23-05-2025
Ready for the Next Chapter: Nearly 900 students graduate from ECSU
WILLIMANTIC — More than 900 undergraduate students from Eastern Connecticut State University crossed the stage at the XL Center in Hartford, celebrating the University's 135th Commencement Exercises.
The degrees given were from the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education and Professional Studies.
This year's graduating class came from nearly all of Connecticut's 169 towns, 22 other states and 35 foreign countries. The ages of the graduates ranged from 20 to 64, with 26% of the class being the first in their families to graduate from college.
Sixteen percent of the graduates are NCAA Division III student-athletes, and 3% attended Eastern on The Dream US scholarships.
Areas of study that were popular included business administration, psychology, health sciences, sociology and communication.
This year's honorary degree recipient was Mary Grant. Grant is a nationally recognized advocate for access and equity in public higher education. She currently serves as president of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
She noted the class of 2025 was the first to attend college since the shutdown of the COVID-19 pandemic.
'You have resilience, the ability to move forward in the face of uncertainty,' Grant said. 'In a world that sometimes chooses fear over hope, choose hope.'
Danielle Kuwornu, 22, of Newington, graduated with a major in social work with a minor in criminology. She was the first student to be a part of the university's honors program while completing the program. She'll be attending the University of Connecticut pursuing a master's degree in social work while going on to work at DCF.
'Growing up I knew I wanted to help people, but I was not sure how,' Kuwornu said. 'It wasn't until my aunt went through the process of adopting her son that made me realize that being a social worker is how I want to help people.'
Kuwornu added the inspiration came from the social worker in the adoption that made her want to be like that for someone else. Her desire to work for DCF stems from the ultimate goal of becoming a family lawyer.
Emma McCormack, 22, of Hebron, who graduated with a major in history, will be attending graduate school at Columbia University.
'I was adopted from Russia as a child, which continues to inspire my interest in humanitarian work, international policy or academic research,' McCormack said. 'I chose Columbia because it offers the flexibility and resources to pursue any of these paths, and the Harriman Institute perfectly supports my regional focus.'
Brayden Alexis, a 21-year-old from Trumbull, graduated with a major in psychology and a minor in biology.
'Once I graduate from Eastern, I plan to obtain a Master of Public Health promotion and serve for a few years as a public health data analyst,' Alexis said. 'About five years after that, I plan to seek out a position working with the World Health Organization.'
Katherine Escalante, a 22-year-old from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, graduated with a degree in philosophy and political science. This summer, she will be interning on Capitol Hill and will be starting a Master's degree at the Yale School of the Environment this fall.
'My dream job is to work to advance justice for the communities and environments that need it the most,' Escalante said. 'I'm deeply inspired by my own life experiences and a desire to make a positive impact.'
