MCC Names Building for SBM Charitable Foundation

Manchester, Conn. – (October 13, 2010) . . . The SBM Charitable Foundation has partnered with Manchester Community College (MCC) for many years to provide scholarships, grants and in-kind contributions in excess of $1,000,000, helping hundreds of students realize their dream of earning a college degree. In recognition for their generous support to MCC, the building which houses the college’s Arts, Sciences and Technology Center will be named the “SBM Charitable Foundation Building.”

A naming ceremony will be held on Thursday, October 21, at 10 a.m. at MCC in the front entrance of the newly-named SBM Charitable Foundation Building.

“Partners like the SBM Charitable Foundation help us close the gap in resources and ensure that we are providing opportunities for students to excel,” stated Dr. Gena Glickman, president of MCC. “We are extremely grateful for their continuous support of MCC and our students.”

The SBM Charitable Foundation has recently committed $500,000 for student scholarships to the Manchester Community College Foundation, and the gift will be received in $50,000 installments over a ten-year period. Through this gift, the SBM Charitable Foundation will permanently retain the naming rights of the auditorium, located in the SBM Charitable Foundation Building.

“The SBM Charitable Foundation and the earlier Savings Bank of Manchester have had a long- standing and committed relationship with Manchester Community College. We believe that MCC supports the greatest number of students in our primarily east of the river and greater Hartford marketplace,” commented Richard P. Meduski, president of the SBM Charitable Foundation, Inc. and previous president and CEO of the former Savings Bank of Manchester.

“With our legacy as a community bank, we feel a responsibility and synergy to support the community college that impacts so many lives in the region we serve. We have invested in MCC’s growth – both in terms of physical stature as witnessed by the SBM Charitable Foundation Building and, more importantly, in its students with our scholarship plan. It is our intent to impact the quality of life, education and workforce in Connecticut through the programs and academic excellence MCC provides to create skilled workers for future jobs in our state.”

The SBM Charitable Foundation, Inc. was established in 2000 by Connecticut Bancshares, Inc., the parent company of the former Savings Bank of Manchester. The SBM Charitable Foundation is committed to bettering the lives of those who live and work predominantly east of the river in Hartford, Tolland, and Windham Counties. Priorities established for the Foundation’s giving are health, human services, education, housing and the arts.

The MCC Foundation helps Manchester Community College enhance the quality of existing programs and fund the development of new programs, raise funds from private sources to support scholarships and college programs, fund the acquisition of equipment that enhances college programs, build a network of community support in the region served by MCC, promote better public understanding of the College, and encourage increased public involvement in its educational, cultural, and community activities.

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.

For more information about the SBM Charitable Foundation building naming ceremony or to RSVP, please contact Linnette Velazquez at 860-512-2905 or email lvelazquez@manchestercc.edu.