The Charger Blog

International Affairs Major ӰԭI Feel Endlessly Grateful for All of the Ways the University Has Prepared MeӰԭ

Whether he was exploring Japan or Italy or interning in Washington, D.C., Samuel Weinmann Ӱԭ24 has had a variety of exciting experiences as a Charger. HeӰԭs grateful for the support of his mentors Ӱԭ and for the opportunities heӰԭs had to serve as a mentor for his classmates.

February 28, 2024

By Renee Chmiel, Office of Marketing and Communications


Samuel Weinmann Ӱԭ24 in Japan during the Model UN conference.
Samuel Weinmann Ӱԭ24 in Japan during the Model UN conference.

For Samuel Weinmann Ӱԭ24, his time as a Charger went far beyond the classroom. The Ӱԭincredible experiencesӰԭ heӰԭs had have connected him with supporters and mentors that include his professors and University benefactors. TheyӰԭve also brought him around the world.

Weinmann has been an active member of the UniversityӰԭs award-winning since his first year. He advanced from delegate to head delegate, serving as a leader and mentor to his teammates and helping them to build their own skills. HeӰԭs taken part in seven conferences during his time in the program, including four as a head delegate. One of the most memorable trips brought him halfway around the world where he explored JapanӰԭs historical sites, tried new foods, and experienced history in a way that heӰԭd never imagined.

While studying abroad at the UniversityӰԭs campus in Prato, Italy, Weinmann took every opportunity to immerse himself in the culture. An Italian language intern, he took part in the UniversityӰԭs Conversation Exchange Program, which partners Chargers with local high school students. He also enjoyed connecting with members of the local community.

ӰԭA favorite memory of mine was when I was studying abroad in Prato and volunteered to be on the set crew for an Italian theater troupe,Ӱԭ he recalls. ӰԭAs someone who loves learning languages, I found that being able to immerse myself in Italian culture and language Ӱԭ and to feel a part of a community so far from home Ӱԭ was a magical experience.Ӱԭ

ӰԭThese incredible experiencesӰԭ

Weinmann will accept his bachelorӰԭs degree in international affairs as part of the UniversityӰԭs 2024 Commencement, which will take place over three days in May on the main campus in West Haven, Conn. HeӰԭs currently in Washington, D.C., for the semester as part of the Washington Internship Institute program, interning for Voice of America. ItӰԭs one of several internships Weinmann has completed as a Charger. HeӰԭs also interned for the West Haven MayorӰԭs Office, the UniversityӰԭs MayorӰԭs Advisory Commission, and Pratosfera, a newspaper publisher in Prato.

Passionate about journalism, Weinmann has been an active member of the UniversityӰԭs , serving as managing editor of the newspaper and as executive editor of the student-run .

ӰԭI feel endlessly grateful for all of the ways the University has prepared me beyond the classroom,Ӱԭ said Weinmann, who has also helped organize WestFest, an annual festival in West Haven that celebrates the relationship between the University and the city while raising money for a local food pantry. ӰԭAll these incredible experiences would not be possible without my mentors Dr. Chris Haynes and Professor Susan Campbell, as well as the alumni who have given me support and the donors who continue to help fund the Model UN program, such as Philip and Susan Bartels, Carolyn Brehm, and Richard Boucher.Ӱԭ

Samuel Weinmann Ӱԭ24 at the UniversityӰԭs main campus in West Haven, Conn.
Samuel Weinmann Ӱԭ24 at the UniversityӰԭs main campus in West Haven, Conn.
ӰԭThe same support that I have been lucky enough to haveӰԭ

WeinmannӰԭs favorite memories of his time at the University include sharing his passions for language and learning with his fellow Chargers. As a Learning Assistant for the UniversityӰԭs Center for Learning Resources, heӰԭs helped his classmates learn Italian, both in Italy and in the U.S. He also served as a tutor in the UniversityӰԭs Writing Center. HeӰԭs been drawing on his experiences as a student as he determines his career goals.

ӰԭMy plans are to find employment in communications or journalism, or a position in higher education to continue the work I have done working with students throughout college,Ӱԭ he said. ӰԭI love to write articles, but I am equally passionate about trying to help the future generation of students succeed, and giving them the same support that I have been lucky enough to have throughout college.Ӱԭ