My name is Haley Cote, and I graduated from Cape Cod Community College in 2012. I knew going into my senior year at Barnstable High School that I wanted to stay on the Cape—where I’ve lived my whole life, where I truly feel at home—so what better way to pursue my desire to become a journalist than attend college just 10 minutes up the street from where I live. But Cape Cod Community College wasn’t just the right choice because it was convenient. CCCC ended up giving me a new sense of confidence, shaping who I am today and my career path.
It all started with working for the MainSheet newspaper. After my first semester journalism course, Professor James Kershner saw something in me that I hadn’t yet seen in myself—a leader—and he believed in me enough to appoint me editor of the MainSheet. It was challenging but also incredibly gratifying. I discovered that I can indeed be a leader, and the experience affirmed my career aspirations. I also became the founding president of the Sociology Club, and eventually my involvement in the club, with the MainSheet and my honors coursework would coincide. Looking back, I’m proud that not only was I able to juggle all of those responsibilities successfully, but also that I had the opportunity at CCCC to challenge myself so significantly.
My education at CCCC did not stop with an associate’s degree. I was able to take advantage of Suffolk University’s communications program through the college, allowing me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in journalism on the Cape. Tim Miller, the features editor and resident film critic for the Cape Cod Times, was one of my professors in the program. He believed in my writing in a way no one had before, and this led to an internship at the Times. That then led to me freelancing for the newspaper, giving me the experience I needed to feel confident in approaching Cape Cod LIFE magazine to freelance for them. After a year of freelancing for Cape Cod LIFE, I accepted a position as their staff writer in 2016. I now serve as the associate editor for Cape Cod Life Publications, which includes Cape Cod LIFE, Cape Cod HOME and Cape Cod ART magazine.
I feel incredibly fortunate to be living and working on the Cape and doing what I love here. And as part of the Cape Cod Community College Alumni Network, I’m excited to give back to the college that helped set the course for my life today and my future.