Students who join Select Chorus at Mitchell College participate in an activity they love and get academic credit for it at the same time. Established in 2017, Select Chorus at Mitchell College is both auditioned and curricular, with 1 academic credit granted per semester.

According to Jono Babbitt, assistant professor of leadership and business management who oversees Mitchell College performing arts, incoming freshmen can potentially participate for 4 years and earn 8 credits towards graduation.

“There are no other courses at Mitchell that allow for that level of repetition,” he said.

Christian Benesh, a junior who joined Select Chorus as a freshman, after having performed in a chorus since middle school, not only finds a place to exercise his passion but also to expand his mind.

“We have sung music in different languages, like German and Latin. It’s nice to know the history of the music, and some of the songs are very beautiful,” Christian said.

“Music has opened something up in me, a steady emotive,” he said. “It’s nice to be part of a group of people with different backgrounds who work together as friends. When it’s time for a concert, it’s great to see people enjoy our talent and have fun. That’s all that counts….I am really excited to have a live audience at our concert this year.”

The Mitchell College Players present two productions each year — a fall play and a spring musical. Owen Murphy, in his first semester at Mitchell, jumped into the group this spring after seeing an ad for auditions on social media.

“I said to myself, ‘I am just going to do this, and if I don’t get cast it’s no big deal. If I do, I’ll have a lot of fun and grow as an actor and vocal musician.’”

Owen was cast, and it’s his first time performing in a theatrical production. A seasoned singer who has sung all of his life, he looks forward to a different kind of performance.

“I thought about doing theater in high school but decided not to. When I came to Mitchell I heard about Jono and how his dynamics worked, and I thought I could work with him as a director. He takes the time and effort to tell you how to do something and explains to a level you can comprehend. That’s what makes the productions here so fantastic. He is putting in 150%, and he challenges us as a cast. He knows we can do it, and he gives us the motivation to actually succeed.”

Owen, who is playing the role of Hero in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” said his biggest challenge is remembering the vocabulary of the sheet music, such as the crescendos, and the pitches.

“I haven’t done these things since March 2020, and the stage directions are new to me. I’m used to being on risers and not being in the spotlight.”

Owen said his participation in the Mitchell College Players has already helped him grow socially.

“In high school no one would come to me with their problems because they’d say I was too immature. Here, I have noticed people come to me with their problems and tell me I’ve been a good friend and have helped them so much. I think my involvement in theater has helped with that – you have to be well spoken and confident about what you’re going to say. Working on that has helped me be a better friend and helped me socially.”

As a Mitchell College student, Angel Graham ’16 once said, “I want to make a difference and put my footprint on the world.”

Today she is doing just that. She credits Mitchell with preparing her to be a critical thinker and develop ways to give back to her community.

Angel volunteers for three non-profit organizations in the greater Philadelphia area. She is a board member for The Arc of Philadelphia and is a member of the Montgomery County Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition, where she serves on the education team.

She also volunteers as a forensic education outreach assistant for the Association of Women in Forensics and recently hosted a webinar on disabilities and forensics as part of Women in Forensics’ “Beyond Autopsies and Crime Scenes” speaker series. Angel, who has cerebral palsy, earned her master’s degree in forensic medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia in 2021. She aspires to use her degree to work for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children or the Innocence Project. 

As an environmental studies major at Mitchell, not only did her coursework prepare her for graduate school, but it also taught her transferrable skills. She uses them daily in her job as a customer service representative in an IT Call Center, helping individuals apply for state benefits.

I knew I wanted to major in a branch of science that was interdisciplinary and would help me to become well-versed in an array of topics. In my current job, I often use tactics from both creative psychology and psychology and abilities like problem solving and communication. Resolving a person’s temperament when they might not get a certain response, reassuring them that they have taken the first step in their process, remaining professional at all times and being clear and direct are things I must do in my work every day.

She says that, when considering colleges, she was drawn to Mitchell for its campus, individualized attention and diverse community. 

The campus was visually stunning with its own beach, but it was also a perfect fit for me because, as someone with cerebral palsy, I was able to maneuver around easily with my crutches. I also succeeded in my classes through the one-on-one attention with professors and small class size. Plus, I had the opportunity to meet so many peers from various backgrounds and cultures.