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Northeast CT Education Foundation Golf Tournament Raises $58K The Northeast CT Education Foundation (NCEF) held its first golf tournament on Wednesday, September 17 at Connecticut National Golf Club in Putnam, CT. The tournament is one of several annual events held to help students from Northeast CT pursue their dreams of higher education attainment. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors and players, the NCEF raised over $58,000 at this year’s outing. Foundation Vice President and 2025 Golf Committee Chair Peter Deary shared, “I am honored to lead this year’s tournament and want to thank our ‘Village’ of sponsors, volunteers, golfers, partners and all Foundation Members whose amazing support, both monetary and physical, helps us achieve our mission.” The NCEF extends its sincere appreciation to the staff at CT National, The G7 Catering Company, National Anthem singer Linda Colangelo, and all volunteers. With beautiful weather and a full field of teams, golfers enjoyed a fantastic outing. The mission of the Northeast Connecticut Education Foundation is to provide scholarships and other financial support to residents of Northeast Connecticut who want to pursue higher education. For more information on how to support local students at CT State Community College Quinebaug Valley, please contact Director of Institutional Advancement Monique C.K. Wolanin at (860) 932-4174 or [email protected]. Congratulations to 2025 Winners: Tournament Winners First Place Team with a score of 54, Roger Noll, Scott Vose, Sean Vigue, and Patrick Kozelka Second Place Team Putnam Plastics with a score of 57, Jim Dandeneau, Deb Dandeneau, Ryan Dandeneau, and Brad Rabitor Third Place Team Bakers Dozen with a score of 57, Trevor Cardinal, Jeremy Hendrickson, Dan Durocher, and Mark Lowell. Closest to the Pin Hole 7 – Rocky Bedard at 6’ 1” Hole 9 – Patrick Kozelka at 22” Hole 11 – Ryan Dandeneau at 5’ 1” Long Drive on Hole 18 Women’s Long Drive: Kelley Rochefort Men’s Long Drive: Brendan Meehan Thank you to our 2025 Sponsors

On Tuesday, September 16th members of Donahue Industries visited the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center (AMTC) at CT State Community College Quinebaug Valley. They presented a check to the Northeast CT Education Foundation (NCEF) for the AMTC Fund which supports AMTC students and the program at Quinebaug Valley. The story of how this donation came to pass is an excellent example of how this region thrives through collaboration and connectivity. After initially learning about Donahue Industries through an ad on WINY Radio, AMTC Director Steve LaPointe contacted the company’s President Kyle Wojcik and VP of Operations Joe Draleau to invite them for a tour of the Center. Both were impressed with the facility and the programs offered. Donahue Industries President Kyle Wojcik commented on what a valuable resource the AMTC is to his business and other manufacturers, “When we first visited the AMTC at Quinebaug Valley, we were blown away by how amazing the facility is, how professionally it is run, and the fundamental skills that students learn during their training. Knowing that an employee came from the AMTC instills the confidence that we are getting the best candidate for the job, someone who is prepared and professional.” AMTC Director Steve LaPointe noted the importance of partnerships between the college and local manufacturers, “Connecting the students we serve with our business and industry partners is crucial to growing the pipeline of skilled employees to benefit our community.”

Each fall, the NCEF hosts two major fundraising events: the Golf Tournament in September and Tackle the Trail in October. Both events bring together a combination of community members, sponsors, and volunteers with the goal of raising funds to help local students achieve their education goals and dreams. Always held on the third Wednesday in September, the NCEF Golf Tournament brings a full field of players to Connecticut National Golf Club in Putnam for a day of friendly competition. With this year’s event set for September 17th, the tournament offers multiple sponsorship opportunities, limited space for foursomes, and multiple silent auction items donated by local businesses. 2025 Golf Tournament Chair, Peter Deary shared his appreciation to the community members who support the event, “The success of this tournament each year is a testament to the amazing residents and businesses who call Northeast CT home, we appreciate their trust and belief in our mission.” The tournament is a sell-out event, and those interested in playing and sponsoring are encouraged to reserve their spots quickly. All information about the tournament is available on the NCEF website at necteducationfoundation.org.   Since 2014, thanks to sponsors, runners and volunteers, Tackle the Trail has raised $600,000 to help local students pursue higher education. Always held on the third Saturday in October, this point-to-point trail race offers marathon, half-marathon, 10K, relay marathon, and TackleJR options that attract runners from near and far, with participants from 35 states and 4 countries represented over the event’s 12-year history. All races begin on the Air Line State Park Trail and end at the Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center in Putnam, CT. With approximately 12 weeks until race day on October 18th, there is still time to register, sponsor, and volunteer. All race information can be found at www.tacklethetrail.org. The mission of the Northeast Connecticut Education Foundation (NCEF) is to provide scholarships and other financial support to residents of Northeast Connecticut who want to pursue higher education. Funds raised by the Golf Tournament and Tackle the Trail events help the NCEF provide $300,000 annually to local students. In addition to scholarships, the NCEF also provides grants and emergency funds for financial aid, support for continuing education and workforce development, programs for English as a Second Language (ESOL) students, support for the Advanced Manufacturing & Technology Center at CT State Quinebaug Valley, and funds for student cultural enrichment experiences. For more information on how to support local students at CT State Quinebaug Valley, please contact Director of Institutional Advancement and Tackle the Trail Race Director Monique C.K. Wolanin at (860) 932-4174 or [email protected].

WILLIMANTIC, CT – On Thursday, May 29 the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Summer Bridge Program began its third year at CT State Community College Quinebaug Valley in Willimantic. This program is funded by the Scripps Family Fund for Education and the Arts (SFFEA) through the Northeast Connecticut Education Foundation. This $40,000 grant covers tuition and educational expenses for students with a combination of classes, field trips, tutoring, and activities. The objective of this 10-week program is to improve language skills and prepare students for the fall semester as some transition from ESOL to degree paths at Quinebaug Valley. Data from the past two iterations of the program have shown incredible gains, including a 100% completion rate for those who registered for the 2024 fall semester. Elkin Espitia-Loaiza, Quinebaug Valley Professor of ESOL and Spanish, Arts and Humanities, and ESOL Program Coordinator commented on the importance of the program, “Summer is a long time to go without hearing and speaking English for many English Language Learner (ELL) students. This program has proven to be an effective way to bridge that gap; over the past two years we have seen students gain the knowledge and confidence they need to excel at their studies. Without the Summer Bridge, many students would not be able to make the leap from ESOL to credit courses.” CT State Quinebaug Valley ESOL Student Germán Méndez González shared, “My time in the Summer Bridge program has given me a chance to progress with my education and have more opportunities as I plan my future. I am grateful for the funds that make this experience possible and for what I have been able to accomplish.” CT State Quinebaug Valley Director of Institutional Advancement Monique Wolanin extended her appreciation to the SFFEA, “Sincere thanks are due to the Scripps and Linda Marshall for their continued investments and confidence in our students, faculty, and the Northeast Connecticut Education Foundation. Your gift is truly transformative.” The mission of the Northeast Connecticut Education Foundation is to provide scholarships and other financial support to residents of Northeast Connecticut who want to pursue higher education. For more information on how to support local students at CT State Quinebaug Valley, please contact Director of Institutional Advancement Monique C.K. Wolanin at (860) 932-4174 or [email protected].

WILLIMANTIC, CT – The Northeast CT Education Foundation (NCEF) will provide $25,500 in scholarship funds to the first cohort of students participating in the Practical Nursing program starting June 2nd at CT State Quinebaug Valley in Willimantic. Logan Tashea, Quinebaug Valley Campus Supervisor of Financial Aid Services noted the positive financial impact to students, “The NCEF’s support of these students will be a tremendous resource. This scholarship will fully cover the tuition for the summer 2025 session, as well as provide funds for additional educational expenses. The Quinebaug Valley Community is thankful for the support of the Foundation as a contributing force to launch CT’s first public Practical Nursing program.” The new certificate program includes courses in fundamentals, medical-surgical, maternal-child, well-child and mental health nursing and is designed as a four-semester-aligned nursing curriculum (summer, fall, spring, summer). Completion of the program will prepare students to work as practical nurses in nursing and residential care facilities, hospitals, physicians’ offices and private homes. John O’Keefe, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Services for Day Kimball Healthcare stated, “The new Practical Nursing program at CT State Quinebaug Valley will be an invaluable addition to our region’s healthcare education landscape. Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) play a critical role in patient care, particularly within our medical group and in-home care settings, as well as for our colleagues in long-term care. By expanding opportunities for nursing education locally, this program will help develop a skilled pipeline of nursing professionals, addressing workforce needs and supporting the delivery of high-quality care across multiple healthcare settings in our community.” Kimberly Griffiths, CT State Quinebaug Valley Academic Director of Nursing & Allied Health, shared, “The launch of the first practical nursing program at CT State Quinebaug Valley is a vital step toward strengthening our healthcare system. The financial donations from the NCEF directly support our aspiring nurses and allow them to focus on their training and complete the program ready to serve our communities with skill and compassion. The students are excited to start and appreciate the generous donation made by Steven & Marjolaine Townsend.” The mission of the Northeast Connecticut Education Foundation is to provide scholarships and other financial support to residents of Northeast Connecticut who want to pursue higher education. To learn more about the NCEF, visit www.necteducationfoundation.org. For more information on how to support local students at CT State Quinebaug Valley, please contact Director of Institutional Advancement Monique C.K. Wolanin at (860) 932-4174 or [email protected].