A N N UA L REPORT ON PHILANTHROPY
inside
letter from our head of school
Dear Friends, Thank you for warmly welcoming me to Hathaway Brown. I cannot imagine a position more exciting, rewarding, or inspiring than sitting at this seat, at this school, at this time. It has been an honor and a privilege to welcome 873 Hathaway Brown students to our 141st school year and to embrace our school theme, derived from our mission statement: Rising Boldly – Embracing Challenges, Seizing Opportunities. The Board of Trustees has asked me to take this first year to get to know our community both at school and beyond our campus and to find ways to continue to capitalize on all the wonderful things that happen at HB. Specifically, the Trustees articulated a list of priorities for me to focus on this year, including acclimating myself with the HB community and culture, developing meaningful partnerships with all of the members of our community, assessing and learning about our athletics programming, developing a high level of financial literacy about the school, engaging with Cleveland leadership and organizations, reviewing and prioritizing the needs of our physical plant, supporting Advancement strategies, analyzing the academic and administrative structures of HB, and building the momentum of our strategic planning efforts.
It has been a pleasure to meet many passionate alumnae from all over the country who believe firmly that HB shaped their character and gave them the necessary tools to excel.
It has been a pleasure to meet many passionate alumnae from all over the country who believe firmly that HB shaped their character and gave them the necessary tools to excel. In addition, I have had personal meetings with nearly every member of our outstanding faculty and staff team. These great men and women work to create learning environments of high standards and low anxiety, where each person feels cared for, and each voice is valued. I am grateful to call them my colleagues. Thank you for your kindness in showing me the Blazer way. I am excited to continue meeting new friends, celebrating sisterhood, and witnessing the incredible lifelong influence HB imparts on our girls and even the youngest of boys. Fondly,
Dr. Mary Frances Biselle Head of School
on the cover:
On both sides of the aisle, Hathaway Brown students, faculty, and alumnae are engaged in the political process in a variety of ways this election year. Turn to We the People on page 14 to learn more. Cover illustration by The Bubble Process.
PHOTO BY KEVIN REEVES
rising boldly
Harriet Mullin Barry ’32 India Fellows celebrated Holi in the Himalayas during a Hathaway Brown Center for Global Citizenship program this March.
from the editor
T
he 2016 U.S. Presidential election is one for the history books. Both as an all-girls school with a 140-year history of educating and empowering women who break barriers and become leaders in their respective fields and as a school that had its birth in Cleveland, we have been paying close attention to the proceedings this year. For the first time in history, a woman is at the top of a major political party ticket, and for the first time in 80 years, a major political party convention was held in our fair city.
When the Republican National Convention came to Cleveland this summer, HB was there. For four days in July, we had the opportunity to spend time with alumnae, parents, faculty and staff, and other members of the HB community who were on the streets of the city and in the seats of Quicken Loans Arena, participating in this culminating event of the Primary season. We met people on both sides of the aisle; people who have been engaging in the political process in important and varying ways – from covering the proceedings for national news organizations to handling logistics for delegates, and even lending their voices to peaceful demonstrations in support of different causes. You can read about the ways that Hathaway Brown students and faculty members are using this election to more fully understand the American political process in our cover package, We the People, which begins on page 14. There, you can also get to know some of the members of the HB community who have been involved in campaign efforts and other important aspects of politics and civic engagement. Noting the rhetoric that has characterized this election season, a yearlong interdisciplinary effort called Dialogue in a Democracy was launched at the start of the school year to help encourage productive, meaningful, and respectful conversation among Upper School students on a host of topics. You can read more about that in a story by Torrey McMillan ’90 on page 30. There was so much to absorb during the Republican National Convention and political pundits and historians likely will be analyzing the event for generations to come. For us, though, one of the biggest takeaways was the wonderful role the city of Cleveland played. Community leaders and citizens of every stripe came together and planned the RNC for a full two years before the delegates arrived. From July 18-21, the sun practically never stopped shining and the
city positively sparkled. Journalists from around the world almost universally praised planners and law enforcement officials for creating such a welcoming environment and seamless program. The newly unveiled Public Square and cobblestone hotspot East 4th Street provided beautiful and inviting gathering spaces, and conventioneers were impressed with all of Cleveland’s offerings. Read more about our convention observations in a series of daily dispatches posted at hathawaybrownblog.com. Civic pride was at an all-time high during the RNC. One of our favorite stories came out of the convention’s closing night. As we were leaving the arena, we struck up a conversation with four gentlemen who surrounded us as we made our way through the security gauntlet for the final time. “No matter what you thought of the speeches, you have to admit that Cleveland was a great host city,” one man said. “Clevelanders are so friendly,” another offered. “Yes – it’s all here – arts, culture, a Great Lake, a vibrant restaurant scene,” said the third. “And it’s all so accessible,” added the fourth. Intrigued, we asked these men where they live when they’re not attending political conventions. “Cleveland!” they replied in unison.
HB editor Kathleen Osborne is pictured in the Instagram Mini Oval Office in “Facebook Central,” a social media hub that was located in Freedom Plaza outside Quicken Loans Arena during the Republican National Convention.
We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts with HB. Letters to the editor may be sent to publications@hb.edu or to the school’s mailing address. We welcome feedback through our social media channels as well. Find us on Facebook under Hathaway Brown School or send us a tweet at @HathawayBrown.
Kathleen Osborne Editor Vanessa Butler Art Director Reena S. Goodwin Digital Editor Amanda Seifert Associate Editor
administrative team: Fran Bisselle Head of School
Sue Sadler Assoc. Head of School & Director of Upper School
Sarah Johnston Assoc. Head for Enrollment Management
Sharon Baker Director of Middle School Director of Early Childhood
Mary Rainsberger Director of Advancement
Katherine Zopatti Director of Primary School
alumnae relations team: Dana Lovelace Capers ’86 PHOTO BY SHANNON AHLSTRAND
Director of Alumnae Relations
Tina Reifsnyder Alumnae Relations Coordinator
19600 North Park Boulevard Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122 216.320.8785 If you’d like to cancel delivery of HB magazine, please email publications@hb.edu. Parents: If your daughter is not receiving this magazine at her permanent address, please notify publications@hb.edu so that it may be mailed directly to her.
HB
Jane Brown
3
index
alumnae featured in this issue Nancy Swegler Anthony ’71 – Celebrating Sisterhood, pg. 39 Clara Butler ’16 – Celebrating Sisterhood, pg. 38 Helen Rankin Butler ’87 – Lighting the Way, pg. 9 Kate Dolansky ’12 – Participating in the Process, pg. 17 Cameron Dorsey ’10 – Participating in the Process, pg. 17 Kristen Ferguson ’16 – Blazing Their Own Trails, pg. 36 Julia Morse Fernandez ’99 – Meet Jamie Morse, pg. 13 Emily Foote-Huth ’08 – Scholarly Service, pg. 6 Fallon Gallagher ’14 – Newsmakers, pg. 24 Tara Afnan Gallagher ’85 – Newsmakers, pg. 24 Maggie Goddard ’07 – Coming Together for a Cause, pg. 26 Arielle Goldberg ’13 – Participating in the Process, pg. 16 Lauren Harris ’06 – Participating in the Process, pg. 19
contributors
If you’d like to become a contributor to HB magazine, please email kosborne@hb.edu or call 216.320.8785.
The Bubble Process Cover, We the People – page 14
The Bubble Process is a two-man illustration firm that was established in 2006. Sean Higgins and Nicholas Rezabek decided to make their own dream job since no one else made it for them, and now they are doing exactly what they love. The two met in 1999 at Kent State University and have been best friends ever since. They live apart—one in Cleveland and the other in Brooklyn—but they come together digitally by passing art files, ideas, notes, and jokes. Check out their prints and apparel for sale at thebubbleprocess.com.
Torrey McMillan ’90
Katherine Barr Hollingsworth ’96 – Celebrating Sisterhood, pg. 40
Dialogue in a Democracy – page 30
Kate McMillan Jeffery ’64 – Dialogue in a Democracy, pg. 30
Torrey McMillan directs HB’s Center for Sustainability. A systems thinker, she sees the world through the lens of interconnections and system relationships across disciplines. As such, in her work at HB she finds ways to help the community build and understand the connections between self, others, and the planet. Among her favorite things in life are long trail runs and cross-country ski outings with her dog, stimulating conversations with friends and family, and home-baked apple pie.
Betsy Morse Jones ’03 – Meet Jamie Morse, pg. 13 Gurbani Kaur ’13 – Favorable Rulings, pg. 7 Colleen King ’00 – Newsmakers, pg. 24 Meagan Armington Langworthy ’95 – Participating in the Process, pg. 18 Olivia Leslie ’16 – Quotable, pg. 90 Shannon Liber ’88 – Scholarly Service, pg. 6 Skylar Luke ’15 – Participating in the Process, pg. 18 Caitlin Matsen ’14 – Lighting the Way, pg. 9 Caroline Matsen ’16 – Lighting the Way, pg. 9 Courtney Matsen ’12 – Lighting the Way, pg. 9 Katie McCarthy ’16 – Participating in the Process, pg. 19 Libby McMillan ’59 – Dialogue in a Democracy, pg. 30 Torrey McMillan ’90 –Scholarly Service, pg. 6; Dialogue in a Democracy, pg. 30 Jasmine Morris ’16 – Blazing Their Own Trails, pg. 36
Sue Sadler
Wanted: Women in Office – page 20 Sue Sadler, Associate Head of School and Director of Upper School, has served Hathaway Brown in various capacities since 1987. A former Mathematics and Science teacher, Sue was Dean of Fifth Grade, Middle School Math Department Chair, and Middle School Director before she took on her current school-wide role. Sue’s love of HB and dedication to girls’ education is the thread that runs through all of these experiences.
Lisa Kroeger Murtha ’88 – Celebrating Sisterhood, pg. 38 Isabella Nilsson ’16 – Corrections, pg. 5; Blazing Their Own Trails, pg. 34 Kate Offutt ’84 – Dialogue in a Democracy, pg. 30 Savannah O’Sickey ’16 – Participating in the Process, pg. 19 Sheena Dee Pauley ’84 – Lighting the Way, pg. 9 Cartier Pitts ’16 – Blazing Their Own Trails, pg. 36 Katie Raguz ’16 – Blazing Their Own Trails, pg. 36 Elizabeth Randol ’89 – Engaged Citizen, pg. 28 Clara Taplin Rankin ’34 – Celebrating Sisterhood, pg. 38 Kavya Ravichandran ’16 – Corrections, pg. 5; Blazing Their Own Trails, pg. 35 Sophia Richards ’16 – Spring Sports, pg. 11; Blazing Their Own Trails, pg. 37 McKenna Ritter ’16 – Blazing Their Own Trails, pg. 34 Faith Roberts ’12 – Coming Together for a Cause, pg. 26
Sarah Schwab Called to Serve – page 23
While living for a year in China as a child, Sarah discovered a fascination for language and culture. After returning to the States and her home in Illinois she began to study Spanish, which served to fuel her passion. During college she spent time studying in Costa Rica and after graduating taught in the Chicagoland area for several years. In 2006 she and her family moved to Cleveland and she welcomed the opportunity to teach at Hathaway Brown. Besides teaching a variety of levels of Spanish, Sarah serves as the World Language Department Chair. Outside of school she chases after her four sons and serves at the inner-city church near their home, where her husband is the pastor.
Lily Roberts ’08 – Coming Together for a Cause, pg. 26 Aarathi Sahadevan ’16 – Blazing Their Own Trails, pg. 36 Kate LaMantia Sherwin ’00 – Scholarly Service, pg. 6 Libby Seidel Stineman ’03 – Scholarly Service, pg. 6 Nitya Thakore ’16 – Blazing Their Own Trails, pg. 37 Gabby Valdivieso ’16 – Blazing Their Own Trails, pg. 36 Adelaide Cobb Ward ’51 – Celebrating Sisterhood, pg. 39 Morgan Whaley ’16 – Blazing Their Own Trails, pg. 35 Edith Hines Williams ’00 – Corrections, pg. 5 Julie Lozon Wojtkowski ’07 – Scholarly Service, pg. 6 Caroline Zuchold ’15 – Participating in the Process, pg. 17
HB.edu/magazine
The contents of this publication—with the exception of Class News for privacy reasons—are posted online. To maximize your experience, we’ve made a wide array of additional material related to the featured stories available as well, including videos, photo galleries, and Internet resources.
pg.
contents
32
Cover Story
14 We the People Hathaway Brown and the historic Presidential election of 2016 News from North Park
6 HB Highlights Features
9 Lighting the Way Dr. Mary Frances Bisselle is formally installed as
Hathaway Brown’s 14th Head of School
12 Meet Jamie Morse
Get to know this longtime faculty member who serves as HB’s Upper School Visual Arts Department Chair and teaches Art, Photography, and Art History
HB
32 Blazing Their Own Trails HB’s approach to college counseling ensures that each
girl is set on the path to find the school that’s right for her
5
38 Celebrating Sisterhood Honoring the 2016 Hathaway Brown Alumnae Award recipients Locker Room
10 HB Athletics 101 New leadership and wellness initiative
launched for scholar-athletes
11 Sports Roundup News and highlights from Blazer Athletics
2015–2016 Report on Philanthropy P H OTO BY G E N E V I E V E N I S LY P H OTO G R A P H Y
Alumnae News
41 A Note from the Alumnae Office 42 Class News and Giving 73 Brides, Babies, Memorials
corrections
WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE FOLLOWING ERRORS:
In our Spring/Summer 2016 HB profile of Anne Cutter Coburn (Change on the Horizon, pg. 24), we made a misstatement in noting that male faculty members were first hired at Hathaway Brown in the late 1960s. Upon closer review of the Specularia, we found that Mr. A. Brown Miller was a Mathematics teacher for the 1961-62 and 1962-63 school years, and Mr. Guy Wilson taught Ancient and Modern History for the 1962-63 school year. More male teachers were added to the faculty in 1969, when William E. Harris succeeded Anne Cutter Coburn as Head of School.
In a listing of HB graduates who have been named U.S. Presidential Scholars (National Notice, pg. 11), we inadvertently omitted the name of Edith Hines Williams ’00. Since our publication, two additional U.S. Presidential Scholars from HB have been named: Kavya Ravichandran ’16 and Isabella Nilsson ’16 (pictured above, right), making the school the alma mater of eight Scholars since 1996.
NEWS f rom
NORTH
PARK CARNIVAL CAUSE
More than 1,250 campers and students were on campus this June through August, enjoying a wide variety of summer programs at Hathaway Brown. Broad Horizons day camp provided another busy season of friendship and fun for girls in pre-school through fifth grade, and the new Broader Horizons program for sixth- through eighth-graders took campers on exciting adventures. HB’s Specialty Camps included several new co-ed and all-girls programs, with unique art courses, Snapology LEGO camps, and a special weeklong Election 2016 camp. Summer Studies featured educational enrichment and course-credit opportunities for students in various grade levels. For the first time, we were pleased to welcome GameOn! Sports Camps for Girls, and the Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute hosted classes in acting, singing, and dance. Participants lit up the stage with impressive performances of Fiddler on the Roof and Into the Woods. Beginning in January 2017, be sure to visit hb.edu/summer to plan your child’s next summer adventures!
START-UP SAVVY SCHOLARLY SERVICE At the close of the 2015-2016 school year, we bid farewell to Head of School Bill Christ, who retired from the position after 29 years of inspirational, innovative, and transformational service. Bill enthusiastically and confidently passed the torch to Dr. Mary Frances Bisselle, who has become Hathaway Brown’s 14th Head of School. We celebrated several other milestone anniversaries for our colleagues as well. 5 Years of Service: Liliana Butcher, Carrie Cofer, Emily Foote-Huth ’08, Jenna Gordon, Ron Hovan, Gerri Jeffrey, Barbara Kamen, Rebecca Kline, Adam Kollin, Kate LaMantia Sherwin ’00, Julie Lozon Wojtkowski ’07, Rosie Maes, Michele Matras, Torrey McMillan ’90, Scott Parsons, Shelby Reesing, Erin Reid, Erin Roberts, Libby Seidel Stineman ’03, Mary Sloan, Megan Sloan, Chris Staats, Nichole Lazor, Janine Yearms; 10 Years of Service: Shelley Johns, Shannon Liber ’88, Jamie Mueller, Sarah Schwab, Kathy Zopatti; 15 Years of Service: Ron Ackroyd, Berniece Boyle, Siva Grossman, Kevin Purpura; 20 Years of Service: Stephanie Hiedemann; 25 Years of Service: Karin Roberts-Redmond; 30 Years of Service: John Castle, Susan Sadler.
Rosalie Phillips ’17 was the winner of the 2016 Veale Youth Entrepreneurship Forum Business Plan Competition. She pitched a business plan for her devised mobile app, CalendHER, a female reproductive cycle tracker, and the judges were unanimously impressed. The annual competition, which brings together hundreds of high schoolers through a network of regional independent schools, helps student entrepreneurs recognize business opportunities and develop their ideas, analyzing them for business results. First, second, and third place winners receive cash prizes, and all of the participants gain selfconfidence and a greater understanding of an entrepreneurial mindset. Rosalie, who is enrolled in Hathaway Brown’s Center for Business & Finance, was awarded the grand prize of $1,500, which may be used to continue to develop her app.
BOT TOM LEFT PHOTO BY KEVIN REEVES
The HB Class of 2016 donated funds from this year’s Carnival and 5K to the non-profit organization Youth Challenge, which provides adaptive sports activities and enrichment through relationship building for children with disabilities. Several members of the graduating class had meaningful and transformative volunteer experiences working with Youth Challenge clients throughout their high school years, and the charity was selected to be the recipient of all proceeds raised through fundraising efforts leading up to and including the annual Carnival. It was especially gratifying that Youth Challenge clients came to Carnival this year, and joined in many of the games, raffles, and dancing that the senior class organized to mark the occasion. In June, Youth Challenge representatives were presented with a check for $22,000, a gift from the HB Class of 2016 that will help the agency continue to expand and enhance its important mission. Learn more at youthchallengesports.com.
SUMMER FUN FOR EVERYONE
DISTINGUISHED DESIGNATIONS
FAVORABLE RULINGS
HIGH HONORS Regan Brady ’17 is one of three inaugural recipients of the four-year, full-support Coolidge Scholarship for academic merit. The Coolidge Scholarship is among the most generous scholarships in America. This non-partisan merit award covers a student’s tuition and room and board for four years of undergraduate study. Unlike many other full scholarships, the Coolidge Scholarship may be used by recipients at any accredited college or university in the United States. Regan is the only girl to be named a 2016 Coolidge Scholar. More than 2,350 students from 48 states applied for the award.
ONE FOR THE BOOKS The United Way of Greater Cleveland’s third annual “Stuff the Bus with Books” campaign collected 12,500 books for the organization to distribute to area students, and more than 2,500 of those books were donated by one student: HB’s own Julia Foos ’19. With the help of her parents, Julia organized her own Books Offer Opportunities for Kids (BOOK) project, collecting books from area teachers and through wordof-mouth efforts. “I read a statistic that said only one in 300 kids in Cleveland have books to read,” Julia told the United Way. “I don’t think I could have grown up without books and books are an important part of childhood, so I thought some kids in Cleveland really need books and I should probably help them out.” This was the second book drive Julia’s family has personally organized. They also collected books to donate to others during the 2015 holiday season. All of the books gathered in the United Way “Stuff the Bus” drive were distributed in June to a dozen schools in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District that serve students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grades, and used in efforts to help curtail “summer slide” through the schools’ summer learning programs.
HB
TOP LEFT PHOTO BY SHANNON AHLSTRAND; TOP RIGHT PHOTO BY JASON MILLER
For the first time in school history, Hathaway Brown emerged victorious from The City Club of Cleveland’s High School Debate Championship. In March, Gigi Protasiewicz ’17 negated the topic “Resolved: The United States ought to promote democracy in the Middle East” and won on a 3-0 decision, besting her opponent from University School. In 2011, Gurbani Kaur ’13 also made it to The City Club’s championship, where she finished as runner-up. The 2015-2016 HB Speech & Debate team season was a great success overall, with 23 students—a record number—qualifying for States in Cincinnati, and five girls competing in Nationals in Salt Lake City. When all was said and done, Ananya Kalahasti ’17, who was part of the North Coast District World Schools Debate Team, was ranked an international runner-up.
Four HB teachers have been granted Endowed Faculty Chairs, recognizing their outstanding contributions inside and outside the classroom. This May, the new H. William Christ Chair for Vision and Innovation was presented to Pre-Kindergarten teacher Julie Harris, who has been an important part of HB life since 2003. The chair was named in honor of Bill Christ, who served as HB’s Head of School from 1987 through 2016. Additionally, The Anne Cutter Coburn Chair for Excellence in Teaching was given to Upper School history teacher Ali Day; Primary School visual arts teacher Julie Breckenridge received the Hathaway Brown School Award Fund for Promise in Education; and Upper School World Languages department chair Sarah Schwab was presented with the Marting Chair in Foreign Language for the 2016-2017 school year. For a complete list of HB Endowed Faculty Chairs and to learn more, please visit hb.edu/endowedchairs.
7
HBPA GRANT AWARDS Thanks to generous contributions to the Hathaway Brown Parent Association made through donations and sales at the HBPA-run campus bookstore, The Brown Bag, The Association was able to award more than $90,000 in grants to fund various initiatives during the 2015-2016 school year. We are grateful to the HBPA for gifts made in the following categories, awarded through a grants-making process overseen by the Association’s executive leadership. More specific information about the grants themselves is available through the HBPA.
PROGRAMMING PROWESS The Fighting Unicorns, Hathaway Brown’s Upper School FIRST Robotics team, emerged victorious from the 2016 Mahoning Valley Robotics Competition. The tournament, which was held in Youngstown on September 25, brought two dozen teams together for friendly and spirited competition. HB ranked second in the qualifying rounds, then the Fighting Unicorns joined forces with Teams 2252 and 4269, earning the championship crown for the entire event. Additionally, HB brought home the tournament’s Team Imagery Award. We’re so proud of these Blazers, who devote so much time and ingenuity to this amazing program.
Turf Field: $20,000 Orchestra Chairs: $6,733 Athletic Department Water Fountain Installation: $3,917 Brian Matters Foundation Donation: $2,500 GROW Foundation Grant: $507 Center for Business & Finance Support: $500 Atrium Tables and Chairs: $10,000 Out of the Blue Workshop and Concert for Students: $500 Faculty and Staff Wellness Programs: $1,100 Bird Sanctuary Construction: $5,000 Primary School LEGO WeDo Packs: $4,757
GREAT SHOWING
Young Writers & Artists Festival Workshops: $5,000 Speech & Debate Tournament Travel Expenses: $2,196
Fourteen Hathaway Brown seniors have been chosen as 62nd annual National Merit Semifinalists for their high scores on the preliminary SAT. Only one percent of high school seniors across the country are part of this prestigious list. The 16,000 semifinalists may advance as Finalists and compete for 7,500 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $33 million, that will be offered next spring. Roughly 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and half of those will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title. To learn more about the National Merit Scholarship Program, visit nationalmerit.org.
Equipment for Large Muscle Room: $1,389
Congratulations to HB’s 2017 National Merit Semifinalists: Regan Brady, Margaret Broihier, Maddelana Chesler, Debolina Ghosh, Lauren Gillinov, Madeline Howarth, Prathna Kumar, Leah Marks, Grace Protasiewicz, Leia Rich, Zoe Solt, Lydia Spencer, Rachel Wang, and Alexandra Wiebe.
All school parents are members of the Hathaway Brown Parent Association. To learn more, visit hb.edu/hbpa.
Kudos also are in order for the seven members of the Class of 2017 who recently have received Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise, based on their PSAT scores. These students scored in the top 50,000 of all those who took the test. This year’s HB National Merit Commended Students are: Alanna Brown, Ananya Kalahasti, Rosalie Phillips, Julia Sabik, Anna Hollweg, Carly Wellener, and Claire Zajaczkowski.
Upper School Computer Science Competition: $500 Great Lakes Theatre Festival Visiting Artists: $1,350 Primary School Water Fountain Installation: $3,122 Professional Development Author Visit: $2,250 Speaker Fees and other expenses related to community-wide Head of School Retirement Celebration: $22,743
M
Courtney ’12, Caitlin ’14, and Caroline ’16); Associate Head of School Sue Sadler; Senate President Ally Persky ’17; Alumnae Council President Sheena Dee Pauley ’84; HBPA Co-Presidents Judy Young and Corinne Wallner; and Head Search Committee Chair Helen Rankin Butler ’87. “Fran is a consummate educator, an avid historian, a joyful collaborator, a visionary guide, a thoughtful businessperson, a mother of two daughters, a sister of 14, and a wise, caring, nurturing woman who leads by example and who knows and understands girls — and Early Childhood boys, too. Now to that impressive list, she can add that she is Hathaway Brown’s Head of School,” Matsen said to applause before the crowd sang the Alma Mater together to mark the occasion.
HB
embers of the Hathaway Brown community gathered for a very special celebration to commemorate the official installation of Dr. Mary Frances Bisselle as HB’s new Head of School. Students, parents, faculty, alumnae, trustees, and friends convened around the courtyard fountain for the second annual Light the Night picnic. Organized by the HB Parent Association, the event brought more than 700 people together to enjoy food trucks, games, a hootenanny singalong, and presentation of the fall season athletes prior to Homecoming, which took place the next day. The festivities were kicked off with a formal community welcome for Bisselle, who assumed her new role on July 1. Remarks were delivered by Board President Paul Matsen (father of
9
PHOTOS BY KEVIN REEVES
GOALS: To build a foundation of best practices for all
HB athletes, and to place an emphasis on athletic excellence through dedicated efforts, relationship-building, goal-setting, and intentional initiatives.
FORMAT: Each presenter (members of HB faculty and staff and outside professionals) shared his or her perspective and insights related to the topics listed below. Topics were presented in 5- to 20-minute seminar-type sessions. Approximately 150 athletes rotated through the sessions in small groups. WHO: All HB Upper School athletes WHEN: New this year! WHERE: Hathaway Brown School
LOCKER
ROOM TOPICS:
Mindfulness: Why is it important to focus on mental awareness, and how can we zone in to achieve better results? Nutrition: How do we fuel our bodies for good health and improved performance? Leadership and Team Roles: What are the different roles on each team? Why are they each important? What style of leadership does each athlete bring? Blazer Pride and Culture: How do we define HB Athletics? What are our values? How do we demonstrate personal and school pride at practice and in games? Goal-Setting: What are smart goals? How do we plan for today and tomorrow? What would we like to achieve as individuals and as a team?
PHOTO BY SHANNON AHLSTRAND
hb athletics 101
Follow all HB sports on Twitter @HBAthletics
HB
LACROSSE: The
SOFTBALL:
BOT TOM PHOTO BY KEVIN REEVES
JV Lacrosse team had a successful season with a lot of young talent, finishing with a record of 111-1. Varsity Lacrosse also had great success this year, entering the State Tournament with a record of 8-5-1 and plenty of momentum. The Blazers took three rounds in the playoffs and made it to the State Semifinals, eventually losing to St. Francis DeSales High School.
It was a transitional season for HB Softball under first-year head coach Tiger Alexander. The girls and their coaches worked together to lay the groundwork for continuing to develop the athletes in this program. A few highlights of the season were big wins over Orange, Garfield Heights, and Western Reserve Academy.
TRACK & FIELD: This was HB’s first season competing as a Division I school in Track and Field. The team broke a number of records in several different events.
in full gear since August 1. Coaches have been asked to adopt a more intentional approach to the interscholastic athletic experience, heightening the individual benefits of a purposeful education-based athletic program. Look for highlights from the Cross Country, Golf, Field Hockey, Soccer, Tennis, and Volleyball seasons in the next issue of HB.
Sophia Richards ’16 qualified for the Division I State Meet in the 100M hurdles and 300M hurdles, placing 6th and 7th respectively.
FALL 2016: The fall high school athletic season has been
We’re pleased to announce that Julie Kerrigan Ettorre has been named interim Director of Athletics for the 2016–2017 school year. Julie has been a mainstay of Blazer athletics for more than three decades, serving with distinction as a physical education teacher, coach, and athletic administrator. During that time, she has shared her joy for sports with hundreds of students and coaches, and she has developed a deep appreciation for the transformative impact that physical fitness and athletic participation bring to the lives of girls and women.
HB
spring sports in review
11
P H OTO BY G E N E V I E V E N I S LY P H OTO G R A P H Y
/
ILLUSTRATION BY GINA EGAN ’18
BOT TOM RIGHT PHOTO BY KIM PONSKY ’98
meet jamie morse by Reena S. Goodwin
/ PORTRAIT BY JUNG WON YOO ’11
Last year, HB launched a new blog series called #HathChat, featuring a Q&A with a different member of the Hathaway Brown faculty and staff. Not long ago, we caught up with Upper School’s Visual Arts Department Chair and Art, Photography, and Art History teacher Jamie Morse.
On the path that eventually led him to a career at Hathaway Brown … I graduated from Philadelphia College of Art with a degree in painting, so the one constant my whole life has been my art—it is my other career, so to speak, and it will be my full-time career once I retire from teaching. I spent my 20s in a seemingly countless variety of jobs, and my working life really lacked serious direction. … I decided to move to California, but first I looked to see if there were any art teaching jobs here in Cleveland. Out of the blue I found out Hathaway Brown had an opening. I applied and got the job. I had virtually no experience teaching, and had no idea if I had any talent as a teacher. From the beginning, I tried to be the opposite of the teachers I had growing
On a day in the life of an HB educator… I wake at 5:30 a.m., make my wife breakfast, prepare coffee, feed the cat, play with the cat, then my wife and I often carpool to work (she teaches at Laurel). I arrive at HB usually around 6:30 and get a ton of work done before the first bell. After the school day, I head home and often paint in my studio for an hour or two before dinner. After dinner, I play with the cat and go to bed. On what he enjoys most about working at HB … Easy question. Whenever I get down or overwhelmed, all it takes is for the bell to ring and students walk in, and away I go. HB students make my day special, and they are what I enjoy most. They’re smart, funny, ambitious, and caring. It is a truly symbiotic relationship: I try to inspire them, and they energize me. On the career advice he would give to his students … Wake up every day and give it your best shot, do not set long-term goals, work hard, and be yourself. Read the entire interview, a variety of essays, and more in the #HathChat series at hb.edu/blog.
HB
A native New Englander, Morse has called Cleveland home for most of his adult life. The father of two HB alums ( Julia ’99 and Betsy ’03), he has been part of the HB faculty since 1983. He loves teaching and he takes great pride in the influence he has been able to have in girls’ lives during his years at HB. He is committed to continually encouraging individual artistic and academic growth. He also is an award-winning painter who exhibits his work locally and nationally. On the blog, we asked him about the path he took to HB and what he enjoys most about being here. Here’s an excerpt from that interview.
up. I rarely felt respected by teachers when I was a student, so I have made it my mission to respect students as people first and foremost. I’ve been at it ever since.
13
compiled by
KATHLEEN OSBORNE
Hathaway Brown is a non-partisan organization, and as such does not endorse any particular political party or candidate.
HB 15
ILLUSTRATION AND T YPOGRAPHY BY THE BUBBLE PROCESS
T
here are so many lessons to be learned in an election season, and the 2016 race for the White House has been particularly fascinating to witness. Throughout the summer and into the fall, as Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton stumped across the country—making several stops in Northeast Ohio—we checked in with Hathaway Brown alumnae and other people in the school community on both sides of the aisle to get a sense for how they’re personally involved with the political process and making their voices heard. We met women who have been working in U.S. senatorial offices, campaigning for their candidates, speaking up on a variety of issues through peaceful demonstration, showcasing the region with convention planning and hosting, and bringing the political news to the world in nonstop television
programming. Faculty and students in all divisions have been following the election with great interest as well, and they’ve come up with all sorts of engaging ways to explore American democracy. We had a front-row seat to history in mid-July when the Republican National Convention came to Cleveland. It was the first time in eight decades that the RNC was held here, and it was incredibly exciting to watch the political machinery at work inside and outside Quicken Loans Arena. One week after Donald Trump accepted the Republican nomination in Cleveland, Hillary Clinton accepted the Democratic nomination at her party’s convention in Philadelphia, making her the first female Presidential nominee of a major political party in U.S. history. Politics aside, as a
girls’ school with its own storied history of breaking barriers and blazing trails, we find this moment in time worthy of recognition. It has been a pleasure to discover some of the ways that members of the HB community have immersed themselves in this important civic dialogue and it is an honor to share their stories with you.
PAGES 16 – 32
PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESS
W
e caught up with some Hathaway Brown alumnae in government and politics, and others who have been involved in several aspects of Republican National Convention planning and oversight, and we asked them to tell us in their own words about their work, what they think about Cleveland’s role in the election, and how they were influenced by their HB education. Most of my involvement during the RNC was spent with the Ohio Delegation and the Republican
Party of Cuyahoga County. I worked on a variety of events that honored Speaker Paul Ryan, Senator Rob Portman, and Governor John Kasich. In addition to the proceedings inside the Q, there were
approximately 1,200 other events taking place downtown, and I attended as many as humanly possible. Having the opportunity to attend all four days of the RNC was one of the most incredible experiences
in my life and one that I will remember forever. Cleveland could not have been a better host city. The out-of-state delegates were constantly praising Cleveland for its hospitality and beauty. Contrary to the expectation that there would be large-scale riots, the overall mood was festive and upbeat.
If it weren’t for the amazing foundation and education that I received from HB, I don’t think that any of this would have been possible. I am especially grateful to Mr. Vogel and Mr. Purpura for sparking my interest in international relations and politics and all of their guidance along the way.
ARIELLE GOLDBERG ’13 American University student in International Relations with a focus on National Security and Foreign Policy in Washington, D.C.; Intern for the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Investigations; Former Intern for U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH)
KATE DOLANSKY ’12 Staff Assistant in the 16th District Congressional Office for Congressman Jim Renacci (R-OH) I have been fortunate enough to work on some intake of casework, to plan and
facilitate events, and to organize my own outreach program for high schools
to participate in the Veteran’s History Project. Working in a District Office
for a Congressman has been extremely rewarding in the sense that we help
constituents at the ground level. We listen to people’s issues and do what we can to assist them through sometimes extremely hard situations. I’ve realized that our office is the most accessible bridge between the U.S. government and constituents. HB definitely taught me to be open and willing to listen
to others’ views and needs, and I really believe that is an important piece of a functional democracy.
CAMERON DORSEY ’10
I was the first person on the ground for the RNC, moving out to Cleveland in
CAROLINE ZUCHOLD ’15 Hamilton College student in World Politics and French, Clinton, NY; Former Communications Intern with the RNC Committee on Arrangements
February 2015. I did all of the contracting and then assigning of the 16,668 hotel rooms for the credentialed attendees, which included the nominee, the
RNC, donors, delegates, media, external affairs groups, and volunteers. Closer to convention week, I was recruited by the Trump Campaign to join their
Advance Team to help with their surrogate program. This involved advancing
delegation breakfasts and events with Trump surrogates and keeping the Republican message on target.
The convention looks like it’s a big party, but for us it was a job. We worked hard, and so did our volunteers. I heard nothing but fabulous things from
our staff and our visitors about Cleveland. They raved about the genuine hospitality and excitement from its guests. A lot of attendees said they
planned to bring their families and business back. The impact of the RNC
on the city was not just over a five-day period, but long term. The city was showcased on an international platform and ultimately came out with flying
I was one of four interns working in the communications department of
Police were incredible, the
work with the media and to help the state delegations to plan their visits.
colors.
The
Cleveland
Cleveland population was unbelievably
welcoming,
and ultimately I think Cleveland will reap the benefits of its hospitality for years to come.
the COA at the RNC. Our department’s main responsibilities were to My tasks included gathering contact information from surrogates, writing
biographies, organizing press check-in, setting up Media Row, and helping
to run the Skype Booth. I was amazed by the massive amount of prep work that goes into planning an event of this size. It took an incredibly hard-
working group of smart, interesting, and committed volunteers, interns, and professionals from all over the country to pull off the RNC in CLE.
Anyone who pays even a little bit of attention to politics knows that this
election cycle is far from typical, and so the convention was in many ways as well. It was fascinating to watch history being made and to have the
HB
Manager of Housing Data for the RNC Committee on Arrangements; Trump Campaign Advance Team
17
PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESS
opportunity to meet some of the most powerful figures in politics today.
to be in the midst of all of the action and events taking place outside the
our city into the national spotlight this summer and I was so proud to see
Public Square was a perfect location for the Platform.
The combination of the Cavaliers championship with the RNC launched
it shine. It was fun to watch many delegates and staff from all over the
convention and not be isolated at a desk or in a building. The newly renovated
country discover—and be impressed with—the city we are all proud to call
It is important to realize that the Republican National Committee choosing
Dorsey and Meagan Langworthy. I was reminded what a privilege it is call
consider yourself extremely conservative or extremely liberal or somewhere
had attended Hathaway Brown; our school’s excellent reputation spreads
If you’re not, you’re missing the point. There were over 50,000 delegates from
home. It was fun to meet and work with two great HB alums, Cameron
Cleveland as a host city for the 2016 election was a huge deal. Whether you
myself a Blazer, as many staffers were impressed when they learned that I
in between, you should be excited about the fact that Cleveland was chosen.
outside Ohio!
around the nation and thousands of media personnel from across the globe. The RNC set a precedent for the city, proving that we are capable of hosting even larger events in the future.
MEAGAN ARMINGTON LANGWORTHY ’95 Caucus Operations,
RNC Committee on Arrangements After volunteering at the front desk
for the Committee on Arrangements in September 2015, I was hired to
coordinate the staff housing and assist with onboarding new hires. In May
of this year, I took a position with
the Caucus Operations division of
SKYLAR LUKE ’15 Georgetown University student in International Relations, Culture, and Politics
in the School of Foreign Service in Washington, D.C.; Former Intern in the Office of Mayor Frank Jackson (D-Cleveland)
I worked this summer with Mayor Jackson’s Chief of Government and
International Affairs, Dr. Valarie McCall. She is the liaison between local and state government as well as serving on several national organizations
and promoting growth internationally. Working with her was perfect for me
because I wanted to come back home for my first summer of my college career, and Cleveland was the best place to be with the RNC. I mainly worked with Chief McCall and her team to help with the logistics of the RNC, ensuring that Cleveland was ready to host the convention. In the several weeks leading up to the RNC, we worked closely with the Secret Service to conduct Business and Resident RNC Impact meetings. These informational meetings
would last a couple of hours and went into detail about how businesses and residents would be impacted by the RNC with road closures and heightened security. During the week of the RNC, I served as an ambassador of Cleveland
and the Mayor’s Office at Public Square at the Official Speaker’s Platform, where those who wished could assert his or her First Amendment right safely and peacefully. I chose to work the Speaker’s Platform because I wanted
the COA, where I coordinated travel
for the campaign security and floor operation Whips. I’ve worked in the political arena for many years now, and have attended other conventions and inaugurations. However, putting the work into a National Security Event is
an extreme of its own. Logistically, there are many hands working toward the
greater good for the event itself, and coordinating all of them doesn’t always go smoothly. But in the end, what people see, hear, and feel while attending
the event are the most important. Working with the COA has been one of the most impressive jobs in my life, after being a mother. It’s an experience like no other, and it won’t come back again. It is hard. You make these amazing
connections and relationships, and then in a blink of an eye, everyone is gone, and moved on to the next gig.
SAVANNAH O’SICKEY ’16 George Washington University student in Political Science in Washington, D.C.; Fellow with the Hillary Clinton Campaign
The major push of Hillary’s campaign for the
majority of the summer was to register voters for
reasons including lack of voter turnout, people unaware of their eligibility to be registered, and
Ohio’s decision to purge voters’ registrations if they have not recently voted in elections. By
KATIE MCCARTHY ’16
going to public libraries and events such as Solon
Gettysburg College student in Gettysburg, Penn.;
Home Days, Cain Park Arts Festival, and even
Former Intern in the Cleveland office for U.S.
the Cavs Championship Parade, we were able
Senator Rob Portman (R-OH)
to collect vast amounts of voter registration
I went to the convention on the second day, when
host city because of its walkable size, welcoming
information and turn it in to the Board of
made my way downtown to check things out on
is great again, and awesome restaurants excited
canvassing, and hosting Democratic events such
the theme was Make America Work Again. I also the last day of the RNC. Cleveland looked great
I am passionate about politics and I’m really happy
I got to experience the convention. I have now
made it a goal of mine to somehow go to as many
Elections. I’ve also helped with phone banks,
to feed incoming delegates. The police did an
as DNC watch parties.
outstanding job. Cleveland is having a great 2016! I would like to thank all of the law enforcement
for keeping everyone safe. I couldn’t be prouder to be from the 216.
conventions as I can. Cleveland was an awesome
I believe that it is important to be politically engaged because living in a democracy means
that our society gets to decide who we want to represent our country. I believe that advocating
for my candidate of choice is a great opportunity for my vote to really mean something and to
encourage others that being an informed voter
LAUREN HARRIS ’06 Event Manager for the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland; Former Events
Manager for the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, assisting with the Republican National Convention planning through the nonpartisan Host Committee
My involvement with the RNC was centered around volunteer management, with a large focus being
on-site management. I was heavily involved in the distribution of all volunteer apparel, collateral, and
snacks. As volunteer shifts began, I managed the downtown check-in location, where I distributed all volunteer items and fielded calls. I think what shocked me the most was to see how many people of different backgrounds, ages, races, and religions came out to support the event. It was great to see that
despite people’s political preferences, they recognized that this was a huge economic impact for the city of
Cleveland and came to support because of the love they have for their city. The event was truly embraced by all and it was awesome to see so many people have so much pride for Cleveland.
The RNC had such a positive impact on the city of Cleveland in a variety of ways, the first being the
economic impact. With the RNC came tons of visitors, which led to money being spent in the city. The RNC alone poured quite a bit of money into enhancing pre-existing attractions and the overall look
and feel of the city, all of which will be legacies that will remain with us for years to come. Second, the thousands of visitors – many of whom were traveling to Cleveland for the first time – got to experience
firsthand what an amazing city Cleveland is and all of the great features it has to offer. The third being
the hours upon hours of media coverage showcasing the city to individuals all over the world. Lastly, the
RNC impacted the local residents, many of whom ventured downtown for the first time in years and were able to take advantage of so many new features that the city has built.
really does matter. It’s not just the presidency we are voting for; our day-to-day life is impacted by
choices made by our elected government officials. My experiences at Hathaway Brown helped
manifest my passion for social justice and service through involvement with the SWAG SchoolWide Activist Group and the Center for Service
Learning. Additionally, my interest in politics
was amplified during my years at HB by taking classes like American Government and being
able to go on a senior year trip to Washington, D.C. A lesson I was taught at HB was that if you want to see change, then you need to create
it. Voting is often not enough. No matter where
you fall politically, discover what issues you care about the most and get active.
HB
and things were run very smoothly.
crowd, citizens who want to show that their city
19
D
uring the Republican National Convention, which was held in Cleveland this July, The Atlantic addressed the
issue of how to encourage more young women to run for office in
a session called Pathways to Power. Representatives from county, state, and federal offices discussed obstacles and solutions to the gender gap in elected office with leaders of three non-partisan non-
profit organizations whose missions are centered on increasing the pathways to politics for women.
As they affirmed, we need more women on both sides of the aisle. Studies have found strong correlations between increased numbers of female legislators and more progressive policy on the
environment, the economy, and support for families. In addition, women legislators are credited with higher cross-partisan consensus on issues.
What keeps women out of office? They are less likely to think they are qualified to run, despite having experience and skills equal to their male counterparts. Incumbency, gerrymandering, and lack of
fundraising experience or networks also hinder female candidates. Few role models exist for young women to envision themselves in
WANTED:
WOMEN IN OFFICE by Sue Sadler
The United States ranks 72nd in the world with regard to the percentage of women in office. Fewer than 24 percent of the country’s elected officials are women, and women of color are even further behind. With 23 million women who are not registered to vote, and women sending two million fewer letters to Congress than men, we clearly have work to do to encourage more women to be active in politics.
elected office, and women are less likely to be tapped for candidacy. Although numbers of women in office are increasing, at the current rate, it will be 500 years until women reach parity. How can we
correct this gender imbalance? Helping girls find their voices and learn how to use them is the first step. Hitting the “like” button
is not enough. Girls need to know their ideas are valued and that
their contributions are vital to the future. We need to encourage
girls to express their views and ideas to their representatives. Mentoring young women by sharing experience and expertise has also been proven to be effective. Encouraging their interests
and activism can help prepare them for a future campaign, and programs exist to help women once they start out on that path.
Civic engagement is a precursor to civic leadership, so finding a
cause and working toward a solution is great preparation for a
future in politics. Many young women see civic engagement as a
way to make a difference, and leadership in the non-profit world is overwhelmingly female. Leadership skills are a transferrable
commodity; growth in one area leads to growth in another, so creating the connection between civic engagement and civic leadership as a way to serve could be powerful in increasing the pipeline for women.
Sue Sadler is HB’s Associate Head of School and Director of the Upper School. She participated in this program sponsored by The Atlantic
with HB’s Director of Counseling Lisa Lurie. She wishes to thank
Running Start, All In Together, and She Runs for their participation in what she found to be a very informative session.
FIELD REPORT
HB
HB was the only secondary school in the country to secure media credentials to cover the Republican National Convention and its attendant programming. We rode the Rapid Transit in to Tower City, trekked the streets of downtown Cleveland, and took our seats in the media bowl at the Q, looking for stories and Hathaway Brown connections for 12 hours each day for five consecutive days in mid-July. See the RNC and the city through our reporter’s eyes by visiting our blog, where you’ll find daily updates and dozens of pictures. Just go to hathawaybrownblog.com and search for “Republican National Convention.”
21
YOUTHFUL OUTLOOK
A
t just 13 years old, Maple Buescher may have been the youngest member of the media among the 15,000 reporters in the arena at the 2016 Republican National Convention. The
Cleveland Heights resident is a student correspondent for TIME for Kids and she’s the daughter of Hathaway Brown Upper School mathematics teacher Michael Buescher. You can read Maple’s dispatches from the field at timeforkids.com.
Her dad reflects on the whirlwind week that was:
Chase Healey ’11, Katie McCann ’16, and Linda Crabbe Healey ’80 celebrated the final day of the RNC with the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County at Gray’s Armory in downtown Cleveland.
I have never been to a political convention, and wouldn’t have gone this time if not for
Maple’s work with TIME for Kids. Watching the professional journalists work was at least as enlightening as the convention itself. The TIME for Kids reporters in particular were incredibly professional, both as journalists and as educators.
It was wonderful to watch my daughter interact with delegates, supporters, and other journalists at the convention. Seeing her on the floor of the RNC was a very proud moment for me as a
parent. Maple will remember the convention for the rest of her life, of course, and her mother and I will remember that she enabled us to be a part of it.
BOT TOM PHOTOS BY MICHAEL BUESCHER
TOUCHING TRIBUTE
W
ayne and Barbara Owens, grandparents
he did such a good job. After Derek was killed,
Democratic National Convention and spoke in
influence. One woman said that when she was a
of Sydni Owens ’18, appeared at the
honor of their son, Cleveland Police Officer Derek
Owens, who was killed in the line of duty March
1, 2008. “We hear a lot about the problems in big cities. Our son, Derek Owens, joined the Cleveland
police force to be part of the solution,” Barbara said. “His wife worked mornings, so he was the one who
combed his daughter’s hair. His friends joked and
troubled teenager, Derek saw in her what she couldn’t see in herself. And because of him, she’s
a better mother. This was just one of the many
stories we heard. Derek has left a legacy of service, integrity, and love. And we, we never want the sacrifice of Derek and all of the other fallen officers to ever be forgotten.”
HB
said he made it harder for the other dads because
we heard from so many people about his positive
23
CALLED TO SERVE by Sarah Schwab
As a Cleveland transplant, I often find myself trying to defend my new home to friends and family who have never visited, but who feel the need to scrunch their noses in distaste when I tell them where I now live.
Ten years ago when we first moved, it was a defense in part meant to convince
myself that I was happy in Cleveland, but also a reflection of my tendency to always root for the underdog. Not so anymore. My husband, Chris, pastors
Gateway Church Downtown in Cleveland. Our tagline is “Love God, Live in Community, Serve the City.” As the Republican National Convention approached, we really focused in on how we could serve Cleveland during
that week. Due to our proximity to downtown we decided to open our doors
to first responders as a place to hydrate, caffeinate, eat, cool off, use a real restroom, and so on. EMS workers and police officers who were stationed near the church were able to relax for a bit, but many were stuck closer to the security zone and couldn’t come to us.
So we went out in teams and took water and Gatorade to them and even sent
meals to the firefighters who were stationed within the most secure perimeter. While we were a little apprehensive at first, we soon joined what often felt like
a huge celebration of diverse ideas and perspectives and shared our water with
everyone, prayed with people who wanted to, and generally enjoyed Cleveland. The week confirmed and strengthened the pride that’s been growing in me
for the past decade and I look forward to more opportunities to serve the city. Sarah Schwab teaches Upper School Spanish. She is chair of the Upper School World Languages Department and holds the Marting Chair in Foreign
Language. We spotted her with her son Jonah in downtown Cleveland’s Public Square, passing out drinks to protesters and others gathered there on RNC day two, when temperatures hovered around 90 degrees.
NEWSMAKERS COLLEEN KING ’00 AND FALLON GALLAGHER ’14 SHARE A UNIQUE CONNECTION ON THE SET OF MSNBC’S HARDBALL
F
allon Gallagher ’14 was scrolling through
met Colleen and well-known commentator
which Colleen would review and then offer
feed in August 2015 when something
night, and she gave Colleen her business card. Just
really cemented that I want to be in political
her high school alma mater’s Facebook
caught her eye. Hathaway Brown had issued an
invitation to all community members to connect with HB alumna Colleen King ’00, a senior
producer for the MSNBC show Hardball, when
Andrea Mitchell outside the MSNBC set that
10 months later, the two would find themselves working together in NBC’s flagship location at 30
Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, and Colleen
constructive feedback. “This whole experience journalism, and now I know I want to go into production,” Fallon says.
would be Fallon’s mentor. “There was a production
Her mentor has always been attracted to the
me under her wing,” Fallon says. “It has been
and read The Plain Dealer before school, and her
intern opening at Hardball and Colleen took
field herself. The HB lifer used to watch TODAY
incredible. I feel so lucky.”
Sunday mornings were filled with viewings of
“Right away, I sent the link to my mom (HB
Fallon spent the summer months learning the
the news has always been important to me,” she
“And I told her, ‘We’re going.’”
included greeting guests, escorting them to the
Now in her junior year at Northwestern
ordering graphics, assisting in the control room,
the network would be broadcasting live from a temporary soundstage on Cleveland’s East 4th
Street while the first of the Republican primary
debates was being held at Quicken Loans Arena. alumna Tara Afnan Gallagher ’85),” Fallon says.
University, Fallon is studying Journalism and
Political Science. When she saw the opportunity to meet another HB graduate who was working in
the field she wants to pursue, she seized it. Fallon
ropes on the set and behind the scenes. Her duties
studio, getting them prepped in hair and makeup,
political commentary. “Reading and following says. These days, Colleen is one of the people who actually produces the news that is part of people’s lives.
and proofreading digital content to be displayed
She came to the field as a sophomore at George
consistency, and visual feel. She also was able to
when she applied for an internship at CBS
on air to ensure that it met standards for accuracy,
Washington University in Washington, D.C.,
write mock segments and map out programs,
News “on a lark.” She ended up working on The
HB 25
Early Show, where she gained valuable skills and
senior production responsibilities
has worked as a producer at Fox News and on
beamed from New York City with
found her career calling. Since that time, she
MSNBC. At her current network, she has held production positions on programs including Way Too Early, Morning Joe, and Hardball. In her role
as senior producer for the program headlined by Chris Matthews (whom Colleen calls “one
of my favorite people”), she is responsible for all aspects of the show’s creation and execution. She
writes scripts, pitches guests, develops on-screen
graphics, stays on top of breaking news, and talks to Chris by way of an earpiece microphone throughout the broadcast. “It’s very exciting – you
for NBC’s team coverage that was
Brian Williams and Rachel Maddow at the
anchor desk. She maintained that role during the Democratic National Convention, which took place the following week in Philadelphia. During
the conventions, Colleen was in the production booth from 6 p.m. until midnight or 2 a.m. every night, and she spent the days working on show
planning. “It definitely was a lot of work,” she
says. “But this is our Super Bowl; this is why we’re here.”
have to be able to think on your feet,” she explains.
Colleen says she immensely enjoyed her time with
While she would have liked to come back
at 30 Rock. “She’s terrific. She was a wonderful
home to Cleveland when Hardball once again went live via satellite during the Republican
National Convention, Colleen was tapped for
fellow HB alumna Fallon Gallagher this summer part of the team,” she says. And mentoring Fallon was important to Colleen as well. “I owe my
success to so many female bosses I’ve had along
the way; great mentors and colleagues who helped me navigate a path and let me succeed on my own,” she explains.
Colleen credits her alma mater with setting her on the path she’s on today as well. “All of the skills I
use every day I can trace right back to North Park Boulevard,” she says.
T
hree HB alumnae were among scores of
In July, Lily and Maggie reunited in their
on the streets of Cleveland during the
Roberts ’08, a recent Oberlin College graduate,
peaceful demonstrators who converged
Republican National Convention
Lily Roberts ’08 and Maggie Goddard ’07 became
hometown and met up with Lily’s sister, Faith to lend their voices to causes that are important to them.
fast friends at Hathaway Brown when they
Along with thousands of delegates, politicians, and
the HB Review and served as Co-Presidents of the
Convention brought peaceful demonstrators to
worked together on the Commentary section of
Young Progressives club. They were roommates in Washington, D.C., and their bond remains solid
a decade after they first discovered their mutual interests in high school.
Lily works in the nation’s capital researching ways in which public policy can combat poverty. She’s
a Program Analyst in data analytics, meaning that
she spends most of her time helping non-profits, states, and the federal government understand
what the data they collect is really telling them. She’s also working virtually on her Master’s degree in Social Administration at Case Western Reserve
University. Maggie is now living in Providence, RI, where she’s a doctoral student in Brown
University’s American Studies department. As part of her arts and culture coursework, she
recently completed a summer practicum at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland.
COMING TOGETHER
FOR A CAUSE
members of the media, the Republican National Public Square, East 4th Street, and other spots
around the region. Lily, Maggie, and Faith spent part of the Sunday before the convention with
people of all walks of life in a movement called Circle the City with Love, which was designed
to set a peaceful and inclusive tone for the week. Thousands lined Hope Memorial Bridge, which
spans the Cuyahoga River and joins Lorain and Carnegie avenues in Cleveland. There they held hands and stood in silence and reflection for half
an hour. The trio noted that the experience was even more powerful than they had anticipated, and
it moved them to tears. When the 30 minutes of silence ended, participants thanked the gathered
law enforcement officers. “I must have hugged 40 policemen,” Lily says.
The three also participated in and helped to
facilitate the March to End Poverty, which was
organized by one of Lily’s professors at Case; they took part in an event put together by and in support of area Muslim physicians; and
they attended a symposium of art and politics sponsored by The City Club of Cleveland.
“I feel incredibly connected to Cleveland, and I’m really happy for the city that we coordinated
a successful convention,” Maggie says. “It was
also important for me to stand up for my values in my hometown and to support the people of
Cleveland. I think that members of the HB community would like to know that Cleveland did a fantastic job as a host city. The community
showed its hospitality and united through messages of reflection, solidarity, and peace.”
Lily agrees. “These events were incredibly positive
and successful – they had great turnouts, and they made participants feel like we had the ability to
shape the narrative coming out of our city that week,” she says.
DEMOCRACY IN
ACTION In classrooms around campus, Hathaway Brown students and teachers are finding new and interesting ways to learn about and engage in the political process. Hathaway Brown students of all ages learn about American democracy
every year, but teachers and administrators in all divisions are putting a special
focus on our systems of government this year. Early Childhood and Primary School students are no exception. Outside the library that serves HB’s youngest
students, Library Specialist Cherie Stebner has a bulletin board that highlights voting and America’s constitutionally supported rights. She also has selected an
array of books – including My Teacher for President, First Dog, and Elizabeth Cady
Stanton, Suffragette – for students to check out and for teachers to share with their classes. She’s also reading books about voting to preschool and prekindergarten
students and asking them to vote for the book they like best so they can practice counting the ballots and declare a winner.
sharing a special Teaching Tolerance webinar program with her fellow faculty. The series covers “a range of critical topics that can be difficult to discuss with students and colleagues.” Among other things, educators are learning how to lead
conversations with students that address the effects of the election and political rhetoric on civil discourse and the school climate. And History Department
Chair Jason Habig is designing a real-time voting simulation for students that will mimic the electoral college process.
Upper School students will have their own electoral college moment as well, and
the Mathematics and History departments are collaborating on ways to make that happen so that all ninth- through 12th-grade students can participate. In
Molly Krist’s Government class, girls are examining, researching, and compiling
Republican, Democrat, and Libertarian party platforms on a bevy of issues. Several students have organized a voter registration drive, asking their classmates of voting age to sign up, and greeting parents in the North Park Drive front circle
at drop-off and pick-up times and asking them to make sure their registration information is up-to-date.
Faculty and students also are following election news very closely and discussing current events. New programs and points of view are emerging every day.
SO GOES THE NATION Kyle Kondik, author of The Bellwether: Why Ohio Picks the President, spoke to Upper School students, Hathaway Brown
faculty, and several parents at a special lunchtime forum in September. He explained that because of its physical geography and the way it was settled, our nation’s 17th state is a microcosm of the country as a whole. Since 1896, Kondik said, the Buckeye
State has picked the winner of the U.S. Presidential election 28 of
30 times, for 93 percent rate of accuracy. After his formal remarks, Kondik opened the floor to questions, which ran the gamut from
the impact of third-party candidates in the 2016 race to his professional political prognostication about which way Ohio will
swing this year. Kondik is the Director of Communications for the University of Virginia Center for Politics, and Managing Editor
for Sabato’s Crystal Ball, a nonpartisan newsletter on American
campaigns and elections, and he is a frequent contributor to
POLITICO magazine. His visit to HB was organized by Scott Parsons, Director of the Osborne Writing Center, and Kevin Purpura, Upper School History Department Chair.
HB
In the Middle School, History Teacher and Diversity Liaison Toni Cross is
AS OHIO GOES,
27
ENGAGED CITIZEN
FOR AS LONG AS SHE CAN REMEMBER, POLITICS HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO ELIZABETH RANDOL ’89. SHE DISTINCTLY RECALLS WRITING AN ESSAY ABOUT THE SHAH OF IRAN AND THE HOSTAGE CRISIS WHEN SHE WAS A 9-YEAR-OLD PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENT AT HATHAWAY BROWN IN 1980. SHE PICKED THE TOPIC HERSELF.
W
hen she was in the Upper School,
at the University of Scranton for six years. She’s
For the 2016 election season, Elizabeth, who
the HB Review, and she enjoyed engaging
government offices in Pennsylvania, including
the Democratic National Convention Host
Elizabeth Randol served as the editor for
in philosophical discussions on policy with her
teachers, who say she was always very vocal about her opinions and she was uncharacteristically well
informed on the issues for a teenager. She was a devotee of Ronald Reagan, she worked on George H. W. Bush’s 1988 Presidential campaign, and she
completed her Senior Project at the Republican
also been involved in Democratic initiatives and
serving as Chief of Staff for Lackawanna County, as Campaign Manager for the first female elected as state Attorney General, and as Policy Director for the Pennsylvania Treasury Department. “I like to have my feet in both worlds,” she says. “I’m a child of extremes.”
Party of Cuyahoga County headquarters.
Elizabeth says she knew she wanted to study
Since she left HB, Elizabeth has moved to the
taught by Humanities Department legend Judy
other side of the aisle, and she continues to be
active in politics and government. She holds a
Ph.D. in Philosophy, she teaches college students, and she oversaw the Jane Kopas Women’s Center
philosophy after she took her first course at HB Nelson. “It was like studying a second language I didn’t realize that I could speak,” she recalls. “I
decided, ‘I’m doing this for the rest of my life.’”
lives in Philadelphia, volunteered her time with
Committee, distributing media credentials to
journalists covering the event, and working inside the Wells Fargo Center. She says she’s watching the campaigns of both candidates with interest this year and she is especially excited to
witness a woman running for the highest office
in the country. “No matter where you stand, I think we all can agree that it’s about time for
that glass ceiling to have been broken,” Elizabeth says. “Hopefully there’ll be another woman who
will be nominated for President one day soon, and then another one, and another one, and on and on.”
MONDAY: UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS
THURSDAY: MEDIA AND ELECTIONS Denise Polverine, Assistant News Director for Cleveland’s NBC affiliate, gave the students
an extensive tour of the WKYC studio and newsroom, and they learned about how political
advertising is bought and sold, along with how reporters and editors work hard to maintain
unbiased objectivity. Campers then analyzed
TUESDAY: ACTIVISM AND ELECTIONS
the role television played in the election of
The day’s programming included watching
correspondent Maple Buescher was a special
1960, and talked about what goes into creating political campaign commercials. TIME for Kids
and unpacking a video presentation about
guest camper for the day, and she discussed her
microtargeting – which is used by political parties
coverage of the Republican National Convention.
and campaigns to market to voters on niche issues
– and a trip to Shaker Square, where students met
FRIDAY: ELECTION HISTORY
up there.
Conversation on campus was focused on the
with staffers at the Clinton campaign outpost set
election of 1800, then campers took a trip to
Campers tried their hands at iCivics video
WEDNESDAY: ELECTION DAY
watched videos of classic Presidential debates,
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections opened
“a showcase of Ohio’s political past.” The camp
Langworthy ’95 and Caroline Zuchold ’15, both
a chance to see the multiple security and other
convention speeches delivered at both the RNC
Committee’s Committee on Arrangements and
each vote counts. They also enjoyed a special
during the convention.
Communications Director for the Cuyahoga
games, learned about the U.S. electoral college,
the Western Reserve Historical Society, where
they toured the Power and Politics exhibition,
and met with HB alumnae Meagan Armington
its doors to HB campers, and the students had
wrapped up with a viewing and discussion of the
of whom worked for the Republican National
measures officials put into place to ensure that
and DNC this year.
were on the ground working with delegates
question-and-answer session with Doug Magill, County Republican Party.
HB
Hathaway Brown hosted a special Election Camp for Northeast Ohio middle school students this summer, and participants had a chance to take a number of field trips and learn about the American political system under the guidance of camp director Jason Habig, who holds HB’s Ann Corlett Ford Chair in History and serves as the school’s Director of Summer Programs. The week of July 2529 was jam-packed with camp activities and discussions and featured the following highlights.
29
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: What does it mean to be part of a democracy? How do we create a culture of engaged citizenship? What is civility and why does it matter? How do I express my views in a way that promotes meaningful engagement?
DIALOGUE IN A DEMOCRACY
How do I respond – internally and externally – when I’m faced with disagreement about difficult topics?
by Torrey McMillan ’90
I
’m sitting on the patio with my extended family on a balmy evening over Labor Day weekend. I love my family and the conversations we have. We don’t shy away from issues of the day, but sometimes we get in a rut and cover terrain that we’ve been over many times before. So, in hopes of inspiring a fresh strand of conversation, I announce to the group, “I’m working on an initiative at HB that I’m really excited about. It’s called Dialogue in a Democracy.” I go on to explain our goals of responding to the increasingly divisive political and media commentary by creating a series of experiences for our Upper School students that help them to build the tools needed to engage with one another on complex, messy issues in ways that promote dialogue and deep listening.
It’s a work in progress, I explain. But we have some ideas, some things we are
The energy among my family members — including Libby McMillan ’59,
So what does this actually look like?
Kate McMillan Jeffery ’64, and Kate Offutt ’84 — steps up a notch and they focus in.
“What does it look like?” “How are you doing it?”
doing to get things started.
Not a class, not a speaker series, not a program, per se, this initiative draws on all of these things in their existing forms and builds upon them. As my
colleague and one of many collaborators on this initiative, Upper School
science teacher Mary Kay Patton explained recently to the students while introducing our most recent Dialogue event, “the dialogue” comes from all of
us, together. “It’s you and all of us. We create the dialogue in talking to one
another,” using the ideas shared by speakers we have invited to the school, what we learn in class, and what we hear in the news as jumping-off points for conversations about complicated issues that have no easy right or wrong
answers. And in doing so, we practice. We make mistakes, we fumble our way
through, and hope we get better at listening to each other deeply, at expressing ourselves with courage and sensitivity, and at responding to ideas that do not align with our own without judging or feeling attacked.
In these conversations, we are promoting a different kind of listening and thinking than is the norm in many academic settings. Academics are very
good at teaching people how to dissect an idea, and how to build and defend an argument. These all are good skills to have. But sometimes it’s not about
debating or winning a point. Sometimes it’s about hearing the experience of
others. Sometimes it’s about allowing your own viewpoint to shift as you open your mind to new information or ideas.
To start, a team of about a dozen Upper School teachers across disciplines got together and created a guide for our fellow faculty members that’s full of tips for facilitating conversations that have the potential to polarize a room or that focus on sensitive topics. We paired these guides with a deck of question cards
to spur conversations. The questions, drawn from The Atlantic, the Center for Civic Reflection at Valparaiso University, and our own heads, are big and messy. They can be combined with
current events to provoke philosophical, reflective conversation – conversation that can help inform thinking about the news that rolls over us on a daily basis.
At dinner, I suggest to my family that we try to have one of these conversations. We all fit at one table tonight, and the group is excited about the idea. So I start the discussion … Georgetown University announced earlier in the week that it will give preferential
admissions to descendants of slaves who worked at Georgetown. We’ve all heard this in the
news. I connect this issue with one of the questions from our card deck: “To what degree are
we responsible for making amends for wrongs long in the past?” The conversation is off and running. We go from talking about the value of saying “I’m sorry for what we did,” to deep
TRY THIS AT HOME! These and other discussionstarter questions have helped to launch classroom conversations at Hathaway Brown. Try posing the questions below to your family (or to yourself!) and begin to examine the way you think.
discussions about which of the wrongs among the many in history we should we direct our
Why does diversity of thought and opinion matter?
We haven’t tried this particular conversation topic yet at HB with the students, and
Are there times when freedom of speech should be curtailed?
focus upon, to whether human societies have become more ethical over time.
unfortunately, we rarely have the luxury of a couple of hours of uninterrupted time to dive
in to such issues, but we have waded in a little. Dan Moulthrop, CEO at The City Club of Cleveland, “the nation’s oldest continuously running free speech forum,” kicked off Dialogue
in a Democracy in September with an Upper School assembly describing the lessons he has from them. As a former journalist, “curator of conversation” (his previous job title when he launched The Civic Commons, an online platform promoting civil and civic engagement in
Cleveland) and high school teacher, Dan set the stage beautifully for the HB conversations to come, and as noted by an excited student afterward, he “was actually interesting!”
Since Dan’s opening talk, Upper School teachers who serve as student mentors have
How does gender affect the way we relate with others? When I give, what do I expect in return?
prompted conversations with their mentor groups. We’ve practiced conversations together
What is the status quo, and can it or should it be changed?
we have a military draft in the United States, and if so, who should have to register), but still
When should you lie?
for students and teachers to debrief and share their thoughts following the Presidential
provide some context for thinking about them, and then for sharing perspectives. In short,
How do what you say and how you say it differ when you communicate in person vs. on social media?
Everywhere you turn these days, you can find organizations devoted to promoting civil
Is my service changing the world or only myself? Is that enough?
that are not necessarily seen as “hot button issues” (discussing such things whether we should
generate thoughtful and nuanced conversation and ideas. We also have planned open forums debates. We are finding moments in the school day to inform the girls about current events, we are building this as we go, and it has been incredibly exciting.
discourse or producing materials that describe how to tackle hard conversations in positive ways. If we spend some time thinking about what we can gain from these important
discussions, we can get to the heart of charged issues in the best places for learning and growth: in the classroom, and around the dinner table.
Torrey McMillan ’90 is the Director of HB’s Center for Sustainability. You can find more resources related to the Dialogue in a Democracy series — including a downloadable version of the faculty guide — at hb.edu/magazine.
How do we balance the value of tradition with the need for change? Where do our values come from and why do we care about what we care about? How does my race, culture, or ethnicity shape who I am? What does it mean to have a voice?
HB
learned about listening and leaning into differences of thought, rather than shying away
What is a democracy? What does it look like in action?
31
BLAZING their own trails HB’s approach to college counseling ensures that each girl is set on the path to find the school that’s right for her.
PHOTOS BY RIPCHO STUDIO
T
he college search offers Hathaway Brown students a different and exciting opportunity for personal growth and learning. Thinking about their next steps away from HB represents a profound moment in students’ lives, and marks a major rite of passage into adulthood and adult decision-making. The school’s College Counseling Office is committed to supporting that journey. A dedicated college counselor works closely with each individual HB student and her parents. The ultimate goal is for the girls to make this process their own: engaging in self-reflection, identifying needs and goals, and taking the steps necessary to fulfill those goals. With an extremely knowledgeable team of professionals in their corner, the girls are given all the tools they need to forge their own paths, leading them to a wide variety of institutions across the country and around the world.
20%
of the Class of 2016 received 22 Ivy League offers, and HB students were accepted to all eight Ivies
HB
In the Hathaway Brown College Office, we let our students know that if they partake in an honest self-inventory of their strengths, dreams, and desires, they’ll be successful in the college process. We convey to the girls that while colleges make the admissions decisions, the girls themselves have a great deal of control over the process and that the choices they make will impact the ultimate “success” of their search. This approach shares a philosophical core with the rest of their HB education; our girls are taught to be active agents in their lives, and difference-makers in the world. We want them to be as empowered in the college process as they are in fully claiming their education as students at HB.
33
on the horizon College counselors at Hathaway Brown and around the country are helping students and parents navigate a number of changes that have been introduced to the college process in the last year. These include: •
Introduction of the Coalition Application, an application platform offered by more than 80 of the top colleges in the country
•
A completely revised SAT that was launched this year, accompanied by a revised PSAT and newly introduced PSAT 8/9 and PSAT 10
•
New ACT scoring protocols
•
New financial aid procedures, including a major change in how the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is administered
team effort HB’s College Counseling Office is made up of a team of professionals dedicated to helping each girl maximize — and even enjoy — the college process. Pictured here are: front row (l-r): Associate Director of College Counseling Jen Tramer; Associate Head and Director of College Counseling Dr. Terry McCue; Associate Director of College Counseling Margaret Appenheimer. Back row: Associate Director of College Counseling Koyen Shah; College Counseling Office Manager Gail Fisher.
ISABELLA NILSSON
McKENNA RITTER
Cleveland Heights > HB > Columbia University Aurora > HB > The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Both Isabella (left) and McKenna (right) are studying creative writing in college. McKenna, who came to HB in the ninth grade, was awarded the prestigious Thomas Wolfe Scholarship, presented annually to one incoming UNC freshman who demonstrates promise in creative writing. The award supports four full years of undergraduate study, and provides stipends for travel and writing projects as well. Isabella, who has been an HB student since she was a sixth-grader, was named a 2016 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts. She was nominated for the designation by the YoungArts Foundation after excelling in the organization’s curriculum during National YoungArts Week earlier this year. These two young women also have won several Scholastic Writing Awards during high school, and they have formed strong relationships with renowned authors who oversee the hands-on creative writing workshops that are part of HB’s annual Young Writers and Artists Festival. They credit the support of caring and invested teachers and classmates with setting them on the path they’re traveling today. “Something about this place and the people in it helped me to reach the point in my life where I can say that I am the happiest and the fullest that I have ever been,” McKenna says. “Hathaway Brown School is filled to the brim with educators who have absolutely transformed my life. I would not be who I am without them.” Isabella, who now attends Columbia University, concurs. “I am so glad for the tight-knit community of friends I’ve made here, as well as the accessibility and friendliness of the teachers. They truly are invested and interested in us and our lives.”
B OT TO M P H OTO S BY G E N E V I E V E N I S LY P H OTO G R A P H Y
KAVYA RAVICHANDRAN
Westlake > HB > Massachusetts Institute of Technology
/ TOP RIGHT PHOTO BY JASON MILLER
54%
of the Class of 2016 was admitted to a U.S. News & World Report Top 30 College or Top 30 University
MORGAN WHALEY Twinsburg > HB > Williams College
HB’s 2015–2016 Student Senate President, Morgan is one of those people who lights up every room she enters. She’s smart, friendly, outgoing, and enthusiastic about her education. She pursued an array of opportunities at HB, including studying abroad in India through HB’s Barry Fellowship program, an experience that will stay with her for the rest of her life. “HB provides endless resources to find happiness and passion,” she notes. “There isn’t anything you can’t do here.” Morgan became an HB student in the ninth grade and she is concentrating on Arabic studies and biology at Williams College. She appreciated HB’s approach to finding the school that was right for her. “The HB college process really focuses on selfdiscovery,” she says. “I learned what schools would fit for me and what characteristics I prioritized in an environment. And the College Office is always there with a guiding hand in case you get lost or overwhelmed.”
HB
Kavya’s senior year was marked by racking up more awards and accolades than most people earn in a lifetime, but this well-rounded student couldn’t be more humble. She was the only student in Ohio to have been a semifinalist in the Siemens Foundation Competition and to be recognized by the Intel Science Talent Search for her work. In the latter program, she earned the Third Place Medal of Distinction for Innovation for her research in Case Western Reserve University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering, which helped to develop a targeted therapy for heart attack, stroke, and other vascular diseases. She also was a 2016 U.S. Presidential Scholar and one of 150 Coca-Cola Scholars in the country, among other honors. Kavya joined the HB community as a freshman and she spent four years exploring a wide array of curricular and real-world experiences. She now has brought what she learned here with her to MIT, where she is studying computer science. “The diverse opportunities in so many different fields have been vital to my growth as a student and as a person. I have been able to learn so many things in so many different fields, some of which I didn’t even know existed before, and all of which has given me a fuller idea of what I can do in the future,” she says. “But the people are what make HB what it is—the people who ingeniously design novel curricula and new opportunities for us, the people who enact these brilliant ideas and make them a reality, and the people who surround you and help you grow while also providing a support system like no other.”
35
class of 2016 snapshots KATIE RAGUZ
Chagrin Falls > HB > University of Southern California ENROLLED AT HB: GRADE 5 PLANNING TO STUDY: BUSINESS/CINEMATIC ARTS
Thoughts on the process My college search was specific, as I was looking for a school that would allow me to study both business and film. With the help of the College Counseling Office, I was able to quickly determine where I wanted to apply. “Through the Institute for 21st Century Education, I was able to dive head-first into my interests through the Global Scholars, Business & Finance, and Service Learning Centers—often combining the three to shape outcomes that I never thought possible.”
AARATHI SAHADEVAN
Beachwood > HB > University of Pennsylvania ENROLLED AT HB: EARLY CHILDHOOD PLANNING TO STUDY: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
What people should know about HB This is a place that constantly pushes you to reach your potential and explore outside of your comfort zone. “Debate was a really important part of high school for me, as it introduced me to international relations and helped me learn to speak confidently and extemporaneously.”
CARTIER PITTS
GABBY VALDIVIESO
Cleveland Heights > HB > Middlebury College ENROLLED AT HB: GRADE 9 PLANNING TO STUDY: FILM & MEDIA CULTURE
Special HB memories Theater classes and productions. “HB provides opportunities that really make the high school experience unique and everyone here is truly dedicated to each individual student.”
JASMINE MORRIS
Cleveland > HB > Youngstown State University ENROLLED AT HB: GRADE 9 PLANNING TO STUDY: ART HISTORY
Most powerful HB experience Traveling to Namibia with the Center for Global Citizenship. “HB was founded on sisterhood and that sisterhood has held its integrity throughout the years.”
Cleveland > HB > The Ohio State University ENROLLED AT HB: GRADE 5 PLANNING TO STUDY: BUSINESS/ARTS MANAGEMENT & DANCE/MUSIC ENTERPRISE
Creative outlets at HB Dance Ensemble, Orchestra, Writing Community. “If there is something you want to do, you can do it at HB. There is always a teacher ready to help and girls ready to take part in your idea. You just have to be brave enough to reach out.”
KRISTEN FERGUSON
Solon > HB > Northwestern University
ENROLLED AT HB: KINDERGARTEN PLANNING TO STUDY: ENGINEERING
How she feels about her HB career The things I’ve learned here have helped shape me into the person I am today and I couldn’t be happier. “There is always something happening at HB! Dance concerts, musicals, sporting events, and plays keep students busy. Even if you don’t consider yourself to be especially skilled in one area, HB is a great place to try everything.”
PHOTOS BY RIPCHO STUDIO
NITYA THAKORE
Cleveland > HB > Dartmouth
ENROLLED AT HB: GRADE 6 PLANNING TO STUDY: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS & GLOBAL HEALTH
Thoughts on HB teachers They are all so supportive and really motivate you to accomplish as much as you can. “HB offers a whole host of opportunities for its students; to truly take advantage of everything that this school has to offer, independence and a spirit of proactivity are key. Hathaway Brown really fosters autonomous and driven students.”
college destinations CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HB CLASS OF 2016, all of whom are now off making their marks at some of the finest colleges and universities in the world. Babson College Barnard College Boston College Bowdoin College Brown University (2) Butler University Carleton College
Bath > HB > Pomona College
ENROLLED AT HB: GRADE 7 PLANNING TO STUDY: ENGINEERING
Favorite class AP Language and Composition. “HB is special because it is a place where everyone holds each other accountable and pushes each other to do their best work in all aspects, yet it is simultaneously a supportive environment.”
Colgate University College of William and Mary Columbia University (2) Cornell University (3) Dartmouth College (4) Duke University (2) Elon University Emory University (2)
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Middlebury College
The University of Tampa
Mount Holyoke College
Tulane University
New York University
University of Dayton
Northeast Ohio Medical University
University of Miami
Northeastern University (2) Northwestern University (2) Pitzer College Pomona College Scripps College
Syracuse University (2) Texas Christian University
Hamilton College
The George Washington University (2)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
University of St. Andrews Vanderbilt University Villanova University (2)
Washington University in St. Louis
The College of Wooster
Marquette University
37
Stanford University
Gettysburg College
Loyola University Chicago
University of Southern California
Wake Forest University (2)
Furman University
Indiana University at Bloomington
University of Pennsylvania
Sewanee: The University of the South
The American University of Paris*
Harvard University
University of Michigan
The Ohio State University (4)
HB
SOPHIA RICHARDS
Case Western Reserve University (4)
Miami University, Oxford (5)
Williams College (3) Yale University (2) Youngstown State University * Dual-enrollment program with The George Washington University
10.
celebrating
sisterhood 2016 ALUMNAE AWARD RECIPIENTS HONORED
I
n one of his final official acts as Hathaway Brown’s Head of School, Bill Christ honored four outstanding alumnae with awards commemorating their positive influence and the example they’ve set for the entire HB community. This year’s award recipients are Clara Taplin Rankin ’34 – Head’s Award for Exemplary Service; Adelaide Cobb Ward ’51 – Distinguished Alumna; Nancy Swegler
Anthony ’71 – Distinguished Alumna; and Katherine Barr Hollingsworth ’96 – Alumnae Achievement Award. Mr. Christ acknowledged each of these women and presented them with tokens of the school’s esteem at a special ceremony during Alumnae Weekend in May. Read more about their contributions below.
profiles by Lisa Kroeger Murtha ’88
HEAD’S AWARD FOR EXEMPLARY SERVICE
Clara Taplin Rankin ’34
When it comes to her beloved alma mater, this Hathaway Brown “lifer” is a fount of
In addition to her enthusiastic support of HB, Clara zealously supports an array of other storied Cleveland institutions, including the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Cleveland Orchestra. And if that weren’t enough to keep her busy, she’s also an author, having written two travel books about China and the Galapagos Islands, along with a personal memoir. Not bad for someone who’s 99 years young. knowledge and memories. She is among the first of a long line of women in her family to be part of the great HB tradition. In fact, her great-granddaughter and namesake Clara Butler ’16 is one of the school’s most recent alumnae, having graduated in June. Even Clara’s five sons are HBers – fathers and grandfathers of alumnae and current students. While she was a student, Clara was involved in everything from the Order of Willing Service to the Glee Club and the Senior Play. She graduated from Smith College and was married to the late Alfred M. Rankin Sr.
The Head’s Award for Exemplary Service was established to honor as appropriate members of the HB community in recognition of their extraordinary dedication and commitment to the school, its mission, students, and alumnae. With humility and abiding appreciation, we offer our thanks to Clara with the Head’s Award for Exemplary Service.
PHOTOS BY JASON MILLER
Although she doesn’t like to be in the spotlight, there’s no one more deserving of recognition than Clara Taplin Rankin. In 1999, she received Hathaway Brown’s Distinguished Alumnae Award for her work at numerous organizations in Greater Cleveland and beyond. A member of the HB class of 1934, she served for 25 years on the school’s Board of Trustees, and she was founding president of the Alumnae Council and led the group from 1940 through 1942. In 2013, the Clara Taplin Rankin Chair for the Center for Global Citizenship was established at HB to honor her commitment to education and teaching excellence, which make profound differences in students’ lives. In that same year, Clara was named a YWCA Woman of Achievement in recognition of her influential work with Hopewell, a therapeutic community she founded for adults with serious mental illness.
D I S T I N G U I S H E D A L U M NA AWA R D
Adelaide Cobb Ward ’51 For more than 50 years, Addie Cobb Ward and her family were at the helm of an extremely successful – and sweet – American institution: The Russell Stover candy company. Although it was difficult to obtain a loan on the venture, she and her husband, Louis, took a risk in 1960 to purchase the company, and they built it into one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in North America, eventually selling to Lindt in 2014. Michigan and they married in 1955, settling in Kansas City, where they raised their three children. Outside of the business world, Addie has long been a supporter of causes that mean something to her. One of her more powerful
HB
Addie was a Hathaway Brown boarding student for five years, joining the school community in eighth grade and continuing through senior year. She graduated in 1951 and went on to attend Briarcliff, then a women’s college in New York. She met Louis at a summer cottage in northern
contributions was spurred by her unexpected quadruple bypass surgery. Noting that statistics show that women don’t pay close enough attention to their bodies, she funded the Women’s Heart Health Center at The University of Kansas Hospital’s Center for Advanced Heart Care in 2012 to help reverse that trend. At HB, she also established an endowed scholarship to provide a deserving student with the gift of an HB education – something she might not otherwise have been able to experience. For that generosity, we could not be more grateful. We are pleased to recognize Addie as a Distinguished Alumna of Hathaway Brown School.
39
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA AWARD
Nancy Swegler Anthony ’71 Nancy Swegler Anthony is a leader, an advocate, a champion, and a tireless contributor to an array of organizations around the country. A 1971 graduate of Hathaway Brown, Nancy has had an extraordinarily impactful career in finance, but as she moves toward retirement, she says she hopes to spend even more time focusing on the causes she supports in her charitable work. With undergraduate and graduate degrees in economics and accountancy from Northwestern and DePaul universities, along with a CPA, Nancy spent her early career working for manufacturer Cutler Hammer (now Eaton Corporation) and in accounting firms. In 1983, her grandfather invited her to join the family business, Fernwood Advisors, an investment management firm
was honored with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry’s Catcher in the Rye Humanitarian Award for her work. She also serves as a board member for the Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research.
headquartered in Boston. She moved up the ranks in the company to become president of the firm. More than three decades into her tenure, she now is working on crafting a succession plan so that she may concentrate more fully on her charitable endeavors. As the co-chair of her family foundation, Nancy invests a great deal of time working to better education and mental health services in the United States. She is especially interested in teen suicide prevention. In 2011, Nancy
Although she only attended HB for three years in grades 10 through 12, Nancy has maintained lifelong HB friendships and has kept an active interest in her alma mater. In 2012, she established the Anthony Family Fund for Aspire to support HB’s signature summer program that provides educational and leadership opportunities for girls in Northeast Ohio who attend under-resourced schools. Nancy also has been a trusted advisor to the Head of School as a member of the HB Board of Trustees. We are grateful for Nancy’s compassion and leadership, and we’re honored to name her a Distinguished Alumna for 2016.
ALUMNAE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Katherine Barr Hollingsworth ’96 In the 20 short years that have passed since she graduated from Hathaway Brown, Katherine Barr Hollingsworth has earned two degrees, worked in an array of large law firms, gotten married, given birth to two children, become a Legal Aid managing attorney, and earned a place as a board member for a non-profit organization that helps people save their homes. Cleveland in 2010, she seized the opportunity to switch professional gears, pursuing a twoyear fellowship in Legal Aid’s Consumer Practice Group. The fellowship gave her the chance to work directly with homeowners in the area of foreclosure defense, and Legal Aid asked her to stay on after the initial two years. She now holds the title of Managing Attorney.
embracing challenges, seizing opportunities
Alumnae Weekend
MAY 19–20, 2017 All Class Years Welcome!
A regular contributor to HB, Lisa Kroeger Murtha ’88 is a freelance writer living in Cincinnati.
PHOTOS BY JASON MILLER
Katherine was an HB student from second through 12th grades. She graduated in 1996 and went on to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Middlebury College, followed by a law degree from Georgetown University. She practiced law at large firms in Boston for several years, but when her husband, Adam – also a lawyer – took a job as an assistant U.S. Attorney in
In addition to her busy law career and raising her children, Alice and Duncan, Katherine also serves as a board member for an organization called ESOP – Empowering and Strengthening Ohio’s People. ESOP upholds the values Katherine demonstrates in her legal work: helping homeowners in distress get back into current mortgages and out of risk of foreclosure through education programs and other targeted initiatives. Katherine’s personal and professional endeavors and community engagement make her a wonderful role model to the school community and a worthy recipient of the Alumnae Achievement Award.
Thank you!
We thank each and
every one of you — alumnae, parents, grandparents, faculty, staff, trustees, and friends – who together contributed more than $1.9 million to the Hathaway Brown Annual Fund in the 2015–2016 school year. The scope of influence your gift has is as extensive as the opportunities the students enjoy. Through the Annual Fund, HB is able to continue offering unparalleled educational
Y BR AWA H T HA
AN OW N
NU
UN AL F
D
programs, and to preserve and enhance the rich legacy for which our remarkable school is known.
We are grateful for your support and we hope you’ll consider including Hathaway Brown in your philanthropic plans again this year. HB.edu/supportHB
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID
Cleveland, Ohio Permit #3439
19600 North Park Boulevard Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122
HB.edu /upcomingevents
Upper School Fall Play November 18 – 19, The Ahuja Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. Pride and Prejudice, a new musical Fair Trade Sale December 5, HB Atrium, 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Support artisans from around the world Masterworks Choral and Music Concert December 5, Tri-C East, 7:30 p.m. Middle and Upper School musical ensembles Winterfest December 16, 10:30 a.m. HB students and alumnae celebrate the spirit of giving and the arrival of Winter Break Infant & Toddler, Early Childhood, and Primary School Open House January 21, 10 – 11:30 a.m. For prospective Infant & Toddler through Fourth Grade families Summer Programs Open House January 28, HB Atrium, 10 – 11:30 a.m. For families interested in learning about HB’s many summer camp options Heritage Potluck Dinner February 3, Margery Stouffer Biggar ’47 and Family Dining Hall, 5:30 – 7 p.m. Sample cuisines from around the world while celebrating HB’s multicultural community
FSC HERE
SREP Poster Session March 7, HB Atrium, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Science Research & Engineering Program students showcase their work Dance Concert March 10 – 11, The Ahuja Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. Performance event by Upper School Dance students