Commencement Coverage in Hartford Courant, Sekou on CT News Junkie.com, Harrison in Inside Higher Ed.com, and More

The Hartford Courant, in its Monday, May 20 edition, had extensive coverage of the University of Hartford Undergraduate Commencement and the Class of 2013. John Kniering, director of Career Services in the Office of Student Affairs and a number of students were featured in this front-page story on the improving job outlook for college graduates. The Commencement ceremony, including anecdotes from Bernard Cornwell’s address and interviews with students about to graduate, was the subject of a story on the front page of the CT NOW section. The Courant’s online edition had a gallery of photographs from the undergraduate Commencement.

Howie the Hawk rappels down the side of the State House Square building in downtown Hartford on Friday, May 10, to raise money for Special Olympics CT, the day before the University hosted Special Olympics’ Eastern Regional Games. Click here to watch Howie.

For coverage of the Special Olympics Eastern Regional Games, watch this preview story that aired during the Saturday, May 11, 9 a.m. newscast on NBC Connecticut or this round-up story that aired during NBC Connecticut’s 11 p.m. newscast on Saturday.

Bilal Sekou, an associate professor of political science in Hillyer College, was interviewed for a Monday, May 20, story on CT News Junkie.com about the impact of the trial of State Rep. Christopher Donovan’s finance director on voter apathy. Click here to read the story.

University President Walter Harrison, who chairs the NCAA Committee on Academic Performance, was interviewed for an Inside Higher Ed.com story on Friday, May 10, about the recent NCAA decision not to raise the minimum standardized test score for athletic eligibility. Click here to read the article. He was also quoted in a May 3 Inside Higher Ed.com story on this same topic.

Austen Williams, a junior majoring in engineering at the University, had a letter to the editor published in the Wednesday, May 8, edition of the Hartford Courant, in which he argued for increasing the immigration slots for those graduating with degrees in STEM (science, engineering, technology and math) fields because of the strong need for people to work in those industries. Click here to read his letter.

Among the cast for Cabaret, which is opening on Wednesday, June 12 at the Playhouse on Park in West Hartford, are five students from The Hartt School: Conor Hamil, Mackenzie Friedmann, Nina Paganucci, Katie Luke, and Jake Oswall, according to an article in the West Hartford News on Friday, May 10. Click here to read more. The casting decision was also noted in the Hartford Courant.

An article in the Tuesday, April 23, issue of Broadway World noted that the cast of Twelfth Night at Hartford Stage (which begins its run on May 24) will include five students from The Hartt School: Josh Boscarino, Celina Lopez, William Macke, Katie Schenker and Arielle Soloman. Click here to read the full article.