Traditions and Community: A Mawrter Remembers

It's always a treat when Trustee Emeritus Jacqueline Badger Mars ’61 returns to campus. The Bulletin caught up with Mars when she visited this fall and asked her about her memories of life at the College.

What drew you to Bryn Mawr?

I was at an all-girls’ prep school and wanted a small highly rated college not so far north from my home in Virginia. I only applied to two colleges.

What was the most exciting and important professor/course for you?   

Dr. Eugene Schneider, Sociology, and Dr. Frederica de Laguna, Anthropology.

What aspects of the community—traditions, clubs, activities—were meaningful to you ?   

The ability to be part of class shows, be on the swim team, and of course Lantern Night.

How did Bryn Mawr shape you as a person?      

Bryn Mawr changed me from a protected naive WASP to a stronger all-around person and showed me a more diverse population than I had been exposed to previously.

Now that you have been away for a while, what are you realizing about Bryn Mawr?  

I only began to appreciate through other academic experiences how lucky we were to have full professors teaching us, even as lowly freshmen. I am forever grateful for being exposed to this level of intellectual experience.