Since 1986 Holyoke Community College's English as a Second Language (ESL) studies program has given its international students a stepping stone to pursue their educational goals.
HOLYOKE -- Since 1986, Holyoke Community College's English as a Second Language (ESL) studies program has given its international students a stepping stone to pursue their educational goals.
On Wednesday, the school community celebrated three decades of succeeding in that mission.
"Thirty years is an accomplishment. This is a chance to celebrate the people in our program, to celebrate our students, what they've accomplished and what they can accomplish, and what HCC makes possible for people," said Eileen Kelley, coordinator of ESL Support Services, in a press release.
State Rep. Aaron Vega, D-Holyoke, and Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse joined HCC faculty, staff and students to celebrate the ESL program's 30th anniversary in HCC's Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development.
ESL at HCC grew from a non-credit program with three part-time teachers and 40-plus students to a team of five full-time professors and about 14 adjunct instructors teaching 34 classes per semester to hundreds of students.
In 30 years, the ESL program has seen thousands of students from several countries matriculate through HCC and into other institutions to obtain higher degrees.
According to Director of Academic Administration Idelia Smith, the ESL program has given students opportunities to "lift themselves up" through education.
"Some of the very students who started out in the ESL program now are graduates of not only Holyoke Community College, but four-year schools, and they have master's degrees, and they've returned to the college to work," said Smith. "Others have become nurses, accountants, musicians and leaders, and they grace the valley. People have moved from the flats all the way up the hill and they pull out of these fabulous houses in the Highlands in the mornings in nice cars, so life has changed dramatically."
Vega, a Holyoke native, said that the history of the city doubles as an example of the nation's history built on people immigrating to the U.S.
"Understanding Holyoke's history is to understand that we have always been a city of immigrants," said Vega." Holyoke was built on people from Ireland, people from France, people from Germany, Jews, different people from different religions and different people of different backgrounds, different languages and different cultures coming to Holyoke to build a better life."
Vega commended HCC for its efforts to give its students a "step up" in closing the skills gap in various fields.
Morse acknowledged the school's efforts to increase enrollment and how ESL programs ultimately help people get employed and out of poverty in Holyoke. "If we are not serving our own community, who are we serving?" the mayor said.
Morse said ESL programs are needed not only for students looking to better themselves, but also for the nation as a whole, providing the U.S. with individuals who are able to improve the country.
"Being bilingual in today's age is such an asset to the folks here, and if we didn't invest in these programs then we are not helping those folks who come to our country to get ahead and get an education to be a productive member of our society," said Morse. "As a government we still need to do more to reform our immigration laws to make sure that those students that were educated here can stay here and get jobs and give back to the country that provided them education."