Themed Housing

Tuesday, March 27, 2012


*DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APRIL 2!*
Hello Volunteers,

As engaged Eastern students you should strongly consider some great opportunities offered through the office of Housing and Residential Life next year! Next year, four themed housing opportunities will be offered:
  1. Civic and Community Engagement
  2. Honors Scholars
  3. Education
  4. Social Work/Psychology

You can extend your volunteer work through themed housing, build new friendships, and take your service to the next level. The mission of the Civic and Community Engagement community is:

“to unite students who demonstrate an interest and commitment to issues surrounding social justice and community engagement. Residents will examine global and local social issues; residents will also develop and implement programs to address the needs of the local Willimantic community.  This Living Learning Community will work closely with the Center for Community Engagement”.

To apply:

http://www.easternct.edu/housing/documents/ThemeHousingApplication.pdf

Eastern Recognized by President Obama!

Monday, March 19, 2012


On March 12, at the American Council on Education’s Annual Conference in Los Angeles, the Corporation for National and Community Service announced that Eastern has been named to President Obama’s 2012 Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction.
The Honor Roll recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities. Eastern was selected in recognition of our commitment to service and civic engagement on our campus and in our local communities.
Of 14 colleges and universities in Connecticut who made the honor roll, Eastern was joined only by the University of Connecticut in the “with distinction” category.  Nationally, we were in the company of such institutions as Stanford, Villanova, Notre Dame, and Cornell.  In addition, the only other COPLAC school that made the “with distinction” category was SUNY-Geneseo.

“Community service has been a hallmark at Eastern since our earliest days in the 1890s as the Willimantic State Normal School,” said Eastern President Elsa Núñez. “Today, our Center for Community Engagement works closely with our faculty to ensure that the service that our students perform in local communities aligns with their academic programs.  In providing upwards of 15,000 hours a year of service to more than 40 local agencies and nonprofits, Eastern students are demonstrating their social responsibility while learning valuable professional and organizational skills. At the same time, the hours that our students provide to client agencies each year exceeds $400,000 in value.  To be recognized by President Obama as a university that exemplifies such service is something that everyone on our campus should be proud of.”  

Pre-Alternative Spring Break!

Friday, March 16, 2012

The week of Spring Break is finally upon the students at Eastern and there is so much to be excited about! Students have been working hard and finishing up midterms in order to be ready for a week off of school. Many people associate spring break with craziness and somewhere tropical. This year for spring break seven students and an AmeriCorps VISTA are headed to Sequanota State Park to partake in Alternative Spring Break.

An Alternative Spring Break is taking the week during spring break to give back to a community in need. This year the group will be cleaning and maintaining trails at Sequanota State Park, helping out at a local soup kitchen, and offering a helping hand wherever there is a need. Sequanota State Park is located in Jennerstown, PA, an eight hour drive from Eastern.

Co-trip leader, Lauren Kostak (Environmental Earth Science Major, Canton CT) said "I'm excited to spend time outside, giving back to the community, and meeting new people." This is Lauren's second ASB trip through Eastern and her first time leading one. "There has been so much prep work to get ready for our week, so now that it's finally upon us, I can't wait! It'll be exciting to see all our hard work being played out." Lauren is definitely ready for an exciting week!

One way in which the trip members have been preparing is through the fundraising. The students vacuumed and cleaned windows of cars for the Eastern faculty and staff a few weeks ago. This fundraiser was met with many happy ECSU staff members. In total the group raised $415!

The ASB trip members will be leaving Eastern bright and early on Sunday morning! Can't wait to hear how their week went once they get back!

Trip Members:
Lauren Kostak (co-trip leader), Brae Ferguson (co-trip leader), Kristina Scherber (AmeriCorps VISTA), Calvin Underwood, Todd Mitnick, Tom Przybylek, Anna Sobanski, Zaniab Giwa

Alternative Spring Break: Car Clean Up!

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

This past Friday, March 2, there was a different kind of commotion occurring in the parking lot next to the Gelsi-Young building. The Alternative Spring Break members were busily cleaning faculty cars to raise a little bit of money for their expedition to Pennsylvania!

Trip members stood outside from 12pm-5pm vacuuming out cars and wiping windows clean for the ECSU staff. Junior co-trip leader, Lauren Kostak (Environmental Earth Science Major, Canton, CT) stated "this has been a wonderful fundraiser. Having the Eastern faculty and staff willing to help students achieve their goals is awesome. I know all of us really appreciate their generosity".

The Alternative Spring Break will be occurring during the Spring Break week (March19-26) and the trip members will be headed to Jennerstown, Pennsylvania. They will be staying at Sequanota State Park in cabins and helping the Park staff to clean and maintain trails, work at a local soup kitchen, and provide any other helping hands that are needed in the area.

"We are really excited about heading to PA. I can't wait to see what the trails have to offer us! We are bonding quickly as a team and work well together." Said Junior co-trip leader, Brae Ferguson (Communications Major, Bethel, CT).

Overall, the ASB trip members made $415 during their time cleaning cars! Congratulations to all the trip members and good luck!

Left to right: Lauren Kostak (trip leader), Calvin Underwood, Brae Ferguson (trip leader), Kristina Scherber (ECSU staff supervisor), Tom Przybylek, Todd Mitnick
Not Pictured: Anna Sobanski, Zanaib Giwa

Are you a CHANGE Leader?

Tuesday, March 6, 2012


Do you know a student at Eastern Connecticut State University who is ready to help change the world?
In April, Oxfam America will select 50 incredible undergraduates from the U.S. and around the world to be part of our national leadership program, the CHANGE Initiative (www.oxfamamerica.org/change). CHANGE offers students the opportunity to develop essential leadership skills as social change agents, while encouraging civic engagement and heightening their awareness of their own cultural worldview. It further gives students the resources they need to become advocates and make a difference in the global fight against hunger, poverty, and injustice.
Students selected as CHANGE Leaders:
  • Connect with Oxfam staff and have access to expert skills based training, resources, materials and year-round support;
  • Engage in community service & advocacy efforts that address critical community needs;
  • Find their own leadership identity;
  • Develop confidence and the skills to effect positive, lasting social change, and
  • Become part of an active and growing, global network of peers and alumni working on social justice issues. 
 We are recruiting for CHANGE Leaders to serve on their campus during the 2012-2013 academic year. They are invited to attend an all-expense paid leadership training in Boston, MA in July.
Applications are due April 2 – have Eastern Connecticut State University students apply and help spread the word!

The Discovery Center Volunteer Opportunity

Monday, March 5, 2012

The Discovery Center
A classroom without walls for a future without prejudice. 

Be a Volunteer at an Award Winning Educational Diversity Program!

Do you like to work with student?
Do you want to be a part of a progressive education program?
If you answered yes then this is the perfect volunteer opportunity for you!

What is the Discovery Center?
They are an award-winning, non-profit organization founded by Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, located at science Camp Woodstock in Woodstock, CT. Their vision is to work toward a future where people of all ages recognize, accept, value, and celebrate individual and cultural diversity.

Their Mission:
To shape positive attitudes about race and differences, reduce Isolationism between urban and suburban/rural schools, and improve math, science and language arts skills.

Benefits of Volunteering!
  • Help build your resume with unique experience
  • Networking opportunities with local schools, teachers, and administrators
  • Gain real-life experience in working with diverse group of 4th, 5th, and 6th graders
  • Receive a certificate of completion upon the end of the season
  • Have fun and make new friends!
  • earn credit for community service and possible service scholarships
  • Potential for employment with the Discovery Center

For More Information Please Contact:
Jessica or Reanda at
or- discoveringdiversity.com