Alumni Leadership
AWARDS
On May 5, 2014, Suffield Academy held its 12th annual Alumni Leadership Awards Day, honoring Kristin Hostetter Pandit ’86 and Thomas C. Greene ’87. The Alumni Association created the program to honor Suffield graduates who have displayed notable leadership in their professional careers or in a humanitarian endeavor. The Alumni Leadership Award Selection Committee is comprised of alumni, students, and members of the faculty. This year’s committee members were Ed Kaplan ’77, David Rockwell ’58, Phil Riegel ’87, Harry Melendez III ’07, Nicholas Booth ’14, Colleen Flynn ’14, Slater Fuchs ’14, Andre Koo ’14, Alec Wasser ’14, and Donald Wheeler ’14. THOMAS C. GREENE ’87 A native of Worcester, Massachusetts, Tom earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Hobart College and his master’s degree in writing from the former Vermont College. In 2006, Tom was asked to lead one of the MFA programs at Vermont College. A few years later, when the college announced it was closing, Tom took it upon himself to save the three nationally acclaimed MFA programs by creating the Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA). In just two years, Tom was able to raise nearly $14 million, build a national board of trustees, and develop a strategic plan and infrastructure to direct and run VCFA. In 2008, Tom was named the founding president of VCFA, which received accreditation faster than any college in the 125-year history of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and became the first new college in Vermont in over 30 years. Tom is also the author of four novels: Mirror Lake (2003), I’ll Never Be Long Gone (2005), Envious Moon (2007), and The Headmaster’s Wife (2014). His novels have been translated into 11 languages and have a worldwide following. For more information, visit www.thomaschristophergreene.com KRISTIN HOSTETTER PANDIT ’86 An avid outdoors enthusiast, Kristin has always been fascinated by gear that helps make outdoor adventures possible. She began reading Backpacker magazine and decided that one day she would work for them. In 1990, Kristin earned her bachelor of arts in art history from Boston College and later moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she worked part-time at Erehwon Mountain Outfitters. Then in 1994, her dream came true. According to an interview with T.J. Fraser, Kristin says,
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SUFFIELD