Nichols 2022 The Work of Life Thinking, Communicating InternshipInstituteJacobsProgramEntrepreneurialCooperativeProgramwith43NorthNicholsCommunicationsMediaSchoolandInternship Roswell ResearchComprehensiveParkCancerCenterScholarsProgramPhannenberg USA RoboticsSymposiumProgramMentorNicholsSchoolStudentLeadershipFinance SeminarInvestmentandSerieswithHirtleCallaghan&Co. STA R T
102212 Mission “Our aim is to train minds, bodies and hearts for the work of life, and to carry into all we do the highest ideals of character and service.” – Joseph D. Allen, 1909 (second Headmaster of Nichols School) Kate Roach ’83 P’14,’16 Chair, Board of Trustees Chris Burner Head of School Leslie Garcia P’14 Assistant Head of School for Advancement Design: Kelley Rechin, Duffy Moon Design Marketingalumnioffice@nicholsschool.orgTomLarryJenniferContributors:BamannDesautelsP’95,’99AustinFarberSarahIrwinJosephyRaySaraWieseJanelleZeraPhotography:JerryTheresanathanWolf,TomWolfImagingAllotheralumnimatters:PublishedbyNicholsSchool’s&CommunicationsOffice and Advancement Office for alumni, families and friends of the School.
4 Campus Clips 6 From Mitchell Hall 8 Meet Our New Faculty and Staff 17 Class of 2022 College Matriculation List 18 2022 Senior Family Dinner and Alumni Induction Ceremony 20 Awards 26 Q & A with Kelly Jorgensen 27 Prince Lecture Inspires 41 Reunion 44 Athletics 49 All-In Campaign Update 50 Differential Learning 51 Nichols InvestmentSchoolClub 52 Nichols Talk 53 General Information Test 58 Nichols Night 59 In Memoriam 61 Class Notes DEPARTMENTS Nichols 2022 3236 – means “that which is true” and is pronounced “taw alay théss.” Nichols School 1250 Amherst St., Buffalo, NY 14216 Telephone: 716-332-6300 • Fax: 716-875-3931 • www.nicholsschool.org Nichols is an inclusive community. Admission granted to qualified students. FEATURES 10 Inspiring Upstanders 12 Commencement 22 Arts–Practical Application of Art in our World 24 Nichols School Teams Up With One Last Goal Foundation To Promote Mental Wellness 28 The Work of Life 32 Celebrating Centurion–Tom Harriman ’38 36 Magnificent Maya Happy 100th Tom Harriman ’38
CAMPUS CLIPS 4231 4 Nichols School
1. Friday, May 20, the entire Nichols Community celebrated Spring Fest 2022. Small groups of Middle School students were paired with Upper School students, and they competed in activities all over campus. From trivia to kickball, students, faculty, and staff enjoyed a day of sunshine and camaraderie.
5. A team of 18 Nichols students and faculty members took part in the annual Bald for Bucks on Wednesday, February 16. In addition to hair donations collected during the event, the team raised over $22,000 to support Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
3. This Thanksgiving, Nichols kicked off the season of giving with an all-school project led by Service and Social Justice Coordinators Kevin Powers and Caitlin Crowell and seniors Emmy Franz ’22 and Clare Mooney ’22. Nichols Middle and Upper Schools teamed up to run a food drive to assemble “Welcome Boxes” to help incoming refugees.
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6. Students, faculty, and staff participated in Orange Shirt Day to recognize and honor Native American and Canadian children who survived the residential schools and remember those who didn’t. The effort was organized by Macay Jimerson ’25, whose grandfather is a survivor of the Thomas Indian School.
7. Nichols welcomed 24 seniors into this year’s Cum Laude Society. Nichols, in 1918, was the thirteenth school to be admitted to membership in the Cum Laude Society.
2. February 2, 2022, marked the celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. For 36 years, this day has been an opportunity to inspire athletic participation from girls and women and recognize their accomplishments.
4. To celebrate Faculty Staff Appreciation Day, the Parent Association came together in support of our teachers! Students made signs, there were HEARTS dedicated to our teachers and homemade treats. From teachers and administrators to coaches, the facilities team, and dining staff, we thank everyone who makes this a special community!
Chair Kate Roach ’83 P’14,’16 Vice-Chair W. Scott Saperston ’90 P’20,’22 Vice-Chair Nelson S. Walsh ’80 Secretary Kristan Carlson Andersen ’80 P’13,’16 Treasurer John Darby P’19,’21,’23 Melissa Balbach ’83 P’22,’22
of2021-2022BoardTrustees
Katie Campos ’04 Tom Chambers P’21,’23 Gregory Desautels ’95 Brigid Doherty P’21,’23 Andrew Fors AlexandraSonjaP’19,’22,’22,’25’91Gallen-Kallela-SirènP’22,’25,’28ColleenHeidinger’02LisaJacksonP’18,’21BridgetLettP’17JewettMcPherson’92P’22,’24MatthewD.Miller’95MichaelF.NewmanP’17,’19BonniePadwa’79MontgomeryPooley’80ScottSochaP’19,’24AlysonSpauldingP’14,’16,’18CynthiaVanceP’14TheodoreB.K.Walsh’73P’05,’07,’12 6 Nichols School
The current issue of , the magazine of Nichols School, highlights how faculty, students, alumni, and friends are carrying out the work of life that is at the heart of our mission statement. I hope you not only enjoy the stories and photos in this issue but share your own as we continue to celebrate the accomplishments of our community. Thank you for your continued commitment to Nichols School. n As I look back on the current year, I am impressed with the efforts and commitment of the Nichols community. Faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, and friends have all played an important part in realizing the school’s mission and engaging in the “work of life” that empowers us to embrace challenges. Head of School Chris Burner
We are forging a path to our future in many ways – a curriculum review, strategic planning, a successful and ongoing comprehensive campaign, and growing community service programs, among others. We are hosting on-campus, in-person events while still maximizing the availability of virtual options. Every member of the community has contributed to our current success, and for that, I am deeply grateful.
Officers President(s) Carolyn Coppola P’22 Dede Koeppen P’23,’26
Correspondence & Records Erica West P’23,’26 Ex-Officio Julie Gicewicz P’14,’15,’19,’21
7th Grade (Class of 2027) Hillary Green P’27 Tara Manteghi P’27
Rima
6th Grade (Class of 2028) Jamie Kelly P’23,’28,’28 Marianne Lagutaine P’24,’28
8th Grade (Class of 2026) Monica Claringbould P’26 Christine Fontaneda P’26 9th Grade (Class of 2025) Jessica Baird ’92 P’21,’23,’25 Carolyn Kiddy P’25,’27 Monica White P’23,’25 10th Grade (Class of 2024) Michelle DiTondo P’23,’24 Margaretta Hamilton P’24 11th Grade (Class of 2023) Shannon Martin P’23,’25 Lisa Stapleton P’23
Kirsten Maidment P’22,’24 Leah Mills P’28 Danessia BrendaP’19,’19,’22,’24Scott-WarrenSharonSuchak P’25,’29 Brenda Ricotta P’21,’24 Dawn Ryan P’23 Lillie Wiley-Upshaw P’21,’23 Sarah Draper-Washington ’08 P’26 2021-2022 AssociationParents’Council 2021 - 2022 Alumni Board President Erin Hart ’03 Vice President Sarah Draper Washington ’08 P’26 Jessica Baird ’92 P’21,’23,’25 Eleanor Brason ’13 Tom Caulfield ’72 Annmarie Cellino ’05 Brittney Comstock ’11 Chris Covelli ’05 Jodi Priselac de Riszner ’93 P’22, ’25 Tommy Elia ’17 Cassie Fracassi ’08 Zoe Jackson-Gibson ’12 Dillon Joseph ’10 Alisha Lall ’03 Wendy Stone ’01 Joe Trapp ’09 2022 7
Grade Representatives 5th Grade (Class of 2029) Leah Mayer P’28,’29 Julie Plata P’22,’22,’29
Vice-President(s) JJ & Priscilla Bennett P’23,’26 Amat Fatimah P’28
12th Grade (Class of 2022) Terri Rich P’21,’22,’23 Darcy Zacher P’12,’13,’20,’22,’22’88 At-Large Molly Boscarino P’23,’27 Cheri Carter P’24,’26 Carmen Fors ’92 P’19,’22,’22,’25 Khan P’21,’24,’26 Gelman-Koessler ’93 P’26
Lisa
Kimberly Balicki Mental Health Counselor Jennifer Bamann Director of Marketing Lisa Caywood Administrative Assistant to the College Office Victoria Chatfield Middle School English Ashley Dell Administrative Assistant to the Middle School Emma Eddy Middle School English Austin Farber Director of Advancement Evan Gallagher Director of Advancement Services Nicoletta Grundtisch Middle School Learning Support Specialist Ira Hancock Upper School Learning Support Specialist Kelly Jorgensen Director of College Counseling Noel Lampazzi Middle School Science Ramón Nicosia Upper School History & Assistant Dean of Students Joshua Tanner Upper School Spanish Peter Wickman Dean of ManagementEnrollment Meet Our New Faculty and Staff 8 Nichols School
facebook.com/NicholsSchool Spring Spirit Day success! What a way to end the first week back from Spring Break, and kick-off to all the end-of-the-year celebrations. @NicholsSchool: Giving back to the Buffalo community is a year-round commitment at Nichols. This morning a group of students (including pictured Elise Glahe ’23) volunteered and helped prepare meals at St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy. @NicholsSchool: Thank you to the Nichols community for supporting our first ever Middle School Street Hockey Tournament! From faculty help organizing the event, to the parent volunteers, and the clean-up team at the end of the event, it was a prime example of Nichols HEART. Follow us: @NicholsSchool – Follow us to stay in touch @NicholsVikings – Sports scores and more Livestream Nichols Athletics followAllathletics-livestreamswww.nicholsschool.org/athletics/–Alumniareencouragedtothe Nichols School Alumni Network on LinkedIn. @NicholsSchool: Seniors Paul Walier ’22, Malachi Nuchereno ’22, Connor Coscia ’22, and Makhi Horton ’22 recreated this photo from their first day at Nichols four years ago. #makingmemories#lastday#firstday SOCIAL MEDIA 2022 9
UpstandersInspiring
Nichols Chosen as an Anne Frank Center Pilot Program
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In the Fall of 2021, Nichols School welcomed to Western New York, the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect at the University of South Carolina. They were on campus to perform a dramatic presentation drawn entirely from the text of Anne Frank’s “The Diary of a Young Girl” (1947) and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” (1963). After the performance of “Letters from Anne and Martin,” students, faculty, and staff engaged in a question-and-answer session with the actors.
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“Letters from Anne and Martin” balances the real-life experiences of both legendary figures with their hopes and plans for a peaceful and unified world. Both born in 1929, Frank and King lived on different continents, suffered fates in different decades, yet experienced life in the same shadow of hatred and prejudice. The performance shows how injustices still exist and provides constructive ideas on how to confront intolerance and discrimination today. To continue the work that started in the fall, Nichols became one of four schools in the area selected to take part in a pilot program led by the Anne Frank Center. A group of Nichols students were trained as peer guides to present a traveling exhibition called “Let Me Be Myself,” which documents the life and times of Anne Frank. After their training, the student guides led tours of the exhibit on campus to students, faculty and staff members. They also gave a presentation of the exhibit at Kleinhans Music Hall. The exhibit documents the life and times of Anne Frank and addresses current issues of identity, exclusion and discrimination. Peer guides presented about the importance of being an “upstander” and celebrating the experiences that make us unique and valued in our community.“Proudly, the Nichols community is growing more diverse. Our families represent myriad beliefs, backgrounds, cultures and identities,” said Dr. Ramone Alexander, Director of Inclusivity and Community Building at Nichols School. “Nichols was honored to be chosen to participate in the ‘Let Me Be Myself’ program. This is another way we can tie cultures together and show our students that while two experiences can seem on the surface very different, there are ties that bind them together,” he added. n Amara Foots ’25 leads a group of families and students through the exhibits this past winter as part of the pilot program with the Anne Frank Center.
Buffalo native Parish Bradley portrayed Dr. King, and Olivia Konteatis played the role of Anne Frank in this performance workshop for Nichols Middle School and Upper School students. Students, faculty, and staff engaged in a question-and-answer session with the actors after the performance.
Congratulations to the members of the Class of 2022, a class known for their accomplishments in the classroom, on the field, on the stage, and for their sense of community and camaraderie.
On June 3, members of the Class of 2022 walked in a processional to the Quad in front of Albright Hall. Dressed in the Nichols green robes and laurel wreaths, they joined family, friends, faculty, staff, and members of the Board of Trustees for the 130th Commencement Ceremony of Nichols School. Head of School Chris Burner commended the 117 graduates, a class who spent half of their Upper School years contending with the pandemic, for their grit, grace, and accomplishments during their years at 1250 Amherst Street. “At this moment, it is also a time to look forward. You will depart Nichols prepared to continue your growth and education, and I must emphasize that this does not represent an end to your learning,” said Burner. “In fact, if we have truly succeeded in your education, we have created the skills, curiosity, and drive for continued learning. Learning does not occur just at Nichols School or whatever college you will attend but instead involves a life-long commitment to constant learning and growth.”
Celebrating the Class of 202212COMMENCEMENT
Senior Lucas Suero, who was selected as class speaker said, “As our time as Nichols students is coming to an end, I want to leave you all with one last thought. Time is an unstoppable force that you can either embrace or waste. Life is truly a journey, not a destination, and I ask you all, Class of 2022, to no longer tell yourself ‘tomorrow,’ or ‘next week,’ or even ‘next year,’ but to use your time to embrace self-reliance and to “trust thyself” to pursue what is currently unimaginable.”
Dudley M. Irwin, III ’45 Award Rick Walker ’23 Presented to an outstanding member of the junior class who displays excellence in scholarship and high character, combined with achievement in other fields. G. Robert Strauss, Jr. ’79 Memorial Scholarship Award Lauren Geyer ’23
Benjamin Robare
Presented to an outstanding member of the junior class who displays excellence in scholarship and high character, combined with achievement in other fields.
Yamato Takabe
Carlie Porter
and has made a significant contribution to the extracurricular life of the school.
Sierra
Tommy Enstice
Emily
Faith Walh
Sophomore Awards (IV Form) Moscov Family Award Sianna Le ’24 The Moscov Family Award was established by former Sophomore Dean Steve Moscov. The award is presented to sophomore students who have shown significant personal growth in one or a combination of the areas of character, leadership, athletics, and academics. Yale Award Eleanor Bare ’24 Presented to that member of the sophomore class who, by scholarship performance, by participation in school activities, and by character, has assumed a position of prominence in the class.
McCarthy Prize Elaina Combs ’22, Gabriel Maddox ’22 Awarded to a student who has shown outstanding growth during his or her career at Nichols.
Bonnie Lerner Posmantur Award Emmy Franz ’22
Ellie Simmons
Gabriela Gallen-Siren
Charlotte Greene
Gretchen Gwitt
Freshman Award (III Form) Christopher Wadsworth Award Evelyn Walcott ’25 Presented to that member of the freshman class who, by scholastic performance, by participation in school activities and by character, has assumed a position of prominence in the class.
Senior Awards (VI Form) Castiglia Family Award for Community Service Salvatore Deni ’22
Williams College Book Award Owen Block ’23, Long-Hao Li ’23 Presented to a junior who has demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and intellectual leadership, Allen ’22 Lyla Allen ’22 Zaineb Ahmed ’22 Leif Anthony ’22 Blandino ’22 Callahan ’22 Christian ’22 Coppola ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 Saperston ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 Warren ’22
Lucas Suero
The Castiglia Family Award for Community Service was established in memory of Joseph “Jerry” Castiglia for his life dedicated to charity and community service both locally and nationally. This award will be granted each year to a graduating senior male student who has devoted significant time and energy to community service and charitable organizations. Edmund Petrie Cottle, Jr. Award Gretchen Gwitt ’22
Salvatore Deni
Nottingham Award Leyla Akil ’23, Elise Glahe ’23 Presented to a junior girl who, by virtue of character and leadership, has assumed prominence in her class.
John
Harvard Prize Book Catherine West ’23
Faculty Prize Yamato Takabe ’22 Awarded to that member of the graduating class who has contributed most to the school in activities other than athletics. Head of School Award Emily Allen ’22, Lyla Allen ’22, Austin Bares ’22, Benjamin CorderoLivingston ’22, Mirann Gacioch ’22, Laliya Kashindi ’22, Jasmine Jewett McPherson ’22, Faith Walh ’22 Presented to the student or students who have made outstanding contributions to the school and its life during the year.
Awarded to that member of the graduating class whose scholarship, achievement, leadership and influence based on character has been of greatest value to the school.
Williams Cup Gabriela Gallen-Kallela-Siren ’22 According to the inscription on the cup, is presented to the student with highest scholastic standing in the graduating class who has won a varsity letter at Nichols and exemplified the spirit of Nichols athletics. Junior Awards (V Form)
Grace
Colton
Patrick Duggan
Ayanna Varma
Rohit Rachala
Rose
Joseph L. Hudson, Jr. ’49 Award Elizabeth Simmons ’22 Awarded to a senior who embodies citizenship and virtue throughout his or her years at Nichols School, and emerged as an exemplary individual who has contributed to the Nichols community through his or her willingness to live with honor and without pretense or judgment. It is hoped that this award will not be given to a student who will also receive several other awards.
Class of 2022 Cum Laude Society 2022 Upper School Major Awards 2022 13
Luke
The G. Robert Strauss, Jr. ’79 Memorial Scholarship Award. Bob Strauss was a member of the graduating class of 1979. To honor his memory, this award is given to a rising senior who espouses the qualities most noteworthy in Bob – commitment to community service, academic growth and athletic participation.
The Bonnie Lerner Posmantur Award recognizes, through community service, a sincere commitment to helping others as exemplified by the efforts of Bonnie in her short life. Although not necessarily an annual award, this recognition is made to honor worthy young women and encourage other students at Nichols to actively engage in community service.
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9. Families and friends of the Class of 2022 enjoy Commencement in the Quad. 7
7. Grace Coppola ’22.
8. A record number six sets of twins graduated in the Class of 2022. From left to right: Addison & Lawton Zacher; Ava & Alexa Plata; Lyla & Emily Allen; Laura & Emmy Franz; Andrew & Alexandra Fors, and Madeline & Margaret Bace.
1. Class speaker Lucas Suero ’22.
3. Head of School, Chris Burner and Chair, Board of Trustees, Kate Roach ’83 present diploma to James Coburn ’22.
4. Yihan Luo ’22
6. From left to right Alicia Green ’22, Laliya Kashindi ’22 and Tremiya Giddens ’22.
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5. Gabriela Kallela-SirenGallen-’22 and her family celebrate at Commencement.
2. Jasmine McPherson ’22 with her grandfather Dean Jewett P’92, ’99.
The Robert A. Gillespie-Vincent E. Walsh Academic Award was established by Allan J. Lerner, class of 1947, to honor two outstanding Nichols teachers. It is awarded to the eighth grade student(s) who has achieved the highest academic standing during his or her eighth grade year.
The Pliny H. Hayes III Award Ellen Fox ’27 This award was established to honor Pliny H. Hayes, III, former Head of the Nichols Middle School; a brilliant leader, counselor, classical scholar, and world traveler, Pliny was devoted to Nichols, its students, and its faculty. It is given to that seventh grade student whose commitment to and pursuit of excellence in all endeavors challenges others; whose enjoyment and pleasure in new experiences and learning stimulates others, and whose character and personal integrity inspires others.
The Charles I. Kleiser Award Ella Yusick ’26 This award was established in 1960 by the faculty to honor the memory of Charles I. Kleiser, a Nichols Junior School teacher for more than thirty years whose devotion to his craft and his students remains legendary. It is awarded to an eighth grade student who has demonstrated qualities of positive leadership, sound character, and concern for others.
COMMENCEMENT2022
Middle School Awards
The Cornelia L. Dopkins Award Von Dudek ’26, Matthew Mammen ’27, Rebekah Combs ’27, Rainer Aubrecht ’28, Dylan Suchak ’29 Named in honor of an extraordinary teacher, scholar, and Head of the Nichols Middle School on two different occasions, this award is given to fifth-eighth grade students who have been nominated by their peers because they have demonstrated a genuine concern for others and for Nichols School. The recipient is a person who sees what needs to be done and does it with enthusiasm and without expectation of reward, a quality Mrs. Dopkins displayed throughout her lengthy career at Nichols.
This award is named in honor of George Kloepfer, who devoted his entire professional career of 48 years to the Nichols Middle School. As a wise, no-nonsense advisor, teacher, and coach, he provided a model of ethics, responsibility, and accountability for his students and co-workers, earning their respect, admiration, and love.
The Bruce Anderson Award Andrew Bennett ’26
The George J. Kloepfer II ’68 Award is presented to eighth grade students who exhibit the qualities Mr. K exemplified: positive leadership, sound character, true concern for others, and a helping nature.
The Henry D. Waters Award Levi Mayer ’28 This award was established to honor Henry D. Waters, who dedicated his life to his second career as a dean, advisor, English teacher supreme, Hall of Fame coach and athlete, and friend of middle school students for twenty-five years. It is awarded to fifth or sixth grade students who display the qualities Henry Waters valued most: a willingness to participate in all activities to the best of their ability; fair-mindedness; good sportsmanship; honesty; empathy; citizenship; and a positive sense of humor.
This award honors Beth Stone, who, in her 40-year career in the Nichols Physical Education and Athletic Departments, challenged both Upper and Middle School students to surpass their perceived limitations and develop a love of sports and wellness. It is given to an eighthgrade girl who not only has displayed athletic excellence and a fine sense of sportsmanship, but also, through strength of character and leadership, has contributed to the ge neral welfare of her classmates.
George J. Kloepfer ’68 II Faculty Award Ari Carter ’26, Megha Pendyala ’26, Maia Porter ’26, Maya Takabe ’26
The Robert A. Gillespie-Vincent E. Walsh Award Austin Xiao ’26
This award is given by his eighth grade classmates of 1973 in memory of Bruce Anderson. It is awarded to an eighth grade boy who not only displays athletic excellence and a fine sense of sportsmanship but also contributes to the general welfare of his classmates through strength of character and leadership.
The Elizabeth R. Stone Award Gwyneth Sheline ’26
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Adelphi University Alvernia University Arcadia University Babson College Baylor LoyolaLindenwoodLibertyKenyonJohnsHowardGonzagaGeorgetownGeorgeFurmanFranklinFordhamD’YouvilleDuquesneDrexelCornellCollegeCollegeColgateClemsonCitadelCanisiusBostonBOCESBenedictineUniversityUniversityCollegeCollege(5)MilitaryCollegeofSouthCarolinaUniversityUniversityoftheHolyCrossofWilliamandMaryUniversity(3)UniversityUniversityCollegeUniversityandMarshallUniversityUniversity(2)WashingtonUniversity(3)UniversityUniversityUniversityHopkinsUniversity(2)CollegeUniversityUniversityUniversity-Maryland
The 117
are represented here, with multiple matriculants indicated in parentheses. Class of 2022 College Matriculation List 2022 17
Michigan State University New York University Niagara University North Carolina State University Northwestern University Ohio State
The University of Alabama (2) The University of St. Andrews
The University of Tennesee Trinity College (2) Tulane University United States Air Force Academy United States Naval Academy University of California - Irvine University of Colorado Boulder University of Connecticut University of Denver University of Florida UniversityMassachusettsof - Boston University of Miami (2) University of Michigan (3) University of Minnesota University of Mississippi University of New Hampshire University of Pennsylvania University of Richmond University of Rochester University of Toronto University of Vermont University of Virginia (2) Vassar WorcesterCollegePolytechnic Institute Xavier University Yale University members of the Class of 2022 of intended matriculation
have gained acceptances at 250 different colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. Their school
TheSyracuseStockholmStetsonSUNYSUNYSUNYSUNYSt.St.SouthernSkidmoreSchoolPennsylvaniaUniversityStateUniversityoftheArtInstituteChicagoCollege(2)MethodistUniversityBonaventureUniversityLawrenceUniversity(2)atAlbanyatBuffalo(4)BuffaloState(2)atNewPaltzUniversitySchoolofEconomicsUniversity(2)NewSchoolParsonsSchoolofDesign
CeremonyInductionandFamilySeniorDinnerAlumni
The inaugural Senior Family Dinner and Alumni Induction Ceremony took place on campus, June 1, 2022. This event was created to represent formally the transition from the status of student to alumni within the Nichols Alumni Association. Members of the class of 2022 and their families attended a ceremony in the Flickinger Performing Arts Center where they heard remarks about staying connected to Nichols from Janelle Zera, Director of Alumni Engagement and Programs and Erin Hart ’03, Alumni Board President. Attendees received an alumni pin from members of the Nichols Alumni Board and celebrated with a dinner in the Student Commons.
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The Viking Award is given to the students who best personifies the mission of Nichols School – giving their mind, body, and heart to the Nichols community. Recipients of this award act with integrity while displaying the highest ideals of character and service in all that they do. The Viking Award comes with the distinguished honor of becoming a class agent – ensuring that the rest of your graduating class stays connected to the School and takes full advantage of the Nichols Alumni Network. This year’s recipients of the Viking Award are (from right to left) Ben Cordero-Livingston ’22, Tommy Enstice ’22, Laura Franz ’22, Ryan McCarthy ’22 and Ellie Simmons ’22.
Left: Yamato Takabe ’22 and his family with Zecheng Li ’22 and his host family.
Bottom: Alumni Board Member Jodi De Rizner ’93 pinning her son Jackson De Rizner ’22. 2022
Top: From left to right Janelle Zera, Director of Alumni Programs and Engagement; Chris Burner, Head of School; Erin Hart ’03, President of the Alumni Board.
Chris Burner presented Tim and Mary McCarthy with the 2022 Honorary Alumni Award at the 130th Commencement ceremony. Tim was honored for his four decades as a teacher, advocate, advisor, coach, and dean, while Mary was recognized as indispensable member of the Business Office for nearly 30 years. Following their retirement in 2018, they have continued to give to Nichols as they devote their time to the archives preserving photographs and written evidence of the great education Nichols provides.Timand Mary have spent the last 45 years enriching the lives of students, colleagues, parents and alumni and received this honor together, because their impact on Nichols was a joint effort of collective character.
2022 Gannon Award
20 Nichols 2022School AlumniHonoraryAward
In 1985, the Alumni Board initiated the practice of naming honorary alumni to recognize publicly members of the Nichols community who have given devoted service to theHeadSchool.ofSchool
The Gannon Family Foundation Faculty Award is awarded to a Nichols faculty member who is nominated by his or her peers for making an outstanding contribution to the education of students. This year’s recipient is Erin Habelt, who has taught mathematics, as well as been a Dean and Team Leader at Nichols for 13 years. A sharp, smart, and exceptional teacher, colleagues quickly came to learn that Habelt’s true talents, of which there are many, included attention to detail and organization, the ability to communicate with clarity and compassion with students and families, and a steadfast commitment to the mission of the school. This led to her appointment as sophomore Dean, where she quickly established herself as a go-to authority for students and faculty alike. A gifted math teacher whom students flock to for help regardless of whether she is currently teaching them or not.
During COVID, Habelt plunged into the depths of online learning, producing clear and precise interactive lessons that bolstered and encouraged students and their learning. Her templates became the standard for how Nichols teachers were encouraged to produce work during that trying time.Habelt is a former D1 Ivy-Leaguer (a Princeton graduate and swimmer), a self-taught painter, a master gardener, and an outdoor enthusiast. She is always eager to take on something new for the sake of learning and enjoyment.
Established in 2000, the Mitchell Award is named in honor of John A. “Jock” Mitchell. It is presented annually to “that individual or individuals whose volunteer efforts have made the school stronger and whose commitment to the mission of Nichols School is outstanding.”
AWARDS202221
Established by the Alumni Board in 1985, the William Nichols Award recognizes members of the faculty and staff who have significantly contributed to the overall quality of the Nichols Education.
“This year’s recipients have set the bar pretty high when it comes to volunteering and dedication to Nichols School,” said Burner. “They have helped with nearly every event or initiative on campus. Each in their own special way, they have shown unwavering leadership and unconditional love of Nichols.”
In 2015, a young ball of energy wandered onto Nichols campus. Kari Achatz downplayed her talents in her interview, spoke with her heart as her love of teaching was clear and passion for working with young people made her an instant hire.
Scott Saperston ’90 P’20,’22 and Jock A. Mitchell ’66 P ’94,’96,’99
2022 Mitchell Award Honored for their dedicated and unwavering commitment to Nichols School, the 2022 Mitchell Award was presented to Kristin and Scott Saperston ’90 at the Nichols School Leadership Giving Society reception. Head of School Chris Burner presented the award at the Nichols School Annual Leadership Giving reception at the Buffalo Club last fall.
2022 NicholsWilliamAward
Her love of art is second only to Achatz’s love for family. Nichols families line-up to request her as an advisor, her space buzzes with activity, and Middle School students rave about her classes and Art Club. Achatz has grown into an 8th Grade Team Leader and Middle School Dean of Students. She inspires students to express their passion through art and her classroom is a must visit for students past and present.
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“I came to appreciate the vast and historic art collection Nichols is proud to house.”
Practical Application of Art in our World
The Art Collection Curators internship’s original intent was for students to help organize, analyze, and advocate for the Nichols Art collection. Austin Bares ’22 and Kendall Dorn ’22 did that and so much more. The mission of this internship is to connect art to the behind-the-scenes production to the practical application of art in the world around us. The work was divided into two focuses: the Flickinger Performing Arts Center gallery exhibitions and the Nichols School permanent art collection. The gallery had three exhibitions throughout the year, with the final one showcasing 23 works of art submitted by Nichols students from both the Middle School and the Upper School. Throughout the year, Bares and Dorn assessed the collection inventory, helping to reframe and repair arts
— Austin Bares ’22
work as needed. In addition, Bares and Dorn tapped into the Nichols alumni network connecting with Ryan Arthurs ’01, founder and curator at Rivalry, a Buffalobased commercial art gallery and art production space and Olivia McManus ’08, Manager of Marketing and Community Engagement at Assembly House 150, a Buffalo-based community art center. Arthurs and McManus shared their expertise and connections in the Western New York arts community to add a professional arts perspective to ongoing Nichols arts initiatives. That connection led to a donation of an original piece by Richard Rockford, a found-materials artist who owns and operates Clarence Hollow Antiques and Art. The foundation that Bares and Dorns established this year has set the stage for future students and will expand to four students for the 2022-23 school year. n
Nichols School Arts Internship
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The Nichols School Arts Scholars Internship program was made possible by a gift from Susie and Rick Rieser ’61.
New to Nichols School for the 2022-2023 school-year is the Arts Scholars Internship Program. This 1-year award will be granted to a student entering their junior year at Nichols. Arts Scholars will be provided a post-junior year summer internship opportunity with one of Nichols’ partner organizations within the greater community of Western New York. Our inaugural partner for this program is the Burchfield Penny Arts Center. Tommy Maidment ’24 has been selected as the first recipient of this incredible opportunity and will spend time this summer learning the various aspects of what it takes to run a worldrenown arts museum.
Nichols School Teams Up With One Last Goal Foundation To Promote Mental Wellness
Benedict was a standout student, a three-sport varsity athlete in football, hockey, and lacrosse, and an Alumni Cup winner at Nichols. He attended Middlebury College and was a captain of their football team, graduating cum laude with a degree in economics. Benedict’s friends remember him as fiercely loyal, who led by example and knew when to speak out in support of others. During his time at Middlebury, Benedict became more open with his family and friends about his own mental health struggles. The day after he graduated from Middlebury in May 2015, Benedict shared a blog post titled, “Start the Conversation Now… Life is Precious,” which detailed his own journey. “Matt was a private guy and there were a lot of things he would keep to himself. Writing about how he felt on his blog was as much about his passion for this message as it was for him coping with what he was going through at the time,” said Avino. “That was the first time I had heard about his passion for this topic. In high school, we didn’t have any pointed topics about it by any means, and in college, we did have talks about it. He was extremely candid and passionate.”AfterBenedict’s death by suicide in 2019, his family started the One Last Goal Foundation. Those who knew him joined the cause to promote awareness around mental health as a part of individuals’ overall well-being. In addition to the charity hockey game, the foundation sponsors presentations by mental health professionals, including Ross Szabo, who visited Nichols and shared his own mental health journey.
Following the charity hockey game, William Benedict, father, dropped the puck at the Nichols Prep hockey game with his son Michael (left), wife Anne (middle) and daughter Elizabeth ’12.
One Last Goal Foundation was founded in honor of late Nichols alumnus Matthew Benedict ’11. Its mission is to shift the stigma around mental health and provide resources to promote overall wellness. The foundation’s efforts are led by Benedict’s family and three of his closest friends and classmates, Joe Avino ’11, Charlie Stein ’11, and Jake Zimmer ’11, who make attending the annual hockey game a priority each“Justyear.bringing everyone together gets everyone talking. You might see someone you haven’t seen or talked to in a couple years and see how they’re doing, if they need anything,” Stein said. “People like to feel cared about, and I think that can help someone mentally in the long run and having confidence to talk about these issues. The hockey game has gone a long way to start some conversations. It’s something we look forward to every year and gets us really excited for the future.”
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Each year, One Last Goal Foundation hosts a charity hockey game at Nichols Ice Rink where teams made up of alumni and friends face off against each other. The friendly game is a time to come together and bring awareness to the foundation’s mission to bring awareness to mental wellness.
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What’s next for the One Last Goal Foundation? It plans to continue the annual Charity Hockey Night and bring more guest speakers to raise awareness and add context to the community’s understanding of mental health and well-being. The group also aspires to provide scholarships and internship programs to support students who share Benedict’s values.
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Group photo of the alumni and friends that came back to play in the One Last Goal Fundraiser on December 10, 2021 at Nichols School.
“Presentations like this have kickstarted a number of really great conversations. To even play a small part in changing the narrative and making people feel more comfortable having those conversations, that’s what inspires me to keep working with this foundation,” said Avino.
What is your vision for College Counseling at Nichols? Looking forward, we are making a very strong effort towards data collection, and while data does not drive where we apply, it certainly can help inform us and say how do our students look in the big picture. We plan to be much more intentional about data. Where did they apply, where are they getting in, where are the scholarship dollars coming from? We want to support our students in every way possible and having this information is just one way to guide their college decisions. In addition, we are doing parent coffees at every level, grades 8 through 12. We work with students in the junior year, but next year, we will start in the sophomore year. So, really it is the opportunity to meet with students, but in an age-appropriate manner. Our hope is to get more and more involved in grade level meetings, in advisories, and individual meetings. But, junior year, we sit down with students and families so we can all get on the same page. How do you tailor college guidance for each Nichols student?
This was your first year as the Director of the College Counseling. What have you learned? There is something special here. There is a lot of potential for where we can grow this program and we can prepare students even more. My big buzz word is “intentionality,” and you will hear me use it all the time. The intentionality of moving through high school, the intentionality of taking classes, the intentionality of the college process. And I think if we can get our students to focus more on intentionality throughout the high school experience, it will help guide them to make more intentional choices in life and beyond Nichols.
What we do here is look at trends, and part of my job is to educate our whole community of the current trends in college applications and admissions, and data. We want to ask where will our students be happy, how can they thrive, and then we can have honest and transparent conversations with students and families and trust the process.
Can you tell us about your Boot Camp?
Q &
DirectorJorgensenofCollegeCounseling
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What are some differentiators of Nichols students?
I think two big things separate us. First is the Work of Life program and Research Scholars. These are something that allows a student to dig deeper in an experience that they are interested in, and it compliments their academic curriculum and application significantly. Another thing that separates our students is it is more common than not that our students have jobs. This rings so strongly in the college application process. Our students balance school, extra curriculars, and a job. That is immensely powerful. n A with Kelly
This summer we are starting a Boot Camp, which I am very excited about. This is something I have done at two of my previous independent schools. It will start the first week in August, and it will move them through the beginning of the application, so by the time seniors step foot on campus in the fall, they have their main essay done, they have the application completed, they have their resume done, and they are set.
“This really is the legacy of our family. It started out in memory of my mother and father, and then we added Buffalo Seminary, and it will keep on going. We put it together for students, and if you do something for students who then work with the faculty, everyone benefits,” saidInPrince.addition to the lecture series at Nichols, a parallel program was established at Buffalo Seminary. Often, Nichols and Buffalo Seminary community members come together for a luncheon to celebrate the continuation of the Prince Lecture Series. This year, Nichols was honored to welcome Holocaust survivor Sophia Veffer as the 2022 Prince Lecture Series speaker. She retold her moving story of how she survived Nazi occupation of Holland and went into hiding before being placed away from her family. She eventually immigrated to the United States in 1954. “The idea is for the Prince Lecture Series is to continue to innovate education and introduce new things,” said Prince. “With lectures like the Sophia Veffer’s story, we would like to keep this going for years to come,” he added. n
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A concert violinist, a bird trainer, and an author, writer, and naturalist are just a few of the featured guests who have taken the stage throughout the years as part of the Nichols School Prince Lecture Series. Funded through the generosity of S. Warren Prince, Jr. ’47 in memory of his parents, the lecture series brings together students, faculty members, school administrators and the public for a mind-opening event. “The inspiration behind this lecture series was how could we make people think. We decided that by bringing in people who represented everything under the sun, we can bring people together,” saidPrincePrince.established the series in 1974 with his fellow classmate and former Nichols faculty member Frederick Zeller ’47, who convinced his friend of the possibilities of a lecture program at Nichols. Committed to diversity and the introduction of new ideas, Prince and Zeller inspired generations of Nichols students through their efforts to present guests representing a wide range of disciplines. “We have so much going on in the world and we were seeking to help get people to think. The exchange of ideas brings us to a re-examination of our own mindset and in this, one can develop,” Prince said. For Prince, supporting the lecture series also had a deeper significance. Named for his family, the lecture series was a tribute to his late parents, Gladys Atwood and Sydney Warren Prince. His parents, who both attended Lafayette High School, had a great appreciation for education. Prince’s mother was fluent in several languages and taught elocution at schools, including Lafayette and Buffalo Seminary. His father, a graduate of Colgate University, later attended Princeton University as part of a World War I military program.
Holocaust Survivor, Sophia Veffer (left) with Jennifer Prince Bronstein (right), daughter of S. Warren Prince, Jr. ’47, and Jennifer’s daughter, Kilby Bronstein at the Prince Lecture on May 10, 2022 at The Buffalo Club.
PrinceGenerationsInspiresLecture
The Work of Life Experiential Opportunities for Nichols Students 28 Nichols School
Our aim is to train minds, bodies and hearts for the work of life, and to carry into all we do the highest ideals of character and service.
“After our students gain the strong foundational education here at Nichols, we are giving juniors and seniors the opportunity to get experiences beyond what they get in the typical classroom,” said Dr. Aranya Maritime P’17,’25, Dean of Academics. “We have five core competencies here at Nichols, and these work experiences complement our competencies of thinking, communicating, creating, engaging, and developing, which make up the Nichols Portrait of a Graduate,” she added.
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True to the tradition of the School’s mission statement, Nichols seeks to provide all students with a world-class education that challenges them beyond textbooks and lectures. In this, Nichols offers several experiential learning opportunities for students to explore interests, collaborate with peers and mentors, and gain professional experience while earning academic credit.
– Nichols School Mission Statement
These materials are reviewed by a committee of faculty and administrators. The internships include student experiences in the area of student events and speaker series, robotics and engineering, visual and performing arts, and marketing and communications.
Nichols offers two formal experiential programs, the Work of Life, which is composed of ten different internships, and Research Scholars, which provides students the opportunity to conduct research at the Jacobs Institute and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Work of Life Internships Managed on campus, the Work of Life program gives students practical and professional experiences in STEM, media, social justice, and more. Juniors and Seniors apply to the program by completing an application and writing an essay about the internship of their choice.
In addition, the Jacobs Scholars Program provides an educational pathway program in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Jacobs Scholars participate in a summer immersion experience at the Jacobs Institute for each of their four years in upper school. Scholars spend the first three years participating in a rotational program at the Jacobs Institute designed to provide direct learning experiences across a variety of career opportunities in the healthcare industry: clinical research, surgical observation, engineering, practical engagement, business development, and technology. In
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Likewise, Nichols’ Research Scholars program provides Nichols seniors opportunities at Buffalo’s premiere research institutes, the Jacobs Institute and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. At Roswell, students can participate in the Thoracic Oncology program or the Psycho-social Oncology program. In the Thoracic program, students partner with Dr. Sai Yendamuri P’20, Chair of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Roswell, to provide secondary data analysis research to develop a research question, formulate hypotheses, conceptualize statistical tests, and analyze statistical results to answer their initial research question. In the Psycho-social program, students partner with Dr. Elizabeth Gage Bouchard ’99, Senior Vice President for Community Outreach and Engagement and Professor of Oncology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, to research how caregivers’ interpersonal networks shape family outcomes after a child is diagnosed with pediatric cancer.
Research Scholars Programs
“Participatinginservicework is important to me, and to be able to give back in different ways to throughoutorganizationsBuffaloandWesternNewYorkishighlyrewarding.”
– Emmy Franz ’22. 2022 31
their fourth year, Jacobs Scholars participate in an apprenticeship in the nationally renowned Jacobs Institute College Internship Program. Scholars are partnered with summer college interns assisting with research, development and execution of individually assigned projects. Looking Ahead During the last decade, more than one hundred students have benefited from the Work of Life and Research Scholars programs and the hope is to include more internships each year. Many students have been inspired to pursue medicine thanks to working at Roswell while others have sought out a career in media after their Work of Life“Theseinternship.opportunities are pathways for our Nichols students, and when students apply to college, this is a part of their story. They can take the foundational knowledge they have gained from fifth to tenth grade and apply it and demonstrate how they are writing their own Nichols story thanks in part to this work which takes them beyond the classroom and serve them throughout life,” Dr. Maritime said. n
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As a young Middle Schooler, Harriman described himself as a “loner.” But, at Nichols, he quickly became more comfortable in his skin as he entered Upper School.
on the date of his one hundredth birthday and to celebrate Nichols’ oldest living alumni. “I was tickled,” Harriman said. “We had a party with family, and it was a great surprise.”
esteemedHarriman,tocomestudentsstudents.andbycardshundredrecipientHarrimanbirthday.”Youron“Congratulations“Celebrate,”Birthday,”theDayof100thwastheofonebirthdayhandwrittenNicholsMiddleUpperSchoolThehadtogetherrecognizeanalumnus,
On a fall day in late 2021, Nichols School alumnus Thomas “Tom” Harriman ’38 received a delivery at his home in Santa Barbara, California from Buffalo. A large package addressed to Harriman had arrived with the return address listed as Nichols School at Amherst Street. When Harriman unsealed the package, a flood of envelopes fell out. He slowly opened them one by one. “Happy
HarrimanWarStatesreachwhichofhorrificwastimecampus,sceneDespiteeightcampusonHarrimanwoodlandsandwhenwalkedtotheschool’smorethandecadesago.theidylliconNicholsitwasawhenEuropefacingtheimpactAdolfHitler,hadyettotheUnitedsoil.Inpre-WorldIIBuffalo,was
Harriman, a standout student academically, achieved highest honors and was notably always at the top of his class. He was captain of the tennis team and played
Pictured at Le Cumbre Country Club in Santa Barbara, CA, Leslie Garcia, Assistant Head of School for Advancement; Tom Harriman ’38; Chris Burner, Head of School; Richard Harriman ’62.
Committed to the Work of Life 2022 33
CenturionCelebrating Thomas “Tom” Harriman ’38,
Buffalo, Nichols, and Beyond Harriman’s father, Lewis G. Harriman, a banker with Fidelity Trust Company, moved his family to Buffalo and was instrumental in the merger of Fidelity with Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company, the precursor of present-day M&T Bank, of which he became President at the age of 36. He also served as a trustee of Nichols School.Born at Children’s Hospital and reared at 620 West Ferry Street in Buffalo, Tom Harriman entered Nichols School as a fifth grader in 1930. Anchored by Albright Hall and its iconic bell tower, Nichols back then appeared as a vast landscape of grass
the youngest of four boys, who all attended Nichols before him. Lew Jr, ’34, William ’36, and John (Jack) ’37, preceded their brother Tom. Their last sibling was a girl, Elizabeth, who also had a Nichols connection, as she married Charles Bean, Nichols ’41.
The War Effort Young men across America were reporting for the draft, but due to his poor vision, Harriman was told a desk job awaited him in Washington. Harriman realized he “did not want to end up in a clerk job” and accepted a position as a Test Flight Engineer at Bell Aircraft after completing his mater’s degree in aeronautical engineering at M.I.T.“Weperformed flight tests right from the airfield in Niagara Falls. With the war on, we all had to do something,” he said. “They had a contract from the United States (Government) and that is how I escaped being a clerk in Washington … I had jumped from Dartmouth to M.I.T., so I was making aircraft for the war,” he Withadded.hisskills in high demand, Harriman pressed forward at Bell Aircraft through the end of the War.
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“I had the highest honors in high school and later when I went to Switzerland, I studied French and was able to translate from Latin directly to French within six weeks because of what I was taught at Nichols. I had a good solid background at Nichols School,” stated Harriman.
The First Commercial Helicopter In post-war America, Harriman and Bell Aircraft pivoted their attention to the race to create the first commercial helicopter. Neck and neck in competition with Sikorsky Helicopters, which introduced the first military helicopter, Harriman spent his days and nights analyzing the weight and lift of Bell’s prototype. “I was never more than two feet away from my math notebook, my laboratory notebook,” said Harriman. “I would be sitting on a tennis court on Sunday, and I would be designing a part that had to be sent to manufacturing on Monday,” he added. With a pencil and a notebook to record observations and calculations alongside his mentor, inventor Arthur Young, he served as project engineer on what became the first helicopter certified by the Civil Aeronautics Board, which preceded the FAA, for commercial use. Registered as Bell’s NC-1H, the serial code was branded onto the model of the world’s first civilian helicopter, the Model 47. “In eight months, I got us to have the first commercial certificate to produce and sell the first Bell helicopter for civilian use,” Harriman said. When Bell Aircraft moved to Texas, Harriman moved his young family to Dallas, where he flourished in commercial aviation. Yet, after 18 months, the family returned to Buffalo. “Despite working in the best job for the best company. I moved my family back to Buffalo in 1953, because of the social climate of the South back then. It was a hard decision, but it meant I could send two boys to Nichols School,” Harriman said.The early piston engine helicopter, the Model 47, that Harriman was so instrumental in sending into the skies was also known as the “Whirlybird,” and was widely used in the Korean War. The Vietnam model was known as the Bell Huey, widely used by U.S. forces in Vietnam, is recognized by many in the television showAn“M.A.S.H.”avidskier, Harriman was the co-inventor of the ski-shaped landing gear used on this helicopter, and many others, for which he and a colleague were granted a U.S. patent. The helicopter is still in commercial use today.
Harriman entered Dartmouth College in the fall of 1938 to study finance at the encouragement of his father, a lifelong investment banker. He was set to attend the Sorbonne in Paris for his junior year, until World War II and the advancement of the Nazis thwarted Harriman’s plans.“There I was planning an investment banking career when the Nazis rolled over France,” said Harriman. “Therefore, I was not going to be at the Sorbonne my junior year, and I damn well better be doing something for the war effort,” he added.
Post-Aerospace Career After his esteemed career in aeronautics, Harriman pivoted and left Bell Aircraft in 1958. He moved his family to Pasadena, California, to work in the electronics industry for a company which eventually became Conrac. In 1966, the headquarters moved to Manhattan, and Harriman moved his family to Greenwich, Connecticut, for twenty years. While at Conrac, he applied his engineering expertise on consumer products. He was integral on projects such as the introduction of high-resolution monitors, connectivity of doorbell circuits, and application of
football, until a shoulder injury led to him switching to the soccer team, of which he was voted captain. Harriman excelled at languages and credits Nichols with his keen grasp of French and his exceptional academic foundation.
Nichols Boys Varsity Soccer 1936 Harriman and co-workers of Bell Aircraft. 2022 35
To mark the occasion, Head of School Chris Burner and Assistant Head of School for Advancement Leslie Garcia surprised Harriman with the award while on a West Coast development trip. At a lunch at the La Cumbre Country Club, Burner summarized Harriman’s importance to the school. “Our mission at Nichols is to prepare students for the ‘work of life.’ In your life, Tom Harriman, you put your education to work and pioneered in aviation and technology. Our lives are different because of your ingenuity, and for that, we are honored to present you with the 2022 Nichols School Distinguished Alumni Award. You are a living example for today’s students and for students for generations to come,” Burner said. For Harriman, enjoying a lunch on a warm spring day in his adopted hometown of Santa Barbara, it was a day of reflection and appreciation for the city and school that gave him his foundation. “Buffalo has made a real comeback and it is great to see. What an opportunity for Nichols students to partner with innovators working in the Medical Corridor, the startup community, and beyond,” Harriman said. “When I look back, Nichols School gave me the foundation for my life that outfitted me to do everything else.” n
True to the commitment to learning and public service that he displayed at Nichols, in retirement, Harriman became involved in the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
The Nichols News team 1936 – 1937. Harriman was Sports Editor.
Now a trustee of this initiative, he seeks to discover the hidden capabilities of the human brain. As a capstone to his business career, Harriman served four terms on the Board of Trustees of UC Santa Barbara, served on a local employment development initiative with other business leaders in Santa Barbara, and served on the Board of the Ensemble Theatre Company. Additionally, he found the Pacific Research Center and a start-up corporation which developed last-mile Internet connectivity. Harriman was also active in local political campaigns, including the election of two Congressional representatives. Distinguished Alumni Award
A true Renaissance Man, Harriman is the living embodiment of the Nichols School mission, “to carry into all we do the highest ideals of character and service.”
microcircuits. Harriman spent almost thirty years working in this innovative industry, during a time when his company saw great profitability and development, before retiring to Santa Barbara in 1986.
For this he was honored with the honor of the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award.
Magnificent 36 Nichols School
LD: Maya…Doctor Jackson-Gibson…your resume is filled, and I often describe you as one of the three most interesting people I know. We don’t have the space in this interview to do more than touch on your life’s journey, or journeys, but you have been busy!
ALUMNI PROFILE Maya
Q & A with Jackson-GibsonMaya
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LD: Is there a single thing on your resume that defines you best, or does the resume in its entirety define you best? M J-G: This is a tricky question because I do think [pause] a lot of things that might define me…if that’s the right word…things that might explain me best [pause], that might capture my essence aren’t necessarily on the resume. Maya on her first safari in Madiwke Game Reserve, South Africa in 2021. 2022
M J-G: Yes, I guess my resume is rather eclectic, but it kind of makes sense.
By Larry Desautels – English Department, Smith Writers Chair Maya Jackson-Gibson, a Nichols graduate, class of 2011, took her intellectual curiosity, organizational skills, and soccer talent to Amherst College, from which she graduated Cum Laude in 2015. She was a NESCAC allstar in soccer, selected for the First Team All-Conference two years in a row, and also the winner of the John Woodroof Simpson Fellowship Award for her excellence in academics. After two years back in Buffalo, she began her official medical career at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. She graduated in May 2022, and received the Pediatrics Departmental Award at herBelowgraduation.ismyattempt to capture some of Maya in a summary of a nearly two-hour interview, just prior to her graduation and her exodus from Chicago to begin her residency in Philadelphia.
LD: Like what? M J-G: I enjoy trying different opportunities, taking on new challenges. A lot of what you see on my resume is curated for the profession, involving medical school experiences, and some organizations in the greater Chicago community outside of the walls of medical school. Most of these were very structured, so in a way they are easier to understand for someone trying to “read” me on a page.
LD: A sonnet, not a limerick…on your way to being anDuringepic. your time in medical school, you co-wrote and presented abstracts on research you did in Kenya and in Botswana, primarily on the impact of HIV on young people in those countries. That was done with support from the Harvard School of Medicine’s Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases. How did you find the time? M J-G: That was a fellowship I received during med school, which allowed me to spend eight months in Botswana doing research. It added some time to my degree but it gave me an opportunity to engage both different cultures and different challenges.
LD: We view such challenges as “global” in nature, much like COVID. You are a community activist, in many ways. Was your experience global in Botswana, or more local? M J-G: When you’re there, it’s community health. It’s about people, about individuals, about those you meet professionally and casually. When you write investigative research papers afterward, and present that research, it becomes global…more of a view from the outside. I think an insight I gained there was how much I like community building, so I joined groups like GumboFit, a running club primarily for Black and Brown people in Chicago, to expose more people to healthy lifestyles, like running, hiking, and rock climbing. Once COVID hit, running became the safest activity. We began to get a lot of committed runners, and then Nike backed the program, allowing us to expand its scope. I became a certified running coach and helped a lot of our runner’s Maya and her best friend from medical school, Kaitlin, hiking during vacation to Whistler in Fall of 2021.
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LD: You’re like a poem, then—much that clarifies is in the margin, or in between the lines. M J-G: Thank you.
M J-G: I was encouraged by friends to become more of a social justice warrior. It was May of 2020, and the news was filled with stories about George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Medical schools were being put on the hot seat for injustices in medicine and the profession, and for the need to reach out into minority communities with opportunities to enter the profession. This provided an opportunity to talk about issues, like the low numbers of African-Americans—especially males—entering the practice of medicine. It’s complicated, and part of the initiative is to promote equity and equality in undergraduate pre-med school education, even reaching into high schools to educate under-represented groups about opportunities in health care.
ALUMNI PROFILE 2022 39
train for their first marathon—the Chicago Marathon. From that I became part of an all-women’s racing team and have to run a certain number of races a year. Now I train four days a week, a passion that kind of spiraled into more like a side gig—a job [laughter]. I’m now directing projects, events, races. Even though I’m moving to Philadelphia for my residency, I still want to stay involved in the Chicago running community.
LD: You were also a co-founder, in the Medical School, of the Committee on Justice and Equity. How did that come about?
Right: Maya with her mother Carol Jackson-Gibson (far right), sister Zoe Jackson-Gibson ’12, and father Garthfield Gibson during her white coat ceremony at the beginning of medical school in 2017. Below: Maya during a fly fishing excursion in Colorado with college friends.
LD: You like to keep busy. We spoke earlier about those two years you spent after undergraduate school. At Amherst College, you played soccer, majored in Spanish, spent vacations and summers doing a variety of jobs, not jobs that one would necessarily find their way to a medical student’s resume. M J-G: Ironically, I suppose, many of those jobs gave me opportunities to shape both the jobs and myself. I worked at “Painting with a Twist,” a paint-and-sip shop where I cleaned paint brushes in the back room and mopped floors after suburban women played with paint and sampled wine. I even had to teach a class once. I enjoyed myself, just being in that space, reminded how to be creative even if involved in what some might consider silly tasks. I worked with a catering service. I subbed at Nichols, after graduating from college—teaching an English or a math class, wherever I was needed. Let’s say, it all kept me nimble!
M J-G: Yes. It’s designed to expose the health professions to high school students, to coordinate review sessions for first- and second-year med students, and to assist the recruitment of medical students at regional and national conferences.
LD: And you’re the Secretary of the Student National Medical Association, which helps with that, right?
LD: What could we have done better? M J-G: I think many of those things are being worked on now. During my time at Nichols, I wasn’t aware of a resource that I could use to reach out to other Nichols alumni, especially Black alumni, to talk to them and connect with them about their lives and their career paths. Contacts were made organically, like if families knew someone in certain professions, or if an alum came to school to speak, or if there was an alumni picnic or other event, where classmates reconnected with classmates.
LD: If you could give a summary statement about what you’ve learned through all this, what might it be? M J-G: It’s taken some time, but with all the opportunities and experiences I’ve had, I now know what I care about, what I find essential to me. I now find it easier to say no to things, and I’ve reached that point at a young age.
LD: Because this is a “Nichols interview,” how did we help or hinder you on these paths you’ve been taking?
LD: If you had a piece of advice to give to our current students, what might it be? M J-G: People are drawn to individuals who are confident and honest. Honesty is key. If people don’t have integrity and honesty, then they might be among the most ambitious people in the world, but others won’t, or shouldn’t, align with them. n Maya with older sister Adele Jackson-Gibson ’09 (middle) and Zoe Jackson-Gibson ’12 during the holiday season of 2019.
LD: You ended up majoring in Spanish at Amherst. Not quite the normal path to medical school—a bit of a misdirection, some might say. You are nimble!
M J-G: I think that choice blends perfectly with all those things I have an affinity for. Mentorship—check; Coaching—check; Teaching—check. The whole travel piece, while doing my research, gave me greater awareness, if not a total understanding, of different cultures— an awareness of a need to be patient, even if I don’t necessarily agree with people’s thought processes or with their medical treatments they’re using. You still have to respect their cultures and how they’ve grown up believing things that might be in opposition to what I bring to them. It’s important to work as a team instead of working in opposition to them. It’s not always easy when you’re viewed as an outsider, even one with good intentions. I think my awareness of this will allow me to work with parents and their children, at a time when people are passing cultures or beliefs from one generation to the next.
M J-G: I was prepared in the classroom for the academics of college classes, but I had so much exposure to other things, too. The school had just begun a series of intern programs, and I received one for the summer before my senior year, at a breast cancer research facility. That seems so long ago, but it was the first time I went through a process of applying for internships. I was accountable for studying charts and making circles and taking notes. And then my exchange trip to Spain really piqued my interest in foreign travel. I had the flexibility [at Nichols] to experiment. In Ms. Kelley’s acting class I was in a play, and then I did a monologue show for two years where I learned about production. As a soccer player I created strong relationships with teammates and coaches.
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Recently, though, we started to meet as Black alumni as a resource for middle and upper school students of color. There is an opportunity, now, to pool experiences, and maybe share them with students who might not be very aware of their options down the road. I think as minority students we often proceed on the straight and narrow, knowing how much our families have sacrificed for our education. We figure we have to honor those sacrifices with a worthy profession. It’s likely that way with a lot of families, not just minorities. Students hearing from people of similar backgrounds—to hear stories of meandering toward their places in life—might make it less stressful for students.
LD: Why did you decide on Pediatric medicine?
M J-G: People would say to me, “You were a Spanish major and now you’re in med school? That makes no sense!” But it does make sense! In the way that washing paint brushes and mopping floors and playing soccer and organizing races make sense. But with Spanish, I think my initial plan was to go into international relations, having no real idea what that meant, but it sounded cool. To travel the world, to experience other cultures, to engage people in various languages. Then I realized I might not be political enough, so I turned my sights.
On Friday, June 3, following the 130th Commencement, Nichols alumni gathered for the 2022 Reunion cocktail reception in the Quad. Celebrations began with the Class of 2020 coming together for the first time since COVID cut their time on campus short in the spring of 2020. They were greeted by faculty members, and they received the letter they wrote to themselves as a freshman. From there the celebration continued as alumni across all years joined the party on the Quad followed by class dinners and activities throughout the weekend. Reunion 2022 proved a true success, with great weather, stories shared, and laughter heard.
Front Row: Dan Rosenblum, Kristen Kelley, Sarah Jacobson, Cameron Ricotta, Junqi Wu, Olivia Nolan, Paige Rosenblum, Michael McClure, Meghan O’Connor, Zoe Farkash, Elizabeth Wyckoff, Lily Bliss, Romy Paolini, Laine Nuessle, Cameron Bauer, Justin Gibson, Jim Sitting:CammarataBenGerhardt, Holly 2022Kemp 41
2022
For those who will celebrate a reunion next spring (classes ending in 3 and 8), now is the time to get involved. Make your class reunion the best one yet and be part of your class planning committee. Doesn’t matter where you live as planning can be done from anywhere. Email alumnioffice@ nicholsschool.org. Save the date for Friday, June 2 and Saturday, June 3, 2023. We look forward to seeing you back at Nichols.
SAVE THE DATE! Reunion 2023
REUNION
2020: Back Row: Walter Zacher, Karim Belal, Gabriel Schulefand, Alec Ciminelli, Ethan Stoffman, Samuel Thompson, Arnav Parashar, Jake Bard, Michael Matuch, Sydney Wells, Keerti Yendamuri, Claire Blandino, Caitlin Crowell
Middle Row: Dan Nolan, Claudia O’Keefe, Ramon Nicosia, Max Saperston, Hamzah Ahmed, Rohan Kalra, Jacob LaCarrubba, Anthony Tuber, Nicholas Krentz, Mariel Gatmaitan, Isabella Warner, Caitlin Wagner, Sylvia Anthony, Isabella Simoncelli, Aranya Maritime, Chris Burner
School
1957: James Wadsworth, Peter Petri, John Henry, Bart Marcy, George Morris, Jim Cole, Diana Hecht, Michael Hecht, Ellen Boer, Peter Boer, Chris Cadbury, Bonnie Cadbury.
1962: Jeff Simon, David Desmon and Chris Burner 1972: Back row: Randy Carlson, Arnie DiLaura, Roland Hayes, Tom Caulfield, Bob Bredenberg, Horace Gioia, Ted Walsh, Skip Hamill Middle Row: John Mineo, Kevin Gaughan, Eric Yerkovich, Michael Kmiecik, Gene Schaefer
Front Row: Ron Killinger, Peter Santin, Kevin Hurley, David Gruen
2o22Reunion
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1977: Micki Murphy, Grove Potter, Mark Supples, Bridget Callahan-Giarrano, Mark Coley 1982: Back Row: Megan Sullivan, Cliff Hurley, John Clauss, Kevin Prise, Michael Vasquez, Alan FrontRandaccioRow:Mary Hurwich, Annette Fitch, Lynn Bulan, Ray Paolini, Roddy Potter, Andrew Maiman Nichols
1952: Roger Dayer and his wife Roberta
1997: Back Row: Don Smith, Josh Lippes, Josh Assad, JJ Mascari, Michael Gregory
Front Row: Anusha Rasalingam, Aaleya Koreishi, Tina Wagle Meyer, Stephanie Katzman, Aashiyana Koreishi
1992: Back Row: Bill Hudson, Ryan Mulderig, Tina Sabuda, Jess Baird, Alex Shotell, Peter Sullivan, Ryan White
Front Row L-R: Meredith Battin, Zoe Jackson-Gibson, Meredith Vivian, Hanna O’Neill, Kaitlyn Engel
Middle Row: Allison Leonard, Melaina Higgins, Amin Abubukar, John Fitch, Charlie Carlson
2002: Back Row: Jeremy Witt, Kevin Kaminski, Daniel Jammal
Front Row: Bridget Rochester, Alissa Vogelsang, Colleen Heidinger, Jonna Wopperer
1987: Andrea Leitten, Carolyn Sullivan, Eliza Kimmel
2012: Back row L-R: Zach Bliss, Will Zacher, Austin Kubiniec, Nick Osinski
2017: Back Row: Myles Hervey, Georgia Gurney, Nicholas Ennis, Julia McDonald
REUNION 2022 43
Front Row: Brad Feine, Liza Walsh Keenan, Ryan Keating, Maritza Baez, Safina Koreishi
Front Row: Xavier Kyle, Hugh Brown, Joseph Tomczak, Jill Boltz, Grace Montante, Emma Bianchi, Will Johnson
Girls Cross Country (3-4 MML) – Girls Cross Country was thrilled to get back to their typical season with the Red Dragon, East Aurora, McQuaid, Alden and Section One coaches invitationals. Red Dragon was the most successful invitational with a third-place finish.
Boys Cross Country (4-3 MML) – The Boys Cross Country Team had a hard-fought, successful season. Key league victories came handily over Timon, O’Hara, and Gow School while an exciting close victory was against St. Mary’s of Lancaster. Most weekends the team was at an invitational including Red Dragon, East Aurora, McQuaid, Alden, and Section One coaches invite in Wappinger Falls.
Field Hockey (10-1-1 Overall, 1-1 CISAA) – Field Hockey enjoyed a very successful season! One of the strongest teams Nichols has had in a long time, they were undefeated in regular season play with a 10-0-1 record, only losing to Appleby 2-1 in a “friendly” postseason game.
Fall Sports
athletics AchievementsAthletic 44 Nichols School
Boys Golf (4-4 Overall) – The Boys Golf Team was led by four talented seniors and a coterie of supporting teammates. The boys finished second place in the regular season and claimed the School’s first All-Catholic team championship in seven years.
Girls Soccer (15-3-1 Overall, 8-0 MML) – The Girls Soccer Team enjoyed a fantastic season with many highlights. They were the Monsignor Martin League regular season league champs with a 15-game win streak throughout the season. Mid-October they were ranked #1 in the State for Class B schools. An early season Hall of Fame Tournament in Albany gave the team the confidence they needed with victories over Tamarac and South Glens Falls. The Vikings defeated Sacred Heart in the Monsignor Martin Semi-Finals and then lost to Nardin 4-2 in the league finals.
Volleyball (4-11 Overall, 3-9 MML) – The Volleyball Team was excited to have their typical fall season and competed in their usual tournaments at Cheektowaga, Lakeshore and Frontier. Key league wins came over O’Hara twice and Mt. Mercy.
Sailing – The Nichols Sailing Team continued its unbroken streak of finishing the season as one of the top two teams in WNY and thus qualifying for the Mid-Atlantic District’s Fleet Race Championships. The championship regatta was wet and windy, and the sailors learned a ton about the sport and their own character on that challenging weekend. They finished the season ranked 18th out of the approximately 90 active high school sailing teams in the Mid-Atlantic district.
Girls Tennis (3-6 Overall) – The Girls Tennis Team enjoyed the fall on refurbished courts this season. There were many highlights of the season. The team will miss the five seniors and appreciates their time and talent!
2022 45
Boys Soccer (12-6-3 Overall, 6-2-2 MML) – The Boys Soccer Team had a stellar season culminating league play with a thrilling overtime victory vs. Canisius in the Monsignor Martin League Tournament Finals! The team started off with the Clarence Tournament and non-league match-ups vs. East Aurora, Aquinas and Lockport. Key league wins came over St. Mary’s twice, Timon, St. Joe’s, and St. Francis.
Boys Basketball (12-12 Overall, 5-6 MML)
Girls Basketball (17-10 Overall, 9-5 MML) – The Girls Basketball Team enjoyed success this season. The girls earned a fourth seed in the Monsignor Martin AA Tournament and hosted a win over Sacred Heart. The AA semi-finals matched them up against eventual winner Cardinal O’Hara. It was a hard-fought game, but the Vikings came up short. Moving to the MML A Bracket the team traveled to Nardin and upset the higher seed with a convincing 17-point victory. The A Finals matched the Vikings vs. the St. Mary’s Lancers. It was the best game the team played all year, everything coming together; however, the game ended in a seven-point loss.
athletics 46 Nichols School
Boys Prep Hockey (34-18-5) – The Boys Prep Hockey Team enjoyed a successful, busy fall and winter season. Many weekends were spent out of town in Boston, Lawrenceville, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Ohio, and Minnesota. The team went 2-1 at the Northstar Showcase, finished the season 4-1 vs. South Kent and had a record of 3-1 at the Northwood Tournament. The boys were 3-1 at the Lawrenceville Tournament, losing only to Belmont Hill in the finals. The team swept the Hill School and Hill Academy this season with two wins vs. each school. Nichols also hosted its annual One Last Goal Game vs. Gilmour Academy and came away with a 4-2 victory that night. Finishing up with the New York State Tournament in March, the team defeated the Buffalo Regals 5-2 in the Semi-Finals. That set the match-up for the state finals vs. Bishop Kearney Selects. It was an amazing, hard-fought game; unfortunately, the Vikings came up short losing a heartbreaker 2-1 in overtime.
Winter Sports
Boys Federation Hockey (15-3) – The Boys Federation Hockey won the Monsignor Martin Championship defeating St. Francis 2-1. The team went on to win the Catholic State Championship as well, with a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory over Chaminade High School from Long Island. Boys Club Hockey (13-3-1) – The Boys Club Hockey team captured the Blue Division League Championship in the WNY High School Club Varsity league.
– The Boys Basketball Team enjoyed a successful season with many exciting wins! They started off the season by winning the Lockport Tournament with victories over Williamsville East and Lockport. Nichols lost to St. Mary’s Lancaster in the A bracket of Monsignor Martin Playoffs. They then hosted O’Hara in the B bracket semi-finals and advanced to the finals. The Vikings once again matched up against the Lancers in the B Bracket Monsignor Martin League finals. Unfortunately, the Vikings came up short 71-68 in one of the most competitive, exciting games the team has played.
– The Boys Squash Team had a talented team and enjoyed a successful season. Key wins came over Canisius twice and Gow School.The boys finished 2-2 at High School Nationals defeating Boston Squash Busters and securing the Silver Cup consolation defeating Moses Brown 4-3. The team is looking forward to re-joining the Canadian league next year. Girls Squash (11-2 Overall) – The Girls Squash Team had another outstanding season, winning the WNY title again, and defeating seven teams from New England, New Jersey and Delaware. At Nationals in Philadelphia in Division 3, the girls defeated Brown Buckingham Nichols out of Boston 5-2, before losing to Loomis Chafee 2-5, and Dana Hall 3-4. The team finished with a win against St. Andrew’s, 5-2. Winter Track – The Winter Track Team enjoyed two successful invitationals this season. They traveled to Alvernia University in Pennsylvania and the Armory Class in New York City. Nichols held their own in these large meets and gained a lot of indoor track experience. The team was grateful for both opportunities and for seeing what indoor track competition looks like in the Northeast.
Girls Prep Hockey (14-24-1) – The Girls Prep Hockey had a busy season of travel for non-league as well as NAPHA games. Multiple weekend trips included Hill School and Lawrenceville School, Gilmour Academy, Toronto, Northwood School and Shady Side Academy. Exciting wins over Hill, NJ Colonials, Shady Side, A21 and Northwood were highlights of the season. At the NAPHA Finals, the Vikings went 2-2.
Spring Sports Baseball (Overall 8-9, MML 2-7) – The Nichols Baseball Team started the year strong with two good wins against Timon. After going through a tough stretch losing seven straight, the boys rebounded by winning six out of their next seven games with big wins coming against West Seneca West, Amherst, Lakeshore, and Eden. The team also recorded non-league wins against WNY Maritime and Kiski. Nichols fell in the MMAA quarterfinals against St. Mary’s of Lancaster 9-4. Crew – COVID-19 considerations made for a very different crew season – not much travel and regattas were smaller and devoid of spectators. To start off the season the team had their best showing in recent years at the Bennett Regatta among 19 schools/clubs from NY, PA, and OH. A mid-season scrimmage at West Side was scheduled because States was pushed back and Nichols had three first place boats (Men’s first 4+, Women’s first 4+, Men’s first 8+). State Championships in late May were 2022 47
Boys Squash (Overall 8-4)
Boys Tennis (Overall 10-2, MML 7-0) – The Boys Tennis Team enjoyed yet another successful season! They were undefeated in Monsignor Martin league regular season play and against Harley School. Their only losses were to a talented Cathedral Prep team. The end of the year was time to shine for the boys who were both the Monsignor Martin League Champions and Monsignor Martin Playoff Champions.
Girls Lacrosse (13-1 Overall, 11-0 MML) – The Girls Lacrosse Team enjoyed a very successful season in their first year in the local Monsignor Martin League. Both Varsity and JV were undefeated in league play. The only loss came against a talented McDowell team. Nichols met Sacred Heart in the league finals in the beginning of June.
– The Boys Lacrosse Team had a solid season. Key wins came against Timon twice, Iroquois. and a one-goal victory over Canisius on the final day of the regular season. This victory cemented a second place finish in the league and second seed for the playoffs. After defeating St. Francis twice during the regular season, the Vikings came up short in the league semi-finals.
Track (Girls 5-1, Boys 4-3) – The Track Teams enjoyed a successful season running in the Monsignor Martin League for the first time. The boys wins came against Christian Central, St. Mary’s, Timon, and Canisius. The girls defeated all league opponents except for Nardin. At the All-Catholic final meet girls placed second and boys finished fourth. Swimming – The SEM/Nichols swim team won all of their meets including the League Championship and a version of all Catholics. Swimmers on the 200 Free Relay and 400 Free Relay broke the school record this season.
athletics
Division 1 Athletic Signings
48 Nichols School
The final game was an extremely close, back and forth battle that had 11 lead changes. Nichols came out on top in the last few minutes scoring two goals late in the game.
The Class of 2022 future Division I athletes are: Andrew Bigelow ’22 (lacrosse, Johns Hopkins University), Joe Blackley ’22 (ice hockey, Yale University), Joey Muldowney ’22 (ice hockey, University of Connecticut), Ava Plata ’22 (lacrosse, University of Connecticut), Mirann Gacioch ’22 (soccer, The Ohio State University), Kendall Dorn ’22 (crew, George Washington University), Sara Waszkielewicz ’22 (ice hockey, Lindenwood University) and Ellie Simmons ’22 (ice hockey, University of Vermont).
a much smaller event with 41 schools attending. Our crews rowed well: Men’s Sr. 4+ A earned a scholastic silver, Women Sr. 4+ earned a scholastic gold and Women’s Jr. 4+ earned a bronze medal.
Girls Golf (Overall 4-0) – The Girls Golf Team made the best of a unique spring. They could not cross the border for their CISAA competition so competed against southern tier schools. All players improved throughout the season due to many practice days at the dome, range, and playing nine holes on local courses.
Boys Lacrosse (6-4 Overall, 5-3 MML)
Softball (5-10 Overall, 5-6 MML) – The Softball Team had exciting games this season with key victories over Sacred Heart early in the season and Mt. St. Mary’s and Mt. Mercy toward the end to solidify a playoff spot. The team enjoyed a great trip to Mudville where they saw talented competition from around the state. The Vikings came up short against Nardin Academy in the league semi-finals.
n Initial Goal n November 2019 n May 2022
For more information on opportunities to support All iN: The Campaign for Nichols School, contact Leslie Garcia at 716.332.5163 or lgarcia@nicholsschool.org.
All iN: The Campaign for Nichols School was originally designed, with a goal of $35 million to define the future of Nichols, with focuses on financial aid, faculty and program support, a new Student Commons building, and growing the Nichols Fund. The campaign was announced publicly in November 2019 with $25.4 million raised in the quiet phase. On October 14, 2021 at the Nichols School Leadership Donor Reception held at the Buffalo Club, Christopher D. Burner, Head of School together with Kristan Anderson ’80 and Nelson Walsh ’80, All iN campaign Co-Chairs, and Kate Roach ’83, Chair, Nichols School Board of Trustees announced campaign commitments to the most ambitious campaign in the history of the school had grown and surpassed the initial goal with a new total of $53.8 million in support.“Wehave had incredible philanthropic support over the last few years, especially in the area of student support and our named scholarship program,” Burner said. “We are excited to announce that we have far exceeded our early expectations. Now is a time to be bold and build upon the momentum of the past few years.” In that spirit, Walsh and Anderson announced an expanded goal of $60 million by June 30, 2023, with a refined focus on faculty support and innovative curriculum development.“Thefuture is bright for Nichols,” Roach said. “We appreciate the continued support of our mission-driven goal to provide the most innovative, engaging education for today’s and tomorrow’s Nichols School students.” “We are fortunate to have recently received generous commitments to provide funding for the Dr. Lewis F. McLean Nichols School Science Department Endowed Chair, the Nichols School Arts Internship Program, gifts to the Judgie Lytle and Chispa Scholarship Programs and the Charles E. Hamlen Arts Scholar Award,” stated Leslie Garcia, Assistant Head of School for Advancement. “When successfully complete, this campaign will define the future of Nichols School and will have a lasting impact on the lives of students for generations to come.” n
CAMPAIGN UPDATE 2022 49
TheCampaignforNicholsSchoolprogressreport$58,623,000 Student Faculty and Student Nichols Fund Area of Support Program Support Commons 2019 - 2023 Greatest Need 18,000,000 15,480,000 40,250,000 7,000,000 738,000 7,310,000 4,000,000 2,098,000 4,000,000 6,000,000 3,328,000 5,090,000 1,973,000
Ninth graders meet with peers in the Reading Room to review algebra equations. An eighth grader stays after school to volunteer as a Study Buddy in the Science Lab for Middle School students. The Learning Support Service department works with students, families, and faculty members to ensure students are on trackInacademically.recentyears, Nichols’ renewed commitment to Differential Learning has resulted in a more robust, hands-on approach to academic services. With expanded support services and programs in the form of individualized, group, and grade-level options, all students have expansive resources at Nichols to best position them for success.
50 Nichols School
Recently, the program has expanded in the Middle School with Study Buddies working alongside Grundtisch to establish a Science Lab after school and a Math Lab before“Peerschool.learning is important because students can relate to other students who are older than them. We find that having the opportunity to learn from them or spend time with them really is impactful. If you can teach something then you really know it and it challenges our eighth graders,” said Grundtisch. In addition to tutoring, tools
In the last two years, Nichols added two seasoned Learning Support Service Coordinators who are dedicated full-time to this strategic initiative. Middle School Support Service Coordinator Nicoletta Grundtisch came from The Gateway Academy of Texas where she led a team responsible for creating individualized learning and support plans for students. Ira Hancock, who serves this role in the Upper School, has worked on implementing student support service programs within independent schools since “Establishing1996.effective habits and a growth mindset increases your ability to access your strengths. At Nichols, we use ‘Student Success Tips’ to do this, and these are tools that help all of our students lay the groundwork for success not just here but at college and beyond,” said Hancock.Often times, Hancock is invited into class meetings and advisories to share useful habits for learning. He also has started a peer tutoring program, where juniors, seniors and alumni can provide academic support for freshman and sophomores in the Reading Room and a new Learning Center in Albright Hall.
The Middle School also has adopted a peer tutoring program. Known as “Study Buddies,” eighth graders under the guidance of Grundtisch provide academic support to primarily fifth graders. To date, eleven eighth graders have signed up to tutor students in a variety of topics, from science, language, ELA, math, and more.
Differential Learning Positioning Nichols Students for Success
Nichols InvestmentSchoolClub
Walking into a meeting of the Nichols Investment Club you can immediately feel a change in atmosphere. Outside the room Nichols students are lively and laughing, but once you enter an Investment Club meeting you can tell students are ready to get down to business. There are three main objectives each year of the Investment Club: to run investment simulations that help our students gain insight into personal finance, to invite presenters to campus to speak on topics ranging from basic investment strategies to more complicated topics, and to participate in the Wharton Global High School Competition. Running investment simulations gives students an opportunity to see how money relates to their personal goals and the financial challenges they will meet to achieve them. Through COVID, speakers were able to meet virtually. This opened up new opportunities for alumni who are not local to still connect with students. Often students use the Nichols professional alumni network as a resource to connect with alums in a particular field of interest. Most recently, Scott Saperston ’90, of Morgan Stanley, spoke to students about endowment management. The Wharton Global High School Competition is by far the most time consuming and intensive project students work on each year. More than 1,300 teams from 64 countries come together to participate on this initiative. Each team is given a case-study featuring a potential client and a situation-based investment goal. Given $10,000 in virtual cash, each team works for ten weeks to develop an investment strategy, analyze industries and companies, and to build a portfolio. At the end, students write a paper that details two deliverables. That paper is reviewed by a team from Wharton and students are given feedback. Dan Dolan, Nichols Chief Financial Officer, is the advisor to the Investment Club. “Participating in the Wharton program has given Nichols students a way to work on a project, see it progress in real-time and gain insights on their work from experts outside of Nichols. This provides students with hands-on experience in a field they might be interested in college and beyond.” n and academic support, the Learning Support Services Coordinators also serve as a central point of contact regarding each student’s progress. By centralizing data and remaining on the ready to answer any questions a student, family, or teacher may have, Nichols proactively works to ensure each student has the tools needed to thrive. Essential to this model and Nichols’ commitment to differential learning is close coordination between Hancock and Grundtisch. By working together, the academic journey students start as fifth graders continues throughout their years at Nichols.“Byexpanding our Differentiated Learning, we bring together students, families, and teachers. Our students are supported, and, with our peer involvement, we advance the work of life. Our students are learning leadership, patience, and empathy, all attributes that you will need in any profession and work of life,” said Grundtisch. n
2022 51
Inspired by the Nichols School Media and Communications Internship opportunity the Nichols Talk podcast was formed. Nichols Talk is the brainchild of Sal Deni ’22, Tommy Enstice ’22, Marley Maidment ’22, and Lucas Suero ’22. Nichols Talk provides a platform for all to participate and project voices outside the classroom. Each week, a member of the Nichols community is interviewed to talk specifically about the effect of their experience at Nichols both on campus and off.
Nichols Talk 52 Nichols School
Rob Stewart, Director of Athletics, is the faculty mentor for the group. When asked about the future of Nichols Talk, he said, “I see this expanding beyond a podcast to a larger media presence around Nichols. We are hoping to publish some ‘inside’ stories about athletes, robotics, and more, and get into live broadcasting of games with student commentary. The foundation these students have created will allow the next group of students to evolve the program.” Talk
n Nichols
What is inspiring about the student’s vision for the podcast is their hope to give back to the school in a meaningful way. They specifically wanted to find a way to reach prospective students and families. When pushed on why they chose podcasting as their platform, they said they wanted to find a way to reach a broader audience, to engage with the different personalities at Nichols, and showcase them in a new way. Some highlights this year have been Randall Xiao ’22, who spoke of his passion for photography and “capturing all the moments that make Nichols special.” In addition, Dean of Students Meg Auerbach ’99 talked about her time as a student, her role as Dean, and her life outside of Nichols.
The skills the students have honed to create the podcast will undoubtedly benefit them. Their persistence, ability to adapt, vision, and knack for drawing a story from their guest have been impressive.
1. In 2021, __________________ won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year with her “Bad Guy,” which she co-wrote with her brother, Finneas O’Connell. The pair also wrote, “No Time to Die,” which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2022.
3. New Zealand filmmaker __________________ won the Academy Award for best director in 2022 for her film The Power of the Dog
9. In 2022, Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first African-American woman nominated to be a _________________________.
12. In the formula , S=4 π r squared, “S” represents _________________.
11. MoMA defines __________________ art as, “art that is not representational or based on external reality or nature.”
14. When Phaëton visits Apollo’s palace and sees the fabulous art, Ovid writes, “Materiem superabat opus,” which means, “__________________.”
Lucy and Sherman Maisel ’35
7. Santana popularized Latin rock in the United States in 1970 singing, “Oye como va mi ritmo,” which in English means, “__________________.”
The Nichols Upper School General Information test is a tradition that began in the 1911 Verdian yearbook. It is compiled from questions submitted by Nichols faculty and is given to students in grades 9 through 12 as a measure of general knowledge. This GIT was coordinated by English teacher Dr. Andrew Sutherland, and it is funded through the generosity of Lucy and Sherman Maisel ’35.
6. Although the weakest of the 4 fundamental forces of nature described by physics, __________________ has an infinite range.
4. __________________, composer of “Eine kleine Nachtmusik [A Little Night Music]” among over 800 other works, was born in Salzburg, Austria, in 1756.
2. Author John Gardner, a native of Batavia, New York, wrote Grendel and other novels. He may best be remembered, however, as the mentor of __________________, author of What We Talk About When We Talk About Love and one of America’s most celebrated short story writers of all time.
15. __________________ played professional basketball in Chicago from 1984 to 1998, except for a break to play minor league baseball for one season from 19931994.
13. In biology, the term __________________ names the process of cell division where a single cell divides into two daughter cells.
5. __________________, discoverer of π, was killed by a Roman soldier after the mathematician complained the soldier had trodden upon some circles he was drawing in the sand.
8. Originally founded in Boston in 1871, 2021’s World Series champion _________________ may be the oldest continuously running sports franchise in the United States.
10. German philosopher __________________ first defined the “Categorical Imperative,” a moral law all persons must follow, regardless of their desires or extenuating circumstances. The idea has become the basis of modern ethics in western societies.
General Information Test
2022 53 GENERAL INFORMATION TEST
36. Xavier took a math test and answered 35 questions correctly. If he earned a score of 70%, then how many total questions were there on the test?
32. The Chinese phrase “Bù kèqì” is equivalent to the English expression, “_______________________.”
16. Most scientists agree the Earth’s longest river is ____________________. 17. In literary criticism, the _____________________termmeans “word choice.” 18. ____________________’s famous painting Guernica depicts the artist’s vision of a terrible bombing of that town during the Spanish Civil War. 19. In music, “___________________,” when two or more musical notes are played at the same time, is the building block of chords. 20. Solve for x: 4x – 8 = 32. ______________________ 21. Often used to store start-up routines in a computer, “ROM” stands for ____________________, a non-volatile memory that cannot be electronically modified. 22. If a French speaker says, “À tout à l’heure!” they are telling you, “________________________!” 23. Each period of regular play lasts ____________________ minutes in professional hockey. 24. In economics, “_______________________” describes the effect of a reduction in the purchasing power of money. 25. In 1780, British General Cornwallis surrendered to American General ________________________ after the Battle of Yorktown. 26. The literary figure ___________________ occurs when a sound is represented as a word, such as in Joyce’s Ulysses when a cat says, “Mrkgnao!” 27. In ballet, when a dancer bends at the knees she is performing a ________________________. 28. The American opera _________________________, which features the song “Summertime,” tells the story of a disabled black street beggar trying to rescue a woman from her abusive lover and her drug dealer.
35. In architecture, a _________________ is a small dome used to crown a turret, roof, or a larger dome.
33. An “eagle” in golf is a score ______________________ofon a hole.
30. For four weeks last summer, Tom volunteered as a lifeguard. For the first and third weeks, he worked 10 hours each. The second week, he worked 12 hours. For the final week, he only worked 9 hours. How many hours did Tom work as a lifeguard per week on average? _________________________
37. Insects have six legs and a three-part body consisting of the head, abdomen, and ___________________.
31. In chemistry, “organic compound” refers to a large class of chemical compounds in which one or more atoms of ____________________ are covalently linked to other elements, such as oxygen, hydrogen, or nitrogen.
38. _______________________ is Japan’s indigenous belief system. Perhaps its most recognizable symbol is the majestic torii gateway, consisting of two posts made of wood or stone, that marks a boundary where a kami, or sacred spirit, lives.
40. To ensure the separation of powers, the U.S. Constitution divides the federal government into three branches: the judicial, the executive, and the .
34. The novel ____________________, whose protagonist Macon “Milkman” Dead symbolically enacts an African-American folktale about “flying” back to Africa, was cited by the Swedish committee in awarding Toni Morrison the Nobel Prize for literature in 1993.
39. The “_________________________,” a basic component at the top of a lacrosse stick, is itself made up of the “scoop,” “sidewall,” and “throat.”
29. Aristotle used the example, “All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal,” to demonstrate a basic logical argument, called a ___________________________.
54 Nichols School
58. Located on the estuary of the Yangtze River, with an urban population of over 28 million, China’s largest city is _________________________. _____________________ is a tactic in racing sports, such as running or cycling, in which one remains close behind a pacemaker to reduce drag and save energy. The First Amendment guarantees the right to petition the government, and it also forbids the government from encroaching on the freedoms of speech, the press, assembly, and __________________________. Among the parts of speech, ____________________ modify nouns or pronouns. A ____________________________ is a kneelength, pleated skirt made of tartan plaid wool, worn by men in Scotland and by Scottish regiments in the British army. Classical composer ______________________ is perhaps best known for popular chamber music and songs such as “The Trout” and “Ave Maria.” Identify the next number in the sequence: 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, ________________________. ______________________ is a property of matter by which an object in motion will remain in motion or if at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by another force.
55. With compositions such as “Blue Train” and “A Love Supreme,” American saxophonist _______________ ___________________ shaped bebop jazz. Find the width of a rectangle whose length is 6 meters and whose area is 30 meters: ______________________.
60.
41. Short lines marked by dashes and startling first lines such as, “I’m Nobody! Who are You?” or “My Life had stood –a Loaded Gun—” are characteristics of the poetry of ________________________. 42. In film, a ____________________ is a single image photographed by one camera without interruption. It is the basic building block of all movies. 43. Find the mean in the following data set: 1, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 9. 44. Find the median for the same data set: 1, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 9. 45. Find the mode for the same data set: 1, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 9. 46. Polish mathematician and ___________________________astronomerpublished On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres just before his death in 1543. It placed the sun rather than the earth at the center of the universe, marking a major revolution in the history of science. 47. A classic fallacy in argumentation, an _________________________ argument attacks the person rather than his position or idea. 48. According to Fantasy Football Today, quarterback _______ led the 2021 regular season with a remarkable 28 fantasy points per game. 49. The deadliest single-day battle in American military history, called _______, was fought in Maryland on September 17, 1862. More than 17,000 men were wounded and some 3,500 lost their lives. 50. In 1957, Leon Festinger published one of social psychology’s most important theories, called __________________, which describes the uncomfortable psychological tension created by inconsistency in one’s beliefs or behaviors, especially when confronted by new information. 51. The smallest of the world’s seven continents is ____________________________. 52. A famous three-word sentence, “Call me Ishmael,” opens the novel _________________________. 53. “Epistle” is a synonym for ____________________, especially a formal or elegant one. 54. Artist _______________________ explored subconscious imagery in paintings such as La persistència de la memòria [The Persistence of Memory], in which melting watches adorn a serene landscape.
61.
62.
64.
63.
59.
65.
2022 55 GENERAL INFORMATION TEST
56.
57. In computer science, a ____________________ is the smallest unit of data, one binary digit, either “0” or “1.”
80. English romantic poet ______________________ joined the Greek War for Independence and died while fighting a campaign against the Ottoman Empire, for which he remains a folk hero in Greece.
85. According to legend and Shakespeare, among Julius Caesar’s last words was this three-word recrimination in Latin posing as a question:
83. In a regular pentagon, an interior angle is 108 degrees and all interior angles add up degrees.to
77. Called the “Father of Europe,” ________________ was crowned the first Holy Roman Emperor on Christmas Day in the year 800, becoming the first ruler to unite western and central Europe centuries after the fall of the classical Roman Empire.
56 Nichols School
78. The ______________________ mountain range includes the continental United States’ highest peak, Mt. Whitney.
87. _____________________________, located along the Dnieper River in northern Ukraine, is its country’s most populous city at 2.9 million people.
66. In Don Quixote, Teresa Panza famously says, “La mejor salsa del mundo es la hambre,” which means, “_________________________.”
67. _____________________, nicknamed “Rush,” may be the greatest MMA fighter of all time with 13 championship titles across the welterweight and middleweight divisions of the UFC.
76.
86. The NCAA “Final Four” in men’s basketball for 2022 came down to Duke vs. North Carolina and Villanova vs. the number-one ranked .
71.
73.
79. One who is “feckless” is ______________________.
69. _____________________ begins the final sentence of his Second Inaugural, “With malice toward none with charity for all with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in….”
75.
72. Verdi’s opera ____________________________ tells the story of Violetta, a Parisian courtesan, and her doomed relationship with Alfredo, a young man from the country. A cylinder 12 inches tall with a diameter of 4 inches would have a volume __________________________of(rounding π to the hundredths). Modern humans are the only surviving species of the genus ____________________________. A signature dish of southern France ____________________________,iswhich is a coarse stew of eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper cooked in a garlicky tomato sauce. With 122 million Facebook followers and 241 million followers on Instagram, Portuguese soccer player ___________________________ of Manchester United may be the world’s most popular athlete in 2022.
74.
68. Civil rights leader _________________ finishes his famous autobiography with the lines, “… all of the credit is due to Allah. Only the mistakes have been mine.”
70. In English, a verb’s time frame, such as present, past, or future, is called its ________________________ is an athletic style of street dancing that emerged in the 1970s, performed by “b-boys” and “b-girls” to hip hop, funk, or other music featuring drum breaks.
81. Although nominated for best director several times, beginning in 1964 for his film Dr. Strangelove, _________________________ never won that Academy Award.
82. With Time Magazine, the BBC, and The New York Times all dubbing it the anthem of Generation X, Nirvana’s “____________________________”singletopped music charts in countries around the world in 1991 and 1992.
84. A majority of Earth’s volcanoes and earthquakes occur along the ____________________________, also called by scientists the Circum-Pacific Belt.
88. Former Republican President __________________ was shot in the chest prior to a scheduled campaign speech on October 14, 1912. The bullet was slowed by the manuscript in his vest pocket, so he decided to give his speech anyway before going to a hospital to have the bullet removed from where it was lodged against a rib.
90.
99.
95. Enlightenment scientist ______________________ first charted the Gulf Stream, completing his study in 1775 while crossing the Atlantic on diplomatic missions. 96. __________________________, whose name means “Red Bird” in Lakota, published her major work, American Indian Stories, in 1921.
97. The longest-serving U.S. senator in history, Democrat _________________________ , served from 1959-2010, but began his public life by organizing a chapter of the Ku Klux Klan in 1940. He later called his KKK involvement, “The worst mistake I ever made.”
93. ___________________’s “Pomp and Circumstance, March No.1 in D” has been played for graduation ceremonies around the country since the early 20th century.
92. _________________________, the home designed and built by Thomas Jefferson, is among America’s greatest architectural achievements and has been featured on the nickel nearly every year from 1938 to the present.
2.
Kant 11.abstract 12.surfacearea(ofa sphere) 13.mitosis 14.“theworkmanship [orwork]surpasses thematerial” 15.MichaelJordan 16.theNile 17.diction 18.Picasso 19.harmony 20.10 21.ReadOnlyMemory 22.Seeyousoon 23.20 24.inflation 25.GeorgeWashington 26.onomatopoeia 27.plié 28.PorgyandBess 29.syllogism 30.10.25hours 31.carbon 32.“You’rewelcome.” 33.-2[or2underpar] 34.SongofSolomon 35.cupola 36.50 37.thorax 38.Shinto 39.head 40.legislative 41.EmilyDickinson 42.shot 43.5.5̅(or55/9) 44.6 45.7 46.NicolausCopernicus 47.adhominem 48.JoshAllen 49.Antietam 50.dissonancecognitive 51.Australia[or Oceania] 52.Moby-Dick 53.letter 54.SalvadorDalí 55.JohnColtrane 56.5meters 57.bit 58.Shanghai 59.Drafting 60.religion 61.adjectives 62.kilt 63.FranzSchubert 64.55 65.Inertia 66.“Thebestsauce intheworldis hunger.” 67.GeorgesSt-Pierre 68.MalcolmX 69.AbrahamLincoln 70.tense 71.Breaking Breakdancing][or 72.LaTraviata 73.150.72 74.homo 75.ratatouille 76.CristianoRonaldo 77.Charlemagne 78.SierraNevada 79.weakorineffective 80.LordByron 81.StanleyKubrick 82.“SmellsLikeTeen Spirit” 83.540 84.RingofFire 85.EttuBrute? 86.Kansas 87.Kiev[orKyiv] 88.TheodoreRoosevelt 89.RobertHayden 90.Dramatic 91.RosettaStone 92.Monticello 93.EdwardElgar 94.120minutes[or2 hours] 95.BenjaminFranklin 96.Zitkála-Šá 97.RobertByrd 98.syntax 99.SirGawainandthe GreenKnight 100.puck The answer key for the GIT can also be found at www.nicholsschool.org/alumni/general-information-test 2022 57 GENERAL INFORMATION TEST
91. The _________________________, discovered by one of Napoleon’s officers during his campaign in Egypt in 1799, features ancient Greek and hieroglyphic copies of a decree issued by a pharaoh in 196 B.C., which led to the modern deciphering of hieroglyphics.
1.
100.
94. If Kerry reads 10 pages every 15 minutes, how long will it take her to read 80 pages? ______________
98. While “grammar” refers to classes of words and their relationships in “___________________________”sentences,simply means “word order.” The Middle English chivalric poem _____________ was adapted into a critically acclaimed epic fantasy film with a similar name by David Lowery and released in the summer of 2021. In professional hockey, a regulation _____________ must weigh between 5.5 and 6 ounces. BillieEilish RaymondCarver 3.JaneCampion 4.Mozart 5.Archimedes 6.gravity 7.“Hearhowmy rhythmgoes” (or“Listentomy rhythm”) 8.AtlantaBraves 9.SupremeCourt Justice 10.Immanuel
89. ____________________________, author of “Those Winter Sundays,” became America’s Poet Laureate in 1976. ____________________________ irony occurs when the audience knows more than a character, whose words and actions then take on a meaning he or she does not understand.
Co-Chaired by Matt ’91 and Jessica ’93 Enstice P’22 and Leonard and Patti Deni P’14,’15,’22,’26 Nichols Night was presented by Delaware North. Hosted again on Derby Day this year, the auction is Nichols’ largest fundraising event each year. “Many thanks to all the amazing volunteers who dedicated countless hours to make this event successful,” said Co-Chair Matt Enstice ’91. “This includes corporate and individual sponsors, Nichols Night Committee members, our gift gathering party hosts, families and friends of Nichols who helped make the evening spectacular.”NicholsNight featured Gray (silent), White (premium) and Green (live) auctions items as well as Light the Room to support Student Wellness. Some of the one-of-a-kind items that were auctioned included a trip for four to the Kennedy Space Center; a Buffalo Bills experience with a tour of the stadium, on field access, and tickets to a game; trips to Boston, Florida, New York City, and Ellicottville; plus so much more. “We were grateful to have everyone return to our largest annual fundraiser,” said Head of School Chris Burner. “Most importantly, this was a night to support and enhance the Nichols experience that generations of students have enjoyed and will enjoy in the future. We are grateful to all for helping us raise more than $200,000 for our students.”
Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s auction and contributed to the success of Nichols Night.
Under the Atrium at the Westin Hotel, Nichols School hosted its 44th annual auction on May 7th. A special celebration as the first full in-person auction since the pandemic, Nichols Night: The Party to N All Parties was a night for parents, families, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of Nichols to come together and support the Nichols Fund.
58 Nichols School
IN MEMORIAM
2022 59
Mathematics at Nichols School forever changed in the fall of 1957 when David Strachan ’51 began teaching after being offered the job by long time headmaster Philip Boocock a few months earlier. Strachan, an eight-year student at Nichols, went on to teach mathematics at his alma mater for 45 years. During his time at Nichols, Strachan touched the lives of thousands of colleagues, parents, and students as a teacher, coach, and mentor.Ona sunny spring afternoon in April 2022, alumni, former and current faculty and staff, and Strachan’s family and friends gathered in the Student Commons. At the memorial people were able to pay their respects, share their stories, and reflect on the lasting impact Strachan made on Nichols School, the community, and those who had the pleasure of knowing him. The memorial featured remarks from former Nichols’ faculty members George Kloepfer, II ’68, Amanda Simmons, and Strachan’s fiveThosechildren.inattendance were reminded of Strachan’s accomplishments. From playing hockey at Middlebury College to earning his master’s degrees from both Bowdoin College and Harvard University, Strachan had a trait shared by all great teachers–a passion for education. In fact, Strachan didn’t end his education with his stop at Harvard. He continued to learn and improve himself by attending classes on education every summer at Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, inviting fellow Nichols faculty members to join him throughout the years. Working at Nichols allowed Strachan to touch the lives of students and colleagues outside of the classroom as well. Strachan coached the junior varsity hockey team, started the School’s first lacrosse team, and even created a seventh and eighth grade softball league with the help of another Nichols faculty member. Strachan also established the first fund at Nichols to provide summer stipends to faculty members who are attending conferences, revising curriculum, or pursuing graduate programs with the help of his older brother, Malcom. Strachan was truly a remarkable man and member of the Nichols community. In 2000, he was honored with a lifetime achievement award and received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007. His impact on the Nichols School is still felt around campus today. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Joan, their five children; Alice, Charles ’76, James ’79, Edward ’81, and David Jr. ’85; and nine grandchildren.
MEMORIAL – NOVEMBER 9,
David Strachan ’51 2021
David Strachan Was Truly A Remarkable Man And Member Of The Nichols Community. In 2000, He Was Honored With A Lifetime Achievement Award And Received The Distinguished Alumni Award In 2007.
Jonathan R. Ehret ’84 – August 21, 2021
Ronald F. Schmitt ’54 – July 11, 2021
FORMER FACULTY David Barber – October 13, 2021
Cynthia Lee Baird Dawdy ’81 – June 14, 2021
James L. Magavern ’51 – March 7, 2022 Rev. Philip E. McNairy ’55 – May 29, 2021 Philip More ’72 – February 1, 2022 Dr. James P. Nolan ’47 – June 30, 2021
Nancy Clucas – January 24, 2022
Mother of Alexandra Llugany Montanta ’86, Beatriz Llugany ’88 and Carmen Llugany Fors ’92.
FRIENDS Betty Cox Fierle P’78,’82,’85 – October 16, 2020.
Florentina Gutierrez P’80,’86 – July 23, 2021.
Georgia Pooley P’80 – June 26, 2021. Mother of Montgomery ’80. 60 Nichols
Richard ‘Dick’ J. Kraetz, Sr. ’47 – April 2, 2021
MEMORIAMALUMNI
Charles M. Ward ’56 – November 22, 2021
Shawn Wnek ’97 – December 20, 2021
Edward F. Walsh ’43 – September 25, 2021
IN
Fredrick W. Danforth, Jr. ’46 – June 13, 2021
Richard ‘Sky’ Smith, Jr. ’48 – March 2, 2022
Richard “Dick’ Knowles ’48 – December 5, 2021
Philip R. Diefenbach ’51 – December 26, 2021 Kevin Doyle ’73 – October 12, 2021
James B. Kimberly ’58 – June 4, 2021 Dr. William R. Kinkel ’46 – March 15, 2022
David G. Strachan ’51 – November 9, 2021
Hugh K. Tirrell ’62 – January 23, 2022
Jonathan B. Quint ’90 – April 11, 2022
Roger D. Severance ’51 – July 29, 2021
James R. Williams ’04 – April 28, 2021
Darragh Karr – October 10, 2021
Carmen Llugany P’86,’88,’92 – February 28, 2022.
Alec J. Friedlander ’13 – January 7, 2022
Malcolm “Toby” Strachan, II ’48 – March 1, 2021
Edward M. Barrett ’70 – November 23, 2021 Aungela Brown ’75 – May 7, 2021
Robert P. Hazelet ’56 – September 20, 2021
Mother of Jane Cox Hettrick ’78, Susan Cox and Jonathan Cox ’85 and grandmother of Emily Hettrick ’07, Laura Hettrick ’09, John Hettrick III ’13, Robert Hettrick ’16 and Ivan Cox ’20.
Mother of Leslie ’80 and Cynthia ’86.
John W. Brown ’42 – April 23, 2022
School
Fredrick B. Cooley ’57 – April 6, 2021
Dr. Sidney Anthone ’42 – April 30, 2021
Edwin M. Johnson, Jr. ’51 – January 30, 2022
Bradford A. Congdon ’56 – March 14, 2021
Andrew Fleischman ’61 – January 6, 2022
Clayton C. Butzer ’48 – January 12, 2022 Eulis M. Cathey ’71 – April 27, 2021
Roger D. Georgi ’53 – August 3, 2021
John Arthur Ennis ’15 – March 27, 2022
Michelle (Isenberg) Agostinelli ’88 – May 19, 2022
J. Gilbert ‘Gil’ Hudson ’52 – February 24, 2022
Douglas R. Lewis ’44 – April 2, 2021 Bruce Lytle ’60 – August 9, 2021
Donald S. Hurwitz, Jr. ’47 – May 2, 2021
James Sanderson ’50 – January 14, 2022
Nicholas P. Rumsey ’65 – June 11, 2021
55 Ray Empson received a photo collage of pictures during his time at Nichols as a birthday gift from his college roommate, John Heyd. John heard many stories about Nichols from Ray through the years. 62 60th Mark Lytle published a book with Oxford University Press that brought together 50 years of teaching and writing history. The All-Consuming Nation: Pursuing the American Dream Since World War II, makes the case that of all the “isms” competing for hearts and minds in the global community, including communism, fascism, socialism, anarchism, and social democracy, consumerism has won. That victory has spurred the environmental crises we face today. 63 Chuck Hobbie welcomed a new grandson—Fletcher Hayes Hobbie— born on December 6, 2021, in Washington, DC, to his son Jason Hobbie and his wife Callie Hawkins. Like Chuck, Fletcher is a distant cousin of former Nichols teacher and associate headmaster Pliny H. Hayes III. 64 Tom Harriman writes, “In November, I visited Michael Dyett ’64 at his Mill Valley, CA home, where being the architect that he is, he is adding a granny unit under a new law that encourages them as affordable housing. Both of us at 75 are still working, albeit less than full-time. We are both chafing at the pandemic’s interference with our world travel habits. I had to cut short a trip to my former mountain base in Viet Nam’s Central Highlands as the pandemic started. From the Bay Area, I joined my brother Richard Harriman ’62 in Santa Barbara with our dad Tom Harriman ’38 for his 100th Birthday. Nichols claims he is the oldest living alumni. He is doing well and still fundraising for various science projects at University of California at Santa Barbara. See you at our 60th Reunion!”
51 David McCain writes, “Eleanor and I are enjoying condo life in Jacksonville with our two daughters nearby. This is our fourth move to this beautiful city and we hope it is our final home. I certainly do not miss shoveling or the ice as I take my walks and move about town.”
69 Art Cryer completed the Empire State Ride 2021 from Staten Island to Niagara Falls, covering 563 miles in seven days on his bicycle along with 226 other committed riders for the purpose of raising funds for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Mission accomplished, $1,600,000 raised.
71 In April 2022, Michael B. Elmes, Ph.D., professor of business at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, was awarded the WPI Board of Trustees Chair’s Exemplary Faculty Award, which recognizes WPI faculty members who excel in all areas of faculty performance, including teaching, research and scholarship, and advising.
2022
66 Rich Goldberg recently published a book of poetry, Words That Came Together, bringing together a 50-year writing journey. “Thanks to Mr. Fox for getting me started on the poetry pathway.”
CLASS NOTES
If you would like to serve as a Class Agent, please contact the Alumni Office at 716.332.5152 or alumnioffice@nicholsschool.org. 61
83
Caroline Kunz Reeves published a collection of poetry and photography, Journey in Progress, co-authored with her husband, Allan, who shares images of their travels across the globe, as well as reflections on issues of social justice. The book is available on Amazon, Google Books and from their publisher, Redhawk Publications.
Sarah Baird, the Founder and Executive Director of Let There Be Light International, visited with Tom Maynor’s ’81 middle school students in the Fall of 2021 to discuss solar lights and renewable energy.
Chris Burdick and John Linder met for an outside lunch in Phoenix, AZ to celebrate their 45th class reunion in July 2021, since COVID postponed reunion gatherings at Nichols.
78 Douglas Batt writes, “Doing well in Boston. Now that our three kids are all doing their thing, I’ve started a consulting company at www.douglasbatt.com. Still adding recordings to my SoundCloud music page as well. I had a chance to catch up with Tom Flickinger, Mike Reynolds, Mark Trammel and Hugh Russ a while ago. Great old friends. Thanks for including me as an honorary member of the Class of ’78 even though I went to Phillips Andover for high school. I grew up rolling marbles in the old Nichols church pews and am still proud to wear Nichols green.”
79
CLASS NOTES 62 Nichols
74School Doug Pleskow was promoted to Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School. He is the Clinical Chief of Gastroenterology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/ Harvard Medical School. In that position, he operationstheoverseesclinical of an academic GI division with 65 clinical faculty and whotraineesperform
approximately 25,000 endoscopic procedures yearly. He also leads one of the most active therapeutic endoscopy centers in the United States. 76
Joel Sciandra and Lisa Halpern were married on December 19, 2021, 55 years and 3 months after they met in kindergarten at Elmwood Franklin School and 42 years and 6 months after they graduated from Nichols! Congratulations Joel and Lisa!
Midnight Moment is the world’s largest, longest-running digital art exhibition, synchronized on electronic billboards throughout Times Square nightly from 11:57pm to midnight.
97 25th Maritza Baez MD, FAAFP is the new Medical Director for Care Medical Practice in Buffalo NY.
96 Cory Arcangel, a pioneer of technology-based art, took over Times Square every midnight in March with “Another Romp Thru the IP (Times Square Edit).”
88 Alise Shuart Barrett teaches sixth grade math at an Elmira Charter School. She officiates local field hockey in the fall and lacrosse in the spring. Anyone passing through on I-86 please reach out to meet for lunch and a trip to Corning’s Museum of Glass.
Ryan Keating completed seven years of studies and formation at Christ the King Seminary, received a Master’s in Divinity, and was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 2021, at St. Joseph’s Cathedral by Bishop Michael Fisher, Bishop of Buffalo.
93 Sandy Smith started a dog treat company called The Yardbarkery (LLC) and recently became the Program Director for Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper.
Danielle Vallas has partnered with fellow licensed mental health counselor, Gabriella Pelosi, to start D&G Wellness Consulting. They provide corporations and schools with programming and professional development on a variety of wellness topics.
89
95 Randie Torgalski was elevated to Assistant Athletic Director and Head Softball Coach at Elmira College, after serving as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach for the last 13 years.
David Coppola hiked the Vermont Long Trail in September of 2021, and in October, he did a southbound hike of the Benton MacKaye Trail.
94 Rebecca (Becky) Crane Mercatoris was recently named the first director of the new Department of Children Initiatives (DCI), an agency charged with getting more kids into early education and after-school programs.
2022 63
Alexander Wright made it his mission to fix the problem of food deserts, and in 2016, he started the member-owned African Heritage Food Co-Op. It has grown so much, that in 2020 alone, the co-op provided healthy food to 400,000 people.
Caley Rose Bulinski is an awardwinning pop singer and songwriter whose music has been played on Top 40/Pop Radio across the country. She empowers young women through her music by partnering with female empowerment organizations and her most recent song, “Game Over” released on January 14.
05 Jesse Baier Radford became the Director of Marketing with Gurney, Becker and Bourne in Spring 2021, and welcomed her first child with her husband in November 2021.
01 Ryan Arthurs returned to Buffalo to start Rivalry Projects, a contemporary art gallery and project space in Buffalo’s Allentown neighborhood. Kerry Docherty’s debut children’s book, Somewhere, Right Now, launched this spring with Penguin Random House. Kerry also serves as Chief Impact Officer of her familyrun clothing line, Faherty Brans.
08 Sarah Draper Washington started a new position as Senior Attorney at National Fuel Gas Company. Dr. Lourdes Vera graduated with her PhD from Northeastern University and has taken a position as an assistant professor in the departments of Sociology and Environment and Sustainability at SUNY University at Buffalo.
CLASS NOTES 64 Nichols School
04 Kathleen Brady-Stepien was named President & CEO of the Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies (COFCCA) in February 2021. COFCCA is the principal statewide membership association representing the not-for-profit organizations providing child welfare and juvenile justice in New York State.
00 Ashley Schweitzer lives in Minneapolis and worked for the District Attorney’s Office during the George Floyd incident. She now works for the county and has been in touch with thousands of families to ensure they have computers so they can connect to virtual school classes.
02 20th Colleen Heidinger, President of 43North, and her team released the premier of For the Love of Buffalo! in December 2021. The hour-long documentary showcases stories of the founders, talent and innovation inside of some of Buffalo’s fastestgrowing private companies and the entrepreneurial revolution that has swept the WNY region. Film can be watched on YouTube.
2022 65 09
12 10th Meredith Vivian published her first book, My Mommy’s a Millennial. Whether it’s working a full-time job while trying to go viral on TikTok or cooking and cleaning for a toddler while making sure they look Instagram presentable, a millennial mommy can do it all! Spencer Bacon is continuing his career with Disney as a Production Coordinator on a new Disney Channel animated show with the storied Disney Television Animation Studio. 13 Hayley Scamurra won a silver medal in her first Olympic Games! The Women’s Ice Hockey Team came up just short in the gold medal game, falling 3-2 to Canada. Scamurra finished the 2022 Winter Olympics with a goal and two assists in seven games. 14 RJ Gicewicz, in his first season as coach for the Boys Federation Hockey Team, led Nichols to a 5-4 overtime win against Chaminade in the CHSAA State Championship.
Joe Trapp was named a Business First 30 under 30 honoree. Trapp is CEO at Third Estate Analytics, which aims to use the power of open data systems to tackle such issues as community wealth, health and vibrancy.
10 Chas Abdel-Nabi competed on Jeopardy and his episode aired in December 2021. Abdel-Nabi was on Mr. Combs’ Masterminds teams during his days at Nichols. Tess Williams was selected as a Business First 30 under 30 honoree. William is project manager at Ontario Specialty Contracting Inc.
15 Erin Nebbia, a law student at Georgetown University Law Center, recently completed a judicial externship in the D.C. Superior Court for the Landlord and Tenant Branch under Judge Ebony Robinson Scott ’96. Nebbia writes, “Working in the D.C. Superior Court with Judge Scott has really helped to shape and strengthen my legal experience, and I am very lucky to have met her. I am grateful to have such a strong network outside of Buffalo after graduating from Nichols.” Carson Gicewicz and the UMASS Men’s Hockey team won the 2020-21 NCAA men’s ice hockey national championship! First national title in program history. Carson signed with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League. The IceHogs are the affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks.
The show won the Artie for Outstanding Production of a Musical.
16 Emily Pressman completed two degrees during the pandemic. In May of 2020, she virtually graduated Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Science in Public and Community Health. In May, she graduated from Boston University with a Master’s degree in Public Health.
19 Dylan Lugris started his Division I hockey career at Penn State in January 2022 and scored a goal in his first career game with the Nittany Lions!
Landon Weber celebrated his graduation with his father David M. Weber ’86, Aunt Brenda Weber-Miller ’78 and Uncle Jeffrey S. Weber ’86.
Camryn and Marisa Warren have been accepted into the Jacobs School of Medicine, part of the University of Buffalo Academic Health Center.
CLASS NOTES 66 Nichols School
Clarke Thrasher is the co-founder of Helpt, a web-based marketplace that connects small business contractors and repair people to potential customers. Thrasher was one of five honorees on the Buffalo Inno Under 25 list! Thrasher was recognized as a young entrepreneur making an impact in Buffalo’s startup ecosystem.
Gregory Sibick graduated from the Naval Academy in 2019, and selected submarines, Nuclear Submarine officer. The last two years were spent in Charleston, SC training for life as a submarine officer. Currently, he is attached to the USS Maryland SSBN738, and will be for the next 32 months, stationed in Kings Bay, GA.
21
Eric Rich was named to the President’s List at Elon University for the Fall 2021 semester. Faith Walh ’22, Arin Dandes ’05 and Alexandra Montesano ’14 performed as the “Silly Girls” in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at the Allendale Theater, as part of a Theater of Youth production that ran from April-May 2022.
Jenna Rich led the marketing team for Disney’s first-ever stage adaptation of “Winnie the Pooh.”
Together, we will continue to give students the support they need to succeed today, tomorrow and for generations to come. Nicholsschool.org/give Always forward “The teachers here let you have a voice in what we play. I was able to suggest a song that highlighted my instrument, and the whole class learned it and really liked it.”
Olive Amelia Donaghy ’27 discovered her passion for music when her teacher brought a guitar to school. She began taking guitar lessons when she entered Nichols as a 5th grader. as an 8th grader she frequently plays for her class and during school meetings.
Now
1250 Amherst St. Buffalo, NY 14216 Non-Profit Org. Standard Rate U.S. PermitBuffalo,PAIDPostageNYNo.3658 Save the Dates Big Green September 16, 2022 Alumni Holiday Party December 22, 2022 Nichols Night May 6, 2023 WeekendReunion 2023 June 2-3, 2023
