Yet another year has passed and the yearbooks are out again. I graduated this May and for the first time, I making my voice heard in the Guilfordian. I understand that one yearbook cannot soley represent all of the diverse activities and images found on the Guilford College campus. I respect those who dedicated a lot of time and enregy to this process for our enjoyment. Yet, I feel that there was a vast amount of information missing from the pages of the this past year’s yearbook that is pertinent to what Guilford claims to be, what people might want to remember.
I have many close friends who are/were involved in the theater deparment and all the productions they pulled together to bring to the campus life. There was one, out of the two, main stage productions featured in the year book and none of the four student-productions: Jared Axelrod’s plays, Vagina Monologues, Waiting for Gaddot and more. Machinal, which was a huge success in the Spring was not mentioned, photographed nor were the reviews from the Guilfordian republished. The reviews, actors and those who were involved in the production spoke about how Machinal was one of the best, most stimulating productions to be brought and created at Guilford.
Secondly, Where are the graduation pictures? Graduation is just as important of a stepping stone as CHAOS and it did not receive a multi-page spread. Regardless of the crummy weather before the ceremonies, I have seen proof of good pictures being taken. Perhaps this is due to the fact that all nongraduating students are kicked out of their dorms by the time of graduation weekend but two small, blurry-ass pictures are not enough. Everyone in one class is there for their first week of school, but there are only “the few and the strong” who remain for their graduation. This, in my opinion, should be celebrated and remembered in the same way as when we first came into Guilford.
I am very proud of Guilford’s athletics, I was an athlete myself four years ago. We are a small school with a growing program. but sports is not what defines Guilford is to all students. I felt there was a lot of emphasis on the sports while it was difficult for a reader to find the half-a-page dedicated to a single club. I feel there is no way in hell a sport would be “neglected” or “forgotten” but plenty of student clubs and study abroad programs were. Personally, going to Brunnenburg in 2001 was extremely important to my growth, my relationships and my experience at Guilford. I often refer to my life as being split in two, “preBrunnenburg” and “postBrunnenburg.” There were plenty of picutres submitted, not one of them made it in. I’m sure anyone who is an active member or participated in any study abroad would agree that these experiences, student clubs, study abroad programs, specific academic departments, AND sports are how we attract diverse groups of people not just one.
Thank you for bringing out the yearbooks so quickly, it was a pleasure to go through it so soon after school ended. The permenant addresses of the recent graduates was a wonderful idea. The AACS was a wonderful layout and very deserving to those members who have worked so hard for the community. I know people worked very hard on the yearbooks with few rewards. We go to a small liberal arts school that offers so much that it may be hard to keep up with and then, ontop of that, archive and report on it later. I understand this. These are just a few observations and some constructive criticism for next time and I hope they are taken in good light.
-Sara Rosenblatt ’02