Inspirational Giving

From left: Kathryn Dennett '06, Kent and Trish Swanson, Lauren Senkyr '07, Lindsay Rogers '07. Amber Wiesenfeld '07 was participating in the College's overseas study program.

Kent Swanson Jr. loved to ski fresh slopes at first light. He loved to guide hikers through the Sierra Nevadas while revealing the secret lives of plants. He loved the art and science of ceramics--working clay, experimenting with glazes, and consigning his pieces to the whims of fire. Celebrating Christmas with his parents in 1996, he talked of going to medical school. The following month, while training for avalanche rescues, he died in a helicopter crash.

Kent, class of 1995, continues to inspire others. Through commemorative scholarships in biology and ceramic arts that his parents established in 1997, Swanson scholars such as Kathryn Dennett, Lindsay Rogers, Lauren Senkyr, and Amber Wiesenfeld pursue graduate-level experiences as undergraduates; study ceramics, photography, and other arts; undertake daunting research projects; immerse themselves in cultures overseas; perform community service; and embrace outdoor adventures including backpacking, snorkeling, and skiing.

Like Kent, these young citizen-scholars dare to bring their own passion to life, dare to explore life's untracked backcountry.