STCC unveils fall 2016 series lineup

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – A series of speakers at Springfield Technical Community College this fall will kick off Sept. 13 with a talk by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and recipient of a MacArthur “genius grant.”

Author Junot Diaz will speak at the college as part of a collaboration between the Ovation and Diversity Series. STCC also will play host to a Heritage Series that will spotlight different cultures during each of the fall months.

All events, which are free and open to the public, will take place in Scibelli Hall (Building 2).

Ovation Speakers Series

All events for the Ovations Series will be held in the Scibelli Hall Theater. Sponsors of the Series include the Chicopee Savings Bank Endowment for Academic Excellence, the Office of Academic Affairs and the Honors Program at STCC. For additional information about the series, contact Philip O’Donoghue at (413) 755-4233 or pcodonoghue@stcc.edu.

Junot Diaz, author, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 11 a.m. (Ovation, Diversity Collaboration)

Diaz, an internationally renowned author whose novel, “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao,” won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle, will discuss his short story, “Nilda.” Diaz in 2012 won a MacArthur Fellowship, sometimes referred to as a “genius grant.” He also is the recipient of a PEN/O. Henry Award, PEN/Malamud Award, Dayton Literary Peace Prize and a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Diaz’s appearance is a joint venture between Ovations and the Diversity Series, which is coordinated by Vonetta Lightfoot, multicultural affairs operations manager at STCC.

 ‘Get Out and Vote!’ Thursday, Oct. 13, 11 a.m.

The presidential election and other important races will be the topic of this presentation. Bill Scher, liberal blogger and analyst, will be joined by Holly Robichaud, Republican political consultant, to discuss the upcoming election. Bill Scher was one of the first political bloggers, having founded LiberalOasis.com in 2004. He is a contributing editor to POLITICO Magazine, a writer for RealClearPolitics.com, and has appeared numerous times on MSNBC’s “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell.”

Holly Robichaud has 25 years of experience having consulted for the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and the National Republican Congressional Committee. She is founder and president of Tuesday Associates, a political consulting firm that won the prestigious Reed Award for innovative designs of campaign literature. She has appeared on Fox News, New England Cable News and is a columnist for the Boston Herald.

In addition, Linda Matys-O’Connell of the League of Women Voters will also be on hand to register STCC students to vote, as well as introduce the latest apps in voter registration. Matys-O’Connell is a communications consultant who founded the Valley Advocate in 1973.

MB Caschetta, author, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.

MB Caschetta is a renowned author of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender literature. Her book, “Miracle Girls,” won the 2015 Best Book Award for Literary Fiction. It also was named the INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award Winner in the LGBT Category, and was a “pick-of-the-week” in People magazine,which called it “darkly beautiful.” Her new collection of short stories, “Pretend I’m Your Friend,” has already won awards from the Seattle Fiction Review and Iowa Fiction Review. Caschetta’s non-fiction work has appeared in the New York Times and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Diversity Series

All events for the Diversity Series will be held in the Scibelli Hall Theater. For additional information about the series, contact Lightfoot at (413) 755-4461 or vmlightfoot@stcc.edu.

Marilyn Alverio, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 12:15 p.m.

Marilyn Alverio is founder and producer of the Latinas and Power Symposium®, a platform she created so Latina professionals can share resources for success and share those strategies with others. She earned a bachelor of arts from the University of Connecticut in Storrs and later a master’s degree in marketing from the University of Phoenix.

Alverio worked in the corporate arena for 20 years where she held management positions within airlines, pharmaceutical, education, financial and health insurance industries.

She has long supported efforts to help boost the Latino community and has been a strong advocate for women’s empowerment.

John B. Herrington, astronaut, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m.

John B. Herrington, a retired U.S. Navy commander, in 2002 became the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in space. He was aboard a nearly 14-day Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station.

In 2004, he served as the commander of the NEEMO 6 mission (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations). He lived and worked in the Aquarius underwater laboratory for 10 days.  

Born in Wetumka, Okla., into the Chickasaw Nation, Herrington grew up in Colorado Springs, Colo., Riverton, Wyo., Plano, Texas, and now lives in Idaho. He serves as an ambassador for the Chickasaw Nation.

He received his bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, in 1983, and a master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1995. He went on to receive his Ph.D. in Education from the University of Idaho in 2014.

Heritage Series

STCC will mark September and October as Hispanic Heritage Months and November as Native American Heritage Month.

All events for the Heritage Series will be held in Scibelli Hall (Building 2). See below for rooms and times. For additional information about the series, contact Lightfoot at (413) 755-4461 or vmlightfoot@stcc.edu.

Jose Gonzalez and Criollo Clasico, Tuesday, Oct. 11, noon-2 p.m.

Jose Gonzalez and Criollo Clasico will perform Latin music in Scibelli Hall, Rooms 109-110.

Claudia Fox Tree, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 5 p.m.

Claudia Fox Tree will speak about Native American identity, culture and history during a presentation at the Scibelli Hall Theater.

International Education Week, Monday, Nov. 14-Friday, Nov. 18

International Education Week is a collaboration with the STCC Library and the International Student Club. 

  • Nov. 14: STCC International Marketplace featuring Layaali Arabic Music Ensemble, Scibelli Hall, Seventh Floor, noon-2 p.m.
  • Nov. 14: STCC Mini World Cup Opener, Scibelli Hall gym, noon-2 p.m.
  • ]Nov. 15: “Lions & Tigers & Dragons, Oh My,” misconceptions and stereotypes of Asian culture with Professor C.N. Le, professor of Asian Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Scibelli Hall Theater, 11 a.m.
  • Nov. 16: Mini World Cup Semifinals, Scibelli Hall gym, noon-2 p.m.
  • Nov. 17: Foreign Film Day, Scibelli Hall Theater, 11 a.m.
  • Nov. 18: Mini World Cup Finals, Scibelli Hall gym, noon-2 p.m.

Larry ‘Spotted Crow’ Mann, Story Telling/Drumming, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 12:15 p.m.

Larry “Spotted Crow” Mann will perform in Scibelli Hall gym, 12:15 p.m.

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 option for students pursuing a four-year degree. With an annual enrollment of more than 8,700 day, evening, weekend and online students, STCC is a vibrant campus rich in diversity.

Media Contact: Jim Danko, Coordinator of Media Relations, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu