{"id":228421,"date":"2025-04-15T16:46:06","date_gmt":"2025-04-15T20:46:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=228421"},"modified":"2025-04-16T08:51:58","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T12:51:58","slug":"wish-to-ignite-wishfest25-sparks-curiosity-community-and-courage-in-waterbury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2025\/04\/wish-to-ignite-wishfest25-sparks-curiosity-community-and-courage-in-waterbury\/","title":{"rendered":"WISH to Ignite: WISHfest25 Sparks Curiosity, Community, and Courage in Waterbury"},"content":{"rendered":"

More than 1,200 students, educators, and community members filled downtown Waterbury on March 28 for\u00a0WISHfest25, the University of Connecticut\u2019s third annual\u00a0Waterbury Innovation, Sustainability, and Health Festival\u00a0(WISHfest).<\/p>\n

Co-hosted by UConn Waterbury, the City of Waterbury, and Waterbury Public Schools, the festival embraced this year\u2019s theme: \u201cWISH to Ignite: Passion, Resilience, and Boundless Possibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

From electrifying keynotes and hands-on science exhibits to deep conversations around neurodiversity, leadership, and identity, WISHfest25 once again demonstrated that innovation isn\u2019t limited to the lab\u2014it thrives in community.<\/p>\n

From Jurassic Science to Real-Life Resilience<\/strong><\/p>\n

The day began at the historic Palace Theater, where students heard from Jack Horner, the world-renowned paleontologist who advised six “Jurassic Park” and “Jurassic World” films\u2014and who also happens to be severely dyslexic.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing different doesn\u2019t mean being broken,\u201d Horner told a packed theater. \u201cIt means you see the world in a different way\u2014and that\u2019s where new ideas come from.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"One
A panel discussion at the Palace Theater features, from left to right, Clarke, UConn NSF TRANSCEND fellow & Ph.D. student Vaishnavi Sivaprasad, Horner, and Reis, moderated by Hoeft.\u201d (Steven Bustamante \/ UConn Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Horner, a\u00a0MacArthur \u201cGenius\u201d Fellow\u00a0who has received multiple honorary doctorates, shared his journey of scientific discovery and defying expectations\u2014even showing the audience a high school report card filled with Ds and Fs. For many students, this was their first time meeting a scientist in person.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still remember his talk from 10 years ago, word for word,\u201d said\u00a0Dean Fumiko Hoeft, founder and co-director of WISHfest. \u201cIt\u2019s the kind of spark we want every student to walk away with.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the event, Horner added, \u201cYou found a wonderful group of young students and lots of interesting people. I had a blast!\u201d<\/p>\n

Also featured on stage was\u00a0Shavana Clarke, Miss Connecticut USA 2024, a proud Jamaican American, LGBTQ+ advocate, and UConn alumna. With honesty and grace, Clarke shared her journey navigating mental health and identity, reminding students that resilience often begins with telling your story.<\/p>\n

\"Police
Members of the Waterbury Police Department’s Mounted Unit interact with attendees at WISHfest, at the UConn Waterbury campus.\u201d (Steve Bustamante \/ University of Connecticut)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not a burden. You\u2019re not alone. And your difference is your strength,\u201d Clarke told the crowd, as students rose to applaud.<\/p>\n

Sally Reis, UConn Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor and 2025 Reed Fellow, urged educators to adopt a strength-based approach and emphasized how supporting neurodiverse and twice-exceptional learners can unlock untapped potential.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe spend too much time fixing what\u2019s \u2018wrong,\u2019\u201d Reis said. \u201cWISHfest reminds us to discover and develop the talents of all students.\u201d<\/p>\n

From the Stage to the Lab: Hands-On Learning at UConn Waterbury<\/strong><\/p>\n

Following the morning program, energy shifted across the street to the\u00a0UConn Waterbury campus, where students dove into\u00a0VR simulations,\u00a0brain dissections,\u00a0research showcases, and\u00a0interactive career stations\u00a0hosted by UConn faculty, staff, and industry professionals.<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved how WISHFest had such fun events at the Palace and UConn like when Jack Horner came and talked about his life,\u201d said Julian Malusa, age 10, from Judson School in Watertown, who attended with his grandmother, reflecting on the excitement and inspiration the event provided for young attendees.<\/p>\n

\"Two
Two UConn Waterbury students pose with Jonathan XV at WISHfest 2025 (Steve Bustamante \/ University of Connecticut)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This portion of the festival was coordinated by the UConn Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills and the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board (NRWIB), highlighting pathways in health care, business, government, tech, and education.<\/p>\n

The event also earned praise from school leadership. \u201cThe Waterbury Public Schools\u2019 students were once again wowed by WISHfest and encouraged by their visit to UConn Waterbury,\u201d said Interim Superintendent Darren Schwartz. \u201cI am grateful for the ongoing leadership of Dr. Fumiko Hoeft and her collaboration with the Waterbury Public Schools.\u201d<\/p>\n

From 1:30 to 4:00 p.m., UConn Waterbury students participated in closed small-group sessions with keynote speakers, NSF TRANSCEND Ph.D. Fellows, researchers, and community partners\u2014deepening discussions on AI, neurodiversity, innovation, and inclusive leadership.<\/p>\n

Leadership, Laughter, and Legacy: The Pre-Event Dinner<\/strong><\/p>\n

The evening before WISHfest, over 20 civic and academic leaders gathered for a private dinner hosted by Cathy and Jim Smith at their Middlebury residence. Guests included UConn President Radenka Maric, Senator Joan Hartley, Mayor Paul Pernerewski, Interim Superintendent Schwartz, and leaders in the arts, education, and nonprofit sectors.<\/p>\n

\"A
A student uses a VR headset at UConn Waterbury’s WISHFest 2025 (Steve Bustamante \/ University of Connecticut)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cathy Smith, President of the\u00a0Leavenworth Foundation, has long supported revitalization efforts throughout Waterbury with her husband\u00a0Jim Smith\u2014from restoring the Green and City Hall to supporting the Palace Theater, and now, WISHfest.<\/p>\n

Closing the Day with Art and Appreciation<\/strong><\/p>\n

The festival concluded with a\u00a0VIP reception at the Mattatuck Museum, where speakers, students, and community members came together in an evening of reflection, art, and connection.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is what it means to be One UConn,\u201d said\u00a0President Radenka Maric, who returned for her second WISHfest. \u201cWe don\u2019t just teach science or policy\u2014we create spaces where young people can imagine new futures.\u201d<\/p>\n

Powered by Partnership<\/strong><\/p>\n

WISHfest25 is a free event, made possible through the generosity of the David and Joan Reed Endowment to UConn Waterbury, with additional support from UConn NSF TRANSCEND Ph.D. Training Program, UConn School of Business Digital Frontiers Initiative, UThe OLLI Program at UConn Waterbury, Mattatuck Museum, Palace Theater, Cathy & Jim Smith, Dunkin\u2019, and Coca-Cola.<\/p>\n

\"A
A group photo of WISHfest staff, comprising UConn Waterbury staff and students, in front of the Palace Theater.(Steve Bustamante \/ University of Connecticut)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe collaboration between UConn, local schools, and community partners is what truly makes WISHfest successful,\u201d said\u00a0Monica Lattimer, co-director of WISHfest and Associate Director of Operations at UConn Waterbury. \u201cIt\u2019s amazing to see how this event grows each year and continues to inspire our students to explore new career paths and ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Planning is already underway for\u00a0WISHfest26, which will be held on\u00a0Friday, April 17, 2026, and feature\u00a0Temple Grandin\u2014renowned scientist, animal behaviorist, and autism advocate\u2014as keynote speaker. The 2026 theme will explore\u00a0agriculture, nutrition, sustainability, and\u00a0neurodiversity, co-sponsored by\u00a0UConn CAHNR\u00a0and the\u00a0USDA NextGen Fellows.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf this year was about igniting possibility,\u201d said Hoeft, \u201cnext year, we\u2019ll cultivate it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To learn more, visit\u00a0wishfest.waterbury.uconn.edu<\/a>. To inquire about sponsorship or participation in next year\u2019s event, email\u00a0wishfest@uconn.edu<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

UConn Waterbury Co-Hosts Third Annual WISHfest, Featuring Spielberg\u2019s ‘Jurassic Park’ Scientific Advisor and Paleontologist, Alongside Miss Connecticut USA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":228422,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1715,2428,1855,2194,90],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[1902],"class_list":["post-228421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-impact","category-educational-psychology","category-neag","category-new-haven-county","category-uconn-waterbury"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-17 02:01:42","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=228421"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228421\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":228475,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228421\/revisions\/228475"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/228422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=228421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=228421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=228421"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=228421"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=228421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}