By Kathryn Willgus
As the academic year begins, campus clubs and general activities are already in full swing. With new and returning themed houses once again back in business, there are many events and activities to look forward to on campus, beginning with a Potluck-style gathering at the Bairnwick Women’s Center. Student leaders and members of themed houses got together at the Women’s Center to meet new people, network among groups, and find new ways to be supportive of, and get involved with, fellow students and their endeavors.
The Bairnwick Women’s Center has planned many new and traditional events coming up for this semester. Returning events include Women’s and Gender Studies Colloquium—the first of these coming September 12—Pinnacle Luncheons, and Writing Workshops. New programs to look for include a Town Hall Meeting on University Sexual Assault Policy, Senior Women’s Debut, and The Female Orgasm Program.
The brand new Gender and Sexual Diversity House, despite some adversity, is transitioning into a prominent position on campus. On the second day back at school, the house suffered vandalism to their rainbow flag on display in the front of the house. The flag has been returned to its original position, and the GSD House is moving forward from this negativity, as well as planning many events for the year to come. These events will include LGBT themed movie nights, Pride Week events, a sexual health panel, a Valentine’s Day event celebrating all kinds of love, and an LGBT formal in the spring.
The Green House has been challenging students to be environmentally conscious and live sustainably for many years. This semester, the Green House will be hosting weekly volunteer hours in their garden, biweekly green reads to connect literature and nature, the annual live arts event Arm & Trout, and a fall garden party.
The Good Life House, a new installment on campus, focuses on varying forms of health and wellness. Some plans coming together for the house this fall include local Sewanee music in the Sewanee Angel Park, health forums conducted with Health services, book clubs, and weekly yoga classes hosted at the house by Sewanee students.
The Sportsmen House, newly located in Married Housing, has many goals they plan to accomplish through events on campus. They will be hosting informational dinners addressing topics from firearm safety to fly fishing lessons, hunting trips, a shrimp boil, and an oyster roast, as well as being heavily involved in the annual Ducks Unlimited banquet, which raises money for wetland conservation.
The Bairnwick Women’s Center is located on Mississippi Avenue behind the BC, The Green House is on Mitchell Avenue next to McCrady dorm, The Good Life House is in Downtown Sewanee near Regions Bank, and the Gender and Sexual Diversity House and the Sportsmen House are both located on the Hodgson compound, in Emery and Married Housing 107 respectively. To stay updated on upcoming events and news, many of these houses have active Facebook pages, as well as cstudent emails, flyers across campus, and opportunities for stopping to check them out.