UConn students from across the regional campuses gathered at UConn Stamford on Friday, July 25th for “Mission: Momentum,” a one-day summer conference designed to power up their professional goals and personal growth.
The conference, inspired by a superhero theme, invited students to uncover their own “superpower” through dynamic breakout sessions, employer and alumni networking, campus-wide engagement, and a keynote address by Emmy-winning producer and actor Christopher McDonald—currently starring as Ron Troupe in James Gunn’s 2025 film “Superman.”
Almost 250 students listened with rapt attention to McDonald as he shared his own life lessons on succeeding in networking, making connections, and advancing one’s life and career. McDonald, who began his career at CNN and helped develop some of the most iconic shows in television, encouraged students to embrace the unpredictable nature of their future. He spoke candidly about his own path and the value of storytelling and resilience in navigating a meaningful life and career.
“Chris’ message about how you spend your time was on point. Don’t look at someone’s position but value everyone…you never know how a connection might happen,” said Peterson Prime, a student at UConn Stamford.
Breakout sessions offered real-world tools and support, covering topics like financial literacy, crafting a personal narrative, and professional branding for first-generation students. “We set out to create a day that would empower our students and seeing that vision come to life was amazing. The collaboration across campuses, the energy of our volunteers, and the enthusiasm from students showed what’s possible when we invest in student success” said Tara Malone, Associate Director, Regional Campuses, UConn Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills.
“This event is about building momentum—personally, professionally, and academically,” said Laura Tropp, Director of Academic Affairs and Associate Campus Director at UConn Stamford. “We wanted students to walk away feeling like they can take on the world.”
Interactive activities—ranging from resource stations to campus tours and photo booths—gave students time to explore, reflect, and connect with their peers. Energy remained high throughout the day, thanks to intentional opportunities for community building and collaboration.
“The internship panel was really helpful. Just talking about the whole internship process just broke down the wall for me… it’s definitely something I want to do now,” said Alex Dominguez, a student at UConn Waterbury.
The event was co-sponsored by the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills, the Resilience, Inclusion, Success and Equity (RISE) Program, and the Center for Access and Postsecondary Success (CAPS)—all united in the mission to provide students with tools to shape confident, purposeful futures. “I think the event is amazing! You get to learn a lot about campus and student life. Meeting Chris was really cool… his talk about being yourself was very powerful” said Logan Reddy, a student from Avery Point.
“By the end of the day, students weren’t just thinking about careers—they were seeing themselves as powerful agents in their own stories, equipped with new skills, fresh inspiration and the momentum to move forward,” said Herman Shelton, Executive Director for Access and Postsecondary Success.
Remarked UConn Stamford Dean, Jennifer Orlikoff, “It’s so exciting to see the involvement of each of the regional campuses—Avery-Point, Hartford, Stamford, and Waterbury—in such an uplifting and inspiring event as the students make connections with fellow Huskies from across the UConn system.”
This will become an annual event, rotating among the campuses. Mission Momentum 2026 will be held on the Waterbury campus.
