It is a cold Saturday afternoon in January, and Middlebury’s ice hockey team faces off against its fierce NESCAC competitors. The arena is full of excitement and tension. Fans wear oversized hockey jerseys, clutching hot dogs in one hand and blue-and-white pom-poms in the other, as they root for the home team. Vermont does not have any professional sports teams, so, naturally, Middlebury hockey becomes “the team” for many Addison County residents. When scanning Kenyon Arena on a typical game day, a large portion of the stands consists of local residents. This camaraderie encapsulates the mutually sustaining relationship between students and town residents in Middlebury. The borders of college property and the surrounding town are permeable, with both parties having an undeniable impact on one another.
In many ways, the town of Middlebury relies on the college and its students. For one, the college attracts people and customers to the town, providing the main consumer base for local businesses. In addition to the student population itself, events such as NCAA tournaments, graduation and move-in day bring more people to the town. Many local business owners strategically base their business models and marketing strategies on campus demand.
At the same time, the town is a central facet of the Middlebury experience. Many students have developed a deep affection for the town and its people. Less than a 10-minute walk away, it is easy to create these intimate connections with places outside of school. For many, this can mean nestling in their favorite corner of Haymaker, reading a book and looking out at the river and mountains. For others, it means joining the Thursday night line-dancing lessons at Woodchuck Cider House, where students and locals bond over shared interests. These forums and spaces provide opportunities to interact meaningfully with people off campus.
Many programs directly facilitate the integration of the town and the campus, further blurring the boundaries between them. Community Friends, for example, is a mentoring program that matches students with children ages six to 12 in Addison County. It becomes a normal part of the day to see elementary school kids getting soft serve in the dining hall or playing on Battell Beach. Middlebury students provide child care for local families, as the kids seamlessly become a part of campus life for many. In addition to bringing the community to campus, the Friends of International Students (FIS) Host Program does the reverse: it matches international students with families in the area. This is a valuable outlet and provides stable support networks for those who are far from home.
The Center for Community Engagement (CCE) advises many of these student organizations, and the Board commends the CCE for its role in facilitating student involvement in town. The CCE collaborates with student organizations and is open to anyone interested in connecting with the broader community. The Page One Literacy Project is a prime example of the work at the CCE. Groups of student volunteers travel to elementary schools in Addison County to promote literacy and instill a love of reading in future generations.
Despite this unique community bond and exchanges, there are strains on this relationship. Many of these tensions arise from a power imbalance between the town and Middlebury. Undeniably, the college holds significant economic power over the town, directly impacting residents' livelihoods. For instance, the college is the largest employer in Addison County. Given the college's economic scope, it has responsibilities to the town. The 254-unit housing project, Stonecrop Meadows, is an example of a college-led initiative to address the affordable housing crisis in Addison County and beyond. Although this is a step in the right direction, it has by no means eliminated the issue.
There remains a pervasive disconnect, specifically between the college and its employees. The economic vitality of the college is a double-edged sword, funding initiatives like Stonecrop Meadows, an affordable housing unit, while simultaneously inflating the cost of living in town. Many college employees cannot afford to live in Middlebury or its surrounding areas and must commute for hours each way. This is only worsened by the antics of Middlebury students and families. For example, families buying houses in town and renting them out as Airbnbs for the duration of their child’s education reduce the town's affordability. Although this could be an inherent problem of wealth and income inequality, the college should mitigate this impact by allocating funds to initiatives similar to Stonecrop Meadows. The college should also support projects that are less glamorous or media-strategic by focusing on improving residents' quality of life.
Additionally, there needs to be a greater acknowledgement of the town by Middlebury students. There should not be a sense of entitlement over the town during these four years. The mindset that the town is “ours” and for “our” use only sets a dangerous precedent and requires reconstruction. This is a reminder that the town is not a playground, and students should not be disrespectful or disruptive to residents. Ironically, many students will leave Vermont behind following graduation. There needs to be stronger recognition that this is many people’s permanent home, while also giving it more credit for everything it provides.
Even though your time at Middlebury and Vermont might be temporary, do not treat it as just passing through. There is no Middlebury College without the town and the people who make it up; we are “the town’s college” after all. It is almost impossible to tell where the campus finishes and the town starts. Exploring a local business, attending a local event or striking up a conversation with someone new enriches the overall “Middlebury experience”.
