Bristol Community College celebrates 2020 29 Who Shine recipient Joseph J. Massi
Bristol Community College is proud to celebrate the college’s 2020 29 Who Shine recipient Joseph
J. Massi, of New Bedford. Each year, the Department of Higher Education honors a student
representative from each of the 29 Massachusetts public colleges and universities
who demonstrates the talent and future contributions of those graduating from the
public system. Last year, the Department of Higher Education’s 2020 29 Who Shine award ceremony and dessert reception, originally scheduled for
April, was unfortunately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joseph graduated from Bristol in spring of 2020, with an associate degree in engineering transfer and transferred to Brown University, where he is currently continuing his goal of becoming an engineer in the renewable energy field.
A dedicated United States Marine Corps veteran and Bristol graduate, Joseph J. Massi, of New Bedford, has used his experience and positive outlook to assist others and better our region. Joseph returned to college upon his retirement from the military, as a leader in the classroom, where he held a 3.97 GPA and throughout the community, where he has put student-veteran advocacy into action.
While serving as the president, Joseph lead the Bristol Community College chapter of Student Veterans of America’s transition from club to association status, achieving national recognition and increasing membership among student veterans. As an engineering student at Bristol, Joseph was chosen to travel to NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia to participate in the prestigious NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars program. He also served as a student representative of Bristol’s chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Joseph has extended with advocacy outside of Bristol, serving as Chairman on the Board of Directors for the Veterans Association of Bristol County and as a regional volunteer for Toys for Tots, the Massachusetts Special Olympics and the Greater Boston Food Bank’s Mobile Market at Bristol Community College.
In May 2011, the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education launched 29 Who Shine. The honorees, chosen because of their academic achievements and record of student leadership and community service, stand poised to contribute greatly to the civic life and economic well-being of the state. Whether furthering their education or entering careers here in Massachusetts in fields as diverse as education, public policy, medicine, creative arts and engineering, 29 Who Shine recipients embody the vibrant future that we all envision for the Commonwealth.