Concurrent Session One
Echoes of Excellence: UConn Early College Experience Alumni Moderated Panel -
Todd Blodgett & Carissa Rutkauskas
Echoes of Excellence: UConn Early College Experience Alumni Moderated Panel
This session will explore the student/ alumni experience of learning, benefits of having participated, and the transition of credit earned to college from past participants of the University of Connecticut’s Early College Experience (ECE) program. The session will begin with a brief overview of UConn ECE, followed by a series of prepared moderated questions to a panel of 3-5 UConn ECE alumni, attending UConn and colleges/ universities other than UConn. It will conclude with an open Q & A.
UConn ECE is a concurrent enrollment program in which high school students take UConn courses at their high schools taught by university-certified high school teachers. The program partners with 189 Connecticut high schools and offers 89 different courses to over 17,000 students annually. UConn ECE was established in 1955, is the longest running concurrent enrollment program in the country and is accredited by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP).
Todd Blodgett
Office of Early College Programs, University of Connecticut
Todd Blodgett is a Program Assistant in the Office of Early College Programs and the Registration Coordinator for UConn Early College Experience. Todd is responsible for coordinating the registration process of ECE courses with UConn’s partnership high schools. Todd attended the University of Connecticut where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Applied and Resource Economics.
Carissa Rutkauskas
Office of Early College Programs, University of Connecticut
Carissa Rutkauskas is the Program Specialist for Outreach and Evaluation for UConn Early College Experience. Her key responsibilities include program assessment, evaluation, and research initiatives; program information and national trends; developing programs at the high school level; and website and marketing coordination. Carissa has earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Literature and Culture, and a Master of Arts in Geography/Human Geography degrees from the University of Connecticut.