Page 26 - BusinessWest July 7, 2021

WSU, Thompson knew she was ready, even if she needed a little convincing.
“I thought I had the right background at this point in time to make a difference at this specific university,” she said, adding that it’s much more than the 35 years in higher education in various positions within nursing and health-sciences programs that gave her the confidence to enter and then prevail in the nationwide search for the school’s 21st president. It was also experience in public policy, working with a host of elected lead- ers to address a wide range of health and public- safety issues and, essentially, problem-solve.
“Education, to me, is a ticket out of poverty; it’s a ticket for creating wonderful solutions for society and for people.”
“Most of my career, I’ve worked with children and youth, trying to develop programs and poli- cies to promote healthy outcomes for children, youth, and families,” she explained. “I started out, like most people in nursing, in a hospital and moved to community and public-health work. I really became interested in high-risk children just based on my work in public health, seeing how children who grew up in poverty, children who grew up in less-than-fortunate environments, were impacted by those circumstances.”
She points to her own family as an example, and noted that her two older sisters both died
young, one from a gun- shot wound at age 21 and the other from complica- tions from diabetes dur- ing her second pregnancy as a teen.
“I always thought that
the reason I thrived was
education,” she told Busi-
nessWest. “Education, to
me, is a ticket out of pov-
erty; it’s a ticket for creat-
ing wonderful solutions
for society and for people.
I’ve been blessed; I’ve not
only had the opportunity
to work as a nurse, I’ve
also had the opportunity
to work to develop pro-
grams for children who
were in the justice system, people who were in state custody. I did work all over the country look- ing at ways we can promote good outcomes for people who had the misfortune to be engaged in the criminal-justice system.
“I worked for the governor of Maryland for five years and developed programs and policies for children and youth statewide,” she went on. “We looked at how we could develop inter-disciplinary or trans-disciplinary programs, starting with edu- cation, all the way to how we need to work with housing and economic development to create good outcomes for families and for children.”
Thompson arrives at the rural WSU campus at an intriguing time for all those in higher educa- tion. Smaller high-school graduating classes have contributed to enrollment challenges at many
Linda Thompson says Westfield State University learned a number of lessons during the pandemic, and it will apply them as the school, its students, faculty, and staff return to something approaching normal this fall.
institutions, and even some closures of smaller schools, and the soaring cost of a college educa- tion has brought ever-more attention to the value of such an education and how schools provide it.
Meanwhile, institutions will be returning to something approaching normal this fall after enduring two and a half semesters of life in a global pandemic, an experience that tested all schools in every way imaginable and also provid- ed learning experiences and opportunities to do things in a different, and sometimes better, way.
Thompson acknowledged these developments and said they will be among the challenges and
HCC began in 1946 as the city-sponsored Holyoke Junior College, a fledgling institution that lacked many of the resources traditionally associated with coll e sc
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taught classes in the borrowed quarters during the evenings. Innovation was, and continues to be, a cornerstone of the college’s pursuit of excellence.
eges. Nevertheless, the school flourished thanks to the perseverance of its small but dedicated staff. Dr. George Frost, th ch, his secretary, were the only full-time employees until 1958, sharing a tiny office in a former cloak room in the Holyok hey scavenged chalk, erasers, and pencils for the part-time faculty (many of whom were professors at area four-year col ght classes in the borrowed quarters during the evenings. Innovation was, and continues to be, a cornerstone of the coll en Holyoke Community College’s newly renovated campus burned to the ground on a bitterly cold day in January of 196
yoke.
READY WHEN
innovative spirit of the college and community that enabled students to resume their studies in temporary facilities wit ding the governor’s office with hundreds of letters and phone calls, the community and college joined forces to insist th
YOU ARE!
ay, Holyoke Community College is housed on a multi-million-dollar, 135-acre campus, equipped with state-of-the art tec
facilities. HCC serves over 9,000 students annually, and provides a variety of recreational and cultural activities, from sp
, for students and community members alike. The college’s strongest assets continue to be an innovative spirit, a sincer
mitment to strive for even greater success. These are the values which have a created a tradition of excellence spannin ch are enabling Holyoke Community College to meet today’s challenges.
C began in 1946 as the city-sponsored Holyoke Junior College, a fledgling institution that lacked many of the resources t eges. Nevertheless, the school flourished thanks to the perseverance of its small but dedicated staff. Dr. George Frost, th ch, his secretary, were the only full-time employees until 1958, sharing a tiny office in a former cloak room in the Holyok hey scavenged chalk, erasers, and pencils for the part-time faculty (many of whom were professors at area four-year col ght classes in the borrowed quarters during the evenings. Innovation was, and continues to be, a cornerstone of the coll
CC began in 1946 as the city-sponsored Holyoke Junior College, a fledgling institution that lacked many of the resources lleges. Nevertheless, the school flourished thanks to the perseverance of its small but dedicated staff. Dr. George Frost,
START AT HCC AND SAVE MONEY
nch, his secretary, were the only full-time employees until 1958, sharing a tiny office in a former cloak room in the Holyo they scavenged chalk, erasers, and pencils for the part-time faculty (many of whom were professors at area four-year c ught classes in the borrowed quarters during the evenings. Innovation was, and continues to be, a cornerstone of the co
Caring faculty, transferable
hen Holyoke Community College’s newly renovated campus burned to the ground on a bitterly cold day in January of 19 d innovative spirit of the college and community that enabled students to resume their studies in temporary facilities w
credits, and low cost.
oding the governor’s office with hundreds of letters and phone calls, the community and college joined forces to insist t
olyoke.
Classes start
9/7, 9/27 & 10/27
day, Holyoke Community College is housed on a multi-million-dollar, 135-acre campus, equipped with state-of-the art te
g facilities. HCC serves over 9,000 students annually, and provides a variety of recreational and cultural activities, from
Learn more at hcc.edu
mmitment to strive for even greater success. These are the values which have a created a tradition of excellence spanni
ls, for students and community members alike. The college’s strongest assets continue to be an innovative spirit, a sinc
hich are enabling Holyoke Community College to meet today’s challenges.
CC began in 1946 as the city-sponsored Holyoke Junior College, a fledgling institution that lacked many of the resources
lleges. Nevertheless, the school flourished thanks to the perseverance of its small but dedicated staff. Dr. George Frost, nch, his secretary, were the only full-time employees until 1958, sharing a tiny office in a former cloak room in the Holyo they scavenged chalk, erasers, and pencils for the part-time faculty (many of whom were professors at area four-year c
hool’s founder, and Ellen h School building. Togeth- s and universities), who
pursuit of excellence. as the resourcefulness
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TARA TALKS
pursuit of e
Tara Brewster takes over The Western Mass Business Show -- insightful conversations with the region’s business leaders and innovators. Tune in to Tara Saturday mornings on WHMP.
After 7 years and 350 interviews, the show’s founder, Ira Bryck, passes the torch.
The Western Mass Business Show
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HEAlTHCARE NEWS
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THE BUSINESS JOURNAL OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
HEAlTHCARE NEWS
26 JULY 7, 2021
EDUCATION
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