Bob Christian Alumna of the Year Award

Christy (McCaskill) Wendell ’69

This year’s recipient has an incredible life story and truly embodies the school’s mission of dedicating the mind to inquiry, the heart to compassion and life to service. Read about Christy’s many talents and fascinating journey over the past 50 years. And, she’s responsible for the unimaginable task of finding, connecting and bringing together her classmates after 50 years to host the first-ever class reunion for the classes of ’68 and ’69 in July of 2019!

Christy receiving honorary HKIS diploma from Dr. Ron Roukema, HKIS’s Interim Head of School, in 2019.

I was flabbergasted to learn I’d been awarded the Bob Christian Alumna Award for 2020. Sincere thanks to the HKIS Class of 1969 for my nomination and the awards committee for this honor.

Hong Kong and especially HKIS have always held a special place in my heart. Ever since my father accepted an IBM assignment there in 1965, my life has never been the same. Having initially attended Maryknoll School, I was thrilled when HKIS opened in 1967. Some of my favorite memories were meeting classmates literally from around the globe, helping establish the library, working on the Orientale yearbook, prom, volleyball, and I was the first recipient of the Bob Christian Student Service Award in 1968.

Christy McCaskill receiving the Student Service Award from Bob Christian in 1968.

Much to my dismay, my father was transferred back to the U.S. after my HKIS junior year, but as the song goes…I left my heart and friends in Hong Kong! HKIS was a life-changing experience for me, instilling a true sense of diversity and inclusion with friends from all over the world, my perspectives and horizons were broadened beyond my wildest imagination. I genuinely value the education, the experiences and friendships to this day!

As a student at Virginia Tech, I intended to become a Home Economics teacher, but a summer internship at IBM was my first career detour. I loved working in international human resources for the next 15 years. Two of my favorite positions were helping employees relocate to overseas assignments and teaching leadership and management development at the IBM Executive Education Center.

I met my husband, Gray, at Mardi Gras and married in 1984. Our son was born a year later and our daughter in 1989. Sadly, our infant daughter died from delivery complications. His AT&T career took us to Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Texas. I was fortunate to be an at-home mom, but decided to return to my home economic roots, starting my own catering business and teaching culinary classes. Wilton Industries asked me to develop a consumer education program for marketing their culinary products. I enjoyed that “delicious” job for the next decade until my husband became ill and battled early Alzheimer’s for 12 years. Becoming the family breadwinner, I went to work for an entrepreneur in Paris, Texas initially to establish their human resources department.

Over the next decade, I moved from HR VP to COO to President of his five companies… commercial construction, supply chain logistics, industrial storage, steel fabrication, and real estate development (just a small leap from home economics, but utilizing my IBM experience and focusing on people development). After re-engineering and transitioning these companies to the owner’s sons, I started my own consulting business in 2008. Committed to lifelong learning and having taken college courses throughout my career, I finally graduated from Harvard Business School in 2007.

When HKIS celebrated its 40th anniversary my husband was in hospice and I was unable to attend, but it did start me thinking about my classmates and the fact that we’d never had a class reunion. I began trying to locate the 56 members of the class of 1969 and planning a long-overdue reunion. The HKIS Class of 1968 asked to join us. We decided to meet in Seattle, Washington because Bob Christian, the first HKIS Head of School, now 92 years young, lives there. We were delighted our guest of honor was able to attend the first reunion of his first graduates! We enjoyed an extraordinary weekend and re-connection of long-lost friends at our golden reunion last year. Plans are already underway for our next gathering!

Now retired, living life to the fullest and giving back wherever I can, I try to have a positive impact on others and a legacy of having made a difference. I enjoy community service, gardening, cooking, genealogy research AND keeping in touch with HKIS classmates. Be sure you stay updated with HKIS Alums … your 50th class reunion will be here before you know it!

HKIS Class Officers in 1968, Christy pictured on far right.

Below is Christy's acceptance speech, given to our High School via video.

Thank you Dr. Roukema.

What an honor to be recognized with the Bob Christian Alumna of the Year award. And what a privilege to be able to address the awesome HKIS Class of 2020. CONGRATULATIONS to each and every one of you. You did it! Not only have you mastered all the essential graduation credits, but you’ve survived riots and protests, political unrest, economic challenges, remote learning, cancellation of much-anticipated events, and now a pandemic.

What a senior year you’ve had. You have triumphed over seemingly insurmountable odds during unprecedented and uncertain times, but honestly this unique senior year has well prepared you to thrive no matter what future challenges may come your way. I am so proud of each one of you and have every confidence that you will press on and amaze us all.

Honestly, it doesn’t seem possible that over five decades have elapsed since I was an HKIS student as a member of the Class of 1969, but I’m sure this past one year in Hong Kong may have seemed more like 50 years to many of you!

I want to encourage you to continue to be curious and open to new experiences. Be a lifetime learner… leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. Above all, strive to be a respectful, authentic individual who is known for uncompromised personal values and trusted integrity. You may not all be leaders… after all, every leader needs someone loyal to support and follow their leadership, but wherever you go and whatever you do, stay true to what you believe… live with your heart as well as your head. Seek a balance of your body and mind and spirit at home, school and work…in the community and with friends. Give back as you are able and you’ll discover there is no greater joy than selfless service to others.

No matter what you do, how great or small your achievements…remember if you change the life of just one person, by changing the life of a single person, you’ve changed the life of a family. Change the life of a family and you’ve changed society. Change society and you begin to change the world! So never underestimate the impact of your actions and contributions.

As you prepare to physically leave HKIS, please know that HKIS will never leave you. Always remember that HKIS is here for you. It is my joy to WELCOME all 180 members of the Class of 2020 to your new family of HKIS Alumni. You are now part of a vast network of extremely talented individuals who stand ready, willing and able to help you succeed. Be sure to stay in touch with the alumni office, let them know where you can be reached and how you are doing. I look forward to following each of you through DragonTales and Alumni updates and perhaps meeting you in person at a future reunion!

May you live long, be kind and prosper!

Established in honor of HKIS’s first Head of School, the Bob Christian Alumnus/Alumna of the Year Award is presented to alumni who have made a strong, positive contribution to society while living the HKIS Mission and Student Learning Results.