An Open Letter to my Graduating Friends

To the members of the class of 2016 that I hold near and dear to my heart, this blog is dedicated to you. In less than two weeks you will be graduating from The College of Saint Rose and going on to amazing things. For some of you, that means graduate school, for others it means employment, and for a lot of you, it might not be clear yet what the next step on your journey is; but know for a fact that I will support you through it every step of the way.

I have spent my last three years at Saint Rose with all of you by my side at one point or another, and I could not be more grateful. In some magical way each of you have made an impact on me that I will never forget. My college experience would not be what it is without having you as friends, and it is bittersweet that our time together as students has come to an end.

For one of you, we have known each other since my first year. You have seen me at my best and at my worst. You have been with me to celebrate every accomplishment I have achieved at Saint Rose, and supported me through every rough patch the last three years might have brought. For others, we met because of positions we held, and leaders we were becoming. Stepping into a leadership position, you don’t imagine that your staff will become a second family, but in some weird twist of fate, they always do. But for every single one of you, my life is better because you were a part of it.

As all of you walk across the stage on May 14th, I will be clapping especially loud for each and every one of you. It will not be the same without you here, and I will eventually accept the fact that we will no longer be eating lunch in the dining hall, going to staff meetings, causing shenanigans on the quad, or going on spontaneous trips to Kurver. I am going to miss all of you in your own special way. I love you all, and congratulations on this amazing accomplishment. Best of luck on the next steps of your journey, and no matter what, you’re always welcome back [home].