Track alumni finish 10^th overall, first among women, in 95-mile relay

Six alumni of Eastern’s track and field team finished 10^th overall — first among women — in the Hartford Marathon Foundation’s running relay from Providence, RI, to Hartford on Aug. 28. The 95-mile relay featured 135 six-person teams; most completed the race in 11–14 hours. The event benefited the East Coast Greenway, with 85 percent of the route on the greenway. Eastern’s current track and field team volunteered at Jillson Square in downtown Willimantic, directing runners, supplying snacks and water, and taking times at what was the 12^th exchange zone. Each alumni runner ran three times for a total of 18 legs.

Art Gallery presents ‘Our Tears Are Sweet, Our Laughter Venomous’

The Art Gallery will present “Our Tears Are Sweet, Our Laughter Venomous” from Aug. 23–Oct. 8. The first exhibition of the fall 2021 semester features 14 Iranian-American artists whose mixed works explore the diasporic dualities of Iranian immigrants and challenge people’s perceptions of Iran. An opening reception will take place Sept. 9 from 4–6 p.m., preceded by an artist talk with Arghavan Khosravi at 3 p.m. in the Art Gallery. The events are open and free to the public. Read Story

Eastern employs therapy puppies to reduce back-to-campus anxiety

Hundreds of students cuddled with puppies on Aug. 30 in the J. Eugene Smith Library. The event came about in response to concerns over anxiety about returning to campus amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “The act of petting an animal has been shown to reduce short-term subjective stress and cortisol levels,” said Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, professor of psychological science at Eastern. Read Story

Students complete internships in summer 2021

Eastern students gained real-world experience this summer as interns working with a variety of companies. From small businesses to major corporations, students worked in hybrid, remote and on-ground environments as they fulfilled a range of functions. Read about some of their internships on Merit.

Walter Diaz appointed to AAHHE standing committee

Vice President for Student Affairs Walter Diaz was appointed to the Finance and Audit Committee of the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE). The two-year term concludes in 2023. The AAHHE represents professional academics, researchers, educators and students in the United States and focuses on issues affecting Hispanics in higher education.

Eastern becomes member of College Health Association

Eastern recently was granted full membership in the American College Health Association, an organization of college health professionals throughout the United States. Through the association, member institutions can share strategies, plans, challenges and research about aspects of college health.