NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — President James Birge's announcement that he would retire next year may have been the big news on opening day for Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, but it wasn't the only news. 

 

The day began with an opening breakfast that touched on changes, successes, and challenges for the year ahead. This was followed by a convocation featuring speaker Declan McDermott, a member of the class of 2021, who has pursued a career in theater production. The day also included a barbecue lunch in the quad and the opening of the new Trailblazer Center at Bowman Hall. 

 

The center is made up of a glass-enclosed meeting room and an office, just off the front entrance of Bowman. 

 

Richard Glejzer, vice president of academic affairs, recalled how the career services office was practically hidden away behind two other offices on the second floor of Eldridge Hall. Coordinator Tony Napolitano was shifted to a conference room in Bowman, but the college didn't think that was enough.

 

"We always knew that the center could be bigger than that," Glejzer said. "That it could take into account other, what we call high-impact practices, internships, like I said, study away, engagement in the community, things that allow students to really flex skills and muscles that they learn in the classroom and that that makes them better citizens, it makes them better employees, makes them better at finding their first, second and third job."

 

The result is the Trailblazer Center, made a reality by the generous donations of Daniel Trombley and Nicole Westall, who have been strongly supportive of their alma mater.

 

"We spoke with Dan and Nicole about what we could do, what we envisioned, to bring more students into the center," said Birge. "And quickly, they agreed to support the renovation of this center, the Trailblazer Center, so that we can provide better services, more opportunities for students so that they get into the preprofessional experiences that they have. 

 

"They can get guidance and advice on what their career paths should be, and they can connect with the institution in ways that we couldn't provide before."

 

The couple said they carried "countless cherished memories" of their time at MCLA and in the halls of Bowman. 

 

"One of the most valuable services or resources I discovered during my time at MCLA was the Career Center," said Trombley. "Our hope is that the new center will help countless others in their professional pursuits in The coming years. 

 

They joined with Birge, Glejzer and trustees Chair Buffy Lord in cutting the ribbon on the new center. 

 

Earlier, Lord welcomed the college community at the opening breakfast, noting that the incoming class of 220 hails from 18 states and from Australia, Canada and Latvia. Nearly a quarter identify as alum. 

 

"They've already demonstrated impressive academic achievement. Over 76 percent of them have earned an academic merit scholarship," she said. "Among our first-year students, 59 percent are arriving with college credits, and 50 percent are first generation, they're the first in their families to attend college. That is a milestone worth celebrating. They represent a diverse and dynamic community. ... they enrich our campus with a wide variety and wide range of perspective and experiences."

 

Birge noted changes in staff and faculty and pointed to some of the challenges for the 131-year-old public college. 

 

"For a number of years, we have been challenged by the demographic cliff, with fewer high school students in New England. We now find ourselves confronted by and with a federal administration that wants to change many of the things we do to create a compelling environment where our students can succeed," he said. "We are further reminded of these challenging days for higher education whenever we read about institutions closing or reducing their labor forces."

 

The president said he spent some time in Washington, D.C., speaking with higher education journalists, and that while there are dismal stories out there, the status of MCLA is brighter. 

 

"We have successfully preserved the mission of the college while providing a high-quality public liberal arts education," he said. "Because of our commitments to doing more with less, the college is in a very strong financial position. ...

 

"When you look around our region and see other institutions struggling, while our budgets are tighter than ever, I want to be very clear and say we are definitely not struggling financially."

 

Admissions are up 10 percent, women's basketball will return and the trustees have committed to using $400,000 in reserve funds to support the Finding Our Voice strategic plan. The college also has a reserve ratio (expandable debt assets relative to total expenses) of 50 percent, above the recommended 40 percent. 

 

Afterward, he explained that this year's "slightly out of balance" budget is short about $500,000, which he expected to be absorbed during the year with an eye on ending in the black. 

 

The strategic plan will roll out this fall and its implementation is fully funded through the budget, reserves and grants. It will include equity, diversity and belonging initiatives including a process for hiring a new leadership to replace departing staff. 

 

"For much of the last four years, the MCLA Foundation has been in the quiet phase of a comprehensive fundraising initiative called the Pathways Campaign, an effort to raise $30 million by June of 2026," Birge said. "This fundraising effort has maintained benchmarks above the expected goals for most of the past four years. This is a testament to the support of MCLA, the support MCLA has for many people, as well as the as well as the efforts by Bob Ziomek (vice president of institutional advancement) and his team.

 

"I'm happy to report to you that as of Aug. 1, we have financial commitments greater than $24 million."

 

The largest pledge was $1.3 million from the U.S. Department of Education for a five-year TRIO grant, and $550,000 from state matching pledges from private donors. Birge expects the campaign to meet its goal by next June. 

 

"There are many examples of how the campaign is already supporting our campus, including more scholarships, new programs and professional development," he said. 

 

Kerri Nicoll, president of the MCLA Faculty Association and a professor of social work, brought greetings from the college's public unions. She asked that the college community work together in a civil and collaborative manner. 

 

"What if we can build something different here, a community where critical thinking, problem solving, the pursuit of truth and information, the embrace of diversity and even disagreement, are valued and honored," she said, adding,  "what we do here at MCLA matters. It matters how we treat one another. It matters how we work together. Matters we have the opportunity to create a different kind of future, and it requires that we start right here, right now, with a collective commitment to working together."