NBC's Vicky Nguyen Boat Baby: A Memoir
2025-05-08 17:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | New Canaan Library, 151 Main Street, New Canaan, CT, 06840
NBC’S VICKY NGUYEN BOAT BABY – MEMOIR: The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is promoting this event for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Vicky Nguyen’s remarkable memoir about her family’s harrowing escape from Communist Vietnam to the United States serves as a love letter to America and potent reminder of its promise. Vicky will be in conversation with podcaster and influencer Anna Kai. This program is co-sponsored by AAPI Westport and OCA Fairfield County in celebration of AAPI Month.
At 5 p.m. at New Canaan Library, 151 Main St., New Canaan, CT.
Please register for the event at www.newcanaanlibrary.org/event/hold-vicky-nguyen-aapi-month-136154 before May 8.

Wally's Cupboard by SGA - Free Groceries for WestConn Students
2025-05-08 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-05-09 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-05-13 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-05-14 15:00 - 17:00, 2025-05-15 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-05-16 09:00 - 11:00 | Wolves Den (MT Student Center, lower level), 181 White St., Danbury, CT
WALLY’S CUPBOARD: Wally’s Cupboard by SGA is the WestConn campus food pantry created by students for students! At Wally’s Cupboard, we aim to provide a reliable source of groceries and other supplies to students experiencing food insecurity on a weekly basis.
Wish to utilize our resources? All currently enrolled students are eligible! Just stop by with your active student ID and sign up during our open hours. Registration is valid for the entire semester and you can “shop” our grocery store-style food pantry once per week. We do our best to cater to dietary restrictions and we offer canned goods, fresh produce, dairy products, frozen items, and more!
Unsure if you are food insecure? Food insecurity is defined as a state of being where one is unsure where their next meal is coming from. Don’t hesitate to swing by if you are still unsure! Hours are listed below. The Cupboard is in the lower level of the Midtown Student Center.
If you would like to donate, please send an email to sgafoodpantry@wcsu.edu.

Western Research Day
2025-05-09 10:00 - 13:30 | Science Building, 181 White St., Danbury, CT
WESTERN RESEARCH DAY: Western Research Day, an annual event where WCSU undergraduate and graduate students officially present their research and other creative projects, will be held on Friday, May 9, and the public is invited to attend to learn from this scholarship and hear the keynote speaker. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Science Building on the Midtown campus. Awards will be presented to students receiving the highest score for their work and presentations. The public is invited.

Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band
2025-05-09 19:00 - 20:30 | Veronica Hagman Concert Hall, VPAC, 43 Lake Ave. Extension, Danbury, CT
WIND ENSEMBLE AND SYMPHONIC BAND: Wind Ensemble directed by Fernando Jimenez and Symphonic Band directed by Matthew Doiron at 7 p.m. in the Veronica Hagman Concert Hall in the Visual and Performing Arts Center on the Westside campus. Get tickets at www.eventbrite.com/e/wind-ensemble-and-symphonic-band-tickets-1042848807857
**Tickets at the Faculty and Staff rate are available at the VPAC box office located in the VPAC lobby – a valid WCSU ID is required at the time of purchase**
NOTE: Advance ticket purchases made online are $10; Tickets purchased at the door are $15.
No refunds are permitted; all sales are final.

Sip & Paint
2025-05-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Drawing Studio, VPAC, 43 Lake Ave. Extension, Danbury, CT
SIP & PAINT: Unleash your inner artist and enjoy painting while listening to music, sipping wine, and savoring light refreshments. This event, led by experienced artist and WCSU alumna Denise Rosa, welcomes participants of all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned artists, for a shared art experience in a fun and relaxed studio environment.
The event will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Drawing Studio, Room 241 of the Visual & Performing Arts Center on the Westside campus. Basic painting materials will be provided, but feel free to bring your own water-based media.
Please note that attendees must be 21 years or older. For more information, contact the WCSU Department of Art at (203) 837-8403. Reserve a spot at www.eventbrite.com/e/1256661050029.
This program is hosted by WCSU’s Department of Art and is sponsored by the Alumni Association.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
2025-05-09 20:00 - 22:00, 2025-05-10 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-05-10 20:00 - 22:00, 2025-05-11 14:00 - 16:00 | MainStage Theatre, VPAC, 43 Lake Ave. Extension, Danbury, CT
GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER: A progressive white couple’s proud liberal sensibilities are put to the test when their daughter brings her black fiance home to meet them. Blindsided by their daughter’s whirlwind romance and fearful for her future, Matt and Christina Drayton quickly come to realize the difference between supporting a mixed-race couple in your newspaper and welcoming one into your family — especially in 1967. Performances are at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 2; 2 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 3; 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 4; 8 p.m. on Friday, May 9; 2 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 10; and 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 11, in the MainStage Theatre of the Visual and Performing Arts Center on the Westside campus. Get tickets at www.eventbrite.com/e/guess-whos-coming-to-dinner-tickets-925444548557?

Energize to Finals
2025-05-12 18:00 - 23:00, 2025-05-13 18:00 - 23:00, 2025-05-14 18:00 - 23:00, 2025-05-15 18:00 - 23:00 | Berkshire Hall, 181 White St., Danbury, CT
ENERGIZE TO FINALS: From 6 to 11 p.m. on May 12-15 at the Westside Campus Center Info Desk and the Berkshire Hall Lobby on the Midtown campus, there will be free snacks and energy drinks to help students persevere through finals week!

Late Night Breakfast
2025-05-12 20:30 - 22:30 | Westside Campus Center, 43 Lake Ave. Extension, Danbury, CT
LATE NIGHT BREAKFAST: The Westside Campus Center Restaurant will have breakfast available for all students from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Graduate Virtual Information Sessions
2025-05-13 18:00 - 19:00, 2025-05-17 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-06-09 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
GRADUATE VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSIONS: At Western Connecticut State University, we are committed to helping you achieve your goals with flexible, high-quality graduate programs designed to enhance your career opportunities and personal growth..
Our Virtual Information Sessions provide an opportunity to connect with faculty and program coordinators to learn more about our graduate programs. Whether you are exploring your options or ready to apply, these sessions will give you valuable insights into program structure, curriculum, admission requirements, and career prospects.
Join us to discover how a WestConn graduate degree can help you stand out in today’s competitive job market. Register for an upcoming virtual information session and take the first step toward achieving your academic and professional aspirations!
Click here to register for a virtual information session.

April 2025

Friday, 4/11/2025, 6 PM EST – MS in Addiction Studies – Click this link to join the virtual Information session [ID: 967 0475 3304].
Monday, 4/14/2025, 1 PM EST – MS in Homeland Security – Click this link to join the information session.
Monday, 4/14/2025, 5:30 PM EST – MS in Education, Literacy & Language Arts – Click this link to join the virtual session.
Monday, 4/21/2025, 6 PM EST – Doctor of Education in Nursing Education – Click this link to join the virtual session.
Monday, 4/21/2025, 6 PM EST – Master of Health Administration – Click this link to join the virtual information session.
Tuesday, 4/22/2025, 5 PM EST – Doctor of Nursing Practice – Click this link to join the session [password: [REDACTED]
Tuesday, 4/22/2025, 5 PM EST – MS in Nursing – Click this link to join the session [password: [REDACTED]
Tuesday, 4/22/25, 5 PM EST – EdD in Instructional Leadership – Click this link to join the session (ID: 816 2802 2351 – Passcode: [REDACTED]
Tuesday, 4/22/2025, 6:30 PM EST – MS in Applied Behavior Analysis – Click this link to join the information session [Password: [REDACTED]
Wednesday, 4/23/2025, 4 PM EST – MS in Integrative Biological Diversity – Click this link to join the session.
Wednesday, 4/23/2025, 5 PM EST – MS in Special Education – Click this link to join the session [ID: 882 8881 6122 – Passcode: [REDACTED]
Wednesday, 4/30/2025, 9 AM EST – International Applicant – Click this link to join the information session.

May 2025

Saturday, 5/3/2025, 11 AM EST – MS in Education, Literacy & Language Arts – Click this link to join the session.
Tuesday, 5/6/2025, 2 PM EST – Master of Arts in Teaching – Click this link to join the virtual information session.
Wednesday, 5/7/2025, 5 PM EST – MS in Homeland Security – Click this link to join the information session.
Tuesday, 5/13/2025, 6 PM EST – Doctor of Education in Nursing Education – Click this link to join the virtual session.
Saturday, 5/17/2025, 11 AM EST – MS in Addiction Studies – Click this link to join the information session.

June 2025

Monday, 6/9/2025, 10 AM EST – Doctor of Education in Nursing Education – Click this link to join the virtual session.

July 2025

Monday, 7/7/2025, 5 PM EST – MS in Homeland Security – Click this link to join the information session.
Friday, 07/11/2025, 6 PM EST – Master of Health Administration – Click this link. to join the virtual information session.

NYC Dinner Cruise
2025-05-16 14:00 - 23:30
NYC DINNER CRUISE: Student Government Association (SGA) is hosting a NYC Dinner Cruise on May 16. Coach buses will leave at 2 p.m. from the Westside campus at the Campus Center shuttle stop. Join us for a night of dancing, food/drinks, and fun! Get tickets at https://wcsutickets.regfox.com/senior-class-nyc-dinner-cruise-2025.

Media Arts Film Festival
2025-05-16 18:00 - 20:30 | Midtown Student Center, 181 White St., Danbury, CT
MEDIA ARTS FILM FESTIVAL: Join us for the Media Arts Film Festival, which includes interactive games and VR experiences on Friday, May 16. Up for awards are the best films and interactive projects of the past year. Admission is free, complimentary refreshments, cash bar for 21 and over, and open to the public at WCSU’s Midtown Student Center. From 6 to 7 p.m., there will be a Reception / Digital & Interactive Media Arts Exhibit. From 7 to 8:30 p.m., there will be a Film Screening & Awards.

Commencement
2025-05-19 11:00 - 13:00 | Total Mortgage Arena, 600 Main St., Bridgeport, CT, 06604, United States
COMMENCEMENT: Commencement will take place at 11 a.m. at the Total Mortgage Arena, 600 Main St. in Bridgeport.
For more information, go to www.wcsu.edu/commencement/

A Picnic in Appreciation of Dr. Singh
2025-05-20 12:00 - 13:30 | Berkshire Hall Lawn, 181 White St., Danbury, CT
A PICNIC IN APPRECIATION OF DR. MANOHAR SINGH: Tuesday, May 20, noon – 1:30 p.m.
Picnic-Style Food & Beverages
Lawn Games
Music
A chance to say Thank You
Berkshire Hall Lawn, Midtown campus
(Rain location: Berkshire Lobby)
Please RSVP at https://wcsutickets.regfox.com/a-picnic-in-appreciation-of-dr-manohar-singh-

Author Talk: Kevin Nguyen on "My Documents"
2025-05-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Westport Library, 20 Jesup Road, Westport, CT
AUTHOR TALK – KEVIN NGUYEN ON “MY DOCUMENTS”: The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is promoting this event in honor of AAPI Heritage Month (Asian American Pacific Heritage Month).
Celebrate AAPI month with author Kevin Nguyen and his new book, “Mỹ Documents.” Nguyen will be in conversation with educator and AAPI activist Jennifer Heikkila Diaz.
This event is presented in partnership with AAPI Westport.
As an author, journalist, and editor at The Verge, Kevin Nguyen’s work often explores what happens at the intersection of technology, humanity, and culture. His incisive and darkly satirical new novel, “Mỹ Documents,” couldn’t be timelier — or more engrossing.
A moving speculative novel about a Vietnamese American family confronting ambition and assimilation during exceptionally troubled times, “Mỹ Documents” gives a version of reality only a few degrees away from our own. Nguyen, whose work grew from extensive research on the incarceration of Japanese citizens in the U.S. during the 1940s, imagines what a mass detention program might look like in the age of the internet.
Kevin Nguyen is features editor of The Verge, and was previously a senior editor at GQ. He has edited stories that have been finalists for the National Magazine Award and the Pulitzer Prize. His debut novel, “New Waves” (2020, One World), was one of NPR’s Best Books of the Year in 2020, and was widely celebrated for its mordant humor, fierce intelligence, and stylish prose. Author Bryan Washington called it “a delight and a gamble and a treasure and a miracle.”
Jennifer (JHD/Jenny) Heikkila Díaz (they/she) is a professional learning coordinator for the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies and a facilitator of statewide teacher communities as a member of the Anti-Racist Teaching and Learning Collective Steering Committee and as a UConn AAASI Activist in Residence. For nearly 25 years, JHD has worked as a K-12 public school teacher, school administrator, and educator coach in Baltimore, South Central Los Angeles, Long Beach, Echo Park, Queens, and across Connecticut. They are a New Havener and co-chair of the Asian Pacific American Coalition of CT (APAC). Their lifelong commitment is to backing youth, who envision an even more joyful and just world than they do.
At 7 p.m. at the Westport Library, 20 Jesup Road, Westport, CT.

Pride Flag Raising 2025
2025-06-03 12:00 - 13:00 | Midtown Old Main, 181 White Street, Danbury, 06810, United States
PRIDE FLAG RAISING 2025: On Tuesday, June 3, WCSU will once again mark the start of Pride Month with the raising of the Intersex Inclusion Progress Pride Flag in front of Old Main on the Midtown campus at noon. Please join us in celebrating Pride here at WCSU!!

HACU Webinar - AI in Higher Education: Insights from Academic Leaders
2025-06-05 15:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
AI IN HIGHER EDUCATION – INSIGHTS FROM ACADEMIC LEADERS: The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is promoting this virtual event that is sponsored by HACU (Hispanic Association of Colleagues and Universities). This virtual event is from 3 to 4 p.m. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Cp9R_fM9SlC_ZifjjCrckQ#/registration
Join Conectado and HACU for a candid conversation with higher education leaders who are testing, implementing, and rethinking AI across their institutions. From real classroom use cases to campus-wide strategies, this session will explore what’s working — and what’s still being figured out. Whether you are faculty, staff, or part of leadership, you’ll walk away with practical insights and proven approaches for navigating the future of AI in higher ed.

The History of Emancipation and Juneteenth
2025-06-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual event
THE HISTORY OF EMANCIPATION AND JUNETEENTH: The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is promoting this virtual event.
Historian Christopher Daley leads a Zoom presentation, “The History of Emancipation & Juneteenth” on Wednesday, June 11, at 7 p.m.
This program is sponsored by The Friends of the Englewood Library.
The presentation, The History of Emancipation & Juneteenth, offers an exciting and engaging exploration of key events and milestones in the journey to freedom. It covers the abolitionist movement, the election of Abraham Lincoln, Fremont’s Emancipation, Hunter’s Emancipation, and General Benjamin Butler’s “Contraband of War” orders. It delves into the Emancipation Proclamation—its timing, political implications, and the people it directly impacted—as well as the gradual emancipation of enslaved individuals by Federal troops as they advanced through Confederate states. The presentation also highlights the end of the Civil War, the arrival of Federal troops in Texas, and the historic issuance of General Order No. 3 on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas. Finally, it traces Juneteenth’s evolution from a local Galveston celebration to its recognition as a national holiday.
Note: You must register to receive the Zoom link, which will be sent two days before the event, and also two hours, and also 10 minutes before the program. Register at www.eventbrite.com/e/the-history-of-emancipation-juneteenth-zoom-tickets-1335949353479?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
