October 30, 2024
The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Foundation, Inc. announces it has received
a generous $500,000 gift from MountainOne that will create the College’s first hybrid
endowment. The MountainOne Fund, the largest commitment in MountainOne’s history,
will support multiple priorities over the next five years. The hybrid strategy allows
MountainOne’s leadership to shift its funding focus from year to year to match their
goals for supporting MCLA and community needs.
The initial focus of the MountainOne Fund is scholarship support for current North
Adams Public Schools (NAPS) teachers currently teaching under emergency licenses they
obtained during the pandemic.
The emergency license allowed those with a bachelor’s degree to start teaching and
move on to a provisional license in the future. Earlier this year, the Department
of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in Massachusetts established four regional
centers across the state to facilitate the transition of emergency license holders
to initial licensure.
The MCLA Education Department, in collaboration with Westfield State University, serves
as Western Massachusetts’s Regional Center for Emergency License Holders, providing
essential support to emergency license holders within Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden,
and Hampshire County public school districts. This includes Massachusetts Tests for
Educator Licensure (MTEL) registration and preparation support, coaching, mentoring,
and access to resources such as classwork and field experience opportunities.
A scholarship of up to $5,000 per teacher, provided by the MountainOne Fund, is an
impactful incentive to have these teachers enroll in a graduate program at MCLA to
complete their licensure. The goal is to provide eight teachers with scholarships
over the next two years. So far, six educators have been awarded funds ranging from
$1,200 to $5,000 per person based on course load needs.
"The MountainOne scholarship provides much-needed assistance for our teachers working
under emergency licensure,” said Assistant Superintendent of the North Adams Public
Schools Dr. Timothy Callahan. “These are dedicated new educators who are working hard
in the classroom and in their own studies so they can attain full licensure and pursue
their master's degree. With teacher shortages across the country, we are grateful
to MountainOne for helping to develop local educators who are already filling vital
positions within our schools."
"As two enduring pillars of North Adams, MountainOne and MCLA have a shared commitment
to drive economic growth and invest in our community's future,” said President and
CEO of MountainOne Robert Fraser. “This inspires our contribution, and we look forward
to seeing how our donation will enrich student experiences and strengthen our community.”
MCLA President James F. Birge, Ph.D. echoed this sentiment, saying, “We are incredibly
appreciative of MountainOne for their generosity in creating this very flexible fund.
Their commitment to advancing education in our community through two years of funding
this scholarship not only strengthens our partnership with North Adams Public Schools,
but also empowers teachers to pursue permanent licensure. This will ultimately improve
the quality of education for our students and create a positive, long-lasting impact
in the region.”
“This fund is centralized and localized,” said MCLA Associate Professor and Chair
of its Education Department Dr. Margaret Clark. “I think the combination of MountainOne,
North Adams Public Schools, and MCLA is an example of how our local community can
work together through innovative partnerships to come up with a solution that will
support children and families in addition to individualized teachers.”
MountainOne’s generous gift will also support MCA student athletes annually, and fund
a bi-annual Civil Rights Tour for MCLA students.
About MCLA
At MCLA, we’re here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught
by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive
on every level of their lives. In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed
to elevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators, fully empowered
to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 130-year commitment to
public education, we have fortified our dedication to equitable academic excellence.
MCLA has appeared on U.S. News & World Report’s list of Top Ten Public Colleges for
10 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts
Schools in the nation for 2025, after earning the No. 7 spot the prior three years.
The College’s focus on affordable education and economic prosperity is reflected in
additional 2025 U.S. News rankings: No. 5 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for
liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 2 for Top Performer on Social Mobility
for public liberal arts colleges in the country. These rankings measure how well schools
graduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants.
Learn more at www.mcla.edu.
