| | | | Legislative Delegation Visits to Southern Connecticut State University and Western Connecticut State University |
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| Recent legislative delegation visits to Southern Connecticut State University and Western Connecticut State University offered an opportunity to showcase the impact of both institutions and the opportunities ahead.
At Southern, the New Haven delegation toured potential areas for investment, including Pelz Gymnasium and the former School of Business, projects that could expand the university’s capacity and create new opportunities for students, faculty and staff. At Western’s Westside campus, legislators heard directly from student-athletes, jazz students and design students about their experiences and what makes them proud to be part of the Wolf Pack.
Together, the visits highlighted the important role CSCU institutions play in their communities and underscored the value of investing in our students, campuses and Connecticut’s future. |
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| Photos: Southern Connecticut State University |
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| | Photos: Western Connecticut State University |
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| | | | Nearly 11,500 students have started their college careers at Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) this fall, as first-year enrollment continues to grow across the system’s four state universities and Connecticut State Community College (CT State).
Preliminary figures show that 4,768 first-year students enrolled at the four state universities, an increase of 145 students from Fall 2025. Central Connecticut State University welcomed 1,520 first-year students, followed by Southern Connecticut State University with 1,231, Eastern Connecticut State University with 1,146, and Western Connecticut State University with 871. CT State Community College welcomed 6,717 new students this fall. Combined, the five institutions enrolled 11,485 first-year students, underscoring continued growth in enrollment across Connecticut’s public higher education system. |
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| | A Strong Start to the Academic Year Across CSCU |
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| Faculty, staff and students across Connecticut State Colleges and Universities kicked off the fall semester with traditions, celebrations and a renewed sense of community. Central welcomed its newest Blue Devils with New Student Convocation and its traditional class “C” photo, while Eastern celebrated a record-breaking incoming class with Warrior Welcome and two flagship ceremonies that included Convocation and Light the Way. Southern marked the arrival of the Class of 2030 with Convocation and a New Owl Welcome, while Western ushered in new students with its symbolic Entering the Gates ceremony. Across CT State Community College, students returned to 12 campuses statewide.
Pictured are some of the moments that marked the start of the 2026–27 academic year across CSCU. For more from each institution, see: |
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| | | | | |  Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Interim Chancellor Natalie Braswell has announced the appointment of Dr. Ken Udas as president of Charter Oak State College. Udas will begin his term on Oct. 30, 2026. He currently serves as the Vice Provost of Digital Learning Initiatives at University of Idaho and brings nearly 30 years of senior leadership experience in public, online, continuing, and adult-serving higher education in the U.S. and internationally. Dr. Udas succeeds Ed Klonoski, who retired after serving as Charter Oak’s president for 18 years.
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| |  Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) Interim Chancellor Natalie Braswell announced the appointment of Dr. Kimberly T. Kostelis as interim president of Central Connecticut State University, effective October 8. Dr. Kostelis currently serves as Central’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and has spent more than two decades at the university, serving in faculty and leadership roles across the institution. Central has been Dr. Kostelis’ professional home for more than 20 years. She began her career at the University as an assistant professor before serving as department chair and later as the Dean for the School of Education.
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| |  The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Central a $250,000 annual federal TRIO Educational Talent Search (ETS) grant, representing a $1.25 million investment over five years, to help students overcome barriers, achieve and prepare for successful post-secondary and career pathways. Central’s ETS program is the only federally funded Educational Talent Search program in Connecticut.
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| |  Eastern Connecticut State University earned a standout spot in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, placing No. 15 among the nation’s Top Public Schools in the National Liberal Arts Colleges category and No. 142 overall. Central and Western Connecticut State universities also earned strong public university rankings in the Regional Universities North category, with Central at No. 33 and Western at No. 38 among Top Public Schools. Southern Connecticut State University, ranked among National Universities, placed No. 158 among Top Public Schools.
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| |  The School of Nursing at Southern Connecticut State University was designated a National League for Nursing (NLN) Center of Excellence, the first public university in Connecticut to receive this honor. The school is one of 20 nursing schools and programs in the United States selected as 2026 NLN Centers of Excellence™ and represents the spectrum of higher education in nursing, from certificate-granting programs through advanced-degree academic institutions.
Pictured is Maria Krol, Southern’s interim executive director of healthcare programs and professor of nursing; Andrea Adimando, chair and associate professor of nursing; and Michele Vancour, interim dean of the College of Health and Human Services.
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| |  Connecticut State Community College (CT State) Tunxis was joined by college and local officials to celebrate the expansion of workforce training and professional development opportunities at its Bristol location at 430 North Main Street. The facility will serve employers and the community throughout the greater Bristol region with classes focused on leadership, project management, customer service, strategic planning, and other high-demand workforce skills. Current offerings include Leading Teams for Results, Managing and Leading for Results, Project Management Essentials and Customer Service Essentials.
Pictured: CT State Community College Interim President Christina Royal, Ph.D.; CT State Tunxis Campus President Sharale Mathis, Ed.D.; and CT State Tunxis Director of Workforce Development and Continuing Education Sue Passini (center) pose with local and state officials, including Bristol Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu, and Reps. Joe Hoxha and Mary Fortier during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
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| |  Central Connecticut State University received a $75,000 Connecticut Tech Talent Accelerator Innovation Grant to develop Translational Literacy in Science, a new three-credit course led by Dr. Caleb Bragg. The course will provide Scientific Communication + AI Literacy Experience (SCALE) training, helping students evaluate information and AI-generated content, trace claims to primary sources, and communicate complex science clearly to non-experts. The grant was awarded by the Business-Higher Education Forum and the New England Board of Higher Education with support from the Connecticut Office of Workforce Strategy.
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| |  Maebel Haynes, Eastern Connecticut State University junior and political science major, was selected to represent Eastern and advocate for the Willimantic community through the Newman Civic Fellowship. The competitive, year-long leadership program is sponsored by Campus Compact, a national organization that supports civic-minded student leaders, and Haynes is one of 150 students nationwide to participate in the 2026-27 fellowship cohort.
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| |  Dr. Teresa Puckhaber, associate professor in Western Connecticut State University’s Nursing Department, was the recipient of the 2026 Provost’s Award for Teaching. Puckhaber is also a WestConn graduate three times over, having earned her Bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in nursing, along with a Doctorate of Nursing Education.
Pictured: Dr. Teresa Puckhaber, associate Nursing professor, being awarded the 2026 Provost’s Award for Teaching by Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Stephen Hegedus.
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| |  Connecticut State Community College (CT State) has received a $100,000 Accelerator Grant from the New England Prison Education Collaborative (NEPEC) to strengthen transfer pathways and expand educational opportunities for students at York Correctional Institution. One of four New England colleges selected through a competitive process, CT State developed its grant proposal in partnership with Wesleyan University to improve educational access and credit mobility for incarcerated learners.
Pictured: Graduates are shown celebrating during a joint CT State Community College and Wesleyan University commencement ceremony in May at York Correctional Institution. Photo credit: Wesleyan University.
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| |  Through a $427,561 award from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), CSU Professor Elliott Horch is expanding Southern Connecticut State University’s role in astronomical research through an international collaboration developing a six-telescope array designed to capture high-resolution images of objects in space. The collaboration, known as “The Sephira Project,” includes Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena, Calif., and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.
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| |  Kim Ward, professor of mathematical sciences at Eastern Connecticut State University, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) Charles Dunn Award for Faculty. Named in honor of former Henderson State University President Charles Dunn, the award honors faculty who are dedicated to the success and support of their students.
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| |  At Central Connecticut State University, two pedestrian timber bridges will connect people and places on campus and beyond. Designed and built by Central Civil Engineering students, the bridges were celebrated on Aug. 19 during a ceremony at the university’s Applied Innovation Hub. Led by Engineering Professor Dr. Bin “Brenda” Zhou, the annual bridge project gives students the opportunity to manage a real-world municipal project from design through construction while working with community partners.
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| |  The CSCU Open Educational Resources (OER) Advisory Council recently collaborated with CT State Middlesex’s Center for New Media to produce a 3-minute video in which CSCU students discuss textbook affordability challenges and their experiences with OER, which are no-cost and open alternatives to conventional textbooks.
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| |  Eastern Connecticut State University is the first D-III school in New England with a varsity women’s flag football program, and the newly minted team will play on a brand-new artificial turf field, which is one of the nation's first designated facilities for the emerging NCAA sport.
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| |  Western Connecticut State University celebrated the dedication of a new state-of-the-art playing surface at the Westside Athletic Complex on Sept. 1, marking a major upgrade to the 2,500-seat stadium. Following the dedication, the Wolves men’s soccer and field hockey teams hosted the first games on the new turf. The field, last resurfaced in 2014, also serves Western’s football, women’s soccer, and men’s and women’s lacrosse teams.
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