The University of New Haven hosted Commencement ceremonies on Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16, to award more than 3,100 degrees to its Class of 2026.
A highlight of the celebration was the Commencement address given by Martin J. O’Connor, a long-time University of New Haven professor and campus chaplain who spent three decades as a member of the New Haven Fire Department. He delivered his address during the ceremony on Saturday, May 16, at 10 a.m. for undergraduate members of the Class of 2026.
A member of the faculty at the University of New Haven for more than three decades, Prof. O’Connor has taught courses in fire protection law, criminal law and procedure, and public service ethics, and coordinated internships for thousands of students.
As a member of the New Haven Fire Department, he served as the first commanding officer of its nationally recognized Fire Investigation Unit, before retiring as chief in 1998.
A licensed attorney in Connecticut and an ordained deacon of the Archdiocese of Hartford, Prof. O’Connor has served and preached in New Haven parishes for 36 years, and he has served as the University’s campus chaplain since 1999.
As part of the Saturday ceremony, Prof. O’Connor was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Among the undergraduates who received their degrees on Saturday was Jacob Urban ’26, a training captain and EMT with the West Haven Fire Department. He is the initial West Haven first responder to receive a tuition-free bachelor’s degree through a collaboration between the University and the City.
Graduate and doctoral degrees were awarded during the Commencement on Friday, May 15.
Both ceremonies took place on the University’s West Haven campus at Kathy Zolad Stadium. More than 4,800 guests attended the ceremony.
Student speakers, who were selected through a competitive audition process, addressed their classmates at each ceremony.