FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nicole Hendricks
Executive Director and Co-Founder, Western Mass CORE
nhendricks@v2.westernmasscore.org | (413) 570-0071
westernmasscore.org
Western Mass CORE Launches as Independent Regional Initiative with $750K Grant from Ascendium Education Group
Holyoke, MA – July 15, 2025 — Western Mass CORE, a regional initiative advancing college access for incarcerated and justice-impacted learners, has officially launched as an independent program under the fiscal sponsorship of MassHire Holyoke. This milestone comes with the award of a $750,000 planning grant from Ascendium Education Group, which will support the development of a regional strategy for jail-to-college pathways.
This grant comes at a time of renewed national attention to college access in carceral settings. For Western Mass CORE, it marks a pivotal step from campus-based work to community-rooted leadership.
“I know the difference it makes when people recognize your potential and invite you to lead,” said Norma Hairston, CORE’s Community Engagement Manager. Education opened doors for me—and I want others to know it can do the same for them.”
Founded in 2020 at Holyoke Community College by professors Nicole Hendricks and Mary Orisich, Western Mass CORE—short for Community, Opportunity, Resources, and Education—began by offering college courses in local jails. It has since evolved to support justice-impacted students across the region, both inside and outside correctional settings.
“Jails are one of the most underserved spaces in higher education, even though thousands of people pass through them every year,” said Nicole Hendricks, Executive Director. “Unlocking Pathways is about working together to change that—to design real, connected systems that make education a lasting part of reentry and community belonging.”
The Hampden County Sheriff’s Office, which operates multiple facilities and has custody and care of incarcerated individuals from across the Commonwealth, is a key partner in the initiative. Sheriff Nick Cocchi underscored the importance of collaboration in creating meaningful educational opportunities:
“At the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office, we’ve worked hard to turn time in custody into a real opportunity for growth. We’ve expanded beyond the traditional GED to offer real high school diplomas, and we’ve developed vocational programs that lead to careers in high-demand industries like commercial driving and arboriculture,” said Sheriff Cocchi. “This collaborative effort is about more than education—it’s about unlocking pathways from incarceration to college, certification, and lasting employment. When we connect the dots and invest in people, we reduce recidivism and create stronger, safer communities.”
Over the next 15 months, Unlocking Pathways will bring together correctional educators, college faculty, formerly incarcerated students, workforce leaders, and policymakers from across Western Massachusetts. The goal is a shared, sustainable roadmap that ensures every person in a local jail has access to clear, supported pathways into college and career training.
As one of the only initiatives in the country focused specifically on jail-based higher education, Western Mass CORE sees this planning phase as a turning point—not just for the region, but for how systems collaborate to support student success.
“With free community college now in reach for many and growing momentum statewide, the moment is right,” said Hendricks.
“The readiness is there. The interest is there. The opportunity is finally catching up,” she added. “It’s time to build a pathway that lasts.”
About Western Mass CORE
Western Mass CORE is a regional initiative working to expand college access for people impacted by incarceration—especially those in local jails—by mobilizing Community, Opportunity, Resources, and Education. CORE supports programming inside correctional facilities, reentry advising, and community-campus coordination to ensure that every student has a fair chance to learn, lead, and live with possibility.