Mayor and Executive Staff

Greetings to all far and wide!
The staff for the Pennsic Mentorship Program are so excited to welcome you to
the Pennsic War and share what we have been working on during our time apart! The
YAMP (Young Adult Mentorship Program) is being expanded to welcome everyone,
regardless of age group, who is interested in learning directly from Pennsic staff to gain
valuable service experience and skills for the SCA and beyond!

Starting for Pennsic War 53, the Pennsic Mentorship Program will now be open
for all those who are interested to apply. Previously, our goal was to focus on providing
opportunities for our younger generation members. However, after much consideration,
we feel it is for the best to expand our horizons and provide opportunities for any
individual who may be interested. To stay updated on all information for the Pennsic
Mentorship Program, please follow the program on Instagram at PWmentorship.sca
and look out for updates on the official Pennsic War website and Facebook page!

The Pennsic Mentorship Program is designed to give individuals opportunities to
learn from Pennsic staff and develop leadership skills to facilitate the growth of the SCA
for future generations. We strive to provide better access to opportunities for individuals
who are interested, regardless of experience level, age, status, or kingdom of origin.

The application form for the Pennsic War 53 Mentorship Program will open on
September 1, 2025 and close on February 1, 2026, to allow ample time for everyone
interested to prepare and apply. There are two informational sessions about the
mentorship program scheduled for Wednesdays, July 30 at 1 PM in Tent 13, and August
6 at 2 PM in Tent 12 at Pennsic University. These sessions will have an incredible
amount of information, including experiences from former participants and information
from the program coordinator for an all-around look at the program! Any questions or
interest should be forwarded to our email at mentorship@pennsicwar.org. We look
forward to another great year of the Pennsic Mentorship Program and hope to see many
new faces participating next year!

Yours in Service,
The Pennsic Mentorship Program

YAMP stands for the Young Adult Mentorship Program.

Our program is designed to give young adults, 18 to 24(ish), opportunities to learn from Pennsic staff and develop leadership skills to facilitate the growth of the SCA for future generations!

How do I get involved?

The program will be on its third cycle for Pennsic 52 and we are looking to expand and offer more mentorships for more candidates.

Applications opened on September 1, 2024 and will be accepted until April 1, 2025. We try to give everyone ample time to apply to make sure that every individual has an opportunity to learn. As this is an educational commitment, applicants must be able to attend Pennsic 52; further details can be discussed with the mentors. The available mentorships for Pennsic 52 will be posted on our webpage and IG.

How do I apply?

Please follow the link to our application which is a simple Google form. Some of the information that we ask for includes:

• Any SCA or relevant modern experience such as work, volunteering, or internships
• References (modern or SCA) and their email addresses
• A brief explanation why you would like to participate in the program during Pennsic 52.

Any young adult between 18 and 24(ish) years old is welcome to apply to the Young Adult Mentorship Program regardless of kingdom of origin, status, and experience level. YAMP follows the SCA DEIB policies regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We strive to allow all individuals to grow and ensure the continuation of the SCA for generations to come.

Cheers and best regards,
Baroness Nasira al-Zarqa bint Ivaz
YAMP Coordinator

Greetings unto the attendees of Pennsic War LII.  I, Syr Gunther Kegslayer, have the honor of serving as your Mayor.

Though I’ve been involved in the SCA for 28 years, my Pennsic War journey started at Pennsic 27.  There I fought for the Middle Kingdom and camped at Vlad’s Pleasure Pavilions.  For the next 25+ years I’ve volunteered in many different aspects to help give back to the SCA community that changed who I am as a human being. 

I’ve also worked hard to make Pennsic better; to serve the people I call family.  I’ve set up the barn, marshalled on the battlefield, put up road signs, served in Land, served in Tech service, served in Information, served drinks, and done my best to help Pennsic into its next evolution in technology.

In those 25 years I’ve lost friends to cancer, illness, and stroke. Pennsic has also given me some of the greatest moments of my life, I’ve learned about my wife being pregnant with my son at Pennsic, made some of my best friends in my life, 20 years ago I was Knighted on the battlefield of Pennsic, then ten years ago I was recognized as a Pelican, now I’ve been  selected to be the Mayor. It seems every 10 years something major happens to me at Pennsic.  Every Pennsic there is change, growth, and sadly, loss.  In a dynamic universe, change is the only constant.  Not all change is bad, nor is all change good, my hope for all of you is that you “Be the change you hope to see in the world”  

Every year, Pennsic runs on the kindness of volunteers.  While we are grateful for all those who volunteer when they arrive at Pennsic, there is also a large group of people donating time many months in advance.  With that knowledge, please be kind to all of those who serve Pennsic. Without them, our collective Pennsic experience would suffer.

The Pennsic War is unique and special. It is many things to many people.  Most importantly, it has room for everyone. It is my hope you can all find a home, a family, a place of your own.   I encourage you to find your people, find your family and cherish them, just as I did so many years ago.

Syr Gunther KegSlayer
Pennsic Mayor 52