Stay tuned for more information about Summer 2017.
What is UConn Mentor Connection?
UConn Mentor Connection is a four-week, residential summer program for academically talented high school students at the University of Connecticut. This year the program will run from July 12- August 7, 2015.
Mentor Connection has been designed to provide you with opportunities to participate in creative projects and research investigations under the supervision of university mentors. These mentors will work directly with you and other high school students from across the state and the country on projects in your common areas of interest. The program is challenging and motivational because participants are involved in research or creative projects currently taking place at the university. Your four-week stay on campus will give you a preview of the college experience. UConn Mentor Connection will be more demanding, more intensive, and more rewarding than anything else you have ever experienced.
The mission of the program is reflected in four goals:
- To recruit highly motivated, academically talented teenagers from throughout the nation who can benefit from a stimulating summer program.
- To allow students to achieve their highest potential by participating in experiential research projects that provide direct, apprentice-based involvement with faculty members and advanced graduate students who are conducting research.
- To increase students’ awareness about their career opportunities in a chosen field and options to nurture their talents.
- To demonstrate that high-level talent potential can be found and developed across cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.
What will I get out of the program?
As a participant in UConn Mentor Connection, you will:
- Take on the role of the practicing professional.
- Experience real-world research.
- Challenge and feed your creative abilities.
- Develop a collaborative relationship with mentors in your area of interest.
- Enhance your awareness of your talent areas and career opportunities.
- Interact with students who share common interests.
- Experience college life and the nature of research in your selected field.
- Present your researchproject to your peers and mentor(s).
- Potentially earn University of Connecticut credit, providing specific requirements are met.
What does a typical day look like?
Each day you will spend 6-8 hours at your chosen mentorship site working with your mentor, other researchers, and fellow Mentor Connection participants. At some sites students will spend most days working closely with a faculty mentor. At other sites, students will work in labs with teams of researchers and develop closer relationships with graduate student mentors. You will experience the excitement of discovery resulting from hard work and careful attention in research and creative activities.
Each evening you may choose to participate in one of a variety of planned activities. Or you may spend time working on your project for your mentorship site.
Please note that most sites host a small group of students but there may be some that host only one. Please contact us if you would like to know how many other students may be in a particular site with you.
On each of the Saturdays staff and students will depart campus for a fun “get-away” day. Sundays are devoted to much needed down time, catching up on laundry, relaxation, and time to work on your site project. Family members may visit you on Sundays as well.
You will get a glimpse of some of the experiences of a college student as you take responsibility for getting yourself to your site and all required activities prepared and on time. You will live in a residence hall, eat in a dining hall, and walk to and from your site, meals, and other activities. In addition to having site mentors, you will also be assigned to a program counselor who will meet with your site group daily and help you navigate the entire experience.
This is an example of a typical day at Mentor Connection:
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Breakfast
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Mentorship site work (with a lunch break)
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Free Time
5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. Dinner
6:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. Mandatory evening meetings
7:15 p.m. – curfew Evening activities
Please note that at the mentors’ discretion, students may work on a slightly different schedule, and some mentorship sites may require homework to be completed during the afternoon and evening hours. Each mentorship sire is distinctive and activity is determined by the project(s) and mentor(s).
Where will I live?
You will live in a residence hall on the University of Connecticut campus. You will be housed in a suite with 2-3 other students, sharing a bathroom. UConn Mentor Connection has a full-time Residence Hall Director, a staff of residential program counselors, and two program coordinators.
This year, students will be staying in Busby Suites.
Additionally, you will be provided with 3 meals a day that you will choose from menu selections at a dining hall on campus.