Goucher Today: Campus News

New Facilities for a Winning Team

Goucher is completely redesigning and renovating the aging facilities that house the college’s award-winning equestrian team and 28 horses. The equestrian program has steadily garnered accomplishments, and its director, Jen Bunty, said the updates will give current and future students facilities that match the caliber of the team. The project will feature an expansive barn that will include classrooms and observation areas. The construction timeline is fluid, but the roughly $6 million project has been in progress for years.

Check out goucher.edu/equestriancenter for information, updates, and ways to get involved.
—Angie Cochrun

Conference on Education as a Civil Right

In September, Goucher College hosted a two-day conference on educational equity and ways to increase college access.

The panelists at “Admission: The Road to Higher Education For All” included national experts in public policy and education, and leaders from nonprofits and organizations such as the Lumina Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Association of American Colleges & Universities.

Goucher Admissions Director Corky Surbeck gave a presentation on the college’s experience with the Goucher Video Application, and the conference wrapped up with a keynote presentation by Harvard Law School Professor Lani Guinier, author of The Tyranny of the Meritocracy: Democratizing Higher Education in America.

In addition to garnering media attention, the conference got high praise from attendees, who were surveyed afterward to improve future conferences.

One participant was “very excited to see education professionals breaking down and re-analyzing the system as we have known it, particularly the ways that the SATs and financial aid policies perpetuate barriers and oppression.”

“Good, thoughtful, engaged people coming together is a great thing,” wrote another. “Goucher is making things happen!”

Videos of presentations are available at www.goucher.edu/HigherEdForAll.
—Kristen K. Pinheiro

Home Court Gets an Advantage

Prior to this fall’s athletics season, 24 coats of finish were sanded off the Decker Sports and Recreation Center’s wooden gym floor. Crews then updated the court lines and logo that were first painted when the gym was finished almost 25 years ago. “The best feature is they did a two-tone approach: The area outside the lane, and inside the 3-point line, is lighter wood than the rest of the floor,” said Geoff Miller, director of physical education and athletics. “It provides a really nice visual contrast.” Two new basketball coaches—Patrick Daniel with the women’s team and Tom Rose ’95 with the men’s team—are taking advantage of the much-improved gym floor. “I cannot think of a better way for these new coaches to start off their seasons,” Miller said.
—Angie Cochrun