Elms College Opens New Faculty Teaching Center
The center in Chicopee is supported by a record-breaking donation from Michele and Donald D'Amour.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Elms College has officially opened the D'Amour Center for Faculty Teaching Excellence. The facility aims to support faculty in implementing the college's revised core curriculum.
Why it matters
The center functions as a hub for academic collaboration, hosting workshops and guest lectures to refine teaching approaches. Donors Michele and Donald D'Amour emphasized that investing in faculty directly benefits the future of students.
The D'Amour family contributed $1.5 million to the college's Building Bridges Capital Campaign. This donation stands as the largest single contribution in the history of Elms College.
The players
Michele and Donald D'Amour
They are the primary donors who contributed the $1.5 million gift to support faculty initiatives and the nursing program.
Tom Cerasulo
He is a professor at Elms College who serves as the director of the newly opened D'Amour Center.
Joyce Hampton
She serves as the vice president of Academic Affairs at Elms College.
The details
The new center provides a dedicated space for staff to collaborate and explore interdisciplinary teaching strategies. Beyond campus faculty support, a portion of the D'Amour family's gift also serves to endow the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Haiti Nursing Continuing Education program.
Timeline
October 28, 2026: The opening of the D'Amour Center is reported.
Market Landscape
This contribution marks a significant milestone in the ongoing Building Bridges Capital Campaign, which seeks to expand campus resources. Such major gifts represent a broader trend of private endowments funding specialized facilities to attract and retain academic talent.
Students may see immediate changes in classroom instruction as faculty begin utilizing the new collaborative resources. The expansion of nursing education support may also lead to broader professional opportunities for nursing students involved with the Haiti program.
The takeaway
This facility highlights the critical role of private philanthropy in shaping the academic infrastructure of higher education institutions. Faculty-focused spaces demonstrate a shift toward prioritizing ongoing professional development as a key pillar of undergraduate success.
Further reading
Find more local efforts in Philanthropy at Elms College.
Source note: This article includes information reported by BusinessWest.
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