Holyoke: Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center
Mayor Pluta introduced Governor Patrick at the town hall forum after the ground breaking.
The ground breaking for the new MGHPCC was held Tuesday. It was great to see so many of UMass CSL’s community partners there. Among them were Eileen Cavanaugh and Victor Rojas from the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club.
Officials at the ground breaking in Holyoke
Community Partners at the MGHPCC ground breaking
IT Projects in Holyoke
As another semester wraps up, new IT projects are being launched in Holyoke by the IT Capstone Teams. There are multiple video projects for Nuestras Raices and the Holyoke Health Center and three awesome websites for HolyokeC3, Holyoke Unites and the Pathways to Family Success program. Working with our Holyoke community partners is always a great experience! See the links in right hand sidebar to view the web sites.
UMass CSL in the New York Times
The UMass Information Technology Capstone course was featured in the New York Times – Education Life this week. In this course students work in Teams to assist community organizations in Holyoke with their IT needs. The Teams build custom data bases, CMS web sites and more.View the article here:
http://tinyurl.com/yze3e44
Today we had the honor of hosting Dr. Michael Rosen, author of What Else But Home. He visited two classes and shared from his book about his family’s story, as they opened up their home, their lives and their “selves” to 5 young boys from the projects near their home on the lower east side of Manhattan. Crossing the race and class divide, intertwining their lives with these young men over the past decade has been wonderful and trying, messy and beautiful. Everyone’s lives have been changed. It was a privilege to have Michael with us today.
Role for UMass Students in the Victory Theater Restoration?
Today I was on a tour of the old Victory Theater in Holyoke. We at UMass CSL are exploring possibilities for UMass students to connect community service with the restoration project about to begin in this fabulous old theater aobut 20 minutes from campus. This amazing, 1600 seat theater was built in 1919 and has been closed for 30 years. It is in a sad state of disrepair but the Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts has acquired the property and intends to soon begin a $25M restoration. On the tour of the space today, many ideas for student involvement were jumping to mind. If you are reading this and have ideas of connections, please be in touch! It seems like an educational community service opportunity of amazing proportions.
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- A view from the rear of the theater, first floor.
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- Don Sanders points out the marble stairs heading up to the second of three floors.
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- Here I am checking out the beautiful decorative work in the front of the theater.
Federal Financial Aid and CSL
We were in Worcester today at a Campus Compact Workshop on maximizing Federal Financial Aid for Community Service. Kevin Days from the Corporation for National Service in Washington DC, the keynote speaker, had some helpful input. It was great to hear what other campuses are doing and to share ideas from our campus as well. Looking forward to new areas of connection with folks at the Financial Aid office. Thanks to Anne from FinAid for coming with us.
Holyoke Bound Event and la Finca Farm
On Saturday, September 26th over 200 students from the 5 Colleges (UMass, My Holyoke, Hampshire, Smith and Amherst) came together for a semi-annual orientation event called Holyoke Bound. The event is organized by the UMass student group called Student Bridges along with student leaders from the other campuses and the 5-College Vista worker, Liz. Holyoke Bound provides and excellent orientation to the Holyoke Community for students who will be doing their community service there. After the event many of us visited the Nuestras Raices Harvest Festival at nearby la Finca Farm to enjoy the food, music, Paso Fino horses, farm animals and beautiful / fruitful community gardens. Such a fabulous day!!
Community leaders Paul Hyre, Raul Matta, Jude Kallok and Alex Morse were on a panel facilitated by Roy Lichtenstein.
It was standing room only in the plenary sessions
At the la Finca Farm, this Spanish speaking clown was great fun! Taken at the Nuestras Raices Harvest Festival
Many of the Holyoke Bound participants went to the Nuestras Raices Fall Festival at La Finca Farm in Holyoke, after the workshop. Here pictured are Betty Medina-Lichtenstein of Enlace de Familias and Carol Soules, Director of UMass - CSL.
Community Service Fair – September 23, 2009
The Community Service Fair was held in the Student Union Ballroom on Wednesday. There were 40 community organizations represented and a steady stream of students. Sabine Holub, wife of Chancellor Robert Holub, was one of a number of campus members who attended. It was great to see everyone who came out and to have the chance to make my way around the room and talk with so many valuable organizations. This event is always a great way for students to find volunteer opportunities and service placements with community organizations as well as a time for faculty and others from the campus to get to know some of our local non-profits. Thanks to all who came and special thanks to all who gave of their time and energy to help make it possible!