| Kenyon Class of 1999 Fall Class Letter
| |
| Greetings, Class of 1999!
Kenyon couldn’t be more Kenyon than it is in the fall. Cool mornings have provided balance to the afternoon sun, crunchy leaves are blanketing everything and—finally—an endless supply of friendly faces appear along Middle Path. Whatever the season, I hope to run into you on the Hill again soon, especially since we haven’t had a chance to reconnect here in some time.
And what a campus you’ll have to return to! Chalmers Library is open and beautiful. 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 a new strategic plan that will guide our planning and activity 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 (I really could, it’s my job!), 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.
Kenyon wouldn’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!
Molly (Harsh) Gutridge
P.S. Scroll down the see our 1999 class notes!
| |
| 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 Isabelle Rivers-McCue at riversmccuei@kenyon.edu.
• Whitney Arnold
• Molly Harsh Gutridge
• Becky Hoyt
• John Sherck
| |
|
Bernadette “Bernie” (Kuhnsman) Donovan: So Ohio finally called me home. After 20 years of living in the San Francisco Bay Area, and believing that I would never leave, I moved my family across the country to Columbus where I grew up. It took being a healthcare provider during a global pandemic and climate change to finally push us out. We bought a house sight unseen without a realtor in Bexley (a suburb of Columbus). We could never have done this without the help of Clare (Willoughby) Ceballos who never gave up trying to get me to come back. And now my 7 year old son who is named Bexley, lives in Bexley. The name was an homage to a place we only thought we would visit and is now proof that sometimes right back where you started from is right where you belong. It’s been amazing to reconnect with Matt Sullivan and Heather (Doherty) Sullivan ‘98 and to be neighbors with Elisabeth Hire ‘00. You can find me stand up paddle boarding down the Kokosing.
Molly (Harsh) Gutridge: We sold our four bedroom house this summer and are in the process of moving into a 300 square foot tiny house that my husband Matt (with help from yours truly) is building on the site of my childhood home. It is an adventure, and definitely not always easy, but it is teaching us some important lessons about what is really important in life. Things at Kenyon are great -- I'm happy to be back in the office on what is now a (probably) permanently hybrid schedule. Liam will be 3 in January and keeps us on our toes. He's perfection, and also a total toddler.
Emily Harris: During 2020, artist John DiLeva Halpern and I started The Institute for Cultural Activism International, www.instituteforculturalactivism.org. See our live interviews on the website with cultural activists worldwide. Our 28th show was on Thursday, October 14th at 4pm EST. Sign up for our 2021-22 program. We also joined in the institution of marriage in September. CHEERS ALL!
Becky Hoyt: My family had a wonderful July 4th weekend with Andreas Mueller and John Weibull and their families. Thank you to everyone who participated in Kenyon Together this year - our class had the most participants! Plans for the bicentennial are coming together, and it happily coincides with our 25th reunion. I am looking forward to seeing everyone in 2024!
Brian Kirkvold: Life in MN is good. My wife Beth and I have two daughters now, Madeline (11) and Liv (9) who are happy to be back in school with their friends. I recently started working for a startup that utilizes satellite images to monitor water levels around the globe. We are looking forward to visiting Kenyon again soon.
Michael Klein: I find myself grateful to have made it through the past year healthy and in good spirits and, after moving to Williamsburg, VA last summer, we’ve had plenty of home projects to keep us busy with travel still somewhat limited. It has also helped to have regular weekly Zoom chats with a group of old Kenyon friends -- we’ve managed to keep it going for over a year now! My wife, Meghan and I are also looking forward to welcoming a baby girl in mid-November. She’ll be our first, so it’s going to be a big change for us. All the best to friends near and far!
Kelly (Harkless) Lyles: My husband Rob and I live in Maryland with our identical twin daughters (10) and son (13). I started an environmental consulting company, KLT Group, in 2016 and have been enjoying the balance of the built and green environments.
Kara McClurken: In addition to my day job as the Director of Preservation Services for the University of Virginia Library, I have been staying busy moving forward with a project to build a multi-generational, all-abilities playground in Charlottesville, Virginia. Named in memory of my friend and fellow Class of '99 alum Brian Gibney's son, Bennett McClurken-Gibney, who passed away at the age of five in 2018, Bennett's Village will be the first all-abilities playground in central Virginia. Phase 1 of the project is the construction of an accessible treehouse--Bennett loved to play and he loved hanging out with his family and friends. Bennett's Village will honor our bright boy's spirit and help bring folks of all ages and abilities together. To learn more about the project, you can visit bennettsvillage.org.
Shari Mendler: Shari is working at the intersection of public health and wellness, finding daily inspiration with the inpatient families she accompanies at Boston Children’s Hospital. Caregiving is a tough occupation, even in the best of times, and so she values the ability to bring joy, quiet, creativity and connection through a dynamic respite program. She also adores the city and hiking with her family - Come join us for a walk if you’re in town!
Zachary “Gush” Nowak: Zachary was named Director of the Umbra Institute, an American study abroad program in Perugia, Italy. Nowak had worked for the Institute for eight years and returns after earning his PhD. He'll also direct the Institute's signature academic concentration, the Program in Food, Sustainability, and the Environment. He continues to teach remotely for Harvard's Extension School.
John Sherck: Lauren Coil-Sherck '02 and I continue to enjoy living in Cleveland. Our big project in 2021--beyond 2 jobs, 3 kids, and 2 dogs--was rehabbing a pop-up camper, including a complete rebuild of the roof. I'm two years into my second career, as a software developer.
Katie (Varda) Schwab: Greetings from Seattle. Working through the Pandemic as a physician has given me a new perspective on life. Grace (for myself and others) and Gratefulness has gotten me through. Thanks for all people that are doing good work to make your corner a brighter place.
| |
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.
| |
Kenyon is grateful to the following 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. An obelisk (†) indicates an individual who is deceased. Please note that as of July 1, 2019 Kenyon’s annual giving societies have changed. Visit kenyon.edu/societies for more information.
1999
Annual Fund Total: $42,519
Class Participation: 24.9%
President's Society
Donors of $50,000 or more
Adrianne R. Kimber*
Sheldon A. Kimber*
Philander Chase Society
Donors of $10,000 to $24,999
Hays C. Stone P'91*
Bexley Society
Donors of $2,500 to $9,999
Rebecca M. Hoyt*
Kelly C. Lyles*
Robert L. Lyles III*
Michael C. Martin*
Joshua E. Prime*
Michelle L. Santangelo*
Margaret Somple*
Megan M. Young*
Kenyon Society
Donors of $1,000 to $2,499
Howard M. Crusey
John T. Finn
Joshua S. Krepon*
Nathaniel N. Salter*
Eric G. Smith*
Donors of $1 to $999
Christopher L. Acker*
Margaret Ahearn Walsh*
Carolyn J. Anderson*
Jennifer Ashley
R. Andrew Atkins
Courtney K. Bambrick*
Michael J. Barmach MD*
Matilda Bode
Sarah H. Booth*
Andrea Bowler
Rebecca J. Bradbury*
Christine Breiner*
Matthew C. Brenner
Shannon A. Byrne
Anthony A. Callander*
Stephanie E. Camp*
Joshua C. Carrick*
Micheal B. Courtney-Brooks*
James D. Dennison
Elizabeth A. DeStephens
Erin E. Detwiler*
Lindsay M. Doyle*
Heather M. Dreifuss
Katherine L. Drewry
Elizabeth G. Dunning*
Irene L. Dutton*
Paul J. Dutton*
Heather E. Edwards*
Zachary P. Florin*
Harry C. Fry
Shastin S. Garland
Kate Griffin*
Christopher P. Gugelmann
Molly M. Gutridge*
Carolyn Hande Miller
Kamille A. Harless*
Gabriel N. Heck*
Alice M. Hensley
Lesley C. Herzberg*
SiSi N. Hester-Clarke, MD*
Elizabeth R. Hieronymus*
Devon F. Higby*
Sarah A. Horstmann*
Andrew D. Jenkins
Timothy A. Juchter*
Richard W. Kinney*
Brian H. Kirkvold
Michael J. Klein*
Bernadette Kuhnsman Donovan
Erich K. Kurschat
Alessandra M. Lacavaro*
Frances M. Landreth*
Andrew D. Lebkuecher*
Kara M. McClurken*
Jessica McCullough*
Megan W. McLeod*
Lindsay D. McNulty*
Andreas Mueller*
Amanda L. Northrop*
Zachary Nowak*
Jonathan J. Nycz*
Shangwe A. Parker
Terrence G. Parmelee Jr.*
Laura M. Pettus*
Andrew H. Phillips*
Bridget L. Reddick*
Sarah Ross Mills
Clara I. Rubin-Smith McKie*
Jesse Savage
David C. Schalliol*
Katherine V. Schwab MD*
Andrew W. Shannon MD
John R. Sherck*
David A. Sims*
Lindsey Smilack
Richard S. Snow
James C. Stover*
Allison A. Sullivan
Hayden S. Temin*
Graham E. E. Thomas*
Amy M. Upston*
Laura A. Vazquez
Mareike B. Wieth*
Clare Willoughby Ceballos*
Robert J. Wilson
George Wharton Mariott Society
These alumni have included Kenyon in their estate plans or have made other planned gifts.
Zachary B. Nowak
Matthew Beason
| |
Kenyon College
105 Chase Avenue, Gambier, OH 43022
| |
|
|
|
|
