We believe that a meaningful liberal arts education takes place around the clock—as easily over dinner as in the classroom—and our residential system embodies that culture of living, learning, and growing together, no matter what building you call home during your time on campus.
Living Together
Living in community with students from across the globe provides opportunities to challenge yourself, learn deeply, develop meaningful relationships, and discover new ways of thinking. As a residential college, students live on campus until they graduate. A limited number of seniors are released to live off campus for their senior year. First and second year students live in traditional residence halls, typically in double rooms with shared community bathrooms. Junior and senior students are able to chose from a variety of housing options, including double and single rooms within shared suites, small houses, and a variety of themed communities.
Residential Programming
Residential Life integrates academic experiences with life in our residence halls to encourage open exchange of ideas, perspectives, and intellectual curiosity. This begins with the first-year seminar—as students who are in class together also live in the same first-year community, allowing them to bring classroom discussions and experiences into the residence halls. Residential Life staff host a variety of community activities for students based on community needs, inspired by academic events taking place on campus, and in support of shared interests among residents of a floor or building. There are also an abundance of social and cocurricular opportunities to try new things, build meaningful connections, develop lifelong skills, and explore everything Middlebury has to offer.
Housing Resources
From safety and storage to recycling and laundry facilities, Middlebury provides additional supportive resources for all its on-campus residence halls.
Residential Life Staff
Residential Life has a team of professionals and trained peer leaders on campus to help students with the transition to Middlebury and navigating the ups and downs that come with college life.
Residence directors (RD) are professional staff that live on campus and work to build supportive and inclusive residential communities. They oversee and support the work of our Residential Life student staff in fostering connection, work with the Office of Community Standards to address student behavioral concerns, and provide after-hours emergency support for students. They also collaborate closely with deans and other campus partners to support students and connect them with important resources.
The Residential Life student staff includes resident assistants (RA), who live alongside and support students in first-year and sophomore communities, and community assistants (CA), who support students living in junior and senior communities. These are students who serve as community leaders and mentors within the residence halls. They work to foster a sense of community, educate students on community standards, uphold residential policies, and help connect students with campus resources.