Eastern Day at the Hartford Yard Goats

Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Time: 1:10 p.m. (First Pitch)
Location: Dunkin’ Park, Hartford, CT

Kick off Inauguration Week with Eastern Day at the Hartford Yard Goats! As part of Eastern’s partnership with the Hartford Yard Goats, we proudly sponsor the first pitch of every home game in the 2025 season—and we’re celebrating with a special event just for the Eastern community.

Exclusive Ticket Offer:

• Discounted Price: $16 (regularly $20)
• $3 loaded value included for food, beverages, or merchandise
• First 50 ticket buyers receive a limited-edition Eastern/Yard Goats branded baseball

Game Day Activities:

• Participate in the on-field flag ceremony
• Join in fun promo activities during inning breaks
• Throw out the first pitch! (Interested? Email quigleyry@easternct.edu)

Get Your Tickets Here: https://easternstutickets.showare.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=318

Wear your Eastern gear, bring your family and friends, and enjoy a great day of baseball with fellow Warriors!

Inauguration Week Dining Specials at Eastern Eats

Date: April 7–11, 2025
Location: Student Center Food Court

Join Eastern Eats in celebrating Inauguration Week with a special menu inspired by Dr. Karim Ismaili, Eastern's seventh president. Enjoy dishes that reflect his background and interests:

• Smoked Brisket Poutine – A Canadian classic honoring President Ismaili’s roots, featuring crispy fries topped with cheddar cheese curds, smoked brisket, brown gravy, and scallions.
• Seven Spice Lebanese Chicken Salad – A tribute to his heritage, with roasted seven-spice Lebanese chicken, fresh vegetables, toasted almonds, and tahini dressing.
• The “Frenchie” Sandwich – A nod to his favorite football team, Liverpool FC, this roast beef sandwich is served on a French baguette with Swiss cheese, watercress, red onion jam, and a side of beef dipping gravy.

Stop by the Student Center Food Court and enjoy these special dishes throughout Inauguration Week!

Special Exhibit: 136 Years of Eastern Leadership

Date: April 7 – April 12, 2025
Location: Fine Arts Instructional Center Art Gallery

The Fine Arts Instructional Center Art Gallery will host a special exhibit, "136 Years of Eastern Leadership," showcasing portraits of Eastern’s Principals and six previous Presidents. This exhibit marks the public debut of artist Jack Montmeat’s portrait of Dr. Elsa Núñez, Eastern’s sixth president.

The tradition of academic portraiture is a longstanding practice in higher education, dating back centuries to when universities first began commissioning paintings to honor their leaders. These portraits serve as a visual record of institutional history, recognizing the individuals who have shaped and guided universities over time.

Visitors to the Art Gallery can also pick up a free copy of Looking Back & Moving Forward: A Brief History of Eastern Connecticut State University, a publication created for President Ismaili’s inauguration reflecting Eastern’s evolution since 1899.

Gallery Hours:

• Monday, Tuesday, Friday: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Wednesday, Thursday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
• Saturday: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Sunday: Closed

Join us in celebrating Eastern’s past and present leadership by visiting this historic collection throughout the week.

Big Read Keynote Event: Andrew Krivak, Author of The Bear

Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Fine Arts Instructional Center Concert Hall 

Eastern Connecticut State University’s 2024-25 Big Read program will conclude with a special keynote event featuring Andrew Krivak, acclaimed author of The Bear—the novel at the heart of this year’s community reading initiative. This event is free and open to the public.

Set in the New England wilderness at the dusk of humanity, The Bear is a survivalist tale that explores the delicate balance between harmony and struggle with nature.

"I’m grateful to everyone at Eastern for choosing The Bear for its Big Read program," said Krivak, a National Book Award finalist. "I had no idea when I was writing The Bear that its mythic world would resonate so strongly, but I think the truth is, we all wonder what kind of story we’re currently writing about humanity’s stewardship of the planet, and if it’s a story we’ll be proud to tell decades, even centuries, from now? I’m excited to visit Eastern on April 8 to explore these questions and more." 

Eastern is the only Connecticut organization to receive a Big Read grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for the 2024-25 cycle. In alignment with this year’s theme, Where We Live, the university collaborated with regional organizations to spark community-wide discussions on the novel’s environmental themes. 

About the Author:
Andrew Krivak is the author of four novels, two poetry chapbooks, and two works of nonfiction. His debut novel, The Sojourn (2011), was a National Book Award finalist and won both the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Chautauqua Prize. He followed with The Signal Flame and The Bear, which received the Banff Mountain Book Prize, the Massachusetts Book Award, and was selected as an NEA Big Read title. His most recent novel, Like the Appearance of Horses (2023), was named one of Library Journal’s Best Literary Fiction Books of 2023.

This keynote event is made possible by the NEA Big Read and CT Humanities.

Green Frog Film Festival

Date: Saturday, April 12, 2025
Time: 5:00–10:00 p.m.
Location: Student Center Theatre, Rooms 217 & 219, and COMM 107

As part of Inauguration Week, join us for the Green Frog Film Festival, a curated showcase of documentary, animated, fiction, and experimental films from over 30 countries—all centered on the three pillars of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental issues.

This thought-provoking festival reflects Eastern’s ongoing commitment to global awareness, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.

The Green Frog Film Festival invites viewers to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping our world—through powerful storytelling and diverse international perspectives.

All are welcome.