Jessica Grote, MxCC 2012  

As the volunteer junior coordinator of the Deep River Fire Department and graduate of Central Connecticut State University, Jessica Grote has found her days and evenings filled to the brim. She graduated from Middlesex Community College with an associate in general studies in 2012.

“At Middlesex I became a student senator, joined SPEAK (Students Promoting Equality, Acceptance, and Knowledge), and earned the grades to become part of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Much of my time was spent in the Student Activities Office, where Micki Charton supported the students in every way possible. She was the person to go to if anyone needed help, and if she didn’t know an answer, she always sent you on to the person who did. With the ongoing support of the Student Activities Office, I was able to balance my classes, club activities, and the fire department,” said Jessica, who earned a bachelor of arts in international/global studies from CCSU in 2019.  

“At Middlesex, every student has at least one faculty or staff member they can trust and count on. Getting involved gave me opportunities to practice teaching and expand my cultural horizons,” she added.    

“Having completed all of my general course requirements, as a music education student at CCSU, I am now able to focus specifically on music. As a firefighter, I can use the interpersonal skills and event coordination experience to further my fundraising and community involvement beyond my regular day-to-day activities. As a future teacher, I am inspired to offer my own students the same positive experience I have known,” said Jessica, who is a guest English teacher for a Korean office of education.