Company Notebook

WNEU Unveils New Scholarship

SPRINGFIELD — Western New England University announced a new Business Impact Scholarship to support the recent surge of economic development in the Greater Springfield area. The scholarship is available to Massachusetts residents from Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester counties who are enrolled in the university’s College of Business starting in the fall of 2017. “For nearly a century, the College of Business at Western New England has educated and prepared local residents to become successful business leaders, and our alumni lead many Springfield area businesses and nonprofit organizations,” said Robert Kleine, dean of the College of Business. “This scholarship is an investment in preparing the next generation to provide leadership in the local economy.” The $2,000 award will be in addition to an incoming student’s Academic Merit Scholarship, which may range up to $20,000 per year. The Business Impact Scholarship and the Academic Merit scholarship are renewable for all years of full-time undergraduate study in the university’s College of Business, to students in good academic standing. “I have already received positive feedback from members of the local community regarding this important scholarship opportunity,” said Bryan Gross, vice president for Enrollment Management. “There is good reason to be optimistic about all the recent business development in our region, and I know that Western New England University will continue to provide highly motivated business leaders and pioneering entrepreneurs to our community in the years to come.” Western New England University is still accepting applications for fall 2017. For more information about the Business Impact Scholarship or the College of Business program, visit the Admissions website at wne.edu/cost-and-aid/undergraduate.

Berkshire Bank Expands Scholarship Awards Program

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank announced it will honor a record 35 high-school seniors across Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania for their volunteer service through the Berkshire Bank Foundation’s annual Scholarship Awards Program. The program will award $52,500 in total scholarship dollars to students who have exemplified community service through their volunteer efforts. Additionally, students must attend a high school that is located in a county with a Berkshire Bank office. Through the program, 35 $1,500 scholarships will be awarded to high-school seniors who will be attending a two-year or four-year college in the fall. Applications are evaluated based on the student’s record of volunteerism in the community, academic standing, and financial need. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and a family household income under $75,000 to be eligible to apply. A team of more than 200 bank employee volunteers will review the applications and select this year’s recipients. Scholarships will be awarded in the geographic regions where Berkshire Bank offices or its subsidiaries are located, with 14 available in Massachusetts, 10 in New York, three in Connecticut, three in Vermont, three in New Jersey, and two in Pennsylvania. Students may apply online though the bank’s website at www.berkshirebank.com/scholarships. To be considered, all applications must be submitted online by Wednesday, March 22 at 4 p.m. In other news, the bank announced the three winners of its Exciting Home Equity Sweepstakes, which ran from Sept. 12 through Nov. 25. The three winners of this giveaway were notified last month. They are Craig Walton of Hinsdale, Deborah Robbins of Westfield, and Christine Robie of Pittsfield. New and existing Berkshire Bank home-equity line of credit or home-equity loan customers as of Nov. 25 were entered automatically in the sweepstakes, and individuals were also encouraged to enter the sweepstakes by mail. Three winners were chosen to each receive a $2,500 prize. The winners then had the option to receive the funds by check, apply the money to their existing home-equity balance, or a deposit it into an account.

AIC Graduate Degree in Forensic Psychology Lauded

SPRINGFIELD — Online Psychology Degrees, a comprehensive, web-based psychology-degree guide, has named American International College (AIC) one of the top colleges for a graduate degree in forensic psychology in a recent ranking. The college is one of only two schools in Massachusetts to be named in this category. The mission at Online Psychology Degrees is to provide high-quality, well-researched rankings and other resources for individuals considering a career in psychology. Programs were selected for ranking based on criteria such as cost of attendance, number of degree and specialization options offered, accreditation, and acknowledgement by a national ranking body. The American International College master’s-degree program in forensic psychology was created for students who have a bachelor’s degree in psychology, criminal justice, or a related field. The forensic psychology program emphasizes the combination of psychology and law, as well as the psychology behind police work, corrections, probation, and parole. Students learn about victim services, juvenile justice, and family services to help work in those areas upon graduation. The curriculum includes a wide range of areas related to law enforcement and the evaluation and treatment of offenders. Careers in psychology and related mental-health professions are rapidly growing throughout the nation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Handbook predicts that, between 2012 and 2022 the occupation of psychologist will see an increase of at least 12%. Psychologists, therapists, and mental-health counselors are in high demand in a variety of work settings. Forensic psychology involves the application of psychology to issues relating to law and the legal system.

Coldwell Banker Supports Springfield Preservation Trust

LONGMEADOW — The Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage office in Longmeadow recently presented a $250 donation to the Springfield Preservation Trust for the 2017 Spring House Tour. The donation was made through Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Cares, the company’s charitable foundation. The Springfield Preservation Trust preserves and protects properties in Springfield that have architectural, historic, educational, or general cultural significance. The organization hosts a variety of events and fund-raisers throughout the year, including historic house tours in the spring and autumn. “As a company, we are deeply committed to giving back to our community, and we are proud to be able to lend our support to an organization that works hard to stabilize and maintain notable properties that are local treasures,” said Theresa Lindsey, who, along with Vincent Walsh, serves as managing broker of the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage office in Longmeadow. “Without the Springfield Preservation Trust, many of our historic buildings would no longer be in existence.”