Month: September 2025

UConn ECE Health Sciences Day

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By Dr. C. Michael White

 

This year’s Health Sciences Day at the UConn School of Pharmacy brought together high school students from East Lyme, RHAM, and Waterbury high schools. They engaged with UConn faculty members (Ms. Laura Nolan and Drs. C. Michael White, Robin Bogner, Jennifer Girotto, and Nathaniel Rickles), a CVS pharmacist/UConn Alum ‘93 (Dr. Galushko), and a P4 Pharmacy Student (Ms. White) in three hands-on activities.

 

First, they navigated a cardiac arrest on our simulation manikin where they had to recognize the rhythm, give chest compressions and mask valve artificial breathing, and then select, draw up and administer the correct doses of drugs in between defibrillator shocks. Next, they moved to the compounding laboratory where they were able to create brand new dosage forms. This is something that pharmacists do for patients who cannot tolerate the normal doses of medications, cannot swallow pills, or require a cream that does not exist commercially. Finally, they learned how to draw up medications like vaccines, insulin, and weight loss drugs into syringes, expel the air bubbles, and administer them properly in muscle or the subcutaneous fat of the arms or belly.

 

This was followed by a luncheon with pizza, a brief presentation on careers in pharmacy ranging from community, hospital, nuclear, pharmaceutical industry, and managed care settings, and then informal discussions about the day’s events. Students loved intermingling with those from other schools, seeing the UConn campus, and applying what they learned in their UConn ECE courses to real world scenarios, but in a simulated environment.

Introduction to New Pre-College Summer Director

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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.

2025 Annual Site Representative Conference

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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!

Farewell with Gratitude: Nella and Melanie’s Decade of Dedication

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By Christopher Todd

 

As we bid a heartfelt farewell to several long-time UConn Pre-College Summer (PCS) staff members, we celebrate the profound impact two very special staff have had on the growth and success of the program. Collectively, Nella Quasnitschka and Melanie Banks represented a combined 30+ years of experience for UConn, having served in numerous roles for the Office of Early College Programs (OECP) but also having been instrumental in the rebranding and expansion of the Pre-College Summer Program (PCS), which launched in 2014. When Nella and Melanie joined the program in 2016 with a clear mission to expand and revitalize it, their leadership played a major role in driving the program’s significant growth over the past decade. As the Director and Associate Director of Pre-College Summer respectively, their leadership, creativity, and unwavering commitment to student development transformed PCS into a nationally recognized experience
for aspiring college students. Whether it was designing engaging residential experiences, mentoring high school participants and UConn graduate students, or building strong campus partnerships, their contributions created a supportive and inspiring environment that will continue to benefit future cohorts for years to come. Their legacy is woven into the fabric of PCS—reflected in every student who left our program more confident, curious, and prepared for college life.

 

Celebrating the combined impact of Nella and Melanie is easy for members of the Office of Early College Programs team. One doesn’t have to look very hard to find their professional and personal imprints on colleagues, stakeholders and programmatic offerings. But what better way to celebrate Nella and Melanie, than to hear from some of their former PCS colleagues who capture the true impact both incredible staff members had during their time at UConn. The voices below come from former UConn Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) Graduate Students who worked directly with Nella and Melanie to support the expansion of the PCS program during their two-year Graduate Assistantships:

 

MEGAN GO
Program Coordinator | Brooklyn College AANAPISI Project (BCAP)
M.A in Higher Education and Student Affairs | University of Connecticut ’24
PCS: 2022-2024

 

Nella: thank you for giving me a wonderful experience with UConn Pre-College Summer. You made it feel like home for all the GAs and student workers, and my grad school experience wouldn’t have been the same without it! Thank you for your support throughout my time at PCS and Neag. Sending warm wishes and good vibes your way with your next steps! Also, I still have all the cool socks you gifted me. 🙂

 

Melanie: you were the first person to welcome me to Pre-College Summer in-person. Thank you for a great 2 years! You were always so caring and understanding and made the office environment a comforting place to be in, especially in the midst of grad school stress. Wishing the best for you and your family! You took such good care of the GAs at PCS, there’s no doubt that you’re giving your family the utmost love and support!

 

CODY OLSON
Academic Advisor
Commonwealth Honors College at UMass Amherst
PCS: 2018-2020

Nella: Nella is one of the most thoughtful and caring supervisors I’ve ever had. She made work fun. And even when life was complicated and challenging in the Pre-College Summer world, I knew that I would leave work smiling because of Nella’s positivity and empathy. During the pandemic, we would have 3+ hour Teams Meetings. On paper, this sounds horrible, but I loved digging into projects with Nella and innovating within our program.

 

Melanie: Melanie was a joy to work with, and I learned so much
from her in our time together. Melanie saw me transition from being an undergrad to a graduate student to a young professional and helped me each step of the way. I will forever be grateful for our friendship and her mentorship.

 

JOSEPH R. FISHER
Associate Director of Facilities Management
Harvard Radcliffe Institute
PCS: 2017-2019

 

Nella: Congratulations, Nella, on your successful tenure at UConn! I am so grateful to have been a part of your professional journey during my time as a Graduate Assistant for UConn Pre-College Summer. I remember fondly my interview with you and Melanie, your enthusiasm for the program, and interest in bringing on the first Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) graduate assistant. You helped make my 2+ year of graduate study exponentially powerful, exposing me to new projects, asking me to solve complex challenges, and pushing us all to use technology in more useful and efficient ways. I miss our PCS days so much with our dream team — and do know that your professional legacy (and laugh) will be so missed!

 

Melanie: Congratulations on a wonderful journey at UConn! I am so grateful that our paths crossed to work together and that we were able to collaborate on many aspects of the Pre-College Summer program. I remember our short brainstorming conversations, “oh yes!” moments when we found a new way to do something better, and when those short conversations turned into long sessions where we’d create and build together. I admire your commitment to learning, to your professional career, your education, and of course, your growing family. I always miss our days of sharing our cubicle wall and window — and of course miss the vibrancy and professionalism you always brought to your work. Congratulations again!

 

As we will miss Nella and Melanie deeply, this moment of transition brings exciting possibilities. As we welcome new team members and fresh leadership into the PCS fold starting with our new Director, Dr. Bobbi-Jo Wathen, we look forward to reimagining the program with renewed energy and perspective. This is an opportunity to innovate, expand, and strengthen our offerings to meet the changing needs of students and families. By honoring the foundation laid by Nella and Melanie while embracing bold, forward-looking ideas, UConn Pre-College Summer is poised to continue shaping transformative experiences that prepare high school students not only for college, but for a lifetime of learning and leadership.

UConn ECE Hosts First Allied Health Days

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First Allied Health Days
April 9 & 28, 2025

 

This past spring, UConn Early College Experience, in collaboration with Dr. Bruce Blanchard, UConn ECE Allied Health Faculty Coordinator, launched its first-ever Allied Health Days—interactive events designed to enrich UConn ECE students’ understanding of health-related fields.

 

Students were welcomed to the UConn Storrs campus on April 9 and April 28, 2025. On April 9, students from E.C. Goodwin Technical High School enrolled in AH1100: Introduction to Allied Health Professions participated in the day’s programming, and on April 28, the spotlight turned to AH2001: Medical Terminology students from The Morgan School.

 

At each of these sessions, ECE students rotated through multiple stations where they were able to perform phlebotomy on manikins, examine blood disorders and pathogens under the microscope, determine blood type, and perform a urine test to determine metabolic or renal disorders. Following the hands on laboratory portion of the event, students attended an Allied Health Sciences lecture in a UConn classroom.

 

These inaugural events mark the beginning of what promises to be an exciting new student enrichment opportunity. A full review of the Spring 2025 Allied Health Days will be featured in our upcoming Winter Magazine. We look forward to continuing these immersive experiences in Fall 2025 and Spring 2026!