St. Sophia

Scott studied the stained glass window in the chapel.  The hundred-year-old painted faces of St. Sophia and her three murdered daughters stared back at him impassively.  Amazing that the painted glass could have such brilliant color and realistic pictures over a hundred years after it was first created.  Since he had a few hours between his classes, he had decided to explore the historic campus and take some pictures to send to his parents.  First up was the soaring red-brick main building and its Italianate chapel.  Although Scott wasn't Catholic like the College of St. Sophia was, he had heard that the chapel was stunning, and he was here to see it himself and take some pictures.

"Photography's not allowed with a flash," said a female voice behind him.




Scott whipped around quickly, in mid-photograph.  Damn.  The light was just perfect as he was about to make the shot, but that photo would have to be erased now.

A very diminutive young woman with a short, spiky dishwater blonde fauxhawk eyed him expectantly.  "Sorry to butt in, but they're kind of sticklers about photography in the chapel.  Hey...you're new here, aren't you?"

"Yes, today's my first day.  As a professor, that is.  Been a while since I was a student."  He laughed nervously.

She held out her hand.  "My name's Dr. Leah Eastman-Rivera.  I'm in the biology department."

"I'm Scott Bromley," he replied, shaking it. "And I teach sociology.  Nice to meet you."

"Sociology?  That's so cool!"  Leah grinned excitedly.  "I have a second master's degree in women's and gender studies, and we read a lot of sociology books.  What's your dissertation about?"

"Well, actually, I don't have a PhD, so I didn't write a dissertation.  I'm an adjunct for now," explained Scott.  "But I like it already here.  This campus is breathtaking, and my students were great too."

"Yeah, the College of St. Sophia is a special place.  I've been here three years, and I really like it.  Hey, look, I was headed to the bistro for lunch.  What do you say you join me?  It's just two flights downstairs."

"Sure, thanks for the invite."  Scott shoved the camera into his briefcase and headed down the hall with Leah, who was effusively telling him all about her time at the college.  At over six and a half feet tall, he felt simply enormous next to her, but with her animatedly talking, it didn't seem like she noticed or cared.

"And after I stopped teaching at Marillac University in the city, I was so happy to have found this place.  Seriously, it's one of the best teaching experiences I've had!" she enthused.

"Hold up," Scott interrupted.  "You were at Marillac?"

"I taught there after I got my PhD, yes," Leah answered, conspicuously avoiding making eye contact.  "I took the women's studies classes there while I was teaching, since they were free and all for professors.  It's a...good school.  Nice urban campus too."


"Then if I may be so bold, how did you wind up here?  This must have seemed so small and limited next to--"  Scott immediately regretted his choice of words.  "Ah, not that there's anything wrong with a small, liberal arts college..."

Leah's bright eyes darkened.  "They denied my tenure.  I was crushed!  Next to my wife, teaching is the love of my life, and I felt like my dream of being a professor had been snatched away from me."

"I'm so sorry.  That must have been awful.  Again, I'm sorry about my choice of words."

"No need to feel sorry for me."  She brushed it off with a wave of her hand.  "Feel sorry for Marillac, cause it doesn't have me!  I applied everywhere within a four-hour radius, and St. Sophia's was the first one that made an offer.  It's so funny...I never would have thought I'd be teaching at a small, suburban liberal arts college, and I love it!  The only thing I don't love is the endless Midwestern winters!"

"Yeah, they take some getting used to if you're not from around here.  Though I personally like the snow, being from Wisconsin and all," Scott laughed.

"Well...I'm from Flagstaff.  The winters took some getting used to.  Oh hey, Chelsea!" she shouted to a student halfway across the bistro.  "Don't forget tomorrow's Ravine Day!"

"I've got my waders ready, Dr. E!" Chelsea called back.

"Ravine day?" asked Scott.

"We're collecting specimens in the ravine," Leah explained as she loaded her tray, "and then photographing, identifying and classifying them.  While I have four college degrees, I'm convinced that less than 50% of what we learn in college is learned in the classroom, but rather in our experiences.  So we are going out into the field to study the creatures in our college habitat!  It's my favorite part of teaching this class, since the students always get excited about it."

"I still have to check out the ravine," Scott said, looking around the bistro.  It seemed like everyone already knew everyone else, so he was grateful not to be eating alone.

"But enough about Dr. Leah's long strange journey.  What brings you here to St. Sophia?"

"Well, I wanted to teach for a while," explained Scott, "and after my divorce, I decided to drown my sorrow in academia.  I was glad I did, too, as I made a lot of new friends in my master's cohort, and they were really supportive of me during a time I needed it.  I'd wanted to get my master's degree, but it seemed like there was never a convenient time for it.  Always something else going on that was more pressing."

"Oooh, that's rough," Leah said.  "I'm sorry to hear about your divorce."

"So this was the first place that took my application to adjunct.  My older sisters live nearby, so it's good to be near them.  And again, I think the timing of my getting my degree was exactly what I needed, as I was meeting new friends and learning about topics I enjoyed during a rough point.  Oh and--did you just pay for both of us?  How much do I owe you?"

She brushed it off and led the way to a small table.  "I do this for new professors, ever since Dr. McKinney in the English department did it for me when I started.  Just pay it forward the next time you see someone on their own."

"Well, thanks, Leah.  I appreciate it.  I don't think I've met Dr. McKinney yet."

"No, Scott, thank you for grabbing lunch with someone you just met!  But oh, Camrynne's a sweetheart and my first friend at St. Sophia.  My wife loves her too.  I'm sure you'll meet everyone here soon enough."

"Camrynne McKinney...I went to school with a Camrynne McKinney.  Know what her alma mater is?"  Scott knew the name.  All too well.  If she was teaching at the College, then--

"Yeah, I remember it's a really good school.  Illinois State...no, wait, that's not it...Illinois Wesleyan..."

"U of I at Urbana?"

"Yes!  She's a triple Illini.  U of I puts out some wonderful graduates.  Along with Camrynne, we have six Illini on our staff, and we love them all...."

Scott wasn't listening.  First day on the job, he thought, and already a blast from the past.  It was the same Camrynne from undergrad.  This was going to get interesting.