Quinnipiac University Community Relations
Quinnipiac University Community Relations
QUADS students take a photo blowing dandelions.

QU Advancing Diversity in Science (QUADS)

Resource Type: Academic Enrichment

Age Group: High School

Town Eligibility: East Haven, Hamden, Meriden

The purpose of the Quinnipiac University Advancing Diversity in Science (QUADS) program is to encourage high school students in Connecticut to develop science skills and knowledge through a place-based science education experience. Supported by secondary science teachers as well as student mentors and faculty at Quinnipiac, students will engage in activities designed to make sense of a community-based phenomenon or to solve a community problem.

A local community of mentors and students

QUADS student presents her project to a mentor.
QUADS students present passion projects centered on their "Quest for Questions" during the gallery walk showcase on the North Haven Campus. 

Created in partnership with the Connecticut Collegiate Awareness and Preparation (ConnCAP) program, QUADS is a three-year experience that matches 75 first-year high school students in Ansonia, Hamden and Meriden with science educators, Quinnipiac professors and student mentors.

Throughout the academic year, these students enjoy a more enriching learning experience as they develop attributes associated with college readiness and celebrate their progress during a weeklong summer session on Quinnipiac's campus.

The last year of QUADS will see participants entering their communities to engage with stakeholders that can affect change, including parent groups, government officials and town boards. Teachers and mentors will also work with the high schoolers on college preparation, supplying guidance on applications, FAFSA forms and more.

QUADS students walk across the North Haven Campus.
The Earth Day celebration was held on April 24, 2023 at our North Haven Campus as a part of the Quinnipiac University Advancing Diversity in Science (QUADS) program.
QUADS students take a photo blowing dandelions.
Students spent time representing our ideas about the environment and how they have changed.
QUADS faculty and students pose with Boomer for a selfie.
Nearly 100 students between grades 8-10 attended the celebration.
QUADS students observe the pond on the North Haven Campus.
Students embarked on 'wonder walks' alongside local ponds, rivers and streams.
QUADS students walk into the North Haven Campus.
The Earth Day celebration represents one of many immersive activities that QUADS offers as part of a science-based educational experience.

Sample Schedule

Get a sense of what your summer session will look like as a QUADS student. Students enjoy a wide range of choices so they can tailor their experience toward whatever areas capture their interest and imagination.
  • Monday
  • Tuesday
  • Wednesday
  • Thursday
  • Friday

Monday

Time

Activity

7:30 a.m.

Bus pick up at school

8 a.m.

Bus drop off in North Haven and breakfast

9 a.m.

QUADS Community Building

11 a.m.

Lunch and Recreation

12 p.m.

Intro to Improv Communication, Critical Thinking and Care

1:30 p.m.

QUAD Pod QUest for QUestions!

2:45 p.m.

Regroup

3 p.m.

Bus pick up

 

Get involved with QUADS

QUADS participant smiles during a demonstration.

QUADS relies on our student mentors to help prepare attendees for success at the next level. Our mentors come from a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, education, engineering and biology, but each embraces the core principles that guide our work. 

1) Learning and teaching must be centered in student voice, interest and curiosities.

2) Skills, abilities and content must be learned and developed within context.

3) Social equity is a goal in education.

4) The chief impediments to equity are structures of oppression in education and beyond that create and sustain inequity, not the qualities of our underrepresented students.

5) Through self-reflection and community negotiation, educators and learning facilitators must authentically engage with and attend to their experiences with injustice and inequity.

Learn more about our mentors

Become a student mentor

Frequently Asked Questions

QUADS is supported by a grant from the Connecticut Collegiate Awareness and Preparation Program (ConnCAP), Office of Higher Education and Quinnipiac University.

QUADS is entirely free for participating students and families. In fact, there is an opportunity for students to earn college credit over their three years in the program, meaning that participating in QUADS can help you save money in the long run.

QUADS is designed for ninth-grade students. If you aren't sure if you are a fit, consider the following questions:

  • Do you see things in your school or community that you would like to learn about and or change?

  • Do you want to belong to a community of your friends, mentors from Quinnipiac and teachers from your school?

  • Would you like to belong to a community where you can learn strategies for success in high school and beyond?

  • Would you enjoy events like Division 1 Basketball games and family gatherings at your school and at Quinnipiac?

If so, we encourage you to learn more about applying for QUADS.

Contact Cindy Kern to learn more about partnering with QUADS through one of our school communities.

Submit a Partnership Request

Contact Us