Comprehending the complexity of the role the advisor plays within Proctor’s educational model can only be fully understood once a family has experienced the relationship first hand. We fully recognize this is not the cliche` pitch of "You have to see it to believe it!" prospective families want to hear, but we feel strongly the only way to fully appreciate the role of the Proctor advisor in your life is to live it yourself. In the meantime, here is an open letter to incoming families from a Proctor advisor.
Dear Incoming Student,
Every school has an advisor system that you probably learned about during the admission process: Your advisor will help with your academic scheduling, are a main point of contact for your parents, and will meet periodically with you to discuss goals for the upcoming year. At Proctor, this is all true, but we want you to know that the relationship you develop with your advisor, me, will extend far deeper than any checklist of responsibilities can articulate.
I will become the adult in your life who is always there for you. There will probably be others as well - your coach, dorm parent, teachers, etc., but you need to know I am a shoulder to cry on, your biggest fan on the sidelines of games, will be watching your drama performance, and will sit with you in the dining hall from time to time to check in on you and your friends. I will be the visitor to your dorm room on a Saturday night to make sure you and your roommate are doing alright, will nag you to complete your off-campus program applications, and will be your ride to the emergency room when you break your arm skateboarding down North Street. I will be your study partner before a big test, your cooker of pancakes during advisory, and the compass who will continually help you navigate life as a teenager at boarding school. While you might not be able to think ahead ten or fifteen years, I hope to be one of your first phone calls or texts when you pass major life milestones as an adult.
Each student develops a unique relationship with his or her advisor, but you get the picture - and I'm not trying to toot my own horn here - I'm a pretty big deal in your Proctor journey! It is these subtler aspects of the role I play in your life that you and your parents will come to appreciate most, and it is these same qualities that will serve as a foundation for the lifelong bond you and I will form.
As you anxiously await your advisor pairing (we will post this information on your myProctor portal in early August), I encourage you to remember there is no such thing as trust at first sight. Developing trust in a relationship takes time. It is enhanced through shared experiences and solidified through consistency of interactions. Keeping this in mind, I will be integrated into your life from your first day at Proctor. I will greet you on Registration Day, will make sure you are packed for Wilderness Orientation, will walk around campus to make sure you know where your classes are, and will check in with you every day thereafter. With all the unknowns floating through your head as you prepare to start your Proctor journey, know with confidence I will be there for you every step of the way.
Sincerely,
Your Proctor Advisor
