In his role as the commissioner of the Connecticut Office of Higher Education (OHE), Tim Larson ’81 is a strong advocate of the power of learning. “I like to say to students, ‘Learn something every day you are on Earth. … College may not be for everyone, but learning is something everyone can do.”

After completing military service, many veterans return home with a desire to continue serving. An organization called Veterans Base Camp, led by Eastern alumna Cindy Archibald ’17, has been established to help veterans fulfill this sense of mission post-military.

Eastern alumna Elaine Hill ’17 received one of the nation’s most prestigious education awards, the Milken Educator Award, on Jan. 12 in a surprise assembly at her elementary school in Waterbury. The award includes $25,000 to spend however she chooses.

Morgan Cunningham ’18 has wanted a career in radio broadcasting since childhood. Thanks to Eastern, Cunningham is fulfilling his dreams as the morning news anchor for WTIC-AM, Connecticut’s largest radio station.

Anayancy Ramos ’19, a Ph.D. 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.

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.

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.

At age 60, hall-of-famer Bonnie Edmondson ’87 has added another remarkable achievement to her storied throwing career. On August 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.