HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) — Holyoke Community College is celebrating after accomplishing the “Mission: Marieb” challenge and collecting a $1 million donation.
HCC sent 22News a news release stating that back in March, a Northampton native, Professor Emerita and Alumna Elaine Marieb pledged $1 million to the HCC Foundation’s Building Healthy Communities Campaign if 1,000 additional donors gave to the campaign by December 31, 2014.
The “Mission: Marieb” challenge was met in early June. Now, HCC will celebrate the donation with a thank-you barbecue in honor of Professor Marieb on Tuesday, June 24th, at noon on the campus patio, above the HCC courtyard.
According to the news release, the money is for two building projects; the new Center for Health Education on Jarvis Avenue and the Center for Life Sciences, which already bears Elaine Marieb’s name.
“Thanks to Elaine Marieb’s $1 million donation, HCC students will benefit for years to come,” said Keith McKittrick, director of Development for HCC. “We are eternally grateful and wanted to show our appreciation by inviting Elaine and her former students and colleagues to share some food on the campus where she taught for so many years.”
Marieb taught anatomy and physiology at HCC for more than 25 years, retiring in 1995.
The barbecue is open to all. Anyone who wants to come is asked to contact Sue Doyle at (413) 552-2546 or sdoyle@hcc.edu.