Student Profiles

Erica M. Bordonaro

Central Connecticut State University
Erica M. Bordonaro, a 2006 Central graduate with a Bachelor in Education, currently teaches in the Cheshire school system. She believes that the student teaching experiences at Central best prepared her for the challenges she faces everyday in the classroom. "It gave me a chance to live what I'd been learning," said Bordonaro, who was a Henry Barnard scholar in her senior year.

Bordonaro has returned to Central to obtain a master's in Education Technology and also plans to earn a six year certificate in Education Leadership. She takes what she is learning in the classroom and applies it to her first grade classroom, which is equipped with advance technology.

"As my class uses the SMARTBoard and Interactive Response System together to investigate new concepts, we essentially build a close classroom community," comments Bordonaro. She also shares her knowledge of technology with colleagues, presenting professional development workshops to enhance innovative instruction.

Frank Brady

Southern Connecticut State University
Communications major Frank Brady was selected to attend the National Conference on Student Leadership, where his entry - Hip Hop: The History of the Hype - won a Top Trendsetters Award. The award spotlights highly successful programs and events from universities across the country.

"Southern is a great place to make connections and network," says Brady, a spoken soul artist who is capitalizing on campus life to the fullest. In addition to working as a residential advisor, Brady is vice president of the Black Student Union and a member of the Program Council, which sponsors on-campus activities and events.

David Earle

Eastern Connecticut State University
Visiting the battlefields of Gettysburg as a child had always fascinated David Earle. After graduating in 2000 from Daniel Hand High School in Madison, David enlisted in the Army and attended basic training before enrolling at Eastern Connecticut State University in fall 2001.

The following seven years were complicated. After attending three semesters at Eastern, David was activated by the Army. In 2004, he found himself at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, and then on his way to Afghanistan, where he served from January 2006 through April 2007. While at ECSU, David had been an integral member of the cross country and indoor and outdoor track-and-field teams. In Afghanistan, he called Bagram Air Base in the province of Parwan home for a year. David was shot at several times and witnessed a car bombing.

In April 2007, David was discharged. He re-enrolled at ECSU as a full-time student in fall 2007 and graduated in 2009 with a degree in history and American studies.

Upon his return to Eastern and the track-and-field program, David competed throughout the indoor season at distances between 1,500 and 5,000 meters. Although the time away from Eastern had a visible effect on his athletic performance, David returned with a fresh approach to his academics. Only an average student during his first few semesters at ECSU, David compiled a 3.7 grade point average in his final semester. David may not run as fast as he once did, but his life experiences are making the journey significantly more rewarding, and have made him a better teammate and student.

Nancy Hillier, BS, RN

Southern Connecticut State University
With a BS in Biology, Nancy spent many years teaching math, science, religion, geography and computers in a middle school. In 2007 she decided to make a career change and pursue a career in Nursing. Southern Connecticut State University had recently received approval and accreditation for its Accelerated Career Entry (ACE) program. The program was a perfect match for Nancy.

"I am now working as a Registered Nurse in a pediatric office. I have found that this has been a great opportunity to work with patients and families in the promotion of well-care and in the development of newborns, adolescents, and young adults as well as assisting patients who are ill and in need of immediate health care."

She says the Ace Program provided a thorough nursing education and excellent clinical training which "has greatly helped me to meet new challenges with confidence. From the onset of my nursing education, I have found nursing to be a very exciting profession with opportunities for advancement and continuing education. The nursing profession has been most rewarding for me thus far and I look forward to many fruitful years."

Meredith Liberto

Western Connecticut State University
Meredith Liberto began her collegiate studies at the University of Sciences in Philadelphia, PA. "After four days, I knew I had to come home because I was extremely homesick," she explains. "Although the WCSU semester had already begun, the admission deadline had not passed yet. I never had a formal orientation or official tour of the WCSU campus, but leaving Philadelphia and coming to WCSU was the greatest decision I ever made!"

"The new, state-of-the-art science facilities and small class sizes were definitely a reason to come here. I was shocked transitioning from a general chemistry class of hundreds to only 30. The chemistry department really took me under their wing and relayed a sense of confidence and knowledge when it came to biochemistry, especially the department chair, Dr. Paula Secondo, and faculty member Dr. Richard Molinelli. "Through their personal experiences and scientific knowledge, the WCSU chemistry department has significantly contributed to my academic, professional and personal success," she says.

Meredith plans to pursue a job in the pharmaceutical industry in order to enhance her laboratory skills and gain some work experience. "I hope to continue my education and pursue graduate school in the near future," she says. Meredith's advice to new students entering WCSU is: "Take risks, push yourself, pursue your passions, and strive to do your personal best. Always remember to believe in yourself and surround yourself with good company."

Imran Qazi

Western Connecticut State University
Danbury resident Imran Qazi came to Western "because the justice and law administration (JLA) program was highly recommended and so was the university environment." As an undergraduate, he majored in JLA with a minor in business, and received a Bachelor of Science in justice and law administration in 2006.

"I decided to major in that because I have always wanted to work in the government sector and I felt that the JLA department would best prepare me for that and it has," Qazi says. Graduating after five years as an undergraduate, Qazi decided to attend graduate school at Western, too. "My graduate major is in history with a concentration in international relations," he explains.

Qazi's long-term goal includes working for the FBI and/or the United Nations. "I would like to one day become the Chief Ambassador for the United States to Pakistan, where my family is originally from," Qazi says. "I would love nothing more than to help bring peace across the world."

Qazi's, who served two years as student government president and received a Student Leadership Award, has advice for new students: "Get involved in your spare time on campus. I would also recommend that you go to the Career Development Center, so they can give you all the guidance you need to make your future brighter than ever."

Richard Vinhais

Central Connecticut State University
A Management Information Systems (MIS) major at the School of Business at Central Connecticut State University, Richard Vinhais graduated in the class of 2002. Upon graduation, Richard was hired as an Online Services Specialist at People's Bank. In March 2004, Richard was promoted to the position of Infrastructure Engineer and Senior I.T. Project Manager. During that time, he continued to pursue a M.Sc. in Management of Technology (concentration in Strategic Management of Resources), where he graduated with a 3.9 GPA in August 2006 at Fairfield University, CT.

In December 2006, Richard was recruited by Ernst and Young as a Consultant to the Technology and Security Risk Services practice. On his own time, Richard is also an entrepreneur where he has committed to several partnerships in start-up companies in Connecticut. He is currently pursuing a certification as Project Management Professional at the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Congratulations to Richard for his outstanding accomplishments since graduation in 2002 at the School of Business and his continuing pursuit of success. We are proud to have Richard Vinhais as an alumnus of the Management Information Systems program at the CCSU School of Business.

Kacie Warner

Eastern Connecticut State University
Before finishing her major in communications at Eastern Connecticut State University, Kacie Warner wanted to complete an internship that would supplement her education. She found that the partnership between Eastern and ESPN in Bristol was everything she could have hoped for.

Although Warner had television production experience, worked for Media Services and was a member of Lambda Phi Eta, the Communication National Honor Society, she wanted a more professional experience. She was offered an internship in ESPN's Global Operations Department in the International Division. "I loved every minute of it," Warner said. "There is just so much to be learned."

Eastern is one university ESPN looks to when they seek to discover new talent and interns. At ESPN, Warner developed her skills in audio production and voiceovers, and because of her resume and outstanding internship performance, ESPN offered Warner a job after graduation. She now works in production and master controls on "Sports Center" and college basketball games on ESPN and ESPN2.