From: Rebecca Banks Date: September 9 Subject: Bear-y Important Newsletter - September 2026
Bear-y Important Newsletter | September 2026
Your first month there is a lot to take in. You don’t need to figure everything out at once. Here are a few things worth knowing, doing, and trying during your first 30 days.
START HERE
Meet Your First-Year Support Team
Your Class Dean, Khoa Khuong, and Rebecca Banks, Interim Assistant Director of Student Affairs, are here to help you navigate your first year.You’ll soon receive an invitation for a one-on-one meeting to connect and talk about how your transition is going. They look forward to meeting you!
An informal weekly drop-in where you can ask about campus resources, activities, academics, or just how things work at Bowdoin.Meet classmates, listen in, or simply stop by and say hello. No RSVP needed!
Wednesdays, 8–9 a.m., starting Sept. 9 Hutchinson Room, first floor of Thorne Dining Hall
Want to talk through roommate dynamics, communication, or setting boundaries?Connect with Olivia Sackler, Interim Assistant Director of Residential Life.Olivia brings experience in communication, boundary-setting, and conflict management—and she also has a great eye for décor.
Periodically students receive email from registrar@bowdoin.edu. Please pay close attention as these contain important information, deadlines and instructions about registration, grades, and student records.
Meet With Your Liberal Arts Advisor Your advisors can help you plan your academic path at Bowdoin. Get to know them, share your interests and goals, and work together to explore courses, understand requirements and build your schedule.
Meet With Your Professor Your professors are an important part of your academic journey. Use office hours to ask questions, discuss course material, get advice about future courses or majors and explore ideas that interest you. Visit their office hours to get support or to simply say hello!
Love being outside and want to lead others?Apply for BOC Leadership Training by midnight Sept. 10.The semester-long program develops outdoor leadership skills through backpacking and canoe trips and prepares you to plan and lead your own trips. Join them for an information session on September 9th at 4:30 p.m.
Interested in bonding with and learning from an ideologically diverse group of peers? Want to learn how to dialogue about tough issues?Building Bridges brings students together to practice dialogue about challenging issues.The fall cohort meets Fridays, 2:30–4 p.m., beginning Sept. 25.Participants can also earn a BBB LinkedIn badge and complete a capstone project.
Want to learn about philanthropy while connecting with Brunswick-area nonprofits?Students in the Common Good Grant programsolicit donations, evaluate grant proposals, and help decide which local nonprofits receive grants.It’s a hands-on way to learn about the community beyond campus. Apply by September 14th.
Welcome prospective Polar Bears to campus and help make their Bowdoin experience memorable!Admissions is expecting about 65 high school seniors on campus for each Explore Bowdoin session, September 17–19 and October 22–24. Volunteer to host one or two students in your dorm room for one night—Thursday, Sept. 17 and/or Thursday, Oct. 22.It’sa great way to pay it forward, connect with prospective students, and share what makes Bowdoin special.
Miss getting outside after your Orientation Trip? Keep exploring with the Bowdoin Outing Club!First, complete the BOC paperwork—it’s different from your Orientation Trip paperwork. Once that’s done, you can sign up for trips through CampusGroups.
Check Bricks and Beyond to find your affiliated College House.As an affiliate, you’ll receive event invitations, connect with sophomores, and have access to a great study space and kitchen.
New to Bowdoin or a seasoned pro? Hacks & Snacks is for you!Meet incredible people, explore academic resources, and vibe to great music while eating delicious snacks and sipping Loon Coffee.Come connect, explore, and thrive.
F-1 students are required to meet with Associate Class Dean Hussey within 30 days of arriving at Bowdoin. Please bring your passport, Form I-20, and Form I-94 to your meeting.
Living in Brunswick, Maine, USA: Beyond Bean Boots and Lobster Bakes
Join Dean Hussey and Sanja Gerskovic from Counseling Services on Fridays at 9 a.m. for a breafast series created especially for first-year international students. Explore topics including culture shock, relationships, isolation, identity and more. Come connect with others, share your experiences and talk about what it's like adjusting to life at Bowdoin and in Brunswick.
Briana Bruinooge, Bowdoin's non-diet dietitian, can help you think about fueling and nourishing your body, having energy, and addressing unwanted gut issues. Meet one-on-one in person at Health Services on Tuesdays or virtually on other days.
