By Dr. Natalia Smirnova, UConn ECE Economics Faculty Coordinator

 

Students enrolled in the UConn Early College Experi­ence Economics courses at Trumbull High School visit­ed the Stamford campus on Thursday, March 26, 2026. Forty-five students and three UConn ECE Economics in­structors arrived in the early morning hours to take part in the extensive “Day at UConn Stamford” event. Many of those students are accepted to the University of Connecti­cut and plan to enroll in the Fall.

 

Stamford Campus Dean, Dr. Jennifer E. Orlikoff, wel­comed the group and set them up for an activity-packed day, which included the campus tour, career panel discus­sion, and attendance of an Economics class.

 

The career panel was moderated by Tara Malone, Direc­tor of the Center for Career Development at Stamford. Three Economics majors shared their experience of obtaining internships and jobs with the help of Career Fairs and Career Center events and services. The students, Liz Maia (’26), Kothan Nieves-Orama (’27), and Alex­ys Williams (’27), talked about the applicability of the Economics major to the broad job market. They answered high school students’ questions about the strategies to be employed at the undergraduate level to secure a job upon graduation. “It is not too early to engage in your career ex­ploration and utilize many resources available on campus to aid you in this endeavor,” was the overall message.

 

Students attended Dr. Knoblauch’s Industrial Organization class and Dr. Smirnova’s Principles of Macroeconomics class. Both classes were engaging and interactive. Trum­bull students were able to join forces with UConn students on various tasks and learn not only the economics materi­al, but also teamwork and communication skills.

 

These competencies are at the heart of Economics students’ preparation for successful careers. Trumbull High School Economics instructors, Mr. Brian Sprinsteen, Mr. Martin Mc­Grath, and Mr. Gregg Basbagill, com­mented that UConn students were leading the collaborative work during the exercises and were enthusiastically mentoring high schoolers.

 

Events like this support the outreach mission of the University and pro­mote cooperative spirit between UCo­nn and the local community.

 

By Dr. Tina Chiappetta-Miller , Associate Professor In-Residence, Literatures, Cultures, and Languages and UConn ECE Italian Literature and Cultural Studies Faculty Coordinator

 

Now, in its third year, the UConn ECE Italian Multimedia Contest continues to offer students of Italian an original, engaging, and creative way to apply their language skills. This year’s theme, “Il linguaggio del…vero io” (“The language of… my true self ”) struck a special chord with the high school participants. The theme inspired more than 35 submissions that explored students’ intimate feelings and lived experiences.

 

Students responded in a wide range of creative formats, including poems, drawings, photo col­lages, and even an original song, which earned an honorable mention. This year’s winners expressed deeply personal images of their complex identi­ties, highlighting the intersection of cultures that shape who they are.

 

The contest jury, composed of Professor Federica Anichi­ni’s 10th grade class at the Istituto Agrario in Florence, Italy, were very impressed with this year’s submissions. Students Ettore, Viola, and Niccolò stepped up to record an enthusiastic video announcing the winners.

 

The best part about the “Il linguaggio di…” contest is that it showcases the strength and vitality of high school Italian programs across Connecticut while reinforcing UConn ECE’s connection and commitment to language learning and creative expression.

 

1st place: Virginia Akide Ndunge of Holy Cross High School with her essay, “Troppo, Non Abbastanza” (“Too much, not enough”) and her original collage “Sono Abbas­tanza” (“I am enough”).

 

2nd place: Jose Taveras of Bristol Central High School with his poem and photo collage, “Il mio cuore” (“My heart”).

 

3rd place: Isabella Cacnahuaray of Holy Cross High School with her poem “Mio Mondo Pieno di Somiglianza” (“My world full of similarities”) and drawing, “La Bellezza della Cultura” (“The beauty of culture”)

 

Honorable Mention: Emersyn Miller of Staples High School for her original song, “Scopri chi sono” (“Discover who I am”).

 

 

By Maggie McGillicuddy UConn ECE Instructor, ERTH 1051: Earth’s Dynamic Planet, Torrington High School & Robert M. Thorson, Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, UConn ECE Earth Sciences Faculty Coordinator

 

This spring, an eager group of UCo­nn ECE students from Torrington High School attended a field trip to UConn Storrs Campus to enrich their course, ERTH 1051: Earth’s Dynamic Planet. The group was led by their teacher Maggie McGillicuddy, with help by Rick Dubois, UConn ECE certified physics instructor at Tor­rington High School. His insight was valuable as geophysics is an important part of the Earth Sciences.

 

The trip began in front of the historic Beach Hall, the headquarters for the Department of Earth Sciences. There, Carissa Rutkauskas, of the UConn ECE program staff, welcomed the stu­dents and informed them of upcom­ing events of the day. At that point, Professor Robert M. Thorson, Earth Science’s UConn ECE Faculty Coor­dinator, called the students’ attention to the sweeping view of Horse Barn Hill as a glacial landform, the disin­tegrating concrete as a consequence of sidewalk salt chemistry, and the trash bins being filled with single-use plastic containers as an example of our dependence on earth materials, in this case petroleum. All these things – landforms, architecture, manu­factured materials – fall within the purview of the Earth Sciences.

 

Heading inside, we were greeted by the Department Head Professor Tracy Frank, who encouraged the students to think about careers in the field. We also had a chance to meet several fac­ulty members, tour the research and teaching labs, see the ancient iron safe where cash tuition was likely kept, and visit Professor Thorson’s book- and rock-cluttered office.

 

One highlight of the trip was a guided tour of the Stone Pavilion, a tiny building built in 1937 that mimics the shape of a quartz crystal. The exterior walls and arched openings of this geo­heritage site are built with stones from all 169 towns in Connecticut, includ­ing one from the student’s hometown of Torrington. Inside the pavilion is an exhibit gallery of beautiful speci­men stones, one from each state in the nation.

 

The students then toured campus, nearly all of them for the first time. Their favorite spot was the Student Recreation Center, which has the tallest climbing wall in New England! After spending time in the UCo­nn Bookstore, everyone ate lunch in the Student Union food court. The final highlight was a visit to the world-famous UConn Dairy Bar for some ice cream.

 

All in all, it was a great day. The students rated it “11 out of 10!” and the instructors hope to make this an annual event. They set an example for other school visits to follow. We hope to see you next year.

 

By Todd Blodgett 

 

The annual UConn Early College Experience Site Representative Conference was held this May at the UConn Storrs campus. The ECE Program Staff hosted 145 Site Representatives from 118 partner high schools. The conference attendees started the morning hearing from the Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Jayson Hodge, and the Vice Provost of the Institute for Student Success, Dr. Tadarrayl Starke. Both shared messages of the relevance and importance that UConn courses offered through UConn ECE have in preparing students to be desirable and well-rounded applicants for post-secondary education as well as successful in their post-secondary endeavors.   

 

The focus of this year’s conference was on providing different opportunities and the knowledge of resources that non-degree students have through the UConn courses offered in their high schools and the UConn ECE program. Breakout sessions were led by members of the UConn Writing (W) Center, UConn Quantitative (Q) Center, UConn Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD), UConn Pre-College Summer (PCS), and UConn ECE program staff.   

 

The annual conference continues to aim to bring together representatives from each high school in Connecticut to help support them in offering UConn courses to their students and provide them with resources to be successful. 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 Janet Belval, CT State Director, CT Science Olympiad, UConn ECE Instructor at South Windsor High School

UConn Early College Experience was proud to host the 2026 Connecticut State Science Olym­piad Competition. This premier annual event brought together some of the brightest young minds from across the state to showcase their scientific skills, problem-solving abilities, and teamwork. The day was filled with immense excitement, collaboration, and intense competi­tion as these budding scientists left no stone unturned in their quest for victory.

 

Science Olympiad is a highly regarded competition that challenges students across a wide ar­ray of scientific disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, and more. With an impressive lineup of more than 23 distinct events, the participants were required to exhibit rigorous content knowledge, innovation, and analytical thinking. Over 50 dedicated Science Olympiad teams from around the state prepared for months leading up to the event, showcas­ing a remarkable commitment to excellence.

 

Tournament Champions & Highlights

 

The battle for the state title showed incredible depth this season, culminating in a spectacular repeat victory.

 

Division C (High School): South Windsor High School fiercely defended their title to emerge once again as the Division C State Winners. They will advance to proudly represent Connecti­cut at the National Tournament.

 

Igniting Curiosity and Inspiring the Future

 

Participating in Science Olympiad is far more than just a bid for med­als. It is a profound opportunity for young minds to explore their passions and ignite a lifelong curiosity about the world around them. Teams are pushed to their limits in structural building and engineering events, and rigorous written examinations and hands-on experimental design.

 

Across the campus, the energy of dis­covery was undeniable. Visitors could witness everything from helicopters being flown to a high-stakes Foren­sic Crime Lab being run inside the Chemistry Building.

 

These are the exact hands-on, im­mersive experiences that create lasting memories for Connecticut students, actively inspiring them to step up and join the next generation of world-changing scientists. The overwhelming success of this year’s Connecticut Science Olympiad com­petition reflects the critical impor­tance of cultivating scientific curiosity in our schools. This massive under­taking would simply not be possible without the foundational support of dedicated coaches, passionate parent and community volunteers, and the exceptional staff of the UConn ECE program.

 

Final Standings & Special Recognitions

C DIVISION

Gold – South Windsor High School

Silver – Avon High School

Bronze – Staples High School

4th place – Wilton High School

Best New Team – West Haven High School

 

 

By Stefanie Malinoski  

 

This spring, UConn Early College Experience certified 248 new instructors, including 189 new partner instructors who completed New Instructor Orientation on May 18th, expanding access to UConn courses across 45 disciplines in 126 Connecticut high schools.  

 

Led by Executive Director, Chris Todd, and the UConn ECE staff, the day-long orientation introduced educators to key program components, including instructional responsibilities, student registration processes, and alignment with NACEP standards. Breakout sessions highlighted UConn’s instructional resources, program operations, and student enrichment opportunities such as the Pre-College Summer program. Special thanks to Ery Caswell, Student Success and Engagement Librarian, Daniel Facchinetti, Director of Educational Technologies, and Samantha Hannagan, Educational Technologist, for sharing their expertise with the group. 

 

 In the afternoon, discipline-specific meetings connected new instructors with Faculty Coordinators and fellow instructors, fostering collaboration and a strong professional community across subject areas. Participation from Faculty Coordinators in each discipline reinforced ECE’s commitment to supporting its growing statewide network of instructors. 

 

As the academic year concludes, UConn ECE celebrates this milestone and remains focused on expanding access to rigorous educational opportunities for both teachers and students across Connecticut.  

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction by Christopher Todd

Participant data by Cyndee McManaman, CT History Day Regional Coordinator

 

The University of Connecticut and the Office of Early College Programs are proud to support Connecticut History Day (CHD), an enriching program that empowers students to explore the past through rigorous research, thoughtful analysis, and creative expression. This year’s theme, “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History,” invited students to examine the dynamic forces that have shaped societies across time and place. By investigating moments of transformative change, the responses they inspired, and the reforms that followed, students gain a deeper understanding of how history informs the pres­ent. Through this partnership, UConn and Connecticut History Day foster the curiosity, critical thinking, and civic engagement that prepare the next generation of informed leaders to make meaningful contributions to their communities and beyond.

 

On Saturday, March 7th, UConn Storrs hosted 30 schools comprised of 29 educators and 514 students for the Mansfield Regional Connecticut History Day Contest. In total, 4,805 students participated in Con­necticut History Day contests this year, with the State Contest held at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) on Saturday, May 2nd.

 

56 Connecticut students traveled to the University of Maryland June 14–18, 2026, for the National History Day Contest, joining more than 2900 students from around the world. Fifteen Connecticut entries received awards or recognition at the National Contest; eight of these entries hailed from the Mansfield Region.

 

Cyndee McManaman, Mansfield Regional Coordinator: “I was happy to have new schools participate in History Day this year. The standards and inquiry-based skills students acquire and hone while completing a His­tory Day project speaks to the rigor embedded in the program. Watching students grow and improve throughout the contest season is powerful. Students aren’t just learning about the history of their chosen topic, but of our country’s and world’s history through the lens of the annual theme.”

 

Teacher quotes

History Day is a fantastic program that challenges students to develop a long-term project using a wide range of resources. As such, it requires persistence and time management, analytical skills when reading high-level text and historical documents and then adapting those resources into a high-quality project.

We encourage students to participate in History Day to engage in rigorous research and presentation of information. Students learn valuable skills all along the journey – academic research related, social, and personal.

 

Student quotes

I loved seeing other projects and gaining a better insight about other parts of history.

I truly enjoyed doing research and creating a nuanced understanding of history.

By Dr. Tina Chiappetta-Miller , Associate Professor In-Residence, Literatures, Cultures, and Languages and UConn ECE Italian Literature and Cultural Studies Faculty Coordinator

 

Now, in its third year, the UConn ECE Italian Multimedia Contest continues to offer students of Italian an original, engaging, and creative way to apply their language skills. This year’s theme, “Il linguaggio del…vero io” (“The language of… my true self ”) struck a special chord with the high school participants. The theme inspired more than 35 submissions that explored students’ intimate feelings and lived experiences.

 

Students responded in a wide range of creative formats, including poems, drawings, photo col­lages, and even an original song, which earned an honorable mention. This year’s winners expressed deeply personal images of their complex identi­ties, highlighting the intersection of cultures that shape who they are.

 

The contest jury, composed of Professor Federica Anichi­ni’s 10th grade class at the Istituto Agrario in Florence, Italy, were very impressed with this year’s submissions. Students Ettore, Viola, and Niccolò stepped up to record an enthusiastic video announcing the winners.

 

The best part about the “Il linguaggio di…” contest is that it showcases the strength and vitality of high school Italian programs across Connecticut while reinforcing UConn ECE’s connection and commitment to language learning and creative expression.

 

1st place: Virginia Akide Ndunge of Holy Cross High School with her essay, “Troppo, Non Abbastanza” (“Too much, not enough”) and her original collage “Sono Abbas­tanza” (“I am enough”).

 

2nd place: Jose Taveras of Bristol Central High School with his poem and photo collage, “Il mio cuore” (“My heart”).

 

3rd place: Isabella Cacnahuaray of Holy Cross High School with her poem “Mio Mondo Pieno di Somiglianza” (“My world full of similarities”) and drawing, “La Bellezza della Cultura” (“The beauty of culture”)

 

Honorable Mention: Emersyn Miller of Staples High School for her original song, “Scopri chi sono” (“Discover who I am”).

 

 

By Aidan Stimac, UConn Chemistry Graduate Student and Dr. Michael Kienzler, Assistant Professor of Chemistry

 

This spring, UConn Early College Experience welcomed nearly 200 high school students from across Connecticut to campus for two UConn ECE Chemistry Lab Days, held on April 30 and May 15, 2026. Together, these events brought students from eleven high schools into the University of Connecticut’s Chemistry Building for immersive, research-based laboratory experiences that connected classroom learning with university-level science.

 

The first event, held on April 30, welcomed more than 110 students from Rocky Hill High School, Academy of Information Technology High School, Northwest Catholic High School, Enfield High School, and Somers High School. A second session on May 15 brought an additional 78 students from Lewis S. Mills High School, Jonathan Law High School, Joseph A. Foran High School, The Woodstock Academy, Berlin High School, and Orville H. Platt High School.

 

These events were coordinated by the UConn Early College Experience Program Office and Dr. Fatma Selampinar, Professor in Residence and UConn ECE Chemistry Faculty Coordinator. Each day paired students with UConn faculty and graduate researchers, offering a firsthand look at the types of experiments and analytical techniques used in modern chemical research.

 

During the April 30th session, scientific activities were led by Assistant Professor Dr. Michael Kienzler. Following an introductory presentation, students moved into undergraduate teaching laboratories, where they synthesized derivatives of azobenzene, a compound known for its light-responsive, photoswitching properties. Using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and thin-layer chromatography, students analyzed the compounds they created, gaining insight into how chemical structure and light exposure influence molecular behavior. The experiments reflected ongoing research in Dr. Kienzler’s lab and in­troduced students to advanced meth­ods used in contemporary chemistry.

 

At the May 15 session, students engaged with research led by Dr. Jie He, Professor in the Department of Chemistry and the Polymer Program at UConn’s Institute of Materials Sci­ence. After learning about nanoparticle surface chemistry, students conducted experiments comparing untreated and modified nanoparticles. They observed how these materials responded under different conditions and used UV-visi­ble spectroscopy to link their observa­tions to quantitative data. The activity, based on current research in Dr. He’s lab, provided students with an authen­tic introduction to materials science and nanochemistry.

Across both events, students extended their learning beyond the laboratory bench through exposure to advanced instrumentation central to chemical research. Dr. Selampinar coordinated sessions on Nuclear Magnetic Res­onance (NMR) spectroscopy with facility director Dr. Luke Fulton, while graduate students from UConn’s Chemistry Department demonstrated techniques such as mass spectrometry and X-ray diffraction. These expe­riences helped students understand how chemists identify, analyze, and characterize materials using special­ized tools.

 

Together, the two UConn ECE Chem­istry Lab Days provided students with meaningful, hands-on opportunities to engage in college-level science while building connections with faculty, graduate students, and peers from across the state. By linking high school coursework with active re­search and laboratory practice, these events reflect the shared commitment of UConn ECE and the Department of Chemistry to expanding access to academic experiences and inspiring the next generation of scientists.

 

 

 

By Stefanie Malinoski

 

This spring, UConn Early College Experience certified 248 new instructors, including 189 new partner instructors who completed New Instructor Orientation on May 18th, expanding access to UConn courses across 45 disciplines in 126 Connecticut high schools.

 

Led by Executive Director, Chris Todd, and the UConn ECE staff, the day-long orientation introduced educators to key program components,