Hun Today Spring 2023

Editor

Nancy DePalma ’92

Editorial Board

Rebecca Barus ’15 Associate Director for Content and Brand Identity

Jonathan G. Brougham Head of School

Steven C. Bristol Associate Head of School

Alexis Brock Chief Advancement Officer

Maureen Scannapieco Leming ’95 Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

Thomas Monfiletto ’04

Associate Director of Marketing and Communications

Alyssa Onisick

Director of Marketing and Communications for Digital Media

Tara Strickland

Associate Director of Communications for Publications

Bridget Tavani Director of Donor Relations and Events

HUN TODAY

Board of Trustees

Stephen T. Wills, Board Chairperson

Susan McGlory Michel, Board Vice Chairperson

Jonathan G. Brougham, Head of School

Nikki Alpert

Edward Breen

Marianne Deane

Michael Diverio ’01

Christiana Foglio

Peter (PJ) Fonseca ’04

Johnny T.Y. Fung ’77

Xavier Goss ’99

Kerry Kandel, Chairperson, Parents’ Association

Scott Landis ’92

Alexander Lloyd, Faculty Representative to the Board

Brian Logue ’75

Andrew H. Monfried ’87

Herman Penner ’64

Leigh Ann Peterson ’86, President, Alumni Association

Michael J. Renna

Leah T. Ricci ’96

Danner Riebe ’79

Eric P. Rosenblum

Robert Siegel ’88

Wayne Slappy ’95

Felicia Spitz

Alicia Klosowski Tillman ’93

Thomas J. Barton, Esq., Corporate Secretary and Counsel

Emeriti Trustees

Helen Boehm*

Raymond Bowers*

Lynn Breen

Alexander Buck, Sr. ’49*

Richard Challener ’44*

Paul Chesebro*

G. Gerald Donaldson H’14

Leslie Florio

Thomas P. Gallagher

Thomas Gorrie

Arthur Holland ’41*

A.C. Reeves Hicks*

Thomas Horwich ’59*

Hugh Hurley

John Y. Keffer ’60

Alan Landis ’61*

Daniel Lieblich ’34*

Ralph Mason, Sr.*

Antonio Pirone ’56*

Louis Pyle*

Patrick Ryan

Perry Sellon ’34*

John Stoddard*

Lucy Stretch*

George F. Tidey ’51*

F. Kevin Tylus ’73*

*deceased

Alumni Board

Leigh Ann Peterson ’86, President

Jonathan Begg ’05, Vice President

Sarah Dileo Craig ’07, Reunions and Events

Johnny Law ’10, Young Alumni

Dana Hughes Moorhead ’95, Reunions and Events

Tyler Veth ’11, Hun Fund

Nora Saunders Dunnan ’06

Rashawn Glenn ’92

Gabrielle Graff ’98

Rob Kuchar ’01

Arnold Lewis ’79

Kat Geiger Perry ’99

Pat Quirk ’02

Jen Phillips Raics ’89

Krista Ross ’88

Nick Scozzari ’77

Parents’ Association Executive Board

Kerry Kandel, Chairperson

Nikki Alpert, Treasurer

Eve Gelade, Secretary

Jennifer DeSimone

Meghan Hayes

Mercedes Kelso

Aranka Kim

Susie McCoy

Kathleen Mitchell-D’Aulerio

Cathy Morgan

Pearlina Neverdal

Penny Peng

Jaime Stournaras

Harlan Tenenbaum

Rob Trotta

Nita Velanki

C ntents

3 A Message from the Head of School

26 Changing of the Guard: Steve Wills Bids Farewell as Board Chairperson; Susan Michel Set to Assume the Role

4 Jon Brougham’s Legacy

28 Teaching English a World Away: Hun Community Bands Together to Educate Afghan Girls

6 A Quiet Leader that Made a Big Impression

12 Hun Students Making a Difference in the World Around Them

14 An Upper School with College-Level Programs

18 Student Leaders: Meet the Hun Students Stepping Up

32 Entrepreneur Scott Sussman ’03 Builds Community Through Coworking

34 End of an Era: Big Plans for Poe Dormitory

37 Class Notes

48 In Memoriam

A BALANCED EQUATION

THE HUN SCHOOL OF PRINCETON is a joyful, striving community of learners and teachers who want to experience something profound every day: that sweet spot between challenging academics that push our brains and the personal endeavors that soar our hearts. This us what we call “a balanced equation” — a thoughtful way of teaching that brings out the best in our students and best prepares them for life.

The Hun School of Princeton is an all-gender, private day and boarding school in Princeton, New Jersey. Innovative, high-powered academics, student mentorship, and a joyful learning environment are the hallmarks of the School. On the 50-acre campus between Philadelphia and New York City, creative coursework and cutting-edge programs like NextTerm prepare students for the global community in which they will live and work. The Hun School has 670 students in its Middle School, Upper School, and Postgraduate Program. Our campus is home to students from twenty-two countries and fifteen states.

To apply or learn more, visit hunschool.org or call (609) 921-7600.

A Message from the HEAD OF SCHOOL

Fourteen years. In an era when things move at lightning speed, fourteen years sounds like a long time. Yet, in many ways, it feels like just yesterday that I first came to The Hun School.

I have spent the last few months reflecting on my time here, and I keep returning to one word: gratitude. I am grateful for so many people who opened their hearts to me and my family. When I accepted the position fourteen years ago, I wasn’t just gaining a new job — my family was also making a new home. We felt welcomed from the very first moment we stepped onto campus, and we’ve continued to feel that warmth over the years. I often talk about Hun’s unique DNA and how the people here really make this place special. It’s not something you can quantify, but you can feel it when you’re here. I know it’s what my wife Carolyn and I will miss the most.

This year has been a series of “lasts.” My last Convocation. My last winter sports season and my last winter musical. And, in a few months, it will be my last Prom and my last Commencement. In many ways, I am following in the footsteps of our twelfth graders and their families, who are marking each milestone, marveling at the achievement, while perhaps feeling slightly sad at the passage of time. I’m right there with them, immensely proud of the work my colleagues and I have done to ensure that Hun remains, and continues to be, a better place for young people to learn. Yet, as my time comes to a close, I recognize that it’s difficult to say goodbye to such a special place.

I know that closing the door to my office in Russell Hall for that very last time will be difficult; but I am confident that, just like our twelfth graders who are prepared to charge ahead into their futures and make a difference, Hun is ready for its new chapter. Mr. Bart Bronk brings enthusiasm and an infectious energy, along with a passion for education. My greatest hope is that you will welcome him and his family with the same genuine warmth that my family and I felt every day for fourteen years.

Just like our former students, who visit to share tales of their adventures, I may just drop in every now and then — to say thank you for time well spent and maybe get an ice cream cone or two.

Sincerely,

JONATHAN G. BROUGHAM

“ I AM GRATEFUL FOR SO MANY PEOPLE WHO OPENED THEIR HEARTS TO ME AND MY FAMILY.”

JON BROUGHAM’S LEGACY

From campus landmarks to academic programming and philanthropic stewardship, Jon Brougham will leave an indelible mark on The Hun School when he retires this June. Here’s a look back at his fourteen years at the helm.

Wilf Family Global Commons opens, adding new boarding accommodations and cutting-edge classrooms along with the Breen Student Center to Campus.

The Hun School celebrates its Centennial by launching the Centennial Speaker Series, an annual lineup of lectures and performances by industry leaders. Speakers have included late Congressman John Lewis, Black Violin, Katty Kay, and Anne Applebaum.

The School’s Global Immersion Program launches with trips to Blackfeet Nation in Montana, China, and Ecuador.

The School commits to a skills-based curriculum, rallying the faculty around a new way of teaching.

Hun makes national news for its innovative use of technology in the classroom as the first school in New Jersey to launch a 1:1 iPad Program and begin the transition to ebooks.

Interdisciplinary Studies Department is established and is designed to help students thrive in the 21st century. Skills like creativity, effective communication, collaboration, and ethical decision making take center stage in each discussion-based, student-centered class. Interdisciplinary Studies classes don’t have textbooks; rather, teachers use current events, issues, and ideas to inspire critical thinking and understanding.

Every AP Chemistry student receives a perfect score on the National Exam.

A faculty-led Cultural Competency Committee is formed and the School’s first Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Summit is held.

JONATHAN BROUGHAM SUCCEEDS

DR. JAMES M. BYER ‘62 AS THE TENTH HEAD OF SCHOOL.

The School receives the single largest gift ever — a $5 million gift from Ed

Under Mr. Brougham’s leadership, the Board of Trustees adopts a new mission statement to empower each student to thrive in a diverse and ever-changing world, by nurturing resilient character, providing individual mentorship, and inspiring vigorous and joyful learning. 17

The School celebrates its 50th anniversary of co-education with a year-long celebration of Her at Hun.

NextTerm, the School’s experiential learning program, is launched. The for-credit, project-based immersion learning experience is designed to offer deep exploration of real-world topics. They are team-taught, informed by a variety of environments and real-world practitioners, and utilize resources both on and off campus.

Covid-19 forces The Hun School to close its doors to students for the first time in history. Hun leads the way with innovative remote instruction and community programming during the spring semester.

The New Hun Middle School opens. The three-story building features a state-ofthe-art design to facilitate immersive learning.

The Hun School’s endowment doubles from $12.7 million in 2009 to $25.6 million in 2017. Today, it sits at $30.7 million.

The School launches a bold strategic plan for cultural competency, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

The Breen Performing Arts Center and the DAYLO STEM Center open to the Hun community.

John Gale Hun Program for Civics Education is endowed by Betty Wold Johnson. The program was created thanks to a friendship between Mrs. Johnson and Mr. Brougham along with a shared passion for history and civic engagement.

Betty Wold Johnson donates her family home at 108 Edgerstoune Road to the School. It becomes Mr. Brougham’s residence.

and Lynn Breen.

JON BROUGHAM RETIRES.

FOURTEEN YEARS

JONATHAN G. BROUGHAM REFLECTS ON HIS TIME AT THE HUN SCHOOL

AFTER GRADUATING FROM COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL, Head of School Jon Brougham was immediately hired by a large, prestigious firm. By all accounts, he was on the path to becoming a successful lawyer. After spending two years logging very long hours while pouring over tax laws, he realized he wasn’t fulfilled, or content. “I had to ask myself, what did I really enjoy doing?” He thought back to his days as a summer camp counselor. “I remembered enjoying those days so much. I liked being with the kids — playing sports, spending time with them, etc.” He realized that while he might not be able to return to the summers of his youth, he could indeed return to the setting. He promptly left the law and turned to teaching history at his alma mater, Thayer Academy.

Mr. Brougham’s passion for the past brought history alive for his students at Thayer but his leadership abilities soon caught the attention of others. He served as upper school head of two schools, Kentucky Country Day School and Collegiate School in Virginia, before seeing an opening at The Hun School. “I came up to Hun to take a look at the campus and it immediately felt right and felt like home.”

Hun’s beautiful campus aside, Mr. Brougham was charmed by Hun’s personality. “It was clear right from the beginning that everyone was really proud of the School. There wasn’t any arrogance — it was just a friendly place where people were happy to be.”

Mr. Brougham accepted the position in 2009, becoming the tenth Head of School. It’s a role he has relished ever since. “I have always felt fortunate to be here,” he says.

In his inimitable style, Mr. Brougham did not arrive with blueprints for drastic changes to the School. Instead, he listened and considered the interests of all involved parties, from faculty and students to parents and alumni before making any decisions. Though his trademark humility disallows him from taking credit for any of Hun’s advances over the last fourteen years, his contributions to the School are immeasurable. Whether it’s the addition of new campus landmarks like the Wilf Family Global Commons or Breen Performing Arts Center or the myriad of academic advancements, Hun is decidedly a better place because of Jon Brougham.

As most quiet leaders do, he is quick to credit his colleagues. “If I have done anything at Hun, it’s because I assembled a truly great Administrative Team,” he says. The dynamic, collaborative spirit that is a hallmark of a Hun education extends to the administration, too. “I really enjoy the teamwork and collegiality of the administration and faculty here,” he says.

Those colleagues also inspire the only piece of advice Mr. Brougham has for the incoming Head, Bart Bronk. While he believes Mr. Bronk will find his own success at Hun, he does exhort him to appreciate what’s here. “Respect the quality of the people that are part of this place and the relations that make this place so special.”

Asked what he’s proudest of during his time at Hun and Mr. Brougham, ever the teacher, heads straight for the classroom. “I’m really proud of the way we teach here at Hun. It’s innovative, active, and really in touch with the real world. Our curriculum and programs are exceptional.”

WHEN YOU WORK REALLY HARD AT SOMETHING IMPORTANT, YOU’RE IN THE TRENCHES TOGETHER AND YOU REALLY BUILD A BOND.”

He’s also proud of the advances in technology and steps Hun has taken toward creating a more inclusive and diverse community. “I’m so glad that we have kept Hun being Hun, but we’ve also stirred it up a bit and helped it grow into a more creative and innovative place.”

During his fourteen years of service, Mr. Brougham has also led the School through challenging times, including the loss of students and faculty members, and of course, Covid-19. Mr. Brougham is widely praised for his leadership during those difficult times and for his dedication to reopening the School as soon as possible. It’s a time he won’t forget. “It’s easy to forget that in the beginning, we were all very afraid — teachers, students, parents, etc. We were truly in uncharted territory.”

When Mr. Brougham retires in June, it’s not just his office that he’ll leave behind — he’s also leaving his family’s home. He and his wife, Carolyn, along with their two sons, Sam Brougham and Benjamin Brougham ’13, have always resided on campus; first in Mason House, and most recently, in Johnson House. The vibrancy of a boarding

school is something he admits that he’ll miss. “Whether it’s Homecoming or a Diwali celebration, there’s just this happy bubble of noise when you’re at a school. You can’t replace that anywhere.”

He will also miss his colleagues and that same team that he respects and admires so greatly. “When you work really hard at something important, you’re in the trenches together and you really build a bond,” he says.

For someone who hasn’t had much free time since graduating college, he looks forward to retirement even if he doesn’t already have it all mapped out. “I’ve bought three or four books on transitioning into retirement,” he shares before laughing, “and I haven’t read a page in any of them.” Still, for now he plans to move to Plymouth, Massachusetts to a family home where he spent his childhood, and the very summers that inspired his path to The Hun School.

JONATHAN G. BROUGHAM IS NEVER THE LOUDEST PERSON IN THE ROOM.

The gentle-mannered head of school is never the one talking the most. And, despite an academic pedigree that includes a law degree from Columbia University and a subsequent masters degree as a Klingenstein Fellow at Teachers College, Columbia University, he never thinks he is the smartest person in the room. Instead, Jon Brougham listens, and he listens intently. Never rash or emotionally charged, he is a deep thinker who carefully weighs the pros and cons before making a decision. He is the kind of person who makes people around him do better, and be better, without an ounce of autocracy. A true colleague who values the intellectual collective, he will be sorely missed when he retires this June.

Eleventh Grade Level Dean and 2022 Endowed Faculty Chair Ted Shaffner opened the 109th academic year at The Hun School in September with the following words:

“I have been lucky enough to have Mr. Brougham as my boss twice. In his office, there is a picture of Abraham Lincoln, and Mr. Brougham is built in the model of Honest Abe. He prefers to showcase those around him rather than trumpeting his own achievements. But I have had to deal with some very difficult situations with students or teachers or parents, and Mr. Brougham always manages to do the right thing while leaving everyone’s dignity intact. He has a wisdom that seems effortless, until you are involved in a discussion with him that is much trickier than it might seem at first. Mr. Brougham’s kindness is clearly apparent to anyone who knows him, but what is less apparent is how masterfully he steered this School through some very difficult times. In the Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu says the greatest leader seems invisible, so that people believe they do everything themselves. Mr. Brougham's greatest skill is what all teachers strive for — the ability to bring out the best in others.”

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

– JOHN QUINCY ADAMS

WHEN ASKED ABOUT JON BROUGHAM AND THE LEGACY HE LEAVES, HIS COLLEAGUES KEPT COMING BACK TO THE SAME DESCRIPTIONS.

Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin once asked whether leaders become great because they are shaped by the challenges they face as leaders or rather because of how they, as leaders, shape the time and place they lead. Mr. Brougham’s incredible contribution to our School, to the fourteen years of students and teachers he led, and to future generations of Hun students and faculty, is the way he has shaped our community with his integrity, kindness, and care. He’s helped transform and strengthen the culture of our School, ushered in guiding principles that will resonate beyond his tenure, and inspired a vision focused on the future of teaching and learning that has had an impact on every one of us in substantive ways. Mr. Brougham’s empathy, good humor, optimistic world view, and willingness to empower others serve as an example to all of us of truly great leadership. His legacy will endure and stay with all who’ve known and learned from him.

— RYAN HEWS Head of the Upper School

“Jon’s quiet yet dynamic leadership led the School to embrace studentcentered and experiential learning. He has supported our growth and many changes, always with the benefit of the students in mind. That impact has forever changed the trajectory of The Hun School and enabled students to develop into alums ready to thrive in a world of constant change. I am thankful for his leadership. He will be greatly missed; and I wish him all the best as he begins his next chapter.

— LYNN MCNULTY Faculty, History and Global Studies Department

“You can lead with words, but when those words are coupled with actions, it makes all the difference. By anyone’s account, and by any measurement, Mr. Brougham’s tenure has been transformational. Everything is improved; everything is better.”

— STEVE WILLS Board of Trustees Chairperson

“Having worked closely with Jon for the past fourteen years, he has taught me that there is strength in calm, quiet deliberation. He’s also taught me that putting yourself out there when you would prefer to be anywhere else is character building. Finally, I’ve learned that people do respond to sincerity, authenticity, and kindness.”

— SHERRY ROBERTS Executive Assistant

While Mr. Brougham’s accomplishments in advancing the School are unprecedented, I think they are overshadowed by the way in which he modeled those character traits we try to teach our students: honesty, kindness, empathy, and grit. Mr. Brougham personified that which is Hun at its core: high character and hard work.

— STEVE BRISTOL Associate Head of School

“Saying goodbye to Jon Brougham is no easy task. His invaluable leadership has only been surpassed by his thoughtfulness, kindness, and care for our community. He has touched each and every one of us in so many unique ways. His sense of humor, witty one-liners, and fist-pumps were surely his way of connecting with each of us. I appreciated that Jon always took the time out of his busy day to walk through the halls, greet the students, cheer them on at games, admire their artistry, or simply poke his head in our classrooms to see what we were doing. Jon recently gave a keynote address at our National Honor Society Induction Ceremony, ending with inspirational words asking the students to ‘cultivate their own gardens.’ Jon, you now have a wonderful opportunity to cultivate your new garden with your loving family.”

— JACQUELINE O’GORMAN Chair, Science Department

Isiaha D. ’22 studied the art of graffiti with the intention of conceptualizing and creating a mural in Poe Dormitory.

Nandika B. ’23 created an app in her Entrepreneurial studies class to help navigate food allergies and sensitivities in local restaurants.

Hun School make a difference both near and far.

Girls Who Code Club member Sunny P. ’22 wrote a computer science ethics manual to be used in the Computer Science curriculum.

Here’s what they’ve been up to Whether they’re on campus or off, students at The

Suchisrit G. ’23 built a robot arm to automate composting.

Lewis F. ’25 participates in Juilliard’s Pre-College Program each weekend, where he majors in piano.

Neil S. ’27 performed Kathak, one of the eight major forms of Indian classical dance, at Carnegie Hall.

Frederick P. ’24 used mathematical equations to create a drawing on Desmos, a website used for graphing calculations, and won the global math art contest.

Siblings Aleeza M. ’25 and Awais ’23 M. started the Gift of Sight club.

Kerem K. ’23 presented his paper on the history of political feminism in Ancient Rome at the Classical Association of the Atlantic States Conference – one of four total high school students to present. His paper is also published in an international academic journal for high school students.

Elina

started an organization to create a safe space for children with hidden disabilities.

STEM scholar Chelsea C. ’23 presented cancer research to doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering.

awarded the inaugural Further Together award, established in honor of Her at Hun, the 50th anniversary of co-education. Further

TogetHER

C. ’24

Jazz band member Kayla M. ’23 produced an original music album to study music cognition and psychology.

Maxima M. ’23 spent spring break aiding Ukrainian refugees in Budapest.

Samhita K. ’27 published her first sci-fi novel.

Emma S. '26 was

The Hun School: WHERE COLLEGE-LEVEL TEACHING INSPIRES STUDENTS

Classrooms with rows upon rows of chairs. Impersonal lectures. Faculty not knowing your first name. These are three situations you’ll never encounter at The Hun School, where personalized attention is a hallmark of the academic experience. It stretches back for over a century to our founding, when Dr. John Gale Hun (a tutor who famously taught math to F. Scott Fitzgerald during his time at Princeton University) established The Hun School to focus maximum attention on students’ individual needs. For more than a century now, Hun has fully embraced that mission.

Fast-forward to 202 3 and Hun students are preparing to thrive in an ever-changing world. Students are debating around Harkness tables, participating in hands-on learning in STEM classes and labs, and enjoying experiential learning with realworld applications — both in and out of the classroom. It’s all part of the academic experience that is constantly adapting to offer our students vigorous and joyful learning and fully prepare them for college.

HERE ARE THREE WAYS HUN STUDENTS ARE SUPERCHARGING THEIR ACADEMICS.

Peer Tutoring

French moralist and essayist, Joseph Joubert, coined the phrase: “to teach is to learn twice”: a notion rooted in the idea that there is a vast difference between learning material for the sake of a grade versus learning material with the intention of teaching it to others. Furthermore, studies on education theory show that when students study material with the intention of teaching it, they absorb the information differently. Thus, enhancing their own knowledge and comprehension of the material.

Here at Hun, our peer tutors readily concur. Yoyo X. ’24, who tutors students in all levels of math, science, and Chinese explains that when she is in class, she finds herself asking “how would I teach this to a classmate?”

“Since becoming a peer tutor I have definitely started learning material differently in class,” Yoyo said. “I listen to what my teacher says and then I try and translate it in my own way of how I would be able to explain it to another student. Since becoming a peer tutor I just have a different understanding of the material in class and I’m learning it for different reasons.”

But the benefits of peer tutoring don’t just stop with the individual. What students and peer tutors enjoy most about the peer tutoring center is the ability to learn from each other in a friendly, comfortable environment.

Sophia B. ’23, who is in her second year of peer tutoring, believes that students come to the peer tutoring center because of the relationships they build with other students.

“The peer tutoring center is a really positive learning environment,” she said. “Sometimes I think it just helps to study alongside another student because we are all really comfortable with each other.”

Mr. Reese, library and media center director, who co-advises the peer tutoring program with English teacher Ms. Cheryl Beal ’79, believes that there are three components to a successful peer tutoring program: accessibility, individualized support, and active learning.

“Our goal as a peer tutoring center is to create a lively learning environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and bouncing ideas off of one another,” Mr. Reese said. “This is where students have the space to experiment with different learning styles, talk casually with peers about class materials, and collaborate with each other. Sometimes students come in just to be a part of the space. We have students who pop in occasionally and then we have students who come consistently each week. It really feels like we have created a community within our larger one.”

Peer tutors are available every day after school in the library both in person and online and during study hall every night for boarding students. Mr. Reese and Ms. Beal have future plans to expand more offerings in the coming months.

Scholars Program

There is so much more to the new Scholars Program than just a name change. While Scholars Tracks were limited to four disciplines — STEM, Global Studies, Arts, and Civics and Ethical Leadership — the new program is much more nimble and individualized. “We found those four tracks to be restrictive,” explains Ted Shaffner, program co-director and eleventh grade dean.

Now, flexibility and creativity are the cornerstones of the Scholars Program. “Students design their own program by choosing five credits that they want to pursue. They choose two classes that will be Honors classes, where they design their own independent project and the rubric by which they want to be evaluated, and all of those credits must be finished by the first trimester of senior year.” In addition to receiving a GPA boost for the two Honors classes, students are empowered to take responsibility for their education, a skill that will prepare them well for college.

“The types of programs the students have designed are interesting and creative, ranging from Psychology in Climate Change to The Ethics of Biological Enhancements. These courses are more interdisciplinary and more personal to the students, which makes them better projects as well as helping them stand out more and develop more skills,” says Mr. Shaffner.

Interest in the program has soared, with thirty juniors currently pursuing a Scholars Program. Seventeen sophomores have already registered to create their own program next year, and with a second registration offered later this trimester, Mr. Shaffner expects that number to grow.

STUDENTS ARE EMPOWERED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR EDUCATION, A SKILL THAT WILL PREPARE THEM WELL FOR COLLEGE.

X-Block: The New X Factor

Graduating seniors are often given a pat on the back and a soupcon of advice: college is the time to explore your interests and learn about topics that interest you. Sage words, indeed, but why must students wait to explore those subjects? That’s the very question Upper School Head Ryan Hews asked himself and his colleagues when creating X-Block in 2019. “We wanted to provide students with more flexible schedule options that would allow intensive study of particular topics,” explains Mr. Hews. “The courses are very much like college classes in pacing and organization and help students with busy schedules fit classes they might not otherwise be able to schedule.”

The program consists of one ninety-minute in-person class and one ninety-minute asynchronous or synchronous online meeting, and classes are held at night. If getting students back into the classroom long after the traditional school day has ended seems like an insurmountable task, you haven’t met a Hun student: registration doubled this year. Experiential learning is integral to X-Block, too. “Each class is designed to include an experiential component to allow the students immersive study—either through a trip or off-campus meeting,” explains Mr. Hews. The X-Block art class requires a museum study, X-Block Astronomy includes a planetarium visit, and the X-Block World War II class offers historical tours in both the United States and Europe.

EACH CLASS IS DESIGNED TO INCLUDE AN EXPERIENTIAL COMPONENT TO ALLOW THE STUDENTS IMMERSIVE STUDY.

LEADING BY

Example

STUDENTS WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

They’re not the one issuing orders and mandates. Instead, they’re looking and listening to others and embodying the definition of servant leadership. Meet a few of The Hun School’s student leaders who are quietly leading their peers every day.

Michael J. ’23

DEFINING LEADERSHIP

The moment Michael J. ’23 stepped foot on campus, he instantly became a friendly and familiar face amongst his peers. He might have been your tour guide when you visited campus for the first time, or your peer leader when you came to The Hun School as a new ninth grade student. Michael is described by his peers as kind, approachable, and most importantly, the truest example of someone who leads by example.

“You don’t need to have the title of a leader to be a leader,” Michael explains.

He believes that whether it be serving on the School’s discipline council or volunteering to give that extra tour for Red Shield Society, all he is doing is giving back to the place that has given him so much. Being the person who is always ready to offer a helping hand and being an active member of the Hun community is what resonates the most with him.

“Hun has been so impactful and fostered so many great things for me and I really just like to share that with others,” he said. “The Hun community is both contagious and super supportive and being a part of it makes me want to bring the best version of myself here everyday because I see others around me doing the same thing.”

If there is one piece of advice that Michael could leave current and future Hun students with it would be to be the person who is trustworthy and accountable, to get involved, and to be present.

“Doing all of those simple, little acts of kindness I think really helped me prepare for my future and to diversify my perspective,” he said. “I really do believe that the best way to be a part of the community is just to actually be a part of the community. My best experiences here have been from things that I have just participated in or witnessed with my friends.” While his time at Hun may be coming to a close, his gracious and humble leadership style paired with his can-do attitude, will always be remembered by his teachers, coaches, and peers.

Tom Monfiletto ’04, associate director of marketing and communications and head baseball coach, has had the pleasure of coaching Michael for the last four years. Mr. Monfiletto believes that Michael embodies the values of The Hun School and defines leadership.

“He brings out the best in everyone around him including his coaches and teachers,” Mr. Monfiletto says. “There are few players that I’ve trusted to represent our School and program as much as Michael. He possesses great talent on the field and in the classroom, but what impresses me most is how he deals with failure; he doesn’t let it affect his effort and approach moving forward. He just simply works harder. For that, and so many other reasons, I’m forever grateful to have been his coach.”

“You don’t need to have the title of a leader to be a leader.”

Dafina F. ’23

A STEP TOWARDS A BETTER YOU

Since the ninth grade, Dafina F. ’23 has been a prominent member of Majesty, The Hun School’s step team, and for the last two years, she has been one of three team leaders. She explains that what she has found in Majesty is something she had been searching for for a long time:

“When I was a freshman, I was kind of lost and I was looking for a group of girls like me, a group of Black girls who love to dance and are passionate about performing,” she says. “And what I found my freshman year is exactly what I love to create for other younger girls like me to experience. Our values are unity, expression, and acceptance; myself and the other leaders try to spread these values to our teammates to help them feel this in both our space and within the Hun community.”

Dakota H. ’24, who has danced alongside Dafina for a few years now, is proud to call Dafina both a strong leader and a great friend:

“Dafina is an amazing leader,” Dakota says. “She has a way of perfectly balancing having fun and being silly with focusing on the task at hand. It has been so much fun performing alongside her, not just in Majesty but in the Hun Dance Company as a whole. She is a great performer and I’m really glad that I have had the chance to be led by her.”

As one of Majesty’s fearless leaders, Dafina is responsible for creating original choreography and step routines, teaching the team the steps, scheduling practices, finding costumes, and coordinating performance times with the team, teachers, and athletic directors. In her time with Majesty, she has been most proud that not only has the team been able to incorporate both dance and step into their routines but they have also broadened their audience. Majesty performs at Homecoming Weekend, their biggest performance of the year, followed by both fall and spring Hun Dance Company shows, the annual GEM Summit, and this year, they hope to perform at other School-sponsored events.

Dafina notes that what makes Majesty so special to her is that it is studentled and it’s completely up to the girls on the team to run the show. As a leader, Dafina’s only goal is to create an inclusive and encouraging environment where each girl feels supported and represented.

“Being a leader of Majesty has really allowed me to evolve as both a person and a leader; it’s also helped me figure out what type of leader I want to be,” she says.

“I’ve had leadership positions before but never something that I was this passionate about, and it has really taught me just how important it is to be a leader who is uplifting and supportive. I just want to make sure that I’m there for each and every girl on the team no matter what they bring to the table.”

“I just want to make sure that I’m there for each and every girl on the team no matter what they bring to the table.”

WORKS TO LAUNCH INAUGURAL CIVICS SUMMIT FOR HUN STUDENTS

“It cannot be overstated how important high schoolers are to the growth of our country and government; regardless of what side of the political spectrum they are on, it is necessary to be educated in civics and be informed citizens,” says Arjun K. ’24.

After watching the real-time reporting of the attacks on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, Arjun, who was just in ninth grade at the time, felt called to begin educating his peers on the importance of civic responsibility. As a member of student government since the ninth grade, Arjun has seen firsthand the success of the Hun Climate Summit and was inspired to create a similar learning opportunity with an emphasis on civics.

“I wrote up a treatise of what I thought this civics summit should be and I sent it to Mr. Hart, who is my mentor, and Mr. Hews,” he said. “Right now we are working on solidifying our list of speakers and then I will begin reaching out to them.”

Arjun is early on in his planning stages of the first inaugural Civics Summit, but is aiming for the program to take place in April. He explains that the Civics Summit has three main goals:

“First, I plan for a lot of guest speakers to come in and talk to students about various topics, then, I’d like for participants to join in on Model UN-style debates on topics that our speakers have educated us on. Lastly, I’d like for students to go on field trips and participate in some hands-on activities so we can put our new knowledge to the test.”

Another, equally important objective, is to present civics education in a way that feels timely and relevant to Arjun’s peers.

“I understand that this might not be of interest to everyone; not every student wants to or will take AP Government,” he said. “So I want to make sure I’m presenting the information in a way that exposes students to speakers, different perspectives, and just an overall understanding of where our country stands and how we as high school students can have an active role in it.”

Rory Hart, director of the John Gale Hun Program for Civics Education, commends Arjun for his intentionality and dedication to offering Hun students civics programming like this.

“Arjun has been incredibly focused and motivated throughout this entire process,” Mr. Hart says. “He has been incredibly flexible and coachable as we have worked together to find a model and approach that made sense for both the School schedule and to give different aspects of civics suitable attention. He has been an ideal ambassador for the civics program and for Hun, and I’m extremely proud of his work and I cannot wait to be part of Hun’s first civics week program.”

“It is necessary to be educated in civics and be informed citizens.”

Morgan H. ’24 LAUNCHES HALEY’S CAREER KITS

A STEM-BASED CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR TEENS

Two years ago, Morgan H. ’24 decided that she wanted to help teens explore the multitude of career paths within the STEM field. After much thought and field research, she landed on creating her own interstate ecommerce social enterprise: Haley’s Career Kits, a business that provides teens access to career development, college readiness, and financial literacy.

“Through my own experiences, I have seen firsthand how difficult figuring out your career path can be,” she says. “To [find my way] I had to do a lot of research to make sure I fully understood what my future could look like. To my knowledge, there is no singular platform that streamlines all of that information for you and makes the process easier. I want to be that source for other teenagers.”

Morgan plans to officially launch Haley’s Career Kits in the summer of 2023 with three main career kits: Pharmacy, Nursing, and IT Developers. For forty-five dollars, each career kit will include an educational booklet and a career workbook. To develop each kit, Morgan interviewed eight experts in each field with varying experience levels and proficiencies. She compiled all of her research into an educational booklet that will give readers a deeper understanding of the three industries. Each booklet also includes options for specialization, suggestions for finding mentorship, as well as firsthand accounts of people and careers in the industry. The kit will also include a career workbook which guides students through a personal inventory and risk assessment intended to make sure students understand the scope of their commitment–from years of schooling and potential student loan debt to lifestyle choices.

“The reality is that there are a lot of misconceptions associated with every career path; you could talk to two people in the same field about their experiences and you would get two totally different answers,” she says. “The goal of the career kit is to clear up any misinformation that a teenager might have about a career and allow them to explore all of the details of a future job that they might not have thought about.”

Currently, Morgan’s weekends are spent doing field research, designing her website, finalizing her career kits, sourcing distribution companies, working with her mentors to refine her business plan and product, and crafting her upcoming web series in preparation for the launch. When asked how she balances running her own business with school and extracurriculars, Morgan explains that what she’s doing doesn’t quite feel like work.

“I fell in love with this because it combines the three things I love most: learning, STEM, and entrepreneurship,” she says. “I’m very passionate about these things and I want them to be a part of my life not only because they make me happy but because this is important work that needs to be done. I also want to continue to create opportunities for the STEM field to become more diverse. The fact that I found a way to impact the community and people around me makes me really happy and excited.”

HALEYʼS CAREER KITS WEBPAGE haleyscareerkits.com

THE FRIEND WE ALL NEED Karina S. ’27

When Karina S. ’27 came to Hun as a new seventh grade student last year, she was quickly recognized amongst the community as a caring and supportive student and friend. The people closest to her describe her as someone who has the ability to make the people around her better. When Karina reflects on who she is in the Hun community, she describes herself as a good friend who wants the best for everyone.

“I really try to motivate all of my friends to work hard and do well in school because I want them to succeed and I want the best for my friends,” Karina says. “When I think of leadership I think of quietly leading others around me into doing good work, as opposed to me doing the work for them. I hope my friends know that pushing them to succeed with their school work is all because I care about them.”

Karina is always good for an evening FaceTime call to remind classmates about assignments due the next day or for initiating an after-school study session.

Zoe K. ’27, who is one of Karina’s closest friends, explains Karina cares deeply about her friends and she lets it be known.

“Karina is always there if I need a shoulder to cry on; she knows when to listen and when to give advice, and most importantly, she always makes me feel important,” Zoe says. “I know I can always go to her and talk about what I’m feeling. I love our conversations about what’s going on in the world and I love listening to her perspective on the world.”

Being a student is a title that Karina wears proudly; when she isn’t at Hun she spends her time at the Princeton Academy of Art as a painting student. Her teachers here at Hun unanimously agree that in the classroom, her motivation and love for others is contagious.

“Her self motivation is off the charts and she is a student who always leads by example,” says Mr. Anthony Cannuli, Middle School English teacher. “She is a great role model in the way she conducts herself and meets her day-to-day academic challenges. She is the perfect example of a student who checks all the boxes in what it truly means to be a part of the Hun community.”

“She is the perfect example of a student who checks all the boxes in what it truly means to be a part of the Hun community.”

SUMMER PROGRAMS

HUN ADVENTURES

Choose your own brain adventure!

• Fun project-based learning in business, steam, humanities, or the mind

• Grades 4-7

HUN ACADEMICS

Take the next step in your academic journey!

• For-credit and enrichment courses

• Math, science, test prep, and more!

• Grades 7-12

HUN SPORTS CAMPS

Take your skills to the next level!

• Girls’ Basketball

• Boys’ Basketball

• All-gender Field Hockey

• Grades 4-9

REGISTER AT HUNSCHOOL.ORG/SUMMER

HUN DAY CAMP

Designed by campers, for campers!

• Swimming, sports, nature walks, field games, crafts, STEM projects, and more

• Lunch included

• Grades K-7

Ryan C. ’27 LEADING WITH A SMILE

Although Ryan is just a few months into his first year at Hun, he explains that within a few days of coming here, he knew he belonged. He recalls visiting Hun for the first time during the 2022 Revisit Day and participating in the scavenger hunt organized by Middle School students and faculty; Ryan remembers instantly falling in love with the collaborative spirit of his future classmates.

“I know I’m new but I would describe my transition here as being automatic. I don’t feel like I’m new because the community has done an amazing job at welcoming me. I love coming here and I’m taking advantage of everything Hun has to offer. It’s exciting to think that this is only my first year.”

Ryan has quickly become the student in class who is eager to learn and the friend who is always willing to help. Mr. Evan Kleber, Ryan’s advisor, describes his personality as contagious and warm.

“Since arriving in the Hun Middle School, Ryan has shared his fun-loving attitude with all of us. His zest and energy are a big part of the eighth grade and spirit in the halls of the Buck building. His excitement can be seen in all of his classes and activities that he participates in,” said Mr. Kleber.

Whether he is helping a classmate find a Canvas page or tidying up equipment after basketball practice, Ryan’s goal is to be a trusted friend to all members of the Hun Middle School.

“Not everyone openly asks for help, some people will struggle and say nothing at all,” Ryan said. “I want to be the type of person who sees that and takes the initiative to help. Choosing to help people, being kind, and standing up for what you believe in when no one is looking or there to pat you on the back ... that’s what I think leadership is.”

“I love coming here and I’m taking advantage of everything Hun has to offer.”

After Almost Ten Years on The Board of Trustees

STEVE WILLS Prepares to Step Down

Steve Wills has been part of The Hun School community for almost two decades; He first learned about the School from some friends on the Springdale Golf Course while looking for a high school for his oldest son in the early 2000s.

“We looked at all the schools in the area,” Mr. Wills explains, “But when we went through the process with Hun, it was a very different process compared with the other schools. The Hun School just felt right.”

Pretty soon after his son enrolled, Mr. Wills started volunteering with the Parents’ Association. A CPA by trade, he eventually joined the finance committee of the Board of Trustees, then joined the Board.

“It just felt very comfortable. It was something I wanted to be involved with, not just to know what my kids were up to, but because I was enjoying myself. I was around passionate people who believed in the School, and community, and what we were trying to accomplish,” Mr. Wills says.

In July, he will step down as Board chairperson after three years in that role, and nine total years on the Board. He sees his accomplishments in two areas: the tangibles and the intangibles.

The tangible improvements he’s been a part of include updating facilities – building the Wilf Family Global Commons, reconstructing The Hun Middle School, and opening the Breen Performing Arts Center and DAYLO STEM Center – and growing the School’s endowment substantially, more than doubling the amount available to primarily support financial aid and programs. “It didn’t double because we got lucky,” he says. “Those were our objectives.”

Mr. Wills is just as quick to mention the

intangible improvements, including the evolution of academics at Hun: the addition of the Upper School NextTerm Program, the School’s reimagining of educational technology, and the implementation of the John Gale Hun Civics Program. “Those types of things are the differentiating factors that have to continue,” he says.

But Mr. Wills notes that one thing has remained the same during his time on the Board: the Hun community. “When you peel back the infrastructure, what hasn’t changed is the mantra, ‘It’s always about the kids, the kids, the kids.’ Everything we do is for the betterment of the kids,” he says.

He has full confidence that incoming Board chairperson, Susan Michel, is up to the task. “Susan fits all the criteria across anyone’s measurement,” Mr. Wills says. Susan has served as Board vice chairperson since 2018, and Mr. Wills is looking forward to seeing what the School accomplishes during her tenure as chairperson.

Mr. Wills knows that there are some things he’s going to miss now that his children – Brian ’07, Kaley ’13, and Brent ’18 – have graduated: Mainly, that he won’t be as involved in the School.

“At Board meetings, we try to make our discussions and interactions as collaborative as possible, so I’m going to miss being around people so committed and passionate about what they do,” he says.

However, this should only last a short time: Mr. Wills’ grandchildren, Brennan, 6, and Florencia, 2, will be students at Hun in no time.

‘It’s always about the kids, the kids, the kids.’ Everything we do is for the betterment of the kids.”

SUSAN MICHEL Set to Assume Role of Board Chairperson

Susan Michel laughs while recounting one of her family’s favorite memories of Hun. When her youngest son, Rob, was preparing for his Admission interview, his three older siblings teased him and told him that the School only accepts three students from each family.

Rob was devastated, barely stuttering his way through his interview before asking his parents why they made him sit for it if he was certain to be rejected from the School.

(Spoiler alert: All four of Mrs. Michel’s children were admitted to and have graduated from Hun: Jay ’02, Kevin ’05, Carol Ann ’07, and Rob ’10.)

“Actually, when Rob was about to graduate, his senior year, we teased him about that. I think that’s really special when the youngest in the family aspires to get to Hun,” Mrs. Michel says. In July, she’ll step into the role of chairperson of the Board of Trustees. “I think my desire is to keep that feeling. We are such a caring, family institution and I want to see that go on.”

Mrs. Michel was asked to join the Board of Trustees eleven years ago by Jon Brougham. She is CEO of Glen Eagle, a global financial company that specializes in wealth management and institutional markets, and served on the investment committee of the Board of Trustees. Now, she is part of the transition committee for incoming Head of School Bart Bronk.

“It’s been really a fun journey for me to watch as each Head of School comes in. They’re unique, but exactly what the School needs at that time,” she says.

She’s loved watching Hun evolve and grow its programming to benefit students, and she's happy to report that the one thing that hasn’t

changed is Hun’s ability to meet each student’s individual needs.

“Hun was one of the greatest gifts we ever came upon, and that’s because all of our children, with their strengths and weaknesses, were able to soar and become who they were meant to be,” Mrs. Michel said.

She’s looking forward to helping Mr. Bronk transition into his new role, and is quick to point out that his thoughtful leadership, as well as the dedication of the faculty and School community, will lead Hun into the future.

“Mr. Brougham is going to be missed dearly, because he was such an inspiration, but welcoming Mr. Bronk is going to be exciting and energizing, and I am honored and humbled to be the Board chairperson as we welcome a new head of school,” Mrs. Michel said.

“Mr. Brougham is going to be missed dearly, because he was such an inspiration, but welcoming Mr. Bronk is going to be exciting and energizing, and I am honored and humbled to be the Board chairperson as we welcome a new head of school.

“Here, everything is possible.”

Hun Community Bands Together to Educate Afghan Girls

Zahra, who spent a Post-Graduate (PG) semester at The Hun School in the spring of 2022, set out to help a small number of Afghan girls improve their English and has ended up improving the lives of dozens of girls (and counting!)

Just six months before matriculating at Hun, Zahra was a typical university student in Afghanistan, where she lived with her parents and two sisters. She took classes at her local university, scrolled through social media, and loved reading books.

Things had slowly started to change in Afghanistan as American troops prepared to withdraw from the country, but Zahra and her sisters could still attend classes and focus on their studies. Until all of a sudden, they couldn’t.

Zahra will never forget the date: August 14, 2021. Her father stopped her sister on her way to class and told her it was no longer safe to go to school. Overnight, schools and businesses closed and even public transportation stopped.

“Still a big question for me is, ‘Why was it like that?’” Zahra wonders.

Zahra stayed in Afghanistan for three more months, until the situation became too dangerous for the family. Zahra’s dad served in the Afghan army for forty years and had already been captured by the Taliban once before.

“Being killed by the Taliban is one thing, but being tortured by the Taliban …” Zahra doesn’t need to finish her thought.

Zahra's father and more recently, her mother, have escaped to a neighboring country. But, she still has family in Afghanistan.

Zahra evacuated from Afghanistan and, with the help of the nonprofit organization the Afghan Girls Financial Assistance Fund (AGFAF), she found a home at The Hun School of Princeton with a goal of improving her English skills enough to matriculate at a U.S. college. Upon arrival at Hun, Zahra was awestruck by the opportunities students had in the classroom, their willingness to ask questions, and their ability to make their own choices about their course of study.

“In Afghanistan, if you want to do something, the people around you say, ‘This is not possible.’ Especially when you’re a girl,” Zahra says. “Sometimes I was not able to think as broadly as the students at Hun; I couldn’t find an answer or solution. So I said, ‘I have this experience, I should find a way to transfer it to my country.’”

AGFAF requires all of its beneficiaries to do some kind of service work, and Zahra knew she wanted to find a way to bridge the gap between opportunities available to girls in her home country and her adopted country. She decided to create an online summer class that would help Afghan girls improve their English, because she knew English skills would be their ticket to a better life outside of Afghanistan.

Zahra created an application and shared it on social media for Afghan girls to see if anyone would be interested in learning English online twice a week for four weeks. She was hoping to reach a dozen girls or so, but more than 250 responded. Overwhelmed by the level of interest, she and her friend Hanan A. ’23

THERE IS AN ISLAMIC PHRASE THAT ROUGHLY TRANSLATES TO, “IF I SAVE ONE’S LIFE, THEN I SAVE EVERYONE’S LIFE.”

quickly developed an application and interview process to narrow down the size of the class.

“I got to know the people who are now in the class, but it was also sad because that many people were desperately looking for help. To me, it’s not a huge opportunity; it’s just an online class, but to them it’s just everything,” Hanan says.

The spring semester was drawing to a close when Dr. Seth Holm, chair of the Modern Language and Classics Department and dorm parent, asked Zahra about her summer plans. When she shared the idea for the online English class, Dr. Holm immediately offered his help.

Though he never taught English, Dr. Holm had some important experiences that prepared him for this challenge: He had experience planning a course and teaching across disciplines during Hun’s NextTerm program, and he had gained experience teaching on Zoom during the pandemic.

Zahra estimated she would need $300 to run the online class. She started a GoFundMe and quickly raised triple that amount. Together, she and Dr. Holm went through the process of partnering with a nonprofit to increase their impact.

“A lot of weird things coalesced to make this work,” Dr. Holm explains. The plan was originally to hold class twice per week for four weeks during the summer, but it didn’t take long for the girls to ask to continue their lessons.

“By the third week it was already so much fun. There was so much gratitude, goodwill, energy, and a feeling like none of this is work,” Dr. Holm explains. “I get back from them twice as much energy as I put into it, and they were saying, ‘Please don’t leave us!’ And I definitely never will.”

Once Hun returned from summer break, the online classes were switched to once a week. Now, the Afghan girls log on for their sometimes three-and-a-half hour class on Friday mornings in Afghanistan time, which is Thursday night from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. EST.

The students range in age from 13 to 32 years old, but most are college-age. Because the level of interest in the class allowed for some selectivity, the students all have a good level of English language ability, but their daily experiences vary widely. Some live at home with their parents, and some are married with children of their own. Some don’t have their own cell phones or reliable internet connection. Some girls were still traveling to education centers, despite repeated bombings, until the Taliban banned all education for girls past grade six this past December. Now, most are isolated from their communities.

“The dedication to education is like nothing I’ve ever seen, so it’s maybe not a mystery why it’s so gratifying to teach them,” Dr. Holm says.

Steven F. ’23, one of Dr. Holm’s Classics students, has been volunteering with the class since the beginning. As soon as he learned of Zahra’s plans, he felt drawn to participate.

“I can’t imagine myself in their shoes, going against the worst adversity in the world as a student. The internet connection is just a minor problem compared to the bombings targeting their ethnicity and people. It says a lot about how they value education,” Steven says. “I feel so much less worried about my problems when I talk to them. What does a B on my English essay mean when this is happening to someone else?”

While Dr. Holm teaches the weekly class and gives assignments, students in Hun’s new Afghan Outreach Club and some

AFGHANISTAN IS NOT A SAFE PLACE, AND THEY STILL HAVE HOPE AND CARE ABOUT THEIR EDUCATION. THEY WANT TO LEARN. TO ME, THAT’S THE DEFINITION OF DETERMINATION.”

Hun parents assist as conversation partners. Each student is assigned a phone buddy each week, a fluent English-speaker – most of them Hun students – who helps them with spoken English. Usually there are weekly prompts, such as how to prepare a favorite meal.

Dr. Holm and student volunteers are working to expand their reach by offering more leveled English classes and a mentoring program under the title Afghan Education Student Outreach Project, AESOP. Afghan students and Hun students are working together to create elementary and intermediate English classes and a mentoring program that pairs younger students with a volunteer mentor who helps create and guide them through assignments. Steven, who came to Hun from China, is partnering to help design intermediate English and DuoLingo prep classes.

Hanan is helping her mentee improve her spoken English, prompting her to record herself reading on her father’s cell phone and send the recording to Hanan to review.

“Afghanistan is not a safe place, and they still have hope and care about their education. They want to learn. To me, that’s the definition of determination,” Hanan says. “The goal is more giving them hope to continue learning and giving them hope that there are people there for them.”

Steven, who will attend Princeton University next fall to study Classics, shared his passion with a student currently applying to U.S. colleges. She expressed an interest and curiosity in learning to read Latin, so he shared some texts with her and they’re practicing that now. This student is also currently creating a website for AESOP.

Last fall, Zahra matriculated to an American university. Despite adjusting to college life, she has remained fully invested in the weekly classes and remains a tutor. She also coordinates the financial aspects of the program.

“When I picked Zahra up at Ft. Dix one year ago and chatted with her as we drove her to Hun, I knew that our organization had picked a ‘winner’ and everything she has done since has confirmed that view,” says Graham Cole, volunteer with AGFAF, former head of school at Westminster. “She personifies all the qualities any school or organization seeks in their students— bright, hard-working, courageous, resilient, generous, thoughtful, and

kind. Not only is she determined to become an educated person herself but she is committed to helping other young Afghans achieve that same goal. In addition, she has been impressively thoughtful and articulate about educating Americans about her native land, its culture, and history.”

And more recently, The Hun School has announced it will provide scholarships for two Afghan students each year. The first intended recipient, pending a successful visa application, a freshman named Madhia, comes directly from Zahra’s online class.

“This program is growing every day,” Zahra said recently. “What I was imagining, this is way better.”

This project has been featured by more than fifteen news outlets including CBS, PBS, and USA Today.

Scott Sussman ’03

Builds Community through Coworking

When speaking to Scott Sussman ’03 about coworking, the word community is top of mind. It’s one of the two pillars upon which his business “from HERE” is built, and it’s evident in every aspect, from hosting public events and specialized programming to building community in shared workspaces post-pandemic.

According to McKinsey & Company’s 2022 American Opportunity Survey, 58 percent of American employees are now able to work remotely at least once a week. While that flexibility is great, the realities of working from home are not always ideal. Enter coworking spaces like “from HERE,” co-founded by Mr. Sussman and his business partner Sneh Kadakia. The pair began working on their idea at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in June 2020, and opened the doors to their first location in Plainfield, New Jersey, in October 2021.

The “from HERE” model offers a commitment-free place to work with a variety of space options: work lounge, daily workstations, private offices, meeting rooms, and even a podcast studio. Guests enjoy safe, fast, reliable WiFi; secondary monitors; and height-adjustable desks, among other amenities. After business hours and on weekends, the space offers community-building events like cookie decorating classes and jazz performances or can even be rented for private events.

Mr. Sussman, who worked in hotel hospitality early in his career, is quick to point out how much hospitality, or customer experience (the second pillar for “from HERE”), plays a role in coworking spaces.

“The hospitality play on ‘from HERE,’ and this coworking idea, is that people don’t have to ever come back. So if we don’t create the perfect experience each time they’re here — not just the first time — they’re not going to come back,” says Mr. Sussman. “So it’s on us to create that hospitality experience, that feeling of community, that feeling of comfort to make people feel like ‘This is where I’m going to work every day.’”

When the Plainfield location opened, many guests inquired whether the business was an innovation hub. It wasn’t — but that sparked an idea. After pitching the mayor and partnering with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and others, the “from HERE” innovation hub and accelerator program launched in August 2022. It provides twenty local businesses with free workspace and programming for a year. And that programming has been plentiful — networking events for Black-owned businesses, LatinX-owned businesses, and “mompreneurs,” plus panels and job fairs.

“First, it was about bringing the community together — entrepreneurs, agnostic of what they do or where they are in the life cycle of their company,” explains Mr. Sussman, adding that the business owners they assist range from house cleaners and clothing designers to nonprofits and consultants. The hub helps them find the resources they need to “very thoughtfully grow their businesses” and leads to a pitch competition that will enable them to receive more money to invest in their ventures. It “has been really fulfilling” for Mr. Sussman.

Recently, a second “from HERE” location in nearby Princeton Junction, New Jersey, held a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony with West Windsor’s mayor and council members as well as dozens of community members in attendance. Like the Plainfield location, it’s close to a train station, but this location is part of a mixed-use retail area within an apartment complex.

“Plainfield is our downtown urban location,” says Mr. Sussman, adding that the goal for Princeton Junction was a “very heavy residential area” and that the next might be a “space within a space,” such as a mall. The different locations will help the partners learn and grow “from HERE,” which could include franchising opportunities in the future.

What they have found most

surprising is that the daily workstations in the large open space are by far the most popular option. Mr. Sussman, who recently stepped away from his operational role but retains his partnership, explains that people miss going to the office and being around people, but don’t miss their commutes.

“Our goal is to give people a place where they can be part of a community, even if they don’t work together or do anything similar,” he says. “They’re still humans that want to be around other humans.”

Mr. Sussman is continuing his coworking journey at IWG / Regus as regional director of partnership growth, where he helps property owners “join the flex space revolution.”

What they have found most surprising is that the daily workstations in the large open space are by far the most popular option.

and dining hall construction cost about $400,000 (about $4.1 million in 2022 dollars) and added 23,229 square feet to the campus (12,136 of which was the dormitory).

In a 1960 Mall article, Hun students noted that the new buildings constituted “a reaffirmation of the past and a solid bridge to the future of the school and its educational philosophy.” Dr. Chesebro added that it was “increasingly apparent that the new physical facilities have more than fulfilled our expectations,” and that he was “satisfied and pleased with the many advantages that they have made available for our students and faculty.”

Four years after completion, the Board of Trustees resolved to name the dormitory John Prentiss Poe Hall. Mr. Poe served as a trustee from 1941 to 1968 and as board chair for eighteen of those years. The Board cited his guidance in the financing

and building of the dormitory which was made possible by Mr. Poe as he “personally assumed heavy and sometimes perilous burdens on behalf of the Hun School.” The dedication took place following Commencement in 1964.

While there have been some renovations to Poe over the years, such as bathroom and window upgrades in 2003, it has become time-worn after sixty-five years. Construction of a transformational new residential project, designed to foster comfort, connection, and joyful learning, is planned for the very near future.

The forthcoming change to campus calls to mind the words of Mr. Poe, who wrote a letter to Dr. Chesebro upon receiving word that the dormitory was to be named after him. Mr. Poe wrote that “all great institutions are the result of a dream, and the School is no exception. … It was, and is, a big

dream … . Perhaps, lest it become clouded with time, or distorted by side issues, it may be well to restate that dream so that it may not be lost sight of before its total fulfillment.

“All great institutions are the result of a dream, and the School is no exception.”

SCAN FOR MORE INFO ON THE NEW RESIDENCE HALL!

ClassNotes

HUN ALUMNI Keeping in Touch, Informed, and Up-to-Date

1948 1953 1956

OARS REUNION 2022: After a two year hiatus because of the pandemic, the Old Alumni Rowing Society (OARS) – Stroke Bob Edwards, #3 Dave Keffer, and Bow George Griggs ’55 (we lost #2 Tom Davis ’54 in 2019) - recently gathered, along with spouses/significant others, at Smuggler’s Notch Resort in Jeffersonville, VT, hosted by ‘Smuggs’ owner Bill Stritzler and Marclay Davis (Tom’s widow). In addition to enjoying gourmet food and lively conversation reminiscing about our years at Hun and lives since, the OARS+ took full advantage of the activities at ‘Smuggs’ to include zip-lining through the canopy of Madonna Mountain. It was the first time for all of us and, after some initial apprehension, we found zooming down the wire surrounded by nature to be thrilling. At the conclusion of our journey, we all agreed that zip-lining was something we were glad not to have missed and were looking forward to the next time. Another first for us was a round of Disc Golf, which proved to be a lot more challenging than our memory of throwing a frisbee. But, we eventually got the hang of it and managed, for the most part, to keep our hole scores in the single digits.

After the jam-packed, fun-filled weekend at Smuggler’s Notch, we headed to Kennebunk, ME for the next phase of our never to be forgotten adventure, hosted by George and wife, Susan. Again, we enjoyed all that Kennebunk and the coast of Maine have to offer – sightseeing, shopping, museum and gallery visits and, of course, a lobster dinner at George and Susan’s home. A highlight for us was a one-hour, lowaltitude, sightseeing flight along the coast of Maine in a Cessna 172SP piloted by George, ably assisted by his co-pilot/instructor, Paul Hodak of Southern Maine Aviation in Sanford, ME.

While it’s been a few years since we’ve been in a boat together rowing as a team, Hun is something that we can never forget, and we will always be grateful for the friendship and comradeship that we have shared over these many years.

above left George Griggs ’55 above right Preflight photo of Dave Keffer ’56, George and Bob Edwards ’56 before their sightseeing flight along the coast of Maine below back row 3 rd from left: Jan Keffer, wife of Dave Keffer ’56; 5 th from left: Bob Edwards ’56; 6 th from left: Dave Keffer ’56; front row: George and Susan Griggs

above Bob Edwards ’56 right Dave Keffer ’56

1958

1959

Classmate Bruce Barren fondly remembered fellow classmate Tom Horwich after his passing in the fall of 2022: “Tom was an ideal roommate for two years while I was at Hun and a great co-star in basketball where we both played on the varsity basketball team under Coach George Selleck. We were co-senior prefects plus members of the Student Council together.

I remember the day his family sold their business, General Felt Industries, to LTV. My family had introduced LTV (Jimmie Ling) to his family because we sold them cow animal hair for carpet underlay at General Felt. We were close as families, as roommates and fellow classmates, plus we kept in touch for years following Hun, including his years at Penn where I lived just four blocks away from his apartment with my family,

Tom exemplified what every student at Hun should become and was devoted to the needs of others. When he shook your hand, you automatically knew he was a true traditional gentleman, with a Midwestern smile. Thank you, Tom, for allowing me to be one of your many friends. To me, you will always be remembered for your love of Hun and your many contributions to the School as a board member. You were a true friend for life.”

1960

Peter Clark fondly remembered his Reunion in April 2022 and his participation in Boats and Bagels during Alumni Weekend: “It was a wonderful reunion for me, meeting old friends and reliving special memories.

But I have to admit that the highlights for me were rowing in an eight (after 62 years!), and getting to know fellow alumnus Jim Byer ’62 in a way that I hadn’t been able to before. I’m already looking forward to the next reunion (and perhaps to the opportunity of rowing in a shell again with James Byer as stroke!).”

1961

Jim Firestone wrote, “The Princeton Theological Seminary just leveled the old Hun School at Edgehill Street. It was where we used to wrestle and play Hun basketball games in the sixties before Hun got its own gym. The neighbors are quite upset that the land is being sold off for development that will never have the character of the Hun buildings. It’s one more reason to appreciate Jon Brougham’s stewardship of Hun, where he recently preserved the Mall as open space in perpetuity.”

David Savidge, still runs the Court Diversion farm in VT which produces maple syrup. This year he and his wife visited Robert Frost’s cabin in Ripton, by walking up the long dirt driveway into the woods to the clearing on the side of the mountain, the same one that I’d told him about in my poem, of when I

went there as a student pilgrim just after Frost died in early 1963. Dave remembered that when we both had Jack Meyer’s English class at Hun that he liked both Frost and Wallace Stevens.

Back in Princeton, Rick Gallaudet had a fight with his garage door in Washington Oaks and the garage door won. It dropped Rick to the concrete floor where he hurt his hip which looks like it’s going to need an operation. He says that now, for sure, he’s never going to be able to catch up to Jim Byer ’62 or Tom Petrone when they play golf at Springdale. Chris Eggers, Hun’s left half on the all-state soccer team of 1961, called and wants to know how Saudi Arabia ever beat Argentina, 2-0, in the World Cup. Our all-American striker, Khalid AlFaisal, is still involved in backing their team. With all his experience, thirty-eight goals in thirteen games in l961, he probably taught Saudi Arabia’s defense how to defend against Argentina’s line of good strikers. Ansley Coale ’59 called. He used to live at 155 Edgerstoune on the corner of Winant Road. Ansley has a craft brewing company in California. He asked about his father’s Office of Population Research, OPR, on Ivy Lane. I had to tell him that Ivy Lane is also gone, knocked down in the huge rebuilding project of Princeton University for a new Engineering Quad expansion with Environmental Sciences. It involves virtually every building in front of the old Palmer Stadium up to but not including the Prospect Avenue Clubs. John Stewart of Naples, FL called and reported that he’s only lost one 30-foot-high tree in the latest hurricane. But, he wants us all to know that he’s still glad that he’s a snow bird. He weathered the storm and likes to feel warm. Derik Sutphin ’59 wants his classmates to know that he’s still alive so he attached his raft to

65TH REUNION

left Peter Clark ’60 connected with former Head of School James M. Byer ’62 at the John Gale Hun Luncheon during Alumni Weekend 2022. below and right John Taylor ’64 participated in an archaeological dig in Muge, Portugal in September 2022.

our class. He’s living in what he calls “an old people’s home in rural Pennsylvania.” I’ve been there to visit him, and witnessed the kinder rural Pennsylvanian care. He also says this: ‘I try to be cheerful, but that’s all a ruse. Getting old isn’t easy. No one at The Hun School ever taught us how to do it gracefully.’”

1963 1964

Allen Bell writes that after fifty years of practicing law, with twenty as a judge, he retired in 2020 and he and his wife, Ann, moved to St. Augustine, FL. He now spends his time playing golf, reading, and relaxing. Allen hopes all is well with his classmates.

Fred D’Agostino has been made a Fellow of the Women’s College within the University of Queensland for ten years of service on its governing body and for playing a leading role in its philanthropic endeavors. He is the inaugural recipient of the RH Roe Medal (the Reggie) recognizing his outstanding service to the University, especially as the President of Academic Board and Executive Dean of Arts, but, again, also for work in philanthropy to support access for equity. He was elected to the Council of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

Charlie Sellon welcomed his first grandchild, Louisa, in September of 2021. Son Tim and his wife are expecting another baby in April. Daughter Emily is living in London with her fiancé and they plan to wed in October 2023. Charlie and his ex-wife Anne celebrated their son Christopher’s birthday in a local

English pub in northern Virginia just after England’s draw with the US team in the World Cup. Chris is a dual citizen (as are all of his children).

Tryg Sletteland and wife Sonia visited southern Patagonia in May 2022, where they hiked down to the Perito Moreno Glacier. Dark cracks are visible near the base of ice in the photo included here. They also visited family and friends in Colorado in October where they hiked up to 10,000 feet to this view of the Maroon Bells.

John Taylor participated in a Mesolithic Period (8,200 to 6,100 years ago) archaeological excavation in Muge, Portugal in September 2022. Photos of personnel at the excavation are available from John.

Lincoln Yung shared: “Greetings to my classmates. In Hong Kong, we were on lockdown over three years due to tight Covid quarantine policy. With the easing of restrictions, we spent our Christmas in Tokyo. Wishing you all a healthy and prosperous new year.”

1966

Phil Siegle writes, “In June 2022, a high school friend of mine and I climbed up Mt. Lassen which is 10,450 feet high and we made it to the top. It was more difficult for me than the 15,000 foot and 20,000 foot high mountains I have climbed in the past because I am an old dude, and also we did not acclimate as we only had three days. It is supposed to take around four hours up and down, but it took us six. At the top, the temperature was less than freezing and the wind was terrible. I got sunburned

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left Phil Siegle ’66 and friend at the top of Mt. Lassenwhich above left View from the top of Mt. Lassenwhich which Phil climbed in June 2022 above right Lincoln Yung ’64 with his youngest son, Andrew, who is a member of his school’s basketball team

and windburned but I had fun. Lassen is a beautiful national park that I knew nothing about.”

1967

Reggie Birks writes “I really regret not being able to attend my 55th Reunion, but thought you should at least have a photo to help put a face to my name. Included here is a recent photo of me with my husband, Mills Carlyle Edwards, Jr. (Mac). On May 27, 2023 we will have been together for forty-nine years. I’m 73 now and he’s 77. We met in 1973 when I was 24 and he was 28.”

1968

David McCreery’s memoir of growing up in a family of alcoholics in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, No Soft Landing, has been updated and re-released. The best site to purchase it is bookbaby.com.

1971

Brad Faus writes that after forty-five years of teaching at independent secondary schools, he is retiring. He is looking forward to spending winters in South Carolina and summers in Maine and taking “plenty” of trips to visit his children in Colorado.

Andrew O’Connor sold his restoration business last January and has been enjoying a return to what

children, too. He and Jon Frieman visited recently, and he and Shelley Acuff have been staying in touch via email.

Al Wathey and his daughter, Leana, are starting a hydroponics business in Saint Maarten. It will involve “freight farms” that use large growing containers to avoid hurricane damage. Production began in mid-January 2023.

Steve Weiss sends good wishes to all classmates as we embark on a new decade of our lives–our 70s!

1973 1974

Jack Reeder writes “I have had the pleasure of reconnecting with our esteemed classmate Dan Cantor this year. I’ve been working with Dan and his beautiful wife, Katy, on some business planning opportunities. So far it’s been all virtual, but we’re hoping to meet face to face in February!

In November I enjoyed a visit to Hun, my first in about twenty years, and was given a great campus tour by Janine Russo Vanisko ’83. If you haven’t seen the campus in a while you’ll be amazed at how much it has changed! My hosts for the night were Bill Gates ’75 and his beautiful wife, Anne.

I was reminded of two classmates who are no

STAY CONNECTED AND NEVER MISS

William Flagg writes that forty-seven years later he continues to be a Princeton Public School bus driver.

1975

Eugene Rothe, a professor in the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, shared that he received the 2022 Agnes Purcell McGavin Award in Prevention. The award recognizes a child and adolescent psychiatrist who has made significant contributions to the prevention of mental disorders in children and adolescents and influenced the general wellbeing of young people.

He also shared that the Class continues to have some great Zoom meetings together.

1978 1979

Valerie de Blois Le Moing writes “I left New Jersey and moved to Florida in 2021. I am enjoying semi-retirement from my mental health private practice, considering the joys of pickleball (not exactly lacrosse), and thankful for wonderful Hun memories. Sharing island life with classmates Judy Ridolfi Nixon, who has lived here for years. I enjoy the occasional visit from Sarah Crowley, and send good vibes to Mary Beth Place Evans, Patty Sanson, Stephanie Mott Simmons, and Celeste Talaszek.

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1981

Scott Brenner wrapped up a consulting gig with Comcast and semi-retired in early 2023. He and his business partner are developing coaching and training programs that teach aspiring entrepreneurs how to transform an idea into a successful online business. His three daughters are now in grad school, dental school, and private practice. They continue to cringe at his #DadJokes. Scott is still running several times a week but finding it really hard to believe that he is now 60! He and his wife look forward to some global travel in retirement.

Bill McDevitt shared that he and his wife, Teresa, have retired and relocated to Rapid City, SD.

1982

Patti Papier Adler shared “After living in the Midwest for the last twenty-five years, we moved back to the East Coast, and now live in Maryland. It was wonderful being back for our 40th Reunion. I loved catching up with old friends and going on a tour of the campus with current students. There are so many amazing additions since we graduated from Hun.”

1983

Congratulations to our 2023 Distinguished Alum Award Recipient – Fran Held ’83

In December 2022, former Co-Athletic Director Bill Quirk H’14 recently had the chance to meet up with Gary Yerman and John Bohlinger at Gary’s house in New Jersey. A good time was had by all.

above Phil Maier ’74, Avery Chenoweth ’74, Eugene Rothe ’74, and Rob Purcell ’74 chatting on a Zoom call right Lou Gidding ’72, Donald Meisel ’72, and Robert Schaeberle ’72 enjoyed lunch while Don was in Florida last March below Rick Ziegler ’71 and Alan Chalifoux ’72 happily don their Hun socks during Alumni Weekend 2022

below left Jack Reeder ’74 on Hun campus in November 2022 below right Reggie Birks ’67 with his husband, Mac

1984

Lee Ann Stiff recently published a book, Alone, Together, which is available from Bottlecap Press.

Jeffrey Barth is looking forward to another year of ski instruction at Deer Valley Resort. Other than a short break from skiing to give an exciting presentation on IRS form 990 at the 2023 NBOA national meeting in Los Angeles, he can be found skiing somewhere on Wasatch Back. He welcomes any alums or Hun families visiting Deer Valley or Park City Mountain Resort to reach out for local tips or to catch a few laps in Utah’s best powder! Jeff is married to Carrie Haas and has four children, ages 8 to 28.

1988

1993 1995

Congratulations to our 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee – Adam Epstein ’95

Adam Epstein writes “Ashley Young Freimanis and I were “preppiest” in 1995. I keep telling my wife that “preppiest” at a prep school = best dressed! Ashley and I got together in Greenwich at her brother Ian Young’s ’98 home a couple of weeks ago.”

Marcia McClintock Frye was promoted to Captain on September 1, 2022 at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth in Portsmouth, VA.

1997

Heather MacKenzie Coody welcomed Vivian Harper on July 11, 2022. Heather, John, and big brother, JJ, are completely in love!

Mark Davies writes “This year marks twenty years since my group, Aerial Photograph, began. Pretty crazy. Thank you all for the support and encouragement you’ve given me over these years. It’s meant so much to me. Our first gig was at the RUBA club in Philly in 2002. Different lifetime ago.

I had a concert in December 2022 presented by the wonderful people at Bowerbird and featuring new music I’ve written called The Sway of Rivers It’s a different direction for the band, especially because I sing a little and wrote lyrics for the music. I composed a lot of this new music during the pandemic. The music was written largely about the concept of time: how confusing it can be, how we measure it in our daily lives, how it feels, and especially how its relationship to our lives has

changed over the last few generations. But, over time, the pieces coalesced around the subject of my two sons, Owen (7), and Benny (2), the way they feel (or don’t feel) time, and how watching them grow marks time for me. I’ve grown into the songs slowly, and they feel great to play with everyone. I think a lot of folks can relate to the confounding nature of time, especially in these last few years.”

top John Bohlinger ’83, Gary Yerman ’83, and Bill Quirk , former co-athletic director above Jen Marin ’86 and Michelle Martz ’86 are still traveling the miles together and celebrating the markers along the way.

left Marcia Frye ’95 is joined by her family during her promotion to Captain in September 2022. above left Class of 1982 at Alumni Weekend 2022: Andre Caraco, Greg Frank, Darryl Sheppard, Patti Papier Adler, Eva Wengler, and Sherry Edelman Meyer above right Ruth Wheaton Nehlig ’81, Patti Papier Adler ’82, and Eva Wengler ’82 at Alumni Weekend 2022 right Andre Caraco ’82 couldn’t be happier to be back on campus during his 40th Reunion. below right Adam Epstein ’95 and Ashley Young Freimanis ’95 below left The Class of 1984 had a strong showing during Homecoming and Family Weekend 2022. from left: Beth Urbaniak, Patrick Marlatt, Michel Marlatt, Jennifer Costello, Ben Warren, Elaine Winkler Van Noord, and Laura Carlson

above left The Ventresca, Rossi, and O’Brien families gathered during Homecoming and Family Weekend 2022 to cheer on fellow Raiders. above right Ian Dorko ’02 and Libbey Junius ’03, just two of the Hun alums who are Federal Twist Vineyard, shared their expertise and Federal Twist wines with parents and alums during Homecoming and Family Weekend 2022 below right Suzanne Soriero Kloss ’01 celebrated her 40th birthday surrounded by family and friends. Samuel Soriero III ’99, Suzanne Murphy ’01, Diana Bissell ’01, Michael Kloss ’96, Suzanne Soriero Kloss ’01, Brian Kloss ’95

above Tammy Scheer Groner ’98 competed on Jeopardy in December below left JJ Coody, son of Heather MacKenzie Coody ’97, joins his mom and dad in welcoming sister, Vivian, born in July 2022. below right Missy Goss ’07 is engaged to fiancé, Anthony Coln.

THE HUN BLACK ALUMNI NETWORK is an affinity group for alums who identify as Black. The group sponsors programming for networking, mentoring, socializing, and more, with the goals of increasing alum engagement, connection, volunteerism, and philanthropy.

For more information, please email ALUMNI@HUNSCHOOL.ORG

1998

Congratulations to our 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee – Brendan Tierney ’98

Tammy Scheer Groner ’98 competed on Jeopardy! on December 7th, placing third in the round after having an amazing lead throughout the game and the highest score among contestants heading into the Final Jeopardy round.

2001

Jessica Schor Levy writes: “Hi old friends! How has it been over twenty years since we sat in the SAC eating Quinn’s fries and even scarier, how are we all turning 40?! I have enjoyed reconnecting with some of you recently and still maintain close friendships with others.

After over 14 years working at the same place, I recently took the leap and opened my own private practice in Pennington, NJ. I am a LCSW working with children, adolescents, and their families and loving every moment. If COVID taught us anything, it is to prioritize our work/life balance and remain close with our families and friends. I hope each of you are finding ways to create that balance in your lives as well!”

Sarah Trent shares: “After practicing law as a public defender for many years, I applied for a medical cannabis dispensary permit from the State of New Jersey in 2019. After waiting years for the State to award permits, my women-owned business had the highest scoring dispensary application, and has since gone on to be the first standalone dispensary to open in Somerset County - Valley Wellness.” Sarah is also the founder of New Jersey Cannabis Certified, a company that partners with multiple community colleges across the state to provide entry-level cannabis education and workforce development.

2003

Congratulations to our 2023 Distinguished Alum Award Recipient – Jessica Lane Alexander ’03

2004

Jenn Hill writes, “On January 15, 2022, my whole life changed. Thomas “Carter” Kennedy came into the world and my heart is filled with LOVE. Thank you, Carter, for making me a mommy!”

2005

Congratulations to our 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee – Angela DiPastina McMullin ’05

Ben Donati writes “Sarah Appelt ’08 and I are doing well, living in Bethesda, MD. We haven’t gotten to see our favorite Beau Merritt much recently, but he and Julia are doing well out West with baby Jay, the cutest kid on the planet.”

2008

Congratulations to our 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee – Lance Goulbourne ’08

2010

Tatiana DiSanti Edwards married Matthew Edwards on August 14, 2021 at Foxfire Mountain House in Mount Tremper, NY.

Alexandra Weinroth Bell wrote, “On October 15, 2022, I married my partner, Scott Bell, at The Meridian House in Washington, D.C. We were honored to have our close family and friends in attendance to celebrate with us.”

above Alexandra Weinroth Bell ’10 was married on October 15, 2022 in Washington, D.C.

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15TH REUNION

Dani Walsh helped to produce the 18th annual cover of New York Magazine’s “Reasons to Love New York.”

2013

10TH REUNION

Congratulations to our 2023 Young Alum Award Recipient – Camile Schrier ’13

2015

Austin Huber received a Trumbauer Award from the Philadelphia Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art alongside his Haverford classmate for their design of the Haverford College Bus Shelter. Inspired by the late nineteenth-century Victorian architecture of Philadelphia’s regional rail stations, the building features a waiting area, bicycle storage, and bicycle maintenance station. It serves hundreds of students daily. 2018

Kendall Dandridge helped lead her Johns Hopkins Women’s Soccer Team to a DIII NCAA Championship victory and was named a 1st Team Academic All-American.

2019

Maximilian Spieler, an economics major, earned the Dean’s Award with Distinction at Colgate University. 2020

Hyung Jin Lee was awarded Best Animation for her film “I Miss You” at the Korea International Short Film Festival.

Former Faculty and Staff

Retired faculty member Dave Bush has been using his newfound free time to travel. He shared a photo of his travels with his sister, Lesley, and friends to the center of South America where they encountered birds and jaguars.

above Dani Walsh ’12 helped to produce the 18th annual cover of New York Magazine’s “Reasons to Love New York.” right Kendall Dandridge ’18 helped lead her Johns Hopkins Women’s Soccer Team to a DIII NCAA Championship victory and was named a 1st Team Academic All-American.

5TH

above Former faculty member Dave Bush enjoying retirement in South America above right Tatiana DiSanti Edwards ’10 and Matthew Edwards at their wedding in the Catskills alongside Roman DiSanti ’25, Ilanna DiSanti ’17, sister Savannah Alizio, brother Sebastian Alizio, and Adian DiSanti ’19 right Tatiana DiSanti Edwards ’10 married Matthew Edwards on August 14, 2021 at Foxfire Mountain House in Mount Tremper, NY.

above Steve Godich ’13 is now engaged to Madeline Stratemann left The award-winning design by Austin Huber ’15 below Hyung Jin Lee ’20 was awarded Best Animation for her film “I Miss You” at the Korea International Short Film Festival.

IN MEMORIAM

Eugene Freda ’48

Eugene “Gene” Freda ’48, one of The Hun School’s oldest alums at ninety-four years old, passed away on January 20th. He was one of only twenty-four Hun students in 1944 and was taught by Dr. John Gale Hun. After graduating, Mr. Freda earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Miami and then enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he served until 1956. After, he became an active member of the Army Reserve and enjoyed a decades-long career as a field service engineer.

Mr. Freda was arguably the School’s most dedicated long-term volunteer. He was proudly listed as a Class Agent every year since he graduated. Dr. Chesebro called him in 1970 and asked him to initiate and formalize a Hun School Alumni Association, which he did, serving as its president from 1972 until 1979. He was then appointed to the School’s Board of Trustees, where he served until 1988. In 2004, Mr. Freda partnered with the late

Mary Ann Fox to create the School’s archives. Together, they relentlessly solicited and cataloged one hundred years’ worth of documents, publications, and memorabilia from the Hun community.

Gene Freda was a cherished pillar of Hun’s alumni community (fittingly, his grandfather carved the limestone balustrades that line the Russell Hall garden walls), and he will be missed by all who knew him. He is predeceased by his wife, Ellie Doten, and survived by their son Russell ’81; daughter-in-law, Mary Jo; and four grandsons, Anthony ’08, Nicholas ’13, Zachary, and Jeremy.

Thomas Horwich ’59

Trustee Emeritus Thomas Horwich ’59, a Chicago native, attended The Hun School for three years, during which time he was an active member of the School. As Student Council president his senior year, he organized a committee to investigate the possibility of instituting a Hun Honor System, which was introduced the year after he graduated and was the beginning of the School’s current Honor Council and System. He also lettered twice each in varsity tennis and varsity basketball, served on The Mall staff, and captained varsity basketball. Mr. Horwich served as a Hun Fund class agent and a

Matthew Sozio

Matthew Sozio, maintenance supervisor at The Hun School for twenty-two years until his retirement in 2020, passed away on Thanksgiving Day after a long illness. Mr. Sozio was beloved by all who knew and worked with him and often recognized for his selflessness and can-do attitude. He was known for saying “Work hard, be kind,” so it was no surprise when he was honored with a Kiefer Kindness Community Award at Hun in the spring of 2022, two years after his retirement. Mr. Sozio and his wife, Lisa, had two children, Matthew C. Sozio ’16 and Jessica D. Sozio. He loved the outdoors and after being

special reunion ambassador for his 50th Reunion in 2009, the same year he received Hun’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. The following year, he joined the Board of Trustees, serving until 2019. During his tenure, the real estate powerhouse shared his expertise as a member of the Real Estate and Facilities Committee. In addition, Mr. Horwich sponsored three Chicago-area Hun students through the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund. As a trustee of the scholarship fund, he facilitated Hun’s relationship with the organization, but he also went beyond that, offering ongoing personal care and support for the students by taking them out when he was in Princeton, meeting with them in Chicago, and supporting their college aspirations. In 2020, the Board unanimously voted to name Mr. Horwich a Trustee Emeritus.

Mr. Horwich is survived by his wife, Vicki; two children, Jamie and Douglas; and two grandchildren, Lyla and Zoe.

diagnosed with cancer for the second time, he retired early. He purchased his dream boat, named it “Feelin’ the Healin,” and spent much of his time aboard, fishing and celebrating life with friends and family.

IN MEMORIAM

“Every time he turned on those engines with my mom, sister, and I by his side, you could see his signature smile and feel just how happy he was to be spending time on the water with his family,” his son Matthew wrote on Facebook (shared here with his permission). “After getting the news [of his second cancer diagnosis], my Dad continued to live his life to the fullest, even more so than he already did.”

F. Kevin Tylus ’73

Trustee Emeritus and former Board Chair F. Kevin Tylus ’73 passed away on December 16, 2022 after an extended illness. In addition to being a respected business and community leader, he was a dedicated and generous donor and volunteer for the School for more than three decades.

Mr. Tylus was active on behalf of Hun since the early nineties, first with the Middle School, then as a member of the Parents’ Association. He was a member of the Board of Trustees from 2005 to 2014, serving both as vice chair (2009–2011) and chair (2011–2014). During this time, he was a member of the Head of School Search Committee, and then the chair of the Head of School Transition Committee for current Head of School Jon Brougham. He also contributed to the vision and success of the Wilf Family Global Commons initiative. In February 2017, the Board named him a Trustee Emeritus.

In 2017, Mr. Tylus served as chair of the Endowment Study Group, which led the StrengtHUNbounded Capital Campaign that raised more than

After the loss of a friend and colleague in 2018, Mr. Sozio wrote that “life truly is short, and I encourage everyone to enjoy your life while you still can. Visit with your family more, or go out and enjoy your hobbies, whatever makes you happy because we never really know when it’s our time.”

$26 million. He was inducted into Hun’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998, received the Meritorious Service Award in 2001, was named a Distinguished Alumnus in 2007, and received the John Gale Hun Medal in 2014.

Mr. Tylus also created a family legacy of Hun students, from his four children — Megan Tylus McNally ’99, associate director of admission; Lindsey Tylus Lively ‘01; Kelsey Tylus Testa ’05; and Kevin Tylus ’05 — to two of his grandchildren, Addison ’26 and Tyler ’28. Mr. Tylus is survived by his wife, Ginger; his four children, their spouses; and twelve grandchildren.

Arthur Houghton Wright H’14

Retired Hun Custodian Supervisor Arthur Wright H’14 passed away on March 6th. He served The Hun School for forty-nine years, from 1965 to 2014, making him one of the School’s longest-serving employees, and held many roles, including custodian, custodial supervisor, nighttime security, and assistant director of athletics support services. Mr. Wright was perhaps best known as the embodiment of Hun’s “joyful spirit.”

During Mr. Wright’s long tenure, he worked under seven different heads of school and witnessed numerous School milestones, including the transition to a coeducational institution in 1971 and the return of Middle School education in 1973.

Mr. Wright helped to create a welcoming and comfortable campus, not only in the upkeep of the grounds and buildings, but in his affection for all members of the community. He forged many lasting relationships with students, colleagues, parents, and alums because of his outgoing personality and positive presence.

The School recognized Mr. Wright with the Meritorious Service Award for outstanding service in 1991, and again in 1995. In 2005, the School celebrated his fortieth anniversary of employment with a surprise allSchool assembly for the Arthur Wright Day of Recognition, which included a tribute video and numerous testimonials read aloud by students.

In 2009, Mr. Wright was named an honorary alumnus and was recognized not just for his service to the School, but to those outside the School. He often collected clothing and food to give to those experiencing difficult times, and shared that with others not for praise or recognition, but simply to remind others that they, too, can make a difference in another person’s life.

In Memory of...

Eugene Freda ’48

Thistle Barr ’51

John Beyersdorf ’59

Don Reynolds ’59

Thomas Horwich ’59

Louis D’Ambrosio ’60

Eric Adler ’67

Scott McCullough ’68

Alan Levine ’71

Bob Bacso ’72

John D’Antonio ’72

F. Kevin Tylus ’73

Elisabeth Mott DesCombes ’77

Roger Baker ’81

Martin Eichelberger ’87

David Wallace ’92

Maxim Alkon ’96

Daniel Milstein ’07

Arthur Wright H’14

Arthur Ballen

Father of Leigh Ballen ’88

Mary V. Bell

Mother of Corley M. Bell ’07

Melinda Burton

Mother of Meris Burton Sullivan ’98

Linda Finkle

Former Hun School assistant director of admissions

Barry Frost

Father of Max Frost ’25

Stephen Gorman

Husband of Richard Cytowic ’70

Alice Greco

Mother of Marcia Greco Kane ’79 and Paul Greco ’88

Chauncey Hill

Father of Ken Hill ’86

Brian Heaphy

Father of Aidan Heaphy ’26 and Ally Heaphy ’27

Karl F. Kettler

Father of Heidi Kettler ’91

Phyllis Ruth Kopp

Mother of Stephanie Hantman Silbiger ’91

William Kostrub, Sr.

Father of Bill Kostrub ’81

Bill Lisle

Father of Sophie Lisle ’23

Hector Lopez

Father of Leila Lopez ’23 and Lara Lopez ’28

Marti Lovering

daughter of Marsden Peabody ’30, mother of Ron Lovering ’75, Tim Lovering ’82 and grandmother of Ryan Lovering ’08

Judith Lynch

Mother of John Lynch ’00

Jana Rudnick

Mother of Luke Rudnick ’04

Connie Simon

Mother of Denise Simon, Hun School controller

Matt Sozio

Former maintenance supervisor, and father of Matt Sozio ’16

Joann Stevenson

Mother of Ken Stevenson ’82, grandmother of Campbell Stevenson ’08, Connor Stevenson ’11, and Tucker Stevenson ’15

Dave Tyme

Father of Drae Tyme ’25

Anthony Trombino

Father of Chris Trombino ’07

Meredith Lee Wheaton

Former Hun School English teacher and coordinator of counseling services, Mother of Anne MacKenzie ’77, David Wheaton ’80, Ruth Nehlig ’81, Matthew Wheaton ’83, Seth Wheaton ’85, mother in law of Allison Wheaton ’80, and Jim Nehlig, Hun School health and physical education teacher, grandmother of Taylor Nehlig ’15, James Nehlig ’17, Kendall Nehlig ’19, and Leston Nehlig ’19

Mary Jane Williams

former director of parent relations, mother of Chris Williams ’02 and Lauren Williams ’04

PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Planned gifts come in all shapes and sizes, and they are an easy way for you to leave a lasting legacy at Hun.

“From the teaching staff to the course material, the unique learning environment and my wonderful ’88 classmates, everything I encountered at The Hun School was formative and most certainly instrumental in making me the person I am today. My wife Cynthia and I are proud to help provide this same experience to future Hun students.”

— Derek ruetsch ’88

As a member of the John Gale Hun Society, you can rest assured that your tax-deductible gift will help future generations of Hun Raiders.

To learn more about making a planned gift that is right for you, please contact Lisa A. Marin, JD ’83, director of alumni engagement and planned gifts lisamarin@hunschool.org | (609) 921-7600, extension 2130

HUNSCHOOL.MYPLANNEDGIFT.ORG

The Parents’ Association at The Hun School helps to create meaningful connections between Hun families while supporting the School through events, communications, service, and fundraising. We hope to see you at our events throughout the year!

WE ARE ALL FAMILY AT HUN!

If you are interested in volunteering, want to learn more about events and initiatives, or simply want to connect with other Hun parents, please contact Jeannette Maddalon, Assistant Director of Parent Engagement and Events at jeannettemaddalon@hunschool.org

THE HUN SCHOOL OF PRINCETON

Hun’s Black Alumni Network (HBAN), spearheaded by Dana Hughes Moorhead ’95, Rashawn Glenn ’92, and Arnold Lewis ’79, hosted the first annual “Offer and Ask” event at Homecoming and Parents Weekend. Students shared their passions and aspirations, creating space for parents and alums to offer professional connections and mentorship.