As the familiar sound of Caleb Mills’ bell echoed off the historic wooden beams of the Chapel, a new class of students were welcomed into the Wabash community and a new year began. The ring of the bell symbolizes not only a new year or a new class, but a clean slate ripe with opportunity for the future.
The 2023-24 school year was marked by the conclusion of the Giant Steps campaign, the announcement of historic capital projects and exciting initiatives to improve the Wabash experience. However, 2023-24 also included instances of vandalism on campus, uncertainty surrounding new academic requirements and another year without the Monon Bell.
“I think the number one accomplishment in my mind from last year was I did feel that we added more joy to the Wabash experience,” said President Feller. “I think that’s happened each year post pandemic, but I just felt like last year, the mood on and around campus, the decibels in Chadwick court, participation at events like the Celebration of Student Research and things like that just felt more joyful to me.”
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, community has been at the forefront of administrative goals as a means to re-ignite the Wabash culture, which has historically seen high participation in things like intramural sports, all campus events and sporting matches. Efforts by the Student Senate, individual clubs and Wabash faculty have contributed to the re-emergence of participation by the student body, but have not been able to reach levels seen prior to COVID-19.
“The more that we’ve been talking about community, the more I see that as a theme for us to explore and, frankly, do better on,” said Feller. “I think that we have both a Wabash community and we have many communities within that. I’m just particularly interested in ‘how do we embrace that broadest sense of a Wabash community?’”
This year, Wabash College will have a Director of Latino Partnerships for the first time, an example of a tangible way that the College is working to improve community at Wabash. Furthermore, the construction of the Community Center has begun, although behind schedule, and will be one of the centerpieces of the campus. Lastly, President Feller hopes that the community cultivated on our campus will extend to people outside of Wabash.
“I would love for us to make some progress this year on the Monon Bell game and just reminding ourselves that these are our rivals and our friends,” said Feller. “Obviously we’re going to beat them and we’re going to bring the bell back at the conclusion of the football game, but I’d like us to think about doing that in a way that we’re proud of the day after.”
Looking beyond this year, the next major milestone for the College will be the 200th anniversary of the College’s founding. Initial planning has already begun as the College prepares to celebrate the historic achievement and celebrate the storied history of Wabash.
“I think, you know, we’ve kind of demonstrated that the COVID-19 period is behind us and we should be thinking about our future, thinking about the 200th anniversary of the college in 2032. We’re not very far away from recruiting the students who will be here for our bicentennial.”
This year will feature construction across campus and disruptions as multiple capital projects continue to take place, an election that has the opportunity to divide and the usual unexpected circumstances that will undoubtedly arise. However, it will also feature exciting opportunities for students to interact with each other in new and unique ways, a glimpse into the future, and the traditions that make Wabash special.