Arts

Hidden in plain sight

by Julie Walker
Thursday Sep 25, 2014

Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology reaches out to neighbors

When I went to the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (BFIT) to meet with president Tony Benoit and his staff, I sheepishly admitted that prior to researching this story, I did not know whether BFIT was a secondary or post-secondary school. Benoit and events coordinator Jamie Doerrbecker were neither surprised nor fazed by my admission. Both acknowledged that many South End residents are unfamiliar with the 106 year old technical college, and they look forward to raising awareness of the institution and its role with the community. "This fall we'd like to do an open house to get to know people in the neighborhood and have them get to know us," Benoit said. The college interacts with the community in by offering reasonably-priced repair services through its automotive garage; providing optical services on Monday afternoons at the on-campus optical shop; collaborating with the Boston Public Schools (BPS) and with community technology centers; and renting its auditorium and other spaces for community events and social functions.

BFIT's programs combine didactic and practical education, with internship and shadowing opportunities in a modern-day version of the apprenticeships that Franklin envisioned. Second-year students in the Associate degree in biomedical engineering technology take courses at hospitals, where staff teach them how to maintain and repair electronic medical equipment. The college's automotive program gives students hands-on experience performing repairs for the public in its garage under the supervision of ASE (Automotive Service Excellence)-certified faculty. "We don't charge for labor because it's the students who do the work," Benoit said. Benoit recounted a recent experiential learning opportunity for Health Information Technology students who were hired by Massachusetts General Hospital over the summer to work on the implementation of the hospital's Epic healthcare software system. Biomedical technology alumni visit the school at least once a year to brief students on changes in the field and to offer mentoring opportunities. Industry partners including IBM, Lenscrafters, Volkswagen and Grainger industrial supply lend advice on keeping BFIT's curricula current and provide internship opportunities. Benoit stressed that BFIT helps to fill a critical void in the state's economy. "There are 100,000 jobs that can't be filled in Massachusetts because of lack of skills," he said. The technical education is rounded out with coursework in communication to hone students' customer service skills, business management and occupational law and regulation.

The seed for BFIT was planted in 1797, when Benjamin Franklin's will stipulated a sum of money to be invested and bequeathed to the city of Boston to support the training of apprentices. The apprenticeship system declined in the 1800s, and by the turn of the 20th century, formal education was more popular. The Franklin Foundation invited industrialist Andrew Carnegie to Boston to solicit ideas on what to do with Franklin's funds, and he suggested the establishment of a school for the trades. Carnegie committed his own money to match Franklin's bequest on the condition that the city of Boston provide land for the school. In 1908 the Franklin Union was born. Today, BFIT has approximately 470 students, with a 9:1 student-faculty ratio.

While the college has very limited residential space available at the Stuart Street Hostel, the vast majority of students are commuters. "Our admissions staff has made a policy decision to keep recruitment outside Route 495 to a minimum. We find that people live at home. When you look at where our students come from, it's the transit map," Benoit noted. Despite its compact size, BFIT strives to offer a satisfying extracurricular life. The school is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association and has a men's soccer team, the Chargers, that competes at level III in intercollegiate athletics. A sign on the bulletin board outside the Kite and Key student store offers free snacks and quick-meals to hungry students, courtesy of student services manager Valerie Braithwaite. Student services also offers discounted movie tickets. An outdoor seating area just outside the dining hall has several tables on a lawn surrounded by flowers and greenery and shaded by tall, mature trees, giving it a peaceful feel despite its location at the busy corner of Tremont and Appleton Streets.

Benoit came to BFIT in 2011 as Dean of Academic Affairs in August of 2011 and was named interim president in June 2013, becoming president in January. Benoit previously worked at Three Rivers Community College in Connecticut, where he developed degree programs to prepare workers for the technology community and where he led efforts to recruit at-risk students and give them the support needed for academic success. Benoit holds Bachelor's degrees in molecular biophysics and biochemistry from Yale, a Master's in psychology from Connecticut College, and a Master's in Science in environmental engineering from the University of Connecticut and has extensive experience in environmental consulting. "The thing I liked about working at a community college is that it is a place of opportunity. It offered higher education to people who really need it and who might not otherwise have a chance to go to college. The goal is to meet students where they are. Some people don't come from a family where it's the norm to go to college, and there are a lot of cultural assumptions that they might not have." Benoit finds a similar objective at BFIT. "The whole college is focused on using education as path to a good career," he observed. One of BFIT's means of preparing students for college dovetails with the school's community outreach. The Early Access to College program enables BPS high school students to take courses at BFIT free of charge, earning college credits that can also be applied toward their high school diploma requirements.

BFIT partners in myriad ways with community organizations, such as providing student staffing and technical assistance to the Castle Square housing complex. In 2008, BFIT students set up free WiFi in the homes of Castle Square residents, and students work in the Castle Square Technology Center. One of Castle Square's student assistants, Abel Marcial, was a 2014 Blackstone/Franklin Squares Neighborhood Association scholarship recipient. Betsy Hall, president of the Ellis South End Neighborhood Association, commented on BFIT's community contribution. "There seems to be a genuine interest in reaching out to the community; a desire to appear more interested, invested and participatory within the community. Additionally, we are grateful for their support of our endeavors that need meeting space which in turn gives them needed visibility. Going forward, it seems it will be a win-win situation. Nothing specific has been scheduled but we are developing a few public forums and a spring yard sale, all for the benefit of the community at large."

Asked about his contributions to BFIT, Benoit instead touted the school's achievements. "We are growing into ourselves. Our student population is growing and we are adding academic programs. We added a bachelor's program in health information technology that is very successful, even though it's only a year old. While enrollment is declining in higher education in the US and in two-year schools it has plummeted, we are growing. We have capacity of reaching even more students and helping students understand that it is real possibility for them."