It is no secret that I start missing the students as soon as they leave, but even with a quiet campus we still have a lot going on.
Congratulations to students Mark Boyle, Nick Cavallone and Curtis Quinn who were commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force at a formal commissioning ceremony conducted at Yale University’s Battell Chapel on Monday. These three students are the first to cycle through SHU’s partnership with Yale’s ROTC program.
Pictured at left (from L to R) are Lieutenant Boyle, Lieutenant Quinn, Cadet Anthony Landoli and Lieutenant Cavallone.
Do you know what blockchain is? If you don’t want to read “Blockchain for Dummies,” you should have been at the School of Computing and Cybersecurity Colloquia Series lecture “Hello Blockchain”on Wednesday. Guest speaker Harsh Savaliya, a consultant at Deloitte & Touche LLP, discussed the role of blockchain in the cybersecurity world.
Nadine Strossen, a former national ACLU president, talked about hate speech and whether or not it is constitutionally protected during an event Wednesday night at the new WSHU Broadcast Center. She held a question-and-answer session with the audience and signed her new book, HATE: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship.
From left are WSHU News Director Dan Katz, Reporter Cassandra Basler and Nadine Strossen
The annual Presidential Seminar has been taking place over the past two weeks. The concentrated eight-day immersion program of study focuses on the Catholic intellectual tradition. Faculty participants are active members of the seminar for the entire academic year and produce a tangible outcome, such as a published paper or a new course for a professor to teach. I hope everyone benefited from it, and I look forward to seeing their ideas for papers and programs.
Presidential Seminar
Be sure to follow me on social media for campus updates and check out some of our fun graduation coverage.
Take some time to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and enjoy the long weekend.
Despite some rain at some of the least opportune moments, it was a wonderful commencement weekend. These are probably my favorite days of the entire year (although move-in is certainly a close second), because it is the culmination of all we work for. It brings me such joy to see the happiness and pride on the faces of students and their families. I love celebrating with the seniors and having the chance to meet the families who have supported them throughout their time with us
I want to take a moment to thank all the faculty and staff members who came out for some or all of the weekend events. Many of you played a critical role in the success of the ceremonies with your volunteer efforts. All of you made a difference for the students with your presence. Thank you.
Doctor of nursing practice and doctor of physical therapy graduates were hooded on Friday at two separate ceremonies. Our graduating nursing students were pinned at a ceremony on Saturday as a way to welcome them into the profession. What an achievement for these students who worked and studied so hard.
Seniors danced the night away at the senior ball on Friday and again on Saturday night with their parents and siblings at the annual Family Dinner Dance. I enjoyed celebrating with the students and their loved ones.
Commencement Mass was a nice time for students, families and faculty to come together and reflect upon the weekend. Both the graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremonies were filled with inspirational speeches and advice from students and leaders. Seeing the smiles on students’ faces as they reached for their diplomas is so rewarding. I am also pleased the rainy conditions did not deter students from coming back to campus for photos after graduating.
This week, we celebrated the opening and ribbon cutting of the WSHU Broadcast Center. After nearly 20 years, the entire WSHU staff will be under one roof working together in beautiful new facilities. The center also provides our public safety department with a new state-of-the-art command center, so they can continue to keep the community safe.
Congrats to the SHU Chapter of the National Student Speech-Language and Hearing Association for achieving Gold Chapter Honors. The award recognizes a small number of outstanding national chapters that engage in ways that support the association’s mission. Kudos to President Danielle Vigliarolo and Professor Jill Douglass, adviser, who worked especially hard to make this happen.
Good luck to the baseball team playing at Wagner on Friday.
Check out my social media for any commencement coverage you may have missed.
It’s commencement weekend once again when we commemorate the hard work of our students and the commitment and support of their families. I am looking forward to celebrating with all of you over the next few days.
Thank you for making SHU's Pioneer Pride Giving Challenge a success. More than 1,440 alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and friends came together to show their Pioneer Pride by supporting over 40 initiatives and programs at SHU. Thanks to all who donated.
Last month the Boston Alumni Chapter hosted an event at Trillium Brewery Company in Canton, Mass. Trillium is owned by a proud SHU alum, J.C. Tetreault ’98. Looks like it was a great time.
Earlier this month, we announced the creation of the Frances Grodzinsky School of Computing Scholarship Fund to honor Fran’s 33 years of distinguished service to SHU. The $2,500 annual scholarship will be awarded to a female computer science student who has shown academic promise and demonstrates financial need.
Congratulations to our nursing students who achieved a first-time pass rate of 97 percent on the National Council Licensure Examination this past year. The national average for first-time pass rate is 85 percent. This achievement is a result of the students’ hard work and faculty and staff’s teaching and coaching. One hundred percent of SHU’s nursing students are employed within six months after licensure. Congratulations to all.
Bridgeport Public Schools Excellence in Education awards event was hosted at SHU earlier this month. The event, sponsored by Bridgeport Public Schools and the Bridgeport Higher Education Alliance, honored excellence in education at several schools across the city. Congrats to all the students and teachers who received awards.
On Wednesday, we hosted our annual Faculty and Staff Appreciation Barbecue at West Campus. We were greeted with a beautiful day and delicious food. Thanks for all you do.
College of Health Professions faculty displayed their research at the Center for Healthcare Education on Wednesday. Professors talked passionately about their research projects, many of which are ongoing. Great work.
Student-athletes were honored on Wednesday in Hartford for their contributions in the fundraising event Chowdafest, earning the Connecticut Governor’s 2018 Tourism Volunteer(s) of the Year award. Senior Devon Conley and freshman Logan Liljeberg represented the Pioneers at the Connecticut Convention Center as part of the Connecticut Governor’s Conference on Tourism.
We held the annual President’s Brunch yesterday morning for our graduating seniors. It was great seeing everyone gather together in 63’s.
Three senior rowers who are competing at the MAAC Championship on Sunday, during the undergraduate commencement ceremony, received their diplomas earlier today. Jennifer Hagedorn received her bachelor of science degree in psychology, Sarah Poirier received her bachelor of science degree in exercise science and Anna Sufczynski received her bachelor of science degree in health science. Congrats and good luck at Sunday’s competition. We will miss you.
Later on Friday, we honored our student-athletes at the annual All-Sports and Senior Awards Banquet. We celebrated their accomplishments both on and off the field. Thanks for your dedication to our athletic program these last four years. Go Pioneers!
At our undergraduate commencement ceremony on Sunday at the Webster Bank arena, we will present Caitlin Nelson with an honorary degree. Last month, we planted and dedicated a tree on campus in memory of her. At Saturday’s graduate ceremony, we will be awarding a doctorate in business administration-finance posthumously to Matthew Roesseler. Both students are missed.
I look forward to the many events happening over the next few days such as the dances and festivities and hooding and pinning ceremonies. Be sure to follow me on social media for all the commencement and end-of-the-year excitement.
It practically felt like summer this week as students geared up for the final days of the year. It was great seeing everyone make use of the amphitheater as they met with friends or prepared for exams. My video blog this week highlights Mr. SHU, Walk A Mile In Her Shoes, poster sessions and The MAX event, business projects and of course, the Late Night Breakfast. Enjoy!