Dear Colby Families,

Over this Thanksgiving holiday, I was reminded of my days as a Colby student and of my own visits home to celebrate with family. During these times, I came to appreciate my parents' deep pride in having a student at Colby, which they knew was offering me an exemplary liberal arts education in a place—Maine—that they love.

Today, as my parents follow how our Dare Northward campaign is creating more opportunities for students — expanding the size and quality of the faculty, adding rigorous new academic programs, enhancing financial aid to support talented students from all backgrounds, investing in Waterville, and building new facilities on campus — their pride is now coupled with excitement for the College's bright future.

I share my parents' enthusiasm for Colby’s extraordinary momentum, and our emergence as a global institution from the place we love so much. This holiday season, I am thankful for the opportunity to build a broad and inclusive philanthropic community for our College that is filled with joy, shared pride, and great possibility.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season with safe journeys for your students.

With gratitude,

Jane Phillips '01

Vice President of Advancement

Starting next fall, families with household incomes of $65,000 or less, and assets typical of this range, will have a parent/guardian contribution of $0 for their student to attend Colby .

Both current and entering students are eligible for this support, which expands upon our current $60,000 policy. We are grateful to Michael E. Koester ’94 and his wife, André R. Koester, for their significant gift to the Dare Northward campaign to make this possible.

Colby's financial aid policies, like this one, are the foundation of the Colby Commitment , our comprehensive initiative to reduce barriers for extraordinary students from all backgrounds.

A first-generation student from Toledo, Ohio, Misael Beltran-Guzman ’22 was matched with Colby through a QuestBridge scholarship.

Misa invited us into his life back in Toledo and on campus to show how the opportunity to overcome financial barriers and attend Colby has been life-changing for him and for his family at home.

The last beam of the $26-million Lockwood Hotel was installed Monday, Nov. 25, the latest step in the city's renaissance propelled by investments from Colby and many community partners.

“We're very proud to be a partner with the city, and the business owners and civic leaders, to support this incredible community,” said President David A. Greene. “This downtown is beginning an extraordinary resurgence.”

The Lockwood Hotel is scheduled to open in fall 2020 with 53 rooms and a full-service restaurant, Front & Main. Watch our video of the beam going into place.

Colby’s Dare Northward campaign surpassed $500 million in November, en route to raising $750 million by 2023.

The campaign is having a remarkable impact on Colby students, faculty, staff, and the community, driving the strategic expansion of our faculty and academic programs, funding for student experiences, and best-in-class facilities on campus and in downtown Waterville. 

To learn more about what Dare Northward has done, and what it will accomplish next, visit darenorthward.colby.edu.

The Class of 2020 Boost

Any gift made by seniors and their families on Giving Tuesday from $10 to $199 will be boosted to $200* by Grant and Beth Freeland P’20, ’22, and Martha and Ivan Schlager P’20.

*Incentive is available up to $25,000 from now until midnight on Tuesday, Dec. 3. Donor gifts support the Colby Fund designation of their choice. Boosted dollars support designations chosen by the Freelands and Schlagers.

Winter Break airport shuttle reservations are now open. Don’t forget to remind your student to book their tickets here.

Save the date for Homecoming Weekend 2020 . We look forward to seeing you on Mayflower Hill October 2-4, 2020 !