COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

• CCSU’s School of Technology students helped the Hartford area Habitat for Humanity build a solid, energy-efficient home, while learning about a new procedure for constructing homes.

• CCSU’s Institute of Technology and Business Development hosted its first graduating class of the Hispanic Business Start-Up Program. The program, in collaboration with the Spanish Speaking Center of New Britain, has helped New Britain Hispanics start local businesses. In addition, the partners developed Spanish-language courses to assist Latino entrepreneurs.

• At SCSU, physics students mentor students from the New Haven public schools. In the 2005-2006 academic year, physics students volunteered 150 hours with kids who needed help participating in the New Haven Science Fair. Ultimately, three young participants received first place awards, and two went on to earn first honors with special awards at the Connecticut State Fair.

• Staff from ECSU’s Institute of Sustainable Energy give lessons about energy conservation to Connecticut schoolchildren.  The ISE also operates a website that helps educators teach students about the impact their everyday choices have on the environment.

• Eastern faculty and the teachers at the Child and Family Development Center share best practices and research outcomes with early childhood professionals, social services, and government agencies dealing with children and family issues. The Center serves 90 families (75 preschoolers and 15 infants and toddlers).
  
  
• CSUS, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provide environmental programs on Outer Island in Long Island Sound.