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STUFFMadeInCT.com | Fall 202 0 • STUFF 3 3 STUFF • 2 0 2 0 | STUFFMadeInCT.com F R O M O U R S P O N S O R S President's Letter L ast year, in this very publication, I wrote about the "next great idea" and where it might come from. Who could possibly have predicted then how significantly and completely our world was about to change? As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold around the globe, we had no choice but to re-think every moment of our daily lives. As we watched the number of cases climb, we simultaneously saw businesses slow down and in some cases, stall completely. When we consider this challenging time, it is only natural to think first of the frontline workers who put their lives at risk to help others — such as healthcare workers, emergency responders, public safety leaders, researchers and funeral service professionals. But only a few days into the COVID crisis, a new understanding of the "essential" worker began to emerge. In manufacturing settings around the world, individuals of true vision stepped up and helped move society away from despair and toward solutions. Manufacturers refitted their operations to produce critically needed masks, gowns, shields and other PPE. Producers of alcohol were suddenly turning out disinfectant. Supply-chain operations were scrutinized to discover ways of getting supplies to their destinations despite staggering challenges. As I write this message, it is late spring. By the time you are reading Stuff Made in CT, who knows what life will be like, how many more accommodations we've had to make and how much closer we've come to a return to "normal" life — if at all. As you go through these pages, you'll learn so much about the world of manufacturing. As you do, I challenge each of you to think of this field not simply as a job, but rather as a calling. Manufacturing is boldly reimagining our world. Watch closely for your chance to play a part. Mark Scheinberg President, Goodwin University President's Letter O ver the past year, the world as we know it has drastically changed. No level of planning or preparedness could have predicted how the global pandemic would impact each and every one of us —along with our loved ones — and continues to do so. But where COVID-19 has upended our daily lives, changed the way we work and socialize, altered our systems of commerce and caused untold economic hardship, holding onto constants is key. Hope resonates in the fact that we are truly all in this together and can not only learn from one another, but garner strength from one another as well. Learning from one another, of course, is something for which we advocate at Connecticut State Community Colleges. And in these difficult times, one thing that has remained constant is the need for a skilled workforce. While the country's larger economic concerns may have moved to the forefront, the need for demand for education in certain fields is ever-present, a linchpin in recovery. Fortunately, the Connecticut State Community Colleges are here to help. With advanced manufacturing technology centers in every corner of the state, learning skills to advance your career has never been more convenient. With 10-month certificate programs yielding a 95-percent job-placement rate and financial aid available, the time is now to apply. Visit ct.edu/makeithere to learn more and apply online. Sincerely, Mark E. Ojakian President, Connecticut State Colleges and Universities