The William E. Greenip ‘44 Award seeks to recognize those Delts who through their outstanding contributions to Lafayette College were nominated for the George Wharton Pepper Prize. This prize is awarded to the senior “who most nearly represents the Lafayette ideal,” and it was established in 1923 by George Wharton Pepper ’22, a United States Senator from Pennsylvania, an attorney, and a founding member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. In total three Delts have been nominated for the award throughout our history:
DEXTER KENNEDY ‘26
I’ve seen a significant culture shift, in my four years at Lafayette, from accessibility being considered a “theoretical good,” to inclusion now being acknowledged as a priority. As a highly-visible wheelchair user, I worked with students, accessibility services, facilities, the chief of finance, chief of staff, and President Hurd to advocate for greater accessibility initiatives, including functional door openers, ramps on buildings, wheelchair accessible paths, accessible signs/descriptions, and updating the college’s disability policies. I’ve even made an impact on Easton, with a few local establishments having added ramps to accommodate me. In less visible situations, I’ve seen minds and attitudes change during intimate conversations that focused on persevering through grief, oppressive systems, and difficult interpersonal dynamics. Many others have shared that I’ve shown them how to find joy in grim circumstances, understand people through a lens of empathy rather than sympathy, and identify and support others when they exhibit small signals indicating more severe stressors.
I sustained my spinal cord injury just after graduating high school and had to defer for a year to recover. My activities were greatly limited that year, doctors and Medicaid advised against trying to attend Lafayette, and there were certainly times I became disillusioned. But once I managed to get here, I vowed to appreciate Lafayette to the fullest, believing the school shared my priorities of building connection through community and expanding one’s knowledge through global education and diverse activities. I’m now the first student at Lafayette and the School for International Training to study abroad as a wheelchair user.
Many people assume that disabled people and wheelchair users live passive lives, but through my diverse interests, activities, and projects I’ve challenged these expectations and proved that severely disabled can and should be an important and productive part of Lafayette’s student body.
More about Dexter Kennedy '26 at this link
Tyler Osipower ‘24
“I was familiar with Lafayette from a young age. When I was younger, my parents (Bob and Kristin Osipower ’00) used to bring us to visit campus. I came to share their passion for the College, especially over the course of my four years. This is my home, just as it was theirs. While I’ve always had that tie to Lafayette, I was able to make the College my own. I had an entirely different experience from the rest of my family. One that sticks out was Homecoming Week during my sophomore year. I remember going to the game with my friends and spending time with the alumni. It was the first time I really felt a sense of community at Lafayette.” –Tyler Osipower ’24 (mechanical engineering, minor in government and law)
Adam Rosen ‘18
The “Lafayette Ideal” to me would be someone whose impact transcends their time on the Hill. I came to Lafayette hoping to make a difference. Pursuing a well-rounded curriculum and being able to maintain a 4.0 GPA, I have tried to not only engage in Lafayette’s community but also be a leader. As Treasurer of Delta Tau Delta, I played a major role in re-establishing this fraternity on campus. I was elected President of the Investment Club, which has been featured on CNN Money and CNBC for its renowned success. Extracurricular involvement has also provided me with a platform to give back. I have engaged with the Landis Center through Make A Difference Day and Holiday Helpers due to my involvements with DTD and the Investment Club. As a result of the Investment Club’s success, we used gains to host an event that resulted in an $1800 donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. However, I feel that my greatest outreach and impacts have been directed toward the future of Lafayette. As a Gateway Ambassador, I have operated as a liaison to Career Services by lecturing to current and potential Pards about their career searches. Furthermore, I have assisted with mock interviews and reviewing resumes, leveraging what I have learned to help others get ahead. Moreover, I have spoken to parents of both underclassmen and high school students, endorsing Lafayette’s unparalleled efforts to help us find opportunities and succeed in the competitive job search. The expression is that “leopards never change their spots.” My mission is that we as Leopards will never lose our spots. My hope is for my fellow alum to see Lafayette’s lasting impact on our success, encouraging us to give back and help further Lafayette in its mission.
Bryan Sherrill ‘18
There is an ancient Chinese proverb that says feeding a man a fish lets him eat for a day while teaching him to fish will let him eat for a lifetime. Through my time at Lafayette, I have learned to fish not only so I could feed myself, but so others can learn to fish as well. From the moment I stepped onto campus, I have been surrounded by supportive faculty and peers who have taught me the value of empowering others. By working with peoples and organizations all around the world, from Kentucky to Guatemala, I have had the opportunity to not only realize what I have learned during my time on campus but also to forge strong relationships with others who are also working to make the world a more just place. I have come to believe that the Lafayette ideal is embodied in the student who not only sees inequity and discrimination but who collaborates with other members of the community to champion a collective will to combat these issues. By formulating plans with students across campus to promote projects such as climate change awareness and food donation initiatives in Easton, my goal has been to provide opportunities to enrich both the Lafayette community and the students who comprise it. In addition to furthering my work and education in the field of sustainable development in the US and abroad, I will take all that I have learned at Lafayette and strive to empower others to become change agents in their own right. It is through my dedication to community building, academic success, and international development that I have tried to embody the Lafayette ideal, an effort I hope will leave a lasting legacy of social change and civic engagement that will continue long after I am gone.