Westminster Bulletin Fall 2023

Westminster BULLETIN | FALL 2023

Westminster BULLETIN | FALL 2023

On the cover: During the Lawn Ceremony, the Classes of 2023 and 2024 gathered before announcing members of the 2024 Prefect Board.

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2023 Commencement

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“Engagement” Theme

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Head of School Message

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Hill Headlines

40 Athletics 46 Alumni Voices 58 From the Archives 61 Supporting Westminster 72 Class Notes 32

Bill Sistare’s Sabbatical

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78 In Memoriam 80 Closing Thoughts

New Director of Horizons

Fall 2023

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From the Head of School

Dear Westminster School Community, Keyes Porch and Patio were transformed this summer and the results are gorgeous! The state of the 123-year-old porch drove the renovation; the supporting columns showed signs of rot and the concrete floor was cracked and uneven, and those required extensive repairs to the porch dramatically impacted the garden.

This moment, however, provided a terrific opportunity for parent support, and our Class of 2024 parents magnanimously chose to support the renovation of Keyes Patio as the Class of 2024 Sixth Form gift. Through their generous support, Keyes Patio is now a wonderfully inviting, student-centric area that everyone can enjoy.

There is much to celebrate about this beautiful space. Given its connection to the Admissions Office, it welcomes families to campus, many of whom are visiting Williams Hill for the first time. The first conversation that a future Martlet has with an adult on campus might occur in this space; Admissions uses the patio and porch on beautiful fall days for interviews. Given its proximity to Brockelman Student Center, we can be sure that many lifelong connections will be formed under the porch roof and around the beautiful newly constructed fire pit. Tradition and progress coexist meaningfully in this space. The Class of 2024 will gather there on the morning of their Commencement to receive their roses, as so many classes have before them.

Two weeks later, hundreds of alumni will inhabit campus and celebrate on Keyes Porch and Patio and elsewhere during the Flock Reunion.

The stacked stone wall, which rings the patio, is a spectacular example of artistry. I had a front-row seat to its creation this summer, and as I marked its progress, I realized that the craftsmen’s construction of this beautiful wall is akin to the work of faculty as they masterfully and purposefully mold and shape our young Martlets. The work of both “artists” begins with the foundation, and each takes the necessary time to prepare the space, outline the borders, and construct the base upon which their “masterpiece” will rest. I think about the time adults here spend connecting with students, building trust, and setting expectations; that foundation is critical to the remaining work of educating our Martlets.

The stones of the wall serve two purposes in this analogy: Every “stone” of the student experience here is important.

We believe in a holistic approach to education, and we expect students to be engaged in the classroom, on the field and stage, in the community and in dormitories; we know that those shared experiences with friends, peers, classmates, teammates, and roommates shape character and commitment. We know, too, that the interaction with adults in all these different avenues of student life is central to their maturation, and that is the second point of this analogy. The adults here are craftsmen in their own right who carefully choose each “stone” as they help students to practice grit and live with grace. They smooth edges and adjust fit as they encourage students “to reach beyond the ordinary” and envision the future of what they might be with hard work,

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engagement, creativity and passion. They work in concert to build this lasting legacy of beauty — Martlets who go into the greater world to think and act for and beyond themselves.

I hope that you visit campus soon and have an opportunity to enjoy this beautiful space. A short respite on the patio perfectly positions you for a walk down memory lane: Look out across the valley and admire the spectacular view, watch students laugh and chatter their way from Armour to Armstrong or emerge from Andrews Memorial Chapel, linked arm in arm according to Westminster tradition. Perhaps your seat on Keyes Patio affords you a view of the Sixth Form Lawn and the Sixth Formers who relish their shortcut to the dining hall. You may see an under former or two glance wistfully at that turf and dutifully skirt its perimeter. My point here is threefold: You are welcome back on Williams Hill at any time, we hope that you will remember fondly your own time here, and we know that you will be excited by the view of the newest generation of Martlets.

With immense gratitude for all of our blessings here on Williams Hill,

Elaine White Head of School

“I had a front-row seat to its creation this summer, and as I marked its progress, I realized that the craftsmen’s construction of this beautiful wall is akin to the work of faculty as they masterfully and purposefully mold and shape our young Martlets.”

Fall 2023

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Hill Headlines

Sixth Form Gifts Greatly Enhance Campus Thanks to the Classes of 2023 and 2024, the campus received two much-appreciated improvements this year.

“Light up the Hill” The entrance and Perkin Memorial Drive leading up to Williams Hill are safely lit now thanks to the Class of 2023’s “Light up the Hill” gift of new lamp posts and banners.

The project provided an immediate benefit to students, but its impact extends to every person that comes to campus, including current and prospective families, faculty and staff and members of the local community. It carries on a proud Martlet tradition, spanning 25 years, to establish a meaningful, lasting memory for the current graduating class that enhances and improves the school community for all those who follow.

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In thanking the class, Head of School Elaine White said that the gift “has extended our use of campus spaces and also addresses my highest priority — the safety of all students on Williams Hill — by adding lighting along the entry drive. ‘Light up the Hill’ is truly a fitting celebration of both the Commencement of the Class of 2023 and of community, one of Westminster’s core values. Your gifts to this vital project have made our campus more welcoming and safer for students, faculty, families and visitors.”

Mrs. Cushing at Head of School garden

Cushing Patio has always been a gathering place for special events.

The Class of 2024 Sixth Form Gift to substantially upgrade Keyes Patio began last summer and was completed this fall in time for Sixth Formers and their parents to enjoy the space their gifts have made possible during Parents and Family Weekend in October.

This iconic space on Westminster’s campus is named in honor of the Keyes family and Francis “Pete” Keyes, who served as Westminster’s fifth Head of School from 1955 to 1970.

This historic space was dramatically reimagined to enhance its position as a central campus gathering space. While the school undertook renovations to the adjacent porch, the Class of 2024

supported a patio, stone wall, firepit, furniture and landscaping.

Keyes Patio serves as Westminster School’s open door, a central place of welcome and gathering. “Here, prospective students are welcomed to Williams Hill, parents meet during drop-off, students congregate throughout the school year, visitors and faculty families relax and enjoy Westminster’s campus, and Sixth Formers receive their roses on Commencement morning,” said Head of School Elaine White. “The revitalization of this signature location on campus provides an enhanced space, where Martlets can celebrate our core value of community for years to come.”

Keyes Patio

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Hill Headlines

A Smooth Return to Campus During Opening Days

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espite the Labor Day heat wave, the 2023-24 academic year got off to a cool start. On Sept. 4, carloads of families were welcomed at the top of Williams Hill by a crowd of cheering Sixth Formers, who donned cowboy hats and rang cowbells. While Sixth Formers greeted incoming families with a chorus of whoops and hollers, faculty members and students stood ready in front of dorms, poised to help move students into their rooms.

“Wow, I wasn’t prepared for all this help,” said Steve Pleau ’92 as he popped open his trunk in front of Squibb House and a crew of students rushed to unload it.

Pleau arrived on campus with his son, Jake, a new Fourth Former, after driving more than two hours from New Hampshire.

“This is so nice, I don’t have to do a thing —

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unfortunately, I don’t have tip money,” he joked.

By early afternoon, most of the students had unpacked and settled into their dorms, reconnected with their classmates and were introduced to new ones. In the afternoon, students met with their advisors and afterward participated in an all-school team-building activity on Hovey Field, followed by a cookout dinner and an evening carnival.

With the start of the 136th school year, Westminster officially welcomed 430 students hailing from 22 states and 20 countries, including Vietnam, Uganda, Hong Kong and Slovakia, to campus. This year, the student body is 76 percent boarding, 24 percent day, 30 percent students of color and 11 percent

international students. There are a total of 116 Sixth Formers, 112 Fifth Formers, 114 Fourth Formers and 88 Third Formers.

Across all forms, 140 new students joined the community.

On Sept. 5, the first official day of school, Head of School Elaine White briefly welcomed the entire community in an all-school assembly in Armstrong Atrium of Armour Academic Center. She urged students to play an active role in the community before turning the podium over to Head Prefect Robert Yalda ’24, who delivered the first address of the year to the entire community.

In his remarks, Yalda said the hardest part of his application process to Westminster was answering the question: “What is one saying you live by?”

“For a while I didn’t know how to answer. I was hesitant. I was confused because, frankly, I didn’t have one,” he said.

“Ultimately, I realized I was too comfortable in the life I was leading. I knew it needed to change. So, my response: Seek discomfort.”

After being admitted to Westminster, Yalda expected a measure of discomfort would be part of his journey. But once at school, he felt surprisingly at ease in the welcoming environment Westminster cultivates.

“With endless possibilities at my disposal, it allowed me to take more risks, try new things and ultimately be uncomfortable. Before enrolling, I’d been one to say ‘no’ numerous times because I was scared. But now, I’ve learned to change that ‘no’ into ‘yes,’” he said.

Yalda challenged everyone in attendance to step out of their comfort zone. “Try and find something that causes discomfort.

It doesn’t matter the magnitude, just do it. Engage, seek discomfort. Do whatever it is that makes you uncomfortable,” he said.

“Join a club, try a new sport or instrument, join the Chorale, try out for the musical, write for the newspaper. It doesn’t matter the activity, just get out there. Be fearless rather than fearful.”

Following his address, Sixth Formers led a procession toward the Sixth Form Lawn for the Pin Ceremony, a tradition

started by former Head of School Graham Cole. Each Sixth Former receives a pin or a necklace, which they wear throughout the school year to signify their responsibility as leaders to uphold the school’s core values of character, community, involvement and balance.

Both the pin and the Sixth Form flag are designed by Sixth Formers during their Fifth Form spring.

Next, in another school tradition begun by Cole, under formers and new students became official members of the community by signing their names into the school ledger during the Sign-In Ceremony in Andrews Memorial Chapel.

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Hill Headlines

The Power of Persistence and Perspective

Motivational speaker Kelsey Tainsh spoke to Westminster students in an all-school assembly Sept. 21 about her journey overcoming a brain tumor when she was only five years old to becoming a champion athlete as a teen — only to experience a tragic setback at age 15, when the tumor returned. During surgery to remove the tumor, she suffered a crippling stroke that left the right side of her body paralyzed.

With her life turned upside down, she found herself going down a dark hole of despair. When she returned to school in a wheelchair, her friends had disappeared, she couldn’t function on her own and she became paralyzed with fear and self-doubt.

Despite her significant physical challenges, she worked hard to pull herself up and charged back into life. She graduated with honors from the University of Florida and worked for several of the most recognized companies in the world, including CocaCola. Now, at 32, she is a professional speaker, spreading her personal message of how she overcame fear and rose above her physical challenges to become a para snowboarder and professional speaker.

“I believe that when we change our attitude and perspective, we can change the way we react. And, when we change 8

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the way we react, we can change the outcome,” Tainsh told students.

From the moment she realized she was able to lift her right leg in the hospital long after her surgery, her attitude changed. She became a fighter, fully believing that when there was a chance, things could get better.

Today, while her right-eye vision is impaired and she cannot move her right arm and hand, she has adapted to those challenges and returned to a physically active life.

When she was in rehabilitation, her therapist told her she would never be able to tie her hair back into a bun because she couldn’t use her right hand. She demonstrated how she adapted by learning to use just her left hand to complete the task. “When someone says to me, ‘You will never’... I say, ‘Watch me.’”

With a can-do attitude and perspective, and the support of her large family, she overcame challenges that seemed, at first, insurmountable.

“We are all paralyzed in some way,” she said. “We all have things that we hide from others and that we don’t want people to see that affect our self-worth. I used to try to hide my disabilities so that other people would think I was normal. But being different,” she said, “does not mean you are less than.”

She encouraged students who are facing a major challenge not to let it get them down. “I encourage you to use it to rise up and to help others rise up,” she said.

She asked them to practice empathy instead of sympathy when interacting with people who are facing challenges. It is better to put yourself in someone else’s shoes to understand what they are going through rather than express sympathy by feeling sorry for them, she explained.

As an example, she asked several students to come on stage and wear special glasses that blocked them from seeing out of their right eye and then asked them to give each other a high-five, which they couldn’t do. The exercise helped students understand the challenges some people face and to empathize with them rather than sympathize.

Her parting message to students was to be supportive of each other: “It is important you are there for each other. We are all in this together,” she said. “You never know when someone is going through something challenging, and it is important as a community that you stick together.”

Supporting Student Mental Health

By Amy Raskind P’25 Mental Health Program Coordinator

At Westminster, mental health is critical to each student’s success and development. Last year was my first year as the mental health program coordinator, and much of my work focused on assessing the mental health needs of the community, supporting the current framework and establishing new programs and protocols to ensure that every student has access to the support and education they need and deserve.

In examining the mental health needs of the community, we take both a macro and micro approach in creating our programming.

What will benefit and engage the student body to educate and support their mental health? During the 2022-23 school year, students attended all-school assemblies covering various topics such as understanding mental health issues, the impacts of substance use and misuse, healthy relationships, understanding consent and setting boundaries. A new group of Peer Leaders, along with the Prefect Board and student residential advisers, trained with the Effective Leadership Academy to be more effective communicators on various issues.

Another exciting event for Westminster was our inaugural Mental Health Fair, which focused on the importance of self-care and developing a toolbox to manage stress and mental health needs. The student club Bring Change 2 Mind, which works to normalize and destigmatize mental health issues, supported the fair. Students engaged in a range of different activities throughout the day, including pet therapy with dogs and baby farm animals, shadowboxing, journaling, sewing, baking, art projects, martial arts, meditation and yoga. We will be holding the fair again this year, along with a variety of other programs that allow students a break from the daily grind and afford them opportunities to reflect,

recharge and relax. Research shows these types of events benefit student mental health, and that benefit was evident with the feedback we received following the fair. Our pet therapy partners in the community continue to visit the campus weekly with their therapy dogs, which is another stress release outlet for our students.

Adolescence is a major developmental period with a whole range of challenges, some that we experienced when we were their age and some we didn’t –– namely increased suicide rates and mental health needs, living during a pandemic and the onslaught of social media and technology. We will continue our work in supporting our students on these issues. This year, we have a number of very well-regarded speakers on our calendar, including Carli Bushoven, bestselling author of “What Made Maddie Run?” about her sister’s struggle with mental illness. Matt Bellace, author of the bestselling book, “A Better High: Laugh, Help, Run, Love and Other Ways to Get Naturally High,” will address students on substance abuse and making healthy choices.

A fun part of my job is working with the amazing faculty and staff of Westminster, who spend hours living and working with our students. They are on the front lines and have access to the daily ins and outs of our students’ lives. Their professional development in the essentials of working with adolescent mental health and wellness is critical. We are providing continuing education for faculty on various mental health issues, including but not limited to suicide prevention, recognizing mental health warning signs and at-risk behaviors, managing conflict, setting boundaries and community building.

The value of supporting students’ social and emotional wellness is reflected in their success academically, socially and as caring community members. As we embark on this year’s theme of engagement, there is no better way of embodying it than to work as a team to support the mental health and wellness of our most precious resources — our students!

School leaders trained with the Effective Leadership Academy prior to the start of the academic year.

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Hill Headlines

Hispanic Heritage Month Westminster celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month Oct. 18, with a special performance

by Tres Vidas. Through music, song and words, actor Jenyvette Vega, accompanied by two chamber musicians, celebrated the life and work of three legendary Latin American and South American women: Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, Salvadoran peasant activist Rufina Amaya and Argentinean poet Alfonsina Storni, whose stories were highlighted in the language department curriculum.

The performance focused on Kahlo’s dramatic and passionate relationship with painter Diego Rivera, Amaya’s astounding survival of the massacre at El Mozote and Storni’s challenges as Argentina’s first well-known feminist poet. Music included traditional Mexican folk songs and Argentinean popular and tango music.

We’ve Been Busy Campus Improvements Since Last Spring > Resurfacing of the Brooks Family Track and construction of new turf on Harrison Field > Renovation of Keyes Porch to create accessible space with new walkways, columns and flooring > Replacement of front and back porches and interior renovations at Stretch House > Renovation and updates to 21 campus apartments and houses > Interior painting of dormitories and offices > Fire safety system upgrades in Cushing and Andrews Memorial Chapel > Installation of new boiler system in Memorial Hall > Campus paving projects including pathway to Jackson Rink > Renovation of new space for laundry service and installation of new dormitory washers/dryers, which no longer require coins

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On Indigenous Peoples Day, A Call to Be Active Learners

In honor of Indigenous Peoples Day on Oct. 9, the Westminster community attended an all-school program to pay tribute to the culture and history of Indigenous communities. The day kicked off with a keynote address in Werner Centennial Center by Lyla June Johnston, a musician, public speaker and an internationally recognized performance poet of diné (Navajo) and tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne) lineages. Johnston spoke about her mission to share her own story and her research and knowledge of Indigenous people.

Johnston blends her study of human ecology at Stanford University, graduate work in Indigenous pedagogy and the traditional worldview of her upbringing to inform her music, perspectives and solutions. Her doctoral research focused on the ways in which pre-colonial Indigenous Nations shaped large regions of Turtle Island, the name Indigenous communities call the Americas, to produce abundant food systems for humans and non-humans.

In her wide-ranging presentation, Johnston sang, recited her poetry and talked about the misconception of Columbus Day as a celebration of the discovery of America. Instead, she said, it signaled the start of the mass destruction of Indigenous communities.

It is a “no-brainer that today should be called Indigenous Peoples Day instead of Columbus Day,” she said. European explorers first came to this country for the purpose of finding gold

and people that could be enslaved, she noted.

Instead, the holiday should be a time to reflect on how much Indigenous people in the Americas have endured, to recognize the legacy of oppression that they still endure and to preserve and to promote their history and call out misrepresentations of them in popular culture.

Following the presentation, students broke into home groups to discuss their take-aways from the presentation and what more they could learn about Indigenous people. In the afternoon, the community gathered again in Werner to watch a dance performance by Ángela Vela and to join her onstage in dance.

Vela graduated with a Master of Science in social work from the University of Texas at Austin and is the co-director at Native American and Indigenous Collective in Austin.

In her engagement with youth at the Indigenous Cultures Institute, Vela provides lessons on food justice, the cultural and historical relevance of ancestral foods, and how access to traditional foodways and land can improve our well-being and mental health. Vela is involved with danza mexica, also known as Aztec dancing, and is learning about her mixed Indigenous roots as a descendant of the Dolores de las Minas community.

In her parting words to students, she asked them to be active learners: “You have so much responsibility as young people to be active learners. Be engaged and aware of what is happening around you.”

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Hill Headlines

A Spectacular Fall Day for Visiting Grandparents More than 250 grandparents visited Westminster Sept. 27, a spectacular fall day. They sat in on classes, attended a Chapel talk, dined in Armstrong Dining Hall, toured the campus and lingered through the afternoon to watch athletic contests.

Andrew and Diane Plauché traveled from New Orleans to visit their grandson Lane Gallagher ’25. They also got a chance to catch up on high school chemistry — or at least they tried.

“The chemistry class? I did terribly, and I didn’t even know they were speaking in English,” Lane Gallagher said. His wife, Diane, chimed in that, on the contrary, it all came back to her.

Like most grandparents, they were thrilled to be with their grandchildren. Whether they sat with them in the classroom trying to learn chemistry, French or biology or simply strolled the pathways with them, grandparents gained insight into everyday life at Westminster.

For some, the visit gave them the chance to see the campus for the first time. “It was beyond my expectations. It’s just beautiful, there is so much light in the buildings,” said Karen Allen from Buffalo, N.Y., who was visiting her grandson Caden Powers ’26.

Hanna Coccaro’s ’26 grandparents, Howard and Anne Burgess P’81, ’87, traveled from southern New Hampshire to visit her. After attending classes and sharing lunch with her, they were excited to stay through the afternoon so they could watch her play soccer and cheer on the Black and Gold.

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In welcoming the grandparents, Head of School Elaine White reminded them, “This day is a day that comes full circle. Your grandchildren will feel your love and bask in your love, but they will also benefit from the time that you get to spend with them, and they will benefit from your wisdom and experience. You will give them the strength so that they keep working hard and so that they will take advantage of all the opportunities here at Westminster.

And, in the end, you will be the one who continues to tell them that they can achieve anything they want as long they put their mind to it.”

“We are thrilled to have you here,” she added. “We feel your love, and we send it right back to you.”

The Flock is Gathering!

As a student on Williams Hill, you created friendships with Martlets in other class years — teammates, Prefects, club members, or academic classmates.

WESTMINSTER

FLOCK REUNION June 7–9 2024

Those relationships may have been some of the most memorable and enduring of your time at Westminster.

Flock Reunions celebrate your class and also allow more Martlets to gather together and reconnect with each other on Williams Hill!

3–Year Flock Reunion Cycle—Upcoming Multi-Year Reunions: June 2024: Celebrating ’3s, ’4s, ’5s and ’8s, ’9s, ’0s and the Seventh Form 2027: Celebrating ’1s, ’2s, ’3s and ’6s, ’7s, ’8s and the Seventh Form 2030: Celebrating ’4s, ’5s, ’6s and ’9s, ’0s, ’1s and the Seventh Form Visit www.westminsterreunion.org or scan the QR code for additional information. Please contact Thea Leach, Director of Advancement Programs and Events, at tleach@westminster-school.org or 860-408-3724 with any questions.

We can’t wait to see you on the Hill!

The Flock is Gathering June 7–9, 2024!

Celebrating ’3s, ’4s, ’5s and ’8s, ’9s, ’0s and the Seventh Form Fall 2023

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Hill Headlines

A Full Parents and Family Weekend On Oct. 12-14, Westminster welcomed parents and families to campus for a full weekend of activities, including opportunities to attend teacher conferences, athletic contests, student performances and special programming. On Saturday, the day ended with a special harvest dinner in Armstrong Dining Hall followed by music, s’mores and a fire pit on the newly renovated Keyes Patio.

Although teacher conferences are the primary purpose of the weekend, parents enjoyed some quality time with their children. For Eli and Lisa Emerson, who visited their daughter, Liv ’24, it was a special day, since Liv is finishing her final year at Westminster. It would be their last campus visit on a fall parents weekend, “and this gorgeous weather made it even better,” said Lisa Emerson.

Richard DiBeneditto and Stephanie Fondu, parents of Brody DiBeneditto ’26, were thrilled to see how their son had progressed since last year. “His first year was a new experience for us as parents and for Brody.

It was a huge stepping stone,” Fondu said. Returning to campus for fall weekend this year, “we can see how much more he feels at home now and how his confidence has grown. And, as parents, that is nice to see,” she added.

Head of School Elaine White and parents committee co-chairs Julie and Ben Wurts P’22, ’24 echoed these sentiments in their addresses Friday afternoon in Werner Centennial Center. White emphasized to parents: “Your children are wonderful works in progress, and this weekend gives us an opportunity to work together in support of that process.” The Wurts urged new parents to become more involved with the school and to fully engage in their child’s Westminster experience. Modeling this year’s theme of engagement, the committee’s work has been a labor of love that benefits all students, they said. “Parent feedback made a difference in rolling out a revitalized and reshaped parents committee,” Julie Wurts added.

On Friday afternoon, special parent social gatherings were held for each form, including the Sixth Form Keyes Patio Dedication. White thanked the families for their support in making the Keyes renovation a reality. She pointed out that the patio is a gift for the entire school, a gathering and meeting area to enjoy each other’s company in the Martlet spirit of community building. Lisa Rocchio P’24, who chaired the Class of 2024 Gift Committee, said that the committee envisioned the patio as an “inclusive space and a place students want to gather, share meals, collaborate on schoolwork or just hang out.

And from what I’ve heard this weekend, in these few short months, it has become all of this and more!”

Elizabeth Pruellage ’24, student activity co-leader, commented that, aside from providing a place to gather, the patio also serves as a place of quiet during a busy day.

During the weekend, all parents and families had a chance to enjoy the campus and Keyes Patio with its view of Pratt House, Andrews Memorial Chapel and Armour Academic Center. Adrienne Owen P’24 remarked that although many beautiful spaces exist on campus, Keyes Patio offers a breathtaking view of the entire valley and the hills beyond.

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Fall 2023

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The Class of 2023

Celebrates Commencement

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Under picture-perfect blue skies, Westminster celebrated its 135th graduation, held May 27 on Commencement Lawn.

In the days leading up to graduation, excitement mounted with each pre-commencement celebration, including the Spring Awards Ceremony and the Baccalaureate Service, followed by the Lawn Ceremony and the selection of a new Prefect Board.

Finally, the big day arrived with nary a cloud in the sky. Head of School Elaine White welcomed the 120 members of the Class of 2023 and asked them to recognize the many people who have helped them reach this moment in their life: parents, family members, trustees, faculty and staff members and fellow classmates.

Head Prefect Kade Smith

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Outstanding Scholar Tia MacDonald

For Sixth Formers, it was a bittersweet moment of mingled excitement, anticipation and a bit of melancholy.

“I will miss the people, the community,” said Amber Caruso, who clutched a yellow stem rose as she waited in the procession line.

In their addresses, commencement speakers assured that all the newly minted graduates would always be part of the Westminster community, and they will always have a home on Williams Hill.

Salutatorian Kade Smith In his Salutatory address, Head Prefect Kade Smith carried that idea forward. At Westminster, he said, “a common misconception about graduating is that it’s over; you will never see your classmates, teachers, or anyone you used to go to school with.

But the beauty of attending Westminster is that now you are in one big family. Once we leave the Hill, we will enter an even larger community, one much bigger than the 425 or so of us.

And there will be fellow alumni, students, parents, teachers

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willing to be there for you. … I know it’s a cliché, but Martlets do fly together. Although I know we won’t see each other every day, like before, but it doesn’t mean we are truly gone.”

He continued: “Our shared experiences and compassion for this place will always keep us attached.”

Outstanding Scholar Tia MacDonald Tia MacDonald delivered a thought-provoking address on the perception of time, suggesting that our memories exist out of time, flowing from the present moment and into the future.

One of MacDonald’s distinct memories from her time at Westminster was an experience she had while volunteering with Horizons.

She recalled it in detail: “A midafternoon sun blazed, and I usually hate those bright hot days, but I was transported somewhere that nullified all of that. A little girl named Zuleyak would roll a hula hoop across the grass to me and laugh; I would roll it back to her and laugh, too. And that was it. Again and again, we tossed the hula hoops and laughed; we chased after

Keynote speakers Mark de Kanter and Kathleen Devaney

them and ran in circles where they landed. We threw ourselves on the ground in time with the landing of the hoops. I can’t describe it more than that, more than simply how wonderful it felt to be young again, to do something so simple and silly, to laugh and play with a little girl who was so quiet a week before. When I lived it, I knew even then that the moment would last forever; I knew even then that I would miss being there even though I was still there. But I knew that, somewhere in space and time, the memory would always exist — we would always exist — just like that, just as we were that summer. I knew even then that the moment would last forever …”

MacDonald contemplated life as a simulation in which there is no such thing as the past, the present or the future; everything is happening simultaneously. If that were true, she said, “then I would never have to say goodbye. Nothing would remain a memory and I could have this life again. So this is not goodbye.

We will meet again and again, love and live again, and this, our memories, will be more than enough.”

Keynote Address White introduced commencement speakers Associate Head of School Mark de Kanter ’91, P’19, ’22 and Kathleen Devaney H’02, P’19, ’22 executive director of Horizons at Westminster. The long-serving faculty couple departed in June after a combined 51 years of service to the school. Devaney assumed her new position as head of school at The Hill School in Pottstown, Pa., on July 1.

White praised the couple for their many years of service to the school. “Mark and Kathleen are each remarkable educators, and their dedication to their craft, their commitment to creating community and their passion for working with young people, has shaped Westminster profoundly for the past 25 years,” said White.

Devaney and de Kanter were married in the chapel and raised two children on campus: Emmett ’19, a junior at Harvard University, and Samantha ’22, a first-year at Boston College.

Having taught AP Biology and virtually every other science course at Westminster during his tenure, de Kanter aptly began his address with an observation about earthworms.

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“They are largely invisible to us until after a spring rain, when they rise out of the ground and migrate looking for a mate,” he said. “A healthy square meter of soil can contain 400 earthworms, and these blind, squishy creatures are essential to aerating and maintaining the health of the lush vegetation all around us.”

The worm migration has often prompted him to consider all that is happening around us that we can’t see, and to appreciate the value of what we can learn without traveling beyond our home, he said.

“Henry David Thoreau once wrote: ‘Far travel, very far travel or travail, comes near to the worth of staying at home,’” he said.

“I remember reading Thoreau’s words as a student at Westminster, back in a Baxter Academic Center cinder block classroom with Scott Reeves, and obviously I took that sentiment to heart that all I needed to learn about the world could be found right here, in Simsbury and on Williams Hill,” he said.

Similarly, he assured graduates that everything ahead of them will be reflections and expansions of what they have done at Westminster.

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“You’re ready ... the Westminster microcosm has provided you insights into the wider world.”

He added that he has learned much from the students and expressed gratitude to past and present faculty colleagues.

Next, Devaney addressed the class and asked them to imagine that they were in college, gathered in a Westminsterstyle advisory. They might think about the habits and actions that served them well at Westminster, like being engaged, taking courses that interest them, working strategically, spending time with people who bring out the best in them, trying new things and being open to new perspectives.

She called on her colleagues who stood up and delivered familiar refrains to the class.

Academic Dean Betsy Heckman reminded them that “deadlines matter!”

Dean of Faculty Lee Huguley P’19, ’26 called out: “Keep moving forward.”

Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Devonna Hall P’25

encouraged them to be “bold, courageous and be your absolute best.”

Math teacher and coach Nancy Urner-Berry ’81, P’11,’16 reminded them to “get out and get some exercise.”

In her parting comments, Devaney expressed gratitude to the Westminster community. “We could not be more grateful,” she said, adding that they will stay connected to the school.

“We aren’t leaving, just as you aren’t leaving,” she told the class. “We are commencing a new journey and our bags are well packed, and because we belong to this community, we will be forever a part of this family. So, 2023, bon voyage, travel well, experience much and we’ll see each other soon.”

View more photos of commencement weekend on our Flickr account.

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Student Prizes Ganzenmuller-Buckey Award is given to the student who contributed the most to Admissions at Westminster.

Bella Ursano ’23

Outstanding Community Service Award is presented to the student who demonstrates extraordinary service and commitment to the Westminster community.

Stuart Dorman ’23

Horizons at Westminster Award for service.

Tia MacDonald ’23

Edward Scull Jr. ’71 Award for Excellence in Architecture Hewitt Shelton ’23

Cowing Art Award Ruthie Haims ’23, Paige Smith ’23

The Gretchen Hupfel ’82 Art Prize Charlotte Trafelet ’23

Gordon McKinley Award for Excellence in English

Kevin Kwok-Fun Chau ’79 Prize for Excellence in Chinese

Tia MacDonald ’23

Tia MacDonald ’23

Fifth Form History Essay Prize

The Richard P. Hopley Excellence in Latin Prize

Olivia Emerson ’24

Robert Rodney History Prize

Ximan “Grace” Yuan ’23

Lauren Levinson ’26

Joyce Wilson Prize for Excellence in Mathematics

Peter Briggs Prize for Excellence in Economics

Maris Cathcart ’23

Chung Hon Johnathan Li ’24

Excellence in Biology

Class of 1941 Peter Mars Memorial History Prize

Excellence in Chemistry

Allen Zhou ’23

Kalilah Akbar ’23

Stuart Dorman ’23

Burdett Prize for Excellence in the Study of French

Excellence in Physics

Lucy Benoit ’23, Bella Ursano ’23

Moncada Prize for Excellence in Spanish Kalilah Akbar ’23

Francesca Carnovale ’23

Excellence in Science Maris Cathcart ’23

Outstanding Contribution to Dance Award Catherine Rodrigues ’23

J. Lawrence Gilman Award for Achievement in Music and Participation in Musical Activities

Dongha Annie Kim ’23, Mason Zottola ’23

Lewis J. Powers Photography Award Oliver Hocking ’23

Dramatic Award for Service and Achievement in Acting Alexa Dailey ’23

The Design Award for Service and Achievement in Technical Support Maris Cathcart ’23

Brian Ford Writing Prize Asia Daniela Odong ’24

Critchell Rimington Creative Writing Award Carolyn Cheng ’24, Cassie Goundrey ’24

Baccalaureate procession in Andrews Memorial Chapel 22

Westminster Bulletin

Butler Bowl This faculty presents this award to a Third Former who demonstrates the traits of character and leadership.

Caroline Breslav

Adams Bowl The award is presented to a Fourth Former who best embodies the qualities of Richard and Barbara Adams, who devoted more than 40 years of service to the school.

Barbara served on the faculty from 19952011, and Dick served on the faculty from 1970-2013.

Lucy Wainwright

Brian T. Bruyette ’77 Senior Athletic Leadership Award

Wilbraham Bowl

Faculty Awards

given to a Fifth Former who best embodies the qualities of Geoffrey Wilbraham, who gave distinguished service to Westminster from 1958-1994.

Asia Daniela Odong

Keyes Bowl The award recognized as the school’s most prestigious commencement award, presented a Sixth Former who displays loyalty, courage, leadership and humility.

Emma Mason

Richard K. LeBlond, II Honor Award given to a Sixth Former who exemplifies dedication to academics and loyalty to the school.

Maggie McCarthy

Paul Winship Alumni Book Prize awarded to the Sixth Former who has made an unusual commitment in breadth and depth to school programs and activities.

Catherine Rodrigues

given annually to that Sixth Form student(s) who through their enthusiasm, sportsmanship, effort and skills, represents all that is best in their school.

Lucy Benoit ’23, Olivia Fernandez ’23, Kade Smith ’23

The Sherwin Cole Chair is given every three years to a senior faculty member who sets the standard for leadership and embodies the true meaning of Grit and Grace..

Nancy Urner-Berry ’81, P’11, ’16

The C. Hiram Upson Chair honors members in the humanities who are master teachers of writing.

Colleen Joncas

The Swayze Prize is given to a member of the faculty for outstanding contributions to the life of the school.

Nick Cary

Outstanding Scholar Award is presented to the Sixth Former who in the opinion of the faculty, is the outstanding scholar of the class. The award is not necessarily determined by rank in class but is based, rather, on the attributes of a true scholar: curiosity, imagination, power to associate new observations with prior experience, thoroughness, appetite for ideas rather than for grades as an end in themselves and the ability to move easily in the realm of concepts.

Tia MacDonald ’23

The O’Brien Prize recognizes a faculty member who has been selfless and generous with time and care in the nurture and support of students.

Kelly Curtis

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Following Tradition, Lawn Ceremony Welcomes Class of 2024 Martlets from Fifth and Sixth forms gathered the evening before Commencement for the Lawn Ceremony. In this much-anticipated traditional event, members of the graduating class individually invite Fifth Formers onto the Sixth Form Lawn, signifying that they are officially members of the Class of 2024 and school leaders.

The ceremony reaches its height when the Sixth Form Prefect Board members escort the new board members on to the lawn, often physically carrying them into the fold.

This year’s Prefect Board members are Sydney Courtmanche, Matteo de Luca, Daniel Edwards, Liv Emerson, Wills Erda, Jillian Gregorski, Johnny Hadden, Asia Daniela Odong, Charlie Raymond, Maya Tavares and Will Whiting. Robert Yalda, a boarder from Danbury, Conn., was named Head Prefect, and Jackson Raymond, a boarder from New York City, was named Junior Prefect.

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What It was Like to be the First Black Student

Class of 2023 Matriculation John Adams Trinity College Alex Adou Ithaca College

Amber Caruso University of Connecticut Maris Cathcart Tufts University

Lance Dominick Hamilton College

Reese Hutchen University of Florida

Kyle Egidio Hamilton College

Ryan Jainchill Shannon Moran The George Washington University of University Connecticut

Alec Rosenbaum University of WisconsinMadison

Chiamaka Kanu Hamilton College

Owen Murphy Fairfield University

Simone Routledge St. Lawrence University

Dongha Kim Denison University

Andrew Nelson Trinity College

Aksel Sather Yale University

Jaden Goodsell Denison University

Carly Liebenthal Syracuse University

Margaret Schleer College of Charleston

Chandler Green Elon University

Qingyi Liu Washington University in St. Louis

Oliver Olson Southern Methodist University

Kalilah Akbar Northwestern University Mason Clarke Tulane University of Brian Arnett Louisiana Appalachian State Ella Clofine University Loyola Marymount Murad Assadi University Drexel University Michael Cornish Oleh Atamaniuk The Hill Academy University of Richmond (Ontario) PG

Olivia Fernandez Middlebury College

Ava Beckford Lafayette College

Ethan Cramer Villanova University

Lucy Benoit Dartmouth College

Thomas Cramer Colgate University

Matthew Greggains The Ohio State University

Sebastien Blanc Denison University

Bianca D’Onofrio Fordham University

Dylan Bloom Amherst College

Alexa Dailey New York University

Mckenzie Bloom Columbia University

Jack Darnowski Lafayette College

Ryan Flam Southern Methodist University

Troy Griffith Villanova University

Ava Lynch Boston College

Alexandra Haimes The University of Texas at Austin

Tia MacDonald United States Air Force Academy

Ruthanne Haims St. Lawrence University

Emma Mason Colorado College

Samuel Bradley Tufts University

Caitlin Hanypsiak Stuart Deery Louisiana State University of St. Andrews University

Annabel Brawn University of Virginia

Santino Defazio Westminster School PG

Margaret Breen Southern Methodist University

John DeGulis Providence College

Emma Budke Endicott College Mariama Camara Brown University

Marcello Demerski Bryant University Carolyn Dermody Norwich University

Francesca Carnovale Wesleyan University

Elizabeth DiBlasi University of Connecticut

Jack Carter University of Connecticut

Peter Diorio St. Lawrence University

Gabriel Lugo Vassar College

Gregory Hartmann Texas Christian University Gabrielle Haughton University of Connecticut Jay Henry University of Denver David Hocking Tulane University of Louisiana Calvin Hurty Lasell University

Joshua Mason St. Lawrence University Rowan Masse Old Dominion University Theodore Massie Vereker Gap Year-Occidental College Saskia Mattiko University of CaliforniaSan Diego Gabriel Mays-Sanchez Lehigh University Magdelaine McCarthy Colgate University Caterina McGuigan Pennsylvania State University

Amelia Molin Wesleyan University

Nicholas Orenstein Villanova University Dorian Paki Hobart and William Smith Colleges Jamie Palmese East Tennessee State University Julio Palomino Perez Connecticut College

Catherine Rodrigues Hope College

Joseph Scrofani Endicott College Hewitt Shelton Tulane University of Louisiana Parker Sinclair St. Lawrence University Kade Smith United States Naval Academy

Christopher Paolella Trinity College

Paige Smith Southern Methodist University

Tomasina Pearman The College of William and Mary

James Staniar Tulane University of Louisiana

Colin Pogue Tulane University of Louisiana Cole Raycraft Elon University Hayden Raycraft University of South Carolina-Columbia Luke Reiter University of Vermont James Rockefeller Southern Methodist University

Annabel Thompson Texas Christian University Lela Thompson University of Colorado Boulder Charlotte Trafelet Bucknell University Hailey Tullo Saint Anselm College Annabella Ursano The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Riley Leighton Vincent Southern Methodist University Wade Volo Connecticut College Quinn Warwick Marquette University Jackson Waters Grinnell College Tyler Watson Boston College Elizabeth Wolf Santa Clara University

HyunWoong Yang Marina Steinle New York University University of St. Andrews Ximan Yuan Whitney Stroh Johns Hopkins The University of North University Carolina at Chapel Hill Allen Zhou Elizabeth Symonds Tufts University Haverford College Heather Zhu Lawrence Taylor Northwestern University Post Grad- Hotchkiss Mason Zottola Solomon Thomas St. Lawrence University King’s College

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Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone Through leadership training, clubs and organizations and strong faculty connections, students are putting this year’s theme of “engagement” into action.

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t Westminster, students engage with one another every day. They share meals, gather for chapel, embrace Martlet traditions, attend classes, participate in athletics and the arts, and build lasting relationships in the dormitories and through club activities. This year’s academic theme asks students to go further — to take charge, explore new ways to become more involved at Westminster, develop new interests and ideas and strengthen their leadership skills.

Last spring, the Fifth Form student council proposed “engagement” as the 2023-24 theme. “Students really want to be more intentional about connecting to all facets of life on campus,” explained Sixth Form Dean Julia Smith, who helped students present the proposal to the administration.

The theme challenges students to go beyond their routine interactions and expectations, which might mean plunging into the pool to learn water polo, stepping onstage to try out for a theater performance or taking charge of a classroom discussion.

At Westminster, the opportunities to do more, to be more, are endless.

But authentic engagement, as Dean of Student Life and Director of Theater and Dramat Productions A-men Rasheed noted, involves more than just showing up. It’s about how students show up.

Prefect Board members and Peer Leaders arrived on campus before the start of school to work with the Effective Leadership Academy.

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Students really of programs such as John Hay, Dramat want to be more “Our students all have so much to and the Dance Ensemble. The wide-ranging offer with so many different perspectives. intentional about program is underwritten through the Brian How do we ensure they all actively Bruyette Fund, founded by Kathy and Gene contribute? Part of the effort this year is connecting to all facets Bruyette P’77, ’78, who established it in about working with students to amplify honor of their late son, Brian T. Bruyette ’77, of life on campus. their voices in a wide variety of our who died from cancer in 1977, shortly after initiatives,” he said.

– Sixth Form Dean Julia Smith he graduated from Westminster.

That means creating pathways for more students to push themselves Strengthening Faculty-Student academically, take risks or try a new Engagement sport or activity –– with a support system to help them along the way.

One of the most important ways students develop during their In his Opening Days address, Head Prefect Robert Yalda ’24 Westminster years is through their relationships with teachers, asked the entire community to go beyond what comes easily coaches and advisors. to them. For students, that might mean performing a standup The advisory program continues to be one of the hallmarks routine at coffeehouse nights on campus, participating in an of the Westminster experience, providing an opportunity for impromptu dance party, volunteering with Loaves and Fishes or students and faculty to make meaningful connections. Over the anything else that pushes them out of their comfort zone. summer, faculty members read “One Trusted Adult,” which The call to action extends beyond the student body. “It’s a explores how adults can build strong, healthy connections with perfect choice for the school theme,” said Sydney Courtmanche young people. The book’s central idea is that just one trusted ’24, a Prefect Board member. “It encourages everyone, including adult can have a profound effect on a child’s life, influencing students, faculty and staff of all ages, to become more actively that young person’s growth, encouraging greater engagement involved in the community.” in school and community activities and enhancing the student’s overall well-being.

Students Take the Lead Students and faculty also have opportunities to work together on a common cause that serves the entire community.

One of the best ways to encourage authentic engagement is Last spring, students and faculty worked together on reducing to lead by example. Over the summer, the school developed cellphone usage on campus, which resulted in a responsible-use programming that helps foster community engagement and asked students to lead the initiative. Before the start of the academic year, the Prefect Board, Peer Leaders and student RAs arrived on campus to work with the nonprofit Effective Leadership Academy, which provides youth leadership training and promotes character-building skills.

Through team-building activities and self-reflection, students learned how to effectively communicate with their peers and build the self-awareness and autonomy required for responsible decision making. These sessions also helped students identify their leadership style, depending on their values and personality.

“The program taught us basic leadership traits, but it also helped us learn a lot about ourselves so that we can be the best we can be as leaders,” said Courtmanche.

In the sessions, students also gained a deeper understanding of mental health issues and learned about ways to support their classmates. Finally, they talked about how to build community through engaging in thoughtful conversations and contributing to the vibrancy of the community.

Student training will continue throughout the year with the Bruyette Leadership Academy, which Students meet with advisors during works with the Prefect Board, Peer Leaders, student the week to discuss their progress RAs, the Student Council, the Diversity, Equity and and get guidance.

Inclusion Board, varsity team captains and co-heads Fall 2023

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policy aimed at restricting students from using their phones not only in the classroom, but on the campus pathways and in other areas where members of the community gather. In a letter to families this fall, Jessica Keough, associate head of school, explained that the policy was yet another step toward promoting engagement — not just among students, but across the entire school community.

“We realized that too many of us were distracted by our phones. They were the first thing we pulled out as class ended, or we made a habit of walking across campus while scrolling through our feeds,” she said. “Collectively, we worried that we were losing the Westminster way of meeting someone’s eye and pausing to say hello. This policy is one of the many ways we called the theme to action.”

Building Engagement through Clubs and Organizations This year, students were asked not only to deepen their involvement in things they are passionate about, but to try new things and make new connections.

“Find something that causes you discomfort. It doesn’t matter the magnitude; just do it,” said Head Prefect Yalda in his Opening Days address. “It may cause you anxiety, but you’re immersed in an environment where there are people who can support you along the way.”

Not only can students join clubs and organizations; they

A new policy limiting cell phone use on campus encourages students to interact with each other in person. are encouraged to start their own clubs and assume leadership roles early on in their Westminster experience, explained Andrea Thomas, associate director of admissions and co-director of student clubs and programs.

“In the Admissions Office, we talk about Westminster being a small school with big opportunities. Students can come in and get involved immediately — they can try new things, and they can take on leadership roles immediately,” she said.

“We have Third Formers giving tours to prospective families just weeks after their arrival on the Hill. Maybe a student was involved in a particular activity before coming to Westminster and wants to start a club — they can do that right away. It is also not uncommon to have Third and Fourth formers play leading roles both on our stage and playing fields.

Through these experiences, they develop skills that

Teachers are guiding students to take leadership roles in the classroom by leading discussions, asking questions, doing research and solving problems independently.

In the classroom, the focus is for students to take a more active role in the learning process.

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– Academic Dean Betsy Heckman

prepare them to take on more responsibility as upper formers, serving as Peer Leaders, Prefect Board members, captains and resident advisors, just to name a few. The fact is that we rely heavily on all our students for community leadership. If students are expected to be successful leaders in college, their communities and as professionals, they must have opportunities to lead at a young age.”

Last spring, a group of students did just that by launching the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Board (DEIB) to better support international students. The board began last year with a handful of students from the Class of 2025 and has grown this year with students from the classes of 2024, 2025 and 2026. Cindion Huang ’25, who co-founded the board, said that members brainstorm ways to enhance the Westminster experience for students who may feel underrepresented on campus.

Students can also support each other through the residential advisors’ mentor/mentees program, in which upper formers help create a welcoming, safe and supportive environment for dorm residents.

Martlets Educating Martlets is a tutoring program that offers students opportunities to help their peers with academics. Wills Erda ’24 became a tutor last year to give back to the community and found the program deeply rewarding. “Helping another student grasp a new concept or making sense of an elusive problem — for me, there really is no better feeling,” he said.

Dramat is just one of the many clubs in which students can engage with each other and express themselves.

and we need to retrain our students to take an active role in their education,” said Academic Dean Betsy Heckman. “Teachers are guiding students to take leadership roles in the classroom by leading discussions, asking questions, doing research and solving Making the Classroom a More Engaging Place problems independently. We hope that this focus on engagement This year, the faculty is focused on encouraging students to be this year will be just the beginning of creating a culture of fully present and active in the learning process by creating a academic curiosity and investment.” stimulating classroom environment, with group discussions, Kerry Kendall, head of the visual and performing arts debates, project-based learning and real-world applications of department, noted that engagement is the focus of students in concepts. the arts. “The studios and performance spaces allow students to “The pandemic encouraged students to be passive learners, express themselves and create works of art, performances, music, dance, designs and architecture that engage the whole community,” she said.

Through serving family-style lunches, students get The department is also designing crosscurriculum lessons that are interactive, handsto know each other and faculty members. on and relevant to students’ lives. This fall, Kendall is working with Fourth Former Henry Flaton, who started the nonprofit Kathmandu Foundation, which raises funds to support the orphanage in Nepal where he lived before he was adopted as a child. “We’re brainstorming ways in which the visual arts students can become engaged in the lives of the children at the orphanage through a virtual art and letterwriting exchange,” she said.

“Bolstering student engagement is critical to the school’s core mission,” said Associate Head of School Jessica Keough. “Truly, engagement is at the heart of why we do so much of what we do and why Westminster’s approach has been a winning recipe for countless Martlets.”

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Davis Scholars:

created a name for themselves. With swimming, dance, music and academics, I was grateful to receive the opportunity to study abroad at Westminster. After two years, my passion for dance increased, I got to write a research paper, mentor kids and have a fantastic swim season,” she said.

She recalled being fascinated with her homework assignment on the first day of her U.S. history class with teacher and Associate Head of School Jessica Keough. “As time progressed, Mrs. Keough instilled in me a passion for the history of the world,” said Kanu. “She also supported me on my journey to exploring my interests at Westminster.”

For Phalla Phoap, ’20 the opportunity to study abroad and have an American high school education was one he wanted to seize. As a student in Cambodia, Phoap studied a double curriculum of Khmer, the native curriculum, and another he Davis United World College Scholars program based on English. The English-language classes were advanced started with a simple idea: provide scholarships for placement and test-preparation classes, while the Khmer classes talented international students to American colleges and were preparation classes for the high school baccalaureate exam. universities, with the hope of transforming those students’ lives Phoap continued his AP studies at Westminster, following his and enhancing the global diversity of American higher education. interest in computer science. “After getting a good head start In 2007, the Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation invited with the AP computer science course at Westminster and my Westminster School to be one of five pilot schools to participate time coding as a hobby during my time there, the first week of in the Davis Scholars program and serve as a launch pad for introductory college computer science classes at Tufts was less exceptional scholars to their college studies. The program aims intimidating and more enjoyable and allowed me to continue to promote international understanding and cross-cultural on this journey of exploring the ever-changing field of computer connections across boarding school campuses and around the science,” he said. globe. In the years since, more than two dozen scholars have With an expected 2025 graduation date from Tufts, Phoap graduated from Westminster and gone on plans to continue his path in computer to complete undergraduate work at Davis science and pursue the fields of game Davis Scholars hail from United World College partner institutions development or internet security. “I don’t countries not typically across the United States, including Colby, know for sure which one I want to delve represented among Harvard and College of the Holy Cross. into more,” he said.

While Westminster already attracts a Through Westminster’s Davis Scholars applicants, such as robust international student body, Davis program, new paths became possible for Afghanistan, Austria, Bulgaria, Scholars hail from countries not typically Laila Samy ’14. “Coming from Egypt at represented among applicants, such as only 16 years of age, Westminster gave me Cambodia, Colombia, Egypt, Afghanistan, Austria, Bulgaria, Cambodia, the discipline I needed to start my college Ghana, the Channel Islands, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, the Channel career, helped me become more curious, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Islands, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and learn about new things I would not Jamaica, Latvia, Malaysia, Moldova, have learned in Cairo,” she said.

Jamaica, Latvia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Poland, Slovakia, Somaliland, Samy particularly noted Todd Moldova, Nigeria, Poland, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine and Vietnam.

Eckerson’s moral philosophy class. “The Associate Director of Financial Aid class taught me that education goes beyond Slovakia, Somaliland, Turkey, Emily Sullivan serves as director of the language, numbers and science. Education Uganda, Ukraine and Vietnam.

Davis Scholars program. This academic is really growing one’s curiosity to learn year marks her first year in the role. “The about the world and listening to each most rewarding part of my work is getting to know and develop other’s different and sometimes controversial perspectives.” relationships with these students and cheering them on as they Her time at Westminster inspired her studies at Wesleyan, navigate Westminster and enjoy being a part of our community,” where she earned a B.A. in psychology and data analytics in said Sullivan.

2018. “I wanted to learn something different from what people Chiamaka Kanu ’23 came to Westminster as a Fifth Former usually study in Egypt, such as business or engineering,” she from Lagos, Nigeria, and is now a freshman student-athlete explained. Samy is now living in Cairo with her husband and at Hamilton College studying biochemistry and molecular six-month-old daughter and works as a business planning and biology with a minor in dance and mathematics. “I was raised operations manager for Visa’s North Africa, Levant and

by African parents who ensured their kids got an education and Pakistan region.

A Simple Concept with Long-Range Results

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Current Davis Scholars: Galima Sonnah ’26 (Liberia), Dennis Quiwon ’26 (Liberia), Sofiia Kondratiuk ’26 (Ukraine), Abraham Monsee ’25 (Liberia), Viktoriia Voitiuk ’25 (Ukraine), Asia Odong ’24 (Uganda), Reginald Kanu ’25 (Nigeria)

Samy said she brings an open mind to others’ cultures, views and experiences from her time as a Davis Scholar. “The experience has helped me with my work, especially when dealing with different markets, because I’ve had the exposure of being in a different place and communicating with people from everywhere in the world.”

Westminster squash coach and mathematics teacher Peter Doucette saw the potential in Egyptian squash player Ahmed Abdel Khalek ’12 after seeing him play at a U.S. Junior Open at Trinity College. “At that point, squash dominated my life, and I didn’t speak a word of English. Mr. Doucette mentioned the chance for me to be a ‘student-athlete’ rather than just an athlete,” said Abdel Khalek. He credits Doucette, Dan Aber, and Barbara Adams with helping him develop the ability to write papers, think critically and present himself. He continued his studies through the Davis Scholars program at Bates, where he earned a B.A. in economics with a concentration in applied mathematics in 2016.

Abdel Khalek now runs the business development division for all commercial functions of Orascom Development Holding, one of the top real estate developers in the Middle East and North Africa Region. He is also coaching two top junior squash players part-time. “They are preparing for the U.S. Junior Open. I hope they will secure the title, just as I did,” he said. “I am where I am today because of the opportunity I was given at Westminster.”

After a recruitment pause during the COVID pandemic, Westminster welcomed eight new Davis Scholars in 2022 and 2023, and Sullivan is planning outreach travel to Asia to meet in person with prospective students.

“Throughout the admissions process, we seek to identify strong international candidates, in some cases by partnering with international programs,” she said. “We look for Davis Scholars who will have an immediate and significant impact on our community. Our hope is that they will become future leaders on campus and beyond. Davis Scholars have a positive impact in a variety of areas of life here at Westminster— in the classroom, in the afternoon program, in our arts programs and in the dorms.”

Davis Scholars receive $25,000 each annually for both their boarding school and undergraduate years from the Davis United World College Scholars foundation and schools provide the balance of financial supports depending on need. “The Davis Scholars Program begins by making a difference in the lives of students. These students also have a positive impact on the Westminster community and make a difference in the world,” said Head of School Elaine White. “The Davis Scholars Program must be sustained in order for these students to have the same experience and opportunities that are provided to all Westminster students.”

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Faculty Spotlight

A 100-Mile Canoe Trip Taught Bill Sistare the Value of Nature

Sistare with his Bending Branches paddle that has carried him across eastern Canada, New England, and the Adirondacks for 20 years.

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A member of the Westminster faculty for 28 years, Bill Sistare currently teaches neuroscience and is director of studies. Over his long tenure at the school, he has served for 12 years as a dean of students for the classes of 2005, 2008 and 2012, and he has also taught physics, chemistry, biology and AP environmental science and coached a variety of teams. Last year, he was granted a well-earned yearlong sabbatical during which he learned to play the banjo and researched his family genealogy.

But the highlight of his time away from the Hill was a solo canoe trip over a 100-mile stretch of rivers and lakes in the Adirondacks. On the journey, Sistare had an opportunity to connect with the natural world. The Bulletin sat down to talk with Sistare about his sabbatical, the observations he made while canoeing and how important it is for adolescents to engage with nature.

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he woods, trails and waterways have always felt like home to Bill Sistare.

He spent his childhood in the Berkshires, paddling on the lakes, rivers and ponds near his home. As an adult he went on extensive canoe trips in Quebec and Ontario, sometimes spending 20 days in the wild.

So canoeing solo on a portion of the 100-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail — akin to the Appalachian Trail for paddlers — was right up his alley.

Much of the vast 740-mile trail requires crossing large lakes, paddling upstream and portaging for miles, hours from civilization. Sistare’s trip began at the start of the trail in Old Forge, N.Y. From there, he paddled about 10 miles a day, staying at campsites along the way, before arriving at his destination on Saranac Lake.

Between navigable waters, he had to portage the canoe, which weighed 120 pounds with all his gear, food and his

mini goldendoodle, Bryn, inside, either by hoisting it overhead or pulling it on a set of wheels.

While the trip was physically challenging, the experience was also a meditative exercise that allowed Sistare time to reflect on his relationship with the natural world.

“There is something very rhythmic about paddling,” he says. “For instance, the sound of the paddle dipping into the water, the pressure of the water on

To be outdoors, whether alone or in the company of others, allows one to fully understand our place on Earth and our connectedness to the living and non-living in this big ‘home’ where we find ourselves. I believe this to be a very important element of the adolescent experience, both here at Westminster and beyond.”

Middle Saranac Lake under the slopes of an Adirondack peak

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your paddle, and subtle little changes that you make with your hands when you’re paddling. You’re constantly paying attention to your paddle strokes to be efficient. When you are paddling 5,000 strokes a day, it is something you must be mindful of,” he says.

After a long day on the water, setting up camp alone after six hours of paddling might seem like a chore, but it can be a pleasure, providing time to soak in more sights, sounds and solitude. Before he left on his trip, colleagues asked him why on earth would he want to sleep in the wilderness all by himself.

He often responded by quoting George W. Sears, an early conservationist and a sports writer in the 1880s, who wrote: “We do not go to the green woods and crystal waters to rough it, we go to smooth it. We get it rough enough at home, in towns and cities.”

“That’s kind of the way I feel. It’s just very relaxing and calming for me to be outdoors,” Sistare says. Nature is his preferred environment for socializing, whether it is around a fire pit on campus or in tents, on trails or in clusters of canoes, where conversations always seem livelier and more spirited. Just being alone in nature can help you understand your place in the universe.

That authentic experience of being fully immersed in nature, of understanding that we are part of a vast ecosystem of the earth, is an especially

important lesson for young people, he believes.

“I want the same experiences I have in nature for my students and my own children who are now adults. To be outdoors, whether alone or in the company of others, allows one to fully understand our place on earth and our connectedness to the living and non-living in this big ‘home’ where we find ourselves.

I believe this to be a very important element of the adolescent experience, both here at Westminster and beyond,” he explains.

Spending time outdoors also instills in young adults self-reliance, teamwork, persistence, confidence and a better appreciation for how humans depend on each other. It can be a healing experience, too.

In the classroom, Sistare sometimes tells stories about his own challenges of being in the wilderness in order to relate to what his students might be facing. “Just to let them know that if they keep working through it, they will get where they need to be. Adversity is a great teacher; it accelerates your learning

experience,” he says.

After he completed the trip, Sistare embarked on a very different journey.

Diving into his family’s genealogy, he discovered that his love of water just might be in his blood.

“I was fascinated by all the documents I could access, going two, three, four generations back into my family’s history,” he says. “On the census reports, you can find the cause of death; often diseases were the primary factor.

In my own family, I discovered that we were seafarers.”

The first Sistare to arrive in America from Spain was a captain who was shipwrecked off the shores of New London and survived by swimming to shore. Another ancestor was an East Indies sea merchant who drowned; two others were New England whalers who also died at sea.

The roots of an old cedar tree hugs banks of the Raquette River.

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“It opened my eyes to how closely related we all are to one another. The further you go back, the more you see how people have common ancestors.

That relates a little bit to all the people I met on the canoe trip and how there are hidden levels of connection any time two strangers meet and have a conversation,” he says.

The sabbatical also gave Sistare an opportunity to learn how to play the banjo. While searching for online lessons, he came across neurologist Josh Turknett, who designed a neuroscience-based system of banjo instruction specifically for adult beginners.

Turknett’s method assumes that learning to play music doesn’t necessarily take talent or aptitude, but rather structured, repetitive practice. The curriculum requires a student to play two or three measures at a time on repeat. It works like a brain exercise that enhances your neuroplasticity.

“When you learn in discrete entities like that, later when you sleep your

brain is hardwiring it to become what is called subroutine,” Sistare explains.

“Since I teach the neuroscience class, the experience of learning to play the banjo using this method is something I can talk about with my students with regard to how memory tasks are learned.

“For instance, I can tell them that memorizing vocabulary in Spanish is hard, and they will find it difficult. But the repetitive practice has its function; it gets your brain wired up, so you don’t even have to think about it. It becomes automatic.”

Similarly, he notes that paddling requires repetitive, efficient movement, which becomes rote after a while.

“You need to paddle in a straight line; otherwise you can fatigue yourself in a canoe that is rocking from side to side.

So basically, you need to focus hard at first to practice your paddle strokes until you feel like it is efficient, like you’re not doing anything at all … even though you are pulling 20 to 30 pounds of force with each stroke.”

On his long paddling days, the Westminster community was often in the back of his mind. “There wasn’t a day that didn’t go by when I wasn’t carrying thoughts of my colleagues and students with me on the trail,” he says.

He would think about specific people and how they might enjoy what he was experiencing at that moment, whether it was early morning mist rising off the lake, the wail of a loon in the evening, or the reeds swaying beneath him as he paddled over the crystal-clear water.

He feels deeply connected to many people in the Westminster community, because he’s been part of it for so long. “I have a sense of how sharing in a community works,” he says. “I carried the spirit of many people with me canoeing from day to day, different people on different days. Depending on what I would be experiencing, someone would pop into my head, and I’d think, ‘Ah, they’d like this.’”

Bryn soaking up some Adirondack sun along the quiet waters of Long Lake

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Community Partnership

Meet Patrick Owens, New Executive Director of Horizons at Westminster Last summer, the school welcomed Patrick Owens as the new executive director of Horizons at Westminster and Hartford Partnerships, replacing Kathleen Devaney, who had served as director since the program’s inception. Owens came to Westminster from Milton Academy in Milton, Mass., where he worked for nine years as a math teacher, basketball coach and dorm head. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and psychology at Georgetown University. While serving as a teaching assistant in the math department at Georgetown, he developed a passion for education. Before accepting a teaching position at Milton, he completed a teaching fellowship through the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. At Westminster, in addition to his duties as executive director, Owens will teach math and coach basketball.

The Bulletin spoke with Owens about his first summer with Horizons, his impressions of the program and some of the challenges ahead.

What led you to Westminster?

In some ways, it feels as though the last 20 years of my life have led me to this position. When I was in middle school, I began volunteering at my school’s summer program called SPHERE, an academic enrichment program for elementary school students from Hartford. Through high school, college and the last nine years of my professional life, I returned to SPHERE in different roles — from a volunteer to a counselor, to a classroom teacher, to assistant director and then co-director. These experiences over the summer fueled my passion for education and highlighted the importance of private-public partnerships. It was through this work that I was connected to Kathleen and had a chance to visit Horizons at Westminster last summer. I was so inspired by what I saw on that tour and impressed with how supportive the Westminster community was of this program, so when the position opened up, I applied with great enthusiasm. I was also very excited to have the chance to continue teaching, coaching and living within a boarding school community during the school year.

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You are replacing Kathleen Devaney, and those are big shoes to fill. Did she give you advice?

Kathleen is a Westminster legend and leaves shoes that are too big to fill, but she has been incredibly supportive throughout my transition into this position. In this first year, she reminded me to focus on the simple things. Specifically, I remember her saying: “As long as all the children that get on the bus in the morning get off the bus in the afternoon, that’s a win!” So, I’m happy to report we have won every day. She has also shared a valuable perspective on the history and evolution of Horizons at Westminster — and she left the program in great shape. She also left me Kelly Wosleger, our amazing program director, which may have been the greatest gift of all. I am very grateful for all of Kathleen’s effort and leadership in starting this program — and her continued support through this leadership transition.

Horizons reached a milestone this year when fifth grade students returned as sixth graders, expanding the program to include middle schoolers. What were your observations of the transition?

It was such an asset to have these older students around. They have six years of experience at Horizons, so they were able to set the tone for our younger students, and they really played the role of the older siblings in our program. From helping our younger students navigate the campus, to leading discussions at the lunch table, to making sure everyone gets on the right bus, they are terrific leaders and ambassadors of our program. They were also quite excited to “move up” in the Armour Academic Center. Our elementary school students have their classrooms on the first floor, but our middle school classrooms will be on the second floor, so this year’s sixth graders were eager to explore this new space.

What are some of the challenges to the program you see ahead?

As a program that continues to grow, we are conscious of the need for constant and increased financial support. We have had a number of generous donors and foundations support our work, including many members of the Westminster community. We are very grateful for that investment in Horizons. In the years ahead, we are eager to share our program with more organizations and individuals in hopes of building partnerships and growing our base of supporters to ensure that we provide the very best program we can.

Can you describe some of the most meaningful interactions you had with children this summer at lunch, in classes or on field trips?

One of the traditions of Horizons at Westminster is for students to tell jokes at the end of breakfast and lunch. At first, I saw this tradition as a fun and simple way to end a meal and to share some corny jokes. However, I began to realize there was something much deeper at play than just a joke. It takes a lot of courage to get up in a room full of 100 people and to tell a joke with poise and proper delivery! One of the most surprising moments for me this summer was when an ESL (English as a Second Language) student who had sat at my table all week shared that she wanted to tell a joke. In my time of knowing her, she seemed to prefer watching and listening — and speaking softly only when necessary. So, when she asked to tell a joke, I almost fell off my chair. But when the time came, she did it! She took the microphone, introduced herself, shared her joke, and returned to her seat with a beaming smile. It was an awesome moment — and really highlighted the impact Horizons can have on students inside and outside of the classroom!

How important is the role of student volunteers in the Horizons students’ experience?

The student volunteers are a critical component to the success of Horizons. They support the students in many ways throughout the day — helping with academics, teaching them how to swim, leading games at recess, facilitating conversations at the lunch

How might you change the program in the coming years?

Looking ahead to next year, we are excited to build a middle school program that will mirror a typical middle school experience.

We will have teachers for specific content areas, and we plan to develop a specific curriculum for social-emotional learning that will be tailored to students in that age demographic. We are also excited to explore the possibility of incorporating a community service component into the middle school program.

And, in our effort to provide a robust support system for all our students, we are looking into the possibility of adding a social worker to our staff next summer.

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What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?

table, supervising them on field trips and much more. I am very grateful to the Westminster students who chose to spend a week — or six! — with us this summer. We could not deliver the highquality program we do without them.

You come as an educator with a love of teaching.

How does this role help fulfill that passion?

While I am not in a teaching role at Horizons, I am still fortunate enough to witness our students’ growth in many ways throughout the program. From the classroom to the pool to the dance studio and places in between, our kids are constantly taking risks, learning new things, and acquiring skills and confidence. I was also consistently inspired by the incredible teachers we had on staff this summer. Their commitment to their students, their talent for delivering content and their creativity in finding ways to engage all our students in and out of the classroom were remarkable. It is very rewarding to be a part of this amazing team.

Do you have thoughts on how to get more Westminster students to work with Hartford students?

As the summer program winds down, I am excited to lean into the other part of my role of Hartford partnership work. I think there are many ways in which our Westminster students can engage with and support initiatives in Hartford. In addition to supporting our Horizons students during the school year and maintaining the school’s partnership with Loaves and Fishes, I am also interested in pursuing partnerships with other organizations in Hartford. One possibility is Literacy Volunteers.

I think it would be an incredible opportunity for our students to support the work of this organization and to be able to connect with immigrants and refugees while sharing their knowledge of the English language. I am also excited to consider ways in which our students can support Hartford-based initiatives from afar — I recognize the commute time from Simsbury to Hartford can be a challenge — but I look forward to finding ways for students to engage in activities remotely or on campus.

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There is a contagious sense of joy that exists at Horizons. You see it as soon as our students get off the bus in the morning.

They run to greet their teachers and volunteers. You see it in Armour as students skip down the hallways. You see it when students are jumping into the pool. When we took a field trip to Mystic Aquarium, you could see the joy as students rushed from exhibit to exhibit shouting out what animals they had seen. Every afternoon when our students depart from Westminster’s campus, you see their joy as they wave out the windows of the bus, shouting, “See you tomorrow!” There is joy in all aspects of this program, and that has been my favorite part of this experience so far.

Scan to watch “A Day in the Life at Horizons” by Hayden Raycraft ’23

Last summer, the Horizons program reached a milestone when fifth grade students returned as sixth graders, expanding the program to include middle schoolers. The Horizons students pictured here pose with their siblings who are also in the program.

Horizons at Westminster has developed a unique partnership with Moylan Elementary School in Hartford, offering students a sixweek comprehensive experiential learning curriculum that focuses on literacy, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) and social-emotional learning (SEL).

Now in its sixth year, Horizons at Westminster continues to flourish and will expand next summer to students in grades K-7.

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FROM THE SIDELINES:

Spring 2023 Highlights

Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse Led by a talented group of Sixth Formers, the team finished the season with an impressive record of 11-9. The most noteworthy accomplishment of the season was the 9-8 victory over Founders League rival Loomis Chaffee. The Martlets ended the regular season ranked third in the Founders League, an improvement from their fourth-place finish in the previous year. Elizabeth Symonds ’23 and Olivia Fernandez ’23 were named to the All-NEPSAC team while Mariama Camara ’23 and Ruthie Haims ’23 earned NEPSAC honorable mention titles.

Camara and Fernandez were named to the NEPSAC All-Star team.

Olivia Fernandez ’23 Jackson Raymond ’24

Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse The team battled through tough competition for some close wins against Millbrook and Williston Northampton and were also able to pull everything together for a few wins by a more substantial margin against Northfield Mount Hermon, Frederick Gunn and Kent. The team captains, Lance Dominick ’23, Kade Smith ’23, Jake Carbone ’24 and Jackson Raymond ’24, provided strong leadership throughout the season. Jackson Alpaugh ’24 had multiple games with five or more goals, and goalies Josh Mason ’23 and Jackson Raymond ’24 had multiple games each with more than 10 saves.

Boys’ Varsity Track and Field The team faced great adversity throughout the season, largely due to the limited number of athletes participating.

But the boys persevered and managed to notch solid performances throughout the season. Led by the veteran presence of Gabe Mays-Sanchez ’23 and Sam Bradley ’23, the group developed a bond galvanized by the heat of the competition. As the team looks to the future, we will rely heavily on the contributions of Daniel Edwards ’24, Nathan Lee ’24, Abraham Monsee ’25 and Daniel Olaosebikan ’26.

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Mason Zottola ’23

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Girls’ Varsity Track and Field The Martlets had a very successful season. Led by captains Elysse Cumberland ’24 and Emma Mason ’23, the team set school records in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash, the 300 intermediate hurdles and the 800-meter dash on their way to a second-place finish in the New England Track and Field Championships. Although the team competed as a unit, there were a few standout performances by Blessing Kieh ’24, Elizabeth DiBlasi ’23, Sarah Lenox ’24 and Adrienne Hall ’25.

Girls’ Varsity Golf In the season’s closing contest, a stroke play Founders League tournament with eight schools participating, the Black and Gold earned the distinction of fifth place right behind their seasonlong nemesis, the Loomis Pelicans. For the Martlets, both Cindion Huang ’25 and Laura B. Friesen ’25 tied for team medalist (45) with Lucy Wainwright ’25 and Ella Ungerman ’24 close behind. One highlight was Wainwright’s beautiful strike on the par 3, fifth hole, that would end six inches from the cup, nearly a hole-in-one.

Blessing Kieh ’24

Lucy Wainwright ’25

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Daniel Venture ’24

Boys’ Varsity Golf The program had a very strong 2023 season, posting an impressive 14-4 record during regular season matches and strong performances in all the major tournaments, including placing third out of 10 teams at the Suffield Invitational, fifth out of 16 teams at the Western New England Invitational and sixth out of 25 teams at the Kingswood Oxford Invitational.

The team was led by captains Ethan Cramer ’23 and Ryan Flam ’23, along with very strong play from Reed Ghriskey ’26, Daniel Venture ’24, JJ Hurley ’25 and Will McCarthy ’25. The JV Boys had an outstanding season, posting a superb 14-1 record and shooting several scores that would have won matches at the varsity level.

Annabel Brawn ’23

Girls’ Varsity Tennis With a mix of veteran and new players under the leadership of new coach Quat Vu, the Girls’ Varsity Tennis team notched another successful season. Big wins over Taft and Berkshire propelled the team back to the New England Tournament. While the girls fell in the quarterfinals, they put up a great effort. The team was led by Chandler Green ’23 and Annabel Brawn ’23, who were the top players on the singles ladder and proved to be excellent role models. While these girls will be sorely missed, the larger number of younger players bodes well for the future.

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Will Whiting ’24

Marleigh Monroe ’24

Boys’ Varsity Tennis The team ended up 13-4 overall against conference and non-conference opponents, with highlights being a second place Kingswood Oxford Invitational finish, wins against Hotchkiss, Taft and Avon and qualifying for the Class B New England Championships. Individual accolades belong to so many of the players for their in-season performances.

Notably, Andrew Nelson ’23 went undefeated at the No.1 position in regular season dual match play for both singles and doubles playing alongside David Suit ’24. Suit, Logan Sun ’24, Will Whiting ’24, and co-captains Oliver Hocking ’23 and Jay Henry ’23 all played at a high level against some tough opponents, and it was wonderful to see improvement as well from Hugh Olson ’25 and Alex Chen ’24.

Finally, our first-year players, Alexei Kocatas ’25, Henry Flaton ’25 and Oliver Olson ’23, embraced their roles as key practice players.

Varsity Softball The team had another very successful spring, winning 12 games and advancing to the finals of the Class A Western New England Tournament. With grit and determination, the team overcame injuries to win six out of the last seven contests. Regular season highlights included dramatic late-inning victories over Suffield Academy and Williston Northampton, a 4-3 home win against Cushing Academy, and Founders League victories over Choate and Kent. The team turned in an impressive effort during the Western New England Semifinal, defeating a strong Worcester Academy lineup. Despite a 2-0 loss to Choate in the championship game, the Martlets exemplified resilience, spirit and teamwork throughout the season. Marleigh Monroe ’24 pitched brilliantly and Mia Magriz ’25 was a standout behind the plate. Monroe, Magriz, Olivia Gordon ’24 and Meiyin Ren ’25 led the offense. The team also benefited from huge contributions by seniors Catie McGuigan ’23, Nicole Smith ’23 and Hailey Tullo ’23.

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ATHLETIC RECOGNITION Kyle Egidio ’23

Varsity Team Awards BASEBALL: Michelini Most Improved: Calvin Hurty ’23 Most Valuable Player: Rowan Masse ’23 BOYS’ GOLF: Most Improved Golfer: Will McCarthy ’25 Scull Most Valuable Golfer: Reed Ghriskey ’26 GIRLS’ GOLF: Most Improved Golfer: Tayler Horgan ’24 Most Valuable Golfer: Cindion Huang ’25 BOYS’ LACROSSE: Hovey Ground Ball Award: Lance Dominick ’23 Class of 1981 Most Improved Player: Josh Mason ’23 Hovey Most Valuable Player: Kade Smith ’23 GIRLS’ LACROSSE: Ground Ball Award: Hadley Crowther ’25 Most Improved Player: Tilly Lynch ’25 Kurtz Most Valuable Player: Elizabeth Symonds ’23 SOFTBALL: Most Improved Player: Meiyin Ren ’25 Most Valuable Player: Marleigh Monroe ’24 GIRLS’ TENNIS: Most Improved Player: Annabel Brawn ’23 Most Valuable Player: Chandler Green ’23 BOYS’ TENNIS: Most Improved Player: Logan Sun ’24 Davenport Most Valuable Player: Andrew Nelson ’23 BOYS’ TRACK: Most Improved Trackster: Daniel Edwards ’24 Scull Most Valuable Trackster: Gabe Mays-Sanchez ’23 GIRLS’ TRACK: Most Improved Trackster: Elizabeth DeBlasi ’24 Scull Most Valuable Trackster: Elysse Cumberland ’24 ULTIMATE FRISBEE: Most Improved Player: Matthew Hanscom ’24 Most Valuable Player: Kalle Schmidt ’24

The All Founders League Awards BASEBALL: Jamie Palmese ’23, Ryan Jainchill ’23 BOYS’ GOLF: Ethan Cramer ’23, Reed Ghriskey ’26 GIRLS’ GOLF: Laura B. Friesen ’25, Ella Ungerman ’24 BOYS’ LACROSSE: Kade Smith ’23, Lance Dominick ’23 GIRLS’ LACROSSE: Ruthie Haims ’23, Dylan Bloom ’23 SOFTBALL: Olivia Gordon ’24, Nicole Smith ’23 BOYS’ TENNIS: Andrew Nelson ’23, Oliver Hocking ’23 GIRLS’ TENNIS: Cecily Belford ’24, Clover Cooper ’26 BOYS’ TRACK: Jakub McKinney ’23, Sam Bradley ’23 GIRLS’ TRACK: Blessing Kieh ’24, Adrienne Hall ’25 ULTIMATE FRISBEE: Ryan Shaw ’24, Henry Warner ’25

The Stephen Harris Squibb Bowl Awards BASEBALL: Joey Scrofani ’23

Varsity Baseball The Varsity baseball team enjoyed another successful season in 2023.

The Martlets began their season in sunny Vero Beach, Fla., for a week of spring training. The trip included an MLB spring training game, a University of Central Florida versus Florida State game and three of their own games (resulting in wins). The northern part of the schedule resulted in a 13-7 season, including big wins over Avon Old Farms, Deerfield and Kingswood-Oxford. The Martlets have gone 27-12 over the last two years, and the 2023 group sent six seniors to play college baseball. With a solid core returning in 2024, the future is bright on Osborn Field.

BOYS’ GOLF: Ethan Cramer ’23 GIRLS’ GOLF: Lucy Wainwright ’25 BOYS’ LACROSSE: Zoumana Ouattara ’25 GIRLS’ LACROSSE: Ava Lynch ’23, Bella Ursano ’23 SOFTBALL: Catie McGuigan ’23, Hailey Tullo ’23 BOYS’ TENNIS: David Suit ’24 GIRLS’ TENNIS: Nora Davis ’24 BOYS’ TRACK: Mason Zottola ’23 GIRLS’ TRACK: Sarah Lenox ’24 ULTIMATE FRISBEE: Gabe Lugo ’23

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Alumni Voices

The Strength of Mark Ellis ’13 As a PG student at Westminster, Mark Ellis ’13 was a phenomenal athlete, a standout on both the football and lacrosse fields. Timothy Joncas ’00, director of athletics, recalls that “Mark held himself and his teammates to incredibly high standards of performance and conduct. He epitomized grit and grace on and off the field.”

Recently, Ellis became the director of Olympic sports performance at Northwestern University. He was previously the

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strength and conditioning coach and the lead performance coach for the men’s lacrosse team at Princeton.

Ellis continues to be very engaged with Westminster.

He returned last fall to share his story with students and his energy and passion for Westminster was palpable, says Joncas.

In the following article, written by Jerry Price in 2023 and reprinted with permission from Princeton University Athletics, Ellis shares a very personal story of grit and grace.

In the weight room, there is no place to hide.

There are no excuses to be made, no negotiations to be had, no blame to place elsewhere. It is a place of total, brutal, sometimes crushing, sometimes uplifting honesty.

There is only the weight you can lift, the weight you cannot lift — and the effort you’re willing to put in to close the gap between the two.

That’s the lure for Mark Ellis, the reason he is drawn to such a place.

The weight room is life’s metaphor.

Mark Ellis is told that he is at once old-school and cutting edge, and his first response is to laugh.

“That’s actually a perfect assessment of me,” he says after a moment’s contemplation of the seemingly incongruous duality.

He has old-school eyes, strong, deep-set and tough. He has a cutting-edge mouth, educated, fast-talking, sharp, always engaged.

The 28-year-old Ellis sits on a bench outside of the Caldwell Field House. He is at home here. He is a strength and conditioning coach at Princeton, working with men’s swimming and diving, women’s diving, men’s soccer, women’s tennis and men’s lacrosse.

His impact has been felt quickly: The men’s soccer and women’s tennis teams won Ivy League championships this year, and the men’s swimming and diving team finished second.

As for men’s lacrosse, the Tigers reached the NCAA Final Four for the first time in 18 years, led onto the field literally by the man they call “Coach Ellis.” On game days the team would line up in two columns behind him and follow him out onto the field. In reality they would follow him anywhere, with the respect he’s earned and the impact he’s made on them, collectively and individually.

“The best way I can describe him is to say that he is a life force,” says Princeton head men’s lacrosse coach Matt Madalon. “He makes everything he touches better.”

How do the players he works with describe him?

“He is relentless,” says longstick midfielder Luca Lazzaretto. “He does everything relentlessly for us. He is top-to-bottom relentless.

He is paramount for our team’s success.”

“He is a ball of energy,” says midfielder Alexander Vardaro. “I only need to use the word ‘energy’ to describe him. His energy is unmatched. Every morning, maybe the guys are tired. Maybe they were up late doing schoolwork. He can lift up everyone’s energy.

He sets the tone. Chest high. Full speed. Full effort.”

“Energy,” says shortstick defensive midfielder Marquez White.

“Energy,” says defenseman Jacob Stoebner.

The cutting-edge part of who Ellis is comes from his commitment to bringing the latest in science and technology to his teams. The old-school part is his understanding that all the technology in the world doesn’t help you much if you don’t put in the work. These are lessons he learned from his own experiences as a lacrosse player, first at Garden City High School and then later at both Stony Brook, where he got his undergraduate degree, and Hofstra, where he earned his master’s, and ultimately for two summers with Major League Lacrosse.

“You can blame the coach for not playing you,” he says. “You can’t blame anyone in the weight room. There aren’t any magic tricks there. It’s hard work. To do anything successfully, you have to work at it consistently. It’s about discipline. The data stuff is really cool, but I like the work. I like the hard work.”

It is the old-school part that has enabled him to lift the weights he can lift, the literal ones of metal and the figurative ones that are much heavier. Just exactly how strong he is was made clear to

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Alumni Voices

the members of the Princeton men’s lacrosse team in his speech before the team got on the bus for championship weekend.

“That story,” White says, “made me feel that rather than just being the team that he worked with, we were his brothers that he wanted to see succeed.”

On the bench not far removed from where he gave that speech, Ellis is talking about the sports bras.

“What do the, um …”

“The sports bras?”

“The vests.”

“You can call them sports bras.”

OK, the sports bras. They’re part of the Catapult system and they’re worn by the members of the men’s lacrosse team under their uniforms, in games and in practices. They measure anything and everything related to the fitness of the athletes who wear them. He was first introduced to the sport science at Stony Brook and brought it with him to Princeton.

“With Catapult we can cover yardage, high-speed yardage, 75 percent of max velocity,” he says. “We can monitor player load. We can look at effort numbers. Maybe you have two guys who play the same position, but their numbers are much different. With the timing units we have, the speed velocity stuff, they can see where they stand. Nobody wants to be the best two-miler on the team.

You run the two-mile test once and say ‘OK, you’re in shape. Good for you.’ But are you the fastest on the team? Are you the fastest in your group? Are you maybe just faster than your buddy? They all want to be the fastest. They become unwillingly competitive.”

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He came to Princeton during the pandemic year, which gave him a chance to implement his systems with the 25 or so players who were on campus in the spring of 2021. They in turn were able to help the returnees and newcomers become acclimated when they returned last fall.

“He calls it ‘Feed the Tigers,’” Vardaro says. “For years, for a long time, the goal for lacrosse players was to get as strong as possible.

He said he wanted us to get really explosive and really fast. He’s been the backbone of that aspect of the program. His lacrosse background, collegiate and professional, has really helped us with what direction we take, how we do conditioning. He has great expertise.”

The results were obvious. Princeton’s personality was defined by the toughness, quickness and physicality that was instilled by the man who led them onto the field.

“He had a monumental impact on us,” Stoebner says. “He ensured that we were ready week in week out. He understands the wear and tear of a long season and he prepped our bodies extremely well in the fall. I think his speed training impacted us most. I felt the fastest I’ve ever been. Our guys felt the same and it definitely showed on game day. But it’s not just his workouts that impact the team; it’s the unending energy that he brings during our workouts, practices, and on game days.”

His impact was clear from the start of the fall season, even after more than a year away from playing. It carried over into the spring, when the Tigers went from being unranked to moving into the top five of the national rankings and staying there most of the season.

His energy is unmatched. Every Princeton had not reached the on ground balls, only his yard was too small NCAA tournament in 10 years. It had to do so. Instead, he practiced picking up morning, maybe the made the most recent of its 10 trips to loose balls on concrete, and he almost Championship Weekend in 2004, 18 years immediately tore the mesh right down the guys are tired. Maybe earlier. This time, the Tigers earned the middle. they were up late doing fifth seed in the tournament and ran past “After two days, they took the pole away Boston University 12-5 and Yale 14-10 to and gave me a shortstick,” he says. “They told schoolwork. He can lift reach the semifinals. me I was now a middie.”

The win over Yale came on the same He was a running back and cornerback up everyone’s energy. He Shuart Stadium field at Hofstra where he in football, a wrestler, a track and field sets the tone. Chest high. had played for the Pride. When he walked athlete and a middie at Garden City High the team out of the locker room, it was School. When he graduated, he was unsure Full speed. Full effort. clear how much the moment meant to him. of his next move, until his lacrosse coach Nearly a week later, the team gathered told him about a Connecticut prep school, – Princeton midfielder in the Caldwell locker room before getting Westminster, that would offer him a Alexander Vardaro on the bus to head to Hartford and the scholarship for a PG year and that it would Final Four. Madalon asked each coach if be a great stepping stone to college. they wanted to say anything.

“I was shell-shocked,” he says. “It was school six days a week. It Almost nobody was ready for what Mark Ellis said. was jacket and tie. I had to adapt to the lifestyle there. I could tell If you looked out the front of the house where Mark Ellis grew there was a recklessness, a childishness there. I wasn’t used to any up, you saw the town of Hempstead. of that. But I got to meet new people, and I ended up having a “In Hempstead, it’s simple,” he says. “You graduate from high great experience.” school, and then you go to work for the town of Hempstead.

He thought his route to college would be as a football player, Facilities. Landscape. Something like that.” but he didn’t like the recruiting process for the sport. When the If you looked out the back of that house, you saw Garden City. chance to get a scholarship to Stony Brook arose, he jumped at it.

“In Garden City, it’s not a question of if you’re going to go “I was going to visit Maryland,” he says. “I still have the voicemail to college,” he says. “It’s just about where you’re going. I was on my phone from Coach [John] Tillman. But Stony Brook was fortunate. I got to attend school in Garden City. I didn’t know what willing to pay for everything.”

I wanted to do, but I knew what I didn’t want to do. I didn’t want to He pauses for a moment as he sits on the bench. Then he adds work for the town of Hempstead.” this part of the story: His parents had three children, separated by seven years each, “And I had some family stuff.” before they divorced when Ellis was seven. The oldest is his sister Yes, he did. He’s had it his whole life.

Dominque, who is now 35. Then there is Ellis. His brother Michael His father had his share of legal troubles, and Ellis “hasn’t seen is 21. His mother, a nurse, remarried a man who had four children, him work a day in his life.” His oldest brother ended up in trouble two boys and two girls: Stacey, now 35; Diquan, 28; Corey, 23; with the law and going to prison. He had been extremely close and Markea, 21. to his grandmother, who had raised him along with his mother.

“Corey and I were very close,” Ellis says. “He’s the one I related to He calls her his “safe place and best friend.” She died while he was the most. He was competitive. I could take him anywhere with me.” at Westminster. When it came time for college, he wanted to stay His stepfather was one who worked for the town of Hempstead. close to home to be around for his mother.

Ellis would live with his mother and stepfather until they moved to There was one member of his family who had gone to college Roosevelt when he was in high school. At that point, he moved in and in fact was a college athlete, a women’s volleyball player at with the family of one of his best friends in Garden City.

Tampa. She was a cousin named Melissa Vanderhall, and she “I went from not even having a bed to having my own room,” had been a three-time first-team All- American and three-time he says.

Academic All-American. She had inspired Ellis that he, too, could Of the seven children in the family, he was the only one who make it to college. went to college. His first athletic love was football, which he On Aug. 13, 2017, while Ellis was at Stony Brook, Vanderhall’s began to play when he was 10. In Garden City, though, lacrosse mentally disturbed brother murdered her, her mother and her best is king, and the list of the players who came through there with friend. It was the second time in less than a year that Ellis had to Ellis is long and distinguished, including the likes of Duke’s Justin deal with his family and murder.

Guterding, Harvard’s Devin Dwyer and Stephen Jahelka, and The first time was when he woke up on Sept. 1, 2016. The Virginia goalie Dan Marino. aftermath of that moment will linger with him forever. And that “It was Marino who told me that I should try lacrosse,” he says. “I was what he wanted to share with the lacrosse team in the locker was the oddball in Garden City who wasn’t playing.” room when it was his turn to speak.

He first tried the sport in eighth grade, when he was handed “I wanted the guys to realize that yes, we were going to play a long pole by the coach. He took it home and decided to work Maryland, and we might win and we might lose, but there are things Fall 2023

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Alumni Voices I want to be part of a culture where the that are bigger than that,” he says. “I felt like I surrounded him throughout his life and needed to tell them.” how he’s become so successful despite children I work with “I didn’t know about it before he told us,” them. I think this story is more powerful Vardaro says. “His story touched everyone. because of the fact that his brother is come back and say, ‘this There were definitely tears when he was around our age. Coach Ellis was able to was the best experience done.” connect with us so well because he wishes The same phone that has the old his brother was able to be here and do of my life.’ I want them message from John Tillman also has another something like this, but instead we have voicemail. This one does not make Ellis taken that place in his life.” to see me after all those smile.

As Princeton’s season went along, years and say, ‘you had On the night of Aug. 31, 2016, Ellis went Ellis had been keeping Corey updated. to sleep in his room at Stony Brook. At 1:33 As the games got more dramatic, a big impact on my life.’ a.m. on Sept. 1, his phone rang. He slept Corey’s interest grew. through it.

“He wouldn’t ask me how I was doing,” – Mark Ellis ’13 When he woke up, he saw he had a Ellis says. “He’d go right to asking me about voicemail from an unknown number. The how the team was doing. I’d send him message was soul-crushing. pictures. I’d send him clips. He’s the same age as the guys on the Ellis has had his phone in his hands the entire time he has team. I wanted them to know that there were people they didn’t been sitting on the bench. He has gone back and pulled out a few know who were rooting for them. It was a vulnerable spot for me, pictures, some of his family. He’s shown a picture of his murdered but I felt like I had to tell them.” cousin Melissa. Now he again goes into his phone, this time to play The other part of the story was about family. It was, as White the voicemail. said, about how he has found another family with the people in It starts out as the voice identifies himself as a detective with the locker room. the Nassau County police department. It goes on to say that his “It was an incredible moment,” Madalon says. “He’s an amazing younger brother Corey has been arrested and they were trying to person. He’s persevered through so much, and he still has such a reach his father. Corey didn’t know his dad’s number. He did know great outlook about everything. He really touched everyone on Ellis.’ our team.”

“It’s crazy,” Ellis says after the message trails off. “We have the “We always talk about the aspect of family,” Vardaro says. same parents. The same background. I told Corey he had two “Coach Madalon always says it’s ‘we,’ not ‘I.’ We do things as a unit. routes to choose from me. He could follow me to college. He could This is a team sport. In the case of Coach Ellis, he embodies the end up incarcerated. He chose the worst evil.” brotherhood we try to create with Princeton men’s lacrosse. He Corey, whose last name is Williams, was alleged to be part of a really is a great man.” series of violent crimes in Nassau County that spanned nearly a year.

Ellis pulls out his phone again and shows a few pictures of Included in that spree were two murders.

Corey. He’s seen him outside of the prison once when Corey’s The legal process took a major toll on Ellis. The most heartgrandmother passed away, and he was allowed to go to the wrenching was when he saw the tape of his brother in the funeral. The hurt is obvious when Ellis talks about his brother. The interrogation room, calling out for him. The trial would last four waste. weeks, and the jury would deliberate for nearly a day before So, too, is the determination that has brought him from, as he convicting him on all 17 charges, including two counts of secondsaid, the same background as his brother all the way to this bench degree murder. on the Princeton campus.

He was sentenced to 100 years to life in prison. He was 19 years “I was nervous when I first walked into this,” he says. “If you old at the time. He is currently serving his time in Attica State looked at the rest of my family minus me, you’d say there was Penitentiary in upstate New York. no way I’d ever work at a place like Princeton. For me, I can bring “He ended up in a bad environment, with idiotic, nothem something different. I can tell them about my brother. It mentorship situations,” Ellis says. “I wasn’t there for him. I was at doesn’t matter about your background. People see me and they school. People hate when I say that, but I feel like I let him down. don’t necessarily think ‘Princeton’ when they do. ‘You coach at My brother means a lot to me, but lives were taken and you have Princeton?’ they say. ‘You’re not Princeton material.’ I was the only to pay for that. It’s hard for me to think that I’ll never see him again Black kid on any team I was on in high school. I can bring some outside of those walls.” light to the guys. These are some issues they’ve never had to deal That’s part of the story that Ellis told the men’s lacrosse team. with. I can’t blame them for not knowing what they don’t know.

“That story was incredibly touching,” Lazzaretto says. “That’s But maybe they think ‘if this is something that Coach Ellis, who something none of us knew, but we all really felt it when he cares so much about me, deals with, then maybe I need to step said it all.” back and consider things.’ I was worried when I came here that I “I never knew that about Coach Ellis,” White says. “Hearing that would be dealing with a different kind of kid, but they’re not much story really gave me a new perspective on the hardships that have different from the children at Stony Brook and Hofstra that I played 50

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with. The academics are tougher. They ask a lot more questions, that’s for sure. If they don’t know something, they’re going to ask. I like that. I like the idea that I can teach them something they don’t know to guys who know a lot.”

He had thought about possibly going into coaching or athletic training, but the strength coach at Hofstra suggested Ellis would be good at what he did.

“I love to see the athletes progress,” he says. “I love to see it click in their heads. ‘Coach Ellis taught me this.’ I know what it takes to do it now. Yes, I’m coaching, but the athlete controls his or her fate. Sometimes they get lost. They just want to push and push and push. They want to see the reward. It’s perfect for a school like Princeton, where everyone is so intelligent. They see the numbers. They see the progression. They see where they are in the pecking order without having to have it be subjective. Are you the slowest kid? Now we can fix that. They can see progress.

They can see it. I love helping them get there.”

His vehicle for all of this is the weight room, that place of no BS. It fits him. There’s no BS to him either. He wants to grow in the position, eventually to run his own department.

Mark Ellis will stay true to himself. That you don’t have to worry about. He talks about how his mother never had to worry about him, how self-reliant he’s always been.

When he talks about wanting to make his family proud, he means the one he grew up in. He has two families now, though.

That one, to whom he is still strongly connected, especially to the brother with whom all future contact will be on the other side of that horrific wall.

To that he has added the Princeton family.

“He’s as much a part of us as anyone,” Madalon says. “And we couldn’t be more thrilled about that.”

“I want to be able to impact people,” Ellis says. “This may sound naïve, but I want to impact people in a way that will stay with them. I want to be part of a culture where the children I work with come back and say, ‘This was the best experience of my life.’ I want them to see me after all those years and say, ‘You had a big impact on my life.’”

Then he gets up from the bench and heads toward Jadwin Gym, back to work. There’s only one thought to be had as you see him walk away.

Doesn’t he realize he already has?

— by Jerry Price

Mark Ellis visited campus last spring to talk to students about his career.

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Alumni Voices

Following Their Love of Music, Three Alumni Took Very Different Paths Truckin’ on, Andy Logan ’88 Keeps the Legacy of Jerry Garcia Alive In 2021, Andy Logan ’88 turned his unabashed love of the Grateful Dead and its iconic frontman Jerry Garcia into the Grateful Guitars Foundation, a nonprofit that obtains world-class instruments for talented musicians playing in the jam music tradition.

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PHOTO: BOB MINKIN

B

y day, Andy Logan is a psychotherapist with a practice in Woodside, Calif. But on nights and weekends, he is a devoted Deadhead, whose passion for the band dates back to the first time he attended a Dead concert when he was a Fifth Former at Westminster.

For all three of his years on the Hill, Logan lived in Memorial Hall, where his classmate, Willy Miller ’88, first introduced him to the music of the Grateful Dead.

“He gave me my first bootleg tape in the spring of 1986,” recalls Logan. And he was hooked.

“A bunch of us went to watch a Dead show in Worcester, Mass., but it was so crowded we couldn’t get in. So, we went to the mall next door where they had the show piped in on speakers. My first official live concert was the following year, my senior year at Westminster. We went to Hartford, on a Sunday night of all nights, which was surprising that the school let us do that back then when curfews were strict,” he says.

“The administration requested that we had to meet with the deans after the show to talk about the experience, and I remember they asked if we saw any drugs.

My knee-jerk reaction was to say no.

But it was the 80s so of course we did.”

Both Miller and Logan went on to attend St. Lawrence University, where they became members of a rapidly growing community of Grateful Dead followers. After graduating, Logan worked in high-tech marketing for successful startups in California before becoming a psychotherapist. All the while, the music of the Dead was a constant in his life.

When Jerry Garcia died in 1995, many of his fans worried that they wouldn’t hear his music being played live at the same level of quality by other bands. But, as Logan explains, the Dead had already spawned other jam bands, including Phish. The remaining members of the Dead eventually formed a band called Dead and Company,

Through the foundation, Logan is able to offer those instruments to musicians who need them.

Above, guitarist Nate LaPointe.

PHOTO: BOB MINKIN

which gave their final tour last summer.

There were other iterations of the Dead, bands like the Other Ones, the Dead, Further and thousands of cover bands around the world that have kept Garcia’s music and the Dead scene alive and thriving.

“To me, that is so unique about the Dead. I can’t think of any bands that have a tribute cover band scene that’s at all like the Grateful Dead’s. It is a global phenomenon. There’s even a website that lists every Dead tribute band in every state and their performance dates,” says Logan.

“If you wanted to, you could go to a Dead show every day of the year.”

The increasing popularity of the Dead after Garcia’s death was the impetus for the Grateful Guitars Foundation. Logan first noticed tribute band musicians lacked the caliber of instruments that could produce the same sound quality of Garcia’s custom-made guitars — which range from $10,000 to $25,000 each.

By 2009, Logan had begun to acquire custom-made copies of Garcia’s guitars for his own private guitar collection.

“There were a lot of luthiers out there who were Deadheads who were building custom guitars, like Tiger and Wolf guitars that were famously owned by Jerry. So, I started to collect those replica

instruments. Then, the bands that were playing Dead shows from the 60s, 70s, 80s or the 90s wanted to use those same guitars because they sounded very close to Jerry’s,” he explains.

So when he ordered a custom replica of one of Garcia’s guitars for his collection, he would order a second one for a musician, which became the impetus for starting and sustaining Grateful Guitars.

Later, he expanded to include guitar replicas used by Garcia’s counterpart and long-standing rhythm guitarist, Bob Weir.

“So, I pretty much have the exact same models of the guitars that Bobby and Jerry played over the entire course of the band’s career,” Logan says.

Through the foundation, he is now able to offer those instruments to musicians who need them. Logan himself owns about 75 Dead-related guitars, including two of Garcia’s actual guitars: a 1955 “Alligator” Fender Stratocaster and a 1943 “Jerry’s Herringbone” Martin D-28 that was used to record the legendary album “American Beauty.”

“A lot of collectors have said to me, ‘You are crazy to let anyone touch the originals.

They should be handled with white gloves and locked away,’” says Logan.

“But I think these guitars were made to play. One of the biggest reasons I am into

the Dead is the ethos that they held so dear. It was an ethos of genuineness, not of being shallow, greedy or selfish.”

When musicians receive a guitar from the foundation, they are inspired. “It’s a great feeling to see how they’re lifted, and the fans see it, too. The crowd cheers and the band notices and plays a little harder.

So, it has a reciprocal effect,” he says.

Through the Grateful Guitars Foundation, Logan hopes to inspire a new generation of jam bands carrying on the Deadhead tradition. He has the support of his two sons, Wyatt, 19, and Hayden, 22, who help him transport gear to concerts and volunteer at the foundation.

Growing up, the two boys were not fans of the music. More recently and “kind of by osmosis, they are slowly becoming Deadheads,” Logan says.

He has been the executive producer of successful documentaries, notably “Andy Irons: Kissed by God,” about the worldchampion surfer who died at age 32 after a lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder and addiction. He is especially excited about his next film on Grateful Dead tribute bands and the healing aspects and musical legacy of the Grateful Dead.

The film pays homage to Garcia’s legacy, of course. But Logan hopes people who aren’t fans of his music gain a deeper understanding of the ethos of the band and “why the community remains so strong –– and how it can help humanity as a whole,” he says.

“Community is a big piece of being a Deadhead,” he says. “And kindness is a part of the Dead scene, along with respect for people and their individuality. We all need way more of this in these divisive times.”

As for Logan, he plays guitar and the drums when he has time. But his real passion is ensuring that the music of Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir lives on as a new crop of musicians attract a new wave of younger Deadheads.

Scan to watch an interview with Andy and learn more about his foundation.

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Alumni Voices

Making Waves: Retired Capt. George N. Thompson ’72, the First African American to Lead the U.S. Navy Band George N. Thompson ’72, P’93, ’98 began his musical training when he was just seven years old, and over the years would have his talent nurtured at Westminster, then flourish in decades of service to the United States Navy Band. He earned the distinction of becoming the first African American to be commissioned as a naval officer in the history of the Navy’s music program in 1990, and he became the first African American commanding officer and leader of the U.S. Navy Band in 2007.

As commanding officer, Thompson led operations for the United States Navy Band’s six ensembles, comprised of 170 enlisted musicians who perform in over 270 public concerts and 1,300 military ceremonies each year.

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“B

oth of my parents were active singers in church choir,” Thompson says. “I went to the piano after services and began picking up melodies. They knew I needed a professional teacher.” His lessons continued until he enrolled at Westminster as a Fourth Former.

At Westminster, Thompson was a student leader, serving as Junior Prefect, basketball captain and choir president.

“I worked closely with Larry and Ann Gilman for choir,” he recalls. “I was happy to have such wonderful mentors.”

The Gilmans were among members of the Westminster community to travel to Washington for George’s 2007 promotion ceremony.

George studied at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, earning an A.S. in business administration and management in 1974, a field that he said was “not his cup of tea.”

He and his wife, Penny, married in 1975 and by 1977, the couple was living in Philadelphia with their daughter Dorian ’93. “We needed to get out of the city,” said Thompson. “It was not the best environment to raise a child.” The couple decided that a career in military service would best suit their family.

“I had intended to join the Marines,” Thompson recalls. “But when I arrived at the recruiting station, a Navy sailor was there. I took an entrance exam, got a physical, and soon I was at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill., for basic training.”

After enlisting, Thompson planned to work in aviation administration, but a chance encounter with a fellow sailor who played French horn with the Naval Academy Band would change the trajectory of his service. “I had no idea the Navy even had a music program,” he said. He was granted an audition, and was assigned to the Naval School of Music and the Navy Band’s “Flagship” ensemble, marking the beginning of his 13 years of service as an enlisted man.

Thompson soon observed that there were a significant number of musicians of color in performance ensembles, but few among senior enlisted ranks and none among officers. When he asked the head of Navy Music why this was the case, he

Thompson early in his career.

was told that there “hadn’t been anyone qualified.”

“I wanted to effect change in the program, and I knew the only way to do that was to be in a post to do so,” says Thompson. He returned to the Naval School of Music for advanced technical training and embarked on overseas duty, where he gained additional ensemble leadership experience.

As commanding officer, Thompson led operations for the United States Navy Band’s six ensembles, comprised of 170 enlisted musicians who perform in over 270 public concerts and 1,300 military ceremonies each year. One of his most memorable performances was as director of the 7th Fleet Band, which performed for then-President Bill Clinton on his visit to the USS Independence in Japan. He has traveled widely with Penny, Dorian, and son George Thompson III ’98 to duty stations across the United States and overseas.

Through ceremonies, national and regional tours, public concerts and recordings, the U.S. Navy Band aims to inspire patriotism, elevate esprit de corps, enhance Navy awareness and public relations, support recruiting and retention efforts, preserve the nation’s musical heritage and project a positive image at home and abroad.

Since his retirement in 2010,

Thompson has stayed musically active, playing at his church and performing as a piano soloist at weddings, dinners and special events. He traveled this summer to participate in a panel of former Navy Band leaders as the unit approaches its 100th anniversary in 2025. He has remained an important part of the Westminster community as a parent, a trustee serving from 2008 to 2010, and now a participant in the Seventh Form, which represents alumni who graduated 50 or more years ago.

In Jacksonville, Fla., where he and Penny now live, Thompson is a volunteer with a faith-based organization, Young Life, that serves middle and high school-aged students, primarily from socioeconomically disadvantaged families.

“We meet weekly to share stories, play games and listen to music, and the children dance. We conclude with a 15-minute message introducing kids to Christ,” he says.

One thing he is not leading is the music selection. He emphasized that the music and dance choices are made by the students, not the adult leaders.

“There are so many distractions. Kids aren’t able to be kids. Many of our young people are responsible for caring for younger siblings,” said Thompson.

“It’s very rewarding giving back to the community.”

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Alumni Voices

And She’s Off: Natalie Wilson ’18 Is Out of the Starting Gate with “Saratoga” Songwriter, lyricist and graduate student Natalie Wilson ’18 released her first studio album, “Track Season,” last spring, an accomplishment that might have seemed but a dream to her when she was a student at Westminster.

“Anyone can sing. Writing is my true skill.

I’ve been writing since I was 10 years old. I knew I wanted to be in the music industry”.

— Natalie Wilson ’18

A

lthough she was active in Chorale at Westminster, Wilson had limited experience performing until her classmate Hannah Buckley ’18 asked her to sing as part of a Chapel talk. “I realized I needed accompaniment and asked Simon Aber ’18 to play guitar,”

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she recalls. “I was super nervous. I never performed at open mic nights on campus.

The mic stand kept moving and making noise. I was gripping it so hard that I was shaking.”

Wilson and Aber’s music relationship would continue through their college

years. Aber attended Northeastern University while Wilson was an undergraduate at Skidmore College, where she majored in English with a concentration in songwriting and minored in arts administration. In 2021, she was awarded a summer experience grant that

served to kick-start a 30-date tour for their band, Deck Party, that summer.

Wilson managed the logistics of the tour, and she and Aber performed at nightclubs, breweries, wineries and for students participating in the Horizons program at Westminster.

In summer of 2022, a postgraduate grant from Skidmore allowed her the opportunity to produce “Track Season,” which was recorded, mixed and mastered at Skidmore’s Arthur Zankel Music Center. The title carries a dual meaning, referring to both the eight-week schedule of the Saratoga racetrack and the period during which the album was recorded.

The first track, “Saratoga,” features a trumpet sample captured from the Saratoga Race Course. The EP recording features her original compositions with musicians from her early performing years and collegiate and professional performers.

“I had carte blanche at the recording studio,” Wilson says. She was even able to enlist her brother Scott Wilson ’19, also a musician, and Aber’s father, a Westminster mathematics teacher and string ensemble director, Dan Aber P’16, ’18, ’20 as collaborators.

Dan’s contribution was a family affair.

“Natalie and my son Simon have been friends since middle school,” he says. “She knew I played saxophone and asked me to play for her song ‘Love Dies Harder.’

Simon recorded my part remotely and sent it to Natalie. I’ve always liked her songs and her unique and natural vocal style.”

Wilson also had a hand in designing the cover art for the record. “It is a collage of three different artists’ work,” she explains. “I had my heart set on the calico cat on the piano, and the greeneryto-skyline imagery represents the distance between Saratoga to New York City.”

Currently, she is learning the business side of the music industry and preparing for her next album recording. After earning her B.A. from Skidmore in 2022, Wilson was accepted to the master of music production program at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass., but she chose to enroll in the master of arts in music business at the New York University Steinhardt School of Culture,

Education, and Human Development.

“I was at a crossroads. I chose NYU. I figured I could learn production on my own. Knowing the business was the smart choice,” she says.

“Anyone can sing. Writing is my true skill. I’ve been writing since I was 10 years old. I knew I wanted to be in the music industry — NYU was a natural segue to the business.”

In addition to her graduate work, Wilson has interned for three semesters at Eusonic Records. “It’s been a cool learning curve,” she says. “It’s the best of both worlds, both production and business. There are so many moving parts.

It’s a lot of juggling.”

Now living in Gramercy Park, New York City, Wilson has stayed in touch with many of her Westminster classmates and looks forward to connecting with alumni who are engaged in music composition. She attended the last New York City reception at the New York

Yacht Club and a summer young alumni event with her brother.

Westminster has a special place in her heart. She chose to enroll in the school to honor her late mother Catherine Wilson, a long-term substitute French teacher at Westminster who died when Wilson was 13. As a student, she played varsity soccer and tennis, was a member of Black and Gold and participated in Chorale.

Most recently, Wilson performed at the Bowery Electric in New York’s Lower East Side. She is also cutting custom vinyl records featuring songs from “Track Season,” but her focus now is on demos for her next record. “I want my next project to be as high-caliber as my last,” she says. “Track Season” is streaming on Spotify and all major music services.

Scan to listen to Natalie Wilson’s EP.

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From the Archives

Westminster Campus Through the Years From the time that William Lee Cushing, the school’s founder, moved Westminster from its original location in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., to Simsbury in 1900, the campus has steadily evolved from forest and farmland to a thriving educational institution. The blueprints on the following pages trace the school’s development.

Construction on Williams Hill began in the spring of 1900; by Oct. 17, 1900, the relocated school opened with 34 boys and six masters (or teachers) in a massive, semi-completed building. First called Main, it was rededicated as Cushing Hall in 1940.

One of the earliest buildings on campus, the Hay Memorial Chapel was gutted after a fire in 1904 and rebuilt shortly afterward. (The Hay Memorial Chapel was razed in 1962 to construct a larger chapel, which was renamed Andrews Memorial Chapel.)

The school’s first gym, built in 1905, featured an indoor “water tank.” The Westminster Annual reported that “the frequenters of the pool have managed to enjoy themselves to such an extent that the old swimming hole in the Farmington River is but a pleasant reminiscence.” In 1908, a lengthened basketball court, permanent bleachers, a stage for performances, music rooms and a new entrance to the pool were added to the gym.

In the early 1920s, students built a series of primitive cabins on the forested parts of campus as retreats, a few of which survived until the 1940s.

In 1927, Memorial Hall was built to accommodate student housing, faculty, classrooms, labs and a study hall and was dedicated to the 13 alumni who lost their lives in World War I. As the decades passed, more facilities, dorms and buildings were erected. The four major buildings of the post-World War II era included Westminster House (1949), Andrews House (1953) and Baxter Academic Center (1965). Trees and plantings were added to beautify the campus. In the 1970s, the Darine Library was completed, and the Timken Student Center, designed and built by faculty, parents and students, opened.

By the mid-1980s, the school’s infamous old water tower was razed, and construction of the Barnes-Bristow Observatory was underway. The Werner Centennial Center for the Performing 58

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Above, campus plot circa 1922 and, at left, construction of Main building circa 1900, later to become Cushing Hall.

Arts, designed by Graham Gund ’59, opened its doors in 1989.

Meanwhile, new athletics facilities were on the horizon as 14 tennis courts, two playing fields and an all-weather track were installed.

The Edge House, also designed by Gund, was completed in 1996 and became the model for student housing. In the 2000s, the Kohn Squash Pavilion and the Sherwin Athletic Center were built, and in 2009, the light-filled Armour Academic Center opened its doors. Brockelman Student Center opened in 2018, Armstrong Dining Hall started serving meals in 2017, and several student and faculty residences have been constructed or remodeled in the last decade.

Above, 1946 campus site rendering with hand-drawn markings showing plans for future construction.

Inset, an aerial view painting of campus circa 1980.

Scan QR codes to view high resolution images of the maps.

Make Your Mark on Westminster All Martlets can make a mark on Westminster by supporting the aspects of life on Williams Hill that are most important to them. Here are the priorities that you can choose to support: FACULTY

FINANCIAL AID

STUDENT LIFE

ATHLETICS

THE ARTS

THE WESTMINSTER FUND

Scan the QR code to make a gift online

Make a gift by mail Westminster School Advancement Office 995 Hopmeadow Street Simsbury, CT 06070

Visit gift.westminster-school.org or scan the QR code to make your gift. The Westminster Fund closes on June 30.

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A Martlet Mystery

The Mighty Oak

Each year, the archives office receives boxes of memorabilia, photos, trophies, maps, letters and artwork donated by faculty, alumni and friends of Westminster School.

Every item has a story and a place in the school’s history. But sometimes the story is lost or incomplete, and we wish we knew more about it.

Such is the case of the stack of wood slices cut from a branch of the “great” oak destroyed by a hurricane in 1938.

We know many trees on campus fell in the hurricane, one of the deadliest and most destructive tropical cyclones to strike the United States. Yet the 1939 yearbook includes just one reference that reads: “Old boys return to start Westminster’s Fiftieth Year.

They find a denuded campus (compliments to the hurricane).”

The wood slices were given to alumni who attended their 50th Reunion in 1938. A plaque on each piece reads: “The Great Oak, Westminster School, Felled by the Hurricane of September 21, 1938, in the school’s Fiftieth Year.”’

But we know little else about the mighty oak –– its height, its age or its relevance to everyday campus life. Did its canopy of leaves provide shade on warm spring days? Was it a special gathering place? Where was it located on campus?

We do know several trees on campus today are significant to the school’s history. In 1927, 13 maple trees were planted along the senior path, between Main and Memorial, one for each of the “boys” who died in World War I. On the centennial observation of the war, 60 more trees were planted.

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Over the years, more trees were dedicated to faculty members, alumni, parents and students. A sweetgum tree on the south side of Andrews Memorial Chapel was dedicated to former music faculty member Ann Gilman upon her retirement in 2001.

Gilman’s ashes, along with those of her late husband, former faculty member Larry Gilman, and the ashes of former teacher Ashley Olmstead, are buried at the site of the tree. Nearby, a sugar maple was planted in memory of the late Lindsay Bugbee Crosby by her advisees. A beautiful Japanese lilac honors late parent Cindy Whitman Swank P’07, ’10, ’19, who passed away in 2019. Outside the admissions office, a dogwood tree honors the memory of Frances Laurel Hopkins ’97, who passed away in 1995.

We welcome your suggestions for other Martlet mysteries as we dig deeper into the school’s rich past.

Submit your queries to: wcarlson@westminster-school.org

Supporting Westminster

Lisa A. Cavazuti

S. Colin Dowling

Liz Grant Schroeder

Shannon Lanzone

Philip R. Lauderdale

Katherine B. Kelter

Welcome New Trustees Lisa A. Cavazuti ’08 grew up in Ridgefield, Conn. During her time at Westminster, she was a Prefect and president of the John Hay Society. She is a graduate of Georgetown University, where she majored in American studies. She is currently an investigative reporter and producer for NBC News primarily working on longterm humanitarian and environmental stories for “Nightly News with Lester Holt” and “Today.” In 2020, she received an Emmy for her work investigating child labor in Madagascar mines.

Lisa lives in New York City and is part of Refettorio Harlem’s volunteer committee focused on sustainable food assistance.

S. Colin Dowling P’24, ’27 graduated from Kingswood Oxford School and earned his B.A. in history from Wesleyan University.

He holds a J.D. from Western New England University School of Law and is a member of the District of Columbia, Florida, (and formerly Connecticut) Bar Associations. Early in his career, he worked for a member of the House Ways and Means Committee before moving to a large law firm. He then spent 17 years in government affairs at Citigroup and its predecessor, Travelers Group, managing issues on the international, federal, state and local level. He was a managing director at Citigroup and then managed Liberty Mutual’s Washington office until he retired in 2021. Colin served as a member of the Governing Board of Beauvoir, The National Cathedral Elementary School in Washington, D.C. and as a parent trustee of the Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Mass. Colin and his wife, Nicola, live in Indian River Shores, Fla., and have three children: Colin (Denison University ’26), Nicholas ’24 and Claire ’27.

Liz Grant Schroeder ’84, P’10,’14, president of the Parents of Alumni Association, begins serving a two-year term as an ex officio trustee on the board. After attending Westminster, Liz graduated from Denison University in 1988. She has since served on several education-centered boards, including the Miami Valley School, the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery and Think TV. She lives in Dayton, Ohio, with her husband, Charlie. They have two daughters, Kingsley ’10 and Thiele ’14.

Shannon Lanzone P’25 earned her B.A. at U.C. San Diego and J.D. at Emory Law School. Following a career as a criminal prosecutor and litigator, Shannon redirected her legal skills by serving several civic organizations, including as a board member of the Alamo, Calif., town council, and as a member of the San Ramon Valley Unified School District Bond Oversight Committee, as well as providing 14 years of leadership roles in the Parents’ Associations for The Seven Hills School and Bentley High School.

Shannon and her husband, Jim, divide their time between the San Francisco area and New York City, which allows them to stay closer to their daughter, Reese ’25, and to become more involved with the Westminster community.

Philip R. Lauderdale ’02 is assistant general counsel and lead of the general counsel’s office technology and managed services team at Ernst & Young (EY) in the U.S. He earned a B.A. in economics from The Ohio State University and a J.D. from Ohio State Moritz College of Law. He studied professional sports law and had intended to work as a player agent representative. He worked as an attorney at IBM, where his work on high-value global technology led to his recruitment to EY in 2018. He had continued scouting and was an agent and an adviser for young hockey players until he became more advanced in his career. As a student at Westminster, he played varsity football, baseball and hockey. Phil lives in Greenwich, Conn., where he continues to enjoy playing weekly recreational hockey.

Katherine B. Kelter ’14, who served on the board as an ex officio member, has joined the board as a trustee. Katherine lives in Bozeman, Mont., and is an associate on the Strategic Partnership team at the global nonprofit Kiva. She is a graduate of Trinity College, where she earned a B.A. in economics and urban studies.

Katherine has served on the Young Alumni Council as president and vice president and as a Westminster class agent. Her sisters, Elizabeth ’12 and Caroline ’19, are Westminster alumni, and her father, Jeffrey Kelter P’12, ’14, ’19, served on the Westminster board of trustees from 2011-2020.

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Supporting Westminster

Simsbury Parent Receptions Hop Meadow Country Club • May 2, 2023

Michelle DeFazio P’24, Elaine White, Angelo DeFazio P’24

Katie Fineberg P’26 , Maria Bradley P’21 ’23, Ilana Cathcart P’18, ’20, ’23, John Schuster P’19, ’21, ’24, Mark Fineberg P’26

Jennifer Mason P’23, ’23, Bob Bradley P’21, 23, Cici Xi P ’24, Seun Olaosebikan P’26, ’27, Heather Tomlinson P’27, Amy Raskind P’25, Emily Kaufman P’26

Pratt House • August 31, 2023

Tapasi Mohapatra and Siba Satapathy P’27

Anna de la Fe P’25, ’26, John and Kathleen Schuster P’19, ’21, ’24, Elizabeth Griffith P’27

Heather Tomlinson P’27, Shannon and Karlos Boghosian P’27

Courtney and Tony Leone P’27, Lisa Raczka and Tawnia Pacheco P’25, Brian and Allison Fluckiger P’26, Jeanne Hager and Liz Collins P’25, Collin Martin P’27

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Young Alumni Gatherings Seamore’s Chelsea, NYC • Host Jay Wainwright P’22, ’25 • July 18, 2023

Scott Wilson ’19, Isabel von Bargen-Burke ’19, Cam Jury ’19, Drew Brownback ’19, Hamilton Stuart ’19, Georgia Swank ’19, Natalie Wilson ’18

Sean Ryan ’18, Indira Marzbani ’18, Paul McNamara ’18, Natalie Wilson ’18, Teagan Stedman ’18

Colgate University Dinner, Seven Oaks Grill in Hamilton, NY

Boston College Dinner, Cityside Tavern in Brighton, MA

Morgan Pineault ’21, Campbell Swift ’21, Maggie McCarthy ’23, Joe Walsh ’20, Will Rizzo ’21, Tommy Cramer ’23

Ava Lynch ’23, Tyler Watson ’23, Samantha de Kanter ’22, Shay Benjamin ’22, Justin Parsons ’20, Jack Kelly ’22

Seventh Form Gatherings

Back Row: John Kebabian ’73, Hunter Smith ’68, Doug Davie ’72 Middle row: Jerry Glover ’72, Charlie Dietrich, Evan Stewart ’70, P’11 Front row: Hilary Kumnick ’73, Jim Mendillo ’67, Doug Hansen ’71

Jody Vaill ’66, Tony Howland ’72, Marty Farr ’57, David White ’72, Jim Ladd ’67, Jeff Katz ’67, Rob Kurtz ’72, Jeff Cook ’66

Pop-Up Gatherings In addition to more formal and traditional receptions, this year the Advancement and Admissions offices partnered up to host Pop-Ups with parents in different locations.

Raleigh Pop Up • April 19, 2023 William Foy ’90, Peter Anlyan ’69, Samantha Fiske ’92, Bill Anlyan ’68, Michael Fiske ’58, P’92, Reg Morgan ’66, Kathy Fiske

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Supporting Westminster

Nantucket Reception Hosts Ann and Graham Gund ’59 • August 2, 2023

Ainsley Muldoon, Franny Trafelet ’26, Lara Trafelet P’23, ’26, Graham Gund ’59, Charlotte Trafelet ’23

Betsy and Sean Devlin ’01

Bennett Ghriskey ’22, Shelby Oken ’22, Catharine Cathey P’26, Jennifer Oken P’22, John Cathey P’26, Finn Cathey ’26

Courtney Matthews Bibb ’95, Nick Dilks ’92 and Martina Dilks P’24 64

Westminster Bulletin

Danny Judge ’22, Jess Keough, Cooper Kistler ’22

Ben and Margot Fooshee P’27, Matt Warner ’91 and Sanny Warner P’22, ’25, Ashley Ghriskey P’22, ’26, Ian Morton ’87, P’22 P’22

Darien Parent Gathering Seamore’s Darien • Host Jay Wainwright P’22, ’25 • September 18, 2023

Mark Radin P’25, John Fichthorn P’26, Jay Wainwright P’22, ’25, Ben Fooshee P’27

Lexy Werner P’27, Caroline Gallagher P’25

Kathryn Groves P’26, Caroline Gallagher P’25, Elaine White

Jessica Keough, Sharayne Muir P’26, Brian and Alison O’Callaghan P’26

Philip Lauderdale ’02, Shannon Sturz ’03, Newell Grant Jr. ’99

Elana Wood P’25, Melissa Scollans P’26, Lisa Alpaugh P’18, ’24 Fall 2023

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Supporting Westminster

Boston Reception October 3, 2023

Ali Bragg Murphy ’09, Ashley Jeffress Ladd ’09, Charlie Keegan ’09, Mike Curran ’09

Roy and Karina Lurie P’22, Chris White

Alastair Smith ’13, Stephen McCormick ’14, Margot Frank ’15, Eleni Tebano ’13

Joe Rodrigues ’96, P’23, ’27, Tyler Hill ’93, P’25, Martha Payne ’94, Jose Ruiz ’94 66

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Wonjune Kang ’16, Will Leathers ’17, Maddy Paro ’17, Kayla Leathers

Maris Cathcart ’23, Jessie Taveres P’24, Sam Bradley ’23

New York City Parent Reception Hosts: Kate and Andrew Davis P’26 • October 10, 2023

Emily Lown P’24, Kate Krieger P’27, Elaine White

Anton Frid P’27, Amy Rohrbaugh and Troy Rohrbaugh P’27

Thao Do P’26, Elaine White

Catherine Carey P’24, Charlie Griffith P’11, ’14, ’17, Adrian and Lydia Heenan Marshall ’95 P’25, Ali Dwyer Edwards ’95, P’27

Ben Wurts P’22, ’24, Kate and Andrew Davis P’26, Julie Wurts P’22, ’24

Neil and Seifali Shah P’26, Chris White

Colin and Nicola Dowling P’24, ’27 Fall 2023

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Supporting Westminster

The Sejong Lecture Hall, a 120-seat lecture hall, opened in Armour Academic Center in 2009 and is named in honor of Sejong the Great, the fourth ruler of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea.

Two Named Places on Campus Honor Korean History Named places on campus often honor specific donors, families, retired Westminster faculty or school leaders, but two significant spaces, given by the Korean Parents Association, pay tribute to Korea’s past.

Hwarang Lobby, a spacious welcoming area for members of the community in the Armstrong Dining Hall, opened in 2017 and honors Hwarang, an educated group of elite youth during the Silla Dynasty (57 BC-95 AD).

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Parent and Alumni Reception in Seoul, South Korea, June 2023

Following this year’s Commencement ceremony, Dean of Admissions Miles Bailey ’94, Director of Advancement Newell Grant Jr. ’99 and Head of School Elaine White traveled to Seoul, South Korea, where they visited with parents and alumni while touring historic sites and enjoying traditional dishes.

The trip marked the school’s first since the start of the pandemic.

Suhryoung Pak P’25 with Dean of Admissions Miles Bailey ’94

Hyukkee Moon ’98, CEO of Jeju Beer Co., in front of his company banner with Elaine White

White enjoys a “make your own kimchi experience” in Seoul on June 2.

Hyukkee Moon ’98 with Director of Advancement Newell Grant Jr. ’99

Proud mothers of Westminster students: Hyerim Han P’24, Eunah Hur P’24 and Seojeong Lee P’24 Fall 2023

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Supporting Westminster

Two Powerful Years and a Lifetime of Friendship

From left to right: Dick and Susan Stewart, Judy and Don Geissler and Glenn and Cheryl Craft Glenn Craft ’66 considers his two years on Williams Hill the most impactful years of his youth. Changing high schools was a certainty when his parents announced a move from Hudson, N.Y. to Albany, N.Y. Fate stepped in: A family friend recommended Westminster, and as Robert Frost wrote, “that has made all the difference.”

At Westminster, Glenn learned about himself and people who had different life experiences. He discovered independence. He was well prepared for college, both academically and socially, and for adjusting to new environments throughout life. He appreciated the balance that was offered in academics, athletics and activities like The Martlet, and he carried that balance throughout his career, family life, and love of sports.

The friendships Glenn made during his two years have been 70

Westminster Bulletin

a lifetime gift. He arrived as a Fifth Former and was placed in a triple with Dick Stewart ’66 and Don Geissler ’66. Their friendship has aged as well as the scotch they drink during their visits to Cape Cod. So when Dick asked the Class of 1966 to join the Thring Society in honor of their 55th reunion, Glenn happily said yes.

Glenn chose to make Westminster a beneficiary of his IRA. This is the easiest, fastest and most affordable way to include Westminster in your estate plans. If you would like to honor the relationships you made at Westminster School, please contact Jennifer Keyo, director of legacy and leadership giving, at 860-408-3039 or jkeyo@westminster-school.org to discuss the best way for you to join the Thring Society.

An Evening on Williams Hill

O

n Sept. 22, trustees, alumni, parents, faculty and friends of Westminster gathered for cocktails and dinner in the Armstrong Dining Hall. In her address, Head of School Elaine White first praised the Sixth Form class, which entered the school the first full year of the pandemic and spent most of their first two years of high school masked, isolated and quarantined.

“We are so lucky to have the Sixth Form now –– fully engaged since before the first day of the school, managing their time efficiently and effectively, embracing their responsibility as role models and stepping up to take the lead and be helpful, kind and considerate in virtually every instance,” she said.

White spoke about the school’s future. “As Westminster moves forward,” she said, “it must capitalize on its distinctive strength to strengthen the school’s foundation, ensure success in an increasingly competitive market and secure the legacy of the school, including three pillars that are the foundation of the school.

“Our relationship-based model of education, our holistic approach to education and our commitment to grit and grace; those three pillars are the way in which Westminster has been nurturing and investing in our students for more than a century,” she said.

“This is our work. It is our job as adults at Westminster to ensure that this school is a safe place for students to practice independence, to feel discomfort, to risk — and even experience failure. We must be a school where relationships matter, a school that demands involvement, and we must be a school that imbues grit and grace in its students,” White said, adding, “those foundational pillars are exactly what our students need to reach beyond the ordinary, live with character and intelligence and commit to a life of service beyond themselves. That’s the Westminster way.”

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Class Notes Send alumni news and class notes via email to classnotes@westminster-school.org.

Send updates to contact information to spierson@westminster-school.org

1956 Nick Cameron writes that he was

heartened by the article on the Harmonaires that appeared on p.48 in the spring Bulletin. It was one of the more memorable activities he participated in at Westminster. He was the “Pitch” of the singing group in 1956. He notes that the Harmonaires existed quite some time before 1956. “The group was well established when I arrived in 1953 as a Fourth Former. The faculty director was Mr. Crandall, a Yale graduate and former Whiffenpoof, who retired with our class.

We all credited him with being the original organizer of the group, although I don’t know this with certainty,” he writes.

1960 William Carey writes, “On Sept. 20,

Mary and I began a 12-day trip on the Sea Cloud. Built in 1931, it is the largest private sailing yacht ever constructed.

It was commissioned by E. F. Hutton and designed by his wife, Marjorie Merriweather Post. Our trip began in

Upon learning about the passing of classmate Bob Epsen ’57, Dick Johnson ’57 submitted a photo he found of himself (left), Peter Fonda ’58 (center) and Bob during their days on The Hill.

Dubrovnik and took us along the ‘boot’ of Italy and Sicily, ending in Naples with many stops along the way.”

Chandler Saint ’61and Tom Turton ’61 at the sign commemorating the freedom of slave Venture Smith in Pawcatuck, Conn.

1961 Chandler Saint and Tom Turton joined

Connecticut DEEP, Conn. U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s staff and representatives from the Denison and Davis homesteads to celebrate the new sign commemorating Venture Smith earning his freedom in 1765… for the price of 71 pounds and 2 shillings.

1963 Toby Levy writes that he is splitting his

William Carey ’60 and his wife, Mary, prior to the start of their 12-day trip in September on the Sea Cloud, the largest private sailing yacht ever built, pictured above.

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time between Vero Beach, Fla., and a new home in Moultonborough, N.H. He is still an avid skier and is looking forward to trips to Stowe, Telluride, and the Yellowstone Club this winter.

The three Beale brothers celebrated the wedding of Bouvier’s daughter on Sept. 24, 2023: Bouvier Beale ’66 (seated), Ridgely Beale ’68 (standing in blue shirt) and Christopher Beale ’71 (standing in the yellow tie).

Standing: Don Geissler ’66, Dick Stewart ’66, Buz Kohn ’66, Jeff Cook ’66, Derek Fahey ’66, and Chris Burr ’69 got together with Don Werner P’79, ’82 (seated) recently.

1966 Jody (George) Vaill was featured in the

In July, four Westminster couples gathered at Rett Sturman’s house on Grand Isle in Lake Champlain, Vt. They spent a couple of days enjoying the lake and surrounding farmlands, as well as a lot of conversation, Westminster memories and, yes, the occasional cocktail.

In the couples photo, from left to right: Art ’65 and Pam Turton; Rett Sturman ’65 and wife, Cathy Nimick; Bob ’63 and Martha Patrick (currently living in Turkey); Jon Clapp ’65 and wife, Kathy Lynch.

Boston Globe in June as the “Free Advice” guy in Harvard Square.

The article reads: “If you’re passing through this bustling neighborhood once known for its quirky and off-beat outdoor entertainment, there’s simply no avoiding George Vaill. With his bushy gray mustache, technicolor propeller hat, and cartoonish black spectacles and bright-yellow sneakers, he lounges in a camping chair beneath a large sign that says, ‘FREE ADVICE, OFFERED OR ACCEPTED.’ Try to avoid eye contact as you stroll by and he’ll wave and say hello anyway, and then offer you a sticker with a link to his website: https:// www.freeadvicebygeorge.com.”

The concept of offering free advice came to him while he was searching for activities to keep himself occupied after retiring from the real estate business.

He came across a story about a group of elderly men who operated an advice booth at a farmers market in Salt Lake City and was immediately inspired.

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Class Notes

1968 Porter Berry competed in the swimming

portion of the Endeavor Games in Edmond, Okla. He swims the individual medley, freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly. This was his sixth consecutive year competing, and he is already registered for 2024.

1970 C. Evan Stewart’s second book is in the

works! “The Worst Supreme Court Decisions, Ever!” will be published in 2024. Meanwhile his book on Myron Taylor is in its second printing, and his book tour continues.

1971 Dawud Shabaka (David Ford) writes, “I’ve

been in Dakar, Senegal, with Dr. Mildred McClain, founder and executive director of the Harambee House. We met with the director of Senegal’s ministry of the environment (person right under the Minister) to talk about partnering with a national environmental justice group, Moving Forward Network, that we are a part of.”

Douglas Dobbin ’71 teaching Spanish to ninth graders Douglas Dobbin writes: “From Sept. 2019

– Sept. 2022, I taught a local middle school kid Spanish; he was being homeschooled, two one-hour sessions a week, one on

Bill Bartholomay ’71 writes that he adopted two new family members on May 27, pups Archer and Gracie.

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one. A lot of stand and deliver (he had nowhere to hide) … flash cards that taught useful stuff, like, “Mi hermano es más tonto que una caja de rocas!” (My brother is dumber than a box of rocks.)

The young man went to North Caroline County High School this fall; he got into third year Spanish as a freshman and got an A. Fast forward to three weeks ago. I got an email from the principal at NCHS, asking for a call. It seems that the Spanish 1 teacher had a baby; the backup plan had fallen through; two weeks of searching had been unproductive. Would my 69 year-old untrained self be willing to teach three sections of 25 ninth-graders Spanish for the rest of the year as a substitute teacher? I said yes.

Fifty years ago, none of us knew where our Westminster education would lead us. I certainly never thought that 75 kids (or at least those that are willing to care) would benefit from all the work that Ron Michelini put into me. Life has a strange way of paying it forward.”

“Nor’Easter Moving In,” oil on canvas by Will Sillin ’73

An avid surfer, David Wood ’75 continues to travel the world chasing waves. He heads to Costa Rica this fall and will spend two months in Indonesia this winter.

From left to right: Beth Boger, John McGrath ’73, Barbara McGrath, Will Sillin ’73, Liz Sillin and Bentley Boger ’73 all toured the passes and backwaters of the Mississippi’s bird foot delta last June.

1973 Seven of Will Sillin’s paintings are in the 40th Anniversary Show at Francesca Anderson Fine Art in Lexington, Mass.

The show runs from Sept. 20 through Dec. 20.

1975 David Wood recently visited campus to

give a Chapel talk about how the practice of serving others, a life skill he was taught at Westminster, helped him walk through the tragic death of his son, Galen. He is winding down his career as a trial lawyer and will retire from his firm at the end of 2023. An avid surfer, David will continue to travel the world chasing waves,

David Wood ’75, on right, met with dear friend and classmate Scott Carroll for breakfast near the Canadian border in upstate New York in the summer of 2022.

including six weeks in Costa Rica this fall and two months in Indonesia next winter.

David met with dear friend Scott Carroll ’75 for breakfast near the Canadian border in upstate New York in the summer of 2022.

Mike Jackson writes, “I retired from

renewable energy development in the spring and my wife and I are splitting our time between Charlestown and West Falmouth, Mass. Jane’s still working at the Gardner Museum, and I’m doing a lot of sailing and biking, getting accustomed to more personal time.

A few Westy-oriented highlights from August: We thoroughly enjoyed a visit from [Head of School] Elaine White and [Director of Advancement] Newell Grant ’99, who stopped by for a sail on the heels of their

Mike Jackson ’75, on left, and classmate David Winship, on right, met up at the Small Point Club in Maine over the summer.

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Class Notes

alumni event in Nantucket (Elaine had the wheel in a very stiff breeze and high seas while Newell hunkered down and, although it may have been more than they bargained for, they showed grit and grace and stayed mostly dry). Jane and I cruised from the Cape to Maine and received superb hospitality ashore from David Winship at his Small Point home. I rode with Dave Hovey’s ’78 Pan Mass Challenge team for the sixth year, repeating the emotional and athletic challenge of 200 miles in two days raising money to cure cancer. We are looking forward to a big reunion in June 2024!”

Spike Lobdell writes that he is very much

looking forward to coming back and seeing everyone at the June 2024 Flock Reunion. For some it has been almost 50 years. During those years, he spent most of his time working for JPMorgan (27 years and 245 days — but who’s counting) and XL Capital. However, what he’s most proud about was founding the New England Science & Sailing Foundation (NESS). www.nessf.org NESS teaches STEM to approximately

9,000 students across the country using water-based platforms such as sailing and adventure sports. While learning science, students are also acquiring valuable life skills such as teamwork, communication and perseverance. Over 50 percent of these students receive some form of financial aid. NESS has received significant regional and national recognition. It is currently the only school partner program to be accredited by the New England Association of Schools & Colleges, or NEASC. Susan Gossling Walters writes, “By the

time reunion rolls around, my husband and I should be in full sales mode with our home in north Baltimore County, where we’ve lived for the last 31 years.

We’re ready to pass this place on to another energetic family as we’ve outgrown the hillside upkeep, but not the views or the community. Next summer, we’ll be moving south to be beach bums on Pawleys Island, S.C. My 40-career in communications and marketing made its crescendo in Baltimore at the world headquarters of Catholic Relief Services.

James Winokur ’82 with granddaughter Valerie When the offices closed due to COVID-19 and work moved to our computer screens, I was happy to call it a day and say goodbye. Four years ago, I tapped back into my passion for printmaking and jumped in with my whole self, creating artworks on paper. Hope to see you in June!”

1982 James Winokur writes that he recently

became a first-time grandfather! Baby Valerie and James’ daughter are doing well. James also told us he has been an executive and CEO for companies in the nascent cannabis industry for over eight years and is currently a small business consultant with cannabis company clients.

He also continues to play drums in the Mid Life Crisis band, now in his 15th year with the band.

1990 Eve Poole Percival ’90 was awarded an OBE in the UK New Year Honours list for services to education and gender equality, and this honour was conferred by King Charles at Holyrood Palace on July 5, the day of his Scottish coronation. She won the award for her leadership of Gordonstoun, his old school, so it was fitting that he was greeted by three bagpipers from Gordonstoun when he arrived at St. Giles Cathedral later that afternoon to receive the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish Crown Jewels.

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It has been a big year for Eve Poole. She was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) by King Charles for her service to education and gender equality.

Her latest book, “Robot Souls,” was released in August. Her other recently published books are “Capitalism’s Toxic Assumptions” (Bloomsbury 2015) and “Leadersmithing” (Bloomsbury 2017).

1996 Tim Quinn recently earned his doctorate in

educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania and rewarded his kids for his time spent studying with a brand new puppy, an Australian Labradoodle named Dewey!

Jeff Cady returned to the Hill and the

lacrosse field last May when his Bement boys’ lacrosse team faced off against the Westminster Thirds team. It felt fitting to play on the upper field, the same location where Jeff played all his football and lacrosse games as a student. Before the game, he recounted the story of his last game there in 1996. Westminster defeated Hotchkiss 12-11 to win the Founders League and Western New England Championships. While Bement was outmatched by the older, more experienced Westminster team, the game proved an invaluable learning experience for his middle school players. Westminster graciously hosted Bement for pizza afterward and gifted the visiting team with Westy merchandise. Unsurprisingly, Westminster has found its way onto the list of potential secondary schools for several of the Bement players.

2013

Jeff Cady ’96, coach at Bement School in Massachusetts, paused for a photo with Westminster’s Thirds lacrosse following a match last spring.

Senior Associate Director of Admissions Mitch Overbye recently enjoyed catching up with Andrew Nitkin ’08 during a chance meeting while hiking in Colorado.

These ’20 Martlets, Owen Larson, Brad Donegan, and Mikaila Lupoli, were on the trip of their lives doing a Maymester from Madrid throughout Spain with a Spanish professor and 15 peers from Holy Cross.

Charlotte Loomis and Trish Freund, both Class of 1983, enjoyed reuniting over dinner with Brett Roenick ’16 in San Diego last summer.

This year, Isaac Mullen ’22 and the Dartmouth racing team are taking on a new platform with the development of an all-new, all-electric vehicle.

Danny O’Connell writes that recently

he spent a lovely day living, laughing and reminiscing with classmate Christopher Albanese.

2022 Isaac Mullen ’22 has been leading the racing

team at Dartmouth this year. While most of the older members are skilled designers, they lack the electrical engineering knowhow to design an electric car. Isaac to the rescue! The team is an interdisciplinary group of individuals working together to achieve a common goal — ­ the construction of a race car. The team originated in 1996, and since then it has built a legacy of engineering excellence on the foundation of the alumni that have come before.

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In Memoriam

OBITUARIES

1946 John N. McMath Jr. died Aug. 22, 2022.

He was 94 years old. John was a lifetime member of the Mayflower Society. His family has a long history of military service, having ancestors who fought in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War and World War I. After graduating from Westminster, John served in the military after World War II. He graduated from Williams College in 1952. Shortly after college, he took a position with the firm of Hutchins & Darcy, which later would become Hutchins, Young & Rubicam, working in public relations. John married Phoebe Hawkes in 1953 in New York City and moved to Rochester, N.Y., in 1962, with his family. In 1969, he started his own advertising agency and later created and developed Wild Winds Organic Farms in Naples, N. Y., after becoming fascinated with the health benefits of organic and natural foods. With his passion for healthy foods and his marketing experience, he used his talents as a consultant for Birkett Mills part-time until the age of 90 when he retired. He is survived by his children, Sandi McMath, Lesley McMath and Andrew McMath; grandchildren James and Benjamin McMath and Alex McMath Schmitt; great-granddaughter, Sophia Grace McMath, and dearly loved best friend, Patricia Hans. He was predeceased by his son, Gregory Hawkes McMath, and his brother, Robert M. McMath.

Frederick Arthur Risley, 94, of Darien and

Fairfield, Conn., died peacefully June 25, 2023. Fred was born Aug. 4, 1928, in Dover, Ohio. He spent his early childhood years in Glencoe, Ill., until his family relocated to Stamford, Conn. After he graduated from Westminster in 1946, he attended Yale University, Class of 1950, where he was a member of the golf team.

After college he joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany during the Korean War. He returned to Stamford to work for Metropolitan Life Insurance, where he met his wife, Pauline, with

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whom he raised five children in Darien, Conn. He is survived by Pauline, five children, and grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.

1947 James Scott Denham III P’83 of

Wilmington, Del., died Nov. 29, 2022. He was 94. He graduated from Westminster in 1947, where he served as Head Prefect his Sixth Form year. After receiving his B.A. from the University of Virginia in 1951, Jim served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. The great grandson of the founder of Speakman Company, Allen Speakman, Jim began his career with the Speakman Company in 1956, retiring in 1998 as vice president.

He was avid outdoorsman, but golf was his passion. He and his brother, Sonny, were formidable partners. He was predeceased by his brother William Bailey Denham, Jr. and sister Susanne Denham Singer. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Elizabeth Foales Denham, his brother Willard Allen Speakman Denham ’49; son, James S. Denham IV ’83; daughter, Reeves Denham Jones; four grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

1949 William Mulock Thomson P’77, of Darien,

Conn., and Naples, Fla., died Feb.11, 2023. He was born Jan. 31, 1931, in Stamford, Conn., into a sailing family originally from the Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto, Canada. Bill was always proud of his Canadian heritage and was named after his great-grandfather, Sir William Mulock, who was knighted for his many contributions to the British Empire. After graduating from Westminster, Bill attended the University of Vermont, earning a B.S. in business in 1954. He was captain of UVM tennis team and enjoyed skiing at Mount Mansfield in nearby Stowe. Most significantly, UVM was where he met his future wife, Mary Jane Martin of Manhasset, N.Y. During his senior year at UVM, Bill was hired by IBM, where he had a fulfilling career that spanned 37 years. Bill embraced his family, his career

and his lifelong love of sports, including tennis, skiing, golf and especially sailing.

His sailing highlights included competing in the 5.5-meter Worlds in Naples, Italy, and in Copenhagen, Denmark. He sailed in the Newport to Bermuda race three times.

In 1977, Bill was vice chairperson of the 12-meter International Challenger’s Trials for the America’s Cup. Upon retirement, Jane and Bill discovered Naples, Fla., where he was often found on the tennis court in the morning and on the golf course in the afternoon. Bill is survived by his daughter, Wendy Thomson Flamand, and her husband, Wilkie Flamand; his son, Kevin Macrae Thomson ’77 and wife, Wendy Lappell Thomson and three grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his wife, Jane, and his brother Robert M. Thomson ’45.

1950 Andrew Varick Stout III, 92, died Jan. 25,

2023, at his home in Lincoln, N.H. Born in N.Y.C. and raised in Stamford, Conn., he graduated from Westminster, where he served as a trustee from 1968-1971. He spent two years serving his country as a quartermaster on the USS Sigourney during the Korean War. He graduated from Yale University and worked in the family firm of Dominick & Dominick as senior vice president of the branch offices. After 14 years on Wall Street, he moved his family to Etna, N.H., in search of a new career.

An ardent fly fisherman, he fished the rivers of New England, Canada, Ireland and Scotland in search of Atlantic salmon and committed his career to the U.S. salmon restoration program. The U.S. State Dept. appointed him a member of the North Atlantic Salmon Organization. As his career flourished, he was awarded the Leer Wullf Award in recognition of his contribution to the salmon conservation effort. He was elected to the Vermont legislature and, as a freshman legislator, wrote and sponsored a bill that led to a law to protect the state’s rivers. After his political career, he formed the New England Salmon Association, which held and sponsored the very successful international conference on the salmon restoration efforts, attracting speakers and attendees from the U.S., Canada and Europe. He leaves behind his

wife of 43 years, Josephine Lo Conte, and one stepchild. He also leaves, by his first wife, the late Carol Elkins, five children, 15 grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren.

1951 Robert B. Hazen died May 2, 2023, in South

Hadley, Mass. He was 90. Mr. Hazen was born Nov. 13, 1932, in Springfield, Mass.

His father, Edward Hazen, was president of Hazen Paper Company, and his mother, Helen (Blyth) Hazen, was a gifted pianist who taught piano at Mount Holyoke College. After attending Westminster, Bob graduated from Hamilton College in New York, where he was a member of the Psi Upsilon fraternity. Bob took a two-year hiatus from college to serve in the Army.

A lifelong resident of South Hadley, Bob married Jean Alderman in Nov. 1957.

They resided in the same neighborhood of South Hadley where they first met.

Bob was the second generation to lead his family business, Hazen Paper Company, a world-class purveyor of specialty papers. As president for 40 years, his skill at forging relationships helped grow Hazen into a globally acclaimed specialty paper converter known for its quality and expertise. Most important to Bob were his family, his wife Jean (Alderman) Hazen, his four children and four grandchildren whom he loved very much and who affectionately referred to him as Pop.

1957 Robert A. Epsen, 83, of Mill Valley,

Calif., died March 24, 2023. He attended Princeton University and graduated in 1961. Bob worked as a vice president of Hibernia Bank while also serving in the Army Reserves. After five years, Bob attended Stanford Law School, and upon graduation, joined the historic San Francisco law firm Heller, Ehrman, White and McAuliffe in 1971. Bob practiced corporate law and, after making partner in San Francisco, went on to work in the Hong Kong office for one year and opened the Los Angeles office in 1988 for two years. Following a distinguished career, he was named general counsel before retiring in 2004. In 1988 he

married Leslie West, the sister of his Princeton roommate, and they settled in Tiburon, Calif. Bob and Leslie loved to travel, fly fish and spend time with their children, grandchildren, extended family, friends and their beloved Australian Shepherds. Bob was a longtime member of the Pacific-Union Club and the Guardsmen.

He was predeceased by his wife, Leslie Epsen, and his brother, Bill Epsen. He is survived by his sister, Katie Millhiser; daughters Lisa Epsen Lenzo and Frances Epsen Devlin; granddaughters Isabella and Alexandra Lenzo, Penelope and Lillian Devlin; a stepson, Robert Lee Underwood III; two great grandchildren, nieces and a nephew.

Classmate Robert Wing ’57 writes,”I was very sorry to learn of the death of Bob Epsen last March. Bob was at the school for only two years, but he left a very significant mark. When Bob arrived as a new boy for our Fifth Form year, he became my roommate, as my intended roommate, Billy Watts, was tragically killed in an avalanche while hiking in the Canadian Rockies the preceding summer.

I thus became a beneficiary of Bob’s extensive collection of jazz records.

Bob quickly made an impact on our class and was elected to be Head Prefect the following year. During that Sixth Form year, Bob and I made up two-thirds of Mr. Lounsbury’s fourth year Latin class, the other third being Peter Fonda, who otherwise was a Fifth Former. To my knowledge, Bob never came to a school reunion, and I regret not having seen him since graduation.”

1974 Paul F. Earnshaw, 64, of Reading, Pa.,

died May 16, 2023. Paul was born in Roxborough, Pa., on Sept. 6, 1955. He earned a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, graduating in 1978. He then served in the U.S. Navy for 25 years, retiring as a commander in 1999. His last command was on the Fast Ship USS Voge, a frigate. Paul then worked as an engineer for 25 years for Remcon Plastics, retiring in 2017. He was a lifelong member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and was also a Freemason

and a member of the Community Lodge.

Paul is survived by his wife, Linda K. Earnshaw, and his two sons, Alexander Louis Earnshaw, of Wernersville, Pa., and Christopher Paul Earnshaw of Ephrata, Pa. He is also survived by two sisters, Suzanne and Ellen McMichael, of Nev., and a brother, David McMichael, of Malvern, Pa., and a grandson.

Former Faculty Phillips Smith P’77 died April 23, 2023, in

Southport, Maine. He was 91. Phil began his career and true calling as an educator and coach, teaching English and math at Westminster School. In 1966, Phil and his wife, Holly, moved to Milwaukee, Wis., where he continued to teach and served as the head of the upper school at University School. Phil was appointed the headmaster of Trinity Pawling School in Pawling, N.Y., in 1970, where he served until his retirement in 1990. Phil is survived by his wife, Holly Fuller Smith, his sons Edward (Ted) Phillips Smith ’77 and Mark W. Smith, and six grandchildren.

We received a lovely remembrance from Mal Douglas ’61 about Phillips Smith. Mal recalled he entered as a Fourth Former in the fall of 1958 after he spent two “disastrous” years at Exeter and failed out. His dad worked for Connecticut General Insurance, and they built a huge complex in Bloomfield. Since it was so far from the “city” back then, the company had a barber shop, a dress shop, a cafe, etc. in the corporate offices.

Holly Smith, who was the wife of Phillips “Nibs” Smith, worked in the dress shop with Mal’s mother. When Mal’s mother shared what a bad experience Mal had at Exeter, she suggested coming to look at Westminster. So he did, and the rest is history. “The Smiths were instrumental in turning me around, getting me back on track, captain of football and MVP of hockey, etc.,” said Mal. Derek Fahey ’66 also recalled Smith as his track coach.

“We had a very good team, missed an undefeated season by one point to Hopkins Grammar. He was very focused and serious.”

Fall 2023

79

Closing Thoughts

How My Multicultural Identity Sparked a Call to Action

By Cindion Huang ’25

Imagine this: a slim 14-year-old Asian girl, barely holding the weight of three suitcases, who had just traveled 26 hours across the Pacific Ocean during a pandemic, arriving in Simsbury, Conn., for the first time in her life. She stepped into an unfamiliar place full of uncertainty, yet she was determined to embrace the unknown and give it her best shot.

That was me two years ago.

While every other new Third Former was attending teambuilding orientation activities, I was locked in quarantine after receiving my COVID vaccines. While most parents were helping my classmates unpack and get ready for the coming year, my parents were 7,000 miles away, wishing me the best of luck on my first day of classes. Being a new international student at Westminster — or anywhere abroad, really — is fairly challenging. I had to adapt to a totally different environment and a brand-new culture that I had never experienced before –– as do many new international students who travel from far and wide to attend Westminster.

Fortunately, faculty members, including Cara Hugabonne, director of international student programming, Peter and Siobhan Ulrich, my hosts during my quarantine, and my advisor Scott Stevens warmly guided me through my early journey at Westy and made my transition to the boarding school experience much smoother. However, despite their kind support and my academic success throughout my first year, I was still confused and bewildered by the contrasting perspectives and cultures. I felt adrift, like I was a stranger to both Chinese and American cultures in a way that is imperceptible to most people who have never had the experience of studying abroad. I was uncertain of what to do, yet I knew talking to one of the faculty members would definitely be helpful.

Then, in a survey that our class dean Kelly Wosleger sent out last spring asking about our freshman year experiences, I honestly described some of my challenges as an international student and concerns regarding the diversity of leadership in our class. To my surprise, she took my response very seriously and wanted to hear more about my experience and discuss possible solutions for improvement.

After our initial brainstorming session, we formed the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging board (DEIB), a student-led organization consisting of diverse student members.

Mrs. Wosleger said that this type of organization could really connect and diversify our student body and leadership positions, eventually making everyone feel included and engaged.

The DEIB board has since grown to 17 members across all forms and cultural backgrounds.

Looking back, I realized what is special about the Westminster community is there is always someone willing to listen to you and remind you that you’re not alone, as Mrs. Wosleger perfectly 80

Westminster Bulletin

exemplified by helping me launch the DEIB board.

Yet, if we are truly seeking to build a warm, cohesive community, we need more than just faculty members looking out for students like me. The mission of the DEIB board is to enrich the Westminster community with student leaders who are passionate about bringing everyone together and achieving more diversity.

In our monthly meetings, we focus on enhancing the experience of underrepresented students at Westminster by creating ways to foster community engagement for everyone. For instance, we discussed the importance of a warm, welcoming orientation and came up with meaningful activities to make sure every student is engaged right from the start of Opening Days.

We spontaneously did a fun “challenge” in which each of us spent five minutes with someone we don’t usually hang out with, branching out to peers around us by checking in on their life.

Some of us even sacrificed a precious Sunday last April to attend the Student Diversity Leadership Conference in Connecticut (SDLC) with hundreds of other high school students from all over the state. We learned so much that we’re excited to return again this year. These are only a few examples of all the small but important bridges we are building toward a community where belonging and engagement are wonderfully intertwined.

From not knowing anyone at Westminster before arriving on campus to being a founding member of the DEIB Board, I have grown substantially — not only through my involvement with the board but also through the shared efforts with my fellow board members to give voice to students who are not heard. I have also grown personally. At the end of fall term sophomore year, I discovered that my multicultural identity is what makes me unique. I became more confident and open-minded, making connections with all sorts of marvelous people in and out of Westminster. This could not have been achieved without the recognition and trust of Mrs. Wosleger and the establishment of the DEIB board. I am grateful to Mrs. Wosleger for valuing my feedback and taking the initiative to make students who may be experiencing the same things feel a sense of comfort and, eventually, make Westminster their home away from home.

TRUSTEES 2023–2024 John S. Armour ’76 Emeritus Palos Verdes, Calif.

Elisabeth M. Armstrong P’04, ’06, ’07 Emerita Dallas, Texas

Joseph L. Gitterman III ’55, P’86, ’86, ’90, GP’24 Emeritus Washington Depot, Conn.

Eunice J. Han ’84, P’21 Harrison, N.Y.

Mary Minns Peck ’90 Denver, Colo.

C. Bradford Raymond ’85, P’19, ’20, ’24, ’24 Emeritus New York, N.Y.

Jeffrey H. Artis ’72 Alpharetta, Ga.

Powell W. Holly III ’82 Fredericksburg, Va.

Stephen W. Bailey ’89, P’21 McLean, Va.

Martin R. Irani ’83 Encino, Calif.

Elisabeth Gailun Baird ’98, P’26, ’26 New Canaan, Conn.

Katherine B. Kelter ’14 Bozeman, Mont.

William L. Beckford ’89, P’23 Baltimore, Md.

David W. Kistler ’87, P’22 Tiburon, Calif.

Christopher J. Campbell ’91, P’24 London, U.K.

Shannon Lanzone P’25 Lafayette, Calif.

Renée Lynch Carrel ’84, P’19, ’21 Chair of the Board Boston, Mass.

Philip Lauderdale ’02 Greenwich, Conn.

Elaine White Ex officio Simsbury, Conn.

Bryan R. Martin ’86 Larchmont, N.Y.

Sara L. Whiteley ’91 West Chatham, Mass.

Suzanne N. Melan ’90 Ex officio Dunwoody, Ga.

Benjamin D. Williams IV ’81 Absarokee, Mont.

Lisa Cavazuti ’08 New York, N.Y. John H. Davis P’05 Emeritus Tequesta, Fla. Harvey C. DeMovick III ’90, P’24, ’26 Westerly, R.I.

T. Treadway Mink Jr. ’77, P’11 Emeritus Greenville, S.C.

S. Colin Dowling P’24, ’27 Indian River Shores, Fla.

Ian M. Morton ’87, P’22 West Hartford, Vt.

William C. Egan III ’64, P’92, ’95, ’00, ’02 Emeritus Jackson, Wyo.

Moyahoena Ogilvie ’86 Emerita Bloomfield, Conn.

Westminster Bulletin FALL 2023 Published by:

Westminster School 995 Hopmeadow St. Simsbury, CT 06070 (860) 408-3000 Contact Information:

Admissions: (860) 408-3060 Head of School: (860) 408-3012 Advancement: (860) 408-3123

This magazine is produced twice a year by the Marketing and Communications Office.

Send Class Notes

via email to classnotes@westminster-school.org In keeping with our support for a diverse community, Westminster abides by all applicable federal and state laws and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic, including race, color, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry and/or disability.

Elizabeth Grant Schroeder ’84, P’10, ’14 Ex officio Dayton, Ohio.

Helen Lin Sun P’24 Wanchai, Hong Kong Samuel Thorne ’46, P’74, ’76 Emeritus Bedford, Mass.

Kirsten Sichler Webb ’98 Greenwich, Conn.

Benjamin W. Wurts P’22, ’24 Ex officio Stanfordville, N.Y. Julie B. Wurts P’22, ’24 Ex officio Stanfordville, N.Y.

Editor

Wendy Carlson Associate Director, Publications & Communications wcarlson@westminster-school.org Director of Marketing and Communications

Jeff Kennard P’19 Photography

Seshu Badrinath, Wendy Carlson, Jeff Kennard and Tyler Wosleger Design

John Johnson Art Direction & Design Riverton, Conn.

The Trustees of Westminster School, Inc. 995 Hopmeadow Street Simsbury CT 06070

www.Westminster-School.org