HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will be running both daytime and evening editions of its popular, free line cook training program at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, beginning Oct. 27 and Nov. 5.

The six-week daytime program starts Monday, Oct. 27. Classes meet Mondays and Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The five-week evening program runs Nov. 5 through Dec. 11 on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m.

“HCC tries to meet the needs of its students by offering multiple options for start days and times,” said Paul Sheehan, assistant project coordinator for Culinary Arts Programs. “Over the last few years, we have offered our free line cook training as separate day and evening programs to help students find the schedule that works best for them.”

The program is designed for those already in the restaurant industry who want to upgrade their skills as well as unemployed or underemployed individuals interested in starting new careers.

“We usually have a mix of young people entering the job market for the first time and people who are re-entering the job market, looking for a second career,” Sheehan said. “The course is perfect for anybody who’s looking for a job and has a passion for food and the dining industry.”

Participants will learn all the essential competencies they need to become successful line cooks: knife skills; how to prepare stocks, soups, sauces, desserts, poultry, fish, and meat; culinary math and measurements; moist and dry heat cooking methods; as well as workplace soft skills, such as building a résumé and searching for jobs.

Offered as part of HCC’s Business & Workforce Development division, the line cook course is free to qualifying applicants. All classes meet in person at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute at 164 Race St., Holyoke. For more information or to fill out an inquiry form, visit hcc.edu/line-cook or call (413) 552-2500.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) received a $300,000 state grant to train low-income job seekers whose primary barrier to employment is their English language skills.

The Readiness, Integration, Skills, and Employment (RISE) grant to HCC is part of a $2.7 million package awarded recently to eight employers and organizations for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) initiatives that also include career readiness, job training, and placement services.

The RISE grants are funded by the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and administered by Commonwealth Corp. through the state’s Workforce Competitive Trust Fund. HCC was one of only two grant recipients outside the Boston area. Greenfield Community College received a $195,000 grant to train home health aides.

Overall, the grants will support the training of more than 500 residents in the state in workforce ESOL training programs and help ease the demand for ESOL services.

“We know that language is a significant barrier to employment, which is why we have focused on connecting workers with the English and skills training they need to succeed in today’s economy,” Gov. Maura Healey said. “These awards will help prepare our residents to fill open roles in one of our high-demand fields.”

HCC is partnering with three Springfield-based agencies — Way Finders, Tech Foundry, and MassHire Springfield — to provide training and career placement services for 50 individuals. HCC’s employer partners include Baystate Health, Holyoke Medical Center, Adhesive Applications, Pioneer Valley Hotel Group, and MGM Springfield, who have agreed to interview program participants.

Originally, the grant focused on people living in emergency shelters but has been expanded to also include other low-income job seekers with children below age 18.

“It’s focused on individuals who need ESOL language development, but who also might be facing barriers like inadequate housing — that’s why we’re partnering with Way Finders; or digital literacy — that’s why we’re partnering with Tech Foundry; or basic awareness about how to apply for a job — that’s why we’re partnering with MassHire,” said Kermit Dunkelberg, HCC’s assistant vice president of Adult Education and Workforce Development.

Participants will also be connected to support services that address other basic needs, such as childcare and food insecurity.

“What’s innovative about this program is that we’re taking a cohesive approach to provide services that might typically be done sequentially, like, let’s first get you into stable housing and then get you into an English class, and then start thinking about a career,” Dunkelberg added. “Now we’re trying to do that in a more integrated way to accelerate people’s ability to get into jobs.”

HCC is now recruiting for the program, which is expected to begin by the end of October. The program will include three cycles of 12-week classes over a year and a half, with both in-person and self-paced online components.

“The curriculum is designed so that people can repeat a cycle or move up into a higher level of English and continue on. We will also be educating students about other industry-specific training opportunities we offer and jobs that are out there,” Dunkelberg explained. “One possible outcome is that they might go on to do culinary training or clean energy training or healthcare training. For others, it might be getting an entry-level position at Baystate Health or MGM.”

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will conclude its celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with “Our Stories, Our Voices, Our Lens,” a conversation with local Latinx ‘artivists,’ talking about how art contributes to the preservation and celebration of history and culture.

The panel discussion will run on Tuesday, Oct. 14 from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on the second floor of the HCC Campus Center.

The discussion, moderated by Naoimi Robles, an HCC alum and student success counselor for El Centro, a bilingual HCC student support program, will include three panelists:

• Maria Salgado-Cartagena, director of Community Engagement at Mount Holyoke College. Known as the ‘people’s historian of Holyoke,’ she is working to ensure the visibility of Puerto Ricans in the city’s vibrant past and present. A former resident of Holyoke, she has been involved in community organizing since high school and has worked in the nonprofit sector of Holyoke for more than 25 years;

• Michelle Falcón Fontánez, an award-winning storyteller working in photography, film, theater, and installation art. She is currently working on a three-part mini-series that unpacks the psychological and environmental impacts on Puerto Ricans in South Holyoke during a series of fires in the 1970s; and

• Eartha Mejia, a Latiné transfem, organizer, cultural worker, healer, writer, and artivist from Pawtucket/Pentucket lands in Lawrence. Currently a student at Mount Holyoke College, Mejia hopes one day to become a clinical social worker to serve the queer BIPOC community. They seek to create spaces where collective healing and liberation meet by hosting healing circles, writing workshops, resistance book clubs, and more.

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated nationally each year from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 to recognize the cultural and historical influences of Hispanic Americans. On the HCC campus, it is called Latinx Heritage Month.

HOLYOKE — Visitors to Holyoke Community College (HCC) on Friday, Oct. 24 can expect to see witches, ghouls, ghosts, and an assortment of characters from popular children’s movies, games, books, and TV shows as the college celebrates Halloween with its eighth annual Trunk or Treat event.

Every year, the event draws thousands of children and their parents to the HCC campus for a fun, safe, and early Halloween celebration as dozens of HCC departments, programs, and student clubs, as well as community groups and area businesses, decorate their cars and trucks with a wide assortment of themes.

Trunk or Treat runs from 5 to 7 p.m. in Parking Lot M by the Bartley Center for Athletics and Recreation on the main HCC campus, 303 Homestead Ave.

Last year’s trunk themes included Charlotte’s Web, The Wizard of Oz, Minions, mummies, Dr. Seuss, pirates, enchanted forest, haunted vet clinic, aliens, Ratatouille, monsters, Jurassic Park, Shrek, the zoo, STEM, Fairly Odd Parents, castles, Wednesday Addams, spiders, skeletons, scarecrows, witches, sharks, and the Justice League.

Prizes are awarded to vehicle sponsors in various categories, including best executed theme, scariest trunk, best costumes, and most original. Each vehicle will hand out free Halloween treats and also have non-food items for children with dietary restrictions.

Trunk or Treat at HCC started in 2017 as an alternative to traditional trick-or-treating on Halloween night. Rather than going door to door seeking Halloween treats, children go ‘trunk to trunk’ to collect their candy, visiting cars decorated with seasonal themes and familiar stories and characters.

The event is free and open to the public and will be held outdoors, rain or shine. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

To sponsor a vehicle, email Student Engagement at [email protected] no later than Monday, Oct. 20.

HOLYOKE — Slots are still available for non-credit cooking and wine tasting classes this fall at Holyoke Community College (HCC).

Stand-alone sessions of both cooking and wine-tasting classes run from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, Thursday, Nov. 13, and Wednesday, Dec. 10 at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, 164 Race St., Holyoke.

Valley wine writer Ken Ross leads the wine tasting classes. The three remaining classes each focus on a different theme: Rhone wine (Oct. 16), California wine (Nov. 13), and holiday wine (Dec. 10). Classes cost $79 per session, which includes wine and light snacks.

The cooking classes are led by HCC culinary arts alumni and local chefs Diana Swanigan and Marangelly Vargas-Gonzalez: Oct. 16: Mediterranean Night (Vargas-Gonzalez); Nov. 13: Una Noche En España (Swanigan); and Dec. 10: Wine and Tapas Night (Vargas-Gonzalez). Each cooking session costs $99, including food and drinks.

To register or read a more detailed description of each class, visit hcc.edu/food.

Vanessa Smith

HOLYOKE — Vanessa Smith, former chief legal officer for Baystate Health, has been named the new chair of the Holyoke Community College board of trustees.

Smith has served on the HCC board since 2021. She was recently reappointed by Gov. Maura Healey to a five-year term and also designated as the permanent chair. She has been serving as interim chair since former chair Robert Gilbert stepped down in November 2023. Her term runs until March 1, 2030.

“As a first-generation college student, I have experienced firsthand the value of education, the power of education to change lives,” Smith said at a recent HCC board of trustees meeting. “As a member of this board, I’ve gotten to see directly the challenges that our students face, and it’s reinforced my commitment to student access and student success.”

Smith is a lawyer with more than 35 years of legal experience. Until March, she had served as the chief legal officer for Baystate Health in Springfield for nine years. Before that, she was a partner in the Springfield law firm Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas. She started her career in Upstate New York, where she worked as a judicial law clerk and an assistant attorney general.

She is a graduate of Syracuse University College of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree in French language and literature from Wells College. Over the years, her volunteer work has included serving on the boards of Friends of the Homeless, the Center for Human Development, and the Springfield Public Forum.

“I want to be part of an institution that helps people change their trajectory, not just for themselves, but for their families and for their communities,” Smith said. “Serving on this board feels like a good fit.”

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will continue its celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with a Latinx Fiesta on Wednesday, Oct. 1.

The annual event will run from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on the second floor of the HCC Campus Center, featuring food, music, and art. HCC faculty, staff, and students representing some 20 South American, Latin American, and Caribbean countries will have tables highlighting their individual cultures.

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated nationally each year from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 to recognize the cultural and historical influences of Hispanic Americans. On the HCC campus, it is called Latinx Heritage Month.

Latinx Heritage Month activities at HCC also include the following:

• Oct. 2, 11 a.m.: Latinx Film Festival: Todavia Estamos Aqui (We Are Still Here), a student-made documentary about the lives and experiences of the residents of Barrio Rucio in Puerto Rico and their historic resistance to government intrusion (Campus Center, cafeteria).

• Oct. 2, 1:30 p.m.: Froteria. Guests will enjoy fried treats and play the lottery with members of El Centro and HCC’s ALANA Men in Motion programs (Campus Center 224).

• Oct. 9, 11 a.m.: Latinx Film Festival: Dolores, a documentary about American activist, feminist, and labor leader Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union with Cesar Chavez (Campus Center, cafeteria).

Oct. 14, 11 a.m.: “Our Stories, Our Voices, Our Lens,” a conversation with local Latinx ‘artivists,’ talking about how art contributes to the preservation and celebration of history and culture (Campus Center, second floor, outside El Centro).

HOLYOKE — For the third consecutive year — and sixth time in the past nine — the Gateway to College program at Holyoke Community College (HCC) has received a national excellence award from its parent network, Achieving the Dream.

Achieving the Dream presents excellence awards to its Gateway affiliates when those programs meet or exceed four benchmark criteria: grade point average, retention (one-year persistence and two-year persistence rates), and graduation rate.

The Gateway to College program at HCC has won one or more benchmark awards for the last 10 years, and the excellence award in 2016, 2017, 2020, 2022, 2024, and 2025.

Through Gateway to College, students who have dropped out of high school, or are at risk for dropping out, complete their high school diplomas in college-based programs while simultaneously earning credits toward a college certificate or degree.

HCC has hosted a Gateway to College program since 2008. The program enrolled 144 students during the academic year when they received the award.

“We earned this award because young people who disconnected from traditional education were willing to trust us and give school another chance, and our amazing instructors and staff were patient and flexible and willing to give some grace as our young people navigated really challenging lives,” said Vivian Ostrowski, HCC’s Gateway to College program director. “We now have 662 high school graduates from 25 school districts, and we hope that our community is stronger and kinder because of those grads and the hope and investment they bring.”

During the assessment year (2024-25), students entered Gateway with an average GPA of 1.57, compared to a network average of 1.89, and finished their first term with an average GPA of 2.89, compared to a national average of 2.55.

The one-year persistence rate at HCC was 94%, compared to a 63% network average. The two-year persistence at HCC was 88%, compared to a national average of 63%. HCC’s three-year graduation rate was 84%, compared to a national Gateway average of 65%.

“Gateway to College programs provide a critical second chance for vulnerable high school students and a powerful testament to the importance of wraparound support services and creating a sense of belonging in college,” said Emily Froimson, executive vice president of Achieving the Dream. “Nearly 75% of program graduates nationwide continue their post-secondary education.”

At the most recent HCC Gateway to College graduation in June, 47 students earned their high school diplomas from nine different communities: Chicopee, Easthampton, Holyoke, Ludlow, Northampton, Palmer, Springfield, West Springfield, and Westfield. Collectively, they finished Gateway with an average GPA of 3.1 and collected 398 college credits. Thirty-five of them are continuing on in college, most of them at HCC.

“Our graduates have earned more than 100 college degrees, with many more in progress,” Ostrowski said.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will celebrate the grand reopening of its Itsy Bitsy Child Watch Center in a newly renovated and expanded space on Wednesday, Sept. 24. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception will take place in its new location on the second floor of the Frost Building beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Among those scheduled to attend are Amy Kershaw, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care; state Sen. John Velis; state Rep. Pat Duffy; HCC President George Timmons; and representatives from the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation.

Itsy Bitsy Child Watch is a free drop-in service for student parents who need short-term child care while they attend classes, study, or meet with tutors and advisers. It opened as a pilot program in fall 2022 after a $100,000 state allocation. At the time, HCC was only the second community college in Massachusetts – and the only one in Western Mass. – to offer a free child watch service.

“Our first semester, we had 19 students enrolled,” said Kimm Quinlan, director of HCC’s Early Childhood Initiatives. “By the end of the second semester, we had more than 40, and it became clear that there was a demonstrable need and demand for expansion.”

Expansion became possible after HCC received a $600,000 grant from the Davis Foundation in December 2023.

The new center occupies the space where HCC’s Culinary Arts program resided before it moved into the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute in downtown Holyoke.

The space required extensive and lengthy renovations and improvements. The new Itsy Bitsy Child Watch Center is double the size of the original center, which was located on the first floor of the Marieb Building, and will nearly double the capacity of children served at any given time, from 10 to 19.

The new center has two full classrooms instead of one, a dedicated children’s bathroom, an office, an adjoining gym/gross motor room, and an expanded kitchenette with a full-size refrigerator and dishwasher.

The relocation also puts the Itsy Bitsy Child Watch Center at the same end of the second floor hallway as the HCC Parent Learning Center (a study lounge and play area for parents and their children) and the Marieb Adult Learner Success Center, a support program for student parents and students 24 and older.

“This investment will enable our early childhood team to provide high-quality early learning experiences for more children,” Timmons said. “The remodeled space will provide the youngest members of our campus community with ample opportunities to explore, play, and learn. Dozens more HCC student parents will be able attend classes and access campus-based student resources without having to worry about child care.”

HOLYOKE — In recognition of National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, Holyoke Community College (HCC) Chief of Police Jacqueline Robles will read the children’s classic Harold and the Purple Crayon during Family Story Night at the college on Wednesday, Sept. 17.

Sponsored by HCC’s Marieb Adult Learner Success Center, Family Story Night will run from 5:30 to 7 p.m. inside the Parent Learning Center (Frost 269) and in the hallway outside on the second floor of the Frost Building. In addition to the book reading, which will be conducted in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language, there will be arts and crafts for kids, pizza and other snacks, free school supplies, plus an opportunity for student parents to connect with representatives from HCC student support programs.

The purpose of National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week (Sept. 15-19) is to promote awareness about the importance of adult education and family literacy.

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Springfield, Robles is a graduate of Holyoke High School and has been a member of the HCC Police Department for 22 years. With her promotion from sergeant, she became the first Latina to serve as HCC police chief and the first Latina police chief in Massachusetts.

Last spring, she was named a Commonwealth Heroine by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. On Friday, Sept. 12, she will be honored by the Springfield Puerto Rican Day Parade Committee at a kickoff breakfast at Wyckoff Country Club in Holyoke, and on Sunday, Sept. 14, she will march in the Springfield Puerto Rican Day Parade as the 2025 Civil Service Ambassador.

HOLYOKE — The annual Phillips Festival, an evening of short plays written, directed, and staged in 24 hours by Holyoke Community College (HCC) alumni, students, staff, and friends, returns on Saturday, Sept. 20 for its eighth year.

The festival raises money for the Leslie Phillips Theater Fund for Arts and Education, honoring the legacy of Leslie Phillips, founder of the HCC theater program.

To produce the Leslie Phillips Festival, HCC alumni, students, staff, and friends register to participate as writers, directors, actors, or members of the stage crew. This year, writers will meet with the actors on Friday, Sept. 19, the night before the show, to receive props, prompts, and character assignments. They have until 6 a.m. the next morning to write their plays. Two hours later, actors and directors meet for day-long rehearsals.

All the original plays will be performed that evening, Sept. 20, starting at 7:30 p.m., but the festivities begin at 6 p.m. in the theater lobby with a green carpet pre-show with alumni, friends, and fellow theater lovers.

Funds raised from the festival enable the HCC Theater Department to hold master classes, make capital improvements, and hire guest artists.

“The Phillips Theater Festival is a wonderful celebration of creativity, connection, and community,” said Natalia Castagno, HCC’s assistant director of Alumni Relations. “It offers our theater alumni a meaningful way to stay engaged with HCC while also inviting local artists and supporters to help inspire and uplift the next generation of performers. The festival is a wonderful way to support the arts at HCC and carry on the legacy of one of HCC’s most beloved mentors.”

To participate in the festival as a writer, actor, director, or stagehand, register at hcc.edu/phillips-signup or email Terry Hegarty at [email protected]. Festival tickets can be purchased in advance at hcc.edu/phillips-2025 or at the door. General admission tickets are $15, or $10 for students and seniors. All proceeds benefit the Leslie Phillips Theater Fund for Arts and Education.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) is running a series of non-credit cooking and wine-tasting classes this fall at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute.

Monthly sessions of both the cooking and wine-tasting classes run from 6 to 8 p.m. starting Thursday, Sept. 11, and will continue on Thursday, Oct. 16; Thursday, Nov. 13; and Wednesday, Dec. 10 at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, 164 Race St., Holyoke.

Valley wine writer Ken Ross returns to lead the wine-tasting classes. The four stand-alone sessions each focus on a different theme: organic wine (Sept. 11), Rhone wine (Oct. 16), California wine (Nov. 13), and holiday wine (Dec. 10). The classes cost $79 per session, which includes wine and light snacks.

The cooking classes are led by HCC culinary arts alumni and local chefs Diana Swanigan and Marangelly Vargas-Gonzalez: Sept. 11: charcuterie board workshop (Swanigan); Oct. 16: Mediterranean night (Vargas-Gonzalez); Nov. 13: una noche en España (Swanigan); Dec. 10: wine and tapas night (Vargas-Gonzalez). Each session costs $99, including food and drinks.

To register or read a more detailed description of each class, visit hcc.edu/food.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will celebrate the grand opening of its new Tech Center with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Sept. 3. at 11:30 a.m.

The HCC Tech Center, located on the second floor of the HCC Campus Center, is a new space dedicated to providing students with all the technological support they need to be successful.

“We provide the first level of support to students and all their personal devices — laptops, cellphones, tablets,” Tech Center manager Walter Pfau said. “If it’s got a screen and a power button, we’ll help them troubleshoot it. But the heart of this space isn’t about fixing devices; it’s about helping students feel more capable, more technologically independent, and, ultimately, more connected.”

The ribbon cutting ceremony leads off a two-day open house in the Tech Center, which coincides with the HCC Resource Fair running Sept. 3 and 4 nearby in the HCC cafeteria.

Funding for the Tech Center came from a $250,000 Tech Rise grant HCC received from the Employment and Training Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Labor. The money was principally used to buy furniture, computers, and other technology for the center, as well as the hiring of student interns.

Besides Pfau and other IT staff, the Tech Center will be run by a team of student interns who can also offer one-on-one support to their classmates who need assistance with their devices, computer programs, and apps.

“Interns not only provide peer support, but also co-develop resources, assist and lead training sessions, and bring fresh ideas to campus-wide technology conversations,” Pfau said. “This spirit of innovation and collaboration aligns with HCC’s mission to educate, inspire, and connect, empowering students to build digital confidence and community at the same time.”

Previously, students had to go across campus to the first floor of the Frost Building to the IT Help Desk for all their computer needs. The HCC Tech Center is more centrally located, across from Student Engagement, adjoining the HCC Bookstore, and steps away from the cafeteria and food court, where students tend to congregate between classes.

In addition to one-on-one tech support, the Tech Center has computer stations for students to use, a classroom for interactive workshops and meetings, and cubicles where other HCC support staff, such as financial aid counselors, can set up shop during special events, like Registration Express and Accepted Students Days.

“The Tech Center is an extension of the IT Help Desk, but it goes beyond the physical repairs that the Help Desk is set up for,” said Scott Conrad, director of IT Services. “This will allow us to spend more time on the in-depth problems students might have.”

Angela Cardenas

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed Angela Cardenas as chief of Operations in the Office of the President.

Cardenas comes to HCC with more than 25 years of executive-level leadership experience, having served in continuously advancing roles at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for the past 17 years, most recently as senior policy advisor.

As a career diplomat and public servant, Cardenas has lived and worked in numerous countries around the world, including Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Egypt, Tanzania, and the Dominican Republic. She joined USAID in 2008 as a private enterprise officer and has since worked for the agency as a land reform advisor, agriculture team leader, and education office director and coordinator of USAID’s Young African Leaders Initiative.

In her role as senior policy advisor, Cardenas, who is bilingual, served as liaison to the Hispanic Assoc. of Colleges and Universities, a consortium of more than 600 U.S. and international higher education institutions. She started her job at HCC on Aug. 18.

“I wanted to find a place where I could make positive contributions and use my passion, which is creating the next generation of globally minded leaders,” Cardenas said. “I am happy to continue my work in higher education and look forward to working for an institution that aligns with my personal values.”

Cardenas holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree in urban planning from Texas A&M University. She is pursuing a PhD in applied social justice at Dominican University. Throughout her career, she has specialized in change management, policy creation, strategy development, grant and contract design and management, fund development, and financial management.

In her role at HCC, she serves as a strategic advisor to the college president and a key operational leader, directly supporting the president, the president’s cabinet, division vice presidents, and the board of trustees, and collaborating with department heads, community leaders, government entities, and other external partners to advance institutional priorities.

“I was looking for a place where I could be part of a great leadership team and work for a transformational leader,” Cardenas said. “I’ve been fortunate to work for exceptional people who make positive change in the communities they serve and been lucky to work with people who want to see you succeed. When I met with President [George] Timmons, I could tell he was that kind of person.”

Katherine Douglas

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed Katherine Douglas as interim vice president of Academic and Student Affairs.

Douglas brings more than four decades of experience as an educator, administrator, and advocate for student success. Her career has included executive roles such as interim president of SUNY Monroe Community College and president of SUNY Corning Community College in New York State, vice president of Academic Affairs at Sussex Community College in New Jersey, and associate dean of Behavioral Sciences at Greenfield Community College.

This is her second interim posting since retiring from Corning Community College in 2019. Her first day back at HCC was Aug. 4. She will serve as interim vice president until the permanent vice president’s position is filled.

Her HCC appointment marks a meaningful homecoming, as Douglas previously served as dean of the Division of Social Sciences from 2005 to 2008. From 2023 to July 2025, she also served on the HCC Foundation board of directors, stepping down to take the interim position as vice president. She is a three-time graduate of UMass Amherst, where she earned a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and doctorate in education.

“Her longstanding commitment to the community college mission, deep understanding of academic affairs, and focus on equity and access align closely with our core values,” HCC President George Timmons said. “We are thrilled to have Dr. Douglas return to the HCC community, and we look forward to her leadership as we continue to serve and empower our students.”

HOLYOKE — Registration is now open for non-credit professional development and personal enrichment classes at Holyoke Community College (HCC) for the fall 2025 semester.

The fall calendar begins Sept. 2, with individual classes running on different schedules throughout the semester. Many are available as single sessions that cost as little as $49.

Classes for fall include cooking (charcuterie, Mediterranean, Spanish, tapas), wine tasting (organic, Rhone, California, holiday), sewing (for beginners), sewing (machine), painting (watercolors, beginner and intermediate), painting (water-soluble oil), drawing for beginners, piano (for pleasure, private lessons), dance fusion, conversational French, conversational Spanish, Spanish for healthcare professionals, hat making, music technology, voiceover coaching, financial literacy, retirement planning, Social Security strategies, MassHealth overview, medical interpreting, K-12 education (professional development), EMT Basic training, real estate licensing, notary public, and QuickBooks. More classes will be added as fall approaches.

Most classes meet in the Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development on the main HCC campus, 303 Homestead Ave. Cooking and wine tasting classes meet at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, 164 Race St. To see complete fall course listings and schedules or to register, visit hcc.edu/bcs.

Chef and HCC Culinary Arts instructor Tracy Carter (left) receives the Community Outreach Award from Richard Harber, associate director of Instructional Design at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts.

HOLYOKE — Chef Tracy Carter, a Culinary Arts instructor at Holyoke Community College (HCC), was recognized recently for community outreach by two national culinary arts organizations.

In June, Carter, chair of the HCC Culinary Arts program, received the 2025 Community Outreach Award from the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts and the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFÉ). The national award recognizes a culinary/hospitality program or individual making a positive impact in their community via outreach programs such as food banks, recycling efforts, skill development for the disadvantaged, and other services.

As program chair, Carter has committed herself to building bridges between the college and community groups on wellness campaigns. This year, the HCC Culinary Arts program partnered with the Western New England University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences to develop an adaptive cooking series designed for people with disabilities and their caregivers. The goal of the class is for participants to gain confidence in the kitchen, develop essential life skills, and foster a sense of independence and joy around food. The program is entirely hands-on, complete with accessible tools, modified recipes, and supportive instruction to meet diverse needs.

“For me, this award is a reflection of the amazing work happening every day in our kitchens at HCC,” said Carter. “It means a great deal to be recognized nationally, not just as an individual, but as a representative of a program that truly values community, inclusion, and student success.”

She added that she believes food can break down barriers and bring people together. “This program exemplifies that belief in action, merging culinary education with therapeutic outcomes to serve those who are often overlooked.”

Carter is a graduate of the International Culinary Schools at the Art Institute in Los Angeles. She grew up in Springfield and joined the HCC teaching staff in 2018 after living for several years in New York City, where she worked as a freelance food stylist and culinary producer at the Food Network on shows such as Chopped, preparing the baskets of ingredients for the cooks involved in the on-air competitions and working alongside famous chefs like Bobby Flay.

The award provides a $1,000 prize and commemorative plaque. Additionally, Carter received a complimentary registration to attend CAFÉ’s 2025 Leadership Conference in Pittsburgh, where the award was presented.

“This recognition reinforces that we’re on the right path, and it energizes us to keep growing, innovating, and building a culinary community where everyone belongs,” she said.

With campuses in Austin, Texas and Boulder, Colo., the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts is the largest culinary school brand in the U.S. Based in Annapolis, Md., CAFÉ’s mission is to link culinary educators with the foodservice industry.

Richard Tremblay

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed Richard Tremblay as its assistant vice president of People and Talent.

In his new role, Tremblay oversees the office of People and Talent, formerly known as Human Resources, part of the division of People, Culture, and Equity.

He comes to HCC with more than two decades of experience in human resources, most recently as Human Resources manager for Prefere Melamines LLC in Springfield. Before that, he served as director of Human Resources at Helix Human Services, formerly the Children’s Study Home, in Springfield, and senior Human Resource administrator at Square One in Springfield. He has also taught psychology at American International College as an adjunct professor. He started his position at HCC on July 28.

“I’m passionate about education,” Tremblay said. “My background and my strengths are in training and professional development; working for an institution like HCC complements all of that. The opportunity to bring the many years of experience I have in the field to Holyoke Community College, honestly, is my ultimate dream job.”

Tremblay holds a master’s degree in human resource development from American International College and a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Northern Michigan University. He is also a certified life coach and recently completed training with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination in conducting internal investigations and handling discrimination complaints.

“Rick’s life mission is to create a culture of service, empowerment, leadership, and fun in the workplace,” said Marlowe Washington, HCC’s vice president of People, Culture, and Equity. “His new mantra in higher education is ‘happy employees equal happy students.’”

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will hold a Registration Express event for fall 2025 classes on Saturday, Aug. 2, when prospective students can apply for admission, take the college placement test, meet with an academic adviser, register for classes, and set up financial aid, all in one day.

HCC’s Registration Express event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first floor of the Campus Center at 303 Homestead Ave. in Holyoke, as well as virtually over Zoom. Fall 2025 classes begin Tuesday, Sept. 2. HCC also has Flex Start dates on Sept. 15 and Oct. 27.

Registration Express will also be an opportunity for prospective students to learn about MassEducate and MassReconnect, the state’s programs for free community college.

“Registration Express at Holyoke Community College provides an opportunity for students to complete the admissions and registration process all in one day and all in one place,” said Mark Hudgik, director of Admissions and Onboarding. “Admissions, financial aid, and advising counselors will be available to help students get ready for both summer and fall.”

Those who can’t make it in person can still participate on those days virtually through the Advising Center Zoom link, which can be accessed through a link on the Registration Express page at hcc.edu/regexpress.

For more information, contact HCC Admissions at (413) 552-2321 or [email protected], or take the next step at hcc.edu/sign-up-for-classes.

HOLYOKE — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Holyoke Community College (HCC) a TRIO Student Support Services grant of $423,190 to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities.

This award, which runs through June 2026, marks the continuation of more than 30 years of TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) services at HCC. Since 1993, the program has served thousands of HCC students, helping them stay in school, earn degrees, and build meaningful careers.

SSS is one of eight federal TRIO programs funded under the Higher Education Act of 1965 to remove social, academic, and cultural barriers to higher education. Since its inception in 1968, TRIO SSS has helped millions of low-income, first-generation students graduate from college and contribute to their communities and the economy.

Through individualized services including academic tutoring, financial aid, scholarship guidance, career exploration, personal and academic counseling, and mentoring, TRIO SSS empowers students to overcome barriers to success. These comprehensive supports make it significantly more likely that students will complete their degrees or successfully transfer with the lowest possible debt.

“The TRIO Student Support Services program at Holyoke Community College empowers students to achieve their academic goals through personalized academic support as they navigate both educational challenges and personal growth,” said Elsie Rodriguez-Garcia, director of TRIO programs at HCC. “Through mentorship, guidance, and valuable resources, TRIO inspires students to realize their full potential and thrive during their college journey. TRIO is more than just a support service; it is a community that engages, encourages, and uplifts students — fostering resilience, persistence, and lasting success beyond college.”

Nationally, the TRIO SSS program has a proven track record. According to a 2019 evaluation by the U.S. Department of Education, students in TRIO SSS at two-year institutions were 48% more likely to earn an associate degree or transfer to a four-year school, and students at four-year institutions were 18% more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree compared to similar peers not in the program.

“TRIO programs generally, and TRIO SSS in particular, transform students from the least resourced backgrounds into college graduates,” said Kimberly Jones, president of the Council for Opportunity in Education in Washington, D.C. “This vital program makes all the difference for nearly a million students each year across the country.”

Notable alumni of the TRIO Student Support Services program include Michael Cashman, town supervisor of Plattsburgh, N.Y.; former NASA astronaut José Hernández; and Cheryl Johnson, 36th clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Natalia Castagno

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently added two members to its Institutional Advancement team: Natalia Castagno as assistant director of Alumni Relations, and Heather Haskins as assistant director of Annual Giving.

Prior to HCC, Castagno worked at Springfield College as senior assistant director of Undergraduate Admissions and coordinator of Diversity Recruitment. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brigham Young University and is pursuing a master’s degree in education from Springfield College.

“Natalia brings exceptional relationship-building skills and strategic thinking to HCC that will strengthen our alumni connections,” said Julie Phillips, executive director of Development. “As a natural networker, she will champion our alumni relations program and elevate alumni engagement.”

Heather Haskins

Haskins, a 2020 graduate of HCC, returns to the college after serving as Advancement Operations associate at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. She began her HCC education at the age of 15 as a dual enrollment student from Westfield Technical Academy. After receiving her associate degree in business administration, she transferred to Bay Path University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management and marketing.

“Heather’s extensive advancement experience and expertise in donor database management, event planning, and data analysis make her an excellent addition to our department and will enhance our annual giving efforts,” Phillips said.

George Timmons

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) President George Timmons has joined Presidents for Latino Student Success, a group of college presidents and chancellors committed to making their campuses learning environments where Latino students — and all students — thrive.

Excelencia in Education, the nation’s premier authority on efforts to accelerate Latino student success in higher education, created Presidents for Latino Student Success in 2014 to support institutional leaders who are transforming higher education.

Through the network, Timmons will collaborate with Excelencia and other post-secondary leaders to leverage expertise and resources, foster partnerships, and amplify current efforts to accelerate Latino student success in higher education at the national level.

“Institutional leadership focused on intentionally serving Latino, and all, students is the hallmark of the presidents and chancellors in this network,” said Sarita Brown, co-founder and president of Excelencia in Education. “Excelencia is honored to make common cause with the action-oriented, trend-setting presidents and chancellors who have answered our national call to accelerate Latino student success in higher education and ensure America’s future.”

Timmons joins more than 150 leaders that belong to the Presidents for Latino Student Success network and lead the nation in enrolling and graduating Latino students. Although the network represents only 5% of the thousands of colleges and universities across the country, affiliated institutions enroll 32% — and graduate 34% — of all Latino students in higher education.

HCC has been a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016. In the fall of 2024, 33% of all HCC students identified as Hispanic or Latino.

“Joining the network seemed like the next logical step to better equip myself and the members of our team with the best available resources to help all of our students be successful,” Timmons said. “This is consistent with our mission of being an institution of academic excellence that helps remove barriers to student success and doing it in a way that is inclusive, kind, collaborative, and grounded in trust.”

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will offer a free, eight-week training course called “AI Essentials: in partnership with the nonprofit CanCode Communities.

The real-time, instructor-led, online training program will run on Wednesdays and Fridays, May 2 to June 27, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. The class is free to eligible Massachusetts residents.

Over eight intensive weeks, participants will learn the fundamentals of AI, including prompt engineering, tokenization, embeddings, model structures, retrieval-augmented generation, agency, compute, and ethics.

The course emphasizes practical applications, leveraging tools such Google AI Studio, n8n, and OpenWebUI to explore how AI models are built, trained, and deployed in the real world.

“Along the way, participants will gain valuable professional-development experience, enhancing their technical skills and problem-solving abilities,” said Arvard Lingham, HCC’s executive director of Community Education and Corporate Training.

Tuition assistance is available for qualified Massachusetts residents 18 and older. Limited seats are available. Laptops and WiFi hotspots for internet access will be provided for students who need them. Funding for the program comes from the Western Mass. Alliance for Digital Equity.

To sign up for classes, email [email protected] or visit cancode.org/apply-now and choose ‘AI Essentials.’

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will host its first-ever American Sign Language (ASL) immersion pickleball tournament on Saturday, April 19.

Sponsored by the HCC Deaf Studies Department, the HCC ASL Club, and the HCC Office of Student Engagement, the tournament will run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the pickleball courts inside the Bartley Center for Athletics and Recreation. This fun and friendly tournament is free for participants and geared for players of any skill level. Spectators are welcome.

The tournament begins at 9 a.m. with introductions and instructions in pickleball rules and strategy given in American Sign Language. Pickleball practice will start at 9:30 a.m., with the tournament running from about 10 a.m. until noon, followed by an awards presentation and social time.

HCC ASL instructors Minh Vo and Mick Posner, who teach in the HCC Deaf Studies Department, will lead the pickleball instruction.

“First, there will be some lessons in ASL signs and then lessons on playing pickleball,” said Carol Ann Smalley, an HCC learning specialist and ASL interpreter in the Office of Students with Disabilities and Deaf Services. “Then, for the tournament, it will just be a random draw to make teams. It’ll be a couple of hours of playing pickleball, then the ASL Club is going to have a raffle and also sell food.”

Smalley said the tournament is meant for people who are fluent in ASL, but also for students and others who are learning American Sign Language. “The idea is to immerse yourself in both the language and playing the sport. There aren’t any cash prizes; it’s just for fun.”

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) is now enrolling students for a free, four-week program to train workers for jobs in the clean-energy sector.

The Green Construction, Electricity and Clean Energy Systems program runs from July 7 through Aug. 1, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Classes meet at both Dean Technical High School and Holyoke Community College.

During 80 hours of hands-on training, students will earn their OSHA 10 safety credentials while learning the basics of green construction, hand- and power-tool use, and electrical concepts and circuitry, and learning how these skills are applied in solar photovoltaic installation and electrical vehicle charging stations.

Students who complete the program will be eligible for work in construction and can apply for a paid electrician apprenticeship program or enroll in further training as a clean-energy technician.

The program also covers energy- efficient materials and design, measurements and diagrams, basic framing, wall installation and maintenance, foundation construction and pouring, workplace safety, and job readiness.

It is funded through a two-year, $832,000 state grant HCC received in 2024 for climate-related workforce-training initiatives. HCC’s partners in the grant include the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, Springfield Works, Dean Technical High School, and the Coalition for an Equitable Economy.

To be eligible, students must be at least 18 years old, be authorized to work in the U.S., have a high-school diploma or equivalency, be able to start work after the training, and pass a background check.

For more information or to enroll, visit hcc.edu/cleanenergy or contact career counselor Mike Blasco at [email protected] or (413) 552-2801.

HOLYOKE — High-school art students from Western Mass. will see their work displayed in the Taber Art Gallery at Holyoke Community College (HCC) during the 2025 Pioneer Valley High School Art Show.

The show opened on March 24 and runs through Thursday, March 27, with a reception for artists and their families from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the gallery. This is the first time the Taber Art Gallery has hosted the biennial high school art show since 2017.

“This exhibition highlights the creativity and resilience of our regional students, showcasing their growth and unique perspectives,” Taber Director Rachel Rushing said. “We are thrilled for both the artists and the community to reconnect through this celebratory show.”

Participating high schools include Agawam, Belchertown, Granby, Minnechaug Regional, St. Mary’s, South Hadley, West Springfield, Wilbraham & Monson Academy, and Westfield.

The Taber Art Gallery, located off the lobby of the HCC Library on the second floor of the HCC Donahue Building, is free and open to the public Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during regular school sessions.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will celebrate Women’s History Month on Wednesday, March 12 with a panel discussion titled “Women Who Lead,” featuring three HCC staff members, including two alumni.

“Women Who Lead: A Panel of Empowerment and Inspiration” will run from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Campus Center cafeteria. Panelists include Anne Morales Medina (’13), associate director of Recruitment and Enrollment; Amy Woody (’09), coordinator of the Marieb Adult Learner Success Center; and Chaitali Brahmbhatt, academic counselor for TRIO Support Services. The panelists will share stories of leadership, empowerment, and challenges they’ve overcome.

The event is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be provided. To learn more about Women’s History Month events at HCC, visit hcc.edu/whm.

HOLYOKE — In partnership with the nonprofit CanCode Communities, Holyoke Community College (HCC) is offering a free, six-week computer training course starting Feb. 25.

The real-time, instructor-led online classes will run Tuesdays and Thursdays from Feb. 25 to April 3, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The program is aimed at helping individuals build essential computer skills for both personal and professional development. Participants will explore the Microsoft Office (Microsoft 365) suite of programs (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneDrive), learn how to create résumés and presentations, manage calendars and tasks, create spreadsheets, send email, and organize and share documents using cloud storage.

“This course is perfect for those with basic computer skills looking to level up their Microsoft 365 knowledge for work, school, or personal use,” said Arvard Lingham, executive director of Community Education and Corporate Training at HCC.

Tuition assistance is available for qualified Massachusetts residents 18 and older. Limited seats are available. Laptops and WiFi hotspots for internet access will be provided for students who need them. Funding for the program comes from the Western Mass Alliance for Digital Equity.

To sign up for classes, email [email protected] or visit cancode.org/apply-now.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will be running both daytime and evening editions of its free line-cook training program at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, beginning Jan. 21 and Jan. 27.

The five-week daytime program starts Tuesday, Jan. 21. Classes meet Mondays and Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The 10-week evening program runs Jan. 27 through April 9 on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 5 to 9 p.m.

“HCC tries to meet the needs of its students by offering multiple options for start days and times,” said Paul Sheehan, assistant project coordinator for Culinary Arts programs. “Over the last few years, we have offered our free line-cook training as separate day and evening programs to help students find the schedule that works best for them.”

The program is designed for those already in the restaurant industry who want to upgrade their skills, as well as unemployed or underemployed individuals interested in starting new careers.

“We usually have a mix of young people entering the job market for the first time and people who are re-entering the job market, looking for a second career,” Sheehan said. “The course is perfect for anybody who’s looking for a job and has a passion for food and the dining industry.”

All classes meet in person at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute at 164 Race St. Participants will learn all the essential competencies they need to become successful line cooks: knife skills; how to prepare stocks, soups, sauces, desserts, poultry, fish, and meat; culinary math and measurements; moist and dry heat cooking methods; as well as workplace soft skills, such as building a résumé and searching for jobs.

Offered as part of HCC’s Business & Workforce Development division, the line-cook course is free to qualifying applicants.

For more information, or to fill out an inquiry form, visit hcc.edu/line-cook.

HOLYOKE — The Itsy Bitsy franchise continues to expand at Holyoke Community College. For the second year in a row, students in Professor Sheryl Civjan’s “Psychology of Women” class have taken up the college’s Itsy Bitsy theme for a campus-based community service project.

In the fall of 2023, Civjan’s students created the Itsy Bitsy Closet, transforming a storage room next to the college’s Itsy Bitsy Child Watch Center into a family-friendly resource room full of donated books, clothes, and other children’s items, all free to HCC student-parents.

This past fall semester, they put together five Itsy Bitsy Stations — containers of children’s books, games, small toys, art supplies, and other items — that student-parents can access to occupy their kids when visiting certain campus offices, including Financial Aid, Admissions, Advising, English as a Second Language, and the HCC Library.

“Some college offices can be difficult to go to for appointments when you have kids. These boxes will give kids something to do while they’re parents are waiting,” said Civjan said, noting that the idea came from staff at Itsy Bitsy Child Watch.

“Students have shared that they are sometimes self-conscious when they are bringing their kids into campus offices,” said Emily Webber, director of Itsy Bitsy Child Watch, a free drop-in service for HCC student-parents. “This is an effort to make the campus feel more inclusive to student-parents and families. Having little play stations helps people feel more welcome. I talked to Sheryl about that, and her students took the idea and ran with it.”

The idea for using Itsy Bitsy as the title for early childhood programs at HCC started in 2020 when, during the pandemic, HCC educators created a series of video interviews for early-education students and professionals (the Itsy Bitsy Zoomcast). The theme grew into a title for a new suite of early-education classrooms modeled after preschool and kindergarten facilities (the Itsy Bitsy Learning Lab). The Itsy Bitsy Child Watch opened in 2022, followed in 2023 by the Itsy Bitsy Closet and in 2024 by the Itsy Bitsy Stations.

Civjan’s students put together three containers for the HCC Library, each targeting a different age group.

“We found that students who have children don’t always have a safe, comfortable place where they can sit and feel like they’re not intruding on another person’s space,” said Rebecca Hardy, administrative assistant for the HCC Library. “So we wanted to make sure that the students who do have children feel welcome and that their children have things to do to keep them quietly engaged.”

Student Olivia Jolley, whose team prepared boxes for the Admissions Office, noted that the project ties in directly to the themes of the class, and although she does not have children herself, some of her classmates do. “One had a baby a couple of weeks ago, and she’s a single parent,” Jolley said.

Webber said she appreciates the hard work Civjan’s students put into their projects. “I think it’s an ongoing partnership. I don’t know what will come next, but they do amazing things. The Itsy Bitsy Closet has been a great success. Students come by every day. Hopefully this will have a similar impact.”

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will hold a Registration Express event for the spring 2025 semester on Saturday, Jan. 11, when prospective students can apply for admission, take the college placement test, meet with an academic adviser, register for classes, and set up financial aid, all in one day.

HCC’s Registration Express event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and takes place on the first floor of the Campus Center on the main campus at 303 Homestead Ave. and virtually over Zoom.

The spring 2025 semester begins Tuesday, Jan 21. HCC also has Flex Start dates on Feb. 3 (Spring Start II) and March 24 (Spring Start III). Full-term spring classes run for 14 weeks. Spring Start II classes run for 12 weeks. Spring Start III classes run for seven.

Registration Express will also be an opportunity for prospective students to learn about the state’s new program for free community college, MassEducate.

“Registration Express at Holyoke Community College provides an opportunity for students to complete the admissions and registration process all in one day and all in one place,” said Mark Hudgik, dean of Strategic Recruitment Initiatives, Admissions, and Financial Aid. “Admissions, financial-aid, and advising counselors will be available to help students get ready for the spring semester.”

Those who can’t make it in person on Jan. 11 can still participate on those days virtually over Zoom.

The Registration Express Zoom link can be accessed through a link on the Registration Express page on the HCC website, hcc.edu/regexpress.

Also, HCC offices will be open for extended hours, according to the following schedule: Jan. 6-9, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Jan. 10, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Jan. 13-14, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; college offices closed Jan. 15 for a professional day; Jan. 16, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Jan. 17, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Jan. 21-23, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Jan. 24, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information, contact HCC Admissions at (413) 552-2321 or [email protected], visit hcc.edu, or enroll at hcc.edu/sign-up-for-classes.

Todd McGee

HOLYOKE — Former Holyoke City Councilor Todd McGee has been appointed to the Holyoke Community College (HCC) board of trustees by Gov. Maura Healey. He attended his first HCC board meeting on Nov. 26.

McGee is a tax attorney and director of Estate and Business Planning for MassMutual Insurance, as well as a 1992 graduate of HCC. His term runs through March 1, 2029.

“I loved Holyoke Community College,” McGee said. “It has been part of my life for a very long time. I felt like an adopted son to President David Bartley. He always guided me along my career. I’m excited to be on this board. Anything I can do to help out, I will, because Holyoke Community College is really a family to me.”

After graduating from HCC with an associate degree in liberal arts, McGee went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in history from Northeastern University, a juris doctorate from Western New England School of Law, and a master’s degree in taxation from Boston University School of Law.

He served as a Holyoke city councilor for 18 years until 2023, his last three terms as City Council president. He briefly served as acting mayor in 2021 after the resignation of Mayor Alex Morse.