1. Members of the Class of 1955 at the Head’s Luncheon held at Merion Golf Club during Reunion Weekend 2. Middle School faculty and students honor history teacher Bonnie White during the inaugural Bonnie White Day 3. Members of the Class of 2027 demonstrate their creativity at the annual Kindergarten Invention Convention in March 4. Dr. George and Madame Barbara Barnett at a retirement celebration honoring their service to the school 5. The Class of 2015 celebrates their graduation from The Agnes Irwin School
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Summer 2015
EDITOR Wanda Motley Odom Director of Marketing and Communications
CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Wendy L. Hill Head of School
Mariandl M.C. Hufford Assistant Head of School and Director, Center for the Advancement of Girls
Amanda Mahnke Social Media & Media Relations Manager
Brooke N. Norrett ’95 Director of Alumnae Relations
LAYOUT Sandra Ulikowski Brand and Creative Design Manager
PHOTOGRAPHY Rodney Goldston, Amanda Mahnke, Donna Meyer, Karen Mosimann, Wanda Odom, Jim Roese, George Scarino, Linda Walters THE AGNES IRWIN SCHOOL Ithan Avenue and Conestoga Road Rosemont, PA 19010-1042 Grades PreK–4 Tel: 610-525-7600 Fax: 610-526-1875 Grades 5–12 Tel: 610-525-8400 Fax: 610-525-8908 FRONT COVER Members of the Class of 2015 share a celebratory moment. (Photo by Rodney Goldston, P’15)
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Contents
| IN THIS ISSUE |
Year In Review Head of School Dr. Wendy Hill reflects on her first year at Agnes Irwin as both an administrator and a parent, and takes a look back at some of this year’s standout events. BY DR. WENDY L. HILL
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On the Horizon Learn about Agnes Irwin’s upcoming strategic planning process, and themes the school community will examine as we look toward the future. BY MARIANDL HUFFORD
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Reunion Agnes Irwin alumnae who graduated in the years ending in 0 and 5 celebrated Reunion Weekend on May 1-2, 2015.
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A Fond Farewell Three admired teachers start a new chapter after 119 combined years at The Agnes Irwin School. BY WANDA ODOM
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Commencement CORRECTION: On Page 25 of the Spring 2015 issue of Agnes Irwin Magazine, the photo caption for our AIS-EA Day article should have identified the student as Hannah Keating ’16.
The school’s largest-ever senior class graduated on June 9, following sage advice from a fellow Agnes Irwin alumna. BY AMANDA MAHNKE
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AMANDA MAHNKE / KAREN MOSIMANN
Year in Review
As I write these words during the final days of our school’s 146th year, so much has transpired here that we have published this summer edition of the Agnes Irwin Magazine. It is not intended to be a thorough chronicle of the events, activities, and achievements of the year, but rather a brief, punctuated salute to some of the splendors of The Agnes Irwin School, especially the events associated with the close of the academic year. As I wrote last July, I was eager to begin my first year as Head of School, enthusiastic to learn and experience firsthand every aspect of this historic and pioneering school. As I reflected on this year, I realized that I could never have anticipated what a wonderful and rewarding year awaited me. So many marvelous and exhilarating things have happened — Convocation and Commencement, AIS-EA Day and Class Night, music performances and service learning projects, Winterfest and Mayfair, the Fifth Grade Opera and the Kindergarten Invention Convention, athletic tournaments and robotics competitions, Dream Flags and Dance Motion, PreKindergarten Assembly and Senior Assemblies. It was a fulfilling year brimming with many new things discovered and experienced. Indeed, I would need a dozen additional supplements for a complete inventory! There were major school-wide accomplishments. We achieved a successful reaccreditation of the school, a decennial requirement, and garnered accolades and commendations throughout the pro2
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cess. For example, the school was praised for our “talented and collegial faculty who are devoted to the success of their students.” Our Professional Growth Grant Program, which supports innovation at Agnes Irwin, was highlighted as “a model that should be widely replicated in the independent school world.” This year we also introduced our new mission statement, integrating this powerful resolution into the classrooms and assemblies, infusing its themes throughout campus life. Our Center for the Advancement of Girls held a successful STEM conference, convening leaders and experts from education, private sector corporations, and non-profit organizations. Together, we shared solutions about how best to attract and retain girls and women in the STEM fields. The recommendations developed from the lively discussion and dialogue at the conference already are having tangible effects at AIS. While these endeavors were arguably impressive, it was more often the simple, seemingly ordinary events that welded me to AIS and our mission. As I reflect on my first year, I recall many personal moments that helped me to discover the power and distinctiveness of our school and the AIS community. In November, as students gathered in the new gym waiting for our Thanksgiving assembly to commence, Music Program Coordinator Murray Savar began to play the piano. Spontaneously, all the girls started to sing: their voices, their harmonies, resounding, filled the space. Standing in the center of the gym, mesmerized by the beauty of the moment, I found myself joy-filled and, then, thankful. In January, I attended an Upper School performance of the play Our Town. At the end of the performance, while snow gently fell outside, its shimmer reflecting on the glass wall backdrop in the Student Life Center, it seemed the entire audience, including me, had tears streaming down our cheeks. Bravo, for such a moving performance. Later that month, I explored our Women In Wax Museum. Once a penny was tossed in their cups, our fourth graders, in costume, told a story. Each student orated the biography of an important woman and illuminated her significance to history. Our students displayed shining intellect, skilled research, and poise.
I ATTENDED MEDIEVAL NIGHT, BOTH AS HEAD OF SCHOOL AND AS A PARENT OF A COURT JESTER.
On the Horizon This coming academic year, The Agnes Irwin School will embark on a strategic planning process that will shape the vision for its future. The timing is right for this important work: The School was involved in a successful re-accreditation process during the 2014-2015 academic year, which allowed it to celebrate its strengths and identify opportunities for future growth. After an extensive national search, the School has partnered with Triangle Associates, a highly regarded firm based in St. Louis, to facilitate the process.
“We anticipate that this process will include representatives from all AIS constituencies,” remarked Head of School Dr. Wendy Hill. “It is exciting to engage in this kind of creative thinking that will help us remain innovative in all that we do.” Areas expected to be addressed are academic and co-curricular programming, endowment, and facilities. — Mariandl Hufford
SUMMER 2015
UPCOMING EVENTS Tuesday, Sept. 15 Dr. Jane Goodall visits campus and presents a lecture entitled “Sowing the Seeds of Hope.”
CREDIT: STUART CLARKE
amine. I also taught a senior seminar in neuroscience and am now witness to how well-prepared our students are for college. I have taught and advised thousands of first year college students. I can say with confidence that college faculty will welcome our graduates and will delight at having them in their classes! Along with others, I cheered on our sports teams. Watching our Varsity lacrosse team win the state championship with a dazzling display of athleticism and great sportsmanship was memorable. They were leaders on the field. I also followed our JV Middle School softball team, half of whom had never played the game before. The students grew, both individually and as a team, and, perhaps unexpectedly for them, became ambassadors for the learning that can occur through participation in sports. Throughout the year I attended alumnae events, encountering accomplished Agnes Irwin graduates. They shared stories and memories of their experiences, remembrances that reinforced the impact and enduring value of an AIS education. These tributes were buttressed during Reunion in May with the return of so many enthusiastic alumnae to the campus. These and so many, many more daily interactions and experiences lead me to pay tribute to the single most important thing that happened this year: the hand-tooled education we offered each and every one of our students. We — teachers, administrators, staff, coaches, students, and families — are dedicated to helping every girl develop and grow. It is powerful and humbling, and I am grateful to be part of such a wonderful community. I wish you a relaxing and rejuvenating summer. Warmest regards,
Tuesday, Oct. 20 CAG Lecture by Dr. Ken Ginsburg “Raising Kids to Thrive” 7 p.m. in the West-Wike Theatre Friday, Nov. 13 AIS/EA Day Noon at Episcopal Academy Tuesday, Jan. 12 Parent Program “Unguarded: A Conversation with Chris Herren about Addiction and Recovery” 7 p.m. in the Gymnasium
CREDIT: LOUIS WALKER III
DONNA MEYER / JIM ROESE
They taught us all, and the pride we felt for our students’ accomplishments was palpable. In April, I attended Medieval Night, both as Head of School and as a parent of a court jester. The evening was filled with dancing and singing, costumes and gowns, banners and motifs, nobles and peasants, food and cider, acting and merriment. It was a magical night. In my visits to classrooms, I saw engaged learning. Whether it was a discussion about a new technique in an Upper School photography class, a study of experimental protocols in a Middle School science class, or the development of a collaborative project about a geographic region in the United States in a Lower School homeroom, students were enthralled with learning, eager to explore and ex-
Dates subject to change. Please refer to the online calendar for the most up-to-date information.
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Reunion
May 1–2, 2015
TK CREDIT HERE
Coming from both near and far, Agnes Irwin alumnae share the bonds of friendship.
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n Reunion Weekend, over 200 alumnae returned to campus to celebrate their alma mater and the lifelong friendships that originated at AIS. Alumnae from the classes of 1930–1965 kicked off Reunion Weekend at the Head’s Luncheon at Merion Golf Club, honoring the Class of 1965. Following the luncheon, guests were invited to tour the gardens and greenhouses of Mrs. Samuel M.V. Hamilton. Friday night, alumnae of all ages came together for a cocktail party in the Anne S. Lenox Lobby. On Saturday, alumnae enjoyed campus tours followed by a session to get to know Dr. Wendy Hill and the Annual Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony of the Alumnae Association. On-campus events culminated with a Reunion Luncheon in the Student Life Center.
M. PENNEY MOSS AWARD
The M. Penney Moss Award is presented to an individual or individuals whose commitment to and efforts in the area of education embody and reflect the passion and spirit which Miss Moss devotedly exhibited during her years at Agnes Irwin. This year’s recipients, George and Barbara Barnett, have taught at The Agnes Irwin School for a combined 88 years. During that time, they have taught thousands of Agnes Irwin students to think, to read critically, to question, to conjugate, to translate, to develop language fluency, to roll their R’s and to sing the 12 Days of Christmas.
ALUMNAE AWARD
The Alumnae Award is presented annually to an alumna or alumnae who have made a significant contribution of service to the school in a volunteer capacity. This year, two alumnae were honored for their passionate support of their alma mater. Mary “Dusty” Augusta Biddle Scheetz ’35 spent five years at the school and became an Irwin’s girl for life along with her sister, aunt and daughter. Dusty has been a dedicated class representative for 80 years — planning gatherings, reunions and encouraging her classmates to keep in touch. Her loyal support of the Agnes Irwin Fund extends well beyond current database records, and we believe she has contributed every year since graduating. During the school’s 125th Anniversary Capital Campaign, she established a scholarship fund in honor of her mother, Margaret Seton Flemming Biddle, who taught drama and diction at Agnes Irwin. In the 25 years since graduating from Agnes Irwin, Anne Dillon Fisher ’90 has been a tireless supporter of the school — serving as a class representative, planning reunion parties and gatherings, giving of her own time, and supporting the annual and capital funds while encouraging classmates to do the same. Anne is a six-year veteran of the Alumnae Board, serving as secretary for four years. An active member of the parent community, Anne has chaired Mayfair and Winterfest, been a class parent for Parents’ Council and a class captain for the Agnes Irwin Fund.
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(OPPOSITE) KAREN MOSIMANN
YOUNG ALUMNAE AWARD
The Heather B. Thiermann ’81 Young Alumnae Award is presented in Heather’s memory to an alumna in the 5th, 10th, or 15th year class who has made an outstanding contribution through her community interests or her professional or academic pursuits. This year’s award winner, Dr. Molly MacGregor ’00, attended Wesleyan University, where she majored in psychology and graduated as a Phi Beta Kappa scholar. As a sophomore, she was accepted to Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Molly completed a combined residency in pediatrics, adult psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry, and is currently a Clinical Fellow in Psychosomatic Medicine and PsychoOncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
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1. The Class of 1985 proudly displays the Sophy Dallas Irwin Award for the highest dollar amount raised for the Agnes Irwin Fund. 2. Members of the Class of 1995 pose with the Loving Cup Award for the highest percentage of participation in giving. Left to right: Tara Malloy, Tracy Otley Viola, Maggie Poulos and Heather Rohers Galgon
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Reunion | MAY 1–2, 2015
1. Anne Dillon Fisher ’90 (far right), recipient of the Alumnae Award, with her classmates Kareema Levetter Gray, Lisa McQuiston, Elizabeth Juda Speicher and Teresa Macdonald (from left to right) 2. Laura Thomas Buck ’49, Ann Laupheimer Sonnenfeld ’77 and Nelly Keffer Lincoln ’44 at the Laurel Society Brunch
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3. Kathy Moran ’80 and Meg Garvey ’78 share a laugh over old photos 4. 1975 alumnae Gay WestKlein, Leslie Bacon and Wynetta Scott-Simons
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5. Debbie Boas Pakradooni ’65 and Margie Clark Stevens ’65 kick off their Reunion at Merion Golf Club 6. Mary “Dusty” Augusta Biddle Scheetz ’35 receives the Alumnae Award 7. Dr. Wendy Hill and Laurel Society Co-Founder Annabelle Pierson Irey ’53
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8. Polly Warren Coxe ’77, president of the Alumnae Association, presents the Young Alumnae Award to Molly MacGregor ’00 9. Erinn Corbett-Wright, Annie Geckle and Gabrielle Ware from the Class of 2010 10. The Class of 1965 celebrates their 50th Reunion at the Head’s Luncheon
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11. Members of the Class of 2005 Kate Morsbach, Natalie Jones and Katie Best 12. Alta Wister Hamilton ’70, Pamela Moyer Fernley ’70 and Patsy Moyer Walls ’65
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A Fond Farewell BARBARA P. BARNETT
KAREN MOSIMANN
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n a spring day against a backdrop of cheerful smiles, hearty laughter and poignant tributes, three of The Agnes Irwin School’s longest-serving educators took their final bow. History teachers Dr. George Barnett and Bonnie White and French teacher Madame Barbara Barnett marked their approaching retirements at a May 17 celebration that recognized their collective 119 years of service. Welcoming the hundreds assembled for the celebration, Head of School Head of School Dr. Wendy L. Hill saluted all three teachers for their selfless dedication and excellence in teaching. Dr. Barnett brought to life Japanese history, modern European history and American history through film, as well as other courses, for thousands of students during his 45 years in the classroom at Agnes Irwin. Likewise, Madame Barnett launched thousands of Francophiles with great oral and written skills in the French language, and as chair for 20 years she built an Upper School Modern Language Department that educates students about the cultural richness of foreign nations where Romance languages are primarily spoken. In addition, she created six short documentaries with students to highlight the stories of Holocaust survivors. Dr. Hill commended Madame Barnett “for the lessons you have taught all of us through your extensive research and documentation of Holocaust survivors.”
| GEORGE R. BARNETT, III | BONNIE WHITE
With her soft-spoken southern drawl, Bonnie White gave thousands of wide-eyed Middle School students their fifth-grade instruction in organized and systematic note-taking in the study of ancient Greek and Roman civilization. Board of Trustees Chair Ann Laupheimer Sonnenfeld ’77 presented Dr. and Madame Barnett with the M. Penney Moss Award, given to an individual or individuals whose commitment to and efforts in the area of education embody and reflect the passion and spirit that Moss, headmistress from 1988 to 2005, devotedly exhibited during her years at Agnes Irwin. Sonnenfeld also delivered remarks about the Barnetts, sharing the praises of several alumnae and reminiscing about her eighth grade year learning American history with then Mr. Barnett. “In the turbulent Nixon/Watergate years, when we wanted to be hippies and questioned everything, Mr. Barnett allowed us to think and speak off topic,” Sonnenfeld said. “He allowed us scope to discuss current events. These weren’t just ordinary current events! How many eighth graders sit around chewing on the Watergate break-in, the personal qualities of Richard Nixon or the morality of the Vietnam War?” Among the accolades that Sonnenfeld noted were tributes to Dr. and Madame Barnett in books written by former students now teaching in academia, including Elizabeth A. Foster ’84, who wrote in the
A Fond Fairwell | MAY 17, 2015
LINDA SOLOMON DAY MAY 27, 2015
On May 27, the entire Lower School gathered to celebrate Linda Solomon Day in honor of the much-loved retiring Agnes Irwin educator, who first joined the faculty as a Middle School math teacher and in 2005-2006 became an invaluable member of the Admission team by shepherding young families through the application process. For the celebration, Solomon took an uncustomary place at center stage in the Laura Thomas Buck ’49 Pavilion, sitting in an Agnes Irwin seal-embossed Windsor chair so that students and colleagues could serenade her, share memorable stories about her, and pay tribute to the many roles she has played at AIS for nearly 30 years. Among the gifts and tributes, Solomon received a planter decorated with an owl drawn by each of the 193 Lower School students, an original poem written by fourth grade teacher Susie Hagin and a personalized PreK bucket hat, making her an honorary member of the 2014–2015 PreK class. Poised in her chair, Solomon, who stands about five feet tall, was engulfed in a sea of blue bucket hats both during and after the celebration — when the PreK students couldn’t help but surround her to share their hugs. Lower School Director Donna Lindner spoke of Solomon’s kindness and concern for others, recalling how Solomon had helped her adjust to the very busy life of a division director when Lindner joined the AIS staff several years ago. “Linda, you have made a significant difference in the lives of so many here at Agnes Irwin by your warm and caring ways. You will be dearly missed,” said Lindner.
WANDA ODOM
acknowledgments of her 2013 book Faith in Empire, Religion, Politics and Colonial Rule in French Senegal, 1880-1940: “It is no accident that I turned out to be a historian of French and Francophone Africa, given the many phenomenal teachers of history and of French that I had as a student at The Agnes Irwin School. I would like to thank all of them, and George and Barbara Barnett in particular, for laying the intellectual foundations of my work.” Sonnenfeld added: “I know I am not alone in my sadness that on my frequent passes through the halls of the Middle and Upper Schools I will no longer see the friendly and comforting faces of George and Barbara. On behalf of all of your students, their parents, the many generations of AIS faculty, administration and staff, the half a dozen Heads of School, and the dozens of Trustees over the course of your careers, we all thank you, George and Barbara, for being wonderful teachers, mentors, friends and colleagues.” Former Middle School Director Diana Gormley had equally laudatory reflections on White’s teaching and coaching career at Agnes Irwin, throwing the room into laughter with her recollection of White’s perennial claim that “this might be my last year” during each of Gormley’s final five years at AIS. Gormley retired in 2008. “As an introduction program to Middle School, we began having dinners for fourth grade parents to bring them over to the ‘scary Middle School’ to see the layout and meet the fifth grade teachers,” Gormley recounted. “If you were a nervous fourth grade parent, there was no one more reassuring than Bonnie. She radiated a calm, a warmth and a steady demeanor on those nights and every day as the rock of fifth grade. She never seemed to get flustered no matter what was going on in homeroom or her classes. She was teacher, mother and role model for the fifth grade girls, whose adjustment to Middle School was made easier by Bonnie,” she said. In addition to teaching fifth grade, White in some years taught a section of sixth grade history, which gave her the opportunity to honcho the kitchen crew at Medieval Night, and also served as Middle School tennis and softball coach. White also inspired Greek Day, a culminating fifth grade event complete with costumes, drama, Olympic games and, of course, mounds of Greek food. All three — White and the Barnetts — were named honorary alumnae and alumnus, and given inscribed bricks that will be placed along the Alumnae Walkway between the Middle/Upper Schools and the Lower School building. — Wanda Odom
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Commencement
| CLASS OF 2015
TK CREDIT HERE
JUNE 9, 2015
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“YOU ARE NOT WHERE YOU GO TO SCHOOL, OR EVEN IF YOU GO TO SCHOOL, NOR ARE YOU A GRADE, NOR A JOB OR DEGREE YOU ATTAIN... YOU ARE WHAT YOU DO WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES YOU HAVE AND HOW YOU HARNESS THOSE TO IMPACT THE WORLD AROUND YOU.” advised the graduates that they were citizens of the world at the beginning of a new century in which they would be leaders in setting global agendas. “It is clear that Dr. Martin took his advice to heart,” Dr. Hill said. In her address, Martin shared with students some of her own experiences at Agnes Irwin, both good and bad, recalling that the school had served as an intellectual and social foundation for her future. Martin encouraged the girls to embark on a “journey of joy,” seeking out paths about which they are passionate, and harnessing opportunities to impact the world around them. “It is easy for me to look back on my time at Irwin’s now and extract lessons learned and moments of joy, but when I sat in your seat in 1999, I had not arrived at a point in my journey where I fully realized the value of our school’s environment,” Martin said. “Irwin’s had afforded me the space to dream, goal set, and connect those desires to action.“ Martin has dedicated her own career to promoting health and wellness, viewing her research as an opportunity for intellectual service. Last year, as a lieutenant in the U.S. Public Health Service Ready Reserve and EIS officer, she served as an epidemiologist during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. She has more than a decade of global and domestic research and applied epidemiology experience. “Through my experiences at Agnes Irwin, I was given the chance to lead, and foster a commitment to personal excellence that came from the sense of self and confidence I had begun to develop here,” Martin said. “It was here that the integration of our coursework laid the foundation for me to think across disciplines and to ignore academic silos — simply pursue knowledge for the joy of knowing. By the time I left I knew that there was an art to science and that creativity could be an asset to intellectual curiosity.” Before Martin’s remarks, student speaker Meredith Rupp shared similar thoughts, thanking parents and faculty for the support they provided throughout the graduates’ years at AIS, calling her alma mater “an anchor, a rock and a home away from home.” “These are my sisters, my friends, my confidantes,” Rupp told those gathered to celebrate her and her fellow graduates. “What I am most
AMANDA MANHKE
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ith sage words of advice from a fellow Agnes Irwin graduate, 84 seniors received their diplomas during Commencement exercises at The Agnes Irwin School on Tuesday, June 9, marking the end of one journey — and the start of another — for the school’s largest-ever graduating class. Reminding the graduates that they are more than the sum of their high school achievements, alumna Iman K. Martin, Class of 1999, encouraged them to dream, set goals and use connections with others to turn their dreams into reality. “You are not where you go to school, or even if you go to school, nor are you a grade, nor a job or degree you attain... you are what you do with the opportunities you have and how you harness those to impact the world around you,” said Martin, an officer in the elite Epidemic Intelligence Service of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “It is a lifelong journey, and since each of us walk our own unique path, we can all succeed.” A Philadelphia native who came to Agnes Irwin in fifth grade, Martin graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with dual bachelor degrees in health and societies and African studies. She received her doctoral degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health and holds dual master’s degrees — one in epidemiologic sciences from the University of Michigan and one in public health from the University of Ghana. She was also one of the first alumnae Dr. Wendy L. Hill met after officially being named Head of The Agnes Irwin School this past summer. While pursuing her training at the CDC, Martin stayed at the Emory University Conference Center, which, coincidentally, happened to be where Dr. Hill was staying while attending The New Heads Institute. The two got together at the end of their stays. While at Agnes Irwin, Iman was awarded the Jeanne Clery Award, which recognizes courage, compassion and leadership. At Iman’s own Agnes Irwin Commencement in 1999, Dr. William Kirby of Harvard
CLASS OF 2015 WILL BE REMEMBERED “NOT JUST FOR OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, NOT JUST FOR THE MISTAKES WE MADE, OR FOR THE BIG MOMENTS WE ALL SHARED, BUT FOR ALL OF THE LITTLE THINGS THAT DEFINE WHO WE ARE…”
Passionate. Unapologetic. United. … I know that we all care about each other deeply and want to see each other succeed. It is hard to have that kind of connection and support from a group of girls at any other school. That is special to Agnes Irwin.” — Amanda Mahnke
CUM LAUDE SOCIETY APRIL 2015
In April, 17 seniors were inducted into the school’s Cum Laude Society, representing students who pursued the most rigorous coursework during their high school years. The students were honored at a morning assembly program where alumna Emily Murphy Troncoso ’03, a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School, spoke to Upper School students about remaining open to new ideas and new opportunities in order to “find those things that motivate you and allow you to define what success means to you.” Agnes Irwin’s 2015 inductees were: Haley Brumberger, Charlotte Buck, Brynn Buonocore, Meryem Cebeci, Miarosa Ciallella, Amber Dai, Laura Dallara, Brianna Gallo, Vaughn Hillman, Caitlin Looby, Jessica Miller, Mercy O’Malley, Bridget Pansini, Lauren Schafrank, Katerina Smith, Lauren Spinelli and Lansing Zhang.
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looking forward to is seeing the types of things you do with your lives.” Speaking to the teachers in the audience, Rupp expressed her gratitude for the impact they’d had on each student. “We all would be nothing without the teachers at AIS who were able to shape our young minds, and for that, we thank you,” Rupp said. “Thank you for making us feel smart and bright every day. Thank you for encouraging us to sing out and speak up. … Thank you for teaching us about humanity through the books that we read. Thank you for teaching us that we would not be the people or the society that we are today without the influences of the past. Thank you for opening our eyes to other languages and cultures and forcing us to look beyond the world that we are comfortable living in. Thank you for being passionate about the subjects you are teaching. Thank you for making us care. Thank you for taking the time out of your schedules to meet with us when we are having trouble, or to just talk to us about how we are doing. Thank you for helping us learn from our mistakes and praising our accomplishments. Thank you for being our surrogate parents, or friends, whenever we needed you. Thank you for not just teaching us the subject of your classes, but for teaching us how to be better people.” During the ceremony, department heads recognized several students for their outstanding academic achievements with a variety of Commencement awards, rounded out with the Phi Beta Kappa Association of the Delaware Valley award, given to an outstanding senior who embodies the ideals of academic achievement, character and a love of wisdom and learning. This year’s recipients were Meryem Cebeci and Lauren Schafrank. Martin shared that as she was writing her speech, she spoke with Senior Class President Lauren Spinelli ’15, and asked her to describe the Class of 2015. “We are artists, athletes, scholars, feminists, creative thinkers, problem solvers, travelers, helpers, and want to make a change in some aspect of our communities,” Spinelli had said. “As individuals that make up a whole, we are talented, brave, diverse, loyal, multi-lingual, loving, helpful, enthusiastic, and ambitious… we want the best for each other.” Spinelli’s classmate Rupp said the Class of 2015 will be remembered “not just for our accomplishments, not just for the mistakes we made, or for the big moments we all shared, but for all of the little things that define who we are: Proud. Strong. Loud. Assertive. Fiery. Vivacious.
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Commencement | JUNE 9, 2015
1. Kristin Helber and
MS/US Art Teacher Terri Frock 2. Brynn Buonocore
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and Tom Mattson, one of two faculty members to whom the 2014-2015 yearbook was dedicated
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diploma to Emma Hill 4. Members of the Class of 2015 pose for their traditional graduation photo 5. MS/US Learning
Specialist Courtney Dougherty, the second faculty member to whom the 2014-2015 yearbook was dedicated, extends a tearful congratulations 6. The Class of 2015
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toss their bouquets with a cheer during commencement 7. Shelby Brisbane and
Devon Stahl with Commencement speaker Iman Martin ’99 8. Kate Wahl, Elizabeth
Camerota and Emma Collier grin after receiving their diplomas To view more photos, visit agnesirwin.org/gallery 6
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COLLEGE CHOICES | Commencement
College Choices for the Class of 2015 Emily Court Acton Elon University
Elizabeth Fitzgerald Correll Oberlin College
Nishi Sudesh Bhagat Case Western Reserve University
Heather Leigh Crosby Wake Forest University
Margaux Elizabeth Bigelow Tulane University Marin Elizabeth Bloise Rutgers University, New Brunswick
Laura Elizabeth Dallara* University of Pennsylvania
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Priyanka Dinakar Georgetown University
Kathryn Grace Bottger Drexel University
Emily Jane DiNubile Loyola University Maryland
Madeline Grace Boyes University of Colorado at Boulder
Margaret Clare Dooner Syracuse University Lisa Joy Fendrick Gettysburg College
Shelby Nicole Brisbane Bennington College
Elizabeth Wogan Ferguson Bucknell University
Haley Brumberger* Wesleyan University
Paige Bailey Frankel University of Miami
Charlotte Grace Buck* Vanderbilt University
Anna Elizabeth Frick Syracuse University
Brynn Walker Buonocore* University of Michigan
Brianna Catherine Gallo* University of Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Day Camerota Washington and Lee University
Martha Taylor Gavula Harvard University
Sena Meryem Cebeci* Princeton University
Morgan Elizabeth Gleeson Loyola University Maryland
Blair Hannah Chandler Southern Methodist University Miarosa Shaffer Ciallella* Barnard College
Amber Shiao-Hoo Dai* Rice University
Joelle Karen Goldston University of Pennsylvania W
Lia Mei Goodwin University of Pittsburgh
Molly Addison Clark New York University (Tisch)
Dorothy Gannon Greenfield University of Michigan
Emma Victoria Collier Northeastern University
Frances Cawood Habenicht Furman University
Sierra Sable Corbett University of Delaware
Amber Marie Hall Duke University
Nile Assata Harris University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Bridget Beth Mullin Case Western Reserve University
Kristin Lynne Helber University of Colorado at Boulder
Olivia Grace Neumann College of Charleston
Kendall Roberta Heward Northeastern University Caroline Armstrong Hill University of Alabama Emma Chickering Hill Gettysburg College Vaughn Nicole Hillman* W George Washington University Elizabeth Alice Holmes Fairfield University
Mercy Aisling O’Malley* W Vassar College Bridget Gabriella Pansini* University of Pennsylvania Nicole Katherine Culpeper Paradis Vanderbilt University Olivia Grace Pina McGill University Sydney Pilar Pujadas Carnegie Mellon University
Ogechi Chika Igwe Georgetown University
Curry Amanda Richman Southern Methodist University
Jolie Sinclair Jemmott Hampton University
Rachel Felice Rudnicki W University of Pittsburgh
Yijia Jiang Emory University
Paulina Rea Rugart New York University (Tisch)
Sabrina Olivia Kelly George Washington University
Meredith Joanne Rupp Kenyon College
Caitlin Leah Looby* Cornell University
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Kimberly Margaret Sanna Clemson University
Lauren Mary Spinelli* Pennsylvania State University, University Park (Sapphire Leadership Program at Smeal) Devon Lee Stahl Connecticut College Erin Marie Tillery Pennsylvania State University, Altoona Alexa Torcini Drexel University Sophia Tornetta Princeton University Lindsay Noelle Turner Amherst College Audra Adele Volpe Pennsylvania State University, University Park Kathryn Elyse Wahl Pennsylvania State University, Schreyer Honors College Lindsey Barbara Wetz James Madison University Virginia Anne Whelan Bucknell University Danielle Alexis Williams Pennsylvania State University, University Park
Lynn Hue Luong Hofstra University
Lauren Alexis Schafrank* Washington University, St. Louis
Lucy Dickson Maguire Tufts University
Georgia Brooks Simkiss Tulane University
Grace Louise Williams Georgia Institute of Technology
Katharine Aldridge Mancini College of William and Mary
Katerina Elizabeth Smith* W Johns Hopkins University
Stephanie Rae Williams American University
Anna Marie Manning Stanford University
Phoebe Anna Somani University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Meyerhoff Scholars Program)
Lansing Zhang* W Carnegie Mellon University
Jessica Anne Miller* University of Richmond Julia Alexandra Minker Hobart and William Smith Colleges
* Cum Laude Society W
National Merit Commended
COMMENCEMENT AWARDS
AMANDA MAHNKE
The Agnes Irwin School Arts Prize Shelby Brisbane Molly Clark The Bertha Laws Classics Prize Greek Sena Meryem Cebeci Latin Madeline Boyes
Alumnae Association English Prize Brynn Buonocore Miarosa Ciallella Anna Frick The Agnes Irwin School History Prize Sena Meryem Cebeci
The Phillis Belisle Mathematics Prize Lauren Schafrank The Agnes Irwin School Modern Language Prize French Heather Crosby Spanish Katerina Smith
Chinese Devon Stahl Phi Beta Kappa Sena Meryem Cebeci Lauren Schafrank The Edith C. Gall Science Prize Yijia Jiang
SUMMER 2015
AGNESIRWIN.ORG
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LINDA WALTERS
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Front Row: Mercy O’Malley, Amber Hall, Meredith Rupp, Lynn Luong, Lauren Schafrank, Devon Stahl, Lansing Zhang, Sophia Tornetta, Paige Frankel, Nicole Paradis, Brynn Buonocore, Nishi Bhagat, Kendall Heward Row 2: Katerina Smith, Emma Hill, Margaux Bigelow, Elizabeth Camerota, Lauren Spinelli, Caroline Hill, Amber Dai, Kimberly Sanna, Margaret Dooner, Ogechi Igwe, Shelby Brisbane, Olivia Pina Row 3: Bridget Mullin, Elizabeth Ferguson, Jessica Miller, Sydney Pujadas, Martha Gavula, Molly Clark, Audra Volpe, Danielle Williams, Frances Habenicht, Emily Acton, Madeline Boyes, Elizabeth Correll, Miarosa Ciallella Row 4: Morgan Gleeson, Sena Cebeci, Olivia Neumann, Marin Bloise, Elizabeth Holmes, Priyanka Dinakar, Kathryn Wahl, Curry Richman, Lisa Fendrick, Lucy Maguire, Lindsey Wetz, Heather Crosby Row 5: Nile Harris, Erin Tillery, Sabrina Kelly, Jolie Jemmott, Sierra Corbett, Lia Goodwin, Georgia Simkiss, Yijia Jiang, Lindsay Turner, Rachel Rudnicki, Haley Brumberger Row 6: Grace Williams, Emma Collier, Virginia Whelan, Brianna Gallo, Phoebe Somani, Emily DiNubile , Bridget Pansini, Julia Minker, Stephanie Williams, Anna Frick, Alexa Torcini, Laura Dallara Back Row: Charlotte Buck, Katharine Mancini, Anna Marie Manning, Joelle Goldston, Caitlin Looby, Dorothy Greenfield, Blair Chandler, Paulina Rugart, Kathryn Bottger, Kristin Helber, Vaughn Hillman