Our Path Forward: The Campaign for Kenyon

Kenyon Class of 2004 Spring Class Letter
Dear classmates,

After a year that felt like a decade, I am filled with hope and optimism as we head into the warmer months. As of mid-April, roughly one-quarter of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and life feels like it is inching back to “normal.

Kenyon is also planning its return to normal operations, including having all four classes back on campus in the fall. And, due in no small part to our alumni support, the College is wrapping up a financially and logistically challenging year on track to balance the budget, just like they have the last 50 years. 

After receiving a record number of applications, Kenyon has enrolled its Class of 2025. And Chalmers Library will be open to greet them when they move in. 

In January, Kenyon received the largest gift in its history that will fund construction of three new South Campus residence halls, allowing the College to increase focus on growing resources for scholarships. This is where we come in! The success of the next part of the campaign, Our Path Forward to the Bicentennial, relies on our increased participation and continued support of scholarships for students.

If you haven’t heard, reunion is going virtual this year. The College is hosting two weeks of online programming from May 16-29 and most events are open to all alumni. Even though we aren’t celebrating a reunion this year, I encourage you to register for events with your favorite professors and reminisce with classmates at the online social gatherings. I’m planning to join the tour of Chalmers Library and take part in some of the fun things they have planned to bring the Hill to us virtually for this nontraditional reunion. I look forward to bumping into some of you on Zoom! 

The College is also counting on us to show up (and break our record numbers!) for this year’s 36-hour Kenyon Together giving challenge kicking off the morning of Wednesday, May 19 as part of the virtual reunion. Mark your calendar for a fun chance to help Kenyon students today, score prizes, join in some good friendly competition and win bragging rights. After the success of 2020’s Kenyon Together giving challenge, the College knows just how impactful our alumni community can be when we work together to raise money for the causes at Kenyon that matter most to us.

As alumni, we can help today’s students by staying connected with the College and making gifts to scholarships that help Kenyon continue to meet the growing financial needs of students and their families. I invite you to join me in supporting the College in both of these ways. Our alma mater and all of you have contributed to the hope and optimism I feel for the future by providing regular points of connection during an isolating year. No matter how you choose to stay involved with Kenyon, I hope you too are breathing a sigh of relief as we prepare for better days ahead. 

Take care,
Garrick Vance

P.S. Scroll down to read our 2004 spring class notes.

Support current 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 to:
  • 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

Virtual Events for Alumni

All alumni are invited to join us at these virtual reunion events in May:
  • Opening Ceremony/Virtual Hospitality Tent
    4 p.m. ET Sunday, May 16

  • Kenyon Together 36-Hour Giving Challenge
    from 9 a.m. ET Wednesday, May 19 – 9 p.m. ET Thursday, May 20 

  • Town Hall with President Decatur
    7 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 27
Visit kenyon.edu/reunion to view our full virtual reunion schedule.

Class Agents

Class agents are your connection to campus. If you would like to learn more about becoming a class agent, contact Isabelle Rivers-McCue at riversmccuei@kenyon.edu.

• Annie Higby Ellsworth 
• Chris Greene
• Garrick Vance
• Jen Judson
• Mara Bernstein
• Merritt Kanan 

Class of 2004 Spring Notes
Leeman (Tarpley) Kessler: Being mayor of Gambier was such a unique joy and honor this year, working with the community to take care of everyone. From virtual church to holding Zoom staged readings to making the most of good outdoor weather to explore the village and keep in touch with folks, we found ways to stay connected and engaged even during the hardest parts.

Sam Jaffee: In my eighth year teaching Spanish writing and Latin American cultures/literature/art/music at the University of Washington, through a social justice lens (artists, advocates, innovators, entrepreneurs); this year I helped to found a freshman humanities program similar to Kenyon’s IPHS (horrifyingly, I am now twice as old as the students). New strategy: less papers, more Instagram (@uwculturasandinas, @uwleon2019, @expansivelyandcreatively). Before the pandemic I was fortunate to lead a study abroad group to live out their dreams in Spain for a quarter; now, after a year’s distance learning mostly via Zoom it’s beyond urgent to return to the classroom. Looking forward as well to getting back to volunteering each week at Seattle World School, the city’s dedicated ELL high school for recent immigrants and refugees—an efficient, supportive setting.

Sara Eckelberry: In the past 6 months, I’ve started a new job as a Network Librarian at Library of Congress, gotten engaged, moved into a new house, and am now fostering a puppy from the SPCA. Even in the Covid-era, life has been keeping me busy, and I’m feeling very fortunate. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.

Mara Bernstein: While not a librarian or archivist, Mara Bernstein works for Indiana University Libraries to make sure alumni and donors know about the amazing teaching, learning, and research that takes place on campus. It is a fun job of "other duties as assigned" that her Kenyon majors of Anthropology and Art History prepared her for. One of the lighter and more inspiring experiences during the pandemic has been organizing online events to connect people to amazing collections, such as those at the Lilly Library, a unique repository of rare books and manuscripts. If you're interested in libraries and archives, get in touch with Mara at madberns@indiana.edu.

Brooke Johnson: I started Tumbleweed Travel Co., a company that specialized in custom road trip vacation planning. I am moving from Telluride to Boulder, Colorado.

Sarah Evans Moore, Kenny Moore, and Winston (3.5) look forward to welcoming baby #2 in early April. They continue to love living in Cleveland and spending the summer in New Hampshire where Kenny runs Camp Pemi (his 29th summer!). Sarah teaches 4th grade at the Urban Community School.
Read notes from the Class of 2005 and the Class of 2003.
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.
Kenyon College
105 Chase Avenue, Gambier, OH 43022