15th President Susan Herbst of University of Connecticut

8/08/2018

President Susan Herbst

c/o Office of the President

University of Connecticut

352 Mansfield Road, Unit 1048

Storrs, CT  06269-1048

Dear President Herbst,

My name is Matt Winick from Ann Arbor, Michigan with a strong interest in learning history and social justice. In these subjects, I like to learn the need for Civil Rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution, have diversity to make society a better place, and many others.   President Herbst, the main reason I’m writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work as 15^th President of University of Connecticut to be very inspiring to me.

In June 2011, I was amazed on how you made history by becoming the first woman to become President of the University of Connecticut.   In your current role as President of the University of Connecticut, I like on how you are an advocate for people with disabilities’ rights and push to expand diversity educational programs to help teach people about different cultures.  I liked on how you teamed up with the Connecticut state legislature and Governor Dannel Malloy to implement funds for the UConn: Next Generation Connecticut and Bioscience Connecticut to help expand on research on science, implement more medical classes to help tech students about medicine, help hire more minorities, women, and people with disabilities to work for the college, and many others.  To improve education, I like on how you worked to provide accommodations to help assist people with disabilities to get educational accommodations like extra time on exams or etc., pushed for more tutoring services to help students get help on their assignments, and expanded more arts including humanities classes to make education diverse for people to learn.   Another thing that I like about your work as President of the University of Connecticut is how you are a strong advocate for the need to make Civil Rights stronger to reduce discrimination, expand more environmental science programs to help teach people about the importance of protecting the environment, and implement more programs to help reduce bullying in the college.

President Herbst, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advance subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased. Your commitment to be a strong supporter of Civil Rights including people with disabilities’ rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability.  Also your role as President of the University of Connecticut and your work on pushing for education reform along with diversity gives me motivation to continue to learn history with social justice. My future goal is to someday work in these areas to help emphasize the need to make Civil Rights stronger to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution, have diversity to make society a better place for people with different background, and many others.

I strongly believe that you are making a great difference for society in your current role. I’m very proud on how you are working hard to improve education and support diversity along with civil rights. You have inspired me to work hard on my disability and be motivated to continue to learn history, social justice, and diversity.  I was wondering if you could please explain your favorite moments as President of the University of Connecticut. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, working hard to make a great impact on society, and inspiring me.  I wish you the best to continue your role as President of the University of Connecticut before you leave your position in the summer 2019.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick