Debo Adegbile ’91
WilmerHale, partner, and Commissioner for U.S. Civil Rights Commission
Liberal Arts in Action
Prepare to be pulled in. Get ready to go places. Anticipate enlightenment. Meet Connections.
Connections is Connecticut College's reinvention of liberal arts education—a new kind of curriculum that lets you integrate your interests into a meaningful educational pathway to carry you through college and into a fulfilling, effective career and life. With a major, interdisciplinary study, a relevant internship, a world language, and an interconnected outlook, you’ll connect your education to the world, and make a world of difference.
Success and Outcomes
Anita Defrantz ’74
Olympic medalist, rowing; former vice president of the International Olympic Committee
David Grann ’89
New York Times bestselling author, staff writer at The New Yorker
David Haussler ’75
University of California-Santa Cruz, Center for Biomolecular Science and Engineering director, collaborator on the Human Genome Project
News and Events
Four Hundred Miles of the Connecticut River
This exhibition celebrates the centenary of the birth of Charles Chu, professor of Chinese and curator of the Chu-Griffis Collections of Asian Art. It features a selection of his watercolors from the Chu family and from the College's own collection. The centerpiece of the exhibition will be a long handscroll depicting the 400 miles of the Connecticut River created by Charles Chu in the spring of 1990.
Arts & Culture
New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL) Symposium
During NDAL’s first symposium in 1990, native plants were largely an afterthought in the landscape professions. Changes since then have been astounding, and NDAL is proud to have played a part. While “ecology into design” remains NDAL’s focus, we understand that a “real world ecology” must always consider the influences of people past and present. The 30th anniversary program illustrates how an expanded definition of “ecological design”—including contributions from garden history, agroecology, anthropology, social justice, art, and of course the ecological sciences—can yield environmentally sound, yet culturally connected landscapes.
Lectures & Symposia
Supporting Positive Change Through Cultural Entrepreneurship
Join Adjunct Assistant Professor of Art Kate Gilbert '96 for a look inside the founding of Now + There, a public art curator in Boston, MA that challenges the city’s cultural identity by taking artistic risks and consistently producing compelling projects. Gilbert founded Now + There in 2014 with roughly one thousand dollars and today, with an operating budget of over $750k, is producing up to two annual outdoor temporary projects and running an Accelerator that supports local artists with the technical skills, curatorial guidance, and funding necessary to create this complex art form.
Lectures & SymposiaOur Campus and Community
Looking down onto Tempel Green. Connecticut College’s arboretum campus sits on 750 acres, and offers a quality of life and a conservation classroom unique among liberal arts institutions.
Students walk past the recently-renovated Shain Library, a comfortable, usable, technology-rich study space that is at the heart of Conn’s campus.
The College’s greenhouse on campus has been a living laboratory since 1935. An important teaching and research facility used year-round, it spans 3,000 square feet and includes tropical zones, a cactus collection and an orchid collection.
Our award-winning dining halls offer a variety of flavorful and innovative menu items including homemade pizza, sushi, stir fry and an array of vegetarian and vegan items.
Water views. Tempel Green looks out over the Long Island Sound, and the Thames River, where the sailing and rowing teams practice.
The Connecticut College Arboretum is 750 acres of protected plant life that includes the main campus. From the Native Plant Collection to Mamacoke Island—yes, our own island—there is plenty to explore.
Andrea Wollensak is a professor of art and the Judith Ammerman '60 Director, Ammerman Center for Arts and Technology.
Chemistry professor Stanton Ching’s current research is focused on developing new synthetic routes to porous nanostructured manganese oxides and studying their catalytic activity.
Small classes mean individual attention. Conn’s student-faculty ratio is 9:1.
The College’s arboretum campus offers opportunities for teaching, research, conservation, and recreation.
A production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night set to the music of Prince.
Students collaborate at the Visualization Wall in Shain Library’s Technology Commons.
At Conn, botany is its own department, distinct from biology. The department has an international reputation in coastal, marine and estuarine studies. You will develop a strong background in all aspects of plant biology.
Conn classrooms include our 750-acre Arboretum.
Come to Conn and construct your own robot in our nationally recognized robotics courses.
241 students took advantage of Conn’s Study Away Teach Away last year.
Explore 3-D printing and the dynamic relationship between art and technology at the Ammerman Center.
You can conduct cancer research in our new life sciences labs, study rare plants in our herbarium or get a good look at the Andromeda Galaxy from the Olin observatory.
Muddy Waters Cafe is a favorite New London gathering place for members of the College community. Other places to find familiar faces include Bean & Leaf, Washington Street Coffee House, and Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock.
New London is a great place to catch some sun in the spring, summer and fall. Ocean Beach is just a quick trip across town and the boardwalk has shops, snacks and games.
Nicknamed “The Whaling City,” New London is a historic New England seaport. Here, waterways become laboratories, museums become classrooms and a walk downtown becomes a lesson in seafaring history.
Located on the south side of campus, the Lyman Allyn Art Museum's permanent collection consists of over 17,000 paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, furniture and decorative arts, with an emphasis on American art from the 18th through 20th centuries.
Called “the flagship of New London’s indie art scene” by The New York Times, New London’s Hygienic Art features works by local artists, members of the College community and contributors from all over the world. The Hygienic Art Park, pictured here, is a favorite outdoor showcase for musicians.
Hop on Amtrak or rent a Zipcar and you can be in Boston in two hours or New York City in two and a half. The Southeast Regional line also stops in New London, providing easy access to New Haven and points south.