For Scripps College graduating seniors, Capstone Day is a significant milestone. The culmination of students’ undergraduate academic pursuits, Capstone Day provides an opportunity for faculty-selected students to present their research findings and projects to The Claremont Colleges community. The daylong series of presentations also allow friends, faculty, and staff to gather and learn about the wide variety of scholarly inquiry Scripps students have been absorbed in and celebrate their achievements.
While Capstone Day celebrates academic achievement, it has a playful side, too, thanks to Professor of French Thierry Boucquey. While helping to pilot Capstone Day in 2008, Professor Boucquey proposed capping off the events with a friendly soccer game between Scripps faculty, staff, and seniors on Scripps’ Alumnae Field. The game, now in its tenth year, brings players together on a “level playing field” in the spirit of community, according to Boucquey. And, it’s also a fun way to get some exercise and well-deserved end-of-year stress relief.
The competition is fierce—seniors have won only once in nine years. “Even though the seniors took a tough loss,” said co-team captain Hannah Huston ’17, “it was so hard to feel disappointed because of everyone’s athleticism and eagerness to be out on the field.”
The game brings the senior class together in a final show of fun, community, and camaraderie. “It’s a complete switch from all the academic pressure of the year,” said Associate Dean of Faculty and Professor of Biology Gretchen Edwalds-Gilbert. “All the seniors have been in such a time crunch with thesis, all their other classes finishing, and Capstone Day presenting—it’s just such a release.”
“The soccer game tradition is definitely unique to the Scripps community and one that will remain a highlight of my Scripps career,” said Tama Fukuyama ’16, who participated in last year’s game.
“It was definitely a fun way cap off Capstone Day and to celebrate the combined efforts of students and professors that had gotten us to that point.”