MassBay Alum Reaches Her Goals Despite the Pandemic

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WELLESLEY – Sarah Garofalo isn’t allowing the COVID pandemic to derail her college education or her dream of working in the marketing and public relations industry.

After graduating from Medway High School, Garofalo began college at Framingham State University, but left to join the workforce after a few unsuccessful semesters.

“After working for a few years, I knew I needed to return to college, so I began taking classes at MassBay in spring 2020, right before the pandemic shut everything down,” she said.

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“When the pandemic struck in March 2020, many college students around the world were anxious about experiencing remote learning under unprecedented circumstances. Fortunately for me, MassBay was extremely organized and made the transition as seamless as possible. It turned out that remote classes fit my learning style perfectly, and I was succeeding more than ever before. As a result, I graduated MassBay with high honors for the first time in my life,” she said.

“Having the freedom to do the classwork on my own time inspired me to continue my education at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU),” said Garofalo. “Due to the flexibility of remote classes, I was able to continue working part-time as an event ambassador at Gillette Stadium and landed a once-in-a-lifetime marketing internship at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, while taking classes at SNHU. I feel fulfilled and grateful for everything I have been able to accomplish, and I know I’m building a solid foundation for my career path.”

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Garofalo earned her Associate in Arts degree in liberal arts communications from MassBay in May 2021, then transferred to SNHU to pursue her bachelor’s degree in communications and is scheduled to graduate in December 2022.

Her internship with The Hanover Theatre has been extended through the spring 2022 semester.

She cites a critical component to her success inside and outside the classroom is the “endless support and invaluable experiences” she received during the past two years.

“I have maintained a high GPA, made meaningful connections, and had fun while reaching my goals,” said Garofalo.

In full transparency, the press release & photo were submitted to SOURCE media for publication.

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MassBay Community College is the most affordable higher education option in MetroWest Boston, offering a robust portfolio of courses and more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs with flexible day, evening, and weekend classes in Ashland, Framingham, Wellesley Hills, and online. 

MassBay students receive an unmatched educational value by earning stackable credits that transfer to bachelor’s degree programs, and workforce-ready skills necessary to advance careers in high-demand fields such as health and life sciences, automotive technology, engineering, business, cybersecurity, and the humanities. MassBay’s Associate Degree in Nursing (RN) and Practical Nursing (LPN) programs were both ranked as the #1 Nursing Program in Massachusetts in 2020-2021 by national nursing advocacy organizations RegisteredNursing.org, and PracticalNursing.org.

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Since its founding in 1961, MassBay has been accredited by several governing bodies and remains firmly committed to its mission of meeting the needs of the diverse local communities it serves. We value the intrinsic worth of all individuals, collectively in pursuit of inclusiveness and prioritize our work towards achieving equity within our community and beyond.

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