Category: Foundation

The Robert and Mary Heneault Memorial Scholarship Second for the Family

 The Quinebaug Valley Community College Foundation graciously announces the creation of The Robert and Mary Heneault Memorial Fund, which will support a deserving QVCC student that demonstrates high academic achievement while contributing to the overall good of their community. Robert and Mary Heneault (nee Keenan) were born and raised in Danielson, CT, and while their lives took them away from Danielson, it remained home in their hearts.  With their children they made a life in Canada; first in Montreal, then in Toronto, where Robert’s career culminated in his appointment as President and CEO of Stelco Enterprises. Robert and Mary recognized the transformative value of education and passed on a passion for learning that their children wish to extend to a QVCC student.

Monique Wolanin, director of institutional advancement stated, “Special thanks to the Heneault siblings for endowing their 2nd scholarship with the QVCC Foundation.  This meaningful gift pays tribute to their parents, helps local students pursue their academic dreams and shows the family’s trust in the QVCC Foundation.”

The QVCC Foundation annual scholarship application period will end on Friday, March 12, 2021. $150,000 in scholarships are available for students who are planning to start next fall and students who are currently enrolled at the College.

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.

Released: March 9, 2021

Students can receive up to $650 dollars of support toward their success

The Quinebaug Valley Community College Advanced Manufacturing Center has received a $15,000 grant from the Gene Haas Foundation.  Since 2016, the program has received $75,000 to support student success in advanced manufacturing.

233 students have received support from the grants and are able to use the funds to support themselves inside or outside of the classroom.  There are a variety of incentives for students in the program to earn funds: enrolling full-time for semester one and two of the Advanced Manufacturing Machine Technology Certificate; making the Dean’s List (also available for students enrolled in the Mechatronics Automation Technician Certificate); and for graduating with a grade point average of 3.8 or higher.

The QVCC Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center has been preparing program graduates for immediate entry into the workforce since 2012.  The 10,000 square foot state-of-the-art center has placed graduates at Connecticut and neighboring state manufacturers in the aerospace, automotive, biomedical, and defense industries.

For additional information about enrolling in the program and for assistance with funding, contact Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center Assistant Director, Jodi Clark, jclark1@qvcc.edu or 860.932.4128.

Released: January 25, 2021

Quinebaug Valley Community College is very excited to welcome Sarah Wolfburg back to campus. On Monday, December 14, she joined the QVCC Foundation as the Director of Alumni Relations.

Raised locally in Plainfield, Connecticut, Sarah graduated from QVCC in 2002 and went on to earn both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in English at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. After returning to Connecticut, Sarah began working for Villager Newspapers. In 2015, Sarah became the first Executive Director for Northeast Opportunities for Wellness, Inc. (NOW), a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of youth wellness, offering scholarship opportunities to children in the region to access sports, fitness, and nutrition.

“Sarah exemplifies what we hope for in all our graduates: a person who has gone on to pursue her dreams while never forgetting where she started. Sarah’s learning curve will not be steep as over the past few years, in addition to her career and family responsibilities, she has made time to volunteer at QVCC Foundation events and served as an inaugural member of the Alumni Association Advisory Committee. I know our alumni and our students will benefit from having Sarah join our team,” said Monique Wolanin, Director of Institutional Advancement.

In addition to her professional roles, Sarah has served on the executive boards of both the Quinebaug Valley Regional Rotaract Club and the Putnam Business Association, including serving as chairperson of the First Fridays Committee. She resides in Brooklyn, Connecticut with her husband, Josh, and their son, William. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, painting, and traveling.

Sarah is eager to make connections with QVCC faculty, staff, students and alumni, sharing “I am thrilled to be taking on the Director of Alumni Relations role with the QVCC Foundation. As a proud alumna, I am excited to engage with past, current, and future QVCC students. I believe in the power and importance of education and it is an honor to have the opportunity to support the students of QVCC.” Sarah can be reached by email at swolfburg@qvcc.edu or by phone at (860) 932-4133.

Safe and successful in-person events raise close to $100,000 this fall for QVCC students

The Quinebaug Valley Community College Foundation successfully ran two in-person fundraising events this fall to ensure residents of Northeast Connecticut have access to an affordable higher education at QVCC.

On Wednesday, September 16, 2020, the 28th Annual Foundation Golf Tournament, chaired by Foundation member and QVCC alumni Mark Light’03, was held at Connecticut National Country Club, in Putnam, CT.  There was a reduced field of golfers, who followed COVID-19 protocol, but the generosity of sponsors, players and volunteers shined as $40,000 was raised at the outing. The first-place team, with a score of 54, included Bill Bartholic, Kevin Cole, Joe Markley, and Christian Sarantopoulos. Special thanks to Platinum Sponsors bankHOMETOWN, Foster Corporation/Putnam Plastics, and Jeff and Lindsay Paul/Whitcraft Group.

Tackle the Trail™

An early rainstorm gave way to crisp, clear skies on Saturday, October 17 for the seventh annual Tackle the Trail™ race. The field included 46 individual runners and 39 teams running 20-miles on the Airline Trail from Windham to Pomfret, CT. The first-place winner was Eric Blake, West Hartford, CT, with a time of 2:01:44 and the first-place female was Brittany Telke, Bristol, CT, with a time of 2:43:00.  For the second year in a row, the 5 man team, Hartbeat Track Club, came in first-place with a scorching time of 1:49:47.

For 2021, Tackle the Trail™ will grow to include a marathon, a ½ marathon and relay team options. The race, always the 3rd Saturday in October, will end in Putnam, CT. The event raised $50,000 thanks to the support of racers and sponsors, including 2020 race sponsor Whitcraft Group. Tackle the Trail Race Director Monique Wolanin stated, “There is no doubt that it would have been easier to cancel this year’s race. However, that is NOT whom we are. Team Tackle, led by Foundation member Lynne Comtois, consisting of over 100 volunteers including; QVCC Faculty, staff, foundation members, alumni, scholarship winners and community members made this race happen.”

Support from both events continue to enable students to have a debt-free education at QVCC. Questions regarding the race or other opportunities to support QVCC students should be directed to Monique Wolanin, Race Director/Director of Institutional Advancement,  860.932.4174.

TACKLE THE TRAIL RACE INFORMATION AND PHOTOS

Release: October 29, 2020

Tackle the Trail: A Unique Race in a Unique Place
(Even More Unique This Year!)

We are RUNNING! Tackle the Trail will be held on-ground and virtually on Saturday, October 17, 2020. The race is open to individuals and up to five-person relay teams. Runners will enjoy the quiet solitude of nature with bursts of energetic and supportive volunteers at four relay stations throughout the 20-mile point-to-point race, which starts in Windham and ends in Pomfret, CT. Other highlights include great prizes, SWAG, and the most important part: knowing that proceeds help local students attend Quinebaug Valley Community College in the form of scholarships!

Virtual Race: Not comfortable running on-ground? Join us virtually! Enjoy the chance to compete on your own 20-mile course over a two-day period wearing a downloadable bib. Know that you are supporting a great cause too…helping local students attend college!

For more information about the race and to register, visit tacklethetrail.org.

Congratulations to all 2020 QVCC Foundation Scholarship recipients! The QVCC Foundation is pleased to award over $140,000 in scholarships for the 2020-2021 academic school year. Thank you to our all of our donors who continue to support students in Northeast Connecticut and allow them the opportunity to receive an excellent education at QVCC.

While we are unable to congratulate our scholarship winners in person at our annual Scholarship Night, we are excited to announce this years recipients:

A.L. Simonds Memorial Scholarship        

Marshal Gohn
Jaylen Brinson
Julia Christensen

Alice and Lionel Romney Memorial Scholarship

Katherine Soto

Altrusa International of Northeastern Connecticut Scholarship

Yasmin Garcia

Archambault-Beauchamp Scholarship

Isabelle Croke
Katherine Soto

BankHOMETOWN Scholarship (Returning Student)

Breana Weidele
Brandon Steen
Natalia Reali
Shelby Pendleton
Hayley Kuhn
Lauryn Hart
Kevin Champagne
Kristina Dyba
Christiana Filbert
Allison Hall

BankHOMETOWN Scholarship (Transferring Student)

Korrin Durning
William Hamill
Kate Crescenzo

Barbara Morowski Memorial Scholarship

Hunter Caldwell

Betty and Newell Hale Scholarship

Rowan Coleman
Julia Boyce

Burke Memorial Scholarship

Garcia  Yasmin

David and Nancy Bull Scholarship

Olha Lacasse

David T. Britland Memorial Scholarship

Aaron Blanchflower

Day Kimball Healthcare Scholarship

Tarryn Desrosiers

Demers Family Scholarship

Cyd Marie Valentin Padua

Dr. Carlee R. and Michael J. Drummer President’s Scholarship

Michael Guilmette

Dr. Ellis A. and Shirley L. Hagstrom Memorial Scholarship

Samantha Pultz

Dr. Frank Aleman Scholarship

Joshua Sandage

Dr. Lynn Pasquerella ’78 and John Kuchle Scholarship

Maricela Concepcion Pabon

Dr. Robert E. and Sylvia M. Miller Scholarship

Caitlin Baer

Elizabeth Czepiel Memorial Scholarship

Juan Ajqui

Emil and Alice Miller Memorial Scholarship

Jaylen Brinson

George and Demeter Lakatzis Scholarship

Isabelle Croke

Haines Family Scholarship

Caroline Hamill

Hans Langhammer Scholarship

Alexa Michalski

Jeanne L. Zesut Northeastern Connecticut Human Resources Association Scholarship

Marisol Prather

Jewett City Savings Bank Scholarship

Kenneth Adams

Joan Dash Scholarship

Anjuli Pickett

Joan F. Golrick Memorial Scholarship

Madison Tatro

John J. “Bud” Keenan Memorial Scholarship

Ismail Ahmed Kiani

John J. Sarnowski Memorial Scholarship

Brandon Johnson

Kathleen A. Russell Memorial Scholarship

Shania Scharlack

Keith John Kipper Memorial Scholarship

Mirabelle Bates

Killingly Brooklyn Rotary Scholarship

Brianna Worden

LiR Scholarship, In Memory of Dr. Robert E. Miller

Colby Bodo
Aaron Blanchflower

Maria Angelos and George Lakatzis Scholarship

India McDermott Arriola

Mary Espinola Memorial Scholarship

Brian (Brittney) Montpelier-Gomes

May and Frank Messinger Memorial Scholarship

Stacie Digby

Michael F. Davis Memorial Scholarship

Carlos Poch

Moumouris Dykstra Family Scholarship

Madeline Whitten

Norma and David Senger Family Scholarship

Jordan Keith

Northeast Connecticut Arts Council Scholarship

Isabella Donaldson
Zia Donais

Northeast Opportunities for Wellness Norman Corriveau Scholarship

Jared Green

Northeastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce Scholarship

Erin Lannon
Lidia Korytkowska

Putnam Rotary Gerry Cotnoir Scholarship

Tarryn Desrosiers

Rhoda L. and David T. Chase Academic Scholarship

Sylwia Helwig

Rhoda L. and David T. Chase Motivation Scholarship

Luke Norman

Richard C. Berry & Louise S. Berry Scholarship

Garrett Sward

Rooke-Norman Women’s Opportunity Scholarship

Grace Renee Terwilliger

Rose Bove La Rose and Normand O. La Rose Scholarship

Angelica Villafane

Rotaract Mal Schumann Memorial Scholarship

Desiree Grochowski

Ryan S. Doyle Memorial Scholarship

Paige Anne Audet
Rachel Vertefeuille
Abena Adjei
Jacob Orowson
Michaela Marshall

Savings Institute Bank and Trust Scholarship

Cristal Alvarez
Eryka Gomez-Garcia

Sommer Family Scholarship

Yaned Perez

Spirol International Corporation Scholarship

Amanda Champagne
Jesse Paprota

Steven and Marjolaine ’87, ’88 Townsend Business Scholarship

Bernardo Barron
Diana Cone
Kyla Atwood
Ethan Bibeau
Desiree Grochowski
Joshua Sandage
Hannah LaRose
Jordan Keith
Manuel Velasquez
Cade Wolak

Steven and Marjolaine ’87, ’88 Townsend Fine Arts Scholarship

Jaimie Lohman
Paul Brisson
Mandi Beckman
Carlos  Poch
Rebeca Burnham

Steven and Marjolaine ’87, ’88 Townsend Liberal Arts and Sciences Scholarship

Cyd Marie Valentin Padua
Taylor Copeland
Mya Windrow
Brianna Worden
Jordan Alexander
Ashley Bonnette
Kerra Kendall
Victoria Dejesus
Myia Harris
Courtney Robicheau
Seth Benoit

Steven and Marjolaine ’87, ’88 Townsend Putnam High School

Matthew Chzaszcz
Janete  Morente-Uz
Niajah  DeWolfe
Hannah Smith

Thompson Lions Club Scholarship

Sylwia Helwig

Tracy Thompson Memorial Scholarship

Natalie Ionkin

United Natural Foods Scholarship

Kerryann Frenier
Jazmin Daley

Virginia A. ’78 and Thomas E. Moumouris Scholarship

Stephanie Feliciano

W.H.G. Herklots Family Scholarship

Ruth Soderberg
Abigail Spiewakowski
Erika Rivera

William and Dorothy St. Onge Memorial Scholarship

Emily Keeling

The Elizabeth Espitia-Perez and Walter J. Hines Scholarship

Maricela Concepcion Pabon

The Helena B. Witkowski Memorial Scholarship

Chiricahua Cochise
Adrianna Aubin

April 17th is the six-month mark until Tackle the Trail 2020! Are you ready to Tackle?

Mark your calendars! Saturday, October 17, 2020. This year, the race has grown to marathon and half marathon distances, open to individuals and up to six-person relay teams (relay teams for marathon distance only). With leg distances varying from 2.1 to 6.7 miles, this race is fit for elite runners and weekend warriors alike!

The half marathon will begin in Brooklyn, CT and the marathon will begin in Windham, CT; both races will end in Putnam, CT at the Hale YMCA with an awesome post-race festival sponsored by Michelob Ultra! Free beer, food, and fun!

Tackle the Trail takes place every third Saturday in October. Organized by the Quinebaug Valley Community College Foundation, Tackle the Trail raises scholarship money for students within the community of northeast Connecticut and beyond. The support of this race allows QVCC students to receive a debt-free education.

To register for Tackle the Trail, visit tacklethetrail.org. Follow Tackle the Trail on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the latest information and to connect with other runners. Sponsorship opportunities are available at a variety of levels. To inquire about sponsorships, please contact Monique Wolanin, Race Director, at mwolanin@qvcc.edu.

Tackle the Trail would also like to give a special shout out to The Wyndham Land Trust and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) for all their help in making the marathon and half marathon extension possible.

Thursday, April 2, 2020

The QVCC Foundation to Support Summer Classes for Students

Free Professional Development for Local Businesses

QVCC  and The Quinebaug Valley Community College Foundation are here for our students and for our community during this unprecedented pandemic that is impacting our state, our nation, and our world.

The QVCC Foundation will be providing the College with an additional $50,000 gift to support QVCC students during this crisis to help pay for summer courses.  With the emphasis on increased needs for healthcare workers, and the recognition that Spring classes and lives have been severely impacted, the Foundation asks that part of the grant be used to assist students wanting to take Phlebotomy/medical courses – Techniques in Phlebotomy, Law and Ethics for Health Care or Medical Terminology. The remainder of the $25,000 will be allocated to all other students. The money is only available to students who were registered for courses during the spring semester.  Monique Wolanin, director of institutional advancement, stated, “The QVCC Foundation extends our thanks to the hundreds of donors who believe in our mission and to the social service agencies in our communities who also support QVCC students. If you want to learn more about these funds, please contact the Financial Aid Office, Gloria Rivera or if you wish to learn more about the QVCC Foundation, please contact me.” Monique Wolanin can be reached at mwolanin@qvcc.edu .  Cindi Brassington, QVCC professor of allied health, is very appreciative of the Foundation stating, “The QVCC foundation’s generous gift will allow students to continue their healthcare training during the summer 2020 session.  The increased need of trained healthcare workers due to the global pandemic makes this gift vital not only to students but to our entire community.  Our community donors always come through to offer financial support to QVCC students, and for this I am deeply appreciative.”

Free Professional Development To aid in professional development opportunities, the QVCC Business and Industry Services department will be offering virtual workshops, free of charge, to the business community to help their employees while temporarily working from home.  The 10 workshops will include: Transitioning to Telework & Telecommuting, Virtual Team Building, Managing Remote High Performance Teams, Stress Management, Organizational Skills, Time Management, Self-Leadership, Goal Setting, Emotional Intelligence and Personal Productivity.  For more information contact Andrew Morrison, director of business and industry services.

Update Friday, March 20, 2020

The QVCC Foundation has temporarily extended its Scholarship deadline (was March 13) .

QVCC Scholarship Information

The Quinebaug Valley Community College Foundation is offering $140,000 in scholarships for the 2020-2021 academic year. QVCC is proud that the last nine graduating classes left QVCC with zero federal student loan debt. Thanks to state grants, excellent financial aid advising, and scholarships from The Foundation, QVCC is able to provide a debt-free college education to students of Northeast Connecticut and beyond.

The majority of scholarships are available to new (incoming) QVCC students, as well as returning students. Part-time students are also eligible, but must be taking two or more classes. Most require a minimum GPA of 3.0., but several scholarships are available for QVCC students graduating in May 2020.

The College continues to help our residents become students. Kate Crescenzo, resident of Willimantic, CT, was awarded a $1,500 for the 2019-2020 academic year, which has allowed her to graduate this upcoming May debt-free! “I have had an amazing educational experience at QVCC. I’m excited and confident to move forward in my academic and professional careers with a solid foundation, thanks to my time here. I am even more grateful that I have received this outstanding education completely debt-free!”

QVCC Foundation scholarship applications go live on February 1, 2020. Visit www.QVCC.edu/scholarships to learn more or apply. The scholarship application deadline is March 13, 2020.