Alma Exley Honors Two Recipients

HARTFORD, Conn. (May 20, 2009) -- Sacha Kelly of Hartford, a student at Saint Joseph College, West Hartford, and Sibani Sengupta, Ph.D., of Farmington, a graduate of the state Alternate Route to Certification (ARC), have received scholarships from the Alma Exley Scholarship Program, which is dedicated to promoting greater diversity in the teaching profession.

They were honored at a reception this evening at the Charter Oak Cultural Center, Hartford.

Ms. Kelly, a graduate of Stuyvesant High School, New York City, is planning to teach secondary mathematics after she obtains her master’s degree in education from Saint Joseph College. She did her student teaching this semester at Capitol Preparatory Magnet School, Hartford. She received a bachelor of science degree with a major in mathematics from Trinity College, Hartford, in May 2007.

Dr. Sengupta holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Calcutta, India, and a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut, where she was a post-doctoral fellow at the Center for Vascular Biology. She is a science teacher at Sacred Heart Academy, Hamden, Conn. In August 2008 she completed the ARC program, which enables experienced professionals to earn their state teaching certification.

Previous scholarship recipients are serving in public schools in Avon, East Hartford, Hartford, Manchester, Meriden, New Britain, New Haven and Westport, Conn., and in schools from Boston to Los Angeles.