On Tuesday October 31, 2023, Roxbury Community College (RCC), Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies, and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley celebrated a new associate’s to master’s (A2M) partnership.
The Roxbury Associate’s to Master’s Workforce Accelerator (RA2MWA) is a structured,
accelerated pathway for eligible residents of Boston, including from the neighborhoods
of Roxbury, Mattapan, and Dorchester, to acquire an Associate’s degree and progress
through a Bachelor’s degree and ultimately to a Master’s degree in in-demand fields,
including Health, Biotechnology, and Information Technology with no out of pocket
costs. Congresswoman Pressley secured $1 million in federal funding for direct aid
to students in the A2M pathway. Eligible students will receive this funding during
their time at RCC and Northeastern.
Congresswoman Pressley, Interim President Jackie Jenkins-Scott, Suffolk County Sheriff
and Chair of the RCC Board Steve Tompkins, and Northeastern University Chancellor
Ken Henderson were joined by students, faculty, and staff at the celebration.
“Raising scholarship funds is a top priority for RCC’s interim leadership team,” said
Interim President Jackie Jenkins-Scott. “We cannot allow the cost of tuition and fees
to be a barrier to degree completion. We extend our deepest thanks to Representative
Pressley for securing funding that students can use throughout their educational journeys.
We are thrilled to partner with Northeastern University’s College of Professional
Studies to offer this exciting A2M pathway to Boston residents.”
“I was thrilled to join our partners at Northeastern and Roxbury Community College
to celebrate the $1 million in federal funding for their brand-new Roxbury Associate’s
to Master’s Workforce Accelerator program,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “At a time
when education equity is under assault, this is the type of bold, intentional, and
race-conscious investment needed in this moment to address the glaring disparities
in access to education and close the racial wealth gap. I thank Chancellor Henderson,
President Jenkins-Scott, and the entire Northeastern and RCC communities for their
ongoing partnership in the work to build a more just and equitable Massachusetts 7th.”
“At Northeastern we prepare learners to not only achieve personal career goals but
to have a positive impact on the world. Understanding and solving humankind’s problems
requires constant interaction among people who bring their own diverse contexts and
experiences to the conversation,” said Northeastern University Chancellor Ken Henderson.
“Through this remarkable pathway program, we hope to forge a deeper and more interactive
connection with those who live and work in our neighboring greater-Boston communities.
Equipping them with the knowledge, tools, and expertise to pursue their highest aspirations
and to solve both local and global challenges.
This partnership is another example of the institutions’ commitment to providing all learners with the academic and non-academic support required for degree completion and long-term success. RA2MWA also builds on the successes of Northeastern University’s existing Associate’s to Master’s program, which prepares learners for success in high-demand fields by shortening the time to completion, and by providing valuable research experiences, paid internships, industry and peer mentorships, specialized advising, and other tailored academic, career, and social supports.
