NVCC Hosts Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for New Center

WATERBURY, CT - Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D., President, Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC); Jahana Hayes, U.S. Representative for Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District; Neil M. O’Leary, Mayor of the City of Waterbury; Mark E. Ojakian, President, Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU); community leaders, NVCC faculty, students and staff will celebrate the ribbon cutting for the College’s Center for Racial Dialogue and Communal Transformation on Monday, March 4, at 3:00 pm in Ekstrom Hall (Room E518) on the Waterbury campus of NVCC.

The Center is led by three co-chairs from the College, Kathy Taylor, J.D., Associate Professor of Legal Studies and President of the NVCC Faculty Senate; Joseph Faryniarz, Ed.D., Professor of Biological Sciences; and Antonio Santiago, M.S., Dean of NVCC’s Danbury Campus. The mission of the Center is to support the college’s mission by facilitating courageous conversations, promoting positive change, and healing in our community. The Center provides opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and community members to engage in respectful dialogue and learning opportunities concerning diversity and equity.

“I am so proud to officially open the Center for Racial Dialogue and Communal Transformation at NVCC,” said President De Filippis. “The Center seeks to improve relations and end inequality through open dialogue in an effort to increase knowledge and awareness, influence the behavior of individuals and their capability to influence others, and create change in the communities we serve, in particular, Waterbury and Danbury, where we have our two campuses. This dedicated space will serve as the meeting space for faculty, staff and students to come together to plan events to be held at both campuses.”

Monday’s program is open to the public, reservations are not required.