“Our students,” NVCC CEO Lisa Dresdner, Ph.D., states, “are at the heart of all we do at the college, and we are immensely grateful for the generosity of donors and the hard work of the Foundation that supports our students realizing their dreams.” 

Chuck Pagano, an NVCC Alumnus, former executive of ESPN, and the Vice Chairman of the NVCC Foundation, established two scholarships and a fund to help students purchase books. Pagano donated $25,000 to create the Charles E. Pagano, Jr. Endowed Scholarship to support students who are continuing their studies at NVCC and majoring in one of the STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines.  The Charles E. Pagano, Jr. General Scholarship is open to all students with a 3.0+ GPA who are continuing their studies at NVCC in any area of study. Pagano explained how NVCC had impacted his life. “I graduated from Waterbury’s Wilby High School in 1972 and when I received my diploma, I really had no idea as to what I wanted to do in life, so I enrolled at Mattatuck Community College (now NVCC) to explore my curiosity. Luckily, I developed my passion for learning at Mattatuck and now that I have retired from ESPN after 35+ years I am committed to helping the institution that aided me in my younger years. Mattatuck Community College helped me with that desire, and I am so thankful that I now have the ability to help out future curious individuals find their destination and journey at Naugatuck Valley Community College.” 

Nursing students who have completed their first year of the nursing program will also be able to apply to the newly established scholarship by the Waterbury Medical Association, and students in NVCC’s Physical Therapy Assistant program will be able to apply for up to five scholarships offered by Access Rehabilitation, an outpatient physical, occupational, and speech therapy provider.  Another new award was introduced by the Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance Company (CATIC) Foundation to be granted to an NVCC student studying to become a Real Estate Paralegal.  

In memory of William and Mary Carew, alumni of NVCC, the Carew family established a $20,000 endowment to fund an annual scholarship with a preference given to a working parent whose demographic is under-represented in college completions. Bill Carew commented on his parents’ connection to NVCC: “Education was incredibly important to our parents, and their time at NVCC changed the trajectory of their life and the life of our family forever. As working parents of seven kids, my mom and dad were terrific role models, and their sacrifice, hard work, and commitment to learning will continue to inspire our family for generations to come. We are grateful for the example they set for us, and we are proud to honor their memory with the William and Mary Carew scholarship fund to help inspire others in our community to reach their full potential.” 

ASML, a leader in the semiconductor industry, donated $15,000 to create the ASML’s Women in Manufacturing Scholarship to support women entering the field of manufacturing. STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) students at NVCC are further assisted through Emerson Engineering, which has made it their mission to support and inspire the next generation of innovators through a contribution of $9,000 to establish the Emerson Scholarship to support students majoring in Engineering, especially women and minorities. 

Among the new Nursing and Allied Health Scholarships is the Neil M. Lindenman, M.D., Memorial Endowed Scholarship. Dr. Lindenman was a prominent Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) physician and surgeon who established his practice in the Waterbury area to meet the needs of the community. Established by Dr. Lindeman’s family in his honor, the award will be presented to two students who are pursuing careers in the nursing and/or allied health care professions. Trish Lindenman commented on her husband’s motivation for funding the scholarship: “As a physician, Dr. Lindenman truly served his community. He was always giving 100% to his profession to improve people’s health and spirits. The human side of his work was as important to him as the medical. He connected with his patients and valued people as individuals. Finances should not limit someone from serving the community in the healthcare field like Dr. Lindenman did. As a retired healthcare professional, I believe it is vital to support the students who will serve our community, now more than ever.” 

According to Chapman, these new scholarships represent a portion of the awards that will be presented at the College’s annual Honors Night which will be held this year on May 25, 2021. Over 500 NVCC continuing and graduating students applied for scholarships earlier this spring, and she notes that “each scholarship signifies a commitment to the educational success of NVCC students. NVCC and the Foundation are grateful for the generosity of our donors and the legacy of their gifts.” 

Photos: William and Mary Carew. Trisha Lindenman.