Dear Alumni and Friends,
Spring has finally sprung as the school year has come to a close on campus. I had the pleasure of joining nearly 5,000 people at commencement this past Saturday. The celebration honored more than 1,300 graduates, and I was honored to be there along with their family and friends, as well as numerous Shenandoah faculty and staff members. What a sight it was to see everyone under the roof of the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center! The atmosphere was electric and the weather of course perfect for the first-ever indoor commencement. Seeing the graduates celebrate and walk across stage to receive their diplomas brought back such fond memories of my time at Shenandoah.
This past April has been a busy one on campus as everyone geared up for the end of the school year. Day of Giving was an amazing success, as we surpassed our goal of 250 donors and ended up with more than 300 donors, 150 of which were alumni. Thank you, thank you to all those who participated. I had a blast going live on Facebook for the first time ever and hanging with Buzzy at the kick-off cookout on campus. I want to sincerely thank each and everyone of you who made a gift during Day of Giving, making this the most successful Day of Giving yet!
As summer is quickly approaching, I know we will all be busy with vacations, but I wanted to remind everyone of the upcoming events the Alumni Association has put together with Swarm the Park. The first event will be held at Hersheypark on Saturday, June 30; followed by Six Flags Over Georgia on Saturday, July 21; Luna Park, Coney Island in New York City on Sunday, July 29; and finally, Kings Dominion on Saturday, Aug. 4. What a fun way to catch up with some of your fellow Hornets! Check out https://www.su.edu/alumni/alumni-events/swarm-the-park/ to register and for more information.
Ashley Smith Warren ’07
President, Shenandoah University Alumni Association