CEO of Ms. Foundation to Address Graduates at University of New Haven 2018 Winter Commencement

The University of New Haven announced today that Teresa Younger, president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation — who previously became the first African American woman to serve as executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut — will deliver the commencement address at its Winter Commencement on Sunday, December 16. The ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. at the David A. Beckerman Recreation Center on the University of New Haven’s main campus at 300 Boston Post Road in West Haven.

The University will award 361 bachelor’s degrees, 367 master’s degrees, and two doctorates.

A renowned activist, strategist, and advocate, Younger has spent more than 20 years on the frontlines of some of the most critical battles affecting the lives of women and their communities. She was previously executive director of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women. She will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree as part of the ceremony.

Eileen Eder, an award-winning artist, will also receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. An art educator, philanthropist, and instructor through the Lyme Art Association in Old Lyme, Connecticut, Eder has been a community volunteer for more than 40 years, serving as a member of several art organizations.

James Zander ’73, founder and owner of James Zander & Associates, an independent insurance agency that has served the state of Texas for 35 years, will receive an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree. A 1973 graduate of the University of New Haven, he has served as a member of the DeSoto, Texas City Council, helping to spearhead economic development efforts that attracted thousands of new jobs to the city.