The Honorable William P. Hadley ’80 Receives the Nancy J. Vajcovec Excellence in Service Award
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The Honorable William P. Hadley '80 - a UMass Amherst alumnus who worked extensively with Professor and Chair of Health Promotion and Policy Elizabeth Evans - was honored as the Nancy J. Vajcovec Excellence in Service Award recipient during the 2026 UMass Alumni Honors event held on October 8, 2026. The award honors alumni for outstanding and significant contributions of service to a particular community or the university through their professional or volunteer advocacy.
The Alumni Honors are presented annually by the UMass Amherst Foundation to recognize outstanding alumni who have translated their UMass experience into professional success and meaningful service across different career stages and fields, furthering the mission and impact of the university around the globe. Learn more about this year’s recipients.
Judge Hadley, who recently retired from his position as First Justice of the Holyoke District Court in Massachusetts, focused on strengthening the relationship between the court and the community and ensuring that all court-involved individuals had immediate access to treatment for substance use disorders at the very start of the criminal justice process.
With expert advice from Evans and the help of UMass students, he created the Holyoke Early Access to Treatment and Services (HEART) program, which utilized in-court recovery coaches to assist individuals in search of treatment. He continues to manage a $1 million federal grant that supports access to treatment for substance use disorders in both the Holyoke and Chicopee District Courts. He is also working with local public schools, officials, non-profit organizations, and the University of Massachusetts to improve and expand drug prevention and education for young people in Holyoke.
Read more about him here and watch a video below.