Summer Travel Programs Open Doors For Students

This past summer, several students took part in enriching academic, artistic, STEM, and culinary programs across the country. Acadia C. ’25 honed her writing skills at Smith College, where she immersed herself in a Creative Writing program that allowed her to explore various genres and techniques. Yoyo B. ’26 attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she advanced her understanding of performance and composition in a world-renowned musical environment. Alice W. ’26 opted for an entrepreneurial path, engaging in Babson College’s online Summer Program, where she was introduced to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and gained insight into starting and managing businesses. Allie M. ’27 also spent time at the University of Chicago in their Emerging Rural Scholars Program, where she focused on leadership development and deepened her understanding of college admissions processes, preparing herself for future academic endeavors. Together, these experiences reflect the ambition and diverse interests of these students, each seeking to grow intellectually and personally through unique summer opportunities.

Sophia S. ’27 participated in the Woodberry in the Galápagos travel program, a co-ed opportunity for high school students to explore the islands’ natural history. She reflected on the two-and-a-half-week trip to Ecuador and the Galápagos. The highlights included hiking in the Cloud Forest, playing soccer with locals, snorkeling with sea turtles, and seeing humpback whales up close. Sophia also learned about conservation and visited giant tortoise conservatories. She expressed gratitude for the experience, calling it a “trip of a lifetime” and encouraging others to take similar opportunities.

Maryn C. ’26 did a week-long summer program at Radford in a “Women in STEM” program primarily based on the sciences and some engineering. Students coded robots, practiced microbiology, did cow and lamb heart dissections, took samples from the New River to test, launched rockets, visited the campus planetarium, and more. Maryn shares, “It was a really cool experience, and I got to try lots of things I hadn’t done before!”

Summer Conferences

FACULTY MEMBERS PRESENT AT THE INTERNATIONAL COALITION OF GIRLS’ SCHOOLS (ICGS) CONFERENCE

From June 24-26, three Chatham Hall faculty members presented at the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools (ICGS) Conference in Baltimore, MD. Rector Sara Stephenson participated in the “Heads Panel on Institutional Sustainability” alongside heads from the Spence School, Bryn Mawr School, and Columbus School for Girls, discussing the challenges and opportunities of fostering long-term sustainable economics for schools, including analyzing industry data and signs of a healthy institution.

Associate Dean of Students for Wellbeing Frankie Beyer led a session on June 26, showcasing Chatham 101, a program designed to help new students build social-emotional skills and adapt to school life. On June 25, Director of Innovation & Strategic Initiatives Ed Dougherty presented a workshop on leveraging diverse assessment methods to improve student success. Throughout the conference, Stephenson, Beyer, and Dougherty engaged with peers, exchanged best practices, and explored emerging educational trends.

121 Students Enrolled

10 Students from Countries

91% Students Living on Campus

18 Students from States

Faculty with Advanced Degrees 84%

Teaching Faculty

25

6:1

Student:Teacher Ratio

Faculty Holding Doctoral or Other Terminal Degrees 25%

8 Average Class Size