Catherine Heckler, ’27.5

Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Languages: English
Majors: Geography, American Studies
Main extracurricular activities: Editorial Board and Layout Design for MiddGeo Magazine (offshoot of National Geographic),  Co-President of the Middlebury MothUP (offshoot of NPR’s Moth Radio Hour), Social Coordinator for the Geography Department

You’re a Feb. What did you do during your Febmester? Backpacked for 70 days in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, and then worked at a thrift store in my hometown until February!

What’s your favorite study spot on campus? Upstairs cubicles in the Davis Library, if I need to silently study, or the 6th floor of Bi Hall for group work and beautiful views down Route 125 out the big window

Favorite food in the dining hall? Crispy potato cubes at breakfast!

Favorite Vermont spot? Favorite Middlebury location? In Vermont, it’s got to be Mt. Philo State Park in Charlotte. It’s about 30 minutes north of Middlebury, and an easy/moderate 90 minute round trip hike rewards you with a gorgeous view looking West towards Lake Champlain. In Middlebury, I’m a sucker for Vermont Cookie Love. Best creemees in the state hands down.

Where did you study abroad? I studied abroad for the entirety of my Junior Feb year! In the fall, I studied in Copenhagen, Denmark with the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS), focusing my coursework on city and transportation planning to complement my Geography major. The following semester, I was a student in the Spring cohort of the “Cities in the 21st Century: People, Planning, and Politics” semester through the International Honors Program of the School for International Training (SIT). IHP programs study in multiple countries, so I spent a month each in New York City, Buenos Aires, Barcelona, and Cape Town, focusing on global migration, social movements, and urban planning. It was an incredibly enriching year that fostered so much personal growth, and I could not recommend doing a full year abroad more!

What has been the best, most interesting, or most thought-provoking class you’ve taken at Middlebury? Reimagining Rural America with Professor Will Nash in the American Studies department is hands down the best class I’ve taken at Midd. The class mainly focused on redefining stereotypes and learning the rich history of the Appalachian region. Growing up in Georgia, only 90 minutes from the beginning of the Appalachian Mountain range, the class encouraged me to dig deep into the culture of a region right in my backyard. Additionally, instead of articles or textbooks, all of the reading for the class was novels and literature by Appalachian artists. Reading both fiction and nonfiction was a different way to learn about both historical and contemporary events that I really enjoyed.

Now that you’re a senior, what advice would you give your younger self about college admissions or the transition into college? I remember how my senior year was marked by so much noise from what felt like every adult and peer in my 17 year-old life. Whether it be counselors trying to influence my list of places to apply, classmates comparing application essays, or discussing the financial aspect of higher education with my parents, I remember my senior year of high school feeling just so loud. Take time for yourself! It is incredibly difficult to figure out what you want your next 4 years of education to look like while you are still figuring out who you are, what you like, and what you want for your future. At some point during the process, dedicate time to think about everything for you and you alone. Cutting through the noise is difficult, but having a conversation with myself about what I wanted the next 4 years of my life to look like during my Senior Fall semester helped me identify exactly what my priorities were for my future education and school.

Why did you choose to attend Middlebury? When I visited Middlebury for the first time, I just felt it click. Despite an unusual 90-degree day in early August, in just an hour, my campus tour guide, Noah, painted a great picture of what the Middlebury community was like for him and what it could be like for me. After a little more research, I figured out I wanted to attend a small school, but after hours of poring over the admissions website, what drew me to Middlebury specifically was the Feb program. The opportunity to take a semester off before college and do something I’d never done before, while simultaneously still being fully integrated into the rest of Middlebury’s community, felt like an opportunity like no other. I love the Feb community on campus and am so grateful to be a part of it.