New Dining Rooms Named at MCC
Manchester, CT – October 17, 2006 . . .Three dining rooms at Manchester Community College have been named for Connecticut families close to the area and the College, announced Jonathan M. Daube, President. The naming of the spaces was unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees of Connecticut Community-Technical Colleges at its monthly meeting held on Monday, October 16.
The rooms are located in the college’s Culinary Arts Center. The Center is currently undergoing a substantial renovation, which includes the creation of three dining rooms that will be used as teaching and learning spaces for students in the College’s culinary arts programs and its credit free courses. The dining rooms will also be used for college meetings, community events and the always-sold-out luncheons and dinners that are prepared as part of the MCC hospitality curriculum.
The dining rooms will be named as follows:
Cheney Dining Room
Alice and Alexander Jarvis Dining Room
Geraldine and Vincent Lesunaitis Dining Room
The Cheney Dining Room is named for Manchester’s Cheney Family, founders of what would become the world’s largest silk mill and who were responsible for Manchester being known as what has been categorized as an “ideal industrial community.” The naming of the dining room acknowledges the Cheney Family’s indelible stamp on the Manchester community and the historic significance of their contributions to the College’s service area.
The second dining room is named in memory of Alice and Alexander Jarvis, who were prominent real estate developers in Manchester. A bequest from Mrs. Jarvis to Manchester Community College was instrumental in funding the renovation of the Culinary Arts Center and was the largest single gift from an individual ever received by the College.
The third space is named in honor of Geraldine and Vincent Lesunaitis. Mrs. Lesunaitis, a resident of Hamden, is the premier benefactor of the College’s An Evening of Fine Wines. In 2000, she donated a considerable portion of her late husband’s wine collection to the Manchester Community College Foundation. Due in large part to her generosity, the Foundation has received more than $1 million from the annual event since its inception 15 years ago. Mr. Lesunaitis, who had a long career in state government administration, taught wine appreciation at MCC, as well as at other local colleges.
President Daube expressed his delight at the action of the Board of Trustees, “This recognizes our history and, in particular, individuals who have been generous to the College. I wish Alice and Alexander Jarvis, as well as Vincent Lesunaitis, had lived to see this. Gerry Lesunaitis’ enthusiasm for the College is palpable, and I look forward to showing her the new space.”
The Culinary Arts Center renovation will be completed in winter 2006 and will be the site of a dedication ceremony and community open house the week of February 5, 2007.
Students of any age who possess the desire to pursue higher education are welcome at Manchester Community College. MCC is proud of its academic excellence, new facilities, flexible schedules, small classes, low tuition and faculty with both academic and “real world” credentials. The College offers over 60 programs, transfer options, financial aid and scholarships, as well as access to baccalaureate degrees through guaranteed admissions programs with several universities. MCC is situated on a park-like campus and is easily accessible from I-84.
