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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].

DAYVILLE, CT – On Wednesday, May 7th, The Northeast CT Education Foundation (NCEF) held its first annual Scholarship Night at the Killingly Intermediate School in Dayville. The ceremony celebrated both current, incoming, and select graduating and transferring students attending Connecticut State Community College Quinebaug Valley. In total, 123 scholarships at over $181,000 were awarded to 118 local students. NCEF scholarships support direct educational expenses including tuition, books, fees, technology, and other course requirements. 2025 NCEF Scholarship Chair, Eddie Graff, offered his best wishes to the recipients, “On behalf of the scholarship committee and the entire NCEF, I am proud to congratulate our first class of scholarship winners. The NCEF can offer you this support because of the many generous individuals and businesses who believe in our mission and believe in you.” In addition to students and their families, NCEF members, and Quinebaug Valley faculty and staff, many NCEF donors with endowed scholarships attended the event to present students with the 2025 awards. CT State Quinebaug Valley Professor of Mathematics Denise Walsh shared her appreciation for NCEF support of students, “It was gratifying to see so many of my students receive scholarships from the Northeast CT Education Foundation. I was impressed to see that six of the winners were from one of my QV Statistics I classes. Many thanks to the NCEF and to donors for their efforts to ensure that our local students can continue their education at Quinebaug Valley.” The NCEF extends sincere appreciation to all who assisted with making this first annual Scholarship Night a success, including the scholarship committee members who participated in the selection process this spring. Special thanks to CT State Quinebaug Valley Librarian Deneuve Hernandez for photographing the awards presentation, as well as volunteers Kathy Borner, Maureen Brodeur, Lynne Comtois, Judy Haines, Susan Harrod, CT State CEO Dr. Manuel Gomez, and the Quinebaug Valley Maintenance staff for their efforts at the ceremony. The NCEF also recognizes Killingly Intermediate School administration and staff for providing their auditorium. 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]. Click Here for a full list of 2025 NCEF Scholarship Recipients Click Here for 2025 Scholarship Night Photo Gallery  

The Northeast CT Education Foundation is proud to honor former QVCC Foundation board members with emeritus status. The three amazing women are Kathy Borner, Mary Jane Burke, and Karen Osbrey. This distinction is awarded in recognition of extraordinary contribution to the Foundation’s mission. Candidates must have demonstrated significant commitment and made a positive impact due to their service, leadership, and tenure. With a combined total of 61 years of service, the three emeritus members are recognized for their individual contributions to the QVCC Foundation. During her tenure on the board of directors from 2009 – 2023, Kathy Borner was a dedicated volunteer in the Foundation office, coming in once per week to input checks as well as other office responsibilities. Her commitment to participating in and aiding in the execution of every major event was critical to the Foundation’s success in both friend and fundraising. She actively served on the Golf, Donor Solicitation, and Tackle the Trail committees. In addition, she served on the Search Committee for the Associate Director of Development in 2014. She and her family are generous donors and continue to provide storage space for Tackle the Trail supplies. From 2008 – 2023, Mary Jane Burke’s voice as a leader in every role she undertook contributed to growing the strength of the Foundation’s assets and its role in the community. She served as golf Chair in 2011 and 2012, exceeding all goals and raising over $125,000. She was also an active participant on multiple committees, including the Board Development and Nominating, Finance, Golf, and Tackle the Trail committees. Mary Jane co-chaired the Robert E. Miller Educational Advancement Campaign from 2017 – 2019. She is also a generous donor who supported the creation of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center and endowed a scholarship in memory of her first husband, Michael Davis. Multiple students have benefited from her generosity. She served on the Executive and Strategic Planning committee from 2020 – 2021, as well as serving as the Foundation representative on the CEO Search Committee in 2022. With over 32 years of service, Karen Osbrey was the longest serving member in the Foundation’s 54-year history. Karen’s leadership, building of donor relationships, and dedication to the promotion of the Foundation’s mission was exceptional. Starting in 1991, Karen managed public relations and marketing for capital campaigns and publicity for annual campaigns while serving on a variety of committees. From 2000 – 2006 she designed brochures for the annual appeal, the gala, and the Foundation’s 30th Anniversary. In addition, her distinguished service on multiple committees saw her focusing her efforts on new and ongoing donor relationships and helped to create events like the Foundation’s Spelling Bee. Karen was board president from 2011 – 2013, during which time she served on the college’s Presidential Search committee. In addition to serving on the Finance committee for many years, she also chaired the committee from 2014-2016 as Treasurer. She served on the Tackle the Trail committee from 2020 to 2023 and played a major role in successfully bridging the race with the Great Pumpkin Festival in Putnam which is held on the same date as Tackle the Trail in October. The three emeritus members join a distinguished group of past honorees, including: Rheo Brouillard, Sean B. Doyle ’98, ’02, Pam Dunn, Aili Galasyn, Laurence Hale, Tom Harney, Susan Harrod, Donald St. Onge, Steven Townsend `23, and Dianne E. Williams. *Three deceased emeritus members are Joy Chartier. Dr. Robert E. Miller, and Frank Postemski.