Northwestern

The Student Success Fund, generously funded by the Northwestern Community College Foundation, provides a one-time payment to CT State Northwestern home campus students who have a sudden and unexpected expense that may impact their ability to continue their education. These payments have no repayment obligation.

To be eligible, students must meet all of the following:

1. Have a temporary financial hardship resulting from a sudden emergency and be able to provide sufficient documentation of financial hardship.
2. Be a CT State Northwestern home campus student, currently enrolled at CT State Northwestern.
3. Be in good academic standing and be making satisfactory academic progress.
4. Through the interactive process, the student must show evidence that other possible resources have been considered or are unavailable or insufficient.
5. Explain how the payment will aid the student in academic progress.

• Basic Needs
  • Rent
  • Transportation
  • Medical- non-reoccurring and emergency medical expenses that are not already covered by insurance or other financial resources.
  • Car Repair
  • Car Payments, Utilities
• Academic Experiences

Megan Vo, Associate Dean of Student Development
Location: Founders Hall 102
Email: Megan.Vo@ctstate.edu
Phone: 860-738-6335

The application opens on the first day of instruction for the semester and closes on the last day of instruction before finals. Awards may not be made until after the drop date.

Once an application is received, the student will receive a request for follow-up inquiries, including an intake meeting to review the documentation provided and explore any additional resources available both on and off campus.

The Team Success Scholars (TSS) program at CT State Northwestern is designed for student success. Supporting students from traditionally underserved populations, we help young adults who are attending college for the first time successfully navigate the college experience and achieve their educational and career goals. 

Our Success speaks for itself. With an average cohort size of 25, Team Success Scholars:

• Are more likely to stay in college
• Earn on average a higher GPA of 2.90
• Finish English and Math coursework sooner
• Obtain at least one Workplace Recognized Credential
• Complete an Internship Experience
• Complete a Service Learning project
• Upwards of 80% graduate with an Associates Degree
• Graduate on average in 2.5 years
• Greater than 90% transfer on to a 4-year university

Video produced by Erin Sullivan, NCCC May ’21 graduate & TSS alum

Applications for the 2025-2026 cohort are now being accepted! Please complete the application of intent via this link. Application deadline is June 1st, 2025.

Complete the online application by the deadline. All supporting documents must be submitted to complete the application packet. Incomplete applications will not move forward for consideration.

Documents to be collected include:

• High School Diploma (or GED)
• Social Security Card
• Birth Certificates
• Paystubs
• State issued ID
• Disability Documentation (if applicable)

*Please note that this is a federally funded grant, and document collecting is a mandatory step in your application.

As a member of Team Success Scholars, students benefit from a holistic support system that focuses on personal development and academic and career success. The tightly-knit cohort of students are engaged on campus with faculty, staff and student activities, and in their communities as young professionals. As recognized leaders, TSSers are routinely asked to speaker before groups and to act as ambassadors to the college and the TSS program. Through these opportunities TSS students develop a robust network of professional contacts and enrich their professional portfolio.

Jessie DePonte, Program Director of Team Success Scholars
Email: jessie.deponte@ctstate.edu 
Phone: 860-738-6348

Maggie Sullivan, Program Assistant of Team Success Scholars
Email: margaret.sullivan@ctstate.edu 
Phone: 860-738-6361

Team Success Scholars is a Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) youth funded program, administered through the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board. Additional funding is provided by Northwest Community Bank of Winsted CT.

Being a part of Team Success Scholars gave me the opportunity to be more involved on campus and taught me several life lessons.The workshops taught me how to properly write a resume, apply for jobs, get out of my comfort zone, and communicate with my professors and faculty. The TSS Leadership Retreat forced me to be out of my comfort zone and do things I never thought I would do, such as zip lining. After being in the TSS program for 3 years, I was able to job shadow at The Jackson Laboratory last summer. This experience helped me to get hired at my current job at Dymax, which I have been trying to work at for years. Being in Team Success Scholars has greatly impacted my experience at NCCC and helped me to achieve my goals.
- Cynthia Pitcher, May 2020 graduate

Team Success Scholars has helped me find myself and become someone that I have always dreamed to be. It has pushed me to be the best version of myself. Team Success Scholars is not only there to help you succeed – it’s a family that is there for support when you feel as if you can’t succeed.
- Sarah Kruse, May 2020 graduate

The Team Success Scholars program provides me with many great opportunities to give back to my community and to acquire useful job experiences for my future.  I have been able to be a part of many events that are deeply important to me. I was able to have a voice for my Hispanic community by speaking before the Legislative Budget Appropriations Committee Hearing in Hartford. I have been able to volunteer and provide food for the people who need it most in our community through NCCC’s CT Food Bank Mobile Food Pantry. I am very grateful for this program.
- David Castillo, First-year Business Administration major

TSS has helped me an extreme amount through my time here. I would wager without it I would have dropped out a long time ago if it wasn’t for the support I received from TSS. I owe my internship and international experience to this program. Team Success Scholars has instilled a sense of urgency in me; I felt I was capable of doing much more than just taking classes at the college.
- Tommy Le,  May 2020 graduate

Join us for a facilitated discussion with poet, artist, our students and guests on themes of self-discovery, cultural expectations, agency and survival.

• Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition
• Reading and Presentations From Acclaimed Poet Chen Chen
and Visual Artist Sophia DeJesus-Sabella
• Open Mic Poetry – Share Your Voice!

3-4 p.m. | Poetry Workshop with Dr. Jay Whitaker, Location: Rotunda – Learning Resource Center (Library)

4-6 p.m. | Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition with 5:30 awards ceremony, Location: Gallery at Founders Hall

4-5 p.m. | Kids Craft Zone, Location: Student Lounge

3-6 p.m. | The Whey Station Food Truck – Purchase a gourmet grilled cheese outside Founders Hall and enjoy live music

6 p.m. | Mad River Anthology Launch – Pick up your printed copy! – Reveal of our Community Art Project: Weaving Connection, Location: Founders Hall Auditorium - 2nd Floor

6-8 p.m. | Main Stage Event featuring Chen Chen and Sophia DeJesus-Sabella plus Open Mic Poetry – Share your voice!, Location: Founders Hall Auditorium - 2nd Floor

Chen Chen is a poet and essayist interested in Asian American histories and futures, family (bio & found), queer friendship, multilingualism, hybrid texts, humor, and pop culture.

chenchenwrites.com

Sophia DeJesus-Sabella is an artist, weaver, and educator based in Connecticut. Her woven and sculptural works interrogate class, gender, queerness, and utility by combining traditional craft with found materials.

sophiadejesussabella.com

The Mad River Festival is a long-standing celebration of literature and the arts in Northwestern Connecticut, rooted in the region’s educational and cultural traditions. It originated in 1965 as Scroll, a literary magazine produced by the English and Art departments at what is now CT State Northwestern. Renamed the Mad River Anthology in 1974, the publication has provided a platform for student writers and artists for decades, featuring poetry, fiction, essays, song lyrics, and photography.

In 1996, the anthology became the centerpiece of the Mad River Festival, an expanded event that brings the campus and community together through poetry readings, faculty and guest speaker presentations, a juried student art show, and interdisciplinary collaborations. While the festival and publication continued uninterrupted until 2019, both paused during the COVID-19 pandemic before returning in 2023.

Today, the Mad River Anthology remains CT State Northwestern’s annual literary magazine, showcasing student work selected by faculty editors from the English and Art departments. Meanwhile, the Mad River Festival has evolved into a dynamic, multi-faceted event that fosters creative expression across disciplines. The Northwestern Connecticut Community College Foundation has sponsored the anthology’s publication since 1993, in collaboration with the campus Cultural Planning Committee. This year, the festival was awarded a grant from CT Humanities, allowing for an expanded reach, increased community engagement, and the opportunity to bring in acclaimed artists from outside the state.

The Kids Kloset at Northwestern is a free resource available to all enrolled Northwestern students. It is stocked with gently used children’s clothing, toys, and books. All Northwestern students are invited to choose items for the young children in their lives. The mission of the Kids Kloset is to provide support to CT State Northwestern students while they embark on their educational journey.

The Kids Kloset is located in the Founders Annex– Room 318 (3rd floor, across from the Food for Thought Food Pantry).

You may visit during our open hours by going to the Food Pantry office, signing in, and then picking your items. Alternatively, you may make an appointment to visit the Kids Kloset by contacting Tracy Smith at tracy.smith@ctstate.edu

When you arrive, you will self-select the clothing, toys, and books of your choice. Please take what you need.

Monday: 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Tuesday: 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and 4-5 p.m.
Wednesday: 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Thursday: 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

The Kids Kloset is currently accepting donations of children’s clothing, toys, and books. All donations must be free of stains and holes with light to no wear and tear. Please contact Tracy Smith at tracy.smith@ctstate.edu to arrange drop-off.