C.W. Miller Hall had a special guest on Oct. 1: Trinity President Vanessa Beasley. The overnight guest used her time on lower campus to socialize with students over ice cream and experience dorm life firsthand.
In a collaborative effort between Residential Life (Res Life) and Beasley, she and students planted succulents and ate ice cream. Inspired by the president of Morehouse College F. Dubois Bowman, who did a similar activity, Beasley said the experience would help her gain insights into the daily life of the students.
“I always want to make sure I have as good of an understanding as I can of the student experience we’re offering at Trinity,” Beasley said. “It’s good for me to see inside the residence halls, their condition and whether or not students seem happy.”
After her experience in the dorm, the president left with a deep appreciation of the event. Beasley said her stay succeeded in the intended goals, also noting that it helped her gain a clearer understanding of the student experience and how it can influence her future as president.
“I’m really, really proud of our students,” Beasley said. “I think this gives me another insight into the kinds of programs Res Life does and those opportunities for community building. And so I’d say I’m leaving with a very positive impression and a deep appreciation for it.”
Initially starting off as a separate event for Miller Hall, the succulent planting activity merged with Beasley’s stay. Students from all across campus got the opportunity to spend time with the president. One of the organizers, Dylan Pflum, Residential Life coordinator, helped to integrate the planting event with Beasley’s overnight stay. While critical of some of the event’s flaws, he said it was an overall success.
“I think Residential Life could have pushed those conversations and had some more small group discussions with Beasley or maybe even have more people stop by with their friends,” Pflum said. “But that’s something for the future. We had a good turnout, and it seemed the students enjoyed themselves, and in terms of her stay, no issues popped up, and I was grateful for that.”
The student reaction was positive as well, according to Beasley and Pflum. Beasley said she hoped to keep a low profile while executing the event. Some students across campus weren’t even aware Beasley was staying in the dorms. Mariana Avila, junior sociology major, attended the planting event to paint flower pots and plant succulents, not knowing about Beasley’s stay on campus. Upon finding out that the president would be housed in Miller for the night, she said it would positively affect the relations between Trinity faculty and students and bridge understandings around housing.
“It kinda helps us get to bond with her just for a little bit. I think that’s cool,” Avila said. “If I find out where she’s at, I’m probably going to come and say hi.”
Beasley’s stay overnight on lower campus went well for her and the rest of the organizing staff based on her and Pflum’s accounts. Beasley enjoyed her time, and both she and Res Life staff expressed that this event could be repeated in the future, perhaps with even more success.
