Lisa Dresdner, Ph.D., CEO, NVCC kicked off the event followed by Kathryn Murphy, Ed.D, MSN, RN, CHSE NVCC Professor of Nursing and NVCC Alumni Association Board Chairman both welcoming the guests and thanking the speakers for generously sharing their stories.

The 2021 Alumni Speakers’ Panel included a recent NVCC graduate, Irisa Hoxha, Corporate Accountant, RBC Bearings and a full-time student at WCSU;  Sohair Omar, MPP, Interim Director of Institutional Research, Naugatuck Valley Community College; and Raenette G. Riddick, MSW, Social Work Supervisor, CT Dept. of Children and Families. Mari-jean Morelli, RN, BS., Patient Navigator, Alexion, AstraZeneca and Vice Chair, NVCC Foundation served as the panel moderator. Ms. Morelli previously served as an Alumni Speaker and was enthusiastic about an opportunity to participate in this inspiriting event once again. The speakers shared their stories from their days at NVCC and all agreed it was the support they received at NVCC that helped them to achieve their goals.

Event organizer, Angela Chapman, Associate Dean of Development and Alumni Relations, commented on the event, “Who can better speak about overcoming some of the challenges and obstacles beyond high school faced by many our students than the alumni who once sat in the same seats?  Hearing from an amazing panel of alumni with different experiences towards success was encouraging, enlightening and extremely inspiring.”