departments

In Brief

Sugaring Time Again; Former President Writes Autobiography; Alum Signs with Baseball Team; News from the Nursing and Business Administration Departments and more.

Making Their Mark

Learn about how our community members engage in writing, presentations and exhibitions.

Past as Prologue

Explore Haystack, a portal to the history of Colby-Sawyer College.

Colby-Sawyer Courier

Keep up with campus news from students' perspectives through the Colby-Sawyer Courier.

Solidus

This new literary magazine features creative writing in many genres by current students and alumni, faculty and staff, and a few friends and partners.

Q&Alumni

Find out what Colby-Sawyer alumni have been up to since graduation.

Back on Campus: A Closer Look

What is it really like the first week of a new college year? Larissa J. Dillman '07 reports the inside story.

The first week of classes surprised many students attending Colby-Sawyer this year. Summer vacation jumped directly to autumn as students arrived on campus with the air a bit cooler than the typical start of a New London fall. Excitement about new additions on campus has brought the student body to life. From a new president to the unlimited amount of meal access offered in the school's cafeteria, students are eager to see what this year has in store.

Janine DeSerres

Janine DeSerres '07. Photo by Larissa J. Dillman.

Crazy Days of Autumn

Janine DeSerres '07 said her first week back on campus was “pretty hectic. Full of classes and organizing things for the Community Service Club, which I am co-president of.” Something that excited her about the rest of the year was that President Tom Galligan was walking around campus greeting people on move in day. She said, “I thought that was absolutely amazing, because he is really giving a face to Colby-Sawyer.”

Britnee Vieira '08 described her first week back on campus as “crazy!” Vieira, along with almost everyone else, was trying to run around campus to get situated for the year to come. She was also excited about the new chairs scattered around upper campus that were a gift of the Class of 2006. “Now we can actually sit on the quad with nice chairs in stead of using the benches, which we aren't able to move around.”

Vieira is looking forward to her Child Development lab, which is a class for her major. According to Vieira, she will “be going to the New London Early Learning Center. That will be my first time actually going and doing something with the kids.”

Ben Sweeney

Ben Sweeney '09.Photo by Larissa J. Dillman.

Back Among Friends

Ben Sweeney '09 was eager to see everyone again on move in day for returning students. Many students are separated from their college friends during summer vacation, so for the first couple of days back on campus everyone just wants to visit with their friends.

The first week of classes seems to have been overwhelming for the majority of the students living on campus. During that first week, everyone tries to get their class schedules worked out and get in contact with any clubs or activities they want to be involved with. At the same time, everyone wants to hang out with their friends and catch up on everything that happened over the summer.

Kim Elefante, another sophomore, was “really busy with trying to figure out how classes were going to work and also the first meetings for the clubs and activities” that she is involved in. She is also excited about how the students can swipe their ID cards as many times as they want into the cafeteria.

Kim Elefante

Kim Elefante '09. Photo by Larissa J. Dillman.

Raves for a New Class

Both Elefante and DeSerres raved about the class Music Appreciation. “It's my favorite class so far, because it's something different from my major,” she said. This is the kind of response the college strives for through its Liberal Education Program. According to Elefante, the class “gets to go to concerts and write reviews on them.” In addition, they will also listen to music for the entire class and analyze different aspects of what they listen to.

Jessica Murphy '10 was nervous on her first day on campus, but after that she jumped into college life at Colby-Sawyer, making friends and joining the Dance Club and Community Service Club. Becoming involved in campus activities is not only fun, but it keeps students busy and more relaxed about being away from home, especially during the first year.

Murphy said, “The one thing I didn't know about the campus before I got here was the ghost stories.” Many first-year students learn about Colby-Sawyer's ghosts during their first few days on campus from returning students. She is excited about her Pathway class, which is called Global Platter. “We'll be taking class field trips and learning about different cultures, so it sounds pretty exciting.”

Changes Large and Small

Minor changes that occurred at Colby-Sawyer over the past summer caught the attention of many students as they arrived. The wireless Internet has more students doing their work outside of their residence halls. The new chairs on the quad are inviting and pull more people outside to sit in the sun on nice days. These changes have been opening the campus up and reinforce the friendly atmosphere that Colby-sawyer is known for.

-LARISSA J. DILLMAN '07

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