Dean’s Letter to the Class of 1986: Keep College Memories a Vital Part of Your Life

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Last updated on February 1, 2021

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W. Robert Jenkins, dean of Livingston College, wrote the following letter to the Class of 1986, included in the college yearbook, The Experience.

May, 1986

Dear Student:

Leaving college is a time of mixed emotions. You have a well-deserved sense of pride and satisfaction in achieving your goal of earning a baccalaureate degree. We of the faculty and administration share your pleasure, knowing that the education you have received at Livingston College assures you of a proper preparation for the next stage of your life whether a job or further study.

At the same time, you probably have a sense of loss, or sadness. You are leaving friends, associates, familiar faces and surroundings. You may even experience some trepidation at what you face in your next step. Do you remember leaving high school and beginning college when you weren’t sure that you were ready for such a change? Things worked out for you at Livingston College; you learned what was expected of you and how to meet those expectations. You’ll do well in your next endeavors too.

In leaving, however, you take with you memories which will never be lost. Memories of each other, of your classes and professors, of campus controversies, and of a sense of being a part of something big. The Class of 1986 will especially remember the closing of the Kilmer Library for asbestos removal and the difficulties which that closing caused; of the new Livingston College Student Center, its delayed opening, and the lack of completion of it many months after its promised delivery; of the moving of the School of Business to become our neighbors on Kilmer; and of the biggest Spring Weekend ever. These and other memories are special and should be kept alive. They represent your years at Rutgers University.

As an individual, you mean a great deal to both the College and the University. We want you to remain associated with your College by becoming a member of your alumni association. Through them, you can get together with old friends and relive your experiences and keep the memory of the Livingston College experience forever a vital part of your life.

I wish you well in your future and most sincerely hope that you will return to see us on occasion. Whatever else, we are now a part of one another. That sharing has been a pleasure for me; I hope it has been for you as well.

Sincerely yours,

W. Robert Jenkins

Dean

 


Revised December 1, 2015

 

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