Solid Ground
"Here, I felt like I could do anything, and I felt like I had the space to challenge myself." – Alexandria Casavant '25
EDITOR'S NOTE: Liberal arts major and Student Senator Alexandria Casavant of Northampton was one of two fall graduates selected to speak at HCC's Fall Graduate Reception on Monday, Dec. 2. Below is the full text of her remarks.
'I am so grateful that I was offered the opportunity to speak tonight as I always want to share the amazing ways Holyoke Community College has shaped my life as a student and individual.
I originally did not start out at HCC right out of high school, but rather, a four-year art university in New York. One of the biggest things that stood out to me about that school was their racial inequality, lack of support for the student body, and neglect for the safety of the students.
Once I started attending HCC, I saw the difference almost instantly. The staff was very kind to me and cared about what I had to say. The first day in, I went to get my student ID in Student Engagement, where I met Lindsey Pare, a friendly, warm face that greeted me with open arms. I am so grateful that I have gotten to work closely with her throughout my three years of enrollment.
Then, I joined the Student Senate. And I could have never imagined myself doing that in high school … but here, I felt like I could do anything, and I felt like I had the space to challenge myself.
Student Senate has also helped me to learn how much I love advocating for the student body and being a leader. Throughout my many years here as a student and in the Student Senate, I have gotten to see HCC for all that it is: a school that puts students' needs first.
What I love about HCC is that they are always striving to support every student's needs on any kind of level. You've got the Itsy Bitsy Child Watch, the Thrive center, TRIO, CHD, the tutoring centers, the sensory room, all these resources that are there for the students beyond classes. But it's not just that you've got these things, they’re run by people who care, and that makes a huge difference.
l am very grateful for this experience because I feel like it has created a solid ground for my future, my story. HCC became much more to me than just the school I attended to thrive, it became my home.
Because of this place, I've met so many amazing people, friends who became family, and I grew my leadership skills. I did things I didn't think I could. This place is where I healed, where I was given the space to grow academically, and to learn how to be a leader.
I am at a place where I feel like I am valued and important. And I hope that other students attending here can feel the same way that I do. I’ll never forget the people that helped me, the things that I did, all the achievements I accomplished. HCC is the place where I feel like the true essence of my courage, leadership and strength began.
HCC has not felt like just a school to me, but a foundation, a hand that led me up to the next mountain where I needed to be, the solid ground beneath my feet so that I can continue walking.
This place has opened so many doors in me that I didn't know I could open. It's helped me to grow in so many ways I didn't think I could. And I'm so, so grateful for that. I will always cherish this school in my heart many years down the road when I am off living the life I have always dreamed of. I will never stop telling people that this place is my home and that it is where the true essence of my growth began. HCC is about much more than education, it’s the inspiration and the connection that students receives, being in a school that cares.
I will always encourage students to start here, a place where the student body is the heart."
PHOTO: Student speaker Alexandria Casavant
