Page 48 - BusinessWest July 11, 2022

Woodstock Tribute Band
July 9: The Rotary Club of West Springfield will
stage a concert appearance by Back to the Garden 1969, a Woodstock tribute band at the Morgan Road Pavilion.
Doors open at 4 p.m. at the pavilion, located behind the Irish Cultural Center, 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield. Opening band Great Acoustics will appear from 5 to 6:30 p.m., followed by Back to
the Garden 1969 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The playlist will include as many of the original tracks as time allows. Food and drink will be sold. Outside bever- ages or food may not be brought into the venue; ’60s inspired attire is highly encouraged. RotaryRocks is
Agenda
a rain or shine event. Seating is available under the pavilion, or guests may bring folding chairs for the lawn. There are only 350 tickets available for this show and patrons are encouraged to order theirs early through www.WestSpringfieldRotaryClub.com. RotaryRocks is the club’s main fundraiser. All Rotary Club fundraising proceeds fund scholarships, com- munity grants and other local projects for the better- ment of the community.
Celebrity Bartending Fundraiser
July 14: The Hampden County Bar Association Legal Clinic will stage its Celebrity Bartending Tip-Off event at Kaptain Jimmy’s restaurant. The event will start at 4 p.m. and will include celebrity bartenders, a DJ, and a silent auction. All proceeds from the event go toward the agency’s legal clinic programs. The legal clinic is still seeking sponsorships for the event from local businesses. Sponsors will be recognized as supporting the mission of providing legal services to people who cannot afford an attorney. For further information, contact the Hampden County Bar Asso- ciation Legal Clinic at (413) 733-6500.
Greenfield Community College recently announced that Michelle Schutt will serve as the college’s 11th president, effective July 18. Currently serving as the
People on the Move
vice president of community and learner services
at the College of Southern Idaho (CSI), the state’s first Hispanic Serving Institution, Schutt was cho- sen from a competitive pool of four highly-qualified candidates. Schutt’s appointment was approved by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education on June 21. “From the moment I began researching Greenfield Community College, I was immediately drawn to the campus’s core values,” she said. “I am honored by the opportunity to serve Greenfield Community College as its next president and I look forward to ensuring that we meet the evolving needs of the students, employees, alumni and community members we serve.” Schutt will be taking the helm of GCC from Richard Hopper, who has served as interim president since August 2021. With more than 20 years of experience in higher education, Schutt has held leadership roles in all facets of education, including student affairs, academic services, and
Juneteenth Heritage Walking Tour
Ongoing: Starting with the recent Juneteenth week- end, a new walking tour of local historic homes and museums will showcase the unique history and con- tributions of generations of Black families in Amherst that ranged from music to manufacturing. Ancestral Bridges, a local nonprofit organization, collaborated with the Amherst Historical Society & Museum, local organizations, and the descendants of local Black families to produce the Juneteenth Heritage Walking Tour, a 1.5-mile story-filled tour that invites visitors to immerse themselves in the day-to-day experi- ences of Black Amherst residents from 200 years ago to more modern times. “There is so much important Black history in Amherst that has been hidden from view for too many years,” said Anika Lopes, founder of Ancestral Bridges. “With this walking tour, we are pulling back the curtain, highlighting the way that my family and other Black and indigenous historic residents of Amherst lived and worked, what they hoped and fought for, so that Black youth and oth- ers can understand this part of our history and use
it to grow.” The Juneteenth Heritage Walking Tour is the first descendant-led and curated walking tour
of its kind in the area. A family-friendly event on June 18 will serve as a kick-off of the walking tour and encourage local residents and visitors to explore exhibits featuring historic photographs, artifacts, and millinery that bring to life the essence of Black neighborhoods in Amherst. The tour begins at the historic West Cemetery to honor the lives and con- tributions of the all-Black 54th Massachusetts Volun- teer Infantry Regiment and the famed 5th Cavalry, the soldiers who alerted Texas residents that the Civil War and slavery had ended. This event is the origin of the holiday celebrated as Juneteenth. Additional tour stops include special exhibits at the Amherst History Museum with artwork and images from
the mid-18th century and on; The Emily Dickinson Museum, where stories of Charles Thompson and other Black residents familiar with the Dickinson Family are featured; Hope Church, the first Black church in Amherst; and Goodwin Memorial AME Zion Church. The event to be emceed by descen- dant William Harris, Jr., president and CEO of Space Center Houston. Neighborhoods featured on the
community learning. Schutt’s visionary leadership throughout her career has produced measurable enrollment and retention results. Notably, Schutt oversaw an enrollment increase of 3% at CSI during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, despite nationwide decreases due to the pandemic and an expected institutional decline of 15%. Schutt is steadfastly dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, showcasing them throughout her career. At CSI, she undertook efforts to improve Latinx student enroll- ment, which grew by nearly 9 percent during her tenure, created greater access to non-English speak- ing services across all departments, and petitioned for gender-neutral restrooms on campus. In addition to her most recent role as vice president of com- munity and learner services, Schutt has served in a number of roles at CSI since 2015, including as vice president for student services. She has also taught college-level courses each semester and worked closely with state legislators on a variety of issues facing education. Prior to her work at CSI, Dr. Schutt held positions at Penn State University, the Univer- sity of Wyoming, Hanover College and St. Cloud State University. Schutt holds a bachelor’s degree in Eng- lish education from Upper Iowa University, master’s degrees in teaching and social responsibility from Emporia State University and St. Cloud University, and a doctorate in education and human resource
tour include the Westside District (Hazel Avenue, Baker Street, Snell Street, Northampton Road), which was designated a National Historic District in 2000 thanks to the efforts of Dudley J. Bridges, Sr.; and
the neighborhood of McCellan, Beston, and Paige Streets. Also featured on the walking tour will be a special art installation by local artist Dr. Shirley Jack- son Whitaker that will highlight the Tote2Vote cam- paign, launched recently to raise awareness of voter suppression. Learn more at ancestral-bridges.org.
Art with Heart
July 20: Community members are invited to attend
a free art exhibit and reception for the debut of Art with Heart, a collaboration between local grieving youth and caregivers and area artists. The exhibit will run the month of July with the reception on July 20 at 6 p.m. at the BOMBYX Center for Arts and Equity. Art with Heart, the vision of Shelly Bathe Lenn, program coordinator at The Garden: A Center for Grieving Children and Teens, paired local grieving youth and caregivers with artists to create art as an expression of grief. Children ages 5 to 17 participated in workshops that were held in May. “We believe in reinforcing the connection between the head, heart, and hand to help one express their feelings around grief that may have previously been unspoken,” Lenn said. “Grieving youth can use art to help them further understand their experience and gain a sense of mastery and confidence while serving as a ‘con- tainer’ for the intense feelings associated with grief.” Artists Barbara Neulinger, Christine Southworth, Frankie Borrero, and Omarthan Clarke each worked with one of four small groups of grieving youth and caregivers. In each of the groups, the participants learned the artist’s medium and made an art piece. The art piece that was created was designed to help participants express their feelings and/or remem- ber those in their life who have died. The artwork will be on display throughout the Pioneer Valley each month through June 2023 and a culminating event will be timed with the 25th anniversary of The Garden in 2023. To learn more about the Art with Heart program, contact Shelly Bathe Lenn at (413) 727-5749.
studies from Colorado State University. She attended the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University and was a 2021-2022 Aspen Institute Ris- ing Presidents Fellow.
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Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that Lauren Rainville, Amanda Walsh, and Nicholas Kubacki have been accepted into the Law Clerk program for the 2022-2023 school year. Bacon Wilson created the clerkship program more than 40 years ago to allow law school stu- dents to gain experience and mentoring in the legal profes- sion. Many Bacon Wilson attor- neys began their careers after their clerkship experience. The program is unique as it lasts for a year. Typically, clerks begin at the firm at the end of their second year of law school and stay through their third
year. Clerks use their law school training to conduct
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Continued on page 49
LAUREN RAINVILLE
AMANDA WALSH
48 JULY 11, 2022
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