February 2025 Edition

Elms College President Dr. Harry Dumay begins 2025 as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Council of Independent Colleges. The Council of Independent Colleges is an association founded in 1956 that focuses on strengthening independent colleges and universities with over 700 members. 



Dr. Dumay’s new role as Chair highlights his leadership within the higher education community. While representing Elms College at the CIC’s Presidents Institute held in San Antonio, Texas, he had the honor of introducing the morning plenary session, setting the tone for the institute’s discussion.

Inspired by the Kenyan concept of Harambee, a Swahili word for “all pull together,” the 8th Annual Black Experience Summit focuses on the theme of “togetherness” within the food justice movement, whereby Black communities worldwide actively cultivate an ethic of equitable care. Harambee also distinguishes the professional learning community of educators that comprise Elms College’s Center for Equity in Urban Education (CEUE) of which we celebrate the 5th Anniversary. Planting the seeds of culturally responsive knowledge production and cultivating minds are shared commitments of both the CEUE and the annual Black Experience Summit.   

The program for the Summit includes renowned guest speakers, a viewing of the documentary High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America, and a Food Truck by a local Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef. 

In keeping with their mission, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield is co-sponsoring the 8th Annual Black Experience Summit with Elms College.

The Center for Equity in Urban Education (CEUE) is celebrating its 5th Anniversary this Spring semester with the theme of, Harambee: Cultivating an Equitable and Just Educational Future. To launch this celebratory occasion, and in honor of the W.K. Kellogg’s 9th Annual National Day of Racial Healing, the CEUE hosted a seminar entitled: #GOODScholars: Cultivating Educational Spaces of Hope for Racial Healing on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Dominique McDonald, Academic Coordinator in the CEUE, provided a reading from poet laureate, Maya Angelou, to kick off the special event. Dr. Tyra Good, Executive Director of the CEUE, and Dr. Jennifer Shoaff, Chief Diversity Officer at Elms College, led a dynamic discussion on examining structured inequities within school systems and an educator's role in creating equity-centered, trauma-informed educational spaces that foster and honor the intersectionalities of student identities.

This event aligned with the Kellogg Foundation's educational efforts to advance truth, racial healing, and transformation. The event was posted on the National Day of Racial Healing website and served as the launch of the CEUE's "#GOODEducators Connect" book discussion of, Learning to Relearn: Supporting Identity in a Culturally Affirming Classroom by Kwame Sarfo-Mensah. 

Elms College is excited to introduce The Elms Promise, an exciting financial aid program designed to provide full tuition coverage for students from families earning less than $85,000 annually. By combining federal and state grants with institutional scholarships, the Elms Promise reflects our unwavering commitment to making a high-quality, four-year college education accessible to students of all backgrounds.

Elms College is honored to have been granted additional funding for Behavioral Health Field Programs from the State of Massachusetts. Through the governor’s office, this initiative aims to support individuals pursuing their education to become behavioral health professionals and increase the number of available professionals. This grant will help cover required placements and internships for those pursuing their education in behavioral health degree programs. It will reduce financial barriers to achieving their degree while offering them invaluable experience.

Elms College is excited to announce its new LPN-to-BSN Nursing Program, which is designed as a continuing education program for those who are currently licensed practical nurses. Beginning in Fall 2025, this program will offer a pathway for LPNs to achieve their Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Dr. Yolanda Marrow '06 '12 '23, elected as President of the Western Massachusetts Black Nurses Association

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Dr. More '16 '20, Champion for Community Health and Empowerment in Massachusetts

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Nominate alumni who exemplify the core values of Faith, Community, Excellence, and Justice, by March 14!

Our award recipient will be recognized at Reunion on June 7, 2025.

Joseph Cheah, OSM, Ph.D. is Professor of Religious Studies and Theology, and Chair of the Department of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies at the University of St. Joseph. In the classroom, he sees himself as a co-learner, someone who collaborates with students for insight and understanding. Telling pertinent stories and sharing appropriate experiences from his unique social location as Asian American and positionality as religious priest have helped him to reclaim teaching and learning as an essential part of faculty-student dialogue.

March 29

Save the Date - Classes ending in 0's and 5's join us for a fun-filled reunion weekend!

June 6-8, 2025

Last year we broke the record as the most successful day of giving! Let's do it again...



• Your gift will directly impact financial aid for our students and support their success at the Elms and beyond.
• Help us reach this year's goal of $125,000.
• We need 450 donors to unlock challenge gifts. You have the power to help make that happen!



Stay tuned for more information.

Jill Perry '21 '23, Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement

Email: Perryj@elms.edu

Phone: (413) 265- 2388