Promoting Community and Economic Development
The Cooperating Colleges of Greater Springfield are dedicated to providing programs that promote a strong sense of community and encourage economic development. Whether you are looking for professional development programs or advice on starting or building your own business, you'll find the resources here to get you started.
AmeriCorps Program
Springfield College
Established in 1997, this program combines undergraduate and graduate student education with meeting community needs. Eighty-five participating students (AmeriCorps members) provide services in health and in-school counseling and case management, academic coaching, youth leadership development, and volunteer recruitment and management. They serve at public schools, health care facilities, and other community-based organizations. Members receive a modest living allowance and, upon completion of their service, an education award that can be applied toward future tuition or qualified student loans. The program is supported in part by the Massachusetts Service Alliance and the Corporation for National and Community Service. Telephone: 413-748-3610
Business Assistance
Bay Path College
Under the guidance of Bay Path professors, MBA graduate students provide consulting reports on cases for area companies on how to launch and promote products, enter new markets, and manage explosive growth. Telephone: 413-565-1192
Career Assessment
Holyoke Community College
A number of assessment tools are available to help individuals define their interests and skills while directing individuals to career paths and job search services. Telephone: 413-552-2597
Career Center Services
Holyoke Community College
A full service career center offering individual appointments, career assessments, workshops, job listing databases, job and internship opportunities, virtual video interviews. For more information please see www.hcc.edu. Telephone: 413-552-2597. Email: rpowers@hcc.mass.edu
Center for International Sport Business
Western New England College
Established in 2007, the Center for International Sport Business (CISB) is a forum for the study of the business of sport, but with an international focal point. The CISB hosts "For the Love of the Games," the distinguished speaker program that brings prominent personalities from sport and business to Western New England College, and organizes conferences and seminars around the business of sport and its impact on the global economy for students, scholars, industry professionals, and other interested stakeholders. Telephone: 413-782-1786
Center for Teacher Education and Research (CENTER)
Westfield Professional Development School Network
Westfield State College
CENTER brings quality professional development programs to new and veteran teachers, with the goals of teacher leadership and effectiveness and student achievement. WPDSN is a collaboration between the college and local schools that addresses policy and practice for educators, often involving “co-teaching” in college curriculum-based courses. Telephone: 413-572-8065
Communications Conference
Western New England College
Presented by the Valley Press Club and Western New England College, this annual conference features a day of workshops to help small businesses and nonprofits improve the way they communicate with customers, the media, benefactors, and other constituencies. Each year, the Valley Press Club honors a local communicator with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Telephone: 413-782-1249
Cooperative Education
Holyoke Community College
HCC works with area businesses to identify job placement opportunities for second year students. Job developers match students and their skills to business openings and assist in the evaluation of the student’s work experience. Students participate in a seminar and earn college credits. For more information please see www.hcc.edu. Telephone: 413-552-2342. Email: apicard@hcc.mass.edu
HCC Facilities at the Bartley Center
Holyoke Community College
Among the many facilities available for classroom rental is HCC’s Bartley Center for Athletics and Recreation. Telephone: 413-552-2160
The HCC Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development
Holyoke Community College
The Center provides a number of programs and services to over 11,000 individuals and hundreds of businesses annually helping jobseekers or incumbent workers
to Get a Job, Get a better Job, or to Do the Job Better. Telephone: 413-538-7000
Facilities at the Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development
Holyoke Community College
First-class, affordable meeting/conference space rental. Telephone: 413-552-2500
Holyoke Community College
A number of assessment tools are available to help individuals define their interests and skills while directing individuals to career paths and job search services. For more information please see www.hcc.edu. Telephone: 413-552-2597. Email rpowers@hcc.mass.edu
Hot Topics in Philanthropy Breakfast Series
Bay Path College
Sponsored by The Graduate School and the MS in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy degree program at Bay Path College, this free breakfast series is offered twice a year for professionals working in the nonprofit and strategic fundraising field. The breakfasts feature local and national experts discussing issues facing nonprofits today, including governance, fundraising, board oversight, recruiting and managing volunteers, connecting with constituencies, and strategic positioning. Open to nonprofit professionals free of charge. Telephone: 413-565-1332
Implications and Opportunities Series
Bay Path College
The Implications and Opportunities Series offers two presentations each semester from faculty of the graduate school on relevant topics and issues that have far-reaching implications in the business and community sphere. Free and open to the public. Telephone: 413-565-1066
Innovative Thinking & Entrepreneurship Summit
Bay Path College
The Summit is an annual program for aspiring entrepreneurs, small business owners, and professionals in organizations where entrepreneurship and innovation are crucial. Event features a keynote speaker as well as breakout sessions led by a variety of entrepreneurial professionals and civic leaders. Telephone: Special Programs Office 413-565-1066
Innovative Thinking & Entrepreneurship Lecture Series
Bay Path College
The Innovative Thinking & Entrepreneurship Lecture Series addresses the concepts of creativity and innovation, with a specific emphasis on leadership, results, and the process of innovation. This free, annual event is part of Bay Path College’s Entrepreneurial Program, an initiative that takes an academic and experiential approach to encourage both undergraduate and graduate students to be effective innovators in the marketplace. Sponsored by the Advisory Council and the Business Department at Bay Path College, the event has included speakers such as Monster.com and Eons Inc. founder Jeffrey Taylor; Craig Rydin, CEO of Yankee Candle; Patriots owner Robert Kraft; and Thomas G. Stemberg, founder of Staples Inc. This program is intended for business professionals and students. Telephone: 413-565-1066
Institute for Media and Non-Profit Communication
Western New England College
Through the college’s Institute for Media and Non-Profit Communication, students produce promotional videos for area non-profit organizations, providing professional quality video production at a minimal cost. To date, Western New England College students have produced videos for 16 groups, including the Springfield Urban League, GoFIT, the Boy Scouts of the Pioneer Valley, and the Chamber of Commerce. Telephone: 413-782-1260
InternHere.com
Holyoke Community College
A free, easy-to-use website that connects students with local employers in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts for internship opportunities. Employers have the opportunity to preview the skills and interests of individual applicants. For more information go to www.internhere.com. Telephone: 413-552-2361. Email: rpowers@hcc.mass.edu
Labor & Employment Law Series
Holyoke Community College
The latest on labor and employment law issues for small businesses. For more information www.hcc.edu. Telephone: 413-552-2320. Email: alingham@hcc.mass.edu
Ludlow Area Adult Learning Center (LAALC)
Holyoke Community College
Free English for Speakers of Other Languages instruction, academic advising basic computer skills during the day and evening throughout the year. Telephone: 413-583-0320
Law and Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship
Western New England College
To support the entrepreneurial spirit in the Pioneer Valley, the Western New England College Law and Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship was established to provide graduate business and law students with an opportunity to offer practical consultation to both aspiring as well as existing small business owners in the Greater Springfield area. The Center hosts an Annual Academic Conference, "How-To" Entrepreneurial Institute, "The Extreme Business Makeover," Business Information Sessions, and a Speaker Series (four times per year). The Center also provides small businesses with business plan development and strategic marketing advice. Telephone: 413-736-8462
MassMutual Academic Achievers Conference
Western New England College
Sponsored by MassMutual Financial Group and hosted at Western New England College each January, the conference invites about 350 students from high schools throughout Springfield to learn about career paths and getting into college. Sophomore, junior, and senior level students were selected to attend if they have maintained a "B" average throughout their high school career. The day is filled with 30 different hands-on workshops that help students explore career paths and learn about the college admissions process.Learn more about the MassMutual Academic Achievers program at www.massmutual.com/aboutmassmutual/communityresponsibility/education.
National Center for Information and Communications
Technologies (NCICT)
Springfield Technical Community College
This National Science Foundation-funded center develops and disseminates curriculum and expertise in telecommunications technology nationwide to assist American industry. An annual summer workshop brings faculty from the area and around the country to STCC to share best practices and teaching in new technologies. Telephone: 413-755-6550
Picknelly Family and Adult Education Center (Holyoke Adult Learning Center)
Holyoke Community College
Free Adult Basic Education programs and basic literacy during the day and evening throughout the year. Programs are done in conjunction with the Juntos Collaborative, an organization of all of Holyoke’s ABE/ESOL providers. Telephone: 413-532-4900, ext 116
Polling Institute
Western New England College
The Western New England College Polling Institute provides communities with cost efficient research in the form of public opinion polls, surveys, and other studies. Established in 2005, the Polling Institute serves as an index of public opinion research on issues of importance to western Massachusetts communities--an area previously identified as underrepresented by existing polling centers. Telephone: 413-782-3111
Professional Development Series
American International College
A series of programs for educators, psychologists, social workers, counselors, administrators, and others. Programs cover such topics as autism, Asperger’s syndrome, ADHD, and multiple intelligences. Telephone: 413-205-3525
Reach-to-Teach
Westfield State College
Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College are partners with Westfield State in this program that aims to cultivate and retain diverse teacher candidates for urban school systems. Telephone: 413-572-5320
Springfield Business Incubator (SBI) and Student Business Incubator
Springfield Technical Community College
Early-stage businesses that are tenants in the SBI receive comprehensive support services, including pro bono mentoring by members of the Scibelli Enterprise Center (SEC) Advisory Board. Tenant companies enjoy facilities including customized suites, a centralized reception area, conference rooms, computer training room, and other advantages which enhance their growth and increase economic development in the Pioneer Valley. Tenants also have access to academic resources at STCC, including faculty advisors, and technically-trained student interns and graduates as prospective employees. Telephone: 413-755-6109
The student incubator, administered by the STCC Entrepreneurial Institute, is the “hatchery” where new entrepreneurial start-ups created by middle school, high school, and college students, are nurtured. In bridging the gap between academics and real world experience, student tenants receive support and guidance, and have access to individual mentoring, business information resources, workshops, and entrepreneur roundtables. Telephone 413-755-6143
Springfield Leaders of Tomorrow
Springfield College
Springfield adolescents with the ability and desire to become community leaders receive scholarships to a summer two-week leadership training experience at Springfield College. Classroom and outdoor adventure exercises increase students’ confidence, communication and teamwork skills, and leadership experience. In the subsequent academic year, the participants lead activities in community organizations to further develop their character and academic success, with support from Springfield College graduate students. The scholarships are valued at almost $1,200 per student. This program is supported in part by the City of Springfield, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, and other organizations. Telephone: 413-748-3774
21st Century Women’s Business Leaders Hall of Fame
Bay Path College
This virtual hall of fame celebrates and shares the innovative spirit embodied by women from the private, public, nonprofit and corporate sectors. The inductees have blazed a trail different from the traditional corporate path, resulting in a new definition of women business leaders--one built on creativity, innovation and risk. For more information, go to www.baypath.edu.
Video Conferencing Facilities
Holyoke Community College
Holyoke Community College has a state-of-the-art videoconferencing facility available for use by outside groups. For further information please call 413-552-2590. Email: emurch@hcc.mass.edu
Workforce Development Professionals Conference
Holyoke Community College
An annual event providing professional development topics for Workforce professionals. Usually held in Worcester in the month of March. For more information, please see www.thecenter-hcc.org. Telephone: 413-552-2122. Email: khensley@hcc.mass.edu
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