Deuces Lyndon, It's Been Fun

Lyndon State College. A small liberal arts college located in the Northeast Kingdom with a population of just over 1,450 students. Filled with a mixture of professional programs and Liberal Arts, this gem of a school is a tremendous place to grow and reach your potential. 

Four years ago in August I arrived for my first day of freshman orientation. My parents dropped me off at Whitelaw, and college began. I was nervous and begged them not to leave me in the middle of the woods, and stated that maybe I had made a mistake. My dad grabbed my shoulder and said "John go out there and be who you want to be." And with that reassurance, I walked into Whitelaw 809 and started my freshman year.

There are so many memories from freshman year and so many people that I will never forget.  The Resident Life staff will always remember the dealings of Wheelock 410 and the incredible amount of shenanigans that the entire crew pulled. Believe it or not, once upon a time I too dealt out my fair share of shenanigans. There are so many students who, now thinking back, never made it past that first semester. Maybe it was the fact that they weren't ready for college, or simply that college wasn't ready for them. I know that the college wasn't ready for one thing, and that was the John Kleinhans cups that made their rounds in fall of 2008.

The years past by quick and there are too many memories to account for in just one editorial. Throughout my sophomore year, Andrew Chapin and Tim Cappalli taught me about professionalism and what it took to be a professional student leader. We climbed some serious mountains that year, and it completed the revival of the once extinct Student Government Association. I also soared to the top of Mount Elmore in a pair of Sperry's on the RA Retreat. I can tell you one thing, Ill never do that again.

Junior year by far was the toughest year of them all and truly changed me as a person. This was the year I was honored to serve as Student Body President, and within the first week of the Fall semester, I faced my first real life problem, what should the SGA do when the Faculty Assembly has voted to investigate the President and members of her administration. While using the skills that Lyndon taught me in terms of critical analysis and thinking, I went with what I felt was right. My term as SGA President was both criticized and celebrated, and at the end of the day regardless of what you thought, I was honored to serve in this role. I could never thank you enough for giving me that unique and incredible opportunity.

This past year gave me a real opportunity to experience public policy and the State of Vermont as the Student Trustee of the Vermont State Colleges. I was proud to lead over 400 students to the State House to stand for increased funding for the Vermont State Colleges. It was inspiring to see so many passionate students take time from their studies to protest for a worthy cause. At the end of this year, I am proud of everything we have accomplished. I want to give special thanks to my best friend and girlfriend, Meghan, who has stood with me everyday through the thick and thin.

Without all of you including faculty, staff, administration and peers, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be at this point in my life and with that, I want to thank the wonderful community of Lyndon State College. You are truly amazing and will have a place in my heart for as long as I live.