Dear Colby Families,

As a proud Colby parent and leader of our DavisConnects program, I can personally attest to the abundant resources, opportunities, and experiences available for every Colby student. It is my hope that your student is taking full advantage of DavisConnects, which unites Colby’s leading liberal arts education with a set of internship, research, and global experiences to create a pathway to postgraduate success.

Our innovative advising model pairs students with expert professional advisors to explore and deepen their knowledge in fields such as health, education, finance, law, government, public policy, STEM, communications, arts, and social-impact endeavors.

Our advisors work closely with your student’s faculty advisor and class dean to ensure an integrated approach to their Colby experience that lays a foundation for lifelong achievement. We level the playing field for all students by ensuring they have access to funding regardless of their personal or professional networks or their financial circumstances. Since DavisConnects began in 2017, we’ve distributed more than $1.5 million to students to support universal experiences.

So, when your student comes home, or during your next check-in conversation, I encourage you to ask them about visiting a DavisConnects advisor to see what is possible.

 

Thank you so much for being part of the Colby community, and I look forward to meeting you on campus soon.

With best wishes for the remaining days of fall,

C. Andrew McGadney P'21

Vice President and Dean of Student Advancement

Associate Professor of Philosophy Lydia Moland recently moderated an event featuring producer Michael Schur and actor William Jackson Harper of the NBC comedy The Good Place. Moland speaks with Colby Magazine editor Gerry Boyle ’78 about television, morality, and how the most important ideas should fit on a bumper sticker.  Read the story.

With incredible energy and enthusiasm from parents and alumni, Colby’s 2019 Homecoming Weekend was one of our best ever. Didn't make it? See what you missed, and we'll plan to see you next year!

This year Eric DeCosta ’93 completed his journey from undersized NESCAC linebacker to the pinnacle of the NFL by becoming general manager of the Baltimore Ravens. He’s in charge of making key personnel and strategic decisions for a business valued at nearly $2.6 billion, and yet he still thinks of himself as an intimidated 18-year-old kid at Colby who was never more than a “pretty good” student and athlete. How on Earth, then, did he get here? Read the story.

Colby has always been an economic driver in our region, and a new economic impact report shows how this has increased over the past five years. During that time, Colby operations, investments, and visitor and student spending have supported nearly $1.5 billion in economic output across Maine, of which the majority—$1.1 billion—occurred in the Greater Waterville region. And there’s more to come.

Through the generosity of two great Colby families —Trustee Robert E. Diamond ’73, P’12, Jennifer Diamond P’12, and Charles Diamond ’12, and Trustee Jamie Forese P’16, P’18 and Jennifer Forese P’16, P’18— Colby is establishing two new signature initiatives in the arts and humanities:

The Diamond Family Director of the Arts will integrate new and emerging arts programming on campus and in the local community, further establishing Colby and Waterville as vibrant destinations for the arts.

The Jennifer ​Jahrling ​Forese Writer-in-Residence Program in Creative Writing builds on Colby’s strengths in the literary arts and humanities by bringing accomplished writers to campus and allowing them the opportunity to teach and engage with students.