When you read about Jacobs University and the residential colleges, you might ask yourself what life is like in such a college and whether there is a difference between the four. Over time each college has developed its own identity and character and the people living there contribute actively to the spirit of their college.

Our life here in Mercator is like in a little community with its own identity and character. Many students are socially involved and participate actively in the administration and organization of the college in order to make our lives here as colourful and diverse as possible.

Our College Masters play a very important role to keep our college running. Niky and Vikram Unnithan live here in Mercator in the apartment on 4th floor. They make the most important decisions, especially concerning finances, and they usually have the last word when new events or changes are introduced. But they are also always there for the Mercatorians to let them back into their rooms if they locked themselves out or to simply be there with advice if there are problems.

Of course the College Masters cannot be present 24 hours a day 7 days a week, and for that reason two more families are living here, the so-called Resident Associates. They substitute the college masters if they are absent and play a similar role in our lives. Our RAs initiate and participate in a variety of events like baking or handicraft evenings. The Resident Associates also take care of our security at night by walking through the college and closing all open doors and windows.

The Resident Associates and the College Masters would not be able to run the college without Samuel Johnson, the manager of our College Office. One could say that he is their executive in a way. He does most of the day-to-day administrative work by helping students with formal documents, or simply providing them with light bulbs or paper. He has a team of 6 student assistants to help and support him with that.

The College Office Team also plays the most important role when it comes to events. They organize cheer-up coffees during midterms and final times, Country Information Days, Spirit Days and many more events which have already become a tradition in the identity of Mercator College.

Along with to the College Office Team in the student administration of the college are the Floor Representatives who are not only the vacuum-cleaner holders, but also representatives for the administration on every floor as well as conflict mediators between students living on the floor. They also arrange special events for the students living on their floors such as movie nights and floor decoration contests.

Overall one can say that the College Masters, the Resident Associates, the College Office Team and the Floor Representatives all closely cooperate and communicate a lot with each other. They work closely together to better administrate the college and its inhabitants. At the general meetings every two weeks all governing bodies of the college participate and get involved in the decision making process.

In addition to all that, Mercator College has, as each of the other colleges, 3 representatives for the student government. Every student in Mercator is eligible to become a parliament representative and all Mercatorians have the right to vote in the elections. The students elected represent Mercator and its interests in the Jacobs University student parliament where decisions concerning our whole student body are made.

Overall one can say that the students living in Mercator College are socially very engaged and contribute to many activities and events in the college, even if they are not directly involved in the governing bodies.

Almost all students in Mercator feel connectedness and solidarity with this college and consider themselves a part of a community with its own identity and spirit. We cheer for our team in soccer or basketball competitions and we were the college with the highest participation in the Jacobs University Olympics. The spirit is constantly growing in our college and everyone contributes to and feels part of it.

Feel free to explore the pages in the "People" section of our website to learn more about all those interesting Mercatorians...

(written by Saskia Dewitz)