University Celebrates Members of Military and Veteran Community and Their Supporters

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, he’s continuing his education as a Charger.

A dedicated husband and father, Brunette has been working full-time as he pursues his master’s degree in cybersecurity management and leadership. He’s enjoyed the opportunities he’s had to include members of his family as he’s engaged with the Charger community, recently bringing his daughter to Accepted Students Day.

Brunette was recently awarded the 2024 R.I.S.E. Student of the Year Award as part of the University’s 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.”

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 University’s talented student-veterans, military-affiliated students, and those who have gone above and beyond to support them.

Ryan Noonan ’20, ’23 M.S., the University’s manager of military and veteran affairs who is also a U.S. Marine veteran, highlighted the many achievements of the University’s 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.

“Veterans experience hardships and struggles during their service, and they’re 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.”

Kila Colucci, assistant registrar for data maintenance and the University’s 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. “It’s 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 they’ve 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 Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Ronald P. Welch, who served as the event’s guest speaker.

Joseph Danao II ’04 M.S., deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs and who was last year’s guest speaker, was also recognized at the ceremony. A graduate of the University’s master’s degree program in fire science and a retired Lieutenant Colonel who served in the Connecticut Army National Guard 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 University’s Alumni Association.

“Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award is an incredible honor,” said Danao. “The long, rich history of veterans serving as University of New Haven 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 Haven students.”

Joshua Wyskiewicz ’25, a member of the University’s 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 program’s operations, he’s also been a part of a variety of outreach events, such as Vets Rock at Mohegan Sun and Military Appreciation Night at a Bridgeport Islanders hockey game. He also helped organize the University’s Toys for Tots drive this past holiday season.

“Receiving the Salute to Service Student Award is an honor and a privilege,” said Wyskiewicz, a U.S. Army 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 Marine, 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.

“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.”

Franco and Wyskiewicz were among eight Chargers who were inducted into the SALUTE National Honor Society, which recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-veterans and their dedication to the pursuit of knowledge. The University’s 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. He’s grateful for all the support he’s 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.”