MCC, GPA Students to Participate in White House Summit Panel, Dec. 5
Manchester, Conn. (November 29, 2016) – Two Manchester Community College students and one from Great Path Academy – a magnet high school at MCC – will participate as panelists at the White House Summit for Educational Excellence, an important initiative for college readiness and success, December 5, from 1 to 5 p.m. in the SBM Charitable Foundation Auditorium.
The summit is an opportunity to hear first-hand about the experiences of African American students in secondary and post-secondary education and the ways in which they have overcome educational and cultural barriers to achieve success. The agenda includes two panel discussions, “Campus Climate: Feeling Safe, Engaged and Supported” and “Cultivating Success, Supporting Sustainable Career Pathways that Assist in African American Student Achievement.”
The first panel discussion, moderated by David J. Johns, executive director, White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans, will include GPA student Tyra DeClaire and MCC student Tariq Pittman.
DeClaire
Tyra DeClaire, a GPA senior and a native of Hartford, traveled to several different countries throughout her childhood. She is an active member in her community and volunteers for the Hartford Marathon Foundation, Northern Belles, Boys and Girls Club, Artist Collective and the Green Project. DeClaire plans a career as a nurse practitioner in women’s health and pharmaceuticals. She would also like to start a scholarship foundation for African American youth around the country.
Tariq Pittman, of Bloomfield, is a first-year student at MCC. He is a graduate of Bloomfield High School, where he was an honors student for four years. He was involved in a number of high-school extracurricular activities, including the Young Men’s Leadership Club, and he continues to be active in his community through volunteerism for organizations including the Bloomfield Senior Center and his local church.
Pittman
The second panel discussion, moderated by Connecticut State Representative Brandon L. McGee, Jr. (D-Hartford/Windsor), includes MCC student Brianna Nelson, of Hartford, who is currently an Early Childhood Education major in her second semester at Manchester Community College. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa international honor society, serves as the president of the Black Student Union and is lead ambassador for the Sister-2-Sister mentoring program. As an AmeriCorps alumna, Nelson has been recognized for her work with preschool students and KNOX Parks in Hartford.
Nelson
A reception in the SBM Charitable Foundation Building rotunda will immediately follow the event. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required and is limited to the first 250 attendees. Register online at www.manchestercc.edu/whsummit.
About Great Path Academy – Established in 2002, Great Path Academy at Manchester Community College is a middle college, inter-district magnet high school managed by the Hartford Public Schools. It serves a diverse student population in a non-traditional academic setting, bringing together students from urban, suburban and rural towns. GPA was awarded the 2015 Magnet School of Distinction Award. Students are allowed to take MCC courses tuition-free while in the high school.
