Ithaca College

 It is with mixed emotions that I share the news of the retirement of Holly R. Tavelli ’73, associate director of Admission. Holly has been an integral member of the Ithaca College community and has worked closely with thousands of prospective students and families and built ongoing relationships with hundreds of alumni. Holly has been a member of the Ithaca College community since arriving as a student in 1969.

There are many distinctions throughout her impressive career – however, none more trailblazing than being the first first-year student hired to be a President’s Host under then president Howard Dillingham. Holly began her professional career in the Office of Admission as an admission counselor in July of 1973. Her focus on the student and unwavering commitment to the College has been invaluable to our team and to the broader Ithaca community. US college enrollment has steadily increased from 4.1 million to 20.5 million between 1960 and 2016. In that time, college admission requirements have become more stringent and the selection process more technologically based for efficiency and to support the dramatic increase in applications. In the fall of 1973 5,045 students applied to IC as compared to the 14,625 that were received this year. Holly has been a part of the transformation of the admission profession and helped direct many changes in our initiatives at the college. She successfully lead our work in engaging alumni, supervising our admission application process, and working closely with students interested in the performing arts.

Holly will be greatly missed by our community and we should celebrate her career and her example of hard work and dedication. She is simply irreplaceable. Despite the loss we will feel, I am very excited that Holly will now have more time for her family, reading for pleasure, and time to relax at the lake.

I know you all join me in thanking Holly for all of her contributions to the college and wishing her well as she begins this new chapter this July.