Class of 2024 Town Hall – Q&A
Thank you for tuning in to our Town Hall discussion! If you were unable to join the webinar, please watch the recording below to hear from President Berger-Sweeney and other campus leaders about essential information to beginning your Trinity experience.
Response to Covid-19
Please view the Town Hall recording to hear President Berger-Sweeney address questions regarding the fall 2020 semester.
If a student is not adapting well to the distance that is now ongoing, how could this impact their acceptance? What if my high-school has adopted a pass/fail policy?
We certainly understand that students are being impacted by the changes brought on by COVID-19 and that the transition to distance learning could impact their grades. If your school or school district has decided to move to pass/fail grades for the remainder of this school year, this would not impact your admission offer at Trinity. We want to see students finish their semester as strong as they can, but we certainly understand the challenges of distance learning and would evaluate any drop in academic performance in the context of the current climate.
Are there benefits to enrolling by May 1 as opposed to June 1?
There are no particular benefits to enrolling by May 1, and there are also no negative impacts of enrolling by June 1. The only difference is that students who enroll by May 1 may start to receive enrollment instructions (setting up your Trinity email address, etc) at an earlier time. We want students and families to take the time that they need to make their college choice.
We haven’t been able to participate in an in-person tour before the current situation. Are you conducting virtual tours?
Yes! You can view our virtual tour video here.
If it becomes necessary to do remote learning for the fall semester will there be an option to start in January (J-start)
You can learn more about the J-Start program on our website. You can also complete the J-Start Deferred Enrollment Form to indicate that you intend to defer your enrollment to January 2021.
What has the feedback been from your current students this spring about online classes? Has the teaching and learning evolved?
The events of this spring have been unprecedented and were challenging for many! Fortunately, we are accustomed to supporting students, individually, and the unanticipated transition to remote learning provided us with opportunities to innovate and re-imagine some of our work, anew. Across our campus, Trinity faculty and staff mobilized resources – technology, networks, learning tools – as we moved to a virtual classroom. Our commitment to meet students ‘where they are’ through deep veins of cross-campus partners allowed us to support our students as they navigated this ‘new normal’. As expected, the shift required our deploying critical support to some, while most students transitioned, gradually, from home. We’re proud to share that many students have found themselves to be more dexterous than they’d imagined. Our data and experience gathered from spring will inform our preparations for fall, which will likely include a summer success preparation series and opportunities for individualized success coaching early in the next semester!
In light of the unprecedented economic downturn, what strategy is Trinity employing to address job and internship opportunities for incoming students and future graduating classes?
We have created the Bantam Career Network (BCN), a networking platform that connects students, alumni, and parents of the college. Leveraging the robust alumni network is a major strategy for our students. The pay-it-forward mentality is evident in the alumni community; someone helped them when they were students, so now they are offering their own support.
Recently, we approached many of our Hartford internship employers and partners to offer support around reimagining their internship programs. The goal was to help our partners offer virtual internships instead of cancelling their programs outright. Many of our Hartford employers have taken us up on the offer and will hire Trinity students for a remote internship this summer.
For more information, please visit the following Career Development websites:
Next Steps for the Class of 2024
What is orientation like on campus?
New Student Orientation is designed to help new students and families in their transition to Trinity. Leading up to and during orientation, Orientation Leaders will lead first-year students through workshops, activities, and conversations to help new students cultivate relationships with their classmates, faculty, and staff to become familiar with the campus community in depth. You can learn more about this year’s orientation here.
What will happen to our application accounts that are linked to our school emails when those emails are deactivated?
If your school email address will be deactivated soon, please send an email to the admissions office at [email protected] with your updated email address so that we can continue to reach you over the summer. You will receive a new Trinity email address towards the end of May or June, depending on when you enroll.
When can we expect to get the welcome packet after committing that gives more details? When are courses being selected for the fall semester?
Next steps for members of the Class of 2024, including course selection, will be included in your Starting Out informational packet. If you are already enrolled or do so by May 1, you will receive your Starting Out information in early May. Students who enroll by June 1, will receive their Starting Out information in early June. Please note that due do Covid-19, the Starting Out packet may be shared virtually.
Campus Life
Is Greek life a big part of campus life?
About 22% of Trinity’s student body is involved in a Greek-life organization. Our Greek-life organizations are well integrated into campus and community life. We have 7 fraternities, 5 sororities, and 2 co-ed literary societies. Trinity also has a policy of delayed rush – students are not allowed to join a Greek-life organization until their sophomore year.
What services and recreation on campus are included in tuition? What on-campus expenses should students plan for?
Most of the fundamental pieces of a Trinity College experience are covered by the student’s tuition, room and board, and required fees that are paid to the college. Students will not need to pay anything out of pocket to attend Trinity sports games or participate in most Trinity-sponsored campus events and activities. They also have unlimited access to the resources and services provided by Trinity offices such as career development, academic advising, public safety, student success resources, etc. Trinity also sponsors many opportunities for students to get out in the city of Hartford for both academic and social purposes.
Students will likely want to have some spending money to load “Bantam Bucks” onto their Trinity ID card, which can then be used to purchase snacks and drinks at our on-campus stores and coffee shops, and can also be used in the laundry machines in the residence halls. Students will also need their own spending money if they want to do their own off-campus activities with friends, such as eating out at restaurants, shopping, or going to the movies or museums in the city of Hartford. With a Trinity ID card, students are frequently eligible for a student discount at places in and around Hartford.
What types of employment are available on campus for all students?
There are many types of on-campus jobs available to Trinity students. Most offices at Trinity employ student workers in a variety of roles, including the Admissions Office, Financial Aid Office, Student Life, Communications, and more. There are also opportunities for students to work at one of our two on-campus coffee shops, assist with campus events, work as a student photographer, and more. Both students who receive work-study as part of their financial aid package and students who do not receive work-study are eligible to work on campus. On-campus employment opportunities are posted on Handshake, Trinity’s internal “LinkedIn-type” service. Students can also use Handshake to access job and internship opportunities available off campus and get in touch with Trinity alumni.
Is it possible to study abroad as a first year? What is the status of study abroad for this upcoming year?
Students can participate in a semester-long study away experience from the spring of their sophomore year through the fall of their senior year. We have a few short-term study away opportunities available through programs such as J-Term. We also have a number of summer study away programs available. Study away programs for the fall 2020 semester have been cancelled.
Housing
How will housing be assigned?
Enrolled students will receive a housing survey over the summer as part of their Starting Out materials. We use the survey results to match you with a compatible roommate. Housing as a first-year student is partially based on the survey and partially based on which First Year Seminar or Gateway program you are in. Students are housed in the same general residence as their fellow classmates in their First Year Seminar or Gateway class. Student athletes are typically matched with other student athletes as they likely have similar schedules. Most students are assigned roommates in their first year through our Residential Life Office, but roommate requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Can a first-year student get a single dorm room?
Yes! We have options for first-year students to live in a single, double, or even a quad. Our housing questionnaire will ask you about your first-year living preferences.
Do dorms offer Ethernet connection?
Yes, all our dorm rooms have an Ethernet and cable jacks available.
Academics
What are Gateway Programs and how can I apply?
Gateway programs are specialized first-year seminars. Unlike first-year seminars, there is an application for the Gateway programs. Learn more about Gateways here.
Admitted students are welcome to apply for Gateway programs! The initial deadline to apply for Gateway Programs has passed, but please contact [email protected] if you have questions about a specific program. As of right now, Gateway decisions have been released. If you applied for a Gateway program but did not receive a notification, please contact [email protected].
Is there an advisory committee to support students interested in pursuing pre-med?
Yes! The committee is called HPAC: Health Professions Advising Committee. You can learn more about that program here.
Other
Are the dorms locked and what security system do the students use to enter?
All students have an ID card that will give them access to residential buildings and their specific dorm room.
Can we still order college gear from the Trinity bookstore?
Yes! Shipping may be slightly delayed, but you can place your orders online through the bookstore website.
