GREENFIELD — With a $48,741 grant from Wake Forest University’s Educating Character Initiative, Greenfield Community College plans to study how to improve student character.
Judy Raper, associate dean for community engagement, explained that over the next few months, the college will assess which character traits students already graduate with and gaps that can be filled to ensure GCC graduates have strong “relational, civic and leadership skills.”
“We’ve never really talked about what we’re doing to equip our students with more than just practical skills for the workplace,” Raper said. “When GCC students walk out of our doors, what kind of experience do we want them to have had? Who do we want them to be?”
The Educating Character Initiative was created by Wake Forest University in 2023 and funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. On its website, the initiative describes providing grant funding, workshops and events “to enable institutions of higher education
to become communities of character that form students, staff and faculty to act with character and for the common good.”
GCC was one of 60 colleges selected to receive a “capacity-building grant” designed for colleges that are just beginning their journeys of integrating character into curriculum and institutional culture.
Raper explained that the college regularly talks with employers to determine what practical skills students need to learn to enter the workforce, but has not taken specific steps to develop soft skills so that students are engaged citizens and leaders not only in the workforce, but in their communities.
This fall, the college will be meeting with student, employer, faculty and staff focus groups to learn more about what is already being done and to develop a shared definition of “what does character mean at GCC,” Raper said.
For example, Raper said the college has heard from employers that recent graduates have struggled to show up to work on time, and they are looking for ways to instill timeliness in students.
“This grant gives us an opportunity to build on what GCC already does well, and develop a shared approach to helping students cultivate the skills and habits they need to navigate differences, build relationships, make thoughtful decisions and contribute to their communities,” Angela Campbell, GCC’s vice president of institutional mission, culture and climate, said in a statement.
Raper said that, as part of the grant work, a steering committee will be formed. The college will create professional development for faculty focused on empathy, communication and conflict resolution, and a two-credit course for students.
“I hope we’re able to create a class to get students to think about what it means to be a good citizen,” Raper said.
She said GCC already does some programs meant to promote character building, but this grant will assess where there are gaps in programming. Findings will be incorporated into GCC’s strategic plan, which the college is also updating.
Raper said that in the future, the college will look into grants to implement any changes that the steering committee recommends as a result of this assessment.
Technology grant
The college also recently received an equipment grant from the Massachusetts Broadband Institute. In a statement, GCC Library Director Liza Harrington said that the 60 Dell laptops, 68 Dell Chromebooks, 20 keyboards and mice would be available for students who don’t have their own computers to borrow.
“This grant allows us to expand our existing Technology Lending Library, which has been a game-changer for our students,” Harrington said. “By adding these devices to our inventory, we are significantly lowering the barriers to digital equity. Whether it’s a student needing a laptop for a remote course or a workforce student accessing career training, we now have the resources to meet those needs directly. These tools aren’t just hardware; they are pathways to opportunity.”
