Spotlight On: Holyoke Community College

Spotlight On: Holyoke Community College

Written By: Melissa Breor

Executive Director, Chicopee Chamber of Commerce

Holyoke Community College has come a long way since 1946 when it was founded as the city-sponsored Holyoke Junior College – but its mission and commitment to community has remained a constant throughout the decades.

The oldest two-year college in Massachusetts, HCC serves as a critical pathway for education to many Chicopee residents. More than 7,000 students are enrolled in the college’s credit and workforce programming annually, with Chicopee ranking third among its top communities. A partnership between Chicopee High School and HCC provides a health science academy to students looking to explore career options. And the HCC Foundation, which manages the largest endowment of any community college in the Commonwealth, awards more than 30 scholarships to students residing in Chicopee each year.

HCC’s mission to Educate. Inspire. Connect. is embedded in everything they do. As a college of and for the community, HCC exists to create opportunity for learners of all ages, coming from all backgrounds, so that students can create better lives for themselves and their families, and ultimately strengthen our region in the process.

Our Member Relations Committee was delighted to surprise HCC President Dr. George Timmons recently with our September Member Spotlight. With the state's recent expansion of free community college to all residents through MassEducate, HCC has seen an 15% increase in its enrollment rate for this current academic year, with 40% over the age of 25.