August 2023 News Blog
News briefs from the HCC campus and beyond
Click here to see our past - and future - news blogs ...
Name That Tune
You'd be forgiven for never having heard of Zac Dune at HCC. That's actually the pen name of Tom Dulac '23, who last spring won the Jack Stone Award for New Music, which is presented annually by Northwest Vista College in San Antonio, Texas, to one community college student in the United States. Dulac won for a saxophone quartet called "In the Rain." "It's been described as sounding kind of Renaissance-y," he said. "Part of it was inspired by jazz, but I reverted back to Baroque-era Bach chorales, so I suppose there's some merit to that notion." Dulac (above in one of HCC's music rehearsal rooms) has played saxophone for many years and also dabbled with other instruments, including guitar, bass, piano, harmonica, recorder, and bagpipe chanter ("It's like a recorder, but more nasal."). At HCC, though, despite taking a few music theory classes, he majored in math. "I love the weird mathematical nature of music," said Dulac, who is studying math at Westfield State University. "I guess I've always been more interested in the theoretical side of music, rather than actually performing." Dulac submitted his piece under his pseudonym, so award officials initially had a hard time verifying his existence. Ultimately successful, they flew him down to San Antonio for the awards ceremony and a concert, where he got to hear "In the Rain" performed by the Bel Cuore Quartet. That recording is now on SoundCloud. Search: "In the Rain," by Zac Dune.
Hope for Thrive
The Thrive Student Resource Center at HCC recently received a $5,000 donation from Hyundai Hope, a corporate social responsibility initiative from Hyundai Motor North America. Representatives from Hyundai Motor America delivered the check during a child safety seat check hosted by Gary Rome Hyundai in Holyoke. Rome is a member of the HCC Foundation Board of Directors and a loyal supporter of HCC and its initiatives, including the Thrive Center, which houses HCC's food pantry. Hyundai Hope also donated $10,000 to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, noting that both are "local food sources combatting food insecurity in the greater Holyoke, Massachusetts area." The Thrive Center and Food Pantry at HCC provide necessities to students experiencing food insecurity, housing insecurity and other financial needs. Thrive supplies, at no charge, food staples, toiletries and other items, such as baby food, diapers, and wipes. "This donation will give access to resources to help students overcome these barriers so they can focus on their studies and find success," Hyundai representatives noted. "We are grateful for community partners like the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and the Thrive Center at HCC, who are dedicated to serving our neighbors in Holyoke and beyond," said Rome. Pictured above: On the left, representatives from the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts; on the right, holding the big check made out to the HCC Foundation, HCC's nonprofit fundraising group, Amanda Sbriscia, HCC vice president of Institutional Advancement and executive director of the HCC Foundation, and Julie Phillips, HCC director of Development.
A World of Learning
The World is Our Classroom brought 17 Springfield public school students to the HCC's Center for Health Education and Simulation last week for a free, four-day exploration of health care careers. Instruction was led by HCC medical simulation specialist Michelle Sherlin and her team, who provided the course content and hands-on opportunities for the students. Each day focused on a different medical specialty: cardiac care, heart and lung diseases, respiratory care, and radiology and medical assistant skills. Each participating student received a $250 stipend plus a medical workforce skills completion certificate at the end of the week. The World Is Our Classroom is a Springfield-based nonprofit that helps connect students with careers. In addition to this recent group, HCC conducted 15 medical encounter/career readiness days with students from Springfield Public Schools during the last school year. "This type of intervention has exposed several hundred students to careers that they were not familiar with, and, more importantly, it demonstrated that they could come to HCC and be successful," said Jeffrey Hayden, HCC vice president of Business and Community Services.
