This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Schools

Bryn Mawr College Opens its 126th Year

The fall convocation of students and faculty opened the 2011-2012 school year.

began its 126th school year on Monday afternoon with the annual fall convocation in Goodhart Hall. College President Jane McAuliffe remarked that in addition to welcoming old and new students, the convocation was a special time for seniors. It marked the beginning of their last year of college just as commencement would mark the end of their year. Seniors, wearing black robes, were seated in reserved seating in the auditorium. After the opening remarks, four speakers addressed the student body. 

In his remarks, political science professor Stephen Salkever reflected on a life well lived. He extolled students to understand that it is the way they lived—not just what they did—by which they would be remembered. Ntshadi Mofokeng, Class of 2012, from Johannesburg, South Africa, spoke of her great experience at Bryn Mawr. She added some humor when she addressed a Mayan prediction that the world would come to an end at the end of 2012. She remarked that, if true, at least they would have graduated by then, and they would not have to worry about job hunting. Susan Young, graduating in 2012 from a masters program, spoke about stepping up and taking the initiative during college years. 

President McAuliffe delivered the final address. She told the students about six major improvements on campus this year. First was the dining hall that had been renovated. Second, a new turf athletic field had been installed. Third, the student employment office had been moved to be near the human resources office. Fourth, an outdoor food cart and service would be available when weather permitted, and more tables and chairs had been set up around campus. Fifth, students are now eligible for free SEPTA train passes. Sixth, Merion Hall, a residence, now has a new student lounge. McAuliffe went on to speak about how Bryn Mawr was ahead of the bell curve of international networking for educational institutions. She pointed out how that would, in years to come, allow students to take classes across the globe, facilitate the exchange of information and the conduct of research. She ended her remarks with an invitation to students to enjoy a picnic on the lawn, expressing her relief that the weather had allowed it to be outside.

Find out what's happening in Bryn Mawr-Gladwynewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?