Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) is playing a key role in building Connecticut’s economy by developing new programs that meet the needs of today’s marketplace and anticipating the trends of tomorrow.
Southern prepares its students to work in more than 91 percent of the occupations requiring at least a bachelor’s degree for employment, as identified by the state Department of Labor’s 2012 forecast. And, with more than 80 percent of its 2,300 annual graduates staying on to live and work in Connecticut, the 124-year-old University is a major contributor in building the state’s knowledge-based economy.
Advancing the Sciences
The focus of Southern’s mission is to provide its students with the foundational knowledge and skills they need to be key contributors in areas of workforce demands, particularly in the STEM disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Southern has seen impressive programmatic and enrollment growth in these fields.
Southern continues to seek new opportunities, in both growth and in-demand fields of study, to build on its 117 offerings at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Recently, the University was named as the host site for Connecticut’s first research center devoted solely to the cutting-edge field of nanotechnology. Concurrent with the launching of the Southern-based center is the establishment of a graduate certificate program in nanotech. Students and faculty at Southern and in New Haven schools are also able to create and examine new materials at the atomic level thanks to a National Science Foundation–supported partnership with Yale University.
Southern’s ongoing expansion of its science programs has been greatly enhanced with the construction of the 98,332-square-foot academic and laboratory science building which opened in October, 2015.
Campus Life
One of the great things about Southern is the energy on campus. Southern offers a wide range of services and programs to motivate students and enrich their learning and to contribute to their individual growth. Recognizing that much learning occurs beyond the physical boundaries of the classroom, Southern dedicates itself to maximizing the potential of both the individual and the campus community.
Community Partnerships
Southern is also committed to improving educational standards and opportunities at the grassroots level. As part of this effort, hundreds of Southern students and faculty are involved each year in dozens of community initiatives and partnerships: from internships and volunteer projects to unique collaborations with city schools and other organizations.
For example, the Center for Excellence in Mathematics and Science is helping to increase the number and quality of students in those fields by reaching out to local elementary schools with fun, hands-on engineering programs, and to high schools with scholarship opportunities for outstanding students. And SCSU’s Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders provides current and future educators with best practices when teaching students with autism.
Campus Sustainability
Sustainability, a broad concept of environmental stewardship means “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Southern Connecticut State University is committed to engaging everyone from students to faculty, staff, and administration to make healthy and environmentally conscious decisions in all aspects of campus life. Ideas and participation by the entire campus community are welcome, and Southern provides a wide range of opportunities for students to participate, including Campus Conservation Nationals, Recyclemania, the campus community garden, Plant It Forward, presentations by guest speakers, and much more.
Arts and Athletics
Southern has become an integral part of the arts community as well. Partnerships have been established with the Long Wharf Theatre, the New Haven Symphony Orchestra and the International Festival of Arts and Ideas. And campus events at the Lyman Center for the Performing Arts bring a wide range of affordable, cultural activities to the general public, including the center’s acclaimed annual smooth jazz series.
The annual Mary and Louis Fusco Distinguished Lecture Series is a signature Southern event, annually drawing up to 1,500 people to campus for the visits of leading public figures and newsmakers. Southern Athletics has one of the top NCAA Division II programs in the country, with 10 national team titles and 71 individual championships.
Learn more about Southern Connecticut State University at www.southernct.edu.