Day: August 30, 2019

CHICOPEE — Elms College announced that all of its class of 2019 education licensure graduates — both undergraduate and graduate — have successfully landed jobs as teachers in their licensure fields or are pursuing advanced degrees. This is the sixth year in a row that the Elms College Education Division has reported a 100% hire rate for its graduates.

“This outcome demonstrates our students’ diligence and commitment to children,” said Mary Claffey Janeczek, chair of the Education Division at Elms College. “Local school districts seek out our licensure graduates, because they are taught not only to master their subject matter, but also to teach with great compassion.”

Elms College allows education majors to specialize in elementary, early childhood, English as a second language, moderate special needs, or secondary education. Graduate students can work toward a master of arts in teaching degree in a variety of fields, including reading specialist, a master of education degree, or a certificate of advanced graduate study (CAGS). The college’s programs offer real-world, student-centric, pedagogical training that prepares teachers to serve as leaders in the changing field of education.

AMHERST — UMass Amherst will welcome the largest entering class in university history when students return to the Commonwealth’s flagship campus over Labor Day weekend.

“Our students arrive with a remarkable variety of experiences and perspectives, and their selection of UMass Amherst shows that our flagship campus is a destination of choice for academically high-achieving students,” said UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy. “This year’s class again demonstrates our commitment to fostering a community of excellence, diversity, and accessibility that serves the Commonwealth and the wider world.”

The size of the entering class, approximately 5,800 students, represents an increase of 790 compared to last year. This includes 4,300 in-state students, an increase of 800 over last fall.

Massachusetts students represent 74% of the first-year class. Out-of-state enrollment remained strong at 1,500, including 470 international students. The university received a record 42,110 applications. Overall undergraduate enrollment this fall is projected to be 22,700.

The academic profile of the class of 2023 is impressive. The average SAT score is 1292, and the average GPA is 3.90. The class also represents an increase in the number of ALANA (African, Latino/Hispanic, Asian, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and Native American) students at 33%. The percentage of underrepresented minority students is 17%, matching last year’s number. Half of the incoming class is female.

Commonwealth Honors College will welcome 660 students, up 35 students over last year. Their average SAT score is 1400.

Along with the first-year class, nearly 1,050 transfer students will be arriving on campus this fall. The transfers include 380 community-college students enrolling through the MassTransfer program. MassTransfer guarantees admission to Massachusetts community-college students who complete a designated program with a GPA of 2.5 or above. The overall GPA for entering transfer students is 3.40.

WESTFIELD — Each year, the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce solicits nominations from the membership for three awards. This year’s recipients are: Business of the Year: Westfield G&E and Whip City Fiber; Nonprofit of the Year: Westfield 350 Committee; and Lifetime Achievement Award: Sister Elizabeth “Betty” Oleksak of Genesis Spiritual Life and Conference Center.

“The chamber is very excited to announce this year’s recipients, as they are all so deserving of these recognitions,” said Kate Phelon, executive director. “It is never an easy decision, and I know the board governance committee made their recommendations to the full board with thoughtful consideration of all the nominees.”

Formed in 1860, the privately-owned Westfield Gas Co. manufactured and sold only gas. With electric light coming into favor with their customers, the Westfield Gas Light Co. purchased the Schuyler electric plant in 1887. Westfield later voted to acquire its own power plant, and the municipally owned and operated Westfield Gas & Electric Light Department was established in 1899. Fast-forward to 2015 when it began providing fiber-optic internet in Westfield with Whip City Fiber. To date, this municipally owned, gigabit-speed internet service is available to more than 70% of the community. Whip City Fiber offers cutting-edge global access which will support the future commercial and residential growth of Westfield.

The Westfield 350 Committee consists of 13 volunteer board members, including Harry Rock, Patrick Berry, Peggy Champagne, Amber Danahey, Cindy Gaylord, Peter Miller, Paul Nunez, Mary O’Connell, Ken Stomski, Jay Pagluica, Candy Pennington, Joyce Peregrin, and Vanessa Holford Diana, who started planning for Westfield’s 350th birthday in 2017. First Night on Dec. 31, 2018 kicked off the celebration, followed by a plethora of events up to the final weekend of celebration on May 18-19, 2019.

Oleksak is the founder of Genesis Spiritual Life and Conference Center. She served as the center’s administrator from 1976 until retirement in 2002, and continues her ministry at Genesis with service on the board of directors and as an experienced retreat director, spiritual director, biospiritual focusing facilitator, overseer of the Genesis gardens, and the Genesis historian. In the late 1970s and early ’80s, Oleksak supported the creative efforts of the Genesis plant manager to promote and orchestrate summer fairs on the Genesis grounds in order to welcome and educate the public as to the Sisters of Providence change in ministry in Westfield from that of caring for unwed mothers to Genesis Spiritual Life Center. Genesis welcomes individuals from all faiths and all walks of life.

The three award winners will be recognized at the Chamber’s annual meeting and awards banquet on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at Shaker Farms Country Club. There will be a cocktail hour from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. followed by a fun-filled program and banquet. The event is hosted by Shaker Farms Country Club, 866 Shaker Road, Westfield. The event sponsor is Westfield Bank, the silver sponsor is Tighe & Bond, and the bronze sponsor is Meyers Brother Kalicka, P.C. For more information on tickets and sponsorships, call the chamber office at (413) 568-1618.

SPRINGFIELD — Jewish Family Services will host a presentation by author Lesléa Newman on Thursday, Sept. 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. Newman will talk about her journey to become a children’s book writer and present and discuss some of her Jewish children’s books, including Gittel’s Journey: An Ellis Island Story. She will also show a short film titled We Are a Country of Immigrants in which she interviews Phyllis Rubin, her godmother and daughter of the real Gittel.

Newman’s other works include Here Is The World: A Year of Jewish Holidays; Ketzel, The Cat Who Composed (winner of the Massachusetts Book Award and the Assoc. of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Award); A Sweet Passover; and Runaway Dreidel. She has received creative-writing fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Artists Foundation. From 2008 to 2010, she served as poet laureate of Northampton. Her newest children’s book, Welcoming Elijah: A Passover Tale with a Tail, will be published in 2020.

The program is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served, and books by the author will be available for purchase. Jewish Family Services’ Community Room is located at 1160 Dickinson St., Springfield (the parking lot is on the Converse Street side).