Greenfield Community College marks 60 years

Responding to workforce needs is essential

By RON C HIMELIS rchimelis@repub.com

As a youth and teen, Daniel Desrochers did not plan on working in college education. For that matter, he didn’t even see himself graduating from a four-year college. Greenfield Community College changed all that, something he says it is doing for countless other students.

“It was my education at GCC that allowed me to write for a literary journal here, and then transfer to the University of Massachusetts for journalism,” said Desrochers, a Chicopee native who is now the communications and marketing and marketing director for his alma mater.

“Without GCC, I would not be where I am today, or for that matter, have a bachelor’s degree.”

Franklin County’s twoyear college is in the midst of marking its 60th anniversary year. From a car show to lectures to alumni gatherings, many related events have taken place, and some were so popular that they’ll be brought back.

For this school of about 1,400 students, though, the focus is less on what’s occurred than what awaits.

“We have our high-quality liberal arts tradition, and we will maintain that,” said Michelle Schutt, who arrived from an administrative position at the College of Southern Idaho to become Greenfield’s president in 2022.

“We will also be providing workforce training, though. The demographics and the needs of the region are changing. The biggest growth is at Franklin County Technical School, so what does that mean, and how does that align with the needs and what we can offer?” she said.

Schutt has an answer for that rhetorical question.

“In a word, relevancy. It’s how we can assure we are answering the needs of our constituencies,” she said.

Those constituencies are changing. Schutt said that nationally as well as regionally, the number of “traditional age” students from 18 to 24 is declining, with rising numbers for students over 25, many with families and jobs. Interest in online education is increasing at all levels, she said. That won’t replace classroom instruction at Greenfield, but it does speak to new approaches and expanded curriculum.

One of GCC’s more notable alumni, Robert Pura, went on to earn a doctorate in community college leadership. The author of a book on community college leadership, Pura said Greenfield is changing while still maintaining what’s been special about it for 60 years.

“One of my favorite quotes is that getting an education at GCC is like getting a tailored suit as opposed to buying one off the rack,” said Pura, who was the college’s president for nearly 18 years before retiring in 2018.

“It’s an aspirational journey at a school committed to excellence which empowers, trusts and holds leadership accountable, to do their jobs and do them well,” Pura said.

As an example, Pura said he saw staff and faculty often taking more pride in the school’s buildings than their own homes. What he really admired, though, was how personal the school’s approach has always been.

“So much of public higher education is pre-packaged. It may be cheaper and easier, but it is not better,” Pura said.

“GCC has always been very student-centered, with an environment that shouts out to all students that ‘you belong

“I’ve been involved with community colleges for a long time, and these are people who will be taxpayers and real estate owners, and people who shop and live in the area. (Expanding programs) is like a cruise ship, it takes a little time to change direction, but we are trying to stay ahead of the curve in what we do and how we do it.” here.’ For so many students, and many first-generation in college, walking through those doors for the first time can be scary, but this college makes them feel part of the community,” Pura said.

Desrochers agreed with Schutt that the needs of students are changing. “Liberal arts has been our linchpin, but we are growing our workforce development programs. And students can get a lifelong education here for a very small cost,” he said.

Schutt is convinced workforce training can continue to expand without compromising the liberal arts tradition.

“It’s not an either-or, it’s an and-also,” she said. “We just can’t limit ourselves to liberal arts. Our society needs more people with career technical education backgrounds,” she said.

“There is a lot of need in the workforce in nursing, in manufacturing - and these are really good paying, middle-class jobs,” said Hector Toledo, chairman of the college’s trustees. Toledo said GCC plays a critical role as the only community college in Franklin or Hampshire counties.

“I’ve been involved with community colleges for a long time, and these are people who will be taxpayers and real estate owners, and people who shop and live in the area. (Expanding programs) is like a cruise ship, it takes a little