As industries evolve and new technologies reshape the workforce, Southern Connecticut State University continues to expand opportunities that prepare students for what comes next. During a recent appearance on “Spotlight Connecticut,” Interim President Sandra Bulmer shared how Southern is helping students navigate that future.
During her recent radio appearance on “Spotlight Connecticut” with Morgan Cunningham, Bulmer discussed Southern’s role within Connecticut’s regional university system and emphasized the university’s distinctive position as the state’s only public R2-designated institution. She highlighted Southern’s commitment to combining strong academic preparation with real-world, career-focused experiences that respond directly to workforce needs.
Bulmer noted that Southern plays a vital role in preparing graduates who will contribute to Connecticut’s economy and communities.
“Ninety-five percent of our students are from Connecticut, and more than 80 percent choose to live and work in the state after they graduate,” Bulmer said. “So we really do feel connected to our employers in the state, and we take seriously our obligations to make sure that we’re providing the workforce that’s needed.”
She also pointed to Southern’s recent Carnegie Classification as a Research 2 (R2) university as a reflection of the strength of the university’s faculty and academic programs.
“One of the things that Southern has recently achieved is we were classified last year by the Carnegie Classification system as a Research 2 university,” Bulmer said. “Behind UConn and Yale, who are Research 1s, we are the only Research 2 in Connecticut and in this region, and one of only 139 in the country.”
During the conversation, Bulmer also addressed how higher education is responding to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
“We’re now looking deeply at how we can accentuate our learning experiences with AI instead of being afraid of them and avoiding them,” she said. “Within each discipline, this work is going on. There isn’t a reason to flee certain fields out of fear. The work is to identify how those disciplines need to pivot and integrate AI into their future.”
Bulmer added that hands-on learning and exploration remain essential parts of the college experience.
“The sooner our students can get some experiences, and we certainly offer them at Southern, that’ll help them validate that decision-making,” she said.
Listen to the full interview: Spotlight Connecticut: How Southern Fits into Connecticut’s Regional University System
