Office of the Dean of Atwater Commons
Phone (802) 443-3310 Fax (802) 443-3319
July 2008
Dear Member of the Class of 2012:
Hello and welcome to Atwater Commons! By nature of your housing assignment in Allen and Coffrin Hall you are fortunate to be a member of Atwater for your first year at Middlebury, and perhaps many more! We are very proud of our commons neighborhood which is comprised of residences: Allen, Coffrin, Le Chateau and a very nice dining hall. I am the dean for all the residents of Atwater Commons and am available and responsible for a variety of purposes and functions, social and academic. I enjoy getting to know the folks in Atwater, hearing what your interests and experiences are. Do not be surprised to be waylaid in the hallways or pathways for a random conversation. I also encourage you to stop by our office in Allen Hall to meet myself, and Debbie Cousino, the Atwater Coordinator, an invaluable resource for all your questions. You can contact her at extension 3310 or by stopping by the office in Allen Hall. We take great pride in our community and our environmental focus in Atwater Commons and look forward to your active participation with us in the upcoming year.
Atwater Commons has an elected Commons Council consisting of Co-Chairs, Emily Culp '11 and Lance Sun. The council is a vital resource for student activities ranging from social to intellectual. We hope that you stop by one of the weekly meetings, share your ideas and become involved in Atwater events.
As Commons Heads of Atwater, Peter and Michelle Nelson work with students to promote the academic and cultural integrity of our commons. Pete is an Associate Professor of Geography. Michelle is an Assistant Director in Admissions. The Nelsons have an office in Allen Hall and reside in Nichols House, which is a short walk through the woods from Allen Hall where many events take place throughout the year. I encourage you to introduce yourself in the early days on campus, as they are a tremendous resource for you, possessing a wealth of wisdom and experience.
In your residential experience you will have the great pleasure of getting to know our Commons Residential Adviser (CRA), Matthew (Matt) Boucher, a recent Middlebury graduate who returns to campus and live in the residence hall to assist students with the challenges they may encounter throughout the school year. Matt will be living on the first floor of Allen. There are also six fabulous First Year Counselors (FYC's); five who live in Allen and one in Coffrin. All of these people will be great assets for you to work with whenever you need an answer to a question, need help solving a problem, or just need someone to chat with. It is my belief that these positions are ones that truly set Middlebury apart for students residential experience. If you would like to see who the Atwater FYC's are, I invite you to check out the Atwater section of the Middlebury College web page - Atwater FYC.
Other important services available to you on campus include the Office of Learning Resource, Peer Tutors, your academic advisor, the staff at the Health Center and the Office of Public Safety to name a few.
Ask questions! Don't be shy! Middlebury has a plethora of strong resources available to you but it is often up to you to take the first step in seeking them out. Be sure to let your roommate, your classmates, your professors, your residential life staff, and us know what you need help with in order to succeed at Middlebury. Four years pass by quickly and we hope that you take advantage of all the opportunities and resources available to you in this truly exceptional community. If there is any free time left in the remainder of your summer, I highly encourage you to peruse Richard Light's book Making the Most of College, he makes some very wise and useful observations.
Once you arrive on campus you will find yourself drawn into a whirlwind of activity called New Student Orientation! We will be here to greet you, help you move into your room, and meet any family members that may have been able to join you on the first leg of your adventure.
As this can be an exciting and overwhelming time, I challenge you to ponder who it is you would like to be and what are some of the things you would like to accomplish in your tenure at Middlebury. Prior to leaving home jot down some thoughts for reference as the year goes by. In the meantime, enjoy the remainder of your summer and rest up for a busy first week at college! We look forward to meeting you on September 3.
Sincerely,
Scott P. Barnicle
Dean of Atwater Commons