First Generation Student to Speak at MCC’s Virtual Commencement

Manneury Arias felt like family at Middlesex Community College. Calling his experience “beautiful,” the first generation student knew community college – and Middlesex in particular – was the best way to start his academic journey. Having completed his degree in December 2020, he will be one of two MCC student speakers during the 2021 Virtual Commencement Ceremony.

“To be a student Commencement speaker is an honor and a great experience,” he said. “I was able to share my story of success at MCC and how I struggled – and how I manage to overcome those struggles.”

Arias ­– who lives in Lawrence – believes that having the opportunity to give a speech in front of his graduating class has helped him to feel comfortable speaking in front of others. This experience – combined with the many others he has had at Middlesex – has provided him with the knowledge and skills he needs to succeed in his future studies and career.

After starting as a Liberal Arts and Sciences major, Arias will graduate with an associate in Engineering Science with a concentration in Civil and Environmental Engineering. During his time at MCC, he has valued the small class sizes and personal interactions with professors and classmates.

He also believes all of his professors “did a great job finding a way to teach us” when the college transitioned to online classes in the Spring 2020 semester due to COVID-19.

“I felt that the people there were always looking for my success,” he said. “I was able to get closer to the professors and because the classes were small, I was able to understand better. The education I acquired from MCC is significantly needed for my future.”

Many people at Middlesex have motivated him to be active in the college community, including in events related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). He has enjoyed attending extracurricular activities, such as Engineering seminars, the Women in STEM annual event, and going on class trips to places such as the Boston Museum of Science.

His professor Michele Stein, MCC’s Chair of Computing and Engineering Technology, also recommended he join the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP). The mission of LSAMP is to provide underrepresented students with a community environment, as well as with opportunities to actively participate and succeed in STEM-fields.

Through his time with the program – and with Stein’s help – Arias was able to get an internship with the City of Lawrence where he continues to work.

Rina Tenore, his TRIO Student Support Services Academic Counselor, and Maria Arambel, an MCC Mathematics Faculty Member, were the ones who told him about scholarships, events and other ways to remain engaged in the MCC community. Arias also credits Tenore for helping him become the student speaker at Commencement.

Arias will continue his education by transferring to a four-year college to earn a bachelor’s degree. He is grateful for all of the people at Middlesex who were supportive of his success inside and outside of the classroom. Because of their help in discovering and taking advantage of these relevant and valuable opportunities, he recommends other students choose to come to Middlesex.

“MCC is one of the best environments people can learn in,” he said. “Everyone there is supportive, helpful, friendly – it makes you feel more determined to learn.”

Part of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) pathway, MCC’s Engineering program helps students go into – and succeed in – the workforce or transfer to four-year schools with its award-winning and affordable offerings, small class sizes and flexible schedules. Visit https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/discover/dyp_stem.aspx for more information and to discover your path to a degree in STEM at Middlesex.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in online education for more than 20 years. We educate, engage and empower a diverse community of learners, offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses. Middlesex Community College: Student success starts here!