Eastern Connecticut State University

Hundreds of students graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University this spring 2021 semester. The University's 131st annual Commencement Exercises occurred on campus on May 15 and 16.

Six Eastern Connecticut State University students and alumni recently concluded a 600-mile bike ride to raise awareness of mental health issues. The group, known as "The Valley Boys Ride," concluded their two-week journey in mid-June in the Outer Banks, NC, and raised more than $5,000 for the National Alliance of Mental Illness of Connecticut (NAMI CT).

Eastern Connecticut State University recently released its Dean's List for the spring 2021 semester, in which nearly 1,300 students were recognized for maintaining high GPAs.

Eastern Connecticut State University student Erald Shytko began an eight-week summer internship on June 8 with the American Financial Services Association Education Foundation (AFSAEF) in Washington, D.C. He will participate in the foundation's MoneySKILL program; the full-time, virtual internship also requires him to take an economics course at George Mason University.

Eastern Connecticut State University's J. Eugene Smith Library recently announced the winners of its 9th annual Library Research Awards. This year's awards recognize four exemplary undergraduate research projects from the last two years that utilized library resources.

Eastern Connecticut State University student Aicha Ly has been named a recipient of the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the competitive scholarship will fund Ly's field studies in Costa Rica in the winter of 2022.

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.

The Theatre Program's final production of the year, "Cultivating Dignity," was an innovative collaboration based on Martin Luther King Jr.'s summer working on a tobacco farm in Simsbury, CT. The historical piece was adapted for film and available online.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Social Work Program recently partnered with the Willimantic Police Department on a groundbreaking internship that embedded social work students into the department's police work. In a time when law enforcement faces heightened scrutiny, the experimental internship involved two students who served as "bridges to the community" and aided officers in crisis intervention and de-escalation.

Eastern Connecticut State University's social work program inducted 20 new members into Phi Alpha, the international honor society for the field of social work. The induction took place in Eastern's Shafer Auditorium on May 13.

Eastern Connecticut State University held its Eighth Annual Inclusive Excellence Student Awards Ceremony on May 6. The ceremony honors the academic achievements of African, Latino, Asian and Native American students, and also presents 11 special awards to students who have demonstrated excellence in community, volunteering, social justice and more.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Department of Sociology inducted 14 students into Alpha Kappa Delta (ADK) on May 7, the international honor society for sociology students.

Eastern student Jack Cerra recently received the Rankin Award for best undergraduate oral presentation at the recent virtual meeting of the New England Estuarine Research Society (NEERS).

Eastern Connecticut State University's History Department inducted 19 students into Phi Alpha Theta, the national honor society for history students, on May 11.

Five Eastern Connecticut State University students were recently inducted into Alpha Upsilon Chi, the international honor society for the field of health, kinesiology, physical education, recreation, sport and dance.

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.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Department of Environmental Earth Science (EES) held its annual award and induction ceremony on May 6. Four students were inducted into the Theta Upsilon chapter of the Sigma Gamma Epsilon (SGE) national honor society in earth sciences and nine awards were distributed for outstanding work within the field.

Eastern Connecticut State University inducted 25 students into the Delta Mu Delta Honor Society (DMD) on May 6. This international honor society recognizes accounting, business administration, business information systems and finance majors.

Eastern Connecticut State University's English Department recognized students at its semesterly English Night awards ceremony on May 6. At the conclusion of the fall semester in December 2020, the English Department inducted students into the Sigma Tau Delta honor society.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Biology Department inducted 20 students into the Beta Beta Beta (Tri-Beta) National Biology Honor Society on April 30.

Eastern Connecticut State University's World Languages and Cultures Department inducted five students into the Sigma Delta Pi National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society on May 3.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Psychological Science Department held its Psi Chi Induction Ceremony and Honors Recognition on April 30. Combining the years of 2020 and 2021, the ceremony inducted 53 students into the Psi Chi International Honor Society for Psychology and recognized 18 students for distinction.

Eastern Connecticut State University student Olivia Anderson recently presented at the prestigious Posters on the Hill Conference on April 28. The conference, which was hosted virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, provided students from across the country with the opportunity to present their research to U.S. senators and other government officials.

Eastern Connecticut State University has awarded two students with the annual President's Award as part of the CREATE (Celebrating Research Excellence and Artistic Talent at Eastern) Conference. Each year, two students are given this award for outstanding scholarly work, such as research or performance.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Communication Department held its annual Celebration of Excellence on April 28. This event inducted 30 new students into the Lambda Pi Eta national honor society for communication and recognized additional students for excellence in radio, journalism, television, video production, research and leadership.

Eastern Connecticut State University student Kathryn Kubisek has demonstrated outstanding volunteer work through the University's Center for Community Engagement (CCE) in the 2020-21 academic year. By volunteering with St. Joseph's Living Center, Windham elementary schools and the special needs camp, Horizons, Kubisek has established an exceptional reputation within the local volunteering community.

The Political Science Department at Eastern Connecticut State University inducted 14 students into Pi Sigma Alpha, the international honor society for political science, on April 28.

Eastern Connecticut State University inducted 16 students into Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE), the Connecticut Alpha Chapter of the International Honor Society for Computing and Information Disciplines on April 28. The new inductees are enrolled in Eastern's computer science and business information systems (BIS) programs.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Mathematical Sciences Department inducted 19 students into the Connecticut Beta Chapter of the Kappa Mu Epsilon National Mathematics Honor Society (KME) on April 23.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Women's and Gender Studies program inducted six new students into the Iota Iota Iota (Triota) Honor Society and awarded two students with the Dr. Marcia P. McGowan Scholarship for Excellence in Women's and Gender Studies on April 23.