Table Of Content

' i ^^l|j r a : fM 4- S|lg|i # ' i , Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Muhlenberg College Alumni Trust Fund https://archive.org/details/ciarla2006114muhl u XXave you ever thought about what it means to define something?Towhatdepthmust we break it down in order to understand it in a way that it will stick forever? w T T eoftenthinkweunder- standsomething... untilweask ourselves the question, what does this mean now and what will we walkaway with? (/Uftm Kje fine Let'sbeginwith somethingthatmost ofus areprooaWyclueless me about when itcomesto defining, youryearbookeditorincluded. enX Ciarla... what does itmean? Ithasgracedthe college's yearbook h Hf- fW- covers dating back to the early 1900's and everyone pretends to evei know what it means. The word Ciarla is actually fwvt'A*- p-foce. an Italian word which comes fromtheverb Ciarlare, or "to chat/talk".The ideaofchitterand spreadingknowledgefrompersontopersonisparalleltotheway a yearbook presents information and spreads knowledge to its readers! These ideas and captured bits ofknowledge will define yourexperiencehere,in2006, formanyyearstocome. Justopen up Ciarla, andyouwill rememberwhat it's all about. Q Ifit weren't for the chatter and spreading knowledge among uestion the things all ofus students on Muhlenberg's campus, all ofourwonderful around you. don't take any- ideas would get nowhere. thing for granted, and know thatone dayyou willwantto beableto defineyourexperi- ence here at Muhlenberg. n 1 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Student Li Academics Organizations Greek Life i06 Athletic Seni 90 Parent Pri OPENING 3 | Helm President Moments" "Defining that will be useful today" 4 DEFINING MOMENTS" FROM PRESIDENT HELM — Moments Defining Writing an essay forCiarla is, in many ways, like putting amessage in abottle or inserting an artifact in a time capsule. I’mnot entirely sure who amongthe Class of2006 willreadmy words this yearand cannot guess who mayread them inthe future-orwhen. My hope is to convey advice thatwill be useful today and, ifI am truly successful, that will seem truthful to youyears oreven decadeshence, whenyou happen to take your old yearbook offthe shelfandperuse its pages in search ofyouryoungerself. Talk about a challenging assignment! Atthis moment inyour life (that is the momentwhen I am writ- ingthis, the spring of2006) you have alreadymade a good start on the lifelong task ofdefiningwho you are. Ifyou reflect on howyou became the person you are today, I suspectyou will conclude that- in addition to the genes you inherited and the values yourfamily triedto teach you-your decisions (great and small) have definedyou. They will continue to define you. The cumulative impact ofyears of decisions, andthe actions theyproduce, will determine who you are, how people will see you, and (some day) how youwill be remem- bered. Will you be honest? Will yoube kind? Will yoube patient with your friends, your spouse, yourchildren? Will you love others and express that love? Will yoube loyal (and ifso, to whatandto whom?) Will you keep yourpromises? Will you be generous with those in need? Will you investyourtime, yourtalent, andyourtrea- sure in selfless or selfish pursuits? The ancient Egyptians believed that when we die ourhearts are placed on one pan ofthe scales and the featheroftruth is placed on the other. Ifwe have lived a good life, the scales will balance. Foronce I disagree with thewisdom ofantiquity; Itis notjustwhat is in our hearts that matters- it is what we do, in life and withlife, that carries the most weight. I am notreferring to careerchoices orcareersuccess —though heaven knows I hope you choose a careerthatchallenges and —fulfills you. Doctor, lawyer, accountant, teacher, artist, business leader allthese andmany othervocations can benobleifpursuedwith integrity. When I was young, a quotation from Robert Louis Stevenson’s adventure novel The BlackArrow, struckme as fundamentallytrue: “Words are all very well,” one characteradmonishes the young protagonist, “but I look to deeds.” The same sentimentwas expressedto me in dif- ferentwords by an aging hippyback in the ‘sixties: “What you do is yourreligion, man, everything else isjust lip service.” 1 hope thatwheneveryoureadthis you will reflect on these words and renew yourresolve to live a life ofleadership and service. Ifyou are readingthis decades in the future, when I am doddering ordead, I hope youwill still value yourtime at Muhlenberg: the friendships you made, the lessons you learned, the skills you honed, the dreams you nurtured, and the principles you embraced. Ifyou do, this campus will alwaysbe yourhome. I hope youwill return often, love itwell, and support it generously inword anddeed. OPENING 5 DEFINING 6