MCLA Offers Health Sciences Degree With Concentration in Radiologic Tech

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts' is now accepting students for its new health sciences bachelor’s degree with a concentration in radiologic technology for the fall 2020 semester. 

The program has been approved through the MCLA governance process and the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology, and students completing the degree are eligible to sit for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists Radiography examination. 

MCLA now offers one of only five accredited programs in the Northeast in a field that demonstrates 100 percent job placement. MCLA will also be able to provide students in health sciences and radiologic technology programs with the most up-to-date equipment to prepare them for careers in radiology through a $421,546 Skills Capital Grant awarded by the Baker-Polito Administration to update equipment and expand student enrollment in programs that provide career education.

In fall 2019, MCLA became the official teach-out partner for the radiologic sciences program of Southern Vermont College following its closure. MCLA partnered with Berkshire Health Systems and its North Adams Berkshire Medical Center Campus to ensure that students in the program were able to complete their degrees without interruption.

"There is high demand for qualified candidates in the health care industry, including in radiology, and the demand is only growing," said MCLA President James F. Birge. "By offering a radiologic technology program at MCLA, students will benefit from being well trained for an in-demand industry, and the local community will benefit by having highly skilled health care providers close to home."

According to the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission's Blueprint, health care is the largest and fastest-growing industry sector in Berkshire County. This new concentration will prepare students for careers in radiology and a variety of specialty modalities, and provide students with the most up-to-date equipment, including a digital direct X-Ray system, an Anatomage table, and upgraded online technology to support distance learning.

Further developing relationships with Berkshire Health Systems, the largest employer in the county, will create an academic environment positioned for excellence, with clinical rotations and internships for students to put their knowledge to work right here in our community.

"Highly trained radiologic technologists are essential to Berkshire Health Systems as we provide comprehensive, state-of-the-art imaging throughout the Berkshires," said David Phelps, president and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems. "We are proud to be collaborating with MCLA on the development and implementation of a radiologic technology major, providing local access to this critical training program at MCLA and our North Adams campus of BMC. 

"Radiologic Technology is a growing field and this program can help to fill the vital need for technologists to serve our patients. Our community will also benefit greatly from the addition of these skilled positions in the Berkshire workforce," he said.

According to the 2017 staffing survey completed by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, mammography and MRI will continue to have consistent growth, as 63 percent of all technologists today range from age 40 to 65. This shortage is not predicted to peak for another 10 to 15 years.

Colegrove Park Recognized as Top 10 School Statewide in Attendance

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
05:45PM / Friday, August 30, 2024

Superintendent Barbara Malkas, left, Colegrove Principal Amy Meehan, Mayor Jennifer Macksey and Dean of Students Jonathan Slocum pose with the Celtics basketball award on Friday.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Boston Celtics gave gold to Colegrove Park Elementary School on Friday for scoring in the top 10 schools for attendance statewide. The school saw its chronic absenteeism numbers drop by 11 percent last year. 

 

Tim Connor, assistant director for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's west and central district, arrived with a gold basketball signed by the champion team to reward the students for their achievement.

 

"An award like this doesn't come easy. It takes a lot of work from all of you, the students, the parents, and especially Ms. Meehan and her wonderful staff, so a big round of applause," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey, after leading the assembly in the gym to chants of "Colegrove rocks!" "I am so proud of this school and the community that all of you have built. So everyone should be really excited about today, and this is an excellent way to start your school."

 

Superintendent Barbara Malkas asked last year's fifth-graders at Colegrove to join her at the front of the gym for a special applause. 

 

"When we track attendance of all the students in the whole district, these students have the highest attendance rate, the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the entire district," Malkas said. "While all Colegrove students have been recognized as attendance all-stars, these students led the way in being attendance all-stars, so let's give them one more round of applause."

 

Colegrove switched this year to house Grades 3 to 6, so some of the younger students who helped earn the award are now at Brayton Elementary. However, all three elementary schools open last year saw improvement in attendance. 

 

Schools statewide have been working to reduce chronic absenteeism — the percentage of students missing 10 percent of the school year, or 18 days — which peaked during the pandemic.