Saint Michael's College

What is Hope Happens Here?
A primarily student-athlete-run organization that aims to break the negative stigma associated with mental health issues. Through our collaboration with the Saint Michael's College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), we strive to spread awareness and "start the conversation" on mental health issues and create positive change when addressing these issues.

The Beginning
In 2015-16, men's ice hockey student-athletes Danny Divis '17 and Justin McKenzie '17 co-founded Hope Happens Here, touting it on their social media channels is a movement dedicated to "removing the stigma of mental health issues on college campuses." With modest goals at first, they hit the ground running and presented at nearby Enosburg Falls High School and with the University of Vermont SAAC. As the school year moved forward, they held mental health awareness events at home games for various Saint Michael's sports, produced T-shirts that are still worn by many members of the student body, and organized the Pie-A-Purple Knight fundraiser to promote their cause and raise funds for the organization.

Thanks to their work in developing Hope Happens Here, Divis and McKenzie became the first co-winners of the prestigious Hockey Humanitarian Award in 2017. The duo appeared live on ESPN during the 2017 NCAA Men's Frozen Four to discuss HHH, threw the first pitch prior to a Boston Red Sox game later that summer, and addressed collegiate athletic communications professionals during the 2018 Eastern Athletic Communications Association workshop in Burlington. This additional exposure led to the founding of more than two dozen college and high school chapters around the country. Saint Michael's College still claims the alpha chapter of what has become a national organization.

Social Media
Follow the SMC chapter of HHH on our website and Instagram and Twitter to see what we're up to!

Past Executive Boards: 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25

2025-26 SMC Hope Happens Here Executive Board 

2025-26 HOPE HAPPENS HERE ROSTER

Baseball

Ryan Canty '26, Colin Kinsella '27, Steven Klein '28, Ben Caristi '29, Ben Freedman '29

Men’s Basketball

TBA

Women’s Basketball

Ava MacDonough '26, Ruby Santos '27, Hannah Polumbo '28

Men’s Cross Country

Adam Bilodeau '27, Cooper Brennan '28, Taggart Schrader '28, Josh Pelletier '29

Women’s Cross Country

Jocelyn Sommers '26, Jordan Munro '28

Field Hockey

Kathleen Dean '26, Grace Nigolian '27, Megan Ouellette '28, Ronia Foecking '29

Men’s Ice Hockey

Jake Lincourt '26, Nick Wracker '26, Ben Baxter '27, Ian Wolanin '28

Women’s Ice Hockey

Elisabeth Gerebi '26, Isabel Goolie '27, Brianna Jarvis '28

Men’s Lacrosse

Stephen Deutsch '26, Owen Foley '27

Women’s Lacrosse

Emma MacDonald '26, Abbie Whitley '26, Ginnie Hamilton '27, Lila Peddie '27, Reese Geary '28, Jill Frawley '29

Alpine Skiing

Kyleena Lathram '27, Emme Bell '28

Nordic Skiing

TBA

Men’s Soccer

TBA

Women’s Soccer

Katie Hansen '25, Charlotte Morey '26, Sarah Gormley '28, Delaney Kleinman '28, Olivia Blackadar '29

Softball

Maddy Vaughn '27, Maddy Eaton '28, Emma Nordahl '28

Men’s Swimming & Diving

Aidan Shaw '28

Women’s Swimming & Diving

Madeline Waldt '27, Ayden Walsh '27, Nola Klaus '29, Adriana Richardson '29

Men’s Tennis

TBA

Women’s Tennis

Emma Gredenhag '27, Kasey Johnson '28

Men's Outdoor Track

Adam Bilodeau '27, Cooper Brennan '28, Taggart Schrader '28, Josh Pelletier '29

Women's Outdoor Track

TBA

Women's Volleyball

Ella Patterson '26, Dana Welch '26, Emily Winefield '27, Mahili McKay '28, Jillian Becker '29