Earlier this month, they gathered at Travelers’ headquarters in Hartford for an exclusive meet-and-greet breakfast with members of the UHart community including President Lawrence P. Ward and Dean Aarthi Ivanic of the Barney School of Business. Co-hosting the gathering was alumnus Gregory Toczydlowski M’95, executive vice president and president of business insurance at Travelers.
The relaxed and engaging morning of conversation gave participants the opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni, expand their professional networks, and celebrate the shared experience of being part of the UHart community.
Ward spoke about the many ways that alumni from Travelers have helped enrich the UHart experience for current students—from mentoring students during Career to the Classroom Day to showing students around Travelers’ “Claim University” as part of Career Exploration Day.
Illustrating why the partnership with Travelers has been so successful, Ward said: “Think about everything it takes to make an organization like Travelers succeed. On our campus, you’ll find MBA candidates and insurance majors, but you’ll also find accountants and statisticians, engineers and educators, psychologists, communicators, graphic artists. Our students learn to listen, to consider diverse viewpoints, to ask questions and shape solutions—all those intangible skills our world needs to thrive. As alumni, you are key collaborators in helping our students turn their passion into purpose.”
“Larry and I have had the opportunity to get to know each other over the last two years, and we consider each other friends,” Toczydlowski said. “We share the same passion for cultivating a culture of learning and volunteerism.”
The University’s strategic partners represent a wide range of industries and organizations from across the region, offering students internships, scholarships, mentorship opportunities and more. In addition to Travelers, they include major employers such as Stanley Black & Decker, CVS Health, and Masonicare; state, city, and local governments; and arts and entertainment organizations like the Hartford Yard Goats and the New Britain Museum of Art.