| Kenyon Class of 2018 Fall Class Letter
| |
| Dear classmates,
Kenyon couldn’t be more Kenyon than it is in the fall. Am I right? I’m talking cool breezes to balance out the afternoon sun, crunchy leaves blanketing everything in autumn colors and an endless supply of friendly faces to greet you along Middle Path. Whatever the season, I look forward to running into you on the Hill again soon, especially since we haven’t had a chance to reconnect there in some time.
And what a campus we’ll have to return to! Chalmers Library is open and beautiful. (Have you seen the disco ball-esque skylight feature?) All four classes are studying together again in Gambier. (With a bonus first-year cohort finishing a semester in Copenhagen!) And plans are taking shape for an unforgettable Reunion 2022 on the Hill. (Mark your calendar for the weekend of May 27. All alumni are invited to attend!)
In other exciting campus news, the College just shared its new strategic plan that will guide its planning and actions leading up to the bicentennial in 2024 and beyond. You will be pleased to see it includes core elements like 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.
You have also likely heard the announcement of the Kenyon Access Initiative which will bring more high-achieving students to Kenyon thanks to a $25 million matching grant from the Schuler Education Foundation. 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.
I could go on for pages about these two pieces of Kenyon news, but lucky for you, I don’t have to. Scroll on to learn more about Kenyon’s strategic plan and the Kenyon Access Initiative (and how they fit into our 2024 bicentennial celebration).
As you read about what’s in store for Kenyon’s future, I hope you’ll consider supporting today’s 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 challenge each of you to do a little more than you have in the past to help make Kenyon the special place it is. This could mean becoming an alumni volunteer, attending a College event, submitting a class note or setting up a recurring monthly gift.
Thank you!
Hannah Weingold
| |
| 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
| |
| 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.
| |
|
|
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.
• Hannah Weingold
• Heather Pacheco
• Parker Subia
| |
|
Ryan Muthiora - Since September 10th, I have been living in Winter Park, Florida, just outside of Orlando. I am playing golf professionally and doing freelance graphic design and illustration.
Parker Subia - Still living in Mt. Vernon with Peyton Thomas ’19! I'm working for Kenyon, and she's starting the process of applying to grad school! Wish us luck.
Eliana Troper - 2021 has been an eventful year. My first paper for publication is under review - it is focused on hiding covert messages in emails sent in a fashion that looks human, as determined by AI, in order to subvert censorship. It is part of the DARPA project I am a researcher on (as a part of a team composed of Georgetown University, The Naval Research Laboratory, and the Tor Project) - Reliable Anonymous Communication for Everyone - basically I get to use a combination of AI, networking, steganography, and cryptography to do some seriously cool science that lets people around the world freely communicate. I also have been active in several actions pushing for positive change locally and around the country. I spent several days on the steps of The Capitol with Reps. Bush, Ocasio-Cortez, and several others (most of whom are colloquially referred to as "The Squad"), and I am suing DC for their actions on June 1, 2020 on Swann St, where I and others were kettled, but a resident opened his door and allowed us to escape the brutal police crackdown, which occurred after many of us fled the now-infamous Lafayette Square clearing for then-President Trump's upside-down bible photo op. Overall, it's been a fun year (and the above are just the highlights) with quite a lot happening, but this early fall weather is making me very happy.
Ellie Horn - Life is pretty bright. This past summer, John McFarlane and I biked a portion of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route from Breckenridge, CO to Santa Fe, NM. It was a few weeks of steep mountain climbs, brisk early mornings, and inspiring landscapes that will last a lifetime. The people we met along the way were what made this trip absolute magic. From hitchhiking to going off our scheduled route, the universe always had our back. We can't wait to bike pack the rest of the way soon. Thank you to the mountain peaks and desert sunrises that we called home for a few weeks. I already miss the way the aspen trees whistled in the wind.
Sadiq Jiwa - Hi Everyone, I just became a professional golfer and made my debut on the Mackenzie Tour (PGA of Canada) at the beginning of September. I'm slowly learning the ins and outs of life on the road as a tour professional but the biggest change is not being in one place. Home is technically still Vancouver, BC, but I have gone everywhere from Waskesiu, SK, to Victoria, BC, over the last month. In the middle of October, I am moving to Phoenix, AZ, to continue playing in pro events on the Outlaw Tour and some other local pro mini tours. Once 2022 rolls in, I'll be trying to qualify for the PGA Tour of Latin America, the Mackenzie Tour, and some individual tournaments on the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA Tour. I haven't had the ideal start to my pro career that I was hoping for, but I'm learning a ton about my game and the level it needs to get to and I love the hard work and practice and the whole process of getting better. Reflecting on this experience has made me really appreciate the indoor golf performance lab the Kenyon Golf Team has in the basement of the athletic center. I remember going there for practice sessions with the team and on my own early in the morning and late at night before closing.
My travels will be taking me around Arizona, Nevada, and California, a little bit to Florida and South Carolina, and then hopefully down into Latin America and I look forward to reconnecting with some old Kenyon friends along the way.
Hannah Weingold - I've been exploring my new city of Chicago for the last year and have really enjoyed the change of pace, though the winters will take some getting used to... I'm still working at J.P. Morgan in the downtown Chicago office, but I've moved to a new team. Wishing everyone the best and feel free to reach out if you're in Chicago!
Jamie Wojtal - This fall, Jamie started their first semester at Villanova University, where they will be receiving their MA in English. They still lives in Philadelphia, so if you see them on the street, say hello! They is also in the market for a hypoallergenic cat.
Paige (Ballard) Nelson - After a year’s delay, Sterling Nelson ’16 and I were finally married at a beautiful vineyard in Minnesota! We currently live in Columbus.
Natalie Kane - I've spent my summer and fall in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where we are currently wrapping up the final production of our season at Gloucester Stage Company. It's been wonderful to return to live theatre by assistant directing five very different plays and meeting so many new artists. My friends who I've been coordinating casual virtual play readings with since spring 2020 (including several Kenyon alums!) also tell me that I have now participated in over 100 Zoom readings... the pandemic projects that took off in ways we never expected, right?
Meridith Heckler - I'm glad to be back in-person at Portland Public Schools as a bilingual speech therapist. After realizing many pre-professional programs don't foster meaningful collaborations to challenge our biases, stereotypes and generalizations, I co-formed a Professional Learning Community (PLC) where colleagues come together to learn about specific topics and problem-solve concerns collectively.
| |
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.
| |
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
| |
|
|
|
|
