Faculty and staff at Greenfield Community College are gearing up for students to return on Tuesday, and they say there’s a lot of excitement and energy on campus as they wait.
“Students will have the opportunity — be encouraged to — engage with faculty and staff the first few days,” GCC Interim Chief of Academics and Student Affairs Mary Ellen Fydenkevez said. “They’ll be meeting with advisors, checking out the campus and seeking any of the support systems they might need, as well as checking out upcoming student activities. And, we have a few new programs this year.”
Fydenkevez said one of the new programs is a certificate in music recording and production. The college is also launching its honors program.
“If a student wants to take an honors course, he or she will work with a faculty member,” she said. “There are certain criteria an honors student will need to meet, but each faculty member will work to individualize each course for an honors student. Every course has the potential to be an honors course.”
Fydenkevez said there are numerous advantages to taking an honors course, including having it on your transcript when you transfer to a four-year college, but especially being able to delve deep into a subject.
“It’s a great way to build strong relationships between students and faculty members,” she said.
Fydenkevez said the college is hoping the program grows quickly. She said students will also be able to take accelerated courses, which means a full-semester course can be finished in a half-semester, though the curriculum will be the same.
“Students will have to work just as hard, but will have the opportunity to finish more quickly,” she said. “This is good for people who are working, for instance.”
Fydenkevez said a “new career person” will start Sept. 9. That person will help students connect with potential employers, but will also help those who are unsure what career they want to pursue.
There is also a new medical assisting program that will be held every other Saturday in Northampton at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School.
“It’s a hybrid program, so it allows for people to carry on with their lives, work, whatever, while they get their education,” she said.
Another new program will consist of senior volunteers who will greet students at the welcome desk, work with them in the college’s garden and converse with English language learners. Fydenkevez said the program builds upon a history of the college engaging seniors in the community.
GCC President Yves Salomon-Fernandez, who was inaugurated as the college’s 10th president this past spring, said she’s looking forward to the school year ahead. She said the administration has been meeting regularly to discuss numerous issues.
“I’ve been getting to know the community, who people are,” Salomon-Fernandez said. “We are all assessing the needs, assets and challenges of the college and the community.”
Among other things, Salomon-Fernandez said she and others have been looking at the academic master plan process and the future of workforce development.
“Our partners, like the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, Amherst Chamber of Commerce and Northampton Chamber of Commerce, are engaging with us to find the best ways to approach things,” she said. “There’s great energy.”
More and more jobs will be lost to new technologies, Salomon-Fernandez said, and students and workers need to be ready and resilient.
“Some people will lose their jobs to technology and we need to prepare them so they find other jobs,” she said. “We need to teach them how to thrive in a new economy. We don’t want to have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to economics, the workforce and the vitality of both.”
Salomon-Fernandez said she is also excited about the partnership the college has formed with local school districts. The college is also working with the local YMCA and Double Edge Theatre in Ashfield to create liberal arts programs that focus on creativity and problem solving, along with communication skills. She said administrators want to offer opportunities to all, from the youngest to the oldest residents.
Reach Anita Fritz at 413-772-0261, ext. 269 or afritz@recorder.com.