| Kenyon Class of 2017 Spring Class Letter
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| 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. The gift 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 ongoing capital 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 young alumni community can be when we work together to raise money for the causes at Kenyon that matter most to us. They heard us when we asked to designate our gifts to initiatives like diversity, equity and inclusion during Kenyon Together, and these designations remain on Kenyon’s main giving page.
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,
Nathaniel Shahan
P.S. Scroll down to read our 2017 spring class notes.
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Support current students now with your gift
With the Kenyon Fund’s many designation opportunities, you can direct your gift to the things at Kenyon that matter most to you, including our newest designation which supports mental health resources for students.
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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 Thursday, May 27
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Class AgentsClass agents are your connection to campus. If you would like to learn more about becoming a class agent, contact Parker Subia at subiap@kenyon.edu.
• Lizzy Siphron
• Kyra Green
• Nathaniel Shahan
• Sam Berten
• Sam Clougher
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Class of 2017 Spring Notes
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Gabe Avis
This past summer Mackie Avis ’13, our father, Todd, and I biked from Pittsburgh to DC on the Great Allegheny Path and C&O Trail to help raise funds for the Cleveland Clinic. Took us five days to bike 350 miles but we survived and are planning to do it again this summer.
Dominic Camperchioli
I am graduating with my MD this May and will begin my child neurology residency at the University of Utah in June.
Katherine Connolly
I watched two of the Daniel Craig James Bond movies within 24 hours, and I'm not sure if it's something I'm proud of or not. The tone of those films is absolutely wild. I'm really not sure what came over me, I watched Casino Royale until one in the morning, woke up at nine, and then immediately watched Quantum of Solace. Also, I'm going to grad school.
Emily Daluga
I was recently promoted to Associate Editor at Abrams, where I'll get to continue to edit books for kids of all ages!
Ethan Fuirst
I have spent the past few months in awe of the important work that K-SWOC is doing!
Guillermo García Montenegro
Got my MA from Johns Hopkins SAIS last year. Becoming a DC local one day at a time working in the think tank world but soon-to-be in the private sector. Let’s go Lords!
Hannah Gilman
In January 2020 Hannah Gilman, Erie, Pennsylvania, traveled to Tanzania, Africa to hike the Rongai route to the peak of Kilimanjaro. Hannah made the trip with her parents (Steve and Julia), her older brother (Ian), his fiancée (Margot Farnham), and her younger brother (Sam). On January 30, 2020 Hannah (and family) reached Mt. Kilimanjaro’s summit, 19,341 feet above sea level. Hannah’s Kenyon flag was with her every step of the way. (Picture below)
Benjamin Grannis
Seasons change, oceans rise, the light times follow the dark! We are gearing up for a big ol’ summer in the Overland world and to provide the outdoor summer experience so many kiddos have longed for these past 12 months. I am still taking requests for a shared (and distanced) hiking experience if anyone finds themselves in the Berkshires. We have plenty of trees and bunnies! (203) 312-4773.
Noah Gurzenski
After three very swell years as a member of Kenyon’s Enrollment Division, I’ll be moving to Boston this fall to begin studies in a Master of Divinity program.
Nick Maryan
Still living it up with Maxwell Siegrist '16 in Chicago - our 3rd roommate Zander Nethercutt '16 is all grown up now, moved out, bought a house and is currently a slumlord for Garrett Stalker '15. In Zander's place fellow Lord Sam Lipscomb '19 was our 3rd roommate for 6 months living a true nomadic lifestyle. Connor Bingham is currently en route driving from Cape Cod out to Chicago (stopping in Cleveland to see Jono Chafe) to take up the 3rd room for a few months during the wondrous Summertime Chi. Connor Merley is still down the street and is currently reclined watching March Madness on 3 screens at once - no work will be done the next few weeks. Benjamin Mackessy '16 is also visiting from Columbus this weekend which will be a glorious reunion at Big Star with our Booth Grad School star Ben Payner '15. Also Connor Merley and I got to see our newest Booth Grad School star Julia Plottel for the first time in 5 months recently - she is in great spirits and hope to see her more soon. Hope all is well with everyone else!
Claire Naughton
Claire is currently working as an online ESL tutor and freelance writer in Strasbourg, France. She's still keeping up with her travel blog, The Millennial Abroad, and eagerly waiting for the day it's safe to resume exploring our big-but-small world.
Caitlin Redak
Caitlin has just returned from spending 3.5 months on a boat in Antarctica doing research for her PhD. She is enjoying the time back with her cats, Darwin and Wallace, and sorting through the million photos she took on the field trip.
Nathaniel Shahan
Nathaniel is still working as a Senior Analyst for the strategic communications firm Kekst CNC in NYC. He's looking forward to the city, and his office, opening up a little bit more.
Deirdre Sheridan
After a very strange year, I’m now working with a London-based innovation consultancy, working on everything from using drones to manage medical deliveries to using TikTok to reach a new generation of entrepreneurs. Took a few years, but someone’s finally paying me to write. And even after three UK lockdowns, I’m still married to Kieran Humphries, who fellow members of Kenyon-Exeter 2015-16 will remember I insisted I “wasn’t dating”.
Lizzy Siphron
After receiving her Master’s in Higher Education Administration at UVA last year, Lizzy is currently working as an Accreditation Manager for the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) in Washington, DC. She really looks forward to seeing Kenyon Alumni in DC once things return to the new normal.
Elana Spivack
Science journalism grad school at NYU, graduating this December. Quarantining with my folks in NJ, hopefully moving to NYC summer of 2021. Interested in story leads, interviews with science-adjacent people, and good old-fashioned phone calls.
Claire Tomasi
I've done it! I've recently signed with a literary agent whom I will be working with on my upcoming graphic novels! It has always been my dream to be a writer and cartoonist, and to see that dream come to life is incredible. Be on the lookout for stories Kenyon students might know!
Jenna Wendler
Jenna is wrapping up her first year as a graduate student at American University. She has been studying lots of art and counting the days until museums are open and safe to visit again, though she has been enjoying exploring her local parks since moving to DC in August. This spring, she has been working virtually as a research intern for the Medici Archive Project, based in Florence, Italy.
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From L to R in photo: Margot Farnham, Ian Gilman, Samuel Gilman, Julia Gilman and Steven GIlman.
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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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