From the Hill
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Colby Magazine Volume 99 Issue 1 Spring 2010 Article 9 April 2010 From the Hill David Treadwell Ruth Jacobs Colby College Suzanne Merkelson Colby College David McKay Wilson Colby College Stephen Collins Colby College See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/colbymagazine Recommended Citation Treadwell, David; Jacobs, Ruth; Merkelson, Suzanne; Wilson, David McKay; Collins, Stephen; Eaton, David; and Meader, Laura (2010) "From the Hill," Colby Magazine: Vol. 99 : Iss. 1 , Article 9. Available at: https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/colbymagazine/vol99/iss1/9 This Contents is brought to you for free and open access by the Colby College Archives at Digital Commons @ Colby. It has been accepted for inclusion in Colby Magazine by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ Colby. From the Hill Authors David Treadwell, Ruth Jacobs, Suzanne Merkelson, David McKay Wilson, Stephen Collins, David Eaton, and Laura Meader This contents is available in Colby Magazine: https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/colbymagazine/vol99/iss1/9 A Life-Changing Investment A GIFT FOR FINANCIAL AID OPENS COLBY’S DOORS FOR ACCOMPLISHED STUDENTS DAVID TREADWELL STORY CHARLOTTE WILDER ’11 PHOTO Despite their diverse backgrounds and interests, Stephanie Berger ’11, Solomon Gisemba ’11, and Heather Pratt ’11 would agree upon three essential points: they very much wanted to go to Colby, they couldn’t at- tend without significant financial aid, and they’re extremely grateful to donors who fund Colby scholarships. For Berger, who describes herself as a “California girl much more likely to see a celebrity than a wild animal,” Colby’s location was as much of a draw as the College’s academic reputation. In addition to compiling a 3.9 grade-point average, she’s thrown herself into everything Colby and Maine have to offer. “During Jan Plan, I’ve heard Supreme Court cases in Wash- ington and studied German in Dresden,” said Berger, who plans to attend graduate school and become an occupational therapist. “Through the Outing Club I’ve gone hiking in the mountains of Maine and New Hamp- shire and experienced nature in all its glory.” Weekly concerts and piano lessons have satisfied her enduring love of music. And the California girl has embraced Maine winters—sledding, Stephanie Berger ’11, left, Heather Pratt ’11, and Solomon Gisemba ’11. snowshoeing, and snowball fights, she said. “I love the small town atmo- sphere: the Opera House, the farmer’s market, the coffee shops, and the tion,” Gisemba plans to return to Kenya after graduate school to “make Common Ground Fair. Ironically, in Colby’s ‘isolated’ setting I finally feel an impact on the health policy in my country.” like I’m experiencing the world.” After a rough first semester (“I had to work harder than the students Gisemba had never been on an airplane until he left Kenya in the fall of from privileged backgrounds”) Pratt has found her stride at Colby. She’s 2007 to begin his college adventure. Since he stepped off the plane he’s become a leader, driven by a commitment to social justice and feminism, been participating in and contributing to everything Colby has to offer. both inside and outside the classroom. He has helped with the first-year computer connection program, assisted Pratt is president of Colby’s Women’s Group, a mentor with Colby with international student orientation, taught Swahili to fellow students, Cares About Kids, and an active participant in Campus Conversations on and sung in the Gospel Choir. A talented scientist, Gisemba has worked as Race. She’s worked as a research assistant for Lisa Arellano, assistant a summer research assistant with Associate Professor of Chemistry Jeffrey professor of American studies and women’s, gender, and sexuality stud- Katz and attended a chemistry research conference in Chapel Hill. ies, and as a library assistant in the reference section. This summer she In Jan Plan 2009, Gisemba took the environmental studies class The will work on her honors thesis, researching the history of women at Colby Rez and the Hood: Environmental Law and Indian Tribes, which introduced over the years. A pragmatist, she’s taken workshops on grant writing and him to the American government and its history with the Native American community organizing. A willing explorer, she scaled Mt. Katahdin as a people. “I got to visit the Penobscot Indian Nation in Maine and talk to the first-year and traveled to Ecuador for Jan Plan as a junior. leadership of the tribe,” he said. “It was amazing.” Such experiences have After Colby Pratt plans to continue her work in women’s studies and led Solomon to conclude that Colby has “broadened my view of the world public policy in graduate school. She hopes to be able to contribute to a and given me more angles from which to approach an issue.” scholarship fund at Colby because, she says, “I have a good perspective Grateful for what he describes as Colby’s “truly wholesome educa- on what a Colby education means to students like me.” “There are many other needy causes “Colby should be available to all “Real philanthropy is not about bricks For information on how out there, but we should all think about who seek a challenging education, and mortar; it’s about making it easier to establish a Colby where we might be today were it not for not just the financial elite. Educating for kids who can’t afford colleges like scholarship (and make a Colby. Besides, it’s great to get letters the next generation is the best gift Colby to attend.” life-changing investment), every year from the beneficiaries of our we can give.” —William J. Montgoris P’99 contact Deborah Dutton, associate vice scholarship and know that there’s a —Susan Sammis Spiess ’71 (Montgoris Family Scholarship) president for college relations: ddutton@ human being at the end of that check.” (Spiess Family Financial Aid Fund) colby.edu, 207-859-4393. To give to —Stephen R. Langlois ’85 Colby financial aid programs, go online (Susan Stevens Watson ’28 to colby.edu/give and choose financial Scholarship Fund) aid from the drop-down menu. 24 COLBY / SPRING 2010 H2O Innovators NICK FRIEDMAN AND BRANDON POLLOCK WON’T BE CLIMBING THE CORPORATE LADDER AFTER GRADUATION. THEY’RE ALREADY AT THE TOP. RUTH JACOBS STORY As 22-year-old entrepreneurs, Nick Friedman serve—who have done their research, who under- ’10 and Brandon Pollock ’10 started marketing stand their market, and who have what we think their new business using social networking and is a competitive product,” Hayward said. “In the the Web. But they also know that to secure clients case of Blue Reserve there’s another positive ex- they need to make old-fashioned connections. ternality, where they are reducing the environmen- Next step? The alumni network. Or, as Friedman tal footprint of these companies they are serving.” put it, “trying to use the warm market and then Friedman, a Phi Beta Kappa economics and rely on referrals to generate a fairly large portion philosophy double major, and Pollock, an econom- of our leads.” ics major with minors in administrative science These college seniors are cofounders of Blue and philosophy, say that the resources at Colby, Reserve, a bottleless water cooler company that both in and out of the classroom, have made this they plan to run full time after graduating in May. In CONTRIBUTED PHOTO possible. “I’d say that studying economics and, December they received a $5,000 grant from the actually, studying philosophy as well, really gives Libra Future Fund of the Libra Foundation, and in Nick Friedman ’10, left, and Brandon Pollock you a more theoretical framework of how to con- February they received their first order. ’10 founded a bottleless water cooler company. ceptualize the interactions that need to take place The movement away from bottled water has They plan to run Blue Reserve after graduation. when starting a business,” said Friedman. been gaining momentum, as some consumers The two have also made the project an inde- have become concerned about the environmental pendent study, under the advisement of Assis- impact associated with bottled water. “It’s the en- sediment, and odor, according to Blue Reserve tant Professor of Administrative Science Linwood ergy that’s used for the manufacturing, the bot- literature. The monthly cost is $39.95, which in- Downs ’83, and they have tapped the resources tling, the transportation of these five-gallon water cludes free installation and changing filters once of the Career Center. “I feel like there’s a lack jugs,” said Friedman. “It’s almost silly to think that a year. The price for bottled water delivery varies of knowledge in the student body of how many you’re driving water around, you know?” and, of course, depends on how much water is resources Colby really has to help you do these With bottleless coolers, which look similar to consumed, but an office that leases a cooler and things,” said Pollock. typical coolers that hold five-gallon bottles, Blue goes through six bottles a week can expect to pay Blue Reserve and its cofounders are not the Reserve offers filtered water at about half the somewhere around $120 a month. only Colby students interested in starting a busi- cost, according to Pollock. “That whole industry is While other bottleless water companies do ex- ness. “We do have a number of Colby students very wasteful, it’s costly, and it’s inefficient,” said ist, the Colby students believe that they are on who visit my office who are interested in entre- Friedman. “And so we’ve come along and really the cutting edge.