Academics

Eastern's first Latin American and Caribbean Studies Conference occurred this past April. The conference included presentations and panel discussions led by faculty and staff with experience or expertise with the Latin American and Caribbean worlds, as well as local community members who work with related organizations, such as Puentes al Futuro (Bridges to the Future). Discussions ranged from tourism, to politics, to the arts.

CREATE(Celebrating Research Excellence and Artistic Talent at Eastern), the premier undergraduate research and art conference at Eastern, held its inaugural event on April 17 and 18. By providing exemplary students of all majors an on-campus venue to present their research and creative work, CREATE was the culmination of the 2014-15 academic year, as well as the beginning of a new era. The two-day event showcased approximately 170 student projects, including oral and poster presentations, art and photography exhibits, video and documentary viewings, and live music and dance performances.

The Center for Early Childhood Educationreleased two videos in the spring 2015 semester. The first video is titled "Redesigning the Green Room," and provides tips on how to turn classrooms into better learning environments. The second video, titled "Investigating Pathways," teaches educators how to engage young children in a variety of useful learning activities.The National Council on Teaching Qualityranked Eastern's elementary education teacher preparation program as the most outstanding in all of New England in the fall 2014 semester, and number eight in the entire nation. The secondary education program was ranked top three in the region.