FAIRFIELD,—Jeffrey A. Flaks, president and CEO of Hartford HealthCare (HHC), and Richard A. Robinson, chief justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, will deliver this year’s keynote addresses for Sacred Heart University’s undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremonies.
The ceremonies will take place Sunday, May 14, at the Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in Bridgeport. Flaks will speak to 1,484 graduates at SHU’s 57th undergraduate commencement ceremony at 3 p.m. Robinson will address 1,341 graduate students at their commencement at 9:30 a.m.
Both speakers will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters, honoris causa.
As president and CEO of HHC, Flaks is one of healthcare’s most progressive leaders, transforming care delivery over the course of nearly three decades. As president and chief executive officer of HHC, he leads a $5.4 billion enterprise caring for more than 1.7 million patients and customers with a clear focus on transforming health care to ensure every patient receives the highest level of care that is more accessible, more equitable and more affordable.
A Connecticut native, he sits on several boards and councils and has been recognized numerous times for his dedication to the community and the health care industry.
About RobinsonRobinson started his career as Stamford’s legal counsel. A Stamford native, he was appointed to the state superior court in 2000 and served in that position until 2007, when he was named to the state appellate court. In 2013, he was appointed to the state supreme court. Robinson made headlines in 2018 when he became the first African-American Connecticut Supreme Court chief justice.
Before working in the state courts, Robinson served in other public and judicial positions. He worked with such organizations as the NAACP, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities and the National Judicial Task Force to Examine State Courts’ Response to Mental Illness. He’s earned numerous honors for his work, including Ebony magazine’s Power 100 Award, the Quinnipiac University Black Law Students Association’s Thurgood Marshall Award and the Connecticut Bar Foundation Distinguished Service Award.
With graduation so close, students are looking back on their experiences at SHU.
“The last three years at SHU have been amazing,” said senior Jackson Tse, a marketing and management double major with an honors minor. “Despite beginning my career at SHU during the pandemic, I immediately felt supported and put in a position where I could succeed. The professors, faculty, staff and students on campus have made SHU truly feel like a second home. Some of my favorite times at Sacred Heart were spent with my friends, whether we were hanging outside Bergoglio Hall, attending athletic events or sledding by Scholars Commons.”
The 20-year-old Burnt Hills, N.Y., resident plans to attend graduate school. His goal is to work in marketing for a professional sports organization.
Elizabeth Coyne ’22 from Wyckoff, N.J., has spent the last year in SHU’s graduate strategic communication and public relations program. Coyne, 22, has been engrossed in Photoshop and InDesign courses. She learned about social media integration, perfected her writing skills and mastered branding and marketing techniques. She even interned for the British magazine, Mission.
“My time at SHU has been so rewarding,” Coyne said. “The year I’ve spent in the graduate program has allowed me to exercise my capabilities as a young professional, expand my portfolio and closely connect with my fellow graduates. I have been so inspired by the talented faculty chosen to teach me and my peers, many of whom I owe a great deal of thanks for my new set of skills. I feel prepared to leave SHU and begin my career after spending this past year on campus. I am so proud to call myself a Pioneer.”
