Alley Kammer, Alley-Cat, Spam, and now MallARD, April 23 ‘Wowee- Can you believe that we're fiere? I still remember so clearly having you come to my room on ‘Mac? as an incoming RAL for 30 minutes to fave an initial chat, I remember being so excited to get to Know jou, and Rowing that we would get along. You were sweet, but I sensed the potential sass in you. and I Ged it ‘Now here we are- a whole year has gone By! I felt a closeness to you from the Beginning and it has been such a privilege to spend this year getting to Row you. I've loved sending code messages across the room at post rounds, seeing you slap-appy when you haven't had enough sleep, Laughing at maddy's fuffiness, sending countless snapchats, sharing clothes with you, talking about things that you're learning, sitting 6y you in Public Health, going on shopping adventures, chapel-checking with you every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, celebrating Panera soup, and sharing so many other parts of life with you. ‘My friendship with you is exactly why I'm so excited that you are who I get to pass the torch to now. I fave seen such Beauty and depth in you, Alley, and I am confident that you will be such a gift in Res Life for another year. Res Life will benefit from your thouglitfulness as you help to plan and facilitate programming “Your staff will benefit in ways that they do not even realize as you faithfully invest in their administrative and relational needs. Senior Staff will benefit from your presence and responsibility as you plan things together and care for each other. Erika will benefit from your playfulness and sincere friendship. And most importantly, the Kingdom of God will Benefit from your devoted service to making Jesus’ name Reuown in your life and the fives of others. Your work will not be in vain, As I've already told you, though, ARD is a weird job. There will be a lot expected of you, mostly from ‘yourself: You will have the freedom to cater it to your gifts and personality, and that takes adjusting. As I pass this torch to you, I Row that you won't remember a lot of this fluffy stuff that I say. So I want to repeat a _ferw things to you, in hopes that they might stick with you Allley, you're going to be a great ARD. ‘When you move into an empty apartment that feels foreign, smells a little like urine, and find a binder with a jam-packed agenda and the anxiety starts fitting you, you're going to be a great ARD. ‘When you ave your fist Senior Staff meeting and it feels incomplete and you don't know what your role i, ‘you're going to be a great ARD. ‘When the staff shows up and you feel full of insecurity and wonder how you will ever connect with them lke j0u did with your first staff you're going to be a great ARD. ‘When Erika asks you to lead parts of training that you barely remember because you're pretty sure you fad entered an information coma when you went through it yourself you're going to Be a great ARD. ‘When you fail for the first time, you're still going to be a great ARO. ‘When youget those Beautiful giant stacks of papers from Erika, you're going to be a great ARD. ‘When you get your first On-Duty call and realize how much wnemerited responsibilty you've been given, you're ‘going to be a great ARD. ‘When the RAs ask you for advice, you're going to be a great ARD. ‘When the tasks pile up and you struggle to Galance priorities, you're going to be a great ARD.And Alley, our Lord will be with you. ‘When you feel super loneky ving by yourself and don't feel chosen or wanted, our Lord willbe witli you. ‘When you develop deep new friendships and navigate old ones, our Lord will be with you. ‘When you fave conflict, which you inevitably will, our Lord willbe with you ‘When you feel insecure and Bike everyone fas expectations for-you that you can’t meet, our Lord will 6 with jou, ‘When you share unexpected laughs with others, our Lord willbe with you ‘When things fel different and you're just not sure what to think about all of it, our Lord willbe with you. ‘When you sore through the messiness of life with Erika’'s hard, but good questions, our Lord willbe with you. ‘When you're walking around campus in the sunshine and breeze, our Lord willbe with you. ‘When you realize that you know so few people on campus anymore, our Lord will be with you. ‘When you're surprised by unexpected Blessings, our Lord will be with you And when you start thinking about life after Wheaton and pursue scary, new things, our Cord will Be with ou, Af you don’t remember anything ese, Alley, remember that you are going to be a great ARD, and that our Lord will 6e with you. I pray that you cam keep your year as an AGRD in perspective. It's a job full of responsibilities, growth, laughter, and joy, but it's onfya-year. And the reality is that in a year, you will write dour name on this frisbee and sit in this room to pass it to someone else woh isin this room right now, and ou wonder where the past year just went. Wheaton is ome, but it's aio a place of constant transition year after year. So be faithful to the opportunities that you have Been given. Lean into the unknown, and let next ear change and surprise you I fove you, and am thankful that I get to walkout of my apartment on May 13th with confidence that it -will bein good hands, Go get ‘em, Tiger Tan ARD Also attached: Frisbee, blue chair, bird feeder, squeaky cart (yay ARD relics!)