Carolyn Benner Named Student Advisor at Bates College

2014 Sep 25

As a new school year commences at Bates College, Carolyn Benner of Eddington, Maine, joins a group of more than 60 students, called Junior Advisors and Resident Coordinators, who welcome first year students and support returning students as they settle into residential life at Bates. Benner is the daughter of Drs. Benner of Eddington, Maine, and is a 2012 graduate of John Bapst Memorial High School. She is majoring in mathematics at Bates.

As part of her job with Residence Life, Benner will facilitate opportunities for social and intellectual engagement beyond the standard classroom experiences. In years past, Bates' JAs and RCs have organized activities ranging from sushi making workshops, to volunteer outings with local service organizations. All of these efforts are geared toward building a welcoming and inclusive college community.

When selecting students to serve as JAs or RCs, there are a few key traits that Assistant Dean of Students Erin Foster-Zsiga and her office look for in a candidate.

"We look for students who understand the value of community, who are able to be positive role models," she said. "It takes a variety of experiences and personalities to have a successful staff, and students need to be able to see themselves within the Residence Life staff."

Located in Lewiston, Maine, Bates is internationally recognized as a leading college of the liberal arts, attracting 2,000 students from across the U.S. and around the world. Since 1855, Bates has been dedicated to educating the whole person through creative and rigorous scholarship in a collaborative residential community. With a commitment to affordability, Bates has always admitted students without regard to gender, race, religion or national origin. Cultivating intellectual discovery and informed civic action, Bates prepares leaders sustained by a love of learning and zeal for responsible stewardship of the wider world.