Upload
carolyn-eiseman
View
222
Download
4
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Mercersberg MPACT Newsletter January 2010
Citation preview
J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 0 S H A R I N G T H E I M P A C T O F P H I L A N T H R O P Y A T M E R C E R S B U R G
THE BEGINNING OF MPACT • MAKING A DIFFERENCE: A LITTLE MERIT GOES A LONG WAY • MERCERSBURG
REGENT LEADS COMMUNITY OF CARING • SUPPORT EVERYTHING YOU LOVE ABOUT MERCERSBURG! • HOW
DONORS IMPACT THE MERCERSBURG COMMUNITY • MERCERSBURG DEDICATES REGENTS’ FIELD • PIONEER
COACH RETURNS TO MERCERSBURG • AN UPDATE ON STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVES • MERCERSBURG
LAUNCHES TRUE BLUE • GIVING TO MERCERSBURG • IRVINE VS. IRVING/MARSHALL: WHAT AM I? •
DID YOU KNOW? • ALPINE ADVENTURE: FROM MUNICH TO ZERMATT • REUNION ALUMNI: PLAN YOUR TRIP!
• UPCOMING EVENTS • ALUMNI COUNCIL CORNER • THE MERCERSBURG COMMUNITY OUT & ABOUT
85256 CEH:Layout 2 1/6/10 9:54 AM Page 1
2
BY MARY K. CARRASCO
IT IS NOT EVERY DAY that we make a little Mercersburg
history, so I am quite excited to present this new Mercersburg
publication, Mpact, to you. I know you will enjoy the stories
and photos of alumni, parents, students, faculty, and friends,
all of whom have been impacted through gifts to the school. I
want to share with you the many and varied, incredible and
personal ways that this extraordinary community is
connected. When you read these stories, you will see how the
timeless values that you attribute to your days at Mercersburg
still thrive today—in places far from Mercersburg and right
here on campus.
Three times each school year Mpact will be delivered to your
mailbox (and available online), and, if it accomplishes what we
intend, you will keep it at hand for a few weeks, you will recognize someone’s story, you will meet new Mercersburg
friends on these pages, and you will learn how generations of Mercersburg community members are living out the values
they learned during their extraordinary educational experiences at Mercersburg. This new publication is NOT curtailing or
replacing Mercersburg magazine. You will continue to receive the magazine as you always have, and it will continue to offer
the award-winning design and articles that you have come to know and love.
For this first issue of Mpact, I am really happy to introduce to you Lorraine Simonis ’10. Lorraine is the 2009
Michelet Prize recipient and an exceptional senior. Also, classmates of Paula Johnson Smith ’83 will already know about
her exceptional talents. Now all of you have the opportunity to learn her story—how she has continued to share her
talent in her community in Salt Lake City, Utah—and beyond—and as a member of the Mercersburg Board of Regents.
Susie Lyles-Reed ’88, president of the Alumni Council, introduces a section of Mpact about the dedicated work of this
25-member alumni volunteer group for Mercersburg.
I had the pleasure of meeting former faculty member, Carol Anderson (1972 to 1980) in October during Fall
Alumni Weekend. Carol was on campus with several field hockey alumnae for their reunion. Many of these incredible
Mercersburg alums were the first women to attend the school as boarders, and Carol was an important coach, teacher,
dorm dean, and mentor to them. Carol describes those years inside.
Each issue of Mpact will feature the school’s Strategic Plan Initiatives. Let me know your thoughts about these
initiatives. We are also launching in this first issue a brand new concept for recognizing Annual Fund donors who are
True Blue. After all, the Annual Fund supports every single thing that you love about Mercersburg. There’s a happy new
face to the Fund: now when you make an ongoing, monthly commitment to contribute to the Mercersburg Annual Fund,
you are making a statement that you are True Blue. Find out why Jordan Jefferson ’09 calls himself True Blue inside.
Please send me your suggestions, story ideas, and photos! They will be used in future editions and through other
communications from Mercersburg. If you would like to write for MPact, let me know; I hope future editions will
provide opportunities for a diversity of Mercersburg writers. Email your ideas to [email protected].
Thank you for the many ways you support Mercersburg. I’m looking forward to our next opportunity to visit.
the beginning of
Mary Carrasco with stained glass Artisan Dieter Goldkuhle and
Regent Emeritus Tom Mendham P '90 '87 during a recognition
reception for the chapel windows restoration project.
85256 CEH:Layout 2 1/5/10 11:12 AM Page 2
Mercersburg Regent Leads Community of CaringBY NATASHA BROWN
IN THE EARLY ’80s, WHEN New York City native Paula Johnson Smith ’83 entered Mercersburg
Academy, she quickly noticed that teachers were deeply involved in the lives of students. She realized
how much they wanted her to succeed. Smith would later learn that many of the Mercersburg
traditions—family-style interaction, community trust, and responsibility—are also the components
that create school environments that help students succeed.
The Mercersburg experience and her own love for education developed into a lifelong passion for
Smith to create school communities that are inclusive of all children. In addition to her volunteer
role on the Mercersburg Board of Regents, she fuels this passion as the executive director of the
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Center for Community of Caring, based at the University of Utah.
“Essentially what I have been doing throughout my career is designing programs that schools can
implement to help kids avoid problem behavior. One of the ways to accomplish this is to make sure
kids feel socially and emotionally safe in school,” Smith said. “By changing environments so that
students are socially and emotionally safe, students actually perform better and they are more likely
to avoid problem behavior.”
Caring, respect, responsibility, trust, and family are the five core values of Community of Caring,
a K–12 comprehensive character-education program with a unique focus on disabilities. The
organization was founded in 1982 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who also founded Special Olympics.
Community of Caring has been adopted by almost 1,400 schools nationwide and in Canada.
(continued on page 4)
BY NATASHA BROWN
TODAY, LORRAINE SIMONIS ’10
is a four-year Mercersburg senior.
She’s navigated the social and
academic scenes so well that her
classmates elected her president of the Student
Council. She’s also co-editor of the Mercersburg
News, a Blue Key (Admission tour guide), cross
country runner, and most recently, the recipient
of the coveted Robert H. Michelet Prize, awarded
each year to a student who, during the upper-
middler year, has most distinguished himself
or herself in scholarship, character, and
school spirit.
But four years ago, Simonis had not yet
considered a boarding education for high school.
She was an 8th-grader, living with her father in
Philadelphia. Her mother had died a few years
prior, and her dad’s career required him to work
long hours. He wanted Simonis to have a quality
education. A family friend recommended
boarding school, specifically Deerfield Academy.
She narrowed her school options to Hill,
Deerfield, Westtown, The George School, and
Mercersburg. This of course was after a process.
Simonis searched BoardingSchools.com, each
school’s website, and called each one to measure
how “nice” the person was who answered the
telephone. (She had to have some way of
narrowing down her options, right?) So why did
she choose Mercersburg?
It’s simple. “The reason why I came here
is because I received the Regents Merit
Scholarship,” she said. “In my opinion, the
way for Mercersburg to attract the best students
and increase its standing is to offer more merit
funds. Once I am able to give back to the school,
I will most likely support financial aid so
that other students can have the experiences
that I did.”
Extremely poised and intelligent, Simonis
has excelled in all aspects of the school and will
undoubtedly represent the school as an alumna
very well.
“She has been a leading member of my ‘all
star’ advisee group. Even in her 9th- and 10th-
grade years, Lorraine impressed everyone with
her maturity, self discipline, study habits, goal-
oriented approach to everything in her life, not
MAKING A DIFFERENCE | How members of the community are impacting the world…
A Little Merit goes a long way
Regent Paula Johnson Smith ’83
(continued on page 4)
Lorraine Simonis accepts the Michelet Prize from
Head of School Douglas Hale during Opening
Convocation.
3
85256 CEH:Layout 2 12/28/09 6:30 PM Page 3
4
to mention her intelligence and outstanding
oral and writing skills,” said Simonis’ advisor,
Language Faculty member Peter Kempe. “Since
then, she joined my German classes, did an
intense summer study program to jump a level
from German II into German IV, and achieved
amazingly well on some of our standardized
tests.”
The financial aid program that ensured her
attendance at Mercersburg is the Regents Merit
Scholarship. Mercersburg has three merit
scholarships, which include the Lenfest Legacy
Scholarship (endowed by H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest
’49 for a child or grandchild of a Mercersburg
alum); the Mercersburg Scholarship (awarded
to a day student); and the Regents Merit
Scholarship (awarded in honor of Mercersburg
Regents to a boarding student).
Simonis is evidence that merit scholarships
and gifts for financial aid go a long way toward
attracting the very best students and have
domino effects in the Mercersburg community
and beyond.
“Some of my best experiences at Mercersburg
were off campus. During my 10th-grade year,
we took a trip to the Middle East for a
symposium about peace keeping and conflict-
prevention, based on a book called High Noon
(by Jean Francois Rischard) and Challenge
20/20,” said Simonis. “It was nice that the
school gave [students] a chance to travel.”
Last year, she was one of several students on
the spring break trip to Prague, led by Fine Arts
Faculty member Laurie Mufson. “We went to
the opera, ballet, symphony, toured historical
sites and the Terezin Concentration Camp,”
Simonis said.
Because of the Regents Scholarship and
additional financial aid, she has experienced an
extraordinary Mercersburg education, complete
with strong friendships, opportunities to lead,
competition in athletics, travel abroad, and
learning from exceptional faculty. One day,
she hopes to return to Mercersburg as a
history teacher.
Simonis doesn’t know where she’ll attend
college yet, but one thing is certain. Just as she
did four years ago, she is a student with plenty
of options.
To learn more about how you can support financial
aid for Mercersburg students, contact the Alumni &
Development Office.
Since 2007, Smith has led the organization’s efforts to implement school programs that
develop the character, social, and emotional skills students need to succeed in life. For instance,
as part of their science class, students from Sarasota Middle School in Sarasota, Florida,
participated in a shore cleanup. According to Smith, the students were shocked to see so
much pollution on the shore.
“They were able to reflect on why the shore cleanup was important and what it meant for
the ecology. That kind of event not only brings in science, but it allows students to be stewards
of the earth,” she said.
Another school, Woodstock Elementary School, in Salt Lake City, Utah, integrated a history
lesson about World War II with a hands-on community service project. After the National World
War II (WWII) Memorial in Washington, DC, was constructed, the school invited war veterans to
the campus to share their stories about how the war impacted them. As a thank-you, students
made blankets for the veterans, personalized with WWII mementos.
“That’s the kind of integrated learning that not only teaches kids, but internalizes and
develops their empathy and sense of community passion,” Smith said.
She stressed that Community of Caring focuses on making school environments inclusive
for all children, including students with disabilities. Smith’s experiences as a student and
Mercersburg Regent have enhanced her understanding of how the life-changing programs she
creates in her professional life make a difference for students throughout their entire lives.
“From my Mercersburg involvement, as a student and now as a Regent, I have learned that a
caring school community that includes students, alumni, parents, and friends of the school can
make all the difference in the options and availability of a quality education.”
To learn more about Community of Caring, visit www.communityofcaring.org.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE | How members of the community are impacting the world…
Regent Paula Johnson Smith ’83 with her staff at Community of Caring
A LITTLE MERIT (continued from page 3) MERCERSBURG REGENT (continued from page 3)
As part of the Community of Caring program, students from Sarasota Middle School participated
in a shore cleanup.
85256 CEH:Layout 2 12/28/09 6:30 PM Page 4
BY NATASHA BROWN
ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2009, Mercersburg held a reunion dinner
honoring former coaches and players of field hockey, wrestling, girls and
boys soccer and lacrosse. Many former field hockey players were brought
to tears as they reunited with Mercersburg’s first field hockey coach, Carol
R. Anderson (1972 to 1980), who
was also honored at the dinner.
Players were excited to see
Anderson, and even more
enthused that she was being
recognized for her work with the
field hockey program.
“She was very enthusiastic
about the sport and very
knowledgeable about what it took
psychologically to become a good
player. ‘Coach A’ had to mold the
program, which is never easy,
especially back then when girls were just starting out at Mercersburg and
in organized sports. She was a leader in a lot of different regards,” said
field hockey alumna Pilar Diaz Benassi ’78. “She should be honored and
recognized, because she started the program, so I think she deserves that
recognition.”
“Coach A”, as her players call her, met with Development
Communications Associate Natasha Brown after the dedication of
Regents’ Field during Fall Alumni Weekend. The interview took place in
Nolde Gymnasium. Anderson’s adoration for the Mercersburg community
and her former players showed as she fought back tears with laughter
during the interview.
How did it feel to reunite with so many of your former players?
I love those kids, and it’s been really great to see them all as adults. Chris
Russell Vick ’75 even came from England to be here. It’s really special to
see them all. Chris’ mother was the president of the All-England Field
Hockey Association and she set up a two-week tour so 15 of the girls could
play in England. Could you imagine? [She laughs.]
5
STEWARDSHIP | How donors impact the Mercersburg community
Mercersburg’s first field hockey coach,
Carol Anderson (left), with Athletic
Trainer Marilyn Houck during the
dedication of Regents’ Field.
THE SCHOOL DEDICATED THIS handsome new field as
Regents’ Field during an October 17 ceremony.
The official name, Regents’ Field, commemorates the school’s
volunteer leaders—most importantly the women and men of
the Mercersburg Board of Regents who served at the turn of the 21st
century.
“The name Regents’ Field will forever honor the strong leadership of
the individuals who have most recently, most faithfully, and most selflessly
dedicated their considerable time, expertise, and resources to make
Mercersburg the extraordinary school it is today,” said Board of Regents
President Denise Dupré ’76.
The dedication included remarks by Head of School Douglas Hale,
Director of Athletics Rick Hendrickson, and President of the Board of
Regents Denise Dupré ’76. With the addition of Regents’ Field, field
hockey, girls’ lacrosse, and boys’ and girls’ soccer teams now have a state-
of-the-art training and competitive surface at a similar level of quality to
what Mercersburg athletes will find at the next level of competition.
This new field will change the way that two signature girls’ sports play
the game. The benefits for field hockey and lacrosse teams are numerous,
as they are able to have a consistent training turf that is both easier on
their bodies and more suitable for competition than normal grass fields.
It also gives the athletic department enhanced practice options during
inclement weather, and even the football team has used the field for a
non-contact practice during their season.
Be sure to stop by Regents’ Field during your next visit to Mercersburg.
The field is located to the right of Sycamore Lane (main road to the school).
Board of Regents President Denise Dupré ’76 is presented with a field hockey
stick signed by current team members during the dedication of Regents’ Field
on October 17.
Regents’ FieldMercersburg dedicates
(continued on page 6)
The philanthropic communityhas made the school’s first synthetic-turf field a reality.
Pioneer Coach Returns to Mercersburg for Regents’ Field Dedication Q & A with Mercersburg’s First Field Hockey Coach, Carol Anderson
85256 CEH:Layout 2 12/28/09 6:30 PM Page 5
6
And Denise Dupré ’76, another one of your
former players, spoke during the dedication.
How is it to see Denise as the Board of Regents
president?
I’m really proud of Denise and the work that
she’s done on the Board. Out of all the kids that
I coached, Denise Dupré may have been one of
the hardest-working kids that I’ve ever coached.
I coached Denise ‘76, Laura ‘77, Jan ’80 and
Heidi ‘81—all the Dupré sisters. They were
some very talented athletes. One time the
players took Jan’s hockey stick and filled it with
lead and sealed it unbeknownst to me. She
came back and was hitting the ball hard and
doing really well. So I thought, “Oh I must be
doing a great job with her,” because she had
shown a lot of improvement. Then they came
back and unwrapped the stick and showed me
this big hunk of lead. Those girls were
something else.
You were honored last night at the dinner. Was it
a surprise or did you know why your players were
so eager to get you back on campus?
I didn’t know I was being honored. I just kept
talking to Patty Seltzer-Wagner ‘78, telling her
that I was running late after my flight. I just
kept hearing Patty on the phone telling me,
“You’ve got to make it. You have to hurry!”
Field hockey began in ’72. What do you
remember about that time as the only female
coach at the school?
It was a pretty rough going when we started
hockey here. I went to my first coaches’ meeting
and was asked if I wanted to be the recording
secretary.
I remember it being suggested that field
hockey players should play games in their gym
suits. But I said, “Oh no, we won’t be doing
that.” The Mercersburg Faculty Women’s Club
purchased the team’s first uniforms in ’72.
Although the fields were not regulation, and
there were definitely some bumps along the
way, the spirit and the commitment were there,
and we just went with that. We had an
equipment manager, Darrell Ecker, who was
“everybody’s dad.” He took me under his wing
and he was such a good and righteous man. He
helped me grow up and took care of all the field
hockey girls.
How did you recruit back then? Was it
tough to find players since girls were just
entering the school?
I approached anyone who had a daughter
entering the school and tried to convince them
to play field hockey.
And now, is it almost like you’ve come full circle?
You were the first coach. And here you are
attending the dedication of the school’s first
state-of-the-art turf field.
I’m very proud of what’s happened with the
program at Mercersburg. I want to see more
participants. I think this new field will bring
more women field hockey players to
Mercersburg. It would be so much fun to recruit
at the school now!
Coach Carol Anderson lives in Hadley,
Massachusetts, with her partner of 30 years, Polly
Keener, and their 11-year-old son, Gunner. She is the
owner of Penn Monto Field Hockey, official ball
supplier of the NCAA Field Hockey Tournament
and the U.S. Field Hockey Association.
(www.penn-monto.com)
Field hockey players established the Carol
Anderson Coaches’ Endowment Fund to support
the Mercersburg field hockey program.
To contribute to the fund, visit
www.mercersburg.edu/giving
or call 800-588-2550.
STEWARDSHIP | How donors impact the Mercersburg community
(continued from page 5)
An Update on Strategic Plan Initiatives A MERCERSBURG EDUCATION IS grounded in character development and an
extraordinary educational experience. Students today, like the generations of Mercersburg
alumni who preceded them, define themselves through the values they develop here: hard
work, character, critical thinking, and community. They apply those values in their rigorous
scholastic preparation to lead lives as role models and leaders.
In the same regard, Mercersburg faculty, staff, and administrators continually demonstrate
their commitment to developing students’ character, potential, and academic strengths.
The Board of Regents has endorsed a five-year strategic plan that identifies the most critical
investments required to sustain and enhance the values and extraordinary experience that
define a Mercersburg education.
The current Strategic Plan will take Mercersburg in an exciting and necessary direction.
This plan focuses on our people—to admit the best students, to provide the financial aid
they need, to ensure that we retain and attract the best faculty and staff, and to provide the
education that families expect from a world-class, college-preparatory boarding school.
The current Strategic Plan calls for the following initiatives to implement these goals:
• Building the endowment in support of faculty and staff compensation, financial aid for
students, and programs for extraordinary educational experience,
• Increasing participation in the Annual Fund to provide operating budget support for the
school’s most critical priorities, and
• Improving physical spaces that are in greatest need of renovation or repair.
While Mercersburg’s focus remains on building the endowment in support of faculty,
scholarships, and programs, we are fortunate to have funds already in hand to move forward
with improvements of some of the physical spaces in greatest need of renovation or repair.
Thanks to a very generous bequest of $11.5 million from Dwight Goldthorpe ’37, Mercersburg
will begin renovations to the center of Nolde Gymnasium during the spring of 2010.
If you would like more information about these initiatives, please contact
Steve Blake, senior director of major gifts and planned giving, at 711-328-6210.
85256 CEH:Layout 2 12/28/09 6:30 PM Page 6
7
Giving SocietiesSOCIETY NAME DEFINITION NO. OF MEMBERS
Torchbearers donors who make gifts for three consecutive 1,977years or more, every year their child has been a student, or every year since their own graduation
William Mann Irvine Society donors who contribute $1,893 or more yearly** 409
Marshall & Irving Alliance donors who include Mercersburg in their estate plans 358
True Blue donors who make consecutive monthly gifts 27
** WILLIAM MANN IRVINE SOCIETY LEVELS
Associate $100 per year until your 5th anniversary reunion (based on graduation year) $500 per year until your 10th anniversary reunion
$1,000 per year until your 20th anniversary reunion $1,893 at your 20th anniversary reunion celebration
Member $1,893-$2,999
Sponsor $3,000-$4,999
Patron $5,000-$9,999
Benefactor $10,000-$24,999
Head of School’s Circle $25,000-$49,999
Regents’ Circle $50,000-$99,999
President’s Circle $100,000 or more
GIVING TO MERCERSBURG
Mercersburg launches
THE MERCERSBURG COMMUNITY IS a group of alumni, family,
and friends of the school who realize that together they can make
a tremendous impact in the lives of students and faculty. Mercersburg's
Annual Fund donors are a community of philanthropists who
help enhance this extraordinary educational experience.
When you make a gift to the Annual Fund, you are making a
decision to participate in one of the most important initiatives in
life—philanthropy. This year, please participate in the Annual
Fund and support everything you love about Mercersburg.
(www.mercersburg.edu/giving or 800-588-2550)
THIS FISCAL YEAR, THE school launched
True Blue to recognize donors who give monthly
consecutive gifts to the school, donors like
Jordan Jefferson ’09.
Jordan Jefferson ’09 was a post graduate who
entered Mercersburg to prepare for college. But
upon entering the school, he hardly realized how
the Mercersburg experience would impact his life.
“Mercersburg gave me the opportunity to be
where I am now. That’s why I want to give back
to Mercersburg,” said Jefferson. “The school
helped me become more of a leader because
I was older than most of the students at the
school. With football, I had to immediately
become a leader on the field and off.”
Last fall, Jefferson entered Yale as a freshman
football player, and he was happy to become the
first alumnus to help tell the True Blue story.
True Blue gives alumni, families, and friends
of all ages an opportunity to become leaders in
the giving community. Consecutive monthly gifts
to the school of any amount help sustain
Mercersburg for students and faculty.
Consider making a monthly pledge via
credit card to become True Blue.
Visit www.mercersburg.edu/giving or call
800-588-2550.
In December, Mercersburg released a True
Blue video of Jefferson’s path from his pre-
Mercersburg years in Palo Alto, California, to
Mercersburg and then Yale. Be sure to watch
Jefferson’s story online by clicking on the True
Blue button on the home page. Contact the
Alumni & Development Office if you’d like to
be featured in an upcoming True Blue video.
Jordan Jefferson ’09, a Yale football player, was
featured in the first True Blue video filmed in
November by Alumnus Zander Hartung ’05.
“True Blue”
FACULTY • FINANCIAL AID FOR STUDENTS • IRVING-MARSHALL WEEK • ATHLETICS • CLASSROOM RESOURCES
• UNIQUE EXPERIENCES • STONY BATTER PRODUCTIONS • LIBRARY
• COMPUTERS • AND MORE!
To support everything you love about
Mercersburg with a gift to the Annual
Fund, visit www.mercersburg.edu/giving or
call 800-588-2550 and make an
unrestricted gift. You may always support
your favorite part of Mercersburg
by designating your gift to Athletics,
the Arts, Academic, International, etc.
ASK US FOR DETAILS.
S U P P O R Teverything you love about
Join the Annual Fund Community in 2010You may just be one step away from changing someone's life forever.
85256 CEH:Layout 2 1/5/10 11:12 AM Page 7
8
TEN YEARS AGO, School Minister
Larry Jones and his wife Cindy,
director of the Burgin Center, saw
the Passion Play in Oberammergau.
From July 2 to 11, 2010, they will lead travelers
from Munich to Zermatt to experience the
magnificent performance that thrills crowds
only once every 10 years. Below, Reverend and
Mrs. Jones inform the community of what’s
in store for Mercersburg travelers.
You and Cindy traveled to Oberammergau in
2000 to see the Passion Play; what was most
memorable to you ten years ago, and what
aspect of the performance are you looking
forward to sharing with Mercersburg travelers?
There is much that is remarkable about this
play. First of all, it is performed in German,
but everyone is handed a book when he or
she walks in. The book has the script in six
different languages. We and our two
daughters, then 10 and 11, held the book open
in front of us as the play unfolded. None of
us remember the play being in German. Of
course, everyone knows the story, but the play
is riveting and opulently done. Second, the
theatre seats 7,000, but there isn’t a bad seat
in the house. Wherever we sit, we will be
involved with the action. Third, the little town
of Oberammergau knows how to cater to its
guests. It does so all summer long every 10
years. It is a shopping experience, and what
one shops for are carvings and wood creations
that defy the imagination. There is plenty of
time to wander the streets, shop, and
appreciate the artistry of the entire village on
many levels.
Tell us what excites you most about being in
Germany and Switzerland next summer?
Munich was almost completely destroyed in
World War II, but today it looks like an old
medieval town. When it was rebuilt after the
war, the town elders did the reconstruction
right. It is a gem, with worthwhile tourist
spots and small, interesting holes-in-the-
wall alike.
Our special visits on July 4 to the
Deutsches Museum and the BMW Museum
promise to be especially interesting. The next
day, we will see many people pausing to take
pictures of Neuschwanstein Castle, and for
good reason. It is the stereotype of the
picturesque castle and is the model for the
Disneyland and Disney World castles. When
we take the “highlights tour,” we will learn
MERCERSBURG LEGACIESThere are 1,203 alumni whose parents attended the school299 alumni had grandparents who attended the school49 alumni had great-grandparents who attend the school4 had a great-great-grandfather who attend the school 131 alumni have three-generation-deep legacies11 alumni have four generations of family that attended Mercersburg
There are 38 married alumni couples, including a few international alumni! > Lena Karl Kulak ’03 and Nils Kulak ’01 of Germany> Jini Eum Lee ’03 and Alex Lee ’01 of Korea
did you know?
GIVING TO MERCERSBURG EVENTS
Alpine Adventure:Irvine vs. Irving/Marshall: WHAT AM I? Mercersburg has several societies with references to Irvine,
or Irving and Marshall. The most popular, of course, are
the Washington Irving and John Marshall Literary
Societies. Read the article below to learn more about the
history behind these societies. If you have questions,
email ([email protected]).
WASHINGTON IRVING AND JOHNMARSHALL LITERARY SOCIETIES
Most students who have ever attended
Mercersburg can claim being a member of
either Irving or Marshall (unless they opted
out). These two societies participate annually in
a fun-loving but fierce midwinter competition
connected to a long and serious tradition of
debating at the school.
In fact, the societies are the school’s oldest
organizations—older than the school itself.
Precedent for societies began in 1835, when
the original students of Marshall College
maintained two societies, the Diagnothian and
Goethean literary societies. In the late 1800s,
they were renamed the Washington Irving
Literary Society and the John Marshall Literary
Society, named after two prominent figures of
the 1800s. The first debate occurred in 1894,
under Mercersburg’s founding headmaster Dr.
William Mann Irvine on Washington’s Birthday.
This began the tradition of midwinter weekend
competitions in February.
WILLIAM MANN IRVINE SOCIETYThe William Mann Irvine Society (WMIS) is
a leadership giving society that recognizes
donors who contribute $1,893 or more annually
to Mercersburg. The school founded WMIS in
honor of the school’s first headmaster, who
served in that position for 35 years. Dr. Irvine
was a visionary whose all-consuming passion
was to help students fulfill their greatest
potential. He believed that through
philanthropy, Mercersburg’s alumni, family,
and friends could define the Mercersburg
experience. Membership in the WMIS
distinguishes a donor’s philanthropic leadership
in the ways of the school’s founder. There are
several membership levels. Please review the
list of “Giving Societies” for details.
MARSHALL & IRVING ALLIANCE Formed in 1993, the Marshall and Irving
Alliance honors benefactors who provide gifts
to Mercersburg through their estate or a life-
income plan. Their generous legacies touch
Mercersburg’s most significant programs, making
it a fitting memorial with enduring benefits.
Alumni Travel OpportunityJuly 2–11, 2010
Cindy and Larry Jones
85256 CEH:Layout 2 12/28/09 6:30 PM Page 8
EVEN
TS9
why so many people take pictures from the
outside: it was built to be pretty, not to be
practical! The Passion Play will have you
vowing to return in 2020, and the trip
through Switzerland in its aftermath will
ensure it! Although I was last in Zermatt 26
years ago, the memory of the Matterhorn still
lives with me, and seeing it again (weather
permitting!) will be the pièce de résistance
of a spectacular trip!
Our new travel program is the school’s
chance to re-engage with alumni, parents, and
friends who are “lifelong learners” and curious
about the world. What will make this tour
unique for the Mercersburg community?
The important thing, I guess, is that this will
not just be a haphazard collection of tourists
put together by a travel agent. This will be a
group of people all sharing the Mercersburg
experience, either personally or through
family connections. As such, we can count on
the travelers all being intellectually curious,
academically inclined, and ready to embrace
the new, the interesting, and the quirky!
Larry, with different co-leaders, led three
trips of Mercersburg students to this area in
the early to mid-1980s, and then Larry and
Cindy led the Oberammergau trip in 2000
from their church. Certainly the unexpected
will happen, but with Mercersburg people on
the trip, the unexpected events will become
the memories that will lift this experience out
of the ordinary!
Visit www.mercersburg.edu to view the
complete brochure, or request a brochure
from the Alumni & Development Office
(800-588-2550). The tour cost is $4,695 per
person. A deposit is required to reserve a
place on the Alpine Adventure: From Munich
to Zermatt.
Dates are July 2–11, 2010.
2010 Upcoming Events Jan | 21-22 Winter Board Meetings
New York City
Jan | 21 Reception for leadership donorsColumbia University New York City
Jan | 21 NYC Regional EventColumbia University w/Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute, Columbia University
Jan | 30 Winter Alumni Council MeetingOn campus
Feb | 27 Bo Burbank Squash TournamentOn campus
Feb | 23-24 Irving/Marshall PhonathonOn campus
Mar | 19-21 Asian Family Event Nanjing, China
Apr | 30 Spring Alumni Council MeetingOn campus
Apr | 30 Alumni Council Recognition LuncheonOn campus
Apr | 30 Senior Dinner and Slide Show On campus
May | 7-8 Spring Board of Regents MeetingOn campus
May | 7 Regents’ ForumOn campus
May | 7 McDowell Society Recognition DinnerOn campus
May | 11 Phonathon w/alumni, parent, and student callersOn campus
May | 12 Phonathon w/alumni, parent, and student callersOn campus
May | 19 Phonathon w/coachesOn campus
Jun | 11-13 Reunion Anniversary Weekend (classes ending in 0 and 5)On campus
Jul | 2-10 Alpine Adventure: From Munich to Zermatt, featuring the Passion PlayGermany & Switzerland
Oct | 1-3 Family WeekendOn campus
Oct | 22-24 Fall Alumni Weekend Celebration of Mercersburg’s Olympians and track & field, swimming & diving, cross country, and winter track alumni reunionsOn campus
Oct | 22 Fall Alumni Council MeetingOn campus
Fall | 2010 Alumni trip to IsraelIsrael
For information about upcoming events, contact De-Enda Rotz at [email protected] 717-328-6178.
Reunion Alumni: Plan Your Trip! Reunion Anniversary Weekend June 10–13, 2010 THIS REUNION WEEKEND IS for alumni in classes ending in 0 and 5 and Loyalty Club
members who have celebrated their 50th reunion. This is the perfect opportunity to relive
your Mercersburg experience. Bring family or friends, stay in the dorm, and reconnect with
classmates and alumni. Spend time in the classroom with current faculty, and enjoy the
freedom of having the campus to yourself!
“Meeting other alums of different generations and hearing their stories of Mercersburg
is a great experience,” said Nick Mellott ’04, who attended Reunion Anniversary Weekend
last June.
Contact De-Enda Rotz in the Alumni & Development Office for more details about
Reunion Anniversary Weekend, [email protected] or 717-328-6178.
from Munich to Zermatt
85256 CEH:Layout 2 1/5/10 11:12 AM Page 9
Alumni Council President Susie Lyles-Reed ’88(left) and Head of School Doug Hale (far right)with 2009 Alumni Council Service AwardWinner Regent Deborah Simon ’74 andAlumni Council Achievement Award WinnerJohn Treat ’64 during the Alumni CouncilAwards Luncheon in June.
Alumni Council Member Ann Quinn ’84 (left)with her Mercersburg roommate RachelHaines Bowman ’84
Alumni Council members Capt. JohnLinderman ’55 (honorary), Lindley PetersonFleury ’77, and Jack Reilly ’62 during a 2009Fall Alumni Weekend reception.
10
In this first issue of MPact, I am pleased to be able to reintroduce you to the Alumni
Council (AC). We are a group of dedicated volunteers comprising 27 alumni from
seven decades and diverse geographical locations and professions.
Our mission is to provide resources to the Alumni & Development Program to advance the cause
of the Academy and create a community of support within our alumni body throughout the world.
Our vision is that the AC be a must-have resource for the Alumni & Development Office and the go-
to place for our fellow alums. As key ambassadors for Mercersburg (along with other volunteers), the
AC leads the charge on alumni engagement, and we are proud that alumni and students know who
we are and what we do.
We profile alumni and their accomplishments and continue to recognize their legacy and
contributions. We perpetuate a community of lifelong learners and ensure that alumni and faculty
remain connected.
Although we are systematic in how we work, we are flexible, with the ability to change when
we need to. Every Council member is an expert on the school and its needs. Because we measure
our effectiveness routinely, our members feel they have traction and can make a difference.
The Council is made up of three task groups and four standing committees focused on
specific programs:
• Alumni Student Programs Task Group – Engages alumni and students with each other by
planning, developing, and implementing programs that will teach current students the
privileges and responsibilities of membership in Mercersburg’s alumni community.
A chair and co-chair lead this group of six to eight members.
• Alumni Leadership Development Task Group – Seeks to re-engage alumni with the school
community and increase support of Mercersburg through giving and volunteerism. A chair
and co-chair lead this group of six to eight members.
• Communications Task Group – Works with the Alumni Council, Alumni & Development
Office, and Strategic Marketing & Communications Office to create communications that
engage and inform alumni about the work of the Alumni Council. A chair and co-chair lead
this group of six to eight members.
• Executive Committee – Governs the entire AC and consists of the chair of each task group
and standing committees, and the AC officers. This committee is chaired by the president
of the AC.
• Nominating Committee – Identifies and nominates candidates for membership on the AC.
There are five members on this committee, all of whom are appointed by the AC president.
The AC president serves as an ex-officio member.
• Loyalty Club Committee – Develops a relationship between Loyalty Club members (alumni
who have celebrated their 50th anniversary reunion) and the school through events,
communications, and other appropriate activities. This committee consists of all Loyalty Club
members serving on the AC and other members of the Loyalty Club appointed to the
committee by the Loyalty Club chairperson.
• Performance Measurement Committee – Is responsible for collecting data from each task group
and standing committee for performance measurement purposes. This committee is chaired by
the 2nd vice president of the AC and has representation from each task group and standing
committee.
Volunteering on the Alumni Council is a challenging yet rewarding Mercersburg experience.
If you are interested in supporting Mercersburg as a member of the AC, contact De-Enda Rotz in
the Alumni & Development Office at [email protected] or 717-328-6178. For more information
about the AC and its members, visit us on the Mercersburg website (go to www.mercersburg.edu,
click on Alumni at the top and then Alumni Council in the menu bar underneath).
Sincerely,
Susie Lyles-Reed ’88
Alumni Council President
Council CornerAlumni
85256 CEH:Layout 2 1/5/10 2:57 PM Page 10
11
The Mercersburg Community
Out & AboutEmail photos and captions to [email protected].
Contact Natasha Brown in the Alumni & Development Office at [email protected] or 800-588-2550 with questions or comments.
MPACT is published three times per year by the Mercersburg Academy Alumni & Development Office.
The wedding of Laurel Kalp ’02 and Stephen Sviatko III took place on August 8, 2009, in the Irvine Memorial Chapel. In attendance were (L-R) Melissa McCartney ’05 and classmates Lauren McCartney ’02 and Bryan Stiffler ’02.
John Marshall ’08 climbs “Satisfaction Guaranteed”climbing route in New River Gorge, West Virginia,last September.
A scene from Stony Batter’s fall productionof Young and Willing. L to R – back row:Susan Durnford ’11, Tally Diaz ’10, AaronPorter ’10, Zach Olivos ’10; front row:Aimee Chase ’10, John Henry Reilly ’10,Eliza MacDonald ’10; sitting on floor:Maggie Goff ’10.
Alumni and parents attended a regional event at the home ofEdgar ’48 and Margery Masinter in Jackson Hole, Wyoming:John Prentiss ’65, P ’89 ’92, Margery Masinter, Doug Hale,Charlie Moore ’48, P ’67 ’74 ’77 ’94, Back Row: Peggy Hale,Carol Prentiss, Judith Moore P ’67, ’74, ’77, ’94EdgarMasinter ’48.
Loyalty Club Members during their JuneReunion Anniversary Weekend: Chuck Hatch ’54, Ned Mayo ’54, John Hornbaker ’55, J. Martin Myers, Jr. ’36, Dale Williams ’54, and Faculty Emeritus Jay Quinn.Toshia Fries ’10 with her host family during
School Year Abroad in Beijing. Photo credit: Toby Fries
Faculty member Jeff Shamp, BruceMcLaughlin ’09, and John-Eric Bell ’12 atLions's Head Outcrop during the longweekend Mercersburg Outdoor Educationexcursion. Photo credit: Sue Malone
Members of theClass of 2009enjoyed Steps
Songs andSchool Cheers
during FallAlumni
Weekend.
Harold Frederick Young (left), the grandson of Frederick Rupley Schaefer,Class of 1896, stopped by the Alumni & Development Office last fall tomeet with Academy archivist Jay Quinn (right) and A & D staff to learnmore about his grandfather’s time at Mercersburg. Mr. Schaefer was one ofthe first students at the school, under Dr. William Mann Irvine’s leadership.
85256 CEH:Layout 2 1/6/10 10:02 AM Page 11
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAIDNORWICH, CT
PERMIT NO. 51
For information on how you can be involved with these reunions, contact De-Enda Rotz in the Alumni & Development Office at [email protected] or 717-328-6178.
85256 CEH:Layout 2 12/28/09 6:31 PM Page 12