At Magdalen College, students form a variety of student organizations. Each year begins with a student activities fair at which each organization sets up a booth and promotes its activities. Every year, new organizations begin while established groups grow in exciting ways.
The Student Activities Board (SAB) is a student organization responsible for planning and running campus events to nurture the physical, spiritual and mental well-being of our community.
The SAB is composed of two representatives from each class, as well as the four Resident Assistants. Class representatives are voted in by their classmates at the beginning of the fall semester and serve two semesters. Members strive to understand student wants and needs, and convene regularly to fulfill those through positive programming.
The Student/President Advisory Council (AC) serves as an open channel of communication between the student body and the President of the College. The AC meets with the President at least once each semester for the purpose of discussing matters of college life. The council has as its primary focus the mission of the College, and helps to foster that mission in the community life.
The World Youth Alliance (WYA) New Hampshire Chapter works as a branch of WYA to promote the dignity of the human person throughout the state. The chapter accomplishes this goal by educating young people about human dignity, fostering culture through events (such as film nights, concerts, and museum trips), and advocating at the NH legislature. The WYA chapter is made up of high school and college students from across NH. For more information or to join, please email.
The St. Genesius Players are dedicated to bringing excellent theatrical productions to the College and local community by performing at least one major play or musical each year. The troupe welcomes all levels of acting ability and encourages all students to come and immerse themselves in the craft of acting so that they may better understand the true form of the art and enrich student life through beautiful and compelling works of the theater. Recent performances have included Twelfth Night, Pride & Prejudice, and Arsenic & Old Lace.
At Magdalen College, music is all around—inside the classroom and beyond. Students sing and play as soloists or form their own ensembles, performing extemporaneously and in more formal settings (such as at Parents’ Weekend). Students also attend concerts, operas, and ballets in Boston and Concord.
Our collegiate choirs exist at the heart of our musical life together. There is the all-college choir that sings at our Sunday Mass, has produced six recordings in its history, has sung at the Boston Eucharistic Congress, and sings each year at the cathedral for the Red Mass and the Feast of Christ the King. The choir also offers a beautiful ‘Lessons and Carols’ service on the Feast of Saint Nicholas during Advent for the collegiate and local community. The culmination of the choir’s year comes during Holy Week, particularly at the Easter Vigil. Students also participate in the polyphony choir and various chant ensembles.
Magdalen College understands the value of the via pulchritudinis (Way of Beauty) as a path by which the human person can—through the fine arts and the created beauty of nature—travel ever closer toward an encounter with the Author of all that is True, Good, and Beautiful. Complementing this more Platonic understanding of the arts, the College simultaneously affirms the goodness of human making—as distinct from knowing and doing—rooted in the goodness of material creation and the craft that undergirds the cultural products that we value across human history. This twofold perspective of the arts finds its place in our four years of music and art (both in their contemplative and practical dimensions) and in our offering of an art scholarship in honor of St. Luke. Each academic year concludes with an art show that features student art and is open to both the collegiate and the larger New Hampshire communities.
The Art Club of the college plays an important role in the life of the college by providing students with the opportunity to come together outside of the curriculum to perfect their skills by learning from each other while exploring a variety of media and styles. Magdalen College launched its Arts of the Beautiful Program in spring 2014 as a way to further students’ aesthetic experiences in the musical and visual arts.
Spes Vitae is Magdalen College’s pro-life club. Through the club, members have the opportunity to serve the pro-life movement and actively participate in advocating for the protection of all human life. Spes Vitae members participate in the annual March for Life in Washington D.C., and local 40 Days for Life campaigns, as well as club-organized trainings, and speakers.
Orantes seeks to discover what it means to be a Christian through discussion and inspiration about prayer. During meetings a short selection from Sacred Scripture, a spiritual work, the Catechism, or a pertinent passage from other works is read aloud to facilitate discussion and to promote community. Members seek to support and inspire each other towards a lively life of personal prayer.
In the fall of 2012, a new confraternity, the Confraternity of Saint Joseph, was established on campus. This group meets bi-weekly at the president’s home for a home-cooked meal, spiritual reading, prayer, and fellowship. All of the incoming freshmen men are welcome to join the Confraternity each year, marking their entrance formally with the reception of the scapular of Saint Joseph.
In the Sodality of Mary, young women from the College gather bi-weekly with the wife of the President for a time of food, prayer, fellowship, and mutual encouragement. Each gathering begins with prayer (often including lectio divina) and is followed by discussions of topics that affect Catholic women at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Following the discussion, the women enjoy a good home-cooked meal and great conversation.
In the spring semester of 2012, Jonathan Camara (class of 2013) began the process of establishing a council at the College. The first inductions took place in March and April that semester. Council activities focus on developing leadership skills and include working with the campus pro-life club (Spes Vitae), assisting at the Warner Fall Foliage Festival, different service projects around the school, as well as working with other college councils from New England.
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati was known for his piety and dedication to works of social action, charity, prayer and community. He was also a lover of nature and enjoyed participating in outdoor activities, especially hiking. The Pier Giorgio Hiking club, founded in 2013, was established for the enjoyment of God’s creation and to provide leisurely exercise.
The club features hiking within New Hampshire’s forests and trails as well as spend time with members of the Magdalen College community.
This is a student-led series of Socratic seminars on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, one of the greatest fantasy authors and philosophers of our age. It meets once a month to discuss Tolkien’s writings in a comfortable and enthusiastic atmosphere.
The Flannery O’Connor Writing Society is a Catholic, student run organization that promotes literacy and creativity. Our society has a dual purpose: as we seek not only to become better writers, but to further comprehend those who have written before us. This is done by discussing different authors and literary styles – which is followed by a writing activity of some sort. We meet monthly, but also have unique events throughout the year.
Magdalen College’s Rowing ClubMagdalen College’s newest club, the Rowing Club, made their inaugural journey onto the waters of Lake Sunapee in the Fall of 2018. Club member enjoy the guidance of the Lake Sunapee Rowing Club and row in beautiful Lake Sunapee, just 20 minutes from campus. The club is developing a training program for the winter months and looks forward to being on the water again this spring.
As the Greeks understood, authentic education trains both body and soul. Students at Magdalen College play a variety of sports in both formal and informal settings. The College is equipped with a spacious gym that includes a tennis court and basketball goals. Outdoors, the college offers a field for soccer and football.
Magdalen College is proud to partner with nearby New England College, to provide intramural and club athletics to our students. This partnership will give our students opportunities to participate in athletics such as soccer, flag football, and volleyball against more than a thousand other students. Transportation is provided by the college and all students are encouraged to participate!
Societas Latina is devoted to promoting a love of the Latin language outside of the classroom. We meet in order to hold conversations in Latin and to make learning the language both fun and worthwhile. We hold weekly Mensa Latina, so that students can practic the skills thy have learned in the academic program, as well as enjoy the company and words of fellow Latin scholars.
Dance Dance Coalition promotes swing dancing, ballroom dancing, and folk dancing as a means for community growth and fun. We teach the basics and host dance events throughout the school year.
Saint Patrick’s Irish Step Dancers aims to bring together experienced Irish dancers and new learners to enjoy and share the art of Irish dance. The Irish Step Dancers learn from each other different techniques of Irish dance especially in the area of jigs and reels while working on dances to perform each March. By doing this, the Irish step dancers seek to share a bit of the Irish culture, heritage, and joy with each other and their community.
Spanish Club is about learning the cultures of different Hispanic countries. In order to educate the students on the culture of these countries, we will have a Spanish-speaking table, cultural activities, and salsa nights. It is a great opportunity for both Hispanic and non-Hispanic people to get together over food and camaraderie.
