Echoes Summer 2023

Baldwin’s 135th Commencement ceremony was held on June 8 in Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church.

REUNION WEEKEND

Baldwin’s Classes of Gold returned to campus the first weekend in May to celebrate Reunion. See photos and event highlights.

Editor: Lisa A. Algeo

Design: Veronica A. Utz

Photo Credits: Abby Anthony, Jay Gorodetzer Photography, Ivory Tree Portraits, Melissa Kelly, Molly Schlachter and Shira Yudkofff

All photographs are identified left to right unless otherwise noted.

We welcome letters regarding the contents of the magazine and/or issues pertaining to the school. Letters must be signed. The editor retains the right to edit at her discretion.

Please send correspondence to: Lisa A. Algeo, Editor, Echoes The Baldwin School 701 Montgomery Ave. Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 lalgeo@baldwinschool.org

For general alumnae requests or information, please contact the Office of Advancement and Alumnae Engagement: Laura Armstrong, Chief Development Officer laura.armstrong@baldwinschool.org or (610) 525-2700 x286

Echoes

REUNION

UPFRONT

Iam honored to be serving as your ninth Head of School and thrilled to be leading this phenomenal and historical institution.

During my time on the Baldwin campus over the past few months, I have had the pleasure of meeting and engaging with a wide variety of constituencies including students, faculty, staff, parents, alumnae and other friends of the School. As a life-long learner, I appreciate many of you taking the time to share with me your stories and lived experiences as members of the Baldwin community, as well as the programs and timehonored traditions that make Baldwin so special. I have greatly enjoyed hearing thoughtful and articulate stories of the past and present, as well as inspirational hopes and dreams for the future.

When people ask me what I have enjoyed the most about my time at Baldwin thus far, my thoughts first turn to the girls. They are the best and brightest around and the reason we continue to do this good work together. Their radiant smiles, bubbly laughter and cheerful spirits fill our halls. I have heard them participate in thoughtful discussions with their peers and seen them bring innovative and thoughtprovoking ideas into their work both in and out of the classroom. The joy they bring to this school community is palpable.

And, we know that these young women would not be who they are today without the knowledge, expertise, care and love bestowed on them by our talented Baldwin faculty and staff. This amazing group of individuals has been, and always will be, the heart of this great institution. Whether athlete, mathlete, thespian or humanitarian, Baldwin girls are encouraged by their teachers to explore their passions and reach for their potential. It is because of them that our girls grow into brilliant, confident and talented women who are making a difference in this world.

As we work together in the coming months to think inspirationally and dream big about the future of Baldwin, while continuing our longstanding tradition of nurturing students’ passion for intellectual rigor in academics, creativity in the arts and competition in athletics, I am hopeful that each of you will join us on this journey. It promises to be one full of continued excellence, community building and joy. The future of Baldwin is bright.

Lynne Macziewski Head of School

Facebook - @Lynne Macziewski (mrsmacbaldwin) Instagram - @mrs.mac.baldwin Twitter - @MrsMacBaldwin

ALUMNAE ATTEND REGIONAL EVENTS

This spring, Baldwin hosted a number of events for alumnae to reconnect with each other.

Auction Provides Top Gun

Farewell to Dr. Porges

Baldwin’s community came together at this year’s auction and dinner to celebrate 8th Head of School Dr. Marisa Porges ’96 and her many years of leadership. In addition to bidding on auction items, dinner and dancing, guests enjoyed a surprise Cameo video from a Tom Cruise lookalike. They also raised their paddles to benefit the Baldwin Archives Fund in honor of Dr. Porges.

Guest Speakers at Baldwin

On April 12, Baldwin’s Middle and Upper School students heard from Cara Wilson-Granat in a special assembly to remember the Holocaust. Ms. WilsonGranat, a professional author and inspirational speaker, chronicles her extraordinary 20-year friendship with Otto Frank, father of Anne Frank (The Diary of Anne Frank) in her book Tree of Hope — Anne Frank’s Father Shares his Wisdom with an American Teen and the World.

On April 17, students heard from Baldwin parents, Dr. Greg Heuer (P ’27) and Dr. Jesse Taylor (P ’28), on their collaborative, worldrenowned surgery of separating conjoined twins with the use of 3D-printed models. They also spent time in different science classes and enjoyed lunch with a group of our Middle School girls.

Deirdre Terry ’88, Sue Emmons ’67 and Jeaneen Chapman Wallis ’97 got together for an event in the Bay area.

Class of 2011 members Alison Bloch Samuels, Shayna Fader, TraiAnne Peek, Elizabeth Auritt and Kristin Feinberg joined other New York City alumnae at Bookmarks for a reception.

Philadelphia alumnae Laura Nguyen ’15, Mary Rose Shields ’18, Saranne Louth ’15, Taahira Davis ’15, Maddie Dawkins ’15 and Roshni Padhiar ’15 got together for a happy hour at City Tap Logan Square in June.

A number of Washington, D.C. area alumnae gathered at Lyon Hall in Arlington, VA, in March.

Maren Cohen ‘24 and Ashley Brodsky ‘23 introduced Cara WilsonGranat in a special assembly to remember the Holocaust.

Dr. Jesse Taylor and daughter Betsy Taylor ‘28 and Grace Heuer ‘27 and her father Dr. Greg Heuer.

Above left: Guests enjoyed a sit-down dinner at this year’s auction. Above right: Dr. Marisa Porges ‘96 offers a word of thanks.

Class of 2025 Receives Their Rings

One of Baldwin’s favorite traditions is Ring Day, when Grade 10 students receive their rings at a class dinner and then spend the evening decorating the campus in their class color and chosen theme. This year, the Class of 2025 celebrated their class color of green with an alien invasion, complete with a spaceship near the North Door.

CLASS OF RED UNVEILS BANNER

Alumnae Visit With Students

Haley Weiss ’14, a science and health journalist for TIME magazine, visited campus to discuss how she developed her career as a science and health journalist. Dr. Jayme Haynes Banks ’01, Deputy Chief of Prevention, Intervention and Trauma for the School District of Philadelphia, spoke with the Middle and Upper School Black Student Unions about the importance of mental health. Laura Bennett ’05, senior editor at The Atlantic, visited virtually to talk about her career as a journalist and her work editing features for The Atlantic Katie McMahon ’22 came back to Baldwin this spring to talk about her experiences as an opinion writer and editor on her college newspaper.

Dr. Crystal Jones Lucky ’82, Associate Professor of English at Villanova University, spoke to the 11th grade about Song of Solomon

Dr. Florencia Greer Polite ’93, Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chief of the Division of General OBGYN at Penn Medicine and Vice Chair of Clinical Operations, spoke on health and wellness with the seniors. Jenna Bellak Barlow ’83, Brittany Behar ’03, Kelsie Bryant-Canty ’13, Nicole Scipione Didizian ’98 (P ’27), Maya Patel ’13, Julia Tyminski ’13 and Allison Ravenscroft Van Etten ’93 also spoke to seniors during a Career Panel.

This spring, Baldwin celebrated the Class of 2026, the Class of Red, on Middle Field, as they presented their beautiful banner to the school community. This all-school event had all students in attendance, accessorized in their own class colors.

JUNIORS, SENIORS CELEBRATE MARCHING-IN

The Junior/Senior exchange culminated at the Marching-In Ceremony in June, where the juniors displayed their blazers and sang their senior song for the first time. The seniors then presented the juniors with pins for their new blazers. For more on the Baldwin tradition of pins, see page 30.

PORTRAIT OF DR. PORGES UNVEILED DURING REUNION

Eighth Head of School Dr. Marisa Porges ’96 had her portrait painted by Juan Bastos, a Los Angeles-based portrait artist who has executed several hundred portrait and landscape commissions in North and South America, Europe and Asia. The painting was unveiled during Reunion Weekend and will hang in the Main Hall of the Residence.

Haley Weiss ’14 met with Hourglass editors and writers Izzy Thompson ’23, Makenna Walko ’23 (Hourglass Editors in Chief), Grace Colucci ’23, Lauren Halak ’24, Marin Horwitz ’24 and Avani Shah-Lipman ’25.

Dr. Jayme Haynes Banks ’01 visited with the Middle and Upper School Black Student Unions.

Class of 2026 members Laila Gopalani, Kate Stephan, Anya Henry and Valerie Saul present their class banner.

Class of 2025 members Bela Ahn, Mindy Zhang, Isabelle Feigenberg, Avery Cavanaugh and Avani Shah-Lipman enjoyed a pop-up breakfast on Ring Day.

The junior class showed off their new blazers with a custom “B” designed by Harper Hoffman ’24.

UPPER SCHOOL CLASS DAY 2023

On June 6, Baldwin recognized Upper School students at Class Day in celebration of their high academic achievements and demonstration of Baldwin’s ideals in their everyday lives.

The highest honor, The Baldwin Award — awarded by the faculty to a senior who has distinguished herself in pursuit of excellence in academics, the arts, leadership, service and sensitivity to others — went to Katie Reed ’23.

OTHER AWARDS INCLUDE:

The Baldwin Class of 2003 Award: Carley Taylor ’23

The Baldwin Class of 2002 Award: Yemale Febres ’23

The Baldwin Class of 1998 Award: Megan Adelman ’23 and Lauren Brown ’23

Grade 8 Moving Up Celebration

Caroline Didizian ’27 received the Ruth Fiesel ’38 Award in recognition of her contributions to the life of the Middle School. Described by her teachers and coaches as a curious learner, a team player, a scholar-athlete and a future leader, Caroline demonstrates active engagement, discipline, perseverance, hard work and humility with an effervescent smile that brightens any room. Regardless of the activity, learning task or errand, she is dedicated and committed to excellence in academics, athletics and the arts.

Grade 5 Moving Up Celebration

The Rachel Shao Sun Award: Aida Haile ’23

The Caroline Simon Award: Wynne Conger ’23

The Phi Beta Kappa Award: Makenna Walko ’23

The Coughanowr Linguistics Award: Camille Stecker ’23

The Eva Macklis Award: Julie Brose ’23

For a list of all student award winners, please visit the news section of our website at www.baldwinschool.org.

Torri Hill ’30 received the Baiba Vasys Core Values Award during the Grade 5 Moving Up Ceremony.

Torri has been at Baldwin since Pre-K and has always demonstrated a positive attitude and a growth-mindset, pushing herself to achieve academic excellence. Year after year, teachers have remarked that she is a great collaborative teammate who is always willing to work with her classmates. Torri is a quiet leader who does not bring attention to herself but instead leads by example - serving as a role model for her classmates and younger students.

Caroline Didizian ’27 receives the Ruth Fiesel ’38 Award from Middle School Director Dr. Shauna Carter.

Previous Lower School Director Baiba Vasys and Lower School Director Quenby Frimet present the Baiba Vasys Core Values Award to Torri Hill ’30.

Dig Deep and Create Something 2023 Commencement Speaker Kinney Zalesne ’83

“Forty years ago this week, I marched down the aisle at my Baldwin graduation in my long white dress. I sang with the B-Flats. I sat in one of these front rows. I was excited, but nervous, about going to college. I couldn’t imagine life without my Baldwin friends, my Class of Gold. Now, four decades later, it is a huge privilege to stand on this stage again,” Kinney Zalesne ’83 said to the Class of 2023 as their commencement speaker.

Kinney arrived at Baldwin in 2nd grade and remembers the “thrill of the lunchroom and the terror of the swimming pool.” After her Baldwin graduation, Kinney attended Yale University and Harvard Law School. She has worked at high levels of the private, public and nonprofit sectors. In 1995 Kinney was named a White House Fellow and worked in Vice President Gore’s Domestic Policy Office. After her Fellowship, she worked on the 1996 Clinton-Gore reelection campaign, and then served for two and a half years as Counsel to Attorney General Janet Reno at the U.S. Justice Department.

In 2000 she moved into the nonprofit world, first helping to build a national organization focused on college access, and later helping to lead Hillel, the foundation for Jewish life on campus. In 2005, Kinney became a Senior Strategist on Hillary Clinton’s New York Senate re-election campaign and her 2008 presidential bid; also during that time, Kinney co-wrote a bestselling book titled Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow’s Big Changes, as well as a regular Microtrends column in the Wall Street Journal.

In 2009 Kinney founded her own consulting business; and beginning in 2013, she spent almost nine years at Microsoft. She has chaired two nonprofit boards and served on five others. This past year, she was named a Deputy National Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee and

also a Senior Advisor to the GETTING-Plurality initiative at Harvard, which aims to “responsibly govern innovation and responsibly innovate government.”

In her speech to this year’s graduates, Kinney related a Baldwin moment that rose above all others, which took place in her 12th Grade English class. The class was studying poetry, trying to imitate some great poets. “As I recall,” Kinney said, “We wrote some very trite and trivial verse. And one day, Mrs. Hunter said: ‘If you write even one good line, even one good image, that is amazing. Most people never do that in their whole lives.’” Kinney recalled: “That statement hit me like a thunderbolt. Write one good line of poetry, in my life? One good phrase? At some level, it seemed like too low a bar. A couple of successful words was a triumph, even a rare triumph? …. At the same time, writing one good line struck me as too high a bar. Of all the people across time and space, I should say something original? A whole line that hadn’t ever been said? Would I ever produce such insight, much less at age 17?”

“For years, I wrestled with some version of this question,” she continued. “Where did I fit on the scale of significance and insignificance? Was I aiming

too high, out of arrogance or ignorance? Was I aiming too low, out of fear of embarrassment or exposure?” Then she reflected, “Slowly, over these 40 years, I have come to understand that those are the wrong questions. The key thing to ask isn’t where you fit on someone else’s scale. The key question is what Mrs. Hunter asked us in that Baldwin classroom in 1982: what are you going to create?”

“What Mrs. Hunter said,” Kinney emphasized, “And what I think Baldwin has been telling girls for 135 years - is that in every part of life, dig deep and create something. Have the courage to forge some kind of alchemy between your small life and the bigger world, because in that combination, that unique interplay, is creative power. You are neither too small nor too big for that task – you are exactly the right size to be curious, critical and creative.” Kinney observed, “As I look back on my different professional and personal experiences, I think I did my best work when I stopped worrying about whether I fit in, and instead I dug deep to create something.”

After discussing some of her own professional challenges and triumphs, Kinney offered the Class of 2023 three daunting but surmountable challenges when it comes to digging deep and

creating something. “First, not everyone will want you to do it,” she said. “Some bosses will be like: ‘Why are you digging deep to bring YOU to the work; I hired you to bring ME to the work. Don’t reinvent your job; just do your job.’” She reflected, “In your early career, this is fair. Learn what your bosses do and master it before you try to build on it. But ask yourself: ‘by working here, am I getting closer to creating something?’ Because if not, you might be wasting time.”

The second challenge she stressed is how creativity itself is rapidly changing. “My classmates and I in Mrs. Hunter’s English class struggled to write one good line of poetry over a semester,” Kinney said. “Today, ChatGPT and other forms of generative artificial intelligence can write thousands of lines of pretty decent poetry in under a minute – not because software is creative, but because it instantly synthesizes the cumulative creativity of billions of human beings. This changes everything. And as a result, you are going to have to re-create creativity. You’ll have to dig even deeper to synthesize your wisdom with the world’s, because the world’s just took a huge leap forward.”

For the third challenge, Kinney told the graduates that no matter who you are, it’s really hard to create. But using examples from her own career, she noted that the core of creativity is not inventing from whole cloth, but “making surprising connections.” As she told the graduates, reflecting on examples from her own story, “You can apply a lesson from a fledgling nonprofit to a sprawling multinational corporation. You can take insights from a courtroom to a legislature. Creativity thrives in the liminal spaces, where there’s porousness and openness to change.”

Kinney concluded her remarks to the Class of 2023 by saying, “Baldwin has given you what you need to get started. And everyone at the School –past, present and future – is cheering you on.”

“ Have the courage to forge some kind of alchemy between your small life and the bigger world, because in that combination, that unique interplay, is creative power.”

LOWER SCHOOL STUDENTS TAKE AND MAKE

Senior Student Develops AI Tool for Refugee Camps

For the National Technology Student Association competition and her Advanced Design and Project

Development course in Computer

The Lower School Library has a variety of fun “Take & Make” kits for students to check out. There is everything from crocheting to fingerknitting to logic puzzles to musical instruments. Students were invited to take a bag home and learn a new skill or be creative. Our youngest Bears would bring back their kits for the next student to take home and proudly display their accomplishments, including hats, bracelets, scarves, origami and more.

Science and Engineering, Wynne Conger ’23 created a project called DREAMBOX, which is a refugee camp virtual reality tool that uses computer visioning and artificial intelligence (AI) image classification. Her project’s goal was to facilitate solar panel device setup in refugee camps so technology could be used to fill gaps and address barriers to literacy for refugee and migrant children. More specifically, she developed and coded an AI-driven mobile edge computing solution with federated learning across IoT devices that could be used to support refugee camps and other communities in need.

Grade 7 Welcomes Freedom Fighter Kenneth Salaam

Grade 7 welcomed the grandfather of Fatinah Muhammad ’28, Mr. Kenneth Salaam, who was one of the Philadelphia Freedom Fighters. Mr. Salaam marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and served as a pallbearer at Dr. King’s funeral. During his visit, Mr. Salaam showed the students his Emmy-winning documentary called “Cecil’s People: The Freedom Fighters,” which features his efforts, along with others, that led to the desegregation of Girard College - a Philadelphia school located in the middle of an AfricanAmerican community, with a 100-year-old admission policy that admitted white male orphans only. His commitment to improve the quality of life for all people led him to become known in the Civil Rights community as “Freedom Smitty.”

Grade 5 Teaches Grade 3

Using Podcasts

Baldwin’s Grade 5 students worked with humanities, library and the technology staff to write scripts, record on podcasting equipment and edit their work about ancient India. They then shared their podcasts with 3rd graders to teach them what they learned.

Fatinah Muhammad ’28 with her grandfather Kenneth Salaam.

Muskaan Virmani ’30 and Mary Elwood ’30 (back row) and Quinn Iannotta ’30 and Ionie-Joy Benjamin ’30 (front row) record their podcasts.

Alaina Sharma ’31 shows off the hat she made.

ACADEMICS

Paper by Camille Stecker ’23

Accepted for Publication

Camille Stecker ’23 presented a poster abstract in Philadelphia at the 145th International Conference on Social Science and Humanities for her research paper “American Adolescent Views of Islam,” which she completed while in Jordan last summer on a scholarship through the U.S. Department of State’s National Securities Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y). Her paper was accepted for publication in the Journal of Humanities and Religion. Camille studied Arabic outside of school and began learning Turkish through a NSLI-Y grant. At Baldwin, Camille took French, Latin and Ancient Greek.

How Close Can AT Statistics Get to the Finish Line?

In Advanced Topics Statistics, students used linear regression tools to predict how far a car needed to be pulled back in order to reach, but not exceed, 80 inches. Students measured the distances when the car was pulled back 2, 4, 6 and 8 inches. They calculated various equations using powers and logarithms to find a line of best fit. Eventually, they found that a logarithmic equation would have the highest coefficient of determination and the least pattern in its residual plot. They celebrated when one team was able to come within just a few inches of the finish line by calculating the approximate pull-back amount.

Grade 6 Studies Physics With Paper Airplanes

Girls in Grade 6 learned about physics and the forces at work on a paper airplane during flight. First, they tested out the designs inside and then tested them outside to compare and contrast the difference of real wind resistance.

KINDERGARTEN STUDIES LIFE CYCLE OF INSECTS

This spring, Kindergarten learned about the life cycle of insects. The girls studied the metamorphosis of Black Beetles from mealworm to adult, and while the mealworms paused to become pupas, they compared their lifecycle and habits to bees. Beekeepers Mara and Jamie McCarthy (P ’35) visited the Kindergarten and led them in a variety of activities to help them learn about these important insects.

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY CLASS STUDIES BIOETHICS

This spring, the Advanced Topics Molecular Biology class spoke with Stephanie Lawley, a biomedical intellectual property attorney from Washington, D.C. In class, the students had robust conversations about bioethics - everything from genetic testing newborns, the ethics of companies such as 23andMe gathering genetic information and patenting human genes. They learned about the Human Genome Project and discussed where biotechnology is today compared with 20 years ago.

Mara McCarthy (P ’35) teaches the girls about collecting honey and beeswax.

Addison Bengston ’29, Claire Doelger ’29, Tiffany Li ’29 and Jordyn Napoli ’29 show off their airplane.

ARTS

UPPER SCHOOL MASKERS PRESENT MAMA MIA!

Beyond February Art Show

The Baldwin Upper School Maskers presented Mama Mia! this winter. Audiences joined the actors and singers, stage crew and ABBA wannabes for an exciting evening of song, dance and a different sort of “whodunit?”

MARY POPPINS JR. PRESENTED BY MIDDLE SCHOOL

Baldwin’s art department faculty produced an art show titled “Beyond February” for Black History Month, to showcase current and former artists the faculty admire in their particular medium. Artists in sculpture and ceramics included Kara Walker, Roberto Lugo and Torkwase Dyson. Paintings and illustrations were featured by Amy Sherald, Bisa Butler, Amy Sherald, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Njideka Akunyili Crosby and Horace Pippin. Graphic design artists included Anne H. Berry, Schessa Garbutt and Marlene Barnett.

Spring Concerts Delight Audiences

This spring, the Simpson Center for the Performing Arts was buzzing with musical performances from all divisions.

Baldwin’s Middle School presented Mary Poppins Jr. this spring. The favorite, practically perfect nanny took center stage in this Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious adventure based on the award-winning Broadway musical and classic Walt Disney film.

KINDERGARTEN CELEBRATES AND CREATES SKIN TONES

To celebrate Black History Month, Kindergarten students read a selection of books and poems all about skin colors, tones, hues and shades. They learned what purpose their skin serves and that skin is important, beautiful and worth celebrating. They experimented with creating skin colors and created different hues or shades by starting with orange and adding white, black, yellow or red. They were then challenged with creating their own skin tone using the same method. Using inspiration from the books they read and their creative minds, each girl named her own beautiful shade. Names of colors included cinnamon hot cocoa, light chocolate rose,

daisy petal peach and gingery honey!

Sione Brown-Alexander ‘24, Rachel Gopalani ‘23 and Julie Brose ‘23 perform.

Kate Simpkins ’28, Caroline Didizian ’27 and Charlotte Grant ’28 perform in the Middle School play.

(Left): Qianmu Liu ‘32 and Lyla Burnett ‘33 perform in the Lower School Concert; (Middle): Abby Ahn ‘28 and Claire Doelger ‘29 play the clarinet in the Middle School Concert; (Right): Amelia Skawinski ‘25, Olivia Stephen ‘24 and Meg South ‘25 sing at the Upper School Concert.

ARTS

Art Shows Display Creativity

Art displays were presented in the Fackenthal-Pethick Art Gallery this spring from all three divisions. A Lower and Middle School parent reception was held to provide an opportunity for family members to enjoy the wide range of artwork that reflects the creative progression of our students throughout their time at Baldwin.

GRADE 5 PERFORMS BEAUTY AND THE BEAST TELL ALL

Grades 2 and 3 Hit the Stage

Baldwin’s 2nd graders performed a play titled Character Camp, where the campers and counselors at Mother Goose and Mother Hubbard’s camp learn what it means to have good character through different nursery rhyme characters. The lessons learned included being kind, being generous and always telling the truth. Taking a fun twist on a literary classic, the third grade performed Alice’s Adventures in the Land of Idioms. Alice and her pets journeyed down the rabbit hole into a peculiar land of figurative language.

Fifth grade brought down the house with their hilarious performance of Beauty and the Beast Tell All, which explored story elements and genres as a host of fairytale, storybook and mythical characters helped Beauty and the Beast decide how to best tell their dramatic story.

GRADES 7-8 VISIT MUSEUM OF ILLUSIONS

Baldwin’s 7th and 8th graders went to the Museum of Illusions in Philadelphia. Following the trip, students returned to the art room to learn more about optical illusions and create their own illusion, inspired by the Op Art movement, which gained popularity in the 1960s.

GRAPHIC DESIGN CLASS CELEBRATES THE EAGLES

Baldwin’s Upper School Graphic Design Class celebrated the Eagles and their trip to the Super Bowl with a project titled “Philly Pride.” The art students created either a Philly-themed or Eagles/ Super Bowl graphic that was used to create their own t-shirts. The students were inspired by local graphic artists and shops like Art History 101 Clothing Store and Blue Rooted. They used Adobe Illustrator to create their own graphics (incorporating messaging and a symbol/icon), and then used the machines in Baldwin’s Innovation Center to create the vinyl decal that was pressed onto t-shirts. The class focused on the language, icons and symbols of Philadelphia and the Eagles, while celebrating the week leading up to the Super Bowl.

Lara Bross ’27 and Gwen Haugen ’27 enjoyed a trip to the Museum of Illusions.

Marisa McKinley ’25 and Lulu Goldenberg ’25 work on their graphic design projects.

Grade 2 students Saranya Banerjee, Leah Kahana and Bella Cafiero in Character Camp.

Grade 3 students Elinor Swami, Addison Sobol, Leah Tarka and Aundrea Wolfson performed in their play.

ANNA JOHNSON ’23 EXCELS ON THE RIVER

Eight Student-Athletes Commit to College

Anna Johnson ’23 captured first place in the Varsity Single event at every Manny Flick/Horvat Regatta and finished first at the PSRA City Championships. She won silver medals in the U19 Single at the Mid-Atlantic Youth Rowing Championship at Mercer Lake, NJ, and in the Varsity Single at the Scholastic Rowing Association of America National Championship Regatta in Tennessee. She finished in 4th place in the Senior Varsity Single at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta, which is the largest high school regatta in the world, and qualified for USRowing Youth National Championships at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, FL. This spring, Anna was named Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week. She will continue her rowing career at the University of Pennsylvania.

Baldwin’s Class of 2023 has eight student-athletes committed to play a sport at the college level: Anna Johnson (University of Pennsylvania, rowing), Naomi Jefferson-Sambanis (Williams College, squash), Rashi Goverdhanam (Yale University, squash), Eugenia Li (Columbia

University, squash), Katie Reed (Washington & Lee University, lacrosse), Christa Kay (Cornell University, squash), Penelope Furnas (Wesleyan University, squash) and Ryan Shelton (St. Peter’s University, volleyball).

Varsity Squash Wins 10th

Inter-Ac Championship

Baldwin varsity squash captured the 2023 Inter-Ac League squash championship after defeating league foe Penn Charter 7-2. The Bears finished the league season undefeated at 4-0 and had an overall record of 8-1. This is the program’s 10th Inter-Ac title since 2010. The team placed second at U.S. High School Nationals in February at the Arlen Specter Center in Philadelphia. Six team members earned All-Inter-Ac League squash honors. Earning First Team was Rashi Goverdhanam ’23, Christa Kay ’23, Eugenia Li ’23 and Sabine Ball ’24. Earning Second Team was Naomi Jefferson-Sambanis ’23 and Olivia Choo ’26.

Baldwin’s 4x800m Relay Team Wins Silver, Bronze

Baldwin’s varsity track 4x800m relay team won a silver medal at the PAISAA Championships this spring and won a bronze at the Inter-Ac League Track & Field Championships.

Amelia Dennis ’25, Meg Davis ’25, Maddie Davis ’23 and Nina Heverin-Alvarado ’26.

ATHLETICS

2023 Athletics Association Awards

Katie Reed ’23 was awarded The White Blazer, which is voted on by students and awarded to a student-athlete who has played on at least two varsity sports in her senior year and who represents the best qualities of sportsmanship: the ability to win and lose gracefully, act with integrity, take criticism willingly and be a loyal teammate in winning and losing and, after the game show interest in teams other than the one on which she is playing. Katie was also awarded the Girls’ Inter-Ac League Athletic Directors’ Award. While at Baldwin, Katie played three sports for all four years of Upper School. She served as captain of the soccer, indoor track and lacrosse teams and was Head of the Athletic Association during her senior year. Katie will continue her lacrosse career at Washington & Lee University.

SPECIAL AWARDS

Pat West Award: Joelle

Pearlstein ’24, Allie Weiser ’24

Margot Cunningham

Commitment Award: Megan

Adelman ’23, Lauren Brown ’23, Maddie Davis ’23, Katie Reed ’23

TEAM MVP AWARDS

The Julia Pudlin ’02 Cross Country Award: Lauren Brown ’23, Lauren Halak ’24

The Tracy Tunnell ’69 Field Hockey Award: Addison Ford ’25

The Baldwin School Soccer

Award: Ana Naylor ’23

The Steffan Wright ’68 Tennis

Award: Bella Hu ’24

The Liz ’01 and Kate Braemer ’03

Volleyball Award: Joelle Pearlstein ’24

MEGAN ADELMAN ’23 REPEATS AS INTER-AC LEAGUE GOLF CHAMP

The Most Valuable Manager

Award: Yemale Febres ’23

Alice Comly Award: Lauren Brown ’23

Lois Harlos Award: Maddie Davis ’23, Ana Naylor ’23

The Nancy Park ’66 Basketball

Award: Allie Weiser ’24

The Baldwin School Dance

Award: Annabelle McDonald ’23

The Baldwin School Diving

Award: Josie Grunes ’24

The Lyn Hopkins ’63 Swimming

Award: Gemma Undercofler ’24

The Baldwin School Squash

Award: Christa Kay ’23

The Baldwin School Indoor Track

Award: Katie Reed ’23

All-Inter-Ac League Honors

Tina Roak Award: Megan Adelman ’23

Ruth Davidon ’82 Elite Athlete

Award: Anna Johnson ’23

The Baldwin School Crew Award: Anna Johnson ’23

The Baldwin School Golf Award: Megan Adelman ’23

The Margaret Johnston Lacrosse

Award: Katie Reed ’23

The Natalie Georges ’03 and Erica Miller ’03 Softball Award: Joelle Pearlstein ’24

The Jennifer Dietrich ’17 Track and Field Award: Ana Naylor ’23

Megan Adelman ’23 won the Inter-Ac League Individual Golf Championship for the second year in a row. She shot a nine-hole 36 at French Creek Golf Club to clinch her second straight Inter-Ac title. She earned 1st Team All-Inter-Ac League honors and was League MVP.

HAVERFORD HOSTS BALDWIN FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL SPRING GAME DAY

In addition to squash and golf, other winter and spring All-Inter-Ac League honors went to Gemma Undercofler ’24, named First Team in swimming, and Joelle Pearlstein ’24 (1st Team), Allie Weiser ’24 (2nd Team) and Addison Milner ’26 (2nd Team) in softball.

Baldwin’s Middle School Bears traveled to The Haverford School this spring to enjoy a fun afternoon of competition.

Members of the Class of 2027 (top) Jenna Smith, Harper Lawson, Eve Cohen, (bottom) Brenna Knox, Natalya Spychalski and Jennah Smith have fun at Game Day.

FACULTY

NEW STEM AWARD ANNOUNCED

The Simpson-Scott Family STEM Award is new this year and open to all fulltime faculty whose teaching focuses on science, technology, engineering, math or a related subject or whose lessons draw heavily on STEM skills. This new grant was recently endowed by Paul Scott and Carolyn Simpson Scott ’74 as part of The Future Is Baldwin campaign. In addition to being an alumna, Carolyn is a former trustee and a retired obstetrician-gynecologist. Her daughter, Adrienne ’11, also graduated from Baldwin and recently completed her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. Both Carolyn and Adrienne deeply appreciate the excellence of Baldwin’s faculty members and decided to donate for this new grant in honor of two teachers who had a significant impact on their career and life choices: former Science Teacher Carol Dahl and current Math Teacher and Grade 12 Dean Raphaelina Loke (P ’06, ’08, ’10). This year’s award went to Grade 10 Dean and Science Teacher Jacqui Calnan and Science Teacher Rita Laychock. The grant will go towards reimagining the Middle School chemistry curriculum and science sequence.

ROSAMOND CROSS ENDOWED TEACHING CHAIR

Established to recognize a teacher who has made an exceptional and enduring impact on the school community, the 2023 award went to Grade 1 Teacher

Missy Morgan, who will spend time visiting her children in Vermont this summer.

The Agnes and Sophy Dallas Irwin Fund: This fund aims to enrich a teacher’s life and was awarded to Art Teacher Jessica Konopka, who will use the funds to create a personal art studio in her detached garage.

Anne C. Shoemaker Fund: This fund is to be used for personal enrichment or refreshment of self and spirit. This year’s awards went to Kindergarten Assistant Teacher Christine Bagin, who will travel to Rome and Tuscany, Library and Information Services Department Chair Lauren Friedman-Way (P ’36), who will travel to Lewes, DE, with family, Middle School Counselor Liz Koster, who will attend a yoga retreat, Assistant to the Athletic Director Alison Schickfus ’88, who will travel to Italy, and Assistant to the Director of Lower School Caryn Sucharski, who will visit France.

Friends of Ruth Fiesel Fund: Established to enrich a teacher’s intellectual or cultural life, this year’s award went to Spanish Teacher Dara Hoffman, who will travel to Spain to experience the culture, and Computer Science and Engineering Chair Addison Lilholt, who purchased a two-person kayak.

Baldwin Benefits Fund: Given for curriculum development or enhancements, awardees were Grade 6 Dean and Social Studies and Literacy Teacher Bridget Doherty and Math Teacher Carlotta Lukens, who are cocreating a new Middle School interdisciplinary course about finance and economics, Science Teacher Graham Phillips, who is building a new History of Scientific Thought elective course for seniors, and Grade 5 Teacher Mallory Becker, who will use the funds to support the new Lower School Social Studies program.

The William H. Simon, MD Faculty Enrichment Award in Science and the Humanities: This was awarded to History Teacher Athan Biss (P ’34, ’37) and

2023 FACULTY AND STAFF GRANTS

2023 FACULTY AND STAFF GRANTS

Science Teacher Rita Laychock, who plan to implement an interdisciplinary unit on Environmental Law to be piloted in their respective senior electives in the Spring of 2024.

The Blair D. Stambaugh Award for Student and Faculty Enrichment: Supporting collaborative innovation and enrichment, this award went to History Teacher Athan Biss (P ’34, ’37) and History Department Chair Matthew Bunn, who will fund interviews of Baldwin alumnae over the next several years, asking about their experiences at the School and the times in which they grew up, as well as the digital archiving and presentation of the interviews.

The Lois Pressman Sabbatical Fund: This fund allows faculty members to pursue new knowledge in a way that will be personally enriching and will have a direct, beneficial impact on students. This year’s recipients were Latin Teacher Patricia Weidler and Computer Science and Engineering Teacher Paul Hermans Patricia will spend a few weeks this summer in Florence, Italy, participating in the Forte Academy’s Women Latinists program, which will allow her to read Latin texts written by women and find new and exciting ways to diversify Baldwin’s Latin curriculum. Paul will research how Baldwin’s computer science students can build small weather stations around campus and remotely collect data that will then be provided to the Environmental Sciences class to study microclimates.

The Wyss Leadership Grant: This fund was established in 2020 by Amy Wyss ’89 and Ed Jarmillo and is open to a fulltime faculty or staff member who demonstrates the capacity and desire to improve their personal leadership skills. This year’s award went to Coordinator of Academic Support and Enrichment Pia Awal Beirne and Grade 6 Dean and Social Studies and Literacy Teacher Bridget Doherty. Pia will attend the University of Pennsylvania’s Strategic Leadership in Education certificate program. Bridget will be attending the Oxbridge Teacher Seminar: Leadership Challenges in Contemporary Education in Oxford. The course, designed for emerging leaders, will focus on several topics including faculty retention and development, parent engagement, curriculum reform and academic and extracurricular balance.

Trustee Recognition Award: In recognition of their service to Baldwin, Director of Lower School Quenby Frimet and Director of Athletics Meg GlascottBirch were presented with this award.

PRESENTED AND ATTENDED

Middle School Dean of Students and Spanish teacher Gabbie Álvarez (P ’20, ’27) presented a workshop titled, “Cultural Competency: Theory into Action,” at the 2023 Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. She shared best practices for creating an anti-bias classroom and worked through case studies that will help put theory into practice.

Grade 5 Humanities

Teacher Mallory Becker and Director of Curriculum and Instruction

and Upper School History Teacher Dr. Gretchen Boger (P ’27) presented a workshop at the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools Educating Girls Symposium, Meaning, Mission and Making Connections, titled “From Competition to Collaboration.”

Major Gifts Officer Tristan Morales was selected to participate in the 2023 Leadership Main Line program, which is a six-month course sponsored by the Main Line Chamber of Commerce and exposes rising leaders to inspiring CEOs who are addressing major issues affecting the region.

Middle School Director Dr. Shauna Carter, Upper School Administrative Assistant Susie Choitz and Middle School Counselor Liz Koster attended the National Diversity Practitioners Institute. The threeday program helped to deepen core knowledge around diversity, identity and inclusion.

Presenting the Class of 2023

Megan Flynn Adelman

Flora Fidelia Trostle Brigham

Ashley Nicole Brodsky

Julie Anne Brose

Lauren Ashley Brown

Grace Elizabeth Brunetto

Isabella Madeline Budzynski

Christina Yating Cai

Grace Frances Colucci

Gwyneth Stoddard Conger

Aislynn Lee Cross

Emily Danenhower

Arden Kathleen Davey

Teresa Madeleine Davis

Sasha Holly Deringer

Lisa Evans

Yemale Aisha Febres

Alondra Freundt Olaya

Penelope Ann Furnas

Rachel Priyanka Gopalani

Marabella Elizabeth Gormley

Rashi G. Goverdhanam

Lulu Raie Gunn

Aida Haile

Naomi Artemis Jefferson-Sambanis

Anna Katerina Johnson

Anushka Joshi

Batya Meirit Kaplan

Christa Caroline Kay

Eugenia Li

Yuru Lin

Eri Maeda

Arietty Martin

Ellie Monique Matus

Annabelle Sinclair McDonald

SaraKathryn SoHyun Min

Ana Katherine Naylor

Leslie Maria Nguyen

Ifunaya Obidike

Violet Frances Paiva

Zibei Pang

Sophia Ran

Nateerah Safi Ransome

Katherine Marshall Reed

Zoe Rhee Ross

Gabrielle Sarraino

Amelia Vivianne Schafer

Grace Mary Anderson Sheehan

Ryan Elizabeth Shelton

Alexandra Theresa Shephard

Aleida Juanita Skogland

Lydia Virginia Snyder

Camille Baldassano Stecker

Carley Mae Taylor

Isabella Chloe Thompson

Hana Sanaa Twyman

Elina Urquhart

Makenna Jacqueline Walko

Shuyi Wang

Sijia Xing

Ava Nicole Zarzycki

Wanying Zhang

Class of 2023 Matriculation List

Barnard College (3)

Boston College

Boston University

Bucknell University

Case Western Reserve University (3)

Columbia University

Connecticut College

Cornell University

Drexel University (3)

Duke University

Duquesne University

Fairfield University (2)

George Washington University (3)

Georgia Institute of Technology

Hampton University

Harvard University

Kenyon College

Lehigh University (2)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

McGill University

Mount Holyoke College

New York University (2)

Northeastern University

Occidental College

Penn State University (3)

Pitzer College

Princeton University

Purdue University

Saint Peter’s University

Smith College

Temple University

Trinity College (2)

Union College

University of Florida

University of Oregon

University of Pennsylvania (3)

University of St Andrews

University of Wisconsin (Madison) (3)

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2)

Wake Forest University

Washington University in St. Louis

Washington and Lee University

Wesleyan University

Williams College

Yale University

Members of the 14-Year Club: Row 1 (Front): Flora Brigham, Aleida Skogland, Megan Adelman, Katie Reed, Row 2: Gabrielle Sarraino, Julie Brose, Aislynn Cross, Christa Kay and Grace Sheehan.

The seniors celebrated their legacy with family members: Row 1 (Front): Alyssa Fabiani Kay ’87, Christa Kay ’23, Madison Brown ’21, Lauren Brown ’23, Rashi Goverdhanam ’23, Veda Goverdhanam ’20, Karen Hopkins Harrod ’72, Julie Brose ’23, Suzanne BroseHemmerick ’50, Row 2: Virginia Parrotto Madeya ’85, Isabella Budzynski ’23, Natalia Schafer ’18, Amelia Schafer ’23, Laura Nguyen ’15, Leslie Nguyen ’23, Ashley Brodsky ’23, Haley Pearlstein ’08 and Lindsey Brodsky ’20 Row 3: Cassandra Stecker ’18, Camille Stecker ’23, Violet Paiva ’23, Juliet Paiva ’19, Ellie Matus ’23, McKenna Matus ’19.

Members of the 13-Year Club: Zoe Ross, Arden Davey, Camille Stecker, Amelia Schafer, Violet Paiva.

Left to Right: 8th Head of School Dr. Marisa Porges ’96 addressed the Class of 2023. | Reverend Thomas Whittingham, pastor of St. Laurence Catholic Church, delivered the ceremony’s invocation. | Kinney Zalesne ’83, this year’s keynote speaker, encouraged the Class of 2023 to “dig deep and create something.” | Chair of the Board of Trustees Patricia Weiser (P ’22, ’24) spoke to the graduates.

“After taking a step back, we can see that we have just as much of an impact on our teachers as they have on us. It’s difficult to walk away from such amazing educators that spend each day showing us how important and great we can be. With each teacher you will find a classroom with tokens of their students’ work. … Every teacher carries a token of their students not only to show how much they connected with us, but also to show you all, the Class of Gold, how much we were able to connect with them and Baldwin. Your compassion to learn and educate others and to challenge yourselves to the best of your abilities doesn’t go unnoticed. Your vibrant and inspiring curiosity demonstrates Baldwin’s legacy, passed from teacher to student and student to peer. … Class of 2023, I encourage you to enter the world and be curious, passionate, generous and create a community within yourselves. Write a story you are proud to share, tell your friends, your family, the entire world … Be the compassionate explorers you became during your time at Baldwin. Push boundaries, defy odds and shape the world around you - as you give yourself to the world and the world will give itself to you.”

— Excerpt from the Commencement Speech of Grace Sheehan ’23

Naomi Jefferson-Sambanis, Katie Reed, Assistant to the Upper School Director Susie Choitz, Grace Sheehan and Ana Naylor

Sasha Deringer (bottom left, clockwise), Eugenia Li, Annabelle McDonald, Arden Davey, Alondra FreundtOlaya and Christa Kay

Elina Urquhart, Makenna Walko and Cathy Wang

Gina Gormley poses before the ceremony with her daughter Bella Gormley.

Class officers Lydia Snyder, Carley Taylor, Grace Colucci and Yemale Febres pose with Grade 12 Dean and Math Teacher Raphaelina Loke (P ’06, ’08, ’10).

Amelia Schafer, Rashi Goverdhanam and Maddie Davis

Izzy Thompson, Camille Stecker, Aleida Skogland, Alexandra Shephard, Hana Twyman, Ryan Shelton, Emily Zhang and Ava Zarzycki

Kinney Zalesne ’83, 8th Head of School Dr. Marisa Porges ’96 and Chair of the Board of Trustees Patricia Weiser (P ’22, ’24) prepare for the procession.

Sophia Ran, Nateerah Ransome and Zoe Ross

Isabella Budzynski, Arietty Martin, Eri Maeda, Penelope Furnas, Emily Danenhower, Christina Cai, Wynne Conger and Scarlet Xing

Hana Twyman receives her diploma from Chair of the Board of Trustees Patricia Weiser (P ’22, ’24).

Yemale Febres, Carley Taylor, Emily Zhang, Leslie Nguyen, Lauren Brown, Nateerah Ransome, Eugenia Li, Violet Paiva, Sophia Ran, Aida Haile and Makenna Walko

The Class of 2023 sings their senior song for the final time.

Lulu Gunn processes down the aisle. Sara Min receives her diploma.

FAST FACTS

The Class of 2023 had 62 students who received 269 acceptances at 183 unique institutions

More than 1/3

admitted to the most selective colleges and universities (admit rate of 15% or less)

5

Seniors were candidates for the Presidential Scholars Program

1/5

of the class attended Baldwin since Kindergarten

Average ACT score

31

(10 points above the national average)

13% RECRUITED NCAA ATHLETES

1370 Average SAT score

(320 POINTS ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE)

More than 2/3 of students accepted into their top choice schools

90% were admitted to one of their top three schools

27% recognized by the NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Sisters Cassandra Stecker ’18 and Camille Stecker ’23 pose with cousin Francesca Huff ’35 after the ceremony.

Megan Adelman celebrates her diploma and the turning of her ring.

Wynne Conger rings the bell.

Laila Gopalani ’26 and graduate Rachel Gopalani pose with their parents after the ceremony.

(Including Amherst College, Barnard College, Columbia University, Cornell University, Duke University, Emory University, Georgetown University, Harvard University, New York University, Northwestern University, Pitzer College, Princeton University, Tulane University, University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt University, Washington University of St. Louis, Williams College and Yale University)

Martha Watson Shaw ’63 and Susie Terrell Saunders ’63 catch up.

Former faculty member Suzanne Valutas and Jordan Valutas Jacobs ’03 during Friday’s dinner.

Danielle Weiss ’98, Elizabeth Hankin ’98, Marsha Satchell Mack ’98 and Ashley Canavan Costa ’98 enjoy Friday’s cocktail party.

Seniors Christina Cai, Hana Twyman, Ifunaya Obidike and Emily Danenhower joined Carolyn Jones ’73, former faculty member Jan Pethick, Leslie Dingle Carrere ’73, Amy Breslow Montgomery ’73 and Marie Lefton ’73 during Friday’s luncheon.

Members of the Class of 1968 and 8th Head of School Dr. Marisa Porges ’96 look at a yearbook.

Former houseparent Grant Grissom, Jeannette Fischer Stein ’73, Katie Fehr Hannon ’73, Patricia Notopoulos ’73, Meg Gaines ’73, Joan Prowda ’73 and Amelia Fischer Drake ’73 enjoy the 50th reunion cocktail hour.

Carolyn Jones ’73, Marie Lefton ’73, Kathleen Tunnell Handel ’73 and Lisa Williams Smith ’73 pose in the art gallery.

Michelle Foa ’93 and Melissa Shingles ’93 enjoy dinner.

Barbara Schwan Glaser ’68, Ellie Miller Roman ’83 and Kathy Wickham ’68 enjoy Friday evening.

Heather Hermann ’73 and her husband Christopher Miller enjoy looking at the art.

Dorothy Rogers Mayhew ’93, Sarah Katz ’93, Florencia Greer Polite ’93 and Tenley Conway ’93 gather after the Alumnae Awards ceremony on Friday afternoon.

Former houseparents Grant Grissom and Alice Dustin listen to a Saturday session.

Cathy Eglin Maxey ’53 and Charlotte Heuer Watts ’53 enjoy lunch.

“Our Past Paves the Way for Our Future: Looking Back to Look Forward” was a Saturday panel discussion hosted by the Class of 1973. It featured Lisa Ameisen ’76, Meg Gaines ’73, Carolyn Jones ’73, former faculty member Jan Pethick, Ricki Weisberg ’98 and Tiana Mason ’13, who reflected on the Baldwin experience and how it connects generations of Baldwin graduates.

Director of Libraries Lauren FriedmanWay (P ’36), English Department Chair Melissa Sullivan and Cassandra Stecker ’18 spoke about how the Baldwin Archives are used for teaching and research.

Chair of the Board of Trustees Patricia Weiser (P ’22, ’24) spoke to attendees during a Saturday reception.

Jeannette Fischer Stein ’73, Carolyn Jones ’73 and Amelia Fischer Drake ’73 outside the Residence.

Kelly Ahrens ’03, Alicia Roebuck ’05 and Rachel Aronson ’03 gathered for the portrait unveiling.

Artist Juan Bastos was on hand to help unveil his portrait of 8th Head of School Dr. Marisa Porges ’96.

Heather Hermann ’73, Christine Giordano, Eileen Rosenau, Corinne Coughanowr ’73, Juan Bastos, Dr. Marisa Porges ’96 and Jane Westrich ’69 pose in front of the new portrait.

Ryan Murphy, Kaity King Murphy ’01, Jordan Valutas Jacobs ’03 and Brittany Behar ’03 enjoyed Saturday’s festivities.

Altenpohl

Heinz, Marianne

Hooker, Vega

Lalire

Row

Barbara Schwan

Glaser, Karen

Keyworth

Schroder, Alex Allardt, Helen Miehle

McElroy,

Gilfillan McKay, Helen Brown

Leaman, Cathy

1958 t Judy Strong Rice, Sally Dana Willson, Betty Kish Gates and Gwinn Heilner Scott

† 1953

Row 1 (Front): Mary Scott

Sally Lewis Caspar, Sue Zook Starr, Charlotte Heuer Watts Row 2: Sally

Eglin Maxey, Sue Howson Pillsbury

† 1963 Martha Watson Shaw, Jody Krout Phillips and Susie Terrell Saunders

1968 t

Row 1 (Front): Ruth Sadler, Helen

2:

T 1973 Congratulations to the Class of 1973 for winning the Champagne Challenge Cup, which is awarded to the reunion class with the highest participation. Row 1 (Front): Corinne Coughanowr, Meg Gaines, Amy Breslow Montgomery, Marie Lefton, Shere Abbott, Kathleen Tunnell Handel Row 2: Kyra Stephanoff, Carolyn Jones, Kathryn Meyer Addis, Deborah Ginley Lewis, Leslie Dingle Carrere, Emily Logue, Laurie Parsons Montgomery, Lisa Williams Smith Row 3: Adrienne Ottenberg Hartman, Carolyn Walker, Catherine Warden Elkins, Laurie Calhoun Row 4: Heather Hermann, Jeannette Fischer Stein, Amelia Fischer Drake, Mimi Converse Winkler, Patricia Notopoulos, Joan Prowda, Katie Fehr Hannon

† 1978

Row 1 (Front): Nancy Schwartz, Nicole Alio, Amy Horowitz, Susan Swan Smith Row 2: Caroline MacMoran, Sue Houser Winant, Elizabeth Jamme, Patricia Kelley

1983 t

Congratulations to the Class of 1983 for winning the Class of 1936 Reunion Challenge Bowl, which is awarded to the reunion class that raised the most money. Row 1 (Front): Betsy Hyland

Hinsey, Daphne Klausner, Rachel Gerstenhaber Stern, Jenna Bellak

Barlow, Kinney Zalesne Row 2: Sally Panzer, Mary Dockray-Miller, Jackie Balkin Hoffman, Nancy Kardon, Tiffany Murray Row 3: Ellie Miller Roman, Molly Briggs, Laura Freundlich, Jennifer Porges, Garen Brien Sherwood

Row

2003 t

Hanhausen Maddison, Laura

Hansell, Rachel Aronson, Lydia

Terrill, Brittany Behar Row 2: Lauren Gulkus, Kelly Ahrens, Rachael Boseman, Jessica

Friedberg Smith, Jordan Valutas

Jacobs, Tara Ahmadinejad

†

Nicole Scipione

Didizian, Alynne Grace, Elizabeth Hankin Row 2: Danielle Weiss, Pontea Fazeli Dixon, Ashley Canavan Costa, Marsha Satchell Mack

T 1993 Row 1 (Front): Alexis Snader Braunfeld, Danielle Morgan Koplin, Weatherly Ralph Emans, Anne Drury Ford, Aliza Moldofsky Simeone Row 2: Melissa Shingles, Tenley Conway, Sarah Katz, Jesse Barrabee Parry, Michelle Foa Row 3: Aline Feaver Anderson, Lisa Yogel Davis, Kira Merdiushev Row 4: Allison Ravenscroft Van Etten, Megan Steer, Alexis Lewis, Nissa Rabe O’Mara, Laura Livoy, Dorothy Rogers Mayhew, Jill Flaxman, Pamela Plummer Harrington

1998 Row 1 (Front): Milica Stojancic Schiavio,

1 (Front): Christine

† 2008 Alison DiCiurcio and Ameena Schelling

2013 t Tarlan Daryoush, Maya Patel and Aaryn Turner

† 2018 Row 1 (Front): Natalia Schafer, Pranshu Suri, Cassandra Stecker, Miyanni Stewart, Carly McIntosh Row 2: Gabrielle Alston, Juliana Kho

Award for Lifetime Achievement RACHEL GERSTENHABER STERN ’83

The Award for Life Achievement was established in 1991. It is given to an alumna who has either demonstrated a lifelong dedication and commitment to helping empower those who have struggled with challenges and societal barriers or who has had a significant impact on an institution or community.

Rachel Gerstenhaber Stern has been a dedicated leader in the Baldwin community. She has served in a variety of volunteer roles − reunion planning volunteer, member and chair of the National Board of Advisors, Co-Chair of The Future Is Baldwin Campaign Committee, Co-Chair of the Ninth Head of School Search Committee and member and Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees.

In her role as co-chair of The Future Is Baldwin Campaign Committee and Ninth Head of School Search Committee, Rachel has provided leadership and strategic direction to further the School’s mission to educate girls who make lasting changes in the world. The Future Is Baldwin Campaign, the most successful campaign in Baldwin’s 135-year history, raised more than $32 million to support faculty, staff and students ensuring the financial support of generations to come at Baldwin.

Rachel serves as the Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Global Head of Strategic Resources of FactSet (NYSE, NASDAQ: FDS), a leading global financial information services company. She is a member of the Executive Leadership Team. In addition to Legal and Compliance, her mandate includes Enterprise Risk Management, Real Estate Strategy, Facilities Management and Offshore Site Management of Centers of Excellence in India, the Philippines and Latvia. Her operational experience covers M&A, Investor Relations, Human Resources and Data Procurement and Governance. She was the company’s first Executive Sponsor of its Women’s Business Resource Group. Prior to joining FactSet, Rachel was a corporate associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, and she clerked for the late Chancellor William Allen of the Delaware Court of Chancery.

Rachel earned a B.A. summa cum laude from Yale University, an M.A. with distinction from the University of London and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she was an Executive Editor of the Law Review. She was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Vienna. She is admitted to the bar in New York and Washington, D.C., is House Counsel in Connecticut and is FINRA certified Series 7 and 24.

Rachel is an independent director of Baron Capital Management, Inc., a private asset management company in New York City, and of Morrow Sodali, a leading global shareholder engagement and governance advisory firm. She is a member of the Board of Directors of UJAFederation of New York.

She has three grown daughters and lives in Westchester County, NY, with her husband and their dog. She is an avid runner, ultramarathoner and novice triathlete.

The Alumnae Award FLORENCIA

GREER POLITE ’93

The Alumnae Award was established in 1967 to honor Rosamond Cross on her 25th anniversary as Head of School. It is given annually to an alumna who has distinguished herself in her field of endeavor and whose life reflects a dedication to the principles of The Baldwin School.

Dr. Florencia Greer Polite is a Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology who serves as Chief of the Division of General OBGYN at Penn Medicine and Vice Chair of Clinical Operations. Dr. Polite graduated with honors from Harvard College and received her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. She completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York University (NYU) and Bellevue hospitals, and then joined the faculty at NYU upon graduation.

In 2010, Dr. Polite and her family moved to New Orleans, her husband’s hometown, where she practiced at Louisiana State University serving as the Residency Director and Division Chief for General OBGYN. In 2018, Dr. Polite was recruited back to Penn Medicine to serve as Chief of the Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology. In this capacity, Dr. Polite supervises the largest division in the department of OBGYN. In January 2022, she was appointed as the Vice Chair of Clinical Operations in the Department of OBGYN.

In her four years while at Penn Medicine, Dr. Polite has spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at addressing systemic racism and decreasing racial disparities. Dr. Polite addressed healthcare workers in the June 2020 White Coats for Black Lives kneel at Franklin Field and has served as a member of the Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania (CPUP) Anti-Racism Committee.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Polite created and operationalized Operation-CAVEAT: COVID-19 Acceptance: Vaccine Education

and Adoption Taskforce, an intervention designed to address vaccine hesitancy among staff at Penn Medicine, specifically people of color. For this effort, she was named one of Philadelphia’s citizens of the year and was also named to City and State’s Above and Beyond list honoring distinguished Women in Pennsylvania. She was recently named an ACOG Vaccine Champion, a commendation from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology given to only six physicians.

Dr. Polite credits her success to her amazingly supportive family. She has two wonderful daughters, one of whom attends college in California. Dr. Polite lives in Philadelphia with her husband, her youngest daughter and her mother, Gloria Greer. Dr. Polite has remained an active Baldwin alumna, coming every spring to meet with Baldwin’s senior class to discuss contraception, sexual assault and consent. She was chosen by the 2021 graduating class to be the Baldwin Commencement Speaker.

Distinguished Young Alumna Award RICKI

WEISBERG ’98

The Distinguished Young Alumna Award was established in 1991. It is given to an alumna who has graduated within the last 25 years and has made significant contributions in her profession, avocation or volunteer services.

Ricki Weisberg is a Nonprofit Publicist and CEO of Bird Hill PR. She is passionate about making the world a better and more equitable place and has spent over two decades developing and implementing

communications strategies and building brands in the nonprofit and private sectors.

Ricki started her career as an activist in Washington, DC, working for nonprofit organizations, Women for Women International, The Landmine Survivors Network and Green for All, focused on global women’s rights, disability rights and building a more equitable green economy.

When Ricki first learned about the power of the press to make a difference in the world was in the early 2000s and The Oprah Winfrey Show sent her to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with their video camera to interview women survivors of war. When the show aired, thousands of women in the United States signed up to support women in the DRC through Women for Women International.

In 2019 Ricki launched her boutique PR agency, Bird Hill PR, to help nonprofit organizations increase visibility by securing consistent press. Her clients range from the preeminent global disaster relief organization, International Medical Corps, to Philadelphia’s Oshun Family Center, fighting for Black maternal and mental health. 2023 year-to-date press efforts for Bird Hill PR’s nonprofit clients have reached over 1.5 billion people.

As an alumna, Ricki has been an active volunteer. Since 2012, she has been an active member of the Alumnae Association Executive Board, serving as President from 2018-2021, planning Philadelphia area alumnae events and volunteering for reunion. She has supported Baldwin students over the years as a Career Day panelist and a mock interviewee for the Germination Project interviews.

She has recently been dubbed as the “Terrible Sandwich Mom” after a TikTok of her son, Abe Ndege, telling her “terrible sandwich, by the way” after his first day of school, went viral. The video gained global attention, with over 50 million views, and landed Ricki and Abe on national news broadcasts such as Good Morning America and The Today Show. Always a Baldwin girl, Ricki used the spotlight to highlight the fight against childhood hunger and created TerribleSandwich.com merchandise to raise funds for Feeding America.

Ricki graduated from George Washington University with bachelor of arts degrees in Women’s Studies and Psychology. She lives in Ardmore, PA, with her husband, Moni Ndege and her son, Abe Ndege.

The 2023 Alumnae Awards were presented on May 5. Seniors Ryan Shelton ’23 and Megan Adelman ’23 joined Head of School Dr. Marisa Porges ’96 to moderate a panel discussion with the award winners.

SUPPORT THE ARCHIVES FUND

Connecting Baldwin’s Exceptional Past with Its Exciting Future

When Dr. Marisa Porges ’96 joined Baldwin as its 8th Head of School in 2016, she had a vision to change the ways in which Baldwin used the beautiful historic landmark that we know as our Residence. After seven years, and nearly 17,000 square feet of renovations throughout campus, the School now boasts several new and updated spaces that support Baldwin’s girls, teachers and future-focused curriculum, including an expanded Early Childhood Center, a student lounge called The Baldwin Commons, our dedicated Middle School and DREAM Lab®, collaborative office spaces for our administrative staff and a new, modern elevator for the entire building.

The final piece of the transformation was revealed this Spring, when the School announced plans to celebrate Dr. Porges and her many contributions as Head of

School with The Baldwin Archives project. Occupying 1,800 square feet on the third floor of the Residence, The Archives is an ambitious undertaking that tackles the important work of preserving Baldwin’s robust history for generations to come.

Funding for the project will support on-going renovations that will create the first-ever, permanent home for the innumerable treasures that tell the story of Baldwin’s students and its past, right here within the walls of our iconic Residence. This updated space will comprise a series of rooms for the preservation and storage of documents, academic study and informal gathering, and it will connect the School’s inspirational past with the limitless possibilities of its future.

Through the years, Baldwin students have accessed the archives to produce historical

studies unique to Baldwin, including research on the origins of our beloved cherry trees (Grade 5), the study of women in the Roaring ’20s (Grade 12) and biographical research on individuals connected to Baldwin, such as Gloria Steinem, Frank Furness and Florence Baldwin for the Wax Museum project (Grade 4).

In the past, students dug through piles of scrapbooks and dusty boxes to uncover relevant pieces of history. In a new, modern archive, students and faculty will have direct access to primary sources that are organized and catalogued in a way that directly supports Baldwin’s hands-on, interdisciplinary learning.

Current students have already started making contributions to the new archives. During Reunion Weekend, History Teacher Dr. Athan Biss (P ’34, ’37) and students in the

Advanced Topics (AT) History class launched Baldwin’s Oral History Project, inviting visiting alumnae to participate in live interviews to share their Baldwin experiences. Dr. Biss participated in the “Introduction to Oral History

Workshop” run by the UCBerkeley Oral History Center so he could pass on his training and ensure the students were prepared for the task. The interviews were a unique opportunity that allowed returning alumnae to work alongside current students,

“I’m really excited to have the archives cataloged, organized and accessible.”

- Caroline Didizian ’27

observe their interdisciplinary work first-hand and contribute to the preservation of the unique narrative of the generations of Baldwin girls who came before them.

Dr. Biss hopes to soon transfer the interviews onto a Baldwin server, safeguarding them within the Archives and making them easily accessible to students, faculty and alumnae for archive work and research projects. Ultimately, he envisions making the interviews a permanent part of the AT History curriculum,

providing more opportunities for students to practice their interdisciplinary work and expanding the program to include any alumnae who wish to participate.

Initial support for the Archives has been extraordinary. Thanks to the generosity of parents, current trustees and alumnae, the project has enough funding to start construction over the summer. Once completed, ongoing, endowed support will allow for the addition of resources to catalog, display and preserve the School’s significant history, begin

the digitization of fragile documents and oversee dayto-day operations.

While the Archives project commemorates the conclusion of Dr. Porges’ tenure as our first alumna Head of School, the updated academic spaces and the ways in which archive research supports Baldwin’s interdisciplinary learning will have a lasting impact on Baldwin students for years to come.

We cannot wait to share these forward-looking and yet historically beautiful spaces with you.

Madeleine Marr ’17 recalls working in the Archives as one of her first summer jobs and using the resources there for her first big independent research project. A portion of her work, alongside Jane Bradley ’17 and Lolly Anapol ’16, produced the Baldwin Digital Archives, an online collection of more than 450 digital objects including photos, documents and memorabilia. This “mini-library” reveals historical details about Baldwin, how young women were educated in the U.S. and architectural facts about the Bryn Mawr Hotel (now, the Residence).

Learn more about the Archives Project here and make a gift.

“The essence of Baldwin teaching is project-based learning and using the archives and primary sources lends itself to projectbased learning, incorporating many different fields of expertise.”

– Anne-Mette Hansel (P ‘03), former faculty

One Blazer to the Next: The Stories of Legacy Pins

by Carley Taylor ’23

(Editor’s note: This article was originally written for Carley’s Journalism class this year.)

While these pins might serve as simple decorations for many, there are also a great number of pins that carry meaningful stories as they sit proudly on this year’s gold blazers. There are even ones that have been passed from senior to junior for years, and others that will be starting that long journey this year, known as legacy pins.

Other seniors carry legacy pins whose stories were lost in time, but their value to the holder still remained. Arden Davey ’23 proudly shows off her yellow “Tokyo Tower” pin with unclear origins, but various initials that remind her of its long adventure through Baldwin. Arden said, “To me, I just feel really connected to the School and to the seniors before me when I received this pin because it’s been passed down for so many years. I’m really excited to give it to my junior because I think it’s a really cool tradition.”

The pins’ stories are not abandoned after the senior’s departure; instead, they keep alumnae connected to the current students even after graduating.

Lexi Phelan ’19 said, “I think [legacy pins] can be a way of bringing the School together across generations of students as a reminder that you’re a part of a community that knows you and will support you without having to have met you.”

Though pins are an essential part of any Baldwin senior’s blazer today, the tradition hasn’t been a part of the School forever. Flipping through old year books in the alumnae office, I saw hundreds of different colored blazers, all adorned with pins. The alumnae office is unsure of when the pins officially started, but their first appearance in Baldwin yearbooks was in 1969, with a few small pins decorating student lapels.

Despite the tradition having an unclear beginning, blazer pins are a current staple of almost every senior’s Baldwin Blue wardrobe. While some pins are passed just between friends, others are legacy pins that have been carried for ages. Though these buttons may be aged, time hasn’t worn down students’ value of legacy pins. As the pins move from blazer to blazer, their stories are carried with them.

Inspired by the tradition, Lexi actually both received and started legacy pins of her own as a senior and junior. Her junior year, she was passed the torch of a beautiful Sunoco name tag for a worker named “Frank.” The name tag first entered the Baldwin halls in 2009 after being acquired during that year’s junior/senior scavenger hunt. Though Lexi couldn’t remember who initially started passing along Frank’s legacy, she remembers an abundance of initials on the back, marking its 10-year travel across classes.

A year later, she passed Frank’s name tag as well as a few others, including her Hourglass editor pin. However, at the last minute, she decided to push another pin to legacy pin status. “I decided to come up with a gay legacy pin at Marching In,” Lexi said. While the whereabouts of this pin are unknown, she hopes that even through COVID confusion, her pins managed to continue their adventures, rooting on seniors for years to come.

Julie Brose ’23 said, “I love the idea of legacy pins because I think it provides a remarkable level of connection to people in years past, some of whom I’ve never even met.”  Julie’s blazer displays the legacy of Baldwin’s theater students. In bold yellow font on top of a dark blue background the words “Theatre/What else is there?” are proudly displayed on Julie’s blazer after its relationships with many other seniors in the past.  Traditionally, the pin is passed onto the next Masker’s head or just “a very theater-y person,” she explained.

Lexi said, “I remember thinking it was really cool to imagine the students who were seniors when I was in Kindergarten and the pins they had. No matter how I felt standing before a big, scary and exciting senior year, my pins reminded me that so many students have done it before me.”

After hearing the stories of legacy pins passed down during Marching In last year, I used some class time in the jewelry room to carve the most perfect happy face out of metal. It was a total failure, but I ended up with two awesome rockface pins — one of which is on my blazer now. Its twin sits patiently in my room, hoping to get covered in initials and displayed on jackets for years to come.

After many years at Baldwin, some seniors have grown their collection to massive sizes, gaining legacy pins with long pasts from siblings and friends.  Amelia Schafer ’23 sports three legacy pins herself, one of which is a white pin asking the simple question, “Are we having fun yet?” The pin was originally from her neighbor Maya Bindra ’17, who wrote “Didn’t go to the concert, still bitter” on the back, a message now surrounded by initials. The pin was then passed to her sister, Natalia Schafer ’18 before being given to Amelia herself. She plans to continue its journey with the Baldwin residents of her neighborhood by gifting it to Eesha Sharma ’24 at the end of the year.

Thanks to your unwavering support and continued generosity, you have helped us exceed our goal by raising $2,268,524 for The Baldwin Fund this year.

Congratulations!

A Baldwin education opens doors and broadens horizons. It introduces our girls to new people, new courses and new ways of thinking. Our students thrive because of these unique transformative experiences and as a donor, you understand this better than anyone.

By making a gift every year, your participation supports not only our amazing faculty and students, but everything we stand for at Baldwin. Together, you made it happen! And with your continued support, we look forward to another year full of promise and possibility.