STCC unveils fall 2017 speaker, performance series
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Springfield Technical Community College is pleased to announce the lineup of speakers and performers scheduled to appear on campus this fall.
The events, which are free and open to the public, are brought to the college by 2017 Ovations Educational and Cultural Event Series, and the 2017 Diversity Speaker and Performance Series, coordinated by the Office of Student & Multicultural Affairs.
The Ovations Series is sponsored by The Chicopee Savings Bank Endowment for Academic Excellence, the Office of Academic Affairs and the Honors Program at STCC.
Ovations Series
Ray Grand, Entrepreneur, Advocate, and Motivational Speaker, Sept. 19 at 11 a.m., Scibelli Hall, Seventh Floor, Rooms 703-704: At 14 years old, Grand contracted spinal meningitis and has since been paralyzed from the waist down. He has turned this misfortune into a lifetime cause, and has broken barriers ever since. The theme of his talk at STCC will be “find out what makes you happy, and don’t stop working until you achieve your dreams.” This event is being co-sponsored with the Diversity Series at STCC.
Lynnette Johnson, Spoken Word Poet and Author, Oct. 5 at 11 a.m., Scibelli Hall Theater: Johnson is the author of four books of poetry, “I’ve Been Coming to Tell You,” “Only Love Can Do That,” “Purple” and “Supreme.” An accomplished performer, Johnson has performed at many Spoken Word events and has hosted Hartford Task for Soul and Entertainment Event. She has performed in her own one-woman show, directed by Darlene Brandon of MaPeach Productions.
Asperger’s Are Us, Nov. 13 at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m., Scibelli Hall Theater: Founded in 2010, Asperger’s Are Us is the first comedy troupe of people on the Autism Spectrum. They have performed all over the United States and Canada. They were the subject of a documentary by filmmaker Alex Lehmann, which can be seen on Netflix.
The Ovations Series brings to STCC locally and nationally acclaimed writers, artists, political figures, and experts in the fields of science and health.
Diversity Speaker and Performance Series
Hugo Balta, Sept. 20 at 11 a.m., Scibelli Hall Theater: Balta, senior director of Hispanic Initiatives at ESPN, leads a start-up unit focused on initiatives to raise the quality, profile and delivery of diverse news gathering and storytelling. One of his responsibilities is the creation of video and multimedia content targeting the U.S. Hispanic audience across all ESPN and ESPN Deportes platforms
Shane Bitney Crone, Oct. 4 at 11 a.m., Scibelli Hall Theater: Crone, an LGBT advocate, writer and speaker, grew up in Montana, where he struggled with his identity. He moved to Los Angeles in 2004 to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. His partner, Tom Bridegroom, tragically died in an accident. Crone works to ensure that LGBT citizens are granted equal rights. On the one-year anniversary of his partner’s death, he uploaded to YouTube a video called “It Could Happen to You,” which went viral and has been viewed over 20 million times.
Kevin Powell, Oct. 25 at 11 a.m., Scibelli Hall Theater: Powell is an author of 12 books, including his memoir “The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy’s Journey into Manhood.” In 2018, he will publish a biography of the late rapper Tupac Shakur. A native of Jersey City who was raised by a single mother in extreme poverty, Powell was able to study at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, thanks to New Jersey’s Educational Opportunity Fund.
Adrienne Keene, Nov. 2 at 11 a.m., Scibelli Hall, Seventh Floor, Rooms 703-704:Keene (Cherokee Nation), a Native scholar, writer, blogger and activist, is passionate about reframing how the world sees contemporary Native cultures. She is the creator and author of Native Appropriations, a blog discussing cultural appropriation and stereotypes of Native peoples in fashion, film, music and other forms of pop culture.
Other Diversity and Heritage Month Celebrations
STCC Stands Social Justice Forum & Film Series, October 2017-March 2018, select Mondays, 11 a.m., Scibelli Hall Theater.
LGBTQ History Month – Pride Week, Oct. 9-13.
Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration Featuring Jose Gonzalez and Banda Criolla, Oct. 12 at 11 a.m., Scibelli Hall, Room 109 & 110.
The Poetry Experience featuring spoken word artist Prentice Powell and Friends, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m., Scibelli Hall Theater.
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, a designated Hispanic Serving Institution and 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, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu