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Middle East History Professor Steven Judd says he doesn’t “shy from controversy” when it comes to scholarly work or university life – and he’s demonstrated that in his recent book: Religious Scholars and the Umayyads: Piety­ minded Supporters of the Marwanid Caliphate.

The book forces scholars to re-examine long held assumptions about the early history of Islam.

Judd is this year’s recipient of the Faculty Scholar Award, an honor conferred jointly by the Faculty Scholar Award Committee and the university president. The award recognizes scholarly and creative work of exceptional merit by a full-time member of the SCSU faculty.

Judd’s book argues that opposition to the Umayyads was not universal and that a substantial network of pious religious scholars actively supported the regime. “Religious Scholars and the Umayyads was meant to disrupt,” Judd wrote of his book.

Judd asserts in his work that “the standard historiographical approach to the period falls victim to the biases of a few selected sources and that a broader array of sources provides a necessary corrective.”

He goes on to explain, “By exploiting different sources, I reconstructed the network of religious scholars who supported the supposedly Godless regime and demonstrated their influence on Islamic legal development.”

A colleague reflecting on the book informed Judd that he and others were “impressed by the depth of your scholarship, your imaginative use of biographical sources, and the fact that your book forces scholars to re-examine long held assumptions about the early history of Islam.”

Another colleague wrote: “Dr. Judd’s imaginative use of biographical sources is used to shed new light on an era that is forcing even the defenders of the orthodox position to acknowledge that some assumptions need to be re-examined.”

In describing the book, Judd writes that the Umayyad century, between 661-750 CE, has traditionally been treated “as an interregnum, characterized by ungodly rulers confronting pious opponents whose resistance ranged from rebellion to quietist withdrawal.”

Judd’s book has been well-received by scholars in the field, he says, “despite its disruptive intent and its critique of long-standing historical and historiographical paradigms.”

Reviews of the piece have appeared in diverse venues, including American, German, Turkish and Italian publications. The work has also been cited extensively in a variety of publications.

Hamza Zafer, the leading Islamic historian at the University of Washington, asserts that the work “changes our understanding of lslam’s early development,” and “upends the standard Western and Muslim narratives.”

David Powers, senior Islamic legal scholar at Cornell and long-time editor of “Islamic Law and Society,” describes the work as ”a solid and persuasive monograph” and “an important contribution.”

In addition to formal reviews, Religious Scholars and the Umayyads has been cited in a variety of articles, including by Nimrod Hurvitz, a leading Israeli scholar who notes that Judd’s work “marshaled a convincing body of historical ‘evidence that contradicts the ‘opposition paradigm.”

Judd says that broad and largely positive interest shown in the book around the globe suggests that it will have a long-term impact on the field and force scholars to question long-standing historical and historiographical paradigms.

“If that is the case,” he said, “the book will have accomplished its purpose.”

Judd holds a Ph.D. and master’s degree from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree from St. Olaf College. He counts among the courses he teaches: Islamic Civilization, Muhammad to the Mongols, Modern Iraq, Islamic Fundamentalism, and The Medieval Middle East.

 

Michele Vancour, President Joe Bertolino, and Chandra Kelsey

Over 50 members of the campus community were honored at a recent campus celebration to mark Southern’s official designation as a Breastfeeding-Friendly Campus by the Connecticut Breastfeeding Coalition (CBC) — the first college or university to receive this designation in the state and in the nation. These community members, who have volunteered to serve as “Breastfeeding Champions,” are a critical component of the breastfeeding-friendly initiative. At the celebration, Public Health Professor and Director of Faculty Development Michele Vancour and President Joe Bertolino were presented with a certificate by Chandra M. Kelsey, Vancour’s CBC co-chair — an award, the CBC says, that “distinguishes SCSU for their work of making the campus accessible and providing lactation space to students, faculty, and visitors. Their unique approach to recruiting breastfeeding champions and alternate spaces alongside information and on-site professional lactation support set a new standard for providing necessary support on campus.”

This step is important for Southern because it is building an awareness that mothers who breastfeed their babies need access to safe, clean, and private spaces to express milk, says Kelsey. “Mothers who return to work or to school should be encouraged and supported both in their pursuits as well as their desire to provide food for their baby. A majority of students are not mothers, but bringing awareness to the need and the space changes social norms. Personally, I see it as a way to empower women.”

State law protects the rights of women who wish to breastfeed or express breast milk at their place of employment, during breaks and in private spaces designated for these purposes. But students are not protected by the workplace law, Vancour points out. “The culture is different for students from employees,” she says. “As a result of unequal access to supports, students are forced to leave school, miss classes, or pump milk in unsafe environments like bathrooms and cars.” The Breastfeeding-Friendly Campus initiative broadens support to include students and even visitors to campus who may wish to breastfeed or express breast milk.

The designation certainly “sends a signal about what kind of campus we are,” says Terricita Sass, associate vice president for enrollment management, who is a volunteer Breastfeeding Champion.

Kelsey agrees, adding, “Southern is off to a great start towards being a family-friendly environment for students and faculty by going a step beyond offering a basic lactation space. What they have done is to create a culture of support with faculty volunteering to be breastfeeding champions. These champions serve to bridge the gap when accessing the space is too far from their next class or next meeting. They work within their departments to identify a space that can be used on a temporary basis as well as be a point person if a mother needed more resources. This is not only an important piece, community support, for breastfeeding moms, it also benefits the university as a work place (reduced absenteeism, health care savings, employee satisfaction, retention, and productivity).”

A celebratory group of Southern’s Breastfeeding Champions

Vancour believes that Southern can serve as a model for other campuses around the country and in fact has been contacted by individuals at other universities who are working towards attaining the Breastfeeding-Friendly designation.

The Connecticut Breastfeeding Coalition (CBC) is organized around the six sectors identified in the 2011 Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding (SGCTA). Each Sector has a committee that is led by a board member-liaison and is responsible for implementing actions in response to the SGCTA. Each committee is tasked with contributing to the discussion and advancement of breastfeeding goals within the state. The CBC’s overall mission is to “improve Connecticut’s health by working collaboratively to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding.”

Read an article in the Washington Post about Southern’s designation as a Breastfeeding-Friendly Campus.

 

 

graphic for Mary and Max film

ReelAbilities is the largest disability film festival in North America dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with different abilities. This spring, Southern is joining venues in New York, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Boston, Chicago, Portland, and San Francisco, among others, to feature films selected from over 1000 competitive submissions from an international community and reviewed by the screening committee in New York City, where the festival premieres each year in March.

Southern’s contribution to the 2018 festival — the first time the festival has been in Connecticut — is a screening of Mary and Max, a tale of friendship between two unlikely penpals: Mary, a lonely eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, and Max, an obese, middle-aged Jewish man with Asperger’s, living in New York. “This film will be the first time ReelAbilities has been in Connecticut,” says Fran Prezant, of the Department of Communication Disorders, “and it will be here at SCSU.”

The film, to be screened in the Adanti Student Center Theater on March 19 from 5-7:30 p.m., has some adult content and is not appropriate for young children. A panelist talkback will follow the screening of the film, and light refreshments will be served. Admission is free. The theater is physically accessible and the film is captioned.

Initiated in New York in 2007, the ReelAbilities Film Festival presents award-winning films by and about people with disabilities in multiple locations throughout each hosting city. Post-screening discussions and other engaging programs bring together the community to explore, discuss, embrace, and celebrate the diversity of our shared human experience.

“At a time when discussions about differences and inclusion are so important in this country,” Prezant says, “recognizing the strength in diversity and challenging stereotypic notions is important.” The festival offers a great opportunity, she says, “to discuss differences rather than ‘deficits,’ bust stereotypes, and challenge long-held and often erroneous assumptions.”

ReelAbilities events have been held in over a dozen cities in North America and have expanded from the United States to Canada and soon, Latin America. Since its start, ReelAbilities has been consistently receiving an increasing number of outstanding film submissions from across the globe.

The campus screening is sponsored by Judaic Studies with contributions from Deans’ Offices: Arts & Sciences, Health and Human Services, and Education; and the Department of Communication Disorders.

With support of the SCSU National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Autism Awareness and Advocacy Club

Learn more about this screening.

 

Students at Southern are recognized for their high academic achievement by being placed on the dean’s list of their respective schools. In order for undergraduate students to qualify for the dean’s list, students must complete 12.0 or more credits in fall or spring and earn a semester GPA of 3.5 or better. These requirements apply to all undergraduate students, regardless of their academic class (i.e., freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior.) The students who made the SCSU Dean’s List for fall 2017 are listed below by school, and alphabetically by last name.

School of Arts & Sciences

School of Business

School of Education

School of Health & Human Services

ARTS & SCIENCES

Timothy Abbott, Stamford, CT
Nour Abdelrahman, Fairfield, CT
Arthur Abeshouse, New Haven, CT
Laura Abreu, Hamden, CT
Carolina Abreu, Hamden, CT
Robert Adamchek, Stratford, CT
Hayley Adams, Trumbull, CT
Alexa Adams, Clinton, CT
Margaretta Affeldt, Pardeeville, WI
Brady Agovino, Greenwich, CT
Syed Ahmed, Branford, CT
Angela Aisevbonaye, West Hartford, CT
Arianna Alamo, New Haven, CT
Jazmin Albanese, Waterbury, CT
Francesco Albano, East Haven, CT
Nicholas Alexiades, Woodbridge, CT
Clifford Allderige, Hamden, CT
Emily Allen, Fairfield, CT
Brianna Allevato, East Haven, CT
Hannah Amabile, Wethersfield, CT
Ajenae Amos, New Haven, CT
Matthew Andersen, New Haven, CT
Michelle Anes, New Haven, CT
Asfa Anuar, West Haven, CT
Emily Aquilino, Stratford, CT
Jose Humberto Arevalo Garcia, Bridgeport, CT
Camryn Arpino Brown, West Haven, CT
Nadeem Asad, Beacon Falls, CT
Christopher Atuahene, Danbury, CT
Gina Atwood, Woodbridge, CT
Julia Aubrey, Trumbull, CT
Alexandra Avendano, Wilmington, MA
Karina Aviles, New Haven, CT
Megan Baker, West Hartford, CT
Dennis Ballester, Ansonia, CT
Stefany Barbagallo, Plainville, CT
Eric Barbin, Trumbull, CT
Michael Barile, East Haven, CT
Joanna Barragan, East Haven, CT
Shannon Barrett, Gales Ferry, CT
Katie Barry, Plantsville, CT
Princess Bart-Addison, Bronx, NY
Nina Bartlomiejczyk, Monroe, CT
Agnieszka Bartoszek, Stratford, CT
Danielle Bass, Waterbury, CT
Justin Bates, East Haven, CT
Anthony Batista, Bridgeport, CT
Melisa Beecher, New Haven, CT
Tyquan Bell, Norwalk, CT
Stephanie Bellofiore, Trumbull, CT
Jasmine Benavides, Ansonia, CT
Ashli Benbow, Ansonia, CT
Kayla Benedetti, West Haven, CT
Ariana Bengtson, Newington, CT
Alan Bensen, Shelton, CT
Madeleine Bergeron, Westbrook, CT
James Berkovich, Milford, CT
Eric Berlepsch, Northford, CT
Alexandra Berry, Wethersfield, CT
Ryan Berry, Shelton, CT
David Betters, Terryville, CT
Hannah Bickley, Oxford, CT
Max Bickley, Guilford, CT
Tatiana Bicknell, East Haven, CT
Charles Biddiscombe, Cheshire, CT
Danielle Bifolck, Vernon, CT
Owen Bigler, West Hartford, CT
Thomas Birmingham, Brookfield, CT
Jeremy Blass, Shelton, CT
Brooks Blauser, Milford, CT
John Blodgett, Milford, CT
Jenna Boccio, Southington, CT
Jacob Bojnowski, Middletown, CT
Kristina Borelli, Wallingford, CT
Nicholas Bottone, Bethany, CT
Holly Bousquet, Groton, CT
Joseph Boyle, Wallingford, CT
Angela Bozzi, Hamden, CT
Ryan Bradbury, Milford, CT
Amberlee Brakewood, Shelton, CT
Alexa Brenner, Ridgefield, CT
Victoria Bresnahan, West Haven, CT
Lauren Brideau, Shelton, CT
Taylor Brockett, North Haven, CT
Katelyn Brodeur, Naugatuck, CT
Anna Broggi, Branford, CT
Keylea Brothers, Lexington, KY
Joshua Brown, Stratford, CT
Steven Brown, Sandy Hook, CT
James Brown, Cheshire, CT
Judaen Brown, Ansonia, CT
Emily Budds, Wallingford, CT
Lorenzo Burgos, Wethersfield, CT
Emily Burke, Hamden, CT
Alexandra Burness, Berlin, CT
Roxanne Buzinsky, Wallingford, CT
Falecia Cabral, Pawcatuck, CT
Ryan Cafaro, Ansonia, CT
Christine Cagle, East Hampton, CT
Shannon Cahill, North Haven, CT
Sydney Camacho, Shelton, CT
Jenna Cannata, Cheshire, CT
Jazmin Capel, Waterbury, CT
Michael Capozzi, Wallingford, CT
Kaylee Carasone, Terryville, CT
Miranda Carbajal, Prospect, CT
Melanie Cardone, North Haven, CT
Shiela Carlson, West Haven, CT
Joanna Carmona, New Haven, CT
Adriana Carrasco, Hamden, CT
Sarah Carroll, Enfield, CT
Tea Carter, Modesto, CA
Sarah Carter, Newtown, CT
Sydney Carter, Derby, CT
Alea Caruso, Prospect, CT
Andrea Carvajal, Hamden, CT
Sean Carvalho, Naugatuck, CT
Joshua Cash, Guilford, CT
Stephen Casinelli, Shelton, CT
Erica Casinelli, Stamford, CT
Angela Casner, East Haven, CT
Sarah Castellano, East Haven, CT
Melanie Castillo, Stratford, CT
Betzabeth Castro, Bridgeport, CT
Andrew Catapano, Orange, CT
Kyra Jayne Catubig, West Haven, CT
Amanda Cavoto, Stratford, CT
Douglas Ceci, Westbrook, CT
Elisabeth Cerino, Stratford, CT
Romario Cerrato, New Haven, CT
Katie-Ann Cervone, Stratford, CT
Sarah Chard, Gorton, CT
Julianna Charity, Monroe, CT
Laura Charlton, Branford, CT
Paulina Cherkasov, Trumbull, CT
Michael Chernesky, Shelton, CT
Kevin Chesler, Milford, CT
Jenna Cianciolo, Watertown, CT
Alexandra Ciucanu, Trumbull, CT
Kassandra Clement, Stamford, CT
Emma Clini, West Haven, CT
Miranda Closson, Fairfield, CT
Nolan Cloutier, Wallingford, CT
Kamryn Cochrane, Plantsville, CT
Jimmy Cohaguila, East Haven, CT
Robert Cohen, Branford, CT
Amanda Cohen, Ridgefield, CT
Yasheika Coke, Bridgeport, CT
Dennis Cole, New Haven, CT
Sazia Coleman, Windsor, CT
Monica Collette, Waterbury, CT
Jeremy Collette, Watertown, CT
Isabella Collier, Mystic, CT
Cynthia Colon, Milford, CT
Cody Conlon, Bethlehem, CT
Megan Corbett-Baril, Cheshire, CT
Alexis Corda, Milford, CT
Carla Cordal, Stratford, CT
Adrian Cordova, Stratford, CT
Eddy Cordova, West Haven, CT
Isabella Corradi, Cheshire, CT
Storm Corrow, Stamford, CT
Lawrence Costantini, Milford, CT
Alana Cotton, Northford, CT
Shelby Cox, Guilford, CT
Aaron-Michael Cramer, Gales Ferry, CT
Jennifer Crandall, Durham, CT
Rhiannon Crandley, Milford, CT
Melanie Crim, Kensington, CT
Erica Criscione, Milford, CT
Nicholas Crispi, North Haven, CT
Vittoria Cristante, North Branford, CT
Sarah Crosby, Coventry, CT
Madison Csejka, Orange, CT
Brianna Cully, Bristol, CT
Robert Culmo, Madison, CT
Rachel Cunha, Brookfield, CT
John Curley, Wolcott, CT
Clare Curran, Norwalk, CT
Brian Curseaden, Branford, CT
Alexander Cushman, New Hartford, CT
Vincent D’Angelo, Shelton, CT
Victoria Dahm, Brookfield, CT
Brianna Dainiak, Ansonia, CT
Amanda Damon, Stratford, CT
Paige Darcy, Southington, CT
Lia Davido, Middletown, NJ
Keyanah Davidson, East Haven, CT
Kelsie Davins, East Haven, CT
Alexis Davis, Bridgeport, CT
Terri Davis, Milford, CT
Anna De Simone, Ansonia, CT
Brooke Dedushi, Branford, CT
Brianna Della Monica, Milford, CT
David Della Penna, Ellington, CT
Kennedy DelVecchio, North Haven, CT
Lauren DeNomme, Trumbull, CT
Joshua Desiata, Wallingford, CT
Nicholas Devito, Milford, CT
Emily DiAngelis, Watertown, CT
Deanna Diaz, Shelton, CT
Miguel Diaz, Bridgeport, CT
Gabriel Diaz, Uncasville, CT
Courtney Dickey, Waterbury, CT
Nathanael DiDomizio, Bantam, CT
Juliana Dimascia, Oakville, CT
David Diosa, West Haven, CT
Tyler Disabella, Simsbury, CT
Elaina DiSalvo, Lake Grove, NY
Samantha Doheny, Prospect, CT
Marisa Donarumo, Wallingford, CT
Andrew Donlon, Meriden, CT
Donald Dostie, Waterbury, CT
Akeem Douglas, Bridgeport, CT
Mackenzie Dowling, Roxbury, CT
Margaret Downey, Milford, CT
Georgienna Driver, West Haven, CT
Lori Dube, Naugatuck, CT
Madison Dunbar, Danbury, CT
Nicole Dunlop, North Haven, CT
Maya Dunn, North Haven, CT
Nilay Durdu, Woodbridge, CT
Alexander Eager, Milford, CT
Emily Eckstrom, Bristol, CT
Gleeson Edwards, Guilford, CT
Jason Edwards, Ansonia, CT
Rachelle Edwards, Hamden, CT
Felicia Edwards, Killingworth, CT
Zhane Ellison, New Haven, CT
Donald Emanuel III, Prospect, CT
Daniel Emmans, Danbury, CT
Barbara Eppes, Bridgeport, CT
Gabriella Esposito, Meriden, CT
Josh Denzel Estores, East Haven, CT
Danielle Evarts, Norwich, CT
Carrie Anne Faber, Oakville, CT
Michael Faiella, Ansonia, CT
Brendalee Fallon, Waterbury, CT
Kathryn Farrell, Brooklyn, CT
Jeremy Farrell, Brookfield, CT
Tyler Feger, Kensington, CT
Thalia Feliciano, New Haven, CT
Maridelka Fermin, Bridgeport, CT
Brenda Fernandes, Bridgeport, CT
Madison Feshler, Middletown, CT
Hope Finch, North Haven, CT
William Fisher, New Haven, CT
Molly Flanagan, Milford, CT
Destiny Flores, Rocky Hill, CT
Amos Ford, New Haven, CT
Andrew Forgetta, Wethersfield, CT
Mia Forgione, Easton, CT
AnnaMarie Fortuna, Hamden, CT
Danielle Franceschini, Shelton, CT
Vasana Francois, Bethany, CT
Joshua Fraser, Woodbridge, CT
Madison Fries, North Branford, CT
Lauren Frymus, Oxford, CT
Olivia Fumiatti, Madison, CT
Stephen Furr, North Branford, CT
Colleen Gaffey, Meriden, CT
Julie Gagliardi, Cheshire, CT
Stephanie Gagne, Meriden, CT
Catherine Galan, Colchester, CT
Donna Gamble, Seymour, CT
Griffin Garabedian, Hamden, CT
Sarah Gardocki, West Haven, CT
Rachel Garlock, Ansonia, CT
Emily Gaspar, Shelton, CT
Andrew Genova, Bridgeport, CT
Katrina Gentile, East Haven, CT
Joseph Gentile, Norwalk, CT
Scott George, Hamden, CT
David Ghazal, Shelton, CT
Gabrielle Giammattei, North Branford, CT
Syeda Minahil Gilani, Bridgeport, CT
Jeffrey Gill, Hamden, CT
Sara Gissel, West Haven, CT
Elena Gjonbalaj, Derby, CT
Colin Gleed, West Haven, CT
Taylor Goffredo, Wolcott, CT
Alyson Gontarski, Branford, CT
Cesar Gonzalez, New Haven, CT
Gena Gonzalez, New Haven, CT
Robert Gonzalez, Manchester, CT
Sebastian Gonzalez, Hamden, CT
Ashly Gonzalez, Seymour, CT
Luis Gonzalez, Stamford, CT
Hailey Gordon, Niantic, CT
Chloe Gorman, Guilford, CT
Mitchell Graham, Cheshire, CT
Katherine Granke, Long Valley, NJ
Lawrence Grannan, Milford, CT
Jeremy Grant, Milford, CT
Steve Green, Monroe, CT
Samantha Groskritz, Granby, CT
Bryson Grove, Southbury, CT
Audrey Gryak, Shelton, CT
Tiara Guagenti, Seymour, CT
Melissa Gualazzi, East Hampton, CT
Jessica Guerrucci, Stratford, CT
Gema Guevara, New Haven, CT
Paola Gutierrez, Derby, CT
Zehra Guven, New Haven, CT
Zeynep Guven, New Haven, CT
Julia Hall, Wallingford, CT
Shannon Halloran, Branford, CT
Ariana Harris, Cheshire, CT
Ryan Harvey, North Haven, CT
Savannah Hastey, New Milford, CT
Robert Hawes, Derby, CT
Nicole Healy, Naugatuck, CT
Caroline Heilbroner-Hammel, Branford, CT
Jessica Hendley, Middlefield, CT
William Henry, Milford, CT
Rachel Hermanns, Bridgeport, CT
Alexis Hernandez, East Haven, CT
Nicole Hess, Monroe, CT
Nicole Hess, Levittown, NY
Michelle Hesse, Trumbull, CT
Eleanor Higgins, Meriden, CT
Nadine Hilkert, Bretzfeld,
Arielle Hincapie, Bridgeport, CT
Thomas Hoang, East Haven, CT
Matthew Hoff, Hamden, CT
Mecca Holiday, Natick, MA
Jessica Holman, Medfield, MA
Julia Honan, Westbrook, CT
Allen Hossin, Wallingford, CT
Daniel Hotham, Prospect, CT
Nakia Howard, Hamden, CT
Shamir Hughes, Ansonia, CT
Nicole Huntsman, Bridgeport, CT
Rehawn Hussain, Woodbridge, CT
Daniel Immediato, Milford, CT
Christina Immediato, Milford, CT
Peggy Inahuazo, New Haven, CT
Amanda Ives, Oxford, CT
Noah Jackson, Groton, CT
Karlyn Jackson, Hamden, CT
Ellease Jackson, Bridgeport, CT
Kelsey Jacobs, Manchester, CT
Melissa Jagrosse, West Haven, CT
Lea Jalbert, Avon, CT
Faith Jano, Ledyard, CT
Arisha Javed, Oakville, CT
Jefferine Jean-Jacques, Bridgeport, CT
Deena Johnson-Jones, Waterbury, CT
A’lexus Johnson-staton, Bridgeport, CT
Lauren Jones, Milford, PA
Terri Jordan, Manchester, CT
Francisco Jorge, Trumbull, CT
Glendya Joseph, Stratford, CT
Clare Joyce, Trumbull, CT
Cameron Joyner, Hamden, CT
Ethan Kaisen, Guilford, CT
Mckenzie Katz, Simsbury, CT
Carolynn Keal, Southington, CT
Andrew Keeton, Bethel, CT
Megan Kelly, Shelton, CT
Brian Kerr, Mystic, CT
Courtney Kerrigan, Stratford, CT
Nina Kestenbaum, West Hartford, CT
Kaitlin Kiely, Milford, CT
Tyler Kilgore, Groton, CT
Jonathan King, Wallingford, CT
Cole Kinyon, Westport, CT
Daniel Koenigs, Old Lyme, CT
Mary Koller, Waterford, CT
Lexi Komaromi, Seymour, CT
London Kopek, Milford, CT
Caitlyn Koster, Shelton, CT
Teresa Kraszewski, East Haven, CT
Jenna Krechko, Tolland, CT
Marcus Krodel, Quaker Hill, CT
Merisa Kuljancic, Hartford, CT
Paul Kuna, Shelton, CT
Rebecca Kuzmich, Stratford, CT
Dan Labbadia, Berlin, CT
Albert Labozzo, Milford, CT
Scott Lafontaine, East Haven, CT
Marcello Lagreca, Branford, CT
Jake Laliberte, Prospect, CT
Francisco Landolfi, New Haven, CT
Terri Lane, New Haven, CT
Shelby Lanese, Seymour, CT
Megan-leigh Larsen, Clinton, CT
Shaun Larson, Madison, CT
Andrea Laudano, North Haven, CT
Michael Lauer, Naugatuck, CT
Marquis Lawson, Bridgeport, CT
Matthew Laydon, Wallingford, CT
Jessica LeClerc, Thomaston, CT
Chloe Lecy, Waterford, CT
Sarah Lefrancois, Seymour, CT
Joann Lehr, Branford, CT
Jennifer Leibovitz, West Haven, CT
Nicholas Lemekha, Stamford, CT
Hannah LeMire, Old Saybrook, CT
Krista Lencovich, Shelton, CT
Brittany LeVasseur, Cheshire, CT
Paulina Lewandowska, Bridgeport, CT
Katelyn Lillquist, Branford, CT
Wilson Lima, Naugatuck, CT
Austin Lionetti-Hultman, Ansonia, CT
Martin Lippai, Naugatuck, CT
Dayana Lituma, New Haven, CT
Hanxin Liu, Milford, CT
Alyssa Lotto, Prospect, CT
Keara Loughlin, Lowell, MA
Miranda Love, New Haven, CT
Carissa Luden, East Haven, CT
Alexa Luft, Trumbull, CT
Stephen Maggi, Killingworth, CT
Richard Magnotti, North Haven, CT
Lindsey Maillet, Shelton, CT
Sofia Malone, Canton, CT
Ashley Maloney, Seymour, CT
Imani Manick-highsmith, New Haven, CT
Brianna Marchitto, East Haven, CT
Melissa Markleski, Hamden, CT
Kennan Martin, South Glastonbury, CT
Kaylie Martin, Milford, CT
Jazmyn Martinez, Middletown, NY
Edward Martinez, West Haven, CT
Amanda Martino, West Haven, CT
Sarah Marty, West Haven, CT
Garret Masocco, Meriden, CT
Heidi Matias, Danbury, CT
Katherine Matos, West Haven, CT
Gillian Mattern, Gales Ferry, CT
Nicole Mattioli-Cortigiano, Ansonia, CT
John Maurer, New Haven, CT
Sierra Mayerson, Brookfield, CT
Feezan Mazhar, Hamden, CT
Jarod McAnern, Branford, CT
Princess Zuri’ McCann, New Haven, CT
Alyssa McClain, Mashantucket, CT
Luke McDermott Grandpre, Cromwell, CT
Stacy McDonald, New Haven, CT
Caitlin McEvilly, Meriden, CT
Matthew McFarland, Naugatuck, CT
Mikayla Mclaughlin, North Haven, CT
Janaea Mclean, Bridgeport, CT
James McLoughlin, Norwalk, CT
Mark McMahon, Naugatuck, CT
Gloria McPherson, New Haven, CT
Sydney Meehan, Waterbury, CT
Ethan Mehlin, Oakville, CT
Gianna Mendes, Middlefield, CT
Shelby Mendillo, Derby, CT
Alex Mercado, West Haven, CT
Odalis Mercado, Norwalk, CT
Brooke Mercaldi, Monroe, CT
Catherine Meszaros, Milford, CT
Jessie Meyer, Branford, CT
Julia Meyerovich, Trumbull, CT
Jonathan Meyers, Cheshire, CT
Catherine Migliazza, Monroe, CT
Lakeya Miller, Bridgeport, CT
Jagoda Minorska, Unionville, CT
Kelvin Mintah, New Haven, CT
Marisa Misbach, New Haven, CT
Nicholas Misseri, Cromwell, CT
Courtney Mocarski, Stratford, CT
Manuel Montalvo, Bridgeport, CT
Patrick Moore, Fayetteville, NC
Johnathan Moore, West Haven, CT
Sonia Morant, Wethersfield, CT
Dominique Morgillo, North Haven, CT
Brendan Morley, North Haven, CT
Alicia Moroyoqui, Groton, CT
Mackenzie Mortimer, Stratford, CT
Kanita Mote, Hamden, CT
Bridget Mott, Windsor Locks, CT
Abdelhadi Moucir, Hamden, CT
Evan Moyher, Seymour, CT
Tanner Mroz, Wallingford, CT
Julia Munroe, Branford, CT
Patrick Murphy, Cheshire, CT
Samantha Murphy, Milford, CT
Stephen Murray, Milford, CT
Shannon Murray, West Haven, CT
Kelsea Murtha, Stratford, CT
Bahar Musa, Naugatuck, CT
Erin Myles, Hamden, CT
Julia Napolitano, Wolcott, CT
Candace Naude, Trumbull, CT
Roger Nava, Bridgeport, CT
Latasha Neal, Manchester, CT
Allison Nelson, Oxford, CT
Chad Neri, Clinton, CT
Joseph Neumann, Woodbridge, CT
Abigail Nguyen, Manchester, CT
Paul Nicholas, Milford, CT
Ashley Nicholson, Bridgeport, CT
Matthew Nicoll, Milford, CT
Nicolette Niedzwiecki, Shelton, CT
Sedyra Nieves, Oxford, CT
Alexandra Nimz, Littleton, CO
Ethan Noble, Wallingford, CT
Olivia Nolen, Bridgeport, CT
Katherine Noske, South Windsor, CT
David Notholt, Milford, CT
Arangely Nunez, Bridgeport, CT
Melissa Nunez, Ansonia, CT
Allie O’Brien, Branford, CT
Deirdre O’connell, Stamford, CT
Margarieta Okang, West Haven, CT
Rachel Oldham, Windsor, CT
Jerica Olson, Woodbury, CT
Meghan Olson, Wolcott, CT
Sophia Oneto, Prospect, CT
Tiffany Ortega, Bridgeport, CT
Nicholas Osborne, Meriden, CT
Stephen Osei, West Haven, CT
Kyle Ostrum, North Haven, CT
Kevin Palma, New Haven, CT
Karli Palmer, Willington, CT
Trevor Palmer, Sandy Hook, CT
Gianna Panullo, Shelton, CT
Matthew Paolillo, Westbrook, CT
Sarah Pap, New Haven, CT
Zachary Parente, Trumbull, CT
Rayleen Paret, New Haven, CT
Orrin Parke, New London, CT
Brittany Parker, Madison, CT
Joey Pascale, West Haven, CT
Susanne Pasqualini, Killingworth, CT
Jonathan Paszek, Westport, CT
Jeet Patel, New Haven, CT
Prarthna Patel, Wallingford, CT
Khushbu Patel, Wallingford, CT
Derek Pearson, Southbury, CT
Zachary Peck, Wallingford, CT
August Pelliccio, Madison, CT
Alexia Perez, West Haven, CT
Teree Perkins, Naugatuck, CT
Alexis Perry, Seymour, CT
Courtney Pesce, Cheshire, CT
Natalie Pesino, Watertown, CT
Brian Petrucci, Southington, CT
Chanpasith Phongthachit, Derby, CT
Ariella Piekarz, Madison, CT
Adiyanna Piselli, Milford, CT
Allison Pito, Cheshire, CT
Ashlee Plourde, Beacon Falls, CT
Martha Polanco, Stratford, CT
Anthony Pollack, Milford, CT
Sophia Porretta, Guilford, CT
Michael Porto, Branford, CT
Megan Poulin, New Haven, CT
Jackie Prast, Madison, CT
Stephanie Preising, Stamford, CT
Michael Prezioso, Milford, CT
Brittany Procaccini, Milford, CT
Taylor Prouty, North Haven, CT
Natalia Prukalski, Danbury, CT
Anne Prusak, Fairfield, CT
Joshua Pulfrey, Bridgeport, CT
Michelle Quero, Antioch, IL
Nelly Quito, Hamden, CT
Shania Ramnath, Stamford, CT
Giselle Ramos, Bridgeport, CT
Sierra Ransom, New Haven, CT
Brendan Rascius, Wethersfield, CT
Megan Rebeschi, Northford, CT
Brendon Recce, Shelton, CT
Kevin Redline, Middlebury, CT
Katsiaryna Regos, New Haven, CT
Ian Reid, West Haven, CT
Lauren Reilly, Naugatuck, CT
Errin Relucio, Wallingford, CT
Andres Reyes, Derby, CT
Levi Reynolds, Woodbury, CT
Julia Rich, Burlington, CT
Stephanie Richard, Naugatuck, CT
Noel Rieth, Meriden, CT
Jessica Riley, Meriden, CT
Alexander Rivera, Woodbridge, CT
Valerie Roberts, Shelton, CT
Benjamin Rochester, Norwich, CT
Benson Rodrigues, Woodbridge, CT
Brennah Rogers, Milford, CT
Abigail Rogers, Guilford, CT
Jeniece Roman, Norwalk, CT
Bianca Romano Sanchez, New Haven, CT
Regina Roper, Naugatuck, CT
Laryssa Rosada, Fairfield, CT
Hazel Rosario, Waterbury, CT
Elias Rosario, Bridgeport, CT
Daniel Rosenberg, Seymour, CT
Brenna Ross, Hamden, CT
Maeve Rourke, Milford, CT
Samantha Rubio, Shelton, CT
Nikole Rudenko, Shelton, CT
Mary Rudzis, Newington, CT
Jacob Russell, Fairfield, CT
Nedra Rutherford, Old Lyme, CT
Danielle Ruzicki, Guilford, CT
Elise Ryan, Branford, CT
Annaleise Sabatino, Shelton, CT
Benazir Safi, New Haven, CT
Francisco Salinas, New Haven, CT
Adam Farhan Bin Salmaan Hussain, Kuala Lumpur
Ezekiel Sanger, New Haven, CT
Michael Sanger, New Haven, CT
Jonathan Santiago, Norwalk, CT
Lillian Santini, Hamden, CT
Jacob Santos, Oakdale, CT
Jean Santos Ortiz, Bridgeport, CT
Alyssa Santostefano, Middletown, CT
Brian Sappleton, Windsor, CT
Maria Saracco, Hamden, CT
Julian Saria, Milford, CT
Philip Sarrazin, Seymour, CT
Leah Sause, Wallingford, CT
Danae Sawchyn, Woodbury, CT
Caitlyn Saxon, South Windsor, CT
Gary Scaramella, Portland, CT
Alexis Scarborough, Wallingford, CT
Joseph Schairer, Northford, CT
Riley Scheuritzel, Pomfret Center, CT
Mark Schriever, Norwich, CT
Erik Schuessler, Orange, CT
Megan Schultz, Trumbull, CT
Paige Schwarz, Milford, CT
Deanna Scotto, Meriden, CT
Kevin Scotton, Middletown, CT
Joaquin Selmeski, East Lyme, CT
Muhammet Faruk Senturk, Madison, CT
Seong Seok, Branford, CT
Allison Serna, Watertown, CT
Bhumika Shah, Branford, CT
Bridget Sharnick, Shelton, CT
Jordan Shaw, Wallingford, CT
Nathan Shilling, Bethany, CT
Seth Shuster, Shelton, CT
Yalissa Sierra, Norwalk, CT
Jared Simpson, Milford, CT
Sara Sinchak, Milford, CT
Stephanie Sirois, Cheshire, CT
Kathleen Slavin, Rocky Hill, CT
Anastasia Sloss, Morris, CT
Daniel Smillie, Bridgeport, CT
Michael Smith, Stamford, CT
Robert Smith, Madison, CT
Bradley Smith, Branford, CT
Christina Smith, Branford, CT
Blair Snyder, New Fairfield, CT
Deana Sobilo, East Berlin, CT
Keilly Solano, New Haven, CT
Alisha Sorbara, New Canaan, CT
Ruben Sosa, Waterbury, CT
Zachary Sousa, Milford, CT
Alysia Southern, New Haven, CT
Rachel Sperduti, Bristol, CT
Mary Spodnick, Orange, CT
Trever Sprouse, Wallingford, CT
Margaret St Pierre, Wallingford, CT
Sabrina St. Juste, Bridgeport, CT
Troy Stegman, Wethersfield, CT
William Steinbrick, Orange, CT
Jenna Stepleman, Derby, CT
Tomas Stisi, Shelton, CT
John Strezo, Burlington, MA
Emily Stross, Unionville, CT
Zachary Sturgill, Milford, CT
Thomas Sullivan, Stratford, CT
Bailey Sullivan, Guilford, CT
Dakota Summer, Middletown, CT
Ashley Sweet, Cheshire, CT
Michael Szeligowski, East Haven, CT
Alayna Tadduni, Shelton, CT
Alexandra Takacs, Sparta, NJ
Kassandra Tamburrino, Ansonia, CT
Samuel Tapper, Suffield, CT
Natasha Tarbell, Old Saybrook, CT
Perpetual Taylor, Cromwell, CT
Rebecca Taylor, Shelton, CT
Daniel Taylor, Sherman, CT
Gabriel Teles, Cheshire, CT
Elizabeth Termini, Greenwich, CT
Michelle Tewksbury, North Haven, CT
Taylor Thomas, Yonkers, NY
Juliana Thomasson, East Haven, CT
Jordan Thompson, Campbell Hall, NY
Olivia Thorndike, Haddam, CT
John Tiberi, Shelton, CT
Alyeska Tilly, Danbury, CT
Emma Tiso-Pagani, New Haven, CT
Alexander Tkacs, North Haven, CT
Kevin Tobias, Durham, CT
Brokk Tollefson, New Haven, CT
Leslie Torres, West Haven, CT
Anna Toscano, Cheshire, CT
Jade Tran, East Haven, CT
Kimberly Travia, Milford, CT
Cheyanne Trivers, Ansonia, CT
Brianna Trzcinski, Shelton, CT
Rian Tucci, Ridgefield, CT
Sara Turcotte-Foster, New Haven, CT
Moesha Turner, Middletown, CT
Taylor Tuscano, Wallingford, CT
Idongesit Udo-okon, Stratford, CT
Kamol Usmonov, Guilford, CT
Ana-Michelle Valente, Stratford, CT
Nicole Valenti, Trumbull, CT
Amanda Valentine, Torrington, CT
Gabriela Vazquez, Meriden, CT
Auriediane Vazquez, New Haven, CT
Justin Veilleux, Branford, CT
Morgan Velez, Wolcott, CT
Emily Velidow, Salem, CT
Cassandra Veltri, Oxford, CT
Harley Ventura, Fairfield, CT
Alan Verrier, Cheshire, CT
Paul Viebranz, Shelton, CT
David Vieira, Shelton, CT
Jacqueline Villalpando, Norwalk, CT
Madelyn Vinsel, Guilford, CT
Stephanie Viola, Norwalk, CT
Cailin Vizzo, Shelton, CT
Richard Vollmer, Madison, CT
Johanna Wahlen, Karlsruhe, Germany
Zachary Walzer, Hamden, CT
Elisabeth Warren, West Haven, CT
Juliana Watts, West Haven, CT
Nissen Weisman, New Haven, CT
Laura Welch, Wallingford, CT
John Wells, West Hartford, CT
Lloyd Wells, Milford, CT
Connor Welz, Plainville, CT
Kyler Wesner, East Hampton, CT
Ceara Wettemann, Killingworth, CT
Sophia Whipple, Colchester, CT
Jessica White, Seymour, CT
Katherine Widman, Madison, CT
Jason Wiener, New Haven, CT
Myesha Williams, Bridgeport, CT
Destany Williams, Meriden, CT
Keith Williams, Waterbury, CT
Cory Williams, Branford, CT
Emily Wisniewski, Waterbury, CT
Jedrek Wittenberger, Monroe, CT
Emily Wolfe, Havertown, PA
Makenna Wollmann, Burlington, CT
Noel Womack, Hamden, CT
Benjamin Wooding, Rockfall, CT
Brandon Worthy, East Haven, CT
Shannon Wynne, Old Saybrook, CT
Michael Wysocki, Southington, CT
Mengxia Xu
Lauren Yaffa, Manchester, CT
Aysha Younas, Hamden, CT
Rachel Zagielski, Waterbury, CT
Nicole Zielinski, East Haven, CT
Rosabella Ziou, New Haven, CT
Alexis Zoppi, Shelton, CT
Maria Zurita, Hamden, CT

BUSINESS

Elise Abu-Sitteh, West Haven, CT
Jeymi Aguero-Hernandez, Torrington, CT
Joseph Amarante, Bethany, CT
Sandrine Aminawung, Wallingford, CT
Julia Andrelczyk, Naugatuck, CT
Adaeze Aseme, New Haven, CT
Candice Ashley, Hamden, CT
Ty Ballou, Branford, CT
Daniel Barnard, Ansonia, CT
Yenny Bayas, West Haven, CT
Raymond Beltran, Meriden, CT
Meagan Bickelhaupt, Brookfield, CT
Brent Biernat, Avon, CT
Stephanie Blazzi, Monroe, CT
Jesse Boateng, Seymour, CT
Randy Boyne, Bristol, CT
Christopher Brockett, North Haven, CT
Marta Brzostowska, Shelton, CT
Jamiy Burey, Shelton, CT
Courtney Butler, Branford, CT
Sabriya Caceres, New Milford, CT
John Calabrese, Plymouth, CT
Daniel Carbonaro, Oxford, CT
Erica Carr, Hamden, CT
Mitchell Cascella, Fairfield, CT
Virginia Chapman, Seymour, CT
Haroon Chaudhry, Hamden, CT
Andres Chavez, Stratford, CT
Kirill Chernyak, Milford, CT
Taylor Chisholm, Bridgeport, CT
Amanda Chow-Yen, New Haven, CT
Sarah Cizmazia, Newtown, CT
Casey Coassin, New Haven, CT
Alexandra Comeau, Wethersfield, CT
Samantha Conway, Seymour, CT
Anthony Corso, North Haven, CT
Jasmin Cortes, Waterbury, CT
Savannah Cruz, New Milford, CT
Jessica Cunningham, Suffield, CT
Corrine Daley, Branford, CT
Dennis Danley, Ansonia, CT
Heaven Datino, Pawcatuck, CT
Devon Davis, Irvington, NJ
Paige Decker, Millbrook, NY
Antonio Demartino, Hamden, CT
Lyman DePriest, West Haven, CT
Jonathan Diaz, Bridgeport, CT
Julia Dichello, Meriden, CT
Anna Doherty, Waterford, CT
Holly Donohoe, Stamford, CT
Collin Dunn, Litchfield, CT
Esosa Enagbare, Glastonbury, CT
Rigoberto Escalera, New Haven, CT
Camry Evans, Stamford, CT
Rebecca Festa, Seymour, CT
Nina Filippone, Ansonia, CT
Bryan Firmender, Milford, CT
John Fitzgerald, North Haven, CT
Tannor Fontaine, Lisbon, CT
Lauren Forbes, West Hartford, CT
Jacob Forrester, Middletown, CT
Judaya Foster, Hartford, CT
Carlie Freiler, Wallingford, CT
Dylan Gagne, Broad Brook, CT
Troy Gallipoli, Milford, CT
Katlyn Gallo, Branford, CT
Angela Gambino, Wallingford, CT
Lukas Garcia, Suffield, CT
Antonio Gerardi, Trumbull, CT
Andrew Geriak, Shelton, CT
Shaka Gibson, West Haven, CT
Brooke Grand, Shelton, CT
Troy Gray, Salem, CT
Linh Ha, East Haven, CT
Mikayla Hartman-Brown, Stratford, CT
Nicole Hauser, Stevens Point, CT
Olivia Hayes, Stratford, CT
Nicole Healey, Milford, CT
Zachary Heche, Trumbull, CT
Heather Henley, Clinton, CT
Joseph Hennessey, Ansonia, CT
Daniel Horvath, New Haven, CT
Kai Huang, Cheshire, CT
Abigail Hurlbert, Thomaston, CT
Patrick Inzero, Seymour, CT
Leanna Jadus, Long Beach, CA
Emma Johnson, Milford, CT
Logan Juniewic, North Haven, CT
Zachary Kelley, Wallingford, CT
Nicole Kopek, Milford, CT
Jillian Korwek, East Haven, CT
Michael Krochko, Oxford, CT
Asma Labonno, Meriden, CT
Olivia Laflamme, Branford, CT
Christopher LeBeau, Bristol, CT
Seungwon Lee, Woodbridge, CT
Berlove Lelain, Ansonia, CT
Fabrizio Liseo, Middletown, CT
Ling Liu, Woodbridge, CT
Dean Loehn, Stratford, CT
Gregory Lovisolo, Naugatuck, CT
Kaitlyn Lucas, Clinton, CT
Megan Mahon, Southington, CT
Cole Manceri, North Branford, CT
Leah Martino, Branford, CT
Olivia Martino, Woodbury, CT
David Martins, West Haven, CT
Alex Masse, Vernon, CT
Max Mattia, North Haven, CT
Joseph Mayglothling, Stamford, CT
Haley McGuane, Wethersfield, CT
Matthew McLaughlin, Bristol, CT
Charlotte McMillan, Brookfield, CT
Robert Medori, West Harrison, NY
Emily Mica, Harwinton, CT
Marcello Migic, Madison, CT
Phillip Miklovich, Stratford, CT
Ryan Miner, Oakdale, CT
Noah Miree, Middlebury, CT
Matthew Moore, Bridgeport, CT
Jason Moss, Shelton, CT
Jamie Mulone, Guilford, CT
Vincent Murphy, Shelton, CT
Brian Murphy, Oxford, CT
Meredith Murphy, Thomaston, CT
Olivia Murray, Bellmore, NY
Ryan Muscato, Weston, CT
Ignacio Navarro, Stratford, CT
Ericka Norberg, Newtown, CT
Elizabeth Novoa, Cromwell, CT
Trevor O’Malley, Oxford, CT
Nathan Owens, Hamden, CT
Justin Paolillo, North Haven, CT
Julia Pelletier, Wallingford, CT
Francesca Pepe, Branford, CT
Nestor Perez, Waterbury, CT
Lorenzo Perez, Bristol, CT
Ignasi Perez Cererols, Sant Cugat del Valles, Spain
Karen Pesapane, Cheshire, CT
Devin Peterson, Middletown, CT
Amanda Pierpont, Branford, CT
Muhaymina Plair, Hamden, CT
Mileidy Quintero, Bridgeport, CT
Nicholas Ragusa, Cheshire, CT
Addrianna Raney, Branford, CT
Sofia Ribeiro, Shelton, CT
Lissette Rivera, West Haven, CT
Heriberto Rivera, Derby, CT
Joshua Rivera, Waterbury, CT
Shayla Robinson, Stratford, CT
Joseph Rocco, Wolcott, CT
Jordan Romeo, New Haven, CT
Robert Romero, Darien, CT
Jennifer Rondo, Branford, CT
Richard Rosa, Hamden, CT
Genico Rosario, West Haven, CT
Lashay Rush, East Haven, CT
Gabrielle Salters, New Haven, CT
Yolanda Santos, Bridgeport, CT
Kendra Savage, Hamden, CT
Nicole Schoolcraft, Groton, CT
Amber Schultz, Monroe, CT
Giovanni Sciarappa, Milford, CT
Gavin Scully, Monroe, CT
Sara Sebastjanska, Seymour, CT
Christian Sgro, Northford, CT
Travis Shashok, Willimantic, CT
Jesse Silverman, Avon, CT
Faith Smith, Milford, CT
Katherine Smith, Cheshire, CT
Kiersten Snyder, Waterbury, CT
Alexandra Sosa, Trumbull, CT
Christine Stackhouse, Terryville, CT
Jason Steele, Waterford, CT
Victoria Tavares, Hamden, CT
Emily Taylor, Guilford, CT
Briggith Torres, East Haven, CT
Rex Tran, East Haven, CT
Madison Trask, Southington, CT
Madeline Turiano, Milford, CT
Bryan Twohill, Madison, CT
Tina-Marie Valente, North Haven, CT
Lisa VanGeersdaele, Waterbury, CT
Kacie Velasquez, Stratford, CT
Luke Velez, Killingworth, CT
Samantha Vieira, Beacon Falls, CT
Perry Vincenzi, Trumbull, CT
Katarina Viniczay, Wallingford, CT
Jeffrey Walsh, Glastonbury, CT
Adam Weber, Newtown, CT
Alyssa Weisberger, Orange, CT
Matthew Wells, Shelton, CT
Catherine Wheeler, East Haven, CT
Shannon Whelahan, Derby, CT
Aaron White, Hamden, CT
Siqi Yao, West Haven, CT
Matthew Yaqoob, Cheshire, CT
Daelyn Yasgar, Hamden, CT
Lindsay Zabawar, West Haven, CT
Anthony Zambito, Ridgewood, NJ
Valerie Zheng, New Haven, CT
Gabriella Zuk, Southington, CT

EDUCATION

Caroline Adams, Trumbull, CT
Amber Adams, Meriden, CT
Cailyn Aichelman, Shelton, CT
Justin Appel, Glastonbury, CT
Kennedy Ballard, Brookfield, CT
Chelsea Barnett, Monroe, CT
Sarah Bartholomew, Torrington, CT
Jana Bartomioli, Cos Cob, CT
Nalleli Becerra, Norwalk, CT
Savannah Beecher, Guilford, CT
Gabriella Belli, Wallingford, CT
Maria Beltran, Middlebury, CT
Cody Bergeron, Fairfield, CT
Natalie Biebel, Trumbull, CT
Shaina Birch, West Haven, CT
Taylor Bova, Orange, CT
Tracy Boyer, Westport, CT
Lauren Brainard, Stratford, CT
Hannah Brighindi, Shelton, CT
Sandra Britton, Woodbridge, CT
Julia Burns, Fairfield, CT
Kiley Burrows, Naugatuck, CT
Tess Buschmann, East Haddam, CT
Emily Caffrey, Wolcott, CT
Gabrielle Camarero, Stratford, CT
Tyler Cancelli, Hamden, CT
Cassidy Cappannelli, Cheshire, CT
Kelly Casale, Monroe, CT
Margarita Castillo, New Haven, CT
Dominique Cermele, Scarsdale, NY
Samantha Chagnon, Wallingford, CT
Julia Chambers, Norwalk, CT
Jillian Chambers, Shelby Township, MI
Melanie Chevarella, Oxford, CT
Sabrina Chevrette, Shelton, CT
Hee Choi, Bridgeport, CT
Erinn Coady, Madison, CT
Samantha Crans, Madison, CT
Miranda Crenshaw, Saint Paul, MN
Gabriella Critelli, White Plains, NY
Anna Cullen, Fairfield, CT
Marisa D’angelo, Shelton, CT
Amanda Daugherty, Hamden, CT
Victoria Davis, Stratford, CT
Jennifer Dawson, Clinton, CT
Sara Dibenedictis, Cheshire, CT
Kayla Dickinson, New Haven, CT
Giuliana Diglio, Branford, CT
Amanda Diurno, Stratford, CT
Alyssa Donovan, New London, CT
Lori Donovan, Gales Ferry, CT
Meagan Dooley, Hamden, CT
Shannon Dugan, Stratford, CT
Meaghan Dupuis, North Branford, CT
Kaitlyn Dyrek, Meriden, CT
Caroline Ecke, Prospect, CT
Mira El Turk, Hamden, CT
Rebecca Evensen, New Canaan, CT
Klayton Ferguson, Mystic, CT
Danielle Fletcher, Naugatuck, CT
Emily Rose Folsom, Middletown, CT
Sarah Foraker, Hamden, CT
Madison Fornal, Middletown, CT
Amaris Forte, Saint Albans, NY
Jessica Fressle, Levittown, NY
Matthew Galezowski, Ansonia, CT
Rachael Garcia, Woodbridge, CT
Elizabeth Gargano, Naugatuck, CT
Megan Garner, Hamden, CT
Jeffrey Garza, Danbury, CT
Taylor Geoghegan, North Haven, CT
Marie Gilbuena, Windsor, CT
Megan Gless, Shelton, CT
Alyssa Gorman, Monroe, CT
Lauren Granville, Sandy Hook, CT
Rebecca Gregoire, Waterford, CT
Abigail Gregory, Sandy Hook, CT
Catherine M. Griglun, Wallingford, CT
Jessica Grote, Waterford, CT
Kaily Gruttadauria, Stratford, CT
Amy Guo, Middlebury, CT
Miranda Gursky, Watertown, CT
Fidana Ha, Houston, TX
Jeff Haney, Oxford, CT
Abigail Hanlon, Danbury, CT
Carolyn Hanlon, East Haven, CT
Rebecca Harmon, Lebanon, CT
Mary Luz Heidtmann, West Haven, CT
Alyssa Heinig, Wallingford, CT
Keila Hernandez, New Haven, CT
Maureen Hesney, Waterford, CT
Maeghan Howard, Bethany, CT
Cailey Howser, Litchfield, CT
Taylor Hurley, Canaan, CT
Colleen Isberg, Oxford, CT
Casey Jackson, Higganum, CT
Amanda Japs, Wolcott, CT
Margaret Johnson, North Haven, CT
Hannah Johnson, Milford, CT
Stache Jones, West Haven, CT
Kara Jones, Pawcatuck, CT
Courtney Jorde, Katonah, NY
Megan Kaminsky, Shelton, CT
Georgia-Nicolette Kassimis, Norwalk, CT
Hannah Kearns, Goshen, CT
Nicole Kiernan, Wallingford, CT
Erin Knapp, Watertown, CT
Rachel Knight, Stamford, CT
Marissa Kogut, Preston, CT
Hunter Komm, Wallingford, CT
Violetta Konopka, Derby, CT
Samantha Koproski, Stamford, CT
Alyssa Korzon, Beacon Falls, CT
Taylor Labarbera, Danbury, CT
Gabriella Lavorgna, Northford, CT
Marisa Lenti, Wallingford, CT
Haley Lepsik, Rocky Hill, CT
Alexandra LesPerance, Valrico, FL
Katelyn Limata, Cheshire, CT
Jamie Longobardi, Derby, CT
Lesly Lopez, New Haven, CT
Tatiana Lorenzo, Meriden, CT
Olivia Loughlin, Shelton, CT
Victoria Louis, Windsor, CT
Briana Lucatino, Northford, CT
Taylor Macdowell, Glastonbury, CT
James MacGovern, Wethersfield, CT
Kelly Maduri, Oxford, CT
Jessica Maier, Enfield, CT
Alexa Malchiodi, Wallingford, CT
Jovanna Mancini, Woodbury, CT
Sydney Mandeville, Oxford, CT
Michael Manoni, Oxford, CT
Angela Markiewicz, Watertown, CT
Tori Mazzarella, Rocky Hill, CT
Christina Mazzeo, Stratford, CT
Michael McClean, Stratford, CT
Antonae Mcpherson, Bridgeport, CT
Drew McWeeney, Wolcott, CT
Kayla Metzger, North Branford, CT
Jessica Minty, Shelton, CT
Kelsey Monaghan, Guilford, CT
Gina Monelli, Stratford, CT
Kathleen Morton, Hamden, CT
Paula Munoz-gonzalez, Hamden, CT
Shannon Murphy, Hamden, CT
Savannah Nido, Waterbury, CT
Peyton Northrop, Southbury, CT
Deidra O’Connor, East Haven, CT
Hannah O’Hazo, Harwinton, CT
Samantha O’Keefe, New Haven, CT
Colleen Oesterle, Monroe, CT
Taylor Oleksiak, Seymour, CT
Kristine Oulman, Easton, CT
Rachel Papa, Hamden, CT
Jolee Parolise, Branford, CT
Briana Patterson, New Haven, CT
Courtney Pecora, New Milford, CT
Catherine Pelley, Hamden, CT
Mallory Perruccio, Portland, CT
Carla Piccolo, Prospect, CT
Allyson Pisani, West Haven, CT
Caterina Poletti, Norwich, CT
Samantha Pryce, Suffield, CT
Rachael Radwill, Milford, CT
Lamesha Randolph, West Haven, CT
Julia Raucci, West Haven, CT
Paige Raucci, Milford, CT
Monica Reardon, Trumbull, CT
Christopher Redmond, Naugatuck, CT
April Regan, Wallingford, CT
Jessica Reyes Palencia, Stamford, CT
Kalyrin Rivera, Waterbury, CT
Leeann Rivera, Waterbury, CT
Marisol Rivera, Norwalk, CT
Megan Robertson, Stratford, CT
Jessica Roginski, Norwalk, CT
Amanda Roma, Milford, CT
Robert Romano, Norwalk, CT
Jessica Rosa, Greenwich, CT
Amanda Rosabella, Greenwich, CT
Alexandria Rosenbeck, Meriden, CT
Gabrielle Roy, Manchester, CT
Naomi Salamea, Norwalk, CT
Jaspreet Sandhu, Wallingford, CT
Alyssa Santiago, Stratford, CT
Synthia Saulnier, Milford, CT
Rachael Sawicki, West Haven, CT
Emma Schober, Trumbull, CT
Megan Sego, Bridgeport, CT
Halley Shambra, Trumbull, CT
Brooke Shannon, Stratford, CT
Madisyn Sheridan, Suffield, CT
Christina Silva, East Lyme, CT
Emma Soltis, Trumbull, CT
Rita Spear, Bridgeport, CT
Jason Stoner, Killingworth, CT
Carly Stopper, Wallingford, CT
Maia Strong, Hamden, CT
Kathryn Struzik, Trumbull, CT
Danielle Sullivan, Oakdale, CT
Nicole Thomas, Seymour, CT
Peyton Tiriolo, Cheshire, CT
Melissa Tkacs-Soli, West Haven, CT
Faith Tracey, Cheshire, CT
Alexis Tucker, Sandy Hook, CT
Salvatore Tuozzola, Milford, CT
Rachael Tyrrel, Cheshire, CT
Carlie Vaillancourt, Waterbury, CT
Jake Velleco, Seymour, CT
Richelle Villabona, North Haven, CT
Katherine Viteretto, Norwalk, CT
Kylee Vitka-Lainey, Stratford, CT
Paige Vollero, West Haven, CT
Delaney Vumback, Westbrook, CT
Nicole Waibel, Fairfield, CT
Jennifer Weissauer, Milford, CT
Trevor Whalen, Rocky Hill, CT
Hadley Whitaker, Milford, CT
Marycolleen Whitney, Branford, CT
Sydney Wichmann, Granby, CT
Sarah Williams, Northford, CT
Alexa Wilson, Centerville, MA
Anastasia Wilson, Moodus, CT
Moira Wynne, Cheshire, CT
Christina Zaino, West Haven, CT
Brittany Zambiella, Oakville, CT

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Alexandria Abbagnaro, New Haven, CT
Cora Abbiati, Quaker Hill, CT
Kathleen Aberger, Plano, TX
Christie Abreu, Bristol, CT
Dalia Abu-Sitteh, West Haven, CT
Victoria Acampora, Woodbridge, CT
Cynthia Accousti, Waterbury, CT
Timothy Adams, Shelton, CT
Alexis Adams, Shelton, CT
Katherine Adams, Stratford, CT
Sierra Agard, Warren, CT
Laura Aleandri, Woodbury, CT
Leandro Antonio Alejandro, Plainville, CT
Christina Alexopoulos, Milford, CT
Latifat Alli-balogun, West Haven, CT
Djenifer Almeida Da Graca, Bridgeport, CT
Priscilla Amoako-Kena, meriden, CT
Patricia Amuan, Madison, CT
Taylor Andrews, Middletown, CT
Isabella Antonangeli, West Bridgewater, MA
Sydney Anzellotti, Enfield, CT
Jennifer Anziano, Meriden, CT
Devin Appleby, Waterford, CT
Alec Apuzzo, Wallingford, CT
Amber Archambault, Windsor Locks, CT
Nicole Archibald, Stratford, CT
Serena Arduini, Woodbridge, CT
Miranda Arnold, Cheshire, CT
Carli Atwood, Woodbridge, CT
Ariel Audette, Jewett City, CT
Larissa Avino, North Haven, CT
Thomas Ayers, Derby, CT
Lauren Ayr, Clinton, CT
Sara Badeaux, Shelton, CT
Kathryn Bagley, Shelton, CT
Roberto Balado, Milford, CT
Emily Balasco, Seekonk, MA
Taryn Baldwin, Cromwell, CT
Marianna Barbosa, New Haven, CT
Beau Bartone, Cheshire, CT
Hannah Bassett, Windham, CT
Averye Bassett, Cheshire, CT
Reaghan Bathrick, North Haven, CT
Tashyia Beard, Bridgeport, CT
Grace Beckley, Wallingford, CT
Gabriella Bedryczuk, Beacon Falls, CT
Lucas Beesley, Champaign, IL
Sarah Bender, Newtown, CT
Nicole Benedetto, Monroe, CT
Abigail Bensley, Malvern, PA
Brielle Benson, New London, CT
Alexandria Benzi, North Branford, CT
Rachel Bernier, Waterbury, CT
Gina Bialy, Shelton, CT
Kelly Bickell, Cheshire, CT
Jessica Biolo, Wolcott, CT
Robert Blakeslee, Branford, CT
Diana Bleza, Hamden, CT
Jaime Bochenek, Bristol, CT
Hannah Bodner, Bolton, CT
Phillip Bodurtha, Stratford, CT
Joseph Bonsanti, New Canaan, CT
Cole Boothman, Swansea, MA
Emily Borrelli, Derby, CT
Cadi Borsellino, Bolingbrook, IL
Emily Borysewicz, Quaker Hill, CT
Alisha Botelho, Danbury, CT
Cailey Botteon, Moodus, CT
Dashka Boursiquot, Stratford, CT
David Bray, North Haven, CT
Lesley-Ann Briscoe, Windsor, CT
Donyae Broadnax, New Haven, CT
Marina Brockamer, North Haven, CT
Crystal Brown, Stratford, CT
Rashawna Brown, Bridgeport, CT
Sarah Bruneau, Naugatuck, CT
Katharine Buckheit, Milford, CT
Sarah Bugryn, Bristol, CT
Kaitlin Burke, Woodbury, CT
Ashley Burkell, Wethersfield, CT
Brandon Burns, Cheshire, CT
Emily Buyak, Wethersfield, CT
Kayjuan Bynum, New Haven, CT
Kirsten Caffrey, Woodbridge, CT
Emmalee Caisse, Terryville, CT
Alycia Calabrese, Plymouth, CT
Makenna Calabrese, Plantsville, CT
Courtney Caldwell, Cheshire, CT
Betcherly Calixte, Bridgeport, CT
Haley Callahan, Middlebury, CT
Megan Camp, Middletown, CT
Savannah Campbell, Bloomfield, CT
Steven Canada Ii, Cheshire, CT
Kylie Carino, Milford, CT
Christen Carnes, Darien, CT
Deborah Carr, Oakville, CT
Daniella Carr, West Haven, CT
Matthew Carter, West Haven, CT
Nikeya Carter, East Hartford, CT
Tianna Carter, Bristol, CT
Sarah Cartier, North Haven, CT
Nyela Castillo, Hamden, CT
Crystal Castonguay, Danbury, CT
Olivia Castro, Bethany, CT
Alexandra Castro, Shelton, CT
Elena Cavallo, Oakville, CT
Joshua Chandler, West Hartford, CT
Candace Chapman, Milford, CT
Maria Chappa, Trumbull, CT
Julianne Chenard, Meriden, CT
Ian Cheu, Easton, CT
Angela Chiaravalloti, Cheshire, CT
Jeanne-Lyn Chieffalo, Fairfield, CT
Monica Ciocca, Shelton, CT
Michelle Ciolino, Milford, CT
Zachary Cipriano, Wolcott, CT
Allison Clark, Wilton, CT
Kristen Clark, Goshen, CT
Talia Clarke, Hartford, CT
Melanie Coleman, Milford, CT
Marissa Colla, Portland, CT
Caitlin Collins, Niantic, CT
Hayley Colon, Columbia, CT
Angelica Colon, Hamden, CT
Marisa Conlin, East Haddam, CT
Caitlyn Connolly, Niantic, CT
Gina Connolly, West Haven, CT
Kelli Connors, Hamden, CT
Rosa Conte, Norwich, CT
Julia Conti, Greenwich, CT
Kaitlynn Cooke, West Haven, CT
Isabella Corniello, North Haven, CT
Rebecca Cote, Plainville, CT
Bereniz Cote Luna, Hamden, CT
Briana Cotton, South Windsor, CT
Alyssa Coty, Trumbull, CT
Samantha Cozzolino, Hamden, CT
Stephanie Crane, East Granby, CT
Emma Crocamo, Seymour, CT
Serena Crowley, Hamden, CT
Alba Cruz, Stratford, CT
Ashley Cummings, Bristol, CT
Amanda Cusumano, Trumbull, CT
Brittany Czajkowski, Milford, CT
Melissa D’Agostino, Norwalk, CT
Samantha D’Amico, West Haven, CT
Lindsey D’Andrea, Litchfield, CT
Larissa D’Aniello, Madison, CT
James D’elia, Wethersfield, CT
Kristina Da Costa, Bridgeport, CT
Shane Da Silva-Novotny, Bridgeport, CT
Brittany Dainiak, Ansonia, CT
Jenna Dantas, Coventry, CT
JoAnna Darby, Bridgeport, CT
Simone Davenport, Bridgeport, CT
Simone Davis, New Haven, CT
Kylyn Dawkins, Bridgeton, NJ
Aschlyn Dawson, Terryville, CT
George Dechello III, Wallingford, CT
Theodore DeConne, Milford, CT
Michelle Defelice, Hamden, CT
Jeremy Del Valle, Bristol, CT
Sydney Delago, Norwalk, CT
John Delgado, West Haven, CT
Chelsea DellaRocca, North Branford, CT
Jenna Deluca, Woodbridge, CT
Domenico Delucia, East Haven, CT
Nicholas Demet, Old Lyme, CT
Matthew DeRose, Guilford, CT
Julia Dias, Bethany, CT
Noel Diaz, Danbury, CT
Jacqueline DiCandia, Watertown, CT
Sophia Didiano, North Branford, CT
Aja Diggs, Hamden, CT
Michael DiStasio, Branford, CT
Kaitlin Dobi, Naugatuck, CT
Samantha Dolega, Trumbull, CT
Sarah Donahue, Wallingford, CT
Rosemary Donnelly, Prospect, CT
Thomas Dougherty, New Haven, CT
Lauren Driscoll, Branford, CT
Jeanie Dunleavy, Wallingford, CT
Kelsey Duquette, Ansonia, CT
Emily Earnshaw, Naugatuck, CT
Jose Echegaray, Trumbull, CT
Kerstin Eckner, Oxford, CT
Allison Edwards, New Fairfield, CT
Andrea Egan, Waterbury, CT
Fatima Elfadli, West Haven, CT
Cassidy Elm, Southbury, CT
Adam Enoch, Meriden, CT
Osaro Eromosele, Hillside, NJ
Jacqulynn Espinet, New Hartford, CT
Stephani Esposito, Niantic, CT
Jennifer Esposito, Guilford, CT
Alyssa Esteves, Prospect, CT
Rose Lynn Estores, Fairfield, CT
Kayla Ewing, New Haven, CT
Samantha Falango, Hamden, CT
Ledia Fazo, Cheshire, CT
Marta Fedorko, Shelton, CT
Jeovanne Feliciano, Groton, CT
Morgan Fernald, Belfast, ME
Lucas Ferreira, Shelton, CT
Bryana Ferretti, Branford, CT
Shannon Ferris, Wethersfield, CT
Kristina Filomena, Ansonia, CT
Kyley Fiondella, Wallingford, CT
Patricia Fiorilli, Wappingers Falls, NY
Nicole Fischer, Southington, CT
Taylor Fitzgerald, Waterford, CT
Lindsey Fitzgerald, Wallingford, CT
Rachel Fitzpatrick, Vernon Rockville, CT
Natasha Fitzpatrick, West Moonah, Tasmania, Australia
Megan Fitzsimons, Milford, CT
Haley Flax, Mystic, CT
Jennifer Flecha, Rocky Hill, CT
Tayra Flores, Bridgeport, CT
Paola Flores Torres, New Haven, CT
Skye Flowers, Waterbury, CT
Samantha Foley, Durham, CT
Bridget Forte, Wolcott, CT
Kristina Fortier, Waterbury, CT
Alexandra France, Vista, CA
Emily Franke, Wallingford, CT
Kaylee Fuentes, Bridgeport, CT
Sarah Fusco, East Haven, CT
Jeanette Gabel, Guilford, CT
Katie Gaccione, North Stonington, CT
Carlos Galarza, East Haven, CT
Shane Gallagher, Orange, CT
Cameron Gamble, West Haven, CT
Katharine Giamattei, Cheshire, CT
Anecia Gidden, Bridgeport, CT
Hannah Gilhuly, Hamden, CT
Alana Gill, Monroe, CT
Angelica Gill, Glastonbury, CT
Lauren Girouard, Berlin, CT
Summer Gladney, Wallingford, CT
Samantha Glasow, Wallingford, CT
Jill Godlewski, Branford, CT
Daniela Godoy, Norwalk, CT
Jessica Goldenthal, Clinton, CT
Sarah Golomb, Orange, CT
Hailey Gonsalves, East Haven, CT
Jacqueline Gonzalez, Norwalk, CT
Daniel Gonzalez, New Milford, CT
Hannah Govan, Norwalk, CT
Brianna Grande, West Hartford, CT
Sarah Granese, Seymour, CT
Rossella Graniero, Wappingers Falls, NY
Teyah Green, Norwalk, CT
Shay Green, Beacon Falls, CT
Jahliah Green, Stratford, CT
Erin Greenleaf, Madison, CT
Andrea Greenwald, Norwalk, CT
Ryne Griesenauer, Naugatuck, CT
Vasilios Grigorakos, Port Washington, NY
Marisa Grisell, Brookfield, CT
Yasheera Guadalupe, Waterbury, CT
Nicholas Gugliotti, Simsbury, CT
Ciara Haensel, Cheshire, CT
Kerry Hager, Wolcott, CT
Samantha Hall, East Granby, CT
Brendan Hallett, East Haven, CT
Vanessa Hamilton, Hamden, CT
Julianne Hancock, South Windsor, CT
Asya Hardy, South Windsor, CT
Courtney Harkins-Latimer, Wolcott, CT
Timothy Harmon, Guilford, CT
Kathleen Hastings, Naugatuck, CT
Tiana Hatton, Ansonia, CT
Chineka Haye, Naugatuck, CT
Kathryn Heacox, Lakeville, CT
Caitlin Hebert, Watertown, CT
Caroline Henry, Watertown, CT
Leah Herde, Fairfield, CT
David Hernandez, East Haven, CT
Sarah Hickey, Stamford, CT
Claire Hines, Wallingford, CT
Lily Hoerner, Fairfield, CT
Nicole Hogan, Oxford, CT
Julie Hogan, Watertown, CT
Olivia Holubecki, Ledyard, CT
Sarah Houde, Wallingford, CT
Erin Hourihan, Rocky Hill, CT
Allyson Howes, Cromwell, CT
Joshua Huebner, Milford, CT
Makayla Hugo, Wallingford, CT
Gracelyn Hundley, Argyle, TX
Lily Hunt, Manchester, CT
Ashley Hutchinson, Wallingford, CT
Nicole Hyman, Fairfield, CT
Rachel Iassogna, Trumbull, CT
Shana Isidoro, Monroe, CT
Lea Ismail, Trumbull, CT
Melissa Jacksis, Shelton, CT
Danielle Jackson, New Britain, CT
Heather Jackson, Saunderstown, RI
Carla Jackson, Bridgeport, CT
Deidra James, Plainville, CT
Guerschom Jean-Louis, Medford, MA
Julia Jenkins, Chester, CT
Coral Jiménez, Waterbury, CT
Kenneth Johnson, Bethany, CT
Amanda Johnson, Seymour, CT
John Johnson, North Haven, CT
Isaiah Jones, Waterford, CT
Sarah Joseph, Stamford, CT
Monica Joy, Waterbury, CT
Amanda Jurgens, Bethel, CT
Christina Kalogeris, Fairfield, CT
Abigail Karabeinikoff, Meriden, CT
Amy Karlberg, Waterford, CT
Basima Karzoun, Milford, CT
Alyssa Kassimis, Stratford, CT
Stacey Kavanaugh-Schofield, Wallingford, CT
Felicia Kazantzidis, Stamford, CT
Meaghan Kelley, East Brookfield, MA
Amy Kelly, West Haven, CT
Kaitlyn Kendall, Waterbury, CT
Noor Khalid, Orange, CT
Sophia Khan, Danbury, CT
Halley King, Terryville, CT
Shaquana King, Hamden, CT
Robert Kirpas, Seymour, CT
Melissa Kirschbaum, Naugatuck, CT
Justin Kolosky, Torrington, CT
Mate Kovacs, Norwalk, CT
Emily Kowalski, Gales Ferry, CT
Olivia Kyasky, Woodbridge, CT
Jared Labades, Flushing, NY
Dawa Lama, North Haven, CT
Julianna Lanata, Glastonbury, CT
Jenna Lang, Milford, CT
Michael Lanzaro, Milford, CT
Sydney Larsen, Shelton, CT
Grant Laskin, Milford, CT
Heather Lavoie, Voluntown, CT
Elijah Lawyea, Griswold, CT
Christine Lay, Milford, CT
Alyssa Laydon, North Haven, CT
Eldine Lazarre, Hamden, CT
Eldine Lazarre, Stratford, CT
Tony Le, Branford, CT
Erin Leirey, Lake Katrine, NY
Julia Lener, Danbury, CT
Alexandra Leon, Bridgeport, CT
Marta Leszczynski, Shelton, CT
Phillip Lieb, Fairfield, CT
Heather Link, Wallingford, CT
Taylor Linsmeier, New Haven, CT
Matthew Lockhart, Woodbridge, CT
Peter Lofaro, Stamford, CT
Andriene Longmore, Bridgeport, CT
Jodie Lonkoski, Unionville, CT
Maria Lopez, Ansonia, CT
Julie Luce, Woodbridge, CT
Yuliya Lyalka, Hamden, CT
Madeline Lynch, Seymour, CT
Sarah Lyons, Naugatuck, CT
Victoria Lyons, Shelton, CT
Nicole Maccaroni, Naugatuck, CT
Mikayla MacClain, Glastonbury, CT
Evan Mach, Newington, CT
Alyssa Maddern, West Haven, CT
Taylor Maffeo, East Haven, CT
Nataly Magana, West Haven, CT
Mikaela Magee, New Fairfield, CT
Molly Major, Madison, CT
Sean Malone, West Haven, CT
Haley Manning, Lebanon, CT
Jayla Manning, New Haven, CT
Melissa Marcucci-Crerar, Cheshire, CT
Victoria Marino, Hamden, CT
Jane Marlor, Bethany, CT
Renee Marquis, Naugatuck, CT
Kimberly Martell, New Britain, CT
Taylor Martin, Bozrah, CT
Edward Martinez, Winsted, CT
Emma Martone, Higganum, CT
Sara Massaro, Trumbull, CT
Joseph Matera, Trumbull, CT
Jessica McAllister, Bristol, CT
Grace McCabe, Naugatuck, CT
Meghan McCarthy, North Branford, CT
Nataly Mcdonald, Bloomfield, CT
Melina McFadden, New Haven, CT
Jordan McHale, Johnston, RI
Shanice Mckain, Ansonia, CT
Amanda McKay, Waterbury, CT
Tracy-Ann McLean, Bloomfield, CT
Margaret McNeil, Stratford, CT
Ajahrae McPherson, Bridgeport, CT
April Meadows, Stratford, CT
Kimberly Meerman, Danbury, CT
Vicente Mendoza, Norwood, MA
Antonia Menta, Fairfield, CT
Dennicia Mercado, Bridgeport, CT
Denisse Mercado, Branford, CT
Bethany Meyer, Haddam, CT
Madison Miceli, Colchester, CT
Brianna Migliarese, Monroe, CT
Jeremy Miller, Windsor, CT
Katherine Miller, Southington, CT
Briana Miller, Branford, CT
Richard Mills, Cheshire, CT
Rebecca Minahan-Rowley, New Haven, CT
Vanessa Misurale, Stratford, CT
Tashawna Mitchell, Hartford, CT
Marissa Mocarski, North Haven, CT
Haley Mocker, Trumbull, CT
Mariam Mohamed, Fairfield, CT
Tiffany Monteiro, Trumbull, CT
Holly Montpelier, Putnam, CT
Taylor Moore, Brookfield, CT
Sarah Moran, West Haven, CT
Nicholas Moreira, Bridgeport, CT
Rosa-Nicole Moriello, Trumbull, CT
Ally Morin-Viall, Windsor, CT
Joshua Moro, Clinton, CT
Timothy Moro, Meriden, CT
Hannah Morse, Loveland, CO
Rachel Mouris, Plantsville, CT
John Mucha, New Haven, CT
Christopher Mulhall, Middlebury, CT
Ashley Munoz, Manchester, CT
Jillian Murphy, Seymour, CT
Amanda Murray, Bow, NH
Preston Myatt, Norwich, CT
Max Naranjo, Bristol, CT
Nicole Nardello, Southington, CT
Alexis Negron, Milldale, CT
Stephanie Nesdale, North Haven, CT
Suzanna Nevius, Bethel, CT
Tram Nguyen, Bridgeport, CT
Allison Noble, Newington, CT
Hailey O’Brien, East Haven, CT
Shannon O’Malley, Norwalk, CT
Erin O’Neill, Thomaston, CT
Noelle O’Toole, Middletown, CT
Fatai Obisesan, Stratford, CT
Uchenna Ogbaa, Hamden, CT
Hannah Ogrisek, Wallingford, CT
Taylor Oliver, Milford, CT
Alexa Orloski, Beacon Falls, CT
Danielle Ott, Guilford, CT
James Palmer, New Haven, CT
Justin Pandolfe, Waterford, CT
Rachel Papa, North Haven, CT
Kylie Pappas, Milford, CT
Christy Pappolla, North Branford, CT
Alyssa Parete, Wallingford, CT
Caitlyn Parisi, Milford, CT
Holly Parker, Branford, CT
Jonathan Paul, Westlake Village, CA
Antonio Pavic, North Branford, CT
Evan Pawlak, West Hartford, CT
Benjamin Jose Paz, Stamford, CT
Benjamin Augusto Paz, Stamford, CT
Sarah Pellman, Middlebury, CT
Katherine Perez, Ansonia, CT
Allison Perrault, New Milford, CT
Natalie Peterson, Oxford, CT
Lauren Pfannenbecker, East Haven, CT
Minh Phan, North Haven, CT
Anastasia Phillips, Norwalk, CT
Catherine Pietrafesa, Harwinton, CT
Aileen Pingol, Stratford, CT
Cesar Poma-Rodriguez, Monroe, CT
Taylor Portelinha, Woodbridge, CT
Kassie Poruban, Stratford, CT
Kathiana Princy, Stratford, CT
James Prindle, Wallingford, CT
Hailey Prindle-Nelson, Sharon, CT
Rachael Quicquaro, Watertown, CT
Errah Rabano, Clinton, CT
Elizabeth Raber, Wallingford, CT
Anthony Raccio, Milford, CT
Christopher Ramos, Shelton, CT
Noah Ramos, North Haven, CT
Sarah Reilly, Prospect, CT
Mikayla Rein-Walsh, East Haven, CT
Hannah Renker, West Hartford, CT
Nikita Reyes, New Haven, CT
Trevaun Ricketts, Stratford, CT
Emily Rioux, Prospect, CT
Sarah Rival, Bridgeport, CT
Lourdes Rivera, Shelton, CT
Mikaela Rivera, Manchester, CT
Kayla Rivera, Moodus, CT
Nayare Rivera, Waterbury, CT
David Rivera, Windsor, CT
Maria Rivera, Bridgeport, CT
Rachel Rizzo, Derby, CT
Chaunyce Roberson, Bristol, CT
Hannah Roche, New Milford, CT
Abby Rodrigue, Seymour, CT
Katherine Rodriguez, Waterbury, CT
Amy Rodriguez, Hamden, CT
Marlyn Rodriguez, Norwalk, CT
Taylor Rodriguez, New Britain, CT
Joseph Romagna, Oxford, CT
Michaela Roman, Stratford, CT
Desiree Rondeau, Meriden, CT
Victoria Rooney, Torrington, CT
Izabella Ruth Roque, Wallingford, CT
Jonathan Roth, Manchester, NH
Danielle Rousseau, Wolcott, CT
Brooke Rudy, Bolton, CT
Britney Ruffin, West Haven, CT
Sabrina Ruiz, Hamden, CT
Tatiana Salinas, Ansonia, CT
David Samaroo, Waterbury, CT
Tori Samatulski, Bridgeport, CT
Steven Samela, Stamford, CT
Laura Sanchez, New Britain, CT
Elanna Sanon, Norwich, CT
Diana Sanon, Hartford, CT
Victoria Santamauro, North Branford, CT
Christopher Santos, Wethersfield, CT
Gianna Sapienza, Hamden, CT
Jacques Schapira, West Haven, CT
Jessica Schreiber, Milford, CT
Paulina Serafin, Bristol, CT
Briana Sestito, West Haven, CT
Stephanie Seymour, North Branford, CT
Nadesha Shakes, Hamden, CT
Connor Shannahan, Enfield, CT
Holly Sheldon, Terryville, CT
Meghan Sherman, Milford, CT
Kayla Shutak, Redding Ridge, CT
Sabrina Silva, Willington, CT
Alice Simmel, Trumbull, CT
Isha Simmons, Wappingers Falls, NY
Gabriela Simoes, Waterbury, CT
Alexis Simons, South Windsor, CT
Caroline Simpkin, Stamford, CT
Sabrina Simpkins, Madison, CT
Tatiana Singleton, Bristol, CT
Hannah Smith, Enfield, CT
Maggie Smith, Trumbull, CT
Carla Soares, Naugatuck, CT
Amanda Solleck, Bristol, CT
Hazhia Sorosindi, Hamden, CT
Samantha Soto, Matawan, NJ
Rebecca Spadory, East Haven, CT
Dailene Spencer, Waterbury, CT
Natasha May St. Martin, Cheshire, CT
Cheyenne Stahl, Derby, CT
Allyson Starkey, Stratford, CT
Jessica Stein, New Haven, CT
Jannelle Stephenson, New Haven, CT
Janna Stratman, New Milford, CT
Nikolas Strickland, Uncasville, CT
Daniella Suazo, Norwalk, CT
Valerie Suchecki, Burlington, CT
Korynne Sullivan, Orange, CT
Gina Sundlof, Redding, CT
Andrew Swift, Preston, CT
Summer Sylvestre, Plainfield, CT
Nicole Symonovich, Waterbury, CT
Carlie Tammaro, West Haven, CT
Tracy Tenesaca, Danbury, CT
Sarah Thaxton, West Hartford, CT
Lauren Thelen, Madison, CT
Marissa Thomas, North Haven, CT
Katherine Thompson, Milford, CT
Ken’Nia Threatt, New Haven, CT
Samantha Thuotte, Middletown, CT
Ayla Thurstan, Amston, CT
Melissa Tighe, West Haven, CT
Pamela Topolska, New Britain, CT
Miranda Tranquillo, Winsted, CT
Jase Trelli, Meriden, CT
Shanice Tricoche, Waterbury, CT
Alexis Trovarelli, Stratford, CT
Eleni Tsetsos, Waterbury, CT
Angelo Turner, Meriden, CT
Jeffrey Turner, Newington, CT
Busra Tuzcu, West Haven, CT
Quintisha Upchurch, Hamden, CT
Alisha Vailette, Branford, CT
Elaine Valestra, Cheshire, CT
Christopher Vallecillo, Milford, CT
Brittany VanSteenburgh, Wallingford, CT
Tate Veley, Hartford, CT
Anna Venard, Thornton, CO
Mariah Villanova, Bridgeport, CT
Kenisha Villanueva, New Britain, CT
Elissa Vinci, Cromwell, CT
Matthew Violano, Hamden, CT
Zackery Voisine, Berlin, CT
Emily Waehler, Oxford, CT
Dolci Wagner, Narragansett, RI
Sydney Warchol, West Hartford, CT
Allie Warinsky, Mansfield, CT
Molly Wasson, Milford, CT
Alexis Watcke, Trumbull, CT
Timothy Weed, Cheshire, CT
Taylor Weiss, West Haven, CT
Katelyn Wentz, Oxford, CT
Quantique White, New London, CT
Samantha Widomski, Shelton, CT
Chandler Williams, Chepachet, RI
Jasmin Williamson, Hartford, CT
Maegan Wing, Wallingford, CT
Heather Wirth, Guilford, CT
Hunter Wnukowski, Trumbull, CT
Alyssa Wood, Shelton, CT
Lauren Woods, Terryville, CT
Alexander Woznicki, Orange, CT
Lynn Wright, Monroe, CT
Keirstyn Yaccarino, East Haven, CT
Benjamin Yambao, Shelton, CT
Elizabeth Yanes, Norwalk, CT
Maggie Yeh, West Haven, CT
Ernest Yelenik, Woodbridge, CT
Melissa Zagaroli, North Haven, CT
Kelli Zahariades, Milford, CT
Michael Zeranski, North Haven, CT
Alexis Zhitomi, Shelton, CT
Arthur Ziegler, Trumbull, CT
Alan-Michael Ziegler, Beacon Falls, CT

 

 

graphic for

Southern recognizes the importance of creating a family-friendly environment for students, employees, and the community, and as such aims to provide a supportive and flexible environment for breastfeeding students and employees as they transition back to study or work. Breastfeeding is known to offer health benefits for both infants and mothers, but mothers who are nursing their babies often encounter obstacles to continuing the practice once they return to work or school.

For women in the Southern community who are breastfeeding their babies, a new campus-wide initiative will ensure an environment that is supportive of breastfeeding. Southern is in the process of becoming a “Breastfeeding-Friendly Campus,” a designation given by the Connecticut Breastfeeding Coalition to recognize higher-education worksites that are supporting breastfeeding employees and students. As part of becoming a Breastfeeding-Friendly Campus, the university now expects each department to take reasonable measures to accommodate students and employees who wish to breastfeed or express breast milk on campus in accordance with Connecticut State Breastfeeding Laws.

State law protects the rights of women who wish to breastfeed or express breast milk at their place of employment, during breaks and in private spaces designated for these purposes. But students are not protected by the workplace law, points out Michele Vancour, professor of public health and director of the Office of Faculty Development. “The culture is different for students from employees,” she says. “As a result of unequal access to supports, students are forced to leave school, miss classes, or pump milk in unsafe environments like bathrooms and cars.” The Breastfeeding-Friendly Campus initiative broadens support to include students and even visitors to campus who may wish to breastfeed or express breast milk.

In August, the School of Health and Human Services (HHS) officially became a pilot program as a “Breastfeeding-Friendly School,” and now the initiative is branching out to the whole campus. Vancour has been leading the charge to bring this program to the university. As immediate past president of the Connecticut Breastfeeding Coalition and co-author with Michele Griswold of the book Breastfeeding Best Practices in Higher Education, Vancour has long been a champion of making the campus more friendly to breastfeeding mothers and was behind the effort to establish the university’s first lactation space (in Conn Hall) and a newer space in Buley Library.

“We’re the first university campus in Connecticut, and probably in the country, to do this,” Vancour says of the Breastfeeding-Friendly Campus designation. She explains that the goal for the initiative is for each department to have a “Breastfeeding Champion,” someone who knows how best to support a mother who comes to them looking for information on lactation spaces. Each champion will receive a packet of information and a sticker to display that shows she or he is a champion and will know who else can help and what spaces around campus are available for moms to pump in or breastfeed.

For the campus-wide initiative, Vancour says that so far, some of the pieces of the program have come together: several people have volunteered to be champions, and a process is in place for reserving the lactation space in Buley. But she is looking for more volunteers to serve as champions and more spaces to be set aside as lactation spaces. “Everyone needs to share in this if it’s to be successful,” she says. “It’s a campus-wide initiative, and if one group – the School of Health and Human Services — can do it, we can all do it.”

“In terms of social justice, I think that there are persistent disparities” in the experiences of breastfeeding mothers on campus, says Vancour. “The point of this initiative is that we can do better.”

Vancour is available to provide a brief presentation at department meetings on the multi-user lactation space in Buley and the overall Breastfeeding-Friendly Campus initiative. She points out that the Office of Faculty Development website has links to a video of the multi-user lactation space in BU 117; a registration form for all breastfeeding mothers on campus; and a room reservation form for BU 117. To become a champion or for more information, contact Vancour at (203) 392-5530, (203) 392-5488, or vancourm1@southernct.edu.

map showing solar panels projected for SCSU campus

Southern Connecticut State University will soon be the new home for over 3,000 photovoltaic solar panels. The culmination of over two years’ planning, the renewable energy project will generate over a million kilowatt hours of electricity annually and will be installed with no capital investment or up-front cost by Connecticut taxpayers.

The Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (CSCU) has partnered with Current powered by General Electric and Connecticut Green Bank to install the solar energy system on the SCSU campus in order to decrease operating expenses. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2018.

Solar panels will also be installed at Manchester and Middlesex Community Colleges, with the goal of extending to other campuses including Central, Housatonic, Asnuntuck, Quinebaug, Tunxis and Western in the next two years. The solar energy initiative is funded entirely with private capital sourced by Connecticut Green Bank and once fully implemented is estimated to save CSCU more than $10 million within the first 20 years.

SCSU’s panels will be installed in three arrays: as a combination ground mount and carport array in parking lot 9 near Brownell Hall, and a rooftop array at Wintergreen garage. The panels will help power the west side of campus, which largely comprises residential areas and business operations. Eric Lessne is the associate director for project management and engineering for the CSCU system, and has a long track record improving SCSU’s energy efficiency. “This is a public-private partnership with Current, powered by General Electric, and the Connecticut Green Bank,” Lessne says. “SCSU will purchase the electricity that the solar panels produce with substantial and immediate savings compared to our current utility rate. These solar panels will power about 4% of our electricity use as a campus.”

illustration showing solar car port on SCSU campus

SCSU President Joe Bertolino, who in early summer 2017 signed We Are Still In, joining over a thousand business leaders, university presidents, mayors and governors to support climate action to fulfill the Paris agreement, is very pleased about the project. “Clean renewable energy and social justice go hand in hand,” Bertolino says. “There was no question we wanted to do this. We’re already planning a second project.”

Robert Sheeley, SCSU associate vice president of facilities and capital budgeting, chairs the SCSU Sustainability Committee. “Our partnership with GE and CT Green Bank is a triple bottom-line win for the environment, our campus community, and for taxpayers,” Sheeley says. “Ten years ago, we dreamed about projects like this. We’re looking forward to breaking ground next year.”

Suzie Huminski, SCSU’s sustainability coordinator, explains, “We chose sites for this solar project that are best for maximizing energy production and don’t compromise other potential land uses or ecological value. Even though our goal is to maximize solar installation, it is just as important to consider ecosystem and community value for potential sites as it is to consider southern sun exposure. We’re proud to take such a big step forward with our climate leadership efforts.”

SCSU students have been involved in the process as well. Huminski recalls that in 2015, four students worked with her as part of a fellowship funded by Energize CT. Together, the student fellows worked with consultants at Celtic Energy to conduct a campus solar feasibility study. The university was already in early stages of solar planning, and these students got a real-time firsthand view of planning a large commercial renewable project.

Of the four fellows, Huminski reports that Skyler Edmondson, ‘16, got a job working in the solar industry after graduation, and another fellow, Justin Lipe, M.S. Chemistry, ’16, now works at Quantum Biopower, Connecticut’s first anaerobic digester located in Southington. The facility converts food scrap to renewable energy and landscape products.

“Anything we can do to make our system and our planet more viable and sustainable in the future is a step we’re willing to take,” said CSCU President Mark Ojakian of the solar project. “I want to sincerely thank all our partners who worked hard to make this important project possible.”

“The CSCU has shown tremendous leadership with this initiative,” commented Connecticut Green Bank President and CEO Bryan Garcia. “The Connecticut Green Bank is thrilled to be supporting CSCU’s efforts to go green. By not only installing solar energy systems across multiple campuses at once but using private capital to finance the projects, CSCU will be saving significant dollars for the State. And with a high-quality partner like GE overseeing the installations, there is little question these systems will perform and create a win-win-win for all involved.”

“This project is a great representation of the potential of solar generation,” said Amol Kapur, Current by GE’s business development manager for the CSCU portfolio, “CSCU is demonstrating the value of bringing together engineering, technology and finance to support both business and sustainability goals.”

 

Larry DeNardis receives honorary fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University

Lawrence DeNardis, a member of the Connecticut State Board of Regents for Higher Education (BOR), recently received the award of an Honorary Fellowship of Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). One of 12 Fellows chosen for 2017, DeNardis was honored for his outstanding achievement in creating transatlantic academic opportunities. He was instrumental in helping to establish the pioneering transatlantic partnership between Southern and LJMU, which provides a unique student exchange program, including opportunities for joint degrees.

DeNardis received the award during LJMU’s graduation ceremony, held at Liverpool Cathedral before an audience of over 3000 graduates and guests.

The Trans-Atlantic Alliance between SCSU and LJMU, now in its third year, has included research internships, study abroad for students from both institutions, faculty exchanges, and the approval of the first programs in a portfolio of joint master’s degrees. SCSU President Joe Bertolino and former Provost Ellen Durnin were part of a small delegation that visited Liverpool in May to meet with LJMU leadership and advance the university’s first major international partnership.

The Fellowship was presented to DeNardis by Sir Malcolm Thornton, who joined LJMU’s Board of Governors in 2001 and became chairman and pro-chancellor in 2007, a position he held until 2013. Thornton and DeNardis have known each other for 35 years and share a “passion for education as an engine of change,” said Thornton in his remarks during the presentation. A few years ago, together they began to plant the seeds for the transatlantic partnership between LJMU and SCSU.

Thornton said, “It’s not easy to establish a formal partnership between universities on different sides of the Atlantic. We have succeeded – we have succeeded because of shared values, shared beliefs and because our academic staff, here and in America, have seized the opportunity to create new ways to work together.”

DeNardis said of his award, “It is with great pleasure to have this honour bestowed on me and to my wife to be here with me. It is true that this 35-year friendship has led to a strong partnership between SCSU and LJMU – a partnership that will benefit countless students at both institutions for decades to come.”

LJMU’s highest honor, the Honorary Fellowship is bestowed each July during Graduation Week upon a select group of individuals from outside the university, in recognition of their outstanding achievement in a given field or profession, and who personify the university’s ethos and go on to inspire others.

The Fellowship of the university is an association of individuals who are closely connected with the work of LJMU, and Fellows play an active role in the life of the university by delivering guest lectures, hosting events, helping with projects and in some cases mentoring and supporting individual or groups of students.

DeNardis’ own academic career includes 16 years as an associate professor and chairman of the Department of Political Science at Albertus Magnus College, visiting professor of government at Connecticut College, guest scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars of the Smithsonian Institution, and seminar instructor at Yale University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from the College of the Holy Cross and a master’s and a Ph.D. in government from New York University.

He has pursued a combined political and educational career and as a public servant has worked to create opportunities to raise the aspirations of the communities he has served, Thornton said.

President Emeritus of the University of New Haven and a former United States Congressman from Connecticut, DeNardis has been a federal and state legislator and chief executive officer, in addition to his work as a political science professor. He represented Connecticut’s Third District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 after serving five terms in the Connecticut State Senate from 1971.

He was the Acting Assistant Secretary for Legislation at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 1985-86 and was appointed by President George Bush to serve as a member of the Board of Regents of the National Library of Medicine.

In 2005 and 2006, DeNardis was an official election observer for national parliamentary and presidential elections in Ukraine and Tanzania and co-chaired delegations from both the Association of former members of Congress and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. He also led a delegation of former members of Congress to meet with the new president of Chile in February 2006.

DeNardis was appointed in 2012 to the BOR, which governs Connecticut’s four state universities; 12 community colleges; and Charter Oak State College.

 

President Joe Bertolino shares thoughts on Southern, how he came to the university, and the life-changing power of Camp Ockanickon.

It was the ultimate college acceptance — albeit with a bit of a twist.

The message came by phone and the recipient, Joe Bertolino, had been invited to become Southern’s new president. Roughly eight months later, Bertolino is no longer the new kid in town. Since officially taking the helm at the university on August 22, he’s quickly become “Top Owl” in name and deed, crisscrossing campus, New Haven, and beyond in an ongoing quest to connect with students, alumni, and business and community members.

In recent months, Bertolino — or President Joe as students call him — has met with scores of legislators and industry leaders, joined the board of directors at the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA and New Haven Promise, rolled up his sleeves at the university’s day of service, jointly led an on-campus social justice forum with his partner and fellow higher education leader Bil Leipold, and connected with neighborhood schools. Among the Owls most vocal fans, he’s even tackled the t-shirt cannon, gamely shooting Southern swag to the cheering crowd at Jess Dow Field.

“Since his first days on campus, he’s been incredibly involved,” says Corey Evans, a senior political science major and president of Southern’s Service Commission, which runs student-led community outreach programs. “He’s very committed to social justice. It’s one thing to talk about it, but he puts himself out there, helping with planning and going to events. . . . When I look back at Social Justice Week and the other programs that were held on campus during his first semester, I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

Such commitment is a given says Bertolino, who has 25-plus years of leadership experience at private and public universities, the latter in Vermont, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

“I come from a social work background. I firmly believe it’s all about relationships — and students always come first.”

Before Southern, he was president of Lyndon State College in Vermont for four years, spearheading the development of new master and strategic plans, the launch of nine academic programs, and an almost 200 percent increase in annual giving in three years.

All things considered: A few of the mementos found in President Joe’s office.
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“This [wooden statue] is from a young man, Sam from Sri Lanka, who attended Queens College. He’d been active in student government, but at the start of a new semester, I noticed he wasn’t there. I asked about him and was told that Sam hadn’t done well and wouldn’t be back that semester. So I reached out to him — summoned him to my office — and told him that he needed to get it together. That I would help . . . but he needed to get back to school and get to work. About a year later, I found this note SCSU_16_Memorabilia-7056fand this fisherman on my desk. In the letter, Sam wrote that in his culture the fisherman symbolizes the start of a new day and the value of a hard day’s work. He said I had reminded him of the importance of these things.”
“This young man, Jake — a wonderful banjo player — played at my previous inauguration [at Lyndon State]. He had leukemia and lost his battle. His parents gave me this banjo and a pick with his photo on it as a farewell gift when I left Vermont. They’re a very special family. It means a great deal to me.”
“This is from [YMCA] Camp Ockanickon. It lists the titles I held there over the years and was given to me when I left the camp [as an employee] in 1990. Seven years later, I became a board member [of the YMCA of Southern New Jersey]; 16 years after that I would become president of the board. Who would have thought?
“This was made for me by the RAs [residence assistants] at my first university job as a hall director at East Stroudsburg University [in 1991]. It has hung on the door at every job I’ve held over the last 26 years — at six institutions. It reminds me that students always are the first priority.”

He joins Southern at a pivotal time, highlighted by the dramatic transformation of campus, including the construction of a state-of- the-art science building, a new home for the School of Business, and the expanded Hilton C. Buley Library, now twice its original size. The obstacles facing the university are dramatic as well, including a statewide budget deficit and a shrinking population of high school graduates. But Bertolino remains upbeat.

“In terms of our financial position, yes, we are facing challenges,” he says. “But I don’t want to lose sight of the fact that we have a lot to be proud of. When I look out over this campus, I see great facilities. Great research opportunities. Great faculty. A strategic plan that I am very excited about and will be particularly aggressive about implementing.”

A longtime social justice educator, Bertolino has pledged to continue championing the cause. In November, he became one of an initial 110 college and university presidents to issue a joint letter to then President-elect Donald Trump urging a forceful stance against “harassment, hate, and acts of violence.”

“I want people in this city, state, and beyond to know Southern as the university dedicated to social justice.”

It’s a message he’ll be sharing throughout Southern and the community-at-large. “At the moment, I am going to be out and about a lot. It’s kind of nonstop,” says Bertolino. Following, he pauses briefly to share some personal stories and his thoughts on the university’s future.

What role did education play in your family?

I’m the product of a traditional lower-middle class family, born and raised in the suburbs of South Jersey. Faith, family, and education were the priorities in our home — in that order. I had 16 years of private school education. My younger sister and I attended a catholic grammar school and high school. I went on to the university of Scranton, a catholic college in the Jesuit tradition. It was always assumed that my sister and I would go to college. It was just something you never questioned.

How about your parents?

Neither of my parents initially had a college degree when i was growing up. My father had a high school education and took some community college classes. He worked for the shipyard in Philadelphia and, later, for what was then bell Telephone. He was a switch operator before going into management. My mother went to nursing school after she graduated from high school. At the time, people typically didn’t think about getting a college degree to become a nurse. But when I was in about seventh grade, my mother went back to school to get a BSN [bachelor of science in nursing].

Did that make an impression on you?

Absolutely. She worked very hard. I consider myself to be a first-generation college student in the traditional sense. But my mother was the first in the family to get a college education, which she did as an adult while simultaneously raising a family.

What was your college experience like?

When I look back at grammar school and high school, it’s all a blur. I don’t have negative memories, but they’re not particularly fond either. But college was amazing. That’s one of the great benefits of higher education. It gives you the opportunity to reinvent yourself a bit . . . to explore. You find your cohorts . . . your people. I was in a group that included the band and singers. Last year, I went back to my alma mater to celebrate our former director’s 35th anniversary. Here it was 30 years later, and I was so excited to see everyone.

Your parents have many fans on campus. They made great comments about being proud of you on Facebook.

It’s very, very sweet. [laughs] My mother always emphasized education, but it was important to my father, too. He started his professional life as a blue-collar worker and worked very hard. The summer after I graduated from high school, he found a job for me at a cable TV factory. Later, when I was packing to leave for college, he came to my room and asked how I had liked working there.

‘I hated that job,’ I told him. ‘It was horrible. horrible.’ He looked me in the eye and said, ‘And that is why we are sending you to college. Don’t forget it.’ I never did.

Now, both my sister and I work in education. She works in pre-K and here I am in higher education.

You recently were named to the board of directors at the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA. You’ve had a long association with the YMCA. How did it start?

It was the summer after my freshman year of college. The local newspaper — the Courier-Post — had a job listing: ‘Counselors Wanted.’ I remember thinking, ‘I’m majoring in psychology. I can be a counselor.’ I didn’t have a clue. . . . So I went to the interview. Drove up and there’s a big sign: YMCA Camp Ockanickon [in Medford, N.J.] I went to the director’s office, and he proceeded to ask me a series of questions. Have you ever been to camp? Nope. Do you swim? Nope. Play any sports? No. Boat? Nope. Practice archery? No. Arts and crafts? Maybe. Umm, no.

How about working with children? I’d like to, I told him — and he thanked me and I left. Soon after my mother called to tell me they’d offered me the job . . . which I thought was just crazy.

So was that director right? Was it a good fit?

I worked at camp every summer — both when I was in college and, after, while working as a high school teacher. I went on to serve on the camp’s board of directors for 13 years and was the president of the board from 2006 to 2010.

It’s the relationships that stand out. I met Stephan, one of my first campers, when he was 9. His parents were getting divorced that first year. From then on, he came back and stayed in my cabin every summer. Eighteen years later, I was the best man at his wedding. His oldest son, Matthew, is my godson. Last summer we sent Matthew off to Camp Ockanickon, where he stayed in the cabin where his dad and I met.

Camp has been the single most important influence in my life. I credit the fact that I am sitting in this chair — that I’m the president of Southern — to that camp.

An article in Vermont Business magazine mentioned that you contemplated becoming a priest?

I was in the seminary in Scranton for a year and a half. In hindsight, it was far more conservative than I would have liked. But I didn’t leave for religious reasons or a lack of faith; I left because I wanted to forge my own path — and that presented an unexpected opportunity. I took a leave of absence and was assigned to teach religion at a Catholic school in South Jersey. I never went back to the seminary. Teaching led to graduate school, which led to my starting a career in Student Affairs in higher education — and I’ve never left higher education.

What led you to pursue the presidency at Southern?

Southern is a highly diverse community located in a great, culturally rich, urban environment. The university educates many first-generation college students and is positioned to be a strong community partner — the traits that I really love in a university setting. New Haven is also a great city, and it’s a lot closer to my family than Vermont. My partner Bil and I talked about it — and I thought I had nothing to lose by throwing my hat into the ring. It’s a great opportunity. So here I am. Bil and I recently closed on a home in Morris Cove in New Haven. We are excited.

You’ve been described in the press as one of the country’s first openly gay university presidents. Does that carry an added responsibility?

When I started at Lyndon [State College] there were about 20 to 25 openly gay presidents in the U.S. There are now about 70 to 75. I do think that for the LGBTQ community — and also for the Student Affairs community — I feel an added responsibility to “represent” . . . to go above and beyond. But I also remind folks that I am not the gay president. I am the president who, by the way, just happens to be in a committed relationship with a man. Period. It’s not really a focus for me and the work that I do. That said, I am certainly honored if my role at Southern inspires others — lets them see the possibility of holding a public leadership position.

Describe your leadership style in five words.

Compassionate. Kind. Collaborative. Relationship focused.

What are your immediate goals for Southern?

Topping the list, I would like Southern as a community to become even more focused on social justice — in every possible way. I have been a social justice educator for more than 25 years, and my administration will be committed to social justice, not just in word, but in action and deed. Secondly, raising the profile of the institution is key. As I said during my interview [for Southern’s presidency], ‘I’m a PR man!’ I welcome the opportunity to share Southern’s accomplishments and all the benefits it offers to our students, our community, and the state. Third, we will be having solid discussions to address our financial challenges through the promotion of entrepreneurship, the development of new and innovative community partnerships, and a greater emphasis on private fundraising. And this is extremely important to me — we are focusing on student success, furthering efforts to enhance academic excellence, remove obstacles to graduation, and improve retention.

Last summer, prior to officially becoming president, you attended an on-campus dialogue, “A Campus Conversation on Race, Policing, Advocacy, and Action.” You briefly shared your concerns for Joel (pronounced Jo-el), a young man from Jamaica.

My family is very nontraditional. I refer to Joel as my son, though he’s not in a legal sense. But I believe family is defined by love, not by blood or paperwork. When Joel’s first baby was arriving, he told me, ‘You are going to be a grandfather.’ His son Roman calls me Grandpa Joe.

It’s important for people to know how we define family . . . who in our lives are important to us — especially if this helps me to better understand the young men and women at Southern.

[Bertolino first met Joel Welsh Jr. at Queens college. Then a student, Joel worked as his exercise trainer. Today, he is the head strength and conditioning coach at Delaware State University.]

You’ve invited the students to call you President Joe. Why is this important?

I want members of the community to think of me as a person . . . a member of the community. I also want to be somewhat informal. But that doesn’t take away from the seriousness of my role. I tell people not to confuse my smile and my informality with a lack of seriousness. But too many times, people get stuck in their own hype. I think ‘President Joe’ invites people to engage in a conversation and build a relationship.

Speaking of conversations, you’ve been talking to many constituencies — from students and alumni to faculty to legislators. Have you learned anything that surprised you?

One thing I am really excited about is the quality and the caliber of our student population. The academic excellence and rigor at Southern is far beyond what many realize. Our students are sometimes underestimated. In the sciences, a team of Southern students recently won a bronze medal at an international synthetic biology competition. Southern’s Society of Professional Journalists was named the Outstanding Campus Chapter in our region [Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island]. Our freshman class includes many top students, including three high school valedictorians. We are a community of scholars, artists, and community activists. I’m looking forward to seeing all that we accomplish.

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— This article was featured in Southern Alumni Magazine, Spring 2017

Students from the Department of Communication Disorders presented three research papers at the 2017 National Black Association for Speech Language and Hearing Conference on April 8. Two of the papers earned the distinction of highlighted posters, and were recognized among “the best research posters presented by faculty, students and clinicians.”

Undergraduates Coral Jiménez, Jacqueline Hernández-Flores, Teresa Wirtemburg, Shea Keeley, and Giovanna Diana presented “Cultural Competence Club–Join-Up!”  The paper examined the development of Southern’s trailblazing student-led organization Cultural Competence Club, which invites cross-disciplinary involvement in learning about and engaging across cultures.

commdisorders
Pictured Left to Right: Shea Keeley, Glenda DeJarnette (Mentor), Jacquelin Hernández-Flores, Coral Jiménez, Teresa, Wirtemburg.

Graduating senior Taylor Bird presented “Systematic Review of African American English (AAE) Narrative Discourse: Impact on Literacy.” The paper was an extension of research Taylor conducted as a recipient of the 2016 SCSU Undergraduate Research and Creativity Grant to determine AAE narrative skills across disciplines.

taylorbird
Pictured: Taylor Bird

Graduate students Caroline Berkovich and Peyton Moss presented “Gauging Institutional Commitment to Cultural Competence for CLD Populations.” The research examined policies from national organizations in health-related fields regarding professional workforce preparation to address cultural diversity.

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Pictured Left to Right: Peyton Moss and Caroline Berkovich

“Numerous faculty colleagues approached me to share how impressed they were with the caliber of research and professionalism demonstrated by our students,” said Glenda DeJarnette, faculty mentor to the projects. “I watched as each student fielded questions and engaged attendees in very thoughtful conversations about their research. As a mentor for these projects, I extend kudos first to the students who worked diligently on the research and secondly to colleagues at Southern whose efforts have helped to shape these promising scholars.”

 

 

Southern will host three events in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Monday, April 24, 2017. All events are free and open to the public.

‘Days of Remembrance’

1-2 p.m.: Professor Jason Stanley, Ph.D., Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy, Yale University, will share the largely unknown story of his grandmother Ilse Stanley’s heroic efforts to save more than 400 Jewish prisoners from concentration camps between 1936 and 1938, as well as her efforts to help many others escape from Germany. He will read from his grandmother’s 1957 book, The Unforgotten.
– Learn more.

University Choir Concert: ‘We Will Remember….’

7:30-9:30 p.m.: The concert commemorates Holocaust Remembrance Day, and also honors the 100th anniversary of the founding of the New Haven Chapter of the NAACP.  Musical selections include Daniel Hall’s hauntingly beautiful piece for choir and viola, “Reflections from Yad Vashem”; Verdi’s “Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves” (Va Pensiero); Leonard Bernstein’s “Somewhere” from West Side Story; American spirituals arranged by Moses Hogan, Sheldon Curry and Thomas Trenney; a musical reflection for trumpet and choir inspired by Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech; and Wilhousky’s famous concert arrangement of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” – Learn more. 

Holocaust Exhibition in Memory of Elie Wiesel

All day: The Holocaust Exhibition showcases books, videos, mementos, and pictures from private collections and Hilton C. Buley Library. – Learn more.

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