Page 25 - BusinessWest January 20, 2025

>>
Lighthouse
Continued from page 23
excuse. I hid all the parts of me that I deemed weak behind my face mask. I was at an all-time low, and I accepted it.”
Until she found LightHouse — very near her home, actually — and began to reclaim her passion for learning.
“LightHouse was very supportive of me. I’d been used to being treated in a lot of ways. I knew when
I was being brushed off, neglected, or taken advan- tage of, so this feeling was very odd,” she wrote, later adding, “I’ve been doing all kinds of things, and I’ve honestly never been more motivated in my life. I went from declaring that I was going to drop out to apply- ing for college. That’s what LightHouse has done for me. I couldn’t be more grateful.”
Kruta and Divine are also grateful they were able to sell the Gateway City Arts complex — long a hive
“When it was clear that Gateway City Arts had to close, our hope was to find a buyer that would continue our vision merged with their own. We applaud what LightHouse brings to the lives
of its students and their families and friends.”
of arts, learning, performance, and community con- nection — to an equally mission-driven entity, and one with which they were already familiar.
“We couldn’t be happier to have LightHouse move into the space that we spent 12 years creating,” Divine said last year. “Our mission was always to cre- ate a space for education, community, creativity, and inspiration. This was carried out in our classes, meet- ings, theater, food, music, and gatherings. LightHouse Holyoke shares so many of our values. When it was clear that Gateway City Arts had to close, our hope was to find a buyer that would continue our vision merged with their own. We applaud what LightHouse brings to the lives of its students and their families and friends. We created a space for learning and sharing — LightHouse will continue that.” BW
>>
HCC
Continued from page 24
ognizing that being an adult learner is just one aspect of their identity, and there are so many other things going on in their lives,” she added. “So offering pro- gramming in the evenings, or by Zoom, or just doing little things that make us more accessible to them in their busy lives, is really helpful. So is that holistic advising piece, having a person you can call up with whatever issue you’re having, and they can help you troubleshoot and walk you through it and just remind you that you belong here at HCC, no matter what’s going on.”
Generational Impact
The ceremonial check from Elaine Marieb still hangs in the center named after her, for two reasons, Woody said.
“First of all, her generosity is what made all of this possible, and I think that’s amazing. But also, she’s a wonderful example of an adult learner, somebody who came to HCC as an adult, pursuing a nursing career.”
She noted that about 70% of students in HCC’s nursing program would be classified as adult learn- ers, so that demographic is helping to fill persistent shortages of talent in the field, which lends another
layer of importance to efforts to support them on their academic journey.
“And I was an adult learner here at HCC,” said Woody, who used her associate degree there as a springboard to a bachelor’s degree at Westfield State University. Meanwhile, her son is now 18; he’ll gradu- ate from high school this spring and just completed his first psychology class at HCC.
“So, when I say it’s a family thing, I really believe that,” she went on. “I think seeing me here was a big push for him to say, ‘I can do this.’ It’s made a big impact on how he approaches his education.” BW
Small town feel.
Big time opportunity.
(And it’s free.)
No matter your age or income, community college is now free* to eligible Massachusetts residents without a bachelor’s degree.
REGISTER FOR SPRING!
hcc.edu/freeCC
BusinessWest
<< EDUCATION >>
JANUARY 20, 2025 25