RAVEN FAMILY

WELCOME TO THE RAVEN FAMILY

Like every family, the Raven Family has traditions, people, places, events, and activities that make it unique. You are invited to become a part of it all! Beanies

This tradition began in October 1928. All new students receive their beanie at the “Beanie Banquet” and they wear it until the Opening Convocation. Students must caw like a raven if they are caught not wearing it. The tradition has become a way for new students to recognize each other and to know for certain when they are no longer “new” — when the beanie comes off.

Alma Mater "O Lord of Every Blessing"

Composed in 2002 by Dr. Ruth Krusemark '73, Stacy Niedbalski Cope '02, and Andrew Hofer O.P. '94, the Alma Mater is frequently sung at special campus events. O Lord of ev’ry blessing, we praise you for the place That sits above the river and under heaven’s grace. We call her “Alma Mater” from hearts with love aflame And proudly go rejoicing with Benedictine’s name. O hear your ravens calling; in faith we fly to you. For you alone are holy, and you alone are true. Just as the river flowing, you always will provide. So in all things forever may you be glorified. Surround her with your goodness and keep her in your peace. May Benedictine flourish, her family increase. Like dappled trees in autumn or flowers fresh in spring, Your glory casts its beauty where souls in wisdom sing. This school of your own service has set us on our way To follow you in knowledge unto the endless day. Let fear not daunt our movement toward hope of promise bright As now we run in courage with love’s untold delight.

E-I-O Cheer

The E-I-O cheer often follows the Raven Fight Song and is equally as spirited. John Casey ’74, helped popularize the cheer, which was originated by Robert H. “Hammy” Alberts ’39, of Atchison, according to Larry Buessing ’60, and confirmed by Mike Purslow ’62.

Fight Song

A campus favorite, the fight song is chanted anywhere there is a gathering of Ravens from athletic events to weddings. The song was composed by Fr. Raphael O’Malley, O.S.B., in 1941. Ravens are flying high in the sky, Cheer them on their way. Hey! Hey! Hey! Shout out the black and white battle cry, Victory always. Sons of grand ole' St. Benedict, Raise your banners high. Soaring onto glory. Faithful to the story, Ravens always fly on high!

The Clinking Tradition

When something hits the floor of the Dining Hall, Benedictine College students start clinking their silverware. This evolved from an old tradition of clinking when a woman came onto the all-male campus.

Rocky the Raven

Depictions of St. Benedict often include the raven. According to legend, the raven prevented St. Benedict from eating poisoned bread. Father Sebastian Weissenberger, O.S.B., first suggested the ‘Ravens’ mascot in 1927. Our trademark mascot is Rocky the Raven, whose birthday is celebrated on December 20.

PLACES

Mary’s Grotto

Officially dedicated on September 8, 2009, Mary’s Grotto is nestled in a hill in the heart of campus. Modeled after the grotto where Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette in Lourdes, France, the Grotto serves as a central location for prayer and is a symbol of Mary’s care and protection over the College.

Raven Memorial Park

Raven Memorial Park honors students who passed away while attending Benedictine College. The memorial includes students spanning from the school’s founding in 1858 until present day. Located in the center of campus, the park features a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, enthroned in 2016. The park includes the Memorial to the Unborn, dedicated by Ravens Respect Life for those Ravens Who Might Have Been, a waterfall and a stone pathway to Mary’s Grotto.

Haverty Gym

The “old gym” was first opened on January 13, 1924. It was the site of Raven basketball games and included the original Pit student cheering section. It was renovated and renamed the Haverty Center in 2003.

Raven Roost

The Raven Roost is located on the first floor of the Haverty Center. In this 1924 building, the Roost unites the past history of the college and its alumni with the lives of our current and future students. The centerpiece of the Raven Roost is the mural titled “The Development of Atchison Around the Benedictine Community” and was done by Anthony Benton Gude, grandson of Thomas Hart Benton as part of the renovation in 2003.

Campus Sign

The current entrance sign to Benedictine College, a popular place for photographs, was placed on campus in 2005. It features the seal of Benedictine College, along with the crests of the school’s predecessors St. Benedict’s College and Mount St. Scholastica College.

Abbey Lookout

Now the site of St. Benedict’s Abbey Return to Nazareth Prayer Garden, this observation point overlooking the Missouri River is considered “the most peaceful place on earth.” It is a popular place for students to relax — and has been the site of many Raven marriage proposals.

ROC Week

Formerly known as OMEGA, then in 1998 ROK week, before becoming ROC. Raven Orientation Camp is Benedictine College’s orientation program for all new students. ROC week began in 2001.

Beanie Banquet

On the last night of ROC week, students attend a special dinner. They receive their beanies in groups after cawing like a raven. Students who have had a relative formerly attend the college are called “Legacy Students” and receive a pin they wear on their beanie.

Academic Convocation

The Convocation is the academic “kick-off” event each year, and it features a speaker of interest to multiple disciplines. At the Convocation, freshmen are welcomed fully into the Raven community when they are invited to remove their beanies.

Oktoberfest

Both the Abbey and the Mount trace their roots to Benedictines in Bavaria. The first Benedictine College Oktoberfest was held on October 5, 2000. Octoberfest features the tapping of the root beer keg, polka music, Bavarian-inspired food, and an original, limited-edition shirt given away to lucky Ravens.

Spooky Science

Benedictine College students invite Atchison children to experience science demonstrations including The Ghost of Einstein, a pumpkin pendulum, a Haunted Chemistry Lab, and much more. The evening also includes face painting, mask making, and plenty of popcorn, cupcakes, and candy.

Beard Season

Beard season takes place from November 1 through February 13, the day before Valentine’s Day. It is in honor of the impressive beard of the Abbey’s first leader, Abbot Innocent Wolf. This tradition began in 2001. Dean of Students Dr. Joseph Wurtz is a frequent participant.

Campus Lighting Ceremony

In anticipation of Christmas, most of the major campus buildings are lit during the lighting ceremony. This tradition began in 2006 and occurs on the Sunday night following Thanksgiving.

Mission Trips

Every year Benedictine College sends students across the country and to remote areas of the world in order to serve others during Spring Break and Fall Mission Week. More than 15 percent of the student body fundraises and travels to 13 countries on five continents, as well as serving domestically.

Jam for the Lamb

Jam for the Lamb is a student musical talent show that occurs on the last weekend before finals in the fall and the spring. It began in fall 2001.

Spring Formal

The Spring Formal takes place off-campus and includes a banquet and an evening of dancing. In the 1930s–'40s the event was called Spring Prom, not taking up its current title until 1986. The event was moved off campus in 1989.

March of Light

Students participate in the bookend traditions of two “March of Light” candle processions to the Grotto. As freshmen, they take a class picture in their beanies around the Haverty “B,” then they are greeted by faculty and staff as they carry a candle to the Grotto on the way to the Opening School Mass. As graduates, they partake in the March of Light ceremony as they process to the Baccalaureate Mass.

As your student becomes immersed in the Benedictine community, you might hear some unfamiliar words or phrases. Use this Raven glossary to be “in the know.”

DINING DOLLARS

Not to be confused with Raven Bucks, a set amount of Dining Dollars come as part of your student’s meal plan. Half of the Dining Dollars are allotted for use in the first semester; the other half is allotted each semester. Dining Dollars not utilized within the semester are forfeited.

HER WEEKEND

Short for “His Economic Relief,” HER Weekend is a fun weekend in the fall, which is planned by student leaders on the Campus Activities Board. This weekend includes a dance and other activities that bring the campus together.

LATE NIGHT

On a regular basis, students may use one of their meal swipes from 9:30 – 11:00 p. m. to grab an early midnight snack for study break or an opportunity to enjoy the company of other students.

MEAL SWIPES

Students who select a "Weekly" meal plan have a set number of meals per week. Students swipe their Student IDs to utilize a meal swipe. Meal swipes do not roll over from week to week.

RAVEN BUCKS

Not to be confused with Dining Dollars, Raven Bucks work like a convenient debit system, using your student’s Benedictine student ID card. At any time, funds may be deposited on the card, and the student may use the funds in the Raven Store, at the WEPA printing kiosks, at some of the vending machines on campus, and at our dining services locations. Additional Raven Bucks may be deposited via RavenZone and are accessible with the swipe of a Benedictine ID. Raven Bucks roll over from semester to semester and from year to year. Upon graduation, amounts of Raven Bucks in excess of $10 remaining on your student’s account are eligible to be refunded.

RAVENZONE

This vital online platform helps Benedictine students register for classes, access financial documents, check “final grades,” apply for on-campus jobs, sign up for spiritual direction, and more. This is the central ‘portal’ that will be accessed frequently as a student.

THE RAVEN WALK

A monumental and traditional part of Benedictine College, this is the route that all students travel (from the JPII Student Center to the Ferrell Academic Center) to get to their classes, greet one another, and get their heart rate up during the brisk walk between classes.

THE RAVEN WALK (CAREER DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM)

Similar in concept to LinkedIn, “The Raven Walk” is a career services platform that allows current students to connect with mentors drawn from the Benedictine community of alumni, parents, faculty, and staff. This community of mentorship helps connect students with job opportunities, internships, and education, life, and job advice.

UNLIMITED MEAL PLAN

New for 2021-2022, students with an Unlimited Meal Plan may enter the Dining Hall as often as they wish throughout the day.

ROC WEEK

Otherwise known as “Raven Orientation Camp,” ROC Week is the new student orientation experience in which students are placed in a ROC group, led by two dedicated ROC leaders who will help them become acclimated with the campus and have a successful and easy transition to life at Benedictine.

WEPA

WEPA is a cloud-based, print management solution for student printing in higher education and university settings. Each semester every Benedictine College student is given $15.75 of “WEPA Bucks,” which allows them to print 175 pages wirelessly at any of the WEPA locations around campus. Based on a study of Raven printing habits, most students will receive all their printing free of charge.

10 INSIDER TIPS FROM A RAVEN PARENT

 BECOME INVOLVED IN THE BENEDICTINE COLLEGE

PARENT ASSOCIATION (BCPA).

As a parent of a Benedictine College student, you are automatically a member of the Benedictine College Parent Association. Whether you live nearby campus, or across the country, your involvement is encouraged and welcomed! The BCPA hosts a few on-campus meetings each year, with remote access for parents unable to attend in person. The mission of the BCPA is to 1) advance the mission and raise awareness of Benedictine College, 2) support Benedictine parents, and 3) promote hospitality within the Benedictine community.

Important notes about the BCPA:

• If you are interested in being active on the BCPA Core

Team, please contact BCPA President Stacey White at

BCAJWhite@msn.com. • The BCPA hosts complimentary move-in weekend barbecues for all families on move-in weekend. Bring your family to cool off, enjoy a meal together, and meet current Benedictine parents. • Mark your calendar for the first BCPA meeting of the academic year, which will take place on campus the

Saturday of Family Weekend. Watch your email for details about how to participate in person or remotely. • To receive timely information from the BCPA (and from Benedictine College in general) while your student is enrolled at Benedictine, please make sure we have your contact information: Benedictine.edu/families • Any questions about the BCPA? Please reach out to President Stacey White at BCAJWhite@msn.com.

 KEEP UP-TO-DATE WITH HAPPENINGS AT

BENEDICTINE.

Your student will automatically receive the Benedictine College FYI, a regular internal email with important and timely information for faculty, staff, and students. The Ministry FYI is distributed to each student by email each Sunday morning. These are sent to your student’s Benedictine College email address.

As a Raven parent, if you have shared your email address with us, you will automatically receive the following email communications:

• Periodic emails from the College, including letters from President Minnis and Pete Helgesen, Dean of

Enrollment Management.

• The Raven Fly-By

Published every other week, the Raven Fly-By features campus highlights, speakers, events, videos, news, and a calendar of upcoming events.

• The Raven Parent Update

Published regularly (about once a month), the Raven

Parent Update is written specifically for parents of

Benedictine College students and includes insider information, newsworthy tidbits, information to share with others about Benedictine and tips for best supporting your student.

• The Raven Store e-Flyer

Published monthly, the Raven Store e-Flyer showcases new Benedictine College clothing and other accessories offered by our campus store.

• College Ministry FYI

Published every Sunday morning, the Ministry FYI features upcoming faith news, events, and opportunities for the Benedictine College community.

You may also wish to subscribe to the following publications of Benedictine’s Gregorian Institute at TheGregorian.org: • The Gregorian Institute Email

This weekly email includes prayer resources based on the liturgical year, feature stories on significant events on campus, articles, and posts by Benedictine College professors, and more.

• The Gregorian Digest

This free, quarterly mailing features content drawn from speeches delivered at Benedictine College.

Follow Benedictine College's social media accounts

(@BenedictineKS) on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Snapchat.

 SHARE YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS, QUESTIONS, AND

NEWS WITH OTHER RAVEN PARENTS VIA OUR FREE, ONLINE COMMUNITY - BCPA@GROUPS.IO.

An initiative of the Benedictine College Parent Association (BCPA), this online platform offers a way for any parent of a currently enrolled Benedictine College student to network with other parents, ask questions, provide answers, share prayer requests, and support the efforts of the BCPA. Join the group at: https://groups.io/g/BCPA and begin interacting with other Benedictine parents via email.  ENCOURAGE YOUR STUDENT

TO JOIN THE RAVEN RIDES FACEBOOK GROUP.

Because Benedictine does not provide a shuttle to and from Kansas City International Airport, students typically find rides from their peers. When it’s time for your student to make travel plans, whether he or she needs a ride to the airport or to another part of the country, the best way to quickly and conveniently connect with other students in your area is to utilize the Raven Rides Facebook group, which is a private group for current students only, moderated by current students. The group requires approval to join; parents are not allowed to join the group on behalf of their student. Even if your student doesn’t use Facebook for any other purpose, encourage your student to create a Facebook account solely for the purpose of connecting with other students to arrange rides.

 FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE STUDENT

HANDBOOK AND THE COURSE CATALOG.

While it’s primarily your student’s responsibility to be familiar with the Student Handbook and the Course Catalog, you may wish to spend a few minutes becoming acquainted with where to access these important documents and what is included in each of them. Especially if this is your first time being a college parent, the Student Handbook and the Course Catalog will help you become more knowledgeable about the terminology your student will be hearing at college. • Access the Course Catalog at Benedictine.edu/

academics/catalog/

• Access the Student Handbook at Benedictine.edu/

student-life/handbook

 SHARE TIPS FOR

COLLEGE SUCCESS WITH YOUR STUDENT.

Based on data about our students, Benedictine College has identified the following as key factors that help students stay on track to graduate: • Attend all

orientation sessions.

94% of those who attend orientation are on track to graduate compared to only 70% of those who missed some portion of orientation • Go to class. Class attendance is the single most important variable associated with success. Students who miss no more than two class sessions per week are 10% more likely to remain on track to graduate. • Study in the library. Highly successful students (3.0 GPA or higher) spend 20% more time in the library than the rest of the student body. • Put in the time. Students who do well put in roughly three times as much time on academic activities (class, studying, labs, etc.) as those who struggle. • Get involved. Next to going to class, being involved in campus activities is the second most important factor in staying on course to graduate. • Use a planner. Student leaders on our campus excel in setting goals and creating a daily schedule for themselves.

 RESERVE ACCOMMODATIONS WELL

IN ADVANCE FOR ALL COLLEGE EVENTS

Parents have shared with us that Atchison lodging fills up quickly on weekends that attract many visitors to campus. Keep in mind that lodging is also available in Weston, Missouri; Leavenworth, Kansas; St. Joseph, Missouri; and Kansas City (in both Missouri and Kansas).

 SPEND TIME WITH THE ATCHISON

MONASTIC COMMUNITIES.

Benedictine College was founded by the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey and the sisters of Mount St. Scholastica. These monastic communities set Benedictine College apart from other institutions and provide a strong spiritual foundation for students and families. In fact, these religious communities pray daily for all students, alumni, benefactors, and friends of Benedictine College. Give yourself the gift of getting to know the monks and sisters while your student is enrolled at Benedictine.

• KansasMonks.org • Mountosb.org

 JOIN THE RAVEN WALK. Both you and your student will benefit from being involved in our new online mentoring and networking platform for students, alumni, faculty, staff, and employers in the Benedictine community. Parents can serve as mentors for Benedictine students, providing connections and insights into life, career, and educational paths. Sign up at Ravenwalk.benedictine.edu.

 KEEP THE BENEDICTINE COLLEGE

COMMUNITY IN YOUR DAILY PRAYERS. WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU!

About the Author

Megan Fassero '97 is the Parent Outreach Coordinator for Benedictine College. As the mother of a 2021 graduate, she has a keen interest in sharing campus news and information with Raven parents - from a parent's perspective. Megan and her husband Matt '98 are both graduates of Benedictine College and have been married for 23 years.

KEY CONTACTS

Benedictine College’s faculty and staff are ready and available to assist your student. Encourage your student to reach out to the appropriate department for support.

Records/Registration 913.360.7550

Admission 913.360.7476

Advancement 913.360.7414

Athletics 913.360.7564

Business Office 913.360.7403

Career Services 913.360.7578

College Chaplain 913.360.7735

College Ministry 913.360.7735

Counseling Center 913.360.7621

Dining Services 913.360.7595

Financial Aid 913.360.7484

FOCUS 913.360.7735

Health Services 913.360.7117

IT Helpdesk 913.360.7777

Library

913.360.7608

Mailroom 913.360.7240

Operations Helpdesk 913.360.7777

Parent Outreach 913.360.7967

Raven Store 913.360.7448

Residence Life 913.360.7500

Rocky’s Copies 913.360.7225

St. Paul’s Outreach 913.360.7735

Security 913.360.8888

Student Activities 913.360.7500

Student Billing 913.360.7403

Student Life 913.360.7500

Student Success Center 913.360.7576

Study Abroad 913.360.7975