Messy Endings: Writing, Film, & Creativity

Students (and educators) too often regard the essay as merely an instrument of assessing learning, but the essay has a rich history as a creative genre. In this course we will approach the essay as the creative, dynamic, imaginative literary form that it actually is. Your approach to writing essays will not be the same and you'll never go back to the five paragraph essay again! We will look at examples of the essay, use film for inspiration, and play with other means of creativity.

You will leave this course with a very different and improved understanding of the essay, and you will be better writers. The essays you write in the future may challenge some of your teachers’ more conventional expectations, but they will be better, more interesting, and more like the real writing professional essayists actually create. Your professors in college will be grateful.

Become better writers, more independent, more creative, and more original.
Choose topics of interest, explore genres of writing, develop their own voice, and write!
Learn a little bit about the history of the essay as a literary genre.
Read a variety of essays form a variety of essayists.
Experiment with writing different kinds of essays, such as personal essays, op-eds, commentaries, and rants.
Use film to inspire analysis and writing.
Share writing with one another both for revision and entertainment.
Play around with some multimodal forms of composition.

Amy Nocton is an Early College Experience (ECE) Spanish instructor at EO Smith High School and has been teaching English composition as an Adjunct Faculty member for ten years for the University of Connecticut, Storrs campus. She is a film aficcionado and a published poet. Amy has long incorportated film into her ECE courses and her English classes at UConn as another means of exploring text and creativity. Amy's late husband, the former Director of the Connecticut Writing Project, used to run this course, so she learned from the best mentor possible and will do her best to make the course what he would have wanted it to be.

Branding & Merchandise: Logo Design & Printmaking

In this hands-on, one-week summer course, students will dive into the exciting world of logo design, branding, and merchandise production. Participants will explore the fundamentals of creating impactful logos and brand identities, learning key design principles and creative strategies. Through engaging workshops, students will bring their designs to life using screen printing and other printmaking techniques, producing custom tote bags, shirts, greeting cards, and tags. By the end of the course, students will have developed a personal brand logo and a collection of unique, handcrafted merchandise to showcase their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.

By the end of this course, students will have developed a strong foundation in visual communication and practical design skills that will make them stand out as candidates for school applications, internships, or creative jobs.

Design a logo -Learn about branding -Learn screenprinting -Learn stamp making -Print shirts, tote bags, and merchandise tags

Logo Design Skills: Students will learn how to create a professional and visually impactful logo, gaining valuable experience in graphic design principles like balance, typography, and color theory. This skill is essential for anyone pursuing careers in marketing, design, or entrepreneurship.
Branding Fundamentals: Students will understand the importance of branding in business, learning how to craft a cohesive brand identity that communicates a clear message. This knowledge will be valuable in both academic and professional settings, especially in fields like advertising, digital media, and business.
Screenprinting Techniques: Hands-on experience with screen printing will give students the ability to transfer their designs onto physical products such as shirts and tote bags, a sought-after skill in the world of custom merchandise, fashion, and art production.
Stamp Making & Printmaking: Students will explore the art of creating stamps and other printmaking methods to produce personalized merchandise tags and greeting cards. These techniques enhance creativity and attention to detail—qualities desirable in design and creative careers.

John O'Donnell

Associate Professor, UConn Art & Art History

Professor O'Donnell is a dedicated printmaking professor and performance artist. O'Donnell has crafted logos for many clients, including art exhibitions, food packaging, clothing brands, music festivals, and graphic novels. His expertise in both printmaking and branding offers students a unique perspective, blending artistic creativity with practical design skills. With a passion for teaching and a keen eye for detail, Professor O'Donnell guides students through the design process, helping them develop strong visual identities and professional-quality merchandise.

John O'Donnell's website: https://www.johnodonnellprojects.com/

NYT Article about his work: Domestic Discombobulation in an Odd Kitchen

Equine Science: Health, Management and Rehabilitation

Proper management, care and rehabilitation of horses for students with prior experience of at a minimum of low intermediate level or above. Students should be comfortable handling horses both in the barn and in a group setting in the arena. This is a broad course that covers health, basic anatomy, management practices and how it relates to the rehabilitation and training of horses. Some labs will include ground training skills where students will be working directly with the horses. You will gain insight into the equine industry and the team of professionals it takes to manage and care for horses of all ages and use. Students will have daily classroom material and labs interacting directly with the horses. Topics to be included are anatomy, physiology, behavior, training, sports therapy and equine first aid. In addition to hands-on daily activities students will attend demonstrations and discussions with industry leading guest presenters where they can ask questions in areas of interest. This course will give students experiences that they can use to build a career in the equine industry as a veterinarian, farrier, nutritionist, manager or trainer. Students must come prepared to be in the barn around large animals with proper safety clothing and shoes.

Upon completion of this course students will be able to evaluate a horse based on soundness, athleticism and conformation. Understand the importance of health and rehabilitation practices in the long-term soundness of sport horses. Gain insight into career paths in the equine industry and practical skills in horse care, management and behavior. Understand horse behavior and psychology as it relates to training and management of horses returning to work after injury. Students will learn practical skills and knowledge to prepare them for a career in an equine industry or ownership.

Students will be engaged in hands-on learning activities like bandaging, lunging, in hand ground work, TPR, and tack fitting.
Industry professionals demonstrating and presenting in class.
We will learn about 6 key points of horse care: turnout management, digestion and feeding, farrier care, vaccination, worming, and dental floating.
Insight into horse training for riding or competition as it relates to rehabilitation of equine injuries or reconditioning. Students will work both on the ground and one undersaddle session.
Evaluation of conformation and gaits of horses as it relates to soundness
Understand the importance of a holistic approach to horse injury rehabilitation

Melissa Tindall

UConn Dressage Team Coach

Melissa began her equestrian journey in hunter-jumpers and eventing, but for the past 25 years, she has dedicated herself to dressage. She currently competes at the FEI Prix St. Georges level, participating in recognized shows, and has earned her USDF Bronze Medal in 2016. She achieved this milestone on a self-trained mare, whom she purchased as a yearling and developed from the ground up to the PSG level.
As a UConn alumna with a BFA in Illustration, Melissa brings a unique blend of creativity and discipline to her work. At UConn she serves as coach of the UConn Dressage Team, and she teaches both dressage and jumping lessons. These lessons, available to students and community members of all levels, emphasize using dressage principles to improve rider balance and enhance communication between horse and rider. Under her guidance, the UConn Dressage Team has consistently competed at the IDA National Championships, with one of her students winning the IDA National Championship in 2024 and others securing top-three finishes in recent years.
Melissa’s extensive teaching experience includes an apprenticeship with FEI rider and USDF Instructor Melanie Tenney at the BHS-approved Woodcock Hill in Connecticut, where she completed the British Horse Society Instructor training program. Her focus there was on eventing, horse management, and training. Over the years, she has managed several young horse training and sales barns, but her true passion lies in teaching.
Her approach to teaching is rooted in positive reinforcement and a deep understanding of biomechanics. She incorporates both in-hand and mounted work to foster connection and mutual understanding between horses and riders. Melissa’s riding and teaching have been shaped by the guidance of several national and international instructors, including Jan Ebeling, Eric Horgan, and David Marcus, among others. These experiences, along with her ongoing interest in biomechanics, continue to influence her approach to training and teaching today.

Accounting: Beyond the Numbers

Turn Curiosity into Opportunity - Explore Accounting, Business, and Entrepreneurship Through Real-World Experiences

Think accounting is just about numbers? Think again.

Beyond the Numbers: Accounting, Business & Entrepreneurship is an immersive, hands-on course for students curious about business, accounting, entrepreneurship, or how organizations make smart decisions. No previous accounting or business experience is needed.

Throughout the week, students will tackle real-world business challenges while discovering how accounting helps organizations understand performance and make better decisions. They will explore financial information, accounting and business careers, and the many ways accountants contribute beyond the numbers. This is an active, collaborative course where students learn by doing - questioning, investigating, analyzing, discussing, presenting, receiving feedback, and putting new ideas into practice.

Students will also take their learning beyond the classroom with a visit to the **Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)**, where they will step inside the organization that establishes financial accounting and reporting standards in the United States. They will meet and talk with FASB professionals, explore how real accounting issues become standards, and see a side of the profession most students never encounter in a classroom. Throughout the week, students will also connect with professionals, hear different perspectives, and put what they are learning into practice in ways that bring accounting and business to life.

Students will leave with a broader understanding of accounting and business, greater confidence communicating their ideas, and experience turning curiosity into opportunity.

Because accounting isn't just about getting the numbers right. It’s about turning information into insight - and insight into something extraordinary.

Leanne M. Adams, CPA, MSA

Instructor in Residence, UConn School of Business

Leanne Adams, CPA, MSA, is an Instructor of Accounting at the University of Connecticut School of Business, where she has taught accounting for more than 20 years. She is passionate about making accounting understandable, relevant, and engaging and helping students discover the opportunities available within the profession.

At UConn, Leanne teaches financial and managerial accounting, emphasizing hands-on learning, real-world applications, and creating an environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, sharing ideas, and learning from one another. Her commitment to students and outreach has been recognized with UConn’s Alpha Lambda Delta Faculty of the Year Award and the 2025-2026 School of Business Service Award.

Leanne is also actively involved in entrepreneurship education and was inducted into the 2026 inaugural class of the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans Hall of Fame. She brings that combination of accounting, entrepreneurship, and a genuine enthusiasm for working with students to Beyond the Numbers, giving high school students an opportunity to experience accounting and business in an entirely different way.

Landscape Architecture: From Backyards to Bioregions

Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor places, from backyards and city streets to parks, waterfronts, and entire eco-regions. In this course, you’ll get a broad introduction to the discipline: its history, the range of projects landscape architects take on, and how they design public spaces that serve people and the environment. Through fieldwork, drawing, and model making, you’ll learn to observe a site, develop ideas, and present your own design for an outdoor space.

This is a hands-on introduction to a design field some may have never encountered, even though they use its work every day. You’ll learn the same tools landscape architects use, including sketching, modeling, digital illustration, digital fabrication, and fieldwork, and apply them to real outdoor spaces.The course is taught by UConn landscape architecture faculty and gives you a clear picture of what studying the discipline in college looks like.

Describe what landscape architects do, including the range of project types and scales the discipline covers, from residential gardens to parks, streets, and entire regions.
Identify key moments and figures in the history of landscape architecture and explain how they shaped the public spaces we use today.
Observe and document a site through fieldwork, recording features such as landform, vegetation, water, and how people use the space.
Communicate design ideas through hand sketching and illustration.
Build physical models to study and represent a design in three dimensions.
Create basic 3D computer models and use photo-editing software to illustrate a proposed design.
Develop a design proposal for an outdoor space and present it clearly to an audience.

Tom Sterling

Assistant Professor in Residence of Landscape Architecture

Tom Sterling is an Assistant Professor in Residence in Landscape Architecture at UConn, where he teaches design studios and courses on drawing, mapping, and construction. He is interested in how designers use tools, from hand sketches and physical models to computers and digital maps, to understand landscapes and imagine how they could change. He founded LandFAB, UConn Landscape Architecture’s fabrication lab, where students use laser cutters, 3D printers, and other equipment to turn their ideas into physical models and prototypes. His classes have taken students into the field to map how climate change affects neighborhoods in New Haven and to design outdoor classrooms built from low-carbon materials. Tom is also completing his Doctor of Design at Harvard University, where he studies the history of how computers came to shape the way designers think about the environment.

The Leader Within: Military Style Leadership

This course is designed specifically for high school students enrolled in UConn’s Pre-College Summer Program. The course introduces students to the principles and practices of military-style leadership, emphasizing accountability, integrity, teamwork, adaptability, and mission accomplishment. Through group discussions, lectures, team-based experiences, two challenge courses with physical and cognitive components, and instructors and guest speakers with military leadership experience, students will explore the foundations of effective leadership and the responsibilities of leading others. The course aims to develop students’ understanding of their individual leadership strengths, values, and leadership styles while building essential skills in decision-making, communication, problem-solving, and team development. Students will be challenged to apply military leadership principles to practical scenarios, evaluate their effectiveness as both leaders and team members, and understand the importance of trust, shared purpose, and accountability in achieving collective goals. By the conclusion of the course, students will have a stronger foundation for leading with confidence, character, and purpose in academic, professional, and community settings

Alyssa Kelleher

Director, UConn Veterans & Military Programs

Alyssa Kelleher was enlisted in the Connecticut Army National Guard before earning a commission through Army ROTC while attending UConn. She served in the Regular Army after commissioning until returning in 2007 to the Connecticut National Guard. Alyssa deployed twice to Afghanistan in leadership roles, once as a Platoon Leader and once as a Company Commander. Alyssa continues to serve in the Connecticut National Guard, currently serving as the Chief of the Joint Staff, CTNG. She graduated from UConn in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and earned her Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management from UConn in 2017

Sports Medicine

This course will feature a curriculum of evidence-based prevention, recognition, and treatment of the Nation’s leading emergency issues in sports, military, and occupational settings. Each session includes interactive presentations disseminated by the experienced staff at the Korey Stringer Institute, as well as, hands on learning labs simulating the emergency treatment of life threatening ailments. Participants will learn imperative knowledge in the understanding of today’s leading causes of death in sport and physical activity, including essential firsthand skills in the prevention, recognition, and treatment of these emergent injuries and illnesses.

This course will provide an overview of medical aspects surrounding sport and physical activity. Students will gain an understanding of the cause, ways to prevent, and first aid care of various illnesses and injuries associated with sport and physical activity.

The UConn Pre-College Summer Sports Medicine course will be taught by professionals from the Korey Stringer Institute. In August 2001, Korey Stringer, a Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman, passed away from exertional heat stroke. During Korey’s five-year tenure in the NFL he earned pro-bowl honors. Since the time of Korey’s death, his wife, Kelci, worked tirelessly to develop an exertional heat stroke prevention institute to honor her husband’s legacy. To that end, she joined forces with exertional heat stroke expert Douglas Casa, Ph.D, ATC at the University of Connecticut to make this dream a reality and the institute came to fruition in April 2010.

The Korey Stringer Institute is housed at the University of Connecticut. The Department of Kinesiology faculty are renowned for their research and expertise in the areas of heat and hydration, injury prevention, and strength and conditioning.

To learn more about the Korey Stringer Institute staff please see their bios HERE.

Pre-Med: Human Anatomy & Physiology

Participants in this course will be participating human cadaver dissections. The bodies available for dissection were donated by individuals who wanted their remains to be used for education and research purposes. As a UConn PCS participant, you are privileged to have the opportunity to use this anatomical donation. The rules of the anatomy laboratory are based upon PATIENT PRIVACY, RESPECT, SECURITY, SAFETY, and MAINTENANCE. These rules will be observed in the laboratory AT ALL TIMES. Participants must be respectful and mature to handle this commitment and responsibility.

Our Human Anatomy and Physiology course is the perfect starting point for students interested in entering medical or related health-care fields. In this in-depth look at systemic human biology, you will explore how the cardiovascular, pulmonary, musculoskeletal and nervous systems all work together to help you function. In UConn’s new, state of the art Human Anatomy Learning Lab, you will learn how the body is assembled and how the major organs relate to body function. This hands-on experience will provide an inside-out look at human anatomy and physiology and is an opportunity that most students who are interested in the medical field are not afforded until graduate school.

Jeffery M. Kinsella-Shaw, Ph.D., P.T.

Associate Professor, Livieri Endowed Professor of Physical Therapy, UConn Department of Kinesiology

Jeffrey M. Kinsella-Shaw, Ph.D., P.T. is the tenured and Endowed Livieri Professor of Physical Therapy and the founder and Director of UCONN’s Human Anatomy Learning Laboratory in the Department of Kinesiology. He is the past Director of UCONN’s Doctoral Physical Therapy Program and currently serves on the Executive Board of UCONN’S Brain Imaging Research Center and as a Senior Research Scientist at the Center for the Ecological Study of Perception and Action in the Department of Psychology. His areas of expertise include clinical neuroscience, human anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology, cognitive and perceptual psychology, motor control, motor learning, and neurological physical therapy.

Mary Beth Osborne, PT, DPT

Assistant Professor in Residence, UConn Department of Kinesiology

Mary Beth Osborne, PT, DPT, earned both her Bachelors of Science and Doctorate in physical therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a board-certified specialist in neurologic physical therapy. She is currently an assistant professor in residence at the University of Connecticut in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program and involved in teaching courses in the neurologic rehabilitation and health/wellness domains. She is also the associate director of clinical education. At UConn, she is serving on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee for the College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Health and is a member of the Service Learning Faculty Fellows cohort for 2023.

She previously served as the co-director of Duke University Health’s neurologic PT residency program and worked as an outpatient neurologic PT where she provided care to individuals with a variety of neurologic conditions including concussion, stroke, degenerative diseases and vestibular dysfunction. She worked as an adjunct faculty member at UNC Chapel Hill for 5 years assisting with courses covering neurologic PT and evidence-based practice content areas. She has held positions with the Academy of Neurologic PT including chair of the Brain Injury Special Interest Group, member of the practice committee and is currently a nominating committee member for the Residency and Fellowship Special Interest Group. She has presented at local and national conferences on various topics in the neurologic PT realm.

Pharmacy: Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery

Prerequisites: High School Chemistry and Biology with a grade of C or higher

This course will provide students with an overview of the entire drug development process. We will start with how pharmaceutical companies determine what disease they want to target and work our way through the entire discovery process over the one-week course, ending with post-approval monitoring by the FDA. Along the way, we will answer a variety of specific topics including the following: what is a lead compound, what are drug-drug and drug-food interactions, and how do clinical trials work. Much of our discussion on these topics will revolve around the development of currently used drugs such as Lipitor (high cholesterol), Januvia (type II diabetes), and Harvoni (hepatitis C).

By the end of their week in this course, students will be able to describe the general steps taken by a pharmaceutical company to produce a drug. Students will also gain hands on experience in both chemistry and biochemistry-based science experiments. Finally, students will be introduced to several career options associated with drug discovery, research, and pharmacy.

Dr. Kyle Hadden is Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and the Director of Research and Graduate Programs in the School of Pharmacy at UConn. He received his BS in Chemistry from Wofford College in 2000 and his PhD in Medicinal Chemistry from the Medical University of South Carolina in 2004. Dr. Hadden started his independent career at the University of Connecticut in 2009. Throughout his career, Dr. Hadden’s primary research interests have been the early stage development of small molecules as anti-cancer chemotherapeutics and several projects in this area are ongoing in the Hadden lab.

As the Director of Research and Graduate Programs, Professor Hadden plays a primary role in the recruitment and progression of graduate students. He also works directly with other faculty in the Department and School to enhance individual and collaborative research efforts. Professor Hadden teaches in both the pharmacy and graduate curriculum at UConn and has mentored a wide-range of students and postdoctoral fellows in his research lab.

Digital Animation & Motion Graphics

Combining design, technology and the ever-expanding media, our Digital Animation and Motion Graphic course gives students the opportunity to dive into the complex world behind multimedia productions. This class aims to provide students with the conceptual and practical tools for understanding and creating the diverse range of time-based media that have come to be known as motion graphics and digital animation. Throughout the course, students will create visual effects and animated graphics for television, film, web, and other types of multimedia productions using:

Adobe After Effects
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Premiere Pro

By the end of this course, the student will:

Have an understanding of commercial motion graphics and animation production and film process
Strengthen current industry technique including Adobe softwares
Be able to create basic motion graphics and animations based on stories and infographics

Heejoo Kim, MFA

Associate Professor, UConn School of Fine Arts

Heejoo Kim works as an experimental/documentary mixed media filmmaker and new media artist, currently creating projects focusing on social issues, such as microaggressions, feminism, elder abuse, racism, and psychology in experimental narrative film structures.

Her films and installations have been internationally presented at festivals, conferences, and galleries in Germany, United Kingdom, Lebanon, Mexico, Bulgaria, Turkey, France, Philippine, India, Latvia, Canada, Korea, Italy, Ecuador, Australia, Romania, etc. and throughout the United States. Her films have received awards including Best Animation, Best Experimental Film, and Best of Show at several international film festivals and conferences. She had been a director, a curator, a coordinator, an adjudicator for International Animation + New Media Art festivals, conferences, and shows.

She previously taught at Bowling Green State University in Digital Arts, University of Montana in Media Arts, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in Art and Technology Studies, and Columbia College Chicago in Interactive Arts and Media.

Recent Awards: Best Experimental Film: Woodengate Film Festival, Baia Mare, Romania; Finalist/Winner: Wollongong Film Festival, Wollongong, Australia, Sarajevo Fashion Film Festival, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Best of Show” Award, International Digital Art Association Exhibition (iDMAA), Tennessee, USA
Industry Experience / Client Work: Neutrogena, MBS Inc., GNS Inc., T&T Inc., Overseas Trans Inc., Prime Co., North Star Inc., Yeon-se University Alumni, Korean Women’s Hot Line, Dong A newspaper, Kyo Cha Ro weekly news paper, Korean United Methodist church, Chung wae Galleria.

Heejoo Kim’s website: https://heejoogwenkim.com/

Learn to write with voice, choice, and creativity!

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Make Your Mark! Design Your Brand, Create Your Merch

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Exploring equine health as it relates to training and rehabilitation of horses for sport; for students with intermediate and above prior experience with horses

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Accounting, Business & Entrepreneurship

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2 week course

Sketch, map, and model your own outdoor space, and see how landscape architects design places for people, plants, and animals

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Leadership for the future of our military

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Injuries, Illness, and Adaptations in Sports, Exercise, and Extreme Environments

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Learn more about the Korey Stringer Institute

Learn through Direct Examination, Simulation, and Dissection

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Develop a working knowledge of the drug discovery process

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Schedule at a Glance

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Examining the Complexities of Today's Multimedia Productions

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