Congratulations Class of 2020: Page 1
Douglas Pauls 1980
Charleston, SC
Congratulations 2020 graduates! Please stay strong - the world needs you more than ever.
Nadia Evans 1990
Farmingdale, NU
Living requires bold choices, and a certain absence of fear. Try to always be fully present in the moment, and say yes to every experience or opportunity that feels good which comes your way. As the recent pandemic has shown us, our world can change in an instant and all the things we always say we are going to do- travel, take a class, write a book, call a friend, move cross country- can at a moment’s notice, no longer be a choice. And finally with the choices that you make, remember to practice kindness not only to yourself, but to others.
Ashton Fiucci 2015
Reading, PA
Congrats D’son Class of 2020! Wishing you the best of luck on your future endeavors and welcome to the Alumni Community!
Tricia Gaffney Elgarten 1990
Mendham, NJ
There is something very special about the friendships formed at Dickinson. Cherish these friends, for even when you connect 30 years later it will seem like you were just together on campus yesterday. Congratulations and best luck to you and all your Dickinson friends on your future endeavors!
Christopher Hansell 2014
Washington, DC
Today, you embark upon a new chapter of your lives, engaging the world with thousands of Dickinson College alumni. During these difficult and unprecedented times, keep your chin up and remind yourself that you are ready. Your time at Dickinson College has prepared you to approach any problem and engage it with a liberal arts mentality.
I am confident that each of you will leave the world better than you found it, continuing Dickinson College's legacy of excellence.
Congratulations to the Class of 2020!
Carol Graebner 1975
Houston, TX
Congratulations! Now, go get 'em, and have a great time doing it!
Laura Colony 2011
New York, NY
To the class of 2020, you all are just amazing! The transitions you have made, the mountains you have moved to finish out the year strong, the effort you have put into maintaining relationships from afar...you are so ready for the real world! We can’t wait to see what you do next!
Congratulations and welcome to the Dickinson Alumni community!
All the best,
Laura
Llamilet Gutierrez 2009
Washington, DC
Congratulations! Though things may seem bleak, take solace in the fact that you are healthy, are graduating from an excellent institution, and you have a wonderful network of alumni on whom you can count. We've been through economic hardships before, and we found jobs or attended grad school, and achieved success. Your hard work will pay off! We look forward to continuing to celebrate your accomplishments!
Frank James 1979
Vienna, VA
Congratulations to the Dickinson Class of 2020! Nothing can diminish our pride in you or our hopes for your future on the completion of your Dickinson education. As we are reminded daily if not hourly, there is no shortage of challenges facing our world. Your talent, knowledge, energy, idealism, optimism, and resilience are needed now more than ever. Please remember that. The world needs you even if it doesn't always realize that. Also remember to take care of yourselves, to be compassionate to yourselves. You will make mistakes. But you need not be defined by them. One last thing. Your College will always need you. Our extraordinary community of learners only exists because many past generations of Dickinsonians and friends have given a fraction of their time and resources to the College to help it endure for future students. Please do your part. Pay it forward. Do what you can to help the next generation. Again, congratulations to all of you. Well done.
Anna McGinn 2014
Washington DC
Your Dickinson memories and friendships will stay with you for a lifetime. Hold them close even when you scatter around the world, and don't forget to make plans to meet back at Leo's for an ice cream whenever you are able to reunite in Carlisle!
Julie Salsitz Davi 1994
Richmond, VA
Congratulations, graduates! I know it has been incredibly difficult for you not to get to celebrate in the way you expected. But your years at Dickinson will forever be with you, and will mean more and more as time goes on. I promise! Your experience today will bond you forever in the future, and your lives will be better for it. Go forth in wisdom, patience, and kindness. Your fellow alums are with you every step of the way!
George Hager 1978
Naples, Fl
Dear Class of 2020. CONGRATULATIONS on your incredible accomplishment. Even though you are graduating in the most unusual of times, your future is bright and the opportunities for your personal and career development and growth will be numerous. Embrace the challenges in front of you with energy and confidence. GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN !!!
Wishing you great success.
Warmest regards, George Hager ’78, Trustee.
Carol Haislip 1979
Monkton, Md
You all are rock stars. Covid 19 and all the havoc it caused will be but a minor blip in your path to success as you move out into the work world and graduate school. I wish you success in everything you do. Congratulations.
Brian Kamoie 1993
Annapolis, MD
Congratulations, Dickinson Class of 2020! You have shown extraordinary resilience in completing your studies during a global pandemic. While we would all prefer to celebrate you in person, please know that your family, friends, teachers, and the entire Dickinson community are proud of you and your accomplishments. Whether you are setting off for a job, further study, or a service commitment, we know that you will use your Dickinson education to engage the world and advance the common good. This pandemic has shown us that the world's challenges are growing more complex and interconnected. Your ability to think differently and act boldly are needed now more than ever. We will all get through this together, and we look forward to watching you flourish as alumni. Congratulations!
Brian Kamoie '93, Trustee
John Jones 1977
Pottsville, PA
Members of the Class of 2020,
It wasn't supposed to be like this, was it? All of us looked forward to a beautiful weekend of celebration, tradition, and great ceremony. But just think----you won't have to sit through seemingly endless speeches, including by yours truly as chair of the board of trustees! We will save all of that for a later, better time, and I assure you that we will properly mark this milestone in person when it's safe to do so. I am so very proud of all of you for weathering these challenging times. I also recognize that more daunting times are ahead. But I am confident that you will do just fine, just as our graduates through the ages have when facing other obstacles due to searingly difficult world events. This shall pass, and some day you will stand out among your fellow alums with stories to tell like no others when you return to enjoy your reunions. Godspeed and be well my friends, and welcome to the very best group of alumni in the world!
Jennifer Reynolds 1977
Phoenix, MD
Dear Class of 2020,
In spite of the surprising and disappointing conclusion of your college years due to Covid-19, I have every confidence that you will quickly surmount this challenge and jump into the world at full throttle, uniquely prepared by a Dickinson education to succeed in your chosen path. The world desperately needs thoughtful, compassionate and inquisitive leaders like yourselves. You will continue to build on your already numerous successes and use the skills you gained at Dickinson to have a lasting, positive impact on our society. As an alumna and trustee, I look forward to hearing about them. Congratulations, and welcome to the alumni family!
Jennifer Ward Reynolds ’77, Trustee
Larchmont, NY
Hello Class of 2020,
Elizabeth Bailey 2012
Washington, DC
Congratulations! You may not be able to walk through the doors of Old West today, but remember while this door may be closed for now others are about to open! Being a Dickinsonian is not just about your time on campus, it's about using the tools you learned during undergrad and taking them away from the lime stone to help build a better tomorrow. Welcome to the Dickinson alumni community, made up of thousands of individuals across the globe, we can't wait to see what you do! Good luck!
Drexel Hill, PA
Dear Graduating Seniors,
John Frisch 1980
Baltimore, MD
Congratulations as you graduate and begin the next chapter of your lives. While we are in a difficult and challenging moment, Dickinson has prepared you well to meet the challenges that exist today and that lie ahead.
This is a remarkable time in our country and world. As I reflect on where we all find ourselves today, I am inspired by the following passage the author Suzanna Arundhati Roy, recently wrote, "Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.”
My wish for you, and for all of us, is that we walk through this challenge lightly, work together to imagine what could be possible for a more connected world and fight for positive and lasting change.
Peace and good health to you always.
Nathalie Ingersoll 2019
Washington Depot, CT
Congratulations Class of 2020!
Nina Geller 2012
Lakewood, CO
Dear Class of 2020,
You made it! In all the craziness that is a 4-year liberal arts education, you alone have put in the effort to obtain a degree that comes from the first school in America. Be proud that you have made it to this day. Your future is always bright and shining, and note that we alumni are lucky to be a part of your extended family. If you are lucky to live close enough to Carlisle, enjoy the restaurants (which are fabulous, and I crave to this day), and note that your advisors/professors will be there beyond your life behind the limestone walls. They love to hear your achievements, triumphs, struggles, and everything in between. Note that you don't have to have a job or graduate school lined up after graduation. Everyone gets there somehow, and it doesn't have to be right away. You don't ever have to have it figured out right away. I wish you all the best, and congratulations, class of 2020!
Annapolis, MD
Dear Class of 2020-
PeterJ Anderson 1973
Atlanta, GA
As a Board Trustee of the College, I want to congratulate our newest alumni and to recognize that your class will always be special in the annals of Dickinson lore. Wait. You already knew that. Oh, well. In all seriousness, strive to be happy as you can in the present and success will follow naturally in the future. Be safe. God bless each of you as you head out.
Tualatin, OR
Congratulations! Graduation is a massive achievement in normal year and time. It means you have navigated four years of not just rigorous academics, but also adjustment and personal development that comes from navigating the social challenges of college. And this is no normal year - this is 2020. Which means that you not only navigated and accomplished, a great feat, but you did it in a time of great uncertainty and change.
Lisa Sherman 1979
New York, NY
Congratulations on this huge milestone! As we enter an era of great reinvention, we needs your smarts, passion, resilience and energy. The world will be a better, richer, and more dynamic place with you bringing 100% of YOU to it. #DickinsonsStrong
Sophie Hearne 2014
Boston, MA
Class of 2020 - Congratulations! You did it! While graduation may not be how you imagined it this year, know what will matter most is everything you have learned, felt, experienced, and made possible during your time in one of the most special places in the world - Dickinson. The college and the Dickinson community will always be there for you, and we can't wait to watch all that you do for your communities and world in years to come.
J. RICHARD Relick 1951
Belfast, ME
To you the brave souls the class of 2020 I am sure it is a disappointing experience, on the other hand, it is still celebratory experience you now have a degree from an outstanding college that will prove its value throughout your life. New things will happen do not dwell on this disruption.
J. Richard Relick 51
Craig Weeks 1977
Weaverville, NC
To my fellow alumni of the class of 2020 - Six months ago we could not imagine how different our lives would be this Spring and how this would impact our class of 2020 (we did not have 20-20 vision - sorry about that one). I do believe that tough times forge an inner strength in us and that will become evident within your class are you transition into your next steps and develop your professional careers. We are proud of what you have accomplished and we have great expectations for what you will do over the next half century and beyond. Please never forget your school and the wonderful times you had. The amazing faculty who are so dedicated to your academic advancement and our best-in-class staff who have made your time on and off campus so enriching. The school will need your support too. All the best to all of you.
Albert Masland 1979
Carlisle, PA
Congratulations for your perseverance over not only the past few months, but over the past four years. Having met many of you over your time in Carlisle, I am confident that you will be a collective positive force in the world. May your reach will always exceed your grasp.
Park City, UT
Dear Class of 2020,
Catherine Davenport 1987
Carlisle, PA
Congratulations to the Class of 2020! Revel in all that you have accomplished over the past years in Carlisle and wherever your Dickinson experience has taken you. I am looking forward to the day when you will descend the Old Stone Steps but you are a Dickinsonian today and always! #DsonProud
Kirk Swenson
Carlisle, PA
Congratulations – can’t wait to celebrate your achievements together in-person when the world returns to “normaL”! We’re all here for you and rooting for your success. Do what you can to improve the lives of others and don’t forget that Dickinson will always be your home!
Philadelphia, PA
To The Graduating Seniors of the Class of 2020:
New York, NY
Congratulations, Class of 2020!
Hudson, OH
Great job everyone! You have completed your time at Dickinson and weathered this very unique and special time. Enjoy using the new skills in your every day life! Remember how your community has rallied around you, and use that positivity to fuel your dreams!
Mc Lean, VA
Dear Graduates, class of 2020
McKinney, TX
Congratulations of the Red Devil class of 2020! Cheers to you!
Los Angeles, CA
Class of 2020,
Westminster, MD
Congratulations! You’re the newest addition to the best alumni network in the world. Don’t be a stranger if you ever need to connect!
Pittsburgh, PA
Congratulations to the Class of 2020! I am sorry that you will all be missing out on seeing your friends, the campus, and your professors for the wonderful times of your senior spring. While I know we understand the necessity of social distance, I'm sure you are all sad about that - I would be! My class and those who graduated just after us know a little bit about graduating at a difficult time, although our difficulties in job hunting during a recession seem so much less serious now. But this is also how I know that Dickinson has made you resilient and prepared for the challenges ahead. You will always be able to look back fondly on your time inside the limestone walls. Congratulations again! Best wishes and good luck on your next steps and new challenges!
Larchmont, NY
While we find ourselves in this very challenging time, as a Dickinson graduate you are uniquely prepared to face whatever comes your way. Enjoy this special moment in your lives, and celebrate it with friends and family (with 6ft of distance between you)! Remember that while you will no doubt face obstacles as you start your careers, you are able to conquer a lot more than you think. Congrats to the Class of 2020!
Newtown Square, PA
Congratulations on your epic accomplishment! Welcome to the Red Devil alumni and I look forward to seeing you all in the near future at a Dickinson event. Although your commencement is not traditional you should be proud of yourselves on this milestone. Your class will be the one that is remembered for generations to come. You did it and I am sure you will make us all proud with all you accomplish! Congratualtions and best of luck for the future!
Wayzata, MN
Class of 2020, our overlapping years as classmates, teammates, and friends were nothing short of extraordinary. Your class is filled with compassionate, smart, energetic, ambitious people who dream big, and never forgo the smallest opportunity for kindness, innovation, or empathy. You have faced adversity throughout college and continue to do so, with more bravery and enthusiasm than ever. I am so proud to be apart of the same community as you. Congratulations!
Harlem (NYC), NY
Class of 2020!
Brittany Barker ’15
Olney, MD
Congratulations to all you graduates of the Class of 2020 - Time to get busy. The World needs hard working, open-minded, well-rounded mutli-faceted and silo-busting skillsets that you have been acquiring over the past few years at the Big Dick - the finest liberal arts educational experience you can get - and it will serve you well. Now is not the time to wallow in fear of the unknown. Now is the time to develop your skills while taming the unknown. Shape your future into one that we can all be proud. Oh - and try to have fun along the way. Peace and Love.
Carlisle, PA
To the Class of 2020, I am so proud of you and what you have accomplished. In talking to many of you recently, I have been blown away by your maturity in handling all of the sad things this pandemic has thrown at you. I know that you will go out into the world and take things in stride. I am so happy to be friends with so many of you and can’t wait to see the special things you will do in the future. Lots of love!! Congratulations on this huge accomplishment.
Rancho Mirage, CA
Congratulations! In 1965 I graduated from D-son and the next morning (Monday) married my husband, Bob Schambach in the chapel. I am almost 77 years old now, but I remember every minute. You won’t have to worry about tripping in your high heels and whether you can get reservations at the Jimmie Wilson, but you will have 4 years of memories to last you a lifetime! Enjoy your day (and your life!). Mary
Milltown, NJ
To the Dickinson Graduates of 2020:
Portland, ME
Congratulation Class of 2020! You are graduating from an outstanding organization. You now have the know how and the network at your fingertips to do anything. So do it. Go out and be exactly who you are and want to be! Don't let anyone stop you. I am proud of you and honored to be a fellow alum!
Philadelphia, PA
Congratulations, Class of 2020! Despite not being able to celebrate in a traditional way, this is still a huge accomplishment that you should be very proud of. Your passion, determination and grit will take you far!
Silver Spring, MD
Congratulations to all the Class of 2020! I know this is a challenging time for all of you, but you are among the brightest and most talented people in the country. I am sure you will do well and make Dickinson proud!
Litchfield, CT
May the unsettled circumstances in which you find yourselves foster in you new and unconventional ideas for what your future might hold. Onward, Class of 2020, you've earned it and you can do this!
Brooklyn, NY
Congratulations, Class of 2020! While the circumstances aren't the best, you should be absolutely proud of your hard work and dedication to finishing out your undergraduate career. It is definitely worth celebrating -- even virtually. Wishing you all the best in your endeavors!! #DsonProud
Homer City, PA
You might not graduate taking part in the tradition of descending the steps of Old West, but you will carry with you the education, the friends and all the experiences of Dickinson as you bid farewell to Carlisle and embark on the next stage of your life! Congratulations Class of 2020!