A Message from the President

Dear Bunker Hill Community College Friends and Partners,

In light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the spring 2020 semester looks very different at Bunker Hill Community College than we had planned. This outbreak challenges us as an institution of learning and throws the inequities already existing in the community college system into high relief. We are fighting hard for academic continuity as our students’ lives are upended. Basic needs of food and shelter loom large, and remote instruction exacerbates the lack of WiFi access and computers in students’ homes.

As serious as our current situation is, I am in awe of the resilience we’ve seen in our students – matched only by the commitment of our faculty and staff – to equity and student success. I have witnessed staff working tirelessly to prepare faculty and students with equipment and instructions for mobile learning and provide them with support.

I have seen kindness from strangers and friends, from the BHCC Foundation’s donation of 400 Chromebooks for home learning to the creation of emergency funds and continued resources from the DISH Food Pantry. Kindness has also come in notes of gratitude and encouragement from faculty and staff reaching out to students, and in the joining together that springs from remote meetings, greetings, and remote work. I am grateful for this sense of community that no virus can take away.

Prioritizing the health and wellness of our community during this crisis has also led us to reconsider important questions for the future. We now look at building infrastructure projects with fresh eyes, and initiatives such as the expansion of remote learning and technology take on new dimensions and spark new avenues of inquiry.

As we weather this crisis, we look to the unchanging Mission and Values of our College. We will continue to center our work on inclusive and affordable education, and enrich workforce development with general and global education to ensure our students are civically engaged. From the technology and STEM sectors to health sciences and the creative economy, we will emerge from this experience stronger with innovative ways to support students and faculty.

With optimism and gratitude,

Pam Y. Eddinger, Ph.D.

President