Attending Middlesex Community College to explore what he wanted to do for his future career, Tristan Nam, of Lawrence, found a close community, new friendships, and a stronger connection with his Asian American culture. Through his involvement in clubs and organizations at Middlesex, he developed skills and interests to set him up for success in and outside of the classroom.
“It’s really nice to have a community that is small because you get to know everyone a little better,” Nam said. “Staff and faculty have been really welcoming and helpful to people who are willing to learn more, people who want to transfer, or people just looking for activities to do around campus. It’s a very welcoming community with lots of diversity within the culture and people.”
Participating in MCC’s clubs and organizations made Nam feel comfortable and connected at the college. As president of the Fashion Club, he leads his peers in events and trips celebrating his non-academic passions. A member of the Asian Student Alliance Club, Nam engages with his Asian culture and peers while learning more about other cultures and ethnicities.
Through MCC’s Asian American Center and the Program for Asian American Student Advancement (PAASA), Nam attends events hosted by the Asian American Center. While connecting with his peers, he also gains support and advice from staff members, including Charly Chea and Jennifer Nguyen. Whether assisting him with his schoolwork or providing life advice, he is grateful for Chea and Nguyen’s guidance at the Center.
“I grew up in an area where there weren’t a lot of Asian Americans,” Nam said. “Coming to Middlesex in Lowell – which is a city with a lot of Asian Americans and specifically Cambodians – I felt more connected to the culture that I didn’t really have when I was growing up. I think the community is really great at MCC. It’s small and tight knit, which I like.”
Nam has also received guidance from faculty in his business classes, helping him build a team of academic support behind him. This includes having one-on-one conversations about his future in the field with experts who have professional experience. Working at the Professional Clothing Pop-Up also allowed Nam to apply skills and strategies he learned in the classroom to a real-life work situation.
“We spent three months working on [the Professional Clothing Pop-Up], and the payoff was really good,” Nam said. “A lot of students got free professional clothes for their business needs, interviews, and other similar things. Organizational skills were prevalent, and communication with our other coworkers and higher-ups was important. I think doing that within MCC and helping our students really did help elevate my skills for business.”
During his time at a trade high school, Nam started studying electromechanical engineering. Once he enrolled at Middlesex, he switched to MCC’s business program to expand his job opportunities. Thanks to the MassEducate and MassReconnect programs to allow all Massachusetts residents who have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree to attend MCC for free, Nam is able to expand his knowledge at a low cost.
“With the new MassEducate program, MCC was a good option for me,” he said. “I came to community college to figure out what I want to explore and what I want to do before I commit to something. Getting to have that one-on-one learning scenario with professors, or even at the ACE Tutoring Center, really helps develop learning skills and communication skills, which are skills I will be using in my future.”