Elizabethtown College Senior Send-Offs

Thatcher Baney ’26

Biology (Pre-Med) Major

I am a huge fan of spring. I get to listen to the birds, monitor the flowers, instigate the squirrels, watch the wind ever so slightly brushing up against the limbs of every tree. Everything on this campus here has a purpose, including every single one of you. This is such a busy season of life, so little do we ever really get to stop and appreciate the finer things, like this ecosystem, or the years we have been able to spend on this campus. I am from the distant city of Erie, but when I was a much younger man than I am today, my Mother would bring me to Elizabethtown, her alma mater, in the spring. Then, when my mother was a child, so too did her mother, my grandmother, bring her to Elizabethtown, a family tradition, if you will. On these visits, the campus may have been changing, the people, the professors, but not this ecosystem. The natives like the PawPaw, Asimina triloba, every year that tree flowers with one of the region's most delectable fruits. The Eastern Hemlock, Tsuga canadensis, over the hills in the Dell, Acer rubrum, the Red Maple…I could do this all day. Then the London Plane, Platanus x hispanica or acerifolia, it’s a hybrid city tree from, you’d never guess it, London. The Norway spruce, Picea abies, a tree native to the European Alps. All of these trees serve a purpose. They add to this campus ecosystem. Their roots are strong. Regardless of their origin. Today, many of you are the native trees, many of you are not, and tomorrow… who knows. Though it is this biodiversity that makes this community all the stronger. While we’re on this spring theme, we could not have found a better symbol for this institution than that of the Blue Jay. They are part of the Corvidae family, and I won't blame you for not knowing that, but that particular family happens to be one of the most intelligent across all of the known animal kingdoms. They have an exceptional memory, they have one of the most complex communication systems, and finally, they are one of nature's greatest problem solvers. In biology, and in life, adaptability is the name of the game, and boy, do Blue Jays, both ones in flight and in front of me now, know how to dominate that challenge. Though it can’t all be ecology. As we appreciate this spring season, both literally and metaphorically, for this stage in all of your lives. Now, we disembark from our campus ecosystem, migrating to new ones, ready to fill all of our unique niches, that’s just a fancy biology word for a role, by the way. So I remind you all, as we leave here, be proud of where you come from and remain as strong and unique as the trees that surround the Dell. Look around you at the peers who have grown up with you over these past few years, the professors and staff who have guided this transformation, or metamorphosis, if you will, in all of you. You are all Blue Jays, ready to leave the nest. Complex, protective, intelligent, critical-thinking, problem-solving, adaptable Blue Jays. So, as you take flight and leave this place of learning, remember those solemn lessons from nature.

Parker Blevins ’26

Chemistry Laboratory Science Major

Each year, I set up a wall of photos above my bed, a tradition that has become one of my favorite parts of moving in. What started as a small heart-shaped collage filled with pictures of my family, childhood friends, and pets during my freshman year has now become a full wall of photos, filled with people I am unsure what I would do without - many of those people being those whom I have met while at Etown. Each photo is a reminder of a memory that I will hold close to my heart as I walk across the Commencement stage. One of my favorite photos and memories featured on this wall is a photo of my roommate, Elizabeth, and me standing in the hallway of our sophomore residence hall, Royer. In the picture, we are holding a birthday cake for my 20th birthday, inspired by the movie Mamma Mia. A few months prior, I had sent her a video of this same cake with a text reading, “ If you get me a cake like this for my birthday, I would love you forever.”  By the time my birthday came around, I had completely forgotten about that message. But when Elizabeth walked through the door with this three-layered cake, I couldn’t contain my excitement and gratitude. She had saved the video from the day I sent it all those months ago —planning all along to make it happen. I had not felt more loved and valued until that moment. While to some it might have just been a cake with a silly quote featured on the top, with extremely sweet icing, to me it represented a time where a friend thought of me, and that made me feel like the most special person. I had been truly seen and remembered. And to this day, Elizabeth has not stopped making me feel valued and important within her life - and I have Etown to thank for that. This College has such a special way of bringing people together, whether it is someone you call your best friends - to a familiar face seen around campus. Elizabethtown College is its people. I have never met a group of people as supportive as those we share our campus with today. Each person brings a uniqueness and speciality to this campus - changing it for the better each day. As we continue throughout our lives, we can look back to the lessons we learned here, knowing we are better because of them.   When interviewing for grad school, I was asked to reflect on my college journey and the support system that has helped me get there. When pondering my answer, I was quick to mention my friends and family, mentioning the unwavering support they have shown me. But after a few seconds, I also began to reflect on the support system I have given myself. Throughout my college journey, I have become a large support system for myself and have gotten myself through each moment. This same statement can be said for every member of the Class of 2026. No matter how these past few years have been for you, you have persevered, you have gotten through that hard class, you studied and prepared for each exam or presentation, and because of every moment of hardship, you are here today. And while each member of our support system has helped us throughout our time in college, we each owe it to ourselves to dedicate this degree to ourselves, because we have gotten ourselves here to this moment. So as you celebrate, remember that you did this for you - you are graduating with each lesson learned and hardship conquered. For me, one of my hardest lessons I learned while in college was being able to do things for myself. I don’t mean this in the sense of doing my own laundry or making my bed this morning. But learning that everything you work for and strive for should be something that you want and will bring you fulfillment. I learned this while figuring out what I wanted to do after graduation - when trying to see myself in a career or finding my next steps - I found it to be completely different from what I originally wanted. Throughout my time here, I always envisioned myself working in a research lab, helping progress science - possibly in the field of medical research. But as I continued to consider what my life would look like, it did not feel like myself anymore. I was working toward something that I did not want, or not exactly. Since then, I have decided to go a different route - I will now be attending an accelerated nursing program back home in Maryland. I am choosing this and following a path that, although it scares me, will be for myself because I chose it. Changing your mind and rerouting can be scary - but that’s also what makes it so exciting. Being scared just means you care, and when you have that opportunity, you deserve to go for it and give it your all because who knows where it will take you. Life has a funny way of testing our limits - throwing challenges at us that we have no clue how we will persevere through - but standing here today proves that you can, and you will! Through each challenge, you become the strongest version of yourself, and that is something that you deserve to be proud of. Congratulations, Class of 2026!

Erina Fortune ’26

Political Science Major, Biology & Philosophy Minors

Class of 2026, we made it! That still feels a little surreal to say. For years, graduation has existed somewhere in the distance, like a finish line you could see but never quite reach. And yet here we are. The time finally came, and we did it. But if I’m being honest, graduating doesn’t just feel exciting... it also feels a little scary. Because for the first time in a long time, many of us are stepping into the unknown. A lot of us have spent the last few years at this institution, and the schedules that structured our lives, the places that felt familiar, the people we saw every day, the friends that we shared an apartment with - they’re all about to change. And when everything starts to feel uncertain, fear shows up. Fear of making the wrong decision. Fear of falling behind. Fear of not being good enough, or not knowing what you’re doing. That doesn’t just go away after graduation. If anything, it probably just gets louder. But I want to say something important: fear will always exist. But it doesn’t have to define us. For most of our lives, I think many of us are told to avoid mistakes. To not take unnecessary risks. To follow the plan that seems most certain, or the path that you’ve spent the most time on. But the truth is, some of the most meaningful moments in life come from doing things that are uncertain. From saying yes when you’re not completely ready. From trying something even when there’s a chance you might fail. From going to something you secretly didn’t want to attend. Because when you look back years from now, the regrets that stay with you usually aren’t the things you tried and didn’t succeed at. They’re the things you never tried at all. The conversation you didn’t start. The opportunity you didn’t take. The place you never went. The dream you quietly talked yourself out of because it felt too risky. Regret has a funny way of working like that. It grows in the spaces where fear made our decisions for us. But here’s the good news: this milestone is a reminder that we are capable of far more than we sometimes believe. Every single person in this graduating class has faced challenges over the past few years; moments when things didn’t go according to plan, when the future felt uncertain, when quitting might have seemed easier. And yet, here we are. Which means we’ve already proven something important: we can move forward even when we don’t have everything figured out. And that might be the most valuable lesson we take with us. Because life after graduation won’t come with a clear syllabus. There won’t always be a right answer waiting in the back of the textbook. Sometimes we’ll make the wrong decision. Sometimes things won’t work out the way we hoped. But that’s just part of the process of building a life! So as we leave this place and step into whatever comes next - jobs, graduate school, new cities, new opportunities - I hope we remember one simple idea: Don’t let fear decide your story. Apply for the position you’re not sure you’ll get. Speak up for what you believe in. Introduce yourself to someone new. Take the chance that feels a little uncomfortable. Because the most interesting lives - the ones filled with growth, meaning, and unexpected opportunity - aren’t built by avoiding risk all the time. They’re built by people who are willing to try. Years from now, we won’t remember every assignment, every exam, or every late night spent studying. But we will remember the choices that shaped who we became. And the best choices - the ones that lead to the most meaningful stories - often begin with the words: “What if I just did it?” So to the Class of 2026, as we begin the next chapter of our lives, I hope we carry that mindset with us. Not fearlessness, because fear will always be there. But courage. The courage to try. The courage to grow. And the courage to live lives defined not by what scared us, but by what we were brave enough to pursue anyway. I know that I personally would rather regret doing something than regret never trying something at all. So congratulations, Class of 2026! There's a world out there calling my name, and it’s calling yours, too.

Maddy Fratis ’26

Communications - Public Relations Major

Class of 2026, as our time together on this campus, that we have made our home, comes to an end, I’m sure we have all been grappling with the endless questions of “what comes next?” To me, this feels very similar to the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” This question may suggest we are done learning, done growing, leaving today as a finished product. However, I would argue that we are always works in progress. So, after four years, one major, two minors, 142 credits, and a number of JayBucks that I am too embarrassed to admit, I still don't have an answer to that question. Thanks to what I have learned at Etown, I can answer questions that I feel are much more important: "Who do you want to be when you grow up?" "How do you want to show up in the world?" My Etown experience has been marked with a few key lessons that taught me who I want to be and how I want to show up in the world through learning to lead, building passion for service, and finding power in resilience. Etown has given us the platforms and opportunities to lead through action. Class of 2026, we have been club presidents and team captains, community leaders and staff members, teaching assistants and tutors. Our campus community thrives, not because of those titles, but because we step up to the challenge, even when we weren’t sure we were ready, to invest in something bigger than ourselves. We are leaders. Etown has infused each of us with a passion for service. As a Stamps Scholar, awarded for my early dedication to community service, this College value was part of the reason I chose Etown. Service has found itself in every corner of my Etown experience: as a Peer Mentor, Fitness Instructor, and Student Assistant at the Center for Community and Civic Engagement. I’ve seen the power of my peers coming together to support a cause. Class of 2026, we are changemakers and community builders. The world we’re entering is calling on young people to be the change we wish to see, one act of service at a time, and we cannot sit on the sidelines. And finally, while these past few years have been filled with loving memories and forever friendships, I would be lying if I told you this whole bachelor's degree thing was a walk in the park. Each of us has had to carry something heavy, hard, and challenging at some point over the last four years. If you resonate with that, please know that you are never alone, but that you are resilient. So, Class of 2026, we arrived as 18-year-olds unsure of who we were and where our journey at Etown would take us. Now, we start a brand new chapter as scientists, educators, advocates, creators, and changemakers - grounded not just in what we’ve learned, but in who we’ve become. When the path ahead feels unclear, or the mountain feels too tall to climb, may we have enough faith to trust the leaders, changemakers, and resilient individuals that we have become. Fellow Blue Jays, I am eternally grateful for the past four years walking alongside each of you. I am more than confident we are prepared to soar into this next chapter, not because of what you will be, but because of who you already are. Blue Jays, Always.

Laney Humble ’26

Computer Science and a Graphic Design Major

Time is a strange thing. When we’re living it, it can feel slow — especially on those packed days filled with classes, deadlines, responsibilities, and, on top of that, clubs, work, and extracurriculars. Some days felt like they stretched on forever, like no matter how much we did, there was always more waiting for us. But somehow, when we look back, it all feels like it happened in the blink of an eye. Four years ago, I arrived at Elizabethtown College unsure of who I would become. We all came with plans, expectations, and a healthy amount of fear of the unknown — I personally came in with a color-coded Excel spreadsheet mapping out exactly what I thought I’d accomplish and when. Spoiler alert: life at Etown did not go by that spreadsheet. Instead, it had its own plan — one that challenged, surprised, and ultimately changed me. Along the way, this place became more than just where I went to class. It became where I grew. Where I struggled. Where I figured things out — and where I started over. It became a place where we found community: in classrooms, in club meetings, in those late nights at the Jay's Nest, and in the small, everyday moments that didn’t feel significant at the time but mean everything now. I used to dread Mondays and Wednesdays because they were my busiest days — sprinting from class to work to extracurriculars. At the time, they felt exhausting, like I was constantly trying to keep up so that I didn’t miss anything. But looking back, I don’t regret a single one of them. Those were the days that shaped me the most. They taught me resilience, time management, and how to keep going even when things felt overwhelming. And somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, I found Melica. When I first joined, I thought it would just be another activity — something fun to do to give me a break from being in front of a computer all day. But Melica became so much more than that. It became a home within a home. A place where I could breathe, laugh, and be surrounded by people who lifted me up on the days I didn’t even realize I needed it. Some of my favorite memories came from rehearsals that ran too long, inside jokes that made no sense to anyone outside the group, and the moments when our harmonies finally locked in and we all felt it at the same time. And of course, there was that one song — the one that reminded us that “wings were made to fly.” At the time, it was just a line we sang over and over again. But it sticks with me, especially now. Because that’s what this whole experience has been about: learning that we are capable of more than we once believed. That we can take on more than we thought we could. And that sometimes the things we’re most afraid of are the things that help us grow the most. The person who arrived here four years ago is not the same person today — and that journey wasn’t always easy. But it is something worth celebrating. All of us are now stronger, more capable, more self-aware, and more prepared for the world ahead than we were when we first stepped onto this campus. Time may have flown by, but it didn’t pass us by. It changed us. It shaped us. It challenged us. And it prepared us for whatever comes next. So as we move forward from Etown, I hope we carry with us not just the memories, but the lessons, the people, and the moments that made us who we are.

Skylar Mumford ’26

Finance Major, Marketing and Family Business & Entrepreneurship Minor

I think many of us have spent a lot of time wondering if we’re doing enough, being enough, or becoming enough.   And yet, here we are.   We made it through the 8 a.m. classes we swore we’d never sign up for again, the fear of if campus was going to smell like chocolate or manure that day, the group projects that tested our patience more than our intelligence, and the nights that sleep felt like a luxury and caffeine became a personality trait. Some of us built resumes. Some of us built relationships. And some of us built a very strong ability to do an entire week’s worth of work in one night.   We’ve officially navigated uncertainty, pressure, and moments where the path forward felt anything but clear.   But we’re graduating, and that means something.   College is often described as a time where you “find yourself.” But if I’m being honest, I don’t think it’s that simple. I think it’s more like you build yourself. Piece by piece. Through every risk you took, every failure you didn’t expect, and every opportunity you said yes to, even when it scared you.   For me, some of the most meaningful moments didn’t come from having everything figured out. They came from stepping into things I wasn’t fully ready for, starting something new, putting myself out there, and taking chances that could have easily gone the other way. And I know I’m not alone in that.   This class is full of people who didn’t just follow a path - they created one. People who took their passions and turned them into something real. People who balanced academics, work, leadership, friendships, and somehow still found time to scroll for hours on their phones.   But what matters is we’re growing.   And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from everyone, it’s that growth doesn’t come from comfort. It comes from movement. From choosing to keep going, even when you’re unsure where you’ll end up. We’ve all had moments where we felt lost. Moments where we questioned if we were on the right path. But maybe the point isn’t to always know, but rather to trust you’re capable of figuring it out along the way.   Because the truth is, there is no perfect plan waiting for us after graduation. There is no single definition of success we have to follow. And honestly, that’s terrifying, but it's also what makes this moment so powerful.   We get to decide.   We get to define what success looks like in our own lives. We get to take everything we’ve learned, not just in the classroom, but in conversations, experiences, and challenges, and use it to shape what comes next.     And yes, that comes with risk. It comes with uncertainty. But if college has taught us anything, it’s that we’re capable of more than we give ourselves credit for. We’ve already done things we once thought were impossible.   So, as we leave this chapter behind, we can’t focus on having everything figured out. We need to focus on staying curious. On willing to take chances. On building lives that feel meaningful to us, not just impressive to others.   Go after the idea. Take the journey. Begin the work. And don’t be afraid to fail because failing means you’re actually trying.   But most importantly, don’t forget who you are becoming. Because that’s the part that doesn’t end after you graduate.   We came here as individuals, unsure of what the future would hold. And we leave as something more, people who have learned to grow, connect, and keep moving forward.   This chapter closes, yes, but it has prepared us for the next. So, to the Class of 2026, thank you for the memories, the laughter, the late nights, and the moments that have shaped us in ways we don’t fully understand yet.   We may leave this place, but we won’t leave what it taught us. To lead, to serve, and to keep showing up. Because although we will miss it here, we will always be Blue Jays.   And I think this class is something worth celebrating. Congratulations, Class of 2026. Let’s go build something incredible.

Elsa Woodarek ’26

Public Health and Political Science Major, Philosophy Minor

I invite you all to reflect on those first couple of times you learned about Elizabethtown College. Feel free to close your eyes and really remember back. Maybe for some of you, you grew up in the area, you had parents or family members who had attended Elizabethtown, or Etown was your dream college, and you knew you were going to come here. Or maybe some of you have had a long interwoven journey with Etown, like some of our School of Graduate and Professional Studies students who have worked here for years and are now reaching their goal of earning an advanced degree. Or maybe, you were like me, and you came to visit on a whim. Think about those first moments of being on campus. What do you remember? Feel free to close your eyes again. You might have had a friendly tour guide leading you around, or perhaps passed a kind student or professor who smiled and welcomed you to the College, or maybe you were even lucky enough to experience Willy’s warmth when walking through the dining hall. When I think about my first visit to Etown, all I remember is that I could not stop smiling. Now, almost four years later from my first visit to Etown, and here I am, still smiling. I hear this sentiment repeated over and over, whether it’s my peers, prospective students, alumni, staff, or faculty. There’s just something special about this place! This spring semester, I had the pleasure of co-leading an honors reading seminar course with my fellow Class of 2026 Blue Jay, Maddy Fratis. We led a group of underclassmen through readings and discussions, learning about what makes communities strong. Even though Maddy and I were leading the course, we learned a lot, too! The most important thing I learned through this course is that there isn’t a perfect policy or specific way to lead that makes communities strong. It’s the people in these communities and their desire to care for each other that make them strong. Let me tell you, after guiding that class, I can confidently say that we (Etown College) have a pretty darn strong community. Focusing on what makes our community strong, our people, I want to highlight some of the amazing accomplishments of the Class of 2026.

• Over 80 of our graduates have completed a study abroad experience in over 23 countries.
• We have eight international students from seven different countries graduating.
• One third of our graduates are the first members of their families to graduate with a college degree.
• There are 20 friendly tour guides graduating.
• We have 105 NCAA Division III student-athletes, some of whom have gone on to win regional and national titles!
• There are occupational therapists graduating with their bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate’s that are equipped to use their knowledge to make a difference in their patients’ lives.
• We have students graduating with their master's from the Counseling Psychology and Physician Assistant programs, ready to meet the pressing healthcare needs of our communities. And we have students graduating who are heading into those master’s programs.
• There are students graduating today that are on the path to be licensed social workers, helping people in some of their most vulnerable moments. There are students becoming engineers that will meet the needs our society will face.
• Some students have been here for four years, some transferred in, some are graduating early, some stayed for longer, and some even work here full time.
• A few of our 2026 grads have trained puppies to become service dogs, some of us have worked with immigrant families through partnerships with local organizations, and some have packaged meals that were sent around the world supporting those in need.
• Some of our 2026 graduates are headed to law school, medical school, master’s programs, and Ph.D. programs. Graduates are headed to lead in classrooms, hospitals, banks, office buildings, labs, firms, clinics, government buildings, and think tanks, equipped with the skills Etown has taught us, to use what we have learned for good.

While I may not have mentioned each and every one of us, what I can confidently say is that for each of us graduating, the journey to get here was not easy. Getting to this moment took perseverance, resilience, and strength. It took personal sacrifice, and sacrifice and planning from our families. We would not be here without the support from our families, chosen or biological, and the support from Etown staff and faculty. This is a big deal and it deserves to be celebrated! 2026 is a unique time. We are facing pressing issues - the Earth is getting warmer, there are global conflicts, and some of our most vulnerable populations are being threatened. Each of us today is graduating with a degree from an institution whose values are rooted in peace, non-violence, human dignity, and social justice. An institution whose guiding motto and mission is Educate for Service, with the idea that learning is most noble when used to benefit others. I believe that each one of us has a responsibility to show up and care for each other, care for our communities, care for our planet. I believe Etown has equipped the Class of 2026 with the skills to serve boldly, to show up for our neighbors, and to be agents of strength when we face pressing challenges. A few years ago, one of my friends taught me a tool for journaling before bed. The idea is that you list out things that you are grateful for and things that you are looking forward to. Using this prompt has helped me to ground myself through multiple semesters here, and during the time that I was abroad or away from campus. I believe there’s no better time to use this grounding tool. I am deeply grateful to be a part of Elizabethtown College, and I am looking forward to what the Class of 2026 will do to benefit others.