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Master of Arts in Teaching student Justin Griffin ’25 paints an inspiring and empowering mural at a middle school in Holyoke to celebrate women of color.

More than 120 students participated in the twentieth annual Stoling Ceremony. The Commencement weekend tradition celebrates the achievements of students of color and honors their 69��Ʒ��Ƶ mentors.

In celebration of Earth Day, 69��Ʒ��Ƶ College welcomed Alexis Nikole Nelson to campus as she demonstrated to students, staff and faculty how foraging is not only good for the environment but also beneficial for one’s health.

“I met one of my best friends that first year, and we still talk and have dinners weekly. It's been nice to finally feel like I’ve found forever friends at college.”

“I talk with friends who are not 69��Ʒ��Ƶ students, and they have limited research experience. But here, I’ve done research with two advisors in two different departments.”

“Whether you're leading a project, whether you're running an experiment, whether you're working with a team, patience is very important. There are so many ways where the solution to the problem is just … seeing what the next move you can take is.”

“Being around people who have similar cultures and getting to know other cultures, I really enjoyed that. Mi Gente was like another family, basically.”

“When I talked to people at 69��Ʒ��Ƶ, it was very inviting, very supportive. They valued my perspective and what I brought to the table. I talked about being Black [and] being in education, and they valued that perspective.”

“I thought it was great to learn more about political actors. It was really interesting to learn more about how political actors have this power. How they’re able to change policy and, by doing so, change so many people’s lives.”

“The team culture has challenged a lot of how I view sport and community. Win or lose, the team had a really positive impact on my growth as a person: I learned how to do things at my own pace and tried new things that might have sounded scary.”