Kenyon Class of 1986 Fall Class Letter

Hello Classmates,

What a year! Outside on a beautiful October day, I sat down to write this Fall’s class letter and to make a list of the positive updates I have heard about how Kenyon is moving forward. Through this most challenging of years - 2020, and other ones in my life - Kenyon has remained a bright spot. It is a point of connection and positivity for its community. I am grateful for friends from 35 years ago as well as the new Kenyon friends I have made on the hill, on-line, and in my regional association in the past 10 years. Kenyon is Better Together!

At Kenyon, fall in-person instruction is underway for the approximately 950 first-years, sophomores and international students who studied on campus. Numbers were kept low intentionally, and no one shares a room. (Yes, even a North Campus Apartment was for one.)

The College developed clear COVID-related policies and protocols that included regular testing for those on campus and the “Kenyon College Commitment,” a personal pledge developed in cooperation with the student council that emphasized the well-being of the entire community. Life on campus looked a bit different as Kenyon adapted its many facilities to ensure safety in dining, athletics, research and more. I am thankful we experienced Kenyon as we did in ‘86, and hope that everyone can always say that about Kenyon.

In addition to adaptations for on-campus instruction, juniors and seniors and members of the faculty discovered new ways to learn and teach remotely. To hear how some of the faculty members dealt with the shift to Zoom classes, virtual office hours and online assignments read the Faculty Notes below.

Our alumni community has shifted to meet the challenges of 2020 with innovation — organizing and attending virtual events and connecting with current students and graduates as volunteer mentors.

And, though it was heartbreaking to see Reunion Weekend 2020 postponed, now we’re focused on Reunion Weekend 2021. Planning is underway and, if conditions allow, it could be the biggest alumni gathering in Kenyon history! (We’ll be sharing more details in the months to come regarding the special celebrations we are planning for our milestone reunion this year.)Giving back also went virtual in a big way this year during June’s record-breaking online giving challenge, Kenyon Together. Kenyon offers a variety of ways to support the community. There are options to support the student emergency assistance fund, which helped dozens of students get home when the spring semester unexpectedly went virtual. I give to make it possible for the College to award more in financial aid this year, when many families’ budgets are strained. And I give to help fund new scholarships like the Kenyon Women’s Annual Scholarship and the Lowry Annual Scholarship for underrepresented students, which was announced just last month along with the renaming of the Kenyon Athletic Center to honor Emeritus Trustee William E. Lowry Jr. ’56 H’99. Scroll on for full details on this exciting piece of Kenyon news!

During challenging times like these, alumni support is more critical than ever. Join me in making your gift to the Kenyon Fund at gift.kenyon.edu to ensure good things continue to happen on the Hill this year, and in the years to come.

Thank you and stay well!

Sincerely,

Kelley Lewis

P.S. Scroll down to read our fall class notes.

Introducing the Lowry Center & Scholarship

William E. Lowry Jr. ’56 H’99 was the first Black student in the nation initiated into Beta Theta Pi, was student body president and captained the football, basketball and baseball teams. He went on to serve in many volunteer roles at Kenyon, including as trustee. In honor of Bill’s accomplishments and impact at Kenyon, the Board of Trustees decided to rename the Kenyon Athletic Center in his honor.

Recognizing his legacy, Board Vice Chair Joseph E. Lipscomb ’87 has created an endowed scholarship in Bill’s name to help bring more underrepresented students to Kenyon. Anyone can make a gift to the annual fund portion of this scholarship, or one of many other scholarships at Kenyon, and provide an immediate benefit to a current student.

Support currents students now with a gift to scholarships

Despite a challenging year, the College remains committed to continuing to meet 100% of students’ increased demonstrated need, with donor support. Every dollar you give goes directly to support students this academic year.

Consider giving today in support of:

Hannah More Scholarship for first generation students
Kenyon Women’s Annual Scholarship for female students
Lowry Annual Scholarship for underrepresented students
Pope Memorial Annual Scholarship for students from urban Ohio public school

And, of course, you can make a gift to the Kenyon Fund’s scholarships and financial aid designation, which supports the education of every single Kenyon student.

Make a Gift

Upcoming Virtual Events for Alumni

You're invited to join us this winter at these free events for alumni.

Alumni Town Halls with President Decatur
Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. ET and Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. ET
Five-week mini class with Professor Emerita Pam Jensen
"Democracy & Education: An Introduction to Rousseau's Emile"
Tuesdays, Jan. 5 – Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. ET
A Celebration of Kenyon Green Initiatives (two-part series)
Wednesday, Jan. 20 and Thursday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. ET

Visit kenyon.edu/alumnievents to register and view our full alumni event calendar.

Class of 1986 Fall Notes

And here is some news from our classmates!

Maura Minsky writes: Connecting regularly with my college roommates on Zoom - Beth (Yaghooti) Collis, Debby (North) Cartisser, Kate (Stookey) Haviland and Ellie (Tytus) Wallace - has been nourishing and hilarious. They've helped me transition to a new job, think through whether to remote school or not to remote school, and ways to keep sane. Another positive for the year is the new job as the Director of The Empathy Project at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Yes, it is the best job.

Megan Coleman (Swanson) reports: More changes ahead! Now that 2 kids have flown the nest, Brigid (15) and I are selling our Scituate, MA, home. At this time, we're not sure where we're heading. Not too far, as Brigid will continue to attend the iExcel program at Scituate High. In December 2019, I changed careers (again) and am now working for a small, family owned credit card processing company. I had a serendipitous meeting with Jennifer Cohan while visiting my parents, sister Kristin Pastoriza '90 and brother-in-law Hugh Pastoriza '91 in Seattle last fall. We had a great photo op with FIVE Kenyon alum including Jen's father, Stanley Cohan '62. Looking forward to a blended reunion in 2021!!

Bob Zaiser shares: I am still the Director of Institutional Advancement at Moravian Academy (now in my 15th year), my son Andrew ’20 graduated from Kenyon in the Spring of 2020 and my son Christopher started at Kenyon this fall with the class of 2024.

Eileen Lehmann (Shaver) announces: If all goes well, by the time I see you all next spring, I will have successfully shepherded The Ohio State University faculty and staff through a major financial system change and my older son (Conor Tuttle '22) will have made it back to the Hill. While I don't have a lot of influence on OSU's actual financial system, or on Kenyon's Covid-19 response, it is my job to help the 45,000 at OSU and the 1 in my basement to make peace with their plight!

Christine Parini writes: Along with my sales consulting business I started a nonprofit to interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline and support the formerly incarcerated through providing well-paying work with a career path while healing their trauma. I am seeking applications for members of the board of directors, advisory board and eventually staff and would love to have Kenyon alumni apply. People of color and members of the LGBTQ community are encouraged to apply. Resumes can be sent to christine@genesisjustice.org.

Steve Feinbloom announces: I've retired from my career in community mental health in Essex County, New York. For the past six months I've been hiking, biking, playing music, binging on-line content and reading way too much news. This rural lifestyle suits me and I consider myself very fortunate in these difficult times. I hope you are all doing very well.

Lessie (Gerhold) Starr reports: I am currently living in very rural south central KY, not a planned move, but enjoying life on a small farm with my cats and the neighbor's rescue animals (cats, dogs, and donkeys!). My planned move to Charlotte, NC, was interrupted by COVID-19. I am enjoying interacting with the K-80s on Facebook! Hoping everyone is healthy and safe.

Warren Teitz writes: What a crazy year and there are still over two months to go. I am thankful my family is safely riding out the pandemic along with the heat waves and fires here in Los Angeles. I am also fortunate my career in the water industry is conducive to telecommuting and endless Zoom and Teams meetings. They might not always see it the same way, but I appreciate the extra family time. At least the dogs seem happier. My daughter and two sons adapted to on-line learning but are missing out on all the other essential college and high school experiences. The ones you can't get on Instagram or TikTok. The ones we had at Kenyon. It is hard to believe we graduated 35 years ago. I hope Reunion Weekend stays an in-person event. See you there!

Mary Beth Stephens (Atkinson) reports: I have been working with my largest group of HS seniors yet on their college searches and applications, but it's gratifying. Lots of issues, not the least of which is whether they will choose to go to a particular college without ever having been able to see it firsthand.

Jim Weiss announces: I did want to report that, in addition to proudly bearing the suffix “’86” to my name, I am now also “P’24”. My son Daniel began his freshman year at Kenyon this fall. He’s currently on campus, but not likely for long, as the juniors and seniors are expected to have the place for themselves for spring semester. In any event, he’s loving it—and living on second floor Lewis, down the hall from my old room. My older son, Ethan, is now a senior at Haverford. He's been accepted into Teach for America for next fall. I hope all is well with everyone!

Read notes from the Class of 1985 and the Class of 1987.

New this year! Read notes from faculty.

Support Kenyon

If you missed the chance to share your news for this letter, you can submit a class note at any time via class.letters@kenyon.edu.

Class Listing

Kenyon is grateful to the following donors for their generous support of the College, including the Kenyon Fund, during the 2019-20 fiscal year. An asterisk (*) indicates a donor is a member of the Henry J. Abraham Society for loyal and consecutive giving. An obelisk (†) indicates an individual who is deceased. Please note that as of July 1, 2019 Kenyon’s annual giving societies have changed. Visit kenyon.edu/societies for more information.

1986

Annual Fund Total: $72,711

Class Participation: 55.42%

Kokosing Society

Donors of $25,000 to $49,999

Mary Beth Stephens P'15*

Philander Chase Society

Donors of $10,000 to $24,999

Matthew W. Lampe

Bexley Society

Donors of $2,500 to $9,999

Richard K. Black*

Margaret S. Callesen*

Stephen E. Feinbloom

Albert E. Fowerbaugh Jr.*

William F. Fritz Jr.

Nikki Granner Johnson*

Lisa A. Jensen*

Jeffrey Kelley*

Laura A. King PhD*

Theodore K. Manley*

Philip V. Moyles Jr.*

Kenyon Society

Donors of $1 to $2,499

Ross C. Agnor MD*

Peter O. Aherne*

Patricia A. Becker-Buhite

Charles D. Bissell

Catherine Bourne Fenn P'16 '18

S. David Broscious*

Lisa Brown Gillinov*

Paul E. Brown

Mary C. Carson*

Lauren D. Cottle*

Sean A. Cottle*

Frank S. Crane IV*

Adam R. Davidson*

Michael B. Davies

Tracy L. Davis*

Christopher Derby, S.J.*

Danielle Devine Greene*

Albert A. Doub II

Annabel V. Felton

Geoffrey R. Fenn P'16 '18

Virginia Fitzgerald

Gillian J. Freney

Thomas Freund Jr.*

Sarah R. Gant*

Elizabeth Gretler Paradi

Barbara C. Hartman P'20*

William R. Hartman Jr. P'20*

Bradley D. Hazelrigg*

Arthur J. Henahan III

Holly B. Herberman Mash

William I. Hitchcock H'11

Cordelia Hodges Tilghman*

Robert J. Holmes, MD*

Robert M. Hurley*

Beatrice Huste*

Matthew H. Irish*

Alison L. Jandak*

Alexander T. Johnson

Jill A. Kalish*

Robert S. Kohn*

Ellen Leerburger*

Eileen Lehmann P'22*

Elizabeth S. Leik*

Amy J. Lukes*

Sonja J. Mack*

Joseph J. Masterson Jr.*

Christopher F. McCracken

Elizabeth J. McDermott

Christine B. Melone*

Cory C. Myers*

John P. Narcross*

Michael B. Parran*

John F. Pollard

Elyssa Ramsey Doub*

Michael R. Raney*

Meghan E. Regan-Loomis P'21*

Joseph D. Rubin

Peggy Rule Moser

Cynthia R. Ryan

Paul H. Saint-Antoine P'18*

David M. Sipes*

Andrew K. Smith*

Ruth Jane Staveley PhD*

Douglas A. Strubel

Warren A. Teitz*

Theodora J. ter Haar*

Christopher P. Thorman*

Thomas L. Tobin*

Douglas R. Vahey*

Margaret M. van Baaren*

Sarah Q. Wagner P'18*

Anne Wallace-Broscious*

David C. Warner*

James D. Weiss P'24*

Morgan B. Whittier

Peter B. Williams

Carrie M. Wolf

Andrew L. Youngquist

Robert J. Zaiser P'24 '20*

George Wharton Mariott Society

These alumni have included Kenyon in their estate plans or have made other planned gifts.

Bradley D. Hazelrigg

Thomas L. Tobin