A Community Celebration
Photo by Carl Socolow '77.
Dickinsonians write notes of congratulations for every student admitted to class of 2020
by Lauren Davidson
“Welcome to the Dickinson family!”
“I hope you decide to call this wonderful place your home for the next four years.”
“From one Dickinsonian to the next—I wish you the best!”
How often do you get a handwritten note, especially from someone you’ve never met? Last week, students, faculty and staff personally signed postcards for students admitted to Dickinson’s class of 2020 during Celebrate & Congratulate, the college’s annual postcard-signing welcoming future Dickinsonians. As completed cards piled up, excitement for this new class was palpable.
Tables were positioned in the Holland Union Building, on Britton Plaza, outside the Kline Center Juice Box and in the library. And volunteers from admissions, marketing & communications, advancement and student development stopped passersby with a simple question: “Do you have a minute to sign a postcard?” The overwhelming answer was an emphatic, “Yes!” Participants enjoy writing the notes almost as much as the admitted students appreciate receiving them. And members of the classes of 2018 and 2019 who received these cards themselves remember the experience and, in many cases, still have theirs.
This year the event wrapped up in record time, with all 941 postcards for students admitted in the Regular Decision pool signed with a day to spare (and with nearly 1,600 cards signed in advance for students admitted during the Early Decision and Early Action pools).
“We are so grateful to everyone who supported this important and exciting initiative,” says Ruth Lopez, associate director of international admissions, who coordinated this year’s event along with Brian Atkins, director of international admissions, and Jesse McDonald, admissions associate. “We couldn’t have gotten it done without help from so many students, administrators, faculty and staff.”
The celebrations won’t stop there. Admitted students also will be hearing from alumni and faculty members via email, and there are events scheduled throughout March and April on campus and around the country, where Dickinsonians will continue to celebrate and congratulate members of the newest class.
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Published March 28, 2016