Our Path Forward: The Campaign for Kenyon

Kenyon Class of 1976 Spring Class Letter
Dear Class of 1976,
 
After a year of “forced hibernation”, I am filled with hope and optimism as we head into the warmer months. As a part of the life sciences community, I’m very pleased to report that as of mid-April, roughly one-quarter of the U.S. population have received one of the COVID vaccinations the collective industry, academia, government, and patient communities have developed in record time. Life does; in fact, feel like it’s gotten a “shot in the arm”!
 
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 successfully enrolled its Class of 2025. And a beautiful new 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. The construction gift was amazing but it’s just the first part. 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.
 
I know it is disappointing to see our in-person 45th Reunion Weekend go virtual this year, but our Reunion Committee and I are 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. Please mark your calendars for May 16-29 next month and watch your mail for a special opportunity to win some Kenyon goodies by joining in the online festivities! There will be events with some of our favorite professors, online social gatherings, a tour of the new Chalmers Library and more. I look forward to fist bumping you on Zoom! 
 
It’s also not too early to start thinking about our 50th reunion in 2026. This is traditionally one of the most important and meaningful class convocations. I wanted to make sure you knew about the College’s new 50th Reunion Program that features a series of opportunities for classes (like ours!) on their way to celebrating this milestone reunion. They’re encouraging us to spread out the fun and reconnect not just on one wonderful weekend, but in the years leading up to it. I’m excited to learn more about the program and will share details with you as we get closer to the celebration. As one of the first classes to benefit from this program, we’ll have a unique opportunity to shape the 50th reunion experience for future classes.
 
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.  Save the date for an exciting chance to help Kenyon students today, earn 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 our beloved alma mater and its current 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 we feel for the future by providing regular points of connection during an isolating year. We’re not out from under this pandemic yet but from what I’m hearing from other alumni, our college connections have been an important social and professional lifeline through this all. No matter how you choose to stay involved with Kenyon, I hope you too are looking to breathing a sigh of relief and creating a New Normal in the months ahead.
 
To your Health,
Michael W. Young

P.S. We have some awesome Class Notes below to share with you as well. Next time, if you’re thinking your “news” is not so interesting, I’d ask you to consider that the Class Notes are the most read parts of our letters. Everyone wants to know what you’re thinking and have been doing, so please join in!

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 Reunion Events
Connect with your classmates at these class-specific reunion events:
  • Virtual Class Dinner (following the Alumni Town Hall)
    7 p.m. ET Thursday, May 27
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
Visit kenyon.edu/reunion to view our full virtual reunion schedule.

Reunion Committee Members

Reunion Committee Members are your connection to campus. If you would like to learn more about becoming one, contact Tracey Wilson (wilson1@kenyon.edu).

• Buffy Ireland Hallinan
• Ellen Mower
• Janet Byrne Smith
• Janet Heckman
• Michael Young

Class of 1976 Spring Notes
Arthur Berkowitz - Arthur Berkowitz is enjoying being a first time grandparent to Miriam and Benjamin.  The twins were born in December 2020 and who knows, maybe future Kenyon class of 2039!?

Amy (Dennis) Russell - After 40 years in New York City, Bret and I moved to White Salmon, Washington, a rural town in the Columbia River Gorge. We love living amidst the trees! We are thrilled that, in these last 3 years, we have welcomed three grandchildren -- Autumn, Bruce, and Moon -- into the world! For us, limiting time with our growing family has been the hardest part of Covid. We're grateful to be healthy and newly vaccinated. We look forward to time with the family again in April and May. Heartfelt thoughts and prayers to all for health, safety, and peace during these strange times.

Jim Frank - Despite the pandemic, my wife and I moved out of the NY metro area for the first time since graduating college, relocating to suburban DC to welcome our first grandchild. We're extremely lucky to be 15 minutes away, in their bubble (we spent his first few months as unpaid day-care workers!), healthy, and totally smitten with the next generation. And the weather down here is just that much nicer, too. Not sure which Kenyon friends are in the region, but would love to hear from you.

Janet Heckman - We returned from Ireland to Ohio at the end of January as the Irish lockdown continued. Keeping busy with Zoom calls relating to two independent director positions in Kazakhstan and to the Kenyon Alumni Council. Looking forward to our virtual reunion this year and hopefully an in person one next year! 

Jeff Jewitt - I am staying busier than ever - running my manufacturing company that supplies colors to the musical instrument industry, consultation work, and making acoustic guitars. I'm creeping up on 50 builds and recently introduced a line targeted towards fingerstyle guitar players. I've also completed my 6th streaming instructional course for other guitar-makers on how to finish their instruments. Whew!

Jim Kuhn - One year COVID anniversary finds Edie and me double-vaccinated and back seeing our three daughters and three grandkids in person. Business flow has returned like a tsunami and Dick Parke and I plan to resume monthly lunch dates so we can get our fill of laughter talking about the good old times at Kenyon. Wishing the class of 1976 good health and may the force be with each of you.

Tanna Moore - My big news of the year is that I retired from my role as CEO of Meritas, a global network of law firms May 1, 2020. It had been planned for a year but could not have come at a better time given the restrictions that Covid put on our business and my extensive travel. I feel blessed that I have been able to spend the year renovating our home in isolation. I must admit that my community engagement, music lessons and teaching retirement plans are all on hold, but aren’t we all. If ever in Minneapolis, please give a call.

Rabbi Charles P. Rabinowitz - I was elected to Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains Board. Because of a conflict of interest, I'm in the process of relinquishing Chair of the Ethics Committee. Served on a Committee to rewrite The Common Code of Ethics for all the chaplaincy organizations. But for most part, sitting at my dining room table during Covid, providing telehealth visits to my home hospice patients and families; Covid psycho spiritual counseling to our field staff and writing a morning prayer for all our staff. What a peculiar, challenging thing to have my wife in the bedroom teaching her special ed high school students and me out here?

Corbin Riemer - We took it seriously late February 2020 and hunkered down for the year. Now we are emerging. April, Escatawba. May, Tuscarora.  June, Wyoming.  July and August, Montana.  September and October, British Columbia.  On the way home, Gambier for a fall night.  Trout are out there.  Trying to recapture lost time.

Bruce Weitz - The year 2020, what can I say, the second quarter created a forced shutdown of my office.  I did not adjust well - there were too many restrictions.  I hated the time I was not working or teaching. Made me realize I am not ready to retire yet!  My wife though has decided to sell her practice and work part time for the new owner. My daughter’s dental office is doing great.  She is envious of my wife going part time.  So golf was my only vice in the past 12 months that was acceptable by the wives of my fellow players.

Michael Young – In January and February 2020, I traveled over 40,000 miles including two trips to Europe for my biotech consulting practice.  I was in Barcelona the day before they shut the city down due to the COVID pandemic.  My Google app says I’ve traveled 369 miles total since March 11, 2020, all by car.  My wife and I are excited to be getting on a plane for the first time to go meet our first grandchild next week in Tulsa, OK.  (Lil’ Oliver Kiesing Miller is a beautiful bundle of boy!)  Wishing all my classmates access to a vaccination and a healthy year ahead!
Read notes from the Class of 1977 and the Class of 1975.
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.
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