Connecting with Waterville and Maine
A tradition of partnership.
A spirit of community exchange.
We’ve been working together since 1931, when the city of Waterville helped Colby raise funds to purchase our 714-acre campus on Mayflower Hill. These historic ties between the College and the city it calls home foster reciprocity and a civic partnership that benefits both communities — and grows stronger each day.
The Bill & Joan Alfond Main Street Commons
The Bill & Joan Alfond Main Street Commons is a living and learning community that offers apartment-style residences in the heart of downtown Waterville. It is home to 200 Colby students, faculty, and staff who are deeply engaged in our city, while also serving and supporting a variety of business, civic, and community organizations.
Volunteering and Civic Engagement
Compassion is a lifelong virtue that is strengthened through experience. At Colby you’ll combine energy, heart, and smarts to make positive and lasting contributions to local and far-flung communities. Colby students invest thousands of hours each year — mentoring kids, building community, addressing inequities, and launching bold new ideas for productive, cooperative engagement. In short: you’ll grow as a person while improving the world around you.
Colby Cares About Kids
Colby Cares About Kids (CCAK) is a mentoring program for local children facilitated by Colby student volunteers. CCAK began with an English course that integrated classroom learning with community engagement — now it’s one of the largest student groups on campus.
Downtown Waterville
Students enjoy Waterville’s restaurants, walk with friends along the RiverWalk, and engage with artistic performances.
Explore Waterville
Collaborations on Main Street
Collaborative partnerships and strong investments have contributed much toward the revitalization of Waterville’s downtown—including the transformation of historic buildings.
The Paul J. Schupf Art Center, opened in 2022, includes a contemporary gallery of the Colby College Museum of Art, Railroad Square Cinema, Common Street Arts gallery, and multidisciplinary educational spaces.
Opened in September 2021, Greene Block + Studios provides vibrant programming and artist studios for Colby students, faculty, and the greater Waterville community.
The Lockwood is a 53-room hotel that acknowledges Waterville’s rich heritage of innovation and industry. The hotel’s restaurant, Front & Main, focuses on ingredients from Maine farmers and harvesters.
