Charger 360

Charger 360 - Season 3, Episode 14: Baki Izzat

Baki Izzat '25 MBA, employer relations manager for the Career Development Center, reflected on her experiences as a first-generation college student and first-generation American, the impact that mentors had on her college experience, and her passion for helping students. “Everything I do revolves around college and career development,” she said. "I absolutely love the work that I do." College and career advice she has posted on her personal social media channels have enabled her to engage with more than one million people, generating 35,000 followers.

Charger 360 - Season 3, Episode 13: David Schroeder

David Schroeder, interim dean of the Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, reflected back on his career, going all the way back to his high school graduation when his name appeared with his fellow graduates in his hometown paper with his destination listed as "unknown". He looked back on beginning his career as a private investigator working for a company that, at the time, had the death penalty contract for the County of Orange and that led the Rodney King investigation against the city of Los Angeles and the LAPD, and how this work led him to a career in academia and teaching the next generation. "It changed everything for me in terms of my own self perception of what I wanted to do. Civil rights investigations became very central in my life."

Charger 360 - Season 3, Episode 12: Sebastian Trujillo Rodriguez

Sebastian Trujillo Rodriguez '25 MBA joined Charger 360 to talk about Màs Allà del Deporte, a podcast he created and co-hosts with several classmates for international student athletes. The show, which is recorded in the WNHU studio, has featured guests from across the globe. A former collegiate golfer at the Division I and Division II levels and a native of Colombia, Sebastian is a graduate assistant for the Chargers golf teams.

Charger 360 - Season 3, Episode 11: Ron Kuntze and Katelyn Beach

Katelyn Beach ’25, a marketing major and president of the marketing club, and Ron Kuntze, marketing professor and director of the University’s Nonprofit Institute, joined Charger 360 to talk about a project in Dr. Kuntze’s social media marketing class in which Katelyn and some classmates are currently collaborating with WNHU, the University’s award-winning radio station, to help maximize its social media reach. They also reflected on the impact of real-world, client-driven learning opportunities, a hallmark of the UNewHaven educational experience.

Charger 360 - Season 3, Episode 10: Michael Iliopoulos '25 M.S.

Described by the Charger 360 hosts as “the most interesting man in the world,” Michael Iliopoulos ’25, a candidate in the University’s graduate program in Cybersecurity & Networks and a veteran of the U.S. Navy, talked about his lifelong interest in television gameshows. Three years ago, he was a contestant on Wheel of Fortune, capping a more than decade-long pursuit to appear on the popular gameshow. It was the University’s military-friendly reputation that attracted him to West Haven. As a Charger, he’s interned at General Dynamics Electric Boat and Clorox, where he’s already accepted a full-time position. He also shared his passion for thrill-seeking activities, including skydiving, bungee jumping, flying a stunt plane, completing an ultra-marathon, and racing a Lamborghini.

Charger 360 - Season 3, Episode 9: Darby Brown '25

Darby Brown ’25, a forensic science major, sociology minor, president of the Undergraduate Student Government Association, and member of the cheerleading team, shares her interest in neuroscience and crime-show TV and how she combined those interests into a career path. She also discussed her involvement in the SOAR program as well as her journey in student leadership, her passion for advocating for students, and the near year and a half she has spent as president of the USGA.

Charger 360 - Season 3, Episode 8: Claire Glynn

Claire Glynn, professor of forensic science and director of the University’s Graduate Certificate in Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG), joins Charger 360 to talk about her journey from Ireland to West Haven and what attracted her to the University. She discussed FIGG, describing it as an “incredibly new, novel, and very powerful tool” that was only introduce into criminal investigations about six years ago. She explained that she had been doing genetic genealogy as a hobby for more than 10 years, figuring out her own birth father after she was adopted, when, as a forensic DNA expert, she learned the role genetic genealogy played in ultimately identifying the "Golden State Killer," saying her two worlds collided immediately.

Charger 360 - Season 3, Episode 7: Chris Raffone & Valentinna Ferrarini '26

Chris Raffone, head coach of women's tennis, and Valentinna Ferrarini ’26, the team’s number 1 singles player and an international affairs major who hails from Brazil, joined Charger 360 to talk about women’s tennis posting an undefeated record and capturing its first Northeast-10 Conference title in the program history. Valentina talked about her passion for tennis, her journey to West Haven, and having roommates from Paraguay and Japan and teammates hailing from seven countries. Raffone, a second-year head, said he had never been around a team that had "so much competitive passion."

Charger 360 - Season 3, Episode 6: Betsy Francis-Connolly

Betsy Francis-Connolly, dean of the School of Health Sciences, joins Charger 360 to talk about the growth of the School of Health Sciences, including adding 10 programs over the last six years to help meet the market demand for health professions. She also talked about innovative research being conducted by SHS faculty, and she discussed her passion for gardening and traveling and her research into mothering.

Charger 360 - Season 3, Episode 5: Jason DeGroff

Jason DeGroff, director of bands, gives an inside look at the process of developing the Chargers Marching Band’s annual show. He reflected on the origins of what is one of the fastest-growing collegiate marching bands in the country, numbering 260 this year, and why the marching band is such a significant recruiting tool for the University, with members from across the country.

Charger 360 - Season 3, Episode 4: Ron Harichandran

Ronald Harichandran Ph.D., dean of Tagliatela College of Engineering and vice provost for research, shares his passion for building things and taking things to a higher level. He reflected back on his 13 years at the University and his focus on raising the reputation of the Tagliatela College of Engineering ("lean, mean, and out to win!" he says) and the impact it is making on student outcomes. He also talked about the interdisciplinary nature of engineering and plans for the University to launch a new master’s degree program in AI within the next year.

Charger 360 - Season 3, Episode 3: J.J. Dionisio ’25

Stopping by Charger 360 this week is J.J. Dionisio ’25, a music and sound recording major, who is serving as the station manager for WNHU, the University’s award-winning radio station. He talked about how he got involved with the station, the roots of the show "The Kitchen Sink" he has hosted for the last several years, and the WNHU’s "Alumni Mondays." He also reflected on the essence of college radio, which he says is based on freedom and discovery, and the global reach of WNHU through its Internet stream.

Charger 360 - Season 3, Episode 2: Jeff Hunt

Jeff Hunt, assistant director of the Center for Learning Resources, talks about his journey to the University of New Haven, which included growing up in the Pacific Northwest, teaching and serving as an administrator in South Korea, and pursuing a master’s degree in New Mexico. He's traveled to 19 countries and 47 states. He outlined the services offered by the CLR, which has more than 10,000 visits annually and is the largest student employer on campus. The average GPA of students seeking support is 3.2. “When students are being pressed to grow, they should find classes hard. That is where they are going to find success.”

Charger 360 - Season 3, Episode 1: Nancy Savage

Nancy Savage, Ph.D., joined the season three premiere of Charger 360 to reflect on her journey to the University, her more than 20 years as a Charger, and being named provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. She discussed some ongoing initiatives related to retention, micro-credentials, and a new Life and Career Readiness Framework that is being developed in collaboration with Student Affairs. She also talked about her love for cooking (inspired by her mother), her favorite dishes to make, and her passion for baking holiday cookies.

Charger 360 - Season 2, Episode 18: J-Dub & Bruce Unscripted

Charger 360 co-hosts J.W. Stewart and Bruce Barber, look back on season 2 of Charger 360 and look ahead to season 3. They also talked about their backgrounds – Bruce as a shock jock for 18 years on a popular morning show in New Haven and J.W. who started his career in print journalism before breaking into TV and spending 12 years at ESPN – and what brought them to Charger Nation, a community they both describe as a family.

Charger 360 - Season 2, Episode 17: David Ramirez ’24 and Rob Holub ’08, ’09 MBA

David Ramirez ’24, a sport management major and esports and gaming minor, and Rob Holub ’08, ’09 MBA, director of esports, joined Charger 360 to talk about the University being at the forefront of esports education and the opportunities available to esports student-athletes. David reflected on the opportunities he has had thanks to esports and gave an inside look to some in-game Call of Duty clips, while Rob talked discussed what led to the University creating academic opportunities in the growing fields of esports and gaming.

Charger 360 - Season 2, Episode 16: Joe Markowski '26

Joe Markowski '26, a communication major, Connecticut native, and host of The Nashville Sounds on WNHU, the University's award-winning student-run radio station, reflects on his relationship with his mentor Bruce Barber, his passion for restoring old cars, and his family's long connection to the University. "The University made it known that here it's family. The connections I have made... I don't think I could have made them anywhere else."

Charger 360 - Season 2, Episode 15: Shaily Menon

Shaily Menon, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, reflects on a conversation she had with her father as teenager growing up in India that helped lead to her career path. “I love higher education and learning so much, and I have stayed on college my whole life,” she said. She discussed how she engages others through the approach of distributed leadership, the role she played in helping to create the book “So you Want to be a Dean? Pathways to the Deanship,” and her passion for painting.

Charger 360 - Season 2, Episode 14: Marcus Harvin

Marcus Harvin '23 A.S., '25 joined Charger 360 to talk about his experience being one of the first graduates of an innovative program created through a collaboration between the University's Prison Education Program and the Yale Prison Education Initiative. He reflects on how he ended up in prison, the opportunities he had through his education, and the nonprofit he launched that he called a byproduct of his participation in the University’s President’s Public Service Fellowship program.

Charger 360 - Season 2, Episode 13: Mario Gaboury

Mario Gaboury, J.D., Ph.D., dean of the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, joined Charger 360 to talk about his family’s connection to the University’s West Haven campus that dates back 100 years. He also discussed how passionate Lee College students are about giving back and serving society, the Lee College faculty who bring a significant amount of real-world experience into the classroom, and the hands-on learning opportunities for students.

Charger 360 - Season 2, Episode 12: Ophelie Rowe-Allen

Ophelie Rowe-Allen, Ed.D., joins Charger 360 to talk about her own educational journey and her path to Charger Nation. She looked back on an unexpected internship placement she had at a counseling center on a college campus while she was pursuing her master’s that helped lay the foundation for her career. She also reflected on joining the University during the COVID-19 pandemic and her vision for the Dean of Students Office.

Charger 360 - Season 2, Episode 11: Camryn DeBose

Camryn DeBose '22, '24 M.A. a Florida native, discusses her journey to West Haven, what attracted her to the University, her love for winter, and her passion for work fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. A member of the women's basketball team for five years, she also reflected on being a student- athlete and how her time on the team helped her develop as a leader and an advocate for others.

Charger 360 - Season 2, Episode 10: Joe Franco and Andy Billman

Joe Franco and Andy Billman, adjunct professors in the University's Communication, Film and Media Studies Department join Charger 360 to talk about the inspiration behind the documentary they are creating about Toad's Place, a well-known night club in New Haven that has been attracting famous performers for nearly 50 years – and the many University connections to the documentary and the iconic location. Prof. Franco helped with the launch of ESPN in 1979, spending more than 33 years at the network, and Prof. Billman was an award-winning producer at ESPN.

Charger 360 - Season 2, Episode 9: Tyler Wells

Tyler Wells '23, 25 MBA, a native of so far north in Vermont it's "pretty much Canada," was first attracted to Charger Nation to play on the baseball team. Once he arrived on campus, he discovered so much more. He joined the Charger Bulletin to pursue his passion for journalism, becoming editor-in-chief, and he's also worked on the broadcast team for Charger Bulletin News.

Charger 360 - Season 2, Episode 8: Gabi Garcia-Perez

Gabi Garcia-Perez '23, '24 M.S., a native of nearby Guilford, Conn., talks about her journey as a Charger. She reflects on being a member of the women's soccer team; her undergraduate studies and her experiences in the M.S. in Finance program; and hosting a show on WNHU 88.7 FM, as well as her involvement in the Women in Business Club, the Incendio Dance Project, and much more. (Oh, and she's one of the faces of the University's new Power On brand campaign, too!)

Charger 360 - Season 2, Episode 7: Tiffany Hesser

Tiffany Hesser '03, '05 M.S., Ed.D., the University of New Haven's vice provost for advising, retention and academic support, looks back on the challenges of her own first semester as a college student, her time working in the veterinary field, her role at the University, and the ways she helps supports students on their academic journeys.

Charger 360 - Season 2, Episode 6: Wayne Edwards

Wayne Edwards, Practitioner in Residence in Communication, Film and Media Studies, drops into the studio to talk about video and television production, our students' experience using professional equipment that is on par with what's being used in the industry, his background at ESPN and in the media industry, and more.

Charger 360 - Season 2, Episode 5: Matt Ward

Matt Ward, head coach of men's and women's golf, discusses re-starting the men's program and launching the first-ever women's golf team at the University. The women's team won the NE10 Conference championship in just their second year. Coach Ward discusses the psychology of coaching golf (spoiler alert: there's no slamming of clipboards).

Season 2, Episode 4: Patrick Rivers

Patrick Rivers, associate professor and coordinator of the Music Industry program, joins Charger 360 to talk about his background and teaching at the University. He talks about how students can learn about the business of the music industry, alumni successes, the study away program in Nashville, and more.

Season 2, Episode 3: Jan Jones

Jan Jones, lecturer and coordinator for the University's Hospitality and Tourism Management program, talks to Charger 360 about "the business of planning fun." They discuss her students' successes after graduation, internship opportunities in this growth industry, the program's summer study abroad program, "a Taste and Tour of Italy," and more.

Season 2, Episode 2: Susan Campbell

Susan Campbell, a distinguished lecturer of communication, film, and media studies and a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, joins Charger 360 to talk about her journey to the University, her work as the adviser of the Charger Bulletin, the sense of community communication majors help create for students across the program, and why communication majors are well prepared for a wide variety of career paths.

Season 2, Episode 1: Anthony Goodfellow

Anthony Goodfellow, practitioner in residence in the music and sound recording program, kicks off season 2 to talk all things music. The conversation ranges from his work as a professional DJ, to scoring horror films, to the University's programs in music production.

Season 1, Episode 9: Bobby McDonald

Bobby McDonald '86, '95 M.S., lecturer in the Criminal Justice Department, joins the program to talk about his career path. After graduating from the University, he was a probation officer at both the state and federal level, served 21 years in the U.S. Secret Service, and later worked in security for the NBA. He now helps teach the next generation at his alma mater.

Season 1, Episode 8: Jonathan Mays and Charger Athletics

Jonathan Mays, Interim Director of Athletics, joins Charger 360 to talk about his journey to the University of New Haven, what makes Charger Athletics unique, the Peterson Performance Center, and much more.

Charger 360

Season 1, Episode 7: Lorenzo Boyd and Community Policing

Lorenzo Boyd, Ph.D., the Stewart Professor in Criminal Justice and Community Policing, talks about police training, community policing, and two recent grants that the University of New Haven has received to fund efforts to train police and to combat gun violence.

Charger 360

Season 1, Episode 6: Jess Finn, WNHU Station Manager

Jess Finn '23, station manager at WNHU 88.7 FM, discusses why she chose the University of New Haven, her experience leading the award-winning campus radio station, and more.

Charger 360

Season 1, Episode 5: Declan Hill and Sports Integrity

Declan Hill, associate professor in the Investigations program, joins Charger 360 to talk about sports integrity and match-fixing scandals in sport around the world. Match-fixing is as prominent as ever, fueled in part by the recent explosion of legal gambling opportunities. Hill is one of the world's foremost experts on match fixing and corruption in international sports.

Charger 360

Season 1, Episode 4: Ted Hotaling and the Elite Eight

Ted Hotaling, head coach of men's basketball, joins the show to talk about his team making the 2023 Division II Elite Eight, and more.

Charger 360

Season 1, Episode 3 - Matt Caporale and Career Development

Matt Caporale, the University's executive director of career development, stops by the show to discuss all things... career development! Finding a job and advancing in your career is a lifelong process, and the Career Development Center can help students start to learn more about themselves, what career paths interest and suit them, how to obtain those jobs, and much more.

Charger 360

Season 1, Episode 2: Lisa Dadio and Police De-escalation

Charger 360's first season continues as we speak with Lisa Dadio, M.S., MSW, a senior lecturer in criminal justice, assistant dean of the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, and the Director of the University's Center for Advanced Policing. The Center for Advanced Policing recently received a $1 million grant to become one of only six regional de-escalation training centers across the country that provides law enforcement training that is approved by the Department of Justice.

Charger 360

Season 1, Episode 1: Introducing Charger 360, with Dr. Z

Our official video podcast will feature guests from across the University with the goal of giving you a 360-degree view of the amazing things going on in Charger Nation. From academics, to athletics, to student life, and beyond, we'll cover it all, and have some fun in the process.