Merit Pages News
(July 6, 2022) — Hundreds of students graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University at the conclusion of the spring 2022 semester. The University’s annual Commencement Exercises occurred May 17, 2022 at the XL Center in Hartford. The graduate-level ceremony occurred May 14th on the Eastern campus in Willimantic.
Among the graduates:
Owen Marica of Haddam graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.
Matthew Savastra of Haddam graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology.
Connor Chute of Higganum graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Information Systems.
Clara Roby of Killingworth graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.
The spring 2022 graduates went through Eastern’s School of Arts & Sciences, School of Education & Professional Studies and Graduate Division. More than 30 percent of the undergraduates were the first in their families to earn a bachelor’s degree.
Commencement speaker Lena Rodriguez, president and CEO of the Community Renewal Team in Hartford, told graduates, “Take every skill you have acquired throughout these four years, place them in your personal toolbox, and lead with confidence and courage, as you are prepared.”
At the graduate-level ceremony, Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill said, “When someone asks you to do something, take the leap. Ask ‘why not me?’ Make the change you’ve been waiting for. Don’t sit on the sidelines. Don’t complain and not do anything about it. Build the world you want to see.”
Eastern President Elsa Nunez gave her charge to the assembled graduates, telling them, “Tonight is a time for new beginnings . . . Each of you has a dream, talents you were born with. Your Eastern education has honed those talents and prepared you for the world ahead. Grasp your future with both hands. Be prepared to adjust your grip. Wake up each day committed to grow, to learn more, to make a difference in the world. Do all of this with a smile and the confidence that you can succeed.”
Eastern Connecticut State University is the State of Connecticut’s public liberal arts university, serving more than 4,300 students annually on its Willimantic campus. In addition to attracting students from 163 of Connecticut’s 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 31 states and 10 countries. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 65 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked as the #1 public regional university in New England by U.S. News & World Report in its 2020, 2021 and 2022 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded “Green Campus” status by the Princeton Review 12 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.
