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A Few of Our Favorite Things: Parents' Perspectives on Visiting Dartmouth
While visiting their children in Hanover, Dartmouth parents soon discover some favorite places and activities. We asked two members of the Parents and Grandparents Fund Committee what they like to do in the Hanover area.
"When we make the cross-country trek, the first thing we do is drive around Occom Pond,” said Laurie Joseph P'07 of Piedmont, California. “It's so beautiful and charming, and it immediately connects us to Dartmouth."
Laurie and her husband, William, visit their son Kyle '07 about three times a year. "The last time we were there we discovered the antique co-op in Quechee, Vermont," she said. "And we had a great dinner at a restaurant Kyle found, Carpenter and Main in Norwich, Vermont. We also love to eat at Simon Pearce in Quechee, and usually also pick up a few glass pieces at their shop."
Restaurants are also a big focus when Michael and Ann Marie Collins visit daughter Mhairi '08. "I don't want to pass myself off as a foodie, but Murphy's, Molly's, the Canoe Club, Ben & Jerry's. We've got to hit all four of them every time we come up to Hanover," said Michael Collins, who lives in Suffern, New York. "We also had an absolutely fabulous time canoeing on the Connecticut River as part of Sophomore Parents Weekend last summer."
Both became involved with the Parents and Grandparents Fund (and the Family Fellows program) as a way to say thank you for their children's Dartmouth experiences. "It's really just a very small attempt to give back a little bit and try to balance the equation for all that my daughter has gotten at Dartmouth," said Collins. Adds Joseph, "I feel strongly that if our child is benefiting from four years in the Dartmouth community, we'd like to give back to it. He's obviously gathering skills and experiences that will help him throughout his life. We think it's pretty important to contribute to that."
From the Student Point of View
Kyle Joseph '07, a government and economics major, and Mhairi Collins '08, a government major, have both made the most of their Dartmouth experiences. Kyle participated in a Language Study Abroad program in Barcelona, led a Dartmouth Outing Club first-year trip, taught skiing through Dartmouth's Physical Education and Recreational Sports program, and is a member of Alpha Delta fraternity. Mhairi is a Presidential Scholar, participated in Foreign Study Programs in London and Argentina, played flute for two years with the Dartmouth Wind Symphony, participates in Women in Leadership and Daniel Webster Legal Society discussions, is an associate editor of the Dartmouth Law Journal, and is a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority. They talked about some of the activities they enjoy doing when their parents visit.
Kyle: "We play a lot of golf and we also attend any Dartmouth sporting event that's going on. I've taken my parents to lacrosse games, football, soccer, and now they love hockey. One of our favorite games was when Dartmouth beat Harvard in overtime my sophomore year. My mom talked about that forever! They had a blast. I also like to go to all the good restaurants in the area when my parents visit. Our new one is Carpenter and Main. And my mom loves the Canoe Club and Simon Pierce too. But probably the most fun is when my parents take me and eight of my good buddies to Jesse's for steaks. That's always a ton of fun. And it's good because my parents get to meet all my buddies and we get a break from DS [dining service] food."
Mhairi: "My parents usually come up once or twice a term. We go to Murphy's pretty much every time because it's our favorite restaurant. We like to go see whatever movies or shows are playing at the Hop. We always try to go to the local parks and take a walk since we enjoy walking around nature. My dad and I walked all around the golf course once, and last summer we went to Quechee Gorge. We also went kayaking on the Connecticut River last summer during the Parents' Weekend. They had something called "Pancakes and Paddles" and that was a lot of fun, especially since we'd never kayaked before."