From the President
Dear CSCU Community,
This edition of CSCU Buzz is full of great stories about the real-world impact our institutions and our system have on our students. From expanding mental health services, to providing additional supports for students affected by COVID-19, to promoting GEAR UP, to training the next generation of line workers, we are doing incredible things on behalf of those we serve.
As I have begun to visit campuses and meet with faculty, staff, and students, your passion and commitment is clear. And these stories show – it makes a difference and touches lives.
Sincerely,
Terrence Cheng
President, CSCU
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Connecticut State Colleges and Universities President Terrence Cheng announced that debt, which community college students took on or could not repay because of the pandemic, will be forgiven.
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CSCU is furthering its support of student well-being and mental health at all 17 institutions by joining JED Campus, a nationwide program of The Jed Foundation (JED), designed to help schools evaluate and strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems.
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Through a partnership with the telehealth company TimelyMD, students can connect with clinicians and providers specifically trained to meet the needs of the community college population.
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The Student Support Program, an initiative for sustained payments to community college students throughout the academic year, will provide students with resources to continue their education during difficult economic times.
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U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona spoke on campus during Southern Connecticut State University’s 12th annual “Empowering Lives: A Celebration of Heritage and Esperanza/Hope” event, as part of the university’s observance of Hispanic Heritage Month.
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Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz visited Orville H. Platt High School in Meriden to recognize the GEAR UP college access grant program between Middlesex Community College (MxCC) and Meriden Public Schools during GEAR UP week in September.
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In “Middlesex Moments,” Steve Minkler, Middlesex Community College (MxCC) CEO, speaks with fellow CEOs from Connecticut State Community College. Dr. Duncan Harris, CEO of Capital Community College was interviewed in the first installment.
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Dr. Michelle Coach, CEO of Asnuntuck Community College was interviewed by MxCC CEO Steve Minkler in the third installment of “Middlesex Moments.”
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Asnuntuck Community College (ACC) student Claudia Cupe was named the first McLaughlin Fellow in Leadership. The program provides a $1,000 award to a student designated the McLaughlin Fellow in Leadership for the ensuing academic year.
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The first class of students in Eversource’s Electrical Lineworker Certificate Program are poised for future careers as lineworkers in the electric power industry. Eversource partnered with Capital Community College (CCC) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers to offer the new certification program
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The University of New Haven (UNH) and Gateway Community College (GCC) announced a new affiliation for GCC graduates to attend the, UNH and a “respite program,” for UNH students to enroll at GCC for a semester to refocus or lower tuition costs. Pictured (left to right) is GCC CEO William “Terry” Brown and UNH President Steven H. Kaplan.
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Philanthropist Peter J. Werth Jr. made the largest gift from an individual in Housatonic Community College’s history, a $1 million donation to establish the Werth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center.
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Manchester Community College Foundation received a $40,000 grant from the Paul L. Jones Trust to support the college’s Health Careers program, and activities such as background checks, CPR training, national credentialing reviews and licensure exams.
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Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) welcomed two cohorts of Advanced Manufacturing Technology students for the fall semester, marking the 10th year of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center. Program Director Joseph DeFeo introduced NVCC CEO Dr. Lisa Dresdner who presented the CEO Incentive Challenge.
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Northwestern Connecticut Community College's STEM department was awarded a $750,000 National Science Foundation Scholarship in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics grant to enable low-income, talented students to pursue degrees and careers in STEM fields.
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Norwalk Community College’s (NCC) First Year Experience Program was recognized as a Program of Promise by the National Organization for Student Success. The program utilizes effective and promising practices to promote student success and development during the first year of study.
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Dr. Karen Hynick was appointed Quinebaug Valley Community College’s Chief Executive Officer, overseeing the day-to-day operations at the college. Dr. Hynick previously served as North Shore Community College’s vice president of Academic Affairs since 2014.
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Three Rivers Community College is helping reduce the nursing shortage by graduating 33 RN students last spring with its first in-person pinning ceremony since the start of the pandemic and graduated a total of 81 students since the pandemic began.
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Stop & Shop announced a $5,000 donation to the Tunxis Community College Food Pantry to assist in providing "nutritious options and basic necessities to students in need."
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Dr. John Day Tully, Central Connecticut State University’s (CCSU) interim vice president for Student Affairs, received the Distinguished Service Award, the university’s highest honor, for his exemplary service to CCSU.
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Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) freshman Brianna Parker was named National Youth of the Year by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, an award that includes a $50,000 scholarship. She will serve as an official spokesperson for Boys & Girls Clubs of America and its Alumni & Friends Club.
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Eastern Connecticut State University has joined the Coalition for College, a group of more than 150 public and private colleges and universities nationwide working to improve college access for low-income, under-resourced and first-generation students.
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Eastern Connecticut State University is participating in an Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) project for the development of open educational resources (OER) for improving educational quality and supporting student success. Eastern Political Science Professor Courtney Broscious is project manager for the grant.
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Southern Connecticut State University broke ground for a new home for the School of Business, a four-story, 60,000-square-foot structure that will more than double the size of the current building.
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Troy Paddock, an SCSU history professor, who specializes in topics related to imperial Germany and propaganda in World War I, was designated a Connecticut State University Professor for his excellence in the areas of research, teaching and service.
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Kristin Giamanco, Western Connecticut State University’s associate professor of Biological and Environmental Sciences, received the Provost’s Award for Teaching for the quality of her teaching in lectures and labs. She is pictured with WCSU Provost Missy Alexan
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The Whole World Inside Nan’s Soup by Hunter Liguore, WCSU professor of writing, was recently released, garnering global attention. The multicultural children’s book, about an unforgettable meal between a granddaughter and her Nanni, is a rumination on the ability to recognize interconnectedness with all people, and that it takes the whole world to make s single meal.
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The Charter Oak State College (COSC) Classes of 2020 and 2021 were celebrated in September at a Hartford Yard Goats baseball game in Dunkin Donuts Stadium.
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