An inclusive and dynamic living and learning community is a central element of the Bowdoin experience. The Office of Residential Life, guided by the values of a learning community, oversees all aspects of on-campus living.

The word “dorms” doesn’t begin to capture all that happens in the residence halls at Bowdoin. The vibrant living environment allows residents to explore their intellectual and extracurricular passions to the fullest and form incredible friendships. While the first-year "bricks" are robust microcosms of new student energy and excitement, the College Houses unite the social and intellectual spheres of student life. Upperclass students have a wide range of living choices. Student-designed programs and special events like Dinner with Six Strangers also serve to bring faculty, staff, students, and community members together.

Values of a Learning Community

A learning community has a distinctive set of values and qualities which support individual growth and development. These values emerge from and reinforce the finest traditions and heritage of the College. By creating and maintaining rich relationships with the world beyond the College prepares students for engagement in the local, national, and international communities and connects them with the larger Bowdoin family.