New Haven Sways Frosh To Pick SCSU

When choosing where to attend college this year, Norwalk native Duke Quermorllue ultimately decided on Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) in large part because of his new school’s home city.

As Quermorllue put it on move-in day Thursday: ​“New Haven is the place to be!” 

Quermorllue was one of 700 new students to move into SCSU’s campus Thursday morning. 

Over the next few days, a total of 2,000 students will be moving onto the SCSU campus on Wintergreen Avenue in Beaver Hills. The incoming freshman Class of 2026 has 1,200 students in total.

Unlike some of his classmates, Quermorllue, 18, said he was not nervous about starting college. ​“I’m ecstatic, I can’t wait for the opportunities that college will bring,” he said. 

Quermorllue decided on SCSU because he wanted to remain close to home in Norwalk, but not too close. He’s looking forward to being able to visit his nieces and nephews, one of whom joined him during move in Thursday. 

“I hear New Haven is the place to be,” he said. 

Quermorllue said he has heard a lot about New Haven being a great small city and that attracted him to SCSU. 

He’s visited the city briefly in the past for basketball tournaments, but doesn’t know much other than that friends have told him ​“it always has something to do.” He said he looks forward to wandering off campus and around the city to learn more about what it has to offer. 

Quermorllue is considering majors like education, STEM, and sports science, but hasn’t decided yet. 

While unloading a gamer chair from the car and into a transportation bin to head up to his fourth-floor dorm, Quermorllue and his family met SCSU President Joe Bertolino. 

“Now, I hope this isn’t just a gaming chair and will be a desk chair to study with, too,” Bertolino joked. 

Destiny Rowland, 17, moved into her third-floor dorm room Thursday morning with the help of her parents and cousins.

With some hangers and an unassembled storage cart in hand, Rowland described being nervous to begin her college career. Originally from Windsor, Rowland said SCSU will be a comfortable start to college for her. ​“I wanted to stay in state for my first year,” she said. 

Rowland will pursue a health science degree in hopes of later going to dental school. 

After unloading her parents’ car full of her belongings, Rowland made plans to spend the rest of her day assembling her dorm room and waiting on her roommate to move in. 

She described the feeling of moving in Thursday as nerve-wracking and exciting for one main reason, ​“It’s like I want to meet people but I also don’t because I’m nervous,” she said. 

First year student Jasmine Uvicchio, 17, also moved in Thursday with excitement and nerves.

Raised in Enfield, Uvicchio chose to attend SCSU because she was offered a swim scholarship and because of its social awareness, she said. 

Making her most nervous were worries about not being able to find her classes.

Attending SCSU’s alumni weekend last year helped Uvicchio to make the decision that SCSU was the place for her. ​“I love the inclusion,” she said. ​“I knew I’d be included here.” 

Upon enrollment, Uvicchio said the university’s safety prevention focus confirmed she had made the right choice. Specifically Uvicchio said she was impressed with the sexual violence prevention course the college requires new students to take. ​“I’ve never seen a school care about that so heavily,” she said. 

Uvicchio will pursue elementary education to become a teacher in the future. 

Hundreds of cars filed into the SCSU Chase and Hickerson Halls entrance on Wintergreen Avenue to unload their cars into grey transportation bins to be brought up to the students’ dorms and unloaded. 

Students were joined by family and friends to help organize their new homes for the school year set to begin Monday. 

Volunteers greeted them with smiles and a ​“Welcome Home.” 

Autumn Thomas, 18, from Bloomfield moved into Chase Hall Thursday with two cars’ full of her belongings with the help of her parents and siblings. 

Thomas chose SCSU because of its diversity. She heard from friends and family that it has several Black clubs and sororities she hopes to get involved with. 

Thomas will pursue a finance major. 

She said she is most looking forward to the independence of college and the opportunity to expand her hair business. 

“I wanna be well known,” she said. 

Before deciding on SCSU, Thomas was considering attending a college in Georgia because of her familiarity with visiting her grandmother who lives in Georgia for several months every year.

President Joe: Mental Health A Priority

SCSU President Bertolino joined the hundreds of student volunteers that helped to move students into their on-campus residences like Hickerson and Chase Halls. 

Bertolino said the university’s enrollment numbers are up from the last few pandemic-ridden years. Additionally he estimated that 25 percent of courses will be offered online, which is a significant increase from when he started six years ago. 

One of the key college missions for the new academic year is making this the year of ​“fresh starts” while continuing to maintain a focus on the school community’s physical and mental health, Bertolino said. 

“This new class has spent a significant amount of time locked in and behind screens,” Bertolino said. ​“This is a fresh start for them to step outside and see the world again.” 

This year SCSU has no vaccination or mask mandates in place for its students. Bertolino said the university will encourage all students to exercise personal responsibility to remain healthy and keep the community safe. 

As students moved in Thursday, Bertolino described the students’ energy and good vibes as palpable. 

Due to the ​“emotionally draining” past few years, Bertolino said the university will also continue to offer its ramped up mental health resources of student counseling and guidance supports to help students acclimate. 

Next week new students will have the chance to participate in SCSU’s W.O.W. Week (Week of Welcome) which will involve Bertolino serving students ice cream in a Mister Softee truck. 

“This year is about getting people to get that feeling of coming home,” Bertolino said. 

SCSU’s classes will begin Monday, Aug. 29. 

Current seniors Veenita Gouinden, Raya Munoz, and Sophmore Nicole Smith made up one team of many volunteers helping students to move into Chase Hall Thursday. 

The trio are peer mentors and will be helping first-year students transition and get involved around SCSU.

“My first year I had an awesome peer mentor and that’s why I ended up getting involved,” Gouinden said. 

The trio hope to inspire the new students to get involved in peer mentorship and other extracurriculars in the future.