The annual Weekend of Welcome (WOW) kicked off on Saturday, August 24th and we congratulated our new nursing Huskies. Out of over 3,800 applicants, 219 exceptional students have been accepted into our program. The Class of 2028, the largest to date, filled up every seat in the Peggy Szczesny auditorium. Nearly every student was in attendance to hear from Dean Dickson, as well as our Director of Student Success, Chelsea Cichocki. Students were welcomed with information on all the schools’ resources from advising to academic support.

“This is an exciting new chapter of your lives, and you are in the driver’s seat,” said Chelsea Cichocki.

Students were strongly encouraged to seek out supportive spaces, connect with campus resources such as our excellent student advisory staff and peer support teams, implement healthy study habits, and to lean on one another.

When asked how many students family members have who work in healthcare, hands shot into the air. At a time when our nation is experiencing a critical nursing shortage, we are encouraged to see so much palpable passion from this young, energetic crowd. Their inspiration in turn inspires us.

“This is an exciting time to be a nursing student at UConn, we have some of the most hard-working students and it is an honor to welcome the class of 2028!”
-Dean Dickson

The orientation included engaging activities spearheaded by Academic Advisor, Abby Clark.  Students played Bingo to find connections with their peers on more than just an academic level. “The bonds you make here are everlasting,” advised Abby Clark. This new class of UConn Nurses will be a part of opening the doors to the Future Home of UConn Nursing in the Fall of 2026.