| Kenyon Class of 1996 Fall Class Letter
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| Happy Fall y’all!
Your class notes are here, and since some have finally had it with social media, the news via this letter might be newsworthy again. On the other hand, faithful Instagrammers probably saw a photo of what I made for dinner last week.
All four classes are together again in Gambier experiencing a transformed Kenyon 2.0, or 2.021. The new Chalmers Library is open complete with a disco ball-esque skylight feature, and the Village has been transformed into a more Village-y Village. I’m excited to see it, though I’ll miss my senior year apartment window right above the old Bookstore. RIP Farr Hall.
And in addition to the jazzy new campus additions, the College just shared its new strategic plan which 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. All this and yet Caples still stands.
Since the last two years of Reunions did not happen, plans are taking shape for an All-Alumni Reunion 2022-live and in person. Mark your calendars for the weekend of May 27.
I will not be at Reunionpalooza 2022 because my daughter is graduating from high school that weekend. But Kenyon played a role in that too. Marc Lacuesta ’95 is a beloved teacher at Interlochen Arts Academy, and while I only knew him in passing back in the Gambier days, watching from the seats of Rosse Hall when he performed with the Kokes, he warmly answered my email and spent an evening on Zoom answering all of our questions. This was at the beginning of the pandemic when every decision seemed unclear, especially packing our daughter off to boarding school. There was an instant ease and familiarity I know you have experienced too connecting with Kenyon folks out in the big bad world. Again, I felt so grateful for this community.
So, it’s not just because I have a potential Kenyon applicant that I will be supporting Kenyon again this year, but because reading the notes you sent and thinking of this Kenyon small-world experience and so many others, I’m reminded of the lasting impact of our Kenyon education and Kenyon friendships and Kenyon connections, and how they continue to be so fulfilling 26 years later.
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday season. Please stay in touch.
Courtney Carlson
ccyarkin@gmail.com
P.S. Is Kenyon already in your will? Let the College know about your planned giving.
P.P.S. I thought I had to include that P.S. about your wills from the college’s original draft but it seemed like a bleak way to end this nice letter. Apparently we are of the age when Kenyon sells us on including them in our plans for the everafter. Yikes, but also, smart tax strategy so maybe think about it. Thank you. xo Courtney
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| There's a lot happening at Kenyon today.
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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
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| Upcoming Events for Alumni
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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.
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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 Molly Gutridge at gutridge1@kenyon.edu.
• Catherine Broadhead
• Courtney Carlson
• Chris Ellsworth
• Sam Grobart
• Christian Haugsby
• Sarah Michael
• Jon Morris
• Andy Richmond
• Ben Robertson
• Jamie Lyn Smith Fletcher
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Jane Ballard Roth: I'm still at Thomas Jefferson School in St. Louis, where I was appointed Associate Head of School in July 2021. I also finished up a Master's in Gifted Education at the University of Missouri. I am all too happy to throw myself back into grading papers instead of writing them!
Ann Marie Healy: We decided to move back to New York City after a wonderful 7 years in Austin. My husband, Bryan, wanted to take some time off from his work as a journalist and reporter to attend Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University. We arrived back in the city with our three kids in September of 2019 and five months later...Surprise! It has been a wild ride for the past eighteen months but we are finally getting truly settled back in the city. One of my lifesavers during the pandemic was keeping in touch over text and Marco Polo with old Kenyon friends like Elliott Holt ’97, Kate Ryan, Meghan Kenny, Hillary Linn Feder, Nicole Hardy, Alyssum Wier, Wendy Sue Lewis Swanson, Julia Pryce and Susi Doebele Brennan. Kenyon friendship truly got me through the darkest days. I am so grateful for all my Kenyon connections. Wishing you all peace and health in the coming year...
Lauren MacKay Caplan: Entering my fourth year living in Los Angeles (Redondo Beach), my fifth year being married to Tyler Studds '98, and my second year of being an 'empty nester.' All good things! I earned my MA in Yoga Studies at Loyola Marymount University in 2020, and am now studying for a Post-Graduate Certificate in Yoga Therapy at LMU. At first I didn't like Zoom for yoga, but now I realize it allows me to see yoga therapy students from all over the place, and without commuting! Get in touch if you'd like some sessions for a reduced rate while I'm still in school - seriously, I need to practice on more folks! Tyler is involved in offshore wind here in CA, as he was when we lived in MA....watch for offshore wind turbines generating clean energy for the grid on both coasts! In June, Gigi Gomez and I took a trip in a truck to Taos and Telluride. We lived there with Corey Cook Bartlett for a few months after we graduated from Kenyon and it made a huge impression on us at that time. Our trip was another great adventure including white-water rafting, hot springs, driving harrowing mountain roads, and altitude adjustments! We reminisced a lot about Kenyon and so many of you amazing individuals that we met there. Corey we missed you, next time!
Diana Zicklin Berrent: Diana founded Survivor Corps, a not for profit, grassroots movement educating and mobilizing COVID-19 survivors and connecting them with the medical, scientific and academic research community to help stem the tide of the pandemic and assist in the national recovery. She recently moved from NY to Washington, DC with her husband Steven Berrent and their kids Zelda and Spencer.
Courtney Carlson: I still live in Washington, DC (welcome to town Diana!) with my husband David. Our kids are 17, 15, and 10. We tried #vanlife during the pandemic and traveled in an RV with our dog from DC to Michigan to drop our daughter at school, then on to Montana, Washington and Oregon where the boys started their east coast school on west coast time zone. We got to see David Overton and fam on their beautiful farm in Gig Harbor, WA. During the winter remote school was still a thing, so we lived in a house I gut renovated then sold in Naples, FL. We are glad to be back home in DC this year and have the kids back learning in person. The RV is gone and the dog is kind of bored, but my mediocre vegetable garden is getting back on track.
Brian Kiscoe did not send this note in, but he does IronMan triathlons on the regular and I thought you should all know that-cc
Christian Haugsby and Nicole Hardy live in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania where Christian is an Assistant United States Attorney and Nicole is a nurse practitioner and midwife. Their older daughter, Eleanor, is a senior in high school and gearing up to apply to college this fall (Kenyon??). Their younger daughter, Tess, is 15 and making plans to commandeer Eleanor’s car at her first opportunity. They recently had a chance to visit with Elliott Holt ’97 on her travels to assume her new position at the Kenyon Review. All are fully vaxxed and eager to see more Kenyon friends in the coming months!
Harlan E. "Kin" Judd, III: Kin and his partners are weathering the Pandemic and continue to operate a chain of Japanese hibachi and express restaurants in KY, TN and MO while trying to kick off a franchise offering. Along with his restaurant venture, he continues to practice law and is Managing Partner of Judd, Satterfield & Associates, PLLC in Bowling Green, Kentucky and is busy providing a taxi service for his two (2) children: Hadley (age 13) and Harlan IV (age 8).
Jerry Kelly: Blissfully busy summer growing flowers at the Kenyon Farm, and now teaching Environmental Studies class on PV solar power systems with Prof Eric Holdener, offered both semesters this academic year. This fall we have another great group of Kenyon students eager to understand clean energy, the grid, and photovoltaics, engaged now in experiential field work focused on site evaluation and system design. The fast-growing clean energy sector (-where opportunities abound-) needs bright minds and good communicators.
David Overton and Katherine Steuart continue to reside in Tacoma Wa. Their three children Caroline 13, Henry 11, and Elizabeth 9 all attend the Annie Wright School just down the street. Summers are spent between Orcas Island, their farm on the Key Peninsula and the tennis court. The fall brings goose, duck and deer hunting along with the sausage they all become.
Josh Radnor: just finished shooting the second season of “Hunters” for Amazon Prime. He released his first solo EP “One More Then I’ll Let You Go” in May. He has a dog named Nelson. And he texts about politics, pandemics, and crossword puzzles with Courtney Carlson and Elliott Holt ’97 most days.
Adam Singer: Continuing to enjoy life in Israel. Bought a Tesla last month. It’s been a ton of fun and a pretty big deal for our family. We didn’t have a car for the first three years here. Getting SOOO much joy from the Class of 96 Spotify playlist and reading Taylor Wray’s poetry. Open invitation to any alum who happens to be in Israel. Would love to meet and trade Kenyon stories.
Traci Scott: In January Traci was promoted to Vice President of Workforce Development at the National Urban League. Recently, she was appointed by US Secretary of Labor Walsh to his Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship. Although she doesn't travel as far during COVID-19, she has covered A LOT of highway visiting family, including a new niece, and enjoying the jewels of NJ Shore with Angelica Otero.
Sarah Slater Lang: Hi Class of ‘96! I continue to work as a family practice physician in Streetsboro, Ohio - this September marks my 18th year in practice. Recently I have transitioned from being 100% clinical to half clinical and half administrative. I am the Eastside Medical Director for the University Hospitals of Cleveland Primary Care Institute which basically means I help oversee about half of our outpatient primary care offices. It’s a little bit clinical, a little bit recruiting, a lot of finance and Human Resources and I have been putting my Kenyon liberal arts education to good use! My other full time job is chauffeur and event coordinator for my 5 kids William (16), Bennett (14), Sam (12), Eliza (11) and Norah (9). As you can guess there is never a dull moment in the Lang household!
Jamie Lyn Smith Fletcher: Township, my short story collection is coming out in January 2022, and I'm finishing up my next novel, Hometown. Both books are set in a fictionalized version of Knox County, Ohio...which is kind of like Mayberry crossed with Twin Peaks. Brett and I are still thriving, running a couple of off-grid AirBnB's near Gambier, raising a big garden and traveling as much as possible. Loved seeing Nicky Dreyfuss '97 in New York this summer, and can't wait to see all the 96-ers at our 30th reunion.
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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 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.
1996
Annual Fund Total: $66,376
Class Participation: 31.1%
President's Society
Donors of $50,000 or more
Catherine L. Broadhead*
Aasem G. Khalil*
Philander Chase Society
Donors of $10,000 to $24,999
Anonymous
Nicholas J. Angelides*
Joshua T. Radnor*
Bexley Society
Donors of $2,500 to $9,999
Christopher C. Ellsworth*
Nicole E. Hardy*
Christian T. Haugsby*
Eric S. Newman*
Jeremy R. Williams*
Kenyon Society
Donors of $1,000 to $2,499
Kevin H. Aepli*
Mark A. Allison*
Kathryn Born MD*
Rebecca Dougherty*
David B. Flora*
Mark F. Haggarty*
Ben G. Robertson IV*
Mark K. Walsh*
C. Michael Weaver*
Andrew Q. Winter*
Donors of $1 to $999
Christian L. Ball*
Jessica C. Banks
Carrie Bonvallet*
Paul A. Bonvallet*
Delia T. Boost
Justin D. G. Brennan*
Susanne Brennan
Dorey A. Butter*
Courtney A. Carlson
Elizabeth Cleland Greville
Shanon M. Connolly*
Anne T. Cullen
Elena M. DiMuzio*
Andrew C. Dorris
Darren S. Eisenhauer*
Patricia L. Eschbach-Hall
Julia R. Frew MD
Matthew J. Friedman P'22*
Christopher S. Frisby*
Shannon P. Szymikowski*
Zachary R. Gaumer
Lesley G. Gibbs*
Andrea E. Glosser*
Douglas S. Green Jr.*
Jamie Griffith Macy*
Stephanie M. Hill*
Lauren Johnson Pilgrim*
Reverdy P. Johnson*
Daniel J. Keats*
Gerald Kelly
Meghan A. Kenny*
Delia A. Kloh*
Kathryn A. Knudson*
Ashley Kolbe*
Susan F. Kyle*
Sarah E. Lang
Kenny Logan*
Thomas J. Magliery*
Margaret C. Maloney*
Sarah Mann*
Andrew L. Martin
Hilary K. Marx
Catherine Mayer White
Mark M. McGunagle*
Sloan McMullin Magliery*
Silvia L. Mercado Masters*
Greta Meussling Faworski*
Sarah E. Michael*
Carol Milbury Dube*
Stuart J. Newsome
Gregory S. Nock
Meagan K. O'Malley*
Nicky O'Malley
Matthew A. Olins*
Abby S. Peck
Chandana A. Reddy*
Andrew S. Richmond*
Katherine E. Ryan*
Michael H. Schuermeyer*
Traci Scott
Karyn N. Silverman
Adam J. Singer
Lisa Smilnak*
Jamie Lyn Smith Fletcher*
Michael J. Stern
Eric E. Stone
Stacy L. Strauss*
Abigail S. Stybel
Suzanne Sullivan Ursu*
Nancy P. Swank*
Elizabeth A. Thomarios
Jaime Toca
Thomas P. Torrisi Jr.
Douglas A. Trafelet*
Elizabeth P. Van Winkle
Brandie M. Wagner
Nicole S. Weinstein
Jennifer Wellman Wason*
Susan A. Weninger
Laura E. Wessel Cornely
Sims G. Weymuller*
Andrew P. Wollner
Danielle B. Wollner
Steve Zafft
Robert D. Zelinger
Diana Zicklin Berrent
Kirk S. Zigler
Eren Zink
George Wharton Mariott Society
These alumni have included Kenyon in their estate plans or have made other planned gifts.
Catherine L. Broadhead
Virginia Galloway Cooper
Stephanie M. Hill
Margaret C. Maloney
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Kenyon College
105 Chase Avenue, Gambier, OH 43022
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