A new social group has formed on campus this year known as the Legacy Students. Legacy students are those whose parents or grandparents also attended Eastern, leaving behind a legacy for them to follow in.
This past September, a kick-off brunch was held to make the students aware of their common bond, and to mark the formation of the group. At the brunch, the students were all seated with photos of their parents or grandparents during their time at Eastern.
Alumni Relations Coordinator Laura A. Manger, class of ’98, says that the goal of recognizing these students was to bring them together to socialize, and talk about what they are carrying on by coming to Eastern. Manger was also a legacy student who was preceded by her father William H. Manger, class of ’66. She said that her fondness for Eastern stems from the relationships with others that she formed while attending here. Bringing together these students who share something in common gives them a chance to form new relationships within a new community as well.
There are other perks to being a legacy student. Each student receives a fraction of scholarship money toward their tuition. As part of the alumni benefits, donations received by the alumni counsel are divided and distributed among the legacy students each year. The amount of money each student receives varies from year to year depending upon the amount of donations and any other money raised.
Two members of the group are sophomores Katherine and Elizabeth Coulter. In choosing to attend Eastern, the Coulter sisters followed in the footsteps of their mother, Mary Gardiner class of ’83, director of alumni and organizer of the Legacy Students.
After growing up learning about the campus from her mother, Katherine said that she felt coming to Eastern was the “natural next step” for her future. When asked what the girls thought of the legacy group, Elizabeth said, “It has a lot of potential. It’s kind of exciting to hear we are something special.”
The group has in mind many activity ideas for the coming year, including events such as picnics for the students and their parents. In November, they will be hosting an ice cream social for the legacy students and their parents. The group may still be in its beginning stages, but it has many plans for the future.