Page 49 - BusinessWest May 15, 2023

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HCC Receives Pledge of Historic $10 Million Gift
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) received a pledge of more than $10 million, the largest single gift commitment in the college’s 77-year history and one of the largest gifts ever to any community college. The pledged gift is included in the estate plan of HCC alumna Margaret (Peg) Wendlandt ’58 and her husband, Gary Wendlandt, longtime supporters and frequent donors to the college. The money, estimated to be at least $10 million, will go toward student scholarships and
the college’s greatest needs. The Wendlandts’
many gifts to the college in their lifetime already total more than $1 million and include donations
to the President’s Student Emergency Fund and
two endowed scholarships administered by the HCC Foundation: the Peg ’58 and Gary Wendlandt Scholarship, for students with financial need; and the Peg ’58 and Gary Wendlandt Health Scholarship, for students in nursing or health-related fields. In each of the past three years, the Wendlandts have made matching gift donations of $100,000 during the HCC Foundation’s one-day “Together HCC: Drive to Change Lives” fundraising campaign. Their $10 million-plus gift will be among the largest so far to any community college in the U.S., rivaling a $15 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to Amarillo College in Texas in 2021 and a $10 million gift to Arapahoe Community College in Colorado from the Sturm Family Foundation in 2019.
WNE School of Law Recognized Among Nation’s Best Law Schools
SPRINGFIELD — Western New England University’s (WNE) School of Law recently earned a spot on the Princeton Review’s “Best Law Schools for 2023” list. The Princeton Review’s rankings are based on data the company gathers from surveys of admin- istrators at the law schools, as well as surveys
of students attending the schools, who rate and report on their experiences at them. The rankings for 2023 are based on surveys of administrators at 168 law schools in 2021-22 and surveys of 17,000 students enrolled in the schools over the past three academic years. More than 60 data points are fac- tored into the company’s rankings. Founded more than a century ago to provide legal education to underrepresented populations, the WNE School of Law today welcomes students from all walks of life who are seeking a rigorous education that blends theory, skills, and ethical values. The School of Law’s Center for Social Justice fosters student interest
in establishing a more equitable and just society and serves as a focal point for community engage- ment through research, innovation, education, and advocacy.
UMassFive Federal Credit Union Joins MassHousing Program
HADLEY — UMassFive College Credit Union announced it is offering MassHousing loans to its members in partnership with Member Advantage Mortgage, its mortgage service organization. As a community-focused financial institution, UMassFive is always looking for more ways to make a posi- tive difference in the financial lives of its members. Joining the MassHousing program contributes to this aim by helping to make homeownership acces- sible to more prospective buyers. MassHousing is
an independent agency created in 1966, charged with providing financing for affordable housing
in Massachusetts. It offers proprietary products, including down-payment assistance; affordable, straightforward terms; and unique mortgage insur- ance. UMassFive and partner Member Advantage Mortgage are excited to offer these options to their membership. The MassHousing program offers benefits including down-payment assistance up to $50,000; loans with affordable rates that are fixed for the life of the loan; and MIPlus, a unique mort- gage insurance that includes job-loss protection. MassHousing has already helped more than 70,000 Massachusetts residents buy a home in the Com- monwealth. To learn more about MassHousing and potential eligibility, visit umassfive.coop/mahousing.
Springfield College Recognized by Campus Prevention Network
SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College has been named a recipient of the Campus Prevention Net- work (CPN) Seal of Prevention. Presented by Vector Solutions, the CPN Seal of Prevention is awarded
to institutions of higher education that have dem- onstrated leadership in digital prevention program- ming focused on student safety, well-being, and inclusion. Each recipient of the CPN Seal of Preven- tion has taken action to create a safer, more inclu- sive campus through comprehensive, evidence- based digital prevention education on issues such as sexual assault, alcohol misuse, mental health, and discrimination. It establishes guidelines for discern- ing quality online prevention education and imple- mentation practices, and positions prevention as central to key institutional outcomes. At Springfield College, incoming students complete three courses: “AlcoholEdu” (first-year and transfer students), “Sexual Assault Prevention” (all new undergraduate, graduate, and regional and online students), and “Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging for Students”
(all new students). Sophomores complete “Sexual Assault Prevention Ongoing: Healthy Relationships,” juniors complete “Sexual Assault Prevention Ongo- ing: Taking Action,” and student-athletes complete “Sexual Assault Prevention for Student-Athletes.”
In addition, all new employees complete “Title IX and Sexual Harassment Prevention” (supervisor or non-supervisor courses), “FERPA: Confidentiality of Records,” “Data Security & Privacy,” and “Managing Bias.”
Cooley Dickinson Hospital Receives $450,000 Grant for Alzheimer’s Services
NORTHAMPTON — Cooley Dickinson Hospital has a received a $450,000 grant from the Eisenberg Family Trust to provide free services to older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and the family members who care for them. The grant funds the Pioneer Val- ley Memory Care Initiative (PVMCI), a collaborative program that empowers older adults with dementia to improve their quality of life through personalized support in coordination with their medical care. PVMCI was founded in 2020 with the support of the Eisenberg Family Trust. Over the past three years, the program has provided personalized services to nearly 200 patients with dementia and their family members. It has also hosted family support groups and educational programming, facilitated train-
ing for volunteers at partnering organizations, and
convened local nonprofits to coordinate services. All these activities were made possible through the Eisenberg Family Trust’s grant funding and in part by a grant from Highland Valley Elder Services through funding under the Federal Older Americans Act. With the renewed grant funding from the Eisenberg Family Trust, PVMCI can deepen support for patients with Alzheimer’s and their families.
Bradley Unveils New Identity-verification Technology
WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — The Connecticut Air- port Authority announced the launch of CLEAR
and its biometric identity-verification technology at Bradley International Airport. CLEAR already serves nine of Bradley’s top 10 domestic destinations, allowing members traveling through the airport to use CLEAR on both ends of their journey. Nationally, it offers an expedited security program at 52 air- ports, serving more than 15 million members. Mem- bers use CLEAR’s network of dedicated lanes to ver- ify their identity with their eyes or fingers, replacing the need to take out their wallet and driver’s license. After verification, a CLEAR ambassador escorts members through the dedicated lane and directly to TSA physical security, saving them time waiting in line at the security checkpoint. CLEAR’s launch at Bradley is expected to create 23 jobs and generate approximately $1.2 million in local economic activ- ity every year. CLEAR Plus, an opt-in membership that provides access to CLEAR’s expedited identity- verification lanes, costs about $16 a month billed annually, with discounts available for Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Express members. Newly enrolling active military, veterans, and gov- ernment officials are also eligible for discounted memberships, and additional family members can be added to an existing CLEAR Plus account for $60 per adult per year.
Berkshire Museum Offers Foster Families Free Admission
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Museum announced a partnership with Wonderfund, a nonprofit working with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families to provide enrichment opportunities to fos- ter children and families. Under this program, foster families receive free admission to Berkshire Museum for two adults and two children. Free admission to the museum also gives families access to museum programs such as WeeMuse Littlest Learners, a weekly, educator-led activity for infants and tod- dlers to spark curiosity with hands-on cognitive and social experiences, on Thursdays from 4 to 4:45 p.m. The museum’s aquarium also hosts Discovery Tank, an educator-led program, on Fridays from 3 to 4 p.m., featuring the animals of the aquarium’s tide pool and demonstrating the behavior and life of crustaceans, sea urchins, starfish, and many other creatures of the shallows.
Springfield Thunderbirds
Raise $30,000 for Rays of Hope
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Thunderbirds announced a donation of $30,000 to Rays of Hope as a result of proceeds from the live jersey auction
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