2025-2026

Holyoke Community College Foundation Annual Report

FROM THE FOUNDATION CHAIR

Susan Goldsmith

Chair, Holyoke Community College Foundation

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the Holyoke Community College Foundation, I want to thank you for making everything we do for the HCC community possible. The foundation exists to support the varied needs of the college, and this report is evidence that your contributions have had a measurable effect on the campus experience.

Your past support has ensured our students’ future success. The 2026 graduating class includes students transferring to Pomona College, Cornell University, the UMass Amherst Commonwealth Honors College, and many other colleges and universities.

Thanks to donors like you, the HCC Foundation awarded more than $400,000 in total scholarship aid, the Thrive Center Food Pantry distributed a record 26,808 pounds of food and household essentials to students in need, and the President’s Student Emergency Fund provided more than $140,000 in aid to students at risk of stopping out.

Your support has directly shaped the classroom experience, funding new biology laboratory equipment, a replacement pottery wheel, a smartboard for the math center, travel costs for student-athletes, and laptops for students in the Transitions to College and Careers program.

Thank you for making this work possible and believing in our mission.

Warm Regards,

Susan Goldsmith
Chair, Holyoke Community College Foundation

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Melissa Mills-Dick

Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the HCC Foundation

Dear Friends,

It has been an honor to join this community as the new vice president of institutional advancement and executive director of the Holyoke Community College Foundation. As this report shows, your dedication and generosity are what empower HCC students and provide our community with the thoughtful, creative, and accomplished graduates who share their talents with the world.

At HCC, we believe that every student deserves access to high-quality education that serves their ambitions and their personal development. We believe that education can be more than transactional. When done right, education is transformational.

That happens when we support the whole student, both inside and outside of the classroom. Your gift is making it possible. Thank you.

Giving HCC students the resources to realize their full potential is why I’m here. It is why you support the Foundation. When our community comes together, we make transformation possible.

I look forward to partnering with you to build on our strong foundation and build a strong future for HCC, our students, and the region.

Thank you for welcoming me and for everything that you do for HCC.

With Gratitude,

Melissa Mills-Dick

Vice President of Institutional Advancement and
Executive Director of the Holyoke Community College Foundation

President's Student Emergency Fund

Thanks to your contributions through the President’s Student Emergency Fund, we have been able to award more than $140,000 to students in need this academic year. You have provided students with relief for various crises, including:

Thrive Center and Food Pantry

Through investments in infrastructure, technology, staffing, and community partnerships, the Thrive Center Food Pantry was able to serve even more students as enrollment continues to grow. In FY 2026, the Thrive Center and Food Pantry increased its overall services, including:

9,678 check-ins for the Grab-n-Go Snack Program, a 33 percent increase.
A record 26,808 pounds of nutritious food and household essentials delivered, nearly triple the amount from the previous year.
Assisted 39 students through a range of innovative partnerships designed to meet diverse housing needs.
And More

The HCC Foundation awarded $405,000 in scholarships to 422 students, of whom: