Mitchell College is pleased to announce that it has named Ron Samul ‘91 director of Thames at Mitchell College. Samul has worked with the college transition program for 16 years in many roles, most recently as assistant director. The program serves students who have learning differences or need additional preparation before college, providing a highly individualized learning environment focused on independence and leadership skills.

In his new role, Samul offers a vision for the innovative Thames program to “throw its doors open” and use it as a resource for community collaboration and program expansion on Mitchell’s New London campus and beyond.

Thames offers ‘power of change’ to students

“Thames at Mitchell College is a starting point for many students and the transformative nature of the program should be shared. Our students are the very definition of what is radically possible. The professional experience of the staff, collaborations, and vision for neurodiverse learning embodied in the program are a great resource. I plan to start a faculty and staff fellowship program that allows collaboration with interested professionals on and off campus to come and work with us, expanding our mission of community, connections, and service learning,” Samul said.

“I am very lucky to have a dynamic team of educators working in the program, using their expertise and dedicating themselves to the student experience every day. We want to advocate for student independence and student equity and bring students forward as hard-working leaders on campus. The whole team knows the power of change that happens in the Thames program.”

“Our students typically do not have a traditional learning path in primary and secondary education; they often have a complicated journey. Their stories of change, adversity, setbacks, and perseverance can be harrowing. It takes time for them to tell those stories, but, when they do, we are lucky to help them begin a path to independent learning. Sometimes we do not have to empower them but give names to their struggles, give hope to their difficulties, and allow them the freedom to move forward. Some students are taking charge of their mental health, their friendships, and fostering their goals by themselves for the first time. It’s a huge step forward,” he said.

Throughout his tenure at Thames, from writing advisor to assistant director, Samul worked to expand and strengthen the program academically and administratively. He worked with adjunct faculty and tutors and built interest in writing, thinking, and learning within the program. He also improved communication, parent outreach, and student support and student conduct procedures.

While there have been changes to the program over the years, he noted that two important key features have emerged.

“The first element is our executive functioning program that teaches the vital skills of time management, study skills, and self-regulated learning. The second one that has grown into a focused area is social-emotional learning, where students learn to make the most out of their social experience including clubs, events, making friends, and stepping into the role of a leader.”

Another recent focus is on mental health.

“Giving educational, social, and residential focus on mental health has been critical in these last few years,” he said. “In our post-COVID experience, students are coming to higher education with a variety of disconnected experiences. Workshops and wellness support have aimed to help students who need resources around mental health and independent living.”

Parent connection shifts from advocate to support team

As a holistic transitional program, Thames builds connections with both students and their parents, long-time advocates for their students who find themselves in a new role as part of the support team.

“Parents help forge a new independent model where their student is building toward a new independence. They move from being their student’s day-to-day person to seeing their independent adult college student moving forward. It is a shift new to both the parent and the student. Typically around Thanksgiving parents notice a difference in their student, shifting the role of parenting to beginning a new adult relationship.”

“We want our students to succeed in independence, but the program is based on the diverse support that they bring with them including families, caregivers, advocates, and school liaisons. We always want the student to take the lead and facilitate a conversation. That is usually something that they must learn. We know that a student’s advocate, no matter who they are, has been fighting for their student for a long time. This switch in dynamics can take some time and practice. Still, communication with everyone is essential. Over the past couple of years, we have enhanced our communication initiatives—introducing a blog, open office hours, and a parent and advocate book club. We have also added social events at orientation and Fall Weekend for parents to meet and talk with one another. We want to allow parents to see what happens when they step back from their student and shift their focus to helping the program and sharing their experiences as life-long advocates for their student.”

Similar ‘lived experience’ helps Samul connect with students

Just as Thames at Mitchell College can change the way students see themselves, it has changed the way Samul, a Mitchell College alumnus, sees himself. His own lived experience helps him understand and connect with his students in a profound way.

“When I came to Mitchell in 1989 as a dyslexic writer, I was under-prepared for the college experience. By the time I left I had been nominated for The Day Journalist Award. I went on to Eastern Connecticut State University and earned a bachelor’s degree, and then earned an MFA from Western Connecticut State University. Now I am completing my doctorate in educational leadership.”

Samul knows how the power of connection to a college—its people, purpose, and practice—can “bring everything together for someone,” like it did for him.

“I want to give students who come through the program that same sense of purpose. I want to talk about their doubts, share their vision, and see those first steps into their adult lives. I see it every graduation when students walk across the stage—so much hard work all captured in a moment in time.”