It may be associated with a lot of ‘buzzwords’ but the Adelphia Society will live up to the hype.
Forty juniors are the inaugural members of what moderators hope to be a “prestigious and respected” mentoring society. At its core, the Adelphia Society pairs these juniors with small groups of incoming freshman. The program’s goal according to Mrs. Day, faculty moderator, is “No freshman through the cracks.”
An idea originally introduced by the Strategic Plan two years, the Adelphia Society will provide mentoring for each freshman as they adjust to the differences of high school. Having an upperclassman as a friend and mentor will provide all the young Friars the right tools to succeed.
To become a member of the society, the forty junior mentors had to undergo a rigorous application process. First, candidates had to be recommended by faculty. Following a written essay and an interview by the selection committee, forty of the seventy applicants were admitted to the society.
Each junior attended Freshman Orientation where they were assigned to three freshman. Instantly each freshman now recognizes a friendly older face on campus and has someone to turn to. In the upcoming months members of the Adelphia Society and the freshman class will meet again to strengthen their bond.
Mrs. Day and Mrs. Lappas are the faculty moderators, but when asked about the ins and outs of the Adelphia Society, they firmly stressed the goal is that the mentor program will become student run. Those juniors who show exceptional leadership skills will hopefully rise as seniors to become leaders of the Adelphia Society.
The junior to freshman mentoring program will hopefully be only a piece of the Adelphia Society, according to Mrs. Lappas.
The plan is to create a cycle of mentorship in the Malvern community. It will begin with this junior to freshman relationship but as the program ages, it will grow. The senior leaders will be paired with a recent graduate and will receive advice regarding college. These college students will then be paired with older alumni who will hopefully offer advice as MP alums enter the job market.
Malvern is famous for the bonds it forges and has been called “the greatest fraternity in the world” by some. The Adelphia Society hopes to strengthen and use those bonds while giving the brotherhood a proper Greek name.
