My dearest Humanities Scholars,

Thank you.

Thank you for making me feel welcome from the moment we met.

When I first came to Pacific, I was all alone. Like most college freshmen, I didn't know anyone in my year. I had never spent more than a week away from my parents, and I was moving to an entirely new city to live with an entirely new roommate. My friends from high school had scattered all over California, and I could only see my girlfriend from the other side of a computer screen.

Saying goodbye to my family on move-in day, facing that great void of loneliness that awaited, was the scariest thing I'd ever done.

And then I encountered all of you.

I didn't know what to expect when I walked into our first seminar together. All my life, I'd simply been the quiet kid in the corner of my classrooms, only speaking if spoken to. I'd clung to the friends I'd already made like a timid little koala, and relied on them to bring new people into our circle. I didn't know how to make friends in a strange place full of strange faces.

That didn't matter to any of you.

From day one, you accepted me without question. None of you were ever afraid to chat, or joke around, or share your brilliant ideas. The first thing I ever remember doing with you all was making up stories about the curiosities Dr. Lehmann brought for us in class.

As soon as we started talking about flying turtles, I knew I had found where I belonged.

In just three short years, all of you have claimed your own special pieces of my heart.

Some of you have already moved on to bigger and brighter horizons, flying to places like Oregon and New York and Boston to follow your dreams. Even though I didn't get to spend as much time with you folks as the ones in my year, I miss you all terribly. I'm proud to have known each and every one of you, and I'm even prouder to see where you've gone since you left Pacific behind. My life is better for having known you, and I can't wait to see where your passions take you from here.

For those of you who are still around, I honestly don't know what I'm going to do without you.

My entire college experience has revolved around all of you. Whenever I was in over my head with schoolwork, or needed a mini-vacation, or just wanted someone to nerd out with, you were there. Each of you is so unique and so incredible. There isn't a single fond memory I have of my time at Pacific that doesn't involve you. I'm a more curious, open-minded, creative person because of you. I'm comfortable with myself in ways I never was before college, and I have you all to thank for it.

You didn't have to accept me, but you did. You did it without even batting an eyelash. Your arms were always open in one giant group hug for me, and I can never thank you enough for it.

Of course, none of this would've ever been possible without Dr. Lehmann. Dr. L, I owe you the most gratitude of all, more than I could ever put into words. You saved me from exiling myself to community college because I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. Your sunny smile turned Pacific into my home from the moment I stepped onto campus. You took us all under your wing, and you became the second mother I could always count on whenever I felt lost.

You've poured so much love into our program, and I can only hope I've given you even a fraction of that love in return. Your belief in me and the work I've done has been one of the biggest things keeping me going all these years. If nothing else, I hope I've made you proud with how far I've come since we met.

You and all the scholars are the reason college has been so special for me. It breaks my heart knowing we'll have to say goodbye in just a few short days.

But I know it won't last forever. We're a family, after all. And even if we end up thousands of miles apart, know I will always be here for you as you were for me.

All my love,

Ashley