STCC names Activity Director for grant supporting Hispanic students

Dr. Felicia Griffin-Fennell

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. –  Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) is pleased to name Dr. Felicia Griffin-Fennell as Activity Director of the Hispanic Serving Institution-STEM (HSI-STEM) grant, funded by the U.S. Department of Education.  

In her role, Griffin-Fennell will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the grant, leading the campus effort in supporting Hispanic and low-income students in STEM fields of study as they enter, progress, graduate and transfer in their degree programs. STEM refers to the academic fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

“I am excited to be a part of this initiative at STCC. This grant will provide us an opportunity to have an even greater impact on the lives of the constituents of the greater Springfield area. I look forward to getting this vital work started,” Griffin-Fennell said.

STCC last fall was awarded a five-year, $3.4 million federal grant to support Hispanic and low-income students. (Read more about the grant here.)

I look forward to getting this vital work started. Dr. Felicia Griffin-Fennell

Dr. Arlene Rodríguez, Vice President of Academic Affairs at STCC, said, “It’s one thing to secure the grant; it’s another to implement a successful program. Dr. Griffin-Fennell brings to this grant a commitment to transforming students’ lives, a creativity with program development and the organizational skills to make this a great program for our students.”

The HSI-STEM grant will allow STCC to create several initiatives, including, but not limited to:

  • Developing an on-campus STEM Center;
  • Providing professional development for STEM faculty;
  • Redesigning the math curriculum;
  • Visiting the community to conduct STEM demonstrations and teach about different STEM fields of study and career options; and
  • Creating a summer boot camp for students intending to major in high-tech academic programs such as Laser Electro-Optics Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology and Electronic Systems Engineering Technology.

With a Hispanic student population of 27.6 percent, STCC has officially been designated a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2013.

A triple graduate of the University of Connecticut (B.S., Psychology, M.A., Psychology, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, and graduate certificate in Women’s Studies), Griffin-Fennell was the Founding Director of the STEM Starter Academy at STCC, a statewide initiative at the 15 community colleges to increase the number of students to complete associate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Griffin-Fennell has worked as an academic program manager of psychology and human services at Post University in Waterbury, Conn.  She was also a postdoctoral fellow through the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

She lives in Bloomfield, Conn., with her husband and two sons.

About Springfield Technical Community College

Founded in 1967 and located on 35 acres of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, STCC is a major resource for the economic vitality of Western Massachusetts. As the only technical community college in Massachusetts, STCC, an Achieving the Dream Leader College, offers a variety of career programs unequalled in the state. STCC’s highly regarded transfer programs in business, engineering, liberal arts, science and technology continue to provide the most economical options for students pursuing a four-year degree. With an annual enrollment of more than 8,500 day, evening, weekend and online students, STCC is a vibrant campus rich in diversity.

For more information about STCC, visit www.stcc.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@S_T_C_C).

Media Contact:

Jim Danko, coordinator of media relations

jdanko@stcc.edu, (413) 755-4812