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 Association of Schools and Colleges, 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 junior 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 began her tenure as the fourth president on July 1, 2014.
Campus and Facilities
QVCC conducts its educational and service programs from two locations: a 68-acre campus on the outskirts of Danielson and classroom facility housed at Windham Technical High School in Willimantic.
Danielson Campus
The main campus is a large two-story structure consisting of three wings and a central core. There are also several modular office buildings.
East Wing:
Classrooms
Dean of Academic Affairs and Student Services
Faculty offices
IT Department
Science, computer, and medical assisting laboratories
North Wing:
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 & Communications
President’s Office
QVCC Foundation
Reading room
Spirol Art Gallery
Modular Buildings:
Faculty offices
Veterans’ OASIS
Quinebaug Middle College Wing
In January of 2014, a 38,000 square foot addition opened on the east end of the building to house the Quinebaug Middle College magnet high school, which had been embedded in QVCC since 2008. The new wing is used by the Middle College during the day and available for College use in the evenings. During the same construction project, QVCC’s cafeteria and library expanded by approximately 2500 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
QVCC Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center
The new 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:
- Director of Financial Aid
- College Career Pathways
- Continuing and Professional Education
- Developmental Education
- Disability Services
- Records Office
- Veterans’ Services
Student Success Center
The Student Success Center (C129)
- Admissions
- Advising Services
- Career Services
- Director of Student Services/Registrar
- Financial Aid
- 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 25,000 print books, 75 print magazines and journals, and some 2,000 DVDs. The online library offers access to 340,000 ebooks; 50 article databases containing more than a half million articles from journals, magazines, and newspapers; and a streaming video collection with 20,000 documentary videos. Librarians provide information literacy instruction to both individuals and classes and maintain the Colleges’s rich collection of study and subject guides. The Library, a quiet haven for study, has a computer lab, two student study rooms, and conveniences such as phone chargers, earbuds, and flash drives for students. The Library’s media department provides comprehensive support for College programs and classes.
Learning Center
The Learning Center provides extensive learning support services to individual students and classes at the College, including exam proctoring, 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. Extended Learning Center hours make it available for both day and evening students. Online tutoring services are also available.
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 run 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.
Steppingstones
A licensed child-care center, Steppingstones serves the Danielson campus. Steppingstones is open to the public, but preference is given to QVCC staff and students. The center provides a quality program for preschool children ages 3 to 5. In addition, the center offers an after school program for children up to 10 years of age and serves as an observation opportunity for students in early childhood education. For more information, contact Steppingstones at 860-774-2548.
STRIDE Program
Because of the Connecticut budget issues, the STRIDE Program has been suspended.
Willimantic Classes
To facilitate access to educational offerings to residents of the southwestern corner of QVCC’s service area, QVCC began offering classes in Willimantic in 1986. In fall 2017, QVCC began offering classes at Windham Technical High School adjacent to Eastern Connecticut State University. QV@WTHS includes five classrooms, state-of-the-art computer labs, library/learning center, and a manufacturing lab.
For more information on QV@WT, call 860-336-0900.
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