Alex Levere, originally from Guilford, made his way from Connecticut to Boston and back, interspersed with traveling to France, Germany, and Ireland, before landing in Colchester.

In 2014, Alex and his family, who already had connections in Colchester because his father lived there, managed to acquire a Main Street pub in town now known as the Inishmor.

Alex’s college career, however, started somewhat tentatively when he first attended college for about a year. He felt the time wasn’t right for him then, so that’s when he decided to travel extensively throughout Europe.

When he returned to Connecticut, Alex immediately enrolled at Middlesex Community College as a full-time student in the general studies associate degree program. He became very involved with student leadership opportunities, such as the College Affairs and Academic Appeals Council, the College Council, as well as the MxCC Foundation. (Students are eligible to sit on and participate in the discussions and decisions of these committees with the college’s faculty and professional staff.)

Alex became a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society as well as the president of the Student Senate. Boosting his leadership and academic skills, Alex was also a legislative intern with former member of the Connecticut House of Representatives John Geragosian.

Looking back, Alex especially found that while “being around adults and seeing how the process and systems work” proved to be very beneficial to him in the future.

Giving credit to faculty and staff members who were influential to him during his two years at MxCC, Alex mentioned math professors Stephen Krevisky and Pamela Frost, his advisor Judy Mazgulski, and “a great relationship” with history Professor Emeritus Richard Patrick.

In 2008, armed with academic confidence by graduating summa cum laude from MxCC, Alex made a smooth transfer to Emerson College, a private institution in downtown Boston. He earned a bachelor of science in political science in 2010.

While in Boston, Alex bartended and worked his way up in restaurant management roles, but wanted to get back to Connecticut to be near his family. Then came the Main Street pub in Colchester and the establishment of Inishmor, a blend of his college and restaurant leadership experience—with a dash of European travel—that now serves up award-winning Irish cuisine in a community pub atmosphere.

“Take advantage of the opportunities in college. Not because you have to but to gain knowledge and experience,” said Alex. “I never had so many professors help me than while I was at Middlesex. They really do care.”

The Inishmor Pub, located at 20 Main Street in Colchester, continues to bring acknowledgement to Alex’s passion for cooking with awards from Connecticut Magazine, Buzz Feed, among others. Find out more at inishmorepub.com.

August 2018

Starting in August, MxCC student and Meriden resident, Sarah Carey will join up to 12,000 other college students from around the country and spend several months in the Disney College Program in Orlando, Florida. According to the Orlando Sentinel, about 50,000 young adults apply annually for this paid internship opportunity.

Hailing originally from northern California, Sarah moved to Connecticut when she was 12 years old and graduated from Valley Regional High School in Deep River. She learned more about Middlesex Community College from several of her friends who were planning to attend and decided to attend MxCC as well.

In early 2018, while Sarah was working at the AMC Starplex Theaters in Southington, her manager mentioned the Disney College Program and recommended that Sarah apply. The only challenge was that the application deadline was that very same day! Not to be deterred, Sarah went right ahead and applied online. The questions ranged from asking her about her basic preferences and school information, as well as why she was interested in the program. The process continued with a web-based interview, a personality test, and finally a phone interview. Sarah prepared herself by researching the questions online and through social media.

She received a tip to smile while talking during the phone interview, even though the interviewer could not see her. “I practiced this in front of a mirror!” Sarah laughed.

On April 2, Sarah found out she was accepted into the program and will be heading to Florida by the end of July. Her parents are ecstatic for her and will assist her with moving expenses. She won’t be alone in Florida, though. Her grandparents live in Clearwater.

By August 6, she’ll be working in an operations role with attractions in Disney World, where duties consist of loading and unloading guests from a ride, operating sophisticated ride systems, delivering narrations to large groups, and much more. According to the Disney website, the internship experience also offers the opportunity to develop communications skills, problem-solving skills, and improve confidence and self-reliance. Sarah’s initial internship is for the fall semester, but she hopes to extend it into the spring of 2019.

Sarah will graduate from MxCC in May 2018 with an associate degree in general studies, though her focus has been in arts classes. She likes the idea of working in graphic design, which could be helpful in the Disney “world.”

Looking back at her time at MxCC, Sarah definitely recommends going to MxCC for prerequisites. She found the educational process easy, and particularly liked all of her English professors. “Most of the teachers and advisors are great!” she said.

Her initial goal is to establish herself as a Florida resident and eventually work for Disney full-time, perhaps with costumes or as a character assistant. Sarah also plans to continue her studies in Florida, first at another community college and then transfer to either the University of Tampa or the University of Florida for her bachelor’s degree.

Congratulations and good luck, Sarah!

May 2018

Tol Butler MxCC ’69

I was one of Middlesex Community College’s very first students. I enrolled in the General Education Associates Degree program in 1966 and graduated in 1969.  Prior to attending MxCC, I really felt I was adrift, with no goal or plan for what to do next in life.  After I graduated from Cromwell High School, I spent the summer trying to envision what my future could hold, but I just couldn’t find a path.  That September, when MxCC (then known as MCC) opened its doors, I saw an opportunity and took the first steps towards a better future.  I honestly feel that the education I received at MxCC was the foundation for my career as a business owner and upper management in the commercial construction industry.  For more than 45 years, I worked in construction, building a successful career that supported my family and that was a positive part of our local economy.  As I think back on that summer after high school, I realize MxCC was just starting out too – and I’m glad that I was part of something special.

Virginia King Galgano

When I graduated from high school, I wanted to go to college, but, unfortunately, in my generation, girls took a business course and got a job. I worked as a bookkeeper.
I attended Middlesex off and on for 16 years. I just took a course now and then until I decided to go for a degree in General Studies. In my final year at MxCC, I became a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and finally received my Associate’s Degree in 2014. I was 78. Graduation from community college was a lifetime fulfillment for me.