Dear Friends,
As we head into the winter season, I am mindful of the beautiful weather we’ve had this fall and the many ways it has allowed us to gather and reconnect. This institution has come far, even during the pandemic, and we have seized on many opportunities while navigating a most difficult time in the history of the world. Most meaningful to me have been the efforts to better this institution and to better our connections to each other.
Holyoke Community College is addressing the challenges of today the only way we know how: by taking care of our community as we push forward into the future. During the pandemic, we revisited and refreshed our Strategic Plan, recommitting to our mission to “Educate, Inspire, Connect,” and break down the barriers that can make these a challenge.
It is no accident that this magazine is called The Connection. Establishing connections is the most important thing we do here: cultural connections that afford us the richest, most diverse experiences; connections to quality education; connections to academic and student resources; and connections to housing, food, child watch, and transportation, the necessities that make life – not just college – possible.
We have accomplished some amazing things since I accepted this post in 2016, and I could not be more proud of our students and what our community does to help them succeed. In August, I announced that I would retire from HCC next summer, but we should remember that no one person will ever outlive an institution. While I have been honored to hold the seat of the presidency for this time, our mission and vision are stronger than ever, and this college will continue to grow and thrive because of the work we have done together.
Our connections are deep – across the campus, across the greater Holyoke community, and across the generations. Those were very apparent when the whole community came together to support our friends and families in Puerto Rico who were impacted by hurricanes Fiona and Ian this fall. The HCC community casts a wide net of care and compassion, and that’s why I have been so proud to lead this institution.
So, as you read this issue of The Connection, I ask you to reflect on what that word means to us; how partnerships and relationships and community are in the DNA of this institution, and the many ways that HCC continues to show up and contribute on behalf of our students and our community.
Sincerely,
