SCSU Report of the President 2017

2017

Report of the President

S

PRING IS ALWAYS A VIBRANT TIME ON CAMPUS, with a host of events building to the ultimate crescendo of commencement.

This year, we have the added appeal of our approaching 125th anniversary — celebrating all that is good about Southern and our time-honored mission of building communities and empowering lives.

With this in mind, we decided to use the pages of this annual report to look back — at our past, and at the year just ended — and also to take a look forward to the exciting developments that lie ahead.

I hope that you will take the opportunity to visit campus during the coming months and experience for yourself the vibrant institution that is Southern!

The Library and Reading Room at the Howe Street campus, circa 1923.

Honoring our Past

A Slice of Southern’s History

L

ife began for Southern Connecticut State University on September 11, 1893, when three teachers and 84 students met at the old Skinner School in New Haven to create a two-year teacher training school, New Haven State Normal School. By 1937, Southern had grown into a four-year college with the power to grant bachelor’s degrees.

Ten years later, Southern teamed up with Yale University’s Department of Education to offer a master of science degree. In 1954, the State Board of Education authorized the institution — then known as New Haven State Teachers College — to assume complete responsibility for this graduate program.

4

In 1959, six years after the institution had moved to its present location on Crescent Street, state legislation expanded Southern’s offerings to include liberal arts programs leading to bachelor's degrees in the arts and sciences. At the same time, New Haven State Teachers College became Southern Connecticut State College.

For the next 24 years, Southern grew, modernized, and diversified, expanding its undergraduate and graduate programs and opening up entirely new fields of study and research. But March 1983 brought even greater changes: Southern Connecticut State College was rechristened Southern Connecticut State University, and made part of the Connecticut State University System, along with Central Connecticut State

Arthur Boothby Morrill James Laurence Meader

1893-1924 New Haven State Normal School

Lester Kelley Ade

1924-1928 New Haven State Normal School

1928-1935 New Haven State Normal School

Finis Ewing Engleman E. Ward Ireland

1937-1942 New Haven State Teachers College

Samuel M. Brownell

Interim 1942-1947 New Haven State Teachers College

1947-1954 New Haven State Teachers College

University in New Britain, Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic, and Western Connecticut State University in Danbury.

S

outhern today is a comprehensive institution of more than 10,000 students, with thriving schools of Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Graduate Studies, and Health and Human Services. Its population is increasingly diverse, with almost 40 percent being students of color. With more than 1,200 undergraduates earning degrees annually, Southern is a major contributor to Connecticut’s economy — more than 85 percent of each graduating class stays on to live and work in the state.

Hilton C. Buley 1954-1959 New Haven State Teachers College 1959-1971 Southern Connecticut State College

Manson Van Buren Jennings 1971-1981 Southern Connecticut State College

E. Frank Harrison 1981-1983 Southern Connecticut State College 1983-1984 Southern Connecticut State University

Michael J. Adanti Interim 1981 1984-2003 Southern Connecticut State University

J. Philip Smith Interim 2003-2004 Southern Connecticut State University

Cheryl J. Norton 2004-2010 Southern Connecticut State University

Stanley F. Battle Interim 2010-2012 Southern Connecticut State University

Mary A. Papazian 2012-2016 Southern Connecticut State University

Joe Bertolino 2016Southern Connecticut State University

SCSU Presidents

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Mr. President

URING HIS INAUGURATION

in April 2017 as the 12th president of Southern, Joe Bertolino outlined his vision for the university — one that establishes it as the regional higher education institution of choice for students and community partners.

At the same time, he pledged to foster a university culture that promotes respect, compassion,and kindness; where members of the campus community care about one another personally and professionally; and from which Southern becomes a statewide leader for social justice.

Educated in social work, Bertolino came to Southern after four years as president of Lyndon State College in Vermont, following a long career in higher education administration in the area of student affairs.

8

9

Community Connections

A

project to increase the number of black, Latino, and Asian students pursuing a career in K-12 education was launched last spring by Southern and a regional consortium of school superintendents.

The Minority Educator Initiative – devised by Stephen Hegedus, dean of the School of Education – includes scholarships for minority students accepted into one of Southern's education preparation programs, thanks to a gift of more than $2 million by the estate of alumna and 32-year faculty member Carol Ann Shea.

In partnership with school districts, the initiative also includes mentorship programs, pairing SCSU education majors with administrators, K-12 teachers, and high school students considering a career.

10

3

NEW P R O GR A MS

promise to meet workforce needs and prepare Southern students for jobs in exciting, rapidly evolving fields.

The university has introduced bachelor of science degree programs in biotechnology and in environmental systems and sustainability studies, both of which started in fall 2017. Rooted in science, the programs are multidisciplinary in nature to provide students with the breadth of knowledge and the tools to take on real-world issues.

A concentration in public utility management – within the Bachelor of Science degree program in business administration – focuses on utilities, such as water, gas, electric, and wastewater. Launching in fall 2018, this concentration gives students the opportunity to fill managerial and technological job openings as the workforce ages in the public utilities field.

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WHAT IF

... YOUR COLLEGE E D U C AT I O N included

learning how to manage your finances, including student loan debt? At Southern, students are able to take advantage of the Student Financial Literacy and Advising Program, which helps them do just that. Students learn payment plan options as well as financial aid and scholarship opportunities through one-onone advising, presentations, and resources.

After analyzing more than a thousand colleges and universities offering similar services, the website LendEDU placed Southern at #29 in its annual Top 50 Financial Literacy Programs report — the second year in a row that Southern was recognized for excellence in this field.

13

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Designed by Centerbrook Architects & Planners, the nearly 104,000-square-foot building is the second to receive such recognition at Southern — the first was awarded for the new home for the School of Business. Southern has been recognized regionally and nationally in recent years for its greening initiatives — including new building design, energy efficiency, and student-driven recycling programs.

sav

L A B O RAT ORY BUI LD I NG

has been certified LEED® Gold, placing it among the top one-third most sustainably designed certified buildings in the state.

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Student Achievement

O

ut of hundreds of journalists who applied from across the country, only a dozen were selected for an intensive 11-day program focusing on understanding and communicating data-rich and complex statistical information. Sandra GomezAceves, a May 2017 graduate, was among them.

A Green & Welcoming Campus

The ProPublica Data Institute is run by an independent investigative journalism newsroom. Attendees learned data journalism, design layout and programming concepts such as HTML/CSS, JavaScript and Python.

Gomez, who graduated with a B.S. in journalism and a concentration in political science, is putting her new skills to use as a breaking news reporter for the Hartford Courant.

•••

THE NEW TOP OWL SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD is presented to

recognize individuals who are helping the university achieve its mission of creating and sustaining an inclusive community that appreciates, celebrates, and advances student and campus life.

• RESPECT

Awarded monthly from September-March, the award recognizes recipients for their contributions, leadership, and service in addressing issues of diversity, inclusion, and social justice.

K

LOOKING AHEAD WITH

President Joe •••

1

1

Student Achievement

O

ut of hundreds of journalists who applied from across the country, only a dozen were selected for an intensive 11-day program focusing on understanding and communicating data-rich and complex statistical information. Sandra GomezAceves, a May 2017 graduate, was among them.

A Green & Welcoming Campus

The ProPublica Data Institute is run by an independent investigative journalism newsroom. Attendees learned data journalism, design layout and programming concepts such as HTML/CSS, JavaScript and Python.

Gomez, who graduated with a B.S. in journalism and a concentration in political science, is putting her new skills to use as a breaking news reporter for the Hartford Courant.

•••

THE NEW TOP OWL SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD is presented to

recognize individuals who are helping the university achieve its mission of creating and sustaining an inclusive community that appreciates, celebrates, and advances student and campus life.

• RESPECT

Awarded monthly from September-March, the award recognizes recipients for their contributions, leadership, and service in addressing issues of diversity, inclusion, and social justice.

K

LOOKING AHEAD WITH

President Joe •••

1

1

Student Achievement

O

ut of hundreds of journalists who applied from across the country, only a dozen were selected for an intensive 11-day program focusing on understanding and communicating data-rich and complex statistical information. Sandra GomezAceves, a May 2017 graduate, was among them.

A Green & Welcoming Campus

The ProPublica Data Institute is run by an independent investigative journalism newsroom. Attendees learned data journalism, design layout and programming concepts such as HTML/CSS, JavaScript and Python.

Gomez, who graduated with a B.S. in journalism and a concentration in political science, is putting her new skills to use as a breaking news reporter for the Hartford Courant.

•••

THE NEW TOP OWL SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD is presented to

recognize individuals who are helping the university achieve its mission of creating and sustaining an inclusive community that appreciates, celebrates, and advances student and campus life.

• RESPECT

Awarded monthly from September-March, the award recognizes recipients for their contributions, leadership, and service in addressing issues of diversity, inclusion, and social justice.

K

LOOKING AHEAD WITH

President Joe •••

1

1

Design is in process for a new home for the School of Health and Human Services, with construction projected to start in 2019. This $74 million project is fully funded by the state is a great vote of confidence in our mission and the excellence of our offerings in this field.

Southern is about to go solar in a big way!

More than 3,000 solar panels with an annual generation capacity of one million kilowatts, will be installed on the west side of campus.

There’s no capital investment or up-front cost and we’ll purchase the electricity generated by the panels at a significant discount compared with our current utility rates.

OUR FORTHCOMING PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATE IN SOCIAL WORK

will be the first of its kind in New England, offering the specialization that is now required for advanced employment in this and other health related fields.

We’ll be breaking ground for the new Strong Communications Magnet and K-4 Lab School on Lot 8 off Farnham Avenue. This is a signature academic partnership with the City of New Haven and its school system and a great opportunity for our education students to investigate best practices, conduct research, get in-classroom experience, and promote innovation and learning in the early grades.

WE’RE ALSO MAKING PROGRESS WITH NICHE PROGRAMS that meet the needs of demands

We’ve received donor funds to install a Sandy Hook Memorial and remembrance garden this spring in memory of our four Southern alumni who lost their lives in the December 2012 Newtown school shootings.

AND THE INITIAL OFFERING IN OUR NEW CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM

responds to the population trends that are shaping our state: a Certificate in Spanish and Latino Cultures for Healthcare Professionals will launch in summer 2018.

WE’LL BEGIN OFFERING ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT, and

of the 21st Century economy. Our new Utility Management program, for example, is being hailed as a national model. A partnership with Gateway Community College and the Regional Water Authority, it provides utility companies facing a graying of the industry with critical succession planning and leadership development.

later, classes leading to degree programs, at Gateway and Housatonic Community Colleges. Our target audience here is not students who would already come to Southern, but the working parent who can’t leave Bridgeport, or the student who works full time and supports a family. It’s another way to put our mission of access and social justice into practice.

2

On the academic side, we’re working on the launch of our first joint master’s program — in coastal resilience — with Liverpool John Moores University, in England. With an accelerated MBA and several other proposals in the works, a portfolio of joint graduate degrees will make our collaboration unique in American higher education.

2

Design is in process for a new home for the School of Health and Human Services, with construction projected to start in 2019. This $74 million project is fully funded by the state is a great vote of confidence in our mission and the excellence of our offerings in this field.

Southern is about to go solar in a big way!

More than 3,000 solar panels with an annual generation capacity of one million kilowatts, will be installed on the west side of campus.

There’s no capital investment or up-front cost and we’ll purchase the electricity generated by the panels at a significant discount compared with our current utility rates.

OUR FORTHCOMING PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATE IN SOCIAL WORK

will be the first of its kind in New England, offering the specialization that is now required for advanced employment in this and other health related fields.

We’ll be breaking ground for the new Strong Communications Magnet and K-4 Lab School on Lot 8 off Farnham Avenue. This is a signature academic partnership with the City of New Haven and its school system and a great opportunity for our education students to investigate best practices, conduct research, get in-classroom experience, and promote innovation and learning in the early grades.

WE’RE ALSO MAKING PROGRESS WITH NICHE PROGRAMS that meet the needs of demands

We’ve received donor funds to install a Sandy Hook Memorial and remembrance garden this spring in memory of our four Southern alumni who lost their lives in the December 2012 Newtown school shootings.

AND THE INITIAL OFFERING IN OUR NEW CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM

responds to the population trends that are shaping our state: a Certificate in Spanish and Latino Cultures for Healthcare Professionals will launch in summer 2018.

WE’LL BEGIN OFFERING ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT, and

of the 21st Century economy. Our new Utility Management program, for example, is being hailed as a national model. A partnership with Gateway Community College and the Regional Water Authority, it provides utility companies facing a graying of the industry with critical succession planning and leadership development.

later, classes leading to degree programs, at Gateway and Housatonic Community Colleges. Our target audience here is not students who would already come to Southern, but the working parent who can’t leave Bridgeport, or the student who works full time and supports a family. It’s another way to put our mission of access and social justice into practice.

2

On the academic side, we’re working on the launch of our first joint master’s program — in coastal resilience — with Liverpool John Moores University, in England. With an accelerated MBA and several other proposals in the works, a portfolio of joint graduate degrees will make our collaboration unique in American higher education.

2

Design is in process for a new home for the School of Health and Human Services, with construction projected to start in 2019. This $74 million project is fully funded by the state is a great vote of confidence in our mission and the excellence of our offerings in this field.

Southern is about to go solar in a big way!

More than 3,000 solar panels with an annual generation capacity of one million kilowatts, will be installed on the west side of campus.

There’s no capital investment or up-front cost and we’ll purchase the electricity generated by the panels at a significant discount compared with our current utility rates.

OUR FORTHCOMING PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATE IN SOCIAL WORK

will be the first of its kind in New England, offering the specialization that is now required for advanced employment in this and other health related fields.

We’ll be breaking ground for the new Strong Communications Magnet and K-4 Lab School on Lot 8 off Farnham Avenue. This is a signature academic partnership with the City of New Haven and its school system and a great opportunity for our education students to investigate best practices, conduct research, get in-classroom experience, and promote innovation and learning in the early grades.

WE’RE ALSO MAKING PROGRESS WITH NICHE PROGRAMS that meet the needs of demands

We’ve received donor funds to install a Sandy Hook Memorial and remembrance garden this spring in memory of our four Southern alumni who lost their lives in the December 2012 Newtown school shootings.

AND THE INITIAL OFFERING IN OUR NEW CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM

responds to the population trends that are shaping our state: a Certificate in Spanish and Latino Cultures for Healthcare Professionals will launch in summer 2018.

WE’LL BEGIN OFFERING ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT, and

of the 21st Century economy. Our new Utility Management program, for example, is being hailed as a national model. A partnership with Gateway Community College and the Regional Water Authority, it provides utility companies facing a graying of the industry with critical succession planning and leadership development.

later, classes leading to degree programs, at Gateway and Housatonic Community Colleges. Our target audience here is not students who would already come to Southern, but the working parent who can’t leave Bridgeport, or the student who works full time and supports a family. It’s another way to put our mission of access and social justice into practice.

2

On the academic side, we’re working on the launch of our first joint master’s program — in coastal resilience — with Liverpool John Moores University, in England. With an accelerated MBA and several other proposals in the works, a portfolio of joint graduate degrees will make our collaboration unique in American higher education.

2

Design is in process for a new home for the School of Health and Human Services, with construction projected to start in 2019. This $74 million project is fully funded by the state is a great vote of confidence in our mission and the excellence of our offerings in this field.

Southern is about to go solar in a big way!

More than 3,000 solar panels with an annual generation capacity of one million kilowatts, will be installed on the west side of campus.

There’s no capital investment or up-front cost and we’ll purchase the electricity generated by the panels at a significant discount compared with our current utility rates.

OUR FORTHCOMING PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATE IN SOCIAL WORK

will be the first of its kind in New England, offering the specialization that is now required for advanced employment in this and other health related fields.

We’ll be breaking ground for the new Strong Communications Magnet and K-4 Lab School on Lot 8 off Farnham Avenue. This is a signature academic partnership with the City of New Haven and its school system and a great opportunity for our education students to investigate best practices, conduct research, get in-classroom experience, and promote innovation and learning in the early grades.

WE’RE ALSO MAKING PROGRESS WITH NICHE PROGRAMS that meet the needs of demands

We’ve received donor funds to install a Sandy Hook Memorial and remembrance garden this spring in memory of our four Southern alumni who lost their lives in the December 2012 Newtown school shootings.

AND THE INITIAL OFFERING IN OUR NEW CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM

responds to the population trends that are shaping our state: a Certificate in Spanish and Latino Cultures for Healthcare Professionals will launch in summer 2018.

WE’LL BEGIN OFFERING ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT, and

of the 21st Century economy. Our new Utility Management program, for example, is being hailed as a national model. A partnership with Gateway Community College and the Regional Water Authority, it provides utility companies facing a graying of the industry with critical succession planning and leadership development.

later, classes leading to degree programs, at Gateway and Housatonic Community Colleges. Our target audience here is not students who would already come to Southern, but the working parent who can’t leave Bridgeport, or the student who works full time and supports a family. It’s another way to put our mission of access and social justice into practice.

2

On the academic side, we’re working on the launch of our first joint master’s program — in coastal resilience — with Liverpool John Moores University, in England. With an accelerated MBA and several other proposals in the works, a portfolio of joint graduate degrees will make our collaboration unique in American higher education.

2

Student Achievement

O

ut of hundreds of journalists who applied from across the country, only a dozen were selected for an intensive 11-day program focusing on understanding and communicating data-rich and complex statistical information. Sandra GomezAceves, a May 2017 graduate, was among them.

A Green & Welcoming Campus

The ProPublica Data Institute is run by an independent investigative journalism newsroom. Attendees learned data journalism, design layout and programming concepts such as HTML/CSS, JavaScript and Python.

Gomez, who graduated with a B.S. in journalism and a concentration in political science, is putting her new skills to use as a breaking news reporter for the Hartford Courant.

•••

THE NEW TOP OWL SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD is presented to

recognize individuals who are helping the university achieve its mission of creating and sustaining an inclusive community that appreciates, celebrates, and advances student and campus life.

• RESPECT

Awarded monthly from September-March, the award recognizes recipients for their contributions, leadership, and service in addressing issues of diversity, inclusion, and social justice.

K

LOOKING AHEAD WITH

President Joe •••

1

1

T

en Southern students recently received prestigious internships or full-time positions with Deloitte, one of the “Big Four” accounting firms — along with PwC, Ernst & Young, and KPMG — widely recognized as the largest professional services networks in the world.

Lori Charlton, a partner at Deloitte based in its Stamford office, said Southern flashed on her radar screen several years ago when she worked with a talented young colleague, and the partnership has blossomed since then.

“They’ve been terrific,” says Charlton of the students and alumni who’ve received subsequent offers in both the audit and tax practices. “They interviewed very well and were very competitive. We’re really encouraged by our partnership with the university and want to keep the relationship going.”

23

Student Achievement

T

he fall season was a historic campaign for Southern's volleyball team. Making its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, the Owls rallied from a 10-point deficit in the opening game and came away with a 3-1 win over New York Tech before narrowly falling to the top seed, the University of New Haven, in the regional semifinals.

Co mm un ica

tion s

Led by All-Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Leanna Jadus, the Owls secured an at-large spot in the NCAAs with a run to the final of the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament — another first in program history.

e hl At

tic

U CS y, S urph Colleen M

24

W

hen Southern’s women’s swimming and diving team won the conference championship for the 11th time in program history, one of the standout performers was AllAmerican scholar and athlete Katherine Crochet.

Crochet won five titles — 200-yard medley relay, 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, 400-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard medley relay — to boost her career total to 13 NE10 crowns.

Southern’s team co-captain has had an inspirational journey to success in the pool and the classroom, as a Scholar All-American: as a child, she was diagnosed with ADHD (attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder) and swimming offered a way to channel her energy.

25

Faculty Research

HE 26

failed an AP Chemistry class in high school, but five years later, Cody Edson had earned both bachelor’s and master's degrees in chemistry as part of an accelerated program at Southern. With faculty mentor Jim Kearns, Cody developed a potentially groundbreaking testing kit to detect even small amounts of arsenic in drinking water. And in the fall, the student who had no interest in attending college began a doctoral chemistry program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

D D

avid Levine, chairman of Southern’s Art Department and an expert on art history, was selected for one of the most prestigious faculty awards within the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system: the title of Connecticut State University Professor.

uring a long and distinguished career at Southern, Levine has received international acclaim as a scholar, in particular for his research on the Dutch and Flemish artists working in Rome during the Baroque era. His specific interest is in investigating the political dimensions of Dutch painting and the cultural competition with Italy.

27

Global Connections

14

STUDENTS USED THEIR WINTER BREAK TO TRAVEL TO NICARAGUA to work on a project to help

improve water access and sanitation for a remote village. The students did all of the planning and fundraising for the trip and did not receive course credit for their work; their efforts were all volunteer.

A chapter of Global Brigades, the largest studentled international community service group, Southern’s team spent eight days digging trenches for water pipes, laying concrete foundations in homes, building sanitation stations with access to potable water and waste removal, and teaching children about proper hygiene.

28

IN ITS

3

RD

YEAR,

a blossoming Trans-Atlantic Alliance with Liverpool John Moores University has included research internships, study abroad for students from both institutions, faculty exchanges, and the approval of the first programs in a portfolio of joint master’s degrees.

Last summer, 20 LJMU students spent three weeks at Southern as part of a cultural immersion experience, while eight Southern anthropology students excavated at a medieval burial site near Chester, England. In Iceland, 35 students and four faculty members from both institutions explored interrelationships between the economy and the environment.

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thanks to a growing list of accomplishments that position Southern among the best. Here are some of the university’s many exciting initiatives and achievements.

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See more at SouthernCT.edu/news-owl-pride.

O

WL PRIDE IS RUNNING SKY HIGH

nationally recognized theater-inresidence — the Elm Shakespeare Company

of ranked nursing schools in the U.S. —NursingSchoolsAlmanac.com

College Financial Literacy programs in the United States Recognized alongside Ohio State, Yale, Harvard, Texas Tech, and more.

— LendEDU.com

universities in United States with graduate programs accredited experiential learning and workforce prep opportunities for students each year through more than -of-a-kind partnership with England’s Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU)

700 Connecticut businesses and government agencies.

by the International Dyslexia Association for providing exceptional teacher training

provides student exchanges and more.

Congrats to LJMU, the 2017 University of the Year — Educate North Awards

A new Owl athletics logo was

consecutive

unveiled during Homecoming

years in The

activities representing "the

Princeton

successful track record and fierce, competitive nature of Southern's 19 intercollegiate programs."

to Southern’s student teams at the Connecticut Venture Capital Investment Competition for two years running

Review

student teams from

Guide to top

Connecticut universities

“green”

to medal at a recent

colleges

major international science competition.

Southern, University of Connecticut, and Yale University each won bronze at the iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) competition.

Southern students volunteered for the annual Day of Service — just one example of the university’s commitment to the community.

31

Giving to Southern

S

CHOLARSHIP SUPPORT HELPS STUDENTS make

the most of their Southern experience.

A new online application process makes it easy for them to apply.

SOUTHERN’S ENDOWMENT FUND HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY,

from $26 million in FY 2016 to just under

$29

million

at Dec. 31, 2017.

GS, IB L IN IN E S DENT N F O E STU ONE LLEG O C CA RS HONO NESA

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ON CLINT E R I C f Violet. ance o ial

r Memo e h k t ic u r and in So Frede arry L. starred eceived the d t he L n r a n ip o Clint olarsh rship. ed Sch Schola Endow . Bingaman aJ Marth

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32

R L AY E ENT P rm RESC fo r C e p D E se T rn’s fall Cacce E D IC A

n p is com alth and pla e e ol. “Th h o c h li c b s e pu t a e u grad ave m attend ip support g my h d s r n a la p scho o ex dom t e field. I feel e e fr e th th dge of ,” says knowle and blessed d ed honore , who receiv a c a s Tenes nsalve nny Go the Da alth Alumni He Public Scholarship. r e t p Cha

THE SCSU

FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO EXCEED

its performance investment benchmarks, with an overall rate of return of 17.37 percent in the portfolio, up from 6.84 percent the previous year.

SCHOLARSHIPS AT SOUTHERN ARE HEALTHY AND GROWING — for the fiscal year ending

June 30, 2017, the SCSU Foundation provided more than $840,000 equaling 615 scholarships available for award to Southern students, up from $460,000 five years ago.

,” HERN SOUT T A e y Y C pla d LEGA , who T H IS RzON E AV E act

a

L L KO D TO e cont PROU P E A R ision to includ exual-assault “ I’ M A S S c s he d A LY uthern’s de ion an tion cards. S S AY S So revent

le in ide p larship ntifica key ro for suic students’ ide ucation Scho n io t a d d inform ups on ce Special E ivan Endowe cy gro ll n a u a c S V o v ina ad Keon d the G ret Mc receive and Marga hn and Jo ip. rsh la o h c S 33

Commencement

JAHANA HAYES, CLASS OF ’05 AND THE 2016 NATIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR,

received the 2017 Distinguished Alumnus Award in front of the 8,000 who attended the undergraduate ceremonies at Bridgeport’s Webster Bank Arena.

34

DEANNA BRADLEY

earned a degree in social work and a surprise proposal. Her boyfriend, Blackhawk Helicopter Crew Chief Harley Petty, traveled 7,000 miles from Egypt to congratulate his girlfriend and ask her to marry him (she accepted!).

UNDERGRADUATE COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER DERRECK KAYONGO , a refugee

from Uganda and CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, inspired graduates to: “Show Up! Show Up! Show Up!” as he urged them to be active citizens.

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, NBA basketball legend, social activist, best-selling author, and cancer survivor enthralled a sold-out audience at the 19th edition of the annual Mary and Louis Fusco Distinguished Lecture Series in May 2017.

Read more about Southern’s 2017 accomplishments at SouthernCT.edu/presidents-report.

MISSION STATEMENT

Southern Connecticut State University provides exemplary graduate and undergraduate education in the liberal arts and professional disciplines. As an intentionally diverse and comprehensive university, Southern is committed to academic excellence, access, social justice, and service for the public good.

CONNECTICUT STATE COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES BOARD OF REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION MEMBERS

Matt Fleury Chair Yvette Melendez Vice Chair Richard J. Balducci Aviva D. Budd Naomi K. Cohen Lawrence DeNardis Felice Gray-Kemp Merle W. Harris David R. Jimenez Juan Carlos Leal Student Advisory Committee Vice Chair William J. McGurk Hector Navarro Student Advisory Committee Vice Chair JoAnn H. Price Elease E. Wright

SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS FOR THE CONNECTICUT STATE COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

Mark E. Ojakian President Jane McBride Gates Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs David L. Levinson Vice President for Community Colleges Elsa Núñez Vice President for State Universities

OFFICERS FOR SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY

Joe Bertolino President Robert S. Prezant Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs Mark Rozewski Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Tracy Tyree Vice President for Student Affairs Beverly Byl Vice President for Institutional Advancement/Executive Director, SCSU Foundation Dennis M. Reiman Chief Information Officer Terricita E. Sass Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management

PRODUCED BY THE OFFICE OF INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

Patrick Dilger Director

Isabel Chenoweth Photographer

Patrick Dilger Betsy Beacom Joe Musante Editors and Writers

Brokk Tollefson Melanie Stengel Additional Photography

Mike Kobylanski Villia Struyk Writers

Marylou Conley Designer GHP Printer