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Mitchell Partners with High Hopes to Offer Equine-Assisted Wellness Course

For the Spring 2025 semester, Mitchell College students from diverse majors had the extraordinary opportunity to travel weekly by school van to an equine facility in Old Lyme to work with Rolex, Blessing, and several other horses for a new general education course.

“Equine-Assisted Wellness: Bridging Ability and Wellness,” offered in partnership with High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc., immersed students in an experience that promoted wellness through the unique human and horse bond. As an organization, High Hopes uses equine-assisted services to support individuals with emotional health challenges, learning or developmental disabilities, and other neurodivergent challenges.

Working regularly with the horses in the barn, in the arena, and outdoors, the students developed an understanding of disability, learned practical skills in horsemanship and therapeutic techniques, and explored the principles of holistic wellness, focusing on mental, emotional, and physical health. Student majors comprised early childhood education, exercise science, criminal justice, communication, and psychology.

Students explore the grounds of High Hopes Therapeutic Riding.

Students explore the grounds of High Hopes Therapeutic Riding.

Marci Bender, High Hopes equine operations director and PATH Intl. certified master therapeutic riding instructor, CTRI, led the course with assistance from Kim Severance, CTRS, High Hopes program coordinator, PATH Intl. certified therapeutic riding instructor and PATH Intl. equine specialist in mental health and learning.

Prior experience with horses was not a prerequisite for the course, although some students brought it with them

Melanie Hintz, a communication major, has ridden horses for 10 years and volunteered at another therapeutic riding facility in Connecticut for five years. She said one of her favorite activities was creating an obstacle course for the horses in the arena. Using the obstacle course to build trust, the activity mimicked what it is like for horses to experience the world with limited sight.

“Three of us had to partner and walk the course with the horse. One person was the leader, one person was blindfolded, and one person assisted. Horses can’t see everything and must trust humans to lead them in many situations. When I was blindfolded, it was scary, but I trusted the person who was leading me to keep me safe. It can be challenging to trust and rely on teamwork in life, but I realized the importance of having an open mind and viewing life from different perspectives,” said Melanie.

Instructor Kim Severance said the activity also taught the students how to work together and how to connect and communicate with the horse.

“As students experienced things, they could settle into what to expect,” she said.

Chloe Athanas, a criminal justice major who has worked with horses since she was 7, said she loves building bonds with horses and other people and learning new things.

“My favorite activity from class is when we groomed the horses. We had to use our voice and body language to communicate with them so they could trust us and feel comfortable. I learned that body positions and facial expressions are the key methods of communication between humans and horses,” said Chloe.

For a horse, yawning can be a sign of releasing tension, sniffing can show curiosity, alert and moving ears display an awareness of the environment, and ears pulled back or shifting weight can indicate unease.

Instructor Marci Bender stressed that observation is how we learn to connect with horses and that behaviors are important.

“Understanding what horses are experiencing helps with our work at High Hopes. It’s like putting a puzzle together through observation. You think through what you see, then evaluate the possibilities, Marci said.

Melanie agreed: “Horses communicate through body language, which requires us to pay close attention and try to understand what emotions they are feeling, whether it’s calmness, anxiety, or discomfort. I aspire to adopt this mindset, focusing on using all senses to observe and understand subtle details in life, rather than just relying on our usual senses.”

“I know how therapeutic riding can transform lives. This class deepened my knowledge of horses and provided me with a greater understanding of different approaches to training and therapy. My classmates all had the same enthusiasm for horses, and I enjoyed learning with them,” Melanie added.

The class is slated to be offered again in Spring 2026.

Brushing Rolex, the horse

Rolex is one of the horses that participated in the course.

Brusing Blessing, the horse

Blessing also worked with the students.

Legislative Internship Solidifies Work Goals

When senior Matthew Keatley talks about his internship with the Connecticut General Assembly, he describes the way he and the other 37 legislative interns feel about their opportunity.

“Most people show up to work and say, ‘Oh my god, I have so much work!’ All of us show up and say, ‘Oh my god! I have so much work and I get to write testimony, sit in on meetings, answer constituent calls…we’re excited to be there and excited to have work to do.”

Matthew, a communication major, spends two days a week working in Hartford with the Republican Caucus and State Rep. Lezlye Zupkus, a ranking member of the Education Committee. He assists with a range of assignments including office tasks, bill tracking, and meeting preparation, a process he calls “fascinating.”

“As of right now, there are a ton of public hearings that run from morning to evening. I am gaining a good understanding of how the public is perceiving some pieces of legislation and voicing their concerns. There are many bills before the committees, including creating a task force to combat antisemitism in public schools, how to better fund special education, and increasing pay for paraeducators. People testifying are passionate.”

Matthew uses skills developed through his coursework at Mitchell, especially interpersonal communication, public speaking, and social media. In addition, he draws on all the Mitchell Abilities, with special attention to communication, which he said “is the entire game. If you don’t communicate, nothing will get done. If you can’t communicate, you’re not going to last long.”

He is certain that the encouragement he received from his Mitchell professors—to apply for the internship and to succeed in the classroom—serve him well.

“Mitchell’s tight-knit community—its faculty and staff—have enhanced my educational experience and will help me in my professional life. A lot of them serve in public roles in their communities, have academic connections, or share their own life experiences in ways that inspire me.”

A Love of History and Politics

An American history buff who is minoring in government and history, Matthew developed an interest in American politics as a teenager. The 2016 presidential campaign “turned the lightbulb on,” and he read the news daily to stay current.

Closer to home, a field trip to the place where he now interns sparked his interest.

“When I was 17, I took a field trip with my high school civics class to the state legislature and met with our local legislator. After her presentation, I thanked her and said what she was doing was cool. She responded that no one my age would think this was cool. Then I asked her how I could get involved.”

From that conversation, Matthew went on to help with local, state, and federal campaigns, including running the entire campaign in 2024 for the state representative he met on his high school field trip.

He also ran for and won his own spot on his town council when he was 21. Today, he sits on four boards and committees. His hands-on experience with political campaigns and serving in local government helped prepare him mentally for some aspects of interning in state government.

“Town council is a little more relaxed than the legislature, but the decorum is the same. In both you’re there to do a job and to serve people. Constituents either are not pleased with how things are going, or they are and want things to be enhanced.”

Matthew’s initial internship challenge was feeling comfortable in the halls of state government.

“It’s an intimidating place for anyone,” he said. “For me it didn’t last longer than a week or two after orientation. The key is making sure you’re doing what you’re supposed to do, showing up on time, being prepared, and being professional.”

In addition to human resources training on things like sexual harassment, Matthew and the other interns were trained in the budget process and the tools of research.

“We need to know the best ways to help our legislators if they ask us. We’re in a budget season right now and must have a working knowledge of the executive branch and legislative branch budget process, which is intricate. We also access websites and libraries to find things like statutes, which I’m asked for daily.”

Matthew enjoys the camaraderie with the other interns and said, “we’re working with the Republicans and the Democrats, and we’re all friends. We hang out and grab lunch together. If we have the same problem with a work assignment, we can call one another and ask.”

His observation of the Connecticut state legislature is that “there is partisanship, but it doesn’t last long. There is a lot of compromise and a lot of letting the other party into the room for discussion. This is something that you don’t see in the news all that often. The legislators for both political parties care about what they’re working on, want to show up, want to do their work, and know who it impacts in our small state.”

Future Plans

Matthew’s internship has solidified his interest in working in the communications field.

“I approached the caucus’s communications team to say that I’m an aspiring communications professional and offered to help when I am not working on other things for my legislator. I hope to learn more from them. In past political campaigns, I’ve worked on social media, written press releases, and scheduled media interviews. I like having my thumb on the pulse of what’s going on and putting out stories that people read and understand. That’s exciting to me.”

He is not sure if his work after graduation will be a communications job in government or another sector. For now, he is grateful to have gotten the push to apply for the legislative internship, from the grounds of a college campus he considers to be “the best in all of Connecticut.”

“I am really enjoying my internship and urge other students interested in local or state politics to apply. This program is great for jumping into the process, going in depth, and learning who the players are. It’s a chess game, and you’ll get a good understanding of how it’s done.”

Matthew Keatley, legislative intern, stands in the Legislative Office Building with the Connecticut Capitol Building in the background.
Matthew Keatley, legislative intern, stands nears the offices of the Connecticut House Republicans.

Student Organizes Blood Drive to Answer Community Need

Understanding the vital need for blood donations motivated senior health science major Marissa Luna to do something about it.

“Having donated blood to the Red Cross before, I experienced firsthand how significant it is to help others in need. I wanted to get more involved and take on a role where I could make an even greater impact, so I reached out to the Red Cross to initiate a blood drive on campus,” she said.

The recent event, which took place in The Red Barn, collected 30 productive units of blood, exceeding its goal of 20.

“Every donor helps save up to three lives, so the impact of this drive is truly incredible,” Marissa said.

As Blood Drive Leader, Marissa oversaw several tasks including organizing logistics, recruiting donors, promoting the event to students and public, and ensuring the drive ran smoothly.

“Logistics was a challenge,” she said. “That included booking the venue and ensuring all of the equipment was available. My goal was to create an atmosphere where donors felt comfortable and had a positive experience. To make that possible, I worked closely with Rachel Ricciuti, Mitchell College Student Affairs fellow, who helped coordinate every detail and address any issues that arose along the way.”

Putting Coursework to Work

Marissa, who wants to work as a nuclear medicine technologist, said that lessons learned from her Science and Public Policy and Personal/Community Health classes were put to good use in organizing the blood drive.

“My coursework helped me understand the importance of public health initiatives like blood drives, as well as the logistics and community engagement involved in organizing them,” she said.

Her favorite part of organizing a blood drive? Contributing to the community in a meaningful way.

“Seeing the direct impact of our work and knowing that every donation could help save lives shows that we’re truly making a difference in the community,” she said, adding that she appreciated that Mitchell College offered her this unique opportunity to take on this project.

 

Marissa Luna stands in front of a table used for blood donations at a blood drive.
Two women lie on tables donating blood at a blood drive.

Alumna Pays Forward Care, Compassion, Support

When Lisa McCann ’09 became a mother during her first year at Mitchell College, she knew life would be challenging.

“Balancing school, work, and parenting was not easy, but the professors and staff were incredibly supportive. They worked with me to schedule classes around my work hours, and on occasions when daycare was closed, they even allowed me to bring my daughter to class. Their understanding meant the world to me,” she said.

Support for Lisa, who earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal and professional studies, extended to the former Mitchell College Learning Resource Center (LRC), today the Bentsen Learning Center.

“The LRC was a tremendous help during my academic journey. The tutoring center offered flexible hours to fit perfectly with my busy schedule, and I met twice a week with their reading and writing specialists who provided invaluable guidance. Their support played a major role in my success as a student. I probably spent more time the LRC than I did in classes.”

Lisa began at Mitchell studying early childhood education. She realized in her second year that she had a passion for behavioral science, grounded in her lived experience.

“I was a victim of domestic violence as a child, which shaped many aspects of my life. I didn’t grow up wealthy, and I constantly moved from house to house, trying to find stability. When I got to Mitchell and reflected on my life experiences, I realized I wanted to do more—I wanted to help others who were in situations like the ones I had endured.”

“Switching my major turned out to be the best decision for my academic and career goals,” she continued, “as I now have a career that I’m deeply passionate about.”

Paying forward

Today Lisa is a domestic violence housing counselor, advocate, and housing coordinator at Safe Futures in New London. Every day she pays forward the care, compassion, and support that she received at Mitchell to others in need.

“In my role, I oversee transitional housing programs for individuals and families fleeing domestic violence. These programs are designed for clients who are homeless and seeking safety and stability. The transitional housing program offers 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units that clients can stay in for up to two years.”

During her clients’ stay, Lisa works with them on securing permanent housing, developing safety plans, addressing legal issues related to domestic violence or housing barriers, and setting and achieving short-term goals that align with their long-term aspirations.

“Many of my clients use this time to go back to school, pursue higher education, or gain certifications that allow them to increase their income and establish independence, which is something they weren’t allowed to do in the past. It’s incredibly rewarding to see clients rebuild their lives, gain stability, and achieve their goals during their time in the program.”

The transformation that Lisa sees in her clients mirrors her own.

“Mitchell College opened my eyes to the power of education, determination, and community. It gave me the tools I needed to build a career helping others escape the cycle of domestic violence and find safety, stability, and hope for a better future. My time at Mitchell was transformative. I learned so much about resilience and perseverance. Those lessons have stayed with me throughout my 20 years in this field and remind me daily that, even in the face of adversity, I don’t have to give up.”

Lisa McCann '09 and Fenty Lee '15

Lisa McCann ’09 and her supervisor Fenty Lee ’15, director of residential programs and also a Mitchell College graduate

Life Lessons in the Division of Business

Every day in the Division of Business at Mitchell College, faculty deliver unique experiences designed to build the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors students need to create a pathway to a rewarding professional career. One way is by bringing in experts and influencers to share their knowledge, experiences, and life lessons.

In doing so, the Division of Business welcomed Dan Holdridge back to campus after he served as Commencement speaker in May 2024. President and Chief Executive Officer of Eagle Industries Incorporated, Holdridge conducted inspirational workshops for students taking business courses at Mitchell College, including intro to business, project management, and Mitchell’s unique, experiential Mlab program. The workshops focused on teamwork, leadership, and the ethics of professional work, drawing not only from Holdridge’s professional work but also from a life-altering personal experience.

Workshops Inspire, Draw from Life Experience
Holdridge was one of the youngest program directors at General Dynamics Corporation in Needham, Mass., where he oversaw computer engineering operations. On September 11, 2001, he was at the Pentagon supporting the construction of a newly renovated section when the terrorist attack occurred. His life almost ended that day when he was injured, but he has since recovered from his physical wounds. He now dedicates his time speaking to people across the country about his experience that day, what helped him heal, and how he became a stronger person.

James Patsalides, chair of the business division, said, “Dan conducted three inspirational workshops, each tailored to the needs of a class. He captured our students’ attention and was able to inspire them with his message of appreciation and mutual support, positioned as part of a professional toolkit that includes things like ‘pulling your weight’ for your team and focusing on taking action rather than sitting back and watching your life go by. I am so grateful for his contribution to our students and to our program overall. His story is so powerful. “

Students agreed.

“It’s all about teamwork, and one person can really derail a project. That’s why it is important to always know your ‘why’.” —Michael Ficocelli

 

“Whether you think so or not, everyone matters, and everyone has an impact in the world.” —TJ Wolfe

 

“It’s important to turn negatives into positives, and the greatest trait of a leader is kindness.” —Ethan Chavez

 

“Everyone needs to work together for a company to succeed.” —Walker Baillargeon

Bringing Real World into Classrooms
“As we continue to build our Division of Business programs with the ambitious goal of becoming the best business teaching institution in Connecticut,” said Patsalides, “inspirational speakers like Dan Holdridge enable us to bring the real world into our classrooms, moving beyond learning complicated academic content, into application of new ideas to our personal and professional lives. We must learn to appreciate every moment, every experience, and every human who crosses our path.”

“In the Division of Business, we have taken this message to heart. Our flexible modern curriculum and our learning-by-doing teaching approach embody an ethic of learning and care that is unique and grounded in our requirement that all our instructors are experienced pros first and academics second. This philosophy sets the tone for everything we do in the division. For our students, experiences like this are not only exciting and inspirational, but are a systematic foundation for their success in life.”

 

Helping Others Find Their Voice

Junior Ryan DeCosta lives his life in a “radically possible, powerfully you” way, as both a Mitchell College student and a youth engagement coordinator with the Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC).

“Both Mitchell and CPAC have helped me learn lessons, build friendships, and increase my knowledge to fight for social justice, including disability rights, LGBTQ+ rights, suicide prevention, mental health services, and policy change,” he says.

“Your voice is the most valuable at a table where decisions are made for your future, so let yourself be heard.”

Drawn to Mitchell for its diverse and inclusive campus, Ryan found that it fit with his lived experiences.

“The connections I have built with my professors and classmates has really strengthened my love for Mitchell College.”

Once challenged by mental health issues and a learning difference, Ryan uses his story to “heal loudly, discover radical possibilities, and effect radical change” by strengthening his voice to help “amplify and encourage others to use theirs” at school and at work.

A psychology major, Ryan is a member of Mitchell’s Mental Health Coalition Board and the Mitchell JED Team, which focuses on mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention. He looks forward to expanding his contribution to the conversation about mental health on campus, which he believes is “a topic that affects everyone.”

Ryan says the lessons he has learned in his courses at Mitchell “always help support my knowledge and strengthen who I am as a learner, writer, and reader, but I bring more to the classroom from my insight gained at CPAC.”

Behavioral Sciences Professor Jennifer Mauro, who has had Ryan in several classes, agrees.

“Ryan’s commitment to mental health, well-being, and inclusivity extends beyond the classroom and into his work with multiple organizations, including CPAC. His insights — often connected to concepts of resilience, well-being, and developmental psychology — enrich the learning community for all,” she says.

A Niantic-based nonprofit organization, CPAC has a mission of educating, supporting, and empowering families in Connecticut with children/youth (birth to age 26) who have a chronic condition or disability.

As a youth engagement coordinator, Ryan works to educate and support youth and families, mentors youth in self-advocacy and leadership skills, conducts community outreach, and represents the youth voice at local, state, and federal meetings.

“A typical day at my job is working on our social media platforms and developing project proposals for workshops, panels, podcasts, and more. I communicate and work with boards on local, state, and national levels to improve systems and break down stigmas around people like me who have disabilities. One day I will be on the computer and the next I am speaking in front of large audiences of young people, stakeholders, educators and administrators, and parents. We share stories about the struggles of navigating in a world that moves so fast and doesn’t always allow everyone to catch up or be recognized for the genius that is in front of them. We give opportunities for the unrecognized to be the ones running the dialogue.”

Ryan finds great reward in helping young people build self-advocacy skills to help them create change, as well as providing them with networking opportunities to build their resumes — and their self-confidence. He believes these skills will serve them for the rest of their lives.

Looking down the road in his own life, Ryan says Mitchell College has helped to prepare him for his next step, including the goal of earning a master’s degree in social work.

“I will continue to expand my knowledge up until I graduate from Mitchell through internship and networking opportunities and staying involved on campus. Every experience allows you to learn more about yourself, grow as a person, adapt to change, and expand your knowledge of your field of study.”

 

Photo credit: Jennifer Mauro