40 Years of the Cullman Scholars Program

“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.

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.