From the Classroom to the Community
Care is the Curriculum

At BHCC, education is more than a pathway to a career. It’s where students discover their purpose, and where learning occurs through hands-on experience, mentorship, and a community founded on care and connection. In Allied Health, every lesson builds confidence and a deeper understanding of what it means to care for others. The alumni featured here began as students eager to learn and left as professionals ready to serve, teach and lead. Their stories show what happens when determination meets opportunity and how a BHCC education continues to shape lives far beyond the classroom.

Doranggie Manso Alvarez
Assistant Professor, Allied Health, MGB Transitions to Healthcare Program, BHCC
MA Department of Public Health (DPH)
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA);
American Medical Technologist (AMT)
Registered Medical Assistant and Allied Health Instructor

 

For Doranggie Manso Alvarez, teaching isn’t just a career, it’s a calling. After completing her associate degree at BHCC in 2016, she was invited by Professor Deborah Latina to serve as a lab assistant, sparking a passion for education that continues to guide her path today.

That early experience opened doors to new roles: tutoring allied health students, coordinating clinical placements, and later joining Boston Public Schools, where she taught high school students pursuing medical assisting and directed the adult education program for evening learners. She went on to manage Allied Health programs at Roxbury Community College while continuing to teach remotely for BHCC, a connection she never let go of. “Even when I worked elsewhere, I never really left BHCC,” she says. “It’s always felt like home.”

Now a full-time faculty member, Manso Alvarez brings her real-world experience and deep empathy into the classroom. “This diverse experience has taught me that successful healthcare education requires adaptability, cultural competency, and an understanding that students come from various backgrounds with different learning needs,” she says.

As she nears completion of her doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership in Education, her commitment to lifelong learning and to inspiring others remains unwavering. “Education changes everything,” she says. “You never know where it might lead.”

 

Abdul Alim Bangura
Medical Assistant and Phlebotomist, Cambridge Health Alliance
Medical Assistant Certificate, BHCC, and Nurse Education student

Born and raised in Sierra Leone, Abdul Alim Bangura has always been drawn to leadership and service.
When he moved to the United States in 2021, his first job was at BJ’s Wholesale Club. Within weeks, he rose from membership ambassador to senior front-end manager, supervising more than 60 employees. The experience strengthened his leadership skills, but also revealed that his true calling was in healthcare, helping others at their most vulnerable moments.
At Bunker Hill, Alim Bangura found both his direction and his community. “BHCC is more than a college,” he says. “It’s a place where diversity thrives and everyone feels supported.”

Encouraged by his advisor, he began the Medical Assistant certificate program, an important first step that provided him with hands-on experience and confidence in patient care. Those skills directly led to his role at Cambridge Health Alliance, where he currently works as a medical assistant and phlebotomist. He also mentors current BHCC students and serves on the Medical Assistant Advisory Board.

Now pursuing an associate degree in Nurse Education, Alim Bangura continues to embody the professionalism and poise captured in his personal mantra: “Dress for success.” For him, it’s about leadership— showing up with confidence, integrity and purpose, and inspiring others to do the same.

 

Dillon Noray
Clinical Practice Assistant, Cambridge Health Alliance Medical Assistant Certificate, BHCC; American Medical Technologist (AMT) Registered Phlebotomy Technician

 

Growing up in Trinidad, Dillon Noray learned the importance of community and the value of helping others. After moving to the United States at 17, Noray knew he wanted to pursue a career where he could make a real difference in people’s lives. Inspired by the health challenges he saw back home, he chose healthcare as the path that would allow him to pair his interest in medicine with his passion for service. At BHCC, Noray found the environment he was looking for: challenging academics, supportive faculty and a diverse student community that felt like family. “BHCC gave me both technical and soft skills,” he says. “I learned patient care, teamwork and professionalism— everything I now use every day.”

After completing the Medical Assistant certificate program, Noray began working at Cambridge Health Alliance in Malden as a clinical practice assistant. There, he checks in patients, draws blood and supports lab operations, always with an emphasis on empathy and reassurance. “I want patients to feel at peace knowing I’ll take good care of them,” he says.

Noray’s long-term goal is to become a surgical technician, expanding his role in patient care. For now, he focuses on continual learning and growth. “Every experience, good or bad, is a lesson,” he says. “It’s what makes you human.”