FULL CIRCLE. Dylan Rivera ’95 (center) came back to Reed for Commencement as an alumni trustee. Here he's talking with Peggy Noto ’75, secretary of the board of trustees (left), and Prof. Wally Englert (right), who retired as a professor of classics and humanities this year.
FULL CIRCLE. Dylan Rivera ’95 (center) came back to Reed for Commencement as an alumni trustee. Here he's talking with Peggy Noto ’75, secretary of the board of trustees (left), and Prof. Wally Englert (right), who retired as a professor of classics and humanities this year.
Community

Why I Give

Because Reed took a chance on a geeky kid from Texas.

By Dylan Rivera ’95 | June 15, 2018

I give back to Reed because Reed changed my life. Reed encouraged me to pursue academic excellence and follow my passions.

In high school, I felt like part of a small, isolated segment of students who were genuinely interested in our classes. At Reed, everyone studied hard and talked about schoolwork in the dorms. No one was shy or embarrassed to love a class, a book, or an idea. Spend Saturday night in the library? You bet!

The student culture and small size made it easy to follow my passions. I worked on the Quest, chasing stories and writing articles that would later help me start a career in journalism. I lived in the Spanish House for two years, exploring my native Mexican American language and culture. I helped establish the Gray Fund Committee, paving a new way for students, faculty and staff to socialize and learn together.

I support the Annual Fund because it’s the best way for an ordinary alumnus like me to help the next generation of Reedies. And I give every year, so the college can count on my support as it grows our base of alumni donors. Big gift? Small gift? They all count!

The Annual Fund supports students today that are a lot like I was back in the early nineties. It supports acquisition of library books, like the ones I relied on to write my senior thesis. It pays for the financial aid that made my education possible. It supports the Center for Life Beyond Reed, which provides career services for students at a level that alumni have been requesting for generations.

Please join me in donating to the Annual Fund by June 30! We need 439 more Reedies like you to reach our goal of 4,400 alumni donors.

Dylan Rivera majored in political science, wrote his thesis with Prof. Peter Steinberger, was a reporter with the Oregonian, and is now the spokesman for the Portland Bureau of Transportation. He is also an alumni trustee.

Tags: Alumni, Giving Back to Reed, Institutional