Kimball Union Magazine Fall/Winter 2024

Kimball Union

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Contents Features

Food Is a KUA Family Affair

Three alumni share their culinary passion projects.

40 Years of the Cullman Scholars Program

The Cullman Scholars Program provides hundreds of KUA students with off-campus opportunities to explore global and environmental issues.

“I believe seeing and listening is a way for people to get to know a culture.”

—YUXUAN LI ’24 

Departments

7 HEAD OF SCHOOL

8 VOICES: HEARD FROM STUDENTS AND FACULTY

Hilltop

10 NEWS FROM CAMPUS

18 SPORTS OVERVIEW

20 ARTS OVERVIEW

22 COMMUNITY VOICES

Connect

32 REUNIONS

34 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

36 CLASS NOTES

39 OBITUARIES

41 LAST WORD

EDITOR

TRICIA MCKEON

Director of Marketing and Communications

Kimball Union

EDITORIAL DESIGN

WENDY MCMILLAN ’78, P’09, ’11 McMillan Design

COPY EDITOR

THERESA D’ORSI

PHOTOGRAPHY

Eli Burakian

Courtney Cania

Roy Knight P’10

Luke Miller ’24

Victor Mojica

CONTRIBUTORS

Theresa D’Orsi, Dorothy England, Tricia McKeon, Anna Olson

Jen Rexford P'26 '27

Stacey Summerfield

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

OFFICERS

MOLLY BOURNE STEFFEY ’92 P’20 ’22

Board Chair Hanover, NH

KARLA RADKE P’21 Vice Chair New York, NY

GLENN POGUST, JD P’13 Secretary New London, NH

PETER SCHIEFFELIN ’96

Treasurer Jamestown, RI

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP

DAVID ALLYN ’86, P’17 ’25 Skaneateles, NY

DAVID BARRETTE ’05 Hanover, NH

JENNIFER BORISLOW ’78 P’07 ’10 Methuen, MA

NEERAJ GARG P’25 New York, NY

ROBIN GRONLUND ’81 P’11 Shelburne, VT

VIVA HARDIGG P’21 ’23 Hanover, NH

SCOTT HAMNER P’25 Norwich, VT

EDWARD G. HILD ’88, J.D. Washington, DC

DONALD LOWERY ’73 New York, NY

KEITH MILNE ’05 Hanover, NH

CLYDE NEVILLE P’20 ’22 Dracut, MA

SHELDON STANSFIELD ’11 Lyme, NH

JADI TAVERAS ’03 Haverhill, MA

STEPHEN TAYLOR Meriden, NH

CHRISTOPHER P. YOSHIDA ’96 New York, NY

KIMBALL UNION MAGAZINE

Head of School

“Our work is connecting with and meeting the needs of our students.”

Boundless Spirit

If you have not been up to campus in a while, well—where do I start? The most important thing to understand is that you should be prepared to be toppled over with spirit if school is in session. From the ceremonial opening of school, when our community collectively belted out the lyrics to the alma mater, to the packed sidelines our teams have enjoyed all year and the lively way our students are embracing every challenge as an opportunity, it is a fantastic time to be at Kimball Union Academy.

Each year, our student leaders have an outsized impact on school culture. This year’s group has embraced that opportunity and stitched us together in meaningful ways. At a time when the world is grappling with division, our students chose to focus on their relationships with one another as a foundation for understanding and supporting each other. Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and other faiths are all represented in our community, and our students actively embrace ways to build relationships and understanding across differences. We are grounded in knowing that our work is connecting with and meeting the needs of our students. Living out our values means accepting the responsibility of creating a place where others can find their sense of belonging, which leads to the privilege of all of us feeling that foundational assurance and strength.

We also feel the excitement of living out a year amid KUA’s largest new construction project in more than 30 years. It not only fills us with anticipation for the opening of the new dorms but has also allowed us to explore the educational value of the work. From the architecture, design, and construction phases of the project to the “net-zero”

efficiency of the structure, we are putting our words to action in a building that will live out our mission in the way it builds community, drives curiosity, and models a sustainable future.

Exploring beyond campus, we joined our fellow Global Alliance for Innovative Learning (GAIL) schools for the first time since 2019 to rekindle our annual global conference. Along with our 10 student delegates and two faculty “champions,” I traveled this fall to New Zealand, where we connected with new friends from around the world and finalized the plans for our next conference, later this year in the Amazon rainforest of Peru. Additionally, our Cullman Scholars canvased the globe, and you can find first-person accounts of these experiences in this edition of the magazine. As well, we recently marked the passion of Hugh Cullman ’42, the benefactor who positively impacted the lives of so many KUA students during the past 40 years.

I hope the amazing progress and accomplishments on so many fronts will come alive for you in the pages that follow. Steep in the joy of our NEPSAC playoff and championship teams through these pages or come to campus and see the spring versions of excellence on display on our fields and arena, in Flickinger, and throughout our classrooms and campus.

We hope to see you soon up on The Hilltop. K

TYLER LEWIS Head of School

Voices

HEARD FROM STUDENTS AND FACULTY

Poetry in Motion

Students in KUA’s ninth-grade program, Nine by Design, found their voices in January by participating in the Kimball Union Poetry Out Loud competition, with five finalists reciting poems they selected before their classmates. As part of the national Poetry Out Loud dynamic recitation competition, students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. The school champion—Ellicott Smith ’27—now moves on to the regional competition. Here, the finalists and the organizers share more about their selections and the process.

“Poetry Out Loud allows not only the speakers of the poems to immerse themselves in poetry, but also the audience: It builds community by asking all of us to sit and listen and take in great art through the voices of our peers.”

JENNIFER BLUE P’24 ’26 English Department Chair

“I chose the poem ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ by Robert Frost because it sparked my interest in a walk in the snow. This poem reminds me of the winter season, one of my favorite seasons because seeing white everywhere brings me joy. I chose this poem because of the imagery each line represents. Even though it’s just about seven words, I can picture exactly what it says.”

THOMAS DOHERTY ’27

“Poetry is a way of communication. It is a way of speaking and thinking artfully and with specific intentions. Poetry is often overlooked as an art, but it can be used to write down thoughts in a way that is different from a structured paragraph. I love poetry because I can communicate with others in a way that shows emotion and thought.”

ELLA DAHLSTROM ’27

“For this contest, I chose the poem ‘Silence’ because I like quiet poems. It describes a large variety of things, but it doesn’t make it seem loud. Instead of loud energetic poems, I prefer to read and act out quiet poems. It’s also very interesting to act out all the things the poem describes. I hear loneliness in the poem and the tone is hollow. It’s a quiet, slow poem with a lot of pauses.”

YIN “ANGELA” SHEN ’27

“I chose the poem ‘Listening in Deep Space’ by Diane Thiel because of its display of literary devices and a personal connection. I was looking in the anthology for a poem capturing some of our current world issues, but none spoke to me. After seeing this poem, which summarizes how humans are searching for life in space when we have yet to discover ourselves and our fellow people, I want to perform it to inspire people to think about this problem we are facing.”

GRACE WEINSTEIN ’27

“The Poetry Out Loud competition perfectly exemplifies the Nine by Design program at work. Public speaking is not easy; in this project, students are asked to step outside their comfort zones. However, due to the supportive environment fostered since day one, ninth-graders take that leap knowing they are held by their teachers, peers, and advisors. It is an intentional challenge that they are ready to tackle head-on.”

MICHELE WINHAM P’25 Ninth-Grade Dean

“The peace of a world without us in it draws me into the poem. Once I started hunting for anaphora, I did not have to hunt long, as it is the word when, carrying deep meaning as Cindy Juyoung Ok imagines a world that is imminent instead of possible. You and I connect later in the poem, forming a sort of reunion. I also love the imagery of crawling through the highway pieces, as one of my favorite hobbies is exploring the woods, and I know the feeling of emerging in a place completely changed, be it from storm, drought, or winter. I believe that I will be able to inspire love for our planet in the hearts of those who hear it.”

ELLICOTT

SMITH ’27

Hilltop

NEWS FROM CAMPUS

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Michelle Chang ’24

Countless studies show the toll Covid-19 took on the daily life of teenagers. Today, students are still untangling many of the social, emotional, and health issues presented during the pandemic.

“My sophomore year didn’t go well after Covid,” says Chang. “I wanted a completely new start.”

At the time, the Cleveland native was attending a prestigious all-girls school close to home. Although Chang was well-matched with the rigor of the school’s academic program, she was unhappy with its highly competitive nature and craved a stronger sense of community. At the same time, she was logging long hours as a competitive figure skater at the ice rink, where she felt her love of the sport was turning toxic. Chang jumped at the chance to make a fresh start as a boarding student at Kimball Union.

“I try to stay away from being competitive because that was my downfall at my last school,” she says of her KUA experience. “We were competing down to every grade and grade-point average. You were hoping for others’ downfall, and in life that’s not going to be helpful.”

Profoundly aware of unhealthy competition, she embraces every opportunity to help those around her find success. Although most students utilize their free blocks during the academic day to study or rest, Chang provides peer tutoring in math and writing. At an admission open house last spring, two seniors credited her—then a junior—with their academic success and path toward college.

She’s the one who truly benefits, she says. “It was a way to reach out to connect with others around me. I didn’t know many people my first year, and in my junior year I wanted to expand my group and meet new people. It was a moment I could offer my abilities and make that a starting connection. I also ended up getting closer to

teachers I never had a class with by working with the teachers of those I tutor.”

Now in her third year, Chang is quite a recognizable face around campus. In her first semester, she signed up for theater tech hoping for a “chill” afternoon activity. When the theater director required everyone on and off stage to audition, Chang—with no previous experience—landed the lead. She has performed in major roles in all the plays and musicals since.

Chang also plays on the girls varsity tennis team; performs with the Dance and Vocal Ensembles; volunteers as a service leader, library monitor, Orange Key tour guide, and yearbook editor; leads the Hip-Hop and K-Pop Dance Clubs; and last year served as the student representative to Academic Council.

“I think there’s a lot of space here for student-driven opportunities,” Chang says of KUA. “A lot of resources are provided for me and teachers are willing to listen to me, participate with me, and guide me on the path I’m on right now.”

Despite her busy schedule, care for others continues to guide her. She says she was drawn to Penny Fellowship, KUA’s community service club, and particularly its Holiday Senior Luncheon, which this year brought more than 90 senior citizens to campus for lunch and fellowship. “It’s crazy how rewarding it feels to make an impact on other people’s lives,” she says.

With all her interests and pursuits, Chang is unsure what she’d like to pursue in college and is applying undecided. “I don’t feel I excel at one certain thing. For me, hard work can make anything happen. If I put in hard work and dedication, it will reap some type of result. It’s really empowering to see everyone working toward their goals and it gives you this energy. A community of people doing stuff together makes doing hard stuff easier.” K

“It’s crazy how rewarding it feels to make an impact on other people’s lives.” —MICHELLE CHANG ’24

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BRICKS AND MORTAR A Celebration of Living and Learning

39

Bottles

9 Students spent two weeks in New Zealand for the Global Alliance for Innovative Learning (GAIL) Conference

The October meeting of the Board of Trustees concluded with a Celebration of Construction of the residential life project taking shape at Kilton and Welch Residential Halls. Guests toured the construction site of two dorms and three attached faculty homes, taking in the completed skeleton of the new dormitory attached to Kilton that will welcome students this fall.

The project, made possible through leadership donors and including every trustee, has been steadily progressing with the structures rising along Main Street.

“We prioritized the Kilton-Welch project over other capital expenditures in direct response to feedback from faculty, students, and families,” says Molly Bourne Steffey ’92 P’20 ’22, board chair. “The design of the buildings creates community centers within the dorms for our students and provides much needed on-campus faculty housing.”

The residences also serve as the model for sustainable construction and operation. They will operate with increased efficiency and without the use of fossil fuels. With geothermal wells and solar panels installed, they will operate as net-negative buildings—generating more energy than they demand. By December, the new framing and exterior geothermal well piping system—a first-of-its-kind energy system for KUA—was completed. “It’s not just about the physical expansion of our campus,” says Jennifer Borislow ’78 P’07 ’10. “It’s also about nurturing the heart of our community.” K

of hot sauce in the employee lounge refrigerator

Hilltop

RECHARGE

Summer

Sabbatical

New

program supports passion projects.

If you were granted the opportunity, time, and resources to pursue a personal or professional interest, what would you choose? Thanks to a new program, a few KUA faculty each year will have the opportunity to chase their passions or tick off an item on their bucket lists.

The KUA Summer Sabbatical, launched in 2023, allows three faculty members each year to explore an extended, immersive experience that

will support and energize their work and relationships with students and colleagues. An anonymous gift to the Academy provides faculty with grants of up to $8,000 to fuel their curiosity outside the academic year.

“Our hope is that the sabbatical experience will enrich our faculty members holistically, giving an opportunity to lean into their well-being while strengthening their work at KUA as they carry out our mission,” says Dean of Faculty Julie Haskell P’13. “This is a wonderful way for our faculty to really recharge their batteries and pursue a passion project.”

Three inaugural faculty members—History Teacher John Custer P’02 ’05, Ceramics Teacher Ursula Fries-Herfort P’14 ’17, and Director

of Studies and Academic Support Anne Peterson—were selected during the last academic year and pursued sabbaticals during the summer.

JOHN CUSTER

The past became present for Custer as he traveled on an emotional journey to Lockerbie, Scotland, in search of peace after the tragic death of a college friend. In December 1988, the terrorist bombing of Pan-Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie claimed 270 lives, including that of Nicholas Bright. Custer spent time in the small Scottish town and visited Tundergarth Church, the revered site overlooking the field where the nose cone wreckage and Bright’s body was found. “I can’t explain why

FACULTY

NEW PATHS Custer, left, traveled to Scotland while Fries-Herfort landed in Italy.

ANNE PETERSON

I felt so strongly that I needed to travel to Lockerbie and see his final resting place for myself,” Custer said. “But I have felt that urge since the bombing and am very grateful to KUA for giving me the final push to make plans and go.”

URSULA FRIES-HERFORT

A recognized ceramicist, Fries-Herfort followed her lifelong passion for the craft. She began by exploring Iceland, where she drew inspiration from the country’s natural beauty, before landing in Italy. She enrolled in La Meridiana International School of Ceramics, set in a restored 17th-century farmhouse in Tuscany, working alongside fellow artists crafting pottery in a firing process called raku. Between courses she absorbed the Tuscan countryside and nearby villages. “There’s something amazing about being in companionship with other potters with the same, shared purpose; it’s energizing and fills your cup,” she says.

ANNE PETERSON

After caring for an elderly mother with cancer, Peterson sought the benefits of meditation to improve her mood and focus. With no established practice and little experience, she shed distractions and technology to learn meditative practices and Buddhism through a weeklong silent retreat at Spirit Rock Retreat Center outside San Francisco. Peterson then joined her family to explore the California redwoods. “While I can’t say I experienced a profound sense of my eternal self, I did get a front-row seat to the multitude of distractions my brain likes to produce,” she says. “I am a little more protective of what I expose my mind to in terms of media and conversations with others.” K

“This is a wonderful way for our faculty to really recharge their batteries.”

—DEAN OF FACULTY JULIE HASKELL

OBJECT LESSON

Timeless Entries

800

What was it like to be a young student on The Hilltop as the 20th century approached? Mary Westgate, Class of 1899, offers us a glimpse inside that experience through her journal, which resides in the KUA archives. In short entries, recorded in neat cursive, she documented day-by-day accounts of her time in the Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavour, her moments and exchanges with friends, and even made passing mention of classes. “Helen + I drove to the village after mail. Allen + I came to Meriden with Maude, Helen, Mr. B. and Davis,” she wrote on January 24, 1898. “Grace and I got up quite early, 5.30 to study. Not called on our Vergil, twice in French and almost flunked in Geometry. I didn’t go out after four tonight,” she wrote the following day. Born in Plainfield, Westgate and her husband—Harold Chellis, Class of 1894—resided in Meriden, where she ran the switchboard for the Meriden Telephone Co. for at least 50 years. K

300

Cookies baked by KUA for the CHaD Hero Race to support the programs at Dartmouth Health Children’s

Marshmallows toasted and consumed on the camping trip

Bananas sutured in the anatomy and physiology honors class

Now Boarding

The Class of 2020

Kimball Union Academy remains a top choice for families seeking a robust educational experience where students can find a true sense of belonging. This academic year saw the largest entering cohort in recent history, with 144 new students arriving on The Hilltop from around the globe.

687 Students interviewed for a space at Kimball Union

340

Students enrolled

• 261 Boarding

• 79 Day

Number of countries represented on the Hilltop.

The Office of Admission invites you—or families you may know—to learn about the opportunities that await students at KUA. With Covid-19 protocols mostly behind us, campus visits are up 78 percent. Book a tour with an Orange Key tour guide or join us for our Spring Open House. Contact us at admission@kua. org or (603) 469-2100.

Spring Open House 9 a.m. Saturday, May 18

.

“We also learned about diversity through a more experiential lens.” —HUNTER NESBITT ’24

FIRST PERSON

A Global Perspective

Immersion in New Zealand’s culture expands students’ view of diversity.

On a Friday morning in September, I joined nine other students and three faculty members in a KUA bus bound for JFK Airport. We were about to embark on a 36-hour journey to New Zealand’s north island for the Global Alliance for Innovative Learning (GAIL) conference. The trip would take us halfway around the world and help us grow as global citizens.

GAIL is a consortium of eight schools from eight geographically dispersed countries designed to create and inform cross-cultural awareness across school communities. This year’s conference was hosted by the Kristin School outside Auckland.

Upon our arrival, we plunged into things, socializing with other students and visiting one of New Zealand’s famous black sand beaches. The week was filled with vibrant cultural offerings, lively discussions, and engaging team-building exercises around the theme of diversity. There were discussions and seminars that dealt with ideas of diversity more intellectually and moments of reflection in which we discussed how diversity is celebrated or threatened in our home communities.

We also learned about diversity through a more experiential lens. The Maori, New Zealand’s native people, play an important role in the island’s identity. We participated in a traditional welcoming ceremony hosted by an older Maori couple and a group of young adults in the process of rebuilding their lives after various troubles. Engaging in this way with New Zealand’s native culture gave me a deeper connection to the people and the land around me.

Before we knew it, the week was over. We said our final goodbyes to new friends, hugging and promising to stay in touch. At many points during the conference, the energy and freedom of expression was almost overwhelming. GAIL strengthened my faith in the good of people and our global society. In one short week, we had made meaningful connections with people from all sorts of different backgrounds and geographic regions.

Two lessons stand out. First, nothing unites the world more than dance, song, and soccer (or is it football—this was a common debate around the lunch tables). Second, the GAIL conference is an example of what is needed in education. In a world full of prejudice and narrow mindedness, the only solution is to challenge ourselves to listen closely and earnestly to voices with which we are unfamiliar and to expose ourselves to cultures we are yet to know. K

GLOBAL CITIZEN

Hunter Nesbitt ’24 (center) is a Global Scholar from Grantham, New Hampshire, who went to New Zealand to attend the Global Alliance for Innovative Learning conference.

Hilltop

CAMPUS LIFE

We Made This

Across campus signs of creativity abound as students and faculty take a DIY approach to activities inside and outside the classroom. “Made by KUA” is a badge of honor—from the artistic work around campus to the food we eat.

1. Wisdom Badgett ’26 made a clay wheel-thrown bowl with a water-activated decal in intermediate ceramics class.

2. The sustainability class used the hydroponic system in the greenhouse to grow Swiss chard, which was sauteed with lemon and garlic and served as a side dish in Doe Dining Hall.

3. Art Department Chair Riley Adams and the Theater Tech crew painted the back wall of the set that served as a focal point for the Winter Musical, Chicago

4. Blaine Kopp, Louis Munro Chair of Environmental Science, and Luke Clarner ’24 sculpted a great horned owl out of a block of ice on a frosty afternoon outside of Barrette Campus Center.

5. Members of the One Love Club created posters to raise awareness around campus about the importance of healthy relationships.

The Theater Tech crew painted the set that served as a focal point for the Winter Musical, Chicago.

2

Hilltop

SPORTS

Team Scores Championship

Tri-captains bring sense of cohesion to boys varsity soccer.

There was much to celebrate at the close of the fall season as the boys varsity soccer team brought home the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class B Championship on November 18. The team, which went 15-6-1 for the season, captured the title with a 3-2 win over Noble & Greenough.

Head Coach Charles Muhlauri P’14 ’17 ’23 ’24, who took over the program three years ago, says the win speaks to teamwork. “Our drive is not always to win a game but to be able to compete with good sportsmanship from the first second of the game to the last,” he says. “We focus on our performance because we can’t always control the game.”

Muhlauri’s strategy is paying off. This season, the team won its third Lakes Region League title and made its third appearance at the NEPSAC tournament.

“Coaching is important, but it’s not the only element in winning games,” says Muhlauri. “It’s a team sport, and success comes from all over campus. From the classroom to the trainers—we all play a role in helping these athletes play at their highest peak. This year I think all

the pieces fell into place at the right time.”

Team captains Andi Muhlauri ’24, Cabot McLaren ’24, and Sixten Nowlan ’24 helped bring that sense of cohesion to the field. The three reunited at KUA as freshmen after playing together with the Lightning Soccer Club during grade school where Coach Muhlauri served as director of coaching.

“The team chemistry this year has been the best,” says Nowlan. “We worked as one throughout all the games, which is really nice.”

Players this year represented states from across the United States, Japan, Germany, and Ghana along with student-athletes with backgrounds from Kenya, Somalia, and Zimbabwe. “You have so many kids from so many backgrounds with a common purpose,” says Coach Muhlauri. “It really speaks to the strength of the players that we’re competing against schools three-to-four times our size.”

Although the team will see a number of seniors continue to play at the collegiate level at schools such as Dartmouth, UNH, and Franklin Pierce, Muhlauri is eager for next year’s season. K

TOURNAMENTS

PLACED FIRST

Cross-country runner Isabelle LeBreton ’27 placed first in the Lakes Region League while the girls crosscountry team placed second overall in the league for teams. LeBreton was among the top 10 finishers in the NEPSTA Championship.

Both the girls varsity soccer and varsity field hockey teams advanced to the semifinal rounds of their fall 2023 NEPSAC tournaments in November.

WON

The boys varsity hockey team won the 58th Annual FloodMarr Tournament in December with a 5-2 match against Salisbury. Jack Sadowski ’24 was named tournament MVP and Sam LeDrew ’24 and Blake McMeniman ’25 made the all-tournament team.

“Our drive is not always to win a game but to be able to compete with good sportsmanship from the first second of the game to the last.”

—COACH CHARLES MUHLAURI

LET’S CELEBRATE

“The team chemistry this year has been the best.”

—Sixten Nowlan ’24

HONORED John Homon ’64 was named one of six members of the U.S. Track & Field Coaches Association Coaches Hall of Fame Class of 2023. Homon served as the track-and-field and cross-country head coach at Mount Union for 33 years.

SIGNED The Boston Celtics signed Nathan Knight ’16 in October after the forward/center played the preseason with the New York Knicks.

Hilltop

THE ARTS

Countering Misconceptions

Yuxuan Li ’24 uses music to set the tone in her documentary.

Since her arrival at KUA, Yuxuan Li ’24 has been seeking her identity as a scholar. Is she a STEM scholar or a humanities student? Is there a place for her artistic talents in either of these two disciplines? One evening, while watching a BBC documentary, a quote from Leonardo da Vinci illuminated her path: “Realize that everything connects to everything else.”

It was then that Li understood that her identity—and her academic path—was nonbinary. She could combine her talents and passions in ways that helped her find meaning and purpose in the world.

Li, a native of Shanxi, China, is spending her culminating year as an Art Scholar working on a documentary she hopes will counter misconceptions that China is ethnically homogeneous. Her film will focus on China’s largest ethnic minority who reside in Inner Mongolia, an autonomous region of the People’s Republic of China.

“I feel this work is not just about China or Chinese ethnic minorities, it’s about learning more about ethnic minorities around the world,” she says. “I want to inspire people to learn about other cultures and other traditions.”

Li says her documentary will use music as a foundation to set the tone for the history, culture, and traditions of the Mongol people. “I believe seeing and listening is a way for people to get to know a culture,” she adds.

She began the project in summer 2023 in Inner Mongolia; she returned there during

her winter break to complete filming after making connections with teachers and students at a local university. While there, she explored museums and civic sites before venturing further afield to meet musicians who demonstrated traditional songs and shared traditional Mongolian instruments such as the matouqin, a bowed stringed instrument. Li is currently engaged in the daunting task of any filmmaker—editing her footage and determining the story line.

“I believe that combining visual and audio will impress upon people’s long-term memory and leave a lasting impression,” says Li, a musician herself. At KUA, she participates in jazz band and chamber orchestra and joined choir and theater after learning more about Western music during her time in the United States.

Li will present her final project at the Art Scholar capstone presentations at the end of the academic year before she graduates and looks ahead to college where she now understands that she can connect various disciplines to her studies. After taking AP Computer Science at KUA and completing a summer computer science course at Columbia University, she hopes to major in computer science, applying her skills in programming to a field such as history or culture. “My time at Columbia University exposed me to professionals in the field and showed me it’s not about just data and programming, but we can apply it to so many places.” K

DIGITAL CANVAS

Zizhu “Elena” Wang ’24 won numerous awards in the Scholastic Art Awards and her digital painting Youth won best in show and will compete at the National Scholastic Art Show.

Dancers attended the Vermont State Dance Festival hosted by the Lyndon Institute to participate in workshops led by master teachers and see performances.

“I want to inspire people to learn about other cultures and other traditions.”

—YUXUAN LI ’24

CAPSTONE

HONORS

ON STAGE

Four students won honorable mention in the AVA Gallery’s Annual High School Exhibition in the categories of wearable art, drawing, mixed media, and painting.

VISTING ARTISTS

Spark Movement

Collective visited campus to work with the Art Scholar Program and Dance II students on repertoire and choreography and performed two fulllength works.

“Combining visual and audio will impress upon people’s long-term memory,” says Li.

The KUA Theater Department presented Chicago as the 2024 Winter Musical after opening the year with the play Eurydice (at right).

New dean of diversity, equity, and inclusion provides opportunities to engage.

“A Community Where People Belong”

Matthew Williams arrived on The Hilltop last summer to take on the newly created role of dean of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Troubled by racism and antisemitism he and his friends encountered while in college, Williams felt called to help others create spaces where everyone’s opinions, backgrounds, and beliefs are celebrated. At KUA, the West Philadelphia native leads efforts to create those spaces for all members of the community. He also teaches English and serves as a dorm parent in Densmore Hall. Prior to KUA, he worked in teaching and DEI roles at Lawrence Academy and the White Mountain School.

Here, he shares his aspirations for the Academy.

Tell us about your role. My role is to provide mirror experiences for the diversity of the people we have here so students feel their identities, their culture, and their ideologies are reflected. At the same time, we can provide window opportunities for students to engage with other people’s ideologies, cultures, and backgrounds. I get to celebrate the diversity here and highlight the ways in which the school has created a community where people feel they can belong.

At KUA, creating a sense of belonging is part of the mission. How does the school put that into practice? Belonging is a goal. It’s something we work toward. We must do DEI and justice first before we get to belonging. Belonging is making sure that everyone sits at the table and that there’s something that everyone can eat and drink and enjoy at the table. This year, my role is to figure out what belonging means for our community. That’s important because many schools use these terms broadly but don’t understand it in the context of their communities. I appreciate that we’re defining the term, because we can say what it means to belong at KUA—how does it work, what makes it unique and special here. It’s something we’re intentionally defining so we’re proactively thinking about how we can continue to build spaces where everyone feels they’re included.

What was the starting point for your work around DEI?

I started working with employees, and I was impressed by how many people were curious, engaged, and ready to lean into uncomfortable conversations and moments where they can show up for our students. I do a lot of intentional work in equipping faculty members with

new skills and expose them to new topics so students feel their trusted adults have the skills to support them. Many faculty members take their skills and teach them to their students so they, too, are equipped to have difficult conversations with their peers.

What are you seeing within our campus community?

I think my role has been embraced. I’ve been at many schools where this work is performative. The thing I found at KUA is a deep commitment to making this work, so it becomes embedded in everything we do. It’s built into the traditions and is something I believe the school is committed to and will highlight and showcase even more.

How are students engaging in this work?

Our students are equally engaged and curious and excited to participate in programming that represents different communities and backgrounds. We hosted salsa dancing as part of Hispanic Heritage Month, and it brought out one of the most eclectic groups of students for an entire hour of laughing and dancing and kids who were vulnerable to this experience connected to Hispanic culture. I’m impressed by the ways they are engaged and leaning in and trying new experiences.

Alumni are an important part of the KUA family. How do you see alumni engaging in DEI work at the Academy?

One of the biggest things alumni will see is that I’m trying thoughtfully and intentionally to scaffold and systematize things related to DEI. I want to put the systems in place for whoever is doing this work so people are aligned on systems and not individuals and they can last. We need to build traditions embedded in the school culture. This fall, I had a conversation with alumni over Zoom. A lot of alumni expressed that the school didn’t always show up for them in the ways they wanted. I first apologized and made a promise to them that the reason the board and the school brought me on was to make sure those things don’t continue. I want to keep working with alumni, particularly around affinity spaces, to understand what happened in the past so those things won’t happen again and so we can make sure future generations have a different experience. I’d encourage alumni to get involved in affinity spaces, reach out to talk to me, and give me information to pull from so we can connect their experiences with current student experiences and create ways to make it better. K

“I was impressed by how many people were curious, engaged, and ready to lean into uncomfortable conversations.” —MATTHEW WILLIAMS

THE GOAL

“Belonging…is something we work toward,” says the DEI dean.

FOOD IS A KUA FAMILY AFFAIR

3 ALUMNI SHARE THEIR CULINARY PASSION PROJECTS

A HOT COMMODITY

AMES RUSSELL ’76 BRINGS A LITTLE HEAT TO THE TABLE.

Ames Russell grew up drizzling honey on his fried chicken. As he acquired a taste for spicy, hot sauce or red pepper flakes joined the mix. Using a squeeze bottle to cut down on the mess, Russell experimented with blends, coming up with a punchy but sweet concoction the family started drizzling on pizza, tacos, and avocado toast.

His AR’s Hot Southern Honey started finding a place on tables across Virginia in 2016, after he gave a batch to friends as Christmas gifts. “In about March, people started calling me asking where they could get more,” he says. “That’s when I decided I had to figure this out.”

The Richmond-based sales executive turned his focus to retail shelves, restaurants, and a website (hotsouthernhoney.com). His creations now appear on honey, nut butter, and jam shelves

“ THERE’S NOTHING MORE FUN THAN SEEING THE DELIGHT PEOPLE EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY TASTE MY PRODUCT.”

in grocery chains across Virginia—Wegmans, Publix, Food Lion, and Kroger—and have grown to include clove and wildflower honeys, a peach hot sauce (with honey, of course), spicy honey peanut butter, and wildflower honey peanut butter.

Along the way, Russell has garnered awards and collaborators. Richmond Magazine named AR’s Hot Southern Honey the 2019 Product of the Year—“a local food purveyor the rest of the nation should know about”—and Foodboro reports Russell is the state’s “Must-Watch Food Maker.” Partnerships with local chefs and bartenders bring more to the table, including the 60-recipe Hot Honey Cookbook. Bourbon Barrel Aged Hot Honey, which earned a “Made in Virginia Award” from Virginia Living Magazine, came about after distiller Owen King called. “I immediately said, ‘Yes, let’s do this!’ ” Russell says. That honey mellows for 90 days in used bourbon barrels and is offered as a limited release at Ironclad Distillery.

Russell credits KUA for awakening his curiosity and passion: “I would wager these are two of a handful of ingredients shared by most successful entrepreneurs. I’m constantly working to create new opportunities.” The self-described marketer extraordinaire has more in the pipeline. “We’re developing a product in the beverage category and two others that will be a world’s-first (like our bourbon and peanut butter hot honeys).”

But it’s that first taste that keeps it fresh for him: “There’s nothing more fun than seeing the delight people experience when they taste my product.”

MASTER ROASTER

As the fourth generation working in the family coffee business, Pedro Echavarria is introducing a better brew to an international market.

It began when he returned to the 800-acre estate in Medellín after six years studying in the United States. Echavarria and his father and two brothers solidified plans to transform the local industry by exporting their coffee directly. “My father starting in coffee farming 40 years ago, and we produced a lot of coffee that we sold to private exporters,” he says. “But you sell your product anonymously, as ‘Colombian coffee,’ like any other of the 500,000 Colombian families that produce coffee.”

Fast-forward 15 years and Echavarria is connecting an association of 1,500 small, local producers with craft roasters, mainly in the United States. “I look for people who care a lot about traceability, about understanding the community that grows the product,” he says. The supply chains he has built share in the premiums paid for specialty coffee—and deliver a taste of each local coffee’s character.

That growth has driven changes to the family business. They farm less and focus more on roasting—finding the best places around the world to export green coffee as well as learning the latest trends and techniques to apply locally at Pergamino, a growing chain of cafés and an online store (https://us.pergamino.co). “Our main market is still the United States,” he says, “and I’m learning from these roasters how they are differentiating themselves from the Starbucks

PEDRO ECHAVARRIA ’05 SERVES UP A FRESH TAKE ON COLOMBIAN COFFEE.

and the Dunkin’s of the world, how they connect to the consumer at a different level.”

These takeaways can help educate consumers—check out the “Be Your Own Barista” videos at https://us.pergamino.co—and drive demand for specialty coffees. “We’ve been accustomed to darker roast levels because that’s what the industry wants, as the only way to homogenize quality at volume is by roasting really dark,” says Echavarria. “That is all marketing. We roast looking to develop each coffee’s true potential. We don’t want to roast dark and make all coffees taste the same.”

Echavarria is exploring newer markets in Australia and Asia, continental Europe, other parts of Latin America, South Africa, even the Middle East. Although geographically diverse, these roasters share a commitment to transparency and traceability. It’s an organic approach to growth that stresses quality and sustainability.

Next on the horizon: coffee tourism. “The amount of tourism that we’ve received before and after the pandemic is massive, and a lot of tourists are looking more for experiences than for actual things.” Echavarria is drawing on examples from the travel industry that has grown around wine while addressing the challenges of operating hospitality venues in rural Colombia. In between, he’s taking orders at one of the family’s eight cafés. “Small companies require a lot of work at every level as they grow and that’s the fun part of the job,” he says. “Doing only high-level meetings would be too boring.”

“ WE ROAST LOOKING TO DEVELOP EACH COFFEE’S TRUE POTENTIAL. WE DON’T WANT TO ROAST DARK AND MAKE ALL COFFEES TASTE THE SAME.”

CULTIVATING A FOOD AND FARM CULTURE

LIZ MCNAMARA ’01 LEADS THE LATEST EVOLUTION ON THE FAMILY DAIRY FARM.

More family meant the McNamaras needed more taps. “My brothers and two younger cousins came home directly from college and wanted to expand upon the small syrup making we had always done for the family,” says Liz McNamara ’01. That next generation—including Liz, Jeff ’05, Nate ’06, Jason ’07, and Adam ’09—grew the sugaring operation from a couple hundred to almost 1,000 taps by 2013.

Then, when Liz returned to the family farm in 2014 after almost a decade teaching high-school science, she took on the next challenge: developing, marketing, and selling a new brand— Mac’s Maple. “We were well known for our local milk, but when I came home that made seven families to support plus our employees,” says Liz. “Building a new portion of the farm from the ground up was exciting. It gives the competitor in me something to strive for; it challenges me to be creative and weave in my love for education.”

Her efforts build on a legacy of evolution that reaches back to her grandparents’ purchase of the Plainfield, N.H., farm in 1950. They ran a dairy operation until 1968, when they were forced to sell and transitioned to raising, training, and eventually racing Standardbred horses. By the early 1990s, the McNamara family—led by Tom ’75 and Claire and Pat ’76 and Mary—was racing across New England five to six nights a week. When off-track betting came into play, the local racing industry stalled. The family returned to cows, building the herd to about 80 and opening the glass bottling facility in 1992. “Today, we milk about 220 cows, keep a flock of laying hens, raise a small beef herd, and round out the mix with a couple

of goats, mini donkeys, and horses,” says Liz, adding almost all the feed the animals consume is raised on site.

“The current foundation of the farm is in the dairy industry—an industry that is struggling to survive,” she says. “So, growing the maple side of the business seemed like a good idea for the future success of the farm.” Now running 30,000 taps, the maple operation has also fueled expansion of the year-round farm store. There, consumers can find milk, eggs, meat, and a range of Mac’s Maple products, from maple kettle corn to maple butter and candy.

But the parking lot really fills in the summer, when locals and tourists flock for a maple creamee. “We make the ice cream base here in our dairy with the milk from our cows and combine it with our maple syrup—it can’t be matched,” says Liz. On her rare free evenings, she’ll also take a refrigerated cart to weddings and fairs. As summer approaches, she’s dreaming up new combinations for ice cream sundaes.

“These are so much more than just hot fudge and whipped cream,” says Liz. “We are also working on using our cream and syrup to develop a maple fudge to add to the lineup.”

She hopes visitors walk away with more than a sweet treat, though.

“We invite everyone to visit and just experience a real working farm,” says Liz. (Find when they’re boiling in the sugarhouse or feeding the calves at www.macsmaple.com.) “As agriculture continues to fade as an occupation, people are left with less and less connection and knowledge about their food. I firmly believe that the more we can connect consumers to where their food comes from, the better it is for them and for the farmers.” K

“

WE MAKE THE ICE CREAM BASE HERE IN OUR DAIRY WITH THE MILK FROM OUR COWS AND COMBINE IT WITH OUR MAPLE SYRUP—IT CAN’T BE MATCHED.”

—LIZ MCNAMARA ’01

40 CULLMAN SCHOLARS PROGRAM

YEARS OF THE

“

“My Outward Bound experience river rafting on the Green River in Utah in 1989 was a dream come true. The outdoor skills learned in the Outward Bound course have served me and my family well! We all enjoy family camping and value the minimalist and low-impact approaches learned in Outward Bound. The experience on the Green River started my love of the arid Southwest.”

—Laura (Moran) Henry ’91 is a water resources engineer with Rick Engineering Co. in San Diego

Last summer, alumni gathered during a Reunion lunch at Munro House to share tales of adventure, stories of self-discovery, and careers launched. They spanned generations but were united by a shared experience made possible by a loyal alumnus from the Class of 1942, Hugh Cullman. It was 40 years since he established the Cullman Scholars Program, providing hundreds of KUA students with off-campus opportunities to explore global and environmental issues.

But while the Academy celebrated the milestone of this beloved program, it mourned the loss of its namesake. Cullman passed away on November 4, 2023, at his home in Pittsboro, North Carolina. He was 100 years old.

Today, the program is going strong and is a cornerstone of the KUA experience, receiving a record number of applications in 2023. Six students completed their Cullman experience last summer, exploring the arts, entrepreneurship and international business, women and gender, medicine, and the environment.

Here, former Cullman Scholars share how the opportunity set their course academically, professionally, and personally. They include Katie Pierson ’24, who accompanied Head of School Tyler Lewis and his wife, Renee, to North Carolina, where Pierson spoke on behalf of all the scholars at Cullman’s Service of Remembrance.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

The Cullman Scholars Program provides hundreds of KUA students with off-campus opportunities to explore global and environmental issues.

“Standing in Dachau changed how I understood humanity. The entire trip deepened my understanding not only of history but also of people and myself.

Though it has been 17 years, I have the clearest recollection of the entire experience. I became a history teacher and earned my master’s in military history. I truly believe the scholarship and experience I got from it reinforced my love and passion for history and set out a career path for me.”

—George Heinrichs ’06 is dean of students and a history teacher at the Downtown School in Seattle

“Using my Cullman Scholarship, I traveled to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands for four weeks to perform community service and experience the culture. It remains the only time I have traveled south of the equator. My time in Ecuador bettered my understanding of the greater world and was such a profound experience that I reflect on the memories frequently. I wrote about my experience in Ecuador for my college application essay, and I like to believe that it helped me get accepted to Colby College. At Colby, I majored in biology and met my husband, Dan. We recently bought our first house on the coast of Maine, where we are raising our daughter, Nora. It’s possible that without my Cullman experience none of these things would have happened!”

—Julia (Moore) Hussey ’09 is a physician assistant in oncology

“The Cullman Scholarship made it possible for me to travel to Costa Rica in 2019 to shadow a physical therapist in a nursing home. I am from Costa Rica (my mom is Costa Rican, and we spent most of my childhood summers with her family) and my Cullman experience made it

possible for me to broaden and deepen my understanding of the people and places of this place that has always been so important to me. My Cullman Scholarship experience helped me to solidify my desire to pursue a career as a doctor [and] gave me the confidence and passion I needed to persevere through these past few years with such conviction and determination.”

—Kyra Russman-Araya ’20 graduates premed from Skidmore College in May

“During my Cullman Scholarship, I worked on an archaeological excavation for the first time. I worked under the direction of a graduate student excavating on a plantation in Virginia. The exposure to history and especially archaeology during my Cullman experience sent me on the path to becoming a professional archaeologist—it all started with my Cullman Scholarship.”

—Nick Freeland ’05 is an archaeologist at the Bureau of Land Management in Lander, Wyoming

“I can honestly say that the Cullman Scholarship changed my outlook on life and shaped my purpose. After my trip through Cullman, service became a huge part of my life. I found myself volunteering before the Cullman Scholarship, but after, I finally understood the nature of volunteerism and the impact service can have on other people. Through the Cullman Scholarship, I was able to experience a completely new country. You can say I caught the travel bug. This experience fueled my life for travel, culture, and food. This scholarship led me to my passion for service and afforded me the opportunity to travel, which I would have never been able to afford. The Cullman Scholarship truly changed my life.”

— Shapreka Clarke ’09 is a registered nurse in the Bahamas

“I have always been interested in environmental science, but I didn’t realize the extent it was affecting my community. This summer, my program allowed me to study climate science in the Gulf of Maine through the SEA Education Association. I spend every summer on Martha’s Vineyard, and it’s my happy place. This tied together all my interests because I was able to study the way climate change is impacting my home. This experience was absolutely life changing, and I realized I’m much tougher than I thought I was. Next year, I’m going to study environmental science and pursue study abroad opportunities because this experience showed me how big the world is and how my problems are not as important as I make them.”

— Katie Pierson ’24 graduates this spring as a Cullman Scholar and Global Scholar

HUGH CULLMAN

1923-2023

Hugh Cullman was born in New York City on January 27, 1923, into a family of prominent tobacco merchants. An avid skier with an analytical bent, he chose Kimball Union by plotting schools onto a snowfall map of New England, shunning the ones preferred by his family for the one with the most snow.

Following America’s entry into World War II, Cullman set his sights on serving his country and entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1942. Having suffered a serious eye injury playing lacrosse, he made it through the Naval Academy by memorizing all the charts used for the eye exams. He graduated in 1945 and went on to serve in the Pacific theater aboard the destroyer USS Metcalf.

Between WWII and Korea, he joined the family cigarette business, Benson & Hedges, and married Nan Alva Ogburn. He was recalled to active service during the Korean War and served on the staff of the U.S. Naval Forces in Germany as aide to Admiral Holden.

After the war, he returned to Benson & Hedges, which was acquired by Philip Morris in 1954. For the next 34 years, Cullman held positions in virtually every aspect of the business, ultimately serving as vice chairman and director of Philip Morris Cos.

He supported many nonprofit and charitable institutions, including the United Negro College Fund, where he served as chairman from 1987 to 1989. He also served as a trustee of the American Farm School in Thessaloniki, Greece, and on committees of the U.S. Council for International Business and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. He became a major supporter of the Naval Academy Center for Cyber Security Studies.

Cullman was predeceased by his wife. He is survived by children Katherine, Hugh Jr., and Alexandra; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and siblings Brian and Marguerite.

Connect

NEWS FROM ALUMNI

A MILESTONE FOR WOMEN OF KUA

On February 2, 1974, the Kimball Union Academy Board of Trustees officially voted to readmit women to the Academy.

Historically, KUA welcomed women beginning with the creation of a Female Seminary in 1840 until the 1935 transition to a boysonly Academy. In Fall 1974, 11 girls enrolled, as the first class of women in 39 years.

Over the course of 2024, to celebrate our recommitment to women’s education 50 years ago, KUA will host events and share stories featuring the Women of KUA, including special programming at Reunion 2024.

Join us at Reunion 2024 to celebrate this special milestone. Register today at www.kua.org/reunion. If there is a woman who inspired your KUA experience, share your story with advancement @kua.org.

Middle Left: Esme Juros ’17 and Kristen Richardson ’20

Middle Right: Keith Milne ’05, David Barrette ’05, Molly Bourne Steffey ’92, P’20 ’22, Edward Creelman ’20, Karla Radke P’21, Peter Schieffelin ’96

Bottom Left: David Danforth ’77, Jim Keane ’74 and Ed Stansfield ’78

Bottom Right: Tim McNair ’12, Amy Munro ’11, Cathy Munro H’13, Amanda Greenlee, Jonathan Munro ’13, and James Estabrook ’13

The KUA community gathered on a stunning evening in Boston for a cruise around Boston Harbor hosted by Bob Fitzgerald ’82 and his wife Kerry.

MELISSA LONGACRE ’89

“I hope you are well and planning on attending our 35-year Reunion in June.”

Top: William Johnson ’22, Hayes Huwiler ’19, Simon Pelzman ’19, Alexander Mastrangelo ’21, Kristin Richardson ’20, Ben Tardiff ’19, Andy Lin ’19

Bottom Left: Jen Borislow ’78 P’07 ’10; Tim Whitehead P’18 ’20; Mike Borislow P’07 ’10; Dena Whitehead P’18 ’20; Nick Bernardo ’21; Adam Fantilli ’21, Bob Fitzgerald ’82, Andrea Haskins, Woodie Haskins ’69, and Kerry Fitzgerald after Fantilli played for the Columbus Blue Jackets at a Boston Bruins game

Middle top: Ed Hild ’88 and Don Lowery ’73

Middle bottom: Glen Pogust P’13; Molly Bourne Steffey ’92, P’20 ’22; Karla Radke P’21; and David Barrette ’05

The Mind’s Eye

New painting by Shawn Dixon ’92 captures his high-school highlights.

Sitting in his home studio in Plainfield, New Hampshire, Shawn Dixon ’92 P’23 ’26 puts on his “old, rotten” KUA hat and cranks up the ’90s music. Then, he reminisces about his time spent at KUA. But if a picture conveys a thousand words, one need only look at Kimball Barn and The Hilltop. He sat before the 4-by-5-foot canvas for the better part of the year, capturing

in acrylic his favorite memories of and places on The Hilltop.

Thirty-five years ago, Dixon waited with his mother, Sheila, in the Barnes Admission Office nervously anticipating his KUA interview. Fast-forward to December 2023, when his artwork was unveiled above the Barnes fireplace. It stands now to greet every prospective family as they arrive on campus. The scene—an

autumnal view of campus from the perspective of the exterior of the new Kimball Barn on Route 120—has replaced the austere Abraham Lincoln portrait.

“People will see his art as a first impression of who we are,” says Head of School Tyler Lewis. “It’s the care and the heart that goes into this that everyone who walks through Barnes will also see.”

Cherished moments of Dixon’s

Skyline

Shawn Dixon sat before the 4-by-5-foot canvas for the better part of the year, capturing in acrylic his favorite memories of and places on The Hilltop.

“I tried to depict KUA the way I think of it in my mind.”

—SHAWN DIXON ’92

KUA experience are carefully woven into the painting. They include “Bish’s” baseball diamond, his classroom in iconic Baxter tower, and the soccer goal. “I was a goalie my junior year and defended that goal,” he says. “One time I even took a knee to my left eye and was rushed to the emergency room. My blood was on that field right in front of the goal!”

He also included Chellis Hall,

where his future wife, Kim Spear ’92, lived as a student. He passes Chellis regularly, dropping off his children—first Tyler ’23 and now Chloe ’26—and has noted the addition of a bicycle always propped at the dorm’s back door. That has become a newer recollection to join the painting. And then, as he searched for colors, he found purple in the trees in memory of former teacher

Cynthia Howe H’20 P’06 ’14.

“I tried to depict KUA the way I think of it in my mind,” says Dixon. “When I think of KUA, I see the people, the variety, the diversity, the foliage. It was a lot of fun, and I was sad to see the painting go.”

After college, Dixon lived throughout the country, leaving his mark as a graphic designer for formidable brands such as Ralph

Lauren, Victoria’s Secret, and L.L.Bean. He and his wife lived in Los Angeles before returning to Rhode Island and eventually Plainfield, where they now run a company focused on website development and search engine optimization.

“What’s so romantic about it is, even 35 years later, KUA and the head of school are helping me grow as a person and as an artist.

Class Notes

DISPATCHES NEWS FROM ALUMNI

1953

Stanford B. Vincent

(508) 457-6473 • stan@vincentcurtis.com

Last June the class of ’53 celebrated its 70th Reunion. Two of us made it back to campus: Harriet and Jerry Pringle, along with one grandson, flew in from Medford, Oregon, and yours truly, with wife Carol, drove up from Cape Cod. Together again after several years, it was a very special occasion. Friday we shared cocktails and dinner with members of the class of ’73, celebrating their 50th Reunion, at the home of Head of School Tyler Lewis. Next day, we were given tours and an inside look at some of the newest features on campus. I was most impressed with the large percentage of KUA’s electrical power now produced by solar and wind. I was pleasantly surprised to see an area set aside for vegetable gardens, sheep, pigs, and horses—all tended by student volunteers. The school buildings are very well maintained inside and out and the campus looks beautiful.

Our weekend at school ended Saturday evening under the Reunion tent along with alumni from all classes. It was a pleasure meeting current faculty and administrators and a delight speaking with many of the more recent KUA alums. To honor our 70th Reunion, I have completed a publication of bios and remembrances of KUA by the 16 living members of our class. The booklet also includes information of others in our class who have been lost or passed away. All who participated received a copy and copies are in the KUA archives.

1955

Warren Huse

(603) 524-6593 • warrenhuse1@gmail.com

I am sorry to report Norm Letarte passed away May 12, 2023. He was predeceased a year prior by the love of his life, Anneliese. Norm joined the class

in junior year and was named class secretary senior year. In sports, he was co-captain of varsity football and played lacrosse and varsity skiing. He was also on staff of The Kimball Union and Concordia and was a member of Orange Key, Glee Club, Players, and Spanish Club. Norm left the University of Vermont to join the U.S. Army 3rd Tank Battalion and then the U.S. Army Ski Patrol in Garmisch Germany, where he met Anneliese. Norm was an executive in the ski industry, held a myriad of sales positions, and ultimately became a realtor on Cape Cod.

I’m also sorry to report the death of Peter C. Allison on March 23, 2020. He was survived by his wife, Jacqueline, and children Lynne, John, and Susan. Pete came to KUA for three years and lived in Chellis Hall. He was on the junior varsity ski team and ski patrol and was manager of the track team. In later life, Pete lived in Akron, Ohio, where he was service affairs coordinator for the Revere Local School District.

I also share the death April 4, 2023, of Linda Ann Hoitt, 74, wife of R. Michael Hoitt of Saco, Maine. Linda had retired from 3D’s Variety Store in Biddeford, Maine, and continued her entrepreneurship with Castaways Costumes Shop of Saco. Linda and Mike volunteered for the Red Cross Disaster Action Team and with the Saco Police Academy.

We have also learned that Richard Adon Rose of Altamont, New York, formerly of South Hadley, Massachusetts, died October 11, 2023. Before joining the class as a sophomore, Dick attended the Cardigan Mountain School. At KUA, he played football, hockey, and lacrosse and was active on The Kimball Union, Concordia, and Glee Club. He earned a bachelor’s at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a master’s in hospital administration at the University of Pittsburg. Dick served in the Navy from 1957 to 1961 and enjoyed a long career as a hospital administrator, retiring in 2008 from Wing Memorial Hospital in Palmer, Massachusetts.

George Place says he and Dick “went to Colby from KUA and played on the Colby freshman hockey team. Dick was the person who recommended the oil painting of Al Munro that now hangs in the Munro House. Betty says KUA was very important to the Roses and Dick looked forward to all communication from the school.”

I compiled these notes on Veterans Day, remembering class members who served in the military, including Ed Boadway (Army, chaplain’s assistant), John Booth (Navy), Paul Buckley (Marines), Vince Cerasuolo (Army), Dick Cleary (Navy), Steve Colby (Navy), Ed Cook (Army), Wes Dacy (Army), Charlie Dart (Navy), Bill Flickinger (Army), Bill Donovan (Marines), Ed Fowler (Army), Rollin Gentes (Air Force), Ron Harrison (Navy), Paul Hollingworth (Army), Warren Huse (Army), George Jackson (Army), Ted Johanson (Army), Joe Juknievich (Army), Byron Koh (Army), Al Merrill (Army), Al Munro (Army), Bill Neverett (National Guard), Jack Phoenix (Marines and later a U.S. Department of the Army civilian), Walt Phelps (Navy), George Place (Army), Dick Rose (Navy), Pete Smith (Marines), Ken Tucker (Marines), Dick Waite (Army), Bill Ward (Army), Bruce Whitney (Navy). I’m sure there have been others. Please let us know of omissions.

Ron Harrison writes: “After suffering through the worst year of my entire life—my daughter’s death from pancreatic cancer leaving behind 17-year-old triplets and a husband, COVID, shingles for the second time, three heart procedures (one invasive), two broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a just discovered lung cancer—I do have some good and great things to live with and for. I won my fourth ribbon for watercolor painting at the prestigious Marblehead Festival of the Arts, and the 14th year of my watercolor class is underway. I enjoy my periodic lunches with Howie Goldberg and George Place. Best of all is my late-life love, Linda, whom I met while I was at Brown and reconnected

with in our joint widowhood.”

Chas Darling writes: “Ann and I are still enjoying our location on Delaware Bay, observing, and photographing a lot of nature as we are surrounded by Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). I am still on the board of directors of our Prime Hook NWR friends organization and do a little volunteer work at the refuge.”

Walt Phelps writes: “My wife and I went to a grandson’s wedding. About 150 attended; it was a grand affair. Two days later, my wife had to go to the hospital due to COVID and was there for five days. I also got COVID and suffered for about a month. The bride and groom got COVID and were in lockdown during their honeymoon in Costa Rica!” We hope all are okay now, Walt.

Bruce Whitney and Ruth “are keeping a low profile. It has been a year since Ruth’s accident and surgery and slow recovery so no traveling for us, just trips to town for groceries and other appointments. I keep busy with my greenhouse and all the plants that spent the summer outside are now safely back inside before frost. Four indoor cats keep us busy and company, all ‘walk-ins.’ Ruth has started knitting for the first time since her fall, hats, mittens, and sweaters for children’s charity.”

From Vin Godleski, via George Place: “Bobbi and I are enjoying a lovely fall in rural northwest New Jersey. Feels a lot like New Hampshire and we are just more than 35 miles from New York City. My only KUA contacts are Ralph Jones ’75 and Tim Whitehead on some hockey business. Ralph and I play hockey on our club’s outdoor rink. I refer to myself as a ‘Centurial’ when the Gen Xers or Millennials start comparing notes.”

Howie Goldberg reports “things are going along at a slower pace than they were back in ’55 and a few of the decades that followed. The good news is Sheila and I are still able to get about and enjoy things. This past summer we joined our oldest daughter Jodi and

“I play hockey on our club’s outdoor rink. I refer to myself as a ‘Centurial’ when the Gen Xers or Millennials start comparing notes.”

—VIN GODLESKI ’55

her husband David for a few days at a house they had rented in Chatham, New York. It was in a beautiful and isolated part of the state, and we had a wonderful time. On our way home we were able to have lunch and catch up with Byron Koh in Amherst, Massachusetts. I’ve also had several opportunities to meet George Place, both with and without Ron Harrison, for lunch. As they say, the best friends are old friends.

George Place reports he “received a great letter from Pete Smith, who sends his best to all classmates. He is the sixth generation to live in the same house and with his offspring and hopes the tradition will continue. He and his wife have 33 years in the teaching field but are disillusioned about the state of public-school education. Pete served in the U.S. Marine Corps, and two police departments and was active in the town historical society. I received a call from Carl Houghton, who reported finishing a 5-kilometer (walk) race with his grandson in Southport, Maine, not long ago and says he walks one to two miles a day to keep fit. Carl has run a flower retail operation in Essex Junction, Vermont, that has been in the family since his parents bought it in 1943. Howie Goldberg and I traipsed out to Northboro, Massachusetts, last week to meet up with Joe Dickinson and go to lunch. Joe reminisced about numerous dog sled races he sponsored during the many years he and his wife owned a kennel. Joe and I go back before KUA in Waban, Massachusetts, and Howie had to put up with some historical stuff about our preWorld War II years. I talked to Ron Harrison yesterday and learned some great news that his diagnosis of a potentially serious health issue was premature and not now a factor. With so many physical problems at our ages, news such as this is fantastic. Congratulations, Ron! Your class agent recently went on the Queen Mary 2 from Brooklyn to Quebec via Halifax and two cities along the St. Lawrence Seaway. … Scott Blakey reports he

is “still breathing—no cane! Daughters well; grandchildren—two boys and two girls—are growing like weeds. Sally and I celebrate 17 years come September. Finally, Connie McCarthy told me, ‘I’m enjoying retirement growing dahlias and other flowers in Boxford, Massachusetts. Best wishes to all.’ ”

1961

Bill Hagar (802) 772-7748 • whagar467@comcast.net

Following Hurricane Hilary in California, Charles Cohen responded that he had not previously experienced a tropical storm and earthquake concurrently. He and Sandi added several dock ties to the sailboat and took in cushions from the condo deck. Fortunately, the narrow storm path went east of Los Angeles.

Shortly before the KUA Boston Harbor Cruise, I made contact with Tony Bonanno. Tony reports that he is mostly healthy and still living on Merrymeeting Lake in New Durham, New Hampshire. They go to Key Largo, Florida, for the three winter months to stay near the water and engage Tony’s passion for power boats. At the time of the cruise, Jeninne and I were spending a week on Cape Cod, which was close enough for us to join the event. First time we have done it, and we really enjoyed it.

A call to Chris Abajian found him recovering from surgery on the only foot he has left. We hope this immobilization will not last long. In the meantime, Chris stays busy knitting 10-inch squares to become a blanket. After a couple of phone attempts, I reached Bob Bentley. Like most in our class, Bob has turned 80 and wonders how we got to this age so quickly. Although retired, Bob is still active in the Massachusetts Central Railroad as a board member, which occupies him several days of the week. Other obligations include president of the Barre Historical Society, past commander of American Legion Post# 2, and past master of a 224-year-

old Masonic Lodge. Bob is also a recently retired trustee from the Barre Savings Bank and the First Parish Church.

Here in Vermont, we also had several high-intensity weather events in Rutland County. On July 10, the rain began in the very early morning and became a massive flood in Ludlow, just 20 miles south. The village grocery store was wiped out and is not yet back to normal operation. This is my winter base for skiing, as our daughter Jennifer has been a patroller at Okemo for almost 20 years. Skiing with my children and grandchildren is something I have done routinely for many years. For my 80th birthday, we celebrated at the Loft Tavern following the acquisition of my 2023-24 season pass at the very attractive 80-and-over rate of $47.

1967

Bob Jamback (508) 561-1013 • bobjamback@yahoo.com

I learned of two recent deaths.

Fred Willis died July 4, 2023. He leaves his wife, Darlene, five children, two stepchildren, and nine grandchildren. Fred won the Eddie Gignac Award in football at KUA. At Boston College, he played football and hockey, winning awards in both. In 1971, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, playing for them and the Houston Oilers during his 1971-76 career. After football, he was a successful restauranter and opened and ran a number of establishments. Later, he worked on concussion awareness for the NFL. I remember Fred, with whom I played hockey and baseball, for his leadership in athletics and friendly banter there and around campus.

Jonathan Holcomb’s wife, Brenda, contacted me to say he passed on March 29, 2022. He leaves Brenda, his wife of 50 years, three children, and six grandchildren. When he was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma, Jon returned to KUA with his wife, who related how much he loved the school. Jon had a successful career in the auto industry. He and Brenda

1. Lauren Dole ’83, Rob McLaughlin ’83, Elise Stigum ’83, Greg Nardone ’83, and Chris Harris ’83 gather during Reunion at a bench dedicated in memory of Jim Windhorst ’83.

2. Dave Coffin ’79 and Jeff Sherman ’79 reunite—for the first time since graduation—at a Dead & Company concert in Boston.

3. Brett Marshall ’08 with director Kryzz Gautier at the premier of Chimera

Class Notes

DISPATCHES NEWS FROM ALUMNI

1. Gyb Spilsbury ’14 married Sheighla Wall on August 20, 2022. Gyb and Sheigla welcomed son Thomas on August 2, 2023.

2. Andrew Ngan ’05, his wife Dorina, and daughter Bella are joined by Dustin Meltzer ’05 with wife Tong Meltzer.

3. Gathering for Christmas are friends Will Jenkins ’14, Zack Hallock ’13, Jon Munro ’13, James Estabrook ’13, Jonathan Gould ’13, and Evan Goldstein ’12.

lived in Argentina. Columbia, Venezuela, and Germany. In 2008, they retired to 45 rural acres in Ohio. I remember Jon as well liked and respected by all.

1979

Clare Dingwell clare.dingwell@gmail.com

Dave Coffin and Jeff Sherman met at a Dead and Company concert in Boston. They had not seen each other since graduation in `79.

Cissy Isaac shared: I met up with Stacia Cobb-Cooper, Karen Brown-Weir, Gabby Chase, and Paulanne Kennedy-Wilson in Vegas. All I can say is we had a blast, and everyone is exactly the same...hysterical!! I could tell you more, but as you know what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. I’ve said too much already. I can’t wait for our next trip

1983

Lauren

Dole

(971) 235-5973 • lauren.dole@me.com

My husband and I took advantage of 100-percent remote jobs and spent two months in Vermont visiting my sister, Robin Munro Gronlund ’81, and considering relocating back to New England. The house hunt was unsuccessful, but we returned to Oregon with a new appreciation for the Pacific Northwest. We visited Bellingham, Washington, renting on Lake Whatcom, an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, and Hood River, Oregon. I also visited Jody Lyons Bowskill ’84 in Maine. Thank you for a great Reunion, Chris Harris, Greg Nardone, Rob McLaughlin, and Elise Stigum!

Peter Friedman says KUA provided some of his most meaningful relationships. He often sees Chris Tripp, who lives a mile away in the Boston area. “We often get together with Tim Brown ’84 and Tom Grady ’84.” He also connects with Jeff Nelson. Peter reports all are doing amazingly well. His youngest is in high school where Emily Moore is a guidance counselor; he is hoping to work closely with Emily through this process. Chris Tripp and family reside in

Roxbury, Massachusetts, and he says his KUA circle is the same as Peter’s. They will all be going to a Buffalo Tom concert in December. His two oldest sons (freshman and sophomore) attend UMass, and the oldest is a member of the roller hockey team. His daughter is a junior at the Boston Latin School and starting to visit colleges.

Chris Harris and his wife, Karen, reside in Stamford, Connecticut. Their daughter, Emily, has carved her path in the fashion industry in N.Y.C. and is planning a wedding this fall. Chris has cultivated a newfound passion for sandcastle building on Westerly, Rhode Island, beaches. He shares extra tools with curious children and sometimes is surrounded by four or five enthusiastic young builders.

Sally and Tim Herbert are proud grandparents of two wonderful grandchildren. Life is busy: They purchased a neighboring farm, continue their dedicated work with the KUA equestrian program and Pony Club, and hosted a tetrathlon. Tim has reignited his passion for disc golf and is working toward the Masters Disc Golf World Championships in June.

Kelley Cota Tully continues her work working in the family business, Cota & Cota, a third-generation family heating business. Kelley’s son recently moved back from Montana, now the fourth generation in the business! Kelley and her son hiked around the Olympic National Park this summer; Hawaii is the only state she has not yet visited. Her brother, Sean Cota ’81, stays in touch, traveling up from D.C.

Ann Jackson Hutson started working with her church in February of 2020 and continues in this position. The past year has been all encompassing balancing work, family, and caring for her father (Robert B. Jackson ’57). It has been a united team effort with other family members, spread across several states, providing support.

Rob Margetts reports the gang from KUA are still best friends. Rob talks to Whit Hydruiski, Shoki Mullick, Johnny Zartarian, and Ian Miller about once a week, usually via group chat. Last April, Whit visited Rob for three days in Dallas, Texas, and they went to a hockey

game. Whitney lives in Atlanta, Georgia, and they take cruises together.

Emily Moore has moved to her summer home in Jamestown, Rhode Island, full time after six years in Boston and took a job at St. George’s School in the college counseling office. Emily’s daughter is in teaching and admissions at a private school in Nashville, Tennessee, and her other daughter is finishing up at Providence College. “Life is good.”

Rob McLaughlin and his family have settled in well in Beaverton, Oregon, after moving during the pandemic in the summer of 2020. His wife, Lia, can work 100 percent from home and now likes it tremendously. Their youngest daughter has found her niche in the theater club and loves her high school. Rob is semi-retired and improving his Spanish.

Sue Knapp has been working for the medical and healthcare advancement team for the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and the Dartmouth Health system since March 2020. In January, she celebrated 23 years! Her son is a senior in high school and working on college applications.

After KUA, Dino Olivetti studied international relations at American University in Washington, D.C., and got an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He and wife Fabrizia have lived and worked in the United States, Brussels, London, the Netherlands, and Italy. They are living in Italy just north of Milan and close to the border with Switzerland and have two daughters.

Shoki Mullick’s son is in dental school at the University of South Carolina. He and his wife have a 2-year-old boy who calls him “Shookie.” Shoki is excited to get him on skis to race for Boston College. Michigan Life Ventures, focusing on medical devices and late-stage pharmaceuticals for Type 2 diabetes, continues to give Shoki fulfillment. Tom Pratt visited a few years ago, and Shoki took him to the “Big House” and University of Michigan football locker room. 1989

Melissa Longacre

(603) 306-2024 • mlongacre@kua.org

I think the class of ’89 has all been

“Taking the time to create for creation’s sake and celebrate the little wins is crucial to staying fulfilled throughout life.”

hired as secret undercover agents as none were willing to give up any information! I’m still working at KUA and have moved into the role of student life coordinator. I hope you are well and planning on attending our 35-year Reunion in June. Please contact the Advancement Office if you are interested in planning events for our class or let me know if you have thoughts on events you may like. Let us know—and hope to see you in June!

2005

Dustin Meltzer dmeltzer@kua.org

This fall, after seven wonderful years in KUA’s marketing and communications office, I began as as technical director for the theater. It is an amazing feeling to be back in Flickinger Arts Center and work alongside my wife, Tong Meltzer, and my best friend, Stephen Rogers ’04 Tong is in her fourth year as director of wellness and counseling services and Steve is in his 16th year in information technology.

This past summer, Tong and I were able to travel back to China to see her family. In Shanghai, we caught up with students Yiyi Shi ’26 and Gary Ge ’24 along with incoming students Angela Shen ’27, Ella Ren ’27, Wendy Hu ’26, and their families for a delicious dinner. A few weeks later, we visited with alumni in Hong Kong. We saw Claire Dalton ’23 and her parents, Greg and Lucia, for a day on the water; Alastair Man ’22 for a day at the M+ Museum and lunch; and Andrew Ngan ’05, his wife Dorina, and beautiful daughter Bella. Alastair even joined us again for dinner! It was an incredible trip and all the KUA connections made for some unforgettable memories. If you haven’t been to campus recently, I invite you to come visit—I’m finally right back where you left me, in Flickinger Auditorium. See you there!

2008

Brett Marshall

A number of months ago I headed to Los Angeles to help produce friend Kryzz Gautier’s short Brett Marshall film Chimera as part of the Spotlight Dorado program supported by McDonald’s. We had our premiere alongside two other wonderful short films at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. It was an incredible event and such a surreal moment to see our little film on the big screen in front of a packed theater.

When the event finished (way past my bedtime) I looked at Kryzz and said, “My cup is full.” Taking the time to create for creation’s sake and celebrate the little wins is crucial to staying fulfilled throughout life. Whatever industry you’re in, whatever outlet you have, look for ways to fill that cup. It’s worth it.

2020

Patrick Hyjek repprts he was inducted into the Mu Kappa Tao National Marketing Honor Society at Bentley University.

Deaths

Robert Malley ’63

Frederick Willis ’67

Henry “Hank” W. Parker ’41

Hugh Cullman ’42

Peter Hill ’44

Sherman Whipple “Whip” Saltmarsh Jr. ’49

Roland E. Tremblay ’51

George A. Carr ’51

Philip Norcross, Jr. ’51

Thornton Joseph Fay Sr. ’53

Richard A. Rose ’55

Hippocrates Kourakos ’56

Louis J. Tremblay ’57

John D. Thees Jr. ’58

Allan Swanson ’58

Leroy “Lee” R. Baines ’61

Paul Schilling ’63

Fred Cook ’66

Jonathan B. Holcomb ’67

John “Jay” Flanders ’73

Michael J. Miller ’90

Gregory M. Pedersen ’93

BRETT MARSHALL ’08

Obituaries

Henry “Hank” W. Parker ’41 Former Trustee

Trustee Emeritus Henry “Hank” W.

Parker ’41 died in Hanover, New Hampshire, on July 7, 2023. He was 99.

Parker gave generously of his time to the Academy, serving as a trustee from 1947 to 1952 and again from 1988 to 1998. He was bestowed KUA’s highest accolade, the Kimball Union Medal, in 2016 and was a recipient of the Alumni Achiever’s Award in 1994. As a student, Parker was active across campus in various sports, music, and the outing club, as well as debating society and public speaking.

Parker was a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University, where he taught hundreds of leaders in the engineering field since joining the faculty in 1963 after an influential career in the construction industry. According to Stanford Engineering, “He was a master of logistics and planning of large-scale highway and dam construction projects. He was recruited to the Stanford Construction Engineering and Management Program (now the Sustainable Design and Construction Program) by renowned dean Fred Terman to provide graduate education for the thousands of engineers then completing the interstate highway system and the many dam projects dotting the arid Western states.”

Parker was born May 31, 1924, in Goffstown, New Hampshire, and graduated early from Dartmouth College in 1945 with a bachelor’s in engineering as part of the Navy V-12 program. He served in the Marines during World War II, before completing his master’s in engineering at Dartmouth’s Thayer School of Engineering. Prior to his lengthy Stanford tenure, Parker worked for Winston Brothers Construction Co. of Minneapolis and served in the Korean War from 1950 to 1952.

Parker was predeceased by his wife of 69 years, Pauline “Polly” Parker, in 2021. He is survived by children Martha, David, Jeffrey, and Judith; grandchildren Ross, Whit, Annie, Ellie, and Will; and two great-grandchildren.

Last Word

Frozen In Time

One of KUA’s most distinguishing features is its Northern New England locale, and the school has never wasted an opportunity to enjoy the spoils of snow and ice. After witnessing the success of Dartmouth College’s Winter Carnival in 1911, the Academy introduced its first Winter Carnival just a few years later in 1916. The early carnival days featured events such as snow sculpting and ski, potato sack, and snowshoe races. Later, organizers added tobogganing and sleigh rides. The tradition has evolved

through the years to account for evolving interests and a changing climate. Recent winter events utilized a frozen Chellis Pond for ice hockey and turkey bowling, and some years activities moved to Akerstrom Arena when winter turned unseasonably warm. This year, prior to Winter Carnival, a professional ice sculptor taught faculty and students how to bring their icy creations to life—from a towering “1813” to a fine-feathered owl to a wildcat to a pig balancing a soccer ball on its snout. K