MCLA to Hold Annual Undergraduate Research Conference

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) will host its 23rd annual Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) on April 24. The conference is intended to acknowledge students' academic work.

This year's keynote speaker is MCLA alumnus Bentley S. Munsell '15, a registered nurse and nursing leader who advocates for social justice and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) in healthcare.

Munsell, who identifies as a queer, transgender man, has been involved in advocating for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in healthcare since 2016. He co-founded the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) DEIB committee, where he has directed outreach and implemented inclusive healthcare training programs. Munsell is currently the clinical nurse manager for SVMC’s ExpressCare and is pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing at Colby-Sawyer College.

The URC is described as an event that highlights MCLA's commitment to inquiry, exploration, and mentorship. The campus-wide event showcases undergraduate research and creative activity across various academic disciplines. Students collaborate with faculty sponsors to develop academic projects, which are presented through oral presentations, poster sessions, or performances.

The full-day event is scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m. with iced coffee on the quad and conclude at 7:00 p.m. with a student performance. A poster session is planned for 11:00 a.m., and the keynote speaker and lunch are scheduled for noon. Further details regarding the event schedule and locations will be announced.

Students are expected to deliver 15-minute presentations, display posters, and present artistic works, with specialized sessions and performances throughout the day. Media representatives are invited to cover the event, attend presentations, and conduct interviews with students and faculty.

Clarksburg Students Write in Support of Rural School Aid

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
07:25AM / Sunday, March 15, 2026

Mason Langenback calculated that Clarksburg would get almost $1 million if the $60 million was allocated equally.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Eighth-graders at Clarksburg School took a lesson in civic advocacy this week, researching school funding and writing letters to Beacon Hill that call for fully funding rural school aid. 

 

The students focused on the hardships for small rural schools and their importance to the community — that they struggle with limited funding and teacher shortages, but offer safe and supportive spaces for learning and are a hub for community connections.

 

"They all address the main issue, the funding for rural schools, and how there's a gap, and there's the $4 million gap this year, and then it's about the $40 million next year, and that rural schools need that equitable funding," said social studies teacher Mark Karhan.

 

A rural schools report in 2022 found smaller school districts cost from nearly 17 percent to 23 percent more to operate, and recommended "at least" $60 million be appropriated annually for rural school aid. 

 

Gov. Maura Healey has filed for more Chapter 70 school aid, but that often is little help to small rural schools with declining or static enrollment. For fiscal 2027, she's budgeted $20 million for rural schools, up from around $13 million this year but still far below the hoped for $60 million. 

 

Karhan said the class was broken into four groups and the students were provided a submission letter from Rural Schools Advocacy. The students used the first paragraph, which laid out the funding facts, and then did research and wrote their own letters. 

 

They will submit those with a school picture to the governor.