The closing of the academic year has always been bittersweet for me, especially now as my time in Richmond comes to an end. I may look back fondly and gratefully at how I have grown, but as the events calendar reminds me, as I move on to my graduate studies at Rutgers, life at the University of Richmond continues. The classrooms where I had so many “aha!” moments remain; each semester, there are always students walking between classes from 10:15 to 10:30 a.m., and the faculty find themselves in charge of yet another search committee.
We tend to celebrate this longevity of place when former students are welcomed back with great fanfare through reunion weekends and homecoming games. Isn’t it wonderful, the alumni association says, that the campus where we made so many memories is still here? However, as I reflect on my experiences as both a student and a staff member, I can’t help but feel as though this story is misguided. My memories of the University of Richmond have far less to do with the place than with the people–the dining hall staff who welcomed me every morning, the instructors who patiently guided me through difficult problems, and the countless others whom I encountered every day.