I am grateful for your continued belief in GCC and in the students of Western Massachusetts. Your generosity has helped generations of learners gain skills and opportunity. As Massachusetts expands free community college, many donors have asked: If tuition is covered, why is philanthropic support still needed?
The answer lies in the moment we are living through.
Colleges across the country are undergoing profound change. Demographics and workforce needs are shifting at unprecedented speed, and student expectations are changing. In this environment, resilience does not happen by accident. It must be designed through strategic choices, flexible systems and sustained investment.
Free tuition is a critical step forward. It opens the door wider than ever before. But tuition was never the greatest obstacle for many students. The real barriers are basic needs: stable housing, food security, transportation, childcare, technology and the ability to manage unexpected setbacks. These challenges determine whether a student persists or leaves.
As access expands, so does need.
More students are enrolling: working adults, parents, first-generation students and those returning during uncertain times. They bring talent and ambition, but also complex lives. Public funding supports instruction, but it does not provide the flexibility required to meet these real-world challenges. That responsibility falls to philanthropy.
At the same time, GCC is evolving to remain relevant and sustainable. We are strengthening alignment with regional employers, modernizing programs and expanding flexible academic pathways. Change requires investment, experimentation and the ability to respond quickly.
Donor support makes this possible.
Your generosity allows us to respond in real-time when a student is at risk of dropping out because of an empty refrigerator or a lost paycheck. It allows us to pair academic innovation with the human support students need to succeed and build resilience into the design of the college.
Free community college increases opportunity, but it also increases responsibility. Access without support does not lead to success. Transformation without investment does not lead to resilience.
Your support ensures that, in a time of change, GCC remains strong, responsive and capable of delivering on its promise to students and Western Massachusetts. I invite you to continue standing with us as partners in designing a resilient future for our students and our region.
Michelle K. Schutt, Ph.D.
President, Greenfield Community College
When you give to GCC, you create opportunity, stability and possibility for our students and our community. Where your support makes a difference:
Student Basic Needs & Emergency Support: Helping students cover food and urgent expenses so they can remain in school
The GCC Impact Fund: Providing flexible resources to meet emerging needs and strengthen student success
Scholarship Support: Expanding access to education and opening pathways to opportunity
Endowment Growth: Building lasting support for future generations of GCC students. * Endowment gifts received before 6/30/2026 will be matched by 50% *
