REASONS TO REFLECT AND REIMAGINE

This issue of Andover magazine celebrates the widespread impact of our Knowledge & Goodness campaign.

From new scholarships and funding for innovation in teaching to new buildings that are changing how students learn, perform, and compete, Knowledge & Goodness reminds me why Andover has such power to transform lives.

It starts with the opportunity to share this education with students during their most formative years. Our faculty and staff foster an environment that is both challenging and supportive, one that is likely composed of the most diverse peer group these students have ever encountered. When these factors converge at an institution that, itself, is willing to evolve, the effect is even stronger.

Many of us were attracted to Andover because it is a place in perpetual motion, always aiming to do better for its students. I follow a long line of school heads who effectively balanced the need to preserve with the need to reimagine and improve Andover.

As the campaign progressed, we began to consider what this historic effort would allow Andover to do next. This thinking revealed some gaps that, once addressed, I believe will lead to a healthier school and a more impactful student experience.

We learned that sustaining academic excellence at a level consistent with Andover’s high standards requires a more systematic approach to faculty development, program assessment, and curriculum review. The work has already begun, with faculty structuring a process that will guide their individ- ual development and the direction of their departments. This process will ultimately lead to a full curriculum review. (Interim Deputy Head of School Raj Mundra P’18, ’20 shares more on page 12.)

We also learned that Andover’s ambitions often outpace its resources. More than once during the campaign we modified plans for our newest facilities to better align with what we could reasonably afford. And while we celebrate every campaign dollar earmarked for student scholarships, we also know that annual gifts still must be raised to support need-blind admission.

As we steward campaign investments for future generations, we are working with trustees to consider factors such as inflationary pressures on costs, endowment performance and payout goals, composition of the student body, and resources to improve campus technology and facilities.

For the students in our care today, we are thinking about societal changes, including the increasing mental health needs of teenagers, 24/7 communication capabilities, and the demand for specialized expertise beyond the classroom—from athletics to the performing arts.

The Knowledge & Goodness campaign has proven essential in elevating the Andover experience. And now it brings us to an inflection point, a moment to consider our school’s next iteration. I am excited to think critically about the challenges and gaps and to work with the campus and extended community to shape Andover’s future.

Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24 Head of School

Andover magazine reinforces the special connection alumni have with Phillips Academy and Abbot Academy. Through thought-provoking stories, contemporary design, and inspiring profiles of alumni, students, and faculty, we aim to highlight the school’s enduring values, recognize our unique history, and celebrate the rich diversity of our community.

PUBLISHER

Tracy M. Sweet

EDITOR

Allyson Irish ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Rita Savard

DESIGNER

Ken Puleo

CLASS NOTES DESIGNER

Anne Marino P’19

EDITOR’S NOTE

In all of my years as an alumni magazine editor there has been one constant: readers love Class Notes.

CONTRIBUTORS

Matthew Bellico

Manwei Chan ’11

Jill Clerkin

Katie Fiermonti

Nancy Hitchcock

Jia H. Jung ’00

Joseph P. Kahn ’67

Andover’s Class Notes are compiled and written by 180 class secretaries in a time-honored tradition that dates back decades. Chosen by their classmates, these volunteers reach out three times per year to gather information for publication. As much as class secretaries enjoy this task, they also have been frustrated by the amount of time from submission to publication. In fact, this is the most frequent complaint I hear from readers.

Andover, the magazine of the Phillips Academy and Abbot Academy community, is published four times per year. It is produced by the Office of Communication at Phillips Academy, 180 Main Street, Andover, MA 01810.

Main PA phone: 978-749-4000

Changes of address and death notices: 978-749-4269, alumni-records@andover.edu

Phillips Academy website: www.andover.edu

Andover magazine phone: 978-749-4677

Email: magazine@andover.edu

Postmasters:

Send address changes to Phillips Academy

180 Main Street

Andover MA 01810

ISSN-0735-5718

In response, we recently introduced a new online Class Notes portal that directly addresses this problem. Class secretaries can now easily upload their notes and photos, and the magazine team can more quickly convert this information for editing and layout.

Early results show that class secretaries have embraced the new system. And while there is always room for improvement, this innovation has allowed us to gather and edit notes faster. A win-win.

We could not have done this without assistance and support from the Class Secretaries Committee and our colleagues in the Office of Alumni Engagement. Thank you.

Andover magazine is here to rekindle your Andover and Abbot memories and to reconnect you with classmates, faculty, and friends. This new process will allow us to share your stories in a timelier manner.

PAGE 18

Allyson Irish Editor

© 2023 Phillips Academy, Andover, MA All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

PAGE 30

Thank you very much for the excellent article on my old friend Dan Cunningham ’67 and the evolution of admissions at Andover (fall/winter 2022 issue, page 18). You presented a good, clear record, and that is a valuable thing. I especially enjoyed the picture you included of Alice with Dan.

—MARK J. LOGSDON ’67

I have told this story many times, but after reading the tribute to Dan Cunningham ’67 I think it bears repeating.

One day I was speaking with Maria, one of the front desk employees at a local endoscopy center where I worked. Maria told me that her daughter was in Europe for her junior year abroad. Interesting, I thought.

Maria is from a modest family in Santa Ana, California. Kids from there are more likely to go to the local junior