V.I.P. Staff

In 1993, Teresa co-founded the Smart Start College Preparatory Program based at Hall Neighborhood House, along with Mr. Sandy Harden. She served as Director of the program from 1997-2002. In 2001, she started a non-profit college preparatory program called The Village Initiative Project, Inc.-V.I.P. College Preparatory & Life Skills Program, Inc., of which she has served as Executive Director for the past 20 years. The program exposes underserved students to the benefits of higher education through weekly college prep workshops, and college tours. Between the two programs, thousands of students from Bridgeport, CT area schools have graduated from, and are now attending colleges across the country, such as Temple, UConn, Morehouse, Emory, Boston College, Bryant, Hampton, Clark Atlanta, Adelphi, Hofstra, Howard, Quinnipiac, Johnson C. Smith, North Carolina A&T, Morgan State, Winston Salem State, St. John’s University, Univ. of Pittsburgh, Duquesne, Texas Southern, Florida A&M, and others. The program holds at least 3 college tours per year in October, November, and April. We believe in the Mark Twain quote: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

The V.I.P. College Prep Program’s enrollment during the 2018-2019 school year exceeded 250 low to moderate income, primarily African American, and Latino students. 117 students from Connecticut schools (3 buses) attended the Howard University Homecoming College Tour in 2018, the program’s “premier” tour. Ten of the 15 volunteer staff members are alumni of the program. Many alumni have flourished in the workforce and have distinguished themselves as lawyers, teachers, social workers, nurses, a marine biologist, three doctors, and one student who was a 2012 State Senate candidate in Atlanta, GA. “God is Good!”

The V.I.P. Program was awarded a $20,000 Federal ACT Grant in 2010 to assist in building the organization’s capacity. It also receives Community Development Block Grants; Priority School District Grants; and in 2011 was awarded a $120,000 Afterschool Lighthouse Grant for the purpose of early exposure to the college process for 5th to 8th grade students. In this capacity, V.I.P. is in the position to employ some of its students. The program has received numerous Community Service Awards from the CT Office of the Attorney General, the CT General Assembly, Office of the Mayor, Bridgeport City Council, Greater Bridgeport Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, The Cape Verdean Women’s Social Club, Les Treize Women’s Organization and others. V.I.P. is a recent recipient of Governor Malloy’s Youth Violence Prevention Grant for the next two years.

Teresa is third out of eight children; the daughter of Edith Caciopoli and the late Edward S. Kennedy. She is happily married to Samuel N. Wilson, Jr., CPA. They have five children and six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.