By Community Contributor rouleaum
Three esteemed alumni from Eastern Connecticut State University were inducted into the Eastern Fellows Program on Sept. 21. The program recognizes distinguished alumni while engaging them in the life of the university. This year’s fellows – Tracey Boyden ’89, Cynthia Konney ’77 and Andrew Zlotnick ’85 – visited classes in the morning and led a panel discussion with students in the afternoon.
Boyden, a biology major, is a principal scientist at Pfizer who holds several patents. Over the course of 25 years with the pharmaceutical giant, she has contributed to the development of numerous drug therapies that treat a variety of diseases from cancer to neurological disorders.
Konney, an environmental earth science major, is a nationally recognized gemologist who runs a gemological company with four offices in three states. She’s an expert at identifying, evaluating and appraising gems and jewelry, and holds several professional certifications in the field.
Zlotnick, also an environmental earth science major, is a senior vice president at Fuss & O’Neill, a civil and environmental engineering consulting firm with seven offices across the country. He leads a team of environmental professionals who focus on hydrology, site assessment, remedial planning and design.
During the panel, the three alumni gave career advice and reflected on their days as Eastern students. Boyden opened the discussion by emphasizing being “change agile.” “Chances are you won’t be in the same position throughout your career,” she said. “Science and technology change all the time; Pfizer has changed immensely over the years.” She credits the well-rounded education she got at Eastern with enabling her to “stick with the changes.”
Speaking to a well-rounded education, Zlotnick said, “At a liberal arts school you’re exposed to a lot more than specialized schools, which allows you to communicate with a variety of people.”
© Copyright 2016, Hartford Courant