“I cannot be who I am right now without UConn. I have taken classes in various content areas to broaden my understanding of the world around me.”

As Commencement approaches, we are featuring some of our Neag School Class of 2020 graduating seniors over the coming days. 

With school closings, parents will have to continue to try to fill the void at home. For some, that seems nearly impossible. We speak with Jennie Weiner, a Somerville parent who recently wrote about these challenges for the New York Times.

“Sport teaches us unity when we see teammates striving together for a common goal. As a global community, our common goal now is to defeat the coronavirus by working together,” says Eli Wolf, an academic technician with the Neag School of Education.

We are featuring some of our Neag School Class of 2020 graduating seniors. Click each student image below to read a Q&A with each individual.

We are featuring some of our Neag School Class of 2020 graduating seniors. Click each student image below to read a Q&A with each individual.

“The move to online instruction brings hope that we can emerge on the other side of the unexpected
with not just good but with better options for enhancing students’ learning,” says Barry Sheckley, a retired faculty member and former department chair. “Online instruction may foster innovations that enhance all students’ post-pandemic achievement.”

“This is essential work for the country: It will help us understand whether technology-driven, evidence-based learning can reduce the harm of this awful pandemic,” says Devin Kearns, associate professor of special education at UConn’s Neag School of Education, and a research scientist for Haskins Labs.

“Schools everywhere have closed their doors, and many gifted students find themselves without rigorous work and the camaraderie of their peers,” says Jessica Stargardter, a gifted and talented teacher at Norwalk (Conn.) Public Schools. “It is up to us to continue to nurture the development of our brightest young minds with learning opportunities, and it is time to collaborate, especially given our social distance.”

“Thank you to those out there who are working diligently to help put an end to this pandemic. And thank you to those out there who are staying committed and putting forth effort to stay home,” says Neag School graduate student Montara Tomasetti. “You are making a bigger difference in this world than you may realize. You are appreciated, you are loved, and you are not alone in this.”