Lynn Royer '83

 

"I feel my education at Gettysburg prepared me well for life," said Lynne Royer '83, who majored in sociology. "As the years have gone by, I've come to appreciate even more what a special place Gettysburg is."

Royer has worked for 10 years in finance on Wall Street and earned an MBA, and is now a portfolio manager of fixed income with Loomis Sayles & Company. "In college, I pursued what excited me, not what I thought I ‘should' do," she said. "I learned how to think critically, to question, to acquire what I needed. You have your whole life to educate yourself. I think that strategy pays off well. If you love what you do, you can't help but excel, eventually.

"Gettysburg College is a place where students feel connected. There are so many ways to get involved and make a difference. I think that sets us apart as Gettysburgians. We also enjoyed close relationships with our professors." Royer recalled Prof. Wade Hook as a fond mentor. "He inspired me and helped me connect to the material," she said.

The Senior Scholar Seminar was another great experience for Royer. "About a dozen of us from different majors spent our senior year in an open-ended study of post-industrial society," she said. "We gained the ability to view a subject through multiple multidisciplinary lenses in higher-level strategic discussions. There are so many meaningful experiences and enduring friendships that stayed with me and I appreciate them more and more with the passage of time."

Royer was surprised to learn that she has been making annual gifts to the Gettysburg Fund since graduation. "It's just something I do every year," she said. "While there are many nonprofit organizations I like to support, there isn't another that I have given to uninterrupted for 27 years!"

Asked what she wants her gifts to accomplish for the College, Royer points to quality and access. "I want to ensure that Gettysburg is well situated to maintain high academic standards, to compete with the best schools in terms of facilities, and to continue to offer scholarships for those who can't afford the full cost.

"I believe in giving back. I feel privileged to have a job I love and I am thankful for that. And there's another thing. Giving begets a greater sense of community and involvement. The more you give, the more you care and the more you want to get involved. It's a virtuous cycle!"

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Click one of the images below to go to individual stories, or view the Gettysburg Stories gallery.

Luke Cuculis '12	Lynn Royer '83	Laura McIntyre '11	Comegno Family

Judy Vandever '62	Brian Kelly '10	Adam Ortiz '10	Caitlin Hoy '11
Jack Bostrom '11	Professor Fee and Students	The Smith Herman Family	Devon Grote '11