The Colby Echo

Issue date: 2/23/07 Section: News & Features

Media Credit: Molly Warren

A German major and Music minor hailing from Peabody, Massachusetts, Mitch Bartkiewicz '07 has been a busy man over the past four years. Bartkiewicz is a captain of the men's swim team, co-director of the Colby volunteer Center, a tour guide, a member of the judicial board, and one of two Teach for America campus campaign managers at Colby.

"I was initially attracted to Colby by a variety of factors," said Bartkiewicz. "The two most important were the swim team and a strong study abroad program with an emphasis on foreign language. Colby was the last college I visited and it left a good impression on me, particularly the guys on the swim team," he said.

Bartkiewicz has had a stellar swimming career. He excels in both the breaststroke and medley (a combination of four different strokes), routinely racking up victories in both events at Colby's meets. As co-director of the volunteer center, Bartkiewicz helps promote volunteerism within the Colby community and looks to foster social responsibility throughout greater Waterville. His work with the judicial board and as a guide help keep him connected to the campus community.
Unlike many of his fellow seniors, Bartkiewicz already has a job lined up for next year and is looking forward to starting work. He will be working with Teach for America for the next two years, teaching low-income fifth grade students in Washington D.C. "There's a of pressure to perform as a teacher," Bartkiewicz said. "There are going to be older and better established teachers there."

Teach for America is a two-year binding contract for college graduates to teach young children in low-income areas. "It's up to the individual after that, but I know that statistically a large percentage of Teach for America participants end up working in education," Bartkiewicz said.

As the campus campaign manager for Teach for America at Colby this year, Bartkiewicz has provided a face for the program on campus. He is responsible for much of the omnipresent promotional activity surrounding the program, including flyers and informational sessions. "We look for different highly involved and motivated Colby students," said Bartkiewicz.

In his limited free time Bartkiewicz enjoys reading about current events and educational policy, as well as being outdoors. "We have practice seven times a week for swimming in addition to meets, so it has cut into my time outdoors in the winter these past four years," he said.

In the short term Bartkiewicz hopes to make the most of his opportunity to teach. "In the next year I'd really like to see my students succeed," Bartkiewicz said. "Ultimately I think I'd like to make a difference in educational reform, but anything past these next two years is up in the air. Teaching is definitely a long-term possibility, but my mindset has changed so much in the recent past that I really can't say for sure what I'll want to do in a few more years."

For now, Bartkiewicz is looking forward to the spring of his senior year and trying to take advantage of the opportunities on Mayflower Hill. In classic, ambivalent senior style he states, "I feel like I'm ready to move on, but I know that once I'm gone I'll look back and see things I should have done."

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