Move-in Day is a momentous occasion for the Scripps community; it’s a chance for the incoming class to meet returning students and become part of a tight-knit community that will impact the rest of their lives. Two members of the class of 2017 have an 80-year head start, however, as they’ve already been a part of Scripps’ family for generations.
Mary Chawaga ’17 (above, left) and Robin Ossentjuk ’17 (above, right) are among a select club of individuals: fourth-generation Scripps College students. Chawaga’s great-grandmother, Hildreth Green von Kleinsmid ’33, enrolled in 1929 and inspired a family tradition that has continued for 84 years, while Ossentjuk’s great-aunt came in 1935 and similarly encouraged her daughter and granddaughter to attend Scripps as well.
Ossentjuk’s family was also shaped indirectly by Scripps influences; noted artist and professor Millard Sheets introduced her grandparents while the three worked together on designing Garrison Theater.
“Seeing the impact of my family on the college is really cool,” she says. “I see physical reminders of my grandparents whenever I go to Garrison for Core, especially in the exterior mosaic. It makes me feel like I’m at home!”
Although both students come from a long line of Scripps women, neither felt obligated to attend the College. “I always knew Scripps was an option,” says Chawaga, “but I never felt pressured to continue the family tradition. My mom wanted me to have my own experience and worked hard to avoid influencing my decision. I looked at other colleges, but ultimately was wowed by the sense of community and commitment to the liberal arts at Scripps.”
While both have grown up in families shaped by Scripps, both Mary and Robin are excited to carve their own paths. “I’m not sure exactly what Scripps has in store for me yet,” adds Chawaga. “I’m excited to meet great people, mature, and learn in this beautiful community over the next four years.”
“Being at Scripps has me excited to gain a new perspective on my family’s stories,” says Ossentjuk, “but I am more excited to make my own.”