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The McKelvy House Scholars invite the campus to join them in a dinner discussion exploring the nature of relationships Sunday, March 25.
The meal will begin at 6 p.m. in Pardee Hall, room 101. Ryan McCall ’07 (Seneca, Pa.), a mathematics major, and Michael Werner ’07 (Neenah, Wis.), who is pursuing B.S. degrees in biology and geology, will lead the discussion from 6:30-8 p.m.
In “Unknown Strangers, Unknown Friends: What Do We Really Know about Each Other,” McCall and Werner will take a closer look at the relationships people have with each other.
“We all have close friends as well as acquaintances that we know to varying degrees, but it seems that there are unspoken boundaries to each of our relationships,” says McCall. “Perhaps ‘Joe’ and I only converse about sports and beer but we could actually really enjoy talking about opera and journalism just as well. So, we are interested in what shapes our interactions and creates these boundaries. Conversely, if you do something different, like take a road trip with an old friend, your relationship can change.”
McCall and Werner will also explore what aspects of self people present to one another in relationships, such as the parts they hide and parts they share. They will ask, “Do people fail to share certain aspects of themselves that would enrich and deepen our interactions?” They also will discuss why people present themselves differently in various social situations.
Since 1962, the McKelvy House Scholars program has brought together Lafayette students with a wide range of majors and interests to reside in a historic off-campus house and share in intellectual and social activities. Weekly Sunday, and occasional Wednesday, dinner discussions that engage students in debate and exchange of ideas are the hallmark of the program. Most members also contribute to the annual McKelvy Papers, written on a topic of each person’s choice. McKelvy Scholars participate in activities together such as field trips to plays, concerts, and exhibits, and sponsor events for the campus as well.
Previous discussions: