October 29, 2020

Dear Members of the Connecticut College Community,

I invite you to join colleagues, classmates, and friends at our second annual All-College Symposium, on Friday, Nov. 6. This will be the culminating event of the Connections experience for the wonderful Class of 2021, as 200 seniors in our Interdisciplinary Pathways and Centers for Interdisciplinary Scholarship present the results of their work over the past three years.

Through virtual talks, panels, group discussions, poster sessions, and videos, our student presenters will highlight the connections they have made among their courses and research, their jobs and internships, their work in local communities and around the globe–along with the questions that animated their choices along the way. The whole campus is invited to experience this major student conference, and this year, we are extending an invitation to the broader Conn and local communities to experience and appreciate the extraordinary work of our seniors and celebrate their many accomplishments. 

Please go to the Symposium website, to view the schedule in Guidebook, meet some of the speakers, and find instructions for downloading the Guidebook app for your mobile device. In Guidebook, you’ll find the Zoom links and abstracts for every session. You will also be able to select sessions by speakers, topics, pathways, or centers.

In the five days leading up to the Symposium, I also encourage you to preview some of the individual and group videos that will supplement the Friday talks. A Virtual Symposium Preview Gallery will be live, starting Monday, Nov. 2.

For those on campus, Shain Library will serve as information central for the Symposium, Nov. 2-5 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., and Nov. 6, from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Please visit for information, help with downloading and navigating the Guidebook app, and to pick up Symposium extras.

Last year’s inaugural event was a thrilling display of the intellectual creative energy of our students. I know this year’s class of presenters are already building on that success, to make this Symposium one of the most intellectually engaging events of the year.

We are extremely proud of our seniors. You tenacious students in the Class of 2021 are the second cohort to complete Connections, and the first to do so in the midst of a global pandemic! You have overcome countless challenges to do independent research, to complete stunning works of art and performance, and to make a lasting impact on your communities. Our first-year and sophomore students, who are just beginning to chart their journeys at Conn, will have a unique opportunity to learn directly from you. I hope no one will miss this opportunity to be inspired.

I am proud, too, of the faculty and staff who have created and led the Pathways and Centers, supported the Class of 2021 throughout their journeys, and worked so hard to make this year’s virtual Symposium all that it can be. Thank you!

I hope every member of our community will attend this milestone event, and I encourage you to invite your families and friends to attend, as well.

I look forward to seeing you on Nov. 6.

Yours,
 
Katherine Bergeron
President