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Trinity Plus Experiences

The Trinity Plus Curriculum supports a practical liberal arts education designed to prepare students to be bold, independent thinkers.

Students engage through internships, research, community learning, and practical coursework, to connect scholarship to dynamic world application. Trinity Plus Experiences equip students with the critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability skills necessary to lead transformative lives.

Students may satisfy their Trinity “Plus” through one or several of the experiences listed below:

  • Teaching Assistantships
  • Peer Teaching and Mentorships
  • Undergraduate Research
  • Internships
  • J-Term Courses
  • Short-Term Global Study

Student Leadership in Scholarship

Teaching Assistant (TA)

A teaching assistant (TA) is a student who has taken and done well with a course and returns to support the educational experience of new students. Their responsibilities vary depending on the department, course, and professor they work with. Responsibilities may include classroom support by leading discussions, facilitating group activities, hosting office hours, or mentoring students. This experience is set up by communicating with a professor directly.

First Year Mentors

Each seminar instructor selects an outstanding member of the junior or senior class to serve as mentor. Mentors support the academic experience of first-year students, connecting students to the resources and opportunities of the College. In addition to helping students navigate curricular requirements and begin the process of starting a major, they ensure that students are integrating well into community life.
Learn more about First-Year Mentors!

Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leaders

Supplemental Instruction (SI) leaders work in BIOL 182, BIOL 183, CHEM 111, and CHEM 112 to serve students in the lecture sections of these courses. Each leader prepares their own materials and holds 1-2 SI sessions per week to facilitate small group discussion and problem solving. These sessions are open to any student who is registered for the course. SI leaders are selected by the department and/or the professor teaching each section of these courses. Interested students should reach out to the chair of the Biology or Chemistry Department to express interest.

Research Assistantships

Undergraduate Research within the Academic Year

Trinity offers many opportunities for students to engage in research, both on and off campus. There are experiences to suit a wide range of interests. Students can create independently designed research projects, collaborate with professors from all academic divisions, work with community partners in the greater Hartford region, and participate in clinical research at area medical centers.
Learn more about Student Research Opportunities!

Summer Research

Students can engage with Summer Research Assistant positions supervised directly by faculty supervisors through several specialized programs: The Summer Research Program (SRP), the Public Humanities Collaborative (PHC), the Interdisciplinary Science Program (ISP) and grant or department funded positions with specific members of the faculty.

  • The Summer Research Program supports intensive student involvement in faculty supervised research at Trinity during the summer. Students will earn co-curricular credit, receive a stipend, and on-campus housing.
  • The Public Humanities Collaborative is a summer research opportunity that brings together students, faculty, and individuals and organizations in Hartford to work on public humanities: the study of how people interpret stories of our human experience.
  • Students in the Interdisciplinary Science Gateway Program have the option to pursue summer research at the conclusion of their first year in the program. The Interdisciplinary Science Program is an innovative academic program designed to broaden and enrich the study of science and mathematics by exploring the links between the scientific disciplines and their connection with the external world.

Internships

Co-Curricular Internships

Co-curricular internships integrate classroom learning with real-world professional experiences. These opportunities extend beyond the conventional boundaries of coursework, providing students with hands-on exposure to their chosen field of study. By engaging in co-curricular internships, individuals not only gain practical insights into their academic disciplines but also cultivate a diverse set of competencies, fostering personal and professional growth.

Students work with the Career and Life Design Center and the Center for Academic and Experiential Advising to earn 0.5 or 1.0 co-curricular credit within the Trinity “Plus” curriculum. To start your co-curricular internship experience please contact the Career and Life Design Center.
Learn more about Co-Curricular Internships at Trinity!

Academic Internships

An academic internship consists of any work experience that is integrated into your academic program as a requirement or an elective.

The following programs have academic internships at Trinity:

J-Term Study

J-Term Courses

Trinity students are able to enroll in 1 course, to a maximum of one-credit, during a three-week term from January 2-19, 2024. During the J-Term, both in-person and remote courses are offered. Please refer to the J-Term course schedule for a complete listing of courses. Registration opens on October 30, 2023 and Trinity students can enroll in courses via TCOnline.
Learn more about J-term experiences!

Short Term Global Study

Trinity J-Term Study Away programs allow students to study abroad in short, intense bursts. Programs are offered over winter break and provide students with discipline-specific global experiences that are led by trusted Trinity faculty. Trinity J-term programs are integrated with the College’s curriculum, combining the experiential with the academic. J-term programs offer one .5 credit course per program and are 2 weeks in length.
Learn more about J-Term Study Away!