The East Wheelock Residential Cluster provides a unique opportunity for students from all classes to live and learn together at Dartmouth. Begun in the 1996-97 academic year, the cluster is a community of students working together with faculty and staff to provide social and learning opportunities outside of the classroom that represent the range of residents' interests. Residents of the Cluster are expected to participate actively in the events offered throughout the academic year. The East Wheelock Cluster Council is a group of student representatives who organize and plan events for the residents such as trips, social events, movies, and community service programs.
All residential clusters at Dartmouth include trained student peer advisors called Undergraduate Advisors (UGAs) who assist students locate valuable resources on campus, address personal issues, and plan activities for the residents. In addition to the UGA staff, East Wheelock has a number of other individuals who assist the cluster in achieving the program objectives. An Assistant Dean of the College works with students to provide support and counsel on a variety of personal and academic matters and maintains an office in the hub of the cluster -- Brace Commons. A Faculty Associate provides support for the cluster by working with the resident student cluster council to coordinate events and by sponsoring various events to bring students and faculty together outside of the classroom environment. The Associate is generally a senior faculty or administrative staff member who lives in a residence adjacent to the East Wheelock Cluster. The Associate's living room is the site for many formal and informal gatherings of students and faculty. A Community Director also lives in Morton Hall. This individual is a full-time staff member in the Office of Residential Life. His/her role is to provide guidance and support to the UGA staff and to facilitiate program offerings to residents, as well as to provide personal guidance for residents desiring advice.
All of the components of the East Wheelock Residential Cluster work together to meet the needs and interests of the members of the community. A sample of previous East Wheelock activities would include monthly community dinners, trips to Montreal and Boston, dinners and desserts with faculty and staff or prominent guests to the college, art exhibits, and coffee houses. The list would also include small group activities such as trips to the observatory, midnight sledding, movie nights and community service events. Workshops about a variety of Dartmouth issues including Life after Dartmouth, choosing a major, or how to manage the D-plan, complete a well-rounded series of events.
