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Photo credit: Stockton Photo, Inc. |
Students and Faculty/Staff Members Face-off in Second Annual Basketball Game
On February 10, for the second year in a row, Vassar held its eagerly anticipated Student-Faculty basketball game. A raucous crowd of supporters urged the players on. Student leaders stoked enthusiasm by offering tee shirts to the sections that could cheer the loudest. Fans of the faculty/staff team (dubbed “Old School”) displayed pride by holding up signs with slogans such as “Old School Rules!” and “Old People Rock!” Donning top hats in honor of Vassar’s sesquicentennial year, senior administrators President Catharine Hill, David Borus (dean of admissions and financial aid), Jon Chenette (dean of the faculty), Susan DeKrey (vice president of communications), and Rachel Kitzinger (dean of planning and academic affairs) served as cheerleaders.
Roman Czula, professor of physical education (and former coach of Vassar’s Varsity basketball team) and Diane Harriford, professor of sociology, coached Team “Old School.” It was apparent that both teams were primed and ready for the challenge. The game was neck-and-neck, resulting in a 36-36 tie at the end of the fourth quarter. The student team settled it during a three-minute overtime, however, pulling ahead to win the game 49-39.
The consensus among attendees was that there were no losers. While player Elizabeth Anderson ’11 admits, “The student team was looking for revenge because we lost by one point last year,” she concedes, “I had a great time out there. It was amazing to see so much Vassar spirit.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Ed Pittman, associate dean for campus life and diversity, an “Old School” player. “We got the satisfaction of seeing the campus come together,” he says. “Many students stopped me the next day to say ‘Nice game!’ and I took that to mean that we did a good job in the game of building community.”
Ultimately, the winner is Vassar. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to support an All-School Class Gift that current classes will give to Vassar’s Annual Fund, which provides unrestricted funds for Vassar’s operations, in honor of the college’s 150th anniversary. – Elizabeth Randolph