| Kenyon Class of 1986 Spring Class Letter
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Dear classmates,
After a year that felt like a decade, I am hopeful and optimistic 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, due to our, shall I say more seasoned age, many of us are now eligible and I hope many of you have been able to get your “shot” and a return to normal (sorry, couldn’t help myself).
This is normally the part of the letter where I would encourage you all to attend our upcoming reunion – no need to say the number out loud – but as I am sure you know, Kenyon has decided to move from in-person to virtual this year. I'm looking forward to connecting with many of you at the events Kenyon has planned to bring the Hill to us virtually for this nontraditional reunion. So please mark your calendars for our reunion - May 16-29 - and watch your mail for more information on what to expect. Don’t let the 2 weeks alarm you – there will be events scattered over that period, and much like an in-person reunion, you can pick and choose when and where to join. There will be events with our favorite professors, online social gatherings, a tour of Chalmers Library and more. There will also be some events of our Class to gather on our own to reconnect, reminisce and look forward. While I realize many of us may be quite over Zoom by now, there are some advantages – no shoes required, the weather is irrelevant, no twin beds or communal bathrooms and you are not limited to the beer truck for a beverage of your choice. There is nothing that can compare to being back on the Hill, but what made our Kenyon experience special was more than its location – it was the people with whom we shared it.
I am happy to report that Kenyon is 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.
The College has also announced that Chalmers Library will be open (or as we know better, will “reopen”) to greet the Class of 2025 when they move in.
I am sure it is news to no one that 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. It may seem that with a gift of this size that our financial support may be less necessary. The important thing to realize about gifts like this is that they are restricted – this gift can be used for new residences and much needed improvements to existing dorms (we lived there – we know). The Kenyon Fund is still critical for things like scholarships and day to day operations. 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.
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. For those of you who have participated in our Class’s two virtual gatherings, I want to say Thank You. It was a balm to see so many familiar faces and catch up. For those of you who have already contributed to the Kenyon Fund, I want to say Thank You for your generosity in these unusual times. 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,
Margy Callesen
P.S. Scroll down to read our 1986 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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Connect with your classmates at these class-specific reunion events:
- Class of 1986 Reunion Trivia Night
8 p.m. ET Thursday, May 20
- Virtual Class Dinner (following the Alumni Town Hall)
7 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 27
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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 Thursday, May 27
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Reunion Committee MembersReunion Committee Members are your connection to campus. If you would like to learn more about becoming one, contact Tracey Wilson (wilson1@kenyon.edu).
• Nadine Fabish
• Doug Thompson
• Eileen Lehmann
• Ellen Leerburger
• Frank Crane
• Joe Masterson
• Kelly Lewis
• Margy Callesen
• Mary Beth Stephens
• Ruth Staveley
• Sally Wagner
• Tom Freud
• Tom Tobin
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Class of 1986 Spring Notes
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Megan (Swanson) Coleman: With Kristy (27) & Patrick (26) launched, I decided to take advantage of the CRAZY housing market and sell my Scituate, MA home in December 2020. Brigid (15) and I moved two towns over to seaside Hull, MA. We're now 2 blocks from the beach, within walking distance of a shopping hamlet and loving life. Brig still attends Scituate High School in their iExcel program which is a huge blessing. We're "tiny living" in an apartment while we decide if Hull is the right place and wait for the housing prices to come down a bit. My work for a family owned credit card processing business hasn't changed although I'm doing it from home for now. While I can't host guests at home, there's a great hotel around the corner and lots of weekly rentals, so if anyone is looking for a fabulous beach vacation this summer, give me a shout!!
Will Hitchcock: The lockdown here at the University of Virginia meant over a year of online teaching, and while that was extremely challenging (especially for the students), it did allow me to start a podcast (recorded from my closet) that deals with the threats to democracy in the United States and around the world. We talk to great scholars about what they see as the sources of our current global crisis. OK, so it is not always uplifting but it has been inspiring to learn from writers, thinkers and activists. Check it out: it is called Democracy in Danger and available in all your usual podcast outlets.
Elizabeth Leik: I’m planning to be in Gambier August 7 to ride in the Pelotonia with a few other Kenyonites. We have a team, Chasing Philander, which raises funds for cancer research at OSU’s James Cancer Hospital. Come ride or cheer us on if you’re in the area. We spend Friday night in Columbus, ride Saturday, and then meet up in Gambier Saturday evening. It’s a great weekend!
Ruth Staveley: Hello and happy spring, everyone. I am in Columbus and we have been slogging through the pandemic this year and thankfully have done ok. I was school marm to my 10th and 6th grade daughters and they actually faired pretty well! Ján Klamar ’84 could not do surgery because of lockdown in April and May but has been going full force since June. I have been working with an animal rescue getting dogs to forever homes; it is busy and bittersweet at times. I love it though. Cheers, classmates and if we can’t be in person this May, we will see you virtually in May!
Mary Beth (Atkinson) Stephens: Not a lot to tell, but I want to feel connected. I continue in my efforts to help kids down the terrifying path of finding the "right" college to attend. My goal is to start talking to more under-represented kids their freshman year so they can make the decision they want to instead of some default. Harvey's '85 law firm expanded into a neighboring town; his practice is starting to expand as well. Our son, Bennett '15 is in his 3rd year of medical school, attempting to decide what he'd like to do for the rest of his life. At least he knows he'll be a doctor in 15 months! Our other son begins law school in August!
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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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