Alumni Council Year in Review
Photo by Dan Loh.
by Bruce Rychlik ’89, Alumni Council President
In June, my sister, Lauren Rychlik Brewer ’91, and I were on campus together for the first time since her graduation. She celebrated her 35th reunion, and I attended Alumni Council meetings and presented the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards to 10 accomplished and truly inspiring fellow Dickinsonians. I led an alumni bike ride to the top of Carlisle’s Kings Gap, a 2,500 acre state park, ate lunch at the Dickinson College Farm and tagged along on a fascinating college tour by Jim Gerencser ’93, associate dean for archives & special collections. I encourage you to attend a reunion to reunite with classmates and to experience Carlisle, our beautiful campus and an array of fun and interesting events.
The Alumni Council had a busy spring, beginning with regional admitted student events and our Student Leadership Weekend on campus in April, which coincided with Accepted Student Weekend. The Alumni Council is committed to engaging with and being present for prospective students and parents so they can hear from alumni, learn about our impressive network and see firsthand our support for our alma mater. Given the competition and challenges colleges face when attracting students, it’s important to promote the virtues of a Dickinson education and experience and to reinforce the profound difference it has made in our lives.
At graduation in May, Young Alumni Trustee Tony Trandafir ’24 and I greeted every student at the bottom of the steps of Old West after they received their diplomas. On behalf of all Dickinson alumni, we said, “Welcome to the alumni community,” and handed each of them a beautiful Dickinson keychain. Amidst reunion celebrations in June, the Alumni Council held its final meetings of the academic year, set new goals and reviewed our accomplishments, which I will recap below. Before doing so, I would like to thank our outgoing Alumni Council members for their commitment and contributions, including Kali Avans ’11, Danielle Goonan ’07, Jason Hammond ’04 and Eric Fennel ’92, and the three young alumni ambassadors, Shane Mundorf ’25, Sofia Perrone ’25 and Alexander Rojek ’25.
Alumni Engagement
Led by Cathy Bannigan ’89, this committee held the inaugural Rush to Engage Campaign in May, which challenged alumni to complete at least one of five simple but meaningful actions: registering for Alumni Weekend, signing up for a virtual or in-person event, sending a message to a senior, updating contact info or submitting a class note, or making a gift to the school. Over 1,100 alumni registered, and 10 teams competed for the most points. Winners received a discount at Dickinson Outfitters.
College Engagement
Led by Danielle Goonan ’07, this committee hosted a webinar featuring Sean Arnold ’07, Laura Xu Chen ’11 and Navneet Garodia ’07, titled “Securing Your Financial Future,” for alumni who have graduated within the last 10 years. The committee orchestrated the granting of five alumni scholarships for legacy students at Dickinson and led an information session for roughly two dozen alumni to generate interest in a new alumni career-coaching initiative. They also made career-oriented badges for attendees to wear at Alumni Weekend, which created additional networking opportunities.
Student Engagement
Led by Audrey Owens ’16, this committee organized useful and impactful mock interview sessions for approximately 100 students in November (virtual) and January (in person). This is an example of an initiative that the Alumni Council will repeat annually. In April, the committee organized an ice cream social with lawn games for first year students at the Paz Center. The Alumni Council strives to be an active and engaged part of the Dickinson College community, and we look forward to working with alumni, our college and students on initiatives that promote lifelong learning, career expansion, global education, networks and young alumni engagement.
Please send any comments, questions or requests to brucerychlik@mac.com.
Read more from the summer 2026 issue of Dickinson Magazine.
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Published September 8, 2026