Lehigh's Parents' Council co-chair, Catherine Hovey ’87, reflects on her family's connection to the university, an appreciation for Lehigh traditions, and more.
Why do you volunteer for Lehigh?
I volunteer for Lehigh because I want to continue to help support and strengthen the school that has meant so much to my family for three generations. My father was a professor of solid-state studies in the College of Engineering after a long career at Bell Laboratories. His teaching career at Lehigh gave him a new lease on life, and I used to love stopping by his Sherman Fairchild office as an undergrad to get homework help for my “physics for poets” required science class. As a student at Lehigh, I experienced tremendous personal growth both academically and socially, and I view my four years at Lehigh as among the best years of my life. The bonds you make at Lehigh – through its rich traditions, groaning over another scaling of the hills, mastering difficult coursework – bind you tightly to your classmates. The friendships I made freshman year I still hold dear 40 years later, a testament to the Lehigh bond. Michael and I were thrilled when our daughter, Mia (‘28), chose Lehigh as her first choice for college. We have been so proud to watch her create her own special path with so many new opportunities available today on campus, all while participating in the same traditions, walking the same hills, that I so loved many years ago.
What advice did you give Mia as she started her first year?
Lehigh is the perfect-sized school to get involved in – not too big, not too small. Get involved in different things on campus, step out of your comfort zone, and keep an open mind, particularly when it comes to meeting new people. You’ll be living with people who come from different backgrounds and belief systems than you; embrace it and learn from them rather than seeking out others who feel more familiar. Be kind, you never know what someone is going through. Wear comfortable shoes at all times. Keep everything in stride, and if it feels overwhelming, take a walk or go to the gym. Physical exercise and fresh air work wonders. If all else fails, call your mother (or father).
Do you have any favorite Lehigh traditions?
Hands down – Lehigh-Lafayette weekend! The oldest rivalry in college football (!) has incredible traditions. The handwritten ‘dis’ banners on bedsheets hanging from windows (e.g., “Stupidity is not a crime, Laf, you’re free to go” hanging on the police station) never fail to make me laugh out loud. The bed race tradition is also incredible – I recall wearing a crash helmet and being sped down the fraternity hill, the sole braking apparatus being a few college freshmen barely holding on. I learned my lesson and never agreed to “drive” a bed after freshman year; fortunately, the modern-era bed race has been changed to a safer and flatter location.
I was a Varsity Cheerleader when I was a student, so I always had a sober, field-side view of the day, including the tearing down of the goalpost back in the late ‘80s. Today, as a parent, I now see the circus outside of the stadium that I missed all those years with bountiful tailgate parties and music. What I love most is that any Lehigh alum you meet, regardless of graduating year, shares in these same crazy traditions.
