Kimball Union Magazine Spring/Summer 2024

Kimball Union

Contents

SPRING/SUMMER ����

Features

“We Coeds are Here to Stay”

Female students had been central to The Academy’s history from its founding. After a 40-year pause, Kimball Union reintroduced coeducation in 1974. Here are a few women’s stories.

Years of Service

Colleagues recall the remarkable contributions of three beloved educators.

COVER PHOTO BY LUKE MILLER ’24

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

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

CONTRIBUTORS

Theresa D’Orsi, Jane C. Fielder H’13 P’90 ’91, Tricia McKeon, Anna Olson, Jen Rexford P’26, Stacey Summerfield

MAIL: Kimball Union Magazine welcomes submissions, letters, and comments. We reserve the right to review and edit all material that is accepted for publication. Please email submissions to Tricia McKeon at tmckeon@kua.org or send to: Kimball Union Magazine, PO Box 188, Meriden, NH 03770.

OFFICERS

MOLLY BOURNE STEFFEY ’92 P’20 ’22 Board Chair Hanover, NH

KARLA RADKE P’21 Vice Chair New York, NY

GLENN POGUST P’13, J.D. Secretary New London, NH

KEITH MILNE ’05 Treasurer Hanover, NH

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP

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

DAVID BARRETTE ’05 Hanover, NH

BRIAN BODELL P’25 Bronxville, NY

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

JOSHUA MANDEL P’25 New York, NY

RYAN MCPADDEN ’92 Wellesley Hills, MA

SHELDON STANSFIELD ’11 Lyme, NH

JADI TAVERAS ’03 Haverhill, MA

STEPHEN TAYLOR Meriden, NH

KIMBALL UNION MAGAZINE

Head of School

“It was a year when our proud lyrics of ‘there’s only one Kimball Union’ seemed to perfectly capture the spirit that washed over us collectively in our finest moments.”

Dear KUA Community,

On an unseasonably hot Saturday morning in early June, I gathered with a few hundred other community members to mark the retirement of one of KUA’s longest tenured employees. Doug Plummer spent nearly 40 years working at The Hilltop, and you will find more about his career and legacy further on in the pages of this magazine. It was a perfect celebration and an example of one of the things we have done exceedingly well for centuries at KUA. Acknowledging the accomplishments and milestones of individuals, of teams, of graduating classes, and even of institutional growth is an important part of our legacy, not to mention heartfelt and extremely joyful. Some might take that as a sign that we love a great party but that misses the core truth: What we really love is our people.

We walked with our seniors through their final days as students and soaked up every moment, including the beautiful day when they began their journey as KUA alumni. They marched with pride, spoke with wisdom and eloquence, and radiated joy and confidence for all that comes next. Along with them, we clapped out three legendary faculty members who will start their next chapters this fall, when they don’t return to the familiar rhythm of the school calendar. Each will explore what great adventure awaits them at the conclusion of this career. Our students eventually move on to careers and callings that span every imaginable occupation, but lives of service to others offer lessons to us all, and we were thankful for parting words from Mr. Kardel, Mr. Kaplan, and Mr. Custer.

Reaching further back in the year, we had a chance this winter to celebrate in the cherished fashion reserved for champions. In the best of scenarios, a triumphant team carries the entire community with them—and our boys hockey team did that as thoroughly as our stars of the stage and arts and teams of every level and every season. It was a year when our proud lyrics of “there’s only one Kimball Union” seemed to perfectly capture the spirit that washed over us collectively in our finest moments.

Finally, this year celebrated a milestone in our institutional growth that did more to positively define our culture than any decision that has been made since. Fifty years ago, KUA returned to our proud history of inclusion by returning to coeducation. Honoring that decision and the remarkable women and girls who have, and continue to, elevate KUA and distinguish themselves is central to our history and our values. Enjoy hearing some of those voices in the pages ahead.

I write this sitting on a plane bound for Peru, where I will meet up with our 10 student ambassadors and two faculty champions for the Global Alliance of Innovative Learning (GAIL) global conference for the 2024-25 school year. And so, the next chapter begins.

I hope to see you on The Hilltop soon. K

TYLER LEWIS Head of School

HEARD FROM THE ALUMNI

Influencing the Next Generation

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the return to coeducation, we asked alumnae what women of KUA inspired them during their time on The Hilltop.

Eileen Williams was an amazing role model to me. She was smart, professional, and fun!

—COLLEEN

SCOUT BEAUPRE ’19

“Coach McNamara has been one of the most influential people in my life for the way she exemplifies integrity and sportsmanship. She pushed me to believe in myself and through her, I learned the true value of hard work and accountability. She expects greatness and instills that mentality in her players; creating an environment where you want to be the player to work the hardest in practice, thus raising the caliber of intensity to not only challenge your teammates but also yourself and your perceived limits. The lessons she taught me on the court and the behaviors she modeled each day transcend the game of basketball and have shaped the person I am today.”

ROBIN GRONLUND ’81, P’11

“During my time at KUA, Elva Mikula, wife of Tom Mikula, head of school, was always a smiling presence on campus. Her work with the KUA Daycare was a labor of love. For me, she was a role model for partnership, optimism, positivity, and can-do attitude. Similarly, Joan Bishop, wife of Steve Bishop or ‘Bish,’ worked in various capacities including the Advancement Office. Like Elva, she was active and involved on campus, while balancing the work of raising her own family. She was always friendly and welcoming to students and alumni, while being a strong partner with her husband, mother to her children, and professional in her career. Both Elva and Joan showed me that women can be successful in many roles. I didn't have to choose just one!”

ALEXIS LISTON ’03

“Amy Sessions-Bava had such a wonderful gift in helping students find their voice. Learning about who I was and being able to fail and succeed in equal measure knowing she was standing not too far away helped me become the confident professional I am today. Watching a strong woman operate in a predominately male-led environment was inspirational. At the time, I didn’t even know how important her just being there really was!”

MO ALLYN ’17

“Kay McCabe was the weirdest, strongest, coolest woman I have ever had the privilege of knowing. She pushed me to be the best version of myself, not just as a dancer and artist, but as an individual and community member.”

COLLEEN NORGANG ’03

“Eileen Williams was an amazing role model to me. She was smart, professional, and fun! She was a great coach, who held both my softball and basketball teams to a high standard. She was also a nurturing adult who I could always count on as a boarding student four hours from home and my own parents. She is a huge reason that I live and work at a boarding school today. I aim to be like she was to me, to my players, advisees and dorm residents.”

MARY MERRILL ’89

“Polly Davie was my dorm parent, English teacher, and college advisor and one of the first people to engage in discussions of feminism.”

NIKKI SWEETING-ROLLE ’07

“Mrs. Susan Halliday was my science teacher for a few terms at KUA. I always found her insightful and knowledgeable; she always had a way about herself. In her presence, you could sense leadership and strength. What stood out to me, beyond her already great attributes, is that she cared.”

Hilltop

NEWS FROM CAMPUS

ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS

Play Like a Girl

In a year when women’s sports appear to finally be getting the attention they deserve, the Wildcats leaned into National Girls and Women in Sports Day—a nationwide effort to honor the achievements of girls and women in sports.

Head Athletic Trainer Colleen Norgang ’03 organized an outing for girls at Plainfield Elementary School to join KUA student-athletes, coaches, and volunteers for an afternoon of games and activities in the Barn Field House. More than 20 girls tried their hand at a new sport, cheered on the varsity girls hockey team, and enjoyed dinner in Doe Dining Commons.

“I wanted to bring this celebration back to excite young girls in the community about athletics, showcase our hardworking female teams, and remind our female athletes that even at this level, they are role models and have already come a long way in their athletic journeys,” says Norgang. “It was such a fun and uplifting day! Unexpectedly, I think it meant more to the KUA girls than it did the younger ones.” K

18

30

Hours for the longest 3D print of the year in the Maker Space, a light saber by Sydnie Oliva ’24 for her engineering class 54

Students and faculty completed the annual Memorial Day Murph Challenge—1-mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 squats, and 1-mile run—to honor Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy, killed in Afghanistan in 2005

25

Duffy is looking forward to competing on the women’s golf team at Middlebury.

Home runs hit by the softball team in its first 15 games of the season

Tins of lip balm made by sustainability classes using KUA beeswax and ethically sourced ingredients

“My coaches have pushed me to always be my best and be competitive in my sports and in life.” —TEEGAN DUFFY ’24

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Teegan Duffy ’24

Although it is not uncommon to find three-season varsity athletes at KUA, Teegan Duffy is that rare student-athlete who competes in three arenas during only two seasons.

After winters on the ice playing varsity hockey, her talents— in sport and scheduling—truly shine in the spring. Then, she splits her time between varsity golf and varsity softball, all while juggling a rigorous academic courseload and multiple leadership roles.

Growing up on the 17th hole of the Cedar Knoll Country Club in Rutland, Vermont, Duffy played golf every day, drawn to its simultaneous competitive spirit and relaxing nature. Yet, as a freshman at KUA, she opted not to play.

“I’ve always played competitive golf during the summer, and here it was a team of upperclass hockey boys,” she says. In stepped Andy Kaplan, math teacher and golf coach. “Mr. Kaplan convinced me to play and I’m so glad I did. I’ve been the only girl and only played against one girl in three years. I’m kind of used to it.”

Golf is her priority, a fact made clear and understood by both Kaplan and softball coach Matt Underhill. Duffy credits their support and flexibility with helping her make the unique situation work. “My coaches have pushed me to always be my best and be competitive in my sports and in life,” she says. “Mr. Underhill is definitely a role model for me. He always brings a positive attitude and loves to play. It creates a positive atmosphere.”

She attends golf matches but will head to a softball game if the golf team is at the driving range. On practice days, she logs double sessions.

The only space she allows herself a little senior sliding is on the softball field. “I utilize study hall,” she says of her rigorous schedule. “It’s a great built-in time to do my homework. I use my free periods if I couldn’t use the night before, so I prioritize what I need to do. I like being busy.”

Her dedication and time management paid off with an offer to play on the women’s golf team at Middlebury College next year. Duffy plans to major in biology and later attend med school.

The greatest difference might be playing with a team of women—a first in her golf career. “I think it’s going to be a little adjustment to play with just women. It’ll be a lot to learn, but I’ve met a lot of them and I’m excited.”

Duffy graduated this spring, having earned the Henry Mann Silver 1867 Award and induction into the Cum Laude Society. “I think I have a grown a lot in my four years,” she says. “KUA has pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I’ve become a stronger leader and a lot more confident overall.” K

NEWS FROM CAMPUS

The Class of 2024

82

Students enrolled at 65 different colleges and universities

5

Graduates will enroll at NYU

17

Graduates will enroll at a college in Massachusetts, the most popular state among graduates

2

Students will attend college outside the United States, in Canada and Hungary

20

Graduates are “trailblazers,” the first from the past five KUA graduating classes to enroll at a particular school

Navigating the College Admissions Process

College-bound seniors this year, eager to identify and celebrate the next step in their educational journey, overcame one of the more challenging college-application processes in recent years. From U.S. Supreme Court decisions to a delayed and fraught rollout of the new FAFSA—the forms to apply for financial aid—the already stressful and complex process was made more chaotic.

“The issues with the FAFSA for the 2023-24 school year led to several consequential outcomes for students, families, and educational institutions,” says Director of College Advising Gunnar Olson, adding students and parents who relied on timely financial aid decisions felt an increase in stress and uncertainty.

To help them navigate the process, the Office of College Advising worked closely with students and families and the institutions where they applied. As a result, graduates this fall will attend a diverse array of institutions across the country and around the world, including many long-favored universities. Additionally, several “trailblazers” are enrolling at schools where it has been some time since KUA graduates matriculated. K

Amherst College

Barnard College

Bentley University

Boston College

Boston University

Carleton College

Carnegie Mellon University

Clemson University

College of the Holy Cross

Connecticut College

CUNY Queens College

Curry College

Dartmouth College

DeSales University

Drew University

Elon University

Emmanuel College

Emory University

Endicott College

Florida Gulf Coast University

Franklin & Marshall College

Franklin Pierce University

Hofstra University

Indiana University

Lehigh University

College Destinations

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

McGill University

Merrimack College

Miami University (OH)

Middlebury College

New York University

Northeastern University

Norwich University

Pennsylvania State University

Reed College

Rowan University

Saint Leo University

Saint Michael’s College

Sewanee: The University of the South

Smith College

St. Lawrence University

Trinity College

Union College of Union County, NJ

United States Coast Guard Academy

University of Arizona

University of California (Berkeley)

University of California (Los Angeles)

University of California San Diego)

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Debrecen

University of Denver

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Maine

University of Massachusetts (Amherst)

University of New Hampshire

University of Rochester

University of Southern Maine

University of Vermont

University of Virginia

University of Wisconsin

Vassar College

Villanova University

Washington College

Wesleyan University

York College of Pennsylvania

“The year I started this elective there was nothing for athletes who wanted to read something on sports.”

—DARRELL BEAUPRE ’86 P’16 ’20, ENGLISH TEACHER

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Brain Training

This summer, Kimball Union hosted the Science of Teaching and School Leadership Academy in partnership with the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL) at St. Andrew’s School. The four-day conference in July brought together teachers and school leaders interested in how the brain learns and eager to create learning experiences informed by the most promising mind, brain, and education research and strategies.

“The field of neuroscience has exploded in the past two decades, with new applications of the research seeming to come online practically daily,” says Anne Peterson, director of the Gosselin Center for Teaching and Learning. “Our commitment to the application of this research has been tremendously impactful on our teaching and our students learning here at KUA, and we are excited to partner with the CTTL to broaden our understanding of this important work.”

The conference is a natural extension of the work of KUA Design, the Academy’s approach to education. By incorporating research-informed teaching and learning into the curriculum and faculty professional development, KUA is well equipped to support today’s students in their educational, social, and emotional lives. K

5

Lambs born this spring at the KUA farm

25

AP environmental science students who calculated energy use and CO2 emissions in everyday items

5

Books on the summer reading list:

You Call This Democracy by Elizabeth Rusch All school read

The Emotional Lives of Teenagers by Lisa Damour

Multiple Pathways to the Student Brain: Energizing and Enhancing Instruction by Janet Zadina

Biased by Jennifer Eberhardt

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

OBJECT LESSON

The Art of the Game

From video replay to radar pitch tracking to wearable technology, baseball has become a high-tech, data-driven sport. But for one semester, Darrell Beaupre ’86 P’16 ’20 takes his English students back to a time when, some argue, the game was played in its purest form.

Beaupre taught the spring elective “Literature and Film of Baseball,” where students compared books and films on America’s favorite pastime—The Natural, Shoeless Joe, Field of Dreams, A League of Their Own, and Ken Burns’ Baseball, to name a few. “The year I started this elective there was nothing for athletes who wanted to read something on sports,” says Beaupre. “Each time I teach this course I try some different books. You don’t have to be an expert to understand the novels, but you do have to have some background.”

This year, he found most students in the class had never played, including three Thai Scholars who received an introduction unlike any other to the game: The class headed to the field one afternoon to play an 1870s-rules game. Beaupre called upon guest speakers, including Tom Lappin, owner of neighboring Poor Thom’s Tavern who used to play on a vintage baseball team, and former faculty member Steve Bishop who shared memorabilia and discusses baseball records.

At the end of the trimester, each student left with a bat, handmade by Beaupre from ash wood billets he found in Maine and modeled after a few 1900s bats found in his grandmother’s basement. “I get pictures once in a while of the bats in kids’ college dorm rooms,” he says. In the fall, one Thai Scholar will land at MIT with his bat. His question to Beaupre: “Should I go see the Red Sox play?” K

Hilltop

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

Elysia Burroughs

NEWS FROM CAMPUS

After 11 years of teaching at KUA, Elysia Burroughs has found what fills her cup: a love of teaching and the ability to help support students through their growth into young adults. “I try to be the teacher I needed in high school but never had,” she says.

From a rotating wardrobe of dresses adorned with planets or dinosaurs to a growing brood of cockroaches she uses to teach experimental design and ecology principles, Burroughs—or “Mrs. B” to students—wants to show students that science and math are approachable and fun.

“We create a safe and welcoming space and develop relationships with kids so that as teachers, we know them well enough to joke around while simultaneously being able to push them,” she says. “This allows them to see their own capabilities and helps them grow,” she says of her work as a teacher.

Burroughs is chair of the Science Department and serves as co-director of the STEM Scholar Program, president of the Cum Laude Society, and advises the Neuroscience Club.

Although she is excited to see all students tap into their curiosities in science, she finds great reward in watching as more girls pursue their interests in scientific fields.

“We need to show girls that they are just as capable if not more so in some of these areas,” she says. “We have a lot of students interested in medicine and biological sciences. Students can sometimes get intimidated with physics and chemistry because they have not always had a previous supportive trajectory in their mathematics experience. We want to scaffold an experience that shows them they can do this and it’s not as hard as they might think.”

She notes it is the responsibility

of high school faculty to untangle the negative preconceptions of math and science. The relationships built between teachers and students, she says, help teachers understand when a student can stretch or when different modes of teaching may unlock a student’s potential.

“I think a lot of it comes down to modeling and having role models within the classroom and the community. We have strong female teachers in the math and science departments, but all teachers also sit down with students and provide support inside and outside the classroom,” she says. “We utilize office hours and make sure there’s initial positive experiences and then add challenges along the way so kids can say ‘Yes, I can do the hard things.’ ”

Burroughs tends to light up when she speaks of her time in the classroom. She teaches Biology, Anatomy and Physiology Honors, and AP Environmental Science. Her “Rejuvenation Station” has become one of the hallmarks of her classroom in Fitch Hall and aids in more than a quick sugar rush.

The small self-serve station is stocked with treats and care products that offer a pick-me-up for students during the school day— snacks, candy, moisturizer, hair ties, as well as period products. She says that every year, boys will notice the tampons and ultimately one will ask how they work. Burroughs uses it as part of an anatomy lesson.

“It opens the door for kids to feel safe and be curious,” she says. “I especially love teaching our kids anatomy because they just do not know about their own bodies. ‘Is this normal? Is this not normal? What do I do when x happens?’ This helps develop a sense of self-confidence and helps them advocate for themselves in future medical experiences.” K

A LOVE OF TEACHING

“I try to be the teacher I needed in high school but never had.” —ELYSIA BURROUGHS

Elysia Burroughs is the chair of the Science Department and serves as co-director of the STEM Scholar Program.

BRICKS AND MORTAR

Honoring Plummer’s Commitment

In 1985, a 26-year-old man arrived at KUA as the new grounds manager. Year after year, Doug Plummer H’24 P’07 ’11 continued to dive into various facets of the Academy’s physical plant, taking on the role of assistant director of facilities and operations in 2002, then stepping up to the director’s role—a position he’s held until his retirement in July.

There are few aspects, if any, of the 211-year-old, 1,300-acre campus that Plummer isn’t intimately familiar with, from the inner workings of the steam plant to the fire-alarm system in each room of every building. For Plummer, however, to understand the building and grounds, one must first know the people who occupy the spaces.

It comes as no surprise that, upon his retirement, one family recognized not only his service but also the meaningful connections he made through an almost four-decade career. On June 1, during Reunion Weekend, KUA dedicated the Plummer Family Facilities Building before nearly 150 guests thanks to the generous support of the Borislow Family.

Mike Borislow P’07 ’10, in dedicating the building on behalf of the family, shared the many connections that drew them—as parent, trustee, neighbor, and friend—to this project. “The connection is just so strong. It goes way back to 1950,” said Borislow, sharing that his father-in-law, Wilfred Kurth ’50, father of Mike’s wife, Jennifer Borislow ’78 P’07 ’10, and Plummer’s father, Richard Plummer ’50, were classmates.

“Doug’s contributions to our campus are nothing short of remarkable. Not only does he ensure that our facilities are in top condition, but he also leads an exceptional team,” Borislow said. “Our students attend classes, participate in sports, and enjoy their daily activities, often unaware of the immense effort and dedication required to maintain such a nurturing and safe environment. It’s Doug’s hard work and leadership that provides the foundation for their growth and success.” K

CAMPUS LIFE

If You Were In My Shoes

From fuzzy slippers to ice skates, what KUA community members slip their feet into throughout the week provide some insight to their pursuits and passions.

1. Tessa Cassidy Teacher and Cross-country and Track Coach Tessa Cassidy ran her first Boston Marathon in March, setting a six-minute personal best with a time of 3:08 in these Hoka Speedgoat trail shoes. A college 5k and 10k runner, she took up distance running only in the past couple of years. “I was not planning on doing that but it just kind of happened,” she says.

2. John Murphy For 15 years, Grounds Manager John Murphy covered every inch of campus, tending to the grounds, readying athletic fields, plowing, and even driving students in the Wildcat bus. A pair of boots typically last him a year, but this pair made it through his final two years on The Hilltop. His favorite part of work: “Helping the kids.”

3. Ella Sellman ’26

Ella incorporates these fuzzy slippers into her no-fail bedtime routine in Dexter Richards Residence Hall. An alarm at 8:35 p.m. tells her it’s time to start the kettle for Sleepy Time tea and honey in her “Granny” mug. She follows it up with a second mug at 9:30 p.m. then climbs into bed. “I like a good routine,” she says.

4. John Custer H’24

History Teacher John Custer spent many an afternoon and weekend on the ice coaching boys JV ice hockey for 27 years (despite not being a natural-born skater). He had hoped to use the skates from his college era, but alas, they wore out and he had to purchase a new pair. “I’m much more competitive as a coach than as a player,” he says.

5. Svia Russman-Araya ’24

Svia logged a lot of miles in her cleats as a four-year varsity letter winner in both soccer and lacrosse. She graduated this year as the female recipient of the Akerstrom Award and in the fall heads to Franklin & Marshall, where she’ll continue to play lacrosse as a Diplomat.

“I was not planning on doing that but it just kind of happened.”

—TESSA CASSIDY, ON SETTING A PERSONAL BEST IN HER FIRST BOSTON MARATHON

Hilltop

COMMENCEMENT

NEWS FROM CAMPUS

Lasting Bonds Forged During the Trials of a Pandemic

As the 89 students in the Class of 2024 processed across the stage on a warm Saturday morning in May there was no hint that their bonds had not all been cemented years ago, void of the disruptions, challenges, and frustrations that greeted these students who entered high school at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This senior class has demonstrated remarkable empathy in their support of one another from their Covid ninth-grade year right through to today,” Head of School Tyler Lewis told a large crowd of families, friends, and alumni who traveled from around the world to celebrate the students’ achievements.

It was an incredible shift from where it all began for some graduates, who first met donning masks from six feet apart or from thousands of miles away, forced to used Zoom as they were unable to enter the United States to continue their educational journey.

In his valedictory speech, Hunter Nesbitt ’24 shared where this class found its strength. “We are about to graduate from a community that has overwhelmed us with enthusiasm, kindness, and love. And now it’s our job to pay that forward,” he said. “Our energy is contagious. And regardless of our personal situation, we can always brighten the world of others. And I know this because so many of you have done this for me.”

Kindness and empathy are qualities that retiring Assistant Head of School Tom Kardel has always reinforced in the lives of the KUA community for the past 19 years. As commencement speaker, his parting words reminded us that to care for others, we must start by caring for ourselves.

“Always be your authentic self. In a world pressuring us to conform, one that asks us to wear a mask for others’ comfort or entertainment, authenticity is revolutionary,” he shared. “This is especially true in the age of social media, where superficial, out-of-context, staged narratives are prized and unguarded, yet very real, and human moments or emotions are ridiculed.

“The plain fact is that striving to fit in can destroy you. Don’t do it.”

Another voice that has helped guide the community during times of celebration and reflection is Reverend John Gregory-Davis P’08 ’13 ’17. This year marked his final year of opening the graduation ceremony in his official capacity as co-pastor of the Meriden Congregational Church, which shares the KUA Hilltop. Rev. Davis retired after 29 years.

As the Class of 2024 and others depart The Hilltop, Lewis shared, “Know that wherever your life travels take you, KUA keeps you in her heart and awaits your frequent return.” K

“The plain fact is that striving to fit in can destroy you. Don’t do it.” —TOM KARDEL, ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL

89

Graduates in the Class of 2024

1

Honorary degree bestowed on John Custer H’24 P’02 ’05 for 30 years of service to the Academy

18

Seniors inducted into the Cum Laude Society

18

Graduates completing Arts, Global, and STEM Scholar programs

11

Countries represented in the graduating class

“This

senior class has demonstrated remarkable empathy in their support of one another from their Covid ninth-grade year right through to today.”

—TYLER LEWIS, HEAD OF SCHOOL

Hilltop

SPORTS NEWS FROM CAMPUS

SPORTS Hockey Powerhouse

Boys varsity hockey team won the NEPSAC Elite 8 title.

High expectations, a positive work ethic, and strong student leadership helped propel the boys varsity hockey team to claim the NEPSAC Elite 8 title in a 4-1 victory over Cushing Academy. The win secured four of the last seven New England titles—2017, 2018, 2019, and now 2024—for the trophy case.

The championship game, held at Harvard University in March, was the culmination of a season that kept Wildcat fans on the edge of their seats and started with the meticulous building of the team at the start of the academic year.

Although the team graduates 10 students on average each year, Coach Tim Whitehead and his staff, Matt Underhill P’28 and Bryant Harris, focus on creating culture and identity. “We always have kids from all over the world and try to diversify the locker room,” says Whitehead. “We have our share of New England kids, but we’re much more spread out than most New England prep schools.”

Whitehead notes that expansion of the NHL has created many youth programs in markets that previously had none. “It’s been fascinating to see that growth in college, and now we’re seeing that growth in prep schools. There are top players coming from pretty much every

state in this country.”

The Wildcats got an early start in building their team culture by playing on the same fall team. Early time on the ice strengthened bonds and made for a smooth transition to the winter season. The scoreboard reflected their cohesion: The team won its first two games against The Hill School and Stanstead College in the opening tournament in Quebec. “It was a great way to kick off the season,” says Whitehead, who is in his 11th season at KUA.

Leadership from captains Sam Ledrew ’24 and Luke Clarner ’24 cemented the friendships and set expectations. Jack McMinn ’24 and Jack Sadowski ’24 joined as assistant captains, aiding with drills on the ice and weight training.

“What gave us the edge this year was the brotherhood shared among our group,” says Clarner. “Every guy on the team this year would run through a wall for each other, and every guy poured all they had into the team and had so much fun doing it. Throughout the season we liked to say, ‘Nobody has more fun than us,’ and I think that was spot on and is what gave us an edge.”

In a season plagued by injuries—a broken jaw, concussions, a broken wrist, and a bout of the flu that swept through the team—players and coach-

es considered how far they could go.

When the team lost the league semifinal to Proctor, players wondered if they had any shot at winning New Englands. It felt all too familiar to Mike Lombardi ’17, who captained the 2017 KUA team that also lost the league semifinal. He was in the stands for this year’s loss to Proctor and found his way down to the locker room after the defeat. Lombardi, who won the National Championship with Quinnipiac in 2023, shared with the players how his team’s loss in 2017 spurred them to future victory and ultimately the NEPSAC title.

“He went through how it helped them win the New England championship, and it helped us after we had been through a lot,” says Whitehead, noting the indelible bonds that have lasted through generations.

“I watched my brother play here for four years, and at that age, I looked at KUA hockey players as superheroes,” says Clarner, who next year will play junior hockey. “I remember getting goosebumps when my brother and his teammates would be on the ice warming up, I was so excited to watch them play. So, going from where I was then to being able to play and be a leader on a NEPSAC-winning team was the proudest moment of my life so far.” K

CHAMPION

Nadine Muzerall ’97, Ohio State’s women’s hockey head coach, led the team to its second national championship in three years.

SIGNED

Christian Felton ’19, who recently concluded his season with Merrimack College, was signed to a one-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks.

CAREER HIGH

Teacher John Custer has notched 340 victories during his 43-year career as JV ice hockey coach.

“What gave us the edge this year was the

hood shared among our group.” —CO-CAPTAIN

8 of the 10 graduating varsity hockey players will play on a USA Junior Hockey League team.

Bowdoin women’s basketball assistant coach Abby Kelly ’15 was named to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s “30-Under-30” list for the 2023-24 season.

HONORED

THE THRILL OF VICTORY Boys varsity hockey team claimed the NEPSAC Elite 8 title in a 4-1 victory over Cushing Academy

RECORD WINS

U.S. Lacrosse named boys varsity lacrosse coach Nick Antol the Northern New England Coach of the Year following 14 wins this season, the most in the program’s history.

ARTS NEWS FROM CAMPUS

THE ARTS

A Work In Progress

Visual artist and painter models a creative life.

Making art accessible is a guiding principle for Riley Adams. As she completes her first year as chair of the Art Department, she hopes to engage even more students in the arts at Kimball Union.

“I feel we have so much to offer students in the arts here, and it’s important it’s accessible to everyone,” she says. “We continue to support the kids who are artists, who want rigor and want to be pushed, and we also have students who are athletes or who want to try something new and take their first dance class.”

The visual artist and painter is in her second year on the faculty at KUA, having returned to the area to be closer to family in Vermont. She spent the previous six years at Memphis Rise Academy in Tennessee, a charter school where she served as a founding teacher, grade level chair, and advisor. She worked with younger kids while completing her master’s but found her calling teaching high school while in Memphis.

“I enjoy the process of helping kids figure out who they are as artists in a way that is more meaningful for them,” she says, “and I love helping kids develop a portfolio in their college process.”

Her early training and exposure to art came in high school, through coursework and activities as well as in summer jobs drawing caricatures and

AWARDS

face painting at Six Flags amusement park, fairs, and parties. “I worked with a lot of professional artists and that got me excited to go to college for art and train other artists, which is where teaching came into play,” says Adams, who taught a figure drawing course at the AVA Gallery for the Upper Valley community this summer.

In January, she will exhibit her work in KUA’s Taylor Art Gallery. She believes it’s important for students to see her as both a working artist and a teacher. “I’m painting and I’m drawing as I’m teaching so that students can see the work in progress,” she says. “It gives them the feeling that it’s okay to make mistakes and things aren’t always perfect on the first try. And sometimes I’m learning from them.”

That concept carries over to the artists Adams and other teachers bring into the curriculum. “I believe that students need to see that all kinds of people are making art right now, and we aren’t just looking back in history,” she says. “There are plenty of people today making fantastic artwork. It’s important that students know that they’re out there. I try to teach contemporary artists. In Memphis, I taught Hispanic and African American artists because that’s who my students were, and now I get to teach a more global curriculum because that’s who I’m teaching.” K

Anna Boden ’19 (left) received the Guy Palazzola Award at 2024 Undergraduate Juried Exhibition at University of Michigan Stamps School of Art & Design.

“I enjoy the process of helping kids figure out who they are as artists in a way that is more meaningful for them.”

—RILEY ADAMS, ART DEPARTMENT CHAIR

HONOR

Magna Cum

is Latin for "with great distinction."

RESIDENCY

DANCE

Dartmouth’s Hopkins Center for the Performing Arts hosted a performance at Flickinger Auditorium while under renovations and treated KUA dancers to a master class.

Ella Cheong ’26 won Magna Cum Laude in the National Latin Exam.

Laude

ON VIEW

Adams will show her work in the Taylor Art Gallery this winter.

Ceramics Teacher Ursula Fries-Herfort did a miniresidency this summer in Saint Raphael on the Côte d’Azur in France making lidded vessels.

“WE COEDS ARE HERE TO STAY ”

FOLLOWING IN THEIR SHOES

Clockwise from top: Coeds playing football, fall 1931; Helen Peabody, Class of 1844, the first president of the newly established Western Female Seminary in Oxford, Ohio; The class of 1924 on the familiar Baxter Hall steps; Tammy Strong ’77; 1974 coeducation flyer

FEMALE STUDENTS HAD BEEN CENTRAL TO THE ACADEMY’S HISTORY FROM ITS FOUNDING.

AFTER A ��-YEAR PAUSE, KIMBALL UNION REINTRODUCED COEDUCATION IN ����. HERE ARE A FEW WOMEN’S STORIES.

A 50 YEARS

lthough many private schools excluded female students, Kimball Union welcomed female students from its earliest days.

IN THE EARLY ����s, A TREND IN COEDUCATION WAS TAKING HOLD IN THE UNITED STATES BOTH IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND IN HIGHER EDUCATION, AND KUA CHOSE TO FOLLOW.

These young women went on to become social reformers and suffragettes, pioneers, teachers, and missionaries. But in 1937, citing the Great Depression’s impact on a decline in enrollment of female students, the Academy closed its doors to girls for nearly four decades.

Jane Fielder H’13 P’90 ’91, former KUA archivist and daughter of former Headmaster Fred Carver, grew up on the KUA campus. While her three brothers attended the Academy, she attended Gould Academy, where girls were admitted during her high school years. “It was hard because KUA was our home and we girls loved every inch of it, but that’s the way it was.”

In the early 1970s, a trend in coeducation was taking hold in the United States both in private schools and in higher education—and KUA chose to follow. In February 1974, with the appointment of Headmaster Thomas Mikula, the Board of Trustees voted to re-admit young women.

At the time of his appointment, Mikula said, “In choosing Kimball Union, we all elect to come and live together in this, our school community. Young, old, male and female, of different races, of different abilities, we all come to learn and work together. We must have a complete representation of society which exists in this country. The young people must be of both sexes, and both must be given equal opportunities with equal expectations of meeting the highest goals their various abilities will allow.”

In a letter signed by all 11 of the girls in the 1974-75 entering class, they wrote, “We are determined that this first coed class in 40 years at KUA be remembered for its achievements, contributions, and involvement in worthwhile endeavors. Since we are the first coeds, we feel we must try to be outstanding in order to help set the standards for the many coeds that will follow us. Although we are presently few in number, we have the KUA spirit; and we coeds are here to stay.”

At Reunion 2024, a few of the pioneering women in the earliest days of the return to co-education reflected on their experience 50 years ago.

KUA COEDS THROUGH THE YEARS

Clockwise from top: Bicentennial parade, 1976; 1974 coeducation flyer; Helen Dean, from the Class of 1862; The Minervian Society in 1903; coed softball, 1974.

MEREDITH LIBEN ’77

Liben chose to follow in her brothers’ footsteps rather than attend the local public school. Ten day students and one boarder comprised that pioneering cohort. Liben halfheartedly jokes that 11 was the ideal number, as it allowed the school to field a field hockey team.

“None of us had ever held a stick and there were no wins,” she says. “In fact, the faculty wives all went to practice so we could scrimmage, even though it didn’t help.”

While the Academy opened the doors to the campus, it fell short in preparing for the needs of a female student body. That first female boarder resided in a “dorm” in the home of faculty member Georg and Katy Feichtinger. A powder room in the home of Headmaster Mikula—a short hike up the hill—was used by day students as a restroom.

“We were sturdy farm girls, and we’d just change in the dressing room off the stage and then go home,” she says of her three years at KUA. “But we were just so glad to be here. It was not the school it is today, and I am just blown away when I come here now.”

Liben attended Oberlin and pursued a career in teaching, working at a day school in Michigan, followed by 20 years of teaching at an alternative school in Harlem in New York City. She and her spouse founded their own school before becoming nationally recognized for their reading programs. “Peter Holland was one of my teachers at KUA, and he is probably why I became a teacher,” says Liben, who lives in Vermont.

JENNIFER KURTH

BORISLOW ’78 P’07 ’10

Borislow was among the first class of boarding girls who arrived on The Hilltop. Her father, Wilfred Kurth II ’50 H’07, was an alumnus and chair of the Board of Trustees, which made KUA a familiar and safe place for her to leave home for her educational experience.

“I ventured up here and most of my friends at home thought I had done something wrong and was being banished to boarding school!” she says of her decision to leave her home in Massachusetts.

But her time as a boarder, first living with the Huse family in Frost House with eight girls and then in Densmore Hall, cemented the KUA experience as her own. “Although we were pioneers and on the cutting edge, it was a very welcoming place. I was the manager of the boys hockey team. They won the championship that year and I got to travel with them.”

Borislow attended Dickinson College and today owns an employee benefits firm. Her connection to the Academy has been unwavering. After a 20-year stint on the KUA Board of Trustees, she is now back for another five-year term. Borislow’s daughters attended KUA and one met her husband here.

“To see the evolution of the school has been remark-

able, especially in the field of women. The buildings have all changed, but the spirit of the campus remains the same.”

STACIA COBB COOPER ’79

Leaving New York City for rural New Hampshire would be “pretty daunting” for a 14-year-old girl at any time, but for Cobb Cooper to arrive early in the return to coeducation it was quite a leap. Yet, she describes her time at KUA as one that offered a sense of community and a launching pad for the future.

“Having a group of girls to surround you and be with you is pretty amazing,” says the former four-year boarding student. “We had a basketball team, and when I say it was bad, it was bad. We just had to learn from scratch. I had never heard of field hockey, but I loved it.”

Sports aside, her time at KUA was shaped by strong teaching, particularly from female faculty members. “If you get the right teacher, you can be good at anything. I think about those faculty members who would be there for us, just opening their homes and baking us cookies.”

She notes that faculty members Steve and Joan Bishop remain a constant touchpoint between all the women who are now in their 50s. “I think the one thing we all have in common is the Bishops. We still address them as Mr. and Mrs. Bish, and that is out of respect for their time on campus with the kids.”

Cobb Cooper was part of A Better Chance, a program championed by former Headmaster Mikula that places high-performing students of color in top independent high schools. “The education and discipline I got here really trained me so that I was launched and got a strong start in the work environment.”

She became one of the first African American directors at a large insurance corporation. Today, she serves as manager of Product Regulatory Forms at Brighthouse Financial in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

SUSANNE STILLSON-STRONG ’77

Stillson-Strong is one of 14 family members to attend Kimball Union since the mid-1890s. The return to coeducation gave her the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of her great-grandmother and grandmother, who both attended the Academy.

Although Stillson-Strong spent only one year as a day student, her time on The Hilltop made a lasting impression. “I didn’t understand the gift I was given until later,” she says. “I was in an incredibly diverse community of people who didn’t look like me or sound like me.”

Stillson-Strong went on to become a teacher and administrator in independent boarding and day schools. In 2014, she found her way back to KUA, where she served as registrar until her retirement at the close of this academic year. K

“I WAS IN AN INCREDIBLY DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T LOOK LIKE ME OR SOUND LIKE ME.”

—SUSANNE STILLSON-STRONG ’77 KUA COEDS THROUGH THE YEARS

Clockwise from top: KUA Glee Club 1975; Student newspaper, 1975; day school girls, 1974; co-eds June 1880, winter sports ca. 1900’s

Three seasoned educators retired at the end of the academic year—hanging up their skates, closing their books, and completing their final night of dorm duty. History Teacher John Custer H’24 P’02 ’05, Math Teacher Andy Kaplan, and Assistant Head of School and Spanish Teacher Tom Kardel are remembered here by their colleagues for what they gave during their years of service—30, 21, and 19, respectively—to the Academy. These excerpts, taken from speeches honoring their service, defines teaching at Kimball Union.

TOM KARDEL SAYING

GOODBYE

YEARS SERVICE OF

COLLEAGUES RECALL THE REMARKABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THREE BELOVED EDUCATORS.

JOHN CUSTER BOARDING SCHOOL EDUCATION IN HIS VEINS

Boarding school education is in John’s veins, and he understands the importance of the prep school experience. In his time at KUA, John has served as teacher, dorm parent, mentor, advisor, and soccer and hockey coach, academic dean, department head, Fire Brigade leader, Honor Board advisor, official hockey scorekeeper, and every other role needed at a boarding school. He met each responsibility seriously, conscientiously, thoughtfully, and with his best effort.

John has devoted 30 years of his teaching life to the Academy, but 45 years to the lives of his students. I remember when John was offered the possibility of not doing dorm duty or coaching hockey, and he was torn. Not only did he not want to shirk his duty, but he lamented that if he did this, he would not get to know and interact with as many students. This troubled him.

At one point with the Fire Brigade, I found myself as the only faculty leader, which can be tough, especially when you live off campus. I put out a plea for anyone who might be interested in joining the department. John came to me and asked if I still needed someone. He said he had thought about joining the fire department for several years and realized that he no longer had an excuse not to join. He certainly looked the part of a traditional firefighter.

In 2008, Athletic Director Bill Pottle asked me if I’d like to coach boys thirds soccer with John in the fall. I didn’t know if this was a promotion or demotion, but I said, “sure.” We went on to coach together for 16 years, and I think we did alright together. Our coaching style was, maybe, a little unconventional—but the kids had fun.

John’s influence has been phenomenal. He has positively impacted our students quietly and even without his knowledge. Custer’s Corner, the newly dedicated spot just outside his classroom, is testament to the fact that John, just being John, changed the trajectory of a struggling freshman—and he doesn’t even remember the event.

I will miss working evenings and fire calls with John and the Brigade, the

afternoon games and practices with JV soccer, our daily lunches, and the times he would drop by my classroom either to tell me that we have a fire call or just to sit down to have a chat. I think I speak for the entire school when I say I’m not sure how we will do it alone.

—Darrell Beaupre ’86 P’16 ’20

ANDY KAPLAN

HE’S DONE IT ALL WELL

Andy began his professional life as a lawyer in 1987 and was Andrew Kaplan, Esquire, for 15 years. It was during this time, while volunteering to teach in various venues, that his love for educating youth began. It was the engagement, the interaction, and the development of relationships with young adults that Andy said he loved. Eventually, in 2003, his passion for working with young people led him to KUA as a full-time educator.

His academic courses taught include biology and chemistry, every course in the Math Department except stats, BC calculus, and multivariable calculus. Andy has coached JV and varsity soccer, lacrosse, golf, snowboarding, as well as alpine and freeskiing. In the “other” category of working at a boarding school, Andy served as the Honor Board chair for many years, a dorm parent, and head of dorm, various trip-leader positions, proms, and somewhere in the vicinity of 30 different committees.

Andy has pretty much done it all

“HE REMINDED US THAT TRUE BELONGING MEANS BEING ACCEPTED FOR WHO YOU ARE. I CAN TELL YOU THAT TOM LIVES THOSE WORDS.”

JOHN CUSTER ANDY KAPLAN

TOM KARDEL

and done it well and has mostly done it without a ton of fanfare or pushing himself into the limelight, but there have been a few times when he’s put himself center stage. Some of us remember the lab coat, the protective glasses, and the eventual exploding pumpkin on stage at All-School Meeting. I’m not sure who enjoyed that more, the kids, or Andy. For some who may not know this, Andy used to sport quite a mustache until that fateful day he shaved it off, also on stage, in front of the student body. And then there was that time, yes, you guessed it, on stage again, in front of the whole school, that Andy proposed to his now wonderful partner, Aimee. Perhaps there is a bit of a showman in him after all. It was in those moments, full center stage, that Andy was doing what he is always doing—even without us knowing it—he was providing a lesson to the young people in the room. The lesson, I think, was this: Be bold, be courageous, take a risk, and have fun with it. Be vulnerable and unmask yourself. Share wonderful moments with the people you care about. And then there are the quiet times. Try to stop by and talk with Andy during one of his off periods, or after class, or during lunch. Most often you will find kids in his room, sometimes talking about math, but quite often it’s simply about mentoring or just needing an adult, who will listen. I’m pretty sure Andy was doing motivational interviewing before

it was a coined term. Sit down with Andy at a meal or on the sideline of a game, and he’s going to ask you questions about yourself, things that you have done. While I am sure some of that is his curiosity and wanting to continually learn and grow, I know it also has much to do with his understanding that this helps people share and feel cared about, feel important, feel worthy—Andy lets you know that you are significant. He models what we all preach.

I have always talked with the teams I’ve coached about doing the little things well to make your teammates better, finding ways to support them on the ice as well as off the ice—that is what a great athlete does, a great teammate does. Well, it’s more than that: It’s what a great person does. They make others better, and by doing so, they make the team, the community better. That’s what Andy has done—he’s made our students better, he’s helped to make each of us better, he’s made KUA better. —Mark Hudak

TOM KARDEL

HE STARTS WITH RELATIONSHIPS

I have been privileged to know Tom Kardel in his element as a teacher. We grew up together as teachers, and he is brilliant. Most of my best teacher tricks come from him.

Tom’s incredible Spanish classes are basically master classes in student engagement because they deal with things that matter…to the students. Murder mystery, Lifeboat, ethical dilemmas—I could go on. Countless students rave that Tom’s classes were their favorites in high school.

This year at graduation, Tom encouraged all of us in our audience to drop our masks and embrace our authentic selves and to reject the false belief that fitting in equals belonging. He reminded us, with the help of Brenee Brown, that true belonging means being accepted for who you are. I can tell you that Tom lives those words.

I don’t think many of us can understand what it was like for Tom and his husband, David Weidman, over 20 years ago to take on the job of dorm heads of Dexter Richards, the biggest boys’ dorm on campus, as an openly gay couple—in northern New Hampshire, no less, which at the time was hardly the epicenter of enlightenment. Hats off to

Tom and David for doing it with such grace and bravery and vulnerability. And hats off to KUA for letting them. Since then, KUA has moved light years ahead in the inclusivity department. Here in 2024, those community members who are brave enough, and vulnerable enough, to live their truths are standing on Tom’s and David’s shoulders. We all are. We all owe them a deep debt of gratitude.

Back to Tom’s graduation speech. I think there was a hidden institutional message in there as well. In the nineties, KUA was doing its best to fit in. Somewhere along the way, we finally woke up: The best way forward was to be our authentic selves. We’re a school that strives to put relationships first. We love those kids, and they love us back. You can use all the brain science learning strategies you want, but if you don’t establish a relationship of trust first, it ain’t gonna work.

Jedi Master Tom lives that. He’s been showing us the way for years. He knows intuitively that if you win their hearts, their minds will follow. It was Tom’s idea to base 40 percent of students’ language grades on participation. How do we get them to dive in? Win their hearts. Tom’s fingerprints were all over K-Term, which was basically an expanded version of what he did in his class every day. We should have called it Kardel Term.

During Covid, Tom set up a Zoom study hall for our remote Chinese students that met every school day for months at 3 a.m. Eastern Time. I’m sure Tom gave great academic advice, but his greatest message was unspoken: We care about you. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Tom didn’t like the AP Spanish books out there, so he wrote his own. So, there it is. I don’t care if you’re a beginning teacher, a mid-career teacher, or an experienced teacher, and it doesn’t matter what you teach. You wanna be great? Just do what Tom does: Do everything in your power to create a meaningful learning environment where students feel safe, challenged, and empowered enough to grab the ball and run with it. It isn’t simple or easy, but I know where it starts: relationships. And I can see where it ends: Tom had a successful career here because of all the people who love him. Unconditionally.

—Scribner Fauver P’09 ’12

Giving Back

Kimball Union Academy recognized two outstanding alumni at Reunion 2024, bestowing the Alumni Volunteer Award and the Alumni Achiever’s Award. Congratulations Mary Merrill ’89 and David Pond ’64 for your contributions to the Academy and Thank You!

DAVID

POND ’64

ALUMNI ACHIEVER’S AWARD

Recognizes those outstanding alumni of Kimball Union who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields.

David Pond developed his career to independent education. He served as a faculty member at Kimball Union for 12 years as a teacher, coach, director of admissions, and director of development. In 1981 departed KUA to begin a 34-year career at Deerfield Academy, retiring as Associate Head of School for Alumni Affairs and Development. David grew the Deerfield endowment to $500 million and took annual support from $2 million to $30 million.

Recognizing the power of philanthropy and service, David continues to be a devoted donor and volunteer at KUA, serving as a trustee from 2011-2019 as well as vice chair of the board. Today, he is a member of the Daniel and Hannah Kimball Society and the Campaign Committee. He established the Pond Family Heads Endowment.

“Long before the term servant leader entered the culture, Dave was a model of the practice. As my coach, dorm leader and fellow trustee, he unfailingly provided support and guidance that made me and all around him, better. And he did this without ever drawing attention to himself, focusing on others and helping them achieve their goals. Dave’s talents, caring and compassion have been on display for all to see.”

—DON LOWERY ’73

MARY MERRILL ’89

ALUMNI VOLUNTEER AWARD

Recognizes significant service in advancing the educational interests of Kimball Union Academy through volunteer efforts.

Mary arrived at KUA following in the footsteps of her father Alan Merrill ’55, and sisters Sarah Merrill ’84 and Elizabeth “Libby” Jelliffee ’86. Yet she carved her own path on The Hilltop, making service to the Academy and her community a priority, serving as proctor, head tour guide, and president of Penny Fellowship. She has been a steadfast supporter ever since, giving of her time and talents year after year. She served as class agent for the Class of 1989 since graduation. For three years, she worked as director of annual giving and alumni relations, encouraging others to keep KUA a meaningful part of their lives. Her classmates describe her as a constant for their class and don’t recall a time when she wasn’t engaged and involved to support both her classmates and Kimball Union.

“Mary’s unwavering dedication and tireless service to Kimball Union Academy exemplify the true spirit of commitment and selflessness. Her passion for fostering community, empowering students, and advancing the mission of the school makes her a deserving recipient of the alumni volunteer award.”

—LISA CENCI SHERMAN ’89

Bruce Paro ’74 and Roger Finck ’74 enjoy time together at Reunion, a

Connect

NEWS FROM ALUMNI

Top: Douglas Grady ’89, Lisa Cenci Sherman ’89, Nat Evarts ’89, L. Hillary Moulliet ’89, Lewis Gage ’89, and Jennifer Dunn ’89

Top Right: Family members Stephen Bishop H’00 P’85 ’86 ’89 ’91, Ellen Bishop ’89, and Joan Bishop H’00 P’85 ’86 ’89 ’91

Middle Left: The Class of 2004 including, back row: Kemper Pierce, Bryan Frates, Dana Huston, Katherine Clark, Emily Dewey, Crystal McNeil, Megan Bennitt Pierce, Audrey Rudolf, Dylan McGraw, Daniel Manzouri, and front row, Bryant Harris, Erin Levant, Nicole Bradstreet, Mallory Gendron, Lynn Gray Fairley, Stephen Rogers

Middle Right: Scout Beaupre ’19, Esa Anderson ’19, Kelsey Walker ’19, and Angelina Tommola ’19

Bottom Left: Allen Winslow ’12, History Teacher Tai Rivellini, Assistant Director of Development Billy Rivellini, Jay Harrington ’84, Owen Winslow ’14, Dave Allyn ’86 P’17 ’25, and Brad Allyn ’25 enjoyed a KUA meet-up at Steamboat Springs.

Bottom Right: Jane Howe Boucher ’80, David Coffin ’79, Jay Stewart ’79, Georg Feichtinger, Chip Allen ’79, and Buddy Erb ’79 enjoy a day skiing at the annual Feichtinger Cup and Harry Robinson ’74 Memorial Ski Day.

“The hot topic for the Reunion group seemed to be children’s college choices.” MELISSA LONGACRE ’89

and the place they once called home.

Top: On a warm spring weekend, more than 130 people returned to Meriden to connect with friends, classmates,

Bottom Left: Susanne StillsonStrong ’77, Stacia Cobb Cooper ’79, Joan Bishop H’00 P’85 ’86 ’89 ’91, Jane Fielder H’13 P’90 ’91, Meredith Liben ’77, and Jennifer Borislow ’78 P’07 ’10

Bottom Right: Ann and James Reynolds ‘78

Connect

NEWS FROM ALUMNI

Coming Home

Molly Bourne Steffey ’92 P’20 ’22 leads the Board of Trustees.

Molly Bourne Steffey ’92 P’20 ’22 took the helm as Chair of the Board of Trustees in 2022. She is only the second woman in the school’s 211-year history to lead the board and the first female graduate to do so. Steffey grew up in Cornish, NH, and attended KUA as a boarding school student. One of her earliest jobs was working in the KUA admission office after graduating from the University of New Hampshire. But her drive and keen business acumen spurred careers in entrepreneurial ventures, real estate, and investing. Along the way, family ties and an affinity for KUA kept her bond to the Academy strong, and after numerous roles of service she joined the Board of Trustees in 2018. Here she reflects on her path, her leadership, and her hopes for the Academy.

Tell us about what you’re up to today.

I invest in hospitality, food, and beverage businesses. In the past year, I have jumped on to run a startup RTD (ready to drink) cocktail company under the name Good Dogg. Good Dogg is based in Florida with expanding national distribution. Additionally, I moved to Vero Beach, Fla., and it’s been fun to connect to several of my KUA schoolmates. It’s wonderful when those long-term relationships can come full circle.

Your sons attended KUA. How was their experience different and how was it the same as your own?

While I grew up in nearby Cornish and could have easily been a day student, I chose to board at KUA, and I absolutely loved it. My sons, also local to KUA, living in Hanover and then New London, were committed to being day students against my interest in having them board. I am so impressed with how well KUA integrates day students into the community. That was not the case in the late ’80s and early ’90s during my time at the Academy. Yet, what we all have in common as an undeniable shared experience is that our relationships with our peers and with the adults in the school have been strong and enduring.

There are many places where you could invest your time. What drew you back to serving KUA?

After my older son enrolled at KUA in the fall of 2017, I was honored that the director of advancement asked if she could introduce me to a few KUA trustees to determine if there was mutual interest in my participation on the board. I had served on the Alumni Council in my early 30s and was also co-class agent for some time. KUA has been a constant in my family for decades. Both my brother, Jason ’88, and I are alums and anticipating, back in 2017, that my two sons would be as well, it was clear that KUA was the place where I should invest my time and resources.

You are only the second female board chair and the first alumna in the school’s history. Has that shaped how you lead?

While I find it interesting, and slightly odd even, that I am the first alumna and second woman to chair our board, I don’t give it much thought when acting in my role. I think I am collaborative, I encourage unvarnished feedback, and I make it clear that I am committed to improvement. I respect people’s time and live by two rules: One, meetings start on time and end on time; and two, be thoughtful, be succinct.

One thing I've thought is that it’s not entirely unexpected or unreasonable that women haven’t served in this role because women are often responsible for so many other aspects of their personal and professional lives and still in charge of the majority of their home lives. My leadership style is likely different because I’m a woman, but that doesn’t change that I’m still a businessperson. I’m mindful that volunteer time is not endless because there are still other roles that people play in their own lives, and if volunteer roles play too large a task, it becomes less enjoyable.

What are the Board of Trustees’ priorities right now?

Our priority is to support our Head of School, Tyler Lewis, in delivering an exceptional academic, residential, and extracurricular experience to students while simultaneously supporting similar needs and the professional development of our adult community. To do that we need to be innovative and forward thinking in our financial planning and modeling. The trustees with whom I have the honor of working bring a wealth of financial, business, legal, and educational expertise to our board room; I am grateful to them all and grateful that KUA benefits from this outstanding team.

What is your hope for the future of the Academy?

My hope, and what we are doing, is to continue to build infrastructure and programming that aligns with the talent of our faculty and coaches and fully supports the potential of our remarkable student community. Additionally, we need to keep KUA accessible to more families.

How might you encourage other alumni to engage or re-engage with the Academy?

There are three “pro tips” I would recommend for connecting back to KUA. First, get in touch with Advancement through kua.org to update your contact information, thereby ensuring that invitations and publications make their way to your home and inbox. Also, attend a KUA gathering in your area, because free food and drink and great company is always a win. If inclined, use social media to reunite with your KUA schoolmates and faculty members. K

“Our relationships with our peers and with the adults in the school have been strong and enduring.” —MOLLY BOURNE STEFFEY ’92

Class Notes

DISPATCHES NEWS FROM ALUMNI

1943

Joe Hayes (603) 964-6503 • jhayes697@yahoo.com

I am approaching my 100th birthday, and I was asked for memories back to 1938, when my brother, Bob, entered KUA for the Class of 1940. We would visit and stay at the Hotel Moody. KUA was known for its football teams.

I entered KUA in the fall of 1940, roomed at Bryant Hall, and had a normal sophomore year. The war in Europe was raging, and in the fall of 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. World War II started! The draft for anybody older than 18 and gas rationing were put in place, streetlights were dimmed, house windows were covered at night for fear of German bombers. My house in Newton, Mass., had a huge light manned by soldiers to shoot down planes. In the small town of Meriden, Navy pilots took over Baxter Hall, leaving every day to practice their flying skills in Claremont and Lebanon. It was very cold back then, snowstorms averaged 2 feet, sports continued. Joe Collins, our hockey coach, claimed we were the strongest because we spent more time shoveling than playing. Joe left us halfway through the season for the draft. The two rinks were located under where the Doe Dining Hall is today. The dining hall and kitchen were in the bottom of Dexter Richards. Potato Patch Hill was our first ski hill, all 150 yards! And Mr. Porter put in our first rope tow. The waiters and kitchen staff, of which Charlie Doe and I were part, had the wonderful chef, Albert, to keep us well fed. After the war, Charlie started his first restaurant in Boston on 99 Pearl Street, where I had often had lunch. When he died, he had built 100 Ninety-Nine restaurants in New

England—and he started at KUA!

I was fortunate to spend my 50th Reunion at KUA with my son, Jack, who was spending his 25th. He was a trustee, started a scholarship for a new student each year, and his name appears on the Auditorium. When he lived in Denver, Colo., he accumulated many Remington style bronzes. After his death, the school placed them on display in the library.

After my last reunion at Dartmouth, Sally and I were invited to make a visit by Stacey Summerfield, director of advancement. The town looked the same, but the KUA buildings were most impressive. We were joined for lunch by three students and Head of School Tyler Lewis. The school I knew has come a long way, but there are still cows in the barn.

1953

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

Reports from 1953 classmates across the country continue to reflect positive outlooks.

Pete Bowser out in the Bay Area of California still enjoys playing bocce and adding his voice to a couple of local singing groups.

Charlie Harriman is back in Maine for the summer fishing season.

Pete Melanie, busier than ever contributing his time to several nonprofit groups on Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., has also added his voice to a couple of singing groups.

Jerry Pringle just can’t slow down. He is tending his book collecting and finding time to split wood to keep his stoves warm when the cool Orgon breezes blow.

Paul Russo is out and about maintaining his pool and trying to keep up with his grandchildren here in

Massachusetts.

Peter Whiteside doesn’t let the warmer summer days in Florida interfere with his golf game.

And yours truly, when not digging further into his genealogy, continues to enjoy making music with the New Black Eagle Jazz Band once or twice a month here in New England.

A personal word of thanks to all of our class who have generously continued to support the good work of KUA.

A final note: Late last year, we were saddened to learn of the passing of our classmate Thornton Joseph Fay. Joe is the brother of Frank ’51 and Tom ’53. We send our condolences to his immediate and extended family.

1955

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

Seventy years ago—in 1954—some of us completed our junior year at KUA and others, who would join us for senior year in the fall as postgraduates, graduated from other high schools, although we didn’t make much of that distinction at the time. Ike (Dwight D. Eisenhower) was in the White House and the Korean War had reached an armistice the previous summer. We probably did not realize the significance of it, but the French were defeated May 7 at a place called Điên Biên Phû in a faraway country called Vietnam. In A.D. Adams’s history classes, we had been reading Time magazine for weekly current events classes—or was it Newsweek?

The country was commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Normandy D-Day landings. We read A Red Badge of Courage with Carlton Parker Jones, who put on his Army Reserve uni-

form every so often for drills. Some of us participated in the annual Prize Speaking Contest. During junior year, a majority lived in Bryant Hall with a few down the hill at the smaller dorms. In June, Jack Phoenix left the School Store (at the entrance to the dining room in Dexter Richards Hall) to staff the athletic store, while I continued on with the store and post office boxes at the entrance to the dining hall. Many of us had recently received our first driver’s licenses. I was perhaps the only student authorized to take the school station wagon (which sat in front of Dexter Richards all day with the key in the ignition) down the hill to Gardiner MacLeay’s Store to pick up the mail bags from Mr. Jones at the Meriden Post Office located there.

Coming back to the present: Doug Dodge, 87, died January 20. He was apparently living in Hinsdale, N.H. It appears that Doug had lived for a time in North Carolina, working at Lowe’s Home Improvement in Swansboro, N.C. At KUA, Doug joined the class for senior year from Alton, N.H., and participated in the Outing Club and the Woodsmen’s Team. The class sends condolences to the family.

Steve Smith writes: “The reports of my recluse lifestyle in Florida may be a little exaggerated. While my wife and I don’t get up north as much as we would like to see family still residing in New Hampshire, we are still in close contact with them. My granddaughter, with a recent B.S. in marine biology from UNH, is starting her career climb working at Discovery Cove/SeaWorld in Orlando. As living expenses for kids starting out are ridiculous, we are fortunate to have her living with us. Benefits for me: I know how to handle a shark that may migrate into our swimming pool. I

still play with a local golf group; I am the oldest but not the best and am happy to play 18 holes, have a beer, and take a nap. I am digging through old boxes of stuff from the past and think I have a 16mm film that I made of many of us at a graduation party at Hugh Ober’s summer cottage on a lake somewhere near Concord or Manchester. Norm Letarte provided swimming suits from his family’s collection of athleticwear from the 1920s for the film and we were all pretty much absurd. I wish I had found this before he died—he was a good friend who would have enjoyed it.”

From Bruce Whitney in Sanbornton, N.H.: “We are still in the same place, but it has been a rough year for Ruth, in and out of the hospital and now recovering from a stroke. I am still growing grapefruit trees in my greenhouse. It gives me something to do without going outside. I don’t get around like I used to. Regards to the class.”

Charles Darling reports: “Due to old age and a general downhill trend of energy and endurance, we are spending more time watching the tides rise and fall, feeding the songbirds, photographing some of the wildlife, watching the pleasure, fishing, and commercial boats on Delaware Bay, and holding down various chairs on decks, porches, and balconies. [I] worked for General Foods, Kraft-General Foods after college (University of Massachusetts at Lowell, with a B.S. in mechanical engineering) and now works at KraftHeinz Corp., in various engineering departments and plants, starting in 1961 at the Walter Baker Chocolate Co. in Dorchester, Mass., and retiring in 1990 in Dover, Del.” Charlie has been involved in muzzle-loading firearms and was a hunter education instructor for 35 years. He designed

“I’m approaching my 100th birthday.”

—JOE HAYES ’43

his home and was general contractor for its construction. “We are adjacent to the 10,500-acre Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and joined the board of directors of the newly formed Friends of Prime Hook NWR. While Ann and a close friend developed the gift shop, I was elected president, which I did for six years.” Charlie has “been doing some target shooting on a friend’s nearby farm and learning to shoot skeet at the Delaware Skeet Club. I recently retired from the board of our homeowners association.”

In March, Ron Harrison “gave up teaching my watercolor painting class after 15 years. Age and its decrepitations was affecting the members of the class and its instructor and it was time.”

Walter Phelps observes that “life in a retirement community can be boring at times.”

Howie Goldberg writes: “My mobility has definitely slowed down but, as the saying goes, I am upright and still taking nourishment. Sheila and I have been fortunate to find two local theater groups that do some very good work. One of them is The Umbrella Arts Center in Concord, Mass. They perform four plays a year that are very good productions with a combination of Equity and amateur actors. They mix it up between musicals such as The Full Monty and plays with a message such as The Minutes. The second group is The Reagle Theater in Waltham, Mass. They also have a mix of Equity and amateur actors. They perform excellent musical productions. The next one is South Pacific. I have been fortunate enough to keep in touch with some of our group—have managed a few lunches with George Place and Ron Harrison I’ve also had some great conversations with Byron Koh. Sheila and I had

a chance to have lunch with By last summer.”

George Place says he “will be preparing a class booklet for our 70th reunion next June and will be contacting everyone for a brief retirement bio during the next several months. A recent photo, with or without family, will be requested as well. I am very hopeful of a good response as I’m quite confident that there won’t be many more occasions to memorialize the great class of 1955.”

As for me, I am still producing the local history pages once a week for The Laconia Daily Sun. Answering history questions for the local historical society also keeps me busy with research and an occasional presentation. In May, we put on our annual “History Happened Here” Saturday program, with a walking tour of downtown Laconia, N.H., narrated “trolley” tours (in a highway vehicle made to look like an old-fashioned trolley car), and displays in Main Street store windows. I helped put the script together and was one of the narrators for the trolley tours. Just before deadline, I had a call from Carl Houghton in Essex Junction, Vt. Carl and his wife are still assisting with the family business flower shop, now operated by their son, and were looking forward to their annual sojourn this summer to their property in Maine. Storms had done heavy damage to their dock and other shore property, so Carl was facing major repairs.

In the Fall-Winter 2024 issue of Kimball Union magazine, the death of Peter Proal Hill ’44, was reported. Mr. Hill returned to The Hilltop as a teacher our senior year. Although he did not teach any of the classes I attended, he served as advisor to The Kimball Union, and I have many pleasant memories of trips to Cory-Hewett Press in Lebanon, N.H., to put the pa-

per together on publication days. That was the time of the linotype, handset type for headlines and, if memory serves, the press was hand-fed for the huge run of 200 or 300 copies of each issue. Space precludes a full obituary for Hill, but he died, May 20, 2023, in Brunswick, Maine. After his time as a teacher at KUA, he was a reporter for The Washington Post before joining the faculty of George Washington University, where he earned his doctorate and for the next 40 years taught American history with a specialty in Franco-American diplomatic history. A popular professor, he was “tough but fair.” In the late 1960s, he served as the student faculty liaison during the Vietnam War protests and, near the end of his career, as the dean of the George Washington School of Public and International Affairs (now the Elliot School). He published four scholarly works, including French Perceptions of the Early American Republic and Napoleon’s Troublesome Americans. The 70-year Reunion Weekend is being planned. If you would like to help in planning and with reach out to your classmates, please contact Jen Rexford at jrexford@kua.org.

1958

Fred Heap (508) 272-7176

John Thess is no longer with us. I was a friend with him on Facebook and can report John lived in Texas with his wife and cat. Until Covid, John was still singing. (He and I were the two tenors on the KUA Eight.) I share some very good advice from John: If you play football at Dartmouth, you get to see all the Ivy League schools. If you sing with the Dartmouth Glee Club, you get to see the world.

Eddie Mullen met his brother Jim-

DISPATCHES NEWS FROM ALUMNI

my Mullen ’62 for the Boston Harbor Cruise. Eddie said they were the oldest alumni. In November, Jimmy was in my neighborhood, Great Island at Pinehills, Mass., for a celebration of life for Paul Schilling ’65. Paul was a neighbor of mine and an unbelievable person. He was involved with everything, including testing the swimming pool, setting up tables and chairs in the hall, etc. I was unable to attend because I was singing in a concert at the same time. Needless to say, I have taken a break in singing.

Getting old is interesting. After selling the inn and house on Nantucket, Mass., Sheila and I moved back to our house in Hingham, Mass. Sheila came down with problems of agility and had a hip operation followed by other operations. To address the problem of getting upstairs, I ordered up a stairway mobile seat, only it would not fit. You need 27 inches width, and our stairs were only 21 inches wide. So Sheila decided to move to Plymouth to a Dell Webb development called Great Island, part of Pinehills. I now run an assisted living home with one patient, my wife. One out of four is an assisted living home. My definition being that each home has one person who cannot live alone. My days are spent cleaning, doing laundry, cooking, and napping. Sheila uses a rollator because of balance issues. Personally, I am the luckiest guy in the world. I am of good health with minor issues, including poor hearing, one stent, and too much weight. I stay active by walking my dog, Jasper, and working around the house. We have been lucky to make a trip to Coca Beach, Fla., the last two winters. We took the car train from Virginia to Florida, where we watched four people get blasted to the Space Station. I give a lot of my time volunteering with Alcohol Anonymous, an organization I have belonged to for 45 years. Not only do I attend meetings a few nights a week but I go on “Commitments” spreading the word. It is a good feeling to see people’s lives getting better and marriages saved. I am still on my first marriage, our daughters are doing great,

our grandkids are all successful in what they do, working, and as students. I must say, life is good.

I hope to get to The Hilltop in the near future. There have been a lot of changes. Meriden’s surrounding area is more of a residential area than the farming area when we attended. The board of directors now has a local farmer who can keep an eye on the local doings. When we were at KUA we had Ira Townsend, who was the treasurer of the school and town clerk of Plainfield. I hope to hear from my classmates. If you phone me and I don’t answer, leave a message, I will get back to you. Maybe we can meet on The Hilltop.

1960

The 65-year Reunion Weekend is being planned. If you would like to help in planning and with reach out to your classmates, please contact Jen Rexford at jrexford@kua.org.

1961

Bill Hagar

(802) 772-7448 • whagar467@ comcast.net

From Carleton “Jonesie” Jones: “Like most of us, I have passed my 80th birthday and am retired at the parish where I was the pastor 20 years ago— St. Vincent Ferrer in Manhattan. I have been a member of the Dominican Order since the mid-1980s, always living in community with other friars, and it is good at our age to be living with people young enough to be my children (or even grandchildren). There is always someone to pick up things which I have dropped! I am doing well, considering—with mobility problems requiring a walker, but vital organs still intact. Best wishes and blessings to my classmates.”

From Bob Barbour: “After KUA, I was in the Marines for four and a half years. I hitchhiked south to Florida as I was always stationed in the south or Okinawa and N.H. win-

1. Glenn Gellert ’82 visited Bill Hallock ’82 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

2. Angela Augusta ’15 traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, to implement water filtration systems for the people of Kibera.

3.Peter Hyan ’22 and Sebastian Morris ’22 interned in Berlin this summer with the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship.

BOB CLARK ’72

“In my several interactions with students, I heard great respect for the KUA experience, and eagerness to hear how the school has changed from my time, and an upbeat attitude toward what lay ahead for them.”

ter’s appeal was at an unattractive low point. I found out how living in the Salvation Army and ‘in the street’ had no curious appeal, but working in a gas station a stone’s throw from the Orlando Hospital had its reward, as I always serviced a doctor’s car. He told me it appeared I had some intelligence and should check the new Junior College. I did, got a scholarship, became editor of the fledgling newspaper, graduated, and moved to Tampa (with my first wife) and enrolled in the University of South Fla. Divorced the wife after our baby was stillborn. I worked at a pizza parlor while going to school and got my BA. I wasn’t ready to go to work, so I worked as a teaching assistant while going for my master’s. In that capacity, I saw this angelic young, brilliant girl in a class taught by another grad. Her advice was, “Bob Barbour, stay away! She’s a very sweet girl!” Fifty-two years later, after four years of marriage, we are the very best of friends. She, too, is a brilliant gift from God, with pure goodness in her heart. We divorced so certain differences in our character would not interfere with the profound gift we share! She’s married to a great guy, and they’ve a beautiful daughter getting married in November. Somewhere in the 1970s, I opened a landscape business, which I ran until back surgery in 2019 went awry. Complications meant months learning to walk again. My beloved best friend and ex-wife was at hospice visiting me every day for six months. Today, I’m still working just to keep active. I live in the mountains of Blowing Rock, N.C., and love it!”

And from Dick Brochu I received a short note stating that he has finally retired from his orthodontics practice after 50 years. Congratulations, Dick!

James Townsend

(603) 339-1716 • jetset68@me.com I write from the memorial service

of James Edward Tebbetts ’63 at the Manchester Community Music School (MCMC). I learned that Jim, who was 78 when died of ALS on February 22, 2024, devoted the last 10 years of his life to deep engagement at MCMS in the world of classical music, including a mastery of flute, viola, and piano, classical composition, and jazz. MCMS faculty performed several of his pieces at the service. He also left the school a substantial endowment. In addition to fluency in German, he spoke French, Czech, and Dutch and had a diverse career in various aspects of technology. An amazing gentleman and a life well-lived.

1965

The 60-year Reunion Weekend is being planned. If you would like to help in planning and with reach out to your classmates, please contact Jen Rexford at jrexford@kua.org.

1970

The 55-year Reunion Weekend is being planned. If you would like to help in planning and with reach out to your classmates, please contact Jen Rexford at jrexford@kua.org.

1972

Bob Clark

(828) 734-2743 • bobclarklaw@ gmail.com

I recently visited KUA to reflect on my two academic years, having graduated in 1972. I popped in, unexpected, to the Alumni and Development Office. I was warmly welcomed by multiple staff members and given a tour of campus. I returned, as planned, the next evening to watch our boy’s hockey team put a whipping on Tilton. The last game I had seen on campus was the night it was 20 below zero and the thermometer behind the team bench was at minus 6. Shortly thereafter, a

puck shattered when it hit the post. I ran to the gym to watch warm basketball. Now, there’s a 21st-century rink where the Quonset hut used to be. I ate in the dining hall before the game and didn’t have to put on a tie and sit at an assigned table with a faculty member. I wondered who rebelled first: the faculty or the students. When I carried my tray to the disposal area, I saw a bowl beside the trash hole that read: “Pig Food. Our pigs are vegetarian! Please no meat, peels, napkins, or trash.” That brought up another memory: I had nearly a full scholarship and worked, gratefully, in the kitchen for Mr. and Mrs. Douglas, Frenchie, Albert, and Stretch (Stu Gilliam). I recalled taking 55-gallon drums of “waste food” out to the local pig farmer’s truck. It’s now the 21st century and KUA has gone vertical in its food chain. Pigs and sheep are raised on campus then sent off to be, ah, harvested. I predict that one day, if we haven’t been able to entirely move away from meat, the harvesting and processing will be done on campus. In many ways that could enhance the overall student experience. Changes come in many forms.

What, in my short visit, did I come away with regarding the state of today’s KUA students? Change is inevitable but isn’t always a positive. Constant, progressive growth is usually hard-earned. Today’s students have many great opportunities that we would have leapt at. Students are taking advantage of them as well as creating new opportunities for the ones who follow. In my several interactions with students, I heard respect for the KUA experience, an eagerness to hear how the school had changed from my time, and an upbeat attitude toward what lay ahead for them. Those of us who graduated a long time ago are aware that we are facing a different reckoning. I hope all of us are able to provide for our families. I know that KUA was instrumental in the life I have been fortunate to lead. I want KUA to continue to

help young women and men find their ways to enriching, vital lives. The school is in good hands. Check it out when you have some time. If you can, send KUA your support, now or later.

1975

The 50-year Reunion Weekend is being planned. If you would like to help in planning and with reach out to your classmates, please contact Jen Rexford at jrexford@kua.org.

1980

The 45-year Reunion Weekend is being planned. If you would like to help in planning and with reach out to your classmates, please contact Jen Rexford at jrexford@kua.org.

1982

Glenn Gellert (907) 748-6157 • glenn.gellert@ gmail.com

Recently, I visited Bill Hallock in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He has been living there for about five years and just retired. We even took a camel ride north of Dubai.

1985

The 40-year Reunion Weekend is being planned. If you would like to help in planning and with reach out to your classmates, please contact Jen Rexford at jrexford@kua.org.

1989

Melissa Longacre (603) 306-2024 • mlongacre@kua.org

It was nice to see some of you at our 35-year Reunion! Ellen Bishop, Doug Grady, Andrea Bueno Keen, Lisa Cenci Sherman, Hillary Mathewson, Lewis Gage, Jen Biuso Dunn, Nat Evarts, and Mary Merrill all made the trip back to The Hilltop. The campus looks amaz-

Class Notes

Deaths

Edwin C. Fancher ’41

David Taylor ’45

Peter Wood ’48

Phillip K. Brown Jr. ’46

Philip W. Porter ’46

Robert “Bob” W. Hopkins ’47

Deighton Emmons ’48

Fredrick W. Mumford ’49

Duncan G. Ogden ’50

Kay Foster ’50

John L. Wheatley ’51

Charles Batchelder ’54

Edward N. Sawyer ’54

Douglas Dodge ’55

Stephen Lewis Mann ’56

John E. Soule ’56

Thomas G. Bancroft ’60

George Mann ’62

James Tebbetts ’63

Richard E. Knight ’63

Scott P. Kenney ’65

Robert W. Kemp ’66

Andrew Dean Alexander ’91

Timothy Knox H’96 P’94, Headmaster

John Pierce Cotton, Headmaster

DISPATCHES NEWS FROM ALUMNI

ing and great things are happening here. If you haven’t been back, you really should stop by if you are in the area. It has been a pleasure to be working on campus and looking at KUA through a renewed lens. I have taken on the role of student life coordinator and enjoy working with the KUA faculty and students.

Mary Merrill was the recipient of the Alumni Volunteer Award presented during Reunion. She has been a tireless cheerleader for KUA and led our class to the highest-class participation for One Day, One KUA. It was great to see Ellen Bishop. Her visit was short as she was involved with a Girls on the Run Program on Saturday. Andrea Bueno Keen’s oldest child graduated from KUA in May, and they are currently on a trip to Europe. Her son is involved in all things jazz here at KUA and is an amazing drummer. Hillary Mathewson is engaged to Roger Mueller, and they enjoyed a trip to Iceland this spring. Ask to see her photos—it truly is the land of fire and ice! Lisa Cenci Sherman is loving being able to live in Vermont and work for a Washington, DC-based company, Quorum. She has the cutest pup that brightens up her local assisted living community. Nat Evarts showed amazing school spirit with his KUA jacket. He supplements his long hours with travel. He works as a trader for State Street Bank. Doug Grady was recently honored as “outstanding in the critical area of patent law” by Baker Hostetler Intellectual Property Group and is on its list of the “World’s Leading Patent Professionals.” He is even more passionate about his kids and their achievements! Lewis Gage lives outside of Boston and works in finance. He and his wife have two active boys and are involved in their sports endeavors. Jen Biuso Dunn is working in healthcare marketing and lives in Texas. The hot topic for the Reunion group seemed to be children’s college choices. You all are raising some amazing kids!

Candi Osgood Strickland was sorry she missed Reunion, which coincided with her school’s final days. She is

looking forward to summer break and will be spending lots of time in the pool as she now lives in Orlando, Fla., and is experiencing their hot summer weather! Robyn Sachs Carpenter was unable to make it as her daughter, Sophia, was a finalist for the U.S. National Invention Convention! Good luck, Sophia! I also heard from Rosemarie Kountz (by the way, she was the only classmate to confirm that she is not working undercover). She is living in Portsmouth, N.H., and would love to hear from anyone in the area. She is celebrating her 22nd year as a financial advisor with Edward Jones. As always, keep in touch! I love hearing from you and hope to see more of you in five years if not before. If you make it to Meriden stop by my office in the Barrette Campus Center.

1990

The 35-year Reunion Weekend is being planned. If you would like to help in planning and with reach out to your classmates, please contact Jen Rexford at jrexford@kua.org.

1995

The 30-year Reunion Weekend is being planned. If you would like to help in planning and with reach out to your classmates, please contact Jen Rexford at jrexford@kua.org.

2000

The 25-year Reunion Weekend is being planned. If you would like to help in planning and with reach out to your classmates, please contact Jen Rexford at jrexford@kua.org.

2005

The 20-year Reunion Weekend is being planned. If you would like to help in planning and with reach out to your classmates, please contact Jen Rexford at jrexford@kua.org.

2010

The 15-year Reunion Weekend is being planned. If you would like to help in planning and with reach out to your classmates, please contact Jen Rexford at jrexford@kua.org.

2015

Angela Augusta

I had the opportunity to travel to Nairobi, Kenya, through Hope College’s athletic mission program called Sport Evangelism to Equip Disciples (SEED). My fiancé, Jacob, and I, along with three other leaders (all under 30 years old, which was scary) led 16 athletes from Hope College to implement water filtration systems from the company Sawyer for the people of Kibera, the largest slum in Africa. Meeting hundreds of children, adults, and educators from the area taught me that we are all more alike than we are different. The people of Kenya are resilient, kind, welcoming, strong, and sharp. I hope to go back there one day to reconnect with the people I had the honor of meeting! At the end of our trip, we were brought out to the savanna of Maasai Mara, where we saw every animal in The Lion King and more! I will forever be grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The 10-year Reunion Weekend is being planned. If you would like to help in planning and with reach out to your classmates, please contact Jen Rexford at jrexford@kua.org.

2020

Reunion Weekend 2025 will be here before we know it. This year, along with celebrating the five-year milestone, there will be a special prom and graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020. If you are interested in helping to plan any part, or all of this for your class, please contact Jen Rexford at jrexford@kua.org

“He took an interest in us all and made us feel at home.”

BOARD CHAIR, MOLLY BOURNE STEFFEY ’92

REMEMBERING TIMOTHY KNOX H’96 P’94

Obituaries

Timothy Knox H’96 P’94 17th Head of School

Timothy Knox H’96 P’94, KUA’s 17th head of school, died on May 25, 2024, in Wales. He was 84. Knox earned an A.B. in English literature from Dartmouth and an M.A. from Columbia. He settled in N.Y.C. at the Dalton School, where he became head of the English department and faculty representative on the board of trustees. From there he went on to become assistant head at Saddle River Country Day School and headmaster at the Fountain Valley School. In 1989, when Knox was named head of school and he and wife Liz joined the KUA community, one of his first charges was staffing the new Flickinger Arts Center. Throughout his 14-year tenure, Knox recorded a long list of accomplishments that continue

to define the KUA culture. Doe Dining Hall, the E.E. Just Environmental Center, and the modernization of Chellis Hall were key building initiatives, along with significant programmatic impacts such as the institution of the honor code, increased access to technology, and meaningful progress in girls’ athletics programs. As a school administrator, Knox believed in a strong academic program and felt that as head, he should remain a head teacher. In the last 24 years of his career, he worked in boarding schools, where his involvement with and support of every student was a 24-hour commitment.

He leaves Liz; children Frederick, Donal, Leila, and Eleanor; and seven grandchildren.

John Pierce Cotton 15th Head of School

John Pierce Cotton, KUA’s 15th head of school, died on January 27, 2024, surrounded by family at his home in Maine. He was 86. Cotton was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard. Cotton began his career in education at Colorado Academy, where he taught history and earned a master’s in Asian studies at the University of Colorado.

In 1969, Cotton was appointed headmaster of KUA, where he served for five years. As students and faculty during those years could attest, the world’s troubles reverberated throughout campus, as the Vietnam War and Kent State massacre brought unrest to The Hilltop. Cotton cared deeply about his students and was moved by the unrest in the world. After KUA, he was appointed headmaster of St. Andrew’s School and interim headmaster at St. Stephen’s School, both in Florida, and head of Francis W. Parker School, Chicago. Cotton returned to Florida to serve as headmaster of Ransom Everglades School, then joined Chancellor Beacon Academies as vice president for institutional development.

He is survived by children John, Sarah, and Ethan; five grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.

Your Support Makes the Difference

Thanks to the KUA Community for your generous support in the 2023-2024 academic year. Gifts totaling $3M+ from nearly 1,200 donors to priorities across the Academy!

PARTICIPATION

 10%: Alumni

 9%: Young Alumni (Classes of 2009 – 2024)

 56%: Parents and Families

 95%: Faculty

CHALLENGE MET!

 Howe Dewdney Residence Hall 216 Donors came together to meet the $250,000 Challenge.

Save the Date for the Howe Dewdney Residence Hall Dedication on October 25

 Class of 2024 Senior Class Gift

Renovation of the Baxter Bell Tower Seniors reached 89% Participation and along with support of their families preserved KUA’s historic landmark!

PHILANTHROPY HIGHLIGHTS

 $505K to Financial Aid

 $130K to Mental Health and Wellness

 $500K to KUA Design & The Gosselin Center for Teaching and Learning

Last Word

Trailblazers

As female KUA graduates matriculate at colleges and universities this fall, including Middlebury College and Smith College, they follow in the footsteps of KUA alumnae who left The Hilltop for institutions admitting women for the first time. These young women pursued their degrees under extraordinary circumstances and went on to lead lives of purpose and leadership.

Meriden native May Belle (Chellis) Doremus, salutatorian of the Class of 1879, was one of three women accepted to Middlebury College in 1883 and became Middlebury’s first female graduate in 1886. She finished first in her class and created “some degree of consternation” when she walked away with the coveted Greek prize. Today, the Feminist Resource Center at Chellis House at Middlebury College is named in her honor. Doremus went on to teach President Calvin Coolidge when he attended the Black River Academy in southern Vermont.

Helen Peabody, Class of 1844, held a deep interest in academics as a child and was encouraged by her two brothers and two sisters, all former KUA students, to attend the Academy. She graduated with high honors from Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in 1848 and remained as a teacher until 1855, when she was appointed the first president of Western Female Seminary (now Western College), a position she held for 37 years. Peabody turned down an offer to become Wellesley College’s first president because of her deep love and commitment to Western.

Kate Eugenia (Morris) Cone, Class of 1875, graduated with honors and considered attending Vassar College, but chose to attend Smith College as it first opened its doors. She was one of the inaugural class of 11 graduates and went on to receive the first doctorate awarded by Smith through a joint program with the Harvard Annex, later Radcliffe College. Returning home to Vermont, Cone remained intellectually active in writing and in welfare work. The Morris House, a residential hall at Smith College, is named in her honor. K

These young women pursued their college degrees under extraordinary circumstances and went on to lead lives of purpose and leadership.

May Belle (Chellis) Doremus, Class of 1879, was one of three women accepted to Middlebury College in 1883 and became Middlebury’s first female graduate in 1886.