Pedro Arce
MM '83 • Vice President and Community Development Manager, Banknorth

Pedro Arce is a former school committee member for the City of Lawrence and a founding member of the Merrimack Valley Economic Council. He serves on the boards of Lawrence Community Works CDC, the Merrimack Valley Workforce Investment Board, and the Adelante Youth Center. As an advocate for the housing, education, and economic needs of the Merrimack Valley, Pedro was instrumental in helping to establish the Cambridge College Center in Lawrence. He joined the Cambridge College Board of Trustees in 2004.

Getting serious, and getting ahead
Pedro Arce, with bachelor's degrees in both sociology and legal studies, was working in customer service at BankBoston when he realized that he was in need of new intellectual challenges.

“I liked banking, but I felt I had more to offer than just providing customer service.” One day, he walked past Cambridge College and came in to speak with a counselor. ”Almost before I knew it, I had enrolled in the Master of Management program,” he says.

Arce was challenged by the strength and seriousness of his classmates.

“Most were coming in after work, looking to advance their careers. I had to be very disciplined to keep pace.”

Upon graduation, Arce joined Banknorth and moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts, where he saw a need. “Lawrence, one of the poorest cities in the state, had so many immigrants with so much potential and talent. They just needed access to education,” he said.

Arce approached Cambridge College about the special situation in Lawrence, and had ideas about how the school could help. Within a year, the Lawrence campus opened, offering master's programs in education, business management, and several undergraduate concentrations.

Although he takes pride in his accomplishments, Arce believes there is much work that remains to be done. “There are communities like Lawrence all over the country,” he says. “I have a hard time believing that a country as wealthy as ours can accept the high poverty rates found in many of our urban areas. All we really need to do to make a difference is make education accessible. That's what Cambridge College is all about.”