Eastern Connecticut State University

Nineteen English students at Eastern embarked on an annual global field course to Florence, Italy, from June 22 to August 2. Titled "Creative Writing Abroad," the course was led by English Professor Christopher Torockio and allowed students to draw writing inspiration by immersing in Italian culture and the countryside. During their six weeks abroad, students were assigned to write a short story inspired by their time in Italy. In doing so, they had ample opportunities to explore locations outside Florence.

Walter Scudder '25, a four-year starting midfielder and two-year captain on Eastern Connecticut State University's men's soccer team, was named one of three recipients of the Little East Conference (LEC) Student Athlete-of-the-Year Award for the 2024-25 academic year.

Now going strong for four decades, Eastern Connecticut State University hosted 44 hopeful first-year students during its annual Summer Transition at Eastern Program/Contract Admissions Program (STEP/CAP). Coordinated by Christina Irizarry and Kolin Ebron of the Office of Opportunity Programs, STEP/CAP is designed to provide a smooth transition into higher education for select incoming students over the course of six weeks with the help of student community leaders.

Eighteen first- and second-year students majoring in STEM fields participated in a residential program this July meant to support historically underrepresented students in the sciences. Modeled after the National Science Foundation's Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program, the two-week Eastern-funded initiative included a transitional "bridge" program for incoming first-year students and a research institute for sophomores.

Thirteen biology students at Eastern submerged themselves in research on oceanic ecosystems as part of two global field courses (GFCs) on San Salvador Island in the Bahamas this past May 2025. The courses, titled "Oceanic Island Ecology" (BIO 319) and "Tropical Biology" (BIO 320), were taught collaboratively by biology Professors Kristen Epp, Brett Mattingly, and Joshua Idjadi.

Members of Eastern Connecticut State University's incoming Class of 2029 caught their first glimpse of college life across six different sessions of SOAR, an immersive two-day orientation experience facilitated by student orientation counselors, known as SOCs.

More than 800 Eastern Connecticut State University students received undergraduate and graduate-level degrees in the 2024-25 academic year, which culminated this past May with two commencement ceremonies at the conclusion of the spring 2025 semester.

Twenty-six students at Eastern Connecticut State University ventured to Switzerland as part of a course titled "PSY 471: Lifespan Development in Psychology," from May 22 to June 2. The global field course (GFC) was led by psychology Professors Jennifer Leszczynski and T. Caitlin Vasquez-O'Brien and prompted students to compare the lifestyles of different age demographics.

From a snowstorm at the Grand Canyon to a climb up an active volcano, environmental earth science (EES) students at Eastern Connecticut State University experienced the natural wonders of Arizona during a global field course (GFC) from March 14-26. The course, titled "EES 271: Earth and Environmental Field Excursion," was led by EES Professors Dickson Cunningham and Peter Drzewiecki. The two have traveled to Arizona three times to teach the course.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Department of Communication, Film, and Theatre held its annual honor society induction ceremony on April 3 at the Fine Arts instructional Center Concert Hall. Eastern's chapter of the Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society inducted 21 students. Lambda Pi Eta, the National Communication Association's official honor society for four-year colleges and universities, inducted 23 students.

Eastern Connecticut State University's philosophy program inducted six students into its chapter of the Phi Sigma Tau International Honor Society on April 7. Students, family and faculty gathered in the Connecticut Room in Gelsi-Young Hall to celebrate the occasion.

Eastern Connecticut State University's College of Business inducted 50 students into three honor societies on April 16. Students, family and faculty gathered in the Student Center Betty Tipton Room to celebrate inductees of Alpha Mu Alpha, Delta Mu Delta, and Omicron Delta Epsilon International Honor Societies.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Department of Political Science, Philosophy, and Geography held its annual honor society induction ceremony on April 9 at the Gelsi-Young Hall Connecticut Room. The Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society inducted 19 students.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Department of Health Sciences and Nursing hosted its annual award ceremony on April 23 at the Fine Arts Instructional Center. Phi Theta Delta, Eastern's health sciences honor society, inducted 24 students. The department recognized 25 teaching assistants and awarded 21 students.

The computer science and business information systems (BIS) programs held their annual honor society induction ceremony on April 23 in the J. Eugene Smith Library. The Upsilon Pi Epsilon International Honor Society for the Computing and Information Disciplines inducted 19 students.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Department of Music recognized the achievements of 11 outstanding music majors during the annual Honors Recital and Awards Ceremony on April 27 at the Fine Arts Instructional Center Concert Hall. Five performed in the recital, while three received First-Year Merit Awards and three others received Yaps Memorial Endowed Scholarships.

Eastern's Women's and Gender Studies program held its annual honor society ceremony on April 25 at the Dr. David G. Carter Science Building, inducting seven students into Iota Iota Iota (Triota), the national honor society for women's and gender studies.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Department of World Languages and Cultures inducted five students to the Sigma Delta Pi National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society on April 25. Students, family, and faculty gathered in the Dr. David G. Carter Science Building to celebrate the society's 2025 inductees.

The Department of Psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University inducted 39 students into the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology on May 8. During the ceremony, 14 students also won departmental awards for their undergraduate work.

The Department of History at Eastern Connecticut State University inducted 16 students into the Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society on May 2. During the ceremony, six students also won departmental awards for their undergraduate work.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Department of Mathematical Sciences inducted nine students into the Kappa Mu Epsilon (KME) National Mathematics Honor Society on April 25. Students, family and faculty gathered in the J. Eugene Smith Library to celebrate the KME 2025 inductees.

The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, Criminology and Social Work at Eastern Connecticut State University inducted 24 students into the Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society for Criminology and the Alpha Kappa Delta Honor Society for Sociology on May 12.

The Department of Environmental Earth Science at Eastern Connecticut State University held its annual honor society and awards ceremony on May 7, inducting eight students into Sigma Gamma Epsilon and recognizing others for academic achievement.

The Department of English at Eastern Connecticut State University recognized four students for their undergraduate work on May 6. The annual English Night features capstone and senior seminar presentations, as well as awards presented to outstanding English majors.

The Department of Social Work at Eastern Connecticut State University inducted 12 students into the Phi Alpha national honor society on May 15.

The Office of Opportunity Programs at Eastern Connecticut State University inducted 27 students into the Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha) national honor society for first-generation students on May 13.

The Department of Biology at Eastern Connecticut State University inducted 13 students into the Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta) national honor society on May 2. During the ceremony, students also won departmental awards for their undergraduate work.

Nine students at Eastern Connecticut State University participated in biology Professor Barbara Murdoch's summer research institute titled "Hands-on Undergraduate Research with Cutting-Edge Sequencing Technology: Transforming Abstract Concepts into Tangible Discoveries." According to her, the project brought together students from a variety of scientific disciplines to experiment with powerful research technology that's not typically available to undergraduates. "The participants included biology, psychology, and health sciences majors, none of whom had prior experience with molecular biology or DNA sequencing," said Murdoch. "The participants are to be commended for their phenomenal results from DNA sequencing, interpretation of their data, and for their poster presentations."

Eight students at Eastern Connecticut State University Participated in business administration Professor Fatma Pakdil's summer research institute titled "Data Analytics-Oriented Undergraduate Research: Industry 4.0 and Big Data Analytics in Healthcare." The institute focused on building technologies that benefit the healthcare industry.

Six students at Eastern Connecticut State University bound art with prose in art Professor Lora Lee's summer research institute titled "Tell Your Story Through Picture Books." According to Lee, storytellers learned how to plan, write, and illustrate books that reflected their voices and personal stories. "Books are a powerful medium. They allow us to express creativity, connect with like-minded people, and produce something tangible that's fun to make, read, and hold," she said. "I've always been amazed by how creative and unique our students are. They have so many ideas and compelling stories to tell."