For the first time in Goshen College’s 130 year history, alcohol will officially be served at a GC-sponsored event in which the entire campus community is invited. The event in question is Connectapalooza, GC’s homecoming celebration at the Goshen Theater.
Probably not.
— President Rebecca Stoltzfus on the possibility of a wet campus.
Goshen Brewing Company, founded by Jesse Sensenig ’01 and Amanda Sensenig ’03, crafted the amber lager for Connectapalooza. Eyedart Studios created the design for the can which includes Goshen College theming and the name, “Broken Shield.” 10% of the proceeds will go to GC as part of the Goshen Gives Back event.
“I definitely feel honored that they respect us as a company and to kind of partner in this and taking this step forward,” said Sensenig.
According to Sensenig, the idea began with conversation between himself, Stoltzfus and Jodi Beyeler, the GC vice president for institutional advancement, on the brewery’s 10th anniversary this past June. He credits the popularity of GBCo. among the GC population as a leading factor in the decision to create Broken Shield.
“I see lots of Goshen College alum, professors, the president, everyone. I see lots of people here and they seem to enjoy the space and everything that’s going on,” Sensenig said.
“Part of our focus is community engagement,” Stoltzfus said, “and really thinking about how we want to celebrate this event, the connections between the city and the college and how many alumni owned businesses are around.”
“If you would wave a wand and make disappear all the alumni owned and created businesses in the city of Goshen, you know half of Main Street would go away.”
As much as it was an honor, Sensenig was also surprised.
“I wasn’t kicked out of school or anything,” he said, “but I had been caught by an RD with alcohol in my room. So yeah, obviously very surprised now that I’m making a beer with the college.”
Currently, the community standards are the same for both students and employees, which states that alcohol is “prohibited from the campus and all college-related functions.” However, in a recent form sent over email Sept. 17, Stoltzfus wrote to staff that the standards “should be revised regularly, have not been revised in several years, and are currently in need of revision.”
According to Stoltzfus, GC is working toward making a clear distinction between students and employees.
“We’ve launched that work within student life to update the student handbook and campus conduct for students,” Stoltzfus said. “HR is leading a similar effort for employees so it’s a goal for this year.”
“I personally don’t view the Connectapalooza approach as that far from our current practice,” said Emily Hahn, program director for sexual assault prevention education & advocacy. Hahn previously helped lead last week’s bonus convocation entitled “How Much is Too Much? Conversations on Alcohol and Substance Use,” which was intended to educate and have an open discussion with students. “It is acknowledging and it’s allowing the presence of alcohol in … but it’s not going so far as to provide alcohol or bring it to campus.”
“I think Goshen College could do better in its education and its outreach and its health promotion,” Hahn said. “I think we’re improving, but I do think it’s a continued area that we need to work on as far as our policies around alcohol.”
When asked about the future of the dry campus and if it would be changed, President Stolzfus said, “Probably not.”
“We’re certainly looking at the campus conduct policies we’ll learn from this and decide in terms of alcohol use,” she said. “But I think the basic concept of a dry campus for our student body, apart from special events like this … I don’t imagine that changing quickly.”
A dry campus doesn’t matter only for students and employees but also for any events that colleges host, including rentals by community members, according to President Stoltzfus. The policy changes in that regard are as much a business decision as much as they are changing with the times.
“Personal changes have been evolving for a long time … among Mennonites … supporting Goshen College,” said Joe Springer, retired MHL curator “In some ways it’s appropriate that this happens at an alumni event.”
