Students shared who they considered their Mac family in a story earlier this year.

When Mac students start college, they start a new adventure. They discover interests, find out what they’re passionate about, and make friends. Over time, those friends start to feel like family. We asked students to tell us about their Mac families—and where they’ve found a home here.

“My Mac family on campus is the Class of 2019 Bonner Scholars: from the first day of pre-orientation, we knew we were stuck together for four years. As a group of 12, we traveled to New Orleans together for a week-long J-term course last year with our ‘parents,’ Bonner coordinators Ruth and Sedric, we eat at Buffalo Wild Wings on Tuesday nights, and we take seasonal photos for our annual ’19 Bonner holiday card!” —Rachel Wong ’19

“My housemates and I are four senior international students from Peru, Malaysia, Poland, and Albania/USA, and we’ve found a home in each other. We have been living together for most, if not all, of our Mac lives, and visited each other on study abroad in Europe. This January, my housemates came home to Malaysia with me to meet my family and we went on an adventurous backpacking trip all over Southeast Asia. We live together on a house off-campus.” —Melissa Leong ’17

“My Mac family is the group of friends that I ride bikes with on a regular basis. In conversation, we call ourselves ‘the Echelon,’ which is a French word used in bike racing to describe a small group of 5 to 10 riders. These are some of the folks who know me best at Mac, either from our ever-active Facebook chat, or from riding around town with them to grab coffee or beer and talk about life for awhile. I’ll be really sad to lose this great group after we graduate, but I imagine we’ll keep poking fun at each other on Facebook no matter how far we disperse!” —Dan Klonowski ’17

“One of the most important communities I’ve been a part of at Macalester is the Theater Department scene shop work-study students. We work on a lot of the sets for the theater and dance productions. I’ve worked there since my first year, along with about 10 other students, and it’s a really wonderful family. Because we work in a somewhat high-stakes environment, with lots of power tools and deadlines to meet, we put a lot of effort into keeping each other safe and alert. We also have a lot of traditions, like brunch before strike, and Chili Night for sharing pictures whenever students return from study abroad, and an intramural soccer team called Wooden Steel (we’re terrible, but it’s lots of fun). It’s been a really wonderful community to be a part of and I’m going to miss everyone so much when I graduate this May!” —Delia Walker-Jones ’17

“My Mac family includes the six guys who live at 342 Snelling. As neighbors, friends, and family they have brought so much light and laughter into my life these past four years. They have become my family here at Mac and will continue to be long after we’ve left campus.” —Pia Mingkwan ’17

“My Mac family is Macalester Christian Fellowship. I don’t know what I would do without these lovely people who I’ve shared life, love, and faith with. I’ve lived with these people, stayed up all hours of the night, and come to them with my deepest fears, doubts, struggles, tragedies and doubts.” —Everest Robinson ’17

“My Mac family is a group of 15 or so first-years who (mostly) live on the same floor. I feel like they really care about me and my well-being, and I can always find someone to talk to about my day, societal issues, or philosophical dilemmas. Coming to college, I worried about making friends and creating real connections with my peers, but things worked out better than I could’ve imagined.” —Jasmine Davidson ’20

“My Macalester family came along organically and unexpectedly. After ups and downs, it was faculty both in and out of my department that saved the day. Thanks especially to Harry Waters Jr. for making me ‘another son,’ and to Macalester for being a second home!” —Ian Olson ’18

“The track and field team is definitely one big, crazy, fun family. A large community/family that supports each other is important/necessary when it comes to reminding ourselves that continuously running in circles, throwing large objects, and launching ourselves in various directions is totally normal and fun! With our various ‘parents’ (coaches) as heads of the family, every practice and meet is like a family reunion (not to mention ubiquitous family car/bus rides to various schools for meets).” —Sarah Silbert ’17

“I’ve found a home at Mac with the teammates and friends I’ve met from around the world who have challenged my way of thinking.” —Quentin Stuart ’17

“I have found family in the friends that I have made at my volunteer and reflection group, Lives of Commitment. John, Courtney, Izzy, Abby, Flora, and Connor, you have been so important in making me feel at home with myself and have made me comfortable in raising up the values I hold dearest. I love you guys!” —Amelia Gerrard ’20

“The Psychology Department has been my home-away-from-home for the past four years. Julia Manor and Jaine Strauss, in particular, have made my time here at Macalester so rewarding and meaningful with their endless support and guidance. It is going to be bittersweet when I graduate this May but I know I can always come back into the warm and welcoming arms of everyone in the department.” —Wendy Chu ’17

March 20 2017

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