Eastern Connecticut State University will be featured on Amazon Prime's "The College Tour" next spring as one of the show's season 13 episodes. Filming took place on Eastern’s campus Oct. 7-11, showcasing a diverse group of 10 students and alumni who represent life at Connecticut's only public liberal arts university.

Students submitted audition videos in advance of selection for the show, which will highlight Eastern's academics, residential experience, student life, athletics and campus resources.

“I am excited to represent Eastern on this show because the Eastern community has really allowed me to grow as a person and take advantage of unique opportunities inside and outside of the classroom,” said Ian Valeta, one of the episode’s student cast members.

Katherine Escalante, another student cast member, added: “I hope that viewers will get a sense of how Eastern truly fosters excellence among our students ... I love how Eastern encourages (us) to explore new opportunities, take on leadership roles, and take advantage of all our campus has to offer.”

During COVID-19, prospective college students found it difficult to visit college campuses as they sought to make an informed decision about where to go to college. The College Tour was established in 2020 by a group of award-winning Hollywood producers in response to those limitations. The show is hosted and executive produced by Alex Boylan, winner of The Amazing Race in 2002 at the age of 23. Other co-founders and executive producers include Lisa Hennessy and Burton Roberts.

Each episode of The College Tour tells the story of what college life is like on campuses throughout the United States and the world.

The College Tour airs on Amazon Prime and is streamed on more than a dozen other platforms and channels, ranging from The College Tour's website to Apple TV, from Eastern's website and social media channels to Niche and Roku TV.

Now filming for its 13th season, The College Tour has featured more than 160 colleges and universities across the country, including Quinnipiac University, Sacred Heart University and the University of Connecticut in Connecticut. Other participating schools have included Ohio University, the University of Vermont, the University of Texas at Austin, Iowa State University and the University of Oregon.

"We are excited to be featured on The College Tour," said Ryan Quigley, interim director of university relations at Eastern. "Previous episodes have shined with student stories brought alive by the talents of The College Tour's outstanding production team of producers, directors and videographers."

Quigley continued: "Host Alex Boylan is a strong advocate of a college education and champions the students featured on The College Tour, as they share their stories of life on their respective campuses. We are delighted with the students who have been selected for our Eastern episode and look forward to participating in this ground-breaking TV series."