Carver students Ryan Russell and Elijah Vigo report from Delaware State University on the Carver College Tour

By Ryan Russell, a 9th grader at P-Tech, and Elijah Vigo, a 9th grader at Norwalk High School

Today we arrived at Delaware State University (DSU), home of the Hornets.

One of Delaware's most famous residents is our 46th and current President Joseph R. Biden Jr. We want to acknowledge his commitment to people of color. He was vice president to the first Black President. He selected a Black woman to be his running mate and she became the first Black vice president (Kamala Harris) of the United States. President Biden nominated the first Black woman to the United States Supreme Court (Ketanji Brown Jackson), who went on to be confirmed.

Our tour guides Samara Benjamin and Elijah Brown balanced each other in knowledge and wit. We learned that Delaware State University is an HBCU (Historically Black College or University) and recently became more diverse when it acquired Wesley College, a (PWI) predominantly White institution. Sixty-two percent of DSU students are African-American and the other thirty-eight percent represent are Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian, and other students.

DSU was founded in 1891. Though the campus sits on 356 acres of land, the structures that make up the heart of the institution are constructed in one big circle which makes it easy to navigate. There are approximately 5,700 students enrolled and currently close to 4,000 students are on campus due to the pandemic.

Our sports enthused peers were pleased to hear that DSU is an NCAA Division 1 School with sixteen sports teams representing intercollegiate athletics, including women's and men’s basketball, cross country, lacrosse, track and field, and more. DSU is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Dr. Luna Mishoe, the seventh president of DSU, was one of the Tuskegee Airmen and served as the leader here from 1960 to 1987. In 2018, his daughter Dr. Wilma Mishoe was appointed as DSU’s 11th president, a post she held until her retirement in December 2019 at the age of 70 years old. 

The DSU campus is rich in history. There is the Mishoe Science building named after Dr. Luna Mishoe; the Tuskegee Airmen Plaza honoring Lt. Luna L. Mishoe for his service in World War II as a photographic intelligence officer; Lt. Maxwell Honemond for his service as Tuskegee Trained Observation Pilot; and Nathan O. Thomas for his service as 99th Pursuit Squadron Administrative Aide.

There is specific land space dedicated there for historically Black Greek letter organizations (BGLOs) that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council. Collectively, these organizations are referred to as "The Divine Nine." All except Kappa Alpha Psi is represented. The “Divine nine” are Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, Alpha Phi Alpha, Phi Beta Sigma, Sigma Gamma Rho, and Lota Phi Theta.

We were impressed with the freshman living accommodations at Tubman Laws Hall. It is one of the newer buildings. Even though there is a residence hall for honor students like our tour guide, our guide shared with us that he elected to stay in Tubman Laws Hall.

There is a building name for Martin Luther King Jr. We admired the blending of centuries-old buildings with modern buildings and the backdrop of pink cherry blossoms during this time of year.

Many majors are offered at DSU including business, management, psychology, marketing, and more. The Bank of America building is host to the school of business. The naming of the building was a direct result of receiving $1 million from Bank of America for a jobs initiative.  The donation was earmarked to help students of color successfully complete their education and to train students to enter the workforce and embark on a path to career and financial success. 

Another important aspect of DSU college life is the dining options. DSU offers two traditional dining halls which are the Village Dining Hall and the Conrad Hall.  There is “Taco Tuesdays” and “Wing Thursdays” which are also party nights for students.  The are several meal plans that are offered, but the most popular is the plan that allows for three meals each day during the week and two meals per day on weekends. There are many other food options on campus including a Chick-fil-A and a Fresh Market for salads and other whole foods.

We strongly recommend Delaware State University. Here’s why. It is affordable ($28,000/year for out-of-state students; it offers a range of scholarship options for SAT scores ranging from 920 to 1030 to lower the cost for families; it has a diverse campus; DSU is rich in history; and the school offers a variety of sports, a robust student life, and comfortable co-ed living accommodations. There are 60 academic paths through the College of Agriculture; Science and Technology; College of Humanities; Education and Social Sciences; College of Business; Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences; and the School of Graduate, Adult, and Extended Studies.

DSU is in the historic capital city of Dover and students experience the small-town feel while being only an hour and a half away from cities like Philadelphia, PA, Ocean City, MD, and Washington D.C.

Go Hornets!

Students Skylar Ferguson and Chloe Mattus report from Temple University on the 50th annual Carver College Tour

By Skylar Ferguson and Chloe Mattus, 11th graders at Brien McMahon High School

Skylar Ferguson and Chloe Mattus, authors of this College Tour report

After an overnight stay at the Embassy Suites in Philadelphia we were eager to begin the first day of our college tour. Due to the pandemic, we lost the opportunity to tour as 9th and 10th graders, so this is our only year to experience a spring break Carver college tour.  This morning our bus driver maneuvered the narrow streets of Philadelphia and delivered us safely to Temple University. 

Our university campus guide began the knowledge exchange by talking about Temple University having six campuses and sites across Pennsylvania, plus international campuses. We learned that Temple is a 4-year public college founded in 1884 by Russell Conwell. Today nearly 30,000 students are enrolled at its campuses here and around the world.

At three blocks wide, many would consider the main Temple campus to be a large urban school, but Temple felt like a smaller school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1. Students from the main campuses have access to study aboard. Study abroad opportunities can last up to four years. The campus in Rome, for example, offers a two-year academic opportunity, the remaining two years to be completed at the main campus in Philadelphia.

Admission to the honors program at Temple is based solely on a recommendation, not an application. Temple does not require an SAT score. Instead, they ask for an essay about who you are which is weighted as an equivalent to an SAT score. 

Intriguing information was provided. For example, the new library has sections that are open 24/7 and gives online access to reserve books prior to arriving at the library. There is an app that gives you access to what’s going on around campus and around Philadelphia. The other library sections close at 2 am.

Our tour guides encouraged us to “…make use of EVERY single penny from your tuition because there are so many benefits Temple gives out.” For example, tuition includes free tutoring. Our tour guides were very persuasive and welcoming.

Temple graduate student Malene Barnett joined us on our tour. Years ago, Malene painted a mural on the first floor of the Carver Community Center. We are eager to locate and appreciate her artwork the next time we visit the community center. 

There are three different on-campus living styles, traditional, suite-style, and apartment living. You have a roommate with each living style and they go in that order from least to most expensive. 70% of freshmen live on campus and a lot of upperclassmen live off-campus which is conveniently located within walking distance of the campus. The earlier you put your deposit down, the more likely you are to go get the room you like, which would be by May 1st. The first day to apply for the room of your choice is April 1st, which is “first come first serve” for all four years. We think that makes sense and is fair. There is an online quiz for prospective roommates that includes group chats. You are not allowed to have pets in your room unless they are certified service animals. Getting a job is recommended for students who are good with time management. 

The school’s diversity includes 350 clubs and organizations, six sororities, and seven fraternities. There is academic rigor, the student accommodations include a media center, student center, movie theatre, transportation on campus, pet-friendly hotel access, and strong security that enables us to easily see ourselves being a part of the Temple community.

Temple has a 70% acceptance rate and a 70% graduation rate. Overall, we were impressed with Temple. We will be adding Temple to our list of preferred schools.

The 50th Annual College Tour makes its first stop at Temple University

Carver's 50th Annual College Tour Begins!

Carver students say their goodbyes to their families before embarking on their adventure

This year’s Spring College Tour began yesterday. The college-bound students traveled to Philadelphia first and will remain there tonight as well.

Today, the tour begins with Temple University. The tour will include visits to Liberty Bell and the Rocky Statue and Steps!

On Tuesday the tour will move on to Delaware State University in Dover, DE https://www.desu.edu and then the tour proceeds to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, MD https://wwwcp.umes.edu. Then the group travels to the next hotel.

Stay tuned for further updates here!

Graduation Capstone Project Presents Unique Opportunity For Students To Showcase Interests

The State of Connecticut has updated graduation requirements for 2023 to include a Capstone requirement. Capstone is a student-designed project based on a topic of their choosing including sports, music, cooking, drama or robotics. The project is a chance for students to demonstrate important skills such as communication, collaboration and problem-solving. Once complete, students will have a portfolio which can be shared with colleges or employers to showcase skills. Click the video above to learn more.

The Ellen Show celebrates the awesomeness of Tremain and Fritzsa Gilmore!

Carver’s beloved Tremain and Fritzsa Gilmore appeared on the Ellen Show yesterday with guest host Tiffany Haddish and regular cohost Stephen Laurel "tWitch" Boss.

The finale of Ellen DeGeneres' daytime talk series will air on May 26. Ellen DeGeneres is pulling out all the celebrity stops for the final episodes of her daytime talk series. Who better to invite to the show than Fritzsa and Gil?! How did the Ellen Show find our Norwalk heroes?

The Carver community enthusiastically nominated them.

As shown in The Hour: For more information, to donate or to stay updated on "What's Next?", please follow @ejsheartinc on Instagram anytime and @EJs H.E.A.R.T Inc on Facebook. Tremain Gilmore and Fritzsa Gilmore

Of course, no one in the Carver community would be surprised by this. We write often here about Tremain’s many roles and accomplishments and the couple’s EJ’s H.E.A.R.T. charity.

"We do an annual walk for EJ around his birthday in July. It's called 'Walk for Elijah,'" Fritzsa said on the Ellen Show. "I'm just grateful for the community, how they come together and just help support us because we want to give back to the community and the children," Tremain (“Gil”) said.

During the show, the Gilmores shared their experience co-directing their charity named after their son who died of a sudden illness at the age of 4 in 2016. Haddish announced that The Ellen Show would be donating $15,000 to their cause, which supports children's education. This gift is made possible by TisBest Philanthropy which maintains a partnership with “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” to highlight extraordinary people, organizations, and charities.

The Hour shared this:

“‘Tremain was a vital member of the Carver community when I arrived in 2004. He remains a guiding light and dear friend to me and to the ever-growing Carver community whose alumni are now lifetime achievers in every profession. Tremain’s national recognition will surely be met by everyone in Norwalk and Carver alumni everywhere with a knowing nod and smile, if not a shout for joy,’ said Novelette Peterkin, CEO of The Carver.”

A glance at the YouTube video comments adds much love to the entire experience. Here are just a few of the many shout-outs there:

Tremain and Fritzsa Gilmore and their daughter Madeline

Ashley HW writes, “I love how when the wife noticed her husband was having trouble talking about their late son, she covered him and finished talking. That’s a true partnership. ❤️

Vanessa Liles writes, “I love Tremain and Fritza! EJ's Heart is a special and wonderful organization.”

Norwalk High School students commented: Ale Mar, “Omg he is my security guard!! He is soo niceee and helpful. I’m proud of them.” Bre, “Omg he’s my security guard!!!!! He’s the sweetest.”

And others: BOLTBADBLADES, “HE’S AN ICON.” msjdolly, “MY GIRL FRITZAAAAAAAA!!!!” Christline Edward, “GIL omg congrats!!!”

We can’t say it better. Our hearts are bursting with pride and gratitude!

Thanks for Moffly Media and our other early Sponsors for supporting our upcoming Child of America Gala

Join us for our 2022 Child of America Gala on Friday, May 20th, at Shorehaven Golf Club, when we will be honoring Jerry Craft, a longtime Carver friend and advocate.

Individual in-person tickets will not be available until the end of April, as this cherished event mostly sells out early with event sponsors.

We are so grateful to Moffly Media for being our exclusive media sponsor again this year.

We also thank Dalio Philanthropies and the Richard and Barbara Whitcomb Foundation for returning this year as Presenting Sponsors.

Our virtual guests will enjoy the gala as if they are there, as was the case last year when we honored Josè Feliciano.

We are returning this year to our traditional gala, such as the year we honored Sean “Diddy” Combs (and here).

All the joyful gala elements will return this year, including inspiring fellowship, the reception, the auction, and so much more!

See our 2021 Gala sponsors here and the special videos created for each sponsor by clicking on their interactive logos.

Whether you attend the 2022 Child of America Gala in person or virtually, there will be many engaging features you won’t want to miss.

There will be many updates here while preparing for our celebration of “Decades of Impact!”

Carver student Maria Fe Luque is going to Harvard in the fall with a full scholarship!

Norwalk High School senior Maria Fe Luque (top left in the Zoom meeting with Secretary Cardona) is going to Harvard University in the fall with a full-ride scholarship! She will be a first-generation college student.

Here is a Facebook video capturing the moment Maria first looked upon her online acceptance notification from Harvard yesterday morning.

Here is the video clip of Maria’s interview yesterday on News12 in which Maria speaks about her passion for American history.

"This is our country. That's amazing that people from so long ago established a foundation for today, and what everything's based on today," she said. Luque is taking that passion to Harvard on a full scholarship this fall. She says the language barrier never stopped her parents from being her biggest cheerleaders.

"They pushed me so much, in Spanish...all the way," said Luque.

Many of our students dream of going to Ivy League schools. Even if a student is special enough to be accepted, the steep costs that come with attending elite schools can end the dream right there. A full-ride scholarship makes this dream come true.

Of course, Maria has been special since she arrived in Norwalk from Peru in the first grade. And just not in academics. Maria is also an athlete, among other sports she has been on the Bears volleyball team for all four of her high school years.

On Friday, January 28 at 10 am, US Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona, met virtually with a panel of middle and high school students from Norwalk Public Schools, including Maria.

Recently Maria represented Norwalk High School in a panel of students speaking with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. All Norwalk Public Schools students and staff tuned into the live stream of the discussion. The education secretary spent a half-hour answering questions about his journey as a young student in Connecticut. The eight students chosen for the panel were first-generation Americans or those whose first language was not English. Maria had to learn English when she entered primary school, much like Cardona, who entered kindergarten speaking only Spanish. Norwalk Public Schools students speak 59 languages and come from 70 different countries.

As reported by The Hour, Maria especially appreciated her time with Secretary Cardona on behalf of her mother who was watching the Livestream and still learning to speak English. “She understands some English, but when he spoke in Spanish, I’m like, she definitely knows what’s going on. She definitely knows the message that’s coming through,” Fe Luque said.

Harvard admitted just 3.19% of applicants to its class of 2026, the lowest admit rate in its history. Harvard also received a record number of applications, 7% more than last year’s record number! Notorious for its low acceptance rate, Harvard admitted just 1,954 students from the 61,220 students who applied. Maria will be joining students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, US overseas territories, and 98 countries.

Kimberly Gaddy, Carver's earliest intern at Norwalk Hospital

As we report on our new internship program at Norwalk Hospital, we’re proud to declare that Kimberly Gaddy, today a Carver board member who also conducts a computer literacy program for Carver parents, was our first intern at Norwalk Hospital decades ago.

A Norwalk High School graduate in the 1980s, Kimberly received priceless and timely inspiration and work experience throughout her student years in the Carver community.

Born and raised in Norwalk, Kimberly was first introduced to computer science at the Carver Community Center. Carver’s then-executive director, Richard N. Fuller, Sr., gave her the responsibility of installing and maintaining the community center’s computers.

“One day, when I was just 16 years old, Mr. Fuller stopped me mid-stride in the hallway and asked me to configure and install the operating systems on three new IBM PCs (PS2s) newly obtained through a state grant. I had no experience at that point with such things, but that was the whole point. Mr. Fuller challenged me to stand up and embrace the challenge. And I did. From that point forward my interest in computers and technology soared,” Kimberly remembers.  

In her senior year at Norwalk High School, Kimberly’s career in technology, data analysis, and reporting took a more definitive and ambitious turn when Mr. Fuller introduced Kimberly to leaders at Norwalk Hospital.

Dr. Shirley Williams, Chief of Outpatient Ambulatory Psychiatry, and Dolores Downer, RN, Director of what was then known as the hospital’s ICOTT Program, provided Kimberly the opportunity to work after-school and during the summer. Dr. Alexander Kolezar also gave Kimberly the opportunity to learn and manage what was then Microsoft’s newly launched windows-based productivity software suite called Microsoft Works for PCs, the prototype for what eventually became Microsoft Office.

Kimberly left Norwalk to pursue her undergraduate degree in Computer Science at Hampton University, a private, historically Black, research university in Hampton, Virginia.

“Throughout my years of undergraduate studies, I interned at Norwalk Hospital during my summer and winter breaks, which helped me to afford college. I was primarily responsible for office management, analyzing, and reporting on outpatient psychiatric data,” Kimberly explains. “The data was submitted to the Connecticut State Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, as numerous state grants supported the hospital’s three psychiatric outpatient programs. This crucial connection was a pivotal ‘earn and learn’ experience that allowed me to successfull complete my undergraduate degree on time.”

After graduating from Hampton University, Kimberly was recruited as a Programmer Analyst by Aetna for the Aetna Information Technology Associate Program and was assigned to the Managed Care Systems team that supported Aetna’s National Provider and Non-Provider Databases. 

Kimberly and her technology students (Carver parents) at the Carver Community Center

A few years later, Kimberly was offered an opportunity at the Hospital of Saint Raphael in New Haven as a Senior Systems Report Analyst in Information Services Planning & Data Management. She was responsible for data integrity and report generation for the hospital’s Clinical and Decision Support Systems. Before eventually moving on in her career, Kimberly was an Integration Analyst maintaining the hospital-wide system-to-system interfaces while embarking on the new world of data integration.  

After working in the healthcare sector for many years an opportunity arose in the utility sector when she worked for Southern CT Gas Company while obtaining her Master’s Degree in Computer Science and continuing to develop her data integration and technology skills. 

In 2005, Kimberly returned to healthcare and spent the next 11 years working for Yale University’s School of Medicine. Kimberly began there as a Senior Programmer Analyst III and then moved up to the Director of Information Systems and Decision Support position. Her primary responsibility was to manage and integrate information systems, provide training, and direct decision support needs for Yale Medical Group’s Revenue Cycle and Practice Management services. She also provided data-based information, training, and analytical solutions to Yale University School of Medicine and Yale-New Haven Health System, improving the overall quality and cost-effectiveness of patient care and business services. 

In early 2016, Kimberly signed on with Gartner, Inc. in Stamford as their Director of Reporting and Analytics. Gartner is an information technology (IT) research and consultancy company, formerly known as Gartner Group. Kimberly directed all aspects of the enterprise business intelligence, data warehousing, and data integration strategy for Global Consulting and provided the strategic long-term data and analytics vision through the implementation of repeatable processes and procedures improving productivity and reducing costs.  

Kimberly teaches our parents in the Tech Center on the second floor of the Carver Community Center.

Kimberly created this computer literacy class in 2018. The free 8-week course meets twice a week. The curriculum provides introductory and intermediate training in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Access. The goal is to close the digital divide for those parents who need the necessary skills to compete in our fast-paced technological economy. Some of our parents have never before turned on a computer.  As of 2019, 28% of Norwalk residents were born outside of the United States. Norwalk Public Schools students speak 59 languages and come from 70 different countries.

Currently, Ms. Gaddy is a Senior Director, Data Analytics, in the Chief Data Office for Gartner Information Technology. She is the technical portfolio owner for Community Data Solutions, delivering analytical, operational, and new sources of data across all Gartner business units and driving transparency, collaboration, and consistency around data to provide first-class data and foster better data-driven decisions. 

Kimberly began her IT career at the Carver Community Center before IT as we know it today was even a career field. Norwalk Hospital then opened career doors, gave her vital relationships, and revealed whole vistas of new knowledge and experience. Those priceless experiences blossomed into Kimberly’s now-28-year career that continues to expand into new frontiers in the evolving fields of Healthcare, Technology, Data, and Analytics.  

Kimberly Gaddy is a Carver board member, Carver volunteer, lifetime scholar, professional achiever, and a shining example of what awaits Carver students who are willing to take the risks and invest the hard work necessary to realize their dreams.

Kimberly and Norwalk Hospital are Carver heroes.

Kimberly standing with Connecticut State Senator Bob Duff at the Carver Community Center

NPS Career Fair, Thursday, April 7th, City Hall

The Richard and Barbara Whitcomb Foundation renew their Presenting Sponsor level support for the 2022 Child of America Gala

The Richard and Barbara Whitcomb Foundation returns as a 2022 Presenting Sponsor. Here is the video we created to thank them for their Presenting Sponsorship last year.

Join the Whitcomb family and so many more sponsors in supporting our 2022 Child of America Gala on Friday, May 20th, at Shorehaven Golf Club, when we will be honoring Jerry Craft, a longtime Carver friend and advocate.

Individual in-person tickets will not be available until the end of April, as this cherished event mostly sells out early with event sponsors.

Our virtual guests will enjoy the gala as if they are there, as was the case last year when we honored Josè Feliciano.

We are returning this year to our traditional gala, such as the year we honored Sean “Diddy” Combs (and here).

All the joyful gala elements will return this year, including inspiring fellowship, the reception, the auction, and so much more!

Your support changes the world for Carver scholars!

GO HERE TO MAKE YOUR SPONSOR DONATION.

Write GALA and/or any other message in the Comment window.

See a print version of the sponsor donation form here.

Contact Nikki LaFaye at (203) 945-9665/mobile; nikki@carvercenterct.org, to pledge your sponsorship gift to reserve your table(s), to share with your guest list, and with any inquiries or special requests.

See our 2021 Gala sponsors here and the special videos created for each sponsor by clicking on their interactive logos.