President's Message

Greetings! I want to thank everyone who has given me such a warm and generous welcome as Eastern’s new president. It is an honor to be part of this special community.

In addition to spending time in August and September getting to know students, faculty, staff and members of the local community, I had a wonderful day on Oct. 5 meeting with the Jubilee Class of 1974, other alumni and parents of current students. The pride shared that day by generations of Eastern community members inspired me. I look forward to working with you to make my own contributions to Eastern’s tradition of academic excellence, civic engagement, and service to the local and state communities.

As I begin my presidency, I can tell you that we move forward with strength and vitality. Our beautiful campus continues to attract students from all corners of Connecticut and beyond. Our undergraduate and graduate enrollment is up compared to last year, and the newly revised Eastern Liberal Arts Core (ELAC) is being fully implemented this fall. Eastern students now have greater flexibility and context to learn essential professional and life skills — critical thinking, ethical reasoning, communication, creativity and quantitative literacy, among others.

Equally important has been the faculty’s innovative response to emerging trends and workforce needs. Our new Bachelor of Science in Nursing, as well as master’s degree “4+1” programs in Accounting, Data Science, Education and Management are just a few examples of how Eastern is rising.

To the many Eastern alumni and friends who provide financial and other support to our students, thank you! You are making the dream of a college education a reality for many deserving students. There are other ways you can continue to connect with the University, from returning to campus to offer insights to current students to supporting student internships at your place of work.

Above all, stay in touch. I have many more alumni to get to know, so please be sure to reach out to my office when you visit campus. I look forward to meeting you.

Warm regards,

Karim Ismaili, Ph.D.

President