elmsnews

january 2025

Dear Colleagues,

The spring semester has started with renewed energy and vigor on our campus and in our virtual classrooms. Yet, the past few days have brought much uncertainty and confusion for higher education and campuses across the nation. Many students have felt this uncertainty on a very personal level. I will begin this newsletter by putting this external environment into context first, before sharing some of the activities that are happening at Elms College.

A lot usually changes with a new administration in Washington. However, campuses have been trying to keep up with the number of executive orders and memos from the new administration that touch, or have the potential to, impact higher education. Yesterday, an executive order pausing federal assistance programs caused confusion as to whether Pell grants and other federal assistance to students would be paused. A clarification from the Office of Management and Budget late in the day indicated that Pell grants would not be paused. A federal judge subsequently delayed the implementation of the pause.

You should know that the College's leadership is watching closely at all these developments to ascertain whether any of them has a direct impact on college operations. We consult with trustees, legal counsel, experts, fellow presidents, and the various associations to which the College belongs to determine whether any follow-up action is required by the College to be in compliance with applicable laws or regulations.

You should also know that in the midst of all uncertainty, our compass remains Elms College's mission and core values. If you have had an interview with me during the process of becoming an Elms College employee, you may remember me telling you what makes Elms College a special place to work. It is our founding mission to 'educate a diverse group of students in a vibrant and supportive learning environment.' It is the culture ingrained in the institution by the Sisters of St. Joseph to embrace one another as the dear neighbor, to welcome and have respect for everyone. It is an adherence to the Catholic social teaching of the dignity of each person.

As we navigate these changing times, Elms College will remain an institution that teaches our students by our example to value the unique contributions that each person brings to our community. I invite you to witness that commitment in your day-to-day work. Close communication and accurate information will be important during the next few weeks and months. We will share relevant information as it becomes available. If you have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to ask your supervisor. Supervisors can inform their Cabinet members.

It has already been a busy start of the spring semester. Right after the new year, I was in San Antonio, Texas for the annual Presidents' Institute of the Council of Independent Colleges, where I was elected Chair of its Board of Directors. Committees of the Elms Board of Trustees have been meeting in preparation to the February Board meeting. The Office of Admissions, Student Affairs, and Academic Affairs collaborated on a well-attended Nursing Exploration Day. The School of Nursing launched the fifth cohort of its Nursing Continuing Education program. The planning committee for the Black Experience Summit, led by Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Jennifer Shoaff, has been working on organizing the 8th Elms College Black Experience Summit, which will take place, in-person, on Friday, February 21. Stay tuned for information about many more activities to take place in upcoming weeks. I look forward to a spring semester filled with Elms energy.

I will close this message by repeating our firm commitment to remain focused on our mission and core values of faith, community, justice, and excellence in the midst of the uncertainty in the external environment. As always, together and in an atmosphere of mutual respect and support, we will continue to advance the mission entrusted to us, to serve our students, and to support and uplift one another.

Thank you for all that you do for our students and for each other. I wish you a successful spring semester!

Harry E. Dumay, Ph.D., MBA

President

President Dumay, newly elected Chair of the Council of Independent Colleges'' (CIC) Board of Directors, is seen below introducing one of the plenary sessions at the CIC Presidents Institute in San Antonio, TX.

FUTURE ELMSNEWS

Submission pieces can be shared with the following department contacts:

Academic Affairs - Deb Methe

Admissions - Michelle Proulx

Athletics - Sean Milbier

Finance - Brett Carroll

HR - Cheryl Smith

Marketing - Patrick Johnson

Student Affairs - Anna Stabile

Institutional Advancement - Lynn Korza

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

UPCOMING CAMPUS EVENTS

February 7 Coffee Q & A-Hosted by Finance and Administration
February 14 Board of Trustees meeting
February 14 Staff Council Staff lunch
February 19 Black Experience Summit Student Cooking Demo
February 21 Coffee Q & A
February 21 Black Experience Summit
February 25 Artist Talk with Scott Strong Hawk Foster
February 28 President's Reception

Check the Master Calendar for exact locations of each event.

Harambee: A History of Cultivating Black Togetherness through Food Justice

Centuries-old traditions surrounding food—its nourishment, production, and consumption—are central to community-building within Black communities in the United States and across the Diaspora. This includes cherished recipes passed down through generations, cultural celebrations, kitchen gardens, community farms, free breakfast programs, and advocacy for food sovereignty. Each of these practices reflects the importance of cultivation as an intentional and sustainable effort. Inspired by the Kenyan concept of Harambee, a Swahili word for “all pull together,” the 8th Annual Black Experience Summit focuses on the theme of “togetherness” within the food justice movement, whereby Black communities worldwide actively cultivate an ethic of equitable care. Harambee also distinguishes the professional learning community of educators that comprise Elms College’s Center for Equity in Urban Education (CEUE) of which we celebrate the 5th Anniversary. Planting the seeds of culturally responsive knowledge production and cultivating minds are shared commitments of both the CEUE and the annual Black Experience Summit.

Elms College welcomes Kentucky Poet Laureate Crystal Wilkinson, the award-winning author of Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts–a lyrical culinary journey that explores the hidden legacy of Black Appalachians, through powerful storytelling and recipes from five generations of country cooks. Wilkinson is the Bush-Holbrook Endowed Professor and Director of the Division of Creative Writing at the University of Kentucky. Headlining the Summit’s distinguished panel is Bronx-based advocate Karen Washington, a community gardener and board member of the New York Botanical Gardens, former president of the New York City Community Garden Coalition, and co-founder of Black Urban Growers (BUGS) and La Familia Verde Garden Coalition

Registration is STILL Open! Please join your colleagues for this special opportunity to build community, share wisdom, reflect and learn together. Invite a partner along! Includes book and dinners

MARKETING

At Elms College, we are committed to making our website a powerful tool that represents our vibrant community and provides a seamless experience for all users. That’s why we recently sent out a survey about the website—and why we’ll soon be reaching out to our students as well.

Our goal is to ensure the website is user-friendly, modern, visually appealing, and always up-to-date with the latest information. Your insights are invaluable in helping us achieve this vision.

We encourage you to continue submitting updates about your department using the marketing ticket system. Keeping content current and relevant is a team effort, and your contributions make a real difference!

Additionally, if you have ideas or suggestions on how we can further improve the website, we’d love to hear them. Whether it’s a feature you’d like to see or feedback on how the site can better serve our community, your input matters.

Thank you for being a part of this collaborative effort to ensure our website reflects the excellence and spirit of Elms College. Together, we can make it a resource that truly serves our students, staff, faculty, and beyond.

If you need the link to the survey, please email me at lucardic@elms.edu.

CAMPUS MINISTRY

Spring semester is here, which means Campus Ministry's Spring Break Compassionate Hearts Mission Trips are just around the corner!

Our mission trips provide Elms College students with opportunities for service, in addition to real-life experiences to help students garner a deeper understanding of the vulnerability of people in our world. Experience tells us that our mission trips not only create awareness of social justice issues, they also encourage our students to make service a part of their lives long after graduation. Students connect with the people they serve, listen to their stories, and live out the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph by making strangers their neighbors. This year, twelve students will be embarking on the following trips:

Mandeville, Jamaica: Students will volunteer with the Diocese of Mandeville, a long-standing partner of our Compassionate Hearts Mission Trips. Their volunteer work will include working in underserved schools and infirmaries, health clinics, and making home visits to residents of the diocese. The Diocese of Mandeville serves a diverse group of people, from infants to the elderly, by providing healthcare, amenities, and education.

Reykjavík, Iceland: Students will volunteer with Compass Path, a new partner of our Compassionate Hearts Mission Trips. Their volunteer work will include serving meals, sorting clothing donations, volunteering at a children's care site, and providing workshops in arts and sports. Iceland has a large population of immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, many of whom rely on the services of non-profit organizations like Compass Path for basic essentials.

To help offset the cost of these trips, students are currently selling raffle calendars for the month of March for $5 each. All proceeds from calendar sales go directly to the students traveling to Jamaica and Iceland for a week of service in March 2025. Each calendar you purchase gives you a chance to win the daily drawing. Even if you win once, your name goes back into the drawing and you can continue to win!

If you are interested in purchasing one or more calendars to support our students, cash or check (made out to Elms College Campus Ministry) can be brought directly to the Office of Campus Ministry, located right around the corner from the Faculty Dining Room (FDR) in the Mary Dooley College Center.

It is through the spirit of generosity that students have these life-changing encounters. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Eileen Kirk at kirke@elms.edu or Nicole Fregeau at fregeaun@elms.edu. We kindly thank you in advance for your support!

COUNSELING CENTER

The Counseling Center has partnered up with a number of offices across campus to create a centralized "Student Snack Map" for students on the go in need of a quick energy boost or pick-me-up. Students are encouraged to visit the 'snack stops' to grab a snack and say hello to the various offices across campus.

When visiting a snack stop, students are instructed to scan a QR code that collects anonymous data including: the snack stop they visited, a 1-5 scale on how much they're benefiting from the snack map, and a 'recommendations' tab where students are able to leave recommendations for snacks they'd like to see.

The 'Snack Map' launched on Monday December 10th and had nearly 200 scans. Please see photos of the map along with photos of various stops and student feedback!

Participating offices include:

Health/Counseling Center

Office of Campus Ministry

The Office of Student Engagement

Registrar's Office

Social Sciences Division

Dr. Leanne Price's Office

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion

The Business Division

The Office of Student Affairs

The Mercantile

The Education Division

If you received new, unused items with tags still attached over the holiday season that you do not envision yourself making use of (including gift cards to stores, restaurants, or coffee shops that you know you likely will not visit), consider donating them for merchandise for the December 2025 Merry Markdown Market!

The goal of the Merry Markdown Market is to help relieve some of the financial stress students often feel during the holiday season. Buying gifts for loved ones can be a challenge for college students, but collectively, we can help make holiday shopping more accessible. Donations are used to create a marketplace for students, where all items cost between $1-5.

The 2024 Merry Markdown Marketplace was a huge success thanks to your donations! Almost every single item was sold, and students were incredibly grateful for the opportunity to purchase Christmas gifts at affordable prices. By getting started early, we can help make holiday shopping even more accessible for our students next December.

Donations can be brought to the Office of Campus Ministry or the Health Center. Questions or concerns? Please contact Nicole Fregeau at fregeaun@elms.edu or Nicole Sacco at saccon@elms.edu, or stop by our offices. We appreciate your consideration and support! Thank you.

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS: FELT Grant -

Experiential learning which links student academic, credit-bearing coursework with relevant, important community needs and opportunities is sometimes usefully referred to as “community-engaged learning”. High-impact CEL enables students to enrich disciplinary knowledge and skills, advance personal growth and career preparation, and advances social justice, commitments to civic engagement, and positive impact through collaborations with, and learning from, partners, programs and communities. The following faculty are FELT grant recipients for Spring 2025, which will help to support the development of courses or course components, projects, and partnerships for community-engaged learning, incorporated into either new or existing courses

Shannon Dillard - Elementary Math Methods, Students, in collaboration with local school administrators/teachers, will plan and lead a family math night at a local K-6 school. This will provide students with an active experience in a school district ahead of student teaching.

Amber Scoon - ART 2010, Students will be introduced to the work of a Curator at the artistic and cultural institutions in the Springfield area (i.e. Springfield Museums, Polish Center for Discovery and Learning, Holyoke Children’s Museum, Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, and others). Students will learn about the many jobs available within these institutions by visiting on site and engaging in conversations with museum educators, curators, and other job functions like: fundraising, grant writing, event planning, community outreach, marketing, and financial management. Students will also learn about the direct impact and cultural influence to the local Springfield community.

The Center for Equity in Urban Education (CEUE) is celebrating its 5th Anniversary this Spring semester with the theme of, Harambee: Cultivating an Equitable and Just Educational Future. To launch this celebratory occasion, and in honor of the W.K. Kellogg’s 9th Annual National Day of Racial Healing, the CEUE hosted a seminar entitled: #GOODScholars: Cultivating Educational Spaces of Hope for Racial Healing on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Dominique McDonald, Academic Coordinator in the CEUE, provided a reading from poet laureate, Maya Angelou, to kick off the special event. Dr. Tyra Good, Executive Director of the CEUE, and Dr. Jennifer Shoaff, Chief Diversity Officer at Elms College, led a dynamic discussion on examining structured inequities within school systems and an educator's role in creating equity-centered, trauma-informed educational spaces that foster and honor the intersectionalities of student identities.

This event aligned with the Kellogg Foundation's educational efforts to advance truth, racial healing, and transformation. The event was posted on the National Day of Racial Healing website and served as the launch of the CEUE's "#GOODEducators Connect" book discussion of, Learning to Relearn: Supporting Identity in a Culturally Affirming Classroom by Kwame Sarfo-Mensah.

6th Annual Reverend Hugh F. Crean Distinguished Lecture in Catholic Thought

Guest Lecturer: Rev. Joseph Cheah, OSM, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies, University of Saint Joseph

"Anti-Asian Racism and Catholic Social Teaching"

Monday, March 24, 2025

4:30 p.m.-6 p.m.

Elms College Alumnae Library Theater

This lecture aims to address a critical gap in the Catholic Church's pastoral discourse on anti-Asian racism, as evidenced in documents like Open Wide Our Hearts and Encountering Christ in Harmony. These texts, while significant, lack a robust engagement with the racialized experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). By focusing on the intersection of anti-Asian hate and Catholic Social Teaching (CST), the lecture seeks to deepen the Church's understanding of racial justice through the lens of AAPI experiences.

Speaker Biography

Joseph Cheah, OSM, Ph.D. is Professor of Religious Studies and Theology, and Chair of the Department of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies. In the classroom, he sees himself as a co-learner, someone who collaborates with students for insight and understanding. Telling pertinent stories and sharing appropriate experiences from his unique social location as Asian American and positionality as religious priest have helped him to reclaim teaching and learning as an essential part of faculty-student dialogue.

Fr. Joe has made robust contributions in the fields of Asian American religions and theology, Buddhist Studies, World Christianity, race and religion. He is the author of Race and Religion in American Buddhism (OUP, 2011) which is the first monograph to take race seriously as a category of analysis in American Buddhist scholarship (Brooke Schedneck) and “stands to transform the discourse on American Buddhism and Asian American religions in significant and much needed ways” (Sharon Suh). His recent book Anti-Asian Racism (Orbis, 2023) has been reviewed as “an exceptional book … on the genealogy and variants of anti-Asian racism in the U.S.” (Thomas Hampton) and “a must-read for all Americans” (Peter Phan). He is a co-editor on the Palgrave Macmillan series, “Asian Christianity in Diaspora” with Grace Ji-Sun Kim, with whom he co-authored a book on Theological Reflections on “Gangnam Style.” In recognition of his record of exceptional scholarship, the University in 2018 awarded him with the Sister Mary Ellen Murphy Faculty Scholarship Award.

He has been an invited speaker on anti-Asian racism, Catholic Social Teaching, and other topics to audiences at diverse educational levels across the country. He was part of Asian American Christian Collaborative delegates invited to a White House meeting to address central issues faced by Asian American communities.

SAVE THE DATE!

SPRING 2025 ART EVENTS

“Ways of My Ancestors - We are Still Here”

Location: Borgia Gallery

Exhibition Dates: January 22 2025- Feb 28 2025

This exhibition is created by photographer Scott Strong Hawk Foster. Foster is a local Black and Nipmuc artist. This exhibition documents Nipmuc people and culture.

Scott Strong Hawk Foster Artist Talk: Tuesday, February 25, 11:00-12:00 in the Borgia Gallery. All are welcome!

Opening Reception: Tuesday, February 25, 12:15-1:15, Refreshments served and all are welcome!

Gallery Closed for Installation: March 3-7:

Spring Break: March 10-14

“For a Pair o Wings”

Location: Borgia Gallery

Exhibition Dates: March 17- April 18

Opening Reception Date: March 27, 12:15-1:15

This exhibition is a retrospective exhibition by Hannah Hurricane about motherhood, the environment and birds. Hannah Hurricane has degrees in Environmental Science and Fine Arts. She divides her time between Florida and Texas

Gallery Closed for Installation: April 21- April 30

Please drop off student artworks in the gallery, April 21- April 30. All student work is welcome!

“Student Art Exhibition”: Borgia and Well Gallery

Exhibition Dates: Thursday May 1- May 19th

Opening Reception: Thursday May 1, 12:15-1:15

HUMAN RESOURCES

Elms College Employment Opportunities as of January 24, 2025

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

Open Positions

Director of Graduate & Continuing Education

Director of Public Safety

Public Safety Officer-FT

Public Safety Officers - PT

Undergraduate Admissions Counselor

Welcome to new employees:

Madison Rosado – Graduate & CE Admissions Counselor

Paula Lane-Major – Administrative Assistant for Graduate & CE

Admissions

Best wishes to departing employees:

Kevin Topor - Public Safety

Among the procedures which may be used to select personnel to fill vacant positions are a review of work experiences, qualifications, degrees/licensures/certifications, and employment interviews. This listing pertains to all current staff and faculty job vacancies at the College.

Elms College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment. It is the policy of Elms College to comply with applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity.

February Birthdays!

Angela Robitaille Feb. 1

Debbie Trezza Feb. 3

Casondra May Feb. 3

Albert Manning Feb. 4

Daniel Chelotti Feb. 8

Andrea Hickson-Martin Feb. 9

Danielle Keyes Feb. 9

Ellie Villano Feb. 10

Michael Smith Feb. 11

Karalee Yvon Feb. 11

Laura McNeil Feb. 12

James Keevan Feb. 15

Lina Ferreira Feb. 15

Regina Tillona Feb. 15

Anna Stabile Feb. 15

Jill Bigos Feb. 16

Patricia Pehnke Feb. 22

Valerie Boucher Feb. 23

Tyra Good Feb. 24

Daniel Therrien Feb. 25

Patrick Johnson Feb. 25

Ryan Failing Feb. 26

Damien Murray Feb. 27

Brandon Hapgood Feb. 27

ELMS IN THE NEWS:

On December 13th, MassLive mentioned Elms College in a list of recipients of state funding for behavioral health services.

On December 13th the governor put about a press release about their funding for behavioral health = and Elms as a recipient.

On December 31st, iObserve shared 2024 moments, including Elms College’s commencement in May 2024.

On January 9th iBerkshires mentioned current student elected as board member.

On January 9th the Town Crier mentions Elms College in an article about 3 basketball players careers.

On January 13th Western Mass News wrote a story about The Elms Promise program which aired on the 4:30 and 5:30 news with interview with Dr. Dumay about the mission behind this new program.

On January 13th WWLP also posted a story about The Elms Promise program and ran the story on the evening news discussing the opportunity for students.

On January 13th Newsbreak shared the WWLP story about The Elms Promise.

On January 13th Business West shared our launch fo The Elms Promise program.

On January 13th Masslive ran the story about The Elms Promise, discussing which students are eligible for this program

On January 13th Diverse:Issues in Higher Education published the news of The Elms Promise - Free tuition for eligible MA families.

On January 14th Catholic Communicaitons posted about The Elms Promise.

On January 16th WWLP included an interview with Dr. Dumay about the Elms Promise and ran the story on their evening news.

On January 21st Elms College was mentioned in an article about the Massachusetts Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators Annual Awards Scholarships.

On January 21st a blog post was posted recognizing Elms College as a top nursing school in MA.

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