UMass College of Education Welcomes Local Students in Celebration of Multilingualism and Equity

Content

In April, the UMass Amherst College of Education, in partnership with local school districts, welcomed over 200 students from Springfield and Holyoke to campus for two fieldtrips. The events embodied the College’s commitment to social justice education, multilingualism, and community-engaged scholarship. 

On April 4, 130 fourth-grade Springfield International Charter School (SICS) students visited the campus. Their day included literacy workshops led by UMass undergraduates studying Early Childhood Education, an introduction to student life through athletics and student-led tours, and hands-on learning activities emphasizing language as an asset. The visit was part of SICS’s “Elementary College Scholars” program, spearheaded by Dean Berry, which encourages local colleges to “adopt” a grade level and inspire early college awareness.

The following Friday, April 11, UMass welcomed high school students from Holyoke Public Schools. This visit, coordinated by Ruth-Ellen Verock and Lulu Ekiert, also centered on multilingualism, student identity, and college access, creating a space for students to see their cultural and linguistic backgrounds as powerful academic and civic resources. 

The visits were hosted by the Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies (TECS) department, under the leadership of faculty members Med Gabhard and Ruth-Ellen Verock, with support from the TECS Chair Nat Turner and Dean Greg Kelly. The trips were part of a broader initiative to strengthen the partnerships with local schools, support teacher preparation, and position UMass as a welcoming and inspiring destination for racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse students. 

These visits also reflected a celebratory milestone for Professor Meg Gebhard, who is retiring in May 2025. After 25 years at UMass, Gebhard saw this project as a meaningful culmination of her career in teacher education and scholarship focused on multilingual and disciplinary literacy development.

The field trips were supported by the Office of the President, TECS, and UMass Dining. Together, they represent a shared vision: education that empowers, connects, and uplifts.