By Carolyn Foster

Office of Admission

As an alumna, 18 year staff member, and the holder of football season tickets for 16 years, I have a long history with the University of Richmond. I was fortunate enough to make the 9 hour ride to Chattanooga last Friday to attend the game. I don’t think I have ever been so impressed with the class act that is University of Richmond.

The students drove from various towns since they were already home on winter break. The staff, faculty, and parents came from all over to support our wonderful team and coaches. They didn’t disappoint any of us! From the first play to the last one, they made all Spiders proud. Their humility, pride and confidence showed both on the field and following the game.

We all descended on the team’s hotel and in the ballroom; we were one entity as we shared in the celebration with the team, coaches, and players’ parents. I wanted pictures taken with a few of the players and they were happy to accommodate my request!

These young men have sacrificed time, sleep and energy for their school. All while maintaining their class obligations. This is what is expected of them at the University of Richmond and these young men, as all of our athletes, have come into the university with intelligence and skills in the classroom as well as on the field. They can soar in academics, athletics, and in lives and careers after they leave here.

Our school is proud to prove that academics and athletics can go hand in hand. No matter where your interests lie, whether it’s football or one of a thousand other things, the University of Richmond will allow you to experience it here.

I’m proud to be a Spider!

By Maria

I know Tom has posted quite a bit regarding tonight’s Spider Football game already; but I just couldn’t keep quiet any longer!

Having attended a high school with a less than stellar football team and then attending a college without a team (we like to joke that we’re undefeated!), I was slow to pick up on the powerful allure of the game. However, having worked at Richmond since 2005 and bearing witness to some pretty spectacular games, I can now say that I am true convert. Despite never attending Richmond, I consider myself a loyal Spider fan.

I, as well as dozens of Richmond alumni and area fans, will be crowding a local sports bar to cheer on our Richmond Spider Football team to victory tonight. I have every confidence that our team will bring home the FCS National Championship trophy tonight!! So be sure to watch us on ESPN2… and look out for Connor McMahan, a Student Admission Representative and football star!

GO SPIDERS!!!

]]> http://admissionsblog.richmond.edu/2008/12/19/spider-football-on-espn2-tonight/feed/ 0 Maria http://admissionsblog.richmond.edu/2008/08/20/first-years-are-moving-in/ http://admissionsblog.richmond.edu/2008/08/20/first-years-are-moving-in/#comments Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:16:56 +0000 Maria http://richmondadmissionsblog.wordpress.com/?p=157 ]]>

This is probably one of the most exciting days on campus. Today first-years arrived!

Over the next several days, new students and their families will participate in Orientation. Included in the five day program are many exciting events such as a Presidential Reception, meetings with Orientation Advisors, “Playfair”, and information sessions. It’s a very exciting time for our new students and we’re all eager to get to know every one of them.

Today was also Faculty Colloquy which is an open session for faculty and staff to welcome new faculty members. In addition to announcing our newest faculty, the Provost officially opened the 179th session of the University of Richmond. I continue to stand in awe of the amazing history of this place and am so happy to be a part of its on-going traditions.

Go Spiders!

By Catherine Orr

Office of International Education

Guest Blogger

Seniors Radaslava (Rada) Dogandjieva and Dani Pierre finish each others’ sentences. Rada glances at Dani from the corner of her eye and half smirks when she says something she knows will make Dani laugh. Then, like clockwork, Dani dissolves into giggles and Rada joins her.

Watching the two interact, it’s hard to believe that four years ago they were strangers, living half a world away from each other. Rada is from Sofia, Bulgaria and Dani from Colorado Springs. Before coming to Richmond, the two completed the housing survey given to all incoming students. The survey covers a wide spectrum of topics from sleeping habits to personal values and is meant to pair roommates based on compatibility.

After receiving the housing assignment for her daughter, Dani’s mother contacted the housing office, curious as to how the two were placed together. The person she spoke to said the two girls were, “a phenomenal match,” Dani said. Four years later, Dani and Rada couldn’t agree more. “Housing did their work right,” Rada said.

Rada, a self-proclaimed “neat freak,” gives Dani that sideways glance again. “I always joke with her about lying on the form when it asks how neat you are,” she said. Dani bursts into laughter, “I’ve gotten better!” she said.

Dani, who knew she wanted to major in international studies, was excited when she found out she had an international roommate, she said. “I thought, ‘what better way to be acquainted with the international group?’”

Rada was happy to have an American roommate because she was afraid if she lived with another international student, she would be tempted to cling to the international group and not meet a lot of Americans, she said.

Although they exchanged friendly emails the summer before they arrived on campus, neither expected that they would hit it off as well or as quickly as they did. “I remember I was really surprised when Dani arrived and probably 20 minutes after she met me she invited me to her house for Thanksgiving,” Rada said. Dani laughed, “It was definitely an American culture thing,” she said.

It was the first of many cultural nuances Rada and Dani would have to learn about each other. That very cultural exchange is what the two are so thankful they’ve been able to experience through each other during the past four years.

Rada thinks she would be less open to Americans if she hadn’t lived with Dani. “There’s a lot of anti-American stereotypes, and actually living with an American, making it work, has definitely made me kind of forget about the stereotype and realize that there are all kinds of people here,” Rada said.

Living with Rada has given Dani a different perspective as well. “Having an international roommate opened my eyes to things that I don’t know that I would have thought about otherwise,” Dani said.

Through her relationship with Rada, Dani has become embedded in the international student community on campus. She hosted six of the Danish students at her home in Colorado last Thanksgiving and delivered one of the keynote speeches at the exchange student farewell reception in the fall.

While Rada and Dani have had many occasions to experience cultural exchange that most typical roommates do not experience, they’ve also had the chance to do the things any college roommates and friends would do. They go to the dining hall together, work out together, and go on long road trips together, Rada said. “It’s still just the Richmond experience,” she said. “We might talk about things outside the bubble, but we’re still in the bubble.”

Rada attributes the strength of their relationship to going into it with an open mind. Her advice to international students is, “Be open to what you can learn from living with an American.”

Dani’s advice to American students is similar. “One of the worst assumptions people make is that the other person is not going to be open or receptive to them. Usually, that’s not the case,” she said.

Neither Dani nor Rada can imagine what their time at Richmond would have been like had they not lived together all four years. “We both were changed in ways we wouldn’t have been,” Dani said.

The prospect of not living together after graduation temporarily pauses the laughter between them. They have already promised each other that within the next five years they will go on an international trip together. “It’s our way of ensuring that somehow our paths cross down the line,” Dani said.

On cue, Rada quickly lightens the mood by telling a story about what a friend of hers said about the two “roomies” the other day. “You guys are like a long-running sitcom,” the friend said. “I can imagine you married and with children and still going to sleep in the same room.”

Just like that, the giggling starts again. “The funny thing is,” Dani said. “I can see it happening.”

By Maria

If you spend any time on our student diarist page, Spider Diaries, you have probably picked up on the incredible number of activities available to students in the Richmond metro area. Well, the summer is no exception to that rule. In fact, the summer is probably my favorite time of year—living in Richmond during the summer offers a virtual smorgasbord of exciting free events. It’s nothing short of fantastic.

Throughout the summer, I’ve had the pleasure of taking part in many free events all over the River City. From food festivals to concerts, Richmond offers something for everyone. Here’s a snapshot of what I’ve been up to.

The annual Lebanese Food Festival is a wonderful event sponsored by a local church. The event features authentic Lebanese food and wine, crafts, Lebanese dancers, and ample opportunity for casual conversation. This is by far one of my favorite summer pastimes. The festival provides you with a great excuse to pig out on delicious food, dance the afternoon away, and enjoy the hot summer sun with good friends. I highly encourage you to check it out next summer!

Each May, the Chesterfield Berry Farm tempts me with promises of ripe beautiful strawberries. Now, growing up, I picked every kind of berry and fruit imaginable with my family. We would pick barrels of peaches, bushels of strawberries, and tons of cherries together. Some of my best memories involve me and my sister sitting under peach trees sampling the sweet peaches warmed by the sun. As an adult, I’ve come to enjoy participating in harvest activities with close friends. Chesterfield Berry Farm offers a unique experience combining hayrides, petting zoos, and delicious ripe strawberries. This year, my roommate and I surpassed my personal record and picked a total of 22 pounds of strawberries. Countless berries perished before ever making it into our baskets.

This year was my first trip to the Greek Festival. How could I have missed this wonderful Richmond event?! The festival incorporates traditional Greek dancing and festivities with spectacular food and a craft festival that truly is a feast for the eyes. I had a wonderful time learning the proper names for all sorts of food and dances. In the end, I left the festival very full and with several new friends.

If you like music, Richmond is the place to be during the summer. There are several summer concert series to choose from including those hosted in Innsbook and the free concert series called Friday Cheers on Brown’s Island. I haven’t been able to check out as many of the bands as I would have liked but the events I have seen were excellent. Nothing beats sitting outside on a warm summer night listening to bluegrass music. Not into Bluegrass? There are tons of other genres represented throughout the summer concert series.

Trust me, if you find yourself in Richmond this summer or next, you won’t be bored! Just pick up the local paper and prepare to be delighted.