STCC Donates $5,000 to Girls Inc. of the Valley
SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) donated $5,000 to Girls Inc. of the Valley, a gift that will help support the youth-development organization’s teen center renovation as part of its “Her Future, Our Future” campaign.
The teen center is designed to get teens to think about their future by taking workshops in college and career readiness. STCC faculty and staff will also have an ongoing programmatic relationship with the center. STCC’s logo will be displayed on the center’s ‘Inspiration Wall,’ intended to remind participants about the pathways available to them through college and careers.
In addition to having a Society of Women Engineers chapter, STCC has a strong female faculty presence, including 12 full-time female faculty in the mathematics and engineering disciplines. Approximately 60% of STCC students are women.
“We are delighted to build a partnership with Springfield Technical Community College that supports the academic advancement and career exploration of our participants,” said Suzanne Parker, executive director of Girls Inc. of the Valley. “This incredible financial investment, coupled with volunteer opportunities and involvement from STCC faculty and staff, will provide wonderful resources for scholars to plan for their future academic pursuits and career paths.”
Administrators, faculty, and staff from STCC, including President John Cook, toured Girls Inc. of the Valley’s new location in Holyoke in November. Dee Ward, associate executive director, walked them through the entire facility, including the teen center now under renovation.
“We are thrilled to invest in the future of Girls Inc. of the Valley,” Cook said. “They have a beautiful new facility in Holyoke and are offering unique services that support goals STCC has specific to equity. When young people are considering their future, we want them to know STCC is a ready pathway.”
The tour of the Girls Inc. headquarters included STCC’s Dean of STEM Lara Sharp, Assistant STEM Dean Melishia Santiago, and faculty and staff from across the college.
“The number of women in STEM fields continues to improve, and STCC is committed to the continuation of increasing representation in all areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,” Sharp said. “At STCC, we are proud to have talented men and women teaching engineering and other STEM disciplines. It’s important to have diversity in teaching as well as in the workforce to bring in more viewpoints and maximize innovation. We applaud the work Girls Inc. of the Valley is doing to help create access for girls.”
