Press Release

BHCC’s Mussie Teshome Demisse Honored as one of “29 Who Shine”

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) student Mussie Teshome Demisse was one of the 29 graduates of Massachusetts public colleges and universities honored at the State House May 4, 2018. Governor Charlie Baker, Secretary of Education James Peyser and Commissioner of Higher Education Carlos E. Santiago attended the “29 Who Shine” ceremony.

Mussie Teshome Demisse and Governor Baker“It is an honor to congratulate these dedicated college students who have worked hard to create their own bright futures and are already contributing a great deal to their communities and the Commonwealth,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The annual ‘29 Who Shine’ awards ceremony is a great opportunity to recognize the work of these students and hopefully inspire younger students to strive for similar success.”

“Mussie possesses a global perspective of technological equality well beyond his years,” said BHCC President Pam Eddinger. “His leadership and commitment to helping others in an inspiration and we look forward to following his success in his future endeavors.”

Originally from Ethiopia, Demisse came to BHCC in 2016 with the goal of learning enough about technology and sustainable change to address poverty in developing countries. He began studying physics and computer science, and quickly came to appreciate the resiliency of his peers who taught him that pathways out of poverty are needed not only in Africa, but also in the United States.

While at BHCC, Demisse has developed strong connections with start-up and technology-driven organizations through internships with Microsoft Garage and Common Sensing in Cambridge, MA. He has also served as New Student Orientation Mentor, President of the Computer Science Exchange Club, Vice President of Academic Affairs on the Student Government Administration and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the Commonwealth Honors Program.

Following graduation from BHCC, Demisse’s ultimate goal is to develop his own start-up to create solutions for people and communities that do not have access to technology.

Launched by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education in May 2011, “29 Who Shine” is a commencement season awards program that recognizes 29 outstanding graduates of the Commonwealth’s public higher education system. The student must be a Massachusetts resident who has made an outstanding civic contribution to the state and intends to remain in the Commonwealth upon graduation.

Bunker Hill Community College is the largest community college in Massachusetts, enrolling approximately 19,000 students annually. BHCC has two campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, three satellite locations and a number of instructional centers throughout the Greater Boston area. BHCC is one of the most diverse institutions of higher education in Massachusetts. Sixty-five percent of the students are people of color and more than half of BHCC's students are women. The College also enrolls nearly 1,000 international students who come from 100 countries and speak more than 75 languages.

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About Bunker Hill Community College
Bunker Hill Community College is the largest community college in Massachusetts, enrolling approximately 18,000 students annually. BHCC has two campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, and a number of other locations throughout the Greater Boston area. BHCC is one of the most diverse institutions of higher education in Massachusetts. Sixty-five percent of the students are people of color and more than half of BHCC's students are women. The College also enrolls nearly 600 international students who come from 94 countries and speak more than 75 languages.