Press Releases, November 2007

HCC artists to be exhibited at Herter Gallery Nov. 20 - Dec. 20
November 5 , 2007 

AMHERST - The public is invited to the University of Massachusetts' Herter Gallery November 20 to celebrate Views and Visions, an eclectic exhibition of recent works by faculty of Holyoke Community College, Greenfield Community College, and Berkshire Community College.

The opening reception will be held November 20, 4-6 p.m. The show, which includes works from 30 area artists, will be on display until December 20. The Herter Gallery is open weekdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays, 1-4 p.m. Admission is free.

Among the 17 artists from Holyoke Community College are Frank Cressotti, Cynthia Guild, Aliz Hegeler, Robert Aller, and Frank Ward. Attached is "Steamboat Road" a painting by Guild, a Wilbraham artist, that will appear in the show.

HCC to host Iraq War discussion November 8
November 6, 2007 

HOLYOKE – The public is invited to Holyoke Community College on Thursday, November 8 at 2:30 p.m. for a moving discussion of the Iraq War experience featuring HCC adjunct American history professor and author Elise Forbes Tripp and a panel of Iraq War veterans and family members. The event will take place in room 301 in the Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development.

No reservations are necessary for this free event, but more information is available by calling Camille Close at (413) 552-2277.

A former international relations counselor for UN affairs at the World Bank, Tripp, of Sunderland has recently published "Surviving Iraq: Soldiers' Stories," ($18, Olive Branch Press) a compilation of narratives from 30 returning soldiers - some of them with connections to HCC.

Released on October 11, the book may also be purchased on Amazon.com for $12.24.

The November 8 event will also feature a panel of military personnel, soldiers, and family members:

· Jaime A. Perez, Captain, Army Reserve, Iraq War veteran, and a counselor at the Springfield Veterans' Center.

· Andrew J. Simkewicz, Sergeant, US Army, Afghanistan and Iraq War veteran, and a counselor at the Springfield Veterans' Center.

· Andre M.M. Queiroga, Corporal in the Marine Corps, Iraq veteran, and an HCC student.

· Joyce and Kevin Lucey, parents of the late Jeffrey Lucey who was a Corporal in the Marine Corps and a former HCC student.

Tripp's book has been hailed by critics for its candor and reverence. Noted filmmaker Ken Burns has called it "[A] shocking, moving, and utterly heroic portrait of young men and women in impossible situations."

The book is available at South Hadley's Odyssey Books,

Tripp's appearance is sponsored by the Authors@HCC series, a year-long promotion of the authors who work at Holyoke Community College. For more information about the series, contact Camille Close at (413) 552-2277.

HCC recognized by National Council for Marketing & Public Relations
November 7 , 2007 

HOLYOKE – Region I of the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations announced on November 5 that Holyoke Community College has been chosen to receive five first place (or "Gold") and two third place (or "Bronze") Medallion Awards for its public relations efforts. This is the highest number of first place awards received by any member college in 2007 and it is also the highest number of Gold Medallions ever taken home by HCC in a single year.

Announcement of the 2007 Medallion Awards came during the organization's annual conference, which was held in Annapolis, Maryland November 4-6. HCC Director of Marketing and Public Relations Anne Sroka was on hand to pick up the awards, which recognized HCC's success in feature and news story placement, writing, event and publication marketing, transportation advertising, and publication design.

The National Council for Marketing & Public Relations represents marketing and PR professionals at 600 community and technical colleges in the United States, Canada, and Scotland.


Chicopee resident hired as staff assistant to HCC President
November 13, 2007 
HOLYOKE – Holyoke Community College announced this week that it has appointed Chicopee resident Karen Desjeans to the position of staff assistant to President William Messner.

Desjeans comes to this position from the Chicopee-based Rock-Tenn Industries, where she served as customer service manager for 14 years. She will serve alongside fellow staff assistant Colleen Cameron.


Merritt earns place on All-American team
November 28 , 2007 
HOLYOKE – Southampton resident Maria Merritt has been named to the National Junior College Athletic Association's Division III All-American Soccer team.

A sophomore at Holyoke Community College, Merritt is the captain of the Lady Cougars Soccer Team and holds the college's record for points scored.

The newest honor is not the first for the former Hampshire Regional High School soccer player. Earlier this fall, the NJCAA named Merritt as its co-player of the week for October 17-24. Merritt went on to an impressive season - scoring 14 goals and one assist for a total of 29 points in 13 games. As a freshman Merritt was just as impressive, scoring 22 goals and 12 assists for 56 points. Over the course of her career, she has scored 37 goals and 14 assists for 88 points in 38 games. A sports management major, Merritt is now considering finishing her undergraduate studies at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Springfield College or Western New England College.

HCC offers free sessions for college transfers
November 28 , 2007 

HOLYOKE – Current and prospective Holyoke Community College students and their families are invited to HCC's Kittredge Center on December 11 and every Tuesday for Transfer Tuesdays a free information and strategy session for associates degree students who want to continue their studies at a four-year institution.

The hour-long session will be held at 2:30 p.m. in room 302 of HCC's Kittredge Center. To reserve a seat at this, or any future Transfer Tuesdays session, call the HCC Office of Admissions at (413) 552-2321 or email admissions@hcc.mass.edu at least one day prior to the event. There will be no Transfer Tuesday sessions on Dec. 25 or Jan. 1.

Participants will learn about joint admissions programs, scholarships, the transfer application process, interview strategies, essays, course selection and much more. This is a great event for any HCC student (or prospective HCC student) who is curious about how to pursue a four-year degree.

Transfer Tuesdays is part of a series of informational programs provided by HCC for those seeking access to higher education. Other events include Welcome Wednesdays, which introduces participants to HCC's many educational and support services, and FAFSA Fridays, which helps participants negotiate the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

HCC President Named Chair of Online Consortium
November 30 , 2007 

HOLYOKE – William (Bill) F. Messner, president of Holyoke Community College, was recently appointed chair of the executive committee of Massachusetts Colleges Online (MCO), a consortium of the 24 state and community colleges in Massachusetts designed to deliver online education.

As chair, Messner will play a leadership role in expanding MCO which now has over 1500 online courses and 100+ certificate and degree programs-offered by Massachusetts state and community colleges -on its website.

In addition to providing one-stop shopping for students interested in online courses and programs, MCO allows member colleges to better market their online resources to a number of target audiences such as state agencies that need effective, low cost training options and businesses that want to convert existing classroom courses to online delivery. MCO also encourages member colleges to share resources and collaborate on the delivery of online courses and programs.

Dr. Messner of West Springfield, Massachusetts, began his tenure as president of Holyoke Community College in August 2004. He previously served for eight years as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin Colleges, where he was responsible for the management of 13 two-year colleges, which serve as the general education and transfer arms of the University of Wisconsin system.

Prior to that, Messner served as vice provost of the State University of New York (SUNY), and as president and vice president for academic affairs of SUNY at Orange (formerly Orange County Community College). He also served as vice president and dean of the college at Keystone Junior College in Pennsylvania. At Keystone, he was also a history instructor for five years.

Dr. Messner serves on several community boards, including the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce, Historic Holyoke at Wistariahurst, the Holyoke Public Library, the Economic Development Council, the Holyoke Medical Center, the United Way of Pioneer Valley, the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County, Inc., the Pioneer Valley Plan for Progress, and the Pioneer Valley Regional Competitiveness Council. He earned an associate degree in education at Concordia College in New York, a bachelor's degree in history at Concordia Teachers College in Illinois, and both a master's degree and doctorate in history at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

"MCO is important in that it provides a means for Massachusetts' community colleges and state colleges to collaborate with each other in the provision of online courses and support services to students. My goal is to provide leadership in this effort, and to enhance efforts at broadening collaboration particularly in regard to key support services such as professional development opportunities for faculty interested in online teaching."

For more information on online courses offered by MCO partner colleges, visit the MCO website at www.mco.mass.edu or contact MCO at info@mco.mass.edu or 978 556-3324.

Massachusetts Colleges Online (MCO) is a consortium of the state and community colleges in Massachusetts. The institutions have joined to share their convenient and flexible online courses and programs with students throughout the state and beyond. In addition to one-stop shopping, MCO offers enrollment options for high school students who want to earn high school and college credit and has allowed MCO member colleges to better market their online offerings to target audiences such as state agencies that need effective, low cost training options and businesses that want to convert existing classroom courses into online delivery.