Written by Dwight Bachman and Ed Osborn

      Wesleyan University President Michael Roth speaking Tuesday at the Eastern Connecticut State University Commencement at the XL Center in Hartford.

Willimantic, Conn. --  1,230 undergraduates and 88 graduate students heard the roars and cheers of thousands of their family members and friends as they celebrated their achievements at Eastern Connecticut State University's 122nd  Commencement exercises at the XL Center in Hartford on May 15.
 
Michael S. Roth, president of Wesleyan University, delivered the Commencement address.  He told the graduates he hoped they had learned three things at Eastern: "What you love to do, how to get better at it and how to share that with others . . . I hope that at Eastern you have found something that stirs your soul, that draws what is best from you, that is an activity without which you feel impoverished, denied, not fully human."

  Eastern President Elsa M. Nunez congratulates a graduate in the XL Center.

Roth also told the Class of 2012, "The habits of mind developed in liberal arts environments like Eastern's . . . will empower you to see opportunity where others see only obstacles."
 
Noting the social, political and economic divisiveness that exists in our society today, Roth concluded that universities "must continue to strive to be places where young people discover and cultivate their independence and must themselves resist the trends of inequality that are tearing at the fabric of our country."

Approximately half the Eastern graduates were the first in their families to earn a bachelor's degree. As Connecticut's only public liberal arts university, Eastern draws students from 165 of the state's 169 towns. Approximately 90 percent of graduates stay in Connecticut to launch their careers, contribute to their communities and raise their families.

                                                                    Eastern seniors celebrate their graduation day.

 Eastern President Elsa M. Núñez told the graduates not to sit on the sidelines. "The challenges we face today as a nation and international community are ours to face and ours to solve."The point I would make is not that everything is bad but that we can make things better.  I say we, because it always takes a team of people to get the job done . . . There is no other country in the world that places its future so firmly in the hands of the people.  You are now the next generation of citizen leaders in our state and in our nation.  Together, you can be the force of change that can keep our country strong.  It is your time. You are the leaders of the future, and the future starts now!"

     Barnard Scholar Winner Kate Harner, of Oxford, enjoys the Commencement ceremony.

From the Governor's Foot Guard Color Guard in attendance to the plaintive sound of the bagpipes of St. Patrick's Pipe Band, Eastern's graduation ceremonies were marked by dignity, grace and elegance.  Eastern also conferred an honorary degree on Roth.
 

"Graduates of the Class of 2012, you have participated and helped create a vibrant community, and you have learned and grown in ways I'm sure few of you could have imagined," said Zac Zeitlin, a member of the Board of Regents for Higher Education.  "I want you to leave here tonight with conviction that what you've learned will help you tremendously in your careers and in your personal lives."

 Audriana White delivered the Senior Class address. She encouraged the graduates to thank their parents and Eastern's faculty and staff for arriving at this point in their lives. "We're all here in part because we've successfully absorbed Eastern's six core values that have prepared us for our significant life goals: Academic excellence, engagement, inclusion, integrity, empowerment and social responsibility . . . Each year we gave back.  We showed appreciation to our Willimantic community in so many ways and it has been such a terrific feeling . . . With Eastern's core values firmly in place as we set forth in our life's journey, all I can say to you all is 'ready, set, fly.'"

Senior Class President Benjamin Foran presented President Nunez with the class gift, a scholarship funded by donations from 222 seniors. Foran encouraged the graduates to continue donating so that the scholarship would grow, telling his classmates, "For many of us graduating tonight, college was a time for self-discovery, immense change and personal growth.  Eastern has given us all incredible opportunities, which have allowed us to flourish and succeed . . . Because of your commitment to give back to our University, we are able to pass on experiences and opportunities that we have enjoyed to future students for years to come, so that they too may benefit from the University that has given us so much."

Written by Ed Osborn

 Judy Harris Helm discusses how engaging children in meaningful, child-initiated projects enhances their congnite development

Willimantic, Conn: -- More than 125 students, faculty and other early childhood educators attended Eastern Connecticut State University's Early Childhood Investigations Conference on April 27.  The conference theme was "Using Projects to Foster Children's Cognitive Development."  Visitors from across the state of Connecticut attended the day-long conference, which was co-hosted by the Center for Early Childhood Education and the Child and Family Development Resource Center.

The conference was designed for preschool and toddler teachers, administrators and teacher educators who are interested in learning more about using projects with young children.  Presenters came from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Illinois.

"Hosting the conference enabled us to provide professional development to early childhood teachers throughout Connecticut, and also gave Eastern students the opportunity to experience a professional-level conference," said Julia DeLapp, program coordinator for the Center for Early Childhood Education.  "Thirteen Eastern students gave poster presentations during the conference, and 18 other students attended as participants. What a fantastic chance for our students to interact with and learn from a diverse group of early childhood professionals."

Judy Harris Helm, author, early childhood consultant and president of Best Practices, Inc., delivered the keynote address, "Projects That Power Young Minds: You Can Do It and Here's How."

The conference also introduced participants to the "Investigations Curriculum," developed by Eastern faculty and child development center teachers, which includes video examples of young children engaged in project work.

Eastern students majoring in early childhood education presented professional posters about their work with young children in the CFDRC; their attendance was made possible by the sponsorship and financial support of the ECSU Foundation, Inc.  Seven students from Asnuntuck Community College (ACC) also attended in part due to support from ACC's foundation.

The conference featured a number of hands-on workshops, including "Listening to Children's Voices:  A Year-long Investigation of an Artist's Work"; "Balls: Projects, Inquiries, Investigations"; "Building a Preschool City"; and "Going Green: Reconnections, Collective Actions and Investigations."

Conference attendees enjoy lunch and peruse poster presentations by Eastern students in the Child and Family Development Resource Center.

"The Investigations Conference was part of the center's mission as the model laboratory program in Connecticut," said Niloufar Rezai, director of the Child and Family Development Resource Center.   "Early childhood educators and faculty from around the state attended workshops to learn about our research-based teacher-and faculty developed Investigations curriculum and its application in real-life classrooms.  Our teachers also had the opportunity to attend sessions by colleagues from other laboratory schools.  This exchange of ideas is an integral part of a model lab school program."

Written by Christopher Herman

Willimantic, Conn. - Eastern Connecticut State University's Center for Community Engagement (CCE) is asking Eastern students to participate in a charity that will help raise money for cancer research. Kick-It for Cancer, a national fundraising program for cancer research, is working with CCE to organize a kickball game at Windham High School from 1-4 p.m. on May 5. The minimum donation to play is $10; Eastern students are encouraged to donate more.   

Kick-It was founded by a 10-year-old cancer patient with a big dream to cure cancer by playing kickball. Now a national fundraising program, Kick-It raises money for pediatric, adolescent and young adult cancer research. Kick-It partners with national medical advisory boards to identify the most promising research studies and projects.
      
Despite medical advances, cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children. Each year, nearly 13,500 parents are told that their child has cancer. On average one in four elementary schools has a child with cancer. More than 40,000 children undergo treatment each year. While the overall cure rate now approaches 80 percent, one in five children still loses his or her battle with cancer and three out of five children who survive cancer suffer devastating, late effects such as secondary cancers, muscular difficulties and infertility.

Over the past 20 years, there has been only one new drug developed specifically for pediatric cancer. Cure rates have risen through collaborative research efforts, but more funds need to be dedicated to research to save the lives of more children.      For more information, contact Heather Lepper at leeperh@my.easternct.edu.

Written by Gabrielle Little

Executive Vice President Michael Pernal with Latino Distinguished Service  Award winners, left to right, William Stover, Luz Burgos and Omar Rodriguez.

Willimantic, CT - Luz Burgos, an Eastern Connecticut State University

residence hall director; William Stover, director of  supplemental services for Windham Public Schools; and Eastern student Omar Rodriguez'12 received the University's Latin-American Distinguished Service Awards on April 25 in the Paul E. Johnson Sr. Community Conference Room of the J. Eugene Smith Library.

The Latin American Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals who have performed extraordinary service in support of the Latin American community by either developing or contributing to programs or activities that focus on positive development of minority youth and/or foster minority educational opportunities and advancement.

Werner Oyaandel, acting executive director of the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission (LPRA), delivered the keynote address. He encouraged students to stand up for equal opportunity and justice. "We must provide more mentorship opportunities to our youth and inspire other students to be active in their communities as our leaders being recognized here today," said Oyaandel. "Most importantly we must remain committed to a vibrant pluralistic society which acknowledges the strength of diversity."   

Burgos received the award in the faculty/staff category. Burgos oversees approximately 90 residential students. "As a hall director, Luz makes herself available to respond proactively to the needs of her residents. Whether its mediating student crisis and conflict or facilitating educational and community service programs, she has a style of supervision that allows students to learn and discover who they are as individuals," said Women's Center coordinator Starsheemar Byrum.  Burgos has served as co-coordinator of the Connecticut Statewide Conference on Latinos in Higher Education. In addition, Burgos is an active member of Sigma Lamda Upsilon, Senoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority (SLU) Inc. SLU is an organization that provides sisterhood and support, while prompting academic achievement, service to the community, leadership and cultural enrichment.

Rodriguez '12, a business administration major from Wethersfield, received the award in the student category. Rodriguez has been able to maintain a GPA of over a 3.0. While finishing up his degree requirements, Rodriguez is serving as the president of Men Achieving Leadership Excellence and Success (MALES). As president, Rodriguez assists in leading 56 male students into academic excellence and community involvement.

 Rodriguez has held many leadership roles on campus, serving as an office assistant in the Communications Department, a peer counselor in Career Services, a student representative on the Academic Misconduct Committee, the public relations representative in the Africa Club of Eastern, a member of the entrepreneurship club, and the Campus Activity Board promotions assistant. "I have always found Omar to be courteous, respectful and professional in all interactions with the public including students, faculty, staff and community members, said Dean of Students Walter Diaz. 

Stover received the award in the community category. He created and is actively involved in numerous initiatives thatserve the Latino community. Some of these successful initiatives include the Parent Engagement Advisory Team (PEAT) and the Windham Before/After School Task Force, which have provided after-school opportunities for hundreds of Windham schoolchildren and learning opportunities for their parents. In the spring of 2011, Stover helped lead a group of community-minded individuals in the creation of " Community Conversation on Education," a program that helped bring parents, community stakeholders and business individuals together to discuss the resources needed to give every child in Windham a quality education. As a result of this program, Stover provided seven full-time bi-lingual family liaisons for the district. Stover has also collaborated with the United Way to help create and institute the Common Sense Parenting curriculum and program. He lived in Honduras for more than 10 years and uses his first-hand knowledge of the Latino community to bring people together.

Written by Ed Osborn

Willimantic, Conn: -- Area families can enjoy a fun afternoon on the "farm" on Saturday, May 5 from 1-4 p.m. at Eastern Connecticut State University's Church Farm Center for the Arts and Sciences.  Church Farm Family Day is for children of all ages!  The event is free and open to the public.

Visitors to the farm, located at 396 Mansfield Rd. in Ashford, will engage in four interactive learning activities, including Environmental Sculpture, Nature Tokens/Monoprinting, Visual Journaling and Letterboxing, using their Church Farm Family Day "passport" to receive stamps that indicate which activities they have completed.  The learning activities are being coordinated by students from Eastern's Education, Visual Arts and Education Departments, as well as the Visual Arts Club, the Education Club, and the Writing and Illustrating for Children and Young Adults Club. 

In addition to the interactive play stations, visitors will treated to three visual exhibits of the history of the Church Farm, including "Women of the Church Farm," "Church Farm Then and Now" and "Life at the Church Farm," which will show original farm implements and the history of the farm site.  This portion of the event was created by Elizabeth Peterson, director of Eastern's Akus Gallery and Barbara Tucker, director of Eastern's Center for Connecticut Studies.

The Church Farm Center for the Arts and Sciences was gifted to the ECSU Foundation, Inc., in 2007 by Joseph and Dorothy (Church) Zaring of Washington, D.C.  The 110-acre farm had been in the Church family since the early 1800s.  The original house was built in 1791 and was replaced with the present structure in 1821.  The barn was built in 1895.  The Church family ran a successful clothing store chain in Hartford, Danielson, Putnam and Willimantic in the late 1800s and early 20th century, and used the Ashford farm as their summer home.  The farm is now on the National Historic Register.

Written by Ed Osborn

Willimantic, Conn: -- A record 120 students presented at the 11^th Annual Research Conference and Exhibition at Eastern Connecticut State University on Apri1 14.  More than 40 faculty members served as mentors for the students' projects. 

More than 40 oral presentations covered such topics as the geology of Andover Lake; the anatomy and physiology of coral competition; the media's influence on public opinion of war; an analysis of the Harry Potter books; sustainable energy and the workforce; ancient Greek history; the history of Irish-American women in Willimantic; and Alzheimer's Disease. Music students and faculty also presented an experimental music performance in Science 104, and several short plays were presented by theatre students. 

Other students presented their research findings using tabletop display posters. Visual art students exhibited two-dimensional and digital art as well as a range of sculpture art.

English majors James Boyle'13 and Anna Sobanski'14 said the conference helped them tremendously. "The audience was small and receptive, filled with many familiar faces, but it still simulated what a large-scale conference might feel like," said Boyle. "It also proved that no small amount of work goes into a truly engaging presentation. I appreciate my mentor June Dunn for recommending me to present and persuading me to submit my abstract. It turned out to be a valuable experience."

Sobanski said, "I really enjoyed presenting at the conference because I want to be a high school English teacher, and my presentation gave me an experience that will help me in my future career goals. The conference gave me the opportunity to present on a subject I love and to practice public speaking."

"First off, I got to share my research, which I have worked so hard on and feel very passionately about, with both peers and professionals," said psychology major Melissa Griffin'12. "Second, I was able to hear about other students' research projects and creative activities. This second point really highlights the point of a liberal arts education: to gain knowledge and skill not only within our area of focus, but in other areas as well. Lastly, this conference was a great way to get some public speaking experience. This was the first time I shared my research in an oral presentation, but it definitely will not be the last time. Speaking at the Arts and Sciences Research Conference & Exhibition was a comfortable, yet realistic way to practice public speaking, and I am very glad I had the opportunity to do so."

"This is no longer just an event," said Eastern President Elsa Núñez, "it is part of our culture."  The president declared that undergraduate research is flourishing at Eastern and noted that it is one of the cornerstones of the University's emphasis on experiential learning. 

"Your work here today is a symbol of your perseverance and a reminder that you have something important to share with the world," said English Professor Dan Donaghy, keynote speaker for the opening ceremonies.

"I want you to spend a few moments when you have free time today to make up three short lists," said Carmen Cid, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. "First of all, write down all the people who have helped you get here.  Secondly, write down a list of the things you have learned or discovered in the process. Finally, think of the moments of joy that you have experienced."

Written by Gabrielle Little

     Left to right,  Brittney Cava; Eastern President Elsa Nunez; Kate Harner. 

Willimantic, CT - Eastern Connecticut State University students Kathryn Harner, an English major from Oxford, and Brittney Cava, a political science major from Torrington, were honored at the 24th Annual Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award Dinner on April 23 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.

Harner and Cava were two of 12 state university students to win the award; each was nominated by their respective universities. The award is named for the first U.S. Commissioner of Education, Henry Barnard, a distinguished Connecticut educator who was the state's first superintendent of schools and principal of what later became Central Connecticut State University. A $500 award comes with the honor.

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy delivered the keynote address. Malloy applauded the accomplishments of the 12 Barnard winners, calling them "exceptional people" who he said he hopes will stay in Connecticut and "contribute mightily to the economic growth and development of the state. Your own personal success guarantees you unlimited potential to affect the lives of many people around you. I implore you to find a job that makes you happy, and use your brainpower to invest in other people's success to move your community forward."

"Brittney was very engaged on campus in multiple clubs, including People Helping People," said Eastern President Elsa Nunez. "She played a key role in conducting research with Dr. Nicole Krassas that deconstructed race and gender in the 2008 primaries, and was very dedicated to improving the Eastern and Willimantic community." The president said Cava and Harner are best friends who work together as members of numerous student clubs.

"Brittney and Kate have strong GPAs that reflect their hard work. If you look at their transcripts, you see they both took rigorous courses. Like Brittney, Kate also engaged inchallenging research in a business writing class on historical homes in Scotland, CT. Kate's research will  benefit local history tremendously."

Harner earned a 4.0 GPA and has been on the Dean's List every semester while studying at Eastern. She has served as president of the student volunteer group People Helping People, and as co-coordinator of Eastern's Fifth Annual "Day of Giving" Thanksgiving meal and food drive.

Harner participated in two international field experiences with trips to Florence, Italy, and Dublin, Ireland, as part of study abroad courses offered in the summer months. She also served in numerous volunteer service capacities both on and off campus, including as a peer mentor for the First-Year Program and as a volunteer for Joshua's Trust, an organization that works to preserve more than 4,000 acres in northeast Connecticut. Harner also gained extensive research and pre-professional experience through several internships, projects and an on-campus job in the Office of University Relations.
 
English Professor Miriam Chirico, who hand-selected Harner to be an intern and a peer mentor in several of her courses, said, "Kate has the rare combination of intelligence, lively curiosity, and enthusiasm for a variety of projects, and has the respect of her peers to boot." Dwight Bachman, Eastern's public relations officer who served as Harner's supervisor in the Office of University Relations, concurred. "Kate is mature beyond her age. She is an exceptional, caring human being with excellent people skills, smooth writing skills, ethical standards and a wonderful sense of humor."

Cava completed the majority of her academic studies in just three years, while maintaining an impressive 3.85 GPA. While finishing up her last remaining degree requirements this year, she is working full time as an AmeriCorps VISTA member in Eastern's Center for Community Engagement (CCE). In her position with the CCE, Cava has coordinated  more than 200 Eastern volunteers each semester who contribute more than 2,000 hours of service at 20 different locations in and around Willimantic.

According to Kim Silcox, CCE director, the VISTA position has only been offered in the past to college graduates. However, because of Cava's demonstrated commitment to the community and her tireless advocacy for social justice, an exception was made to offer her the post. "Brittney has been a creative, inspirational leader who listens carefully to the needs of the community as well as the interests of the students and carefully constructs meaningful relationships to address the challenges," said Silcox.
 
William Salka, chairperson of the Political Science Department, agreed. "Brittney is thoughtful, kind, well-organized and uniquely committed to public service. Her classroom achievements, in many ways, speak for themselves. While taking a competitive course load, Brittney has displayed  commitment, reliability and productivity...which can be traced back to her first semester here."

Cava spent a summer in Washington, D.C., at Georgetown University's prestigious Institute on Philanthropy and Volunteerism, where she took three courses; interned full-time at the Student Conservation Association in Arlington, VA; and participated in numerous site visits and professional development workshops. In addition, she was chosen by Political Science Professor Nicole Krassas to participate on a research project about the roles that race and gender played in the media during the 2008 presidential primaries.  A preliminary draft of the paper was presented by Cava and Krassas at the New England Political Science Association meeting this past year.

Cava plans to continue her commitment to community service in graduate school at the University of Vermont this fall, where she will pursue a master's degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration, with the ultimate goal of landing a job as a community engagement director at a university.

 CL&P and Yankee Gas; Otis Elevator Company; People's United Bank; Fusco; MetroHartford Alliance; and Dr. and Mrs. William Cibes Jr. were the major sponsors for this year's Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Awards Banquet.

Written by Kate Harner

Willimantic, Conn: -- Eastern Connecticut State University's Theatre Program will present "Scenes, Songs and Monologues 2012" from April 26-29 at the Harry Hope Theatre, located in Shafer Hall at the corner of High and Valley Streets. The show opens at 7:30 p.m. on April 26-28. The show opens at 4 p.m. on April 29. The public is invited. Tickets are $5 for Eastern students and groups of 10 or more; $10 for Eastern faculty, staff, alumni and senior citizens; and $12 for the general public.

The show is directed by Jerry Winters, part-time performing arts professor. The performance will consist of several settings, from actors singing songs to performing short scenes from well-known plays to reciting monologues. The show contains a wide variety of performances, such as Shakespearean monologues, scenes from Sam Shepard's "True West" and songs from "Cabaret." The pieces range from tragedy to comedy and from well-known to experimental.

For reservations, call the Box Office at (860) 465-5123.

Written by Christopher Herman

Willimantic, Conn. - Four Eastern Connecticut State University communication students presented their work and projects at this year's National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in Ogden, UT, on March 29. The students included Eastern senior Salome Miclette, who presented her thesis, "Cosmopolitan Magazine and the Second Wave Feminist Movement: A Cross Cultural Analysis," and seniors Timothy Snopkowski, Todd Buckholt and Colin Dunn, who presented their work, "Twitter: The Uncensored Loudspeaker for Professional Athletes."

Miclette, who is also in Eastern's Honors Program, theorized that women's magazines have the ability to change and shape women's roles in society. Her research looks at feminist activity in both the United Kingdom and the United States during the 1960s, and addresses issues such as reproductive rights, the fight for political power and equality in the workplace.
  
 "Going to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Utah was an amazing experience for me that allowed me to meet with students and faculty from across the country who were interested in my research," said Miclette. "Being able to present my thesis to a national audience was very exciting and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to do so."

Snopkowski's, Buckholt's and Dunn's research examines media coverage of controversial "tweets" (online posts) that exhibit unsportsmanlike behavior by athletes. Their work was previously recognized at Eastern's Excellence Expo in May 2011.

NCUR promotes undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity in all fields of study. The annual conference gives undergraduate scholars from a wide range of institutions of higher learning a forum to share the results of their work through posters, presentations, performances and works of art.

Written by Dwight Bachman

Willimantic, Conn - Eastern Connecticut State University has been named one of the nation's Green Colleges for 2012 by The Princeton Review and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).  This is the third year in a row that Eastern has received the distinction.
 
"The Princeton Review's Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2012 Edition" profiles 322 institutions of higher education in the United States and three in Canada that demonstrate notable commitments to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation. The review -- the only free, comprehensive, annually updated guide to the nation's most environmentally responsible "green colleges" -- can be downloaded at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.aspx and www.centerforgreenschools.org/greenguide.
 
"We are honored that Eastern was again 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 initiatives. The fact we were included in the guide for the third year in a row tells our students, faculty and staff that their sustained efforts to be environmental stewards are being noticed and rewarded."

The Princeton Review, well known for its education and test-prep services, first created this one-of-a-kind resource for college-bound students in 2010 in collaboration with USGBC, which is best-known for developing the LEED green building certification program.

"College-bound students are increasingly interested in sustainability issues," said Robert Franek, senior vice president of publishing for The Princeton Review. "Among 7,445 college applicants who participated in our spring 2011 'College Hopes & Worries Survey,' nearly 7 out of 10 told us that having information about a school's commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the school," he added.
Examples of Eastern's commitment to sustainability can be found throughout the campus.  For instance, the Science Building is LEED Silver Certified for its use of gray water to irrigate and its many other green features.  In addition, a geothermal system provides heat and air conditioning to a 62,973-square-foot residence hall, the largest geothermal-heated building in Connecticut.

Under a 10-year Energy Services Agreement (ESA), with UTC Power Corporation, Eastern also has installed a phosphoric acid fuel cell power plant on the west side of Eastern's Science Building that will produce 400 kilowatts of electric power while generating usable waste heat. Eastern will use the energy produced by the fuel cell system to provide a majority of the power required for the Science Building, while maximizing the use of the heat output available from the plant. With effective utilization of the thermal output, overall system efficiencies of up to 90 percent are possible -- more than double that of traditional power sources.

In addition, a lighting system upgrade being installed in the J. Eugene Smith Library will save Connecticut taxpayers $136,061 annually. The control system in the library allows building occupants greater flexibility over lighting -- including occupancy sensors, remote monitoring of lighting and day-lighting strategies -- resulting in a 20 percent reduction in overall electricity consumption. The project is one of the first to be funded by Governor Dannel Malloy's Lead by Example state building energy efficiency program.

The campus also generates 6.2 kilowatts from photovoltaic solar panels to light bus shelters, trash disposal areas and building perimeter lighting. In addition, dual fuel burning capability in Eastern's heating plants allows the University to switch from gas to oil and vice versa based on prices and/or the requirements of its gas utility agreement.  Water-saving features also exist on a number of showers, toilets and urinals.  Finally, an energy-monitoring system analyzes energy usage for each building, and can automatically reduce electricity usage through preprogrammed initiatives, to reduce peak demand and energy costs.

To prepare Eastern students for jobs in the emerging green economy, Professor Fred Loxsom, endowed chair of Sustainable Energy Studies at Eastern, has worked with his colleagues in the Environmental Earth Science Department to develop an Energy Science track within the Bachelor of Science Environmental Earth Science (EES) major. The track was offered for the first time in the spring 2010 semester. Students complete a core course in earth science as well as a sequence of courses that prepares them to understand energy-related environmental issues and policies and to design, analyze and monitor fossil fuel and renewable energy systems.  The department also offers an interdisciplinary minor in the field.  In March 2010, Eastern students traveled to Jamaica on a study tour and built a wind turbine for a local school.
 
Eastern is exporting its commitment to energy conservation beyond its own campus ecosystem through the Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE). The institute is recognized and widely respected as an invaluable resource for supporting sustainable energy conservation efforts in municipalities and public schools throughout Connecticut and the region.