Our Path Forward: The Campaign for Kenyon

Kenyon Class of 2021 Fall Class Letter
Dear classmates,

Is anyone else nostalgic for a Kenyon Fall? While this is not the first fall, nor will it be the last that we spend away from Gambier, I find myself missing those quintessential Kenyon fall moments: walking down a leafy Middle Path, enjoying the last of the summer heat fade out in the afternoons, and settling back into the hum of campus life. 

For the current Kenyon students, campus is feeling almost back to normal. All four class years were invited back to campus (with a cohort of first-years finishing a semester in Copenhagen), Peirce has taken down the dividers on all the tables, and the panini presses have been returned!

As campus is returning to its new normal, I wanted to highlight some of the exciting changes since we were last on campus together. Chalmers Library is now open. The new West Quad buildings are progressing, and the mods are being taken down!

All of this progress will make our not-to-be-missed Reunion of 2022 (clear your schedules for the weekend of May 27th) all the more enjoyable as we will get to explore in person! 

In other campus news, Kenyon just shared its new strategic plan that will guide its planning and actions leading up to the bicentennial in 2024 and beyond. This plan includes: developing a computer science program informed by the liberal arts; enrolling, retaining and graduating a student body that is representative of the talent and diversity of our nation and the world; implementing a holistic approach to health and wellness, with an emphasis on mental health; and expanding its commitment to environmental responsibility.

President Decatur also announced the Kenyon Access Initiative, a $25 million matching grant from the Schuler Education Foundation which will bring more high-achieving students to Kenyon. Any amount we give through this Kenyon Access Initiative will be matched 1:1 and will go to a new scholarship for students from families with limited means and those ineligible for government aid — up to $25 million.

Scroll on to learn more about Kenyon’s strategic plan and the Kenyon Access Initiative.

As you read about what’s in store for Kenyon’s future, I hope you’ll consider supporting current and future students with a gift to the Kenyon Fund and (if you have the ability) making an additional gift to the Kenyon Access Initiative that has the potential to bring 50 additional talented students to Kenyon each year.
 
Kenyon couldn’t be Kenyon without involved and supportive alumni like us. As the bicentennial draws closer, I hope we can all do a little more than we have in the past to help keep Kenyon a special place. Please consider becoming an alumni volunteer, attending a College event, submitting a class note or setting up a recurring monthly gift.

I wish you success in your current and future endeavors away from the ‘Bier and look forward to reading about them in future class updates and hearing about them at our reunions!

All the best, 
Duffy Lemire

There's a lot happening at Kenyon today.
We want you to be a part of it.
The Our Path Forward to the Bicentennial campaign is about building a strong  foundation for Kenyon’s third century by growing our endowment and strengthening alumni connections. Get involved by:

Staying connected to Kenyon
You may only be a Kenyon student for four years, but you’re a member of our alumni community for life. The Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement strives to make it easy — and fun — to stay connected. GET INVOLVED

Making a gift
Gifts of all sizes add up: every year, gifts of $100 or less to the Kenyon Fund total more than $250,000. Also, every dollar given to the Kenyon Access Initiative between now and June 2026 will be matched and used to create permanent new scholarship funds to enroll exceptional students with limited resources and those who are ineligible for government aid. MAKE A GIFT
Learn more about Kenyon today

Upcoming Events for Alumni
Save the date for these upcoming events for alumni taking place online and on the Hill.
  • Kenyon Women Giving Back
    The quarterly event series continues on Tuesday, March 22 via Zoom.

  • Kenyon Together
    The 36-hour online giving challenge kicks off Tuesday, April 12.

  • Reunion Weekend
    All alumni are invited to join us on the Hill May 27–29.
Visit kenyon.edu/alumnievents to register and view our full alumni event calendar.

Class Agents

Class 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.

• Myanna Cook
• Duffy Lemire
• Fiona Mu
• Daniel Napsha

Class of 2021 Fall Notes
 Jonathan Hernández - To the wonderful class of ‘21: CONGRATULATIONS! Hopefully it hasn't been too long since we’ve seen each other or sent the occasional text. If you’re like me, you’re struggling a little with the transition from a “flexible” schedule to a 9-5 job. I swore I would never drink coffee, but here I am! Chugging a cup every 3:00 pm and trying desperately to not fall asleep at my desk for the last 2 hours! 

Even if it’s hard sitting behind a desk all day, I get the joy of staying at Kenyon for the next 2 years working as an advancement “intern” kind of guy. I can comfortably say it’s not my dream job, but I’m learning to like it and honestly get better at it. Gotta get that experience somehow, amiright? Aside from the corporate lifestyle, I am having a great time seeing friends and being in a place where I feel the most myself - the most happy. Anyway, the purpose of my class update isn’t to tell y’all about my job; the purpose of my update is to offer my continued love and support as a fellow Kenyon brother. 

Post-grad life is hard and sometimes lonely. If you ever want to visit the ‘Bier between the years 2021 - 2023 and need someone to pick you up from the airport or just an excuse to come back for a weekend, feel free to reach out, and we can arrange something. If travel isn't an option and you just want a friendly face to speak with, I'm also open to phone or video calls. I’m sure you’ve all got your own crazy, sexy, wonderful lives to live, but I wanted to offer an easy respite amidst the crazy post-grad life. Even as we grow -- even as we change, I wish you all nothing but fulfillment, joy, and prosperity. Con amor y ánimo!

Elizabeth Stanley - In early July, I began working at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) as a program associate for student outreach at FIRE's Philadelphia headquarters. FIRE is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that defends First Amendment rights for students and faculty on college and university campuses.

Charlie Scarborough - I am working with Teach for America and in my first year teaching at United Schools Network in Columbus OH. I am teaching 2nd grade ELA.

Sigal Felber - Recognize KSWOC.

Ken Wu - Thanks Ma! Thanks friends! Thanks Kenyon! Amazing 44 months of my life!
Read notes from the Class of 2020.
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.

Class Listing
Did you know you can become a member of one of Kenyon's leadership giving societies by regularly making a gift of any size to the College? Benefits include society-specific favors, Reunion Weekend perks and camaraderie with Kenyon’s most loyal alumni. Visit kenyon.edu/societies for more information.

Kenyon is grateful to the following young alumni donors for their generous support of the College, including the Kenyon Fund, during the 2020-21 fiscal year. An asterisk (*) indicates a donor is a member of the Henry J. Abraham Society for loyal and consecutive giving.


Young Alumni Annual Fund Total: $15,905


Philander Chase Society
Donors of $10,000 to $24,999

Class of 2018
Julia T. Wilson*
 

Bexley Society
Donors of $2,500 to $9,999

Class of 2018
Isaiah Stavchansky

Class of 2021
Jennie E. VanMeter* 


Gambier Society
Gifts of $120 to $1,000 
(0-4 years post-graduation)

Class of 2017
Gabriel M. Avis*
Connor D. Bingham*
Brooke M. Cheney 
Emma W. Conover-Crockett*
Madelyn K. Cook*
Lydia R. Felty*
Claire E. O'Donnell-McCarthy 
Julia L. Plottel*
Nathaniel E. Shahan*
Elizabeth R. Siphron*
Elana S. Spivack 
Leslie M. Taylor 
David W. Thoensen 
Emma J. Welsh-Huggins

Class of 2018
Matthew F. Carney 
James W. Ernst 
Houlder L. Hudgins*
Parker A. Subia*

Class of 2019
Caroline G. Daugherty*
Jack A. Fantini*
Nathan C. Grosh
Emma C. Hood*
Evangeline G. R. Warren*
Linda A. Wittenberg 

Class of 2020
Jacob H. Barnett*
Lufeng Chen*
Megan L. Collins*
Jonathan A. Hammond*
William R. Hartman*
Patrick M. Kawakami*
Grace W. Moses*

Class of 2021
Henry W. Biedron*


Kenyon Society 
Donors of $1 to $999

Class of 2017
Elizabeth W. Abrash 
Zoe E. Andris 
Avery D. Baldwin 
Alton S. Barbehenn 
Ben M. Berliner*
Christiana G. Binkley*
Caroline G. Burley*
Dominic W. Camperchioli*
Theresa A. Chmiel*
Samuel P. Clougher*
Abigail L. Coleman 
Kenton J. DeBouter*
Laura E. Duncan 
Taylor R. Eth*
Ines A. Forjaz de Lacerda 
Kyra A. T. Green*
Nora D. Hamovit 
Claire E. Hildebrandt 
Guanyu Hu*
Taylor L. Jamil 
Meredith A. Krieg 
Sarah M. Lloyd*
Emily R. Margolin 
Shannon E. Napier
Alexander J. O'Connor
Aubrianna M. Osorio*
Alison T. Pratt*
Henry M. Quillian IV 
Seth T. Reichert 
Alexander W. Seaver*
Emily K. Top*
Olivia E. Walsh 
Julia R. Weinberg*

Class of 2018
Eliza M. Abendroth*
Brooks H. Alderman*
Ian D. Bell 
Mary E. Brady*
Benjamin T. Campos*
Susannah D. Davies*
Jules A. Desroches 
Meredith Gano*
Elinor P. Horn*
Katelyn N. Hutchinson*
Sarah P. Jensen 
Natalie S. Kane*
Maia R. Leeds 
Juliet E. Levy 
Maya E. L. Lowenstein*
Jack Marooney 
John McFarlane*
Juliette S. Moffroid 
Madeleine C. Morgan 
Nathan J. Novak*
Dana L. Oakes
Katilyn M. Perry*
Clara G. Pinchbeck*
Indigo L. Rinearson*
McKenna C. Trimble*
Joshua R. Walmer 
Hannah E. Weingold 

Class of 2019
Frances L. Alani 
Clara L. Altfeld
Benjamin P. Bassett 
Emma A. Braden*
Henry D. Brill*
Rachel I. Cohn
Emily A. Davis*
Alexandria R. Donnelly*
Benjamin W. Erjavac*
Luisa A. Estrada 
Gabriella L. Eugenio*
Benjamin S. Gross 
Taylor A. Hazan*
Dani N. Huffman 
Alexandra L. Kanovsky
Michael J. Lahanas-Calderon
Sam A. Lipscomb 
Andrea L. Ludwig
William J. Moran III 
Pranav Mulpur*
Rachel N. Nguyen
Michaela N. Orr 
Radclyffe W. Savage 
Fiona M. Shearer 
Sarah R. Sklar*
Charlotte N. Smithson 
Peyton A. Thomas*
Lan Anh Tran 
Alexandra T. Wilson 
Juliana P. Withers

Class of 2020
Gail F. Anderson
Nicholas T. Bennett*
Nicholas V. Culbert
Jacob G. Fisher*
Jessica I. Gorovitz
Sarah M. Griswold*
Patrick F. Hudnut*
Baxter J. King-Epping*
Juexuan Wang*
Eleanor M. Wellik*

Class of 2021
Samantha G. Beck*
Amir K. Brivanlou*
Myanna L. Cook*
Emily N. Criss*
Mary M. Dierker*
Jorge D. Dumenigo*
Phu Duong*
Allegra G. Fass*
Molly W. Folks*
Jonathan Hernandez*
Dresden S. Lonergan*
Makena M. Markert*
Paulina A. Mendez*
Ruqin Mu*
Claire C. Murray*
Olivia G. O'Connell*
Hannah D. Petrich*
Elizabeth C. Quinn*
Andrew J. T. Smith*
Liana M. Valin*
Yang Wu*
Kenyon College
105 Chase Avenue, Gambier, OH 43022