University Celebrates Members of Military and Veteran Community and Their Supporters
The Salute to Service Awards Ceremony recognized the accomplishments of student-veterans and military-affiliated students, as well as those who have gone above and beyond to support them. It brought together members of the University and local communities, as well as state and federal leaders, for an event focused on solidarity, support, and service.
April 5, 2024
By Renee Chmiel, Office of Marketing and Communications
Joshua Wyskiewicz 25 (left) and Jessica Guglielmo '24 each received a Rudis, a wooden sword with a history extending back to Ancient Rome. Ryan Noonan '20, '23 M.S. is on the right.
Before he was a Charger, Jimmy Brunette 24 M.S. served in the U.S. Army. His career as a soldier took him across the country and around the world as he served on active duty and in the reserves.
After completing his basic and Advanced Individual Training in Missouri, Brunette became a chemical operations specialist. His career then brought him to Germany, and he also spent more than a year at war during Operation Iraqi Freedom 2. Now a civilian, hes continuing his education as a Charger.
Jimmy Brunette 24 M.S. received the R.I.S.E. Student of the Year Award.
A dedicated husband and father, Brunette has been working full-time as he pursues his masters degree in cybersecurity management and leadership. Hes enjoyed the opportunities hes had to include members of his family as hes engaged with the Charger community, recently bringing his daughter to .
Brunette was recently awarded the 2024 R.I.S.E. Student of the Year Award as part of the Universitys Salute to Service Awards Ceremony in recognition of his Resiliency, Integrity, Service, and Excellence.
Being the R.I.S.E. Student of the Year was an absolute surprise to me that literally brought tears to my eyes, he said. It immediately took me back to the trials and tribulations that I went through, the tough and quick decisions I instantly made for my family and me, and a time when there were a lot of unknowns. Adapting and overcoming is a great feeling, but then to be supported by the staff and faculty takes it to a whole other level.
A testament to the tenets of RISE
Brunette was one of several members of the Charger community who were recognized at the 8th annual ceremony. It brought together students, staff, faculty, and families to celebrate the accomplishments of the Universitys talented student-veterans, military-affiliated students, and those who have gone above and beyond to support them.
Ryan Noonan 20, 23 M.S., the Universitys manager of military and veteran affairs who is also a U.S. Marine veteran, highlighted the many achievements of the Universitys student-veterans and military-affiliated students as part of the ceremony. He also noted the many ways the University supports these students, such as Green Zone Training, which is designed to familiarize Chargers with student-veterans perspectives and offer them tools for supporting them.
The Salute to Service Awards Ceremony brought together Chargers and members of the community.
Veterans experience hardships and struggles during their service, and theyre often faced with an entirely new set of difficulties when they transition back into the civilian world, Noonan explained. When veterans go through this shift, they often do so alone and with very little support or assistance. The accomplishments they achieve despite these struggles and often without the necessary support are a testament to the tenets of RISE, and these students are the embodiment of these principles.
I can give support to those who served
Kila Colucci, assistant registrar for data maintenance and the Universitys VA school-certifying official, was recognized for her dedication to serving student-veterans. She received the Salute to Service Staff Award.
I am honored to receive this award, she said. Its just rewarding knowing that I can give support to those who served or have family members who served. I hope they all feel like their time at the University was positive, encouraging, and that theyve felt fully supported in every aspect of their academic journey.
The ceremony included members of the University community as well as state and federal leaders, such as U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and , who served as the events guest speaker.
Commissioner Ronald P. Welch, the ceremonys guest speaker.
Joseph Danao II 04 M.S., deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs and who was last years guest speaker, was also recognized at the ceremony. A graduate of the Universitys masters degree program in fire science and a retired Lieutenant Colonel who served in the for more than three decades, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award. He has continued to be an active member of the Charger community, previously serving as president of the Universitys Alumni Association.
Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award is an incredible honor, said Danao. The long, rich history of veterans serving as University of New 51矯通 students and faculty anchors an honor and tradition that I am proud to have supported and will continue to support in the future. My life goal is to ensure that veterans receive the recognition and support they earned through their service. There is no better place to pay forward my experience and education than to University of New 51矯通 students.
An opportunity for us to gather together
Joshua Wyskiewicz 25, a member of the Universitys VA work-study program, was recognized for his dedication to the University and to the veteran community. Dedicated to developing programs and initiatives to support the work-study programs operations, hes also been a part of a variety of outreach events, such as and Military Appreciation Night at a . He also helped organize the Universitys Toys for Tots drive this past holiday season.
Receiving the Salute to Service Student Award is an honor and a privilege, said Wyskiewicz, a veteran and a homeland security and emergency management major. It is humbling to be recognized for my contributions to the University and the veteran community. The award itself represents commitment and involvement. When I see it in the future, I will always be reminded of the experience I shared with this community.
Vincent Franco 25, a legal studies major who also helped organize the Toys for Tots drive, received the Salute to Service Student Award as well. He says that as a , having a mission was a way of life, and after serving, he endeavored to find another mission. That new mission became school and his community. Franco did just that as a Charger and as a member of the VA work-study team.
Several Chargers were recognized as part of the Salute to Service Awards Ceremony.
As a member of the military, especially as a Marine, the bonds formed are lifelong, said Franco. Events such as Salute to Service, which honor veterans and celebrate their accomplishments, provide an opportunity for us to gather together. It makes veterans feel proud of our past, cheerful about the present, and thankful for our future. These events bring a sense of pride, joy, and gratitude to veterans for their service to their country.
I was never forgotten
Franco and Wyskiewicz were among eight Chargers who were inducted into the , which recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-veterans and their dedication to the pursuit of knowledge. The Universitys chapter is one of more than 230 across the country.
For Brunette, the cybersecurity management and leadership grad student, the ceremony was a fitting way to commemorate his final semester as a student. Hes grateful for all the support hes received as a Charger support that has helped him to excel and realize his potential.
The University has helped further prepare me for success by challenging me and providing me a top-notch education, he said. I got to experience what a well-oiled machine looks like. I was able to see what good cross functionality looks like because I was in touch and dependent on a lot of different people and departments to help get things done in order for me to get where I am. I was never forgotten, left behind, or felt disappointed.