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The University of New Haven welcomed more than 300 guests to an Open House, that offered an energizing preview of its Center for Innovation and Applied Technology. University leaders, industry partners, and local officials gathered in a to-be-transformed 130,000 square-foot commercial space adjacent to campus on Campbell Avenue, underscoring the collaboration behind this initiative.

Vice President for Innovation and Applied Technology Paul Lavoie opened the event sharing great enthusiasm, emphasizing that the center will be “a best-in-nation space built entirely around industry needs.” He spoke of the University’s new Corporate Partnership Council, which is designed to create constant communication with employers across the state. “This center is going to be all about industry,” he said. “We believe the days of ‘just in case’ education are over.”

Lavoie described the center’s future footprint, noting the space attendees were in is less than half of what the full center will soon become. “On the other side of that wall, there’s another 80,000 square feet. This will become one building—one center—in the very near future,” he said.

“We are producing students who are not just ready for the workforce, but better than ready,” he added.

University President Jens Frederiksen, Ph.D., spoke next, reflecting on how the center embodies the University’s commitment to preparing students for what comes after Commencement. “What we really should be concerned about is what happens after they walk off that commencement stage,” he said.

Dr. Frederiksen emphasized that today’s economy demands graduates who are resilient, technically skilled, and ready to excel in an increasingly global and AI-driven workforce. Ensuring that preparedness, he noted, requires deep collaboration with industry. “We need to be absolutely certain that we deliver a return on the investment that families make,” he said.

He also spoke about bridging traditional divides. “We are closing the gap between academic life and industry,” he said. “Students can gain firsthand experience, and faculty can contribute to the thought leadership shaping the next generation.

“This space is our opportunity to help solve industry problems, prepare students on day one, and transform lives,” he continued. “We want students to come here with purpose, because this is a gateway to the rest of their lives.”

Michael Ambrose ’84, ’19 Hon., chair of the University’s Board of Governors, highlighted his decades-long engineering career and emphasized how consistently University of New Haven graduates excelled on his teams as a senior leader at Sikorsky. “When it came down to actually doing the engineering, building the parts and designing what they would look like, it was typically a University of New Haven graduate doing that work,” he said.

He also spoke to the center’s statewide significance. “This is a partnership with the city of West Haven, the state of Connecticut, and industry across the region,” he said. “Technology is changing faster than it has in decades. We know what it takes to prepare the talent that’s needed.”

West Haven Mayor shared that she is not only the mayor of the University’s host city, but also a proud alumna and former faculty member. “I’ve seen this University grow,” she said. “These last few years, things are happening at lightning speed.”

Mayor Borer spoke about her early memories of the building now being transformed into the center. “Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I’d be standing in the old Railroad Salvage building, and that it would become a modern, state-of-the-art space,” she said.

Industry speakers echoed Mayor Borer’s pride and sense of urgency, emphasizing that the center’s impact extends far beyond any single field. Mike Rocheleau, executive vice president of PTA Plastics and president of ManufactureCT, described the space as essential to preparing the region’s future workforce. “A center like this isn’t a luxury. It’s a strategic commitment,” he said. “Industry and academia need each other.”

Rocheleau added, “We’re not just watching from the sidelines. We’re excited to work alongside you.”

Elizabeth Kontomerkos, senior vice president at Bank of America, highlighted the bank’s enthusiasm to support the center’s mission. “The strength of our industries doesn’t just come from technology—it comes from people,” she said.

Together, their remarks affirmed the University’s mission to create a space where students, faculty, and industry partners can come together to imagine solutions, build skills, and shape the future of work.

"This center is a game changer,” said Kontomerkos.