Jackie Griswold, Ed.D.  Department Chair/ Faculty, Human Services Program

Degree and from where it was received:

BS and MS from the University of Maine at Orono;

Ed.D. from Northeastern University

Courses taught:  Introduction to Human Services, Introduction to Practicum, The Helping Relationship: Delivering Human Services, Substance Abuse; Practicum I & II, Current Issues in Developmental Disabilities.

Accomplishments: I developed the AS in Human Services Program at HCC in 2000.  It has grown from a few students to over 150; from two certificate programs to five, and from one full time faculty to two, supported by several gifted adjunct faculty.

I am most proud of the successes of my students - the ones who struggle with all of the obstacles life can put in front of them, who persevere, and succeed;
the ones who begin a course doubting they will finish, who then graduate with honors; and the ones who go out into the field or onto further education and "do me proud."

Favorite thing about teaching: Having students embrace the guiding philosophies of the human service profession, and put into practice the slogan "Think globally.  Act locally."

Memorable moment at HCC:  There are many, but four particularly wonderful graduates making their way across the stage  come to mind: one, a woman in her late 60s who had come back to college much later in life and was moving on to Smith College in the Ada Comstock program; a woman  who had become blind in her 40s as a result of diabetes, given up a successful career, came back to HCC, and learned to navigate not only the halls of HCC but the halls of academia;  a young woman with physical disabilities who had actively involved herself in college life as she completed academic requirements; and a man, committed to Belchertown State School as a child, who was wrongly diagnosed and suffered greatly, who came to college in his 60s earn a degree in order to be an advocate for people with disabilities.

Teaching philosophy:  A good teacher knows when to act as the Sage on the Stage and when to act as the Guide on the Side.

Meet the Faculty