Students at Bristol Community College’s Attleboro Campus have a new resource for academic support this Fall semester, thanks to a $1 million gift from the Robert F. Stoico/FIRSTFED Charitable Foundation, the largest gift in the Attleboro Campus’ history.
Support programs at Bristol’s Attleboro Campus, such as the Library Learning Commons, have been successful in reaching students and improving retention and graduation rates. Creating a centralized Library Learning Commons, that features the college’s library, writing and the tutoring and academic support centers, has made it easier for students to get academic assistance and be instantly connected to the resources and wraparound services they need to succeed.
“The college is very grateful to the Stoico/FIRSTFED Charitable Foundation for its tremendous support. The Library Learning Commons gift has enabled Bristol to provide our Attleboro students with direct access to innovative learning resources and support services,” said President Laura L. Douglas, Ph.D. “Bristol’s Foundation plays a crucial role in securing funding for projects that would otherwise not be able to happen. This is a great benefit to our students and our community.”
Stoico/FIRSTFED Charitable Foundation is one of the largest donors to the college, generously donating $1 million to the Fall River Campus for a business and technology center in 2007.
Cecilia Viveiros is Stoico/FIRSTFED Foundation’s Executive Director and an alumna of Bristol Community College. “Founder Robert F. Stoico served as chairman, president and CEO of FIRSTFED America Bancorp, Inc. for more than 30 years, during which time the financial services company grew to more than 40 locations throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic states,” she noted. “While the financial services company eventually merged in 2004, Stoico maintained the charitable foundation to continually enhance those communities that contributed to the success of the company.”
Stoico said his foundation made the donation because Attleboro has always been special to him, from his days at First Federal Savings and Loans, while Bristol is a school he has always supported. "Bristol Community College is a very special place to me,” Stoico said. “There is a big need for this type of resource in the community.”
Bristol Community College opened the college’s Attleboro Campus at the site of the former Texas Instruments facility at 11 Field Road in 2008. The innovative campus includes a diverse population of students from a wide geographic area, including the communities of Bellingham, Franklin, Mansfield, Foxboro, Rhode Island and the Greater Attleboro area.