Community News
FROM THE
Head of School
Our goal as a school continues to be that every Darlington student graduates with the confidence, connections, and compassion they need to succeed in college and their career, and be meaningful contributors to the greater good. This has been the case throughout our history and is most certainly the case now. The focus of this issue of Darlington Magazine is that sense of connection. A Darlington education and the Darlington experience should last a lifetime, and it is that thought that sits at the core of the Darlington Connects program we introduced last year and that you will learn more about in this magazine. The “Darlington Connection” has happened to each of us at different times in our lives and often in unusual places. Just this summer as Assistant Head of School Stefan Eady was competing in the Bighorn Wild and Scenic Trail Run 100-miler in Wyoming, someone from the crowd yelled to him, “My cousin went to Darlington!” This invited a conversation and a bit of rest in the midst of a grueling climb during the race. We love these connections and these stories, so we sought to formalize a way that our connection to Darlington could further foster success in college and career, and in making a meaningful contribution to our world. We knew we were on the right track when we received an overwhelming response to our initial request to participate. Nearly 100 alumni responded with interest in mentoring
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young graduates and/or sharing career paths and advice on Darlington’s blog. Ethan Delashmit (’17), a second-year law student at the University of Georgia, was the first young alumnus to reach out with a desire to make alumni career connections. The school put Ethan in touch with several seasoned attorneys and he had this to say: “Upon inquiring about the Darlington Connects program, Julie Lucas (’97) and the alumni relations team promptly connected me with numerous attorneys representing a wide variety of backgrounds. I was deeply encouraged by the willingness of the many practicing attorneys to meet with me whether it be over the phone, Zoom or in person over lunch on Broad Street in downtown Rome. The advice I received from these mentors continues to serve me well, and I am excited to continue investing in the relationships that the Darlington Connects program has helped me develop." Since the program’s inception, our Darlington Connects blogs, social media posts, and episodes of the newly launched Darlington Podcast have served to educate and celebrate the people in our community. These efforts have helped all of us connect through conversation, email and get togethers. The results have been fantastic as internships, jobs and mentoring relationships have developed for Tigers of all ages. And, as always, we want to keep adding and improving. So as you explore the program in the pages of this magazine, please keep in mind what we would like from you: - Reach out to your Darlington connections and say hello to someone you may not have talked with in a while. We can help you find them. - Call, email, and text us to connect and get involved. - Trust us when we say that there are people in our community who want to help you in your professional decision making. - Come to campus to visit for Alumni Weekend Oct. 15-17.
The Darlington Fund surpasses goal by $81,000 Thanks to the generous support of our community and the hard work of volunteers, the 2020-2021 Darlington Fund surpassed its goal, raising a total of $1,231,036 to support the educational experience of our students and teachers. “We could not be more appreciative of our 1,371 donors who made a gift last school year and helped us surpass our goal by $81,000,” said Julia (Douglas) Thomas (’07, LD ’15). “Your support allowed the school to adapt the Darlington experience during the continuing global pandemic in order to safely have the vast majority of students, teachers, and staff learning in person for the entirety of the school year.” Last year also saw the introduction of Darlington’s inaugural Giving Day, which brought in 324 donors; raised over $60,000; and which, for the first time, allowed donors to give via popular digital payment apps Venmo and PayPal. “We were excited to make supporting Darlington easier than ever through our external campaign site on Givebutter and will continue to accept donations through that platform as well as the Darlington website,” said Thomas. “Thank you to all of the alumni, parents, grandparents, parents of alumni, faculty and staff, friends, and foundations who illustrated your belief in Darlington’s mission and your love for the school by making a gift to The Darlington Fund. Our students and teachers are grateful.”
Darlington Magazine
