Kaitlyn Reasoner ’16, Mary Robert Garrett, and Teri Thesing head out for a final run.

For me, last week’s graduation festivities kicked off with an invitation from Mary Robert Garrett, associate professor of chemistry and original member of the Berea College President’s Run Club (BCPRC), to join her and Kaitlyn Reasoner ’16 for a final outing. The BCPRC was formed in 2012 as a way to promote community and healthy activity, and Mary Robert and Kaitlyn have participated with the group that typically meets each Tuesday and Thursday for a run (or walk) along the Beebe-White trail.

Mary Robert’s invitation brought into sharp focus for me the fact that graduation would be a little different this year. I’ve had the privilege to attend many graduation ceremonies over the years, and each contains a mixture of excitement and loss.  Excitement for the accomplishments of the graduates and their future plans, but tinged with the sadness of all those departures from our community.

Helping new students move in to their dorms. Photo taken on August 18, 2012.

So, what makes this year different than the first three?  Simply put, Laurie and I began our own Berea story with this class of students. They were the first that we welcomed to campus, the first to join us for a run or a walk, and the ones with whom we learned the ins and outs of Berea. Together we have seen the campus change with the renovation of several residence halls and the addition of Deep Green, shared Berea traditions, like Mountain Day, and created traditions of our own, like the Green Games and the new up-tempo version of “Berea, Berea, Beloved.”

While we have shared and learned much with these students, our paths are now diverging. For the recent graduates, the new path leads outwards on a journey to new communities, new places of work or study, and to whatever comes next for them.  I am certain that Berea has prepared them to branch out and take full advantage of all the opportunities that are before them.

Laurie and I will be staying, of course, continuing the process of growing deep roots here. In a few months, we will have the pleasure of welcoming the class of 2020 to campus.  Though the class of 2020 won’t share the campus with the class of 2016, that class gets credit for a lot of what we have learned about Berea, and so the class of 2020 and future classes are actually in their debt.  From the class of 2016 we learned that every Berea student is a story of ambition, resilience, and accomplishment; we learned of their passionate interests in art, music, athletics, student government, debate, and much more; we learned last November through our Unity Rally how much they care for one another; we learned to ascend the Pinnacles to celebrate sunrise with them on Mountain Day; and, of course, we learned that college students can develop an interest in exercise and fitness, even running or walking in the early morning.

One community all the 2016 graduate have joined is the community of Berea College alumni, and this is something in which I want to encourage all our graduates to participate. As you branch out, share your stories through the Berea College Magazine, connect with the college on social media, and, when time permits, let your own path circle back to campus for Homecoming, Summer Reunion, or anytime the opportunity arises. That’s how you will join us in staying rooted in Berea.

Faithfully yours,

Lyle

P.S.  The feelings of one staying rooted as graduates branch out were rather beautifully captured by my favorite 19th century poet, John Greenleaf Whitter in his lovely poem, “At School Close,”  written about the time of Berea’s first commencement!