Convocation Recap

By Natalie C. '23

We have had more faculty convocations this year than previous years.  Most of these convocations discussed important topics and histories such as race, class, gender, and the state of America. Here are summaries of each of them:

Dr. Yeager: In his convocation, Dr. Yeager talked about the election and the divisive nature of American politics within the larger scope of democracy. He explained how what seems like an unbridgeable gap between different parties is a natural result of democracy. Next, he recounted the three truths of democracy, the first being that democracy will always be contentious and messy. Polarization is a greater characteristic in democracy than unity. The second truth of democracy is that there are always winners and there are always losers. The winner is the party that receives the majority of votes and the loser is the party that comes up with a plan to try to become the winner. The third fundamental truth is that democracy requires responsibility from the people. Democracy lives on the participation of the people, but, within the last 50 years, only 50-60% of people have voted in elections, according to USA Today. Another responsibility is to be a critical thinker. Independent thought is the backbone of democracy. Dr. Yeager concludes his speech with a call for people to listen and talk to different people with different opinions. Not with the intention of using their words to find fault in them but to listen to understand the person. 

Dr. Hood: Dr. Hood addressed narratives of students and faculty about racial inequality at Bryn Mawr and discussed methods to combat future inequities from occurring. She began  by explaining how baking bread is similar to education because they both require the need for quality ingredients and time for a successful result. This lighthearted introduction then transitioned  into the more serious topic about reckoning with the deaths of multiple Black people by the hands of police officers and, in the case of Ahmaud Arbery, White civilians. She then talked about how students of color at the trischools were addressing their own experiences of bigotry on an Instagram page called Black at the Trischools.  Dr. Hood commended students for living out values of respect and community.

Ms. Nichols: Ms. Nichols hoped that everyone could walk away from her convocation with a belief that every interaction is a chance to better understand ourselves and others. In her speech, she invited people into her world by sharing her perception of the society around her. She concluded that there is no one “normal.” Instead, it is an intersection of identities that defines and creates individual narratives. 

The faculty convocations have been filled with deep insight into current events such as the condition of American democracy, identity, and race. Though they may have been shared with different tones, with some being more light hearted than others. They all managed to discuss a deeply profound topic in a way that was enlightening and informative.