Dinner With an Administrator: The Kenyon Chronicles
Having dinner with your professor is something you come to expect at Kenyon. When I tell my friends at large SEC schools that I had dinner at my professor's house, they are shocked. This reaction is usually followed with, “You see your professors outside of class?!?” My mother is harder to impress, having had all of her kids go to liberal arts colleges. Last night I called to inform her that I had dinner with Kenyon’s new vice president of student affairs and her family. Her response was just as ecstatic as mine was.
I first met Meredith Bonham ’92 in December when I gave her a campus tour. I was informed of her appointment to this critical position in January and immediately was excited. Having alumni back on the Hill is always great, and Meredith’s energy and enthusiasm for Kenyon is easy to see. I met with Meredith again in March with a panel of other students to talk about Kenyon and where we all see the college. Her immediate outreach to students showed me that Meredith is truly invested in and excited about students’ lives and that she sincerely cares about students’ opinions.
I informed Meredith that I would be on campus this summer if she wanted to grab coffee or needed any help with the move. When I received an email from Meredith asking me for some help moving a few things and inviting me to dinner with her family, I was ecstatic. I gathered my rag-tag crew of Kenyon summer friends and headed over to Meredith’s beautiful home. After moving a few things around, we were able to meet all of Meredith’s family and were treated to a delicious dinner. Talking to the vice president’s husband, who worked in admissions at Hamilton, about Kenyon’s Office of Admissions and my work there was cool. Playing corn hole with the vice president’s son Charlie was cooler. If only I could say we won…
I am so excited to have such a great new presence here on campus. Meredith kindly inviting us over for dinner was an incredible experience, and talking with Meredith, who was also a history major, about my senior thesis was so much fun. She is an incredible addition to the senior administration here.
