Jim Amidon — Students at Wabash College awake this this week with the daunting prospect of a week’s worth of late nights and early mornings ahead of them. The fall semester classes ended last Friday and today marks the beginning of final exam week. By this time next week, the campus will resemble a ghost town.
Oh how the semester has flown by.
It really does seem like yesterday that new President Pat White rang in the Class of 2010, referring to the freshmen as his “brothers” beginning their time at Wabash College.
Now, roughly four months later, the Whites and the freshmen have settled in. For the freshmen, the Wabash roller coaster ride is becoming more of a routine. No longer do they walk about campus wide-eyed, confused, or dog-tired (though this week they do resemble walking zombies ready for mom’s home cooking and the comfort of their own beds).
The president, Dean Gary Phillips, and CFO Larry Griffith have settled in, too. Now that their administrative colleagues have gotten them up to speed on how Wabash does its business, there is talk of strategic planning in the spring. The final details of President White’s January inauguration are in process. Communication channels are clear and conversations about the future of Wabash are well underway.
We’ve come a long way since July 1.
And in all sorts of ways, it has been a joyful fall for so many people at Wabash. Having three new senior administrators on campus has given us an opportunity to teach them the Wabash culture and to revisit the many traditions and rituals that we take for granted.
There’s tremendous satisfaction in teaching interested people the very essence of what we do at the college. It helps the newcomers better understand us, while it reaffirms for those of us committed to Wabash’s future our purpose and roles as stewards of the college. It also helps us learn a bit about ourselves all over again.
It’s been fun to prepare the president for traditional events like Homecoming and Monon Bell. It’s one thing to describe Chapel Sing or the Homecoming “Queen” Contest, but something completely different to see those events through President White’s eyes. Doing so has reminded me of how quirky, unique, and truly wonderful Wabash is.
One moment, in particular, stands out.
As I stood on the sideline with my camera between the third and fourth quarters of the Monon Bell football game, I heard behind me a huge roar from the student section. When I looked to see what caused the commotion, I was shocked to see Pat and Chris White walking among the students, high-fiving the crowd, and leading cheers.
After a particularly robust rendition of the “Give me a W! Give me an A!” cheer, I listened as the students roared with enthusiasm — not for the cheer, but for their new president who was leading it. As he exited the student section, I saw President White visibly pump his fist in the air for the students. I figure it was both an emotional moment for Pat and an acknowledgement of his pride in yet another wonderful Wabash tradition.
The president has had a lot of those moments this fall, from experiencing for the first time the rhythmic beat of the Wamidan world music ensemble, to the heart-wrenching way Wabash wrapped its arms around Mike Bachner’s family at the moment of his untimely death.
Observing closely the president’s introduction to the culture, traditions, and relationships that make Wabash unique has served to revitalize those of us at the college who’ve “been there and done that.” Witnessing the pride Pat takes in this place — and the extent to which he has committed himself to it — has further rejuvenated our spirits.
Perhaps best of all, every member of the Wabash community has had the opportunity to teach the newcomers the ways of Wabash, from the students who “own” the college to the night watchmen who lock the doors and turn out the lights. I think that illustrates just how broadly we define community around here, which by itself is a pretty cool lesson to teach.
