Gateway Community College Foundation Announces Five Recipients Of 2021 Hometown Hero Awards

Press release from Gateway Community College:

October 14, 2021

The Gateway Community College Foundation’s 24th Annual Hall of Fame Induction will honor five individuals who have tirelessly supported Gateway’s students, faculty and staff, the Greater New Haven community, and residents of the State of Connecticut, both throughout the disruptions of the pandemic and through many years of dedication, professionalism and responsiveness.
The 2021 honorees – Hometown Heroes – being inducted into the Gateway Community College Foundation Hall of Fame this month are:

• Terence Floyd, Vice President/Community Relations Consultant, Wells Fargo;
• LindyLee Gold, Senior Development Specialist, Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development;
• Howard K. Hill, Funeral Director/Owner, Howard K. Hill Funeral Services; and
• Michael R. Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center.

Throughout the next five weeks, beginning October 18, videos featuring Gateway’s 2021 Hometown Heroes, along with students, alumni, and area chefs, will be featured in e-blasts distributed throughout the community by Gateway, and will be available on the Gateway Community College Foundation website, www.gatewayfdn.org.

New this year, the Gateway Community College Foundation is inaugurating a “Gateway Lion Award for Outstanding Activism,” to be presented to Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro, who represents Connecticut’s Third Congressional District – which includes New Haven and the surrounding region - in Congress. DeLauro was the natural choice for her unwavering dedication to Gateway students, for community colleges, and for residents throughout her Congressional District and beyond.

The new award has been established as Gateway marks 30 years in the New Haven community and 10 years in downtown New Haven this year. The Foundation’s annual Hall of Fame event is the largest source of academic and technology scholarship dollars raised each year to support Gateway students. Many Gateway students, in addition to pursuing academic credentials, are frontline workers who have been directly impacted by the past year and a half.

“This year, Hall of Fame honors and salutes extraordinary achievement and dedication – by our honorees; our students, faculty and staff; the Gateway Community College Foundation Board; and our passionate donors and sponsors who together make Gateway the extraordinary educational institution that it is,” said Helene A. Augustine, Gateway Community College Foundation Board Chair. “The challenges, individually and collectively, have been unrelenting, but with unyielding commitment and dedication, our Hometown Heroes, and our entire community, have responded.”

The Gateway Community College Foundation supports the mission of the College and provides a lifeline to students who are challenged by their financial limitations. Contributions to the Foundation provide funds for student support initiatives, professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, and programmatic needs for the college.

The Co-Chairs of the 2021 Hall of Fame are Ruby H. Melton, GCC Foundation Scholarship Committee Chair, and LaKisha Jordan, GCC Foundation Director. The Foundation is led by a dedicated Board of volunteers, featuring individuals from various businesses and organizations throughout the New Haven region.

Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, this year’s Hall of Fame event will be in a hybrid format. A limited number of individuals will attend the induction, which will be live streamed and also recorded for later viewing online. Special feature videos about each of the honorees will be rolled out each week, along with insights by students, alumni and other members of the Gateway community. Watch your email!

“We are inspired by the examples set by our honorees, whose commitment to our students and our community reflects a real passion,” said Dr. William "Terry" Brown, Chief Executive Officer, Gateway Community College. “And we are so fortunate to have Rosa DeLauro representing us in Congress. Throughout her career, she has always advocated for our students and has been relentless in ensuring that higher education is within reach for people all across the country. We are also inspired each and every day by our remarkable students, their work ethic and their devotion to their studies. Gateway alumni are making a difference across the region, and they are a reflection of the life-changing impact of a Gateway education.”

In addition, alongside Hall of Fame in the coming weeks, exceptional local restaurants will be spotlighted by the Gateway Community College Foundation, as an effort to support the local chefs and restaurants that have faced challenges due to the pandemic. Each week will see a different local restaurant featured.

Gateway Community College (GCC) is Connecticut’s largest community college, serving residents and businesses throughout the region, as more than 14,000 individuals choose from over 90 accredited degree and certificate programs annually. Courses are strengthened by partnerships with local organizations and businesses that support programming and provide internships and community engagement.

To learn more about the GCC Foundation and the 2021 Hall of Fame Virtual Induction, visit www.gatewayfdn.org throughout the coming weeks.

This press release was produced by Gateway Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.