A New Era
PRESIDENT KARIM ISMAILI
Eastern Magazine is published by the Division of Institutional Advancement for the benefit of alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends of Eastern Connecticut State University.
Executive Editor Kenneth DeLisa
Editor Michael Rouleau
Designers Leigh Balducci | Kevin Paquin
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Joseph McGann | Bob Molta | Ashley Orcutt
Edward Osborn | Ryan Quigley | Noel Teter
Lucinda Weiss
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President Ismaili commemorates his first semester as president with a group photo with the Class of 2028.
Greetings! I want to thank everyone who has given me such a warm and generous welcome as Eastern’s new president. It is an honor to be part of this special community.
In addition to spending time in August and September getting to know students, faculty, staff and members of the local community, I had a wonderful day on Oct. 5 meeting with the Jubilee Class of 1974, other alumni and parents of current students. The pride shared that day by generations of Eastern community members inspired me. I look forward to working with you to make my own contributions to Eastern’s tradition of academic excellence, civic engagement, and service to the local and state communities.
Moving Forward with Strength and Vitality
As I begin my presidency, I can tell you that we move forward with strength and vitality. Our beautiful campus continues to attract students from all corners of Connecticut and beyond. Our undergraduate and graduate enrollment is up compared to last year, and the newly revised Eastern Liberal Arts Core (ELAC) is being fully implemented this fall. Eastern students now have greater flexibility and context to learn essential professional and life skills — critical thinking, ethical reasoning, communication, creativity and quantitative literacy, among others.
Equally important has been the faculty’s innovative response to emerging trends and workforce needs. Our new Bachelor of Science in Nursing, as well as master’s degree “4+1” programs in Accounting, Data Science, Education and Management are just a few examples of how Eastern is rising.
To the many Eastern alumni and friends who provide financial and other support to our students, thank
you! You are making the dream of a college education a reality for many deserving students. There are other ways you can continue to connect with the University, from returning to campus to offer insights to current students to supporting student internships at your place of work.
Above all, stay in touch. I have many more alumni to get to know, so please be sure to reach out to my office when you visit campus. I look forward to meeting you.
Warm regards,
Karim Ismaili, Ph.D. President
Office of the President website
CAMPUS BRIEFS
Close to 900 receive bachelor’s degrees
By Michael Rouleau ’11 and Edward Osborn
Thousands of people filled the XL Center in Hartford on May 14 to celebrate nearly 900 Eastern undergraduate students during the University’s annual graduation ceremony. The event was a momentous occasion for the newest graduates of Connecticut’s only public liberal arts university and marked the end of a journey that, for many, began four years ago during the outset of a global pandemic.
This year’s keynote speaker was Jeffrey Benedict ’91, an Eastern graduate and #1 New York Times best-selling author and seasoned television/film producer. Benedict has written 17 nonfiction books and more than 100 articles and essays exploring a diverse range of topics. Benedict is proud of his blue-collar upbringing and the fact that he attended Eastern, “a small state school in Willimantic.” He told the
graduates to remain humble, but to aim high and to be persistent.
In her final commencement address, then-President Elsa Núñez, who retired in May after 18 years as president, emphasized the students’ liberal arts backgrounds and bright futures. “You have worked diligently and tirelessly, always guided by our faculty and with the ever-present influence of Eastern’s liberal arts values and educational approach. ... You are among the ranks of educated persons who will contribute to your chosen profession by thinking creatively, communicating clearly, working collaboratively and acting ethically.”
Graduate division graduates 70 master’s candidates
More than 70 graduate students received master’s degrees on May 11 during Eastern’s graduate commencement ceremony. The event was held in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center and honored graduates from Eastern’s accounting, education and management programs.
“The world that we live in needs leaders; we have enough followers,” said alumnus and keynote speaker Joseph Lobe ’03, vice president and deputy general counsel for the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority. “Leadership is demonstrated by what we do every single day. Be a leader in your own way. Lead by
example. Lead by treating each other with respect and kindness. Lead by doing the right thing. Lead by admitting when you are wrong. Lead by asking questions, instead of being fed answers.”
Lobe provided the graduates with several principles to guide them: “Be the person that always follows up.
You don’t get something if you don’t ask for it. In life, you will be your best advocate.” The best coaches and mentors are “those that tell you what is hardest for you to hear.” Finally, he noted that while it is good to have goals and ambitions, “allow yourself to breathe before being caught up in what happens next.”
Keynote speaker Jeffrey Benedict
Eastern to appear on Amazon Prime Video series 'The College Tour'
By Ed Osborn
Eastern will be featured on Amazon Prime’s The College Tour next spring as one of the show’s season 13 episodes. Filming took place on Eastern’s campus Oct. 7-11, showcasing a diverse group of 10 students and alumni who represent life at Connecticut’s only public liberal arts university.
Students submitted audition videos in advance of selection for the show, which will highlight Eastern’s academics, residential experience, student life, athletics and campus resources.
“I am excited to represent Eastern on this show because the Eastern community has really allowed me to grow as a person and take advantage of unique opportunities inside and outside of the classroom,” said senior Ian Valeta, one of the episode’s cast members.
Senior Katherine Escalante, another cast member, added: “I hope that viewers will get a sense of how Eastern truly fosters excellence among our students. ... I love how Eastern encourages (us) to explore new opportunities, take on leadership roles, and take advantage of all our campus has to offer.”
The show is hosted and executive produced by Alex Boylan, winner of The Amazing Race in 2002 at the age of 23. Other co-founders and executive producers include Lisa Hennessy and Burton Roberts. Each episode of The College Tour tells the story of what college life is like on campuses throughout the United States and the world.
Meet the cast in this Friends theme song-inspired video.
The College Tour airs on Amazon Prime and is streamed on more than a dozen other platforms and channels, ranging from The College Tour’s website to Apple TV, from Eastern’s website and social media channels to Niche and Roku TV.
“We are excited to be featured on The College Tour,” said Ryan Quigley, interim director of university relations at Eastern. “Previous episodes have shined with student stories brought alive by the talents of The College Tour’s outstanding production team of producers, directors and videographers. ... We are delighted with the students who have been selected for our episode and look forward to being featured in this ground-breaking TV series.”
Student cast member Erik Suzio films his segment.
Eastern’s The College Tour cast gathers for a photoshoot inspired by the theme song of the sitcom Friends. Back: Katherine Escalante, Emily Conte, Hailey Cocca, Brayden Alexis. Front: Jaiden Sorrell, Ian Valeta, Kylie Vermilya, Jaime Rankins.
Crowds swarm to see rare double-blooming corpse flower
By Michael Rouleau ’11
Similar to how the elusive corpse flower’s powerful stench attracts insects from far away, a rare twin corpse flower at Eastern attracted humans from across the country to the University’s greenhouse this past June.
The unusual and highly anticipated two-stemmed amorphophallus titanium, popularly known as “corpse flower,” double-bloomed the evening of June 4 in the Dr. David G. Carter Science Building. The short-lived occurrence — corpse flowers only stay in bloom for up to 72 hours — brought with it a swarm of plant enthusiasts and media coverage.
Corpse flowers are notorious for the noxious odor they give off to attract pollinators that normally live around dead animals, and also for their immense size and shape.
More than 300 people came from across the state and as far away as Boston, New Jersey and even Texas to see the rare flower. Among the “anthophiles” was a little girl whose favorite plant is the corpse flower; a couple who love the plant so much that they have it tattooed on their bodies; a local family who took a Christmas photo with the corpse flower; classrooms of preschool children; and many other curious characters.
The visitor from furthest away was Manny Aybar from Dallas, TX, who flew across the country specifically to witness the double bloom. “People study these flowers their whole life and never see a double bloom,” said Aybar, whose plant background includes being a judge for the American Orchid Society. “To be able to see a double bloom is a lifetime opportunity.”
Eastern Hall makes way for green space
By Lucinda Weiss
Recycling cardboard, paper and plastic has become a weekly routine for many households, but Eastern took sustainability a step further by recycling an entire building as part of its demolition.
Built more than 20 years ago as a temporary classroom/office building next to the library, Eastern Hall had its bits and pieces recovered, reused and recycled to make way for a new green space. The demolition took place this past spring, and now the building’s former footprint has been replaced with sod, native shrubs and hammock stations for students to enjoy.
The building was in use as late as the fall 2023 semester. Some of the olderstyle furniture that is no longer used on
campus was donated to the National Guard. Furniture was also donated to Eastern’s new Thrift Warriors shop and some 30 to 40 percent was repurposed on campus. Metal furnishings were recycled at Willimantic Waste.
About 65% of the sheetrock and carpeting was recovered for reuse, according to James Fielding, coordinator of university construction. Concrete and masonry were also recycled. The road leading up from Windham Street to the library, Clocktower Road, was also repaved.
The energy savings from removing Eastern Hall from service will average 166,500 kWh annually, said Patricia Szczys, director of Eastern’s Institute for Sustainability.
Top faculty award goes to Yaw Nsiah for leading nursing program
By Noel Teter ’24
Professor Yaw Nsiah, chair of the Department of Health Sciences and Nursing, won Eastern’s 2024 Award for Exemplary Service for his vital role in launching the University’s nursing program this past year. The award is Eastern’s top faculty recognition of the academic year.
Nsiah spearheaded the development of the health sciences program in 2017, which was expanded to include nursing in 2023. “We started with a certificate program in public health and then a minor in public health, then a certificate in allied health,” said Nsiah. “Eventually, we put everything together to form the department.”
Nsiah’s use of the word “we” is intentional. “I don't like to use ‘I’ because I have worked with an extremely competent, supportive group of faculty and staff who (agreed) that we needed a health sciences and nursing department,” he said.
“It has been a group effort to put this program together,” he said. “You
can call me a lead, but I’m simply trying to gather a group of people to do something good for the institution.”
Connecticut is facing a nursing shortage, which Eastern aims to alleviate
with its partnership with Hartford HealthCare. The Department of Health Sciences and Nursing has more than 400 students enrolled in the fall 2024 semester. This semester’s first-time enrollment includes 92 students in the health sciences major and 66 in nursing — the maximum cohort size for the program.
“We have a program that is very attractive to students because of the career opportunities,” said Nsiah, adding that the current nursing workforce is aging, presenting opportunities for the next generation of nurses.
Speaking to the challenges of developing a nursing program, he said, “Nursing programs are capital intensive; they require a lot of money and other resources. Not every school is able to train more nurses.”
Eastern was able to launch its nursing program with the help of a $1.2 million grant from the Connecticut Health Horizons program. The funds helped Eastern to hire new staff and faculty for the program, as well as construct and renovate three oncampus simulation labs. The program will also benefit from a soon-to-be-built simulation lab at Windham Hospital.
Generations unite at annual Alumni and Family Day
By Michael Rouleau ’11
Eastern’s campus was abuzz on Oct. 5, as more than 1,000 alumni, students and family members gathered for the annual Alumni and Family Day. The day-long event featured an array of fall-themed activities designed to engage and entertain, bringing together generations of the Eastern community.
From a petting zoo and virtual golf simulator to an inflatable corn maze, attendees of all ages found something to enjoy. Families and students could be seen decorating pumpkins, creating intention bracelets and participating in a campus-wide scavenger hunt. Shuttle bus tours gave a scenic overview of campus and Main Street, while patrons viewed an art exhibition of African treasures (by alumna Jane Gold ’64) and watched a special planetarium show, among other activities.
Graduates from the class of 1974 celebrated their 50th reunion and received golden diplomas during a special luncheon hosted by President Karim Ismaili. Alumni guests spanned 60 years of Eastern history, including graduates from the class of 1964 to the newest alumni from the class of 2024. Some graduates traveled from as far away as Florida to partake in the festivities.
INTRODUCING THE
This fall, Eastern welcomed a surge of new energy and promise with its largest incoming class since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Class of 2028 is composed of just under 800 first-year students, marking a 32% growth from last year’s cohort and pushing the overall campus residency to more than 90% — another post-pandemic high. Born in 2006 and averaging 18 years of age, these students represent the core of Generation Z — a group known for its distinctive values, digital fluency and evolving expectations. But what truly defines this generation? We surveyed 100 of Eastern’s newest students to find out what drives their passions, concerns and hopes for the future.
BEST ALBUM OF 2024
“Short n’ Sweet” | Sabrina Carpenter 38%
“Hit Me Hard and Soft” | Billie Eilish 26%
“Tortured Poets Department” | Taylor Swift 19%
“Brat” | Charli XCX
“Cowboy Carter” | Beyoncé
GO-TO DRINK ORDER
BIGGEST CHALLENGE THEY FACE
FAVORITE STREAMING SERVICE
THE CLASS OF 2028
GENERATION Z SHARES WHAT MAKES THEM TIK(TOK) GENERATION Z SHARES WHAT MAKES THEM TIK(TOK) GENERATION Z SHARES WHAT MAKES THEM TIK(TOK)
CLASS OF 2028 DATA
792 first-year full-time students
37% first in their families to attend college
36% students of color
87% live on campus
4-to-6 male-female ratio
18 states
REALITY TV OBSESSION
ARTIST OF THE SUMMER
ANSWERING THE CALL
From public health to emergency services, many Eastern Connecticut State University alumni are leaving their mark on communities as dedicated first responders. Through a diverse range of experiences and backgrounds, these individuals share a common commitment to service, leadership and compassion.
ANGELINE
HERRICK
’14 MAKING EMERGENCIES “A LITTLE LESS STRESSFUL”
Angeline Herrick ’14 has built a multifaceted career, balancing public health and emergency services. While currently working full time as a consumer reviewer administrator for General Dynamics Information Technology, she also serves part time as a firefighter and advanced EMT for the Old Orchard Beach Fire Department in Maine.
Herrick credits her bachelor’s degree in psychology for her approach to public service. “Working in public health requires an understanding of how to talk to people and how people think, individually and as a group,” she said.
Herrick utilized these skills during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she worked as an outbreak epidemiologist for the
Eastern alumni forge careers in emergency response and public service
By Noel Teter ’24
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), managing a team that helped businesses keep their operations running while adhering to CDC guidelines.
“When I see my patients, it’s because they’re having the worst day of their life. When I leave them, I want their interaction with me to have made that day at least a little less stressful.”
She credits her time at Eastern for helping her develop the skills needed to lead during a crisis. “I have always been in roles that required leadership and being able to take charge,” Herrick said, reflecting on her experiences in public health and emergency response.
A firefighter since 2007, Herrick began volunteering at the Mansfield Fire Department while attending Eastern. While she stops short of calling it courage, Herrick’s compassion and problem-solving help her serve in emergencies.
“When I see my patients, it’s because they’re having the worst day of their life. When I leave them, I want their interaction with me to have made that day at least a little less stressful.”
Officer Jimmy Barrett ’95.
JIMMY BARRETT ’95 PROTECTING AND SERVING
HARTFORD’S HOMELESS
Jimmy Barrett ’95 transitioned from traditional policing to a role in which he finds deeper meaning when he became the homeless outreach officer for the Hartford Police Department.
After nearly 10 years in this role, Barrett has helped transform the lives of many individuals in Hartford’s homeless population, applying the lessons learned from his sociology and applied social relations studies at Eastern.
“The majority of the people in our society live in a bubble and they don’t really understand (homelessness),” he said.
“Any one of us could be homeless at any time,” Barrett said. His empathetic approach focuses on getting to know each person’s story before making assumptions, a philosophy rooted in his time at Eastern. Barrett took the knowledge he gained at Eastern into service with the U.S. Army and his police work. “The foundation was, again, the education from Eastern,” he said.
“If I can make a difference to someone’s life, it’s like a paycheck for me.”
Barrett’s work is personal and relational. He believes that noticing and engaging with people can be the key to transforming lives. “If I can make a difference to someone’s life, it’s like a paycheck for me,” he said.
BROOKE WAYTE ’10 BUILDING RAPPORT IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
Police officer Brooke Wayte ’10 currently works for the Myrtle Beach Police Department in South Carolina, having previously served at the New York City Police Department (NYPD).
Wayte was inspired to become a police officer from a young age.
“My dad had always wanted to be a police officer, but never took the job and regretted it,” she said.
One of Wayte’s top priorities is establishing a rapport with the people she serves. As a sociology major at Eastern, she learned how to relate to “people from all walks of life.”
During her education and her career, Wayte has established core skills such as communication, time management and discipline. A major part of this learning curve took place while playing on Eastern’s women’s lacrosse team.
Wayte remembers “meeting people who supported my goals,” including teammates and then-head coach Christine Hutchison. She also remembers the growing pains that accompanied learning to prioritize.
“We had 6 a.m. practices,” she said. “We hated them when they happened; the biggest challenge was making sure your (class) schedule revolved around your team.”
Through each step of the process, one common skill has assisted Wayte and those she serves: “Relating to people and having conversations with them on their level.”
CAMERON MILTON ’19 A FIREFIGHTER RETURNS TO HIS ROOTS
Cameron Milton ’19 grew up surrounded by firefighters in his family before following in their footsteps. He began volunteering as a firefighter in Norwich at age 18 and made an unexpected return to service in his home city after working as a firefighter in Farmington in 2022.
“I didn’t think I wanted to be in Norwich because I was born and raised there,” said Milton. However, after being offered his current job, he was inspired. “What better way to serve the community?” he said.
Milton made a promise to himself when graduating from Eastern, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration: “I’m going to give my degree three years and see where I go with it.”
If he didn’t like the direction of his career, he would become a firefighter full time. As luck would have it, his job opportunity in Norwich came three years, almost to the day, after he graduated.
Milton’s time at Eastern taught him to prioritize. “I always had a really good class schedule,” said Milton, describing how he balanced his responsibilities while at Eastern. After
graduating, he worked on the corporate side of the pharmaceutical industry, for companies including Pfizer and Alexion Pharmaceuticals, before changing his career.
Yet, Milton’s volunteer service as a firefighter and EMT benefited his corporate career. Serving people in emergency situations gave him the perspective that day-to-day stressors in the corporate world pale in comparison to dire circumstances in the line of duty.
“There are always worse situations out there,” Milton said. “(In the workplace), you’ve got to really handle that and grasp all the information you have.”
MATTHEW SOLAK ’05 LIFELONG LEARNING IN PUBLIC SAFETY
Lieutenant Matthew Solak ’05 of the Willimantic Police Department has built his career around continual learning and service. He speaks highly of Eastern because of “the people you meet and the encouragement of lifelong learning.”
During his 19 years serving Willimantic, Solak has witnessed how “the area has developed” and become a “really different town” than it was when he arrived at Eastern in 1998. “It’s such a small town, but it can still offer an urban experience,” he said.
“Eastern is very open-minded in creating those opportunities and reducing those barriers” for local community members, he said.
Even as he approaches retirement, Solak will continue to learn and serve the local community as an educator. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Con necticut. He has honed his educational acumen in recent years at Eastern by co-instructing a policing course with Theresa Severance, professor of criminology and sociology.
“If you had told me in 1999 that I’d be a lieutenant teaching in a criminology class,” said Solak, “I wouldn’t have believed
TRACIE JOHNSON AN ECLECTIC JOURNEY IN POLICING AND BEYOND
Tracie Johnson ’93 recently retired after 23 years of service as a sergeant with the Manchester Police Department, but she remains active in the field, now serving as the executive assistant to the chief of police at the Coventry Police Department.
“Maybe it’s comfort,” said Johnson on why she serves the police force in retirement. “It’s being able to use some of the same skills. ... I’m not out on the road like I was, but I still have that knowledge of how to make things run in the background.”
Johnson’s path has been eclectic; she studied fine arts and business at Eastern before earning a graduate degree in education and eventually fulfilling her dream of becoming a police officer.
“I got hired as a police officer (by the Manchester PD) at the same time I had already gone back to school to be a teacher because I thought the police thing wasn’t happening,”
“My thought process was, if I never try this one, I’m never going to know, but if it ends up being not what I want, then I still have teaching as a backup.”
Johnson’s time at Eastern prepared her for the many roles she has taken on in her career. “It teaches you multitasking, time management and prioritizing what has to get done,” she said of being a busy college student.
Lt. Solak teaches a course on policing at Eastern.
A case for the liberal arts in the age of AI
By Emily B. Todd, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences
With the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, it is almost impossible to keep up with the latest developments and changes that AI is bringing to industries and people’s daily lives. From the power of ChatGPT to produce polished texts to Dall-E’s ability to generate striking images in seconds, the progress of AI has been a marvel, if not also unsettling.
In my role as dean of arts and sciences at Eastern, Connecticut’s public liberal arts university, many of my conversations with colleagues swing between excitement about what AI makes possible and fear about what threats it may pose. We keep asking: What does AI mean for the liberal arts? What value do the humanities, arts and social sciences bring when the future seems dominated by data and algorithms?
My professional life has been devoted to advocating for the liberal arts in higher education, especially at public institutions. I have always told my students that we don’t know what the future will bring, but we do know that we will need people who can communicate well and be critical, ethical, creative thinkers.
In other words, we need the liberal arts.
I have come to believe that we need the liberal arts in the same way as we always have: to prepare informed citizens to take responsibility for themselves and others in a free society. Now, however, that society is one where AI is prevalent, presenting a new set of challenges that require liberal arts skills perhaps more than ever.
Valuing the liberal arts, in the age of AI, will help us build a more human future.
It will be important for students to learn to harness the power of AI. In order to do so, they’ll need to evaluate different AI tools, assess the content and responses AI generates, and recognize biases baked into the algorithms and source information from which AI pulls.
Their liberal arts training and education will prepare them to use AI responsibly. Through their studies, they grapple with difficult questions. They learn to look at challenges from multiple perspectives. They practice historical understanding, ethical reasoning, textual analysis. They develop critical acumen that helps them think through problems carefully. They prepare themselves to tackle the questions we don’t even yet know that we need to answer.
In their book Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning, José Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson write, “The best hedge against an uncertain future job market is the ability to think and adapt. The liberal arts will only become more relevant in the new era.”
Midway through a new academic year, I feel more committed than ever to the liberal arts mission, especially in a public higher education setting, where students from diverse backgrounds can access the benefits of the liberal arts in a way that broadens their awareness and hones such invaluable skills. The talents and expertise our students will thus develop will benefit all of us.
Now more than ever it is crucial to advocate for the liberal arts as we embrace the opportunities and challenges AI presents. The liberal arts will help us to keep the “human” at the center in an age of machine learning, developing students’ capacity to search for meaning, appreciate complexity, and ask questions that need to be asked. Valuing the liberal arts, in the age of AI, will help us build a more human future.
Dean Todd works with Alicia Abrahams ’24 during a research workshop on campus.
first-year
re amping the liberal arts
eastern refines its trademark curriculum
Long known as Connecticut’s public liberal arts university, Eastern Connecticut State University’s trademark curriculum has a new face. Launching this fall 2024, the new Eastern Liberal Arts Core (ELAC) is a more streamlined program aimed at meeting the needs of a rapidly changing world.
first-year
“Thanks to the extraordinary work of our faculty and many others across the entire university, Eastern has reimagined its liberal arts core to emphasize the essential skills and habits of mind that will enable every graduate to thrive now and well into the future,” said President Karim Ismaili.
“ELAC focuses on educating the individual as a whole person, not just as a future worker in a specific field. It teaches students to approach life and work critically and thoughtfully, creating innovative problem solvers who can face the challenges of a rapidly changing world.”
courtney broscious, professor of political science, ELAC committee member
first-year
first-year seminars common intellectual experiences learning communities writingintensive courses
As always, the curriculum ensures a broad-based education by engaging students in disciplines outside of their major, but now it does so with essential employability skills in mind.
Beyond broadening horizons and being intellectually stimulating, each ELAC course is designed to foster one of five target learning outcomes — critical thinking, ethical reasoning, communication, creativity and quantitative literacy — skills highly sought after by employers. In addition, every course utilizes at least one of 11 high-impact learning practices, such as research, community-based learning, internships, capstone projects, team-based projects and more.
Each Eastern student regardless of their major completes ELAC before receiving their degree, constituting 40 of the 120 credits needed to graduate. Students customize their ELAC journeys with a selection of foundational (writing/math intensive), disciplinary and core (interdisciplinary seminar) courses.
first-year
first-year seminars common
Collaborative assignments & projects
The ability to recognize ethical issues and identify different ethical perspectives to consider the impact of decisions and actions on other individuals, society and the environment.
communitybased learning
first-year seminars common intellectual experiences learning communities writingintensive courses
Collaborative assignments & projects undergraduate research global learning e-portfolios communitybased learning internships Capstone projects e
Starting their very first semester, students can choose from many intriguing ELAC seminars, such as “Getting Started as an Entrepreneur,” “Political Disinformation and New Media,” “War and Society,” “Ethics of Biotechnology” and more.
LEARN HOW EASTERN ALUMNI USE THESE FIVE LEARNING OUTCOMES IN THEIR CAREERS.
first-year seminars common intellectual experiences learning communities
Collaborative assignments & projects undergraduate research global learning e-portfolios communitybased learning internships Capstone projects e
first-year
“By creating a curriculum centered around the learning outcomes and implementing high-impact practices, I hope that students will see the relevance of what they’re learning in ELAC and view it as real value added to their education that will serve them throughout their lives.”
Collaborative assignments & projects undergraduate research global learning communitybased learning internships Capstone projects
megan heenehan, professor of mathematics, ELAC committee member
first-year seminars common intellectual experiences learning communities
The ability to work with numerical data to reason or solve problems and the ability to make judgments and draw conclusions supported by quantitative evidence.
Collaborative assignments & projects undergraduate research global learning
EASTERN’S LIBERAL ARTS CORE
“When considering the benefits of exposure to many disciplines, we recognized that an accumulation of knowledge is not enough. That’s why ELAC focuses more on what to do with that knowledge. Prioritizing the learning outcomes and meeting today’s students where they are, in essence, makes a liberal arts education more relevant, responsive and dynamic.”
david pellegrini, professor of theatre, ELAC committee member
The analysis and evaluation of complex ideas, artifacts, information and arguments as a basis for formulating a well-reasoned belief, judgment or conclusion.
The ability to synthesize ideas, information and materials in original ways, and to use that synthesis to generate imaginative acts or products.
seminars common intellectual experiences learning communities writingintensive courses
The ability to utilize the most appropriate means to impart information and address specific audiences to effectively inform or persuade.
EASTERN’S LIBERAL ARTS CORE
Education by Design
TCatching up with alumni who created an individualized major
By Ed Osborn
he right side of your brain says, “I want to be a ballet dancer,” but the le ft side says, “Let’s study astronomy.” That was yesterday. Today you can’t decide between social work and photography. Ever since you were a child, you have had multiple interests, even as friends of yours have confidently pictured themselves as accountants, doctors or engineers since grade school. At Eastern, having more than one career interest has not been an obstacle for nearly 200 students who have designed their own major, strategically combining several existing fields of study. The individualized major program has been around for decades and has been used to create majors in everything from metaphysics to sports broadcasting, modern aesthetic communication, cognitive neuroscience and Francophone/Third World studies.
Sometimes, a graduate’s career path directly follows the major they created as a student.
James “Nicko” Winner-Arroyo ’06 is one of those people who is creative and artistic but also loves the science of computer technology. Two years into his Eastern degree in computer science, he realized he could combine his two interests into one major — graphic design and computer science. He had been working as a computer programmer, and while he was gaining practical experience, he wanted to do something else. “I was also interested in sculpture, graphic design and visual arts,” said Winner-
Arroyo. “As it turns out, vast areas of technology have opened up that mix art with computers.”
Mentored by computer science Professor Gary Rommel, graphic design Professor June Bisantz and his mother, art Professor Imna Arroyo, Winner-Arroyo took courses in PhotoShop, web design and Adobe Illustrator, at the same time he was taking courses in sculpture and graphic design. He also studied abroad for a year at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec.
“What I loved most about Eastern was how much professors cared about their
“My self-designed major fits my job to a tee. All the skills I was interested in have become super valuable in my job.”
James “Nicko” Winner-Arroyo ’06
students, especially if you were clear in pursuing a dream,” he said. “They would give you whatever you needed to explore your interests, and they were passionate about the subjects they were teaching.”
Today he works remotely for Rackspace Technology, headquartered in San Antonio, TX, as a senior software engineer. His team builds out user interfaces for people who are creating cloud applications. As user-experience lead, his design skills help him maximize the user experience. “My self-designed major fits my job to a tee,” he noted. “All the skills I was interested in have become super valuable in my job.”
Heather Altier ’08 enrolled at Eastern with multiple interests — psychology, biology, film and video production — and initially declared herself as “undecided.” She especially liked documentary film and thought she might end up making educational films about psychology. She realized she could combine the two interests into one degree. With support from Communication Department faculty and former Dean of Arts and Sciences Carmen Cid, Altier created an individualized degree in psychology and video production.
In addition to coursework, Altier worked on the ETV news team as a technical director, operating the teleprompter, switching cameras and editing stories. Altier also had the opportunity to go on three different global field courses in 2007 — to Mexico, Scotland and China.
“In China, I was part of a video crew that was there to film the experiences of the students and professors in the group,” she said. “What we found instead were huge cities like Shanghai drowning in pollution, so we did a documentary on pollution in China instead.”
After graduating from Eastern, Altier worked in the field of infectious diseases and epidemiology for eight years, with jobs at the Connecticut Department of Public Health and later in the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Eventually she went back to school to earn her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at East Tennessee State University, spending a year’s residency in rehab psychology at the University of Washington in Seattle and working at a trauma center.
Altier is currently in a post-doctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University. “While my work has moved away from video production, I find that the technical skills I gained in that field come up frequently in my current position,” she said.
“I learned about animation, graphic design and photography at Eastern, which are very helpful in research papers or posters for research conferences. I can visualize data analysis better, and I find those skills help me tell a story in a concise and compelling way.”
Michael Teta ’15 enrolled at Eastern originally undecided on what career path to follow. Tinkering with the idea of being an orthopedic doctor, he finally decided on becoming a physician’s assistant and saw his Eastern education as a way to fulfill prerequisites needed to advance to a physician’s assistant (PA) degree. He ended up creating an individualized major in health sciences, which he built with courses in biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy and physiology.
At the same time, he developed close relationships with Dan Switchenko, who taught exercise science at Eastern for 40 years, and David Yeo, Eastern’s former athletic trainer.
“I am where I am today because of Eastern. It is very rewarding to know I am having a direct impact on people’s lives, using the knowledge and communication skills I have acquired.”
Michael Teta ’15
“I took Professor Switchenko’s courses for electives, and Dr. Yeo gave me a job as an athletic trainer, where I had the opportunity to learn hands-on skills such as stretching, helping students rehab and more,” said Teta.
“As a PA student, I had to log hours in direct care, and I was able to count my time with Dr. Yeo as part of that.”
Following graduation from Eastern, Teta earned his degree as a physician’s assistant and has worked for the past six years for the Northwell Health and Catholic Health systems in Long Island, NY.
Teta has worked with patients in cardiac arrest, patients with respiratory failure, and many others in critical condition. He has worked in emergency rooms as well as intensive care units. He works closely with doctors and patients, prescribing and administering medications, monitoring life support systems, placing patients on ventilators, and performing many other tasks.
“I am where I am today because of Eastern,” said Teta. “It is very rewarding to know I am having a direct impact on people’s lives, using the knowledge and communication skills I have acquired.”
Mia (BlackGraham) Williams ’23 created a major in neuropsychology, blending her interests in biology, psychology and sociology. “I knew when I transferred into Eastern (from out of state) that I wanted to create a major that would fit what I was searching for,” she said.
Williams wanted her core courses to focus on biology and psychology but also wanted to incorporate Eastern’s neuroscience lab into her major. With the help of her advisor and professors, her individualized major was born. “Dr. (Jonathan) Hulvey allowed me to work as a teacher’s assistant in his biology course, Dr. (Margaret) Letterman was always there to guide me and Dr. (Derek) Laux’s ability to relate even complex matters into situations that were a lot more relatable was amazing,” she said.
Out of the classroom, Williams attended Eastern’s two-week neuroscience summer program and took an independent study with Hulvey, which allowed her to gain more lab experience.
Williams currently works at Yale Hospital as a specialty pharmacy liaison. “Although not linked to my current profession, my biology labs have assisted me in more ways than I can count,” she said.
“My career requires compounding materials using scientific methods, calculations and data analysis. In my previous jobs, I worked in labs that required me to perform tests, read procedures and be able to successfully get results.”
Allison Brown ’20 designed a major in environmental studies, focusing on hydrology and environmental justice. Hesitant to fully commit to Eastern’s environmental earth science major, Brown said, “While some of the courses piqued my interest, it didn’t feel quite right. I was looking for an environmental studies program focused on solving (humanitarian) issues.”
Seeking to understand environmental science from an interdisciplinary perspective, Brown’s individualized major included courses in global environmental politics, environmental economics, drinking water management, environmental management, global climate change and geographic information systems (GIS). Additionally, as part of the Honors Program, she included coursework for her senior honors thesis: an environmental fiction novel about New England watersheds.
“I incorporated concepts I learned from my courses into the characters’ interactions with the land and created maps using GIS to outline the environmental issues the fictional town was facing.”
In 2021, Brown moved to Boston to pursue a master’s degree in theology at Boston University’s School of Theology. “Sensing a call to ordained ministry in the church, I pursued seminary and ongoing formation to become a priest. While in school, I held a communications and data position at Boston University’s Sustainability Office, keeping my foot in the environmental world. I have dual passions for environmental justice and for church ministry that I have continued to explore in my career.”
“Students with a true passion for a career that doesn’t fall within Eastern’s defined majors should not be deterred. That’s why the individualized major was created. Students who have that initiative and drive will succeed, and the individualized major is the tool to get them there.”
Robert Greene
art professor and individualized major program coordinator
She continued, “My individualized major has prepared me to study a problem from both a nuanced and big-picture lens. In environmental spaces, ensuring equity is just as important as managing the natural environment. Often environmental management work overlaps with social justice. This means that socioeconomics, racism and equity are words at both tables. As such, my degree has prepared me to advocate for better practices that serve the community well.” E
A New Era
eastern’s 7th president seeks to take university’s distinctive mission to new heights
By Michael Rouleau
’11
For Karim Ismaili, stepping into the role of president of Eastern Connecticut State University is an honor filled with excitement and promise. Midway through his inaugural semester, Ismaili is struck by the overwhelming positivity and support of the Eastern community. He is eager to channel this energy to not only advance the University’s public liberal arts mission, but also to assess and guide its evolution into a new era.
Ismaili became Eastern’s seventh president on July 31 after nearly three decades of leadership experience in higher education. For him, the presidency is not about personal achievement, but about what the role can do to serve students and assert the importance of public higher education in today’s world. He wakes up each day propelled by the opportunity to help shape the future of Eastern.
“What an incredible opportunity I have to be the president here,” he says. “Every morning I wake up and I pinch myself. I’m excited about the future and by the faith this community has shown me.”
THE ROAD TO EASTERN
Last year, Ismaili began contemplating the next step in his career. After serving as executive vice president and provost at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts, he felt ready and eager to take on the challenge of leading a university.
He was drawn to Eastern’s public mission to prepare students for the future through a liberal arts education. However, before fully committing to the application process, Ismaili did what many professionals do: he consulted his mentors.
Dana Mohler-Faria, president emeritus of Bridgewater State University, had hired Ismaili years earlier and remains a guiding figure in his career. When Ismaili reached out to ask for advice, Mohler-Faria’s response was immediate: “Karim, you must apply for that job. I can see you there.”
carried extra weight for Mohler-Faria, who has his own deep connection to Eastern: his mentor was David G. Carter, Eastern’s fifth president.
“Now (Dana) is coming back to Eastern to mentor the president of the place where his mentor was president,” says Ismaili, amazed at the coincidence. “There’s something written in the stars about Eastern for me.”
After a nationwide search by the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities and rounds of interviewing, the process culminated with a surreal moment when Ismaili received the call offering him the presidency. “I remember that moment so clearly,” he recalls. “It was surreal in the best possible way.”
FROM THE UNITED
brother, and experiences with racial intolerance.
As a “latchkey kid,” Ismaili took on significant responsibilities at a young age, caring for his brother while navigating the difficulties of his environment. Despite these hardships, his mother instilled in him two key values: respect for others and independence.
She believed that respecting others was essential for earning respect in return, and that higher education — something she never had the opportunity to experience — was the key to independence and success for her sons. “She saw higher education as the best pathway to help us along our journey,” he says.
These lessons deeply shaped Ismaili’s outlook on life, driving his commitment to hard work and empathy. Ismaili feels a kinship with the public college students he has served throughout his career, recognizing that many of them have faced similar challenges.
COLLEGE JOURNEY
A first-generation immigrant student, Ismaili’s college career began as an undergraduate at Simon Fraser University in Greater Vancouver, where he studied criminology in hopes of becoming a police officer. He admits that he wasn’t sure if college was the right fit for him, and his early grades reflected that
However, he persevered, balancing his studies with working many part-time jobs, including the graveyard shift at a local 7-Eleven, to help support his family and pay for college.
One early morning in 1985, he fortuitously met the 7-Eleven district manager, who connected him to a life-changing opportunity: a company-sponsored scholarship that covered 80% of his tuition. “I wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for 7-Eleven,” he reflects. “I’m convinced of that.”
Initially, his career goal was to become an officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but a pivotal conversation with one of his professors, criminologist Ezzat Fattah, changed his direction.
Fattah encouraged Ismaili to consider graduate school, something he had never thought about before. “He encouraged me to dream, to broaden my horizons in ways I couldn’t have imagined.”
Ismaili applied to top institutions like the University of Cambridge, the London School of Economics and the University of Edinburgh, gaining acceptance to all of them with the support of Fattah’s recommendation.
“I’m not here because of me,” he assures. “I’m here because of people who have supported me, seen things in me, changed my life.”
Ismaili went on to the University of Cambridge, where he earned a Master of Philosophy degree in criminology, and then to the University of Western Ontario where he earned a Ph.D. in
He reflects on the luck of encountering mentors like Fattah, whose support helped him build a career he never could have imagined. Now, he wants to create similar opportunities for students at Eastern.
FROM CRIMINOLOGIST TO PRESIDENT
Ismaili has always been fascinated by the concept of crime: “... How it’s defined and who falls within or outside of that definition.” He found that marginalized groups from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds are disproportionately criminalized, whereas white-collar crimes, or
Photo courtesy of The Campus Lantern.
“crimes of the powerful,” often escape the label of “crime.”
He thinks of criminology as a “rendezvous discipline,” drawing on the intellectual traditions of sociology, psychology, political science, history, law and other fields. “These different disciplines often come together around the issue of crime,” he says, providing a nuanced view of power, privilege and the marginalization perpetuated by institutions of social control.
After receiving his terminal degree in 1997, Ismaili further delved into criminology as a researcher and professor for 16 years. However, in 2006, he discovered his passion for university administration while serving as chair of the newly established criminology department at Toronto Metropolitan University. He later served as associate dean at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, before taking on progressively larger roles at Bridgewater State.
Ismaili now applies his multidisciplinary training as a criminologist to his philosophy as a president. “Criminology makes connections from many different domains,” he explains. “In order to be successful as a president, you have to be able to make linkages across different domains and constituents.”
LISTENING AND LEARNING
As Ismaili continues to dive into his new role, he has embarked on a university-wide “listening and learning” tour. Through these small-group meetings with individuals from all corners of the University, alumni and external
stakeholders, he aims to take stock of Eastern’s strengths and challenges.
Throughout his tour, he will engage in conversations about Eastern’s public mission, its designation as a liberal arts institution, and the obstacles and opportunities facing Eastern in today’s higher education landscape — one that is characterized by budgetary challenges, demographic shifts and changing workforce needs.
However, just two months into the tour, a couple of themes are resoundingly clear: Eastern is a place where deep affection and a strong sense of community are shared by everyone, from students and alumni to faculty, staff and local residents. Additionally, he notices a collective pride in Eastern’s unique identity as Connecticut’s public liberal arts university.
He sees these qualities — community and mission — as the pillars that make Eastern special and the primary reasons he was drawn to the University in the first place.
“At the end of the journey of listening and learning,” Ismaili says, “I’m going to report back to the campus about what I’ve learned. My hope is that this will be a springboard for the future.”
GOALS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Ismaili sees three areas as crucial to Eastern’s progression. He aims to strengthen donor support by clarifying the University’s value proposition; expand grant opportunities to fund campus needs; and increase connections with prospective students, alumni and external groups.
As nationwide demographics shift with fewer traditional college-aged students, Ismaili is looking for ways to serve diverse, underserved populations, aligning with Eastern’s public mission to meet varied educational needs.
“The question for me is, are we thinking about populations and prospective students that have not been served in the past?” he asks — whether that means exploring new graduate or certificate programs, or reaching out to adult learners, local senior citizens or prospective students from underrepresented regions or backgrounds.
Whatever direction Eastern goes in, Ismaili is steadfast in its public liberal arts mission, stating that Eastern’s education develops graduates who “not only perform their roles exceptionally well, but also think critically — with sound ethical judgment — about their work and how to improve it. ... Eastern provides a foundation that is absolutely what all professions need.”
Ismaili is also committed to preserving Eastern’s sense of community. “It’s really important for me to continue to be a welcoming, inclusive university where people, no matter who they are, can feel comfortable being themselves.”
He concludes, “Eastern is a place where you have an opportunity to grow not only your knowledge, but also yourself as a human being. This is not simply a place where you come to get a degree. It’s a place where you have an experience that will shape your life.” E
ATHLETICS
Warriors softball wins 4th championship in 5 years
The Warriors softball team claimed their fourth LEC title in five years on May 11, capping a four-game run through the 2024 LEC championship tournament with a victory over the University of Southern Maine. At the UMass Boston Softball Field, third-seeded Eastern outscored
(21-7), out-hit (31-17) and out-defensed (3 errors to 5) its opponents and rode the resilient right arm (and bat) of graduate pitcher Alyssa Vilchez of Brampton, ON, who was named tournament MVP for the second time in four years.
Outdoor track & field claims LEC title
The Warriors won the LEC title for the second time in four years (eighth time overall) this past April, and for the first time under second-year head coach David Nicholson ’06. Buoyed by outstanding depth, the Warriors recorded 10 or more points in nearly half (10) of the 21 events to claim their 46-point win over Southern Maine. Twenty-eight percent (54) of their points came in three sprint events (100, 200, 400) and 31 percent (60) in five throwing and jumping events. Cory Bill won the 400, with Kaito Yasuda leading Eastern with second-place finishes in the 100 and 200.
third baseman Julia SanGiovanni enjoyed two historic career milestones April 17 in a non-conference doubleheader against the University of Hartford at Clyde Washburne Field. SanGiovanni became only the fourth player in program history to reach 200 hits in the first game, and was hit by a pitch (HBP) for an NCAA Division III record 81st time. SanGiovanni concluded her career with 220 hits and 89 career HBP. Her HBP total is more than four times as many as any other player in program history.
Two weeks after setting program and Little East Conference pole vault records in winning the LEC outdoor title on April 27, with a mark of 12’ 1½”, sophomore Natasha Frisch became the first Eastern athlete to claim a New England Open (all divisions) title with a winning mark of 11’ 10½” at the College of the Holy Cross. At the open, Frisch was one of eight competitors to jump 11’ 10½” but was the only one to nail the height on her first try, which made her the champion. Frisch’s record at the LEC championships left her 1½ inches shy of qualifying for the NCAA national championships at Coastal Carolina University.
Natasha Frisch
Graduate
Julia SanGiovanni
Congratulations Hall of Fame Class of 2024 4 Warriors inducted at
October ceremony
Goalkeeper Jonathan “Jay” Barney ’08 helped rescue the men’s soccer program from nearly two decades of mediocrity by leading the Warriors to their first LEC playoff championship and first NCAA tournament berth as a senior in 2007, launching a run of seven straight seasons of 10 or more wins that included five Little East Conference titles. Over four years, Barney recorded 23 full shutouts and shared six more with a 0.84 goals-against average. A resident of West Hartford, Barney holds a B.A. degree in sport and leisure management and is employed as an assistant loan processing manager at RCN Capital in South Windsor.
Eugene Julien ’11 was a fulltime starter at three different positions and was the shortstop on the 2002 NCAA Division III national championship team. Julien hit with power (58 career extra-base hits) and for average (.346). Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Julien helped enhance the baseball program’s tradition of success as the Warriors qualified for NCAA tournament play each season in his career. Julien holds a B.A. degree in Spanish and is a chief warrant officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. He resides in Sneads Ferry, NC, with his wife Meghan and their daughter Mila.
During her four years as a starter, Kara (Bradley) Cyr ’07 helped the women’s lacrosse program to its first two LEC playoff championships. Cyr started all 73 possible matches between 2004 and 2007 as a midfielder and defender and led the Warriors to 26 wins in 32 Little East matches and their first two LEC playoff titles. Bradley Cyr holds a B.S. degree in biology and is employed as director of quality control and assurance at Vesta Biotherapeutics in Branford. She resides in Clinton with husband Jason Cyr ’08 and their two children.
SPECIAL AWARD WINNERS
Little East Conference Hall of Fame Inductees
Joseph G. Serfass ’04 Baseball 2001–04
Alumni Hall of Fame ’17
Richard E. Vega Men’s Basketball 1998–2002 Alumni Hall of Fame ’14
In her senior year, honorable mention AllAmerican Jill (Ritrosky) Roach ’16 capped a remarkable career as a threetime team captain and a scholar with a near-perfect GPA who remains the only CoSIDA Academic All-America honoree in program history. The Pittsfield, MA, native never missed a game in four years, averaging just under a doubledouble in her career (12.5 points/9.8 rebounds). She holds a B.S. degree in sport and leisure management from Eastern and an M.S. in clinical exercise physiology from Springfield College. She is employed as an exercise physiologist at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA. She and her husband, Caleb, reside in Worthington, MA, with their infant son, Lucas.
Pioneer Award
Caroline M. Johnson ’93 Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field 1988–93
Michael A. Atkind Exceptional Service Award
Kenneth M. Bedini ’78 Vice President for Student Affairs 1978–2017
Eastern’s Class of 2024 inductees. From left: Kara (Bradley) Cyr, Jill (Ritrosky) Roach, Eugene Julien and Jay Barney.
Kyle Gallo named golf coach
Veteran college coach Kyle Gallo, an accomplished amateur and professional golfer for the past 25 years and a member of the Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame, was named head men’s golf coach this past summer.
A Kensington native and four-time Connecticut Open champion and 2013 New England Open champion, Gallo has served as a collegiate coach for five years at three different institu-
tions, most recently as an assistant men’s and women’s coach and recruiting coordinator at Division I College of the Holy Cross last year.
For three years beginning in fall 2015, Gallo directed the Division I program at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), where he was named a Northeast Conference (NEC) Coach of the Year in his final season after leading the Blue Devils to their first NEC title in 13 years and into the NCAA Division I tournament.
Gallo becomes Eastern’s third part-time head golf coach in five years after the program was reinstated in fall 2020 after a 38-year hiatus. Marc Senia (2022-24) and Chris Wojick (2020-22) were the program’s previous two head coaches, leading Eastern to Little East Conference titles each year and earning LEC Coach of the Year honors.
Cunningham throws first pitch on military appreciation day
Michelle Cunningham ’08, a 2012 Athletic Alumni Hall of Fame inductee, threw out the ceremonial first pitch on Military Appreciation Day on April 5 prior to a non-conference game against Mitchell College. Cunningham is a major in the Connecticut Army National Guard, serving as the deputy state surgeon and as medical operations officer.
Tamara Mills named associate athletic director
Tamara Mills, a native of Hopkinton, MA, was hired as Eastern’s associate director of athletics this past summer. Previously she was the assistant director of athletics for internal operations at the College of Saint Rose.
At Saint Rose, Mills handled myriad responsibilities, including game-day management for 14 intercollegiate athletic programs, ticketing, promotions, scheduling, budget review, special events and supervising student workers/graduate assistants. Prior to Saint Rose, Mills handled administrative and coaching responsibilities at McDaniel, DePauw University and Russell Sage College. At Sage, Mills served as assistant director of recreation and fitness and head field hockey coach for three years.
At Eastern, Mills is responsible for the overall direction and development of programs that support the success of the student-athletes, including compliance and academic mentoring. She will also oversee club and recreation sports.
Mills earned her B.S. degree in business, organization and society from Franklin & Marshall College in 2016 and an M.S. in kinesiology from McDaniel College in 2018. Mills replaces Cynthia Washburne ’85, who will retire this coming January after serving as associate athletic director since the summer of 2013.
ALUMNI NOTES
60s/70s
Nancy Schwanda ’69 was recently recognized by the Connecticut Library Association for her many years of dedicated service to Stafford Library. Nancy was awarded the Edith B. Nettleton Award, which honors an individual’s “outstanding record of volunteer service to their library.”
Zygmunt Dembek ’72 was named editor in chief of “Public Health Reports,” the official journal of the U.S. surgeon general, in July 2024. He has also been the chief editor of Medscape, a medical news and expertise website, since 2014.
Pallatto '74
Debra Pallatto ’74 and Jackie Abbott, a retired Eastern professor, have jointly funded a new endowed scholarship that will provide support for students in Eastern’s Global Studies programs with unmet financial need. Debbie celebrated 50 years as an Eastern graduate at Alumni and Family Day this past October.
Geralyn Roberts ’75 was named director of the Sun City Center Community Association, located just south of Tampa, in January 2024. She had spent the previous 18 years in the Beaumont, TX, Public Library System.
Speaking about the Student Government Association (SGA) Emergency Fund, Patricia Lawson ’76 writes, “I was SGA president my senior year (1975-76) and there were times I know I could have used a fund like this. I’m so glad Eastern has this available for students.”
80s
David Whitehead ’84 founded his own company, Whitehead Strategy Group, and named himself managing director in March 2024. He had been a top executive in Hartford HealthCare since 2013, most recently serving as senior advisor to the CEO.
Mark Scraba ’84 began a new job as senior national security advisor at Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc., a defense and space manufacturing company in Newport News, VA, in December 2023. He has more than 20 years of experience in military, national security and government agency leadership in organizations such as AmeriCorps, the
CLASS OF 1974 CELEBRATES 50 YEARS BY
The Class of 1974 celebrated its golden jubilee on Oct. 5 during this year’s Alumni and Family Day. The class was honored with a commemorative luncheon hosted by President Karim Ismaili, who presented golden diplomas to the group.
“The Class of 1974 holds a significant place in my tenure as president,” said Ismaili, “as you are my first class to sign golden diplomas. I’m happy to honor your legacy. ... Know that you are always a part of Eastern’s story.”
Reflecting on her time at Eastern, Claudia (Moffitt) Bettez ’74 fondly recalled living in Burr Hall and participating in campus life. “Eastern wasn’t yet a university — it was still a teachers’ college — but there was a lot to do: hanging out with friends, walking around campus and going to Hurley Hall,” she said. “My one regret is that I didn’t see Stevie Wonder when he was here.”
Don Richmond ’74 said, “The campus was very small. ... Everybody knew everybody. It was like your extended family. It’s very impressive how the campus has grown, but it still has that family atmosphere.” He humorously recalled pranks in Winthrop Hall, where his friends once moved his bed into the hallway and left a frozen fish under his pillow.
Katherine and Kevin Matsil ’74, who met as juniors and have been married for 50 years, traveled from North Carolina for the reunion. “Eastern was such an important part of our lives. It gave us the ability to grow academically and emotionally,” they said. The couple recently made provisions for Eastern in their estate plans. “We want others to have the experience we had. It’s important for us to give back to help this institution thrive.”
Colorado state government and the Connecticut Army National Guard.
Dean Vaillancourt ’85 began a new job as human resources manager for Hunger Mountain Co-Op, a food and beverage co-op in Montpelier, VT, in November 2023.
Kathy Paro ’86 was named to the Board of Directors of GeoBlue, an insurance provider in King of Prussia, PA, in February 2024. She is currently serving as vice president for strategic execution and partnerships of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association in Chicago.
Peter Martin ’86 began a new job as assistant vice president for corporate insurance and risk management at Travelers in January 2024. He has spent the last 20 years in insurance and risk management, most recently at EMCOR Group, Inc., in Norwalk.
Trish Godino Loring ’86 was named director of residence life and student engagement at New Hampshire Technical Institute (NHTI), Concord’s (New Hampshire) Community College in March 2024. She has almost 40 years of experience in college residence life, mostly with NHTI but also with the University of Hartford and Babson College.
Speaking of the overall turnout for Alumni Day, Chris Dorsey ’96 director of alumni communications and advancement, said: “This year’s guests represented a remarkable 60-year span of Eastern’s history, with graduates from the class of 1964 all the way to our newest alumni from the class of 2024. Their continued engagement serves as a testament to the lasting impact Eastern has on its graduates, generation after generation.”
Debra
MICHAEL ROULEAU ’11
The Class of 1974 gathers for a group photo with President Karim Ismaili (back right).
“Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food,” a Netflix documentary based on a book by Jeff Benedict ’91, won the Emmy for Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary this September at the 45th News & Documentary Emmy Awards.
Released on Netflix in August 2023, the film is based on Benedict’s 2011 book “Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. Coli Outbreak That Changed the Way Americans Eat.”
“Writing the book ‘Poisoned’ and getting it published was one of the harder things I’ve done in my career,” said Benedict. “The opportunity to turn the book into a documentary film for Netflix a decade later was a dream come true. These things take time and persistence and a little bit of luck. But food safety is an important issue that affects everyone. ... I’m grateful to have been part of a
Gordon Hourihan ’86 was named vice president of operations at HR Knowledge in Mansfield, MA, in March 2024. He has been serving in similar positions dating back to 2001, when he became vice president of operations at ADP.
Gregory DeVeau ’87 has retired after four decades in the insurance industry. His last position was senior vice president and team leader at Swiss Re.
Robert Zarnetske ’87 was named director of policy at Sewer Thermal Energy Network, a renewable energy member-supported network in Madison, CT, in January 2024. He has been working in public infrastructure since 1994 when he was named acting assistant director of BTS at the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington.
Thomas Williams ’87 became a partner at iCyberworks, a cybersecurity firm in northern Virginia, in January 2023. He has been working in technology since 1997, when he joined Scytale Inc., a tech firm in New York City, as a senior software engineer.
Keith Waters ’88 is retiring after 48 years in Adventist Education. In 1973, Waters left New England for the first time to serve as a student missionary in Zaire. When he returned to study at Atlantic Union College, he pursued elementary education. Upon graduation, Waters got married and became head teacher at New London School in Connecticut.
Sister Mary Rose Reddy ’89 was named director of Catholic Identity and Mission, Catholic Schools Office at the Diocese of Manchester, NH, in October 2023. She had previously served as director of family faith formation at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and St. Leo Parishes in Rochester, NH.
terrifically talented and dedicated team that made this important film.”
Two nights before the Emmys, Benedict hosted a screening of ‘Poisoned’ for students at Eastern on Sept. 24. “We were thrilled to welcome Jeff back to campus,” said Ken DeLisa, vice president emeritus for institutional advancement. “His dedication to investigative journalism and storytelling has earned him national recognition, and it was an honor to host this screening on the eve of such a significant moment in his career.”
Benedict is a #1 New York Times best-selling author and seasoned television/film producer who has written 17 nonfiction books and more than 100 articles and essays exploring a diverse range of topics, from Native American casinos to biographies on sports icons.
Kevin Heffernan ’89 became vice president of claims at Co-operative Insurance Companies in September 2023. He has been working in claims since 1995, for MetLife, Farmers Insurance and now Co-operative Insurance Companies.
Jeffrey Dugas ’89 has been hired by Leisure Investment Properties Group (LIPG), a leading commercial brokerage firm specializing in golf courses, marinas, resorts, master-planned communities, RV parks and boutique hospitality. Dugas has three decades of expertise in golf, marina, hospitality and RV appraisals.
90s
Mark Olmstead ’90 was named vice president for market access and reimbursement at Vibrant Gastro, a medical equipment manufacturer in Newton, MA, in November 2023. He has worked in surgery/health care materials for 36 years, for companies such as Allegiance Health Care, Centocor Ortho Biotech and Johnson & Johnson.
Gary Lombardo ’90 was named senior director of project management at Pfizer in October 2023. He has 20 years of experience in project management, mostly with Pfizer and Sapphire Energy, a biotechnology firm in San Diego.
BONNIE EDMONDSON ’87 RETURNS AS A WORLD CHAMPION BY
ED OSBORN
At age 60, Eastern Athletics hall-of-famer Bonnie Edmondson ’87 has added another remarkable achievement to her storied throwing career. On Aug. 19, she captured first place in the World Master’s Athletic Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, with a hammer throw of 136’ 11”, securing her status as the world champion in the 60-64 age group.
This triumph comes after Edmondson’s impressive victory in the USA Track & Field Master’s Champion -
ships in Sacramento, CA, just a month earlier, where she threw 135’ 3” to take first place in her division. Notably, she achieved these incredible feats despite having undergone two hip replacements.
Edmondson’s return to competitive throwing started a year ago when she dusted off her old hammer, glove and shoes, driven by a renewed desire to test her skills. She credits her success to a rigorous training regimen that includes physical therapy, massage, stretching, ice baths and rest.
Her long-time coach, Bill Southerland of Southern Connecticut State University, has been instrumental in guiding her, just as he has for the past 30 years. Together, they train twice a week, while Edmondson also works on her own, incorporating weightlifting and plyometrics into her routine.
Reflecting on her decision to compete again, Edmondson said, “I just turned 60. I always wanted to compete internationally. I said, ‘if not now, when?’ Plus, I feel that competing will help me be a better coach.”
Her recent victories add to an already illustrious career. As a two-time All-American in discus and hammer throw at Eastern, Edmondson won national championships in the hammer throw in 1990 and 1991. In 1992, she placed third in the U.S. Olympic Trials, but hammer throw for women wouldn’t debut in the Olympics until 2000.
Robert Zarnetske '87
Benedict speaks during a “Poisoned” screening on campus this fall.
TAMMY GERHARD ’92 CONNECTS WITH COMMUNITY THROUGH HER COFFEE SHOP
BY NOEL TETER ’24
Since her days at Eastern, Tammy Gerhard ’92 has carried a deep desire to help and serve those she can reach. This love for connection has motivated her through her ownership of Silk City Coffee, a coffee shop in Manchester, since 2016.
Gerhard’s role at Silk City does not stop at “business owner.” In her position, she oversees the shop’s community engagement and charitable giving efforts.
“I’ve always had a passion for connecting with the community and resourcing hardworking nonprofit initiatives to help them be successful,” she said.
Part of her approach to connecting with the surrounding community in Manchester involves collaborating with groups that some in her position may see as competitors. During its fifth year, Silk City began roasting its own beans and wholesaling them to other shops.
This collaborative approach comes from Gerhard’s educational and philosophical background. “I’ve always been very collaborative versus competitive as a person,” said Gerhard, who holds two degrees in psychology. “I love looking at the strengths and abilities of people and groups of people and trying to leverage that for success.”
To give back to the community, Silk City Coffee partners with a different community organization each month. “We highlight the work that is happening in our community, and then also leverage sales to support the work that we’re doing,” said Gerhard.
“For me, opening the shop was about creating a safe, healthy space for people to come, where anyone would be welcomed, and they would feel that they could nest with others and be part of something a little bit bigger than themselves.”
Silk City Coffee also features a community board where patrons and community members can post needs, whether it's help with yard work or a ride to the grocery store. “Any person can share a need that any other person is welcome to respond to and meet.”
Cory DeWeese ’90 began a new job as director of human resources for the Odonnell Company, a marketing firm in New Haven, in October 2023. He had spent the previous 10 years in director-level jobs with The Marketing Arm, an advertising firm headquartered in Dallas.
Michael Moore ’90 began a new job as business systems senior analyst at Amex GBT Neo in July 2024. He
previously served as business analyst at American Express Global Business Travel.
Duane Witter ’90 is the new head men’s basketball coach at the University of Connecticut Avery Point. Witter, who will be making his collegiate coaching debut with the Pointers, brings a wealth of experience from his 25-season tenure as the varsity boys’ basketball coach at Farmington High School. During his distinguished career in Farmington, Coach Witter accumulated 345 wins. His dedication to the sport was recognized with the 2024 CIAC Merit Award, honoring his distinguished service in basketball.
Lisa McDonald ’90 has been promoted to senior customer success representative from her prior position of platform success representative at Ingram Micro. She has been with Ingram since February 2022.
Susan Mullaney ’90 has been named executive vice president of strategic initiatives at Blue Shield of California, leading special projects that help to transform the broken health care system. Mullaney has deep experience in health care and most recently served as senior advisor at Boston Consulting Group. Previously, she held various leadership roles at Kaiser Permanente, including serving on their national executive team and later as president of Kaiser Permanente Washington.
Russell Higgins ’91 was named chief financial officer and executive vice president at Luminator Technology Group, a manufacturer in Plano, TX, that specializes in communications and lighting products, in May 2024. He has held financial leadership positions since 2014, when he was named director of finance at CIRCOR International Inc., an industrial machinery manufacturer in Burlington, MA.
Sanjay Suri ’91 was named director of business development/senior portfolio manager for EJF Real Estate Services Inc. in Washington, D.C., in January 2024. He has worked in business development and real estate management in the D.C. area since 2006, when he joined Harris Teeter, a grocery chain headquartered in North Carolina, as an operations manager.
Scott Pawlich ’91 was named regional vice president at Voya Financial in Feb-
ruary 2024. He has previously held vice president roles at Prudential Retirement and American Century Investments.
David Anderson ’92 began a new job as director of sales for Viventium, a payroll software business in the New York City/ New Jersey area, in February 2024. He had previously been serving as vice president, specialty sales for Nextech Systems.
Patrick Murphy ’92 has begun a new job as senior vice president, government commercial banker at Ameris Bank in July 2024. He had been serving as vice president, relationship manager at TD Bank for the previous 11 years.
Gregory Shimer ’93 began a new job as senior account executive at UBEO Business Services, an IT firm headquartered in Austin, TX, in January 2024. He has more than 20 years of business leadership experience, including founding his own business (The Imaginos Partnership, an advertising and marketing firm in West Hartford) in 2002.
Jon Benham ’93 began a new job as regional IT director for Middlesex Orthopedic and Spine Associates in January 2024. He had previously been serving as regional director of IT services for Radiology Partners.
Cynthia Mike ’94 has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. Mike is a board-certified behavior analyst dedicated to working with children on the autism spectrum and conducting functional analysis. She has held positions at Autism Allies in Agawam, MA, since 2022 and Transcend ABA in New York City since early 2024, where she has been instrumental in providing behaviorally based treatment therapies for patients.
Adam Kelsey ’95 began a new job as assistant principal & athletic director at D’Evelyn Jr.-Sr. High School in Denver, CO. He had been serving in those same two roles at Denver South High School for 11 years.
Amy Dickson ’96 began a new job as facilities analyst at Lowe’s Companies, Inc. in March 2024. She has been working in facilities since 2000 when she joined FM Facility Maintenance in Hartford.
Jose Marrero ’96 began a new job as human resources director for National Health Care Associates in December 2023. He has spent most of the last 12 years in health care, most recently at The Hebrew Center for Health and Rehabilitation.
Jason Delvecchio ’96 began a new job as southeast director of direct sales for TPx, an IT firm headquartered in Austin, TX, in August 2024. He had been serving as director of strategic programs at TPx since October 2023.
Bryan Czajkowski ’96 began a new job in February 2024 as COO of 535, a “marketing lab” that is part of the Rebellion Group, an advertising firm in Cheshire. Bryan is also COO of Rebellion Group, which he has been involved with since 2013.
Tara Booker ’96 began a new job as executive director, homelessness and community supports for the State of Rhode Island Department of Housing in March 2024. She has also been self-employed as a consultant for finance management, payroll, grant writing and other services since 2021.
Bryan Thomas ’98 was named senior director of sales, Eastern United States for rapid!/Green Dot Corporation, a partnership between a payment platform and a bank holding company headquartered in Austin, TX, in February 2024. He has worked for rapid! since 2011, when he joined the platform as a territory manager working out of East Greenwich, RI.
Sean Kosinski ’98 began a new job as resource development and optimization leader at Arcadium Lithium, a chemical manufacturer, in March 2024. He spent more than 20 years as a hydrogeologist for two environmental consulting firms in Boulder, CO — Geomega and Integral Consulting Inc.
Vincent Bellante ’99 was promoted to area vice president, Eastern United States for iotaMotion, a medical equipment business in Minnesota, in January 2024.
Lee Walter ’99 was at the helm as Norwich Sea Unicorns general manager when the Sea Unicorns won their second consecutive Futures Collegiate
Baseball League championship this season at Dodd Stadium.
Scott Chiasson ’99, former star shortstop at Norwich Free Academy from 1990-1993, was inducted into the Norwich Hall of Fame. Chiasson continued his baseball journey at Eastern where he played shortstop and was the team’s closer. In 1998, Chiasson saved five games and earned three wins during the NCAA tournament while helping Eastern win the national championship. He was named a First Team ABCA All-American. Chiasson spent 13 years in professional baseball.
00s
Keith Fleming ’00 was promoted to vice president of Aspen Insurance Group in April 2024. This is his second stint with Aspen. In addition to Aspen, he spent the previous 24 years working in insurance at The Hartford, Allied World Assurance Company and Worldwide Facilities LLC.
Jason Ruggiero ’01 was named chief executive officer of Choice Fitness (Massachusetts) in December 2023. He has been with Choice Fitness since January 2019, serving as a regional fitness director for two years, then as president of operations for three years before becoming CEO.
Ken Plante ’01 was named managing director of Webster Bank in February 2024. He has a strong background in audit management, beginning in 2007 at Aetna, Inc., and continuing at XL Catlin and Webster Bank, where he has been working since 2015.
Lorraine Cullen ’01 began a new job as branch chief, health care quality and safety at the Connecticut Department of Mental Health in January 2024. She previously spent more than 11 years at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare in Wallingford, serving as director of respiratory and radiology services and senior director of clinical services.
Jerry Piscitelli ’02 began a new job as senior director of eCommerce and Marketing at Bulbrite Industries, an appliance and electrical manufacturer in Moonachie, NJ, in August 2024. He
has held similar positions at Keeney (Newington), Oatey Company (Cleveland) and HKC-US / Palm Coast Imports LLC (Memphis).
Morgan Boren ’02 began a new job as associate director for Crinetics Pharmaceuticals in San Diego in January 2024. She has been working for various West Coast biotech companies such as Amgen and Kinnate Biopharma Inc. since 2005.
Angela Rae Duhaime ’03 began a new job as behavioral health program manager at the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services in Middletown in July 2024. She also became certified as a grief counselor in June 2024.
Sebastian Motta ’03 was named director of primary care for Griffin Hospital in Derby in January 2024. He has been working in hospitals and physicians’ services for 25 years, including stints at Hartford Hospital, National Physicians Services (Rocky Hill) and ProHealth Physicians (Farmington).
Justin Miclette ’03 began a new job as principal engineer of user interface at Broadcom Software, a software development firm in Palo Alto, CA, in November 2023. He has been a software engineer for the past 15 years, mostly with VMware in Palo Alto.
Jan McCray ’03 was named chief executive officer of Esperanza Shelter Inc, a domestic abuse service in Santa Fe, NM, in January 2024. She has spent the past 20 years in judicial work and advocacy, most recently at SafeNest, a domestic and sexual violence charity in Las Vegas, NV.
Skye Cohen ’03 began a new job as senior information security program administrator for the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system in December 2023. He had been working in IT at Three Rivers Community College since 1999 before the new job.
Cheryl Beaulieu ’03 began a new job as associate director, corporate events and sales enablement for Consortium Health Plans in February 2024. She has been
Jason Ruggiero '01
Angela Rae Duhaime '03
Jan McCray '03
Sebastian Motta '03
CODY GUARNIERI ’09 NOMINATED AS CONNECTICUT SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE
BY NOEL TETER ’24
Cody Guarnieri ’09 was nominated by Gov. Ned Lamont this past spring to serve as a judge on the Connecticut Superior Court. Among this year’s class of 22 nominees, Guarnieri, 37, is the youngest judge nominated to the court. Guarnieri previously spent 12 years as a trial attorney and partner at Brown, Paindiris & Scott, LLP in Hartford and Glastonbury. “I have a lot of experience in the litigation process,” he said. “I was involved for many years in advocating for clients’ interests, usually individuals and small businesses.”
Speaking to his role on the Superior Court, Guarnieri said, “I’m in a position, thanks to Gov. Lamont and his team, to play the role of ensuring that there’s a fair process that litigants are entitled to. Having used the (litigation) process on behalf of clients for many years gives me a good perspective on how the process should and is supposed to work.”
with Consortium since December 2019, previously serving as senior associate, health care events and program development.
Kristi Pappas ’04 was named senior director of Long Island Residential Programs at MercyFirst, a not-for-profit human and social service agency in Syosset, NY, in October 2023. She has been working in family services since 2005 when she joined Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York, in Wading River (Long Island).
Jamal Paire ’04 was named director of risk and fraud management at Westerly (RI) Community Credit Union in February 2024. He has been working in the financial sector, mostly in credit unions, since 2004 when he joined Charter Oak FCU as a member service representative.
Darley George ’04 began a new job as senior payroll project analyst for Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. in January 2024. She has previously held payroll positions with Citi Human Resources Shared Services, CTtransit and Robert Half Executive Search since 2006.
Joel Berntsen ’04 began a new job as head of marketing for Dimension Renewable Energy in November 2023. He had previously been serving as chief marketing officer for Vutility, a technology firm.
Stephanie Dumont ’05 began a new job as vice president, organizational excellence for Occam Health Services in Sterling, VA, in January 2024. She had spent the previous six years in director
and senior vice president roles with PRIA Healthcare Management LLC in Torrington.
Quinlan Lyte ’05 began a new job as vice president and general manager, space and sensors at L3Harris Technologies in September 2023. He previously served as senior director and general manager of programs and propeller systems at Collins Aerospace.
Jonathan Adams ’05 began a new job as vice president of investments and private client advisor at J.P. Morgan in June 2023. He previously served as a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch.
Adam Hevenor ’06 was named director at Integra Realty Resources in Providence, RI, in December 2023. He has been working in real estate valuation throughout his career, dating back to 2005, and has served as real estate appraiser and vice president of Markus Appraisal prior to his current position.
Erica Gee ’06 became chief operating officer for NXTMoves, a financial services firm headquartered in Atlanta, GA, in February 2024. She has held leadership positions with Geezeo, Interact Software and Moov Financial, and founded her own company, Synergee Consulting, LLC, in June 2023.
Michael Cervizzi ’06 was promoted to vice president, pricing and business intelligence for Prolific 1, an events services business in South Windsor, in December 2023. He has been with Prolific 1 since 2010, serving as associate vice president of pricing and sports partnerships prior to his new role.
Guarnieri laid the groundwork for his understanding of the litigation process as a student at Eastern, where he double majored in history/social science and political science, and later at the University of Connecticut School of Law.
“My time at Eastern was about foundations,” he said. “It was about building that liberal arts education you can get from a small institution like Eastern, where you get individualized attention from professors to develop a foundational educational background on these topics.”
Speaking of his Eastern education, Guarnieri said, “The most important (skills) for me in law school, for me as a lawyer and for me as a judge, are critical thinking and reading things with a critical eye. ... When you put the time and effort in, there’s the opportunity to really develop (those skills) at a school like Eastern.”
Guarnieri offers words of encouragement to students. “I have seen and met Eastern alumni as lawyers and in every aspect of my career,” he said. “No one should feel limited if they go to a state school, especially Eastern, where there are such fantastic opportunities to carve your own path.”
William Busch ’06 began a new job as director of assistive technology for New Horizons in Autism Inc. in October 2023. He has been providing care to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 2004, working for organizations such as Alternative Services of CT and Community Access Unlimited (New Jersey).
Nicholas Bellucci ’06 was promoted to senior director, annual and leadership giving for Pace University in November 2023. He had previously served as associate director of leadership giving and then director of annual giving from 2019–23.
Andrew Cooke ’07 began a new job as director of operations at Clarity Output Solutions, a marketing business in Stratford, in October 2023. He served as senior operations manager there (when it was called Premier Graphics) from April 2018 to October 2023.
Avion Hudson ’08 was named senior human resources manager and chief of staff at Comcast in March 2024. She had worked in human resources since 2010 for Bridgewater Associates and Nestlé Waters North America before coming to Comcast in 2017.
Keniesha Johnson ’08 has been hired as assistant director of field education and special programs for the Social Work Program at Eastern. Her primary responsibility will be the oversight of field education and placement for social work juniors and seniors, ensuring they get the best possible outcome from their
William Busch '06
Molly Rathbun ’12, a four-year All-American pitcher at Eastern between 2009 and 2012, was inducted into the Connecticut Scholastic and Collegiate Softball Hall of Fame on Sept. 15 at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville.
Rathbun is the only four-time All-American in Eastern softball history and one of the program’s all-time most successful twoway players. At the time of her 2019 induction into the Eastern Alumni Hall of Fame, the Hebron native still held 19 career, season and game pitching records and was ranked among the program’s all-time top five in seven offensive career categories, including first in RBI.
Rathbun led the Warriors to an overall record of 144-29-1 (83%), four NCAA tournaments, two NCAA regional champion -
SARAH NORMANDIE ’02 CRACKS AMAZON’S TOP 10 WITH DEBUT NOVEL BY NOEL TETER ’24
Sarah Normandie ’02 has been a storyteller for as long as she can remember. “Even before I could read or write, I’d record my stories on my mother’s tape recorder,” she said.
Normandie recently synthesized her lifelong passion into her first novel, “All These Threads of Time,” which she self-published under the pen name Sarah Crowne.
The indie novel debuted on Amazon in the top 100 for teen science fiction and young adult (YA) time travel and cracked the top 10 for Amazon’s new YA releases in science fiction for several weeks.
Set in the late 1980s, “All These Threads of Time” follows Sylvie Mitchell, a young girl whose sister is murdered the same night her father disappears from her New England town. She then discovers the ability to time travel and sets out to stop the killer from terrorizing her community.
“The concept for the novel began with the idea that I wanted to write a story about an unlikely opponent no one would suspect, and a family seeking hope through trauma,” said Normandie. “We’ve all had those moments in our lives where we wished we could change things, travel back in time, stop something from happening or save the ones we love.”
Normandie credits her time at Eastern as a psychology major for helping her as a writer. “I learned how the mind works, how we grow and develop as human beings, how we learn and how people interact with each other,” she said. “As a writer, understanding how people think, grow and develop is instrumental in developing characters for fiction.
“Eastern taught me to question, seek answers, gather facts, opinions and anecdotal data, test theories and explore concepts,” she said. “Those lessons have helped me not just as an author, but in life.”
ships and three straight Little East Conference regular-season and tournament titles (62-8 combined LEC regular-season and tournament record). Rathbun was selected to the NFCA Division III All-America first team in each of her final three seasons when she was also voted LEC Pitcher of the Year.
A two-time LEC tournament MVP and Eastern’s three-time Female Athlete of the Year, Rathbun won 103 games and lost only 14 in her career, with 14 saves, 1,130 strikeouts in 770 2/3 innings, and a 0.88 ERA in 142 appearances (105 starts) with 94 complete games, 49 shutouts and nine no-hitters. She was inducted into the Little East Conference Hall of Fame in 2023.
field work experience. Johnson received her master’s degree from Springfield College in Massachusetts, and her D.S.W. from Walden University.
Jessica Carroll ’08 began a new job as executive director for Animal Place, a northern California farm animal rescue and sanctuary, in October 2023. She has been working in northern California since 2009 for organizations including In Defense of Animals and GU Energy Labs.
Norm Melendez ’09 began a new job as procurement specialist for the City of Norfolk, VA, in June 2024. He had been working in procurement jobs for the United States Navy for the previous 11 years.
Kelly Corcoran ’09 began a new job as associate director of aftermarket sales and customer experience at Pratt & Whitney in January 2024. She has been with Pratt & Whitney since October 2018; her previous position was F135 global warehousing senior manager.
10s
Justin Sorel ’10 was named vice president of finance at Mystic Aquarium in August 2024. He has more than 13 years of accounting experience, the last four of which have been at the director or vice president level.
Women We Admire selected Jocelyn DeMaio ’10 as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Hartford for 2024. DeMaio is the head of end user services at The Hartford, where she has worked for more than 22 years.
Ashley Hunt ’10 began a new job as director of underwriting partnerships at SCOR, a reinsurance company head-
quartered in France, in February 2024. She had previously been director of underwriting strategy at Ethos, an insurance company headquartered in Austin, TX.
Brian Green ’10 began a new job as director of internal audit for the State of Connecticut in October 2023. He has been working as an auditor since 2014, previously serving as supervisory auditor for the Defense Contract Audit Agency, an agency within the Department of Defense.
Dominique Dunn ’10 began a new job as executive director of the Monroe Housing Authority (MHA) in Monroe, NC, in January 2024. This is her second stint with the MHA. She has spent the previous 13 years working in housing in Charlotte, Daytona and Durham, NC.
David Ciccalone ’10 became president and founder of Cortland Builders, LLC in North Hampton, NH, in November 2023. Cortland Builders is “the progression of Dave Ciccalone and his highly talented design-build team, developed while operating as Yankee Construction, LLC.”
Megan Savage ’11 began a new job as assistant vice president of communications and public involvement at Williams Sale Partnership (WSP), an engineering and professional services firm in New York City, in January 2024. She has been with WSP since 2014 in various roles involving communications.
Abhishek Patel ’11 entered private practice as a certified public accountant (CPA) in Houston in September 2023. Prior to this, he worked for Pratt & Whitney and Waste Management.
Michelle Kaczynski ’11 was promoted to co-director of the Crossroads
Brian Green '10
Jessica Carroll '08
Adolescent/Transitional-Aged Youth IOP Program at NFI Vermont Family Center in December 2023. She had been serving as assistant director of that same program since March 2022.
Alyssia Cinami ’11 began a new job as senior program director for Community Health Resources in October 2023. She has also been a family therapist at Positive Mind Counseling in Putnam since July 2021.
Deirdre Tavares ’11 began a new job as project manager at Pfizer in July 2024. She has been with Pfizer since 2002, working in administration, business support and operations support. After graduating from Eastern, she went to Southern New Hampshire University and earned a master’s degree.
Samantha Paull ’12 began a new job as human factors engineer at Yale New Haven Health in August 2024. She recently earned a graduate certificate in human factors engineering/medical devices and systems from Tufts University and is currently enrolled in Tufts’ M.S. program in human factors engineering.
Kristen Kosich ’12 was named director of field marketing at Adlumin, a computer and network security firm headquartered in Washington, D.C., in June 2024. At Eastern, she worked on campus as an information technology assistant and completed an internship with AEG, a sports and entertainment company. Since graduation, she has worked for Felix, an advertising company in New York City, and at Varonis, a NYC-based cybersecurity company where she was marketing manager.
Jodi Clark ’12 began a new job as interim director of workforce development and continuing education at Connecticut State Community College’s Quinebaug Valley campus in Danielson in November 2023. She has been with Quinebaug Valley since 2013, working as an adjunct instructor and Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center assistant director.
Timothy Snopkowski ’12 was named development director for the American Heart Association in November 2023. He has almost 10 years of development ex-
perience, in both business and nonprofit environments.
Miles McDonald ’12 was named executive committee vice president of the Connecticut/Westchester Chapter of CoreNet Global, a professional organization for members of the corporate real estate/facilities industry, in January 2024. He has been working in marketing for the past 12 years and is currently a business development and marketing specialist at Salas O’Brien, a building design services company headquartered in Irvine, CA.
Kolin Ebron ’12 has been named assistant director of University Opportunity Programs at Eastern’s Academic Success Center. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Connecticut after earning a doctoral degree in learning leadership and educational policy in 2021.
Todd Buckholt ’12 began a new job as associate creative director for SharkNinja, a Boston-area product design company, in December 2023. He has been working in Boston since 2013 for organizations such as Boston University and DraftKings.
Vallery St. Phard ’13 founded Zoië Vie Ministry, a nonprofit aimed at helping those in need in Spartanburg, SC, in January 2024. He also earned a certificate in fashion design from the New York School of Design as well as several style certificates from Kate Taylor International. He also worked at Bonobos in Greenwich before moving to South Carolina. In Spartanburg, he founded Styling Phard LLC, where he works as a stylist, image and wardrobe consultant and photographer, in 2016.
Nelsy Reyes ’13 began a new job as academic coordinator at the Institute at Brown University for Environment and Society in January 2024. She had previously served as AmeriCorps VISTA leader for the Rhode Island Campus Compact, a higher education coalition in Providence.
Meghan Glenn ’13 began a new job as regional digital sales director for Nexstar Media Group, Inc. in New York City in January 2024. She has been working in digital marketing and sales since 2014, previously serving as head of sales-media/publishing for Flowcode, a
SEIZING OPPORTUNITY LANDS MEGAN SAUNDERS ’15 AN EMMY BY
NOEL TETER ’24
Megan Saunders ’15, a senior producer at NBCUniversal Local in Boston, MA, has built her career through self-motivation and seizing opportunities. Her team’s coverage of the 2023 Boston Pride for the People Parade earned them the award for Outstanding Special Event Coverage at the 47th Boston-New England Emmy Awards.
Previously winning three Northwest Regional Emmys for breaking news, Saunders noted this event was different. “With breaking news, you’re lucky — it just happens. But this was something I made happen,” she said.
Having previously received little media coverage, the parade was an opportunity for Saunders to spotlight an “untold” story. “The parade organizers let me cover it because I kept raising my hand,” she explained.
Saunders credits her proactive mindset to her time at Eastern Connecticut State University, where she was an anchor and executive producer for ETV News. “Eastern offers opportunities — you just have to take them,” she said.
Her creativity flourished in the Pride coverage. “I wanted rainbows, overlays, bright colors,” she said, collaborating closely with an editor to bring her vision to life.
Saunders also highlights the value of small-market experience, starting as an overnight producer at KTVB News Group in Idaho before moving up to produce the station’s flagship news program. “If you want something, raise your hand. Show you’re hungry for experience, and they’ll give it to you.”
technology company headquartered in New York City.
Judith Clinton ’13 began a new job as co-executive director for Rhode Island Theatre Makers Roundtable in February 2024. She has been a self-employed theatre professional since 1990.
Daniel Calzone ’13 began a new job as senior growth director for Allen Media Group, an Atlanta-based entertainment business, in December 2023. He has been working in major city marketing
Kristen Kosich '12
Kolin Ebron '12
BY NOEL TETER ’24
Anayancy Ramos ’19, a doctoral microbiology student at Emory University, has dedicated the past several years to serving the scientific community through both her research and her commitment to advancing equity and diversity in science. This year, her hard work earned her the prestigious Gilliam Fellowship, making her one of only 50 recipients selected from 43 institutions nationwide. “I am eager to connect and forge relationships with a diverse pool of fellows that I may have never met otherwise,” said Ramos, who earned the award with her mentor, Tim Read, professor of medicine at Emory.
Ramos’ background as an undocumented first-generation college student has driven her work to advance equity and diversity in the sciences. “It was almost entirely by accident that I stumbled upon TheDream.US,” she said of the scholarship program that brought her to Eastern.
“Being part of the first cohort of TheDream.US Opportunity Scholars at Eastern taught me valuable skills in learning how to be my own advocate, how to be resourceful and how to take failures as redirection.”
While studying at Eastern, Ramos struggled to find summer research opportunities, many of which required U.S. citizenship. “It was extremely disheartening to know so few research opportunities existed at the time for undocumented students,” she said.
Ramos credits Eastern professors Garrett Dancik, Vijaykumar Veerappan and Yaw Nsiah for giving her research experience and helping her figure out a career path.
“The mentorship and support I was offered at Eastern deeply ingrained in me the power of mentorship in advancing equity, inclusion and diversity in science,” she said.
As a Gilliam Fellow, she said, “I’m determined to make an impact by making sure other undocumented students know that this path is possible, and I will do whatever I can to make space for other underrepresented minorities to pursue a career in STEM.”
Travelers in August 2024. She has been working in operations jobs at Travelers since joining the company in September 2018.
Hannah Lewis ’14 was named director of user experience design and development at Fidelity Investments in January 2024. She majored in communication with a minor in digital art and design at Eastern, and now has 10 years of work experience in graphic design and design management.
Nicole Bruno ’14 began a new job as assistant director of graduate recruitment and admission for the Boston College Lynch School in January 2024. She has previously worked in Boston for Northeastern University and William James College starting in 2017.
Troy Marrotte ’14, an Eastern adjunct faculty member, received a certificate of recognition at the annual business information systems (BIS) banquet in spring 2024. He was a BIS major at Eastern and works for Davies Group, which is owned by BC Partners in London, UK. Davies Group specializes in insurance services. Marrotte was previously a business technology architect for Cigna and his current job title is senior solutions architect. In his new role he will be reporting directly to the Davies Group’s North America CIO as their lead architect.
Marc Volza ’15 began a new job as network director for WeCall, an advertising firm in Charlotte, NC, in November 2023. He first joined WeCall in March 2023 as a business analyst.
Joshua Palmer ’15 began a new job as associate creative director for Indigo Slate, an advertising firm in Seattle. He has been working in branding/marketing since 2014 when he joined KnockMedia, a technology firm specializing in user experience located in New Haven.
Alexander Love ’15 began a new job as Google cloud architect for McDonald’s in March 2024. He has almost 20 years of experience in data systems, mostly with Cigna Healthcare. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Eastern, majoring in general studies with concentrations in business information systems management and computer science.
cations for The Hartford in April 2024. She has been working in marketing for The Hartford since November 2019, when she served as senior marketing communications specialist.
Laura Markley ’15 began a new job as multifamily waste and sustainable materials policy coordinator at the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (Portland, OR). She earned a doctorate in civil and environmental engineering from Syracuse University in May 2023.
David Johnson ’15, adjunct professor at Eastern, received a certificate of appreciation at the annual BIS Banquet on May 2. He started a new full-time position in November as a data engineering manager for Arch Insurance.
Gabriela Wrobel ’16 began a new job as financial planning and analysis manager at SC&H, a business consulting firm in Sparks, MD, in July 2024. She earned a master’s degree in economics from the University of South Carolina, Darla Moore School of Business, in 2018.
Brittany Kuczenski ’16 began a new job as associate vice president of leadership development at Travelers in August 2024. Prior to this new position, she had spent eight years at Pratt & Whitney, beginning as engineering support senior associate and ending as global learning and development lead.
Anny Ovalle ’16 began a new job as account manager at Option A Group, a media company in Centerbrook, CT, in January 2024. She has been working in media since 2017 when she started working for Overabove, an advertising company in Chester, CT.
Ryan Kelly ’16 was named vice president for construction practice at USI Insurance Services in March 2024. He has also served as president of the CT Young Insurance Professionals and served on the board of directors for the Stratford Chamber of Commerce.
Scott Olm ’16 began a new job as senior systems administrator at Eastern in July 2024. He had spent the previous two-and-a-half years at NLC Insurance Companies in Norwich in a similar role.
Kathryn Peterson ’14 began a new job as associate operations manager at
Taylor Lussier ’15 became assistant director for marketing and communifirms since 2013, including AMC Networks (New York) and Plex, Inc. (Los Angeles).
ANA RAMOS ’19 WINS PRESTIGIOUS GILLIAM FELLOWSHIP
Laura Markley '15
we want to hear from YoU!
Amber Fugedi ’16 became marketing director for PERQ, a marketing technology firm, in December 2023. She has been working in marketing since 2015 with eTraveler, MembersFirst CT Federal Credit Union and her own consultancy called Mindfully Brilliant, among other companies.
Jason Gentile ’17 was promoted to delivery specialist operations manager at LTS, an IT firm headquartered in Herndon, VA, in August 2024. This is his third role at LTS, having previously served as business analyst lead/cybersecurity SME and then senior consultant.
Lauren Williams ’17 began a new job as analyst for marketing operations at Bavarian Nordic, a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Copenhagen, Denmark, in March 2024. Her previous job was also with a pharmaceutical manufacturer, Canopy Life Sciences, located in Danbury.
Sarah Dunn ’17 began a new job as vice president at HUB International in the D.C./Baltimore area in February 2024. She is also serving as a relationship expert and employee benefits advisor for women in GovCon, a hub for female government contractors.
Hugh Lindo ’17 began a new job as regional group manager at Symetra in April 2024. He has been with Symetra since August 2019, previously serving as a stop loss internal sales partner.
Danielle Turgeon ’17 began a new job as admissions counselor at Bay Path University in June 2024. She earned a master’s degree in higher education administration at Central Connecticut State University in 2019.
Jonathon Gallo ’17 began a new job as transmission operator at
NBC Sports in July 2024. Previously, Gallo served as board operator and then project manager for iHeartMedia.
Lovel Cassells ’18 began a new job as chief financial officer for the Connecticut Education Association in July 2023. He had previously been director of finance for the Connecticut Science Center for more than two years.
Rachael Judson ’18 took the helm as executive director and owner at Sunshine Preschool 2 in Hamden, CT, in January 2024. She is also director and owner of the original Sunshine Preschool, also in Hamden.
Katherine O’Rourke ’18 earned an M.B.A. focusing on human resources and management from Fairfield University in June 2024. She previously earned a master’s in higher education administration from James Madison University in 2021.
Courtney Regan ’19 was promoted to senior account executive at indeed.com in April 2024. She first joined indeed.com two years ago as an account executive.
Michael Theriault ’19 began a new job as coordinator of student engagement at Saint Joseph’s College in Standish, ME, in August 2024. He has been with Saint Joseph’s since June 2021, serving as community coordinator and instructor.
Jacob Dayton ’19 was awarded a doctorate in biology at Tufts University in August 2024. He was also a visiting fellow in the Owens Laboratory, part of the Rowland Institute at Harvard, an interdisciplinary experimental science facility.
Justin Jensen ’19 began a new job as business operations consultant at MassMutual in January 2024. He has been with MassMutual since March 2020,
having previously served as a valuation specialist.
Allie Toffolon ’19 has been promoted to associate planner from her prior position of senior allocation analyst at TJX Companies, Inc. She has been with TJX Companies since March 2021. Prior to that, she was a ticket sales account executive for Hartford Yard Goats Baseball.
Yael Hernandez ’19 began a new job as software engineer at Microsoft. His prior position had been software engineer at Travelers for more than three years.
Mary Rotelli ’19 began a new job as associate functional consultant at Sikich in July 2024. She had been a business development manager at Addison Group since December 2023 before taking the new job.
Kamran Chaudhry ’19 began a new job as senior analyst in e-commerce at EssilorLuxottica. Previously, Chaudhry served as business marketing specialist at EssilorLuxottica and as marketing associate at Health E-Commerce.
20s
Rachael Finch ’20 has begun a new job and a master’s degree program. She is a business intelligence analyst at Optum, a health services company headquartered in Eden Prairie, MN. She has also begun work on a master’s degree in analytics from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Michael Zuraw ’20 began a new job as creative brand manager at Symmetry Partners LLC, a financial services firm in Glastonbury, in July 2024. He has been in creative/
Jonathon Gallo '17
Jacob Dayton '19
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graphic design work since June 2019 when he joined Mission Control, a political candidate advertising firm in Glastonbury, as a graphic designer.
Natalia Lozano Ramirez ’20 began a new job as home study and post release services case manager at the National Youth Advocate Program, a family services organization in Columbus, OH, in March 2024. She has been working with young clients since 2020, when she joined ABS Kids in Charlotte, NC, as a registered behavioral technician.
Alexa Moustakakis ’20 began a new job as project manager at Quest Global, an engineering firm headquartered in Singapore, in January 2024. She joined Quest Global in April 2021, serving as supply chain analyst.
RJ Dewar ’20 began a new job as marketing and business development specialist for Shipman & Goodwin LLP, a law practice in Hartford, in March 2024. He had spent the previous four years serving in marketing and business development roles at two law practices in New York City.
Dom Conte ’20 began a new job as associate producer at ESPN in February 2024. He served as assistant director of sports broadcasting at Eastern while working on his communication degree.
Clancy Benedict ’20 began a new job as chief technology specialist for Rockspring Media in December 2023. He had previously been working in AI quality assurance at mi|im (pronounced “mime”), a software firm in Boston.
Jen Beams ’20 began a new job as vice president and delivery planning lead for Fidelity Investments in December 2023. She has been with Fidelity since 2007, serving in roles such as certified scrum product owner and chapter leader for scrum masters.
Bayan Alomari ’20 began a new job as project manager for The Granite City, a
countertop installation business in East Hartford.
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Brandon Piazza ’20 began a new job as senior analyst/training delivery at CVS Health in July 2024. He had previously been a physical education teacher, first for West Hartford Public Schools and then for Enfield Public Schools.
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Lauren Landry ’20 began a new job as IBH clinician at Providence Community Health Centers in Providence, RI, in July 2024. She had previously been a family specialist at Lifespan in Warwick, RI.
Morgan Kuckel ’20 began a new job as corporate recruiter at Ken’s Foods in June 2024. Her prior position was senior recruiting specialist at Eurofins PSS Insourcing Solutions.
Elizabeth Forsythe ’20 began a new job as assurance manager at CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) in July 2024. She has been with CLA since January 2021. As a student at Eastern, she interned with Northwestern Mutual, Fuss & O’Neill and BlumShapiro. She also worked on campus.
Vanessa Zetino-Granados ’20 received a certification of appreciation at the annual BIS Banquet on May 2 for her role as BIS-ITSA Club event partner. She is a data engineer for Travelers in the Business Intelligence and Analytics Leadership Development Program.
Samantha Honeywell ’21 began a new job as video editor at Sperling Interactive, a marketing firm in Salem, MA, in August 2024. She had been working in video editing jobs for the previous three years and held internships with local TV stations during her time at Eastern.
Shai-Lin Gothreau ’21 began a new job as business process management consultant at Travelers in Richardson, TX, in August 2024. She has been with Travelers since June 2021, starting in business insurance for small business in Spokane, WA.
Everin Chacho ’21 began a new job as associate scientist in injectable drug product development at Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Boston, MA, in June 2024. She had been working as a research associate in biophysics and biochemistry at Siduma Therapeutics, a drug discovery company in New Haven, prior to her new role at Alexion.
Crystal Jaboin ’21 began a new job as account manager at NFP, an insurance company headquartered in New York City, in February 2024. She had previously been associate tenant researcher at CoStar Group in Richmond, VA.
Simone Connor ’21 began a new job as a registered nurse at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in February 2024. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing at Quinnipiac University in August 2022 after earning her bachelor’s in health sciences at Eastern in May 2021.
Nour Kalbouneh ’21 began a new job as a paralegal at ACLU of Wisconsin in July 2024. She has been with ACLU for three years, previously serving as community and legal engagement coordinator in Milwaukee, WI.
Marie Jeudy ’22 began a new job as program director at Community Solutions, Inc. in March 2024. She has been with CSI since September 2019; her previous roles include case manager and community transition supervisor.
John Fiester ’22 has been promoted to actuarial lead analyst from his prior position of actuarial senior analyst, which he began in July 2022 at the Cigna Group. When he was a student at Eastern, he completed an internship with Cigna’s Actuarial Executive Development Program.
Haydee Pepe ’22 began a new job as piping draftsman at General Dynamics Electric Boat in July 2024. She has been with GD since April 2023, previously
Nour Kalbouneh '21
serving as an advance planner in New London.
Doussouba Kane ’22 began a new job as an accountant at DeCaprio CPA & Associates in July 2024. After graduating from Eastern, she held an internship with Yale Finance until April 2024.
Shalaine McCall ’22 began a new job as teaching artist at Touchstone Theatre in July 2024. She had previously been a student intern at Touchstone, after earning a master’s in performance creation at Moravian University in August 2022.
Areli Munoz-Reyes ’22 obtained her master’s in social work and now specializes in assisting immigrant and refugee families, supporting them in their transition and integration processes.
Jimmy Miller ’22 began a new job as human resources generalist at Hartford HealthCare in October 2023. He has been at Hartford HealthCare since July 2022, previously serving as a human resources representative.
Tyra Bergstrom ’22 began a new job as research study coordinator at the Lab for Scalable Mental Health in Chicago. After graduating from Eastern, she was a post-baccalaureate researcher in clinical psychology at Brown University.
Megan Solensky ’23 began a new job as community relations specialist at Community Blood Bank in Erie, PA, in August 2024. She had been working as a multimedia journalist with Erie News Now since May 2022 before taking the new position.
Andrew Golden ’23 was promoted to human resources generalist at Hartford HealthCare in August 2024. He had spent the previous year in the position of human resources representative at HHC.
Torrington High School recently named Alexis Tyrrell ’23 as the girls’ soccer coach. Tyrrell was an All-New England/ All-Academic outfielder for Eastern’s softball team in leading the Warriors to the Division III World Series in two of her final three years.
Zachary Shaham ’23 began a new job as email marketing specialist for VKTRY Gear, a sporting goods manufacturer in Milford, in July 2024. He completed an internship as corporate marketing intern for the Central Wire Group of Companies during his junior and senior years at Eastern, then got a job as digital marketing coordinator at Momentus Technologies, a software development firm headquartered in St. Louis, MO.
Alex Rooney ’23 was promoted to senior tax accountant at Fiondella, Milone & LaSaracina LLP in Glastonbury in July 2024. He first came to FML as a tax intern during the summer of 2021, before his senior year at Eastern.
Talya Pitruzzello ’23 was promoted to sales consultant at The Hartford in August 2024. She had been serving as sales associate since joining The Hartford in October 2023.
Adriana Hernandez ’23 began a new job as law clerk at the Deuterman Law Group in Greensboro, NC, in June 2024. She had previously served as a legal assistant with Bates & Roper in Willimantic and as a paralegal with McCoy & McCoy Personal Injury Trial Attorneys in Hartford. She is enrolled in the juris doctorate program at Elon University.
Kyle Garneau ’23 began a new job as grants specialist at Our Piece of the Pie, a nonprofit organization in Hartford, in August 2024. He had been working for the University of Connecticut as an educational program assistant for the prior year.
Fabri Villanueva-Verde ’23 began a new job as pricing analyst for Travelers in January 2024. He first worked with Travelers in the summer of 2023 as an intern after graduating from Eastern in May 2023.
Ryan Mariasi ’23 has begun a new job as information technology services (ITS) customer support center assistant at Eastern. He had previously been working in the ITS Department as a part-time university assistant.
Emma Haas ’23 began a new job as supported employment coach at Horizons Program Inc. in July 2024. She had previously served as a school
psychology intern at Mansfield Middle School in 2023.
William Beaver ’23 began a new job as junior analyst at iCapital in June 2024. His prior position was human resource coordinator at Church Hill Classics/ diplomaframe.com.
Aoife Casey ’24 has begun a new role as assistant sales and marketing manager at the Standard at Four Corners with Landmark Properties as of August 2024.
Domenick Bukowski ’24 was promoted to sales executive at Gengras Volvo in East Hartford in August 2024. He has been with Gengras Volvo since May 2021, serving as sales specialist.
Nathan Melia ’24 began a new job as marketing specialist at Melia Associates LLC, a manufacturer’s representative of HVAC products in Connecticut and western Massachusetts, in May 2024. He completed a graphic designer internship with BestLogic Staffing in Rocky Hill before graduating in 2024.
Laura Martenson ’24 began a new job as executive assistant at S&S Management Services in Bloomfield.
New Griswold Elementary School physical education teacher Isiah Lovell ’24 wants to teach his students lifelong healthy habits. Lovell is looking forward to “getting accustomed to the school and looking forward to a great school year.”
Tehya Hargett-Cerase ’24 was named assistant to the director of financial aid at Eastern. As a student, she worked on campus as a financial aid client service representative from December 2022 to May 2024.
Jamie Koski ’24 began a new job as pricing analyst at Travelers in July 2024. As a psychology major at Eastern, she completed several internships with Travelers and also served as a writing tutor on campus.
Matthew Kiernan ’24 began a new job as staff accountant at DR Bank in Darien in July 2024. As a finance major at Eastern, he was a peer mentor in the Finance and Economics Summer Research Institute at Eastern in August 2022 and
Adriana Hernandez '23
Isiah Lovell '24
completed an internship at Michael G. Pallein CPA in spring 2024.
Dilcia Sanchez ’24 began a new job as medical interpreter in the Mecklenburg County Public Health Department in Charlotte, NC, in July 2024. Before earning her health sciences degree from Eastern, she held jobs in phlebotomy for Hartford HealthCare and Trinity Health of New England and held an internship with Integrated Anesthesia Associates in Hartford.
Kevin McIntyre ’24 began a new job as junior credit analyst at Liberty Bank in July 2024. He did an internship with HORST Engineering in the summer of 2023, before his senior year at Eastern.
Christopher Kourtzidis ’24 began a new job as production assistant at ESPN in July 2024. During his senior year at Eastern, he served as broadcast director for the athletics department.
Margery Zundell '39 Manchester, NH
June 3, 2024
Richard Grenier '53 Windham, CT June 18, 2024
Mary Lou Keables '55 Mansfield Center, CT January 18, 2024
Geraldine Murphy '58 West Hartford, CT April 2, 2024
Roland Johndrow '60
Vernon Rockville, CT
September 15, 2024
Wilfred Gladue '63 Niantic, CT
January 8, 2024
William Haddad '63 Glastonbury, CT July 12, 2024
Tamika Coppedge ’24 began a new job as human resources business partner at UNFI in July 2024. She had previously served as human resources administrator at The Arc Eastern Connecticut.
Thomas Stone ’24 began a new job as private equity analyst at Hartford Investment Management Co. (HIMCO) in July 2024. He had previously worked with HIMCO during the summer of 2023 in an internship before his senior year at Eastern.
Marisa McComiskey ’24 began a new job as a first-grade teacher at Plymouth Center School in Plymouth, CT, in June 2024. In the education program at Eastern, she was a student teacher at Gilead Hill School and a student assistant teacher at the Community Children’s Center.
Johanna Lasbury ’24 began a new job as production assistant at ESPN in August 2024. During her senior year at Eastern, she was ETV sports broadcasting director.
Ocion Mollison ’24 began a new job as account executive at Barton Associates in July 2024. For the prior two years, he had been serving as project manager and retail associate for Breakfast Lunch & Dinner, a civic organization in Hartford.
Morgan Tirrell ’24 began a new job as geographic information system specialist at Heritage Consultants in July 2024. As an Eastern student, she interned at the Capitol Region Council of Governments.
Jamyva Lagout ’24 began a new fulltime job as co-teacher at Family Centers in Greenwich, CT, in June 2024. She had been a camp counselor at Camp Horizon since February 2023.
in Memoriam
Barbara Jacobs '64
Norwich, CT
January 21, 2024
Lucy Sweeney '64 Manchester, CT January 6, 2024
Elaine Effman '65 Grantham, NH January 11, 2024
Virginia Peterson '65 January 8, 2024
Brien Ward '68
Windsor Locks, CT
May 17, 2024
David Munson '69 Red Lodge, MT February 17, 2024
Ruth Mathieu '70 North Branford, CT
January 26, 2024
Kristine Savo '70
July 25, 2024
Mary Cutler '71 Morrison, CO April 4, 2024
Anita Sebestyen '71 Windham, CT July 21, 2024
Dianne Saunders '73 Groton, CT March 26, 2024
Stephen Sylvester '73 Groton, CT April 19, 2024
Jane Jackman '74
Storrs Mansfield, CT January 7, 2024
Valerie Alexander '75 Portland, CT
January 25, 2024
Judith Parmelee '77 North Eastham, MA May 8, 2024
Lisbeth Sheehan '77 Norwich, CT
January 30, 2024
Susan D'Ambrosio '81 March 13, 2024
Margaret Cotter '82 Frederick, MD January 31, 2024
Joyce Lund '82 Lakeland, FL April 5, 2024
Patricia McNiff '83 Wallingford, CT April 5, 2024
Therese Zimmerman '84 Hooksett, NH
January 16, 2024
Norbert Blain '85 Columbia, CT
February 24, 2024
Barbara Gallio '86 Wappingers Falls, NY March 24, 2024
Wendy Ryan '86 Bridgeport, CT March 27, 2024
Janet Columbia '91 Wellfleet, MA October 13, 2024
Ronald Blake '94 Greenville, SC March 5, 2024
Robert Jackson '94 Hartford, CT
January 24, 2024
Cynthia Nowak '95 Windham, CT March 22, 2024
David Burrell '96 Columbia, CT
May 7, 2024
Kimberly Perkowski '98 Colchester, CT April 5, 2024
Gregory Thomson '00 Willington, CT January 3, 2024
Daniel Brewer '04 Beaverton, OR June 24, 2024
Timothy Hippe '07
The Villages, FL
January 25, 2024
Elaine Herman '10
Preston, CT
January 28, 2024
Brighten a Future
Support students with a gift to the ECSU Foundation
Through Eastern’s new philanthropy website, donors can easily target their giving toward a specific campus cause, academic major or athletic program.
“Gifts of all sizes are powerful investments in Eastern’s mission. Your gift strengthens the student experience, provides financial aid and scholarships, enhances the beauty of the campus and ultimately helps to prepare tomorrow’s leaders.”
— Joseph McGann, Director of Institutional Advancement
In its 2025 “Best Colleges” rankings, U.S. News and World Report ranked Eastern among the top 25 public universities in the North in three categories.
