Dear Parents,
This has been an exciting spring term, even if we had to wait a while for the “spring” part to feel appropriate. Watching the men’s basketball team win the Patriot League Championship and head into the NCAA tournament gave the entire Lafayette family a welcome antidote to the winter blues. I know from talking to the players how much they appreciated the loyalty and support of their fellow students, many of whom travelled to Pittsburgh (not a traditional Spring Break destination!) to watch them play.
The pace of the spring term always seems a bit more frantic than the fall, as activities, performances, and plans of all kinds come to fruition. Here on College Hill, April will bring, among other things, the long-awaited production of Frankenstein 2029, a multi-day, multi-media, interdisciplinary production that involves some 80 students, faculty, and staff; the TEDxLafayetteCollege conference, “Roads Less Travelled”; Relay for Life; Joseph S. Nye presenting the Pastor Lecture in International Affairs; and a wide range of outdoor festivals, fundraisers, and celebrations.
These kinds of large, communal events and the special way they connect our community play a welcome role at this potentially stressful time of the year. As students work hard studying for exams, finishing honors theses, finalizing summer plans, or preparing for a future beyond graduation, I think it is helpful for them to take time to gather with friends, classmates, professors, and others to share common interests, and remind themselves of the value of this special community.
Best wishes to all for a happy spring and good end to the term.
Alison R. Byerly