That Family Feeling at Chatham
Paul, Josie, Sheila, and Rudy pose for a photo on their family vacation. (Photo courtesy of Sheila Squillante)
Rudy Bilger ’28 had a unique college-search experience—not just one, but both of his parents already worked as faculty members at Chatham University.
After moving to Pittsburgh at the age of eight, Rudy knew he wanted to stay local for college. And while some students may have immediately ruled out the possibility of going to the same college where their parents work, Rudy kept an open mind.
Sheila Squillante, Rudy’s mother and the director of Chatham’s Master of Fine Art in Creative Writing program, found herself overwhelmed with excitement, shock, and relief. “Rudy started high school behind a screen” because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Squillante said, “and it did not suit him.”
Squillante’s husband, adjunct professor of philosophy Paul Bilger, had his own fears. “Beyond the typical parental anxiety, I worried about his application to schools that had huge student populations and a ‘partying’ culture,” he said. “I went to a very big school for my undergraduate, and I very much fell through the cracks at first. It took a long time to find my footing there. A beautiful place with a tightly-knit community can make all the difference, and I think Chatham fits the bill. But the choice was his.”
It was after he sat in on a history class that Rudy started to really consider Chatham. “Chatham’s more personal size, progressive culture, and tuition remission benefits I would receive as the child of a faculty member all factored into my decision,” he said.
Now that Rudy’s here, he has found that having his parents on campus does make things easier—especially mentally. He has also been able to connect more with his mother and her professional work, even leading him to write an analysis of one of her essays.
“I like to tease Rudy sometimes by sending him really old memes as if they’re fresh, like the one with the frog on a unicycle,” Paul said.
“We also have family lunches in Anderson once a week where he catches us up with his life. And he comes home on Sundays to see the dogs and the bird and his sister,” Squillante said. “Even still, it feels weird that he's not in his bedroom at home most of the time. We do miss him even though he's right here.”
Zion Ross ‘26, who majors in music business major with a dance minor, has a similar story—though her college experience did not originally start out at Chatham.
“As I was applying to college, my feelings were very overwhelmed.” Zion first applied to two audition-based schools—Berklee College of Music and PACE University. She ended up going to the latter, located in New York—far from her home in Pittsburgh.
“After I was at PACE University for my freshman year of college, I kind of knew that I had to transfer somewhere because I couldn’t afford it,” Zion said.
Zion’s father, the Reverend Joseph Ross, has worked as a Chatham police officer for the past four years. He also serves as an on-campus Chaplain. “Besides the financial aspect, which is huge, having my daughter here at Chatham is wonderful to me,” he said. “Without stalking her and ensuring that I give her the space needed so that she can enjoy her collegiate experience, I get to see her on occasion, and as a dad, that's a wonderful thing.”
Zion feels secure where she ended up now. And her father’s presence on campus does impact her daily life—perhaps more than she originally thought.
“Sometimes when I don’t want to walk up from my apartment to upper campus, I ask my dad if he can drive me which is very nice,” she shared. “It also just makes me feel really safe. Every time I’ve had new roommates, or my dad meets my friends, he always gives them his card to know that there is someone in Chatham Police that they can feel safe with and they can trust.”
Her father shared a similar insight, putting an emphasis on the security the two are able to feel being on the same campus. “I'm grateful that I am here on campus if she needs me. Ensuring the safety of everyone here on campus is my responsibility but my family's security is always my first responsibility,” Joseph said. “With that said, I'm exceedingly grateful that Zion is here at Chatham University, not in New York City.”
Joseph has learned not to get too worried, though, noting how Zion effortlessly navigated a bustling New York City before her time at Chatham. “She mastered the subway system and the various trains and walked around Manhattan, without fear,” he said.
“She was just my fearless, intelligent daughter, who calmed my fears, in that fast-paced environment,” Joseph said. “With all of that said, I am grateful that Zion is here at Chatham University.”
Jessie Ramey, Ian Zimmerman, and the ever-beloved Pretzel gather for a quick photo. (Photo courtesy of Jessie Ramey)
After graduating high school in 2021, Ian Zimmerman ’26 found himself burned out and lost amidst the pandemic. “During my gap year, I felt stuck like I couldn’t move forward and a little depressed,” Ian shared. On the tail end of his following gap year, Ian decided to talk with his mom about the prospect of applying to college.
Women and gender studies professor and historian Dr. Jessie Ramey was delighted when Ian, her son, expressed interest in attending Chatham. “In many ways, he grew up here,” she shared. “He attended Chatham Music and Arts Day Camp from the time he was very little. Then he was a camp-counselor-in-training, and for the past several years, a camp counselor.”
“I told Ian what I tell all prospective students: Chatham is very special place. I wouldn’t encourage my own kid to come here if I didn’t believe this university is amazing,” Ramey said. “Fortunately, a small college with a liberal arts program was the right fit for him.”
So, Ian made a choice. “I submitted my application to Chatham only a few weeks before the semester started, so I didn’t have a whole lot of time to prepare for my first semester. I think this was a blessing in disguise as it didn’t give me any time to rethink my decision. I had to commit to it fully, which worked out well.”
Since coming to Chatham, Ian has declared a major in political science and continued his work in Eddy Theater—only now, for Drama Club.
“Eddy Theater is practically his second home, so coming here to study was a great choice,” Ramey shared. Plus, seeing her son on stage is one of her favorite things.
The transition for the two hasn’t been so bad. “I get to see a lot of Ian, which definitely softens the blow a bit,” Ramey shared. “I bring our trained therapy dog, Pretzel, to campus to volunteer with the Counseling Center twice a week, and I think Ian stops by to see the dog as much as me!”
Lyn Bigley ’26 is currently pursuing her BFA in creative writing alongside a BA in psychology. She works as a library aide and a digital content creator for Chatham University. In her downtime, she enjoys looking at pictures of animals, playing video games, impulse buying, and watching reality TV.