By Carissa Rutkauskas

 

Throughout the 2025— 2026 academic year, UConn Early College Experience celebrated and recognized the educators, administrators, counselors, and support professionals whose work made concurrent enrollment possible across Connecticut. What began with Teacher Appreciation (held the first full week of May, annually) and School Counselor Appreciation initiatives in 2024 (first week of February, annually) expanded to include Principal Appreciation in 2025 (held May 1, annually) and, for the first time this year, Library Media Specialist (LMS) Appreciation (April 4th, annually). 

 

 

The response from the UConn ECE community continued to grow. During the 2025— 2026 cycle, more than 200 teacher nominations, 60 Library Media Specialist nominations, nearly 60 school counselor nominations, and more than 30 principal nominations were submitted by students, colleagues, instructors, and school partners from across the state. These nominations reflected the tremendous impact these individuals had on their schools and on the students, they supported every day. 

 

 

Whether coordinating schedules, advising students, curating academic resources, supporting instructional technology, leading school communities, or delivering college—level instruction in high school classrooms, each role contributed to the success of one of the nation’s longest—running concurrent enrollment programs. Their dedication helped students experience rigorous academics, build confidence, and earn university credit while still in high school. 

 

 

Nominees who received several submissions were recognized with the opportunity to select a UConn ECE picnic blanket or canvas tote bag as a small token of appreciation for their continued support of the program. 

 

 

The following quotes and reflections represent just a small selection of the many thoughtful nominations submitted throughout the year in recognition of the lasting impact these professionals had on schools, students, and communities across Connecticut. 

 

 

Additional messages of appreciation and recognition were shared throughout the year in conjunction with these annual celebrations, including National School Counseling Week (first week of February), National Assistant Principals Week (first full week of April), School Principal Day (May 1), and Teacher Appreciation Week (first full week of May) 

 

TEACHER APPRECIATION 

 

Dr. Cruz — Ansonia High School, BIOL1107: Principles of Biology I 

• Dr. Cruz is the best and deserves recognition because she treats the class like her own kids and does everything to help us pass the class. She also makes AP Biology fun and easy to learn! — Sarai I

 

• Dr. Cruz is always keeping us engaged and finding ways for us to learn the way we learn best. She’s constantly making sure we’re understanding the curriculum & making class genuinely enjoyable. — Layla

 

• Dr. Cruz is one of the most pleasant teachers I’ve ever had because of her compassion, uplifting attitude, and humor.  — Cassie

 

 

Mrs. McLeod — Bridgeport Regional Aquaculture Science and Technology Center, BIOL1107: Principles of Biology I & NRE1000E: Environmental Science  

• She is able to intrigue the whole class in her lectures and is super understanding about what is going on in our life besides school and makes coming to morning classes fun. — Cassidy

 

• Mrs. McLeod is awesome because she is patient and very understanding. It’s obvious how much she cares for each of her students, and the loving environment she creates makes everyone feel special. — Lorelei

 

• Mrs. McLeod truly cares about her students and loves what she does. You can tell how much she cares by the enthusiasm she brings to her class and the meaningful activities we do. — Jonah

 

 

Mrs. Lengyel — Woodland Regional High School, DMD1002: Foundations in Digital Media II 

• She is very flexible and works with students very well. She is a very good teacher and clearly understands the material and how to communicate it to the students. — UConn ECE Student

 

• My instructor gives us all of the help we need when we ask her and always provides us with the best tools. She has taught me everything I know about photo and she teaches perfectly and at a great pace. — UConn ECE Student

 

• She is always willing to work with me to improve my projects and make sure it is what I would like from the class. — UConn ECE Student

 

SCHOOL COUNSELOR APPRECIATION  

 

Mrs. Fetta — Coventry High School 

• She’s always there for me when I am stressing out and offers reassurance even when I am being unreasonable. — Nicole

 

• She makes everything super easy and handles all the logistics and is always there for me whenever I need something or have a question. — June

 

• She always encourages students to push themselves within their ability, and that is invaluable in a student counselor. — UConn ECE Student 

 

 

Mrs. Hansen — Wheeler High School  

• Mrs. Hansen is the reason I am able to take three ECE courses this school year. My parents, who immigrated to the United States, are not familiar with how the school system works here and did not know how to give consent for my classes, no matter how much I tried to explain it to them. As the deadline approached, my counselor took initiative and contacted my mother to obtain her approval and helped complete my course registration. This is just one example of how Mrs. Hansen supported me throughout this process, but it clearly shows her willingness to step in and help when a situation went beyond what my family and I could manage on our own. — UConn ECE Student

 

 

Mr. Boyle — Middletown High School  

• Mr. Boyle was one of the people who encouraged me most to do things I didn’t know I was capable of doing. Without him, I can’t imagine being able to do the things I do now like taking honors, UConn ECE, and AP classes! — UConn ECE Student

 

• He is very supportive and like a father. He knows what is good for you and will let you know and if you don’t agree with him, he’ll still support you. — Barbara

 

 

PRINCIPAL APPRECIATION  

 

Mr. Blake — Coventry High School  

• Always takes time out his busy schedule to offer a chat with him. He’s always supportive and willing to offer stories! — UConn ECE Student

 

• Mr. Blake is extremely supportive of the ECE teachers as well as a fantastic principal in general! — June

 

• Mr. Blake is very supportive and kind with every student, and makes an effort to always be a valuable resource. — Lily 

 

 

Mrs. Riddle — Shelton High School  

• Mrs. Riddle is always promoting our high school’s UConn ECE courses and encouraging students to challenge themselves. Her enthusiasm for UConn ECE is infectious and makes students want to earn college credits! — UConn ECE Student

 

• Mrs. Riddle is a strong advocate of UConn ECE at my school and has personally encouraged me and other students to take UConn ECE classes. — UConn ECE Student

 

• Mrs. Riddle is always supportive of her students who take UConn ECE classes. She advertises them and makes sure it is clear the effect it can have on a student’s learning. — Harrison

 

 

Mr. Dellapiano — Stratford High School  

• Mr. Dellapiano is always up for a challenge and is a great example of what it means to be patient. He is a great support that not only holds up but also uplifts students and staff alike. — Bena

 

• Mr. Dellapiano is a steadfast supporter of UConn ECE at Stratford High School. He encourages UConn ECE Students, Instructors, and our Site Representatives to Start, Strive, and Succeed in our rigorous coursework and classes. — Ms. Mack

 

• Mr. Dellapiano is a great principal because he supports every aspect of who we are as a student body. Whether it be attending the musical or making conversation with students in the halls. He is a man pure of heart and deserves to be recognized for it. — Emma

 

 

LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST APPRECIATION 

 

Mrs. Johnson — Robert E. Fitch High School  

• She loves encouraging students to pick books, and she gives everyone a smile. She is also very friendly to students as she helps students find a book that relates to their interest. — UConn ECE Student

 

• My school librarian has supported the UConn ECE program by always being welcoming, helpful, and making sure students have the resources they need to succeed. She has actually been my librarian since both of my elementary schools, through middle school, and now here in high school, so she has always been someone students can rely on for support and guidance. — Jada

 

• What makes my school librarian awesome is how in depth her creativity is with the school community. How many opportunities she creates for the kids at my school and how overall kind and welcoming she is. — Tahlia

 

 

Mr. Mutch — Coventry High School  

• Mr. Mutch is never not available, always assisting students the moment an email is sent or if someone sends for him. He truly is an extraordinary librarian. — UConn ECE Student

 

• Mr. Mutch is always happy to offer his help no matter how busy he is; whether I need help finding sources for my research project or English essay, a quick email or stop by the library will resolve my issues. Even when assigned the role of the position of being the librarian for both the middle and high school he still perseveres. — Nicole

 

• My school librarian is AMAZING because he makes books and research super easy to find to help me with my UConn ECE experience. — June

 

 

Mrs. Ouillette — Tourtellotte Memorial High School  

• As our LMS, Mrs. Cindy Ouillette is an engaged collaborator with her fellow teachers, and I have been most fortunate to collaborate with Cindy for a number of years with my UConn ECE English course, working on engaging students in the writing process. Cindy routinely sits in on thesis pitch and small group review; expertly helps students locate relevant source material; and generously provides her guidance and input as students work on producing their best work. — Ms. Williams

 

• Mrs. Ouillette is more than just a librarian who tells you what books are good. She is a role model in the school for me and many other students; as she spends countless hours helping others and truly wants everyone to succeed. I will always look up to her and seek advice because of her selflessness to others, while still managing to make time for herself, so she can continue to show up with her big smile and bright personality. — Briana

 

• Mrs. Ouillette is the kindest and most helpful person I have ever met by doing so much in every aspect of our school and continuously trying to find ways to improve the lives of every student. She currently is our school librarian, a teacher for both Freshman and Seniors, a coordinator for a tri—school department, our leadership advisor, as well as a friend and mentor to everyone. — Jenna

 

 

By Todd Blodgett

 

The annual Site Representative Conference was held this May at the UConn Avery Point campus in Groton, CT. The Early College Experience Program Staff hosted 170 Site Representatives from 135 partner high schools. The morning kicked off at The Branford House where attendees, many of whom were visiting the Avery Point campus for the first time, got to take in the breath-taking views of The Long Island Sound over breakfast with colleagues from across the state. After moving to the Academic Building for the core content of the day, and being officially welcomed by UConn ECE Executive Director, Christopher Todd, representatives from Newington High School, Norwich Free Academy, and Robert E. Fitch High School took the stage. Leading a panel discussion, the Site Representatives discussed ways they are expanding concurrent enrollment opportunities at their schools. They shared their experiences of implementing new UConn ECE courses into their schools and how they promote the courses to their students, families, and instructors. Participants then received programmatic updates before choosing from six breakout sessions, offered across two time slots. The conference was a great opportunity for our Site Representatives to discuss ways to enhance their concurrent enrollment offerings at their high schools and meet with colleagues and counterparts from across the state. We appreciate all the work that our Site Representatives do to make their UConn ECE programs successful at their schools and are excited to continue offering a diverse selection of course offerings to their students!

By Bobbi-Jo Wathen

 

In February, Dr. Bobbi-Jo Wathen joined UConn full time as the Director of Pre-College Summer. She is no stranger to UConn’s Office of Early College Programs as she has been a Site Representative for the UConn Early College Experience program since 2014. Dr. Wathen has also been teaching in the UConn Counselor Education Master’s program since 2018 when she started her doctoral studies at the University. As a doctoral student from 2018 through 2023 her research focused on supporting black males through post-secondary transitions. Her mentors created opportunities to publish several works on this topic, contributing to the academic discourse. Her desire to engage in this research began when she was a high school counselor, and she witnessed the inequities in college access.

 

 

In 2011, she earned her master’s degree in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in School Counseling from Cambridge College and started a wonderful career in school counseling. Since then, she has worked in a variety of school settings and supported numerous students as they explored careers and made postsecondary plans. She has been a longtime advocate for high quality rigorous education for all and worked alongside organizations like the Legal Defense Fund, The Sheff Foundation, and NCWIT’s Counselors for Computing to create a real impact for students and families.

 

In her most recent position, she was the School Counseling Department Head at a large title one school district in CT. In this leadership role, she was able to adjust her service to supporting school counselors and district leaders with the same goal in mind, providing exceptional rigorous education for students that lead to positive postsecondary outcomes. During this time, she worked closely with CT Rise to create functional systems that evaluate school level data to impact student success as students transition into high school and out of high school.

 

Becoming a full-time Husky has brought much joy. From Johnathan sightings, basketball games, the beautiful sunsets, and a lively quad on a warm day are the things that make UConn special to her. More than that, she has really enjoyed preparing for her first summer welcoming high school students from around the globe to UConn’s Pre-College Summer program. She can’t wait to watch young high school students fall in love with UConn and build the confidence they need to find a sense of belonging in college. She believes every young person should have a champion telling them they CAN and SHOULD pursue higher education if they want to. This program has the opportunity to give that to the young people who find their way to campus.