Kenyon Class of 1961 Fall Class Letter

Dear classmates,

We know you look forward to this letter to learn about what’s going on in our classmates’ lives; we’re also excited to share some of the news from the Hill this year:

This semester, 12 members of the Class of 2026 were able to enroll as the direct result of donor support for the Kenyon Access Initiative (KAI), a vital scholarship effort to increase access for low-income students. We’re only just getting started and aim to enroll 50 students each year through KAI, in addition to other robust financial aid. This additional diversity in backgrounds and lived experiences will further enrich daily life on campus.

Chalmers Library in the West Quad has quickly become a hub for such connections day and night. Its neighbor Lowell House, home to admissions and financial aid and named for Pulitzer Prize winning poet Robert T.S. Lowell IV ’40, is also now open. Oden Hall, future home to social sciences and named for former president Robert Oden, will open for instruction next year. The 261-space underground parking garage for visitors and employees is already helping to ease congestion in the Village without disrupting the beauty of Gambier we all remember so fondly.

This year students will also soon have access to a dining option in “downtown” Gambier, when Peirce Express opens in a space under the Gambier Deli. This space will also be home some evenings to a student-run bar known as Flats, helping to provide a non-residences nightlife option. Look for more about both of these in an upcoming issue of Kenyon News Digest.

In other news, the Music Department is celebrating its 75th year. Alumni Council is developing an updated version of the Kenyon songbook (Kenyon has a songbook!) which will be viewable online soon and distributed at Reunion Weekend during the all-class sing. If you haven’t saved the date yet for Reunion Weekend, remember that all alumni are welcome to attend May 26-28. (Especially those of us who have already celebrated our 50th Reunion!)

I hope you’re now feeling wistful about our own time at Kenyon. I invite you to turn that nostalgia into action with a gift to help make all this possible! Gifts to the Kenyon Fund can be directed toward enrolling the next high-achieving group of students through the Kenyon Access Initiative, broader scholarships and financial aid efforts, athletics, one of the College’s many green centers and more. Please consider making your alma mater and today’s Kenyon students a philanthropic priority this year by giving online at gift.kenyon.edu.

I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing the news from the College this fall. I have certainly enjoyed (as always) hearing from those of you who submitted class notes for this letter (see below). I encourage folks who haven’t updated us with one recently to consider submitting a quick life update for the next batch of notes in the spring.

Thank you!
Hutch Hudgson

Reunited and it feels so Kenyon

Reunion Weekend 2023 
will take place in Gambier May 26 - 28

Along with special programming for the 50th Reunion class on May 25, we’ll be celebrating milestone reunions for classes that end with 3 and 8, as well as K80s, Peeps and Chamber Singers. 

All alumni are invited to return to the Hill for Reunion Weekend, especially those celebrating a reunion beyond their 50th. Registration details will be emailed in early 2023. If you think we may not have your most current info, please share your up-to-date email and phone number with us at updateinfo@kenyon.edu. (We can’t invite you if we can’t reach you!)

We are so excited to reunite with you! See you soon.

Save the date for Reunion Weekend

Upcoming Events for Alumni

Save the date for these upcoming events for alumni taking place online and on the Hill.
  • The Center for American Democracy's Midterm Elections Panel
    Hear from alumni experts at this free, virtual event Tuesday, Jan. 10 from 7-8 p.m. ET.

  • Spring Giving Challenge
    Our annual 36-hour online giving challenge will take place Wednesday, April 26 – Thursday, April 27.

  • Reunion Weekend
    All alumni are invited to join us on the Hill May 26-28.
Visit kenyon.edu/alumnievents to register and view our full alumni event calendar.

Class of 1961 Fall Notes

Robert Hoge: I am doing well. My wife and I are traveling again now that restrictions are being lifted. Our big news is that we are moving to Prince Edward Island to be closer to Lynda's family. It is quite a transition after living in Ottawa for over 50 years. Moving is a nuisance. However, there are benefits such as getting rid of piles of useless junk (30 year old tax return documents, 25 year old lecture notes, etc.). As well, Charlottetown is a lovely small town with good book stores, pubs and seafood restaurants. I'll survive.

Best wishes to all.
Read notes from the Class of 1962 and the Class of 1960
Support Kenyon
If you missed the chance to share your news for this letter, you can submit a class note online.

Class Listing

Kenyon is grateful to the following donors for their generous support of the College, including the Kenyon Fund, during the 2021-22 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.

1961
Annual Fund Total: $51,900  
Class Participation: 36.40%

Presidents Society

Donors of $50,000 or more
Sue Winkler† (widow of Herbert H. Winkler H'88) 
John A. Woollam H'08*

Philander Chase Society
Donors of $10,000 to $24,999
Margo Babb (widow of Joseph D. Babb MD) 
Philip S. Post P'91*
John S. Wells†*

Bexley Society

Donors of $2,500 to $9,999
Timothy Fuller H'83*
Gilman R. King*

Kenyon Society
Donors of $1,000 to $2,499
S. Bradley Gillaugh*
Barrie Hazelton (widow of John A. Hazelton)*
Robert G. Knott Jr. P'97*
David E. Lenz*
Robert T. Riker*

Kenyon Society
Donors of $1 to $999
Richard Carter*
Richard I. Hayes MD 
R. Hutchins Hodgson Jr.*
Larry J. Hofer*
Daniel O. Holland*
Robert C. Howell*
John P. Kierzkowski*
Harry E. Spain Jr.*
Charles F. Stannard*
John Richard Symons*
Don T. Vidro*

George Wharton Marriott Society
These alumni have included Kenyon in their estate plans or have made other planned gifts.

S. Bradley Gillaugh '61
Norman R. Hane '61
R. Hutchins Hodgson Jr. '61
Robert C. Howell '61
Robert G. Knott, Jr. '61
A. Scott Leiper '61
Robert T. Riker '61
John R. Symons '61
Susan Travis IMO Patterson Travis '61†
Herbert '61† and Sue Winkler†
John A. Woollam '61
Kenyon College
105 Chase Avenue, Gambier, OH 43022