Sheftel pg 3 12-8-11
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Sheftel appointed
at QVCC center
DANIELSON — Robert Sheftel, the newly appointed director of Quinebaug Valley Community College’s Willimantic Center, hit the ground running when he arrived for his first day of work this fall. Being an avid distance runner came in handy.
Sheftel is a product of a community college education, having received an associate’s degree from Manchester Community College. “As an MCC student, I was given an opportunity to grow,” he said, “and had people who believed in me…and sparked my fire of learning.” At QVCC he hopes to ignite that same passion in others.
Sheftel transferred to Eastern Connecticut State University, where he obtained a bachelor’s in communications. He later received a master’s degree in management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Hartford, an institution he would return to in a professional capacity. For the past six years he served as RPI’s enrollment manager.
Sheftel said the key similarity between RPI at Hartford and the Willimantic Center is the diverse population of students, including many non-traditional students. “Each place has a unique culture that enhances the portfolio of the main campus,” he said.
One of the areas he dedicates himself to is something he calls dynamic diversity. “Dynamic diversity honors excellence within diverse ethnic, academic, gender, and socio-economic backgrounds by creating a collaborative culture of distinction,” Sheftel said. “Appreciation and understanding always bring about the best in people and opportunities.”