Our Honors students are ambitious about their endeavors as they make their mark on the world. From studying the role of diagnostic imaging in traumatic head injuries, to building battery powered cars, our students learn how to be successful in college while also seeking out opportunities to further their studies in topics that interest them. Read about the success of some of our students in our stories below.
Married Haswed Mesilien ‘24, M’25
Married Haswed Mesilien ‘24, M’25 is a student in the Barney School of Business. She is part of the 3+1 and honors programs, with a major in business analytics and managerial economics, and a minor in accounting. After graduating with her bachelor’s next month, Married will pursue her MBA with a concentration in finance.
Hillyer Honors Student Arohi Verma ’26 Serves as a Leader and Mentor to Others
In addition to serving as the manager of Hillyer College’s tutoring center, Arohi Verma ’26, completed fieldwork in a second-grade classroom last semester at Allgrove Elementary School in East Granby, Connecticut.
Kylar Maldonado ‘25, M’26
Kylar Maldonado ‘25, M’26 has had a non-traditional college journey, but he’s made the most of his short time as a Barney student.
Alexa Schwartz ’24 Chosen for this Spring’s Connecticut Poetry Circuit Student Tour
Alexa Schwartz '24 is one of five Connecticut student poets who were selected to tour this spring and read their poetry at universities and other venues throughout the state.
Biology Student Abigail Howard ’24 to Attend Optometry School in the Fall
Abigail “Abby” Howard ’24 is well on her way of realizing her dream of becoming an optometrist. This fall, she’ll attend the Doctor of Optometry program at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Maggie Philpott ’24
Maggie Philpott ’24 is a senior health sciences major in the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions (ENHP) and her journey at UHart has been marked by determination, exploration, and a commitment to her field of study.
Madison Thibodeau '23
Madison Thibodeau ’23 got a taste of both engineering and business during her time at the University of Hartford. She majored in Architectural Design + Technology with a concentration in construction management and minored in Business Entrepreneurial Studies.
Mechanical Engineering Student Highlights UHart's Sense of Community
Jeremy Furusho '23 is a mechanical engineering major with a concentration in acoustics who found that UHart's sense of community distinguishes it apart from other institutions.
Hands-on Research Prepares Mariangelie Beaudry ’23 to Study Genetic Counseling in Graduate School
Biology major Mariangelie Beaudry ‘23 will study for a masters in genetic counseling at the University of Connecticut this fall, as she prepares for a career as a genetic counselor who works with couples and children.
Kai Hobbs ’23
Growing up, Kai Hobbs ’23 saw several family members suffer from respiratory issues. So when Kai excelled in the sciences in high school, things clicked into place: Why not put those skills to use and help others suffering from similar challenges?
Travelers Internship and Research with Faculty Prepares Computer Science Student for Graduate School
Computer Science major Rahul Kumar ’23 is heading to Fordham University to study for a master's in computer science. While at UHart, he completed an internship with Travelers as a claim tech, where he used machine learning to determine whether the company was paying the correct amount for its insurance claims.
Summer internship at Electric Boat’s health clinic helped Colin Larkin ’23 prepare for medical school
For Colin Larkin, a summer internship in the occupational health clinic at General Dynamics-Electric Boat in New London provided a first-hand look at treating patients and gave him valuable experience as he applies to medical school.
Alec Capasso '23
Alec Capasso '23 is a senior in the Barney School of Business 3+1 program, where he will be getting both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in 4 years. He is a finance major and entrepreneurship minor. Alec has a passion for fitness and has also started his own private personal training business.
Gema Granados was immersed in the operating room through summer nursing fellowship
Over the summer, Gema Granados, a senior nursing student in the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions, got a first-hand look at how the operating room works. Gema was accepted to the Hartford HealthCare Nursing Fellowship and was placed at Midstate Medical Center in Meriden. The eight-week fellowship included shadowing a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).
Regents' Award Winner Teagan Devoe '22 balances athletics and the honors program
Teagan Devoe ‘22 has been interested in the medical field for a long time. Looking for a career on “the positive side of medicine,” as she puts it, led her to physical therapy. Teagan will graduate in May with a BS in Health Sciences and a minor in Psychology and will move directly into UHart’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program this summer. She has also received the Regents' Honor Award in recognition of her academic achievement.
Christine Rogers '22 is headed to Hartford Hospital as a CT scan technologist
Growing up, Christine Rogers ‘22 always knew she wanted to work in the medical field. She came to UHart to find her way and hone her skills in the BS in Radiologic Technology program in the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions (ENHP). An honors student, Rogers is graduating in May and has already accepted a full-time job at Hartford Hospital as a CT scan technologist. The support she received on campus and the exposure to real-life clinical opportunities have prepared her to enter the workforce with confidence.
DPT Student Emma Brown Published in Physical Therapy Journal
Emma Brown, a first-year student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program in the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions, has published her research in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Journal, a prestigious scientific journal. Emma started the research as an undergraduate in the University's honors program and earned her BS in Health Sciences in 2021 before continuing into the DPT program.
Faculty Support and Study-Abroad Experience Prepares Student for a Career in Foreign Service
It’s no surprise that Benedicta Kwarteng '23, who is pursuing a double major in international studies and politics and government, and a minor in French, is planning to work in foreign service in the hopes of becoming a career diplomat.
Criminal Justice Student’s Internship and Campus Experiences Prepare Her for Law School
Upon graduation, Dana Brooks '23 plans to attend law school to become a criminal defense lawyer. An Honors student pursuing a major in criminal justice and minors in sociology and Spanish, Dana is planning to graduate early and wants to work to reform the criminal justice system, particularly with regard to how it impacts marginalized and oppressed people.
Research Opportunity Helps Student Toward Goal of Becoming a Physician
Biology major Camryn Butera '22 has been a member of Associate Professor of Biology Paola Sacchetti’s Alzheimer’s Disease research team since her sophomore year. Camryn says becoming a physician is her life-long goal and that Sacchetti has had a profound impact on her.
Alissa Hoffman '22
Alissa Hoffman ’22, a marketing major who is also part of the 3+1 accelerated business program at the Barney School of Business, completed an internship with Travelers during the summer of 2021.
Veterinary School in Ireland is Next Step for Pre-Medical Advising and Honors Program Alumna
Jill Ernst ’21 believes UHart provided her with the support and foundation needed to achieve her next level of success in veterinary school in Dublin, Ireland, where she is studying conservation medicine with a focus on epidemiology. A UHart Honors Program alumna, Ernst graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences with a degree in biology and was part of the pre-medical professions advising program. She says the Honors Program offered her challenging courses that formed the foundation of her academic success, while the faculty provided the support that allowed her to follow her dream of “making a difference.”
Managing athletics and the honors program prepared Brittany Braun '21 to become a physician assistant
During her time at UHart, Brittany Braun ’21 perfected the skill of time management, successfully juggling varsity volleyball with the honors program. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in the Health Sciences Pre-Professional program and is planning to apply to graduate school to become a physician assistant.
Student’s Passion for Mathematics, Plus Faculty Support, Equals Academic Success
Jared Rubin ’21, a mathematics major with a minor in data science, is getting ready to present his honors thesis at this spring’s UHart Undergraduate Honors Research Colloquium. This fall he will further his education in Drexel University’s MS in Data Science program
Honors Student Launches Humanitarian Outreach Project for Ugandan Women
Thanks to the support of a Dorothy Goodwin Scholarship, Kerren Katembo ’22 is hoping to visit Uganda this summer to fulfill her dream of working with the Avon, Connecticut-based organization Guiding Light Orphans (GLO). A biology major and psychology minor in the College of Arts and Sciences, Kerren is also part of UHart’s Pre-Medical Professions Advising Program and is planning on a career as a pediatric surgeon.