Mitchell College marks its 81st Commencement Exercises for 101 graduates on Saturday, May 17, at 10 a.m. on the Mitchell College Green. Theresa Hopkins-Staten, president of Eversource Energy Foundation and vice president of corporate citizenship and equity at Eversource, will deliver the keynote address. Lonnie Braxton II, retired senior assistant state’s attorney for the State of Connecticut, will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws.

Mitchell College President Dr. Tracy Y. Espy said, “We are truly honored to welcome two community leaders to our Commencement. Both will inspire our graduates as the class decides how to shape their own futures to positively impact the world. Theresa Hopkins-Staten, our Commencement speaker, brings remarkable professional accomplishments, strong leadership, and unwavering dedication to community service. Lonnie Braxton will receive an honorary degree for his contributions to the community, through distinguished service to the Division of Criminal Justice for the State of Connecticut, as historian of the Civil Rights Movement and American history, and as an active board member of several New London organizations.”

The Eversource Energy Foundation invests in initiatives and organizations aligned with the foundation’s focus on building a healthier, more sustainable and equitable future for customers and communities. In 2024 the independent philanthropic organization awarded $7 million in grants and sponsorships to more than 700 organizations.

Hopkins-Staten also leads Eversource’s enterprise-wide efforts driving foundational understanding to ensure stronger equity, accountability, inclusion, and fairness by employees in their daily practices and interactions with customers and communities.

She has received numerous recognitions and awards: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut 2025 Visionary Leader Award, 2024 Women for Whittier award, 2018 Connecticut Bar Association Citizen of the Law Award, Inaugural 100 Women of Color Award, Greater Hartford NAACP Queens Gala Award, University of Connecticut Alumni Association Service and Inaugural Diversity Alumni Awards, Urban League of Southern Connecticut African American Woman of Distinction, Connecticut Valley Girl Scouts Woman of Merit Award, Hartford Business Journal Remarkable Women in Business Award, Allstate Insurance Sankofa Award, and the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Community Service Award. In addition, her photograph was included in a “Gallery of Pioneers” honoring alumni for their community service and professional achievements.

Hopkins-Staten graduated from the University of Connecticut with a B.A. in Sociology, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. In addition, she earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law and received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree (Ph.D.) from Goodwin University.

Braxton, who grew up in Mississippi, served as a Naval Reservist before graduating from Connecticut College and the University of Connecticut School of Law. He worked for nearly 30 years as a senior assistant state’s attorney for the State of Connecticut. A noted historian of African American and civil rights history, he has lectured extensively and for 19 years has hosted an African American Film Festival at the New London Public Library, where he also displays historical African American memorabilia from his private collection. He has served on numerous boards, currently the Lyman Allyn Art Museum Board of Directors, the New London Public Library, New London Landmarks, and SCADD (Southeastern Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.). He is also a lifetime member of the NAACP, the nation’s oldest civil rights organization, and is a past president of the New London branch.

Theresa Hopkins-Staten gives the keynote address for Mitchell College’s 81st Commencement Exercises.

Lonnie Braxton II receives an honorary Doctor of Laws.