Once a Charger, Always a Charger: Member of the Class of 2026 Reflects on a University of New Haven Family Legacy

“Once a Charger, always a Charger” has never rang more true than for me. ��ɫAV of New Haven was always my dream school as the daughter of a Charger. My dad (George Ribellino ’95 ) would always talk about his time here and the fond memories he had, which he eventually got to share with me.

Growing up, I would come to Homecoming with him and even remember when football returned to to the University after a brief hiatus. I remember when the band was small, and they were wearing their high school band uniforms.

I have memories of being a little kid, thinking the campus was huge and yet it only continues to grow. As someone who lived in Westside three out of my five years at the school is crazy, because I remember when they were building it.

The blue and gold runs deep in my house, but I never felt pressure to come here. When it came time to decide where I wanted to go, it was an easy decision. I knew the campus, but it also was the best school for what I wanted to study: Forensic Science. My dad was so excited. "I never dreamed or thought that we'd become one of those families where our college was a legacy,” he said. “Our paths at University of New Haven were very different but at the core we share the same Charger Pride."

As I finished up my last semester of graduate school here, I am reminded of why this school was my dream from when I was so young. The fond memories I got to hear as a kid come to life. To them, I add my own memories, and, perhaps, someday I will share them with my own children.

I feel the greatest moment for me was walking across the stage last May, exactly 30 years after my dad, knowing that my memories of running across Kayo field during the summer when there was no Homecoming helped lead me to walking across the stage in front of family, friends and faculty.

It was also beautiful to be able to have the late Henry C. Lee, Ph.D., as my Commencement speaker, not only because he is the reason I wanted to study Forensic Science, but because he was also my dad’s Commencement speaker in 1995. Given the fact that we just lost Dr. Lee, I feel this is something I will always cherish as a special part of my Charger memories.

As I end my time as a student here, I know that there will always be a home for me at the University of New Haven, and I look forward to continuing the tradition of coming to Homecoming. Now I will get to ring the alumni bell with my dad, watch the enormous marching band, cheer on our D1 football team, and be able to say we are both Chargers forever!