Quinebaug Valley Community College (QVCC) is a public two-year college, supported by the State of Connecticut and governed by the Board of Regents for Higher Education. Accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, QVCC is one of 17 institutions in the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system and serves Windham County in the northeast corner of the state.
QVCC offers first-rate academic programs in accounting, allied health, art, business, computer science, education, engineering, general studies, human services, liberal arts and sciences, manufacturing, science, and technology studies. Graduates transfer easily to top-notch four-year colleges and universities or enter the workforce to begin or continue a career. QVCC also provides robust opportunities for continuing and professional education and custom training programs for business and industry. The College takes pride in being a community center, opening its library and many events to the general public. Lectures, art exhibitions, concerts, and dramatic productions attract many residents to the campus each semester. In short, QVCC is a viable and significant resource in and for the communities served.
Mission Statement
Quinebaug Valley Community College provides opportunities for northeast Connecticut residents to learn in an affordable, challenging, and supportive environment that enables students to become fully engaged citizens in an ever-changing global community.
Adopted: June 2016
History of QVCC
As early as 1946, a group of area citizens sought to establish a two-year college in northeastern Connecticut to meet the educational needs of returning World War II veterans. Their vision finally became a reality in 1965 when the state organized the community college system. In 1969, Connecticut legislators authorized the establishment of a community college in Danielson.
Between 1969 and 1971, strong pressures at the state level mounted to postpone the opening of further colleges for an indefinite period. However, the efforts of the local Citizens Planning Committee and the support of thousands of local citizens who wrote letters to Hartford resulted in the state approving funds for classes to begin in fall 1971.
Under the leadership of Founding President Dr. Robert E. Miller, the College opened with 215 students, eight full-time professional employees, and a few office support personnel. Classes met at Harvard H. Ellis Regional Vocational Technical School and Killingly High School.
Even before the College opened, a Citizens Planning Committee had developed criteria for a campus and had visited several possible sites. By the fall of 1978, however, operating from four “temporary” locations in and around Danielson, QVCC faced the most difficult period in its history. The then Board of Education cut $1 million from the requested appropriation for the new campus and voted to delay beginning of construction. Many speculated QVCC would be merged with another community college.
An outpouring of citizens’ concern persuaded the Board of Higher Education to rescind its delay order and to restore $500,000 in funding. Within a few years, the state acquired 68 acres of land on Upper Maple Street, and Quinebaug Valley Community College welcomed students to its new campus in 1983.
The College took its name from a small tribe of Native Americans who inhabited the region. According to some sources, Quinebaug literally means “crazy river” - signifying the meandering course of the river that flows through south-central Massachusetts, eastern Connecticut, and western Rhode Island.
In 1986, QVCC opened a satellite location in Willimantic to better serve residents in southern Windham County. During the summer of 1992, the legislature authorized the merger of the community and technical colleges, enabling the College to expand its mission by offering career and technical education. In May 1992, after the retirement of Dr. Miller, Dianne E. Williams became the second president, and the following January, QVCC became a comprehensive community college.
After Ms. Williams retired, Dr. Ross Tomlin became the third president, serving from March 2010 to November 2012. Dr. Miller returned as interim president from December 2012 through July 2013, and Dr. Carmen Cid served as interim president through June 2014. Dr. Carlee R. Drummer became the fourth, and last president, serving from July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2019.
As a part of the statewide vision to make a transformative, accessible education available to all residents of Connecticut, a merger of Connecticut’s 12 community colleges is underway. In Fall 2023, Connecticut State Community College (CT State), a statewide college comprised of all Connecticut’s current community college locations, will open its doors. Here are some important facts students need to know:
- The final commencement ceremony for Quinebaug Valley Community College Community College will be held in May 2023. Ceremonies will continue to be held at each location as campuses of CT State.
- Students continuing their studies beyond summer term 2023 will be matched with the CT State program that most closely aligns with their Spring 2023 major and is offered at the Quinebaug location,
- Students beginning Associate degree programs in Fall 2021 should plan with their advisor/ program coordinator to attend full-time if they wish to graduate prior to the merger,
- Students who begin Associate degree programs in January 2022 will complete their degree at the merged college, Connecticut State Community College,
- The College is committed to students completing their education with a minimum of disruption and staying in touch with your advisor/program coordinator is essential,
- Further details can be found and will be updated on the Frequently Asked Questions page: www.ct.edu/ctstate/academics.
Campus and Facilities
QVCC conducts its educational and service programs from two locations: a 68-acre campus on the outskirts of Danielson and at Windham Technical High School in Willimantic.
Danielson Campus
The main campus is a large two-story structure consisting of three wings, a central core, an Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center, an Early Childhood Education Center, and several modular office buildings.
East Wing
Classrooms
Dean of Academic Affairs and Student Services
Faculty offices
IT Department
Science and computer laboratories
North Wing
Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center
Art studios
Central Core
Admissions
Advising
Allied Health Lab
Business Office
Cafeteria
Citizens National Bank Corporate Seminar Room
Community and Professional Education
Dean of Administration
Facilities Department
Faculty Offices
Financial Aid
Fireside Lounge
Human Resources
Learning Center
Library
Records
Robert E. Miller Auditorium
Student Affairs
Student Success Center
Veterans’ Services
West Wing
Atrium
Bookstore
Classrooms
Community room
Faculty offices
Institutional Research
Marketing and Communications
President/Chief Executive Officer’s Office
QVCC Foundation
Reading room
SPIROL Art Gallery
Modular Buildings
Early Childhood Education Center
Faculty offices
Maintenance Office
Veterans’ OASIS
QVCC Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center
The Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center opened for classes in fall 2016. This 10,000-square-foot facility boasts the latest technologies available in today’s advanced machining world, including labs exclusively for Mechatronics and Metrology. Complete with geo-thermal heating and cooling, the surrounding property contains rain gardens complementing the outside area. The facility offers credit certificate courses and noncredit short-term training in both day and evening sessions. The building includes:
- Machine lab
- Metrology lab
- Mechatronics lab
- Conference room
- Offices
- Classroom and computer lab
- Tool crib
Student Affairs Office
The Student Affairs Office (C151), located next to the Fireside Lounge, houses:
- Continuing and Professional Education
- Counselor
- Financial Aid Offices
- Records Office
- Registrar
- SNAP
- Veterans’ Services
Student Success Center
The Student Success Center (C129) houses:
- Admissions
- Advising Services
- Career Services
- College Career Pathways
- Director of Student Services
- Disability Services
- Transfer Services
Staff members assist students with applications, financial aid, registration, changing majors, and questions pertaining to admissions, transfer in, and transfer out. Students also can access an up-to-date job posting board, computers, and a fax service.
Library
The QVCC Library provides a range of information resources and services to the College community. The Library’s physical collection contains approximately 28,000 print books, 75 print magazines, newspapers, and journals, and more than 2,300 DVDs. The online library offers access to 230,000 ebooks; over 50 article databases containing more than a half million articles from scholarly journals, magazines, and newspapers; and a streaming video collection with over 30,000 documentaries. Librarians provide information literacy instruction to both individuals and classes, offer one-on-one assistance with reference questions and research, and maintain the College’s rich collection of subject research guides. The Library offers quiet and collaborative study space, numerous Macs and PCs, wireless printing, a computer lab, two student study rooms, and conveniences such as phone chargers, earbuds, and flash drives for students.
Learning Center
The Learning Center provides extensive learning support services to individual students and classes at the College. Among those services are exam proctoring, CLEP and DSST testing, the administration of the Accuplacer Basic Skills Assessment (BSA) tests, workshops in specialty subjects, and individual and small group academic assistance. Professional and trained peer tutors provide assistance by appointment and on a walk-in basis. In addition, the Learning Center is responsible for all Student ID’s. Extended Learning Center hours make it available for both day and evening students.
Bookstore
Follett, a third-party provider, operates the bookstore on the Danielson campus.
Quinebaug Middle College
This regional magnet high school, that opened its doors in 2008, offers a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) focused curriculum to learners in grades 9-12. Located on the Danielson campus, QMC provides students with the individual support they need to succeed while they complete their high school education, attend college classes and earn college credits. Community service, internships and student engagement are essential educational components of this unique high school/college experience. QMC is operated by EASTCONN, a public, non-profit agency that serves the educational needs of schools, organizations, communities, and individuals of all ages in northeastern Connecticut. QMC enrolls approximately 185 students each year.
In January 2014, a 38,000-square-foot addition opened on the east end of the building to house the Quinebaug Middle College magnet high school. The Middle College occupies the new wing during the day and is available for College use in the evenings. During the same construction project, QVCC’s cafeteria and library expanded by approximately 2,500 square feet each. The new wing includes:
- Three regular classrooms
- Two science labs
- Three computer classrooms
- Art classroom
- Music room plus two recording studios
- Half gym and fitness center
- Three collaborative classrooms
- Administrative and faculty offices
Willimantic Classes
The Willimantic Center was established in 1986 in an effort to facilitate access to educational offerings to residents of the southwestern corner of QVCC’s service area, and was expanded in 2005. The Center houses classrooms, state-of-the-art computer labs, library, learning center, lounge, and offices. Located in downtown Willimantic, the Center offers credit and non-credit courses, English as a Second Language courses, job-focused training, customized training programs for local employers, learning support services, and career services.
In April 2000, the Board of Governors for Higher Education gave approval to offer more than 50 percent of coursework in four programs at the Willimantic Center: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies, Business Administration, Business Office Technology.
For more information on Willimantic Center offerings, call 860-230-6129.
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