The Charger Blog
At the culminating ceremony as part of its 2024 Commencement, the University recognized the accomplishments of its newest associate and bachelorӰԭs degree recipients, commemorating all theyӰԭve done as Chargers as well as the bright futures ahead of them.
May 20, 2024
Whether she was in the laboratory or on the soccer field, Sophie Eskenas Ӱԭ24, Ӱԭ25 M.S. was committed to getting the most out of her time as an undergraduate student at the University of New Haven. She excelled as a student-athlete, gaining hands-on experience outside of the classroom and dedicating herself to service.
A member of the , Eskenas majored in forensic science with a concentration in chemistry, and she was named a John D. Hatfield Scholar for the 2022-2023 academic year. Whether she was serving as a teaching assistant, a learning assistant in the UniversityӰԭs Center for Learning Resources (CLR), or as a member of the UniversityӰԭs , she enjoyed sharing her passion for her field with her fellow Chargers.
Eskenas was also passionate about service throughout her time as a Charger. She and her teammates braved the frigid waters of Long Island Sound every winter, taking a Ӱԭpolar plungeӰԭ as part of fundraising efforts that supported the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants the wishes of kids with critical illnesses.
Eskenas accepted her bachelorӰԭs degree as part of the Saturday morning ceremony that was the culminating event of the UniversityӰԭs three-day 2024 Commencement. SheӰԭs excited to return to campus in the fall to begin pursuing her masterӰԭs degree in chemistry as part of the UniversityӰԭs 4+1 dual degree program. Her goal is to become a forensic scientist in the field of forensic toxicology and/or forensic drug analysis.
ӰԭThe University of New Haven has helped prepare me for success by providing me with the best forensic science education in the country,Ӱԭ said Eskenas. ӰԭThe forensic science program has allowed me to experience many different aspects of the field, helping me to figure out my primary interests and pursue a successful and enjoyable career.Ӱԭ
The University conferred 3,500 degrees during the four ceremonies, including nearly 1,300 associate and bachelorӰԭs degrees during the Saturday morning ceremony.
Honorary doctorates were presented to:
In presenting Nyberg for an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, Shaily Menon, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, presented a citation that read in part, ӰԭThe face of Connecticut news for more than four decades, you have interviewed Walter Cronkite, Barbara Walters, and Julie Andrews; reported from Cuba before restrictions were lifted; and traveled to the Vatican to cover Pope John Paul II. YouӰԭve made, perhaps, the biggest impact through the Toy Closet Program at Yale New Haven Hospital, which has distributed hundreds of thousands of toys since you founded it more than 30 years ago.
Brian Kench, Ph.D., dean of the Pompea College of Business, presented Nooyi for an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree. ӰԭNamed one of the worldӰԭs most powerful women multiple times by Forbes Magazine, you led with grace and determination, personifying the mindset that, as you said: ӰԭThe internal culture you create around leadership matters,ӰԭӰԭ the citation read, in part. ӰԭBold and forward looking, you serve as an exemplary role model by exemplifying empathy, embracing change, and embodying courage in your convictions.Ӱԭ
Nyberg delivered the keynote address as part of the ceremony, urging sharing her passion for storytelling and urging Chargers to Ӱԭfind your passion and go after it.Ӱԭ
Aiyannah Lewis Ӱԭ24, who also addressed the Class of 2024, urged her few graduates to acknowledge how the difficult times theyӰԭve faced Ӱԭ namely, the pandemic Ӱԭ have made them resilient. She also encouraged her fellow Chargers to recognize the support of those around them Ӱԭ their ӰԭherdsӰԭ Ӱԭ and to reflect on how that support helped them to reach this milestone.
ӰԭLet us go out into the world and show them that we are pioneers, change agents, and disruptors helping to shape our communities and the fields we are part of,Ӱԭ said Lewis, who earned her bachelorӰԭs degree in psychology. ӰԭLet us show the world our passion and our purpose Ӱԭ and what a Charger is all about!Ӱԭ
In presiding over his first Commencement as President, Jens Frederiksen, Ph.D., quoted Spider-Man and Chaucer while encouraging the Class of 2024 to ӰԭDream big, challenge yourself, and share your resilience, courage, and can-do spirit with the world.
ӰԭIn my short time here Ӱԭ I have encountered students with unlimited promise and an infectious can-do spirit. This is a university community with no ceiling, and the world needs Chargers Ӱԭ like you Ӱԭ like never before,Ӱԭ President Frederiksen continued. ӰԭLean on the experiences you have gained, the networks you have built, the lessons you have learned, the friendships you have forged, and the university that today becomes your alma mater.Ӱԭ
For Gabrielle Picón Ӱԭ24, a new business management grad with a minor in finance, being a Charger meant being an active member of the University community. A member of the who also served as president, she enjoyed hosting events that fostered leadership and professional development. Picón, who was also a learning assistant for the CLR, helped create an engaging classroom environment for her fellow finance students, developing her public speaking and organizational skills.
A member of the UniversityӰԭs Honors program, Picón collaborated with interns across the country as a sales intern for CDW Corporation in Shelton, Conn., an international multi-brand provider of information technology solutions and a Fortune 500 company. She also served as a wealth management intern for TrinityPoint Wealth in Milford, Conn. She now has her sights set on the consulting world, as sheӰԭll soon begin an internship with RSM in Stamford, Conn., as a member of the Audit & Assurance Team.
ӰԭThe University of New Haven has granted me many opportunities to learn and grow inside and outside of the classroom,Ӱԭ said Picón, who was also a member of the UniversityӰԭs John D. Hatfield Scholars program. ӰԭThe Pompea College of Business is an incredibly diverse place where undergraduate and graduate students can learn from professors in a variety of functional areas.Ӱԭ
For Kaylind Novick Ӱԭ24, Ӱԭ25 M.S., being a Charger meant making an impact, which she has endeavored to do through her research. A member of the Honors program, Novick focused her thesis on combining forensic science and criminal justice Ӱԭ her major and minor, respectively.
Novick endeavored to raise awareness of femicide in Mexico Ӱԭ specifically, in Ciudad Juárez. Positing that there would likely be a transfer of DNA between an attacker and a victim in a violent struggle, she collected DNA samples from female-identifying Chargers at the University to examine how much male DNA could be recovered. She found that this DNA recovery is possible, even though the amount of male DNA would be very small and subject to being Ӱԭdrowned outӰԭ by the female DNA. She also discussed ways in which victims could be identified using skeletal remains and databases, since many of the victims in Juárez are deceased.
ӰԭOverall, my goal is to show that these cases have the potential to have a perpetrator identified,Ӱԭ said Novick, who will continue her education at the University this fall, beginning her masterӰԭs degree in cellular and molecular biology as part of the 4+1 dual degree program. ӰԭI hope it at least can reunite families. At the University, I have gotten the opportunity to participate in different types of labs and courses that relate to my interests, my major, and even courses related to the graduate program I am in.Ӱԭ
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