Latest news with #MountHolyokeCollege
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
International students are still here — but, they worry, for how long?
'Being told not to go home, and then also being forced to stay but not knowing exactly where to stay, while also being low-income and first-generation, it's sort of destabilizing,' said Shrestha, 22, who is pursuing a double major in international relations and South Asian Studies and asked to use her last name only to protect her privacy. Signposts outside of the Williston Memorial Library on the Mount Holyoke College campus in South Hadley. Courtesy Mount Holyoke College Advertisement As commencement season comes to a close and campuses empty out across the region, many of the 80,000 or so international students enrolled at Massachusetts colleges and universities are grappling with anxiety and ambiguity. Many international students have stopped using social media in recent weeks and started using Signal, an encrypted messaging application. When they go out, they carry copies of their legal documents. While some are afraid to leave the country for fear they won't be able to get back in, others who had their visa statuses temporarily terminated left and are now unable to return to resume their studies. Advertisement Massachusetts has the Last week, the Trump administration moved to revoke Harvard University's ability to enroll foreign students, a play that was immediately The message to international students everywhere: ''America is not open for business, the best and brightest should stay home or go elsewhere‚' ' said Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, which represents around 1,600 colleges and universities. The United States is essentially 'saying to every other institution in the country: 'You could be next,'' Mitchell added. The unease is palpable, from Harvard Yard to the farm fields of the Five College Area in Western Mass. Amber, a junior at Harvard who is from Canada and asked to use her middle name for fear of retaliation from the Trump administration for speaking out, said she 'couldn't believe her eyes' last week when she read Trump was trying to ban foreign students at her university. A statistics major, Amber had secured her internship in the US in the fall of 2024, and went home to Canada before starting her summer job. But now, she is unsure if she'll even be allowed back in — for her internship, or for her senior year at Harvard. Advertisement The situation has brought back memories of when she was in high school during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. 'All of the hopes and dreams that you have for a really great senior year are now kind of in flux,' she said. As president of the graduate student government at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, John Arigbede is constantly fielding emails from his international peers, and the questions haven't stopped just because the semester is over. In April, 13 UMass Amherst students had their legal statuses 'Education is about opening your mind to different things, right,' he said. 'But in a situation where you cannot talk freely, or live freely, or travel freely within the safest part of the world — that is a psychological burden.' Traffic on North Pleasant Street at UMass Amherst on May 24. Matthew Cavanaugh/For The Boston Globe Arigbede's position puts him in touch with nearly Advertisement 'We get those emails day by day,' he said. ''Can I travel?' 'What if I'm held up at the airport?' 'What if my status has been inactive and then I am arrested?' Because these things happen in a split second.' Josie, a rising sophomore from Bolivia who goes to college in Boston and asked to be identified only by her first name due to fear of retaliation, said she now avoids speaking Spanish in public and has memorized the phone numbers of her friends in case she's apprehended. An aspiring journalist, she joined the school newspaper her freshman year and soon found herself writing about immigration policies that could affect her personally. 'It felt like, as the months went by, everything just kept getting more and more serious,' she said. 'It's been kind of intimidating to be in the US, and I feel like I'm not welcome [here] all the time.' Some domestic students are rallying to support their international classmates. Ian Tincknell, who is from Westford and was recently elected as vice president of the graduate student government at UMass Amherst, earlier this month helped organize a solidarity campaign, 'We Are One UMass,' 'to show we are grateful to have international students here, and we're very upset that they're feeling at all threatened by our government,' he said. 'That makes me feel just absolutely ashamed.' John Arigbede, right, talks with Ian Tincknell on campus at UMass Amherst last Saturday. Arigbede and Tincknell are respectively president and vice president of the graduate student government, which represents nearly 8,000 graduate students, around 36 percent of whom are international coming from 117 different countries. Matthew Cavanaugh/For The Boston Globe Zhennan Yuan, a 24-year-old from China, is on track to earn his master's degree in quantitative finance at Northeastern University in December. In April, he was among more than 4,700 international students across the country who had their legal statuses terminated in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, without warning. Advertisement Yuan filed a suit in federal court in Boston and was granted a temporary restraining order barring the government from arresting or deporting him. The Trump administration restored Yuan's SEVIS record, but the status of his visa is unclear, and he remains concerned about what will happen next. His suit is pending, with a hearing scheduled for July. 'It is definitely still impacting my life,' said Yuan, who is afraid that if he leaves the country to visit his ailing grandparents in China this summer as planned he won't be allowed to return. 'I spend more time researching and studying policies,' he said, and worries about 'other curveballs' that will prevent him from finishing his studies in the United States. 'It is hard to sleep now.' Michael, who asked to be identified by his middle name, also has had trouble sleeping in recent months. Growing up in East Africa, he binge-watched the American TV series 'Boston Legal.' 'I wanted to be a lawyer so bad because of that,' he said and laughed. 'I developed a sense of justice.' He just graduated from Bridgewater State University with a master's degree and plans to pursue a PhD here. But after watching the Trump administration target international students while fanning the flames of anti-immigrant rhetoric, he's now thinking of settling in Europe. 'America's not bad, if things will change,' he said, 'but it needs to go back to a sense of justice.' Advertisement For now, despite all the fear and uncertainty this academic year has wrought, many students are still holding on. At the last minute, Shrestha, the Nepalese student from Mount Holyoke, landed an internship at a women's organization in Washington, D.C.,— a relief that's left her 'feeling positive about my summer now.' Josie, the Bolivian student in Boston, wants more than anything to fulfill her dream of having a career in journalism in the US. 'I still have hope, for some reason, that things will get better,' she said. 'I'm just clinging on to that sense of hope.' Brooke Hauser can be reached at
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Healey at Mount Holyoke: ‘This is a moment that clarifies our values'
SOUTH HADLEY — Massachusetts, like the graduates of Mount Holyoke College over the past 188 years, will stand for science, democracy and inclusion, Gov. Maura T. Healey said in a commencement address Sunday. 'This is a moment that clarifies our values,' she said to the more than 600 graduates gathered on the lawn on the South Hadley campus. 'It may feel as though you are graduating in the worst timeline. But the crisis of this moment, the challenge of this moment, also offers a huge opportunity. … In a time like this, how you live makes a statement. Who you are makes a difference.' Healey — a Harvard graduate who identified herself to Mount Holyoke graduates as 'a Radcliffe woman' — said the history of women's liberal arts colleges, beginning with Mount Holyoke, is 'a legacy of leadership, a legacy of courage' that informs her own values. Without mentioning President Donald Trump or members of his Republican administration, the Democratic governor described 'starkly different visions of America (that) are in conflict: A democracy defined by pluralism versus a system of hierarchy and domination. Constitutional rights which are universal versus the privileges of power. An economy of innovation and opportunity versus greed and inequality. A social vision that is rooted in freedom versus fear and hate. And a vision of higher education as the foundation of our leadership in the world, not as a domestic enemy to be torn down.' Addressing the graduates, she added: 'I know which vision I stand for. I know you do, too.' Introducing Healey, college President Danielle R. Holley described the governor's vision as 'opportunity for all,' and said her status as a woman and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community has 'galvanized' the students of Mount Holyoke. In her remarks, Healey told the graduates that this moment is 'yours to confront.' 'Values and people we hold dear are being attacked and vilified,' she said. 'It's a frightening time in many communities.' Healey noted that 2025's graduates enrolled in college during a moment of uncertainty, as the world was emerging from the COVID-19 state of emergency. She said they will rely on that aspect of their educational career, in addition to their formal course of study. 'You also learned something about resilience,' Healey said. 'It's a good thing, because you face another test now. You graduate in a time of political upheaval. In a time of great uncertainty about the future.' Healey didn't dwell on the specific political debates of 2025, but advised graduates to stay true to their values and to live lives of care and compassion in everything they do. 'Life is about the little things, the daily engagements,' she said. 'In this world today, where so many are feeling dislocated, apart, experiencing some alienation, the more you can do to reach out and engage in the smallest of ways, with a smile, with a gesture, with a hello — trust me — it'll do amazing things.' One of the graduates in the audience, Bee Mayberry of Texas, said after the ceremony that Healey's remarks pointed in the right direction. Mayberry — who majored in American politics and studied the beliefs and tactics of the far right — would have been open to a more forceful condemnation of Trump policies, but recognized that Healey tailored her remarks to the non-political nature of the event. A graduate from one of the more than 50 countries represented in Mount Holyoke's class of 2025, Fei Yang Liu of China, said she felt Healey hit the right tone for a graduation speech. In her remarks, Healey drew a connection between this political moment and the American Revolution that began 250 years ago, with volunteer militia standing up to British troops. 'Some ordinary folks in our state stepped forward to defend their right to self-government and due process,' Healey said. 'They started the revolution that gave us our country. … In times of choosing, Massachusetts has always understood the assignment. That will not change. Massachusetts will not be silent. We will not back down. As long as I am governor, we will stand up for our students, neighbors, workers, communities. We'll stand up for the rights guaranteed by the constitution. We'll stand up for a vision of America where freedom is not just for the few, but for all.' Exhibit explores Springfield's witch panic that occurred years before Salem Speed bumps petition gains support after child killed by car in Springfield Number of older homeless adults increased nearly 20% this year in Hampden County 'His mercy was never returned': Jordan Cabrera sentenced to 12-15 years for fatally shooting Jahvante Perez Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Governor Healey delivers commencement speech at Mount Holyoke College graduation
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (WWLP) – Sunday marked the 188th Commencement for the Class of 2025 at Mount Holyoke College. Over 500 students received their Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from Mount Holyoke College, making May 25 the 188th Commencement ceremony for the oldest historic Seven Sisters college. The graduates were proud to become alumni and enter the working world. Wilbraham honors fallen soldiers at Memorial Day ceremony 'I remember being like a freshman who was super scared, no idea, new country,' said Peehu Chhabra, who received a Bachelor of Arts. 'I had no idea what I am going to do, what's a target, no idea of anything. But now I feel prepared.' While some graduates are pursuing their careers right after graduation, others plan to further their education. International students said that Mount Holyoke became a safe and welcoming space for them to call home. 'It's such a community-oriented college,' Chhabra said. 'The faculty is brilliant, and they really care for their students, and so does the administration. They're for the students entirely, and I knew that because I had some seniors who came to Mount Holyoke, and they cheered it on.' Now, family and friends were cheering for them on campus. MHC President Danielle Holley led the ceremony, and honorary degrees were given to two alumni, as well as Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. The moment was extra special for the graduates because Governor Healey was one of many speakers addressing them. In 2022, Governor Healey became the first woman and first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to lead the Commonwealth. Mount Holyoke is the first of the Seven Sisters to have inclusive admissions. The university admits cisgender and transgender women, as well as transgender men and those who identify as non-binary and gender non-conforming. The graduates were excited to hear Governor Healey's words of encouragement before turning their tassels to the left side. 'For us as graduates is very nerve-wracking,' said Hanuel Skycho, who received a Bachelor's of Neuroscience and Computer Science. 'First of all, to go out there into the world, even though we are very prepared through Mount Holyoke, and just hearing someone who has been out in the world and about her experience will really help us.' WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
American workers are getting lonelier. Having a 'third place' may help.
Jessica Maier, an art history professor at Mount Holyoke College and mother of three, realized about three years ago that something was missing—even though her days were always busy and close to bursting with tasks and responsibilities. "I felt like all I was doing was being stressed all the time, thinking about other people, like my kids, or working," she told Stacker. Remembering a pottery class she took years ago in high school, "on a whim," Maier signed up for a new class. "From the moment I was in the studio, I felt somehow better. I always came out calmer and more centered." The value of the studio went beyond throwing clay. "It was such a gradual process that I couldn't pinpoint when it happened," she said. "But after maybe a year, I realized that I had a community in that space that I held dear." Maier's experience is far from unique. People feel overworked, exhausted, and less connected. In short, it's a lonely world growing even lonelier. Wysa used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' American Time Use Survey to explore the shifting social patterns of American workers. New research on loneliness suggests spending time with others in places that are neither home nor work, called "third places," such as Maier's pottery class, can improve one's well-being and sense of belonging. Such places are needed more than ever, especially considering the demands of modern life, which sometimes seem to keep people apart. Three in 5 (62%) respondents to a national Harvard Graduate School of Education survey with YouGov said working too much or being too busy or tired was a leading cause of loneliness in the United States. Nearly 3 in 4 (73%) surveyed said technology was a factor. In 2023, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a health advisory for the national "epidemic of loneliness and isolation." It's not just an American issue. One in 5 workers worldwide experienced loneliness, according to a 2024 Gallup report. Remote workers reported even higher levels of loneliness, at 25%. It's a phenomenon sociologist Robert D. Putnam wrote about in his 2000 book "Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community." In the past quarter-century, increasing polarization, the ubiquity of smartphones, and the COVID-19 pandemic's shutdown only exacerbated matters. Still, the cure is much the same as what Putman prescribed: finding ways for people to connect apart from the pressures and high-stakes demands of work and home. Such places may not be hard to find. Bowling leagues still exist, as do pottery and other art classes, volunteering, civic clubs, yoga, reading groups, walking groups, parent groups, programs at church or other religious institutions, motorcycle clubs, trivia and karaoke nights at countless bars, just to scratch the surface. It's just that most people say they lack the time or energy to participate, feeling increasingly burned out and lonely. Even movie theaters are having trouble filling seats. "Communal spaces like community centers, libraries, museums, theaters, and, frankly, accessible and affordable in-depth psychotherapy and mentoring are critical to restoring well-being," psychologist Kirk Schneider told Stacker. "I call them contexts for 'emotionally restorative relationships,' relationships where people feel heard and seen and that get at the roots of their problems." The nature of work is shifting away from the remote workforce of the pandemic to more in-office or hybrid work. This might bode well for increased human interaction, but people report feeling less social and too burdened by the demands of work and family. Finding a third place might feel daunting when you feel overwhelmed to begin with, but experts say that time in places where no one is forcing you to show up—places that can give you energy rather than take it away—can be restorative. As Philadelphia psychologist Jaime Zuckerman suggested to SELF magazine, sneaking in some time for your well-being can be as light as walking around the block or stopping by the kitchen. Even if it lasts only 15 minutes, those minutes can open up space in your life. Or rather than rushing straight from a busy day at work to the constant hustle at home, consider whether you can build in a short pause along the way, even if it's as simple as sitting in your car for a few minutes. You can also explore activities outside of the demands of home and work, as Maier does. Visit your local library, and scan the event board for something that interests you. Make a date with a friend, maybe to attend a pub trivia night. Volunteer once a month at a food bank or another activity. "In hindsight, it's absurd that I thought the solution to too much work and not enough hours in the day was to add in yet another activity," Maier said of her pottery class. "When I leave that space and go back to my work or family, I feel like it's easier to be patient and keep things in perspective. It feels incredible to grow as a potter while being part of such a supportive community. The social aspect is huge." Tom Cirillo, a communications specialist in Portland, Oregon, moved to remote work about six years ago. "It was hard for me since I had come from a working environment where I was interacting with a lot of people," Cirillo recalled to Stacker. "And then the pandemic came and made everything much more socially isolated." When businesses opened again, Cirillo found a supportive outlet with a group of regulars at a gym where "there's a lot of joking and a strong social element." He also began volunteering in mental health peer support through the National Alliance on Mental Illness and knows others who volunteer at food banks, which he said are "great ways to build community and do good." Technology is a powerful driver of connection and disconnection. A review of literature published in the Association for Psychological Science in 2017 revealed the dual effects of technology on well-being. When used to enhance social relationships, internet use can reduce loneliness; when used as a form of escape, technology can have the opposite effect. A study of about 300 young adults published in the journal Acta Psychologica 2021 found that more time spent on smartphones and social media apps was linked to increased loneliness. "Today, with everyone doomscrolling and with social media, we are too focused on our phones and screens. We are losing that sense of human connection," Cirillo said. "It's so important to find those real spaces. Online groups can help connect people in some ways, but it helps to make that extra effort to meet people in person." He suggested finding "a place where you can find a group of regulars, like a karaoke [bar], even if you can't sing well, or pub trivia night, where you can laugh and feel comfortable, and connect with living, breathing people." Schneider lamented the rise of today's "quick-fix, instant-result" culture, which prioritizes technology and work over personal relationships, mental health, and emotional development. Finding places where "like-minded people gather" is beneficial, but it is not always enough. For those whose loneliness and isolation are severe, he also advised seeing a mental care professional. For many, though, third places can broaden experience and offer avenues for joy. "I guess for me, the lesson is that having a space that's apart from my other identities as a mom and professor—and that connects me with such a wonderful, creative community—has been therapeutic," Maier said. "So if I have advice, it's to find an activity and do it!" Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Janina Lawrence. Photo selection by Ania Antecka. This story originally appeared on Wysa and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Maura Healey named Mount Holyoke College commencement speaker
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (WWLP) – Mount Holyoke College has announced that Governor Maura Healey will deliver the Commencement address to undergraduate, graduate, and certificate recipients of the Class of 2025 on May 25th. More than 500 bachelor's and master's degree graduates will be awarded during the ceremony, including honoring two alums, Bess Weatherman, Class of 1982, and Tara Roberts, Class of 1991. Healey is the seventy-third governor of Massachusetts and was the first woman and first openly gay candidate elected governor of Massachusetts. She also intends to run for reelection next year. 22News InFocus: Interview with Governor Maura Healey Healey has served as attorney general since 2014 and is working on a variety of issues that include expanding affordable housing, promoting green jobs, and improving public transportation. Mount Holyoke College's Commencement ceremony is being held on Sunday, May 25th, at 10:30 a.m. outside on Pageant Green. Mount Holyoke President Danielle Holley will preside over the ceremony. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
