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.

Alumni traveled from as far away as North Carolina to say goodbye to Danforth and Everton. “We are saying goodbye to the end of an era,” said Psychology Professor Carlos Escoto, who recalled Danforth being the chair of the Psychology Department when he was first hired.

At the reception, Professor Peter Bachiochi briefed alumni in attendance on Everton’s health status; she is currently battling a brain aneurysm. “There is a hole in the department because she takes up a lot of space,” said Bachiochi. Everton’s wife, Norma Vivar, said, “Wendi would’ve been thrilled to be here; she loved these types of events and she loved her job.”

After the reception, alumni were taken on a tour of the Psychology Department’s new labs in Goddard Hall by Professor Lyndsey Lanagan-Leitzel. The new space includes a lounge for students and discussion rooms for group work, as well as subject rooms that are fully equipped with video monitoring systems and microphones. Some subject rooms include two-way mirrors where students and professors can observe subjects from the other side. The new space also has a food lab that is equipped with kitchen appliances and is intended to allow research on eating behavior.

“It’s great and it’s beautiful; they’ve done a wonderful job with it,” said Andrew DiFiore, a 2010 graduate who is currently in private practice as a psychotherapist. “I love coming here still, it’s exciting to me!”

He added, “Dr. Everton was my advisor, and I have very fond and warm memories of her.” DiFiore credits Eastern for his success in graduate school and is thankful for the people he met in the Psychology Department. “I felt like when I got to graduate school, it was actually easier than the program here. Everton’s psychology program is academically rigorous and challenging in a good way and I found the faculty here to be some of the best people I ever met.”

Other alumni recorded video messages for Everton. Carline Charmelus, a 2012 graduate, gave Everton an update on her life and thanked her for the great times she had when she was on campus. “Currently I am managing a statewide campaign to end homelessness and I am enjoying the work that I do because it’s making a difference; I’m seeing changes happen in our communities,” said Charmelus. “Just know that you are well loved,” she said in her video message to Everton.

Alumni were also given the opportunity to network with each other and were able to meet the Psychology Department’s new faculty. The night ended with a video compilation of the department’s activities through the years.