Hall of Fame Marks Gateway’s 30th Year, 10 Years Downtown 

Inaugural “Gateway Lion Award for Outstanding Activism” to be Presented to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro 

The Gateway Community College Foundation’s 24th Annual Hall of Fame Induction will honor five individuals who have tirelessly supported Gateway’s students, faculty and staff, the Greater New Haven community, and residents of the State of Connecticut, both throughout the disruptions of the pandemic and through many years of dedication, professionalism and responsiveness.

The 2021 honorees – Hometown Heroes – being inducted into the Gateway Community College Foundation Hall of Fame this month are: 

Terence Floyd, Vice President/Community Relations Consultant, Wells Fargo;
LindyLee Gold, Senior Development Specialist, Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development;
Howard K. Hill, Funeral Director/Owner, Howard K. Hill Funeral Services; and
Michael R. Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center.

Throughout the next five weeks, beginning October 18, videos featuring Gateway’s 2021 Hometown Heroes, along with students, alumni, and area chefs, will be featured in e-blasts distributed throughout the community by Gateway, and will be available on the Gateway Community College Foundation website, www.gatewayfdn.org.

New this year, the Gateway Community College Foundation is inaugurating a “Gateway Lion Award for Outstanding Activism,” to be presented to Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro, who represents Connecticut’s Third Congressional District – which includes New Haven and the surrounding region -  in Congress.  DeLauro was the natural choice for  her unwavering dedication to Gateway students, for community colleges, and for residents throughout her Congressional District and beyond.

The new award has been established as Gateway marks 30 years in the New Haven community and 10 years in downtown New Haven this year.  The Foundation’s annual Hall of Fame event is the largest source of academic and technology scholarship dollars raised each year to support Gateway students.  Many Gateway students, in addition to pursuing academic credentials, are frontline workers who have been directly impacted by the past year and a half. 

“This year, Hall of Fame honors and salutes extraordinary achievement and dedication – by our honorees; our students, faculty and staff; the Gateway Community College Foundation Board; and our passionate donors and sponsors who together make Gateway the extraordinary educational institution that it is,” said Helene A. Augustine, Gateway Community College Foundation Board Chair. “The challenges, individually and collectively, have been unrelenting, but with unyielding commitment and dedication, our Hometown Heroes, and our entire community, have responded.”

The Gateway Community College Foundation supports the mission of the College and provides a lifeline to students who are challenged by their financial limitations. Contributions to the Foundation provide funds for student support initiatives, professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, and programmatic needs for the college. 

The Co-Chairs of the 2021 Hall of Fame are Ruby H. Melton, GCC Foundation Scholarship Committee Chair, and LaKisha Jordan, GCC Foundation Director.  The Foundation is led by a dedicated Board of volunteers, featuring individuals from various businesses and organizations throughout the New Haven region. 

Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, this year’s Hall of Fame event will be in a hybrid format.  A limited number of individuals will attend the induction, which will be live streamed and also recorded for later viewing online.  Special feature videos about each of the honorees will be rolled out each week, along with insights by students, alumni and other members of the Gateway community.  Watch your email!

“We are inspired by the examples set by our honorees, whose commitment to our students and our community reflects a real passion,” said Dr. William "Terry" Brown, Chief Executive Officer, Gateway Community College. “And we are so fortunate to have Rosa DeLauro representing us in Congress.  Throughout her career, she has always advocated for our students and has been relentless in ensuring that higher education is within reach for people all across the country.  We are also inspired each and every day by our remarkable students, their work ethic and their devotion to their studies.  Gateway alumni are making a difference across the region, and they are a reflection of the life-changing impact of a Gateway education.”

In addition, alongside Hall of Fame in the coming weeks, exceptional local restaurants will be spotlighted by the Gateway Community College Foundation, as an effort to support the local chefs and restaurants that have faced challenges due to the pandemic.  Each week will see a different local restaurant featured.

Gateway Community College (GCC) is Connecticut’s largest community college, serving residents and businesses throughout the region, as more than 14,000 individuals choose from over 90 accredited degree and certificate programs annually. Courses are strengthened by partnerships with local organizations and businesses that support programming and provide internships and community engagement.

To learn more about the GCC Foundation and the 2021 Hall of Fame Virtual Induction, visit www.gatewayfdn.org throughout the coming weeks. 

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About the 2021 Gateway Community College Foundation Hall of Fame Inductees:

Terence Floyd is Vice President/Community Relations Consultant with Wells Fargo, specializing in philanthropic giving, community development, team member engagement and non-profit relationships.  He is a member of the Wells Fargo Public Affairs group, which focuses on four areas - housing affordability, financial health, small business growth and sustainability, and environmental justice and has responsibility for a six-state region.  He is a former Board chair of the Connecticut Mortgage Bankers Association.

LindyLee Gold is Senior Development Specialist with the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, serving as the commissioner’s representative to the state’s Workforce Investment Boards, Adult Literacy Commission, Commission on Education and Training, P-20 Council, Green Job Consortium, Workforce Coordinating Committee, STEM Council, Child Poverty and Prevention Council, and the State Leadership Innovation Initiative. She has worked for her community as both an elected official and a tireless volunteer.

Howard K. Hill is the owner and operator of Howard K. Hill Funeral Services in New Haven, Hartford and Bloomfield. Since 2011, Hill’s Funeral Services has been recognized annually by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) “Pursuit of Excellence” program.  Hill was the first African American Board Chair of Connecticut Funeral Directors Association.  He established The Prosperity Foundation (TPF), a 501c3 statewide endowment-based community foundation to Endow Black Advancement, and founded the Black Business Alliance (BBA).

Michael R. Taylor is Chief Executive Officer of Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center (CS-HHC) of New Haven, a position he’s held since October 2012. Under his leadership, CS-HHC has more than doubled in size to become Connecticut’s most comprehensive, most inclusive and second largest community health center, serving almost 55,000 patients annually from 23 care sites. Most recently, CS-HHC led COVID-19 testing and vaccinations in the underserved, racially diverse communities that comprise its service area.

About the Recipient of the Inaugural Gateway Lion Award for Outstanding Activism:

Rosa L. DeLauro is the Congresswoman from Connecticut’s Third Congressional District, and serves as the Chair of the House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee and sits on the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. She is the Chair of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, where she oversees our nation’s investments in education, health, and employment. At the core of Rosa DeLauro’s work is her fight for America’s working families, and she has been a tireless supporter of Gateway Community College and advocate for increasing support for education to make college more affordable for more American students and their families. First elected to the House in 1990, DeLauro has been re-elected to represent Connecticut’s Third Congressional District ever since.

For profiles of the 2021 Hall of Fame Hometown Heroes, and additional information about Hall of Fame and Gateway Community College Foundation, visit www.gatewayfdn.org.