Geek Chic

GAMBIER, Ohio (October 20, 2009) The term "geek" has become a badge of honor. If you have doubts, check out the response to Geek Week, October 19 to 23, when Kenyon students—dressed in argyle and the occasional pair of taped eyeglasses—are letting their geek flags fly.

In its third year, Geek Week is emerging as a campus tradition. "That would be cool," said founder Judy Holdener, associate professor of mathematics. "I would like to make some lasting mark on the geekiness of this campus."

Holdener launched Geek Week for math students, but students from the sciences, as well as drama and other departments, quickly complained about being excluded. "We're geeks, too," they insisted. So Holdener—who often is introduced to prospective students as "the professor who started Geek Week"—began inviting the entire student body to take part in the oddball festivities.

Participants held a "puzzle party" Monday in Dempsey Hall and paraded Tuesday in patterned sweaters, socks, tights and vests for Argyle Day. The week concludes Wednesday through Friday, when students and faculty adorn T-shirts with expressions such as "I'm statistically significant," "No, I will not start your computer" and "Look at me still talking when there's science to do."

Still, it will be hard to top last year's "human pi" on the science quad. Like a highbrow game of Twister, dozens of Kenyonites—including President S. Georgia Nugent—contorted their bodies into numerals, forming the famous number 3.1415926535.

Holdener scheduled Geek Week to coincide with Greek Week, but it is not intended to slam fraternities or sororities. "We love our geeky Greeks, too," she said. "I just thought if we are going to have a Greek Week, why not have a Geek Week at the same time, because students here are intellectually curious and proud of it."