HAMDEN -- The crowd was standing room only at DeMil's where the governor was about to speak.
Attorney Ned Burt was the emcee and Hamden Chamber of Commerce president Nancy Dudchik  thanked everyone for attending.
Nancy thanked all the sponsors for helping with "An Evening with the Governor."
Mayor Scott D. Jackson said the governor is moving things in the right direction.
Dr. Mary Papazian, new president of Southern Connecticut State University, came to the podium as SCSU was a co-sponsor of the event with DeMil's, Whitney Center and Rumanoff's Fine Jewelry, which hosted the governor prior to him moving on to DeMil's where the crowd was waiting.
"I can already see that the town of Hamden and the state of Connecticut are an extraordinary team," she said. "We need our partners in business and government to help us to provide to you what you need to thrive."
She said she was "very fortunate to receive such an opportunity in building Connecticut's knowledge- based economy and community-based partnerships. Both of our institutions promote economic vitality of citizens. These are times for resolve, for creativity and a range of knowledge that institutions together can provide. Southern is uniquely placed to address the needs of Connecticut's work force. It is my job and my hope to brag about SCSU. I brag because our success is your success," she said, referring to Southern's degree programs that prepare many to work in numerous occupations.
Papazian said a large number of graduating classes work in Connecticut.
Malloy, she said, has "laid a clear path for Connecticut's economic revival" because of his reform proposals for teacher preparation standards. "All of these initiatives are designed to enhance the teaching profession" and lead to student success in school and life. "I  look forward to working with Governor Malloy to develop an educated work force."
Papazian presented Malloy with an SCSU sweatshirt, which he joked he'll be able to get away with wearing in Hartford but not in his hometown of Stamford, because his two brothers and sisters-in-law attended Central Connecticut State University.
Malloy started out by saying he wanted to  "cover a lot of ground with you all," and he recognized other officials in the room, such as state Rep. Peter Villano, who was with him when he toured several businesses next to DeMill at 4133 Whitney Ave.
"They signed me up for Jazzerscize. Someone tried to sell me jewelry for my wife," he quipped.
He added that state Rep. J. Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden, will be the speaker of the House after the next election and is a "great advocate for this community, a tireless and hard worker I very much look forward to working with."
He added he thinks highly of Jackson and wanted to thank him publicly for serving on the two-storm panels after the last two storms that struck the state. "It's important to have municipal government on the panel. They did it very well and came up with 82 recommendations. I want you to know how highly I think of you as a person and a leader and thank you for serving on that panel," Malloy said to Jackson.
He also said he looks forward to Papazian bringing SCSU to new heights, and to the university doing an "ever-better job to preparing the work force."
Malloy noted that the four regional universities and three others in the state prepare 98 percent of the state's teachers.  He said he appreciates Papazian's support to make sure the state is recruiting the "absolute best and holding them to the absolute highest standards. A big part of what I want to do in public education."
Malloy reminded the crowd that last year he talked to them about controversial budget proposals and changes to right the ship. He said he is committed to early childhood education and better funding ECS and holding districts to higher standards. He said that things need to change rapidly.  "We need to expand high quality school models and replicate them in our cities and towns, those systems we know work and we need to remove red tape and bureaucracy and hold all of our teachers ... to a higher standard and reform the rules by which they work and operate, and have a good evaluation system. Why? I just met with fellow governors in Washington and every one of them would like to take jobs out of Connecticut. We have to compete with other states and other nations."