Student Stories

Zachara is a shining light at CT State Community College Gateway. She shared her incredible story at this year’s Gateway Community College Foundation Hall of Fame. Her journey is a testament of the importance of supporters like you. Thanks to the generosity of donors like the Geballe family don’t just fund college, you empower students…

Angela Kobs spent 15 years working as a dog groomer before deciding to pursue a lifelong passion for graphic art. With the support of scholarships, she found the courage to follow her dreams. It’s not easy, she balances classwork with the joys and challenges of mothering her son, Marcus. “ Gateway has become my happy…

For Prapti Hosur, an engineering science major, every achievement represents not just her hard work, but the faith others have placed in her. “The Geballe Family Scholarship underwrote Prapti’s tuition for a full academic year. “This means more than financial help,” she shared. “It means someone believes in me, in my dreams and potential. That belief gives…

Born and raised in New Haven, Precious Adkins’ educational journey is a testament to perseverance and determination. Though she once struggled to stay focused in school, she found her path when she graduated from Adult Education. First, she enrolled in a four-year university, but had to pause her studies. Determined to continue her education, Precious…

Community College offered both opportunity and belonging, for Aayushka Gainju. After moving from Nepal to New Jersey then Connecticut, she chose CT State Community College Gateway for its affordability and accessibility. “Community college is easier to get into, convenient, and affordable for international students,” she explained. “If I could complete my prerequisites without going into debt, I…

Jeffrey Givner has known addiction. He grew up in a family affected by addiction, and later faced the disease himself. He witnessed both the devastation it can cause and the gaps in treatment that too many experience. Those moments shaped his mission: to give others a second chance like the one that changed his own life. “I’ve seen…

John Gil Vazques discovered his passion for computers at age nine, fixing machines alongside his uncle. His early curiosity grew into a career goal in computer science, but transitioning to college life and paying for classes on his own presented real challenges. CT State Community College Gateway offered a way to ease into higher education without…

For Ashley Ray, life’s journey came with unexpected and dramatic disruptions to her education and financial health. But thanks to a scholarship from the Gateway Foundation, she was able to press play again and pursue her passion for culinary arts. Through determination and opportunity, she transformed challenges into motivation, and proved that dreams are never…

“I felt seen,” he said softly. “They (the donors) didn’t have to do that. They could have gone on a nice vacation with that money. But they chose to help someone like me. They bridged the gap. Without them, I would have graduated in 2027, not 2026. You helped me reach my goal faster, and…

Juggling family, work, and a lifelong dream, Stephani Izzo knew that studying to be a nurse would not be easy. Because her son was entering his senior year of high school, and college was on his horizon, timing and finances were major concerns. “I wanted to be a nurse for a long time, but every…