2018
Ivan Dye
"Firstly, I wish to send my regrets for not being able to meet and thank you in person for the scholarship you have given me on the night of our end-of-the-year show. And secondly, I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for granting me this award in honor of your son, Joe. Though I didn't have the pleasure of knowing Joe personally, I have seen a picture in high fidelity of who he was through others around me. Joe's influence is still here in Alumni Hall, and I am confident it forever will be. Since the announcement of the scholarship, several faculty members have come up to me to offer congratulations and anecdotes about Joe's kind character and actions. What strikes me the most about these stories is the fact they are pleasantly simple. Joe did ordinary things extraordinarily well, and that is what made him extremely special. For example, the other day our shop director was telling me about how it was Joe's idea to include the tax in the price of model-building materials we sell. That way, both the shop staff and students would not get confused by the price versus if tax were added afterward. On the surface, it doesn't seem like much, but in reality, it was a brilliant idea that has made purchasing material easy for all students, myself included. All this to say, I am very honored to have received this scholarship, and I thank you for your generosity. I will continue to try my best to live out Joe's legacy, and I hope to see you at next year's spring show."
