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38 | DOING BUSINESS IN CONNECTICUT | 2019 is president of the University of Saint Joseph. Allowing students to enroll in programs at other consortium colleges plays a huge role in education overall, as well as career-readiness, she said. The chance to learn a language that a student's current school doesn't offer, for example, or enrolling in Computer and Data Science classes at the University of Saint Joseph, which recently added the program to meet current job predictions in the state, can fill in gaps and help students achieve their goals without additional financial strain. Free said another crucial step in linking students to the community where they work and learn is encouraging them to get involved with local service opportunities – like the Malta House of Care, a mobile medical unit that provides free, quality health care to uninsured adults in the Greater Hartford region. The consortium extends this work to younger students, too. Its junior apprentice program links teens in local high schools to apprenticeship programs, and its Career Beginnings program connects high schools, businesses, mentors and parents in an effort to increase the number of teens who graduate from high school, pursue higher education and fulfill their career goals. The "Voices of Hartford Success" annual essay contest showcases the resilience of Hartford youth as they strive to go to college and lead successful lives, despite sometimes facing serious obstacles. Creating partnerships that link community, students and local businesses clearly yields numerous results. They help to strengthen the Greater Hartford region and set its younger population up for success, while providing the impetus to keep these collaborations going. "What we want is to be inviting and accessible to students of all socio-economic backgrounds, making sure every student has the ability to attend a college that is a good match," said Free. "We have a role to play, so that when they graduate, they can get a job, pay their students loans, and live the life they want to live." Consortium Members and Affiliates • Capital Community College • Central Connecticut State University • Goodwin College • Hartford Seminary • Manchester Community College • St. Thomas Seminary • Trinity College • UConn Hartford • University of Hartford • University of Saint Joseph • Connecticut Public/WNPR/CPTV • TheaterWorks Students participate in a Hartford Consortium for Higher Education panel discussion. EDUCATION & RESEARCH [Photo | Wallace Black ]