Psychologist named Eastern's Distinguished Professor of the Year

Peter Bachiochi: Serving university and community for more than 25 years

by Noel Teter

Willimantic, CT (06/11/2025) — Psychological science Professor Peter Bachiochi of Mansfield was named Eastern Connecticut State University's 2025 Distinguished Professor of the Year, announced at the spring University Meeting this May. The annual award recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates academic excellence in teaching, devotion to scholarship, and service to the University.

"I've always tried to do a little more than what's required," said Bachiochi, calling his recognition "rewarding."

Bachiochi was recommended for the award by psychological science Professors James Diller, department chair, and Lyndsey Lanagan-Leitzel, assistant department chair. Several of Bachiochi's colleagues outside the University also submitted recommendations to the reviewing committee.

Preparing Students

Bachiochi views providing mentorship as his duty as an educator. As a developer of the industrial-organizational psychology concentration within the psychology major, Bachiochi, a former project manager for multinational tech giant IBM, ensures that his students are prepared to navigate their next steps both professionally and mentally.

"It's a niche area of psychology but students finish well prepared for graduate school or jobs in the industry," he said.

A key area of managing educational or professional life is adaptability, which Bachiochi's teaching style necessitates. "I'm not the kind of person who's going to spoon-feed somebody answers," he said. "I'm going to help them figure it out on their own.

"My role is helping (students) believe that they have what it takes or can develop the skills and knowledge they need."

Bachiochi also looks to build empathy in his students, which he sees as key in a diverse workforce. He teaches a Liberal Arts Core Curriculum (LAC) course focusing on inclusion in the workplace.

"We learn about people with all kinds of differences and how organizations make the workplace a more accommodating place for them, whether it's gender differences, people with disabilities, etc., and how companies can manage a bit differently to make sure those people can be as successful as possible," he said.

"The service I'm doing is partially motivated by empathy for the people I'm working with and for, and I try to bring that idea into classes."

Building Houses and Relationships

Bachiochi also ensures that his students gain perspective and problem-solving abilities beyond the classroom. As the campus advisor of the University's chapter of Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit aiming to build affordable housing for those in need, Bachiochi leads spring break trips to locations across the country in conjunction with other local chapters.

Students often learn unexpectedly applicable lessons on these trips. "By the end of the week, they've learned how to use power tools and are not intimidated by them at all. That translates into confidence in all sorts of other things too," he said.

"It's a combination of giving back to the community, but also providing really cool developmental opportunities for the students who are involved."

Research Contributions

Bachiochi's academic pursuits extend beyond the classroom while staying true to his teaching mission. Much of his research focuses on professional and social support groups within organizations, known as affinity groups. These include groups such as pride alliances or the nonprofit organization Women Who Code.

Bachiochi investigated how joining affinity groups impacts health outcomes like stress and burnout. He found that employees with these opportunities reported fewer negative health outcomes.

Bachiochi has also conducted teaching-oriented research to serve the psychology field. In partnership with the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, "we put together teaching resources to help introductory psychology professors who don't have a background in the area to teach the topics."

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. 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 25 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024-25 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 15 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

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Peter Bachiochi

Eastern Connecticut State University