10 Things Chatham Students Past and Present Have in Common
Chatham has a long legacy of producing world-ready students. Since its founding in 1869, thousands of people have lived and learned at Chatham, but it can be hard to imagine that their lives so long ago were anything like students’ lives today. However, looking back on the 150-year legacy of the Chatham student, it becomes clear that students of Chatham’s past and present aren’t so different after all. From traditions to friendships, check out ten things they have in common!
1) They value sustainability
Even before the construction of Eden Hall campus, Chatham students worked in the field that is now known as sustainability (including the famous Pennsylvania College for Women alumna Rachel Carson!). Today, the state-of-the-art Sustainability program at Chatham is unmatched.
On the left, a professor oversees a student working on planting in the Braun greenhouse. On the right, a faculty member assists a student in the aquaponics lab at Eden Hall.
2) They are activists in their community
Chatham students have always fought for what is right and protested for what they believe in. In May of 1972, 30 Chatham students marched down Fifth Avenue in protest of the Vietnam War, blocking the road and handing out pamphlets to cars that passed by. Today, Chatham students participate in demonstrations for the Black Lives Matter movement, advocate for climate change action, and participate in marches, vigils, protests and demonstrations for many other causes.
On the left, two Chatham students hold a sign at a peaceful protest in Downtown Pittsburgh 1979. On the right, Chatham students hold a vigil after the Tree of Life tragedy in Fall 2018.
3) They like to have a good time
Many of Chatham’s traditions have held through the years and are still going on today— Harvest Dinner, Opening Convocation, Buckets and Blossoms, Candlelight, Moonlight Breakfast and of course, the Spring Formal! For decades, Chatham students have gathered at the end of the spring term to dance the night away.
On the left, students in the 1990s dance down the halls of their dorms on the way to Spring Formal. On the right, recent students dance at Spring Formal.
4) They know dinner hour is also social hour
Chatham has always been a small and close-knit community which means when you go to dinner, you see just about everyone. Although the dining hall has moved and changed throughout the years, students have always used dinner time to catch up with fellow classmates. You’re sure to run into anyone you want to talk to in Anderson, especially if it’s wing night!
On the left, students in 1956 eat in the dining hall which was built in 1950 as part of a renovation of Woodland Hall. On the right, students gather and eat outside of Café Rachel, attached to Woodland Hall.
5) They study hard and play hard
Students have always enjoyed taking a break from studying and playing a game on the quad or competing in a sports league. Though the sports and the mascots have changed significantly over the years (the first mascot was a seal named Pennsy!), Chatham still values its athletic programs. Today, Chatham is a Division III school with eleven different sports and counting!
On the left, a student dashes towards home plate during Chatham’s first season of intercollegiate play in softball in 1980. On the right, a Chatham baseball player runs for first base in Spring 2019.
6) They advocate for women’s rights
In 1869, The Pennsylvania Female College (present-day Chatham University), was founded. In a time where women weren’t even allowed to vote, the school was an essential step towards women’s rights. The college then operated as an all-women’s institution until the full introduction of undergraduate all-gender classes in 2014. Women's Leadership and Gender Equity remains one of Chatham’s core values to this day.
On the left, a student protests Chatham moving to co-education in 1990. On the right, students pose at Chatham’s Me Too rally in April 2018.
7) They know just about everyone on campus
Chatham has always had small classes and a close sense of community which means everyone talks to each other or at least knows of one another. Back when it was the Pennsylvania College for Women, the student newspaper used to feature a section called “PC Whispers” that published updates on the students’ lives around campus. Today, there are social media pages dedicated to funny things that are overheard on campus.
On the left, past students whisper during commencement. On the right present-day grad students talk on the quad.
8) They get to work closely with their professors
Not many schools offer students the opportunities to work with faculty as closely as Chatham does. Although class sizes have increased in recent years (in 2010, there were only 26 seniors!), student-faculty collaboration is still a solid and reliable part of the Chatham experience.
On the left, Psychology professor Thomas Hershberger and a student conduct an experiment with a lab rat in the early 1970s. On the right, Prajna Paramita Parasher, Ph.D., assists a student in the painting studio.
9) They study on one of America’s prettiest campuses
There’s no denying that Chatham’s Shadyside campus is breathtaking. From its evolution of farm fields to the bustling college campus it is today, the beauty of the architecture has remained intact. Students throughout the years have enjoyed peaceful moments by the duck pond, sledding down Chapel Hill or taking in the first signs of spring on Chatham’s 32-acre arboretum.
On the left, a fountain sits outside of one of Chatham’s former residence halls, Benedum Hall in 1966. On the right, a statue sits outside of present day Mellon Hall.
10) They graduate with the best of friends
They say college is where people meet their friends for life and at Chatham this couldn’t be more true. With small class sizes, students graduate with a community of individuals who know and support them forever, despite parting ways after graduation. It’s a bittersweet ending to an amazing experience. As the Senior class of 1960 said, “We leave happily and sadly, and we each leave a part of us behind.”
On the left, Seniors study for final exams in 1950. On the right, students share a moment after Winter Commencement in 2018.
A huge thank you to the Chatham University Archives and Special Collections for the historical photographs and information. Learn more about Chatham’s rich history by checking out their online collections today!