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The Eastern Echo Monday, June 29, 2026 | Print Archive
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Sports

Eastern Michigan vs Western Michigan game 1

Eagle Sports Tips and Tales

By Blake McQueary · Sunday, March 24, 2024

The latest installment of The Eastern Echo's Sports Tips and Tales, highlighting the latest events and news around the EMU athletic world.

Eastern Michigan Track at UofM Invitational feb 17th

Six Eagles top five different track and field events in Clyde Hart Classic

By Hugh Thorp · Sunday, March 24, 2024

Eagle athletes went on to place in the top five in numerous events, including Gabriel Singh (Toledo, Ohio) in the 400m hurdles, Ryan Johnson (Springboro, Ohio) and Jake McEarchern (Lloydminster, Alberta) in the hammer throw, Alex Thompson (St. Catherine, Jamaica) in the long jump, and Mariia Yelanska (Dnipro, Ukraine) and Kyra Buffen (Columbus, Ga.) in the Triple Jump. 

Mens Baseball 3/35/23

Hugo hits two-run jack; EMU baseball falls to Vanderbilt, 6-2

By Hugh Thorp · Tuesday, March 5, 2024

EMU is still in the middle of a road trip, yet to play a game in conference play, the Eagles will open up the conference schedule when it takes on Ball State on the road on March 8. They sit in a tie for ninth place in the non-conference standings heading into conference play.

EMU vs Toledo

Eagle Sports Tips and Tales

By Blake McQueary · Sunday, March 3, 2024

The latest installment of The Eastern Echo's Sports Tips and Tales, highlighting the latest events and news around the EMU athletic world.

Latest Podcast

Eastern Michigan University’s “Enlighten U” has been ranked the top mental health podcast in Michigan by FeedSpot, a platform that compiles blogs, podcasts, YouTube channels, newsletters and other sites in one location.

“Enlighten U” is a podcast geared toward students who are experiencing mental health challenges. Melissa Thrasher, EMU's executive director of media relations and social media, and Lolita Cummings, an EMU public relations professor, serve as the co-hosts. Each episode is released around the 15th of every month and features a student or alum and a subject-matter professional.

Lolita Cummings in an interview with The Echo said that this is not the first time the No. 1 mental health podcast in Michigan has been awarded to "Enlighten U."

"We've been the No. 1 mental health podcast in Michigan from the very beginning," Cummings said. "I think it's an indicator of the fact that what we are trying to do, we are doing well, and that is important."

At the start of each "Enlighten U" episode, Cummings and Thrasher state that the "Enlighten U" podcast is an award-winning show.

"A couple of years ago, I won the best in PR for good campaign from Public Relations Society of America for the marketing and promotions program, because it's important that we get this, the word, out to everyone and about the podcast," Cummings said.

Thrasher and Cummings are both extremely proud of their podcast, but these awards and recognitions are not why they continue with it.

It is important to Cummings that she serves all of her students' needs. She noticed that before the COVID-19 pandemic, the mental health of many of her students was declining. When the students came back after the pandemic, Cummings noticed that her students' mental health was even worse. Due to this, she began brainstorming with one of her students about how she could help.

"She [the student] said to me, 'We watched a lot of podcasts while we were off.' So I said, 'Okay, I don't know anything about podcasts, but I will meet you all where you are.' So that's where the idea came from," Cummings said. "I am able to not just serve their academic needs, but I'm also able to serve their mental health needs. And to get the feedback from them, that is really helping, and is everything to me because the students are the ones who tell us what issues are impacting the most. Those are the issues that we bring to the table at 'Enlighten U.'"

Cummings encourages students to not only watch and listen to "Enlighten U" but to also spread the word about the podcast.

"One of the things we want to do is get the word out about this podcast to as many people as possible, across the nation, across the world," she said. "The need is not limited to our campus — the need is universal; it is worldwide. My goal at this point is obviously to continue to produce quality shows that reflect the mental health challenges that students are facing, but also get it out to wider audiences so we can help more people."

For those who are interested in engaging with "Enlighten U," the podcast can be found on YouTube and Spotify.

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