What these students, faculty and alumni have in common is success

Dr. April Moreira receives CSCU BOR Faculty Teaching Award“Dr. Moreira is a proud 2004 graduate of the social work program, and like many others, came to �Թ�ͷ�� as a transfer student from Naugatuck Valley Community College. In her desire to advance her professional opportunities, in 2021 she earned a doctorate in Social Work from Southern Connecticut State University as part of its first DSW cohort. She is a living example of what I call the ‘continuum of quality’ of our state colleges and universities and how collaboratively, they produce a strong, viable workforce. Dr. Moreira was driven by a desire to give back and serve as an example to others about their limitless potential.”
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Dr. Danielle King receives CSCU BOR Adjunct Faculty Teaching Award“Dr. King exemplifies the highest standards of teaching excellence, student mentorship, pedagogical innovation, and a model for lifelong learning. Dr. King’s impact relative to student learning, the creation of an inclusive learning community, and commitment to continuous evolution designed to prepare students for the future make Dr. King truly deserving of this recognition.”
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Michael Azzi will soon be sworn in as an Air Force Intelligence Officer and receive an M.S. in Homeland Security“My academic track in Homeland Security at WestConn and my participation in AFROTC tie directly to each other. Both have given me so much insight about my future career in respect to crisis and disaster management, and time and resource efficiency. It’s been a wonderful cross-training experience. Add to that my leadership experience as SGA President, the flexibility I have been afforded in my work as a Graduate Intern, and WestConn’s cross-town agreement with Yale AFROTC, and they have all worked together to provide me with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
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Natalia Avendano’s non-linear path to her Nursing degree makes receiving it even sweeter“I wasn’t going to finish my degree, but everyone — including my husband — insisted that I absolutely had to finish. Family is very important to me; my husband and my children are my life, and I felt guilty about continuing. But the village that wrapped their arms around me and my family — from my nursing school friends to my family — they lifted me up so I could hold him up.”
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Curiosity and determination have propelled Yadira Reinoso within reach of her dream“Everyone has their own timeline in life. Just because someone seems ahead doesn’t mean you’re behind. Focus on your own journey, do everything with love and care, and be proud of how far you’ve come. Your future is what truly matters.”
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Led to Stay, Called to Teach: Jimmie Elizabeth “Liz” Timmons Nkonoki-Ward’s WestConn StoryWhen Jimmie Elizabeth “Liz” Timmons arrived at Danbury State Teachers College in 1953, the campus was far simpler than the WestConn students know today. Read more

Look for the helpers and you’ll find WestConn graduate student Ashley DeSiata“[I'm] stronger than I thought I was and have done things I never thought I could or would. It’s never too late to find what will make you feel accomplished. It’s okay to try new things, fail, and get back up after setbacks. It’s about overcoming adversity: you literally just have to keep going.”
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Student-Athlete Grace Parkosewich exemplifies Perseverance with a capital ‘P’“Don’t wait for the storm to pass — learn to walk through the storm. The person you will become is the strongest version of yourself. You’ll look back and realize you became the person you needed to be. It’s beautiful to experience. Anyone who has a success story has been through it and has scars. I was able to succeed because of support from my mom, my family, my roommates and teammates, and my professors. Their constant encouragement has been huge.”
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Music performance and Legal Studies major Hannah Alexander receives Barnard Award“Even though other programs also offered me scholarships, there was just something different about WestConn. I felt very secure in my choice to come here, and I would encourage anyone to consider this option. WestConn is the most friendly and welcoming place I looked at, and is so different from typical conservatory settings. Here, there is camaraderie and everyone lifts each other up. None of the other schools I considered could have offered a dual major experience this way, and I could not be more grateful for how the university supported me and made it work in my schedule.”
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Financial Management and Psychology major Gianna Fanelli receives Barnard Award“I am driven to support and uplift those around me as I understand how powerful it is to feel seen, supported, and capable. Education has given me structure and confidence, but it has also given me perspective — the awareness that my accomplishments rest upon a foundation built by others’ sacrifice. I am filled with gratitude, especially for my father who believed in me and my education even when life required him to carry more than most. To get the Barnard Award is not just recognition for the work I’ve put in, but his too.”
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2026 Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award recipients excelled while engaged in dual degree pursuitsFanelli said, “The Financial Management and Psychology disciplines challenge me in different, yet complimentary ways. Together, they gave me both structure and perspective. It has clarified the kind of professional I aspire to become — someone who understands the financial frameworks that drive organizations, and the human dynamics that sustain them.”

Alexander said, “While I know music is and will always be a huge part of my life, I am ready to explore additional avenues and begin to branch out from my musical cocoon. After graduating, I hope to go to an Ivy League Law School. I’m interested in commercial law and its ties to the music community in areas like intellectual property and copyright law.”
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�Թ�ͷ�� student Daniel Sousa Silva selected for Connecticut Poetry Circuit

WestConn student Daniel Sousa Silva selected for Connecticut Poetry Circuit“Poetry is important because it’s words and words hold a lot of power. Words can do a lot for people. It can make you feel seen, make you feel something you haven’t felt before, put words to thoughts and feelings you had, spread ideas, and make you feel alive or dead.”
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Dr. Donald Gagnon takes his ‘show on the road’ to share his love of theatre with his students“... since most of our students are focusing on performance, while I come to the field from the literary/history/criticism angle, I think it’s important for them to understand that there are other ways to appreciate the art — to find more to excite them and inform their understanding and work.”
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New �Թ�ͷ�� science class turns the chemistry lab into a crime scene investigation

New science class turns the chemistry lab into a crime scene investigation “I have dreamed of contributing to the development of a forensic science major and/or minor here at �Թ�ͷ�� because many of my students over the years have indicated their interest in such a major and there is a shortage of forensic scientists in the State of Connecticut; this course would perfectly support this endeavor.”
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First-generation WestConn student Elisa Cardona has a lot to celebrate this holiday season“Take advantage of all the opportunities at WestConn like the HSLP. It can be scary or nerve wracking to put yourself out there, but taking the leap of faith and taking a chance can help students gain more opportunities such as this one. There are so many staff members and peers that are supportive and willing to be the helping hand.”
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You can’t argue with the success of WestConn’s first all-female Moot Court team to qualify for the American Moot Court Association’s National Championship Tournament“WestConn’s 'superpower' is its culture. The students we have, the time and emotional commitment that they put into this, makes it an honor to spend time with them, and it’s not surprising that this was WestConn Moot Court’s most successful year.”

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Never one to sit still, Dr. Theodora Pinou has been globe-trotting with the goal to document biodiversity and instill a love of STEM in students“STEM education is the priority. Because of my work, I’m considered an expert in applying natural history collections in the classroom. This ties in with my National Science Foundation grant and sea turtle research. I plan to continue to look at interspecies relationships with the help of grants and funding that the university has obtained to support my work.”
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A collaboration between Poli Sci Professor Dr. H. Howell Williams and student Chris Powers allows classmates to see ’90s politics from both perspectives“I think my classmates appreciate what we’re both bringing to the class, and how we present it to them. I feel that political science is like a puzzle and I’ve been able to piece the puzzle together; and now I’m trying to help my fellow students understand how to do it, too, in order to comprehend what’s happening right now. It’s amazing as an undergraduate to have an opportunity to work so closely with a university professor like this. Not only has it been really fun and rewarding, but I’m not sure I would have had this kind of opportunity anywhere else.”
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Criminologist Casey Jordan’s new true crime podcast launches“… the difference between ‘Criminal Appeal’ and other true-crime podcasts is that Dr. Jordan features cases that she knows firsthand because she worked them in real-time. The show confronts tough questions about the justice system, media influence, and the gray areas of morality that surround every accused offender and determine every verdict.”
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Alumna Natasha Valani leveraged her knowledge of marketing and curiosity about career options to become the Chief People Officer at Tubi“Autonomy and agency were important to me. �Թ�ͷ�� provided the flexibility to own my schedule and provided me with the tools to figure out how I could make learning work on my time. I’m not sure I would have had that level of autonomy anywhere else.”
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MIS Professor Emilio Collar’s hobby inspires a new lab space, a new course, and a growing student clubAs a result, the university’s Vintage Computer Association was created as an official student club with Collar as its adviser, and plans are underway for a physical space to be formally created for the lab. “The administration has been very responsive to the students’ requests. We are going to revitalize a former computer science lab in the Westside Classroom Building to create a permanent vintage computer lab.”
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At �Թ�ͷ��, Air Force Veteran Neal Macmillen has found it’s never too late to follow your dreams“I do enjoy attending class, seeing what’s changed and what’s new. Science is evolving. Now we have computer models and the art is in choosing which model to use for your forecast situation. It used to be more hands on before computers. Being on campus is a little surreal. I don’t feel 72, I feel like a young student, but my body says otherwise.”
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At �Թ�ͷ��, Connor Nolan perfected his ‘pitch’“Getting my degree at WestConn helped me get to where I am today. The courses offered, coupled with the business community around the school, gave me options that other universities could not, and I look back on my college experience with gratitude for giving me the tools and guidance to succeed.”
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Terry Dwyer’s career experiences come into play in the classroom and beyond“We’re here to teach both the theoretical and the practical, and students come from different backgrounds and have different interests, so when they realize professors are multi-faceted human beings, it’s easier to make a connection and for them to see that they’re not limited in their aspirations. I am always happy to give advice to my students, and the bottom line is that I care, and I want all of them to be successful.”
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Collin Testa’s study-abroad experience amps up his desire to teach English in Japan“If you do a study-abroad program, look into all available resources, scholarships, etc. Put yourself out there. Introduce yourself to everything. You never know who you will meet, what memories you will make, what opportunities may come from meeting another person. Go and live each day to the fullest.”
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