AnnMarie Puleo on WCSU Midtown Campus AnnMarie Puleo, Director of the University Advisement Center at WestConn since 2022, has been recognized with a Millennial & Gen Z Award by the Westfair Business Journals. Puleo was selected for her work to transform advising into a more accessible, proactive, and student-centered service. Under her leadership, students have gained more flexible ways to receive assistance, including virtual and in-person appointments, walk-in services, individualized support plans, and transfer-focused guidance. “I’m proud of this recognition, but I think it reflects everyone in our department and our commitment to see the individual student behind each retention statistic, transfer pathway, and advising appointment,” Puleo said. “Our goal is not only to improve institutional systems, but to help students feel supported, overcome barriers, and continue progressing toward a degree and a better future.” Eighteen award recipients will be honored at a presentation on Nov. 12 held at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. She helped transform advising from a primarily transactional function into a coordinated, student-centered system supporting persistence, retention, timely registration, degree completion, and student well-being. Under her leadership, the center introduced flexible services such as “Advisor on the Go,” “Walk-In Wednesdays,” virtual and in-person appointments, individualized support plans, and transfer-focused collaboration. These expanded services have helped the center serve more than 4,000 students since 2021. Westfair Business Journal’s 2026 Millennial & Gen Z Award honors an exceptional group of rising leaders who are making an impact across their industries and communities. Puleo also modernized advising workflows, implemented TargetX/Liaison CRM functionality, and used service data to better understand when, how, and in what format students need support. Her work has demonstrated that technology can increase access and efficiency while strengthening, rather than replacing, human connection. Her work has been a crucial contribution to WestConn’s broader enrollment and retention strategy, which saw total enrollment increase 9.7% for the 2025, academic year, from 4,169 to 4,573 students, while first-year retention rose from 70.0% in 2022–2023 to 76.0%. “Advising is about more than selecting classes,” Puleo said. “It is an opportunity to help students build confidence, understand their options, solve problems, and take ownership of their future. 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.
