Courtney Haire’s journey at the University of Hartford is a story of self-discovery and purpose. A health sciences and marketing double major, Courtney is expected to graduate in spring 2027 and has consistently demonstrated academic excellence as a Regents Scholar and President to CEO Scholarship recipient, earning a place on the President’s List and Dean’s List.
Courtney’s path to UHart began well before her arrival on campus. While attending Greater Commonwealth Virtual Academy, she participated in dual enrollment and earned an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts from Greenfield Community College, graduating from both high school and college in spring 2023. During that time, she also served as president of a newly established National Honor Society chapter and was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
Originally entering UHart as a business analytics and managerial economics major, Courtney credits the guidance of her former advisor, Ben Brewer, with helping her recognize where her strengths and passions truly aligned. With his encouragement, she transitioned into marketing, a field that allowed her to blend strategy, creativity, and human connection.
During her first year at UHart, Courtney faced an unexpected health crisis. She experienced severe physical symptoms that often left her unable to walk or stand without collapsing and endured an anaphylactic reaction to medication. After months of uncertainty, misdiagnoses, and repeated hospital visits, she was finally correctly diagnosed. The experience reshaped her outlook and ignited a new calling. Determined to turn adversity into impact, Courtney added health sciences as a second major, with the goal of pursuing occupational therapy and eventually opening her own practice.
“I realized how important it is to ask for help, and how powerful it is to be the person offering that help,” Courtney shares. Her long-term vision is to combine her health care training with her marketing background to create a patient-centered occupational therapy practice that is accessible, empowering, and sustainable.
Courtney Haire ‘27, University of HartfordBarney didn’t just prepare me for a career; it connected me to people who changed how I see my future.
Courtney says the sense of care and community at the University of Hartford has been central to her success. She credits faculty such as Associate Professor of Marketing Carmina Cavasos, who deepened her passion for marketing through consumer behavior, and Adjunct Professor Steve Adler, who challenged her to think creatively in multinational marketing. During the most difficult moments of her health journey, Jack Bushell from the Center for Student Success played a crucial role in helping her access accommodations and remain academically engaged.
The Barney School of Business has been especially influential in shaping Courtney’s professional growth. Through the Barney News emails, she discovered internship opportunities that transformed her college experience. She currently interns with Kobe Henro Inc., a nonprofit founded by a University of Hartford alumna that operates a dog food bank and partners with Miracles for Satos on the Pippi Project, hosting spay and neuter clinics in Puerto Rico. Courtney supports the organization through social media content, outreach materials, and awareness campaigns.
Through this work, she connected with additional UHart alumni mentors, including Lori Gabay, founder of Gabby’s Cups4Pups, a vegan dog ice cream company based in Los Angeles, where Courtney supports branding and social media strategy. She also interns with Natalie Segal, a former UHart engineering professor and published author, assisting with marketing and promotion for her book Heroes of the Middle Ages.
“These women showed me that there is no expiration date on dreams,” Courtney says. “Barney didn’t just prepare me for a career; it connected me to people who changed how I see my future.”
Outside the classroom, Courtney works as a substitute paraprofessional at an elementary school, supporting children with special needs, an experience that further reinforces her passion for occupational therapy. She also enjoys traveling, learning about different cultures, and spending time with her dog, who reminds her daily to appreciate life’s simple joys.
Reflecting on her journey, Courtney credits UHart with giving her the confidence, tools, and support to pursue her goals despite adversity. Her advice to fellow students is simple: read the Barney community emails and act on opportunities that resonate.
“You never know how one email can lead to life-changing experiences,” she emphasizes. “For me, those emails opened doors I never imagined, and they continue to shape my future.”