PD Award Winners

Fall 2022 Professional Development Workshops

 

By Stefanie Malinoski

 

This fall, the Early College Experience program has been fortunate to be able to return to hosting some of our professional development workshops in person on the Storrs and Avery Point campuses. During the fall semester more than twenty events occurred with another almost twenty-five slated to occur during the winter intersession and spring semester.

 

UConn ECE Marine Science Instructors were not only able to meet in person but were able to set sail on the Long Island Sound as a part of their workshop day. The group discussed Winslow Homer’s “Fog Warning” and then experienced the fog first-hand from dories on the water.

 

After being introduced to molecular photoswitches by Dr. Michael Kienzler, from UConn’s Chemistry Department and the ECE Chemistry Instructors engaged in a hands-on laboratory demonstration “Synthesis and Photoswitching of Azobenzene”.

 

Sustainable Plant and Soil Science Instructors met with UConn’s Dr. Yi Ma from the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture for a pGLO Bacterial Transformation
exercise.

 

Guest speaker, S. Garnett Russell, Associate Professor of International and Comparative Education at Teachers College, Columbia University joined the UConn ECE Human Rights workshop and shared a presentation and discussed her book, “Becoming Rwandan”, and lead a conversation focused on teaching about the aftermath of the Rwandan Genocide.

 

At the European History Workshop, ECE History Faculty Coordinator, Tom Maulucci spoke to the group about ideas for fitting Eastern Europe into HIST 1400 and discussed a recorded lecture “As Ukraine Goes, So Goes the World: Thoughts on propaganda, violence, and democracy” given by Timothy Snyder, Richard C. Levin Professor of History and Global Affairs at Yale University. Later in the day, Professor, Sarah Silverstein, from UConn’s History Department presented to the group on “Eastern Europe’s Invention of the West”. Later, two of UConn’s Student Success Librarian’s, Zach Claybaugh and Kelsey Brown, gave an overview of library resources available to Instructors (with a special focus on Ukraine).

 

Having the ability to be back on campus and in person has allowed ECE to provide interesting and engaging professional development opportunities to our certified Instructors. Many disciplines are also opting to continue offering virtual events which allows us to more easily invite speakers from across the country to meet with our Instructors.

 

At the virtual American Studies and U.S. History Workshop in October guests included Chris Vials, Professor, English, and Director of American Studies at UConn who gave his talk “Fascism and American Studies” and provided resources to help facilitate teaching the topics. In addition, Aya Marczyk, Curriculum Development Fellow from Yale University’s Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimony engaged with Instructors on the topic of Race and Citizenship and provided a curriculum overview. After the workshop an ECE Instructor commented “The speakers were informative, engaging, thought-provoking, and provided practical resources to assist in teaching. Both were the perfect blend of providing intellectually stimulating content within a relevant pedagogical context. I will take the materials that they provided and absolutely incorporate them into my class.”

 

UConn ECE Economics Instructors heard dynamic presentations from economists from across the country during their virtual workshop. Presentation topics included:
• “5 Key Economic Concepts that Popular Media Can Teach” delivered by Dr. Kim Holder, Director, UWG Center for Economic Education and Financial Literacy, Senior Lecturer of Economics, Richards College of Business, Director of Financial Literacy, University of West Georgia (UWG).
• “Building Human Capital – College and Career Exploration”, Princeton Williams, Senior Outreach Advisor of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
• “4 Tools to Make Your Teaching Stick” was delivered by Matt Hill, Curriculum Designer at the Marginal Revolution University.
• “The Vibrant History of Black-Owned Banks” given by Tim Todd, Executive Writer and Historian of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

 

Much more information and pictures from the many professional development workshops hosted this fall can be located on “UConn ECE PD Blog” on the Early College Experience website. Dates for spring workshops will be posted to the ECE website’s “Dates to Remember” section as soon as details are finalized. We look forward to continuing to utilize the winter months with additional virtual workshop opportunities and welcome our community members to campus in the spring for additional professional development events.

 

2022 UConn ECE Professional Recognition Award Winners

By Carissa Rutkauskas
The presentation of the 18th annual UConn Early College Experience Professional Recognition Awards, celebrating outstanding teachers and administrators, was successfully celebrated in a hybrid format this year. On April 28th, UConn ECE Staff, award winners, and their guests enjoyed a casual yet celebratory evening of appetizers, mingling, and collegiality as we were able to personally present the winners with their awards. “Thank you”speeches captured during the celebration were then added to pre-recorded and collected footage of our winners, to produce the UConn ECE Professional Recognition Awards Show, which premiered May 19th on the UConn ECE YouTube Channel.

The UConn Early College Experience community and the University of
Connecticut publicly recognize and thank outstanding instructors and
administrators whose dedication and commitment help make UConn ECE
successful. You have exceeded program expectations and excelled in preparing

your high school’s students for the next level in their education.

 

Maureen Vint at library desk
Maureen Vint, Library Media Specialist Nonnewaug High School Library Media Specialist Award for Excellence in Enrichment and Collaboration
Kristina Schule with pie
Kristina Schule Human Development and Family Sciences Greenwich High School “Rookie of the Year” Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Karon McGovern portrait
Karon McGovern, American Studies New Fairfield High School Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Christine Higgins headshot
Christine Higgins, German Wilton High School Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Laura Francis on marine science field trip
Laura Francis, Marine Sciences Coginchaug Regional High School Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Dan Cote headshot
Daniel Cote, Philosophy Christian Heritage School Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Elizabeth C. with math themed Christmas sweater
Elizabeth Capobianco, Mathematics Trumbull High School Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Karen R. headshot
Karen Risley, Site Representative Portland High School Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Sean S. at graduation ceremony
Sean Tomany, Principal University High School of Science & Engineering Principal Award for Program Support & Advocacy
Anne Gebelein, Latino and Latin American Studies, UConn Thomas E. Recchio Faculty Coordinator Award for Academic Leadership 

 

2018-2019 UConn ECE Professional Development Awards

 

By Jessica Dunn

 

This year there were many outstanding nominees, reflecting the high enthusiasm and support the UConn Early College Experience community has for one another and the program. UConn ECE Instructors and Administrators were nominated by their colleagues and students for their exemplary instruction and management of the UConn ECE program. This year nine Professional Development Award winners were selected, across six different award categories, which only happens every few years. We typically present awards in five different categories, but were privileged this year to present a well-deserved Award for Outstanding Research in the Field of Concurrent Enrollment to Kathrine Grant, a UConn undergraduate. Kathrine is only the second person in UConn ECE's history to be presented with this award.

 

We recognized all award winners at our annual Awards Ceremony in April, presenting them with a plaque and a monetary award over a celebratory dinner with family, friends, and colleagues. It was a night full of admiration and appreciation for the dedication each award winner displays day in and out for their high schools and their students. All award winners have exceeded the program expectations and excelled in preparing their students for the next level in their education.

 

The UConn Early College Experience program would not be successful without passionate and dedicated Instructors and Administrators. It is a true honor to work alongside such enthusiastic educators who go above and beyond program expectations and work tirelessly for the well-being and success of their students. On behalf of all of us at UConn ECE, we applaud our Instructors and Administrators from across the state for their hard work and dedication to the program, and we are forever grateful for you.

 

We are pleased to announce our 2018-2019 UConn ECE Professional Development Award winners:
Thomas E. Recchio Faculty Coordinator Award for Academic Leadership
Nalini Ravishanker, Statistics
Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Seth Korn, Newington High School
Principal Award for Program Support and Advocacy
Mary Kay Tshonas, Quinebaug Middle College
Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Alina Britchi, Physics - Westbrook High School
J. Mark Peters, European History - Shepaug Valley High School
Peter Vermilyea, u S History - Housatonic Valley Regional High School
Sara Dziedzic, Human Rights & Political Science - The Woodstock Academy
"Rookie of the Year" Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Kristina Sluzewski, Human Development and Family Studies - Wilton High School
Award for Outstanding Research in the Field of Concurrent Enrollment
Kathrine Grant, UConn Undergraduate

 

UConn ECE Professional Development Award Winners

 
By Jack Greenwood Jr.
 

This year UConn Early College Experience selected eight Professional Development Award winners, across five individual award categories, based on their nominations for outstanding instruction and administration of the ECE program. Each award recipient was invited to attend the annual formal dinner celebration in recognition of their achievement. With over 1,300 certified UConn ECE Instructors, it is difficult to choose a small selection of award winners from such a large pool of talented nominations. Although we take this time to celebrate the work of these specific individuals who have gone above and beyond the normal scope of what is expected as a UConn ECE Instructor and Administrator, it is important to recognize that our program’s growing success is deeply rooted in the overall combined efforts of all affiliated ECE instructors, staff, and faculty. It is truly a pleasure for ECE to award and recognize such dedicated educators who work tirelessly with students to achieve their individual academic goals.

 

We are pleased to announce our 2017-18 UConn ECE Professional Development Award Winners:

 

Thomas E. Recchio Faculty Coordinator Award for Academic Leadership
William Alpert, Economics
Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Douglas Melody, Edwin O. Smith High School
Principal Award for Program Support and Advocacy
Louis DeLoreto, Edwin O. Smith High School
Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
David Bednarz, Marine Science, Ledyard High School
Linda Charpentier, Environmental Science & Biology, Xavier High School
Emily Kilbourn, English, Ridgefield High School
“Rookie of the Year” Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Mark Waller, Political Science, The Master’s School
Michelle Amann-Wojenski, English, H.C. Wilcox Technical High School

 

Professional Development Award Winners