A Graduation Of Heartfelt Speeches And Smiling Faces

Graduating students gathered at the University of Connecticut Avery Point for a graduation celebration Friday to be followed by commencement at the Storrs campus this Saturday and Sunday. 

Students who have completed a bulk of their course work at the Avery Point campus were welcome to take part in the celebration complete with all the pageantry of a formal graduation. 

“Students choose to take place in the graduation celebration.  It’s nice for many of them to be able to graduate on the campus where they did the bulk of their work,” said Associate Director of Admissions,  Laurie Saunders. 

Enthusiastic graduating Senior Martina Parashkevova from Bulgaria is an Anthropology and Sociology major. 

"I love it here," she said.  "This is like my second home, and all the teachers know us by name.  I will miss it.”

Avery Point Campus Director Michael Alfultis spoke of campus diversity and told students they “will always have a home here at Avery Point.”

Alfultis was followed by keynote speaker and Avery Point Marine Science Professor W. Frank Bohlen. 

“Frank is a wonderful educator and he is retiring so this is the last hurrah for the students to hear from him,” Flannery said.

Bohlen, elected by an overwhelming margin as speaker by graduating seniors, has been a faculty member since 1969 and, according to Alfultis, has touched the lives of hundreds of students. 

His message was one of the many environmental hurdles which lay ahead for graduating seniors, but he encouraged perseverance and local involvement to invoke meaningful change in our communities. 

"What the pessimist sees as adversity, the optimist sees as opportunity,” he told the students.

Department professors delivered personal and heartfelt speeches, hugs and handshakes for each graduate, indicative of a small campus community.

The closing address was given by graduating senior and Marine Sciences major, Katelyn Arruda. 

Robert Auscavitch of Milford, Conn., said his son, an Avery Point Marine Science major, chose this campus because it’s a small college which provided a major in his area of interest. 

"I’m proud of him," Auscavitch said. "He took something he wanted to do and made something out of it.”

Trudy Flannery, director of student services for Avery Point, said although students are encouraged to attend commencement at Storrs, many of them won’t.  Having spent most of their academic life on the Avery Point campus, many are happy to consider their celebration on the campus a bittersweet goodbye. 

Graduate and English major Val Dougty from Ledyard summed it up.

"I will miss this small and beautiful campus and the professors are awesome," Dougty said.

Graduating students gathered at the University of Connecticut Avery Point for a graduation celebration Friday to be followed by commencement at the Storrs campus this Saturday and Sunday. 

Students who have completed a bulk of their course work at the Avery Point campus were welcome to take part in the celebration complete with all the pageantry of a formal graduation. 

“Students choose to take place in the graduation celebration.  It’s nice for many of them to be able to graduate on the campus where they did the bulk of their work,” said Associate Director of Admissions,  Laurie Saunders. 

Enthusiastic graduating Senior Martina Parashkevova from Bulgaria is an Anthropology and Sociology major. 

"I love it here," she said.  "This is like my second home, and all the teachers know us by name.  I will miss it.”

Avery Point Campus Director Michael Alfultis spoke of campus diversity and told students they “will always have a home here at Avery Point.”

Alfultis was followed by keynote speaker and Avery Point Marine Science Professor W. Frank Bohlen. 

“Frank is a wonderful educator and he is retiring so this is the last hurrah for the students to hear from him,” Flannery said.

Bohlen, elected by an overwhelming margin as speaker by graduating seniors, has been a faculty member since 1969 and, according to Alfultis, has touched the lives of hundreds of students. 

His message was one of the many environmental hurdles which lay ahead for graduating seniors, but he encouraged perseverance and local involvement to invoke meaningful change in our communities. 

"What the pessimist sees as adversity, the optimist sees as opportunity,” he told the students.

Department professors delivered personal and heartfelt speeches, hugs and handshakes for each graduate, indicative of a small campus community.

The closing address was given by graduating senior and Marine Sciences major, Katelyn Arruda. 

Robert Auscavitch of Milford, Conn., said his son, an Avery Point Marine Science major, chose this campus because it’s a small college which provided a major in his area of interest. 

"I’m proud of him," Auscavitch said. "He took something he wanted to do and made something out of it.”

Trudy Flannery, director of student services for Avery Point, said although students are encouraged to attend commencement at Storrs, many of them won’t.  Having spent most of their academic life on the Avery Point campus, many are happy to consider their celebration on the campus a bittersweet goodbye. 

Graduate and English major Val Dougty from Ledyard summed it up.

"I will miss this small and beautiful campus and the professors are awesome," Dougty said.

New London Graduates

Reagan Garside  - American Studies
Ian Thomas – American Studies

Anna Sofia – General Studies

Chiron Otero (EEB/Psy)
Julia Otero (EEB/Psy)