Alumna Valerie (Caraluzzi) Massimo with her daughter, Grace, and husband Joe, a fellow alumnus.

Sometimes, students attend college with no idea what they want to study or pursue as a career, and figure it out as they go. That was not the case for Bethel resident Valerie Massimo (Caraluzzi), who was certain she wanted to study to be a Registered Dietician. In high school, Massimo had successfully lost a lot of weight through working with a Nutritionist and implementing lifestyle changes focusing on healthy eating and an increased focus on exercise. It made such an impact on her that she wanted to help others accomplish similar goals and became a certified Personal Trainer in her senior year of high school. She worked at the local YMCA in the weight room and would encourage healthy eating with her original recipes, which she shared with the members and sampled once a month. She continued this job through college along with other local jobs she had prior to starting at Western Connecticut State University.

When she graduated from Bethel High School in 2007, WestConn did not, at that time, offer a nutrition degree. Massimo figured she’d enroll, complete her general education classes and then transfer to another university that did. The closest major WestConn had to offer was Health Promotion and Exercise Sciences (HPX), so Massimo majored in HPX Wellness Management with a minor in Business Administration.

“In addition to my love of healthy food and fitness, I wanted to make sure I had business knowledge,” Massimo said. “In our family, we have that entrepreneurial spirit in our blood.”

Valerie Caraluzzi and Joe Massimo at their 2011 WestConn graduation.

Massimo was a commuter student and worked three jobs while in school. She said commuting enabled her to earn money and continue to enjoy her mom’s home-cooked meals while attending college. Somehow, she also found time to join the National Society of Leadership and Success, the PIBE a cappella group, and become president of the HPX club.

Despite her original plans, Massimo said, “After the first year, I really didn’t want to leave WestConn. I wanted to stay. I had already made great connections and was doing well — I wanted to see it through.”

Not only did she stay, Massimo re-enrolled after her receiving her B.S. in Health Promotion and Exercise Sciences degree magna cum laude in 2011 to pursue a Master of Business Administration. She obtained an on-campus job as a graduate intern for the Student and Campus Centers that focused on event planning and managing student workers at events. It was an internship that served her well in interacting with lots of different people, she said, and built upon the people skills she had already developed.

One of Massimo’s other jobs throughout high school and college was working at the family business, Taunton Wine and Liquor in Newtown. “I was the wine-tasting girl on Saturdays,” Massimo said. “Working at the store was a great experience because I got to spend time with my dad, and it also led to my first job. Having the opportunity to get to know so many customers, turned into a networking opportunity; and because of my WestConn degrees, I got a job at Cigna as an analyst through one of our customers.”

Valerie Caraluzzi at her wedding to fellow WestConn alumnus Joe Massimo.

Since Massimo’s graduation, she has utilized her health promotion and business skills to grow her expertise in project management at several health-related industry jobs. After Cigna, she worked as a Proposal Writer for United Healthcare and is currently a Medicaid Proposal Writer for Maximus, a corporation based in Virginia.

“I’ve been working full-time remote for a decade in the corporate proposals realm — before it was the thing to do,” Massimo said. It has enabled her to get her job done while still being home with her husband, Joe, a WestConn alumnus in Graphic Design, and their 6-year-old daughter, Grace. “If you can get your work done and still perform remotely, it’s a really good option,” she said. “I wouldn’t recommend it for your first job out of school because it’s important to get to know your coworkers and spend time in the office environment. However, at this point in my career, it’s been great,” Massimo added.

Looking back, she said, “I thrived at WestConn because it was a smaller school. My strengths were that much more apparent. For so many reasons, I’m glad that I stayed.”

Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.