Webb Magazine: Spring 2024

Webb l 0 o h c S e On MAGAZINE SPRING 2024

Family Day OCTOBER 10, 2024 Join us on campus to experience a day in the life of your Webb student! We hope you’ll enjoy our beautiful campus and socializing with other Webb families. Go to webb.org/parents for more information or contact Jenna Gough at jgough@webb.org or (909) 482-5245.

OCTOBER 18-19, 2024

ALUMNI WEEKEND 2024 Classes ending in 4s and 9s celebrate milestone reunions this year!

Go to webb.org/reunion for more information or contact the alumni office at (909) 445-8253 or alumni@webb.org.

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Webb MAGAZINE SPRING 2024

Features

Webb Today

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From the Head of School

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Arts

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One School

30

Athletics

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Honor Code

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Academics

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Leadership

36

Community

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Celebrating Our Students

38

Giving

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Unbounded Days

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The Alf Museum 44

Alumni Profiles

Alumni News 48

Events & Highlights

58

Career Evening

60

Newsnotes

68

In Memoriam

71

The Final Word

COVER Nicole Lee ’25, a student in Megan Horejsi’s Digital Arts class, created the magazine’s One School theme design. Using advanced Adobe Photoshop skills learned in class, she combined photos of notable Webb events and ceremonies, placing them on Polaroid-like frames to evoke a personal scrapbook of cherished images. The hand-written titles and designs on the “Polaroids” make them feel like one’s own photo album of special memories of Webb. Webb Magazine is grateful to Nicole for her vision of One School for the cover.

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SPRING 2024 WEBB MAGA ZINE

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

The Chapel Doors

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My morning commute takes me about 10 minutes on foot. Mug of hot coffee in hand, I head along the ravine and past Mr. Hoe’s and Mr. Choi’s homes.

Down the stairs, I come to the chapel, where I admire the bell tower rising before me. I generally stop in front of the heavy wooden doors, take a sip of coffee and drink the place in.

A few months ago, I noticed the term tenax propositi carved on the left-hand door. This is my 13th year at Webb, and I have walked by and gone through those doors thousands of times. And yet, I had never noticed this phrase before.

Tenax propositi means “Tenacity of Purpose,” which is a fitting motto for what I see at Webb.

• Not readily relinquishing a principle • Determined • Persistent • Intentional • Resolved This is the Webb community. A school with a long history committed to the future. A community that embraces age-old values in ways that are powerful and enduring. A place dedicated to excellence, where students, faculty and staff support each other in living with purpose and meaning. A home for alumni who are leaders and changemakers, community servants and loyal friends.

On the pages of this magazine, you will read striking examples of this tenacity of purpose, from the incredible work of our VWS Honor Cabinet and the WSC Honor Committee on the One School Honor Code to the accomplishments of our students and alumni and everything in between. With so much promise on the horizon, I am excited for what’s next for all of us here at Webb and how our tenax propositi will be realized in our second century.

Dr. Theresa Smith Head of School

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SPRING 2024 WEBB MAGA ZINE

Q&A with the HoS

As we look forward with great excitement to the arrival of the 2024–25 school year, we do it with the confidence that each new opportunity we pursue will be grounded in Webb's timeless mission, values, history, and traditions. With the shift to the One School model this fall, Webb is preparing to launch a series of student-focused initiatives, including a slate of new innovative Advanced Studies courses across a broad range of disciplines, new student leadership opportunities (including a community-wide Honor Council and Student Government), and moving into Phase 2 of The AI Project@Webb. All this and more!

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In anticipation of the momentous year ahead, Webb Magazine sat down with Head of School, Dr. Theresa Smith, for a conversation about her vision and the work ahead.

Q: Hello, Dr. Smith. Thank you for talking with us today about the year ahead and what it means for Webb. Ready?

Q: Serving our students is part of Webb’s mission. How will the new model affect the student experience?

A: Most definitely!

A: That’s a great question. For more than a decade, a number of Webb experiences have been created as or evolved into community-wide events and celebrations. One School allows us to continue that work: for example, having two commencements at the end of their time at Webb can feel jarring for students who have attended their Webb experience together. Living in community in such a familial way and then not graduating with all of your friends and fellow Webbies has felt strange for many. So, in a lot of ways, I think One School will feel like a celebration and a very positive coming together of students.

Q: What do you want the Webb community to know about the move to One School this Fall?

A: From its inception, Webb has always been a dynamic school. We have a long tradition of change and have always looked to improve and take on the challenge of serving our students best and meeting our mission based on the needs of today rather than the needs of the past.

When many independent schools moved from all-boys to co-ed in the 70s and 80s, very few former boys’ schools chose to add a girls’ school as we did. Many went right to co-ed. Adding VWS was an incredibly powerful way for our school to develop. The Alf Museum is another example of organic growth and change in Webb’s history, which has blossomed into a unique and much-beloved part of our school. I see this shift as part of Webb’s century-old ambition to be the best version of itself.

I also think that One School will shape the experience similarly to when the Vivian Webb students arrived—it’s an opportunity to reflect on what our ceremonies and traditions mean—and student input, participation, and conversation are crucial. For example, I’ve been meeting with students as part of a seal committee,

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SPRING 2024 WEBB MAGA ZINE

The meaning of the birds is not recorded, however, four birds appear on the Webb family Coat of Arms.

The shells signify the 34 VWS pioneers.

Taylor Stockdale, Head Emeritus

and it’s been really fun to watch them dive into what our seals mean. They’re asking questions about why there are four birds, what the shells mean, and what symbolizes Webb today. In fact, students actively helping to shape our school is a long-held tradition.

We want their participation and value their input and feedback.

Q: You mentioned graduation a few minutes ago, so let’s discuss Webb’s traditions and ceremonies. How will we ensure that what is held dear as a 102-year-old educational institution is carried forward? Who has been part of this conversation?

A: Two things assist me in ensuring Webb stays Webb: being a historian and having 12 years of experience at Webb before becoming Head of School. As a trained historian, I greatly respect and understand how a ceremony or an idea is created and how it changes over time. Over my 12 years in various positions at the school, I’ve been privileged to be one of the few people who have participated in all the traditions and ceremonies.

Other than Mr. Stockdale, I was the only person who attended both chapels and candlelights for a long time, so I’ve had the opportunity to see, experience, and feel the power of those traditions.

To bring in multiple viewpoints, we created a Traditions and Ceremonies Committee, run

Our Moment in Time

by Michael Hoe ’04, assistant head of school, and Bob Fass P ’23, chief advancement officer. The Committee included alumni, students and faculty —all of whom deeply understand the school—and they provided recommendations. For example, the VWS signing-in ceremony at the start of the school year, which I think, in its creation, was an important way for VWS girls to say, “We’re here!” by officially signing a book. That’s such an exciting moment for a student when they’re starting out at Webb, and to create that experience for everybody, not just the VWS students, will be wonderful.

It’s been really easy to imagine how that ceremony looks. Other ceremonies are more complicated.

Our VWS candlelight, if you talk to any Vivian Webb alumna, is a very meaningful ceremony, and they have strong memories of participating. That’s important to preserve, and here, our approach is to go a little bit more slowly. I recently met with the junior class and Michael Hoe and heard that the ceremony stood out as one they’re most looking forward to. Their feedback helps shape candlelight under the One School model, but it will take us longer to figure out. We are comfortable not rushing the decision. I’m also excited to have some of the sophomores who attend those

1922

1981

1985

Webb School of California founded

Vivian Webb School founded, 34 female students in mix of single sex and co-ed classes

VWS opens boarding program

1936

1984

Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology founded

VWS and WSC continue with co-ed classes

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events help us think about how we might evolve them to include all of the students in the future.

Q: Let’s talk about the timeline. From what you just said, it sounds like the move to the One School model is intentionally gradual to make the change organic. Is that a fair statement?

A: Yes. It’s more of an evolution over the next four or five years.

The slower pace comes from us wanting to be intentional as we shift some of the educational pieces and respond to the student’s needs in their community.

Q: Okay, shifting now to time travel.

Imagine you’re transported five years into the future and can look back to this moment. What do you ideally want to see?

A: My goal is for students attending Webb in five years to have a conversation with alumni from 20 or 30 years ago and have them all feel like they attended the same school but in a new era. That would be a success!

I remember watching the Alumni Awards when it first started in 2014, and there were alumni who had graduated over a 50-year span.

Obviously, their programs were different, one for the men who had been here when we were an all-boys school and one for the women who had graduated just five or six years earlier. While their experiences had to be different (for example, there was no internet before 1983),

there were things that were clearly fundamental to shaping their educational experience. They all cohesively talked about honor and their mutual understanding of the larger purpose of a Webb education, Principes non Homines, the idea that you are a leader with the responsibility to serve others and live a life of meaning and purpose.

These are timeless values that connect all Webbies.

Q: What did we learn from the twoschool model that we hope to retain, shifting to One School?

A: We learned that single-sex opportunities can be powerful educational experiences, which is why I taught the Women in Leadership Lab for Unbounded Days. It was an excellent opportunity for students who identify as female to come together and think about what it means to be a woman leader in the world. They were inspired by many incredible VWS alumni: Caroline Adler Morales ’00, Jenna Gambaro ’95, Summer Swee-Singh ’07, and The Honorable Judge Maame EwusiMensah Frimpong ’93. As girls, it was a chance for them to think about what it means to be a leader in a world that embraces women leaders.

Of course, the value of single-sex experiences isn’t just for girls. My son graduated from Webb in 2022. Having opportunities with other boys to really think about what it means to be male was important to his development.

TRADITIONS AND CEREMONIES COMMITTEE Co-Chairs: Bob Fass P ’23 and Michael Hoe ’04 Will Allan ’94 (Alumnus, Faculty 25 years) Lexus Beaman ’08 (Alumna, Staff) Lauren Gutierrez ’25 (Student) Ryan Ho ’25 (Student) Wendy Maxon (Faculty, 20 years) Tom Monroe ’86, P ’18, ’22 (Alumnus, Alumni Parent) Rahmi Mowjood ’90 (Alumnus, Trustee) Faye Karnavy Sahai ’86 (Alumna) Luke Smith ’25 (Student) Pristine Thomas ’25 (Student)

Principes non Homines is the motto of the Webb School of California and translates roughly to leaders, not ordinary humans.

1992

2013–18

2024–28

Current class model with first two years single-sex classes launched

Webb innovates academic program for its second century

One School Model established

9th 10th

WEBB

1990

1998

2014

One Head of Schools with Susan Nelson

Alf Museum Achieves National Accreditation

Equivalent number boys/girls

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SPRING 2024 WEBB MAGA ZINE

The dorms and advisory will continue offering the single-sex experience. Incoming students in the class of 2028 this fall will get to select their advisory—all girls, all boys, or co-ed. While we tended to focus on providing single-sex experiences in grades nine and ten, there’s also a benefit to extending those opportunities in the later years, especially for things like girls in advanced math and science courses. That’s an area that we want to encourage.

We won’t shy away from singlesex experiences. They’re part of Webb’s fabric.

Q: We previously talked about how Webb always looks to the future. I’m sure the move to One School and the feelings of anxiety that can come with any change have been topics of discussion for a while. Would you talk about when these discussions started and how they developed?

A: I think this change has been coming for a long time. When we created The Centennial Strategic Plan 2.0 it became clear that we had outgrown that two-school structure. That was really the beginning of the conversation. It took a few more years to coalesce as the board, senior leadership team, and faculty discussed it. When the board made the decision, it felt like a pretty natural conversation. Now, we haven’t gotten it all right; the name change was a misstep where we didn’t consider the disconnection that would bring for alumni, which was definitely not intended. I was really glad to see us pivot from that decision.

Q: You’ve mentioned the importance of feedback before. How did you solicit feedback from the various stakeholder groups?

A: We very intentionally built feedback into the process. We began with a survey to everyone— students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni—and there was a lot of support to continue moving One School forward. The survey also captured what was important to people. It reinforced that moving forward wasn’t about erasing the past but taking the best ideas from the past, continuing them, and not being afraid to innovate.

Webb’s spirit of innovation has been part of the school since the beginning, but it has especially been prevalent in the last 15 years as we’ve reimagined our academic program in some pretty significant ways that have been really positive and effective. With any change, there are always people running ahead of you, and some are slower behind you; as much as we can all walk together into the future, we will be more successful as an institution.

Q: Based on the naming experience, what makes successful change?

A: Successful change is where we all, as a community, want to move forward together.

It’s crucial to remember that Webb is a significant part of our alumni and student’s lives— their Webb experience often defines our graduates’ lives.

Webb is home, and we want everyone to feel welcome.

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Q: I know our faculty and educational team have been working with you on curricular and program enhancements, not the least of which is the ambitious AI Project@Webb.

Please give us a high-level look at what’s coming in August.

A: I am so glad you asked that! We have many new student-focused initiatives, and we are really leaning into artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for learning with The AI Project@Webb, with the help of Abhishek Mantha ’14.

There is so much student interest in using and creating AI. Right now we have students helping to design a WebbGPT. They have some exciting use cases, including having the tool help plan the weekend at Webb. They are learning a ton as they dive into building their own large language model. In short, we’re using this technology to connect better and strengthen our student community. It’s unique to Webb and just the start of ambitious planning to tap into our advantageous position here in California, surrounded by arguably the most exciting areas of innovation in the world.

We also have new curricular offerings, including a series of Advanced Studies courses in world languages, biological sciences, and environmental science. These last two classes will undoubtedly take advantage of the exciting renovation of Ahmanson Lecture Hall into Bonnie Johnson Hall, a state-ofthe-art science laboratory.

Finally, I am also excited that our network of educational relationships continues to grow, and we’re pleased to offer new student leadership positions with partners at the Claremont Colleges. These opportunities for advanced and directed learning alongside worldrecognized experts and thought leaders catapult our students into the future, intellectually challenging them to explore, research, test, and question. There are so many exciting program developments happening.

Q: Webb is known for its strong leadership development. What does on-campus leadership look like in the One School model?

A: Webb prides itself in having leadership development for all students. That’s in our mission— and that’s not changing! We will continue to have significant leadership opportunities on campus and are committed to exploring new ones in our broader community—like those at the Claremont Colleges mentioned earlier. Now, we have one Honor Code for our school that articulates shared expectations for the entire community. The new model also catalyzes a community-wide Honor Council and Student Government. Students, faculty, and school leadership have worked diligently over the last year to combine these longestablished programs. Our student leaders are amazing, and I can’t wait to see the joint student leadership in action.

Q: What haven’t I asked that you’d like to share?

A: I’d like everyone to know that I consider it a tremendous honor to be the Head of School, especially at this moment of such significant transformation. This is an important historic moment for the school and it hasn’t been lost on me.

Q: And how do you feel about leading this historic change?

A: I couldn’t be more excited about what we can and will accomplish together in the years ahead. I look forward to answering the question, ‘What is the best school to build for the future?’ I’m an innovator at heart and love to think about building the most compelling educational experience a student could have.

We are all so lucky to be part of a school community where this is the question we’re asking.

See page 11 for detailed information.

Read on page 10.

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W

ebb’s new unified honor code was crafted with the input of the VWS Honor Cabinet and WSC Honor Committee.

“As we look to July, when we formally become one school, it was important to create one code for all students. Drawn from both the Webb School of California and Vivian Webb School pledges, this powerful statement exemplifies our shared values,” said Head of School Dr. Theresa Smith.

THE WEBB SCHOOLS HONOR PLEDGE As a member of the Webb community, I will strive to honor myself and Webb, by my honesty, courage, empathy and service, realizing that I am a leader by example.

Together, we commit to telling the truth, and to representing ourselves honestly in word and deed.

We will honor, respect and support each other.

We will accept responsibility for our actions and for those of others in our presence.

I acknowledge my own civic duty to the school community, and to the greater community beyond Webb.

I understand that honor is more than a set of rules.

It is a way of life, to which I shall strive to adhere, now and long after I leave Webb.

Thus, in all ways will I transmit Webb, greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to me.

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“Founded on the values of honor, trust, and community, the core of Webb’s mission is leadership development cultivating new generations of leaders who are

Exciting New Student Leadership Opportunities We are excited to announce new student leadership opportunities in computer science with the Claremont Colleges: Assistant Director of the Paul Gray Personal Computing Museum at Claremont Graduate University and Software and Systems Designer, Computer Science Department at Harvey Mudd College.

Assistant Director, Paul Gray Personal Computing Museum The Paul Gray Personal Computing Museum at Claremont Graduate University archives and exhibits the history of computing over the past 50 years.

The Webb student who takes on this new leadership position will work under the museum's director for one or two years to help support the institution's educational and preservationist missions. They may be involved in exhibition research and collections management and assist with administrative tasks.

2 The position is designed to be held by a junior who may be promoted to Senior Assistant Director in their senior year.

empowered to transform their communities and their world in meaningful, positive ways.”

LEADERSHIP MISSION STATEMENT, WEBB STUDENT HANDBOOK

Assistant Director, Harvey Mudd College/ Webb Partnership Professor Zach Dodds at Harvey Mudd College (HMC) is a leading designer in cutting-edge computer science education. This new opportunity with Professor Dodds allows one to three Webb students to serve as Software and Systems Designers who help lead the development of new software and systems for Computer Science 5, Harvey Mudd's staple CS course.

The work involves thinking through, designing, prototyping, testing, and refining new activities before rolling them out as part of the CS5 program. In this new opportunity, designers may apply to serve as Assistant Director of the HMC/Webb Partnership, providing additional leadership in support of designers and Webb's CS5 cohort.

2This position is designed to be held by a senior who has completed Computer Science 5. Designers may also apply for the position.

Look for more information about our growing network of alliances in the greater Los Angeles area, offering Webb students unparalleled learning opportunities in a wide range of fields and subjects.

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Celebrating our Students Michael Fu ’24 In the summer of 2021, Michael Fu followed the manuscripts of architecture scholar Liang Sicheng to the Fo Guang Temple in Doucun, China. Michael describes this trip as his first “purposeful step” into exploring architecture.

After submitting a detailed proposal and meeting with various school administrators to get project approval and secure funding, Michael and his student team began constructing the installation in early December.

They completed the installation in late January.

“Since my freshman year, I’ve been picturing building something for my high school and leaving a legacy after I graduate,” said Michael. “A studentinitiated, student-designed, and student-built architecture erected on the Webb campus.”

The McMillin Fabric Pavilion—“a community space where students can be together while sensing the orbiting of the sun and the passing of air”— will remain standing between the trees and rock circle in McMillin Park until just before Michael’s commencement from Webb in June 2024.

He commenced his plan this year. His final design came together in less than four hours, inspired by Thoreau’s naturalist philosophy. “I landed on using fabric and wind bells to interact with the warm sunlight and cool breeze, providing students a transcendental experience with nature,” he explained.

Technical Advisor: Mr. Chad Smith Art Club Advisor: Dr. Ardina Greco Associate Designers: Anthony Huang ’24 and Arthur Lu ’24 Students who assisted with construction: Sehoon Kang ’24, Garry Zhang ’24, Tiger Wang ’24, George Huang ’24, Jeffrey Liu ’27, Christina Teng ’27, and Vicki Machado ’27

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Lucas Li ’24 When Lucas Li first came to Webb in his junior year, he said he “knew nothing” about robotics. He now spends an average of 25 hours a week in the robotics lab with his friends building, programming, and testing their robots. His experience with robotics has helped him explore his creativity and contributed to his self-discovery.

“There is no playbook you follow, no specific guidelines you have to adhere to in programming and design,” explained Lucas. “Robotics is a great space to be creative and learn practical skills.”

Although he admits to being focused on STEM, Lucas says his favorite Webb classes were in the humanities.

“Classes like Short Story, Modernism, Cold War, and Creative Writing really built my fundamental skills of writing, storytelling, analysis, and most importantly, communication,” he said. “These skills transcend throughout life and will benefit me so much in the coming years going into the world.”

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Nicole Samson ’26 From a young age, CIF champion runner Nicole Samson was encouraged by her parents to try different sports. That’s how she ended up running in her first track meet on a rainy day in 2018, where her “love for the sport began.”

In addition to track and cross country, Nicole brings her speed to the VWS basketball court.

“I really enjoy basketball, and after committing to running, I never thought I would be able to play again,” she shared. “Coming to Webb opened up the opportunity to be a part of the basketball team, and it has been one of my favorite parts of my journey at Webb.”

When Nicole isn’t zipping around the basketball court or the track, you can find her in Fawcett Library, basking in the satisfaction of working out a difficult math problem.

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Katharine O’Hearn ’24 and Maven Li ’24 Katharine O’Hearn and Maven Li, fans of anime animation and flip-o-ramas, learned most of the skills they used to produce their animated film Koji in Webb’s Media Arts and New Media courses, including Adobe software, 3D modeling, video editing, and illustration.

“Through creating this animation, we bonded a lot over our shared love for storytelling and art,” Katharine and Maven shared. They estimate the film took about 300 hours to create over their two-week spring break in 2022. In 2023, Koji, their threeminute animated film, was nominated as a finalist at the Beyond Border International Film Festival, Onrios Film Awards—New York, and Indie Cine Tube Awards, among other recognitions.

Koji, the name of the film and its central character, tells of domestic abuse and trauma. “Our film doesn’t have a well-rounded ending. It doesn’t have a happy ending because we wanted it to be very realistic for people who have experienced abuse, trauma, and PTSD. It’s like a cycle you experience. One of our goals was to be realistic and immersive,” said Katharine. She added that they both agreed early in making the film to loop the ending, meaning that when finished, the movie repeats from the beginning, emphasizing the cyclical nature of abuse.

Both filmmakers enthusiastically respond, “Of course!” when asked if they would like to collaborate again in the future.

After graduation, Katharine plans to study English, honing her storytelling and writing skills, and Maven intends to continue in animation.

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Relive the

Unbounded Days took our students on extraordinary discovery. Every two years, we embark on incredible to embrace their limitless potential.

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OUR DEDICATED FACULTY curated a broad range of immersive experiences that blended collaboration, relevance, and deep engagement. By connecting the classroom to the wider world, Unbounded Days celebrates risk-taking, adventure, and curiosity.

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FROM THE BREATHTAKING BEAUTY of Catalina Island to the scholarly atmosphere of the

Claremont Colleges, from the rich history of museums to the adrenaline rush of sports stadiums, and from the awe-inspiring landscapes of Death Valley and Joshua Tree to the sun-kissed shores of Huntington Beach—our adventures knew no bounds!

Climbing through History,

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NEWS FROM

The Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology Robotics teacher Maria Suarez and Bailey Jorgensen work with students to assemble the ROV.

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Alf Museum Staff Receive Grants Grants Support Field and Lab Activities

BY GABRIEL-PHILIP SANTOS The Alf Museum’s Collections Manager, Bailey Jorgensen, and Lab Manager, Jared Heuck, both received project grants from professional societies last fall to fund collaborative research projects.

Jorgensen received outreach and education grants from both the Paleontological Society and the Society for Vertebrate Paleontology, and Heuck was selected for the Marvin and Beth Hix Preparator’s Grant from the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology.

Jorgensen’s grants will be used to fund her “Paleo-robotics” project, where she plans to use an underwater ROV (remotely operated vehicle) to identify and digitally prospect underwater fossil localities in California while also teaching students of The Webb Schools the latest in digital paleontological techniques.

“The goal of this project is to develop a paleontological field experience in tandem with the paleontology program and the robotics afterschool program at The Webb Schools. The students, under supervision, will build and deploy a small shallow water ROV with camera capabilities to do digital prospecting of the underwater environment at local California lakes, where previous research has identified now-submerged localities containing fossils,” commented Jorgensen. “This project is exciting because it is interdisciplinary and gives both robotics and paleontology students the opportunity to collaborate and try something new.”

Jorgensen started at the Alf Museum in 2017 as an outreach and collections assistant and was promoted to Collections Manager in 2022. In her time at the Alf Museum, she has been essential in ensuring that our collections are cared for with the latest museum standards while also working with Webb students across many projects. For the “Paleorobotics” project, Jorgensen is collaborating with the Alf Museum’s curator, Dr. Mairin Balisi, and Webb faculty, Maria Suarez and Andrew Hamilton, as part of Webb’s “Unbounded Days” program that connects the classroom and the broader world. Work has started on the construction of the underwater ROV. Jorgensen and team plan to begin their first phase of underwater prospecting in the San Jacinto Valley in 2024.

For Heuck, the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology’s Marvin and Beth Hix Grant is intended to further the field of vertebrate paleontology through the advancement of fossil preparation. As Lab Manager,

Alf Museum Collections Manager Bailey Jorgensen

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THE WEBB SCHOOLS webb.org

New ROV at the Alf The new underwater ROV (remotely operated vehicle) is already in use! Teachers and students inaugurated the ROV during Unbounded Days in Lake Skinner for the Robotics, Drones, and Submarines course.

Driving the underwater drone, they explored the lakebed and its surrounding environment, collecting video data with the ROV’s camera.

Alf Museum Lab Manager Jared Hueck and Connor Keeney ’24 prepare insect specimens at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum.

Heuck mentors many students from The Webb Schools in fossil preparation through the paleontology after-school program and is often a collaborator on student projects. Funds from the Hix grant were used to further the project of Webb senior Connor Keeney who is studying Pleistocene-aged insects preserved in asphalt with Dr. Mairin Balisi as part of the Advanced Studies in Paleontology class. Both Heuck and Keeney are interested in learning how to better prepare such insects. With the Hix grant funds, both spent a week working with scientists at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum to learn from their scientists how to prepare specimens preserved in asphalt.

On the importance of this project, Heuck says, “Insects are excellent indicators of climate and environment, but the process of preparing insects preserved in asphalt is largely unexplored. Preparing and identifying the asphaltic insects at the Alf Museum will illuminate the climate trends that existed during a dynamic period of faunal change in Southern California.”

Heuck started at the Alf Museum as a volunteer in 2015, was hired as a full-time fossil preparator in 2018, and was promoted to Preparation Lab Manager in 2023. Heuck also actively supports other student projects in the museum and across Webb’s campus, including work with the Webb Native Plant Society.

Math and robotics teacher Maria Suarez commented, "Our unbounded experience merged robotics with the excitement of discovering fossils underwater. The ROV is a path to paleo robotics, the fascinating field where innovation, robotics, and paleontology merge!"

Robotics student Elsa Li ’24 steers the underwater ROV.

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Native Plant Society forges Path to Biodiversity

BY GIANNA DARDEN ’26, WEBB CANYON CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER

We celebrate both the work of the Native Plant Society for their hard work, determination, and accomplishment and the Webb Canyon Chronicle, our student newspaper, for covering the project in a piece reprinted here by permission.

The front entrance to the Alf Museum lawn recently underwent renovations that will result in an accessible pathway with native plants. In front of the building is a wooden plot containing native plant species planted by the Native Plant Society. “It’s great that our work has a spotlight in one of the more important areas on campus” said Theresa Hu ’24. Many students know of the added path being built but few have noticed the native plants surrounding it.

In a world dominated by concrete jungles and exotic plants, the significance of native plants can be diminished. Native plants are sustainable; they save water and provide a habitat for pollinators, who are essential to the reproduction of flowering plants, from which most of our food sources are derived. However, despite these benefits, plant species known as “exotic plants” or plants that evolved in other parts of the world appear to be more popular across California.

Luckily, the Native Plant Socety (NPS) aims to fix this imbalance in biodiversity. To do so, however, they

must tackle issues rooted deeply in our aesthetic preferences as a society.

“Going against cultural ideas of what beauty is and what that looks like when that translates into landscaping is a challenge for our club,” Mirabel Raphael ’24 said, “Grass, for example, takes an enormous amount of water especially for a drought state like California. We are here for biodiversity.”

The club aims to promote native plants, and to educate people why they are important to the ecosystem, why they have cultural importance and how they promote them by planting and creating new plant gardens.

NPS’ impact on Webb is undeniable, but despite the generous administrative support, their mission is ongoing. NPS only recently established itself as a club, previously holding “society” status two years ago.

Another challenge NPS faces is the necessary manpower required to achieve agricultural change.

Many hands are needed to clean the land and assist

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In a world dominated by concrete jungles and exotic plants, the significance of native plants can be diminished. Native plants are sustainable; they save water and provide a habitat for pollinators, who are essential to the reproduction of flowering plants, from which most of our food sources are derived. with planting and maintenance. The club tackles projects large and small, from helping Mr. Vincent, World Languages Department faculty, incorporate native plants into his personal garden, to adding native plants across campus.

“Some projects have been taking on underdeveloped areas in Webb such as empty plots on Centennial Field and adding native plant pots in the library and in Alamo,” shares Aiperi Bush ’24.

Moreover, students express an additional challenge of making the new plants fit into the existing landscape, which typically includes native plants such as Ceanothus, Globe Mallow, California Fuschia, California buckwheat, and Matilija Poppy. The plants already at Webb must be a good a fit with any additional native plant species a member may want to add.

Although the club is young and faces logistical challenges, it has already made an indisputable impact on the Webb community.

“We have made the grounds more attractive by adding native plants that will, once established, thrive without too much external care and water,” says Mirabel Raphael ’24.

NPS’ current project, however, is the one that garners the most appreciation. As of late, the Webb campus is undergoing massive renovations to the science building. The NPS was alerted to this opportunity to incorporate native plants into the renovation and did not hesitate.

To do so, club members and administration collaborated to create a broader sustainability plan.

In part, this plan includes updating grassy areas and revisiting the “Sustainability Plan,” initially created in 2016, which serves as a base blueprint for the layout of some of Webb’s horticulture.

“Volunteers took out half the grass in front of the museum and added in a new path. Half of the grass that got ripped out is being replaced by native landscaper bush,” Theresa Hu ’24 said.

This project has been no small feat and cooperative collaboration made it possible. The Society reportedly had just three to four weeks to generate and finalize a plan.

Club members Aiperi Bush and Katharine O’Hearn heralded the support and insight provided by Jared Hueck, lab manager, and Janet Peddy, director of finance, planning & operations, throughout current and past endeavors. The relationship with the Alf Museum has proven pivotal.

“Our connection with the museum allowed us to plant there,” Theresa said.

Museum staff Mr. Hueck and Dr. Andrew Farke, director of the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, teach members of the club about paleontological ethics, including the importance of continuity between past and present culture.

Webb sits on Tongva native land, which once belonged to the local indigenous Tongva tribe in the 1850’s before the U.S. Senate denied treaties acknowledging their land claim. As such, Webb’s NPS promotes biodiversity at Webb and strives to preserve the cultural heritage inherent in roots of native plants.

This is why it is of the utmost importance that NPS’ mission is communicated with the rest of campus.

Ignorance of what land or plant species one is surrounded by is not acceptable, especially with so many resources available to learn from.

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“It’s great that our work has a spotlight in one of the more important areas on campus.”

— Theresa Hu ’24

Photo Credit: Elsa Li ’24

Photo Credit: Lindsey Azurin ’25

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webbtodayARTS

Bravo!

Photo Credit: Justin Pan ’24

Photo Credit: Damon Wang ’25

Photo Credit: Elsa Li ’24

Photo Credit: Elsa Li ’24

Photo Credit: Maddie Leiva ’27

Photo Credit: Justin Pan ’24

Photo Credit: Elsa Li ’24

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Photo Credit: Maddie Leiva ’27

Photo Credit: Damon Wang ’25

Photo Credit: Miriam Ghobrial ’27

Photo Credit: Mia Li ’27

Photo Credit: Elsa Li ’24

30 SPRING 2024 WEBB MAGA ZINE

webbtodayATHLETICS

Photo Credit: Justin Pan ’24

Photo Credit: Ryan Cao ’25

Photo Credit: Mia Li ’27

Photo Credit: Anthony Huang ’24

Photo Credit: Miriam Ghobrial ’27

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webbtodayACADEMICS

BY HECTOR MARTINEZ, DEAN OF COLLEGE GUIDANCE

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“Keep calm and stay brave!” could be my T-shirt of choice around this time of year. “March Madness,” as those of us in the world of college admissions call it, is the month when regular admission decisions are released. It’s often especially stressful and unpredictable for those who have yet to commit. While we wish there were a magic wand we could wave to guarantee every senior their dream college, hard work—not magic—is needed today for success in the current climate of increased uncertainty and competition.

THE MAGIC OF COLLEGE GUIDANCE Our first task is to engage with and deeply understand each student’s hopes, passions, and dreams. This determines the extensive information we need to research, gather, and share about the college selection process with the student and their family. We create carefully curated, customized lists of schools for each student to choose from. Every school on the list is selected to match the student’s interests and ensure their academic success after Webb. An essential part of the process is helping students and their families to ensure their expectations are realistic and their school selection strategy is reasonable. I like to say, “While you may have a dream college, our job is to give you even more dream schools to consider so that, in the end, a dream comes true.”

THE STATS Most colleges and universities in America are actually admitting more students and are worried they won’t fill their classes. Less than 100 of the nearly 1,700 fouryear accredited colleges are seeing a dramatic jump in applications, and record-low admit rates. Almost half of those 100 top colleges now admit less than 25% of their applicants, and at the top 25 colleges, nearly all have admit rates under 15%, several as low as 3%.

Before COVID-19, the admit rates were roughly double what they are today.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? Well, it comes down to supply and demand. More top students (especially those attending schools like Webb) are applying to more top colleges than ever. It wasn’t that long ago when the average Webb student applied to less than eight colleges. The number then grew to 10 and is now closer to 15 (and that counts the UC system as one, even if all nine campuses are checked on the student’s application). The Common App and other expedited college application methods have made it easier and faster to submit more applications. It is also happening because top colleges are less predictable in estimating the real chance of getting an admit offer.

The UC system, for example, used to be very formulaic and transparent in how they admitted students.

A certain cumulative grade point average and set of test scores predicted which of the UC campuses a student could expect to get into; now, it’s nearly impossible. Their "holistic" evaluation system is like that of a top private college, and the fact that they no longer consider test scores (the SAT or ACT) makes it a guessing game at best in figuring out who will get in and who won’t. Some students get admitted to Berkeley and/or UCLA, while the same students might be waitlisted or denied by UC San Diego or UC Santa Barbara. Where once, UC Riverside was always a safe bet, now that is no longer true. This all forces more students (and families) to expand their college list to maximize the chance for an admit offer. If schools like Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Caltech and

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“Our job in the College Guidance Office is to know colleges well and to make sure colleges know us.”

MIT are predicting 3% admit rates and schools like NYU, USC, and Northeastern, which used to be mid to safer bets for many Webb students, are now "reach" colleges with 10% admit rates or less; how can anyone make sense of what will work and what will not?

Well, it’s not easy, but at Webb, we enjoy a different landscape in selective college admissions that allows us to remain calm and brave in the face of uncertainty.

WEBB’S HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE The Webb Schools have 100-plus years of sending wellprepared students to top colleges. Our long-standing reputation and track record are the envy of most top prep schools, let alone typical high schools. Our job in the College Guidance Office is to know colleges well and to make sure colleges know us—the strength of our programs, the can-do attitude of our students, and their unbounded spirit—just as well. As I write this, I’m on a train from NYC to Washington, DC, where I am visiting half a dozen colleges in the top 100 list of the most sought-after schools. I do this because it’s essential that colleges, even those that know us well and have a long history of admitting Webb students, do not forget about us even for a moment. Colleges know good high schools, and they especially know great high schools. Webb is privileged to be among the great schools that consistently produce outstanding students who will excel at these top colleges, which is a winning formula for getting admitted.

THE “GAME” Do we ever get nervous in College Guidance? You bet, but a lot less than our students and families. My long tenure at Webb gives me a unique perspective that gives me faith that top colleges will continue to recruit and admit our students, even when it feels to some

like “no one ever gets in anymore.” I have watched three generations of Webb graduates go to America’s finest institutions of higher learning, where they not only do well but, more importantly, graduate from these top colleges. Admission officers keep track of our students’ success and graduation rates from their campuses and refer to that data when deciding to admit, waitlist, or deny a Webbie. I can’t tell you how often an admission officer will say to me, “Knowing how well your students do at our college, we are looking to admit them with hopes they will pick us as their preferred college.” After all, the admission “game” works both ways. Top colleges must be perceived as alluring to attract top candidates, and the most selective schools are alluring almost to celebrity status. Then, when these elite colleges admit them, their fingers are crossed that they will be accepted (in regular admission rounds), because they know that the top students will likely have multiple offers. On average, Webb seniors get into half the colleges they apply to despite today’s challenging admissions. So, while most folks might think that only the applicant is nervous, talk to a few of these admission deans like I do, and they will tell you that they are just as nervous that their top admits will pick a different college rather than their own.

In the end, colleges make tough decisions and agonize over who to admit and who to pass on. Even those “alluring celebrity colleges” that enjoy 3% admit rates get nervous, but like the rest of us, they keep calm and stay brave, just like we must.

“Webb is privileged to be among the great schools that consistently produce outstanding students who will excel at these top colleges, which is a winning formula for getting admitted.”

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The Webb Schools have 100-plus years of sending well-prepared students to top colleges.

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webbtodayCOMMUNITY

Supporting Belonging at Webb

This year, alumnus and former Webb Board of Trustees member David Loo ’79 pledged $100,000 to support Webb’s ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. His unending support as the first head of the DEI Committee of the Board of Trustees has been invaluable to helping Webb create a nurturing and inspiring community for all students.

Building an inclusive community is exciting work when you have a diverse population of students like we do at Webb and are located near Los Angeles, one of the most diverse cities in the world. Events on campus this year promoted that diversity, enabling our students to celebrate and live their own cultural experience while also sharing their lives with each other and our broader community.

This year featured a number of wonderful events, including the Hispanic/Latinx Heritage celebration and the Lunar New Year community dinner. Both events were filled with music, stories, performances, and cuisines from many cultures in Latin America and Asia. Our first annual Black Excellence jubilee highlighted accomplishments and joy through performances and interactive workshops on African diaspora music and art, as well as an inspiring presentation about the history of hip hop by Claremont McKenna College Professor Derik Smith.

These events were coordinated by the student affinity groups, which continue to support one another and provide educational and community-building activities for the whole school. Our affinity groups have expanded to eight distinct groups and over 100 students. We have also been more intentional about having cross-affinity conversations and collaborative activities.

Our first annual Diversity & Community Symposium provided 22 workshops and activities for our 500+ community members. In addition to workshops led

by Webb educators, we brought in impactful outside speakers who represented the First Nations and provided perspectives on sustainability.

We are grateful for the commitment and hard work done by John Choi, director of equity, and Gretel Barsotti, assistant director of equity, in supporting all of our students. The generosity shown by the Webb community will help us continue to nurture and inspire our students to be leaders at Webb and beyond who champion honor, moral courage, and justice.

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webbtoday GIVING CAM PAI G N U PDATE :

The Final Stretch & The Next 100 In 2017, Webb’s Centennial was approaching, and the campus was abuzz with excitement. The first 100 years had seen transitions and challenges, obstacles and triumphs. One thing was clear: Webb and its enduring values had not only survived but thrived.

Bolstered by an exemplary learning community of caring educators, leaders, and visionaries, Webb rose to the top echelon of all independent schools in the United States.

And so, in anticipation of the next 100 years, Webb began planning for its future, a future that contains just as many unknowns, changes, and challenges as the past, but this time built upon a firm foundation and a storied past.

The needs of the school are many—an aging physical plant, demand for financial aid, resources to support faculty development and curricular programs, and so on. Hence, in 2017 Webb approved The Next 100:

The Centennial Campaign with a goal to provide $200 million in current and future philanthropic resources from alumni, parents, and friends. It was by far the most ambitious plan ever in the school’s history.

To date, The Centennial Campaign has generated almost $198 million or 99% of its goal and Webb is on pace to raise the final $2 million in the coming months, ahead of the scheduled completion date of June 30, 2025.

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) Students performing in Webb Idol on Centennial Field

“The focus of our campaign is not about the money,” says Chief Advancement Officer Bob Fass. “That is a means to an end. We measure success based on impact. We have to make wise investments that create a better, stronger, and more resilient Webb for our students and our greater community. That is the core of everything we do.”

Look no further than the Webb campus for immediate evidence of philanthropic impact. To the north we see 75 acres of beautiful undeveloped new land providing a safe buffer and iconic natural backdrop to our campus.

To the south we see Centennial Plaza featuring a dramatic new entrance, an outdoor amphitheater, pathways, benches, and lighting. In between are the newly renovated Stockdale Community Center, Bonnie Johnson Hall alongside our other state-of-the-art science laboratories, Alf Museum collections storage, and the upcoming renovation of Fawcett Library including a new innovation wing. Around campus are renovated and air-conditioned dormitories and faculty homes and at the crossroads is McMillin Park. In total, Webb has received more than $22 million in gifts dedicated to buildings and grounds and there is still much to accomplish.

Webb’s endowment is also on the move, more than doubling from a value of $33 million at the start of the campaign to $70 million to date. Why is that important? Our endowment produces everything from student financial aid, to funds for faculty, academic programs, afternoon activities, trips and conferences, physical plant maintenance, and the Alf Museum. Endowment per student is one of the ways in which the financial health and strength of an independent school is measured. At Webb, this amount rose from $79,518 per student in 2017 to $173,750 to date. Webb’s immediate industry benchmark is to build an endowment four times the size of its operating budget. In current dollars, that would require a value of $100 million.

“Deferred or planned gifts are also a very important way in which Webb is planning for the future,” says Fass. “Although our campaign goal is $200 million, many of those gifts have not yet been received. They are documented in the estate plans of our alumni and parents.” This is true of the transformative $100 million gift from an alumnus that started the campaign. When it is realized, it will be like rocket fuel for the endowment, launching Webb into a completely new and exciting phase of its evolution.

Our current operations are supported by The Webb Fund and a group of unrestricted funds for the Alf Museum, community culture, and financial aid.

These annual funds are critical to our program and enable Webb to enhance its margin of excellence daily.

Funding for current operations has grown steadily during The Centennial Campaign totaling more than $20 million since 2017. “It is the foundation of everything we do,” says Fass. The Webb Fund touches every aspect of student life and is an important budgetary line item allowing for greater depth of programming and support.

Head Emeritus Taylor Stockdale has deep gratitude for the many donors who have contributed to this historic effort: “They have quite literally transformed Webb and set the stage for our next 100 years. Of course, we give thanks, but more importantly, I hope that each and every donor can look at Webb through their own lens and see the impact they have created and rejoice in the experience they have made possible.”

Join us as we endeavor to raise the final $2 million for the next 100.

, Bonnie Johnson Hall

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webbtodayGIVING

Philanthropy Fuels Innovation

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The AI Project@Webb

As a forward-looking community, Webb and its students think boldly, mindfully, and creatively. They are eager to embrace the challenges and demands of an unknown future. Artificial Intelligence (AI) beckons loudly for discovery and exploration, inviting Webb to build upon its ethos. Dr. Theresa Smith, head of school, is the visionary of The AI Project@Webb and is leading the effort for Webb to evaluate AI’s power, capabilities, and risks. “We are at an exciting moment for technology and education. New AI tools have the promise to revolutionize human society,” says Dr. Smith. “The AI Project@Webb builds upon Webb’s historic past and invests in the future, truly exemplifying our commitment to unbounded thinking.”

Like all innovation past and present at Webb, change comes with a price. It requires thoughtful time and talent from faculty, staff, and leading experts. It requires advanced planning and physical resources.

And all of this requires funding beyond the scope of annual operations. As part of The Next 100: The Centennial Campaign, two Webb families generously contributed more than $500,000 to launch this important initiative at Webb.

“These generous gifts come at a critical time in our evolution. Our goal is for Webb to remain true to its mission and core values while exercising the agility needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” says Dr. Smith.

The school is also turning to the expertise of its alumni community for assistance in development and implementation. Abhishek Mantha ’14, an artificial intelligence technologist who has significant expertise with automated-driving technology at Mercedes-Benz, was hired to create a master blueprint for assessing and implementing The AI Project@Webb with faculty, students, and staff—key stakeholders at the start of

Webb’s second century. “AI is the biggest intellectual pursuit of mankind. As AI technology exists to mimic human intelligence, we are asking ourselves, ‘What does it mean to be human?’” Mr. Mantha is working in close partnership with Assistant Head of School Michael Hoe ’04 on this vital endeavor.

“Webb is promoting open and inclusive conversations around AI to understand concerns, discuss its profound and powerful technology, and determine the dangers and limitations of implementing tools while maintaining the human components of problemsolving and thought,” says Mr. Hoe. “Webb’s AI Task Force has been assembled with 21 individuals now grouped into five committees with distinct responsibilities and objectives: Ethics, AI, and Webb; AI Policy and Usage Framework; AI Literacy and Innovation; Tools and Technology; Networking and Outreach.”

Exploratory work is well underway. Look for updates on The AI Project@Webb this summer.

For more information about The AI Project@Webb, please visit: http://tinyurl.com/WebbAI To learn about Webb’s ambitious plans for The Next 100: The Centennial Campaign, please visit: Webb100.org

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webbtodayGIVING

The Hastings Society: Webb’s Most Loyal and Dedicated Named after alumnus and life trustee Alfred B. Hastings, Jr. ’42, the Hastings Society was established in 2014 to acknowledge the special impact and importance of donors who support Webb and the Alf Museum every year. The Hastings Society represents our most loyal community members whose unwavering philanthropic support has allowed Webb to deepen our exemplary academic and boarding experience and support our dedicated teachers and staff. Any donor who makes a gift for three consecutive years or more is a member of the Hastings Society.

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The link between a lifelong passion for learning, engagement and philanthropy was set for Hank Jones ’80 by none other than the founding director of the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, Ray Alf. Jones says, “I have so many great memories of Webb. Perhaps the most impactful was my first day of geology class in the ninth grade taught by Ray Alf. That day, Dr. Alf hung with one arm from a set of exposed ceiling pipes to demonstrate one of the evolutionary advantages of the prehensile thumb of our ancestors. He was enthusiastic, engaging, and captivating. He really made you think about life in a big picture way. Up to that moment, I had never experienced a teacher like Ray Alf, and haven’t in all my time since.” When asked about his reasons for giving, Jones reflected upon his passion both for Webb and the Alf Museum: “Living in a community dedicated to its educational mission and values, you’re able to create a kind of family, forming bonds that last a lifetime.” It was thanks to those bonds and Webb’s distinct focus on learning taking place in and outside of the classroom, that he has shown his gratitude for the last 31 years with a gift to the Alf Museum or Webb.

Parents of two Webb graduates, Michael Vincent and Jessica Govias-Vincent P ’14, ’18 have made a gift to Webb every year since 2011. Immediately upon enrolling their children at Webb, they noticed how Webb’s academic and extra-curricular programs are specifically designed to help every student

through their formative years inside and outside of the classroom. “We chose to give back over the years and support [Webb] in providing the best education, learning experiences, programs, facilities, faculty, and staff, to help the school to continue its mission for current and future students.” In the years since their children graduated, the Vincent family has remained involved in the life of the school to further the amazing opportunities provided to them, ensuring that they will be available to future generations of Webb students for years to come.

Director of Wellness Melanie Bauman has been a member of Webb’s faculty since 2004. She made her first gift a short time after her arrival and has not skipped a year since, contributing to Webb for the last 18 years. “I truly believe that Webb lives out its mission every day, and that the values that we talk about are the actions that we take.” She continues, “I’ve donated to Webb throughout my career because it is a small but meaningful way for me to represent my belief in the values, mission, and programming of the school.”

Bauman remains inspired by the connections made between her fellow faculty and their students, in addition to the high emphasis that Webb’s leadership places on community.

The Hastings Society is open to all members of the Webb and Alf Museum donor community who’ve made a gift of any amount for three or more consecutive fiscal years. If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about how to make an annual, multi-year, leadership or planned gift to Webb or the Alf Museum, please contact Peter Gilman, director of The Webb Fund, at pgilman@webb.org or (909) 482-5288.

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newsnotes

22 &

A HALF MINUTES

with Chantal Nong ’99

By AJ Hess ’12

Executive Vice President, DC Studios at Warner Bros. Discovery From The Batman and Wonder Woman 1984, to Crazy Rich Asians and The Intern, Chantal Nong, executive vice president at DC Studios, has overseen creative development and production for an impressive roster of blockbuster films. But she can trace her fascination with what happens behind the scenes back to a much smaller stage: the student theater at Webb. Nong remembers watching in awe as her classmates put on rousing productions full of intrigue and surprising special effects. And she can trace her love of the arts to her French classes at Webb with Dr. Richard Hartzell. Today, Nong champions for diverse voices in the entertainment industry and for the trailblazing spirit that Webb helped foster in her.

Q&A

Tell me about your experience at Webb?

From an academic perspective, I’m still very close to three of the teachers that I had at Webb: Dr. Hartzell, who taught me French, Mr. Ball, who was my physics teacher, and Mr. Hogarth, who was

one of my dorm heads. I lived in Appleby, Jones, North Hutch, and South Hutch, and I played tennis, soccer, and track. But more broadly, I would say Webb was very much a great place of personal growth.

Webb was very formative in helping me start to find my voice.

Was there a moment at Webb that sparked your interest in films?

I always found the theater at Webb to be quite strong. I vividly remember watching a play at Webb and thinking ‘That is incredible! How are they doing that?’ From there, I developed a strong fascination with how things got made.

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For college, I attended Yale University. Yale has a great theater program, so I produced theater at Yale—which was funny because nobody cares about producing at that age. But I met a lot of theater producers, and they were either independently wealthy from family money or married to money. I didn’t have a trust fund, but film became a version of theater where there was actually a clear path. There’s an industry where you can work your way up. So that’s what I did.

I learned about film producing at Yale from one of our alums, Gail Katz, who was Wolfgang Petersen’s producer. By the time I graduated from college, I had interned at James Cameron’s company for a summer and learned kind of how things work.

Later, I was able to get an internship at Robert De Niro’s company and then also at an independent company called Hart-Sharp.

How did Webb prepare you for your college experience at Yale?

I think the most important way Webb prepared me for Yale was that Webb really helped form who I was before I went to college. I was excited and confident. I was as set up as I could be to navigate new waters. And I think that comes from the fact that when you’re at Webb, you are interfacing with adults far earlier than you would be conventionally. I think that because you are more independent earlier by going to Webb, you can be more independent in your choices while in college. So when I got to college, I never felt peer pressured.

I couldn’t have cared less.

“Because you are more independent earlier by going to Webb, you can be more independent in your choices while in college.”

What has it been like climbing the ladder at Warner Bros.?

I started in 2010, and it was pretty rough. I was a junior executive, which means I had seven different bosses—all of whom had their own slates of movies. My job was to support them: read every script that came in to see if it was something they would want to buy, read books that came in to see if it was something they would want to buy, write notes on how to make scripts better, make lists of directors and writers that we wanted to hire. But you had to be very smart about how you played the politics of it all because you were supporting seven people—and they each were competitive with each other.

Ultimately, the experience taught me how to write notes quickly and how to navigate a lot of different personalities. And the great thing is that Warner Bros. empowered me to be in every meeting. They wanted us to speak up. So it was very much a journey of learning to find my voice.

What moment in your career are you most proud of?

essentially competing against executive vice presidents for projects to bring into your own slate. And so I was given a movie called The Intern, which Nancy Meyers directed and starred Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro. The film ended up being one of the most challenging productions that any of my bosses, who were 10 to 20 years older than me, had ever seen.

But it showed me that I could do well in a very tough environment, and my bosses took note. Not only did they see my potential, but I saw my own potential.

As a woman of color, do you have any thoughts about how the industry has, or hasn’t, changed throughout your career?

Now, it is far more recognized that people who are different are of value. And that is still good for me to remind myself of because I’m still generally either the only woman, or the only person of color, or both, in most rooms—even as much as the business has evolved.

In front of the screen, we’ve made more progress. Behind the scenes, it’s taking a longer time to make the equivalent progress. But what I’m excited about is that it’s getting much easier to support the next generations. Today, I can say with much more confidence to new hires, ‘You’re here because we want you to be here, your perspective is valued, and therefore, you need to speak up.’

One of the moments I’m most proud of happened when I was a new VP. At the time, it was hard to find my footing because you’re

AJ Hess ’12 is a multimedia journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. AJ is an Editor at Fast Company and has appeared online and on-air for outlets such as CNBC, MSNBC, and NPR.

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newsnotes

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Manmeet Bedi ’01 Anesthesiologist

When Anesthesiologist Manmeet Bedi ’01 heads into the operating room for elective surgeries, he often arrives with a speaker in hand so he can play music to calm his patients’ nerves.

Little do they know, Bedi DJs professionally when he’s off the clock.

by Jessica Rice ’12

B

y day, Bedi is a board-certified physician anesthesiologist, providing anesthesia care to patients undergoing surgeries for everything from spine surgery to plastic surgery across the greater Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona areas. He is responsible for creating an environment in which the human body can safely undergo the stress of a surgical procedure while also optimizing conditions for the surgery to be performed successfully. This involves administering anesthesia safely and effectively, maintaining patients’ vital signs throughout, and providing a comfortable experience for the patient on their day of surgery, he said.

When asked about his role in the operating room, Bedi compares it to an airplane pilot meticulously checking all systems before and during take-off. He starts every surgery by checking his equipment and reviewing the plan with patients to alleviate their stress.

“One of our mottos in our association is, ‘Vigilance always,’” he shared. “Even if it’s chill during a portion of the surgery, we’re constantly monitoring your heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, breathing patterns,

carbon dioxide, and gas levels.

We have to be vigilant towards whatever’s happening.”

He does another round of checks when the patient is nearing the end of the surgery, or, as Bedi puts it, “coming in for a landing, making sure it is nice and calm.”

Bedi admits that anesthesiology has its challenges, including moments when the adrenaline kicks in and someone’s life is in the balance, and the demanding work schedule.

“Sometimes the work schedule does get pretty intense,” Bedi shared. “I’m up early every day at five o’clock in the morning. When you’re vigilant, you’re present. I may have my phone but I’m not checking the outside world. I’m locked into whatever is happening, and that’s where I need to be.”

Compared to other paths in medicine, however, anesthesiology has allowed him to achieve worklife balance, partly because he works in shifts.

“When I check out, I check out,” Bedi noted. “I don’t have to follow up with patients over long periods of time. I don’t often have phone calls in the middle of the night unless I’m on call.”

Jessica Rice ’12 is a brand strategist and copywriter based in Los Angeles, CA. She is the Brand Manager at Endpoint, a real estate technology company where she leads brand strategy, copywriting, and the brand design team.

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understand that there has to be some sort of balance—not just the constant chase.”

This gives him time to pursue other passions, including DJing.

Bedi traces his love of DJing back to Webb, recalling some memories he made with Tony Martinez ’01, who became a professional DJ.

residency program, he focused on music’s ability to alleviate patient stress levels during the time leading up to, during, and after surgery. Bedi won the award for best presentation of the year.

“I remember going to his house and other friends’ homes in my neighborhood and playing with our turntables in high school when we were juniors and seniors,” he recalled.

“That got me bringing music back into my life as a physician and into the operating room,” he said.

After graduating from Webb, Bedi DJed parties while he earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University at Buffalo, New York, and frequently DJed in Boston nightclubs while earning his master’s degree in medical clinical services from Boston University. Once he started medical school at St. George’s University in Grenada, he DJed a few big parties on the island for the school but took a step back to focus on his medical career.

It wasn’t until Bedi’s last year of residency that he found his way back to music. Tasked with giving a presentation to the entire

Today, he DJs in clubs across the Phoenix area about once every other month. He plays a variety of electronic dance music subgenres such as house music, deep house, and melodic techno and has even opened for popular electronic music artists Gareth Emery, Dave Dresden of Gabriel and Dresden, and D-nox.

Bedi treats DJing as a hobby. He says it gives him an outlet for stress relief—something he believes is crucial to his ability to preserve his mental health and perform at a high standard.

“Everybody needs to have a hobby.

Everybody needs to have some outlet,” Bedi said. “It is important for people to try to appreciate and

Whether he’s in the operating room or at the turntables under the stage name BEDI, one thing never changes. He loves to make people happy.

“The beauty of anesthesia is that I get to interact with so many different people from different backgrounds, give them positive reassurance, and leave them with a positive impression of doing an anesthetic effectively and successfully,” he said. “We’re helping these people and that translates into DJing as well.

You want to make people happy.”

Bedi lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife, Laura, and their dog, Major Lazer.

They enjoy getting together with the Webb alumni community in Phoenix and Scottsdale. Bedi, along with his brother, Harvinder Bedi ’98, plan to establish a scholarship fund for future Webbies in honor of their late mother, Anandjit Bedi. It was the sacrifices and efforts of their parents that granted them the opportunity to attend Webb, which gave them opportunities for character development and new experiences. Bedi and his wife would love to send their future children to partake in an enriching school environment such as Webb.

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newsnotes

Alumni Weekend

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ALUMNI WEEKEND 2023 Over 200 alumni and friends returned to campus on October 20–21 to celebrate Alumni Weekend 2023. Highlights included classroom visits, alumni chapel talks by Johnson Lightfoote ’08 and Rebecca Goldman ’98, a Webb t-shirts retrospective showcasing shirts from Will Allan ’94’s collection, a reunion celebration at Old Stump Brewery, a behind-the-scenes tour of the Alf Museum, the 50th reunion pinning ceremony for the Class of 1973, and the investiture of the seventh Head of The Webb Schools, Dr. Theresa Smith. We also celebrated the recipients of the 2023 Alumni Awards during dinner on Saturday night: Rick Clarke ’63, Richard Kron ’68, and Sasha Wijeyeratne ’08.

Thank you to everyone who attended, the reunion chairs for helping plan it, and our volunteers for making it such a memorable weekend! Save the dates for Alumni Weekend 2024: October 18–19!

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newsnotes 31ST ANNUAL PECCARY SOCIETY DINNER On Friday, October 20, over 220 guests descended upon the Alf Museum in honor of the 31st Annual Peccary Society Dinner. The evening included a reception on the steps of the museum and a dinner under the tent on Centennial Field. During dinner, guests heard from Museum Director Dr. Andy Farke about the latest discoveries from the Summer Peccary Trip to Wyoming. Augustyn Family Curator Dr. Mairin Balisi provided an update on museum programming, including research by Webb students. The evening concluded with the traditional singing of the Peccary Song, led by Museum Board Chair Larry Ashton ’70.

Thank you to all the sponsors and guests who loyally support the Alf Museum each year!

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FAMILY DAY AND THE AFFILIATES BENEFIT

On Friday, September 29, members of the parent community came to campus to experience a day in the life of their student. Family Day began with a light assortment of breakfast treats hosted by the Affiliates Executive Committee. Next were classroom visits around the lower campus, followed by wise words from Head of School Dr. Theresa Smith, faculty and staff awards, a special lunch for parents to connect, and a session from Dr. Jean Twenge about technology and the impact of its rapid growth. And, in honor of the Moon Festival, an event that holds historical and cultural importance in China, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore, a group of parents brought beautiful moon cakes for the community to enjoy.

The day concluded with the Affiliates Benefit on Centennial Field, themed “A Night in Paris.” Under the tent, parents enjoyed an elegant evening of Parisian-inspired food and drink, were entertained by a mime, bid on live auction items, raised paddles in support of The Webb Fund, and concluded the event on the dance floor. Because of the generosity of those in attendance and those who supported from afar, the Affiliates were able to give over $97,000 to support teacher development at Webb and $33,600 to The Webb Fund. Thank you to all who participated! A special thanks to event co-chairs Jennifer and Barry Oglesby P ’23, ’27 and Betty and Drew Stooksberry P ’27, along with President of the Affiliates Janel Henriksen Hastings ’87, P ’22, ’25, for making this event such a great success.

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newsnotes INTERNATIONAL SPRING EVENTS In April 2023, Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale, along with his wife Anne and members of Webb’s senior leadership team Jamila Everett, Bob Fass, and Hector Martinez, traveled overseas to visit Webb’s incredible alumni and families. During their travels, events were held in Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, and Korea with over 100 guests in attendance. Thank you to Michael ’92 and Alicia Chang P ’23, and Chatchawin Charoen-Rajapark ’78 for hosting the Hong Kong and Thailand events, respectively, and to Chan Woo Sung ’86 for helping to organize the alumni event in Seoul, Korea.

BANGKOK, THAILAND ,

SEOUL, KOREA (ALUMNI) ,

HANOI, VIETNAM ,

SEOUL, KOREA (PARENTS) ,

HONG KONG ,

Events & Highlights

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Be sure to keep your email updated with the Alumni Office to hear about upcoming events. Contact us at alumni@webb.org to update your contact information.

DENVER , On May 17, 2023, Webb alumni joined Dr. Andy Farke for a reception on the patio of Root Down in Denver.

ALUMNI & FRIENDS PECCARY TRIP , Over 40 alumni and friends gathered in Barstow for the annual Alumni & Friends Peccary Trip, May 5–7, 2023. The Alf Museum enjoyed seeing many new and returning faces in the desert for a memorable fossilhunting weekend!

PORTLAND , Alumni gathered on May 11, 2023, for a reception with Taylor Stockdale and Bob Fass at Lucky Labrador in Portland, Oregon. Many thanks to our hosts: Larry Price ’61 & Martha Lussenhop, Chip ’62 & Toni Greening, and David ’72 & Gigi Ditz.

NEW YORK + Over 35 alumni and parents joined Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale and Director of Alumni & Donor Relations Lexus Beaman ’08 for a reception at the Harvard Club of New York City on June 13. Thank you to Alex Bell ’98 for hosting us at the Harvard Club!

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newsnotes WASHINGTON, DC + More than a dozen alumni joined Taylor Stockdale and Lexus Beaman ’08 on June 14 at Supra in Washington, DC, for appetizers and drinks.

NETWORKING WITH PEER SCHOOLS , Webb alumni from the classes of 2000 to 2019 came together to socialize and network with alumni from peer schools Westridge, Chandler, and Mayfield at Everson Royce Bar in downtown Los Angeles.

ARIZONA , LOS ANGELES SUMMER MIXER , On August 18, Webb alumni gathered to reconnect with former classmates and friends for a highspirited summer mixer at Everson Royce Bar in Los Angeles. Alumni spanning eight decades were in attendance.

Alumni across the decades joined us on February 21 in Phoenix, Arizona at théa Mediterranean Rooftop at the Global Ambassador Hotel. Thank you to Rajan Bhatt ’90 for helping plan the event!

Events & Highlights

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Be sure to keep your email updated with the Alumni Office to hear about upcoming events. Contact us at alumni@webb.org to update your contact information.

INTERNATIONAL FALL EVENTS In November 2023, Head Emeritus Taylor Stockdale, Director of Admission and Financial Aid Jamila Everett, and Chief Advancement Officer Bob Fass joined alumni and families overseas. Events were held in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Beijing, and Shanghai with over 100 guests in attendance.

BEIJING , A big thanks to Victor Li and Annie Yang P ’23, ’24, ’26 for hosting the Beijing event at Rosewood Beijing.

HONG KONG , Many thanks to Michael ’92 and Alicia Chang P ’23 for hosting the Hong Kong event at The American Club.

SHANGHAI , Thank you to Xue Ping Xu and Bei Xu P ’20, ’26 for hosting the Shanghai event at The Miele House.

SHENZHEN , Thank you to Spencer Zhu and Fang Xiaoqiu P ’25 for hosting the Shenzhen event.

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newsnotes 2023 HOLIDAY PARTIES +* In December 2023, the Webb Advancement Team hosted three holiday parties across the country, giving alumni and families the opportunity to gather and celebrate the season. The events provided the newly installed Head of School Dr. Theresa Smith the chance to meet more of the Webb community and to share her vision for the future of The Webb Schools.

On December 1, Webb alumni and families gathered in San Francisco at The Lounge at Hotel Emblem. This event was graciously sponsored by David Myles ’80 and Carrie Horsey. The next week, close to 100 alumni and family members celebrated the holidays on the Cara Cara Rooftop at The Proper Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles on December 6. Thanks to LiangLiang Sun ’06 and Jason Zhang for sponsoring this event and to Emily Boyce ’04 for helping to arrange the evening.

To cap off the holidays, on December 8, alumni and friends were invited to Corkbuzz Union Square in New York City to toast the season.

NEW YORK ,

LOS ANGELES ,

SAN FRANCISCO ,

YOUNG ALUMNI NEW YEAR’S PARTY * On January 4, Webbies in college reunited on campus with fellow students, staff, and faculty to indulge in cocoa and cookies to ring in the new year. The event also included a coffee cart from Rev’d Up Coffee which served up made-to-order lattes and cappuccinos!

Events & Highlights

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Be sure to keep your email updated with the Alumni Office to hear about upcoming events. Contact us at alumni@webb.org to update your contact information.

NEW YORK YOUNG ALUMNI | MARCH 13 + Young alumni joined Director of Leadership Giving Christine Leible and Dean of College Guidance Hector Martinez at Cask Bar & Kitchen in New York City.

ORANGE COUNTY, CA | MARCH 26 , Close to two dozen Webb alumni and friends joined Head of School Dr. Theresa Smith and the Advancement Office at The Winery in Tustin, CA for drinks and appetizers.

WASHINGTON, D.C. | MARCH 14 , Over a dozen Webb alumni, families, and friends gathered at Nina May’s enclosed rooftop to reconnect and reminisce about their Webb days.

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JUNIOR CAREER EVENING:

Alumni Share Career Insight and Advice with Students Alumni from across five decades returned to Webb on February 25th to share their professional journey and network with the Class of 2025 during Junior Career Evening, hosted by the Alumni Council in conjunction with the Advancement Office.

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The evening was kicked off by Alumni Council President Kathy Fredrich ’02 as she welcomed the junior class to this special event. Eleven Webb alumni returned to campus to speak about their respective careers in entrepreneurship, finance, healthcare, law, and technology. Each student participated in two sessions and was encouraged to ask questions and make the most out of this evening of career discovery.

Scott Chung ’10, John Hur ’10 and Paul Kraus ’10 led the Entrepreneurship & Finance session, speaking on their experience building and financing new ideas.

The three alumni provided great insight and advice on creating your vision, seeing the market for a brand, and the work it takes to bring that vision to life.

Students were presented with an array of medical field applications during the Healthcare session. The three alumni speakers spoke about their different focuses within the healthcare industry. Paul Billings ’70 talked about medical research and biotechnology, while Namath Hussain ’97 focused on his experience as a board-certified neurosurgeon. Lana Hadaya ’03 brought another perspective on healthcare as she talked about her experience as a private practice nurse practitioner.

The Law session, led by Evangeline Fisher Grossman ’85 and Noor Kalkat ’09, offered diverse insights drawn from their varied experiences across different types of law firms. This provided students with a comprehensive understanding of the various avenues within the legal profession and offered them the opportunity to engage in insightful discussions and inquiries about the field.

The Tech session came alive with alumni speakers Kathy Winant Osbourne ’88, Abhishek Mantha ’14 and James Romero ’15 as they spoke about their experiences in the tech industry working for companies like Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz, and RunBuggy. Kathy even brought a few items from her career to show the students, including a special edition Xbox console signed by Bill Gates.

After the career sessions were concluded, students and alumni gathered inside Stockdale Community Center for cookies and cocoa. Many students took this opportunity to hone their skills in networking and continue their conversations with alumni.

Thank you to the Alumni Council and each of our alumni speakers for participating in Junior Career Evening. Programs like this enrich our students’ journey as they discover their career path and would not be possible without the help from our amazing alumni community. If you are interested in speaking at a future Junior Career Evening or similar event, please email the Alumni Office at alumni@webb.org.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & FINANCE Scott Chung ’10, Vice President of North America Climate Private Equity at Tikehau Capital John Hur ’10, Founder of Life Cocoon Paul Kraus ’10, Founder of eJam

HEALTHCARE Paul Billings ’70, Chief Executive Officer and Director at Biological Dynamics Lana Hadaya ’03, Nurse Practitioner at Foothill Pediatric & Adolescent Clinic Namath Hussain ’97, Neurosurgeon at Loma Linda University Health

LAW Evangeline Fisher Grossman ’85, Founding Partner at Evangeline Fisher Grossman Law Noor Kalkat ’09, Technology Transactions and Data Privacy Associate at Polsinelli

TECH Abhishek Mantha ’14, Founder of Hypothesis Labs James Romero ’15, Director of Sales and Product at RunBuggy Kathy Winant Osbourne ’88, Principal Program Manager at Microsoft

ALUMNI COUNCIL VOLUNTEERS Kathy Fredrich ’02 Jim Hawkins ’70

Bill Ripley ’60 Eissa Villaseñor ’98

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newsnotes

1963 The Class of 1963 celebrated their 60th reunion during Alumni Weekend 2023. They hosted a talking group in the Webb House and classmates who couldn’t join them on campus Zoomed in. Thanks to reunion chairs Tom Butterworth and Bob Johnston. 5

Rick Clarke was given the Colborn 1949 Pete Akin, his wife Joan, son Thomas ’77 and daughter

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Colleen stopped by campus in January. They enjoyed walking around campus, seeing the new buildings, reminiscing about chapel services and classes with favorite teachers. 1

Distinguished Service Award during Alumni Weekend 2023.

His deep connection to the school is evident through his regular attendance at Webb events and his active role in coordinating alumni gatherings, fundraisers, and get-togethers. Rick’s son Preston ’98 also celebrated his reunion that weekend. 6

1954 We welcome the Class of

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1954 to join us in celebrating their 70th reunion this fall! Mark your calendars for October 18-19 and join us here on campus. Please email any questions to alumni@webb.org. 2

1964 Class of 1964, mark your calendars to join us October 18-19 on campus to celebrate your 60th reunion! We look forward to seeing you there! 7

1955 In March, Bill Bailey and Elliott Trommald enjoyed

1965 Bill Vestal and Dwight Morgan enjoyed lunch together on the Webb campus in February. 8

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breakfast with Christine Leible from the Advancement Office at the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, Oregon. 3 5

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1958 Chuck Work and his wife Roni are enjoying retirement in Naples, Florida. They visit California with regularity and have three sons in San Francisco.

1959 We welcome the Class of 1959 7

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to celebrate their 65th reunion this upcoming fall. Save the date for October 18-19 and stay tuned for more details! 4

1968 A small but mighty group from the Class of 1968 returned to campus in honor of their 55th reunion. Highlights included visiting the observatory and celebrating Rich Kron’s alumni award. 9 10 Rich Kron was the 2023 recipient of the Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award for his distinguished academic and innovative career in the field of astronomy and astrophysics. 11

1969 We welcome back the Class of 1969 for your upcoming 55th reunion. Mark your calendars for October 18-19 and let us know at alumni@webb.org if you’d like to help plan. 12 9

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1973 The Class of 1973 celebrated their 50th reunion this past fall.

Classmates returned to campus for their 50th reunion pinning ceremony and to hear Mike Howard give the talk during Alumni Chapel.

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1977 It was great to see Geri DeMasi in January. He had lunch with Christine Leible from the Advancement Office. Looking good in his new Webb alumni hat! 16 We enjoyed seeing Robert Gutentag and David Sanger ’78 in Austin on January 21! 17

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1974 We hope to see the Class of 1974 back on campus for their 50th reunion this fall! We always look forward to this special reunion.

Join us for your pinning ceremony, your class chapel speaker and much more. Direct questions to alumni@webb.org. 15

1978 Richard Dukes represented the Class of 1978 for their 45th reunion during Alumni Weekend 2023. He enjoyed the football game and alumni chapel service. 18

RICHARD KRON ’68 AND ELENA TIEDENS ’21 UNCOVER UNTOLD STORIES AT THE YERKES OBSERVATORY

At the University of Chicago, Rich Kron ’68 and Elena Tiedens ’21 have collaborated since the summer of 2023 to tell the untold stories of the women who worked, studied, and researched at the university’s Yerkes Observatory in the early twentieth century, roughly 1905 to 1935. Rich is actively teaching as professor emeritus in the UChicago Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics. He is also a former Director of the Yerkes Observatory. Elena is a junior at UChicago and a history major. In 2019, Rich began working with undergraduate astronomy students to research and gather information about a collection of rare glass

photographs of the night sky that were taken by women working in the observatory. The team of astronomers and astronomy students did not necessarily have the expertise to take the research as far as it could go, so Rich connected with the history department to grow the team and bring in history students like Elena. One of Elena’s first experiences with the team was visiting the observatory with the students and professors involved in the program and seeing where the photographs were taken and the environment where the women worked.

Over the decades, very little has been uncovered of the history of these women and their work in the observatory. Elena began sorting through the archival materials, letters, and photographs. Together with the team, she contributed writing and findings to the university’s exhibit, “Capturing the Stars: The Untold History of Women at the Yerkes Observatory,” that was on display in the university’s library through December 2023. Both Rich and Elena are proud to have connected with each other on this project. They are making a huge impact on the history of science by uncovering this significant and untold story of the role women played at the Yerkes Observatory.

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newsnotes

1984 We are excited to welcome the Class of 1984 to campus on October 18-19 for their 40th reunion!

Save the date and look for more updates soon. 24

1979 Hal Abrams and Dave Baer caught up over lunch in Portland, Oregon. Both are looking forward to their 45th reunion this fall! 19

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Class of 1979: Everyone is welcome to join us for your 45th reunion!

Make sure to save the date for October 18-19. We look forward to having you back on campus. 20

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1981 George Sun returned to campus to watch his youngest son Jordon ’23 receive his Webb diploma in June. The Sun family, including George’s children Gordon ’09, Sarah ’10, and Kara ’20, his niece Kathy ’02, and nephew Michael ’06, were also in attendance to celebrate this milestone. 21

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1982 In February, Mike Stoler, Sam Gregory, Robbie Warner, Jason Keyes, and Mark Waldrop ’78 went to visit John Wirum in Anchorage

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and had a powder-full four days of skiing at Alyeska.

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King Lai and his wife Elsa stopped by campus to walk around his alma mater. Bob Fass from the Advancement Office enjoyed visiting with them while they were in town from Hong Kong. 22

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1987 Janny Chaiyavet and her wife Sarah stopped by campus in January while in town visiting family and friends. They currently reside in Boulder, Colorado and enjoyed showing their son Finn around Webb’s campus for the first time.

1988 Members of the Class of 1988 returned to campus for their 35th reunion this past fall. Thank you to Corey Calaycay for hosting the Friday night gathering at his home and to Alicia Ahn and Andy Hill for being reunion chairs. 25 Drew Gillingwators and his wife Natalya visited campus in December while in town from Wyoming.

1989 Hey Class of 1989, it’s time for your 35th reunion! Please join us October 18-19 at Webb to celebrate.

If you’re interested in helping to plan, email alumni@webb.org. 26

Dan Murray stopped by campus in July to show his sons around his alma mater. 27

1992 Peter Min stopped by campus with his daughter and his parents in June 2023. They enjoyed walking around campus and seeing the updates made over the past many years. 28

1993 The Class of 1993 celebrated 1983 The Class of 1983 returned

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to campus to celebrate their 40th reunion during Alumni Weekend 2023. Classmates enjoyed the alumni gathering at Old Stump Brewery and dinner on Centennial Field on Saturday. Thanks to reunion chairs Derek Deskey, Ed Ratinoff, and Chris Riggio. 23

Chris Riggio shared, “I really

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enjoyed attending our Class of ’83 40-year reunion! I believe we had our largest turnout ever, with a few new attendees who I haven’t seen since graduation. Hope to see more at our 45th!”

their 30th reunion during Alumni Weekend 2023. They enjoyed the football game and barbeque lunch, alumni chapel, and dinner under the tent where they danced the night away. 29 30

1994 Class of 1994: Everyone is welcome to join us for your 30th reunion! Plan on being at Webb October 18-19 to celebrate together.

Email alumni@webb.org with any questions. 31

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Richard May ’88 and His Family’s Year at Sea Richard May ’88 and his family recently completed a year-long sailing voyage from Seattle to Panama on their 53’ sailboat, named Avogato. While the vision of such a trip brings to mind white sandy beaches and coconut trees, the experience included much more. As an alumnus, during the voyage, Richard recalled his experience at Webb that fostered his independence and self-reliance. He remembered how Webb encouraged him to go beyond the traditional academics, to think boldly, and act courageously. These sentiments and traditions spurred the May family to seek a non-traditional learning experience for their daughter, Piper. The trip spanned Piper’s seventh grade school year, where she not only kept pace with her class’s curriculum but also had a unique opportunity to learn from the “school of life.” Central America is full of rich culture, foods, traditions, history, and landmarks. Add to that the many features of life on a boat, and you have a very adventurous year. Boating life saw them cruising amongst hundreds of dolphins surfing the bow wave, meeting other cruising families, new people and foods, making do with sparse resources, and living in close quarters with family members.

What was the biggest challenge of the trip?

Richard: Eating yet another shrimp taco… Sometimes you just want a burger! And when the grouchiness of not having the comforts of home reaches a breaking point, often family members would start to grind on each other.

What is your most memorable experience of the trip?

Richard: Standing watch, sailing into a moonless night is lingering in my memory. The stars are intense, and the Milky Way shown bright. Often there were strong phosphorescence, and dolphins could be seen “drilling glowing tunnels” in the water as they formed up next to the boat.

What about your exprience at Webb translated to your trip?

Richard: Living away from home at boarding school creates a sense of independence, and often young people begin to realize that they can make of their lives what they want. Part of my experience at Webb simply was the adventure of being there, away from home and experiencing my teen years full of the opportunities Webb presents to its students. What an adventure!

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newsnotes

2003 Chris Forney got married!

During their big day, Chris and his wife, Alexis, were surrounded by Webbies including Richard Yao,

Saahil Sheth, Eric Bourne, Jason Sohi, Thaddeus Edwards, Alex Gordon ’02, and Chris’s brother Jonathan ’02. 37 38

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1998 The Class of 1998 returned to campus to celebrate their 25th reunion this past fall. Classmates gathered at Old Stump Brewery on Friday and enjoyed time together throughout the day on Saturday.

Thanks to reunion chairs Preston Clarke and Keating Leung. 32 33

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Becca Goldman gave the VWS

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chapel talk during Alumni Weekend 2023. She spoke about her time with USAID and in the Peace Corps.

She is a shining example of serving with a generous spirit. Thanks to classmates and family for showing their support! 34

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1999 We can’t wait to welcome the Class of 1999 for their 25th reunion!

Save the date for October 18-19 and look out for details soon. If you are interested in volunteering to help plan your reunion, email alumni@ webb.org. 35

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2001 Brie Widaman welcomed baby girl Madelyn Brooke into the world on October 5, 2023. 36

The Class of 2003 celebrated their 20th reunion during Alumni Weekend 2023. Classmates gathered at Old Stump Brewery on Friday evening and attended events on Saturday together. A big thanks to reunion chairs Lauren Epp and Griffin Miller. 39 40

2004 Class of 2004: We are excited to welcome you back to campus for your 20th reunion! Save the date for October 18-19 to celebrate this milestone. 41

Pilar Mitchell-Campbell welcomed her second child, a baby boy named Carter Donald Campbell on May 6, 2023. He joins big brother Christian. 42 James Withey is now Assistant Professor of Medicine and Hospitalist at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore.

2005 Lauren Valli and her husband Matt welcomed Vienna Madison on August 19, 2023. They are enjoying life as a family of three in La Jolla, California. 43

2007 Jessica Dholakia and her husband Andy welcomed their first child, a little girl named Anara Mohini on September 30, 2023. 44

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2024 Cookie Mailing Brings Sweet Smiles to Young Alumni Across the Country Each year, Webb alumni in college eagerly wait for a special care package in the mail. Amidst spring semester midterm preparations, over 300 parcels were sent from the Alumni Office filled with the coveted Webb cookies for alumni to enjoy, bringing a bit of Webb nostalgia with them.

Individual packages, filled with a half-dozen chocolate chip cookies from the Dining Hall, were shipped to alumni at colleges, universities, and homes in 19 states and Washington, D.C. In addition, all alumni were greeted with a special message from the Alumni Office in the form of a postcard celebrating photos from the previous year’s cookie mailing.

The love and gratitude for Webb was apparent as many took to social media to show off their 2024 Cookie Mailing branded goodies. Alumni shared photos highlighting the extremely sought-after cookies alongside their smiling faces, campus landmarks or a snippet of their daily life as a college student. One alumnus even took his cookies to the next level by engineering his own cookie sandwiches.

That’s some unbounded thinking!

The huge feat of baking over 3,000 chocolate chip cookies was undertaken by longtime Webb Dining Hall staff member Guadalupe Perez, who came to campus at 5 a.m. to ensure these student favorites were ready for packaging. Each year, Lupe looks forward to making these cookies for our young alumni, and she noted that she does so with love for each student. Once the cookies are out of the oven, Webb parents, assisted by alumni and parent relations staff, assemble the packages of freshly made cookies before shipping them around the country. This fun tradition would not be possible without these amazing Webb individuals—thank you!

The cookie mailing is a highlight each year for the Alumni Office, which gets a glimpse of alumni affinity and life after Webb through Instagram posts and photos tagged by alumni. The excitement is palpable and many alumni remark how much they miss these cookies and being on campus. View these photos in our Instagram story highlight and follow us for more Webb nostalgia and updates on Instagram @webbalumni.

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newsnotes

Kane Willis founded a new nonprofit called Kallege. At Kallege, Kane assists high school students with the college admissions process. He uses his experience on both sides of the process—as a high school college guidance counselor and a college admissions officer— to give students the best chance possible of gaining acceptance to top tier schools.

2008 The mighty Class of 2008 celebrated their 15th reunion this past fall. They showed their support for classmates during chapel and the awards ceremony, and reminisced about their time on campus.

Thanks to reunion chairs Cynthia Ip, 45

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Johnson Lightfoote, Nishtha Patel,

2013 Members of the Class of 2013 returned to campus to celebrate their 10-year reunion during Alumni Weekend 2023. Thanks to Annisa Herrero for being the reader during the alumni chapel service. 51

and Gabe Romero! 45

Johnson Lightfoote returned to campus to give the WSC alumnus chapel talk during Alumni Weekend 2023. Classmate Paul Grimm introduced Johnson and Lexus Beaman was his reader. 46

Sasha Wijeyeratne was awarded 47

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the 2023 Young Alumni Rising Star Award during Alumni Weekend 2023. Sasha is a shining example of the impact young alumni can have on our world. 47

2009 Calling the Class of 2009! It’s

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that time—your 15th reunion! Join us October 18-19 at Webb to celebrate.

Contact alumni@webb.org if you’d like to help plan. 48

Sheena Amin and her husband Sunit welcomed their first child, a little boy named Zayen on August 31, 2023. 49

2011 Emily Stewart and her 51

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husband Lance welcomed a baby boy named August Michael on August 20, 2023. 50

2014 We are looking forward to welcoming the Class of 2014 for their 10-year reunion! Keep an eye out for more details, but you can plan on gathering at Webb October 18-19. 52

2015 Daniel Crisostomo and his wife Megan welcomed a little boy named Ezra Stanton on January 27, 2024. 53 Jacqueline Withey is attending the Doctorate Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner DNP Program at Loma Linda University with an Academic Healthcare Scholarship.

2016 Julia Chavez, a JPL graduate research intern is simulating hydrothermal vent systems as interpretations for origins of life on early earth and ocean worlds such as Europa. 54

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Nikhil Jindal will be in Cleveland 2018 The Class of 2018 gathered on campus for their 5-year reunion during Alumni Weekend 2023. The class joined other Webb alumni at Old Stump Brewery on Friday and enjoyed the football game on Saturday.

Thanks to reunion chairs Natalya Bachoura and Skylar Rivera. 55 56

2019 Class of 2019: Mark your calendars for your first class reunion! We hope to see you on campus October 18-19 to celebrate your 5-year reunion. Questions?

Contact alumni@webb.org. 57 58

2020 After graduating from Babson College, Emma Lin will be working in Boston as an associate client engagement executive for Epsilon (Publicis Groupe).

2021 Jimmy Feng is part of neXus Dance Collective, Univ. of Chicago’s K-POP dance club where he has performed in many showcases as both a dancer and a teacher. 59

Megan Huang will be interning as a full-stack software engineer at Disney this summer. In the fall, she will be studying abroad in Vienna, as well!

It was great to see Dean Woelfle, Isa Flores, Andy Zhang, and Marshall Olmos on campus in August! They enjoyed seeing new campus spaces and their old stomping grounds. 60

2022 Bianca Arteaga is enjoying her sophomore year at UC Davis.

She is an RA, which she says has been “super fun,” and is currently in her second year of playing softball.

She is also leading a gun violence prevention club.

Leslie Huh is enjoying Pittsburgh.

She is active on Carnegie Mellon Racing, Carnegie Mellon’s Formula SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) team as a part of the race operations subteam. From helping set up track testing to building a portable pitwall and internet station, the race ops team ensures that the logistics go as smoothly as possible for the team. Note that is not her driving the car in the picture but she does work for that racecar. 61

this summer for an internship with KeyBank. He will work in their enterprise security department on the payment card industry and third party security team.

He remains active on his college campus where he serves as Director of Academic Affairs for his fraternity.

In this role, he helps members with their personal, professional, and academic development as well as helping them maintain and improve their GPAs. He is also working to improve the usage of HoloLenses and mixed reality learning experiences in the classroom.

Madeline Lilley is interning for Oath, a political startup whole algorithm that makes data-driven recommendations about where funds have maximum impact in political races. On campus at USC, she is a member of the studentled PR firm, PRSC. Madeline and her team recently developed a PR campaign that was awarded “Best Student Campaign” by PRWeek.

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Isabella Llorens is continuing her political science and dance education; she will be studying and performing dance in Paris this summer. 62

2023 Emily Huang has wasted no time getting involved on her college campus. She actively participates in campus clubs such as Columbia Undergraduate Law Review, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia Political Union, and United Nations Columbia.

FORMER FACULTY/STAFF Former faculty Dr. Jeff Fast retired after over 50 years in independent schools. Dr. Fast was an English teacher at Webb from 1975-1988 before joining Belmont Hill School where he continued until his retirement in 2023. Webbies Steve Farley ’81, Pete Sanders ’76, and Ryan Johnson ’80 attended his retirement celebration to toast to a great teacher! 63 64

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SPRING 2024 WEBB MAGA ZINE

In Memoriam FACULTY

in football. Even as a day student,

and was often found fused to a

JIM DAHLER, Webb’s longest-

his car could be seen on campus

book. After Webb, he graduated

tenured faculty member, died on

at almost any hour of the day. Bill

from Stanford University with a

February 2, 2024. Jim grew up in

served as the chief of the Mount

degree in history before attending

Pennsylvania and graduated from

Baldy Volunteer Fire Department

UCLA Law School. He joined his

St. Francis College with a degree in

for 35 years. He was on the Board

father at Western Federal Savings

chemistry and minor in math. He

of Directors for the Pomona Valley

and Loan, where he eventually

came to Webb in 1987, joining the

Medical Center and helped establish

succeeded his father as president.

math department. Over the course

the Stead Heart and Vascular

Hugh was involved in the early

of his 36 years at Webb, he impacted

Center there, which was the first

years of the LA Opera and cared

countless students with his passion

cardiovascular center in the region.

deeply about education. He was a

for math and his innovative teaching

He then served as the chairman of

trustee at Marlborough School and

methods. He was instrumental

the Stead Center Foundation. Bill

served on the board at Webb for

in shaping the curriculum for the

also traveled to Alaska countless

ten years, including as chairman

Honors Precalculus and Advanced

times as a volunteer dog handler for

when Vivian Webb School was

Studies in Linear Algebra courses.

the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. He was

founded, before being named a life

He also served as a dorm head,

also an active alumnus, serving as

trustee. His ties to Webb are more

advisor, and varsity coach for

a reunion chair and on the Alumni

than just scholastic: former Webb

tennis and volleyball. He received

Council for many years.

humanities teacher Rick Duque is

several awards for his teaching excellence, including two Perry Awards and the Jean E. Miller Excellence in Teaching Award. He

1948 PETER YEUNG passed away on August

Hugh’s godson, and Hugh’s own son graduated from his father’s alma mater in 1979.

18, 2021. At Webb, Peter wrote for both school publications and

1951

thrilled the student body with his

ROBERT “BOB” CLINE died on May

excellent violin artistry. He was also

15, 2020. At Webb, he was president

instrumental in founding a new club

of the music club and a drama club

for the appreciation of fine music. He

participant. He left Webb early to

went on to graduate from Pomona

obtain an officer’s commission in

College with a degree in music. A

the Air Force. He served in the Army

brilliant musician, Peter played

after graduating from UC Berkeley

violin with the Atlanta Symphony

before working in the aerospace

Orchestra for many years. Outside of

industry. He later started his own

music, he became a self-taught and

accounting firm. He served on the

Faculty Excellence at Webb.

highly acclaimed architect, passing

Jr. College Board of Trustees and

the architectural boards with no

the State Assembly. He also had a

ALUMNI

formal education in architecture.

30-plus career as a lobbyist. He had

1939

He established an architecture firm

a passion for the outdoors, often

in Atlanta and became nationally

taking family members on fishing

known for his designs. Peter was

trips in his 1943 Jeep.

was also named “An Exemplary AP Teacher” by the College Board. His warmth, kindness, and genuine care for others endeared him to the entire school community. He was also known for his culinary talents, delighting everyone with his exceptional cooking and baking skills. For those who wish to honor his incredible legacy, please consider a gift to The Jim Dahler Fund for

We recently learned that JOHN JENSEN passed away on December 24, 2020.

also a dedicated foodie, enthusiastic reader, and lifelong learner.

1947

1949

WILLIAM “BILL” STEAD died on

HUGH EVANS passed away on

September 14, 2023. At Webb, Bill

January 31, 2024. While at Webb,

was a known athlete. He was a

Hugh was an honor committeeman,

member of the Block W club and

member of Block W, having lettered

a two-time varsity letter earner

in basketball, football and tennis,

1954 JOHN STAUDE passed away on August 30, 2023. During his time at Webb, John wrote for Blue & Gold and served as editor his senior year. He was also secretary of the junior class and presided over the

69 69

A celebration of life Quill & Scroll. After Webb, John

45 years. Sherwood was a steadfast

1965

graduated from Georgetown and

supporter of the Alf Museum,

WILLIAM DOHENY passed away on

then came back to Webb to teach

serving as a member of the board

December 1, 2023. Will was the great-

history and English while working

of trustees for 27 years and then

grandson of E.L. Doheny, one of the

on his master’s degree at Claremont

as a life trustee for four years.

founders of the Southern California

Graduate School. He received his

Sherwood was a regular attendee

oil industry. At Webb, Will played

Ph.D. in history at UC Berkeley

at Peccary Dinners and on Peccary

tennis and ran cross country. He

and taught at Duke, Washington

Trips, including multiple trips to

was involved in the Debate Society,

University, and Oxford University.

Mongolia. He also helped found

Chapel Guild, and El Espejo. After

He earned his second Ph.D. in

and fund the Donald L. Lofgren

graduating from Stanford University,

psychology and education and

Endowed Director’s Chair at the

he served in the Navy during the

went on to practice psychotherapy

Alf Museum. Sherwood was a past

Vietnam War. He went on to receive

and teach at various universities.

president of the LA Rod and Reel

a law degree before pursuing a

He retired to San Diego but still

Fishing Club, past president of

career in finance. He co-founded

continued to teach at San Diego

the LA Philanthropic Foundation,

Summit Management in 1982, and

State University and UC San Diego.

California Ambassador for the

their success led to an acquisition

American Cancer Society, and an

by US Trust in 1987. He then began

active member of the Culver Palms

We recently learned that HOWARD

his own company, Doheny Asset

Church of Christ, as well as a Master

ELKUS passed away on April 1, 2017.

Management, in 1993. He served on

Mason, Shriner, and Eagle Scout.

the Board of Directors of Children’s

1955

Howard graduated from Stanford University and then Harvard

1960

before beginning his five-decade-

THOMAS ACKERSON died on October

long career with the Architects

21, 2023. At Webb, Tom lent his

Collaborative, where he met his

abilities to a variety of sports,

future partner, David Manfredi. He

including track, soccer, football,

co-founded the Boston-based firm

and lacrosse. He often traveled to

Elkus Manfredi in 1988. Howard’s

the Avawatz Mountains with the

architectural and interior design

Peccary Society. After graduating

work ranged widely and can be seen

from UC Irvine with his medical

across the country, including the

degree, he interned at the LA

Verb Hotel in Boston, the Linq Hotel

County-USC Medical Center before

& Casino in Las Vegas, The Grove

being appointed captain in the US

in Los Angeles, Downtown Disney

Air Force as a flight surgeon during

in Anaheim, the Peninsula Hotel

the Vietnam conflict. He returned to

block in Chicago, and Pacific Place

the LA County-USC Medical Center

in Seattle.

for residency training in orthopedic

1958

surgery before entering private practice. Tom served as the team

SHERWOOD KINGSLEY passed away

physician for Alhambra High School

on December 20, 2023. While at

and Pasadena High School. He was

Webb, Sherwood was on the football

also a member of Annandale Golf

and track & field teams and was

Club, ACLU, and the San Marino

active in the drama and trap clubs.

Welding Club.

After graduating from USC, he served in the Army Reserves before becoming a CPA and starting his own company, which he led for over

Hospital for over 20 years, as well as the board of Doheny Eye Institute and the Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation.

KURT INGHAM passed away on June 6, 2023. While at Webb, Kurt ran cross country, participated in drama and was the editor for El Espejo and Sage. He taught for many years in the LA Unified School District. An avid photographer, he encouraged others with the same passion by supporting their blogs and businesses. Kurt was the lead singer of the punk rock band Chainsaw and was a championship marksman.

1966 We recently learned that KEN MCDONALD passed away on October 31, 2022. During his time at Webb, Ken was an honor committeeman, school artist, and layout editor for El Espejo. He also played football,

We recently learned that

basketball, and baseball. He went on

WILLIAM WILSON passed away

to earn degrees from Stanford and

on July 31, 2023.

UC Berkeley.

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SPRING 2024 WEBB MAGA ZINE

In Memoriam

A celebration of life

1969

teaching high school students. Over

1984

We recently learned that SHERMAN

his 30-year career, he taught history,

RANDALL BAKER passed away on

WHIPPLE passed away. While at

English, German, and English as a

November 25, 2023, after a battle

Webb, Sherman played soccer and

second language. He also coached

with cancer. While at Webb, Randy

tennis and was a photographer for El

soccer, basketball, and baseball.

played football, baseball, and water

Espejo.

A lifelong learner, John’s favorite

polo and was on the swim team.

pastime was reading, and he could

After Webb, Randy graduated

discuss topics ranging from current

from Pitzer College. He moved to

affairs to sports with those around

Eugene, Oregon, where he co-owned

him. His sister JULIA ’85 followed

The French Horn Bakery before

him to Webb and was one of the first

becoming an accountant.

MICHAEL WRAY passed away on February 23, 2024. While at Webb, he was best known for his prowess on the football field, along with playing rugby and baseball. He went on to study animal science and agriculture at Colorado State University, where he also organized and coached the first rugby squad. He moved west to Oregon, and after pursuing his passion for agriculture, he opened a car dealership. Mike loved to travel and was known for his detailed deliberations over every part of his trips. Mike was part of a large Webb family—his brother MARK ’72, brother-in-law JOHN DEY ’69, sons SAM ’93 and THOMAS ’10, daughter MOLLY ’95, nieces ALEXANDRA ’95, GEORGIA ’97, AMANDA ’03, EMILY ’08, and LILLIAN ’11, and nephews MARCUS ’00 and HENRY ’11. He will be best remembered for his kind and generous spirit.

1973 We recently learned that JAMISON COX has passed away.

1978 JOHN ALEXANDER passed away on May 3, 2022. John was passionate about the German language after spending time with a German family one summer during high school.

He graduated from Middlebury College with a degree in German before earning a master’s degree in the language with a year of study at Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz in Germany. John enjoyed

students at Vivian Webb School.

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TH E L AST WO R D

By Dr. Jamila Everett Director of Admission and Financial Aid

The Pioneer Spirit of Webb: Forging New Paths with One School The Class of 2028 will mark Webb’s history as the first class entering our new One School model. They are changemakers in the making and already embody Webb’s pioneer spirit.

From students trekking into the desert on Peccary Trips to uncover the past to the VWS pioneers who broke the barriers of a boys’ school, Webb has always been about creating new paths in education. One School is the latest excursion for this pioneer spirit.

Our new students are ready to lead this One School with their classmates. Many already have experience actively creating inclusive communities. They thrive on authentic connections and are eager to enhance each other’s voices and learn from each other’s

differences. The Class of 2028’s diverse perspectives make it uniquely prepared for this historic moment.

Moving into One School offers students a chance to be a part of something bigger than themselves; it allows them to forge the future together. Sharing stories of their role in Webb’s evolution will excite new students and families, enhancing our recruitment efforts worldwide.

THIS IS OUR

Moment in Time As we near the completion of the historic Next 100: The Centennial Campaign, the impact of the generosity of our alumni, parents, and friends can be clearly seen across campus. From the recently renovated Stockdale Community Center to the just unveiled Bonnie Johnson Hall, we are building the future for our students today.

For decades, estate gifts of all sizes have helped to unlock opportunities for Webb and the Alf Museum that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. Most recently, planned gifts to support scholarship funds like the Bertha M. Lynch Principes Scholarship Fund have helped to ensure the best and the brightest can attend The Webb Schools. Estate and outright gifts to the Donald L. Lofgren Endowed Director’s Chair have brought about essential support to ensure the leadership of the Alf Museum in perpetuity. Additionally, endowed funds to support the maintenance of campus spaces and programmatic funds that help expand and support equipment purchases and classroom resources will have a direct impact as Webb enters its next 100 years.

Yet, there is more to be done. Many campus priorities and opportunities remain and will benefit from the generosity of individuals who commit to preserving our extraordinary programs, supporting our students and faculty, and transforming our campus through a planned gift.

With The Centennial Campaign concluding soon, right now is the time to create a gift plan for Webb or the Alf Museum. Join the Thompson and Vivian Webb Society today by including Webb or the Alf Museum in your gift intentions. Your support can be directed to the area of your choice, ensuring your legacy for years to come.

For more information on how to make an impact at Webb or the Alf Museum, contact Bob Fass at bfass@webb.org or Danielle Gordon at dgordon@webb.org.

ADMINISTRATION Theresa A. Smith, Ph.D. Head of School Susan Carpenter Director of Marketing & Strategic Communications

Andy Farke, Ph.D. Director, Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology

CREDITS VOLUME 27, NUMBER 1

Bob Fass Chief Advancement Officer

Melodie Akers, Lexus Beamon ’08, Susan Carpenter

John Choi Director of Equity

Michael Hoe ’04 Assistant Head of School

Jamila Everett, Ed.D. Director of Admission & Financial Aid

Hector Martinez Dean of College Guidance Janet K. Peddy Director of Finance, Planning & Operations

EDITORS CONTRIBUTORS

John Choi, Gianna Darden ’26, Jamila Everett, Bob Fass, Danielle Gordon, AJ Hess ’12, Hector Martinez, Jessica Rice ’12, Gabriel-Philip Santos, Amanda Sun COVER DESIGN

Nicole Lee ’25 DESIGN

Shari Fournier-O’Leary NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2023-24

Sanjay Dholakia ’87, Chairman R. Larry Ashton ’70, Chairman, Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, ex officio Michael M. Chang ’92 Deval R. Dvivedi ’00 Jenna Z. Gambaro ’95 Wendy Hornbuckle William Hornbuckle Jennifer Ishiguro ’91 Naveen Jeereddi ’92 Sandra Lee Rebish, M.D. ’88 Julia Marciari-Alexander, Ph.D. ’85 Rahmi Mowjood, D.O. ’90 Mickey Novak ’70 Melvin Oliver, Ph.D. Ming (Andrew) Pan Janet K. Peddy, Director of Finance, Planning and Operations, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary, ex officio Miles Rosedale ’69 Theresa A. Smith, Ph.D., Head of School, President and Chief Executive Officer, ex officio Wendin Smith, Ph.D. ’89 Jordan Taylor ’02 Lance Williams ’97

ALF MUSEUM BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2023-24

R. Larry Ashton Jr. ’70, Chairman Gretchen J. Augustyn Terry W. Baganz, Secretary Richard H. Clark Jeffrey C. Cripe ’08 Sanjiv P. Dholakia ’87, Chairman, The Webb Schools, ex officio Andrew Farke, Ph.D., Museum Director, President, ex officio Daniel Gluckstein, M.D. Ronald P. Hagander ’66 James E. Hall, Ph.D. ’59 Lexington B. Henn ’09 F. Gard Jameson, Ph.D. ’71 Carl W.R. Lachman ’86 David P. Mirkin, M.D. ’66 L.J. Patrick Muffler, Ph.D. ’54 Michelle Plyley Mary W. Rose, Ph.D. Elizabeth A. Smith ’92 Theresa Smith, Ph.D., Head of School, ex officio Charles Steinmann, M.D. Page W. Thibodeaux Thomas Yu ’06 Tammy Zipser

The Webb Schools admit students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the schools. The Webb Schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law in administration of their educational policies, tuition assistance, athletic, and other schooladministered programs, or any other basis in law.

THE WEBB SCHOOLS – MEMBERSHIPS

The Association of Boarding Schools; National Association of Independent Schools; California Association of Independent Schools; Western Boarding Schools Association; Western Association of Schools and Colleges; National Coalition of Girls’ Schools; Independent Curriculum Group; College Entrance Examination Board; Educational Records Bureau; Association of Independent School Admission Professionals; National Association of College Admission Counselors; Council for the Advancement and Support of Education; and the Cum Laude Society.

ALF MUSEUM – MEMBERSHIPS

Geological Society of America; Society of Vertebrate Paleontology; American Alliance of Museums; Association of Science Museum Directors; American Association for the Advancement of Science; Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections; and the National Association of Geology Teachers.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION

WEBB Magazine is the official publication of The Webb Schools.

LIFE TRUSTEES Robert (Bob) Adler Hugh H. Evans Jr. ’49 Anne Gould H. Earl (Bud) Hoover ’52 Ann Longley Claire H. McCloud Kimball (Kim) McCloud ’67 Roger J. Millar ’61 Susan A. Nelson Paul M. Reitler ’54 Peter M. Ziegler ’63

LIFE TRUSTEES

Anne G. Earhart Sherwood C. Kingsley ’58 John R. Lynas ’55 Douglas F. Myles Michael O. Woodburne, Ph.D.

Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Webb Schools 1175 W. Baseline Road Claremont, CA 91711 PH: (909) 626-3587 FAX: (909) 621-4582 EMAIL: alumni@webb.org webb.org THE MISSION of The Webb Schools is to provide an exemplary learning community that nurtures and inspires boys and girls to become men and women who: • Think boldly, mindfully and creatively, • Act with honor and moral courage, • Lead with distinction, • Serve with a generous spirit.

NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 224 CLAREMONT, CA

1175 W. BASELINE ROAD, CLAREMONT, CA 91711-2199

Unbounded Days ahead! Kristina Base ’27 takes a photo of the stunning landscape in Death Valley, CA.