Jamina Scippio-McFadden named Director of the UMass Center at Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Jamina Scippio-McFadden, a senior program manager at the UMass Center at Springfield and a deeply engaged community leader, has been named director of the center by the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

“Jamina Scippio-McFadden has outstanding professional credentials and a wealth of strong ties to the community,” said Steve Goodwin, deputy chancellor at UMass Amherst. “As the center builds upon its achievements and identifies opportunities to be more deeply connected to the community, she is well prepared to provide the leadership essential to success.”

Scippio-McFadden, who has served as interim director for the past year, said, “I’m enthusiastic about contributing to UMass Amherst’s work in the Pioneer Valley through its UMass Center at Springfield. Finding new ways to expand academic programs, research initiatives and community engagement are among the strategies we hope to enhance as we continue to be a good neighbor and collaborator.”

The UMass Center at Springfield is a state-of-the-art, satellite center of UMass Amherst.  Located in the heart of downtown Springfield, the center is a gateway to UMass Amherst for residents, municipalities, schools, businesses, political leadership, community groups and other organizations. Since opening in September 2014, the center has used a combination of traditional in-classroom learning and advanced telecommunications to host course-specific opportunities not previously available in the area including a successful accelerated bachelor of science degree program in nursing. Additionally, it has been the host site for convening thought leaders, influencers, residents and others for advocacy, policy development and information sharing.

Scippio-McFadden’s wide ranging community involvement includes serving on the executive committee of the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts Board of Directors and the board of directors for the Hampden County Community Impact Foundation and Community Enrichment, Inc. She is a member of the Springfield Museums African Hall Subcommittee, and she is an organizing and charter member of the Western Massachusetts Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.

She joined the UMass Center in 2014 as the director of marketing and community relations, student services and academic support, where she managed College Matters 4 U, a partnership program with Springfield Public Schools that educates students in grades K-12 about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) career options available after high school graduation, while also exposing students to the college environment. She was appointed program manager for business and community development in the center’s office of economic development in August of 2018. She was named interim director of the center in January 2019.

Previously, she taught communications at American International College and served as a college administrator and faculty member at institutions in Florida and Georgia. She has 20 years’ experience in the media industry including television news, radio, newspaper and public relations.

Scippio-McFadden received her B.A. in communications from Bethune-Cookman College, where she graduated magna cum laude. She earned a master of arts degree in communications from the University of Florida and is currently a doctoral candidate in education at UMass Amherst.