Why We're Doing This
As the flagship university of the State of Connecticut and a Land/Sea Grant university, the University of Connecticut (UConn) has a mission to develop and sustain meaningful, mutually beneficial engagement with the communities of the state. In the course of our research and Extension work, we’ve become aware of the enormous pressures that our state’s communities are under – some of which relate to protecting their town’s natural resources and responding to a long list of environmental requirements. At the same time, as instructors we continually marvel at the quality of work that can be done by undergraduates, once they are given the knowledge and tools to tackle a particular problem. The E-Corps is our attempt to marry these two factors to the benefit of the students, the communities, and the university.
By the Numbers
Our total enrollment since inception through Spring of 2025
| Teachers | |
| Total Semesters Taught | 41 |
| Summer Sessions | 3 |
| Students | |
| Total Enrollment | 708 |
| Classroom Students | 479 |
| Practicum Students | 229 |
| Students Continued on to Practicum (percentage) | 48% |
| Climate Corps Students | 270 |
| Brownfields Corps Students | 300 |
| Stormwater Corps Students | 138 |
| Community Projects | 203 |
| Engagement | |
| CT Projects | 157 |
| CT Unique Partners | 89 |
| CT Municipality Partners | 70 |
| CT Other Partners (regional, state, NGO) | 19 |
| CT Partners that have Worked with 2 of the 3 Courses | 21 |
| CT Partners that have Worked with All 3 Courses | 3 |
| Out of State Projects | 54 |
| Out of State Unique Partners | 45 |
| Projects Total | 223 |
| Unique Partners Total | 134 |
E-Corps Program Model
Each E-Corps course is a two-semester experience: a hands-on, interactive classroom semester followed by a “practicum” semester where student teams undertake environmental projects in the community. There are three classes offered focusing on brownfields redevelopment, climate resilience, and stormwater management. All classes have a focus on the local (municipal) perspective.
Detailed information about every aspect of the model, including instructional techniques and procedure for working with our community partners, is in the Program Model section.