Being a Chatham scholar can sound a little daunting. Extra work? More in-depth work? Responsibility? Puh-lease. It can be a little overwhelming to incoming first years, who would already be trying to settle into the new lifestyle of college and the workload.
Thankfully, the Chatham scholar’s group isn’t all about work.
Even a wet and rainy Monday evening in September couldn’t keep scholars, from freshman to seniors, from lining up in the Mellon sun porch for a bowl of ice cream. The annual Scholarhood Meet and Greet is a useful tradition for the scholar group, supplying them not only with a satisfying treat, but a way of coming together to enjoy an evening of relaxation with classmates. It also offers first years the chance to meet and greet their upperclassmen mentors.
The Scholarhood program is one that gives first years a different way into their new life at college. Their main source of information becomes the other scholar they are paired with, who is always a sophomore, junior, or senior. These mentors are valuable sources of information and advice, helping the new scholars to adjust to the life and the workload that Chatham provides. Scholar mentors are available for any of the first year scholar’s needs, sometimes even a night out to shopping at the Waterfront or a movie at Loewe’s Theater. The “Meet and Greet” plays a crucial role in the scholars coming together to form bonds between mentor and mentee that will encourage them to work together throughout the rest of the year and beyond the classroom. In return, rising sophomore scholars can then turn around and offer their new incoming first year sister scholars the same encouragement and advice the following year.
Later in September, first year scholars got an additional opportunity for an evening of fun with another of the scholar traditions: the etiquette dinner. A bit on the formal side, scholars come dressed up to a sit down dinner with their classmates and Dr. Lenz, while they are all instructed in the fine rules of dining. But which side do the forks go on? Elbows on or off the table? And what is to be done with the napkin? As scholars learn the basic rules to dining that will provide them with a measure of confidence if the need should ever arise for a formal interview or meeting, they also get another chance to come together with their peers outside of the classroom. And besides, who doesn’t enjoy a four-course meal, complete with dessert?
Although becoming a part of the scholars group means that students are in for some more work, it can also open up different point of entry when they attend college at Chatham, providing them with a new experience. Scholars get to take part in their own traditions and have an open door to meeting many different people and learning a variety of new things.