For Immediate Release
April 16, 2026
Free ESOL Summer Bridge Program at CT State Community College Quinebaug Valley – Willimantic
The Northeast Connecticut Education Foundation (NCEF) proudly announces that registration is open for a free 10-week English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Summer Bridge Program. This is the fourth consecutive summer the program will be offered thanks to a generous grant from the Scripps Family Fund for Education and the Arts (SFFEA). The funding covers tuition and educational expenses for 2026 high school graduates and adult learners who plan to enroll at CT State Quinebaug Valley in the fall.
Elkin Espitia-Loaiza, Quinebaug Valley Professor of ESOL, Spanish, and ESOL Program Coordinator commented, “For the last three years, English Language Learner (ELL) students have received invaluable benefits from participating in this program. It enables students to bridge academic transitions from spring to fall and minimizes the summer regression in English acquisition and proficiency. In addition to fulfilling course requirements, students benefit from community building and mentorship opportunities. At the end of the day, ELL students in the Summer Bridge Program gain more confidence in themselves both in and out of the classroom.” Past Summer Bridge student, Carmen Rodríguez de Cruz shared, “The classes I took last summer gave me extra time to focus on speaking, listening, reading, and writing in English. I was grateful for the small class size, access to tutors, and field trips to other schools. All of this without worrying about the expense that usually comes with taking summer classes.”
The 2026 program will run May 29 through August 9 at the CT State Quinebaug Valley Willimantic campus, offering courses in Business, College Readiness, and ESOL. In addition, students will take part in one cultural field trip to the Peabody Museum at Yale University and three academic field trips to the Quinebaug Valley Danielson campus, Eastern Connecticut State University, and UCONN.
Prospective students, parents, and adult learners are invited to attend the ESOL Information Session at 5pm on Monday, May 11 at the CT State Quinebaug Valley Willimantic campus located at 729 Main Street, Willimantic, CT. To learn more or to register, please contact Elkin Espitia-Loaiza at elkin.espitialoaiza@ctstate.edu.
The mission of the Northeast Connecticut Education Foundation is to provide scholarships and other financial support to residents of Northeast Connecticut who want to pursue higher education. To learn more about the NCEF, visit www.necteducationfoundation.org. For more information on how to support local students at CT State Quinebaug Valley, please contact Director of Institutional Advancement Monique C.K. Wolanin at (860) 932-4174 or monique.wolanin@ctstate.edu.
Sarah Wolfburg, Coordinator
Northeast Connecticut Education Foundation (860) 932-4133 necteducationfoundation.org
