Plenty of people geek out when it comes to their Alma Maters. They paint their faces for football games, buy obscenely large rings to advertise loyalty, and argue emphatically about the superiority of one college over another. The common thread that seems to bind alumnus to their schools is usually rooted in the love of a sports team or popular notoriety. Add to that a little testosterone mixed with a belly full of beer and you even have the chance to witness true school spirit in the form of a drunken brawl over a few callous remarks.
So how does Agnes Scott, a small, girls-only, college in Georgia (land of the Dawgs), command just as much love and loyalty from its students?
I was so curious, I actually took the time to look into it further than just a quick peek at the website!
One of the first things I noticed about the answers I received was a focus on the size of the school. They generally graduate under 300 women a year. With fewer students and smaller classes, the entire college experience is made more intimate and unique. Students can have one-on-one relationships with their teachers; some that last way past graduation and turn into friendships.
The school also seems to have an excellent grasp on the application of team building exercises. Each class is bonded together each year by a week of scheduled competitions called Black Cat. They're assigned colors, paired up with a sister class and then mayhem ensues up until the week ends with a play, put on by the Juniors, and Black Kitty is awarded to the winning class. Most of the alumnus I talked to drew some of their fondest memories from either Black Cat or Junior Production.
My personal favorite discoveries about the school were on the more whimsical side. I was lucky enough to have a couple of Scotties to take me on a little tour of the campus. There is a wall in the Buttrick Hall that displays the signatures of incoming students. They sign all of these pieces of parchment after having recited the honor code (which is obviously pretty important, given most tests are take-home) then the signatures are hung for all to see. Also, a boring, mail-order class ring process just isn't good enough for ASC. They have a ceremony where students are presented their rings at a special dinner. They get to ring bells when they make post college plans, throw girls in the fountain upon getting engaged, and there are even ghost stories!
But I think that maybe one of the most important experiences at the school exists due to a complimentary blending of timing and trust. Entering college is a big deal in most people's lives and it happens at a time when self discovery and self reflection are operating at high levels. Due to the importance placed upon the honor code, and possibly even the physical act of the ceremony involved, the students are given a sense of autonomy. Making the professors more like guides than wardens. Independence and self respect are gained, along with a very rich social experience.They work with the school on almost a symbiotic level while earning their degrees and that relationship doesn't seem to extinguish after graduation.
If you know a Scottie, it probably didn't take you long to figure out that they were a part of the Black Ring Mafia. It could be because they all seem to love those rings and wear them every day (I literally only talked to one ASC grad who didn't wear hers and it was due to the fact that she lost it). It could be because they tend to hang out in Scottie packs as they usually try to remain friends after graduation. Or it could be because they seem to be able to work the school into conversation a little more than one would expect.
Whatever the reason, there is obviously something special about Agnes Scott; something that goes way beyond televised muscles and mascots. I'm totally jealous. I imagine it to be very much like Hogwarts. So, yeah... Go Scotties!
**Thanks to all the ASC grads who helped me out with this blog post.
