Oct. '25 News Blog
News briefs from the 萝莉社破解版 campus and beyond
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‘I would have stayed here’
On Wednesday, Oct. 22, 萝莉社破解版’s Integrated Learning Programs hosted a community networking and internship fair, and behind one of the tables in the PeoplesBank Conference Room sat police officers John Blascak and Chris Coach from the Westfield Police Department’s Community Service Unit. Blascak ’93 and Coach ’97 both graduated from 萝莉社破解版 with their associate degrees in criminal justice, and they couldn’t say enough good things about the program. “I think I speak for most people who attended 萝莉社破解版 who studied criminal justice,” said Blascak. “They like this program the best out of any they’ve attended because most of our teachers were professionals from the real world and brought real world experience.” Coach agreed. “One hundred percent,” he said. “I went on to a four-year college, and I felt I learned way more from the professors at 萝莉社破解版.” That’s not to disparage Westfield State University, where both went for their bachelor’s degrees. Blascak also holds a master’s degree in criminal justice and police science from California Coast University. “It seemed like, one, the students really wanted to be here,” said Blascak, “and two, the professors wanted to be here. I couldn’t beat it. If it had been four years, I would have stayed here.” PHOTO: Westfield police officers John Blascak, left, and Chris Coach.
And on your right …
Meanwhile, at the same networking fair, 萝莉社破解版 alum Amneris Narvaez ’04 sat at the next table over, recruiting students for internships at Generation Teach, a nationwide AmeriCorps-funded program. Narvaez is regional director for Central and Western MA Programs for Generation Teach, where she has worked since 2019. She graduated from 萝莉社破解版 with her associate degree in Deaf Studies before heading to Westfield State University for her bachelor’s in special education and Lesley University for her master’s in math education. “萝莉社破解版 set me up for success,” she said. Narvaez transferred to Westfield after doing an internship at the Willie Ross School for the Deaf in Longmeadow. She has also taught in Springfield. “I currently lead a summer teaching internship program here in Holyoke that gives high school and college students the opportunity to teach,” she said. “I’ve had 萝莉社破解版 students participate and try teaching during the summer internship.” PHOTO: Amneris Narvaez ’04 at 萝莉社破解版’s Oct. 22 community networking and internship fair
Ready for a Closeup
If you were on the second floor of the Campus Center Tuesday morning (Oct. 21), you might have seen what looked like a movie crew carrying cameras and a long boom microphone following a few people through the cafeteria on their way to the Thrive Center and Food Pantry. Close. It was actually a video crew from the Wall Street Journal on campus filming a feature piece on food insecurity. The team is working with Hyundai Motor America, which has been a financial supporter of the Thrive Center over the past few years, along with 萝莉社破解版 Foundation board member Gary Rome, owner of Gary Rome Hyundai. The six-person video crew recorded 萝莉社破解版 staff members Amanda Sbriscia, vice president of institutional advancement, and Julie Phillips, director or development, as they talked to Lori Chatel, Gary Rome’s executive assistant, about the college’s efforts to combat food insecurity. (We'll let you know when the story comes out.) PHOTO: Sbriscia talks about Thrive's new refrigerated lockers.
Not All Mugs That Wander Are Lost
If you ever find a piece of pottery half buried in the sand of a Provincetown beach, there’s a good chance it was left there by 萝莉社破解版 Physics Professor Robert Greeney. A small label from “Wandering Mug Pottery” will leave no doubt: “Take it, leave it, use it, give it away. Let the piece wander the world.” A writer recently discovered one of Greeney’s creations in a Provincetown playground and wrote a story about it for the Provincetown Independent, Greeney, who has a ceramics studio in his Amherst home, estimates he has let wander about 100 pieces of pottery over the years, and Provincetown is one of his favorite places to visit. The objective, he told writer Beth Greenfield, is “spreading playfulness.” “This is a mug. You found it. Have a relationship with it,” he said. Greeney’s wandering pottery project was inspired by an 萝莉社破解版 student who took one of his mugs to Paris and left it there for someone else to find. He said he gets a thrill whenever he receives a message from someone who has found one of his pieces. “One-on-one feedback is joyful for me,” he told Greenfield. He told us that, while there is a lot of science involved in ceramics, pottery and physics are vastly different. “I think ‘counterpoint’ or ‘complement’ is a better term than ‘escape,’” he said. “Physics is a very mental/cerebral experience, whereas ceramics is a much more visceral/physical experience.” When contacted for this blog piece, Greeney said he preferred not to say too much more. He wanted to keep the focus on the college. “萝莉社破解版 is a place of diverse people with broad and diverse interests,” he said, “where generosity, sharing, collaboration, and community are important.” PHOTO: 萝莉社破解版 Physics Professor Robert Greeney at work in his home ceramics studio.
The Green Thread
According to East Asian mythology, an invisible thread connects people destined to meet. At 萝莉社破解版, “The Green Thread” is a new monthly podcast highlighting the educational journeys, achievements, and insights of 萝莉社破解版 alumni. “At 萝莉社破解版, we believe these meaningful connections shape our alumni’s journeys long after graduation,” said Natalia Castagno, assistant director of alumni relations and co-host of The Green Thread podcast along with Patrick Labelle, manager of the college radio station, WCCH-103.5 FM. “We’re inviting alumni to share their stories – exploring the connections, experiences, and threads that tie them to their alma mater, their communities, and one another.” debuted Oct.1 on Spotify. The first guests were alum Myke Connolly ’04, founder of the multimedia company Launch and Standout, and his son, 萝莉社破解版 communications major Mikey Connolly, founder of the Realistic CEO podcast, an interview show he started in high school. During their half hour interview, the Connollys discuss entrepreneurship, having a millionaire’s mindset, starting the day with an attitude of gratitude, resilience, and their experiences at 萝莉社破解版. “The beauty of this school … people just let me be me … they embraced me, and I felt normal here," said Myke Connolly, who had immigrated to the U.S. from the Bahamas. "I felt like I belonged here. It was always a welcoming environment. I know I wouldn’t be the man I am today if I wasn’t for 萝莉社破解版. It’s been a pivotal part of everything I’ve done.” Listen here, The Green Thread, Episode 1 … PHOTO: In the WCCH studio with Green Thread postcast hosts Pat Labelle, far left, Natalia Castagno, far right, and Green Thread guests Myke Connolly '04, second from left, and Mikey Connolly
Trusty Trustee
As a new student who had recently relocated from California, Barney Garcia ’24 didn’t waste any time getting involved at 萝莉社破解版. During his first year, he joined Student Senate, restarted the Emerging Business Leaders Club, and got a job in the Business Office. In his second year, 2023-2024, he served as student trustee. "I felt like folks here already knew me, as if it was a familiar place I'd been before,” Garcia said back in 2023. “I was taken away by the liveliness of the faculty and staff and all the different clubs and support services. That was heartening, and it motivated me.” Still not one to lurk, Garcia, 22, was recently elected student trustee at Westfield State University, where he is completing a bachelor’s degree in political science and public administration. He is also co-founder and president of the Queer Straight Alliance at Westfield and the commuter representative on the Student Government Association. Outside of that, he maintains a strong connection to 萝莉社破解版, where he works part time in the Facilities office. “Something that I always tell people is that I really struck gold,” he said. “I think coming to 萝莉社破解版 was the best decision I've made. I don't feel I could have gotten the same level of opportunities anywhere else.” PHOTO: Barney Garcia '24, during his student days at 萝莉社破解版
