Northwestern Connecticut Community College is a two-year coeducational institution. It was founded privately in 1965 by the Committee on Community College for Northwestern Connecticut, Inc. On November 19, 1965, the college came under the jurisdiction of the state of Connecticut as one of twelve community colleges in the newly formed State of Connecticut Community College System, governed by a Board of Trustees. In 2011, that system was merged with the Connecticut State University System and with Charter Oak State College, the state’s only on-line, degree granting college, to form one organization, the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, governed by the Board of Regents for Higher Education.
NCCC is a close, cohesive college with campus-wide support for students. The institution’s place in Winsted makes it a significant part of the local community. Winsted, a bucolic small town, is situated in the northwestern corner of Connecticut, 25 miles west of Hartford and 27 miles north of Waterbury. Northwestern Connecticut Community College offers programs that lead to the Associate in Science degree, the Associate in Arts degree, plus credit and non-credit Certificates.
Northwestern Connecticut Community College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
The mission of Northwestern Connecticut Community College is to inspire learning through accessible, high quality education. Northwestern is devoted to enriching lives by meeting individual and community needs in a supportive environment, while facilitating and providing access to lifelong learning opportunities.
The college is a provider of a strong liberal arts education and offers the following:
- Affordable, accessible, and high-quality higher education;
- Programs that lead to Associate in Science and Associate in Arts degrees, in addition to many credit and non-credit certificates;
- Strong enrollment in Liberal Arts and Sciences (including transfer pathways) and General Studies programs;
- Programs in the fields of STEAM, Criminal Justice, Allied Health, Early Childhood Education, Business, and Computer Science;
- A vital liberal arts foundation to help students to develop creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills;
- Connecticut’s first Veterinary Technology program;
- Connecticut’s only accelerated Nursing program;
- Collegiate Education for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons program, that includes support for deaf and hard of hearing students;
- American Sign Language and Interpreter Preparation programs;
- State-of-the-art campus with up-to-date technology and facilities designed to serve students, community groups, and local businesses;
- Comprehensive student support services that work proactively with students for their success; and
- Active partnerships with the community, businesses, and other educational institutions.
NCCC’s student body is made up of many first-time, first-generation college students and a substantial number of non-traditional students. The full-time and part-time student population was 1,406 in the fall of 2016.
Northwestern’s students come from about a little more than half of the 169 towns in Connecticut, the other New England States, and New York. Most of them are preparing for careers or for transfer to four-year colleges. Many work part- time to pay for their college expenses. Proximity to the college and the affordable cost of attending a community college, are reasons mentioned in a survey of students, as influencing them to attend Northwestern Connecticut Community College, while the high quality of instruction in all subject areas is cited in a survey of graduates. Seventy percent of the students at the college are enrolled in part-time study – some as candidates for degrees, others for professional advancement.
Many activities on campus enhance student life at Northwestern. The Student Senate and a number of student clubs and organizations invite student interest and participation. Every year since 1973, the college has published The Mad River Anthology, NCCC’s literary magazine, which features literary and artistic work created by students currently studying at the college. In addition, since April 1997, April being National Poetry Month, the faculty members of the English Department have organized and sponsored the Mad River Literary Festival, which features free public readings by professional poets, fiction and nonfiction writers, and an Open Reading of original, creative work by NCCC students and community residents.
The college faculty and staff at all levels are invested in NCCC; they are united in serving students and share a long history of engaged, active involvement in campus affairs. The culture is strongly supportive of students, dedicated to raising student expectations and helping students fulfill and exceed their goals. Faculty members’ academic standards are high, and they reach out to students to assure their success.
The campus of Northwestern Connecticut Community College comprises 11 buildings on a total of 16.42 acres of land. The College appreciates its location in the heart of Winsted, adjacent to a beautiful town green, and schedules commencement ceremonies and other events on the green, when weather permits.
For information about Northwestern Connecticut Community College, visit: www.nwcc.edu
For International Students’ Admissions information visit: http://www.nwcc.edu/future-students/international-students
Connect with us on Facebook: fb.com/NWCCC; Twitter: @NCCC_CT; and Instagram: #nccc_ct.
