The Gateway to College Class of 2019 consisted of 30 graduates from 17 different cities and towns in Central Massachusetts. Over half the class graduated with honors (college GPAs over 3.0 and 3.7). The auditorium was packed with friends, family, faculty, and staff to support our graduating class. Student Speaker Gelianni Torres moved everyone to tears with her powerful commencement address, where she talked about the challenges she had in traditional high school and how she had fallen so far behind that she had little hope of catching up. She spoke about the four semesters she spent in the program, and how she gained confidence, made friends, and began to meet her goals. Gelianni will attend Worcester State University in the fall and plans to study Biology, with the ultimate goal of attending medical school and becoming a surgeon.

Gelianni: My family always told me “el cielo es el límite.” The sky’s the limit. And today those words are so precious and I hold those words so close to my heart. Because they represent so much of who I am today. That I know I’m just as worthy as anyone else, that I am no different from anyone else...that I am capable of so much. I discovered a sense of self-worth, a different type of confidence, an emotional and mental confidence, that feels amazing. But I couldn’t have done it without the Gateway program. Graduates earned an average of 21 college

credits while in the program. Chris and Gelianni both earned 42! The majority of students have completed at least one college level Math and English course, if not more. Many students are on track

to complete their degree programs in the Spring of 2020. We are looking forward to see all the wonderful things the members of the Class of 2019 will

accomplish!

Thanks to the thoughtful donations from family members, our graduates were able to have honors cords, sashes, and plaques for the first time. We were also able to enjoy some wonderful treats after graduation, and take photos with Class of 2019 photo frames. Thank you to everyone who contributed to graduation! It was a very special night for everyone involved.

You can view Gelianni’s speech here: https://youtu.be/nQ0Wvv7Ah-0 The entire ceremony is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNx_n2pyUjE&feature=youtu.be You can find the photos from graduation, as well as the slides from our graduation slideshow, on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GatewayToCollegeAtQcc/

2018-2019 Gateway to College Graduates: Kayla Avila ★ Nathan Basile ★ Maya Bastian ★ Amanda K. Bellino ★ Elliot Matthew Benoit ★Tyler Max

William Carey ★ Joseph A. Carr IV ★ Luis P. Contreras ★ Daniel J. Costa ★ Allissa R. Doud ★ Maxamillion M. Duncan ★ Owen Alexander Ernst ★ Matt Fors ★ Christopher G. Gannon ★ Xiomara Carleen Garcia Cruz ★ Jody Lee Gonzalez ★ Tyler J. Grebel ★ Olivia C. Howard ★ Elizabeth Jeanne Kelley ★ Hailey L. Krueger ★ Zoe Rane Kuebler ★ Savannah Do Carmo Lopes ★ Virginia McKay ★ Luke Mullaney ★ Jenitza Kiara

Negron ★ Caitlin Mary Plant ★ Corey Rose ★ McKenna Marie Stephens ★ Ivy Tartaglia ★ Gelianni Torres

Congratulations to our graduates who graduated with honors!

President’s Award Cumulative College GPA over 3.7

Christoper G. Gannon ★ Olivia C. Howard ★ Matt Fors ★ Luke Mullaney ★ Ivy Tartaglia

Linda Huddle Award Cumulative College GPA over a 3.0

Kayla Avila ★ Maxamillion M. Duncan ★ Owen Alexander Ernst ★ Elizabeth Jeanne Kelley ★ Hailey L. Krueger ★ Zoe Rane Kuebler ★ Virginia McKay ★ Jenitza Kiara Negron ★ Caitlin Mary Plant ★ Gelianni

Torres

Facebook: Gateway to College at QCC ★ Instagram/Twitter: @QCCGTC ★ Phone: 508-854-7587 ★ Email: GtCInfo@qcc.mass.edu

QCC:

Kayla Avila Nathan Basile Maya Bastian

Amanda K. Bellino Elliot Matthew Benoit

Tyler Max William Carey Joseph A.Carr IV Luis P. Contreras Daniel J. Costa Allissa R. Doud

Maxamillion M. Duncan Matt Fors

Christopher G. Gannon Xiomara Carleen Garcia Cruz

Tyler J. Grebel Olivia C. Howard

QCC Cont’d:

Elizabeth Jeanne Kelley Hailey L. Krueger Virginia McKay

Jenitza Kiara Negron Caitlin Mary Plant

Corey Rose McKenna Marie Stephens

Ivy Tartaglia

Worcester State University: Zoe Rane Kuebler

Gelianni Torres

UMASS Amherst: Luke Mullaney

Alumni Reunion: August 8, 2019, 2pm-6pm at QCC. Contact gtcinfo@qcc.mass.edu for more info

Lindsey Lambert, GtC Class of 2018, just finished her first year at Bridgewater State University. She made the Dean's List and will be a Resident Assistant next year. Because of the credit she earned at Gateway, she

will graduate as part of the class of 2021!

Mariah Johnson, GtC Class of 2015, graduated from QCC with a degree in General Studies. Mariah says, “If it weren’t for the advisors I had in that program I wouldn’t have even got my high school diploma, let alone a college

degree.”

Kyle Strait, GtC Class of 2017, graduated from QCC with a degree in Liberal Arts Psychology. He plans to transfer to Worcester State to earn a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.

Facebook: Gateway to College at QCC ★ Instagram/Twitter: @QCCGTC ★ Phone: 508-854-7587 ★ Email: GtCInfo@qcc.mass.edu

Bobby Tomczyk, GtC Class of 2017, was accepted to Worcester State’s Criminal Justice program and will

start in the fall.

Nathan Manna, GtC Class of 2017, currently attending Holy Cross, spent the year abroad in England. He is currently interning at the State House this summer.

Noelle Haslam, GtC Class of 2016/QCC Class of 2017 (Interactive Media/Digital Design) graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Worcester State. Noelle is our first graduate to earn a Bachelor’s

degree! Noelle was also recently published in The Global Critical Media Literacy Project: http://gcml.org/miss-leading-characters-the-hyper-sexualization-of-females-in-video-games/?fbclid=IwAR1jPVD

vYEWasJOrFVgJ4OmwS7Mcpz6De0Byb2OQxND9LNRgRBjzs-FN8HM For her senior project, Noelle helped found the Our Angel Foundation, a non-profit that raises money and awareness for special needs dogs. Noelle created her first website: https://www.ourangelfoundation.com/

On June 6th, we took a trip to the Roger William’s Zoo in

Providence, Rhode Island. We had a lot of fun at the zoo

(Amber rode a camel!) and then spent the afternoon at the

Providence Place mall. Our annual field trip is a reward for all

our graduates and any student who receive academic honors

this year.

Thanks to funding from the STEM Starter Academy, we offered a

science class in QCC’s FabLab.Students learned how to use the

3D printer, laser cutter, and embroidery machine. Students made

unique and useful projects. Shown here is Deb with her amazing

mixed media art project!

Facebook: Gateway to College at QCC ★ Instagram/Twitter: @QCCGTC ★ Phone: 508-854-7587 ★ Email: GtCInfo@qcc.mass.edu

Every year, Gateway to College students nominate staff and faculty members they feel have gone above and

beyond to help them. You can view the awards ceremony here: https://youtu.be/5yjVeH-5DFk

Congratulations to the following award recipients:

Officer Kate Dixon, Campus Police Officer Jenna Glazer, Gateway to College Staff

Professor Patricia LaFountaine, English/FYE/Sociology Professor Kathy O’Connor, Math

Glenda Rodriguez, Gateway to College Staff Kristie Proctor, GtC101 Instructor, Director of Disability Services

Terri Rodriguez, GtC101 Instructor, Assistant Director of Disability Services Marci Skillings, Gateway to College Staff

Professor Randi Zanca, English

With funding from the UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program, we

offered a Nutrition course for health credit in June. Students explored

choices for better health through food tasting, fun activities and

conversation.Students made taco salad, skillet lasagna, and smoothies.

Facebook: Gateway to College at QCC ★ Instagram/Twitter: @QCCGTC ★ Phone: 508-854-7587 ★ Email: GtCInfo@qcc.mass.edu