Eva Fajkowski, of Winchester, started at Middlesex Community College as a high school student in the Dual Enrollment program. Interested in pursuing business, she appreciated taking college-level classes early on in her education. In the summer of 2025, Fajkowski received hands-on experience in her field through the Local Commonwealth Finance Fellowship.
“The program’s combination of a training course and field placement stuck out to me, and I was also really excited about the program’s emphasis on selecting community college students,” Fajkowski said. “This experience allowed me to learn more about technical finance and the municipal finance field as a whole, which will be incredibly beneficial when planning and working in my future career.”
Fajkowki was one of 30 community college students selected after learning about the state program in her classes. Working alongside professionals for the Town of Lexington, she completed tasks for different finance-related offices, from budget reports and batch review to treasury deposits, contract costing, and account review.
One of the major benefits of the fellowship for Fajkowski was taking the concepts she learned in classes and applying them to real-world experiences. She is also gaining hands-on opportunities as part of MCC’s business administration program. Choosing the program because of its broad nature, she enjoys studying about topics such as entrepreneurship, accounting and economics.
“I can further define my major as I keep taking classes and learning what I want to study,” Fajkowski said. “This program also offers many student opportunities within entrepreneurship and finance, from student vendor markets to business startup competitions. There are many opportunities to prepare yourself for university or start a business and successful career at MCC.”
As part of MCC’s program, Fajkowksi has developed connections with faculty and classmates. Supportive professors offer encouragement, feedback, and access to resources. The students she has met through her classes and activities have also been influential on her time at Middlesex.
“The professors I have worked with have all been incredibly understanding, but at the same time have pushed me to grow, whether as a public speaker or in my knowledge of a subject,” she said. “Many students I’ve worked with are highly motivated to either start their own business or work in finance or accounting, they often share anecdotes and have really made some great discussions.”
An active member of the MCC community, Fajkowski is the assistant secretary of the Student Government Association (SGA). She has also worked as an honors writing tutor for the college’s Academic Centers for Enrichment (ACE) and participated in the Entrepreneurship Club.
After her time at MCC, Fajkowski plans to transfer to a four-year school to earn a bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance. Her hope is to run her own business in food service or event planning one day. By providing valuable leadership and hands-on experiences, MCC is helping her build a strong foundation for her future.
“These experiences have not only strengthened my academic and professional skills but have also given me the confidence to continue pursuing my goals," she said. “I know the knowledge and support I’ve gained at MCC will carry me forward as I transfer and begin building my career.”