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Serious Scholars at Any Age (by JoAnn Gage)
JoAnn Gage '05 Sage Staff Writer
Could you imagine finishing an exhausting Chemistry lab then rushing home to cook dinner for your family? Or, could you imagine having to help your children with their homework before you could start your own? This may sound unbelievable to many Bryn Mawr students, but to some women these are everyday tasks in addition to classes, papers, and exams; these dedicated women are McBride Scholars.
(I'd really rather have a picture here)The McBride program energizes and invigorates our college community.
Named after Bryn Mawr's fourth president Katherine McBride, the McBride Scholars program started in 1986 to offer women past the traditional college age the opportunity to complete their undergraduate degree in a liberal arts environment. Most of the women who enroll in the program have endured some type of familial or personal hardship that made them decide to postpone their education. Some McBrides are looking for degrees that will advance their careers, while others are here to fill gaps (?) and enjoy an opportunity that they never had. Either way, McBride Scholars are focused (?) and excited by this challenge.
The admission process for the McBride program is similar but has more rigorous terms than the regular undergraduate admission criteria. The application consists of a mandatory interview, four essays, and three recommendations, in addition to standard transcripts and biographical information. The admission committee does not focus purely on grades and SAT scores. Instead, they strive to get to know the individual and try to make sure that the college is a good fit for the person; they want the women to be successful and happy here.
Once admitted, McBride students must fulfill all the divisional requirements of a Bryn Mawr liberal arts degree, down to the C-Sem requirement. McBride Scholars can choose any major the college offers; the only curriculum difference is that they may be part-time students. Many McBrides choose to pursue the normal course of study at Bryn Mawr while living off-campus, working, or caring for their families.
The aspect that sets the McBride program apart from night classes at any large university is that these women truly are a part of the Bryn Mawr community; they have access to the same libraries, laboratories, and support services as undergraduates (they also attend the same classes). They partake in all the traditions, are governed by the Honor Code, and even have representatives in the SGA.
Rona Pietrzak, dean of the McBride program, believes that the McBride Scholars thrive in an all women's environment because it is refreshing after working in a mostly male-centered workplace. McBrides enjoy the student community because they get to engage with lively young minds, and they get to see others living the experience they did not have the opportunity to. Likewise, the undergraduates learn from the diversity of life experiences that McBride students bring to campus. McBrides also provide an alternative older role models for undergraduates (as opposed to teachers or administrators).
Dean Pietrzak also believes that that the most important thing for undergrads to know about McBrides is that they are excited about the program and study with traditional age students. And they are as serious as anyone on campus. Here at Bryn Mawr, McBride Scholars get a chance to fulfill their dreams by completing their education, and undergraduate students get the opportunity to learn with and from these amazing women. The McBride program energizes and invigorates its students, as well as our college community.
