The Mountain buzzed with energy on January 15, 2026, as young alumni returned to campus for “What’s Up Next?”–a speaker series connecting students with familiar faces from just a few years past. Seven graduates from the past ten years spoke with our current students to reflect on the enduring connections shaped by a shared space.

Designed to bridge current students and recent alumni, “What’s Up Next?” fosters mentorship, conversation, and community across class years. The event highlights professional pathways, educational advancement, but also emphasizes the personal moments that shape alumni as they emerge from Storm King and into the world. The second installment of the series was organized in collaboration with the Alumni Council Outreach and Development Committee and emceed by committee co-lead Jordan Golding ’20. Participating alumni represented a wide range of fields, from fine arts and ministry to archaeology and neuroscience.

The evening began with a reception in the Smidt Conference Room, where alumni reconnected with faculty, former classmates, and campus spaces. Many took time to revisit old classrooms and celebrate new campus updates, including excitement surrounding the anticipated new Academic Center. Conversations about new possibilities, and timeless programs and places carried into dinner at Henderson Dining Hall, blending nostalgia with anticipation for what lies ahead.

To encourage meaningful engagement, alumni were paired with faculty members in related fields and seated alongside students who had expressed interest in similar areas of study. This format created space for focused, individual conversations and ensured that every junior and senior had the opportunity to create meaningful connections with alumni. Students and alumni then gathered in Ogden Hall for the panel discussion. Jordan Golding opened the evening by reflecting on how recently he had been in the students’ position, navigating the uncertainty of what comes next. He spoke to the unique tension of standing on the edge of adulthood, filled with both fear and possibility, and the enduring comfort he found in our shared community.

Alumni speakers shared personal stories of challenge and growth, highlighting how Storm King continued to shape their paths long after graduation. Asia Raacke ’19 spoke about finding clarity and confidence through her connection to Storm King, recalling how returning for a hike on Honey Hill inspired her law school personal statement. Seth Vieira ’22 shared how the community supported him through personal loss, affirming his faith and guiding his vocational calling, while Shayla Lawrence ’21 reflected on learning to trust uncertainty and see rejection as redirection. The evening concluded with small-group conversations where students and alumni engage in deeper conversation and exchange information for further connection. Juliana D. ’27 spoke excitedly with Sagan Novesky about Vassar’s campus and course catalog, while Milan R. ’27 sought out alums Sofia Bové and Asia Raacke to discuss their experiences working internationally in law and politics.

For a single evening, our young alumni become students of the mountain once again. Connecting with the next generation of alumni and the friends they once saw daily, our alumni welcome the opportunity to learn from one another, no matter the age, time, or distance. The event was a celebration of the threads that weave our student community together, connecting past, present, and future.

Thank you to all of our alumni who supported this event:

Lauren Ferrara ’97, Outreach and Development Committee Co-Lead

Jordan Golding ’20, Outreach and Development Committee Co-Lead, Lycoming College ’24

Asia Raacke ’19, Skidmore College ’23, Elisabeth Haus School of Law at Pace University ’27

Shayla Lawrence ’21, Howard University ’25, Columbia University Teacher’s College ’27

Rawnak Rahman ’21, School of Visual Arts ’25, Brooklyn College ’27

Seth Vieira ’22, Cornell University ’26, Duke Divinity School ’28

Sofia Bové ’22, Lehigh University ’26

Sagan Novesky ’25, Vassar College ’29