CHESLA recently awarded three students from the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center (AMTC) at Naugatuck Valley Community College scholarships in the amount of $1,250. John Farrell who received the scholarship in the fall 2020, and Josh Martelli who received the scholarship in spring 2021 will be looking at internships in the fall 2021 and jobs after December 2021. Carlos Novicky who received the scholarship in spring 2021 will graduate, job-ready in May 2021. 

Joseph Defeo, Director of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center at NVCC, commented on the scholarships and how they benefit students. “On behalf of NVCC and our students, we thank the State of Connecticut’s CHELSA student scholarship program for their generous support of our Advanced Manufacturing Technology students. Throughout their educational careers, students face many obstacles, both personal and financial. These scholarship grants make it possible for them to continue their education and training here at the AMTC, and ultimately secure manufacturing jobs upon graduation.”

Farrell commented on why he chose the program and how the scholarship has helped him. “I chose manufacturing because I wanted to learn a skilled trade and enjoy hands-on work.  The CHESLA Scholarship has helped me to be able to keep my student loans low.”

Martelli noted that the CHESLA support made a difference to his progress in the program. “I decided to join this program to further my knowledge and skills in manufacturing, where I was already working and had developed a real interest. The CHESLA scholarship is really going to relieve some of the financial stress that comes with paying for classes and books and everyday living expenses. I had lost my job due to lack of work and because of COVID; it was extremely difficult to find what I needed at my skill level.  This program along with the CHESLA grant is going to help me to push my skills to a higher level and make me a more competitive contender in the harsh environment of trying to look for quality work during a pandemic.  I want to thank Deirdre, the CHESLA scholarship committee and all the staff at NVCC for helping me to achieve this dream of coming back to school to advance my manufacturing skills & knowledge.”

To qualify, a student must: 

• Be a resident of the State of Connecticut 
• Be enrolled at least half-time for the 2020-2021 academic year, 
• Be enrolled and attending an eligible Connecticut state or non-profit, degree granting institution of higher education in the 2020-2021 academic year 
• Have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $6,000 or less per the student’s most recent FAFSA submission in 2020-2021 
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) *required for undergraduate degree scholarships only 
• Not be in default on any CHESLA loans  

For more information. https://www.chesla.org/scholarships 

If you think a career in manufacturing might be for you please contact Deirdre D’Amore, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 203-575-8014 to set a time to meet to discuss your career goals.