300 Boy Scouts gather on WU’s campus
Merit Badge University is a program that invites Boy Scouts from surrounding areas and states to Waynesburg University to participate in merit badge workshops. Waynesburg hosted its fourth annual Merit Badge University on Saturday, Oct. 29. It was an all-day event running from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Departments from all across campus volunteered to present merit badge lessons. The merit badge sessions are taught by faculty and staff instructors from departments and organizations such as the Stover Scholars, American Chemical Society, Department of Communication and more.
This year, Waynesburg University did not advertise this event like they have in previous years, said Sarah Bell, executive assistant to the provost, who planned the event. According to Bell, this event has been occurring for four years now, so to spread the word, she simply sent out an email to previous attendees. Within two weeks more than 300 registration spaces were filled and people were still calling to try to register.
“I still get people calling every day to see if there is a spot available on the wait list,” said Bell. This is the fourth consecutive year that registration has been filled.
According to Tamalynn Custer, mother of a Merit Badge University attendee, Boy Scouts and their families really should attend this event. After attending the Merit Badge University in 2014 with her son, Custer praised the University for the student and instructor volunteers and their willingness to help each student.
“The sophomore assistant went out of her way to help my son complete his pot on the wheel, something he struggled with for a long time,” said Custer. “Mr. Heisey was one of the most enthusiastic, dedicated and just plain fun counselors I’ve seen since my son began taking merit badges when he bridged to Boy Scouts.”
Her son, Edwin Custer, has been attending Merit Badge University for two years now and recently achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. An Eagle Scout is required to earn 21 merit badges, 13 of which are required. Custer has completed over 91 merit badges over his scouting career with a few of them being earned through Merit Badge University.
Waynesburg University’s relationship with the Boy Scouts doesn’t end with Merit Badge University either.
“The president is an Eagle Scout and he has been involved,” said Bell. “We never had formal scouting events until Merit Badge University, and since Merit Badge started, we have done several different kinds of scouting events just to see how it goes.”
Waynesburg offers a smaller version of Merit Badge University through the Stover Scholars in the spring and has hosted several Boy Scout camps during the summer months focusing on STEM badges.
According to Tamalynn Custer, the relationship between the Boy Scouts and Waynesburg University encourages Boy Scouts to continue to come back to Waynesburg.
“I can tell you from our side, Edwin wants to attend everything Waynesburg has to offer,” said Custer. “I can’t say enough about Waynesburg and its MBU, and we will continue to mark our calendars 6-12 months out.”