Welcome to Whitman College, a new, four-year residential college at Princeton University.
Hope Connolly: My name is Hope Connolly. I'm in the class of 2009 and I'm majoring in chemical engineering. I'm really excited to live in Whitman. My room is amazing, the facilities are amazing. I'm really excited for this year.
Harvey Rosen: This is the start. This is the beginning of the four-year college system at Princeton and that's one of the things that attracted me to this job. We'll have freshmen getting to know seniors, seniors getting to know freshmen; and it's going to benefit everyone.
TJ Klein: I think a four-year college helps to develop strengths for the underclassmen. They can go to upperclassmen who might be their neighbors. Just the other night, a couple of freshmen started asking me questions about what classes to take, where it's good to eat, where it's good to go. So, it's something that I wish I would have had as a freshman. I'm TJ Klein, and I'm a junior in Whitman College.
Kivan Polimis: I'm really looking forward to the shared meal plan. I think it's a great opportunity so kids can get into the eating clubs and they can still be in a college atmosphere. I'm Kivan Polimis. I'm class of 2009. I'm majoring in sociology.
A holistic concept
Kivan Polimis: I think it's the idea that you have this large support system around the students. That the idea that you can have mentoring upperclassmen and that you have trips to build community. And the college is a way of nurturing students.
Harvey Rosen: What we just want is a vibrant community here with people coming in, coming out, doing drama productions, displaying their artwork, going to class, having fun, eating together. It's kind of this holistic experience. I'm making it a high priority that the programming at Whitman — and I'm talking about academic, cultural, athletic, community service — be student-driven. While under the four-year college system, we will have juniors and seniors here who are ready to take a leadership role. So we say basically, "Tell us what your dreams are. We'll help you shape them. We'll supply the resources for you to execute them. But, you take ownership."
A remarkable structure
Kivan Polimis: I love the architecture of the building. When I think of what a college dorm should look like, I think of Whitman.
John Ziegler: My name's John Ziegler. I'm project director for Princeton University on Whitman College. One of the most interesting aspects of this project and certainly the most identifiable is the stone, which we have upwards of 175,000 custom-cut bluestones — a fairly remarkable achievement that was done in less than a year and a half. I think all told, we achieved one of our most fundamental goals, which was to achieve a robust collegiate gothic structure in Whitman College.
TJ Klein: Part of my decision to attend Princeton was based on the residential college program. I'm really happy that Princeton decided to start the four-year college program.
Harvey Rosen: One way to think about the four-year college system is a new alternative to enrich the already fine menu of alternatives we have here at Princeton. So, I think this is all about choices.
A production of Princeton University Office of Communications & OIT New Media Center
Direction & Cinematography: Denise Applewhite & Evelyn Tu
Editing: Evelyn Tu
Interviews:
Hope Connolly, Class of 2009
Harvey Rosen, Whitman College Master
TJ Klein, Class of 2009
Kivan Polimis, Class of 2009
John Ziegler, Facilities Department
© 2007 The Trustees of Princeton University
