Pedro Rentas’ journey from a TikTok cooking sensation to a college graduate is a testament to the success of MassReconnect, a program that provides free community college tuition to Massachusetts residents over 25. The program saw a 44.8% increase in new students over 25 in the past year, with larger increases among Black, Hispanic, and male students. While retention remains a challenge, community colleges such as Northern Essex and Middlesex are committed to providing support and advising to keep students on track to graduation.