AI@Conn

The AI@Conn initiative aims to:

• Enhance Professional Development for Faculty: Through faculty development workshops, course development support, and new technologies, the initiative will equip faculty with the tools and knowledge needed to understand the impact of AI on education and how they might incorporate AI topics and/or tools into their teaching and research practices across various disciplines.
  
  
• Support Course Revisions: Faculty members will receive stipends to modify assignments within existing courses, create new assignments, or update existing courses to include significant AI components or topics.
  
  
• Promote Collaborative Research: The initiative will support existing student-faculty summer research programs with projects focused on AI, providing stipends and resources to foster innovative research that will contribute to their scholarly work.
  
  
• Enhance External Outreach: Connecticut College will share its AI resources, expertise, and lessons learned with peer institutions through workshops, conferences, and digital media. The initiative will host a symposium on Integrating AI in the Liberal Arts, planned for fall 2025 and 2026.

A cornerstone of the AI@Conn initiative is the creation of a two-year fellowship in Artificial Intelligence. The fellow will bring specialized knowledge to the College, supporting faculty in AI-related projects, assisting in course development, and leading summer workshops.

We're pleased to welcome Dr. Susan Purrington as our new Harold F. Wiley Generative AI Teaching and Learning Fellow. Dr. Purrington brings extensive academic experience, most recently from Northern Arizona University, where she taught courses including "AI and the Future of Fun." With a Ph.D. and CTRS certification, she specializes in recreational therapy, inclusive practices, and the integration of technology in education. Dr. Purrington has published multiple peer-reviewed articles and is currently researching "Generative AI and the Future of Fun," exploring attitudes and behaviors of recreation professionals toward AI adoption in the workplace. In her new role, she'll lead campus-wide initiatives to foster AI literacy, ethical considerations, and thoughtful integration of AI across our liberal arts curriculum, working closely with faculty, students, and staff to address both the practical applications and broader implications of AI in education.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Purrington to our community!

This initiative is generously funded by a bequest from Harold F. Wiley to the Diane Y. Williams ’59 Instructional Technology Fund. The College is deeply grateful for Mr. Wiley’s gift and Ms. Williams’ ongoing support, which enables Connecticut College to continue its tradition of innovation in liberal arts education.

Connecticut College will host its inaugural AI and the Liberal Arts Symposium, October 17-19, 2025. The event will convene thought leaders, educators, and researchers to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in undergraduate liberal arts education. Together, we aim to shape the future of teaching and learning by fostering innovation, collaboration, and ethical integration of AI technologies.

Early Bird Pricing ends September 15th - Register today!