Here is a tradition still celebrated on the Juniata Campus, but with a format change to meet the changing social environment. Since arriving at Juniata in 2013, President Jim Troha has in a way revised an old tradition of the President welcoming students to campus. A past tradition was the President’s Reception for Freshman. In the early 1960s the reception was held at the home of President Calvert Ellis in the Taylor Highlands. The attire was “Sunday best!” The men wore coats and ties and the ladies wore dresses and white gloves. The caption in the 1964 Alfarata provides a good description of the event. “The first chance the whole freshman class had to meet the President and his wife personally . . . . held at the Ellis’ home . . . . cars driven by Leadership Conference men for efficient transportation . . . . introductions made by the Senate members . . . . good punch, many cookies served by Sophomore counselors . . . . and freshman looking their Sunday best in good clothes . . . . all on a beautiful Fall afternoon.” Now President Troha serves coffee and healthy snacks on the Quad each first day of the semester. He greets all students that stop by, not just freshman. The event is a hit! Even the first dog, Ally, enjoyed the festivities. And Jim’s wife Jennifer joins in too. For the second semester there is hot chocolate and a fire to break the chill of a winter morning. Some call this a new tradition – and it is, but it also in a way revises the old tradition of the President’s Freshman Reception too.
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 15:06:41 +0000
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