Leadership Capital campaigns take vision, diligence, and most importantly, leadership. Construction on the Center for Natural and Health Sciences (CNHS) would not have taken place had it not been for the leadership of several key benefactors of the Elms College community.
continuing education. He is also the cousin of Walter Breau, Ph.D., vice president of academic affairs. Marian’s aunts, Veronica Brown ’51, SSJ, and the late Gertrude Brown ’56, SSJ, are both Elms alumnae. In addition, Fran and Marian were married in Our Lady’s Chapel.
Trustee at the College of Our Lady of the Elms and chair of the institutional advancement committee, Cynthia Lyons, and her husband William, offered a challenge to the trustees. Cindy and Bill committed $1 million toward the CNHS if it was matched by the remainder of the board. In addition, they promised to add another $250 thousand if the other board members matched their initial gift in 30 days. One month and $2.25 million later, the campaign was well on its way.
Fran is the founder and CEO of Nexion Health, Inc., a provider of nursing and rehabilitation services. He and Marian are committed to many educational, social, civic, and humanitarian organizations. The Kirley’s leadership commitment to the CNHS will go a long way toward promoting the education of the college’s students and the health of those in their care when they begin their careers.
Taking their role seriously as leaders at the Elms, Cindy and Bill Lyons volunteered to serve as co-chairs of the Campaign Steering Committee. They have been instrumental in connecting corporate and individual benefactors to the college and the campaign. Under their leadership, the campaign has, to date, secured public and private commitments in excess of $7.3 million—including a $3.2 million New Markets Tax Credit equity investment through the Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation.
The relationship between Chicopee Savings Bank and Elms College is unique and long standing. Always a generous benefactor of the Elms, the Chicopee Savings Bank Charitable Foundation was inspired by the initial support of the CNHS project by members of the board of trustees and increased their support of the college with a $250 thousand commitment to the campaign. Instrumental in the negotiations for the college’s successful $14 million capital bond offering through Mass Development, Chicopee Savings Bank is leading the lending consortium for the CNHS project.
Also leading the way on the CNHS project are board member Francis Kirley and his wife Marian. Fran and Marian have strong ties to the College of Our Lady of the Elms. Fran is the nephew of Kathleen Kirley ’66, SSJ, Ed.D., former dean of
Year in Review
Springfield Technical Community College
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The first cohort from the STCC and Elms College partnership began classes.
Using business leaders from the local community, the Division of Business established a board of advisors to launch the new master of business administration program.
Elms College hosted two Fulbright foreign language teaching assistants; Ahmed Touzalt from Morroco and Pádraic Déiseach from Ireland.
Elms College began offering criminal justice as a major.
The women’s soccer team was NECC champions.
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