Sara Pratt '26

One of the core characteristics that I was looking for in a school during my college search was the opportunity to have experiences both on and off campus. 

I wanted the small liberal arts experience – the close-knit community, the intimate class sizes, the strong sense of identity – without giving up access to a major city, where professional and personal opportunities lend themselves to the college experience. I found that Bryn Mawr’s proximity to Philadelphia (25 minutes by train) encouraged my investment in building community both on and off campus. I felt that I would be able to find a home at Bryn Mawr while also being encouraged to explore outside the context of my academic life. 

I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to have two Philadelphia-based internships over the course of my time at Bryn Mawr. The first was as a research assistant for Mural Arts Philadelphia, a Philly-based public art nonprofit. The second was as a mayoral intern as part of the Philadelphia Mayor’s Internship program. Both of these internships gave me a chance to learn about the city through valuable research and impactful relationship building, skills that have been incredibly applicable to my life both on and off campus. 

Along with my internships, I was also able to participate in the Tri-Co Philly program the Fall of my sophomore year. As a part of this program, 2 of my courses were taught at the Friends Center, located a block away from City Hall. With my cohort of other TriCo students, we spent the semester enmeshed in Philadelphia-based, praxis learning. I was actually able to learn about Mural Arts through the TriCo Philly program! 

I often find myself in Bryn Mawr town to grab coffee, have meetings, go to trivia night, or get a bite to eat with friends. The convenience of having a small town with restaurants, grocery stores, coffee shops, and a movie theatre has definitely added to my college experience. Bryn Mawr town is a 5-10 minute walk away from campus, and Ardmore (a larger town) is best accessed via Septa (the public transportation system in and around Philly) or car and takes around 10-15 minutes to get to. 

I go into Philly once or twice a week, depending on how busy the semester is!

 There are a ton of great restaurants and coffee shops in the city that I frequent, but I also just go into the city for various events and activities (museum exhibits, archival work, volunteering, picnics). Because Bryn Mawr students now have free Septa passes, I find myself using public transportation as often as possible.

I think that Philly has a really strong sense of identity, and as you explore and get to know the city through the diverse communities, cultures, and neighborhoods, you find yourself bearing witness to an incredible and complex city. Philly is also host to many college students, so there are a wide variety of activities marketed for college-aged people and students! 

A favorite off-campus memory is a small tradition my friends and I have, where we visit a specific pizza shop in Philly once or twice a year to get pizza and cheesesteaks. We sit in a nearby park and eat and talk for hours, and I have great memories of sitting outside with them and feeling a strong sense of community, even though we were not on Bryn Mawr’s campus! As a college student, access to a larger community outside of Bryn Mawr’s campus is, I believe, an important aspect of growing as a young adult. 

Bryn Mawr’s location was and has been a huge asset to my college experience.