Ellen McAllister
Creative Editor
On Friday, Feb. 11, the Underground (UG) was decorated in true Wooster spirit, with gold and black garland wrapped around the pillars and beaded necklaces on the tables for students to wear in honor of Tartan Night. Students played pool and socialized with their friends while waiting for the President Bolton look-alike contest to begin. Music played in the background as the President made her rounds among the students, talking, taking pictures and even playing pool with them before the contest started.
The contest began later in the evening with a handful of contestants, all of whom were dressed in different President Bolton styles. They lined up at the front of the UG to show off their outfits, and then President Bolton chose the winners, awarding them with a specially engraved trophy.
The contest resulted in a three-way tie for first place between Hannah Groetsch ’22, Abigail McFarren ’22 and Carly McWilliams ’22. The three dressed up as President Bolton at different times in her life. Groetsch was President Bolton in the future, wearing a sweatshirt with Washington state on it since that is where Bolton will be moving soon. McFarren was present-day President Bolton and wore a Wooster gold and black plaid button-down shirt. McWilliams wore a red turtleneck to represent President Bolton in the past before she worked at the College.
Many other contestants wore plaid and Wooster colors, including a black and gold plaid dress. The President was also sporting her best Wooster gear, dressing to impress as usual. She wore tartan sunglasses, as well as a tartan watch band, scarf and bracelet. To top off the outfit, she wore her special yellow Scottie dog-shaped purse that held the trophy gifted to the winners of the look-alike contest.
Rachel Semel ’22 remarked that “President Bolton was clearly the best judge for the competition and the only one who was able to choose the best look-alike.” She also noted that she felt lucky to be a student at the College because no other school would promote the iconic Scottie dog boots that a contestant was wearing. Semel was there to spend time with and support her friends who were competing in the look-alike contest and hoped to have a chance to speak with President Bolton.
Tartan Night was a fun way to celebrate and show Wooster pride, and was a nod to the President who will be leaving the College at the end of the school year. She will be moving to Walla Walla, Washington to serve as the President of Whitman College, a small liberal arts school. Students enjoyed interacting with President Bolton in a relaxed and nonacademic manner. It was a good way for students to alleviate mid-semester stress and it allowed them to enjoy their time at the UG in a different way.
If you want to learn more about the exciting events the UG holds, follow them on Instagram @theugwooster or look for their ads in the POT.
