Public Safety is tracking a significant snowfall that will be arriving in our area late Sunday morning (Jan. 25). It will snow heavily throughout the day and evening eventually tapering off Monday (Jan. 26) with 10-14 inches expected statewide. A sleet and freezing rain mix is also possible along the shore. Temperatures will be in the teens and twenties.
Due to this significant winter storm and the extensive campus clean-up operations that will need to take place, all in-person day and evening classes scheduled for Monday, January 26, 2026 have been cancelled. All scheduled in-person classes will transition to being held online or remotely. Additional information on the virtual format for each class will be provided by your instructor.
Faculty have been asked to prepare for Online or Remote sessions in the event of in-person meeting cancellations. These options will be determined by the Faculty member and all questions should be directed to the Faculty teaching each course section. Faculty also have been asked to be very understanding and accommodating of the individual situations of their students who may have difficulty managing these alternative online or remote class meetings on short notice.
Please note that only essential employees, as previously determined by their respective department leaders, should report to campus. All other employees should fulfill the requirements of their role remotely.
Campus operations for residential students, unless otherwise noted, will operate as scheduled, though hours may be modified or changed based on the conditions. Separate messages will be sent from the Peterson Library, the Beckerman Recreation Center, and Dining Services regarding any changes to their normal hours of operation. The Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation will remain open for residential students to use for study space and to participate in online classes.
Off-campus students that live in the City of West Haven should abide by the city’s parking ban during inclement weather to avoid having their vehicle tagged and towed. Please check the City of West Haven’s website for further information on their snow parking ban.
The Charger Blog
As a high school student, Gabriela Garcia-Perez ’24 founded the Community Integration Mentoring Program, which has created opportunities for mentorship, education, and community involvement among local high school and elementary school students.
August 25, 2020
When Gabriela Garcia-Perez ’24 was a sophomore in high school, she worked on a capstone project that soon grew into an organization that has united a diverse group of local students.
A business management major, Garcia-Perez founded Community Integration Mentoring Program (CIMP) to bring together high school students and students at Fair Haven Pre K-8 School in New Haven. It enables students of different communities, ages, cultures, and backgrounds to learn from each other while cultivating a sense of community.
As part of the program the high school students serve as mentors, working with the younger students in small groups. They have been familiar faces at Fair Haven’s Saturday Academy program, an enrichment experience that enables Fair Haven students to enhance their academic and interpersonal skills. They work on projects that teach the importance of community involvement and attend classes together – including salsa classes – and build a rapport and a sense of community.
“Each session on Saturday mornings gives me hope that in the future, people will be more caring toward others,” said Garcia-Perez, a graduate of Guilford High School. “This helps the students learn from a diverse group of people while fostering a caring environment.”
Mentors have worked on a variety of projects with the students, including projects that foster caring for the environment. Before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, they wove mats out of plastic bags that they donated to homeless shelters – enabling students to learn about plastic bag pollution and homelessness.
Garcia-Perez, whose first language was Spanish, and her fellow volunteers also help the younger students develop their English skills, as many are learning English as a second language. She hopes that by giving them opportunities to practice their skills and interact with their mentors in English, they will continue to develop their language skills.
“After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, I realized how hard it would be for families entering the New Haven school system who didn’t have strong English skills,” she said. “It’s great to see how younger kids learn from high school students. Everyone learns from each other.”
Although the students and mentors were no longer able to learn together in person after the outbreak of the coronavirus, mentorship continued online. CIMP volunteers also expanded their work to help families in the community dealing with food insecurity amid the pandemic. They partnered with several area organizations – including Guilford High School’s student senate – to raise money for grocery store gift cards. They also collected thousands of pounds of food for those in need in the community.
Garcia-Perez’s volunteer work has been recognized nationally, as she was one of 102 youth volunteers to receive a Prudential Spirit of Community Award for her service. Honorees typically receive a trip to Washington, D.C., to attend the program’s recognition celebration. This year a three-day online celebration was held instead because of the pandemic. Honorees also receive funds to donate to local COVID-19 response efforts as well as a scholarship.
A member of the University’s women’s soccer team, Garcia-Perez hopes to make CIMP a nonprofit organization. Her work with the program has enabled her to collaborate with local school administrators and educators, families in New Haven, other students, and her younger brother, who will begin high school this fall. She wants to continue to be an active member of the organization while encouraging other students to get involved.
“This has enabled me to be more well-spoken and informed of the social issues in my community,” she said. “I’m looking forward to building new friendships and connections at the University, and I’m excited to start this next chapter.”
University News
New University-wide council will advance strategic partnerships, immersive student opportunities, and innovative research, supporting the University’s strategic plan the development of its pioneering Center for Innovation and Applied Technology.
The Charger Blog
Entrepreneur David Sussman, Pompea College of Business Advisory Board Member and chief visionary officer of The Family Security Plan®, is collaborating with University of New Haven students, faculty, and staff to create a program and app that helps Chargers support each other to achieve academic, personal, and professional goals. It’s called Uccountability.
University News
Vice President for Innovation and Applied Technology Paul Lavoie will serve on the Board of Directors and as America’s Chief Manufacturing Officer for the newly launched American Manufacturing Futures Institute.