Bryn Athyn College Alumni Magazine Spring/Summer 2016 | Page 2

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT W elcome to the second edition of the Bryn Athyn Alumni Magazine. We hope you enjoy this issue as we celebrate the class of 2016. Our faculty and staff delight in witnessing the transformation we see in students’ lives as they progress from incoming freshmen to graduating seniors. The students become deeper thinkers, gain perspective on what they have learned, and internalize the values that Bryn Athyn College promotes. Over graduation weekend, I heard from many appreciative parents about how fortunate their children are to have received a Bryn Athyn education. We feel equally blessed to walk the journey with our students and their families. Our entire College community shares in the sincere joy of wishing each graduate much success and happiness as they pursue their use in life. Spiritual life through New Church theology is one of the many levels upon which we connect with our students here. In the article “Spiritual Life Today,” Rev. Thane Glenn examines the work being done to bring spiritual thinking into students’ lives. Efforts at Bryn Athyn College to encourage students to consider spirituality and the value it brings to one’s life are ongoing and rewarding. Radiating—at least in part—from these efforts, there is a culture in the College that promotes caring for the neighbor and thinking about others. Visitors often remark on the environment of kindness that is tangible almost as soon as someone sets foot on campus. We are proud of this and are happy to say that it extends beyond the boundaries of our classrooms and into the athletic arena as well. The practice of putting charity into action is illustrated in this issue’s featured article on our athletic programs, highlighting the leadership of our athletic director, Matt Kennedy. The article is titled “Beyond the Win,” and it demonstrates how our coaching staff and athletes look to find what athletics should really teach us about teamwork, sportsmanship, community service, and caring for others. Also in this issue, you will learn more about how we would like to expand the uses of the College through programs that build on our heritage and traditions. Our growing building arts program, which is a natural complement to the Historic District, is one example. The beauty and power of the arts which went into building the Cathedral and Glencairn is taught through the College’s building arts courses in stained glass, iron work, and stone carving. These courses are gaining in popularity, and the article in this issue illustrates the signficant potential of the building arts program. We will keep you informed as new or expanded academic programs are developed; Bryn Athyn College is on the move! We always welcome you to visit us. Please contact our Alumni Relations Office at 267-502-6045 to arrange a tour and get a firsthand look at what’s happening. We would love to see you. BRIAN BLAIR PRESIDENT, BRYN ATHYN COLLEGE ALUMNI MAGAZINE managing editor & layout Serena Silverman Sutton   senior editor Angella Irwin (BA ’08)  contributing editor Sasha Silverman (AA ’99)  assistant editors Holly Adams (BA ‘14), Amanda Lichtenstein contributing writers Allen Bedford, Ph.D. (BA ‘89), Wendy Closterman, Ph.D. (BA ‘91), Rev. Thane Glenn, Ph.D. (AA ‘92), Greg Rose, Ph.D. (BA ‘83) contact us [email protected] | 267-502-6045 | Bryn Athyn College, Alumni Relations (#302), P.O. Box 717, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 2 | SPRING/SUMMER 2016