Horizons Benefit Raises $600K for Program Needs

Annual event honors community partners and supports aspiring scholars

Key Highlights

• ^{Supporters of the Horizons SHU program came together to raise about $600,000 during the annual celebration, helping meet the needs of more than 300 students who participate in the year-round, tuition-free academic enrichment program}
• ^{Executive Director Ashley Freeman emphasized that the evening’s success represents more than fundraising—it symbolizes a shared commitment to educational equity, ensuring that a child’s ZIP code does not determine their future}
• ^{More than 200 guests gathered to honor community partners under the theme “Rising Together”}

As deeply committed as the students and staff of Horizons Sacred Heart University are to the continued success of this academic enrichment program, so are its supporters. During a recent annual event, guests raised about $600,000 to meet the needs of 300-plus pre-K to high school students from Bridgeport who benefit from this year-round, tuition-free program.

“What moves me most about this community is how deeply people show up for our students,” said Ashley Freeman, executive director of Horizons SHU. “The support raised this year is more than a number. It’s a commitment to standing with Bridgeport children as they learn, grow and imagine what’s possible. Horizons SHU is built on the belief that opportunity should never depend on a ZIP code, and nights like this show what happens when a community lives that belief together.”

More than 200 attendees gathered at Sacred Heart’s guest house to enjoy dinner, celebrate the program’s growth, hear from program participants and honor community partners whose work epitomizes Horizons SHU’s theme for this year, Rising Together.

Honor recipient Jeffrey Flaks, CEO of Hartford HealthCare, was given the Brad & Barbara Evans Inspire Award, which recognizes leaders who lift communities, transform systems and create opportunities for others to thrive. In accepting the award, Flaks touched upon one of the enduring pillars of the Horizons SHU program—that “talent is universal, but opportunity is not.”

The son of two longtime Connecticut public school teachers, he recalled how the family would often talk about children and families in need and the importance of investing in their futures. “What we are creating today are opportunities for students who have talent but who need the support to have doors opened for them. For me, this is personal, and I am very committed to what Horizons stands for,” Flaks said.

Similarly, the Build Award honoree Nicole Russo spoke about supporting current needs but also reminded those gathered to keep an eye on the future. As CEO of Microboard, a Connecticut-based electronics manufacturing services provider, she shared how the company her parents founded in 1983 has remained committed to serving those around the world who make less than a dollar a day.

“This is about sustainability,” she said, adding that supporting talent now has the potential to “affect generations to come.”

The recipient of the Connect Award was the Adam J. Lewis Academy, a Bridgeport-based pre-K to eighth-grade private school established in memory of Adam J. Lewis, who lost his life on September 11, 2001. Founded by Patty Lewis and Julie Mombello, the school provides rigorous academics within a nurturing environment.

In accepting the award, Mombello talked about how the academy’s goals are deeply aligned with Horizons SHU’s work to expand opportunities and build a future where every child can see themselves as a leader. “We believe every child, regardless of ZIP code, deserves an education that nurtures possibility, that inspires confidence and opens doors,” she said.

Following its 2024 merger with Horizons Notre Dame, the Horizons SHU program became one of the largest single site Horizons programs in the nation. A nonprofit organization, it provides academic support, recreational enrichment and social-emotional development to students and works to advance educational opportunity. Students have access to a six-week summer program, after-school club, mentorship, tutoring, recreational activities and community events. These opportunities help prepare students for high school and post-secondary success.

Many people came together for the annual benefit, including the master of ceremonies, Shae Cornette, the host of SportsCenter and ESPN studio shows; auctioneer and SHU alum Tom Pesce ’02, MA ’03, and event co-chairs John Lynch, Deane Martire, Alisa Ryan and Sandi Drucker Wright.

“This is a promise to our children,” Freeman said about the community support. “This is a promise that they will not be left behind, that they will have opportunities and that their dreams matter.”

Liza Powell, a high school student who has been in the program since kindergarten, shared how those promises have helped her succeed.

“Horizons has eliminated roadblocks since I was 5 and opened so many doors for me,” she said. “Horizons has given me the chance to learn, to grow and to believe in myself. When I look around this room, I see a community that makes this all possible. Thank you for standing with us, believing in us and helping us to rise together.”