The Waterhole

A community is a greater whole made up by individual people; but what draws these individuals to gather together? Ritual. At Gonzaga University, one of the many venues that defines community are the coffee shops. Situated throughout campus, there are many places at which students can purchase coffee--and participate in ritualistic gathering. Just as students gather around coffee, coffee is also present at student events. As part of the Masters in Communication and Leadership Studies curriculum, students must travel to Gonzaga University participate in their practicum coursework. Part of this practicum involves included breakfast, at which coffee is a staple. Whether at a catered event or a designated coffee shop, students at Gonzaga University will gather around the source of coffee à la gathering around the waterhole in the animal kingdom.

The following video clip showcases how community is created around coffee at Gonzaga University. The premise is that community is created by social gathering, and this social gathering is situated around ritual. The community showcased in this project is informed by the ritualistic gathering around coffee--the proverbial waterhole at Gonzaga University.