Modeling Tabor Values There are 1 3 T abor alumni working at our S chool by the Sea . they are split pretty evenly between teaching / administrative faculty and administrative sta ff, representing Tabor through advancement and admissions. Ta bor Tod a y thought it w ould be interesting to ask a few of these alumni about their perceptions of the school culture, how their status as alumni influences them, and what it means to have alumni leading the school on so many critical f ronts .
How are the school’s values different or the same today vs. your day at Tabor?
“When I was a student the values of responsibility, leadership, and accountability were important, and they remain so today,” said Rick DaSilva ’89. “We are a great community of learners looking to take advantage of what is around us. We are always trying to do more together, and in that way, I guess, I think the faculty are more involved with the students than ever. Through that involvement and mentorship, we have built a more empathetic and compassionate culture, though we need to be careful to balance it with the discomfort of challenge, because challenge brings out the best in who we are.” Christian Garris ’05 said, “I was struck as a student by Tabor’s ‘traditional’ stance. It seemed to me
we were a bit behind culturally and technologically. Today, both are much improved. I was pleased to see on my return to Tabor a 100% increase in domestic students of color, an expansion of the International Center’s mission to include trips abroad, more campus speakers, and a true investment in technology from equipment to personnel to student spaces like the Maker Lab, and digital music and art offerings. Tabor has modernized and opened up to the world.”
Contributors : Bob Mogilnicki ’76 Art Department
Christian Garris ’05 Associate Director of Admissions, Student of Color Recruitment
Rick DaSilva ’89 History Department, Associate Director, Center for
DaSilva agrees: “Today, we represent the world so much better than we did then. We are in a really exciting place now as a school with a great opportunity to be specific about our direction as we move forward. We are building expansive programs in global citizenship and cultural competency. The student culture is also so much more cohesive. 13
International Students
R.J. Swift ’08 History Department, Director of Student Activities