Enjoy these profiles of and reflections by some of the members of the Goshen College Class of 2020, as we honor their many contributions and celebrate their achievements while they were students. This includes a series of class members sharing their thoughts and reflections as their final semester comes to an end in ways that no one ever expected. This also includes profiles of senior athletes who had not completed their final season when Covid-19 ground sporting events to a halt in mid-March.
"Jenae is a very strong long (long) distance athlete and was building up to run a half marathon this spring. Her quiet, humble way of working hard and encouraging others helped uplift her teammates."
"Juan was another athlete willing to do anything for his teammates," said head coach Rustin Nyce. "He fought with injuries and, instead of hanging his head, he used his passion in photography to create a visual map for all of his teammates to follow. When he was not injured, Juan put the same passion into his performances."
"Our team really appreciated Donnae, because she was willing to try anything," said head coach Rustin Nyce. "During her first year in track, she placed 4th in the shot put but also ran a leg of the 4x100 meter relay. That's the type of person and athlete that she is. She was willing to put her teammates first. Donnae performed well in the field, but was even more so a top-level teammate."
"Seth is an athlete," said head coach Rustin Nyce. "His strength is in middle distance, but he worked to build himself into a good all-around runner. He joined our team his junior year and we were glad to have him join. He threw himself into the training and showed a willingness to work. I am thankful that Seth joined and provided the leadership he did. Despite his lack of experience in distance running, Seth worked hard to lead our team and become a good runner."
Burkholder was a four-year runner for the Maple Leafs who saw action in 21 meets, but set three career-best times in a two-week span last season.
I find hope in knowing that this isn’t goodbye for the class of 2020. This is just the surface noise, and beautiful music is on its way.
"It seems redundant to highlight hard work and high character, but that is exactly what Vincent is," said head coach Rustin Nyce.
Goshen has taught me about resiliency - and when is it more applicable than now?
"Ryan found ways to run thousands of miles, write and publish books, and maintain academic excellence. Ryan built himself into one of the top marathon runners in the country by consistently working hard and doing things the right way. Ryan's joking behavior sometimes overshadows his success and hard work. His model of hard work and dedication to the sport and academics sets a great example for our underclassmen."
"Megan is a great example of how to balance a rigorous course load with athletics. Her optimism, hard work, and care for others will make her an outstanding nurse. She was always great to have around the track and always found ways to encourage her teammates and make others feel good about themselves."
