Two WCSU Students Earn Recognition for News Reporting at NATAS Boston/New England Conference

Buster Comaskey and Brandon LaRose, both Western Connecticut State University undergraduate Media Arts Production majors, earned awards at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS)/New England Collegiate Student Production Awards held in Boston. They earned College/University-Feature News Report Honorable Mention awards for their news report, “AI Invasion,” which aired during WCSU’s live-streamed “Election Connection” broadcast on Nov. 5, 2024.

Dr. JC Barone, professor of Communication and Media Arts (center) is pictured with LaRose (left) and Comaskey (right).

Eastern Men’s Soccer Captain, Aspiring Physician Named LEC Student-Athlete-of-the-Year

Walter Scudder ’25, a four-year starting midfielder, two-year captain on Eastern Connecticut State University’s men’s soccer team, and a biology major with hopes of becoming a physician, was named one of three recipients of the Little East Conference (LEC) Student Athlete-of-the-Year Award for 2024-25. The award honors a student-athlete’s commitment to excellence on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.

Next-Level Learning at Central

A group of Central students and faculty recently toured Central Connecticut State University’s new Proscenium Hyflex 2.0 classroom located in the Elihu Burritt Library. The space enables faculty to engage with students physically present in the room while interacting with students online in real time. Faculty can use this technology to deliver lectures, host guest speakers from around the world, and produce virtual lectures. History professor Dr. John Tully is pictured leading a lecture in the new classroom.

Charter Oak State College Makes Forbes ‘America's Top Colleges’ List

Charter Oak State College has once again been recognized in the annual Forbes America's Top Colleges 2026 directory.  Charter Oak State College was ranked #389 in the annual directory which recognizes the Top 500 Colleges nationally. The list represents colleges delivering "gold standard" undergraduate education, and 14 metrics are used to determine which colleges offer students the best financial, career and educational outcomes.

CT State Northwestern Presents Life at Sea Exhibit

CT State Northwestern’s Gallery at Founders Hall opened their fall exhibit line-up on Aug. 25 with Life at Sea, a powerful glimpse into the lives of seafarers who work tirelessly to keep the global trade economy afloat. The photographic series will be on exhibit through Wednesday, Sept. 24. An opening reception, featuring Enrico Esopa, the East Coast International Transport Workers Federation union representative, and a former seafarer, will be held on Sept. 3. Both the gallery and the reception are free and open to the public.

Doris Duke Foundation Appoints Southern Alumna as Program Director for Child Well-Being

The Doris Duke Foundation, a national philanthropic organization, announced that Jodi Hill-Lilly, ’88, M.S.W. ’94, a Southern Connecticut State University alumna, will serve as the new director of the foundation’s Child Well-being Program. She previously served as the state of Connecticut’s Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families and will continue the foundation’s work to build a prevention-oriented child welfare system. Hill-Lilly earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work at Southern.

NAEYC Accredits Charter Oak State College’s A.S. and B.S. Early Childhood Education Programs

Charter Oak State College’s online A.S. and B.S. in Early Childhood Education have been accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The current accreditation term runs from July 2025 through December 2027.  According to NAEYC officials, accreditation ensures a “consistent and high level of program quality and alignment to the Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators while respecting the unique mission and context of each degree program, its host institution, and its community.”

Southern Philosophy Professor Awarded Prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award to Armenia

Armen Marsoobian, Southern Connecticut State University professor of philosophy, was awarded a Fulbright Scholar Award for his work in Armenia. From September 2025 to December 2026, he will be hosted by the American University of Armenia, and will teach, conduct research, organize workshops, lecture, and curate a major exhibition at the History Museum of Armenia. Marsoobian is pictured with a negative from his family's photography collection.

Eastern Professor Honored with CSU Professorship

Daniel Donaghy, professor of English at Eastern Connecticut State University, was awarded a Connecticut State University (CSU) Professorship in recognition of his professional accomplishments, creative works, and contributions to Eastern and the greater Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system.

Dr. Karolina Kołpak named Endowed Chair in Polish and Polish-American Studies

Following an international search, Central Connecticut State University appointed Dr. Karolina Kołpak as the next Stanislaus A. Blejwas Endowed Chair in Polish and Polish American Studies. She will join Central’s history department this fall, and brings a record of scholarship, teaching, research, and commitment to an interdisciplinary and inclusive approach to Polish, Polish-American, and Polish-Jewish studies.

CT State’s Dr. Gomez and Dr. Perez De Jesus Awarded Leadership Fellowships

Dr. Manuel Gomez, CT State’s Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Dr. Madeline Perez De Jesus, CT State's Director of Campus Climate, were awarded leadership fellowships from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). The one-year Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo develops the next generation of culturally diverse higher education leaders, with a focus on preparing them for executive and senior roles, especially within Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and emerging HSIs.

The program combines in-person seminars, virtual learning, mentorship, and an international component, offering fellows direct access to experienced higher education leaders. Through leadership training and the development of a Proyecto Transformativo for their home institution, fellows gain the skills to advance diversity and innovation in higher education leadership. Dr. Gomez holds a Ph.D. in Spanish and post-doctoral studies in Community College Leadership, and Dr. Perez De Jesus’s scholarship is focused on educational inequity and the use of capital across socio-economic lines.