The Charger Blog
Honors students and award recipients were recognized for their academic excellence, leadership, and dedication to making a difference in public safety and law enforcement.
May 2, 2025
The annual Academic Awards Ceremony for the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences honored dozens of students with a wide array of awards representative of their hard work and achievements, both inside and outside of the classroom. Faculty members, students, friends, and family members gathered in the Bucknall Theater in Dodds Hall to celebrate yet another year of achievements among the students, both undergraduate and graduate. Interim Dean David Schroeder, Ph.D., opened with a spotlight on the mass casualty event drill that was recently conducted as just one aspect of the extensive training students of the Henry C. Lee College receive that creates strong, competent professionals who are passionate about bettering the criminal justice system, regardless of which career path they choose to take.
Everyone in attendance seemed to agree with the sentiments shared by 2024 Alumni Fellowship Award winner Lindsay Bacote ’09 when she encouraged each student to leave a legacy at the University of New Haven and to realize that every dream is, in fact, reachable. While challenging, these goals are attainable for each person through persistence and perseverance, regardless of the obstacles.
In a similar fashion, Wayne Sandford M.A., a professor in the Fire Science and Emergency Management department and the recipient of the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award, shared his hopes for the rising graduates from the University. He encouraged each student not to waste their time in the years to come and to always stay in touch with their professors, as the faculty and staff hope to see the future achievements of their students, both personally and professionally. The words of these two members of the Charger family show how important connectivity truly is, even after your time at the University comes to an end.
Each department of the Henry C. Lee College presented awards: Criminal Justice, Fire Science, Homeland Security and Emergency Management, National Security, and Forensic Science. In addition, Honors Medals were awarded to Lee College students in the Honors Program who have completed four Honors courses, participated in Honors Program activities, maintained at least a 3.3 GPA, and completed an Honors Thesis in their major during their senior year. Each of these awards represent the ultimate dedication these students have put into their academics and their future careers.
The University of New Haven community should be very proud of these young pioneers of the criminal justice world and excited to witness the bright futures they are building. Following the awards ceremony, a reception was held in the Dodds Hall Concrete Lobby where students, parents, and faculty alike could continue the celebration of these remarkable students.
The Charger Blog
Christopher Rynich ’26 M.S. was among those in the audience as senior Lieutenant Mykola Melnyk, a veteran of the Ukrainian 47th Mechanized Brigade visited campus to interact with students.
The Charger Blog
Dr. Henry C. Lee, who is celebrating his 50th anniversary at the University, delivered the Commencement address during the ceremony for undergraduate candidates, and his wife, Xiaping Jiang Lee, a distinguished author, screenwriter, and educator, was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
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