Archivist note: Originally published on the Elections WordPress site. Apr 19, 2014 @ 21:58, “Traditions Mistresses/Masters/Mistex”
Dijia Chen and Pam Gassman
We, Dijia Chen and Pamela Gassman, are running for the positions of Traditions Mistresses for the 2014-2015 academic year. We feel that Traditions are an important part of life at Bryn Mawr, and offer a unique experience that fosters unity and solidarity among the community. We hope to give back and improve upon the experience we received as first years to the incoming students. Our goal is not to recreate our experience, but to shape an environment in which students will be free to craft their own experience.
We both were members of the 2014 Hell Week Committee, which served to give us behind the scenes practice in planning Hell Week and an opportunity to create a strong working relationship. We realize that Traditions, especially Hell Week, are always changing. Seeing the changes in Hell Week this year has inspired us to continuously improve the experience of Traditions, to learn from and to see spaces in which there are opportunities for growth, and to help ensure that Traditions evolve. We hope to make Traditions a safer and more accessible environment for all students, emotionally, physically, and socially regardless of how one chooses to participate. We propose to do this through creating greater awareness for what one can expect during Traditions through initiatives such as Traditions 101 teas and setting volume/crowd level ratings for events. We also hope to reach out to and collaborate with off-campus representatives to ensure that students living off-campus can more easily participate if they choose to do so. Furthermore, we hope to strengthen communication and work more closely with administration and Dorm Leadership Team members to provide greater role in supporting first years during Traditions. We also want to increase visibility of the Hell Week Committee on campus in order to establish its presence as a resource. As Traditions Mistresses we hope to create an atmosphere conductive to open communication and dialogue, pertaining both to the student body, and individuals.
Both of us have acquired relevant skills through participation in the Bryn Mawr community and outside. Pam works in the Admissions Office and as a Teaching Assistant for the Education department. Additionally, she recently re-opened the Open Mic Club on campus. During last summer she worked as a counselor at an all-girls summer camp, which required her to coordinate events and confront many issues. Dijia is a customs person, worker at Uncommon Grounds Cafe, and peer tutor for Japanese. She has also taken part in curating a Tri-College exhibition and a film series at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute. Additionally, our involvement as members of the Hell Week Committee has provided us with important knowledge and experience regarding Traditions. These positions and activities have provided both of us with crucial skills such as time management, organization, and communication. We also complement each other and understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Pam is skilled at making connections with new people, facilitating discussion, and delegating tasks. Dijia is great at sustaining the momentum, solving crises, and staying on top of everything. We have different ways of thinking and different ways of responding to different situations, and we value each other’s insights. This allows us to confront different problems from more perspectives while maintaining open dialogue.
We understand that in Bryn Mawr’s community Traditions require the hard work of everyone on campus: Traditions Mistresses/Masters/Mistex, students, faculty, staff, and administrators. The goal of these events is to celebrate both the bonds that we have formed and the future relationships with upcoming Mawrters. We are confident that we will create a welcoming and secure environment for students to partake in the experience of Traditions and to join in with the many generations of Bryn Mawr students before them.
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