Commencement Speakers
In recognition of the university’s 175th anniversary, three alumni representing three generations of Central’s student body will serve as commencement speakers this year.
Peter “Pete” Rosa ’68, ’74
Dr. Peter Rosa dedicated more than 30 years of his career to higher education in several capacities, including his tenure as vice president for Student Affairs at Central Connecticut State University. He was an admissions officer, higher education policy analyst, university lobbyist, counselor, professor, student services executive officer, and a university system trustee. He also was chief author of the state’s higher education Strategic Plan for Racial and Ethnic Diversity, a document that resulted in the establishment of ConnCAP, the first state-funded program of its kind in the nation. Rosa also introduced and implemented the College Board’s Spanish SAT for Connecticut’s Spanish-speaking college applicants and was a founder and president of the Connecticut Association of Latinos/Latinas in Higher Education. For his work as a community activist, Rosa was named Connecticut’s first Latino Citizen of the Year by the Latino/Puerto Rican Affairs Commission in 1999. He went on to serve as president of the New Britain Board of Education and later earned a seat on the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education. After he left higher education, Rosa served for many years as senior program officer at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, which works with donors, nonprofits, and community leaders to put resources into action for Greater Hartford. Rosa holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology/Anthropology and a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from Central and a doctorate from the University of Connecticut
Lawrence “Larry” Hall ’89, ’96
Larry Hall is an alumnus of Weaver High School in Hartford. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Central Connecticut State University. Since he graduated from Central, Hall has worked in higher education, assisting people of all ages in pursuing their educational goals. He has worked for Sacred Heart University, Western Connecticut State University, and is currently at Central Connecticut State University as director of Recruitment and Admissions. Hall is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. Hall also is active in the community. He is president of the Connecticut Talent Assistance Collaborative Board of Directors and a co-founder and board member of Epesi, which has helped many young people train and compete in track and field events. He is past president of the board of Judah House, a halfway house that supports women in their re-entry into mainstream society after incarceration. In addition, Hall has served as a high school basketball official for International Association of Basketball Officials. Hall has been a licensed minister at Liberty Christian Center International for the past 20 years and is actively involved with various leadership roles. Hall resides in Southington with his wife, Persephone L. Hall, and they have three children, Tiffany, Alaina, and Isaac.
William “Wyatt” Bosworth ’17
Wyatt Bosworth ’17 serves as associate counsel for the Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA). He represents Connecticut businesses on matters that come before the Connecticut General Assembly’s Public Health, Insurance and Real Estate, Judiciary, General Law, and Government Administration and Elections committees. Prior to joining CBIA, Bosworth worked as a registered lobbyist with Brown Rudnick LLP where he represented corporations and non-profit organizations before various legislative committees. He also served as staff assistant to House Majority Leader Matt Ritter and has years of municipal and statewide campaign consulting experience. Bosworth currently sits on the board of directors for Sun Scholars Inc. and has served as an elected official for the City of New Britain. During law school, he served as an editor on the Connecticut Law Review and was the recipient of the Connecticut Bar Association Labor and Employment Award. Bosworth earned his Juris Doctorate with honors at the University of Connecticut School of Law and is admitted to the Connecticut bar. He also holds a bachelor’s in Political Science from Central Connecticut State University where he graduated summa cum laude as a Barnard Scholar. As an undergraduate, Wyatt was a member of the Student Government Association and president of the College Democrats and served on the Board of Regents StudentAdvisory Committee