HCC Hires Patrick Carpenter as Director of Institutional Advancement

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College recently welcomed Patrick Carpenter as its director of Institutional Advancement. In his new role, Carpenter will serve as the principal gifts officer for the HCC Foundation, facilitate donor cultivation and engagement, and supervise the office of Alumni Relations. 

Before his hiring at HCC, he held advancement positions at Westfield State University as major gifts officer, Boston College School of Law as associate director of University Advancement, and Elms College, his alma mater, as director of Annual Giving.

“We are really excited to have Patrick on board,” said Amanda Sbriscia, HCC vice president of Institutional Advancement and executive director of the HCC Foundation, the college’s nonprofit fundraising organization. “He brings a level of expertise in advancement that will bring our fundraising operation to the next level and, we believe and said in the posting for the job, to nationally recognized heights.” 

Carpenter has worked in higher education since earning his bachelor’s degree in English from Elms College in 2002, starting his professional career at the College of Saint Rose as coordinator of Residence Life before returning to Elms in 2007 as director of Residence Life and eventually moving into the office of Institutional Advancement there.

He has also been a member of the adjunct teaching faculty at Elms since 2011 and served on the Elms College board of trustees and as president of the Elms College Alumni Assoc. In 2014, he received Bay Path University’s Recent Alumni Award, which is presented to a graduate who possesses great leadership potential.

“When you look at what is happening in higher education, particularly with increasing costs, community colleges are really providing an opportunity and a service that is vital to students looking to create a future for themselves and their families,” he said. “HCC, based on everything I have known about this place and have learned since I got here, does a tremendous job caring for the community.” 

Carpenter holds a master’s degree in higher education administration from Bay Path University and is working on his doctor of education degree in higher education administration from Northeastern University.