Roanoke College alumnus Robert Anderson Jr. ’42 bravely skippered a vessel that navigated a minefield to save fellow servicemen on D-Day — all with a very famous passenger on board.  

We got a little misty-eyed this month as we said goodbye to the Class of 2024, but stories from accomplished alumni like these five folks are a good reminder of why we must send Maroons out into the world (and sometimes, as you’ll see, they come back to us).  

As the college doubles down on its No. 1 strategic goal of fostering student success and well-being, a compassionate and generous group of donors have jumped in to accelerate a host of planned initiatives aimed at helping all students flourish, including a student success center integrated into Fintel Library.  

At the Society of 1842 luncheon on April 19, the college honored its 2024 Roanoke College Medal recipient, as well as two Emerging Alumni Award winners and the Maroons by Choice Award recipient.

April showers bring May flowers, and April's edition of Alumni News brings news from the classes of 2019, 2020, 1956 and 1957.

Ryan Hupp ’10 is assistant commonwealth’s attorney for Roanoke, Virginia. He’s also coaching Roanoke College’s new mock trial team. We featured Hupp in the Four Questions feature in the March 2024 issue of Roanoke College Magazine, but this is the extended cut! 

Carol Swain ’83 and Bryana Archer ’26 sat down for a wide-ranging Q&A about Swain's life and accomplishments during Swain's recent appearance on campus.

What Brooks Allison ’11 learned outside the classroom at Roanoke College may have had more impact on his future than what he learned inside. Now, he is a writer for “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” and he’s dreaming of even bigger adventures to come.  

Dessa Gypalo '07 rose from a business administration and history double major at Roanoke College to chief data officer for the state of Illinois.

An exciting exhibition, a well-deserved award and a big anniversary are the highlights of this month's Alumni News.