How the HCC Theater Program Inspired an Alumnus's Lasting Gift

It's been more than 40 years since Jon Roe '76 took the stage of what was then called HCC's Forum theater to perform in the Holyoke Community College production of "The Elephant Man." Getting a chance to play one of the lead roles as Sir Frederick Treves is Roe's favorite memory of his time as a theater major at HCC.

He credits his education at HCC with having put him on a successful path in acting and in life and says he believes if he hadn't attended HCC he would not be "happily settled here" — in Los Angeles — "the way I am." Roe has been an annual supporter of the college for a long time, but several years ago, he deepened his commitment by including HCC in his and his wife Gretchen's estate plans.

"We met with an estate planner because we had IRAs and wanted to ensure that any remaining funds would support something meaningful,' he said. 'I just thought that I would give back to the school and leave them a piece of the pie."

When Roe thinks of the impact of his planned gift, he thinks of his experiences in the theater department and how that opened up a whole new world for him.

"I hope other young adults will get a chance to attend HCC, glean what they can from the institution and create their own beautiful lives," he said. "I feel good right now knowing that I might make a difference; perhaps some extra cash will help HCC build a new theater space or classroom or maybe it will go into a scholarship fund that can help some acting student get through school and go on to make a mark in the world of theater arts."