The Continental - Hamilton College

More documents

Recommendations

Info

on the hillbreakingnew ground infinancial aidas if the stress of applying to selectivecolleges is not enough, most competitivestudents must also take into accountthe steep tuitions of the nation’stop liberal arts colleges and Ivy Leagueuniversities. Just as there are entiresections within Barnes and Noble devotedto SAT prep books and collegeguides, there are also books devotedto strategizing against the financialatrocity that is the reality of higher education. Thankfully, financial aidofficers are working harder than ever to bring the most qualified scholarsto their institutions with the least financial impact on hard-workingfamilies. A new trend in financial alleviation is the “no-tuition” policythat several top universities, such as Harvard, have adopted.In 2004, Harvard University announced its groundbreaking financialaid initiative: any student whose parents’ income totaled toless than $40,000 would have zero tuition costs. In return, the studentsparticipate in a work study program.. An instant success, the incomethreshold was then raised to $60,000 in March of 2006. With the updatecame additional, greatly reduced tuition prices for families withinthe income bracket of $60,000 to $80,000. 26% of Harvard’s recordnumber of applicants (22,955) fell under the auspices and lower tuitioninitiatives. As Stella Lee, a junior at Harvard states, "The HarvardFinancial Aid Initiative allows low-income students to attend Harvard,but the financial aid doesn't stop once the students arrive on campus.[The school] has several programs that allow these students to integratefully into the Harvard community."10 the continental | spring 2008Two-thirds of Harvard University undergraduatesare on some form of financial aid, with anaverage package of $36,000 for the 2007-2008 academicyear. With such a high number of undergradsreceiving such an impressive amount of aid, Harvardhas tremendous financial resources. CortniNucklos, a freshman at Harvard University, pointsout, "Harvard is leading the way, and I believe othercolleges will follow suit." The university’s financialaid budget is now over $100,000,000.Several schools, namely Yale and Stanford, arecreating similar programs and setting no-tuitionthresholds. Yale has a threshold of $45,000 for notuitionand $45,000 to $60,000 for reduced tuition.Stanford’s policy is the same. As such excellent universitieslevel the playing field for students of all socio-economicbackgrounds, competition betweenschools is increasing. Will other schools cave underpressure and adjust their financial aid policies? The truth is, many are.Recently Princeton, Davidson, and Amherst all moved to end studentloans. This allows for a greater budget for scholarships and other formsof aid that hold the student less responsible for the cost of tuition.As of yet, Hamilton does not have such a discounted tuition policythat is similar to Harvard's. Yet, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid,Monica Inzer, states, “We are committed to meeting the full demonstratedfinancial need (through grants, work-study, and student loans)of every student we enroll.” Hamilton has, however, redistributed its financialaid dollars. Starting with the soon-to-be accepted class of 2012,Hamilton will no longer offer merit-based scholarships. This decisionallows Inzer and the officers to better distribute the $21,000,000 financialaid budget among all eligible students. An average financial aidpackage of $29,000 is awarded to 50% of the students—keeping theschool socio-economically diverse.Stella Lee notes, "Harvard's newly expanded Financial Aid Initiativegives the university a considerable boost in attracting students."Adriane Medler, also a junior undergraduate student at Harvard, adds:"So many colleges have a huge endowment, and more can be done. Ithink Harvard's tuition policy is successfully expanding socioeconomicdiversity on campus." What will Hamilton do now to keep up withthe visionary policies of Harvard? A letter mailed from President JoanHinde Stewart in January to the community of students, alumni andparents expresses that to follow in Harvard's footsteps, we will "increaseour financial aid budget and make this a priority in the next capitalcampaign." In the future then, it may be likely that Hamilton will movetowards a financial aid initiative very similar to Harvard's.-caitlin fitzsimons ’11
the history of an appletraditions from hamilton and kirkland ever-present during senior weekGoing on two hundred years, the Hamilton College communityhas maintained traditions young and old. Especiallyaround commencement time, traditions at Hamilton holdunforgettable memories for the graduating seniors. For one week,seniors are given time to spend together, creating those final bonds withHamilton friends and making memories they will hopefully rememberafter all of the Senior Week festivities.Kirkland College may only hold ten years on record in the Hamiltonhistory book, but its impact on Hamilton’s campus is still celebratedthrough a strawberries and champagne picnic for the graduatingwomen and their families. Started in 1978, the final year that KirklandCollege held a commencement ceremony,Strawberries and Champagne continues to recallsome of the activities of Kirkland’s graduation,including an open mic that was once a part ofthe actual ceremonies. Organized by the femalefaculty, the picnic did gradually integrate the malefaculty of Kirkland College who wanted to honortheir female students.Another well known Kirkland-founded commencement traditionis the placing of a green apple by each Hamilton female on the podiumas they cross the stage. The ladies of the first co-ed graduating classstarted the tradition in protest to the administration’s decision todisband Kirkland College.Nancy Rabinowitz, the Margaret Scott Bundy Professor ofComparative Literature, recalls the comedic scene at graduation as thefaculty scurried on stage to remove the green apples after each woman,having been trained in how to make the apple make the greatest thudagainst the podium, placed it on the stand. The apple placing has nowbecome more of a symbol of honor towards Kirkland College than of aresistance movement, and today, senior women are given a green apple“Kirkland is part of the pastthat needs to berecognized.”-Professor Nancy Rabinowitzpin by female members of the faculty.Why such an emphasis on the traditions of Kirkland College atcommencement time? “Kirkland is a part of the past that needs to berecognized,” Rabinowitz says. She notes that without these Kirklandtraditions, there would be nothing else of the all-female institution thatdeserves more celebration.Countering the women’s picnic, Apolon ’08 has requested with theconsent of the senior week committee and office of the Dean of Facultythat the men of Hamilton College have their own event, a carved hamlunch with ale, appropriately called the Ale-Ham Lunch. In this way, themen of the college can recall the long history before Kirkland College.“The old Hamilton has vanished just assurely [as Kirkland],” Apolon points out. “Thename remains but this is not the same school asit was before.”As May quickly arrives, seniors will soonbecome nostalgic for the past years they havespent on the Hill. Assistant Dean of Students forCampus Life and Director of Student ActivitiesLisa Magnarelli ’96 recalls that senior week is a great time to reconnectwith old roommates and friends while creating a common, individualexperience to share as a class.“Senior week is bittersweet,” Brian Greenleaf ’08 says, “At somepoint in time you have to move on.” Each year new “traditions” areintroduced, as each class year has the opportunity to form its ownevents for the week. Finally, at the commencement ceremonies, eachHamilton graduate will receive his or her classic cane, uniting the classand alumni alike. When another school year officially closes, the Classof ’08 will step aside to let the bicentennial class tackle the academicrigor on the Hill.-alicia wright ’10the continental | spring 2008 11
Page 1 and 2: the continentalspring 2008POWER IN
Page 3 and 4: the continental spring 2008on the c
Page 5 and 6: advertise!advertise with the contin
Page 7 and 8: www.shopclintonwine.comthe continen
Page 9: the continentalspring 2008POWER IN
Page 13 and 14: from bar mitzvahthousands,to bar mi
Page 15 and 16: alternative spring breakhamilton st
Page 17 and 18: activism aliveand well athamiltonIn
Page 19 and 20: talk of the townmusicmetalfor the m
Page 21 and 22: talk of the townnicole dietsche ’
Page 23 and 24: musictop pick: weezer10 YearsDivisi
Page 25 and 26: tv on dvdtalk of the towntop pick:p
Page 27 and 28: talk of the townthe future of telev
Page 29 and 30: featuresfrom hill to hillhamilton s
Page 31 and 32: featurescapital cityone of the comm
Page 33 and 34: featuresas the war in iraq heads in
Page 35 and 36: featuresbattle of the sexeshigher g
Page 37 and 38: the continental | spring 2008 37
Page 39 and 40: featureslightsider meets darksidere
Page 41 and 42: featuresall-american meets south am
Page 43 and 44: Determining SalariesSalaries are ba
Page 45 and 46: featuresthe continental | spring 20
Page 47 and 48: jaredsolomonHometown:PhiladelphiaMa
Page 49 and 50: stylewhat to wearfrom day to night
Page 51 and 52: stylestories with us, showing that
Page 53 and 54: stylethe inspiration: family herita
Page 55 and 56: stylethe inspiration: childhood mem
Page 57 and 58: home sweet homeAnd the winners are
Page 59 and 60: stylemellow yellowYellow is one of
Page 61 and 62:
the continental | spring 2008 61
Page 63 and 64:
senior advice“We come to this col
Page 65 and 66:
elaxing before block partyTuesday,
Page 67 and 68:
t, go out into the world.”-semiso
Page 69 and 70:
societyleo Streakface* showed up fi
Page 71 and 72:
11 College HillBuilt in 1910; homet
Page 73 and 74:
Rockwell, the painting illustrates
Page 75 and 76:
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
travelanunexpectedlifeliving in sen
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
travel“The teranga is everywhere.
Page 85 and 86:
Page 87 and 88:
travelincredible indiaback on the h
Page 89 and 90:
If you do, you will learn invaluabl
Page 91 and 92:
travelis a certain sense of peace a
Page 93 and 94:
travelfamilyThe highlight of my stu
Page 95 and 96:
travelblood orangesEvery day, huge
Page 97:
to bey in thepeciallyhcentrygarden.
Page 100:
100 the continental | spring 2008
show all

The Continental - Hamilton College

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?