Albertus Magnus College Announces Alumni Award Recipients

New Haven, Conn., October 3, 2022 – Albertus Magnus College is excited to announce the recipients of the Alumni of the Year and the Premier Achievement Award for 2022 – recognizing the achievement of excellence in making an impactful difference in the lives of others.  The in-person ceremony will take place during the Alumni Award Ceremony at 6pm on Friday, October 14 in the Behan Community Room (Hubert Campus Center, 831 Winchester Avenue, New Haven) as part of Albertus’ Homecoming and Family Weekend October 14-16.  A reception will follow on Tab’s On Deck, also recognizing the Reunion Classes of 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, and 2017.

The Alumni of the Year Award is presented to a living member of the Alumni Association who has attained preeminence in their life through outstanding professional, scholarly, and artistic achievement; who is devoted to serving others through volunteer and community service; or who has manifested extraordinary loyalty and dedication to Albertus.

The Premier Achievement Award is presented to a living member of the Alumni Association who has graduated from Albertus within the last 10 years and who has either excelled professionally within the community or has shown extraordinary loyalty to the College.

Congratulations to:

Verica Milivojevic ’04, a resident of East Haven is the 2022 recipient of the Alumni of the Year Award.  Milivojevic came to the US as a refugee from Bosnia and started at Albertus that same year.  For years, she stayed involved with her alma mater, serving as a member of the Alumni Association Advisory Board and currently as an adjunct professor.  Now Dr. Milivojevic, she has devoted her career to the field of psychiatry -- treating and restoring the lives of those affected by addiction.  As an Assistant Professor and Researcher at Yale University, she studies addiction and the role that the biological response to stress plays in the relapse rates of those who manage to quit.  Her work has been peer-reviewed and she’s made national and international scientific presentations.  This is especially important and rewarding during this serious mental health crisis.  

John Watts ’13 M.A., a resident of North Haven, is the 2022 recipient of the Premier Achievement Award.  Watts is being saluted for his ongoing leadership and dedication to community service.  Currently he is the Chief Probation Officer with State of Connecticut, where he has been employed for almost 20 years.  He is a Criminal Justice practitioner, educator, and mentor to many at-risk youth and justice-involved clients.  In 2012, he was selected to be trained in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) – utilizing risk reduction tools – and is a speaker at national conferences on this now-timely topic.  His Master’s Degree in Leadership from Albertus is serving him well as he is now a Doctoral candidate at Saint Leo University, exploring ways to reduce recidivism.