Eastern Connecticut State University

Several hundred Willimantic residents converged on Eastern Connecticut State University on Nov. 23 for 10th annual Day of Giving. The event provided a hot holiday meal to people who otherwise may not have been able to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner. Eastern students played a big role in the Day of Giving, serving food, escorting guests and cleaning up after the event.

A number of Eastern students commit to student internships as an on-site practical work experience with a company or organization that can provide them with firsthand knowledge of a career field. The internship is usually related to the student's major or is directly related to the student's career interest. They often complement the student's coursework, can incorporate skills and classroom experience into the workplace and assist the student in developing new abilities and skills.

Eastern Connecticut State University freshman point guard Carlos Gonzalez has been named Little East Conference men's basketball Rookie-of-the-Week in the second report of the season, released Nov. 28.

Three students from Eastern Connecticut State University participated in an English research conference at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) on Nov. 4. The forum featured undergraduate students from across the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System.

November 2016 will go down in history for the Theatre Program at Eastern Connecticut State University, as the program's first major production in the Proscenium Theatre premiered. Situated in the new Fine Arts Instructional Center, "Cervantes' Pedro, The Great Pretender" christened the Proscenium Theatre from Nov. 8 to 13.

Nicole Hess '18, a sophomore from Manchester majoring in business administration with a concentration in marketing and a minor in communications, is studying at Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) in Barcelona, Spain, through the CIS Abroad program.

Eastern Connecticut State University student James Doucette III received a travel grant from the university to present his research earlier this month in Florida.

In its ongoing effort to grow the pool of qualified teachers and advance the field of education, Eastern Connecticut State University is participating in the Holmes Program. The Holmes Program supports students from historically underrepresented backgrounds who are pursuing careers in education. As part of the project, Eastern is hosting Colombia-native Ayda Liliana Parra Rojas and Sri Lanka-native Chamanthika Wickramasinghe, who are both pursuing master's degrees in education.

Eastern student Taylor Herold '17, a communication major from Manchester, won a Ken M. Bedini Student Leader Award this November at the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) Northeast Conference in Hartford.

Twenty members of the Eastern Connecticut State University chapter of Habitat for Humanity slept outdoors in cardboard boxes on Nov. 2-3 for the annual "Shackathon." The event aims to raise awareness of homelessness, as well as raise funds for the club's annual spring break trip.

Alexis Lyonnais '17, a psychology major with a minor in criminology, is midway through an internship with the adult probation office in Willimantic, a subset of the state's judicial branch. Throughout the fall 2016 semester, she's interning 10 hours per week at the office to fulfill her criminology program requirement.

Twelve students from Eastern Connecticut State University presented their research and creative activity at the Northeast Regional Research Conference of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) on Oct. 21-22. Hosted by the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), eight colleges in the COPLAC consortium participated in the undergraduate conference.

Junior All-America defender Maggie Bodington (Stratford) has been named Little East Conference Defensive Player-of-the-Week in the fifth weekly women's soccer report of the year, released Monday, October 3.

Jessica Durkin '18, a biology major from Eastern Connecticut State University, was the recipient of a Toppers Education Fund Scholarship on Oct. 16 at the Tumble Brook Country Club in Bloomfield. The Portland native was among four Jewish college students who were awarded based on academic achievement and extracurricular involvement. Durkin is a the president of Hillel, an on-campus Jewish student organization; a member of the Biology Club and Repertory Dance Troupe; a biology teaching assistant; a resident assistant in a first year residence hall; a community garden volunteer in Windham; and is participating in an independent study that investigates the effects of microgravity on neuronal functioning. "I think my wide range of involvement helped me get this scholarship," said Durkin. "I plan on using the money to help pay for two biology field courses" - one to Arizona this coming spring to study desert ecology; the other to the Bahamas next summer to study tropical biology. "I have not done much traveling, ever, so I'm very excited and extremely grateful for this opportunity."

In her first season as a starter, senior back Shannon Connors of Westport has helped the Warriors compensate for the loss of two starting defenders from last year's Little East Conference playoff finalists.

Each semester, Eastern Connecticut State University provides students with the opportunity to study abroad in various countries throughout the world.

Eastern Connecticut State University hires resident assistants for the 2016-17 academic year. RAs are responsible for guiding and aiding students with on-campus residential living.

Study abroad allows students to experience the world and the global community. Many students take the opportunity to study abroad during their time at Eastern.

Eastern Connecticut State University recently released its Dean's List for the summer 2016 semester.

Two Eastern Connecticut State University students were awarded scholarships at the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) reception on Sept. 7 in Hartford.

Eastern Connecticut State University recently released its list of newly enrolled students for the fall 2016 semester.

Three biology students from Eastern Connecticut State University presented original research at the 75th Annual Society for Developmental Biology Meeting in Boston, MA, this past August. Mentored by Biology Professor Amy Groth, Katherine Burgos '17, Elizabeth Del Buono '17 and Elizabeth Schoell '16 presented multiple projects on an organism called C. elegans, a nematode with a relatively similar genome to humans.

Mariana Serrano '18, a biology and health sciences double major at Eastern Connecticut State University, spent the summer in Boston, MA, participating in the Harvard Catalyst Summer Clinical and Translational Research Program (SCTRP).

Tom "Stork" Valencis '17 has been selected for USA Rugby's Academic Honor Roll for the 2015-16 academic year. Valencis was selected as one of 15 male rugby players in the country with a 3.9 or better GPA.

A team of early childhood education researchers at Eastern Connecticut State University recently published an article about the effects of naptime data meetings on the "math talk" of early care providers in the preschool setting.

A number of Eastern students commit to student internships as an on-site practical work experience with a company or organization that can provide them with firsthand knowledge of a career field. The internship is usually related to the student's major or is directly related to the student's career interest. They often complement the student's coursework, can incorporate skills and classroom experience into the workplace and assist the student in developing new abilities and skills.

Eastern Connecticut State University student Jacob Dayton '18 is one of two students selected for a Summer Research and Creative Activity Fellowship this summer.

The Office of Continuing Studies and Enhanced Learning at Eastern offers Global Field Courses throughout the academic year. The programs offer the opportunity to earn at least three credits while traveling with an Eastern faculty member. Studying in a remote location from campus is a great way to experience a new culture and serves to expand your view of the world and develop real life skills.

Eastern Environmental Earth Science students recently participated in summer undergraduate research projects with Professors Drew Hyatt and Peter Drzewiecki.

Nicole Garcia '17 is one of two Eastern Connecticut State University students working at a paid fellowship on campus this summer. During the three-week program, Garcia, a theatre major from Newington, is designing sets for the upcoming production of "Two Gentlemen of Verona."