HCC prez joins network promoting Latino success in higher ed

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College President George Timmons has joined Presidents for Latino Student Success, a group of college presidents and chancellors committed to making their campuses learning environments where Latino — and all — students thrive.

Excelencia in Education, the nation’s premier authority on efforts to accelerate Latino student success in higher education, created Presidents for Latino Student Success in 2014 to support institutional leaders who are transforming higher education.

Through the network, Timmons will collaborate with Excelencia and other postsecondary leaders to leverage expertise and resources, foster partnerships, and amplify current efforts to accelerate Latino student success in higher education at the national level.

HCC has been a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016. In fall 2024, 33% of all HCC students identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Tandem Bagel opening in Ludlow on Friday

LUDLOW — Tandem Bagel Co. is opening its sixth location in the region this week, in newly redeveloped mill buildings in Ludlow at 44 Riverside Dr.

The location offers views of the Chicopee River and is within walking distance of the historic downtown and new housing development, the Residences at Mill 8 & 10.

“When we learned about the opportunities at the Ludlow Mills, we knew this was the right place for us to grow,” owner Chris Zawacki said in a statement put out by East of the River Chamber of Commerce.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on Friday at 8:30 a.m. with the chamber to commemorate the opening. Afterward, guests will be invited inside to order food and beverages and tour the new space.

The story of Tandem Bagel Company began in 2013 with a café in a renovated train depot in Easthampton. About a year later, in 2014, Tandem expanded to Northampton in a shared space at the Northampton Athletic Club, but has since moved down the street to the Kingsgate Plaza.

The growth continued in 2019 with the opening of a Hadley café and bakery on Route 9. Two years later, locations in Florence and West Springfield were incorporated into the existing family of locations.

Tandem aims to expand further south into Hampden County.

bankESB launches drive for veterans support center

EASTHAMPTON — bankESB is launching its Veterans Drive, a campaign supporting the One Call Away Veterans Support Center in Agawam. The initiative will run from Memorial Day through Independence Day, inviting customers and community members to donate items and funds to help local veterans in need.

The One Call Away Veterans Support Center provides essential services to veterans and their families, including peer-to-peer support, emergency assistance, and outreach programs designed to reduce veteran suicide and improve mental health and well-being. Community members are encouraged to contribute by donating much-needed items such as toiletries, household goods, and personal care items.

Donations for the Veterans Drive can be made at any bankESB branch from May 27 through July 7. Requested items include gift cards (for groceries, gas, and clothing), non-perishable food, toiletries, household goods, and personal care items.

For more information about the Veterans Drive visit bankESB.com.

Five College campuses to host for 4th job fair

The campuses of the Five College Consortium — Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith colleges and the University of Massachusetts Amherst — are collaborating to offer job seekers one-stop shopping for hundreds of jobs on Thursday, June 5, in Amherst.

The fourth annual Five College Job Fair, taking place from 1 to 4 p.m. at Amherst College’s Valentine Hall, will feature high-priority openings in a wide variety of departments. Attendees will be able to talk with campus representatives and explore job opportunities.

Campus departments with openings include Administration, Campus Safety, Career Development, Dining Services, Early Childcare Centers, Facilities/Custodial Services, Financial Services, Information Technology, Libraries and Student Affairs.

For more information about this event, visit fivecolleges.edu/jobfair.

Florence Bank Awards $150K to 40 nonprofits

FLORENCE — Florence Bank recently awarded $150,000 to 40 nonprofits as part of its annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program.

The grants program was founded in 2002 and, through it, Florence Bank customers are invited to vote for their favorite local nonprofit in hopes it will receive a share of grant funding.

Voting takes place all year long, online at florencebank.com/vote and in bank branches, and each customer has only one vote. To qualify for a community grant, organizations must receive at least 50 votes. In 2024, over 7,500 votes were cast, making 40 nonprofits eligible for a grant.

Several organizations received the maximum award of $5,000. These include: Cancer Connection in Northampton, Dakin Humane Society of Springfield, Amherst Survival Center, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts in Chicopee, Friends of Forbes Library in Northampton, Friends of Northampton Legion Baseball, Friends of the Williamsburg Library, Goshen Firefighters Association, Historic Northampton, It Takes A Village in Huntington, Northampton Survival Center, Our Lady of the Hills Parish in Haydenville and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Florence.

Visit florencebank.com/cc-2025 to view the complete list of grant recipients.