CT State Community College is poised and ready to become a premier comprehensive statewide community college serving more than 70,000 students annually and focused on building upon the history of Connecticut’s 12 legacy community colleges.
Dr. O. John Maduko is the inaugural President of Connecticut State Community College, leading what will commence in July of 2023 as Connecticut’s largest institution of higher education, the largest community college in New England, and the primary driver of access and post-graduate success for more than 60,000 students across multiple campuses and training facilities throughout Connecticut.
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News and Updates From the Office of the President
March 13, 2024
President Maduko was featured on the podcast EdUp Experience. He discusses how he is "...transforming Higher Education in Connecticut..." Listen to the episode here.
January 12, 2024
President Maduko made a special appearance on CNN. He discussed the state of community colleges nationwide and the importance of affordable higher education. He also mentioned the numerous academic and student support services available at CT State. Watch the video update.
November 21, 2023
Please watch this November Update video by President Maduko. On this recording, he discusses the FY24 Budget Deficit Mitigation, as well as gives news and updates on CT State’s progress. You will learn about our financial strategy, the importance of governance and the exciting step of celebrating our first CT State graduates. Watch the video update.
September 21, 2023
President Maduko’s Convocation Address on August 30 was followed by a live Q&A session with Provost Brown and CEOs Hogan and Harris. While many questions were addressed during the presentation, there was not enough time to address all of them. The presentation and Q&A session were recorded and are available to watch now. While not every question has been answered yet, they are in the process of being responded to. The remainder will be shared as soon as possible. The answered questions have been loosely grouped by topic and are available in this pdf.
August 21, 2023
Connecticut State Community College: The Inaugural Semester
From the Desk of the President
July 8, 2024
Dear CT State Colleagues and Friends,
I am writing to inform you of an important leadership transition at the Gateway campus. Dr. Scott Kalicki’s contracted service with CT State Community College as Interim Campus CEO has concluded per the service contract terms between an external agency and CT State. Effective July 26, Dr. Tom Coley, who recently retired, has agreed to step in as Interim Campus CEO through the Fall 2024 semester. We are eager to begin the national search for the permanent CT State Gateway Campus CEO.
As we all know, Dr. Coley brings a wealth of experience, having served in various executive leadership roles over the past five years, including his recent Executive Vice President role, and formally the Shoreline-West Regional President. His steadfast leadership has been a significant asset to our College, and we look forward to his guidance as we navigate this transition and continue to advance the needs of the Gateway campus.
In the interim period before Dr. Coley's arrival, a collective team of central office leaders, including Dr. John Paul Chaisson-Cardenas, will provide onsite leadership.
As CT State enters its second year, we remain committed to aligning our capacities to meet the needs of our students and employees across all locations. Currently, we are actively searching for the following leadership roles:
- Vice President of Human Resources
- Vice President of Enrollment Management
- CT State Gateway Campus CEO
With Dr. Coley’s retirement as Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Enterprise Performance, my office will repurpose that role to align with current strategic needs and cost-saving measures. These adjustments will be announced at a later date. Effective immediately, Dr. J.D. Mathewson, Associate Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning and the Division of Institutional Research will report to Acting Provost Dr. Karen Hynick under the Division of Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Workforce Innovation. This restructuring is part of our preparation for NECHE’s focused site visit in April 2025.
Additionally, Dr. Molly Lauk, Executive Director of Sponsored Programs, and her oversight of the Office of Sponsored Programs, which includes grants operations, will now report to Kerry Kelly within the Division of Finance and Administration.
With the recent departure of Dr. Terry Brown, interim AVP of Strategic Operations and Partnership Development, and Dr. Justin Moore’s transition from Dean of the School of Engineering and Technology to CT State Naugatuck Valley Dean of Faculty, the AVP of Strategic Operations and Partnership Development and School Dean of Engineering and Technology roles will not be backfilled. This decision supports our ongoing efforts to redistribute responsibilities and reduce administrative expenditures.
Provost Hynick will share updates on academic affairs, student affairs, and workforce innovation leadership during Fall 2024.
I understand and recognize that these changes and transitions are disruptive. I appreciate your patience and understanding as the administration diligently works to stabilize our campuses and college-wide functional areas.
We will continue to provide updates over the summer months as new developments arise.
In Partnership,
John Maduko
President
Connecticut State Community College
Contact the President's Office
185 Main Street
New Britain, CT 06051
Dr. John Maduko
President, CT State Community College
860-612-7005
CTState-President@ct.edu or darroyo@commnet.edu
Dennisse Arroyo
Executive Assistant to the President
860-612-7011 | darroyo@commnet.edu
To request Dr. Maduko’s event attendance or for a speaking request, contact Dennisse Arroyo.
Theresa Robbins
Executive Assistant to the CT State Central Office
860-612-7005 | trobbins@commnet.edu
Our Mission
Connecticut State Community College provides access to academically rigorous and innovative education and training focused on student success. The college supports excellence in teaching and learning, makes data-informed decisions, promotes equity, and advances positive change for the students, communities and industries it serves.
Our Vision
CT State will be recognized for exceptional student success, educational leadership and transformative collaboration with business and industry, government, educational and key stakeholders while advancing diverse opportunities for Connecticut’s citizens and communities.
Fall 2023
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Provost Levy Brown and President Maduko attended a Strategic Workforce Session at Hartford HealthCare’s headquarters in downtown Hartford. Hartford Healthcare leaders from across their system and Connecticut convened to assess and discuss workforce needs over the next 5-10 years. Their goal was to develop action steps that can be implemented now, near and far. CT State is a key academic partner and the provost and president spoke about partnership and how both groups are working together to address Connecticut’s healthcare professionals shortage.
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President Maduko held a two day Cabinet retreat out of CT State Tunxis Community College campus where the group assessed strategic priorities, the upcoming inaugural spring semester, and how they can further work to stabilize the new college.
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This fall, President Maduko represented Connecticut State Community College at Washington D.C. to engage with national stakeholders on the impact of faculty-led instruction and programming and staff-driven services on students and communities across Connecticut. The trip included visiting the U.S. Department of Education and meeting Luke Rhine, Deputy Assistant Secretary, and J. Noah Brown, Senior Advisor for the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education.
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President Maduko joined Provost Brown and Capital CEO Harris to virtually sign a partnership with Morehouse College that aims to streamline the transfer process for students interested in attending one of the preeminent all-male HBCU's in the United States.
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President Maduko had the honor of visiting W. F. Kaynor Technical High School led by their great principal, Dr. Kenneth Hillard. Kaynor’s senior culinary students prepared lunch and shared their college and career aspirations. In turn, President Maduko shared information about CT State's four stellar culinary programs at Gateway, Manchester, Naugatuck and Norwalk.
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President Maduko visited CT State Capital and attending the Herencias Latinas Hispanic Heritage Month event where playwright and awarding author Quiara Alegria Hudes met with students for most of the day in. She capped the evening with an intimate conversation at the Hartford Stage and moderated by Melia Bensussen, their Artistic Director.
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In mid-October, President Maduko was honored to serve as faculty for the Presidents' Round Table at the 2023 Thomas Lakin Institute of Mentored Leadership. He presented on finance essentials and shared his experiences as the higher education sector navigates the challenging financial landscape.
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Attending his first Connecticut Talent Assistance Cooperative (CONNTAC) 56th Annual Meeting, President Maduko celebrated student scholarship and the advocacy by the CONNTAC staff and their board.
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At the 2023 Association of Community College Trustees Leadership Congress, President Maduko joined Joliet Junior College President Clyne Namuo, Bucks County Community College President Felicia Ganther, and Northland Pioneer College President Chato Hazelbaker, to present and lead a panel discussion on The Presidential Search Process from Four Presidents Who Took the Job. They all provided a candid breakdown of their respective experiences during a presidential search process, what was appealing about their institutions, the challenges that presidential candidates face during the process, and advice for trustees and regents who are actively seeking presidents and chancellors.
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President Maduko represented the State of Connecticut with Provost Levy Brown, CT State Quinebaug Valley campus CEO Dr. Karen Hynick along with colleagues from the Connecticut State Department of Education and the Connecticut Department of Labor. They attended one of the four Biden-Harris Administration’s nationwide Unlocking Pathways Summit series. The final summit was in Biloxi, Mississippi where they learned from State/Economic Development/Workforce/K12/Community College leaders and representatives from Alabama and Mississippi on their shared regional exemplars that support students with disabilities to pursue competitive integrated employment and further connecting their education and workforce systems to support youth employment.
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In September, President Maduko had the honor of visiting Albertus Magnus College in New Haven and meeting with their President, Dr. Marc Camille. Honoring their history and legacy while reimagining future opportunities for students is at the core of Marc’s leadership. President Maduko looks forward to equitable transfer partnerships at CT State.
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President Maduko attended the 2023 Rise Gala, where the International Festival of Arts and Ideas theme of “Lost in New Haven” celebrated their 28th year as being part of New Haven's vibrant cultural history. He joined U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro, SCSU's James Barber and Community Economic Developer Lindy Lee Gold.
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In an interview with Natasha Lubczenko, host of CT Style on WTNH News 8, President Maduko discussed the upcoming inaugural fall semester of CT State Community College. As CT State gears up for an extraordinary academic journey, President Maduko was excited to share updates on the start of this groundbreaking semester.