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Read about Eastern's NCAA national championship baseball team; see the fun and funky hobbies of Eastern alumni; learn about a hallmark donation by the Foster Foundation; catch up with Connecticut’s first Muslim state representative, Maryam Khan ’14; meet refugee resettlement specialist Aniko Szabo ’05; and more.
To experience the issue in its entirety, click on the magazine cover at the bottom of this page and have a digital look at the print version.
Progress toward a bold future
When I began my presidency, I did so with the commitment to make Eastern one of the best public liberal arts institutions in the country, and each year, we have moved closer to that goal. We reached an especially validating milestone this fall when U.S. News & World Report placed Eastern among the top 20 public institutions in the publication’s North Region.
We are the champions
The Warriors baseball team became the 2022 NCAA Division III national champion on June 7 after defeating Salisbury University at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, IA. The Warriors concluded their historic season with an all-time best program record of 49-3 and taking home their fifth national title.
One only needs to listen to the news for a few minutes to be reminded of the myriad crises affecting the world. Whether impacted by natural disasters, war or persecution, millions of people are presently suspended in a state of desperate uncertainty. Thankfully there are some who are driven to assist those who are fleeing for their lives. Among them is Aniko Szabo ’05.
Maryam Khan ’14 made history this past spring by becoming the first Muslim member of the Connecticut House of Representatives. After just one month of campaigning, Khan won a special election on March 1 for the 5th House District of Windsor and Hartford and found herself headed to the General Assembly with an agenda emphasizing education.
The Pinnacle of Our Community
Local music icon and philanthropist David Foster made a major contribution to Eastern Connecticut State University on June 11 when he announced a $250,000 donation to the David G. Carter Jr. Endowment Fund. A day prior at Eastern’s annual President’s Leadership Luncheon and Awards ceremony, Foster received the ECSU Foundation Board of Directors Distinguished Donor Award.
When student Sara Gustafson Green ’24 called her parents to share the good news that she had just received a scholarship, she didn’t realize that those same generous donors had a profound impact on her life many years earlier.
Read about the fundraising gala that launched the Walter and Maritza Diaz Endowed Scholarship; the naming of the campus preschool’s “Marketplace” for Teresa James ’49; and the scholarship established in memory of student Chance Thompson.
Eastern honored four members of its alumni and donor community on June 10 at its annual President’s Leadership Luncheon and Awards ceremony. The event gathered more than 100 donors and friends while recognizing the generosity and accomplishments of Professor Moh’d RuJoub, alumni Matt Pepin ’91 and Beth Regan ’79, M ’89, and local philanthropist David Foster.
In my spare time, I like to…
We asked alumni to share their interesting — even quirky — hobbies and talents with Eastern Magazine. Here are some of the fun and funky ways Eastern alumni spend their spare time.
When graduates think back on their college education, many smile as they reflect on memorable professors who positively impacted their careers as well as their personal lives. For alumni who graduated in the second half of the 20th century, storied Professors Jacqueline Abbott, Arthur Johnson and Ralph Yulo Jr. may come to mind.
When Marci Reisman ’12 stepped onto campus for the first time during summer orientation, she had no idea that she was about to meet her future husband. When her twin brother Matthew ’12 introduced her to Shaun Belton ’12, however, that’s just what happened.
Catch up on a variety of happenings on Eastern's dynamic campus, from being named one of U.S. News & World Report’s top 20 public institutions to the blooming of a rare Indonesian flower, and more!
More than 1,000 Eastern students received their diplomas this past May during undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremonies at the XL Center in Hartford and Eastern's own Concert Hall.
The softball team made a run at the nationals, with pitcher Alexis Michon being named Pitcher-of-the-Year; the golf team defended its 2021 title with another LEC tournament championship in 2022; five star Warriors were inducted into the Eastern Athletics Hall of Fame; and more.
Final Thoughts
Eastern students, faculty and staff have returned to a healthy, vibrant campus this fall following more than two years of the global COVID pandemic. Our faculty have scheduled a full complement of on-ground courses, our residential housing staff have welcomed several thousand students returning to live on campus, and we are encouraged by the resumption of many other signs of engaging, active campus life.
