STCC students secure internships with MIT research program

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – You might say Peter Preston saw the light when a professor from Springfield Technical Community College spoke to his high school class about a unique program.

“I was originally looking at four-year schools, and then Dr. Massa came to talk to us about the Optics and Photonics Technology program,” said Preston, who was referring to STCC Professor Nicholas Massa. “I just loved lasers. When he talked about it, I thought it was really cool, so I decided to go to STCC instead.”

Preston, a Longmeadow resident, is going into his second year in the Optics and Photonics Technology program, which involves the practical application of light, optics and electronics. The community college program created by Dr. Massa is the only one of its kind in the region. STCC is the only technical community college in Massachusetts.

Massa uses his broad network of industry contacts to help place his students into positions as photonics technicians. He helped Preston and another one of his students, Travis Donelon, also of Longmeadow, secure paid internships this summer at the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, a Department of Defense research and development lab in Lexington.

Each summer, the Laboratory offers undergraduate and graduate students the unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a leading-edge research environment.

"The need for optics and photonics technicians locally and nationally is tremendous. For every engineer and scientist hired in the field, there is a need for roughly ten technicians to support their work," Massa said. “We have the only associate degree program of its kind in the Northeast. STCC grads enjoy nearly 100 percent job placement in the field, and MIT has been a great supporter of our program." 

STCC's Optics and Technology program recently entered into a new transfer agreement with Western New England University, Massa said. Students who wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering can do so in as little as two additional years.

Western New England partnered with STCC to build a new $2.6 million advanced photonics lab at WNEU with funding from the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2) to support the rapid growth of the photonics industry in the region.

The need for optics and photonics technicians locally and nationally is tremendous. For every engineer and scientist hired in the field, there is a need for roughly ten technicians to support their work. Dr. Nicholas Massa, Professor, Optics and Photonics

Preston and Donelon said they were excited to receive the internship opportunity. They will be living in subsidized housing at Northeastern University and have access to a free shuttle to Lincoln Laboratory. It will be the first time living away from home for both students.

“I’m looking forward to working with cutting edge technology and people who are really smart,” Preston said.

Added Donelon: “We will be working with things that are still in the research process.”

Like Preston, Donelon graduated from Longmeadow High School. Donelon came to STCC with a plan to pursue a nursing degree, but he decided to change majors. He chose Optics and Photonics Technology and felt like it was the best fit.

“Light really fascinated me,” Donelon said. “How does it work? It’s all around us, but the average person doesn’t really think about how it works and how you can use it for technology applications.”

Preston said he grew up loving “Star Wars,” which famously features lasers in the series. As he got older, he learned that lasers had real life, practical applications: laser materials processing, fiber optic communications, precision optical manufacturing and metrology, aerospace & defense, homeland security, medical device fabrication, nanotechnology, and much more.

“There’s been an explosion in what you can do with lasers,” he said.

The MIT Lincoln Lab internship won’t be the first Preston has received with the help of Massa. He has been working at Cirtec Medical in Enfield, Conn., as an assembler.

”Some of what I do there correlates directly with what they want me to do at MIT for my group. It turned out to be really helpful,” Preston said. “That was another big draw in coming to STCC. I can have an internship and get into the workforce as well as have my classes cater to my work schedule. This semester I’m out of class every day by noon which gives me an option to work every day if I want to."

Lara Sharp, dean of the School of STEM (science, engineering, technology and math), said, "The STEM Division is incredibly proud of Peter and Travis for being accepted into the MIT Lincoln Laboratory Internship program. This is a very competitive program and their experiences during the internship will give them confidence in their skills and fantastic networking opportunities."

Preston and Donelon praised the Optics and Photonics program for providing them with knowledge they can use in the field and also giving them connections to internships and career opportunities.

“There are a lot of companies around here that need technicians for Optics and Photonics but not enough people who know how to do it,” Donelon said. “And that’s why I’m here at STCC.”

Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.

About Springfield Technical Community College

STCC, the Commonwealth's only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC's highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide unequaled opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the college – a designated Hispanic Serving Institution – seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed and socially responsible graduates.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jim Danko, (413) 222-9311, jdanko@stcc.edu

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