Eastern Connecticut State University

Eastern Connecticut State University recently hosted its first Minority Health Conference, which examined the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 among people of color and racial/ethnic health disparities across Connecticut. The virtual conference featured state and local health officials and was organized by four Eastern students.

The Honors Program at Eastern Connecticut State University recognized graduating seniors at its annual Senior Reception on May 13. The event celebrates seniors who have completed their theses projects as part of the Honors Program's graduation requirements.

Two students and one faculty member from Eastern's Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) received awards at the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) Eastern District Awards this April.

Two graduating seniors from Eastern Connecticut State University are recipients of the Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Awards this 2020-21 academic year. The award is the highest undergraduate distinction presented by the Connecticut State Universities (CSU) system, which annually honors 12 students from the four state universities--Eastern, Central, Southern and Western.

Two graduating seniors from Eastern Connecticut State University are recipients of the Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Awards this 2020-21 academic year. The award is the highest undergraduate distinction presented by the Connecticut State Universities (CSU) system, which annually honors 12 students from the four state universities.

Five Eastern Connecticut State University students created a user-friendly website to help individuals schedule COVID-19 vaccination appointments.

Eastern Connecticut State University student Lucy Truszkowski '21, an English major concentrating in Rhetoric and Composition, has had her essay accepted in the upcoming undergraduate research-focused issue of "Xchanges," an interdisciplinary journal for technical communication, writing/rhetoric and writing across the curriculum.

Recent Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Wasan Hayajneh '20 is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in animation at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).

Eastern Connecticut State University student Hannah Beazoglou, a senior majoring in business administration from West Hartford, has been awarded the Delta Mu Delta (DMD) Board Award. This is the second consecutive year Beazoglou has been recognized by DMD, a national business honors society.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Office of Housing and Residential Life is employing a fleet of students to serve as resident assistants (RAs) for the fall 2020 semester.

Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Julia Medina '20 is one of 19 members of the first cohort of college graduates selected for the Connecticut Governor's Innovation Fellowship (CTGIF) program.

Eastern Connecticut State University senior Lacoy Brown was honored at the 25th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Awards on Feb. 26.

More than 80 prospective students are vying for admission to Eastern Connecticut State University this summer through the alternative admissions program known as "STEP/CAP" - Summer Transition at Eastern Program/Contract Admissions Program. To help facilitate this year's program, 19 current students are working as peer mentors, advisors and writing tutors for STEP/CAP participants.

Eighteen gifted students graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University's prestigious Honors Program this spring 2020 semester. The competitive program provides an academically challenging course of study that culminates in an original research project in the student's senior year known as the "honors thesis."

The competitive dance team at Eastern Connecticut State University performed at the prestigious Universal Dance Alliance College Nationals (UDA) on Jan. 17-19 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The team qualified for finals at the UDA for the first time in Eastern's history, where they finished eighth place in the Open Hip-Hop Division.

A group of Eastern Connecticut State University student leaders served as student orientation counselors (SOCs) for the spring SOAR program. SOAR stands for Student Orientation, Advising and Registration and is designed to welcome new students and acclimate them to life on Eastern's campus.

Eastern Connecticut State University Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) students won the Dee Perrelli College Bowl on Nov. 21. In its 10th year, the bowl is hosted by the Connecticut Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CTAHPERD) at its yearly conference in Cromwell. This is the fourth year in a row Eastern students have won the competition.

Seventy-five students are serving as resident assistants (RAs) at Eastern Connecticut State University this fall 2019 semester.

School districts across the nation continue to face a lack of minority teachers. Eastern Connecticut State University's participation in the Holmes Master's Program seeks to alleviate this problem. On June 28, Eastern celebrated three aspiring teachers from underrepresented backgrounds who will soon enter the teaching profession.

Digital art & design students in Eastern Connecticut State University's Art 335: Graphic Design course collaborated with Windham Hospital's Auxiliary to enhance the theme of the hospital's 2019 fundraising gala. Held at Horizon's in South Windham, the gala's theme this year was "Sous La Mer" (Under the Sea).

A group of student leaders at Eastern is serving as student orientation counselors (SOCs) for the SOAR program this summer. SOAR stands for Student Orientation, Advising and Registration and is the university's summer orientation program for new and incoming students.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Education Department held its sixth annual Education Awards ceremony in the Cafe of the Student Center on April 20. Six graduating seniors and three Eastern alumni were awarded for their contributions to the field of education.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Psychology Department held its annual award ceremony on April 29. Twenty-six students were inducted into the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology and 14 students were honored for achieving high and highest distinction department honors in the major.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Honors Program held its senior reception on May 18 in the Johnson Room of the J. Eugene Smith Library. The event celebrated the achievements of 25 graduating students enrolled in the university's highly selective Honors Programs.

Eastern Connecticut State University's History Department held an award ceremony for its graduating seniors on May 8. Students were awarded for their academic achievements in the history major.

Eastern Connecticut State University student Italo Bucca '19 of Hartford was the student recipient of the Cesar Chavez Distinguished Service Award on April 24. Among his involvements on campus, Bucca has volunteered with Eastern's Center of Community Engagement, study abroad office, the nonprofit organization Big Brother, Big Sister and Windham Middle School. Bucca majors in General Studies.

Eastern Connecticut State University student Shawn Dousis '19 of East Lyme was the student recipient of Eastern's annual Ella T. Grasso Distinguished Service Award on March 27.

Eastern Connecticut State University student Morgane Russell '19 of West Hartford received the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished Service Award on Feb. 27.

Eastern Connecticut State University student Brendan Cullinane '19 was recently accepted into a doctoral program for physical therapy at the University of Delaware (UD). The UD Department of Physical Therapy was named the top physical therapy graduate program in the nation in the 2017 edition of U.S. News and World Report's Best Graduate Schools.

Eastern Connecticut State University students and staff recently expanded their law enforcement knowledge through an extensive program offered by the Willimantic Police Department (WPD). Eight students, in addition to Christopher Ambrosio, interim director of the Office of Student Conduct, completed the WPD's Citizen's Police Academy this past November.