The Real Heroes
"Look around and see that you are part of our HCC community. HCC will always be a part of your story, and HCC is lucky you chose US as the place to further your education." – Patricia Sullivan '76, 2026 Marieb Award recipient
As the recipient of the college’s 2026 Elaine Marieb Faculty Chair for Teaching Excellence Award, HCC English Professor Patricia Sullivan of Holyoke led the procession of graduates into the MassMutual Center and deliver the keynote address to the Class of 2026 at HCC's 79th Commencement on Saturday, May 30.
'Welcome to our graduates! This day is for you; it is a day of celebration after much hard work. What an honor and an achievement! You should be very proud of yourselves today; we certainly are! Because Holyoke Community College is also a Hispanic-Serving Institution, I would like to say, “Hola estudiantes” to our Spanish-speaking students. Felicidades!
Thank you, President Timmons, Interim Vice-President of Academic and Student Affairs, Kate Douglass, esteemed colleagues, both on the stage and in the audience, parents, family members, friends, relatives, and all of you for being here to celebrate our graduates today. What a honor!
To all the graduates, please stand for a round of applause.
Are there others in our audience who ever attended HCC, signed up for a class, taught here, either full time or part time, or was involved with HCC in another capacity? Please also stand.
Now, graduates, look around and see that you are part of our HCC community. HCC will always be a part of your story, and HCC is lucky you chose US as the place to further your education.
I am also proud to be one of you, an HCC graduate, and to be standing here as the Marieb Award winner. Thank you for rewarding me to do the work I love!
I have been here at HCC for so long, I actually knew Elaine Marieb, for whom this award is named. She was an inspiration to many. I have lived in Holyoke for all of my life, and I graduated from Holyoke High School in 1974; this was one of the last times I spoke in front of such a large audience. The theme of my valedictorian address was, “To Thine Own Self Be True,” and here I stand today, with this same theme:
Be true to yourselves and continue to be the best versions of you.
At the time of my graduation from Holyoke High School, my adviser told me I would receive a full scholarship to a prestigious women’s college that also had “Holyoke” in its name; however, I chose to attend the college that had “Community” in its name and in its heart, and now, here you are, sitting in the same seats as I had over 50 years ago in 1976, graduating from this exceptional institution. I am as proud today for you as I was for myselr 50 years ago. We are community!
Attending HCC was one of the BEST decisions I have ever made in my life, and, years later, I was offered a job to teach here. It was a thrill of a lifetime and one of the best gifts I have ever received. HCC is my second home, and the people here are like my second family, Truly. I could have retired many years ago but have chosen to stay because I love my work here, the institution, and its people. My students have given me so much. You are the real heroes today.
What have I learned from my students, you might ask? You have demonstrated such hard work, determination, grit, humor, resilience, kindness, compassion, intelligence, critical thinking, curiosity, and also courage. Yes, courage … in the face of adversity, you have shown us at HCC that you are courageous.
– For anyone who has ever felt oppressed in any way, you overcame obstacles, did well, and YOU DID IT.
– For the single mom with three children who works the night shift as a nurse’s aide and still came to class, albeit tired, YOU DID IT.
– For the single dad who works 80 hours a week to support his children, you survived, and YOU DID IT.
– For those who suffer from food insecurity, you found ways to feed your families, attend classes, and do well; YOU DID IT.
– For all the parents and grandparents, who had to balance family life, work life, and school life, YOU DID IT.
– For the student whose first language is NOT English, you worked hard, persevered, and YOU DID IT.
– For the student who had to get up at 5:30 in the morning to take three buses to make it to school, YOU DID IT.
– For the student with differing learning abilities, you found the resources to help you, you succeeded, and YOU DID IT.
– For the older generation students who may have felt a little uncomfortable at first, but then realized so many of your classmates looked to you for guidance, YOU DID IT.
– For the younger dual-enrollment students who were a bit nervous to attend college, YOU DID IT.
– For the students from around the world, who were willing to share your cultures, foods, music, dance, and histories, THANK YOU. YOU DID IT.
– For those students who had been formerly incarcerated, thank you for trusting in us and joining our “HCC Community.” YOU DID IT.
– For the students who had to do this all alone, without much help from anyone. Be very proud; YOU DID IT.
– For the students who were fortunate to get help from others; congratulations, YOU DID IT.
– For the students who had to withdraw from one or two classes because life outside of school happened, you came back again, and YOU DID IT.
– For the students who had to withdraw from college, you chose to come back and do well; YOU DID IT.
Whether it took you two years or seven years to be on this stage, the amount of time does NOT matter. What is important is this… “You did it and you did it well” Your story is still being written, but this chapter proves how strong you truly are.
I have also learned a few other things from you over the years…
I’ve heard words and phrases from your generation, and they have changed often.
In the past, these have been the words….gnarly, radical, Da Bomb, Talk to the Hand, That’s BLING, Holla, Chillaxin, That’s LIT, That’s sick, you’ve got swag, That’s Brick, Ghosting….which many of you did, leading up to my final exams.
And nowadays, you say…. Bougie, try to spell that word, and Bruh … Even my young granddaughters say to me, “Bruh.”
And lastly, there’s “6-7 6-7” and “Clock it” or are these for last year, 2025? Who knows what this year will bring, but I look forward to finding out soon.
I’d like to end with a meaningful quote from Pope Leo:
“Let us learn to be rich in a different way: more attentive to relationships, more intent on valuing the common good, more attached to the local area, more grateful in welcoming and integrating those who come to live with us.”
I am very grateful for this honor and the privilege to speak today. Find joy in each and every day, work hard, continue to ask questions and be curious, and make sure to be kind in all ways.
We are so very proud of you for this wonderful accomplishment. Enjoy the spotlight today and continue to shine brightly as you move forward in life. And always remember again, be true to yourself!
Thanks for sharing your lives with us at HCC … we truly appreciate you!
And now, I am VERY proud to introduce you to two of my six granddaughters, who are both 11 years old – Clare Rose Craven and Piper Mae Sullivan; they would like to say a few words to you in Spanish. All six of my granddaughters attend EN White Elementary School in Holyoke where they have been learning Spanish for the past seven years.
Clare and Piper …"
Congratulations, graduates! Never forget the saying: if you can dream it, you can do it!
Felicidades, graduados! Nunca olviden el refran: si lo puedos sonar, lo puedes hacer!
PHOTOS: HCC English Professor Patricia Sullivan delivers the keynote address at HCC's 79th Commencement on May 30.
