The Colby Echo

Issue date: 4/30/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: Rob Kievit bill whitledge

Bill Whitledge '08 is a quiet sort of friendly. A member of the Nordic Ski team, an active participant in the Outing Club, an I-Play enthusiast and a physics major with an economics minor, he has had plenty to keep him busy during his time on the Hill. None of these commitments, however, keeps him from finding time to spend with his friends. "Activities are fun but it wouldn't be nearly as much fun if I didn't have the friends I do," Whitledge said.

Upon arriving on campus, Whitledge jumped into life at the College and never looked back. "I was a little bit shy at the end of high school and I felt like I could make friends better in a small, intimate community," Whitledge said. During his time here, Whitledge feels as though he has become more comfortable and social. Whitledge also liked the outdoorsy feel of the community and, of course, the proximity of the campus to Sugarloaf.

A builder his whole life, Whitledge found physics to be the natural choice for a major. "I've always enjoyed building things, robotics kits, airplanes with little motors, so I thought maybe engineering," Whitledge said. Physics turned out to be a good undergraduate program for Whitledge, who will go on to study electrical engineering at Stanford.

Before heading west, Whitledge will spend the summer teaching sixth and seventh grade students through a summer explorations program. The program combines school and camp and features fun classes for students. Whitledge will teach a class on medieval catapults and a class on hover crafts. Considering his love for invention and construction, it is no surprise that Whitledge's favorite superhero is Batman. "It's gotta be Batman because he doesn't have any superpowers of his own but he has lots of great gadgets and works out a lot," Whitledge said.

Whitledge, who feels he has only recently begun to explore Waterville, has little sympathy for those who complain that the city is boring. "I kind of wish I had explored Waterville more," Whitledge said. "I feel like now these last couple months I have been discovering a lot of stuff to do in Waterville. If you get a chance, there is more to do there than you might think." Whitledge's favorites include the Waterville Opera House, Jorgensen's, Mainly Brews and the Riverside Market.

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