August 12, 1998
Middlebury College Class of 2002 to Begin Orientation
September 7
From an Internet Business Owner to an AIDS
Fundraiser, Class of 2002 Represents Wide Range of Interests
The 582 members of the Middlebury College class of
2002 will begin arriving on campus on September 6. Coming from
38 countries, 43 states and the District of Columbia, the students
will bring a wide range of experiences with them as they undergo
a week of orientation activities and trips from September 7-13.
“We are especially proud of the rich talents
the class of 2002 offers and what these students have accomplished
before the age of 18,” said Mike Schoenfeld, dean of enrollment
planning. “One student started his own internet service provider,
which now employs six full-time people. Another designed and sold
a calendar, the AIDS Daily Planner, raising over $1,800 for the
AIDS Emergency Fund. And these are just two of the interesting
stories this class has to tell.”
With the theme “Bridging the Millenium,”
orientation week begins September 7 with a focus on academic activities,
such as course selection and an introduction to computer facilities.
Social opportunities, ranging from a barbecue hosted by Middlebury’s
president to night time coffee house entertainment in the College’s
Center for the Arts, encourage students to get to know their new
classmates.
When class registration is complete on September
10, students will line up for the traditional convocation procession
from Old Chapel to Mead Chapel. After the ceremony, which formally
marks the class’s entrance into the College, students will gather
for a photo.
The final three days of orientation, September 10-13,
will relieve students’ stress as they make the transition to college
by giving them another opportunity to get to know their fellow
classmates and experience life beyond campus, both in the local
Middlebury community and beyond. Students choose between three
options: Middlebury Outdoor Orientation (MOO); “This is Vermont;”
and “Volunteer Preview.”
Now in its 11th year, MOO is a student
organization that was founded by members of the Middlebury College
Mountain Club. MOO leads student groups in outdoor activities
such as hiking and biking, developing among the new class an immediate
appreciation for Vermont’s beautiful countryside. The trips also
allow students to form friendships in a relaxed setting and gain
useful wilderness skills.
Prior to their departure, MOO participants will attend
a presentation on conservation in Vermont by a representative
of the Green Mountain Club. They also will hear a talk by Dr.
Geoff Tabin, an eye surgeon and mountain climber, on how he has
blended his volunteer work with mountaineering. Tabin, a professor
at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and a practicing
doctor at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, co-founded
a non-profit organization, the Himalayan Cataract Project, in
1995. The all-volunteer organization trains doctors who then provide
medical treatment to residents of the Himalayan region suffering
from this eye affliction.
“This is Vermont” offers students who wish
to become familiar with the Green Mountain state the chance to
experience local culture and sites. Beginning with an overnight
stay, storytelling, music and a traditional New England barbecue
at Middlebury’s Bread Loaf campus, the program continues with
a day exploring Burlington and cruising Lake Champlain on the
“Spirit of Ethan Allen II.”
Those participating in “Volunteer Preview”
work on daily community service projects, such as trail work with
the U.S. Forest Service or home renovation for affordable housing.
With about half of all Middlebury students volunteering at some
time during their college career, “Volunteer Preview”
offers an early glimpse into the real world concerns of Addison
County.
Opening-of-School-Year Address
President John M. McCardell, Jr. will deliver his
annual opening-of-the-school-year address on Monday, September
14 at 12:30 p.m. in Mead Chapel. All members of the public are
welcome to attend the address.
Other Upcoming Campus Schedule of Events
Sept. 6 First-year students begin arriving
Sept. 7-13 Orientation for first-year students
Sept. 14 President’s opening-of-school-year address,
12:30 p.m. Mead Chapel
Sept. 14 Classes Begin
Sept. 18-20 Alumni Leadership Conference on Bread
Loaf campus
Oct. 2-4 Fall Family Weekend I
Oct. 9-11 Fall Family Weekend II
Oct. 15-16 Mid-term recess
Oct. 23-25 Homecoming