Each trimester at boarding school brings with it transition; changes in the weather, new classes, sometimes a dorm swap. Life at Proctor involves more transition than most schools, however, as we welcome back thirty students from off-campus programs, and get used to life without thirty others who are embarking on a life-changing experience abroad during the winter months. These added transitions aren’t always easy, but having almost 20% of our student body transitioning between on campus and off each term breathes vitality into every corner of the community.
Stop any student returning from Proctor en Segovia or Ocean Classroom on their way to assembly and ask about their experience this fall, and you’ll likely get a big smile and an enthusiastic reply. You'll probably be regailed with stories about their host family, excursions across Europe, hiking in Segovia, stepping off Roseway onto Cuban soil, the rank smell of their bunk below deck, watching the sun set, and then rise again with their C Watch partners.
Proctor’s off-campus programs create unique bonds within groups of students that last a lifetime. While these bonds never dissipate (tomorrow’s alumni gathering in Boston will reconnect alums who shared these same experiences decades ago), they do not operate in isolation, but instead serve as a catalyst for new relationships to develop.
Friend groups welcome new members, roles shift within dorms alongside personalities, teams and afternoon activities come into their own, and classes begin to gain their own unique rhythm. No two terms at Proctor are the same; the community is always changing and evolving thanks to the different individuals living within our walls. Each term possesses its own triumphs, its own challenges, its own personality. And this is what makes life at Proctor so vibrant.
As individuals come and go with Proctor's five off-campus programs, our collective personality richens as a community. We welcome the new worldviews brought back to campus by our students after living overseas. We relish in the maturation we see in students who took a giant leap outside their comfort zone by studying abroad. We thrive on knowing our students' lives have been changed for the better because of the opportunities afforded them to travel the world.
Over the next two weeks, students will complete applications to study off-campus next year. If you are a current parent or student, be sure to visit your myProctor Resource Board to learn more about the application process!
