About Us

Western Mass CORE is a regional initiative advancing educational access for justice-impacted individuals. We are building the infrastructure to connect local jails, community colleges, and reentry partners—creating pathways from incarceration to college, career, and community reentry.

Mission

We advance jail-to-college pathways by mobilizing community, opportunity, resources, and education for justice-impacted learners.

Origin: From Classroom Insight to Regional Impact

Western Mass CORE began in 2019 during a shared sabbatical by two Holyoke Community College professors, inspired by students affected by incarceration. They recognized that jails remain among the most underserved settings in higher education—places where interest in college is strong, but access is limited. What started as a local bridge program has grown into a regional effort to build sustained, community-led pathways from incarceration to college across Western Massachusetts.

Staff

Nicole J. Hendricks

Executive Director & Co-Founder
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Nicole co-founded Western Mass CORE and formerly served as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Council of State Governments Justice Center, where she provided training and technical assistance to federal grantees focused on children of incarcerated parents. She brings over two decades of experience in criminal legal system education and policy, including roles as a professor at Holyoke Community College and as a research associate at the Vera Institute of Justice. Nicole holds degrees from Wesleyan University and NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service. Away from work, Nicole is rooted in the everyday rhythms of parenting, planting, and rowing on the Connecticut River.

Norma Hairston

Community Engagement Manager
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Norma is a dedicated professional with a long-standing commitment to recovery, education, and community service. With lived experience in both addiction recovery and incarceration, she brings a powerful and personal perspective to her work. She most recently served as a Recruitment Counselor at Holyoke Community College, supporting students—especially those impacted by the criminal legal system—in pursuing their educational goals. In 2023, she earned her Recovery Coach certification from Choice Recovery and her Community Health Worker certification from Holyoke Community College. She is currently completing her Associate Degree in Liberal Arts. Norma is grateful to work alongside others who are rebuilding their lives and is a strong advocate for accessible pathways to college and career. She is passionate about helping people with any criminal history find their way back to education and opportunity, and believes everyone deserves the chance to define their own future after incarceration. Norma is committed to creating supportive, empowering environments that foster growth, healing, and resilience.

Brianna Owen

Program Manager
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Brianna is a community-rooted educator and justice advocate with over 8 years experience advancing equity across public safety, youth development, and education, with a particular focus on increasing access to resources for historically marginalized communities, especially young people transitioning out of the foster care system. She co-founded the Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service (CRESS), Massachusetts’ first-ever alternative response service rooted in anti-racism and trauma-informed care. Her leadership experience includes serving as Chief of Staff at 80 Acres, Director of Community Engagement & Impact at The Rise Above Foundation, and Program Director at Friends of Children. Brianna holds a B.A. in Legal Studies from UMass Amherst and certificates in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Nonprofit Management. Outside of work, Brianna enjoys hiking and soaking up nature in the Valley, spending quality time with her family, and unwinding by the beach.

Mary Orisich

Co-Founder
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Mary is a Co-Founder of Western Mass CORE and currently a Professor of Economics in the Critical Social Thought Department at Holyoke Community College. Prior to her tenure at HCC, she held the positions of Research Analyst with the California Nurses Association and Research Associate with the National Priorities Project. Mary holds degrees from Purdue University and the University of MA at Amherst. When she’s not working, you can often find Mary outside with her dogs, reading, or tending to her bees.

What We Do

Western Mass CORE connects people impacted by incarceration with educational opportunities—starting in jail and extending through reentry and college completion.

We do this by:

Coordinating and facilitating credit-bearing college courses in local jails
Preparing and supporting faculty to teach in carceral settings
Supporting students from jail to campus, through individualized advising and wraparound supports

Partnering with local colleges to ensure credit transfer and pathways to degree
Building community among justice impacted learners, alumni, and advocates

Since 2021, we’ve facilitated over a dozen credit-bearing courses inside local jails, supported over 100 inside students, and created pathways for 140 justice-impacted learners to pursue college—both inside and after release.

CORE Commitments

These commitments reflect the values that guide our work, shaping how we build relationships, create opportunities, share resources, and approach education in ways that respect the dignity, agency, and potential of every person.

Community

We work in partnership with system-impacted people, families, and allies. Relationships—rooted in trust, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to justice and possibility—guide and sustain this work.

Opportunity

We join with partners across systems to open pathways to higher education. Together, we work for lasting changes that support people in setting their own goals and building futures that reflect their values and potential.

Resources

We seek to provide clear, consistent support and practical tools. Whether inside or in the community, the focus is on offering information and resources that can be relied on and used to move forward on one’s own terms.

Education

We facilitate college-level learning that is rigorous, relevant, and transferable. Education should open doors, and all students deserve to be challenged, supported, and taken seriously.

Impact

By the Numbers: CORE’s Impact (2021 – Spring 2024)

Since launching programming inside of jails in Hampden County in 2021, Western Mass CORE has expanded educational access across jails and campuses in the region:

Students enrolled in college credit-bearing courses while incarcerated

%

Course completion rate
(127 out of 160 enrollments)

Total college credits earned by inside students

Learners engaged in reading groups across three jail facilities

On-campus students supported per semester through CORE@HCC (average from 2023–2025)

Why It Matters

We believe in the power of community to create opportunity and expand access. We know that incarceration impacts individuals, families, and neighborhoods—and that education can be a tool for connection, growth, and systemic change.

Our work is about building bridges from jail to college, not just for individuals, but for communities seeking stronger, more just futures.

Partners

Community Connections