HARP E T H HALL FALL 2019
Alumnae making an impact in the Nashville community Harpeth Hall educates young women to think critically, to lead confidently, and to live honorably.
Cover_01.indd 1
9/17/19 9:51 AM
Admission
Admission Preview Day SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3 For prospective students and their families interested in learning about the Middle School (grades 5-8) and Upper School (grades 9-12) at Harpeth Hall. Registration begins at 1:30 p.m. Program begins at 2 p.m. Please visit HarpethHall. org/admissions for more information.
ADMISSION CHECKLIST September - Start Application Process by creating an account online - Participate in an admission event, including Introduction to Harpeth Hall session, small group tour, or student visit - Schedule an admission interview
November - Attend Admission Preview Day on Sunday, November 3 - Attend Alumnae Outcomes Panel on November 19
December
- Sign up for ISEE testing at iseetest.org
January - Submit online application and financial aid by January 6 - Submit supporting materials by January 24
Harpeth Hall’s mission statement
About Harpeth Hall students
Learn more about Harpeth Hall
Harpeth Hall is an independent college preparatory school for young women where each student realizes her highest intellectual ability in the sciences, the humanities, and the arts, and discovers her creative and athletic talents. Harpeth Hall develops responsible citizens who have global perspectives and make meaningful contributions to their communities and the world. With a tradition of excellence and a commitment to life-long learning, Harpeth Hall educates young women to think critically, to lead confidently, and to live honorably.
• 717 students
We know selecting a school for your daughter is an important choice requiring careful consideration. Harpeth Hall’s innovative curriculum, accomplished faculty, and caring community celebrates the power of girls. A campus visit is the best way to experience the transforming power of a Harpeth Hall education. We encourage you to attend Admission Preview Day on November 3. To be included on our mailing list, please inquire at HarpethHall.org. We look forward to welcoming you to campus!
• 17 percent of the student body identifies as a student of color • Student body for the 2019-20 school year represents 34 zip codes, 5 religions (Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim), and 132 sending schools • 17 percent of students receive some level of financial aid (awards range from $1,900 to $29,200) • $11.8 million – amount of college scholarship dollars awarded to the Class of 2019
3801 HOBBS ROAD | NASHVILLE, TN 37215
Want to learn more? Visit us online at HarpethHall.org. 2
FALL 2019 | HARPETHHALL.ORG
Admission_02.indd 2
9/17/19 9:52 AM
What do these organizations in Nashville have in common? AllianceBernstein; Amazon; Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt; BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.); Firepot Nomadic Teas; LBMC W Squared, LLC; Jarrard Phillips Cate & Hancock; Goo-Goo Cluster; The Wills Company; West End United Methodist Church; Small World Yoga; Crowell Capital Partners GP; and Sounding Stone Farm. The answer is Harpeth Hall alumnae. Meet 15 women who are living our mission and making an impact in their community and in the lives of Nashvillians every day. We are proud to profile these outstanding people in varied roles, industries, and states of their careers who personify Harpeth Hall’s mission to think critically, to lead confidently, and to live honorably. These alumnae provide insight into their career paths from their foundational years at Harpeth Hall to where they are today. They offer inspiration to all and advice for young women starting their careers. They also offer insight into the changes our city has experienced and how they have navigated opportunities on their own journey. We also recognize the Class of 2019. Our newest alumnae have now embarked on the next phase of their educational journey. We are deeply proud of their accomplishments and the example they have set for the classes who will follow. These women represent the more than 6,300 alumnae in 49 states and 30 countries who dream big and go far! Harpeth Hall provides girls and young women in Nashville with the foundation for a bright future. We are equally proud of our role in Nashville’s history and excited about what the region’s evolution means for Harpeth Hall’s future. With new Nashvillians come fresh ideas, new conversations, movement, momentum – at Harpeth Hall our students develop a deep love of learning, they value a strong community, and they believe brave girls and purposeful women can change the world. We invite you to visit. Harpeth Hall is a school where we educate girls and young women to think critically, to lead confidently, and to live honorably. We send our graduates into the world to make a positive difference.
Best regards,
Table of Contents 2
Admission Preview Day
3
Welcome from the Head of School
4
Making an Impact
ALUMNAE PROFILES 5
Kate Sherrard Chinn and Jennifer D. Hutton
6
Lela Hollabaugh and Sarah Scarborough
7
Michelle Gaskin Brown and Tammy Wolcott
8
Caroline McDonald and Anne Hancock Toomey
9
Holly Sears Sullivan and Carol Cavin-Dillon
10 Carrington Nelson Fox and Laurie Spradley
HHfocus is a special supplement created in partnership with Harpeth Hall school and Nfocus magazine.
11 Alison Smith and Liz Porter Veyhl 12 Mary Margaret Bourbeau and Alumnae Network
ABOUT HARPETH HALL 13 Class of 2019 College Matriculation 14 Why an All-Girls School Is a Good Thing
Jess Hill Head of School
16 Is Harpeth Hall the school for you? HARPETHHALL.ORG | FALL 2019
Welcome_03.indd 3
3
9/17/19 9:53 AM
Making an Impact It is no secret that Nashville is in the midst of a longrunning economic and cultural boom with growth in a variety of industries from healthcare to technology to construction, and Nashvillians are enjoying the perks that come with these changes: a flourishing restaurant and arts scene and the ever-vibrant music scene that made the city famous. With that growth comes challenges and opportunities for leadership. The women we are recognizing in the pages that follow have risen to
4
Impact_4.indd 4
the occasion in Nashville. These women are making an impact in our community. They have embraced the change and seized the opportunity to lead our city forward. What binds them is the educational foundation they gained at Harpeth Hall and its mission, which is the cornerstone of the school. To summarize the mission: Harpeth Hall educates girls and young women to think critically, to lead confidently, and to live honorably.
These profiles of Harpeth Hall alumnae who embody our school’s mission are representative of the best our school has to offer. Their careers demonstrate the many ways Harpeth Hall graduates are prepared to succeed and also to evolve as engaged citizens motivated to make a difference however they can contribute. We encourage you to visit HarpethHall.org to learn more about The Harpeth Hall School and our outstanding alumnae.
FALL 2019 | HARPETHHALL.ORG
9/17/19 9:54 AM
Alumnae Profiles
Kate Sherrard Chinn
Jennifer D. Hutton
Current Position: Vice President, Head of Community Relations at AllianceBernstein University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill - B.A. English
Current Position: Doctor of Physical Therapy at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt; Instructor for RockTape, a company that offers continuing education for Movement Specialists
Harpeth Hall Class of 1993
Oakwood University, B.S. Pre-Physical Therapy Loma Linda University, Doctorate in Physical Therapy
Kate is currently responsible for developing and executing AllianceBernstein's corporate giving, community engagement and overall philanthropy strategy as they relocate their corporate headquarters to Nashville from New York City. Prior to AllianceBernstein (AB), she was a Senior Vice President at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, overseeing fundraising and corporate engagement for Partnership 2020, the Chamber and business community's economic development plan for Nashville. What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? I still feel the impact Harpeth Hall had on me every day. I learned to be confident, speak up, take risks, think critically, and practice leadership, all qualities that have helped me throughout my life and career so far. The Harpeth Hall environment encouraged us to participate fully in academics and extra-curriculars and to find our passions and learn to achieve. I still lean on specific lessons I learned from incredible, high caliber teachers, and feel such gratitude for having had the honor of being in their classrooms. Finally, my friends from Harpeth Hall are still my very best friends in the world, and I can still tell that we all have that common approach to life and career that started at Harpeth Hall. I am thankful for my four years at the school and the core leadership traits it instilled in me and my classmates. How do you think your work has impacted Nashville or some aspect of the local community at large? In 2018, I had the opportunity to help lead AllianceBernstein's community engagement as they announced the relocation of their global headquarters to Nashville. In developing the philanthropy strategy and engagement plan for our senior leaders, I have leaned on much of what I learned at the Chamber to make sure AB is as effective as we can be in this market by investing time and resources into areas where Nashville needs it most. We are off to a great start! Nashville has given AB a very warm welcome, and we hope to establish ourselves as strong community partners as we continue to get settled. We look forward to welcoming close to 1100 employees when the relocation is complete.
Harpeth Hall Class of 2001
Jennifer has the opportunity to work with children who are delayed in reaching their motor milestones, those with congenital and acquired diagnoses that affect their gross motor skills, and children who have injured themselves or are experiencing pain with daily and recreational activities. What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? The environment at Harpeth Hall allowed me to learn the importance of diversity and working with people of all backgrounds, being prepared, speaking up and working for what I believe in, being well-rounded, using my gifts and talents, and always seeking opportunities for growth. What changes have you seen in your industry and in Nashville that excite you? Nashville’s growth has created more options to receive pediatric-centered rehabilitation services, which has brought in more clinicians with whom to connect and network. I’m most excited about the presence of tech startups with a healthcare focus as I have been looking for progressive opportunities to use my skills. How do you think Nashville has changed since you graduated from Harpeth Hall? There have been so many changes in the last 18 years. I would sum them all up by saying, Nashville has “big city” options and opportunities but it hasn’t lost the essence of the city I grew up in. How do you think your work has impacted the local community? I volunteer with Music City Trykes and Tri My Best Triathlon, community organizations that provide opportunities for children with special needs. Being involved with these groups allows me to serve these children in different capacities. HARPETHHALL.ORG | FALL 2019
AlumnaeProfiles_05.indd 5
5
9/17/19 10:33 AM
Alumnae Profiles
Lela Hollabaugh
Sarah Scarborough
Current Position: Partner and Nashville Office Managing Partner at Bradley Arant Boult Commmings LLP
Current Position: Owner/Founder of Firepot Nomadic Teas Trinity College, B.S. Environmental Studies
University of Tennessee, B.S. Accounting University of California, Santa Cruz, Agroecology University of Tennessee, Juris Doctor University of Auckland, Busines Harpeth Hall Class of 1985 Harpeth Hall Class of 1993 In Lela’s role at Bradley, she focuses on litigation and counsels clients on how to avoid lawsuits, how to pursue judicial remedies to advance their business interests and help them successfully defend lawsuits that may arise. Overall, she works to help clients solve a problem that is preventing them from achieving their business objectives. What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? The Harpeth Hall faculty instilled in each of us the importance of self-confidence and independent thinking. Harpeth Hall also teaches leadership skills. Each of these attributes are critical components to being a successful lawyer. How do you think your work has impacted Nashville or some aspect of the local community at large? As a leader in the local legal community, I have been fortunate to participate on a task force to address indigent representation reform. That task force made numerous recommendations for improvement in the delivery of these legal services. Those reforms are beginning to be implemented. If completely implemented, justice will be better served. I am fortunate to see many Harpeth Hall graduates of all ages in professional roles both in and out of the legal profession. They are all amazing women striving to do their best and giving back to the community. Much of that is a direct result of their time at Harpeth Hall.
6
Sarah’s vision and mission for Firepot Nomadic Teas is to improve lives through sustainable business. She makes sure that the company is continually buying the best organic teas, offering inspiring wellness content for our community, forging partnerships in tea globally, and growing – so that Firepot is able to affect greater change. What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? Harpeth Hall is an amazing, life-long community. I would not be who I am today if not for my friendships and my understanding that it takes a village. Those friendships forged in the safety of an all-girls community became so much deeper. I learned to take risks, to speak up, and to dream big! How do you think your work has impacted Nashville or some aspect of the local community at large? Firepot brings the very best, organic and ethical teas from across the whole world - straight to Nashville! From our organic matcha to our micro-brewed chai and our direct-sourced teas, we bring people health and wellness. Through our tea bar tastings and events, tea and yoga retreats, and tea ritual workshops I offer through my platform Tea Huntress, we inspire our community to live a life of passion and purpose. How do you think Nashville has changed since you graduated from Harpeth Hall? Nashville today is more diverse, open-minded, and creative. The soul of the city, I would argue, is unchanged. I think people are still drawn to our hospitality, values, community, and small-town feel.
FALL 2019 | HARPETHHALL.ORG
AlumnaeProfiles_06.indd 6
9/17/19 12:47 PM
Alumnae Profiles
Michelle Gaskin Brown
Tammy Wolcott
Current Position: Manager, Public Policy at Amazon
Current Position: CEO and President, LBMC W Squared, LLC
Spelman College, B.A. Political Science
University of Tennessee, B.S. Accounting
Indiana University School of Law, Juris Doctor
Harpeth Hall Class of 1981
Harpeth Hall Class of 2001 Michelle is an attorney by trade, and in her position at Amazon, she supports public policy and advocacy efforts throughout Tennessee with a focus on Nashville as the location of Amazon’s new Operations Center of Excellence. She facilitates and maintains relationships with local and state partners (elected and administrative officials, chambers of commerce, trade associations and economic development entities) to effectively advocate for the policies and legislation that support Amazon. What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? Harpeth Hall challenged me to think outside of the classroom to accomplish my goals. While I knew from an early age that I wanted to become an attorney, I did not know the type of law I wanted to practice or what kind of lawyer I aspired to be. Instead of waiting on undergraduate or graduate clerkships for these experiences, my teachers and advisors at Harpeth Hall encouraged me to participate in activities such as Mock Trial, Model UN, and Youth Legislature in middle and high school. Real-life policymakers and attorneys trained students on persuasive writing, advocacy, teamwork, and public speaking – all skills necessary to work in public policy. How do you think your work has impacted Nashville? One of the things I love about working in public policy is being able to see a need or issue in the community and figure out how to connect community stakeholders with policymakers to work on the solution. I have worked as a private attorney in family law, at the legislature focused on Tennessee education laws, and at the Nashville Chamber of Commerce where we lobbied legislation to benefit minorities and women. I have only been at Amazon for a short time, but the announcement of 5,000 jobs at the Operations Center of Excellence is awesome news for Nashville!
LBMC W Squared is a business process outsourcer (BPO). They partner with businesses to deliver optimal integrated solutions for accounting, finance and procurement that provide scalability, efficiency, and value. In a nutshell, they provide the people and systems on a fractional basis to perform the finance and accounting functions for multiple companies. What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? The foundation and reinforcement of empowerment, teamwork, attention to detail, hard work and doing the right thing were fundamental in my education at Harpeth Hall. We were inspired by the strong leaders and educators at Harpeth Hall to believe that we could do anything we wanted to do. Harpeth Hall gave me a solid background and perspective that I could achieve anything. I did not realize until years later that not every student is instilled with that intrinsic belief during their education. I will be forever grateful for the role Harpeth Hall played in my life from a sense of self-confidence to great study skills to Winterim experiences to life-long friends. How do you think your work has impacted Nashville or some aspect of the local community at large? When my sister Shannon and I started W Squared 14 years ago, we had to explain what outsourcing actually meant. Today, we provide services and resources for consideration for new businesses as well as established businesses in Nashville. There is no need to hire in-house staff and build a system when you can lease the fractional share that you need at this moment and have it scale as you grow. What changes have you seen in your industry and in Nashville that excite you? I am excited that outsourcing in the financial field is much more common. Best practices and technology have transformed accounting for businesses, and it has been great to see how better information can help companies thrive. Nashville is definitely the healthcare business capital and has also become known as a great place for entrepreneurs, which in turn leads to grow in completely new industry sectors like technology.
HARPETHHALL.ORG | FALL 2019
AlumnaeProfiles_07.indd 7
7
9/17/19 9:56 AM
Alumnae Profiles
Caroline McDonald
Anne Hancock Toomey
Current Position: Owner/Farm Manager at Sounding Stone Farms
Current Position: Founding Partner, Jarrard Phillips Cate & Hancock
Northeastern University, B.A. English
Wake Forest University, B.S. Business
Harpeth Hall Class of 2007
Harpeth Hall Class of 1997
Caroline manages all aspects of running a half-acre farm that produces organically grown vegetables and hemp. She wears many hats, as small business often do. From crop planning to harvesting, the farm always keeps her busy. Sounding Stone Farm’s vegetables are sold at the Richland Park Farmers Market and to local restaurants like Rolf & Daughters, Folk, and Tailor.
Anne Hancock Toomey’s strategic communications consulting firm – which ranks among the nation’s top 10 – works with leaders of hospitals and healthcare companies across America during high stakes moments. They assist healthcare facilities in navigating mergers and acquisitions, crises and issues, large-scale change initiatives and strategic positioning for significant growth. Her firm’s mission is to use the power of communications to improve healthcare by helping their clients find their voice, inspire trust and to use the power of relationships to make change happen.
What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? While Harpeth Hall gives its girls a strong academic foundation, the soft skills instilled in me are what I take to the field everyday— integrity, grit, and confidence. As a Harpeth Hall student, I was required to give public speeches and encouraged to take on leadership roles. Girls are the presidents and captains, the dreamers and the do-ers. Female leadership and voices are the norm in an all-girls environment. Confidence in my abilities and in other women’s abilities was impressed on me during my eight years at Harpeth Hall and made me feel capable of taking on a career as a farmer, even though it is a traditionally masculine role. What changes have you seen in your industry and in Nashville that excite you? Our farmers markets are thriving, and CSAs are filled up. Nashville has become a destination food city thanks to talented chefs and their insistence on local food. New organic farms are popping up every year to meet the growing demand for products raised in our region. Organizations like the Nashville Food Project and Compost Nashville are working on big-picture issues like food equity and food waste. It’s an exciting time to be working in sustainability in this city. How do you think your work has impacted Nashville? I truly believe that we are helping our bodies, community, and earth every time we buy and use local food. It’s a simple but radical act that we can perform with every meal. As a farmer, I am growing the market for local foods, helping educate consumers, and sharing a joy for food that I hope is infectious. Additionally, my work breaks gender and class stereotypes. We picture farmers as rugged, blue collar men, not as petite women who feel as comfortable in heels as they do in work boots. Good food knows no boundaries of race, class, or gender, and I am happy to live out that message.
8
What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? Harpeth Hall was demanding of every student. We were expected to work hard, to be eminently prepared, to write and present well, to rely on the power of teamwork, to think critically, to seek answers to important questions, to compete and better our best, and to persist when we fell. We were also expected to support one another. At the same time, I was surrounded by mentors, teachers, coaches and friends who were dedicated to my success. I’m grateful for every one of these expectations – and even more so for a substantial crowd of witnesses who prepared me for life, and enabled me to build and grow a successful company and a fulfilling career. How do you think your work has impacted Nashville? First, I’m certain a niche healthcare firm like ours would not have been as successful if founded anywhere else. With 400+ healthcare companies, Nashville is a healthcare epicenter that has been good to us. There’s a contagious energy and a uniquely supportive community for entrepreneurial ventures. We are proud to have helped dozens of Nashville-based companies launch and/or grow their businesses – hospital systems saving rural healthcare, addiction treatment centers tackling the opioid crisis, companies working to make care affordable and more efficient. I’m hopeful that our service to them has impacted people locally and across the nation. I’m also proud of our partnership with Faith Family Medical Center, a local clinic providing hope and healing to hardworking underinsured people of Greater Nashville. We have worked with them for some time to build a new facility that will triple their capacity to serve. It’s been a humbling and gratifying ride.
FALL 2019 | HARPETHHALL.ORG
AlumnaeProfiles_08.indd 8
9/17/19 12:48 PM
Alumnae Profiles
Holly Sears Sullivan
Carol Cavin-Dillon
Current Position: Director of World-Wide Economic Development at Amazon
Current Position: Senior Pastor at West End United Methodist Church
University of Tennessee, B.A. Urban Planning
Duke University, B.A. English
University of Tennessee, MSP Urban Planning
Emory University, Candler School of Theology, M. Div.
Harpeth Hall Class of 1990
Wesley Theological Seminary, Doctor of Ministry Harpeth Hall Class of 1986
Holly leads a team at Amazon that supports business investments globally. She focuses on optimizing locations and developing partnerships with government entities. What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? At Amazon, we have leadership principles. We use these leadership principles to help make decisions, and they are a part of our everyday lives. Earn Trust, Bias for Action, and Deliver Results are among our leadership principles. Harpeth Hall embodies similar principles in its students. How do you think your work has impacted Nashville? We have recently announced the creation of a 5,000 person corporate office at the Nashville Yards near the Gulch. The jobs will be a huge boost to an already robust economy, but I believe by placing our corporate office here we can change the narrative about tech in Nashville and the Southeast. As a company, we are engaged in our communities and focus on education and homeless initiatives. Our partnerships with Communities in Schools, Project Return, and The Store are opportunities for us to give back. What changes have you seen in your industry and in Nashville that excite you? Nashville is clearly on the radar for companies to expand and relocate. The diversity in the economy will continue to serve the region well and allow residents at all skill levels to have good paying jobs. How do you think Nashville has changed since you graduated from Harpeth Hall? Nashville has grown into a cosmopolitan city that everyone talks about. I remember when I was starting in my career and I would tell people I was from Nashville, the next question was often, “Where is that?” That has changed, and Nashville is on the map! The community has embraced the creative sector, and that sets Nashville apart from other cities. I always describe it as “cool city, cool people, cool jobs.“
Carol is the Senior Pastor of West End United Methodist Church, a growing urban congregation that welcomes all people and strives to make Nashville and the world a more loving and just place for everyone. What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? I found my voice at Harpeth Hall. I gained confidence in myself as a leader and learned how to “speak up,” and how to communicate both in writing and in speech. All those red marks on my English and history papers have made me a better writer and preacher. Sometimes when I’m writing my Monday Meditation email, I think, “Now, what would Dr. Marney say about that sentence structure?” It’s fun to be the pastor of a church where Heath Jones sings in the choir every Sunday. Even though he taught me physics and calculus, he’s a Bible expert and the best Sunday School teacher we’ve got! How do you think your work has impacted Nashville? Our congregation has worked hard to be an inclusive congregation that welcomes people from all perspectives and walks of life. We also work to advocate for the poor and the marginalized, whether it’s at a homeless shelter, down at the legislature, or at the Pride Festival. Our bedrock belief is, “God loves everyone unconditionally,” and we’re doing our best to live that out in our individual lives and in our city. How do you think Nashville has changed since you graduated from Harpeth Hall? When I was a senior in high school, Nashville felt like a big small town. Our big night out was “Dalt’s and a movie.” We had some tourism, but it was nothing like we have today. Nashville feels like a big city now, and I think the spirit of kindness and hospitality is still with us, but we can’t take it for granted! HARPETHHALL.ORG | FALL 2019
AlumnaeProfiles_09.indd 9
9
9/17/19 9:57 AM
Alumnae Profiles
Carrington Nelson Fox
Laurie Spradley
Current Position: Client Account Manager at The Wills Company and lead writer of the blog “Build Me Up Buttercup”
Current Position: Vice President, Operations and Brand Development at Goo Goo Cluster, LLC University of Mississippi, B.B.A. Marketing
Princeton University, B.A. Art History Harpeth Hall Class of 2007 Vanderbilt University, Owen Graduate School of Management, M.B.A. Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Certificate Harpeth Hall Class of 1989
After two decades as a writer, Carrington enrolled in technical college to learn construction. She graduated as the 2018 Outstanding Technical Student in Tennessee and now works with The Wills Company design/build/handyman firm to help homeowners maintain and improve their houses. What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? Harpeth Hall taught me to communicate clearly and confidently. How do you think your work has impacted Nashville or some aspect of the local community at large? I hope stories from my blog, “Build Me Up Buttercup,” have inspired readers to make the audacious changes to their lives and careers that they may have been considering. I also hope “Buttercup” has drawn attention to the excellent educational resources at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology. What changes have you seen in your industry and in Nashville that excite you? In the current construction boom, skilled tradespeople are becoming rock stars.
Because the Goo-Goo Company is small and family-run, Laurie’s role changes daily but could include anything from contract negotiations, purchasing, attending trade shows, and taste testing. What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? I think the best thing Harpeth Hall gave me was the confidence to do anything I set my mind to and to try new things. We were encouraged to speak our minds, learn from each other, and to think outside the box. It also allowed us to take leadership positions which prepared me for roles at this job and previous jobs. What changes have you seen in your industry and in Nashville that excite you? The candy and snack industry is changing rapidly. It’s been crazy to see the creativity in product. There are chocolates out there with vitamins, sleep aids, and plant-based protein in them. Goo Goos are 107 years old and we haven’t changed much, but we have tried to stay relevant and Nashville-focused during all the changes in our city. How do you think Nashville has changed since you graduated from Harpeth Hall? Nashville has changed tremendously since I graduated. While attending Harpeth Hall we never had the desire to venture downtown, and now I work there daily. Our retail store sees 600 people on average a day, most of them being tourists. It’s been amazing to see the number of people from all over the world who are visiting our city.
How do you think Nashville has changed since you graduated from Harpeth Hall? My charming hometown has become a global destination, alive with art and opportunity, much more diverse and exciting than when I was in high school.
10
FALL 2019 | HARPETHHALL.ORG
AlumnaeProfiles_10.indd 10
9/17/19 10:34 AM
Alumnae Profiles
Alison Smith
Liz Porter Veyhl
Current Position: Executive Vice President, Publisher Relations, and Administration Services at BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.)
Current Position: Founder and Executive Director of Small World Yoga University of Texas, B.S. Public Relations
Belmont University, B.B.A. Music Business Harpeth Hall Class of 2002 Harpeth Hall Class of 1979
Alison oversees teams in New York, Nashville, and Los Angeles that work one on one with BMI’s affiliates regarding all aspects of their royalties and account maintenance including joining BMI, registering songs, tracking and analyzing performances, and general customer service. She also serves on panels that educate BMI’s constituents about all aspects of the music business. What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? I had great teachers who believed in me and encouraged me to have confidence in myself. They also taught me to be a good listener and to be respectful of others’ opinions and points-of-view and not to be afraid to speak up. They encouraged travel and learning about other cultures (thank you Winterim!) The strong verbal and written communication skills I learned at Harpeth Hall have helped me in business. Playing on sports teams taught me that teamwork is essential to success. Finding mentors is important through your life and career. Finally, never stop learning and always seek out ways to better yourself as both a leader and a contributor, and never forget that having integrity is key to building a stellar reputation. How do you think your work has impacted Nashville? We work every day on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers. Nashville is Music City, and BMI has been an integral part of the community for many years, and the industry is still thriving during challenging times. BMI has a lot to do with that, and the company encourages “giving back” to the community as does Harpeth Hall through its days of service programs. There is a growing emphasis on women in the workplace that is causing some positive change. Female executives, songwriters, and artists are being heard in a way that they never have been, but we still have far to go.
As Founder and Executive Director of Small World Yoga, Liz’s day-today work has evolved as the organization has grown over the last five years. Recently, Small World Yoga opened Nashville’s first non-profit yoga studio, and her time has shifted from scheduling teachers and bringing on new outreach locations to spending more time now leading yoga certifications and developing her team of teachers and leaders within her organization. She still finds time to teach yoga at the studio a few times each week, and in the community at the Metro-Davidson County men’s correctional facility. What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? Harpeth Hall does a phenomenal job of creating a safe place to learn, grow and take on new challenges. A challenging class or subject was never looked at as a setup for failure, but simply a way to learn something new and grow in a new way. I think that approach has served me well in my career and has been helpful in taking a leap from my previous sports marketing career to create a nonprofit organization. Winterim at Harpeth Hall provided some amazing opportunities to explore careers that interested me at the time, as well as options to serve in the community with the service learning program. I am passionate about giving back to the community, and I am grateful we had experiences throughout my time at Harpeth Hall to be of service in the local community. How do you think your work has impacted Nashville? As the yoga industry has grown both nationally and locally in Nashville, it’s allowed for more people to better understand its benefits first-hand. This has allowed for greater support of our work from partner organizations, but also a growing supply of teachers. So much of SWY’s work five years ago was educating other nonprofit organizations on the benefits of yoga. Now, we are contacted frequently about adding more programming in schools, detention facilities, and other locations that understand our positive impact.
HARPETHHALL.ORG | FALL 2019
AlumnaeProfiles_11.indd 11
11
9/17/19 10:35 AM
Alumnae Profiles
Mary Margaret Crowell Bourbeau Current Position: Partner/Crowell Capital Partners, GP University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, B.S. Business Administration Harvard Business School, M.B.A. Harpeth Hall Class of 1989
Mary Margaret is a Partner and President of her family’s commercial real estate and asset management entities. Through those entities, she primarily develops and manages commercial properties in and around Davidson County. What aspects of your Harpeth Hall education best prepared you for your career path? From the moment you take a seat in class at Harpeth Hall, you’re challenged to consider the big picture of the task at hand critically while simultaneously identifying vital details of the situation that are crucial to revealing a solution to the problem or developing an opinion on a topic. Exercising this critical thinking process becomes second nature at Harpeth Hall, a key skill that can certainly differentiate its graduates’ analytical abilities from others. Girls are also continually encouraged to find their voice and to chart their unique path that enables them to speak their mind and to lead with confidence from the moment they receive their diploma. All of this growth takes place in an environment that fosters a constant level of accountability for self as well as in the broader community and results in graduates living honorably around the world. This combination of skills prepares each graduate for success in any path they might choose to pursue. What changes have you seen in your industry and in Nashville that excite you? So much excites me about commercial real estate and Nashville. The most notable change to me is the shift in demand for product type and how that has driven the revitalization of various neighborhoods, each with its own distinct
personality. Traditional businesses that, to date, have been stereotypical “office park” users are now leaning more creative. Creative, collaborative, and co-working remain the buzzwords, and those terms take on many meanings depending on the user. How do you think Nashville has changed since you graduated from Harpeth Hall? When I was in college and would mention that I was from Nashville, the following two questions were inevitably posed: (1) Do you listen to country music? (2) Do you have paved roads? While ridiculously extreme, I think that was the stereotypical perception from the outside in. Fast forward to today where Nashville has unequivocally become a true travel destination. Driven by the pervasiveness of country music, the development of the new convention center, and the revitalization of the urban core, the interest in Nashville is undeniable. Once here, people realize that Nashville is not just an incredible place to visit, but it’s a spectacular place to live, work, and raise a family.
Alumnae Network The Harpeth Hall Alumnae Network includes friends, mentors and business and community leaders throughout the country and the world who remain connected to Harpeth Hall well beyond their years as students. Regardless of distance in geography or years from campus, alumnae are always a part of the Harpeth Hall community. We are proud of our alumnae of all ages and stages of their lives and careers. Our current Alumnae Network includes more than 6,300 women in 49 states plus Washington D.C. and 30 countries. We encourage and promote connections between our graduates through alumnae events, opportunities for involvement, and career mentoring. We encourage you to visit our website at HarpethHall.org to learn more about our school and community.
12
FALL 2019 | HARPETHHALL.ORG
AlumnaeProfiles_12.indd 12
9/17/19 10:37 AM
Class of 2019
Congratulations Harpeth Hall Class of 2019
DREAM BIG! GO FAR!
THE CLASS OF 2019 consists of 99 young women who received offers of admission to 150 colleges and universities throughout the United States and abroad. Thirteen percent of the class were recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation – seven Finalists and six Commended Students. This class was offered over $11.8 million in scholarships. Below is a list of the 57 schools in 24 states plus Washington, D.C., Australia, and Ireland that our graduates will attend. Amherst College
George Mason University
Rice University
University of Michigan
Auburn University
George Washington University
University of Mississippi
Austin Community College
Georgetown University
Sewanee: The University of the South
Lafayette College
Southern Methodist University
California Institute of Technology
Lehigh University
Texas Christian University
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Lipscomb University
Trinity College Dublin (Ireland)
University of Pennsylvania
Loyola University Chicago
Tufts University
University of Southern California
Centre College
Loyola University New Orleans
Tulane University
University of Sydney (Australia)
Clemson University
Miami University
University of Alabama
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Dartmouth College
Marion Military Institute
University of Arkansas
University of Virginia
Dickinson College
New York University
University of Chicago
Wake Forest University
Duke University
Northeastern University
University of Cincinnati
Washington & Lee University
Elon University
Pepperdine University
University of Colorado
Washington University in St. Louis
Emory University
Pomona College
University of Georgia
Yale University
Fordham University
Rhodes College
University of Miami
Brandeis University
University of Missouri
HARPETHHALL.ORG | FALL 2019
Classof2019_13.indd 13
13
9/17/19 9:59 AM
All-Girls School
Why an All-Girls School Is a Good Thing BY LILY CLAYTON HANSEN
Lily Clayton Hansen is a freelance writer. This article was first published by lifestyle blog StyleBlueprint and is reprinted here with their permission.
I
n a world where women are increasingly pursuing leadership roles, it’s critical to have environments where they are both supported and shown firsthand that it is possible to take control of their own lives and careers. Nashville’s college preparatory allgirls school, Harpeth Hall, provides exactly that kind of guidance and ecosystem for young girls and women. As Head of School Jess Hill explains, “There is never a reticence in terms of our students raising their hands in the college classroom after they graduate because they’re used to carrying the day.” According to the National Coalition of Girls Schools (NCGS), the benefits of an all-girls academic environment are many, among them being “a girl can comprehend her value and her capabilities in ways that have nothing to do with how she looks or whom she dates. Not only is she not in a bubble, she’s utterly free to do anything and everything she wants. She can experiment and explore, trying out new things and trying on new identities.” In terms of hard facts, NCGS cites one highly impressive statistic: Nearly 100% of girls’ school graduates go on to college. (Find additional research on the NCGS website ncgs.org.) Jess, who is funny, sharp, and self-deprecating, was first hired at Harpeth Hall 24 years ago as a math teacher in the upper school, a position she held for a decade. The power of an all-girls environment
14
was apparent to her right from the get-go after attending and teaching at a co-ed school in Atlanta, Georgia. Her observation was that, due to an all-girls environment, the girls felt empowered and viewed as individuals. “I realized immediately how different each of the 16 girls was in my classes,” she explains. Serving on committees throughout the years helped Jess see that while she loved the classroom she also liked seeing the school through larger lenses. Since becoming Head of School in 2018, she has worked hard to create a community where each girl is embraced for her unique qualities. “The common thread between our students is they are excited about learning,” she explains. Equally, Jess, who is proud of the school’s 154-year-old history, never rests on her laurels but is rather resolute in finding ways to improve the academic system. With the city of Nashville constantly in flux, the legacy values of Harpeth Hall have become even more important to her. “We began with a vision to offer girls equal academic experiences to boys, which at the time was revolutionary, and those progressive and innovative roots are still present today,” she explains. Most recently, Jess has been implementing ways to shift what is now culturally called the “confidence gap,” which she first became aware of after she and a group of Harpeth Hall teachers read an Atlantic
Magazine article on the topic. After doing some research, they discovered that the five inhibitors their students struggled with were perfectionism, sensitivity to criticism, fear of failure, language of self-doubt and comparison, the latter of which is increasingly threatening with the popularity of social media. To tweak the culture, Jess posted signs with the word “perfect” slashed out on them to remind students that risk-taking took higher priority than success. Her goal is that once they enter the working world they will be less afraid to ask for raises or be real with their peers in regards to their failures. Whether it is the Winterim program where students attend job internships and study abroad, or the Global Scholars Program in which they conduct independent studies, lead discussions and present capstone projects, Jess wants the students of Harpeth Hall to graduate prepared for the real world. Similarly, Ellen Green Hoffman, Vice President and financial advisor at First Tennessee Bank, agrees that an all-girls academic environment has been instrumental in her success. Since graduating in 2004, Ellen has chaired reunions and served on the Young Alumnae Council to stay engaged. As she also currently expects a daughter, she has been reflecting on how taking gender out of the equation allowed her to focus on herself. Seeing women in leadership roles during her formative years also eliminated any doubts that she could also one day find herself in a high- performing position. “I always believed that I was meant to do great things and make a difference in society because of my education at Harpeth Hall,” she explains. During Ellen’s senior year, she obtained an internship at a bond-trading desk on Wall Street, which gave her direct experience in different work environments. She attributes the positive feedback she received from her superiors as giving her the confidence to work on Wall Street during the financial
FALL 2019 | HARPETHHALL.ORG
GirlsSchool_14-15.indd 14
9/17/19 10:00 AM
All-Girls School
crisis at age 22. “Once I arrived, I knew I could do it,” she says. She had full faith that she would thrive. Equally, she was praised for her poise and ability to try on different perspectives, which she believes was woven into the culture at Harpeth Hall. “In classroom discussions, everyone’s opinion was not only asked for but also respected,” she says. Likewise, Crissy Wieck, Senior Vice President of Sales for Western Express, who graduated in 1996, cherishes her education at Harpeth Hall — perhaps because her family sacrificed so their daughter could attend what they deemed to be the best school in Nashville. “During my developmental years at Harpeth Hall I witnessed women making communities better,” she says. She applauds the bonding experience of attending an all-girls school that resulted in many lifelong friendships. Crissy becomes sentimental when recalling a birthday party she attended long ago. Of the 24 girls who were present, she still sees ten regularly. She also addresses the shock she felt while attending Maryville College in East Tennessee to see that she was the only female student to voice her opinion. “While self-expression was foreign to the other women, it was familiar to me,” she says. Yet, as Crissy explains, the servant leaders at Harpeth Hall demonstrated their power in subtle ways. By watching them, she learned how to listen, collaborate, and communicate with others, which has been vital to her own success. She understood early on that there is no right answer, but rather a right way to discuss. Along those same lines, Kristen Barrett, a Jefferson Scholar at the University of Virginia where she is also an English major and drama minor, has fond memories of the Harkness discussions at Harpeth Hall, where teachers gave the class control and calculated who spoke. “Those conversations reminded everyone to be cognizant of not being a hog or a log,” she explains, a mindset that has parlayed perfectly into her college lectures.
Kristen, who was home-schooled prior to attending Harpeth Hall, is appreciative of how she was able to focus on her personal development in an all-girls setting. She credits Harpeth Hall with boosting her academic and emotional intelligence. Very active in theater, Kristen also had the opportunity to connect with her female classmates and develop friendships with the boys at Montgomery Bell Academy. Keeping her priorities straight while still interacting with young men taught her how to healthfully navigate both platonic and romantic relationships as an adult. Jennifer Adams, Director of Community Support and Inclusion, who was hired 21 years ago at Harpeth Hall, wanted to work there so badly that she commuted between Nashville and Birmingham, Alabama, her first year. Today, in her current role, her goal is to create a community where the girls can grow up at a proper pace and explore the many facets of their personalities. “The great thing about Harpeth Hall is that students think it is cool to do well at school,” she says. In the all-girls environment, Jennifer has seen her own daughter, a senior, come out of her shell. She speculates this stems from the emphasis on leadership defined by doing the right thing in every situation rather than trying to be a hero. From classes like Life-Balance that teach girls practical skills for conflict resolution to the way in which Harpeth Hall students are taught every tactic is meant to help knowledge stick. “When they get into a situation post-graduation, we want them to say, ‘I have this knowledge in my back pocket and know what to do here,’ ” she says. “There is growing research on brain development in boys and girls and the way they learn,” Jennifer continues. “Harpeth Hall teachers are experienced at teaching in an all-girls culture and planning lessons and projects specifically for how girls learn best. Cumulatively the teaching faculty bring more than 1,300 years of experience at Harpeth Hall, ranging in
tenure from year one to more than 30 years of teaching at this school. Additionally, faculty and staff are offered professional development opportunities specifically for teachers and administrators in all-girls schools.” Lastly, as Wellesley L. Wilson, Director of Admission and Financial Aid, explains, the school wants to make their academic program accessible to anyone regardless of their economic status. Her team is responsible for the recruitment and retention of students, and she ensures that in the Harpeth Hall Admissions process, finances are not a part of the equation thanks to their “need blind” financial aid program, which means anyone who wants the full Harpeth Hall experience has a fair shot at receiving it. “Our goal is to make sure that anyone who wants to be here feels encouraged to apply,” she explains, citing a number of funds that cover tuition, textbooks, uniforms, and laptops. However, it is still meeting families individually that keeps Wellesley reminded of the purpose behind her job. As demonstrated by the “Whole Girl” admissions process, her team thinks about what each student’s experience will be like at Harpeth Hall from a holistic perspective by paying attention to her mental wellness and academics. Spending quality time with both the student and parent is how Wellesley understands, from a bird’s eye view, how to best serve them. “The highlight of my day is talking with a 9-year-old and learning what is top of mind for her,” she says. In these deep dives, she also learns how to better serve the entire Harpeth Hall community. Her discovery is that students want an environment in which their opinions matter. While most families are attracted to Harpeth Hall for the academic rigor, they are often delighted to witness the breadth of knowledge gained beyond the classroom. Speaking to the academic sisterhood of Harpeth Hall, Wellesley concludes: “Being specified in our approach both academically and emotionally is a true gift.” Lily Clayton Hansen is a freelance writer, three-time author and public speaker. HARPETHHALL.ORG | FALL 2019
GirlsSchool_14-15.indd 15
15
9/17/19 10:01 AM
7 ways to know that Harpeth Hall is the school for you • You are looking for a school that’s spirited and dynamic, yet unapologetically academic. • You love teachers who challenge you with probing questions and engaging assignments. • You crave a community that wants to see your true self and helps you be your best self. • You try new things, even if you make mistakes because you know we all learn from mistakes too. • You work hard and think being smart is cool. • You learn best in interactive, innovative classrooms. • You believe brave girls and purposeful women can change the world.
BackCover_16.indd 16
9/17/19 10:01 AM