About Us

My professional journey as an occupational therapist and my personal journey as a human being for over fifty years have taught me that being educated is absolutely paramount to the health, well-being, and optimal fulfillment of every individual and our society-at-large. In the words of former UN Secretary-General Kafi Annan, “Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.” I believe every one of us is a lifelong educator and student, regardless of our roles in life. I value fostering various educational opportunities for all and am proud to help Young Scholars create needed opportunities for youth; what a great investment in our collective futures!

I’m a retired professional from MassMutual where I spent my entire ever- evolving career using my mathematics major and finance minor from the College of our Lady of the Elms. The funny thing is that I never intended to major in math. Freshmen were required to take courses across all liberal arts, and my math professor began to mentor me after a few months. I listened and heeded his advice to become a math major. One person took the time to help me realize my analytic talent and totally changed my career direction. The Young Scholars mentors similarly guide the students via exposure to ideas, opportunities, and more. I am so pleased to be able to work with these outstanding people. I also currently chair my church finance council, deliver food to the elderly, and am a cat mom to Cyrus, my Persian cat.

I have been in Massachusetts since I came here for graduate school in 1989.  I have a liberal Arts education and a MS in Epidemiology. 

I am the Healthcare Informatics Manager at Valley Medical Group, responsible for our electronic medical record.  I spend my time troubleshooting, working on process improvement and facilitating/collaborating with teams.   

I have lived in Greenfield for the past 5 years and enjoy the beauty of the Pioneer Valley, hiking, cycling and boating whenever possible. 

I am the Administrative Manager at Young Scholars and a Scholar Partner.
I have a background in education, a master’s in public health, and I enjoy fostering curiosity in young people. Learning and exploring were encouraged and supported in my development and gave me the freedom and confidence to pursue my interests. Providing that same support to today’s youth is key to their success as they navigate their path. I am also an animal lover and my therapy dog and I visit people in retirement communities and hospitals to share the joy and love that a dog can offer.

I am a retired teacher and psychologist, raised with the message that education is a necessity for success in life. I believe that all children should have access to quality education, and that society cannot afford to lose talented people just because they lack the financial resources to reach their potential. Therefore, I am thinking globally and acting locally.

I’m retired from the faculty at Smith College, where for more than forty years I strived to help students feel that learning was not just an obligation or a path to a job, but a great joy. I see this program as a continuation of that effort. In these days of questioning the value of college, I continue to believe that higher education remains the primary gateway to a rich and rewarding life. It’s immensely gratifying to witness the remarkable success of this program at keeping children in school and on track toward that life.

I am honored to be a part of the Young Scholars Program. My husband and I were very excited when our daughter, Rayna, received the MLK Scholars scholarship. One of the things that receiving this scholarship has taught her is that good things come from hard work and determination. When I was enrolled in elementary school, I spoke only Spanish and struggled due to the language barrier. However, once I learned to speak English, I fell in love with school and truly enjoyed learning. Ever since then, education has always been important to me. As a mother, I have shared my life experiences with my daughter, and always encourage her to value and respect her community, and to play an important role in it. My goal is to share with other parents in the program the experiences that my daughter and I have encountered as she successfully transitioned into middle and high school.  I look forward to contributing to the success of the Young Scholars Program.

I’ve had a long-held belief in education. In high school, I headed up an inner-city tutoring program for elementary students in Rochester NY, and at Wellesley College I was involved in an educational program for Framingham women’s prison. I served as a Unitarian Universalist minister in churches for 10 years and on a variety of boards of directors, including The Connecticut River Conservancy and The Broad Brook Coalition in Northampton, Massachusetts. I serve as a Young Scholar Partner in addition to my role on the board.

Originally from Long Island, I am a MLS (Master of Library Science) librarian and dedicated community volunteer who moved to Western MA in the 1980s.  I served as the Assistant Director of the East Longmeadow public library before becoming a school librarian in the Springfield Public Schools from 1991 - 2015.  I am deeply passionate about youth development and stabilizing the Forest Park neighborhood.  I founded the Community Service Program for Youth (C-SPY), an impactful program that ran for eight years to help students in grades 2 through 12 improve their Forest Park neighborhood and learn how to become good citizens and neighbors.  Now through Young Scholars, I mentor youth to reach their full potential and attend college.  When I am not volunteering, I can usually be found hiking with my dog, kayaking, working in my garden, or reading a great book. 

Throughout my life and work, education was and is the key to liberation. Freedom. Freedom of thought, expression, dissent, ideals and visions. Freedom of self and liberation from the oft times limited and unexamined notions of the past. Education is the key that can and does unlock the door of the human mind and of the mystical spirit.

In a myriad of ways and places, I have always sought to engender and to cultivate education in all its forms. Witnessing the transformation and emergence of individuals and groups as they follow such paths has been perhaps the greatest satisfaction of my life’s journey.

The Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus wrote: “Only the educated are free.” This sign hung in my High School study hall, long ago and far away, but I have never forgotten nor strayed from this fundamental truth.

I am a retired Actuary with about 40 years’ experience at a variety of large insurance companies. I have mentored young actuaries through the rigorous exam and experience qualifications required of that profession and have seen first hand that success is the natural consequence when preparation meets opportunity.
I am both a mentor and a board member of Young Scholars Fund because I see that it provides both preparation through mentorship and opportunity through scholarship for young people in Springfield.  It provides an opportunity for me and many others to make a positive difference for students just learning to forge their own path.

Hello, my name is Nicole E. Torres Collado and I am originally from Puerto Rico. I received a BA in Generalized Social Sciences with a minor in International Political Affairs from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. I further served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica, where I worked with sustainable community development from 2017 to 2019. Further, I received an MSW from Springfield College and am currently working towards a Masters of Public Administration and Public Policy (MPAP) from American University. During my training and after, I have worked with support groups, counseling, education, community development, school districts and school mental health. I am fluent in English and Spanish, providing services in both languages. I am also currently partnered with 3 students and their families through Young Scholars and look forward to supporting the organization in any way I can.