Hello, Ithaca College Alumni and Families,
I hope this letter finds you well. With my upcoming retirement from the Alumni Association Board of Directors, I write to say that it has been a great honor to lead the board for these past two years of my six-year tenure. During this time, I have made new friends, interviewed candidates who are now part of the administration, and attended many Ithaca College events—too many to name! The
AABD is a great organization. I want to encourage you to consider doing the same. Perhaps you are interested but unsure of what AABD membership requires. If so, please visit alumni.ithaca.edu to learn more and participate. As my time on the board comes to a close, I am reminded that change is the one constant we can f
ully depend on. But in experiencing it, we can ask ourselves: What can I do as an individual to make a difference? How can I encourage others to work together to improve a situation? Who can I influence to promote a better way for everyone?
I saw this in practice after Hurricane Helene caused widespread damage to many areas, including the part of North Carolina where my husband and I live. The difficulties we faced, though not nearly as intense as many others, brought our neighborhood together. Each night we would gather for a grilled meal, sharing what we had with those who were in need and recounting stories of how we got through the day. When the roads were open again, we helped others in the area by distributing donated goods at the local schools and churches and listening to others as they shared their pain. The ability to help each other is the best part of a civilized society. We understand that each of us can never be as strong as all of us together.
Sometimes change is positive, and while we may celebrate such change, it can still feel bittersweet. Examples of this include the changes we see in our own beautiful Ithaca College campus. Each time I visit, I am delighted with the updates and modernizations. Yet my memories of walking down the steps in the Terrace Dining Hall to a table full of sorority sisters endures, as well as trips with friends every Sunday morning to the basement of Dillingham to write intros for popular songs to be read during the Top 20 Countdown for VIC Radio (which needed to be something new each time, no matter how often Talking Heads and REM songs made the list!).
Do you remember that feeling of the early spring sun on your face when you sat on top of Textor Hall? Let’s never forget that feeling of warmth and joy we experienced then as we continue to do now.
I hope to see you at the upcoming Alumni Weekend, June 20–22. We can feel the warmth again on top of Textor Hall while the sun reflects off Cayuga Lake. Let’s all be part of the change for better.
With gratitude,
Sarah Richards ’89 (H&S) President, Ithaca College Alumni Association Board of Directors