Day: July 17, 2019

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest magazine is currently accepting nominations for its second annual Women of Impact, a recognition program launched in 2018 to honor a specific segment of the local population: women who are making an impact in and on this region. Nominees who score the highest in the eyes and minds of a panel of three independent judges will be honored at a luncheon on Thursday, Dec. 5 at the Sheraton Springfield.

‘Women of Impact’ was chosen as the name for the program because, while nominees can be from the world of business, they can also be from other realms, such as the nonprofit community, healthcare, public service, law enforcement, education, social work, the mentorship community, a combination of all these — any inspirational women on any level.

Last year’s inaugural class of honorees included Jean Canosa Albano, assistant director for Public Services, Springfield City Library; Kerry Dietz, owner and principal, Dietz & Co. Architects Inc.; Denise Jordan, executive director, Springfield Housing Authority; Gina Kos, executive director, Sunshine Village; Carol Leary, president, Bay Path University; Colleen Loveless, president and CEO, Revitalize Community Development Corp.; Janis Santos, executive director, HCS Head Start Inc.; and Katie Allan Zobel, president and CEO, Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.

Nominations are due by Friday, Aug. 2. For guidelines to consider when nominating, and to submit a nomination, click here.

TommyCar Auto Group is the event’s presenting sponsor, Comcast Business is supporting sponsor, New Valley Bank & Trust is speaker sponsor, and WWLP-22 News/CW Springfield is media sponsor. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, call (413) 781-8600.

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) board of trustees member and alumnus Jim Calhoun was recently honored as Coach of the Year at the ESPYs.

During his acceptance speech and in an article that appeared in AIC’s Lucent magazine in 2018, Calhoun cited the sudden death of his father when he was 15 years old as a challenging time in his life. As one of six children, he put his education on hold for two years, going to work as a stonecutter and taking other manual-labor jobs in order to help his family. Although disappointed because he wanted to play college basketball, the Braintree native credited the people around him, including his high-school principal, coach, and other mentors, for pushing him to enroll in college. 

Speaking with Lucent, Calhoun said Gayton Salvucci, who grew up in Quincy, was coaching football at AIC at the time and suggested Calhoun give AIC a look. According to Calhoun, “I did that, and it all worked out for me. I got another basketball scholarship, and I became team captain in my senior year.” He led the Yellow Jackets in scoring as a junior and senior. In 1966, he helped AIC achieve its first NCAA Division II playoff appearance.

In his ESPY Coach of the Year speech, Calhoun credited “the village around him” for his ability to pursue basketball, adding that “I have dedicated my life to doing for others what those folks did for me,” which allowed him to “reach out and help others” during his more than 40 years of college coaching, including 14 at Northeastern and 26 at the University of Connecticut, during which UConn won three NCAA Division I national championships; and enshrinement in the AIC Athletic Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, both in 2005. Additionally, 31 of his players went on to careers in the NBA.

Now out of retirement and back in the game at age 77 with the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, Conn., he guided the Blue Jays to a 16-12 mark and GNAC championship-game appearance during the NCAA Division III men’s basketball team’s inaugural season before being honored as  Coach of the Year at the ESPYs.

To read the entire Lucent magazine “Back in the Game” article, visit aic.edu/lucent.

ENFIELD, Conn. — Super Saturday is planned for Aug. 10 at Asnuntuck Community College (ACC). Admissions, advising, financial aid, registration, and the cashier’s office will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and all services will be available on a walk-in basis. Advising for manufacturing programs and all continuing-education licensure and allied-health programs will also be available that day.

ACC’s advanced manufacturing technology program will also hold an open house on Aug. 10. Visitors can see the 27,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center and learn what the program has to offer. Those who can’t make it that day may call (860) 253-3189 for more information or to arrange a tour.

Placement testing for math and English will be available that morning. SAT and ACT test scores may also be used for placement purposes. Those interested in participating in the Accuplacer placement testing need to pre-register. Testing will begin at 10 a.m. Call (860) 253-1200 to secure a spot. For additional placement-test information, visit www.asnuntuck.edu/admissions/placement.

Students who have not already completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are encouraged to do so. The FAFSA can be submitted online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The school code for ACC is 011150.

Follett’s ACC Bookstore will also be open that day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For those who can’t make it on Aug. 10, open registration is available every Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The college will be open for extended hours every Wednesday in August and on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 26-27, until 6:30 p.m. Classes begin on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

SPRINGFIELD — The Live Well Springfield coalition will kick off its “Guess What I Did?” Role Model Campaign on Thursday, July 18 at 11:30 a.m. at Duryea Way Park on Stearns Street in Springfield.

The campaign highlights the power people have in making a difference in their community. Live Well Springfield believes systemic change cannot happen without the residents who are most impacted by the issues. Six role models from across the city have several years of advocacy experience and truly believe in the power of leading by example. Over the next year, the coalition will tell the story of their efforts to improve lighting, safe streets, and school food in Springfield.

The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness regarding the power and importance of having residents engaged in community-change initiatives. The coalition invites other residents to see themselves as the next role model by joining the coalition’s new Resident Advisory Council, which will work under the Live Well Springfield coalition on issues including climate justice, childhood obesity, age-friendly communities, safe routes to school, tobacco prevention, complete streets, and food justice.