May 1, 2015 | Kenneth Best - UConn Communications

A Transformative Four Years

When the Class of 2015 arrived at UConn four years ago, it was the start of a new era under new leadership.

This May, UConn will award more than 8,220 degrees, including
6,000 Bachelor’s
1,600 Master’s
152 Juris Doctor
44 Master of Laws
94 Doctor of Pharmacy
5 Doctor of Audiology
3 Doctor of Education
5 Doctor of Musical Arts
6 Doctor of Nursing Practice
25 Doctor of Physical Therapy
46 Doctor of Dental Medicine
92 Doctor of Medicine
57 Doctor of Philosophy
Also to be awarded:
68 Diplomas in Professional Education
24 Associate’s Degrees in the two-year Ratcliffe Hicks School of Agriculture

The arrival of the Class of 2015 four years ago ushered in an era for UConn that has seen the introduction of new academic and research programs, continuous expansion of world-class facilities on campus, and the birth of a new downtown center – all under new leadership.

“This graduating class and I arrived at UConn together,” says President Susan Herbst, who was inaugurated as the 15th president of UConn just after the class arrived in the fall of 2011. “In just the past four years, they have witnessed and been part of an amazing array of major changes here at the University, and I hope each one of our graduating seniors remembers their time at UConn very fondly. They will always be Huskies.”

When today’s seniors began moving into their residence halls, the first buildings for Storrs Center began to rise on Dog Lane, adjacent to South Campus. By the beginning of their second year, the Class of 2015 enjoyed sharing meals in new restaurants that were the first of 35 shops, restaurants and offices and services that are nearing completion. They also met students who began to occupy The Oaks apartments.

The graduating class began to see the future of UConn unfold:

  • The announcement of Next Generation Connecticut to expand the University’s strength in fields of science, technology, engineering, and math, known as STEM and other initiatives.
  • Planning and the construction for new facilities include the Innovation Partnership Building in the Tech Park, slated to open in 2017; a new residence hall for STEM living and learning communities, to be completed in 2016; a new Engineering and Science Building, to be finished in 2017; a new Honors Residence Hall; a new production facility for the School of Fine Arts; a new student recreation building; and others.
  • The launch of the Bioscience Connecticut initiative on the Farmington campus and the opening of the new Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, along with major expansion of the UConn Health Center including new facilities for an Outpatient Pavilion.
  • This year’s seniors also celebrated a bounty of six national championships won by the Huskies during their time on campus: back-to back NCAA Championships in 2013 and 2014 won by the field hockey team led by Hall of Fame coach Nancy Stevens, dual NCAA Championships won by the men’s and women’s basketball teams in 2014 that repeated UConn’s unprecedented 2004 dual titles, and two more NCAA titles won by the women’s basketball team, including this year’s third consecutive championship and record 10th title under the leadership of Hall of Fame coach Geno Auriemma.

“Our alumni from Asia to Europe to California tell me they still dream of UConn and their wonderful days here,” President Herbst told the incoming students at Convocation four years ago. Now, as those Huskies join the powerful 223,000 alumni body, they take with them their own memories.

Read more stories related to Commencement.