Bill’s Bulletin is a feature of HCC Connection Online where President William F. Messner shares news about all-college initiatives and the college’s expanding involvement in the region.

Accreditation
Holyoke Community College received a letter from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) informing us that the fifth-year interim report submitted by HCC has been accepted. Acceptance of this report keeps the college in good standing with NEASC until 2010. Thanks to all that were involved in preparing this report.

New Admissions Agreements
The college has established new joint admissions programs with American International College, Western New England College and Bay Path College. Enrollment into these programs is based upon designated programs at Holyoke Community College. Students interested in this program must talk to a transfer counselor as early as possible.

Under these programs students are conditionally accepted into these schools provided they have earned an associate's degree or accumulated 60 credit hours at Holyoke Community College, with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA). At American International College, that minimum GPA is 2.0; at Western New England College it is 2.3; at Bay Path College it is 2.0. Each school has established merit-based financial aid packaging, which takes into account each student’s cumulative grade point average.

The American International College program started this past fall, while the Western New England College and the Bay Path College programs will start for the spring of 2006.

Community Partnerships
For several months now, the president’s office has been sponsoring a series of breakfast meetings for area leaders to discuss issues of common concern and potential collaborations. In the fall, meetings were held with religious leaders and human service executives from the Holyoke area. We have recently convened the directors of large, multi-site human service organizations and school superintendents in the Greater Springfield area. Included in this group were school districts which send the greatest number students to HCC and those whose chief executives were recently appointed.

These meeting were also attended by a number of HCC department heads, vice presidents, and program coordinators so that the college could identify collaborations and establish the personal contacts. These relationships will be crucial in maintaining a working relationship with our community partners.

Follow-up sessions have been scheduled to further explore partnerships such as the re-establishment of a dual enrollment program with a regional approach, including various community colleges and school superintendents.

¡Avanza!
In late November, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation asked HCC to submit a concept paper highlighting the vision of our ¡Avanza! coalition. This partnership, you may recall, brings together city leaders, education officials and other community partners in an effort to improve access to education for Latino students. This position paper is the result of a number of consultations with public school officials and the CEO's of community-based organizations and coalitions. We are waiting for feedback from Kellogg’s program director to further develop our program strategies. Conversations with partners have shed light on new opportunities for collaborations that we are currently pursuing.

Recruitment
The college is busy recruiting students for the spring semester and beyond. On January 14 from 9 a.m. to noon, and January 17, from 4 to 7 p.m., the college hosted Registration Express, a quick, easy way for eligible applicants to attend HCC this spring. On hand were registrars, transfer counselors, financial aid counselors and others who helped prospective students wade through the bureaucracy of higher education.

On Jan. 18, the college held a reception for nearly 100 local high school seniors who were accepted to HCC through the Avanza 2 College initiative.

Bolivian Students Visit HCC

Tatcaca, Bolivia native Olga Cruz is seen here with Orlando Isaza, the special assistant to President Bill Messner, during a recent visit to the HCC campus. Cruz is one of 15 Bolivian students who are on a month-long tour of the United States sponsored by the Institute for Training and Development. The Bolivian students will return to HCC on January 24 to perform traditional Bolivian dances.

At first glance, the 15 men and women who visited HCC on January 9 looked like any other group of prospective students: wearing baseball hats, jeans, and winter jackets, they eagerly snapped pictures as they met with HCC President Bill Messner and other campus leaders.

But this was no visiting contingent from a local high school.

These college students were from Bolivia, guests of the Institute for Training and Development, which hosted a month-long tour for the group to introduce them to the culture, values and institutions of the United States. Included in the group were students from a rainbow of indigenous Bolivian ethnic groups, including the Quecha, Aymara, Chaqueño, Mojeno, and Chiquitano peoples.

The visit was funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of States, Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs.

During their afternoon visit to HCC, the Bolivian students used an interpreter to engage HCC officials in a spirited discussion about student government, education, and politics. The delegation will return to HCC on January 24, at 2 p.m., when they will present a program of traditional ethnic dances in the Forum. The entire community is encouraged to attend.

Olga Cruz, 24, comes from Titcaca, a rural village of just 60 families. Her parents do not read or write and her mother believes women do not have a role outside the home. Though she communicated with the HCC community in Spanish, her first language is Aymara, an ancient indigenous tongue.

“Fortunately my father supported and encouraged me to educate myself,” Cruz told the group. “So, after my primary education, I left my community to study far away… I never thought I would get a chance to go to college. But what I really want to do was help small communities like my own with farming.”

Cruz hasn’t decided what job she will take when she graduates, but she does know where she wants to be:
“The two most important things for me are to help the families in dairy farming areas and empower women to get ahead in life,” she said.

When she returns to Bolivia, Cruz will travel to 250 villages to discuss her impressions of the United States.

As a child, Sabino Mendoza did not think he would attend college. Now 27, he is a law student studying at the Universidad Mayor de San Andres, in La Paz Capitol.

“My father abandoned my mother and I became head of the house at 14,” said Mendoza. “I worked hard in the mines and on farms to support my mother and siblings. Surrounded by poverty, illiteracy and struggles gave me the determination and will to be better. I knew I had to not only help my family, but the 80 people in the community where I lived, and the 1,400 people in neighboring communities.”

“Fourteen percent of kids who enter first grade will not graduate high school,” Mendoza said. “There is no adequate policy concerning education. People have the desire to learn but not the resources. All these facts urged me become a leader.”

Cruz and Mendoza’s tales of struggle and determination were echoed by other members of the group. So, too, were their general impressions of the United States.

“We are quite surprised, pleasantly,” said Yamil Vera, law student from the Universidad Mayor de San Andres in La Paz Capitol.

“Americas have greeted us warmly and treated us with great respect. This is quite the opposite impression we are given in Bolivia. We are all grateful for this opportunity and the people we have met. Thank you for having us.”

HCC Remembers Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The college was closed in observance of Martin Luther King Day, January 16, but, that didn’t mean the day went on unnoticed. On January 12, several members of the HCC community joined the American Friends Service Committee in creating a “Conversation Circle” to honor the life of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Participants in the “Circle” discussed community, faith justice, and action – themes that honor the slain civil rights leader. The AFSC sponsored several such circles around Western Massachusetts during the week prior to MLK Day.

Left to right, English instructors Katheryn Corrigan and Petriana Monize join Jen Dolan, Coordinator of Community Service Learning, in a discussion about Martin Luther King, Jr.

At HCC, Vivian Ostrowski, the coordinator of student activities, led a discussion among HCC faculty and staff. The key themes discussed were spirituality, justice, and how to live these concepts in life, with family members and here at HCC. From a spiritual point of view, the diversity of the group could not have been broader. Among the eight participants, there was a Methodist, a Jew, a Catholic, a Buddhist, a Baptist, a Seventh Day Adventist, an agnostic, and an atheist.

“However, I don’t like refer to myself as an atheist, because it is so negative,” said Allison Reid, who works in community service learning program. “Atheist only tells what I am not. It does not explain what I am. I believe in humanity and in our common potential and I have an obligation to work for that.”
Katheryn Corrigan, an adjunct instructor in the English department, met Dr. King on several occasions in the 1960’s when both were involved in the civil rights movement.

“They were such powerful times then,” said Corrigan. “We [our generation] were caught up vehemently in the hope to change the wrongs that we were living within our churches, families and towns. King was leading the way. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was a man of faith, justice and, action. He inspired me personally, and my life utterly changed in those years.”

All the participants spoke about how the spirit of Dr. King and spiritually played an important role in their daily lives - including the work they do at HCC.

“Without a sense of spirituality, I would not be able to sustain myself in this work,” said Senior Academic Counselor Mary Jane “Mimsy” O’Connor.

“I need to be part of a community that supports me.”
English instructor Petriana Monize said King inspired her to embrace her spiritual side.

“It is not always easy to have discussions about spirituality. It is not considered politically correct, especially in academia,” she said. “What resonates in me is to hear about Dr. King’s beliefs. I can hear the melody of his voice as he spoke of justice, equity, and humanity,” she said. “To actualize justice means living a just life if only little by little, a practice I bring to my classroom.

The discussion lasted an hour and a half. “I feel there is so much to say said Connor.” As the discussion closed the group felt connected in some way. Everyone had a clear sense of the courage, compassion, trust, patience, forgiveness, hope and humanity, that made up the life and work of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sonia Correa Pope Bids a Tearful Farewell to HCC

Sonia Correa Pope gives a warm greeting to one of her current Upward Bound students during Pope's going away party, held January 11.

Sonia Correa Pope bid a fond farewell to the HCC community during a heart-felt tribute on January 11. Pope, 42, took over as the director of the Holyoke Community Charter School on January 17.

Upward Bound is federally funded program that provides academic enrichment for low-income high school students from Holyoke and Chicopee. Sonia was the program’s first manager, and many would, say it’s mother. She advised, needled, cajoled and guided dozens of students to graduate first from high school, and, then, from college. Several have since gone on to graduate school.

Sonia Correa Pope is surrounded by current and past Upward Bound students during her farewell party, held January 11.

“I will not be here, physically, as of Friday (Jan. 13),” Pope told the teens, many of whom gulped back tears. “But you know I will be here spiritually. The program can’t exist without you, but it can exist without me. I guarantee you and your families that the program will continue. And remember, the power is in you.”

More than 30 Upward Bound students and parents came to honor Pope for being not only a valuable advisor, but a role model and inspiration to them.

Sonia Correa Pope bids a warm farewell to one of her Upward Bound students during her going-away party, January 11.

“She was like a mother to me,” said Jessica Bresnahan, a Holyoke teenager who is currently enrolled in Upward Bound.

Lisa Darga remembered a time when her daughter, Katie, was hospitalized and subsequently dropped out of high school. The elder Darga said Pope never lost faith that Katie’s dreams would ultimately prevail. Pope remained an integral part of the young girl’s recovery.

“Katie was not afraid to talk to Sonia [and] that is difficult with people of authority,” Darga said. “Sometimes I would call her to ask what to do. She was there for me.”

Despite their disappointment over Pope’s departure from HCC, everyone wished the best of luck to her, knowing that Pope will bring the same success and inspiration to the Holyoke Community Charter School.

The Real Hollywood Story: HCC Alum Kate Lacey Dishes on the Life of a Casting Director

The HCC theatre arts department got a rare peek into the underbelly of the film industry December 21 when Walt Disney casting director and HCC alum Kathryn “Kate” Lacey stopped by for a chat.

The 30-year-old Belchertown native did not mince words: the field can be tough if you are not absolutely dedicated to it. She said her training under HCC Theatre Arts Professor Patricia Sandoval prepared her for the grind.

“ If you don’t absolutely love acting, then you should get out,” she said. “Because it will eat you right up.”

Though she has not yet landed a role in front of the camera, Lacey is far from being “devoured” by Hollywood. She has tasted success - as a casting director - in such films as “Reign of Fire,” “Stick It,” “The Recruit” and “Princess Diaries II: Royal Engagement.” When she returned to Hollywood after the holidays, Lacey was scheduled to continue casting three motion pictures.

During her informal visit with HCC students, Lacey stressed the importance of hard work.

“ Personality and work ethic are important,” she said. “If you have a good personality, people want to know you. And if you have a good work ethic, they won’t want to let you go.”

That formula worked for Lacey, who landed her first job with a casting director on the strength of her performance as an unpaid intern. But there was no resting on laurels. Within a year, her new boss decided to retire, leaving Lacey to fend for herself in the competitive film industry. Her solution?

“I spent four days faxing my resume to every casting director in town,” she said.

Even then, success was not immediate. The first casting director to call her in for an interview said she didn’t have anything at the moment. She was just curious.

“That was great,” said Lacey. “But I was still bartending.”
Not long afterwards, she landed a steady gig.

Since then, Lacey has been on something of a fast-track, moving quickly from a secretarial role to one where she works directly with actors. She loves the work, though it sometimes follows her out of the studio.

“My dentist gave me his boyfriend’s resume and a picture and asked me if I could do something for him,” she said. “So when I go out for fun, I’m a bartender from Manhattan Beach, because everyone’s looking for a break.”

Much the same can be said for Lacey, who still harbors dreams of becoming a working actress. With her willowy frame, long blond hair and pearly-white smile, she could easily be mistaken for a young ingénue. She still studies her craft and performs in some plays in her free time.

“People say, ‘What happened to acting?’ and I have to say that chapter is not yet closed,” she said. “But a funny thing happens in Hollywood. You start to realize that you are no better off today than you were yesterday for having gone to that premier or walked on the red carpet.”

Campus Briefs

Buy a Piece of HCC History

“The History of HCC Volume I: 1946-1975” is now in print and is available for purchase in the HCC Foundation Office at Donahue 101. Written by emeritus faculty member George Ashley and illustrated with over forty photographs, this 94-page book is a moving testimony to the dedicated efforts of Dr. George Frost and the students, faculty and staff who founded HCC.

Sold to the public for $22 per copy, HCC staff and students may purchase the book for a special price, $17. Checks, cash, charge or debit cards will be accepted.

Latino Mural Project Comes to HCC

The Children’s Museum at Holyoke and the Holyoke Juvenile Court Probation Department have teamed up with HCC on the Latino Mural Project, an artistic and cultural venture involving at-risk city youths and HCC students. Funded by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and supported by the ¡AVANZA! coalition, the project will create a 40-by-8-foot mural celebrating the Latino experience in Holyoke. The mural will be created at the Holyoke Children’s Museum and installed on the HCC campus, on the wall just above the student plaza in May.

Project organizers are targeting the first week of February for a kick-off event.

The mural project will enlist the talents of 10 Latino youths who have been ordered to do community service by the Holyoke Juvenile Court. Ten HCC students will assist in the project as both artists and mentors.

Fundraisers Make a Difference

Human Services instructor Jane Gilman is seen here presenting a check for 1,147.87 to President Bill Messner on Dec. 15. The funds were raised by Gilman's Group Dynamics class as a tribute to longtime HCC academic counselor Rick Vitello, who died last summer. "This is the first time a course has done anything on this level," said Gilman.

Before the campus closed for the winter holidays, students, staff and faculty took time to raise funds for two worthy causes.

Students involved in Jane Goldman’s Group Dynamics class raised $1,147 to go toward a memorial garden that they hope to dedicate to longtime HCC academic advisor and friend, Rick Vitello, who passed away last summer.

Also working for a good cause were the staff and faculty who donated their own objets d’art for a holiday art exhibition and sale which was held in the Taber Gallery on Dec. 15-17. That effort raised more than $450 for the Taber Gallerys programs.

Book Donations Needed

Books for Africa (http://www.booksforafrica.org/index.html) is a non-profit organization which distributes books to partner organizations in African countries. A shipment of books will be sent to Africa through this great organization on Friday January 27.

If you have books you would like to donate, check the bring them to Jen Dolan (Donahue 265) or Allison Reid (G-310) Small donations (a dollar or two) to cover shipping will also be accepted. Any questions? Call HCC’s AmeriCorps volunteer, Allison J. Reid at ext. 2511.

The majority of the books sent to Africa are hardcover textbooks, elementary through college level. Frequently requested books include:

• Fiction & Non-fiction children through adult reading books that are hard-cover or quality soft-cover.
• Post-secondary textbooks, hard-cover or soft-cover.
• Reference books such as encyclopedias and dictionaries 1990 or newer.
• Medical, nursing, and law textbooks & journals
• National Geographic and academic journals from the past 10 years.
• School supplies—paper, pencils, pens, etc. are always welcome.

Notices

Blended Business Solutions Series

HCC Center for Business and Professional Development and Pioneer Valley Training, Inc., are collaborating to offer Blended Business Solutions, six separate workshops that focus on integrating different computer-based skills into the workplace. The classes will range from 3 to 7 hours. To sign up, or to get more information, call the center at (413) 552-2742 or visit www.TheCenter-HCC.org. Classes begin February 3.

Project Management Certificate Course

The HCC Center for Business & Professional Development is now taking registrations for its project management certificate program which will run Tuesdays, 6 –9 p.m., February 21 to May 23. This program is ideal for working professionals, business leaders and others who would like to learn project management skills to solve real-life business problems. The program meets the formal education requirements for Project Management Professional designation through the Project Management Institute.

To find out more or to register, call Maria Vargas at (413) 552-2122.

Refresher Courses for Nurses

The Center for Business & Professional Development at Holyoke Community College is now accepting applications for its nursing refresher course which will be held weekends, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., from March 4 to May 20. The deadline for registering for this course is February 22.

Call Maria Vargas at (413) 552-2122 for more information.
Conducted under the auspices of the center’s Healthcare Training Institute, this course is designed for currently licensed RN’s who have been out of the field or who want to update their medical surgical skills so they can work in acute care.

Upcoming Campus Events:

HCC's Taber Gallery
Contact Amy Johnquest (413) 552-2614; ajohnquest@hcc.mass.edu for more information.

The campus is invited to view ”Storyboard” an exhibit of 150 paintings and drawings by Dean Nimmer, on display at the Taber Art Gallery January 23 to February 16. You may come meet with Nimmer during an opening reception, February 1, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

The Taber Gallery is located in the Donahue building of HCC, 303 Homestead Avenue, Holyoke. The gallery will be open Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Student Activities and Events:
Contact Vivian Ostrowski (413) 552-2418; vostrowski@hcc.mass.edu for more information.

Wednesday, January 25 11 a.m., café
Welcome back! HCC alum Willie Williams and his Motown band, The Hot Chiles, will perform during the Wednesday activity period, 11 a.m. to noon. Join us for hot chocolate and hot tunes.

Wednesday, February 1, 11 a.m., café
Club Fair and Karaoke Dare – Representatives from the more than 50 student-run clubs will be on hand to show you what, besides studying, you can do this semester. And, when you are done signing up, you can show us all what a great voice you have. That’s right: it’s karaoke time at HCC. So, do you think you can pull off a decent rendition of “Melancholy Baby”?

Wednesday February 1, 11 a.m., Forum
New Hampshire filmmaker Thomas Jackson will be on hand to screen his new work “Worlds Apart: 9-11 First Responders Against War.” Join us for this gripping film and an intimate discussion with the filmmaker. Sponsored in part by the American Friends Service Committee.

Sunday, February 19, 5 p.m., Chez Josef, Agawam
The HCC Upward Bound program will mark its 10th anniversary by honoring three of its biggest supporters. Congressman John Olver, Dr.Elaine Ironfield and Dr. Laura Coelen will be the guests of honor at this banquet, which will also feature a visit by Dr. Sonia Correa Pope, Upward Bound’s first director.

HCC Connection is published every other Tuesday (or thereabouts) and is distributed to the campus community, and friends of the college, and local media.

To be added to our email distribution list, please email: Kimberly Wilson, kwilson@hcc.mass.edu
To submit campus event information for inclusion in HCC Connection, email Natalia Munoz, nmunoz@hcc.mass.eduwith details including date, time, location, cost if any, open to public or not, web links (if appropriate) and contact information (name, phone number, and email). Deadline: end of day Friday before publication.

Natalia Munoz
Assistant Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Holyoke Community College
Phone: (413) 552-2183 Fax: (413) 552-2479
cell: (413) 348-8515 (emergency)
nmunoz@hcc.mass.edunmunoz@hcc.mass.edu
Holyoke Community College is the Commonwealth’s oldest community college, serving almost 9,000 students annually in 82 associate degree options and 42 certificate programs, and over 4,000 in noncredit and workforce development courses. The college has the highest transfer rate of any community college statewide, holding articulation agreements with 27 colleges and universities. Recognized for its Honors Program, distance learning curriculum, learning communities, and service to students, HCC anticipates opening its state of-the-art Kittredge Business Center in Spring 2006.