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A few months after Angela Chan �Ӱ�ԭ��21 came to the University of New Haven from her home state of Florida, she experienced one of her first snow days as a Charger. She fondly remembers that more than a foot of snow fell that day, and she and her friends had a great time playing outside in it.

Many of her other favorite memories of her time as a Charger were made on the volleyball court. Chan, who has enjoyed the sport since she was a kid, was a setter on the for four years.

�Ӱ�ԭ��A favorite memory from my first year was experiencing the NCAA Elite Eight tournament in Pensacola after winning the Northeast-10 Conference Championship and the East Region Tournament,�Ӱ�ԭ�� said Chan, a member of the University�Ӱ�ԭ��s Honors Program who recently accepted her bachelor�Ӱ�ԭ��s degree in sport management. �Ӱ�ԭ��I think being a student-athlete helped refine my time-management skills and ability to work in high-pressure situations, which I believe will be important in the professional world.�Ӱ�ԭ��

Chan, who plans to return to Florida after Commencement, is among the more than 1,600 members of the Class of 2021 who were awarded their degrees during the University�Ӱ�ԭ��s two Spring Commencement ceremonies on May 17.

'Pushed me to be the best version of myself'

One of Chan�Ӱ�ԭ��s classmates, Michael Calabrese �Ӱ�ԭ��21, was a member of the University�Ӱ�ԭ��s fast-track program and earned his degree in just three years. A campus tour guide and orientation leader, he completed several internships as a Charger, including two during the Spring 2020 semester.

Interning in the University�Ӱ�ԭ��s and working alongside , associate director of athletics, and for Yale University Athletics, he says, inspired him to pursue a new direction for his career.

�Ӱ�ԭ��I want to work in college athletic departments and help make a student-athlete�Ӱ�ԭ��s experience even better during their collegiate career,�Ӱ�ԭ�� said Calabrese, who plans to pursue his MBA. �Ӱ�ԭ��The University of New Haven presented wonderful avenues for me to develop skills as a professional, a student, and most importantly, as a person. I was able to surround myself with people who pushed me to be the best version of myself that I could be, and I am forever grateful for them.�Ӱ�ԭ��

'Everyone has had an impact on who I am'

Emma Beckerman �Ӱ�ԭ��21, who earned a bachelor�Ӱ�ԭ��s degree in marketing, is grateful for the opportunities she had to work on multiple real-world projects with companies such as , a home automation company, and to take part in the .

Beckerman also dedicated herself to giving back to the University community, having served as a member of Alpha Phi Omega, a community service co-ed fraternity, and as a founding member and board member of the University�Ӱ�ԭ��s .

�Ӱ�ԭ��My most cherished memories from my time as a Charger include all the people I have been able to meet,�Ӱ�ԭ�� said Beckerman, who plans to move to the Boston area after graduation. �Ӱ�ԭ��I have been able to connect with students and faculty with a variety of backgrounds, and everyone has had an impact on who I am today.�Ӱ�ԭ��

'My learning experience has been the best'

Jocelyn Rodrigues �Ӱ�ԭ��21 MBA, who graduated with her third master�Ӱ�ԭ��s degree, leaves a legacy for future Chargers as a founding member and president of the University�Ӱ�ԭ��s new Women in Business Club. Some of her favorite experiences at the University were the result of her graduate assistantship in the provost�Ӱ�ԭ��s office, which enabled her to engage with hundreds of undergraduate students. She also helped run the Pompea College of Business Professional Enrichment Program.

As a brand management intern for , a consumer goods company that owns brands such as Lysol, Rodrigues gained important experience working with a product that provides nutrition for newborn babies with severe allergies. Rodrigues, who completed the University�Ӱ�ԭ��s STEM-designated data analytics concentration, will be joining Reckitt in June as a full-time assistant brand manager, for which she will be eligible to receive optional practical training, a benefit of her STEM-designated degree.

�Ӱ�ԭ��My learning experience has been the best in terms of academics, cocurricular activities, and the work environment,�Ӱ�ԭ�� she said. �Ӱ�ԭ��Several of my analytical, marketing, and management classes were tied directly into the work I did during my internship. The University of New Haven not only provided us with networking opportunities, but it also helped us develop a competitive edge to be successful in our future careers.�Ӱ�ԭ��