U.S. Congressman Richard E. Neal to speak at STCC’s commencement on college’s 50th anniversary
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – During a milestone year for the college, U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal will deliver the commencement address at Springfield Technical Community College’s graduation ceremony June 1 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.
The ceremony, which begins at 6:30 p.m., will recognize the achievements of graduates and celebrate STCC’s 50 years of supporting students as they transform their lives.
U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal
The only technical community college in Massachusetts, STCC opened its doors in 1967 and today has more than 38,000 alumni. STCC was named an Achieving the Dream Leader College for supporting student achievement. STCC is one of just three colleges in the Commonwealth designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution.
“One of the highlights of my career is the invitation to be the commencement speaker at the 50th anniversary of the founding of STCC,” Neal said. “How honored I am to accept this invitation.”
Dr. John B. Cook, STCC’s sixth president, described Congressman Neal as a natural fit for the 50th anniversary commencement.
“Springfield and indeed Western Massachusetts have known no better champion than Representative Neal,” Cook said. “We are most fortunate and thrilled that on our 50th anniversary the Congressman can help us celebrate another talented class of graduates.”
One of the highlights of my career is the invitation to be the commencement speaker at the 50th anniversary of the founding of STCC.U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal
Neal, the top Democrat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, represents the First Congressional District of Massachusetts in the United States Congress. First elected to the House in 1988, Neal is the dean of both the Massachusetts Delegation and the New England Congressional Delegation.
From 1984 to 1988, Neal served as the Mayor of Springfield, where he was raised and educated. Neal graduated from American International College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. Neal earned his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Barney School of Business and Public Administration at the University of Hartford in 1976.
Neal reflected on STCC’s 50th anniversary and the impact the college has had on the community.
“I’ve had a grand opportunity during the course of a long career to witness the extraordinary growth of what was once Springfield Technical Institute to its evolutionary stage of becoming Springfield Technical Community College,” Neal said. “But the great part of the story of STCC is it has always spoken to the sense of aspiration in our lives, the idea that we could always upgrade our skills, the idea that when we reach our potential, our potential expands.
“And for the first generation of college students, which overwhelmingly are the presence of this remarkable institution, I would like to highlight the idea that based on my own experience and my own steep climb that opportunity avails. And in some measure it’s a careful reflection of the educational attainment we receive in life. STCC has been a remarkable story for those of us who have lived in the Valley, and we look forward to its next 50 years of growth.”
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, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu