First Summer

Welcome to UConn’s First Summer program! I sincerely hope that this is the beginning of an experience which proves to be rewarding, fun, transformative and life changing. The University of Connecticut is a vibrant, welcoming university and our aim is to give you a jump start on your academic journey while introducing you to some of the many activities and services that make being a Husky so great.

The program is designed exclusively for incoming freshman and transfer students. It is their one-time-chance to dig in a little early, before the rush and excitement (and crowds) of the fall semester. During this 5-week period from July through August, you will take two Gen Ed courses, an FYE course, make friends, and get to know the UConn campus and community.  All of this against the background of the summertime Storrs campus, which is a beautiful, relaxed place!  Although five-week courses are intensive, students tell us again and again that there is still ample time to wander around campus, explore Storrs Downtown, hang out with friends, get a little extra sleep (quite a change from senior year in high school!), or just do nothing.

As I previously mentioned, the courses you will take have been chosen to help you get ahead during your time at UConn. Faculty also help us to design content that we hope students will find appealing and relevant. Additionally, our impressive student mentors and coordinator have not only planned many engaging and fun activities for all participants but are also looking forward to giving you a wealth of support and insight into how to make the most of your time here. They are all current or recent students and I encourage you to take as many “nuggets” of information as you can!

Students who have attended First Summer tell us again and again about the good friends who they took with them into their first year at UConn—who are still their friends well after graduation.  As one student put it, "I really enjoyed getting to know people who were new to UConn in a smaller group than the typical campus population during the fall ... It made me feel better knowing a few people I could rely on going into the fall semester."

I congratulate you on joining the Husky family and hope to see you this summer!

Mick Pigott
Executive Director of the Office of Summer and Winter Programs