Our Path Forward: The Campaign for Kenyon

Kenyon Class of 2015 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.

I know it was disappointing to see our in-person Reunion Weekend go virtual this year, but 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. Save the date 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, online social gatherings, a tour of Chalmers Library and more. 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 things like diversity, equity and inclusion during Kenyon Together, and I have been pleased to see these designations remain on Kenyon’s main giving page ever since.

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,

Your 2015 Class Agents

P.S. Scroll down to read our 2015 spring class notes.

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.

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 Thursday, May 27

Visit kenyon.edu/reunion to view our full virtual reunion schedule.

Class of 2015 Spring Notes

Alyssa LaFrenierre reports: 2020 was an unusual year to say the least, but so many good things came out of it. I graduated MUSC as a Physician Assistant at the end of July and Christian Josephson '16 proposed to me at Kenyon in November! I also started working as an ENT Physician Assistant in Akron, Ohio!

Paige Carr (Shermis) reports: I’m finally graduating from Berkeley Optometry with an OD in May, and looking forward to my wedding later this year to reunite with Kenyon friends!

Drew Hogan reports: Drew Hogan continues to evade the real world, first in government, now in academia as a PhD student in Political Science at the University of Minnesota. If anyone is in the Twin Cities, would love to get in touch.

Busola Olukoya reports: Busola is currently in the PhD tunnel which is a real thing they make jokes about in your first year that stops being funny when you realize it's almost your fourth year and you have no data. She is taking a break henceforth from recruiting people to the program in Neuroscience at Harvard because she no longer looks like she's having a great time -- she just wants to "do science" and become the next Sheryl Hemkin. She is still the first Nigerian woman in the program, but a second Nigerian (man) will hopefully be joining next fall which means someone in the program will finally notice that she's not as great at making her own hair as she claims. She's getting into swimming in the frigid Atlantic ocean, home DIY makeovers, and learning to surf but don't tell her PI. She's also (finally) started feeling the Kenyon blues and mourns the missed opportunity to attend Reunion rather than working it. She welcomes all gluten free care packages and Zoom calls, urges you all not to be daunted by her inability to respond to email or text within 3 days, and wishes everyone a warm spring!

Lucas Pastorfield-Li reports: Still living in Austin with Sam Graf ’16 and Jake Smith ’21. Shout out to Jake for virtually returning to Kenyon this year and finishing his degree. Big things are coming for him. I just got a job in DC with an international development consultancy called Cardno and continue to paint/mural freelance al lado. Might have to move there. Not thrilled but of course would love to see my DC Kenyon swamp-dwellers.

Rekha Mohan reports: I adopted an elderly maltipoo named Sadie, started a new job writing for theatrical and streaming trailers and special shoots, and moved into an apartment that is just two blocks away from a Jeni’s, which has provided many important ice-cream-based morale boosts during These Uncertain Times.

Colin McMahon has matched into internal medicine residency at MSU/Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids MI.

Teddie Chambers-Ruiz MA, LMHC, NCC reports: I am currently working as a licensed mental health counselor in my home town of Los Lunas, New Mexico. I am married with an 18 month old daughter Sofia and one on the way!

Jay Leung left Finnair to work in the more pandemic-proof industry of telecommunications, where he's developing software for automating mobile network operations. He hopes everyone is healthy and well.

Stephanie Cordonnier is headed to Providence RI with Hanning Wong ’16 to begin her Internal Medicine residency at Brown University/ Rhode Island Hospital in June. Stephanie plans to pursue a fellowship in Geriatrics. When she graduates from medical school this May, she will have the first doctorate degree in her family. She will always be grateful for everyone who has supported her in reaching this dream.

Wesley Manz will be starting his Orthopedic Surgery residency at Emory University come July 1.

Camélia (Milnes) Hairane got engaged during the pandemic, matched into emergency medicine at Tower Health Reading Hospital near Philadelphia, and is about to graduate medical school at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine to finally achieve her lifelong dream of becoming a physician. Oh, and she also got pre-approved for a mortgage to buy a SUPER NICE house with south-facing windows for all of her plant babies and huge yard for her landscaping husband and insane miniature dachshund to dig holes in, hooray!!

Read notes from the Class of 2016 and the Class of 2014.

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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