Lehigh Gryphons provide support for on-campus residents

Josh Azarchi, ’16, looked up to his first-year Gryphon as a role model. So much so that he was inspired to become one himself and is currently in his second year working at Lehigh as a Gryphon. This year, he is a Gryphon for the third floor of Beardslee in Lower Cents.

“Coming to campus as a freshman, I didn’t know a lot of things,” Azarchi said. “I saw (my Gryphon) as a mentor, and I really respected and valued that. I wanted to be that person for other people.”

Azarchi said it means a lot to him that his fellow residents know he is available to them — for anything. Although he makes himself as available as possible, he said the extent to which his residents use him as a resource depends on the personality of the student. One of his main responsibilities includes listening to any of his residents’ concerns or issues and connecting them with the appropriate resources, ranging from tutoring to counseling.

Applications to become a Gryphon were just released on Oct. 16,  which elicits interest in the Gryphon Society and the effectiveness of the organization.

Out of a survey of 47 first-year students, 74 percent said they felt comfortable going to their Gryphon for advice and opening up about their issues. Sixty-one percent said they take advantage of the resources provided by their Gryphon and use them as a source for information. Twenty-seven percent said they would be interested in applying to become a Gryphon.

Students who responded that they were not interested in applying to the Gryphon Society cited several reasons. Some said they would not have enough patience or time for the job, while others said they are intimidated by the amount of responsibility, and some just want to live outside of the dorms with their friends.

Azarchi acknowledged the responsibility but believes it is rewarding. He said he does not feel as if he is missing out on anything because he does not live with his peers. He likes having a place of his own away from his social circle and finds it easy to keep in touch and hang out with his friends.

Emma Hallett, ’18, is one of Azarchi’s residents. She said she thinks he is a valuable ally who helped her adjust to Lehigh when she was unsure of many things and was often embarrassed to ask her friends.

“One of the times I found Josh most useful was when he encouraged me to stick with (the Computer Science and Business program,)” Hallet said. “In the first two weeks of school, I was pretty set on switching schools. However, he kept telling me to stick with it until I was 100 percent sure. I took his advice, and I’m really glad I did because I’m getting the hang of the program and find it much more interesting than I originally thought.”

While Hallett is not applying to become a Gryphon because she is unsure about the time commitment, she sees the society as an important tool for first-year students.

Olivia Mobarakai, ’17, lives in Taylor House this semester. As a sophomore, she has a completely different experience than she did during her first-year. She said she has contacted her Gryphon much less this year.

“My Gryphon is a sophomore, and I feel strange receiving advice from someone who has had just as much experience in college as I have,” Mobarakai said. “I have not used her once as a source of data, and most likely will not throughout the remainder of the year.”

Mobarakai said that Gryphons are helpful and sees that many of her hall-mates are taking advantage of “G-Chats.” These “G-Chats” are all-female weekly meetings with Gryphons to talk about any issues they are experiencing, from relationship problems to academic trouble.

Mobarakai said she is not applying to become a Gryphon because she does not want the large responsibility. She also does not have any friends who are applying.

According to Jennifer Scaia, director of residence life, around 200-240 students apply every year and approximately 100 students are chosen. The application process is open until Dec. 1. The application contains one or two essay questions and requires applicants to submit a resume. From there, the residential staff members and current Gryphons conduct two interviews, one individual and one in a group setting. Decisions are announced on Feb. 10, 2015.

Scaia said she believes the society is vital to the betterment of life at Lehigh.

“Being a Gryphon is an experience in which you’re part of a team moving toward a larger goal of building a welcoming and inclusive community on campus,” she said.