Available Activities

Academic Assistance

You can reach a student assistant and receive help in a specific subject using the following email addresses, and their hours can be found pasted on the McDowell Coffeeshop blackboard next to the event calendar:

• Writing assistance: annapolis.writingassistance(at)sjc.edu
• French assistance: annapolis.frenchassistance(at)sjc.edu
• Math assistance: annapolis.mathassistance(at)sjc.edu
• Greek assistance: annapolis.greekassistance(at)sjc.edu

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Community, Discussion & Pre-Professionals

Delegate Council (DC)

Officers:

• President: Ali Shawamreh
• Secretary: El’ad Nichols-Kaufman
• Treasurer: Alexander Paden
• Polity Attorney: Helen Felbek
• Polity Herald: Rylee Bain

Delegates:

• Seniors: Marshall Cooperman, Charles Dang, Annelise Ivanescu, Adam Powers
• Juniors: Meliha Anthony, Jack Huntley, Ketan Mampara, Louis Rosenberg
• Sophomores: Regan Bottomley, Nicholas Hoo, Jack Webb, Millie Ransohoff
• Freshmen: Lawson Fraser, Maria Iaokeimidou, Segyung Jung, Rachel Rozsa

Alumni Representatives: Ranna Kisswani, Maddie Minor

BVG Representatives: Catherine Greer, Charlotte Nicholas

Croquet Planning Representatives: Lainey Rendelman, Keely Schrantz

Campus Planning Representatives: El’ad Nichols-Kaufman, Reagan Bottomley

Instagram: @sjcdelegatecouncil

The Delegate Council (DC) is the student government of St. John’s College, whose responsibilities include the representation of undergraduate student interests to the administration, the establishment and maintenance of formal channels of communication between the students and the faculty, the management of funds available to the Student Polity for clubs, activities and events, the sanctioning of all student clubs, organizations, committees, and activities, the creation and management of Polity Law, and the representation of the students of St. John’s College to the community outside the college.  For reference, this is DC’s SharePoint site with information on how to write a charter, budget, and audit, as well as copies of the event contract.

Note:

• Audit Submission Deadline: May 3, 2024

Student Committee on Instruction (SCI)

Co-Chairs: Catherine Greer (cegreer(at)sjc.edu), Sarah Thyer (sjthyer(at)sjc.edu)

Representatives: Dolan Polglaze, Hannah Fodor, Jack Domanski, Jackson Green, Ian O’Donnell, Millie Ransohoff, Natalie Goldman, J’nyah Peace

The Student Committee on Instruction (SCI) is a student committee appointed by the Delegate Council to support and enrich the academic life of the college by seeking out student opinion on academic matters through weekly forums, serving as a liaison between the administration and the undergraduate students regarding the academic life at St. John’s, and hosting events such as All-College Seminars, which allow all students at the college to come together in learning.

The Committee on Student Life (CSL)

• Chair: Jack Huntley (jvhuntley(at)sjc.edu)
• Treasurer: Helen Felbek (hfelbek(at)sjc.edu)
• Representatives: Tabby Rutledge (tkrutledge(at)sjc.edu), Arel Foster (awfoster(at)sjc.edu), Camila Lopez (calopez(at)sjc.edu), Tamar Pinksy (tmpinsky(at)sjc.edu)

For reference, this lists CSL’s SharePoint resources so you can stay up to date.

The CSL serves as a forum for discussion of matters concerning the non-academic life of students. It seeks out student opinion of non-academic topics at the request of the Delegate Council (DC) or any member of the Polity. The CSL strives to empower individuals to strengthen the community through open dialogue about issues on campus and to utilize resources for positive change.

Alexander Hamilton Society

Archon: Luke Widenhouse (lswidenhouse(at)sjc.edu)

Vice Archon: Colin Josler (cmjosler(at)sjc.edu)

Treasurer: Adam Powers (ampowers(at)sjc.edu)

Are you interested in global affairs and national security? We are excited to launch the St. John’s College Chapter of the Alexander Hamilton Society (AHS). The Society is a non-partisan, not-for-profit, national organization that seeks to identify, educate, and launch young men and women into foreign policy and national security careers imbued with the Hamiltonian perspective of strong and principled American leadership in global affairs. Primarily through engaging in debate, our programming is critical to the intellectual and professional development of a new generation of American leaders. It also acts as a bridge for Johnnies to pursue internships, graduate programs, and professional opportunities in the worlds of academia, business, finance, policymaking, politics, and journalism.

Catholic Fellowship

Archons: Marie d’Aboville (mdaboville(at)sjc.edu), Chris Thomas (cthomas(at)sjc.edu)

The Catholic Student Fellowship aims to give Catholic students and students interested in Catholicism the opportunity to grow in faith, hope, and love through friendship. Our method of choice is feasting. About once a month, we come together after a Sunday morning Mass for a leisurely brunch. Meetings are very informal and aspire to a festive character. We are occasionally joined by friars from the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. The club email chain also serves as an information channel for all things Catholic on campus; from prayer or reading group invitations, to faraway mass-going coordination. We’d love to meet you!

Diversity & Inclusion Coalition on Education (DICE)

Co-Archons: Meliha Anthony (mzanthony(at)sjc.edu), Tanaquil Eltsov (tleltsov(at)sjc.edu)

We will provide a space for students (and tutors!) to learn and discuss topics that we shy away from during class, including matters of identity and what it means to read and analyze the Western classics in a globalized, pluralistic society. We’re here to foster an inclusive environment through open conversations and school-wide events where people from marginalized communities feel more welcome at St. John’s. In this space, students are encouraged to use the skills and knowledge we cultivate through the Program to talk about modern real-world problems and identify where they intersect with Program texts and how they directly impact our dynamics with each other in and outside of class. Everyone is welcome. Roll the dice and see what happens!

Food Recovery Network

Archon: Madelyn Minor (meminor(at)sjc.edu)

Vice Archon: Luke Briner (lbriner(at)sjc.edu)

The Food Recovery Network aims to fight food waste and support communities by redistributing surplus food from kitchens to nonprofit food pantries. Currently we’re working with the Dining Hall and The Lighthouse, a local homeless prevention support center. Please reach out if you’re interested, any helping hand is truly appreciated!

Hippocratic Society

Archon: Rachel Rozsa (rgrozsa(at)sjc.edu)

The Hippocratic Society aims to foster curiosity in students who are considering careers in medicine and would like to explore the possibilities involved and engage in a deeper study of the sciences. By hearing from medical experts, reviewing the medical school application process, and exploring the various fields of medicine, we help prepare students for the medical school application process.

Johnnies of Color (Santa Fe & Annapolis)

Co-Archons: Stephanie Harris (syharris(at)sjc.edu), Linda Bellamy (lfbellamy(at)sjc.edu)

Vice Archons: Gelila Kebede (gykebede(at)sjc.edu), Candyce Jones (cajones(at)sjc.edu)

Our purpose is to provide a safe space for people of color on our campus to discuss current events on and off campus and what is happening in the world. We will hold monthly meetings on a topic prepared for entire polity. This will sometimes take the form of panels, open discussion, and/or seminars.

The club is not limited to only students of color, but we will put students of color at the center and educate and include the wider community—and we would like to do so with an open mind and open heart.

Law

Co-Archons: J’nyah Peace (jpeace(at)sjc.edu), Gelila Kebede (gykebede(at)sjc.edu), Candyce Jones (cajones(at)sjc.edu)

Do you enjoy the thrill of debate? Do you want to help people and fight for justice? Are you thinking of pursuing a career in law? The club’s mission is to help students explore the field of law to gain a deeper understanding of law and their passions for it.

Orthodox and Catholic Fellowship

Archons: Elisabeth Crosby (emcrosby(at)sjc.edu)

Hello! We are the Orthodox and Catholic Fellowship. Our central activity is reading through some of the early Church Father’s and the Scriptures at a measured pace with plenty of discussion. Our focus will also include the lives of the Saints and early Church History, always keeping in mind the question, what is the Faith and how is it practiced? We also hope to dive deeper into the prayer life of the early Church, especially through practicing the Liturgy of The Hours. All are welcome and invited!

(Orthodoxy): Right belief
(Catholic): Universal

Pangea: International Student Club

Co-Archons: Abhigya Adhikari (aadhikari2(at)sjc.edu), Naina Wagh (nwagh(at)sjc.edu@sjc.edu)

Are you an international student, or interested in various cultures around the world? Do you want to meet other international students and hang out, but don’t know where you can find them? Now, there’s Pangaea: International Student Club! We hold the International Student Party every year and provide different events to share and explore each other’s cultures. If you have any good ideas for sharing your cultural experiences but don’t know what to do? Don’t hesitate to contact us! We will work on it together, and make it happen! This club is not confined to only internationals but is open to everyone, so join us!

Pre-Med

Archon: Sewi Jung (sjung2(at)sjc.edu)

Project Polity

Archon: Luke Briner (lbriner(at)sjc.edu)

Vice Archons: Kurtis Bleakley (kmbleakley(at)sjc.edu), Tarik Mahmud

Project Polity works at actively engaging the Polity in meaningful service to both St. John’s College and the Greater Annapolis Community, as well as forging sustainable relationships between the two. This includes weekly tutoring at the Stanton center, yearly canned goods and clothing drives, and much more. Volunteers are always welcome.

Shammai

Archon: El’ad Nichols-Kaufman (eanicholskaufman(at)sjc.edu)

Shalom to all who may be reading this! Shammai is St. John’s Jewish campus club. We aim to build a strong community on campus by eating, talking, praying, studying and having fun together. Come join us at kabalat shabbat every Friday, or at one of our holiday celebrations, or study groups. We welcome all, whether Jewish, Jew-ish, or just curious about Judaism, to join us in our little community.

Spanish Speakers

Archons: Camila Lopez (calopez(at)sjc.edu), Juliana Ramirez (jsramirez(at)sjc.edu)

The former Spanish movie-watching club has evolved into a Spanish conversation, culture, snack, and other shenanigans club. Vengan y conversan con nosotros (come and talk with us), even if you don’t know Spanish.

St. John’s Christian Fellowship

Co-Archons: Seneca Case (sscase(at)sjc.edu), Jackson Green (jcgreen(at)sjc.edu)

Jesus is the center of what we do and why we meet. At St. John’s, there are ample opportunities to experience Jesus. We seek to come alongside students so that they can get to know Jesus more deeply and build connections. We meet weekly to pray, worship, and dialogue together. Whether you feel like you know Jesus or not, are curious about what faith means, or wondering about who God is, we invite you to come join us. You are welcome here and we look forward to meeting you!

The Platypus Affiliated Society

Archon: Benjamin Kay (bhkay(at)sjc.edu)

The Platypus Affiliated Society is active on campuses across the U.S. and internationally, and organizes reading groups, public fora, research, and journalism focused on the problems and tasks of the historic left, and the possibility of left politics today. This is an attempt to bring Platypus to St. John’s, initially through a reading group and more casual discussion meetings, or “coffee breaks.”

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Publications

Energeia

Co-Archons: Allyson Brink (ambrink(at)sjc.edu), Kelly Kane (kmkane(at)sjc.edu), Esther Beland (erbeland(at)sjc.edu), Riley Ferver (rkferver(at)sjc.edu)

Contact: energeia(at)sjc.edu

Instagram: @energeiasjc

Twitter: @energeiasjc

Energeia is the college’s official student-run literary and arts magazine. Our purpose is to provide a venue for creative expression through various media, including visual arts, creative written pieces—both fiction and non-fiction—and audio artworks, both musical and otherwise, along with a place to hone editing, selection, layout design, and other publication skills. And, finally, to share the polity’s artwork with the rest of the polity.

Energeia latest issue (PDF)

Flypaper

Archon: Magnus Oberg (mdoberg(at)sjc.edu)

The GadFly

Editor-in-chief: Luke Briner (lbriner(at)sjc.edu)

Vice Archon: El’ad Nichols-Kaufman (eanicholskaufman(at)sjc.edu)

Submissions: sjca.gadfly(at)gmail.com

The Gadfly is the college’s long running student newsmagazine. Founded in 1980 it has consistently provided a home for campus news, opinion, art, and culture. The magazine is published biweekly and is an excellent way for students to practice their writing and creativity in a public forum of real readership and impact. The Gadfly distributes at least 150 physical copies every printing cycle, is emailed to every student upon release. The Gadfly is also archived in the St. John’s College Digital Archives. It is a significant part of St. John’s history and its ongoing creation.

Collegian: The Gadfly is also responsible for the publication of The Collegian, a newspaper of short articles which is published every week the Gadfly does not. The Collegian serves to keep the polity informed on day-to-day happenings at the college, and to communicate student opinion on topical issues. Past issues of The Collegian can also be found in the St. John’s College Digital Archives.

Historia

Archon: Georgia Green (gsgreen(at)sjc.edu)

Vice-Archon: Luke Briner (lbriner(at)sjc.edu)

An academic magazine that publishes student essays on Program or Program-adjacent books as well as interviews with faculty and staff.

814 Magazine

Archons: Cassie Desmond (crdesmond(at)sjc.edu)

814 Magazine is a photography publication that strives to present the analog and digital work of the student body in a way that represents the artist while simultaneously engaging the audience. If you love taking photos, come hang!

Yearbook

Editor-in-chief: Tia Peterson (tlpeterson(at)sjc.edu)

The Yearbook wants to create a meaningful photo album for seniors to take with them into their new lives away from the college. Intermixing the beauties of the program with the people who make the program possible, as well as our amazing campus, is our main focus.

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Music and Dance

Madrigal Choir

Contact: Mr. Eric Stoltzfus (eric.stoltzfus(at)sjc.edu)

Everyone (undergrads, GIs, tutors, staff, friends) is welcome to come sing every Tuesday at 11:45 a.m. in the Great Hall with the Madrigal Choir. This semester we have started with a setting of John I:1 by Josquin des Prez. We are also singing some chorales from various centuries, and other music for a cappella choir. There is room for singers in every voice part.

Primum Mobile

Contact: Mr. Eric Stoltzfus (eric.stoltzfus(at)sjc.edu)

Primum Mobile is a small choral ensemble of about eight students and tutors that has, since its establishment in 2000, annually performed masterworks of Renaissance polyphony. Concerts have included music by Josquin des Prez, William Byrd, Palestrina, Victoria, and others. The commitment is large and dedication a must, as is a love of making music with others.

Sinfonia

Archon: Antonina Schlussman (amschlussman(at)sjc.edu)

The purpose of Sinfonia is to enable St. John’s College students to attend live music performances for free! A week before each concert an email will be sent to the polity to raffle tickets. There will be 2–3 concerts per semester representing diverse genres. Please contact amschlussman(at)sjc.edu to suggest a concert prior to each semester. Note: concerts cannot take place on a weekend with a major campus event; tickets have to be $25 or less.

St. John’s Chorus

Archons: Catherine Row (ctrow(at)sjc.edu)

Vice Archon: Rachel Hauben (rphauben(at)sjc.edu)

The St. John’s Chorus is an ensemble conducted by our very own Mr. Peter Kalkavage (tutor) and is open to the entire polity, regardless of musical experience or background. We meet every Wednesday night in the Great Hall from 7–8:30 p.m. ET, learning a range of primarily sacred works to be performed at Collegium and at a formal concert in the spring. It is a wonderful thing to hear what our community sounds like together; with your diligence and heart we are capable of making some truly beautiful music.

St. John’s String Ensemble

Contact: Ms. Rebecca Engstrom (rgengstrom(at)sjc.edu)

Sicut Sing

Meets in the Pendulum Pit every Wednesday at 2:20 p.m. to sing Sicut Cervus. Sheet music provided.

Thursday Night Singers

Archon: Augustus Pananas (gapananas(at)sjc.edu)

Vice Archon: Tarik Mahmud (tmahmud(at)sjc.edu)

BAND: Baby in the b*tch seat

Band Members:
Ranger Kasdorf (rekasdorf(at)sjc.edu),
Troy Herner-Brown, Antonina Schlussman

Baby in the B*tch Seat’s only goal is to get one of their songs stuck irrevocably in your head. Antonina sings, Ali plays guitar, Ranger plays bass, and Troy plays drums; together, they serve up catchy, noisy pop music that turns melody into a weapon. BBS are available for on-campus ragers, birthday parties, bar/bat mitzvahs, and study groups.

Band: Brewster

Band Members: Emily Caswell (encaswell(at)sjc.edu), Carter Brown, Julian Marks, Helen Eastman, Sybil Kushnir

BAND: Dr. Funkenstein’s Psychedelic Garage-Funk Experience (WIP)

Current Roster:

Hannah Chavers: lead vocals

Logan Arendt: lead guitar

Andrew Selway: rhythm guitar

John Teague: bass

Josh Flippo: keys

Christopher Turney: drums/percussion

Funk is the name of our game, but the sky’s the limit. Famous for open mic performances and McDowell Live. Known to cover James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Thundercat, Daft Punk, Alanis Morissette, and ABBA. Also known to jam indefinitely...or at least until the audience passes out. Currently in the midst of songwriting and producing originals.

Contact Christopher Turney(cdturney(at)sjc.edu) for more info.

Band: Student Jazz Coalition

Archon: Joshua Flippo (jdflippo(at)sjc.edu)

Vice Archon: Troy Herner-Brown (tahernerbrown(at)sjc.edu)

The Student Jazz Coalition is dedicated to the understanding of the craft of improvised music. It also provides free musical entertainment to the Polity.

Band: Summerfield

Band Members:

Music, lyrics, lead vocals: Helen Wagner (hswagner(at)sjc.edu)

Guitar, banjo, mandolin, backup vocals: Wylie Robbins Thorne-Thomsen (wjrobbinsthornethom(at)sjc.edu)

Our recent album, “I’d Rather Be Laughing Than Singing the Blues” is out on all streaming services. Production credit to Ranger Kasdorf, and more musical credit to Andrew Selway (guitar) and Maya Dickerson (backup vocals)!

The Waltz Committee

Archon: Rebecca Hile (rehile(at)sjc.edu)

Vice Archon: Rachel Hauben (rphauben(at)sjc.edu)

Do you want to learn how to dance or add some groovy moves to your repertoire? We host dance lessons twice a week and throw awesome dance parties! We learn a bit of everything but primarily East Coast Swing. Waltz, Latin American dances, like Bachata, Merengue and Salsa, and many more are a sweet bonus. Where? Tuesday in the Great Hall at 8:30 p.m. Sometimes on the weekends too, so keep a lookout for specific emails!

Folk Life

Jordan Kammeyer (jtkammeyer(at)sjc.edu)

Folk Life is all about folk dance, singing, crafts, and other aspects of folk culture. We will have biweekly dances on Wednesday nights after St John’s Chorus, where we will primarily contra dance and folk waltz, but may also dance polka, two-step, swing, and more!

Reality

Co-Archons: Lainey Rendelman (lrendelman(at)sjc.edu), Keely Schrantz (kkschrantz(at)sjc.edu)

Reality is known around campus as being the life of the party. A lovely club with decades of history. This club might be for you if you enjoy event planning, decorating, and carrying on Johnnie tradition. We are always looking for more Reality members, so reach out if you are interested! Wouldn’t you like to know more?

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Theater, Story, and Film

The King William Players

Archon: Jordan Kammeyer (jtkammeyer(at)sjc.edu)

Vice Archon: Jack Domanski (jhdomanski(at)sjc.edu)

Secretary: Magnolia Vandiver (mrvandiver(at)sjc.edu)

Treasurer: Mirek Jungr (mjungr(at)sjc.edu)

Instagram: @kingwilliamplayers

Facebook: King William Players Facebook

KWP is the resident theater company of St. John’s College and is responsible for producing, rehearsing and performing all theatrical endeavors which occur on campus, open to both the polity and the general public. We typically produce three to six shows a year. Those involved in KWP span a range of theatrical interests, and we welcome actors, directors, and techies alike.

Spring 2024

This Spring, the King William Players will present to the Annapolis Polity two fine plays: one a classic Shakespearean comedy, and the other a rollicking maritime tragedy!

• March 30 & 31–William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Ms. Eden Kammeyer.

• April 26 & 27–Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, directed and adapted for the stage by Mr. Ranger Kasdorf.

Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind

Archon: Ranger Kasdorf (rekasdorf(at)sjc.edu), KC Taylor (kctaylor(at)sjc.edu)

Description: 30 plays in 60 minutes. First, we write, then we perform. Funny? Cringey? Horrifying? Hopefully all of the above. Come if you enjoy writing plays and seeing them brought to life! Come if you want to act! Come if you have a ridiculous idea you want to force your friends to perform! Everyone is welcome.

Storyteller’s Guild

Archon: Valentine Lamb (aglamb(at)sjc.edu)

Vice Archons: Charles Dang (cedang(at)sjc.edu), Max Dreyfuss (mcdreyfuss(at)sjc.edu)

The Storyteller’s Guild is a fairly low-key club that meets on Wednesday evenings to read and listen to short stories, books, poems, and whatever else people want to read. This year, we’re excited to be back in the Chasement with milk, cookies, and a fire in the colder months.

The Platonic Players

Archon: KC Taylor (kctaylor(at)sjc.edu)

The Platonic Players is returning to St. John’s to provide a platform for the polity to write, act, and enjoy musical theatre. The 2023–24 season will include a small cabaret event and a small ensemble musical in the winter, and a large musical in the spring.

St. John’s Cinema

Co-Archons: CassieDesmond (crdesmond(at)sjc.edu), Isaac Vail (ijvail(at)sjc.edu)

Hosting movie screenings for the polity.

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Arts and Games

3D Printing Club

Archon: Max Schleien (mhschleien(at)sjc.edu)

3D printing club seeks to benefit the polity and its clubs by providing 3D printing services. Many small plastic objects, from tabletop minis to insect feeders, are more expensive than they ought to be and we’re here to alleviate some of the financial burden on clubs and the polity. Additionally, in keeping with the liberal arts spirit of the college, the club lies at the intersection of art and science combining both a modern technology with the age-old tradition of creating art in three dimensions. Come to one of our meetings if you’re interested in printing something yourself, asking for something to be printed, or just learning how it all works!

Board Game Club

Archons: Peter Boersema (paboersema(at)sjc.edu), Noah Navarro (nmnavarro(at)sjc.edu)

A relaxed weekly gathering for people who love to play board games. Play old favorites and discover new ones! Players of all levels of experience welcome.

Join our Discord server where you can:

• Get info regarding online and in-person gaming opportunities
• Organize/participate in TTRPG campaigns and one-shots
• Stay informed about special events
• Talk about board games!

Chess Club

Archon: Connor Robinson (clrobinson(at)sjc.edu)

Whether you just want to play a few games or learn the game better, chess club offers a space for players of all levels. Feel free to come even if you don’t have experience, and we will teach you the basics.

Darkroom

Archon: Cassie Desmond (crdesmond(at)sjc.edu)

The darkroom exists as a space where students can learn to develop and print their own negatives and where they can grow their love of photography and skills.

Drone Club

Archon: Semyon Andruschenko (sandruschenko(at)sjc.edu)

We have a DJI Mini 2 drone, and it’s all ours to explore and learn with. No need for anyone to bring their own—we’ve got it covered! Flying DJI is a breeze, literally. It’s designed for everyone, from beginners to more experienced flyers. Whether you’ve piloted a drone before or are curious to try, you’ll find it straightforward and fun.

Juggling Club

Archon: Troy Herner-Brown (tahernerbrown(at)sjc.edu)

Learn how to juggle, all skill levels welcome from expert to absolute beginner. We meet on the Quad at 4:30 p.m. every Wednesday.

Magic Club

Archon: Lucas Markovits (lhmarkovits(at)sjc.edu)

Purls of Wisdom Club

Archon: KC Taylor (kctaylor(at)sjc.edu)

Purls of Wisdom is a club dedicated to crafts, with an emphasis on fiber arts—knitting, crocheting, embroidery—but welcome to other crafts as well! Its goal is to provide resources to students as well as be a fun and safe space to spend time with fellow artists!

Sewing Club

Archon: KC Taylor (kctaylor(at)sjc.edu)

Video Game Club

Archon: Thomas Robinson (tbrobinson(at)sjc.edu)

We play video games on Wednesdays and Fridays.

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Culinary

Baking Club

Archons: Regan Yang (rsyang(at)sjc.edu), Henry Zheng (hzheng(at)sjc.edu)

Vice Archon: Grace Jang (sjang2(at)sjc.edu)

After hours of Greek and Euclid, calculus and French, or even just the usual interesting-but-sometimes-confounding seminar readings, it’s always fun to put work aside and make something to treat yourself! Baking Club is a place students come to take a break from their rigorous schoolwork and have fun in the kitchen.

Tea Enthusiasts Association (TEA)

Archon: Christina Cruz (cecruz(at)sjc.edu)

To enjoy a cup of tea with strangers, friends, and fellow Johnnies is one of the many pleasantries of life that we come to cherish for its ability to unify and restore. This is a club that is open to all students and faculty who simply want to unwind in the middle of the week with a delicious cup of hot tea while listening to the enchanting melodies of jazz and classical music. With that being said, there is never any pressure to socialize during these weekly gatherings!

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Nature

Garden Club

Archon: Dolan Polglaze (dcpolglaze(at)sjc.edu)

Our Garden Club aims to unite the campus through community nurturing and harvesting. Our plot will be receiving some much-needed TLC after a difficult past year. Help us grow herbs, fruits and beautiful flowers for the campus to enjoy! Our ultimate goal is to foster a peaceful and thriving space where our community can sit still and relax, while connecting with nature. Whether you want to come every week to do some weeding, or just show up once to pick some berries, everyone is welcome in our plot!

Insect Farming

Archons: Louis Rosenberg (lrrosenberg(at)sjc.edu), Tabby Rutledge (tkrutledge(at)sjc.edu)

Instagram: @insectsjc

Do you like bugs? Do you like reading about bugs?? Do you like caring for and breeding bugs??? Come join the SJC Insect Farming Club! We’ll meet weekly in Mellon—contact the archons for specifics—to share our passion for bugs and take care of some ourselves!

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Athletics and Fitness

Intramural Sports

Perhaps you prefer to participate in one of our historic intramural sports programs or maybe you just want more sports in your week! Intramurals, KUNAI, and pick-up sports are happening every day in your “backyard,” and yes, that’s back-campus! Every day… except Mondays and Thursdays when you should be doing your seminar reading, of course!

Co-ed Intramurals

Plan space in your week to play co-ed intramural ultimate frisbee, soccer, European Handball, Reasonball, Basketball, Volleyball and Netball with one of our five Historic Intramural teams –the Druids, Hustlers, Greenwaves, Guardians or Spartans! How do you get to be on a team? You are already there–you just need to show up! Find out what intramural team you have been drafted to for your first year at the Annapolis campus. In your second year on the Annapolis campus, you will be drafted to a team for the rest of your time at the college and beyond!

• Spartans Captains: Frederic Duch Clerici (fduchclerici(at)sjc.edu), Songeun Jang (sjang2(at)sjc.edu), Chang Gyu (Elijah) Kim (ckim(at)sjc.edu)
• Guardians Captains: Oscar Gonzalez (ojgonzalez(at)sjc.edu), Oscar Miller (ojmiller(at)sjc.edu)
• Hustlers Captains: James Reeher (jareeher(at)sjc.edu), Georgia Galardi-Pittard (gsgalardipittard(at)sjc.edu), Ian Howell (irhowell(at)sjc.edu)
• Greenwaves Captains: Charlotte Nicholas (cinicholas(at)sjc.edu), Peter Quinn (pfquinn(at)sjc.edu), Marshall Cooperman (mpcooperman(at)sjc.edu)
• Druids Captains: Christopher Thomas (cthomas(at)sjc.edu), Hannah Fodor (hifodor(at)sjc.edu), Parth Bajaj (psbajaj(at)sjc.edu), Evan Hamilton (ehamilton(at)sjc.edu)

KUNAI

Kunai is a sports league for women and non-cisgender students on campus. We balance learning drills and clinics with scrimmages and tournaments. It is a welcoming environment, whether you have played sports before or not! We meet on Tuesday and Friday afternoons.

Interested in learning more? Please reach out to our senior captains: Songeun (Grace) Jang (sjang2(at)sjc.edu) or Charlotte Nicholas (cinicholas(at)sjc.edu)

• Captains: Lindsay Irmiter (liirmiter(at)sjc.edu), Camilla Lopez (calopez(at)sjc.edu), Tamar Pinksky (tmpinsky(at)sjc.edu), Julia Ramirez (jsramirez(at)sjc.edu)

‘Pick-Up’

Woah! Still need more sports! We’ve got you covered–look out for day-of email blasts to give you the scoop on the times for “pick-up”. Feel free to show up when you can and just play–no preset teams, no strings attached, no experience required. While it’s not an exact science – you’ll see a weekly rotation of invites for pick-up soccer, pick-up volleyball, and post- ‘nar basketball coming to your inbox.

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Intercollegiate Sports

Peruse our intercollegiate quartet–crew, sailing, fencing, and croquet! These groups meet twice or thrice weekly to practice and prepare for competition at the club level against other colleges!

St. John’s College Crew

Captains: Peter Boersema (paboersema(at)sjc.edu), Hannah Chavers (hlchavers(at)sjc.edu), Maddie Heller (msheller(at)sjc.edu)

The St John’s Crew team is one of the college’s intercollegiate sports teams. We welcome people of any skill level! Whether you’ve been rowing for years, or never set foot in a boat before, we encourage you to come out and row with us! The crew team is a fun, close knit community that encourages people to become better rowers. Towards the end of the fall semester, the crew team attends several rowing regattas, which always turn out to be incredible experiences.

St. John’s College Croquet

Co-Imperial Wickets: Magnus Oberg (mdoberg(at)sjc.edu), Angus Preston (awpreston(at)sjc.edu)

Contact: wickets(at)sjc.edu

The SJC Croquet Team has the (unofficial) title of best collegiate croquet team in the world, and more importantly we have a tendency to BEAT NAVY in the long tradition of the Annapolis Cup Croquet Match every spring! But if you ask the team, they will tell you it’s just good fun. The team is a family, and we love to hang out, and we just happen to play croquet (very well) while we do it.

St. John’s College Fencing Union

Archons: Angus Preston (awpreston(at)sjc.edu), Henry Stockman (histockman(at)sjc.edu)

Vice-Archon: Erin Allen (eballen(at)sjc.edu)

The SJCFU is one of the four intercollegiate sports on campus. Students of all experience levels are welcome! Come down to the Temple to try your hand with one (or all!) of the three modern fencing weapons: foil, épée, and saber. Our team competes in the Baltimore-Washington Collegiate Fencing Conference, and all fencers interested in competing attend several tournaments throughout the year. We practice year-round at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, as well as Saturday mornings for more individual instruction.

St. John’s College Sailing Team

Vice Archons: Dora Vecoli, August Bellanca

Captain: Madelyn “Maddog” Minor (meminor(at)sjc.edu)

Captain: Reagan “Regatta” Bottomley (rmbottomley(at)sjc.edu)

Captain: Ian “Gunwhale” O’Donnell (imodonnell(at)sjc.edu)

We’re here to sail boats, learn funny words, and port-tack the fleet. The less experience the better. Two+ regattas, probably; 10/10 doctors agree that bowlines are better than square knots. Wanna know why it’s called a boom? Come to the Hodson Boathouse any non-seminar weekday at 4 and we’ll show you the ropes!

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Athletics Related Clubs

While these clubs are funded by Student Delegate Council, they often share the gym and field spaces or borrow athletic equipment which is not guaranteed and need to be approved by the Athletic Coordinator, Rachel Fleming. Student archons for these groups are asked to reach out to coordinate the use of the Iglehart gym, the upper and lower fields, the Hodson Boathouse, and athletic equipment that may be of use. (Ms. Fleming drives a hard bargain and makes no promises so bring your game face and take no prisoner’s attitude.)

Bowling Club

Co-Archons: Alexander Ylitalo (ayylitalo(at)sjc.edu), Harrison DeWalt (hcdewalt(at)sjc.edu)

Biweekly Bowing at Annapolis Bowl.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Archon: Xiaochen (Daniel) Deng (xdeng(at)sjc.edu)

Jiu-Jitsu, translated as “the gentle art,” is a grappling-based martial arts system that focuses on controlling and resisting an opponent in order cause them to submit. It is very useful in self-defense situations for a smaller/weaker person to resist and out maneuver a larger attacker. As with most martial arts, Jiu-Jitsu values honor, respect, and safety. It is a great way to build discipline of mind and body. No experience is required. All are welcome to have fun and learn this beautiful art. (Some call it Human Chess).

Futsal

Archon: Frederic Duch Clerici (fduchclerici(at)sjc.edu)

Historical European Martial Arts Club (HEMA)

Archons: Tuyết-Nhi Nghiêm (ttnghiem(at)sjc.edu), Augustus Pananas (gapananas(at)sjc.edu), Micah Warren (mwarren(at)sjc.edu)

HEMA Club studies the style of sword fighting used by Medieval Europeans. We practice and fence with both synthetic and steel swords. We try to balance the club as both a serious martial art and a space to just have a fun time and release some tension! The archons are always open to having additional sparring/practice sessions upon member requests.

Q: What swords and schools will we be teaching?

A: We will work through Fiore dei Liberi’s manual, “The Flower of Batle: MS Ludwig XV1” throughout the year, starting with grappling and dagger units to build good habits and foundations for working with longsword. If extra time is available, we will also practice MS.I33 arming sword and buckler.

Johnnies Sports Polity Network (JSPN)

Archons: Isaac Boone (ijboone(at)sjc.edu), Lainey Rendelman (lrendelman(at)sjc.edu)

We are a new club called JSPN (Like ESPN but Johnnie). Our main aim is to host sports-related watch parties and to discuss sports with other Johnnies. Events may include Superbowl parties, March Madness, and other major sporting events.

Outdoors Club

Archon: Joshua Flippo (jdflippo(at)sjc.edu)

St. John’s College Polo Club

Archon: Reagan Bottomley (rmbottomley(at)sjc.edu)

Equestrian club for riders of all skill levels, where members can improve their riding skills and learn the legendary sport of polo. Basic English riding and polo lessons are both taught.

Rock Climbing Club

Archons: Avi Pope (aspope(at)sjc.edu), Dalton Olsson (ldolsson(at)sjc.edu)

SJC’s Rock Climbing Club aims to make the sport of rock climbing more accessible and affordable for the polity. Complete beginners and experienced climbers are welcome alike.

Swim Club

Archon: Seneca Case (sscase(at)sjc.edu)

On Tuesday nights, from 8–9 p.m., we head over to the Arundel Olympic Swim Center, to have a nice long swim and a soak in a good ol’ jacuzzi hot tub. If you have an affinity for H2O or just need a relaxing float to destress after a long day, come join us for a swim! Reach out to our archon and we’ll get you squared away.

Tennis Club

Archon: DongJae (Isaac) Lim (dlim(at)sjc.edu)

Tennis Club, where passion meets precision on the court! Nestled in the heart of SJC, our club offers a HAVEN for tennis enthusiasts of all skill levels. With renewed courts, rackets and tennis balls for players, we provide the perfect environment to hone your skills, engage in exhilarating matches, and foster lifelong friendships. Worried about not having your own tennis racket? No need to fret, we have plenty of rackets available at the gym!

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Fitness Classes, Iglehart Gym (Temple) Hours & Hodson Boathouse Hours

Don’t forget about our fitness classes: yoga, weight training, and running groups to name a few! Make sure to check your college email inbox and the Athletics Bulletin Board in the coffee shop to get up to date schedules for these session-based programs.

Standard School Year Gym Hours: Contact Rachel Fleming with questions (check your email for updated hours during long weekends, Thanksgiving, Winter Break, Spring Break, and Summer Break):

• Monday: 7 a.m.–11:59 p.m.
• Tuesday and Wednesday: 7 a.m.–10 p.m.
• Thursday: 7 a.m.–11:59 p.m.
• Friday: 7 a.m.–7 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m.–8 p.m.

Boathouse Hours for Recreational Use: Contact John Wagner with questions

• Tuesday and Wednesday: 4–6 p.m.
• Friday: 4–6 p.m.
• Saturday: 9 a.m.–12 p.m.

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Study Groups 2023–24

Chinese Conversation

Contact: Yiyang Cheng (ycheng(at)sjc.edu)

C.S. Lewis Reading Group

Contact: Jackson Green (jcgreen(at)sjc.edu)

Daily Rosary

Contacts: Gabe Hess (gchess(at)sjc.edu), Ian O’Donnell (imodonnell(at)sjc.edu)

The Daily Rosary is a Catholic group which meets every weekday from 12:25–12:45 in Mellon 103 to pray Our Lady’s rosary. We pray for the good of members and their families, of the college, and of the Church. “Private prayer is like straw scattered here and there: If you set it on fire, it makes a lot of little flames. But gather these straws into a bundle and light them, and you get a mighty fire, rising like a column into the sky; public prayer is like that.”
– St. John Vianney

Dante’s De Monarchia Reading Group

Contact: Aryasatya Anindita (aanindita(at)sjc.edu)

French Conversation

Contact: Victoria Horsman (vhorsman(at)sjc.edu)

GK Chesterton

Contact: Jordan Kammeyer (jtkammeyer(at)sjc.edu)

Greek Translation Study Group

Contact: Henry Hills (hdhills(at)sjc.edu)

τὴν πολιτείαν χαίρειν. / Greetings to you, o polity!

I am here to herald the arrival of the Greek Translation Study Group. We are going to work throughout the year to translate Hesiod’s Theogony.

Guerilla Seminar

Contact: Rosaire Leon (rleon(at)sjc.edu)

Hermetica

Contact: Tabby Rutledge (tkrutledge(at)sjc.edu)

Reading and analyzing classic occult texts.

Kierkegaard Study Group

Contact: Oscar Gonzalez (ojgonzalez(at)sjc.edu)

Reading Women

Archon: Delaney Costello (dmcostello(at)sjc.edu)

Vice Archon: Elleanna Berthel (elberthel(at)sjc.edu)

Reading Women is a reading group dedicated to reading texts by and about women of history. The goal is to host bi-monthly seminars to highlight female voices not emphasized by the Great Books Program. It will function as a safe space to examine gender roles and oppression throughout history and an outlet for a serious study of female authors.

Strauss-Klein Study Group

Contact: Jack Webb (jgwebb(at)sjc.edu)

We hold regular seminars on 20th-century thinkers and St. John’s facility members Leo Strauss and Jacob Klein.

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Inactive Clubs

The following is a list of recent clubs in the past few years, which have become inactive or whose leadership has recently graduated. For assistance in restarting one of these clubs or identifying yourself as its current archon, contact Community Facilitator for Student Activities and Events Rachelle Munsey.

The Epoch Journal

St. John’s Orchestra

Orchesis

Philautia

Formerly Pink Triangle, Philautia aims to create a safe community focused on supporting LGBTQ+ students on campus through social and educational events. Our name comes from the Greek word for self-regard, as we believe that being true to oneself is the ultimate way to love and take care of oneself. Though we focus on issues important to the LGBTQ+ community, all polity members, regardless of their identities, are welcome to attend our meetings!

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Inactive Study Groups

This is a sampling of the recent study groups from last year. If you’d like to start your own study group and have it added here, contact Community Facilitator for Student Activities and Events Rachelle Munsey.

Chinese Philosophy

Contact: Kurtis Bleakley (kurtis.bleakley(at)sjc.edu)

Coding Study Group

Archon: Alexander Williams (awillliams(at)sjc.edu)

French Conversation

Contact: Cristopher Ford (cbford(at)sjc.edu)

German Study Group

Led by: Samuel Soderlund

Jane Austen Study Group

Maimonides’ “Guide to the Perplexed” Study Group

Contact: El’ad Nichols-Kaufman

Medieval Philosophy Study Group

Metaphmorpheses Latin Reading Group

Contact: Mr. Nicholas Bellinson (nicholas.bellinson(at)sjc.edu)

Philosophy of Science Study Group

Contact: Troy Herner Brown (tahernerbrown(at)sjc.edu)

Postmodern Literature

Contact: Troy Herner Brown (tahernerbrown(at)sjc.edu)

Queer Theory Study Group

Quran Study Group

Contact: Ranna Kisswani (rkkisswani(at)sjc.edu)

Syriac Study Group

Led by: Henry Hills (hdhills(at)sjc.edu), Peter Boersema (paboersema(at)sjc.edu)

Talmud Study Group 

Contact: El’ad Nichols-Kaufman (eanicholskaufman(at)sjc.edu) 

World’s First 15-Minute Reading Group

Contact: Aaron Shelsby (agshelsby(at)sjc.edu), Max Mersmann-Jones (mcmersmannjones(at)sjc.edu).

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