Podcasts about berkshire community college

“Show me the incentives and I'll show you the outcome”. These were the wise words of the late Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett's former business partner. What he meant by that was that if you incentivize good and productive business behavior, your business will grow. If you reward bad and unproductive behavior, your business and, ultimately, the consumer, will suffer. Since the 1980s, the economic and legal frameworks we've used have incentivized bad behavior. Today, we'll discuss Shareholder Primacy, which is the idea that a firm's primary responsibility is to maximize value for its shareholders. Its proponents believe that by maximizing value for shareholders, there is greater accountability, more incentives to invest in productive capabilities, and a higher likelihood of risk-taking leading to innovation. From the 80s to the 2000s, these ideas reigned supreme across economic and legal circles. They helped shape law and policy to create the highly corporatized economy we see today. But now, some of the flaws of this framework are beginning to manifest. Corporate profits as a percentage of GDP remain high relative to prior decades. Corporate profits now make up 12% of GDP, down from its peak of 12.8% in 2021, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. This is at a time when most Americans are still reeling from inflation earlier in the 2020s. A recent report from the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity found that the bottom 60% of households are out of reach of a minimal quality of life. Using the framework of shareholder primacy, a time of high corporate profits should translate to a high standard of living. But we just aren't seeing that.Why? Well, it depends on who you ask. I sat down with Harrison Karlewicz, a P.hD candidate at UMass Amherst, whose work shows that investing in equities doesn't always translate to investment in productive assets that will help companies grow. Instead of efficiently channeling savings to companies that need resources, like we're taught financial markets are for, they have become a place where speculation can lead to rent-seeking. There was a lot of nuance to the conversation. Financial markets weren't all good or all bad. But, I think we have to be realistic about the role financial markets and assets play in the economy. Our conversation touched a lot upon how businesses can be better structured to invest in assets that will help the company grow and provide good-quality products to consumers.Mr. Karlewicz is wrapping up his dissertation at UMass Amherst, where he works with Lenore Palladino, a Political Economist, on projects about corporate governance, industrial organization, and financialization. He is a research assistant at UMass's Political Economy Research Institute and a Fellow at McClave and Associates, an economic consulting firm. He has taught economics and math at Springfield College and Berkshire Community College. His work has been published by multiple outlets such as the Roosevelt Institute and Jacobin. Harrison earned his bachelor's degree in economics and political science from Seattle Pacific University and his master's from Bard College in Economic Theory and Policy. Together, we discussed the Robinhood-Gamestop debacle, the differences between public and private financial markets, and how policy can better incentivize investment in productive capabilities. To check out more of our content, including our research and policy tools, visit our website: https://www.hgsss.org/

In July 1925, Clarence Darrow, William Jennings Bryan, and a supporting cast of fascinating characters converged upon Dayton, Tennessee for what became known as "The Scopes Monkey Trial.""The Scopes Monkey Trial 100 Years Later: What Happened Then and Why Should We Care Now?" Is a 6-part course from Doug Mishkin starting April 1st at OLLI: the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College.

From her earliest days as a little girl, the power of drawing on a page fascinated and inspired Sally Tiska Rice. Coming down late at night to learn the tricks of the trade from her father who drew blueprints for a living, there was a magic at the end of the pencil. Her love of the process was interwoven into her 25-year career on the team at Crane & Co., which created its legendary stationery. Part of the work, which included custom stationery for the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, the Kennedy family, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Ozzy Osbourne, was done with handmade brushes painting ink on 100 percent cotton paper - impossible to be replicated by a printer or press. After years of involvement in the local arts community, including NUarts downtown, Sally is now a part of the burgeoning Clocktower Artists. The group is growing with the support of landlord David Carver, who is building out more space in the Clocktower building on S. Church St. in Pittsfield to accommodate demand for more artists. Sally says she's not an extrovert by nature, but she's seen a lot of great results by "putting herself out there" to support this project and her own artwork. We're glad she has! Also in this episode, we cover: Sally's mentorship of fellow students with art projects at a young age, her own early mentors at North Junior High, Pittsfield High School and at Berkshire Community College, working in several media and a recent focus in water colors, overcoming health challenges and multiple spine surgeries, her work doing commissioned pieces, connecting with Mary McGinnis and other artists in the early days of the First Fridays Art Walk, her spirituality and what inspires her own work, and much more. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Sally Tiska Rice. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-krol/support

It seems that the timing was perfect for the growth of the cannabis coinciding with the beginning of Jocelyn Moody's professional career. Her willingness to jump in and learn every facet of the industry, from top to bottom, has opened up a world of possibilities as a marketer, and influencer in the industry. It hasn't been without setbacks. Just when her Instagram following of her photography of cannabis plants was hitting new heights, the platform suspended her account due to community guidelines. Regardless, that experience has made her sharper, smarter and more creative in her approach, while she continues her work with many of the cannabis businesses in the Berkshires. It's a great conversation providing an inside look into the cannabis industry in the Berkshires, and Jocelyn's journey to this point. At 27, the journey has just begun. We also cover: constraints in marketing in the cannabis industry, budtending, pre-rolls, changing the way people think about cannabis, growing pains in the industry, jumping into a frozen lake dressed as cannabis, the vape ban, breaking the grass ceiling, listening to the people who work for you, customer service, cannabis industry program at Berkshire Community College, Jocelyn's Front Porch Photography project, her long career in figure skating and how it has shaped her, mental tenacity, growing up in Dalton, SpongeBob, the power of kindness and more. I hope you'll enjoy my conversations with Jocelyn Moody.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-krol/support

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1. We have a new director of Great Barrington libraries… Samara Klein, daughter of the well-known writer Daniel Klein: 2. The Great Barrington selectboard spent a scant 15 minutes on the issue of the Housatonic Water Works water system for the village of Housatonic, despite hundreds of Housatonic residents demonstrating outside Town Hall: 3. Finally, after a long and weary effort, the village of Sandisfield has been designate a national historic district: 4. On August 31 a candlelight vigil was held in front of the South County Recovery Center in Great Barrington to remember those lost to drug overdoses and to call attention to the scourge of drug addiction.. This coming Saturday, a “Smash the Stigma” event will take place at Town Hall, sponsored by the South County Rural Recovery Center: 5. OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at Berkshire Community College is sponsoring a program on the indigenous peoples of the Berkshires. Hint: they still live here: 6. Finally, our columnist Carole Owens, who lives in Stockbridge, has touched a live wire with her column supporting a residential tax exemption that would place more tax burden on the second-home owners:

Building a movement takes organization, inspiration, intuition, luck, and a lot of hard work. Rhiannon Menn is the founder and CEO of Lasagna Love, a grass-roots not-for-profit organization that engages and supports communities across the United States, and which has launched a viral movement during the Covid-19 pandemic. She joins Corinna & Jules to talk about the power of community, leveraging tools like Facebook groups and Zapier, and the importance of asking for help when you need it. You'll hear how her volunteer organization leveraged their volunteers and the talents of students from her alma mater, MIT, to build an algorithm that would enable them scale their business and grow. Rhiannon even shares some news, including how using TikTok has helped Lasagna Love gain exposure and raise funds (with no strings attached) from an unlikely source, Kentucky Fried Chicken. As of the recording of this podcast, 215,000 lasagnas have been baked and delivered to people in need across the United States. 00:00 Introduction04:00 Overcoming helplessness and launching a movement with love and lasagna12:33 Tim Yewchuck's The Perfect Week Method16:55 How to connect with with media19:05 Getting attention on TikTok27:10 Rhiannon's namesake -- from Fleetwood Mac to the Salem Witch TrialsResources Mentioned: Rhiannon Menn on Care More Be Better, Episode #10: https://caremorebebetter.com/love-lasagna-a-caring-community-with-rhiannon-menn-founder-of-lasagna-love/ Tim Yewchucks The Perfect Week Method: https://timyewchuk.com/homeZapier automation tool: https://zapier.com/Lasagna Recipe & KFC Inspired Lasagna Tutorial: https://themediacasters.com/how-to-grow-your-exposure-scale-thrive-with-rhiannon-menn-ceo-and-founder-lasagna-love/ About Rhiannon Menn: Rhiannon Menn is a mama, chef, and adventurer. She loves decaf coffee, traveling, and super fuzzy sweaters - which she unfortunately can no longer wear since she left New England. After the birth of her second child she had an epiphany: when she took good care of herself, she was much better at taking care of those around her. She founded Good to Mama as a way of changing the narrative about what it means to be a mom. In 2020, prompted by the COVID-related struggles of families in her community and her own feeling of helplessness, she founded Lasagna Love. A platform that connects neighbors for home-cooked meal delivery, Lasagna Love has transformed into a national movement of kindness, impacting thousands of volunteers and recipient families each week. Rhiannon is a graduate of Berkshire Community College, Brown University, and MIT Sloan, and is a StartingBloc fellow and Siebel Scholar. She has been featured on the Today Show, the Kelly Clarkson Show, in the Washington Post, and on SouthernLiving.com. She lives in Kihei, HI with her husband, three children, and is relentlessly petitioning for a cat. You can find her online at www.begoodtomama.com and www.lasagnalove.org, or on Instagram @begoodtomama. Join Our Community Of "Dragonflies" And Reach For Your DreamsFollow us on all social spaces @themediacastersJoin The Mediacasters Community FREE for a limited time: https://themediacasters.mn.coInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/themediacastersPodcast website: https://themediacasters.comNetwork website, with all our community shows: https://podpage.com/themediacasters

How do you possibly measure the impact that someone has made on the lives of so many. It's hard to think of anyone as beloved and respected as Eleanore Garcia, my dear friend, who was the one who has helped so many people, particularly immigrants to our community. She has helped people bridge the gap to find their potential and open the doors of opportunity and new possibilities. For many years she was the head of multicultural affairs at Berkshire Community College, but it's not the title or even the number of lives she's changed that is so meaningful. She leads with heart, she leads with love, and because of that care and dedication, she's leaving the community with others who she has inspired to carry on her legacy. I hope you'll enjoy my conversation with Eleanore Garcia. The John Krol Podcast is a production of OneEighty Media. Check out some of the work we do on John's blog, where you can take a deeper dive into past episodes. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-krol/support

Judith Monachina has understated moxie and wonders if she even possesses it! We've convinced her otherwise.  She is currently the Director of the Housatonic Heritage Oral History Center at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, MA.  In that role, she records and archives the fascinating moxie stories of her subjects, past and present. She was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship in journalism and researched the lives of individuals from the Jewish community in fascist Milan, Italy.  Judith is also the Project Director for the Paper Town Projects, creating a documentary about the paper-making legacy in Lee, MA.  Before all these impressive pursuits,  she was the associate director of Public Affairs at Bard College at Simon's Rock, director of the Career Education department at Columbia University, and a journalist, photographer, and freelance writer for numerous publications.For more information about Judith, check out our show notes at Main Street Moxie.This episode is sponsored by Northeast Ford and Catskill View Weddings. 

The Berkshire Edge LLC is a locally owned, regional publication. Our goal is to provide – regularly and in depth – content that truly reflects the life, interests and aspirations of this unusually rich and vibrant community. Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. 1. After 10 years, redevelopment of mothballed Eagle Mill in Lee is finally getting under way: https://theberkshireedge.com/after-nearly-10-years-redevelopment-of-eagle-mill-gets-underway/ 2. On the 61st anniversary of the desegregation of schools in New Orleans, epitomized by the Norman Rockwell painting of “Rainbow Ruby” walking to school, local artist Pops Peterson has created a mural in the Jubilee Hill neighborhood of Pittsfield celebrating desegregation: 3. Today at Berkshire Community College is hosting a workshop on the challenges veterans face after returning home from combat: 4. Our science writer Dr. Rich Kessin — who hails from Lakeville but works at Columbia University — has a prediction on how the COVID19 epidemic will end: vaccinations — not “treatments”: 5. Sheela Clary reviews “Tax the Rich” by the so-called Patriotic Millionaires, whose aim is to “unrig” the political economy in thrall to the rich. And by the way, Edge members are eligible to join a webinar with the authors of the book this Thursday — tomorrow -- at 6 p.m. 6. Finally, in a sign of the times, a derelict Getty gas station on Main Street in Great Barrington is being reincarnated as a pot shop:

The Berkshire Edge LLC is a locally owned, regional publication. Our goal is to provide – regularly and in depth – content that truly reflects the life, interests and aspirations of this unusually rich and vibrant community. Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. 1. The Berkshire International Film Festival opens this week, and one of the films is “Sproutland,” a film by Great Barrington's Cynthia Wade, a fictional account about “Sproutman” (Steve Meyerowitz): https://theberkshireedge.com/a-film-sublime-sproutland-focuses-in-on-local-lives/ 2. There will be a memorial procession on Saturday to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks: https://theberkshireedge.com/20th-anniversary-9-11-memorial-procession-to-take-place-saturday-in-south-county/ 3. We have a podcast, It's Not that Simple, put together by Great Barrington Selectboard member Ed Abrahams and his cohort Pedro Pachano — and this week they created a discussion of blue laws in Massachusetts, prompted by a marijuana distributor's failure to pay holiday wages for which Theory Wellness was forced to pay $300,000 in back wages: https://theberkshireedge.com/its-not-that-simple-the-blues-in-masschusetts/ 4. Berkshire Community College is resuming its in-person Health Scholars' Program designed to increase the number of healthcare providers in rural areas. https://theberkshireedge.com/health-education-students-offered-free-program-focused-on-community-needs/ 5. In the Berkshires, there is an urgent need for volunteers for organizations that provide a variety of important services. We profile several: https://theberkshireedge.com/help-wanted-part-two/ 6. Finally, through the agency of the West Stockbridge Board of Selectmen an accommodation of sorts has been reached in the feud between the Vietnamese restaurant Truc and the performance venue The Foundry: https://theberkshireedge.com/west-stockbridge-breathes-sigh-of-relief-as-settlement-reached-in-truc-foundry-imbroglio/

In this episode, Corinna Bellizzi guides a conversation about food scarcity, hunger and community stress. These are challenges many people face every single day -- and problems that have only been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rhiannon Menn, founder of Lasagna Love joins the show to talk about caring for people in our communities and showing love through making and giving food to those that need help. We talk about incredible people who have been brought together through a love of food, community and giving. About Our Guest - Rhiannon Menn:Rhiannon Menn is a mama, chef, and adventurer. She loves decaf coffee, traveling, and super fuzzy sweaters - which she unfortunately can no longer wear since she left New England. After the birth of her second child she had an epiphany: when she took good care of herself, she was much better at taking care of those around her. She founded Good to Mama as a way of changing the narrative about what it means to be a mom. In 2020, prompted by the COVID-related struggles of families in her community and her own feeling of helplessness, she founded Lasagna Love. A platform that connects neighbors for home-cooked meal delivery, Lasagna Love has transformed into a national movement of kindness, impacting thousands of volunteers and recipient families each week. She is a graduate of Berkshire Community College, Brown University, and MIT Sloan, and is a StartingBloc fellow and Siebel Scholar. She has been featured on the Today Show, the Kelly Clarkson Show, in the Washington Post, and on SouthernLiving.com. She lives in Kihei, HI with her husband, two (soon to be three) children, and is relentlessly petitioning for a cat. Guest Websites and Instagram Links https://www.lasagnalove.orgInstagram @wearelasganalove https://www.begoodtomama.com Instagram @begoodtomama Support Care More. Be Better. https://www.caremorebebetter.com/donate Care More. Be Better. is not backed by any company. We answer only to our collective conscience. As a listener, reader, and subscriber you are part of this pod and this community and we are honored to have your support. If you can, please help finance the show. Thank you, now and always, for your support as we get this thing started!

In this episode, Corinna Bellizzi guides a conversation about food scarcity, hunger and community stress. These are challenges many people face every single day -- and problems that have only been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rhiannon Menn, founder of Lasagna Love joins the show to talk about caring for people in our communities and showing love through making and giving food to those that need help. We talk about incredible people who have been brought together through a love of food, community and giving.   About Our Guest - Rhiannon Menn:Rhiannon Menn is a mama, chef, and adventurer. She loves decaf coffee, traveling, and super fuzzy sweaters - which she unfortunately can no longer wear since she left New England. After the birth of her second child she had an epiphany: when she took good care of herself, she was much better at taking care of those around her. She founded Good to Mama as a way of changing the narrative about what it means to be a mom. In 2020, prompted by the COVID-related struggles of families in her community and her own feeling of helplessness, she founded Lasagna Love. A platform that connects neighbors for home-cooked meal delivery, Lasagna Love has transformed into a national movement of kindness, impacting thousands of volunteers and recipient families each week. She is a graduate of Berkshire Community College, Brown University, and MIT Sloan, and is a StartingBloc fellow and Siebel Scholar. She has been featured on the Today Show, the Kelly Clarkson Show, in the Washington Post, and on SouthernLiving.com. She lives in Kihei, HI with her husband, two (soon to be three) children, and is relentlessly petitioning for a cat. Guest Websites and Instagram Links https://www.lasagnalove.orgInstagram @wearelasganalove https://www.begoodtomama.com Instagram @begoodtomama Support Care More. Be Better. https://www.caremorebebetter.com/donate Care More. Be Better. is not backed by any company. We answer only to our collective conscience. As a listener, reader, and subscriber you are part of this pod and this community and we are honored to have your support. If you can, please help finance the show. Thank you, now and always, for your support as we get this thing started!

Welcome to the Audible Café podcast! Today’s show is a Special Edition tied to an event happening in Pittsfield, Massachusetts on Thursday. Even if you can’t get to the event, I hope you’ll listen, because today we’re talking about the dangers and implications of using fracked gas as an energy source for heating and cooking, and for making electricity. And about one terrible disaster — not the first, unfortunately probably not the last  that resulted from piping fracked gas under extremely high pressure into neighborhoods and homes. In this episode, I speak with Rosemary Wessel of No Fracked Gas in Mass, Logan Malik of BEAT and No Fracked Gas in Mass, and Dr. Curt Nordgaard, a pediatrician who researches and presents on the health impacts of gas.  On September 13, 2018, excessive pressure in natural gas lines owned by Columbia Gas of Massachusetts caused a series of explosions and fires to occur in as many as 40 homes, with over 80 individual fires, in the Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts, towns of Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover. One person was killed and 30,000 were forced to evacuate their homes. The film Under Pressure will be shown this Thursday, November 7th, at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield. The event, which includes a discussion with experts afterwards, is sponsored by the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT), 350-Berkshire Node, No Fracked Gas in Mass, Indivisible Pittsfield, and the Massachusetts Sierra Club. Under Pressure is a documentary created by the class of 2019 at Four Rivers Charter Public School, which is quite an impressive feat on its own. The film explores the complex truth of fracked gas as an energy source as well as the struggles of local families and small businesses as they attempt to rebuild their lives after this unprecedented gas distribution system disaster. The discussion following the film will be led by Dr. Curt Nordgaard, a pediatrician from Newton, Mass who for the last several years has been investigating and lecturing on the health impacts of fracked gas infrastructure, and Nathan Phillips, a professor of Earth and Environment at Boston University who has been working with HEET and other organizations to track fracked gas system leaks at Aliso Canyon and in the greater Boston area. I had the pleasure of speaking with Rosemary Wessel, Logan Malik, and Dr. Curt Nordgaard. Unfortunately, because of short notice, I was unable to connect with Professor Nathan Phillips, but I look forward to meeting him on Thursday. So please enjoy this Special Edition of Audible Café! Thank you, Rosemary Wessel, Logan Malik, and Dr. Curt Nordgaard, for being so generous with your time. For those of you in or near the Berkshires, I hope you can make it on Thursday to view this important film and to take part in the discussion. As always, you can learn more and access archives and show notes with lots of resources at audiblecafe.com, or visit the FB page - just search for Audible Café, or follow us on Twitter @audiblecafe. If you listen on iTunes, please subscribe, and leave us a review. It’s helps a lot. We appreciate your feedback. So if you’d like to get directly in touch with us, email listenup@audiblecafe.com. Thanks again, and have a great week! Judy   SHOW RESOURCES Under Pressure Pittsfield Screening Event Page Under Deadline: The Making of the 2018-2019 Energy Documentary (YouTube video) Rosemary Wessel - Director of No Fracked Gas in Mass (a program of Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) Logan Malik - Advocacy Coordinator for BEAT and Deputy Director of No Fracked Gas in Mass Dr. Curtis Nordgaard Professor Nathan Phillips - Boston University Proposed Massachusetts Legislation mentioned in this episode: S.1958 / H.2836 An Act transitioning Massachusetts to 100 per cent renewable energy H.3983, An Act to create a 2050 roadmap to a clean and thriving commonwealth H.2812, An Act Clarifying Authority and Responsibilities of the Department of Public Utilities H.2810 An Act to Promote Green Infrastructure and Reduce Carbon Emissions S.453/H.826 and S.464/H.761 - An Act relative to Environmental Justice

Links: https://www.facebook.com/PVWIS/ Organizers: Melissa Paculli, Michelle Rame (HCC); Beth McGinns-Cavanaugh (STCC), Alysha Putnam (GCC); Constance West & Liliana Lagsklodowska (BCC) and Dan Montagna & Yarida Cruz (UMass Center of Springfield). This is the 2nd part of our 2 part series of our live recording at the #MYSTEMSTORY at UMass Centre of Springfield, which was a part of the #MASSSTEMWEEK celebrations. Listen to Episode 36 for the first part.  The STEM Starter Academies at Holyoke, Springfield Technical, Berkshire, and Greenfield community colleges, along with the Society of Women Engineers affiliate at STCC, sponsored the networking workshop called #MySTEMStory. Organizers want to build a network for Pioneer Valley women in STEM. The Oct. 24 gathering featured a panel discussion and Q&A was led by us. The discussion covers how community colleges are working on bridging the gap in STEM fields by making education more affordable, accessible and creating a community to help women students. We also discuss what inspired the panelists to choose STEM.  Panelists: 1) Carlo Velez Garcia - Originally from Cialis, Puerto Rico. She is a mother and alumni of HCC and Smith College. She has a Masters of Science and now works as a science teacher at Van Sickle Middle School, Springfield.  2) Michelle Rame -  A non-traditional student, she started school 6 years out of high school after working in the non-profit world. She is an HCC/NSF scholar alumni and is currently a Senior Civil Engineering Student at Western New England University. She is a STEM Ambassador at HCC. She also spent 4 months in China, building a house in China's 2018 SoDecathlonalon.  3) Mary Berrio - Mary was born in Cali, Colombia and came to the US in 2009. She is the first generation to obtain a higher education degree in her family. She is both a Berkshire Community College and UMass Amherst Alumni and she received her Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering. She currently works as the systems engineer for the Littoral Combat Ship ( LCS). She also actively participates in the local Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. 

Links: https://www.facebook.com/PVWIS/ Organizers: Melissa Paculli, Michelle Rame (HCC); Beth McGinns-Cavanaugh (STCC), Alysha Putnam (GCC); Constance West & Liliana Lagsklodowska (BCC) and Dan Montagna & Yarida Cruz (UMass Center of Springfield). This is part 1 of this 2 part series of our live recording at the #MYSTEMSTORY at UMass Centre of Springfield, which was a part of the #MASSSTEMWEEK celebrations. The STEM Starter Academies at Holyoke, Springfield Technical, Berkshire, and Greenfield community colleges, along with the Society of Women Engineers affiliate at STCC, sponsored the networking workshop called #MySTEMStory. Organizers want to build a network for Pioneer Valley women in STEM. The Oct. 24 gathering featured a panel discussion and Q&A was led by us. The discussion covers how community colleges are working on bridging the gap in STEM fields by making education more affordable, accessible and creating a community to help women students. We also discuss what inspired the panelists to choose STEM.  Panelists: 1) Carlo Velez Garcia - Originally from Cialis, Puerto Rico. She is a mother and alumni of HCC and Smith College. She has a Masters of Science and now works as a science teacher at Van Sickle Middle School, Springfield.  2) Michelle Rame -  A non-traditional student, she started school 6 years out of high school after working in the non-profit world. She is an HCC/NSF scholar alumni and is currently a Senior Civil Engineering Student at Western New England University. She is a STEM Ambassador at HCC. She also spent 4 months in China, building a house in China's 2018 SoDecathlonalon.  3) Mary Berrio - Mary was born in Cali, Colombia and came to the US in 2009. She is the first generation to obtain a higher education degree in her family. She is both a Berkshire Community College and UMass Amherst Alumni and she received her Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering. She currently works as the systems engineer for the Littoral Combat Ship ( LCS). She also actively participates in the local Society of Haspanic Professional Engineers. 

Bintou Kanyi told her family in the West African country of The Gambia that she just had some errands to run at the village market. She did not tell them about the airplane ticket to New York. “I ran away,” Kanyi says. “Because if I had told them that I was travelling, there were so many things they could do to stop me.” Kanyi now works as a certified nursing assistant at Berkshire Medical Center. She also studies at Berkshire Community College and next semester will add classes at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts toward degrees in biotechnology and medical technology. Read the full story at http://tinyurl.com/accentspodcast

In Pittsfield town hall meeting, Sen. Elizabeth Warren says, “We must persist.” Health care, student loan debt, President Trump’s conduct and the clean-up of PCBs in the Housatonic River were among the topics addressed by Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, in a town hall meeting held at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield on Saturday, July 8. In this edition of The Berkshire Eagle podcast, we present, in its entirety, Sen. Warren’s town hall meeting before a packed house at the college’s Robert Boland auditorium.

Cecilia Del Cid experienced Berkshire Community College as a version of the United Nations, not least because Pittsfield offered her a smorgasbord of international cooking. Twenty years ago, a scholarship brought her from Guatemala to BCC’s Pittsfield campus. Her roommate here in Pittsfield was Bulgarian; classmates were from Finland, Germany and Japan. “I had to get out of Latin America to get to know other people from Latin America, people from Colombia and Ecuador and other countries,” she says. “The first time I ate arepas was here in Pittsfield.” The first time she had Vietnamese food and many other foreign dishes was here as well. “Not so much in restaurants, but in people’s homes,” Del Cid explains. “Because I was in the ESL class” – English as a second language – “everybody was from a different country. At the end of the year, they would all contribute something to a potluck from their home countries.

Journalist Alex MacGillis of ProPublica discusses reasons behind Donald Trump's victory in the 2016 presidential election. From FBI director James Comey's shocking announcement about emails related to Hillary Clinton found on Anthony Weiner's computer, to the millions of dollars Clinton made speaking to Wall Street bankers and other business groups to the Democratic party's neglect of struggling white working class voters, MacGillis dissects the major themes that determined the outcome of the 2016 run for the White House. A Pittsfield native, MacGillis covers politics and government for ProPublica, a non-profit online investigative journalism organization. MacGillis spoke to a packed house at the Berkshire Museum in an event sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College, the Berkshire Eagle and the Berkshire Museum. MacGillis was interviewed by Berkshire Eagle editor Kevin Moran.