As the Fall 2015 semester approaches, we here at UConn HESA wanted to introduce you to our newest incoming cohort, the Class of 2017! Students hail from a range of home states, undergraduate institutions, work placements and student affairs experiences. We hope that they all enjoy the summer weather, and look forward to welcoming them with open arms this August for orientation!  

  On Friday, May 8, our program welcomed in the newest cohort into our alumni ranks! Congratulations to the HESA Class of 2015 for all of your accomplishments and for receiving the degrees for which you've all worked so hard. We wish you all the best in your next steps!

To anyone in the Storrs area (or those willing to visit our campus): UConn HESA would like to cordially invite you to the HESA 2016 Cohort Assessment Day. Please join us on Thursday, April 30, 2015 from 9am-3pm in the Student Union room 304B. The cohort conducted four assessment projects aiming to understand student learning through various forms of outreach and engagement. The four teams will be presenting their findings on these year-long projects sponsored by campus partners. The agenda is as follows: 9-9:15am- Welcome and Overview 9:15-10:15am- Presentation #1: Husky Sport 10:30-11:30am- Presentation #2: La Comunidad Intelectual 11:30am-12:30pm- Lunch Break 12:30-1:30pm- Presentation #3: KUBE 1:45-2:45pm- Presentation#4: Education Abroad 2:45-3:00pm- Closing Remarks Light refreshments will also be served. We hope you are able to join us!

Dr. Elizabeth (Betsy) Cracco, who currently co-instructs a college student development course for the HESA program and serves as the Director of Counseling and Mental Health Services at UConn, has agreed to serve as the Interim Director of Student Health Services after the retirement of the current director Michael Kurland. Dr. Cracco's ability to support students in a variety of settings and roles serves as a model for members of the campus community to strive towards, and her dedication to the general student welfare is inspiring. The HESA program and the university community at large congratulate Dr. Cracco on this new role, and wish her luck in the coming months!

Virginia Cabrera (HESA Class of 2016) and Louis Cameron (HESA Class of 2016) were recently accepted to present at the New England Latino Student Leadership Conference (NELSLC) at Dartmouth College.

The pair of first year students will present a session titled, "Ethical Decision-Making in Student Leadership." Virginia and Louis' presentation will be part of the larger NELSLC program from April 24-25, 2015 at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH.

 

Congratulations to both Virginia and Louis, and we wish you luck in your preparation!

EDLR’S Dr. Milagros Castillo-Montoya has been awarded a grant through the UConn Vice President for Research Scholarship Facilitation Fund.  Each year, the Scholarship Facilitation Fund works to advance faculty research interests and aids in the continuation of their contributions to their respective fields. Dr. Castillo-Montoya received this grant for her project, “Higher Education and Student Affairs Administrator’s Learning of Assessment, Evaluation and Research.” As a co-instructor for the HESA program’s year-long service-learning course Assessment, Evaluation and Research in Student Affairs, Dr. Castillo-Montoya will be able to directly apply the knowledge she gains from this research to enhance her students’ learning and classroom experience. Blanca Rincon, who will be joining the HESA program as a full-time faculty member in the fall of 2015, serves as the co-principal investigator for this project and as a co-instructor for the HESA program’s assessment, evaluation, and research course. We wish both our faculty the best of luck in their research endeavors!

Two first-year students in the HESA Program recently received scholarships from the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. Robert Valentin (HESA Class of 2015) was nominated for and received the Sidney P. Marland, Jr. Fund Award. This award aims to provide scholarships for minority undergraduate and graduate students in the Department of Educational Leadership. Nancy Wong (HESA Class of 2015) received the Peter J. Nicholls Scholarship. This award is aimed at providing financial support to graduate students enrolled in the Higher Education & Student Affairs Program in the Department of Educational Leadership who demonstrate strong academic achievement. Congratulations to Robert and Nancy to two well-deserved awards!

Shanna Graham (HESA Class of 2015) will be recognized for an award at the Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY) Phenomenal Women of Power Leadership Breakfast on March 14, 2015. Shanna was selected for an award due to her efforts in supporting mentoring programs for underrepresented student populations and for "[embodying]  the character and commitment of the College’s founder, Audrey Cohen." Following the breakfast, a “Phenomenal Women of Power” roundtable discussion will be held at MCNY, where Shanna will be able to share insights into her experiences. The discussion will be centered on issues that impact women educators and will be led by women currently setting the course for the field of education. Proceeds from this breakfast and event will be donated to the Melvin I. Douglass Scholarship for Urban Education at MCNY. The fund is the first at MCNY dedicated to students in the Masters of Science in Education program, and the first fund established by an African American man at MCNY. For more information on the event, feel free to visit http://www.mcny.edu/news/newsdetail.php?id=500 and https://www.eventbrite.com/e/phenomenal-women-of-power-breakfast-to-benefit-the-dr-melvin-i-douglass-scholarship-fund-tickets-15207714684. Congratulations once again to Shanna Graham on being recognized for her dedication to education and steadfast support of mentoring programs for underrepresented students.

As part of the 2015 NODA Region IX Conference this past week, Garrett Schlichte (HESA Class of 2015) was awarded Outstanding Graduate Student Presentation for his session, "Daring Greatly: The Importance of Empathy in Peer Leadership." Congratulations once again to Garrett!

As part of the 39th Maryland Student Affairs Conference, Tina Harney (HESA Class of 2016), Jackie Lee (HESA Class of 2015), and Eileen Rodriguez (HESA Class of 2015) were selected as finalists in the Case Study Competition.As finalists, Tina, Jackie, and Eileen were tasked with defending their case and fielding a question and answer session with a three-person review panel. Members of the panel include Dr. Andrea Goodwin, Dr. Deb Moriarty, and Mr. James Felton. After defending their study and facing a rigorous Q & A round, the trio took first place in the Case Study Competition! Congratulations once again to Tina, Jackie, and Eileen on your success!