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The Care Center

Bringing the power of education, arts and culture to youth and their families in Holyoke, MA

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Home » My Journey from Student to Staff Member

December 11, 2024

My Journey from Student to Staff Member

My job at The Care Center is to help young parents get to and through college. And I know how difficult college can be with small children and a limited income. I was one of Bard Microcollege Holyoke’s first four graduates.

I’m the mother of two great kids, Hector, 14, and Adrian, 6. Without The Care Center’s support when Hector was younger, getting to and through college would have been much harder for me. When I was at a traditional college, there was no support for working moms — no one even seemed to care if I finished my education.

Simply put, it’s my job to care. I do that by helping women solve problems that interfere with academic success. Some students don’t yet see themselves as scholars–they need encouragement and new perspectives. For others, there are logistical issues to sort through–housing insecurity, care-taking responsibilities, financial demands.

Perhaps the most powerful tool I have is personal experience. I know that with support, college is both possible and critical. My degree has opened doors to a happier life, as clichéd as it may sound. I have a job I’m truly passionate about but that also allows me to live my life. I no longer have to choose whether to work or attend soccer games because I can do both. And to top it off, the work I do betters our community.

Thanks for supporting this special place where I have been lucky to study and work. Happy holidays from my family to yours.

Monica Diaz
Transition Program Developer
The Care Center

· Categorized: Student Profiles, What's New

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The Care Center gave me hope and a desire for change. They actually cared about me and my child. I quickly earned my GED at 16 years old.

Danielis Gonzales, Bard Microcollege Holyoke student and Care Center graduate

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Copyright © 2025 · THE CARE CENTER · All Rights Reserved
247 Cabot Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 | Phone: (413) 532-2900 | Fax: (413) 532-1250


The Care Center is a recipient of the 2011 National Arts & Humanities Youth Program Award, the nation’s highest honor recognizing community-based arts and humanities youth programs in the United States, presented by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. The Care Center is also a recipient of the Mass Cultural Council’s 2019 Commonwealth Award, honoring exceptional achievement in the arts, humanities, and sciences. We are proud to receive funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Care Center is a 501(c)(3) organization. Tax ID 04-2962882

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