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Michael Morales Awarded CT State Asnuntuck’s McLaughlin Fellow in Leadership

January 06, 2026 - Julie Cotnoir - News Release
CT State Asnuntuck presented student Michael Morales with the McLaughlin Fellow in Leadership Award.
CT State Asnuntuck presented student Michael Morales with the McLaughlin Fellow in Leadership Award. From left to right, McLaughlin Fellow committee members Nick Lefakis, and Romiesha Briscoe, CT State Asnuntuck President Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson, Morales, Committee member and Director of Student Engagement and Co-Curricular Programming Sherry Paquette, Associate Dean Dawn Bryden, and Dean Timothy St. James. Missing from the photo are committee members Amely Cross, Joe Finckel, and Carol LaLiberte. Photo by Julie Cotnoir, CT State Asnuntuck

Connecticut State Community College (CT State) Asnuntuck has announced this year’s McLaughlin Fellow in Leadership is Michael Morales. Morales, from Hartford, is President of CT State Asnuntuck’s Student Government Association and is a student enrolled in the campus’s advanced manufacturing technology program.

A member of both the National Technical Honor Society and the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, Michael has demonstrated innovative thinking, the ability to work for change, the ability to work with people no matter what their background, culture, or beliefs, and especially with economically disadvantaged people – all important to Dr. Daniel McLaughlin, founding president of Asnuntuck.

Committee members agree that Morales, a graduate of Connecticut River Academy, does not just talk about empowering others-he does it. He helps people move into leadership positions and supports them when they do. His Fellowship Project involves various initiatives to better connect students in the manufacturing program with students in varying degree programs, so that all can work together to help each other succeed and draw more people to the college’s programs and activities.

Committee members commented on seeing Morales in the student government office often, encouraging other students to join him in volunteering for many campus events.

The McLaughlin Fellowship was created to honor founding president Daniel McLaughlin, who was a highly innovative leader.  He focused intently on ways to get more students to Asnuntuck and to help them become successful once they were in college. McLaughlin actively promoted a democratic approach to decision-making and strongly supported faculty, staff, and students in developing new ways to help students succeed and achieve more than they thought possible.