College Connect Summer Program

Subject area:  Sociology

Instructor:  Mark Wodziak

Course description:  Why are some schools better than others? Why can’t we find healthy food in every neighborhood? Why are people protesting the new neighborhood Starbucks? Do people really want to live by people who look like them? This course will address the above-mentioned questions by examining segregation and racial change in Chicago, one of the most segregated cities in the country. Through readings, videos, guest speakers, virtual neighborhood tours, and mural tours, we will explore why Chicago neighborhoods look the way they do racially and ethnically, and  examine the mechanisms that were / are used to keep them segregated. We will also discuss gentrification and its many effects such as increased diversity, cultural clashes, resident displacement, as well as its impact on jobs, schools, crime, and communities. We will have difficult conversations about race, class, and whether any community has the right to claim ownership of an urban neighborhood for very long. Lastly, we will examine resistance to segregation and gentrification by speaking to people on the front lines of the anti-gentrification movement such as activists and artists.

Subject area:  Animation

Instructor:  Jacqueline Brennan

Course description:  Animated content is everywhere these days: TV, movies, video games, websites, education, even medical and scientific simulations. In this five week course, students will explore the power of visual communication and study ways in which animation has been used to educate, influence and envision future worlds. The class will interact with industry experts to explore the many career paths available in animation. Students will be using free animation apps and software to master the skills necessary to bring their ideas to the screen in a powerful and effective manner. Seeing is believing!

Subject area:  Journalism

Instructor:  Sandra Guy-Kolina

Course description:  This course will explore basic rules of newswriting, along with how to critically analyze the latest issues in journalism, ethics, and social media reporting. Students will watch videos of outside speakers from a variety of media, interview people in their communities, and write their own news stories on topics important to them. In addition, students will discover their journalist voices, while working ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity.

Subject area:  Advertising

Instructor:  Dr. Juan Mundel

Course description:  Advertising is everywhere. We see it on busses, TV, our phones, social media, and even in bathrooms. Ads affect the way we see the world, influence our purchases, and have the power to sway our opinions. This course will explore the social, psychological, economic, legal, and ethical repercussions that may result from exposure to advertising messages. This course involves reading, writing, researching, and thinking. Class discussion will be a critical part of the learning process.

Subject area:  Business

Instructor:  Demetrius Jordan

Course description:  This course will cover a variety of business and entrepreneurship topics. Students will learn basics of micro-economics, marketing, financial institutions, business structures, and business ethics. Working in small groups, students will become aspiring small business owners creating a new business they may want to launch. They will research all necessary steps that go into starting a business, write a business plan, design a pitch deck to present to potential investors, and more. The capstone assignment for the class will include a Shark Tank type presentation.

Subject area:  Film & Television

Instructor:  Kaitlin Creadon

Course description:  This course is an introduction to the elements of theme, plot, character, and dialogue in scriptwriting for cinema. Emphasis is placed on telling a story in terms of action and the reality of characters. The difference between the literary and visual medium is explored through individual writing projects and group analysis. Films and scenes examined in this class will reflect creators and characters from a wide range of diverse backgrounds and intersectional identities. Development of a synopsis and treatment for a short theatrical screen play: theme, plot, character, scene, and utilization of cinematic elements. Everyone is welcome in this class, even if creative writing isn't their strong suit. This course is about having fun and learning how to format a short film/TV script. Students will complete multiple writing assignments throughout the five-week course and will leave as better thinkers and writers.