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Another commencement is in the books, and more than 2,600 students in the Class of 2022 joined the Central Connecticut State University alumni community on May 14.
Building off the success of last year’s outdoor commencement exercises, the university hosted two outdoor commencement ceremonies at Arute Field.
The first ceremony at 9 a.m. honored graduates of the Carol A. Ammon College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences and the School of Business. Troy McMullen ’89, an Emmy Award-winning journalist who is the current executive editor at ABC News in New York, served as the morning ceremony’s guest speaker.
The second ceremony at 2:30 p.m. honored graduates of the School of Education & Professional Studies and School of Engineering, Science & Technology. Michele “Mickey” Perez ’14, ’16 addressed students at the afternoon ceremony. Perez is an industrial manager at Pratt & Whitney and the founder of Super Jet Brunette, a STEM education organization.
In her remarks to the Class of 2022, Central President Zulma R. Toro said, “Celebrations of milestones do not come often enough. What you have accomplished, during one of the most volatile times in recent history, is truly remarkable. Savor this day.”
President Toro lauded the graduates for completing their degree programs amid the challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and interruptions.
“Your time at Central during a pandemic has cultivated an unexpected competency,” she said. Think back to how quickly you had to adjust to a new way of life and all its complexities, the strict COVID protocols, and online learning. But you pushed through it. You learned how to learn; how to ask insightful questions; how to evaluate evidence, how to pivot on a dime and cope with change. The fact that you persevered to complete your degree proves you are capable of triumphing in the face of adversity.”