Maya Atmani, '29

Hometown: Casablanca, Morocco

High School: UWC Red Cross Nordic 

Languages: French, Darija (Moroccan Dialect), Spanish and a bit of Chinese! 

Major: Maybe Astrophysics 

Minor: Chinese

Main Extracurricular Activities: RIDDIM dance troupe, figure skating

Why did you choose to attend Middlebury?

At first, I wasn’t even sure I would apply to college. I’ve always loved studying many different things, and I worried that choosing a major would limit my options. But when I discovered Middlebury, I immediately felt drawn to its liberal arts program and the way it actively encourages students to explore across disciplines. Not only is exploration allowed, it’s expected!

Coming from UWC, I felt incredibly relieved by the idea of choosing an academic path that reflects my ever-evolving interests.

And then there’s my sister. She’s a senior here, and a huge part of why I wanted to join these beautiful Middlebury mountains. I grew to love Middlebury through her long before I arrived, and her experience made this place feel familiar and welcoming. I hope we can do the same for future UWC students one day.

What’s your favorite course?

My favorite course so far is Introduction to the Universe. It’s an introductory astrophysics class, and every time I leave a lecture I think to myself, “I’m going to be an astronaut.” (Even if I’m not the best at math!) But that’s something I love about Middlebury, I get to dream freely. 

What do you do to relax and have fun?

I love going ice skating. Middlebury has so many facilities that make it easy to try new things, and skating was something I picked up for the first time here. I loved it so much that I try to go every week to practice and learn more advanced moves.

I also love putting on my headphones and going for walks around campus or into town. Middlebury isn’t too busy, so it’s easy to find quiet spots to reset, be alone, and relax