On April 24, 2026, at Geneva's Advancing Faith and Learning Campaign Celebration dinner, Elizabeth (Liz) Samuelsen ’26 addressed alumni and friends with the following speech:

Dr. Troup, Mrs. Troup, Mr. Wagner, staff, board of trustees, alumni and friends, it is an honor to speak to you tonight and to celebrate Geneva’s story, its great accomplishment and future, and also to share parts of my story here at Geneva as well. In just a couple weeks, I anticipate walking across the graduation stage and turning my tassel – as long as that seems fitting to Dr. Neikirk.

As I look ahead to graduation day, I’m amazed that four years have gone by so fast and by how much I’ve learned during this time. One of my first memories here as a student was sitting in Humanities 103 in Old Main. As we were introduced to the course, our professors posed us with the question “What is the good life?” “That’s kind of a funny thing to ask,” I thought. But through reading authors like C. S. Lewis and Wendell Berry and others, we asked each other this question throughout the semester as we examined themes of love, death, membership and resurrection.

What I didn’t realize was that during the next four years, my education, extracurriculars – even my friendships – would be exploring and explaining this question, too. That I would learn not only the tricks of the trade of my course of study academically and professionally, but that I would learn how to live the good life.

And here are some examples of my lessons.

First, the summer before coming to college, I was given the opportunity to play volleyball as a Golden Tornado. Through long days of preseason, I learned about relentless heart, about relying on teammates, and how to pick yourself up after falling down.

Later, when my knees had had enough of that falling down and said “No more volleyball” I was able to join the choir, where we spent hours singing God’s word. It is such a joy to be part of a group making melody in this way. We sang at many churches throughout tours out west in Colorado and Wyoming or in New England just this past March.

When my brother decided to try out for New Song (Geneva’s small singing ensemble), I said “Wait, maybe a Samuelsen can do this, too.” And I tried out for that as well. Together in New Song, we memorized dozens of songs of faith and were met by more measures of hospitality and warmth as we toured during the summer. And it has been a great blessing to have these songs engrained in my mind and to be able to share them with others.

As an RA my junior year, we kicked off our training in the woods with a backpacking trip where we learned to ask for help and how to trust your team. In our training, we learned how to show care and how to follow up with people in your dorm and around you, how to spot signs of depression and struggling, and the importance of not assuming that someone will say no to an invitation.

When my family moved oversees in the midst of our time here, my younger brother and I experienced hospitality and support from Geneva and from our church family. When I experienced a personal crisis, I was uplifted, sustained, and encouraged by friends and community members who cared deeply. I have classes every day with professors who minister to you when you are discouraged, who see your strengths and encourage you to go down that path, who are more than happy to wrestle with hard questions, and who know not only how to push you but how to show grace.

Looking back throughout all these experiences and more over these past four years, I realized that Geneva has answered this question of “What is the good life?” and here’s the answer: The good life is to love the LORD your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Whether playing volleyball with my teammates, singing in the Genevans, being helped by folks in the library or in the Center for Calling and Career, or being invited over to someone’s for dinner or lunch, or having conversations that would be remembered for years to come, the underlying theme underscored by this community was this call and the hope of God’s calling and promise for our lives. This is the message that was taught, and I am happy to say that this is the message that was received.

Thank you for supporting the work here at Geneva College, for making this environment possible for me, for my classmates, for the faculty and staff who work here, and for many to come. God has richly blessed us through this institution, and I am excited for the fruit of this campaign and what He has in store next. Thank you.