Dear Marietta College Family:
Last night, Judy and I were enjoying a nice quiet dinner at the house when we started discussing how unbelievably wild and unpredictable life is right now. Our focus quickly pivoted to our Marietta College family and how everyone showed true Pioneer spirit during the second half of the spring semester.
As we begin finals week today, I want to take a moment to wish you the best of luck. Compared to what you are dealing with every day, I am confident that finals week will be a breeze. But do not forget to study hard, eat regularly and get plenty of rest.
I am proud to say that everyone worked hard during the spring semester, and you once again made a difference in the life of this great college. Our mutual successes are many. Thank you for the role you play at Marietta College and congratulations on completing another successful semester.
We are blessed that our students and employees have such passion for the College. As we look to the future, I want to take a moment to thank our faculty, staff, students and alumni for making sure we are thriving at a difficult time. I am proud of what we are accomplishing and the energy that I see and feel around our conversations and actions.
Thanks to all of you, Marietta remains one of the top liberal arts colleges in the region and the country — and we will continue to improve as we move into the future.
To the Class of 2020, I know you have missed out on many of the rites of passage that come during the final semester of your undergraduate years, but I promise you that this will only strengthen your bond with each other and your alma mater. I know the job market may be challenging right now, but I assure you it will turn around and you will adjust and prosper. Make sure you reach out to the Career Services Office on campus for assistance. And, I still promise that we will have an on-campus Commencement as soon as we can.
For the rest of our students, take some time to decompress and know that we are still here for you during the summer months. Of course, you may want to take one or more of the 40-plus online classes we are offering, and we hope to see all of you back on our beautiful campus in August.
REMEMBER, WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER AND PIONEERS ALWAYS RISE TO THE CHALLENGE.
Sincerely,
Bill Ruud