• Sue Sadler

      Head of School

“Bold Voices” is a refrain I often hear around campus. It’s become a kind of catchphrase for the hallmark of a Bryn Mawr education. Even in the landscape of girls’ schools where confidence and self-worth are noteworthy outcomes, Bryn Mawr’s commitment to developing strong voices stands out. As we watch women struggle to find the collective courage to tell their stories, it is ever more important to teach girls that their voices matter.

Throughout the grade levels at Bryn Mawr, students stand up in front of their peers to share their important thoughts. From our Little School Author’s Tea to Lower School’s morning meetings and Middle School’s Vision and Voice seminars, we listen and learn FROM our students. There are myriad examples of announcements and class presentations when students are expected to speak up. At Bryn Mawr, girls have the opportunity and the platform to develop a bold voice.
One way that happens is through Senior Convocation. As a new community member last year, it took me a while to understand exactly what Convocation is all about. Convoke, the verb form of convocation, means to convene or to summon, often in a spiritual or supernatural circumstance. Frequently referring to an academic celebration, the word comes from the Latin words con & vocare- con meaning together, and vocare meaning to call, so its literal translation is to call people to a gathering. When I saw Convocation on the schedule almost every day here at Bryn Mawr, I thought it must just be a fancy name for assembly.
 
We do “assemble” each day- but as I have come to appreciate, Convocation is so much more than that. Four days a week, we call the entire Upper School together to share a common experience, the sharing of ideas- young women’s ideas. During each Convocation, we have the opportunity to stretch our minds and to appreciate the musings of someone else. At times, that’s tremendously enjoyable. Other times, topics are challenging and uncomfortable, and I’ll admit it, I went through a period of time when I wondered if that was good for our community. I’ve come to realize, Convocation is so quintessentially Bryn Mawr, that it is essential to the student experience.
 
Last year as a senior advisor, I watched students struggle at times to select their topic. They range from the funny reflections on younger brothers, crazy pets, and Tri-School classes to much more serious aspects of identity development, mental health and school itself. We hear about love and loss, joy and anger, triumph and tragedy. Some Convocations are cheerful and uplifting while others are about difficult experiences, things that are hard to hear. Some are beautifully written, deftly weaving a narrative along metaphoric lines. And others are more pragmatic, frankly telling the story of the speaker. A whole range of life experience is brought to the Centennial Hall stage. Whatever the topic ends up being, it leaves us thinking.
 
A Bryn Mawr education is predicated on the premise that each student has something important and worthwhile to say, and that she must have an opportunity to practice using her bold voice before she leaves us. In turn, we need practice listening to each other. Bryn Mawr girls are learning from an early age that their voice matters, and in my mind, never has this been more essential.  As we think about how Bryn Mawr teaches leadership, I posit that many of the skills we instill are developed in the Convocation time we spend together, learning how to be both passionate and compassionate.
 
And truly, it will be a rare time in life that a student will be surrounded by such a supportive community dedicated to the advancement of women. Every person here is committed to helping each student find her voice and her opinion. We prepare her to express her thoughts well and to defend them under questioning.  We teach her that she has valuable things to say and that she has a right to speak out. From my point of view, Convocation builds the confidence to stand up and share what is meaningful to us.
 
An especially impressive part of the Convocation process is the question and answer session following the speech. The questions are thoughtful and supportive, teasing out the different nuances of each speech. They give the audience an opportunity to reflect and clarify. Hearing how others interpret the same words I’ve just heard is fascinating. Our students always come up with something I wouldn’t have thought of on my own.
 
I love that families join us for Convocation, celebrating this important milestone for seniors, or even when we have alumnae come to speak. The tradition of friends congratulating the speaker with hugs and flowers is really special. This is a chance for seniors to shine just by being true to themselves, and for us to show our admiration for the young woman they have become in their years with us.
 
So really, Bryn Mawr Convocation is a marking of an academic accomplishment, a celebration of ideas and perspectives, of freedom of speech, of each student as an individual, and of our common human bond. There is something a little spiritual or supernatural about that, especially when we think of all our Bryn Mawr ancestors who have stood here before us to share their thoughts. Over time, I have learned to listen and hold back judgment, and have come to really appreciate Bryn Mawr’s Convocation tradition.

Warmly,
Located in Baltimore, Maryland, The Bryn Mawr School is a private all-girls pre-kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school with a coed preschool for ages 2 months through 5 years. Bryn Mawr provides students with exceptional educational opportunities on a beautiful 26-acre campus within the city limits. Inquisitive girls, excellent teaching, strong student-teacher relationships and a clear mission sustain our vibrant school community where girls always come first.