The Quinebaug Valley Community College Forty-seventh Commencement will take place on Wednesday, May 29, 2109, 6 p.m. at the Woodstock Academy Alumni Fieldhouse, 57 Academy Road, Woodstock, CT 06281.  Graduates and guests should enter through the Elizabeth Hyde Art Center Entrance.

Graduates should report to the Bates Auditorium at the Academy no later than 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

•  Tickets will be required for guests, who should enter the building at the gymnasium entrance.
•  Graduates walking in the ceremony will receive five tickets when they pick up their caps and gowns.
• Parking is available on the Green on Academy Road or Woodstock Academy parking lot.

A full scholarship awarded to Putnam High School student Jeffrey Reed

The Quinebaug Valley Community College Foundation has awarded $140,000 in scholarships to current and future QVCC students in support of a debt-free education.  Students from Northeast Connecticut, Central Massachusetts and Western Rhode Island round-out the list of worthy recipients.

Monique Wolanin, QVCC director of institutional advancement, was excited about awarding a newly established full-scholarship endowed by Steve and Marge ’87 ‘88 Townsend. Wolanin stated, “This year, for the first time in the Foundation’s 48 year history, thanks to the generosity of Steve and Marge Townsend, the Foundation awarded 1 full $5,000 scholarship to Putnam High School student Jeffrey Reed in recognition of his stellar high school achievements. This scholarship is renewable for year 2, effectively providing Jeffrey the opportunity to earn his Associate’s degree at QVCC free! Thank you to the Townsends and to the hundreds of donors who support the QVCC Foundation on an annual basis.”

Townsend Scholarships

The Townsends awarded 29 scholarships this year. Steve is a nationally recognized business leader who co-founded United Natural Foods (UNFI) in Danielson, CT. A long-time member of the QVCC Foundation, in 2012 Steve was honored with emeritus status for his “extraordinary contribution to the Foundation’s mission.” Marge is an active community volunteer whose hard work and dedication has helped many. Steve and Marge are proud Putnam High School graduates and the first members of their respective families to attend college.  They hope that in providing these scholarships, students will pursue their dreams and one day be in a position to help others do the same.

Released: May 2, 2019

DANIELSON, CT —The Robotics Team from Quinebaug Valley Community College, winner of last year’s NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium Community College Quadcopter Challenge, will host NASA’s Connecticut Space Grant Consortium Community College Spring Robotics Competition. The competition will be held on Friday, April 26 in the Quinebaug Valley Middle College gymnasium from 12-3pm.

Two QVCC teams will compete on Friday: 3L2R and the Rock Wobblers. Team Rock Wobblers is comprised of members Julia Boyce of Foster, RI (General Studies), Becca Cuff of Jewett City, CT (Biology), Garret Sward or Putnam, CT (Engineering Science) and Treye Chaney of Putnam, CT (General Studies). Team 3L2R is comprised of members Andrew Tingley of Dayville, CT (Engineering Science), Austin Grimshaw of Plainfield, CT (Computer Networking), Spencer Terwilliger of Danielson, CT (Computer Networking), and Joshua Robichaud of Danielson, CT (Technology Studies w/ Mechatronics Certificate).

Also participating will be Team Quad Squad from Northwestern Connecticut Community College, comprised of members Doug Hoffman (Lead), Amana Gregg, James Ivain, Tommy Le, Melissa Mallem, and Nathanial Reynolds. Additionally, Team New England Rotors from Three Rivers Community College will compete, comprised of members Yevhen Rutovytskyy (Lead), Jonathan Bermudez, Kevin Peterson, Nathaniel Reigles and Adam Rugh.

The approximate schedule is as follows:

• 12:00 – 12:30pm: Lunch and team setup
• 12:30 – 12:40pm: Welcome and Introduction
• 12:40 – 1:15pm: Video and demonstration of rotor protection, camera mount, and unique capability
• 1:15 – 1:45pm: Multi-pilot flight
• 1:45 – 2:45pm: Close-up imaging and exploration (environmental parameter logging, sample return and mapping)
• 2:45 – 3:00pm: Certificates for participating teams and closing remarks

A Discussion Featuring Vania Galicia, Sister Mary Jude Lazarus and Erin O-Neil Baker

Quinebaug Valley Community College will host Voices from the Immigrant Rights Movement, A Discussion Featuring Vania Galicia, Sister Mary Jude Lazarus and Erin O-Neil Baker on Thursday, March 28, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. The event will take place at the QVCC Robert E. Miller Auditorium, QVCC Danielson campus, 742 Upper Maple Street, Danielson, CT 06239.

The panel will include:

Vania Galicia-Bacilio is a twenty-year-old undocumented immigrant who has lived in Willimantic Connecticut since she was three years old. She first began organizing when she was sixteen years old through a local organization called GROW Windham, which inspired her to become more involved in the immigrants’ rights movement. Since, she has been involved in the movement through several local organizations such as, Connecticut Students for a Dream, The Windham Immigrant’s Rights Coalition, Freedom at Eastern, and The Neighbor Fund. She is now attending Eastern Connecticut State University and working towards earning her English bachelor’s degree, and plans to use her degree to attend Law school in order to become an immigration lawyer.

Sister Mary Jude Lazarus is a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady, Mother of the Church.  She feels privileged to have been able to serve in ministry to Hispanics in Eastern Connecticut since 1985, primarily in the Willimantic area.

Erin O’Neil-Baker is the founder and a partner of Hartford Legal Group, LLC, a law firm in Hartford, Connecticut, established in 2005, which focuses primarily on representing individuals with their immigration and naturalization needs. She has represented clients in Immigration Court proceedings, USCIS adjudications, U.S. District Court actions, Fifth and Second Circuit Appeals petitions, and Board of Immigration Appeals proceedings. She has challenged the deportation of high-profile clients and has been an invited speaker, clinic organizer, and participant for immigrant rights and community groups such as the Women and Girl Foundation, Unidad Latina, CT For Dreamers, CT ACLU, Middlesex Immigrant Rights Alliance, Wethersfield Women for Progress, as well as many churches and public schools.

For more information please contact Jonathan Andersen, professor of English (phone: 860-932-4054). The QVCC Cultural Programming Committee sponsors this event.

Released: March 12, 2019

The Robotics Team from Quinebaug Valley Community College, winner of the last three NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium Community College Quadcopter Challenges, presented at the Student Poster Session of the NASA National Council of Space Grant Directors in Arlington, VA on March 1, 2019.

QVCC Quadcopter Challenge team members include James Laudon ’18, Jacob Parent, Zeke Parent, Emily Rosaci and Andrew Tingley. QVCC was the only community college among eight groups selected from two-year and four-year institutions across the nation. The team made the trip to the Washington, D.C. area with Team Advisor and Space Grant Campus Director, Jakob Spjut to present their work.

Team members and brothers Jacob and Zeke Parent, Woodstock, CT shared that they were fortunate to have met students from all over the country. “To name a few, there were groups from Montana, Oregon, Iowa, and even Alaska,” said Jacob Parent. Zeke Parent shared that the team met representatives from NASA, who are also interested in visiting QVCC to tour the Advanced Manufacturing Center where the quadcopter was created. “We proved to everyone that community colleges have huge potential and can compete at the level of big four-year schools,” said Parent. As members of the Robotics Club at QVCC, Jacob and Zeke agree that the hands-on experience with coding and CAD software has prepared them for real life applications, such as the Student Quadcopter Challenge.

Two QVCC student teams will compete in the 2019 Community College Quadcopter Challenge, hosted by the NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium at QVCC in late April.

QVCC’S COMMITMENT TO A DEBT-FREE EDUCATION FOR EASTERN CONNECTICUT

$140,000 in Foundation Scholarships, Full Scholarship Award and Recent Open House Scholarship Winners

DANIELSON, CT —The Quinebaug Valley Community College Foundation is offering $140,000 in scholarships for the 2019-2020 academic year. With the rising cost of higher education, QVCC is proud that the last eight graduating classes left QVCC with NO Federal Student Loans. State grants and scholarships from The Foundation and excellent financial aid advising provide a debt-free college education for QVCC students.

The majority of scholarships are available to new (incoming) QVCC students, as well as returning students and most require a minimum GPA of 3.0., but several scholarships are for QVCC students graduating in May. This spring will be the first time The Foundation awards the Steven & Marjolaine ’87, ’88 Townsend Putnam High School Scholar’s Scholarships. This includes a full-scholarship to a resident of Putnam who is graduating from Putnam High School in 2019, with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

The College continues to help our residents become students. Kaitlin, senior at Killingly High School, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship for the 2019-2020 academic year for applying to the College and attending the fall open house. The spring open house is on Wednesday, March 6, at 6 p.m. at the Danielson campus. One student who applies on or before March 6 and attends Open House will be awarded a $1,000 for the 2019-2020 academic year.

Aaron, who was able to start this spring in the Advanced Manufacturing Certificate Program, won a $500 scholarship for attending the January Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center (AMTC) Information Session. The AMTC endowment has continued to grow due to the generosity of our business partners in Northeast Connecticut and currently stands at more than $500,000. Current students have earned monetary awards for achieving scholastic success, the Dean’s List and for remaining in the program for a second semester.  The fund has helped more than 50 students to successful completion. The next AMTC Information session will be held on March 28, 2019 at 5 p.m.

Learn more:

• Listing of Available Scholarships
• Online application
• Additional documents

Scholarship applications and additional documents are due to the College by Friday, March 8, 2019

Released February 27, 2019

The Connecticut General Assembly enacted a state law that allows undocumented students to apply for institutional financial aid.  You must meet certain age, residency, and criminal history requirements along with an affidavit with the institution you are attending about your intent to legalize their immigration status when they are eligible to do so.  This does not apply to non-immigrant visa holders.

Undocumented Veterans are eligible now and other undocumented students will be eligible to apply for the 2019-2020 academic year, with funding beginning in spring 2020.

LEARN MORE >>

Quinebaug Valley Community College has announced the names of 200 students named to the fall semester dean’s list. For a printable PDF of the dean’s list, click here.

Andover:
Estela Hernandez

Ashford:
Diana Cone, Yuliia Serheieva, Paul Vertefeuille, Ashley Vincent

Ballouville:
Jens Hansen

Brooklyn:
Emily Beaudry, Chad Bell, Avery Benton, Valerie Brodeur, Kimberly Byrne, Mary Coraccio, Summer Coraccio, Andrew Davis, Cody DeGray, Trenisa Findlay, William Hamill, Tyler Hawes, Marrisa Herring, Leah Janetatos, Anthony Jean, Sherry Lowe, Sarah McMerriman, Jesse Paredes, Chad Petitpas, Nicholas Smith, Kylie White

Canterbury:
Krystyna Andrews, Andrew Desrosiers, Emma Hopkins, Amanda LaFramboise

Central Village:
Adelyn Shellenberger

Chaplin:
Brenden Cloutier, Kristina Davenport, Patrick McNamara, Allyson Paradis

Clinton:
Henry Mahier

Coventry:
Douglas Burke, Melissa Morton

Danielson:
Christopher Arpin, Jasmine Ashmore, Nicole Auger, Ryan Ballard, Tyra Bergstrom, Meghan Briquier, Kyla DesRoberts, Kerri Fulton, Meghan Galloway, Alexander Hopkins, RoxAnn Huckaby, Jeremy Kolodziejski, Michaela Marshall, Nila Mejia-Soto, Samantha Morowski, Abigail Newman, Jenna Normandin, Katherine Perry, Michaela Raymond, Alan Reynolds, Yvonne Roberts, Isabel Rodriguez-Mendez, Rebecca Roy, Monique Sanborn, Spencer Terwilliger

Dayville:
Nicholas Allaire, Khamvongsouk Bandith, Paul Brisson, Patricia Jacques, Isabella Notarantonio, Vincent Pontarelli, Edward Pragana, Jenna Rodrigues, Maria Rodriguez, Megan Vertefeuille

Gales Ferry:
Matthew Murphy

Griswold:
Sean Anderson, Kaitlyn Dick, Rebecca Leffler

Hampton:
Thomas Lehoux, Miles Lindell, Alayna O’Callaghan

Hartford:
Antoinette Ledgister

Jewett City:
Viola Bonanno-Boushell, Jayson Carbonneau, Cassandra Edge, Briana Evans, Amanda Fenner, Sara Schultz

Lebanon:
Jason Dodge, John Gray

Mansfield Center:
Jennifer Del Valle, Alexander Tomanelli

Meriden:
Quyen Di Sabino

Moosup:
Eneriko Ferraj, David Gallant, Raymond LaRose, James Murphy, Brittany Savage, Paige Waterman

New London:
Zachary Dion

North Franklin:
Zachary Beebe

North Grosvenordale:
Tyler Baker, Kaylah Brace, Mia Krysa, Savannah Loiselle, Sara Watson

Norwich:
Amy Adams, Xiaomin Huang, Holly Ryan

Oneco:
Ashley Finley

Plainfield:
Hannah Cloutier, Chloe Cooke, Emmalee Deojay, Autumn Fortin, Nathan Graveline, Austin Grimshaw, Elizabeth Lemoine, Cassandra Miller, Marc Perreault

Pomfret:
Hannah-Rose Andrews, Alyssa Becker, Olivia Chambrello, Gabrielle Cimino, Tanya Durand, Sydney Feragne, Brandy Hebert, Thomas Kacerik, Stephanie Keith, Gabrielle Larrow, Robert Tripp, Lacey Wood, Eric Yost

Putnam:
Rebecca Adams, Ethan Berriault, Matthew Brisco, Ethan Bruso, Avery Choti, Angelica Desrosiers, Kristina Dyba, Christopher Heaney, Mason Lafleur, Zachary Lavoie, Joshua McFadden, Saige Morin, Linda Paradis, Jacob Phaneuf, John Smith, Jamie Soroka, Courtney Scott, Garrett Sward, William Walsh, Evan Zach

Sterling:
Tyler Adams, Anna Carpentier, Jarod Denomme, Lauryn Hart, Jacob Menten, Thomas Menten

Taftville:
Cheryl Chabot

Thompson:
Anna Carr, Kirsten Creighton, Cameron Huizenga, Elizabeth Jourdan, Lindsey Julian

Wauregan:
Gina Maddox

Willimantic:
Kate Crescenzo, Victoria DeJesus, Silverio Diaz-Montejo, Scott Doubleday, Christina Haynes, Kyle Motivans, Luis Rivera, Omaira Sanchez, Alicia Springer, Milagro Velasquez-Argueta

Windham:
Lauren Cote, Joshua Cruz, Axel Oschmann

Woodstock:
Robert Baldino, Kaylea Bessios, Willard Brin, Jacqueline Dufour, Korrin Durning, Ana Ficher, Julia Fox, Jacqueline Kidd, Rachel Labak, Jared MacDonald, Jacob Parent, Morgan Reynolds, Emily Rosaci, Josheph Thompson

Woodstock Valley: Patricia Decin, Harrison Frost, Jocelyn Matulis

Bolingbrook, IL: Neel Patel
Braintree, MA: Cynthia Champion
Southbridge, MA: Arielle Wasiak
Foster, RI: Julia Boyce

Quinebaug Valley Community College welcomed 28 ninth and tenth grade girls from Killingly, Plainfield, Putnam, and Tourtellotte Memorial High Schools to the College’s first annual Women in Manufacturing Day.

During a panel discussion, guests had the opportunity to speak with four QVCC alumni who work in the manufacturing industry. Catarina Lima from Electric Boat, Hazel Glaude from Putnam Plastics, Victoria Rooke from Westminster Tool, and Kristina Davenport from SPIROL Corporation offered useful advice, shared personal stories, and answered questions about navigating the manufacturing industry as a woman. Participants also watched video testimonials showcasing two women with manufacturing positions at Whelen Engineering in Chester and UTC Aerospace Systems in Windsor Locks. The students then toured QVCC’s Advanced Manufacturing Center and had the opportunity to fabricate two products: a metal whistle and a plastic storage box using computer numeric control machining and 3D printing respectively.

QVCC President Dr. Carlee Drummer noted the importance of exposing young women to the field of manufacturing. She commented, “Although 47 percent of women comprise the workforce in the United States, only 29 percent hold jobs in manufacturing. QVCC is the ideal place to begin that career.”

Quinebaug Valley Community College has earned the 2019-2020 Military Friendly® Schools Designation.  In addition to Gold status, The College has been recognized as a Top 10 Military Friendly® School, ranking fifth in the small community college category nationwide.  The Military Friendly® Top 10 Schools are the guidon bearers for military/veteran programs and initiatives. They set the standard for other designations and are programs that continue to improve every year. Top 10 Award winners have programs that scored the highest within a given category.

Annie Hill, QVCC veteran services associate and certifying official stated, “It is such an honor to have exceeded last year’s Gold status distinction. We are very proud of the service we provide to our Veteran students and their families. We are constantly looking for ways to improve the services offered to those who have so selflessly served our country.”

Now in its 10th year, the Military Friendly® Schools list has come to set the standard for higher education institutions to provide the best opportunities for veterans and their spouses. This prestigious list provides a comprehensive guide for veterans and their families using data sources from federal agencies and proprietary survey information from participating organizations.

Military Friendly® is owned and operated by VIQTORY, a veteran-owned business. Founded in 2001, VIQTORY is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs ®, Military Spouse, and Military Friendly ® brands.

Learn more about QVCC Veteran Services

Released: Monday, January 28, 2019