| Kenyon Class of 1995 Spring Class Letter
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Dear Classmates,
After a year that weighed about a decade, I dare say there is a feeling of hope and a whiff of optimism in the air as we turn the corner into spring. 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 planning its own return to normal operations. 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, due in no small part to our alumni support. After receiving a record number of applications, Kenyon has enrolled its Class of 2025. Come fall, all four classes will return to campus, which, I am proud and relieved to report, will include my own son who deferred his freshman year at Kenyon to take a Covid gap year. The much anticipated brand new Chalmers Library will be open and welcoming the students back to the Hill!
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.
While Reunion Weekend 2021 will be virtual (again) this year, I'm looking forward to connecting with you at the excellent online events Kenyon has planned to bring the Hill to us for this nontraditional reunion. Mark your calendars for May 16-29 and watch your mail for a special opportunity to win some Kenyon swag by joining in the fun! There will be events with our favorite professors, social gatherings, a tour of Chalmers Library and more. We’ve learned how to do things pretty well in the matrix this year, and I think our Virtual 25th Reunion was a success in re-connecting a lot of people in our class to one another and to the College as well. Hopefully we can keep the momentum rolling - think of what a slamdinger our 30th will be!!!
As a part of this year’s virtual reunion, the College is 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. Save the date to help current Kenyon students, score prizes, join in some friendly competition, and win bragging rights. Last year some alums considered reaching out to their freshman floors, fraternities, and arts/social groups to pool gifts or challenge another group for fun - a fantastic idea! (The Frisbee Golf “Team” challenges The Chamber Singers?! Peeps vs. Betas!? A gift from The Cafeteria Tray Sledder’s Club - wait, did that even exist? Yes, even your college jam band can pool a gift!) 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.
You and I 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. If you have given in the past, thank you! For those who haven’t given in a while remember, any amount is helpful, and every gift counts! Our alma mater and all of you have contributed to the hope and optimism 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.
Best to you all,
Emma Mead Melo
P.S. Scroll down to read our 1995 spring class notes.
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Support current students now with a gift to scholarships
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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.
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| Virtual Events for Alumni
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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
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Class AgentsClass agents are your connection to campus. If you would like to learn more about becoming one, contact Molly Gutridge at gutridge1@kenyon.edu.
• David Bee
• Emma Melo
• Heather Knape
• James Dewar
• Julie Hill Barton
• Paige Olson
• Ryan McCormick
• Shelley Wharton Smith
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Class of 1995 Spring Notes
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Meredith Winters Weiss
After 12 years in our house, quarantine finally gave my husband the time he needed to create our master bedroom. I made good use of the room by teaching from it for the past six months. As of March, I’m back in the school building teaching in a hybrid format. I welcome all good thoughts and positive energy: after week one I’m drained. We added a new member to our family in January. After years of our daughter, Liesel (13), begging, we finally got a labradoodle puppy. He’s been an awesome addition to the family. After a year of pandemic strangeness, my calendar is starting to fill up with kids sports: lacrosse for Liesel and baseball for Max (10). Looking forward to a return to some normal activities, but if we have another shutdown maybe the master bathroom will get done. If anyone travels to the Annapolis area feel free to reach out. We now have an extra bedroom!
David Hicks
By the time this letter comes out, Alex will (hopefully) be a King University graduate, and married. Daniel will have finished his freshman year at Rhodes College. Stephen and Luke are likewise getting older, but Cindy and I remain young, vibrant, and broke. Which is much better than old and wealthy! We are blessed!
James Dewar
I was recently appointed Board Treasurer of Outreach Autism Services Network.
Michelle Helena Denk (Cokrlic)
Studying the Bible with others has always delivered me to a place of tremendous joy; in the past year, my studies overflowed my cup even more as worldly events distanced us physically and dissected us emotionally. In the several years prior, I had been active in two international Bible studies; both were able to convert to 100% virtual during 2020-21. Studying the Bible in these small groups is reminiscent of my Kenyon classroom experience as an Honors Psychology & English major. Steeping in rich prose and gazing into the hearts of those who have gone before us provides tremendous perspective and edification. Here are links to the two organizations which run alongside the academic calendar (yet you can join in at any time). Consider enrolling; there is a seat at the table for everyone! Both of these organizations are non-denominational and have groups that fit any schedule. I’ve developed deep friendships with people of different generations and diverse perspectives. One of my new cherished friends is June who is 92 years young; she imparts that we must continuously seek patience and discernment in every decade of life; she writes music to accompany our memory verses; she inspires me to use my time, talent, treasures, tribulations, and thorns with others. Indeed, I have found a peace that surpasses understanding during such a time as this. I am a Mom and work full-time in the food industry; I have been busier than ever due to changes in the supply chain. Truly, there’s never been a better time to make time for the eternal and feed your hungry soul.
Beth (Worrall) Newsom
Never have I been so excited to get a shot!! But I recently received my first shot of two. My daughter is a senior, so she is finding out where she got accepted to college, and thinking of where she will go to college. Kenyon has the best acceptance letters ever and she was accepted to Kenyon. It’s hard to believe she will be heading to college soon!! We had our huge March snowstorm in Colorado right as spring break started, but luckily we were able to get out once the plows made a few passes. We drove to Moab and explored the nearby Arches National Park. Hope everyone is staying well!!
Conan Kisor
Conan Kisor somehow survived the pandemic with his job and marriage intact. He spent the bulk of his days contemplating ways to force his feckless adolescents to go outside, yawping through kettlebell squats, making whooping and chirping noises into Dan Roush's voicemail and watching jaw-dropping amounts of weight being deadlifted by Teena Purohit. He remains toned, flatulent and absolutely ready.
Emma Melo (Mead)
It being a pandemic and all, life decided it must be a great time to throw a whole lot of curveballs from all directions, so we rolled up our sleeves, kept our eyes up, maintained crouched positions, and exercised a lot of flexibility, if not fumbling. We unexpectedly sold our beloved house of 16 years, moved into a new home over Thanksgiving (yes, you CAN celebrate Thanksgiving Dinner the Sunday after). Raphael ’25, age 19, took a gap year to work for UPS, deferring his freshman year at Kenyon until next fall. I stepped up from Arts and Environments Specialist to Program Coordinator of the Highland Presbyterian Nursery and Weekday School just in time to take part in How To Open a School During a Pandemic -101. Olivia, 17, has begun her college search and has decided Kenyon is too close to home - she's looking at Oberlin instead.
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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.
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Kenyon College
105 Chase Avenue, Gambier, OH 43022
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