Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Susan Stiller
June 5, 2024
CT State Northwestern & Torrington High STEM Students Recently Recognized
Winsted – CT State Northwestern recently celebrated students who participated in the National Science Foundation grant funding STEM Scholars and Engaging Students programs in a ceremony held on campus. The STEM Scholars program provides financial support beyond tuition for students seeking a STEM degree and is funded by the National Science Foundation S-STEM grant number 2129896.
CT State Northwestern students recognized during the ceremony include: Kimberly Finkle; STEM Scholar and Natural Resources student, Jacob Gladding; STEM Scholar and Biology Studies student, Rebecca Giarnese; STEM Scholar and 2024 Natural Resources graduate, Jamie Appell; 2024 Engineering Science graduate, Kelly Ruiz; 2024 Computer Science graduate, Alex Shaer; STEM Scholar and Computer Science degree student, Nicholas Sheltra; STEM Scholar and 2024 Biology Studies graduate.
In addition to the CT State Northwestern students awarded, sixteen Torrington High School students were recognized for their participation in the Engaging Students From Classrooms and Camps to College and Technical Careers program, where students participated in summer and afterschool research projects, learned laboratory skills, and earned industry recognized credentials. Support for this program at Northwestern is provided by the National Science Foundation ATE grant number 1801062.
“This unique collaboration between CT State Northwestern and Torrington High School not only provides students with the opportunity to perform authentic scientific research, but also gives them the opportunity to experience the college environment and interact with college students who share the same passion for science that they do,” said Northwestern Professor of Biology, Sharon Gusky, who is the S-STEM and Engaging Students project director.
Torrington High School students who participated in the program included Imtinan Alam, Alyssa Amato, Aornob Banik, Jay Barrera, Cheyenne Chen, Andrea Chuva, Chelsea Cliff, Elijah Dunlavey, Sara He, Brendan Keskula, Jayden Lin, Manav Patel, Shaswot Pokharel, Scott Spooner, Thomas Suchowolec, and Amy To.
Besides Gusky, faculty who attended and supported the students included Karen Hunter, Biology Instructor; Douglas Mooney, Chemistry and Physics Professor and S-STEM mentor; John Jagtiani, Business Intelligence and Data Science Professor and S-STEM mentor; Crystal Wiggins, STEM Department Chair, Mathematics and Data Science Professor and S-STEM mentor; and Angela Norige, Torrington High School Biology teacher and CT State adjunct instructor.
For more information about the STEM programs at Northwestern contact Professor Gusky at sharon.gusky@ctstate.edu