The Connecticut State University System (CSUS) will celebrate its 25th anniversary year with events planned at Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Connecticut State Universities on Thursday, Nov. 13. Events range from the opening of a decades-old time capsule at Southern to the filling of a time capsule at Eastern, to be opened in 25 years.

The day will culminate with system-wide ceremonies at the atrium of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford from 5-7 p.m., including the unveiling of a book about the history of CSUS,
We Are Four. We Are One. The book is written by Tom Farnham, professor emeritus of history at Southern Connecticut State University,

who will be among the featured speakers. 

The book chronicles the CSUS’s four universities from their origins as schools devoted exclusively to training teachers in the 19th century, to the formation of the Connecticut State University System on March 1, 1983, after Governor William O’Neill signed legislation transforming the state colleges.

Central, Eastern, Southern and Western will also celebrate with the following events:

• At Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, a brief video will be shown highlighting Central’s history and the establishment of the CSUS at a meeting of the CSUS Board of Trustees at 10 a.m.
• Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic will host a special ceremony at 12:30 p.m. in the Student Center atrium with a display of photos representing the past 25 years at Eastern. A time capsule, to be opened in the year 2033, will also be on display.
• Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven will host a look back at the last 25 years at 1 p.m in the Adanti Student Center Ballroom. There will be remarks from long-time employees Jim Barber, director of student supportive services, and Joyce Saltman, professor of special education, along with alums Tom Kenefick ’83, and Robin Gurnon Kenefick ’84, assistant bursar, who met and fell in love at Southern. A student soloist will perform the hit song “Memory” from Cats (1983), there will be a slideshow of images from ’83 to the present, and the opening of a time capsule that has been in the public affairs office for the past 25 years.
• Western Connecticut State University in Danbury will celebrate the 25th anniversary at 2 p.m. in Warner Hall on the university’s Midtown campus with remarks from University President James Schmotter.

Speakers at the Nov. 13 system-wide ceremony and book unveiling will include faculty and staff at the universities, including some whose careers pre-date the CSUS’s 25 years. Congressman Joe Courtney; Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr.; House Majority Leader Christopher Donovan; Frank Ridley, chairman, Board of Governors for Higher Education; and Lawrence McHugh, chairman, Board of Trustees, Connecticut State University System will also be speaking.

CSUS is Connecticut’s largest university system, with more than 35,000 students and 180,000 alumni. Currently, 93 percent of CSUS students are from Connecticut and 85 percent of CSUS graduates stay in Connecticut to live, work and contribute to the state’s economy after graduation.

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Media Contacts
Terri Raimondi, Public Relations Specialist, Connecticut State University System
860.493.0040, raimondit@ct.edu

Mark McLaughlin, Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications, CCSU
860.832.0065, McLaughlinM@ccsu.edu

Edward Osborn, Director of University Relations, ECSU
860.465.5043, Osborne@easternct.edu

Patrick Dilger, Director of Public Affairs, SCSU
203.392.6588, dilgerp1@southernct.edu

Paul Steinmetz, Director of University Relations, WCSU
203.837.8771, Steinmetzp@wcsu.edu