Westminster Honor Code Reflection

At my school, we have what we call JanTerm, a 3-week period where students take one hands-on, intensive course. Last year I took a class called Periodismo, where we went on a week-long trip to Puerto Rico and experienced the many traditional and cultural aspects of this great group of people. Our final project was to create a magazine highlighting several Puerto Rican traits, including gastronomy, festivals, and geography. At my school, we abide by the Westminster Honor Code. I feel like this course not only exalted the type of students Westminster wants us to be, but the type of humans we should be, ones who are respectful and caring of others as well as open-minded and willing to try new things. Because of the Westminster Honor Code, each and every one of us knew how to get the most out of this learning experience with locals.

I have reason to believe that the Bryn Mawr Honor Code serves a very similar purpose to the Westminster Honor Code.

While in Puerto Rico, we had the chance to stay at a nice hotel with eccentric, but sympathetic staff members. We spent time at local restaurants and even explored the national forest. Interacting with people of different backgrounds was a change of atmosphere, but it did not change how we were to treat and speak to others. There were some uncomfortable occasions, but we managed well by doing what was most respectful.

Spending some time with different people from the ones I am used to back at home allowed me to learn how easy it can be to interact with others despite our differences. At Westminster, I’ve learned that despite cultural, gender, and economic differences, we can all coexist and learn in a single environment. Furthermore, the school trips we take, whether to Savannah or Puerto Rico, have broadened my horizons. I feel well-prepared to go out into the world, to a place where I can work and learn alongside people who are different than I

am.
To me, Bryn Mawr is a community of open-minded women who strive to succeed, and as a young woman who fits these characteristics, it’s what attracts me to this school. However, each and every one of these girls has something different from me, whether it’s age, race, religious beliefs, or heritage. I want to be able to do what I did in Puerto Rico last year. I want to learn in a diverse community that has a few things in common: gender and open-mindedness. Having followed the Westminster Honor Code for four years now, I believe it’d be easy to adapt to a new set of rules that highlights similar principles. At Bryn Mawr, I want to learn and succeed, but not just as an individual. I’ve noticed that there is more to learn from working and living with people of different backgrounds than working with those similar to oneself, so I am excited to get out of my bubble once again, and hopefully for more than just one week.