Commencement to Honor Classes '20 And
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DEREK CHAUVIN TRIAL REACTIONS FROM THE WABASH COMMUNITY SEE PAGE FIVE APRILFebruary 30, 19,2021 2021 Commencement to Honor Classes ’20 and ’21 COURTESY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING With Commencement not being held last yeardue to the pandemic, the forthcoming celebration of the class of 2020 and 2021 will allow for a larger group of recent Wabash graduates to receieve a formal, in-person celebration for the efforts and achievements garnered over the last four years. JAKOB GOODWIN ’23 | STAFF format. In that email, he said that get to join the Class of 2021 for their the College and Dr. Butler as a long- WRITER • “We were devastated a year there was a hope to hold an in-person first time. time professor in the political science ago when we were forced to hold commencement at some point in the Rather than on the Mall in front department. They join the ranks of our 2020 Commencement Ceremony future. The administration probably of the chapel, this year’s ceremony former Wabash Presidents, legendary in a virtual format.” That is what did not expect it to take a year to will take place in the newly built professors, and campus leaders. Jim Amidon ‘87, Chief of Staff to make an in-person ceremony possible, Little Giant Stadium. Amidon told me Surely, in this year where nothing President Feller, told me when but this has created an opportunity that the stadium was chosen because has been the same, graduation would I asked him about the upcoming for a ceremony unlike any other, it had the space for the necessary be no different. While the ceremony commencement ceremony and what aligning itself with everything this social distancing but could also may not be the same one that the that will look like in this year that academic year. Amidon told me that accommodate four guests for every classes of 2020 and 2021 imagined has been anything but normal. representatives from the Class of graduate, rather than the two guests when they paid their deposits and Professor Jim Cherry, who serves as 2020 made it clear that their “goals that most colleges and universities joined our ranks, there is no doubt Faculty Marshal, echoed the same were to be together, walk under are allotting for each graduate. Just that it will be a special one. They will sentiment when I asked him some the arch, and sing Old Wabash on like normal, two speakers from the all get to hear from their classmates questions to see what other changes the steps of the Allen Center.” In graduating class will speak. With two and faculty about Wabash and what there may be for the ceremony in honoring that goal, the classes classes, we’ll get a double feature of the future may hold for them. They fifteen days. of 2020 and 2021 will share a the regularly scheduled Malcolm Lang will all get to walk under the arch, This ceremony is yet another commencement ceremony where they and Paul Haesemeyer with Nathan this time not fearing that they will symbol of the recovery that Wabash will get to do just that. Every member Gray and Marcus Torres representing fail comps. Whether the weather in has taken on this year during the of these two classes will get to sing the Class of 2020. Indiana cooperates or not, President pandemic. A little over 13 months Old Wabash and the Alma Mater Two others will join them in the Feller will use Caleb Mils’ bell to ring ago, President Hess, who will be during the ceremony, walk across the getting of degrees. Former President out his first class of Wabash men in receiving an honorary degree at this stage to receive their diploma, and Gregory Hess H’19 and D. Melissa a matter of weeks. COVID-19 may year’s commencement, announced walk under the arch before singing Butler H’85 will both receive Doctor have forced Wabash to change, but it that he had to make the hard Old Wabash on the steps of the Allen of Humane Letters degrees from the will not be able to stop the Wabash call to move the Class of 2020’s Center. For the Class of 2020, it’ll be College. Both have served this College community from celebrating its grads commencement ceremony to a virtual their first time in a year, and they’ll greatly, Hess as the 16th President of for their hard work. Mathis Named Next Bachelor Editor-in- Chief LIAM GRENNON ’24 | STAFF WRITER to Campus Committee and was a • The Bachelor is excited to announce Sophomore Class Representatuve for that Reed Mathis ‘22 will be assuming Student Senate. Mathis is also a CIBE the position of Editor-in-Chief for the Senior Innovation Consultant and upcoming 2021-2022 school year. interned at Impact Networking this Mathis will be taking over for past summer. Austin Hood ‘21, who has accepted Mathis is ready to hit the ground a position at City Year Philadelphia running and is looking to achieve a after graduation. multitude of goals during the 2021- Originally from Indianapolis, 2022 year. The Bachelor next year Mathis graduated from Brebeuf Jesuit will aim to further amplify the voice Preparatory School. of traditionally underrepresented Mathis has been part of the groups and students on campus, along Bachelor staff since first coming with revamping how The Bachelor to Wabash as a freshman. He has reaches out to its readers through previously served as a staff writer, social media. In more exciting news, online Editor, and currently news The Bachelor will look to do both Editor for The Bachelor. Mathis is a online content and incorporate our political science major with a double traditional printed issues for the minor in economics and classics. He Wabash community each Friday, as is also a brother of Phi Delta Theta, the publication did pre-COVID. where he served as Head of Alumni Mathis is continuing to build his Relations before taking his current editorial staff for the next year, role as a social chair. A member and if you are interested in working of the Sphinx Club and two-year with The Bachelor for the following captain of the tennis team, Mathis is year, feel free to reach out to him at also chairman of the Crawfordsville rwmathis22@wabash.edu. VOLUME 113 • ISSUE 25 OPINION THE BACHELOR EDITORIAL BOARD AUSTIN HOOD ’21 REED MATHIS ’22 ALEX ROTARU ’22 BLAKE LARGENT ’22 DREW BLUETHMANN ’22 BENJAMIN HIGH ’23 COOPER SMITH ’23 JOHN WITCZAK ’21 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF NEWS EDITOR OPINION EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR CAVELIFE EDITOR PHOTO EDITOR ONLINE EDITOR COPY EDITOR Wabash is a Religion around me, understand what Wabash is still place their faith in the dogmas of saddened to return to campus in a decade Austin Hood ’21 and how to live well in it. My hope is that Wabash, but posit that somewhere along or two to find that Chapel Sing no longer it does the same for you. the line the “true” Wabash was lost. happens or that Homecoming is a shell Reply to this editorial at aghood21@wabash.edu Like all religions, Wabash has rituals. Their solution is to turn back the hands of what I knew it to be. But these people This point seems so obvious that I of time to a mythical era when the spirit often confuse traditions to be the sole don’t think I really need to justify it. of Wabash was more real than it is now. constituent of the beauty of this place. Chapel Talk is akin to a Sunday morning They hear stories of pole fights and They cling tight to the ceremonies, and church service. Ringing In is a rite of mandatory chapel and fantasize about the mythical ceremonies to the past, initiation. Commencement is a solemn living under such conditions. because they find little else attractive yet celebratory mass. Chapel Sing, in my And of course there are Wabash about this College. eyes, amounts to a sort of confirmation atheists, who see all the trappings of the Finally, I sincerely sympathize with ceremony that seals one’s devotion to Church of the Little Giant as little more the Wabash atheists. Their skepticism is the College. Monon Bell appears to be a than a clever way of swindling us out of an important check on the hubris of the festival filled to the brim with Dionysian tuition dollars. They ridicule those who other two factions. Anyone who knows excess and madness. still believe in the dogmas and adhere me personally is aware that I carefully talked a lot about Wabash during It has creeds and dogmas. One need faithfully to the rituals. They have a avoid a zealousness in relation to this my semester abroad. I think a lot not look further than the Admissions reflexive distrust of the administration, College. It can be radically disappointing I of other Wallies have experienced website to get a handle on what they are. and tend to keep their circles small and frustrating to talk to someone who this. It doesn’t take much detail to get Work hard and play hard and you’ll be and guarded. There are more of these defaults in conversation to talking about people thoroughly intrigued about this rewarded with a successful life. Respect doubters than many people on this how great of a place Wabash is. So place. It is quite a bit different than any the traditions and the spirit of the College campus would like to admit. many potentially serious conversations other institution of higher education in and you’ll be inducted into a magical I find myself caught between all of about the state of this campus easily the world.