More than 40 individuals from Hartford area businesses and organizations attended a Metro Hartford Alliance “Break The Ice” Luncheon June 26th at Capital Community College’s (CCC) Walter J. Markiewicz Community Room.

Capital Chief Executive Officer G. Duncan Harris, Ed.D, welcomed Alliance investors and members and  shared  opportunities to partner with the college on educational and workforce issues.  The College is part of a “Hartford renaissance” that includes public and private partnerships at the campus and “momentum” is growing for the College’s “downtown neighborhood,” according to Harris.

Harris, concluding his first year leading the college, pointed to “the Capital Guarantee” for students enrolled in  career programs in business and insurance, information technology, nursing and health professions.  For graduates who meet requirements transfer to four-year schools such as the University of Connecticut and Central Connecticut State University is guaranteed.  With full-time tuition less than $5,000 a year Capital is a “first choice school for the “first job, a better job, your career.”

Dr. Miah Lapierre-Dreger, interim Dean of Academic Affairs, also invited attendees to consider involvement in the college through one of its academic advisory boards. CCC offers 36 associate degree and 24 certificate programs on site and online through six academic departments: Business and Technology, Health Careers and Public Safety, Humanities, Nursing,  Science and Mathematics and Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Representatives of downtown and area businesses and organizations attended the luncheon including  A&A Office Systems, Alzheimer’s Association of CT, Aquilline Drones, LLC, Fastsigns of Hartford, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Hilton/Marriott Hartford, iHeart Media, ImageWorks, LLC, NBC Connecticut, Santander Bank, Tallan, Inc, The Ergonomic Group, U.S. Small Business Association, Upward Hartford,  Venator Sales Group, VLink, Inc. and the World Affairs Council.  Participating from Metro Hartford Alliance were Raina Giddings, Senior Investment Relations Officer; Julie Daly Meehan, Chief Investor Relations Officer, and: Jen Proto, Investor Relations Specialist.