STCC celebrates 2023 scholarship recipients at awards dinner

Scholarship recipients show their awards.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Springfield Technical Community College celebrated students who earned scholarships and recognized donors who provided them with generous support.

The STCC Foundation welcomed scholarship recipients, donors, board members and others to a celebratory event on May 23 on the STCC campus. The event was titled 2023 Evening with the STAARS!  “STAARS” stands for STCC’s Transformational Academic Achievement Reception for Scholars.

“I would like to thank you for joining us this evening, as we celebrate our 58 student scholarship award recipients who will be receiving nearly $85,000 in life-changing resources,” said Dr. Jacqueline Johnson, vice president of the STCC Foundation and chief operations officer for Caring Health Center. “It’s an exciting time to be able to come together once again to celebrate the hard work of our students in person.”

In his welcoming remarks, Dr. John B. Cook, STCC president, noted that the annual event had been disrupted in recent years due to the pandemic. On behalf of the college, he extended his congratulations to the award recipients.

“Throughout these past couple of years, we have struggled to be able to come together and celebrate the achievements of these individuals who have worked tirelessly to succeed in the face of a global pandemic. Now, as we transition towards normalcy, it is an honor to be able to be here in-person today to celebrate these students for all they have accomplished,” Cook said.

Students, their friends and family and others enjoyed a dinner after receiving their scholarships in an event at the Top of Our City conference center on the seventh floor of Scibelli Hall. The room offers a panoramic view of the greater Springfield area.

Jeanmarie Leone, who is pursuing an Engineering Transfer degree from STCC, received five scholarship awards. Leone, a nontraditional student who returned to college later in life to pursue her degree at STCC, wanted to offer advice to her fellow students.

“It takes a lot of hard work and dedication,” she said of her goal of obtaining a degree in engineering transfer. “Don’t give up. There’s always somebody at STCC who will lift you up and help you. Don’t forget your STEM tutors because they’re awesome. The STEM Center is amazing.”

STCC, which is the only technical community college in Massachusetts, has an on-campus STEM Center to encourage the study of science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM). The Center offers services and academic support for all students taking STEM classes. Tutors are available for one-on-one and group tutoring sessions.

D’Khari Simba Smith, who was selected as student speaker for the event, hopes to graduate with his associate degree in fine arts in 2023.

“I picked STCC because it was local, affordable, and from what I heard from all the things I read … this was one of the best community colleges in the country and a good place to start my journey,” he said.

He received the Myra D. Smith Award, which is given out by the Black Professionals Group.

“Being an African-American student, it’s nice to be able to get these opportunities … to financially help me with my school needs or anything else,” said Smith of Springfield.

Smith said he was impressed with the diversity at STCC and the efforts the college makes to make sure everyone knows they are welcomed and accepted, regardless of their background.

“This place definitely welcomes a diverse array of students,” Smith said. “It’s definitely not just marketing like some schools I’ve been to. This school population is very diverse. It’s important for students like me. Not only does it cultivate a healthy environment for a student base, but it provides a true college experience. You want to feel like you’re in a college where a bunch of people from all over the place are at one place with one common goal: to get an education.”

In her remarks, Johnson shared details about the scholarship recipients’ backgrounds. More than half of the scholarship winners are students of color and 31 percent are Hispanic or Latino/Latinx.

“The background of our scholars reflects our standing as a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution and aligns with our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” she said.

One of the scholarship donors, Brian Tuohey, president of The Collins Companies in East Windsor, Conn., and a generous supporter of STCC, attended the ceremony to see students receive their awards.  

“As a first generation college graduate, I was blessed to be able to attend college on a full scholarship because of the kindness and generosity of a person that I never met,” Tuohey said. “So it is an honor and a privilege to ‘pay it forward’ and provide the same opportunity to a deserving STCC student in need of a helping hand.”

Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.

About Springfield Technical Community College

STCC, the Commonwealth's only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC's highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide unequaled opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the college – a designated Hispanic Serving Institution – seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed and socially responsible graduates.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jim Danko, 413-755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu

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