STCC professor, alumna draw inspiration from leadership program
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Leadership Pioneer Valley recently celebrated 21 graduates who went through its intense, condensed virtual leadership program.
Two of the 21 graduates – a Springfield Technical Community College assistant professor Aimee Dalenta and STCC alumna Kara Woolridge – reflected on lessons learned in the LPV’s leadership development program known as LEAP.
Kara Woolridge, left, and Aimee Dalenta
Formed in 2021, Springfield-based Leadership Pioneer Valley works to identify, develop and connect diverse leaders to strengthen the region.
Dalenta, chair of the Early Childhood Education program at STCC, said her LEAP experience inspired her to take on both formal and informal leadership roles on the STCC campus. “The experience also helped me form connections and partnerships with area organizations, which is important in the work we do at STCC. Serving the community is a key part of our mission,” she said.
Dalenta, a professional in the field of education for 16 years, has held roles as a classroom teacher. She has owned and operated her own preschool and served as an educational consultant. She has taught at the college level for eight years, training future teachers to succeed in the classroom.
Woolridge, a 2016 STCC graduate of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, works as a master’s level occupational therapist on an acute inpatient adult psychiatric unit at Baystate Wing Palmer.
Woolridge said the LEAP program helped her learn about her capabilities and develop confidence to collaborate with exceptional individuals throughout the Pioneer Valley and internationally.
She described STCC as a special institution that marked the beginning of her career in occupational therapy.
“It provided an opportunity for me to focus my knowledge and skill set into a rewarding profession, as I had already attained my bachelor’s degree prior to acceptance into the OTA program,” said Woolridge, a member of the STCC Foundation Board. “Graduating from the OTA program at STCC has also afforded me with a number of opportunities for personal and professional growth even to this day.
Woolridge was accepted to Quinnipiac University’s post-professional doctoral program for occupational therapy. She begins Aug. 30.
Woolridge and Dalenta were part of the LEAP graduating class on June 22 that included 21 professionals from area businesses, non-profits, and the public sector.
The program was condensed from nine months to six and added new topics relevant to leadership in this moment to hone their leadership and community skills. The sessions were conducted over Zoom, which was challenging at times but, despite the virtual setting, they still found ways to connect to one another, said Lora Wondolowski, Executive Director of LPV.
“The Class of 2021 did not wait for the storm to pass, but together connected in new ways and found opportunities to ‘dance’ together,” Wondolowski said. “This moment led us to be more authentic as leaders navigating unknown territory. In the end, we emerge as better leaders.”
This class is the 10th graduating class, joining more than 300 graduates representing 125 companies, organizations, and municipalities in the region. More than 90 percent of alumni have remained in the region. Fifty-three percent of alumni have a new leadership role at work, 64 percent have joined a new board of directors, and 99 percent made new meaningful connections.
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 unequalled 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