ALANA Men in Motion

Student Ambassador Mentorship Program (SAMP)

SUCCESS at Holyoke


About the Programs:

The centerpieces of the SUCCESS Initiative at Holyoke Community College (HCC) are affinity-based learning support and peer mentoring. HCC has two complementary yet distinct SUCCESS programs: ALANA Men in Motion and the Student Ambassador Mentorship Program (SAMP). ALANA provides inclusive academic support, mentoring, and community building to cultivate the academic success of men of color at HCC. SAMP offers peer mentoring, coaching, academic support, leadership skill building, and professional development opportunities to women, nonbinary, and transgender students to cultivate their sense of belonging, academic success, and retention at HCC.

Student Eligibility

Eligible students are automatically enrolled in SUCCESS programs at HCC and are supported until they earn their certificate or degree. By design, students are aware that they are receiving services through SUCCESS.

  • To qualify for SUCCESS programming, students must be a degree seeking or certificate seeing student, enrolled in a minimum of 6 college credits. First-time students, continuing students, part-time students, full-time students, English language learners and students with developmental needs in English and mathematics are all welcomed to participate in SUCCESS.
  • To qualify for the ALANA Men in Motion program, students must identify as Men from Minoritized communities (i.e., Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American, Cape Verdean, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and multi-racial students).
  • To qualify for the Student Ambassador Mentorship Program, women, nonbinary, and transgender students must identify with one of the following categories to participate:
    • Pell-Grant eligible
    • First-generation college student (neither parent has a bachelor’s degree)
    • Minoritized student (i.e., Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American, Cape Verdean, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and multi-racial students)
    • Student with a disability
    • LGBTQIA2+ student

Cohort Focus Population

In line with the legislative intent to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable student populations, the following student populations are actively recruited for SUCCESS at HCC (differs by program):

  • Economically disadvantaged students
  • First-generation college students
  • Minoritized students (i.e., Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American, Cape Verdean, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and multi-racial students)
  • Students with disabilities
  • LGBTQIA+ students

Support Services

The following supports are available to SUCCESS students at HCC:

Mentoring

Peer-Mentoring

Success Coaching

Learning Coaching

Community Building Events

Field trips to 4yr schools

Financial Counseling

Basic Needs Counseling

Career Advising

Discussion Groups

Affinity Groups

Academic Workshops

Scholarship Advising

Leadership Skills Building

Academic Goal Setting and Planning

Case Management

Study Groups

Paid Internships

Professional Development

Support Network

ALANA Men in Motion is supported by a Director and two full-time Mentors. SAMP is supported by the Director of Student Development, three SUCCESS Coaches and 25 part-time SUCCESS Ambassadors (student staff). The two SUCCESS Programs at HCC share a full-time Administrative Assistant and full-time Learning Coach.


SUCCESS receives funding through the Massachusetts legislature and is supported by the 15 state community colleges, the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges (MACC), the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE), and the SUCCESS Leadership and Coordinating Committees.