Author: Melissa Ferrigno


Winter in Israel: Day 2

Conveying the level of exuberance that was felt as I opened my hotel curtains on Friday morning may be a tough task. I fear that this remarkable amount of excitement may not resonate with the readers who do not have the pleasure of being faced with this breathtaking view of Jerusalem. Today marks the weekly holiday of Shabbat, where people come together with their loved ones to celebrate their unconditional bond with each other.

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Broadband Companies, Public Officials Set Sights on Super-Fast Internet

Stamford Advocate– The race is on to expand high-speed internet service across the country.

Stamford-based Charter Communications has emerged as a leader in the broadband industry, as it has connected millions of customers across the country in recent months to super-fast “gigabit” service. In Connecticut, public officials are also pushing ahead with a number of rapid-connection initiatives, which they argue are engines of economic growth. But these programs must tackle significant challenges — including recent regulatory changes — to fulfill their potential.

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Winter in Israel: Day 1

Our first full day in Israel was very busy and full of enlightening experiences. After only about 24 hours here, I am amazed at the versatility of the country. There is a huge focus on development of the next big technology and the future, yet as we toured Jerusalem, we experienced over 2000 years of history that brings together people of all backgrounds, ages and experiences.

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Winter in Israel: Waiting for Students to Arrive

This morning, CCEI’s eight “Winter in Israel” students arrived in Tel Aviv to be welcomed by CCEI Managing Director Michelle Cote and adjunct professor and Partner at Hinckley Allen, Daniel Gottfried. These students will spend the next 10 days traveling through Israel and learning from leaders in technology, business, visiting government offices, large high tech enterprises, venture capital investors, technology accelerators, and academic institutions.

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Connecticut’s Economy Struggles to Recover

Hartford Business Journal – During the first quarter of 2017, Connecticut’s economy, as measured by real output or gross state product (GSP), contracted below where it was in 2004. After seven years of contraction from 2008 to 2014, the economy managed a modest 2 percent gain in 2015, only to retreat to essentially zero growth in 2016 and a sharp decline in early 2017.

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Why We Need More Conferences Like AfroTech

Accountant. African American Woman. A small dot within the tech workforce.

This is my bio.

Being a person of color in the tech industry tends to feel like you’re a fish out of water. Though tech companies are working to improve diversity in the workplace, Black and LatinX employees still make up only a small margin of the workforce. Continue Reading