By Sabrina Chartrand | Observer Reporter
As the director of the Gateway to College Program and the ABE Transition Program, Deb Bibeau is motivated and willing to help those who need an alternative to high school. Bibeau, who has worked for MWCC since 2004, enjoys being involved in both programs. The Gateway to College Program and the ABE Transition Program are both College Access and Preparation Programs (CAPP), which are part of the Division of Access and Transition.
When asked about her favorite part of being involved in the programs, Bibeau said, “I think it’s seeing how the programs have evolved from when we opened our doors in the Fall of 2006 to now. We always add new things and have new initiatives to benefit the students here.”
For example, CAPP at MWCC has started using the PLATO computer system which helps students who did not complete college recover credits. The PLATO program is another subset of the Gateway to College Program for students that want to receive a high school diploma, but who are not interested in the structure of Gateway.
Bibeau accepted the position of Director for the Gateway and ABE programs because she thought it seemed interesting to be able to provide another opportunity to be successful. She believes that a student should be given another opportunity because “sometimes, for whatever reason, a four year high school doesn’t always make a student successful.”
The secret to Gateway’s success comes from two main factors, Bibeau said. One factor is the support given to the students by the resource specialists; the specialists provide advising and wrap-around support as well as teach classes that all the students must take. The second factor is that during the first semester, students have scheduled weekly check-ins in which each student sits with a resource specialist for a feedback session.
Bibeau likes to remember the students that she interviewed for the programs. For example, her favorite part of being the director for the programs is seeing the students from the programs on campus and hearing what they have accomplished. “We’ll see them graduate in a few years with at least an associate’s degree, and most will go on to post-secondary education,” she said excitedly.
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