As a first-year student at Sarah Lawrence, Joshua Riegel had an interest in creative writing. His don, whom he liked, specialized in poetry. But in that first year, something pivotal happened.

“I took a course called Anthropology and the Cultural Constructions of Race,” Joshua remembers. “It was my first exposure to anthropological perspectives, and it changed everything for me.”

The next year, on a friend’s strong recommendation, he enrolled in a class taught by anthropology professor Mary Porter. “We really got along,” Joshua says. “With the aptitude I had discovered for the social sciences, and her understanding, it made sense to ask her to be my don.”

Although 70 percent of students keep their dons all four years, changing dons was relatively simple, according to Joshua. “I filled out some forms, let my original don know my plans and made sure Mary was willing to take me on as a donnee.”

Joshua describes her role as twofold: “She helped me step back and look at the bigger picture, making sure I chose courses taught by professors whose interests could help further develop my own. And she made sure I was happy doing the things I did. She looked after my mental and emotional, as well as my intellectual, well-being.”