“So, what classes are you taking?”
“Okay, basically, I’m in this thing…”
The amount of times I have had to embark upon this long-winded explanation about what The Collaboratory is and how The Collaboratory works in the past few months is exceptional. Nobody has heard of this odd freshman program, which, of course, is understandable, seeing how it is The Collaboratory’s first year on Davidson’s campus. However, no need to worry! I am here to tell you all about the ins and outs of Collaboratory life.
The Collaboratory is a program designed to allow for a fuller and more flexible freshman learning experience. Students in The Collaboratory take all four classes with each other and then travel throughout the United States with their classes. For example, this past week, the Collab and I traveled to Boston, Massachusetts, where we studied abolitionism, early American literature, and had the opportunity to discuss Thoreau’s Walden at Walden Pond. Upcoming trips include Savannah, Georgia and Washington D.C.
Most of the classes Collaboratory students take are based in the humanities, although students do take an experimental embryology class.
A distinguishing feature of this unique curriculum is that students do not possess a set schedule; classes meet different times on different days, and classes are not guaranteed to meet consistently on any given day. The Collaboratory also emphasizes the innovative use of technology, and time is taken out of the week to teach students new online techniques.
FAQ
Q: Are you in The Collaboratory all four years?
A: No way! It is a fall semester freshman year program only!
Q: How did you get into The Collaboratory?
A: First-year students can apply for The Collaboratory the summer before their freshman year.
Q: Do you have to pay to be in The Collaboratory?
A: The cost of The Collaboratory is included in your Davidson tuition.
Q: How is the workload?
A: It’s Davidson! So, yes, it’s a lot of work, but not unbearable.
Q: Do you like it?
A: So far, The Collaboratory has been an experience unlike any other! Exploring Boston was phenomenal and my classes are interesting and informative. Check back at the end of the semester to get some final Collaboratory takeaways!
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