Every student who comes to Dartmouth wants a residence hall room with a lot of space. But some students may also get a room with a little bit of celebrity.
Each night, certain students lay themselves down to sleep in the same rooms where soon-to-be-famous Dartmouth alumni -- from IBM chief executive Louis Gerstner '63 to "Melrose Place" star Andrew Shue '89 -- once slept when they were students.
However, David Chiang '97 seems to possess the proper perspective about living in the same residence hall room as a famous alum.
"I think that living in Dr. Seuss' room will have a great effect on my creativity and hopefully increase my grades," Chiang said.
Chiang lives in 416 Topliff residence hall, the room where Theodore Seuss Geisel '25 resided in 1922.
Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, wrote many popular children's books following his graduation, including the famous "Cat in the Hat."
But Chiang, who said he has not eaten green eggs and ham in his room yet, wondered how Geisel was able to concentrate in the room.
"It's not the best of housing," he said. "I don't know how he dealt with the noise outside from the power plant." Celebrity rooms
Chiang is not the only student to live in the former room of a famous writer.
Robert Huddleston '96 lives in 303 Topliff, where author Karen Louise Erdrich '76 once studied and spent long winter nights her freshman year.
Huddleston, who hopes to be a writer, said he has been influenced by Erdrich, the author of "Love Medicine."
"It is very interesting that she lived here because I am an English major and I'm very interested in creative writing," Huddleston said.
"I'm pleased to be living in the same room as another writer. Hopefully, it will be a source of inspiration," Huddleston said.
Coincidentally, Huddleston lived on the same street of critic and author Virginia Woolf while he was in London on a Foreign Study Program last winter and spring.
However, other students are not so excited about living in the same room as famous alumni.
Senior Class President Brendan Doherty currently rents 303 South Massachusetts Hall, the same room that Shue -- who plays Billy Campbell on the prime-time hit "Melrose Place" -- inhabited his freshman year.
"To be honest, I've never seen the show and it just doesn't make that much of a difference to me," Doherty said.
He added he does not think sharing a room with the ghost of Andrew Shue will have much effect on his success at Dartmouth.
During his freshman year, Gerstner lived in 103A Cohen residence hall, now inhabited by Ryan Gilfoil '98.
"I feel bad for the guy for having to live in the Choates," Gilfoil said. He added that he thought sharing the same room with Gerstner would definitely have a positive effect on his life. "It will absolutely do me well for my future," he said.
Kimberly Rogers '98 lives in 211 New Hampshire Hall, where former Dartmouth and Cincinnati Bengals football star Reggie Williams '76 resided his freshman year.
"It's crazy to think about who has been in here," Rogers said. "My mom wondered about what went on in my room."
Cincinnati Bengals head coach David Shula '81, a star wide receiver for the Dartmouth football team during his undergraduate days, resided in 107 Mid-Mass his freshman year, but this celebrity room is currently empty.
Political rooms
Former United States Surgeon General C. Everett Koop '37, slept and studied in 310 Massachusetts residence hall his freshman year. Current resident Peter Cobb '98 said he was astounded when he was told of the history of his room.
"Koop's influence on the room will improve our [roommates'] academic standings just by being in the same room where he showered," Cobb joked. "We're going to hang a picture of him now on the door. I feel honored to inhabit this room."
U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich '68 lived in 208 Smith residence hall during his freshman year, but Ryan Broderick '98, the room's current inhabitant, was disappointed to find that Reich did not carve his initials anywhere.
"I feel honored," Broderick said. "It gives me hope that I can make something out of myself." But he said he and his roommate felt they could "make something out of themselves" on their own.
Broderick's roommate, Aaron Klein '98, said, "I feel like going to go get a job with him now. I think it's really cool to sleep in the same bed as someone in the Cabinet and to have a personal bond with one of the famous alumni."
Former Massachusetts Senator Paul Tsongas '62, who was also a candidate for the 1992 Democratic presidential nomination, lived in 301 North Massachusetts his freshman year.
"I can feel the history here. There's some sort of air that flows throughout the halls," said David Rosenwaks '99, the room's current resident.
"Maybe he sat at the same desk that I'm at now, and I'm inspired to reach for the limits. Maybe I could become as successful as him," he said.
Robert Simik '99, Rosenwaks' roommate, said Tsongas "must have had some parties in this same room, which is kind of cool."
Daniel Webster, Class of 1801, was a prominent statesman, congressman and senator following his graduation.
While no official records of Webster's residence are available, researchers have debated Webster's College residences for many years.
