The Class of 2019 Joined Alumni for the Annual Senior Premiere Dinner
By Matt Mandel '19
Members of the Class of 2019 joined 70 Kenyon alumni on Feb. 23 for the College’s annual Senior Premiere Dinner. This event gives soon-to-be-graduates an opportunity to network with mentors who have returned to campus eager to welcome seniors into the alumni community and to help with their next career steps.
Created by Kenyon’s Alumni Council and hosted by the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement, the annual dinner features a reception for mingling, followed by a formal dinner and a keynote alumni speaker.
“Everyone showed up really early and they all left really late,” Associate Director of Young Alumni Engagement Tristan Neviska ’13 said. “I think 50 percent of the student attendees were still there when I left an hour after dinner because they were making great connections.”
This year’s speaker was Director of Kenyon’s Green Initiatives David Heithaus ’99. “He was very relatable because his journey is one of initially figuring out what he was going to do based on a previous internship and a desire for adventure; then some years later falling into something he really loved back at Kenyon,” Neviska said.
A week before the dinner, seniors attended Premiere Prep, where members of the Career Development Office and Alumni and Parent Engagement team reviewed tips for networking, including how to research a guest list and follow up with someone after meeting them for the first time and even fundamentals like how to shake hands properly and introduce yourself. This prep session helps make sure that seniors feel comfortable going into the event, and that they’re ready to get the most out of it.
The Senior Premiere Dinner is more than a great meal and an opportunity to meet some of Kenyon’s most dedicated alumni. It's also a big part of senior year. It creates a bridge between college life and life after graduation. Seniors not only make connections in their field of interest but can also meet people who live and work in places they would like to move to after Kenyon.
“It’s the friendliest room you’ll ever walk into because everyone there wants to help you and if they don’t have anything to offer you, they probably know people who can,” Neviska said.
Neviska explained that this dinner is a hallmark experience, “It’s one of those senior year events like Soirée and Fandango.” He also shared why it’s so popular. “I know a lot of students have already been to a networking event but if you haven’t, this is a great primer. Everyone there is really positive and they know that it’s a learning experience. It’s a great intro to the alumni body because you’ll be a student for four years but you’ll be an alum for the rest of your life.”
The Class of 2020 can look forward to their Senior Premiere Dinner in September. If you’re a current Kenyon junior, look out for invitations to this important event when you return next semester.
“I do a lot of young alumni events on the road and people who have graduated since I’ve worked here will talk about the Premiere Dinner; and so many of them have made connections that led to careers that they’re in now,” Neviska said.