Alumni Weekend 2021

Alumni Weekend 2021 : A Return to Campus

Alumni returned to campus in person and via Zoom on June 12 to celebrate a year of record-breaking giving, tour the campus in all of its spring splendor, and honor the newest Hall of Fame inductees and two Alumni of the Year (for 2020 and 2021). While more modest in scale than previous Alumni Weekend celebrations, this year’s gathering gave Highlanders the opportunity to just be together in a place that will always be home.

“On behalf of the alumni office, I’d like to express our gratitude to all of you for being here,” said Sean Brown P’22, Chief Development Officer, who welcomed alumni and guests from the stage of the Tisch Family Auditorium in the Thomas S. Perakos Arts and Community Center. “We’re particularly thankful for those of you in the Os and 5s who hung in there with us and waited patiently for a reunion one year later.”

Brown noted that two weeks earlier, on May 30, students in the Class of 2021 had been inducted into the Alumni Association as the first graduates of The Frederick Gunn School, following the school’s historic name change in July 2020. Six days later, on June 5, the newest inductees — from the Class of 2020 — were welcomed into the Alumni Association as the last graduates of The Gunnery. “Like several of you, the Class of ’20 waited a year to celebrate,” he said.

Campus Update

Head of School Peter Becker provided a campus update, noting that from an enrollment standpoint, the school has seen incredible growth year-over-year in what continues to be an incredibly competitive market. Fundraising remains strong, and many alumni have been asking — from even before the Arts and Community Center was completed — “What’s next?” In response to that, Becker said the school will continue to focus on the priorities outlined in the current Strategic Plan and refine the Campus Master Plan, beginning with a science, math and technology center that will become a hub for innovation and sustainability, great science and math programs, and the IDEAS Lab, which encapsulates courses in engineering, robotics and science.

The Center for Citizenship and Just Democracy, kickstarted in 2019 by a $100,000 matching grant from the Edward E. Ford Foundation, is now entering its third year of helping to prepare students to be active citizens in the model of Frederick Gunn. That ongoing work, which is part of every student’s experience, is aligned with the school’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. At the same time the school is preparing to launch an entrepreneurship program to equip students with a mindset to engage the world proactively and creatively with problem-solving skills, Becker said.

In addition to all of this, the school hired a new Chief People Officer, Amanda Colarusso, who has joined the Leadership Team, and a new Director of Outdoor Programs, Dan Fladager. With his experience, the school expects Gunn Outdoors, which is already a cornerstone of the student experience, to become a preeminent high school outdoor program, Becker said.

The current list of college acceptances is yet another indicator

Classes Celebrate Record Giving, Alumni Awards, and Coming Home

of the school’s forward momentum, Becker said, reeling off a long list that included Cornell University, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Michigan, University of Virginia, University of North Carolina, Middlebury College, Williams College, Colby College, Lafayette College, Vanderbilt University, Northwestern University, and University of Washington.

1850 Fund Awards

Brown announced the leaders of the 1850 Fund Awards, noting that 1,200 alumni, parents, students, grandparents, faculty, and friends contributed unrestricted funds, raising $1.65 million. That figure grew to $1,660,047 by the close of the fiscal year on June 30 while the leaders held fast: • Kenneth J. Brown 1911 Award (for the largest gift) — to the Class of 1960 • Margaret P. Addicks H’02 Award (for the highest class participation with a minimum alumni body of 20) — to the Class of 1957 • Susan G. Graham H’12 Award (for the young alumni class, up to 10 years out, with the highest participation) — to the Class of 2014 • W. Russ Elgin Award (for the youngest alumni class, up to 10 years out, with the largest class gift) — to the Class of 2012

Alumni to Alumni

The Alumni Weekend ceremony is also a service of remembrance. Class Representatives read the names of alumni who are no longer with us and celebrate their lives. This year, those in attendance paused to remember deceased alumni from classes ending in 0, 1, 5 and 6.

Following the singing of the School Hymn, alumni who attended in person were invited to come forward to receive their alumni pin. “The pin itself is small and simple. What it represents is quite the opposite,” Brown told them. “The pin can only be worn by alumni. And like the numbers after your name, it is earned. The ceremony of being pinned — alumni to alumni — links you not only to the pinner but to the person who pinned them, and so on. It’s the continuation of a chain that stretches back as far as the oldest living alumnus, and should always serve as a reminder of the bond you all share as Highlander Faithful.”

Above, photos left to right: Chief Development Officer Sean Brown P’22, Ted Seibert ’61, Lori Seibert, Sam Newhouse ’70, Trustee Tom King ’60, and Rick Dickson ’71; Steve Garvan ’70, Amanda Worrall Maruyama WR’68, and Susan Sheldon Crysler WR’69; Trustee Emeritus Gerrit Vreeland ’61, Steve Davol ’61, Former Trustee Bruce Bradshaw ’51, and Trustee Tom King ’60; and Curt Smith ’70, Former Trustee Sam Newhouse ’70, Steve Garvan ’70, Clifton Graves ’71.

Alumnus of the Year

The Alumnus of the Year Award is given annually to the alumnus who, in the opinion of the Alumni & Development Office, has contributed most significantly to the school through his or her volunteer efforts and who, in those efforts, has represented The Frederick Gunn School to the highest standards. In addition to this being the first time the school has awarded two Alumnus of the Year Awards in one day, Sean Brown P’22, Chief Development Officer, announced that as of this year, the award had been renamed The David N. Hoadley ’51 Alumnus of the Year Award. “Aside from being the epitome of what the award stands for, David Hoadley ’51 was also the first-ever recipient in 1989,” Brown said.

The 2020 recipient of the David N. Hoadley ’51 Alumnus of the Year Award was Trustee Tom King ’60. After graduating from what was then The Gunnery, King received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Boston University followed by a Masters of Business Administration from Boston College. Following service in the U.S. Air Force and New York Air National Guard, King worked at Lehman Brothers as a security analyst following the metal industries. After several years he joined Merrill Lynch where he was a Vice President of Merrill Lynch Asset Management, the newly formed registered investment advisory unit of the firm. In 1984, King joined the Trust and Investment Department of Chemical Bank as an Investment Manager. Following several mergers, the resulting organization became known as J.P. Morgan Chase, from

Brown presenting the 2020 David N. Hoadley ’51 Alumnus of the Year Award to Tom King ’60 Brown presenting the 2021 David N. Hoadley ’51 Alumnus of the Year Award to Tim Gaillard ’61

which King retired in 2004 as Vice President of Investments in its Personal Asset Management Division. He was appointed to the Board of Trustees in April 2020.

The 2021 recipient of the David N. Hoadley ’51 Alumnus of the Year Award was Tim Gaillard ’61. A graduate of Colby College, Gaillard’s first job at the age of 19 was at the Hilton Hotel in New York City, specializing in food and beverage and sales promotions. He left Hilton to manage several country inns, building a reputation for innovative marketing and promotions. His first entrepreneurial venture was founding his own hotel and restaurant consulting firm called The Bottom Line. Gaillard then switched gears, starting a new career in advertising and public relations. He worked for several respected Connecticut ad agencies before forming his own agency in 1983 and has created award-winning campaigns for both consumer and business-to-business clients. He has lectured on marketing and public relations trends and techniques at area universities and has served on the boards of six business associations. His clients have appeared on The Today Show, CBS and NBC evening news, UPI, AP, and numerous trade publications. Now in semi-retirement, he has launched a new business called “No 2 Alike,” making furniture and accessories from his woodworking shop.

2021 Hall of Fame Inductees

The Arts and Letters Hall of Fame

Clifton E. Graves, Jr. ’71 was inducted into the Arts and Letters Hall of Fame. The current Judge of Probate for New Haven County, Graves grew up in North Carolina and his family moved often to pursue better employment and educational opportunities. Landing in New Haven, he was awarded a scholarship to The Frederick Gunn School.

“To say he survived and succeeded would be an understatement,” Sean Brown P’22, Chief Development Officer, said. “Judge Graves flourished in the face of difficult times and adversity.”

Graves matriculated at Tufts University, where he was awarded a bachelor’s degree in political science, and graduated from Georgetown Law Center, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree and completed additional studies in international law and diplomacy. His professional career spans over 30 years in public service. He was honored in 2018 as one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans in Connecticut by the NAACP, and has received numerous awards and citations for community service and mentoring young people.

Graves sees himself as a “change agent,” one who adheres to the adage made popular by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “injustice anywhere, threatens justice everywhere.”

The Athletic Hall of Fame

Roger Walters ’52 was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Former Trustee Bruce Bradshaw ’51 accepted the award on behalf of Walters, who was unable to attend the event in person. Walters came to The Frederick Gunn School from the University School in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1948, in the middle of his freshman year. He went on to win nine varsity letters and play on five championship teams. As the quarterback, he led his 1952 team to a rare undefeated season, and won the Athletic Cup. A standout, three-sport athlete, he was also a leader who left his stamp on every team he played on, getting the most out of all his teammates. His best Frederick Gunn School memory was being captain of his undefeated basketball team during his last year at the school.

Walters briefly attended college but with the start of the Korean War, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he continued to play football, basketball and baseball.

Roger Walters ’52, was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame; At right, Walters in his baseball uniform in 1952. Clifton Graves ’71 spoke at his induction into the Arts and Letters Hall of Fame on campus in June.

At Camp Rucker, he played backup quarterback to Brad Rowland of the Chicago Bears. Following the war, Walters returned home to successfully run, build and eventually sell his family business. He continues to play sports, golf being his game of choice.