COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC
350: STUDENTS 10/1: STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO
12: AVERAGE CLASS SIZE 100% OF STUDENTS
DESIGN THEIR OWN MAJOR
IN HUMAN ECOLOGY COA's students bring knowledge, culture, and tradition from 36 countries & 43 states. 6%
37% 2%
1%
18% INTERNATIONAL
22%
7%
7%
3 Welcome & Overview 11 Academics 40 Community 54 Life After COA 58 Getting In (Admission)
COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC 2015 VIEWBOOK
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WHAT DO YOU SEE AS YOU LOOK OUT ACROSS THE WATER? For College of the Atlantic students, a view like this is commonplace and yet never ordinary. Our campus sits on 38 acres on the coast of Maine, with views across the rocky islands of Frenchman Bay to Schoodic Mountain in the distance. When we look across the water we see ecosystems to study, economic enterprises to develop, policies to pass, lesson plans to teach, food systems to sustain, landscapes to paint, resources to steward, space to think, and beauty to inspire. Students come to COA because they want to be part of creating a more sustainable and humane world. They want to be inspired and challenged by a close-knit community of faculty and peers, and they want to dig into complex questions in the classroom and laboratory, but also in the woods and waters of Acadia National Park, the conference halls of UN climate negotiations, and the corn fields of rural Mexico and Guatemala. Some students come here knowing exactly what they want to do and be; others are drawn in because our academic program allows and encourages the exploration of multiple subjects and interests. All COA students will study across different disciplines and learn to approach each topic from perspectives they previously hadn't considered.
View across Frenchman Bay from the Deering Common Community Center.
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MISSION College of the Atlantic enriches the liberal arts tradition through a distinctive educational philosophy—human ecology. A human ecological perspective integrates knowledge from all academic disciplines and from personal experience to investigate— and ultimately improve—the relationships between human beings and our social and natural communities. The human ecological perspective guides all aspects of education, research, activism, and interactions among the college's students, faculty, staff, and trustees. The College of the Atlantic community encourages, prepares, and expects students to gain the expertise, breadth, values, and practical experience necessary to achieve individual fulfillment and to help solve problems that challenge communities everywhere.
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Construction of the Thomas S. Gates, Jr. Community Center.
A History of College of the Atlantic College of the Atlantic was chartered in 1969 by a small group of local community members and educators who saw in Mount Desert Island a great year-round location for learning. COA admitted its first class in 1972. There were only four full-time faculty members that first year (selected from 1800 applicants), and 32 students. The educational philosophy was clear: COA would be the first college in the US to have the relationships between humans and the environment as its primary focus. Learning was going to be active. Together, faculty and students explored the oceans around Mount Desert Island as well as the woods and mountains of Acadia National Park. Together, they studied whales in the Gulf of Maine and discussed the texts of such passionate naturalists as Henry David Thoreau and Rene DuBois. They continued their discussions over coffee in town, and dinner at each other's homes. Over forty years later, the college's focus on exploration and community has not changed. COA's 35 faculty members continually update and change courses to meet students' interests and adapt to a changing world. Our 350 students are encouraged to explore their passions and challenged to think in new ways. As Nell Newman, co-founder of Newman's Own Organics, says of her COA years, "When Pop asked me 'What do you do with a human ecology degree?' I answered him, 'As my student advisor said, human ecologists make their own niche in the world.' To be honest, I wasn't quite sure what that meant at the time, but it is what I feel I have been able to do. My environmental interests go beyond organic food to an awareness of worldwide environmental issues. The foundation for this was laid at College of the Atlantic, where I was given the tools to continue to explore and contribute in my own way." 6
A marine mammal rescue from the 1980s.
A class discussion in COA's early days.
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WHAT YOU WILL LEARN Creativity In all endeavors the ability to imagine and construct novel approaches or perspectives, to be innovative, and to invent.
Critical Thinking The ability to not only interpret and evaluate information from multiple sources, but also to induce, deduce, judge, define, order, and prioritize in the interest of individual and collective action.
Community Engagement A deep understanding of oneself and respect for the complex identities of others, their histories, their cultures, and the ability to lead and collaborate with diverse individuals, organizations, and communities.
Communication The ability to listen actively and express oneself effectively in spoken, written, and nonverbal domains.
Integrative Thinking The ability to confront complex situations and respond to them as systemic wholes with interconnected and interdependent parts.
Interdisciplinarity The ability to think, research, and communicate within and across disciplines while recognizing the strengths and limitations of each disciplinary approach.
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"College of the Atlantic students are problem solvers. They think and learn with their minds and their bodies; they understand that complex problems rarely have simple solutions; they believe that a better world is reachable and begins with more thoughtful, compassionate people." Darron Collins '92, PhD COA President
Anjali Appadurai '13 delivering a TEDxDirigo presentation about the meaning of radicalism, the importance of youth activism, and her involvement in the UN climate change negotiations in Durban, South Africa.
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Every student at COA designs his or her own course of study in human ecology. There is no set path; how you choose to give shape to your studies depends upon your interests, goals, and talents. Are you curious about the math and physics of sustainable energy? Or perhaps you'd like to study environmental law, animation, entrepreneurship, anthropology, botany, literature, or community planning? COA graduates all share a common degree in human ecology, but ask any one of them about the classes they took, their senior project, or how they're using their degree in
ACADEMICS the world, and you'll realize that this one major is uniquely f lexible and tailored by each student. At COA we don't have academic departments; our faculty members come from a diverse range of fields and bring dynamic expertise, but you won't find the biologists just doing biology. Here faculty and students are encouraged to study and work across multiple disciplines because we believe that the solutions to the world's most pressing problems will be developed by people who are actively integrating perspectives and knowledge from the sciences, arts, social sciences, and humanities.
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There is a tendency, especially in the academic world, to carve life into ever smaller pieces in order to make sense of it. All too often, the people who do this come to believe that is how the world really is. The aim of human ecology is to remind us that we are part of a complex and interactive living world. Its broad mandate calls us to cross the boundaries of traditional disciplines and seek fresh combinations of ideas. The richness of specialized knowledge—and communication among people who have it—are essential to a livable future. But the kind of perspective that encourages interdisciplinary learning and application is difficult to acquire in most academic settings. This demands a different approach to education—one which invites imagination and caring for the future. I believe human ecology holds an increasingly important place in society, education, and everyday life. This is why COA was founded, and it is what we do best. Rich Borden, PhD Rachel Carson Chair in Human Ecology
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ACADEMIC RESOURCE AREAS While there are no academic departments at COA, for organizational purposes the curriculum is divided into three resource areas: Arts and Design, Environmental Sciences, and Human Studies.
Arts & Design The arts provide a unique vehicle for addressing and expressing issues in society, culture, and the environment. Arts and design courses at COA—in music, painting, drawing, photography, video and film, theater, graphic arts, landscape architecture, movement, sculpture, museum studies, and ceramics—enable students to explore the realms of selfexpression and cultural dialogue, and to learn to communicate through multiple media. The unique capacity of the arts to map uncharted cultural and moral values makes them an essential tool for human ecologists.
Environmental Science The environmental sciences bring together the biological and the physical sciences in exploration of the earth's systems. Students learn to apply the scientific method to trace ecological and evolutionary patterns, study natural communities as ecological systems, and understand the interactions of people and nature. The environmental sciences include chemistry, botany, math, physics, ecology, oceanography, natural history, geology and earth sciences, zoology, animal behavior, marine biology, genetics, and more. At the same time, the college's interdisciplinary approach to the sciences enables students to apply historical, aesthetic, economic, and literary modes of thought to enhance the scientific method.
Human Studies Human studies combine the humanities with the social sciences to give students a broad and diversified perspective on human nature and culture. Faculty challenge students to blend contemporary social and ecological concerns with classical humanistic studies. Courses in anthropology, literature, economics, philosophy, business, psychology, history, education, law, languages, and political science relate the past to the present, deepen the awareness of one's place in time, and provide both the knowledge and perspective to approach individual and cultural challenges.
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DEGREE REQUIREMENTS At College of the Atlantic, you'll have the opportunity to take a broad range of classes toward your self-designed major. In order to develop a core of competencies and skills, each student also fulfills the following requirements:
Human Ecology Core Course Every fall, first-year students launch their studies at COA with the Human Ecology Core Course—an interdisciplinary course that explores concepts in human ecology through a particular theme such as food, health, or water.
Internship A COA internship is a practical exercise in developing job skills and applying academics to the world of work. Each student, together with faculty and the office of internships and career services, develops a plan for a ten week (450 hour) off-campus internship at a business or organization of their choosing. Many students use their internship as an opportunity to gain experience in another state or country.
Human Ecology Essay By the middle of their senior year, all students must write a ref lective essay exploring their own perspectives on human ecology. Contact the admission office to request the most recent collection of human ecology essays.
Community Service COA believes in the importance of giving back to our communities. Our community service requirement also gives students valuable experiences that complement their studies in human ecology. The requirement can be satisfied through on-campus or offcampus service such as committee work or volunteering as a tutor at a local school. All students at COA complete at least 40 hours of community service.
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Senior Project For the senior project, each student undertakes a significant intellectual endeavor such as a research project or other original work intended to advance understanding in a particular academic area and bring together the skills and knowledge acquired during the student's college career. Some students complete a capstone project that will propel them into graduate school. Others synthesize different areas of study or take academic and creative risks that may not be available to them in their professional work. For examples of student work, including senior projects, go to www.coa.edu/student-work.
Other Degree Requirements Each COA student must take at least two classes from each of the college's three academic resource areas: Arts & Design, Environmental Science, and Human Studies. Students must also take at least one history course and one quantitative reasoning course, and fulfill a writing requirement. For more information on COA's degree requirements, request our full course catalog using the card at the back of this book, or online at www.coa.edu/learnmore.
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OFF-CAMPUS STUDY Through internships, time spent abroad, or field-based experiences in the local, national, or international sphere, a portion of every student's academic experience will take place off-campus. Some students dive into our international language programs in France or Mexico, while others might have a more local experience conducting research at world renowned laboratories minutes away from COA's campus.
International More than 50% of students will have a significant international experience during their time at COA. The college runs regular international programs in Mexico, Guatemala, and France that provide interdisciplinary and collaborative learning experiences in a variety of field settings. In addition, each year there are several courses offering shorter international experiences. These programs include opportunities ranging from language learning, ethnography, tropical ecology, and community development work, to real world immersion in international environmental diplomacy.
National & Regional COA is a founding member of the Eco League, a consortium of six environmental colleges dedicated to sustainability and environmental studies through a liberal arts framework. Students can participate in term-long exchanges at the other Eco League schools: Alaska Pacific University (Alaska), Dickinson College (Pennsylvania), Green Mountain College (Vermont), Northland College (Wisconsin), and Prescott College (Arizona). COA also has agreements for student exchanges with other institutions including The New School, University of Maine at Orono, Salt Institute for Documentary Studies, the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), and the Sea Education Association (SEA), among others. Closer to home, relationships with The Jackson Laboratory and the MDI Biological Laboratory allow students the opportunity to take part in cutting-edge biomedical and genetic research. COA also has a special relationship with Acadia National Park, where students and classes engage in research, education, and exhibit design.
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QUICK FACT: 100% of COA students participate in an internship—applying their academic learning to the workplace.
Student diving in the tropical marine ecology course taught in the Caribbean.
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Students in the South American Earth Systems class on a trip to the north-central coast of Peru near Supe Puerto.
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When your views on the world and your intellect are being challenged and you begin to feel uncomfortable because of a contradiction you've detected that is threatening your current model of the world or some aspect of it, pay attention. You are about to learn something. William H. Drury, Jr. COA faculty member in ecology and natural history, 1976–1992
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STUDENT PROFILES Students at COA typically take three classes per trimester. Some elect to shape an entire term around a specific theme, while others may consciously select one course from each of our resource areas: Arts & Design, Human Studies, and Environmental Science. The following profiles are examples of the unique and varied paths students design for themselves and how seemingly disparate subjects can synthesize over time. We hope the independent studies, internships, and course titles will spark your interest as you imagine the direction your COA education could take. To envision what your own path at COA might look like, request our full course catalog at www.coa.edu/learnmore, or send us the reply card from the back of this book. View more student profiles on the COA website at: www.coa.edu/student-profiles.
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Porcia Manandhar '17 Kathmandu, Nepal
While Porcia originally came to COA to study environmental science, she has since broadened her scope to include medicine, math, arts, and writing. The summer after her first year she spent time on Great Duck Island and Mount Desert Rock researching marine life and banding gulls. After COA she plans to go into biomedical research. "Before my time on Great Duck Island I had never approached wild birds so closely that I could feel their heartbeats. In the beginning I did not know much about North American birds and seven weeks later, it's absurd to say, but I feel like I know them personally."
Course Description
Courses Taken at COA First year: • Human Ecology Core Course • Linear Algebra • Introduction to Arts and Design • Journalism and the New Media • Human Anatomy and Physiology I • Movement Training Basics II • Communicating Science • Human Anatomy and Physiology II
Summer research: Field work on Great Duck Island
Human Ecology is the interdisciplinary study of the relationships between humans and their natural and cultural environments. The purpose of this course is to build a community of learners that explores the question of human ecology from the perspectives of the arts, humanities, and sciences, both in and outside the classroom. By the end of the course students should be familiar with how differently these three broad areas ask questions, pose solutions, and become inextricably intertwined when theoretical ideas are put into practice. In the end, we want students to be better prepared to create their own human ecology degree through a more indepth exploration of the courses offered at College of the Atlantic. We will approach this central goal through a series of directed readings and activities.
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Course Description Planet Earth is misnamed. Seawater covers approximately 70% of the planet's surface, in one giant all-connected ocean. This ocean has a profound effect on the planet's climate, chemistry, ecosystem, and energy resources. Billions of years ago life began there, in what we now regard as the last unexplored frontier of this planet. In this course we examine the various disciplines within oceanography, including aspects of geology and sedimentology, and chemical, dynamic, and biological oceanography. The course concludes with an introduction to marine ecosystems examined at various trophic levels, including phyto/zooplankton, fish, and other macrofauna. Fieldwork includes trips on the Osprey, trips to intertidal and estuarine ecosystems, and possible visits to the college's islands, Mount Desert Rock and Great Duck Island.
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Courses Taken at COA First year: • Human Ecology Core Course • Themes and Classics in American Environmental Thought • Introduction to Oceanography • Topics in Philosophical Psychology • Mathematical Modeling • Chemistry II • Communicating Science • Molecular Evolutionary Genetics • Biomechanics
Casey Acklin '15 Reno, Nevada
During his first three years at COA, Casey has focused largely on biomedical research and neuropsychology. He interned at The Jackson Laboratory in a gerontology lab, helping to isolate the reasons why our bodies age, and he spent the summer of 2014 at the Department of Cognitive and Brain Sciences at the University of Nevada. As part of a COA course he also worked at Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, studying the adaptive mechanisms of killifish in response to heavy metal concentrations. "I came to COA for the people and the philosophy. A community in which everyone is eager to discover the world around them is hard to find, and finding one in which those people look past artificial boundaries is even harder. COA is both of those things."
Second year:
Third year:
• Ecology and Experience
• Linear Algebra
• Molecular and Cell Biology
• Thermodynamics
• Introduction to Guitar
• Topics in Biomedical Research
• Literature, Science, and Spirituality
• Organic Chemistry I
• Genetics
• Italian History, Language, and Culture
• Tutorial: Dynamical Systems
• Introduction to Neurobiology
• Neuroanatomy and Behavioral Neuroscience (Independent Study)
• Organic Chemistry II
• Bread, Love, and Dreams
• Italy: The Poetics and Politics of CrossCultural Encounters
• Calculus III: Multivariable Calculus
• Human Anatomy and Physiology I
Summer internship: The Jackson Laboratory,
• Italy: A Human Ecology of the Veneto
Bar Harbor, ME
• Italy: The Ethnography of Work in Italy
Summer internship: University of Nevada, Department of Cognitive and Brain Sciences 25
Saren Peetz '15 Hudson, Ohio
Saren came to COA with an interest in education and food systems, but over time she has incorporated sustainable community design and urban planning into her curriculum. Outside of the classroom, Saren has worked at the college's organic farms, coordinated farm-to-school programs at local schools, and done independent studies and volunteer work at a nearby middle school and Willowind Therapeutic Riding Center. "I knew I would learn best in an environment that asked me to do meaningful work, not just a series of academic exercises. More so than any other college I visited, the discussions, project-based work, and general atmosphere at COA afforded me opportunities to do what interested and challenged me, while also allowing my work to meet needs in the 'real world.' "Learning at COA is like a four-year-long immersion course; whether you are in classes, biking into town, or having a conversation over lunch in TAB, you come to new realizations, opportunities, and knowledge simply by being exposed to the culture of the place. COA is a culture of thinkers."
Courses Taken at COA First year:
Second year:
• Human Ecology Core Course
• Farm to School: Experiential Learning through Agriculture (Independent Study)
• Writing Seminar • Themes and Classics in American Environmental Thought
• Child Education and Development
• Farms, Orchards, and Cider: Agricultural History in England
• Farm Planning
• Introduction to Economics: Global Issues • Intercultural Education
• Supporting Students with Disabilities in the Regular Classroom
• Call of the Land: Agrarian Arts and Words
• Tutorial: Farm and Food Projects
• COA's Foodprint: Our Local Food System
• Community Planning and Decision Making
• Gardens and Greenhouses: Theory/ Practice of Organic Gardening
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• Introduction to Arts and Design • Literature, Science, and Spirituality
• Tutorial: City/Country II: American Literature Landscapes 1900-1960
Course Description
Third year: • Microeconomics for Business and Policy • Ecology: Natural History • Adolescent Psychology • Biology I • Form of the City • Two-Dimensional Design I • Collaborative Leadership • Physics and Mathematics of Sustainable Energy • Land Use Planning I
Summer internship: Assistant, North American Montessori Teachers' Association, Huntsburg, OH
For the first time in history the majority of the Earth's population lives in cities. Through books, films, lectures, and student presentations this advanced seminar will examine the evolution of several major cities and how key individuals from Louis-Napoleon to Jane Jacobs, Kevin Lynch, and contemporary critics continue to influence the design of urban centers. Students will undertake individual research projects on particular cities or aspects of planning and design such as public parks and open space, urban agriculture, or strategies to address climate change and issues arising from rapidly expanding informal urban settlements which they will document and present to the class.
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Erickson Smith '15 Boston, MA
Erickson came to COA with interests in biology, music, agriculture, and Latin American studies. He has since come to focus on conservation and seeks to understand conf licts between humans and wildlife. During his internship with Acadia National Park, he worked on numerous projects involving populations of local animals. For his senior project, he plans to conduct a winter survey of active beaver lodges on Mount Desert Island, explore why beavers are considered nuisances, and investigate strategies for resolving human/wildlife conf licts. "Taking the class Social Power and Identity Politics was a really powerful experience. With only four other students and a dedicated professor, we intensely examined our own power and place in society, why our role in social dynamics was the way it was, and how identity is created, destroyed, appropriated, denied, assigned, etc. Regardless of what field I go into in the future, the course was important for me as a citizen of this world, and as a human being."
Courses Taken at COA First year:
Second year:
• Human Ecology Core Course
• The Harmonic Experience: Human Relationship to Music (Independent Study)
• Ecology: Natural History • Introduction to Guitar • Global Politics of Sustainable Development: 20 years after Rio • Introduction to Sustainability • Biology I • Philosophy at the Movies • Biology II: Form and Function • Improvisation in Music
• Invertebrate Zoology • Ecology • Marine Environmental History (SEA Semester) • Maritime History and Culture (SEA Semester) • Nautical Science (SEA Semester) • Maritime Studies (SEA Semester) • Oceanography (SEA Semester) • Community Planning and Decision Making • Soils • Climate and Weather
Summer internship: Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, ME 28
Course Description
Third year: • Processing the Unexpected Journey • Native American Literature with a Focus on New Mexico • Art and Culture in Northern New Mexico • Tutorial: Social Power and Identity Politics • Wildlife Law Seminar • Costa Rican Natural History and Conservation • Our Public Lands: Past, Present, and Future • Wildlife Ecology • Probability and Statistics
This team-taught, intensive, field-based course examines the ecology and biotic diversity found at several sites within Costa Rica and the implications of this diversity on concepts of conservation biology. Whereas primary emphasis will be placed on Central American herpetofauna and avifauna, we will also discuss and examine issues of botanical, mammalian, etc. diversity and abundance, and the significance of the full array of species in more general studies of land-use and protective strategies. Students will meet during the winter term to discuss a range of articles and book chapters dealing with aspects of conservation biology and Costa Rican natural history and culture, but the major emphasis of the course will be a two-week immersion in key habitats within Costa Rica itself during the March break. Non-travel days will consist of early to latemorning fieldwork, afternoon lectures/ presentations followed by early evening to late night fieldwork. The course is based out of three field sites: lowland Caribbean slope rainforest at Tirimbina ecological reserve in north central Costa Rica, montane forest of the Arenal and Tenorio volcanic region, and Pacific slope dry forest of the Nicoya Peninsula. 29
Courses Taken at COA First year:
Second year:
• Human Ecology Core Course
• Practicum in Environmental Diplomacy
• Chemistry I
• Food Power and Justice
• Ecology: Natural History
• Contemporary Artist as Researcher and Activist
• Introduction to Sustainability • Writing Seminar • Biology I • Tutorial: The Road to Rio+20 • Biology II: Form and Function • Molecular Evolutionary Genetics • Introduction to Oceanography
• International Wildlife Policy and Protected Areas • Genetics • Conservation Biology • Tutorial: Politics of World Trade • Economic Development: Theory and Case Studies • Environmental Chemistry • Biogeography
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Anyuri Betegon '15 Colon, Panama
Anyuri has a combined interest in international policy and conservation biology. She has participated in Earth in Brackets, a COA student organization focusing on global environmental politics, served on the scholarship committee for the Kathryn W. Davis Global and Civic Engagement Fund for Peace, and helped to organize Fandango, a popular COA talent show and fundraiser. "I decided to come to COA because I was curious about the ocean, but also curious about development and conservation, and deeply curious about human ecology. "One term I took Conservation Biology, Wildlife Policy and Protected Areas, and Genetics. These classes all connected to the issue of protection of species and questions of conservation. It was amazing to be able to see different but common sides of this issue through these classes."
Course Description
Third year: • Hydropolitics • Geographic Information Systems I: Foundations & Applications • Ecology • Global Environmental Politics: Theory and Practice • Evolution • Documentary Video Studio • Communicating Science • Environmentality: Power, Knowledge, and Ecology • Probability and Statistics
Summer internship: Panamanian Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project, Gamboa, Panama
A documentary video or film purports to present factual information about the world. A documentary may take a stand, state an opinion, or advocate a solution to a problem. A documentary may function in the realm of art. Documentaries may compile images from archival sources, interview testimonies about social movements or events, record an ongoing event "as it happens," or synthesize these and other techniques. We will look at various documentaries both historic and contemporary, and a number of strategies and styles, including; video diaries/autobiographical works, cinema verite, propaganda, documentary activism, nature documentaries, and experimental genres. Students will learn the basics of video production, including using a video camera, video editing, production planning, lighting, microphone use, and interview techniques. Students will make several documentary projects, both collaboratively and individually. 31
FACULTY MEMBERS John Anderson
Colin Capers
BA, University of California, Berkeley MA, San Francisco State University PhD, University of Rhode Island
BA, MPhil, College of the Atlantic
Zoology, Behavioral Ecology, Anatomy, Physiology
Molly Anderson BS, MS, Colorado State University PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Food Systems, Sustainable Agriculture
Nancy Evelyn Andrews BFA, Maryland Institute College of Art MFA, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Writing and Composition, Film Studies
William Carpenter BA, Dartmouth College PhD, University of Minnesota Literature, Creative Writing, Comparative Mythology
Don Cass BA, Carleton College PhD, University of California, Berkeley Chemistry, Physics
Ken Cline
Performance Art, Video Production
BA, Hiram College JD, Case Western Reserve University
Jodi Baker
Public Policy, Environmental Law
BA, California State University, Fresno MFA, National Theatre Conservatory Performing Arts, Theatre
Rich Borden BA, University of Texas PhD, Kent State University
Catherine Clinger BFA, University of Kansas MA, University of New Mexico MPhil, University College London PhD, University of London Art History, Studio Art
Psychology, Philosophy of Human Ecology
Dru Colbert Heath Cabot BA, University of Chicago MA, PhD, University of California, Santa Cruz Anthropology 32
BFA, Auburn University MFA, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago Graphic Design, Three Dimensional Art and Design, Museum Studies
John Cooper
Helen Hess
BA, MA, Trenton State
BS, University of California, Los Angeles PhD, University of Washington
Music Fundamentals, Aesthetics of Music, Improvisation
J. Gray Cox BA, Wesleyan University PhD, Vanderbilt University Social Theory, Political Economics
Anna Demeo BS, University of Colorado MS, PhD, University of Maine Sustainable Energy, Physics, Mathematics
Dave Feldman
Invertebrate Zoology, Biomechanics, Genetics
Ken Hill BA, University of Michigan EdM, Harvard University MS, PhD, Cornell University Education, Psychology
Anne Kozak BA, Salve Regina College MA, St. Louis University Writing
BA, Carleton College PhD, University of California, Davis
Todd Little-Siebold
Mathematics, Physics
BA, MA, University of Massachusetts, Amherst PhD, Tulane University
Jay Friedlander BA, Colgate University MBA, Olin Graduate School of Business Socially Responsible and Sustainable Business, Entrepreneurship
Sarah Hall BA, Hamilton College PhD, University of California, Santa Cruz Earth Science, Geology
History, Latin American Studies
Isabel Mancinelli BS, Catholic University of America MLA, Harvard University Community and Regional Planning, Landscape Architecture
Jamie McKown BA, Emory University MA, Georgia State University PhD, Northwestern University Government, Polity 33
Ernie McMullen
Doreen Stabinsky
University of Maryland Portland Museum School Portland State University
BA, Lehigh University PhD, University of California, Davis
Art, Ceramics
International Studies, Global Environmental Politics
Suzanne R. Morse
Candice Stover
BA, PhD, University of California, Berkeley
BA, Northeastern University MS, Pennsylvania State University
Applied Botany, Plant Ecology, Sustainable Agriculture
Writing, Literature
Karla Pe単a
Scott Swann
BA, Autonomous University of Yucatan MA, Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, Madrid
BA, MPhil, College of the Atlantic
Spanish Language, Yucatecan Culture
Ecology, Natural History, Ornithology
Bonnie Tai
Chris Petersen
BA, Johns Hopkins University EdM, EdD, Harvard University
BA, University of California, Santa Barbara PhD, University of Arizona
Education
Marine Biology, Evolution, Field Ecology
Davis F. Taylor
Nishi Rajakaruna
BS, United States Military Academy MS, PhD, University of Oregon
BA, College of the Atlantic MSc, PhD, University of British Columbia
Neoclassical and Ecological Economics
Botany, Evolutionary Ecology
Stephen Ressel BS, Millersville University MS, University of Vermont PhD, University of Connecticut Vertebrate Biology, Comparative Animal Physiology, Herpetology
Sean Todd BSc, University College of North Wales, UK MSc, PhD, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland Marine Mammalogy, Biology, Oceanography
Katharine Turok BA, Wheaton College MA, Rutgers University Writing and Composition, World Literature
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John Visvader BA, CUNY PhD, University of Minnesota Philosophy, Cosmology, History of Ideas, Chinese Philosophy
Karen Waldron BA, Hampshire College MA, University of Massachusetts, Boston MA, PhD, Brandeis University 19th and 20th Century American Literature, Minority, Cultural and Feminist Theory
ADVISING The freedom to design your own major carries with it the responsibility to develop a coherent and thoughtful course of study. During your time at COA you'll work closely with an academic advisor, typically a faculty member in one of your areas of interest, to plan a program of study that will best fit your evolving goals and needs. In addition to working with a formal advisor, many students also build their own informal advising team and draw on other faculty, staff, and students as mentors.
EVALUATION In addition to the permanent faculty members included here, COA also hosts a range of adjunct and visiting faculty on a regular basis.
QUICK FACTS: Princeton Review says… Top 10 • Best Food • Professors Get High Marks Top 20 • Most Accessible Professors • Best Quality of Life • Their Students Love These Colleges • Great Financial Aid
COA offers students the option of taking each class either for a traditional letter grade, or pass/fail. In both instances students receive a written evaluation from faculty, which provides a detailed assessment of their performance throughout the class and identifies strengths and areas for improvement. This system is designed to recognize the value of both quantitative and qualitative assessment, and give students evaluation options. Sometimes students find that the freedom from letter grades inspires them to explore new subject areas, push themselves, or take more intellectual risks. An optional self-evaluation is written by the student to assess the value of the course in relation to his or her own intellectual development.
OTHER ACADEMIC OPTIONS With a student to faculty ratio of 10:1, individualized attention and seminar-style discussions are the classroom norm. For students who might be looking to delve into subjects not represented in the regular curriculum, the college also offers the opportunity for independent studies, tutorials, residencies, group studies, and various off-campus study options. 35
Jay Friedlander
Sharpe-McNally Chair of Green & Socially Responsible Business BA, Colgate University; MBA, Olin Graduate School of Business "At COA your only limit is yourself. I have seen few places in my lifetime that will both encourage your dreams and help you achieve them. For example, if you are interested in creating a sustainable enterprise, we go beyond giving you the skills in a classroom. By your senior year you could enter the Hatchery (COA's sustainable venture incubator) and launch your enterprise. The enterprise could be a for-profit venture that produces social and environmental benefits—alternative energy, organic foods or creating new products or services. Or perhaps you'd rather focus on tackling a persistent problem like hunger, poverty, or global warming. Ask yourself what would you like to create and where you'd like to go. We'll help you get there."
Courses Taught at COA • Business and Non-Profit Basics • Creative Destruction: Understanding 21st Century Economies • Financials • Hatchery • Human Relations: Principles and Practice 36
• • • • •
Impact Investing Islands: Energy, Economy, and Community Launching a New Venture Solutions Sustainable Strategies
Nancy Andrews BFA, Maryland Institute College of Art; MFA, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago "COA is not just a small school; it is a tiny school. It is a college with top-notch faculty who care a great deal about teaching and mentoring. This school is a community, and people—students, faculty, and staff—find niches here, but are also always finding new roles. They find work that they love, and people that care about their work. We are continually trying to push the envelope of interdisciplinarity and multidisciplinarity in order to forge and understand connections between areas of knowledge and areas of life. For me, this kind of constant growth and change parallels the process of being an artist, and it keeps my work as a teacher challenging and fresh."
Courses Taught at COA • Advanced Projects: Art Practice and Concepts • • • •
Animation I & II Art of the Puppet Documentary Video Studio Film Sound and Image
• Four-Dimensional Studio • Intermediate Video: Studio and Strategies • Journeys in French Film • Soundscape
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Bonnie Tai BA, Johns Hopkins University; EdM, EdD, Harvard University "Human ecology: this somewhat clunky, notoriously difficult-to-explain focus is an intrinsic element of COA. Because none of us define it exactly the same way, we start from the assumption that our words do not mean the same to everyone. COA's best qualities rest in our rejection of monocultures, dualisms, and trifectas—and our embrace of ambiguity, complexity, paradox, and impermanence."
Courses Taught at COA • • • •
Changing Schools, Changing Society Curriculum Design and Assessment Experiential Education Femininity and Masculinity go to School: Gender, Power & Education • Integrated Methods II: Science, Math, and Social Studies 38
• Intercultural Education • Tutorial: Research and Program Development for Ecological Education • Tutorial: Social Power and Identity Politics • Understanding and Managing Group Dynamics
Sean Todd
Steven K. Katona Chair in Marine Sciences BSc, University College of North Wales, UK; MSc, PhD, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland "Part of what makes me excited to teach at COA is that as a biologist I get to go out in the field with my students. In my Oceanography class we are out every week getting cold and wet, but understanding and being part of the ocean. For my Marine Mammal Biology class we spent two weeks out at one of the college's marine field stations on Mount Desert Rock. Not only did students learn field biology, but they also learned the logistics of helping to run a field station. They drove boats, serviced diesel generators and photovoltaic solar panels, and learned to cook, all at the same time."
Courses Taught at COA • • • •
Biology I Biology II: Form and Function Fisheries and Their Management Introduction to Oceanography
• Introduction to Statistics and Research Design • Marine Mammal Biology I • Marine Mammals and Sound 39
COMMUNITY
COA is a close-knit intellectual and social community. With 350 students, 35 faculty members, and 70 staff, everyone is on a first-name basis and you'll likely find that your academic work percolates into all aspects of your life. These close ties unite people during their years at COA and long afterward.
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Student Life Life at COA is informal, friendly, supportive, and always busy. COA's mission attracts students who are comfortable with alternative viewpoints and a certain degree of uncertainty. This is ref lected in a campus atmosphere that balances consistency and spontaneity in and out of the classroom. On any one day you might participate in a pick-up game of soccer, a meeting of a student-run organization dedicated to environmental activism, a lunchtime foreign language group, a theatrical or musical performance, a design meeting for a student literary publication, or a kayak trip around the islands of Frenchman Bay. Acadia National Park, located a short walk from campus, offers hundreds of miles of trails for hiking, running, bicycling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. The park's lakes, ponds, ocean shores, and mountains keep swimmers, ice skaters, rock climbers, and kayakers happy. COA's outdoor program organizes regular expeditions and camping trips in the park and surrounding areas.
Governance Responsible citizenship requires collaborative attitudes and skills. This is a primary rationale for COA's commitment to participatory governance and consensus building. In keeping with the central ideas of community and responsibility, students play a large role in the college's governance structure. Students, together with faculty and staff, are invited to participate on college committees, from Academic Affairs to Personnel, with full voting rights. The All College Meeting (ACM), held every Wednesday and moderated by a student, provides a regular forum for students, faculty, and staff to consider issues facing the college and the world. ACM serves numerous functions: it is a policy-making body; it provides consultation on pressing issues; it builds community; it acts as an educational forum; and it provides a venue for communication between various constituencies on campus. The governance system is an important way that COA students make significant contributions to the college, both in terms of day-to-day management and helping to determine our long-term direction.
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Housing & Food COA's on-campus residences are a mix of old homes from former seaside estates and newer houses built by the college to encourage community living and meet high environmental standards. All first-year students live on campus. Transfer and returning students may opt to live on campus, or to rent houses or apartments with friends in the village of Bar Harbor—a short walk or bike ride away. Bar Harbor's popularity as a summer tourist destination means that there is a great deal of affordable housing available to rent during the school year. As a member of a house on campus, each student is expected to play a vital role in making the house a home. All residences are equipped with full kitchens, and community dinners are typical on Sunday evenings. Resident advisors work with students to generate evening programs for the house and help to facilitate house chores and responsibilities. Blair Dining Hall, affectionately known as Take-A-Break (or TAB), has won repeated praise for providing among the best college food in the US. All meals are made from scratch, and more than 30% of the ingredients are sourced locally and sustainably. Meals are served Monday through Friday, and there are always vegan, vegetarian, and glutenfree options. And if today's TAB menu doesn't suit your fancy, you can always grab a sandwich, salad, soup, or smoothie (and quite a few things that don't start with s) at the Sea Urchin CafÊ in the Deering Common Community Center. 42
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QUICK FACT: 0% of food waste from the dining hall ends up in a landfill—instead it is composted or used to feed the pigs and chickens at COA's farms.
Students manage COA's extensive composting system.
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Solar panels on student housing.
Wind energy helps power COA's Beech Hill Farm.
A wood pellet boiler heats several campus buildings.
The college's electric van fills up at the solar-powered car charging station.
Sustainability Sustainability at COA isn't just something we do; it's a core part of who we are and how we live. We boast solar arrays and wind energy, local farms that provide food for the dining hall and process the compost created there, dorms with composting toilets and a wood pellet boiler, and of course, a curriculum in which sustainability is a central theme. The Campus Committee for Sustainability, comprised of faculty, staff, and students, is integral to exploring and implementing policies and actions that continue to green COA and help the priorities of all community members be heard. And there is always a conversation happening—in classrooms, over coffee, on nature walks—about what we can do to improve our relationship with the world. 45
Edward McC. Blair Marine Research Station on Mount Desert Rock. Opposite top: Alice Eno Field Research Station on Great Duck Island.
Facilities & Resources COA has two organic farms—Beech Hill Farm centers on five acres of intensive organic vegetable production, and the Peggy Rockefeller Farms raise sheep, poultry, and other livestock. Both farms produce food for the college's dining services and give students the opportunity to gain real farming experience. The college's offshore island research stations on Great Duck Island and Mount Desert Rock are sites where students engage in hands-on marine mammal and ornithological research. Allied Whale, COA's marine mammal research group, has been using photographic identification techniques to study humpback and finback whales for more than 30 years. On-campus facilities include the George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History, Amos Eno Greenhouse, COA/Acadia National Park Herbarium, and numerous gardens including a large community garden. Thorndike Library provides access to a wealth of academic resources both near and far, and its reading room and stacks are popular spots for quiet study. Gates Community Center hosts regular speakers, concerts, and theatrical performances, and the Blum Gallery features art exhibitions by students, faculty, and outside artists. The Deering Common Community Center includes a meditation room, meeting spaces, a student lounge, and the Sea Urchin CafÊ. It is also home to health, wellness, and counseling resources. 46
Beech Hill Farm
George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History
COA's M/V Osprey
Peggy Rockefeller Farms
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Our students are extraordinary in their ability to take lessons learned in one context and apply those things: the skills, experience and understanding, much more broadly. Understanding the evolution of mating systems in hermaphroditic fish is fascinating to know but it may be information that is directly relevant in only a narrow range of circumstances. The critical thinking, analytical skills, and pleasure in working hard to understand a complex phenomenon are habits of mind that are broadly transferable, and our students understand that. Helen Hess, PhD Faculty in invertebrate zoology, genetics, and biomechanics
Student researcher banding gull chicks on Great Duck Island.
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Outdoor Program Students are encouraged to arrive at COA with a sense of adventure. With Acadia National Park in your backyard, you'll have easy access to countless outdoor activities both on your own and through the college's outdoor programs. Organized trips range from a day hike or an afternoon of rock climbing to a weekend of backpacking or winter camping. For those who want to head off at a moment's notice, COA's recreational equipment is accessible to all college community members for free. This includes a f leet of ocean kayaks and lake canoes, cross-country skis, tents, snowshoes, and much more. Some classes, such as Whitewater/White Paper and Ecology: Natural History, also incorporate trips that place students in whitewater canoes or the school's marine vessel, the 46' Osprey. Aspiring scuba divers are invited to take an annual course offered through the local YMCA. Each fall, new students are introduced to Maine's numerous wilderness adventure opportunities through the optional Outdoor Orientation Program (OOPs). Returning students lead the six-day trips; participants choose from kayaking, canoeing, hiking, cycling, climbing, and sailing. 50
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Mount Desert Island
The Peggy Rockefeller Farms The Cox Protectorate
Beech Hill Farm
WELCOME TO YOUR NEW
HOME For a preview of some of our favorite things to do on Mount Desert Island (MDI), download our College of the Atlantic MDI Adventure App. Just search "MDI Adventure Passport" on your phone's App Store and hit " install"—it's free. 52
COA
Acadia National Park
Great Duck Island
Mount Desert Rock
Life on Mount Desert Island Mount Desert Island (MDI) is truly a remarkable place to live and study. Its pink granite mountains, rugged shores, woods, and waters are a much-loved year-round home to 10,000 hardy and dynamic locals. In the summer more than a million visitors f lock to visit Acadia National Park and the hotels, restaurants, campgrounds, and shops across the four towns of the island. During the fall, winter, and spring, the island is quieter, but many local businesses stay open to serve the year-round community. The book store, natural food store, second-hand shop, movie house, outdoor gear supplier, yoga studio, and public library (all within a mile of campus) will likely be stops at some point during a student's years at COA. Every student receives a membership to the local YMCA, which provides access to volleyball, basketball, swimming, a weight room, indoor soccer, and fitness classes. 53
Natalie Bloomfield '14 Internship: College Confident, Brooklyn, NY Senior Project: A Dreamer's Reality 54
FIELD RESEARCHER
CARPENTER
AERODYNAMICIST
ANIMAL RIGHTS ADVOCATE
FILMMAKER PARALEGAL
CASE MANAGER
EDUCATION CONSULTANT PASTOR ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNER
HORTICULTURALIST ATHLETIC DIRECTOR WEAVER STATISTICAL CONSULTANT
ENGINEER
RESTORATION ECOLOGIST
DOCTOR OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE
CETACEAN AND WILDLIFE ARTIST
ARTICULATION SUPERVISOR
AQUATIC ECOLOGY TEACHER
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
DOG TRAINER
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
ANIMAL BEHAVIORIST
GRANT WRITER
SINGER/SONGWRITER
PARAMEDIC
MARINE BIOLOGIST
CHEESEMAKER
SCULPTOR
DIGITAL IMAGING TECHNICIAN
HEALTH COACH
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL
SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER THERAPIST
PLANNER CHILDREN'S MAGAZINE EDITOR
ADMINISTRATOR
BOTANIST
WRITER
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
ARBORIST
ARTIST
LIFE AFTER COA
URBAN GARDENER GREENHOUSE MANAGER ANIMATOR WILDLIFE TECHNICIAN DANCER
CURATOR
GENEALOGIST
DOULA
ACQUISITIONS MANAGER
CONSERVATION COORDINATOR BIOLOGIST GAME WARDEN
SPANISH TEACHER INFANT MASSAGE INSTRUCTOR
SCIENCE TEACHER INTERPRETER
PSYCHOLOGIST
AMERICORPS MEMBER
GUIDE
DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER
FIBER ARTIST
STONE MASON
DESIGNER
COMMUNITY HERITAGE COORDINATOR
RESEARCH TECHNICIAN
ECONOMIST
ETHNOBOTANIST LAW STUDENT
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER
SALAMANDER ECOLOGIST
ELECTRICIAN
ADMISSION COUNSELOR
CONSULTANT
PLANT ECOLOGIST
ACUPUNCTURIST
PRESCHOOL TEACHER
PHD CANDIDATE
BUSINESS OWNER
ADVOCATE
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR
MICROBIOLOGIST
RESEARCHER
FIREFIGHTER
HEALTH EDUCATOR
JOURNALIST
CHEF
ECOLOGIST
CHILDREN'S BOOK LANDSCAPE DESIGNER AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR SUMMER CAMP DIRECTOR
FUNDRAISER
INTERNSHIP PARK SPECIALIST ELEPHANT COA's emphasis on TRAINER field research, independent study, interdisciplinary thinking,COORDINATOR and EQUINE VETERINARIAN RESTAURATEUR ORGANIC ORCHARDIST FRENCH TEACHER internships translates PRESIDENT well to the world of work. PHOTOJOURNALIST ORNITHOLOGIST FOSTER CARE FOURTH GRADE DIRECTOR EIGHTH GRADE ADMINISTRATOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEACHER SAIL MAKER TEACHER Alumni with COA faculty help facilitate EDUCATOR ECONOMIC PLANNER JEWELRY DESIGNERoften report that their close connections ILLUSTRATOR FISH CULTURIST important professional themTEACHER in their careers or into graduate MIDWIFE connections that launch GALLERY OWNER WALDORF FALCONER HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE GIS SPECIALIST school. Among them: the Executive Vice President of Conservation International, one DIVER LEGAL ADVOCATE PUPPETEER TEACHER NATIONAL PARK of Maine's two Congressional Representatives, and the co-founder and president of FISHERIES BIOLOGIST PARK PLANNER RANGER CHILD PROTECTIVE NURSE PRACTITIONER URGENT CARE have Newman's Own Organics. Other graduates become marine biologists, composers, ELL SPECIALIST CASEWORKER PHYSICIAN ANIMATOR REFUGErestaurateurs, BIOLOGIST TRIAL organic ATTORNEY farmers, artists, writers, social attorneys, entrepreneurs, teachers, FUNDRAISING NATURALIST WOMEN'S HEALTH SOCIAL WORKER doctors, workers, veterinarians, molecular geneticists, policy experts.BAND MEMBER PILOT and public CONSULTANT ADVOCATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PLAYWRIGHT BREWMASTER EXPEDITION LEADER RESEARCH WOOD SCULPTOR STUDENTS COA alumni are tied together not just by their connections withADMINISTRATOR the college, butDEAN alsoOFby MOVEMENT THERAPIST BAKER BILINGUAL TEACHER their concern for the world aroundCEO them and their desire to make a positive impactREALTOR in ATTORNEY BLACKSMITH ORGANIC LANDSCAPER PHYSICAL THERAPIST their communities. DESIGN AND GARDENER GALLERY MANAGER MARINE RESEARCHER WEBSITE DEVELOPER FAMILY PRACTICE LANDSCAPE PLANNER RESIDENT MASSAGE THERAPIST MINISTER FISHERMAN COA alumni ENGLISH go on TEACHER to careers in a wide range of fields: 22% naturalMUSICIAN science; 17% arts and DEPUTY CHIEF OF ADULT CASE MANAGER PHOTOGRAPHER RABBI design; 17% education; 16% administration, business, and computer technology; 14% CAD OPERATOR ACTOR INTERPRETATION FOOD PANTRY FURNITURE MAKER areas. TEACHING social services, government,GRADUATE and law; 10% health; 4% other FOUNDER GRASSROOTS CINEMATOGRAPHER MANAGER FELLOW COASTAL RESOURCE ORGANIZER EDITOR PARENT MANAGERdegrees at a wide range ofHYDROLOGIST SCHOOL COUNSELOR Approximately 55% of COA graduates pursue advanced NAVY DIVER CONSERVATION ACOUSTICuniversities RESEARCHER including: Antioch TOWN MANAGER DIALYSIS DIETITIAN University England, Boston University, Columbia THEATER COMPANY New SCIENTIST MANAGER University, Johns Hopkins University, Lesley University, REGIONAL CornellPLANNER University, Harvard ARCHIVIST COMEDIAN COORDINATOR NETWORK ENGINEER FARM EDUCATOR NEUROLOGIST New York University, Rochester Institute University, London School of Economics, GRAPHIC DESIGNER FORESTER EDUCATOR US HOUSE OF of Maine, of Technology,COUNSELOR Tufts University,PRINCIPAL University of British Columbia, University REPRESENTATIVES BIOSTATISTIAN RADIOLOGIST AUTHOR Vermont Law School, and Yale University. MECHANICAL ENGINEER CHIROPRACTOR DEPUTY CITY INSTRUCTOR COMPUTER NOVELIST LIBRARIAN ATTORNEY CONSULTANT PROGRAM MANAGER FARMFor MANAGER TEACHER more detail on what our alumni are up to,CERAMICS visit www.coa.edu/alumniprofiles. FLORIST VETERINARIAN ARCHITECT PAINTER PROFESSOR OF BOAT CARPENTER PROFESSOR COMMUNITY EDUCATOR ADJUNCT FACULTY MEDICINE REGISTERED NURSE CLINICAL CASE 55 MASON ENTREPRENEUR MUSEUM EDUCATOR MEDICAL STUDENT FARMER MANAGER
Meg Trau '12
Curatorial Assistant, Museum of Science, Boston Internships: Spruce Knob Mountain Center, Circleville, WV; Delaware Museum of Natural History, Wilmington, DE Senior project: The Human Ecology of Weeds: A Museum Exhibit After graduation, Meg worked as an exhibit development intern at the EcoTarium in Worcester, MA. Now a curatorial assistant at the Museum of Science in Boston, Meg curates the Natural Mysteries exhibit, works on exhibit installations, and cares for the museum's collection of natural history and technology objects. "I was looking for a college community that shared my values, that really cared about learning, and was engaged with the world. That is precisely what I found and what kept me at COA. "The process of putting together a senior project is a wonderful opportunity that many college students do not have in their undergrad years. It allows for the synthesis of ideas and the practical application of skills that are valuable bridges from college to the 'real world.' For me, working on a long-term project that had a concrete result—an exhibit in the Dorr Museum of Natural History—was challenging and fulfilling, and having created all of the components of my very own exhibit was a unique experience to have when entering into the museum world. And the skills I gained from my senior project are still relevant in my work today!" 56
Juan Olmedo de la Sota-Riva '12 Company Representative, Agro-Productores del Rinc贸n, Mexico Internship: Domaine de la Croix Fees, Auvergne, France Senior project: Deep Roots, Dry Soil: Perennials in Semi-Arid Agroecosystems
Now back in Mexico on his family's farm, Juan is working to build a business he began while in the COA sustainable enterprise hatchery. As the legal representative of AgroProductores del Rinc贸n, he is raising funds to begin commercially transforming the farm's agave and goat milk into syrup and cheese. "COA taught me to think out of the box. I considered myself a technician and the college turned me into a human ecologist, seeing the complexities beyond technical issues. Now I cannot see anything without seeing the big picture. "My favorite COA class was "Our Daily Bread: Following Grains through the Food System." In this class we explored the food chain from wheat fields to grocery stores and kitchens, passing through mills, bakeries, and shops. The class started in Maine, and then took us to the UK and Germany where we gained insight into how to deal with issues in the Maine food system."
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Admission COA approaches the admission process much as we approach learning: with a focus on the individual strengths of each student, encouraging creativity, and with the hope that you will both ask lots of questions and share your ideas with us. Students may choose to apply either Regular Decision or Early Decision. Early Decision applications are binding, meaning that the applicant is committing to enroll at COA if admitted. COA accepts the Common Application. To start your application visit www.commonapp.org. College of the Atlantic's CEEB code is 3305.
GETTING IN A Complete Application Includes: 1. Completed Common Application 2. $50 application fee 3. At least two teacher recommendations 4. Official transcripts of all academic work from high school and college 5. A personal interview, though not required, is strongly encouraged 6. Standardized test scores are not required, but you are welcome to submit SAT or ACT scores if you choose
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WHAT WE LOOK FOR All applications are reviewed by the Admission Committee, which is comprised of current students, faculty, and staff. The committee looks for: •
Academic preparation
•
Intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for learning
•
A tendency to seek out intellectual and personal challenges
•
A desire to be a part of a small college with a focus on environmental sustainability and social justice
Transfer or Visiting Students Approximately 20% of COA students start at COA as transfer students from other institutions. A student may transfer a maximum of 18 credits to COA (the equivalent of two years of study, or 60 semester hours/90 quarter hours). Although an evaluation of credit is not final until after enrollment, students may receive preliminary evaluations by contacting the registrar. Students who wish to spend one or more terms at COA and transfer college credit to another institution should apply as a visiting student.
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Advanced Placement/ International Baccalaureate COA credit will be granted for scores of '4' or higher on Advanced Placement (AP) exams. For International Baccalaureate (IB) work, two COA credits will be given for scores of '5' or higher on HL exams. A full year's credit may be awarded for a score of '34' or higher on the comprehensive exam. The credits are officially recorded following successful completion of the student's first year at COA.
International Students International students from a wide array of geographic regions comprise about 18% of COA's student body. In addition to the regular application requirements, international students are required to submit one of the following: TOEFL score, SAT critical reading and writing scores, SAT II writing test score, or predicted IB score for English. International students are also required to submit a declaration of finances form. We are proud to offer the Davis United World College Scholarship to students who graduate from the United World Colleges and are admitted to COA.
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Dates & Deadlines Early Decision I December 1
Application Due
December 10
Estimated Financial Aid Form Due
December 15
Response to Applicants
January 10
Enrollment Deposit Due
Early Decision II January 15
Application Due
January 20
Estimated Financial Aid Form Due
January 30
Response to Applicants
February 15
Enrollment Deposit Due
Regular Decision February 15
Application & FAFSA Due
April 1
Response to Applicants
May 1
Enrollment Deposit Due
Transfer Admission April 1
Application & FAFSA Due
April 25
Response to Applicants
May 15
Enrollment Deposit Due
Students may also apply to start at COA in the winter or spring trimesters. For more information, visit www.coa.edu/apply.
Admission & Financial Aid Staff Phone: 1-800-528-0025 Email: inquiry@coa.edu
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Heather Albert-Knopp
Dean of Admission
Donna McFarland
Associate Director of Admission & Student Services
Nina Emlen
Admission Counselor
Eliza Ruel
Admission Counselor
Cherie Ford
Admission Assistant
Bruce Hazam
Director of Financial Aid
Dominika DelMastro
Assistant Director of Financial Aid
Costs & Financial Aid COA offers both merit-based and need-based financial aid. Approximately 85% of our students receive need-based aid, and the average aid package meets 95% of the student's demonstrated need. Each year we also award several merit-based Presidential and Dean scholarships to those students exhibiting exceptional academic achievements and citizenship qualities. The college also offers a number of special scholarships, which can be found online at www.coa.edu/coa-scholarships. All applicants are considered for COA's merit scholarships—there is no need to submit a separate scholarship application. 2014–2015 costs: Tuition & Basic Fees:
$40,491
Room: $6,000 Board: $3,300 Total: $49,971 Estimates for expenses that are not billed: (including books, supplies, transportation)
$1,680
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) usually becomes available in December and must be submitted between January 1 and February 15. Applicants should also submit COA's institutional aid application no later than February 15. The college's Title IV code is 011385. Our financial aid staff has years of experience helping students and families navigate the intricacies of applying for financial aid. Please don't hesitate to contact them with your questions, or look for more information on our website: www.coa.edu/costs-financial-aid.
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1
2
4. Dorr Museum of Natural History 5. Arts and Sciences Building
Blum Gallery
1. Ceramic Studio 2. Animation & 3D Studios 3. Gates Community Center &
4
3
Financial Aid Offices • Thorndike Library • Blair Dining Hall (Take-A-Break)
6. Kaelber Hall • Admission &
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6
7
8 10
7. College Pier 8. Turrets • Allied Whale • Educational Studies Center
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11. Witchcliff
and Regional Studies
9. Deering Common • Student Lounge • Sea Urchin Café • Health & Wellness Center 10. Davis Center for International
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= Student Housing
College of the Atlantic Campus Map
VISITING COA Visiting is a wonderful way to get to know the College of the Atlantic community. While you're here you can sit in on classes, meet with students and professors, check out campus activities, have an admission interview, and sample our award-winning food at the Blair Dining Hall or Sea Urchin CafĂŠ. It's best to visit on weekdays when term is in session. You can either come for the day and take a campus tour at 10 am, 12 pm, or 2 pm, or stay overnight. During the school year, a guest room is available for prospective students who would like to stay overnight in a campus residence. For those wishing to stay on campus, please schedule your stay at least two weeks in advance to confirm that space is available. To schedule a tour and interview, please contact the Admission Office. If you are unable to travel to Maine for a visit, we are also happy to connect you with a faculty member, current student, or admission counselor by phone or email. Contact the admission office to set up your visit: inquiry@coa.edu, 1-800-528-0025.
COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC 105 Eden Street 路 Bar Harbor ME 04609 800-528-0025 路 inquiry@coa.edu www.coa.edu