Author: Yvonne Page

Quinebaug Valley Community College will host a panel discussion, “International Women’s Day 2022: #BreaktheBias” from 5:00 to 6:20 pm on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, in the Fireside Lounge on QVCC’s Danielson campus, located at 742 Upper Maple Street, Danielson, CT. The event will also be livestreamed to our Willimantic Center at 729 Main Street, Willimantic, CT. The event, organized by the QVCC Cultural Programming Committee, will feature three guest speakers: New London City Councilwoman Reona Dyess, singer-songwriter Lara Herscovitch, and QVCC student Yasmin García-Juárez. Student Government Association President Dana Normandie will facilitate.

Reona Dyess, Councilwoman and President Pro Tempore of New London City Council is a member of the National Association for the Advance of Color People, The National Council of Negros Woman, the League of Women Voters, the Lion Club and the Kiwanis Club of New London. Dyess also serves as executive director of The Center: A Drop-In Community Learning and Resource Center Inc., as a member of the Board of Directors of Connecticut Storytelling, Expressiones, and St. Francis House, and as a youth advisor for the New London Linwood Bland NAACP Youth Council. Dyess is a founding member of the Steering Community of the Community Land Trust. Known as “Ms. D,” she enjoys being a grandmother to Rishad and a voice for families and children in her community.

Lara Herscovitch is a singer-songwriter-poet-performer gem, leading with authenticity, integrity, humor, and heart. As The Boston Globe describes, she brings “a luminous voice and a buoyant stage presence… big-hearted lyrics embrace the sum of life…” Former Connecticut State Troubadour, Sound Waves Magazine called her work “expertly written prose… songwriting at its best… good for your ears AND your soul.” Find out more about Lara at www.LaraHerscovitch.com.

Yasmin García-Juárez came from Mexico when she was 15 years old. She is a mother of three, a full-time worker, and a part-time college student. She began taking classes at QVCC in 2016 and earned her ESL( English as Second Language) Proficiency Certificate in 2020. She is now focusing on completing her medical assisting degree and expects to graduate in 2023.

International Women’s Day (March 8) has been observed annually across the globe for over a century to “celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women” and to “accelerate women’s equality.” The theme for this year’s day is #BreaktheBias. More information can be found at www.internationalwomensday.com.

The panel discussion is sponsored by the Quinebaug Valley Community College Cultural Programming Committee.
For more information contact Jon Andersen at jandersen@qvcc.edu or Norly Germain at ngermain@qvcc.edu.

FLYPAPER – DOUGLAS DEGGES | SARAH PHYLLIS SMITH

On view from January 31st – February 25th
Closing reception February 22n from 6-7:30pm

Flypaper is an ongoing collaborative project by artists Douglas Degges and Sarah Phyllis Smith. The work explores relationships to land and landscape through the pairing and layering of text and image. At a time when we have immediate access to anything, from sourcing information on the internet to our ability to capture, store, and share images at a moment’s notice, analogue processes seem well poised for critically engaging newer forms of visual expression. This collaborative project is not only a celebration of the corporeal or material world but also a reflection on the speed at which images are produced and consumed. Image-making is approached as an intuitive and physical thinking process where mixed media and raw material become images as well as containers for shared memories.

For Sarah, whose work is often rooted in autobiographical narrative, this work is a move toward improvisation and abstraction. For Douglas, this work marks an embrace of representational imagery and storytelling. This collaborative project, when exhibited, becomes an inquiry into the nature of authorship and heterogeneity, as all works are fully collaborative and make use of hybrid forms and seemingly divergent studio processes and image-making strategies. The work is often exhibited in such a way as to highlight this. Works are installed according to a kind of cadence established by competing visuals and significant jumps in scale, as seen here in the SPIROL Art Gallery.

Quinebaug Valley Community College has announced the names of 178 students named to the Fall 2021 semester dean’s list.

Ashford
Laurie Hipsky, Eco Manso-Rich, Katie Renaud

Baltic
Adam Ritchotte

Brooklyn
Laura Bates, Jimmy Benitez, Savannah Buisson, Angelique Caouette, Megan Coraccio, David Craighill, Connor Downing, Victoria Fradette, Sierra Girard, Madeline Guari, Caroline Hamill, Krycia Harlow, Denis Hickey, Zada Jones, Nicole Maxim, Aidan McGennis, Hector Morales, Danilo Palenzuela, Michelle Parmeter, Anwar Shakir, Adam Shinkiewicz, Emma Turner, Kenneth Weatherspoon

Canterbury
Bernardo Barron, Christopher Coury, Adam Exley, Emmalee Fritzsche, Elenore Jolley, Colette Marchand, Matthew Moffitt, Katherine Otto, Tanya Rizer

Central Village
Shania Scharlack, Sean Sweeney

Chaplin
Emily St Dennis

Coventry
Abbie Bragdon, Maria Galarza-Ortiz

Danielson
Jasmine Alvord, Ashley Berube, Kamila Correa, Angela Dean, Jennifer Farquharson, Nikki Flynn, Renee Gates, Lindsey Green, Ibrahim Kamara, Tate Larrow, Saylee Phongsamphanh, Bryce Pratt, Julia Revellese, Christine Sheridan, Samantha Swenson, Victoria Trudeau-Mungham

Dayville
Khamvongsouk Bandith, Mandi Beckman, Philip Davis, Nicholas Hindle, Chase LeClerc, Krystal Maclure, Lynn Paquin, Christopher Perry, Heather Souza

Eastford
Zoe Marshall

Enfield
Lina Mistry

Griswold
Yvonne Dupuis, Mary Hayden, Melissa Thibodeau

Groton
Melissa Soto

Hampton
Miles Lindell, Jessica Woody

Jewett City
Maryam Arshad, Heather Emerich, Vincent Valenti

Lebanon
Amy Roberts

Lisbon
Emily Mirante

Mansfield Center
Arielle Hernandez

Marlborough
Erica Troiano

Middletown
Diana Kostacopoulos

Moosup
Sarah Chamberland, Jakob LaButti, Piotr Malinowski, Elizabeth Schneider, Kennedy Shippee, Kylie Shippee

New London
Rebecca Richards

North Grosvenordale
Rebecca Giles, Kevin Gomes, Lindsey Houghton, Malakai Lima, Emma Nazario, Jennifer Perry, Tyler Persson, Justin Phelps, Gianna Stoico, Evan Torres, Sara Watson, Madison Yost

North Haven
Sumeyra Yavuz

Norwich
Christie Hughes

Pawcatuck
Lydia Miner

Plainfield
Alyssa Aubin, Jesse Fultz, Bernadette Michaud, Cassandra Miller, Gianna Pellegrino

Pomfret Center
Remi Benton, Sydney Feragne, Ryan Lewis, Robert Manifold, Shelby Pendleton

Preston
Ashlyn Chmelecki

Putnam
Morgan Blackmar, Selena Cordero, Trent Dionne, Jennifer Franks, Allison Hall, Anna Ionkin, Jerusha Morrissette, Jordyn Poole, Misty Williams

South Windham
Nicolemarie Gonzalez Figueroa, Kevin McGeary

Sterling
Hannah DeAngelis, Erin DeRouin, Sarah Dexter, Maggie Fallon, Megan Hart, Olivia LaRose, Faith Smith, Angela Stone, Ryan Young

Thompson
Paige Audet, Mikenzi LaBonte

Voluntown
Adam Eaton, Jamie Palazzi

Waterbury
Jonathan Fullbright

Wauregan
Chandler Hebert

Willimantic
Michelle Aguayo Castro, Lorena Alba, Miata Arroyo, Owen Delgado, Yasmin Garcia-Juarez, Dakota Ibarrondo, Gabriela Lopez Barreto, Yarixa Rodriguez, Patricia Todd, Megan Trueblood, Patrick Walker Ayala

Willington
Amanda Hansen

Windham
Ashley Licata

Woodstock
Donna Bayer Carreaux, Liam Blanchflower, Sydney Cournoyer, Aria Gianfriddo, Matthew Gianfriddo, Hannah Hagstrom, Audrey Helmetag, Hailey Klar, Jarod Martin, Molly Millix, Evan Odorski, Payton Peterson, Thomas Robidoux

Woodstock Valley
Jocelyn Foisey, Abigail Kilburn

Fairfield, IA
Thomas Kadar

Charlton, MA
Caitlin Baer, Johnathan Tucker

Dudley, MA
Molly Castano, Brett Spiewakowski

New Bedford, MA
Britney Cabral

Southbridge, MA
Jourhana Colon

Burrillville, RI
Melissa Parent

Coventry, RI
Kerrie Karwoski

Quinebaug Valley Community College has several coming events in November and December, which are open to the public:

Covid Vaccinations – Receive your 1st and 2nd doses, as well as boosters (Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson). Tuesdays 9 am – 1pm and Wednesdays 3 pm – 7 pm in the Fireside Lounge on the Danielson campus. No appointment needed. 742 Upper Maple Street, Danielson, CT

Veterans Connection Photo Exhibit: Running until November 26 – The Veterans Connection photo exhibit began in the fall of 2014 to recognize and celebrate the QVCC faculty, staff, and community members who have served or have loved ones who have served in the United States military. Featured in the exhibit is a missing man table, also known as a fallen comrade table. This table is reserved to honor our brave and selfless American military members who have perished on the battlefield, those who have not been returned to us after being taken prisoner on foreign soil, and for those who went missing and have not found their way back home. The Veterans Connection photo exhibit, which is open to the public, will be running until Friday, November 26. Community members are invited and encouraged to visit.

November 16 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Tour & Information Session Spotlighting QVCC’s Careers in Healthcare – Learn about QVCC’s Healthcare Associate Degree and certificate programs, including Business Administration: Health Care Management, Medical Assisting, Medical Laboratory Technician, Pre-Nursing, Administrative Medical Office Skills, Phlebotomy, Health Career Pathways, and HIMT: Certified Coding Specialist.

November 17 @ 6 pm: QVCC Fall Open House – Have you always wanted to go to college? Are you looking for a new career or the right career for you? Do you need help figuring out your next steps? QVCC is the place to find yourself and your path. Attending Open House is the best way to discover why QVCC should be your choice for starting, continuing, or finishing your college education. By registering, you will have access to the Open House for a year! Open House includes an alumni & student panel, individual breakout sessions, and a student services informational panel. Register at qvcc.edu/openhouse.

November 18 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Advanced Manufacturing & Mechatronics Automation Technician Tour & Information Session – Join the QVCC Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center Team at the Danielson campus to learn about our programs. You can tour our facilities, learn about internships, job placement for graduates, and hear about the demand locally, regionally, and statewide for the skills of our graduates from these programs. No RSVP is required. For more information, contact Sandy Gould at sgould@qvcc.edu.

November 24 @ 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Black Dog Bar & Grille: Annual Alumni Mixer – A fun night that brings QVCC alumni together to reconnect with one another and the college. We cordially invite alumni, faculty, and staff to come by and enjoy a drink, some food and conversation – a perfect pre-Thanksgiving celebration! RSVP at qvcc.edu/alumni-events. Contact Sarah Wolfburg, Director of Alumni Relations at swolfburg@qvcc.edu or (860) 932-4133 with any questions.

November 30: Giving Tuesday – After widely recognized shopping days, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday kicks off the charitable holiday season. Celebrated the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, this Giving Tuesday, the QVCC Foundation is asking YOU to give the gift of education and help support local students at QVCC. Give online at qvcc.edu/give-now on November 30, 2021. Your gift makes a difference in hundreds of local QVCC students’ lives!

December 4 and January 8 @ 10 am – 12 pm: QVCC Preview Day – Learn why QVCC is the best and most affordable start for a college education. Apply for free, tour campus, meet faculty and alumni, and learn about your options for paying for college (financial aid, scholarships, and PACT free tuition funding). Enjoy cider and donuts. Click here to register.

December 4 and January 8 @ 9 am – 1 pm: Enrollment Day – Advising will be available to help you build your winter or spring class schedule and register. Financial Aid will also be available for questions. Advanced reservation is required.

December 7: In-Person FAFSA Completion Event – Join us in-person for our 2022-2023 FAFSA Completion Event. If you are a recent high school graduate (under age 24) or high school senior, we strongly recommend your parents attend the workshop as well, as they will need to provide information and a digital signature to complete the process. Students and parents/guardians: please bring your 2020 tax returns and FSA ID, which can be created at studentaid.gov. If you did not file 2020 taxes, please bring your W2. This event will be offered at two different times to fit your busy schedule: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm or 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm. Please RSVP to choose your preferred time and location: forms.office.com/r/U1nhEbLkr1.

December 7 @ 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm: Evening Advising and Registration (Danielson & Willimantic) – Get advised and get registered! Advisors will be available on both the Danielson and Willimantic campuses, as well as through phone and video options, to help build your winter or spring schedule and register for the courses you need.

December 7 @ 5:30 pm: Tour Tuesday – Take a tour of our main campus and see what QVCC can offer you! Tour the building and labs, meet with admissions, visit our library and learning center, and hear about services that can make you a successful student.

December 7 @ 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm: Opening Exhibition for El Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead – The opening reception for the El Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead exhibit will be held on December 7 at 5:30 pm in the SPIROL Art Gallery.

December 8 @ 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm: FAFSA Completion Event (Remote) – Join us virtually for our 2022-2023 FAFSA Completion Event. If you are a recent high school graduate (under age 24) or high school senior, we strongly recommend your parents attend the workshop as well, as they will need to provide information and a digital signature to complete the process. Students and parents/guardians, please be prepared with your 2020 tax returns and FSA ID, which can be created at studentaid.gov. If you did not file 2020 taxes, please provide your W2. Please RSVP to choose your preferred time: forms.office.com/r/U1nhEbLkr1.

December 8 @ 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Get Accepted, Advised, and Registered (Willimantic) – Receive in-person student support services from Admissions, Financial Aid, and Advising at QVCC’s Willimantic satellite location.

December 8 @ 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm: Evening Advising and Registration (Danielson) – Get advised and get registered! Advisors will be available on the Danielson campus, as well as through phone and video options, to help build your winter or spring schedule and register for the courses you need.

DANIELSON – On Thursday, November 11, Quinebaug Valley Community College was graced with a beautiful November afternoon to host the annual Veterans Day Celebration outdoors in the Veterans Garden, located on the Danielson campus.

Over 400 bricks engraved with the names of local veterans lie in QVCC’s Veterans Garden, which was built in 2010 with the goal of providing a place where local veterans could be honored and remembered for their services to our country.

QVCC’s Veterans Day Celebration began with the National Anthem, performed by QVCC alumna Linda Colangelo, and the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Fred Ruhlemann of the Danielson Veteran Coffeehouse. QVCC CEO Dr. Karen Hynick provided a warm welcome, followed by comments from United States Congressman Joe Courtney and Connecticut State Representative Pat Boyd.

The celebration also included an original poem, written and recited by QVCC’s Veterans Services Coordinator Joel Niemann ’15, “A Soldier’s Prayer,” read by Sergeant 1st Class Melissa Collins of the Connecticut National Guard, and musical selections, including a Military Service Song medley and God Bless America, also performed by Linda Colangelo.

Following the outdoor celebration, guests were welcomed into the SPIROL Art Gallery for a viewing of the Veterans Connection photo exhibit. The Veterans Connection photo exhibit began in the fall of 2014 to recognize and celebrate the QVCC faculty, staff, and community members who have served or have loved ones who have served in the United States military.

Also featured in the exhibit is a missing man table, also known as a fallen comrade table. This table is reserved to honor our brave and selfless American military members who have perished on the battlefield, those who have not been returned to us after being taken prisoner on foreign soil, and for those who went missing and have not found their way back home.

The Veterans Connection photo exhibit, which is open to the public, will be running until Friday, November 26. Community members are invited and encouraged to visit.

“We’re so grateful that we could host our Veterans Day celebration in person this year,” said QVCC’s Veterans Services Coordinator Joel Niemann. “We had outstanding weather, excellent speakers, and an incredible photo exhibit. We couldn’t have asked for more to honor our veterans, locally and beyond.”

Quinebaug Valley Community College has a number of coming events in November and December.

• Tuesday, November 2: Job Fair: Early Childhood Programs 11 – 1 pm –– Childcare Employers are Ready to Hire You! Looking for a job in childcare? Attend the Early Childhood Education Job Fair at the QVCC Danielson campus. Programs from Northeast Connecticut will be in attendance. Bring your resume and be prepared to meet with potential employers. This event is open to the public. Attendees must wear a mask while indoors on campus. Contact: Cindy Shirshac (cshirshac@qvcc.edu, 860.932.4150).
• Wednesday, November 3: 
  • PACT Day – Pledge to Advance Connecticut – FREE Tuition Program 9 – 5 pm –– If you are a first-time college student, Connecticut high school graduate, and resident – OF ANY AGE – you meet three of the qualifications for the State of Connecticut FREE tuition program! Learn more about how to qualify for PACT. Schedule an appointment to see if you qualify for the state of CT FREE education! Admissions and Financial Aid staff will be on hand to answer questions.
  • Financial Aid & PACT Information Session 3:00 pm. Danielson campus room 127 The QVCC Financial Aid Department is hosting an information session. Learn more about the FAFSA application process and PACT eligibility.
• Saturday, November 13:
  • QVCC Preview Day– 10 am – Noon –– Join the admissions staff at the Danielson campus for tours, apply on-the-spot for FREE; learn about paying for college and FREE tuition; view the art show. Advanced registration is requested. Contact: Amanda Giles (agiles@qvcc.edu, 860-932-4217).
  • QVCC Enrollment Day – Register for Winter or Spring – 9 am – 1 pm –– Schedule an on-campus or virtual appointment to meet with an academic advisor.
• Tuesday, November 16: Tour & Information Session Spotlighting QVCC’s Careers in Healthcare. 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm –– Learn about QVCC’s Healthcare Associate Degree and certificate programs, including Business Administration: Health Care Management, Medical Assisting, Medical Laboratory Technician and Pre-Nursing. Administrative Medical Office Skills, Phlebotomy, Health Career Pathways, HIMT: Certified Coding Specialist Contact: Sarah Hendrick (shendrick@qvcc.edu, 860-932-4096).
• Wednesday, November 17: QVCC Fall Open House 6 – 8 pm –– Have you always wanted to go to college? Are you looking for a new career or the right career for you? Do you need help figuring out your next steps? QVCC is the place to find yourself and your path. Attending Open House is the best way to discover why QVCC should be your choice for starting, continuing, or finishing your college education. By registering, you will have access to the Open House for a year! Open House includes an Alumni & Student Panel, Program Breakout Sessions, and a Student Services Informational Panel. Contact: Sarah Hendrick (shendrick@qvcc.edu, 860-932-4096).
• Thursday, November 18: Advanced Manufacturing & Mechatronics Automation Technician Tour & Information Session 5:30 – 7:30 pm –– Join the QVCC Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center Team at the Danielson campus to learn about our programs. You can tour our facilities, learn about internships and job placement for graduates, and hear about the demand locally, regionally, and statewide for the skills of our graduates from these programs. No RSVP required. Contact: Sandy Gould (sgould@qvcc.edu, 860-932-4178).
• Saturday, December 4: QVCC Preview Day 10 am – Noon –– Join the admissions staff at the Danielson campus for tours, apply on-the-spot for FREE; learn about paying for college and FREE tuition; view the art show. Advanced registration is requested. Contact: Amanda Giles (agiles@qvcc.edu, 860-932-4217).
• Tuesday, December 7: Tour Tuesday 5:30 – 7:30 pm –– Take a tour of our main campus and see what QVCC can offer YOU! Tour the building and labs, meet with admissions, visit our library and learning center, hear about services that can make you a successful student. Not a student yet? Apply to QVCC today! It is always FREE to apply! Contact: Sarah Hendrick (shendrick@qvcc.edu, 860-932-4096).

QVCC is excited to share that the Connecticut State Community Colleges TimelyCare services are now LIVE and ready to use!

What is TimelyCare? It provides access to 24/7 medical and mental health support for all Connecticut State Community Colleges students.

Students can now sign-up/register an account and begin seeing providers by downloading the TimelyCare mobile app. They can also visit the TimelyCare website for more information on the services: www.timelycare.com/ctstate.

Earlier this year, Governor Lamont announced a major expansion of the Care 4 Kids program, which, among other actions, made financial assistance available to help with the cost of child care for students.

Students at any CSCU institution pursuing any kind of credential from a noncredit certificate to a bachelor’s degree may be eligible for these benefits. That includes Quinebaug Valley Community College.

How to take part:

Visit the Care 4 Kids website: (ctcare4kids.com)

• Check to see if you are eligible
• Use the income guidelines table to find out if your family income meets Care 4 Kids requirements (eligibility at application has now increased to 60% of State Median Income for a limited time)

Apply for Care 4 Kids

• If you are eligible, a certificate will be issued to you and your child care provider that specifies the amount Care 4 Kids will pay and any family fees you are responsible for

Find a child care program that works for you

• Families have 30 days to select a child care provider after applying and being found eligible
• These provider types can provide care (child care centers, family child care homes, after school programs, relative child care)
• Visit 211childcare.org for help finding a provider (211childcare.org)

If you are eligible, Care 4 Kids will pay for child care costs during your work, school, or training time, plus travel time. Families will be responsible to pay their child care provider any costs not covered by Care 4 Kids.

For more information, including FAQs, please visit ctcare4kids.com or call Care 4 Kids at (888) 214-5437.

The Joule Fellows Program at the University of Connecticut (UCONN) gives middle school, high school, and community college instructors a chance to participate in current research and develop lessons and activities to bring engineering principles into their classroom. As part of the program, Joule Fellows attend various enrichment activities around the state in interesting and relevant locations.

In early August, Joule Fellows from UCONN attended a tour of QVCC’s manufacturing and engineering programs and completed a related workshop on 3D scanning, Computer-Aided Design (CAD), 3D printing, and Laser Cutting. They measured parts, made simple sketches on paper with relevant dimensions, then created those parts using a 3D CAD program, SolidWorks. They took a 3D-printed box, and cut and etched a matching lid from mirrored cast acrylic with their own custom text on it using our laser cutter. There was also a brief live 3D scanning demo.

Two students, Cassandra Miller from QVCC, and Amit Thakkar from Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), helped Prof. Jakob Spjut run the workshop and assisted the Joule Fellows with their workshop tasks. They also shared some details of their summer project, as they worked on a NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium (CTSGC) Undergraduate Student-Faculty Research project to redesign the statewide Community College Quadcopter Challenge under Prof. Jakob Spjut (QVCC) and Prof. Ravindra Thamma (CCSU). As QVCC campus director for the space grant, Prof. Spjut also shared additional statewide opportunities for high school teachers to get involved with the Space Grant, which is NASA’s educational outreach arm inside of Connecticut, administered out of University of Hartford.