2014–15 Annual Fund
100 Reasons to Give
In celebration of our Centennial, we collected 100 reasons why alumni, parents, and friends give to the Annual Fund. There are many reasons to support Loomis Chaffee. What’s yours? Give today at www.loomischaffee.org/giving. To see the full list and add your reason, go to www.loomischaffee.org/reasons.
accepted a position at the NFL network in California.
1993
Dave McGrail is the author of a new book, Surviving Middle School: An Interactive Story for Girls. Written for tweens in a choose-your-own-adventure format, the book is about the empowerment that comes with making tough decisions. Though some of the issues (such as bullying, dieting, Internet stalking) are serious, the narrative is light and often humorous.
1996
Yushen Chu Michelsen works in Hartford at Travelers Insurance as an information engineer, eBusiness Technology, and is a member of the 100-member Travelers Chorale. The chorale performed December 18, 2014, at Mortensen Hall at the Bushnell in a winter concert closing out a celebration of the ensemble’s 90th year.
1997
Jenn Welch writes: “I was so excited to catch up with JinBon Kim ’99 in Korea. We had a great time reliving our OLD Loomis days! He was so funny — trying to convince me to leave Thayer admissions and start doing college admissions at, say, 52 |
REASON #1
A Loomis Chaffee education transforms lives.
Yale, Princeton, Harvard — so I could help his daughter get into college in 17 years! He thought he had a good ‘in’ at Loomis, so that was covered! I was also in New York City recently and caught up with Derek Marcus and his wife, Stacy. They have two children: Liam, 5, and Lila, 2. Emily Ingardia and I took a trek to Maine to visit Jim and Amy Bonnefond Smucker. We try to do an annual summer visit to see them and spend time at their lake house. It’s always a great time.”
1999
Jonathan Oppenheimer, a resident of the Hamline Midway neighborhood of St. Paul, Minn., leads a year-long partnership of artists, business leaders, and community residents to transform the neighborhood through public art. The Midway Murals project focuses on Snelling Avenue, one of the most highlytravelled roads in Minnesota and home to thriving immigrant-owned businesses — but a thoroughfare that struggles with graffiti, litter, and a lack of foot traffic. Four experienced artists are working with business owners to highlight community diversity, together creating four murals that weave together the theme of starting
anew. The project will reflect the neighborhood’s evolution as well as the promise of the community over time. The culmination will be a neighborhood celebration next Labor Day. Midway Murals also will create a public art workgroup that will oversee future mural projects and ensure upkeep of the existing ones. The project already has received a $25,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s Knights Arts Challenge. Additionally, Jonathan co-founded and leads the Friends of Hamline Park group, which serves to make the park along Snelling Avenue a vibrant, welcoming, and inviting space. He is part of a workgroup exploring the formation of a neighborhood investment cooperative, and he pursues a dual master’s degree program in social work and public policy at the University of Minnesota.
2001
Daniel Patrick Griffin narrates his story, “The Punchline,” in issue 1:13 of The Flexible Persona, a biweekly audio and iBook literary journal of characterdriven fiction and nonfiction: https://soundcloud.com/theflexiblepersona. According to his biography on the journal, Dan is a “raconteur, gourmand,
and bon vivant.” A graduate of Fordham with a bachelor’s degree in history, he went on to earn a master’s degree in creative writing from Emerson College. Dan lives in Somerville, Mass. You can visit his blog at forthillblues.blogspot.com.
2002
From Kathryn Kenney: “At long last I have earned my master’s degree! Following many years of coursework, I rounded out my studies at the Boston Architectural College with a year-long thesis exploring how to design a residential/medical space based on cognitive behavioral therapy concepts for military veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder. Professionally, I am still contracted with DCAMM (the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance) in Boston, Mass. I have applied for a permanent position here. My role as an accessibility compliance assistant has been the most rewarding experience in my professional development. I have learned so much and have connected with some amazing and inspiring people. I’ve learned to think beyond the wheelchair when it comes to accessibility and universal design. I am incredibly thankful for my