Fall 2012 Issue - Colby-Sawyer College

Feature
In 1900, Academy Row included the Academy building (not
shown), Heidelberg (ladies boarding house), a gymnasium
and Colby Hall (men’s boarding house.)
as far south as Mexico City.
By the time it closed its
doors, Colby Academy had
also welcomed students
from Uruguay, England,
Puerto Rico and Greece.
In 1928, Colby Junior
College took the rigorous
curriculum of the academy
days to the next level.
Students’ education was
built on a broad foundation
that included courses
in art, music, literature and
science as they worked
toward associate degrees
in areas such as Secretarial
Science and Medical Technology.
Even then, students
had opportunities
to complete internships
and summer programs
both in the United States
40 Colby-Sawyer College Magazine
and abroad. Colby Junior
College students graduated
after two years prepared
to join the workforce or to
continue their education.
International students
continued to come to
Colby Junior College, and
our students also sought
professional opportunities
overseas. In the 1960s
secretarial science students
went to Kenya to
teach skills to students at
the University of Nairobi,
and there were also
opportunities to study
abroad.
The same marriage of
liberal arts and sciences
programs with professional
development continues
in a Colby-Sawyer educa-
tion today. Students in
every major gain a solid
foundation in the liberal
arts, and a number of
academic programs such
as athletic training, business
administration,
environmental science
and nursing prepare
them to enter specific
professional fields upon
the completion of their
baccalaureate degree.
Internships are required
for every academic major
today, enabling students
to acquire professional
experience and skills in
fields of study prior to their
graduation. Today, Colby-
Sawyer College has more
international students
than ever, nearly 140 students
from 32 countries,
and our students have
opportunities to study or
participate in field research
programs abroad.
A Look at Student Life
Life outside of their
studies was important
to academy students
and Colby Junior College
students, just as it is for
Colby-Sawyer students.
Whether through athletics,
clubs or individual pursuits
with friends, our
students have always been
energetic and resourceful
in pursuing their extracurricular
activities. The
specifics of their endeavors
have changed over time,
but the spirit of exploration,
connection and
growth has carried on
from the academy days
to the present day.
The staff of the Blue Quill literary magazine gathered for a
meeting in 1939 or 1940. They included (from left to right)
Joyce Wamsley, Peggy Valentine, Charlotte Cuddy, Reid
Francis, Priscilla Mayo and Eloise Gedney.