A Message from the Dean

Dear CAHNR Alumni and Friends,

It’s here again. The beginning of a new semester and all the promise it holds. This fall may look different for Husky Nation, but we will tackle it together with the enthusiastic and collaborative spirit that makes UConn such a special place.

Since my last message at the end of the spring semester, faculty and staff have continued to make extraordinary strides in their research, teaching, and extension efforts. They helped prepare US Olympic athletes to beat the heat at the Tokyo games, launched new trademarks for native plant cultivars, and worked to develop better feeding practices for crossbred calves. I encourage you to learn about the countless faculty accomplishments by subscribing to UConn Today for weekly updates.

Many of our students also had transformational summers working with the community or conducting innovative research in CAHNR labs. I am so proud of our College for providing students with experiential opportunities to grow, learn, and find their paths. Please visit the My CAHNR Summer website if you would like to learn more about the internships and research projects some of our students worked on this summer.

While our gaze is firmly on the horizon and what the new academic year holds, it’s also important to take a moment to recognize several noteworthy accomplishments from the last fiscal year. I’m so pleased to share that, with your help, the College enjoyed its most successful fundraising year in history. As you know, private support from alumni and friends like you makes it possible for the College to ensure that our programs, students, and researchers have the resources necessary to fulfill our mission. Thank you to the CAHNR community for your incredible generosity, especially during a time with so many physical, emotional, and financial challenges. We could not do it without you.

Despite unprecedented challenges in the last year, the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources has also moved forward in each of our mission areas in discovery, learning, and extension outreach, and has made substantial contributions to UConn’s key priorities:

  • $700,000 for student scholarships
  • $31.4 million in external research funding
  • 100,465 people reached through UConn Extension
  • Continued efforts to address structural racism

We are thrilled with these accomplishments, and plan to continue to build on our success in the coming months.

After a year that has tested us all in so many unforeseen ways, I look forward to the opportunity to come together in the future and thank you in person for your continued support of the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources and Ratcliffe Hicks School of Agriculture. Until that time, please know how much we value and appreciate your support.

Go Huskies.

Indrajeet Chaubey, Dean and Director