Senior and first-year women attend 97th Proclamation Night

The Westhampton College senior and first-year classes celebrated Proclamation Night on Sunday in the Robins Center to highlight the importance of women's leadership, friendship and the Honor Code.

Proclamation Night is usually held in Cannon Memorial Chapel, but was moved to the Robins Center this year because of the large sizes of the senior and first-year classes.

During the ceremony, first-year women signed the Honor Code and wrote a letter to their senior selves, while senior women read the letters they had written as first-years.

"It's really important to continue the heritage of women's education," said Juliette Landphair, dean of Westhampton College. "Traditions in general are important for Westhampton College because they're about building an affinity, not just with the college, but with the university and with one another."

The number of women present was too great to hold the candle lighting ceremony this year, which represents the spreading of knowledge. Despite this change, Landphair said, "It still felt like Proclamation Night."

The guest speaker, Rebecca Previs, a 2005 University of Richmond graduate, presented the Jane Stockman Award to Katherine Lambeth and the Westhampton Diamond Award to Abbey Warchol, two senior females who were recognized as model Westhampton women.

"My favorite part of the night was when we saw our class banner," said first-year Celine Ang. "I like the tradition of cutting it and wearing a piece on graduation."

Cheers erupted from the senior women as Caroline Elia, senior class president, spoke, urging the senior women to stand if they had had the same roommate all four years, if they did not change their major or if they were sitting next to the same women they were sitting with during their first-year Proclamation Night.

First-year women also enjoyed this display, some telling their friends, "I hope that's us in three years."

Two senior women read their letters from their first Proclamation Night to the audience, not knowing they would do so when they wrote the letters.

Senior Jade-Evette Strachan read her letter recounting the many friends she sat next to during her first Proclamation Night, as well as singing the lyrics she included in her letter.

Senior Mina Vucic recalled in her letter how she and her friends had met Chris Brown in Carytown as he was getting a tattoo the day before her first Proclamation Night.

The signing of the Honor Code by first-years was also a highlight to the night.

"I think it's important to have this celebration for the honor code, where we give it this pomp and circumstance so [first-year women] understand what it means to be a part of Westhampton College and the University of Richmond," said senior Lacie Horak, honor council chair woman.

Proclamation Night is Westhampton College's oldest tradition. It was started in 1915 by Westhampton's first dean, May Keller.

Before the ceremony, class pictures were taken on the Westhampton Green, with first-years wearing white dresses and seniors wearing their graduation gowns.

Previs ended her speech by reading one of her favorite quotes to the women to encourage them to live by the three principles of Proclamation Night.

"What's more important than the dress is the woman inside the dress," Dean Landphair said.

"The first-years will talk about watching thwwe seniors during Proclamation Night, and that gives them hope in their transition, in terms of, 'Okay, I will make close friends here, and this place will become my home."

Contact reporter Danielle Schweizer at danielle.schweizer@richmond.edu