Courses
Course Offerings and Expanded Access
By Christopher Todd
One of the most important fundamental principles in public policy is that the more complex a change, the less one can force that change upon stakeholders. Look to any state or federal education mandate, and one can understand the complexity of change. Simply mandating or forcing students to take advantage of the multitude of dual credit opportunities their school provides doesn’t lead to success. However, creating a robust catalog of offerings that allows for choice, and aligns with student interests will ultimately shift the landscape of dual credit opportunities in Connecticut.
In his book “Inquiry Mindset”, Trevor Mackenzie writes Passions create opportunities for deeper learning as students are highly motivated and willing to explore them further. Their proper knowledge of the topic accelerates and amplifies their inquiry. Student interest and passion must drive the opportunities we look to create in an expanded course catalog. As the UConn ECE program quickly approaches 100 unique UConn course offerings, the program stands on the precipice of determining which new courses to add to our catalog, and as such, advocates with the appropriate university leadership within corresponding disciplines. The program will continue to look for disciplinary gaps in our course offerings and will work to bring in new course offerings that align with partner school needs, relevant career pathway pursuits, and most importantly student interests and passions.
Taking this into consideration, the UConn ECE program is excited to share new course offerings available during the forthcoming 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years. These courses align with the program’s strategic vision of expanding course offerings in a way that addresses both disciplinary gaps and student interests and needs.
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ASLN 1102: Elementary American Sign Language II (4 credits)
Continued development of basic knowledge and understanding of conversational ASL. |
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BUSN 2235: Personal Financial Literacy (3 credits)
Introduction to essential topics in personal finance for individuals and entrepreneurs. Financial literacy, personal finance topics including recordkeeping, budgeting, risk, insurance, credit, purchasing decisions, savings/investment options, income taxation of individuals and small businesses, and retirement savings. |
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CHIN 3210: Chinese Conversation and Composition I (3 credits)
Development of ability to communicate in Chinese, orally and in writing. CHIN 3211: Chinese Conversations and Composition II (3 credits) Development of ability to communicate in Chinese, orally and in writing. |
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CSE 1010: Introduction to Computing for Engineers (3 credits)
Introduction to computing logic, algorithmic thinking, computing processes, a programming language and computing environment. Knowledge obtained in this course enables use of the computer as an instrument to solve computing problems. Representative problems from science, mathematics, and engineering will be solved. |
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KINS 1100: Exercise and Wellness for Everyone (3 credits)
Overview of the five pillars of health (exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress and relationships); role of exercise in health promotion and disease prevention across the lifespan; impacts of exercise in leisure time, culture, community, careers and the workplace. |
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MATH 1070Q: Mathematics for Business and Economics (3 credits)
Linear equations and inequalities, matrices, systems of linear equations, and linear programming; sets, counting, probability and statistics; mathematics of finance; applications to business and economics. |
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PUBH 1001: Introduction to Public Health (3 credits)
This course describes the history, philosophy, and science of public health. Students will identify biological, environmental, and social determinants of health from a comprehensive perspective. They will apply these principles to define health problems, evaluate possible causes, and recommend effective public health responses to health concerns. By doing so, students will learn about career opportunities and the complementary role public health plays with health care and voluntary and governmental organizations in protecting the public’s health. |
To learn more about each course offering and UConn ECE Instructor requirements, we encourage you to visit our entire course catalog.
Addendum
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ME 3295: Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering (3 credits)
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NUSC 1165: Fundamentals of Nutrition (3 credits) An introduction to the principles and concepts of nutrition with emphasis on the nature and function of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals and vitamins, and their application to the human organism. |
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ARE 1110E: Population, Food, and the Environment (3 credits)
The role of agriculture in the growth and development of societies throughout the world. Economic, social, and environmental problems of food production and resource needs in developing and advanced societies.
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News to Know
By Carissa Rutkauskas
Congratulations on your retirement!
Congratulations to Glenn Lewis from Berlin High School on his retirement. Mr. Lewis has taught UConn SPAN 3178 and SPAN 3179, Intermediate Spanish Composition and Spanish 
Conversation: Cultural Topics, since 2012. His unique gift to ECE classrooms was bringing alive the language, culture, and history through his storytelling based on his extensive travel experiences in the Hispanic and Portuguese worlds, and his Chilean heritage. In his retirement, Mr. Lewis will move on to his third career teaching Buddhist philosophy and practice, and eventually living part time in the White Mountains and in Chile.
Congratulations to Maria Vilardo from Crosby High School in Waterbury on her retirement. She entered teaching as a second career and has been teaching for 19 years, nearly 12 of them in Waterbury. Ms. Vilardo has taught UConn’s History 1502: US History Since 1877, since 2020 and describes her affiliation and partnership with UConn ECE as her “crowning achievement as an educator.” In her retirement, she plans to enjoy life, relax, read, and travel. She has already traveled to Europe and South America and extensively throughout the Caribbean. In the future she would like to visit Japan and Singapore.
Promotions
Congratulations to Dr. Evan Perkoski, one of Early College Experience’s Faculty Coordinators or his promotion to associate professor and tenure.
Conference Attendance
Franklin Academy (East Haddam) UConn ECE Political Science and Human Rights Instructor Fahd Rafiq was awarded UConn ECE Instructor Conference Funding to attend the 2024 
International Studies Association Annual Conference in San Francisco, CA in April, where he presented a research paper on Nationalism and identities in South Asia, an article version of his dissertation. He also co-presented on forming national identities, mass culture, and land rights. Dr. Rafiq was able to attend several sessions, including foreign policies, using role theory and Arab Spring 2.0, and civil war research.
UConn ECE Student Successes
Congrats to UConn ECE Student Maya Bynoe from Pathways Academy of Technology and Design for: being a nine-time scholarship winner; admission to University of Connecticut School of Business Honors Program; achieving 28+ credits by fall enrollment; having started a business which now has product placement inside of a local store; served as secretary for the Greater East Hartford Community Fund.
Hanh Tran, Saint Thomas More School. “Thanks to the amazing courses from UConn ECE, I am able to discover my new interest in economics, especially microeconomics. Initially, I didn’t think economics was an exciting subject to take but it was great to finally learn something practical and I figured out that what I’ve learned can be applied positively to my consumption habit. As a result, I received an Excellence in Economics Award from Saint Thomas More high school!”
UConn ECE Student Perspectives
Jia Yi Lu, Bristol Eastern High School. “Recently, I passed my Calculus final with an exceptional score. I don’t think I would’ve been able to achieve this without the help of my ECE Instructor.”
Reygina Pierre, Ledyard High School. “Having gone through the ECE experience I have more confidence in myself in the field of animal science classes I took.”
Jonathan Plona, Wolcott High School. “I did really well in my ECE courses, earning A’s in them. I learned a ton from my instructors and earned college credit. It was a great experience,and I’ll be taking ECE courses again next school year.”
2023-2024 UConn ECE Professional Recognition Awards
By Jessica Dunn
Each year, we look forward to receiving and reviewing hundreds of nominations for the Professional Recognition Awards and working with the review committees to select the winners. With that said, it is no easy task, as we have over 2,000 members of the UConn ECE community, making it very difficult to choose just a few professionals who stand out each year. But once selections are made, the hard part is over, and the celebrations begin.
UConn Early College Experience hosts an annual Awards Ceremony for all winners to publicly recognize and thank them for their dedication and commitment to the UConn ECE Program. Those recognized have exceeded program expectations and excelled in preparing their high school’s students for the next level in their education. Candidates are nominated by their colleagues, students, administration, and UConn Faculty for their exemplary instruction and management of the UConn ECE Program.
On April 25, 2024, we hosted our annual Awards Ceremony for award winners, family, and friends on the UConn Storrs Campus. Our award winners and guests gathered at the UConn Alumni Center for an elegant sit-down dinner where they were welcomed by Office of Early College Programs (OECP) Executive Director, Christopher Todd as well as UConn’s Interim Associate Vice Provost, Amit Savkar.
The night was filled with speeches from UConn OECP staff along with program partners to personally recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of each winner. This y
ear we had the great honor to recognize thirteen Professional Recognition Award winners along with six award winners of the Silver Jubilee Award (25-year partners). The night was filled with heartfelt speeches, tears of joy, laughter, and celebration as winners, accompanied by their family and friends were able to pause and acknowledge the great impact they have on the lives of their students, their community, and those who work alongside them.
Congratulations to all recipients of this year’s awards. Your dedication, expertise, and outstanding contributions have truly set the standard for excellence within the UConn ECE Community. The UConn ECE Program would not be successful without the passionate and dedicated partners we are honored to work with, and we are grateful for all you do.
Principal Award for Program Support & Advocacy
Keri Hagness, The Morgan School
Thomas E. Recchio Faculty Coordinator Award for Academic Leadership
Natalia Smirnova, Economics, University of Connecticut
Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Kevin Barbero, James Hillhouse High School
Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Kyle Candia-Bovi, English, Suffield High School
Austin Cesare, U.S. History, Joseph A. Foran High School
Gina Corrado, Spanish, Cheshire High School
Christina Hernández-Williams, Spainish, Cromwell High School
Heather Watts Mathieu, Biology, Montville High School
“Rookie of the Year” Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Gemetta Neal-Goulet, Educational Leadership, Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts
Margaret Clifton, English, RHAM High School
Award for Outstanding Research in the Field of Concurrent Enrollment
Scott Campbell, English, University of Connecticut
Kathrine Grant, English, Connecticut Education Assoc.
Carissa Rutkauskas, University of Connecticut
Silver Jubilee Award
Julie Barker, Physics, Cheshire High School
María DiVirgilio, Spanish, Lyman Hall High School
Cathy Fedeorowicz, Mathematics, Seymour High School
Gan Manelli, Europeon History, Masuk High School
Amy Nocton, Spanish, Edwin O. Smith High School
Tina Riccio, Spanish, Southington High School
Student Scholarships
By Jessica Dunn
Through a rigorous review process, the UConn Early College Experience Office scholarship committee selected six outstanding 2023-2024 UConn ECE Students as scholarship recipients. Each student has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship applicable to any institution. All recipients are high school seniors, who have completed at least one UConn Early College Experience course and have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their project submissions. Additionally, applicants are evaluated using a holistic rubric that considers various factors including academic success, future academic aspirations, and demonstrated financial need.
View the 2024 UConn ECE Scholarship Winner video.
Excellence in the Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences
Winners demonstrate academic achievement and a potential for future academic and professional accomplishments in a field focusing on the Arts, Humanities, and/or Social Sciences.
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ARIANNA ANDERSON Pathways Academy of Technology and Design |
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TAINA TOLSON Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts |
Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics
Winners demonstrate academic achievement and a potential for future academic and professional accomplishments in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and/or Mathematics.
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GIANNI DRAB Robert E. Fitch High School |
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MUKTHA RAMESH Rocky Hill High School |
Excellence in Civic and Community Engagement
Winners are academically successful, are already making a positive difference in their town or neighborhood, and are inspiring others to do the same. The students chosen for this award are UConn ECE Students who demonstrate ambition and self-drive evidenced by outstanding achievement in both school and their community.
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TESSA FABIANO Stamford High School |
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DANIELLE KANTER Fairfield Ludlowe High School |
Professional Development Workshops
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.
Registration Reaches New Heights
By Todd Blodgett
After a successful registration process during the 2021-2022 academic year with DualEnroll.com, we took feedback from our partner schools and improved both student user experience and partner high school functionalities. With a simplified and more concise registration process we had over 15,000 high school students across the state of Connecticut enroll in at least one UConn ECE course. The most in program history, surpassing a previous high of 13,889!
This past Spring and Summer we had many meetings with our partner high schools to discuss the expansion of their course offerings and held conversations about how to get more students enrolled in UConn ECE courses. This led to a large growth in the amount of schools that were offering courses in Education Curriculum, Educational Leadership and Educational Psychology. This year we also revamped and reintroduced our partnership and offerings in Digital Media & Design. Five, three-credit courses were available to our high school partners in areas of Digital Media, Film & Video Editing and Game Design. As we continue to grow our offerings in these areas, we expect more partner schools to offer these courses to their students.
Registration for the 2022-2023 academic year closed in the Fall on October 6. We encourage students, instructors and school counselors to start having conversations about registering for UConn ECE courses now for the coming academic year. This will encourage students to plan their high school schedules and make sure they have taken the necessary prerequisites for the UConn ECE course they are interested in.
UConn’s Neag School Set to Offer Four ECE Courses in Education
- Coordinated by Stefanie Malinoski
- Written by Ann Traynor (Assistant Dean and Certification Officer), Michele Back (Associate Professor, World Languages Education), Danielle DeRosa (Clinical Instructor, Educational Leadership), and Joseph Madaus (Professor, Educational Psychology)
- Edited by Stefanie Dion Jones
The University of Connecticut’s Early College Experience (ECE) Program allows high school students to earn UConn credits and meet general education requirements by taking college courses while still in high school. UConn’s Neag School of Education, consistently ranked as one of the top 20 public graduate schools of education in the nation, recently piloted several education courses and next year will offer courses in multiple high schools across Connecticut.
Connecting superintendents statewide with these emergent ECE opportunities, the Neag School continues to be committed to expanding access for students and families across the state, increasing the diversity of the educator workforce, and attracting high school students to the teaching profession. UConn ECE Students will have the opportunity to choose from any of the following four UConn courses dedicated to studying diverse aspects of the education field:
- EDCI 1100: If You Love It, Teach It
- EDLR 1162: Health and Education in Urban Communities
- EDLR 2001: Contemporary Issues in Sport
- EPSY 1100: Introduction to Special Education
EDCI 1100: If You Love It, Teach It
The Neag School’s EDCI 1100 course will give high school students a glimpse into the world of K-12 teaching, learning, and schooling in the U.S.. Designed to provide students with an understanding of the historical, philosophical, and social foundations of education, it also encourages them to reimagine the future of the field.
“I hope that students will not only learn how U.S. education came to be what it is today, but also how to reflect critically on these histories and philosophies, as well as how education can be transformed for the better,” says Michele Back, EDCI 1100 Faculty Coordinator and associate professor of world languages education at the Neag School. Students enrolled in this foundational course, which focuses in part on social justice, will read a diverse array of scholars and educators. Each reading will offer a unique perspective on the history of educational thought in the U.S. and on how the nation can strive for educational equity for all learners and teachers.
“Your experiences as a student for over a decade are essential contributions to this course,” Back says. “Whether you love school or not, we invite you into this community of learners and want to hear your voice!”
EDLR 1162: Health and Education in Urban Communities
The Neag School of Education is also home to UConn’s undergraduate and graduate-level academic programs in areas such as sport management, student affairs, and school leadership. Through EDLR 1162: Health and Education in Urban Communities, students will explore how poverty, culture, and identity can affect children’s health, nutrition, schooling, and opportunities for success.
Through readings, films, discussions, and service-learning opportunities, class members will analyze society’s policies, norms, and beliefs while considering how these phenomena may perpetuate injustice.
According to clinical instructor Danielle DeRosa of the Neag School, the “service-learning” aspect of EDLR 1162 “means that in addition to students learning within their high school classrooms, they will also engage in service in the community … to better understand community needs and to build relationships with others.”
The course, she adds, “offer[s] an exciting opportunity for students to make connections from the curriculum to their own lives and lived experiences, as well as current topics in society.”
EDLR 2001: Contemporary Issues in Sport
DeRosa is also Faculty Coordinator for EDLR 2011: Contemporary Issues in Sport. This course delves into sociocultural, economic, political, and other issues specific to the world of sport.
Beyond teaching students about sport as a social institution and examining sport’s impact on American culture, the course will also discuss sport at the youth, intercollegiate, professional, and international levels.
EDLR 2001 “allows students to see course concepts in action through highlighting current topics in sport,” says DeRosa. “As an example, not only will students learn about sport and the intersection of gender and race, but they will also discuss current examples of gender and racial inequities within sport at multiple levels. This will invite students to think about their own experiences as participants in sport, as well as consumers of sport.”
Both this course and EDLR 1162, according to DeRosa, intend to “engage students in understanding the complexities of society as it relates to justice, education, health, and sport, as well as provide a space for students to have critical conversations with each other.”
EPSY 1100: Introduction to Special Education
Students specifically interested in the realm of special education can obtain an overview of this field in American K-12 schools via EPSY 1100: Introduction to Special Education.
The course’s key topics will include the various types of disabilities that are served in schools nationwide and the laws that support students with disabilities and their families. In addition, UConn ECE Students will learn about the career options available to them in this field beyond traditional classroom teaching — school psychologists, school counselors, and school social workers among them.
“All of these professional paths,” says EPSY 1100 Faculty Coordinator Joseph Madaus, “play important roles in ensuring that the students are properly identified and receive the right services.”
Madaus, a professor at the Neag School in the Department of Educational Psychology, says “he hopes that those who take this course will learn about the many strengths and talents that students with disabilities bring to their schools and communities.”
EPSY 1100 also will challenge students to “think about their existing beliefs about students with disabilities and will come to understand that many of the challenges these students experience can be addressed by focusing on their strengths,” Madaus says.
For more information about the Neag School’s courses in education, please visit ece.uconn.edu/education.
New Pilot Courses
By Stefanie Malinoski
The growth of courses in UConn Early College Experience course offerings is an intentional one. We actively pursue diverse course offerings because we know there are diverse student interests. In 2005, there were only 20 different courses, and all courses were ones where students needed to be tracked into the courses (Ex. English, Math, and Chemistry). Now, we offer 74 different UConn courses that represent a wide variety of student interests and needs.
We are currently exploring three pilot course additions for the 2020-2021 school year. These courses are more varied, based on student interest, and open doors to all sorts of students. Should the interest be there from our high school partners, our current collaboration with 32 different University Departments may grow to include three additional courses from two new to UConn ECE UConn Departments. The pilot courses are:
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Anthropology (ANTH) 1000 - Introduction to Anthropology |
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Geoscience (GSCI) 1051 - Earth's Dynamic Environment (Introduction to Geoscience) |
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Sustainable Plant and Soil Sciences (SPSS) 1100 - Turfgrass Management |
If you are you interested in these UConn courses, please contact the UConn ECE Program Office so we can work together to see if a pilot course may be possible. In addition, a representative from the UConn ECE Program Office may be available to schedule a school visit to help encourage the addition of any of the current UConn ECE course offerings in your high schools and as well as the recruitment of qualified instructors. Please contact the UConn ECE Program Office at ece@uconn.edu.
We look forward to hearing from you!
UConn Chemistry and ECE Hold First UConn CT-JAPAN Photochemistry Workshop
