Summer Humanities and Social Sciences

A group of 15 or so incoming freshmen who spend the month of July in Williamstown, taking intro courses to Poli-Sci, Comparative Literature, Psychology, and Philosophy. The freshmen are chosen through a complicated lottery system. The professors for the summer of 2005 included director and Prof. Gail Newman, Prof. Steve Fein, Prof. Steve Gerrard, and the recently added Poli-Sci professor, Prof. Sam Crane. The 2008 program included Prof. Jennifer French, Prof. Sam Cane, Prof. Darel Paul, and Prof. Magnus Bernhardsson. The Summer Humnanities professors automatically become the students' advisors once they arrive on campus in September.

The students get the lucky chance to live in posh upperclass housing (Wood House!) and spend the summer in Williamstown. Trips to Tanglewood, the Steeplecats, and Six Flags are usually big hits.

The rivalry between the SHSS and SSP alums is overrated, yet at the same time, a marvelous way to get into the age old battle of: "Are you a science nerd? Or a literature nerd?"