Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success by University of New Haven

PREVIEW

OUR BEGINNING

I SEE A UNIVERSITY WHERE...

PATHS OF DISCOVERY

A Magnificent Reality • 1

Celebrating Our Centennial • 6

Perseverance & Passion • 12

Launching Charger Athletics • 31

ALUMNI MAGAZINE

A night school on the Yale campus, creating new chapters for veterans of World War I, answering the call for an educated workforce in an age of rapid technological change. Through the great depression and another world war, it continued to produce talented leaders in business and engineering. By 1960, it was ready for its own home, on a hill, overlooking the region it had helped to transform. Alongside the rising brick and mortar, it created hope for those who thirsted for knowledge. It grew and prospered, building professional strength in its students and economic

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strength in its community. Always on the cutting edge, always with a can-do spirit. With devoted faculty and leaders, it built awareness and competence, creativity and pride, expanding its footprint across its campus, the state, and

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success the globe, to achieve the remarkable. For 100 years, producing innovators in a breadth of fields. Envision now what the next century will bring. Challenges faced. New ideas generated. Dreams delivered. Lives changed.

A Magnificent Reality On August 25, the University of New Haven community celebrated the grand opening of the newly established Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation. The 45,500-square-foot LEED-certified facility was named in recognition of longtime University benefactors Samuel S. Bergami Jr. EMBA ’85, HON ’02 and Lois Bergami, who provided the lead gift that inspired dozens of additional donors to join them. Together, they made the Center — a long-held dream of University President Steven H. Kaplan — a magnificent reality. The Center has become a new hub for the campus. Around it crackles a dynamic, can-do energy. Its spatial design highlights a shift in teaching modality

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from static lecture to collaborative, hands-on, interdisciplinary methods of teaching and learning. Inside, students engage in high-impact “learning by doing,” using the most technologically advanced collaborative classrooms, engineering and science labs, video production studios, a makerspace, and an esports training and competition space. The Center gives students tremendous freedom to ideate, design, and create solutions to problems. It also fosters teamwork across disciplines, which is essential to addressing the complex challenges that define the 21st century.

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

IN THIS ISSUE

I see a University where ...

10 Perspectives and reflections from our community

Beautifully Simply Amazing Ivy Watts ’15

ALUMNI MAGAZINE

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Editor in Chief Elizabeth Rodgers, erodgers@newhaven.edu Vice President for Enrollment & Student Success Gregory E. Eichhorn

Perseverance and Passion

The Marvel of Human Ingenuity

A Global Path to Personal Growth

Austin Thomas ’19, ’21

Carolyn Brehm MBA ’96

Charles E. Pompea ’71, EMBA ’90, HON ’06

Reach for the Stars

Surreal Solidarity

The Pursuit of Justice

Hannah Providence ’22

Alvin Tran, Sc.D., MPH

Jasmia Molina ’21

Vice President for University Advancement Stephen J. Morin Associate Vice President for Marketing & Public Relations Doug Whiting President of the Alumni Board of Directors David Galla ’99 Director of Alumni Relations Heather Alpaugh, halpaugh@newhaven.edu Marketing & Communications Renee Chmiel, M.S.; Dave Cranshaw, MBA; Susan Dowd; Tyler Hanson, M.S.; Matthew McCullough, M.A.; Kellie McLaughlin, M.S.; Carolyn Meyer; John Mordecai; Laura Norris, M.S.; Alicia Post Lindstadt, MBA; Sue Pranulis, M.S.; Chris Teodosio Design Bria Caso & Hannah Fichandler, Taylor Design Contributors Emily Cretella, Jen Kitses Photography Apicella @ Bunton Architects, Defining Studios & Defining Properties, Don Hamerman, Anna Ivanova, Nick Kapp ’20, Studio Em, Svigals + Partners, University of New Haven Athletics

PREVIEW

PATHS OF DISCOVERY

THE CHARGER CHALLENGE

1 • A Magnificent Reality

24 • The Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation

34 • Exceeding the Challenge

OUR BEGINNING 6 • Celebrating Our Centennial

Charging into our second century of success

26 • The College of Arts & Sciences

35 • From the Campaign Co-Chairs

27 • The Pompea College of Business

36 • Centennial Ball

28 • The Tagliatela College of Engineering

37 • Impact Stories

29 • The Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice & Forensic Sciences 30 • The School of Health Sciences

THE NEXT 100 YEARS 38 • We are the University of New Haven

31 • Charger Athletics PERSPECTIVE A BOLD VISION

40 • Lighting the Way

The University of New Haven Alumni Magazine is published twice a year by the Office of Marketing & Communications. Its mission is to connect alumni and other members of the University community to the University and to one another. Reach us at: The University of New Haven, 300 Boston Post Road, West Haven, CT 06516 or at magazine@newhaven.edu. The University of New Haven is committed to equal access to educational and employment opportunities for all applicants regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, color, personal appearance, marital status, civil union status, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, or physical or intellectual disability. ©2020 University of New Haven. All Rights Reserved. For permissions, please contact erodgers@newhaven.edu

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Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

IN THIS ISSUE

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Welcoming Our Next Century

n 2005, as part of my inaugural address, aspire to reach further and do more, recognizing I reflected on the kind of institution I hoped opportunity and practicing intentionality, the University of New Haven would become gratitude, and unbridled tenacity. As participants under my leadership. Today, the University in the life of this remarkable University, we is stronger than it has ever must all focus our energies been and has attracted and efforts to build upon the Let us celebrate our in recent years the largest immense achievements of willingness to take risks number of exceptional those who came before us. students in our history. This and to embrace the What you will read about in this level of excellence reveals Centennial issue of the promise of tomorrow, and special just how close we have come University of New Haven Alumni to redouble our belief in to being the University that Magazine — aspirational I envisioned. And yet, as I the power of imagination, visions coming out of our said those many years ago, schools, colleges, and Athletics innovation, and impact. this is only the beginning. Program; the record-shattering Like those who founded success of The Charger this great institution in 1920 — and the tens of Challenge Campaign; and the support of our most thousands of students it has been privileged to loyal and steadfast benefactors — will allow us to serve over the past century — we will always do just that.

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

So as we welcome 2021 and the next chapter in the University’s history, let us renew our commitment to serving new generations of students. Let us celebrate our willingness to take risks and to embrace the promise of tomorrow, and to redouble our belief in the power of imagination, innovation, and impact. I send you my warmest wishes for a bright and promising next 100 years.

Sincerely,

Steven H. Kaplan, Ph.D. President

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OUR BEGINNING

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Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

Our beginning 100 years ago was born out of opportunity, imagination, and boldness. Though the faces of today are different than those of yesterday, the desire for something better, for opportunity and growth, doesn’t change over the course of time. And neither have our principles and our commitment to excellence. We are the University of New Haven. This is our story. This is our vision. Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

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A Formula for Greatness The University of New Haven’s Centennial Timeline reveals the most important elements for our success throughout the institution’s first 100 years.

A New Haven College engineering class is held at Yale University in 1920.

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Celebrating O 1920 The institution that would become the University of New Haven is founded when the evening school of the New Haven YMCA affiliates with Northeastern University.

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1935

1958

State charters New Haven College.

The College is renamed New Haven Y.M.C.A. Junior College.

The College receives accreditation to offer the bachelor of science degree in engineering.

1930 New Haven College Alumni Association is established in September.

1947 Thanks to the G.I. Bill, veterans make up 69 percent of the student population.

First graduating class receives its degrees. The men invite Bella Cohen ’24, the sole woman degree candidate, to receive her degree first.

1960

1948

The College purchases the New Haven County Home for Orphans and the Gatehouse as its first campus buildings and moves to current location in West Haven.

The College is accredited by the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

1952 School of Executive Development is established as precursor to current Executive MBA program.

1953 The College is renamed New Haven College.

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1954

Yale University permits New Haven College to use its building and classrooms. Majority of classes are taught by Yale faculty.

Ellis C. Maxcy is appointed director of New Haven College. Leads the College through the Great Depression.

Marvin Peterson is appointed the College’s first president, serving for 20 years.

1965 New Haven College Student Center opens. It was later renamed Bartels Hall, the campus center, in honor of Henry E. “Hank” Bartels HON ’91 and Nancy Bartels HON ’11.

Our Centennial 1969 The College’s first residence hall, Bethel Hall, opens. New Haven College establishes a Graduate School and begins offering an MBA and an M.S. in Industrial Engineering.

1973 Dr. Phillip Kaplan is appointed president of the University of New Haven and leads an era of growth amid surging and waning enrollments.

1989 Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter holds a campaign rally on campus.

The Bartels Fellowship is established through the generosity of Henry E. and Nancy H. Bartels to regularly bring individuals of national stature and prominence in the fields of business or public service to campus to interact with students.

The University’s non-commercial radio station, WNHU 88.7 FM, signs on for its inaugural broadcast.

1991 1985

1970 On its 50th anniversary, New Haven College changes its name to the University of New Haven.

1974 The Marvin K. Peterson Library is dedicated in honor of the University’s first president.

The University acquires Winchester Hall and Sheffield Hall and converts the buildings to student housing. This reflected the University’s first step toward becoming a residential campus.

1986 The University dedicates Frank Vieira Field in honor of longtime baseball coach Frank “Porky” Vieira.

1987 1976 Construction begins on Charger Gymnasium at North Campus.

Dr. Lawrence J. DeNardis becomes the fifth president of the University.

The Chargers women’s basketball team makes history, winning the first national title in the University’s history.

1995 The City of New Haven is host to the 9th Special Olympics World Summer Games. Along with Yale and other facilities in the region, the University of New Haven is host to several events, including volleyball at Charger Gymnasium. President Bill Clinton visits the opening ceremony, and several new initiatives make their debut, including, for the first time, people with intellectual disabilities serving as certified officials.

TA K E A N I N S I D E L O O K AT T H E M O S T M E M O R A B L E FIRST CENTURY AND LEARN ABOUT THE PEOPLE 2005

2009

On April 12, the University dedicates its Tagliatela College of Engineering in honor of a gift from the Louis F. and Mary A. Tagliatela Foundation.

The $43 million Soundview Hall, the University’s largest and first “green” residence hall, opens. It was later renamed Celentano Hall in honor of West Haven businessman Joseph E. “Chick” Celentano Sr.

2008 The $15.5 million, 56,600-square-foot David A. Beckerman Recreation Center, named in honor of David Beckerman ’66 A.S., is officially dedicated.

1997

Playing in front of a sold-out crowd, the Chargers football team returns for its first game after a five-year hiatus, defeating Stonehill College, 23-18. Prior to the game, the University dedicates Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium in honor of Ralph F. DellaCamera ’75.

Tony Sparano ’84 leads the Chargers football team to the NCAA championship game for the first time in program history.

2004

Jeffery’s Fusion, the University’s student-run, fine-dining restaurant, located in Harugari Hall, is dedicated in honor of Jeffery P. Hazell ’83, HON ’10.

2011 The University dedicates the Bartels Student Activity Center in honor of Philip H. Bartels HON ’11. and Susan Bartels. The 4,000-square-foot facility houses the Career Development Center as well as offices for student organizations.

2012 The University opens its first international satellite campus, the Tuscany Campus, in Prato, Italy.

Steven H. Kaplan becomes the University’s sixth president and ushers in a period of remarkable growth and development. President Kaplan and his wife, Anemone Schweizer-Kaplan.

2010 For the first time, the University is rated a “top-tier university” by U.S. News & World Report in its annual “Best Colleges” rankings. The Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science is dedicated. Named in honor of forensic scientist Dr. Henry C. Lee HON ’10, the facility features a crime-scene simulation center, a high-tech forensic room, a crisis-management center, classrooms, and a forensic learning center.

Bergami Hall, which offers suite-style living for firstyears and sophomores, is dedicated in honor of Samuel S. Bergami Jr. EMBA ’85, HON ’02, and Lois Bergami. The building opened in 2003 and was previously known as New Hall.

2013 The University dedicates its student-run Hazell Nut Café in honor of Jeffery P. Hazell ’83, HON ’10.

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2016

The former worldwide Hubbell Electronics headquarters in Orange, Connecticut, becomes the Bergami and Pompea Graduate Center, home to the University’s College of Business. The facility honors Samuel S. Bergami Jr. EMBA ’85, HON ’02, Lois Bergami, Charles E. Pompea ’71, EMBA ’90, HON ’06, and Tamera Pompea.

The University dedicates the Lois Evalyn Bergami Broadcast Media Center, home of WNHU 88.7 FM, the University’s 1,700-watt radio station, in honor of Lois Bergami.

Bucknall Theater is dedicated in honor of William L. Bucknall Jr. ’63, ’65, HON ’08. For the first time, the University is recognized by The Princeton Review in its annual rankings of colleges and universities.

The University dedicates the Myatt Center for Diversity and Inclusion in honor of Kevin Myatt HON ’16 and Gail Myatt. The Myatt Center plays a central role in helping to foster a welcoming environment for all members of the campus community.

The University’s police department becomes the first at a private college or university in the state to earn Tier I accreditation from the State of Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council. Fox61 establishes its New Haven news bureau on the University campus.

2018 The University establishes its School of Health Sciences.

2019

The University breaks ground for the Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation.

Westside Hall, the University’s newest residence hall, opens.

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2015 The College of Business earns accreditation from AACSB International — the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business — joining a select group of schools worldwide recognized for providing the highestquality business programs for undergraduate and graduate degrees in business.

The University’s Master of Healthcare Administration earns accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education.

2017 The Engineering and Science University Magnet School, a public college preparatory middle and high school serving grades 6–12, located adjacent to campus, opens.

The University’s Career Development Center is ranked #17 in The Princeton Review’s list of the “Best Career Services.” The University welcomes the largest incoming class in its history, which includes 1,730 new students hailing from 33 states and 21 countries.

The Atwood, a private, mixed-used facility adjacent to the University’s main campus, opens as part of the University Commons development in the Allingtown section of West Haven.

Assistant professor of chemistry Chong Qiu becomes the first member of the University’s faculty to earn the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development Award.

The University celebrates the grand opening for the Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation.

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Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

I learn what it means to give back. Charles E. Pompea ’71, EMBA ’90, HON ’06

I am encouraged to make an imprint on my local and global community. Carolyn Brehm MBA ’96

The pursuit of justice is more than an idea — it’s a hands-on reality. Jasmia Molina ’21

I have a voice. Ivy Watts ’15

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My creativity is allowed to fly.

Austin Thomas ’19, ’21

I push myself to achieve my personal best.

My mind is opened to views that are different than mine.

Hannah Providence ’22

Alvin Tran, Sc.D., MPH

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FINDING YOUR VOICE

Ivy Watts ’15

Beautifully Simply Amazing

’ve been a track athlete since I was eight years old when I started running as part of a community track club. We weren’t that serious — at that age, it was an accomplishment if we stayed in our own lane for the whole race! But I discovered early on that I was pretty talented. As I grew up, I tried other sports and activities, but I took it hard when I was criticized for not being good enough. I’d hear, “You’re terrible at baseball, but you’re amazing at running the bases.” From a young age, I based much of my self-worth on that kind of external validation. And that became part of my mental health struggle — I wanted to be perfect. So, ultimately, I threw myself into track. I grew up in Waltham, Massachusetts, and there weren’t a lot of people who looked like me in my neighborhood. When I got to middle school, which was more diverse, the bullying began, and I was told I wasn’t Black enough. It was as if I had nowhere I fit in. That became part of my struggle as well, unrelated to sports. I felt like I wasn’t meeting society’s expectations by just being myself, and I started to feel less than, which continued through middle school and high school. At U New Haven, I focused almost entirely on track. I absolutely loved my coach. He had recently helped another athlete drop seconds in the 400 meter, an incredibly fast race, which was an unbelievable achievement. I was inspired and set equally challenging goals for myself. I worked just as hard academically and did very well. However, there was another side to my story. I was constantly chasing perfection rather than being who I wanted to be. But what is perfection? It’s an unattainable goal that makes us feel bad about ourselves. After leaving U New Haven, I began to struggle with the reality that I didn’t know who I was. I had constructed my self-worth around track: my entire identity centered on it. In sports, there’s a mentality that you need to “suck it up” and put on the jersey or the helmet and perform. I had internalized

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Ivy Watts ’15, a former student-athlete as a member of the Chargers women’s track and field team, received the Distinguished Student Scholar Athlete Award two years in a row, was an All-American Northeast-10 Woman of the Year and a top 30 finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of New Haven with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and went on to earn a Master of Public Health from Boston University while working at Riverside Community Care, a mental health organization. She later transitioned to Partners Healthcare, a Boston-based nonprofit. Watts, who left Partners in July 2020 to pursue a career as a blogger and motivational speaker fulltime, is now a sought-after mental health advocate who shares her story as a way to help others discover their own paths to health and wellness.

that mentality and never reached out for help. So after graduating, I didn’t have the tools to address the anxiety and self-loathing I was developing. I went into a state of depression, with thoughts of suicide. Then one day, I had a conversation with a friend who looked like she had it all together, but she told me she was having a tough time too. This was the first time I had ever talked to someone about therapy — and it’s funny because even though I was a psychology major in college, I’d never connected what I had learned with my personal experiences. But after that conversation, I felt sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. That was the start of my journey to finding my voice and recognizing that the stigma around mental health had been a barrier holding me back.

Then, three years ago, one of my former U New Haven coaches reached out to ask if I would be willing to speak to the track team because, unfortunately, one of the volunteer coaches had died by suicide. I’d only just started getting help myself and also hated public speaking. I ended up giving a very structured presentation on suicide prevention, self-care, and mental health resources. I didn’t share my own experiences at all. But despite that, I made an impact, and it felt amazing. Afterward, I asked myself, “How can I use my own story so that people can see they’re not alone?” That one public speaking engagement, which I’d dreaded, had a huge impact on my life trajectory. It was July 2018, which was significant because it was exactly one year after I had left a very negative relationship and also one year into my journey of therapy, reflection, and practicing self-love. I decided to start a blog, “Beautifully Simply You,” to help others see that they are beautifully, simply amazing just the way they are and that even if they’re in a dark place, they don’t always have to be. My first blog post got great audience feedback so I thought, “How can I expand this so that even more students and student-athletes know that they’re not alone?” I started expanding my blog’s reach to people outside my personal circle, contacting NCAA site directors, and reaching out to my old high school and other high schools. I ended up booking some speaking engagements, and then schools and organizations started reaching out to me. Now, this is my full-time job: speaking to people across the country at high schools, colleges, and universities to help them start to find their own voices. I might speak to as many as 300 students, but when one student tells me afterward how much my story meant to them, that’s the most rewarding part. I always say that I let my passion speak louder than my fears, and I definitely haven’t looked back.

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

I might speak to as many as 300 students, but when one student tells me afterward how much my story meant to them, that’s the most rewarding part.

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GIVING BACK

Charles E. Pompea ’71, EMBA ’90, HON ’06

Perseverance and Passion

hen I look at our students today, I see many who come from a background like mine. Their parents have worked very hard — in many cases, their parents have worked multiple jobs to help get their kids an education. My dad was one of eight children and had to leave school in eighth grade so that he could help support the family. He didn’t have an education. But his work ethic was extremely strong, and I guided my career based on what I learned from him. I worked my way up the ladder, going from sales to management in the steel company that I went on to own. Maybe 5 or 10 years into my career, I’d made it to the point where I was overseeing four plants. In California, there was a fellow I saw who worked very hard and was very good at his job. On this particular day, he looked upset. He told me that his daughter had health problems and insurance would cover only so much of the cost. I asked him how much he needed, and I wrote him a check. Although he wanted to pay me interest, I told him that wasn’t necessary and I wouldn’t accept it. I just wanted to help. That experience certainly helped me understand how important it is to try to help the people who really need it — because 99 percent of the time, it gets paid back in spades, either through hard work, or dedication, or loyalty. I did things like that a number of times throughout my career. I had very loyal employees who worked hard and had good ideas, and that’s part of what made my steel company successful. However, more than that, helping others is just something that’s good to do. If you and your family are in a position where you can help, it’s important to do it. It might not seem like much to you, but it

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Charles E. Pompea ’71, EMBA ’90, HON ’06 is chair of the University of New Haven Board of Governors. The former owner of Primary Steel in Middletown, Connecticut, Pompea began as a sales representative and rose to become president and CEO. Under his leadership, Primary Steel grew into one of the top five steel plate processors in the country. A long-standing University benefactor, Pompea has contributed to the restoration of Maxcy Hall and the construction of the Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation; the Beckerman Recreation Center; and the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science. Pompea and his wife, Tamera, joined former classmate Samuel Bergami Jr. EMBA ’85, HON ’02 and his wife, Lois, in supporting the University’s purchase of its Orange Campus, which was dedicated as the Bergami and Pompea Graduate Center. Most recently, the Pompea family made the largest gift in the University’s history to dedicate the Pompea College of Business. Pompea and Tamera reside in Hope Sound, Florida.

certainly does change other people’s lives. If everyone did it, this would probably be a much better world. I’m now at a stage in my life where I can give back to my alma mater in bigger ways. Watching students thrive and grow as a result of our giving is incredibly meaningful to me and my family.

One of the interesting things I’ve learned is how rewarding it is to inspire others to give back as well. Whether you can give a dollar or you can give a million, every single donation is appreciated. I came back to the University in the late ’80s to get my MBA, when I was in the middle of a possible career change. It was hard work, of course, and I had a young family at the time. But it was worth it. That program was a life-changing experience for me. I was in the process of figuring out if I wanted to stay in the steel business or possibly find a way to buy Primary Steel the company I worked for at the time. At the University, I wrote a paper about leveraged buyouts. I brought it to my then professor, M.L. McLaughlin, who has since passed. She asked, “Why are you showing me this?” And I replied, “Because I thought you’d give me some suggestions on how I might improve it.” “Improve it?” she said. “You could teach this course.” I’m proud to say that, in 1993, I did indeed buy out Primary Steel, and I attribute much of the inspiration and knowledge to do so to my experience with M.L. and the University EMBA program. When the University asked me to support the business school, my whole family felt like it would be a great thing to do. We decided to give a large gift so that students who might not be able to afford the cost of an education could get one. I’m proud of all the students at the University — and of how the whole campus and student body have grown. I think the diversity is wonderful — but I’m particularly proud of our business students. They work so hard, and they are so happy to be there. I see how the kids come as freshmen and leave as seniors. I’m proud of having our family name on the Pompea College of Business. Hopefully, we get a lot of young entrepreneurs that come out of there. In 25 years, they could be in the same position that I’m in now.

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

University of New Haven alumnus Charles Pompea; his wife, Tamera; and the Pompea family have given the largest gift in the history of the institution to support student scholarships and the enhancement and development of several groundbreaking programs in the College of Business. In recognition of this generosity, the University has named the Pompea College of Business in their honor.

That experience certainly helped me understand how important it is to try to help the people who really need it — because 99 percent of the time, it gets paid back in spades, either through hard work, or dedication, or loyalty. When it comes to philanthropy and where it originated in my family, we’ve all done it. I recall when we lived in East Haddam, although we had little twin

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

girls, my wife, Tamera, volunteered her time to pick up dialysis patients and bring them to Middletown. Thus, we got to know some elderly folks in East Haddam that she donated her time to, and they all loved to see the little twins in the back seat. My wife was driving to Middletown even in snowstorms. Now, Tamera sits on a board as vicechair of the Center for Family Service in West Palm Beach — a wonderful charity that supports abused women and children and works with underprivileged people who struggle with mental health issues. She is very busy and active supporting that and other important causes. Tamera and I have also tried to inspire our children to give back where they can. They all appreciate what they have, give back a certain amount, and donate time volunteering. Hopefully, they’ll someday be in a position to support

the causes that are important to them in a big financial way. I think everyone has to have specific goals in life, including perseverance and a real passion for what they do. That will help them rise up in their careers. As they do, if they remember what it was like to be on the other side of the fence, then giving back and helping others will just come naturally. If you want to be successful, you can’t do it alone. Helping other people will help you in the long run. We can all learn from each other. I’m hoping that my family’s contributions help the University, both intellectually and financially. In 25 years or maybe at the next 100-year anniversary, everyone can look back and say, “Oh my gosh, we’re now 200 years old, and look what we have. Look at all we’ve done.”

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DREAMS, AMBITIONS, & CREATIVITY

Austin Thomas ’19, ’21

The Marvel of Human Ingenuity Austin Thomas ’19, ’21 graduated from the University of New Haven with both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Thomas helped manage the University’s makerspace from 2016 – 2020. Originally housed in Buckman Hall, the makerspace moved in August to its new home in the state-of-the-art Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation. Thomas was passionate about exploring the limitless potential of the makerspace and developing ways to add depth to each student’s experience. As a graduate assistant in his final semester, Thomas explored the needs and perceptions of students in different majors while training and engaging students as part of his job. He hopes to leave future students a legacy of fostering inclusivity, innovation, and excitement.

henever I look at engineered systems such as cars, electronics, and buildings, I marvel at the results of human ingenuity and wonder where anyone would even start to design something so intricate and clever. For a long time, I believed — like many do —that creativity is a trait possessed by some, but not by all. By studying engineering, I had expected I would reach that zenith of creativity and be able to effortlessly

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glide through the design process from blank slate to final product. Now, after earning both an undergraduate and a graduate degree in mechanical engineering, I have more admiration than ever for the process of creating the everyday items we enjoy. By looking only at the final product, one ignores the long and arduous steps of defining the problem, brainstorming concepts, prototyping, testing, making mistakes, taking guesses, iterating, and ultimately declaring, “Fine, it’s good enough.” The path to success is never a straight line, and it always takes a village to produce anything of value. My journey toward harnessing my creativity started in high school. At some point, I felt a surge of curiosity about how things work. I started taking apart my old toys to inspect the mechanisms and electronics. It was not long until I was retrieving things like tape players and computers from the trash for spare parts, watching online creators share their projects and techniques, and trying to mimic the impressive things I had seen others make. Some of my favorite creations included baskets, boxes, picture frames, and Christmas ornaments. In my senior year of high school, I learned of an “innovative engineering” opportunity at the University of New Haven — a full scholarship for the winner of a science fair-esque competition. The only issue was that I did not have a suitable project at the time. I scrambled to produce a tabletop CNC router, or computer-controlled cutting machine, from a cheap rotary cutting tool and some simple hardware and electronics. I was inspired by some of my favorite internet woodworkers and used as many open-source resources, from online videos to downloadable code, as I could to suit my needs. The final product was

only rigid enough to cut foam, but I was proud of it. Although I did not end up with the full scholarship, I was granted a runner-up scholarship. It was an incredible experience and solidified my choice to commit to the University for the fall. Upon starting college, I began to seek out any opportunity for hands-on creation. Without a proper workspace, my dorm room had become an impromptu shop. I was thrilled when, at the start of my sophomore year, the University established a makerspace.

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No matter what discipline you are in, problems will present themselves, and finding innovative ways to solve them does not require a particular technical background.

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I got a job helping to manage the makerspace, and my duties included becoming familiar with all of the equipment, documenting any tips and tricks, training others to use the tools, and facilitating events and activities. At first, the concept of a makerspace was new and unfamiliar, so other students either did not know it existed or they saw it as just another engineering lab — a place with high-tech equipment that they would never need. Naturally, this troubled me, so I helped reinforce our efforts to reach out to non-engineering students. We found that incorporating elements of courses in art and design was an important step in establishing the makerspace as a central hub for the whole campus. The art students brought a new energy to the space, and they had incredibly clever and intricate ideas. Helping people make sculptures, signage, or jewelry with the same tools that had been used to make prototypes for engineering projects brought me great joy. It amuses me now that people might think of the makerspace as only an engineering lab when some of the more recent projects I have helped with are making heart-shaped earrings from sheets of plastic with a laser cutter and embroidering a bird pattern onto a sweatshirt. I have spent years learning new techniques and how to work with various tools and materials, but I often struggle with generating ideas. Now, I see myself as a facilitator. I enjoy collaborating with people who have ideas, passions, or issues they need help to resolve and exposing them to the many possible solutions and ways to produce a working prototype. With these perspectives combined, the creative process thrives. No matter what discipline you are in, problems will present themselves, and finding innovative ways to solve them does not require a particular technical background. Diving into topics outside of one’s field can be intimidating. The fear of failure is a strong deterrent that keeps many people from trying new things. To anyone with that mindset, I say the only way to get good at something is to start out very bad and to learn from every mistake. Anyone who looks at me and sees someone with a supernatural creative ability is not able to see the countless things I have broken, measured incorrectly, or given up on along the way. Leveraging outside perspectives, seeking out as many resources as possible, and accepting that things may not always work is the only way to grow one’s creativity.

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MAKING AN IMPRINT

Carolyn Brehm MBA ’96

A Global Path to Personal Growth Carolyn Brehm MBA ’96 is founder and CEO of Brehm Global Ventures LLC, which advises private sector businesses and other entities on global government relations and public policy strategy. Previously, Brehm spent nearly 30 years in leadership roles at Procter & Gamble and General Motors as well as serving as vice president of Asia for a humanitarian organization, Orbis International. Brehm received a 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of New Haven and delivered the Spring 2017 Bartels Lecture talk as part of the University’s longest-running lecture series. She is a champion of the University’s Model United Nations program, among many others. Brehm was elected to the University’s Board of Governors in May 2020. This August marked the inaugural presentation in the Brehm-Boucher Speaker Series: Making Policy in an Uncertain World, which is sponsored by Brehm and her husband, Richard Boucher, who served as the 1993–1996 U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus.

ore than once in my career, I landed in an unexpected place by being willing to take advantage of an opportunity that presented itself. As I look back, I see a series of turns that have led forward, although not always in a straight line.

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After several more professional moves, my husband The first time I stepped well outside my comfort was named the U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus. That was a zone was in high school when I was selected as an risky change for me, but again I saw an opportunity — American Field Service exchange student to Bombay, the role of an ambassador’s spouse, representing the India. At 16, I left my friends and family to travel United States, presented to me both a welcome break halfway across the world. I spent the summer before from corporate life and a chance to experience a place my senior year living with a local family, learning and culture in a way that I never had before. about the culture, and meeting fellow students. It was in Nicosia, The world seemed like Cyprus, that I enrolled a much bigger place when in the University of New I returned home, and Haven’s MBA program I knew I would want to with a concentration in explore again. It is extremely important, international business, After graduating from I think, for every American offered through a Georgetown University’s partnership with Cyprus School of Foreign Service, to gain experience outside the College. I was particularly I was hired by the U.S.United States. Whether on excited about the China Business Council. vacation, studying abroad, or opportunity to connect I had an entry-level job but more deeply with regular saw opportunities to take living with another family, you people in Cyprus. I had on more responsibilities. learn so much about yourself found myself living in a I made my first trip to China diplomatic bubble — with in 1979 when I staffed by leaving your comfort zone lots of interaction with the Council’s office at the and your culture. other diplomats and biannual Chinese trade fair. leaders in the community, I continued to move up, but only within this thin and a few years later I led a slice of society. The MBA team charged with helping program allowed me to get to know young Cypriots on companies import, export, and invest in China as the a personal level. country opened to foreign investors. There is a common language in the business Later, after getting married and spending six world, and the MBA program provided me with the years advising companies on how to do business in vocabulary. It built up my skill set in every way. It China, I wanted to do business in China myself. My made me feel more comfortable talking about returns husband, a career diplomat, and I moved to Shanghai; on investment, market shares, and countless other I joined General Motors’ trading company, and my business concepts that I went on to use in the private husband became the second-highest official at the sector — including 17 years at Procter & Gamble as U.S. consulate there.

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

Carolyn Brehm and her husband, Richard Boucher, have established a speaker series that endeavors to bring top experts in diplomacy, international affairs, political science, and national security to the University of New Haven community.

its leader for Global Government Relations and Public Policy — as well as in the NGO world, working both at home and abroad. It is extremely important, I think, for every American to gain experience outside the United States. Whether on vacation, studying abroad, or living with another family, you learn so much about yourself by leaving your comfort zone and your culture. Experience abroad is principally a path to personal growth. Students who engage with other countries and nationalities through organizations such as the Model United Nations (MUN) also learn important skills: how to communicate, negotiate, listen, and

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

connect. In the four years I have been involved in the University’s MUN Program, I have seen a number of students graduate and go on to work internationally or in Washington on international issues. A whole world of opportunities lies out there not only in business but also in national security, international relations, political risk, cybersecurity, and even the arts and sciences. Being able to connect with what is going on outside the U.S. vastly expands your range of possibilities. Certainly 2020 has taught us a lot of lessons, both positive and negative. One is that we will not be isolated forever and neither can we afford to

be. We must solve some of the issues affecting the planet as one world — not as a bunch of countries acting on their own, in their own silos. I am speaking of issues such as climate change, but I also mean problems related to poverty and global health, among others. These problems require global solutions, with countries, societies, and organizations working together to enact change. When we experience adversity, we sometimes feel like it will go on forever. But it won’t. I am an optimist, and I hope all our students will keep their many possible paths in this world — and all their options — open.

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PERSONAL BEST

Hannah Providence ’22

Reach for the Stars

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Hannah Providence ’22 is an economics major in the Pompea College of Business’s Fast-Track Program. She juggles 18 credits and three jobs, working 20 hours per week with both the University’s Enrollment Marketing team and the Office for Advancement, and 12 hours per week for Yale University’s Information Technology Department. A professional and technical writing minor, Providence joined the Charger Bulletin during her first year at New Haven as a contributing writer and is now its business manager. Providence is a member of the Student Conduct, Dean Advisory, and Diversity and Inclusion Boards. She is also president of the Honors Student Council. In 2019, Providence conducted research for the Economics and Business Analytics Department’s Liberty Initiative. In 2020, she became the first New Haven student to participate in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Sophomore Career Exploration Internship.

spent a lot of time observing my parents while I was growing up. My father worked as a construction worker in the union and my mother as a paraprofessional for New Haven Public Schools. They did everything they could to support their three children as we grew up, but their small, inconsistent income and crippling debt made it difficult. We really fell on hard times whenever my father was laid off for months on end. I watched as my parents rationed their government assistance and fought to keep up with our mortgage. I felt helpless knowing that I was too young to contribute financially to the household and help us out of the mountain of debt we were under. Experiencing this made me desire only one thing out of my bachelor’s degree — a steady paycheck. I was willing to work whatever job would pay me enough to support my family and me consistently. I had no desire to pursue anything related to my passions. Until I officially matriculated at the University of New Haven. The Pompea College of Business welcomed me with open arms into its Fast-Track Program, where, as I say, I “found my people.” I majored in economics and

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in the only student economic collective in the immediately began taking advanced courses. I had nation — the Economic Activity Report. matriculated to the University of New Haven with Most recently, I was the first University of New over 30 college credits already under my belt — some Haven student in the school’s history to participate of which I earned from the University’s outstanding in the Sophomore Career Exploration Internship high school senior program. Ever since high school, at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. I applied, I had a drive to do as much as I could as efficiently and took part in two interviews, and received an offer effectively as possible, so when I realized I could get within approximately one week. Before COVID-19 my undergraduate degree in five semesters, I went for it. I was fortunate to be awarded a student scholarship hit, I was to travel to Manhattan for eight weeks during the summer as part of the Fed’s Corporate supported by the Pompea family. I qualified for this Track Internship Program focusing on business, scholarship based on my academic success in high finance, and analytics. It is a mentor-based program school and my choice of major. I am honored to have rife with networking opportunities and the perfect received such a generous tuition package, and I am gateway to full-time employment because the grateful for the opportunities it has provided me; Fed is set on making this program about retaining without this additional financial assistance, I would interns and then hiring them. Interns work on not have been able to afford to attend college. impactful projects and receive training on soft skills My professors and the University of New Haven to support their career aspirations both at the Fed staff I’ve worked with have challenged me to think and beyond. Although the internship was completely critically, apply my knowledge to the real world, remote because of COVID-19, I had an absolutely and build my skill set. But most importantly, they amazing time. I met with over 30 senior leaders and taught me to use my passions as leverage for managers one-on-one, wrote a blog post for their growing my career. website (not available to the public), edited internal In 2019, I had the opportunity to conduct communication content, and received an offer to research for the Economics and Business Analytics return next summer. Department’s Liberty Initiative, in which students These experiences, and the many ways I have engaged in research related to the free enterprise seen faculty and staff go out of their way to enrich system, focusing specifically on how it relates to my learning at the University, have given me clarity increased opportunity and outcomes in Connecticut, the New England region, and the United States. I was on what will make me truly happy when it comes to my career. also one of only two first-year students selected to Yes, I still desire to be financially stable and receive the associated academic scholarship. John financially independent. But the University of New Rosen and David Sacco — both adjunct professors Haven has taught me that I do not have to settle in the Economics Department — are responsible for a job I do not enjoy to get for this research there. Instead, my experience initiative. They at the University of New tapped me to I will enter the workforce Haven has epitomized the moderate a knowing that I have stayed popular Confucius saying, Delphi study true to myself while developing “Choose a job you love, toward the and you will never have to beginning of the competencies I need to work a day in your life.” My the COVID-19 face the challenges of my professors, managers, and pandemic in generation. mentors have pushed me to which we reach for the stars. They have quickly turned encouraged me, taught me, out research on and offered me further opportunities to learn. I will when and how the Connecticut economy would graduate from the University of New Haven knowing recover from the pandemic. I was responsible for I am ready. I will enter the workforce knowing analyzing the data given to me by each panelist that I have stayed true to myself while developing and moderating the panel discussion (facilitating the competencies I need to face the challenges of conversation, taking notes, and gathering votes) as my generation. well as writing the feature article that was published

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COMPASSION & TOLERANCE

Alvin Tran, Sc.D., MPH

Surreal Solidarity

’ve always viewed myself as an underdog. Overcoming some of life’s challenges was part of my daily routine. The son of Vietnamese immigrants, I worked hard in high school to earn good grades and make it on the honor roll — all while balancing extracurricular activities. This hard work paid off when I became the first member of my family to attend college. But getting into college was only one of many challenges along the way. I then had to figure out, “How do I afford the cost of tuition and other expenses?” Those experiences shaped who I am today, the research that I do, and my advocacy work. I feel blessed to have had great mentors and professors who have understood who I am, that I don’t come from a super-wealthy or privileged background, and that I needed mentorship and guidance. And I received that — especially from my advisor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where I went to graduate school. My advisor had a lab at Boston Children’s Hospital that focused on LGBTQ health research, eating disorder prevention, and addressing health disparities that affect marginalized communities across the globe. Ever since that training, I have been actively involved in health advocacy, advocating for policies that aim to address the health inequities that affect so many in our country. I spent a year in Washington, D.C., as a health care reporter and wrote pieces for the Washington Post, PBS NewsHour, and National Public Radio. I noticed that for many of my colleagues who were on-air reporters, there was pressure to look a certain way, to be of a specific race, and to have a specific body size. That always bothered me; I wondered, “At what point is this going too far?” When I later worked as a writer in a television newsroom, I saw some of these pressures in person — some of my colleagues were fixated on weight control, always looking for quick ways to lose weight and, for the men, to build muscle. I was finishing my doctorate at that time, and my advisor was doing body image–related work. Watching my co-workers struggle offered an unanticipated parallel, and it informed my work. We were studying dangerous diet pills and muscle-building supplements,

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Alvin Tran, Sc.D., MPH, is University of New Haven’s assistant provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; assistant professor in the Department of Health Administration and Policy; and director of the WeEmbody (WE) Lab. Tran’s research focuses on the intersection of body image, disordered eating behaviors, and racial and sexual minority health. Tran was awarded a 2020 President’s Discretionary Grant from the Connecticut Health Foundation to create the Health Equity and Advocacy Fellowship program, which will allow students to engage in mental health care research and advocacy. Tran earned bachelor’s degrees in public health and medical anthropology from the University of Washington; an MPH in behavioral sciences and health education from Emory University; and a Sc.D. in public health nutrition and social and behavioral sciences from Harvard University. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Yale University.

all of which are only loosely regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Many people are not aware that some of the dietary supplements marketed for weight control and muscle building are often adulterated and tainted with dangerous ingredients, from steroids to banned prescription drugs. This is because a 1994 law called the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act put the onus of regulating and reporting on whether these products are safe on the manufacturers, not the federal government. In addition to our research, we did advocacy work in Massachusetts to try to get lawmakers to require drugstores to keep diet pills and muscle-building supplements behind the counter so that children and teenagers under the age of 18 years would need a parent’s permission to access them.

And now, I’m doing similar advocacy work with the students in my lab. We’re meeting with Connecticut state lawmakers to discuss different mental health issues, including but also going beyond eating disorders. Specifically, we’re advocating for a law that would require all public schools in Connecticut to cover mental health in their health classes. We see more and more young individuals struggling with mental health– related conditions, and we want to ensure that they have the support, resources, and knowledge to seek help. It’s important work that has added value for my students. They’re gaining public health skills in the classroom, but also learning to be advocates, meeting with lawmakers and presenting high-quality research to inform and create legislation. This past summer, the University provost called to ask if I was interested in becoming the assistant provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. I’m now a month into that position, and I’ve learned this isn’t just about students; it’s also about faculty and staff. Our goal is to make things more inclusive and diverse, which means bringing more people to the table and engaging in difficult discussions. These can be loaded terms: what do diversity and inclusion really mean? There’s a lot of misunderstanding, and we need to think bigger. What can we do to make our University more inclusive not just for racial and ethnic minority students but also for sexual and gender minority students, including our LGBT students? I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see so much support from students, faculty, and staff. People come to me and ask, “How can I support you to get this job done?” rather than saying, “Oh, you’re putting too much work on my plate.” I think this attitude demonstrates the surreal level of solidarity that exists within our University community. I’m now in a position in which I can give back to my students. They might be first-generation college students or from marginalized backgrounds, and I want to ensure they get the mentorship, support, and opportunities that I received. I’ve been in their shoes, and in a way I’ve grown out of those shoes. But I’m in a place where I can support them, and that means everything to me.

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

I’m now in a position in which I can give back to my students. They might be first-generation college students or from marginalized backgrounds, and I want to ensure they get the mentorship, support, and opportunities that I received. I’ve been in their shoes, and in a way I’ve grown out of those shoes. But I’m in a place where I can support them, and that means everything to me.

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MORE THAN AN IDEA

Jasmia Molina ’21

The Pursuit of Justice Change does not occur through silence. If we fail to do anything about existing injustices, we allow the cycle to continue.

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have always had a passion for giving back and helping people in any way I can, so I knew public service, in some form, was what I wanted to do. Over the years, I became incredibly interested in the criminal justice field. There are, of course, endless career opportunities. The primary reason I want to go into public service, however, is that I believe extensive change must occur in our local, national, and global communities, and I want to make a tangible impact by helping to achieve that change. Justice takes many forms and is not something that is attained overnight. When it comes to doing the right thing, we should do it without hesitation or question. Change does not occur through silence. If we fail to do anything about existing injustices, we allow the cycle to continue. It is imperative that people educate themselves about what is going on, especially those entering the criminal justice field. It takes a great deal of effort from a vast number of diverse individuals to effect change. Last year, I was asked to take an internship at the Meriden Police Department to assist detectives in solving a cold case. The case was from 1988 and involved the homicide of a newborn baby whose mother was unknown. It was challenging and emotionally laden. Because the case was so old, my main responsibility was to reorganize all the available information, such as case reports, so it was easily accessible and could be used in conjunction with advanced DNA and genealogy technology. When the

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detectives informed me that they had found the baby’s mother and that the information I pieced together had played a vital role in solving the case, I was speechless. I knew what this meant for the department and town. I am extremely blessed and grateful to say that I assisted in solving this case. It is so humbling to have played a part in something so monumental. Many people have received a sense of peace now that some of their questions have been answered. This experience was definitely something that happens once in a lifetime, and it helped me become even more certain about my chosen career path. The recent events that have taken place world wide regarding racial inequality have disturbed me. A question that often crosses my mind is, “What can I do to help?” I believe that helping fix racial injustices and related issues from within my career field is one positive contribution I can make. Even though the current climate of our society has grown very divisive, I feel even more motivated to make a difference and put an end to such injustices. I have been focusing on educating myself as much as possible on this topic, and I have been trans ferring my drive and passion to all aspects of my life, such as the University organizations of which I am a part. At U New Haven, I hold an executive board position for both the University’s American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) Chapter, also known as Psi Omega, and the Alpha Tau Criminal Justice Honor Society. Both these positions have given me a platform to institute change. After the murder of George Floyd, I and my fellow Psi Omega board members wanted to respond and show support for the African American community. We drafted a statement in which we, as future members of the criminal justice field, acknowledged our responsibility to recognize and speak out against injustices in the criminal justice system. As part of our statement, we pledged to establish a diversity

Jasmia Molina ’21 is a criminal justice major at the University of New Haven. Molina, who hopes to work for the FBI, said her experiences in the classroom provided a strong foundation for her work during a University internship with the Meriden Police Department. She credits networking opportunities and her coursework with enabling her to feel confident communicating with police to heat up a decades-old cold case and make a meaningful difference in the community. Molina is dedicated to taking this same sense of passion and civic duty into her future career path following graduation.

and inclusion chair to ensure we take the necessary measures toward creating an inclusive environment for all members of the University community. We will also be conducting workshops at least once a month at the University to foster a conversation about injustice and promote education. We sent our statement to the national ACJA organization, and it turned out we were the first university chapter in the nation to do so. It was so well received that the ACJA asked our advisor, Professor Dan Maxwell, if we would take the lead in helping it set up a similar model at other colleges and universities across the nation. As the vice president of the Alpha Tau Criminal Justice Honor Society, I am committed to making our society more active on both a local and a national level. The executive board and I are especially focused on educating ourselves, our peers, and the larger University community about recent events, and we are working diligently to develop new and creative ways to increase inclusivity and tolerance at the University of New Haven. This is only the beginning. Change is an ongoing effort and, as I have seen firsthand, the pursuit of justice is more than an idea — it’s a hands-on reality.

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PATHS OF DISCOVERY

Longtime University benefactors Samuel S. Bergami Jr. EMBA ’85, HON ’02 and Lois Bergami participate in a ribboncutting ceremony for the newly established Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation.

Paths of Discovery My wife, Lois, and I have wonderful memories from when we first came together as a University community in November 2016 to celebrate what was then only a vision: the Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation. Now, years later, we have seen this vision become reality. August 25, 2020, which marked the virtual grand opening for this new facility, was a truly humbling day. It has been Lois and my great honor and privilege to be part of this journey in helping bring the Bergami Center to life. Thanks to the foresight of President Kaplan and the leadership of so many, I think it is even better than what any of us could have ever imagined. Since I was a student in the University’s Executive MBA program in the 1980s, I have felt passionately about the important role the University has played in affecting and shaping the lives of generations of students. And, in fact, Lois and I have been fortunate throughout our long association with the University to interact with many of these bright, promising young adults. We are continually impressed by their dedication, ambitious goals, and drive to make a difference. The University of New Haven’s colleges and schools are at the center of University life. These institutional pillars constitute the foundation for future scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, forensic psychologists, doctors, engineers, programmers, attorneys,

and scholars — soon-to-be global citizens who, before long, will take their places in the world. In the following pages, you will learn more about some of the University’s most cutting-edge programs, disciplines, and other initiatives from across all five colleges and schools and how, collectively, these initiatives will uniquely prepare our graduates to meet the challenges of the next 100 years head-on. Many of these interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts will take place within the four walls of the new Bergami Center — something that means a great deal to me. I believe we are all entrepreneurs in our own right. We all have a creative and innovative spark within us. And now, with the establishment of this new building, there is a dedicated space on campus to ignite this spark in all University of New Haven students. Lois and I are very proud to be members of this Charger community, which truly changes lives. We both believe there can be no greater mission. We cannot wait to see what happens next.

Samuel S. Bergami Jr. EMBA ’85, HON ’02

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PATHS OF DISCOVERY

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ARTS & SCIENCES

PATHS OF DISCOVERY

Driven by Passion and Purpose ART & DESIGN

MUSIC & SOUND RECORDING

Glowing Reviews

Completely Immersed

Animation Career Review (ACR), the ultimate online resource for those seeking careers in graphic design, animation, game design, digital art, and related fields, has ranked the University’s Graphic Design Program #2 in Connecticut. ACR considered more than 700 schools across the U.S., focusing on the depth and breadth of their programs and their academic reputation. ACR cited several elements when ranking the University’s program, including the opportunities students have to network with professionals, build a professional identity, and gain hands-on experience, in addition to exciting interdisciplinary work with faculty in the University’s other colleges and schools. The #2 ranking also reflects the dynamic and market-responsive program design. In addition, the University’s Interior Design program is the first in the state to be accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). Awarded for a six-year term, the accreditation attests to the high quality of instruction. It also ensures that the curriculum is current and reflects evolving industry standards, technology, and societal needs. CIDA provides the shortest eligibility pathway to the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam, the interior design professional credential, and qualification for state licensure. NCIDQ certification is the industry’s recognized indicator of knowledge and proficiency in interior design principles.

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C O M M U N I C AT I O N , F I L M , & MEDIA STUDIES

The Center of Attention The University’s Communication space, housed for decades in Maxcy Hall, has packed up and moved to outstanding new digs in the Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation. The new amenities are top drawer: stateof-the-art film and video production studios, television control room, and studio equipment, plus a studio that is nearly twice as large as the original. Journalism students can practice their craft in a multiplatform newsroom and write content, edit video, and create graphics. And future postproduction pros? They’ll have a designated space for specialized editing and sound mixing and a special effects room. “This new space creates exciting oppor tunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration,” said Tom Garrett ’83, chair of the Communication, Film, and Media Studies Department. For example, Communication students have helped peers in other disciplines present their ideas in narrative form through writing, video, and audio. Over the past three years, students in Communication, Film, and Media have won 18 student Emmy Awards from the New England Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in many categories — Directing, Writing, Cinematography, Editing, Music Video, and more. With the new Communication space in Bergami and all of its exciting new tools, students will undoubtedly spend the next few years outdoing themselves.

Surpassing its forerunners, mono sound, stereo, and surround sound, is immersive audio — or 3D sound — in which sound comes not only from the side but from infinite points above, below, and behind the listener. The University’s Music and Sound Recording program has completely immersed itself in immersive audio. The Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation is where it’s playing out. A theater space outfitted with Dolby Atmos — a playback sound system that is the gold standard immersive sound format — creates opportunities that, according to Professor Zachary Goldberg, few universities can match. In his “Audio Post Production for Media” course, students will manipulate 3D sound for different media, including film, television, and video games. Professor Simon Hutchinson is using the Center for his course “Handmade Electronic Sound.” Employing the Center’s cutting-edge classrooms and makerspace, students will create enclosures and resonators and fabricate their own electronic musical instruments from discarded toys and circuits, using 3D printers and laser cutters. Also in the works: a plan to install Dante AV across campus. With this technology, multiple channels of high-quality audio are transmitted over standard Ethernet cable. For example, a recording done in Bucknall Theater could be connected to the Bergami Center in real time, leading to exciting collaborations not currently possible.

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

BUSINESS

PATHS OF DISCOVERY

WELCOME TO

The Stable

Esports: Find Your Way in a Multibillion Dollar Industry The video game industry is among the highestearning industries in the world, with organized competitive gaming, or esports, emerging as an international trend with millions of fans and more than $1 billion in revenue. Industry experts in esports predict that global industry revenue will reach $3.2 billion by 2022. In North America, the world’s largest esports market, it is predicted that revenues will increase to $700 million by 2022. In fall 2019, the University announced it was developing a comprehensive academic curriculum in esports management. The resulting opportunities at both the undergraduate and graduate levels enable the University to maximize the interdisciplinary strengths of its programs in business, technology, engineering, and computer science across all five of its schools and colleges. From the management and business side to technology, video game development, graphic design, broadcasting, and media rights, to actually competing professionally, students will be able to pursue their passions.

The introduction of the curriculum began in fall 2020 with the launch of a concentration in esports management as part of the Pompea College of Business Bachelor of Science in Business Management. This curriculum is the first of its kind to be part of a business curriculum accredited by AACSB International, an accreditation that places the College among the top 5 percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, the University created an interdisciplinary undergraduate program in esports and gaming, which also launched in fall 2020. A companion master’s degree program in esports business, which kicked off in January, can be completed in just one year and is offered 100 percent online. It is the first esports business master’s program in North America and the first online program of its kind worldwide. There are two start dates per year (January and August). Adding value to the University’s esports curriculum is its partnerships with top esports companies HyperX — a manufacturer of computer

• 240 Hz Benq Monitors • HyperX Mechanical Keyboards • HyperX Wireless Headsets • GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GPUs • Ability to throw any HDMI signal on overhead monitors and Twitch stream

peripherals used by prominent gamers and esports organizations — and Twitch — a livestreaming platform for gamers and other lifestyle casters that supports building communities around shared, streamable interests. These partnerships were spearheaded by Jason Chung, BCL, LLB, assistant professor of sport management and executive director of the University’s esports program. The esports program also boasts a 1,300-squarefoot esports intercollegiate and intramural training and competition center, dubbed The Stable. This center is the focal point of the University’s $35 million Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation. The Stable will be utilized by the University’s varsity esports team and will also engage students through the University’s esports club, which has more than 200 members.

DEGREE PROGRAM

PA R T N E R S H I P

B.S. in Esports and Gaming

M.S. in Esports Business

HyperX

Twitch

Concentrations • Corruption and Gambling • Game Studies • Esports Performance and Health

Course Highlights • Business and entrepreneurship in esports • Marketing to the esports consumer • Capitalizing on opportunities in esports • Esports event organization and management • Sport facility management

• Official peripheral sponsor of the University’s esports program • State-of-the-art gaming peripherals for the University’s varsity esports team • Collaboration with HyperX’s C-suite on product testing and focus groups

• Academic support across the University’s esports curricula • Mentorship and networking with top Twitch executives • A class titled “Intro to Live Streaming and Streamer Economics”

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

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ENGINEERING

PATHS OF DISCOVERY

I N T E R P O L D I G I TA L FORENSICS CONFERENCE

The Connecticut Institute of Technology There is something missing between New York and Massachusetts: a technology hub — an institute of technology or a polytechnic — with an intense focus on applied learning and research. The University aims to remedy that situation quickly. In fall 2020, it launched the Connecticut Institute of Technology (CIT), thus becoming the destination university for technology education and research in the Northeast region between the crowded urban centers of the Empire State and Bay State. CIT will reside within the Tagliatela College of Engineering and will initially encompass the disciplines of cybersecurity and networks, computer science, data science, AI — a subset of data science — and electrical and computer engineering. All classes are taught at the undergraduate level, graduate level, or both at the University. Over the past few years, the Cybersecurity and Networks Program at the University has gained enormous national visibility under the leadership of Ibrahim (Abe) Baggili, associate professor of computer science and director of CIT. In 2019, the National Security Agency recognized the University as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations. Only 21 universities in the country can currently claim this designation. The University also scored a $4 million Scholarship for Service grant from the National Science Foundation to help prepare cybersecurity professionals for federal, state, and tribal government agencies.

C Y B E R L E G E N D S E R I E S In fall 2020, the University proudly launched its Cyber Legends Series with a lively and in-depth conversation with Roland Cloutier, the global chief security officer for TikTok and Bytedance. With more than 25 years of experience in the military, law enforcement, and commercial sectors, Cloutier is one of today’s top experts in corporate and enterprise security, cyberdefense program development, and business operations protection. The webcast was broadcast live on the @ChargersCIT Twitch channel. The Cyber Legend Series is a live monthly webcast featuring some of the world’s leading chief information security officers and cybersecurity experts who have made indelible marks on the industry. Guest presenters discuss their personal journeys and careers and share their knowledge, expertise, and advice with the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

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This past summer, the University of New Haven co-hosted the 2020 INTERPOL Digital Forensics Expert Group Conference with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research and Engineering (MITRE) Corporation — a nonprofit organization that manages federally funded research and development centers supporting several U.S. government agencies. This virtual conference, open to members of the law enforcement community and employees of government agencies, brought together industry leaders and experts from around the globe in forensics and cybersecurity. The event included a digital forensics challenge hosted by the University through its National Science Foundation and Department of Homeland Security–funded Artifact Genome Project. Nearly 200 people from government agencies worldwide — representing 60 countries — participated in the event.

CY B E R S E C U R I T Y CA R E E R FA I R

The University partnered with the Connecticut Career Consortium in fall 2020 to co-host the inaugural Connecticut Regional Cybersecurity & Technology Virtual Career Expo. This event — a culmination of the University’s celebration of Cybersecurity Awareness Month — brought together 17 schools in Connecticut and connected students in the cybersecurity and technology industries with top employers. The event was also open to students in computer science and computer engineering. Sponsored by Webster Bank, the event enabled students to interview with representatives from more than two dozen leading organizations, including several federal agencies such as the U.S. Secret Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Many private companies, including Red Hat and Travelers, also participated.

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

PATHS OF DISCOVERY

CRIMINAL JUSTICE & FORENSIC SCIENCES

A More Just World The health crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and its accompanying economic fallout have shaken America to its core. Both crises, along with startling incidents of violence against Black and Brown Americans, exacerbated rising tensions across the country around issues of inequity in society and made 2020 a year like no other. This past fall, the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences directly addressed that inequity by piloting a new version of the University’s first-year common course.

This new course — the UNCommon Course — begins with a module on self-reflection requiring students to examine their perceptions regarding issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. It was piloted with eight sections of first-year criminal justice students. Faculty hope to grow the course to encompass all incoming students at the University at the start of the next academic year. David A. Schroeder, Ph.D., acting dean for the College, and Lorenzo M. Boyd, Ph.D., vice president for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer at the University, are overseeing the course. Schroeder and Boyd have extensive experience in the criminal justice system, including police– community relations and training, and a shared and lived belief in the importance of building empathy and compassion. They believe that the selfreflection process results in better public servants and better human beings. The seemingly simple act of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes isn’t specific to any industry. As such, Schroeder and Boyd are focused on moving the program in an interdisciplinary direction in the future. Eight faculty members participated in the inaugural run of the UNCommon Course. Following the introductory self-reflection module — comprising the first third of the course — each professor spent a week presenting about a

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100 Years of Success 2 0Celebrating 2 0 S P EC I A LOur I S SCentennial: UE •

specific topic. Students applied the perspectives they gained during the beginning of the course to the new lecture material to engage in robust and informed class discussion. Faculty came from a variety of disciplines outside of criminal justice, including health administration policy and psychology. Topics included building empathy and compassion to better understand protests and social movements; using the intersection of shame, apology, and radical forgiveness to comprehend the prevalence of overpolicing and incarceration of Black and Brown people; educating on substance use and abuse disorders; and listening to individual stories and the impact of values, traits, privilege, and cognitive dissonance on the intersection of race, class, and gender. For the final project, students were asked to tell the story of their experiences in the course and the way the process brought them to a new understanding of themselves and the world. “We all need to see our own arc,” said Schroeder. “Self-reflection isn’t typically the focal point of DEI training,” said Boyd. “People usually think the end goal is to become an expert on a specific topic. We’re asking students to think bigger.” A hallmark of the course is that it does not lend well to a traditional teaching methodology. “You

can’t lecture at students with this kind of material,” said Schroeder. “You’re not there to impart truths. You’re there to ask questions in a fashion designed to move students toward a learning objective. You’re a vessel, and this facilitation style allows us to meet the student where they are.” Boyd picks up on this train of thought and describes that, because of this, the course is equally illuminating to those who teach it: “It forces the instructor to be introspective as well. It’s changing the way we teach, but it’s changing us as people too. We add the labels to help the students with the pedagogy, but they’re the ones doing it in practice.” Schroeder has long advocated for this teaching model and finds it particularly effective for the UNCommon Course: “Students aren’t learning anything they don’t already know,” he said. “They just haven’t heard it phrased or organized a certain way. This gives them tools to reorder their thinking. So whereas before you just had anger or frustration, we’re giving you language. I’ve seen time and time again that for the majority of people when they’re exposed to this, it becomes part of them. That’s when you have a culture change.”

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HEALTH SCIENCES

PATHS OF DISCOVERY

The Planetree Difference In 2019, the School of Health Sciences (SHS) signed a letter of intent to become one of the first schools in the country to pursue higher education certification from Planetree International, a nonprofit that works with health care organizations around the world to promote patient-centered care. Planetree — with over 700 partner organizations spanning 25 countries — was founded in 1978 to inspire health care professionals to personalize and humanize the patient experience. Nearly four decades later, Planetree continues to stretch its imagination in pursuit of this vision. In 2018, Planetree executives posed a question. To date, the majority of organizations certified by Planetree were hospitals. But what about the entities overseeing the teaching and training of future health care professionals — colleges and universities? Should there be a similar process for certifying institutions of higher learning? Planetree assembled the beginnings of a pilot program to explore this question further. That same year, the University launched an equally ambitious initiative — SHS. Summer McGee, Ph.D., dean of SHS, and Renee Garcia-Prajer, R.D.H., M.S., professor and associate dean of SHS, traveled to local hospitals and health care organizations to introduce themselves and share the excitement about the

1978

700

Planetree founded

Partner organizations

The School of Health Sciences delivers innovative, interdisciplinary allied health and health sciences education that prepares students to be caring, compassionate professionals who improve the health of their communities.

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organizations with a person-centered care approach newly established school. At Griffin Hospital in Derby, as the focus of everything we do. This will result in not Connecticut — the headquarters for Planetree — they only more caring, competent health professionals in met with Dr. Frederick Browne, the hospital’s chief the long run but also happier, more successful students medical officer. Seeing tremendous promise in SHS and in the short term.” its leadership, Browne told McGee and Garcia-Prajer McGee appointed Garcia-Prajer the primary about Planetree’s pilot program. Shortly thereafter, contact for the Planetree pilot program and SHS’s plans SHS became one of only five schools nationwide to to pursue certification. participate in the program. Garcia-Prajer is an “One of the major “Incorporating the principles active member of the challenges for health care in of person-centered care from day Planetree Person-Centered the 21st century is improving one creates student, faculty, and Care (PCC) Certification the patient experience. staff experiences that are unlike for Higher Education Pilot Hospitals are reimbursed Council, a working group based on not only what care those at any other health sciences that reviews proposed is provided but also how that school in the nation.” criteria for colleges and care is provided and received Summer McGee, Ph.D. universities in a would-be by patients. Training future Dean of SHS Planetree assessment health professionals needs process. Much of the current PCC criteria must be to change to catch up to that reality,” said McGee. tweaked to better apply to academic institutions. “Incorporating the principles of person-centered The Council recently finished refining the care from day one creates student, faculty, and staff proposed higher education drivers for certification, experiences that are unlike those at any other health and all participating schools have begun preparing sciences school in the nation,” added McGee. “The their reports to provide examples of evidence, data, relationship between Planetree and the University and specific outcomes needed when applying for will create one of the nation’s first health education certification. Each school has three years to finalize its report to submit to Planetree. In September 2020, Garcia-Prajer was certified by Planetree as a Planetree Fellow in Person-Centered Care. Garcia-Prajer is the first professional in higher education to be granted this certification. This credential is awarded to professionals who Countries worldwide Patients & caregivers have demonstrated their knowledge, experience, and leadership in person-centered care. It signifies their conviction that this approach is right for patients, families, and health care professionals as well as students, faculty, and staff. “Our affiliation with Planetree demonstrates SHS’s unparalleled commitment to training caring professionals who are prepared for the future of health care,” said Garcia-Prajer. “Faculty, staff, and students are embracing Planetree’s person-centered philosophy, working with one another and with the patients, families, and communities we serve to break down barriers.” “Everyone is excited to be part of the process,” she added. “We are fostering a learning environment in which students and faculty are engaged in bringing this same person-centered aspect and spreading it to the entire campus community. They are promoting transparency about what we are doing and exhibiting a holistic approach. The entire SHS community deserves this recognition.”

9 million

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

ATHLETICS

PATHS OF DISCOVERY

David Peterson Jr. ’88, HON ’17

Charge On: The Future of Charger Athletics Imagine going to school for four years — dreaming of a successful career on Wall Street — and interviewing for a finance job weeks prior to Black Monday in 1987. At the time I was crushed; everyone I knew in the finance industry was being laid off, so I figured I needed a different path to success. I look back now and realize that this set the stage for my career and success since graduating from the University of New Haven. Growing up, I was a serial entrepreneur. I had one newspaper route, then two, and then I had six with other kids working for me. In high school, I worked nights and weekends for my uncle who ran an industrial maintenance business, eventually running my own crew. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been planning my next big venture. Rather than heading to Wall Street out of college, I began selling insurance and financial plans for Mutual of Omaha. I finished 13th in sales nationally my first year and made a conscious decision to continue to face adversity head-on and use it as a springboard to bigger and better things. At Mutual of Omaha, I crafted financial plans for interactive newspaper marketing clients. The competitor in me figured I could do what they were doing, just bigger and better. I worked my way into about 300 newspapers by teaching myself programming and technical skills. Within a year, that business grew from 300 to 3,000 newspapers. I then sold the business and became a vice president of sales for my friends’ internet billing company. Later, after several other ventures, I started my own internet billing company and built a proprietary gateway

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100 Years of Success I S SCelebrating U E 0 5 W I NOur T E R Centennial: 2020 •

that backs into most of the credit card processes around the world. I am now president and CEO of that company, 4 Media Online, headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Florida, with additional locations in Los Angeles, Toronto, and Spain. Owning and operating my own business has taught me so many lessons and put me in a position to give back to my community and my alma mater. I began serving on the University’s Board of Governors in 2008, worked alongside President Kaplan to reestablish our football program, and now am in a position to give back financially to assist with the transition to Division I athletics. Shortly after the University hired Sheahon Zenger to be our new director of athletics, we started envisioning what type of facility upgrades were needed for this transition. Finally, our ideas came together into the Peterson Performance Center: a facility that I believe will transform North Campus and launch Charger Athletics into a Division I conference. We started with a one-story building. By the end of the two-hour conversation, I had doubled my donation, and we had a two-story sports performance center that every Charger student-athlete will use daily. I ended the conversation much poorer but immensely excited for the future of Charger Athletics. As the COVID-19 pandemic worsened, Dr. Z called and asked whether I was still willing to move forward with the project. Once again, I didn’t let the current obstacle prevent me from pressing forward. I told him, “I’m still in, and I’m going to double my gift again. But I want a third floor on the building.” I think

David Peterson Jr. ’88, HON ’17 is president and CEO of 4 Media Online, a leading credit card transaction processing company for online retailers, headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Peterson, who received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of New Haven in 1988, proudly wore number 64 as a member of the Chargers football team (below). He was a recipient of the University’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2012, and the University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Business Administration in 2017. He currently serves as a member of the University’s Board of Governors. Peterson resides in Coral Springs, Florida, with his wife, Karen, and daughters, Mackenzie and Nicole.

he was speechless for a second, but then we got right back to work. Although I enjoy running my business, my true passion has always been fitness and total body wellness. The Peterson Performance Center grew out of this passion and is a place where I hope future Charger student-athletes can develop an appreciation for lifetime growth and improvement. As a former U New Haven football player, I experienced the incredible bond forged by wearing “Chargers” across my chest, and my teammates are still my best friends to this day. I want current and future student-athletes to have an even better experience than we did and go on to succeed so that they too can one day give back to the University. I hope that other Charger alumni will see the value of this project and the vision for Charger Athletics and commit to a gift of any size toward the Peterson Performance Center.

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A BOLD VISION

PRESIDENT STEVEN H. KAPLAN

JUST GETTING STARTED 36 32

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A BOLD VISION

PRESIDENT STEVEN H. KAPLAN

T H E R E S U LT S ARE IN

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

2021

GES

On Humility and Tenacity I was drawn to the University of New Haven because of my background. My grandparents came to this country without a high school education. My mother never attended college. My paternal grandfather died when my father was 13, and he had to drop out of high school to help run the family shoe store. Like the students we serve, nothing was given to my family. It was all earned through hard work and perseverance. In my inaugural address, I reflected on the kind of institution I hoped the University would become. It is our students — with the same balance of humility and tenacity exhibited by my parents and grandparents — who have driven our incredible success.

On Measuring Impact Almost a decade ago, a U New Haven student, Christopher DiStefano, was on a study abroad trip to France. He and his classmates were at Normandy Beach just days before the 65th anniversary of D-Day. They were listening to a lecture when he spontaneously sprinted toward the water and dove in, racing to save a brother and sister who were washing out to sea. Somehow, he pulled them to safety. When I think of Christopher, I think of not only the heroism he demonstrated but also the lives he saved. That is the story of the University of New Haven over and over again. I keep thinking, “How do you measure the impact of all the individuals to whom we’ve given an opportunity? How have they given an opportunity to others and helped make this a better world?” On Leadership When I think of what it means to lead this University, I think the following: dream big. Don’t let the cynics and realists push back. We’ve done incredible things against incredible odds. I think I’ve inspired a team of people to think big and take risks, and that’s an enormous part of our success. The University of the Future is now, and it’s at the University of New Haven.

THE

Thanks to his inspired leadership, the University now ranks among the top universities in the Northeast and boasts nationally ranked programs in several majors across the fields of business, criminal justice, health sciences, engineering, cybersecurity, forensic science, and the liberal arts and sciences. Enrollment has grown more than 65 percent, with students hailing from 47 states and 59 countries. Full-time undergraduate enrollment has more than doubled, and first-year applications have quadrupled. During Kaplan’s tenure, the University has hired 81 percent of its current full-time faculty and launched 34 new academic programs. And over the past decade alone, the University has completed $300 million in construction projects. The University has added almost 589,000 square feet of new space to its blueprint with Kaplan at the helm. In April 2019, the University announced that its inaugural comprehensive campaign, The Charger Challenge, had exceeded its original goal more than 18 months before the conclusion of the institution’s Centennial year. Kaplan increased the goal to $120 million by the end of 2020; the University surpassed this new goal in early 2020. The University announced in October that it had raised $135 million in donations and received an additional $32 million in grants and contracts, totaling more than $167 million. As part of the University’s virtual Centennial Celebration, Kaplan reflected on his 16-year tenure with Adriana Trigiani, New York Times best-selling author and longtime friend of Kaplan and the University. In speaking with Trigiani about the institution’s rich history and its plans for the future, he reminded us that — as he said in his inaugural address — we are just getting started.

The University’s most recent awards and affiliations further validate our standing as one of the finest comprehensive universities in the Northeast.

Since becoming the sixth president of the University of New Haven in 2004, Steven H. Kaplan, Ph.D., has created a bold vision for the University, leading it through a period of remarkable growth and development.

BEST COL

On Opportunity Of our student body, 30 percent are first generation. What that means is an incredible level of gratitude for the education we offered them, but it also means a powerful work ethic. When you talk to employers in the region — nationally and internationally — our graduates always stand out. In engineering, for example, executives at places like Sikorsky will say, “It’s the ones from the University of New Haven who make this company succeed.” It’s the sense not of entitlement, but of opportunity. You don’t learn just theory at the University; you apply what you learn — that’s in our DNA. That’s how we uniquely train our students to do the greatest work of their lives.

On the Future of Higher Education One thing trailblazing companies such as Amazon, Airbnb, and Uber have in common is they let customers drive how they do business. Higher education doesn’t do that. Our students have changed, but we haven’t. We have to start changing, or else an Amazon-type entity will do it for us. That means observing much younger students in daycare and elementary school. How are they learning? What are their expectations? Frankly, they are already a lot more technologically sophisticated than we are. From The Princeton FromReview. The PrincetonWe can’t Review. expect our students to learn only from us. 2020 TPR Education. 2020 TPR Education. It’s no longer a one-way street. All rights reserved. AllUsed rights reserved. Used under license. under license.

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CAMPAIGN SUCCESS

THE CHARGER CHALLENGE BY THE NUMBERS CAMPAIGN GOAL

DURING THE PANDEMIC

100 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 100 YEARS

The University increased its financial aid by

EXCEEDED

g n i d ee c Ex ^

Meeting the Challenge: Shaping the Next 100 Years There are 167 million reasons to celebrate the unprecedented success of The Charger Challenge. This historic achievement belongs to all of Charger Nation. Thank you to the over 20,000 alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends who, through their selflessness and generosity, have ensured our next century of success. Together, we not only met, but exceeded, the challenge.

110

more than $12 million, or 13.24%, from a year ago, in an effort to lower the cost. This year, we provided more than

NEW ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS

100 MILLION

IN GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

95%

FULL-TIME STUDENTS RECEIVED FINANCIAL AID 240 DONORS RAISED

17,538

AVERAGE AMOUNT OF MERIT AND NEEDBASED AID AWARDED BY THE UNIVERSITY

CENTENNIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND NEW SCHOLARSHIP MADE POSSIBLE BY HUNDREDS OF SUPPORTERS

150,000

TO SUPPORT COVID EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR STUDENTS

CREATED IN RECOGNITION OF OUR CENTENNIAL YEAR

CAMPAIGN SUCCESS CAMPAIGN SUCCESS 74,000 1,208 28 UPDATE

UPDATE

AWARDED TO DATE

167 MILLION

SUPPORTERS

STUDENTS IMPACTED

31 31 EXCEEDING

MILLION RA A II S SE R ED D

198 198 100,000 OR MORE

$135 $135

TRANSFORMATIVE GIFTS TRANSFORMATIVE GIFTS $ 1 MILLION

EXCEEDING $ 1 MILLION

GIFTS OF GIFTS OF $ $ 100,000 OR MORE

MILLION MILLION

DONATIONS DONATIONS

$ 50 MOST COMMON GIFT $50 MOST COMMON GIFT MORE THAN MORE THAN

20,000 20,000

+ $$32 MILLION CAMPAIGN SUCCESS IN FEDERAL AND UPDATE + 32 MILLION CAMPAIGN DONORS CAMPAIGN DONORS

GRANTS INSTATE FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS

167

SINCE PRESIDENT KAPLAN CAME TO THE UNIVERSITY IN 2004:

17 $ 17 THANK YOU! THANK SQ YOU! 588,679 M I L L I OFTN NEW BACHELOR’S PROGRAMS

NEW MASTER’S PROGRAMS

NEW UNIVERSITY SPACE BUILT

R A I S E45,500 D 70,000 SQ FT

Orange Campus – Bergami and Pompea Graduate Center (2014)

SQ FT

Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation (2020)

$135SQ FTMILLION 57,000 127,000 SQ FT David A. Beckerman Recreation Center (2007)

Celentano Hall (2009)

DONATIONS

+ $32

3,700 MILLION

16,000 SQ FT

SQ FT

John and Leona Gehring Hall, Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science (2010)

Bartels Student Activity Center (2011)

4,800 SQ FT

158,679 SQ FT

68,000 SQ FT

38,000 SQ FT

IN FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS

North Hall (2013)

Westside Hall (2014)

31 81%

OF OUR FULL-TIME TRANSFORMATIVE GIFTS FACULTY WERE HIRED

EXCEEDING $ 1 MILLION

198

GIFTS OF

$50

MOST COMMON GIFT

$ 100,000

OR MORE

20% MORE THAN 350,000 SQ FT, OF OUR CAMPUS,

MORE THAN

20,000 WAS RENOVATED

TUSCANY, ITALY, CAMPUS

CAMPAIGN DONORS + 1,200 STUDENTS HAVE STUDIED SINCE 2012

THANK YOU!

Bergami Hall (2012)

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One Care Lane (2012)

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

CAMPAIGN SUCCESS

THE CHARGER CHALLENGE

From the Campaign Co-Chairs

t has been a wonderful experience watching the growth of the University of New Haven over the years, particularly since the arrival of Steve and Anemone Kaplan. The stunning improvement of the University’s facilities and physical plant and our investment in new construction have been transformational. What was once a commuter school is now a budding residential and scholarly community in which students, faculty, and staff feel welcome and at home. We also have top-notch faculty who invest a great deal in the personal and academic well-being of our students and never tire of seeking out novel approaches to pedagogy. The University The University is stronger than ever, and our is stronger enrollment numbers prove this, demonstrating than ever, and that potential students now see the University of our enrollment New Haven as a first-choice university. Our reputation has by almost any measure numbers seen equally significant improvement. Positive prove this, financial metrics testify to the continuing demonstrating soundness of the school. The Board of Governors that potential now comprises individuals with a broad array of students now see backgrounds who contribute not only with their the University talents but also with their knowledge and advice. It has been an incredibly meaningful of New Haven experience to watch the University get its first as a first-choice major fundraising effort off the ground — university. growing to achieve overwhelming success and funding new buildings, scholarships, faculty, and student academic awards — and coinciding William L. Bucknall Jr. ’63, ’65, with this special moment in the University’s HON ’08 history: the culmination of its Centennial year. We owe so much of this to you, our alumni, who have contributed to The Charger Challenge in record-breaking numbers, impressively underscoring the value that Charger Nation has for the University and the direction it is heading.

William L. Bucknall Jr. ’63, ’65, HON ’08 Campaign Co-Chair

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

n one of my first letters to readers, I wrote about just how much the University of I have continued New Haven has meant to my family. This to be deeply institution has been a key part of my impressed, family’s legacy, with two generations of my family particularly having served in a leadership capacity and been recognized for our service and contributions, over the past and — in the case of our third generation, my son five years or so, Chris and his wife Minsung — having attended by the quantity as students. After Chris and Minsung received and quality their respective master’s degrees in 2015, I was of our privileged to witness firsthand the incredible newly hired impact that a degree from the University of New Haven can have on the trajectory of students’ lives. faculty. Simply stated, this is a first-class institution that delivers a first-class education. Without question, the ongoing and very Philip H. Bartels HON ’11 exciting transformation of the University, of which we all have been so proud, has been importantly enhanced by The Charger Challenge. As an example, I have continued to be deeply impressed, particularly over the past five years or so, by the quantity and quality of our newly hired faculty. Thanks in large part to funds raised via the Campaign, the University has been able to invest wisely in the lifeblood of this institution — our faculty — and thus, President Kaplan and his leadership team have been able to hire a sizable group of impressive young professors. And for me, I have had the honor and privilege of being able to work with a number of them in conjunction with various initiatives in which I have been involved at the University, and, without question, it has been an incredibly rewarding experience in each and every instance. In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to you, our truehearted alumni, for all you’ve done to make this Campaign — and indeed, the University at large — such a remarkable and enduring success.

Philip H. Bartels HON ’11 Campaign Co-Chair

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CENTENNIAL BALL

THE CHARGER CHALLENGE

It’s Showtime! The University celebrated in style with a virtual ball to commemorate its 100th year and the culmination of The Charger Challenge. The Athletics Department hosted a special “Charge On” event the previous evening to share its vision for the future of the program.

Photo Captions 1. The ball was hosted by six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald and featured cast members from “Hamilton,” “Wicked,” and “The Lion King.” 2. The University’s dance team puts a modern twist on a 1920s classic. 3. Charlie the Charger dances the Charleston.

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4. The University’s marching band is one of the fastest-growing collegiate marching bands in the country. 5. The newly envisioned Peterson Performance Center, the centerpiece of the Charger Athletics campaign. 6. Athletics donors can support facilities enhancement, scholarships for student-athletes, or athletic programming funds.

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

IMPACT STORIES

THE CHARGER CHALLENGE

Scholarship Recipient Excited to Pay It Forward

The Next Generation of Cutting-Edge Laboratory Cybersecurity Professionals Fosters Cancer Research

When Michael Lanzaro ’21 learned he received the Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship, he had one immediate feeling: pride. The scholarship, which was first awarded more Being a recipient than 30 years ago, supports of this scholarship a dozen students each year means being by providing $75,000 in part of a school annual scholarship funds. tradition “This investment in that values my future gives me the opportunity to pay it forward accessibility and to future students and student success. through my eventual public service career,” said Lanzaro, a psychology major with Michael Lanzaro ’21 a concentration in clinical psychology who completed his degree in December. Lanzaro now plans to pursue a Ph.D. in school psychology. “As an educator-clinician, I will have the opportunity to help children overcome psychosocial barriers in educational environments,” he said. Lanzaro said he was attracted to the University because of its experiential learning focus; studentcentered environment; and proximity to child development leaders, such as the Yale Child Study Center, where he interned in the Affective Youth Lab. Lanzaro, who also interned at the Yale School of Medicine, spent last summer collaborating with Professor Jeffrey Debies-Carl on his Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, investigating the association between undergraduate specialization and generalized anxiety disorder. “The study aimed to help psychological services identify at-risk populations,” Lanzaro explained. While 2020 was a challenging year for everyone, it marked the University’s Centennial and the conclusion of Lanzaro’s coursework as an undergraduate. “Being a student during the University’s Centennial year is meaningful,” he said. “It’s important to recognize that our University’s longevity is tied to a long-standing commitment to helping students reach their goals.”

The University of New Haven has become a leader in educating the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, preparing them to work for government entities to help prevent cyberattacks. Supported by a $4 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the University established Connecticut’s first and only CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service program last year. One of the largest grants in the University’s history, it provides scholar ships for undergraduate and graduate students in the University’s cybersecurity and computer science programs. The program is designed to recruit and train cybersecurity professionals to meet the needs of federal, state, local, and tribal government organizations. It provides students with both deep technical under standing and an entrepreneurial mindset. “I’m doing impactful cybersecurity research and being mentored by professors at the top of their fields,” said one recipient, who cannot be identified due to government regulations. “This program has enabled me and other deserving students to be 100 percent focused on school.” The program is tantamount to “military training for cybersecurity,” said Ibrahim “Abe” Baggili, Ph.D., Elder Family Endowed Chair of Computer Science and Cybersecurity, director of the University’s Connecticut Institute of Technology, and principal NSP grant investigator. “The government is looking to hire the best of the best in cybersecurity. They want people who have superior technical skills, and that’s what our graduates provide,” Dr. Baggili said. After earning degrees, recipients will serve in government positions for the amount of time they were sponsored.

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

The Colleen Sorbello Research Laboratory opened in 2018 as a collaborative space for students and faculty to conduct important breast cancer research. Today, it is being used for just that — and much more. While there are several breast cancer research projects underway, faculty and students are also researching other diseases. Tina Zito, Ph.D., and her students are conducting cervical and colon cancer research, and Eva Sapi, Ph.D., is developing a relationship with Yale to study brain cancer with a focus on children. “The lab was a major step in establishing a leading research environment,” said Dr. Sapi. “It is producing many exciting projects for our students.” The 800-square-foot space was dedicated in memory of Colleen Sorbello, the wife of former Chargers football player and University benefactor Sam Sorbello, who passed away from breast cancer. The Colleen Sorbello Memorial Breast Cancer Research Award, which supports a student pursuing breast cancer research, and Pink Clover: The Colleen Sorbello Breast Cancer Foundation, also continue her legacy by furthering research, education, and awareness in an effort to find a cure. The lab serves as a space for undergraduate and graduate classes in topics such as biochemistry and molecular biotechnology as well as a place for students to pursue independent research projects. Despite the pandemic, Dr. Zito said they have been able to research and teach safely in the laboratory. “The need for trained research scientists has never been more apparent than in the past year, as researchers work together to study the biology of COVID-19,” she said.

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THE NEXT 100 YEARS

We will be bold, not timid. Focused, not fragmented. Realistic while stretching our imaginations. And we will reach for limitless possibilities.

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Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

We are the University of New Haven. This is our story. This is our vision.

Celebrating Our Centennial: 100 Years of Success

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Lighting the Way As we close another chapter in the illustrious history of the University of New Haven and celebrate the culmination of our Centennial year, we reflect on and honor those who came before us, those we stand arm in arm with today, and those we will grow with and learn from in the future. We remember that, no matter what challenges we face, we are Chargers — truehearted, resilient, and enduring, lighting the way toward an even brighter next 100 years.

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1970 On its 50th anniversary, New Haven College changes its name to the University of New Haven. Turn to page 6 to learn more.