Nov. '24 News Blog
News briefs from the HCC campus and beyond
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First-Gen Attention
Take a look at the display case outside the HCC Library and you will see the results of a project initiated by TRIO student ambassador Madison Neiween. Big, black letters spell out “First-Gen.” Each letter (and even the hyphen) features affirmations inscribed by HCC students, faculty, and staff in recognition of First-Generation Day, celebrated nationally Nov. 8 to recognize those who are the first in their families to pursue a college degree: “Being first-gen is tough, but I’m tougher,” said one writer. “I’m a second-generation college student, but I probably wouldn’t have gone to college, but for my mother, who was a first-gen student,” said another. “I wanted to encapsulate the excellence and perseverance of other first-gen college students because I myself am first gen,” said Neiween, during the Nov. 13 First-Gen celebration event nearby the TRIO offices. “I wanted a way to capture students’ words in their own voices, what it means to be first gen, what they're proud of accomplishing as a first-gen student, and also hear from people who aren't first gen themselves but want to give words of encouragement.” One of the signatories was President George Timmons, who talks often about the importance of education in his own life: “Being a 1st gen student has taught me the importance of hard work and setting goals.” PHOTO: President George Timmons, center, and TRIO student ambassador Madison Neiween, to his left, at the HCC First Generation celebration on Nov. 13. See more photos in our Facebook photo album ...
Celebrating Our Vets
The college honored its student-veterans and active-duty service persons with a special lunchtime mixer on Tuesday, Nov. 12, following the nationally celebrated Veterans Day holiday. Picture above in The Bunker veterans lounge and study area were some of the attendees: Derick Santos, HCC veterans benefits counselor; student-veteran Michael Ludwig (U.S. Army); Kayelanna Matos-Rivera, college friend (Air National Guard); student Angela Farrick (Air National Guard); student-veteran Alex Ramos (U.S. Navy); student-veteran Nelson Figueroa (U.S. Army); Student Engagement clerk and HCC alum Lindsey Pare ’17, ‘20; and HCC security officer and alum Jiovanny Montanez ’23 (“Army brat”).
Award-Winning Work
Two stories about HCC alumni earned awards for the Holyoke Community College Office of Marketing and Communications at the Fall 2024 District 1 Conference of the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations. HCC won the top two awards in the category of Excellence in Writing – Short Form (stories 800 words or less words). Taking gold: “Name That Tune,” a story about HCC math major Tom Dulac ’23, (above left), who won a national award for musical composition that he submitted under the pseudonym “Zac Dune.” Taking silver: “Ready to Go,” a Commencement feature about Tatiana McKnight ’23 (above right), who suffered from agoraphobia during her high school years and transferred to Mount Holyoke College after graduating from HCC. Both stories were written by HCC Media Relations Manager Chris Yurko. “Name That Tune” was published in the Alumni Out & About section of the Spring 2024 issue of the HCC college magazine, The Connection. “Ready to Go” was a published in the Spotlight section of the HCC website in July 2023. The National Council for Marketing & Public Relations is the only organization of its kind that exclusively represents marketing and public relations professionals at community and technical colleges. NCMPR District 1 includes Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec, and United Kingdom. The District 1 Conference was held Oct. 23-25 in Baltimore, Maryland.
