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 part of their “Negotiations and Sales” class, students took part in a unique and hands-on sales program, honing their skills by role playing with a bot. Several students placed in the top five percent of the thousands who took part in the program, earning the “rising star” recognition.
November 23, 2022
Wenka Vil ’23 had the opportunity to build her sales skills this semester by role playing with “Alex” – an artificially intelligent bot. Vil excelled, honing her skills and earning recognition as a “rising star” for her efforts.
Vil and her classmates in her “Negotiations and Sales” class were part of the RNMKRS sales simulation program. The 14-week program for college students enabled more than 3,000 students from across the U.S., Canada, and Europe to improve their ability to communicate persuasively through engaging and interactive practice. Vil, who was among the top five percent of all students in the competition, also had the opportunity to network with RNMKRS partners and mentors.
“The RNMKRS sales simulation program showed me what is required and needed to be successful in a sale,” said Vil, a business management major. “I learned about the sales process and how to properly implement it by practicing with an AI bot. I feel honored to be recognized as a rising star. My determination and work ethic have shown me that hard work pays off and never goes unnoticed.”
When students interacted with Alex, the bot listened, responded, and adapted while scoring students and offering detailed feedback in real time, helping them refine and improve their communication and sales skills. Students could take part in the role play right on their phone, talking to Alex much as they would to Siri or Alexa. Students learned how they could improve and how they were doing compared to other participants.
“I have learned a lot from the simulation program,” said John Rossetti ’23, a legal studies major who was also among the top five percent of students in the competetion. “I’ve learned to be patient, and I’ve gotten to try new things in the simulation. It felt great to be a rising star, and I am honored to be one.”
The program is part of a “Negotiation and Sales” class and offers students an immersive sales role-play experience. Their professor, Angeli Gianchandani, M.A., a brand marketing and sales executive, is the students’ coach.
“Motivation and success are what drive individuals in any profession,” said Prof. Gianchandani, a practitioner in residence in the University’s Accounting, Finance, and Marketing Department. “In a school setting, it is critically important that we celebrate and recognize the outstanding things that students accomplish, both inside and outside the classroom. The rising star recognition is an acknowledgment of the hard work and grit it takes to be in a sales profession. It is a stepping-stone for students as they prepare for their own career journeys.”
For Hailey Polisano ’23 MBA, the competition was a great chance to gain experience. Polisano, who plans to attend law school and pursue a career in entertainment law, placed 18th in the initial practice role-play leaderboard nationwide, also earning the rising star designation. She’s particularly grateful for the networking opportunities the program offered.
“It was an honor to be recognized as a rising star,” she said. “Being in the top five percent of all students across the nation in the competition means that my hard work is not going unnoticed. It sets me up for success in a future career, since I now have experience professionally selling and negotiating a deal. There was a plethora of representatives from different sales companies across the nation, giving me the ability to connect with potential future employers to get my foot in the door.”
For Vil, the business management major, the program was a great opportunity to apply what she’s learned at the University in a unique, hands-on, and fun way.
“Practicing with the AI bot allowed me to implement my knowledge from the classroom and practice the sales process through a virtual sales call,” she said. “After each practice, the program allowed me to review the virtual call and it critiqued me on what needed improvement. RNMKRS offers students a great opportunity to network with businesses and other students.”
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.