Island Campus Programming Proposal for Academic Year 2022-2023 — Now Open

We are pleased to announce we are now taking proposals to use the Colby Island Campus for the Academic Year 2022-2023! In order to deliver a fair and transparent proposal process, we have created an Island Campus programming committee that will review proposals to use the islands. The deadlines for proposals are as follows:

Fall 2022 – July 1, 2022
JanPlan 2023 – October 1, 2022
Spring 2023 – October 1, 2022

Find the link to the application here. Feel free to forward this to other members of the community who may be interested in island programming. Evaluation criteria and other helpful information can be found linked in the document. Email [email protected] with any additional questions. 

The programming committee is looking forward to reading your applications and we hope to get you out to the Island Campus soon!

Problems in Chemical Analysis, CH452, spent the weekend of 4/23 exploring Allen Island.  This was our first program to use the Farmhouse and the newly renovated kitchen and living area.    For most students this was their first experience on the Colby Island Campus.   It was an opportunity for a course that focuses on building analytical instrumentation to get outside and imagine how our ozone and chlorophyll sensors will be applied to real world samples.   Half the group was up at 5 AM and was rewarded by a spectacular sunrise.

Starting in the summer of 2022, Colby is significantly expanding programming on Allen and Benner Islands.  We are hiring four Colby students as research and programming docents for the summer of 2022.   Students will work a minimum of 350 hours over the summer at a wage of $13.75/hour.  Students will live on the islands while conducting independent research half time.   The other half of the job is to support college island programming by greeting island visitors, serving as an educational resource, and helping to maintain the islands.   

Students must identify a specific research project in collaboration with a Colby faculty or staff mentor.  Research must centrally incorporate elements of the islands’ place, history, or community.  For example, research on island intertidal ecology, ornithology, climate, the lobster fishery, marine trash, sustainable gardening, photography, sculpture, architecture, creative writing, and Native American history would all be considered.

Support of island programming will require working with the islands’ professional staff.   Support tasks will include greeting and guiding island visitors, painting, mowing, trail maintenance, and other jobs as assigned.   Summer docents must be comfortable working on and near the water and a clean driving record is strongly preferred.

Students will live on the islands rent-free in comfortable accommodations and will be responsible for purchasing and cooking their own meals. Student transport by boat to and from the islands is included in living expenses. Students will be able to work with island staff to access the mainland as needed (within reason) for personal appointments, grocery shopping, and time off travel.  Applicants should submit here (in pdf format) a cover letter, resume, one page description of their proposed research project, and endorsement letter by their research mentor.   The cover letter should address your ability to do independent research work with low (or mostly remote) supervision, experience and/or willingness to perform physically demanding work, and ability to work collaboratively in small groups and/or in remote locations.  Review of applications will begin on 2/28/22.      

Students interested in learning more about this opportunity are encouraged to contact Whitney King, [email protected], in advance of the application deadline.  Current students will have priority in the hiring process, although graduating seniors with particularly strong research proposals will be considered.

From October 1st to October 3rd of 2021, the International Student Programs and First Gen Low Income Program (FLI) leaders went to Allen Island to prepair for the upcoming year. Both programs are part of Colby’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and are vital programs in helping international and first gen low income students feel welcomed to Colby and provide them the resources they need to fit in and succeed at Colby.

While on Allen Island, the student leaders engaged in many team-building activities and discussions, as well as had free time to do things like cook and hike together. In being isolated on the island, the student leaders were able to engage with eachother and form a bond that would be hard to replicate anywhere else. As a result of their trip, they were able to come back to Colby ready to support their respective programs and the students involved in them. 

On October 3rd, 2021, Professor Twining from Bigelow Labratories, brought his Intro to Ocean Science class to Allen Island. On the island, the class discussed the collection of wave and environmental data, the impacts of wave energy on island coasts and geological formations and ecosystems, and the history of the Maine coast and economic aspects of like on an island.

Being able to take advantage of such a beautiful island to help visualize the material taught in class, as well as being able to be taught by a world renouned scientist from a world renouned research lab (for an introduction class nonetheless) is one of the many reasons why we at Colby are so priviledges to be here. In taking advantage of every resource availible, Colby students are setting themselves up to be leaders in whatever field they decide to go in.