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 Ryan
Rogers ’04 is living proof that normal people rarely make
history. He broke the mold for what Willamette students consider
“normal” and left a legacy that makes it cool to be
a freak or a geek.
After traveling for two and half years, Ryan Rogers ’04
came to Willamette as a 24-year-old non-traditional transfer student
starting his junior year. “I drove in a van to all 50 states
to figure out where I wanted to live,” says Rogers. “I
chose Oregon because of the combination of people, pace and location.”
During his first week at Willamette, Rogers observed an untapped
need among the student body. Not every-one had found a group they
could identify with and Rogers was not about to let that go unchallenged,
so he began Freaks and Geeks – a group dedicated to having
fun and celebrating differences. “It started as a joke to
call it Freaks and Geeks, but we’d rather get noticed than
be politically correct,” said Rogers. “Everybody is
a freak or a geek. We focus on the things that make us different
and special.”
In addition to celebrating things “that make us a little
bit kooky,” the group believes in having “a good freakin’
time.” Some of the “crazy” events they have hosted
include a pumpkin smash around Halloween, water balloon fights in
the Quad and a Pajama Jam party in the Montag Den complete with
pillow fights and human sundaes. The group prides itself in offering
what Rogers calls “spice, fun and wildness” –
all with-out the use of alcohol.
In addition to special events, the group also creates activities
to keep students attention. One activity, called happy thoughts,
involves students sharing small pieces of paper inscribed with thoughts,
such as “hugs from an old friend.” Music is now frequently
heard in Jackson Plaza during sunny days when many students are
out soaking up the rays. The group’s presence is palpable
and has been a wake-up call for many Willamette students eager to
join.
“There were 10 active members in the beginning,” remembers
Rogers. “People were excited about what we did and we won
outstanding student organization at the Campus Life Honors and Awards
ceremony. The second year we exploded with 50 active members. We
are ready for it to grow even more.”
Rogers, a politics major, spent his last year at Willamette writing
his senior thesis about the idea of building community in a diverse
society – a topic he became interested in after observing
the positive impact of Freaks and Geeks. He is now working to expand
the Freaks and Geeks model to other campuses throughout the nation,
starting with schools in Oregon such as Lewis and Clark.
Back at Willamette, the leadership is in place to continue the
zany Freaks and Geeks activities after its founding member has departed.
In the meantime, the organization will continue to face funding
challenges. So far, Freaks and Geeks has managed a year’s
worth of events on a $1,000 budget. “We’re hoping to
get more funding in order to do more,” said Rogers.
At the heart of it, Rogers said, “Freaks and Geeks is about
fighting an epidemic of lameness. There’s nothing that makes
me a Willamette student more than a communal connection –
a kinship.”
– Michelle Maynard
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