Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to the feature “Some Impressions of the Theme Houses” that was published in the March 25th issue. When I opened the paper, I was happy to see that the newspaper chose to highlight the theme communities. I understand that features typically take a more narrative approach than a news story. Even within that context, I feel as though the article neglected to portray a fair picture of the theme communities of St. Lawrence.
It appeared as though the author was looking for reasons to be critical of the themes. They were called exclusive if they had an excess of applicants and described as ineffective if there were vacancies. The theme communities are dynamic and have proven to be open to constructive feedback. I didn’t find the feature to be constructive.
The author seemed invested in activism, which is laudable. Activism is one part of these diverse communities, who collectively embrace action, reflection, education, and more. These communities are particularly skilled at balancing the seriousness of their purpose with the pursuit of enjoyment. They realize that they need both to achieve their mission(s).
I hope that future stories involving theme communities are more balanced. The students in these communities offer much to the SLU community and deserve more than the feature that was published by The Hill News.
Sincerely,
Amy Brady
Volunteer Services & Theme House Coordinator
