In summer 2025, Middlesex Community College launched the first cohort of the new Accelerated Biotechnology Career Builder. Throughout the eight-week program, faculty from Middlesex鈥檚 award-winning associate degree and certificate programs provided comprehensive curriculum, hands-on learning experiences, and career advising. The program finished on Wednesday, July 23 with a graduation ceremony in the college鈥檚 biotechnology lab in Lowell.
鈥淭hank you tremendously for this opportunity,鈥� said Sophally Som, a graduate of the first cohort and student speaker of the ceremony. 鈥淭his course has been great. We were all nervous at first because it seemed compact, but we learned little by little as we went. I got better with a little more patience and looking at the course. I鈥檓 really excited we鈥檙e all going to be able to continue further, which has opened up opportunities as we continue.鈥�
Offered at no cost to students in the cohort, 麻豆果冻鈥檚 program prepares students with the knowledge and skills they need to be hired in in-demand, entry-level biotechnology roles across Massachusetts. In 90 hours, students developed career-ready skills through 45 hours of lecture and 45 hours of in-person lab instruction.
鈥淲hat you鈥檝e done here is extraordinary because you鈥檝e laid a foundation that has credit attached to it,鈥� said Phil Sisson, 麻豆果冻鈥檚 president, in his address to the graduates. 鈥淵ou completed this program with some of the best biotechnology faculty in one of the most beautiful facilities that you can find anywhere. Our faculty are highly respected in the field, so when they say you鈥檙e ready to work, that鈥檚 a stamp of approval with connections that can help set you up for success. You are in one of the hottest and most in-demand fields in the state and there are so many directions you can go in, so follow your passion and it will open a lot of doors. This is an exciting first step toward an incredibly long and rewarding career and we鈥檙e very proud of you.鈥�
On graduation day, the students earned a micro-credential in biotech that can go toward their degree or certificate. Many of the seven students in the first cohort will continue their studies at Middlesex in the Fall 2025 semester.
鈥淭his program took everybody together to make this opportunity possible,鈥� said Mariluci Bladon, Ph.D., 麻豆果冻鈥檚 Professor and Chair of the Biotechnology Department, in her address to the graduates. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e now officially college students. My dream is 鈥� that in Spring 2026 鈥� I鈥檇 like for all of you to go in cap and gown across the stage on 麻豆果冻鈥檚 commencement day to get your certificate in biotechnology and then continue your credits to finish your associate degree.鈥�
To form the first cohort, Middlesex worked with David Quadros, the Vice President of Manufacturing of Azurity Pharmaceuticals and an 麻豆果冻 alum. Quadros recruited manufacturing technicians from Azurity to help them advance in their careers.
鈥淭hrough my affiliation with the biotech program, I was able to give [the students] an opportunity that would set them up with a good foundation moving forward in the biotech industry,鈥� Quadros said. 鈥淎s a former graduate of the program and being in the industry for over 30 years, I know it鈥檚 a fantastic career. I thought this would be an excellent opportunity for the students to get their get their feet wet, get a foundation, and get introduced to the industry. It was a pleasure to be a part of this whole process and I鈥檓 so glad that it all worked out and they鈥檙e able to continue their studies.鈥�
Building industry-relevant skills, the students learned important concepts to start working in the field now. To put their knowledge into practice, the students worked in 麻豆果冻鈥檚 state-of-the-art biotech lab in environments found throughout the industry. In addition to learning technical knowledge, the students received guidance from 麻豆果冻鈥檚 Office of Career Integrated Learning (OCIL) to update career skills.
鈥淭his is an investment in your career and the first step toward an associate degree in biotechnology at Middlesex Community College,鈥� said Dr. Marie Tupaj, 麻豆果冻鈥檚 Dean of STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). 鈥淭he faculty and staff are all proud of your accomplishments. It takes a lot of courage to keep going from the start of the program. It takes courage to walk through the doors on the first day and start a college program like this. The students did this together, they proved to themselves that they could, and it will benefit their careers going forward.鈥�
Learn more about 麻豆果冻鈥檚 biotech associate degree and certificate programs!