When four Guilford students set out for the Phi Alpha Theta regional history meeting at Coastal Carolina University, they did more than represent the college—they embodied its mission. With purpose, grace, and intellectual curiosity, they left an impression that reached far beyond the academic sessions they presented.
Thanks to the warm hospitality of Stephen Harrison ’03, these students — Will, K, Alejandro, and Caroline — were able to attend the conference, learn from peers, and experience Guilford’s values in action. Stephen opened his home to them, not just offering a place to stay but creating an atmosphere of welcome and connection that exemplifies the best of the Guilford spirit.
“These students… I’m endlessly glad,” Stephen writes in his reflection shared with Gwen Gosney Erickson, Quaker Archivist and Special Collections Librarian. “They will have a home anywhere and anywhen I do.”
His words carry the warmth of a proud alum and the hope of someone who sees the light of Guilford continuing to shine — in the thoughtful questions Alejandro poses, in Caroline’s gift for perspective and care, in K’s clarity of self, and Will’s bold, open-hearted energy.
One moment from the trip captures it all: Alejandro receives an Award of Excellence, recognizing not only his academic insight but the lived wisdom and quiet strength behind it. The group also found time to reflect by the beach, collecting sand in their shoes and stories they’ll carry forward.
Stephen’s letter is more than a thank-you. It’s a love letter to the Guilford that shaped him — and a testament to what Guilford continues to be: a place where students are known, valued, and prepared to make a difference.
“Guilford is a special place,” he writes. “It’s students will make the difference in our world.”
Experiences like this trip — powered by a caring network of faculty, alumni, and friends — show how far Guilford’s light reaches. It’s a community effort. And it’s working.