A Celebration of Success and Mentorship

Over 200 alumni gathered at the Delphian School for Alumni Weekend 2023 to celebrate success and mentorship. The weekend was a testament to the strong community and support system that the Delphian School fosters.

The event allowed alumni to reconnect with old classmates and give back through sharing their knowledge and experiences with current students, who were grateful for the opportunity to learn from individuals who once walked the same halls.

“We are thrilled to see so many alumni return to the Delphian School for this special weekend,” said Director of Public Outreach Tkeisha Wydro (class of 1999). “It’s a testament to the strong bonds and lasting impact that the Delphian experience has on our alumni.”

One of the weekend’s highlights was the thirty individual seminars organized by students for students and led by alumni, who discussed their careers and offered mentorship to students. Students interested in business, architecture, finance, music, entertainment, writing, marketing and science were given the chance to explore

their interests and expand their knowledge about different career paths from active, successful alumni working in those industries.

Maxine Anderson (class of 2018), a successful entrepreneur and Delphian alumna, encouraged students to “Be curious and try new, hard things” in her seminar on entrepreneurship and building a startup tech company. Her inspiring words resonated with students eager to learn from her experiences.

Another seminar, led by a panel of alumni including Emma Aaron (class of 2020), Mac Feilmeier (class of 2018), Cody Malick (class of 2011), and Adam Cummings (class of 1995), focused on college experiences and advice. Cody discussed how tough the transition from a small school like Delphian to a large university like Oregon State University can be and shared what it took for him to get to graduation. Emma, who had a very positive experience attending Western Governors University online, discussed how the “exposure to concepts, people and structure of learning topics I was interested in was very valuable.”

Adam, who attended Boise State for his undergrad and then later earned his master’s degree, stressed the importance of time management in achieving academic success in higher education, saying, “What you get out of it is what you put into it.” Mac Feilmeier encouraged the students not to limit their higher education to college, saying, “You don’t need fifteen hours of lectures a week to learn. You are Delphians. You can learn anything.” The students’ inquiries overflowed the time limit, compelling some to linger a few extra minutes, eager to pose just one more question.

L-R Adam Cummings (class of 1995), Emma Aaron (class of 2020), Mac Feilmeier (class of 2018), and Cody Malick (class of 2011)

Meanwhile, in the science lab, alumnus and engineer Ralph Mesmer (class of 1984), biologist and chemist Christine Perpelitt (class of 1989), and astrophysicist Connor Chen were hosting a science-based seminar discussing many topics from the value of being able to make quick calculations because they did the Math Facts on the Computer program to how useful using Study Technology™ has been as they pursued their education. Students had numerous inquiries ranging from the workings of black holes to the necessity of college.

In answering a student on how to handle the academic workload, Ralph replied, “If you ‘like it,’ you will not need to worry about focusing and getting the knowledge and handling the workload.” Christine encouraged students to “find professors who have an

appreciation for what they are teaching.” She also urged students, “Don’t be afraid to ask the professor questions; you’re paying the tuition.” Connor passed on the qualities that he felt have helped to make him successful: “curiosity, appreciation for knowledge, determination, and hard work.” He also encouraged students to “take advantage of the connections you can make with professors as they can someday be your allies when you need them to vouch for you or to ask them questions.”

L-R: Christine Perpelitt (class of 1989), Ralph Mesmer (class of 1984), and Connor Chen

The students valued the guidance provided during the seminars, and the theme of making connections, mentorship, and honest conversations continued through the weekend, as alumni had the opportunity to catch up with old friends, explore the campus, and attend various fun social events.

As the weekend came to a close, alumni left with a renewed sense of connection to their alma mater. The Delphian School looks forward to continuing this tradition of mentorship and success at future Alumni Weekends.