Thames at Mitchell College students in the New London Stories class recently presented original historical research at New London Maritime Society’s (NLMS) annual meeting. The meeting was held at the Custom House Maritime Museum on Bank Street in New London. Prior to their presentation, students toured the museum to deepen their understanding of the region’s maritime history.

The mission of NLMS is to protect and preserve the Custom House, three area lighthouses, and Long Island Sound, and to promote, interpret, and celebrate the rich maritime life and history of the port of New London and the surrounding region.

Led by instructor Chris Kervick, the class presented “The Wreck of the Atlantic: The Journey of a Young Survivor.”  The research paper examines the 1846 steamship disaster off the coast of New London. It follows the experience of a young survivor through extensive archival research and narrative storytelling.

The Times Community Newspapers also featured the paper as a cover story, highlighting the quality and depth of the students’ work and the real-world impact of the course.

Read the research paper:
The Wreck of the Atlantic: The Journey of a Young Survivor – Thames at Mitchell Blog

Explore more student research:
The Coles Family: A Glimpse into the Lives of a 19th Century New London Family of Color – Thames at Mitchell Blog

Frank T. Cable: New London Submarine Pioneer – Thames at Mitchell Blog

A Bohemian In New London – Thames at Mitchell Blog

History of Michael’s Dairy / History of New London – Thames at Mitchell Blog

About New London Stories

A research- and writing-focused course, New London Stories immerses students in local history while building critical academic skills. Through primary sources, archival materials, and collaboration with community partners, students produce publishable work that connects the past to the present. Over the years, the class has generated numerous research papers and articles. Works are shared with the broader community through public presentations, newspapers, and online publications.

First-Year Mitchell College students also study the rich history of the area in their New London: Then and Now course.

Thames at Mitchell Blog

Past and current student work from the course is featured on the Thames at Mitchell Blog, which showcases research papers in addition to program highlights.

Visit the Thames Blog:
https://thamesatmitchell.org/

About Thames at Mitchell College

The Thames at Mitchell College pre-college transition program helps students build academic, social, and independent living skills while experiencing college life. The program offers personalized support, small classes, and opportunities to engage in hands-on learning — including college-level coursework such as New London Stories — in a supportive campus environment.

Learn more about Thames at Mitchell College:
https://mitchell.edu/thames/

(Left) As part of their research, students in the New London Stories course visit the Walton family memorial at Cedar Grove Cemetery in New London.

(Above) The class, seated and facing the audience, presents its research at the New London Maritime Society annual meeting.

To meet demand for affordable and convenient ways for students to keep on track with their academic progress, Mitchell College has launched a new Intersession offering with compressed, full-credit online courses. Mitchell students—and learners from the public—can earn 3 credits in just four weeks through flexible, fully online courses taught by full-time faculty experts.

Designed for flexibility and academic momentum, courses are delivered either asynchronously (work on your own schedule) or in a hybrid online format that includes one real-time virtual meeting per week.

The four-week Intersessions—offered in Winter and Summer—replace the Mitchell MiniMester, which ran for just two weeks. While the new timeframe is still compressed, extending the Intersession by two weeks provides greater convenience and flexibility for student schedules.

“Intersession is one of the most effective and economical ways for students to advance their academic goals in a short period of time,” said Amy Rumrill, registrar at Mitchell College. “If a student takes advantage of both the Winter and Summer Intersessions, they can earn an additional 6 credits over an academic year. Mitchell offers the courses at a significantly reduced cost, the lowest Intersession tuition of any four-year college or university in Connecticut.”

“We recognize that many students are balancing jobs and other responsibilities at home, and flexibility is key. Fully online courses allow them to take a course while managing life. Through Intersession courses, students can focus, stay on track, and earn meaningful credit to make real progress toward their degree. Intersessions also support academic recovery for students at risk,” she said.

Register Now for Winter Intersession

Registration is now open through December 19 for the Winter Intersession, which runs December 17–January 16. The summers session runs May 13–June 12. Intersession tuition is $990 per course ($330 per credit, 3 credits).

Winter Intersession courses include:

• Disney Villains: A Criminological Perspective
• The Invisible Trade of Human Beings: Unmasking Global Human Trafficking Networks
• Writing for College and Beyond
• Entrepreneurship I: The Search for Customer Value
• Advertising
• The Psychology of Wellbeing

New students—those not currently enrolled at Mitchell or Thames at Mitchell—can complete a simple enrollment process to participate. Current Mitchell and Thames students are encouraged to consult with their Academic Advisor before registering.

To learn more or register, go to mitchell.edu/intersession.