state park.

None of this would have been possible without the support Zach found at GCC, including student emergency funds, the food pantry, and the internship program. Reflecting on his journey, Zach shared, “There are a lot of incredibly smart students at GCC coming from all different backgrounds.The unfortunate truth is that many come from challenging backgrounds of poverty.” He is deeply thankful for the donors who help students overcome obstacles.