elmsnews

APRIL 2023

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Colleagues,

What a busy and exciting month April was! The campus has been buzzing nonstop with activities in recent weeks, including Sr. Jane Morrissey's book launch, the Reverend Hugh Crean Distinguished Lecture, the inaugural Lavender Graduation, and Honors Convocation, just to name a few. Last Friday's 5th Experiential Learning Showcase was a resounding success because it put our students center-stage. It allowed us, faculty and staff, to step back, feel proud of them, and bask in their moment as they exhibited their hard work and their talent. The icing on the cake was to have Trustee and alumna Regina Hitchery with us for the kick-off event, as we also unveiled the plaque making official the naming of The Doloris Donlin Noonan (The Doloris) Experiential Learning Program.

Also a success was this past weekend’s Accepted Students Day. It was wonderful to see the many prospective students and their families in Veritas Auditorium and other places on campus. Thank you to the Undergraduate Admissions Office and to everyone who contributed to this very important event for the campus. The inaugural E.L.M.S. Awards also took place this past weekend, ushering a new tradition which, we hope, will now become part of the Elms saga.

We are headed into another busy and exciting few weeks.

As I previously announced, Congressman Richard Neal will be on campus tomorrow (May 2) to announce the $1 million earmark awarded to the College to support and expand two existing academic programs: the Cynthia A. Lyons Center for Equity in Urban Education (CEUE) and the Social Work degree program.
Right after the meeting of the Board of Trustees this Friday, the College will host a luncheon and dedication ceremony to celebrate the naming of the School of Continuing Education as The Sister Kathleen Kirley '66 School of Continuing Education . As you may know, the naming of the School was made possible by a very generous gift by trustee emeritus Francis Kirley and his wife, Marian.

The excitement will continue as we head into Senior Week and Commencement on May 20.

All these uplifting activities, in addition to affording us opportunities to come together as colleagues, provide a balance to the hard work to which we are all attending collectively on a regular basis. Some of the key efforts underway that will continue in the next few weeks include:

Establishing the Budget for Fiscal Year 2024. The Finance Office continues to work with Budget Managers to create next year’s budget. As we have known, given the challenges in the economy in general and in higher education in particular, maintaining our positive results will not be an easy task. But we will do it together, as we do everything else. Thank you to everyone who is participating in the transparent and collaborative effort to ensure that we maintain our fiscal discipline despite all obstacles.
Recruiting new summer and fall 2023 students. The traditional May 1st deposit day is an important one for us but our efforts to recruit new students for both the summer and fall semester continue throughout the summer. We are led by the tremendous efforts of the Office of Enrollment Management and Marketing but the work of attracting new and retaining existing students involve all of us. Thank you for all that you do in this regard.

Spring is here, in full bloom! We are entering final exam week and are closing another successful academic year. We are preparing to celebrate the success of some incredible students. All of this possible because of the work that you do individually and that we do collectively day in and day out. I hope that you are reminded of that in the bittersweet moments when we celebrate our graduating students' time with us and send them out on their next journey, knowing that you have helped them to get to this moment.

Thank you once again for all you do for our students, for one another, and for the mission of the College.

With gratitude,

Harry E. Dumay, Ph.D., MBA

President

FUTURE ELMSNEWS

Submission pieces can be shared with the following department contacts:

Academic Affairs - Deb Methe

Admissions - Jenna Stolarik

Athletics - Sean Milbier

Finance - Katie Longley

HR - Cheryl Smith

Marketing - Megan Eischen

Student Affairs - Liz Newland

Institutional Advancement - Lynn Korza

The deadline for submissions is the third Friday of each month.

UPCOMING CAMPUS EVENTS

May 3 DNP Class of 2023 Scholarship Day
May 5 Sr. Kathleen Kirley Dedication
May 6 Irish Language Immersion Day
May 10 RN/BSN Pinning
May 12 Coffee Drop-in Q & A
May 15 Senior Toast
May 16 Graduate Hooding
May 17 Nursing Pining Ceremony
May 18 Off Campus & Online Senior Celebration
May 19 Honorands Dinner
May 19 Baccalaureate Mass and Blessing of the Hoods
May 20 Commencement
May 26 Coffee Drop-in Q & A

Check the Master Calendar for exact locations of each event.

ELMS SIGNS ARTICULATION AGREEMENT WITH HCC

On March 30, Elms College signed an articulation transfer agreement with Holyoke Community College that will make it easier for HCC students to complete their bachelor’s degree at Elms in either biology or biotechnology. HCC students who earn an associate’s degree in biology or biotechnology with a minimum GPA of 2.0 will be able to transfer at least 60 credits and enroll into our bachelor degree programs in either biology or biotechnology. The agreement is effective immediately so that HCC biology and biotechnology students who graduate this spring and meet the requirements of the agreement can matriculate into Elms this fall as third-year students.

At the signing ceremony are (left to right): Janet Williams, Professor of Biology at Elms; Joyce Hampton, Associate VP of Strategic Initiatives and Dean, School of Arts, Sciences, and Professional Programs at Elms; Betty Hukowicz, Dean, School of Continuing Education and Student Success at Elms; Walter Breau, VP of Student Affairs at Elms; Christina Royal, President of Holyoke Community College; Harry Dumay, President of Elms College; [sorry, I don't know who the HCC personnel are].

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Career Closet Donations

It is now interview season for our students and we are looking to freshen our Career Closet as some items/sizes have become limited.

Donations of new and gently used professional clothing suitable for interviews is accepted. All donations must be in wearable condition and cleaned. Any unusable items will be donated to a local charitable organization. Drop-offs can be made to the Dean of Students Office any time during business hours.

Clothing Accepted

Highlighted items are currently the most needed.

Men’s

Men’s Blazers

Dress slacks, khakis

Dress shirts

Full suits

Belts

Ties

Socks (new)

Dress Shoes

Women’s

Jackets /blazers

Pants

Dresses

Skirts

Blouses

Belts

Scarves

Hose (new)

Dress shoes

As always, thank you for your support!

Dr. Karin Öberg, Professor of Astronomy at Harvard University.

Dr. Karin Öberg Speaks at 4th Annual Rev. Hugh Crean Distinguished Lecture

The St. Augustine Center for Ethics, Religion, and Culture hosted the 4th Annual Rev. Hugh Crean Distinguished Lecture in Catholic Thought on April 20. Dr. Karin Öberg, Professor of Astronomy and Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Department of Astronomy at Harvard University, was this year’s Distinguished Lecturer. Her remarks were titled, “Christian Creation and the Big Bang Cosmology.” Öberg's research aims to uncover the way in which chemical processes affect planet formation, including the chemical composition of fledgling planets. Her research team, The Öberg Astrochemistry Group, approaches this work through laboratory experiments, astrochemical modeling, and astronomical observations of molecules in planet-forming disks around young stars.

EXPERIENTIAL SHOWCASE

On Friday, April 28, the campus celebrated the wonderful accomplishments of our talented students, supported by our exceptional faculty and staff, through poster sessions, presentations, simulations, video narratives, student art exhibit, poetry reading, and much more! The day showcased applied learning in action through research, internships, mission trips, community service, study abroad, and faculty-led community engaged learning in courses.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

The Elms College Wellness Educator, Lal Zudei, has been hard at work this semester working to promote health and wellness initiatives across campus. Topics included: the intersection between nutrition and mental health, hydration benefits, formation of addiction, cell phone addiction, sleep hygiene and stress management. Thank you to everyone who came out this semester to show support!

FINANCCE – Capital Projects Update

1) Classroom renovation - BH216 and BH207 will undergo renovation this summer. That renovation will address acoustical issues, lighting, flooring, aesthetics, and electrical access to improve the learning environment of the faculty and students who use those spaces. The end result will be similar to the renovation we completed in BH314. These two classrooms are located on the 2nd floor of Berchmans hall as shown in the diagram below with the yellow boxes.

O'Leary First Floor

O'Leary Third Floor

2) O'Leary Interior Renovations - The first-floor lounge and a space on the third floor that is not currently in use will renovated into kitchens and lounge spaces. This will give students in O’Leary a usable kitchen like the new ones in Rose William and will be a selling point to students considering living on campus. Below is a rendering to give you an idea of what the spaces will look like. Please keep in mind that final paint, carpet, and furniture selections may vary.

3) Lacrosse Locker Room - Maguire Classroom 203 on the 2nd floor of Maguire will be renovated into a Lacrosse Locker room. The room will receive new flooring, paint, lighting, soft seating and lockers. This space will be an exciting new addition the students we are currently recruiting for the new Men’s Lacrosse team. Below is a rendering to give you an idea of what the space will look like, as well as a diagram of the building identifying the classroom. Please keep in mind that final paint, carpet, and furniture selections may vary.

4) Gaylord Campus Gateway Signage - A new campus gateway sign will be erected at the corner of Springfield St. and Fairview Ave. to kick off the first of a series of wayfinding projects. This project in particular serves as the first impression for many who come to campus. The wayfinding project as a whole is geared towards aiding the campus and general community in navigating the campus and clearly identifying campus locations.

5) Other Project Updates –

a) The softball field will be complete next week.

b) The Blue House is undergoing a refresh of its exterior thanks to a generous donor. Windows and siding have been replaced, and the City just approved permits necessary to complete parking lot work, which will be re-configured as seen below, and landscaping, which will be added to beautify the area as well as add a safe and more direct route from the main campus to the Blue House.

c) The work required to get the natatorium up and running again is pending long wait time on the equipment that needs to be replaced. We are estimating receipt of that equipment and installation in Spring of 2024.

d) Some masonry work and replacement of the bulkhead entering the basement at Spaulding will be scheduled for completion this summer.

e) Parking lot and paving work in various places around campus are being priced with the goal of completing repairs this summer. When dates are solidified, we will alert the campus. The areas in the red boxes below identify the places where work is expected to be performed.

f) The repair work for the damage in Berchmans hall is still in progress. First floor work is complete, and all other floors are underway. We anticipate this work to be completed in mid-July.

ATHLETICS

You can find all athletic team schedules at ecblazers.com and stay informed by following our athletic department Instagram @elmsblazers

FACT BOOK 2023

The 2023 fact book has recently been made available on the Elms web site on the Institutional Assessment & Research page. It can also be accessed through this direct link:

https://www.elms.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Fact-Book-2023-Elms-College.pdf

SENIOR TOAST

You are all invited to the Toast to the Class of 2023 that will take place on Monday, May 15 from 4:00 - 5:00 P.M. in the Library. Faculty, staff, administration, trustees, and alumni will join to honor the Class of 2023 and welcome them to the alumni community. This event is free of charge, we just ask you to RSVP here: https://form.jotform.com/231005551900038

SENIOR CELEBRATION

The deadline to submit slides for the Senior Virtual Celebration has been extended to May 8th! Send your Google or PowerPoint slide with photos and celebratory greetings to mccarryj@elms.edu.

DIAPER DRIVE TOTALS

TOTAL DIAPERS COLLECTED

1861

TOTAL WIPES COLLECTED

1203
TOTAL CASH COLLECTED
$40.00

Square One, who coordinates the Springfield Diaper Bank, was thrilled with the kindness and generosity of the Elms Community!

From the bottom of our hearts, the School of Nursing Skills Lab Committee thanks you. You have made some "Baby Bottoms" very happy!

LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY DAY

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Legislative Education and Advocacy Day (LEAD) took place on March 21, 2023. Fifteen Elms College students and their professors, Scott Hartblay and Autumn Mathias, participated in the conference virtually in the Berchmans Hall Conference Room. LEAD strives to provide an opportunity for social work students to learn about the current legislative agenda and experience first-hand advocacy work through contact with Massachusetts legislators. The day included an Advocacy 101 seminar and an opportunity to go into a breakout room to meet with the legislators who are sponsoring a proposed bill. The Elms group opted to Zoom into the session dealing with the “Treatment, Not Imprisonment” bill that would allow a defendant to continue their treatment in a certified program, rather than being imprisoned. As a group, the students learned how “Incarceration disrupts treatment and endangers recovery.” 1

Following the Zoom conference, Representative Shirley Arriaga of the 8th Hampden District (Chicopee) https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/SBA1 and her legislative aide, Choyce McIntosh, met with the participants from Elms College in the MAC Lounge of the Mary Dooley College Center. Representative Arriaga and Ms. McIntosh are both graduates of Elms College Legal Studies Program. Ms. Arriaga talked to students about her journey to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, her passions, the bills she is currently sponsoring, and other items of interest. She responded to questions from the students and faculty and provided insight into the work behind the scenes.

We extend our thanks to Representative Arriaga, Elms College looks forward to your return to campus in the future.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Elms College Employment Opportunities as of April 21, 2023

Applications are now being accepted for the positions listed below. Anyone interested in making a formal application should go to the Employment page on the Elms College website for a detailed job description and how to apply: www.elms.edu/employment

Welcome to new employees:

Hunter Marotto – Public Safety Officer, PT (3/27/23)

Matthew Del Viscio – Public Safety Officer, Per Diem (4/13/23)

Denisha Parks – Head Women’s Basketball Coach (4/17/23)

Pedro Santiago – Assistant Baseball Coach (1/1/23)

Congratulations to employees starting new positions:

Elizabeth Newland – Development Assistant (4/11/23)

Michelle Proulx – Associate Director of Admissions (4/1/23)

Best wishes to departing employees:

Alyssa Foss – Assistant Director of Financial Aid (4/10/23)

Eva Correa – Wellness Center Coordinator (4/20/23)

Reminder to Reboot Regularly!

When was the last time you restarted your computer or laptop? If you aren’t sure, it’s probably time to reboot your device!

Computers and laptops require routine reboots. Ideally you are shutting down or restarting your device daily, but holding off longer than a week can be detrimental to the functionality and overall life of your device.

Some benefits of regular restarts and shutdowns include:

Helping your device run smoother and faster
Receiving critical security updates
Resolving peripheral and hardware issues that develop over time
Can resolve WIFI and Bluetooth connections
Repair many software glitches
Avoid overheating
Prolong the life of the device

In addition to these benefits, with the upcoming rollout of Zoom phones, restarting your device ensures that your Zoom app will start automatically upon login.

It is also important to note, laptops are not meant to run 24/7 and it is not ideal to leave them powered on, especially when transporting the device.

Please remember to power off daily and perform reboots often!

For any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the help desk by emailing helpdesk@elms.edu or calling 413-265-2390!

ELMS IN THE NEWS:

March 17, 2023: The Kennebec Journal and the Morning Sentinel Online published an article that a student from Skowhegan, ME made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

March 17, 2023: The Lewiston Sun Journal published an article that a student from Lewiston, ME made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

March 17, 2023: Patch.com/Connecticut published an article that two students from Glastonbury, CT made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

March 18, 2023: The Marietta (GA) Daily Journal published an article that a student from Kennesaw, GA made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

March 18, 2023: NEPM.org aired a story about learning the Irish language on their podcast, The Fabulous 413. Emer Maguire, the Fulbright Scholar at Elms, was interviewed for this broadcast.

March 18, 2023: Real to Reel, the local TV program produced by the Diocese of Springfield, aired a segment on the Diocese's day-long symposium on addiction titled "Addiction in Post-COVID World: A Pastoral Response" that took place at Elms in February.

March 19, 2023: The Lewiston Tribune in Idaho published an article that a student from Moscow, ID made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

March 20, 2023: The Athol Daily News published an article that a student from Orange, MA made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

March 21, 2023: wwlp.com aired a story on the 2nd Annual Healthcare Forum organized by the School of Nursing that helped our graduating nurses learn about employment opportunities in hospitals throughout the Pioneer Valley, CT, and NH. Kathy Pont, associate professor of nursing, who organized the event, was interviewed for the story.

March 21, 2023: The Rutland Herald published an article that a student from Rutland, VT made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

March 22, 2023: New England Public Media, the local public radio station, aired a story on the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Haiti Nursing Continuing Education program. The following personnel from Elms were interviewed and quoted in the story: Dr. Dumay, faculty member Anne Marie Albano, faculty member Anne Mistivar, Haiti student Louis Gerald Dolce, and program alum Fabiola Docteur.

March 22, 2023: New Hampshire Public Radio, aired the story on the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Haiti Nursing Continuing Education program. The following personnel from Elms were interviewed and quoted in the story: Dr. Dumay, faculty member Anne Marie Albano, faculty member Anne Mistivar, Haiti student Louis Gerald Dolce, and program alum Fabiola Docteur.

March 22, 2023: WSHU, the public radio station in Fairfield County CT, aired the story on the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Haiti Nursing Continuing Education program. The following personnel from Elms were interviewed and quoted in the story: Dr. Dumay, faculty member Anne Marie Albano, faculty member Anne Mistivar, Haiti student Louis Gerald Dolce, and program alum Fabiola Docteur.

March 22, 2023: Maine Public Radio aired the story on the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Haiti Nursing Continuing Education program. The following personnel from Elms were interviewed and quoted in the story: Dr. Dumay, faculty member Anne Marie Albano, faculty member Anne Mistivar, Haiti student Louis Gerald Dolce, and program alum Fabiola Docteur.

March 22, 2023: Connecticut Public Radio aired the story on the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Haiti Nursing Continuing Education program. The following personnel from Elms were interviewed and quoted in the story: Dr. Dumay, faculty member Anne Marie Albano, faculty member Anne Mistivar, Haiti student Louis Gerald Dolce, and program alum Fabiola Docteur.

March 22, 2023: WCAI, the public radio station for Cape Cod and the Islands, aired the story on the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Haiti Nursing Continuing Education program. The following personnel from Elms were interviewed and quoted in the story: Dr. Dumay, faculty member Anne Marie Albano, faculty member Anne Mistivar, Haiti student Louis Gerald Dolce, and program alum Fabiola Docteur.

March 23, 2023: The Manchester Journal published an article that a student from Readsboro, VT made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

March 23, 2023: The Bennington Banner published an article that a student from Readsboro, VT made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

March 29, 2023: VoicesNews, a weekly paper in southwestern CT, published an article that 4 students from southwestern CT made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

March 30, 2023: Western Mass News aired a brief mention of the Elms-HCC transfer agreement signing in their "Town by Town" segment.

March 30, 2023: The Williston Observer published an article that Margaret Mathon from Williston, VT made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

March 31, 2023: BusinessWest Daily News blog published the press release announcing the signing of the Elms-HCC transfer agreement that will make it easier for HCC graduates in biology and biotechnology to complete their bachelor's degrees at Elms in either biology or biotechnology.

March 31, 2023: Patch.com published an article that a student from Salem, MA made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

April 1, 2023: The Moscow-Pullman (ID) Daily News published an article that a student from Moscow, ID made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

April 3, 2023: The Hopkinton Independent published an article that a student from Hopkinton, MA made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

April 4, 2023: The Leominster Champion published an article that two students from Leominster, MA made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

April 5, 2023: Masslive.com published a story on the LatinX panel discussion organized by Martha Barry-Plotkin. She invited four Latino professionals to speak to our students and share their career stories of working in western MA.

April 5, 2023: W.K. Kellogg Foundation published a web page that highlights news from WKKF grantees and Elms is included in the link below.

April 9, 2023: The Westerly Sun published an article that a student from Westerly, RI made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

April 12, 2023: Masslive.com published a story that profiled Sr. Jane Morrissey a day after Elms College hosted the launch of her new memoir, "Finding Jane in the Box."

April 7, 2023: Chicopee Register published the press release announcing the signing of the Elms-HCC transfer agreement that will make it easier for HCC graduates in biology and biotechnology to complete their bachelor's degrees at Elms in either biology or biotechnology. The article is on page 11 of the pdf.

April 13, 2023: wwlp.com published an article that Elms is hosting the 4th Annual Rev. Hugh Crean Distinguished Lecture with Harvard University astronomer, Karin Oberg, as the guest lecturer.

April 14, 2023: Chicopee Register published the list of students from Chicopee that made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

April 14, 2023: Patch.com published an article that four students from Windsor, CT made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

April 14, 2023: Patch.com published an article that 13 students from Enfield, CT made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

April 14, 2023: Patch.com published an article that a student from South Windsor, CT made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

April 14, 2023: Patch.com published an article that two students from Windsor Locks, CT, and a student from East Windsor, CT, made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

April 14, 2023: Patch.com published an article that three students from Ellington, CT, and three students from Somers, CT, made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

April 14, 2023: Patch.com published an article that three students from Suffield, CT made the fall 2022 Dean's List.

April 17, 2023: BusinessWest Daily blog published an article that Elms is hosting the 4th Annual Rev. Hugh Crean Distinguished Lecture with Harvard University astronomer, Karin Oberg, as the guest lecturer.

April 17, 2023: iObserve.org published an article that Elms is hosting the 4th Annual Rev. Hugh Crean Distinguished Lecture with Harvard University astronomer, Karin Oberg, as the guest lecturer.

April 18, 2023: wwlp.com published an article that La June Montgomery Tabron will be this year's Commencement speaker and that Tabron, Karen Ansara, and David O'Brien will receive honorary degrees at commencement on May 20.

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