Geppert Dedication Ceremony video
HAVERFORD, Pa. –At a large gathering of family, friends, alumni, and supporters, Haverford College and its athletic department dedicated the Geoff Geppert '15 Memorial Staircase on Saturday, April 27, prior to the annual Alumni Game vs. Swarthmore. Men's lacrosse later played the Garnet on Swan Field to conclude the 2019 regular season.
Director of Athletics Wendy Smith '87 delivered a welcome address and Geoff's parents, Mary Lisa and Eric Geppert, opened the ceremony with introductory comments. Those who knew Geoff remembered him as a scholar, leader, athlete, and friend. Speaking to each of those qualities throughout the ceremony were economics professor Neal Grabell '77, teammates Dillon Hamill '12, Andrew Fenaroli '15, Isaac Krier '18, Patrick Girard '18, along with assistant coach Bill Northcutt.
A Haverford College student-athlete and team captain for the men's lacrosse team, Geppert was a native of Cleveland Heights, Ohio who passed away unexpectedly in the fall of 2017.
"Geoff was one of those people you liked the moment you met him. He was an unselfish young man who exemplified everything we always look for in a Black Squirrel," said former men's lacrosse coach Colin Bathory '99 at the time of Geppert's passing. "His love for the game, his teammates, and friends could always be seen in the profound impact he had on those around him and how he inspired others both on and off the field. He will always be remembered for his outstanding character, compassion, intelligence, and determination."
Excelling as a student-athlete, Geppert was named to the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll on multiple occasions while also being selected as an All-Centennial Conference midfielder during his senior season as he led the Fords in every major offensive statistic. Geppert's senior year also saw his Class of 2015 teammates lead the recent resurgence of the men's lacrosse program. In addition to being elected a team captain during his senior season, he was part of the program's leadership council as an underclassman and a team representative for the program's many community service projects.
"Geoff was a great student, and he also stands out in our memory as having accomplished so much outside the classroom. He was interested and involved in everything—athletics, finance, politics, travel, etc.," said Associate Professor and Chair of Economics David Owens. "Nonetheless, he never seemed overwhelmed, and was always pleasant, respectful, and engaging. Too many college students, their institution is the whole world. Geoff was the opposite. He seemed uniquely prepared, both intellectually and emotionally, for the world beyond Haverford."
During his time at Haverford, Geppert was also active in the Bi-Co Finance Club, College Republicans, and Fords Invest Club. A budding entrepreneur, he began to trade foreign currency as an undergraduate student and carried that passion into his professional life by developing WavesAudio, an iOS app, along with an app for news and information related to trading Bitcoins.
An avid traveler, Geppert spent the fall semester of his junior year at both the London School of Economics and Danish Institute for Study Abroad where his expertise in economics helped lead a team of student traders to victory in the Nordic Trading Competition. During the final year of his life, he surfed in Malibu, snorkeled in Australia, sailed in Cancun, and sunbathed in Thailand. He had previously toured Europe with family and friends.