In an attempt to capitalize on the success of Freshman/Sophomore College, a new residential program will open next fall for upperclass students doing independent research work who are keen to find a community of like-minded peers.
“The general push behind Potter College is providing an environment where students engaged in any kind of creative work—like senior theses, honors theses or some kind of artwork—can benefit from the insights you get from sharing your work with other people,” says associate vice provost for undergraduate education Carol Porter, who will live on-site as the director of the college.
Located in Sterling Quad alongside the 5-year-old Freshman/Sophomore College, Potter will house more than 80 sophomores, juniors and seniors, plus three college assistants, a residential computing consultant and probably an oral communication consultant. Vice provost for undergraduate education John Bravman, ’79, MS ’81, PhD ’85, will serve as dean of both FroSoCo and Potter, which has already been dubbed PoCo. “Which means all Potter students will get to go to his Friday afternoon barbecues,” Porter adds. “Which means that John will probably need an addition on his house.”
More than 10 faculty have already indicated they would like to be part of the Faculty Fellows Program and join students for dinnertime discussions at Potter. And students don’t need a declared major to apply for the college. “It’s always good to have students with a number of interests, who are trying to decide in which direction to throw themselves,” Porter says. “That’s really one of the goals of the college—to introduce students to areas that they haven’t heretofore discovered.”
