It is now gallery space on the second floor of Earl Hall, but back then it was an extension of Mr. Zawisa’s Color class. Dragging metal folding chairs around a row of six foot tables, we would work on our assignments, pin up art for an impromptu critique, or take a break to riff about Venetian art and the Pantone Color System. Most of us were commuters, so this small space was what we called home. Earl Hall was my favorite place on campus — crackling with creativity, and housing our incredible and dedicated art faculty. I am proud to be a member of the first graduating class of SCSU and I am grateful to return to campus as a staff member.

There are so many memories at Southern since I started as a student in 2008 and then became a staff member in 2013. But my most favorite was the Blizzard of Feb 2013 when the university was snowed in for several days with I think 34+ inches of snow. Several of my closet friends and I, who were all RA’s, took shovels and dug are way to see each other at the North Campus Residence Complex! We had so much fun and it’s a memory that I’ll never forget.

My botany class was in an amphitheater with students in alphabetical order; I was fortunate to sit next to a boy at a time when the vast majority of the SCSC students were female. I was “Phillips” – he was “O’Grady.” We became friends but already had sweethearts elsewhere. Over the next few years, our friendship grew into love. He graduated in 1967 and went on to earn 2 Masters’ degrees; I graduated in 1968 and earned my Masters at Southern. We were engaged in 1967 and married in 1968. Now we are celebrating our 50th anniversary. Although we live in California and I am originally from New Jersey, Connecticut always feels like HOME to us and SCSU is where our adventure began.