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Media Advisory: Tomorrow, 900 Eastern undergrads to receive diplomas at Hartford's XL Center

I forgot to include the time in my previous release--apologies for the inbox clutter! The procession begins at 5:30 and the ceremony is promptly at 6. Also, see the URL attachment below for the program. Please let me know of your plans to attend so I can prepare a media pass. - MIke

Willimantic, CT (05/15/2023) — Eastern Connecticut State University will hold its 132nd annual Commencement Exercises on Tuesday, May 16, at the XL Center in Hartford, where upwards of 900 undergraduates in the Schools of Arts and Sciences and Education and Professional Studies are scheduled to receive their bachelor's degrees.

The procession begins at 5:30 with the ceremony beginning promptly at 6 p.m.

Thomas Gibson '96, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, will give the commencement address. He is a 1996 Eastern graduate and will also receive an honorary degree at the ceremony.

The ceremony will feature the Governor's Foot Guard Color Guard, musical selections by Eastern faculty and students, recognition of Daniel Donaghy, this year's Distinguished Professor, and remarks by President Nunez, Ari Santiago, representing the Board of Regents for Higher Education, and Senior Class President Nora Ammouche '23.

"We are pleased to honor Dr. Gibson as this year's commencement speaker," said Eastern President Elsa Nunez. "Dr. Gibson is one of our most accomplished alumni and a prime example of the achievement that can be attained through an Eastern education. Furthermore, from one university president to another, I am gratified to see that he leads UW-Stevens Point with the same values and guiding principles that we follow at Eastern - inclusion, access, academic excellence and hands-on learning. Dr. Gibson is an inspiring alumnus for our new graduates to hear from as they advance beyond Eastern."

"I'm pleased to return to Eastern Connecticut State University, a place that has given so much to me both personally and professionally," said Gibson. "This is the institution where I discovered my purpose. While I majored in communication, it was here that I was first introduced to the profession of student affairs and higher education administration. I discovered my greatest satisfaction was in helping other students, which has led to a career dedicated to student success and expanding opportunities for them."

Gibson became the 15th chancellor of UW-Stevens Point on Jan. 11, 2021. Highlights of his first year as chancellor include the launch of an online and graduate program enrollment initiative; the opening of the University's Center for Inclusive Excellence; and efforts to provide first-year students with applied learning experiences.

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,100 students annually on its Willimantic campus. In addition to attracting students from 160 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 32 states and eight countries. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 20 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022-23 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 13 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

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