Colgate University prides itself on community. With a small student body of just over 3,200 people, it’s easy to get to know those around you. This is a bragging right that few colleges and universities have, yet many students come to Colgate thinking their community is limited to those they live and study with, often forgetting to consider the lovely community of Hamilton residents right next door.
What should be made clear to incoming and even current students is that an integral part of your Colgate experience is missing if you are confining yourself to a community of solely Colgate students. In my opinion, it’s difficult to maximize your time in Hamilton if you neglect the village and the people residing within it.
It’s no secret that Colgate is located in a very rural area; Hamilton is certainly not a large and bustling city. This is distinctive to Colgate and is a big factor in prospective students’ decision to choose this university. What comes with this, however, is a limit to activities that don’t require filling up a tank of gas and driving nearly an hour. This fact alone prompts many to find obligations nearby to keep busy and involved. Clubs, intramural sports, campus jobs and leadership roles are all great ways to do this. Although some clubs involve the Village of Hamilton, I believe that engagement with the wider town and its residents is a necessity because it allows students to gain familiarity with the community that has welcomed them with open arms and teaches them how to reciprocate that, learning from those around them outside of the classroom.
The opportunities listed above can help strengthen connections with other Colgate students, faculty and staff, but very few can create lasting ties outside of the Raider circle. These connections are some of the most valuable because they teach us as college students how to look out for others, support young children as they grow and help those around us. Through Colgate programs such as Sidekicks, Colgate Caretakers, Friends First, Pet Pals and tutoring programs in Madison County, students’ experiences are enriched and expanded. These important lessons aren’t ones taught just for our benefit. By learning these skills and hearing others’ stories, we can start a ripple effect throughout our Colgate community and take what we’ve learned home, sharing new lessons we learn with those outside of Colgate. It takes the outside perspectives of those who know this area better than we do to truly help Colgate students understand the village.
Colgate would not be the same without those around us. We would not have our beautiful little town with a myriad of local places to eat, shop and entertain ourselves without Hamilton residents. We owe it to ourselves and others to not only recognize this but supplement it.
To me, Colgate’s Max Shacknai Center for Outreach, Volunteerism and Education (COVE) is the campus organization that prioritizes this belief the most. COVE is home to local tutoring, animal shelter and mentorship programs. COVE initiatives are all extremely easy and flexible, allowing students to seamlessly integrate community involvement into their schedule.
As a mentor with the Friends First program, I cannot emphasize enough just how valuable these programs really are. I currently mentor a student from Hamilton Middle School, and through my experience, I’ve learned what it’s like to live in this area year-round and, from an outside-of-Colgate point of view, recognized even more ways that the community looks out for Colgate and Colgate looks out for the community. University-village symbiosis is so simple, yet so impactful for all parties involved.
In short, it does not matter how you involve yourself in the Hamilton community, just that you do so at some point during your time at Colgate. You’ll get the chance to spend time away from the notorious bubble and meet new people. Hearing stories from those around you is irreplaceable, and after everything the community does for us, whether it be sponsoring programs or sacrificing time and money to support Colgate student development, we owe it to Hamilton to give back. By volunteering only a small portion of time to COVE or other related initiatives, you’ll gain plenty of skills, experience and real-world knowledge. The newfound appreciation and love of Hamilton that you will gain is invaluable and necessary to understanding Colgate and its surrounding village, as well as expanding your involvement beyond just the student body.
