Middlesex Community College held a graduation ceremony for students who completed the Prepare to Attend College (PAC) program on Friday, March 28. During the event, graduates shared their experiences and celebrated their successes.
“Today, as a graduate, I feel more ready than ever to take on new challenges,” said Duc Sébastien Seide, a PAC Two student from Haiti. “My goal is to earn a degree from MCC, which will help me support my family in Haiti and the United States. Thanks to MCC, I had the opportunity to study Pharmacy Technician and am working toward passing the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).”
Seide was one of three student speakers during the ceremony. After singing “Good Day Sunshine,” the graduates received certificates and ended with a potluck luncheon featuring foods from varying countries.
“My confidence level increased in this class,” said Antonyselvi Muthuraman, a PAC One student from India. “I like this class. I feel better. Thanks to my teacher and my classmates. Thank you, Middlesex Community College for this opportunity.”
This session, Middlesex graduated 52 students from 17 countries in the PAC One and PAC Two courses. Countries included Afghanistan, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Guinea, Haiti, India, Iran, Moracco, Pakistan, South Korea and Turkey.
“First, I would like to thank Middlesex college for providing us with free English class,” said Hatice Sengun, a PAC One graduate from Turkey. “It’s an excellent college. My teacher Faithe is a good teacher. She uses effective body language, is able to address each student by name from the second class, is dedicated to keeping us informed about college activities, and has contributed to my English learning so much."
As part of PAC, class instructor Faithe MacElliott introduced students to MCC resources such as the food pantries, libraries and the Academic Centers for Enrichment (ACE) for additional English practice and tutoring. Near the end of the program, MCC’s academic advisors visited the class to speak to graduates about continuing their education with options, including enrolling in credit classes at MCC.
“PAC serves a huge need in our community, allowing newcomers to the area to study English free of charge in a friendly and supportive atmosphere,” MacElliott said. “Students are well aware that being able to communicate in English opens all sorts of doors. Educational opportunities, advancement in employment, and expanding their social circles are just a few of the benefits that come with developing strong communication skills. It’s a terrific program that brings international students together and binds their collective experiences.”
The PAC program is a part of MCC’s English Learner Institute (ELI) which offers non-native English speakers the opportunity to improve their English skills. The PAC program runs three times a year and learners complete it in eight weeks. It is free, flexible and split into two levels.
“I have the privilege of watching students flourish both psychologically and linguistically in a remarkably short time,” said Charles Zhang, MCC PAC English Program Coordinator. “Once they step through the door, they quickly adapt to navigating the college system, where their unique experiences and expertise are valued and acknowledged. It’s at this point that their dreams begin to take flight and transform into reality.”