‘I instantly knew this is a place where I would love to be president’

Dr. Jennifer Cournoyer begins her tenure at STCC

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Before she ever became a college president, Dr. Jennifer Cournoyer helped people find what they needed.

Cournoyer worked in public libraries, where she connected patrons with information. She answered questions and helped members of her community pursue everything from personal interests to career goals. Looking back, she now sees that experience as the beginning of a journey that would eventually lead her to Springfield Technical Community College.

"My passion for libraries was born out of my passion for everyone to have access to information," Cournoyer said.

When she landed a job as director of a library at a community college, she said, “I realized those same patrons I had been helping in public libraries were my students. Now I was helping them along a path that led, hopefully, to a degree that could change their life."

The belief that education can transform lives, families, and entire communities drew Cournoyer to STCC, where on July 13 she began serving as the college's seventh president.

As she researched the college during the presidential search process, she was impressed by STCC's distinctive blend of technical education, workforce training, and transfer opportunities. But it wasn't until she visited campus that she knew she had found the right place.

"I stepped onto the campus, and I met the students, and I instantly knew this is a place where I would love to be president," she said. "I felt that the faculty and staff were passionate and truly got up every morning and said, 'I have a reason to be here, and it's helping these students accomplish their goals and transform their lives.'"

Cournoyer points to STCC's career-focused programs, from nursing and health professions to advanced manufacturing and HVAC, as powerful examples of how community colleges create opportunity by preparing graduates for careers with a family-sustaining wage. At the same time, she values the college's commitment to the humanities and critical thinking, saying students benefit from a well-rounded education regardless of the path they choose.

First year approach: Listen and learn

Rather than arriving with a list of sweeping changes, Cournoyer says her first year will focus on simply listening.

"A lot of times people expect you to walk onto campus and say, 'We're going to change this,' or 'We're going to change direction,'" she said. "Really, what I would love to spend this year doing is just to listen and learn."

She wants to hear directly from students about their experiences, from faculty about what helps students succeed, and from staff about how the college can strengthen the work it already does well.

"I'm trying to absorb and be super curious about the way STCC is working," she said. "What are the things we are doing well that we can emphasize, and what can we do better as we move forward?"

That curiosity also shapes her leadership philosophy.

Influenced by her former college president, who trusted employees and focused on removing obstacles instead of micromanaging, Cournoyer believes effective leadership begins by empowering others.

I hope that STCC is a place where people can come and, when they do get here, they feel inspired. Dr. Jennifer Cournoyer, STCC President

"I want to make sure that we have the absolute best people here at STCC doing the work for our students," she said. "I want (faculty and staff) to know that I am here to remove barriers for you.”

Cournoyer wants to create an environment “where you can come to work every day, you can feel inspired and you can do what you need to do to help the students in your care."

Students remain at the center of that vision. Cournoyer knows earning a college credential isn't easy. Many STCC students balance classes with work, family responsibilities and financial pressures. She believes success comes from pairing students' determination with a strong network of support.

"Students have to do the work," she said. "But what we can do as a college is create the conditions where that work can be done well."

She points to the college's tutoring, success coaching, library services, food pantry, mental health resources and other student supports as examples of the holistic approach that helps students persist through challenges.

In addition to the campus support, students have one-on-one access to faculty who are experts in their field and in their industry.

Connecting with the campus

Those who encounter Cournoyer on campus are likely to find a president who prefers walking the hallways to sitting behind a desk.

"If I see a day on my calendar that's full of meetings, I kind of inwardly go, 'Oh no,'" she said with a laugh. "I want to be walking around and talking to people."

She hopes students, faculty, and staff feel inspired every time they come to campus.

"Even if we love what we do, there are going to be days when it's hard," she said. "I hope STCC is a place where students feel inspired to keep going and where faculty and staff feel inspired to create, to grow, and to help students be successful."

Beyond campus, Cournoyer sees STCC continuing to play a vital role in the economic future of Springfield and the Pioneer Valley.

She envisions the college strengthening partnerships with employers, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders while continuing to prepare graduates for careers that support local industries and strengthen the regional workforce.

"I hope we'll continue to be in the center of all that's happening in the Pioneer Valley," she said. "We want to be the place where you come when you want to get something done."

‘A leader who will elevate STCC’

The STCC Board of Trustees chose Cournoyer – who had previously served as Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at River Valley Community College in Claremont, N.H. – after a nationwide, comprehensive search. Board Chair Michael Knapik described Cournoyer as “a leader who will elevate STCC to higher levels of achievement and excellence.”

Cournoyer holds a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University, a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Rhode Island, and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Spanish from Stonehill College.

As the first woman to lead STCC, Cournoyer says she is humbled by the opportunity, particularly at a college where more than 60 percent of students identify as women.

"I'm incredibly honored," she said. "I take that responsibility very seriously."

Outside the office, Cournoyer enjoys cooking, devours several books at a time, and is teaching herself American Sign Language. She shares her home with her husband Brian, her teenage son George, and their two rescue chow mixes named Bonnie and Clyde. Friends, she says, would describe her as "silly."

She laughs easily, but she is quick to distinguish between her personality and her purpose.

"I like to say that I'm not a serious person," she said. "But I take the work very seriously."

Ultimately, Cournoyer says the measure of her presidency will be reflected in the lives of the students who walk across the commencement stage.

"If five years from today our students can say, 'I transformed my life, and Springfield Technical Community College was the driver and the engine that helped me do that,' then I think we have been successful."

Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.

About Springfield Technical Community College

STCC, the Commonwealth’s only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC’s highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the College—a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution—seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed, and socially responsible graduates.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu

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