Tower The Masters School
VOLUME 70, NUMBER 6
49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. 10522
FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2014
tower.mastersny.org
Planning team discusses plans to Admissions office incorporate next year’s “Diversity” theme lowers acceptance rate to burst 2017 bubble Rachel Saunders News Editor
As Head of the Upper School Matt Ives began to introduce the new theme for the 2014-2015 school year at moring meeting, slouching students lifted their sleepy heads up from their palms. Then it was announced: “2014 to 2015’s theme will be ‘diversity’.” Through this year’s water theme, students and faculty have been made aware of the impact of water—when it is present as well as when it is missing. However, diversity is not something people can hold in their hands. It can be related to what people see when they look at students, or what people learn when they talk to those students.
Due to the broad nature of the theme, the school cannot cover all the topics under the umbrella of “diversity”, but Dean of Students Jessica Nuñez believes that students will become more educated and aware that Masters is a uniquely diverse-rich environment. Nuñez said, “I’ve said this before, and I’ve said it through our strategic planning process and I continue to say that as an independent school we’re actually quite diverse, but I don’t think we do enough with the diversity that we have.” Freshman Masters Interested In Sharing and Helping (MISH) representative and member of the theme commitee, Lazerena Lazerova, said, “Working with different clubs like international club or GSA would be a great way for MISH to incorporate the theme next year. Something pos-
itive to come out of ‘diversity’ will be directing students attention towards the true diversity of our community, as well as bringing clubs, such as international club, to the community’s focus.” With the broadness of diversity, students and faculty will have room to explore what this new theme really means. The idea of diversity is in itself diverse, which can uniquely show the theme in a way no single, direct topic can. “Over the summer I’m definitely going to take into consideration what I can do to help the theme next year and try to plan for different opportunities, whether they’re forums, conversations, lunchtime talks about diversity, speakers we could bring in or movies we could show. There are lots of ways we could do it,” Nuñez said.
An estimated 15 students will join the class of 2017 next year. Holton added, “They will graduate at roughly 130 students, which will be the largest class in the As 108 seniors prepare to grad- school’s history.” uate on June 7, the school will welThe Admission Office and adcome a freshman class of approxi- ministration are trying to hold mately 110 students. steady the number of students in The incoming freshman class the Upper School and normalize has a nearly even female to male the student population over the ratio, keeping in line with that of next four years. previous years. Additionally, the “If we went back to 450 students boarding to day ratio will not vary in the Upper School—from the 475 significantly, according to Keith we currently have—we’d have to Holton, Director of Admission and make next year’s freshman class Financial Aid. around 90 students, which we can“We might have just a few less not do. So, what we are trying to boarding students do is gradualthis coming year so ly slow down that we won’t need the train over to have any trithe next three ples,” Holton said. There are plans to blow out the years, so that The adminisback part to the theatre and we return to a tration looks formake a second level. That’s one student body of ward to hanging of the top priorities after the 450 students,” up the flags of MAAC is finished. Holton said. Austria, Brazil, The unexSweden, Denmark - Keith Holton pected increase and Chile in the in students has theatre, as interbrought to the national students forefront issues from these counof space, or lack tries head toward Dobbs Ferry thereof. come fall. After the exceptionally Holton said, “There are plans high yield this past year, which re- to blow out the back part of the sulted in a freshman class of 127 theater and make a second level. students, the school was conserva- That’s one of the top priorities aftive in their admissions process. ter the MAAC is finished.” “The freshman class is the bubHolton and the Admissiosn Ofble and as such, the acceptance rate fice are pleased with this year’s rethis year was lower than that of sults. previous years—around 50%--and “The school is in a great place the yield very high—around 70%,” right now. We want to see how the Holton said. “Those we accepted next few years go, and after the are quality students. The Class of bubble that is the 9th grade moves 2018 will be extremely strong.” on, we will reevaluate,” he said.
Lucy Price Deputy Editor
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SANG BAES/TOWER
DIVERSITY HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED as the new school theme for next year. Faculty and students have begun to generate ideas in order to prepare for activities and speakers that will greet the students in the fall.
Father and CBS co-anchor speaks at graduation ‘14 Teerin Julsawad Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Commencement season has arrived and in less than a week, the graduating Class of 2014 will roam through Masters Hall one last time as they gather to parade down the steps that will lead them to the outside world. This year’s commencement speaker, Anthony Mason, television journalist for CBS News and father of Olivia Mason ’14 and Nick Mason ’18, will offer the seniors one last piece of advice as they bid farewell. Mason’s daughter Olivia nominated him for the position to speak at commencement back in October. A
few weeks later, the Class of 2014 officially elected Mason among two candidates. “I don’t know how my name got thrown into the hat. I certainly didn’t campaign for it,” Mason joked. While the selection process at some other schools has no student involvement, the seniors were able to nominate and vote upon a potential commence speaker. However, the school does require the nominee to be acquainted with at least one member of the graduating class. Last year, writer and creator of the Fresh Prince of BelAir Andy Borowitz spoke. Eight years ago, actor Alec Baldwin gave the commencement speech. Mason is currently the CBS News’ Senior Business Correspondent and
co-anchor of the morning television show CBS This Morning: Saturday. Anthony has garnered seven Emmy Awards and worked in over 30 countries as a correspondent for CBS News. Although Mason has had his fair share of experience being in front of a television audience, he admits that public speaking can be more intimidating. He said, “Speaking to a camera, I look into a lens that is supposedly connected to five million people, but it’s a lot more imposing speaking to a live audience, especially when it’s to your daughter’s graduation class.” What does the occasion of graduation really indicate? Mason said, “There are very few mileposts in your
life that are so clearly marked. Everything stops. The band plays. Everybody makes a note of where you are. And everything you do from this point on in your life is kind of measured from where you are now. It’s just a really interesting moment.” He continued, “And you will look at yourself ten years from now 25 years from and compare of yourself where you were and who you thought you were. And a lot of things changes, but a lot also stays in the same. And that’s kind of what I want to talk about.” According to Mason, the fact that the commencement speech is for his daughter’s graduating class is the icing on the cake. “It would be an honor to speak at any commencement, but
INSIDE THE ISSUE DRESS CODE PUT BLAME ON GIRLS
THE CLASS OF 2014 HEADS INTO THE ‘REAL WORLD’
GOLF TEAM FINISHES STRONG
Modest and respectful dress is one thing, but being told to stop distracting boys is another issue.
What are the seniors doing when they graduate? Going global, staying national or taking gap years?
Improving as indiviuals and as a team, the golf team is confident with the way they ended the season.
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to speak to her class is really cool. It’s very exciting, and because it’s important to her, to put all that together is really special,” he said. “If you told me 40 years ago, when I graduated, that I would ever speak at commencement, I would have thought ‘no way’.” On whether or not he would take up an opportunity to speak at his son’s graduation in four years, Mason said, “Absolutely. I mean, why not? Of all the things I did in my life, being at my daughter’s graduation is the coolest thing. You’re so proud of your kid and to have an important role in that ceremony, you can’t ask anymore of that.” Finally, he said, “I hope I will not disappoint. I feel the enormous pressure that Olivia has put upon me!”