Category: All News

Efforts to grow and diversify Connecticut’s healthcare workforce received a major boost when the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) made several significant grant commitments to support recruitment, retention, and diversification initiatives throughout the state.

Over $220,000 was collectively awarded to Stamford Hospital, the University of New Haven, and the Norwalk Hospital Association to implement a community health worker program, increase access to necessary dental hygiene treatments for underserved populations, and support career opportunities for individuals who might otherwise face barriers to employment.

Quinebaug Valley Community College and Capital Community College also received grants totaling over $120,000 to support and expand their allied health and nursing programming.

Betty Sugerman Weintraub, Manager of Grant Programs and Philanthropic Outreach stated “As one of the only statewide philanthropic entities that makes significant awards for capital and programmatic expenses, CHEFA is uniquely positioned to support nonprofit organizations and the constituents they serve throughout the state. These recent grant awards demonstrate CHEFA’s commitment to enhancing the prosperity and welfare of all Connecticut’s residents.”

Saint Francis Hospital received over $70,000 to support innovative interventions and hold evening cooking classes where patients and their family members will learn new recipes using prescribed ingredients and interact with other residents taking positive steps to improve their health.

The University of Bridgeport also received a major commitment of $75,000 to make improvements to its STEM on Wheels Bus. The new equipment and bus improvements will enhance STEM programming and the hands-on learning experiences offered to nearly 1,000 K-12th grade students in Bridgeport.

Jeanette W. Weldon, Executive Director for CHEFA stated “These recent grant commitments not only demonstrate the invaluable role CHEFA plays by providing philanthropic support to residents throughout Connecticut, but they also demonstrate the widespread impact CHEFA programming has in driving economic and social mobility for Connecticut residents on a statewide basis.”

Contact: Betty Sugerman Weintraub
CHEFA Manager of Grant Programs and Philanthropic Outreach
(860) 761-8428
bweintraub@chefa.com

DANIELSON, CT — Quinebaug Valley Community College will hold its 16th Annual Julius Sokenu Poetry Prize Celebration on April 27 at 6 p.m. in Robert E. Miller Auditorium.

The event is free and open to the public, with readings by award-winning student poets and guest speaker and poet Edgar Kunz. Sandwiches, hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and beverages will be provided. 

Originally from Connecticut and a former community college student, Kunz is an assistant professor at Goucher College and author of the poetry collections “Tap Out” (Mariner, 2019), named a New & Noteworthy book by the New York Times, and “Fixer” (Ecco, 2023). His poems have appeared in many publications, including The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Poetry, and Oxford American. In addition, he has received fellowships and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, MacDowell, Bread Loaf, Vanderbilt University, and Stanford University, where he was a Wallace Stegner Fellow. He resides in Baltimore. 

The annual Julius Sokenu Poetry Awards honors the best student poetry in English and Spanish at Quinebaug Valley Community College and Quinebaug Middle College. The event is sponsored by QVCC Foundation, Cultural Programming Committee, departments of English and Spanish, EASTCONN’s Quinebaug Middle College, and QVCC Student Government Association, as well as Julius Sokenu Poetry Prize donors.  

For more information contact Professor Jon Andersen at jandersen@qvcc.edu or Interim Academic Division Director Elkin Espitia-Loaiza, at eespitia-loaiza@qvcc.edu. 

QVCC is among 12 community colleges in Connecticut that will merge in July 2023 to become CT State Community College, one of the largest community colleges in the country and largest in New England, dedicated to quality, access and affordability. CT State students will be able to apply once and take classes at any campus. In addition to Quinebaug, other locations include Asnuntuck (Enfield), Capital (Hartford), Gateway (New Haven & North Haven), Housatonic (Bridgeport), Manchester, Middlesex (Middletown & Meriden), Naugatuck Valley (Waterbury & Danbury), Northwestern (Winsted), Norwalk, Quinebaug Valley (Danielson & Willimantic), and Three Rivers (Norwich) Community Colleges. For more information, see www.ctstate.edu/becoming. 

THANK YOU to everyone who made The QVCC Foundation’s 30th Annual Golf Tournament a HUGE success!

On September 21, 2022, the QVCC Foundation hosted its 30th Annual Golf Tournament at Connecticut National Golf Club in Putnam, CT. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors and players, the Foundation raised over $78,000 at this year’s outing. Funds from this event will support local students attending Quinebaug Valley Community College.

Tournament Results

1st Place – Roger Noll, Jonah Dupuis, Sean Vigue, Pat Kozelka – Score of 52
2nd Place – Jim Dandeneau, Debbie Dandeneau, Ryan Dandeneau, Jon Kantorski – Score of 57 (matching cards)
3rd Place – Tom Harney, Todd Porier, Mike Durand, Alan Balavender – Score of 57 (matching cards)

Middle of the Pack – Dick Loomis, Lynn Converse, Pat O’Brien, Courtney Ravenelle

Long Drive Women – Michelle Kile
Long Drive Men – Dave Apuzzo

Closest to Pin #7 – Dennis Mills – 1 foot 9 inches
Closest to Pin #9 – Roger Noll – 1 foot 2 inches
Closest to Pin #11 – Andre Lavoie – 2 feet 3 inches

SKINS (3)
Eagle on 8 – Team Gaudreau (David Gaudreau, Tyler Gaudreau, Richard Gaudreau, Steve Kempain)
Eagle on 13 – Team Dandeneau (Jim Dandeneau, Debbie Dandeneau, Ryan Dandeneau, Jon Kantorski)
Eagle on 18 – Team Cardinal (Trevor Cardinal, Andre Lavoie, Mark Lowell, Jeremy Hendrickson)

CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF 2022 SPONSORS, DONORS, & PLAYERS

Credit registration for the Spring 2023 semester is in progress at Connecticut’s 12 community colleges.

Credit classes start on January 20 with a mix of on-campus, online, and hybrid course options.

Students intending to attend a Connecticut community college for the first time should start by applying online. Applications for the upcoming Spring 2023 semester can be found at www.ct.edu/admission.

Connecticut’s community colleges offer hundreds of associate degrees and certificates as well as career training certifications that prepare students for transfer to four-year degrees and transition into the workforce with such programs as advanced manufacturing technology, business, cybersecurity, data science, early childhood education, information technology, health care, pathway to teaching careers, and technology. Students can complete a certificate in as little as six months, and a degree in two years.

Student support services, job placement assistance and financial aid are available. Prospective credit students are encouraged to apply for financial aid by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

Registration for career training certifications is ongoing, with programs and classes in health care, information technology, manufacturing, real estate, culinary, veterinary assistant, and more. Scholarships for information technology, health care and manufacturing classes are available through CareerConneCT. Certified dislocated workers and those receiving SNAP assistance may also be eligible for scholarships and tuition waivers for many continuing education programs. Some programs are approved for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding through the CT Department of Labor. For more information, visit www.ctstate.edu/ce.

About CT State 

The 12 community colleges in Connecticut are merging in 2023 to become CT State Community College, one of the largest community colleges in the country and largest in New England, dedicated to quality, access and affordability. CT State students will be able to apply once and take classes at any campus. Locations include Asnuntuck (Enfield), Capital (Hartford), Gateway (New Haven and North Haven), Housatonic (Bridgeport), Manchester, Middlesex (Middletown and Meriden), Naugatuck Valley (Waterbury and Danbury), Northwestern (Winsted), Norwalk, Quinebaug Valley (Danielson and Willimantic), Three Rivers (Norwich), and Tunxis (Farmington). Find out more at www.ctstate.edu/becoming.

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For Immediate Release: 21 December 2022
Contact Melissa Lamar, Director of Marketing & Public Relations
W 860-773-1407 mlamar@tunxis.edu
CT State Marketing Department
ctstate.edu

THANK YOU to everyone who made The QVCC Foundation’s 30th Annual Golf Tournament a HUGE success!

On September 21, 2022, the QVCC Foundation hosted its 30th Annual Golf Tournament at Connecticut National Golf Club in Putnam, CT. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors and players, the Foundation raised over $80,000 at this year’s outing. Funds from this event will support local students attending Quinebaug Valley Community College.

Tournament Results

1st Place – Roger Noll, Jonah Dupuis, Sean Vigue, Pat Kozelka – Score of 52
2nd Place – Jim Dandeneau, Debbie Dandeneau, Ryan Dandeneau, Jon Kantorski – Score of 57 (matching cards)
3rd Place – Tom Harney, Todd Porier, Mike Durand, Alan Balavender – Score of 57 (matching cards)

Middle of the Pack – Dick Loomis, Lynn Converse, Pat O’Brien, Courtney Ravenelle

Long Drive Women – Michelle Kile
Long Drive Men – Dave Apuzzo

Closest to Pin #7 – Dennis Mills – 1 foot 9 inches
Closest to Pin #9 – Roger Noll – 1 foot 2 inches
Closest to Pin #11 – Andre Lavoie – 2 feet 3 inches

SKINS (3)
Eagle on 8 – Team Gaudreau (David Gaudreau, Tyler Gaudreau, Richard Gaudreau, Steve Kempain)
Eagle on 13 – Team Dandeneau (Jim Dandeneau, Debbie Dandeneau, Ryan Dandeneau, Jon Kantorski)
Eagle on 18 – Team Cardinal (Trevor Cardinal, Andre Lavoie, Mark Lowell, Jeremy Hendrickson)

CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF 2022 SPONSORS, DONORS, & PLAYERS

On Saturday, October 15th, runners from twenty-one states and two countries will take part in Tackle the Trail™, a trail race along the scenic Airline Trail in Northeast Connecticut. Tackle the Trail™ embodies the idea of a community event with 150 volunteers supporting a course that runs through the towns of Windham, Pomfret and Putnam, CT. Celebrating its ninth year, this annual event features marathon, half-marathon, and relay team options, as well as TackleJR, a half-mile youth race that ends at the official Tackle the Trail finish line.

Individuals and up to 5-person relay teams will enjoy the quiet solitude of nature with bursts of energetic and supportive volunteers at 4 relay stations during this point-to-point race. Individual runners can choose between the marathon and half-marathon course options for a fun and challenging experience with mixed terrain including some single-track technical sections. In addition to prizes for the top runners in each event, all finishers will receive race medals, complimentary food, and free beverages from brews sponsor Michelob Ultra. Following the finish line festival, runners are encouraged to explore the quaint but lively communities of Northeast CT, including the many fall festivals that coincide with race weekend.

Tackle the Trail™ serves as a major fundraiser for the Quinebaug Valley Community College Foundation and benefits students attending the Danielson and Willimantic campuses of Quinebaug Valley Community College. This cause, coupled with the event’s promotion of wellness, attracts the support of many sponsors on the local and national level. Race sponsor Whitcraft Group has supported the event since its inception in 2014 and has demonstrated the company’s commitment to employee health and wellness, with over 200 employees participating in the race over the event’s nine years. Community and youth wellness is also a motivator for TackleJR sponsor the Newell D. Hale Foundation, a charitable body known for their support of access to healthy activities and education for children. Sponsor support like this ensures healthier communities and future Tackle the Trail™ runners for generations to come.

Those interested in running at this year’s Tackle the Trail™ are encouraged to sign up before the registration deadline of September 25. For more information or to register, visit tacklethetrail.org.

Monique Wolanin
Race Director
742 Upper Maple Street
Danielson, CT 06239
(860) 932-4174
mwolanin@qvcc.edu

_{The QVCC Foundation Mission is to raise funds, so all residents of northeast Connecticut have the opportunity to attend QVCC regardless of income and to support educational excellence, technological advancement, and professional development at the College. The Foundation also serves as the Regional Advisory Council to the College.}  

WILLIMANTIC AND DANIELSON, CT — Quinebaug Valley Community College is pleased to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, which is annually celebrated from September 15 to October 15, with two Bomba workshops and performances by Movimiento Cultural and the Sonia Plumb Dance Company.

The first performance will be held on Thursday, September 15, from 7 to 8 pm near QVCC’s Willimantic Center at 729 Main Street during the city’s Third Thursday Street Festival. The second performance will be held on Thursday, October 20, at 12:30 – 2:00 pm on the cafeteria patio on the main campus, located at 742 Upper Maple Street, Danielson, CT.

Movimiento Cultural is a community-based nonprofit that seeks to educate people across Connecticut about Puerto Rico’s rich African-based folklore, music, dance, and other art forms, especially the Bomba, which is the oldest Puerto Rican dance and music style rooted in resistance and dating back to the days of slavery, while strengthening racial understanding and relationships. The Sonia Plumb Dance Company’s mission is to “awaken, enrich, and educate communities to diverse perspectives of our world” through the lens of modern dance.

The event is organized and sponsored by the QVCC Cultural Programming Committee.

For more information, contact Interim Academic Division Director Elkin Espitia-Loaiza at eespitia-loaiza@qvcc.commnet.edu or Jon Andersen jandersen@qvcc.edu.

Connecticut’s community college system, was ranked No. 1 in the nation by WalletHub this week, and several of the community colleges ranked among the top 15 in the country in the financial website’s reports on community colleges and state-by-state community college system rankings.

Of the 677 colleges on the list, four Connecticut community colleges ranked in the top 15 nationally:

• Naugatuck Valley Community College (10th Place)
• Northwestern Connecticut Community College (11th Place)
• Manchester Community College (12th Place)
• Capital Community College (15th Place)

The state ranking of colleges is based on an analysis of a WalletHub “2022’s Best & Worst Community Colleges”   report released this week at a time of rising inflation and individuals looking for ways to stretch their budgets while increasing educational and career opportunities. More information on the “2022’s Best and Worst Community College Systems” ranking is available here.

To determine where students can receive the best education at the lowest tuition rates, the website compared 677 community colleges nationwide across 19 key indicators of cost and quality. The data set ranges from the cost of in-state tuition and fees to student-faculty ratio and graduation rate. For the state-by-state analysis, WalletHub calculated a weighted average of the scores earned by the community colleges in each state and the number of students enrolled at each college.

Credit registration for the fall 2022 semester is in progress at the 12 Connecticut community colleges, with hundreds of degree options that prepare students for transfer to four-year degrees and transition into the workforce with programs in health care, manufacturing, information technology, early childhood education, business, and more. Most of the colleges also offer English as a second language certificates for non-English speakers looking to start on their path to an associate degree. A variety of class formats are available including on-ground, online and hybrid.

There is still time to apply and register for Connecticut’s free community college program, PACT. Prospective students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, apply and register for classes. The FAFSA can be submitted online at www.fafsa.gov. For more eligibility information and details on PACT, visit ct.edu/pact.

The 12 community colleges in Connecticut are merging in 2023 to become CT State Community College, one of the largest community colleges in the country and largest in New England, dedicated to quality, access and affordability. CT State students will be able to apply once and take classes at any campus. Locations include Asnuntuck (Enfield), Capital (Hartford), Gateway (New Haven and North Haven), Housatonic (Bridgeport), Manchester, Middlesex (Middletown and Meriden), Naugatuck Valley (Waterbury and Danbury), Northwestern (Winsted), Norwalk, Quinebaug Valley (Danielson and Willimantic), Three Rivers (Norwich), and Tunxis (Farmington).