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
The University’s GenCyber Agent Academy enabled high school students to gain hands-on experience in such topics as Python and ethical hacking, while learning from experts in the field of cybersecurity.
Aug 20, 2021
Amber Marrero ’21 wrapped a piece of bright green painter’s tape several times around a metal hexagonal prism. She wrote the word “indeed” on each of its six sides, and when she took the tape off, the letters were scrambled. She’s used this example to explain a cipher – an algorithm for performing encryption or decryption, and she then taught students how to apply this thought process to cybersecurity.
A recent graduate of the University’s cybersecurity and networks program, Marrero spent a week this summer sharing her passion for cybersecurity education with high school students. Dedicated to enabling and empowering others to be safe online, she did just that in her role as a teaching assistant for the University’s GenCyber Agent Academy.
“Seeing these students learn, explore, and have “aha” moments is very rewarding,” she said. “On Monday they did not yet know the principles of cybersecurity, but by the end of the program, they not only knew them, they knew why they were important – and could apply them. It’s remarkable how much they learn in one week. Yet as much as I teach them, they also teach me.”
Led by the University’s cybersecurity faculty, the GenCyber Agent Academy is the only GenCyber camp in Connecticut. It enables 20 male and 20 female students entering grades 9 through 12 to gain essential skills that will prepare them to continue to their cybersecurity education. Students came from as far away as Iowa to take part in the program.
Alesandro Gopal, a rising sophomore, became interested in GenCyber after his sister took part in it and enjoyed it. He’s always been interested in cybersecurity and problem solving, and he enjoyed the program.
“I especially liked the coding challenges,” said Gopal, of Woodbridge, Conn. “This opened me up to what cybersecurity is all about, and I want to explore it even more.”
As part of the camp, students took courses on topics such as Python, ethical hacking, network defense, and cyber forensics. The program fosters collaboration and engagement, as students engage in challenges and a campus-wide cyber forensics scavenger hunt.
Students are rewarded for their involvement and teamwork with “cyber bucks,” which they can then use to “buy” hints in the capture the flag competition – the culminating event of the camp during which students compete in teams for points and prizes. The competition enables them to apply the skills they’ve developed over the course of the program.
“I wanted to join the GenCyber Agent Academy because there are so many fields in computer science that I wanted to explore,” said Corin Riahi of Rowayton, Conn. “I’ve learned a lot about Python and Linux.”
“My dad got me into computer science when I was about 11,” added Ethan Knox of Fairfield, Conn. “I’ve gone to several computer camps and I’ve taken AP computer science classes, but I still wanted more. I’ve enjoyed this camp, and I especially liked learning about ethical hacking.”
As part of the program, students also explored careers in cybersecurity. Maj. Ryan Miller and Lt. Col. Cameron Sprague, who were a part of the University’s Project IRONCLAD program this summer, discussed opportunities in the field. Students also learned from cybersecurity professionals from Google and the FBI.
For Lixander Soto, a rising senior from Bridgeport, Conn., these opportunities were particularly meaningful. He dreams of working for an agency such as the FBI or CIA, or a company such as Google.
“This camp has given me access to learn so much,” he said. “I was self-taught, and this gave me an opportunity to expand my knowledge, to network, and to learn more about coding.”
Designed to foster inclusivity, GenCyber includes students of diverse backgrounds – the vast majority of whom are students of color – and various skill levels. Funded by the National Security Agency and the National Science Foundation, the camp is offered to students free of charge.
“This is so important, especially because cybersecurity is among the greatest challenges to our freedom right now,” said Liberty Page, lecturer and coordinator of the University’s undergraduate program in cybersecurity and networks. “It’s critical to offer this program to high school students because this is when they start making decisions about what they’d like to study in college and, ultimately, what they want to pursue for their careers.”
"It’s important to excite kids about the cybersecurity field and the opportunities in it at young age,” added Ibrahim “Abe” Baggili, Ph.D., director of the Connecticut Institute of Technology and an internationally recognized cybersecurity expert. “Many of them have no idea about the amazing career opportunities waiting for them across every industry."
Created in 2016, the GenCyber Agent Academy is the first-of-its-kind summer academy in Connecticut that encourages young women and individuals from traditionally underrepresented groups to explore the field of cybersecurity.
“As a woman, when I entered the field of cybersecurity, only about ten percent of the field was made up of women,” said Prof. Page. “Underrepresented groups made up an even smaller percentage. We’re committed to increasing this representation in cybersecurity. The makeup of our team represents the makeup of our students at this camp – it is mixed, and it is diverse.”
Hailey Johnson ’22 M.S., a candidate in the University’s graduate program in cybersecurity and networks and a GenCyber Agent Academy teaching assistant, loved sharing her passion for cybersecurity with students, and she hopes the experience informs and inspires their own careers.
“Seeing their excitement is very fulfilling,” she said. “I hope this camp fosters a love for cybersecurity, and I hope it encourages them to continue to explore the field.”
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.