Greetings from Forbes College! I am the Head of Forbes, and also a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and it is my great pleasure to be one of the first to welcome you to Princeton and to Forbes! I am excited that you have been assigned to Forbes, which I hope will serve as your “home away from home” during your time at Princeton. Last week you should have received email from the Housing Office with housing-specific information. I wanted to follow up with a very warm and enthusiastic welcome to Forbes!
The entire Forbes staff is excited to meet you in person during move-in on August 23! Our mission is to support our students, and we are committed to helping you navigate your academic and personal journey at Princeton. Each member of the Forbes staff has a different role, but we share the common goal of making your college experience as great as it can possibly be.
Over the summer you will be hearing from the Forbes Dean and Assistant Dean of Studies (ADOS). The Dean oversees the academic progress of all Forbes students to graduation and works with me and the staff to foster an intellectual and social community. The ADOS works closely with Forbes first-years and sophomores, as well as your Peer Academic Advisers (PAA) and your AB or BSE Faculty Adviser, on all matters related to academics. This team of advisers will provide you with outstanding guidance and support for all aspects of course selection and academic planning.
The Forbes Assistant Dean of Student Life (ADSL) focuses on enhancing and supporting your college experience, with an emphasis on activities and resources beyond the classroom. One of the first people you will meet when you move in to Forbes will be your Residential College Adviser (RCA), who will be reaching out to you this summer. RCAs are carefully selected juniors and seniors who live in Forbes and oversee your advisee group (affectionately called a zee-group) of approximately 15 first-year students. Your RCA will help orient you to life in Forbes College, as well as your broader experience at Princeton. Working closely with the ADSL and your RCA will be the Residential Life Coordinator (RLC) who lives on campus to support and enhance your residential and co-curricular involvement while promoting student health, safety, and well-being.
Let me describe Forbes College. Located on the western side of campus, Forbes offers breathtaking views of Princeton’s Springdale Golf Course and the Gothic towers of Princeton’s Graduate College. We have the best views and the largest outdoor space (click here for a photo of the Forbes backyard) among the seven residential colleges! The main building of Forbes College was originally the Princeton Inn, a hotel built during the Roaring Twenties, and our college still has a bit of an “Inn” flavor. Although Forbes may appear farther from the center of campus compared to other residential colleges on a map, it is only a two-minute walk from the next nearest college! Many of us find this location ideal as we "go home" to the Inn after a busy day of classes, appreciating the therapeutic views and ambiance. Long-time Forbes residents often tell me they wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Forbes has eight Resident Graduate Students (RGS) who contribute in many ways to our vibrant community through study breaks, museum trips, movie nights, and local hikes. Forbes RGSs are friendly and interactive individuals with a range of interesting experiences.
As Forbes is of the students and for the students, many of our social activities are organized by the students – specifically, by the Forbes College Council (FCC). The FCC will be sending you a welcome message of its own this summer. In the meantime, feel free to browse our video archives to see video tours of dorm and social spaces as well as events in and around the college on the Forbes Website, which has a video on the homepage welcoming you! The FCC arranges all kinds of fun activities, and they are creatively planning events to help you get to know other students in Forbes this fall.
At Forbes College, we have a dedicated and caring team ready to assist you in settling in and making the most of your Princeton experience. All of us look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to Forbes. In the meantime, have a wonderful summer!
Sincerely,
Head of Forbes College
And Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering