Commenting on Andrew, President Pura said, “Andrew’s intelligence and passionate commitment to social justice are just two of the qualities that make him a shining example of the GCC student body. His long and winding journey brought him to GCC where he found clear purpose and meaning. Andrews faculty saw his potential even before he did and together they worked to achieve it. His focused hard work at GCC opened the doors to Amherst College where he is again a beacon for academic success and social change.”

Andrew, 28, of Greenfield, brought to GCC classes his experience of working for years and an astute social class analysis based on theoretical and practical knowledge. Andrew’s passion for film and social justice began as a teenager when he worked at a video store in his hometown of Concord, MA and was involved in the active intellectual community of store employees and customers. That community exposed him to a wide range of perspectives, including international films and films that look critically at American culture, history, and politics.

The GCC community gave Andrew the confidence and motivation to succeed academically. “At GCC,” Andrew said, “the educational environment is very encouraging and accommodating. In my GCC classes, the focus was on real discussion where the faculty treat students as peers and help us all work through a subject.”

Assistant Professor of English Trevor Kearns, Andrew’s mentor, said “Andrew is one of the most impressive students I’ve seen come through GCC. He’s able to make immediate and insightful connections between new ideas and his already formidable knowledge of history, society, and film. No armchair intellectual, Andrew consistently translates his passion into action. And, Andrew’s warmth and wit make him a pleasure to work with, teach, and learn alongside.”

Andrew participated in a GCC sociology class (Crime and Punishment in the U.S.), based on the international Inside-Out program, which brings college students inside jails to study alongside incarcerated students. Andrew served as President of the Peace, Justice and Environmental Action Alliance and helped facilitate a film series on environmental issues. He also was founder and a leader of the GCC Film Society, a student club that holds weekly screenings and discussions.

Looking ahead, Andrew said, “I would like to use film to make something that is both entertaining and carries a strong, positive message. Media has such a wide reach, both in the number of people who see films and in how persuasive it can be.”

Andrew, President Pura and Assistant Professor Kearns participated in the 29 Who Shine Student Recognition Ceremony at the Grand Staircase of the Massachusetts State House on May 2.

For information about 29 Who Shine, visit www.mass.edu/29whoshine/home.asp.

By Mary McClintock, ’82

 Phyllis offered courses in literature and writing to students for decades, helping her students discover new worlds and challenging ideas. She also encouraged them to develop their own speaking and writing voices, preparing them for success both inside and beyond the classroom. Contributions Phyllis made to the College included creating new curriculum with her colleagues for English and Women’s Studies courses, chairing the English Department, and serving on many committees. Libraries, both academic and public, have been a central part of Phyllis’s life. Always an avid reader, she made liberal use of the Turners Falls Public Library while growing up, spent countless hours in the UMass Library as a student, served on the Board of Trustees of the Greenfield Public Library, and devised assignments for her GCC students that required their exploration and use of the library.

Gretchen was known for her intellectual curiosity, passion for learning, and a sense that everyone benefits when we are all responsible and respectful members of the world community. Ever mindful of the need to work for social justice, Gretchen believed that everyone must become well informed and then act to improve the world. Travels in Latin America and Europe and teaching experiences in Belarus and Beijing enriched her global awareness and strengthened her commitment to our local community. With characteristic zest, good humor, and belief in the power of knowledge and the potential of her students, Gretchen developed and taught a range of courses including College Reading Strategies, Latin American Literature, Film and Literature, and Media and Popular Culture. One of the pioneers in on-line learning at GCC, Gretchen motivated and helped other faculty to integrate technology into their teaching. She worked closely with the GCC library, especially in teaching her students how to conduct research.

Both Phyllis and Gretchen focused on developmental education in the English Department with the goal of helping students strengthen their foundation in the reading and writing skills needed to succeed at GCC.  The Nahman-Watson Library continues the legacy of Phyllis’s and Gretchen’s work, offering access to the richness and pleasure of exploring ideas for personal and academic growth.

To learn more about the naming of the Nahman-Watson Library, visit http://web.gcc.mass.edu/library/about-our-name/

By Mary McClitock, ’82

Rembering Phyllis and Gretchen:

Bob Pura, President
“Teaching and learning was not just a way to make a living for Phyllis Nahman and Gretchen Watson; it was the way in which they lived their lives. Naming GCC’s Library in honor of Phyllis and Gretchen brings great joy to the College and invokes the spirit of their teaching and all they contributed to GCC and our community.”

 Joanne McNeil Hayes, Professor of English and Gender & Women’s Studies

“Voice was important to both Phyllis and Gretchen. They saw reading and writing as a way to empower students to develop their own voice and employ voice as a tool for critical thinking. Phyllis and Gretchen’s teaching reflected their awareness of the beauty and excitement of multiculturalism and their desire to open minds to the diversity of world cultures. Students weren’t the only ones who learned from Phyllis and Gretchen. I, and other faculty, always learned something new and exciting in their presence.”

Mary Ellen Kelly, English Instructor and Co-Coordinator of Peer Tutoring Program

“In all the courses Gretchen and Phyllis taught, they inspired students to love reading, such as poetry, fiction, drama, and the latest newspaper editorial. They were committed to social justice, believing that every person can learn and grow. Their teaching reflected a strong belief in the power of the written word and the potential of anyone who walked into their classrooms. Phyllis and Gretchen cared for their students as individuals as well as citizens of the broader community.”

Deb Chown (Director of the Library), Judi Greene-Corvee (Dean of Learning Resources), and David Ram (former Chief Academic & Student Affairs Officer)

“Who better to honor with the naming of the Library than two educators who dedicated themselves to helping thousands of students and countless colleagues improve their knowledge, skills, and confidence in literacy, self-expression, and civic engagement.”

# # #

As community partners in the initiative, the Franklin Hampshire Regional Employment Board and the Franklin Hampshire Career Center assist GCC with networking area employers and job seekers. The Career Center has sent students to Medical Assistant training programs outside the area in the past, but now has a local, affordable and high quality training site for aspiring Medical Assistants.

GCC’s Dean of Professional Studies Terry Lynn said, “We developed this Certificate with help from community partners and in response to the needs of area residents for an affordable, credit-bearing program. This program is another way GCC is saying to the community ‘we hear what you need and we’re making it happen.’”

Erika Heilig, a registered nurse, coordinates the new MAC program. Heilig earned her nursing degree through GCC’s Nursing program and a Master’s in Health Arts & Sciences from Goddard College. Heilig met with major health care providers in the area to assess their needs. Heilig and project member Nessim Watson developed the MAC curriculum combining existing GCC courses and courses created for this program. New courses designed specifically for the MAC program focus on clinical procedures, medical office procedures, and pharmacology. The program also includes a Practicum that requires 160 clinical hours in the field plus 30 hours in the college focused on career skills building.

Nessim Watson said, “We listened to what area employers need, looked at the best programs in the country, and developed a program that fits the CAAHEP standards and is of value to students and the industry.”

GCC’s Chief Academic and Student Affairs Officer Sheryl Hruska commented on the impact of the program, saying “GCC offers programs in the Allied Health fields that provide a pathway into a health care career. Because this Certificate is credit-bearing, it serves both as a credential to get work in the short-term, and as a potential stepping stone toward further education and work in higher level health care fields. Along with providing a new career option for our students, the MAC program will help us continue to provide well-trained staff who can contribute to delivering quality health care in our community.”

The MAC Certificate has been approved within GCC’s academic program review process and by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education.

For information about GCC’s Medical Assistant Certificate program, contact Erika Heilig at (413) 775-1155 or heilige@gcc.mass.edu.

GCC’s Medical Assistant certificate program is supported by the Massachusetts Community Colleges & Workforce Development Transformation Agenda (MCCWDTA), which is 100% funded through a $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration (TAACCCT).  Grant agreement #TC-22505-11-60-A-25.

By Mary McClintock, ’82

The hands-on courses are held at a specialized Weatherization Lab built at Franklin County Technical School in Turners Falls as a partnership between GCC and FCTS. The Weatherization Lab is part of an instructional center for GCC’s Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency educational programs that includes the Weatherization Lab and the Clean Energy Instruction Center (CEIC).

The Weatherization Installer courses are geared toward preparing students to take the Building Performance Institute’s Residential Building Envelope Whole House Air Leakage Control Installer (RBE-WH-ALCI) certification exam. This certification is the industry standard for weatherization installers. Since GCC started offering the Weatherization Installer course in 2010, 29 GCC students have passed the certification exam. BPI is a nationally recognized agency that certifies professionals in the building and energy field (see www.bpi.org).

The accelerated course in April is geared toward experienced weatherization workers, while the 78-hour course is meant for participants with little experience in the weatherization field.

This spring and summer’s weatherization courses are taught by Bick Corsa, a carpenter, super-insulated house builder, and weatherizer since the 1980s. Corsa has done many energy efficient rehab’s and additions. In 2009, he built a house in Montague that won the Massachusetts Zero Energy Challenge, a utility-sponsored competition to build the lowest energy using house.

Peter van Buren, Bob Anson, and Colin Groundwater are three area residents who completed the GCC Weatherization Installer course. Peter van Buren was hired to work with Energia in Holyoke at the same time that he signed up for the course and they were able to accommodate his schedule so he could complete the training.

Following completion of the GCC Weatherization Installer course and successful RBE-WH-ALCI certification, Bob Anson has been employed with Community Action’s Energy Services Department. Bob was a retired music teacher who had completed the certificate in Renewable Energy /Energy Efficiency at GCC and took the course for more hands-on experience. He said, “I loved taking this course! Each class had a big portion devoted to hands-on practice of the skills and concepts that we were learning about that day. My classmates and I built upon those skills from week to week until we all had a well-practiced understanding of the job. Bick was a gem of a teacher. He not only knew his craft, but taught those skills with patience and good humor. I came away with professional certification, self-confidence, and, most importantly, a job that I am proud to go to every day!”

Colin Groundwater of Florence took GCC’s Weatherization Installer course and then worked for Valley Home Improvement. Now working for Energia in Holyoke, he commented on his experience of the Weatherization Installer course, “The course was great fun and I learned boatloads. Bick is well above and beyond what one will find in the weatherization field. Most of the BPI certification preparation courses, I have come to find, are taught by weatherization people with limited experience in some of the more involved aspects of energy efficiency. None I have encountered have participated in projects a fraction of in-depth or as frequently as Bick has. This provides a rare opportunity for the GCC weatherization students to obtain a much firmer and in-depth grasp of the work than students from similar programs. In weatherization, we do some pretty simple things: air sealing, cellulose blowing, and so on. While working in weatherization, I have routinely seen people with BPI training who have only a surface understanding of what they are doing and what they are trying to achieve. The GCC Weatherization Installer course gives you a rock-solid foundation to be far better informed than the average weatherization worker by discussing in-depth the fundamentals of building science and training extensively with the techniques and materials used in the field. I highly recommend this course to anyone who works in, or who is contemplating working in, weatherization.”

Community needs are also addressed by the course according to Peter Wingate of Community Action’s Energy Services Program. Wingate said, “On the big picture – energy efficiency and weatherization is not going away. It’s always exciting to see new, clean, sustainable power generated through solar and wind applications. But the fact is, as a national, regional, and individual household strategy, nothing beats weatherization and residential energy efficiency. Weatherization will be around as long as we need to reduce carbon emissions, reduce reliance on foreign energy production, and keep energy dollars in our pockets.”

The weatherization trainings are just part of GCC’s commitment to the College’s Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency educational programs. Dean for Community Education Bob Barba said, “We’ve worked hard with the administration and staff of FCTS right from the start to create these two specialized learning facilities on their campus. The work of that partnership is another reason we feel so strongly about the quality and relevance of these trainings. When educators from across the administration/faculty/staff spectrum from two distinct schools (secondary and post-secondary) work this hard on a project, it’s a testament to how important we think green-collar jobs are and will be for the energy efficiency sector in the coming decade.”

Each class meeting of the Weatherization Installer courses has a hands-on component, either using the props in the weatherization lab or going on field trips to see actual sites. The course goes well beyond the “how” of weatherization and covers the “why” of weatherization. Students learn about building science and how to analyze a situation to understand the particular needs of a house. Students work as a team with other members of the course, conduct an energy audit of a real house, and get an in-depth understanding of what an energy auditor does in diagnosing the problems in a house. On the house visit, students look for air leaks using diagnostic testing equipment such as a blower door and infrared camera. The site visit lessons also include customer service components.

There is no “typical” weatherization installer course student. Students who have taken these courses range from 18-year-olds fresh out of high school to older students up to 65 years old who want to learn something different. About half of the students have some experience in the construction industry. Homeowners take the course so they can do their own weatherization and insulation. The mix of students and working in teams means students share their knowledge and learn from each other.

Reflecting on how the course meets student needs, Corsa said “Most people take this course because they want to get a job. They can learn in a hands-on setting and can move forward in the energy industry. The course provides both short-term benefits for students in terms of immediately applicable practical job skills, and long-terms benefits in that it provides a foundation for future education and careers in the energy and construction industries, including jobs such as energy auditor, analyst, and architect, anything related to building and energy.”

For information about the Weatherization Installer Course, visit http://web.gcc.mass.edu/workforce-development/sustainable-energy/weatherization-installer-accelerated/ or contact Alex Floratos Sullivan at  floratosa@gcc.mass.edu or (413) 775-1660.

By Mary McClintock, ’82

###

Kia is studying liberal arts at GCC to gain a better understanding of how society works. She plans to work with youth in after-school educational and community enrichment programs and wants to have a systemic understanding of the challenges those youth face. After receiving her Associate degree from GCC, Kia intends to work toward a Bachelor’s degree and possibly a Master’s degree.

In nominating Kia, President Pura said, “The Newman Civic Fellows award stands for those qualities, values, and principles that are so clearly demonstrated in the makeup and personality of Kia Burton McLaughlin. It is who she is, but more, it is what she does on a daily basis. She is inspirational to her fellow students, GCC faculty, and to me for those reasons. Kia represents and personifies all that is good in education and the opportunities it provides. Kia is the change that we want for our world and our community.”

At GCC, along with serving as President of the Student Senate, Kia is a member of the New Student Orientation Planning Committee and an Orientation Leader. During Orientation, Kia co-facilitates a group for student parents. She also serves as a peer mentor for a college success class for women in transition and works at GCC’s Mary Stewart Rogers Women’s Resource Center. Kia has been involved with GCC’s diversity committee and helped plan service activities for a day of service on Martin Luther King Day. Kia was instrumental in students in recovery securing space on campus for social and educational programs and meetings. She helped plan “Love Your Body” day with staff and students from the Women’s Resource Center.

In Summer 2012, Kia served as an AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associate for 10 weeks. In that position, she worked with Judy Raper, GCC’s Director of Student Development, and  Rosemarie Freeland, Coordinator of GCC’s Women’s Resource Center. Kia’s position focused on returning adult students and building connections between GCC and three community social service agencies: Montague Catholic Social Services, The Recover Project, and the Center for New Americans. Kia helped GCC and the agencies understand the resources they each provide for the agencies’ clients who are future GCC students. She strategized about how to help future students get in the door at GCC and stay at GCC. Kia provided an orientation to GCC for staff of the agencies, helping them be comfortable with the campus and its services so they could convey that comfort and information to their agency’s clients.

After-school programs were a major support for Kia when she was a child, and where she got started on the path of community engagement she follows today. Growing up in Boston, she was involved in City Year, Girl Scouts, JFK Library Corps, and Citizens School. In those programs, she met a wide range of people and was exposed to many different communities. Kia attended Greenfield High School and as a student there was a peer mediator, a member of Key Club, and involved in UNITY ( a Community Coalition for Teens collaboration with GHS for social norms marketing). She served as a peer leader for H.E.A.T (Help Educate Against Tobacco) in Greenfield through FCAC Youth Programs, glad to have an empowering job that was different than the fast food industry jobs in which many of her peers worked.

Reflecting on her commitment to serving her community, Kia said, “Community service comes in all shapes and forms. If everybody made a commitment to do some form of service, from donating money to volunteering time, the community would look so different. Community service has a powerful ripple effect, creating change that is broad and deep and goes far beyond the initial act of service. One of the ways my community service ripples onward is through my children. It is very important to me to expose my children firsthand to community service and my pursuit of higher education. It is wonderful to see my young children participating in the community service we do as a family and looking forward to visiting the GCC campus. My children are a huge motivator for all that I do.”

Director of Student Development Judy Raper recognizes Kia’s special qualities, saying, “I have been in higher education for over twenty five years. There are a handful of student leaders who stand out in my mind as individuals who have had a transformative impact on the campuses in which they studied. Kia is one of those people. When Kia graduates, she will leave a tremendous void on this campus that will be difficult to fill. Her vision, compassion, and creativity have been shared and implemented in our community in unforgettable ways. She is most deserving of this award.”

The Newman Civic Fellows Awards are made possible through the generous support of the KPMG Foundation.

For information about Campus Compact and the Newman Civic Fellows, visit www.compact.org.

By Mary McClintock, ’82

# # #

Want to earn more now while pursuing further education? Greenfield Community College’s new Business and Information Technology Pathways initiative can help. Responding to a state challenge to increase workforce readiness to fill needed jobs, GCC’s Business and Information Technology Department has created five new Certificate programs which students can earn while working toward their Associate degree. With these Certificates, already-working students can earn higher wages in career-related positions. The new Certificates provide immediate benefits and preserve GCC’s commitment to encouraging students to transfer to Baccalaureate degree institutions.

Starting in Fall 2013, GCC students can work toward Certificates in Retail Management, Management, Network Administration, Hospitality and Tourism, and Computer-Assisted Bookkeeping. The Certificates require 29 credits and all “stack” into GCC’s Associate degree programs. Stacking means that the credits earned in the Certificate programs can be applied toward the credits required for Associate and Bachelor’s degrees. GCC has transfer articulation agreements with Massachusetts public colleges and universities so credits from GCC’s Business Administration Transfer Associate degree can be applied toward Bachelor’s degrees at any Massachusetts public four-year college or university.

Speaking about the need for the new Certificates, Kathy Vranos, Co-Chair of GCC’s Business and Information Technology Department, said, “These Certificates provide students with a milestone achievement that demonstrates their competence for employment purposes as they pursue an Associate degree. All of the Certificates are targeted to fill short-term projected employment needs within Franklin and Hampshire counties. We interviewed numerous area employers about what qualifications they want their employees to have. We then designed the course content for these Certificates to satisfy the employers’ needs. The Certificates also reflect our desire to support hardworking GCC students who work an average of 25-30 hours per week to put themselves through college. GCC has a strategic priority to support economic development in our community. These Certificates address the workforce needs of area employers and the employment needs of our students while protecting our students’ opportunity to continue their education.”

GCC’s Chief Academic and Student Affairs Officer Sheryl Hruska said, “These new Certificates provide an open door for students to complete course work that will advance their career and educational opportunities. The faculty teaching the courses have practical business experience as well as the academic credentials to provide engaging, useful courses. We are excited to offer students these new, well-developed options.”

GCC’s Dean of Social and Natural Sciences, Math, Business and Information Technology Peter Rosnick said, “For many years, GCC’s Business and Information Technology Department has done two things for its students – provided those who sought to transfer with a solid foundation upon which to successfully build a Bachelor’s degree, and equipped students with relevant business and entrepreneurial skills that can be applied in real and immediate ways to the local business world. These Certificate options were created with these goals in mind, providing students with logical stepping stones towards developing workplace-ready skills while constructing a transferable portfolio of courses.”

The new BIT Certificates have been approved within GCC’s academic program review process and by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education.

For information about the new BIT Pathways Certificates and the Business and Information Technology Department, contact: Kathy Vranos, (413) 775-1471, vranosk@gcc.mass.edu or Tom Fredrick, (413) 775-1493, fredrickt @gcc.mass.edu.

By Mary McClintock, ’82

At GCC, Risky served as Professor of Behavioral Sciences and Director of the GCC’s Division of Continuing Education and Community Services from 1967-79. She was GCC’s first female Dean, serving as Dean of Continuing Education and Community Services in 1979-80 and as Dean of Students from 1980 to 1983. These job titles only describe part of what Risky did at GCC. At one point during Risky’s work at GCC, College President Lew Turner said to her, “So, what is it you do around here?” Risky’s response – “Whatever I want!” –  sums up Risky’s bold, can-do style.

Although Risky retired from GCC 30 years ago, the impact of her work continues. She helped create the College’s Senior Symposia program and continues to serve on the program’s Planning Committee. Workshops Risky developed in Continuing Education went on to become two-year associate degree curriculums, including Early Childhood Education, Criminal Justice, and Fire Science Technology.

A complete list of Risky’s involvement and accomplishments in the community would fill many pages. A few highlights include her founding of the local chapters of the League of Women Voters and the National Organization for Women (NOW), serving as a founding board member of the Franklin County Community Development Corporation, and being the first woman to be a member of the Greenfield Finance Committee.

Reflecting on her work, Risky said, “I like to create new projects, but someone else has to run it. I don’t like to be bound by routine, I might go off in a different direction. When I was at GCC, we were on the cutting edge, leading the way for creating a college that served the whole community. People who teach at community colleges are the finest people on earth. They are sincere in their intention, and happy with student success, seeing that success as important, at whatever level the success is. What I’ve found is that the help is out there for people and other people enjoy giving help. The trick is to connect those wanting help with those able to give help at the right moment. And, making the recipient able to accept help.”

Risky enjoys helping others, and is grateful to hear from people whose lives she has impacted, like the time a woman came up to her in the grocery store and thanked her. The woman said her daughter took an evening course at GCC during her senior year of high school. She would drive her daughter to class and sit in the hall, waiting until it was time to drive her home. One evening, Risky walked by and asked her what she was doing. The woman explained she was waiting for her daughter. Risky said, “Why aren’t you taking a course?” The woman signed up for a course at GCC and went on to get a Master’s degree in education. When she stopped Risky at the grocery store, she’d been teaching for 12 years. She thanked Risky for getting her off that chair in the hall.

For information about the Standing On Her Shoulders Awards, visit www.womensfund.net.

* * *

Sidebar: A Brief Glance at Risky Case’s Education and Pre-GCC Career

Education:

Brooklyn College, Economics and English, B.A., 1942

Teachers College, Columbia University, Vocational Guidance and Occupational Adjustment,

M.A., 1946

University of Michigan, Public Administration, M.P.A., 1949

Kent State University, Elementary Education and Remedial Reading, 1961-1964

University of Massachusetts, Doctoral Candidate (ABD), 1970 -1976

Southern Connecticut State College, Adult Education Summer Institute in India, Fulbright       Grant, 1975

Employment:

United States Army W.A.A.C. ~ W.A.C.

First Lieutenant Company Commander, Basic and Overseas Training Units, 1943-1946

Champlain College (Associated Colleges of Upper New York)

Director of the Vocational Guidance Center, Assistant to the Dean of Students, 1946 – 1948                                                                                                                                       

University of Michigan

Assistant to the Dean of Women, 1949-51

Twinsburg, OH Public Schools

Elementary Teacher, Team Leader, 1961-65

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Director of Student Teacher Placement; Instructor, School of Education, 1965 – 1968

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sidebar: We Stand on Risky’s Shoulders

Bob Barba, GCC Dean of Community Education

Twelve years ago, Risky Case buttonholed me as I crossed the cafeteria at a College event and said, “I’d like to talk to you about when the College is going to do more for seniors.”  Within a few weeks, I was in a meeting with her talking about what more the College could do for seniors. That January 2003 meeting led to the then-named Senior Education and Enrichment Program at GCC, now called Senior Symposia. The program now attracts well over 400 seniors to seven or eight symposia per semester. Risky is one of two founding members still serving on that Senior Symposia Planning Committee. In a meeting last week, Risky asked me, “When is the College going to do more for seniors?” I’m pretty sure within the month I’ll be in a meeting to discuss how we can do more for seniors. Risky is visionary and persistent. Having those two things together in a single person leads to great accomplishments like those Risky has achieved throughout her career and retirement. And, Risky seems to be having a great deal of fun in her far-from-retiring retirement.

* * *

Nancy Buchanan, Retired Director of GCC Health Services

Risky has great determination. No matter what she does, she DOES it! She was a great boss and a great leader.

* * *

Margo Culley, UMass Professor of English Emerita; Member, Planning Board, GCC Senior Symposia

The more I learn about Risky’s remarkable life of leadership and public service, the more she astonishes me. A favorite moment was when she told a group of us that she had met Margaret Sanger! Still going strong into her 90s, Risky continues to lead with steely determination, irreverence, and humor. We are all in her debt as she continues to show us how to “speak truth to power.”

* * *

Larry Dean, Retired GCC Administrator

Risky hired me as Director of Financial Aid in 1980. When she called to say I had been selected and could give notice at my old job, I hesitated because I didn’t have anything in writing. Risky said, “Well, sometimes you just have to have a little faith.” Risky does have a lot of faith. She has faith in the people who work with her, faith in the power of education to transform lives, and faith in our society’s ability to be just.

Risky is a tough lady. She had a kind of ferocity about her that was both scary and reassuring for those of us working for her. If she was unhappy about something you did, you knew it. And, she fiercely advocated for her staff. It was reassuring to know you had Risky in your corner.

* * *

Dave Patrick, Retired

Risky earned her name, being a bit larger than life and a bit of a wonderful character. GCC’s early years were a time of change in the overall culture in the country. Risky understood that and was influential in making changes. She had a great influence in shaping the teaching personality of the college and the early years of the college. She is so comfortable with breaking convention. It fits her personality and managerial style.

* * *

Bob Pura, President of GCC

Risky was the first person I met at GCC in 1978 when I was working on a grant with all of the state’s community colleges. Risky took me to lunch and described accurately the people and culture of this community. Her description rings true today. Story after story about Risky show her absolute and powerful impact on the development of GCC. Her instincts about people are spot on. Over time, she has hired many of the significant voices on campus. About 10 years ago, Risky came up to me at a reception and said, “Here’s what we’re going to do next. We’re going to create the Senior Education and Enrichment Program. And, you’re going to support it.” I listen to what Risky says. She’s usually right. She has great intelligence, heart, soul, courage, and wisdom.

* * *

Rob Yacubian, Retired Coordinator of Transfer Affairs

Risky hired me in 1971 with funds from a career grant. She knew the community, she was out and about all the time, keeping her ear and eye on the community. By the time she got to work in the morning, she’d have been at coffee shops and the post office and around in the community. She kept her finger on the pulse of the community and passed that pulse along to the College President.

When Risky became Dean of Students, she said “Each of you know your function better than I do. Do your jobs, and if you run into an obstacle, come to me.” When obstacles came along, she’d iron them out. She had tremendous faith in me, and I’ve told her many times that I am here today because of her.

# # #

Written By Mary McClintock ’82

Commenting on the new Trustees, GCC President Bob Pura said, “Each of these three bring a depth and breadth of experience along with great intelligence and heart. The journey of each of these three leaders has brought them through the doors of GCC as students. Together, they bring the perspective of many in our community. They have been honed by experience, elevated by their intelligence, and shaped by their hearts. We welcome each of them and we applaud the governor’s appointments.”

GCC Board of Trustees Chair Rob Cohn joins President Pura in welcoming the new Trustees, saying, “The Board and I are immensely pleased to have these three superstars on the GCC Board. The GCC Board includes a diverse group of talented professionals from all walks of life. Patricia, Clare, and Amy bring a broad range of experience to help the Board be even more able to engage with and serve our community. It is an exciting time to be on the GCC Board.”

Crosby said, “I am happy to be associated with GCC. I bring my personal commitment to the idea of community colleges, their accessibility, and their role as a stepping stone. Community college education provides both the immediate benefit of increasing one’s ability to get a job, as well as being a stepping stone to further learning and credentials. GCC has strong leadership, very high standards, and a willingness to listen, to change, to innovate. This is an exciting time as there is a lot of federal and state support for increasing community colleges’ role in workforce development. The workplace has changed. People need a stronger foundation and broader knowledge. Workers today are asked to be more versatile, to learn new things all the time in their work. There is a strong practical side to lifelong learning.”

President Pura praised Crosby’s appointment, saying “Few know more about those seeking work in our community than Patricia. Her work at Springfield Technical Community College before her current work at the Regional Employment Board gave her an understanding of the community college world. She is deeply committed to making connections between our community’s need for an educated workforce and those in our community who seek work.”

Higgins said, “I attended GCC in the early 1990s after being out of school for a long time. GCC was an integral part of helping me move on to the next phase of education. From GCC, I went to UMass to complete my Bachelor’s Degree through the University Without Walls program. My role as a GCC Trustee is to represent the needs of people Community Action serves – low-income families who are striving to move ahead in their lives, many seeking higher education. The work of GCC and Community Action complement each other, each providing support and tools for people who are bettering their lives. GCC does a superb job in making higher education more accessible to people in the community and excels at working with students regardless of educational background, wherever they are in terms of their readiness for college. As Mayor of Northampton, I worked with GCC to help site GCC classes in Northampton. GCC is an important educational resource for early childhood educators. Early childhood education and expanded community colleges are the next frontier of public education.”

President Pura hailed Higgins’s appointment, saying “Clare is most well known as the former mayor of Northampton. Her achievements in Northampton show great tenacity, intelligence, and heart. She brings each to her work as Executive Director of Community Action. In her role at Community Action, she has the best understanding of the needs of people in our community who live at the edge of hope. She fully understands those for whom education can have a significant impact for the better. Clare also brings a wealth of understanding about how government works.”

Holich-Dunn said, “Alumni engagement is the focus of my work, both in my professional life at Smith College and now in my volunteering for the GCC Alumni Association and serving on the GCC Board of Trustees. Everyone’s GCC experience is so different, yet I hear many common threads when I talk with other alumni – the great faculty who mentored us, how GCC was perfect for each of us at that moment in our lives. Engaging alumni means helping them understand that they can translate their ‘Oh, I loved my time at GCC’ experience into an ongoing connection with the college and other alumni. There is much more to be had from GCC and a lot to give back to the College. I would love to engage alumni who are business owners to become mentors for current GCC students and recent alumni. I also hope to help students understand that when they leave GCC, the GCC experience and community doesn’t stop.”

President Pura commended Holich-Dunn’s appointment saying, “Amy was elected by the GCC Alumni Association and approved by the Governor. She serves as the voice of all of GCC’s alumni. Her experience of transferring from GCC to Smith College is one she shares with many other women who have attended GCC. She brings a clear understanding of the transfer process to her work on the Board.”

Mary McClintock, ’82

# # #

By Mary McClintock, ’82

The results of the last Massachusetts Real Estate Broker/Sales Exam revealed that all of the Greenfield Community College Real Estate School students who took the exam had a 100% pass rate, only 63% overall of those who took the Massachusetts state exam passed. This is the sixth year that GCC students have achieved a 100% pass rate on the exam.

GCC President Robert Pura notes, “This is the latest example of GCC’s strength in preparing our students for success.  Our academic programs routinely enjoy top-ranking status among pass rates. But there is nothing routine about that, is there?  The hard work on the part of students and faculty produce these results.  My congratulations to all.

Principles of Real Estate instructor Mary McGuire

Robbie Cohn joined President Pura in praising the students’ success saying, “As an alum, chair of the GCC Board of Trustees and local real estate businessman, I am pleased, but not surprised.  GCC has a long and proud history of excellence and student success.  This is terrific.”

The students from GCC had all successfully completed a course in the Business Department, BUS 119 Principles of Real Estate taught by long-time Realtor and teacher Mary McGuire of CENTURY 21 Pioneer Valley Associates in Northampton. The course prepares students to take the state exam and may be taken on its own or as part of GCC’s Real Estate Certificate (RST) program.

Kathy Vranos, Co-Chair of GCC’s Business Information and Technology Department, said, “The Massachusetts state licensing exam requires that prospective real estate salespersons complete forty (40) hours of pre-licensure salesperson education. There are numerous ways to satisfy this requirement. GCC-prepared students’ 100% pass rate stands out in stark contrast to the pass rate of people who prepared in other ways. Clearly, Principles of Real Estate at GCC is an excellent preparation for the licensing exam.”

Mary McGuire brings 25 years of experience as a Realtor and many years as a high school and college instructor to her teaching at GCC. Before becoming a Realtor, McGuire taught high school biology and chemistry and worked for a pharmaceutical company. After getting her Master’s in Business Administration, McGuire shifted away from her work in pharmaceuticals and start her own real estate business.

Commenting on what makes her GCC Real Estate course particularly effective, McGuire said, “I teach the course so it is relevant, illustrating the various topics with stories from my experience as a Realtor. I also encourage students to talk about their experiences with real estate and to get involved. I can make difficult subjects such as legal information easier to understand. I have students bring in the deed from their home or a family member’s or friend’s home and learn how to read it. Practical exercises like reading a deed and examples I give in stories about real life experiences bring alive the topics and help the students learn. Those stories and exercises stick with the students when they take the exam and later when they are working in the field.”

McGuire says the course is for anyone, not just those who want to become Realtors. A broad range of students take Principles of Real Estate, including traditional college-age students and career changers. Some students intend to become professional Realtors, some want to prepare themselves to be investors or to purchase their own home.

Principles of Real Estate is one of the required courses in GCC’s 22-27 credit Real Estate Certificate (RST) program. While Principles of Real Estate focuses on preparing students to take the state licensing exam, the Certificate program prepares students for the full range of skills and knowledge they’ll need to work in the Real Estate field. Vranos explains the value of the RST program, saying, “Having a Real Estate Certificate makes our graduates very desirable hires. Along with specific knowledge from the Principles of Real Estate course, graduates with RST certificates have the broad skills necessary to be successful in the business of Real Estate. Business Communications courses give them strong speaking and writing skills, Marketing and E-Commerce courses prepare graduates to understand business strategies, and internships give our students practical experience. RST students also take a course in personal financial literacy that helps them speak the language of finance from a personal perspective and more effectively understand and communicate with real estate clients.”

For more information about Principles of Real Estate or GCC’s Real Estate Certificate, visit http://web.gcc.mass.edu/academics/programs/real-estate/ or call Kathy Vranos at (413) 775-1471.

Speaking about the need for the HOT Certificate, Kathy Vranos, Co-Chair of GCC’s Business & Information Technology Department said, “Tourism is a strong part of our regional economy. This certificate program gives people a stepping stone into this industry. We checked with area employers about whether this would be a desirable educational foundation for potential employees and we heard a resounding ‘YES!’ This one-year certificate is a milestone part-way through a student’s pursuit of further education. While our goal is for students to continue their education beyond the certificate level, we recognize that our students work part-time while attending GCC. This free-standing certificate will help them get growth-oriented employment in their chosen field and ‘stacks’ into two degrees.”

Entry-level jobs in the Hospitality and Tourism field include front desk work in a hotel with growth potential for assistant management tracks, event planning coordinator positions, and restaurant server positions with growth potential to management. Many GCC students have expressed interest in working in hotels, casinos, restaurants, and related hospitality and tourism businesses.

Sher Hruska, GCC’s Chief Academic and Student Affairs Officer, said, “GCC is surrounded by a gorgeous area rich with memorable tourism opportunities. We are pleased to be able to offer the new Hospitality and Tourism certificate as a way to enhance area services and also to provide this educational and professional stepping stone for students who seek to complete a two or four-year degree in the future. A strong, experienced faculty will be providing this new program.”

GCC President Bob Pura said, “This is an exciting development that meets the needs of our students and our community. This certificate helps students learn skills needed for an entry-level position AND provides the basis for pursuing an associate degree and beyond. This certificate is also a good fit for our community. Hospitality and Tourism are vibrant and growing areas of our economy, part of the region’s creative economy. Our hospitality and tourism program reflects the focus on sustainability in our region, including superb restaurants committed to supporting local farms and serving locally grown food.”

The HOT Certificate is the first of six new workforce certificates under development by GCC’s Business & Information Technology Department. Like the HOT certificate, when formally approved, all of them will be both free-standing certificates and “stackable” toward associate degrees. All of these new certificates are being developed in response to projected labor demands in our region. When available, these certificates will open up a number of new pathways toward associate, bachelor’s, and graduate degrees.

For information about the HOT Certificate and the Business and Information Technology Department, contact: Kathy Vranos, (413) 775-1471, vranosk@gcc.mass.edu.

by Mary McClintock, ’82

Pura has 34 years of experience in the Massachusetts Community College System, the past twelve years as President of Greenfield Community College. Prior to coming to GCC, Pura served five years as Dean of Academic Affairs at Berkshire Community College, fifteen years as a faculty member and administrator at Massasoit Community College, and two years as a Program Coordinator for the Massachusetts Board of Regional Community Colleges. Pura is also a proud graduate of a community college. As the first in his family to attend college and the child of an immigrant, Pura understands what a community college education can mean to students. Pura’s passion for the community college mission was enhanced by his academic pursuits at The University of Texas at Austin where he earned his Ph.D.

Commenting on his appointment to the Commission, Pura said, “It is important for GCC to be at the table and engaged in the conversation about standards for higher education. I am pleased to bring the perspective of a small rural college that is committed to access and excellence, the very best that higher education has to offer. The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education is an august group of smart, engaged, and committed educators and members of the public that take seriously the work of the accreditation process. The challenges higher education faces are significant The Commission establishes standards by which each college is accountable and makes sure that all of its standards are being met. Every college in New England is accredited by the Commission, from Harvard to Mount Holyoke College from Yale to the University of Maine.”

Pura has made presentations for the American Association of Community Colleges, the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, the League for Innovation in Community Colleges, Mt. Holyoke College and Harvard University where he also attended the Harvard Institute for Experienced Presidents. Pura is a member of the American Association of Community College Commission on Academic, Community and Student Development; Past President of the Massachusetts Community College President’s Council and visiting lecturer at The University of Texas at Austin where he is a distinguished alumni. Examples of his active community and civic life include serving on the Boards of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and WFCR. Pura is also a heavily fined Rotarian.

Pura is joined as a newly appointed Commissioner by David P. Angel, President of Clark University in Worcester, MA and G. Timothy Bowman, Executive Dean for Administration, SEAS, of Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. The Commission is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a reliable authority on the quality of education for the institutions it accredits. The Commission is also recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), affirming that its Standards and processes are consistent with the quality, improvement, and accountability expectations that CHEA has established. NEASC accreditation uses self-reflection, peer review and best practices as integral components of its assessment process. After an institution has gone through a rigorous evaluation process, the Commissioners vote on the accreditation or re-accreditation of each institution.

The Commission comprises up to twenty-four persons elected by the member colleges and universities for no more than two consecutive three-year terms. At least one in seven Commissioners is a representative of the public interest, with the remainder being faculty and senior administrators from member institutions. Following is a list of current Commissioners, the end dates of their elected terms, and their titles and institutional affiliations. Further information about the Commissioners is available upon request.
Carson, David E. A. (2015), Public Member, Hartford, CT
Dwyer, Thomas L.G. (2015), Executive Vice President, Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI
Evans, Andrew B. (2014), Vice President for Finance and Treasurer, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
Finney, David F. (2013), President, Champlain College, Burlington, VT
Gabranski, John F. (2015), Public Member, Haydenville, MA
Graves, David S. (2014), President, Laureate Hospitality, Art and Design, Clarens, Switzerland
Hitchner, R. Bruce (2014), Professor of Classics and International Relations, Tufts University, Medford, MA
Jukoski, Mary Ellen (2014), President, Mitchell College, New London, CT
Kennedy, William F. (2015), Trustee Member, Boston, MA
Levinson, David L. (2014),President, Norwalk Community College, Norwalk, CT
Mallory, Bruce L. (2014), Professor of Education, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
Meservey, Patricia Maguire Vice Chair (2014), President, Salem State University, Salem, MA
Muncaster, Karen L. (2015), Vice President for Professional and Continuing Education, Boston Architectural College, Boston, MA
Nieves, Wilfredo (2013), President, Capital Community College, Hartford, CT
Ortiz, Christine(2015), Dean for Graduate Education, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Oxman, Jon S. (2015), Public Member, Auburn, ME
Peterson, Jacqueline D. (2015),Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA
Shanley, Rev. Brian J., O.P. (2015), President, Providence College, Providence, RI
Sullivan, Christopher J.(2014), Public Member, Concord, NH
Wells, Linda S. (2013), Dean, College of General Studies, Boston University, Boston, MA
Wyld, Jean A.  Chair (2015), Vice President for Academic Affairs, Springfield College, Springfield, MA
Commissioners-elect
Angel, David P. (2015), President, Clark University, Worcester, MA
Bowman, G. Timothy (2015), Executive Dean for Administration, SEAS, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Pura, Robert L. (2015), President, Greenfield Community College, Greenfield, MA

Biographical statements for Commissioners are available upon request to cihe@neasc.org

For further information contact Greenfield Community College President’s Office, 413-775-1410.

By Mary McClintock, ’82

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Then, in 1962, Greenfield Community College opened. With encouragement from his GHS guidance counselor, Steve Murphy, and GCC’s Dean of Students Edmund B. Sullivan, John applied and was accepted to GCC’s first class.

Thinking back, John, now 70 and living in Millers Falls, said, “The first day of college, there were 130 students. The college wasn’t ready, so classes were held all over the community. There were just six students in my philosophy class with Dr. Lew Turner. It was a wonderfully intimate college experience. We were all in it together, students, professors, administration. We all had one goal: to get GCC off the ground. We all had to do it together.”

John remembers his economics professor, Bettie Baker, as a “tough cookie” who always made him feel part of the class. She didn’t treat him as someone unique and special, pushing him to work hard. Decades before the Americans with Disability Act eased barriers for people with disabilities, GCC provided John with access to an excellent education.

GCC helped John learn to use his mental capacity to meet challenges he faced and John put those learnings to good use. John studied sociology and psychology at UMass and then worked for a number of years at Hallmark Color Labs. While at Hallmark, John joined the Jaycees, a civic organization that works on projects to meet community needs. John served as District State Vice President of the Jaycees. John also coached Senior Babe Ruth League baseball, became president of the League, and served as a trustee of the Greenfield Public Library.

In 1978, John started his own business, In and Out Maintenance, providing indoor and outdoor maintenance services to area businesses and individuals. Later, he started a street sweeping business called Sweep It All. Between the two businesses, John had 17 employees.

John stayed active in the community, joining the Montague Elks and serving as Exalted Ruler in 1992 and 1994 and as District Chairman and State Chairman. John was appointed by Governor Dukakis to the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission which advocates for people with disabilities and worked with State Representative Bill Benson to change state policy to allow use of handicapped license plates on commercial trucks.

In 1992, John retired. John’s retirement has included many trips with his fiance Chris Sumner. They have traveled to the Azores, Mexico, Florida, New York, and all over the Caribbean.

Reflecting on what GCC taught him, John said, “I learned that even though you stay in one field, you have to be fluid enough to accept change and difference. And, I learned that you have to give back in some way to your community. I encourage everyone to get involved, to give their experience to make their communities better and stronger. I’m proud to be able to say I was there on Day One at GCC. Now, it is a very special pleasure to be able to attend the 50^th Anniversary celebration at GCC on November 3.” 

By Mary McClintock ’82

GCC President Bob Pura said, “About half of GCC graduates transfer on to a four-year college. Many are attending colleges to which they previously felt they couldn’t dare aspire. Our data show that GCC transfer students do as well or better than students who start at four-year colleges. These ‘Fantastic Five’ GCC graduates are examples of the diversity of GCC’s alumni who continue on in higher education. GCC’s commitment to access and excellence made these graduates’ journeys to their impressive baccalaureate institutions possible, in most cases where there was no other pathway. Each of these students are following in the footsteps of the thousands of GCC alumni who have transferred to four-year colleges. In so doing, they also pave the way for future GCC graduates.”

Meet the “Fantastic Five” who transferred to the Five Colleges:

CYLA O’CONNOR, Pelham, 37 years old

Attended GCC: 2005 – 2007, GPA 3.96

Transferred to: Smith College, graduated with a B.A. in Mathematics in May 2010

Currently: Studying toward M.Ed. in Mathematics Education at University of Massachusetts Amherst, will graduate in May 2013, working as a research assistant on an adaptive mathematics tutoring software project at UMASS Computer Science department

How GCC helped her get to where she is today:

“My professors at GCC were inspiring and supportive. They helped me realize my potential and affinity for mathematics and suggested I apply to Smith College. I had not considered Smith because I was not aware of their program for nontraditional age students (Ada Comstock Scholars). My education at GCC really prepared me well to succeed academically at Smith and at UMASS.”

EVELYN STANKOWSKI, Sunderland, 19 years old

Attended GCC: 2010 – 2012, GPA 3.9

Transferred to: Isenberg School of Management, University of Massachusetts, majoring in Finance, will graduate with Bachelor’s degree in May 2014

How GCC helped her get to where she is today:

“Studying at Isenberg has been one of my biggest goals in recent years. My time at GCC prepared me well for classes I’m taking now. In Finance and Political Economy, I’m already familiar with many of the concepts being discussed. I’m grateful for the solid, well-rounded foundation that GCC provided and professors at GCC were easy to reach for help. I am really glad I did my senior year of high school at GCC as a Dual-Enrollment student.”

HILARY MATILAINEN, Millers Falls, 22 years old

Attended GCC: 2009 – 2011, GPA 3.5

Transferred to: Hampshire College, studying Dance and Biology, working at Hampshire College Cole Science Center, will graduate with Bachelor’s degree in May 2014

How GCC helped her get to where she is today:

“I came to GCC as a non-traditional student with very little direction trying to make changes in my life. I quickly enrolled full-time in the dance program where I not only learned how to utilize dance as an effective, positive outlet, but gained more confidence in myself. I also cultivated a passion for life sciences during my time at GCC. With the support of my advisor, I transferred to Hampshire College with help from a GCC Dance Scholarship and a generous grant from Hampshire. I am now a Molecular Biology major with a Dance minor. I would not be where I am today without the experience, support, and knowledge I gained at GCC.”

 JACOB (JAKE) POWERS, Northampton, 24 years old

Attended GCC: 2008 – 2009, GPA 3.71, served on GCC Board of Trustees as student representative, started GCC’s project for students in recovery

Transferred to: Amherst College, majoring in English focusing on creative writing, will graduate with Bachelor’s degree in May 2013

How GCC helped him get to where he is today:

“GCC’s doors were open for me when I made the decision to continue my education. As a high school drop-out, I believed college was an opportunity I had missed but GCC faculty and staff told me otherwise and showed me I have the ability to thrive and excel beyond what I ever thought possible. I have carried these lessons forward to Amherst College and continue to excel, building upon the solid foundation I established at GCC. After graduation, I plan take time off to travel and write before applying to an MFA program.”

 JENNIE BERGERON, Pelham, 28 years old

Attended GCC: 2001 – 2010 with a break to work, travel some of the U.S. and have son Aidan, GPA 3.8

Transferred to: Mount Holyoke College, currently a senior Francis Perkins Scholar majoring in Environmental Studies with Nature/Culture/History concentration and an English Minor, will graduate with Bachelor’s degree in May 2013

How GCC helped her get to where she is today:

“GCC has been the cornerstone of my academic pursuits. GCC’s supportive environment helped me believe in my strengths as a student, writer, naturalist, and person in the world. GCC opened its doors to me when I left high school early and wanted to begin college, and again over five years later when I had the opportunity to return and finish what I started. The teachers of GCC have changed my life because I always found encouragement and support from them. My current academic path began in Environmental Studies courses at GCC, where I learned that once you learn about the state of the world, you can never go back.”

By Mary McClintock, ’82

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From The Greenfield Recorder – September 25, 2012 – By Chris Shores

GCC President Bob Pura (3rd from right) accepts a $100,000 grant from Paul Curran, Managing Director of SunEdison, to support education and training in the solar energy sector. Federal New Market Tax Credits, allocated by CEI Capital Management, provided financing to construct the 2 MW Solar Energy Facility in Greenfield and this community benefit support of GCC’s renewable energy programs. Pictured left to right: Common Capital CEO Chris Sikes, Greenfield Mayor Bill Martin, State Representative Paul Mark, CEI Capital Management CEO Charles Spies, US Congressmen Jim McGovern and John Olver, Curran, Pura, State Representative Steve Kulik and GCC Dean Peter Rosnick.

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Community College has received a $100,000 grant from private investors to help fund the school’s renewable energy/energy efficiency program. The grant — funded by solar energy company SunEdison as part of the $8 million 2.0-megawatt solar farm project built on the town’s capped landfill — will help pay for solar energy education and training at the college.

GCC President Robert Pura said that there is no longer a debate about the need to invest in solar energy and to find ways to make it more affordable for the masses. “The question is not if higher education should build green sustainable energy programs,” he told a group of legislators, educators and investors in front of the college Monday. “It’s to what degree are colleges really committed to the ideas that faculty and students are practicing every day. We want to reduce the gap between what they teach and how we act, this helps us make that commitment.”

The renewable energy/energy efficiency program, created three years ago, teaches students about alternative energy sources and connects them with internships in the field. While grant money will be used to help the academic program across the board, school officials said it will specifically focus on creating a solar energy training program that will help graduates gain employment in that field.

When SunEdison borrowed money from CEI Capital Management for the town’s solar farm project, the company agreed to give $100,000 of that money to GCC. Rep. Stephen Kulik, D-Worthington, praised the collaboration between Greenfield, GCC, SunEdison and other private investors.

“A project like this at the college says, ‘This kind of investment (in energy-efficiency initiatives) is good,’” said Kulik. “It broadens people’s perspectives and acceptance of sustainable and wise uses of energy. I commend the college for that public example and also for the educational opportunities you’re providing people to get into this field.”

And U.S. Rep. James McGovern, D-Worcester, said that education of alternative energy sources is critical to the country’s future. “There are some people who believe we shouldn’t go down this road, that we should stick to the old way. The old way unfortunately has contaminated much of our environment,” said McGovern. “I believe what we’re doing here is leading not only Massachusetts but the rest of the country. This is where we need to go, this is the future.”

The Performance Incentive Fund grants were awarded on a competitive basis and are part of $5 million set aside in the fiscal year 2013 budget to make the community colleges more efficient, promote quality in academics and campus management, increase the number of students who graduate, and enhance career training. The Performance Incentive Fund is a cornerstone of the Vision Project, the state’s master plan to establish the Commonwealth’s system of public higher education as a national leader in educating students to be productive workers and engaged citizens. The “vision” at the heart of the Vision Project is that Massachusetts needs the best educated citizenry and workforce in the nation and that it is the job of public higher education to achieve the result.

The project at GCC will fund the creation of up to 30 new online courses within the associate degree and certificate programming of GCC’s three academic divisions (Professional Studies, Humanities, and Social & Natural Sciences, Math, Business & Technology). These include courses in the high-demand health occupations and STEM areas: 8 Fire Science, 8 STEM, 2-3 health occupations courses, as well as 7 new humanities courses. The project will also create several online supplemental instructional modules in selected health occupations courses to increase student success in courses they often struggle to complete, and will create a menu of online workforce modules to support the continuing education requirements of regional EMTs, paramedics, and other public health and safety workers. Technology enhancements to facilitate expanded online instruction include 1) upgrades to video streaming capabilities, 2) implementation of a dedicated on-campus Learning Lab to support the development of essential writing skills for online course success and facilitate faculty planning regarding online delivery, 3) a technology-enhanced Math classroom, and 4) availability of an online advisor.

Thom Simmons has taught Economics and Business courses for 14 years at the College and is one of GCC’s pioneers in online course delivery. “This is coming at the perfect time for Greenfield Community College,” Simmons said. “Having established a strong reputation for faculty-student interaction, we are now applying that student-friendly approach to new technologies and course delivery methods. Students can be assured that taking an online course will not be a nameless, faceless experience; rather, they will continue to experience the personal attention they deserve and expect. This grant will enable us to continue to expand our offerings and capabilities as the nature of education itself changes.”

GCC President Bob Pura commented on the grant saying, “This was a highly competitive grant process and we are pleased to be recognized at such a high level. Our focus on increasing online education offerings comes from our commitment to providing increased access to affordable quality education to our students. Replicating the high quality of our on-campus classroom experience in our online courses will be at the core of our commitment. Providing online education is not enough, providing excellent online education is our goal.”

Sheryl Hruska, GCC’s Chief Academic and Student Affairs Officer, said, “This new funding will help our students have more options for achieving their educational and career goals while continuing to benefit from small classes, faculty attention, and dedicated academic support resources. Online GCC has the same commitment to student-centered relationship-based learning community education that is the hallmark of a GCC education.”

GCC currently provides fully online courses as well as hybrid courses that blend face-to-face instruction with applications of technology to deepen student learning and course-completion scheduling. With this grant, the College’s online course offerings will make it possible for students to complete the Liberal Studies – General Degree completely online. GCC recently received accreditation approval for the delivery of fully online degrees and this grant is a key support to expanding online certificate and degree offerings over upcoming semesters.

The grant includes funding for a Humanities and Writing Learning Lab/Studio which will be an on-campus location for online students and faculty to work on course materials and success. As at other colleges, the majority of GCC’s online students are also taking at least one other course on campus. GCC Dean of Humanities Leo Hwang-Carlos explains the benefits of programs supported by this new funding, saying, “Providing a consistently rich online learning experience will help differentiate the quality of our offerings from more generic classes, and increased access to our courses will strengthen our students’ ability to graduate within a shorter time frame. In addition to low student-faculty ratios, the College will support access to online tutors; the Peer Tutoring Center; the Math, Science, and Social Science Studios; and develop a new Online Learning Resource Laboratory as part of the new Humanities Studio. GCC wants to combine the benefits of our online curriculum with additional online and on-campus support from faculty staffing the new Online Learning Resource Laboratory. One of our first foci will be on supporting writing across the curriculum in online courses. By increasing access to online courses and combining that with a wide array of support systems, we can help students transition between online and face-to-face environments with equal success and better prepare them for continued studies in higher education or their chosen profession.”

GCC English department chair Stephen Poulin, adds, “For a student, the beauty of taking an online GCC English course is the knowledge that not only will you get twenty-first century curriculum delivered through a twenty-first century medium, you’ll also get an instructor who understands and operates within the unique student-focused culture of GCC. It’s the best of both worlds—academic rigor that prepares students for work and school beyond GCC, and that recognizes the many-faceted life challenges our student population faces.”

Hruska concludes, “Overall, the College is very pleased to have this funding from the State of Massachusetts to advance the education and goal completion of our students through expanded high-quality online course availability. Through these increased online course options and the related new student learning support online and on campus, GCC students will be better able to complete classes on a schedule that fits their work, travel, and family demands.”

By Mary McClintock, ’82

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Starting this January, GCC Associate of Science in Criminal Justice graduates will have a new option for continuing their education at GCC and online. Thanks to a new transfer agreement between GCC and Assumption College in Worcester, GCC Criminal Justice graduates can apply their GCC coursework and degree toward Assumption’s Bachelor of Social Science program with a concentration in Criminal Justice. The first two classes of Assumption Criminal Justice Bachelor’s program will be taught at GCC and the rest of the required courses will be offered online through Assumption’s Continuing & Career Education (CCE) division. Both current GCC students as well as recent graduates will be able to take advantage of this new program.

The agreement between GCC and Assumption College draws on the strengths of both colleges. GCC’s Criminal Justice program provides a broad education in the administration, operations and objectives of the criminal justice system and its component parts: police, courts, and corrections. Assumption is a nationally recognized private college with a reputation for academic quality and a low student-to-faculty ratio. Assumption faculty members are leading Criminal Justice experts known for their personalized approach to teaching. Assumption College has a similar transfer program with Quinsigamond Community College and experience partnering with other community colleges. CCE at Assumption College is considered a great value because the tuition for CCE courses at Assumption is lower than per-course costs at other area colleges. 

Dennis Braun, Director of Continuing & Career Education at Assumption College said, “This new agreement with GCC provides for a seamless transfer from GCC to Assumption’s Bachelor of Sciences in Social Sciences program. Not only will it be easy to transfer credits, but students can complete their four-year degree in their own community and online. We’re glad to be able to make Assumption’s strong Criminal Justice Program available to GCC graduates.”

Terry Lynn, GCC’s Dean of Professional Studies, said, “GCC’s partnerships with highly respected four-year institutions provides more choices for area residents. We continue to see an increase in employment standards in the criminal justice field. Many jobs, including most federal law enforcement jobs, now require a bachelor’s degree. We want all of our students to be able to achieve their dream job. This new partnership with Assumption College gives our criminal justice students and graduates an affordable and convenient option to complete their bachelor’s degree.”

For information about the new transfer agreement, contact Assumption College’s Division of Continuing & Career Education at 508-767-7364 or goplaces@assumption.edu.

By Mary McClintock ’82

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Thomas Jefferson wrote, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.”  He added, “When the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government.”  With those words Jefferson places education as the foundation of democracy. He felt so strongly about the importance of education to the sustainability of democracy that in his State of the Union address in 1806 he said, “Education is here placed among the articles of public care.”

About 35 years later, then Massachusetts Secretary of Education Horace Mann wrote, “According to the European theory, men are divided into classes, some to toil and earn, others to seize and enjoy.  According to Massachusetts’ theory, all are to have an equal chance for earning, and equal security in the enjoyment of what they earn… it is the highest duty of a state.”  Later in that report he writes, “Education, then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is a great equalizer of the conditions of men – the balance wheel of the social machinery.”

Those are the same ideals, values and principles that are at the core of the current national debate on the purpose of higher education.  The choices are increasingly clear: European tracking or the balance wheel of our society.

Robert Frost wrote “my object in living is to unite my avocation and vocation as my two eyes make one in sight.”  At GCC, we strongly believe that the preparation for a good job should never come at the cost of the preparation for a good life.   They are not mutually exclusive goals.   Access to an education that prepares students for a life filled with opportunities for employment, civic engagement and quality of life are embedded in the work of the faculty and staff at GCC every day.  Over the past 50 years, that comprehensive mission, providing access to both workforce and transfer opportunities, has served over 200,000 students.  As a result, lives changed for the better, families grew stronger and so too our community.

Many in our community know firsthand the fears and frustrations of roads and bridges closed by Irene.  Far too many know similar emotions as the doors to opportunity close.  It is as if a banner with the words “Do Not Enter” is placed across the entry at Ellis Island.  Hopelessness is the outcome.

At a time of a decreasing middle class; increasing uncertainty and decreasing hope; at a time when our nation does not seem to act on its stated egalitarian values – our college and this community strive for something better.

Democracy does not flourish in a separate and unequal society; it is the outcome of our collective commitment to provide a good education for all. GCC holds out that lantern and provides hope for our students and this community.

GCC held its commencement this past June and 351 students earned 275 Associate Degrees and 76 Certificates.   Each in that graduating class studied math, science and the English language. They can now communicate more effectively, think more critically and solve problems more creatively.  GCC graduates have learned more about other people, other cultures – and they have learned more about themselves.  Most significantly, each learned how to learn.

Now, they are all off to colleges such as Mt Holyoke, UMass, Amherst, Smith, MCLA, MassArt and Rhode Island School of Design or working at the jobs of their choice.  Forty-five percent (45%) of GCC graduates over the past five years have transferred and 70% of those who graduated in one of our career programs are employed or continuing their education within a year of graduation.

So, it is from the melting pot of our community, that each walked across the stage en route to becoming nurses, EMTs and CNAs; bankers and entrepreneurs; police officers and fire fighters: photovoltaic installers and the designers of tomorrow’s green technologies; artists and web designers; teachers, lawyers and community leaders – social and economic mobility in every step.

There are many these days talking the talk about the American Dream.  Few however, walk the walk like this community and its college.  Make no mistake about it; there is a direct link between the GCC comprehensive mission and that American Dream.

This fall, GCC opened its doors to 2,500 new and returning students.  We welcomed each into something much more significant than a series of classrooms and offices; we opened the doors to opportunity.

There might not be a replica of the Statue of Liberty welcoming all students who enter GCC, but there might as well be.  With the pursuit of their dreams, they are achieving the dream that our nation holds out for each of them.  In so doing, they are holding out the lamp, illuminating a path, so that others may follow.  That path of hope and those roads to opportunity must never be washed away, no matter how heavy the rains.

Sher walked onto that college campus because high school teachers had taught Sher and her peers to expect they would go to college. So, Sher and her friends went. That day, Sher had no idea where college would take her. She had no idea her life’s work would become helping people walk through the door to college and turn the fire in their belly into a better life for themselves and their families. Sher didn’t know her path would lead to being the Chief Academic and Student Affairs Officer at Greenfield Community College.

Sher didn’t know that one day she’d work at GCC, but everything she’s done since her first day of college has led her here. As an undergraduate, Sher studied psychology and education at Mankato State College in Minnesota. She then went to the University of Cincinnati to write a master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation on student learning styles and factors that help students learn more in college classrooms. At the University of Massachusetts, Sher served as director of the Center for Instructional Resources and Improvement for four years and for fourteen years as a faculty member in the School of Education. At the University, Sher taught faculty from many community colleges in Massachusetts, focusing on effective teaching and departmental leadership.

Sher’s desire to work in a college with open admissions led her to the position of Associate Academic Dean at Lyndon State College in Vermont. There, her work supported the faculty’s instructional development and included events with Vermont Technical College, Vermont high schools, and business associations on supporting students’ transition into college.

After many years in New England, horses took Sher and her family to Wyoming. On horseback riding vacations in Wyoming, Sher fell in love with the west and later her husband found the same attraction to big sky country. Sher followed that love to spend 11 years as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming and two years as Vice President for Learning at San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico. In both two-year colleges, Sher continued her work supporting student success and helping initiate innovations in course delivery that would support that success.

Wanting to return to New England and work in a small community college, Sher walked into her first interview at GCC. She was impressed with the Search Committee’s deep dedication and pride in GCC. Sher left her second interview uplifted and energized by the campus members’ strong love for the College and readiness to build on a strong foundation to enhance further students’ positive outcomes. She walked into her first day working at GCC thrilled to help lead a college with such dedicated staff and faculty.

Reflecting on her new position, Sher said, “I feel very blessed to be at GCC. I see the College as a living set of productive relationships connected by everyone’s desire to help students achieve the goals that led them to GCC and to set and achieve even higher goals. All of us at GCC help our students gain the confidence and courage to raise their aspirations and to cultivate the knowledge and skills to meet those aspirations. Together, we make the lives of our students better while they are here at GCC and when they apply their education beyond the college.”

Welcoming Sher to GCC, President Bob Pura said, “Sher leads with her heart in addition to her intelligence. While Sher has respect for data-informed decisions, she understands the complexity of the human experience and knows that numbers don’t capture everything we need to understand about students, teaching, and learning. Sher is a leader who respects collaborative decision-making and whose values fit well with the values and principles of GCC.”

This fall, Sher joins GCC staff and faculty welcoming students who are walking onto a college campus for the first time. Years ago, Sher didn’t know where her own college experience would lead. Now with over 30 years of leadership experience, she’s working collaboratively with GCC’s staff and faculty as they help GCC’s students succeed on their path.

By Mary McClintock ’82

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And now, Gaignard, a 30-year-old Orange native and current Wendell resident, is about to begin a new quest: a two-year graduate photography program at the Yale School of Art.

But she needs a little help to get there.

With tuition costs of $32,500 a year and outstanding loans from past education endeavors, Gaignard said she needs to raise $16,500 in order to attend in the fall.

In an effort to raise money, Gaignard will host a benefit event — called “Yale School of Art or Bust” — tonight at the Wendell Town Hall. The event will feature separate performances by Gaignard and Wendell-based band, Rhythm Incorporated. A silent auction will also take place, with work by local artists and some of Gaignard’s colleagues.

When Gaignard graduated from Mahar Regional School 13 years ago, becoming a professional artist was not on her horizon.

She earned her associate’s degree in baking and pastry art from Johnson & Wales University, and although she enjoyed the decorating aspect, she wasn’t the biggest fan of the overall process.

Without a clear direction on where to go next, she enrolled in courses at GCC, including a blackand- white photography course. Her teachers recognized in her both a talent and a passion for learning more.

“The teachers here at GCC … clued me in and opened my eyes that I could actually do this thing,” said Gaignard.

Tom Young, who teaches photography at GCC, worked with Gaignard extensively.

“I’ve seen an amazing growth. I think it’s a strength of the whole art department (at GCC),” said Young. “She was a strong student always, and whatever was really going on in her life would come out in her photographs, which was really exciting.”

From GCC, Gaignard transferred to Massachusetts College of Art and obtained a bachelor’s degree in fine art photography.

But even with a degree in something she was interested in, she again felt unsure of where to go next.

“A lot of artists probably feel like, ‘You know what you want to do but there isn’t a set job for that,’” she said. She was a substitute teacher at her old high school, sometimes in art classes, but didn’t feel that was right for her.

Gaignard then turned to the same place she had turned to in 2001.

“I actually signed up for a class at GCC,” she said. “I need(ed) the environment with the artists, I need(ed) the facilities, and I just wanted to be able to reconnect and reboot and GCC allowed me to do that.”

In 2007 and 2008, she continued to take photography classes — focusing on the digital medium that was continuing to rise in popularity. Today, she primarily shoots with black-and-white large-format film, scans her negatives and prints digitally.

Applying to Yale

Gaignard began to hear more each year about Yale’s graduate photography program. She knew instructors who had graduated from the program.

Soon, two of her friends — Katie Kote and Kate Merrill — were in the program as well.

“I was like, ‘This is freaking me out,’” she said. “‘Two of my friends have gotten in. I totally need to not psych myself out and just apply. The worst they could say is ‘no.’” Gaignard first applied for the Yale program a year ago. She was called in for an interview in New Haven, Conn. — where she had to present her work to professors and the program’s first-year students.

Each year, Yale invites 30 people for interviews and accepts 10 into the program, she said.

“I survived my first attempt at applying there, but I didn’t get in,” said Gaignard, who was waitlisted to the program.

Gaignard was discouraged, but found renewed inspiration months later through a new series of video projects.

In the videos, Gaignard lipsynchs popular songs with makeup and costumes, with the effect of “mimicking pop culture from a YouTuber’s perspective.”

In one of her sequences, she splashed 16 lip-synch videos onto the screen at the same time. A viewer can differentiate between the individual songs at first, but soon is bombarded with both visuals and noise — something Gaignard believes is indicative of what pop culture does to people today.

“That got me motivated again once I realized what I was doing with those,” she said. “I was really excited about them, but once you kind of figure out what you’re trying to say with them, then you’re just like, ‘OK, I’m making art again.’” Gaignard presented the videos during a second interview this March in Yale. This time, she was accepted.

Support from Wendell

Gaignard was at the Wendell Country Store when she read the acceptance email from Yale. It was near April 1, and it took her a minute to confirm that this was reality, and not a prank.

“It was cool to find out there,” she said. “I feel like that community has been with me through the creative process.”

She has worked at the store for four years and lived in town the last 2½. It’s a place where Gaignard has found photo subjects, fellow artists and a supportive audience of her work.

In her photos, which she calls “environmental portraits,” she tries to capture Wendell residents in their homes and places where they find inner comfort.

And as interest in her videos grew, they have begun to incorporate more of the local crowd, she said.

“Wendell has such a wide range of people there,” she said. “Even if you wouldn’t think they’d be willing to do some of the stuff I get them to do, they’re totally into it.”

At the “Yale School of Art or Bust” event tonight, she’ll be performing as her alter ego, “Creative Curvy Ginger.” She will combine her lip-synch videos with a live performance — something she has a hard time classifying or describing, but one that she said has had a good reception in the past.

The event, sponsored by the Wendell Cultural Council of Massachusetts, starts at 7 and there is a suggested donation of $10, said Gaignard.

For more information:

http://sites.google.com/site/yaleschool ofartorbust/ Chris Shores is a staff writer for The Recorder and can be reached at: shores@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 264

Captain John Newton of the Greenfield Police Department (Ret.) will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the event, which will include remarks from Gill Police Chief and current President of the Franklin County Police Chiefs Association David Hastings, Franklin County Sheriff Christopher Donelan, Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan and GCC Dean of Professional Studies Terry Lynn. The reception will begin at 6:00 PM in the GCC Dining Commons, and the graduation ceremony will immediately follow at 6:30 p.m.

The Franklin County Reserve Police Academy’s first cohort was a success thanks to the commitment and collaboration of the above-named organizations that came together as a team to create a program for police officer training in Franklin County, ending the decades long practice of students needing to travel to Springfield for the training and credentials to serve.

GCC President Bob Pura noted that this is yet another example of this community rising to the occasion to support students. “Ten of the 35 graduates from the Academy are also enrolled in GCC’s Criminal Justice Program and all of the graduates are engaged in learning to change their lives and strengthen their families and their communities,” he commented. “The benefit to the area’s law enforcement of having local, cost effective workforce training is immeasurable and the contribution to our student success in the Criminal Justice Program, of having the pathway to their career goals continue right here where they are already studying, is tremendous.”

The intensive 14-week course is required of any person who wants to start a career as a part-time police officer, and was offered to Franklin County residents at a significantly reduced cost. The cost to attend an academy run in the Springfield area, coupled with the costs of travel three days per week was prohibitive for college students or others looking to start a career in law enforcement. The Franklin County Police Academy’s reduced cost, according to Franklin County Sheriff Chris Donelan, comes from working together. “All of the partners in this effort provided certified trainers, lawyers and teachers to be the instructors for this academy at little to no cost and GCC generously provided the instruction space,” he said.

Franklin County Reserve Police Academy Graduation – June 28, 2012 LIST OF GRADUATES

Sponsoring Agency

1. FCSO Aiken, Michael

2. FCSO-GCC Banari, Andrei

3. Erving PD Budine, Aaron

4. FCSO-GCC Cappella, Rachel

5. FCSO-GCC DeHoyos, Thomas

6. Charlemont PD Dekoschak, Gregory

7. Montague PD Dobosz, Joshua

8. Colrain PD Downer, Gary

9. Gill PD Duguay, Michelle

10. Colrain PD D Dyer, Barbara

11. FCSO-GCC Finck, Christian

12. FCSO-GCC Franklin, Ephraim

13. FCSO Gagnon, Gary

14. New Salem PD Gamache, Melissa

15. FCSO Glabach, Rick

16. Charlemont PD Hebert, Katherine

17. FCSO-GCC Holland, Jamal

18. FCSO-GCC Holmes, Jonathan

19. FCSO-GCC Komerzan, Igor

20. Athol PD LaMarche, Joshua

21. Erving PD Lamica, Dakota

22. Montague PD Lapean, Jacob

23. Montague PD Lucas, Melony

24. FCSO-GCC MacDougall, Tiffany

25. Buckland PD Melnick, Christopher

26. FCSO-GCC Powell, Cory

27. Orange PD Powling, Tim

28. FCSO-GCC Russell, Jennifer

29. Plainfield PD Shearer, Joshua

30. Athol PD Thompson, Brandi

31. Erving PD Towne, Michael

32. Greenfield PD VanValkenburgh, John

33. FCSO-GCC Westfall, Alex

34. FCSO Winn, Tom Stut Sig

FCSO = Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Employee

FCSO-GCC = Franklin County Sheriff’s Office/GCC Student

PD = Local Police Department

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