campus news
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ITP Student Chapter Wins National Award
At the 15th Annual Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) National Collegiate Conference in St. Louis, MO, on March 27, Eastern’s student AITP Chapter won first place in the national Web-Database Team Project Contest sponsored by the Institute of Certified Computer Professionals (ICCP). The AITP is the largest association of information systems and technology management professionals in North America. Typically, more than 100 universities and colleges of all sizes from across the United States and Canada take part in the conference. The Web Database Application Project Contest is a yearlong event with student teams submitting multiple project phase reports and designs to the national judging panel. Eastern’s AITP student chapter designed, built and enhanced a dynamic database-driven website for the Covenant Soup Kitchen in Willimantic.
Science Building Wins Landscape Award Eastern’s Science Building recently won the top award for 2009 from the Connecticut Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (CTASLA). The CTASLA conducts the Connecticut Design Awards each year to recognize excellence in landscape architectural design, planning and analysis, communication and research. “The science building is a unique design appropriate for the landscape and for Eastern’s green campus commitment,” said Nancy Tinker, director of facilities management and planning. The facil-
ity was designed to meet certification standards of the U.S. Green Building Council which sponsors the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performances measures. To attain LEED silver certification, storm water design points were enhanced with the bioswale approach. “The bioswale slows down the rainwater that runs off into the drain system, which is better for the environment,” said Tinker.
Eastern Named a “Green College” Front row, from left: Stephen Welch ’10; Lynn Bartmess ’10; Kacy Shafiee ’11; Gloria Rivera ’11; and Eastern President Elsa Núñez. Back row, from left: Roberto Vasquez ’10; Matt Thibeault ’11; Ethan Harris ’11; and Zach Flight ’10
24 E ASTERN Fall 2010
Eastern is one of the country’s most environmentally-responsible colleges, according to the Princeton Review. The company selected Eastern for inclusion in a unique resource it has created for college applicants. Developed by the Princeton Review in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council, the “Guide to 286 Green Colleges” is the first comprehensive guidebook focused solely on institutions of higher education who have demonstrated commitment to sustainability in
terms of campus infrastructure, activities and initiatives. “We are honored that Eastern was selected as a Green College by the Princeton Review,” said Eastern President Elsa Núñez. “We have a campus-wide commitment to sustainability at Eastern, evidenced by campus conservation programs, the sustainable energy studies curriculum, and our outreach across Connecticut in support of local energy efficiency efforts. This recognition tells our students, faculty and staff that their hard work is being noticed.”