Toni Boucher, currently serving her first four-year term as First Selectman of Wilton, has released her debut book, The Husky Effect: How UConn is Creating the Entrepreneurs of the Future. In The Husky Effect, Boucher offers a personal and practical look at how the University of Connecticut is cultivating a new generation of entrepreneurs. Drawing on her own experience as a business leader, public servant, and UConn benefactor, Boucher uses the university’s championship mindset—modeled by its celebrated basketball programs—as a metaphor for entrepreneurial resilience and determination.
The book blends memoir with insight, charting Boucher’s journey through political campaigns, business ventures, and personal setbacks. She highlights how her late husband, Bud, and her immigrant father inspired her unwavering pursuit of success despite repeated failures. Their story culminated in a transformative gift to UConn, leading to the naming of the Boucher Management & Entrepreneurship Department.
Beyond personal narrative, the book explores UConn’s evolving approach to entrepreneurship education—emphasizing hands-on learning, emotional intelligence, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The Husky Effect serves as both a tribute to the university and a guide for those ready to bet on themselves and build something lasting.
The Husky Effect is available in hardcover and e-book formats.
Learn more here.