We want to be among the first to say a huge congratulations to our graduating class of 2019, soon to be the class of 2023!
You all have worked extremely hard and are excited (and probably a bit nervous) about the opportunities ahead. We know how challenging it can be to navigate the seemingly unending admissions process, where students with impeccable credentials are routinely rejected or waitlisted by elite colleges. It’s not because they aren’t qualified to attend; rather, with limited space and the desire to create a well-rounded class, potential students have to match a very specific “bucket” and even demonstrate “the appropriate level of interest” in order to be admitted. This year’s admission scandal highlighted that for the kids who followed all the rules, the playing field isn’t always level or fair.
We are always impressed—but never surprised—at the remarkable colleges Adventure Treks students will soon be attending. We also want to celebrate and thank those who have chosen to enter the military and serve our country. We feel privileged and grateful to have been a topic of many of your college essays. We believe admissions officers are very sympathetic to well-described Adventure Treks experiences because it reflects on your excellent character, passion, community-minded nature, and resilience!
I would expect that despite your success, you have almost certainly faced some rejection through the process. I hope you have not taken it personally; rather, I imagine you used your resilience to keep everything in perspective. If you are not attending your first-choice school, please understand that you will thrive at any great school. As Frank Brunei says, “Where you go is not who you will be!” You already have the drive, creativity, and communication and collaboration skills necessary to succeed in life. Moving forward, it will be all about what you do to college, rather than what college does to you! Your challenge will be to take full advantage of the myriad opportunities available.
More than reputation, we noticed that you have chosen schools that are a good fit for your personalities, abilities, and interests. We’d like to emphasize again that what you will take away from your college experience has little to do with the prestige or rank of a given university, and everything to do with the mindset and attitude with which you approach your collegiate career. Success in college is about the effort poured into the experience, your desire to fuel your passions, the relationships formed with new friends and faculty, and your ability to thrive in new and sometimes ambiguous situations.
At a time when only 58 percent of students at four-year colleges graduate within six years and with more than a doubling over the past 10 years of freshmen who need psychological counseling during their first year, we’re proud that the graduation rate of Adventure Treks students exceeds 98 percent! Your previous success in community-minded outdoor challenges have provided a toolset that will help you embrace the challenges ahead.
2019 graduates: If we missed you below, please tell us where you are heading so we can add you to this list and put you in touch with other Adventure Treks students already at your new school!
Congratulations again from Dmac, Amanda, and the whole AT team.
- Magdalena Arias, Williams College
- Matthew Bishop, Georgia Institute of Technology
- Cece Bowe, Colby College
- Jacob Brenner, Tufts University
- Jameson Brooksher, Georgia Southern University
- Haley Covington, Elon University
- Hannah Culler, Clemson University
- Andrew DeFerrari, University of Southern California
- Lee DiLena, Indiana University
- Keenan Fiorillo, The University of Scranton
- Jillian Fuss, University of Washington
- Sarah Garelick, Washington University in St. Louis
- Izzy Heart, University of California, Santa Cruz
- Zell Hoole, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Pace Hurst, Eastern Carolina University
- Michael Ikon, Team Academy – International School for Entrepreneurship (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
- Sophie Inkster, Dartmouth College
- Avery Johnston, Fordham University
- Jack Kelly, Colorado College
- Sydney Leifermann, University of Florida
- Brendan Li, York College
- Owen Louis, Cornell University College of Engineering
- Hope Matthews, United States Military Academy West Point
- Abby McConnell, University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Alberts Scholars honors program)
- Bella McDonald, New York University Shanghai
- Megan McGivern, University of Florida
- Chelsea Merten, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Josh Pontell, Pennsylvania State University (Schreyer Honors College)
- Sam Pope, U.S. Navy, Charleston, S.C.
- Charlie Quill, Colgate University
- Aidan Reisman, Boston College
- Will Riechers, Villanova University
- Jacob Rogow, University of Vermont (the Honors College)
- Bennett Rosen, University of Colorado Boulder
- Gracelyn Ross, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Wyatt Ross, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Chase Sanders, U.S. Army, Fort Jackson, S.C.
- Jillian Schwartz, Rice University
- Mason Sklar, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Cole Smith, Muhlenberg College (RJ Fellows honors community)
- Liz Speiser, Tufts University
- Emma Stout, Tufts University
- Jessie Sullivan, Massachusetts School of Art and Design
- Emily Tagaris, Northeastern University
- Nina Welp, San Diego City College
- Ryan Wolff, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
- Stefan Woolley, University of Colorado Boulder (Arts and Sciences Honors Program)