President Woodward shared the following message with the University community on March 18.
Dear Friends,
The Hawks are going dancing! I’ve never had more fun contemplating a basketball bracket for March Madness. Congratulations to our Men’s Basketball program for making it to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in our history.
For me, and for many others on and off campus, this accomplishment is another highlight in a run of significant victories for UHart over the past few years. In their own way, each of these “wins” demonstrates the heart, desire, and excellence of the University—our faculty, staff, and especially our students. As I watched the last moments of the America East Championship basketball game, I couldn’t help but think that these players were showing us what our students—all of our students—are made of. In a crazy world dominated by health, political, and social upheaval and unrest, and real tragedy touching the lives of so many far too often, our students didn’t give in. They didn’t give up, and they didn’t let anyone or anything stand in their way toward their dreams of success.
Greg Woodward, University of Hartford PresidentIn the face of this overwhelming pandemic, the University of Hartford has stood tall. In a year when it could have been easy to play it safe, we invested in ourselves, in our students, and in our community.
We learned new ways to teach, study, collaborate, and move forward, often one uncertain step at a time. We housed first responders and created 3D face masks for medical professionals. We opened the Center for Student Success, offering access to necessary resources for our students. We launched new scholarships and provided returning students with more financial aid. We celebrated the highest retention in the University’s history, including significant increases for our students of color. We had hard conversations about racism and inequity, while training, learning, and marching together. We added new programs and exceeded our enrollment targets. And last but not least, we are on schedule to complete the Francis X. and Nancy Hursey Center, a building that will provide thousands of students with the educational skills to be the future engineers and health professionals our world demands. This project is made possible by generous donors and industry partners that believe in the University of Hartford and in all of you.
I am exceptionally proud of these victories. Yes, some have been hard earned, and we know there will continue to be challenges as our world continues to evolve. But I can say this with absolute surety; we will continue to fight hard, work together as a team, play by the rules, and show respect to those around us. We will come out on the other side of this pandemic a stronger, more sustainable, more socially just, and more beautiful and elevated University, with major influence and impact in our world. Our students will thrive here, being transformed into young adults with brilliant futures, and help create a world we can all be proud of in our lifetimes.
Basketball, biology, art history, psychology, communication, physical therapy, math, writing, dancing, nursing, finance, music education, history, marketing, baseball, engineering, computer science, criminal justice, English, and more; careers, character, and citizenship; we will embrace the challenges, share the joys, and regardless of the score, come out as UHart winners, every time.
Go Hawks!
Greg Woodward