STCC Named 2026 Bellwether Award Finalist for Innovative Health Science Degree
SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) has been named a 2026 Bellwether Award finalist for its innovative health science degree program.
The Bellwether College Consortium announced the finalists on Nov. 3, celebrating 30 community colleges across the country for bold, results-driven innovation.
“Congratulations to the 2026 class of Bellwether finalists. These 30 community colleges received the highest scores in one of our three award categories,” the consortium stated. “We celebrate these outstanding and innovative institutions as they participate in the final round of competition at the 32nd annual Community College Futures Assembly in February.”
STCC is one of only 10 community colleges nationwide advancing in the Instructional Programs and Services category and one of only two New England institutions to receive this national recognition.
“This recognition is a tremendous honor for STCC,” President John Cook said. “Our health science degree serves as a national model, particularly with the opportunity federal Workforce Pell will soon offer. Through patient simulation courses and embedded healthcare credentials in an open-admission degree, we demonstrate a scaled response to industry workforce needs.”
The Bellwether Awards spotlight the most forward-thinking community colleges in the U.S., highlighting programs that demonstrate measurable impact, replicable models, and transformative results. STCC’s submission, “Putting the Health in Health Science: A National Meta-Major Model for Health Care Education,” showcases a program that stands out for innovation that has scale and scope, as well as measurable student outcomes.
Approved in 2018, the health science degree at STCC is an open-admission pathway that includes patient simulation, typically found only in selective programs. Utilizing the SIMS Medical Center, an innovative asset accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, students have access to early credit that has clinical elements.
The degree also includes embedded credit-bearing certifications that include phlebotomy, emergency medical technician, and certified nursing assistant. Enrollment in the program has grown dramatically since its launch, from 36 students in the first semester to more than 1,000 students today, making it the largest program at STCC. The degree also demonstrates systematic access and achievement, particularly among part-time and underrepresented students.
“Healthcare continues to be a calling card for STCC and so many community colleges. In our case, the health science degree is creating real results,” said Christopher Scott, dean of the School of Health and Patient Simulation. “Since its launch, hundreds have advanced their education and careers earning associate degrees, transferring to baccalaureate colleges or completing industry-recognized credentials, such as patient care technician and sterile processing technician, which open doors to meaningful careers.”
Additionally, the program has contributed to more inclusive representation across STCC’s clinical health programs; BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and students of color) enrollment in competitive healthcare programs at STCC has risen by 17%, now representing 48% of total School of Health and Patient Simulation enrollment.
As a Bellwether finalist, STCC will present its model at the 32nd annual Community College Futures Assembly in February in San Antonio. The event brings together leaders and innovators from across the nation to showcase and share best practices in community college education.
“We are tremendously grateful to our faculty and administrators for building toward this success,” Cook said. “Again, with new opportunities like Workforce Pell (an expansion of a federal grant program) on the horizon, our health science degree truly is a model for the country.”