Support for Students

With more than 600 Eastern students self-identified as veterans, active military or reserves servicemembers, Eastern's Vet Center has been hard at work supporting the needs of these nontraditional students. In the fall 2014 semester, center staff briefed faculty about the additional challenges students who are veterans may face-such as post-traumatic stress and young families to raise. The following semester, the Vet Center held an open house, where it showcased its study lounge, discussed support services and heard from veterans on and off campus.

Early in the 2014-15 academic year, Eastern hosted a Majors and Minors Fair to help students with undeclared majors pinpoint a course of study. The fair brought together faculty from all academic departments, as well as staff from Eastern's academic success and career advising centers, to the Student Center to speak with students. Approximately 250 students attended the fair, making it the most successful fair of its kind in recent years. The event was a collaborative effort of the Student Government Association (SGA), the Center for Internships and Career Development (CICD) and the Academic Success Center (ASC).

The English Department hosted a panel of young adult authors this past March to speak with students about the "writing process." Authors Chris Lynch, Caragh O'Brien and Jason Reynolds discussed their recent books, individual processes and offered advice. They agreed that one of the most vital parts of writing is finding a topic you are truly passionate about, as well as giving your ideas time to take shape.

The Center for Internships and Career Development had a busy fall 2014 semester, hosting a range of events including resume writing and mock interviewing sessions, LinkedIn workshops, graduate school fairs and career fairs. In October, more than 250 students browsed the graduate offerings of 45 schools around New England. A week later, the Accounting Department hosted its own job fair, with more than 14 accounting firms and 100 interested students in attendance. And earlier that summer, Eastern's own graduate students came to campus for student orientation, hosted by the School of Education and Professional Studies.