Director of News and Editorial Communications

Tom Breen

Tom Breen has been at UConn since 2012, serving as a news writer, deputy spokesperson, manager for special projects, UConn Today editor, and, as of January 2021, director of news and editorial communications. Prior to UConn, he worked as a reporter for The Associated Press, covering health care, religion, and state government in West Virginia and North Carolina, and before the AP, he worked at newspapers in Connecticut and Massachusetts. He is the author of two books about Christianity and contemporary culture, and has published short fiction in many periodicals and anthologies. A second-generation Husky, he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2000. He is the co-founder of the award-winning UConn 360 podcast and has given presentations on UConn history to community groups throughout Connecticut. He lives in Manchester, is active in volunteer organizations, and recommends that you try the coconut flavor at the Dairy Bar.

Author Archive

The Wall Street Journal

‘Meteorite’ Review: We Are Stardust

January 29, 2021 | Tom Breen

UConn Law Professor Lewis Kurlantzick, left, with Deborah Silberstein and Fred Cantor, both 1978 graduates of the law school, in California in 2018. Cantor's new book describes the lifelong New York Knicks obsession that he shares with Kurlantzick.

United by UConn School of Law – and the Knicks

UConn Law alum Fred Cantor '78 used his pandemic-enforced down time to pen a book detailing his love for the New York Knicks.

January 29, 2021 | Camille Chill, UConn School of Law

Alumni
School cafeteria workers in Cheshire, Connecticut package to-go lunches for students.

Onset of COVID Pandemic Significantly Threatened CT School Meal Programs

Innovation by food service directors and local communities helped meal distribution numbers rebound last spring.

January 28, 2021 | Kristin Messina, UConn Rudd Center

Community Impact UConn Voices
Students in the “Global One Health: U.S. and Irish Perspective” class at the University of Connecticut see kelp harvested from J.P. Vellotti’s beds in Groton as part of a visit to the Noank Aquaculture Cooperative on May 16, 2019, organized by Connecticut Sea Grant.

CT Sea Grant-led Project Looks to Unlock Potential of Seaweed Industry

The UConn Avery Point-based program will lead efforts on the East and West coasts to boost commercial seaweed harvesting.

January 28, 2021 | Judy Benson, Connecticut Sea Grant

Community Impact

Rethinking Care for Older Adults with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia

Two UConn researchers will study how well state programs provide care for older adults living with dementia while remaining at home.

January 28, 2021 | Anna Zarra Aldrich '20 (CLAS), Office of the Vice President for Research

Research & Discovery UConn Health
A photo collage of the researchers who worked on a study about how LGBTQ+ college students are faring during the pandemic.

UConn Researcher Finds Family Support Key to LGBTQ+ Student Wellbeing During Pandemic

Support from parents is a key indicator of whether LGTBQ+ college students are experiencing higher levels of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

January 27, 2021 | Anna Zarra Aldrich '20 (CLAS), Office of the Vice President for Research

Research & Discovery UConn Voices
Professor Jeff Hoch standing in the lab where he conducts much of his research.

Meet the Researcher: Jeff Hoch, School of Medicine

Hoch, a professor of molecular biology and biophysics, sees tremendous potential waiting to be unlocked by his research.

January 21, 2021 | Anna Zarra Aldrich '20 (CLAS), Office of the Vice President for Research

Research & Discovery UConn Health UConn Voices
All Things Considered (NPR)

400 Lights, For 400,000 Dead, Illuminate Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

January 20, 2021 | Tom Breen

Marine One carrying President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump as they departed from the White House flies over the U.S. Capitol ahead of the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden on January 20, 2021 in Washington, DC.

Why Do Presidential Inaugurations Matter?

Ceremonies speak directly to some of our basic instincts, triggering intuitions about their efficacy, symbolism, and importance.

January 20, 2021 | Dimitris Xygalatas, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Psychological Sciences

Nurse receiving the COVID-19 vaccination

How Many People Need to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine in Order to Stop the Coronavirus?

The more infectious a disease is, the larger the number of people who need to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity.

January 20, 2021 | Pedro Mendes, Director of the UConn School of Medicine's Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling