Eastern's fall semester is underway
Aug. 31—WILLIMANTIC — After a long summer filled with beach trips and part- time work, it's back to business for Eastern Connecticut State University students.
Students moved in over the weekend and the first day of classes was on Monday.
For some, it is the first time they are living on their own.
"I love the freedom," freshmen Maxwell Gatto, a psychology major from Essex, said on Tuesday. "I'm a huge fan of this place."
He said that he liked how many resources are within walking distance and felt people on- campus are friendly. Senior Jacqueline Navickas, who is from Colchester, agreed, noting that at Eastern they " treat each other like family." Many students said they appreciate the size of the Eastern campus.
" I like that it's a smaller campus because I feel like I know more professors more," said Sophomore Olivia Zumpano, a communications major from Colchester.
In addition to the new students, there are also new faces among the staff at Eastern, including two new deans, School of Education and Professional Studies Dean Niti Pandey and School of Arts and Sciences Dean Emily Todd. Eastern staff will be busy working on several initiatives this year, including improving access to mental health resources, which continues to be a priority more than three years after the pandemic began.
Eastern Public Relations Officer Michael Rouleau said staffing for Counseling and Psychological Services was increased and there are now 10 full- time staff members in that office.
Staffing in AccessAbility Services, which provides resources to students with disabilities, was also increased. Over the years, Eastern's ranking has improved significantly and it is now a top- ranked university. Last September, Eastern was recently ranked the top regional public university in New England by U.S. News and World Report for the third year- in- a- row.
That ranking is one of several factors that students weigh when deciding to go to college.
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