I am the academic Dean of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at MassBay Community College.  We offer many transfer programs including those in Biotechnology, Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, Information Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and more recently in the evolving field of cyber-security.  My division also offers a unique workforce development program in Automotive Technology – that offers technician training in Toyota, BMW and GM/Chrysler.  In this role, I supervise all academic programs in and am responsible for new program development, faculty hiring decisions, and for managing external and internal relationships for my division, working collaboratively with various departments at my institution and with our stakeholders that include our community, K-12 schools, 4-year transfer institutions, industry partners and foundations including the MassBay foundation. 

 

Community colleges across the United States vary in their mission and form, but at their core, they all are institutions of higher education that provide their communities with affordable access to post-secondary education and academic pathways for students with diverse needs.   Community colleges meet the students where they are and help them achieve their goals one step at a time.  Community colleges usually offer small classes that provide their students with personal attention and considerably more opportunities for closer interaction with accomplished faculty. Some community colleges focus on workforce development programs with unique career preparation models, while others on providing a strong foundation in liberal arts while still others on both.  To give a perspective of the role of the community colleges in US, nearly 50% of all undergraduates in US at some point or the other have attended a community college.  The colleges provide access to education for uniquely disadvantaged groups such as minority, low income, and first-generation postsecondary education students.  Community colleges offer traditional academic advising and counseling services, but also unique services for veterans and for students with disabilities. 

 

At MassBay Community College, in Wellesley, Massachusetts, where I work, we offer both 2-year (Associates degree) transfer program in STEM fields that allow our students to transfer their credit-bearing courses to a four-year institution such as University of Massachusetts, at Lowell or University of Massachusetts at Amherst to continue their academic path to the achievement of a Baccalaureate degree and also several workforce development programs such as a web-design certificate, and a computer aided design (CAD) certificate.   Besides highly specialized training in biotechnology and life sciences, we also offer excellent career development opportunities for our students through our partners. For example, we offer a unique Technology Internship Program (TIP) in collaboration with regional partners.  In addition, we are working with several public and private institutions such as Northeastern University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Recently, we are embarking on some unique partnerships including one with Genzyme/Sanofi that we are very excited about.  

 

Many things, but primarily what excites me and gets me motivated to work every day is the difference that our collective work makes in the lives of students that we work with.  Also, the entrepreneurial nature of the academics.  The changing nature of the US workforce development needs keeps us on our toes.  Our programs have to be relevant at all times to all of our stake-holders – and that means a lot of things.  It means we have to stay current in our offerings; adapt and implement educational innovations quickly; and to offer programs that meet the needs of the students, whether it is in time, space and methods.

First and foremost, the steadfastness of my family – that includes everyone – my husband, parents, sister, and father-in-law who supported me whether they agreed with my decisions at all the times or not.  My sister is a role-model who is very successful orthodontist in India –while managing to raise great children and run a busy household with an equally demanding business of her husband, and the needs of our parents and her in-laws.  I also consider myself lucky to have found great peers and colleagues at work both at my institution and outside, especially some very strong women who have been my mentors from whom I can never stop learning.   I also feel that my education at my alma-mater (Tufts University) also gave me unique opportunities to learn from a diverse group of peers and the courage to stand up for what I believed in.  

Wow.  That is huge!  All I really hope that my work can create opportunities for learning and for success for students who deserve it the most.   

 You and your husband are very busy  and yet you give much time for community work. What motivates you to do this?

Back in India I became aware of the work done by many social scientists, and workers very early on through the writing of many Marathi authors and became influenced by it, but not really know where to start. It is through Vithal (my husband) that I really came to know about the value of community work, especially in the area of social and environmental justice, religious freedom and inter-cultural relationships.  He really opened my eyes to a lot of possibilities in these areas. He is a naturally outgoing person with lots of different ideas, and a positive attitude and above all, an unassuming way of looking at the possibilities.  His engagement with Indian Americans and also his work with local communities in Somerville and in Boston has been influential to keep me going.    Friends, and people who are working harder than me and still find time to give to others inspire me. 

I adore my (only) daughter, but between me and my husband, I am the more anxious parent.  I also have very high hopes for my daughter (I hope I am not the only one who says this out loudly).  But I have learned over time that I have to let her learn some things on her own the learning is real (and I hope that the process is not very painful for her).  Also I have learned to celebrate her smaller successes along the way, and support her interests and these days I am really struggling to keep myself from offering suggestions to her all the time.  

  

I am involved in community work, especially with the Indian American community in Boston and have helped with organizing cultural events for them.  Recently, I have helped organize an Indo-US Education summit recently in 2013 in Rhode Island through Brihan Maharashtra Mandal (BMM) of the USA.  Other fun things I have done include translating article for a book-writing project for my friend Archana (Rujuta) Joshi, or, writing a column for the BMM 2013 organizing committee, and helping my friend Deepali Khanzode who is the lead organizer of a group of women who regularly cook and serve homemade Indian food to a food-pantry.  I also work with several volunteers from HSS Balagokulam that offers children and their parents with programming that is focused on physical and emotional well-being and social adjustment in a culturally diverse society such as the US.

I watch movies with my husband, write or dance when nobody is watching (I am not necessarily a good dancer, but enjoy the rhythm, and music).    

I believe that everyone of us, however small they may be, have something unique to share with the world, some personality trait that can be admired or emulated. I admire my father for his commitment to work and for his aptitude to see things differently from everyone else without getting perturbed by opinions and influences of others, and for his foresight.  My grandfather, whose work ethic is unparalleled by anyone’s that I know.   My mother, for her diligence and for her care.  My sister, for her intelligence, organizational skills and for her love and care for her family members.  At work, I am particularly influenced by people who have given back to the community. There are countless of them, it will not be possible to name only a few.  But of particular interest to me has been the life of Gautama Buddha.  There is so much to learn from him and his times.

 

His unconditional support of my work and interests.  I have never had to ask for it.

I have supported his interests particularly those working within the community.  He is uniquely busy at all times, and I have tried to provide him with the support and time. 

 Keep things simple and pleasant.  Make small changes till you succeed.

 

Birth of my daughter.

America presents unique challenges and opportunities for immigrants. There were some personal lows, some out of my control or others caused by a mismatch between the expectations I had and the real experiences, but I survived through all the lows with a lot of love and support from friends and family members.  

I read edge.org fairly regularly.  I love all children’s books – especially Charlotte’s Web was a personal favorite of mine and my daughter’s. Other books we enjoyed reading together were Dr. Seuss’s and also the Junie B. Jones series.  In Marathi. I love the clear, concise and level-headed writings of Narhar Kurundkar, an eminent historian.

I love making breads – chapatis and also the western kinds of breads.  There is something about the smell of the bread that is so earthly and makes you want to keep doing good things in life.