Goucher, like most small colleges, centers the social community around clubs and student organizations. And also like a lot of colleges, this student life took a major toll during COVID-19, and requires active student leaders to maintain them. Goucher, especially, has played host to a myriad of weird and wacky clubs and activities.
Pirate Club for the longest time was the quintessential example of this unique club spirit, but it seems like many clubs, it did not make it through COVID-19. I am not sure what exactly they did. (If you are familiar with their history, please email me at Max.Ravnitzky@goucher.edu)
Donnybrook fair, the school yearbook, is one of the longest running traditions at Goucher starting in 1896. It is one of the primary sources for all three major histories of Goucher College. When there were profits from sales, they went to a variety of charities, and to student events. It has been out of production since 2019. We will see if this historic institution of Goucher is ever reawakened.
Hot Steel, a concert night, was another of Goucher’s biggest traditions that has been lost. In Dorsey Courtyard, students from colleges and universities all over the Baltimore region would gather for a night of their lives. Many Goucher students met their husbands and longtime friends there. This musical event would open the semester with a bang.
May Court was seemingly a short-lived tradition at Goucher of crowning various students into symbolic positions in May. I have heard from some peers about a similar idea taking inspiration from our sister school of Morgan University and their royal court. We will see if any flavor of this is ever revived.
The Ministry of Funny Walks, started as students doing hacky sack for breaks from physics homework, evolved into another one of Goucher’s most unique clubs. It does not exist anymore. The name comes from a Monty Python sketch of the same name.
Trips to Washington have been a part of being at Goucher since 1890 when students attended a reception for President Harrison, but were disappointed to not meet First Lady Caroline Lavinia Harrison. This has evolved into Goucher’s modern student trips to DC, which involve advocacy and activism and may or may not be directly supported by Goucher’s administration.
Goucher Yells was a Goucher tradition tracing its origin to at least fall of 1892, with “a general college committee on ‘yells,’ whose business it was to stimulate the use of the college yell and see to it that each class in college had its yell,” was formed. The Histories of Goucher College makes consistent reference to the yells throughout the various years, so I am not sure when the practice died at Goucher. I hope someone, be it me or another, actually commits the time to revive this activity, ironically or otherwise.
Glee Club was the first club organized in 1889 according to The History of Goucher College by Knipp and Thomas. Of the four musical organizations described in this first history of Goucher College, only Choir and Jazz Band still exist. Choir, Jazz Band, and the acapella small ensemble do amazing performances that punctuate the semester, captivating audiences.
The Reverend’s Rebels was one of several major musical groups on our campus. Their website claims that they formed as an a cappella group “to break away from the tradition of singing exclusively religious music at Goucher and do something a little different.” This amazing group no longer exists actively on campus.
Fencing was a major club and even sports teams at Goucher. Alumni told me during Alumni weekend that in their time, the fencing team competed nationally, and did well as there were so few women’s teams. They, alongside Humans versus Zombies, are the only clubs to have explicit exemptions to the weapons policy. However, fencing is not taught or practiced at Goucher any longer.
Beekeeping Club, like many other clubs here, died during COVID-19. It is one of the few clubs on here that was net profitable, from selling honey. As cool as it was, it was reliant on the support of staff who donated their time and expertise to students, and when they left and COVID-19 hit soon after, the club dissolved.
“Goucher Nerdfighters” was a club with a badass name, but I have to assume they were just a fan club for the Green brothers. Hank and John Green are the creators of Crash Course, Vlog Brothers, Complexly, Awesome Socks, and many other online ventures, mostly focused on education and making the world a better place. Again, this club seems to have passed in the pandemic.
SEPIA (Sexual Education Positivity Inclusion and Activism) and Men of Strength (MOST) were both clubs at Goucher that worked together for healthier relations. This kind of work is still being done today under the Wellness center and its peer educators.
CAUSE was one of the biggest organizations at Goucher that worked for the betterment of the wider community. It no longer exists, but Goucher students still participate in such activities through the office of Community Based Learning, Goucher Prison Education Program (GPEP) volunteering, Hillel, Food Recovery Network, and independently.
House culture, as any older Alumni may have known it, is dead. Our student governance is completely separate in SGA, student leadership control of room draw is greatly diminished, and very few students stay in the same dorm every year. Attendance for events put on by Residential life is often low. Potential revival of some form of this model has been discussed by some but nothing has come in the short term. What is left of this concept and perhaps may grow further is special interest housing such as the Gaming House, Arts and Media House, and Language House. Alongside these housing, we have the new Latinx house and the Robinson-Barland House for identity based housing.
Car/Van destruction for finals week or GIG is one of the most fun sounding short lived traditions at Goucher college. With some more safety equipment, and purchasing vehicles that would otherwise be scrap, I believe it can be brought back.
Get into Goucher (GIG), was started over 40 years ago as a surprise event in the spring run by house presidents featuring a nice picnic, conversations with Alumni, and class cancellations for the day. This was a very special community event. Now it has been moved to the fall, classes go on as normal, and it is planned well in advance with public knowledge by SET (Student Engagement Team) and OSE (Office of Student Engagement). This shift is symbolic of the larger changes in our community and on campus events.
Goucher has a weird relation with campus life, as it shuts down third spaces for events (Gopher Hole, Alice’s, etc) with recent promises to reopen some of these spaces, postponing educational events related to Palestine and antisemitism, and trying to bring Edenwald residents on campus. Goucher is trying on an administrative level to revive campus life to support its struggling retention rate, but I am not sure they know the correct way to go about it.
Esther Everson has led SET as President in running numerous campus events and being a core part of this community. They also helped co-found and run the Al-Jaalia Arabic Club which is one of the more active if small clubs. Their example should be a guiding light in what this community looks for in a leader.
The list above was just a small sampling of the unique clubs and activities Goucher has played host to over the years. I have talked about the past culture and clubs, but I believe as importantly we must look at a selection of our current clubs and organizations to see the future for our community.
Hillel is a longstanding part of the Goucher community, with much of the direction and leadership of the organization being chosen by current students. Alongside traditional services, other activities to connect to Judaism and Jewish culture are hosted.
Humans Versus Zombies (HvZ) is a hallmark of Goucher College. Created in Fall 2005 at Goucher, it has since spread to colleges and universities across the globe. Goucher’s club is still going strong, putting on the most amazing and unique events. This is why the open invitational event currently planned for the fall is so exciting. To adequately describe the impressive game, its history, and its future would take another few pages. But needless to say, I am excited to grab my blaster and bandana and run away from some zombies.
Seltzer Club, created by Dylan Halsted, is another one of the unique clubs at Goucher college. Their discord conversations ranking Seltzers is fascinating, and they have many members. The concept of putting on events to dress up for but serve primarily seltzers is humorous and cool. The club looks to leave for an early grave as Dylan graduates. We will see if anyone steps up to lead the club.
Dungeons, Dragons and Gophers is another creative club that sparks a unique community that I view as essential to our student body. Focused on role playing games, this club was effectively reborn post COVID-19 with its current name.
Equal Access is a club dedicated to creating space and advocating for people with disabilities. This group is symbolic of the spirit of Goucher students in their inclusivity. As Goucher becomes more well known for accommodating students with disabilities, Equal Access will grow in importance.
Nomad Student Organization (NSO) alongside Goucher International Student Association (GISA) have been great clubs that will only grow as the international student body grows.
Movimiento Estudiantil Hispano Americano (MEHA) is another successful unique club that is representative of our campus getting more diverse
Independent Music Club (IMC) has hosted numerous amazing events this year including a Bob Dylan show. This is a club that brings the community together, including professors and students. I am excited to see what they do next year!
The Goucher Food Recovery Network is a great club that works with Bon Appetite to bring excess food waste to the people that need it.
Pizzazz Musical Theatre is the group that currently puts on musicals for the Goucher community. Theater is a big part of the history of Goucher College even if we only currently offer a minor, and so I am happy that this part of our community is active. Trail to Oregon is their current show happening May 9th at 8pm and May 11th at 7pm in Merrick Lecture Hall.
The Preface is our long running literary magazine. They are key to an important part of our community, and are still going strong. The Preface Release party on Monday May 12th 7-9pm in the Undercroft. I am eager to see the newest book.
And we cannot forget our very own Quindecim, which does journalism and other cool stuff. The office is in Mary Fisher, just above the historic lobby and functions as a third space. Sam Rose is the current Editor and Chief, so any complaints about mistakes made in this or any other Q piece should be directed to him. With more students, the Q functions as another impactful voice of the student body.
Rocky Horror Picture Show Club puts on the biggest event of the semester in its production of Rocky Horror. Goucher has been putting this event on every October for decades. It has developed its own traditions and quirks in our community. Advice for what to expect from the show can be found in Joshua Haynes, ’27’s Quindecim piece.
Frisbee and Volleyball Club are the two current mainstays of club sports, both have waxed and waned in popularity over the years. As an officer of the frisbee Club, I am obligated to tell you we are the cooler club sport. With Frisbee Goucher is one of a few colleges to have a disc golf course on campus. This is awesome, even if the course has missing holes, tees, and unplayable holes. The Volleyball club has access to an outdoor sand court as well as our indoor courts. Despite the quirks of our college, campus club sports are valuable parts of our community.
1021 HipHop and Dancers of Color Coalition (DCC) are both clubs that showcase the unique talents of the dancers of Goucher college outside the dance courses and performances. They are a core part of the unique culture at Goucher. I hope they maintain their ability to surprise and excite audiences well into the future.
Gopher Strides is a new club this year dedicated towards creating a community through walks, jogs, runs, and hikes. With its creative name created by Joshua Haynes, this club fills a unique niche, and I predict it will become a cornerstone of our community.
Every Registered Student Organization (RSO), which includes all official clubs, (except SET) are all overseen by Goucher’s Student Government Association (SGA). So, if we want to create community at Goucher, we must have willing partners in SGA and its supervisory organization, the Office of Student Engagement (OSE). As a current senator, I promise to do everything in my power to support clubs and communities. With the election of President Chistian Houck and Vice President Delaney Dorr, both of whom made similar promises and have the experience working in SGA to back up the promises, I am hopeful that SGA continues its work supporting clubs and community, as well as its other duties in advocating to the Administration and assisting the student body.
I am a believer that community and connection has to be formed by and for the people in the space. So, I ask you to go out and help create the community you want to see. Create a wacky club that you think no one would be interested in, join your friend’s weird club, go to events that interest you, join SET and SGA to help create and support unique events on campus, and just be a part of our unique community.
But before I ask you to do anything, I am leading by example. I try to attend as many community events as possible, and am planning to create my own, some of which are mentioned below.
I founded the Goucher Bridge Club and currently serve as President. We meet once a week, learning and playing the most beautiful strategy card game, currently mostly socially. The Bridge Club welcomes any member of our community; students, staff, faculty, and alumni to join us. I aim to create another inclusive, fun, and unique space for everyone. We are planning to do something big for the hundredth anniversary of contract Bridge on November 1st, so save the date.
And of course, there’s the famous satirical pineapple on pizza protests, which brought changes to the demonstration policy after conversations with Dean Smith and Dr. Isabel Moreno Lopez. And reinvigorated conversations about freedom of speech in a fun and safe way even as some co-conspirators did not show up. I commit to continue doing serious work both through professional channels and when those do not fully work, through humorous campus activities. As “Tzar/War Chief” of the Board Game Club of Goucher College, I promise I will lead the club to victory in “warfare” between clubs.
On a very different note, I am working alongside several others to revive the Environmental Concerns Organization (ECO). It was a group started in spring of 1990 to start recycling programs on campus. They got Ralph Nader and other famous guests to visit, alongside taking action on campus and in our capitals of Annapolis and DC. At some point it faded. And in 2018 it was revived, only to die at some point soon after. Third time’s the charm.
This new version of ECO will be inclusive of everyone in our community, welcoming staff, faculty, and most importantly students to join us as we educate ourselves and take action on environmental issues. I view environmentalism as an interdisciplinary set of problems, and therefore would like to collaborate with artists, scientists, political groups, Bon Appetit, the Food Recovery Network, the Garden Club, the office of Community Based Learning, Goucher’s Facility Management Service, SGA, and the environmental studies department. We will host discussions, take direct local action, and advocate to others be it through art, literature, or politically. We will make Goucher more environmentally aware. ECO is looking for people who can dedicate the time to help plan and organize events. Please email me if you are interested.
With some hard work we can create a vibrant, unique, strong community culture that goes beyond the clichés that Goucher’s marketing uses. Please join me in these efforts.
By Max Ravnitzky ‘28
Photos by Levi Boyer ’28
Correction: The group originally listed as performing virtually in 2020 was Red Hot Blue, not Reverend’s Rebels.
