the Informer

Courtesy of HartfordHawk.com

If there’s one thing Jennifer Rizzotti, the keynote address speaker at this year’s commencement, can take pride in, it’s her success.

As the University of Hartford’s own women’s basketball coach, Rizzotti is known for her past excellence as one of UConn’s most praised basketball players, and leading our own team to the best it has ever been.

Traditionally, the keynote speaker at commencement is given an honorary degree, which isn’t supposed to be given to a member of the University’s faculty or staff, making it a bit unorthodox to select a member of the school’s athletic department. However, this year administration decided to omit the rule in favor of Rizzotti’s exceptional public speaking skills, and admirable personality.

“It was worth making an exception because Jen is a wonderful speaker and will say things the graduates and their families will appreciate,” said President Walter Harrison.

Harrison also noted that the choice to recruit her for the keynote address was attributed to her superb character and accomplishments, despite having graduated only 14 years ago, and being younger than most speakers featured in the past.

In the most recent commencements, LEGO President Peter Eio and ESPN reporter Bob Ley were chosen to speak, who are no doubt successful, but not necessarily well known and close to our community. However, Rizzotti proves to be suitable for this year because “most students know who she is, but not many have ever heard her speak,” according to Harrison.
As women’s basketball coach, she has an even greater presence in the community this year after leading the team to more victories than ever before. “They really exceeded expectations this year and this is the first year in Hartford history they were ever ranked in the top 25,” she proudly admitted.

“They accomplished a lot of things and they did it with class and integrity, and that’s really all I ask them for,” she said, though it was her guidance that led them in the right direction.

As a graduate that has been playing under Rizzotti’s coaching for four years, senior basketball player Erica Beverly knows first hand that she will deliver a speech that students can not only relate to, but learn from.

“She has a lot of advice from her past experiences that will help the graduates succeed in life,” said Beverly.

Recent experiences such as being chair of the United Way Community Campaign, spokesperson for the No Child Left Inside initiative, as well as honorary chair of the University’s National Kidney Foundation Walk, make Rizzotti a quality, local role model for all those graduating this year.

She also makes it clear that involvement in organizations such as these is so important because “it’s not just about what you do, but how you represent yourself,” an idea she plans on focusing on during her speech, and one that all graduating students can take away with them for years onward. This attitude is what will inevitably lead future members of the working world into achievement.

Rizotti attributes her success to having a passion for what she does, and having focused on what she was best at. Realizing that everybody is different, she stresses that success doesn’t come easy and determination is essential. “Everybody is unique in their own way and you have to give yourself an opportunity to show that,” she said.

Being in a job market now that is much more demanding and competitive than when Rizzotti graduated is always a problem at the back of any college student’s mind, especially when on the verge of being thrust out into the real world.

Knowing this, Rizzotti gives the advice to “sell your strengths.” Like her, find what you excel in, something you love, and run with it. Kacey Pratt, senior forward said, “It’s exciting that the graduating class will get to experience some of what the women’s basketball players have experienced for the last four years. [Rizzott] is a great motivational speaker and I have no doubt in my mind that she will inspire and make the class of 2010 want to succeed the same way she did all year for the 14 of us girls.”

Beverly, who was injured during the Hawks’ run to the NCAA Tournament, said of Rizzotti, “I think Coach Rizzotti giving the speech is a great honor for her and the Women’s Basketball program. I think she is a wonderful candidate to deliver the Commencement Speech because she has a lot of advice from her past experiences that will help the graduates to succeed in life.”

Passion, enthusiasm and commitment are all qualities that have led Jennifer Rizzotti to victory, and ones that are sure to get the ball rolling for this year’s graduates as well.

Informer staff writer Jessica Rutledge provided additional reporting to this article.