All students in Summer Bridge are enrolled in four classes: an interdisciplinary writing seminar and a class called “Introduction to the Liberal Arts." These courses are foundational to Summer Bridge because they allow students to reflect on their own learning, their adjustment to campus, and their growing writing skills. Students with an interest in math and science will be enrolled in on the STEM track, and students with an interest in humanities, arts, and social sciences will be enrolled in an interdisciplinary Humanities and Social Science track.
Course Distribution on Each Track
| STEM-Centered Track | Humanities-Centered Track |
|---|---|
| 1. Introduction to the Liberal Arts, taught by a STEM professor | 1. Introduction to the Liberal Arts, taught by a Humanities professor |
| 2. Writing seminar | 2. Writing seminar |
| 3. Mathematics | 3. Quantitative Reasoning* |
| 4. Biology/Chemistry | 4. Humanities/Social Science |
*Examples include: statistics, computer science, or social sciences classes with quantitative skills, such as psychology.
Specific details about course titles and descriptions will be provided to participants in June. Examples of titles of courses include: Justice & Power; Intro to the Psych of Well-Being; Statistics; Reading and Writing for the Liberal Arts; Puzzles, Programming, & Problem-Solving; Writing & Becoming; Classics Now; Law & the Visual; Reading The Federalist Papers; Decoloniality in Latin America; Writing our Way Through the Commons; Calculus; Introduction to Chemistry; Introduction to Biology; and Writing About Literature.
Most classes meet on a schedule similar to the academic year: either 80 minutes twice a week or 50 minutes three times a week. Some courses—such as Biology, Chemistry—have labs, just as they will during the fall semester will. Introduction to the Liberal Arts also includes Friday field trips around Amherst.
Support During the Program
Six Residential Tutors (RTs) are present to support students in the dorm and in study sessions in the evenings. They organize events and social gatherings on the weekends. The tutors are alums of the Summer Bridge program and host weekly mentoring meetings with students.
Faculty are available during the week both in class and during office hours. Students are encouraged to visit faculty during their office hours for conversation and support. There are also three directors of Summer Bridge (Dean Kiara Vigil, Professor Kristina Reardon, and Dr. Jennifer Innes) who provide daily support to students and RTs. Representatives from the Writing Center and the Q Center are usually available to provide further academic support.
During daily lunches, students will have the opportunity to meet staff from around the college, including, but not limited to, staff from: Financial Aid; Class & Access Resource Center; Strategic Learning Center; Counseling & Mental Health Services; Health Services; Dining Services; Center for Community Engagement; Loeb Center for Career Exploration and Planning; Office of Global Education; Writing Center; Quantitative Center; and more!