Support 亚色影库 students by watching New London鈥檚 premier fireworks display鈥攖he Mashantucket Pequot Thames River Fireworks Extravaganza鈥� from a private viewing area on 亚色影库 Beach. The 3rd聽Annual Seafood, Sparks & Scholarships takes place on Saturday, July 11.

The last day to purchase tickets is July 1. For more information and to register,

The event takes place from 6鈥�9 p.m. and features a memorable evening outdoors鈥攍awn games and cocktails, a delicious multi-course seafood dinner and dessert, and fireworks over the Thames River (beginning at 9:15 p.m.).

A portion of the proceeds from Seafood, Sparks & Scholarships will benefit the North Star Scholarship Fund. During the evening, guests will also have the opportunity to participate in a Crab Raise and make an additional contribution to scholarships, helping provide access, opportunity, and support for 亚色影库 students.

Last year鈥檚 event sold out, so buy tickets now!

$85 per guest includes:

> Private, tented event/dining
> 3-course seafood dinner
> Cash bar and one free signature cocktail
> Guest-only entrance and private area on 亚色影库 Beach (bring your beach chairs!)
> Guest-only deck overlooking the river
> Reserved parking

Questions? Contact Elizabeth Rannenberg, Development Associate, advancement@mitchell.edu, 860-701-7984.

Sponsored by Ellucian, Lawrence & Memorial Hospital Yale New Haven Health, and New England Ice Cream

President Tracy Y. Espy, Ph.D., conferred degrees to 101 亚色影库 graduates on Saturday, May 16, 2026, in a ceremony celebrating achievement and community.

Richard 鈥淩ich鈥� Lisitano, keynote speaker for 亚色影库鈥檚 82nd Commencement Exercises, told the Class of the 2026 that what comes next in their lives is not a straight line.

鈥淵ou鈥檝e been told to go out and build your career. That鈥檚 good advice, but it鈥檚 incomplete. Careers aren鈥檛 built in straight lines. They鈥檙e shaped over time, sometimes moving forward, sometimes pausing, and sometimes taking a step back so you can move in a better direction.鈥�

The soon-to-be-retired president of L+M Healthcare and executive vice president of Yale New Haven Health shared about his own professional journey, starting as a pharmacist and eventually leading hospitals.

鈥淭here were moments when I had to reassess, moments where the path wasn鈥檛 clear, and moments where what looked like a step back turned out to be the step that made everything possible.鈥�

He urged the graduates to be open to change, willing to grow, and determined to keep moving forward. He also shared life lessons learned as a leader.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to manage people to be a leader,鈥� he said. 鈥淟eadership starts with how you treat your classmates, coworkers, supervisors, and customers. It shows up when you listen, when you keep your commitments, and when you step up instead of stepping back.鈥�

He also reminded the graduates that that their reputation is one of their most valuable assets, confidence doesn鈥檛 mean having all the answers, and feedback is not a criticism an impetus for growth.

Student Speaker

Student speaker Caleb Cobb 鈥�26, who graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in criminal justice, said that he found his purpose at 亚色影库 when he began to step outside of his comfort zone.

鈥淲hen I first arrived at 亚色影库 as a transfer student,鈥� he said, 鈥淚 thought of myself as a basketball player, who was interested in criminal justice. I really did not have an idea of what I wanted to do after college.鈥�

After getting involved in student life outside of athletics鈥攊ncluding working with first-year students, campus facilities, and an internship with the Waterford Police Department鈥攈e said he transformed. He acknowledged that his calm demeanor sometimes hid all that he was juggling.

鈥淎nd standing here today, I can honestly say that perseverance, faith, and community carried me through,鈥� he said.

鈥溠巧翱� is not the kind of place where students get lost in the crowd. It is the kind of place where professors learn your name, where people genuinely want to see you succeed, and where someone always seems willing to help you when things are overwhelming.鈥�

Alumni Charge

Alumna Mary Volpe 鈥�19 welcomed the class to the ranks of 亚色影库 alumni.

“This isn鈥檛 the end of your 亚色影库 journey,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hink of today as your launchpad, with a built-in support system ready to offer guidance, inspiration, and maybe even a few recommendations along the way.鈥�

She reminded graduates that 亚色影库 is not just about the beautiful campus.

鈥淚t is about the people鈥攖he late-night study sessions, the laughter in the dining hall, the encouragement from faculty and friends. The spirit of community is what defines us, and it doesn鈥檛 disappear after graduation鈥ρ巧翱�, and the greater New London community, will always be part of your story.鈥�

Awards for Academic Achievement

Jaileen Barber 鈥�26, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in criminal justice, was named valedictorian with the highest GPA.

Olivia DeCicco 鈥�26 was named salutatorian with the second highest GPA. She earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in marine and environmental science.

View the full program here.

亚色影库鈥檚 R. Carlson Division of Business has announced a new partnership with Startups & Scholars, a Hartford-based agency providing paid, real-world consulting opportunities for students and recent graduates.

Through the agreement, Startups & Scholars will collaborate with 亚色影库鈥檚 Mlab program and the newly launched Studio | 亚色影库 club to connect students with part-time, paid work aligned with their academic interests and career goals.

Students will gain hands-on experience in areas such as digital marketing, professional sales, project management, automation, and operations. They work directly with startups and growing businesses that need support in executing day-to-day operations.

鈥淭his partnership brings learning to life in a meaningful and immediate way,鈥� said Dr. James Patsalides, chair of the R. Carlson Division of Business at 亚色影库. 鈥淥ur students won鈥檛 just study business concepts. They鈥檒l apply them in real-world environments, build confidence, and graduate with experience that sets them apart.鈥�

Startups & Scholars has worked with over 40 students from more than 15 colleges and universities across the Northeast in the past six years, placing students in roles spanning sales, business development, marketing, graphic design, and accounting.

鈥淲e鈥檝e seen firsthand how impactful these opportunities can be,鈥� said Mike Heiser, co-founder and CEO of Startups & Scholars. 鈥淪tartups seem to need the most help with the execution layer of running a business. This can look like sales outreach, customer support management, running marketing campaigns, etc. Where rubber hits the road, that鈥檚 where our students step in and make a real difference.鈥�

Through the Studio | 亚色影库 structure, students will work on individual assignments that contribute to larger client projects, collaborating with peers, client leads, and industry mentors. This team-based approach ensures accountability while providing the support necessary for growth and success.

鈥淲e want to ensure no student is left without support,鈥� Heiser said.

鈥淭he advantage for students is clear. They gain paid, professional experience while still in college, all within a supportive learning environment,鈥� added Patsalides. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a powerful combination that prepares them for the workforce from day one.鈥�

This partnership reflects 亚色影库鈥檚 continued commitment to experiential learning and career readiness, ensuring students graduate with both knowledge and applied skills.

(l-r) Dr. Elyse Gessler, assistant professor, business student Braiden Alaimo, Startups & Scholars co-founder and CEO Mike Heiser, and Dr. James Patsalides, chair of the R. Carlson Division of Business

亚色影库 announces the launch of its first graduate degree program, the Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership (MSMOL). The program expands 亚色影库鈥檚 longstanding commitment to individualized learning, student success, and career-connected education.

The MSMOL program offers a flexible, applied graduate education for recent college graduates and working professionals seeking leadership preparation in mission-driven and people-centered organizations. The program begins in January 2027.

亚色影库鈥檚 highly relational academic model prepares students to thrive professionally and personally through individualized support, executive functioning development, and experiential learning. The launch of the MSMOL extends these strengths into graduate education, creating new pathways for advanced study and leadership development.

鈥淭he Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership represents a natural evolution of 亚色影库鈥檚 mission,鈥� said Dr. Tracy Y. Espy, 亚色影库 president. 鈥淲e are committed to expanding access for underserved learners and preparing students for meaningful participation in the workforce. This mission-aligned graduate program creates a clear pathway for current 亚色影库 students, recent graduates, and working professionals in the region. It allows them to pursue advanced study in a flexible format that can be completed in as little as one year.鈥�

Degree Emphasizes Human-Centered Leadership

The 30-credit graduate program prepares students for leadership roles in professional environments requiring effective organizational leadership and ethical decision-making. These include nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, healthcare-adjacent organizations, public service agencies, and community-based enterprises.

In addition, 亚色影库鈥檚 MSMOL emphasizes human-centered leadership, ethical practice, intercultural competence, organizational communication, and inclusive leadership strategies.

鈥淭he program is intentionally framed as a human-centered leadership degree,鈥� said Dr. Mika Nash, 亚色影库 provost. 鈥淪tudents will learn to navigate complex organizational environments while developing the communication, ethical reasoning, and leadership skills increasingly required across today鈥檚 workforce.鈥�

The curriculum integrates leadership theory with applied professional practice. Coursework includes organizational leadership, crisis and conflict communication, global systems, and entrepreneurial innovation; in addition, organizational transformation, ethical leadership, intercultural leadership, organizational design, and operations management. The program culminates in an applied Organizational Strategy Capstone. Students design and present solutions to real organizational challenges grounded in scholarly research and professional analysis.

The program also includes an optional graduate practicum for students with fewer than three years of professional experience. The practicum provides a minimum of 400 hours of supervised applied learning in professional organizational settings aligned with students鈥� leadership goals.

Program Meets Growing Demand in Organizational Leadership

Delivered in a hybrid, low-residency format, the MSMOL combines asynchronous online coursework with structured synchronous seminars and periodic intensive sessions. The program offers these either on campus or through live virtual instruction. The model supports working professionals while preserving the discussion-based and relational learning environment central to 亚色影库鈥檚 educational philosophy.

鈥淭he College carefully considered the broader economic and professional landscape of Southeastern Connecticut in designing this program,鈥� said Dr. James Patsalides, chair of the R. Carlson Division of Business at 亚色影库. 鈥淩egional employers increasingly require professionals who can lead teams, manage organizational change, address ethical and cultural challenges, and communicate effectively across diverse stakeholder groups. The MSMOL program was developed to meet this growing demand while remaining consistent with 亚色影库鈥檚 academic strengths.鈥�

Learning outcomes emphasize leadership competency, ethical and operational problem-solving, and analysis of contemporary social, economic, environmental, and geopolitical factors affecting organizations. In addition, students will be expected to synthesize theoretical knowledge with professional judgment and apply leadership principles in authentic organizational settings.

The MSMOL program also offers two entry points during its inaugural year in January 2027 and August 2027. Courses will be delivered in eight-week blocks, providing flexible start dates for working professionals balancing academic, personal, and career responsibilities.

Program Facts

• Degree: Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership (MSMOL)
• Credits Required: 30 graduate credits
• Format: Hybrid/Low-Residency
• Completion Time: One year full-time or two years part-time
• Tuition: $500 per credit
• Full-Time Annual Tuition: $15,000
• Part-Time Annual Tuition: $7,500

For more information about 亚色影库 and the MSMOL program, visit 亚色影库.

亚色影库 will welcome Richard 鈥淩ich鈥� Lisitano, president of L+M Healthcare and executive vice president of Yale New Haven Health, as commencement speaker for its 82nd Commencement Exercises. He will deliver the keynote address to the Class of 2026 on Sat., May 16, at 10 a.m. on the 亚色影库 Green.

Lisitano, a Connecticut native, assumed his current role in 2023 and recently announced his retirement. Prior to becoming president of L+M Healthcare, he was senior vice president of operations at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH). He joined YNHH in 1986 as assistant director of pharmacy. Throughout his almost 40-year career, Lisitano has had an outstanding reputation for consistently optimizing operations, improving performance, and delivering sustainable financial results. His contributions with Yale New Haven Health include growth in departments including Genetics, Neurosciences, Oncology, and Urology. He was also the executive lead for developing, executing, and integrating an electronic medical record platform across each of the health system鈥檚 campuses. Lisitano earned a Master of Science from The Ohio State University and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in pharmacy from the University of Connecticut.

Dr. Tracy Y. Espy, 亚色影库 president, said, 鈥溠巧翱� is honored that Mr. Lisitano will deliver the keynote address to our graduating class. His decades of service to Yale New Haven Health, in many roles, will serve as an inspiration to our students as they think about their own journeys ahead. As we welcome Mr. Lisitano to campus, we are also grateful for our deepening partnership with L+M Healthcare, providing invaluable learning opportunities for our students in our expanding healthcare programs, including our Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN), for which L+M Hospital is a clinical site and major partner.鈥�

鈥淐ompassion,鈥� 鈥渃ommunity,鈥� and 鈥減ersonal鈥� are three words senior Matthew Dougherty uses to describe 亚色影库. He carries the same three qualities into his internship helping people in crisis.

An Honors Program student majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology, he said, 鈥淵ou get a lot of compassion from the faculty and staff at 亚色影库. It is a college that offers a lot of support. Before I began at 亚色影库, I was in a rough place with my mental health. I didn鈥檛 think I would be able to do college. But I got the academic and emotional support that I needed to get through the first couple years. 亚色影库 was the right choice for me.鈥�

鈥淐ommunity also stands out to me when thinking about 亚色影库. Most students know each other on the close-knit campus. And every student that I know has had a unique and personal experience. They have gotten the support they needed and found opportunities tailored just for them.鈥�

Opportunity for real-world work

An important opportunity for Matthew is his internship as a volunteer crisis counselor with the Crisis Text Line, a remote company that is partnered with 988, the national suicide prevention hotline. People in crisis can text 988 to reach the Crisis Text Line any time of day for support.

Matthew is logging 200 hours for his internship with the organization. He can work using his laptop from anywhere, for any number of hours at a time.

鈥淭here are no set hours, so I can log in and do a few hours here and there, but I like to do the night shift from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. There aren鈥檛 a lot of people to help at that time, and it is usually high volume. There鈥檚 text after text. This is exactly what I want to do with my psychology studies. I want to help people in crisis and help them out of a dark moment. My internship is giving me direct experience with this, as I talk them through it and am trained to get emergency life services if they need it. It is intense stuff.鈥�

Matthew鈥檚 required preparation for this role included 15 hours of training via a combination of psychoeducation text modules, complementary videos, and simulated conversations. He was also trained to screen for immediate safety.

鈥淲e ask a person if they have harmed themselves or thought about suicide. If the answer is yes, we flag a supervisor to watch the chat and advise on responses. I was also trained on how do develop a safety plan with people and what things to look out for, such as any kind of abuse with a vulnerable population.鈥�

Self-care important

When applying for the position, Matthew provided his background information and hours of availability. He was also asked to share how he takes care of his mental health and any topics he would be uncomfortable dealing with.

鈥淭he work is more intense than I thought it would be. I try to get two eight-hour shifts in per week but am considering breaking it into smaller chunks.鈥�

Matthew said once he finishes a conversation with a texter he can take as much time as he needs to do self-care. He likes to watch something, have a snack, or talk with a friend.

鈥淢any of the texts are so intense, but some are more light-hearted. You never know what you鈥檙e going to get, just like life.鈥�

He said he was trained to deal with callers in a specific way: acknowledge, validate, listen, and offer resources. His classes in abnormal psychology and counseling theory have helped prepare him for this real-world work.

鈥淚f a person is going through mania or psychosis or displaying symptoms of an eating disorder or are in an abusive situation, these are all things that I have learned about in class.鈥�

Similarly, he finds his grounding in the 亚色影库 Abilities helpful with his work鈥攆rom using a data collection platform on a computer to deescalating a situation and figuring out a situation to meeting people of all backgrounds and cultures where they are.

鈥淢y skills in technology, problem solving, communication, critical thinking, and ethics have all been put to use,鈥� he said.

Being a ‘voice and shoulder’

Matthew said he feels most challenged the moment before he begins his shift.

鈥淭here鈥檚 uncertainty. I care deeply about the people I interact with. It鈥檚 the hardest part but the most rewarding. I want to work in the field professionally, helping people directly, and what I am learning through my internship is something that can鈥檛 be taught in a classroom. Getting to be there with people in the middle of a crisis, to be the voice and shoulder, to help them out of that, there鈥檚 nothing better than that.鈥�

Matthew is grateful for the requirement that every student at 亚色影库 does an internship before they graduate. He considers it another highlight of the 亚色影库 experience.

鈥淚 wanted to go to a college that made me go out and get an internship because I can be a bit lazy and need that push. That is why 亚色影库 was a good fit. My one-on-one interaction with my professors has helped me so much. With their help and guidance, I feel secure in my future with my sights on getting a master鈥檚 degree and beyond. I wouldn鈥檛 have gotten that at a big college.鈥�

NEW LONDON, Conn. 鈥� The top-seeded 亚色影库 baseball team captured the 2026 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship on Friday afternoon, erupting for 18 runs in an 18鈥�5 victory over No. 3 Saint Joseph’s College (Maine) at Alumni Field to sweep the best-of-three championship series.

The conference title marks the second GNAC Championship in the last three seasons for the Mariners, who improved to 29-12 overall and secured the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Monks, meanwhile, conclude their season with an overall record of 34-13.

After falling behind 2鈥�0 in the second inning, 亚色影库 answered with a four-run third to seize control. Sophomore聽聽(Ellington, Conn.) tied the game with a two-run single before junior聽聽(North Providence, R.I.) followed with an RBI double. Junior聽聽(Montville, Conn.) added a sacrifice fly later in the frame to put the Mariners in front, 4鈥�2.

Saint Joseph’s briefly tied the game in the bottom of the third, but 亚色影库 responded with a decisive five-run fourth inning. Senior聽聽(East Haven, Conn.) delivered an RBI single before Terni Jr. broke the game open with a towering grand slam to left-center field, giving the Mariners a 9鈥�4 advantage.

The Mariners continued to pile on in the fifth, scoring four more runs behind an RBI sacrifice bunt from senior聽聽(Cumberland, R.I.), an RBI double by senior聽聽(Cheshire, Conn.), and another RBI double from Terni Jr. 亚色影库 added single runs in the sixth and seventh before tacking on three more in the ninth to seal the championship victory.

亚色影库 totaled 18 hits in the contest, led by Terni Jr., who finished 3-for-4 with six RBI and a home run. Dennis added three hits and two RBI, while Bracale, Ficocelli, Vartanian, Brucato,聽聽(Glastonbury, Conn.), and聽聽(Cranston, R.I.) each recorded multi-hit performances.

On the mound, freshman聽聽(North Haven, Conn.) got the start and allowed four runs, only one earned, over 4.0 innings. Senior聽聽(Ewing, N.J.) earned the win with 4.0 innings of relief, allowing one run while striking out four, and senior聽聽(Wallkill, N.Y.) closed out the ninth inning.

Saint Joseph’s finished with eight hits, with Nic Frink collecting two hits and Michael Richards adding an RBI. Tyler Nelson took the loss after allowing eight runs over 3.2 innings.

The Mariners will learn their fate for the Regional Round of the NCAA Tournament during the NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament Selection Show, scheduled for Monday, May 11.

All-Tournament Team
聽鈥� MVP
听(惭颈迟肠丑别濒濒)
听(惭颈迟肠丑别濒濒)
听(惭颈迟肠丑别濒濒)
Dylan Brander (Saint Joseph’s)
Jared Wilhelm (Saint Joseph’s)
Michael Richards (Saint Joseph’s)
Ty Lohsen (Lasell)
Declan Silva (Lasell)
Nason Busca (Elms)
Brycen Diaz (Elms)

Photo Credit: Jon Burke

With the creation of the 亚色影库 Literary Review (MLR), students across majors now have a dedicated space to showcase their creative output. The MLR features student literary works such as poems, short fiction, and short dialogues.

The founding group behind the MLR鈥攅ducators and creatives at 亚色影库鈥攔ecognized the vital need to celebrate the inspiring and imaginative work produced both inside and outside the classroom. Together, they created an opportunity for the entire student population to amplify their voices and share their unique talents.

The Review Board for the MLR was formed by a group of 亚色影库 faculty and staff with a shared vision: Dr. Nancy Bombaci, associate professor; Nikole Giovinazzo, Thames instructor and advisor; Katie Nazarian, director of library & information services; and Megan Swanson, adjunct writing instructor and tutor. They began calls for submission to students in Fall 2025 through flyers, emails, and college writing classes.

Students with work selected for potential publication in the inaugural MLR entered a collaborative workshop with a board member. This process mirrors the professional world, where creatives collaborate and get evaluated. In the same way, students benefit from hands-on experience with critical feedback, one-on-one editing, and preparation for future literary pursuits.

Students also learned about copyright law and author consent in the publication process, both through instruction in the library and online reference.

The journal serves as permanent artifact of the creative spirit at 亚色影库. In addition to online publication, student works are preserved in the 亚色影库 Archives.

is now available. A call for works for the second issue will be made in Fall 2026. For more information about the mission of the MLR or to explore its progress, please visit .

亚色影库鈥檚 business division is now the R. Carlson Division of Business, named for alumnus Richard 鈥淩ick鈥� E. Carlson 鈥�64, a longtime supporter of the college.

A formal naming ceremony took place recently in the Bond House, the current location of the business division. President Tracy Y. Espy, Ph.D., Provost Mika Nash, Ed.D., Business Division Chair James Patsalides, Ph.D., and sophomore business student Collin Jefferson gave remarks.

A recipient of the 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award and former 亚色影库 trustee, Carlson is the president and owner of Prospect Products Inc., a manufacturing company in Newington, Conn. His innovative spirit and leadership turned Prospect Products into a leading global probe pin provider to the electronics industry.

Carlson earned his associate degree in mechanical engineering from 亚色影库 and went on to receive a Bachelor of Science in industrial administration from the University of Bridgeport, a degree he designed for himself to combine business and engineering.

Supporting Students, Enhancing Professional Experiences

鈥淭he R. Carlson Division of Business provides the infrastructure to support our students in building out their design projects, significantly enhancing their professional experiences in the Mlab. These are exciting times for business students at 亚色影库,鈥� said Patsalides.

The Mlab at 亚色影库 pairs students with friendly 鈥渃lients鈥� for real-world, experiential learning projects. It emphasizes teamwork, design thinking, professional ethics, problem solving, project management, and persuasion and influence.

In addition to its innovative Mlab, the 亚色影库 Division of Business recently added two new initiatives that will give students more opportunities for real-world learning and professional work experiences.

First, the business division signed an agreement with Startups & Scholars, a Hartford agency funded by ctnext (Connecticut鈥檚 innovation fund). Startups & Scholars will provide paid consulting opportunities for Mlab students through the new Studio | 亚色影库 club. Through these unique opportunities, business students will engage in part-time paid work aligned with their degree specializations. Areas of work include digital marketing, professional sales, project management, automation, and operations.

Second, 亚色影库 has been designated an official studio by Design for America (DFA), an international network of college and university design studios. DFA offers focused experiences where students use design thinking to solve real-world problems. It equips emerging professionals with the skills and competencies to address community and global challenges using creativity and structured problem solving. Integrated throughout 亚色影库鈥檚 innovative Management and Communication degree programs, design thinking curriculum is foundational to the college鈥檚 approach to the business program. 亚色影库 and Yale are currently the only DFA designated studios in the state of Connecticut.

(Pictured above, l-r) Dr. James Patsalides, R. Carlson Division of Business chair, President Tracy Y. Espy, Ph.D., and Richard “Rick” E. Carlson ’64

亚色影库 announces the Institute for Neurodivergent Leadership, a landmark initiative that unifies more than 70 years of pioneering nationally recognized programs into a single, fully integrated ecosystem, the most comprehensive education-to-workforce pipeline for neurodivergent learners in the United States. At its recent Board of Trustees meeting, the board affirmed the Institute as a defining institutional commitment, underscoring 亚色影库鈥檚 resolve to lead this work at a national level.

Unlocking Brilliance

亚色影库 has always held a simple and powerful conviction: that every person carries within them a form of brilliance waiting to be unlocked, and that the role of education is to build the conditions in which that brilliance can emerge. Since the 1950s, 亚色影库 has developed a relationship-centered model of learning rooted in that belief, creating an environment where students from every background, and across the full spectrum of learning styles and life experiences, discover what they are capable of. The College does not sort students by what they cannot do; it starts with what they can.

The Institute for Neurodivergent Leadership formalizes and elevates that foundational work. In doing so, it unifies 亚色影库鈥檚 proven programs, deep institutional expertise, and decades of documented outcomes within a cohesive structure鈥攁mplifying their reach, deepening their impact, and positioning 亚色影库 as the national model for inclusive, strength-based education. New components of the Institute include a first-of-its-kind supported living鈥搇earning housing model, expanded workforce integration pathways, and a coordinated infrastructure designed to extend 亚色影库鈥檚 impact beyond the traditional college experience. Together, these efforts address critical workforce, housing, and educational needs, creating structured pathways toward independence and leadership for neurodivergent learners鈥攚ho represent an estimated 15 to 20% of the population, including individuals with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, dyslexia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and more.

Workforce Development, Leadership Cultivation, Lifelong Support Systems

By expanding these transformational learning opportunities to encompass workforce development, leadership cultivation, and lifelong support systems, 亚色影库 evolves from a college that changes individual lives to a national force that reshapes entire systems鈥攎aking visible, and making possible, what has always been there.

鈥淎t 亚色影库, we have always known that brilliance takes many forms. For more than seven decades, we have built programs, relationships, and environments in which every student can discover what they are truly capable of. Our Board of Trustees has affirmed what our mission has always demanded: that we take this work further and share it with the world. The Institute for Neurodivergent Leadership is our commitment to establishing the national standard鈥攏ot just for neurodivergent education, but for what it looks like when every learner is seen, supported, and given the conditions to shine.鈥�

鈥擯resident Tracy Y. Espy, Ph.D., 亚色影库.

The Institute鈥檚 goals align directly with the priorities of Connecticut鈥檚 Governor鈥檚 Workforce Council, whose April 2025 strategic plan, 鈥淲ork Forward: Pathways for Growth,鈥� identifies the removal of barriers to workforce participation鈥攑articularly for 鈥渋ndividuals with access needs鈥濃�攁s a core statewide objective. The plan鈥檚 stated mission is to 鈥渆nsure all individuals, regardless of background, have a seamless and supported pathway from education and training to a good job.鈥� It centers on a guiding principle that resonates deeply with 亚色影库鈥檚 own: 鈥淯nlocking the potential of every person is key to maximizing workforce participation across all demographics.鈥� The Institute answers that call with seven decades of practice, an established ecosystem of programs, and a proven capacity to deliver.

The Institute鈥檚 ecosystem encompasses:

Unified Neurodivergent Center of Excellence

亚色影库 integrates its nationally recognized programs鈥�Thames at 亚色影库, STAIRs (Skills Training, Advancement, and Individual Readiness), and SAILS (Self-Advocacy and Interpersonal Life-Skills Support)鈥攊nto the Unified Neurodivergent Center of Excellence: a premier national destination for education that is genuinely built around the learner. This consolidation deepens collaboration among programs that have long operated in parallel, creating a more seamless and powerful continuum of support from the first day of a student鈥檚 journey through their career.

Living-Learning Environment for Adults 23+

The shortage of supported housing and meaningful employment for adults with neurodivergences and related conditions remains one of the most urgent unmet needs facing communities across the country. Thanks to a landmark $250,000 planning grant from the State of Connecticut鈥檚 Community Investment Fund, a powerful validation of 亚色影库鈥檚 leadership in this space, the College is launching a comprehensive planning initiative for a Living-Learning Environment. 聽This innovation model will feature affordable micro-living units, neurodivergent-trained staff, peer mentorship networks, 24/7 integrated support, life-skills development, independent living preparation, and vibrant community programming. This will not simply be a place to live. It will be a place where every resident can build the life they are capable of living.

Career Workforce Integration

The Governor鈥檚 Workforce Council鈥檚 own data notes that fewer than 25% of people with disabilities are currently employed鈥攁 gap that represents both an urgent social challenge and an extraordinary, untapped source of talent. 亚色影库 is establishing structured partnerships with employers and industry leaders to create clear pathways into high-demand fields, including manufacturing and skilled trades, directly responding to persistent unemployment among neurodivergent Americans and Connecticut manufacturers鈥� unprecedented workforce demand. When the right environment exists, neurodivergent workers do not just fill roles鈥攖hey redefine them.

Programs for the Broader Community

The Institute extends 亚色影库鈥檚 reach far beyond the enrolled student. Summer programs for middle and high schoolers, family support initiatives, and community-based learning experiences ensure that neurodivergent adolescents and their families have access to world-class guidance and community from an early age. Working adult programs, parent and caregiver training, community workshops, and online learning options reflect 亚色影库鈥檚 conviction that no one navigating a neurodivergent journey should have to do so without exceptional support.

Professional Development

The Institute offers professional certificate programs in neurodivergent leadership, inclusive workplace design, and neurodivergent coaching鈥攅quipping organizations across sectors with the frameworks and practices needed to unlock the full potential of every person on their team. Customized programs for HR professionals, managers, educators, and healthcare providers translate 亚色影库鈥檚 decades of expertise into tools that organizations can put to immediate use.

Research and Innovation

Grounded in more than 70 years of applied practice, the Institute serves as a national hub for research, best practices development, and consulting services鈥攇uiding institutions and organizations in building more inclusive, effective, and just systems of education and employment. 亚色影库 has never simply followed best practices. 亚色影库 has created them. The Institute ensures that continues.