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Eastern Connecticut State University’s 2024-25 Big Read program will conclude on April 8 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. The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Instructional Center Concert Hall and is free and open to the public.
Posted on March 12, 2025 by Michael Rouleau
On Oct. 30, the Business Information Systems - IT Students of America (BIS-ITSA) club hosted their first Eastern-In-4 ELAC (Enhanced Liberal Arts Curriculum) advising workshop for new BIS students and transfers interested in the BIS programs and other related programs. The Eastern-In-4 program was created to prepare students for their next four years of advising and course registration.
Posted on March 06, 2025 by
The Business Information Systems - IT Students of America (BIS-ITSA) club hosted its inaugural Employability Jumpstart Event on Jan. 29 with 92 undergraduate students attending. The purpose of the event was to provide newer college students with timelier biz-tech related advice, assistance, information and tools.
Posted on March 06, 2025 by
Eastern’s Department of Biology welcomed three alumni to present a special career panel on Feb. 28. Natalie Cummins ’19, Scott Forbes ’24, and Jessica Tyrrell ’18 gave career advice to students and discussed their diverse professional experiences.
Posted on March 05, 2025 by Kyle Berson '26
Windham Mayor Tom DeVivo and Connecticut State Rep. Susan Johnson visited Eastern Connecticut State University for a panel discussion on March 4 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center Proscenium Theater. The discussion centered on climate change and environmental preservation.
Posted on March 05, 2025 by Noel Teter '24
32 students and two faculty members at Eastern Connecticut State University were inducted into Eastern’s chapter of the Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Leadership Honor Society on March 2 in the Betty Tipton room. The inductees were chosen based on their commitment to leadership within the campus and in their own communities.
Posted on March 05, 2025 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of World Languages and Culture hosted a lecture by Glorimarie Peña Alicea during University Hour on Feb. 26 in the Student Center Theatre.
Posted on March 05, 2025 by Darlene Orozco
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of Communication, Film and Theatre (CFT) presented the play “Zoomers,” written by Matthew Gasda and directed by CFT Professor David Pellegrini, on Feb. 27. The department's spring 2025 performance schedule includes four more showings of “Zoomers” from March 6-9.
Posted on March 05, 2025 by Darlene Orozco
Eastern’s Art Gallery recently received a donation of about 40 paintings created by a key figure in the art program’s history. Jan Akus, son of former art Professor and Department Chair Julian Akus, recently gifted his father’s artworks to Eastern’s permanent collection.
Posted on March 04, 2025 by Noel Teter '24
Philosophy Professor Matthew Rukgaber of Eastern Connecticut State University recently published a book examining an early 20th-century philosophical movement that blended with science to analyze aspects of humanity. “The Human as the Other” was published Jan. 23 through Bloomsbury Publishing.
Posted on February 28, 2025 by Elisabeth Craig
Two newly engaged alumni of the music program recently shared their love story following their on-campus marriage proposal this winter. Adam Benway ‘24 proposed to Sarah Burkart ‘23 on Jan. 27 in the FAIC Concert Hall.
Posted on February 28, 2025 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern welcomed students, faculty and staff to celebrate International Mother Language Day (IMLD) on Feb. 21. The event celebrates linguistic and cultural diversity, as well as the Bangladeshi history in which the celebration was originally dedicated. The event hosted a day of activities, including trivia, international snacks, a scavenger hunt and interactive games. Attendees included various interested students as well as faculty from the Departments of World Languages and Culture (WLC), English and Computer Science, as well as the J. Eugene Smith Library. This coalition of faculty, staff and students represented more than seven languages, including French, Spanish and Bangla.
Posted on February 28, 2025 by Kyle Berson '26
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a legislative breakfast on Feb. 20, advocating for increased state funding as lawmakers work to finalize Connecticut’s upcoming two-year budget. The ongoing legislative session, which spans five months, will conclude on June 3, with the new budget taking effect on July 1, marking the start of the 2026 fiscal year.
Posted on February 24, 2025 by Michael Rouleau
The Art Gallery at Eastern held a reception for the exhibition “When There Were No Maps and No Borders: The Grandeur of Nature” on Feb. 18 at 5 p.m. The exhibition will be on display until March 13; admission is free and open to the public.
Posted on February 20, 2025 by Darlene Orozco B. '28
Eastern Connecticut State University’s men’s soccer team hosted a donor registry in partnership with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) on Feb. 18 in the Sports Center. The registry sought donors of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) and bone marrow.
Posted on February 20, 2025 by Darlene Orozco B. '28
Audience members filled Eastern’s Concert Hall on Feb. 19 for an exclusive premiere of the Amazon Prime Video series “The College Tour,” which features an episode dedicated to Eastern in its upcoming season this spring. In addition to the exclusive screening, the event featured a premiere party and Q&A session with the student cast.
Posted on February 20, 2025 by Noel Teter '24
Students and faculty members at Eastern Connecticut State University gathered in the Paul E. Johnson Community Conference Room of the J. Eugene Smith Library to participate in the annual nationwide Douglass Day “transcribe-a-thon” on Feb. 19. The event celebrated the writings and achievements of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and his contemporaries as well as the recorded achievements of African Americans.
Posted on February 19, 2025 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of Communication, Film and Theatre (CFT) sent 16 students and two alumni to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), Region 1, from Jan. 28 to Feb. 1 at Central Connecticut State University.
Posted on February 19, 2025 by Noel Teter '24
Eastern invited students to explore its diverse academic programs on Feb. 10 during an event titled “Speed Dating with the Majors.” The event featured student speakers sharing their experiences in their respective programs and provided first-year and undecided students with peer-to-peer conversations about different areas of study available at Eastern.
Posted on February 18, 2025 by Kyle Berson '26
The Department of Art and Art History at Eastern held its biannual Asian Studies Expo in the Fine Arts Instructional Center Art Gallery from Jan. 31 to Feb. 14. Coordinated by art Professor Soojin Kim, the exhibition is a celebration of Asian cultures and topics through a variety of artistic media.
Posted on February 18, 2025 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern featured special guest Michelle Riordan-Nold, executive director of the Connecticut Data Collaborative (CTData), for University Hour on Feb. 12 in the Student Center Theatre. The event was organized with the help of Garrett Dancik, computer science professor and coordinator of the data science program.
Posted on February 18, 2025 by Darlene Orozco B. '28
Eastern’s spring 2025 University Hour series continued Feb. 5 with a talk featuring jazz guitarist Scott Tarulli, who shared his experiences as a professional musician and offered advice to students interested in music careers.
Posted on February 11, 2025 by Darlene Orozco '28
Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed Stanford University’s Annamaria Lusardi as the first University Hour speaker of the spring semester on Feb. 3. In her presentation, “The Importance of Financial Literacy: Lessons from Many Years of Data,” Lusardi emphasized the importance of education in financial literacy among college students and underrepresented groups.
Posted on February 11, 2025 by Kyle Berson '26
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Intercultural Center (IC) hosted its annual Black History Month kick-off event on Feb. 3. The event featured students from various backgrounds coming together to celebrate Black empowerment through social interaction, games and food.
Posted on February 05, 2025 by Noel Teter '24
Eastern’s Student Center welcomed more than 200 students on Jan. 29 as the Office of Student Activities and the Arthur L. Johnson Unity Wing hosted their semesterly club fair and open house. The events featured 45 student organizations as well as the Unity Wing's three centers, displaying Eastern’s diverse offerings of extracurricular/academic clubs, community service organizations, and cultural havens.
Posted on February 04, 2025 by Kyle Berson
One of the nation’s leading advocates for higher education, Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, visited Eastern Connecticut State University on Jan. 30 for a special discussion with students, faculty, and staff. As president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), Pasquerella reaffirmed the vital role of higher education at a time when it faces unprecedented scrutiny in an increasingly polarized society.
Posted on February 04, 2025 by Michael Rouleau '11
“Are you willing to move backward or are you willing to fight to move forward?” said Rodney Alexander, vice president of the Willimantic chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), during Eastern Connecticut State University’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration on Jan. 29. The event honored King’s life and achievements in the ongoing fight against racial segregation and systemic injustice.
Posted on February 04, 2025 by Darlene Orozco '28
The 14th annual Olga Ezis Plunge for Hunger took place Feb. 1 at 12 p.m. at Lauter Park in Willimantic. Hosted by Eastern Connecticut State University’s men’s rugby team, the event benefits the Covenant Soup Kitchen through donations while members of the Willimantic community jump into the freezing Natchaug River.
Posted on February 04, 2025 by Darlene Orozco B. '28
Ian Valeta, a senior computer science major at Eastern Connecticut State University, has become involved on campus in a variety of ways. Most recently, he was accepted into Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE), the international honor society for the computing and information disciplines. This involvement has paid off: in December 2024, Valeta was one of only 34 recipients nationwide to receive a $1,000 UPE scholarship.
Posted on February 03, 2025 by Noel Teter '24
Eastern’s Campus Activity Board (CAB) kicked off the spring semester with “CABin Fever,” a week-long series of events from Jan. 22-26. The exciting itinerary featured a variety of activities from arts and crafts to a silent disco, providing a lively start to the board’s fun-filled calendar for the upcoming semester.
Posted on January 31, 2025 by Kyle Berson '26
“You’re about to embark on a profession that is challenging as it is rewarding and complex as it is beautiful,” said registered nurse Ashley Cote, addressing Eastern’s first cohort of nursing students at the university’s inaugural “white coat ceremony” on Jan. 23 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center Concert Hall.
Posted on January 28, 2025 by Kyle Berson
Eastern’s men’s rugby has an ulterior motive. On the surface, it is a competitive and popular club sports team, known for its grit and good sportsmanship. However, as committed as it is to the game, it may be even more visible out in the community. Players and alumni can be seen around Willimantic collecting donations at Stop & Shop on a freezing winter day, serving meals at the Covenant Soup Kitchen, or cleaning community gardens during the fall.
Posted on January 23, 2025 by Noel Teter '24
Faculty and staff gathered for the semesterly University Meeting on Jan. 17 to hear administrative updates prior to the start of the spring 2025 semester. In addition to recognizing longstanding employees and discussing university business developments, President Karim Ismaili gave a recap of his Listening and Learning Tour, the flagship initiative of his inaugural semester last fall.
Posted on January 22, 2025 by Michael Rouleau
A history student and professor at Eastern Connecticut State University recently took a national stage to share their work on the sociopolitical impacts of three cornerstones of American culture: fast food, alcohol and tobacco.
Posted on January 21, 2025 by Noel Teter
The greenhouse within the David G. Carter Science Building is home to a garden of elusive plants. The Department of Biology has been working to cultivate rare and endangered plants from around the world with the goal of reinstalling them in the wild.
Posted on January 16, 2025 by Elisabeth Craig
Botanist and biology Professor Bryan Connolly has a knack for breeding novel plant cultivars. His partner in this ongoing effort is Mark Brand, professor of horticulture and plant breeding at the University of Connecticut, with whom he's created a series of plants over the years.
Posted on January 15, 2025 by Noel Teter '24
Christine Guarnieri ’03 is on a mission to promote history and to serve the Willimantic community. Her medium? Eastern’s on-campus radio station and the legacy of old-time radio.
Posted on January 09, 2025 by Noel Teter
Cara Bergstrom-Lynch, professor of sociology at Eastern Connecticut State University, participated in the 21st annual Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passage in Northampton, MA, on Dec. 8, her 12th appearance at the event. Her participation raised awareness about domestic violence and honored Eastern student Alyssiah Wiley, who was murdered in 2013 by her ex-boyfriend.
Posted on December 17, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B. '28
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of English hosted an awards ceremony and capstone presentations on Dec. 5 to celebrate student achievements. English Night recognized five scholarship recipients, 39 inductees into the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society and featured five capstone presentations.
Posted on December 16, 2024 by Kyle Berson '26
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of Communication, Film, and Theatre delighted audiences from Dec. 5-8 with “Eurydice," an adaptation from the "Metamorphoses" collection of Greek myths. Directed by Tim Golebiewski and written by award-winning playwright Sarah Ruhl, the production re-imagined the classic story of Orpheus and Eurydice.
Posted on December 12, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Twelve students from Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of English showcased their literary research at the Connecticut State Universities (CSU) Undergraduate English Conference on Nov. 1. The event was held at Central Connecticut State University and allowed undergraduates to share their scholarly and creative projects, developed under the mentorship of faculty members Allison Speicher, Susan DeRosa and Ken McNeil.
Posted on December 12, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Thirty-two social work majors at Eastern Connecticut State University conducted a series of interactive presentations for local high school and community college students this fall semester. Titled “Professional Advocacy Networking,” the eight talks introduced curious mental health professionals to the field of social work and its many values and opportunities.
Posted on December 12, 2024 by Noel Teter '24
Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Jessica Chapman ’11, a history and social studies teacher at Norwich Free Academy (NFA), was recently surprised with one of the nation’s top educational awards. Chapman was named one of 45 recipients of this year’s Milken Educator Award (MEA) at a schoolwide assembly on Nov. 12. The award comes with a $25,000 cash prize.
Posted on December 12, 2024 by Noel Teter '24
During the fall 2024 semester, Eastern Connecticut State University business students went on tour throughout Connecticut’s most renowned arenas and athletic complexes. From the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts to the XL Center, Professor Charlie Chatterton’s "Facility Design in Sport Management" class offered students a glimpse into the inner workings of athletic/entertainment venues.
Posted on December 10, 2024 by Kyle Berson '26
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a reception on Dec. 4 at the Fine Arts Instructional Center lobby for December 2024 graduates, celebrating a milestone in the students' lives.
Posted on December 10, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B. '28
The Department of Psychological Science hosted its semesterly research showcase “Psychapalooza” on Dec. 2. Supervised by professors Peter Bachiochi, Phyllis Lee and Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, the event highlighted work being done in the course "Research Methods II," featuring more than 40 student projects and two student speakers.
Posted on December 09, 2024 by Kyle Berson '26
Students at Eastern Connecticut State University honed new skills and explored career interests this fall semester through a variety of paid, pre-professional experiences known as co-ops. Opportunities spanned industries such as insurance services, data analysis and sports coaching.
Posted on December 04, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B. '28
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Academic Success Center (ASC) has grown in recent years. Located on the first floor of the J. Eugene Smith Library, the ASC now houses seven previously separate offices with the goal of helping students reach their academic potential.
Posted on December 03, 2024 by Noel Teter '24
Walner Homere’s educational beginnings were humble. Originally from Haiti, Homere was left with limited options for higher education after scoring a 670 on his SAT. After applying to Eastern Connecticut State University in the early 1990s, however, he was invited to participate in the University’s alternative admissions program known as STEP/CAP — Summer Transition at Eastern Program/Contract Admissions Program.
Posted on December 03, 2024 by Noel Teter '24
Eastern welcomed more than 400 community members to campus on Nov. 27 for a cherished Thanksgiving tradition — the Day of Giving. For nearly 20 years, this event has brought the Willimantic community together to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal, ensuring everyone can share in the holiday spirit.
Posted on December 02, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
English students will benefit from a new Modern Language Association (MLA) grant to promote academic success among students historically underrepresented in the humanities. Officially titled "New Pathways for Students of Color, First-Generation College Students, and Pell Grant Recipients to Enter Eastern Connecticut State University’s English Program," the initiative is designed to empower marginalized students and help them unlock their full academic potential.
Posted on December 02, 2024 by Noel Teter '24
“I started writing in seventh grade after something totally traumatic happened: I had my first girlfriend,” said author José B. González during a visit to Eastern Connecticut State University on Nov. 19. Hosted by the Creative Writing Club, González shared insights into his writing process, read and analyzed his poetry, and offered advice to aspiring writers.
Posted on November 26, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B. '28
Eastern Connecticut State University alumni returned to campus on Nov. 20 to participate in a networking event for the Department of Business Administration. The event showcased a range of career paths within the major’s four concentrations -- international business, management, marketing and sport management.
Posted on November 26, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B. '28
More than 40 students, faculty and staff filled the Johnson Room of the J. Eugene Smith Library to become diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) ambassadors through an engaging "DEI Change Agent" workshop. Sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Equity at Eastern Connecticut State University, the three-part workshop took place over the course of the semester and tackled a series of issues under the DEI umbrella.
Posted on November 25, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Sociology Professor Nicolas Simon participated in the third annual United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World OER (Open Educational Resources) Congress in Dubai, UAE. The congress, themed “Digital Public Goods: Open Solutions and AI for Inclusive Access to Knowledge,” brought together educators, technologists and policymakers from around the world.
Posted on November 25, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
The 9th annual #WarriorsGive online campaign generated more than $60,000 for Eastern students over three days this November. With a $20,000 matching gift from Theresa Kalber ’70 and her husband, Ray, more than 120 individual contributions helped fund scholarships, athletics and academic enrichment programs.
Posted on November 21, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s College of Business promoted its new minor in human resources (HR) on Nov. 11 at a career and networking event. The event brought together students and professionals from the Human Resources Leadership Association (HRLA) to discuss the dynamic field of human resources.
Posted on November 21, 2024 by Kyle Berson '26
Eastern Connecticut State University has received a three-year grant to enhance academic support for students striving to improve their academic standing. The Promoting Academically Successful Students (PASS) grant, funded from 2024–27 at $50,000 annually, provides $1,000 per student for up to 50 students each year. Eastern is leveraging this funding to further its Finishing Strong initiative, with the grant being managed by the University’s Academic Success Center (ASC).
Posted on November 20, 2024 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a “Post-Election Reflections” panel on Nov. 13. The discussion was moderated by history Professor Tom Balcerski and political science Professor Nicole Krassas. The panelists shared their perspectives on the 2024 election results, discussed key issues and explored what might come next.
Posted on November 20, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B. '28
Recently, a detective from West Hartford spoke to a class of criminology students as a part of Professor Racheal Pesta’s “True Crime” course at Eastern Connecticut State University. Detective Andrew Jacobson, who previously worked with Hartford Police on a myriad of cold cases, gave students a glimpse into the analytical processes behind criminal investigation.
Posted on November 15, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig '26
The Women’s Center hosted its first “Women of Color Retreat” on Oct. 25–26, offering a weekend of empowerment, connection and self-discovery for young women on campus. The retreat featured speakers, workshops and activities.
Posted on November 13, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B. '28
Eastern’s Department of Psychological Science represented at two academic conferences this past October. At the annual meeting of the Berkshire Association of Behavior Analysis and Therapy (BABAT) in Worcester, MA, Professor James Diller presented a poster with student co-author William Warkentin. Meanwhile, at the New England Psychological Association (NEPA) conference at Springfield College, students of Professor Jenna Scisco's Health and Human Performance Lab presented their research.
Posted on November 13, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B. '28
Eastern Connecticut State University is expanding its dual enrollment program with Connecticut high schools, supported in part by a three-year, $178,000 grant from the Connecticut State Department of Education.
Posted on November 12, 2024 by Edward Osborn
On Nov. 1, Eastern Connecticut State University held two showings of “The Last American Jackrabbit,” an original play directed and written by students Xsyanni Jackson and Kane Waggoner. The only student-made performance of the fall 2024 semester sold out its evening show and scheduled a matinee performance to accommodate its large audience. Both were held at the Delmonte Bernstein Studio Theater.
Posted on November 12, 2024 by Kyle Berson
An alumnus of the history program at Eastern Connecticut State University has spent the past few months in Armenia through a volunteer program called Birthright Armenia. Ara Daglian ‘18 has had the opportunity to teach English, work in sustainable agriculture and explore the history and culture of the country as well as his own Armenian heritage.
Posted on November 12, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig '26
Eastern Connecticut State University held its annual Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 11 to recognize students, staff and local veterans for their military service. The event, which was held in the Student Center, invited members of the community to honor the sacrifices and commitment of veterans.
Posted on November 12, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig '26
Junior and senior social work majors at Eastern Connecticut State University filled the Student Center Betty Tipton Room on Nov. 5 for the 10th annual Social Policy Summit. This year’s policy topic of discussion was the youth mental health crisis.
Posted on November 11, 2024 by Noel Teter '24
Eastern Connecticut State University celebrated first-generation students with a week-long series of events Nov. 4–8, culminating with the University’s inaugural Tri Alpha National Honor Society induction ceremony. More than 100 students were recognized at the ceremony for their academic achievements, despite the challenges they face being the first in their families to attend college.
Posted on November 11, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B. '28
Eastern’s latest fashion trend, cloaks, has been traced back to its roots in two hooded trendsetters. Seniors Steph Davies and Zack Banning, better known across campus as the “cloak kids,” can be spotted moving about campus and have redefined what it means to stand out in college.
Posted on November 07, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig '26
This past October, the Art Gallery presented “Jane Gold’s African Treasures” during a temporary exhibition, displaying a variety of Mandinka and other West African cultural items. Gold’s donation offers a unique glimpse into the culture, customs and practices of the Mandinka and other West African communities.
Posted on November 07, 2024 by Kyle Berson '26
“Every day is different,” said Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Jessica Verrato at a seminar on Oct. 25, as part of Eastern’s Biology Seminar Series.
Posted on October 31, 2024 by Kyle Berson
Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed nearly 100 children from the Windham Public School After School Program to campus for Fall Fest on Oct. 28, an afternoon of festive games, prizes and seasonal treats. The event was organized by the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) in partnership with the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Posted on October 31, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Campus Activity Board (CAB) again earned various accolades at this year’s National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) Providence Conference. The meeting took place Oct. 24-26 at the Rhode Island Convention Center.
Posted on October 31, 2024 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University sent students from a broad range of disciplines to present at this year’s Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) Northeast Regional Conference on Oct. 25 and 26 at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA. Fifteen students from nine academic departments represented Eastern at the conference.
Posted on October 31, 2024 by Noel Teter
A retired history lecturer at Eastern Connecticut State University has received an inaugural award named in his honor for his dedication to the research and preservation of local history. Jamie Eves has been recognized by the Connecticut League of Museums with the “Jamie Eves Award” for his contributions as former director of the Mill Museum in Willimantic and for his legacy as a local historian.
Posted on October 30, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University is one of 511 institutions to be named to the Princeton Review's 2025 "Guide to Green Colleges." Since the guide was created in 2010, Eastern has been named a Green College 15 times.
Posted on October 30, 2024 by Noel Teter
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University, in partnership with the National Puerto Rican Diaspora Museum (NPRDM), debuted the exhibition “Diasporican: From Dispersion to Integration” on Oct. 24, celebrating Puerto Rican heritage and identity through sculpture and photography. The opening reception featured insights from curators and members of the museum’s Board of Directors.
Posted on October 29, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B.
Students from Hartford’s A.I. Prince Technical High School visited Eastern for a college day on Oct. 29. The Prince Tech IT students were hosted by the Business Information Systems (BIS) Program and the Business Information Systems - IT Students of America (BIS-ITSA) Club.
Posted on October 29, 2024 by
The Business Information Systems (BIS) program and Business Information Systems - IT Students of America (BIS-ITSA) Club hosted their fall social gathering on Oct. 25. The event brought together more than 50 participants, including current students, faculty and alumni.
Posted on October 25, 2024 by
The Department of Communication, Film, and Theatre at Eastern Connecticut State University brought history to life with “The Ocoee Project,” performed from Oct. 15-20 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center Proscenium Theater. The play, written by English Professor Daniel Donaghy and directed by film Professor Brian Day, dramatized the events surrounding the 1920 Ocoee massacre, in which more than 50 African Americans were murdered by a white supremacist mob while exercising their newly granted right to vote.
Posted on October 25, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
“I was only 10 months old when I left my motherland. I left a life I’d never get to know,” said Freedom Vice President Alejandra Martinez-Soto at “I Stand with Immigrants Day of Action.” Her mother, who was studying accounting in Acapulco, Mexico, had made the difficult decision to pursue a new life in the United States to provide a more opportunistic future for her daughter.
Posted on October 24, 2024 by Kyle Berson
Eastern’s Business Information Systems - IT Students of America (BIS-ITSA) club hosted a panel event featuring alumni from top Connecticut advanced manufacturing companies on Oct. 23, including Pratt & Whitney, SPIROL and Electric Boat. The event had more than 50 student attendees and offered a unique networking opportunity over pizza and refreshments.
Posted on October 23, 2024 by
Several student leaders and interns at Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) are spearheading various outreach programs in Willimantic this semester. The common denominator for each volunteer is personal development through their commitment to community outreach.
Posted on October 22, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Two senior biology students from Eastern Connecticut State University have been selected to present their research at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS) this Nov. 13 – 16 in Pittsburgh, PA. Nancy Avalos and Anne Le’s research will cover critical global health and environmental challenges.
Posted on October 21, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig '26
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.
Posted on October 16, 2024 by Edward Osborn
As part of this year’s Big Read program based on the environmental novel "The Bear," Eastern hosted two nature-themed strolls around campus in early October. Biology Professors Jon Hulvey and Bryan Connolly led a “fungus walk” on Oct. 1 and an “edible plant walk” on Oct. 10, respectively. Students from each professor’s classes and local community members joined in on the walks.
Posted on October 15, 2024 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its 5th annual relationship violence awareness event on Oct. 9, bringing together faculty and students in honor of Alyssiah Wiley, an Eastern student who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 2013. The event featured resource tables, engagement activities, guest speakers, basketball challenges and prizes to educate the campus community.
Posted on October 15, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B.
Major political parties visited Eastern Connecticut State University from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4 to engage with students during a weeklong schedule of events as a part of Eastern’s larger “Voting Matters” initiative. Representatives from the Democratic, Republican and Green parties gathered on campus to promote political involvement and voter turnout ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
Posted on October 15, 2024 by Kyle Berson
The Center for Community Engagement’s annual Day of Caring, in partnership with United Way, mobilized more than 100 volunteers on Oct. 12 to complete community service projects across Windham. Activities ranged from cleaning up to raking leaves and painting posts.
Posted on October 15, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B.
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of Health Sciences and Nursing joined forces with Hartford HealthCare (HHC) for the Nursing and Health Sciences Information Session on Oct. 3 in the Student Center Betty Tipton Room.
Posted on October 14, 2024 by Noel Teter
John Murphy, lecturer of communication at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently received a grant from the Center for Community News (CCN) at the University of Vermont (UVM) as part of the CCN’s Faculty Champions program.
Posted on October 14, 2024 by Noel Teter
Brett Gelino ’16, a graduate of the psychology program at Eastern Connecticut State University, was recently featured in an American Psychological Association (APA) publication for his work on developing cognitive ways to help people better prepare for severe weather.
Posted on October 14, 2024 by Noel Teter
The Women’s Center hosted its second annual HERfest at the Student Center patio on Oct. 3. The event was rooted in the center’s commitment to honoring and celebrating women in an academic setting and cultivating a greater love of womanhood as a campus community.
Posted on October 10, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University’s campus was abuzz on Oct. 5, as more than 1,000 alumni, students and family members gathered for the annual Alumni and Family Day. The day-long event featured an array of fall-themed activities designed to engage and entertain, bringing together generations of the Eastern community.
Posted on October 10, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
The Career and Internship Fair at Eastern Connecticut State University connected 400 students with more than 50 companies who seek the skills of Eastern students on Oct. 1 in the Student Center Betty Tipton Room.
Posted on October 07, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B.
Students from the BIS program attended the Travelers BI&A Info Session on Oct. 3 to learn about internship and career opportunities within the Business Insights and Analytics (BI&A) Leadership Development Program. The event featured representatives from Travelers who shared their experiences and insights on various career paths, including roles in business analysis, data engineering, data management, information delivery, geospatial and project coordination.
Posted on October 03, 2024 by
Students and faculty filled the Johnson Room in Eastern Connecticut State University’s J. Eugene Smith Library to hear Scott Moore, associate professor of history, discuss his recent book, “The Witch of Pungo.”
Posted on October 03, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
The accounting program at Eastern hosted its annual Accounting Fair on Sept. 19, drawing a strong turnout from both firms and students alike. The event, which has been a staple at Eastern for more than 20 years, featured representatives from 25 different firms, with 54 professionals in attendance — many of whom are Eastern alumni.
Posted on October 02, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
Two days before winning an Emmy for his Netflix documentary, “Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food,” Jeff Benedict ’91 returned to Eastern Connecticut State University on Sept. 24 to lead a storytelling workshop and a screening of the film.
Posted on October 02, 2024 by Noel Teter
In recognition of Taylor Swift’s latest album "The Tortured Poets Department," we asked several students who are featured in the latest edition of "Eastern Exposure" about their work, their muses and what makes them “tortured poets." Three members of the Creative Writing Club revealed that they used their writing as outlets for their personal rhetoric and retrospective.
Posted on October 02, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University began its “Voting Matters” week on Sept. 30 with a thought-provoking panel discussion featuring political science experts from prestigious institutions. With the 2024 election quickly approaching on Nov. 5, the panel provided valuable insights and answered students’ most pressing questions, aiming to encourage voter registration and turnout among the student body.
Posted on October 02, 2024 by Kyle Berson
On Oct. 2, the Business Information Systems - IT Students of America (BIS-ITSA) club hosted a “Biz-Tech and IT Career Conversations” event. A collaboration with the Office of Career Success, the event provided students majoring in business administration and technology with a unique opportunity to engage with professionals and alumni from a wide array of industries.
Posted on October 02, 2024 by
The Campus Activity Board (CAB) at Eastern Connecticut State University sponsored its annual Fall Fest from Sept. 23 to 29 with a week-long series of events following the theme “CABtoons.”
Posted on September 30, 2024 by
Eastern Connecticut State University’s 2024-25 Big Read program kicked off on Sept. 18 with a presentation on the months-long series's themes, goals and events. The event was presented by Emily Todd, dean of arts and sciences, and Patty Szczys, executive director of Eastern’s Institute for Sustainability.
Posted on September 30, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B.
The Bushnell Performing Arts Center held an exclusive screening of the docuseries “Stepping into the Shade” with June Archer and Eastern Professors Brian Day and Kristen Morgan on Sept. 21. Industry insiders, those with personal connections to Connecticut’s tobacco farming history and even a Jamaican migrant who worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. joined to share how the industry has affected their lives and communities.
Posted on September 30, 2024 by Kyle Berson
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University recently held a reception for its latest exhibition, "Different Things and in Different Amounts." Held on Sept. 18, the event featured discussions with some of the featured artists, who spoke about their creative processes and the themes behind their work.
Posted on September 26, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Children and families filled Eastern’s Child and Family Development Resource Center on Sept. 17 for a childhood literacy event titled “Read a Book, Love a Book: Developing Literacy.” Award-winning authors and illustrators Winsome Bingham, Kyle Lukoff, Barbara McClintock and Juana Martinez-Neal presented their books and emphasized the importance of childhood literacy.
Posted on September 24, 2024 by Kyle Berson
Eastern Connecticut State University has once again performed well in the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges rankings, released on Sept. 24. In the 2025 report, Eastern ranks among the top 25 public universities in the North in three categories, solidifying its reputation for access and academic excellence.
Posted on September 24, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern BIS alumni and Hartford Insurance representatives presented their “Early Career Development Program” on Sept. 24, offering various opportunities for Eastern students from their first to senior year. The session highlighted various programs such as actuarial, claims, enterprise risk management, finance, investment management, operations and product development. All involve information systems and technology skills.
Posted on September 24, 2024 by
A biology major at Eastern Connecticut State University recently published a children’s book based on her study of marine biology. Junior Jasmine Antonucci’s “Friends with the Ocean” takes readers into the depths of the ocean through the eyes of the various creatures dwelling in its waters.
Posted on September 20, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University will host a series of events throughout the month of October aimed at inspiring student participation in the 2024 presidential election. Kicking off Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. with a panel of political experts in the Fine Arts Instructional Center Concert Hall, the “Voting Matters” extravaganza intends to grow voter registration and turnout among college students, a historically underrepresented group in elections.
Posted on September 18, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
On Sept. 18, the Business Information Systems - IT Students of America (BIS-ITSA) club hosted a resume writing workshop. This event followed the organization’s resume preparation workshop on Sept. 11, which allowed students to further refine their resumes and get professional advice on how to best format and present their accomplishments to employers.
Posted on September 18, 2024 by
Thomas Balcerski, associate professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently appeared in a documentary uncovering the truths of president Abraham Lincoln’s love life. “Lover of Men” is a timely film that explores historical speculation and evidence pointing to Lincoln having intimate relationships with four different men over the course of his life.
Posted on September 17, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University’s second annual Student Center Block Party where students could learn more about all the tools and resources the university has to offer, took place on Sept. 13.
Posted on September 17, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B.
Kate Rotella, director of fiscal affairs/acquisitions for the Office of Fiscal Affairs, has been named governing board chair of NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement for the 2024-25 term. Rotella’s selection represents a significant milestone for her professional career and highlights the university’s influence in the national arena of public procurement.
Posted on September 17, 2024 by Ryan Quigley
The Department of Communication, Film and Theatre at Eastern Connecticut State University released its fall 2024 performance list on Sept. 9, along with a bulk ticket deal for prospective attendees. The department announced three theatrical and multimedia performances scheduled throughout the semester.
Posted on September 12, 2024 by Kyle Berson
On Sept. 11, the Business Information Systems - IT Students of America (BIS-ITSA) club hosted their “Resume Prep” workshop to give resume writing tips to club members and students interested in the field of BIS. The event aimed to help students write resumes that stand out and highlight their most prominent educational achievements.
Posted on September 11, 2024 by
Eastern Connecticut State University biology alumni Madison Greenfield ’20 and Catrina Sullivan ’22 have been accepted into medical school programs for the fall 2024 semester.
Posted on September 10, 2024 by Noel Teter
Crowds of students congregated outside of the Student Center on Sept. 4 to attend Eastern Connecticut State University’s annual Student Involvement Fair and President’s Picnic. The fair highlighted the campus’ various clubs and organizations, including academic, cultural, leadership, service, recreational and sports clubs.
Posted on September 10, 2024 by Kyle Berson
Professor Yaw Nsiah, chair of the Department of Health Sciences and Nursing, won Eastern’s 2024 Award for Exemplary Service for his vital role in launching the university’s nursing program last year.
Posted on September 03, 2024 by Noel Teter
Abby Dreyer, a first-year student majoring in business administration, is one of 10 students nationwide to receive the inaugural Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Scholarship.
Posted on September 03, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Long known as Connecticut’s public liberal arts university, Eastern Connecticut State University’s trademark curriculum has a new face. Launching this fall 2024, the new Eastern Liberal Arts Core (ELAC) is a more streamlined program aimed at meeting the needs of today’s rapidly changing world.
Posted on September 03, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern welcomed its largest class of incoming students since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic on Aug. 27, when more than 800 first-year students began classes. The Class of 2028 grew 32% from last year’s incoming class and helped surge the campus residency to 92%, the highest since 2019.
Posted on September 03, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University is holding its first exhibition of the fall 2024 semester. “Different Things in Different Amounts” is running Aug. 19 – Oct. 11 with an opening reception Sept. 18 at 5 p.m.
Posted on August 30, 2024 by
Eastern Connecticut State University’s on-campus food pantry, Shawn’s Cupboard, will benefit from a month-long Stop & Shop fundraiser this September. Starting Sept. 1 and lasting all month long, the local grocery store’s Community Bags Program will donate $1 to the pantry for every $2.50 reusable “Give Back” bag sold.
Posted on August 29, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
Hundreds of faculty and staff gathered on Aug. 23 to hear from President Karim Ismaili during the fall semester University Meeting, his first major public appearance since becoming president on July 31. In addition to introductions from Ismaili, the meeting commemorated the start of the fall 2024 semester, honored new and longstanding employees, and provided updates on curriculum, budget and enrollment.
Posted on August 29, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
The Business Information Systems - IT Students of America (BIS-ITSA) club hosted their “Meet and Greet” event on Aug. 28 to welcome incoming first-year students into the BIS program and help get them acquainted with BIS-ITSA. This session was open to both students of the BIS program and students that have an interest in the discipline.
Posted on August 28, 2024 by
Eastern Connecticut State University recently installed a painting by renowned artist Suzanne Jackson in the Student Center. The painting, titled “Self-Portrait Drawing: A Future Life Story as Told by Grandparents,” is the latest installment into Eastern’s diverse permanent collection of art.
Posted on August 26, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Dickson Cunningham, professor of environmental earth science, has spent nearly 40 years investigating changes in the Earth's crust, main in Central Asia, and how mountains form.
Posted on August 21, 2024 by Lucinda Weiss
For the second consecutive year in a row, the men’s rugby team at Eastern Connecticut State University and its alumni held a rugby clinic on Eastern’s turf field during the annual Willimantic Special Olympics on August 10.
Posted on August 20, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
This summer, 21 English students spent six weeks in Florence, Italy, to hone their creative writing skills. The annual trip was part of English Professor Christopher Torockio’s creative writing abroad course.
Posted on August 14, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University may not have sent any student athletes to the 2024 Paris Olympics, but one student still found a way to spread the University’s message to viewers during the games.
Posted on August 12, 2024 by Noel Teter
Sarah Nightingale, assistant professor of social work, was awarded a research grant this July from the Center for Institutional Courage, which aims to combat institutional injustices in cases of abuse on college campuses.
Posted on August 12, 2024 by Noel Teter
A group of incoming first-year students interested in STEM fields participated in Eastern’s inaugural Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program this July. The program is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and aims to diversify Connecticut’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce.
Posted on August 08, 2024 by Noel Teter
This summer, Eastern Connecticut State University hosted more than 60 high school students for its annual Summer Transition at Eastern Program/Contract Admissions Program, better known as STEP/CAP. After successful completion of the program, participants will be admitted as first-year students this fall 2024 semester.
Posted on August 05, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Dr. Karim Ismaili officially began his role as president of Eastern Connecticut State University on July 31. He comes to Eastern from Bridgewater State University (BSU), where he most recently served as Executive Vice President and Provost. During his tenure at BSU, Ismaili promoted student success, fostered academic innovation, advanced educational equity/social justice, reimagined enrollment strategies, and secured funding in support of institutional goals.
Posted on July 31, 2024 by
Eastern Connecticut State University’s second annual Pre-College Summer, which took place July 14–26, gave local high school students an early, in-depth look at some of the key elements of the college experience.
Posted on July 31, 2024 by Noel Teter
An anthropology major with an archaeology concentration and a history minor, Eric Hohenthal ’25 has long known of his interest in his chosen field. Ever since he was a child, Eric has been “obsessed with the ancient world. I was naturally drawn to archaeology.”
Posted on July 25, 2024 by Ed Osborn
Two students from the Department of Environmental Earth Science (EES) at Eastern Connecticut State University joined Professor Peter Drzewiecki on a nine-day trip in the Pyrenees Mountains of Spain to examine the development of the area’s geological features in late May.
Posted on July 18, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
In its latest charitable collaboration with Willimantic’s Covenant Soup Kitchen, Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) donated $3,000 to the soup kitchen on June 27.
Posted on July 16, 2024 by Noel Teter
Distinguished English Professor Raouf Mama of Eastern Connecticut State University has founded an award recognizing excellence in English teaching in his native country of Benin. The Penrose Best Teacher of the Year Award was presented at a ceremony at the University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin on Dec. 28, 2023.
Posted on July 11, 2024 by Noel Teter
This summer, Eastern Connecticut State University hosted 11 students from E.O. Smith High School in Mansfield to conduct research on hospital data at Eastern for the second year in a row. The project, led by business administration Professor Fatma Pakdil and economics and finance Professor Steve Muchiri, was backed by a monetary award from the NASA-CT Space Grant Consortium.
Posted on July 10, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Megan Saunders ’15, senior producer at NBCUniversal Local in Boston, MA, understands the importance of creating opportunities for oneself. Due in part to this self-motivation, Saunders led her team to the 2023 Boston-New England Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Event Coverage.
Posted on July 09, 2024 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University received a $281,120 grant in spring 2024 to begin a new faculty development initiative, “Empowering Sustainable Pedagogical Innovation.”
Posted on July 09, 2024 by Noel Teter
Scott Moore, associate professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University and native of Virginia Beach, VA, recently published a book about a legendary accused witch from southeastern Virginia. “The Witch of Pungo,” published through the University of Virginia Press this May, explores the legend of Grace Sherwood, who was accused of witchcraft and tried by water in 1706.
Posted on July 08, 2024 by Noel Teter
This summer, a group of environmental earth science (EES) researchers from Eastern traveled to Block Island, RI, to study coastal geology and erosion along the island’s iconic bluffs. Their trip entailed using a drone and helicopter to photograph the coastline in order to create 3D models to track erosion along the shoreline. This “photogrammetry” research project was led by Professor Drew Hyatt with the assistance of EES Professor Bryan Oakley and students Kelvin Carranza-Martinez and Matthew Tardella.
Posted on June 27, 2024 by
Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed its newest Warriors to campus this June during the annual Student Orientation Advising and Registration (SOAR) program. Through the guidance of student orientation counselors (SOCs), hundreds of incoming students from the Class of 2028 acquainted themselves with Eastern’s campus and pondered their collegiate aspirations during four separate two-day orientation sessions.
Posted on June 26, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Twelve students from Eastern Connecticut State University beheld many environments on a 12-day scientific excursion through New Hampshire and Maine in late May. Sponsored by the Department of Environmental Earth Science (EES), Professors Dickson Cunningham, Bryan Oakley and Drew Hyatt guided students through high mountains, deep caves and sprawling coastlines as a part of their “Summits and Seashores” course.
Posted on June 25, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
The annual ECSU Foundation Golf Tournament took place on June 20 at Mohegan Sun Golf Club in Baltic. This marked the first year the tournament was held at Mohegan Sun following long stints at Lake of Isles and Wethersfield Country Club.
Posted on June 25, 2024 by Noel Teter
Psychology students at Eastern Connecticut State University traversed the tundra of the human psyche on a 10-day field course in Iceland this May. Sponsored by the Department of Psychological Science as part of Professors Peter Bachiochi and Jenna Scisco’s field course “Cross-Cultural Well-Being," the trip gave students a look at the mental health of a foreign country.
Posted on June 18, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University is the only organization in Connecticut to receive a Big Read award from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for the 2024-25 academic year. Following the theme “Where We Live,” Eastern’s Big Read grant will support a yearlong community-reading program centered around the book “The Bear” by Andrew Krivak.
Posted on June 17, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
The Institute for Sustainability at Eastern Connecticut State University partnered with the Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy to spotlight a new generation of sustainability advocates on June 6. For the second consecutive year, dozens of eighth grade students filled the Student Center Betty Tipton Room with their research on the sustainability or human rights issue of their choosing.
Posted on June 13, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Students from the Department of Music at Eastern Connecticut State University explored the history of classical music in Vienna, Austria, this May. The 10-day trip was conducted by music Professor Emily Riggs and Lecturer David Ballena as a part of Riggs’ “City of Song” global field course.
Posted on June 10, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Early Childhood Education (CECE) recently won a Telly Award for a video involving music development in childhood education.
Posted on June 10, 2024 by Noel Teter
Similar to how the elusive corpse flower’s powerful stench attracts insects from far away, a rare twin corpse flower at Eastern attracted humans from across the country to the University’s greenhouse this June.
Posted on June 06, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University recently offered three one-week intensive courses to help students spark their academic and professional interests in the fields of English, film, theatre, business, economics and finance. Eastern’s Summer Research and Creative Activity Institutes took place on Eastern’s campus from May 20-24.
Posted on June 04, 2024 by Noel Teter
A massive mural depicting three pioneering women was unveiled in downtown Willimantic on May 30 during a dedication ceremony. The 50-foot painting by renowned muralist Ben Keller, located on the parking garage at 17 Walnut Street, features former Eastern President Elsa Núñez, former Governor Ella Grasso and acclaimed novelist Toni Morrison.
Posted on June 03, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
Three Eastern faculty members were recognized at the conclusion of the 2023-24 academic year as part of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) annual Board of Regents Faculty Awards. Assistant Professor of Education Kwangwon Lee won the statewide faculty research award; David Ballena, lecturer in the Music Department, was honored with the statewide teaching award for adjunct faculty; and Manuel Otero, assistant professor of English, received the Eastern campus-based teaching award.
Posted on June 03, 2024 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University and four other public liberal arts colleges across the nation will develop new humanities courses that meet the challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI) in a project funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
Posted on May 23, 2024 by Cindy Weiss
The work of graduating students from the Department of Art and Art History was highlighted during the annual Senior Art Exhibition in the Art Gallery this May. With an opening reception on May 9, the exhibition featured senior capstone projects in digital media design, studio art, illustration and art history.
Posted on May 22, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
A group of business administration students from Eastern learned about the business and operations of the health care industry at a local agency in Willimantic this spring semester. The hands-on experience took place at Generations Family Health Center as part of business administration Professor Fatma Pakdil’s Health Care Management class.
Posted on May 20, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
More than 20 academic programs and departments at Eastern Connecticut State University recognized student achievements this spring 2024 semester during honor society inductions and award ceremonies.
Posted on May 16, 2024 by
State officials, representatives from Hartford HealthCare and other dignitaries joined Eastern Connecticut State University faculty and administrators to celebrate National Nurses Week May 6–12. The opening event, held May 6 in the Paul E. Johnson Sr. Community Room in the J. Eugene Smith Library, also celebrated Eastern’s new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The degree program, a partnership between Eastern and Hartford HealthCare, seeks to address the nursing shortage in eastern Connecticut and elsewhere.
Posted on May 15, 2024 by Ed Osborn
Thousands of people filled the XL Center in Hartford on May 14 to celebrate nearly 900 Eastern Connecticut State University undergraduate students during the University’s annual graduation ceremony. The event was a momentous occasion for the newest graduates of Connecticut’s only public liberal arts university and marked the end of a journey that, for many, began four years ago during the outset of a global pandemic.
Posted on May 14, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
“The world that we live in needs leaders; we have enough followers,” said alumnus and keynote speaker Joseph Lobe ’03, vice president and deputy general counsel for the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, at Eastern Connecticut State University’s Graduate School Commencement on May 11. The event was held in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center on Eastern’s Willimantic campus.
Posted on May 13, 2024 by Ed Osborn
Each semester, students travel from Eastern Connecticut State University to study at various universities across the world. This semester, 12 students studied in Europe, South America, Asia and Australia.
Posted on May 08, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) Chancellor Terrence Cheng announced May 7 that he will appoint Dr. Karim Ismaili as president of Eastern Connecticut State University. Dr. Ismaili is currently executive vice president and provost at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts. Dr. Ismaili begins his new role on July 31, 2024.
Posted on May 07, 2024 by
Students from a broad selection of disciplines at Eastern Connecticut State University gained valuable professional experience through internships during the spring 2024 semester. Internships ranged from live sound engineering to hospitality and criminal justice services.
Posted on May 07, 2024 by Noel Teter
On a campus where students can blend in effortlessly, one senior at Eastern Connecticut State University will soon race around a local competitive track wearing a helmet signed by his classmates.
Posted on May 07, 2024 by Noel Teter
With the Class of 2024 recently graduated, many of Eastern's newest alumni are beginning their careers while others are choosing to continue their studies in advanced degree programs.
Posted on May 07, 2024 by Marcus Grant
As the first students in Eastern’s new bachelor’s degree in nursing take prerequisite classes and other academic coursework, the University and its Hartford HealthCare partners continue to build the program behind the scenes. In remodeled space on campus in Goddard Hall, students will be using new simulation labs to learn nursing skills with instructional equipment that includes a virtual dissection table, “high fidelity” medical manikins, hospital beds and more.
Posted on May 03, 2024 by Ed Osborn
More than 100 guests attended the 28th annual Accounting Banquet this April to hear from keynote speaker Alex Bancroft ’05 and honor current accounting students with scholarship awards.
Posted on May 02, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
On April 30, three students were presented with awards to honor their commitment to promoting equity and social justice at Eastern Connecticut State University. The César Chávez Award was presented to Tiana Bailey ’26; the Ella T. Grasso Award was presented to Eugene Bertrand ’24; and the Martin Luther King Jr. Award was presented to Amia Lott ’24.
Posted on May 01, 2024 by Marcus Grant
A spring 2024 communication course at Eastern Connecticut State University offered perspectives from many alumni on how to advance professionally.
Posted on May 01, 2024 by Noel Teter
Spring Fest 2024 celebrated a final fling before the last week of classes at Eastern Connecticut State University with activities ranging from puppy yoga to a carnival that drew more than 1,000 students.
Posted on May 01, 2024 by Lucinda Weiss
The Department of Education at Eastern sponsored a trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, this past spring semester to expose students to the different education environments between the island and mainland United States. The trip was led by education Professor David Stoloff as a part of his course titled “Intercultural Connections among Universities.”
Posted on May 01, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Thirteen students from Norwich Free Academy learned laboratory techniques and the impact of microbiology research in a recent visit to Eastern Connecticut State University ‘s Tiny Earth Day biology symposium.
Posted on April 30, 2024 by Lucinda Weiss
Three Eastern Connecticut State University students took their talents for technical design in stage productions to Washington, D.C., this April for the national Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) conference.
Posted on April 30, 2024 by Lucinda Weiss
Students often forge lifelong relationships during their time at Eastern, including romantic ones. The Lommes, who met at Eastern in the 1970s, will celebrate their 49th anniversary in June, while Dan and Melissa (Heath) McIsaac '12 will celebrate their second in October.
Posted on April 25, 2024 by
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of Biology hosted a panel discussion on April 17 about careers available to students with a bachelor’s degree in biology.
Posted on April 24, 2024 by Noel Teter
More than 250 students from Eastern Connecticut State University showcased their academic and creative achievements at Eastern’s annual CREATE conference on April 19. Students shared their work with friends, family and faculty, and two undergraduate researchers and one professor received awards.
Posted on April 24, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Undergraduate students from across the Northeast traveled to The College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY, for the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges Northeast Region (CCSCNE) on April 12-13. Among them was mathematics major Carter Kelly from Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on April 24, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Students of color gathered in the Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University on April 18 to celebrate Intercultural Graduation. Organized by the Intercultural Center, the event recognized the efforts of BIPOC students, who often face systemic barriers before, during and after college.
Posted on April 24, 2024 by Marcus Grant
The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University spread its charity to community partners on April 20 during the annual Town Wide Town Pride event. This year’s community service activities benefited 14 organizations in Willimantic.
Posted on April 24, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
More than one in five full-time students at Eastern Connecticut State University volunteered in the community this year, and they presented highlights of their work at the Center for Community Engagement’s (CCE) annual Service Expo on April 17.
Posted on April 23, 2024 by Lucinda Weiss
Business and economics researchers who follow the global wine industry recently attended a two-day conference at Eastern Connecticut State University to discuss surveys of wineries in 24 wine-producing countries that are yielding new data on patterns of wine production.
Posted on April 22, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Two seniors who are roommates at Eastern Connecticut State University, Kathryn Kubisek and Billi Kozak, will each receive the 2024 Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award, the top academic award for undergraduates in the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System.
Posted on April 22, 2024 by Lucinda Weiss
More than 200 Eastern Connecticut State University students, faculty, staff, alumni and their families recently came together for a day of baseball and springtime fun in celebration of Eastern Day at Dunkin’ Park in Hartford on April 14.
Posted on April 18, 2024 by Noel Teter
Students at Eastern Connecticut State University gathered in the Student Center recently to stand against sexual assault, domestic violence and relationship violence at the annual Take Back the Night ceremony. The event provided a safe space for students to share their experiences and support others in their journeys toward healing.
Posted on April 18, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
New York Times #1 best-selling author Madeline Miller hosted a virtual lecture on her book “Circe” at Eastern Connecticut State University on April 17. Readers from across the state joined in the culminating event of Eastern’s “Big Read” program.
Posted on April 18, 2024 by Marcus Grant
With the largest graduating cohort ever of queer students, the Pride Center at Eastern Connecticut State University recently hosted its seventh Lavender Graduation. President Elsa Núñez and awardees Billi Kozak and Arden Parzych were honored during the ceremony.
Posted on April 17, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Nine students from Eastern Connecticut State University presented research projects at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) this April in Long Beach, CA. NCUR provides collegiate scholars across the country with an opportunity to showcase their creative talents and undergraduate research.
Posted on April 17, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Best-selling author Jeffrey Benedict '91 will speak at the Eastern Connecticut State University commencement on May 14 at the XL Center in Hartford.
Posted on April 16, 2024 by
Four environmental earth science (EES) students at Eastern Connecticut State University presented their research at the Northeast Section meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA) in Manchester, NH, on March 18.
Posted on April 16, 2024 by Noel Teter
Students from the Business Information Systems/Information Technology Students of America (BIS-ITSA) club at Eastern Connecticut State University won top awards at the recent U.S. IT Collegiate Conference in Louisiana.
Posted on April 16, 2024 by Marcus Grant
On April 8, 2024, the Great North American Eclipse captivated hundreds of starry-eyed Eastern Connecticut State University students on Webb Lawn as the sun and moon merged at 3 p.m.
Posted on April 15, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Few astronomical phenomena are visible to the human eye, so when the two brightest objects in our sky align to produce an eclipse (and the weather cooperates), the performance amazes viewers today as it has since the beginning of time.
Posted on April 12, 2024 by Zoran Pazameta
Eastern Connecticut State University’s political science honor society hosted a conference “for students by students” on April 5 in the Science Building lobby. The inaugural "Emerging Minds” showcase offered a platform for students to present their research, creative work and internship experiences related to political science.
Posted on April 11, 2024 by Katherine Escalante
Josh Thomas, lecturer of music at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently performed a recital of world premieres for each voice of the saxophone. Alongside University Accompanist David Ballena, Thomas performed these solos March 2 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center Concert Hall.
Posted on April 09, 2024 by Noel Teter
The Communication, Film and Theatre Department at Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed audiences to “Unfolding” on March 27 and 28. Local members of the community, students and theatre fans filled the DelMonte Bernstein Studio Theater to watch the contemporary fairy tale.
Posted on April 04, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Houston, TX - On Friday, March 29, Elsa Núñez, president of Eastern Connecticut State University, was one of 11 recipients of the first SUCCESS Awards, hosted in Houston, TX, by TheDream.US, the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, and Immigrants Rising. The SUCCESS Awards recognize committed institutions, student advocates and higher education leaders who are supporting undocumented students’ access and success on their campuses and beyond.
Posted on April 04, 2024 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its fourth annual End Relationship Violence awareness event on April 3 in memory of Alyssiah Wiley, an Eastern student who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend off campus in 2013. The event featured a cornhole tournament, speakers and awareness-raising activities.
Posted on April 04, 2024 by Noel Teter
Each semester, Eastern Connecticut State University hosts a career and internship fair. The spring 2024 edition of this fair was split into two sessions. The first session on March 28 brought representation from STEM, health, law and government careers, while the second session on April 2 catered to those with interests in business, communication, media, art and education.
Posted on April 03, 2024 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed 260 prospective students to campus on March 24. While there, they and their families spoke with current students, staff and faculty about life at Eastern and envisioned their futures as college students.
Posted on April 03, 2024 by Marcus Grant
President Elsa Núñez was named the inaugural honoree of the “Shades of Success” forum for her continued impact on increasing accessibility and diversity at Eastern Connecticut State University. Additionally, the forum featured several women of color who are Eastern administrators.
Posted on April 02, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and students at Eastern Connecticut State University like to have it late at night. Thursday Knight Cafe (TKC), commonly referred to by Eastern Warriors as Pancake Night, has been a fixture on campus for years.
Posted on April 01, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern welcomed hundreds of local farmers and agriculturalists to campus on March 23 as it hosted the 42nd annual conference for the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA). With many sessions happening concurrently, Eastern was well represented in a disucssion on sustainable hemp and cannabis.
Posted on April 01, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Recycling cardboard, paper and plastic has become a weekly routine for many households, but Eastern Connecticut State University is taking sustainability a step further by recycling a building as part of its demolition.
Posted on March 28, 2024 by Lucinda Weiss
Two students from Eastern Connecticut State University recently traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, for the SHAPE America National Convention — the nation’s leading convention for health and physical education professionals. Jessica Pyrek-Bennett ’24 and Isiah Lovell ’24 received the Outstanding Future Professional Award this past fall, qualifying them for recognition as Major of the Year at the national convention.
Posted on March 21, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Eastern Connecticut State University’s opera program has found new inspiration in bringing opera to audiences outside the University, including local children. The 2023-24 academic year’s “Opera for All” program features performances for younger audiences and is supported by a grant from the Jeffrey P. Ossen Family Foundation.
Posted on March 21, 2024 by Noel Teter
The Office of AccessAbility Services (OAS) at Eastern Connecticut State University recently welcomed students and faculty to an open house to learn more about the services the OAS provides to students. Attendees were also able to meet with graduate assistants, student workers and Brooks Scavone, director of the OAS.
Posted on March 21, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Many have heard the phrase “lights, camera, action” regarding the performing arts, but few think about the action behind the lights and camera. Students, faculty and staff of the Department of Communication, Film and Theatre at Eastern Connecticut State University are hard at work in the months leading up to a stage show’s premiere. This spring semester, students took the reins of “Blithe Spirit” under faculty supervision.
Posted on March 20, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
The Department of Music at Eastern Connecticut State University highlighted alumna Emily Kennedy ‘21 at a recent afternoon music colloquium hour. Kennedy, who is an elementary band director, spoke to music students about her career path in music education.
Posted on March 20, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University and Hartford HealthCare (HHC) are joining forces to tackle Connecticut's nursing shortage by establishing a partnership aimed at increasing the number of healthcare professionals in the region. The collaboration centers around Eastern's new Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and includes the construction of a cutting-edge simulation facility at Windham Hospital.
Posted on March 20, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Art Gallery has partnered with the National Collage Society (NCS) to display their 2024 Juried Small Collage Exhibition. Supplementing the gallery’s ongoing exhibition “Circe: A Goddess for Our Times,” the NCS collage is on display from Feb. 29 to April 12.
Posted on March 19, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Business students taking the "Financial Literacy and Our Community" course at Eastern will share what they learn about credit, debt, financial fraud and how to buy a home in a series of workshops in the community.
Posted on March 13, 2024 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern’s Department of Communication, Film and Theatre and its Drama Society hypnotized audiences with “Blithe Spirit,” which concluded its run of performances in early March.
Posted on March 06, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Jeff Benedict ‘91 visited Eastern Connecticut State University on March 5 to discuss “The Dynasty,” his nonfiction book-turned-television docuseries about the New England Patriots’ dominance in the National Football League from 2001 to 2019.
Posted on March 06, 2024 by Noel Teter
LGBTQ-identifying high school students across the state gathered at Eastern Connecticut State University to learn about the University’s resources for LGBTQ students, hear from current students and attend workshops on intersectionality. The “Queer Youth To Eastern” conference was organized by Arden Parzych ’25, a student ambassador for Eastern’s Pride Center, to give LGBTQ high schoolers the chance to see “a world outside of their hometowns.”
Posted on March 06, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Early in his career as a paramedic, in the 1990s, Peter Canning responded to a cheerleading accident in which a high school girl broke her back. Two years later, he responded to her again, this time in a car accident, unconscious from a heroin overdose.
Posted on March 06, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
Two student members of the Campus Activity Board (CAB) at Eastern Connecticut State University gathered ideas for future events and networked with staff and students at other universities at the recent National Association of Campus Activities (NACA) conference in Pittsburgh.
Posted on March 05, 2024 by Lucinda Weiss
Artificial intelligence (AI) programs like ChatGPT have raised concerns across college campuses and Eastern Connecticut State University is no exception. In a workshop sponsored by Eastern’s new Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment on Feb. 28, computer science professor and department chair Garrett Dancik spoke with faculty about the abilities and limitations of AI and how it can be used to enhance student learning.
Posted on March 05, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) recently showcased its leadership initiatives on a national stage. Four CCE student leaders traveled to the IMPACT Conference, which took place Feb. 22–25 at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.
Posted on March 04, 2024 by Noel Teter
Tanya Moorehead, professor of special education at Eastern Connecticut State University, spoke to students at the inaugural Women’s Center “She Leans In” event. Drawing from her experiences as a Black woman in higher education, she offered advice on finding mentorship and achieving success to students.
Posted on March 01, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) was recently filled from the lobby to the top floor with mixed-media installation art. The dispersed exhibition, “Nooks and Crannies,” features student work from art Professor Rob Greene's installation art class.
Posted on March 01, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
NAACP members across Windham and Mansfield met at Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 24 to discuss the importance of their work and their hope for the organization's future. In a panel focused on aspiring for change, members spoke with the community and encouraged attendees to spread the organization’s message of unity, advocacy and celebration.
Posted on February 29, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Two honor students in the English Department recently published major writing projects in academic journals. Recent alumna Kai-li Davey ‘23 was featured in the January 2024 Sigma Tau Delta creative writing journal “Rectangle,” and Marcus Grant ‘24 received recognition in the Fall 2023 issue of the scholarly journal “Metamorphosis.”
Posted on February 28, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Over Presidents Day weekend this February, 75 Eastern students traveled to Washington, D.C., on a trip planned and led by the University Residential Outreach Council (UROC), a student-run social programming body for residence halls. The council provided transportation and lodging for the students, allowing them to fully experience the nation's capital.
Posted on February 27, 2024 by Katherine Escalante
When a snowstorm is on its way to Eastern Connecticut State University, the first thought that enters students’ minds usually involves having a day off from classes. While the students relax on snow days, however, members of Eastern’s facilities staff are hard at work clearing snow and ice from walkways.
Posted on February 23, 2024 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Anthropology Day on Feb. 15 featured events to educate students on topics such as endangered languages, Maasai culture in Kenya and graduate school pathways.
Posted on February 22, 2024 by Noel Teter
Students, professors and faculty gathered on Feb. 21 to celebrate International Mother Language Day at Eastern Connecticut State University. Together, all were able to appreciate the many languages present on campus and learn some phrases in new languages.
Posted on February 22, 2024 by Marcus Grant
This year’s Douglass Day Transcribe-a-Thon at Eastern Connecticut State University gave students, faculty and staff the opportunity to celebrate Black History month by transcribing historical documents.
Posted on February 22, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
The Eastern Connecticut State University Department of Music has announced its schedule of music events for the remainder of the spring 2024 semester. Events will include performances and guest lectures. All events will be held in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC).
Posted on February 21, 2024 by Noel Teter
“Cada estudiante es una persona única,” or (translated) “every student is a unique person,” said student Akianys Torres ’26 in the newest commercial for Eastern Connecticut State University. The advertisement premiered during Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11. It is entirely in Spanish, making the ad the first of its kind from Eastern. Three more ads will be airing over the next few months.
Posted on February 20, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Fourteen aspiring filmmakers from high schools around the state participated in the recent first-ever high school film festival organized by the Department of Communication, Film and Theatre at Eastern Connecticut State University. The genres ranged from thought-provoking documentaries and public service announcements to creative experimental flicks, fiction films and music videos.
Posted on February 16, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
A new recognition for the behavior analysis concentration in Eastern Connecticut State University’s Psychology Department is “a real mark of distinction for the University” and will attract incoming students to the program, said James Diller, professor and department head.
Posted on February 15, 2024 by Lucinda Weiss
"I don’t like to think of what I do as work,” said entrepreneur June Archer to an audience of students at Eastern Connecticut State University at a Black History Month event. From his start as a recording artist to his current work building schools for the arts, Archer’s passion and love comes through in every project he starts. He encouraged students to “create the success you desire.”
Posted on February 15, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Eastern Connecticut State University’s annual Winter Fest brightened the campus on Feb. 7. This event, a collaboration of Eastern’s Campus Activity Board (CAB), the Student Government Association and Eastern Eats, brought students together for food, music and seasonal festivities.
Posted on February 12, 2024 by Noel Teter
The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) hosted a donor registry at Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 7 in partnership with Eastern’s men’s soccer team. The registry sought donors of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) and bone marrow.
Posted on February 08, 2024 by Noel Teter
Thrift shopping is a beloved pastime of many college students. Eastern recently designated a space on campus where students can enjoy this activity while contributing to the University's sustainability efforts. The "Thrift Warriors" thrift shop opened Feb. 1 in Winthrop Hall, room 100.
Posted on February 07, 2024 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University students and members of the Windham community gathered at Eastern on Feb. 5 to hear from experts and politicians about environmental issues and climate change impacts in the state.
Posted on February 07, 2024 by Marcus Grant
Contributors, editors and Eastern students packed into the David G. Carter Science Building auditorium on Feb. 1 to celebrate the sixth issue of “Here: a Poetry Journal,” published each year by students working with English Professor Daniel Donaghy.
Posted on February 07, 2024 by Marcus Grant
For the 13th year, the Eastern Connecticut State University men’s rugby team led the charge as hundreds of community members dove into the freezing cold Natchaug River to help feed the hungry. The annual Olga Ezis Plunge for Hunger took place on Feb. 3 at noon at Lauter Park in Willimantic, with more than 700 people in attendance.
Posted on February 06, 2024 by Noel Teter
Connecticut is currently in a waste crisis that has great impacts on the cost of waste removal and the state’s environmental footprint. Eastern Connecticut State University students gathered in the Student Center Theatre recently to listen to experts share the impact of improper waste disposal and learn ways to combat environmental issues.
Posted on February 01, 2024 by Marcus Grant
The Communication, Film and Theatre Department and the Drama Society at Eastern Connecticut State University will present “Blithe Spirit” as their first stage production of the spring semester from Feb. 27 to March 3.
Posted on January 31, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
At the start of each semester at Eastern, student-run clubs and organizations recruit new members. Eastern’s 2024 Spring Involvement Fair on Jan. 25 offered opportunities for students to positively impact lives on and off campus.
Posted on January 30, 2024 by Noel Teter
In honor of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, Eastern’s Intercultural Center hosted a tribute to the renowned civil rights leader. Educator, motivational speaker and social justice advocate Kevin Booker, Jr. ’00 ’08 ’10 told the audience to “get comfortable being uncomfortable,” to address societal issues.
Posted on January 24, 2024 by Marcus Grant
After starting college in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Eastern seniors graduating in spring 2024 have just begun their final semester. In honor of this resilient group of students, the Senior Class Committee set up a table of cookies and a photo booth to commemorate their “Last First Day” of college.
Posted on January 18, 2024 by Marcus Grant
The Office of Career Success at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its annual Career Readiness Conference on Jan. 12, featuring two alumni speakers and a "Designing Your Life" workshop. The speakers informed students about the changes and challenges of business at the conference.
Posted on January 18, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern’s union for administrative faculty, SUOAF, donated $3,000 to the Covenant Soup Kitchen this recent holiday season. The gift goes toward the soup kitchen’s annual Plunge For Hunger fundraiser, which has an overall goal of $150,000 to support the Willimantic agency’s efforts to alleviate food insecurity.
Posted on January 18, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
Generation Alpha will soon be going to college, and “We have to be ready to welcome the Alphas on campus,” said President Elsa Núñez to faculty and staff at the University Meeting on Jan. 16, kicking off the spring semester.
Posted on January 17, 2024 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University is excited to welcome high school students to campus this July for its second annual Pre-College Summer. Following a successful inaugural run in 2023, the residential summer program is returning with additional sessions and new programs designed to educate and inspire college-bound—and college-curious—teens.
Posted on January 17, 2024 by Michael Rouleau
Two students at Eastern Connecticut State University who are native Spanish speakers recently presented important research on technology while in a setting reminding them of home. Katherine Escalante and Christian Deras-Rodriguez presented at the Hispanic Educational Technology Services (HETS) conference from Jan. 10-13 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Posted on January 17, 2024 by Noel Teter
Opera-theatre students and alumni of Eastern Connecticut State University will celebrate the career of iconic musical theatre composer Stephen Sondheim on Feb. 9 with a special one-night performance of “Sondheim Tribute Revue.”
Posted on January 11, 2024 by
Professor Emerita Anna Jaroszyńska-Kirchmann's new book, “Polish American Voices: A Documentary History, 1608-2020," compiles 145 documents of Polish American immigrants and their descendants, telling of their journeys, struggles and triumphs.
Posted on January 10, 2024 by Elisabeth Craig
Wolfmen, witches, vampires and zombies loom in tales told by humans for more than 6,000 years. That history is chronicled in a new book by a professor at Eastern Connecticut State University titled “Historical Dictionary of Horror Literature.”
Posted on January 09, 2024 by Lucinda Weiss
Entrepreneurial students at Eastern Connecticut State University pitched their projects to judges at a recent Department of Business Administration competition, with junior Kush Patel winning first place for an English-as-a-second-language (ESL) application he developed based on his own experience.
Posted on December 19, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Most of the deer on Nantucket Island, which has one of the densest deer populations in the Northeast, likely descend from two does that were introduced to the island from Michigan in 1926. This conclusion is found in a new research paper in “Northeastern Naturalist” co-authored by Bryan Connolly, associate professor of biology at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on December 18, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University will receive $65,000 in funds for advancing youth development as part of a state pilot program to reinvest in communities that were hardest hit by the war on drugs.
Posted on December 14, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Two music majors at Eastern Connecticut State University used their fall internships to sharpen their arts marketing skills, learning techniques that will help them in their creative careers. Grace Michalowski and Evan Wood held presentations about their fall 2023 internships in the Fine Arts Instructional Center’s Susan Sukman McCray Foyer on Dec. 8.
Posted on December 13, 2023 by Noel Teter
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University recently installed its newest exhibition, “Circe: A Goddess of Our Time.” The exhibition, named after the New York Times bestselling novel “Circe” by Madeline Miller, will be on display until April 12, 2024.
Posted on December 13, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
Six psychology students at Eastern Connecticut State University were recently recognized for the quality of their research posters, and senior Ali Junior Ezedine presented his research at a conference. Timothy Jacques, Kaylee Drobish, Victoria Janosi, Kylie Rataic, Stacie Kinlen and Samantha Shatas won “best poster” awards at the fall 2023 Psychological Science Research Event.
Posted on December 12, 2023 by Noel Teter
Just as some Eastern students choose to study abroad, others come from far away for a semester at Eastern. Through the National Student Exchange (NSE) program, two students from Guam and Canada joined the Eastern community this fall while several students from Eastern studied at institutions far away.
Posted on December 12, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Students of all majors joined Arts and Sciences Dean Emily Todd on Nov. 30 to better understand the ways to market their skills to employers and graduate schools. The students, with the guidance of Todd, evaluated the pillars of the university's Liberal Arts Core to articulate instances during their undergraduate career that highlight their capabilities.
Posted on December 12, 2023 by Marcus Grant
The English Department held its annual English Night on Dec. 6, in which students received awards, gave presentations and were inducted into the Sigma Tau Delta honor society.
Posted on December 12, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Two art professors at Eastern Connecticut State University have recently exhibited their work at galleries in Connecticut. Paul Michael’s work at Pegasus Gallery in Middletown is an exploration of the line between reality and the reality shown on camera. Afarin Rahmanifar’s “Tales of Enduring Women” at Danbury’s Frida Art Gallery paid homage to the recent uprising and vocalization of women in Iran.
Posted on December 12, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
Senior English major Lilia Burdo has published a chapbook of poems, “Yin Ri Bei,” inspired by her life growing up as an adoptee from China.
Posted on December 12, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Theatregoers packed a makeshift high school gymnasium at Eastern Connecticut State University to see a musical take on a classic horror. Based on Stephen King’s 1974 novel, “Carrie: The Musical” followed Carrie White, a timid social pariah turned vengeful prom queen.
Posted on December 06, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
Four accelerated online graduate programs designed to meet the needs of working professionals will begin at Eastern Connecticut State University in the Spring 2024 semester, with master’s degrees offered in Accounting, Management, Special Education and Applied Data Science.
Posted on December 06, 2023 by Cindy Weiss
Two Eastern Connecticut State University faculty members recently participated in an annual fundraiser for Safe Passage, an organization helping domestic violence victims recover. Cara Bergstrom-Lynch, professor of sociology, and Emily Todd, dean of Arts and Sciences, took part in the Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passage in Northampton, MA, on Dec. 3.
Posted on December 06, 2023 by Noel Teter
Eastern’s police department hosted an all-night event with students on Dec. 1 to build community and foster positive relationships. The annual Open Rec Night drew crowds into the Sports Center for a fun-filled evening of raffles, board games and sports.
Posted on December 06, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Upwards of 100 students gathered in front of the Student Center on Nov. 29 to raise awareness of the violence happening in Gaza and to remember the Palestinians who have died in the conflict with Israel. Organized by Eastern’s Muslim Student Association (MSA), the rally was one of several related demonstrations happening at universities across the state that same day.
Posted on December 06, 2023 by
Eastern Connecticut State University was recently featured in a heartfelt video by an eastern Connecticut-based health center, United Community & Family Services (UCFS). The agency's “Impact Report” video depicts a young man announcing to his proud grandfather that he will soon begin college at Eastern.
Posted on November 28, 2023 by Noel Teter
The Business 340 class in facility design in sport management taught by Charles Chatterton, associate professor of business administration, includes a half dozen field trips a semester to highlight for students what a job in facilities administration entails.
Posted on November 28, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Minority students applying to Eastern Connecticut State University in 2024 who plan to major in the sciences or mathematics will be recruited for a new STEM mentoring program funded by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant.
Posted on November 28, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern’s physical education majors won the College Bowl at the Connecticut Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CTAHPERD) fall conference on Nov. 16 and 17, competing against others from around the state. Two Eastern students, Jessica Pyrek-Bennett ’25 and Isiah Lovell ’24, were awarded for their impact in the classroom. Students Jonah Person ’24, Sarah Remillard ’24 and Mackenzie Teper ’24 joined business administration Professor Charles Chatterton in presenting at the conference.
Posted on November 28, 2023 by Marcus Grant
More than 400 Willimantic residents replaced the usual lunch crowd of Eastern students in the Hurley Hall dining room the day before Thanksgiving . Community members and patrons of local senior centers and social service organizations feasted on turkey and trimmings at Eastern’s 17th annual Day of Giving.
Posted on November 27, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Two representatives from Eastern’s Child and Family Development Research Center (CFDRC) recently presented at the National Association for the Education of Young Children in Nashville, TN. Niloufar Rezai, director of the CFDRC, and lead teacher Leisha Flynn discussed the child-centric curriculum of Eastern's on-campus preschool.
Posted on November 27, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
Tiffany Henry's research into a Sol LeWitt drawing that was part of a recent exhibition at the Art Gallery found that versions of drawing #797 vary around the world, even though installers have the artist's instructions on how to draw it.
Posted on November 22, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Campus Activity Board (CAB) has been recognized for its achievements in on-campus programs. The Northeast Region of the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) announced Eastern as an award recipient in Excellence in Programming at a reception on Nov. 10.
Posted on November 20, 2023 by Noel Teter
The Muslim Student Association invited students at Eastern Connecticut State University to join them on Nov. 9 in discussing cultural ideas about women in Islam, dispelling many myths regarding the religion’s treatment of women. In an interactive walk-through activity, students were given time and space to process the information provided. Muslim students also made themselves available to answer questions and to openly communicate about their faith.
Posted on November 20, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Eastern Connecticut State University is traditionally recognized for its sustainability efforts, and this year is no exception. For 2024, Eastern has been named to The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Schools as well as its Best Northeast Colleges List.
Posted on November 20, 2023 by Noel Teter
The Pride Center at Eastern Connecticut State University, in support of gender-queer students, celebrated Transgender Awareness Week Nov. 13 – 19, culminating in the Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20.
Posted on November 20, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Three programs at Eastern Connecticut State University — in Connecticut history, career services and summer transition — will benefit from recent gifts to the ECSU Foundation.
Posted on November 17, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
The New York Times is the latest complimentary subscription available to Eastern students, faculty and staff, joining the J. Eugene Smith Library’s collection of other free online news sources and scholarly databases.
Posted on November 15, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
For jazz musicians worldwide, New York City is one of the most desired places to build a name. A young jazz drummer and music major at Eastern Connecticut State University is wasting no time getting his foot in the door of this international jazz hotspot.
Posted on November 15, 2023 by Noel Teter
Post-colonial political and economic struggles were the topics of a University Hour talk at Eastern Connecticut State University on Nov. 8. These conditions push people to search for opportunities in other countries.
Posted on November 13, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Eastern Connecticut State University recognized Veterans Day at the Student Center on Nov. 10 with a ceremony of several heartfelt speeches, a presentation of colors and a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Eastern’s Concert Chorale.
Posted on November 10, 2023 by Noel Teter
A new program this fall has Eastern students volunteering at Blue Iris Farm Rescue and Retreat in Lebanon, a 114-acre farm where abused or unwanted farm animals find shelter and care.
Posted on November 09, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Addressing the nation’s opioid epidemic was the topic of this year’s Social Action Day on Oct. 31, during which students prioritized an awareness campaign about this decades-long problem and advocated for trauma-informed care to treat it.
Posted on November 08, 2023 by Michael Rouleau
Fifteen Eastern Connecticut State University students made the long drive to Mahwah, NJ, on Oct. 27 to present their research on topics ranging from history to coding. The presentations at the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges Northeastern Conference demonstrated the hard work of the students and Eastern’s support of undergraduate research.
Posted on November 07, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Friday After Dark program recently brought in paranormal investigator Brian Cano to regale students on his escapades with the supernatural. Cano’s career has been affiliated with platforms such as the Travel Channel and the History Channel.
Posted on November 07, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
“Carrie: The Musical” will present at Eastern Connecticut State University from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3. The musical is the second main stage production of Eastern's fall theatre season.
Posted on November 07, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
The Biology Department at Eastern Connecticut State University featured alumna Shirley Lasch '88 at a seminar. Lasch is an executive at QurAlis in Cambridge, MA, and she shared the testimonies of her academic and medical careers at the Oct. 27 seminar titled “A Career Path in Drug Discovery and Development.”
Posted on November 07, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
An Eastern Connecticut State University professor and his student research assistant recently shared their ongoing research on behavior analysis at a Massachusetts conference. Christopher Krebs, assistant professor of psychological science, and student J.T. Piro presented their peer-reviewed poster at the Berkshire Association for Behavior Analysis and Therapy (BABAT) in Worcester, MA, on Oct. 12.
Posted on November 07, 2023 by Noel Teter
Twenty-one Eastern students had the opportunity to display their art for more than 80 attendees at Hope Lodge in Moosup, CT. A total of 43 student artworks were curated by Eastern faculty to be displayed in the venue’s gallery from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4, with the reception taking place Nov. 3.
Posted on November 06, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
In entertainment as much as in any industry, networking is vitally important. Eastern Connecticut State University’s Entertainment Industry Day, which took place Nov. 3, opened the lines of communication between aspiring professionals and organizations in need of their services.
Posted on November 06, 2023 by Noel Teter
Bruce John has lived in the Eagleville section of Mansfield, CT, for more than 70 years, building both a career and community through his love of performing and music. Earning the nickname “The Human Jukebox,” he draws inspiration from the music that he heard in the Eastern Connecticut area, bringing the Eastern Connecticut community together through a love of music.
Posted on November 06, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Eastern students and local community members came together on Oct. 26 for a discussion of Madeline Miller’s novel “Circe.” To kick off Eastern's Big Read program--of which "Circe" is the focus---Vincent Tomasso, a classics professor at Trinity College, presented a lecture titled “Witch, Lover, Child and Mother: Circe from Homer to Miller.”
Posted on November 06, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Often, college students are asked what they want to do after they graduate. The Career and Internship Fair at Eastern Connecticut State University on Oct. 25 helped some students answer that question. At the very least, these companies were eager to make connections with students soon to enter the professional world.
Posted on November 06, 2023 by Noel Teter
The education of children in Japanese American relocation camps in the United States during World War II, and the threats posed to democracy by corporate interests near the turn of the 20th century, were research topics examined by two history majors at Eastern Connecticut State University at the recent New England Historical Association annual meeting.
Posted on November 02, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Five teachers from the Child and Family Development Resource Center at Eastern Connecticut State University have conducted research on the importance of nurturing a child’s curiosity and creativity. They were selected to represent Eastern at the recent Connecticut Association for the Education of Young Children conference.
Posted on November 01, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
University students see themselves many ways based on different things they do. This idea sparked a research interest in Laura Rodriguez, assistant professor of education at Eastern Connecticut State University. Rodriguez’s continuing research evaluates STEM identity, or how students see themselves in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
Posted on November 01, 2023 by Noel Teter
Students poured into the Betty Tipton room on Oct. 19 for Eastern’s Fresh Check Day, an event addressing mental health and suicide among college students. The event was meant to build community across campus and to encourage students to take care of each other.
Posted on October 31, 2023 by Marcus Grant
History Professor Caitlin Carenen presented on the historical context of the Israel-Hamas War during a heavily attended “flash talk” on Oct. 18 in the Science Building. Carenen emphasized that the Arab-Israeli conflict is literally rooted in ancient history, “a history that is real and deeply painful for a lot of people, most importantly Palestinians and Israelis.”
Posted on October 24, 2023 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed prospective students and their families to campus on Oct. 21 for the opportunity to walk around campus, speak with current students and faculty and get a feel for the community at Eastern.
Posted on October 24, 2023 by Marcus Grant
The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University held its annual Day of Caring on Oct. 23, sending upwards of 90 students throughout the local Willimantic community to volunteer with nonprofits.
Posted on October 24, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
A growing number of high school students in Connecticut are enrolling in courses that can earn credits at Eastern Connecticut State University under a dual enrollment program that recently received a $3.8 million state grant to school districts.
Posted on October 23, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of English recently hosted 200 students from Connecticut high schools for a poetry and creative writing workshop known as the Eastern Literary Festival for High School Students.
Posted on October 20, 2023 by Noel Teter
Fall holidays will get a bright boost in Willimantic with digital billboard images designed by Eastern Connecticut State University graphic design students.
Posted on October 20, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
“Blood on a Cat’s Neck,” Eastern's first theatre production of the fall 2023 semester, followed Phoebe Zeitgeist, an alien sent on an intergalactic mission to observe human democracy and study earthling behaviors.
Posted on October 20, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Pride Center celebrated National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11 with historical banners, face painting and free stickers and flags. The event marked a day of pride and visibility for LGBTQ+ students on campus, which is especially important as tensions surrounding LGBTQ rights rise around the country.
Posted on October 18, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Julia Wintner, director of Eastern Connecticut State University’s Art Gallery, was recently awarded a Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Fellowship to teach in Bangalore, South India. In December 2023, she will teach a course at the Srishti Manipal Institute of Arts, Design and Technology (SMI) on “Responsible Curating: Contemporary Approaches.”
Posted on October 18, 2023 by Marcus Grant
The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University provides many opportunities for students to volunteer around Willimantic. From after-school to pen pal programs, students can help in ways that center around their abilities and interests.
Posted on October 18, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Members of Eastern’s Best Buddies chapter came together on Oct. 8 to raise awareness for the program, an international nonprofit organization that supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities by forming one-on-one friendships and providing services. Students filled the Student Center Theatre to listen to anecdotes from Taylor Kinzler and other Best Buddies members and to share their experiences.
Posted on October 17, 2023 by Marcus Grant
The spirit of sisterhood permeated the Student Center during Eastern's first HERfest on Oct. 6. Sponsored by the Women's Center and several campus partners, the event hosted woman-owned businesses in celebration of womanhood and female empowerment.
Posted on October 16, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
For the first time Eastern Connecticut State University entered a float and sent a delegation of 50 students and staff to the Hartford Puerto Rican Day Parade on Oct. 8. It is Hartford’s biggest annual parade, and more than 20,000 people attended this year.
Posted on October 11, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Steve Muchiri, professor of economics and finance, recently spoke at Kisii University in Kenya, presenting research and bringing attention to issues related to teenage pregnancy, intimate partner violence (IPV) and the impact of local communities on shaping young minds. His studies have shown the profound impact on subsidized female education in sub-Saharan Africa.
Posted on October 11, 2023 by Marcus Grant
The Eastern Connecticut State University Police Department has won recognition for its commitment to maintaining wellness in its staff members. The Connecticut Police Chiefs Association (CPCA) on Oct. 4 presented its Serve Well, Be Well Award to Chief Stephen Tavares.
Posted on October 11, 2023 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Business Information Systems (BIS) program recently hosted a Biz-Tech and IT Career Conversations event that gave students the opportunity to sit down with alumni to learn about career options in their field.
Posted on October 10, 2023 by Noel Teter
The Department of Environmental Earth Science (EES) celebrated its 50th year at Eastern Connecticut State University by bringing alumni – some from the earliest days of the major – to meet with faculty, current students and other members of the EES family.
Posted on October 10, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Students at Eastern Connecticut State University splashed, splattered and sampled entertainment and food in a week of activities at Fall Fest Sept. 18-24, sponsored by The Office of Student Activities and Campus Activities Board (CAB).
Posted on October 10, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Campus Activity Board (CAB) and the Jazz Combo recently collaborated for a morning of entertainment in recognition of National Coffee Day. CAB hosted the Jazz Combo for a performance in the Student Center Café on Sept. 29.
Posted on October 06, 2023 by Noel Teter
The common denominator at the 19th Annual Accounting Career Fair at Eastern Connecticut State University was a love of numbers.
Posted on October 05, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Yoga courses are a significant stress and anxiety reducer for college students, a population that ranks high in self-reported anxiety and depression, according to a recent paper co-authored by Gregory Kane, professor of business administration at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on October 05, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed more than 900 students and families to the annual Family Day celebration on Sept. 30.
Posted on October 05, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern history majors and members of the History Club uncovered centuries worth of historical documents in the top floors of the Willimantic Town Hall at the conclusion of the spring 2023 semester.
Posted on October 04, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University alumni had the opportunity to reconnect with their classmates, meet current students and explore the campus during Eastern Celebrates on Sept. 30. The premier alumni reunion event of the year brought back memories of time spent in college, bringing an abundance of smiles and laughs.
Posted on October 03, 2023 by Marcus Grant
The Department of Music at Eastern Connecticut State University will treat audiences to a wide range of music from around the world and across time in its fall 2023 music season. All events occur in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Concert Hall and are open to the public.
Posted on October 02, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
A political science major at Eastern Connecticut State University was recently accepted into a scholarship program that will enrich her law school application. Isabelle Lastrina ’24 was accepted into the Connecticut Bar Association (CBA) Future of the Legal Profession Program on Sept. 13.
Posted on September 27, 2023 by Noel Teter
A faculty researcher at Eastern Connecticut State University recently celebrated the release of his book about the various functions of music in film. “Musical Sincerity and Transcendence in Film” by Timothy Cochran, associate professor of music, was published by Routledge Press.
Posted on September 27, 2023 by Noel Teter
Three biology students at Eastern Connecticut State University presented their summer research to peers and faculty on Sept. 22, describing projects that ranged from studying epilepsy in mice to soil studies that are used by the FBI to solve crimes. All three are making plans to continue their studies in graduate school.
Posted on September 27, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
In research recently published in the online scientific journal “microPublication Biology,” Eastern Connecticut State University biology professor Amy Groth and her former undergraduate research assistant, Elizabeth (Del Buono) Charnysh ’17, found new signs of genetic expression in a widely studied microscopic worm, C. elegans.
Posted on September 27, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Students will be able to travel the world with their Eastern peers during five global field courses in the coming spring/summer 2024 semesters. Departments offering courses include education, music, environmental earth science, psychology and English, and students will visit Jamaica, Austria, Maine/New Hampshire, Iceland and Italy.
Posted on September 26, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Gov. Ned Lamont urged Eastern Connecticut State University students to build careers in Connecticut during a visit with the Student Government Association (SGA) on Sept. 18. During the SGA meeting, he focused on the opportunities that younger generations have in the state's current job market.
Posted on September 25, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
An open house sponsored by the Center for Community Engagement at Eastern Connecticut State University on Sept. 18 promoted its mission and encouraged students to volunteer.
Posted on September 25, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
Two scientists from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) will describe their efforts to study and manage the beech leaf disease nematode, an invasive worm that is killing beech trees throughout Connecticut, at a seminar on Sept. 29 at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on September 21, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Brainstorming paid off for Eastern Connecticut State University computer science students Ian Valeta and Diego Hernandez Ramirez when their plan for a tree-planting digital game won them the top prize at the Hack4Delta Sustainability Hackathon Sept. 15-17 in Hartford.
Posted on September 21, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University alumnus Ryan Kelly ’18 was recently named Teacher-of-the-Year in East Haddam. He credits much of his success and drive to the influence of his professors at Eastern.
Posted on September 21, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of Communication, Film and Theatre has announced four upcoming productions for the 2023–24 academic year. Season ticket bundles are currently available for purchase, allowing audiences to save up to 15% on the ticket price for each performance.
Posted on September 21, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Andrew Shetland ’25, a U.S. Army veteran, father and graduate candidate at Eastern, received a Future STEM Teacher scholarship from TEACH Connecticut, a nonprofit founded by the U.S. Department of Education to support prospective teachers.
Posted on September 20, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Three biochemistry students at Eastern Connecticut State University are expanding their understanding of how supercomputers can be used to solve complicated health issues, under the guidance of Kedan He, assistant professor of chemistry and the only computational chemist at Eastern.
Posted on September 18, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Seventeen Eastern students traveled to Florence, Italy, for a six-week creative writing course this past summer. During their time there, students could travel around the country, seeing beautiful views and learning the history of some of the most artistically rich cities in the world.
Posted on September 13, 2023 by Marcus Grant
The Student Center hosted a Block Party on Sept. 8, highlighting the resources and offerings of the Unity Wing, Student Government Association (SGA) and Office of Student Activities.
Posted on September 13, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
Eastern Connecticut State University offers countless opportunities for students to grow as intellectuals, professionals and people. Over the summer, students had the chance to travel outside the United States, visiting countries such as England and Spain.
Posted on September 12, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Representatives from nearly 100 clubs and organizations gathered at the annual Student Involvement fair on Sept. 7 to introduce themselves to students. From academics to sports to cultural groups, Eastern offers countless ways for students to get involved.
Posted on September 12, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Eastern Connecticut State University will host musician Hunter Hayes on Sept. 24 on Shaboo Stage in downtown Willimantic as part of its annual fall festival.
Posted on September 12, 2023 by Noel Teter
As part of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read program, Eastern Connecticut State University students will have the opportunity to read Madeline Miller’s novel “Circe” and attend various community activities in theme with the book.
Posted on September 12, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Teresa Balough, lecturer of music history for almost 33 years at Eastern, recently published her book, “The Life and Work of Percy Aldridge Grainger: Till Life Become Fire.” As the title suggests, the book is the first attempt to compile details about Grainger, making new documents available to the public.
Posted on September 12, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed the class of 2027 and returning students to campus with a fun array of events during Welcome Week from Aug. 29 – Sept. 2. Hosted by the Campus Activity Board (CAB) and Office of Student Activities, the week had students of all classes enthusiastic about starting a new academic year.
Posted on September 11, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
Emily Todd, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, has always been drawn to studying literature and history. She has combined the two interests in her new book, “Teaching the History of the Book,” a collection of 38 essays she co-edited with Matteo Pangallo, associate professor of English at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Posted on September 11, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
A documentary film directed by Eastern Connecticut State University’s theatre Professor Brian Day about the Tulsa race massacre of 1921 captured attention at several film festivals this past summer.
Posted on September 08, 2023 by Elisabeth Craig
Music major Aidan Reiss ’26 of Stafford Springs is the first-ever recipient of the Wendy (Taylor) and Everett W. Yaps Memorial Endowed Scholarship, which was funded through a historic gift upwards of $500,000 from the Everett W. Yaps estate. The ECSU Foundation reports the gift as one of the largest in Eastern’s history, and will support students who have demonstrated a commitment to the study and performance of classical music.
Posted on September 06, 2023 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University’s men’s rugby team hosted Special Olympics Willimantic for its inaugural Special Olympics rugby clinic on Aug. 12 at the Mansfield Sports Complex.
Posted on August 30, 2023 by Noel Teter
While summer may be a time for rest and relaxation, many Eastern students take it as an opportunity to gain work experience via internships, allowing them to apply lessons learned in the classroom to the real world.
Posted on August 30, 2023 by Marcus Grant
Improving the HIV epidemic response in the South is the aim of a new grant-funded project that Eastern Connecticut State University faculty member Megan Stanton will work on as the co-principal investigator. Stanton is an expert on HIV treatment in the southern states and her research and published articles are helping inform the field.
Posted on August 30, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
A growing collaboration between Eastern Connecticut State University’s Institute for Sustainability and the eighth-grade science classes at the Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy in Windham received a boost this past summer when Barrows science teacher Nick Kukla ’19 was named a “sustainability advocate” by the Global Schools Program sponsored by the United Nations.
Posted on August 17, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
The Connecticut Association of Latinos in Higher Education (CALAHE) held its annual scholarship luncheon at Eastern Connecticut State University on Aug. 3, offering scholarships to first-generation college students from around the state.
Posted on August 14, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
An exhibition opening Aug. 23 at the Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University will examine the influence of artist Sol LeWitt on other artists working in a variety of media.
Posted on August 02, 2023 by
Three new water wells on the Eastern Connecticut State University campus will be used by environmental earth science (EES) students to learn about techniques used in environmental consulting.
Posted on August 01, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
A group of high school students from Connecticut and beyond previewed college life in a one-week Pre-College Summer program at Eastern Connecticut State University in July.
Posted on July 24, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Thirteen Eastern Connecticut State University students were introduced to theatre traditions and practices around the world by attending the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space in the Czech Republic in June.
Posted on July 06, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Students majoring in business subjects will now be part of the College of Business at Eastern Connecticut State University. The move is part of a rebranding this past spring that includes the departments of business administration, economics and finance, as well as accounting and business information systems.
Posted on July 05, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
More than 97% of the Class of 2027 at Eastern Connecticut State University participated in four sessions of SOAR, a two-day, on-site orientation for incoming students this June.
Posted on June 28, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
The annual Eastern Connecticut State University Golf Tournament on June 26 drew nearly 80 golfers to the Wethersfield Country Club for a day of golf that will support student scholarships, the Eastern Annual Fund and athletics.
Posted on June 28, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Fourteen students from E.O. Smith and Windham High Schools delved into data research at Eastern Connecticut State University this past spring in a NASA Space Grant Consortium project led by faculty members Fatma Pakdil and Steve Muchiri.
Posted on June 26, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
A field trip to the Bahamas in May gave 11 students in a Tropical Biology course at Eastern Connecticut State University a chance to observe and collect data on the flora and fauna of oceanic islands.
Posted on June 21, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Amirah Foster, a junior majoring in business administration at Eastern Connecticut State University, won a prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship from the U.S. Department of State to study and intern abroad.
Posted on June 21, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Eleven Eastern Connecticut State University students and two faculty members in the Department of Environmental Earth Science (EES) explored the geology and landscapes of western Colorado and southeastern Utah on a 12-day field trip in May.
Posted on June 20, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Improving access to higher education for underrepresented students will help ensure future economic prosperity and social stability, explains Eastern Connecticut State University President Elsa Núñez in a new book titled “The Evolving College Presidency: Emerging Trends, Issues and Challenges.”
Posted on June 15, 2023 by Cindy Weiss and Michael Rouleau
Twenty-six faculty at Eastern Connecticut State University sat in a classroom this past week to hear advice from a panel of four undergraduates on how they can make their courses appealing and how to communicate better with students.
Posted on June 13, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Police officers and other Eastern Connecticut State University community members took part in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run on June 1 to benefit Special Olympics CT. The run began at the parking lot of Eastern’s Public Safety building and wound through Willimantic.
Posted on June 06, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University is a “College of Distinction” for the 2023-24 academic year, a designation given by an organization of the same name that evaluates undergraduate institutions based on their commitment to hands-on learning, student-teacher relationships, campus life and successful student outcomes.
Posted on June 06, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
A video released this past fall by the Center for Early Childhood Education (CECE) at Eastern Connecticut State University on “Using Children’s Books to Help Build Inclusive Classrooms” has won a Telly award, the CECE’s eighth Telly since 2010.
Posted on June 01, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
New York City’s brief tenure as the nation’s capital is the subject of an article by Thomas Balcerski, associate professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University, in the new issue of “White House History Quarterly” magazine.
Posted on June 01, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
The “Warriors Don’t Waste” program, collecting items from May 1-12, was organized by senior Jacob Sweeney as part of his internship with Eastern’s Institute for Sustainability. Students at six residence halls donated 2,253 pounds of items that were delivered to the Covenant Soup Kitchen, the No Freeze Shelter and the Salvation Army in Willimantic.
Posted on May 30, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Two Eastern Connecticut State University faculty were recognized for excellence in teaching and research by the Connecticut Board of Regents in its annual faculty awards.
Posted on May 30, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Poet Daniel Donaghy, professor of English, was named the 2023 Distinguished Professor of the Year at Eastern Connecticut State University, affirming his own belief that, “Yes, you can teach poetry writing.”
Posted on May 30, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
A recent graduate who majored in environmental earth science at Eastern Connecticut State University won the Rankin Prize for the best undergraduate oral presentation at the recent annual meeting of the New England Estuarine Research Society (NEERS).
Posted on May 22, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Elsa M. Núñez, the sixth president of Eastern Connecticut State University, announced her retirement today. Núñez began her presidency in 2006 and will support the University as it transitions to a new president.
Posted on May 18, 2023 by Michael Stenko
Optimism and jubilation filled the XL Center in Hartford on May 16 as 890 Eastern Connecticut State University students received their degrees during the University's annual graduation ceremony. With thousands of supporters cheering in the stands, the event was a momentous occasion for the newest graduates of Connecticut's designated public liberal arts university.
Posted on May 17, 2023 by Michael Rouleau
Two Eastern Connecticut State University students won undergraduate research awards from the J. Eugene Smith Library this spring, and two others were cited for honorable mention.
Posted on May 17, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Psychology students at Eastern Connecticut State University recently helped the Ashford Senior Center celebrate special occasions. Students of Jennifer Leszczyński, professor of psychological science, volunteered to help seniors celebrate their birthdays in February, March and April.
Posted on May 16, 2023 by Noel Teter
More than 100 students received master’s degrees on May 13 during Eastern Connecticut State University’s 2023 Graduate Commencement and Hooding Ceremony.
Posted on May 16, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
The second phase of “Digital Windham,” a website created by historians at Eastern Connecticut State University went live on May 4 with new exhibits exploring what Willimantic was like in 1910.
Posted on May 16, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University senior Liam Hemingway, won a top prize at a national conference for his applied math research that looked for a way to draw unbiased congressional districts. In the process, he learned that gerrymandering, or drawing partisan districts, can happen even when you divide a state solely by population.
Posted on May 15, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
An Eastern Connecticut State University art professor, Afarin Rahmanifar, has works on exhibit at two New York City galleries this month.
Posted on May 11, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
The typically orderly playground of the Child and Family Development Resource Center (CFDRC) devolved into muddy chaos on May 5 for the preschool’s annual Fun Mud Day. For two hours, children splashed in puddles, crawled through mud, jumped in leaves and completed a number of messy obstacles with the support of Eastern physical education students.
Posted on May 11, 2023 by Michael Rouleau
More than 150 administrators, alumni, faculty, students and friends of the Accounting program at Eastern Connecticut State University attended the 27th Annual Accounting Banquet on April 19. Among the group were more than 80 alumni.
Posted on May 10, 2023 by Joseph McGann
James McCarthy, a new board member of the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education (BOR), visited Eastern Connecticut State University on May 4 to hear about the concerns of faculty and staff.
Posted on May 04, 2023 by
A new method that shortens the germination time of an endangered New England wildflower is described in a paper to be published in the Native Plants Journal by Eastern Connecticut State University student Dylan Tillman ’23 and biology Professor Bryan A. Connolly.
Posted on May 03, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University students celebrated the last week of spring semester classes at Spring Fest April 24-30, with a concert, fireworks display, carnival, inflatable obstacle course and other popular activities.
Posted on May 03, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Undergraduate research and creativity were celebrated at the 2023 CREATE conference at Eastern Connecticut State University on April 21, where students presented posters, gave talks, exhibited artwork and videos, performed music and acted in the University’s largest academic showcase of the year.
Posted on May 03, 2023 by Cindy Weiss
Eastern’s Theatre & Performance Media Program debuted its final show and first musical of the 2022-23 school year during a two-week run this April. The former Broadway musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” follows six middle schoolers competing in their regional spelling bee.
Posted on May 02, 2023 by Molly Boucher
Nearly 100 Eastern Connecticut State University students completed internships in the spring 2023 semester. Students explored a variety of opportunities on and off campus that related to their fields of study and allowed them to explore future career options.
Posted on May 01, 2023 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University sent eight students to the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire on April 13 to present their research findings at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR), an annual conference that features the nation’s most impressive examples of undergraduate research.
Posted on April 27, 2023 by Jack Jones
Three Eastern Connecticut State University students have won Equity and Social Justice Awards for their work promoting civil rights, resources for undocumented students, and mental health services on campus.
Posted on April 27, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University students volunteered nearly 320 hours of service at 10 Willimantic sites during the Town Pride, Town Wide community clean-up on April 22.
Posted on April 26, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
The Eastern Connecticut State University police department has earned Tier I state accreditation, the first step in a continuing process to ensure that the department’s policies, procedures and practices reflect standards set by state law and the Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council.
Posted on April 25, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
A new method for parents of autistic toddlers to encourage their children to take turns in social communications is the focus of an Eastern Connecticut State University research team in the Center for Early Childhood Education.
Posted on April 25, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
The global search for new antibiotics is getting a boost from Eastern Connecticut State University through an effort known as “Tiny Earth,” a network of researchers uniting against antibiotic resistance. On April 19, a dozen Norwich Free Academy juniors visted campus and had their soil samples analyzed for the Tiny Earth Day Symposium.
Posted on April 25, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Jeffrey Brown ’79, CEO of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, will be the keynote speaker for Eastern Connecticut State University’s Graduate Division graduation and hooding ceremony. The event will take place on May 13 in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center on Eastern’s Willimantic campus. Brown is a 1979 Eastern graduate.
Posted on April 25, 2023 by Ed Osborn
A film about the Tulsa Race Massacre produced by faculty at Eastern Connecticut State University will screen April 22 at 11 a.m. at the Rhode Island Black Film Festival and April 26 at 9 p.m. at the Ridgewood International Film Festival in Ridgewood, NJ.
Posted on April 19, 2023 by Ed Osborn and Michael Rouleau
State Treasurer Erick Russell called on the Eastern Connecticut State University community to maximize opportunities for all as he kicked off Diversity Week at Eastern with a talk that acknowledged his own struggles as a gay Black man in settings where most politicians have a very different profile.
Posted on April 18, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
A new course at Eastern Connecticut State University that teaches students about the rigors of becoming a police officer recently concluded its pilot semester, giving students perspective as they consider law enforcement careers.
Posted on April 18, 2023 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University’s J. Eugene Smith Library recently provided students with an opportunity to learn about social issues in a more intimate way than reading about them. The Human Library was available for “check-out,” or conversations, on April 11.
Posted on April 17, 2023 by Noel Teter
U.S. Senator Chris Murphy fielded questions ranging from gun violence to foreign policy at an open forum on April 12 sponsored by the Political Science Club and the Department of Political Science, Philosophy and Geography at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on April 17, 2023 by Jack Jones
Grace Lin, award-winning children’s author and illustrator, visited Eastern Connecticut State University’s campus on April 5 to talk about, “Windows and Mirrors of your Child’s Bookshelf.” The Student Center Theater was full for Lin’s lecture; she is nationally renowned for promoting the inclusivity and representation of Asian Americans, minority groups and people of color in children’s literature. Her lecture reflected several social themes, including the alienating effects of an imbalanced racial dynamic, the difficulties associated with transcending stereotypes and the importance of reclaiming pride in one’s identity.
Posted on April 13, 2023 by Jack Jones
A culinary scholar recently hosted a discussion at Eastern Connecticut State University about the impact of Asian American foodways and culture across the state.
Posted on April 13, 2023 by Noel Teter
Senior Zachary Brace, a psychology major with a budding reputation in the music industry, has spent the academic year revitalizing Eastern's Student Recording Session Program. Known as “ZEEBO," Brace has released some 150 instrumentals, remixes and full-length tracks, and helped more than 15 artists and two bands record, mix and master music all within the Communication Building's professional music studio.
Posted on April 13, 2023 by Jack Jones
Community service was on display at the annual Center for Community Engagement (CCE) Expo at Eastern Connecticut State University on April 10, where students collected awards for their service and exhibited posters describing their 8,421 volunteer hours in the Willimantic area this year.
Posted on April 12, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Four Eastern Connecticut State University biology students presented and won awards for their research at the 77th annual Eastern Colleges Science Conference, the oldest continuous scientific conference for undergraduates in the United States.
Posted on April 12, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Two seniors at Eastern Connecticut State University, Emily Barata of New Fairfield and Judith Ariana Arroyo Cervantes of Manchester, are recipients of the 2023 Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award, the top academic honor for undergraduates in the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System (CSCU).
Posted on April 10, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Speaking to a crowd of Eastern students, faculty and staff on April 5, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said the reasons why he pursued his law career and went on to become the first Asian American elected to a Connecticut state office.
Posted on April 06, 2023 by Amanda Irwin
A biology professor at Eastern Connecticut State University and three students who worked in his laboratory have published a research article in a peer-reviewed journal, “Plant Methods,” describing a protocol for growing plants aeroponically to study root growth and plant-microbe interactions.
Posted on April 05, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University gave students an opportunity to network and conduct pseudo-interviews with companies spanning multiple fields of concentration at the Career and Internship Fair on March 29. The Center for Career Success invited approximately 70 employers to participate.
Posted on April 05, 2023 by Jack Jones
Four Connecticut-based scholars described the ecological impacts and anthropogenic changes that humanity has had on the environment at a symposium at Eastern Connecticut State University on March 24.
Posted on April 05, 2023 by Jack Jones
Eastern Connecticut State University music students had a strong showing in statewide student auditions held by the Connecticut chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).
Posted on April 04, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Four Eastern Connecticut State University students and three faculty members from the Environmental Earth Science Department recently attended the Geological Society of America (GSA) Conference in Reston, VA. Professors of Environmental Earth Science Bryan Oakley, James (Drew) Hyatt and Peter Drzewiecki accompanied students Jonathan Lepire, Cameron Soulagnet, Emma Bean and Olivia Gentile to present and participate in the conference, which combined the Northeast and Southeast sections of the GSA.
Posted on April 04, 2023 by Molly Boucher
Recently, Gianna DeSante and Cailey Fay, psychology majors at Eastern Connecticut State University, presented their own research at the Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting. The event occurred March 23-25 in Salt Lake City, UT.
Posted on April 04, 2023 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University has announced that Dr. Thomas Gibson ’96 will be the keynote speaker for its 132nd Commencement Exercises, held May 16, 2023, at the XL Center in Hartford. Gibson is a 1996 Eastern graduate and the current chancellor of University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Gibson will also receive an honorary degree at the ceremony.
Posted on April 03, 2023 by By Michael Rouleau and Ed Osborn
For the second year in a row and fourth year overall, Eastern physical education teacher candidates have won the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) America National College Bowl.
Posted on April 03, 2023 by Ed Osborn and Michael Rouleau
Several psychology students and faculty from Eastern Connecticut State University presented at the Eastern Psychological Association’s (EPA) annual meeting on March 2–4 in Boston, MA
Posted on March 30, 2023 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of Public Safety celebrated the promotion of Officer Christine Nietupski on Friday, March 24, who was sworn in as sergeant during a ceremony in the library.
Posted on March 27, 2023 by Molly Boucher
The student organization Art Square showcased more than a dozen student artists its first gala since before the pandemic on March 10, featuring 20 works spanning a multitude of styles and creative techniques.
Posted on March 23, 2023 by Jack Jones
During spring break, many college students like to vacation somewhere warm, and this year, Eastern Connecticut State University’s Chamber Singers were no exception. The performing group traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico for a trip that included three performances.
Posted on March 23, 2023 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Early Childhood Education (CECE) reached a new milestone on March 23 when it passed 5 million views on its YouTube channel. The center is a research and professional development institute focused on improving the quality of early care and education nationally. Center faculty and staff conduct research on child development and teaching strategies, and develop educational videos to train current and future teachers. Videos are hosted on the center’s website and YouTube channel.
Posted on March 23, 2023 by
Two staff members at Eastern Connecticut State University who work closely with students were selected to attend the yearlong Executive Leadership Institute at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts starting in June.
Posted on March 22, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
A new center devoted to improving housing affordability in eastern Connecticut will soon open as part of a partnership that includes Eastern Connecticut State University as a founding member.
Posted on March 21, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
More than 350 works from 100 artists are being exhibited in the 43rd annual Prison Arts Show at Eastern Connecticut State University’s Art Gallery from March 20 to April 22.
Posted on March 21, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University will open its campus this July to high school students for the University’s first Pre-College Summer. The residential program will consist of three, one-week sessions led by full-time Eastern faculty who will guide high schoolers through a fun and specialized academic curriculum.
Posted on March 20, 2023 by Michael Rouleau
“Humans and the Environment,” a symposium on sustainability across disciplines, will be held March 24 at Eastern Connecticut State University. The symposium brings together four scholars and writers from throughout Connecticut who will share their research and reflections on the connections between humans and the environment.
Posted on March 16, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University will present the 43rd Prison Arts Program from March 20–April 22, featuring new artwork from artists currently or formerly incarcerated in Connecticut.
Posted on March 15, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Six student leaders at the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University attended the recent IMPACT Conference on civic engagement for students from colleges around the country.
Posted on March 08, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
The Muslim Students Association (MSA) at Eastern Connecticut State University is raising money to benefit earthquake victims in Turkiye and Syria.
Posted on March 08, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Students heard advice on credit card debt and credit scores at a financial workshop on March 2, one of a series of ongoing talks this semester designed to prepare them for the tribulations of a postgraduate lifestyle.
Posted on March 08, 2023 by Jack Jones
Last week, Jennifer Haley’s 2012 play “The Nether” opened at Eastern Connecticut State University’s DelMonte Bernstein Studio Theater, directed by Kristen Morgan, professor of theatre.
Posted on March 07, 2023 by Noel Teter
A senior at Eastern Connecticut State University served as assistant director of a recent production at TheaterWorks, Hartford. Rebecca Ristow ’23, a theatre major with concentrations in acting and directing, dramaturgy and cultural performance, was the assistant director of the play “Queen of Basel,” which was shown Feb. 3-26.
Posted on March 07, 2023 by Noel Teter
President Terrence Cheng of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) urged students, faculty and staff at Eastern Connecticut State University to talk to local legislators about Eastern’s financial needs as the state considers new higher education budgets.
Posted on March 07, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University recently hosted its second annual Anthropology Day through the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, Criminology and Social Work. Aimed at raising awareness regarding the importance of teaching anthropology through all grade levels, including higher education, the theme of this year was employability with a degree in anthropology. Included in the day were two panels focused on career readiness and the graduate school experience, as well as a public showing and discussion of the film “Descendent,” created by documentary filmmaker Margaret Brown.
Posted on March 02, 2023 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University is receiving a $1.2 million grant from the Connecticut Health Horizons project, a three-year, $35 million program established by the state to address the nursing shortage in Connecticut.
Posted on March 02, 2023 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Music Program hosted a Piano Gala concert on Feb. 25, featuring several talented students and faculty pianists performing a wide variety of music that resonates with them personally.
Posted on March 02, 2023 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University’s men’s soccer team recently joined forces with Be the Match, an organization seeking to find potential donors for patients with blood diseases. Students volunteered to take oral swabs during Eastern’s annual registry in the Sports Center lobby on Feb. 16.
Posted on March 02, 2023 by Noel Teter
Recovering gambling addict Brian Hatch lectured at Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 22, chronicling his lifelong struggles with gambling addiction and providing numerous tips on how college students can curtail their gambling habits. The Office of Wellness Education and Promotion, in collaboration with the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, invited Hatch to talk at a University Hour.
Posted on March 02, 2023 by Jack Jones
Students at Eastern Connecticut State University whose primary languages are not English took the opportunity to celebrate their linguistic and cultural diversity on International Mother Language Day on Feb. 21 in the Student Center Café.
Posted on February 24, 2023 by Noel Teter
While the recent spike in reported mental health cases has predominantly affected adults, many children have also begun to experience the challenges of mental illness. To support the local community, Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) has taken the initiative to address mental health concerns in the local school district.
Posted on February 24, 2023 by Jack Jones
Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Adella Carlson ’20 will make a welcome return to the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Concert Hall on March 9 to perform a recital of contemporary works for clarinet titled “Rise Up.”
Posted on February 24, 2023 by Noel Teter
On Feb. 11, Eastern Connecticut State University was the host for the Connecticut State Chess Association’s (CSCA) speed chess state championship. Fifty-five competitors from six states competed in a series of rapid (10 minutes per side), blitz (three minutes per side) and bullet (one minute per side) tournaments.
Posted on February 16, 2023 by Jack Jones
Most people are likely to recognize Feb. 14 as Valentine’s Day. However, there is another occasion to be celebrated on this date: the birth of civil rights and anti-slavery activist Frederick Douglass. This year Eastern Connecticut State University joined other colleges and universities across the nation in a ‘transcribe-a-thon’ on Douglass Day.
Posted on February 16, 2023 by Noel Teter
During a recent women’s basketball game, Eastern Connecticut State University athletes, coaches and Athletic Department staff met an objective that extended far beyond beating their opponent. On Feb. 4, the women’s basketball team dedicated its game to raising donations — and awareness — for breast cancer research. Following Eastern’s 70-46 victory over Castleton University, the team honored 15 breast cancer survivors at center court. Women’s head coach Denise Bierly organized the event along with the Center for Community Engagement (CCE). The team’s ‘Play for K’ fund raised approximately $4,500 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation — the world’s largest nonprofit source of funding for the fight against breast cancer.
Posted on February 15, 2023 by Jack Jones
Two Eastern Connecticut State University professors of psychology contributed to an upcoming book, “Early Psychological Research Contributions from Women of Color, Volume 1,” being published by Routledge. The text, which highlights 20 different women of color who served as pioneers of psychology, explores the contributions that are often erased and whitewashed from historical psychology education. Professors T. Caitlin Vasquez-O’Brien and Luis Cordon’s chapter focused on Felicisima (Ping) Serafica, a front-runner in attachment theory focused on the mother-infant bond, an advocate for Asian American students, and the first Filipina American tenured psychology professor.
Posted on February 13, 2023 by Molly Boucher
A year after a mental health task force formed on the Eastern Connecticut State University campus, the group has a strategic plan for meeting students’ mental health needs identified in a campus-wide survey.
Posted on February 13, 2023 by by Lucinda Weiss
Mark Fabrizi, associate professor of education at Eastern Connecticut State University, has published “Writing a Watertight Thesis, 2nd edition,” with Bloomsbury Publishing. The first edition, which was completed by Fabrizi’s co-authors, Mike Bottery and Nigel Wright, also includes input from Fabrizi.
Posted on February 09, 2023 by Molly Boucher
An interdistrict grant from EastConn, a public, nonprofit regional educational service agency, brought fifth-grade students from several nearby communities to Eastern Connecticut State University’s campus on Feb. 2 to meet other students and forge connections.
Posted on February 09, 2023 by Noel Teter
More than 800 students attended Eastern Connecticut State University’s Winterfest on Feb. 1, an annual tradition that was hosted jointly by the Campus Activity Board (CAB), Chartwell’s and the Student Government Association (SGA). Students experienced the season’s most beloved traditions and activities — including ice skating, drinking hot cocoa and decorating cookies.
Posted on February 08, 2023 by Jack Jones
Eastern Connecticut State University’s men’s rugby team hosted the 12th annual Olga Ezis “Plunge for Hunger” on Feb. 4 at Lauter Park in Willimantic. For the first time in two years, the event was held live. The annual plunge benefits the Covenant Soup Kitchen.
Posted on February 07, 2023 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University is requesting nominations for its annual excellence awards. Each year, Eastern presents six excellence awards to employees who made outstanding contributions to the university. Awards are presented in the areas of teaching, creative/scholarly activity and service to the university.
Posted on February 07, 2023 by Noel Teter
Masks, ubiquitous during the height of the COVID pandemic, have all but disappeared from faces, but an art installation on the Eastern Connecticut State University campus brings them into view as large-scale wall quilts.
Posted on February 06, 2023 by by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Art Gallery is debuting its first exhibit of the semester, “Chinatown Chronicles,” in collaboration with Eastern’s 2023 NEA Big Read book selection, Charles Yu’s “Interior Chinatown.” The exhibit will run Jan. 18-March 9 in the Art Gallery located in the Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on February 02, 2023 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Unity Wing held an open house on Jan. 27 to familiarize students with the missions, values and resources of its three parts -- the Intercultural Center, the Pride Center and the Women’s Center. The Unity Wing serves as an interconnected support system that reinforces the goals of feminism, the LGBTQ+ community, multiculturalism and social justice.
Posted on February 02, 2023 by Jack Jones
Re-examining old battlefields through a new lens is the subject of a recently published book, “Conflict Archaeology, Historical Memory, and the Experience of War,” co-edited by Ashley Ann Bissonnette, assistant professor of public health at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on February 01, 2023 by by Lucinda Weiss
Twelve area high school students will be recruited to conduct healthcare management data research at Eastern Connecticut State University this spring under a NASA grant awarded to faculty members Fatma Pakdil and Steve Muchiri.
Posted on February 01, 2023 by by Lucinda Weiss
Forty Eastern clubs and organizations — ranging from the Gamers’ Guild to the Asian Cultural Club — sent representatives to the Spring Club Fair on Jan. 25 to provide students with information about their missions, goals, values and upcoming meetings. All students, including first-year transfers and spring ’23 graduates, were welcome to attend.
Posted on January 30, 2023 by Jack Jones
Eleven students in the National Science Foundation-sponsored Success Scholar program at Eastern Connecticut State University are pairing with faculty and student mentors in a four-year effort to prepare for careers in science.
Posted on January 24, 2023 by Noel Teter
In a celebration of the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Intercultural Center on Jan. 18 provided a platform for students to reflect on some of King’s most renowned speeches, learn new insights about social justice and the civil rights movement, and connect with others from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Posted on January 23, 2023 by Jack Jones
More than 100 students gathered in the Student Center on Jan. 17 for Eastern’s 5th annual Career Readiness Conference. The event consisted of six workshops where students gained career-preparation advice from professionals in a variety of fields. Eastern students were encouraged to network with others and bolster their employability by implementing the strategies shared by each presenter.
Posted on January 20, 2023 by Jack Jones
Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Elaine Hill ’17 was surprised with one of the nation’s most prestigious education awards, the Milken Educator Award, on Jan. 12 in a surprise assembly at her elementary school in Waterbury. The award includes a $25,000 check to spend however she chooses.
Posted on January 19, 2023 by Noel Teter
New biology research at Eastern Connecticut State University has discovered that novel bacteria exist in the stingers of scorpions, a discovery that could help alleviate the global issue of antibiotic resistance.
Posted on January 17, 2023 by Michael Rouleau
Preschool teacher Karla Alamo recently presented with researchers from three universities at the National Association for the Education of Young Children in Washington, D.C. Alamo is a bilingual teacher associate at Eastern’s Child and Family Development Resource Center (CFDRC) who was invited by Eastern researchers Julia DeLapp and Jeffrey Trawick-Smith to contribute to a presentation on supporting multilingual learners.
Posted on January 10, 2023 by
Eastern’s chapter of the State University Organization of Administrative Faculty (SUOAF) raised $4,050 for the Covenant Soup Kitchen this holiday season. Local chapter members raised $1,025 at their annual holiday party on Dec. 13, with a $1,000 match by SUOAF, followed by a $2,025 anonymous match for the grand total of $4,050.
Posted on January 06, 2023 by
“Sidonia’s Thread – Crafting a Life from Holocaust to High Fashion” will be exhibited at the Mandell Jewish Community Center Jan. 2-Feb. 10, 2023, with an opening reception on Jan. 8.
Posted on January 04, 2023 by by Lucinda Weiss
A study by Eastern researchers of hospital readmission rates for patients with congestive heart failure shows that longer initial hospital stays reduce the risk of readmission, a finding that could help the healthcare industry with cost containment and quality of care.
Posted on January 04, 2023 by by Lucinda Weiss
Sarah Baires, associate professor of anthropology at Eastern Connecticut State University, is the principal investigator on a new National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to conduct an archaeological study in Cahokia, an indigenous city in southern Illinois that was the largest in North America in medieval times.
Posted on December 22, 2022 by by Lucinda Weiss
Two assistant professors at Eastern, Khai Zhi Sim and Soojin Kim, have won fellowships from the New England Board of Higher Education’s North Star Collective, which supports Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) faculty.
Posted on December 22, 2022 by by Lucinda Weiss
Eastern Connecticut State University junior Sara Green is one of five student poets selected for the Connecticut Poetry Circuit. Students were selected based on entries they submitted to the circuit and will tour with their writings across the state from Feb. 6 to March 11.
Posted on December 22, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Biochemistry major Djenerly Massena and her mentor, Professor Kedan He, researched a complex data problem on how to identify new designer drugs.
Posted on December 15, 2022 by by Lucinda Weiss
The Eastern Connecticut State University Concert Band’s winter performance on Dec. 7 opened with composer Omar Thomas’s “A Mother of a Revolution!” a piece that inspired the title of the entire program. “Revolution” concluded an event-filled semester of live performance for the Music Program, and marked the return of local community musicians to the Concert Band since the onset of the pandemic.
Posted on December 14, 2022 by Noel Teter
Over the course of the fall 2022 semester at Eastern, Professor Charlie Chatterton has organized several events for his classes in the business administration department that have entertained his students and given them hands-on learning experience in the sports industry.
Posted on December 13, 2022 by by Noel Teter
Emiliano Villanueva, associate professor of international business and chair of the business administration department, presented his research on Argentine wine exports at the New England Council of Latin American Studies Conference at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, CT, on Nov. 5.
Posted on December 13, 2022 by by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University has received its first Gold rating for sustainability by STARS--the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System. Eastern has one of only three Gold ratings in Connecticut.
Posted on December 12, 2022 by by Michael Rouleau
The seventh annual #WarriorsGive fundraising campaign that concluded on Nov. 14 generated $84,629, including an anonymous matching gift of $21,629.
Posted on December 08, 2022 by
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Pride Center is making waves in gender affirmation and expression with its new initiative, Open Closet. The project aims to provide free clothing to those looking to be represented accurately by their attire.
Posted on December 08, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern is upping its energy sustainability profile with five new car chargers added recently to the six already installed at the Shakespeare and Cervantes garages.
Posted on December 07, 2022 by Lucinda Weiss
The 25th Warriors Open Rec Night brought 500 students to Geissler gymnasium on Dec. 2, the first Open Rec held since the coronavirus pandemic. It was hosted by COPS, a division of the Campus Police Department that focuses on community-oriented policing. The six-hour event (9 p.m. – 2 a.m.), held annually before the pandemic, gave students an opportunity to relax before finals, engage in various activities and show support for the school’s police.
Posted on December 07, 2022 by Jack Jones
Three faculty authors spoke about diversity, equity and inclusion at a Nov. 30 University Hour event, "Meet Eastern's Authors."
Posted on December 07, 2022 by Lucinda Weiss
Sociology Professor Cara Bergstrom-Lynch raised more than $4,000 in memory of former student Alyssiah Wiley on Dec. 4 at the annual Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passage in Northampton, MA. Wiley was an Eastern sophomore when she was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 2013.
Posted on December 07, 2022 by Noel Teter
The play/film "Acting is Believing," challenging audience perceptions as it was performed in two mediums, ranged from restoration comedy to contemporary improv in a campus production of The Theatre & Performance Media Program.
Posted on December 06, 2022 by by Lucinda Weiss
Six physical education teacher candidates at Eastern placed first in the 13th annual Connecticut Association for Health Physical Education and Dance (CTAHPERD) Dee Perilli College Bowl on Nov. 17 in Southbury, CT. Eastern sent two teams, consisting of physical education majors from three different fields of concentration, whose combined score secured Eastern the first-place finish.
Posted on December 05, 2022 by Jack Jones
Eastern’s campus community may have received the hero it needs. An anonymous student dressed in a Spider Man suit has been spotted patrolling the campus on Friday nights and at special events. While he is unable to shoot webs from his fingertips and scale tall buildings, he possesses a greater power: bringing smiles and relief to Eastern students.
Posted on November 29, 2022 by Noel Teter
Sophomore political science major Katherine Escalante received the chance of a lifetime this November when she was invited to Washington, D.C, to advocate for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. This is her journal of the trip.
Posted on November 28, 2022 by Katherine Escalante
Eastern Connecticut State University’s 16th annual Day of Giving on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving was the only turkey dinner that many participants would have this holiday. More than 300 full turkey dinners were prepared by Chartwells, Eastern’s food service provider, and served by Eastern student, faculty and staff volunteers on Nov. 23 in Hurley Hall.
Posted on November 23, 2022 by Lucinda Weiss
Three dramatically different artistic interpretations of the human experience and how we rebound from setbacks are expressed in the faculty Sculpture and Ceramic Exhibit on view in the Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University through Dec. 16.
Posted on November 21, 2022 by Lucinda Weiss
A revamped performance ensemble, Thread City Jazz Trio, featuring three music department faculty is set to release a new album this coming January. The self-titled release is an adventurous re-imagining of jazz standards through the fusion of the unique artistic perspectives of Anthony Cornicello (piano), Rick O’Neal (bass guitar) and Matt Bronson (drums).
Posted on November 21, 2022 by Noel Teter
Eastern alumna Megan Campbell ‘21 returned to her alma mater on Nov. 14 to meet with undergraduates and discuss her experiences attending the nation’s top film school. Currently, she’s a graduate student attending the University of Southern California (USC) School of Cinematic Arts as an aspiring television screenwriter.
Posted on November 18, 2022 by Jack Jones
Eastern Connecticut State University's Theatre & Performance Media Program will present its second main-stage production of the fall semester, "Acting is Believing," on Dec. 1-4. Happening simultaneously in two venues within the Fine Arts Instructional Center, the show will entertain two separate audiences who will watch live theatre and film versions of the same show, and then switch places.
Posted on November 18, 2022 by Molly Boucher
The men’s and women’s rugby clubs at Eastern Connecticut State University both have young rosters with many first-year players. This lack of experience has not hurt the teams, however, as both made playoff runs in their respective leagues this season. In fact, the women’s team became the New England Collegiate Rugby Conference (NEWCRC) Tier 2 champions, defeating Tufts University on Nov. 5. Team president Melody Ochoa was named MVP.
Posted on November 16, 2022 by Noel Teter
The Prospanica Connecticut Chapter Board of Directors selected Joshua Sumrell, coordinator of the Intercultural Center, to receive its 2022 Education Leadership Award. The award recognizes Sumrell’s embodiment of Prospanica’s missions, values and initiatives due to his contribution and engagement with the organization and chapter members. Sumrell will attend the annual Destino Award Gala on Dec. 8 to accept his award and give a speech.
Posted on November 16, 2022 by Jack Jones
For the 13th year in a row, Eastern Connecticut State University is recognized in the Princeton Review’s “Guide to Green Colleges.” More than 700 schools were reviewed for their green practices, and Eastern was selected as one of 455 schools recognized for prioritizing sustainability and environmentally conscious initiatives.
Posted on November 16, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Student volunteer Kailani Therriault was recently recognized as Rookie of the Year by the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program in Willimantic for completing $825,000 worth of refunds and tax credits for the local community.
Posted on November 14, 2022 by Noel Teter
The price of freedom and gratitude toward veterans resounded at the annual Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 11 at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on November 11, 2022 by Lucinda Weiss
Gov. Ned Lamont, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Atty. Gen. William Tong and other top Democrats in the state came to Eastern on Nov. 4 to encourage students to vote on Election Day. The event happened through the efforts of political science major Grace Carlos `23 and the student organization College Democrats. This was the first event by the College Democrats since the club’s recent reactivation.
Posted on November 10, 2022 by Jack Jones
English professor Daniel Donaghy was recently honored by the “Southern Humanities Review” with its Auburn Witness Poetry Prize. The prize highlights a work that commemorates social justice and was created in memory of acclaimed author Jake Adam York, one of Donaghy’s longtime friends.
Posted on November 09, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Campus Activity Board (CAB) was recently recognized for its dedication to campus involvement at the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) Hartford Conference. Hosted from Oct. 27-29, the conference awarded three schools, including Eastern, the 2022 Excellence in Programming Award. CAB was also awarded a certificate for Best Printed Material, a recognition voted on by fellow students at the conference.
Posted on November 09, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Sociology Professor Nicolas Simon and Sandra Flores-Gonzales, assistant director of the Office of AccessAbility Services (OAS), won the inaugural Betsey Doane Digital Accessibility Innovation Award from the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Accessibility Council. The award is named after Doane, a longtime mathematics professor at Housatonic Community College, an advocate for accessibility and an educational innovator.
Posted on November 09, 2022 by Noel Teter
Two philosophy faculty members examined perspectives on the right to abortion in a panel discussion on Nov. 7. Professor Ana Funes-Maderey and Lecturer Matthew Rukgaber each presented a different perspective on why abortion should be legal. The event was presented by the Philosophy Program in partnership with the Human Rights and Philosophy Clubs.
Posted on November 09, 2022 by Noel Teter
For centuries, stories have been told around Halloween in the Virginia Beach area about the mysterious and mischievous Grace Sherwood, the “Witch of Pungo.” Eastern Connecticut State University History Professor Scott Moore recently held a lecture on Sherwood’s legend at Lynnhaven House in his native Virginia Beach.
Posted on November 07, 2022 by Noel Teter
A new documentary series about tobacco farm workers in Connecticut and their impact on civil rights is being produced by Eastern Theatre Professors Brian Day and Kristen Morgan. Hosted by Connecticut entertainment producer June Archer, “Stepping into the Shade” is planned to be released in late 2023.
Posted on November 07, 2022 by Noel Teter
Niti Pandey and Emily Todd come from different realms of academia, but as Eastern’s two deans, they are united in their mission to advance the liberal arts. Niti Pandey is the dean of the School of Education and Professional Studies. Emily Todd is the dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. The two sat down to speak on their backgrounds and the goals of their respective schools.
Posted on November 07, 2022 by Molly Boucher
James Diller, Christopher Krebs and Jenna Gray, faculty members in Eastern’s psychological science department, have published in Behavioral Pedagogies and Online Learning, an open educational resource (OER) book about using behavioral instruction techniques in online classes.
Posted on November 07, 2022 by Noel Teter
Eastern students practiced their networking skills while displaying their employability at Entertainment Industry Day on Nov. 4. A variety of industry professionals, from film directors to theatre production crews, gathered in the Fine Arts Instructional Center to meet with students and discuss the current state of entertainment.
Posted on November 07, 2022 by Jack Jones
Eastern hosted the Northeast Regional Undergraduate Research, Scholarly and Creative Activity Conference of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) on Oct. 28-29. The conference provided a platform to display the work of 49 students from six liberal arts colleges in the Northeast. This is the first time that COPLAC has been able to host a live event in three years due to the global pandemic.
Posted on November 07, 2022 by Jack Jones
Eastern kicked off its National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) ‘Big Read’ program on Oct. 27 with a talk by Terrence Cheng, president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU). Cheng discussed his experience as an author and an Asian American, and connected those identities to Eastern’s current Big Read book, “Interior Chinatown” by Charles Yu.
Posted on November 02, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Political Science honors society, Pi Sigma Alpha, recently hosted a voter registration event on Oct. 26. Aiming to promote civil engagement and register voters, the event was equipped with a voter registration table, as well as guest speaker Sue Larsen, registrar for the city of South Windsor.
Posted on November 01, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University partnered with the University of Connecticut and United Way of Connecticut for a community service event called Day of Caring on Oct. 22. Groups of Eastern and UConn students, including members of athletic teams and other student organizations, traveled to various locations around Windham and participated in gardening, cleaning, and other beautification activities. In total, 101 students from Eastern volunteered throughout the day.
Posted on October 26, 2022 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted the Connecticut Supreme Court on Oct. 19 as it heard two cases in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center. The event marked the return of the Court’s “On Circuit” program, which had been suspended since 2020 due to the pandemic. The program aims to provide students, educators and the public an up-close look at the appellate process.
Posted on October 26, 2022 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University Psychology Professor Jenna Scisco has completed compelling research that may impact the way people work from home in a post-COVID world. Titled “‘It’s Been a Game Changer’: A Qualitative Study of Treadmill Desk Use When Working from Home,” the research explores the motivators and barriers for treadmill desk use in a work-from-home setting. Completed with four undergraduate research assistants — Emma Meyers ’22, Andrew Miceli ’22, Jordyn Powell ’22 and Katelyn Kawabe ’21 — the qualitative study explored 20 different participants’ experiences with a treadmill desk.
Posted on October 25, 2022 by Molly Boucher
The Theatre and Performance Media program performed a current events-inspired version of Sophocles’ “Oedipus the King” from Oct. 11–16. Over seven performances, hundreds of students, families and local theatre enthusiasts attended the production in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Proscenium Theater.
Posted on October 24, 2022 by Jack Jones
Eastern Connecticut State University is enhancing safety precautions on campus with a mobile phone app known as LiveSafe. Designed to connect community members and their local public safety officers, the app allows for a number of functions including an option to report safety concerns, a GPS tracking system for walks across campus and a 911 feature.
Posted on October 24, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Cannabis cultivators, researchers and industry hopefuls visited Eastern Connecticut State University from Oct. 21-22 for the state’s first academic conference focused on cannabis research. After becoming the first school in Connecticut to offer a minor in Cannabis Cultivation and Chemistry, Eastern hosted the inaugural New England Cannabis Research and Education Conference (NECREC). The conference gave experts and students a forum to discuss numerous cannabis-related issues, business opportunities and research studies.
Posted on October 24, 2022 by Jack Jones
The office of University Opportunity Programs (UOP) hosted an event-filled "Immigration Week" from Oct. 11–Oct. 13. In support of recipients of Eastern's TheDream.US scholarship, the week featured a career workshop, a panel about the current state of DACA, one-on-one meetings with an immigration attorney, and a film screening.
Posted on October 24, 2022 by Katherine Escalante
There have only been 190 death row exonerations since 1973, and on Oct. 12, one of them came to Eastern for the first University Hour of the semester. Sabrina Butler-Smith, the second woman and first Black female exonerated from death row informed students about her life-changing experience and the dire consequences of issuing wrongful convictions and enforcing capital punishment on innocent lives.
Posted on October 21, 2022 by Jack Jones
Eastern Connecticut State University will announce a certification for environmentally sustainable cannabis businesses at the inaugural New England Cannabis Research and Education Conference (NECREC) on Oct. 21-22. The New England Sustainable Cannabis Certification (NESCC) will recognize cannabis businesses that meet standards of continuous improvement of their environmental and social impacts and are models of long-term sustainability for other cannabis businesses and their communities.
Posted on October 20, 2022 by Amanda Irwin and Michael Rouleau
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a panel discussion on Oct. 12 as part of its “Women at War” exhibition. The discussion was facilitated by Maiyah Gamble-Rivers, assistant director of Student Affairs at the School Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University and featured artist, educator, photographer and community organizer Luciana Quagliato McClure.
Posted on October 18, 2022 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University is one of 62 communities nationwide to receive a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read grant for 2022-23 year. Eastern will host a series of events exploring Charles Yu’s book “Interior Chinatown,” kicking off on Oct. 27 with a talk by Terrence Cheng, president of Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU).
Posted on October 18, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern’s teacher preparation programs recently received the 2022 “Frank Murray Recognition for Continuous Improvement” by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The award is presented to colleges and universities that display dedication toward innovation, leadership and educational advancement.
Posted on October 12, 2022 by Jack Jones
The first New England Cannabis Research and Education Conference (NECREC), hosted by Eastern Connecticut State University on Oct. 21-22, has announced its full roster of speakers and panel topics. The conference is the first academic conference in Connecticut focused on cannabis studies.
Posted on October 11, 2022 by Amanda Irwin
Eastern physical sciences lecturer Shirzad Ahmadi’s résumé looks like it could belong to three different people. He has been a wrestling coach at several universities in New England, and he spent over 30 years as a high-school science teacher. Oh, and he has won national and world titles as a wrestler. The drive to take his life down this path, he says, comes from wrestling.
Posted on October 11, 2022 by Noel Teter
On Sept. 30, Eastern alumni were invited to the Student Center to celebrate the 15th anniversary of its renovation and opening. Approximately 50 alumni were in attendance for a nostalgic return to a place where they had many fond memories.
Posted on October 11, 2022 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its 3rd annual Alyssiah Wiley End Relationship Violence Awareness Event on Oct. 4. The event was organized by Sociology Professor Brenda Westberry and featured a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, guest speakers, awards and more.
Posted on October 06, 2022 by Noel Teter
On Sept. 28, Eastern Connecticut State University’s Creative Writing Club and Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion (JEDI) group presented a reading to celebrate the publication of the fifth issue of “Here: A Poetry Journal.” The issue was co-edited by English Professors Daniel Donaghy and Raouf Mama and features poems that explore racial equity and social/environmental justice.
Posted on October 06, 2022 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its annual reunion weekend on Sept. 30–Oct. 1. For the first time in the school’s history, Eastern Celebrates occurred simultaneously with “Family Day,” to bring students and alumni together like never before for a weekend of festivities.
Posted on October 05, 2022 by Jack Jones
Eastern Connecticut State University Professor of Education Theresa Bouley recently hit Library Journal’s best-seller list for academic/education-centric books with her latest release, “Implicit Bias: An Educator's Guide to the Language of Microaggressions.” Published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2021 and co-authored by Anni K. Reinking, the book brings attention to racial biases and microaggressions that students of diverse backgrounds face.
Posted on October 04, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted “Steps for a Mighty Mind” on Sept. 29 to bring awareness to mental health and suicide prevention. The event was organized by Eastern student Kalagena Sullivan, who was motivated by her own struggles with mental health and the passing away of a fellow Eastern student.
Posted on October 03, 2022 by Noel Teter
The Theatre and Performance Media Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will kick off its fall theatre season with Sophocles’ “Oedipus the King” from Oct. 11–16 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Proscenium Theater. Translated by Bryan Doerries and directed by Bob McGrath, the multimedia adaptation draws parallels to today’s pandemic and political climate.
Posted on September 29, 2022 by Noel Teter
School Education and Professional Studies Dean Niti Pandey and Management and Marketing Professors Emiliano Villanueva, Fatma Pakdil and Sukeshini Grandhi attended the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business’s (AACSB) Americas Accreditation Conference on Sep. 13-15 in Atlanta.
Posted on September 29, 2022 by Noel Teter
The ECSU Foundation called upon the Eastern community to participate in the fifth annual Andrej 5k Fun Run & Walk from Sept. 16–18. The ceremonial race serves as a fundraising memorial for Eastern alumnus and former RHAM science teacher Andrej Cavarkapa ‘09. The event raised more than $4,000 between all registrations and donations received.
Posted on September 28, 2022 by Jack Jones
The Communication, Film and Theatre Department at Eastern Connecticut State University is set to present “Oedipus the King,” a play written by Sophocles, translated by Brian Doerries, and directed by Bob McGrath. The performances will take place at the Fine Arts Instructional Center’s (FAIC) Proscenium Theater on Oct. 11-16.
Posted on September 27, 2022 by Noel Teter
Robert Ford, a lecturer for Eastern Connecticut State University’s Education Department, had his research efforts acknowledged for “gamifying” learning techniques within classroom settings. Ford has been chosen to receive the 2022 “English Leadership Quarterly” (ELQ) Best Article Award. He will receive this accolade from The Conference on English Leadership (CEL) for his published work titled “Adventures in Gamification and Personalized Learning: A Case Study in Game-Based Course Design.”
Posted on September 26, 2022 by Jack Jones
Dozens of biology students and faculty gathered in room 104 of the Dr. David G. Carter Science Building on Sept. 23 for an hour-long summer internship showcase. This first seminar event of the semester was hosted by Biology Professor Kristin Epp, who invited four students to share their internship insights and experiences.
Posted on September 26, 2022 by Jack Jones
Eastern is featured as one of the 224 best colleges in the Northeast for the 2023 academic year in the Princeton Review’s annual “Best Regional Colleges” list, released this past August. The ranking scale consists of three categorical standards for academics, student body and campus life.
Posted on September 26, 2022 by Jack Jones
Eastern Connecticut State University Management Professor Fatma Pakdil and alumna Hannah Beazoglou ’21 have recently been published for their collaborative research titled “Monitoring Length of Stay of Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients: A Times Series Analysis Using Statistical Process Control.” The research, which stems from Beazoglou’s undergraduate honors thesis, was published by the Journal of Healthcare Management.
Posted on September 22, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University students came eager with resumes in hand for the 18th annual accounting fair. Hosted by the Department of Accounting and Business Information Systems, the event took place in the Betty Tipton room on Sept. 22. Thirteen different firms and companies attended, many of which included Eastern alumni as representatives, each encouraging networking and explaining internship opportunities to students.
Posted on September 22, 2022 by Molly Boucher
On Sept. 20, the Campus Police at Eastern Connecticut State University swore in a new officer. Morgan Velez will enter the Connecticut Police Academy’s 376th session on Sept. 22 and is expected to graduate on Apr. 3, 2023. After she graduates, Velez will enter Eastern’s Field Training Program.
Posted on September 22, 2022 by Noel Teter
In light of October being National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Eastern Connecticut State University will host the third annual Alyssiah Wiley End Relationship Violence Awareness Event on Tuesday, Oct. 4, from 12-4 p.m. in the Student Center lobby and Sports Center gymnasium. The event will include guest speakers, tabling for resources and education concerning intimate partner violence, and the annual 3 vs. 3 basketball tournament.
Posted on September 22, 2022 by Molly Boucher
In the wake of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a new Art Gallery exhibition at Eastern Connecticut State University offers a fresh perspective on the war. The collection, “Women at War,” is intended to show the struggles of Ukrainian women during wartime, as women traditionally do not get the amount of visibility that men on the frontlines get.
Posted on September 21, 2022 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University will host a debate for the 2nd Congressional District on Oct. 4 as part of a series of election-season debates sponsored by Connecticut Public and the Connecticut League of Women Voters. Occurring at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Instructional Center Concert Hall, the debate will feature incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Courtney and Republican candidate Mike France.
Posted on September 14, 2022 by
This summer, several students at Eastern Connecticut State University gained real-life experience and learned about themselves through internships. They left their internships in fields such as sales, sports management and insurance with greater knowledge of their prospective professions and of themselves.
Posted on September 14, 2022 by Noel Teter
On Sept. 9, Eastern Connecticut State University students and faculty convened on the first floor of the Student Center to familiarize themselves with the values and resources available to them in the Arthur L. Johnson Unity Wing.
Posted on September 14, 2022 by Jack Jones
Eastern Connecticut State University has announced its fall 2022–spring 2023 theatre season with a series titled “The Awakening.” Reflecting changes in the entertainment industry brought on by the pandemic, the series of four productions and one special, one-night performance focuses on various awakenings or discoveries.
Posted on September 13, 2022 by Noel Teter
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its annual Student Involvement Fair and President’s Picnic on Thursday, Sept. 8. The event, which included nearly 400 students in attendance, allowed for attendees to explore student-run clubs and organizations, and develop deeper ties to the Eastern community.
Posted on September 12, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University is ranked among the top 20 public regional universities in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022-23 rankings, released Sept. 12. Considered the most competitive in the country, the North region includes 11 states and Washington D.C., stretching from Maryland to the Canadian border and west through Pennsylvania. In the latest rankings, Eastern is the #1 public regional university in Connecticut and the second overall in New England, behind Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Posted on September 12, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed thousands of students to campus this week for the start of the fall 2022 semester. Kicking off with move-in weekend Aug. 27-28, students reacquainted themselves with campus through a variety of events sponsored by Student Activities, the Campus Activity Board (CAB) and the Student Government Association (SGA).
Posted on August 31, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Hundreds of faculty and staff packed the Betty R. Tipton Room on Aug. 24 for the first in-person University Meeting in more than two years. Following employee/retiree recognitions, President Elsa Núñez delivered an enthusiastic State of University Address that praised Eastern’s diligence and good fortune while acknowledging the various challenges on the horizon.
Posted on August 31, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Two Eastern students spent their summer’s completing research fellowships under close faculty mentorship. Senior History major Elizabeth Bartoshevich continued a digital history project connected to her honors thesis, and junior Biochemistry major Djenerly Massena ’23 completed a computational chemistry project, which she also presented at a national conference.
Posted on August 31, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Seventeen Eastern Connecticut State University students experienced the trip of a lifetime over the summer: six weeks in Florence, Italy, studying creative writing. Led by seasoned Italian visitor and professor Christopher Torockio, the Creative Writing Abroad course allowed students to explore Italian culture while writing a short story and completing a workshop with peers.
Posted on August 29, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern hosted three Summer Research Institutes (SRIs) at the conclusion of summer break. Occurring from Aug. 22 – 26, the weeklong institutes engaged 29 students in the fields of English, business/marketing and political science. The SRIs culminated on Aug. 26 with presentations in the Webb Hall auditorium.
Posted on August 29, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Stephen Tavares ’96 of New Hartford, chief of police at Eastern Connecticut State University, was honored at the “100 Men of Color” Black-Tie Gala and Awards on Aug. 12 at the Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center.
Posted on August 23, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University will host a fall concert series featuring two world-class acts in support of scholarships for Eastern students. Titled “Great Music Fostering Scholarship,” the series will open with legendary a cappella group Take 6 on Sept. 17 followed by Grammy Award-winning jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval on Oct. 15. Both concerts will be held in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on August 22, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University is the first stop of a traveling art exhibition titled “Women at War,” showcasing a leading selection of women artists working in Ukraine. Presented in the university’s Art Gallery, the exhibition runs from Sept. 12 – Oct. 15 with an opening reception on Sept. 15 at 4 p.m.
Posted on August 16, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
The Unity Wing at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a community policing workshop on Aug. 10–11 for the public safety departments at Eastern and the University of Hartford. Led by the Intercultural Center and Pride Center, campus police from both universities learned about the latest concepts in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and how to regard their communities with the utmost sensitivity.
Posted on August 16, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Honors Biology major Megan Piechowicz presented at the recent American Society of Plant Biology (ASPB) conference in Portland, OR, from July 9 -13.
Posted on August 02, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Four Eastern students are spending their summer working with Willimantic children through the early childhood program known as “Jumpstart.” Through the Center for Community Engagement (CCE), Eastern’s Jumpstart students are completing 300 hours each from June through August at the Windham Regional Community Council (WRCC) Early Childhood Program.
Posted on August 02, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
One of the world’s most peculiar flowering plants bloomed this week at Eastern Connecticut State University. Amorphophallus titanium, popularly known as “corpse flower” for its unmistakably putrid odor, completed its short-lived, semiannual bloom in the greenhouse of the Carter Science Building.
Posted on July 27, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
The Latin American and Caribbean Studies program recognized three students in its 2022 annual Student Paper Awards. History major Max Turner ’22 won the top prize, whereas Sociology major Vania Perez Gordillo ’22 and English major Aspen Ben Azulay ’23 received honorable mentions.
Posted on July 26, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
The Department of Public Safety dedicated the Chief Edward Casey memorial to its new location on July 13 at the Eastern police department. Chief Casey was a member of the Windham Special Police before his appointment as chief security officer of Willimantic State College—now Eastern Connecticut State University—in October of 1965.
Posted on July 26, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Biochemistry major Sydney DeNoncour accompanied Biology Professor Joshua Idjadi on a research trip in the Bahamas to study a rapidly spreading disease that is affecting Caribbean coral reefs. Stationed at the Gerace Research Center from June 8–17, the researchers conducted eight underwater surveys around the small island of San Salvador.
Posted on July 20, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
A faculty-student team from Eastern Connecticut State University produced a documentary on the legendary Bridgeport-based radio station WPKN-FM (89.5 FM). Titled “The Greatest Radio Station in the World,” the documentary was directed by Communication Lecturer Cob Carlson with support from communication students (now alumni) Sara Szogas ’21 (Stratford), Anthony Granchelli ’20 (Norwalk) and John Pellegrino ’22 (North Branford).
Posted on July 19, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern faculty are known for developing close mentorships with students, helping them to master subject matter and even find success in the workplace after graduating. A classic example is Sarah Tasneem, professor and chair of the Computer Science Department, and first-generation college students Vanessa Zetino ’20 and Jafet Aparicio ’21.
Posted on July 13, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Health Sciences major Harmony Zhao ’24 is participating in an eight-week project at Yale University’s Public Health Summer Research Program (SREEH). The National Institutes of Health funds the research experience, a program open to students enrolled in Connecticut colleges and universities who want to pursue careers in environmental health science.
Posted on July 12, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Two Eastern alumni — Holly Ryan ’01 (formerly Holly Mandes) of Pawcatuck and Jason Custer ’11 of Vernon — have recently made a major contribution to the discipline of writing. The two collaborated on a new book called “Unlimited Players: The Intersection of Writing Center and Game Studies” — Ryan as co-editor; Custer as author of a chapter.
Posted on July 07, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University is the first Connecticut State University (CSU) to partner with Waterbury Promise, Inc. to provide increased financial aid to students residing in Waterbury. Through the partnership, Eastern will match Waterbury Promise scholarships up to $5,000 starting this fall 2022.
Posted on July 07, 2022 by Amanda Irwin
Following the success of its NCAA Division III national championship baseball team, the Warriors at Eastern Connecticut State University concluded the 2021-22 academic year winning the Little East Conference’s (LEC) two top honors for overall athletic and academic performances.
Posted on July 06, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Art major Amanda Ouk ’22 received the Phillip Elliot Award for writing an exceptional thesis for the University Honors Program. Ouk’s thesis demonstrated a higher order of thinking and decision making as well as excellent scholarly work in the field of studio art (painting and drawing).
Posted on June 30, 2022 by Noel Teter
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University will present “Imagined Places, Inhabited Spaces” from June 27 – Sept. 2. The exhibition showcases the work of four artists who question the places we live in with a visual mash-up of “reality” and interpretations of the spiritual/metaphysical world.
Posted on June 24, 2022 by
Eastern Connecticut State University will host the first New England Cannabis Research and Education Conference (NECREC) on October 21-22. Connecticut’s first academic conference on cannabis studies follows the launch of Eastern’s minor in Cannabis Cultivation and Chemistry, the first such program in the state following the legalization of recreational cannabis in July 2021.
Posted on June 22, 2022 by Amanda Irwin
Throughout the month of June, Eastern Connecticut State University is welcoming new students to campus via a series of programs and activities to help them transition to college life. The Student Orientation, Advising and Registration program, known as “SOAR,” consists of four separate two-day sessions for hundreds of incoming students.
Posted on June 22, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
After conducting national searches, Dr. Emily Todd and Dr. Niti Pandey have been named deans at Eastern Connecticut State University for the 2022-2023 school year.
Posted on June 21, 2022 by Amanda Irwin
A cadre of Environmental Earth Science (EES) students set out on a 12-day expedition this May exploring some of the United States’ great mountain landscapes. Led by Professors Dickson Cunningham and Peter Drzewiecki, 15 EES students embarked on a clockwise route out of Salt Lake City, visiting such geological wonders as Craters of the Moon National Monument, Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park.
Posted on June 21, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern wins 5th consecutive Commissioner’s Cup; Eastern named a 2022-23 College of Distinction; Eastern names 2 permanent deans; Student wins NAACP scholarship; Historian Tom Balcerski appears in ‘The Book of Queer’
Posted on June 17, 2022 by
Colleges of Distinction has recognized Eastern Connecticut State University for a variety of distinctions in its 2022-23 rankings, including badges of distinction for Public Colleges, Connecticut Colleges, Business and Education Programs, Career Development, Equity and Inclusion, and Military Support. Colleges of Distinction is a guide for college-bound students that recognizes undergraduate institutions that offer a well-rounded and individualized education.
Posted on June 16, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University 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.
Posted on June 15, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University will offer two new academic concentrations and one new minor this coming fall 2022 semester. Students majoring in Health Sciences can concentrate in Exercise and Sport Science, and those majoring in Business Administration can concentrate in Sport Management. Sport Management will also be available as a minor to students of any major.
Posted on June 14, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
On June 4 at a packed house at the Lakeview Restaurant in Coventry, the Windham/Willimantic Branch of the NAACP presented Adalyse Gonzales ’22 a scholarship for her academic and athletic achievements. The award took place during the NAACP’s Annual Freedom Fund event.
Posted on June 10, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Thomas Balcerski, professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University, appeared in the first episode of the Discovery+ mini-series “The Book of Queer,” premiering throughout June for Pride Month. An expert on presidential history, Balcerski is interviewed about President Abraham Lincoln in the episode.
Posted on June 08, 2022 by
A botanist from Eastern Connecticut State University was recently published by the New England Botanical Society (NEBS) for his efforts to update Windham County’s herbarium record—a database of local plant species. Published in the journal “Rhodora,” Biology Professor Bryan Connolly and co-author Lisa Standley, curator of the NEBS herbarium, collected 49 first-time entries into the county’s herbarium record. Only 14 (29%) of the species are native; the remaining 35 (71%) are introduced/non-native.
Posted on June 07, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
More than 20 students, campus police officers and other members of the campus community ran in this years’ Law Enforcement Torch Run on June 2. Held annually by Eastern Connecticut State University’s Campus Police Department, the event raises funds for Special Olympics.
Posted on June 03, 2022 by Ed Osborn
Look back on spring 2022 with the top 10 most read articles of the semester.
Posted on June 01, 2022 by
The Philosophy Club at Eastern Connecticut State University has been named winner of the New Club of the Year Award. The presentation took place during the annual Budget and Management (BAM) Spring Banquet on May 3 in the Betty R. Tipton Room of the Student Center. BAM is a committee of Eastern’s Student Government Association.
Posted on May 31, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Harley Webley ’21, a Health Sciences major with a concentration in Allied Health, will attend Yale University’s School of Public Health this fall. Webley, who also minored in sociology and healthcare management, maintained a 3.88 GPA; was named to the Dean’s List seven times; was a University Honors Scholar; and was a member of the Omicron Delta Leadership Society and the Phi Theta Delta Honors Society.
Posted on May 24, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
The Board of Regents (BOR) of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System (CSCU) has named Nicholas Simon, assistant professor of sociology at Eastern Connecticut State University, the recipient of its 2022 Excellence in Teaching Award.
Posted on May 24, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
On May 20, Eastern Connecticut State University students, faculty and staff gathered outside Campus Police headquarters to participate in Police Appreciation Day. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation designating May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. The proclamation honors police officers who have died in the line of duty.
Posted on May 23, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Isabel Butterick ’21, of Willimantic, who majored in Art with a Studio Art concentration and a minor in Art History, has been named the recipient of this year’s annual J. Eugene Smith Library Research Award at Eastern Connecticut State University. The award recognizes exemplary undergraduate research projects that use library resources.
Posted on May 18, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University returned to the XL Center in Hartford, CT, on May 17, for the first time in three years to hold graduation exercises. Looking out at the graduates and upwards of 10,000 guests, commencement speaker Lena Rodriguez, president and CEO of the Community Renewal Team in Hartford, said, “The pride and joy emanating in this XL Center is exhilarating. From here I see a sea of happiness and anticipation!”
Posted on May 18, 2022 by Ed Osborn
Three Eastern Connecticut State University students have co-authored an article with professor emeritus Jeffrey Trawick-Smith and Julia DeLapp, director of the Center for Early Childhood Education, that was recently published online in a peer-reviewed journal. The article “The Influence of Teachers, Peers and Play Materials on Dual Language Learners’ Play Interactions in Preschool” appears in the May 2022 edition of the “Early Childhood Education Journal.”
Posted on May 18, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Physical education students trek through Mount Hope River; Art major wins Eastern’s Library Research Award; Music students create sound for classic silent film; Senior Art Exhibition showcases graduating students; and Neville Brown inducted int CT Soccer Hall of Fame.
Posted on May 17, 2022 by
The History Department at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its grand opening presentation of “Digital Windham” on May 4 in Webb Hall. Digital Windham is the flagship project of Eastern’s Digital History Lab (DHL), and is an ongoing effort to capture and preserve the history of Windham in website form using digital techniques.
Posted on May 17, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
On May 16, Eastern Connecticut State University signed a historic partnership agreement with the Hispanic Alliance of Southeastern Connecticut to offer scholarships to students from Latino communities in southeast Connecticut. Eastern is the first Connecticut state university to partner with the alliance.
Posted on May 17, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
With more than 250 guests joining the graduating class and their faculty, the Concert Hall in the Fine Arts Instructional Center at Eastern Connecticut State University was at full capacity on May 14 for Eastern's Graduate Commencement and Hooding Ceremony for master's degree graduates. Eighty-four students received degrees in eight Master of Science programs, including 11 students in Accounting, six in Organizational Management, and 67 in six different Education programs.
Posted on May 16, 2022 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University’s first in-person University Meeting in more than two years took place on May 6 in the Betty R. Tipton Room of the Student Center, showcasing the University’s new Strategic plan while also recognizing faculty achievements, service awardees and retirees. More than 100 people attended the event in person, with 125 people tuning into the YouTube live stream.
Posted on May 13, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University students participated in both on-campus and off-campus internships during the spring 2022 semester. Internship locations ranged from Eastern’s Office of Alumni Affairs and the Center for Early Childhood Education, to Hartford Healthcare, elementary schools and more.
Posted on May 12, 2022 by Jacob Blain and Bobbi Brown
In remembrance of an oft-forgotten historical atrocity, the Theatre Program at Eastern Connecticut State University presented “The Greenwood Project: Against Erasure” from April 28-May 1. The production highlighted the Tulsa, OK, neighborhood of Greenwood and memorialized the loss of life and cultural capital caused by the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. Combining live dance, film, acting and poetry, the show also celebrated the achievements of African Americans in the early 1900s.
Posted on May 04, 2022 by Molly Boucher
The English Department hosted two authors this semester as part of its Visiting Writers Series. Anna Qu visited on April 18 for a Q&A and reading of her debut memoir, “Made in China: A Memoir of Love and Labor.” Mary Romney-Schaab visited on April 27 for a presentation on her book “An Afro-Caribbean in the Nazi Era: From Papiamentu to German.”
Posted on May 04, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Lavender Graduation celebrates LGBTQIA seniors; Brent Terry authors poetry book '21st Century Autoimmune Blues; Nancy Gonzalez presents on vaccine supply chains at regional conference; Family Day returns to campus after 3-year hiatus; English Department hosts 2 visiting writers; and State General Assembly leaders visit Eastern
Posted on May 03, 2022 by
Health Sciences major Nancy Gonzalez ’22 presented research at the Northeast Decision Science Institute’s (NEDSI) 51st annual conference in Newark, NJ, on April 7–9. Representing a four-student team of researchers from Eastern, including Nicole Thomassen ’22, Aidan Dunn ’22 and Merita Cecunjanin ’21, Gonzalez presented the group’s project, “Vaccine Supply Chain (VSC) Systems: An Analysis Using Operations Management Perspective.”
Posted on May 03, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern held its annual Spring Fest on April 25–May 1 in celebration of a successful academic year on campus. This year’s fest was themed “Destination Eastern” and featured a carnival, concert, fireworks and more. Sponsors included the Campus Activity Board (CAB), Student Government Association (SGA) and Office of Student Activities.
Posted on May 02, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Physical Education program continued its tradition of winning the annual Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) College Bowl competition on April 21. The jeopardy-style game tests teams of students from colleges and universities across the country on health and physical education concepts. This was Eastern’s third time winning the national competition in only its fourth time competing.
Posted on May 02, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted the first capstone celebration for the Social Work and Law Enforcement (SWLE) Project on April 22 in the Shafer Hall Auditorium. Titled “Boots on the Ground,” the event commemorated the inaugural year of a statewide collaboration that is formalizing the emerging field of police social work.
Posted on April 29, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University students Nelson Javier Santos Ferrer ’22 of Westfield, MA, and Natalie Devlin ’22 of Somers, CT, have been named recipients of the 2022 Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award.
Posted on April 29, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern students and families gathered for a day of festivities on April 23 for the first Family Day since fall 2019. Sponsored by the Office of Student Activities and the Student Government Association (SGA), families spent the day on campus enjoying a variety of activities and competing against other families for prizes.
Posted on April 27, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University English lecturer Brent Terry gave a poetry reading on April 26 in support of his new book titled “21st Century Autoimmune Blues.” Published by the Unsolicited Press, Terry’s book is a series of poems that tackle political and personal subjects in a comedic and emotional way.
Posted on April 27, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
More than 75 Eastern Connecticut State University volunteers dispersed across Windham on April 23 for the Center for Community Engagement’s (CCE) annual Town Pride Town Wide beautification event. Eastern students and alumni picked up rakes, paint brushes and garbage bags as they worked on spring cleaning projects with eight community agencies.
Posted on April 25, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Student Olivia Wronka crowned Miss Little Poland; Eastern shrinks the STEM gap; Sunrise CT calls for students to be climate activists; CSCU president visits campus; Social work students partner with community organizations; and more.
Posted on April 20, 2022 by
The Accounting Program held its 26th annual banquet on April 19 in the Betty R. Tipton Room. The event gathered more than 100 accounting alumni, current students, faculty and university officials for an evening program that included a keynote address by alumnus Joseph Lobe ’03, dinner and an award ceremony.
Posted on April 20, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Through service and outreach, Eastern social work students are immersing themselves in the community and gaining field experience. For a required course of the Social Work major -- "Generalist practice with communities and organizations" (SWK 300) -- junior-level students complete 45 hours of work with a community organization, often hosting an event for a specific social issue.
Posted on April 20, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted award-winning children’s book author and illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal on April 13. Martinez-Neal gave a book talk on three of her works, shared her family history, and described her personal process of illustrating a book and making art matches the narrative. Martinez-Neal also read a few pages of her award-winning debut book that she also illustrated.
Posted on April 20, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University honored five members of the campus and local communities for their exemplary service during its Annual Service Expo and Awards Ceremony on April 18. The ceremony, held in the foyer of the Fine Arts Instructional Center, also showcased the work of students and student leaders who have volunteered at more than 15 community organizations in the Windham area over the past year.
Posted on April 20, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
The club cheerleading team at Eastern Connecticut State University finished in the top 10 at the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) College Nationals this April 6–10 in Daytona Beach, FL. With more than 400 teams competing, the College Nationals is the largest collegiate cheerleading competition in the country.
Posted on April 18, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
In its sixth year, the Opportunity Scholars program is privately funded through TheDream.US foundation, which provides scholarships to undocumented students in the United States. Launched by former Washington Post publisher Donald Graham and his wife Amanda Bennett in 2013, TheDream.US foundation provides critical financial support to immigrant students without legal standing in this country. Since its founding, the foundation has awarded 6,500 college scholarships, helping 1,700 students graduate from college.
Posted on April 18, 2022 by Amanda Irwin; Contributor: Ed Osborn
The Theatre Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will present a live performance of dance, film and poetry in its final main stage production of the spring semester on April 28-May 1 in the Proscenium Theatre in the Fine Arts Instructional Center. "The Greenwood Project: Against Erasure" is a multi-disciplinary collaboration directed by Theatre Professor Alycia Bright Holland, who teaches dance and choreography, and Theatre Professor Brian Day, who teaches filmmaking.
Posted on April 13, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a presentation by the climate-change awareness organization Sunrise CT on April 6 in the Student Center Theatre. The University Hour presentation was titled "Climate Action for Connecticut’s Youth,” and focused on the realities of climate change and ways to get involved with the movement.
Posted on April 12, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University senior Olivia Wronka was crowned Miss Little Poland in September 2021 at the annual Little Poland Festival in New Britain. New Britain is home to the state’s largest Polish population and has been dubbed the name “Little Poland.” As the largest Polish festival in New England, Little Poland Festival attendees celebrate Polish culture, music and cuisines.
Posted on April 12, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Abigail Donaghy was 13 years old when her father brought her to an open audition in New York City that forever changed her life. Today, at 21, she is a full-time Eastern student who is managing a budding career as an actress. The History major from Willington has appeared in movies and television series on Netflix, HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video.
Posted on April 11, 2022 by Molly Boucher
The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University will hold its Annual Service Expo and Awards Ceremony on April 18 from 2–4 p.m. in the foyer of the Fine Arts Instructional Center. This is the CCE’s first in-person expo since before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020.
Posted on April 11, 2022 by
This past summer, 52 students from towns and cities across Connecticut enrolled in Eastern Connecticut State University’s STEP/CAP program -- Summer Transition at Eastern Program/Contract Admission Program. This alternate, summer "bridge" admissions opportunity provides access and first-year support to high school graduates who are first-generation college students, from lower-income families or from underrepresented backgrounds.
Posted on April 08, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Warriors baseball and softball ranked nationally; ‘What’s Up, Warriors?’ podcast features President Núñez; Student Colleen Goff selected for CT Poetry Circuit; Eastern celebrates Trans Day of Visibility; Bouley speaks on new books; NPR personality Giovanni Rossi speaks on women's wellness; and more.
Posted on April 06, 2022 by
Eight Eastern Connecticut State University students are presenting their research virtually at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR) from April 4-8. Hosted annually by the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR), the national event showcases undergraduate research projects, with more than 3,200 students, faculty and administrators in attendance.
Posted on April 06, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Lena Rodriguez, CEO and president of the Community Renewal Team in Hartford, CT, will give the commencement address at Eastern Connecticut State University’s 132nd Commencement Exercises on May 17. The graduation takes place in the XL Center in Hartford, with the formal program beginning at 6 p.m. Rodriguez will also receive an honorary degree from Eastern during the commencement exercises.
Posted on April 06, 2022 by Ed Osborn
Bryan Connolly, botanist, horticulturalist and assistant professor of biology at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently had his research published in the peer-reviewed journal “Ecological Restoration.”
Posted on April 05, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Unity Wing and Pride Center celebrated Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV) on March 31. Students, faculty and staff wore a TDOV shirt at the event and helped to celebrate trans students and bring awareness to the discrimination they face.
Posted on April 04, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Twenty-two students from Eastern Connecticut State University’s Chamber Singers and Opera Workshop ensembles performed in a spring tour March 12–17. Led by music professors David Belles, Emily Riggs and David Ballena, students traveled to Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington D.C., where they performed in multiple venues and participated in workshops, sightseeing and team-building exercises.
Posted on April 04, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) recently completed a year-long reading program with more than 135 children in Windham Public Schools. Based on a curriculum designed by Sociology Professor Nicolas Simon, 80 volunteers from Eastern volunteered 875 hours and brought books and activities each week to the afterschool programs at the Barrows STEM Academy, Natchaug School, North Windham School, Sweeney Elementary School, Windham Center School and the Village Heights Community Center.
Posted on April 04, 2022 by Kim Silcox
Eastern welcomed mindfulness coach, mentor and podcaster Giovanna Rossi to campus on March 30 for a workshop on women's wellness. Rossi led an interactive, women-focused presentation on how to take control and envision personal goals, selfcare and improvement. Throughout her visit, Rossi encouraged attendees to answer questions and share their experiences in support of self-awareness.
Posted on April 04, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
The J. Eugene Smith Library in partnership with the Office of Equity and Diversity and the Arthur L. Johnson Unity Wing will host a "human library" on April 12 from 1-5 p.m. Eastern students, faculty and staff from marginalized groups will present themselves as books in a library, sharing their personal stories and unique experiences with readers.
Posted on April 04, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
The Center for Internships and Career Development (CICD) hosted its first on-ground career fair in two years on March 23. More than 400 students from all majors visited the Geissler Gymnasium to speak with 56 employers from a range of industries.
Posted on March 31, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Matthew Rukgaber, lecturer in the Department of Political Science, Philosophy and Geography, has published a new book, “Nietzsche in Hollywood: Images of the Übermensch in Early American Cinema.” SUNY Press, the publisher, said the book offers a compelling and startling history of Hollywood film in which the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and his idea of the Übermensch looms large.
Posted on March 30, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University sophomore Eugene Bertrand was awarded an Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Project Grant by Eastern’s Provost and Undergraduate Research Council. The grant helped fund Bertrand’s history film project titled “Connecticut’s Tobacco Industry and Diversity: A History.”
Posted on March 29, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University accounting major Tyler Wright has been selected to present at the annual “Posters on the Hill” conference. His research, titled “The Effect of Length of Stay and Readmission on Total Charges of Total Knee Arthroplasty and Total Hip Arthroplasty Patients,” will be presented at the virtual event, which will take place April 26-27.
Posted on March 28, 2022 by Molly Boucher
As far back as 2008, Eastern Connecticut State University faculty began helping their students save money on textbooks by adopting Open Education Resources (OER) in their classrooms. One of the first was Mathematics Professor Kim Ward. At the time, many textbooks cost more than $200, some as high as $400 each. One in three students used more than $300 a semester in financial aid to pay for their textbooks. At $12/hour, a student would have to work more than 20 hours on campus to cover the cost of a single $250 textbook.
Posted on March 23, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Thirteen members of Eastern Connecticut State University’s student chapter of Habitat for Humanity recently traveled to New Bern, NC, to help build houses with the Habitat of Craven County group.
Posted on March 23, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University psychology majors Paulina Hernandez Galindo, Jordyn Powell, Meganlyn Delaney and Melissa Valenzuela, along with professor T. Caitlin Vasquez-O’Brien, presented their student-faculty research projects at the annual Eastern Psychological Associations (EPA) meeting in New York City on March 5. The research topics included depression among parents and children, parent-child relationships, sibling relationships and differential parental treatment.
Posted on March 22, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
A recent report from researchers at the market research company One Poll indicates that nearly three out of four Americans felt that 2020 was the most stressful year of their lives. While 38 percent of respondents mentioned a lack of savings, top stressors also included the November 2021 election and the COVID-19 pandemic. Like universities and colleges across the nation, Eastern Connecticut State University is working to help students, faculty and staff deal with the many stresses the pandemic has produced. On March 2, the Provost’s Office and Office of Human Resources collaborated to present “Recapturing Balance During Turbulent Times,” the first in a four-part wellness series. The series is designed to help faculty and staff learn new ways to handle the tensions caused by COVID and to create their own self-care plan of action to cope with stress and bring balance back into their lives.
Posted on March 21, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Students interested in traveling abroad and advancing their academic careers will receive additional support from an Eastern staff member with close ties to the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Julia DeLapp, coordinator of the Office of National Scholarships, was selected as a Fulbright Program Adviser.
Posted on March 16, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Xing Liu, professor of education at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently released his second book, “Categorical Data Analysis and Multilevel Modeling Using R.” The release follows his first book, “Applied Ordinal Logistic Regression Using Stata,” and provides a broader coverage of regression models using R.
Posted on March 16, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Sarah Baires, associate professor of anthropology at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently authored a new book, “Cahokia and the North American Worlds." Published by Cambridge University Press, the book explores the seemingly forgotten empire of Cahokia and its anthropological implications.
Posted on March 15, 2022 by Molly Boucher
The Black Student Union (BSU) at Eastern Connecticut State University held its annual BSU Fashion Show on Feb. 26 in the Shafer Auditorium. This year’s theme was “The Comeback” and had approximately 20 students walking the runaway.
Posted on March 09, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Students with disabilities face a range of unique challenges in their quest for an education, much more than the usual challenges most college students face. They often lack mentors who understand their challenges. This is especially true with support for adequate reading and study skills, where often the best they get are student helpers assigned to take notes for them. Eastern Connecticut State University’s Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) is answering the call with new technologies to help students with disabilities flourish and graduate on time. The new technologies are also available to help other students succeed in their studies.
Posted on March 09, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University psychology student Noelle Ciccarelli presented at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) convention on Feb. 18. Ciccarelli’s project was titled “Similarities and Differences in Mate Preferences among Parents and their Daughters,” and focused on the ratings that daughters gave when seeking a male mate, compared to their parents’ ratings when seeking a mate for their daughters.
Posted on March 09, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
The opera studio at Eastern Connecticut State University will present Engelbert Humperdinck’s classic fairytale opera “Hansel and Gretel” on April 1–3 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Concert Hall. The production is directed by Music Professor Emily Riggs with musical direction by David Ballena. Showtimes are April 1 at 7:30 p.m. and April 2 and 3 at 4 p.m.
Posted on March 08, 2022 by Molly Boucher
CCE hosts ‘Big Brothers Big Sisters’; Biology major receives travel award; ‘Eye-Mind-Body’ presents drawing in action; Vasillopulos and Rezai author new books; and more.
Posted on March 08, 2022 by
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Art Gallery has opened a new exhibit for the months of March and April. “Eye-Mind-Body: Drawing as Action Exhibition” is open to the public through April 22. Admission is free.
Posted on March 07, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University’s political science honor society, Pi Sigma Alpha, has been awarded a Chapter Activity Grant by the national honor society to help facilitate a debate between Connecticut State House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora and Majority Leader Jason Rojas. Eastern's chapter aims to hold the debate prior to the November 2022 elections.
Posted on March 07, 2022 by Molly Boucher
The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University organizes more than 10 community service programs ranging from helping those who suffer from homelessness to working with the elderly and local school children.
Posted on March 07, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Christopher Vasillopulos, political science professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently authored a new book titled “Interpreting Euripides’s Medea from Aristotelian and Nietzschean Perspectives,” published by Edwin Mellen Press.
Posted on March 07, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Theatre Program opened the spring 2022 semester with “Sweet Flag” from March 1-6. Written and directed by Theatre Professor J.J. Cobb, the story follows the lives of women living in the Nebraska Territory in 1866. In addition to excellent acting by Eastern students, the show featured lighting and sound effects, interpretive dance, and voice-overs of poetry by Walt Whitman and the "Lost Notebooks of Loren Eiseley."
Posted on March 04, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Two faculty members from the Department of History at Eastern Connecticut State University provided historical context on the war in Ukraine in a flash talk presentation on March 2. Professor Scott Moore specializes in European history and Professor Caitlin Carenen specializes in American foreign policy —two areas directly connected to the developing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Posted on March 03, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
I ask all members of the Eastern Connecticut State University family to join me in lifting up the people of Ukraine as they continue to confront a foreign invasion on their sovereign soil. Please keep the men, women, and children of Ukraine in your thoughts and prayers in the coming days. I also ask all Eastern students, faculty, and staff to offer support to family, friends, and colleagues who are from Ukraine or still have loved ones there.
Posted on February 28, 2022 by Elsa Núñez
Faculty musicians from Eastern Connecticut State University will take the stage this March for the University’s Faculty Recital Series. The series will present three performances that span jazz and chamber music. All performances will occur in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Concert Hall and are free and open to the public. No tickets required.
Posted on February 24, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Ten students from Eastern Connecticut State University’s Music Program performed “Romance and Revenge: Love at the Opera” on Feb. 12 at the National Opera Center in New York City. The student performers are all enrolled in Eastern’s Opera Workshop under the direction of Professor Emily Riggs with musical direction by Professor David Ballena. They performed scenes from their fall coursework as well as songs and arias they are studying in private lessons.
Posted on February 23, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Nationwide suppression of voting rights; police brutality and the murder of unarmed African Americans; and other signs of overt discrimination and social injustice throughout our society are all indicators that racism in the United States has renewed strength. In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, Eastern Connecticut State University’s student chapter of the NAACP provided leadership in a campus-wide dialog on how to address racism and encourage diversity, equity and inclusion on campus.
Posted on February 23, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Chartwells Dining Services, Eastern's on-campus food service provider, is helping to alleviate food insecurity among students with a recent donation of $739 to “Shawn’s Cupboard,” the University's on-campus food pantry. In operation since 2017, Shawn’s Cupboard relies heavily on food and money donations. With this donation and more the pantry continues to provide food-insecure students with groceries and a reliable food source during the academic year.
Posted on February 23, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Four students from Eastern Connecticut State University’s Music Program recently performed in the 2022 College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Eastern Division Intercollegiate Band. The conference took place Feb. 18 - 19 in Baltimore, MD, at Johns Hopkins University.
Posted on February 22, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Biology student Megan Piechowicz was awarded the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) travel award to attend the Worldwide Plant Biology Summit from July 9-13 in Portland, OR. While at the conference, Piechowicz will present her research project titled “Phenotypic characterization and mutation analysis of mutants defective in anthocyanin and proanthocyanidins in the model legume plant medicago truncatula.”
Posted on February 17, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Niloufar Rezai, director of the Child and Family Development Resource Center (CFDRC) at Eastern Connecticut State University, has contributed a chapter in the book “Fast Fierce Women.” Edited by Gina Barreca, the book is authored solely by women and tells stories that place women in empowering positions. The contributors of this book stem from a variety of occupations, ranging from directors to activists, screen writers and more.
Posted on February 16, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Junior biology major Kate Arildsen has been selected as a research intern for the Fulbright Canada Mitacs Globalink Program. The program grants recipients up to $7,800 (Canadian) in funding and enables exceptional undergraduate students from the United States to spend 10-12 weeks at a Canadian university conducting research with a faculty mentor.
Posted on February 16, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Connecticut icon and best-selling author Wally Lamb will visit Eastern Connecticut State University on March 9 for a lecture titled "Connecticut on My Mind," as well as a reception and book signing. The author of such books as "The Hour I First Believed," "She's Come Undone" and "I Know This Much Is True" will speak in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) at 5:30 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session. A reception and book signing will take place in the FAIC foyer from 7-8 p.m. Earlier that afternoon, Lamb will conduct a workshop with Eastern students.
Posted on February 16, 2022 by Ed Osborn
“Sweet Flag” will open Eastern Connecticut State University’s spring theatre season from March 1–6 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Proscenium Theater. Written and directed by Theatre Professor J.J. Cobb, the show explores the struggles that women faced in the western frontier.
Posted on February 14, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Warriors participate in annual Plunge for Hunger; Tompkins named head coach of women’s soccer; Eastern launches ‘What's Up, Warriors?’ podcast; and Logan receives letter of appreciation from Willimantic police
Posted on February 10, 2022 by
Three Eastern Connecticut State University Health Sciences alumni are advancing their careers to become a vibrant part of Connecticut’s public health workforce, including Brittany Cifarelli ’21, Chase Hubbard ’21 and Emily Fulton ’20.
Posted on February 09, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Wine runs deep for Emiliano Villanueva. The son of two generations of Italian winemakers, Villanueva grew up in Mendoza, Argentina — the wine capital of South America — where he spent summers harvesting grapes and tending the family vineyards.
Posted on February 08, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
The Eastern campus community continued its efforts to save lives by participating in the University's 10th "Be the Match" bone marrow registry on Feb. 2 and ongoing Red Cross blood drives on Feb. 1 and 2. Be The Match seeks to find eligible donors for the thousands of people diagnosed with rare blood diseases. The bone marrow registry event was sponsored by the men’s soccer team and held in the Sports Center Lobby and the blood blood drives, hosted by the Campus Ministry, were held in the Betty R. Tipton Room.
Posted on February 07, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted an opening reception on Jan. 27 for the first exhibition of the spring semester. Titled “Capturing the Ephemeral: Theatre and Performance Media at Eastern," the exhibition featured seven professors in the Theatre Program who specialize in different aspects of theatre and performance. "Capturing the Ephemeral" will be on display until Feb. 18.
Posted on February 07, 2022 by Bobbi Brown
Health science major Nancy Gonzalez ’22 was recently named a fellow of the Pfizer Research and Development Rotation Program. After she graduates, Gonzalez will join more than 2,000 scientists in this highly selective paid fellowship to explore new knowledge in health care. She will rotate in multiple Pfizer research and development offices and laboratories over the next two years.
Posted on January 31, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Health Sciences Department has received a $75,000 John M. Biancamano Client Grant from the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) to purchase medical simulation equipment. The state-of-the-art equipment will enhance the department’s Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program and the development of the new Paramedic Science program.
Posted on January 28, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Campus Activity Board (CAB) kicked off the spring semester with Welcome Back Week. From Jan. 19-23, students attended a variety of in-person and virtual events, ranging from ice skating to a "welcome back" brunch.
Posted on January 26, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University is one of 13 founding institutions of a new reparative justice effort by the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE). The North Star Collective comprises a series of initiatives to support Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) faculty. The first such initiative is the North Star Collective Faculty Fellowship, which benefits junior faculty of color through their writing and publication endeavors — activities that are critical for achieving promotion and tenure.
Posted on January 26, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
Brendan Cunningham, professor of economics at Eastern Connecticut State University, presented at the annual Nextspace conference this past December. The seminar, which took place in Bordeaux, France, allowed scholars across the globe to present their research surrounding topics of space.
Posted on January 21, 2022 by Molly Boucher
The Eastern Connecticut State University Art Gallery is kicking off the spring 2022 semester with a new exhibition, “Capturing the Ephemeral: Celebrating Theatre & Performance Media at Eastern,” running until Feb. 18. The exhibition will premiere on Thursday, Jan. 27, with an opening reception at 4 p.m. Admission to the gallery is free and open to the public.
Posted on January 21, 2022 by Molly Boucher
Citing Eastern Connecticut State University’s successful operation during the fall semester — NECHE reaccreditation, outstanding rankings in U.S. News and World Report, low COVID rates and much more -- LaMar Coleman, vice president for equity and diversity, opened the spring 2022 semester University Meeting on Jan. 14, saying, “One good semester deserves another.”
Posted on January 20, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University has been awarded $35,000 by Connecticut Humanities to produce a documentary about Connecticut’s shade tobacco industry and its connection to the civil rights movement. “Stepping into the Shade: Tobacco’s Connection to Civil Rights” will be a six-part mini-series hosted by Connecticut entertainment producer June Archer.
Posted on January 12, 2022 by Michael Rouleau
In the coming months, Eastern Connecticut State University senior Anayeli Arroyo’s jewel-toned geometric designs will flap in the winter winds outside a century-old former mill in Willington, CT. Her purple, navy, green and burgundy designs were chosen in December from a semester-long challenge to her graphic design class at Eastern. Their task was to visually brand the Eastern Connecticut Center for History, Art and Performance (EC-CHAP), a performing arts space in Willington.
Posted on January 12, 2022 by Amanda Irwin
Management and Marketing Professor Fatma Pakdil of Mansfield and Steve Muchiri of Columbia, assistant professor of economics and finance, recently teamed up with a Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) professor to publish a timely article related to the health care field.
Posted on January 10, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University English Professor Raouf Mama’s newly published picture book, “La Jarre Trouée” has been named the winner of Le Grand Prix Litteraire du Benin for 2021, the top literary prize in Mama’s native country of Benin.
Posted on January 06, 2022 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University student Colleen Goff is one of only four college students statewide selected to be a Connecticut Student Touring Poet in the 2021-22 Connecticut Poetry Circuit. Each year, a panel of judges selects a handful of college student poets to tour the circuit, which hosts readings at universities and organizations across the state.
Posted on December 22, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University has earned a STARS Silver rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS — the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System — measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.
Posted on December 21, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Terrence Cheng, president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system, came to Eastern Connecticut State University on Dec. 2 for a series of meetings with campus stakeholders. The five groups he met with included students, faculty, staff, executive administrators and members of the ECSU Foundation Board of Directors.
Posted on December 13, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of English held its annual English Night on Dec. 7. The event recognized students who received scholarships, were inducted into the Sigma Tau Delta national honor society and gave capstone presentations.
Posted on December 10, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
On Dec. 7, Eastern Connecticut State University honored one of its most notable champions when it named the Science Building after David G. Carter Sr., the University’s fifth president. More than 100 guests joined Eastern President Elsa Núñez in the Betty R. Tipton Room in the Student Center to recognize Carter’s leadership and contributions to Eastern. Hundreds more watched the event via a live YouTube stream.
Posted on December 08, 2021 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of Psychological Science held a series of three alumni events this fall. The events featured presentations from three alumni who spoke with current students about their careers and life after Eastern.
Posted on December 06, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
For the 12th year, the Princeton Review has included Eastern Connecticut State University in its annual “Guide to Green Colleges.” In the 2022 edition, Eastern was one of 422 schools listed and received a ranking of 86 for its commitment to environmental sustainability.
Posted on December 06, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Cara Bergstrom-Lynch, sociology professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, brought awareness to domestic violence on Dec. 5 by participating in Safe Passage's annual Hot Chocolate Run for the ninth consecutive year.
Posted on December 06, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University students Alexa Franchetti and Madeleine McGee were recognized as Outstanding Future Professionals by the Connecticut Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CTAHPERD) at its annual conference on Nov. 18 and 19.
Posted on December 06, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University’s newly developed Peer Educators Advocating for Campus Empowerment (PEACE) program has spent the fall 2021 semester promoting inclusion and diversity on campus. Founded by the Arthur L. Johnson Unity Wing, the project started as a pilot in the spring semester of 2021. This fall, graduate intern Jessica Petry and 10 student leaders have been working with students and faculty.
Posted on December 06, 2021 by Molly Boucher
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University recently concluded an exciting month of live performance with several ensemble productions. From percussion to piano, jazz to opera, the varied performances showcased the talents of student instrumentalists and vocalists.
Posted on December 02, 2021 by
Eastern Connecticut State University, Connecticut’s only public liberal arts college, has received continuing accreditation from the New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE), the regional accrediting agency for colleges and universities in the six New England states. The Commission’s action is the best possible outcome for any institution undergoing a comprehensive reaccreditation — an interim report is due in five years and the next comprehensive evaluation and review team visit will take place in 10 years.
Posted on December 01, 2021 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University students have immersed themselves into real-life practice through internships during the fall 2021 semester. Ranging from work with probation officers to “Discovering Amistad,” interns have explored a variety of career paths while working on career-based skills for their future.
Posted on December 01, 2021 by Molly Boucher
The Student Activities Office at Eastern Connecticut State University recently concluded its fall session of the LEAP leadership program. Standing for “Learn, Explore, Achieve, Perform,” the program is designed to help students develop their leadership skills through a variety of workshops. This semester’s session trained thirteen students.
Posted on November 29, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
For the 15th consecutive year, Eastern Connecticut State University served a special Thanksgiving meal on Nov. 24 to Willimantic community members in need. In past years, the “Day of Giving” event has been a busy time on campus, with 500-600 local residents visiting Hurley Dining Hall for a sit-down meal. Due to COVID-19, for the second year in a row the University partnered with the Covenant Soup Kitchen to distribute hundreds of Thanksgiving meals to Willimantic community members.
Posted on November 24, 2021 by Ed Osborn
Two alumni-faculty research groups from the Biology Department at Eastern Connecticut State University authored two peer-reviewed articles that were recently published in scientific journals. Jacob Dayton ’19 and Alexsis Powell ’20, along with postdoctoral research fellow Carlos Santibáñez‑López, worked with biology professors Patricia Szczy and Matthew Graham to produce research on camel spiders and seabirds.
Posted on November 22, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Willimantic, CT, home of Eastern Connecticut State University, is ranked the #21 safest college town in the United States by SafeWise.com. In a report issued on Nov. 9, SafeWise evaluated colleges towns with populations of more than 15,000 people that are home to accredited colleges and universities granting four-year degrees. The rankings are based on low violent crime and property crime rates per 1,000 people.
Posted on November 19, 2021 by Ed Osborn
The Intercultural Center at Eastern Connecticut State University promoted inclusion and diversity across campus with its latest campaign, #IAMEASTERN. Running from Nov. 1-17, the campaign included several activities and events meant to celebrate the many cultures and beliefs of the Eastern community.
Posted on November 18, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of Performing Arts will celebrate the creativity of its students at the first-ever Eastern Film Festival on Dec. 3 and 4. Films will be showcased both evenings at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Instructional Proscenium Theater.
Posted on November 17, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Eastern held its first in-person Veterans Day ceremony since 2019 on Nov. 11. Lt. Colonel Joe Danao ’89 served as the event’s keynote speaker. He is an Eastern graduate with a distinguished 33-year career with the Connecticut Army National Guard.
Posted on November 12, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Office of Student Activities received several recognitions at the annual conference of the National Association for Campus Activity (NACA), held Oct. 30-31 in Hartford. The Eastern representatives also participated in educational sessions, workshops, technology demonstrations and other interactive programs.
Posted on November 11, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Students from Eastern Connecticut State University’s Social Work Program held the seventh annual Social Action Day on Nov. 9 to bring awareness to the policies related to mass incarceration. Led by juniors in the social work program, the day also brought awareness to systemic racism, advocacy work being done in the state, and experiences of those personally impacted by the prison system.
Posted on November 11, 2021 by Bobbi Brown and Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted Thi Bui, author of “The Best We Could Do,” on Nov. 11 as part of the University’s “Big Read” program. Eastern is one of 61 organizations awarded a Big Read grant this year by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
Posted on November 11, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern dancers perform at annual 5x5 Dance Festival; Prospanica CT awards Walter Diaz for education leadership; Mama gives international presentation on folktales; DeVivo and Johnson speak on educational equity; Eastern embraces Halloween spirit
Posted on November 10, 2021 by
Eastern Connecticut State University biology students Kate Arildsen and Catrina Sullivan presented at the 85th Annual Meeting of the Northeastern Section of the American Society of Plant Biologists (NE-ASPB) held virtually on Oct. 30.
Posted on November 09, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Walter Diaz, vice president of student affairs at Eastern Connecticut State University, has been awarded the Education Leadership Award by the Prospanica Connecticut Chapter Board of Directors. Diaz will be recognized at the virtual annual Destino Award Gala on Dec. 9.
Posted on November 05, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Internships and Career Development (CICD) hosted its annual Career Exploration Expo on Nov. 3. The event, which took place is the Betty Tipton Room, presented students with a “speed dating” format, allowing attendees to speak to multiple employers in a welcoming and informational setting.
Posted on November 04, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University embraced the Halloween spirit in a number of ways this fall semester. Across residence halls, student organizations and arts events, students, staff and faculty participated in costume contests, pumpkin painting and door decorating. Student organizations like FEMALES and Freedom at Eastern had costume parties, music students dressed up for a percussion recital and more.
Posted on November 03, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Raouf Mama, professor of English at Eastern Connecticut State University gave a virtual international presentation titled “Webinar Series 4: Integration of Folktales in the English Language Teaching (ELT) Classroom” on Sept. 17 and 27. This webinar was a part of the Professional Development for Teachers Webinar Series hosted by educators in Pakistan.
Posted on November 02, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Windham Mayor Tom DeVivo and State Rep. Susan Johnson visited Eastern on Oct. 27 to discuss public education and their aspirations for a new magnet school in Windham.
Posted on November 02, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
On Oct. 28, the Division of Student Affairs and numerous student organizations at Eastern Connecticut State University raised the bar and answered the call to support students facing mental health challenges by hosting “Fresh Check Day.”
Posted on October 29, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Three Eastern Connecticut State University students have been hired as peer mentors for the "Beyond the Curriculum: A Learning Community for Success" program. Funded with a $650,000 grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the “Success Scholars” program is designed to support lower-income students who are pursuing science-related careers. The peer mentors are working closely with the first cohort of Success Scholars.
Posted on October 27, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Three English Professors at Eastern Connecticut State University — Raouf Mama, Chris Torockio and Daniel Donaghy — have been published in the new edition of the “Connecticut Literary Anthology.” More than 400 authors submitted their work for the annual publication of poetry, fiction and non-fiction.
Posted on October 27, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
What started as a pilot internship last year with two Eastern Connecticut State University students has evolved into a statewide collaboration that may well serve as a national model for the emerging field of police social work. The Social Work and Law Enforcement (SWLE) Project, spearheaded by Eastern’s Social Work Program and the Willimantic Police Department, is currently training eight social work students from five universities to work with four police departments across Connecticut.
Posted on October 27, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Shackathon exposes students to substandard housing; Class Day celebrates sophomore students; Canterbury book draws international celebration; and Vasillopulos to sit on accreditation panel of Greek university.
Posted on October 26, 2021 by
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) selected 12 student leaders to oversee 14 community service programs throughout the Windham area this year. Ranging from assisting people who suffer from homelessness to helping those who are food insecure, these student volunteers demonstrate leadership, commitment and a passion towards enriching the community.
Posted on October 26, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
On Oct. 18, Eastern’s Art Gallery, in collaboration with the Connecticut Prison Arts program, opened the exhibition, “The Artist as Witness.” The exhibition runs through Feb. 1, 2022. An opening reception took place on Oct. 19, featuring exhibition curator Jeffrey Greene, manager of the Prison Art Program.
Posted on October 26, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
On Oct. 7, the world-renowned Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana in Legon, Ghana, West Africa, brought together scholars from Ghana, the United States, Guyana, Antigua and Nigeria, along with professors from Howard University, Eastern Connecticut State University and SUNY-Stony Brook, for a celebration of Eastern Sociology Professor Dennis Canterbury’s highly acclaimed new book, “Caribbean Development in the New Multipolar World Order.”
Posted on October 25, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Political Science Professor Christopher Vasillopulos has been asked by the Athens, Greece-based Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to serve on a Hellenic Authority for Higher Education (HAHE) committee. The External Evaluation and Accreditation Panel (EEAP) will review the academic accreditation of undergraduate programs in political sciences at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The review begins on Nov. 29 and runs through Dec. 4.
Posted on October 25, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Theresa Bouley, professor of education at Eastern Connecticut State University co-authored two recent publications titled “The Economic and Opportunity Gap: How Poverty Impacts the Lives of Students” and “Implicit Bias: An Educator’s Guide to the Language of Microaggressions.” Bouley is also the president of the Connecticut chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME), a non-profit organization that advocates for equity and social justice through education. In preparing to write the two publications, Bouley collected and stored more than 20 years of information that she calls the “manifestations of my life’s work.”
Posted on October 25, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Ten Eastern Connecticut State University students slept on the lawn outside of Webb Hall in makeshift boxes for the annual Shackathon fundraiser. Hosted by Eastern’s Habitat for Humanity club, Shackathon aims to bring awareness to the issue of substandard housing. Relying on donations of food from members of the Eastern community and the protection of sleeping bags, boxes and tarps, the students attempted to step into the shoes of those without housing.
Posted on October 21, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Theatre Program held its first production of the fall semester on Oct. 19. Directed by Theatre Professor Darcy Parker Bruce, “The Place That Made You” takes audience members through an altered narrative of a famous Bible story. This play will be shown until Oct. 24 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center and is free to all Eastern students.
Posted on October 21, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Student Government Association (SGA) and Office of Student Activities held the second annual “Class Day” on Oct. 15. This year’s event celebrated the class of 2024 — sophomores — who persevered through a challenging first year as college students during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last year.
Posted on October 18, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its third annual Alyssiah Wiley End Relationship Violence Awareness Event on Oct. 13. The event, which honors Wiley, an Eastern student who was murdered by her boyfriend in 2013, brings awareness to relationship, dating and intimate partner violence. Along with the original 3-3 basketball tournament, the fundraiser had several speakers, including Devon Pinkus, the men’s engagement coordinator at the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (RICADV), and keynote speaker Shanay Fulton, the planning and zoning commissioner for Middletown, CT.
Posted on October 13, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Samantha Warshauer performs at Carnegie Hall; Eastern Theatre to present ‘The Place That Made You’; ‘Big Read’ program kicks off with ‘The Artist as Witness’; ECSU Foundation hosts annual golf tournament; Campus Ministry holds Red Cross blood drive
Posted on October 12, 2021 by
The Women's Center at Eastern Connecticut State University in collaboration with the Sexual Assault and Interpersonal Violence Response Team (SAIVRT) hosted “Rape Culture: A Survivor Perspective” by Brittany Piper on Oct. 5. Piper, who is a survivor of sexual assault, has dedicated her life to spreading the message of rape prevention. Working as an international activist, speaker, social justice photographer, and healing and wellness coach, she spent an hour talking to the Eastern community about rape culture and how to deconstruct it.
Posted on October 12, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its annual majors and minors fair for first- and second-year students on Oct. 6. The event, which was hosted by the Student Government Association (SGA) and the Academic Success Center (ASC), included 27 majors and minors represented across tables in the Betty Tipton Room.
Posted on October 12, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Since the mid-’60s, spurred by the war in Viet Nam and the Civil Rights Movement, college campuses have been the center of political discourse and social action. Today in 2021, campuses are no different, with a recent national survey finding that more than half of undergraduate students support social justice issues. On Oct. 5, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont visited the Eastern Connecticut State University campus to hear student concerns on a variety of issues. Approximately 25 students met with Governor Lamont for an informal question and answer session. Financial aid topped the list of student issues, but other topics were also addressed.
Posted on October 12, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University will kick off its National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read program with the exhibition “The Artist as Witness” from Oct. 18 – Feb. 01, 2022, in the Art Gallery. The exhibition features works by master artists, participants in the Prison Arts Program and local college students, and is meant as a visual companion to the University’s Big Read program surrounding the graphic novel “The Best We Could Do” by Thi Bui.
Posted on October 12, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
More than 100 Eastern Connecticut State University students converged on the Betty R. Tipton Room on Oct. 7 to participate in the 17th Annual Accounting Career Fair. More than 20 accounting firms and other employers greeted the students, who came with their resumes in hand. A related virtual fair was held on Oct. 14.
Posted on October 11, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University harvested its first hemp crop on Oct. 8, as students and faculty from the Biology Department trimmed the buds off 25 cannabis plants in the University’s greenhouse. The occasion was a milestone for Eastern’s new academic minor in hemp cultivation, which is planned to be offered to students this coming spring 2022 semester.
Posted on October 08, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Community Engagement held its annual Day of Caring special event on Oct. 2. In collaboration with the University of Connecticut (UConn) and sponsored by United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, the Day of Caring deployed student volunteers throughout the Windham community to fulfill gardening, cleaning, maintenance work and other beautification projects.
Posted on October 06, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Theatre program is premiering its first production of the 2021-22 school year. “The Place That Made You,” written and directed by Eastern professor Darcy Parker Bruce, will be on stage from Oct. 19-24.
Posted on October 01, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Four faculty members from Eastern Connecticut State University have recently published academic books spanning philosophy, Caribbean economics, the musicality of film and Latina leadership. The faculty authors include political science professor Christopher Vasillopulos, sociology professor Dennis Canterbury, music professor Timothy Cochran and English professor Christine Garcia.
Posted on September 29, 2021 by Bobbi Brown, Molly Boucher, Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University was recently selected to participate in an Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) project to accelerate the development and adoption of open educational resources (OER) as a strategy for improving educational quality and equity and supporting student success. Funding for the project totals $522,757.
Posted on September 29, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Three Eastern Connecticut State University alumni and one faculty member have been published in a special edition of the academic journal “Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice." Published by the American Psychological Association, the edition highlighted studies that conducted individual heart rate assessments (IHRA). Four of only 12 articles published in the edition featured Eastern-affiliated scholars.
Posted on September 29, 2021 by Molly Boucher
“Sierra” magazine, the major publication of the Sierra Club, the influential grassroots environmental group, has named Eastern Connecticut State University one of “The Coolest Schools” in the nation for 2021.
Posted on September 29, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its annual Fall Fest on Sept. 20–26. The fun-filled week sponsored by the Campus Activity Board (CAB) entertained more than 1,000 students who participated in a variety of in-person activities tied to this year’s camping-related theme: “Willi’s Lodge.” Highlights included live comedy and music performances, campfire s’mores, an axe-throwing trip and more.
Posted on September 28, 2021 by
Sierra Club names Eastern a 'Cool School’; Eastern partners in AAC&U-sponsored open educational resources project; Big Read kicks off in October with program centered around ‘The Best We Could Do’; Balcerski’s presidential presentations reach audiences nationwide; Sierra Colon named one of 16 'Coalition for College' ambassadors
Posted on September 27, 2021 by
Eastern Connecticut State University is one of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Value Schools” in the North in its 2021-22 rankings released this September. Weighing financial cost against academic quality, Eastern is the top ranked public regional university in New England — and the only such university in Connecticut — to make the report’s best-value rankings.
Posted on September 24, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University held the 4th Annual Andrej 5K Fun Run/Walk at Mansfield Hollow State Park on Sept. 18. Sponsored by the Office of Institutional Advancement, the annual race raises funds for the Andrej Cavarkapa Memorial Scholarship, in memory of late Eastern alumnus Andrej Cavarkapa ’09.
Posted on September 24, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Campus life has bounced back this fall semester after a year subdued due to the pandemic. Fundamental to reactivating campus are the University’s resident assistants (RAs), who are dedicated to engaging and supporting fellow residential students.
Posted on September 23, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Christopher Vasillopulos, political science professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, has published a new book, “Aristotle’s Ghost: How Good Free Men Built Good Free America.”
Posted on September 22, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Thomas Balcerski, associate professor of history at Eastern, is a highly acclaimed presidential historian, CNN contributor and author of “Bosom Friends: The Intimate World of James Buchanan and William Rufus King, who continues to have a voice in the national conversation on presidential affairs. He has a number of presentations and speaking engagements scheduled this academic year at institutions nationwide.
Posted on September 22, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eight students from Eastern Connecticut State University are working with Discovering Amistad this September and October, teaching Hartford-area middle and high school students about the famed revolt of The Amistad. For the “Amistad Journey to Freedom” program, Eastern students will tell of the ship’s historic rebellion and help to connect it to contemporary social and racial issues.
Posted on September 21, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Sierra Colon, an admissions counselor at Eastern Connecticut State University, has been named one of 16 admissions professionals in the inaugural “Coalition Ambassador” program of the Coalition for College. The ambassadors are from Coalition for College members and will collaborate on nationally coordinated and regionally impactful college access work.
Posted on September 21, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
A faculty member in Eastern Connecticut State University’s English Department Professor Christine Garcia, was featured in the book “Latina Leadership: Language and Literacy Education across Communities.” This book features stories of activism, oppression, community ties, family connections and more with stories from Latina leaders in k-16 educational settings.
Posted on September 21, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University was recognized as one of the best colleges for veterans in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 rankings, released Sept. 13. While Eastern is the 36th ranked institution overall in the North’s “Regional Universities” category, it is the first ranked public institution in all of New England — sharing the top spot with Westfield State University in Massachusetts.
Posted on September 17, 2021 by Mike Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University is one of 61 organizations nationwide selected to receive a 2021-22 Big Read grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The grant of $20,000 — the maximum NEA provides — will support a community reading program centered around “The Best We Could Do” by Thi Bui. From October 2021 until January 2022, Eastern will host a series of events related to the book and its subject matter.
Posted on September 17, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its first in-person student involvement fair and president’s picnic since 2019, with around 500 students in attendance. Spanning across Webb lawn, 75 clubs and organizations showcased their activities to recruit new members. Clubs participating ranged from the Student Government Association (SGA) to Women’s Rugby as students and staff interacted in the first major social event on campus of the year.
Posted on September 15, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University has joined the Coalition for College, a diverse group of more than 150 public and private colleges and universities across the United States working to improve college access for low-income, under-resourced and first-generation students. As a member of the coalition, Eastern meets rigorous eligibility standards in access, affordability and student success, and demonstrates a commitment to supporting all students through the college preparation and application processes.
Posted on September 15, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Art Gallery held an opening reception for “Our Tears are Sweet, Our Laughter Venomous” on Sept. 9. The first exhibition of the fall 2021 semester highlights 14 Iranian-American women who use art to tackle politics and misconceptions about Iran and challenge the restrictions placed against them. The opening included a talk by featured artist Arghavan Khosravi. The exhibition is free and open to the public until Oct. 8.
Posted on September 14, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
For the third year in a row, Eastern Connecticut State University was ranked as the top public regional university in New England by U.S. News & World Report in its annual report of the best universities in America. Within the North Region spanning from Maine to Pennsylvania and Maryland, the media organization also ranked Eastern in the top 25 public regional universities. Eastern’s dedication to service to its veterans was also recognized along with its affordability.
Posted on September 13, 2021 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University music professor Timothy Cochran has recently published a book titled “Musical Sincerity and Transcendence in Film.” The book, which analyses the impact of music in films, was published by Routledge, a multinational publishing company that specializes in academic journals, books and online resources.
Posted on September 13, 2021 by Molly Boucher
More than 100 members of the Eastern Connecticut State University community gathered on Friday, Sept. 10, in remembrance of the terrorist attacks that occurred 20 years ago on Sept. 11, 2001. Students, faculty and staff congregated at the University’s 9/11 memorial tree outside of Gelsi Young Hall to hear remarks and reflections by Eastern students and officials.
Posted on September 10, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
David Stoloff and Mark Fabrizi of the Department of Education at Eastern Connecticut State University presented at the two-day virtual international conference “Literature and Language: A Panacea of the Pandemic.” Hosted by Thiagarajar College in Madurai, India, the conference took place on Sept. 8 and 9 and invited educators and students from around the globe to watch and participate.
Posted on September 09, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
New research by coastal geologist Bryan Oakley, a professor in the Environmental Earth Science Department at Eastern Connecticut State University, reveals that storminess is a greater driver of shoreline change than sea-level rise. His findings publish at a time of increasing hurricane and tropical storm activity driven by a warming planet.
Posted on September 07, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University alumnus Stefanos Stravoravdis ’20, and his faculty mentor, biology professor Jonathan Hulvey, have had their research published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Their manuscript, “Evidence for the role of CYP51A and xenobiotic detoxification in differential sensitivity to azole fungicides in boxwood blight pathogens,” is the product of two years of collaboration between Hulvey and Stravoravdis, as well as research scientists with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven. The article presented findings from a study that applied mRNA sequencing and bioinformatics to understand which genes are involved in antifungal resistance.
Posted on September 03, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University sociology professor Dennis Canterbury recently published a book that tackles capitalism, power and the imperial state within Caribbean countries. Tilted “Caribbean Development in the New Multipolar World Order,” the book explores “… Post-neoliberal, new multipolar world order based on competition and cooperation by the United States, the European Union, China and Russia for natural resources and markets.”
Posted on September 02, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Track alumni finish 10th in 95-mile relay; Art Gallery presents ‘Our Tears Are Sweet, Our Laughter Venomous’; Eastern employs therapy puppies to reduce back-to-campus anxiety; Students complete internships in summer 2021; Walter Diaz appointed to AAHHE standing committee; Eastern becomes member of College Health Association.
Posted on September 01, 2021 by
The Aug. 25 University Meeting marked the fifth straight time since May of 2020 that faculty and staff across campus were forced to meet virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting was marked by cautious optimism for the fall semester; gratitude for the effort put forth by faculty, students and staff the past 18 months; and a realization that we must remain vigilant in following health and safety protocols to manage COVID-19 on campus.
Posted on September 01, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Stephen Tavares ’96 was sworn in as Eastern Connecticut State University’s chief of police and director of public safety on Aug. 27. The swearing-in ceremony took place in the Betty R. Tipton Room and included representatives from police departments across the state; former police chief Jeffrey Garewski; members of Tavares’ family; and Eastern officials.
Posted on September 01, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed nearly 4,000 students to campus last week for the start of the fall 2021 semester. Of the more than 3,400 full-time undergraduate students, nearly 2,000 moved in to residence halls on Aug. 24. The first week back to campus also greeted more than 2,000 commuter students who are enrolled with full-time and part-time course loads in both graduate and undergraduate programs.programs.
Posted on September 01, 2021 by
Eastern Connecticut State University is one of the 223 best colleges in the Northeast according to The Princeton Review. The education services company listed Eastern in the Best in the Northeast section of its “2022 Best Colleges: Region by Region” website feature posted on Aug. 31, 2021, at https://www.princetonreview.com/bestNEcolleges.
Posted on September 01, 2021 by Ed Osborn
COVID-19 is just one reason why Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of Health Science and its World Languages and Cultures Department are partnering to offer a new interdepartmental minor in Medical Interpreting in Spanish (MIS). Professor Yaw Nsiah, chair of the Department of Health Sciences, and Professor Kin Chan, chair of the World Languages and Cultures Department, say access to professional interpreters is critical for the care of patients with limited English proficiency.
Posted on September 01, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
After hearing concerns from faculty, staff and students about returning to campus this fall and holding on-ground classes during the continuing pandemic, Eastern Connecticut State University found a fluffy solution — therapy dogs.
Posted on August 27, 2021 by Ed Osborn
The faculty in Eastern Connecticut State University’s Psychological Science Department mentor undergraduate students in a range of research projects to provide hands-on application of classroom concepts and theories. To support those efforts, six new psychology labs will open this fall.
Posted on August 20, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University students gained real-world experience this summer working as interns at a variety of companies. From small businesses to major corporations, students worked in hybrid, remote and on-ground environments as they fulfilled a range of functions, including video production, community outreach, IT support and more.
Posted on August 12, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University will present “Our Tears Are Sweet, Our Laughter Venomous” from Aug. 23–Oct. 8. The first exhibition of the fall 2021 semester features 14 Iranian-American artists whose mixed works explore the diasporic dualities of Iranian immigrants and challenge people’s perceptions of Iran.
Posted on August 11, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
More than 50 students from 24 towns and cities across the state of Connecticut recently wrapped up six weeks on the Eastern Connecticut State University campus as participants in Eastern’s Summer Transition at Eastern Program/Contract Admissions Program (STEP/CAP).
Posted on August 05, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Recent Eastern Connecticut State University graduate Paulina Palomo ’21 is one of 50 participants nationwide selected for a Television Academy Foundation Internship in 2021. The eight-week paid internship has her working with Endemol Shine North America, a Hollywood-based content production company that produces such shows as “Big Brother,” “The Biggest Loser” and “Wipeout.”
Posted on August 05, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
A trio of researchers from the Psychological Science Department at Eastern Connecticut State University recently published a conceptual paper analyzing the behavior of “anti-vaxxers.” Published in the journal “Behavior and Social Issues” by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), the research offers strategies to encourage vaccination among vaccine-hesitant and vaccine-averse populations.
Posted on August 04, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Biology majors Kate Arildsen ’22 and Catrina Sullivan ’22 presented research to the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) during its 2021 Virtual Worldwide Summit held July 19-23.
Posted on August 03, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
To prepare students for the evolving field of special education, Eastern Connecticut State University is offering a new Master of Science in Special Education. The program is an advanced degree for certified teachers, teacher candidates who have completed a teaching certification program or those with appropriate teaching experience.
Posted on July 22, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University is one of 61 organizations nationwide selected to receive a 2021-22 Big Read grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The grant of $20,000 — the maximum NEA provides — will support a community reading program centered around “The Best We Could Do” by Thi Bui.
Posted on July 21, 2021 by
Connolly is using funding from the NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium to conduct a research project called “Building an Open Source Micro Tomato Breeding Collaborative for Space and Off-Planet Colonies.” The grant is aligned with NASA’s Mission Directorate: Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) and runs to the end of this year.
Posted on July 16, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Since TheDream.US started its groundbreaking scholarship program to support undocumented students in 2016, it has relied on five institutions nationwide to host more than 600 Opportunity Scholars. Eastern Connecticut State University has emerged as the top institution for TheDream.US, enrolling more than 200 Opportunity Scholars from “locked-out” states that prevent them from attending college due to their immigration status.
Posted on July 15, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
The Quantitative Undergraduate Biology Education and Synthesis (QUBES) Project honored Barbara Murdoch, biology professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, as one of 16 college professors nationwide for service as a faculty mentor in the 2020-21 academic year. QUBES is a STEM higher education reform program supported by the National Science Foundation.
Posted on July 14, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
See the graduates of the class of 2021; Eastern named a 2021–22 'College of Distinction; SOAR welcomes Class of 2025: Murdoch honored as faculty mentor by QUBES; Police departments runs in support of Special Olympics.
Posted on July 14, 2021 by
Colleges of Distinction has recognized Eastern Connecticut State University for a variety of distinctions in its 2021-22 rankings, including badges of distinction for Public Colleges, Connecticut Colleges, Business and Education Programs, Career Development, Equity and Inclusion, and Military Support. Colleges of Distinction is a guide for college-bound students that recognizes undergraduate institutions that offer a well-rounded and individualized education.
Posted on July 13, 2021 by
Eastern Connecticut State University will offer a new academic concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience this coming fall 2021 semester as part of the university's Psychology major. Meant to address issues in human cognition, Eastern is the only state university in Connecticut to offer such a program.
Posted on July 09, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Beginning this fall semester, Eastern Connecticut State University will offer one of Connecticut’s first hemp cultivation minors with an eye toward expansion as an interdisciplinary major in the future. The announcement follows recent state legislation making Connecticut the 19th state to legalize recreational marijuana. Licensed in the State of Connecticut as an official hemp producer with the Department of Agriculture, Eastern can now host classes in how to cultivate hemp from seed to harvest.
Posted on July 08, 2021 by Ed Osborn
Kate Arildsen '22 of Mansfield has received a grant to present at the American Society of Plant Biologists' virtual conference July 19-23. Arildsen's research focuses on a novel mutant of the model legume, "Medicago truncatula." Studying the genetics of this plant can help scientists and the medical community learn about the health benefits of specific plant species.
Posted on July 02, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern released a report today from TNG Consulting group, following a two-month review of the University's Title IX practices and procedures. The report recommends staffing and process changes. In addition to hiring a new vice president for equity and diversity, Eastern will soon announce the hiring of a new full-time Title IX coordinator. Based on TNG recommendations, plans are underway to Improve Title IX intake processes, training, documentation systems, and other procedures.
Posted on June 30, 2021 by Ed Osborn
Six Eastern Connecticut State University students and alumni recently concluded a 600-mile bike ride to raise awareness of mental health issues. The group, known as “The Valley Boys Ride,” concluded their two-week journey in mid-June in the Outer Banks, NC, and raised more than $5,000 for the National Alliance of Mental Illness of Connecticut (NAMI CT).
Posted on June 16, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University student Aicha Ly has been named a recipient of the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the competitive scholarship will fund Ly’s field studies in Costa Rica in the winter of 2022.
Posted on June 08, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s J. Eugene Smith Library recently announced the winners of its 9th annual Library Research Awards. This year’s awards recognize four exemplary undergraduate research projects from the last two years that utilized library resources.
Posted on June 08, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Patrick Vitale, assistant professor of geography at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently authored “Nuclear Suburbs: Cold War Technoscience and the Pittsburgh Renaissance.” The book examines the suburbanization of the Greater Pittsburgh area during the Cold War, and how city officials worked with corporate executives to remake the city for a new class of workers.
Posted on June 07, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
The Center for Early Childhood Education (CECE) at Eastern Connecticut State University was recently awarded a “Telly Award” for one of its video productions. The video, “A Study of the Play of Dual Language Learners in an English-Speaking Classroom,” received a Bronze Telly Award in the Non-Broadcast–General Education category.
Posted on June 03, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Kemesha Wilmot '05 of New Britain, associate director for the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University, was honored at the June Archer and Eleven28 Entertainment Group's Sixth Annual 100 Women of Color Gala and Awards on May 21.
Posted on May 24, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Social Work Program recently partnered with the Willimantic Police Department to embed social work students into the department’s police work. In a time when law enforcement faces heightened scrutiny, the experimental internship involved two students who served as “bridges to the community” and aided officers in crisis intervention and de-escalation.
Posted on May 20, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
The annual array of collegiate research conferences took a virtual appearance this spring 2021 semester, but that didn’t stop Eastern Connecticut State University students from continuing to present their scholarly work at the local, regional and national level. From on-campus symposiums to regional meetings to national conferences, students from all majors finished research projects and adapted them for virtual presentations.
Posted on May 20, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
More than 20 academic programs and departments at Eastern Connecticut State University recognized student achievements this 2020-21 academic year during award ceremonies and honor society inductions.
Posted on May 19, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Honors Program recognizes graduating members at Senior Reception; Cerra awarded at New England estuarine research conference; Mesagno hits walk-off grand slam to propel Warriors to LEC finals; and Board of Regents appoints Terrence Cheng as CSCU system president.
Posted on May 19, 2021 by
On May 15 and May 16, Eastern Connecticut State University returned to its Willimantic, CT, campus for the first time in 13 years to hold graduation exercises.
Posted on May 16, 2021 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University held its Eighth Annual Inclusive Excellence Student Awards Ceremony on May 6. The ceremony honors the academic achievements of African, Latino, Asian and Native American students, and also presents 11 special awards to students who have demonstrated excellence in community, volunteering, social justice and more.
Posted on May 12, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University opened its final show of the 2020-21 academic year on May 7. The annual Senior Art Exhibition showcases the artwork of 31 graduating seniors in the Art and Art History Department who have worked on their creations throughout the semester. The exhibit runs through May 16. To view the exhibition online, visit the Art Gallery’s website.
Posted on May 12, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Members of the Eastern community tuned in for what was hopefully the last virtual University Meeting on May 7. The biannual meeting recapped the trials and triumphs of an entire academic year shrouded by a global pandemic, and awarded faculty and staff for outstanding service and longevity.
Posted on May 11, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Two students and one faculty member from Eastern’s Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) received awards at the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) Eastern District Awards this April. The awardees included physical education majors Colin Campagna and Madeleine McGee and Professor Charlie Chatterton.
Posted on May 06, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Zuzu Acrobats perform thrilling Kenyan acrobatics on campus; Baseball remains unanimous no. 1 in New England; Students and faculty awarded for research and mentorship at CREATE conference; Physical education program receives SHAPE America recognition; Student Lizbeth Macias shares stage with U.S. Department of Education Secretary Cardona; Biology alumni speak on COVID-19, urge vaccination.
Posted on May 06, 2021 by
When Okon Hwang, professor of music and chair of Eastern Connecticut State University’s Music Department, goes for a walk in her neighborhood, she wears a mask to follow COVID-19 safety protocols. But Hwang’s mask serves a dual purpose. An ethnomusicologist and internationally renowned musician in piano performance and literature, Hwang also wears the mask out of fear that someone may recognize her as Asian and physically attack her.
Posted on May 06, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Theatre Department has premiered its final show of the 2020-21 school year. The performance, titled “Cultivating Dignity,” is a culmination of three years of research, student collaboration and ensemble training. Similar to Eastern’s production “Thread City" in 2017, “Cultivating Dignity” is an innovative project inspired by Connecticut history.
Posted on May 06, 2021 by Molly Boucher
The Board of Regents (BOR) for Higher Education honored three faculty members from Eastern Connecticut State University in its annual Faculty Awards program for the 17 institutions in the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System. Thomas Balcerski, associate professor of history, received the system-wide Faculty Research Award; Susan DeRosa, associate professor of English, received Eastern’s campus-based Teaching Award for full-time faculty; and Brenda Westberry was honored as Eastern's campus-based recipient of the Faculty Teaching Award for part-time faculty.
Posted on May 05, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Imagine how many more no-hitters and strikeouts some of America’s most famous baseball pitchers — Bob Feller, Nolan Ryan, Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Randy Johnson and others — could have thrown had they known about the science of biomechanics.
Posted on May 05, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University student Olivia Anderson recently presented at the prestigious Posters on the Hill Conference on April 28.
Posted on May 05, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Biology Department hosted “Moving Forward: The Pandemic Tales of Two Eastern Alumni,” on April 28. Moderated by Biology Professor Joshua Idjadi, two Eastern alumni from the biology program spoke of their experiences as members of the healthcare profession during the COVID-19 pandemic, including Joanne Michelle Ocampo ’11 and Tunde Olatinwo ’12.
Posted on April 30, 2021 by Molly Boucher
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) hosted an exclusive webinar for Eastern students on April 26 to share information on new initiatives meant to address climate change.
Posted on April 29, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s 21st annual CREATE conference is being presented online for the second year in a row. CREATE stands for “Celebrating Research and Creative Activity at Eastern” and is the University’s premier showcase of undergraduate research and creative activity. The public is invited to visit the 2021 CREATE website at https://www.easternct.edu/create/create-2021/create-2021.html to view the variety of student projects.
Posted on April 28, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
The Theatre Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will present “Cultivating Dignity,” its final show of the 2020-21 academic year, starting May 1. As with all of this year’s theatre productions, the performance is a film adaptation available free of charge via online streaming. For on-demand access, viewers must register at https://www.easternct.edu/theatre/productions/cultivating-dignity.html.
Posted on April 28, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University junior Lizbeth Macias of Waukesha, WI, participated in a national panel on April 20 to discuss DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) students and the DREAM Act. The panel was hosted by Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education.
Posted on April 27, 2021 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Internships and Career Development (CICD) held three virtual career fairs during March and April. The fairs focused on fields of study offered at Eastern and included employers and representatives from corresponding careers and graduate programs.
Posted on April 22, 2021 by Molly Boucher
The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University celebrated a year of creative and resilient volunteerism during its annual Service Expo on April 21. The virtual event showcased nine student-led community programs that have flourished despite the pandemic and addressed the needs of the community’s most vulnerable populations. Concluding the expo, three exemplary programs were awarded in the areas of career preparation, community collaboration and virtual innovation.
Posted on April 22, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s 131st Annual Commencement Exercises will feature four on-ground graduation ceremonies on May 15 and May 16 to honor the classes of 2021 and 2020. With pandemic safety protocols in mind, commencement exercises for the Class of 2021 will have two separate events on Saturday, May 15 — one in the morning starting at 9 a.m. and one in the afternoon starting at 4 p.m. — with graduates split into two groups to manage social distancing and audience density. A ceremony for graduate students will take place at 1 p.m.
Posted on April 22, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
For more than three decades, Eastern students have distinguished themselves through their service to community. Since 1988, when former Eastern President David G. Carter first required students to give back to the community if they wanted to live in university residence halls, students gladly did so.
Posted on April 22, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Music students featured in Honors Recital and Award Ceremony; History students present at Phi Alpha Theta regional conference; Eastern Opera Workshop performs ‘Dido and Aeneas’ via livestream; Artists of ‘Precision’ speak on ‘Intersection of Art and Science’; Eastern hosts Diversity and Inclusion Week; and more.
Posted on April 21, 2021 by
On April 20, Eastern Connecticut State University’s Women’s Center and Sexual Assault & Interpersonal Violence Response Team participated in “Take Back the Night,” an annual international rally that raises awareness about sexual assault and interpersonal violence. Students marched on campus and heard words of encouragement and support from fellow students, staff and guest speaker Nikki Adams.
Posted on April 21, 2021 by Bobbi Brown and Molly Boucher
From April 12-16, Eastern Connecticut State University’s Student Affairs Diversity and Inclusion Committee sponsored a week of in-person and virtual events to raise public awareness and encourage students to embrace concepts of diversity and inclusion.
Posted on April 21, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
The lyrics to “The Art of the Possible” from the musical “Evita” read: “One has no rules, is not precise, one rarely acts the same way twice. One spurns no device practicing the art of the possible.”
Posted on April 20, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Seventeen Eastern Connecticut State University students presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) from April 12–14. The event, which is the largest undergraduate research conference in the country, was hosted virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Posted on April 16, 2021 by Molly Boucher
On April 14, DeRon Williams, professor of theatre at Eastern Connecticut State University, offered students advice on how to overcome obstacles while sharing some of his personal experiences. Williams began his presentation, “Overcoming Life’s Happening: Being Patient and Taking Charge of Your Destiny,” by sharing his educational background and sharing the poem “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes.
Posted on April 16, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University history students Claire Lavarreda ’21 and Allen Horn ’21 presented their research at a virtual conference of the Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society on March 27. Hosted by Saint Anselm College, the New England regional conference included 25 student presenters grouped into 11 panels from 16 colleges across the Northeast.
Posted on April 16, 2021 by
The Eastern Opera Workshop of Eastern Connecticut State University’s Music Program performed “Dido and Aeneas” on April 9 and 11. Written by English composer Henry Purcell more than 300 years ago, the baroque masterpiece “Dido and Aeneas” is a 60-minute opera with themes of love, jealousy, betrayal and grief.
Posted on April 15, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Modern Movement presents ‘A Natural Woman’ at 5x5 Dance Festival; 'Trans 101' workshop gives lesson on 'Transcending Sexpectations'; Softball: Warriors (14-0) vault 5 spots, break into national top 10; and Music students sing in Connecticut NATS competition.
Posted on April 08, 2021 by
Two graduating seniors from Eastern Connecticut State University are recipients of the Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Awards this 2020-21 academic year. The award is the highest undergraduate distinction presented by the Connecticut State Universities (CSU) system, which annually honors 12 students from the four state universities.
Posted on April 08, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Nations around the world are relieved with the development of a vaccine to treat the COVID-19 virus. Many myths surround the deadly virus, including falsehoods on why African Americans have suffered one of the highest death rates from the coronavirus.
Posted on April 08, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Three English alumni from Eastern Connecticut State University spoke with students about their careers during an English at Work virtual panel on April 6. Kelly Galligan ’16, Marcia Lee ’13 and Jessica Link ’14 have taken their strong foundations in writing and critical thinking and applied them to the healthcare and financial technology sectors. The alumni fielded questions from Barbara Liu, English professor and department chair.
Posted on April 07, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Vijaykumar Veerappan, assistant professor of biology at Eastern Connecticut State University, gave new meaning to the phrase “Seeing is Believing” during his virtual presentation, “Genetics and Art,” on April 1.
Posted on April 06, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
A group of Eastern Connecticut State University students are volunteering with the national early education organization known as Jumpstart. Established in 1993 with programs in 14 states, Jumpstart aims to end the cycle of child poverty by offering language, literacy and social-emotional programming for preschool children who reside in disadvantaged communities. Since its beginning, Jumpstart has trained more than 50,000 college students and helped more than 123,000 preschoolers.
Posted on April 05, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Modern Movement, a student organization at Eastern Connecticut State University, participated in the 5x5 Dance Festival on March 27. The annual showcase, presented by the Autorino Center for the Arts at the University of Saint Joseph, was adapted virtually because of the pandemic, with participants pre-recording dances for an online premiere.
Posted on March 31, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
The Arthur L. Johnson Unity Wing at Eastern Connecticut State University recently hosted “Transcending Sexpectations,” a workshop centered on understanding intersectionality and LGTBQ+ terminology. Facilitated by educators Maybe Burke and Sean Desiree, the interactive presentation on March 25 allowed students to have a conversation regarding transgender and non-binary experiences.
Posted on March 31, 2021 by Molly Boucher
The struggles, misconceptions and success of first-generation college students and how universities can support them was the subject of Eastern Connecticut State University’s First-Generation Symposium on March 26.
Posted on March 31, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
According to the non-profit food organization, Feeding America, 39 percent of undergraduate students struggle to afford food—making millions of them at risk of facing hunger. Eastern Connecticut State University is aware of this concern and has created a vital campus resource to eliminate it. Located on the south end of campus behind Winthrop Hall, the Knight House is home to Shawn’s Cupboard, an on-campus, student-led food pantry that provides food supplies to Eastern students who struggle with not having enough to eat.
Posted on March 30, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Patricia Glazebrook, professor of philosophy at Washington State University, presented “Ecofeminism Then and Now” at Eastern Connecticut State University on March 23. The virtual lecture was hosted by Ana Funes-Maderey, professor of philosophy. Glazebrook works across the United States and other nations in Washington, Texas, Nigeria, Berlin and Toronto.
Posted on March 25, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Following the March 16 mass shootings in Atlanta, GA, and other recent incidents of anti-Asian sentiment, the Asian Cultural Society (ACS) is raising funds to support three organizations that serve the Asian community. The #StopAsianHate fundraiser will donate 100 percent of proceeds to Heart of Dinner, Asian Mental Health Collective and Stop AAPI Hate; AAPI stands for Asian American Pacific Islander.
Posted on March 25, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Students volunteer at mobile food pantry; Eastern to offer in-person graduation ceremony for Class of 2020; Theatre student Capri Agresta accepted into grad program on full-tuition waiver; and guest speakers present on "ecofeminism," Black American history and international law.
Posted on March 25, 2021 by
“‘The Great Migration’ was not just a happy, cheerful group of people who wanted to exercise their mobility in the United States,” said Stacey Close, historian and vice president of equity and diversity. “It was the movement between 1916 and 1970 of at least six million African Americans out of the South, headed North, Midwest and West, fleeing white supremacists, white mob violence and segregationists who denied them the right to vote.”
Posted on March 25, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University’s student chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Eastern’s Multicultural Leadership Council welcomed more than 130 students, faculty and staff for the third and final virtual University Town Hall meeting of the 2020-21 academic year on March 22. The town halls emerged from a formal “Call to Action” letter from students to the University almost 10 months ago requesting that Eastern take action to address systemic racism and discrimination.
Posted on March 24, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
The Windham Region No Freeze Project in Willimantic is the beneficiary of efforts by three student organizations at Eastern Connecticut State University, as the Cheerleading Team, Habitat for Humanity and Psychology Club are raising funds and collecting supplies in support of the local homeless community.
Posted on March 24, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University political science students Mary Greenwell ’21 and Trevor Mays ’22 recently attended the Eighth Annual Pi Sigma Alpha National Student Research Conference. This was Eastern’s first time at the conference, which is usually held in Washington, D.C. Due to COVID-19, the event was held virtually on March 6-7. The conference included student presentations, as well as other guest speakers and networking opportunities for students.
Posted on March 24, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University's Theatre Program premiered its second production of the year, “Blood at the Root,” on March 19. The show, directed by students Austin Washington, Massiel Evans and Ed Lorsin, was supervised by Professor DeRon Williams. The virtual show will be available until March 28 at midnight.
Posted on March 24, 2021 by Molly Boucher
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University held an opening reception for its latest exhibition, “Precision: Illustrative Technique in Art and Science,” on March 22. To highlight the connection between science and art, the exhibition features 27 artists who use pencil, paint, brush and photo emulsion to inspire viewers intellectually and emotionally. The exhibition will be on display through April 25.
Posted on March 24, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed David Canton, director for the African American Studies program and associate professor of history at the University of Florida, on March 17 to hear his presentation on racial stereotypes.
Posted on March 22, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Immigration law was the topic of a virtual presentation at Eastern Connecticut State University by guest speaker Dana Bucin on March 17. Courtney Broscious, associate professor of political science, hosted Bucin, who serves as a comprehensive immigration lawyer at the Murtha Cullina law firm. Bucin has received many accolades, including being named to Connecticut Magazine’s “Forty Under Forty” list for 2019.
Posted on March 22, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University’s mathematics faculty offers the 24th best bachelor’s degree in the nation, according to 2021 rankings by Study.com.
Posted on March 22, 2021 by
On Sunday, May 16, 2021, at 10 a.m., Eastern Connecticut State University will hold in-person Commencement Exercises for the Class of 2020. The event will take place on the Windham Technical High School athletic field, adjacent to Eastern's campus.
Posted on March 18, 2021 by Ed Osborn
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University is presenting “Precision: Illustrative Technique in Art and Science” until April 25. This curation of “cognitive art” brings together 27 artists who attempt to visualize the exactitude of science.
Posted on March 15, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
New York Times best-selling author Dhonielle Clayton gave a University Hour presentation at Eastern Connecticut State University on March 10 about the “radical” power of children’s books and the imperative of providing children with more inclusive literature. Clayton is also the chief operating officer of the non-profit organization We Need Diverse Books, which advocates for changing the publishing industry to produce more storytelling that reflects the lives of all young people.
Posted on March 11, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
With climate change and an evolving “green” economy underway, the Environmental Earth Science (EES) Department at Eastern Connecticut State University is preparing students for some of the world’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. Of the four concentrations EES majors can choose from, two in particular — Sustainable Energy Science and Environmental Science — groom them for jobs in a greening economy that seeks to address the existential threat that is climate change.
Posted on March 11, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
The 131st Annual Eastern Connecticut State University Commencement Exercises will take place in person on Saturday, May 15, adjacent to the Eastern campus.
Posted on March 11, 2021 by Ed Osborn
Music faculty perform in faculty recital; Eastern Theatre to present ‘Blood at the Root’; Eastern dominates LEC's weekly awards in 4 sports; Mama receives fellowship to work on new book; University Hour speaker describes inclusive online fan communities
Posted on March 10, 2021 by
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Art Gallery concluded its HEROINE-ITY exhibition on March 4 with a presentation by Elizabeth Regan (“Morning Deer"), vice chair and justice of the Mohegan Council Tribe of Elders. Regan discussed the teaching of Native American history in the education system and justice and activism through her ancestors.
Posted on March 10, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
The Theatre Program at Eastern Connecticut State University is proud to present “Blood at the Root,” a play by Dominique Morisseau. The performance will be available to stream virtually for two weekends, March 19-21 and March 26-28. The play’s title comes from the 1939 song “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday, who hauntingly sang “Southern trees bear a strange fruit, blood on the leaves and blood at the root.”
Posted on March 10, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Casey Fiesler, assistant professor of information science at the University of Colorado, spoke about online “fan communities” at Eastern Connecticut State University on March 3. During “Growing Their Own: Lessons from Community-Driven, Feminist Technology Design,” Fiesler discussed the growing representation of gender, sexuality and disability in fan communities.
Posted on March 05, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University has been designated as a “Military Friendly” School for 2021 by VIQTORY, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities. More than 600 Eastern faculty, staff and students are veterans, active military or reserves service members.
Posted on March 03, 2021 by Ed Osborn
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began a year ago, more than three million schoolteachers across the nation — from preschool to high school — pivoted to online learning in spring 2020 and then came back to school in the fall to teach in person. Several Eastern Connecticut State University alumni told EASTERN Magazine of their teaching experiences.
Posted on March 01, 2021 by Ed Osborn
In the age of social media and artificial intelligence, the need for competent and ethical communications professionals has never been greater. Many Eastern alumni are succeeding in the fields of public relations and marketing, working to keep the public informed while also promoting their organizations.
Posted on March 01, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Storyteller Raouf Mama narrates poems that teach life lessons; Judy Dworin Performance Project brings hope to incarcerated individuals; Hope springs as sports transition to outside competition; Eastern Enrolls 140 in Spring 2021
Posted on February 25, 2021 by
Award-winning storyteller and best-selling author Raouf Mama, professor of English at Eastern Connecticut State University, presented “Journey and a Joining: A Reflection on the Tragedy and the Triumph of the African and African-American Experience Through Storytelling” on Feb. 23.
Posted on February 25, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
The Child and Family Development Resource Center (CFDRC) at Eastern Connecticut State University is celebrating its 15th anniversary this February. Over the past 15 years, the on-campus preschool and student-teaching facility has served more than 1,000 children and families from the Windham area, while providing thousands of hours of on-campus field experience for Eastern students preparing to be early childhood educators
Posted on February 25, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
The Theatre Program at Eastern Connecticut State University recently presented its first theatrical production since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Hotel Universe,” a play written by Philip Barry and originally performed in 1930, was adapted for stage and screen and directed by Theatre Professor David Pellegrini. The show is available online from Feb. 19–26, with viewers registering to view the performance from the comfort of their homes.
Posted on February 25, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Charles Chatterton, associate professor of kinesiology and physical education at Eastern Connecticut State University, is hosting a series of virtual alumni visits for his classes during the spring 2021 semester. The alumni are succeeding in a range of careers within the kinesiology and sport and leisure management fields, and have been speaking to students about entering careers they enjoy and how to get there.
Posted on February 24, 2021 by Molly Boucher
It is rare to see a college professor begin a lecture with a moment of silence, but that is how Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, associate professor of English education at Teachers College, Columbia University, began her virtual presentation on Feb. 17. She asked an audience of nearly 50 Eastern Connecticut State University faculty and staff for a moment of silence to offer respect to the Native Americans who occupied this land before us all. This unique recognition, something Native Americans practice, counters what she called the dishonest “doctrine of discovery” taught in schools for centuries and opened her presentation titled “Taking the Antiracist Journey Through the Archaeology of the Self.”
Posted on February 24, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University has reaffirmed its commitment to meeting the challenges of climate change, reflecting recent moves by the federal government and thousands of environmental leaders nationwide. After the Biden Administration formally rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement on Feb. 19, Eastern has united with thousands of communities and organizations to sign the America Is All In promise.
Posted on February 24, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
The ongoing task of vaccinating upwards of 300 million Americans is a daunting prospect as our nation seeks to get beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Navigating online vaccination registration systems is no less daunting, especially for senior citizens and others not used to processing transactions on the Internet.
Posted on February 22, 2021 by Ed Osborn
The Judy Dworin Performance Project (JDPP) presented a workshop at Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 17 as part of the campus’s weekly University Hour series. The workshop, which focused on bridging the gap between creative expression and social justice, offered a range of information on the JDPP to Eastern students and faculty. JDPP was founded in 1989 and has since worked with schools and prisons in Connecticut.
Posted on February 22, 2021 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University will offer a special tuition rate for students from New York and New Jersey beginning in the fall 2021 semester. Based on 2020-21 academic year costs, the new New York/New Jersey Rate for New York and New Jersey students would be $15,386 in tuition and fees, compared to the standard out-of-state rate of $25,708 — an annual savings of more than $10,000 or 40 percent. Room and board is $14,434 annually for all students living on campus.
Posted on February 18, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
One day when Elena Sada, associate professor of education at Eastern Connecticut State University, was in a store in a Connecticut town, her 6-year-old son said, “Mommy, don’t speak to me in Spanish; they are going to think we are poor.” Sada was horrified and immediately told her son: “No, sweetie, they are going to think we are smart.”
Posted on February 16, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Covenant Soup Kitchen hosts virtual Plunge for Hunger with help of Eastern rugby; Men's basketball resumes in spring 2021; CCE volunteers shovel out neighbors after snow.
Posted on February 15, 2021 by
Due to the efforts of Adriane Jefferson, executive director of the Department of Cultural Affairs for the City of New Haven, the arts and cultural institutions in that city are becoming more diverse and equitable. Jefferson shared some of the city’s innovative developments with Eastern Connecticut State University during a University Hour lecture on Feb. 10.
Posted on February 15, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University’s theatre students and faculty recently attended a virtual version of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), where they presented their work, attended workshops, watched productions, listened to keynote speakers, attended an award ceremony and participated in a virtual dance party.
Posted on February 12, 2021 by Molly Boucher
The Covenant Soup Kitchen held its 10th annual Plunge for Hunger on Feb. 6, this year with a virtual twist. Rather than a crowd of costume-wearing community members and Eastern Connecticut State University students diving into the icy waters of the Natchaug River, supporters participated remotely, “plunging” into anything from a snowy creek to the Atlantic Ocean to their own bathtub, in an effort to raise funds for the Willimantic soup kitchen.
Posted on February 11, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
This past month, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a gain of only 49,000 jobs nationwide, nearly 10 million fewer jobs than this time a year ago. Nonetheless, Eastern Connecticut State University students heard good news on Feb. 10, when Anthony LaPia ’03, global sales director of strategic accounts business for LinkedIn, offered guidance on students’ job search opportunities.
Posted on February 10, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University’s J. Eugene Smith Library is honoring Black History Month, also known as African American History Month, with a virtual exhibit commemorating Black painters. This is the library’s third virtual exhibit to honor the month, with past exhibits focusing on the right to vote (2020) and Black musicians (2019). This year’s exhibit focuses primarily on Black painters and includes a curation of websites, articles, images and books.
Posted on February 08, 2021 by Molly Boucher
The work of several audacious female artists is on display at Eastern Connecticut State University’s Art Gallery until March 5 in an exhibition titled “HEROINE-ITY.” The gallery’s first showcase of 2021 brings together a group of forerunning feminist artists who work in role-play, costume, impersonation and self-transformation to confront culturally entrenched forms of misogyny.
Posted on February 03, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
The Campus Activity Board (CAB) jumpstarted the spring semester with Welcome Back Week, a series of virtual and on-ground activities from Jan 26–31 for returning students.
Posted on January 28, 2021 by
The Academic Success Center at Eastern Connecticut State University is partnering with CircleIn, a free, peer-to-peer studying app, to empower students and help them solve difficult problems together.
Posted on January 28, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
On Jan. 23 over WebEx, more than 300 students, faculty and staff from Eastern Connecticut State University and other colleges and universities heard a panel of prominent members of the higher education and professional sports communities discuss the impact of race in the world of intercollegiate athletics.
Posted on January 28, 2021 by Ed Osborn
The spring semester kicks off with Welcome Back Week; the Eastern Institute for Data Analytics continues real-time COVID-19 monitoring; spring semester to offer eight virtual University Hour events; Professor Thapa creates mandala art; and more than 1,300 students make fall 2020 Dean's List.
Posted on January 27, 2021 by
Hundreds of Eastern Connecticut State University community members tuned into YouTube on Jan. 25 to watch President Elsa Núñez welcome them back to campus with an uplifting, inspiring message, amidst a health crisis that has forced many students, faculty and staff to study and work remotely for the past 10 months.
Posted on January 27, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Caitlin Carenen, professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University and assistant History Department chair, has published a new textbook titled “An Introductory History of the United States in the Middle East.”
Posted on January 25, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University has been awarded a $649,957 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to implement a scholarship program for lower-income students in pursuit of science-related careers. Titled "Beyond the Curriculum: A Learning Community for Success," students accepted into the program, designated "Success Scholars," will receive an annual scholarship and benefit from a supportive STEM education rooted in the liberal arts.
Posted on January 22, 2021 by Michael Rouleau
Health Sciences Assistant Professor Geeta Thapa presented “Maya Mandala,” an exhibit of dot mandala art from Dec. 19-27 in the Kathmandu Kitchen and Bar in Storrs. The artwork was on sale, with proceeds supporting a rural health clinic in Nepal.
Posted on January 14, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
Fatma Pakdil, professor of management at Eastern Connecticut State University, has published a new book titled “Six Sigma for Students: A Problem-Solving Methodology.”
Posted on January 13, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
In the face of soaring costs for textbooks and the financial burdens caused by COVID-19, a number of Eastern Connecticut State University faculty and staff are providing a more economical and equitable means for accessing course curriculum. In lieu of traditional, high-cost textbooks, they are utilizing open educational resources (OER).
Posted on January 07, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
The publication of History Professor Tom Balcerski's latest book coincided with the daily unfolding drama of the 2020 presidential election. Over the ensuing months Balcerski’s expertise and opinion has been highly sought by the media — local, regional and national print, broadcast and Internet news organizations.
Posted on January 06, 2021 by Dwight Bachman
The ECSU Foundation, Inc., Eastern Connecticut State University’s philanthropic arm, has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships to more than 450 students in the 2020-21 academic year.
Posted on January 05, 2021 by Bobbi Brown
ECSU Foundation awards $500,000 in scholarships; CAB wins programming excellence award; English major Lucy Truszkowski accepted for publication in 'Xchanges Journal.'
Posted on January 04, 2021 by
Broderick Sawyer, a clinical psychologist and 2012 Eastern Connecticut State University graduate, spoke on race-based stress and trauma on Dec. 16 during the final University Hour presentation of the fall semester.
Posted on December 24, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
The Center for Early Childhood Education (CECE) at Eastern Connecticut State University has emerged as an invaluable resource for the early childhood education field during the COVID-19 pandemic. As teacher preparation programs have shifted online, institutions from Connecticut and beyond are utilizing the CECE’s large collection of video resources like never before.
Posted on December 22, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Megan Stanton, assistant professor of social work at Eastern Connecticut State University and an expert on the science of dissemination and implementation, says there is a notorious lag between the development of evidence-based medical practices and their consistent and effective implementation in the real world.
Posted on December 18, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Campus Activity Board (CAB) was recently named a recipient of the 2020 Excellence in Programming Award for its programming efforts. The award was announced on Dec. 7 at the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) Northeast Regional Virtual Awards Ceremony. Eastern was one of three schools to win an Excellence in Programming Award this year.
Posted on December 14, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Facebook, Dell computers, Google, Dropbox and Reddit were all started by college students in their dorm rooms. College students have also formed their own businesses in fields ranging from gyms to coffee shops, custom cookies, jewelry, glow-in-the-dark bicycles and landscaping companies. Eastern Connecticut State University is home to many students who are channeling their talents and entrepreneurial initiative to create and operate their own businesses.
Posted on December 10, 2020 by Bobbi Brown, Michael Rouleau, Ed Osborn
No industry has adapted to COVID-19 quite like the performing arts. With venues shuttered and musicians quarantined, an experience once universally live and in-person now streams virtually to a dispersed audience who watch via computer screens and cellphones. It’s been a dramatic turn of events, but as the Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University has demonstrated this fall, this new performance “space” has tested the character of musicians and come with developments that will leave the industry changed forever.
Posted on December 09, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
For the third year in a row, Eastern Connecticut State University students enrolled in French Professor Michelle Bacholle’s “Perspectives on Women’s Issues” class have engaged in a successful fundraising drive to provide scholarships for girls to get an education at the Jean Bruny College in Les Palmes, Haiti.
Posted on December 07, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
On Dec. 4, the Music Department at Eastern Connecticut State University celebrated the launch of “Distant Dreams: The Correspondence of Percy Grainger and Burnett Cross, 1946-1960,” co-edited by Teresa Balough, adjunct music professor. The book is published by Lyrebird Press at The University of Melbourne in Australia.
Posted on December 07, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Students produce professional films for local nonprofits; Teresa Balough edits book on Australian folk musician; Cara Bergstrom-Lynch runs in honor of Alyssiah Wiley and domestic violence awareness; Eastern holds two blood drives to alleviate demand during COVID-19.
Posted on December 07, 2020 by
A team of three sport and leisure management students at Eastern Connecticut State University won second place among 40 competitors at the Pioneer Institute Nichols College Case Competition, which challenged students to develop solutions on how professional sports might adapt to COVID-19.
Posted on December 07, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Social distancing wasn’t an issue for students in art professor Robert Greene’s “Installation Art” course, who created nature-based installations in the woodland setting of Eastern’s Arboretum. The largely biodegradable projects—collectively known as “Into the Woods”—are not permanent or environmentally invasive to the campus nature preserve.
Posted on December 07, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University students in filmmaking professor Brian Day’s course “Producing for Clients” made professional films for Willimantic-based nonprofit organizations this semester. The course’s 11 students were divided into four production teams, which made 12 films for the Covenant Soup Kitchen, Access Agency, No Freeze Hospitality Center and NAFI Connecticut.
Posted on December 06, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern released a short video on Dec. 3 describing the best toys for young children based on 10 years of research through the Center for Early Childhood Education's (CECE) renowned TIMPANI Toy Study. An acronym for “Toys that Inspire Mindful Play and Nurture Imagination,” TIMPANI is an annual study that investigates the quality of play elicited by different toys in natural settings. Due to precautions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Eastern cancelled its 2020 study, instead producing this short video summarizing the chief findings and lessons from the past decade.
Posted on December 04, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
For the past seven years, Cara Bergstrom-Lynch, sociology professor and chair of the Sociology, Anthropology, Criminology and Social Work Department at Eastern Connecticut State University, has run in the Hot Chocolate Challenge for Safe Passage in Northhampton, MA. Safe Passage is designed to raise public awareness on the issue of domestic violence. Since 1977, supporters have helped thousands of individuals achieve safety, secure justice and rebuild their lives in the wake of domestic violence.
Posted on December 04, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
The American Red Cross has a slogan that says “Give something that means something.” That means giving blood. The agency says blood is urgently needed now, as COVID-19 has claimed more than 290,000 lives in the United States as of this writing.
Posted on December 03, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Carmen Cid, professor of biology and dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Eastern Connecticut State University, has been working to improve the career success of women and minorities in science for the past three decades. This November, the national Ecological Society of America (ESA) named Cid as its vice president for education and human resources. The term runs through 2024.
Posted on November 30, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
The Covenant Soup Kitchen in collaboration with Eastern Connecticut State University distributed hundreds of Thanksgiving meals on Nov. 25 to Willimantic community members in need. As part of Eastern’s 14th annual Day of Giving, the meals were donated by the ECSU Foundation and Eastern’s food service provider Chartwells.
Posted on November 27, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
The global pandemic has decimated many industries, including the nonprofit and social services sectors that provide essential support to local communities. In today’s socially distanced world, how do traditional service-based institutions continue to lend a helping hand? The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University tackled this dilemma this fall by creating new ways to meet the needs of the Windham community.
Posted on November 19, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
As Eastern Connecticut State University brings the fall 2020 semester to a close, many members of the community have reflected on the changes of the past nine months amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these individuals is Pat Miller, a former adjunct faculty member in the English and Women’s and Gender Studies programs. As Eastern closed campus for the spring 2020 semester, Miller began an art and photography project she titled, “While You Were Gone: Windows into a Strange New World.”
Posted on November 18, 2020 by Molly Boucher
#WarriorsGive raises $98,195; CCE volunteers produce educational videos for local children; Dean Carmen Cid serves as ESA research collection editor; Eastern holds Veterans Day ceremony; and Sustainable CT facilitates $1 million investment in community projects across Connecticut.
Posted on November 18, 2020 by
How do countries with diverse populations cultivate common national goals and values? On Nov. 12, Scott Moore, assistant professor of history, shared just how in his new book, “Teaching the Empire: Education and State Loyalty in Late Habsburg Austria,” published by Purdue University Press. Moore suggested that 18th-century Austria could serve as a model for modern multi-ethnic nations such as the United States.
Posted on November 17, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
On Nov. 13, Eastern Connecticut State University’s English Department continued its Visiting Writers Series with poet and essayist Hannah Ensor. Specializing in topics of pop culture, sports, queer television and mass media, Ensor read a few of her poems, answered questions and gave students writing tips.
Posted on November 17, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Families and organizations looking for new ways to engage young children during the age of COVID-19 can refer to a growing library of online content produced by students at Eastern Connecticut State University. Throughout the fall semester, student volunteers through Eastern’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) have been creating and uploading short educational videos to the CCE’s Facebook and YouTube pages.
Posted on November 12, 2020 by Molly Boucher and Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University has again been recognized as a top performer in the 2020 Sustainable Campus Index, achieving “Silver” STARS status for the second year in a row. In addition, also for the second consecutive year, Eastern and its food services partner, Chartwells, placed eighth nationally in the Food and Dining category. Eastern’s top 10 ranking in the Dining and Food category was shared by prestigious institutions such as Columbia University, Smith College, the University of Washington and Antioch College.
Posted on November 11, 2020 by Ed Osborn
Mitchell Doucette, assistant professor of health sciences at Eastern Connecticut State University, in collaboration with eight other researchers, has published new research on how Governor Lamont’s initial COVID-19 stay-at-home order impacted motor vehicle crash rates in Connecticut.
Posted on November 11, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University will host the first-ever virtual meeting of the Northeast Regional Undergraduate Research, Scholarly and Creative Activity Conference on Nov. 7. The event is sponsored by the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) and will spotlight the work of approximately 80 students from nine public liberal arts institutions across the Northeast.
Posted on November 05, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Writing is a fundamental life skill and workplace competency in our 21st century society. It’s not surprising, then, that the ability to write at the college level is a requirement for all Eastern Connecticut State University students. As guest speaker Mark Polanzak described on Oct. 28, writing also can be fun and personally rewarding in the process.
Posted on November 04, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University is one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review in its “Guide to Green Colleges: 2021 Edition.” Released in October, the guide profiles 416 colleges that are committed to environmental sustainability. This is the 11th year in a row that Eastern has made The Princeton Review’s Green Colleges rankings.
Posted on November 04, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
In 1932, the U.S. Public Health Service engaged in an experimental study designed to determine the natural course of untreated, deadly syphilis in 400 African American men in Tuskegee, AL. Dr. Peter Millet, executive vice president at Meharry Medical College, called the study “the most unethical research and social injustice in the nation’s history” during a virtual seminar on Oct. 28 at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on November 03, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
It's been a busy couple weeks: The first Collegiate Virtual 5K; the conclusion of a prolific pandemic-inspired CCE project; the Black Student Union marches; the Political Science Departments holds honor society induction; and more.
Posted on November 02, 2020 by
Eastern Connecticut State University’s emergency medical technician (EMT) class worked with the Willimantic Fire Department on Oct. 17 to provide students with a hands-on learning opportunity. Run by lead instructor Sean Brierley and program coordinator Bryan Platt, the demonstration was hosted in the Fine Arts Building parking lot. Brierley is a 1993 Eastern graduate.
Posted on October 30, 2020 by Molly Boucher
The Black Student Union (BSU) at Eastern Connecticut State University held a peaceful on-campus protest on Oct. 15 to campaign for social justice. Beginning at the Fine Arts Amphitheater, the rally consisted of 30-40 students who marched to Webb Lawn, the Sports Center and back to the Fine Arts building. In keeping with Eastern’s COVID-19 protocols, participants wore facemasks and adhered to the University’s social distancing guidelines.
Posted on October 29, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Music Program performed a live-streamed music event titled the “Noon Recital” on Oct. 9. This will be an ongoing event and will be live streamed on Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. The Noon Recital gives students enrolled in private music sessions the chance to perform their vocal and instrumental skills.
Posted on October 29, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
On Oct. 22–25, Eastern Connecticut State University joined other colleges and universities across the state of Connecticut to plan and hold the first-ever virtual marathon titled the “Collegiate Virtual 5K.” The statewide recreational event took several months to plan, and welcomed students, alumni, faculty, staff and family and friends of the higher education community to support healthy activity and engagement.
Posted on October 29, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Office of Student Activities, in collaboration with the Freshman Year Experience, hosted a Freshman Class Day social on Oct. 22 on Nevers Field. More than 120 freshmen registered for the event, which helped students socialize in a way that hadn’t been possible this semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Posted on October 28, 2020 by Molly Boucher
Raouf Mama, professor of English at Eastern Connecticut State University, was named a CSU Professor by the Board of Regents of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) System at its Oct. 15 meeting. Mama joins History Professor Anna Kirchmann and French Studies Professor Michele Bacholle as Eastern’s three CSU Professors.
Posted on October 26, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Kenneth McNeil, professor of English at Eastern Connecticut State University, has authored a new book that charts the transatlantic movements of Scottish literature in the Age of Revolution. The book, “Scottish Romanticism and Collective Memory in the British Atlantic,” is published by Edinburgh University Press.
Posted on October 26, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
On Oct. 14, more than 500 members of the Eastern Connecticut State University and local Willimantic, CT, communities enjoyed a virtual lecture by author Luis Alberto Urrea, who discussed his book, “Into the Beautiful North.” Urrea, author of several volumes of poetry and a 2005 Pulitzer Prize finalist for nonfiction, discussed the book and his prolific career as a writer as part of the national “Big Read” program.
Posted on October 22, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Charles Webb, president of Eastern from 1970-1988, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Oct. 8. He had recently celebrated his 101st birthday with family and friends on Oct. 4.
Posted on October 21, 2020 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Academic Success Center (ASC) provides students with services ranging from tutoring to advice on class selections. Found in the J. Eugene Smith Library on the first floor, the ASC includes the Writing Center, Math Achievement Center (MAC), subject tutoring and advising services.
Posted on October 20, 2020 by Molly Boucher
On Oct. 14, 105 students participated in the Center for Internships and Career Development’s second Virtual Career and Internship Fair this fall. Students interviewed with 29 different employers from a range of financial, high-tech, electrical and non -profit businesses, insurance companies and educational organizations.
Posted on October 20, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
On Oct. 8, the Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University held an artist talk featuring multidisciplinary artist David Antonio Cruz, as part of their current exhibition titled the “Future is LATINX.” Cruz discussed his identity issues, childhood and culture, the racial violence in society and the different stages of his artwork.
Posted on October 19, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Despite the uncertain times of COVID-19, 80 golfers participated in the annual Eastern golf tournament on Oct. 6 at the Wethersfield Country Club, sponsored by the ECSU Foundation, Inc.
Posted on October 16, 2020 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University continues its University Hour program for the fall 2020 semester with a series of virtual events on Wednesdays from 3-4 p.m. unless otherwise noted. The events will range from lectures to workshops, with a variety of experts expressing their ideas about poetry, history and social issues. Online access to each event is available by contacting the indicated event coordinators.
Posted on October 16, 2020 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University has reopened Shawn’s Cupboard for the fall semester. The on-campus food pantry is in the Knight House behind Winthrop Hall. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, students must make appointments to visit the pantry, and those donating food must follow the inventory list.
Posted on October 14, 2020 by Molly Boucher
Accounting majors at Eastern Connecticut State University are continuing to find a robust job market for their skills despite the economic impact of COVID-19. Their career aspirations are greatly aided by the faculty in the Accounting program, who conducted their own job fair for students on Oct. 7.
Posted on October 13, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
After Covid-19 ended all in-person classes for the 2020 spring semester, Eastern Connecticut State University faculty members created a film club to watch and discuss films suggested by one another. The club meets every Sunday at 8 p.m. and features documentaries, foreign movies and more.
Posted on October 13, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Recent Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Wasan Hayajneh ’20 is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in animation at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).
Posted on October 09, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University is continuing its fall exhibition by highlighting Latinx art with the “Future is Latinx.” The exhibition is on display from Oct. 8 to Dec. 3.
Posted on October 09, 2020 by Ed Osborn
On Oct. 1, the Women’s Center at Eastern Connecticut State University held a viewing of “There’s no Winning in Murder,” a documentary highlighting the life of the late Eastern student Alyssiah Wiley. Narrated by Wiley’s mother, Corrinna Martin, the movie examines domestic violence and the toll it takes on individuals and families.
Posted on October 09, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Over two weekends in September, approximately 30 student volunteers at Eastern Connecticut State University helped plant 50 trees and 120 shrubs in a 10,000-square-foot urban garden on High Street near campus.
Posted on October 09, 2020 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University’s new Opportunity Programs initiative was created to ensure that Eastern students receive they need to succeed in college. The program, which operates out of the Office of Continuing Studies and Enhanced Learning (CSEL), brings together a number of existing programs to focus attention on at-risk students and other special populations.
Posted on October 09, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
“The Leaflet,” a journal edited by Eastern Connecticut State University Education Professor Mark A. Fabrizi, has been named a recipient of the 2020 Affiliate Journal of Excellence Award by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). Each year NCTE recognizes journals and their editors for representing excellence in their publications. This will be the 25th year of the award since its establishment in 1995.
Posted on October 06, 2020 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University understands the importance of mental health and why it is crucial to have mental health services readily available on campus. The Office of Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) is one of Eastern’s six health and wellness services that offers mental health to students to help with their personal, social and academic concerns.
Posted on October 01, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Campus Activity Board (CAB) hosted Fall Fest from Sept. 21-26. The weeklong event included socially distanced activities ranging from virtual game nights, to a grab and go “make your own” stuffed animal event and an outdoor movie night.
Posted on September 30, 2020 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Office of Housing and Residential Life is one of many offices on campus that are working together to maintain a healthy and safe campus environment during COVID-19. The Housing Office is also committed to creating opportunities for students to enjoy campus life in through a range of engaging yet safe activities and events.
Posted on September 29, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
During COVID-19, Eastern Connecticut State University's Center for Internships and Career Development has found alternative ways to provide career services to Eastern students. The latest was a virtual fair to showcase more than 40 graduate school programs.
Posted on September 28, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont visited Eastern on Sept. 24 to hear from administrators, faculty and students on how the University is doing in managing the COVID-19 coronavirus on campus.
Posted on September 24, 2020 by Ed Osborn
Like other colleges and universities across America, Eastern Connecticut State University is having an unusual semester because of the coronavirus pandemic. With online and hybrid classes, limited face-to-face interactions, heightened rules and regulations in dormitories, and many events being cancelled, campus life for residential students at Eastern has changed dramatically. Several students have shared their thoughts about how the semester is progressing.
Posted on September 24, 2020 by Bobbi Brown and Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University English Professor English Raouf Mama has published several new publications this past summer. The publications include a past story of his, “Tropical Tales,” updated with new illustrations; “Contes Tropicaux,” the French version of “Tropical Tales”; and “La Jarre Troue,” a retelling of a classic story from Professor Mama’s home country of Benin.
Posted on September 24, 2020 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University senior Hannah Beazoglou and recent graduate Melat Assefa ’20 recently received awards from Delta Mu Delta (DMD), the national business honors society. Beazoglou, a business administration major from West Hartford, was awarded the DMD Board Award, whereas Assefa, a finance major from Ethiopia, recieved the DMD Past Presidents Award.
Posted on September 22, 2020 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Art Gallery is hosting an exhibition to honor the memory of art professor Andy Jones, who passed earlier this year on Jan. 25. The exhibition titled, “2020: Eastern’s Painting and Drawing Faculty Exhibition,” is showcasing art pieces from faculty members and will be available for viewing until Oct. 1.
Posted on September 17, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University professors recently participated in the Scholar Strike, a national movement created to educate and encourage conversations about racism in today’s political climate. The strike took place on September 8 and 9, with six Eastern professors across multiple areas of study participating.
Posted on September 16, 2020 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University is the #1 ranked public regional university in New England for the second year in a row in this year’s U.S. News and World Report’s edition of “Best Colleges.” Released on Sept. 14, the report also shows that Eastern is again the highest ranked institution among Connecticut’s four state universities.
Posted on September 14, 2020 by Ed Osborn
Two weeks ago, television news generated excitement and concern when it reported that a killer asteroid was going to hit Earth on Nov. 2, the day before Election Day. Election Day is going to be interesting enough — imagine the consternation an asteroid could cause!
Posted on September 09, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Julia Medina ’20 is one of 19 members of the first cohort of college graduates selected by the Connecticut Governor’s Innovation Fellowship (CTGIF) program.
Posted on September 04, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
While taking all precautions during COVID-19 to safely move in more than 1,800 resident students on Aug. 23-25, Eastern Connecticut State University rolled out “Warrior Welcome” to more than 850 new members of the Class of 2024, as well as other returning students.
Posted on September 01, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Beginning Oct. 7 and running through Dec. 3, Eastern Connecticut University will lead a series of local events as part of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) annual “Big Read” program. Each year, the Big Read program selects a book for communities across America to read and engage; this year’s book is “Into the Beautiful North” by noted Mexican American author Luis Alberto Urrea.
Posted on August 31, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Hundreds of faculty and staff tuned in to YouTube on Aug. 25 for Eastern Connecticut State University’s second-ever virtual University Meeting. Held one day before fall semester classes started, the meeting was streamed live from an otherwise empty Betty R. Tipton Room on campus. President Elsa Núñez and other university administrators addressed the virtual crowd, welcoming new faculty and staff and recognizing service awardees and retirees.
Posted on August 28, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University is kicking off its fall 2020 season with an exhibition showcasing the university’s painting and drawing faculty. Running until Oct. 1 with the opening reception on Sept. 10 from 4–6 p.m., the exhibit is dedicated to the memory of Andy Jones, a longtime faculty member and professor of painting who passed away in January. Many of his early and late works will be shown in the exhibit.
Posted on August 27, 2020 by Molly Boucher
More than 100 members of the Eastern community attended a virtual town hall meeting on Aug. 20 on racism and social justice in the aftermath of the police-related death of George Floyd. In line with the national dialogue concerning systemic racism, the university-wide discussion was co-sponsored by the Multicultural Leadership Council (MLC) and Eastern’s administration to focus on making Eastern a more inclusive campus.
Posted on August 21, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
When several thousand students, faculty and staff return to the Eastern campus next week for the start of the fall 2020 semester, they will find a campus that looks substantially different from the one they left on March 13 due to the pandemic. Some of the changes were preplanned improvements to buildings and facilities, while the most noticeable differences are signs of a college campus pressing onward in the era of COVID-19.
Posted on August 20, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Several Eastern Connecticut State University students completed atypical internships this summer, working with their companies remotely via telecommuting.
Posted on August 19, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
The Connecticut Science Center has named Carmen Cid, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Eastern Connecticut State University, as recipient of its 2020 STEM Achievement Award. The center will honor Cid and her accomplishments at its virtual “Green Gala: Love Science” on Oct. 3. A special virtual VIP pre-event will take place prior to the gala program.
Posted on August 13, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
More than 80 prospective students are currently vying for admission to Eastern this summer through the alternative admissions program known as “STEP/CAP,” which, after 36 consecutive years has taken on an all-virtual look.
Posted on July 30, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University has been named the recipient of a two-year, $245,000 grant to fund an innovative, faculty-driven project, “Implementation of New Learning Outcomes in the Liberal Arts Core (LAC).” The grant was received from the Davis Educational Foundation, established by Stanton and Elisabeth Davis after Mr. Davis’s retirement as chairman of Shaw’s Supermarkets, Inc.
Posted on July 29, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Most college internships offer students a chance to learn something new while in the workplace. This summer, Eastern Connecticut State University offered a twist on the model. Nearly a dozen students participated in a “Reverse Internship,” a unique credit for lifelong learning program.
Posted on July 29, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Julianna Gray ’23 of Waterford, CT, has been named the recipient of a $4,000 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad in Spain.
Posted on July 17, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Allison Lundy ’20, a recent graduate who majored in Early Childhood Education and Psychology, has been notified that her honors thesis, “Effects of Active Outdoor Play on Preschool Children’s On-Task Classroom Behavior,” will appear in an upcoming edition of “Early Childhood Education Journal.”
Posted on July 17, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University is presenting the virtual exhibition “Racism: An American Pandemic” on its website from July 15–Sept. 8.
Posted on July 15, 2020 by
Eastern is offering a new major in Anthropology starting this fall 2020 semester. Approved by the Board of Regents earlier this year, the new program features two concentrations-- Cultural Anthropology and Archaeology—aimed at helping students understand the diverse past and present cultures of the world.
Posted on July 08, 2020 by Ed Osborn
Eastern is offering a new major in Data Science starting this fall 2020 semester. Approved by the Board of Regents earlier this year, Students in this unique, interdisciplinary program will receive instruction in the core areas of statistics, computer science, business analytics and geospatial information systems.
Posted on July 08, 2020 by Ed Osborn
Faculty researchers at Eastern Connecticut State University have launched a new, data-driven enterprise to analyze public health, economic and social issues in the state of Connecticut. The first two projects of the Eastern Institute for Data Analytics (EIDA) are examining real-time trends in sickness and unemployment in the era of COVID-19.
Posted on July 08, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Students in Tao Chen’s Graphic Design II class gained some exciting, real life practical skills this past semester, creating a new logo for the town of Chaplin. The students worked with Professor Emerita Leslie Ricklin, chair of the Chaplin Bicentennial Committee.
Posted on July 07, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Colleges of Distinction has recognized Eastern Connecticut State University for a variety of distinctions in its 2020-21 rankings, including badges of distinction for Public Colleges, Connecticut Colleges, Business and Education Programs, Career Development, Equity and Inclusion, and Military Support. Colleges of Distinction is a guide for college-bound students that recognizes undergraduate institutions that prioritize a well-rounded and individualized education.
Posted on June 23, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Four years ago, Eastern Connecticut State University was one of only two universities nationwide selected to pilot a groundbreaking scholarship program in support of undocumented college students. In partnership with TheDream.US, Eastern enrolled its first cohort of 47 “DREAMers,” who were brought to the United States as children and faced barriers to accessing a college education in their home states. This pioneering cohort graduated this past May, leaving behind a legacy of inclusion, academic excellence and civic engagement on Eastern’s campus.
Posted on June 18, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University has been named a recipient of a $15,000 grant to host the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read in Windham. The University is one of 84 nonprofit organizations nationwide selected to receive a NEA Big Read grant to support a community reading program. The NEA Big Read in Windham will focus on noted Mexican author Luis Alberto Urrea's book "Into the Beautiful North." Reading activities will take place between Oct. 6 and Nov. 19. Community project partners on Big Read Windham include the Willimantic Public Library, EASTCONN Arts Magnet School, Hispanic Alliance of Southern Connecticut and the City of New London, among others.
Posted on June 18, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Neville Brown, associate director of financial aid at Eastern Connecticut State University, has been named the recipient of the 2020 National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) Regional Leadership Award. The 2020 NASFAA Awards were announced on June 3.
Posted on June 15, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Miriam Chirico, English Professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, authored a new book, “The Theatre of Christopher Durang,” published by Bloomsbury Publishers. This release follows the January 2020 publication of “How to Teach a Play: Essential Exercises for Popular Plays,” which Chirico co-edited.
Posted on June 09, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Despite a spring athletics season cut short by COVID-19, the Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors continued their dominance — on and off the field — in the Little East Conference (LEC) this 2019-20 academic year. Eastern’s student-athletes won the LEC’s Presidents’ Cup for top academic performance, the Commissioner’s Cup for top overall athletic performance and captured seven of 19 Team Academic Awards for the academic accomplishments of individual teams.
Posted on June 04, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
The Board of Regents of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System has named two faculty members at Eastern Connecticut State University as recipients of campus-level faculty awards for teaching and research for 2020. Tanya Moorehead, assistant professor of education, won the teaching award and Matthew Graham, associate professor of biology, won the research award.
Posted on June 03, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
To help make sense of the “new normal” of COVID-19, English Professor Miriam Chirico and History Professor Anna Kirchmann used the spring 2020 semester as an opportunity for their students to reflect on the personal and societal impact of the pandemic.
Posted on June 02, 2020 by Dwight Bachman and Michael Rouleau
The senseless death of George Floyd in Minneapolis is a painful reminder that racism and police brutality continue to inflict a heavy toll on American society.
Posted on June 02, 2020 by
The COVID 19 pandemic has certainly cast a wide net of uncertainty across higher education. Closing the Eastern Connecticut State University campus and moving to online learning this spring was no easy task. Many campuses are still struggling with how to function moving forward. There are more questions than answers, but if one thing is certain, it’s that the staff in the Division of Student Affairs know how to deal with crisis.
Posted on June 01, 2020 by Candace DeAngelis and Casey Kensey
Eastern Connecticut State University will be open for on-campus classes this fall to provide students with the high-quality, residential liberal arts education they expect and deserve. Classes will begin on August 26, 2020.
Posted on May 29, 2020 by Ed Osborn
According to the U.S. Labor Department, nearly 40 million Americans — more than 500,000 in Connecticut alone — have filed for unemployment claims over the past three months due to COVID-19. Today, one of four people in America have no job. This is the job market the Class of 2020 at Eastern Connecticut State University finds itself, and the University is working hard to give those graduates a competitive edge in their job search.
Posted on May 28, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Five years ago, USA Today reported on a 75-year-old woman in Oregon who called the 911 dispatcher, begging for help after her husband of 57 years accidentally shot her in the stomach. Her husband, suffering from dementia, sat in a wheelchair holding the gun, not realizing what he had done or why. Unable to remember, he could not talk. Fortunately, the wife survived after 30 pints of blood, three surgeries and seven weeks in the hospital.
Posted on May 21, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
More than 1,250 undergraduate and graduate students watched from home as Eastern Connecticut State University conducted its 130th annual Commencement Exercises via YouTube on May 19. In addition to 1,175 undergraduates, 85 graduate students received their degrees.
Posted on May 20, 2020 by Ed Osborn
While the coronavirus pandemic has shuttered museums and concert halls around the world, it hasn’t suppressed the creativity and artistic expression of undergraduate musicians at Eastern Connecticut State University. Eastern students have joined the legion of artists this spring who have adapted to the global health crisis with innovation and perseverance.
Posted on May 19, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, as we pay tribute to the generations of Asians and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America’s history and are instrumental to its future.
Posted on May 18, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Anthony Lapia ’03, regional director of enterprise sales for LinkedIn Learning Solutions, joined a group of Eastern Connecticut State University students on Zoom to offer advice on how to find work in the struggling American economy.
Posted on May 18, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Alumnus Jonathan Alpert ’95 is a NYC-based psychotherapist, author and performance coach. In light of the myriad struggles brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Alpert recently authored two columns on how to cope and thrive during this unprecedented time.
Posted on May 18, 2020 by
Andrea Ferrigno ’19 has begun the Master’s in Pathology Assistants Program at Quinnipiac University. A pathologist assistant plays a critical role in helping the pathologist come up with an accurate diagnosis by dissecting surgical specimens and performing human postmortem (autopsy) exams.
Posted on May 13, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
More than 350 Eastern faculty and staff community members tuned into YouTube for a live streaming of Eastern’s first-ever “virtual” University Meeting on May 8. Broadcasting from an empty Betty R. Tipton Room, university administrators covered an agenda that acknowledged the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic while celebrating students, faculty and staff for successfully adapting to those challenges.
Posted on May 13, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Hundreds of juniors and seniors from all academic majors were inducted into honor societies this spring 2020 semester at Eastern Connecticut State University. Induction into an honor society is an acknowledgement of scholastic achievement and offers members access to a network of like-minded learners and professionals.
Posted on May 07, 2020 by
2020 is the 20th anniversary of Eastern Connecticut State University’s on-campus celebration of student research and creativity. CREATE stands for “Celebrate Research Excellence and Artistic Talent at Eastern,” and our students have once again demonstrated their research and artistic skills this spring.
Posted on May 07, 2020 by Ed Osborn
Earlier in March, Eastern Connecticut State University received word that it had won first place in the national Collegiate Advertising Awards program in the “University Website” category. Eastern beat out Loyola of New Orleans and Assumption College to gain top honors.
Posted on May 07, 2020 by Ed Osborn
COVID-19 may have created social distancing for Eastern students, faculty and staff, but the virus has not stopped Eastern alumni from doing a terrific job of staying in touch with their former professors. We caught up with four of them — Andrea Brown ’08, Casey McGarvey ’13, Nick Aconfora’15, and Meg Saunders ’15 — who recently joined the virtual classes of Kinesiology and Physical Education Professor Charlie Chatterton and Communication Professor Andrew Utterback.
Posted on May 06, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Undergraduate filmmakers and poets at Eastern Connecticut State University have teamed up for an interdisciplinary collaboration that combines video and poetry. Students from the course “Filmmaking II” and the workshop “Advanced Poetry Writing” produced short poetry films this spring semester that grapple with such issues as climate change, homelessness and apathy in the face of tragedy.
Posted on May 06, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University sophomore Richard Hoyt is serving in the Army National Guard during the COVID-19 pandemic as a transportation coordinator at commodities warehouse in New Britain, where he is helping to distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) to medical facilities and first responders across the state.
Posted on May 06, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Answering a call for teaching tools related to the coronavirus pandemic, Biology Professor Amy Groth has authored a new case study called “Fatally Flawed? Early Genetic Testing for the COVID-19 Virus.” The study was published by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science (NCCSTS).
Posted on May 05, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
The photo above of Computer Science Professor Garrett Dancik and his students is common place in the normal life of Eastern Connecticut State University. Today, we must look at it with whimsy as faculty and students began teaching and studying remotely on March 23. Although the experience has not been without growing pains, faculty ingenuity and student determination have resulted in an unparalleled learning opportunity.
Posted on April 23, 2020 by Ed Osborn
For decades, doctors the world over have agreed that “exercise is the best medicine.” Studies show that exercise is great for the mind, body and soul — it enhances one’s physical, emotional, mental and even spiritual health. In the age of COVID-19, when everyone is required to “stay home,” exercise becomes even more important to stay healthy while enhancing the immune system against the virus.
Posted on April 23, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University recently joined a partnership with the New York Southeast Asia Network (NYSEAN), a multidisciplinary group of scholars at colleges and universities in New York, Connecticut and New Jersey who specialize in Southeast Asian studies. The network allows for collaboration in research, conferences and workshops. Eastern is one of the first schools to partner with the network, which is housed at Columbia University, and joins other universities such as Cornell University, Seton Hall University and Pace University.
Posted on April 22, 2020 by Molly Boucher
Army Reserve member and freshman Jacob Schumacher was recently deployed to serve as part of Connecticut’s COVID-19 relief effort. Schumacher’s daily roles consist of maintaining and repairing military vehicles and transporting medical supplies.
Posted on April 22, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Students in the ETV News club at Eastern Connecticut State University are putting their television production skills to the test by producing their weekly newscast remotely from home.
Posted on April 21, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University has been named a recipient of the inaugural 2020-21 Military Support Colleges of Distinction Award. The award, presented by “Colleges of Distinction,” recognizes colleges and universities that dedicate resources to service members and veterans of the military.
Posted on April 15, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Looking for ways to help during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, a team of volunteer “seamstresses” from Eastern Connecticut State University has collaborated to produce face masks for organizations on the frontlines of the health care emergency. The relief effort is being coordinated by the Center for Community Engagement (CCE), which has a team of 26 volunteers sewing cloth masks during this time of quarantines and social distancing.
Posted on April 08, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University students in the Graphic Design History class have created digital artwork to spread awareness about how to stay safe during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Posted on April 07, 2020 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University students Stefanos Stravoravdis '20 of Colchester and Evelyn Lemus Silva '20 of Burnsville, NC, have been named recipients of the 2020 Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award. The Barnard Award is the premier academic recognition program of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System (CSCU) and is sponsored by the CSCU Foundation.
Posted on April 07, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Christopher Shimwell ’20, a biology major at Eastern Connecticut State University, received an excellence award from the Eastern Colleges Science Conference (ECSC) for his manuscript titled “Molecular Characterization of the Scorpion Telson.”
Posted on April 07, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Eastern Connecticut State University has joined other colleges and universities across the nation in continuing to provide instruction online, while non-faculty employees conduct their work assignments at home. Telecommuting presents new challenges for the entire Eastern campus community — faculty, staff and students — and the Eastern Warriors are rising to the occasion. New technology platforms and innovative approaches are ensuring that teaching and learning is taking place remotely, while other daily operations of the university continue as dedicated staff learn the nuances of telecommuting.
Posted on April 06, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Twenty-six students from Eastern Connecticut State University volunteered this spring semester with local schoolchildren in the Puentes al Futuro program (Bridges to the Future). This year's Puentes program involved approximately 40 elementary and middle schoolchildren who participated in a curriculum focused on nutrition and wellness and STEM - science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Posted on March 25, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University and three partnering universities are nearing the end of a two-year, $500,000 effort to incorporate underused foods from the ocean into the dining culture of their respective campuses. The Henry P. Kendall Foundation awarded two Food Vision Prizes of $250,000 each to the four universities - including Eastern, the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, Northeastern University and Massachusetts Maritime Academy - to increase the consumption of kelp and underutilized fish on campus.
Posted on March 24, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
Students, faculty and staff gathered in the Proscenium Theatre at Eastern Connecticut State University on March 9 to hear recording artist, author, entrepreneur and motivational speaker June Archer offer a message of hope and inspiration to students interested in a career in the music industry.
Posted on March 23, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
COVID-19 may be the reason we are all at home these days, but it hasn’t kept the Eastern community from our core purpose of teaching and learning. Online courses started on Monday, March 23. “Overall, we are doing very well,” said Provost Bill Salka. Faculty are engaged in teaching, hardware and software issues are being resolved, and as always, faculty have been finding innovative ways to teach our students and help each other in the process.
Posted on March 23, 2020 by Ed Osborn
On March 11, Eastern faculty and staff packed the President’s Dining Room in Hurley Hall to hear English Professor Miriam Chirico describe the process of publishing her new book, “How to Teach a Play: Essential Exercises for Popular Plays.” The book contains exercises on dramatic texts from national and international scholars, including Maureen McDonnell, Eastern professor of English, and Alycia Bright-Holland, assistant professor of theatre at Eastern.
Posted on March 19, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
English Department graduates returned to Eastern Connecticut State University’s campus on March 10 to share their experiences in the workforce and discuss how their English degree has aided them in their unexpected career paths. Alumni who participated in the panel discussion included Courtney Bedocs ’10, Taylor Hammond ’13, Korey Lewis ’13 and Amanda Topping ’10. English Department Chair Barbara Liu facilitated the conversation.
Posted on March 16, 2020 by Vania Galicia
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted the International Women’s Forum of Connecticut (IWFCT) on March 11 for an event titled “Mentoring Matters: Mentor Her." The event featured round-table discussions led by an all-female panel of senior executives for companies such Girl Scouts of Connecticut and Reliance Solution Services, LLC. The panelists represented a variety of industries including business, healthcare, communications and non-profit.
Posted on March 13, 2020 by Molly Boucher
As a part of Eastern Connecticut State University’s art exhibition “Creating Dangerously: Art and Revolution,” the University’s Art Gallery welcomed Anthony Bogues, Caribbean historian, writer and political theorist on March 4. Bogues, who is the director of the Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice at Brown University, presented a lecture on memory, history and the revolution of Haitian art after the Haitian Revolution.
Posted on March 10, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
New York-based artist and writer Bishakh Som visited Eastern Connecticut State University on March 5 to read from her upcoming comic book “Apsara Engine,” which is set to go on sale on April 14. After the reading, Theater Professor James Holland facilitated a discussion on Som’s work and her illustrative and writing processes.
Posted on March 10, 2020 by Vania Galicia
Renowned author and activist Marie-Celie Agnant visited Eastern Connecticut State University on March 4 to lecture on her experience writing about Haitian diaspora and social activism. During her lecture, Agnant read “Antoine’s Departure” and answered questions from students about her writing process, views of Haiti and her book, “The Book of Emma.”
Posted on March 09, 2020 by Molly Boucher
A heartfelt tale of two brothers navigating the murky waters of race and freedom is being performed at Eastern Connecticut State University through March 8. “The Brothers Size,” written by Academy Award-winning writer Tarell McCraney and directed by Eastern Theatre Professor DeRon Williams, is an African cosmology-inspired story of brotherhood set in the Louisiana bayou.
Posted on March 05, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
As part of “National Read Across America Day” on March 2, Eastern Connecticut State University student volunteers from the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) teamed up with four local elementary schools to read books to students in K-3rd grade. In addition, Eastern’s English Department and Education Club also hosted a community celebration on campus from 6-8 p.m. in the J. Eugene Smith Library curriculum center, where they set up crafts, offered book-themed snacks, set up a book-themed photo booth and hosted reading table.
Posted on March 04, 2020 by Vania Galicia
Afarin Rahmanifar, professor of art and art history at Eastern Connecticut State University, is exhibiting her solo exhibition “Women of Shahnameh” at Towson University’s Asian Arts and Culture Center Gallery from Feb 13-May 16. This is Professor Rahmanifar’s fourth solo installation project.
Posted on March 04, 2020 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Music Department recently held a series of events to showcase the talents of students, professors and visiting artists, ranging from multimodal performances to concerts and recitals.
Posted on March 03, 2020 by Vania Galicia
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Arthur L. Johnson Unity Wing and Pride Center recently hosted “Being Out in Politics.” The event was centered around Jason Bartlett, a former member of the Connecticut House of Representatives who served as the first black and openly gay state legislator in U.S. history. Bartlett represented Bethel, Redding and some of Danbury from 2007-11. During the event he discussed coming out in the world of politics at the age of 41 and how it impacted his work and personal life.
Posted on March 03, 2020 by Molly Boucher
Health Sciences major Lacoy Brown '20; Kristen Scavone, director of the Office of AccessAbility Services; and JoAnn Price, managing partner and co-founder of Fairview Capital Partners in West Hartford, received Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Awards at Eastern Connecticut State University's annual awards reception on Feb. 26. The event marked the 25th anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr. award program at Eastern.
Posted on March 02, 2020 by Dwight Bachman and Ed Osborn
It was a standing room only crowd on Wednesday night, Feb. 26 in the Student Center Theater at Eastern Connecticut State University when Governor Ned Lamont was joined by Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and five commissioners for a town hall meeting on workforce education.
Posted on March 02, 2020 by Ed Osborn
While Connecticut still has a handful of daily newspapers in Hartford, New Haven, Danbury, Waterbury and even Willimantic, many residents of the Nutmeg State turn to the local weekly and monthly newspapers for local news.
Posted on March 02, 2020 by
In addition to traditional broadcast affiliates, the 21st-century television environment features on-demand news distributed digitally on cell phones and via social media platforms around the clock and throughout the world.
Posted on February 27, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
On Feb. 20, distinguished fiction writer Richard Bausch visited Eastern Connecticut State University as part of the English Department’s ‘Visiting Writers’ series. During his visit Bausch read one of his pieces titled “The Fate of Others,” that is set to be published in an upcoming collection of his works. After his reading Bausch also opened up the floor to questions about his writing and other aspects of his work.
Posted on February 26, 2020 by Vania Galicia
Assistant Professor of Education Kwangwon Lee recently spoke on a panel at his alma mater, Indiana University (IU) School of Education, about his journey as a young professor and his experiences teaching at Eastern Connecticut State University. IU’s Curriculum and Instruction Research and Creative Activity Symposium (CIRCAS) occurred on Feb. 14; Lee was invited as a panelist for being a past IU doctoral student who has since successfully landed a professorship.
Posted on February 20, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
More than 150 students, staff and community members showed up at a rally in support of undocumented students at Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 18.
Posted on February 20, 2020 by
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will present five performances in the month of March, ranging from faculty recitals to concerts by guest musicians. All events are free and open to the public and will occur in venues in Easter's Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC).
Posted on February 20, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Following the registration of Avon, East Windsor, Stratford, Waterbury and Woodstock, over the past two weeks, New Canaan became the 100th community to join Sustainable CT. A statewide program run by the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University, Sustainable CT inspires and supports communities to become more efficient, resilient and inclusive. In the two years since the program’s launch, 47 municipalities have earned Sustainable CT certification, a prestigious and highly visible independent recognition of their sustainability accomplishments.
Posted on February 19, 2020 by
The movement to help Eastern students find more economical ways to access learning subject matter picked up momentum on Feb. 11 when Kevin Corcoran, executive director of digital learning for the CSCU system, provided an update on Open Educational Resources (OER) in a workshop in the Center for Instructional Technology in the J. Eugene Smith Library.
Posted on February 13, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
The Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra returns to Willimantic to perform a free concert on the Eastern Connecticut State University campus on Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. Held in the Concert Hall of Eastern's Fine Arts Instructional Center, the concert will feature works by Mozart and Beethoven, as well as pieces and performers from Turkey.
Posted on February 13, 2020 by Ed Osborn
On Sunday, Feb. 9, Eastern Connecticut State University was featured in a full-page advertisement on page 3 of the Hartford Courant. The ad noted that Eastern is the top ranked regional public university in New England in this year’s U.S. News and World Report rankings.
Posted on February 13, 2020 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University's Performing Arts Department is proud to present "The Brothers Size" by Tarell Alvin McCraney, co-creator of the Academy Award-winning film "Moonlight." The production will run in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) DelMonte-Bernstein Studio Theater from March 3-8.
Posted on February 13, 2020 by Sheila RuJoub
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted representatives from ESPN on Feb. 11 who informed students of a new program called ESPN NEXT. The evening included a presentation about NEXT, a review of ESPN video content and a Q&A session about the projects students would work on if selected for the NEXT program.
Posted on February 13, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Students studying theater and new media studies at Eastern Connecticut State University attended the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) at Cape Cod Community College from Jan. 28-Feb. 1.
Posted on February 13, 2020 by Molly Boucher
Eastern’s Center for Internship and Career Development (CICD) hosted “Ready, Set, Graduate” on Feb. 12 for seniors graduating this spring.
Posted on February 13, 2020 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Communication Department hosted students from Manchester High School (MHS) on Feb. 7 to experience Eastern’s Communication Department and television studio for a day.
Posted on February 12, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Darrell Irwin, visiting assistant professor of sociology at the University of Connecticut, gave a lecture on “The Roots of Haitian Migration” in Eastern Connecticut State University’s Art Gallery on Feb. 10. Nicolas Simon, assistant professor of sociology at Eastern, collaborated with Irwin on the talk.
Posted on February 12, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted award-winning documentary filmmaker Charles C. Stuart on Feb. 6 in the Student Center Theater. Stuart, who has produced more than 50 hours of film and earned five national Emmys and three regional Emmys, gave a film screening of his latest documentary, “Into the Light.” With a theater full of attentive students, Stuart also discussed the planning that goes into filming a documentary.
Posted on February 11, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Actor, activist, dancer and tribal mentor Annawon Weeden of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe performed his one-man show at Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 6. The interactive performance highlighted the history of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe from the 1400’s into the early 1800’s.
Posted on February 10, 2020 by Vania Galicia
Eastern Connecticut State University received two of only three “A” grades in all of Connecticut in the “2020 Teacher Prep Review” for quality of instruction in the review’s “early reading” category.
Posted on February 04, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
From Jan. 1–March 12, the Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University is presenting “Creating Dangerously: Art & Revolution,” an exhibition that features six Haitian artists — Vladimir Cybil Charlier, Edouard Duval Carrié, Sasha Huber, Pascale Monnin, Nyugen E. Smith and Didier William — who draw on the history of their homeland’s revolt against imperialist oppression to challenge Western culture’s understanding of Haiti and the Caribbean. The exhibition emphasizes the resilience of Haitian people by communicating optimism and commitment to the survival of their unique culture.
Posted on February 04, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
Several Eastern Connecticut State University students are participating in a unique internship with Cigna through the health services company's on-campus Technology Early Career Development Program (TECDP).
Posted on February 03, 2020 by Vania Galica
For millennia, toys have elicited joy and laughter in children. They are also fundamental to a young child’s intellectual and social development. In this modern world of smart phones, smart houses and smart automobiles, surely the best toys for a preschooler are “smart toys” — full of microchips, long-life batteries, robotics and other technology. Not so, say researchers at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on February 01, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
“Lulu,” a new experimental opera performed at Eastern Connecticut State University from Jan. 24-26, offered a provocative multi-media treatment of the timeless issue of mistreatment of women.
Posted on January 30, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
The competitive dance team at Eastern Connecticut State University performed at the prestigious Universal Dance Association (UDA) College Nationals on Jan. 17-19 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The team qualified for finals at the UDA for the first time in Eastern’s history, where they finished eighth place in the Open Hip-Hop Division.
Posted on January 28, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Internships and Career Development (CICD) held a career-readiness conference on Jan. 16, themed “Unlock Your Career Potential.” The conference served as an opportunity for students to network with employers and alumni while gaining career preparedness skills.
Posted on January 28, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
Organizations in seven Connecticut municipalities recently received $58,000 from the Sustainable CT Community Match Fund to kickstart local projects in their communities. The sustainability-minded and community-driven projects include: expanding a youth development program in New Haven; tree plantings across Willimantic; a wayfinding system in Thompson; outdoor classrooms at Bristol Public Schools; new trees in a West Hartford park; community gardens in New London and Groton; and a new composting program for Greenwich public schools.
Posted on January 23, 2020 by Michael Rouleau
A group of sociology students kicked off the spring 2020 semester with an excursion into the Willimantic community on Jan. 21. Students enrolled in Professor Nicolas Simon’s course “The Community” broke into three groups and explored local organizations related to town government, culture/history and social services.
Posted on January 23, 2020 by Bobbi Brown
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will present a variety of musical performances this January and February, ranging from an interactive historical performance to an aural-visual collaboration between music and art. All events will be held in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC). Admission is free and open to the public.
Posted on January 22, 2020 by Vania Galicia
On Jan. 20, Dwight Bachman, public relations officer, served as guest speaker for the Windham/Willimantic Chapter of the NAACP’s celebration the birthday of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The theme for the evening at the Calvary Baptist Church in Willimantic was “The Urgency of Now.”
Posted on January 22, 2020 by
Eastern Connecticut State University continues its “University Hour Series” this spring with a range of presentations that are open to the public and free of charge. University Hour events take place on most Wednesdays from 3-4 p.m. in different locations on campus, unless otherwise noted. Here is a list of the presentations taking place up to Spring Break.
Posted on January 20, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
On Jan. 24-26, the Performing Arts Department at Eastern Connecticut State University, in collaboration with the New York City-based theater/opera company Ridge Theater, will present “Lulu,” a multi-media, experimental opera based on Frank Wedekind’s original play “Earth Spirit.”
Posted on January 10, 2020 by Dwight Bachman
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University will present “Creating Dangerously: Art & Revolution” from Jan. 1–Mar. 12 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center. The exhibition is the first of the spring 2020 semester and marks the 10th anniversary of the Haitian earthquake — the deadliest in modern history.
Posted on January 09, 2020 by Vania Galicia
Eastern Connecticut State University held a formal ribbon-cutting on Dec. 16 to celebrate the re-opening of the Communication Building and Goddard Hall. Members of the campus community gathered in the lobby of the Communication Building to hear University officials, state dignitaries and project representatives applaud the successful remodeling of two historic buildings.
Posted on December 17, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Students in the class “Global and French Perspective on Women’s Issues” at Eastern Connecticut State University recently organized a community engagement project to support scholarships for female students in Haiti. This is the second year in a row the fundraiser has taken place under the guidance of French Professor Michèle Bacholle.
Posted on December 13, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
New research into anti-fungal resistance, conducted by Eastern Connecticut State University student Stefanos Stravoravdis '20 of Colchester and mentored by Biology Professor Jonathan Hulvey, was recently published in the international science journal "Mycobiology."
Posted on December 12, 2019 by Molly Boucher
Cara Bergstrom-Lynch, sociology professor at Eastern Connecticut State University ran in the Hot Chocolate 5k run on Dec. 8 in Northampton, MA, in support of individuals who have experienced domestic violence.
Posted on December 12, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University's Center for Early Childhood Education announced on Dec. 9 that "Family Counters" by Learning Resources has been named the 2019 TIMPANI (Toys that Inspire Mindful Play and Nurture Imagination) Toy.
Posted on December 10, 2019 by Julia DeLapp
Do you like to be surrounded by like-minded people? Are you passionate about social justice? Eastern Connecticut State University’s “theme housing” communities provide an inclusive residential experience that caters to students’ diverse interests.
Posted on December 10, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
Digital art & design students in Eastern Connecticut State University’s Art 335: Graphic Design course collaborated with Windham Hospital’s Auxiliary to enhance the theme of the hospital’s 2019 fundraising gala. Held at Horizon’s in South Windham, the gala’s theme this year was “Sous La Mer” (Under the Sea).
Posted on December 05, 2019 by Vania Galica
Five Eastern Connecticut State University alumni returned to campus on Nov. 21 to participate in a Promoting Academically Successful Students (PASS) Networking Dinner hosted by Eastern’s Office of Internships and Career Development.
Posted on December 05, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
On Nov. 21, in the Paul E. Johnson Sr. Community Conference Room in the J. Eugene Smith Library, French Professor Michèle Bacholle of the World Languages and Cultures Department collaborated with the Office of Wellness Education and Promotion to host “Ribbons of Remembrance,” an event in support of suicide-loss survivors. The event also observed International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day on Nov. 23.
Posted on November 30, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern’s Biology Department had a strong showing at the recent Waterbird Society meeting in Maryland this past November. Professor Patricia Szczys gave the opening plenary lecture and biology students Rachael Finch and Brittany Velikaneye presented on two aspects of an endangered migratory seabird common in the Northeast.
Posted on November 29, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Willimantic community members and Eastern Connecticut State University staff and students gathered on Nov. 27 to share an early Thanksgiving meal during Eastern's 13th annual Day of Giving. More than 300 people were served at the event which was staffed by more than 50 volunteers who helped prepare food and carry out the event.
Posted on November 27, 2019 by Vania Galicia
The Pulitzer-Prize winning play titled “Our Town” was presented at Eastern Connecticut State University from Nov. 19-24. Produced by Eastern’s Performing Arts Department and the Drama Society, the play was written by Thornton Wilder and directed by Tim Golebiewski. The three-act play follows the tight-knit community of Grover’s Corner spanning the years 1899-1913, presenting the themes of community, love, family and death throughout the production.
Posted on November 24, 2019 by Molly Boucher
Four Eastern Connecticut State University History majors presented their projects at the history honor society’s Phi Alpha Theta New England regional conference on Nov. 23. The Phi Alpha Theta conference highlighted research on topics ranging from gender and power to colonial and imperial legacies, and was held at Salem State University in Salem, MA.
Posted on November 23, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) students won the Dee Perrelli College Bowl on Nov. 21. In its 10th year, the bowl is hosted by the Connecticut Association of Health Physical Education Recreation and Dance (CTAHPERD) at its yearly conference in Cromwell. This is the fourth year in a row Eastern students have won the competition.
Posted on November 21, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Eastern Connecticut State University’s African Club presented its annual banquet to celebrate African culture on Nov. 21 in the Betty R. Tipton Room. In partnership with the Campus Activity Board, the theme for the evening was “Welcome to our Kingdom.” It was a night filled with entertainment, food, prizes and the crowning of a king and queen.
Posted on November 21, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
David Stoloff, professor of education at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently presented at the Global Education Conference.
Posted on November 21, 2019 by Molly Boucher
Christopher Vasillopulos, professor of political science at Eastern Connecticut State University recently served on a higher education board in Greece and presented research in China.
Posted on November 20, 2019 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University will present a number of musical events in December, ranging from jazz performances to holiday productions. All events will be held in the Concert Hall in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC). Admission is free and open to the public.
Posted on November 19, 2019 by
Eastern Connecticut State University's Health Sciences Department has received a $74,303 grant from the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) to construct a new physical therapeutic laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment.
Posted on November 18, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
On Nov. 13, Eastern’s Office of Alumni Affairs and the New Student and Family Programs hosted a LEAP (Learn, Explore, Achieve, Perform) leadership training program in the Paul E. Johnson Sr. Community Conference Room in the J. Eugene Smith Library. LEAP’s purpose is to increase student awareness of the range of professions, potential jobs and fields of graduate study available to them.
Posted on November 18, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Connecticut residents are poised to lead the way toward a climate-resilient future through projects making change at the local level. Sustainable CT, an initiative run by the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently launched the Community Match Fund.
Posted on November 18, 2019 by
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day on Nov. 13. The event was held in the Student Center with approximately 140 attendees, including government officials, consulting and engineering firms, professors and students. The day included a panel from workers in the GIS field along with research presentations and a keynote speaker.
Posted on November 15, 2019 by Molly Boucher
Young people go to college to earn a degree and prepare for careers, hopefully positioning themselves to be marketable enough to enter gainful employment. For freshmen, trying to figure out which major will fit their passion yet yield a reasonable return on their investment can create anxiety. On Nov. 14, Eastern Connecticut State University’s Office of Career for Internships and Career Development hosted the inaugural First-Year Career Exploration Expo in the Betty R. Tipton Room of the Student Center, with more than 100 freshmen in attendance.
Posted on November 14, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Office of Continuing Studies and Enhanced Learning (CSEL) held a reception for Promise Scholar recipients on Nov. 13 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on November 13, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a press conference on Nov. 12 in support of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the 2012 executive order signed by President Obama that grants temporary protected status to undocumented youth who were brought to the United States as children.
Posted on November 13, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Seven Eastern Connecticut State University students presented research projects at the Northeast regional conference for the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) on Nov. 8-9 at Keene State College in New Hampshire.
Posted on November 12, 2019 by
Faculty musicians put on three performances in recent weeks as part of the Music Program’s Faculty Recital Series.
Posted on November 12, 2019 by Ed Osborn
Lynn Stoddard, director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE) at Eastern Connecticut State University, was selected as a 2019 Honoree by the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame on Nov. 4.
Posted on November 11, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Social Work Club held its annual Social Action Day on Nov. 5 to focus on the issue of human trafficking.
Posted on November 10, 2019 by Vania Galicia
The women’s rugby club at Eastern Connecticut State University claimed the New England Collegiate Cup Championship on Nov. 9 at the 2019 Plymouth Rock Bowl, continuing their undefeated season against Franklin Pierce University, a tier-one school, with a score of 68-30. As a tier-two team Eastern was awarded for earning the top spot in their division, totaling 350 points for the team and only 44 against.
Posted on November 09, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Sustainable CT, a program run by the Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE) at Eastern Connecticut State University, was recently awarded the CT Green Building Council's Trailblazer Award.
Posted on November 08, 2019 by
Several Eastern students bundled up on Nov. 6 to spend the night on Webb Lawn for the annual “Shack-a-thon.” Members of Eastern’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity slept in cardboard boxes with nothing but layers of clothing and a few blankets to protect them from the harsh cold.
Posted on November 07, 2019 by Molly Boucher
Faculty members Niti Pandey, David Naumec and Phyllis Lee recently presented on the whaling industry, Native American artifacts and Children's mental health at on-campus research forums.
Posted on November 06, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Mitchell Doucette, health sciences professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently authored a research paper in the American Journal of Public Health on the relationship between Right-to-Carry (RTC) laws and workplace firearm homicides.
Posted on November 06, 2019 by
Eastern Connecticut State University’s “WUMALA” dance group performed at the University of Saint Joseph’s 5x5 Dance Festival on Nov. 2. The dance festival was created to provide a space for choreographers, performers, educators and students to study and perform. Each year the festival highlights performances by five professional and five collegiate ensembles.
Posted on November 05, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Eastern hosted a “Not So Scary Halloween Event” on Nov. 2 for area children between the grade levels of kindergarten and fourth grade and their families
Posted on November 02, 2019 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University launched its new website on Nov. 1, featuring new content, a new navigational structure and the latest web technology.
Posted on November 01, 2019 by
Eastern Connecticut State University History Professor Stefan Kamola gave a talk on his recent book “Making Mongol History: Rashid al-Din and the Jami’ al-Tawarikh” on Oct. 25, shedding light on a dynamic period in Iranian and Islamic history.
Posted on November 01, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Theatre Program showcased “Convergence” on Oct. 24-27 in the Proscenium Theatre as the first in this year’s dance concert series. With four performances, “Convergence” was a dramatic presentation of the works of Eastern students, past and present artists who used their dance skills to pay homage to the influences that have moved them.
Posted on October 31, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University has recently been recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the top “Green Campuses” in the United States. Based on a review of nearly 700 colleges, the Princeton Review selected 413 schools for their sustainability efforts. This is Eastern’s 10th year in a row on the list.
Posted on October 29, 2019 by Molly Boucher
Sustainable CT, a statewide initiative that inspires and supports communities in becoming more efficient, resilient and inclusive, announced its 2019 certified communities this week. Thirty-two municipalities met high standards in a broad range of sustainability accomplishments to qualify for certification.
Posted on October 28, 2019 by
Eastern Connecticut State University inducted its 12th class of distinguished alumni into the Eastern Fellows Program on Oct. 23. Cody Guarnieri ’09 is a lawyer and partner with the law firm Brown, Paindiris & Scott; Justin Piro ’05 is the principal research scientist at AbbVie’s Foundational Neuroscience Center; and Laurens “Larry” Smith ’77 is the interim vice president of statewide campuses at Utah State University.
Posted on October 24, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Internships and Career Development (CICD) hosted its fall Career and Internship Fair on Oct. 23. Held in the Geissler Gymnasium, the event had 85 companies in attendance with 360 students eager to speak with potential employers.
Posted on October 24, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
Award-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa and her co-host Julio Ricardo Varela visited Eastern Connecticut State University on Oct. 22 to record a live show for their critically acclaimed podcast “In the Thick.” The podcast addressed issues within the Latinx community in Connecticut, focusing on the current political climate around immigration.
Posted on October 24, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Concert Band presented its first major musical performance of the fall 2019 semester, “Origins,” on Oct. 23. The Concert Hall performance also featured a world-premiere composition by Eastern student Michael Lauretti Jr. ’20.
Posted on October 24, 2019 by
On Oct. 18, at the Bushnell Performing Arts Center in Hartford, the June Archer & Eleven28 Entertainment Group honored Dwight Bachman, public relations officer at Eastern Connecticut State University, at the “100 Men of Color Black Tie Gala and Award” event.
Posted on October 24, 2019 by
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University is showing its second exhibition of the year, “The Happiness Curriculum: Art from the South Asian Diaspora,” from Oct. 17-Dec. 14. The gallery opened with a talk and reception on Oct. 17 with featured artist Ruhee Maknojia. Shayok Mukhopadhyay, creator of the film “Gautam & Buddha,” also attended the event. Students and guests explored Maknojia’s and Mukhopadhyay’s immersive art as well as the work of the four other artists, which express the different aspects of living in south Asia.
Posted on October 23, 2019 by Molly Boucher
Award-winning illustrator and picture book creator Raúl Colón visited Eastern Connecticut State University on Oct. 21 to speak about his journey as an artist and his process for creating books for youth. Prior to his evening talk in the Webb Hall auditorium, Colón met with students in English Professor Allison Speicher’s course on children’s literature and Art Lecturer Carol Schwartz’s course on illustration.
Posted on October 23, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University honored 57 faculty members on Oct. 23 at a special reception in the Art Gallery, celebrating their scholarship and creative achievements. The faculty guests included scientists, visual artists, musicians, authors, performers, researchers and presenters, recognized for publications, books, artistic work and performances produced in the 2018-19 year.
Posted on October 23, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University will host a variety of musical events this November, including faculty recitals, guest performances and ensemble works. All events will be held in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC). Admission is free and open to the public.
Posted on October 21, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
More than 100 psychology alumni gathered at Eastern Connecticut State University on Oct. 18 in honor of the retirement of Professors Jeffrey Danforth and Wendi Everton. Alumni in attendance were also given a tour of the Psychology Department’s new facilities in Goddard Hall.
Posted on October 20, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Eastern Connecticut State University held its 11th annual Poverty Awareness Marathon on Oct. 18. More than 100 members of the Eastern community ran and walked to raise awareness of poverty in Windham and across the nation. In recognition of the 38 million people in the United States who live in poverty, the marathon collected more than 200 nonperishable food items for donation to Eastern’s on-campus food pantry, Shawn’s Cupboard, which was created to fight food insecurity of among students.
Posted on October 18, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Eastern Pequot tribal Council members Natasha Gambrell and her mother Valerie Braxton-Gambrell came to Eastern on Oct. 14 in honor of Indigenous People’s Day. Gambrell, a 2015 Eastern graduate and her mother shared the history of the Eastern Pequot and spoke about the current struggles their tribe faces today.
Posted on October 17, 2019 by Vania Galicia
On Oct. 8, the Center for Internships and Career Development at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted the second annual Career Conversations for Business in the Tech Industry in collaboration with Business Information Systems Professor Alex Citurs. The event, described as “speed-networking” by Citurs, covered career areas ranging from social media to applications development. Each table had at least one alumni, intern or business representative who talked about their field and the work it entails.
Posted on October 10, 2019 by Molly Boucher
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a 3-on-3 basketball tournament on Oct. 9 to honor former student Alyssiah Wiley. The event featured an array of activities aimed at raising awareness of relationship, dating and intimate partner violence—Wiley was an Eastern student in 2013 when she was murdered by her boyfriend.
Posted on October 10, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
On Oct. 2, Steve Muchiri, assistant professor of economics, continued the Faculty Scholars Forum at Eastern Connecticut State University with a discussion on motherhood in developing countries. Muchiri’s research examines the impact of free education on teenage motherhood in Kenya, where up to 20 percent of women 20-24 years of age become mothers before their 18th birthdays.
Posted on October 10, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
A fleet of Eastern students took up shovels and brooms on Oct. 5 for the annual Day of Caring, a large-scale volunteer effort in collaboration with United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut. Nearly 90 student volunteers dispersed to locations across Willimantic for a variety of fall clean-up projects. Organizations included GROW Windham, the Abundant Life Church, the Windham Area Interfaith Ministry, CLICK, Horizons and the Joshua’s Trust Church Farm.
Posted on October 10, 2019 by Vania Galicia
The second annual Andrej 5K Fun Run/Walk, held Sept. 28, has raised more than $17,000 as of Oct. 10 in honor of late Eastern graduate Andrej Cavarkapa ’09. More than 150 people showed up for the brisk Saturday morning event at Mansfield Hollow State Park in support of Cavarkapa’s friends and family and to keep his love of running alive. Donations continue to trickle in; all proceeds will go to the Andrej Cavarkapa Memorial Endowed Scholarship.
Posted on October 09, 2019 by Vania Galicia
The Accounting Program at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its 15th Annual Accounting Job Fair on Oct. 5. With more than 70 students, 17 companies and nearly 25 alumni, the event was busy as students shared resumes and networked with future employers.
Posted on October 07, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
On Sept. 27, at the NAACP’s Annual Freedom Fund Dinner, the Stamford NAACP presented Eunice Matthews, professor of social work and coordinator of the Social Work Program at Eastern Connecticut State University, its prestigious Dr. Joyce Yearwood Humanitarian Award.
Posted on October 01, 2019 by
Eastern Connecticut State University has been recognized by in the Princeton Review in its “2020 Best Colleges” guide for the Northeast region. Featured schools were chosen based on survey results from 140,000 students across the country. Eastern was praised for its small class sizes, close-knit campus community and affordability.
Posted on September 30, 2019 by Molly Boucher
Steve Muchiri, assistant professor of economics at Eastern Connecticut State University, was invited by Kyambogo and Stawa Universities in Kampala, Uganda, to be the keynote speaker at an economics workshop this past summer. Muchiri’s research explores issues related to healthcare, education and teenage motherhood in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Posted on September 26, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern hosted its first Faculty and Staff Development speaker of the semester on Sept. 25, who discussed job readiness and preparing students for the workforce. Aaron Richmond, psychology professor and “employment expert” with Metropolitan State University of Denver, emphasized skills development and applied learning—two academic priorities at Eastern.
Posted on September 26, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern was the recipient of two employment accolades this September. Eastern was named a “Great College to Work For” for the 10th time and the Hartford Courant listed Eastern in its “Top Workplaces” survey for the eighth time–the only public higher education institution honored among 60 “large” organizations.
Posted on September 26, 2019 by Vania Galicia
The Center for Internships and Career Development (CICD) hosted a graduate school workshop on Sept. 23 in the Science Building and its annual graduate school fair on Sept. 24 in the Betty Tipton Room of the Student Center.
Posted on September 26, 2019 by Vania Galicia
As the nation heads towards the 2020 elections, observers have asked if America has ever elected a gay president. Some say yes. Others say no. Tom Balcerski, assistant professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University and author of the highly acclaimed new book, “Bosom Friends: The Intimate World of James Buchanan and William Rufus King,” discussed the topic on Sept. 19 at his book talk “James Buchanan: The First Gay President?”
Posted on September 26, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
For the eighth time the Hartford Courant has recognized Eastern Connecticut State University in its “Top Workplaces” survey. With almost 1,000 employees, Eastern ranked 10th in the “large” category, and was the only public higher education institution recognized among 60 organizations in Hartford, Middlesex, Tolland, Windham and New London counties. Results were published on Sept. 22 in the Hartford Courant.
Posted on September 23, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Eastern Connecticut State University will host a variety of musical events this fall, including faculty recitals, guest performances and an instructional workshop. All events will be held in the Fine Arts Instructional Canter. Admission is free and open to the public.
Posted on September 20, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
Most Americans have spent time in class — going back to elementary school — learning about the Revolutionary War. But do you know of the role that the drum played in colonial times? Jeffrey Calissi, associate professor of music, kicked off the fall Faculty Scholars Forum series describing how drums were used to communicate, gather people together, help troops carry out orders to salute and signal the moment to begin marching.
Posted on September 20, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
After a successful one-off performance in March 2019, the Theatre Program at Eastern Connecticut State University presented three encore performances of “Africa to America: A Celebration of Who We Are” on Sept. 17-19 in the Proscenium Theatre. The play was written by Wendy Coleman, chair of the Department of Theater Arts at Alabama State University, and re-imagined and directed by Deron Williams, theater professor at Eastern.
Posted on September 20, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University has been named a “Great College to Work For” for the 10th time by the Great Colleges Program, administered by ModernThink. The results were released on Sept. 16 and based on a survey sent to 236 colleges and universities.
Posted on September 16, 2019 by Vania Galicia
More than 800 students converged on Webb Lawn on Sept. 5 for the President’s Picnic & Student Involvement Fair. Hosted by the Student Activities Office, the annual event brought together more than 90 student-run clubs and organizations vying for new members.
Posted on September 12, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Two fabled buildings on the Eastern campus reopened their doors this fall semester after undergoing extensive renovations for more than a year. Shafer Hall, formerly home to the university’s fine arts programs, has been transformed into a loft-style residence hall. Goddard Hall, the university’s first facility devoted to science, has been outfitted with fresh labs and technology and finished with a contemporary interior.
Posted on September 12, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University student Hannah Beazoglou ’20 of West Hartford was recently selected as one of 25 scholars nationwide to receive a regional award from Delta Mu Delta (DMD), the international honor society for business. Beazoglou majors in Business Administration and was the only awardee from Connecticut.
Posted on September 11, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Tom Balcerski, assistant professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University, has published a book titled “Bosom Friends: The Intimate World of James Buchanan and William Rufus King.”
Posted on September 10, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted New York-based artist Beatrice Modisett on Sept. 5, who spoke on her current exhibition titled “Consistency of the Temporal.”
Posted on September 10, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
Health sciences major Dymond Smith ’22 participated in an eight-week research experience at Yale University this summer. The National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Summer Research Experience in Environmental Health (SREEH) is open to students enrolled in Connecticut universities who are interested in pursuing careers in environmental health sciences.
Posted on September 09, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University is again the highest ranked institution among Connecticut’s four state universities in this year’s U.S. News and World Report’s edition of “Best Colleges.”
Posted on September 09, 2019 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University Psychology Professor James Diller and recent graduate Malvina Pietrzykowski ’19 were published in Springer’s “Learning and Behavior Journal” on Aug. 19 for their research titled “Human and Pigeon Suboptimal Choice.”
Posted on September 06, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Jonathan Mooney, a dyslexic writer and speaker who did not learn to read until he was 12 years old, will speak at Eastern Connecticut State University on Sept. 11 at 3 p.m. in the Student Center at Eastern.
Posted on September 04, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
From Argentina to Italy, a number of adventurous Eastern students studied abroad this summer, honing second languages and immersing themselves in new cultures.
Posted on August 29, 2019 by
From law enforcement to TV broadcast to art galleries, many Eastern students recently glimpsed their potential careers through summer internships.
Posted on August 29, 2019 by
The fall University Meeting opened the 2019-20 academic year on August 26 as President Elsa Núñez described the new reality of the higher education marketplace and laid out her vision for Eastern’s future. More than 300 faculty and staff converged on the Betty R. Tipton Room for the meeting, which also welcomed more than 30 new hires and honored 17 longstanding colleagues who are retiring or were receiving service awards.
Posted on August 29, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University has been highlighted for its sustainability efforts in the “2019 Sustainable Campus Index,” a publication of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). The index highlights innovative and high-impact initiatives at colleges and universities that submitted a Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) report in the most recent calendar year.
Posted on August 28, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Nearly 2,400 new and returning students arrived on campus on Aug. 25 and 26 for Warrior Welcome, a busy weekend of moving into residence halls and campus festivities before the start of classes on Aug. 27.
Posted on August 27, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University Sociology Professor Nicolas Simon and student Tara Nguyen ’21 presented and organized a session at the 2019 annual Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction (SSSI) Conference on August 9–11 in New York City.
Posted on August 27, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Eastern Connecticut State University student Adella Dzitko-Carlson ’19 devoted three weeks this summer to mastering the clarinet and analyzing music scores. As part of an on-campus fellowship that concluded this August, she worked with her faculty mentor, Professor Christopher Howard, to strengthen her performance skills and obtain a better understanding of her role as a musician.
Posted on August 20, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Eastern Connecticut State University STEP/CAP students performed a staged reading of Ntozake Shange’s “For Colored Girls” on Aug. 9 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center’s Proscenium Theater. The Summer Transition at Eastern Program and Contract Admissions Program (STEP/CAP) was designed to help prospective Eastern students prepare for the rigors of college coursework the summer prior to beginning college.
Posted on August 19, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Fifteen students from Eastern Connecticut State University spent the month of July in Italy, writing short stories inspired by Italian culture and history. English Professor Chris Torockio led the group of young writers through the five-week field course titled “Creative Writing Abroad.” Based in Florence, the students met for writing workshops at Studio Arts College International (SACI) and wrote stories based on their explorations of Tuscany and beyond.
Posted on August 08, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
History Professor David Frye sat down on July 26 for an interview with producers from Onza Entertainment, who flew in from Spain to get Frye’s perspective on geo-political forces impacting the global order. Onza Entertainment is producing a series for the History Channel titled “A History of the Future.”
Posted on August 08, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
College Consensus, a college review aggregator that combines the latest results from the most respected college ranking systems with actual reviews of college students, has recognized Eastern Connecticut State University for the second year in a row. Eastern has been ranked among the “Best Colleges and Universities in Connecticut for 2019” and the “Best Regional Universities in the North for 2019.”
Posted on August 07, 2019 by Vania Galicia
The Eastern Connecticut State University police department joined the Willimantic and Middletown police departments for the sixth annual Tip-A-Cop on July 25 at Amici Italian Grill in Middletown. All tips earned at the fundraising event went to the Special Olympics of Connecticut, the designated charity of law enforcement in the state.
Posted on August 07, 2019 by Vania Galicia
Aware of the challenges of paying for college that students frequently experience, the Office of Financial Aid presented “Budgeting & Managing Your Credit” on July 24, 2019, in the Student Center Theatre. The presentation to 91 STEP/CAP students was part of the office’s Summer Project.
Posted on August 07, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Three Eastern Connecticut State University professors will help their students save a significant amount of money on textbooks this fall due to CSCU-funded grant project. Nicolas Simon, assistant professor of sociology, Associate Professor of English Daniel Donaghy and Associate Professor of Mathematics Kim Ward will receive CSCU grants to develop and support Open Education Resources (OER) strategies in their classrooms that will reduce the overall cost of textbooks.
Posted on August 01, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
A form of miniature theatre called "Lambe Lambe" took stage at Eastern during the month of July for Puentes al Futuro (Bridges to the Future), the Center for Community Engagement's summer camp for Windham middle school children.
Posted on July 26, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
The three governors of southern New England convened at Eastern Connecticut State University’s science building on July 16 for a private lunch and press conference. Governors Ned Lamont (Connecticut), Charlie Baker (Massachusetts) and Gina Raimondo (Rhode Island) discussed issues of common interest among the neighboring states — transportation and infrastructure, renewable energy and shared purchasing.
Posted on July 18, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Sustainable CT, a statewide initiative that inspires and supports communities in Connecticut to become more efficient, resilient and inclusive, has registered its 85th Connecticut municipality, officially reaching a participation rate of 50 percent of the state’s cities and towns. These communities are working towards their own unique sustainability goals through this free voluntary certification program.
Posted on July 15, 2019 by Lynn Stoddard
Rachael Finch, a biology major at Eastern Connecticut State University, has spent the past five weeks working with the endangered birds in Massachusetts’ Buzzards Bay. As the recipient of an Eastern Summer Research Fellowship, she is working to help restore the population of roseate terns — an endangered, migratory seabird that nests in the Northeast.
Posted on July 11, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
School districts across the nation continue to face a lack of minority teachers. Eastern Connecticut State University’s participation in the Holmes Master’s Program seeks to alleviate this problem. On June 28, Eastern celebrated three aspiring teachers from underrepresented backgrounds who will soon enter the teaching profession.
Posted on July 11, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
From June 9-29, eight Eastern Connecticut State University students studied “Cross-Cultural Psychology of Food” in Florence, Italy, with Assistant Professor of Psychology Jenna Scisco. Students learned about eating behaviors and the differences between Italian and American food culture by visiting an olive oil farm, a goat farm, a community garden, a butcher shop, restaurants and food markets.
Posted on July 11, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Incoming students are getting their first taste of life at Eastern through the Summer Orientation, Advising and Registration (SOAR) program. From June 24–July 12, multiple SOAR sessions have been helping new students transition to college life, informing them of campus services and resources.
Posted on July 10, 2019 by Vania Galicia
When Eastern students graduate, they often stay in touch with faculty via e-mail. Benjamin Williams ’15, chief executive officer of ARsome Technology Group, a Manchester-based software company specializing in augmented reality (AR), went one step further. He went into business with his former Eastern instructor!
Posted on July 09, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
A group of Eastern students traveled to the Czech Republic from June 3–17 for the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space (PQ). The global field course titled “Theatre on Tour” exposed New Media Studies and Theatre students to some of the ground-breaking developments happening in the world of performance space and design. The two-week course was led by Professors Kristen Morgan and Anya Sokolovskaya.
Posted on June 27, 2019 by Vania Galicia and Michael Rouleau
On June 20, the Board of Regents for Higher Education awarded the title of Connecticut State University (CSU) Professor to French Professor Michelle Bacholle for the 2019-20 academic year. A member of Eastern’s faculty since 1999, Professor Bacholle has served the University with distinction. She was promoted to associate professor in 2003 and professor in 2008. In addition to being a tenured professor of French Studies in the Department of World Languages and Culture, Bacholle is a prolific scholar with an international reputation.
Posted on June 27, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
With more than 360 students enrolled this past spring, Eastern Connecticut State University’s Health Sciences major is the fastest program on campus and unique among Connecticut’s four state universities. To better respond to healthcare industry needs, the faculty recently revised the curriculum, focusing on two concentrations in public health and allied health to provide a broader preparation for professional/graduate schools or entry-level positions.
Posted on June 27, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Christopher Ayeni, associate professor of communication at Eastern Connecticut State University, spent June 17-25 in Chicago participating in the Advertising Educational Foundation (AEF) Visiting Professor Program (VPP).
Posted on June 26, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Thousands of children across the country gathered around the television on Jan. 28, 1986, to witness the Challenger Space Shuttle take the first schoolteacher into outer space. The joyous occasion quickly turned to tragedy as the shuttle exploded one minute into flight. Among the onlookers was Nova, the fictional main character in “Planet Earth is Blue,” the debut book by Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Nicole Panteleakos ’08.
Posted on June 26, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Beginning with the fall 2020 semester, Eastern Connecticut State University will expand its partnership with the New Haven Promise program to provide opportunities to students receiving New Haven Promise scholarships who are attending Eastern.
Posted on June 24, 2019 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University has been named a 2019-20 College of Distinction by the college-guide organization Colleges of Distinction. In addition to the university-wide accolade, Eastern’s business and education programs, as well as its career development center, were honored with badges of distinction.
Posted on June 20, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Carlos Escoto, associate professor of psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University, was recently named 2019 Alumnus of the Year by Loma Linda University’s School of Behavioral Health. Escoto accepted the award on June 16 in Loma Linda, CA.
Posted on June 20, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University student Allison Lundy ’19 was the sole recipient of the Council on Undergraduate Research’s (CUR) 2019 Education Division Student-Faculty Collaborative Research Award. Lundy was recognized for her honors thesis, “The Association Between Outdoor Motor Play and On-Task Behavior in Learning Experiences in Preschool,” which she worked on in collaboration with Professor Emeritus Jeffrey Trawick-Smith.
Posted on June 20, 2019 by Vania Galicia
In the weeks following Commencement, three groups of Eastern students traveled to San Salvador Island in the Bahamas, Italy, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming to engage in exciting Global Field Courses.
Posted on June 06, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University’s undergraduate research program gained stature this spring semester, as all three of its student applicants were accepted to present at the second annual World Congress on Undergraduate Research (WCUR) on May 23–25 in Oldenburg, Germany. Biology major Jonathan Rappi ’19 and Political Science major Cassidy Neri ’19 made the transatlantic journey; Psychology major Malvina Pietrzykowski ’19 was accepted, but unable to attend.
Posted on June 06, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Summer vacation was delayed for four groups of Eastern students who immediately followed the end of the school year with intensive, week-long research programs on campus. From May 20–24, four Summer Research Institutes (SRIs) engaged select, up-and-coming students in projects pertaining to the fields of psychology, English, political science and network science.
Posted on June 06, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
On June 1, the Windham/Willimantic Branch of the NAACP presented Dwight Bachman, public relations officer at Eastern Connecticut State University, its President’s Award. The award ceremony took place during the NAACP’s Second Annual Freedom Fund Dinner, held at the Lakeview Restaurant in Coventry.
Posted on June 06, 2019 by
A team of researchers from Eastern Connecticut State University’s Psychology Department presented at the 31st annual meeting of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society on May 29–June 1 in Boston. Professor Alita Cousins and psychology major Lauren Beverage ’20 presented “Validity of the mate-guarding scale in women.” Professor Madeleine Fugère was a collaborator on the project as well.
Posted on June 04, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
For the third straight year, Eastern Connecticut State University has claimed the Little East Conference (LEC) Commissioner’s Cup, the league’s top honor for overall athletic performance among the LEC’s nine primary member institutions. The Warriors captured the 2018-19 Commissioner’s Cup after accumulating a point average of 6.26. Eastern’s accomplishment is especially significant as it has only 17 of the 19 varsity sports for which LEC members earn points.
Posted on June 03, 2019 by Ed Osborn
Manchester-native Dana Meyer ’19, a recent graduate of the history program at Eastern Connecticut State University, accepted a digital history fellowship at the George Mason University Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media (RRCHNM). This Ph.D.-track fellowship is given to two students per year and provides full tuition for five years along with a stipend.
Posted on May 29, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
Four Eastern Connecticut State University rugby players represented the Northeast on the National Select Side at the National Small College Rugby Association All-Star Championships in Houston May 23-28
Posted on May 28, 2019 by
On May 9, Eastern recognized more than 200 students with a 3.5 cumulative grade point average or higher, and an additional 11 students who have demonstrated exemplary co-curricular engagement at the University’s Seventh Annual Inclusive Excellence Student Awards Ceremony. The ceremony recognized the achievements of African, Latino, Asian and Native American (ALANA) students at Eastern.
Posted on May 23, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
The close of the 2018-19 academic year at Eastern Connecticut State University was filled honor society inductions and award ceremonies, recognizing the numerous achievements by students from every academic department on campus.
Posted on May 23, 2019 by
Hundreds of alumni converged on the Eastern Connecticut State University campus on May 17–18 for the 14th annual Eastern Celebrates reunion weekend. The class of 1969 celebrated its 50th reunion as graduates young and old partook in festivities on and off campus.
Posted on May 23, 2019 by
The annual graduation ceremony was held at the XL Center in Hartford on May 21, with more than 12,000 family members and friends cheering on their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, as 1,175 undergraduates and 84 graduate students received their diplomas.
Posted on May 22, 2019 by Ed Osborn
The versatile talents of more than 30 Eastern Connecticut State University art majors were featured in the 2019 Senior Art Exhibition. The exhibition ran from May 10–21 in the Art Gallery of the Fine Arts Instructional Center and kicked off with an opening reception on May 9.
Posted on May 22, 2019 by Jordan Corey
On May 15, Library Director Janice Wilson announced the selection of three Eastern Connecticut State University students as winners of the Ninth Annual Undergraduate Student Library Research Award
Posted on May 21, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
The fourth annual Lavender Graduation was held on May 9 to recognize seniors who exemplify the values of Eastern Connecticut State University and support the campus’s LGBTQ+ community.
Posted on May 21, 2019 by
Eastern Connecticut State University students in the Social Work program presented their research during the 34th annual conference of the National Association of Social Workers Connecticut Chapter, held in Cromwell, CT, on May 3.
Posted on May 21, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University’s chapter of the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) won third place in a national competition at the 20th Annual AITP National Collegiate Conference in Omaha, NE. For the conference’s Database Driven Website Competition, the club’s task was to completely replace the website of a selected nonprofit organization with a modernized, database-driven website.
Posted on May 15, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Onika Harry ’03 of Windsor was honored last month at the 100 Women of Color Black Tie Gala and Awards ceremony hosted by June Archer & Eleven28 Entertainment Group – named for musician, author and motivational speaker June Archer. The gala recognized the contributions that women in business, education, entrepreneurship, entertainment and service have made to impact communities in Connecticut to Massachusetts.
Posted on May 09, 2019 by Jordan Corey
Eastern Connecticut State University student Demitra Kourtzidis ’19 of East Hampton was one of two researchers from Connecticut who presented their projects at the highly selective Posters on the Hill (POH) research conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on April 30. The annual event featured 60 representatives from colleges and universities across the nation. Eastern has represented Connecticut eight out of the past 12 years.
Posted on May 09, 2019 by Jordan Corey
The end of the academic year is not only crunch time for final projects and exams, it’s also a busy time when Eastern’s many student organizations host year-end events. April and May have had a plethora of vibrant student activities, ranging from fashion shows to carnivals to Asian festivals. Below are a few of the clubs that are closing spring 2019 with a bang.
Posted on May 08, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University graduate LaToya Smith ’06 has been named “Young Entrepreneur of the Year” by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the New York Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Smith is the CEO and founder of Brass City Media, Inc., located in Brooklyn, NY. She graduated magna cum laude from Eastern in 2006 with degrees in communication and history. Smith received a master’s degree in journalism from Boston University in 2008.
Posted on May 07, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University’s fine arts building was transformed into a performance venue at large as “To Damascus” brought spectators on a stage-hopping journey from April 23–28. The main-stage production was based on August Strindberg’s seminal trilogy “The Road to Damascus” and adapted/directed by Theatre Professor David Pellegrini.
Posted on May 07, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Davis Presents on “An Elephant’s Eye View: Megafauna and Dominion in Southeast Asia.” Graham Discusses “The Roles of Evolving Landscapes, Ancient Waterways and Shifting Climates in Structuring Desert Arachnofaunas.”
Posted on May 07, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University’s fine arts building was transformed into a performance venue at large as “To Damascus” brought spectators on a stage-hopping journey from April 23–28. The main-stage production was based on August Strindberg’s seminal trilogy “The Road to Damascus” and adapted/directed by Theatre Professor David Pellegrini.
Posted on May 07, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University graduate LaToya Smith ’06 has been named “Young Entrepreneur of the Year” by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the New York Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Smith is the CEO and founder of Brass City Media, Inc., located in Brooklyn, NY. She graduated magna cum laude from Eastern in 2006 with degrees in communication and history. Smith received a master’s degree in journalism from Boston University in 2008.
Posted on May 07, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
With rakes and shovels in hand, students deployed across Willimantic on April 27 for the 11th annual “Town Pride, Town Wide” beautification event. Coordinated by Eastern’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE), 122 students volunteered 538 hours at 25 project sites during the day.
Posted on May 06, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Daniel Donaghy, English professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, has been named the 2019 Paterson Poetry Prize recipient for his book of poetry “Somerset.” The annual award, sponsored by the Passaic Community College Poetry Center, honors what judges deem the strongest collection of poems published in the previous year.
Posted on May 03, 2019 by Jordan Corey
On April 14, the Music Program presented its annual honors recital and awards ceremony in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center. The event featured a recital by six students who were recognized by the Music Program for their excellence in performance. This year’s honorees were Hannah Avena (trombone) ’21, Adella Carlson (clarinet) ’20, Abigail Edelman (piano) ’20, Emily Miclon (percussion) ’19, Eric Peterson (guitar) ’20 and Austin Stone (tenor) ’19.
Posted on May 02, 2019 by
Fourteen biology students from Eastern presented independent research at the 73rd Annual Eastern Colleges Science Conference (ECSC) on April 6 at Manhattan College in Riverdale, NY. The students presented in oral and poster formats on topics spanning medicine and the microbiome. Professors Vijay Veerappan and Barbara Murdoch accompanied the Eastern group.
Posted on May 02, 2019 by
In recognition of its sustainability achievements, Eastern Connecticut State University has earned a STARS Silver rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) measures and supports sustainability in all aspects of higher education.
Posted on May 01, 2019 by Ed Osborn
The Accounting Program at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its 25th Annual Accounting Banquet on April 25. With more than 200 students, faculty and alumni in attendance, the event included an award ceremony and keynote speech by alumnus Jason Handel ’04, CPA and vice president of finance for Jacobs Vehicle Systems.
Posted on May 01, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will host a variety of performances in May to mark the end of the spring semester. All concerts and recitals will be performed in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Concert Hall. Admission is free, although donations are gratefully accepted at the door.
Posted on April 30, 2019 by
The Biology Department hosted a mini-symposium on Earth Day, April 22, to showcase its ongoing work with the Tiny Earth project, an international network of young scientists who are combatting the global threat of antibiotic resistance. The symposium welcomed students from Ellis Technical High School in Danielson and featured research presentations by biology majors.
Posted on April 26, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its annual Service Expo and Awards on April 18. The event showcased the numerous service projects being spearheaded by Eastern students in the Windham community and featured a keynote address by Ryan Matthews, director of community programs for Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters and executive director of the Susie Foundation. The event concluded with an award ceremony for outstanding projects and individuals.
Posted on April 26, 2019 by Michael Rouleau and Jordan Corey
Thirty-four administrative assistants and other support staff were the honored guests at the 19th Annual Administrative Professionals Appreciation Breakfast on April 22. The event gives administrators and other supervisors the opportunity to say “thank you” for the support and leadership provided by administrative assistants across the Eastern campus.
Posted on April 25, 2019 by Edward Osborn
Sociology major Italo Bucca ’19 of Hartford, Indira Petoskey, assistant dean in the Office of Continuing Studies and Enhanced Learning; and Yanil Terón, executive director of the Center For Latino Progress (CPRF), were honored at Eastern Connecticut State University’s annual Cesar Chavez Distinguished Service Awards Ceremony on April 24. Angy Rivera, co-executive director of the New York State Youth Leadership Council, delivered the keynote address.
Posted on April 25, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University students Haley Knox ’19 of Bristol and Jacob Dayton ’19 of Bolton have been named recipients of the 2019 Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award. The 31st annual Henry Barnard Awards Banquet, held on April 23 at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, CT, recognized 12 outstanding undergraduates from Connecticut’s four state universities – Central, Eastern, Southern and Western.
Posted on April 24, 2019 by Jordan Corey
State Sen. Dan Champagne ’94, State Rep. Susan Johnson ’77 and State Rep. Doug Dubitsky took time from their busy schedules to visit Eastern Connecticut State University on April 23 for a breakfast in the Art Gallery of the Fine Arts Instructional Center. Eastern President Elsa Núñez thanked the legislators for their support and pointed to the fine arts center, as well as other new or remodeled facilities, as examples of how legislators have helped create a positive environment for Eastern students. She also indicated that Eastern’s academic reputation continues to improve—citing U.S. News and World Report rankings—and said the institution’s retention rate of 80 percent was at an all-time high.
Posted on April 23, 2019 by The Office of University Relations
The Connecticut State Colleges and (CSCU) System’s Board of Regents’ (BOR) has named two faculty members at Eastern Connecticut State University as recipients of campus-level faculty awards for 2019. Mark Fabrizi, associate professor of education, won the BOR Teaching Award, and Fatma Pakdil, associate professor of business administration, won the BOR Research Award. A $1,000 prize comes with each award.
Posted on April 23, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Forty-three students from Eastern Connecticut State University traveled to Georgia on April 11-13 to present original research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). The 2019 conference occurred at Kennesaw State University and featured hundreds of undergraduate students from across the country.
Posted on April 23, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
On April 17, Bradley Davis, associate professor of history, presented a talk titled “An Elephant’s Eye View: Megafauna and Dominion in Southeast Asia.”
Posted on April 22, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University held its inaugural Iota Iota Iota (Triota) induction on April 12, launching the Epsilon Gamma Chapter by recognizing student and alumni members. Triota is a national service-based Women’s and Gender Studies honor society that promotes academic excellence and facilitates activism.
Posted on April 18, 2019 by Jordan Corey
Displays of research and creativity dominated the Eastern Connecticut State University campus on April 12 for the annual CREATE conference. CREATE stands for “Celebrating Research Excellence and Artistic Talent at Eastern,” and is the university’s premier undergraduate conference.
Posted on April 18, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eight Business Administration students at Eastern Connecticut State University were recognized for their research projects at the Northeast Decision Sciences Annual Conference (NEDSI) in Philadelphia on April 4-7.
Posted on April 17, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) President Mark Ojakian visited Eastern Connecticut State University on April 10 to support the transgender community and recognize three statewide leaders of the trans* community who participated in the panel discussion “Building Resiliency in a Time of Backlash.”
Posted on April 16, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Marilynn “Lynn” Malerba, chief of the Mohegan Tribe, will be the Commencement Speaker at Eastern Connecticut State University’s 129th Commencement Exercises on May 21 at the XL Center in Hartford. Malerba will also receive an honorary doctorate degree at the ceremonies.
Posted on April 16, 2019 by Ed Osborn
WILLIMANTIC, CT (04/11/2019) A long-lived question that has followed the English major is, “What will you do with that degree?” In response, the English Department at Eastern Connecticut State University has hosted “English at Work” panels, combatting stereotypes and emphasizing the complexity of the field. Alumni gathered on April 8 to discuss their careers in writing, editing and publishing.
Posted on April 11, 2019 by Jordan Corey
Sport and leisure management (SLM) students enrolled in Professor Charlie Chatterton’s upper-level courses have had a dose of reality this semester. They’ve toured sporting facilities and interacted with a range of professionals, from young Eastern alumni to franchise executives from the Hartford Yard Goats and Connecticut Sun.
Posted on April 11, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
On April 3, Kurt Lucin, assistant professor of biology, continued the Faculty Scholars Forum with a discussion on Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), a debilitating neurological disease that affects a growing number of elderly people.
Posted on April 10, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Keynote speakers Connecticut Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Robinson and Justice Maria Araujo Kahn were on hand April 2 as Eastern’s Social Work Program celebrated its 20th anniversary, and hosted its First Forensic Social Work Conference (see conference details below). A packed house in the Betty R. Tipton Room heard Robinson and Kahn address the subtlety of racism in our society.
Posted on April 09, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Five instrumentalists from Eastern Connecticut State University recently performed among the best undergraduate musicians in the Northeast. A clarinetist, a flautist, a percussionist and two trombonists represented Eastern’s Music Program in an “honors band” at the 2019 New England Intercollegiate Band Festival on March 29-30 at Gordon College in Massachusetts.
Posted on April 09, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Internship and Career Development (CICD) hosted its spring Career and Internship Fair on April 3 in the Sports Center Gymnasium. The fair hosted more than 90 employers for students to explore future internship and job opportunities.
Posted on April 08, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a reception and artist talk for its current exhibition, “Between Spaces: A Narrative of Printmaking,” on March 28. The collection is curated by Simonette Quamina, assistant professor of printmaking, and remains open until April 25. Artists Taro Takizawa, David Curcio, Carrie Scanga and Cornelia Mcsheehy are featured in the exhibition.
Posted on April 04, 2019 by Raven Dillon
Twelve history students from Eastern Connecticut State University presented at the 2019 Connecticut State University Making History Conference on March 22. The fifth-annual conference was held at Southern Connecticut State University.
Posted on March 29, 2019 by Raven Dillon
Shawn Ray Dousis ’19 of East Lyme, president of the Foundation for Campus Ministry at Eastern Connecticut State University; June Dunn, assistant dean in the Office of Continuing Studies and Enhanced Learning at Eastern; and community activist Anne Ash, were named recipients of Eastern’s annual Ella T. Grasso Distinguished Service Awards on March 27. The event took place in the Paul E. Johnson Sr. Community Conference Room of the J. Eugene Smith Library.
Posted on March 28, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
A group of Eastern students recently returned from the American Southwest after studying desert ecology in a global field course (GFC) with the biology department. The trip took place from March 9–17 and was supervised by Professors Brett Mattingly and Matthew Graham.
Posted on March 28, 2019 by Jordan Corey
Brianna Halladay, assistant professor of economics, addressed the topic “Perception Matters: The Role of Task Gender Stereotype on Confidence and Tournament Selection” at the Faculty Scholars Forum on March 20. Halladay said extensive research suggests that women avoid competition even when they can be benefit from potential rewards. Researchers conclude that women differ in their preference for competition compared to men.
Posted on March 27, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University students assembled 200 boxes of nonperishable food items on March 26 as participants of “One Million Acts of Good,” a program sponsored by Ellen DeGeneres and Cheerios. The boxes of granola bars, cereal and other nutritious snacks were donated to community organizations across Willimantic the following day.
Posted on March 27, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Research has shown that college students are disproportionately impacted by food insecurity in America, with up to half of them lacking consistent access to food. At Eastern Connecticut State University, a team of collaborators is taking strides toward solving this problem with the launch of Shawn’s Cupboard, a free, on-campus food pantry that welcomes all students.
Posted on March 25, 2019 by Jordan Corey
Eight students from Eastern Connecticut State University’s PASS program took a trip to Hartford on March 11 for a career shadow day at the United Bank headquarters and Hartford Yard Goats baseball stadium. PASS stands for, “Promoting Academically Successful Students” and is intended for students who are placed on academic probation, especially students of color. This opportunity was provided by The Center for Internship and Career Development (CICD).
Posted on March 25, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will host a variety of performances in April, representing a wide range of genres and style periods. All concerts and recitals will be performed in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Concert Hall. Admission is free, although donations are gratefully accepted at the door.
Posted on March 25, 2019 by Raven Dillon
Paul Canavan, professor of health sciences at Eastern Connecticut State University, presented at the 31st Sports Medicine Symposium in Wisconsin on March 14. Canavan gave three presentations and was also a guest speaker at the symposium.
Posted on March 25, 2019 by Raven Dillon
Mitchell Doucette, assistant professor of health sciences at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently published a paper about the changing trends of workplace homicides in the research journal “Injury Epidemiology.” Doucette’s paper is titled “Workplace homicides committed by firearm: recent trends and narrative text analysis” and was published on March 18.
Posted on March 21, 2019 by Raven Dillon
Despite its popularity, chocolate is a treat that comes with a greater cost than most people know. Fiona Vernal, professor at the University of Connecticut, was invited to Eastern Connecticut State University on March 20 to explain the prevalence of child labor in the cocoa industry and the emergence of child labor as a major human rights crisis.
Posted on March 20, 2019 by Jordan Corey
The Theatre Program at Eastern Connecticut State University presented “The Wolves” as its first production of the spring 2019 semester. Running from Feb. 27-March 3 in the DelMonte Studio Theatre, “The Wolves” is a coming-of-age story that takes place on the turf of a local indoor soccer field.
Posted on March 14, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Evelyn Mantilla, a former member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, visited Eastern Connecticut State University on March 6 to discuss her experience as the first openly bisexual legislator in the nation. Mantilla is committed to advocating for underrepresented groups and encouraging others to become involved in politics.
Posted on March 14, 2019 by Jordan Corey
Katelyn Root, a third-year student at Eastern Connecticut State University, has been selected for the Newman Civic Fellowship, a program of Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities. The year-long fellowship recognizes and supports high-potential students who have demonstrated a commitment to their community through a record of public service. Fellows are nominated by their university president based on their potential for public leadership.
Posted on March 11, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a #EasternBlackOut event on March 6 for students to discuss the disadvantages that women of color face in the healthcare system. The event was hosted by student ambassadors from the Intercultural Center (IC) and student leaders from the Multicultural Leadership Council (MLC).
Posted on March 11, 2019 by Raven Dillon
Three psychology students and two professors from Eastern Connecticut State University presented two research posters at the Association for Women in Psychology (AWP) national conference from Feb. 28-March 3 in Newport, RI. Students Alyssa Sokaitis ’19, Antuanett Ortiz ’19 and Joanna Casuccio ’19 presented alongside Psychology Professors Jennifer Leszczynski and Alita Cousins.
Posted on March 09, 2019 by Raven Dillon
Seven economics majors from Eastern attended the Eastern Economic Association’s 45th Annual Conference in New York City from Feb. 28 to March 2. Club advisors Brendan Cunningham, associate professor of economics, and Steven Muchiri, assistant professor of economics, accompanied the students to New York.
Posted on March 07, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Four sport and leisure management students from Eastern Connecticut State University students won the 2019 New England Sport Management Case Study Competition on Feb. 28 at Nichols College.
Posted on March 04, 2019 by Raven Dillon
People around the world believe music is a universal language that everyone understands. Louis Armstrong, American trumpeter, composer, vocalist and occasional actor, considered to be one of the most influential figures in jazz, said it well—“I know two languages; English and music.” Another observer put it this way—“You don’t need to understand the words of every culture. Music does the talking for us.”
Posted on March 01, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Mixed-media artist Reni Gower recently visited Eastern Connecticut State University to kick off the opening of her exhibition, “Sacred Geometry: The Perfect Proof.” The exhibition is on display in the Art Gallery from Feb. 1 to March 7, located in room 112 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on February 28, 2019 by Raven Dillon
Political Science major Morgane Russell ’19; Isabel Logan, assistant professor of social work; and Leah Ralls, president of the NAACP Windham/Willimantic Branch, received Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Awards at Eastern Connecticut State University’s annual award reception on Feb. 27.
Posted on February 27, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Anita Ford Saunders, director of advancement communications at Trinity College, visited Communications Professor Christopher Ayeni’s Introduction to Public Relations class on Feb. 26 to share her extensive experience in the public relations industry.
Posted on February 26, 2019 by Edward Osborn
Eastern President Elsa Núñez was named to the Connecticut Complete Count Committee (CCCC) on Feb. 4. The group was created to inform and help direct the state’s efforts in the upcoming 2020 Census.
Posted on February 23, 2019 by Ed Osborn
In a Willimantic, CT, classroom, more than a dozen preschoolers listen eagerly as an Eastern Connecticut State University student reads a book to them. It’s a ritual that both the student and children are familiar with, and when reading time is over, they will transition to other activities with their teacher. It can be hard to handle a room full of excitable preschoolers, but the Eastern student has been well trained, thanks to a national early-education program called Jumpstart.
Posted on February 21, 2019 by Raven Dillon
Author and social worker Hanna Pearlstein Marcus came to Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 13, to promote the exhibition “Sidonia’s Thread: Crafting a Life from Holocaust to High Fashion,” which is open at the Windham Textile and History Museum until April 28.
Posted on February 20, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed Connecticut College Professor David Canton on Feb. 20 to discuss his new book, “Raymond Pace Alexander: A New Negro Lawyer Fights for Civil Rights in Philadelphia.” In this biography, Canton examines a prominent Civil Rights activist and attorney who has been long forgotten by modern historians.
Posted on February 20, 2019 by Raven Dillon
Eastern was named the top academic institution in the Little East Conference when it was presented with the Presidents’ Trophy for the second time in the six-year history of the award for achieving a cumulative GPA of 3.11 during the 2014-15 academic year. The cup returned to Eastern after the Warriors had claimed the inaugural award during the 2009-10 academic year.
Posted on February 17, 2019 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University President Elsa Núñez was appointed vice chair of the board of directors of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) on Feb. 11 at the association’s annual meeting in Washington, DC. There are 1,350 member institutions in the AAC&U.
Posted on February 16, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Mary Lorena Kenny, professor of anthropology at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently authored “Deeply Rooted in the Present: Heritage, Memory, and Identity in Brazilian Quilombos.”
Posted on February 14, 2019 by Jordan Corey
Eastern’s rendition of “Pluto” took center stage at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) earlier this month. “Pluto” was one of only three productions featured at the Region 1 festival, which includes colleges and universities from all over New England and New York, including New York City.
Posted on February 14, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Kaylee DeFelice ’19 recently co-authored a paper with Psychology Professor James Diller titled “Intersectional Feminism and Behavior Analysis.” The paper will appear in an upcoming issue of “Behavior Analysis in Practice,” a prestigious transnational journal.
Posted on February 12, 2019 by Raven Dillon
The Business Administration department at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a panel on Feb. 5 to discuss the United States economy 10 years after the 2008 recession.
Posted on February 11, 2019 by Jordan Corey
Tiq Milan, a transgender man and nationally known LGBTQ advocate, came to Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 4 to discuss his journey to becoming his authentic self as a transgender person of color.
Posted on February 09, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
In response to the continued threat of cyber attacks on corporations and individuals on a global scale, Eastern Connecticut State University has created a new course, “Data and Computer Security.”
Posted on February 08, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University has received high marks in a national study of how well America’s public colleges and universities are enrolling and serving African American students.
Posted on February 05, 2019 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University President Elsa Núñez joined five other Connecticut university and college presidents on Feb. 1 to support the Fair Haven School, a neighborhood K-8 school on the east side of New Haven, CT.
Posted on February 04, 2019 by Ed Osborn
Jeffrey Fuhrer, executive vice president and senior policy advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, will be the guest speaker at a panel discussion at Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 5.
Posted on February 01, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University was recognized for “Outstanding Volunteer Mobilization” by the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut at a Community Campaign Celebration on Jan. 15.
Posted on January 31, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Gregory Kane, kinesiology and physical education professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently released the second edition of his book “Sport Leadership in the 21st Century.”
Posted on January 31, 2019 by Raven Dillon
Eastern Connecticut State University’s bachelor’s degree in social work was recently named one of the nation’s 101 most affordable social work programs by humanservicesed.org.
Posted on January 31, 2019 by Ed osborn
English Professor Raouf Mama recently received an award from the Benin National Teachers of English Association (BNTEA) for “Outstanding Storytelling and Service to English Teaching.”
Posted on January 31, 2019 by Bobbi Brown
The Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals (AAFP) and the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) recently named Mohd RuJoub, professor of accounting at Eastern Connecticut State University, recipient of its 2018 Distinguished Service Award for Educators.
Posted on January 29, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
This January marked the conclusion of an Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE) project that began two years ago. Student interns from Eastern’s ISE conducted a massive conversion to energy-efficient lighting at Three Rivers Community College.
Posted on January 29, 2019 by Jordan Corey
Several Eastern staff and students attended the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.’s 34th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Breakfast at the Connecticut Convention Center on Jan. 21. Dr. King would have been 90 years old this year.
Posted on January 24, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Michèle Bacholle, French professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently published her sixth book, titled “Récits contemporains d’endeuillés après suicide,” which translates to “Contemporary stories of mourners after suicide.” Bacholle’s book is the first to examine autobiographical writings by contemporary French novelists who are survivors of another person’s suicide.
Posted on January 17, 2019 by Jordan Corey
Twenty psychology students expanded their worldview over winter session during a global field course in Hawaii. Titled “Cross-Cultural Well-Being and Relationships in Hawaii,” the course ran from Jan. 2–11. Students were immersed in the local culture and visited some of the island chain’s most breathtaking sites.
Posted on January 17, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University is going the extra mile to ensure that African American and Hispanic students who end up on academic probation are provided the support they need to succeed. The new PASS (Promoting Academically Successful Students) program is funded through a $75,000 grant from the Connecticut State Office of Higher Education.
Posted on January 17, 2019 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University students Chelsy Popo ’19 and Mackenzie Seymour ’20 recently completed semesters abroad this fall. They studied in Greece and Ireland, respectively.
Posted on January 14, 2019 by Jordan Corey
A week before her final exams, senior Charliece Salters stood alone on stage in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center. She cued up a mid-tempo R&B song and then performed a series of impressive leaps and dance sequences before sitting down to reflect on her time at Eastern.
Posted on January 11, 2019 by Meghan Carden
Nanette Tummers, professor of kinesiology and physical education at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently published “Healthy Choices for Your Health, Wellness, and Overall Happiness.” The textbook introduces students to proactive practices they can apply to positively impact current and long-term health. “Healthy Choices” was published by Cognella Academic Publishing this January.
Posted on January 10, 2019 by Jordan Corey
Two students and three professors from Eastern Connecticut State University attended and presented research at the American Historical Association (AHA) annual meeting in Chicago, IL, from Jan. 3–6.
Posted on January 10, 2019 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University students and staff recently expanded their law enforcement knowledge through an extensive program offered by the Willimantic Police Department (WPD). Eight students as well as Christopher Ambrosio, interim director of the Office of Student Conduct, completed the WPD’s Citizen’s Police Academy this past November.
Posted on December 13, 2018 by Jordan Corey
The English Department held its end-of-semester celebration of student excellence on Dec. 5 in the Betty R. Tipton Room. “English Night” featured an awards ceremony, induction into the Sigma Tau Delta honor society, and student presentations.
Posted on December 13, 2018 by Jordan Corey
Ten graphic design students at Eastern Connecticut State University recently concluded a major project with the Access Community Action Agency in Willimantic. As part of Professor Terry Lennox’s capstone course “Eastern Design Group,” the students created 13 posters that graphically represent the agency’s 13 community programs.
Posted on December 12, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern faculty continue to showcase their scholarship on a wide range of research topics, which they share during lunch presentations at the Faculty Scholars Forum.
Posted on December 11, 2018 by Dwight Bachman
The Connecticut Association of Latinos in Higher Education (CALAHE) presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Walter Diaz, vice president for student affairs at Eastern Connecticut State University, at the CALAHE annual meeting on Dec. 7 at the University of Hartford.
Posted on December 10, 2018 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed S.P. Morris, a professor at Miami University in Ohio, on Nov. 28 for the final University Hour event of the semester. Morris discussed his latest research surrounding the ethics of interspecies sport, prompting audience members to contemplate the value of non-human life.
Posted on December 05, 2018 by Jordan Corey
Cara Bergstrom-Lynch, sociology professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, participated in a road race on Dec. 2 to honor the late Alyssiah Wiley, an Eastern sophomore who was murdered by her boyfriend in 2013. The Hot Chocolate Run is an annual fundraiser in Northampton, MA, to benefit Safe Passage, an organization dedicated to providing support for victims of domestic violence or relationship abuse.
Posted on December 05, 2018 by Raven Dillon
On Dec. 4, Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Early Childhood Education announced that “Magz Clix” (previously known as “Bottle Clix”) by Magz® has been named the 2018 TIMPANI toy. TIMPANI stands for “Toys that Inspire Mindful Play and Nurture Imagination.”
Posted on December 04, 2018 by Ed Osborn
Patrick Vitale, a geography professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, recently won the Ashby Prize for the most innovative paper of 2017 in the journal “Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space.” Vitale’s article is titled “Making Science Suburban: The Suburbanization of Industrial Research and the Invention of ‘Research Man.'”
Posted on November 29, 2018 by Raven Dillon
Nearly 500 people convened on Eastern’s campus on Nov. 27 for Governor-elect Ned Lamont’s public policy summit. The gathering consisted of the incoming administration’s transition team as well as concerned citizens from a range of economic sectors and political affiliations. Fifteen policy committees met across campus with the goal of establishing a roadmap for the incoming governor.
Posted on November 29, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will host seven programs in early December to enrich the cultural life of the campus and local community. Events will range from holiday concerts to family friendly productions, and will be held in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Concert Hall. Admission for all concerts is free; donations are gratefully accepted at the door.
Posted on November 28, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Eastern Connecticut State University held several events in commemoration of Native American Heritage Month in November. Events featured prominent figures and speakers from the local Native American community – including internationally acclaimed author and environmental activist Winona LaDuke of the Anishinaabe Tribe as well as Chief Marilynn Malerba of the local Mohegan Tribe. The celebration also included demonstrations of music, jewelry making and natural medicines.
Posted on November 28, 2018 by Jolene Potter
More than 500 local Willimantic residents enjoyed an early Thanksgiving meal at the 12th annual Day of Giving at Eastern Connecticut State University on Nov. 21.
Posted on November 26, 2018 by Jordan Corey
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe was the best-selling novel of the 19th century, but few know the story of Josiah Henson, the real-life man who inspired much of the striking anti-slave narrative. On Nov. 14, Eastern Connecticut State University hosted Jared Brock, who has memorialized Henson in film and text.
Posted on November 26, 2018 by Jordan Corey
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University sponsored several performances during the month of November, ranging from faculty recitals to guest ensembles. All performances occurred in the Concert Hall and other venues within the Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on November 25, 2018 by
A group of history students from Eastern visited Gettysburg National Military Park on Veterans Day weekend, Nov. 10-11. Students enrolled in Professor Barbara Tucker’s “Civil War and Reconstruction” course and Professor Thomas Balcerski’s “Antebellum America” course went on the trip. The park is the site of the Civil War’s Battle of Gettysburg, the event that inspired President Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address.”
Posted on November 21, 2018 by Anne Pappalardo
Although they have shaped human civilization, little research has been published about walls. David Frye, a history professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, has changed that with his new book, “Walls: A History of Civilization in Blood and Brick.” On Nov. 14, Frye discussed “Walls” at a book talk and signing event with the university community.
Posted on November 16, 2018 by Raven Dillon
Mofidul Hoque, acclaimed scholar and founder of the Liberation War Museum, came to Eastern Connecticut State University on Nov. 7 to give a presentation titled “The Forgotten Genocide of Bangladesh in 1971: Lessons for the Future.” Hoque spoke on the atrocities committed in 1971 by the Pakistani government, which resulted in the death of some three million Bangladeshi people, and how his activism efforts have culminated in the Liberation War Museum in Bangladesh.
Posted on November 15, 2018 by Raven Dillon
Eastern students have a reputation of service to community that goes back decades. But at the Third Annual Civic Action Conference on Nov. 14, it was demonstrated how much students actually learn as a result of their service.
Posted on November 15, 2018 by Dwight Bachman
The issues surrounding housing reentry for ex-offenders were center stage on Nov. 13 for Social Action Day. Organized by the Social Work Program, the event included student presentations, a panel of ex-offender reentry experts, and a “listening tour” featuring formerly incarcerated individuals.
Posted on November 15, 2018 by Jordan Corey
On Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Instructional Center Concert Hall, the Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will host a concert titled “Remembrance and Reflection.”
Posted on November 13, 2018 by Raven Dillon
Eastern was on hand on Nov. 2 when the Urban League of Greater Hartford (ULGH) celebrated its 54th Equal Opportunity Day with a gala at the Marriott Downtown Hartford. The ULGH’s mission is to reduce economic disparities in area communities through programs, services and educational opportunities. It provides programs and services in such areas as adult education, youth development, workforce development and training, economic empowerment, and health and wellness. The league provides services to more than 3,000 area residents annually.
Posted on November 13, 2018 by
A group of Eastern Connecticut State University students slept outdoors in cardboard boxes on Nov. 7-8 for “Shackathon.” The annual Habitat for Humanity event aims to raise awareness of homelessness and support the organization’s mission to alleviate the problem of sub-standard housing.
Posted on November 10, 2018 by Jordan Corey
Eastern Connecticut State University is joining the push to mitigate one of the world’s most critical public health crises: antibiotic resistance. Through a new opportunity in the Biology Department, Eastern students are tapping into the Tiny Earth network, an international crowdsourcing effort that engages young scientists in the search for new antibiotic medicines.
Posted on November 09, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University held its annual Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 9 in the Student Center. Two days before the 100th anniversary of the close of World War I (Armistice Day, Nov. 11, 1918), the ceremony featured remarks by Eastern dignitaries as well as distinguished guest Brigadier General Ralph Hedenberg.
Posted on November 09, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
The Department of Public Safety at Eastern Connecticut State University has been named one of the top 25 college and university police departments in the United States for its efforts to improve campus safety. Eastern was ranked fourth on the list of 25, which included such institutions as Oregon State University, Indiana University and the University of Houston. Brown University in Rhode Island, ranked 19th, was the only other New England institution that made the top 25 list.
Posted on November 08, 2018 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University was recognized by ScholarMatch as one of the standout colleges in the United States providing support for first-generation and low-income students.
Posted on November 08, 2018 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted several Arts and Entertainment Network (A&E) executives on Nov. 7 who discussed the representation of crime on television.
Posted on November 07, 2018 by Raven Dillon
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Health Sciences (HSC) Department held its first faculty research seminar on Nov. 5 in the Science Building. The event showcased research activities of HSC faculty as well as informed students of potential opportunities for independent study with faculty mentors.
Posted on November 07, 2018 by Anne Pappalardo
The work of Hartford-based digital artist Balam Soto is on display at the Eastern Connecticut State University Art Gallery from Nov. 1-Dec. 7 in an exhibition titled “Interface.” Blurring the line between spectator and participant, the exhibition allows gallery visitors to manipulate the digital artwork by physically interacting with its tactile components.
Posted on November 06, 2018 by Raven Dillon
The Eastern Connecticut State University women’s volleyball team put the finishing touches on its most successful season in 12 years by winning the Little East Conference tournament championship with a four-set victory over Keene State College Nov. 3 at Eastern’s Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.
Posted on November 05, 2018 by Bob Molta
The first theatrical production of the fall 2018 semester at Eastern Connecticut State University was “Cabaret,” the Tony Award-winning musical set on the eve of Nazi-controlled Germany. With six performances between Oct. 18 and 28, theatregoers were dazzled by a stage set in the seedy Kit Kat Klub in early-1930s Germany, a time rife with political tensions that ultimately brought Adolf Hitler to power.
Posted on November 01, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern faculty continue to share their prolific scholarship with the campus community during the University’s Faculty Scholars Forum. In the month of October, three professors shared fascinating research on the underworld of professional bike racing, how service to community can enhance faculty scholarship, and the evolving artistic work of how women are now depicted in Persian art.
Posted on November 01, 2018 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University students, faculty and staff took a stand against sexual assault, domestic violence and other forms of interpersonal violence in October with a series of events focused on increasing awareness and response to survivors.
Posted on November 01, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Eastern Connecticut State University students, faculty and staff took a stand against sexual assault, domestic violence and other forms of interpersonal violence in October with a series of events focused on increasing awareness and response to survivors.
Posted on November 01, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont visited Eastern on Oct. 30 for a meet-and-greet organized by the student organization College Democrats.
Posted on October 31, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Eleven students from Eastern Connecticut State University presented their undergraduate research on Oct. 12–13 at the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) Northeast Regional Research Conference.
Posted on October 31, 2018 by Jordan Corey
Three distinguished alumni from Eastern Connecticut State University were inducted into the Eastern Fellows Program on Oct. 19. In addition to joining the ranks of the University’s most successful alumni.
Posted on October 30, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Three executives from the Arts and Entertainment Network (A&E) will visit Eastern Connecticut State University on Nov. 7 to discuss the criminal world as portrayed on television.
Posted on October 26, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
More than 400 students browsed the career options of 90 employers on Oct. 24 at Eastern Connecticut State University’s fall career and internship fair.
Posted on October 25, 2018 by Raven Dillon
The English Department at Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed four alumni on Oct. 22 to discuss their experiences working in higher education student affairs. The event was part of the “English at Work” series, which highlights the universal nature of an English degree.
Posted on October 25, 2018 by Jordan Corey
Climate advocate and attorney Ruth Santiago came to Eastern Connecticut State University on Oct. 24 to discuss the environmental and electricity struggles faced by Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. During her University Hour presentation, Santiago detailed sustainable recovery plans and the issues that surround them.
Posted on October 25, 2018 by Jordan Corey
Visiting professor James Lawler of Pace University came to Eastern on Oct. 17 to discuss the use of virtual reality as a tool to help people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). At Pace’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems, Lawler has been conducting a study centered on young adults with developmental intellectual disabilities.
Posted on October 23, 2018 by Jordan Corey
The National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) recently presented the Certificate of Merit for Outstanding Academic Advisor in a Faculty Role to Anita Lee, professor of health sciences at Eastern Connecticut State University. Lee was honored on Sept. 30, during NACADA’s annual meeting in Phoenix, AZ..
Posted on October 23, 2018 by Dwight Bachman
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will offer six performances in November, ranging from faculty recitals to guest ensembles. All events will be held in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Concert Hall. Admission for all concerts is free; donations are gratefully accepted at the door.
Posted on October 19, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Eastern Connecticut State University will host three events in commemoration of Native American Heritage Month in late October and November.
Posted on October 19, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Eastern Connecticut State University is one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in 2018 according to The Princeton Review. Eastern is listed in the Review’s 2018 edition of “Guide to 399 Green Colleges,” published on Oct. 16 – the ninth year in a row that Eastern has made the list.
Posted on October 19, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Roshani Budhathoki ’19 and Jacob Dayton ’19 had big Octobers as biology students at Eastern Connecticut State University. Budhathoki was named a 2018-19 ASPB-Conviron Scholar by the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB), and Dayton presented research in Texas at Rice University’s Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Posted on October 18, 2018 by Raven Dillon
Health sciences researchers at Eastern Connecticut State University analyzed the biomechanics of the baseball pitch this past weekend, using pitchers from Eastern’s own baseball team as study subjects.
Posted on October 18, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Mitchell Doucette, an assistant professor in health sciences at Eastern Connecticut State University, was part of a research team recognized by the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) for having One of the Best Papers of the Year in 2018.
Posted on October 17, 2018 by Jolene Potter
On the 526-year anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ “discovery” of the New World, on Oct. 12, Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its third Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) Conference. The symposium featured research presentations and panel discussions by Eastern faculty and students, as well as a keynote presentation by visiting professor Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert of Vassar College.
Posted on October 17, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
In an effort to raise mental health awareness, Eastern Connecticut State University hosted Fresh Check Day on Oct. 11 – a day designed to reduce stigma surrounding mental health issues. The annual Fresh Check Day involves students in interactive booths that deliver mental health and resource information in a fun and engaging way.
Posted on October 16, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Two new assistant professors of the Health Sciences Department saw recent developments in their research activities. Paul Canavan led a study on campus that analyzed the biomechanics of Eastern’s own baseball pitchers, and Mitchell Doucette’s research on firearm storage was named One of the Best Papers of the Year by the American Journal of Public Health.
Posted on October 16, 2018 by Michael Rouleau and Jolene Potter
New this fall semester, graduates of the Connecticut Police Academy may now enroll at Eastern Connecticut State University with 12 credits applied toward a criminology degree or other major. Credits are granted for academy training.
Posted on October 15, 2018 by Jordan Corey
Eastern Connecticut State University held its 10th annual Poverty Awareness Marathon on Oct. 5. The event culminated with 197 members of the Eastern community who walked and ran to raise awareness, as well as 378 food items that were donated to the Covenant Soup Kitchen and Shawn’s Cupboard, Eastern’s on-campus food pantry.
Posted on October 12, 2018 by Raven Dillon
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a panel of Travelers Insurance employees on Oct. 3 who spoke with students about interviews, résumés and corporate leadership.
Posted on October 11, 2018 by Raven Dillon
Eastern Connecticut State University welcomed distinguished poet Bruce Weigl to campus on Oct. 3 for “University Hour,” a series of events that features guest lecturers and artists.
Posted on October 09, 2018 by Jordan Corey
More than 200 students from Eastern Connecticut State University and the University of Connecticut volunteered across Windham on Sept. 28 for the third annual Day of Caring. The event was a collaboration with United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut.
Posted on October 04, 2018 by Raven Dillon
An advance screening of the new PBS series “Native America” was shown at Eastern Connecticut State University on Sept. 26. While the four-part series will premiere on Oct. 23 on CPTV, Eastern was selected for the screening because Anthropology Professor Sarah Baires is featured in episode three, “Cities of the Sky.” A Q&A with Baires and series director Joe Sousa followed the screening.
Posted on October 03, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
The Theatre Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will present the Tony Award-winning musical “Cabaret” from Oct. 18 to 29 in the Proscenium Theatre of the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC).
Posted on October 03, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Sustainable CT, a statewide initiative that inspires and supports communities in becoming efficient, resilient and inclusive, announced its first group of certified towns this week.
Posted on October 03, 2018 by Lynn Stoddard
An advance screening of the new PBS series “Native America” was shown at Eastern Connecticut State University on Sept. 26. While the four-part series will premiere on Oct. 23 on CPTV, Eastern was selected for the screening because Anthropology Professor Sarah Baires is featured in episode three, “Cities of the Sky.” A Q&A with Baires and series director Joe Sousa followed the screening.
Posted on October 03, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Stacey Close, associate vice president of equity and diversity at Eastern Connecticut State University, and Dwight Bachman, public relations officer at Eastern, were among 100 honored as the “2018 100 Most Influential Blacks in Connecticut” on Sept. 22 by the State Conference Chapter of the NAACP. The recognition ceremony took place during a reception held at the Foxwoods Tower Premier Ballroom.
Posted on September 28, 2018 by
Eastern Connecticut State University is the recipient of a major grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to fund research on a little-known type of arachnid known as the camel spider. Led by Biology Professor Matthew Graham, the grant will total more than $500,000 over the course of four years in an effort that will develop young scientists and contribute to the understanding of climate change in deserts.
Posted on September 28, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Hundreds of Eastern Connecticut State University students met with representatives from more than 40 colleges and universities at Eastern’s annual Graduate School Fair on Sept. 25 in the Student Center. The fair presents an opportunity for undergraduates to learn about graduate and professional education, receive detailed information about various schools and network with professionals in their desired field of study.
Posted on September 26, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Eastern Connecticut State University’s freshman class this fall is larger than last year’s class and has strong academic credentials. The freshman class of 967 full-time students is five percent larger than the freshman class of fall 2017. The academic standing of entering freshmen also increased, with average SAT scores up 15 points. In addition, the average GPA has gone up for the third consecutive year. The percentage of Eastern freshmen this year who were in the top 10 percent and top 25 percent of their high school class went up three and four percentage points respectively.
Posted on September 25, 2018 by Ed Osborn
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will offer six performances in late September and October. Ranging from jazz to opera, there will be something for everyone! All events will be held in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Concert Hall. Admission for all concerts is free; donations are gratefully accepted at the door.
Posted on September 24, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Margo Mulholland, secretary in the Office of AccessAbility Services, is being published! For the longest time, Mulholland has wanted to stay at the Red Lion Inn on Main Street in Stockbridge, MA. She found out about the inn looking through the “Country Curtains” catalogue in the mail and online photos. “The inn looked so inviting, especially in winter, she love creaking old wooden buildings and charming historic towns,” said Mulholland.
Posted on September 23, 2018 by
Eastern Connecticut State University is hosting a variety of University Hour events this fall 2018 semester. This free and open-to-the-public series of guest lectures and performances occurs on Wednesdays from 3-4 p.m. in locations across campus. Upcoming University Hours for late September and October include:
Posted on September 21, 2018 by Jordan Corey
On Aug. 28, new and returning students started classes for the fall 2018 semester. Prior to the beginning of classes, the Office of Housing and Residential Life welcomed nearly 2,500 students to campus during the fall move-in days on Aug. 26 and 27.
Posted on September 21, 2018 by
Nearly 1,000 students attended Eastern’s President’s Picnic and Student Activities Fair on Sept. 5 on the Webb Lawn. Executive board and general members representing dozens of Eastern clubs and organizations staffed tables to recruit the hundreds of prospective members who attended the event.
Posted on September 21, 2018 by
From July 28-Aug. 2, Chantal Larose, assistant professor of statistics and data science in the Mathematical Sciences Department, was among more than 6,500 people who descended upon Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to attend the Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM), one of the biggest statistical conferences of the year. At the conference, before peers from academia and industry, Larose presented her latest research project titled, “Real-World Learning Analytics: Modeling Student Academic Practices and Performance,” research she and Kim Ward, associate professor of developmental mathematics, conducted to uncover statistical patterns that could help students succeed in their Math Foundations courses. Larose has been attending JSM since 2013, and credits the conference for sending her into each new academic year re-energized and full of new research and pedagogical ideas.
Posted on September 20, 2018 by
Cigna representatives who previously attended Eastern came to campus on Sept. 18 to host an information session about the Technology Early Career Development Program (TECDP), an on-campus collaboration between Eastern and Cigna that often serves as a pipeline to full-time employment. Assistance was provided by the Business Information Systems — Association of Information Technology Professionals Student Chapter.
Posted on September 20, 2018 by
Sociology Professor Dennis Canterbury and History Professor David Frye recently authored “Neoextractivism and Capitalist Development” and “Walls: A History of Civilization in Blood and Brick.”
Posted on September 15, 2018 by Dwight Bachman
The biggest change to the Eastern Connecticut State University campus this fall is the opening of the newly renovated Communication Building. For the past 14 months, the building remained shuttered while under construction, but reopened in August with a modernized design and a number of improvements to efficiency and technology.
Posted on September 14, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
On Aug. 28, Eastern President Elsa Núñez greeted everyone and told new faculty and staff that her theme this year is “Building Our Future on a Strong Foundation.” Núñez shared good news on Eastern’s balanced budget, steady enrollment, construction projects and other operational issues–all cornerstones of the strong foundation on which Eastern builds its future. She reminded everyone that “students are the reason for our existence. Eastern depends on enrollments to generate the revenue we need to fund our operations.”
Posted on September 04, 2018 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University Music Professor Okon Hwang performed at Carnegie Hall this past June with the S.O.Y. Piano Trio. The trio’s debut performance at the famed venue was in celebration of their first-place performance at the 2018 American Protégé International Competition. The trio competed in the College Students and Professional Musicians category for the Piano and Strings Competition.
Posted on August 29, 2018 by
Eastern Connecticut State University and Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) will host a free advance screening of an episode from the new PBS series “Native America” on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. in Eastern’s Student Center Theatre. The four-part series will premiere on CPTV on Oct. 23.
Posted on August 29, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Art Gallery will host its first exhibition of the fall 2018 semester from Aug. 30 to Oct. 11. The exhibition will feature nine Eastern faculty artists who specialize in printmaking and digital art. An opening reception will take place on Sept. 6 from 4-6 p.m. in the gallery, located in room 112 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on August 28, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
The Windham/Willimantic Branch of the NAACP recently presented Stacey Cloe, associate vice president of equity and diversity, its first ever President’s Award.
Posted on August 28, 2018 by Dwight Bachman
The sun was setting on Costa Rica. The air was thick with humidity and adrenaline. The rain was coming down, and Nicholas Kukla, a biology student at Eastern Connecticut State University, was about to step foot on a narrow suspension bridge.
Posted on August 24, 2018 by Jordan Corey
A resource of education and support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community, Eastern’s Pride Center aims to foster a culture of knowledge, advocacy and inclusivity across campus. These efforts were recently recognized by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) when Eastern was added to its online list of schools that celebrate Lavender Graduation.
Posted on August 20, 2018 by Jordan Corey
A group of Eastern students, under the guidance of Professor Christopher Torockio, recently traveled to Italy to participate in the Creative Writing Abroad course. The students spent five weeks, from June 25 to July 31, writing fiction stories inspired by their travels and experiences at the Studio Arts College International (SACI) in Florence.
Posted on August 15, 2018 by Dwight Bachman
On May 20, 14 Eastern Biology students and professors Patricia Szczys and Matthew Graham traveled to Costa Rica to conduct research in that country’s tropical forests.
Posted on August 15, 2018 by Dwight Bachman
Two Eastern students participated in Undergraduate Research/Creative Activity (UGRCA) Fellowships this summer, which are intensive research experiences on the Eastern campus that pair students with faculty mentors. Psychology major Kelly Bielonko ‘18 conducted a project on employee support groups while music major Emily Miclon ‘18 prepared for advanced percussion performance.
Posted on August 07, 2018 by Jordan Corey
From radio stations to baseball stadiums, the efforts of Eastern students to enter the working world are evident this summer. With the sense of accomplishment that comes from completing an internship at the undergraduate level comes other benefits, such as resume enhancement, network building and s...
Posted on August 07, 2018 by Jordan Corey
Two Eastern Connecticut State University students have spent the summer working on National Science Foundation-sponsored research projects in Sioux Falls, SD, and Menifee County, KY.
Posted on August 03, 2018 by Jordan Corey
Posted on July 30, 2018 by Bob Molta
In late May 2018, Eastern students traveled to Ghana, West Africa with Lecturer Shelly Gimenez of the Department of Health Sciences.The group was hosted by the Rural Health Project Africa, an NGO involved with enhancing the health of rural Ghanaians through prevention and control education. The students who participated in Ghanaian culture in the town of Agona-Asamang in Ghana’s Ashanti region.
Posted on July 25, 2018 by Dwight Bachman
In late May 2018, Eastern students traveled to Ghana, West Africa with Lecturer Shelly Gimenez of the Department of Health Sciences.The group was hosted by the Rural Health Project Africa, an NGO involved with enhancing the health of rural Ghanaians through prevention and control education. The students who participated in Ghanaian culture in the town of Agona-Asamang in Ghana’s Ashanti region.
Posted on July 25, 2018 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University has been named a Great College to Work For by The Chronicle of Higher Education, a top trade publication for colleges and universities.
Posted on July 20, 2018 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University Director of Athletics Lori Runksmeier was recently named vice president of the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA). She was nominated for this position by her colleagues.
Posted on July 16, 2018 by Mckenzie Maneggia
Eastern Connecticut State University student Roshani Budhathoki '19 was recently awarded a summer undergraduate research fellowship from the American Society of Plant Biologists.
Posted on June 27, 2018 by Anne Pappalardo
Eastern Connecticut State University was New England's most prolific representative at this year's National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). Held April 4-7 at the University of Central Oklahoma, the conference was among the premier gatherings in all of U.S.
Posted on June 22, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University has been recognized as a 2018-19 College of Distinction by the college-guide/ranking organization Colleges of Distinction.
Posted on June 18, 2018 by
PAWTUCKET, R.I. - For the second straight year, Eastern Connecticut State University has claimed the Little East Conference (LEC) Commissioner's Cup, the league's top honor for overall institutional athletic performance among the LEC's eight primary member institutions in its 19 sponsored s...
Posted on June 06, 2018 by Bob Molta
Posted on June 06, 2018 by Anne Pappalardo
Carlos Escoto, professor and department chair of psychology, and coordinator for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities at Eastern Connecticut State University, has been elected to the executive board of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). A member of CUR’s Psychology Division, Escoto will begin his three-year term on July 1, 2018.
Posted on May 29, 2018 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University held three inaugural Summer Research Institutes from May 14–18 to engage promising and high-achieving students in intensive, week long research programs pertaining to the fields of new media, network science and English. A fourth research institute for psychology occurred during the same time, although this has been an annual program.
Posted on May 24, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Elinore McCance-Katz, assistant secretary for mental health and substance use in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), told the graduates and their families at Eastern Connecticut State University’s 128th Commencement exercises that the current opioid crisis facing the United States is “the nation’s greatest medical challenge since the AIDS epidemic of the 1990s.
Posted on May 16, 2018 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University student Adam Murphy ’18 has been awarded a Fulbright-Hays Scholarship to study Indonesian language in an intensive-language program in Salatiga, Indonesia, this summer. Murphy hails from Meriden and double majors in political science and history with a minor in Asian studies.
Posted on May 11, 2018 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University student Jacob Dayton ’18, a biology major from Bolton, has been awarded the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship for undergraduates in STEM fields who intend to pursue a Ph.D. and research career. Dayton is Eastern’s first Goldwater recipient and intends to attend graduate school in genomics.
Posted on May 11, 2018 by Ed Osborn
Warrior Cup is an annual competition in which all 13 residence halls at Eastern Connecticut State University compete for the benefit of a local nonprofit organization or charity. Burr Hall was the 2017-18 winner of the cup, but the real winner is St. Mary-St. Joseph School in Willimantic, which received $4,000 from the year’s Warrior Cup activities.
Posted on May 04, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
More than 100 students from Eastern Connecticut State University dispersed around Willimantic on May 28 for “Town Pride, Town Wide,” Eastern’s annual spring cleaning and beautification project. The students volunteered nearly 500 hours of time as they worked at more than 20 sites in collaboration with community partners.
Posted on May 03, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
The Art and Art History Department at Eastern Connecticut State University will present its 2018 Senior Art Exhibition from May 4-15 in the Art Gallery of the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC). The opening reception will take place on May 4 from 4-6 p.m.
Posted on May 01, 2018 by
More than 1,000 Eastern Connecticut State University students volunteered more than 17,000 hours in the Windham area in the past academic year.
Posted on April 26, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s annual Cesar Chavez Distinguished Service Awards Ceremony occured on April 18. Those honored at the event were student Freddy Cruz ’18, Eastern academic advisor Maribel Sanchez and Stefan Keller of CT Students for a Dream. The keynote speaker was Latino poet José B. González.
Posted on April 24, 2018 by Jordan Corey
Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, assistant secretary for mental health and substance use in the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), will be the commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient at Eastern Connecticut State University’s commencement exercises on May 15 at the XL Center in Hartford.
Posted on April 23, 2018 by Edward Osborn
Posted on April 21, 2018 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University student Tess Candler ’18 of Ledyard was one of two researchers from Connecticut given the distinguished opportunity of presenting their projects at the highly selective Posters on the Hill (POH) academic conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Candler‘s major is Political Science and Economics.
Posted on April 20, 2018 by
A record-breaking 41 Eastern Connecticut State University students presented their research at the 2018 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) from April 4-7 at the University of Central Oklahoma.
Posted on April 20, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Eastern Connecticut State University students Nadia Balassone ’18 of East Hartford and Yuberki Delgadillo ’18 of Quaker Hill were named the recipients of the 2018 Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award on April 17. The 30th annual Henry Barnard Awards Banquet, held at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, CT, recognized 12 outstanding undergraduates from Connecticut’s four state universities – Central, Eastern, Southern and Western.
Posted on April 19, 2018 by Anne Pappalardo
Posted on April 19, 2018 by Jordan Corey
The Drama Society at Eastern Connecticut State University will present its second-annual spring performance, “Coldcock Café,” on April 20 and 21 in the DelMonte Bernstein Studio Theatre of the Fine Arts Instructional Center. Both shows start at 7 p.m. and are free admission (donations are appreciated). The Drama Society is Eastern’s student-led theatre club, and “Coldcock Café” is an original feature-length production that is written, directed and performed by Eastern students.
Posted on April 17, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Themes of youth, love and enlightenment were on display in Eastern Connecticut State University’s latest theatrical production, “Awakenings: ‘Youth’ by Thornton Wilder and ‘Chitra’ by Rabindranath Tagore.” From April 5-8, the two one-act plays – by Pulitzer Prize-winning authors from the East (Wilder) and West (Tagore) – transformed Eastern’s DelMonte Bernstein Studio Theatre into a tropical island and then into a lush Hindu dreamscape.
Posted on April 13, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Displays of research and creativity filled the Student Center at Eastern Connecticut State University on April 13 for the annual CREATE conference.
Posted on April 13, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University will hold its annual Service Expo and Awards Ceremony on April 19 from 2-5 p.m. in the lobby of the Fine Arts Instructional Center. Sponsored by the Center for Community Engagement (CCE), the event will showcase the numerous service projects being spearheaded by Eastern students in the Windham area.
Posted on April 11, 2018 by
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted “Education, Advocacy and Immigrant Youth,” a discussion about supporting the educational aspirations of newly arrived immigrant students, in the Betty R. Tipton Room on April 4. The event was cosponsored by the Center for Children’s Advocacy in Hartford.
Posted on April 11, 2018 by Anne Pappalardo
Posted on April 10, 2018 by Joran Corey
A group of talented vocalists from Eastern Connecticut State University embarked on a unique tour of post-hurricane Puerto Rico this spring break. From March 9–15, members of the Chamber Singers performed in concerts and worked on service projects in the slowly recovering island.
Posted on April 06, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Posted on April 03, 2018 by Jordan Corey
Posted on April 02, 2018 by Casey Collins
Sustainable CT, a new statewide initiative to support Connecticut's cities and towns, will be holding an upcoming regional launch event at the Connecticut Audubon Society Center in Pomfret on April 18 at 7 p.m.
Posted on March 28, 2018 by Lynn Stoddard
Anne Dawson, professor of art history at Eastern Connecticut State University, has been announced as the unanimous winner of the 2018 Victorian Society in America Ruth Emery Award. Her book, “Rare Light,” explores the life and career of American impressionist J. Alden Weir, an artist who created some of his most notable works while living in Windham, CT. The Ruth Emery Award recognizes top scholarly work on 19th-century regional history.
Posted on March 28, 2018 by Dawson victorian impressionist award
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will present a number of concerts and recitals this April. All performances will occur in venues of the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC). Admission is free, no tickets required.
Posted on March 26, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
A spirit of celebration and good will was in the air when Eastern Connecticut State University held its annual President’s Leadership Awards Luncheon on March 16 to honor the University’s leadership level supporters. The luncheon is Eastern’s premier donor appreciation event of the year and also recognizes the University’s most distinguished Eastern alumni. An appreciative crowd of Eastern supporters enjoyed this year’s event in the Fine Arts Center’s Susan Sukman McCray Foyer, named after a major donor to the University’s Theatre Program.
Posted on March 26, 2018 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University students Caroline Perry and Morgan Winship presented research at the National Coalition of Campus Children’s Centers conference in Albuquerque, NM, this March 15–17. Their presentation was titled “Authentic Experiences with Families: Impact on Pre-service Teachers’ Knowledge and Dispositions.”
Posted on March 23, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
On April 14, three Connecticut-based teams will reveal their designs for a new public art piece that generates renewable energy, to be located on the Willimantic River. The public is invited to attend the evening reception from 6-8 p.m.
Posted on March 22, 2018 by
The Theatre Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will present its first Main Stage production of the spring 2018 semester from April 5-8 with Awakenings: 'Youth' by Thornton Wilder and 'Chitra' by Rabindranath Tagore.
Posted on March 19, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
On Feb. 28, well-respected South Korean architect and author Hwang Doojin presented stunning examples of his eclectic architectural projects during a lecture in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on March 16, 2018 by Anne Pappalardo
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University will present “Mom & Dad” from March 8 to April 19. On March 22 from 3-4 p.m. there will be a gallery talk with exhibiting artists Nelson Chan and Kalen Na’il Roach, followed by an opening reception from 4-6 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.
Posted on March 12, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Political Science Professor Martin Mendoza-Botelho was invited by a small group of panelists to discuss “Bolivia: Assessing the Contemporary Social and Political Landscape” at a public symposium at American University in Washington, DC, on March 5.
Posted on March 09, 2018 by Anne Pappalardo
Eastern Connecticut State University student Stefanie Dominguez ’18, an Early Childhood Education and Communication major, recently had her research thesis published in the Early Childhood Education Journal. The highly-ranked, refereed journal analyzes trends, policies and practices in early childhood education for children ranging from birth to age eight. The publication serves the needs of early childhood practitioners including classroom teachers, child care providers and teacher educators.
Posted on March 08, 2018 by Anne Pappalardo
Undergraduate research and creative activities at Eastern Connecticut State University provide opportunities for students to work closely with faculty mentors on research or creative work.
Posted on March 07, 2018 by Anne Pappalardo
Eastern Connecticut State University held a seminar on Feb. 28 to encourage dialogue about what can be done to combat the American opioid crisis on a local level. Hosted by the Health Sciences Department, the event featured a panel of professionals who are working to address the issue.
Posted on March 06, 2018 by Jordan Corey
Mariana Serrano, a senior majoring in health sciences with a minor in anthropology; William Lugo, professor of sociology; and Bill Stover, director of family and community partnerships in Windham Public Schools, have been named recipients of Eastern Connecticut State University’s 2018 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Awards. The awards were presented on Feb. 28 in the Paul E. Johnson Community Conference Room of Eastern’s J. Eugene Smith Library.
Posted on March 06, 2018 by Dwight Bachman
- The Child and Family Development Resource Center (CFDRC) at Eastern Connecticut State University was recently notified by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) that the organization has reviewed the center's Annual Re...
Posted on March 03, 2018 by Anne Pappalardo
Representatives of the Judy Dworin Performance Project (JDPP) visited Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 21 to present Brave in a New World, a performance that examines the different experiences of incarcerated women.
Posted on March 01, 2018 by Jordan Corey
Matthew Graham, a biology professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, is currently one of three university professors across Connecticut with a research grant from the NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium (CTSGC). Working closely with fellow biology professor Barbara Murdoch, their team is conducting a research project titled “Knock, Knock, Who’s There? A Diversity Discovery Mission of Unculturable Bacteria in Scorpions.”
Posted on February 27, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Scholar and award-winning film producer Gary L. Ford Jr. examined black history triumphs and shared his insight on jurist and civil rights champion Constance Baker Motley as part of Black History Month at Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 14.
Posted on February 27, 2018 by
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will host a variety of performances in March. From jazz to opera, audiences will be treated to performances representing a diverse range of genres and style periods. All concerts and recitals will be performed in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Concert Hall–admission is free; no tickets required.
Posted on February 22, 2018 by
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Early Childhood Education (CECE) has reached a milestone on its YouTube account- passing one million views this February. The YouTube channel, “EarlyChildhoodVideos,” has been active since Jan. 29, 2013, and has posted more than 125 videos produced by communication students, research assistants and CECE faculty.
Posted on February 22, 2018 by Casey Collins
On Feb. 28, the Health Sciences Department at Eastern Connecticut State University will host a seminar about the opioid epidemic in the United States, a medical crisis that also has local implications. The event will occur at 2 p.m. in the Betty R. Tipton Room of the Student Center. In an effort to build a solid coalition in the Windham region, the event aims to provide educational opportunities, invoke thoughtful conversations and create links between community members and professionals. The discussion panel – composed of physicians, law enforcement and public health professionals – will contemplate strategies that can be executed with local partners in order to combat the epidemic, followed by a Q&A session with attendees.
Posted on February 20, 2018 by Jordan Corey
-In partnership with the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), Eastern Connecticut State University is continuing its participation in the Holmes Program.
Posted on February 14, 2018 by Casey Collins
A number of creators and performers behind Eastern Connecticut State University's recent theatre productions were awarded at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) Region 1. Held from Jan. 30 to Feb.
Posted on February 09, 2018 by Jolene Potter
A number of creators and performers behind Eastern Connecticut State University’s recent theatre productions were awarded at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) Region 1. Held from Jan. 30 to Feb. 4 at Western Connecticut State University, the annual festival was attended by more than 1,000 students and faculty from colleges across the Northeast.
Posted on February 09, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Jonathan Lerner, novelist, magazine editor and political activist from the 1960s, will speak at Eastern Connecticut State University this coming Monday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. in the Student Center Theater. Lerner is a founding member of the Weather Underground, the militant offshoot of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), and has recounted those turbulent times in his new memoir, “Swords in the Hands ofChildren, Reflections of an American Revolutionary.” Copies of the book will be available for purchase and book signing. The event is open to the public; admission is free.
Posted on February 08, 2018 by Ed Osborn
As the first “University Hour” lecturer of the spring semester, Seattle-based poet J Mase III discussed his experience as a black, gay and transgender man during his talk at Eastern Connecticut State University on Jan. 31. Using a powerful combination of poetry and dialog, Mase called attention to setbacks faced daily by minority groups.
Posted on February 08, 2018 by Jordan Corey
Julie Kukesh, director of education programs at Mendix, a Boston-based business application software company, spoke with business information systems (BIS) students on Feb. 6 about her company and the changing field of business software applications. Kukesh spoke about the emergence of low-code/no-code platforms, which enable users to create applications without writing lines of code. Because users don’t need to learn a programming language in order to use them, platforms such as Mendix’s are revolutionizing the industry by enabling a range of users with varying skillsets to create biz-tech applications.
Posted on February 08, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
The instrumental and vocal music ensembles at Eastern Connecticut State University will entertain guests with a series of four concerts in the month of February. Performed in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC), Eastern’s Music Program is proud to continually engage with the campus and local communities through concerts and recitals throughout the semester.
Posted on February 06, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Eastern Student Lauren Atkinson Wins NASA Scholarship
Posted on February 05, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Despite the pressure that comes with the start of classes, there are always systems on Eastern Connecticut State University's campus to support its students. To ring in the new semester and encourage student engagement, Eastern's Arthur L. Johnson Unity Wing held an activity-packed open house on Jan 24.
Posted on January 30, 2018 by Jordan Corey
College Consensus, a unique new college review aggregator, has recognized Eastern Connecticut State University in its ranking of “Best Colleges in Connecticut for 2017-18.” Eastern was ranked in the top 10 schools in Connecticut, and was one of only two public institutions chosen, the University of Connecticut being the other.
Posted on January 26, 2018 by Ed Osborn
A record-breaking 41 Eastern Connecticut State University students from a variety of disciplines have been selected to represent Eastern at the 2018 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), a competitive undergraduate research conference that draws students from across the United States. The conference will be held at the University of Central Oklahoma from April 4-7.
Posted on January 26, 2018 by Jolene Potter
Gary Ford Jr., assistant professor of Africana Studies at Lehman College and author of the book, “Constance Baker Motley, One Woman’s Fight for Civil Rights and Equal Justice under Law,” will speak on Feb. 14, at 3 p.m. in the Student Center Theatre on Eastern Connecticut State University campus.
Posted on January 24, 2018 by Dwight Bachman
Christine Garcia, assistant professor of English at Eastern Connecticut State University, has won a 2018 Scholars for the Dream Travel Award given by the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC). Garcia, who resides in Willimantic, CT, and hails from San Angelo, TX, is one of 20 award recipients, and will use it to present her research at the CCCC Annual Convention on March 15 in Kansas City, MO.
Posted on January 24, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Professor Emeritus Imna Arroyo Exhibits Ancestors of the Passage
Posted on January 17, 2018 by Casey Collins
Sustainable CT, a new statewide initiative to support Connecticut’s cities and towns, will have its launch in the Hartford area on January 16th at 6:00 p.m. in the Center for Contemporary Culture at the Hartford Public Library, in collaboration with the City of Hartford. Created by towns for towns, the initiative includes a wide-ranging menu of sustainability best practices, tools and resources, peer learning and recognition.
Posted on January 13, 2018 by Lynn Stoddard
Aspiring and veteran human resources professionals can now attain professional certifications from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) at Eastern...
Posted on January 05, 2018 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University cross country coach Kathy Manizza was named Little East Conference (LEC) Cross Country Coach-of-the-Year this fall after leading the Warriors to their first-ever LEC title. Manizza, who resides in Lebanon, has been coaching at the university level for more than 24 years, serving as head coach of Eastern’s cross country and track and field teams for the past six years. She is the first LEC Cross Country Coach-of-the-Year in Eastern’s history.
Posted on December 22, 2017 by Casey Collins
Three world-class design teams from Connecticut have been selected to prepare detailed design concepts for public artwork that generates renewable energy for the future Willimantic Whitewater Park site.
Posted on December 21, 2017 by Lynn Stoddard
On the evening of Dec. 6, English enthusiasts gathered in the Betty R. Tipton Room for Eastern’s “English Night,” which showcases student excellence in the English Department.
Posted on December 21, 2017 by Jordan Corey
Communication Professor Jaime Gomez has co-authored a new book. Amazon.Com, the publisher, says the book, Introduction to Video Production.” is “written in a clear, non-technical manner. It focuses on the fundamental principles and aesthetics of video production and the technologies used in both studio and field environments.”
Posted on December 21, 2017 by
In an effort to promote awareness of substance use, Eastern Connecticut State University has been granted $10,000 by the Connecticut Healthy Campus Initiative, a project supported by the Wheeler Clinic and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Posted on December 20, 2017 by Casey Collins
A talented cast of Eastern Connecticut State University students, alumni, faculty and staff recently performed in “Amahl and the Night Visitors” on Dec. 2 to celebrate the holiday season. Composed by Gian Carlo Menotti, the opera tells the story of the Magi from the point of view of a young disabled boy named Amahl and his widowed mother.
Posted on December 18, 2017 by Jolene Potter
Jazz music is in the air at Eastern Connecticut State University. Two concerts featuring student performers hit the main stage this December, including the Jazz Ensemble and 3 O’Clock Band, which performed on Dec. 1 and Dec. 4 respectively. Both concerts took place in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Concert Hall.
Posted on December 18, 2017 by Jolene Potter
Talented percussionists at Eastern Connecticut State University recently entertained audiences that included Eastern students, faculty, staff and local community members at Eastern’s state-of-the-art Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Concert Hall.
Posted on December 18, 2017 by Jolene Potter
Talented musicians of the Eastern Wind Ensemble and Eastern Concert Band presented a joint winter concert designed to capture the beauty of the winter season on Dec. 6 in Eastern’s Fine Arts Instructional Center Concert Hall.
Posted on December 18, 2017 by Jolene Potter
The St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Hartford recently named Public Relations Officer Dwight Bachman a special honoree of the Reverend Collin Bennett/Marcus Garvey Service Award.
Posted on December 15, 2017 by
In its ongoing support for people with life-threatening blood diseases, Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its seventh marrow registry on Dec. 6. Organized by the men’s soccer team, 140 people were registered into the “Be The Match” database – the largest marrow registry in the world – bringing Eastern’s total to 1,650 registrants over the past five years.
Posted on December 08, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
The theatre program at Eastern Connecticut State University presented the holiday classic “Little Women” from Nov. 28-Dec. 3. The play took place in the intimate venue of Eastern’s DelMonte Bernstein Studio Theatre, with a special emphasis on being “sensory-friendly” for audience members with spectrum disorders.
Posted on December 07, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Early Childhood Education announced on Dec. 6 that “Animal Kingdom Mega Pack” by Animal Planet has been named the 2017 TIMPANI (Toys that Inspire Mindful Play and Nurture Imagination) Toy.
Posted on December 07, 2017 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University student Ruth Eragene ’19 participated in the three-day Diversity and Explorations (DivEx) program at Harvard Divinity School (HDS) this November. Eragene hails from New Britain and majors in Finance.
Posted on December 05, 2017 by Jordan Corey
Cara Bergstrom-Lynch, a professor at Eastern Connecticut State University who lives in Manchester, participated in a road race on Dec. 3 to honor the late Alyssiah Wiley, an Eastern student who was murdered by her boyfriend in 2013. The Hot Chocolate Run is an annual fundraiser to benefit Safe Passage, an organization dedicated to creating a world free of domestic violence and relationship abuse. The run took place in Northampton, MA.
Posted on December 05, 2017 by Jordan Corey
A group of Eastern Connecticut State University students organized one of the most unique fundraising events the campus has ever sponsored on Nov. 30. The students – Alexandra Kallgren (Dudley, MA), Nick Terry (Southington), Brandon Baro (Bristol, RI), Devin Belinski and Jared Buckley (Oxford, MA) – were tasked with creating an event for the Leadership and Problem Solving class they take with Gregory Kane, professor of kinesiology and physical education. The result: for only $2, any participant could unload their end-of-semester stress on a defenseless car for 30 seconds.
Posted on December 04, 2017 by Casey Collins
Jolene Potter ‘18 was one of two Eastern Connecticut State University students to present her research study as an oral presentation at Eastern’s Annual Psychological Science Afternoon On Nov. 27. This is Potter’s second research study on sexual assault and her latest study is titled, “A Comparison of the Effect of Sexual Assault Micro-Interventions on Rape Myth Acceptance and Empathy.”
Posted on December 01, 2017 by
From Nov. 17 to Dec. 22, Brooklyn’s SOHO20 Gallery will present “Women of Shahnameh, The Memories Between,” an exhibition by Afarin Rahmanifar, art professor at Eastern Connecticut State University. For Rahmanifar, who resides in Manchester, this will be her first time on display at the prestigious New York gallery – in the past month she was also featured at the ArtWalk Gallery in Hartford, CT, and the Hans Weiss Newspace at Manchester Community College.
Posted on November 30, 2017 by Casey Collins
Students in Eastern Connecticut State University’s “Museums and Exhibitions” course will host two art shows this December. “Spectrum,” an emotional exhibition about the psychology of color, will be displayed from Dec. 4-8 in room 224 of Wood Support Services. “Towards Eternity,” an exhibition about spirituality across the world, will be displayed from Dec. 5-13 on the first floor of the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC).
Posted on November 30, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Sustainable CT, an exciting new initiative to support Connecticut’s cities and towns, launched on Nov. 28 at the annual convention of Connecticut Conference of Municipalities. The initiative, created by towns for towns, includes a detailed menu of sustainability best practices, tools and resources, peer learning and recognition.
Posted on November 29, 2017 by Lynn Stoddard
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will present six concerts in the month of December. Concerts will range from student-only instrumental ensembles to seasonally themed collaborations with alumni musicians and community members. The performances are free and open to the public and will take place in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center. Donations will be gratefully accepted at the door.
Posted on November 29, 2017 by Jolene Potter
The Child and Family Development Resource Center (CFDRC) at Eastern Connecticut State University was recently notified by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) that the organization has reviewed the center’s Annual Report and that it is maintaining the center’s accreditation, reflecting continued excellence in their programming.
Posted on November 29, 2017 by Anne Pappalardo
Eastern Connecticut State University displayed its commitment to community once again on Nov. 22 during its 11th annual Day of Giving. With approximately 500 local community members in attendance, Hurley Hall was packed with positive energy and a Thanksgiving feast intended for those less fortunate.
Posted on November 27, 2017 by Jordan Corey
Approximately one out of every 1,500 to 2,000 people in the United States are born intersex, according to the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA). Despite the presence of intersexuality in our country, the topic remains surrounded by misconceptions that activist Sean Saifa Wall is on a mission to combat. He was a guest speaker at Eastern Connecticut State University on Nov. 15.
Posted on November 22, 2017 by Jordan Corey
“If we want to create a more equitable society, we must transform the way we teach our children.” That was the message that Pedro Noguera, distinguished professor of education in the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), drove home during his lecture to a packed house on Nov. 14 at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on November 20, 2017 by Dwight Bachman
On any given afternoon, you’re likely to find a handful of students who stand out when walking across campus. Pressed shirts, shined shoes and ties, these young men lead by example, embodying student professionalism as members of a student organization called M.A.L.E.S. — Men Achieving Leadership, Excellence, and Success. The club celebrated 20 years as a student organization at Eastern this November.
Posted on November 20, 2017 by
The current national debate on immigration policy — in particular the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) executive order issued by President Barack Obama in 2012 — was the focus of an event at Eastern Connecticut State University on Nov. 14 hosted by social work students.
Posted on November 20, 2017 by Anne Pappalardo
It’s no secret that with the winter season fast approaching, becoming engrossed in holiday stress can be all too easy. What better way to decompress than with a night out at a show? On Dec. 2, Eastern Connecticut State University is hosting the Chatterbox Players, a group of local residents who will present a live old-time radio performance of “The Magic Christmas Tree” and “The Gift of the Magi.” The event – free and open to the public – takes place in Webb Hall 110 at 6 p.m.
Posted on November 16, 2017 by ordan Corey
Three Arts and Entertainment Network (A&E) executives – Laura Fleury, Peter Tarshis and Sean Gottlieb – shared their expertise of “true crime” programs with Eastern Connecticut State University on Nov. 8. Complete with promo clips, intriguing audience questions and thoughtful responses, the panel generated dialog on what goes into capturing real-life crime narratives on television.
Posted on November 16, 2017 by Jordan Corey
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its second annual Civic Action Conference on Nov. 8. to dissect the practice of “service learning” and its impact on students and society.
Posted on November 13, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
The campus community at Eastern Connecticut State University came together on Nov. 10 in celebration of Veterans Day. The heartfelt ceremony featured remarks by university dignitaries and distinguished guest Lt. Colonel Mark Tallo of the Connecticut Army National Guard.
Posted on November 13, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
A group of Eastern Connecticut State University students emerged from frost-covered cardboard boxes on Thursday morning, Nov. 9, after spending a freezing night sleeping outside. The temperatures dipped into the 20s for the annual “Shack-a-thon,” a fundraising event for the Habitat for Humanity club that aims to raise awareness of substandard housing.
Posted on November 13, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Music, visual art and dance came together on Nov. 3 for a unique multimedia performance at Eastern Connecticut State University. This multimedia event involved extensive collaboration between Eastern faculty and students to provide audience members with an exceptional sensory-engaging experience. The “S.O.Y. Piano Trio Multi-Media Concert” was held in Eastern’s state-of-the art Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Concert Hall.
Posted on November 09, 2017 by Jolene Potter
Sean Langlais is not your everyday contemporary artist. Rather than use canvas or clay, Langlais prefers to craft his art from metals and sound. In collaboration with the Department of Art and Art History, Eastern Connecticut State University is hosting an exhibition by Langlais titled, “Mars: A Sound Art Installation.” Showing from Oct. 6 to Dec.7, “Mars” is the first exhibition of its kind on Eastern’s campus. An opening reception was held Nov. 2.
Posted on November 09, 2017 by Casey Collins
According to the National Congress of American Indians, there are 562 federally recognized Indian tribes, bands, nations, pueblos, rancherias, communities and Native villages in the United States. Matika Wilbur – member of the Swinomish and Tulalip tribes of Washington – founded her photography mission “Project 562” to give each one of these groups honest representation. On Nov. 1, Wilbur came to Eastern Connecticut State University to tell their stories to help the University celebrate National Native American Heritage Month.
Posted on November 08, 2017 by Jordan Corey
Raouf Mama, professor of English at Eastern Connecticut State University, has recently authored “It was a Beautiful Day and Other Personal Quiet Miracle Stories,” an e-book published by WestBow Press.
Posted on November 07, 2017 by
Eastern Connecticut State University is dedicated to preparing its students for the professional world ahead, and career development activities are a big part of that effort. Career Week was a series of activities and seminars from Oct. 23-25 aimed at helping students prepare for life after eastern. It was sponsored by Eastern’s Center for Internships and Career Development (CICD). The week-long event included seminars, activities and a career and internship fair with 78 regional and national businesses in attendance.
Posted on November 06, 2017 by Casey Collins
Eastern Connecticut State University will host its second annual Civic Action Conference on Nov. 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Student Center. The conference will focus on “service learning,” an educational strategy that aligns classroom learning with community efforts. Presentations will be delivered by service learning experts, including Eastern faculty and keynote speaker Rick Battistoni, who teaches public/community service studies at Providence College.
Posted on November 01, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted the New England Historical Association’s 99th Annual Fall Conference on Oct. 28 in the Betty R. Tipton Room in the Student Center.
Posted on November 01, 2017 by Anne Pappalardo
An estimated 88,000 people die each year from alcohol-related causes in the United States, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. College students account for approximately 1,825 of these deaths. To stress the negative effects of alcohol abuse, Eastern Connecticut State University held the “Alcohol Monologues” on Oct. 25.
Posted on October 31, 2017 by Jordan Corey
Providence-based new music and multimedia consort Ensemble / Parallax brought its avant-garde flavor to Eastern Connecticut State University last week as part of the school’s “University Hour” series. Conducted by Peyman Farzinpour, the award-winning instrumental group performed on Oct. 18 in the concert hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center, with five musicians in attendance — Orlando Cela (flute), Lisa Goddard (violin), Yoko Hagino (piano), Kevin Price (clarinet) and Nara Shahbazyan (cello).
Posted on October 24, 2017 by Jordan Corey
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will hold a variety of musical performances this November. The five upcoming concerts will include a unique faculty recital, two Eastern ensembles and two guest ensembles. All concerts will be held in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on October 24, 2017 by Jolene Potter
The ever-relevant topic of immigration was on dramatic display from Oct. 11-15 when Eastern Connecticut State University premiered “Thread City,” a unique performance that “told” stories of the immigrants who came to Willimantic to work in its historic thread mills. The dialogue-free play blended choreographed movement, visual projections and folky-electronic soundscapes to convey a heartfelt and historically representative tale of immigration in America.
Posted on October 23, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Cancer fighters, survivors and supporters came out in force on Oct. 14 for the annual Relay for Life of Greater Windham, which has generated more than $78,000 in donations. Hosted at the sports complex at Eastern Connecticut State University, the event achieved its goal of raising money and commemorating loved ones and caretakers.
Posted on October 20, 2017 by Jordan Corey
The Sexual Assault and Interpersonal Violence Response Team (SAIV-RT) at Eastern Connecticut State University partnered with Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) to present “The Consent Workshop,” an interactive workshop designed to help students better understand the meaning of affirmative consent. The program was held on Oct. 18.
Posted on October 20, 2017 by Jolene Potter
The “Phoenix New Play Series” is an annual theatre program at Eastern Connecticut State University that takes a student-written work and adapts it into a student-directed, minimalist play. On Oct. 21, McKenzie Fayne’s “The Life of Dawson Radlaw” will be brought to life. The free production will show at 7:30 p.m. in the Del Monte Studio Theatre of the Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on October 18, 2017 by Jordan Corey
While no “little green Martians” in flying saucers will be on display, guests are still in for a surprise when Eastern Connecticut State University hosts contemporary artist Sean Langlais’ exhibition, “Mars: A Sound Art Installation.” Showing from Oct. 26 to Dec.7 in the Art Gallery of the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC), “Mars” will be the first exhibition of its kind on Eastern’s campus. An opening reception will occur Nov. 2 from 4-6 p.m.
Posted on October 18, 2017 by Casey Collins
Daniel Donaghy, English professor at Eastern Connecticut State University and published author of five poetry collections, has always hoped to launch a national poetry magazine at Eastern. And now, it’s here, literally.
Posted on October 18, 2017 by Jordan Corey
Eastern Connecticut State University alumnus Justin Brown ’09 was awarded the prestigious Early-Investigator Award by the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Office of Disease Prevention earlier this year for his innovative cancer prevention research. The award is made to an early-career prevention scientist who has made significant research contributions and is poised to become a leader in prevention research.
Posted on October 18, 2017 by Jolene Potter
The Windham Area Interfaith Ministry is bracing itself for a challenging year. Between state funding cuts and a persistent, if not growing, need for services, WAIM expects to continue to be a safety net for those who are unable to receive help elsewhere. One of the ways WAIM raises funds to support its mission is through a variety of special events, including the upcoming Harvest of Hope on October 21 from 5-8 pm., co-hosted by Willimantic Waste Paper Co. This special evening will offer wine selections by High Spirits and tasty Cafemantic hors d’ouevres in the beautiful setting of the Spring Hill Inn, 957 Storrs Rd., Storrs. The Earl MacDonald Jazz Trio will perform and there will be a silent auction. “So many people depend on WAIM, so we have to do all we can to assure that they get the help they need when they need it most,” says WAIM Board Chair and event organizer, Jodi Walenciewecz. “The Harvest of Hope is a fun way to support a great cause. It’s a win-win for everyone!” Tickets are available at waimct.org or call (860) 456-7270 x11. This promises to be another outstanding evening. Please come to support the mission of WAIM.
Posted on October 17, 2017 by Ed Osborn
The contentious discussion of police brutality that has dominated American conversation in recent years has not been overlooked by the police department at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on October 12, 2017 by Jordan Corey
The college-readiness nonprofit organization Higher Edge and Eastern Connecticut State University celebrated their ongoing partnership on Oct. 5 with a gala in the Fine Arts Instructional Center. Higher Edge is devoted to assisting low-income and first-generation students through enrollment, retention and graduation from college. To help meet these goals they opened a satellite office on the Eastern campus last October.
Posted on October 11, 2017 by Jolene Potter
Eastern Connecticut State University will participate in the Third Annual Campus Sustainability Week from Oct. 9-15. The weeklong celebration is coordinated by the Connecticut Alliance for Campus Sustainability, a network of state universities that addresses environmental and social challenges in Connecticut.
Posted on October 10, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
The Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University is partnering with the Willimantic Whitewater Partnership (WWP), the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) Office of the Arts and the Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) to sponsor a design competition to create a new work of public art along the Willimantic River.
Posted on October 10, 2017 by
Eastern Connecticut State University Art and Art History Professor Anne Dawson has been announced as one of three non-fiction finalists for the 2017 Connecticut Book Awards. Dawson resides in Lebanon and her book, “Rare Light,” explores the life and career of American impressionist J. Alden Weir, an artist who created some of his most notable works while living in Windham.
Posted on October 06, 2017 by Casey Collins
o be a “woke brown girl” in America is no easy task – just ask Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez, founder of the popular online platform “Latina Rebels.” Widely known as Prisca Dorcas, she is an acclaimed writer and activist from Nicaragua who focuses on the plights experienced by people of color in America. Dorcas visited Eastern Connecticut State University on Oct. 4 for a “University Hour” presentation titled “Dear Woke Brown Girl.”
Posted on October 06, 2017 by Jordan Corey
It’s 6:45 a.m., and the usual buzz of construction at Eastern Connecticut State University is absent this late September morning. It is too early for cars to be driving through campus, yet too late for the streetlamps to stay lit. On the morning of Eastern’s Ninth Annual Poverty Awareness Marathon, almost everything on campus seems to be at a standstill. Everything except for one man. His name is Charlie Chatterton, an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education. For him, this is just another normal day.
Posted on October 05, 2017 by Casey Collins
Three alumni from Eastern Connecticut State University were inducted into the Eastern Fellows Program this September. In addition to joining the ranks of the university’s distinguished alumni, James Girard ’97, Anne Iezzi ’79 and Andrew Mitchel ’89 returned to campus to meet with students and share career advice.
Posted on October 05, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Bradley Davis, history professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, discussed his recently published book “Imperial Bandits: Outlaws and Rebels in the China-Vietnam Borderlands” in a book talk on Sept. 27.
Posted on October 03, 2017 by Jolene Potter
Hundreds of Eastern Connecticut State University students visited with representatives from more than 40 colleges and universities at Eastern’s annual Graduate School Fair. Sponsored by The Center for Internships and Career Development, the fair helps students explore their options for continuing their education after graduation. Students are able to gain in-depth information from graduate school representatives to help them find the best program to fit their interests.
Posted on October 03, 2017 by Jolene Potter
To discuss naturopathic medicine and its role in the realm of health care, Dr. Tonya Pasternak was featured as part of Eastern Connecticut State University’s “University Hour” series on Sept. 27. Ultimately, the field aims to promote internal and external well-being, its practitioners emphasizing the significance of getting to know a patient in detail. “We fill in the cracks of things that may not be paid attention to otherwise,” said Pasternak, who works for Collaborative Natural Health Services.
Posted on October 03, 2017 by Jordan Corey
For the sixth time in the past seven years, the Hartford Courant has recognized Eastern Connecticut State University in its “Top Workplaces” survey. With almost 1,000 employees, Eastern ranked fourth in the “large” category, and was the only public higher education institution recognized among 60 organizations in Hartford, Middlesex, Tolland, Windham and New London counties. Results were published on Sept. 22 in the Hartford Courant. Eastern also received a special recognition this year for the leadership provided by Senior Management.
Posted on October 02, 2017 by Edward Osborn
For the eighth year in a row, Eastern Connecticut State University was named a “green” college by the Princeton Review. The announcement came on Sept. 20 when the review released its 2017 “Guide to 375 Green Colleges.”
Posted on September 26, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Charles Venator-Santiago, a political science professor at the University of Connecticut, appeared at Eastern Connecticut State University on Sept. 20 to discuss the extension of U.S. citizenship to native Puerto Ricans.
Posted on September 26, 2017 by Jordan Corey
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will hold a number of musical performances in October. All concerts are open to the public and free of charge, and will be held in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center – donations will be gratefully accepted at the door.
Posted on September 26, 2017 by Jolene Potter
Students at Eastern Connecticut State University attended a business luncheon with local employers on Sept. 22 to learn about proper etiquette for lunch and dinner interviews. The event was sponsored by Eastern’s Center for Internships and Career Development (CICD).
Posted on September 25, 2017 by Jolene Potter
Sacha Llorenti, Bolivian Ambassador to the United Nations, visited Eastern Connecticut State University on Sept. 13 as part of its University Hour event series. Llorenti provided insight on the past and current state of Bolivia, and then spoke more broadly on global relations.
Posted on September 14, 2017 by Jordan Corey
Motivational speaker and author Malik Champlain spoke at Eastern Connecticut State University on Sept. 6 during the school’s “University Hour” series. As part of #EasternBlackout Day, Champlain gave a presentation on how to remain proactive in the face of oppression. Attendees were encouraged to dress in all black as tribute to black and African-American people who have died unjustly at the hands of law enforcement.
Posted on September 14, 2017 by Jordan Corey
For the first time, Eastern Connecticut State University made the list of the top 25 regional public universities in the North in this year’s U.S. News and World Report’s 2018 edition of “Best Colleges.” Eastern was the highest ranked university among the four Connecticut state universities. The annual rankings were released on Sept. 12.
Posted on September 12, 2017 by Ed Osborn
More than 500 students attended Eastern Connecticut State University’s annual Fall Student Activities Fair and President’s Picnic on Sept. 11 from 5-7 p.m. on the Library Quad. Student representatives from dozens of Eastern clubs and organizations staffed tables to recruit the hundreds of prospective members who attended the event.
Posted on September 12, 2017 by Jolene Potter
This fall 2017 semester, Eastern Connecticut State University is again hosting University Hour, a free and open-to-the-public series of cultural events that occurs every Wednesday from 3 to 4 p.m. in locations across campus. Upcoming events include:
Posted on September 12, 2017 by Jordan Corey
Eastern Connecticut State University is one of 57 institutions in the United States recognized for its applied behavior analysis program by Applied Behavior AnalysisEdu.org.
Posted on September 01, 2017 by Ed Osborn
Elinore McCance-Katz, M.D., Ph.D., a 1978 graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Aug. 3 as the first Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use in the U.S. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Posted on August 31, 2017 by Edward Osborn
Ten health sciences students from Eastern Connecticut State University returned from a study abroad trip in Ghana this August. The purpose of the two-week trip was to introduce students to the health care system of a developing country.
Posted on August 21, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University student Michael Beckstein ’18 joined Economics Professor Brendan Cunningham this summer to work on a research project titled “The Efficient Use of Space Orbit.” The project, which investigates the usage of Earth’s orbit by satellites in circulation, was funded by a $28,000 grant from the NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium (CTSGC).
Posted on August 17, 2017 by Jordan Corey
Fourteen students from Eastern Connecticut State University spent a month this summer in Florence, Italy, in a global field course called “Creative Writing Abroad.” The region of Tuscany’s rich culture and picturesque landscapes inspired students’ literary senses as they wrote, critiqued and edited original works of fiction.
Posted on August 12, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern students Jolene Potter ’18 and Julie Leitao ’18 participated in Undergraduate Research/Creative Activity Fellowships this summer. Potter, a psychology major, prepared her research study, “Awareness and Understanding of Rape Culture among College Students,” for publication. Leitao, a theatre and early childhood education double major, worked to devise the script and choreography for the upcoming Eastern theatre production “Thread City.”
Posted on August 10, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
The School of Education and Professional Studies at Eastern Connecticut State University has been recognized by Colleges of Distinction for its expert blending of the liberal arts with professional programing in business and education. This honor is in addition to Eastern being named a 2017-18 College of Distinction by the same organization, which is a trusted guide for college-bound students.
Posted on August 10, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Two Eastern biology students were among six undergraduate students from universities across Connecticut to receive fellowships from the NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium this summer. Lauren Atkinson ’17 used the fellowship to assist in her pursuit of discovering new antibiotics. Lillian Hyde ’17 used hers to research a cell found in the central nervous system known as microglia.
Posted on August 05, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Two Eastern Connecticut State University students participated in Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) this summer. Mathematics major Haley Knox ’18 and Catherine Falvey ’17, who double majors in mathematics and economics, conducted research at Iowa State University and California State University respectively.
Posted on August 02, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
For the sixth summer in a row, the Puentes al Futuro/Bridges to the Future program provided enrichment activities for Willimantic middle school students from July 5–27. The program is a collaboration between Windham Public Schools’ Office of Family and Community Partnerships and the Center ffor Community Engagement at Eastern Connecticut State University. The academic and cultural enrichment program was funded in part by a generous grant from Eversource, in addition to funding from Windham Public Schools.
Posted on July 28, 2017 by Ed Osborn
The creators of “Sustainable CT,” an initiative to help communities become more vibrant and livable, gathered at Wickham Park in Manchester, CT, on July 24 to celebrate their accomplishments.
Posted on July 28, 2017 by Ed Osborn
The Davis Educational Foundation has awarded Eastern Connecticut State University a $200,000 grant to develop its “Critical Reading and Writing across the Disciplines” initiative. The two-year project aims to strengthen first- and second-year students’ analytical thinking, reading and writing skills by enhancing faculty approaches to teaching critical thinking. The project also aims to improve teaching and learning assessment, as well as better link Eastern’s discussion-oriented First Year Program with its level-two Writing Program – two programs that all Eastern students pass through regardless of major.
Posted on July 18, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University has again been named a “Great College to Work For” by The Chronicle of Higher Education, a top trade publication for colleges and universities. Released today by The Chronicle, the results are based on a survey of 232 colleges and universities. This is the eighth time Eastern has received “Great Colleges” distinction since it first began participating in the program in 2009.
Posted on July 17, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Cesar Beltran, lecturer in the Department of Communication, played a key role in a tribute to former President George H. W. Bush and his wife Barbara, when the two were honored earlier this year for their friendship and service to the Jewish community.
Posted on July 14, 2017 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University was recognized as a 2017-18 College of Distinction by the college-guide/ranking organization Colleges of Distinction. New this year, Colleges of Distinction is further recognizing colleges that have distinctive fields of study—first-rate programs with professional accreditations. This year Eastern received badges for programs of distinction in education and business.
Posted on July 10, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
For the first time, student-athletes at Eastern Connecticut State University have won the Little East Conference’s (LEC) two top honors – the Presidents’ Cup and the Commissioner’s Cup – in the same year.
Posted on July 06, 2017 by Ed Osborn
Student vocalists had an exciting 2015-16 academic year, singing in several high-profile productions including performances with Josh Groban and the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience, as well as a three-show tour in upstate New York and Montreal.
Posted on June 20, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Mariana Serrano ’18 of Waterbury, CT, received a $7,500 scholarship at the Biomedical Science Careers Program (BSCP) “Evening of Hope” reception at Harvard University on April 27. The scholarship, funded by Radius Health, a biopharmaceutical company in Waltham, MA, will support Serrano’s education at Eastern Connecticut State University, where she is a health science major and biology minor.
Posted on June 19, 2017 by Edward Osborn
A group of honors students from Eastern Connecticut State University spent 10 days in Costa Rica in May 2017 for a field course that examined the country’s rich biodiversity and developing agricultural industry.
Posted on June 10, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Twenty biology students from Eastern Connecticut State University traveled to the Bahamas in May 2017 to study an island’s tropical biology.
Posted on June 09, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Nine business students from Eastern Connecticut State University traveled to Spain in May 2017 to study international business in the European Union. Students stayed in Barcelona and Madrid, and toured businesses and participated in lectures about the history and state of the regional economy.
Posted on June 08, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Eighteen psychology students from Eastern Connecticut State University traveled to Hawaii in May 2017 to study cross-cultural differences related to well-being and relationships. From western and native-Hawaiian perspectives, the Eastern students examined topics such as parenting and attachment styles, social support, emotional expression, romantic relationships and more.
Posted on June 08, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University recently received continued accreditation through fall 2021 from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), based on the standards of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
Posted on May 30, 2017 by
The Warrior Cup is an annual competition in which all 13 residence halls at Eastern Connecticut State University compete for the benefit of a local nonprofit organization or charity. Occum Hall was the 2016-17 winner of the cup, but the real winner is Puentes al Futuro (Bridges to the Future), a Windham Public Schools afterschool program, which received $4,500 from the year’s Warrior Cup activities.
Posted on May 25, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Former Washington Post Publisher Donald Graham told the graduates at Eastern Connecticut State University’s 127th Commencement exercises to “treasure this college. Eastern has given you a wonderful education . . . once you are making a living, give something back so that you can help Eastern continue to be great in the future.”
Posted on May 23, 2017 by Ed Osborn
Police officers from Eastern Connecticut State University and the City of Middletown traded in their uniforms for aprons on May 3 to 'serve' the community in a different way.
Posted on May 19, 2017 by
Three Eastern students were recognized at the sixth annual Library Research Awards at the conclusion of the 2016-17 academic year.
Posted on May 17, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University recognized the academic achievements of African, Latino, Asian and Native American (ALANA) students on May 5 during its Fifth Annual Inclusive Excellence Awards ceremony. Nine awards were given and 165 students were recognized for achieving GPAs of 3.5 or higher.
Posted on May 16, 2017 by Dwight Bachman
A team of Eastern Connecticut State University students recently won fourth place at the 2017 Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) National Collegiate Conference which was held in St. Louis, MO.
Posted on May 10, 2017 by Anne Pappalardo
New York Times-bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson visited Eastern on April 27 and April 28 for a Q&A and book signing, as well as to speak with students in two English classes.
Posted on May 10, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern student Kayla Giordano '17 was among only 60 students from across the country to present at Posters on the Hill (POH), a highly competitive undergraduate research conference held annually in Washington D.C.
Posted on May 05, 2017 by
Sierra Colon, a political science major from Wethersfield, CT, and president of the Organization of Latin American Students at Eastern Connecticut State University; Carlos Hernandez, a member of the maintenance staff at Eastern; and Gloria Bent, past president of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut, have been named recipients of Eastern’s 2017 Cesar Chavez Distinguished Service Award.
Posted on April 24, 2017 by Dwight Bachman
Cantilever, the final Main Stage production of the academic year at Eastern Connecticut State University, will be performed from April 25-30.
Posted on April 20, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
The Third Annual CREATE Conference at Eastern Connecticut State University will take place this Friday, April 21, from 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CREATE stands for “Celebrating Research Excellence and Artistic Talent at Eastern,” and is the University’s premier conference showcasing student research and creative activity.
Posted on April 19, 2017 by
More than 20 projects were on display for Eastern Connecticut State University’s annual Service Expo and Awards on April 12. Held at St. Joseph Church in Willimantic, the annual ceremony was hosted by Eastern’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) and showcased a variety of volunteer and service-learning work completed by Eastern students in the Windham community. Projects were evaluated and awarded and outstanding students, faculty and community partners were recognized.
Posted on April 18, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University announced today that Donald E. Graham, former publisher of the Washington Post, will receive an honorary degree at the University’s 127th Commencement on May 16 at the XL Center in Hartford. Graham will also deliver the Commencement Address.
Posted on April 18, 2017 by Ed Osborn
Elona Vaisnys of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut spoke to Eastern Connecticut State University students on April 4 about the importance of the Connecticut Citizens' Election Program (CEP).
Posted on April 11, 2017 by Christina Rossomando
Windham Public Schools, Eastern Connecticut State University and Quinebaug Valley Community College (QVCC) are embarking on a new educational partnership in Willimantic that will extend postsecondary options to Windham High School students and those seeking...
Posted on April 11, 2017 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Raouf Mama, professor of English, and Afair Rahmanifar, professor of art and art history, have collaborated on a new e-book, “Quiet Miracles.” Quiet Miracles is a collection of five short stories written by Mama with illustrations by Rahmanifar.
Posted on April 11, 2017 by Christina Rossomando
Elizabeth Del Buono ’17 of Southington and Kevin Connolly ’17 of Enfield, two students majoring in biology at Eastern Connecticut State University, have been named recipients of the 2017 Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award. The 29th annual Henry Barnard awards banquet, held on April 4 at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, CT, recognized 12 outstanding undergraduates from Connecticut’s four state universities – Central, Eastern, Southern and Western.
Posted on April 10, 2017 by Dwight Bachman
The Connecticut Alliance for Campus Sustainability (CACS) held a statewide conference at Wesleyan University on March 31 to bring together higher education students, faculty and staff who share a common interest with campus sustainability...
Posted on April 10, 2017 by Christina Rossomando
When Charlie Wynn was a new chemistry professor at Eastern Connecticut State University in 1979, he and a group of competitive swimmers were in the campus swimming pool when they received an unexpected proposition. They were asked to volunteer as timers for Windham’s first Special Olympics swim meet. Now, 38 years later, Wynn and many more members of the Eastern campus community continue to support the annual event, which has become a community tradition and source of pride.
Posted on April 07, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
A team of kinesiology and physical education students from Eastern Connecticut State University won the first College Bowl at the SHAPE (Society of Health and Physical Educators) National Convention, held in Boston from March 14-18. Competing against 15 other schools, Eastern students Taylor Savage, Emily Burg and Ryan Ferrer brought home the first-place award. They were accompanied by Michelle Ferrer and Darren Robert, professors in Eastern’s Kinesiology and Physical Education Department.
Posted on April 06, 2017 by
Reggae music filled the air and the colors of black, green and yellow adorned the Student Center on April 3 as hundreds of local schoolchildren converged on the Eastern Connecticut State University campus to learn about Jamaica.
Posted on April 06, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
The exhibit Guerrero & Wright: Architecture Stories is open to the public at the Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University through April 20.
Posted on April 05, 2017 by Christina Rossomando
Eastern Connecticut State University presented its 2017 Ella T. Grasso Distinguished Service Awards on March 29 to student Valerie Vance ’17, Kinesiology and Physical Education Professor Anita Lee and retired educator Leigh Jones-Bamman. The awards recognize individuals who work to promote women’s rights and gender equality, and are given in memory of Ella Grasso, who became Connecticut’s governor in 1974, the first woman in America to be elected as governor in her own right. Previous women governors had succeeded their deceased husbands to gain the office.
Posted on April 04, 2017 by Dwight Bachman
The American Council on Education (ACE) announced today that William Salka, professor of political science at Eastern Connecticut State University, has been named an ACE Fellow for the 2017-18 academic year.
Posted on April 03, 2017 by Ed Osborn
On Monday, April 3, elementary school students from the Windham Public School afterschool programs will come to Eastern Connecticut State University for “Art and Culture Day,” focused on the art, culture, history and food of the country of Jamaica. The event will take place in the Student Center’s Betty R. Tipton Room from 2:30 p.m.–5 p.m.
Posted on April 03, 2017 by
A zany cast of characters performed by Eastern Connecticut State University alumni is amid an ambitious month-long tour for a children’s theatre production called “Earth Day, Every Day.” Brought to audiences by eesmarts™, an Energize Connecticut initiative managed by Eversource and the United Illuminating Company, the play will tour Connecticut elementary schools from March 27-April 21.
Posted on April 03, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will hold a variety of musical performances throughout April and May. Upcoming concerts will feature the Concert Chorale, Chamber Singers, University Singers, Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble and Percussion Group, and Wind Ensemble. All events are free and open to the public and will be held in the Concert Hall of Eastern’s new Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on April 03, 2017 by Jolene Potter
Eastern Connecticut State University is pleased to announce that Quanece Williams '16 of Bridgeport, CT, has been awarded a Fulbright U.S.
Posted on April 03, 2017 by Ed Osborn
The Drama Society at Eastern Connecticut State University presented a kid-friendly version of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” on March 25. Two performances of the children’s theatre production for all-ages audiences took place in the Delmonte Studio Theatre of Eastern’s Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on March 28, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
On March 21, Eastern Connecticut State University’s Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE) teamed up with officials from the Town of Windham and the environmental group Second Nature for a day-long workshop creating a community resilience plan. Resilience planning helps organizations and municipalities to be better prepared for emergencies.
Posted on March 27, 2017 by Christina Rossomando
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) hosted “I Love Me,” an event for Windham Middle School students on March 22. Held in the Betty R. Tipton Room, the event featured eight stations for students to participate in different activities. The goal of the event was to educate the students on healthy, positive ways to relieve stress.
Posted on March 27, 2017 by Christina Rossomando
On March 22, Eastern Connecticut State University hosted “Time with Betsy Wade: A legend in the Fight for Women’s Rights.” Wade was the first woman to hold the job as a copy editor at The New York Times, where she worked for 45 years as a copy editor.
Posted on March 27, 2017 by Casey Gagnon
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Early Childhood Education (CECE) was recently notified that they have been awarded a bronze “Telly” Award for their promotional video, “Welcome to the Center for Early Childhood Education.” This is the sixth time the CECE has been awarded a Telly.
Posted on March 27, 2017 by Anne Pappalardo
Leaders and student ambassadors of the Intercultural Center, Pride Center and Women’s Center at Eastern Connecticut State University organized a series of events for Social Justice Week from March 6-10 to raise awareness and educate students about social issues that impact Eastern’s campus and society as a whole. Social Justice Week programs allowed students, faculty, and staff to embrace and learn about relevant themes such as diversity, inclusion, integrity and community responsibility.
Posted on March 22, 2017 by Jolene Potter
With the cooperation of students, faculty and staff, Eastern Connecticut State University’s Hurley Dining Hall has taken steps to help eliminate waste by cutting back on the trash that the dining hall produces each day.
Posted on March 22, 2017 by Edward Osborn
The Windham Project, a six-week public art showcase, will fill the streets of Willimantic from April 15 to May 25, 2017. The project features 22 artists who will transform historic downtown Willimantic into an alternative art space.
Posted on March 17, 2017 by
“Two Gentlemen of Verona,” the second Main Stage production of the 2016-17 academic year, brought the Proscenium Theatre to life from Feb. 23 to March 5. Presented by Eastern’s Theatre Program and Drama Society, the play was a musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s early comedy about young people exploring love, friendship and the temptations of city life.
Posted on March 09, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University will present “Guerrero & Wright: Architecture Stories” from March 9-April 20. This exhibition of photographs from the estate of Pedro E. Guerrero, a longtime resident of New Canaan, explores the collaboration between the Mexican-American photographer and famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. “Guerrero & Wright: Architecture Stories” also celebrates the centennial of Guerrero’s birth in 1917.
Posted on March 07, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its annual Bowlathon on March 4 at Willi Bowl in Windham. This annual tradition brings together Eastern students, alumni, faculty, local businesses and community residents to support student scholarships.
Posted on March 05, 2017 by Christina Rossamondo
Nineteen talented student vocalists from Eastern Connecticut State University’s Music Program were selected to perform in the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Feb. 25. The epic three-hour concert immersed performers and audience members of the sold-out show into the world of Westeros.
Posted on March 01, 2017 by Jolene Potter
Nineteen talented student vocalists from Eastern Connecticut State University's Music Program were selected to perform in the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Feb. 25.
Posted on March 01, 2017 by Jolene Potter
The Eastern Chamber Singers, the premier vocal ensemble at Eastern Connecticut State University, will embark on its annual spring tour this March, performing twice in upstate New York and once in Montreal.
Posted on March 01, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
The 38th Annual Windham Invitational Special Olympics Swim Meet is looking for 350 volunteers to help with its meet, to be held March 11 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Windham High School.
Posted on February 28, 2017 by
Taylor Hemphill '17, a social work major and student ambassador in the Women's Center at Eastern Connecticut State University; Kemesha Wilmot, associate director of the University's Center for Community Engagement (CCE); and Elijah Oliver, enro...
Posted on February 26, 2017 by Dwight Bachman
The Performing Arts Department at Eastern Connecticut State University will hold a faculty recital with music faculty members Emily Riggs and David Ballena on March 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Instructional Center Concert Hall.
Posted on February 22, 2017 by Jolene Potter
Daniel Donaghy, professor of English at Eastern Connecticut State University, is Windham County’s first-ever poet laureate. The year-long term allows the chosen individual to work with local schools and community groups to promote poetry through workshops and readings. The announcement was made on Feb. 24 at the Windham Town Hall during Willimantic’s annual Cupid ceremony, in which local residents are honored for their love and dedication to the community.
Posted on February 16, 2017 by Christiana Rossomando
Stephen Nelson, director of information technology and IT planning at Eastern Connecticut State University, received the Dr. Robert L. Laurence Award for 2017 for his work as the advisor for the club rugby team.
Posted on February 15, 2017 by Christiana Rossomando
Advanced student pianists from Eastern Connecticut State University were chosen to perform alongside music faculty for a unique collaborative concert on Feb. 11. The first-of-its-kind “Multi-hand Piano Concert” featured repertoire for zero to eight hands, and was held in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on February 14, 2017 by Jolene Potter
Two Gentlemen of Verona,” the second Main Stage production of the 2016-17 academic year, will be performed at Eastern Connecticut State University from Feb. 23 to March 5. Presented by Eastern’s Theatre Program and Drama Society, the play is a musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s early comedy about young people exploring love, friendship and the temptations of city life.
Posted on February 14, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Hundreds of people, including members of the Eastern Connecticut State University campus community, took a dive into the cold waters of the Natchaug River on Feb. 4 to raise money for the Covenant Soup Kitchen. Many participants dressed in costumes as they stood on the river banks in 30 degree weather.
Posted on February 10, 2017 by Christine Rossomando
The National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) has selected Chris Drewry, assistant director of the Academic Services Center at Eastern Connecticut State University, for its 2017 Excellence in Advising award. Drewry was the sole recipient in Region 1 for the “Advisor Primary Role” category, standing out among thousands of NACADA members from numerous colleges and universities in New York, New England, Quebec and the eastern provinces of Canada.
Posted on February 10, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Linda Miller of the Muslim Coalition of Connecticut visited Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 1 to inform students about the history of the hijab, on World Hijab Day. Nazma Khan created the movement as a means to foster religious tolerance and understanding by inviting women (non-Hijabi Muslims/non-Muslims) to experience the hijab.
Posted on February 06, 2017 by Anthony LaPenna
The transformational power of light is on display in the Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University in an exhibition titled “Elemental Light.” Running from Jan. 12 to Feb. 23, the exhibition features the experimental work of Stephen Knapp, who uses dichroic glass to create “light paintings,” and Alex Harding, who makes universe-inspired photographs with vinyl records and television screens.
Posted on January 27, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
After more than a decade of research and travel throughout China and Southeast Asia, Bradley Camp Davis, assistant professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University, has authored “Imperial Bandits: Outlaws and Rebels in the China-Vietnam Borderlands.” The book describes banditry and the culture of violence in the mountainous borderlands between China and Vietnam.
Posted on January 26, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
Forty-nine exemplary psychology students from Eastern Connecticut State University presented their research in December at the department’s annual Psychological Science Night.
Posted on January 25, 2017 by Jolene Potter
Eastern Connecticut State University Professor Brendan Cunningham received a grant from the NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium (CTSGC) for his research project “The Efficient Use of Space Orbit.” Senior biology major Kevin Connolly, senior pre-secondary education and biology major Christina Welch, and senior biochemistry major Kailey Pisko also received undergraduate scholarships from the CTSGC, giving Eastern three of the 17 recipients.
Posted on January 05, 2017 by Anthony LaPenna
Elizabeth Cowles, biology professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, is the new president-elect of the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) as of Jan. 1, 2017. Comprised of 3,500 members, the NABT is the nation’s premier organization dedicated to supporting life-science teacher development. Cowles will transition to president after one year, and conclude her three-year term on Dec. 31, 2019.
Posted on January 03, 2017 by Michael Rouleau
After 15 years in the restaurant business, Dawn Lancaster, a 36-year-old from Groton, figured her lifelong career would be in the hospitality field. That was until 2011, when her preteen daughter started resisting the idea of going to college. “You didn’t go to college,” the young girl would say. “Why do I have to go?”
Posted on December 21, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Elsa Núñez, president of Eastern Connecticut State University, has joined two other Connecticut university presidents as well as those from colleges and universities in 35 other states, in urging President-Elect Donald Trump and incoming congressional representatives to accelerate progress toward a clean energy future. Nunez joins Michal Roth, president of Wesleyan University, and Susan Herbst, president of the University of Connecticut, as well as 170 others from across the country.
Posted on December 21, 2016 by
Eastern students in the course “Intermedial Performance Design” were posed a single challenge at the beginning of the fall 2016 semester: visually capture the human body’s pathways of motion. In pursuit of a solution, students experimented with motion capture technologies such as digital rotoscoping, Kinect technology and various photography techniques. They presented their findings on Dec. 16 in the Delmonte Studio Theatre in the Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on December 20, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Early Childhood Education announced on Dec. 12 that “Plus-Plus®,” a toy made by the Danish company Plus-Plus®, has been named the 2016 TIMPANI (Toys that Inspire Mindful Play and Nurture Imagination) Toy.
Posted on December 13, 2016 by Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Early Childhood Education announced on Dec. 12 that “Plus-Plus®,” a toy made by the Danish company Plus-Plus®, has been named the 2016 TIMPANI (Toys that Inspire Mindful Play and Nurture Imagination)
The 38th Annual Windham Invitational Special Olympics Swim Meet will be held on March 11, 2017, from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at Windham High School. Approximately 350 volunteers will be needed to continue to make this the largest and most successful Special Olympics swim meet in Connecticut. In addition to swim competition, clinics are offered in various sports, aerobics, and arts and crafts.
Posted on December 06, 2016 by Anthony LaPenna
Since 2012, Eastern Connecticut State University has rallied in support of people with life-threatening blood diseases, hosting six marrow registries in four years. Eastern’s total number of registrants jumped to 1,438 on Dec. 1, after an additional 316 people added themselves to the “Be The Match” database, the largest marrow registry in the world.
Posted on December 05, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
For the sixth time in the past seven years, Eastern Connecticut State University has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). These results, for the 2013-14 academic year, were announced this fall.
Posted on December 02, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Walter Diaz, dean of students at Eastern Connecticut State University, was given the 2016 College Access Champion Award by Higher Edge on Nov. 19 at the organization’s five-year anniversary celebration. Eastern has been an integral partner of the college access- and success-focused non-profit group, with Diaz being its most valuable on-campus liaison.
Posted on November 30, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
More than 800 Willimantic residents converged on Eastern Connecticut State University on Nov. 23 for the 10th annual Day of Giving. The event provides a hot holiday meal to people who otherwise may not have been able to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner.
Posted on November 28, 2016 by Dwight Bachman
November 2016 will go down in history for Eastern’s Theatre Program, as its first Main Stage production in the new Proscenium Theatre premiered. “Cervantes’ Pedro, The Great Pretender” christened the new theatre from Nov. 8-13.
Posted on November 28, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University will present five concerts in December, showcasing both the musical talent of the Eastern community and the state-of-the-art facilities of the Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on November 23, 2016 by Jolene Potter
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University presented its premier vocal concert of the fall semester on Nov. 22 in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center. Titled “Eastern Concert Chorale and Friends,” the performance featured the Eastern Chamber Singers, Men’s and Women’s Choirs, Concert Chorale and special guest E.O. Smith Chamber Choir.
Posted on November 23, 2016 by Jolene Potter
Eastern Connecticut State University will host “Honest Conversations with Our Muslim Neighbors” on Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. in the Betty R. Tipton Room in the Student Center. The public forum will feature several local Muslims from Connecticut who will discuss their experiences living in America. The public is invited to attend and encouraged to ask questions about Islam.
Posted on November 23, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University student Taylor Herold ’17, a communication major from Manchester, won a Ken M. Bedini Student Leader Award this November at the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) Northeast Conference in Hartford. She was one of five recipients among a pool of students from 131 schools in the region.
Posted on November 17, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Three Eastern Connecticut State University English students participated in the Connecticut State University undergraduate research conference sponsored by Central Connecticut State University on Nov. 4.
Posted on November 15, 2016 by Christina Rossomando
Colonel Frederick Miclon Jr., director of staff at the Joint Force Headquarters for the Connecticut National Guard, delivered the keynote address on Nov. 11, Veteran’s Day, during Eastern Connecticut State University’s special tribute to the men and women who serve in the nation’s military. 600 veterans and active service personnel teach and work at Eastern, and 300 students are veterans.
Posted on November 14, 2016 by Dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University’s University Hour series brought a number of interesting speakers to campus in October.
Posted on November 10, 2016 by
In its ongoing effort to grow the pool of qualified teachers and advance the field of education, Eastern Connecticut State University is participating in the Holmes Program — one of only two participants in the state and 45 across the country. A project of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), the Holmes Program supports students from historically underrepresented backgrounds who are pursuing careers in education.
Posted on November 08, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Twenty members of the Eastern Connecticut State University chapter of Habitat for Humanity slept outdoors in cardboard boxes on Nov. 2–3 for the annual “Shackathon.” The event aims to raise awareness of homelessness, as well as raise funds for the club’s annual spring break trip. This coming spring the students will travel to North Carolina to build houses for those in need with other Habitat for Humanity chapters.
Posted on November 05, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Students from Eastern Connecticut State University volunteered at five elementary schools throughout the Windham area on Oct. 23 for the annual Interschool Walk for Warmth. The awareness-raising event for local schoolchildren focuses on energy sustainability and physical fitness. Eastern’s involvement coincided with “Connecticut Public Higher Education Make a Difference Week,” which ran from Oct. 18–24.
Posted on November 03, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
On Oct. 28 the Eastern Connecticut State University Chamber Singers held their annual Fun Run to raise funds for their choir tour. This year the funds will help the ensemble take a trip to Montreal. All funds were matched by a generous offer from the ECSU Foundation.
Posted on November 02, 2016 by Jolene Potter
Eastern Connecticut State University writer’s series presented novelist Ruchama King Feuerman in a public reading and Q&A in Eastern’s Student Center on Oct. 27.
Posted on November 02, 2016 by Christina Rossomando
Eighteen successful alumni of the Psychology Department visited Eastern Connecticut State University on Oct. 27 to advise and network with current students. After a keynote address from Neuropsychologist Daniel Heyanka ’04, the students rotated among the Betty R. Tipton Room, hearing about a variety careers in the field of psychology.
Posted on November 01, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University presented the Concert Band and Wind Ensemble Fall concert on Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Instructional Center Concert Hall.
Posted on October 28, 2016 by Jolene Potter
Michèle Bošković, French professor at Eastern Connecticut State University recently published her fifth book, “Un appelé dans la guerre d’Algérie: témoignage photo-textuel” [A Conscript in the Algerian War of Independence: A Photo-Textual Testimony] by L’Harmattan, Paris.
Posted on October 28, 2016 by Jolene Potter
Twelve students from Eastern Connecticut State University presented their research and creative activity at the Northeast Regional Research Conference of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) on Oct. 21–22. Hosted by the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), eight colleges in the COPLAC consortium participated in the undergraduate conference.
Posted on October 26, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Eight members of the Eastern community raised an event-high $3,300 on Oct. 22 for Connecticut cancer patients during the Cycle Against Cancer fundraiser in West Hartford. The Eastern Warriors spent four hours at Tribe, an indoor cycling facility, spinning for the fundraiser, which raised more than $18,000 to assist cancer patients with hospital bills and life expenses.
Posted on October 25, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Two Eastern faculty members presented research at Faculty Scholar Forums this October. Business Administration Professor Sukeshini Grandhi presented “To Reply or To Reply All: Understanding Replying Behavior in Group Email Communication” on Oct. 5. Biology Professor Patty Szczys presented “100 Years of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act” on Oct. 19.
Posted on October 25, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Students from Eastern Connecticut State University came out in force for the 20th year of the Greater Windham Relay for Life, held at Eastern’s Athletic Complex on Oct. 15 and 16. More than 125 students participated alongside 44 community teams and 650 walkers. More than $82,000 was raised by the event for the American Cancer Society.
Posted on October 22, 2016 by Jolene Potter
The Center for Internships and Career Development (CICD) at Eastern Connecticut State University held a career week for current Eastern students in early October. The week was designed to help students build their resumes and learn how to talk to employers. During the week students and faculty were invited to three different events to become educated on the job search process.
Posted on October 21, 2016 by Anthony LaPenna
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its annual Health, Wellness and Benefits Expo on Oct. 18 during which members of the Eastern campus and surrounding towns visited the Student Center and took advantage of free health screenings and browsed the offerings of more than 50 health-related vendors.
Posted on October 20, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Allison Speicher, an English professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, held a book talk on Oct. 12 to debut her new book, “Schooling Readers: Reading Common Schools in 19th Century American Fiction.”
Posted on October 18, 2016 by Chrstina Rossomando
In an effort to raise suicide awareness and prevention, Eastern Connecticut State University hosted Fresh Check Day on Oct. 13. A signature program of the Jordan Porco Foundation, Fresh Check Day involves students in interactive booths that deliver mental health and resource information in a fun and engaging way.
Posted on October 18, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
On Oct. 22, prior to a musical performance by David Foster and the Mohegan Sun All-Stars, patrons of Eastern Connecticut State University’s Fine Arts Instructional Center will have the opportunity to purchase art created by two Eastern student artists — Nicholas Khan and Jessie Kohn. Seven different pieces will be on display in the Susan Sukman McCray Foyer, and staff will be on hand to take payment or provide additional information on the artists.
Posted on October 14, 2016 by Edward Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University will host the second leg of the 2016 College Goal Sunday (CGS) Connecticut on Oct. 23. The information session takes place from 1–4 p.m. in Room 401 of Webb Hall and will focus on changes in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and process. The program will be staffed by volunteers from Eastern’s Financial Aid Office. The public is invited and admission is free.
Posted on October 13, 2016 by Dwight Bachman
With the 2016 presidential election drawing near, politics have taken center stage at Eastern Connecticut State University. In order to generate student discussion around the election, Eastern faculty created a series of events titled “Democracy at Work,” featuring more than 25 activities focused on various aspects of the campaign.
Posted on October 12, 2016 by Jolene Potter
Eastern Connecticut State University is one of the most environmentally responsible colleges according to The Princeton Review. The Review featured Eastern in its 2016 “Guide to 361 Green Colleges,” published on Oct. 4 and available at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.
Posted on October 11, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Debbie Stauffer ’16, a recent graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University, is the first winner of the “Wright the World” playwright contest, a new category of the annual “eesmarts Student Contest.” Her play, “Earth Day Every Day,” is geared toward elementary schoolchildren and slated to tour Connecticut schools in spring 2017.
Posted on October 11, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Fans of Eastern athletics have spent almost 30 years enjoying the grace, wisdom, strength and athleticism of two-time All American Bonnie Edmondson ’87. This year, Edmondson took her skills to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she served as coach of the 12 U.S. women competing in the javelin, hammer, discus and shot put events at the XXXI Olympiad.
Posted on October 02, 2016 by
Eastern Connecticut State University is the 14th highest ranked public institution in the north when it comes to being a “Best College for Veterans,” according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2017 rankings. Eastern’s campus is home to more than 600 faculty, staff, and students who are self-identified veterans, active military or reserves service members.
Posted on October 01, 2016 by Edward Osborn
The School of Education and Professional Studies (SEPS) at Eastern Connecticut State University had a busy year in 2016, as four faculty members edited and authored new academic books in the fields of education and business administration.
Posted on September 29, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
In early September, Eastern Connecticut State University professors Jeffrey Trawick-Smith and Sudha Swaminathan received funding for their Spencer Foundation proposal titled “The Relationship of Teacher-Child Math Talk During Preschool Play To Young Children’s Mathematics Learning.”
Posted on September 28, 2016 by Anthony LaPenna
Eastern Connecticut State University held its eighth annual Poverty Awareness Marathon on Sept. 23. More than 400 food items were donated to the Covenant Soup Kitchen and Windham Area Interfaith Ministry as more than 350 members of the Eastern community ran, walked or pledged to alleviate poverty.
Posted on September 27, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University concluded its guest lecture series with the Jackson Laboratory (JAX) on Sept. 23 with a lecture by Albert Cheng titled “Engineering an Operating System for the Genome.” Cheng is a faculty member at the JAX facility in Farmington and an expert in genome editing technology.
Posted on September 27, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University will be hosting the Second Annual Campus Sustainability Week from Oct. 1-7.
Posted on September 26, 2016 by Christina Rossomando
A team of three Eastern Connecticut State University students, supported by faculty advisor Candice Deal, assistant professor of business administration, took home first place in the University of New Haven’s first “Charger Startup Weekend Challenge” on Sept. 16-18.
Posted on September 26, 2016 by Christina Rossomando
Three esteemed alumni from Eastern Connecticut State University were inducted into the Eastern Fellows Program on Sept. 21. The program recognizes distinguished alumni while engaging them in the life of the university. This year’s fellows — Tracey Boyden ’89, Cynthia Konney ’77 and Andrew Zlotnick ’85 — visited classes in the morning and led a panel discussion with students in the afternoon.
Posted on September 23, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
The New London-based nonprofit organization Higher Edge and Eastern Connecticut State University celebrated a milestone in their partnership on Sept. 19, when Higher Edge opened a satellite office on the Eastern campus.
Posted on September 21, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
One of Connecticut’s true music legends — rhythm and blues singer, legendary rock promoter and philanthropist David Foster of Windham — is partnering with Eastern Connecticut State University to sponsor a special series of four fundraising concerts this season.
Posted on September 19, 2016 by Edward Osborn
The three artists featured in “Resonance,” Eastern Connecticut State University’s opening exhibition for the 2016-17 academic year, spoke of their work on Sept. 8 during the exhibition’s reception. Robert Greene, Belinda Gabryl and Allison Elia are all sculptors and faculty members in Eastern’s Department of Art and Art History. “Resonance” will run until Oct. 13 in the Art Gallery of the Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on September 14, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University moved up seven places among regional universities in the North in this year’s U.S. News and World Report’s 2017 edition of “Best Colleges” to 85th overall; Eastern was also tied for 26th place among public universities on the list. The annual rankings were released on Sept. 13.
Posted on September 13, 2016 by Edward Osborn
The Arthur L. Johnson Unity Wing at Eastern Connecticut State University held an open house on Sept. 8 for the Pride Center, Intercultural Center and Women’s Center. Located on the ground floor of the Student Center, the Unity Wing’s three centers are designated spaces for students to develop and embrace their diverse identities.
Posted on September 12, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University will host the second leg of the 2016 College Goal Sunday (CGS) Connecticut on Oct. 23. The information session takes place from 1–4 p.m. in Room 401 of Webb Hall and will focus on changes in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and process. The program will be staffed by volunteers from Eastern’s Financial Aid Office. The public is invited and admission is free.
Posted on September 09, 2016 by Dwight Bachman
On Aug. 27-28, Eastern Connecticut State University hosted “Warrior Weekend” to welcome the Class of 2020 to campus. More than 500 students gathered on Webb Lawn for a class photo and then participated in a variety of events. Returning students who participate in on-campus clubs or work on campus assisted new students to adapt to life as college freshmen.
Posted on September 07, 2016 by Christiana Rossomando
As the 2016 election cycle moves into its post-Labor Day countdown, Eastern Connecticut State University has created a series of education events and programs designed to highlight the issues surrounding this year’s elections. The series is titled “Democracy at Work” and features more than 25 events and activities focused on various aspects of the campaign.
Posted on September 07, 2016 by Edward Osborn
The Princeton Review named Eastern Connecticut State University as one of the “Best Colleges in the Northeast” in its 2017 edition of “Best Colleges: Region By Region.” In the 11-state region, 227 colleges were recognized in the report, which was released in August 2016.
Posted on September 01, 2016 by
The use of basic mathematics in the preschool setting has been linked to academic success later in life, according to Jeffrey Trawick-Smith, professor of early childhood education at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on August 23, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University students and alumni traveled to hear Malala Yousafzai speak in Providence, RI, on July 28. Yousafzai is a Nobel Prize winner who travels around the globe inspiring and encouraging women through her talks.
Posted on August 15, 2016 by Unknown
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a three-week Summer Arts Institute from July 11 to28. The program, “Kinetic and Visual Performance: Enacting the Common Core through the Arts,” invited rising juniors and seniors from Windham High School and Arts at the Capitol Theatre (ACT) to participate in a college course free of charge, with the opportunity to gain college credit.
Posted on August 10, 2016 by Christina Rossomando
On July 28, the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University concluded its fifth summer youth program for “Puentes al Futuro” (Bridges to the Future). Sixty students from Windham Middle School participated in English, math, arts, music and dance, gardening, media production, sports and leadership workshops over the four-week program.
Posted on July 28, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Every year, academic departments across campus sponsor “global field courses” (GFC), culturally and academically immersive study abroad experiences led by Eastern faculty.
Posted on July 27, 2016 by Dwight Bachman
Like the students they lead, Eastern faculty are active scholars and creative thinkers. Several of them authored books in the past year, with topics ranging from theoretical concepts to fictional stories.
Posted on July 27, 2016 by dwight Bachman
Eastern Connecticut State University will offer four new academic programs in the coming 2016-17 academic year — a major in criminology and minors in bioinformatics, environmental health science and insurance. All four programs are in response to local and national workforce needs and labor market projections.
Posted on July 26, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern was the recipient of numerous awards and accolades in the 2015-16 academic year, including being recognized as one of the region’s best schools and top workplaces.
Posted on July 22, 2016 by Ed Osborn
The Governor’s Council on Climate Change is holding meetings around the state on July 26 to update the public on the status of Connecticut’s climate change planning efforts and to solicit input on policy scenarios needed to achieve the state’s ambitious climate change goals.
Posted on July 22, 2016 by Ed Osborn
The Chronicle of Higher Education announced on July 18 that Eastern Connecticut State University has been named one of the nation’s “Great Colleges to Work For.” Of the 281 institutions participating in the survey this year, Eastern was one of only 42 named to the program’s “Honor Roll.”
Posted on July 19, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
For the third time in the seven-year history of the award and for the second straight year, Eastern Connecticut State University has earned the Presidents’ Cup for the 2015-16 academic year. The award is given to the top academic institution in the Little East Conference (LEC) during the academic year.
Posted on June 23, 2016 by Bob Molta
As the spring 2016 semester came to a close, Eastern Connecticut State University’s Alpha Epsilon Delta chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society, hosted “Harry Potter Night” in the J. Eugene Smith Library’s curriculum center.
Posted on June 07, 2016 by Edward Osborn
Allison Speicher, assistant professor of English at Eastern Connecticut State University, has published a new book, “Schooling Readers.”
Posted on June 07, 2016 by Christina Rossomando
Innovative application of high impact educational practices at Eastern Connecticut State University has earned the school recognition among the nation’s Colleges of Distinction. Eastern students earned college credit and valuable life experience while participating in study abroad programs in 17 countries, as well as through service learning, undergraduate research, and internships.
Posted on June 06, 2016 by Ed Osborn
On May 24, 25 and 26, Eastern Connecticut State University invited 26 schools to participate in the annual “College Knowledge Day” event. 950 students in grades 5-9 gathered in the Betty R. Tipton Room in the Student Center to attend workshops and sessions over the three-day program.
Posted on June 02, 2016 by Christina Rossomando
More than 12,000 family members and friends filled the XL Center in Hartford on Tuesday, May 17, to cheer on their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, as 1,221 undergraduates and 25 graduate students received their diplomas at Eastern Connecticut State University’s 126th Commencement exercises.
Posted on May 18, 2016 by Ed Osborn
— James Diller, associate professor of psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University, was honored with the System-Wide Teaching Award for the 2015-16 academic year by the Board of Regents for Higher Education, the governing entity of the 17 Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU).
Posted on May 13, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
College Raptor, a free college matching platform, has named Eastern Connecticut State University the best hidden gem institution in Connecticut in an announcement published on May 12.
Posted on May 12, 2016 by Ed Osborn
Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and representatives of TheDream.US, the nation’s largest scholarship program for DREAMers — imhttp://www.easternct.edu/pressreleases/files/2016/05/Climate-Commitment-logo.jpgmigrant youth who came to the United States without documentation — today announced a new groundbreaking scholarship program at Eastern Connecticut State University for DREAMers who are “locked out” of access to a college education in their home states
Posted on May 10, 2016 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University, along with 83 other colleges and universities across the United States, has made a commitment to carbon neutrality and resilience by becoming a Charter Signatory to the Climate Commitment, a signature program of Boston-based nonprofit Second Nature.
Posted on May 06, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University recognized the academic achievements of African, Latino/a, Asian and Native American (ALANA) students on May 5 during the annual Inclusive Excellence Awards ceremony. Nine awards were given and more than 140 students were recognized for achieving GPAs of 3.5 or higher.
Posted on May 05, 2016 by eD oSBORN
Eligible students from Hartford who attend Eastern Connecticut State University can now receive $5,000 scholarships through the generosity of the Hartford Promise Foundation. The scholarships are renewable for four years based on the students maintaining full-time status and satisfactory academic progress. Students must also live on campus.
Posted on May 03, 2016 by Ed Osborn
Eastern student Sabreena Croteau ’16, a double major in Political Science and History, recently presented her undergraduate research project at the prestigious Council on Undergraduate Research’s (CUR) Posters on the Hill event in Washington, D.C. Croteau, who grew up in North Kingstown, RI, is also a sociology minor.
Posted on April 29, 2016 by Anne Pappalardo
Leopoldo Navarro, resident assistant at Eastern Connecticut State University; The Rev. Aracelis Vázquez-Haye, an associate pastor in New London; and Yisel De Oleo-Gregory, an admissions counselor at Eastern, received the University’s 2016 Cesar Chavez Distinguished Service Awards on April 27. The ceremony took place in the Student Center Theatre.
Posted on April 28, 2016 by Dwight Bachman
On April 21, the Prince Hall Masonic Foundation of Connecticut and Composite Lodge #22 of Bloomfield’s Willie B. McLendon Scholarship Fund presented the James Ralston/David G. Carter Sr. Youth Education Innovator Award to five individuals for creating, developing educational programs and engaging in activities to support young people. The event took place at Bethel A.M.E. Church in Bloomfield.
Posted on April 28, 2016 by Ed Osborn
Chris Torockio, associate professor of English at Eastern Connecticut State University spoke to the Eastern community about his newest novel, “The Soul Hunters,” in early April in the Student Center Theatre.
Posted on April 21, 2016 by Christina Rossomando
From April 14-18, the Performing Arts Department at Eastern Connecticut State University presented “Power Plays,” a showcase of four international one-act plays, in the Studio Theater of Eastern’s new Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC).
Posted on April 20, 2016 by Jolene Potter
On April 13, the Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University presented an alumni concert in Eastern’s new Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC). The concert featured Eastern music alumni, showcasing piano, guitar, brass, voice and percussion compositions. Former members of the Eastern Chamber Singers and the Eastern Percussion Ensemble also performed.
Posted on April 19, 2016 by Jolene Potter
The Student Center at Eastern Connecticut State University was transformed into a lively display of scholarly and artistic activity on April 15 for the second annual CREATE conference. CREATE stands for Celebrating Research Excellence and Artistic Talent at Eastern, and is the University’s premier conference showcasing student research and creative activity.
Posted on April 19, 2016 by Micheal Rouleau
For a relatively small campus with 5,000 students, Eastern Connecticut State University devotes significant manpower to community service. In the past year, more than 1,000 Eastern students volunteered approximately 15,000 hours in and around Willimantic. These efforts were on display on April 13 at the Windham Town Hall for Eastern’s annual Service Expo and Awards, hosted by the University’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE).
Posted on April 18, 2016 by michael rouleau
The 21st century demands modern teaching methods, and Eastern faculty are taking up the challenge. Whether its leveraging the latest technology or devising creative lessons, their approaches form the basis of the engaged learning experiences that characterize Eastern’s liberal arts education.
Posted on April 18, 2016 by Ed Osborn
Concluding the Center for Community Engagement’s Community Service Expo on April 13 was an award ceremony that recognized eight standout programs. The Going Green award recognizes a program that demonstrates creative efforts to protect the environment or raise awareness of environmental issues. Winner: Connecticut Food Bank Mobile Pantry, a traveling food pantry with a stop at the First Congregational Church in Willimantic. The mobile pantry helps food-insecure people who might not have access to transportation by delivering produce to their home areas. Eastern students staffed the pantry and distributed food.
Posted on April 18, 2016 by
The Center for Internships and Career Development (CICD) at Eastern Connecticut State University, held a career week for current Eastern students from April 4-8. The week was designed to showcase the services and opportunities students receive from the CICD. During the week, students and faculty were invited to attend five different events to become educated in proper ways to approach the job search process and ways to prepare for the final event of the week, the Career and Internship Fair. Events were led and directed by CICD interns and faculty. Cliff Marrett, director of the CICD, worked hard to make this week a success.
Posted on April 15, 2016 by Christina Rossomando
The National Conference for Undergraduate Research in Asheville, NC, at the University of North Carolina-Asheville on April 7-9. The conference was established in 1987 and is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity in all field of study. The Eastern students were selected for 15 available slots from more than 4,000 submissions.
Posted on April 15, 2016 by La Penna
Edison Liu, president and CEO of The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), is also an accomplished jazz pianist. On April 11, he visited Eastern Connecticut State University to lecture and perform in a presentation titled “The Interconnection between Science and Creativity.” Liu was accompanied by fellow JAX researcher Basile Tarchini, who also happens to play the double bass.
Posted on April 13, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
On April 5, 2016, Elsa Núñez, president of Eastern Connecticut State University, led the formal opening of Eastern’s new Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Posted on April 12, 2016 by Edward Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Institute of Sustainable Energy hosted a booth celebrating sustainability in the Student Center on April 12. Faculty, staff and students were invited to stop by and learn about sustainability via a PowerPoint presentation and videos on on-campus recycling. “We wanted to show students the importance of living a sustainable lifestyle,” said Jenna Lafleur, university assistant. “We gave individuals who passed by the opportunity to take the pledge to live with greater attention to our impact on energy and the environment for now and for years to come.” Students were able to take a photo in Eastern Celebrates selfie frames as well as catch a preview of the Eastern Sustainability t-shirts, which are being sold in the bookstore. All Eastern students, faculty and staff were welcome.
Posted on April 12, 2016 by Christina Rossomando
Noted violinist Adrien Sylveen performed violin sonatas from the works of 19th century composer Johannes Brahms on April 6 at Eastern Connecticut State University. Pianist Blake Hansen accompanied Sylveen for the University Hour event. The duet performed Sonata No. 1 in G major and Sonata No. 3 in D minor.
Posted on April 11, 2016 by Anthony LaPenna
Two of Eastern Connecticut State University’s top students were named Barnard Scholars on April 6 at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, CT. The annual Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Awards recognize 12 outstanding undergraduates from Connecticut’s four state universities (Central, Eastern, Southern and Western). Quanece Williams ’16 of Bridgeport and Sabreena Croteau ’16 of North Kingstown, RI, were Eastern’s awardees; both are double majoring in political science and history.
Posted on April 08, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Among the world’s most pressing public health problems is antibiotic resistance, and Barbara Murdoch, a biology professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, is dedicated to fighting it. Antibiotics are powerful medicines that fight bacterial infections, but more and more they are being rendered ineffective.
Posted on April 06, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Zygmunt J. B Plater, author of “The Snail Darter and the Dam: How Pork Barrel Politics Endangered A Little Fish and Killed A River,” spoke at Eastern Connecticut State University on April 1 about his book and the historic Supreme Court case on which it’s based.
Posted on April 06, 2016 by Christine Rossomando
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Early Childhood Education (CECE) was recently notified that they have been awarded a bronze “Telly” Award for their video, “Fun Mud Day,” featuring the work of Eastern faculty, staff and students. The video was submitted in the Health and Fitness category, and highlights an event that took place at the Child and Family Development Resource Center (CFDRC) this past May.
Posted on April 06, 2016 by Anne Pappalardo
On March 21 a panel of small sustainable business owners participated in a “Sustainable Business Panel,” at Eastern Connecticut State University. The panel was organized and led by Gabriela Wrobel, intern at Eastern’s Institute of Sustainable Energy. Wrobel invited panelists Heather Burns, Amy Kalafa, Lynn Stoddard and Andrew Gutt to speak to the Eastern community about the different aspects of starting a sustainable business.
Posted on April 05, 2016 by Christiana Rossomando
Hartford, Conn. – Connecticut’s colleges and universities will gather on April 7 for their annual sustainability conference, “Climate Change Commitments: From Paris to Connecticut Campuses.” The free, all-day conference will be held in the Reading Room of William F. Starr Hall at the UConn Law School in Hartford, and is organized by the Connecticut Alliance for Campus Sustainability. The theme of the conference is making connections between international, national, state and local climate commitments in order to increase the effectiveness of sustainability actions on campuses. Students and policymakers will discuss the goals and strategies necessary to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions in the state of Connecticut as well as in the nation at large.
Posted on April 01, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University presented its annual Ella T. Grasso Distinguished Service Awards on March 30. In its eighth year, the awards recognized three individuals who work tirelessly to promote women’s rights and gender equality.
Posted on March 31, 2016 by Michael Roul;eau
Earlier this semester Eastern Connecticut State University’s student-run Visual Arts Club curated an exhibit “The Art Initiative” to showcase student work
Posted on March 30, 2016 by Jolene Potter
Eastern Connecticut State University Environmental Earth Science (EES) faculty and students recently attended the Geological Society of America (GSA) Northeast Section 51st Annual Meeting in Albany, NY.
Posted on March 30, 2016 by Anne Pappalardo
On April 11 at 7 p.m. in Room 110 of Eastern Connecticut State University’s Fine Arts Instructional Center, Dr. Edison Liu, president and CEO of the Jackson Laboratory, will present a unique combination of musical performance and scientific lecture.
Posted on March 24, 2016 by Ed Osborn
On March 9, Garrett Dancik, professor of computer science and bioinformatics, presented research and current developments in bioinformatics and computational biology during the faculty scholar’s forum at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on March 23, 2016 by Jolene Potter
The Betty R. Tipton Room at Eastern Connecticut State University was transformed into a frenzy of Irish culture on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, as more than 250 schoolchildren from Willimantic converged on the university for the annual Arts and Culture Day, hosted by the Center for Community Engagement (CCE).
Posted on March 23, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University has just renewed its Silver rating through the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance.
Posted on March 18, 2016 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University’s English Department hosted a panel discussion of Eastern alumni titled “English at Work” on March 11. The English Department, led by department chair Lisa Fraustino, established the panel two years ago to help current English majors get a sense of the career paths they could pursue after graduation. The panel discussed how majoring in English led them in different directions, including graduate programs and a variety of careers. The panelists were Rosanne Carlo, Lauren Biatowas, Angela DiLella, Melissa G. Dwelley, Christian Gallichio, Samuel Lisi and Ashely Parker.
Posted on March 15, 2016 by
“Spectra,” the second exhibition of the 2016 spring semester at Eastern Connecticut State University’s new Fine Arts Instructional Center opened on March 10. Spectra is curated by Roxanne Deojay, coordinator for Gallery and Museum Operations in collaboration with Jeff Calissi, Kristen Morgan, Maline Werness-Rude, James Holland and Imna Arroyo.
Posted on March 15, 2016 by Christina Rossomando
Anne Dawson, professor of art history and chair of the Art & Art History Department at Eastern Connecticut State University, is the editor and co-author of “Rare Light: J. Alden Weir in Windham, Connecticut, 1882-1919,” which is being published this month.
Posted on March 14, 2016 by Edward Osborn
U.S. District Judge Michael Ponsor discussed the Jekyll and Hyde faces of the U.S. justice system in a lecture at Eastern Connecticut State University on March 9. In his lecture he examined injustices in the court system since his appointment in 1984, and discussed the system’s conflicting roles as a protector of liberty and an instrument of excessive punishment.
Posted on March 14, 2016 by Anthony LaPenna
On a cold February evening in Willimantic, an anxious, middle-aged woman sits beside Nicole Brooks. The woman opens a folder and nervously spreads out an assortment of tax forms, pay stubs and medical bills upon the table. After navigating the paperwork and plugging numbers into a computer program, Brooks turns to the woman and reveals a large, positive number on the screen. The woman’s expression lights up as she gives Brooks a hug and begins to cry.
Posted on March 10, 2016 by
More than 90 singers from across the state came to Eastern Connecticut State University on March 5 for the annual student auditions of the Connecticut Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (CT-NATS). Awards were given to the top three singers in each of eight categories. Six singers from Eastern participated in the auditions.
Posted on March 09, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Internationally recognized artists Laleh Mehran and Chris Coleman visited Eastern Connecticut State University on March 7 to discuss artistic collaboration and blending digital art with the physical world. Their presentation was titled “Where Digital meets Physical, Emergent Digital Technologies, Physical Materials and Global Connectivity.”
Posted on March 08, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
The Department of Art and Art History at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted artist Anthony Foronda on Feb. 17.
Posted on February 29, 2016 by Anthony LaPenna
On Feb. 21, Lisa Fraustino, professor of English at Eastern Connecticut State University, received word that she had received the Children’s Literature Association Article Award for her book chapter called, “The Rights and Wrongs of Anthropomorphism in Picture Books.”
Posted on February 25, 2016 by Jolene Potter
The Department of Art and Art History at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted artist Anthony Foronda on Feb. 17. Foronda, a designer, illustrator, humanitarian, and owner of Studio Foronda in Putnam, CT, has had illustrations placed in the Washington Post, National Public Radio, and was also selected for the Lurzer’s Archive of Illustration’s “200 Best Illustrators Worldwide” for his works in 2011 and 2014.
Posted on February 19, 2016 by Anthonly LaPenna
Eastern Connecticut State University will be holding the first major concert in the new Fine Arts Instructional Center with the “Inaugural Ensembles Concert” on Saturday, Feb 20, at 2:30 p.m. The Eastern Music Program will be presenting a concert of vocal and instrumental music, with featured ensembles including vocal and instrumental ensembles.
Posted on February 17, 2016 by Ed Osborn
Eastern retiree Carol Cusson Schimmelpfennig was recently honored for her 17 years of service to the Office of Admissions by having a window in the J. Eugene Smith Library named after her.
Posted on February 17, 2016 by Mike Rouleau
Michael Carrasco will speak with Eastern students about his Mesoamerican Corpus
Posted on February 17, 2016 by Christina Rossomando
The Eastern Connecticut State University club hockey team claimed the title of American Conference champions of the Northeast Collegiate Hockey Association (NECHA) on Feb. 21 with a 4-2 victory over Southern New Hampshire University. The team finished with a regular season record of 11-1, the second best record in the 32-team NECHA.
Posted on February 16, 2016 by Mike Rouleau
Kevin Booker Jr., Charles Chatterton and Courtney Callaway were named recipients of Eastern Connecticut State University’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Awards on Feb. 24. The awards were presented to the honorees on for their distinguished service in promoting King’s ideals.
Posted on February 16, 2016 by Anthony LaPenna
Eastern's basketball teams had a great turnout for the Coaches vs. Cancer games on Jan. 27. This annual event raised close to $1,000 for the American Cancer Society. Fans were able to purchase a 'Warriors of Hope' card in honor/memory of someone close to them who has battled cancer.
Posted on February 04, 2016 by caption
Pioneering scientist George Weinstock visited Eastern Connecticut State University on Jan. 27 to explain “The Human Microbiome: A New Frontier That Might Just Affect Everything.” Associate director of microbial genomics at The Jackson Laboratory, Weinstock spoke to a crowd of 200 students, faculty and other members of the Eastern community in the Student Center Theatre.
Posted on February 01, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
The Art Gallery at Eastern Connecticut State University proudly presents “In Place, In Time,” the gallery’s opening exhibition in Eastern’s new Fine Arts Instructional Center in Willimantic.
Posted on January 20, 2016 by Ed Osborn
In 1920, the U.S. Congress ratified the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote.
Posted on January 20, 2016 by dwight bachman and ed osborn
In an effort to proactively identify hazards and vulnerabilities and the steps that can be taken to reduce these risks, the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities System (CSCU) has been in the process of developing a Multi-Campus Hazard Mitigation Plan for the past 18 months
Posted on January 18, 2016 by Ed Osborn
Pioneering scientist George Weinstock, Ph.D., a renowned expert in the field of genomics at The Jackson Laboratory, will visit Eastern Connecticut State University on Jan. 27 to discuss “The Human Microbiome: A New Frontier That Might Just Affect Everything.”
Posted on January 05, 2016 by Michael Rouleau
Three assistant professors at Eastern Connecticut State University had an unusual fall 2015 semester. Because of their academic expertise and research activities — and a little bit of luck — they were pursued by nationally televised documentary programs. Environmental Earth Science Professor Bryan Oakley recently appeared on “Xploration Awesome Planet”; Anthropology Professor Sarah Baires will appear on the Smithsonian Channel’s new series “Ancient Mysteries”; and History Professor Thomas Balcerski will appear on “Lectures in History,” a C-SPAN series.
Posted on December 29, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
The Eastern Connecticut State University union chapter of the State University Organization of Administrative Faculty (SUOAF) chipped in to alleviate homelessness this holiday season. At the union’s holiday gathering on Dec. 17, members donated $2,040 to the Windham Region No Freeze Hospitality Center.
Posted on December 29, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Brandan Sumeersarnauth ’17, an environmental earth science (EES) major at Eastern Connecticut State University from Stafford Springs, CT, is the recipient of two prestigious scholarships that will enable him to study in Japan this coming spring. He is one of only 25 undergraduate students nationwide to receive the $2,500 Bridging Scholarship for Study Abroad in Japan, as well as one of 800 American undergraduates to receive the $5,000 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.
Posted on December 22, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
There is no doubt that on-campus housing has changed in recent years on college campuses. Compare the days when same-sex hallways, buildings and community bathrooms were the norm to today when apartment-style rooms are commonplace. Eastern Connecticut State University has taken on-campus housing a step further with “themed housing” communities.
Posted on December 11, 2015 by Christina Rossomando
The Wickware Planetarium at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its final show for the fall semester on Dec. 7. All planetarium shows are free of charge and open to the public. “Art and Astronomy” was designed to educate the audience on how artists, such as Hemingway and van Gogh, were inspired and instructed by the sky.
Posted on December 11, 2015 by Christina Rossomando
At “English Night” at Eastern Connecticut State University, held in the Betty Tipton Room on Dec. 10, the English Department presented two scholarships, inducted students into the Sigma Tau Delta honor society and showcased senior seminar presentations. The event was hosted by English Department Chair Lisa Fraustino.
Posted on December 11, 2015 by Ryan King
Eastern Connecticut State University’s all-female a cappella group “Key of She” performed a concert on Dec. 3 that featured several top-hit songs of today. The ensemble san songs such as “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon, “Gold Digger” by Kanye West and a collection of Beyoncé’s top hits that included “Love on Top” and “Drunk in Love.” The show was in the Betty R. Tipton Room of the Student Center and open to the general public with free admission. “Fermata the Blue,” Central Connecticut State University’s all-male a cappella group, opened the show.
Posted on December 09, 2015 by Christina Rossmando
In response to World AIDS Day, Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a panel discussion on Dec. 2 in the Student Center Theatre to increase awareness, dispel myths and get rid of the stigmas surrounding HIV and AIDS. The panel was titled “Transforming How We See HIV, AIDS and other STIs.” and was part of Eastern’s “University Hour” series. The panel featured Social Work Professor Yvonne Patterson, Psychology Professor Carlos Escoto and Emma Costas, a student ambassador in the Women’s Center.
Posted on December 09, 2015 by Ryan King
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Early Childhood Education announced on Dec. 7 that a wooden cash register produced by Hape Toys has been named the 2015 TIMPANI (Toys that Inspire Mindful Play and Nurture Imagination) Toy.
Posted on December 08, 2015 by Ed Osborn
Eastern Connecticut State University continued its support for people with life-threatening blood diseases on Dec. 1 by hosting its fifth marrow registry in the past three years. Eastern first got involved with this effort in 2012, when student and soccer player Jon DeCasanova was diagnosed with aplastic anemia and lymphatic cancer.
Posted on December 04, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its busiest Thanksgiving celebration ever on Nov. 25 at the ninth annual Day of Giving. More than 620 Willimantic residents came to campus for a hot meal with all the traditional fixings, people who otherwise may not have been able to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner. In conjunction with the Day of Giving, members of the Eastern community donated 4,873 food items for local food pantries and shelters. “This goes to show that Eastern’s commitment to the community is not superficial; it’s very deep,” said Eastern President Elsa Núñez.
Posted on November 30, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s club hockey team beat Roger Williams University (RWU) by a score of 6-2 on Nov. 21, in a special game played to support autism awareness. The players wore ribbons on their helmets and uniforms and the RWU team also had custom jerseys that showcased the national autism awareness logo.
Posted on November 25, 2015 by Christina Rossomando
Maria Mazziotti Guillan was welcomed at Eastern Connecticut State University on Nov. 19. Guillan was invited by the Writers Guild to give Eastern students a writing workshop and reading from her 20 published books.
Posted on November 24, 2015 by Christina Rossomando
Biology and health sciences students at Eastern Connecticut State University participated in the first-ever World Antibiotic Awareness Week from Nov. 16–22. The campaign aims to increase awareness of antibiotic resistance, an issue with growing global health implications. Throughout the week, students hosted informational tables around campus and posed questions of the day to those passing by.
Posted on November 23, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
The third and final session of the “Faculty Dialogue Series” at Eastern occurred on Nov. 16, with a talk from English Professor Reginald Flood titled “Achieving Racial Equality Through Law and Power.” Reflecting on getting older, Flood joked, “Police don’t bother me anymore,” despite his “blackness.” The same is not the case for his son, however, “who gets pulled over right outside our house on his way home.”
Posted on November 23, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
The White House launched the “American Campuses Act on Climate Pledge” on Nov. 19 to highlight the commitments of higher education institutions across the nation and the actions they are taking to set the country on the path toward a low-carbon, sustainable future. President Elsa Núñez of Eastern Connecticut State University joined more than 200 colleges and universities representing more than three million students in signing the White House climate action pledge.
Posted on November 20, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Alicia Garza, co-founder of #BlackLivesMatter, visited Eastern Connecticut State University on Nov. 12 to discuss the nationwide movement with students.
Posted on November 16, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University is one of only eight New England colleges and universities selected to participate in the “LEAP Challenge Initiative” of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). The project is supported by a grant from the Davis Educational Foundation.
Posted on November 16, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University played a large role at the recent Connecticut Campus Compact (CTCC) Social Justice Leadership Conference held at Wesleyan University on Oct. 31. With a conference theme of “Unmasking Social Change,” students, staff and faculty from Eastern delivered three presentations at the conference.
Posted on November 16, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Based on an analysis of more than 1,200 colleges and universities, The Economist has found that Eastern Connecticut State University is one of only five private and public schools in Connecticut whose graduates’ salaries are substantially higher than The Economist’s statistical projections. The University of Connecticut was the only other public institution in the group, joining Eastern, Quinnipiac University, Fairfield University and the University of St. Joseph.
Posted on November 15, 2015 by Edward Osborn
“Speak Up, Speak Out,” a forum to draw attention to the challenges faced by the immigrant and undocumented community, was held on Nov. 5 at Eastern Connecticut State University. The Women’s Center, the Intercultural Center and the Social Justice Themed Housing group sponsored the event, exemplifying Eastern’s collaborative and inclusive commitment to equality.
Posted on November 12, 2015 by Jolene Potter
From Oct. 27 to Nov. 1, the Performing Arts Department and Drama Society at Eastern Connecticut State University presented “A Doubt, A Parable,” the last production to be performed in the Harry Hope Theatre. In January 2016, the Theatre Program will move into facilities in the new Fine Arts Instructional Center.
Posted on November 11, 2015 by Jolene Potter
Sean M. Connolly, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veterans’ Affairs was the keynote speaker at Eastern Connecticut State University’s annual Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 11. “Today we pay homage to the patriots of all our wars,” said Connolly, “including peace- time veterans, Cold War veterans and those of all our conflicts.”
Posted on November 11, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Little East Conference (LEC) Commissioner Cora Brumley has announced that Eastern Connecticut State University has earned the Presidents Cup as the top academic institution in the league. The Warriors registered a cumulative grade point average of 3.11 for the fall 2014 and spring 2015 semesters. Eastern claims the Presidents Cup for the second time, as the Warriors were the award’s first recipients in its inaugural year in 2010.
Posted on November 02, 2015 by Ed Osborn
On Oct. 28, storyteller and Eastern Connecticut State University English professor Raouf Mama spoke to students about his recently published memoir, “Fortune’s Favorite Child.”
Posted on October 30, 2015 by Ryan King
Twelve students from Eastern Connecticut State University presented at the recent Northeast regional undergraduate research conference sponsored by the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC). The conference took place from Oct. 23–24 at Ramapo College of New Jersey.
Posted on October 30, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Three distinguished alumni from Eastern Connecticut State University were inducted into the Eastern Fellows Program on Oct. 21. Following the induction, Michael Endler ’81, Janice Deskus ’88 and Frederick Hughes ’87 shared career advice with Eastern students during an afternoon panel discussion held in the Paul E. Johnson Sr. Community Conference Room.
Posted on October 27, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University had another strong showing of support at the annual Relay For Life of Greater Windham, held Oct. 17–18 at the Mansfield Athletic Complex. With Eastern’s Center for Community Engagement handling logistics, 97 Eastern students volunteered 171 hours throughout the 24-hour event.
Posted on October 22, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eight members of the Eastern Connecticut State University chapter of Habitat for Humanity slept outdoors in cardboard boxes for the annual “Shackathon” on Oct. 20–21. The event challenged participants to spend a full day outside — academic schedules permitting — sleeping in the elements and only eating donated food. The shackathon aims to raise awareness of homelessness and substandard housing.
Posted on October 22, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
The 23rd annual Health, Wellness and Benefits Expo at Eastern Connecticut State University was another success on Oct. 20, as hundreds of members of the local community came to campus to browse the offerings of more than 50 health-related organizations.
Posted on October 22, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Three Eastern Connecticut State University roommates were exploring their new dorm room last month when they made an unexpected discovery. Underneath the sink in their High Rise apartment, behind a sealed panel, they found a time capsule from 2001.
Posted on October 21, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Home-grown terrorism, the effects of a consumerist culture, and the alienation and objectification of individuals were only a few of the themes portrayed in Eastern Connecticut State University’s production of the award-winning contemporary play, “Pornography” by Simon Stephens. The play, which was put on by the Performing Arts Department and Drama Society, was performed in Eastern’s Harry Hope Theater from Oct. 6-11.
Posted on October 20, 2015 by Jolene Potter
Domestic abuse survivor, activist and ceramic artist Ewa Grochowska came to Eastern Connecticut State University on Oct. 14 to speak about her personal experiences as a victim of domestic abuse, her story of survival and how she now helps families cope with their own experiences with abuse. Grochowska’s lecture was part of Eastern’s recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October.
Posted on October 16, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
The cross-country team at Eastern Connecticut State University volunteered at the Hartford Marathon on Oct. 10, assisting athletes with disabilities through the races. Nine members of the team served as guide runners for blind athletes or those in wheelchairs; 12 members served as course marshals in the 5K, the race in which the majority of athletes with disabilities participated.
Posted on October 14, 2015 by Micheal Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University is participating in a new national partnership to grow Connecticut’s teaching workforce. The Holmes Masters program is designed to attract and prepare teachers from historically underrepresented populations. The initiative is the first of its kind within the region and reflects a partnership with the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education’s (AACTE) Holmes Scholars program. The inaugural cohort of Holmes Masters is scheduled to enroll for the summer 2016 term.
Posted on October 13, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
There are 46.7 million people living in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. On Sept. 25, Eastern Connecticut State University held its seventh annual Poverty Awareness Marathon, with a goal of collecting 467 nonperishable food items to align with the number of Americans living in poverty.
Posted on September 28, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
The Wickware Planetarium at Eastern Connecticut State University hosts educational shows three to four times during the fall semester.
Posted on September 25, 2015 by Christina Rossmando
Claudia Mills, former philosophy professor and author of over 50 children’s books, spoke at Eastern Connecticut State University on Sept. 23. Her lecture centered on how to effectively instruct, inform and inspire children through literature, or what she called “the dilemma of didacticism.”
Posted on September 24, 2015 by Ryan King
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Intercultural Center opened Hispanic Heritage Month this school year with world class opera singer, guitarist and recording artist AnnaMaria Cardinalli, who performed in the Student Center Café on Sept. 17.
Posted on September 23, 2015 by Jolene Potter
For the fourth time in the past five years, the Hartford Courant/FOX CT has named Eastern Connecticut State University one of the top workplaces in Connecticut. In the 2015 Top Workplaces survey, Eastern was ranked number seven in the category for “large” organizations.
Posted on September 21, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
What motivates adult learners to develop their literacy skills when they choose reading and writing for personal reasons? Lauren Rosenberg, English professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, addresses this question in her new book “The Desire for Literacy: Writing in the Lives of Adult Learners.” The book is the latest release in the CCCC/NCTE’s (Conference on College Composition and Communication/National Council of Teachers of English) Studies in Writing and Rhetoric (SWR) series.
Posted on September 15, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Emiliano Villanueva, assistant professor of business administration, has co-authored a book that won an important prize from the International Wine Organization (OIV). The book, “La Economía del Vino en España y el Mundo” (“The Economy of Wine in Spain and the World”), won the International Wine Organization (OIV) 2015 Book Award. Villanueva’s chapter (#19, in Spanish) is titled “Innovation in the World’s Wine Business: The Influence of the United States and Australia.”
Posted on September 15, 2015 by
On Sept. 16, Eastern Connecticut State University will celebrate National Drive Electric WeekTM ¬by hosting an event showcasing an electric vehicle (EV) and how it is charged. Further indicators of Eastern’s commitment to increasing the state’s infrastructure for electric vehicles and promoting public awareness include installation of an electric vehicle charging station on campus this past winter, and Eastern President Elsa Nuñez’s recent signing of the “Workplace Charging Challenge.” The event on Sept. 16 will be held on campus and is free and open to the public. It takes place from 5–7 p.m. on the sidewalk between the new Fine Arts Instructional Center and the Student Center (next to the student center patio).
Posted on September 11, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
On Sept. 9, national public speaker, author and health educator Scott Fried came to Eastern Connecticut State University to talk to students about love, HIV and social media in a lecture titled “Swipe Right for Sex: Love and HIV in the Age of Dating Apps.”
Posted on September 10, 2015 by Ryan King
Eastern Connecticut State University broke the top 100—placing 92nd—among regional universities in the North in U.S. News and World Report’s 2016 edition of “Best Colleges.” Eastern was also the 27th public university on the list. The annual rankings were released on Sept. 9.
Posted on September 10, 2015 by Ed Osborn
On Sept. 2, the Connecticut State Board of Education voted unanimously to grant continuing approval to Eastern Connecticut State University’s teacher education programs through September 2019.
Posted on September 10, 2015 by Ed Osborn
As the first week of classes comes to an end at Eastern Connecticut State University, students expressed a variety of emotions. The campus is filled with fresh faces ranging from professors to freshmen. The Warriors are back to school and anticipating the 2015-16 academic year.
Posted on September 09, 2015 by Christina Rossomando
When Roland Clark, history professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, was an undergraduate in Australia, a professor mentioned “clerical fascism” in one of his courses. “I was already interested in the relationship between religion and politics,” he said, “and my 20-year-old self thought that the idea of priests with guns sounded pretty cool
Posted on September 04, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eight students from Eastern Connecticut State University recently traveled to Florence, Italy, with English Professor Christopher Torockio to participate in the course, “Creative Writing Abroad.” This intensive writing course encourages students to produce daily, original works of poetry and fiction in a foreign country.
Posted on August 14, 2015 by Ryan King
The Princeton Review has named Eastern Connecticut State University as one of the “Best Colleges in the Northeast” in its 2016 edition of “Best Colleges: Region By Region.” In the 11-state region, 225 colleges were recognized in the report, which was released on Aug. 3.
Posted on August 11, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern’s Resident Assistant training program was featured recently in an article in University Business Magazine.
Posted on August 07, 2015 by Ed Osborn
From June 20-25, more than 200 high school juniors from across the state converged on campus to attend the 26th Annual American Legion Boys State. During Boys State, the students learned how state and municipal governments operate. They set up and ran mock town, city and state elections, and engaged in role-playing where towns are represented. Mayors lobbied, while representatives and senators debated and enacted legislation.
Posted on August 07, 2015 by Dwight Bachman
ince 1994, Eastern Theatre students and faculty have come together at the end of the academic year to participate in intensive learning opportunities in New York City. This past May, 14 Theatre students and five Theatre faculty participated in Eastern’s 21st NYC Showcase. Students presented “Scenes, Songs, and Monologues 2015” in the Producer’s Club Crown Theatre.
Posted on August 07, 2015 by Dwight Bachman
From June 29 through Aug. 7, Eastern faculty, staff and administrators have guided more than 100 students through the Summer Transition at Eastern Program/Contract Admission Program (STEP/CAP).
Posted on August 07, 2015 by Dwight Bachman
On July 30, Puentes Al Futuro, or Bridges to the Future, a five-week summer camp for at-risk youth living in Windham held its closing ceremony. Puentes Al Futuro is a grant-funded program sponsored by Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) and staffed by student volunteers.
Posted on July 31, 2015 by
For the sixth time in the past seven years, Eastern Connecticut State University is one of the nation’s “Great Colleges to Work For,” according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. Of the 281 institutions participating this year, Eastern was one of only 42 schools that was named to the program’s “Honor Roll.”
Posted on July 21, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University was the host of the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP), which ended on July 2. This marks the third and last year of the summer program, which is a component of the Connecticut Health and Life Sciences Career Initiative (CHLSCI). This three-year program of the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education is coordinated by Norwalk Community College, and has focused on preparing Connecticut’s workforce for the growing health and life sciences sector.
Posted on July 15, 2015 by
Four digital art students from Eastern Connecticut State University designed a permanent exhibit at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp—Paul Newman’s famed camp for children with serious illnesses. The project, which began in the spring semester and launched this past June, visually documents the history of the Ashford camp.
Posted on July 15, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Three Eastern Connecticut State University students from New London received scholarships at the Hispanic Alliance’s 15th annual “Noche de Gala” (Night of Celebration) this past June. Sixteen scholarships were awarded in total at the New London event, mostly to high school students—Eastern was the most represented university in Connecticut.
Posted on July 06, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
The Child and Family Development Resource Center (CFDRC) hosted its annual Mini Boom Box Parade on July 2. Adorned in patriotic clothing and costumes, approximately 60 children who are enrolled at the CFDRC and their families marched across campus for the “kid version” of Willimantic’s Boom Box Parade, the town’s annual Fourth of July celebration.
Posted on July 06, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
On June 19, students and faculty members at Eastern Connecticut State University helped to create literacy kits for children in the local community as part of National Summer Learning Day.
Posted on June 23, 2015 by Ryan King
At the 2015 Connecticut Campus Compact Awards (CTCC), Eastern Connecticut State University and Windham Public Schools won the Campus-Community Partnership Award for their joint effort with Puentes al Futuro (Bridges to the Future), an afterschool program for Latino youth living in Willimantic. Run by Windham Public Schools and supported by Eastern, Puentes al Futuro has resulted in a partnership that benefits local schoolchildren while enhancing the learning of Eastern students.
Posted on June 19, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University is the ninth highest ranked public institution in the north when it comes to being a “Best College for Veterans,” according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2015 rankings.
Posted on June 18, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
The annual “Eastern Celebrates” festivities kicked off on Friday, May 8, with the classes of 2001 through 2014 reuniting at Blarney’s for Eastern’s sixth annual “Bash for the Past.” Special guests included the classes of 2000, 2005 and 2010. Earlier that afternoon at Blarney’s the classes of 1980, 1985, 1990, and 1995 held their own reunions.
Posted on June 15, 2015 by Edward Osborn
During the spring semester, a group of fourteen Eastern Connecticut State University biology students traveled to the Great Basin, Mojave and Sonoran deserts as part of a new global field course. On this trip, students had the opportunity to participate in an intensive one-week field experience in the American Southwest with Professors Brett Mattingly and Matthew Graham.
Posted on June 11, 2015 by Ryan King
14 students from Eastern Connecticut State University recently traveled to Idaho and Wyoming as part of a geological field excursion with Environmental Earth Science professors Dickson Cunningham and Stephen Nathan. As one of Eastern’s “global field courses,” this trip provided a unique and valuable learning experience to students by allowing them to apply what they learned in a classroom in a real-world scenario.
Posted on June 11, 2015 by Ryan King
Nineteen students from Eastern Connecticut State University recently traveled to San Salvador Island to study tropical biology. The trip focused on studying the history and development of the local fauna on the island as well as in the surrounding waters
Posted on June 11, 2015 by Ryan King
Eight students from Eastern Connecticut State University recently traveled to Paris, France and London, England, as part of a “global field course” with Communication Professor Olugbenga Ayeni. The course, “International Advertising and Public Relations,” allowed students to gain an understanding of how advertising and public relations work on a global scale.
Posted on June 11, 2015 by Ryan King
In the next seven years, accounting is projected to be among the top 20 occupations with the most job growth in America, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. To meet this demand, Eastern Connecticut State University now offers a master’s degree program in accounting.
Posted on June 11, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Six students from Eastern Connecticut State University recently traveled to Central Europe as part of Communication Professor Cesar Beltran’s course “The Nazi Aftermath in Central Europe: History, the Media and the Holocaust.” This course, offered as one of Eastern’s “global field courses,” sought to analyze the historical, political, cultural and economic effects that World War II and the Holocaust had and continue to have today.
Posted on June 09, 2015 by Ryan King
“The world is a better teacher than any classroom.” These words, spoken by Education Professor Mark Fabrizi, address Eastern Connecticut State University’s motive to provide a practical, liberal arts education. That is why hands-on, out-of-class learning experiences are commonplace for students across campus. Whether it’s studying abroad or performing undergraduate research, students engage in practical learning every day of the semester, regardless of their major. One educational strategy in particular that has seen growth at Eastern is “service learning.”
Posted on June 03, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Based on his investigative documentary titled “Eastern Explores,” recent Eastern Connecticut State University graduate Patrick Boyne placed third in a Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists (CTSPJ) contest on May 21. Boyne ’15 was the only qualifier from Eastern for the CTSPJ’s Excellence in Journalism Contest, and placed third in the video category for college student
Posted on June 03, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
On May 28, officers from Eastern Connecticut State University and the Middletown Police Department partnered for the Third Annual Tip-A-Cop event at Amici’s Restaurant in Middletown.
Posted on June 02, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern student Jillian Olderman is one of the few young people in the United States to intern with Israel Lacrosse this summer. From June 1 to July 29, Olderman will develop the sport of lacrosse in Israel through the recruitment and outreach of children in the Israeli school system. The program also aims to bring Israelis and Palestinians together through s
Posted on June 02, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
In an ongoing effort to provide hands-on learning experiences for students and strengthen ties with the local community, Eastern Connecticut State University began a partnership with the Windham nonprofit organization CLiCK this May. CLiCK (Commercially Licensed Cooperative Kitchen, Inc.) offers a culinary education/cooking facility and community garden for local people and organizations.
Posted on June 01, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
A group of Girl Scout Juniors and Daisy Scouts from Bolton visited Eastern Connecticut State University for a tour of the Police Department on May 15.
Posted on May 18, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Because of their creative and effective use of library resources, three Eastern Connecticut State University students were recognized at the Library Research Awards in May. Usually two awards are given annually, but due to the number and quality of submissions this year, a third student received honorable mention.
Posted on May 15, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
A 12-hour website development competition called the “Code-A-Thon” took place at Eastern Connecticut State University this past April. Sponsored by Cigna’s Technology Early Career Development Program (TECDP), the task was to create a mobile-friendly website to help people select the correct health insurance plan.
Posted on May 15, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Four prolific professors from Eastern Connecticut State University delivered “Last Lectures” at the end of the 2014–15 academic year. During their lectures, Timothy Swanson, James Russell, Ann Gruenberg and Prem Mann discussed their longstanding careers, lessons learned and life philosophies with the Eastern community.
Posted on May 15, 2015 by Mike Rouleau
Twenty of Eastern Connecticut State University’s highest-achieving students were recognized at the Honors Program Senior Reception on May 9.
Posted on May 15, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University has received recognition by the web-based organization “Colleges of Distinction” for demonstrating excellence in helping students to thrive academically and professionally. Serving as a guide for future college students, the nationally recognized organization showcases institutions that it believes are “ideal places to learn, grow and succeed.”
Posted on May 14, 2015 by Ryan King
More than 13,000 family members and friends filled the XL Center in Hartford on Tuesday, May 12, to cheer on their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, as 1,130 undergraduates and 70 graduate students received their diplomas at Eastern Connecticut State University’s 125th Commencement exercises.
Posted on May 13, 2015 by Ed Osborn
On May 28, members of Eastern Connecticut State University’s Police Department will take off their badges and join Middletown’s Police Department to serve customers at the Amici Italian Grill, located at 280 Main Street in Middletown.
Posted on May 08, 2015 by Dwight Bachman
“Set ambitious, achievable goals. Make plans for achieving those goals. Embrace your diversity. Take chances and above all, find a good mentor.” That’s what Lenwood Gibson ’99, an alumnus from East Hartford and assistant professor of psychology at Queens College, a City University of New York, encouraged students to do during his presentation at Eastern Connecticut State University’s Third Annual Inclusive Excellence Student Award Ceremony.
Posted on May 06, 2015 by Dwight Bachman
The Jeffrey P. Ossen Family Foundation has partnered with local philanthropist David Foster and his wife Marilyn to create a scholarship program in memory of the late Kevin Crosbie, long-time publisher of the Willimantic Chronicle.
Posted on May 05, 2015 by Ed Osborn
“I try.” That was the message to the preschool children during the Fun Mud Day obstacle course at Eastern Connecticut State University on May 4. Based on the military-style obstacle course “Tough Mudder,” Fun Mud Day challenged the children of Eastern’s Child and Family Development Resources Center (CFDRC) to get out of their comfort zones and try a variety of muddy obstacles they typically do not come across.
Posted on May 05, 2015 by
#SustainU2015, the second annual Connecticut Campus Sustainability Conference, brought together more than 125 participants from Connecticut higher education institutions to Eastern Connecticut State University. On April 28, the forum allowed students, faculty and staff to share sustainability-related ideas and improve collaborative efforts on a number of Connecticut’s college campuses.
Posted on April 30, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Venice has its Biennale, New York has Art Fair Week and Connecticut has My Windham. Eastern Connecticut State University, the Town of Windham and the My Windham Partnership are proud to announce that a one-mile stretch of historic Downtown Main Street in Willimantic, CT, will be transformed into an alternative art space from April 25-June 6.
Posted on April 30, 2015 by
On April 24, Eastern Connecticut State University hosted its first Latin American and Caribbean Studies Conference. Many students and faculty were in attendance to learn from and engage with panels that spanned several disciplines.
Posted on April 28, 2015 by Kelsey Tuller
Sky watchers from Eastern Connecticut State University’s student body and staff, as well as members of the public, enjoyed the last of the entertaining and educational star shows that the Eastern Planetarium will host this semester.
Posted on April 28, 2015 by Kelsey Tuller
On April 21, more than 180 administrators, alumni, faculty, students and friends from several accounting firms took the time from their busy schedules to travel to Eastern Connecticut State University to support the accounting program and student award recipients
Posted on April 24, 2015 by Kelsey Tuller
Race, feminism, and body image were only a few of the themes portrayed in Eastern Connecticut State University’s production of the original multi-media production, “Johnsonville.” The play was performed April 16-April 19 by Professor David Pellegrini’s Experimental Theatre class, with Pellegrini directing.
Posted on April 23, 2015 by Kathryn Shpak
Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, associate professor of psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University, was honored with the Connecticut State University System Board of Regents’ (BOR) statewide Faculty Research Award for 2015.
Posted on April 23, 2015 by Dwight Bachman
CREATE (Celebrating Research Excellence and Artistic Talent at Eastern), the premier undergraduate research and art conference at Eastern Connecticut State University, held its inaugural event on April 17 and 18.
Posted on April 21, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
On April 13, Duane de Four, an educator, media critic and activist working to prevent sexual assault, spoke to a diverse audience at Eastern Connecticut State University about the true cost of the media’s obsession with traditional masculinity.
Posted on April 20, 2015 by Kelsey Tuller
From Feb. 18 to April 29, the Willimantic Police Department hosted an 11-week program where members of the local community were given the opportunity to learn about the department and routine police work. Three Eastern Connecticut State University students and several members of the faculty were members of the program.
Posted on April 20, 2015 by Ryan King
With the spring 2015 semester coming to an end, the Department of English at Eastern Connecticut State University brought acclaimed Nigerian author Okey Ndibe to speak on campus. Ndibe is the author of “Arrows of Rain” and “Foreign Gods,” which he read excerpts from during his presentation. Ndibe now lives in West Hartford, where he is a dedicated advocate for African literature and campaigns tirelessly so that the voices of Africans can be heard.
Posted on April 20, 2015 by Ryan King
Eastern Connecticut State University is one of the 353 most environmentally responsible colleges in the United States according to The Princeton Review’s 2015 Guide to Green Colleges. With its sustainability-focused academic offerings, energy efficient facilities, on-campus Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE), local/organic sourcing for 50 percent of its food budget and other “green” components, Eastern received a “green rating” of 88 from the Princeton Review.
Posted on April 17, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Internationally acclaimed author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ‘01 will receive an honorary doctorate and bring greetings to the graduates at Eastern Connecticut State University’s 125th Commencement exercises at the XL Center in Hartford on May 12. Adichie grew up in Nsukka in southeastern Nigeria. Her work has been translated into 30 languages and has appeared in publications around the world.
Posted on April 17, 2015 by Edward Osborn
Because of its commitment to disabled adults who live in the High Chase Residential Center in Willington, People Helping People (PHP) — a student club at Eastern Connecticut State University — won one of two statewide “student group” community service awards on April 14. Student representatives of PHP accepted a Connecticut Higher Education Community Service Award at the State Capitol, given by the Office of Higher Education.
Posted on April 16, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Fifteen environmental earth science (EES) students and four EES faculty members from Eastern Connecticut State University participated in the recent Northeast section meeting of the Geological Society of America. Attended by approximately 1,200 people, the 50th annual meeting was held at the Mount Washington Hotel/Omni Resort in New Hampshire from March 23–25. “With nearly 700 students participating, the meeting provided many of Eastern’s students with their first experience of being a part of a larger scientific community of geoscientists,” said EES Professor Steve Nathan. “Better than any lecture or lab, the students saw for themselves the value of sharing and exchanging their research with others.”
Posted on April 16, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
With 29 colleges and universities and hundreds of faculty members in the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), Margaret Letterman of Eastern Connecticut State University is one of only two professors in COPLAC to receive the Charles Dunn Award in 2015. This annual award recognizes faculty members whose commitment to student success goes “above and beyond” the classroom and the traditional roles of teacher and advisor—demonstrating extraordinary attention to students as individuals who face unique challenges.
Posted on April 15, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
When Superstorm Sandy made landfall in the Northeast on Oct. 29, 2012, it left in its wake extensive erosion along the coast of Block Island, RI. To document the erosion, Bryan Oakley, environmental earth science (EES) professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, and students Mike Manzi and Brandan Sumeersarnauth undertook an evolving research project that culminated in a presentation at a recent meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Northeastern Section.
Posted on April 14, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Research studies have shown that the biggest determinant of where people end up is not genetics or parental upbringing, but who their friends are. This year, Eastern Connecticut State University’s two recipients of the Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Awards have been hanging out together for a long time. Growing up just five minutes from each other in Beacon Falls, Jessica Patrizi and Richard Magner have been best friends since fourth grade. As two of Eastern’s most decorated students, they shared the stage together at the banquet of the Barnard Awards Program on April 6 at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville.
Posted on April 13, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Two Eastern Connecticut State University students helped make puppets for the West Hartford Community Theatre’s production of Avenue Q, a renowned musical considered to be the adult version of Sesame Street. Led by the production’s Stage Manager Kristen Conaty, a former Eastern student, students Zack Lasala and Caitlighn Foley made 16 easily-transferrable puppets for Avenue Q’s upcoming three-show tour in Italy.
Posted on April 09, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Students at Eastern Connecticut State University gave almost 11,000 hours of community service during the 2014-15 academic year. “Volunteering is a big part of the Eastern experience,” said senior Lily Egan, a student leader with the Center for Community Engagement (CCE), the office that coordinates community service at Eastern. “That’s what today is all about,” referring to the annual Service Expo and Awards, which was held on April 8 at 750 Main Street in Willimantic.
Posted on April 08, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Approximately five percent of the student body at Eastern Connecticut State University—nearly 300 people— are military veterans. Eastern’s veterans center held an open house on April 8. In addition to a tour of the center’s services, Mark Johnson, a social worker with the Norwich Vet Center, discussed the challenges veterans face when transitioning to and from service.
Posted on April 08, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University presented its Cesar Chavez Distinguished Service Awards to Eastern senior Jonah Sanchez, Edili Lopez, hall director at Constitution Hall and Chris Soto, founder of Higher Edge, on April 1 in the Student Center Theatre.
Posted on April 02, 2015 by dwight bachman
On March 1, 35 individuals were inducted into Eastern Connecticut State University’s circle chapter of the Omicron Delta Kappa National Honor Society in Leadership. Through a competitive application process, candidates were evaluated not only on their scholarly success, but on their involvement on Eastern’s campus and surrounding the community. Students inducted have a GPA of at least 3.77 and represent a multitude of clubs, organizations, and positions on campus.
Posted on March 30, 2015 by Dwight Bachman
“Portrait of Jacqueline,” a work completed by Terry Lennox, associate professor of art at Eastern Connecticut State University, won the 2015 Prize for Pastel at Slater Memorial Museum’s 71st Annual Connecticut Artists Exhibition in Norwich. Lennox completed the portrait as part of her sabbatical leave project. The exhibit ran through March 20 at the museum.
Posted on March 27, 2015 by Dwight Bachman
Planetary scientist Geronimo Villanueva discussed his research on the planet Mars with students and faculty at Eastern Connecticut State University on March 27.
Posted on March 27, 2015 by Kelsey Tuller
Three women who work tirelessly to promote women’s rights and gender equality were recipients of the Ella T. Grasso Distinguished Service Awards on March 25 at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Posted on March 26, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
The School of Education and Professional Studies at Eastern Connecticut State University held an open house for its graduate programs on March 24 in the J. Eugene Smith Library.
Posted on March 26, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University was one of 87 colleges nationwide to receive a Student Actions Award for the fall 2014 semester from myActions—an organization that mobilizes college students to partake in sustainable behaviors.
Posted on March 18, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
The Author Series at J. Eugene Smith Library at Eastern Connecticut State University kicked off their new series of author lectures on the afternoon of March 12.
Posted on March 17, 2015 by Kelsey Tuller
International author and success coach Mike Iamele came to Eastern Connecticut State University on March 11 to tell his story of how he — a self-proclaimed straight man — found love with another man.
Posted on March 17, 2015 by Kathry Shpak
Award-winning author Susan Campbell came to Eastern Connecticut State University on March 4 to share the story of Isabella Beecher Hooker, an important figure who had been excluded from the pages of history.
Posted on March 11, 2015 by Kathryn Shpak
The ECSU Foundation, Inc., held its annual Bowl-a-thon in support of Eastern Connecticut State University on March 7 at WilliBowl in North Windham. Almost $10,000 was raised for Foundation scholarships by the 183 bowlers; 123 of them were Eastern students. In addition to Eastern faculty, staff and students, local businesses and alumni participate in the Bowl-a-thon to raise funds.
Posted on March 11, 2015 by Kathryn Shpak
Eastern Connecticut State University inducted three highly decorated alumni into the seventh class of the Eastern Fellows Program on March 4. As part of their induction, Brian Bohling ’83, Michael Johnson ’97 and David Whitehead ’84 offered professional advice and discussed their Eastern experiences and distinguished careers with a packed house of students in the Paul E. Johnson Sr. Community Conference Room. “We all went to Eastern and we made it, so you can make it, too,” opened Bohling. “Be proud of where you come from and go for it.”
Posted on March 05, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
This year’s Arts and Culture Day for area schoolchildren at Eastern Connecticut State University focused on Russia. Hosted by the Center for Community Engagement (CCE), the event brings students from Windham Public Schools to Eastern for an afternoon of cultural exploration of a chosen country or region. This year’s event took place on Feb. 27.
Posted on March 03, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
A group of experimental theatre students at Eastern Connecticut State University presented “Prime Numbers: The Greatest Hits” on Feb. 27 as a preview of the Theatre Department’s coming production, “Johnsonville.” The script was written by Communication Professor Edmund Chibeau, taken from his book “Performance Scripts: Prime Numbers.”
Posted on February 27, 2015 by Kelsey Tuller
Linda Blozie of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV), spokesperson for the 10×10 Campaign, visited Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 26 to talk about intimate partner violence and how men and boys are critical in curbing the problem. The event, sponsored by Eastern’s Sexual Assault and Interpersonal Violence Response Team (SAIV-RT), was well-attended by men in and outside of the Eastern community.
Posted on February 27, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
W. Reggie Hales, publisher of the Hartford-based African American newspaper Inquiring News; Anthony Aidoo, professor of mathematics at Eastern Connecticut State University; and Jonah Craggett, an assistant in Eastern’s Noble Residence Hall, were named recipients of Eastern’s Dr. Martin Luther King Distinguished Service Award. Eastern presented the award to the honorees during a ceremony and reception on Feb. 25. The awards recognize individuals whose actions demonstrate distinguished service in promoting the ideals of Dr. King of inclusion and diversity.
Posted on February 26, 2015 by Ryan King
"When presented with the task of performing children’s theater, Alice is an obvious choice,” said Theatre Lecturer Lenore Grunko of Eastern Connecticut State University, who directed Eastern students in their performance of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” from Feb. 18-22 in the Harry Hope Theatre. The performance was part of the students’ Children’s Theatre course. Most people are familiar with the story of Alice in Wonderland, whether reading the original book by Lewis Carroll or seeing the film adaptation. Nonetheless, each adaptation is unique. With the intent of performing a play that elementary schools were invited to attend, Grunko decided on Alice, because “we all need to learn about her fear, her bravery, and yes, even her foolishness.”
Posted on February 26, 2015 by Katryn Shpak
Each year, DoSomething.org and Aeropostale stores pair up to put on the Teens for Jeans campaign. The campaign allows schools and individuals across the country to take part in raising awareness of the one million homeless youth in the United States. The campaign started when DoSomething.org asked homeless shelters what the most requested item was and the response was jeans.
Posted on February 26, 2015 by Kelsey Tuller
Did you know the sun in our solar system has long-lost siblings? That’s one thing that the audiences at Eastern Connecticut State University’s Robert K. Wickware Planetarium learned during the “Spring Skies” show on Feb. 23.
Posted on February 24, 2015 by Kelsey Tuller
Eastern Connecticut State University’s Center for Early Childhood Education has released two videos that provide early childhood educators tips on how to turn classrooms into better learning environments and how to engage toddlers and preschoolers in ways that will foster learning more effectively.
Posted on February 24, 2015 by Ryan King
Eastern Connecticut State University’s English Department hosted a panel featuring young adult authors Chris Lynch, Caragh O’Brien and Jason Reynolds earlier this semester. Eastern students were able to prepare questions and receive thoughtful answers and valuable advice from three novelists who have all had their books published by Simon and Schuster. Panel members answered questions about their books, discussed aspects of the writing process and gave advice on how potential writers in the audience could begin to brainstorm their next work. English Department Chair Lisa Fraustino hosted the event and emphasized the importance of being able to see the art of writing through a different lens. Addressing the audience, she said, “We don’t often get to look at [literature] from the writer’s perspective.”
Posted on February 24, 2015 by Ryan King
On March 5, the artists of Eastern Connecticut State University’s newest Akus Gallery exhibition will be on hand to discuss their cutting-edge art from 3-4 p.m. “Aerosol Evolution: Graffiti Art Transcending Past, Present and Future Boundaries” will be on display for free to the public from March 5-April 16, 2015.
Posted on February 23, 2015 by Kelsey Tuller
“The fact that you have a life, you have a purpose,” said Daniel Trust, a Rwanda genocide survivor and advocate of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans or Questioning (LGBTQ) community.
Posted on February 23, 2015 by Kathryn Shpak
Harvard University Professor Mary Waters lectured at Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 11 about undocumented immigrants and immigration policy. Due to her outstanding contributions to the field of sociology, Waters received the Robin Williams Jr. Award from the Eastern Sociological Society (EES), and will receive an honorarium from ESS to speak at two universities — this year, Eastern and Lehigh University were chosen.
Posted on February 18, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Pioneering and world-renowned forensic scientist Henry Lee visited Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 10 to talk about lessons he has learned from investigating high profile cases. Lee’s visit was part of Eastern’s Arts and Lecture Series, and drew a capacity crowd in the Betty R. Tipton Room of the Student Center. With unexpected humor, Lee discussed his childhood, career and philosophy on life.
Posted on February 12, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Eastern Connecticut State University’s rugby team hosted the fourth annual Plunge for Hunger in Lauter Park on Feb. 7 to benefit the Covenant Soup Kitchen. While Assistant rugby coach Ray Aramini initially encouraged the team to participate, they have continued to show initiative. “After the first year, players said, ‘This is too good to stop. We need to continue it,’” explained Aramini.
Posted on February 12, 2015 by Ryan King
Through a combination of acting, dancing and singing, the Hartbeat Ensemble performed “Can’t Wait: Reflections on the Movement” at Eastern Connecticut State University on Feb. 4 as part of African American History Month.
Posted on February 06, 2015 by Kathryn Shpak
Twenty-four students from Eastern Connecticut State University attended the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) from Jan. 27-Feb. 1. These students participated in theatre workshops, scholarship competitions, attended shows and networked with theatre students and faculty from different universities in New England.
Posted on February 06, 2015 by Kathryn Shpak
Professor Qimin Liu is the program director for the Eighth Annual AAC Art, Ecology, Observation International Itinerant Exhibition at Marquee Gallery in New London, which runs from Jan. 24-30.
Posted on January 23, 2015 by Kathyrn Shpak
Over the past several years, undergraduate research and creative activity have seen great expansion at Eastern Connecticut State University. More than ever before, students in all majors have opportunities for experiential learning — whether conducted independently or with faculty mentors, on campus or afar, with stipends or for academic credit.
Posted on January 20, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
Henry Lee, one of the world’s foremost forensic scientists, will visit Eastern Connecticut State University at 7 p.m. in the Student Center Theatre on Feb. 10 for the spring semester’s Arts and Lecture Series. Lee has been a prominent participant in many of the most challenging legal cases of the last 50 years, and has worked with law enforcement agencies from 46 countries in helping solve more than 8,000 cases.
Posted on January 12, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
On Jan. 7, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching announced that Eastern Connecticut State University has received the 2015 Community Engagement Classification. Eastern is one of 240 institutions across the nation selected this year, and joins 121 other institutions that earned the classification in 2010 — in total, 361 institutions now hold the classification.
Posted on January 07, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
A group of seniors in Art Professor June Bisantz’s Eastern Design Group class has created designs for five local billboards commemorating Eastern Connecticut State University’s 125th anniversary.
Posted on January 06, 2015 by Anne Pappalardo
In June 2015, Eastern Connecticut State University President Elsa Núñez will begin an appointment on the NCAA Division III Presidents Council. The council is the highest ranking group in the Division III governance structure and has ultimate authority for creating, modifying and implementing policies, as well as oversight of the annual NCAA Division III budget.
Posted on January 05, 2015 by Michael Rouleau
