Special Curricular Opportunities

A Trinity education extends beyond traditional disciplines and interdisciplinary fields. A wide range of special curricular opportunities exists, enhancing students’ learning experiences. From gateway programs that serve as thematic learning communities for entering students to co-curricular options in the Hartford area and opportunities for studying on other campuses as well as multiple student-initiated programs, students can self-design a vibrant course of study. Some of these opportunities are listed below, showcasing the range of programs and initiatives offered by the College.

Gateway Programs

Gateway programs are living and learning communities where first-year students learn deeply in a specialized area with a small group of like-minded students starting in their first semester of college. Students form relationships with students and faculty who share their interests, and they participate in experiences on and off campus that engage them in new ways of learning and thinking. Gateway programs are for students who want to delve deeply into a specialized, interdisciplinary learning area and develop scholarly understanding, a network of relationships, and personal experiences within this topic.

For detailed information about the First-Year Gateway Programs, visit the programs listing.

Co-Curricular Options in Hartford

Health Fellows Program

The Trinity College Health Fellows Program is an innovative academic program offering students an exceptional opportunity that capitalizes on our proximity to Hartford Healthcare and Connecticut Children’s. In the program, students work 30 hours per week with a research-active health care provider on a clinical research project. Students learn important research skills, both specific to the placement and more general, such as formulating a hypothesis, methods of data collection, data analysis, and oral presentation, as well as manuscript preparation. Many students go on to present their work at national conferences and/or to publish their work in a peer-reviewed journal. Students interested in a wide variety of professions – medicine, dentistry, physician assistant, nursing, research – have benefited from participation in the program.

In addition to working 30 hours per week on a two-credit research project with a professional in the healthcare setting, fellows participate in a one-credit weekly seminar course on Topics in Health Care. The seminar course covers general topics in health care, including recent advances in research and clinical applications of basic research, and readings are assigned for a weekly class discussion. As part of the site-based experience, students keep a weekly journal of experiences and produce a written summary of the research they conducted. As much as possible this takes the form of a scientific journal article. Each student also presents their research in poster form at the Trinity College Annual Research Symposium held at the end of each spring semester. Many students go on to complete their work for a national or international conference and/or as a manuscript in the peer-reviewed literature.

The Health Fellows Program is limited to 12 students, and preference is given to juniors and seniors. It is strongly recommended that students amass a strong background in science and take statistics beforehand, and some placements carry specific additional prerequisites. Students are strongly encouraged to take only one other course during their health fellows semester at Trinity.

Interested students should contact the health fellows coordinator, Alison Draper, in September. Applications, interviews and matches between interested students and supervisors will be completed by November to allow sufficient time for paperwork, and students will begin work at the hospital with the start of classes in January. Students who participate in their junior year should bear in mind the option of remaining on site to complete a senior thesis.

Legislative Internship Program

The Trinity College Legislative Internship is a distinctive program for students eager to engage with the Connecticut General Assembly during the spring semester as part of a legislator’s team. This program offers a unique opportunity to observe the policy-making process from multiple insider perspectives, providing interns with valuable insights into the complexities of crafting significant public policies. Interns will experience the development of public policy, the intricate politics involved, and the day-to-day operations of a legislative office.

Since the Connecticut General Assembly is a part-time legislature with limited staff, interns play a crucial role in their legislator’s office, often taking on various responsibilities and working closely with the legislator and/or top aide. Intern responsibilities may include attending committee meetings, organizing events in the legislator’s district, writing emails and press releases, handling constituent communications, assisting constituents with bureaucratic issues, researching bills, and meeting with lobbyists. The specific duties of each intern are determined by the legislator’s needs and the intern’s interests.

Students accepted into the program can choose to participate full-time (32 hours per week at the legislature) in the spring semester, earning four course credits, or part-time (16 hours per week), earning two credits. All interns attend a weekly seminar on the Connecticut legislature and other state legislatures. At the seminar, interns meet legislators and legislative professionals, develop legislative and policy-writing skills, propose policies, and discuss their internship experiences. They also participate in the writing of an open educational resource (OER) book on Connecticut state politics.

Interested students must apply for the Legislative Internship Program in the fall. For details, please contact Professor Dang Do, the program director. Be sure to look for informational sessions in early fall that will provide further information about the internship.