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Date: 8/31/2021
CHICOPEE – Chicopee Public Schools (CPS) has formed a partnership with Springfield College that will provide grants to full-time and part-time Chicopee employees for their college education.
According to Springfield College’s Assistant Director for External Partnerships Mitchell M. Sibley-Jett, Chicopee educators can receive anywhere between $5,000 to $10,000 toward their college degree if they attend Springfield College. These educational partner grants apply to both in-person and online courses. Sibley-Jett said that prior connections to the CPS system allowed for the college to reach out and form a partnership. “It’s a good deal for employers and it’s certainly a good deal for the college,” Sibley-Jett said about the partnership.
The educational partner grants are also renewable for Chicopee teachers, with Sibley-Jett explaining that the grant money can go towards an undergraduate, graduate or even a doctorate degree. For Springfield College, the appeal of the deal comes from the potential addition of new students alongside the proximity of both locations, according to Sibley-Jett. “We would love to have CPS employees further their education and gain more skills for the classroom,” said Sibley-Jett.
Chicopee Director of Human Resources of CPS Evelyn Rivera-Riffenburg sees this partnership as a boost for employees. “I am always looking for ways to increase employee benefits. This [offer] was just a home run,” said Rivera-Riffenburg. She said she hopes that this partnership gives Chicopee employees additional chances to complete any degree they want to pursue. Rivera-Riffenburg said the Chicopee district also values further supporting educational endeavors. “Being in education makes supporting education a no-brainer,” said Rivera-Riffenburg.
CPS employees will be awarded potential transfer credits for those who have completed trainings and certifications as outlined in the college’s experiential learning handbook, according to the college’s press release. The press release also explained that the college plans to provide a pathway for Chicopee employees to earn additional credits for their degree program through the College’s prior learning assessment portfolio program.
“I am hoping that this partnership allows employees who’ve been looking to get a degree the chance to complete one,” said Rivera-Riffenburg.
To learn more about the partnership, readers can visit https://springfield.edu/partnership.