Eastern Student Jessica Edwards of Newtown is a Member of Pre-Med Society

2012 Mar 13

Jessica Edwards '14 of Newtown, CT, is a member of the Pre-Med Society at Eastern Connecticut State University. Edwards is a Biology major. Edwards is secretary of the club. The purpose of the Pre-Med Society is to provide resources for students interested in pursuing a career in the medical field.

This past fall, the Pre-Med Society hosted several health profession guest speakers, including a registered nurse and individuals from the University of Connecticut Urban Services program. In addition, they held informational sessions regarding the Army Health Scholarship program and medical school preparation including pre-requisite and admission requirements along with interview practice sessions.

More than 30 percent of the full-time students enrolled at Eastern now participate in at least one club/organization, an increase of almost 10 percent since fall 2008. Students who participate in clubs/organizations excel in the classroom and do better academically than students who do not participate. In spring 2011, 1,345 full-time students participating in clubs had an average GPA of 3.06, much higher than the 2.84 average for those students not taking part in any of the nearly 70 clubs/organizations.

Clubs/organizations planned and implemented almost 600 events last academic year. These programs have a direct impact on the daily life of all students on Eastern's campus. The programs range from social to educational, physical to spiritual, and civic engagement programs that equally affect the community.

Eastern Connecticut State University is the state's public liberal arts university. Eastern serves approximately 5,600 students each year on its Willimantic campus and satellite locations.