Hilltopper FALL 2023
Building Empathy & Helping the Community TWO NBA CHAMPIONSHIP COACHES PROPELLED BY WORCESTER ACADEMY ANDREW FAN ’09 RECEIVES A PULITZER 2023 EVERYDAY EXCELLENCE REPORT
CONTENTS FALL 2023
14
Pulitzer Prize Winner Andrew Fan ’09 is Using His Skills to Make a Difference
8 19 22
Middle Schoolers Helping the Community with What It Really Needs
4
How Worcester Academy Propelled Rick Carlisle ’79 and Michael Malone ’89 to the NBA Championships
8 26
Departments
Summer Research Trip to Bermuda
3 From the Head of School 16 Achieving the Honorable 18 Alumni News 26 On the Hilltop 34 Athletics 38 Giving News
36 32
40 Passings 42 Report on Annual Giving
Hilltopper Board of Trustees Officers President Megan A. O’Leary P’20 Vice President Lawrence A. Gordon ’72, P’11
On the Cover Chris Xu '27 and Middle School students develop authentic and long-term connections through the revamped Urban Outreach and Community Service Iniative.
Treasurer Michael J. O’Neil ’01 Secretary Caroline Reich P’06,’08
Members Marla E. Abodeely, PhD ’90 Daniel H. Apelian, PharmD P’28 Daniel R. Bonnette, CPA Nora Brooks, JD Courtney N. Carr, JD Wai Yan (Ronald) Chan ’98 Sarah A. Collins, JD ’06 Peter Cronin ’80 Henry Dormitzer III ’88 Jordan H. Eisenstock, MD ’94, P’23,’26 Michal P. Grabias ’11 Ernst Guerrier P’19 William A. Haddad ’92 Michael Mangaudis P’11,’14 Trent Masiki, PhD P’22,’25 Eva M. Nazarewicz ’01 Canaan T. Severin ’12 Michael T. Shannon, DMD ’73
Fall 2023 Head of School Kevin Breen Hilltopper Editor Sara Port Graphic Designer Good Design LLC, www.gooddesignusa.com Photography Karla Cinquanta NBA PHOTOGRAPHY
Development Office Jennifer DiFranco P’25,27 Director of Advancement
Featured Writers Christine Foster is an independent school fundraising and communications professional. An independent school parent and a frequent feature and contributing writer for colleges as well as independent schools, Christine has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Maura Sullivan Hill is a writer and editor based in Nashville, TN, who has written for alumni magazines, college/university websites, lifestyle magazines, and news websites. She previously worked as the assistant editor and interim editor at Holy Cross Magazine at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. Maura graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor of arts in American Studies, along with two minors: anthropology and journalism, ethics, and democracy.
Melissa Ciociolo ’08 Assistant Director of Advancement Kathrine Hughes P’26,28,29 Advancement Assistant Raymond Musumeci Advancement Database Manager Suzanne Nebelung P’22,24 Director of Annual Giving
The Hilltopper is published annually by Worcester Academy. Reader comment, as well as information of interest, is always welcome. Please write to Sara Port, Director of Communications & Marketing, at Worcester Academy, 81 Providence St., Worcester, MA 01604, or email sara.port@worcesteracademy.org.
Samuel Sadowsky P’26 Leadership Giving Officer
Mission Worcester Academy exists to instill in its students the desire to learn throughout life, to engage passionately with the world around them, and to be honorable persons of strong and resourceful character.
Core Values We are a community—curious, thoughtful, generous, and thriving in our diversity. We embrace each of our core values as essential to the mission of Worcester Academy and as testimony of our beliefs and commitments.
HONOR | RESPECT | COMMUNITY | PERSONAL GROWTH | CHALLENGE 2
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
2016 CASE DI Silver Award winner for General Excellence, Independent School Magazines
From the Head of School
Connecting the Threads of Influence A Call to Reconnect with Worcester Academy As a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Andrew Fan ’09 undoubtedly knows how to find the “threads” that connect stories. Fortunately, for those of us with less training, the threads in this issue of the Hilltopper are quite easy to spot. The work we are doing to ensure that our Middle School students graduate with a strong service ethic, for instance, springs from the same core values that impacted Andrew 15 years ago. Andrew understood that lessons from his government class had the “power to make people’s lives better.” Now, despite living in an increasingly complex world, our Middle Schoolers are learning that same lesson while diving into service projects here on Union Hill. Indeed, the threads are everywhere in this issue. Last spring, for instance, in the same year that Jessa Campbell ’11 debuted an original musical in Edinburgh, we debuted three student-written plays on campus. And in the sport of basketball, current and former champions playing at all levels are connected back to Coach Tom Blackburn, who “created an environment where everybody really wanted to do their best and be their best.” Threads can only be pulled through the years when alumni—and especially young alumni—remain active,
keep our mission relevant, and connect our current students to our core values and shared experience. Such was the case a few weeks ago when Aliyah Boston ’19 graciously offered her time and advice to current Worcester Academy players beneath the dimming lights at Mohegan Sun long after her WNBA game had concluded. This is why we need you to come back to campus, reconnect, and tell us what you have been doing and how your life was impacted by your time at WA. Our school is thriving at the moment: building projects are underway, enrollment is strong, and our students are excelling in the classroom, on stage, and on our playing fields. As our students try to imagine a brighter future for the world at large, they need to meet graduates who walked these same halls and began living lives of honor here on the Hilltop. They find hope and meaning in your stories and develop a stronger desire to “do their best and be their best.” If you have been away for a while, it’s time to reconnect. Let this letter be your formal invitation to stop by and meet the students and the mentors who are connected to you by so many meaningful threads. W
“Threads can only be pulled through the years when alumni remain active, keep our mission relevant, and connect our current students to our core values and shared experience.” —Kevin Breen, Head of School
3
Middle Schoolers Helping the Community with
What It Really Needs
Revamped Urban Outreach and Community Service Initiative
Builds Student Empathy by Christine Foster
Chris Xu ’27 dedicated a chunk of his eighth grade year to service learning, working with Why Me, a Worcester nonprofit. His biggest impact is a bit unexpected — helping families of children with cancer find the best local sweet treats. His pick? Rocco’s Donuts, where he likes the strawberry shortcake donut. Making restaurant recommendations might be an unusual way to do service, but it is part of a new approach that Worcester Academy is taking to help students play a powerful role in the community. Middle School Head Jacqueline Arce arrived at WA last year with a radical vision of what sixth, seventh, and eighth graders can accomplish. She spent 10 years working at an international baccalaureate school in Thailand, where service learning was an important part of the program. Dr. Arce knew that she wanted it to be about more than required service hours and “volunteerism.” She envisioned having students in the Urban Outreach & Community Service program
develop authentic, long-term connections with local groups and doing legwork to find out what would be genuinely helpful to each organization. Along the way, students would develop skills of empathy, collaboration, leadership, and citizenship. “It’s becoming more a part of who we are as a school,” Dr. Arce says. “It fits WA’s idea of being a school for the community. We’ve been wanting to launch urban outreach initiatives for a long time. So a service learning program like this connects with that.” This initiative began with intentional education. Every middle school student learned about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (including quality education, clean water and sanitation, and good health). They wrote about which goals they
“That’s part of the problem with one-off volunteerism. They feel like saviors, but they don’t learn about the people. Sometimes students don’t understand that they benefit and grow from doing community service. Service learning is important because they need to see it as a partnership.” —Jacqueline Arce Middle School Head
5
“What we want are kids who give back to society and are good citizens. We can’t just assume they’re going to learn that. It has to be taught explicitly.” —Jacqueline Arce Middle School Head
found most compelling and, based on that, were assigned to a team associated with a local nonprofit. Students learned how to approach their task and then were sent to do needs assessments for each organization. The students looked at how those needs might dovetail with their resources and abilities. Students were also taught how to avoid “saviorism.” “That’s part of the problem with one-off volunteerism,” Dr. Arce says. “They feel like saviors, but they don’t learn about the people. Sometimes students don’t understand that they benefit and grow from doing community service. Service learning is important because they need to see it as a partnership.” Here is how that plays out: At Why Me, the organization told the students that volunteers typically want to read books to the kids. “The kids don’t want to be read to during their downtime,” Dr. Arce remembers the organization telling the students. “They want to be with their families, doing the things they love. They don’t want to be read to by strangers.” 6
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
What Why Me families did need was a guidebook to the city, where many of them stay temporarily while their children are treated for cancer at nearby hospitals. An old paper guide existed, but it was last updated decades ago. Worcester’s middle schoolers made an updated, online version so families seeking treatment would know how to find — you guessed it — donuts, as well as restaurants of all kinds and museums where they can get away in between treatments. This way of doing service also allows students to drive the process instead of adults. They learn how to investigate, prepare, put a plan into action, and then reflect on what they did. For Chris, doing work for Why Me provided a chance to practice research and technology skills on an important project. “I actually got to dig into places that I haven’t been to and also had the chance to make posters on Google Slides to print out and put in a book,” he says. Another group of students consulted with Sheri Linn, program director at In the Hour of Need, on the needs of the group’s family shelter. They put together a study area for children living there and did a food drive to gather additional provisions to fill the home’s shelves. Linn learned what the students knew about the needs of unhoused people when they started their work. “The lingo in my world is about food stamps and budgets,” says Linn, who sits with a giant stuffed animal behind her that was donated by WA’s team and that serves as a snuggle buddy for the resident children during reading time. “One of the teachers took me aside and said, ‘You might have to explain what food stamps are to these kids.’ Most [Worcester Academy students] have never had the experience themselves of being in a family that was dependent on state aid.’” The students were quick to show empathy. Middle School counselor Katharine Oikle ’05 led a group that helped the Worcester Community Fridges fill “Woo Fridges.” WA students wrote dozens of letters to local restaurants to make them aware that they could donate unused food. They also did a drive at the school that brought in thousands of nonperishable food items. “A lot of times we’d fill the fridge and people would be standing there waiting for us to finish,” Oikle recalls. “My group would be a little unsure of how to interact. I would model just talking to them. Ask them
how their day is. Ask them if they need anything in the bags that we were dropping off. The students realized, ‘Oh, we’re giving this and then we’re going the next day and oh, my gosh — it’s already gone.’ That’s how significant the need is. We’re really doing something that’s helping the community.” Dr. Arce shared Worcester Academy’s successes with the program with a broader community of educators at the New England League of Middle Schools conference last spring. “People were excited after the session,” she recalls. “I’ve received a million emails since saying, ‘What do you recommend? What should we try about this? Which we try about that?’ “Being at an independent school, with a flexible schedule and buses that can easily bring students to nonprofit sites makes this kind of work more doable,” Dr. Arce says. “Our students had ongoing visits with their organizations….There is not a lot of bureaucracy to go through.”
The program will continue to evolve. Dr. Arce plans to add education on writing a grant proposal and will have a budget to research student ideas for their nonprofits. She also hopes to encourage more ideas related to advocacy and social entrepreneurship on behalf of the organizations. “This is important because I think school is about more than academics. I think schools — the best schools — develop students in a holistic manner,” Dr. Arce says. “What we want are kids who give back to society and are good citizens. We can’t just assume they’re going to learn that. It has to be taught explicitly.” At least one of the organizations served by this year’s efforts thinks they are heading in the right direction. Linn, from the shelter, says what impressed her was how the middle schoolers jumped right in. One of the Worcester students heard about a shortage of baby formula. “He said, ‘My aunt has this connection and I can get you formula.’ And he came over with a case of formula. I thought his effort was incredible and let him know what a difference he was making!” W 7
sportoakimirka/Shutterstock.com
How One Year at Worcester Academy Propelled Two Coaches to the
A S P B I N PIONSH
M A CH
Rick Carlisle ’79 and Michael Malone ’89 have both won NBA Championships, and playing for Coach Tom Blackburn at Worcester Academy helped them do it By Maura Sullivan Hill
Their postgrad year in Worcester was impactful for Coaching an NBA team is an incredible them both, as players and future coaches, and set them career achievement in itself. Coaching that on their paths toward success. team to a championship is a monumental Carlisle learned the game from his father, Preston, who played in pickup rec league games in their homefeat. And two Worcester Academy town of Ogdensburg, NY. Preston brought Rick along to the games to watch and later play against adult graduates have done it: players to improve his game. In the spring of 1978, the
RICK CARLISLE ’79 & MICHAEL MALONE ’89
In 2011, Carlisle coached the Dallas Mavericks to their first-ever NBA Championship. This year, Malone led the Denver Nuggets to that franchise’s first championship. Even coming from a basketball powerhouse like Worcester Academy, those are unique stats. They just might be the only two NBA Championship-winning coaches in history to come from the same high school. “The fact that Worcester Academy has two head coaches in the NBA who have won world championships is pretty amazing,” Malone says. Both coaches attribute their success to their teams, colleagues, supportive families, and mentors. And to one mentor in particular: the late Coach Tom Blackburn at Worcester Academy. Carlisle talks about Blackburn’s impact on his life and career in the same breath as NBA legends like Larry Bird, Robert Parrish, and Danny Ainge. “I went to Worcester and had a really meaningful year, met a lot of lifelong friends, and played for one of the most influential men that I’ve ever come across in my life in Coach Blackburn,” Carlisle says. “Coach Blackburn had a very strong presence. He naturally created an environment where everybody really wanted to do their best and be their best. I’ve tried to take as much away from my experience playing for him as possible.” Malone spoke about Blackburn in his post-game press conference after winning the NBA title. “To get to this point, to win a championship, you reflect upon all the people who helped you get here: my high school coach, Bobby Farrell, at Seton Hall Prep; my prep school coach, Tom Blackburn, who passed 10
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
away last year; the coaches I worked for in college… gave me an opportunity to grow and improve, to get to this. This is a many, many years-long process, and you don’t do it by yourself,” Malone told reporters assembled after the game. Both Carlisle and Malone spent a postgraduate year at Worcester Academy after high school, with a goal of earning scholarships to play Division I basketball. Under Blackburn’s tutelage, they both succeeded: Carlisle went on to the University of Maine and then the University of Virginia before playing in the NBA, while Malone played at Loyola Maryland.
duo went on a road trip to visit three potential schools for Carlisle’s postgraduate year. Worcester Academy was the final stop. “Worcester was a dominant basketball program in the New England Prep School league,” Carlisle recalls. “And I was the best player in my high school league, a 35-point per game scorer. You know, I thought I was pretty good.” Blackburn met with the Carlisles to discuss playing for him the next season and gave no guarantees. Carlisle recalls: “Coach Blackburn said, ‘Well, look, I’ve never seen you play. If you come to Worcester Academy, I can’t guarantee that you’re even going to make the team. We get a lot of good players.’ And I was listening to this and it just presented the ultimate challenge: I’m gonna prove this guy wrong. And at that point, it was pretty clear that if you wanted the best, most competitive basketball experience, Worcester Academy and playing for Coach Blackburn was the only place to go at that time.” Carlisle enrolled at Worcester Academy, where he
Rick Carlisle (number 32), Coach Blackburn (top row, far left) and the 1978-1979 boys’ basketball team
not only made the team but helped them win the league championship that year. “It was a life-changing experience for me from a basketball standpoint, and academically Worcester was very strong,” Carlisle says. “I became a much more disciplined student, because I was wearing a coat and tie every day and I had a mandatory study hall from 8 to 10 p.m. at night. It really helped prepare me for Maine and then ultimately, the University of Virginia.” After college, Carlisle had a five-year career in the NBA, including playing on the 1986 Boston Celtics team that won the NBA Championship. His final team was the New Jersey Nets, which gave him a shot as a coach immediately after his playing career ended. “My coach at the Nets said, ‘I’ve followed your career and seen you in training camp working with some of our younger players on things, and I have an assistant coaching job that I’d like to offer you,’” Carlisle says. “I was in shock; it was an amazing opportunity.” Carlisle says he wanted to be a coach for two reasons: a lifelong intellectual curiosity for the game, combined with the mental side of motivating the human spirit. He eagerly accepted the job with the Nets. A coach in the NBA since 1989, Carlisle did stints with the Portland Trail Blazers and Indiana Pacers as an assistant. His first head coaching job was with the Detroit Pistons, followed by four years with the Indiana Pacers, then 13 years in Dallas where he
led the Mavericks to the 2011 championship. In 2021, he returned to lead the Indiana Pacers for a second time. Along the way, he’s been supported by his wife, Donna, and their daughter, Abby. “A lot of things change when you go from being a player in the locker room to a coach,” says Carlisle.
“…if you wanted the best, most competitive basketball experience, Worcester Academy and playing for Coach Blackburn was the only place to go…” —Rick Carlisle ’79
Mike Malone (number 10), Coach Blackburn (top row, far right) and the 1988-1989 boys’ basketball team
“What you learn is that, ultimately, coaching is about creating and building trust with a small group of players and coaches. And it’s a daily task. As the head coach, you really have the responsibility for everyone’s attitudes that you lead. Experience helps, understanding that each situation is going to present an entirely different set of personalities and skill sets. Bringing these groups of people together is a wonderful challenge.”
The challenge of coaching is one that Michael Malone knows well, not only from personal experience, but from watching his dad, former NBA head coach Brendan Malone. “I’m one of six kids, originally from New York City, Astoria, Queens. And my earliest memories are of my father coaching at Powell Memorial Academy, a famous all-boys Catholic school in New York City. I remember going to games with my family and being in a gym my whole life,” Malone says. “Then he went into college and eventually went into the NBA. Looking at my career, it’s a very similar path. He told me it’s a tough job, not very secure and hard on a family, but he saw I had a passion for it and he and my mother supported me 1,000 percent.” Malone says he knew early on that he wanted to be a coach like his dad, between those days in the gym for games and tagging along on recruiting trips. The elder Malone, who passed away in October at 81, taught his son that the best coaches are teachers 12
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
first. And like his dad, Malone started as a high school coach, at the Friends School of Baltimore, before heading to the college level, with stops at Providence College and Manhattan College. He met his wife, Jocelyn, in Providence, and they have two daughters, Bridget and Caitlin. In the NBA, Malone has coached with the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Hornets, Golden State Warriors, and Sacramento Kings. He took the reins in Denver in 2015. At each of those stops along the way, Malone says he’s thought of his Worcester Academy coach. “When I think about my year at Worcester Academy, by far, the most impactful part of that experience was Tom Blackburn. For my postgraduate year, I came as a boy and left a man,” Malone recalls. “The thing I loved about Coach Blackburn was that he was a no-nonsense guy. He was tough, and I needed that. I appreciate who he was, how he coached, how he treated me.” One Blackburn mantra still sticks with him. “I remember he said one thing that I carry with me to this day as an NBA coach. He said, ‘You know, I’m gonna get on you guys at practice and you’re not gonna like it at times. But in front of your family, in front of your friends, I will never do anything to embarrass you.’ During a game, he might be upset with you for a certain thing, but he would never do anything to belittle you in front of all the people that you cared about. And that was a small thing, but for me, it was a
big thing. I knew he truly cared about us as players.” Malone was team captain during the 1988–89 season, and stayed in touch with Blackburn after graduation. “He pushed me and helped me get a Division I scholarship. He got me in the gym working on my game, helping me improve as a player,” Malone says. “He impacted me in a really positive light, and I tried to make sure he knew that as often as possible.” Athletic trainer Doc Samko, assistant coach Phil Suazo, and equipment manager Chet Chaisson also played a big part in Malone’s year at Worcester. “The craziest thing about Worcester Academy is that people work there forever, and that speaks to something about the school and community,” Malone says. “And it becomes a family, something bigger than themselves. Whether it was Chet, Doc Samko, Coach Blackburn, those people helped me. They were all so impactful and they loved the school. I just feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to be around them and be part of Worcester Academy.” Malone says that watching the coaching styles of his dad and Worcester Academy mentors taught him the importance of consistency. “I can’t be one way after a big win and then something completely different after a tough loss. That consistency — hey, this is who I am, and I’m going to be the same guy every day and I’m going to be here for you and with you and push you,” Malone says. “That’s allowed me to be a coach in the league and in Denver now for nearly nine years. It’s something I’ve been fortunate to have great examples of around me throughout my life. I never tried to be Phil Jackson or Tom Blackburn or my father. I have to be the best version of me. And I think that’s what players really respect and appreciate.”
Malone and Carlisle are part of a cohort of Worcester Academy alumni who have been involved coaching, playing, or working in the NBA and WNBA, including former player and current Detroit Pistons assistant Jarret Jack ’02, former Dallas Mavericks executive Donnie Nelson ’82, Chicago Bulls scout Mike Wilhem ’86, and Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston ’19. “One thing about Worcester Academy, especially when Coach Blackburn was there, is that there was a family component to it, which I thought was pretty neat,” Malone says. “I played in ’89 and all these other guys played in different years, but there is constant connection and connectivity.”
As Worcester Academy looks towards future basketball success — and maybe the next generation of NBA players and coaches — a new, 72,000-square-foot athletic facility is under construction on Providence Street. Plans are underway to name the gym in the new athletic center in Coach Blackburn’s honor. “He was a great man, a great teacher, a great coach, a great father and family man,” Carlisle says. “He was not a self-promoter. He was not into things that he didn’t feel were important to developing a team and helping young men prepare for successful lives. And that’s why it’s so important that we name this for him.” W Have some of your own memories of Coach Blackburn that you’d like to share? Email them to us at alumni@worcesteracademy.org. And if you’d like to make a donation to support athletics at WA, visit www.worcesteracademy.org/support-wa or contact Jen DiFranco, Director of Advancement at jennifer.difranco@worcesteracademy.org.
“The craziest thing about Worcester Academy is that people work there forever, and that speaks to something about the school and community. And it becomes a family, something bigger than themselves. —Michael Malone ’89
13
Changing Challenging Systems
One Data Point at a Time 14
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
Pulitzer Prize Winner Andrew Fan ’09 is Using His Skills to Make a Difference By Christine Foster
Andrew Fan’s breakthrough — the start of a journey that would end in a coveted Pulitzer Prize — came in a surprisingly mundane way. Fan has several degrees from elite institutions. He adeptly manipulates data in spreadsheets and analyzes historical patterns. But none of his education or skills were necessary for that pivotal moment. That led to some of Fan’s earliest reporting, for the local public radio station WBEZ and City Bureau, a journalism nonprofit. He analyzed racial disparities in lending and found disturbing numbers. In Chicago, which remains very segregated, for every $10 that banks were investing in white neighborhoods, they were investing just $1 in neighborhoods that were majority Black. He also identified that some lenders have much worse ratios — as bad as 40 to 1. “Some banks are doing much better. Some banks were doing much worse, and they were making decisions that led to those outcomes,” he says. Fan stepped out of the workforce for two years to complete a master’s program in public policy at Harvard. When he returned to Chicago, he joined the Invisible Institute, where he now serves as interim executive director. In an earlier era, someone like this might have been a police reporter at a metropolitan daily, but Fan is part of a new wave of journalists working for independent nonprofits, crunching data and partnering with local newspapers. The Invisible Institute says its mission is “to enhance the capacity of citizens to hold public institutions accountable.” How to tell important stories well — how to make that argument — is another skill Fan traces back to WA. “I was on the debate team for four years,” he says. Fan remembers learning “how you craft and talk about different types of things to people, how you make arguments, how you think about the way you’re understanding something, but also how you’re communicating that to other people.” The phrase “Achieve the Honorable” was a regular refrain during Fan’s time at Worcester Academy. What sticks with him more than those words, however, is the ethos around public service that they represent. “When I think about [my teacher], and it wasn’t just like, ‘Oh, I’m excited about the American government,’ but there was an underlying sense that this has the power to make people’s lives better, and I care about that. This is something that we, as people who live here, should be committed to.” W
“…this has the power to make people’s lives better, and I care about that. This is something that we, as people who live here, should be committed to.” —Andrew Fan ’09
Peshkova/Shutterstock.com
“I used the very advanced data technique of saying, ‘Oh, that seems like a lot of dog bites,’” he remembers. Fan was poring over numbers showing how often police dogs injure people when he noticed a striking outlier in one city. Chicago reported only one dog bite between 2017 and 2019. Indianapolis, by contrast, had a whopping 220. As a journalist with the nonprofit Invisible Institute, Fan thought that was something worth exploring. That research became a multi-story series published in 2020 that earned Fan a 2021 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting. He shared the honor with his colleagues at the Invisible Institute and partners from Indianapolis’s IndyStar, AL.com, and The Marshall Project. Fan and his colleagues’ work also had a tangible impact. The Indianapolis police announced policy changes the first day part of the series ran. In the next year the number of dog bites declined by 90 percent. “I think that it’s honestly fairly rare to see something so clear and direct, but in this case they changed up because of the scrutiny they received,” Fan says. Fan never intended to be a journalist. He went to college thinking he would be a diplomat. “Then I learned that I was bad at languages,” he says. After graduating from the University of Chicago with degrees in history and political science, Fan knew he wanted to do something that mattered, especially supporting underserved communities. That inspiration, he says, in part traces back to the influence of his Worcester Academy teachers. “I have really, really good memories of my teachers, especially in the history department, where I feel like I picked up a lot of the things that I would end up interested in,” Fan says. “I got an incredibly strong foundation in the way that our institutions are supposed to work.” Fan’s first job was at a community development bank that provides loans to people who often don’t have access to traditional credit. Fan learned about how to build up impoverished neighborhoods.
15
“The difference at [Worcester] Academy was that it was wide open to the world. I always knew what my voice was, but on the Hilltop, I learned to express it.” —Jim Forbes ’73
Achieving the Honorable “Achieve the Honorable,” our school motto and the most recognizable phrase in our school lexicon, sits as the foundation of our core values – Honor, Respect, Community, Personal Growth, and Challenge. In this new feature, we ask members of the WA community to reflect on the motto and how it has guided their lives both on and off the Hilltop.
Jim Forbes ’73 Found His Voice WA Launched Emmy-Winning Journalist in the Tumult of the 1960s By Christine Foster Jim Forbes’s business is called Jim Forbes Voice, representing the tool he has used in four decades as an Emmy Award-winning journalist. But to hear him tell it, he didn’t have a way to express that voice before attending Worcester Academy. A member of the Class of 1973, Forbes went from the Bronx to the Hilltop, where he was a legacy student. His dad, T. Harold Forbes Jr. ’31, was a sports writer for the New York Daily News. In fact, there were generations of journalists in the Forbes family, which meant the conversations around him were lively and no topic was out of bounds. Given that it was the 1960s and 1970s, there was lots to talk about, whether it was the shocking image of a Vietnamese girl burned
Jim Forbes (first row, second from right) with his 1973 classmates at their 50th Reunion this year.
by napalm or the aftermath of a racist bombing that killed six girls in Birmingham, Alabama. “All of those images, those stories, stayed with me and had a deep impact,” Forbes remembers. “But in parochial school, they weren’t talking about these things. I really didn’t have an outlet to reflect on or discuss issues of the day with my peers.” Transferring to WA as a sophomore, he says he valued the Urban Affairs Program most. The program enabled him to become a Big Brother and get his first taste of journalism as an intern at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. “The difference at the Academy was that it was wide open to the world,” Forbes says. “I always knew what my voice was, but on the Hilltop, I learned to express it.” To him, “Achieving the Honorable” means having integrity and striving for authenticity. One story where he demonstrated those values was a piece for which he won an Emmy in 1982. He was working for Channel 3 in Hartford, CT, when seven children died in a tenement fire. Forbes spoke with the religious sister who taught the oldest child, recorded the eulogies at the funeral, and captured film of the seven hearses in a semicircle at the cemetery. He wanted to tell the story in an unusual way. “I went back to the news director and I said, ‘I want to do this with natural sound, without narration.’” His boss pushed back, but Forbes held his ground. He knew his instincts were right when he walked into the newsroom and saw hardened journalists bawling their eyes out. “I just wanted people to care because this was almost a weekly story…people living in decrepit, awful conditions…I hoped that my reporting would have an impact on viewers.” “I found my voice at Worcester Academy,” Forbes says. “And I’ve used it to fight for the things I think are important in this world.” W
Alumni NEWS Matt Shaw ’20 was selected 13th overall by the Chicago Cubs in the 2023 MLB draft. On the Hilltop, Shaw was a star on both our soccer and baseball teams before moving onto the University of Maryland, where he was the all-time leader in home runs during his junior season. As a senior, he was a consensus All-American and won the Brooks Wallace Award for the best collegiate shortstop. Shaw was also named the 2022 Cape Cod League MVP. W
Chris Lyons/Maryland Athletics
Alumni NEWS
Jessa Campbell ’11 debuted her original musical, Woven, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, one of the greatest celebrations of arts and culture that takes place every August in Edinburgh, Scotland. Woven explores the transformative nature of identity and the importance of self-discovery in a world that values conformity over authenticity. The show reimagines The Odyssey from a modern perspective through a rich, moving interpretation of seven female characters. As a student, Campbell was very involved with Worcester Academy’s theater program and wrote her first play for her Senior Graduation Project. W 19
Last December, the U.S. Department of State appointed Kelly M. Fay Rodríguez ’99 as Special Representative for International Labor Affairs. Fay Rodríguez now leads the Department’s global engagement to promote international worker rights, elevate labor diplomacy in U.S. foreign policy bilaterally and multilaterally, and leverage foreign policy tools and commitments for the benefit of American workers and businesses. Fay Rodríguez is internationally recognized for her work on labor issues. Prior to her appointment, she served as Trade and Labor Oversight Counsel for the Ways and Means Committee, and also served several years at the AFL-CIO and Solidarity Center. W
Jack Adiletta ’21 was named a 2023 Barry Goldwater Scholar, one of the most prestigious undergraduate awards of its type in STEM. Adiletta is a junior at Worcester Polytechnic Institute studying electrical and computer engineering and data science. He was recognized for his stellar work in research as well as his outstanding academic record, and credits Worcester Academy for setting the foundation for his success. “Research is a tough, time-consuming process,” he said. “Worcester Academy imbued in me a diligent curiosity through its Science Fair program and project-based learning, which made me well prepared for this challenge.” W
20
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
Rachel Harris
Alumni NEWS
Zach Hughes
Aliyah Boston ’19 has had a spectacular start to her professional basketball career. Picked first overall in the 2023 WNBA draft, she dominated the league as a power forward and center for the Indiana Fever and was named Rookie of the Year. In a game against the Washington Mystics, Boston led all players in points, rebounds, and assists, making her the first rookie in WNBA history to do all three. Boston was also just the eighth rookie to be selected as a starter in the All-Star Game, and the first since 2014. W 21
Alumni Awards Larry Gordon ’72, P’11 Distinguished Alumnus/a Award Established in 2002, this award recognizes the accomplishment of an alumnus/a who has demonstrated the Academy’s mission through excellence in his or her chosen field.
Young Alumnus/a Award Established in 2003, this award is given to an alumnus/a who graduated from the Academy in the past 20 years and has demonstrated success in his or her chosen field or has contributed significantly to his or her community.
Cole Porter Arts Recognition Award The Cole Porter Arts Recognition Award honors members of the Worcester Academy alumni community who have made significant and lasting contributions to the visual or performing arts during their professional or personal lives.
Hall of Fame The Worcester Academy Hall of Fame, established in 1976, recognizes individuals who through their many years of service and devotion to the Academy have had an important impact on the school and society.
Varsity Club The Varsity Club award is given annually and recognizes former Academy athletes who have distinguished themselves both athletically and professionally.
22
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
Distinguished Alumnus/a Award Larry Gordon ’72, P’11, is founder, past president, and former CEO of Cold Chain Technologies, a global provider of temperature-controlled shipping solutions for life science industries. He remains an active member of Cold Chain’s board. Prior to Cold Chain, Gordon held several engineering, marketing, and strategic management positions at Intel before joining his family’s business. A graduate of MIT’s Sloan School of Management, he first earned a B.S. in chemical engineering from Tufts University. While at Worcester Academy, Gordon participated in the Photo Club and was photography editor for the Vigornia newspaper and Towers yearbook. He was a member of the Academy’s rowing and hockey teams as well as WA’s Cum Laude Society. Gordon was a recipient of the Bausch & Lomb Science Award. A trustee of Worcester Academy, Gordon has been tapped to chair the Academy’s capital campaign. Along with his wife, Cora, he has created the Gordon Scholarship, a need-based fund supporting students at WA. Together, they have also established the school’s first faculty-endowed chair. In addition to his volunteer activities at WA, Gordon mentors and coaches entrepreneurship for high school students at Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, for graduate students at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, and for budding entrepreneurs in under-represented communities at Entrepreneurship for All.
Alumni NEWS
Elizabeth Butterworth ’07 Young Alumnus/a Award Elizabeth “Liz” Butterworth ’07 is a social justice advocate who earned her Doctor of Law degree from Harvard University Law School, where she received the 2022 Gants Access to Justice Award for her work in housing law. While in law school, Butterworth’s focus was on housing justice. She worked with organizers at City Life/Vida Urbana and represented tenants in Boston Housing Court and before local housing authorities. She was intake director at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. Butterworth now works as an Equal Justice Works Fellow in the Tenant Advocacy and Support Program at Legal Counsel for the Elderly in Washington D.C. After graduating from Worcester Academy, Butterworth attended Princeton University and received a bachelor’s degree in classics. As a senior, she was named a 2012 Rhodes
Scholar, the world’s most prestigious academic award, that led her to attend Oxford University. At Oxford, Butterworth received her master’s degrees in Latin and Greek languages and literature and in comparative and international education, and later became an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Classical Studies at Hunter CollegeCity University of New York. She also worked for a small classical languages nonprofit, holding a range of roles that included developing and running free after-school programs in New York City, grant writing, teaching online Latin courses, and doing a mix of teaching and administrative work for summer study abroad programs. Butterworth lives with her husband, Carlos, and their cat, Hamlet, in Hyattsville, MD. Her brother, John ’10, also is a proud Worcester Academy graduate.
Charles Vassallo ’77
Cole Porter Arts Recognition Award Charles “Chuck” Vassallo ’77 is assistant principal and director of performing arts at the Professional Performing Arts School in New York City. During his 25-year-tenure at PPAS, the school has been recognized as one of the country’s premiere performing arts public secondary schools. In addition to his arts administration duties, Vassallo teaches musical theatre scene study in the Musical Theatre Department as well as musicianship in the Vocal Department. Following graduation from Worcester Academy, Vassallo attended Bowdoin College, where he earned a B.A. in chemistry. He later attended the Berklee College of Music, where he studied film scoring and jazz arranging. Vassallo holds master of education
degrees in general and special education and in educational supervision and leadership. Prior to PPAS, Vassallo was music director for 3D International Tours, for which he conducted five national tours across the United States. He was music director for Blackbirds of Broadway, which premiered in Worcester at the Foothills Theatre and was also presented at the Westport, CT, Country Playhouse and the Montreal Jazz Festival. Vassallo served as head music director at the Forestburgh (NY) Playhouse from 1992 to 2000, where he continues to work with guest cabaret artists and with the Forestburgh Playhouse Theatre Academy. He lives with his husband, Gifford M. Booth, in New York City and Forestburgh, NY.
23
James Pietro ’81, P’11,’14,’19 2022 Hall of Fame Inductee James J. “Jim” Pietro ’81, P’11,’14,’19 is an insurance executive and longtime friend and loyal supporter of Worcester Academy. He is currently managing director at Hilb Group, a top 15 national insurance brokerage. Previously, he was owner, partner, and president at Mid-State Insurance Agency. After Worcester Academy, Pietro completed a postgraduate year at Canterbury School and then attended Colby College, where he was captain of the football and track teams. Pietro later reconnected with Worcester Academy as an assistant track and field coach and coached several WA athletes to New England titles.
Ron Capozzoli ’49, P’85, GP’14 2022 Hall of Fame Inductee Ron Capozzoli ’49, P’85, GP’14 is a successful American businessman and loyal friend and supporter of Worcester Academy. A commercial real estate developer, he is a leader in the construction industry in New England and Florida. After Worcester Academy, Capozzoli worked for his father and then attended Northeastern University. From there, he headed his own construction firm building residential as well as municipal and commercial buildings, including supermarkets and state-of-the-art storage facilities. Over the years, Capozzoli’s contributions to the Academy have had a lasting impact — both on WA and on its students. In 2019, he and his wife, Markay, endowed the Capozzoli Family Scholarship. Capozzoli made a transformative $20 million gift to Worcester Academy in 2022.
24
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
His profound generosity has energized the school and ensured continued success and financial strength. It will impact Worcester Academy’s endowment, scholarship aid, investments in faculty and programming, and spur renovations and new construction. Among the investments is the restoration of the Megaron to its original splendor. That project has been completed, and the building has appropriately been renamed the Capozzoli Family Megaron. Construction is underway for a new wellness and athletic facility on South Campus made possible by Capozzoli’s leadership gift. Capozzoli is the patriarch of a Worcester Academy legacy family that spans three generations. A son, Christopher Capozzoli Sr. ’85, and a grandson, Christopher M. Capozzoli Jr. ’14, also graduated from Worcester Academy. Capozzoli lives with his wife in Jupiter, FL.
Pietro is perhaps best known to the Worcester Academy community as an influential member of the Board of Trustees. In 1996, he joined the Board of Trustees and was president from 2004 to 2011 and again from 2017 to 2021. Pietro is part of an extended family with deep roots at Worcester Academy. His father was legendary football coach John Pietro ’48, and Pietro’s children, Cody ’11, John ’14, and Nicole ’19, are proud Academy graduates. Pietro’s brothers David ’73 and Paul ’75 are also alumni, as are Paul’s children, John ’18, and Keri ’20. Pietro lives with his wife, Terrie, in Sutton, MA.
Alumni NEWS
Wade Johnson
Amanda Easley ’03 Varsity Club Award
R. Brad Brennan ’96 Varsity Club Award
As a postgraduate in Worcester Academy’s Class of 1996, Brad Brennan made strong impressions on his teammates, classmates, coaches, and teachers during his stay on the Hilltop. Originally from Mountain View, CA, Brennan came to WA to expand his college opportunities as a varsity level student-athlete. Former coaches Mike Stubljar and Brendan Smith remember Brennan as a “leader by example” and that his determination to overcome obstacles were key elements in motivating the undefeated 1996 WA football team. Says Coach Stubljar, “Brennan was the driving force behind the entire team.” Brennan immersed himself in the Worcester Academy experience and flourished as a student-athlete, capping his time at WA by receiving the illustrious Dee Rowe Award, presented to a student who demonstrates excellence in academics and athletics. Brennan continued his successes at the University of Arizona, where he started for the Wildcats and graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications. Brennan was a professional football player and coach for 10 years in Japan. He is currently the director of major accounts at Raken Inc., which specializes in building industry software.
Earning 10 varsity letters in four different sports, Amanda Easley ’03 is one of the most well-rounded athletes ever to compete for Worcester Academy. A four-year letter winner in both basketball and softball, Easley also played soccer and volleyball at the varsity level. The three-time captain who led the softball team to a 16–1 record in her senior season, Easley excelled at pitching and first base. Her unrelenting determination at practice and during games, paired with her abilities as a team leader, helped her earn a scholarship to the University of Massachusetts. Easley helped UMass make four consecutive NCAA appearances and win three Atlantic-10 championships. Easley’s intensity on the playing fields was matched only by her work in the classrooms, graduating in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. Making a home in Texas with her husband, Derek, and their children, Scarlett and Zane, Easley is currently the senior immigration services officer at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, which vets cases for potential national security and public safety concerns. Longtime WA softball coach Julie Berberian says, “Whether you have met Easley once or have been lucky enough to call her a friend, her positive, warm, and caring nature makes a real impact that stays with you forever.” W
25
On the
Hilltop
Sparkling Seas and Science Research Summer Trip Gives Students Hands-on Experience by Christine Foster The pink sand glistened in the distance. Turquoise blue waters lapped at the shoreline. Classes at Worcester Academy had ended, and already Olivia “Liv” Hernandez ’25 and Harrison Martel ’25 had strapped on snorkeling masks and were paddling around the island of Bermuda. “In the beginning, we started in little coves,” recalls Harrison. “By the end we were in the open ocean, snorkeling in 40-foot water. It was spectacular.” But this was no mere vacation. Harrison and Liv’s companions included 12 other Worcester Academy Upper School students actively engaged in scientific research in the world’s northernmost coral reef system. They spent a week in June learning about the impact of plastics in the ocean, removing invasive plant species from the island, and surveying fish and coral life on the reefs. “I really liked looking at all the biodiversity in Bermuda, the different types of coral in the ocean, as well as the different types of fish that we saw,” says Liv. The trip’s leader, Brian Kondek, a 34-year veteran teacher who teaches AP Biology and Marine Science, knew he wanted to bring students to Bermuda even before he arrived at Worcester four years ago. He saw how valuable the opportunity was because he led trips to the island at his previous school. “I like to take kids to places and do things rather than just study about them and read about them in books,” Kondek says. “I 26
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
On the
“In the beginning, we started in little coves. By the end we were in the open ocean. snorkeling in 40-foot water. It was spectacular.” —Harrison Martel ’25
was super excited because I knew that the kids would be completely immersed in the environment. It’s a very fragile ecosystem.” The COVID-19 pandemic prevented travel for a couple of summers, and then in 2022, Worcester offered a different international research trip to the Galapagos Island. But for Kondek and his students, Bermuda was
Hilltop
worth the wait. It’s one thing to read about how animals evolve to have protective traits, and another thing to see it while doing a survey of aquatic life. “We learned about biomimicry and why some of the fish have different spots on them,” Harrison says. “For example, one has spots on its belly and it’s to mimic eyes. It’s to scare things away….It has a larger spot on
it that looks like an eye so it makes it look like a larger predator. That’s so interesting — the fact that in nature stuff like that happens automatically.” The trip was designed to be accessible to students with a range of academic backgrounds. One of the attendees had taken Kondek’s Marine Science class and was particularly passionate about the subject, but most of the students had no prior exposure. There were 14-year-old ninth graders and 18-year-olds who graduated from the Academy on the Friday before the trip. In preparation, students did swim tests and practiced snorkeling in the WA pool. “I wanted to make sure that they were comfortable and that they had safety in mind,” says Kondek. Exposing the students to the environmental impact of humans started even before they arrived on the island. Kondek’s packing list advised students to avoid sunblock with certain chemicals or nano-size plastics that can harm coral and other animals. Once the students arrived, they partnered with the Bermuda Institute for Ocean Sciences on various projects. They also lived in dorms at the research station. One of the most significant efforts was a restoration project, removing invasive plants on Cooper’s Island, an old U.S. Navy installation on the far northeast tip of the island. The students then planted new, native species, hoping to restore the environment to what it once was. “It gives the kids a sense of accomplishment that they were able to do something good for other people,” Kondek says. Beyond science, the students got a chance to learn history and experience a different culture. They attended a festival in Hamilton, the island’s main city,
28
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
rode the public bus with local residents, and chatted about life on the island. “The kids were really able to engage with some people,” Kondek says. “It was a really good experience for them to realize, ‘Oh my gosh, there are people that live here. This is what they do, and they have to take care of their island and here I am. I’m visiting their island and I want to be responsible.’” An other non-science learning opportunity happened at the Bermuda National Museum. There the WA group learned about how the British colony was a stopping point between Africa and North America when the slave trade existed from the 1600s
through the mid-1800s. “Little bits and pieces feel like Britain, as it had long been a part of the British Commonwealth” Kondek says. “But there is a lot of diversity in this unique self-governing territory.” On rainy days, the students got lab time, looking at living coral under a microscope. “You see them in the ocean and you think they’re rocks and you know that they’re living organisms. But when you see the little tentacles rising up and capturing a particle of food and bringing it into their digestive system — it’s amazing. I had seen videos of that myself, but the first time I experienced that, I was like, holy cow!” recalls Kondek, who loved seeing the students get that same sense of wonder. “You think that an hour or two in the labs might be a little boring because we could be out snorkeling, but they were just loving that they didn’t want to stop.” Students even embraced the grunt work of a lab scientist, cleaning algae off tanks that are home to marine life in the institute. “I think that it’s opened my eyes to how much I’m really interested in biology now. That really intrigued me. So I think that that’s something that I might want to explore more of in the future,” Liv says. Kondek hopes even if they don’t pursue science professionally, the trip will stick with the students and spark a lifetime commitment to environmental stewardship. “That’s one of the things that the kids take home with them,” Kondek says. “To have that in the back of their mind always and to be able to build off of that experience is critical. The best way to get kids invested in taking care of the environment is when they experience something like this.” W
On the
Hilltop
Faculty take home the win! A Worcester Academy tradition, Spree Day marks the end of the school year and allows the whole WA community to unwind and have some fun. The highlight of 2023’s Spree Day was the Seniors vs. Faculty Basketball Game. Officiated by senior TJ Power, the game drew students and staff to watch the two teams battle it out on the court. It was a close contest, but the faculty, including Head of School Kevin Breen, took home the win! W
29
On Display Twelve Upper School students had their art on display at the Worcester Art Museum’s Youth Art Month Exhibit. This multimedia exhibit featured student artwork from communities across Massachusetts as part of Youth Art Month, a national celebration emphasizing the value of art education. This year’s show was sponsored by the Worcester Art Museum and the Massachusetts Art Education Association. W
30
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
On the
Hilltop
Worcester Academy students wrote, directed, and starred in last spring’s theatrical production, a series of one-act plays, including A Date of a Lifetime, written and directed by Sabina Gill ’25; Mannequin, written by Marianne Sardella ’26 and directed by Sophia Buffone ’24; and Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire, written and directed by Matthew Cook ’25. W
31
189th Commencement In June, Worcester Academy celebrated its 189th Commencement, with 136 students receiving their diplomas on the storied campus quad. Salutatorian Abhiram Singh and Valedictorian Brendan Roy addressed their classmates. Kevin Breen, Head of School, also offered remarks: “Class of 2023, I hope you take these formative lessons with you from this place. First, practice self-grace. Continue to pursue your dreams — keep trying, keep learning, and keep striving for success, but give yourself a break when that is what you really need. Let your experience here remind you that it is OK to get stuck, and it is OK to ask for help.” W
Welcome, Worcester Academy Alumni!
32
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
Aliya Addo Kathryn Adiletta Jorden Afonso Abigail Amorello Grace Anderson Joy Awumi Nash Barlow Connor Benoit Joseph Berberian Camden Blum Alisha Braich Jack Brennan Todd Brogna
Olivia Bull Yixu Cai Xiaoyu Cao Cole Carbone Maggie Carroll Ritvik Chand Karan Chandel Ching Cheung Marc Ciampolillo Andrew Coelho Renee Coutinho Anabella De Jesus Seth DeLong
Makenna Eisenstock Alexandra Eldredge Andrew Ernst Mark Evangelous Emily Ferguson Owen Ferguson Elizabeth Finn William Fisher Connor Fitzgerald Malcolm Flaherty Owen Foley Frederikke Foss Kate Gagnon
Nina Gavin Benett Gelardi Charles Goodchild Alexandra Gray Emily Grieco Lio Griffin-Hill Alexander Ham Victor Harrington Anna Harvey William Harvey Zachary Harvey-Seutcheu Anna Hjerpe Huxley Holcombe
Jamison Howland Allison Hurd Ethan Jasmin Yizhi Jiang Wade Johnson Parker Jones Minsang Jung Jaxson Kahawai Chloe Kalp Mila Kaul Anaheed Khalili Polina Kondratieva Emmy Lacourse
On the
Wesley Larson Nathan Lee Gen Li Sijie Li Stevenson Li Thaddeus Liquori Tongda Lou Abbey MacDonald Cara Mancini Max Marchetti Denzel Martinez Rafael Matta Lacey Mbugua
Declan McIntyre Justin Mohaghegh Keira Mooney Andrey Mukhin Joselyn Mulindwa Emma Nelson Huong Nguyen Christopher Norman III Zara Nwosu Tess O'Connell Eva O'Reilly Ava O'Toole Oluchi Okananwa
Trisha Pahari Jacob Palermo Erika Parenti Autumn Perry Luís Pimentel Jessica Pistorino Gabriel Pitts Thomas Power Olivia Preston Brandon Prior Geeta Puli Colleen Quirk Nakul Ramesh
Talia Rassias Yoav Regev Gina Richard Brendan Roy Owen Roy Declan Ryan Sydney Ryder Aleksandr Sergeev Shivaan Sharma Ruijia Shi Elise Siciliano Abhiram Singh Vafa Soheyli
Graciela Stolberg Luke Sullivan Han Tang Jack Thurmond Bethany Weinberg-O'Brien Junbo Wen Colin West Lauren Wood Isabella Woodring Yuhang Wu Quenton Xiao Nathaniel Yurkovic Luman Zhang
Hilltop
Shiyu Zhang Yicong Zhang Yehan Zhou Shuqi Zhu Yaqi Zhu
33
ATHLETICS
Worcester Athletics Shines in College Recruitment One-Third of the Class of 2023 Will Play in College
“It’s a record number,” says Director of Athletics Ed Reilly. “We had a remarkable year.” According to the NCAA, nationally, just a bit more than 6 percent of high school athletes compete at the college level. That translates to just 495,000 students out of 8 million. In the most competitive sports, such as basketball, where most high schools field squads and the college rosters are relatively small, the numbers are in the 3-4 percent range. Both Reilly and Julie Berberian, associate athletic director, point to kids, coaches, and facilities as key to WA’s success. The coaches recruit gritty, tough, disciplined students, provide effective coaching, and have the benefit of being part of a great school community. Another notable piece was that four teams — boys’ soccer, girls’ ice hockey, boys’ basketball, and baseball — are sending a minimum of six athletes to college teams. “It’s the kind of breadth and depth of what we were able to accomplish this year,” Reilly says. “Spread across all of our teams and across multiple seasons.” These are just a few of the Hilltoppers to watch for at the college level: Basketball powerhouse Duke is getting two from Worcester — TJ Power for their men’s squad and Oluchi Okananwa for the women’s team. Boys’ coach Jamie Sullivan calls Power “a versatile player who affects the game in so many ways. He cares about his teammates and cares about winning and will do whatever it takes for the team to come out on top!” ESPN named the power forward the top recruit from Massachusetts this year. Power was instrumental in leading the Hilltoppers to NEPSAC Class AA championships in both his junior and senior seasons. Okananwa is a gifted athlete and one of the most heavily recruited female basketball players in the history of WA’s program. “Coach (Kara) Lawson is building an empire there, and I needed to be part of it,” she told the Salem News when she committed last fall. Several Hilltoppers, including Emily Ferguson, who is headed to play field hockey at Bowdoin College, will make their mark at Division III schools. WA Coach Kathleen DelaGorgendiere says that Ferguson made the move from playing ice hockey to field hockey “like a natural…Emily has
incredible field sense, a powerful hit, impeccable skills and control. She is fast, fierce, and will be an amazing addition to Bowdoin’s field hockey program.” Many athletes will also be remembered for their contributions to the campus. Nina Gavin, who will be playing volleyball at Bryant University, helped Berberian develop a middle school volleyball team. An ALL-NEPSAC player, Gavin was both the captain and the MVP for two years, leading her team to a postseason bid both seasons. Some athletes may get decent playing time even in their first season in college. The Jersey Sporting News predicted that for Dana Johnson Jr. nearly a year ago, just after he committed to play football at Monmouth University. Johnson, a defensive back, was “an instrumental piece to the 2022 season,” says WA coach Jeremy Bandy. A whopping nine members of the boys’ soccer team will continue to hit the field in college. Nash Barlow, a defensive midfielder who served as captain and
was named the NEPSAC player of the year, was recruited by the University of Vermont. WA Coach James Proctor calls Barlow “one of the main driving forces of the team on the field and in the locker room.” Another, TJ Liquori, led the team in goals and assists and was one of 40 national high school athletes to play in the All American game — only the second in WA history. The Prep School Boston Globe All Scholastic Player of the year and team MVP is also playing for the University of Vermont. W
ATHLETICS
For many high school athletes, the dream is competing at the next level — making it onto a college team. This year one-third of Worcester Academy’s Class of 2023 is making that dream a reality.
See where all of the 2023 student-athletes will be competing this year.
www.worcesteracademy.org/ athletics/college-bound-athletes
35
WA Champs In the 2022–2023 season, three of Worcester Academy’s athletic teams took home trophies!
Boys’ soccer finished their season with a nearly perfect 19–0–1 record and the NEPSAC Class A championship. Head Coach James Proctor was also named New England Soccer Journal Prep Coach of the Year. The boys’ basketball team captured their second consecutive NEPSAC Class AA championship, and Head Coach Jamie Sullivan was honored as the Co-Coach of the Year in AA Basketball. Worcester Academy Baseball was the top team in New England in 2023. With first-year coach Mike Abraham leading the charge, the Hilltoppers clinched the Central New England Prep School Baseball League (CNEPSBL) championship. W
Drew Forsberg Drew Forsberg
Justin Mu rray
36
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
ATHLETICS Girls’ Basketball Team to Play at TD Garden! On January 14, come cheer on Worcester Academy’s girls’ basketball team as they compete in the Andrew James Lawson Foundation Invitational at TD Garden, home of the Boston Celtics! Ticket information available soon. W
Twin ViZuals
37
Giving NEWS 189 Years of Everyday Excellence Thank you for celebrating Worcester Academy’s 189th birthday! Gifts were made to Everyday Excellence in support of the arts, athletics, financial aid, academics, and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Your support made an immediate impact and we are grateful. In addition to our loyal annual donors, we were excited to welcome 182 new donors to this annual tradition of giving back. They were faculty and staff members, parents, grandparents, alumni, and our newest alumni — the Class of 2023, who made their first gifts to WA. We offer special thanks to everyone who made a specific challenge gift encouraging others to give, including the Board of Trustees, who gave $125,000 when we reached 500 donors! How will the collective power of the WA community be harnessed for WA’s 190th birthday? Save the date of February 28, 2024, for Founders Day 2024 to find out! W
38
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
Save the Date!
Founders Day February 28, 2024
Giving NEWS
Announcing The Weissman Match
We remember Robert (Bob) Weissman ’58, who passed away April 4, 2023. Weissman earned a scholarship to attend Worcester Academy. A boarder in Davis Hall, he was an exceptionally bright student. He was truly appreciative of the lessons learned on the Hilltop that he carried with him throughout his life. “WA was an important part of my dad’s life,” says his son, Chris Weissman. “It positioned him to be successful at Babson and in business. All that knew him, knew he lived by the school’s motto Achieve the Honorable.” Weissman spent nearly 30 years working as CEO for several public corporations. Over the course of his career, he started a business that grew from 42 employees to 255,000, made over 100 acquisitions, and was director of 11 public companies. When he retired in 2001, Weissman was chairman of IMS Health, the world’s largest provider of information to the pharmaceutical and health care industries. After his retirement, Weissman was active as chairman of Shelburne Investments, a private investment company. He was the co-founder and director of
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation and a trustee of Babson College. Ardent supporters of Worcester Academy for decades, Weissman and his wife, Jan, were not only among the Academy’s most generous donors, but also helped to strengthen the ties that bind the community. Whether providing their valuable insight and advice to school leaders, speaking at campaign events, or hosting events, Weissman and Jan were incredible champions of Worcester Academy. Weissman was presented with the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2004 and inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame in 2018. “Bob and Jan Weissman’s importance and influence on Worcester Academy over the past two decades cannot be overstated. Bob’s wisdom, guidance, and support of WA and its leadership, along with Jan’s much-needed perspective and advice, were of great consequence for the school over this period,” says former board chair Jim Pietro ’81, P’11,14,19. “A humble yet brilliant business leader, strategist, and philanthropist, Bob, a member of the Worcester Academy Hall of Fame, would help the WA team think through the case
for support, play an active role in helping raise funds, and he and Jan would ‘put their money where their mouths were’ and generously contributed multiple leadership gifts to Worcester Academy.” To honor Weissman’s legacy and to inspire increased philanthropic support of the Academy, the Weissman family is pleased to announce the Weissman Match. This generous gift will be used as a 1:1 match for leadership commitments. “It was both fitting and fortuitous that I met Bob and Jan on my very first alumni visit,” says Head of School Kevin Breen. “It was fitting because they could have elected to support any number of institutions, yet they chose Worcester Academy with stunning generosity. It was fortuitous because several weeks into my tenure, I wondered whether my vision for Worcester Academy was too bold or too audacious. When I left Bob’s Florida home, after hearing his powerful call to action, I dared to dream even bigger dreams for our school.” Please contact Jen DiFranco, Director of Advancement, to learn more about the Weissman Match at jennifer.difranco@worcesteracademy.org. W 39
Passings 1940
Kimball R. Woodbury of Worcester, MA, died on July 25, 2022. He is survived by his two sons, David K. Woodbury and Peter H. Woodbury, and their spouses; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Elizabeth (Betty); his parents, Harold D. and Esther K. Woodbury; and his sister, Priscilla W. Watson.
1945
1950
Stanley Ross Shenkman of Toronto, Canada, died on December 16, 2022. He is survived by his beloved wife, Donna (nee Franklin); son James Shenkman and his wife; grandsons Michael, Daniel, Andrew, and Benjamin; and great-grandchildren Izzy, Wolf, Thea, Anderson, Samantha, William, and Sacha. He was predeceased by his daughter, Susan Robinson, and his brother, Robert Amdursky. He was the beloved brother of Joy Perlow and brotherin-law of Randy Franklin and Audrey Amdursky.
Richard H. "Dick" Simon of Medford, MA,
Levis W. “Bill” Hayward Jr. of Maynard, MA, died
died on August 18, 2022. In addition to his loving wife, Linda, he leaves a sister, Ann Adams, and a niece, Michelle Cormier.
on July 7, 2023. The son of the late Levis W. and Lillian (Ryberg), he was predeceased by his former wife, Susan Hayward and by his current wife, Linda (Gelinas) Hayward. He is survived by his children, Melanie and Jonathan; grandchildren Jaime, Ashley, Alyson, Jacob, and Tyler; stepdaughters Tara, Tanya, and Tiffany, and their extended families; and stepson Edward Flanagan and his family.
1953
William Seth Keeler Jr. of Auburn, MA, died on June 29, 2023. He is survived by his wife, Janet E. (Eakin) Keeler; four children, Lisa K. Graham, William Seth Keele III, David A. Keeler, Bryce M. Keeler, and their spouses; 11 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and several nephews and nieces.
Kleber Alexander Campbell III of Paxton,
40
Hilltopper / FALL 2023
1957
1946
1948 MA, died on September 23, 2022. Kleber leaves behind his wife, Helen; his sister, Joan Phillips; his four daughters, Linda, Patsy, Susan, and Lisa; and grandchildren.
1955
Captain William A. “Bill” Cahill, USN, Ret. of Sarasota, FL, died on January 6, 2023. Bill is survived by his wife, Dori; daughter Linda, and her husband, Steve Bowers; and his “puppydog” Charlie.
Michael A. “Mike” Tompkins of Shrewsbury, MA, died on July 20, 2022. He was predeceased by his wife, Marianne (Torrens) Tompkins. He is survived by his sons, Brian A. Tompkins and Keith W. Tompkins; his three grandchildren, and their mothers.
1956
Eugene C. “Gene” Seuss of Auburn, MA, died on February 13, 2022. Gene leaves behind his companion, Claire Lussier; daughter Lynda J. Seuss, and son David A. Seuss, predeceased by their mother Paula A. (Choquette) Seuss; stepchildren Karen B. Merrill and Steven P. Merrill, predeceased by their mother and Gene’s wife, Judith L. (Bennett) Seuss; and grandsons Kyle, T.J., and Tyler Merrill.
Howard Aldon Manville of Palm Harbour, FL, formerly of Guilford, CT, died on July 31, 2023. He was the husband of the late Jacqueline Miller Manville. He was predeceased by his parents, Howard and Gladys Manville. He leaves behind his three children, John M. Walsh Jr., Jody Manville Sceery, and H. Scott Manville. He also leaves behind his sister, Mimi Palmer; partner Gloria Daidone; five grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and extended family.
1958
Denis J. FitzGerald, MD, of King of Prussia, PA, formerly of Worcester, MA, died on March 25, 2023. Denis is survived by his wife, Joan M. FitzGerald (nee Chiminello); children Dr. Denis FitzGerald, Dr. James FitzGerald, and Julie Hess, Esq., and their families; and grandchildren Amanda, Kaitlyn, William, Megan, and Andrew. He was also the beloved brother of the late Dr. Arthur FitzGerald, the late Terence FitzGerald, Esq., Cathlene Christiano, and Maryellen Lalor.
Robert E. Weissman of New Haven, CT, and Bonita Springs, FL, died on April 4, 2023. He is survived by his wife, Janet, his three sons, and seven grandchildren.
1959
Sheldon Scherer of Wilmington, NC, died on January 12, 2023. He is survived by his wife, Carole; daughters Shannon Hale and Erin Templeson and their spouses; and three grandchildren.
Dan Frederick Stone of Melbourne, FL, died on July 1, 2022. He is predeceased by his brother William (Bill) Kunkel Stone, his sister, Elizabeth Ann Ober, and by his parents, Wilfred Schafer Stone and Mary Elizabeth Kunkel Stone. He is survived by his daughters, Alexandra Siwik and Jessica Dupee, and his sister Sally Louise Stone Griffin.
1960
Colonel Kristian Michael “Kris” Mineau, USAF, Ret. of Tulsa, OK, died on September 5, 2022. Kris is survived by his wife, Lura (Balcomb) Mineau; son Kris Mineau II; daughter Carrie Kittinger; son Brigadier General David Mineau, USAF; daughter Karen Huggard; and 10 grandchildren.
1965
Vickery and Douglas Vickery, along with several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Russell Vickery.
1968
Daniel E. Doyle Jr. of Worcester, MA, died on June 18, 2023. He is survived by his wife, Katherine; children Danny, Matt, Andy, Meg, Carrie, and Julie, and their families; sister Johana; and extended family members.
1971
1972
James A. Farrell of Boston and Rockland, MA, died on August 23, 2022. He is survived by his sons, James P. Farrell Jr., Ryan Farrell, and Dominic Farrell; daughters Jamie Murphy and Janice Farrell; stepsons Mark Bourglas and Cory Farrenkopf; granddaughters Arianna and Gizelle; his loving companion, Nadine Ostroff; sisters Brenda Farrell-Rocha and Helen Canale; and many loving nieces and nephews.
Bruce H. Vickery of Fitchburg, MA, died on November 1, 2022. He is survived by his wife, Jacquelyn (Pitkiewicz) Vickery; two children, Heidi Vickery-Uechi and Matthew B. Vickery, and their spouses; two grandchildren, Kai and Leo; brothers Andrew
Lee F. Burke Jr. of Worcester, died on April 20, 2023. He leaves behind two sisters, Stephanie B. Hendrickson and Sarah B. Latino, and several nieces and nephews.
Patrick Daniel Lowe, of Bartonsville, PA, died on February 9, 2023. He is survived by his wife, Melissa; children Elliott (Sarah), Dylan, Priscilla, and Brandon; grandchildren Cora, Hayden, and Maura; sister Linda; and many other relatives. He was preceded in death by his two sons Morry and Ethan.
Former Faculty Thomas E. Blackburn,
1975 George Erickson of Worcester, MA, and San Francisco, CA, died on October 4, 2022. Mr. Erickson was husband to the late Joan Erickson and father to the late Jason Erickson. He leaves two sisters, Kristina Erickson and Valerie Hatch, and a niece, Alison.
1983
Michael D. Horan, 66, of Whitinsville, MA, died on December 19, 2022. He is survived by four siblings, James “Jay” Horan Jr., Mary Beth Alix, Anne Fowler, and Margaret Lacouture; nieces and nephews Robert Alix Jr., Stefanie Bullio, Holly Michniewicz, Roger Fowler Jr., Evelyn Fowler, Rose Lacouture, M. Crawford Horan, Cecilia Mary, Lacouture, and Jack Lacouture; and extended family members.
Scott P. Bergholtz of Wakefield and Gloucester, MA, died on September 22, 2022. He is survived by his wife, Erica (Bevilacqua) Bergholtz; and two children, Lindsay and Scott Jr.; his father, Peter of Rockport; brothers Steven and Jeff; sister Amy Jones; and numerous nieces and nephews. Scott was predeceased by his mother, Joyce (Doherty) Bergholtz.
1998
director of athletics, WA parent and grandparent, of Harwich Port and formerly Grafton, MA, died on August 2, 2022. Tom is survived by his children, Tracey Crowell, Thomas Blackburn, Kelly Blackburn Curran, and James Blackburn. He also leaves behind eight grandchildren, Cody, Jesseca, Caleigh, Gabrielle, Benjamin, Sydney, Cole, and Jake; and three great-grandchildren, Carver, Cameron, and Wyatt. He was predeceased by his wife, Margaret (Peg), and his brother, Robert A. Blackburn.
Michael Paul Araujo
Zofia T. “Sonia” Glazer,
of Attleboro, MA, died on July 21, 2023. Michael leaves behind his father, Antonio Araujo; his sister, Erica Araujo; his stepmother, Deborah Reid; and his sister-in-law, Ashley Rush. He is preceded in death by his mother, Paula Araujo.
91, former faculty member, died on November 24, 2022. She is survived by her sons and daughtersin-law, David and Cathy Glazer and Michael and Nina Neill; her daughter and son-in-law Anita and Lorenzo Sadun; and numerous grandchildren.
William S. Treese Sr. of Eastham, MA, former faculty member and coach, died on December 26, 2022. He was preceded in death by his wife, Judith Treese, and his older brother James Treese. He is survived by his son William Treese Jr.; younger brother John Treese; and nephews and a niece.
James Cargill Woodruff of Worcester, MA, former faculty member, died on November 30, 2022. He is survived by his brothers, David and Stephen; nephews Bradley and Benjamin; nieces Allison and Meggie; sisterin-law Gretchen; and grandnephew Grayson. James was predeceased by his brothers, Douglas and Peter, and his sister-in-law, Anne.
Former Trustee The Rev. Dr. Paul D. Kennedy of Holden, MA, died on August 24, 2022. Paul is survived by his wife, Carol Hoffman Kennedy; three children, Mark Kennedy, Laurie Kennedy Yvanauskas, and Joseph Kennedy; grandchildren Andrew, Alison, Casey, and Veronika; sister Patricia Wilson; and numerous nieces and nephews. Paul was predeceased by his parents, three sisters, and two brothers.
Former Staff Paul Gerard Skerry of Worcester, MA, former staff member, died on July 28, 2022. He leaves behind his dear friends Ruthann Golden and Jeffrey Golden of Shrewsbury, and his beloved dog, Molly. W
41
Nonprofit Org U.S. Postage PAID Nashville, TN Permit # 730
81 Providence Street Worcester, MA 01604 U.S.A.
Parents of Alumni: If this issue is addressed to a child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumni Office of their new mailing address at alumni@worcesteracademy.org.
Save the date for Founders Day 2024, Worcester Academy’s 190th birthday and annual giving day!
2/28/24
February 28, 2024
Founders Day offers a chance for the community to celebrate Worcester Academy’s history and support its ongoing pursuit of Everyday Excellence. Let’s come together on February 28 and beat last year’s record-breaking giving numbers!