The Compass | Summer 2023

SUMMER 2023

FOR THE Community

By: Bryan Geary

Tilton’s new Dean of Community Life has a lot of ideas, many of which come with his trademark panache, but they are always rooted in a larger plan. Take, for example, his sneaker collection. Despite being a new face on campus last fall, students and faculty alike soon knew him as a connoisseur of Converse (among many other brands).

“Sneakers are a statement piece,” he says. “They’re a conversation starter. And, they’re a really easy way for teenagers to simply view you as approachable.”

In his new role there are few things more important to him than being approachable. One of his main goals for his first year is to continue building relationships across campus, establishing the Community Life Office as a resource and support system for all that the School strives to be. Some of the changes will be intangible, but some are extremely tangible. First, the switch from “Student Life Office” to “Community Life Office.” While it’s a relatively small shift in terms of language, it’s a step that will have crucial implications in all walks of life at Tilton.

“The name is important because it sets expectations,” says Suarez. “We are an office that is focused on not just the students, but the people who impact the students. Working in a boarding school is a lifestyle choice — and, not to sound corny, that choice is to be a part of the community. Our office needs to represent all of that.”

“There’s a method to my madness,” says David Suarez.

Suarez has transformed the Community Life Office to match his style and mission. They have a new office (near the entrance to Plimpton Hall) where College Counseling previously lived and inside there’s a smattering of new Tilton themed decor, including a custom “People Make The Place” sign, a giant Tilton T, and a new black and gold coffee maker. The newly styled space is an invitation to start a conversation. And there’s a lot to talk about.

“My approach has been to ask — of our faculty, staff, students, families, the Board — ‘What do you want? And what can I do to help make that happen?’” reflects Suarez. “There are so many avenues where the slightest shift can have a big impact. There won’t be one big thing — there are lots of little things that will bring big changes as a result.”

Suarez and the Community Life Office will lead, for example, a new approach to the advisory structure. With the help of new Advisory Coordinators Connor Compton and Emily Johnson, one of the foundational parts of the Tilton experience will incorporate a new program called Habitudes which is designed to foster leadership development by using images, stories, and experiences.

“The community was asking for more,” says Suarez. Though advisory has always been an integral part of living and learning at Tilton, he notes that initial conversations with faculty and students uncovered a desire to build out the infrastructure and the capabilities of the program even further. “This isn’t just something we need to do for our students — this also impacts our faculty. Advising is the engine of the school. It drives everything.”

Suarez notes that Compton and Johnson will be trained in the curriculum over the summer and serve as resources for their fellow faculty members as the School implements Habitudes, which can be customized to best fit the needs of the community.

This type of holistic approach is something that Suarez has sought out in all walks of life, and he’s enthusiastic about bringing that mindset to his work at Tilton. Though he’s a seasoned veteran of independent schools, his professional career started in law enforcement. He spent time in the insurance and customer service fields before taking a leap to join Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill, MA. At first, he was a middle school soccer coach. Before long, he was coaching basketball, helping out in the Information Technology department, pitching in as Assistant Registrar, and

working in College Counseling. It might sound like a lot, but, as with his sneakers, there was a method to his madness.

“I learned very quickly that, working in schools, you wear many hats,” says Suarez. “The number one thing I’ve always hated is receiving a phone call or meeting with a family and having to say, ‘I don’t know the answer to that question.’”

Now, just a few days from the official kickoff of his new role, he’s hard at work planning for the opening of school. As he walks around Plimpton Hall showing off the final design for this year’s orientation t-shirts, an addition to his sneaker collection is impossible to miss: custom black and gold Nike Air Force 1s.

“They’re my first day of school shoes,” he says with a smile as he sets off down the hall.

“We are an office that is focused on not just the students, but the people who impact the students. Working in a boarding school is a lifestyle choice — that choice is to be a part of the community. Our office needs to represent all of that.”

David Suarez Dean of Community Life

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125 125

Linear feet of flex-crete Linear feet of quartz broadcast material

MARC FLOORING

3900 480

Square feet of floor tile Linear feet of vinyl floor covering

MARC ENTRY ROOFING

400 30 40

Pounds of sandblasting material

Gallons of primer sealer

Gallons of black top-coat

PFEIFFER HALL

120

260

Square feet of vinyl stair treads Square feet of vinyl landing tiles

32

750 Square yards of vinyl

flooring 16 Gallons of wall and ceiling paint

Square yards of dorm and corridor carpeting

CAMPUS BY THE Numbers

Our campus will look different as we open the 2023-24 year. Check out some of the highlights!

Alumni Weekend

JUNE 23-24, 2023

AWARD WINNERS

Bob Finch ’58

The Alumni of the Year Award

Andrea Tecce ’88

The Alumni of the Year Award

John Perkins ’63

The George L. Plimpton Award

David Gould

John Charles Daly Award

Remy Steevensz*

Artist Hall of Fame

*Awarded Posthumously

$21,00 A Moment

RAISED OVER TWO YEARS

$1 MILLION CHALLENGE! NEW

COMING SOON

THANK YOU TO THE 1,000+ ALUMNI, FRIENDS, AND PARENTS WHO HELPED ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.

SCAN TO VIEW DONOR ROLL

GET INVOLVED!

LEAVE YOUR LEGACY

0,000+ in History

NEARLY $1 MILLION IN STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

Your support of the Tilton Fund helps make a difference in the lives of our students.

LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

We prioritize the growth of our faculty and staff via partnerships with nationally recognized leaders.

CAPITAL PROJECTS AND CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS

Millions in gifts are helping fuel progress all across campus.

FAMILY IS Forever Tilton True

By: Bryan Geary

In the Admissions Circle, nestled under a tree in front of historic Plimpton Hall, sits a pair of black Adirondack chairs. On the back there is a message. Melanie I. Marken ’83 chose the words carefully. After all, trying to distill your appreciation for someone who impacted your life so greatly is a daunting task.

To a father who believed in the value of a private school education, from the daughter who loved him dearly.

“My father believed in the power of education,” says Marken, who now

works in a business development role with Global Ventures for Coca-Cola – Costa Coffee. “He worked hard because providing the opportunity for his children to be well-educated was important to him.” A first-generation American whose parents immigrated from Greece, Marken’s father learned the value of hard work and knowledge from a young age. “You don’t get anywhere without an education, whatever that may be. It doesn’t necessarily have to be books and pencils — it could be tech school, service work, an academy — but knowledge is power.”

With that belief in mind, Marken says her father nudged her towards boarding school after a year in which she struggled to find her footing as a student at her public high school. It was this decision, she says, that changed everything for her.

“We would all be entirely different human beings without Tilton,” says Marken with a nostalgic certainty about the paths of her and her

“I thrived in the community — I fell into a rhythm and it really changed who I was. It truly was the happiest three years of my life.”

Melanie I. Marken ’83

classmates. Fresh off of their 40th reunion, this feels clearer than ever.

“I thrived in the community — I fell into a rhythm and it really changed who I was. It truly was the happiest three years of my life.”

It’s been about a year since her father passed, says Marken. In that time, she’s grappled with that “cruel” rite of passage. “You don’t remember to honor the living until after they’re gone,” she says. In contemplating how she could channel her appreciation in a way that would connect with her father, Marken reached out to Tilton about making a gift in his memory.

“It seemed like the right thing to do,” she says. “I can’t even tell you how proud he would be. He would have been so humbled.”

Marken, who served on the Board of Trustees for 13 years, feels that this type of giving is what makes Tilton special. It connects people and memories to the School for generations to come. Most importantly, she says, it leaves a message of kindness.

“You’re never going to regret being kind. So give back, and make it worth something.”

SPRING FLING 2023

COMMENCEMENT

May 27, 2023

2023 ATHLETIC Hall of Fame

Marcus O’Neil

“I always talked to the guys about having the right guys in the room, and that always went a long way. Having players like Alex, Terance, Georges — all perfect, perfect players and teammates — is the reason for our success. It was a great experience being here. Especially to the players: Thank you. I know you did your best.”

“I want to thank Tilton, first of all, for just giving me the discipline, showing up every day, it really taught me a lot of life lessons. You guys [Georges and Terance] are like little brothers to me and I’m definitely proud of what you guys are representing for the 978. You’re showing the other guys that it’s possible.”

Alex Oriakhi ’09

During the 2023 Alumni Weekend School Meeting, Tilton had the chance to honor four incredible members of its varsity boys basketball program. Longtime head coach Marcus O’Neil was joined by three former players — Alex Oriakhi ’09, Georges Niang ’12, and Terance Mann ’15 — who not only established the Rams as one of the

top prep programs in the country but also went on to successful professional careers. The three players, all having the common bond of growing up near one another in Massachusetts, made the trip back to the Hill to reminisce with their former coach, be recognized for their accomplishments, and offer some remarks to the community.

Georges Niang ’12

“You [Coach O’Neil] made us check our egos at the door. It was about winning. It was about being a part of a community. Thank you for building an environment, a culture, that could last for however many years you were here. The memories are fresh in my mind forever.”

Terance Mann ’15

“It’s crazy that on this day the other two players are — they don’t know it — one of the main reasons why I’m here. Growing up in Lowell, everybody’s talking about Alex Oriakhi: ‘He’s at Tilton, he’s going to UCONN.’ And I’m like, damn. I want to be like that. I want that to be me. Once Tilton reached out to me, I didn’t even think about any other schools.”

THANK YOU, MJ!

Mary Jo Robichaud P’03, ’06 dedicated 29 years of service to Tilton School prior to her retirement this spring. "I attribute my longevity to former Head of School James Clements,” she says. “He made me step outside my comfort zone, pushed me to do better, be better, and think outside the box. Those who know me know that I love Tilton School and will always be loyal to the school. I attribute that to Jim Clements, the Tilton community, friends who have become family, and the alumni — you know who you are!"

Her presence on campus is missed by all of us! Below are a few favorite memories from our faculty and staff.

“I guess my saying or philosophy on life would be ‘embrace the journey’ or ‘choose happy!’

Mary Jo Robichaud P’03, ’06

“MJ would say: ‘Let your kids be kids. They’re all different and they grow up so fast.’”

Do you have a memory of Mary Jo that you'd like to share? Scan the code and be a part of our thank you to her!

“Her hugs — that is my favorite thing about MJ.”

“She jokes and helps everyone feel at ease, but her goodness shines through. If there’s a smile, you can bet she helped put it there.”

“She always knew when it was time to bring apple cake to the office!”

“I would always carve out extra time at the Business Office to spend with Mary Jo. She has a spicy, fun nature. She is like the mom of Tilton.”

“My favorite line from Mary Jo was a simple, ‘you didn’t see that,’ and I got it often.”