It’s right there in the name. In these trying times the faculty, students and staff at Northwestern Connecticut Community College have been proving their vital place in our region. In addition to the daunting task of transitioning all classes online and providing student services remotely, the college has engaged in multiple outreach efforts to help the community in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Unprompted by the administration, the Nursing, Science and Veterinary Departments independently volunteered to donate their unused personal protective equipment (PPE) to local hospitals. “A large amount of gloves, masks, goggles, gowns and swabs went to to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. The hospital has been facing a critical shortage of those items, and our donation made a significant difference in this fight against the spread of the coronavirus,” reports Interim Associate Dean of Campus Operations Rick Coutant. “I made two trips to CHH [to deliver the materials]. They were so thankful to everyone at Northwestern for the donations.” 

Additionally, Professor Doug Mooney is making hand sanitizer with a student who owns a soap-making business. Douglas Hoffman, a professor of math and engineering, is working with students to make protective face shields for health-care workers. Students are using 3-D printing to manufacture the plastic frames, which are then fitted with a piece of polyethylene sheeting to make the shield.

Professors Todd Bryda and Crystal Wiggins have collaborated with Stop & Shop to get thousands of dollars of gift cards to students in need. The dean of academic and student affairs, Dave Ferreira, is rebuilding donated broken and older laptops to give to students who might otherwise not be able to transition to online classes. Says Coutant, “There is a LOT of good happening right now, because there are a lot of very good people here. It’s inspiring.”