Student Leaders

Good leadership contributes to an effective and ethical community, and is refined and strengthened through training and action. 

Deerfield Academy acknowledges the importance and  influence of student leaders on our campus and hopes that positions are undertaken with the commitment to serve fully and selflessly, while keeping in mind that leadership is measured in the quality of the service, rather than the quantity of roles.

Training, therefore, emerges from an effort to encourage students to properly prepare for their responsibilities, to understand the limits of their efforts and influence, and to model desired behavior.

Proctors

Proctors are seniors who live on underclassmen halls and provide residential support by serving as big brothers and sisters to the freshmen and sophomores in their dorms. Proctors also assist faculty by supervising study hall and dorm clean up, organizing dorm activities, and contributing to a comfortable and productive living environment. They serve as role models and mentors, set a positive tone for their hall, and typically form meaningful friendships with their proctees.

Becoming a proctor requires an extensive application and interview process, which ensures that proctors are always well suited to their role. At the beginning of the year, proctors undergo a training program to prepare them for any potential problems or conflicts they may encounter during their time as proctors. They learn what situations they should attempt to handle themselves, and when to get help from faculty residents or the health center.

Freshman and sophomore day students are assigned a day student proctor. Although they do not share a residential experience, day student proctors have many of the same responsibilities as their boarding counterparts, particularly in helping their proctees acclimate to life at Deerfield, and setting a good example around campus.

Students in Positions of Formal Leadership

  • Academic Honor Committee
  • Club Presidents/Heads
  • Disciplinary Committee
  • Peer Counselors
  • Peer Tutors
  • Proctors
  • Environmental Proctors
  • Scroll Editorial Board
  • Student Council
  • Varsity Team Captains and Cheerleading Captains
  • Yearbook

All Leadership Training Program events are listed on the Events Calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

The DC/AHC selection process is now underway. Rising juniors and seniors have until April 2 to fill out an application; an email went out to these respective classes with instructions, and decisions will be announced in mid-May. Please email Dr. Melvoin if you have any questions.

Deerfield’s advisor feedback and request process has always taken place virtually, so we’ll undertake the process in the same manner this year. Advisor-related questions can be directed to Ms. Creagh or Dr. Melvoin.

The only document you will need to return will be your form I-20; please contact the Student Life Office with any visa-related questions.

Please contact studentlife@deerfield.edu with any visa-related questions.

All Student Council positions are elected yearly, and all students are eligible to run. Each class has multiple representatives, and students are also elected to be Student Council president, chair, post-graduate representative, and two day student representatives. A full list of current members is available on the Student Council website.

Deerfield students can leave campus during most weekends, provided that they submit the overnight permission form and their request is approved. Some weekends throughout the year are closed–including Commencement–and on these weekends, students may not leave campus. All closed weekends are marked on the Deerfield Academy calendar.

If you leave campus during the day for any reason, you must complete the off-campus signout form. If you would like to be off-campus for an overnight trip, including weekends, you must fill out the overnight permission form. If your request has been approved, you should print your confirmation and tape it to the door of your room.

For links to forms and a more detailed explanation of signout policies, visit our Travel and Signout page.

Transportation is provided to services at nearby faith communities. Jan Flaska, Dean of Spiritual and Ethical Life, can help make arrangements.

No, refrigerators and microwaves are not permitted in dorm rooms.

Every dorm room has a small closet or wardrobe, 80″ twin bed, bureau, desk and chair, mirror, wastebasket, overhead light, and carpeting.

The nearest airport is Bradley International Airport, located outside of Hartford, Connecticut, 55 miles south of Deerfield on I-91. Deerfield arranges transportation on charter buses to Bradley Airport during Thanksgiving vacation, winter vacation, long winter weekend, and spring vacation. As sign-up time approaches, students will receive email instructions on how to purchase tickets. There are also many limo, taxi, and shuttle services available that provide transport to the airport.

Contact Student Life

studentlife@deerfield.edu
413-774-1452

Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm

Main School Building, First Floor
PO Box 87
Deerfield, MA 01342