Register now: Conn launches pre-college summer programs for high school students

Connecticut College is inviting curious, creative, insightful and innovative high school students to explore their passions, collaborate with faculty and current students, and get an early feel for the college experience with Summer@Conn pre-college programs.

The College is launching four two-week, residential pre-college programs for rising 9th-12th grade students interested in entrepreneurship, dance, global issues or environmental action. Each immersive program is taught by experienced faculty and staff, and participants will live and learn on campus with current Connecticut College students who are serving as counselors. 

“These pre-college Summer@Conn programs allow high school students to experience some of the best Connecticut College has to offer. On our beautiful waterfront arboretum campus, they will hone their skills in an area they’re passionate about, meet new friends from across the country and gain a better understanding of what they hope to accomplish during their own four-year collegiate career,” said Dean of Strategic and Global Initiatives Amy Dooling. 

Designed to introduce participants to Conn’s innovative, integrative and solution-oriented approach to teaching and learning, the programs will empower students with the skills they need to turn their new knowledge into action in their communities. Students will also sample a variety of skill-building electives, such as college essay writing, interview preparation and journaling workshops, as well as recreational activities, including tennis, swimming, kayaking and bowling. 

“We are excited for our Summer@Conn pre-college students to experience all that life at Conn has to offer,” said Director of Summer Programs Ashlyn Healey ’20.

Two programs, Venture Incubator and Dance Intensive with David Dorfman Dance, will be offered July 5-14. Venture Incubator participants will gain a greater understanding of entrepreneurship, build new practical skills in critical thinking, collaboration and problem solving, and learn about the importance of networking while they develop a business concept and explore strategies to bring their venture to market. Dance Intensive participants will work with David Dorfman Dance, one of the most influential contemporary dance companies in the United States, on technique and choreography while exploring how “bodies serve as powerful conductors of emotion, strength, vulnerability and change.” 

The Global Focus and the Environmental Action through Research, Theory and Heart (E.A.R.T.H.) programs will run July 17-28. Global Focus participants will gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between pressing global issues and the role of diplomacy while developing the capacity to engage across cultural and national boundaries. Using a case study from the Council on Foreign Relations, students will explore topics related to global governance, migration, human rights and the role of media and public opinion in policy making. E.A.R.T.H. participants will study the past, present and future of climate change, including historical global circulation patterns, local geological evidence and renewable energy science, and learn how to advocate for solutions. 

Registration is now open. For more information or to apply, visit conncoll.edu/academics/summer-programs/pre-college-programs/.