Antonietta ‘Toni’ Boucher, the First Selectman of Wilton, a former corporate executive, and a 22-year leader in the Connecticut legislature, looked at the sea of soon-to-be graduates on Saturday, and smiled with tremendous pride.

“I see the future leaders who will propel Connecticut forward, who will make this university a technology juggernaut that attracts top talent and investment, who will make UConn the undisputed innovation leader of our state,’’ said Boucher, the undergraduate commencement speaker.

“But as you go out to build this future, I want to offer a word of caution about your plans,’’ she said. “Class of 2026, the world you are entering is unpredictable. It is fragile … You may need to pivot when you least expect it.’’

A Personal Journey of Challenges, Determination

That ability to pivot is something that Boucher knows well. Her life has been marked by struggle and challenge, but also by resilience and success.

“Standing here today, looking out at this sea of ambition, I must tell you, this is a ‘Cinderella moment’ for me, she said. “My story didn’t start in a boardroom or a legislative chamber. It started in a small village in Italy in the aftermath of World War II.’’

She came to the U.S. at age 5, unable to speak or read English, and never having attended school.

“I remember sitting in the back of an elementary school classroom…not comprehending a single word until I reached 5th grade, when a light finally came on that would not be extinguished,’’ she said.

“If you told that little girl she would be standing here today, addressing the graduates of Connecticut’s flagship university, she wouldn’t have believed you,’’ Boucher said. “She would have thought you were describing someone else’s life entirely. But that is the remarkable thing about this country, this state, and specifically the power of this university.’’

Boucher earned her MBA at UConn in 2002. A non-traditional student, she juggled her studies with the demands of raising three children, working full-time and entering politics. In 2024, she was inducted into the School of Business Hall of Fame.

Husband, Bud, Was a Passionate Entrepreneur

She urged the soon-to-be grads to turn innovations and inventions into thriving businesses, that make an impact in Connecticut and beyond, delivering prosperity for individuals and communities.

Boucher then talked about her late husband, Bud, who was a management consultant and, later, a serial entrepreneur.

“He lived by the words of Winston Churchill: ‘Success is moving from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm,’’’ she said. She described her husband as brilliant, but said he didn’t succeed at everything he touched. He developed consumer products, medical devices, and real estate development. He watched others give up when things got difficult, but he never did.

“And when his last risky startup finally succeeded, it changed everything—not just for us, but for what we could give back to institutions like UConn. He died two weeks before he could turn his success into reality,’’ she said. “At that very moment, it fell to me to pick up the mantel. In the depths of the most profound grief I ever experienced, I fought every obstacle to make his dream come true.’’

She and her family subsequently presented an $8 million gift to the school to create and expand programs for aspiring entrepreneurs. The Boucher Management & Entrepreneurship Department is named in the family’s honor. It is her hope that students can take risks within the safety of an academic environment and that it will help them minimize errors in their careers.

Lift People Up Along the Way

But that wasn’t the only lesson that Boucher shared.

“I can tell you this: the most important element in succeeding in both work and life isn’t just about your hard work and persistence, or what’s in your portfolio, or on your resume,’’ she said. “It’s those relationships. They’ll take you far. They’ll build strength to create and sustain a life that matters, a life with purpose.”

“Your career will be defined by your grit, yes. But your happiness will be defined by the people you lift up along the way. In my view, the best social justice program is creating job opportunities for everyone at every level, so they can elevate and better their lives, and in turn, improve the economy of where you live,’’ Boucher said.

A former boss once told her that sometimes Cinderella stories do come true.

“I know he was right. Mine did. And yours can too,’’ she said. “So, Class of 2026, make us proud. Make yourselves proud. Go out there and make your own miracles happen.’’