April '25 News Blog
News briefs from the HCC campus and beyond
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Cleanup Crew
The city’s eighth annual Keep Holyoke Clean campaign kicked off on Earth Day (April 22) and saw its biggest first-day turnout ever. A lot of the credit for that success belongs to environmental science major Joe Black, who worked with organizer One Holyoke CDC to recruit volunteers for the day. “We always invite everyone in the community to come to our kickoff, but today has been the best start ever,” said Nayroby Rosa '10, community engagement director for One Holyoke (and also an HCC alum and trustee). “Joe is amazing and so inspiring.” About 30 people showed up, many of them Black’s classmates and professors from HCC. Last year, Black was awarded a national Newman Civic Fellowship, and as part of his fellowship project, he is working with One Holyoke to clean up the Flats section of the city. “The focus of my project is just to increase environmental stewardship around Holyoke, so part of that is definitely helping to keep the environment clean,” he said. Rosa also recruited Black to join the city’s Recycling Committee. Even though Black will graduate this spring, his work with the city will continue. He’s planning a Christmas tree-planting event at the Kelly Elementary School and a block party-style event for the summer. “They’ll be free food and entertainment and people will get to learn a little bit about environmental stewardship,” he said. (PHOTO: HCC students Joe Black, left, and Jeronimo Monsalve hold bags of garbage they collected on the first day of the city’s 2025 Keep Holyoke Clean campaign.)
Courtyard Murmuration
In the world of birding, “murmuration” describes the synchronous, swarming movements of a giant flock of starlings as they twist and turn together in the sky. Inspired by that ornithological phenomenon, liberal arts major Alison Smythe ’25 created “Murmurations,” an improvisational music and dance performance that she led for one hour in the HCC Courtyard on a recent Wednesday. “So, we have five musicians who are basing the music they’re playing on the movements of seven dancers,” she explained, “and then the dancers are basing their movements on what they’re hearing from the musicians. It’s kind of this big, feedback loop.” Smythe developed “Murmurations” as an honors project for “Be the Change: The World Needs You,” an honors colloquium taught by professors Vanessa Martinez and Adina Giannelli. “My central theme with this project is interconnection and how we affect one another,” Smythe said. “I’m looking at how humans work better when we work together, instead of just on our own, individually. This is an artistic representation of that idea.” PHOTO: Alison Smythe, right, performs “Murmurations” with her troupe of dancers and musicians in the HCC Courtyard.
Visual Art Awards
The Visual Art department recognized 12 outstanding students with awards during an April 17 reception opening the 2025 Student Art Exhibition in the Taber Art Gallery. Prizes for Outstanding Achievement in Visual Art were awarded to McKallum Malanowski of Chicopee and Christina Ruggiero-Corliss of Northampton. Seven students received the Faculty Award for Excellence in Visual Art: Grace Vo of Amherst, Kelechi Ibiam of Randolph, Sarah Sabo of Easthampton, Midaz Campbell of South Hadley, Stephen Walbridge of Westfield, Enely Bonilla of Holyoke, and Amber Patruno of South Hadley. Valentina Vinces of Westfield, Nikki Recchia of Hadley, and Sarah Carragher of South Hadley received the Pulp City Art Editor Award. PHOTO: First-year Visual Art student Ariana Jones tours the Taber Art Gallery during the 2025 Student Art Exhibition.
