Students from Springfield Technical Community College’s Graphic Communications and Photography department experienced the complete web printing process during a tour of the Quad Graphics printing facility in East Longmeadow.
Plant manager Marc Zajchowski and production manager Matt Talbot from Quad Graphics conducted the tour of the web-printing plant. Students experienced the operation of web printing presses, prepress and printing plate production and post printing services.
The tour was initiated by Print Across America as part of the annual International Printing Week celebration. Print Across America was recently established to promote the printing industry and its associated services.
The East Longmeadow plant is one of 45 locations Quad Graphics operates worldwide. Quad Graphics in East Longmeadow specializes in web printing of grocery circulars for a variety of grocery chains throughout New England.
STCC professor Matt Kriftcher coordinated the tour.
The Graphic Communications and Photography department, which is part of the Technical Arts and Design department, prepares students for careers in design and photography. Students in the two-year associate degree program can choose digital photography, graphic design or web and advertising design. One-year certificate programs also are available in digital photography, digital publishing and graphic arts entrepreneurial.
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Amherst College has committed an initial $1.325 million to the local community, President Michael A. Elliott announced. The donation includes a $1 million gift to the Jones Library for its renovation and expansion as well as donations of $250,000 to the Cooley Dickinson Hospital for its emergency department renovation and $75,000 to the Drake arts and cultural performance venue for sustained programming.
These donations to the Jones Library and the Drake follow a $100,000 gift to each as part of the institution’s Bicentennial celebrations in 2021. The college also expects to increase its support of the Amherst schools and Amherst Fire Department as part of a strategic partnership agreement currently being discussed with the town.
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Throughout January, Freedom Credit Union is collecting cash donations at all its branches throughout western Massachusetts to benefit the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless and its essential work.
In 2023, the coalition assisted 3,683 households in 298 Massachusetts communities, provided 1,598 children living in poverty a bed of their own and helped 7,924 individuals, representing 1,981 households, avoid homelessness and displacement.
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Farmers in Western Massachusetts are invited to apply for Local Farmer Awards of up to $2,500. These awards are for capital/infrastructure improvement projects related to planting, growing, harvesting and processing that will help farms compete in the marketplace. The Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation, in partnership with Big Y and the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture along with the support of other funders, is entering the tenth year of the awards program which has helped more than 260 farmers carry out 572 projects. The Three County Fair is a new addition to the group of funders this year.
The awards have helped farmers make necessary improvements such as upgrading electric fencing, purchasing no-till equipment, expanding irrigation, installing frost-free water systems, purchasing feed troughs, and applying shade cloths for greenhouses.
To be eligible, farms must have gross sales of $10,000 and be located in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin or Berkshire counties. For a full list of eligibility requirements and application information, farmers are encouraged to visit www.farmerawards.org.
The deadline for applying is Jan. 31.
