Shaping the Future
Public invited to contribute to community conversation
Regional leaders from diverse sectors of the Pioneer Valley economy will gather at Holyoke Community College on Tuesday, Dec. 2, for a discussion that will help create the next chapter in the college’s 80-year history.
The general public is also invited to attend this breakfast event, “Shaping the Future: A Community Conversation,” from 7:30 to 10 a.m. in the PeoplesBank Conference Room (301/303) in the Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development, on the main HCC campus, 303 Homestead Ave.
The panelists include: Megan Burke, president of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts; Anne Kandilis, director of Springfield WORKS; Frank Martínez López, executive director of Enlace de Familias; Jason Pacheco, director of workforce planning and analytics at Baystate Health; Javier Reyes, chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Amherst; and Aaron Vega, director for the Office of Planning and Economic Development for the city of Holyoke, and incoming president and chief executive officer of the Western Mass Economic Development Council.
Among the other attendees will be state Rep. Pat Duffy, John Reiff, director of civic learning and engagement with the Mass. Dept. of Higher Education, and representatives from MassHire Holyoke, Way Finders, Holyoke Health Center, Tech Foundry, Holyoke Public Schools, Dean Tech, Nuestras Raices, and the Public Health Institute of Western Mass.
President Timmons will kick off the event and set the stage for this community conversation. A question-and-answer session will follow the panel discussion.
“At Holyoke Community College, student success is a community effort,” said President George Timmons. “When our students thrive — when they graduate, transfer, gain new skills, launch careers, and become leaders — our entire region benefits. These leaders, our education partners, and others will share perspectives on the opportunities and challenges facing our community, sparking table conversations that will inform how we write the next chapter for HCC — and for our region.”
The event is part of “SP 3.0,” the third iteration of the college’s strategic planning process, which was began with the start of the fall semester. The college drafted its first strategic plan in 2018, which was refreshed in 2021.
So far, emerging priorities for Strategic Plan 3.0 include collaboration and partnerships, and workforce and post-graduation success.
“Together, we’ve achieved many of the ambitious goals of our previous strategic plans, creating pathways and opportunities that have transformed lives and strengthened our community,” said President Timmons. “Strategic Plan 3.0 is the next chapter in that shared work, and we need to hear as many voices as possible to help us chart the course ahead.”
The discussion will continue in the afternoon with a "Future Summit" event for the college community over Zoom, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. To register for the "Future Summit," please click here.
