Three Cheers

From Kenyon News - April 24, 2017

For most Kenyon students, being recognized once at the College’s annual Honors Day ceremony is impressive. But Sam Clougher ’17 is used to going above and beyond. At this year’s ceremony, Clougher, an economics and history double major from Dublin, Ireland, was called up to the stage three times.

Two of Clougher’s awards, an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and the Jess Willard Falkenstein Award, honored the Lords soccer captain’s record as an outstanding student-athlete. The E. Malcolm Anderson Cup, considered the College’s highest student honor, dubbed Clougher as the student “who has done the most for Kenyon during the academic year.”

“Honestly, I’m still overwhelmed,” Clougher said. “In my eyes, there are many more deserving students. But I am so grateful, too.” He framed his significant on-campus involvement as a way to express his appreciation for his four years at Kenyon. “Whether it be professors, coaches, administrators or students, this campus makes me a better person, and I can never repay that.”

Before presenting him with the Anderson Cup, Vice President for Student Affairs Meredith Harper Bonham ’92 cited Clougher for his service as senior class president, a senior fellow in the Office of Admissions and a member of the Alumni Leaders of Tomorrow program. Clougher also assisted in the creation of Students’ Corner, a discussion-based training program for athletes regarding Title IX issues. “Although this year was intended as a trial run for the program, the idea has already spread, with a Greeks’ Corner set to arrive shortly,” Bonham said.

On the soccer field, Clougher cemented himself as one of the all-time great goalkeepers in College history. He was part of a senior class that posted a combined four-year record of 73-12-6 and won three North Coast Athletic Conference tournament titles, as well as two regular-season conference titles. The teams he played with advanced to the NCAA Division III tournament all four years, and the 2015 and 2016 teams advanced all the way to the tournament’s quarterfinal round.

Clougher plans to pursue graduate studies in the fall of 2018, and hopes to spend the intervening year either continuing to play soccer in Europe or staying in the U.S. to work. For now, he is looking forward to welcoming his family, including his grandmother, to Kenyon from Ireland for Commencement. “Kenyon has been such a big part of my life that I want them to see it,” he said. “My granny means more to me than I can even articulate and I want her to know how happy I am here.”