By Stefanie Malinoski
Throughout the 2024-2025 academic year, UConn Early College Experience partnered with dedicated Faculty Coordinators to offer 50 professional development workshops to certified Instructors. These opportunities were designed to enrich teaching practices, foster interdisciplinary connections, and broaden educators’ perspectives. Some highlights from the spring semester are below. Please be sure to review the UConn ECE Professional Development Blog on the UConn ECE website for details from all spring workshops and pictures from the events.
Environmental Science 
Dr. Morty Ortega, ECE Faculty Coordinator for Environmental Science, met with 32 Environmental Science Instructors for a “Journey through Ecotoxicology” with graduate student Anika Agrawal. Ecotoxicology focuses on studying the effects of toxic chemicals such as pesticides, heavy metals, and industrial chemicals on ecosystems. Anika Agrawal, a PhD Candidate in Natural Resources and the Environment (NRE) at UConn studies the effect of mercury in oysters in the Long Island Sound.
Spanish
UConn ECE Faculty Coordinators from Spanish, Profs. Gustavo Nanclares and Eduardo Urios-Aparisi met with more than 60 Spanish Instructors to listen to Prof. Maria Acosta Cruz, Professor of Spanish in the Language, Literature & Culture Dept at Clark University. Prof. Acosta shared her talk “Ecocrítica, cultura y nación: La cultura puertorriqueña a través de cinco siglos” (“Ecocriticism, Culture, and Nation: Puerto Rican Culture Through Five Centuries”) with the teachers.
Educational Psychology 
Prof. Joseph Madaus, our UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from Educational Psychology, gathered with instructors for a virtual meeting and thought-provoking discussion with young adult author Terry Trueman. Trueman’s novel, “Stuck in Neutral,” used in ESPY 1100: Introduction to Special Education courses, offers insights into the lived experiences of individuals with cerebral palsy and sparked meaningful conversation among participants.
French
UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from French, Prof. Florence Marsal met with 30 UConn ECE certified French Instructors to hear from Joëlle Vitiello, Professor of French and Francophone Studies at Macalester College for her talk “Enseigner les trésors d’Haïti” (“Teaching the Treasures of Haiti”). In addition, Mary Catherine Decoteau, Career Consultant from UConn’s Career Services, spoke to teachers about enhancing and highlighting career competencies in UConn French courses.
Biology 
Dr. Tom Abbott, ECE Faculty Coordinator for Biology, met with a group of 34 UConn ECE certified Biology Instructors and embarked on a groupcampus trail walk. The theme for the daywas “In the “Heat” of the Moment, Forests Move Center Stage”. The field walk took the group through small forest stands and provided Instructors with a unique perspective on ecological dynamics and biodiversity in the Storrs area.
English
UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from English, Prof. Scott Campbell and Graduate Assistant Adam McLain curated a dynamic conference for 80 UConn ECE certified English Instructors on UConn’s Hartford campus. The theme for the conference was “Inquiring About Writing: Syllabi and Texts in the ECE English High School Classroom”. From exploring literary theory and art to engaging with inquiry and identity at the Wadsworth Atheneum, the conference fostered collaborative dialogues and innovative pedagogical approaches.
Latino and Latin American Studies
Prof. Anne Gebelein, UConn ECE’s Faculty Coordinator from Latino and Latin American Studies, met with a group of 20 LLAS 1190: Introduction to Latin America and the Caribbean Instructors on the Hartford campus. The day included a presentation and discussion with special guest Lorenzo Martinez Ruiz about challenges to indigenous sovereignty in Nicaragua. Lorenzo is an indigenous leader of the Rama-Kriol peoples in southeastern Nicaragua. His firsthand insights into indigenous rights activism underscored the complexities of sovereignty and land rights issues in the region, provoking critical reflections among participants.
New Instructor Orientation
In addition to our spring professional development workshops, UConn ECE celebrated a significant milestone by welcoming 297 newly certified instructors into our community in May. Among them, 238 fresh faces joined us for New Instructor Orientation which was held on the Storrs campus, marking it as our largest Orientation gathering to date.
This comprehensive event covered essential aspects of Early College Experience from Instructor responsibilities to student engagement strategies. Noteworthy presentations by Student Success and Engagement Librarian, Ery Caswell, and Educational Technologies expert, Jordan Vinikoor, enriched participants’ understanding of available resources and technological tools. Additionally, instructors had the opportunity to connect with their Faculty Coordinators and fellow newcomers in dedicated afternoon sessions to ensure teachers are fully prepared to begin offering UConn courses in the fall.
As the academic year draws to a close, it’s evident it has been characterized by notable achievements and successes. Looking forward, we aim to double down on these accomplishments to provide our UConn ECE community with even greater opportunities for continued growth.