As the ceremony got underway, 杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty, attired in traditional regalia, processed across College Avenue and onto Main Hall Green led by Faculty Marshal and Associate Professor of English Celia Barnes and joined President Laurie A. Carter and other members of the platform party. They lined the sidewalk leading to the stage, greeting graduates as they processed to their seats amid the cheers of photo- and video-taking family and friends.听听

Honor and Respect听 The ceremony opened with Director of Community Values, Engagement and Sustainability Carter Robinson sharing the institutional Land Acknowledgement statement of Appleton and Door County campuses being situated on the ancestral homelands of the Menomonee and Ho-Chunk peoples.听听

Terra Winston-Sage 鈥�00, the Julia Esch Hurvis Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life and Chaplain to the University, gave the Invocation. In her remarks, she praised the Class of 2026 for their willingness to speak out on values, justice, and community, while also urging adaptability and humility.听听

Forever a Lawrentian听 Board of Trustees Chair David R. Shepard 鈥�83 P鈥�13 welcomed guests to what he described as the high point of the academic year.听听

鈥淵ou leave here, not only with a degree, but with a way of thinking, creating, and engaging that is unmistakably Lawrentian,鈥� Shepard said, noting that special relationships, such as faculty mentors, are at the heart of the institution. 鈥淭hey do not simply teach,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey inspire, challenge, and often walk alongside you.鈥澨�

Defined by Resilience听 As more than 300 students waited for their names to be called for their walk across the stage to receive their diplomas, President Carter addressed the graduates and guests. She noted that the Class of 2026 had overcome unique challenges and described the class as one defined by resilience. They were the class that navigated the aftershocks of a global pandemic, she said, and spent their years rebuilding student life from the ground up and renewing campus traditions.

鈥淵ou stepped forward and did the work,鈥� Carter said. 鈥淔our years later, you have built a community that reflects the very best of 杨贵妃传媒视频.鈥� She added, 鈥淚 have had the opportunity to get to know so many of you, and it has been a joy to witness your journeys unfold.鈥�

Carter said the Class of 2026 is the second full class she has seen progress from Welcome Week to Commencement during her time as president, noting that her own journey at 杨贵妃传媒视频 deepened alongside theirs.听听

鈥淵our experiences were shaped by classmates, faculty, staff, mentors, families, and alumni who challenged you, encouraged you, and believed in you.鈥� She noted, 鈥淭his community will be with you as you leave this campus. Your experiences here have bound you to it and to generations of Lawrentians who came before you.鈥� She concluded, 鈥淣ow go forth and make your mark.鈥澨�

Don鈥檛 Be Afraid to Light Someone Else鈥檚 Candle听 Senior speaker Megan Eisenstein 鈥�26, a Government major with minors in Dance and Statistics, reflected on the memories, relationships, and experiences that shaped her 杨贵妃传媒视频 journey.

Drawing inspiration from Natasha Trethewey鈥檚 poem, 鈥淭heory of Time and Space,鈥� which she encountered in her First-Year Studies course, Eisenstein encouraged her classmates to carry 杨贵妃传媒视频 with them as they move into the next chapter of their lives.

鈥淓verywhere you go will be somewhere you鈥檝e never been,鈥� Eisenstein said, quoting Trethewey鈥檚 poem. 鈥淵ou are a mosaic of all these moments and the people whom you love.鈥�

Eisenstein spoke about the importance of community, belonging, and creating positive change in the world. She paid tribute to her late classmate Alex Stanger 鈥�25, a close friend whose life and example continue to inspire her.

鈥淚 won鈥檛 pretend the world we are entering into isn鈥檛 gripped with fear and hatred, but we will all play a part in loosening that grip through our lives,鈥� she said. 鈥淏uild your community, and don鈥檛 be afraid to light someone else鈥檚 candle; it won鈥檛 put yours out.鈥澨�

鈥淲hat鈥檚 Your Secret Story鈥�听 Commencement speaker Marjorie Liu 鈥�00 received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree before delivering a Commencement address centered on the idea of pursuing unspoken goals and embracing dreams that may seem impossible.

鈥淲hat is your secret story? What is your secret dream?鈥� she asked. 鈥淎 dream that moves you, a dream that cannot be named because it is so outlandish, so strange, or so fragile that speaking of it might shatter the dream entirely?鈥�

She encouraged graduates to embrace uncertainty rather than fear it. Liu spoke of her own experience at 杨贵妃传媒视频, describing herself as shy and largely unknown on campus, yet profoundly transformed by her relationships with faculty. She credited late professor Peter Fritzell with helping her discover her calling as a writer and encouraging her to pursue a dream she once believed impossible.

鈥淩emember that you, too, are a language,鈥� Liu told the graduates. 鈥淩emember to look deeper within yourself and read yourself with curiosity and deliberation.鈥澨�

Recognizing Teaching Excellence听 Provost and Dean of the Faculty Peter Blitstein presented the 2026 faculty awards. Assistant Professor of German Petra Watzke, who joined the faculty in 2023, was honored with the Excellence in Teaching by an Early Career Faculty Member. Associate professor of Biology Alyssa Hakes, who joined the faculty in 2012, was honored with the Excellence in Teaching Award. Associate Professor of Music Esteli Gomez, who came to 杨贵妃传媒视频 in 2019 as a visiting artist with a successful performance career as a soprano soloist, was honored with the Excellence in Scholarship or Creative Activity award.听听

The university also recognized the retirement of Copeland Woodruff, the Mary and Michael Jaharis Director of Opera Studies and Associate Professor of Music, bestowing an honorary Master of Arts degree in recognition of his distinguished service and leadership in building 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 nationally recognized opera program.听听

After the highlight of the morning 鈥� the conferral of degrees 鈥� the graduates prepared for one final 杨贵妃传媒视频 tradition of recessing through the Memorial Hall Arch, signifying their transition from student to alumnus.

鈥淵ou entered carrying hopes, questions, and ambitions,鈥� Carter told the graduates. 鈥淵ou are leaving carrying knowledge, friendships, and a deeper understanding of who you are.鈥�

For members of the Class of 2026, the walk through the arch marked, not just an ending, but the beginning of a new chapter shaped by the lessons, relationships, and sense of purpose they developed during their time at 杨贵妃传媒视频.

Watch the complete 听

From Helsinki, we flew north of the Arctic Circle to stay at the Kakslauttanen Resort in Saariselk盲. Here, the hills were covered with evergreens and snow. We had the opportunity to interact with reindeer.听 We fed them handfuls of the aptly named reindeer moss, and they took us for a sleigh ride through the snowy night.听

杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 Professor Megan Pickett accompanied us on our adventure.听 Her guidance enhanced our experience of the auroras, helping us to understand the processes behind their formation. She explained how events on the sun lead to space weather that affects Earth.听 We learned that the colors we see in the sky depend on the types of elements excited by particles from the solar wind and on their altitude in our atmosphere.听

A tour bus ferried us to various sites where we were most likely to spot the aurora.听 We shared Minttu and Finnish chocolates as we waited for a break in the clouds.听 In the end, the best spot for us to see the northern lights was from our cozy bed in a glass igloo.听

All along the way, our dedicated guide, Nancy, shepherded us safely and comfortably from place to place. She made sure that we understood the historical and cultural significance of each site.听 She regaled us with local folk tales, like the story of 鈥淢ighty Mikko.鈥澨� She stressed the role that saunas play, not only for health and relaxation but also for building and maintaining relationships.听 And, most of all, Nancy impressed upon us the importance of sisu, or determination, to the people of Finland. 听

One of the final group activities on our trip required a bit of courage.听 It was a dog sledding excursion.听 Our spirited team of huskies needed no encouragement as they pulled our sled at a great speed and with great enthusiasm. They were not as inclined to stop, at least not until their job was done.听 Then they were ready for petting and rolling in the snow.

Even with all the amazing Finnish adventures, the best part of the trip was our tour group.听 We were a team drawn from different parts of the country and the world, but each traveler was very friendly and filled with curiosity.听Each meal together led to fascinating discussions. The kindness of our group gave me the safety to try new things.听As a first-time attendee of a 杨贵妃传媒视频 trip, I would recommend it.

Career Achievement

Kim Sherman 鈥�76,听Lucia Russell Briggs Distinguished Achievement Award: Kim Sherman’s music was recently highlighted in the Grammy庐-nominated album听ALIKE –听My Mother’s Dream, but her path began with a college pamphlet.听

鈥淚 saw the pictures on it, and I’m like, 鈥楾hat’s where I’m going,鈥欌�� she says of 杨贵妃传媒视频. Receiving this alumni award, she adds, is 鈥渁 surprise鈥� to be seen is very nice.鈥�

At 杨贵妃传媒视频, she studied piano, theory, and composition, experiences she credits with helping her find her creative voice. But it was the theater department that changed everything. A guest director from the Guthrie Theater came to campus to direct a play, and Kim composed the music. 

After graduation and a year studying with composer Thea Musgrave, that same director helped her land her first job. A 杨贵妃传媒视频 connection resurfaced years later when Rick Davis ’80 brought her to Baltimore Center Stage to compose for Hamlet. 鈥淭hat put me on a new level in the theater world. That’s a direct relationship from 杨贵妃传媒视频.鈥�

Her work, described as both 鈥渞hapsodic and lush鈥� and 鈥渃raggy and leap-about,鈥� has appeared on concert stages, in opera houses, and in theaters. In 2025, her composition Invocation was featured on Allison Charney’s album Alike: My Mother’s Dream, which earned a Grammy nomination. 

鈥淎t this point in your life, to have this new world open up for you is pretty great.鈥� 

Her work includes recordings, choral pieces, song cycles, and stage works such as O Pioneers!, Heartland, and Bluestem. She is artistic director of the Composers Institute, which runs a summer program at UW-River Falls for young composers, songwriters, and film and game music creators. She also works with New York鈥檚 52nd Street Project, where children write original plays with songs. 

鈥淭he characters might be a pencil and an eraser having a fight,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t takes you to places you would not expect.鈥� 

Her advice is simple: 鈥淧ay attention to who is around you. You never know.鈥� 

Looking back, she still values the independence she found at 杨贵妃传媒视频. 鈥淭he Conservatory thought I should be taking harpsichord lessons instead. I was like, 鈥楴o, I think I will do this other thing.鈥� The good news is that it was my choice.鈥� 

Sara (Schlarman) Russell 鈥�01, Nathan M. Pusey Distinguished Achievement Award:For Sara Russell, teaching is built on small moments that add up over time.

Sara first visited 杨贵妃传媒视频 as a high school junior. 鈥淚t was a gross day. It was late November. It was snowy and rainy,鈥� she says. But she remembers thinking, 鈥淭his is where I am supposed to be. It just felt like home.鈥�

She arrived planning to study government but switched to history. Near the end of her junior year, she took an education class on a whim and never looked back. She found a mentor in Professor Stewart Purkey.

鈥淭he best teachers I had were very much authentically themselves,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey weren鈥檛 trying to be someone they weren鈥檛, and that really resonated with me.鈥�

Her first job, in a small farming district in Iowa, was not what she expected. She taught special education and psychology, areas she had not been formally trained in.

鈥淚t was a real baptism by fire,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y first month, I cried nearly every day on the drive home. I was like, 鈥榃hat am I doing here? I am not fit to be here.鈥欌��

Over time, the experience reshaped how she teaches. 

鈥淣ow I鈥檓 so thankful,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t gave me a better appreciation of how different each learner is.鈥�

In 2005, she moved to Pleasant Valley High School in Bettendorf, where she still teaches social studies today. Two decades later, in 2022, she was named Iowa Teacher of the Year. 

As part of that honor, she stepped out of the classroom for a year of service. She chose to visit all of the teacher preparation programs in the state, making it to every one except one, not for lack of trying. 鈥淢y classroom became all of those college classrooms,鈥� she says. 

Ask her why she teaches, and she points to her students. 鈥淚 can brag on these kids all day,鈥� she says. She co-advises 鈥淎 Positive Place,鈥� a student group that has helped create a Welcome Wall in multiple languages, a multi-faith space, hygiene supply boxes, and a name pronunciation audio system.

鈥淜ids are amazing,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f you are ever feeling down, just spend a day with students.鈥�

The ripple effect of education, she says, is incredible. 鈥淚 have been in education now for over 20 years, and I run into 30-year-olds at Costco who say, 鈥楳s. Russell? You were my history teacher.鈥� That impact is huge.鈥�

She adds that teachers do not always see their influence in the moment. 鈥淵ou sometimes have to get a little distance from it to realize the effect you are having on others,鈥� she says. 

Beyond her classroom, Sara mentors new teachers and supports professional development in her district. She holds two master’s degrees and serves on the University of Iowa REACH board, and she is active in the Iowa State Education Association. 

Outside work, she runs, loves live music, and travels with her husband, Ian ’01, and their twin sons.

When the alumni award letter arrived, she was stunned. “杨贵妃传媒视频 was such a supportive, accepting place,” she says. “To be honored by 杨贵妃传媒视频 is really cool. I’m just so proud.”

Her advice: 鈥淕oing out into the world and making an impact is not easy. It requires perseverance and grit.鈥� But she adds, 鈥淏eing able to have an impact on people every single day, I can’t think of anything better.鈥�

Service to Society

Marylene Wamukoya 鈥�01, Joseph F. Patterson Jr. 鈥�69 Service to Society Award:Marylene Wamukoya often says, “In order to make any kind of change anywhere, you need information. You need data.” 

She is a PhD Fellow in Global Health Epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, researching how reproductive events, from first period to menopause, shape a woman鈥檚 risk of multimorbidity later in life, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. 

鈥淕lobally, multimorbidity is more prevalent in women than men. We are losing women,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e need to find out why.鈥�

Her work builds on more than 15 years of health and demographic research in Africa, much of it rooted in two slums in Nairobi. 

In one, many residents had moved for factory jobs. “They are not as poor as you think. They are employed,” she says. 

The other left a deeper mark. “The okay-ness with slum living really shook me,鈥� she says, describing the sense of permanence, what it felt like people accepted as their future: 鈥淚 will live here, and my family will live here, and my grandkids will also live here.” 

From that work came a clear insight. “People just want to matter. They also want to be counted.” 

In many places, births and deaths go unrecorded. 鈥淵ou don’t realize how important that document is until you try to get a passport, go to school, buy land, or open a bank account,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou just don’t exist without that paper.”

Her approach is simple: 鈥淚 make data sing our songs.鈥�

鈥淚f you are born in a slum and you don’t matter and you’re not registered, I am probably singing your song in some graph or table or publication,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou matter.” 

She also mentors others. “When you arrive here, you have a purpose,鈥� she says. 鈥淪omeone should invest in making sure that it is extracted from you before you leave.”

Marylene holds a Master of Public Health from Emory University and a Bachelor of Arts from 杨贵妃传媒视频, where she studied Chemistry and Spanish. 鈥淭hose many hours in the lab taught me attention to detail. Spanish and art history taught me expansive thinking.鈥� 

She says receiving the award, “confirms I am on the right path.”

When she is not making data sing, she sings herself, performing in choirs and playing drums, kayambas, and tambourines. She also weightlifts and is planning to create 12 handmade blankets for a children鈥檚 hospital in 2026 through knitting, crocheting, and sewing, and hopes others will join her.

Susan (Susie) Medak 鈥�76, George B. Walter 鈥�36 Service to Society Award: Susie Medak never planned this path. She arrived at 杨贵妃传媒视频 thinking she would become a dentist. Three months later, she changed course. 

鈥淚 have to be in theater,鈥� she told her sister. 

She tried acting, then realized it was not going to be her career. A classmate, David Haugland 鈥�73, introduced her to theater management. 鈥淚t had never crossed my mind that there was a career like that.鈥�

She met two of the most important people in her life at 杨贵妃传媒视频: her lifelong friend Sue Cook 鈥�76, and David Hawkanson 鈥�69, a mentor who became her greatest sponsor. 

During her sophomore year, Hawkanson offered her a job at the Guthrie Theatre. 鈥淵ou idiot,鈥� he said. 鈥淨uit school and come up here.鈥� She did. 

杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty supported her, and she finished her degree later, graduating with eight job offers. 鈥淚’ve never written a resume in advance of a job in my life.鈥�

She went on to a 32-year run as Managing Director of Berkeley Repertory Theatre, helping build major facilities and programs, including the Roda Theatre, the Nevo Education Center, and the Medak Center, a 45-unit artist housing complex named in her honor. 

Her leadership philosophy traces back to a government class with Professor 杨贵妃传媒视频 Longley, who required students to attend city council meetings. 鈥淚 can still remember sitting in that chamber, watching democracy in action,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t taught me that if you want to lead a cultural organization, you have to be part of the community.鈥� 

Mentorship has remained central to her work. For 20 years, she hosted Yale drama students. During the pandemic, she began weekly calls with former students, which still continue every other week. 

At her retirement, the technical crew at Berkeley Rep threw her a party. Two longtime colleagues pulled her aside to share news of a pregnancy. 鈥淭hat felt like the award,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey named a building after me, but that was the thing that really sticks out for me.鈥�

As an executive coach, she compares her work to dentistry. 鈥淵ou tap around with that sharp little device, poking for the soft spot. When you hit it, that’s where you’ve got to work.鈥�

Receiving the alumni award, she says she was surprised. 鈥淚鈥檓 a little shocked. I have done nothing for the campus in 50 years to speak of. But it’s lovely to be recognized.鈥� 

Her advice to current students: 鈥淟earn everything you can. Don鈥檛 get precious. The more you know, the more you have to offer.鈥� 

She says 杨贵妃传媒视频 did not demand that everyone be a leader, 鈥渂ut if you wanted to be one, there was so much opportunity.鈥�

And after 50 years: 鈥淚 just have the best life.鈥�

Service to 杨贵妃传媒视频

Alison Guthrie 鈥�86, Gertrude Breithaupt Jupp M-D 鈥�18 Outstanding Service Award: For more than 36 years, Alison Guthrie has taught music to students of all ages. She runs her own music school, mentors teachers, and helps students discover abilities they did not always believe they had. She continues to refine her teaching, pursing the highest level of instruction she can offer. 

She holds memberships in MTNA, WMTA, WFMC, and MMTA, has served in leadership roles across multiple music organizations, and currently sits on the board of PianoArts Milwaukee. She adjudicates competitions, performs, and stays deeply active in the field.

杨贵妃传媒视频 gave her something she did not have at the start: belief. 

鈥淚t shaped me in learning to believe in myself, in my capacity to succeed at things,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t helped me push myself out of my comfort zone.鈥� 

That mindset never left. 

鈥淚n all that I do, I try to apply the belief that I can do something. Just roll up your sleeves and dig in.鈥�

She still thinks about her teachers. Piano instructor Ted Rehl taught her to play artistically. Professor George Damp saw something in a shy student she had not yet seen in herself. 鈥淗e was very kind and gentle with me,鈥� she says, 鈥渁nd recognized where I had gifts. One of them was teaching鈥�

Freshman Studies also left a mark. 鈥淢y teacher just ripped me apart,鈥� she remembers. 鈥淎nd it helped me be much more intentional about what I say and how I write it.鈥�

After graduation, Alison eventually reconnected with 杨贵妃传媒视频 through alumni involvement. “I heard myself say yes and then thought, ‘What have I done?'” 

She served on the Alumni Board and eventually became co-chair. Her committee, Connecting to Campus, organized a speed-dating-style event where students met alumni for career advice. 

During a difficult stretch in the Conservatory, students reached out, not for answers, but for someone to listen. 鈥淚 really enjoyed just hearing what their struggles were and what their vision and dreams were,鈥� she says.

Some friendships from 杨贵妃传媒视频 have lasted decades. This year is her 40th reunion, and her best friend from freshman year is still close, even though they live in different states.

What she didn’t expect was how returning would change her perspective. 

“Old wounds have been healed,” she says. 鈥淚 went from not wanting any connection to the university to a complete evolution.鈥� 

Now she uses her own difficult experiences to help students going through similar challenges.

The alumni award caught her off guard. 鈥淚 don’t know why I was picked, but I am very grateful,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 do not like to stand out. I like to just do the work. The fact that someone noticed me means a lot.鈥�

When she’s not teaching or performing, she enjoys cooking, reading, and gardening.

Stephen Rodriguez 鈥�01, Marshall B. Hulbert 鈥�26 Outstanding Service Award:Stephen Rodriguez鈥檚 path to university advancement began at 杨贵妃传媒视频, where he worked in student phonathon, calling alumni. 鈥淧eople actually answered their phones in the late 鈥�90s,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 probably talked to thousands of alumni and parents. That really began my career in philanthropy.鈥� 

What started as a campus job grew into a 25-year career in fundraising and leadership, taking him from Berklee College of Music, where he worked during its first comprehensive campaign, to roles at Boston University, MIT, Phillips Academy, and Harvard. He now serves as Vice President of Development at Brandeis University.

At 杨贵妃传媒视频, he still remembers the 鈥淐on couches,鈥� what he calls 鈥渢he living room of the Conservatory,鈥� where students gathered before and after rehearsal. One of his key mentors there was saxophone professor Steve Jordheim. 

鈥淗e taught me how to think about practice, how to think about honing your craft, and how to embrace limitations and failures,鈥� Stephen says. 

Early in his freshman year, Jordheim paused a lesson when he was unprepared. 鈥淗e simply said, 鈥榊ou know, Stephen, I think for the next 15 or 20 minutes you should go to a practice room. Then you can come back.鈥� It was the nicest way of saying, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e unprepared. Don鈥檛 let that happen again.鈥欌�� 

That moment stuck with him and shaped his approach to growth beyond music.

Stephen stayed connected to 杨贵妃传媒视频 through volunteer work, including the Alumni Board and admissions efforts in Boston. He is currently serving on his 25th reunion committee.

鈥淚t is all about the people,鈥� he says.

Looking back on receiving the award, he calls it unexpected. 鈥淚 feel honored that someone noticed that I鈥檝e been involved,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat recognition is really meaningful.鈥� 

When he told his son, 鈥淵our dad is going to get an award,鈥� it made him feel, as he says, 鈥渃ool that he was excited about it.鈥�

鈥溠罟箦绞悠� is an amazing place,鈥� he says. 鈥淣ot because of its geography, but because of its magnetic power to bring together people who are smart, hardworking, want to learn, want to push themselves, and are just good human beings.鈥�

Honorable Mentions In addition, and new to this year, we are also honoring alumni who were top candidates for awards with an honorable mention. These extraordinary individuals are all making a positive impact on those they come into contact with every day and the larger community as a whole. 

David Kirchman ’76Kelly Senecal ’95Lori Hilt ’97 

Gary Springer ’76Sarah Johnson Campbell ’97 

Tony Ohlhausen Smith ’16 

Lyndsay Sund ’01

This year, 杨贵妃传媒视频 welcomed 307 first-year students and 48 transfer students. The top enrollment states for the 2025-26 academic year are Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, California, and Colorado. Leading majors include Business & Entrepreneurship, Pre-medicine, Music Performance, Biology, Psychology, and Multi-interested.听

First-year students elicited a resounding round of applause for their Welcome Week musical performance titled Take What You Need by Reena Esmail. The song encouraged the 杨贵妃传媒视频 community to take heart and hope as they embark on a new academic year.听

The 杨贵妃传媒视频 community formally welcomed Dr. Jenkins to his role as dean of the Conservatory of Music. He will oversee all aspects of 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 music degree programs and contribute significantly to the university鈥檚 academic mission. Reporting directly to the provost, 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 chief academic officer, he will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the institution.

鈥淭his year is especially exciting because one of those new to 杨贵妃传媒视频 is Dr. Christopher Jenkins, our new dean of the Conservatory,鈥� said Dominica Chang, Margaret Banta Humleker Professor of French Cultural Studies, associate professor of French, and chair of the Public Events Committee. 鈥淒ean Jenkins, welcome. We wish you every success, and we鈥檙e so excited to witness your vision unfold.鈥澨�

President Carter鈥檚 address was full of reflections and hope, but it centered on 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 values of belonging, integrity, honesty, and sustainability.听听

鈥淲e start by listening. Real listening 鈥� the kind of listening that suspends quick judgment and seeks to understand the story behind the sentence, and the soul behind the story,” said President Carter. 鈥淲e create practices and processes that invite participation. We make our norms explicit: how we disagree, how we repair harm, how we show up for one another and celebrate each other鈥檚 contributions. And, when someone is left out, we refuse to normalize their absence. We ask why and we act.鈥澨�

She honored the memory of Garth Bond, a respected member of the English department for 20 years. Garth passed away over the summer after a long, hard-fought battle with leukemia.听听

鈥淕arth dedicated his career to growing the minds and hearts of our students using literature and the power of language. He also created close, meaningful relationships with many colleagues across campus and others in the community,鈥� said President Carter.听听

Bond was known for treating people with great humanity; the 杨贵妃传媒视频 community will come together on Saturday, October 4, to celebrate his life, legacy, and impact.听听

President Carter also recalled the tragedy of September 11, 2001, and the attempt to divide a united nation through the attack, which took the lives of听2,977. At the time of the attack, President Carter was working at Juilliard in New York City, only five miles away from where the World Trade Center fell.听听

鈥淟ate afternoon, we got word that a few trains were leaving New York City for New Jersey. I left my office and began the 30-block walk to the train station, hoping to be on one of them. It was still daylight, but the sky was darkened by the ash and smoke from the towers. There was no vehicular traffic, so the only people I saw were those like me walking dazed through the streets,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was overwhelmed by the events of the day, but as I looked around, I noticed that in almost every store window was an American flag. That attack on our country robbed us of many lives, but it didn鈥檛 rob us of the hope that we had for a united America.鈥澨�

President Carter has a similar hope for today鈥檚 students as they begin a new academic year in a world with deep divides, political polarization, and global challenges.听听

鈥淭hat polarization is corrosive to our ability to work together, to trust one another, and to build a shared future,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e see families weighed down by economic uncertainty, struggling with questions about opportunity, safety, and financial stability. We see communities torn apart by senseless violence and vitriol. And climate change, global conflict, and unprecedented shifts in federal policy test our resilience and force us to think about the world not just as it is today, but as it must be tomorrow.鈥澨�

President Carter acknowledged the headwinds facing higher education, including the public’s skepticism around the value of a higher education, not only in terms of today鈥檚 cost but also the long-term benefits.听听

鈥淭his is the moment when the liberal arts matter most. In a radically changing and unpredictable world. The ability to think critically, communicate clearly, collaborate effectively, and adapt creatively is more essential than ever,鈥� Carter said. 鈥淭hese are precisely the hallmarks of a 杨贵妃传媒视频 education.鈥澨�

President Carter鈥檚 vision for successful outcomes centered on living out 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 values of belonging, integrity, honesty, and sustainability, and allowing them to be the foundation for students鈥� decision-making today and in the future.听听

鈥淭hese values are not just words on our website. They are commitments that shape how we learn, how we live together, and how we prepare to lead in the world,鈥� said President Carter.听听

(Full Program)

2025 Matriculation Convocation; We are 杨贵妃传媒视频. And that includes you.

The remainder of 杨贵妃传媒视频 students will move into residence halls and other residential spaces over the weekend of Sept. 13-14. Welcome Week leads directly into the start of the fall trimester, with classes beginning on Monday, Sept. 15.听

This year’s incoming students include 309 first-year students and 39 transfer students, who come from across the United States and around the world to study at 杨贵妃传媒视频. The top home states are Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, California, Colorado, and New York. International students are represented by 16 different countries around the globe, with a strong presence from Japan, Canada, and South Korea. 杨贵妃传媒视频 isn’t just a campus in Wisconsin; it’s a community with roots around the globe. 听

鈥淢y move-in experience was really good,鈥� said Kylie Hatch, an incoming freshman and neuroscience and psychology major. 鈥淢y roommate was actually already here for international move-in, so she helped me. It was super easy and everyone was super helpful.鈥�

Welcome Week marks the beginning of a new chapter for students as they embark on their journey of higher education and find their place in a community of critical thinkers.听

鈥淚 moved into Colman, and it was really nice because everybody was very friendly,” said first-year student and psychology major, Vivianne Affatato. 鈥淓verybody was really excited and supportive. It was like, friends immediately.鈥�

Angela Vanden Elzen, associate professor and reference and learning technology librarian, emphasized the joy of Welcome Week and the energy that incoming freshmen bring to campus.听

听鈥淲elcome Week is always so fun; seeing all the students excited about starting something new really brings a lot of energy back to campus.鈥澨�

New students to 杨贵妃传媒视频 lined the sidewalk between the newly opened West Campus building and Main Hall Green for the traditional walk through the Welcome Arch. Faculty, staff, alumni, and students all cheered and welcomed the incoming Class of 2029 to campus. The 杨贵妃传媒视频 school spirit rang loudly and highlighted its tight-knit community.听听

Natalie Reathaford, a first-year student and neuroscience and biology major, relished taking part in one of 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 favorite traditions of welcoming students to campus through the Welcome Arch.听

鈥淲alking through the arch, it was exciting to see our upperclassmen come and cheer us on and support everyone coming to 杨贵妃传媒视频. It was a great experience.鈥澨�

Reathaford said she selected 杨贵妃传媒视频 because of its small but vibrant community. She wanted a tight-knit community but didn鈥檛 want to be left in the middle of nowhere. The city of Appleton and the surrounding Fox Cities offer students a unique environment because it has a small-town feel with metropolitan-style benefits.听

鈥淚 was looking for a place that was small but also not just cornfields, so I think having this as a small campus, having a tight-knit, close community of professors and students, as well as a great soccer team that I wanted to be on, it was just perfect. And then the thing that really sealed the deal was the placement of where 杨贵妃传媒视频 was and how close everything was. There鈥檚 an airport nearby, there鈥檚 tons of food, there鈥檚 coffee shops鈥攋ust everything nearby that I could ever want.鈥�

George Taylor, a first-year tuba major from Hayward, Wisconsin, said he chose 杨贵妃传媒视频 because of its renowned Conservatory of Music. Taylor has been playing tuba for over eight years. In addition to his studies, he looks forward to playing linebacker for the Vikings football team.听

鈥淭he activities at 杨贵妃传媒视频 really involve you. They make it easy to meet a lot of new people and make friends.鈥澨�

After hearing President Laurie Carter鈥檚 annual address to new students, Taylor said, 鈥淚t just made me feel like I really belong here.鈥澨�

Matriculation Convocation is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 19, at 12:30 p.m. in 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 Memorial Chapel. President Laurie A. Carter will welcome all students and make remarks to start the new academic year.听

The Reunion Convocation included the annual presentation of class gifts.听The Class of 1975, celebrating its 50th reunion, led the way as its members announced gifts to 杨贵妃传媒视频 of $6.2 million. The Class of 1985 announced gifts totaling $3.4 million, the cluster of 1989-90-91 $724,849, the Class of 2000 $171,626, the cluster of 2009-10-11 $68,647, and the Class of 2015 $13,876.

In all, more than $10.5 million was pledged to 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥攕ome of it for the 杨贵妃传媒视频 Fund, which supports operating expenses in everything from academics and study abroad to facilities maintenance and athletics, and some of it earmarked for specific uses.

鈥淥ne of the most rewarding aspects of my role is thanking Lawrentians for their investment in this university,鈥� Carter said. 鈥淵our time, talent, and resources make this university truly extraordinary.听 杨贵妃传媒视频 thrives because of your leadership and support. On behalf of our entire community, thank you for these very generous class gifts.鈥澨�

New LUAA president

Margaret 鈥淢aggie鈥� Schmidt 鈥�12 was meeting with alumni throughout the weekend as the new president of the 杨贵妃传媒视频 Alumni Association (LUAA). She leads an LUAA Board that represents an alumni community more than 22,000 strong. She encouraged her fellow Lawrentians to look forward as much as backwards as they reconnect with campus.

鈥淩enew connections with classmates, with friends, and with 杨贵妃传媒视频, too,鈥� Schmidt said. 鈥溠罟箦绞悠� has physically changed since many of us were students. Take the time to embrace how 杨贵妃传媒视频 is continuing to evolve as higher education evolves. Make time to build new connections with alumni outside your class, with current students, and with faculty.听 I guarantee you will meet some amazing people and learn something new, and maybe even unexpected.鈥�

Schmidt, a civil rights attorney and educator, succeeded Matt Murphy 鈥�06 as LUAA president.

She encouraged alumni to pay it forward, supporting the university in ways that make enrollment more affordable for future students and the 杨贵妃传媒视频 experience more vibrant, enriching, and vital. It comes at a time when the higher education landscape is rapidly changing.听 听

鈥淕reat things are happening at 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥攈ave you seen Fox Commons and West Campus?鈥攁nd our investments are critical to the continued success and vitality of the college and our community,鈥� Schmidt said. 鈥淭he moral of the story鈥攃onnect, engage, pay it forward, and celebrate. Whether you share your story in the classroom, as a volunteer, or through your philanthropy, there is a role for everyone.鈥�

Parade of Classes

The Convocation was preceded by the annual Parade of Classes, one of the great traditions of Reunion. Members of each celebrating class walk the sidewalk together as they approach Memorial Chapel, stopping to have their group photo taken.听

Ted Katzoff 鈥�65, celebrating his 60th reunion, led this year鈥檚 parade.

Ode to Minoo Adenwalla

Glen Johnson 鈥�85 returned for his 40th reunion. He did so still thinking of Minoo Adenwalla, the longtime 杨贵妃传媒视频 professor听who died Jan. 5, 2025.

Johnson, a former reporter for the Associated Press and Boston Globe who听 from 2013 to 2017, calls Adenwalla his 鈥渇avorite professor.鈥� He maintained a close relationship with him to the end. Shortly before returning for Reunion,听.

鈥淚t鈥檚 fair to say I never had a better or more impactful teacher,鈥� Johnson wrote. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 also without doubt I was extremely lucky to have him remain interested in my life and career until almost the day he died at age 97.鈥�

Johnson would maintain a friendship with his former professor that spanned 45 years: 鈥淢inoo helped me through my studies, time overseas, career advancement, and development as a reporter and writer. He taught me much about friendship and loyalty, including the simple act of staying in touch and the loosening effect of single-malt Scotch.鈥�

Tours of old and new

Tours were part of the weekend experience. In the full campus tour, alumni got a chance to revisit old haunts while getting up-to-speed on all that鈥檚 changed since they walked the campus as undergraduates.听

There also were guided tours of two new developments鈥擣ox Commons and West Campus.

Fox Commons is a downtown Appleton redevelopment project that鈥檚 been ongoing since 2023. 杨贵妃传媒视频 is a long-term tenant in Darkhorse Development鈥檚 reimagining of the former City Center Plaza. 杨贵妃传媒视频 joins gener8tor, a business startup accelerator, Mosaic Family Health, and Prevea Health in the redeveloped mixed-use space that is now a centerpiece of the city鈥檚 rapidly evolving downtown. The third floor of the development, featuring a Pre-Health Commons and student apartments, will be open when students return for Fall Term 2025. The opening follows the unveiling last fall of the Business and Entrepreneurship Center and the first grouping of student apartments, all on the second level.听

West Campus, meanwhile, is a four-story building at the corner of E. College Avenue and Drew Street on the western edge of 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 campus鈥攈ousing the Trout Museum of Art on the first floor, 杨贵妃传媒视频 academic spaces on the second floor, and apartments on the upper two floors. It is set to open in time for Fall Term. The teaching spaces and technologies on the second floor will elevate collaboration across campus and with the wider community and will strengthen the humanities curriculum, Conservatory programming, and the teaching in math, computer science, and data science.

Alumni Awards

Seven Lawrentians were honored with LUAA鈥檚 annual Alumni Awards鈥擪atherine (Wroblewski) Diop 鈥�00, Rebecca Doyle-Morin 鈥�00, Michael Johnson 鈥�75, Marjorie Liu 鈥�00, Steven Wereley 鈥�89, and Charles 鈥�75 and Janice 鈥�75 Woodward. Read more about the recipients here.

Diop, who was unable to attend, was presented with the inaugural Joseph F. Patterson Jr. 鈥�69 Service to Society Award, honoring the legacy of the late听Joseph F. Patterson Jr. 鈥�69, whose leadership and advocacy led to the establishment of the LU Black Alumni Network (LUBAN).听Patterson family members were in attendance.听

Each of the honorees received a special medallion designed by Lexi Ames 鈥�17, a studio art and biology double degree graduate. The design was inspired by the original medallion presented in 1956 and celebrates the rich history and tradition of the awards.

鈥淎lumni Awards reflect the college鈥檚 deepest held values and are given to alumni who have made outstanding contributions and achievements in a career field, provided exceptional service to their alma mater, and have gone above and beyond to serve their communities on the local, national, and international level,鈥� Schmidt told the gathered alumni. 鈥淩ecipients are nominated by you and selected by the Alumni Association Board of Directors.鈥�

Alumni College

It was back to the classroom for many of the alumni as they sat in on Alumni College presentations delivered by 杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty or fellow alumni.

Timothy X. Troy 鈥�85, the听J. Thomas and Julie Esch Hurvis Professor of Theatre and Drama and professor of theatre arts, presented a session that detailed how he听used a Fulbright Scholar Award in 2022-23 to research and write a play in Ireland about Dan Stapleton, an Irish revolutionary whose covert actions before and during the Irish War of Independence (1919-21)听are mostly unknown outside of his family.

He told those gathered in the Warch Cinema that during an earlier teaching assignment in Ireland he struck up a friendship with Stapleton鈥檚 great-granddaughter, Lucy. She eventually shared the family stories of Stapleton鈥檚 heroics鈥攁 mild-mannered pharmacist by day and an explosives operative by night. It鈥檚 a story that hadn鈥檛 been told in any significant way, and Troy set out to tell the story, researching it during the first half of his year-long stay in Kilkenny, then writing it and eventually bringing it to a staged reading after returning to 杨贵妃传媒视频.

The title, Run with the Hare (鈥nd Hunt with a Hound), Troy said, is a reference to Stapleton鈥檚 double life.

He called the Fulbright Scholar experience one of the most fulfilling adventures of his academic career. In addition to teaching and developing the play, the year in Ireland delivered new insights on his own family鈥檚 Irish history.

Other faculty who presented Alumni College sessions included Kurt Wilson, assistant professor of anthropology,听on the relationship between humans and their environment in the Central Andes, Greg Milano, assistant professor of history,听on global history explored through coffee, and Allison Fleshman, associate professor of chemistry and co-owner of McFleshman鈥檚 Brewing Co.,听.听

Alumni presenters included Brienne Colston 鈥�15 on being a values-driven leader; Megan Walsh 鈥�00, a visiting assistant professor of law and director of the Gun Violence Prevention Law Clinic at the University of Minnesota Law School, on the Second Amendment; Najja Gay 鈥�15, a quality control microbiologist, on microbial contamination; and Terry Holt 鈥�75, an emeritus professor of geriatric medicine and teaching professor of social medicine at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Medicine, on narrative medicine.