If someone were to ask you what E-town is all about, you’d probably just repeat the motto: “Educate for Service.” Or you’d mention something about enjoying the make your own pizza bar every other Friday. The perspective of a current student on the school’s state of affairs is important, no doubt, but even more important are the retroactive perspectives of alumni. They’ve been through the gamut of research and exams and stress for eight (sometimes ten!) whole semesters. So, what does being a Blue Jay mean to them, especially with memories of Homecoming weekend so fresh in their minds?
Brice Williams (Social Work, 2018):
“Being a Blue Jay means being at home surrounded by all your family members, and just like biological family you’ve got a few folks who you love and a few folks who love you, a ton of folks you tolerate and those who tolerate you, and you’ve got those crazy uncles who you only need to see once a year at the family reunion! However, we’re all family! Being a Blue Jay means you are part of something special and you should be proud of it, Always!”
Emily Soltys (Sociology-Anthropology, 2017):
“To me, being a Blue Jay means always having a place to come home. A place to meet up with the friends who became family while going through the runaway train ride called college. It’s a place I’ll always be thankful to for teaching me the things I know and helping me get to where I am today.”
Samantha Kick (English Professional Writing, 2017):
“I graduated from Elizabethtown College almost two years ago, but whenever I see a blue jay I find myself smiling. To me, being a Blue Jay means friendship. One of the best things about E-town’s orientation process was the first-year seminar peer groups where many of us made our first friends. Although many people separated from their peer groups following the first semester, my peer group stuck together. Because of Elizabethtown College I met my best friends and the love of my life. And I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”
Corinne McCarthy (English Professional Writing, 2018):
“To me, being a Blue Jay means being unique. We chose a smaller college that doesn’t treat its students like numbers. That’s pretty different. We chose E-town to explore our unique gifts in a nurturing environment. We didn’t just get a college degree, we developed ourselves with a liberal arts college degree.”
Kelly Moore (Communications, 2016):
“As a Blue Jay that has ‘left the nest,’ it’s always wonderful to know that even a few years post-graduation, I still have an amazing group of professors, faculty and staff to come back to. Unlike larger schools where I might be forgotten after class is over or not eve known at all, the people at E-town still support me and my future goals. I also believe that the motto ‘Educate for Service is an important part of being a Blue Jay. That motto has shaped career decisions and helped me try to strive to live a more purposeful life.”