In a first-of-its-kind Core class on ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄’ history, first-year students uncover the people and traditions that shaped the College, from NASA’s longest employee Susan Finley β58 to ghost lore to the land around campus.
ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ students at a candlelit dinner in their residence hall
By Emily Glory Peters
For many students who attend ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄, the eponymous nameβand the Collegeβs fascinating pastβremain a mystery. With the launch of ³§³¦°ωΎ±±θ±θ²υβ centennial this spring, Professor of Music Hao Huang engineered a unique assignment for his Core B class.
βI’ve been here over twenty years, and this is the first course we’ve offered on the history of ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ and womenβs colleges. Itβs been so great to see first years learn about Ellen Browning ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ being an incredible patroness, advancing everything from this College to social movements,β he says.
Expanding on this knowledge, Huang asked his students to find a person, place, or topic connected to ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄.
βThe studentsβ final creative projects explore ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄’ past,β says Huang. βTheyβre writing songs, creating scrapbooks, even designing puzzles.β
Honoring the Centennial, Unveiling ³§³¦°ωΎ±±θ±θ²υβ History
³§³¦°ωΎ±±θ±θ²υβ Core Curriculum in the Interdisciplinary Humanities is the polestar of the Collegeβs academic program, with all incoming students completing two Core classes. First-years unpack complex topics that strengthen their research skills and information literacy, with the sequence culminating in a showcase of their work.
Grace Rich ’29 presenting on Sue Finley ’58
Grace Rich β29βs journey led her to Susan Finley β58, the longest-serving female employee at NASA. Over spring break, the pair swapped stories over a meal at Finleyβs Pasadena home.
βI was interested in why she committed to a career that she keeps doing at 90 rather than being pulled away by things like money,β says Rich, who is designing a puzzle of Finleyβs life. “Finley credits her longevity to luck, but I disagree. Her top values are family, passion, and loyalty. ”
When ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ was built, its area was isolated and undeveloped. But it’s important to know the history of the land and its connection to our culture.
Like Rich, Claire Gillen β29 began her research on an alumβstudent body president Fay Dreher Pearson β59βonly to discover obscure details on campus culture. Student government minutes discussed events like May Fete, ranch parties, homecoming, Quad-College dances, and the enigmatic βSurprise Day.β Gillen expressed a desire to revive more well-known traditions, like the candlelit dinners once held in ³§³¦°ωΎ±±θ±θ²υβ residence halls.
Some topics explored lore embedded in the campus itself. Bela Deol β29βs inquired into ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ ghost stories, including the βLady in Whiteβ who reportedly haunts Clark Hall. She chose the subject βnot to prove the supernatural, but because ghosts are a way of sharing history in an interactive way that we can all be involved in.β
Looking on campus, Maika Valerio β29 examined studentsβ fashion as clues to social and political movements, while Lucy Sandrose β29 looked beyond ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ to trace how the disappearance of nearby citrus groves affected Chinese, Indigenous, and Latino laborers.
βWhen ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ was built, its area was isolated and undeveloped,” Sandrose says. “But it’s important to know the history of the land and its connection to our culture.β
The great thing about history is how it brings you closer to people and places. These aren’t just names in a bookβtheyβre real people we share experiences with. ³§³¦°ωΎ±±θ±θ²υβ impact is cross-generational.
Forging Cross-Generational Bonds
For Huang, watching these bonds form between his students and ³§³¦°ωΎ±±θ±θ²υβ founder, alums, the Collegeβs legacy has been especially moving.
βThe great thing about history is how it brings you closer to people and places. These aren’t just names in a bookβtheyβre real people we share experiences with,β he says. ⳧³¦°ωΎ±±θ±θ²υβ impact is cross-generational, and isn’t that real community? We wouldnβt be here without them.β
Engage with ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄’ Centennial Celebration! Please visit scrippscollege.edu/centennial to learn more.