Chris Aring - Olin College

Olin College was one of the first colleges to close down at the start of the pandemic. In early March we held our “fauxmencement” where my classmates and I wore a mixture of real robes, robes crafted from trash bags, and origami hats to celebrate -- in as normal a fashion as we could -- our departure from Olin. It was not the graduation experience I was expecting but was somehow more ‘Olin’. I successfully completed my degree receiving a bachelor of science in electrical and computer engineering and headed home to the Vineyard for the summer along with two college friends. I am fortunate and privileged to call the Vineyard home as I was able to socially distance with friends, walk trails, and walk beaches safely. While continuing to live on the Vineyard working as a property manager, I have expanded my interest in music production and painting. My long time middle-school friend and I are working to create an album we hope to release soon. I wanted to thank my community, friends, family, and the generosity of MVYouth for supporting me through my undergraduate studies at Olin College. I gained many experiences that will continue to help me move forward in my life and career.