Becca Harrison-Yan Hip
Oct 6, 2026
On Thursday, October 1, the Civic Engagement Student Advisory Board hosted its first Cookies and Current Events, with the topic of mental health on the table. The event was coordinated by the student members with the assistance of Director of Civic Engagement and History Department Head Emily Schoenberger. In addition to mental health, the group touched upon ethics within the judicial system as well as gender discrimination and bias in media coverage.
A wide range of people from the Mercersburg community attended the meeting. Michelle Jiu An Pan ’30 said, “I definitely heard a lot of new stuff that I never heard before. I feel like the space was pretty neutral.” Many of the attendees just came to listen and learn. With fact-checking from Schoenberger and additional pieces of information coming from others, those who popped in were able to quickly gather the context needed.
The Jane Ford Lounge was filled with people from all grades who wanted to discuss current events in a comfortable, open environment. Belle Cleveland ’28 said, “It makes it easier to talk about those harder topics, because if you have an opinion that might differ, or you have a question, you’re always welcome to ask.” The flow of the conversation guaranteed that everyone’s voices were heard.
Although the original subject of discussion was mental health, thought-provoking questions made for transitions to related topics. From the Lindsay Clancy murder trial, the question, “What effect would this case have on the media coverage if it were not the mother but the father who committed the crime?” arose. This led to discussions surrounding racial discrepancies and bias within the judicial system.
Jiu An Pan said, “It’s not just mental health; it’s not just the awareness part of it; it’s more like, ‘what is the system?’” Mental health as a topic has many nuances. The social challenges of mental health cannot be solved without increased awareness. The discussion prompted each participant to take a broader view than simply the Mercersburg community.
Civics hopes to broaden such discussions, so they do not remain hidden in the confines of the lounge. The goal is to expand and occupy the empty side of the dining hall, so more people see the group and spontaneously join the conversation. Schoenberger noted, “I also noticed that there was a pretty big gender imbalance. It [the participants] were mostly girls or female-identifying students that appeared to be here.” Civics is about the entire community, so by expanding and gaining more attention, we will generate more dialogue and feature more viewpoints.
On the first Thursday of every month, Civics will post a new topic and follow with a discussion. Community members are encouraged to stop by to hear the unique perspectives shared in the space.
The positivity of the atmosphere was evident throughout the event, leading Schoenberger to state, “The ability to dive headfirst into such a complicated issue is something I find just so impressive. One of my favorite parts of working here is getting to work with such thoughtful students.”
Unlike in a forced academic deliberation, there were no awkward pauses but instead actual discussion. Proper communication, active listening, and adding to others’ ideas made this gathering rewarding for all who attended.