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The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system announced that Ed Klonoski, President of Charter Oak State College, will retire in June 2026 after serving as the leader of Connecticut’s only public online college for 18 years. President Klonoski began his tenure at Charter Oak State College in 1997 as the institution’s first Director of Technology and was appointed president in 2008. Under his leadership, Charter Oak grew from one academic major to 21 and launched its first four graduate programs. |
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In this Q&A, Dr. Jesse M. Bernal, Ph.D., the 10th president of Western Connecticut State University (WestConn), describes how his leadership is guiding WestConn into a new era of renewal, impact, and regional engagement. A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Bernal brings a deep belief in the transformative power of public higher education. For more than two decades, he has led efforts in strategy, innovation, and equity across higher education and public charter systems in Michigan and California — building partnerships that align academics with workforce and community needs, investing in student and employee success, and creating more inclusive, student-centered institutions. |
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Dr. Sandra Minor Bulmer, Ph.D. was appointed Interim President of Southern Connecticut State University and began her new role on July 1, 2025. Dr. Bulmer has spent 26 years at Southern and considers the institution her home. She has extensive experience in higher education and was most currently the Dean of the university’s College of Health and Human Services and served as a professor in Southern’s Department of Public Health. In this Q&A, President Bulmer discusses her vision for Southern Connecticut State University and how she plans to build on its legacy. |
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Kerry A. Kelley, CT State’s Vice President of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer, was named Interim President of CT State effective July 1, 2025. Kelley will continue in this acting role until a longer-term interim president is identified for the upcoming academic year. She will also maintain her responsibilities as Vice President and CFO during this time. |
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Dr. Michele Vancour was appointed Interim Dean of Southern’s College of Health and Human Services, effective July 1, 2025. Vancour began her career at Southern in 1998 as an assistant professor in the Department of Public Health and was the founding director of the SCSU Wellness Center as well as the director of Faculty Development. She earned her B.A. in English from Central Connecticut State University, an MPH from Southern Connecticut State University, and a Ph.D. in health education from New York University. |
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Twenty-six students at Eastern Connecticut State University ventured to Switzerland as part of a course titled “PSY 471: Lifespan Development in Psychology,” from May 22 to June 2. The global field course (GFC) was led by psychology Professors Jennifer Leszczynski and T. Caitlin Vasquez-O'Brien and prompted students to compare the lifestyles of different age demographics. |
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Central Connecticut State University’s engineering students and faculty presented two custom-designed and constructed timber bridges to the towns of Avon and Simsbury during a ceremony held in June at the university’s Applied Innovation Hub. Tom Roy, Simsbury Director of Public Works, and Paul Welsh, Avon Public Works Operations Manager, attended the event to receive the bridges and thank the students and faculty who collaborated on the project. |
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Jonathan Cervantes (pictured), a CT State Gateway Culinary Arts student, is interning at Pepe's Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven. In addition to learning how the famous pizza is made, he will gain experience with the business side of managing a restaurant. The internship came about when the restaurant's owners were inspired by one of their managers, a CT State Gateway graduate. |
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A new internship program at Gallery 66 in New Britain, in partnership with Central Connecticut State University, allows students to earn academic credit with real-world experience in the arts, while learning how to run a community art gallery. |
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CT State Second Chance Pell GraduationsCT State closed out the graduation season with five graduation ceremonies for students enrolled in the Second Chance Pell (SCP) program at Connecticut Department of Correction facilities around the state. The events celebrate students’ accomplishments and commitment to their studies as they each prepare for reentry to the community. The SCP programs began in Fall 2016, and this year’s graduates join the 282 graduates of the program overall. Approximately 300 to 350 students enroll in the program each semester, and over 2,000 students have enrolled in the program since 2016.
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Britt Conroy, ’16, MS ’20 and coordinator of Veteran, Military and Adult Learner Services, at Southern Connecticut State University, was named Connecticut’s 2025 Veteran of the Year for Higher Education and a finalist for the national title. Conroy’s recognition is part of a nationwide effort by Military Friendly to celebrate the contributions that veterans make to their communities.
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CT State Three Rivers Guided Pathway Advisor Honored by New London NAACPDr. Stanley Beckford, a Guided Pathways Advisor at CT State Three Rivers, was honored at the New London NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner in June. Dr. Beckford received the Veteran’s Leadership Award in honor of his dedication and advocacy through military service, academic guidance, and civic engagement across Southeastern Connecticut.
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Thomas Balcerski, professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University, has taken major roles with two regional historical institutions, solidifying him as a leading regional historian. Balcerski is the newly appointed president of the New England Historical Association and editor of the "Connecticut History Review," a scholarly journal of the Association for the Study of Connecticut History. |
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