Middlesex Community College held the Noncredit Health Program Graduation on Monday, May 5 on the college’s Bedford Campus. Featuring guest speakers and a post-ceremony reception, the event honored students who completed programs within MCC’s Community Education and Training (CET) division.
“This ceremony means getting together with fellow peers, family and friends to celebrate and acknowledge the efforts put in to accomplish a goal,” said Dafnieselly Rios-Quiles, an MCC Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) graduate, of Lowell. “[MCC’s CNA program] is a steady-paced course with clear and concise curriculum. MCC is helping me reach my goals by providing the resources and space to learn and practice skills, in addition to providing assistance within the program, such as resume building and job searching.”
For Rios-Quiles, Middlesex was a convenient and affordable option close to home that offered classes she could balance with her work schedule. The program provided an opportunity to build upon the skills she gained working in home health settings, including through access to the simulation lab and clinical experiences. After completing the program, she plans to work as a CNA before returning to school to pursue radiologic technology.
In addition to Rios-Quiles, Middlesex CNA students Krystal Torres and Efdjeen Cineas spoke on behalf of the 225 students who completed programs from the spring, summer and fall 2024 and fall 2025 noncredit sessions.
MCC’s President Phil Sisson and Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Workforce Development Judy Burke highlighted the graduates’ hard work and commitment to working in the much-needed industries in their welcome addresses during the ceremony.
Susan Moffatt-Bruce, MD, Ph.D., president of Lahey Hospital & Medical Center and divisional president of Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH), also commended the graduates for pursuing their education in fields such as phlebotomy and pharmacy and as nursing assistants that are essential to the health and healing of our communities.
“You’ve earned a credential that opens doors – to new careers, to new confidence and to the opportunity to make a real difference in people's lives,” Dr. Moffatt-Bruce said, encouraging the graduates to look to Lahey Hospital & Medical Center and BILH for opportunities as they forge ahead with their careers. “You are joining a community of health care professionals where your work truly matters, where every interaction has the power to heal, to comfort and to inspire.”
MCC’s noncredit health programs provide comprehensive, hands-on training opportunities to help students directly enter a variety of in-demand fields. Middlesex graduates complete certificates for programs related to addiction counseling, dental careers, medical interpreting, certified nurse assistant, office administration, pharmacy technician, phlebotomy, and more.
“These students are the backbone of the healthcare system,” said Caitlin Campopiano, MCC’s Director of Workforce Programs & Professional Education. “Nurse assistants, pharmacy technicians, phlebotomists do important work in our hospitals and health care providers offices – and often they go unnoticed. We wanted to celebrate their accomplishments by offering a graduation ceremony. These entry-level healthcare programs play such a vital role and without them our nurses, doctors and pharmacists could not give the level of care they give.”
Learn more about MCC's Community Education and Training programs!