GREENFIELD — With more than $2.2 million raised to support everything from student scholarships to campus revitalization, Greenfield Community College Foundation broke a record this year in its fundraising efforts.
“Last year, the foundation raised $1.4 million, which was the closest to being the record, but not quite,” said GCC Foundation Executive Director Alexis Page. “Previous to that it was $1.9 million.”
In recent years, the foundation has received anywhere from $900,000 to $1 million, according to Page.
“The entire GCC community, from the students, staff, alumni and faculty, to our volunteers, campaigners and donors, made this possible,” she said. “We’re very fortunate to have so much support and this couldn’t have come at a better time. These gifts will help set up new GCC President Michelle Schutt and the entire campus for success.”
Schutt began in the role on July 18, taking over for Richard Hopper, who had served as interim president since August 2021 following the resignation of Yves Salomon-Fernández.
Page also acknowledged a “generous estate gift” from Greenfield resident Antha Smith, former owner of World Eye Bookshop.
“We also want to thank Antha Smith and her family, whose generosity and dedication to Greenfield means the GCC Foundation can continue to help GCC provide accessible and affordable education to the region,” she said.
In addition to Smith’s gift, money was raised through the GCC Foundation’s annual campaign, “One Community, Many Futures.” Led by Mary Siano and Tara Brewster, the campaign highlighted GCC’s 60-year history of building community to help GCC students chart brighter futures.
“It’s very exciting for me to come into a new community and witness this incredible support for this institution,” Schutt said in a statement. “I want to thank all of our generous donors and assure them that these funds will be used to foster and advance the academic journeys of our GCC students.”
According to Page, money raised will benefit various initiatives at the college, including scholarships for students, college programs and revitalization of the campus, as well as provide emergency funding for students who need assistance with essential items like food and transportation.
“Many of our students are facing an increased economic crisis,” Page said.
“A lot of the money this year was actually unrestricted,” Page continued, explaining that often, some of the money gets funneled into the presidential fund for special initiatives, which can include various campus projects. “I’m going to be working with our new president to figure out how we’re going to designate it. I wanted to wait until the new president was on board and give her some time to get her feet wet. Then, we’ll designate some money to put forward on her projects.”
Page said GGC’s 60th anniversary celebration on Sept. 24 will be a chance for the community to celebrate the collaborative effort it takes to support the college.
“The biggest thing I’ve been emphasizing is that it’s very much a community-driven effort,” she said. “It was the entire community — our campaigners, our donors, the GCC community — that really rallied around GCC to make this happen.”
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.