[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 141 (Tuesday, November 18, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1623]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING NAUGATUCK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE AS THEY CELEBRATE THEIR 
                            50TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 18, 2014

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today 
to join the faculty, staff, students, and Greater Waterbury community 
in extending my sincere congratulations to Naugatuck Valley Community 
College as they celebrate the 50th Anniversary--a remarkable milestone 
for this innovative institution of higher learning.
  The City of Waterbury, through Works Progress Administration funding, 
was able to help hundreds of its residents get trained for and obtain 
good jobs with livable wages. When that funding was exhausted, 
Waterbury Higher Education, Inc. campaigned vigorously for an institute 
of higher education, namely a branch of the University of Connecticut 
in Waterbury. They were successful in that endeavor with a local branch 
opening in 1955. It was in that environment, through that commitment to 
continued education and in response to a growing need for engineering 
technicians in expanding local industries, that Waterbury State 
Technical Institute--later to be upgraded to Waterbury State Technical 
College--opened its doors in 1964.
  With the advent of a state-wide community college system under 
Governor John Dempsey, Waterbury became the home of Mattatuck Community 
College which became one of the first to open its doors. When classes 
started in September of 1967, the college enrolled 288 full-time and 
224 part-time students. In just five short years, enrollment at the 
Mattatuck Community College nearly quadrupled and programs were 
expanded to include early childhood education and nursing programs.
  In 1992, under consolidation efforts by the General Assembly, the 
merger of Waterbury State Technical College and Mattatuck Community 
College established what is now Naugatuck Valley Community College. 
Today, NVCC serves 2,951 full-time and 4,244 part-time students and is 
the only community college in Connecticut to offer associate degree 
programs in aviation science, horticulture, digital arts, and visual 
and performance arts. The campus boasts over 1100 networked computers, 
its Technology Hall features the latest in high-tech facilities, and 
its Fine Arts Center, in addition to including two theaters, music and 
dance studios, video studios, and rehearsal rooms, is also home to one 
of three observatories in Connecticut.
  Today, our community colleges are playing a critical role in 
educating our workforce. Just as they did in 1955, NVCC is providing 
quality education and training programs that are preparing students of 
all ages for good jobs that are in demand in our local economy. Under 
the guidance of current President, Daisy Cocco De Filippis, NVCC 
continues its commitment to providing students with access to 
innovative programs, training, and hands-on experiences that will 
ensure their future success.
  For its many invaluable contributions to our community, and 
particularly for its critical role in our education system, I am proud 
to rise today to extend my sincere congratulations to Naugatuck Valley 
Community College on its 50th Anniversary as well as my very best 
wishes for many more years of continued success.

                          ____________________