For several months, GCC has been engaged in a series of community conversations around our mission, who we are becoming, for whom, and how we collaborate with partners to advance our communities and the people we serve. These have been invigorating gatherings that have included a broad swath of folks who have brought great perspectives, shared their aspirations for the College and the community, and who have also challenged us.
Through these convenings, it has become clear that this portion of the 21st century and beyond demand that GCC approach delivering on our mission in different ways than we have in the past. Readers of this newspaper have read about our collaborations with the YMCA, with Double Edge Theater, our vast number of cultural celebrations on campus, and so much more. We are committed to utilizing our broad array of local assets as the College contributes to advancing the region’s social, economic, and intellectual vitality.
Our new academic programs and work with local businesses are focused on empowering students who can fill local job openings and create their own enterprises. In the era of escalating college debt, we are working hard so that our graduates can be financially self-sufficient and have opportunities for upward mobility. Our recent Adventure Education degree was developed with this intent. Beyond degrees and jobs, we affirm our commitment to the liberal arts and to cultivating citizens and stewards who can lead responsibly in both the social and environmental realms.
We are adapting our approach to higher education because we are cognizant of broad changes in the landscape near and far. In the context of evolving local demographics and the changing nature of jobs and the economy, we have also witnessed leadership transitions in the local political delegation to the State House, transitions at the municipal level and at the helm of key institutions in our community. These changes, combined with the efforts of long-time individual and organizational stewards in the community, are energizing.
This is an exciting time to be a community college and to be in the Pioneer Valley! I welcome you to engage with your college, our college. Come in for lunch, take a class, sit in a seminar, attend an event, or enjoy a picnic when the weather gets warm. GCC awaits you!
Yves Salomon-Fernández, Ph.D., is the president of Greenfield Community College