From double majors and study abroad to peer advising and campus leadership, members of the Class of 2026 used their liberal arts and sciences education to explore their interests, expand their perspectives, and prepare for what comes next.
Sara Bedigian reporting at the Connecticut Mirror this spring. (Contributed Photo)
UConn's Class of 2026 arrived on campus as the most diverse class in the University's history. In the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), many students used the flexibility of their education and access to a wide range of experiences to explore broadly, connect ideas across disciplines, and shape their own paths.
Over the past four years, CLAS seniors have turned unexpected interests into career goals, grown into leadership roles, and found communities that helped define their time at UConn. Their stories reflect the central strengths of a liberal arts and sciences education: the freedom to discover what matters to you and to develop the skills to build a future around it.
Academic Exploration
When Sara Bedigian '26 (CLAS) came to UConn in 2022, she looked forward to exploring a wide range of programs, expecting to change her major. What she did not expect was to fall in love with her original major, add a second major, and take on two minors as well.
Now majoring in journalism and political science with minors in English and environmental studies, Bedigian says the breadth of opportunities at UConn helped her see how her interests could fit together.
"Even though I was unsure about journalism when I came to UConn, I decided to try it out," says Bedigian. "I saw how my many interests blended together and decided to pursue it all."
Through the Department of Journalism, Bedigian spent the final semester of her senior year as an intern at CT Mirror, covering the 2026 legislative session.
"Seeing what I've learned and how I've grown in the past four years, and seeing it turn into a strong passion for what I want to do in the future, is so rewarding," says Bedigian. "If I had told myself four years ago that I was going to be a reporter and that journalism would work out, I wouldn't have believed it."
Emma Beloin '26 (CLAS) followed a path similarly shaped by exploration. She came to Storrs enrolled in the Academic Center for Exploratory Students (ACES) program and went on to pursue majors in communication and Spanish, preparing for a future career in the entertainment industry.
"I was always interested in entertainment, and after seeing what communication offered, I knew I would find avenues within the major to follow that path," says Beloin. "Spanish, however, was a separate and ambitious journey."
The Spanish major Beloin was initially nervous about became one of the most meaningful parts of her college experience, Beloin says. After studying the language for three years, she decided to take her learning to the next level by studying abroad in Costa Rica this past winter, where she spoke only Spanish with her host family for three weeks.
"Honestly, this experience was the push I needed to become confident in my abilities," says Beloin. "I was always more nervous to participate in Spanish out of fear of making mistakes, but after spending that time studying and speaking in Costa Rica, I never worried about making mistakes in class."
Together, their experiences show how CLAS students can use the freedom to combine fields, test new interests, and build an education that is both personal and practical.
Growth Through Experience
For many students, that academic flexibility also translated into confidence, leadership, and a clearer sense of purpose.
As a psychological sciences major and human development and family sciences minor, Maura O'Shaughnessy '26 (CLAS) says she was drawn to studying people and helping others.
"I loved every one of my classes and they very much relate to one another. On that common theme of helping people and learning about humans and how you communicate with them properly, all of that knowledge helped me thrive in the roles that I've taken on at UConn," says O'Shaughnessy.
One of those roles was serving as a peer advisor in the Psychological Sciences Undergraduate Advising Office. There, she built practical skills, confidence in herself, and a stronger sense of her future career path in higher education.
"Knowing that this office believed in me and that I could succeed in this role helped me develop into who I am and is allowing me to leave here in a better place than when I started," she says.
Bedigian also points to growth beyond the classroom as one of the most meaningful parts of her UConn experience.
Coming to UConn, she knew she wanted to become more comfortable speaking in front of others. By senior year, her experiences have helped her enjoy and feel confident public speaking.
She found opportunities to strengthen her leadership, collaboration, and public speaking skills through experiences at The Daily Campus and Nutmeg Publishing, and through her work as a UConn tour guide, where she was able to make an impact on future Huskies.
"I love working with and talking to people, and these experiences solidified that path of what I want to do in the future, which is very people based," says Bedigian.
Community and Connection
For all three students, academic growth was closely tied to the communities they built along the way.
At the core of a liberal arts and sciences education is the chance to learn from and alongside others with diverse interests, backgrounds, and ambitions. For the Class of 2026, that community took shape in classrooms, offices, student organizations, and everyday campus life.
"I'm most proud of the connections I made at UConn," says Beloin. "I am also going to miss the interactions that made campus feel like a true community, from seeing my friends to faculty to even people I just sat next to in class."
For O'Shaughnessy, finding community took time, but that made it more meaningful.
"It took me a bit to find my community, and I think that's the beauty of it because you don't want to rush it, you want to find something that's worthwhile," she says.
As the Class of 2026 graduates, its students leave not only with degrees, but also with the experiences, relationships, and perspective to shape what comes next. They also leave a mark on UConn's community and an example for future Huskies.
"Say yes to everything good, because you never know where it can take you," says O'Shaughnessy. "When you put yourself out there, you'll leave this place with some of the best relationships you could imagine."
