FACULTY running SPOTLIGHT header
why many at the College will miss his bright presence , but will excitedly welcome him back upon his return :
“ Working for Allen has been an honor and an experience I will always value . Aside
from admiring his decisionmaking , communication , and overall professionalism , the thing I most appreciate is his love for BAC as a school and his concern for each individual student . Despite the late nights and weekends , and the jam-packed Outlook calendar , he always says yes when someone asks , ‘ do
you have a second ?’ While he ’ s on sabbatical I will miss how excited he gets when talking about new concepts of student retention or when finding an innovative way to track something in [ Microsoft ] Excel , but I think the thing I will miss the most are the random bouts of laughter that often erupt midmeeting from his office .” •
SERVING UP SCRAMBLED EGGS & WORLD
VIEWS
The Deans and Faculty Breakfast has become a College tradition . It takes place three times per year , during each exam period . The night before exams begin , students and faculty gather in the Brickman Center Dining Hall at 9 p . m . to study and ask questions . Then , at 10 p . m ., the large rolling gates to the kitchen open , and professors and administrators serve a late-night meal for students . Food options range from pastries and cold cereal to hot options like pancakes , bacon , and eggs .
This is a distinctly Bryn Athyn take on a common college event . Started at BAC in the 2002 – 2003 academic year , this event was adapted from the typical midnight breakfast where cafeteria staff serve students to expand on what BAC already did so well : build trust and rapport between students and faculty . As Brian Henderson ( AA ’ 89 ), dean of students when the event was created , recalls , “ Students really valued seeing faculty outside of regular hours .”
Kiri Rogers , current dean of students , agrees . “ Students seem to really enjoy it ,” Kiri says . “ It ’ s a neat atmosphere .”
But the event isn ’ t only about the relationship between faculty and students . Created during a time when the campus consisted of only four buildings — Childs , Grant , and Pendleton Halls , and the Swedenborg Library — this late-night breakfast at the ANC Secondary Schools Dining Hall gave students a reason and a space to gather together to study and prepare for finals . Even now , while the campus has more facilities for late-night studying , many students stay behind after the kitchen closes — poring over their books and studying for upcoming tests .
Dan Synnestvedt , Ph . D . ( BA ’ 86 ), associate professor of philosophy , is one of the many faculty members who work with students before and after the meal . He says , “ I get to help students one-on-one or in very small groups . Sometimes we stick to preparing for the exam , but often we have discussions about things that are related to the course .”
He adds , “ I also enjoy seeing the expressions on students ’ faces when they approach the cafeteria line where we are serving the hot breakfast food . They seem bemused by having a professor dish up scrambled eggs with cheese ( along with several worldviews ).”
Arielle McGraw ' 17 has often attended the Deans and Faculty Breakfast in her four years at the College and is partial to the omelets . She says she ’ s written papers during the event and that going makes her feel more prepared and less anxious about her exams . She adds , “ It ’ s nice to see everyone there at the same time , really ready to work , in ‘ finals mode .’” — Amanda Lichtenstien
34 | SPRING / SUMMER 2017