Winter 2023 Lausanne Magazine

Instilling a Growth Mindset

Preparing Students for Life, Tomorrow and Beyond

With almost a third of students and parents born outside of the United States, Lausanne works hard to ensure that those families have the opportunity to feel at home on campus. One of the most visible ways can be found in Lausanne’s Dining Hall. A flag from each family’s nation hangs from the ceiling, with new ones being added each summer.

Lausanne Magazine is a publication of Lausanne Collegiate School, whose mission is to prepare each of its students for college and for life in a global environment.

EDITOR

Shayne Dotson Fick

Assistant Director of Communications sfick@lausanneschool.com 901.474.1003

MANAGING EDITOR

Drew Smith

Director of Strategic Communications dsmith@lausanneschool.com 901.474.1047

CLASS NOTES AND ALUMNI NEWS

Ariel Spencer

Director of Alumni Relations aspencer@lausanneschool.com 901.474.1039

Charlotte Albertson

Director of Development and Community Engagement calbertson@lausanneschool.com 901.474.1029

ART DIRECTOR

Alison Johnson Charles

PHOTOGRAPHY

Shayne Dotson Fick

Steven Russell

Drew Smith

Lausanne Collegiate School 1381 W. Massey Rd., Memphis, TN 38120 901.474.1000 lausanneschool.com

Headmaster Stuart McCathie and Admission Coordinator Shannon Holder read to Junior Kindergarten students in Carrie Miller’s class.

As the proud sponsor of Lausanne’s Fishing Club, I consider it a privilege to show Upper School students in the group how to fish.

Some students are expert anglers, while others have never baited a hook. Thankfully I have Patrick Potempa, our Director of Maintenance, to help.

As a group, we’ll discuss things such as why a particular lure works best and why casting to a specific area is a better choice. Over the years, I’ve got to know Blue Heron Lake and can easily show students spots where the fish are particularly active.

The process reminds me of the famous adage: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

While this is easily applied to the lessons we’re covering in the club, the adage reminds us that schools can either prepare students for a test today or instill within them the knowledge of the learning process, preparing them for life, tomorrow and beyond.

I am very fortunate and blessed to witness firsthand the teachers here at Lausanne preparing our students for life by applying the school’s mission to prepare each student for college (product) and life in a global environment (process).

Here at Lausanne, we are staunchly committed to requiring students at all grade levels to think, analyze, and consider various viewpoints. The process is pursued through the lens of asking “why,” not “what.” It can be challenging and intellectually liberating for our students, who discern the relevant information and learn to question rather than regurgitate.

Attaining the “why” profoundly increases our students’ content knowledge and related skills and helps ensure their success in the future.

To put it another way, we teach our students how to fish but also to ask why the fish is drawn to the lure.

Chére Lausanne! Stuart McCathie Headmaster

GROWING MINDS:The benefits of PK3 Gardening

“Wow. Look at how much our radishes have grown,” Margaret Inglis ‘37 expressed as she waved over her classmates, who were taking turns watering the vegetables a couple of garden beds down.

A group of Pre-Kindergarteners ran to her side, eager to investigate the colorful crop Margaret had just uprooted from the soil. The students took turns holding the vegetable, each admiring what had become of the seed they planted back in August and had been patiently cultivating ever since.

Margaret Inglis ‘37 helps water the Early Childhood garden.

Tending to the Early Childhood Garden is an experiential learning process for students in Pre-Kindergarten that starts at the beginning of the school year and culminates right before summer break. While gardening provides a joyful collaboration for pre-kindergartners, it also promotes well-rounded learning by teaching math, science, literacy, social skills, emotional development and motor development.

“It is such a wonderful experience that the children get to be a part of for the whole year,” Pre-Kindergarten teacher Peggy Boyd said. “They see many different things happening all year long, from planting in the Fall, the beds sleeping in Winter, to more planting in Spring. We taste whatever we harvest. We also build a scarecrow, which is enormous fun!”

So far this year, the PK students have been growing radishes, lettuce, snow peas, turnips and carrots. However, the gardening process begins well before the first plant takes root, as students begin with learning about seeds, soil, gardening tools and the need for water and sunshine. The process also includes studying the life cycle of various plants, specifically pumpkins and sunflowers.

“Kids are more likely to try foods they grow, so hopefully, this leads to healthier eating,” Pre-Kindergarten teacher Deanne Helvering said. “Gardening also teaches emotional development by prompting students to practice patience as they wait for their vegetables to grow and the possibility of disappointment if the seeds do not successfully grow into harvestable plants.”

Additionally, gardening promotes literacy skills as PK students learn new vocabulary and read books about plants, along with physical and sensory learning through digging, using new tools, planting, watering, smelling and tasting.

“Gardening also builds confidence as children see they’re capable of planting a seed and watching it grow, knowing that they watered and cared for that plant,” said Pre-Kindergarten teacher Jodi Howard

The gardening adventure continues following Winter Break, when the PK classes clean out their beds and plant flowers they hope will bloom just in time for Spring.

Top left: Willow DeBord ‘37 showcases radishes she pulled from the garden.

Bottom left: PK3 teacher Jodi Howard assists Lya Okello ‘37 with watering the garden.

Top right: Lolo Frith ‘37, Luca Nader-Facello ‘37 and Hudson Arrindell ‘37 pick out their favorite green plants.

LAUSANNE WINTER 2023

Fifth-grade students learn about Elmwood history during guided tour of cemetery.

FOOTSTEPS Walking in the fictional

of Novel Characters

During Field Trip to Elmwood Cemetery

The history-filled expedition allowed students to follow the fictional footsteps of the characters from the book and learn more about the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1897.

With a guided tour from Elmwood staff members, students explored the dramatic Entry Bridge, the Carpenter-Gothic Office Cottage and resting grounds scattered across 80 acres, all of which are sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Elmwood is also home to an official Bird Sanctuary and Arboretum.

The field trip wrapped up with a scenic drive around downtown Memphis to see other historical sites noted in the book and a quick stop at Martyrs Park for lunch before heading back to campus.

In conjunction with their classroom novel, Graveyard Girl, students across fifth grade had the opportunity to tour Elmwood Cemetery, one of the oldest and most famous historical sites in the Mid-South.

In addition to their Elmwood field trip, students shared virtual reality settings they created in class. The fifth-graders used their lessons on point of view and setting to create their own virtual reality of the Graveyard Girl novel.

“Using Oculus VR sets, the students went into their peers’ projects firsthand and were immersed in scenes from the book,” Fifth Grade teacher Cass Fernandez shared. “The Virtual Reality Summative gave them a chance to be creative and engaged in a project like never before.”

Bottom left: A group of fifth graders take a closer look at a tombstone.

Bottom middle: Emma Adams ’30 engages in a virtual tour designed by one of her classmates.

Bottom right: Michael Okhiria ‘30, Sofia Marbut ‘30 and Lucas Massey ‘30 read more about a gravesite’s history on one of the cemetery displays.

Liam Berry ’30 navigates through a spooky virtual tour while his classmates watch.

LYNXSERVE

As the last few hours of sunlight neared on a Saturday afternoon, a group of Upper School students gathered in front of a trailer holding canoes to snap a quick picture evidencing the result of their hard work.

Christian Marinescu Tanasoca ‘23, Max Weiss ‘23, Kai Thompson ‘23, Matthew Kulubya ‘23, Hayley McManic ‘23, Amina Orpe ‘23 and Nikhita Srinivas ‘23 snap a quick photo in front of their finished project.

Thanks to partnerships with Wolf River Conservancy, Food Bank and other organizations, LynxServe has achieved significant community outreach over the years.

It was the weekend before one of Wolf River Conservancy’s biggest paddling tours, First Paddle Saturday, and the Lynx students had just spent the day building trailers to help the non-profit prepare for the event. Spending their free time volunteering in the community is frequent for LynxServe co-presidents Nikhita Srinivas ‘23 and Hayley McManic ‘23 and vice-president Evan Lewellyn ‘23 and something the three seniors encourage their fellow Lynx to do as well.

Aside from the curriculum-driven volunteer efforts, Lausanne provides service-learning opportunities for students through the LynxServe program. In alignment with the IB Learner profile pillar of building character through service to others, LynxServe promotes the development of lifelong learners through engagement with the broader community outside the school’s walls.

Thanks to partnerships with Wolf River Conservancy, Food Bank and other organizations, LynxServe has achieved significant community outreach over the years. Now, the program’s leaders are using their positions to further amplify student service efforts by teaming up with organizations on campus.

“LynxServe is aiming to become more integrated with the school through collaboration with other clubs,” Evan said. “In the last year, our focus has been on collaborating with school environmental groups, the National Honor Society and the Student Government Association (SGA) in order to become a pillar at Lausanne.”

Since taking on their roles, the LynxServe trio has seen a significant increase in student engagement.

In September, LynxServe partnered with YWCA, a non-profit dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, dignity, freedom and dignity for all, to host a drive for domestic violence victims and women in shelters. The group worked with female athletes in Upper School to promote the drive and had more than 50 volunteers show up to pack essential health items donated by students into to-go bags for victims arriving in shelters.

last year to this year, and by creating more opportunities and working with more varied groups of people, we plan to get even more students involved.”

“We want to make LynxServe a bigger and more accessible part of Lausanne’s student body,” Nikhita said. “Serving others is a great way for Lausanne students to give back to our community, and we hope to get more and more students involved each year. The club has already grown from

Christina Rossi ‘26 writes words of encouragement on a card while Andrea Huynh ‘23 decorates a to-go bag.

Before Winter Break, the group launched the LynxServe Season of Service, which included Pennies for a Purpose, a schoolwide coin drive. The campaign encouraged students to bring in their change to fund a food drive for Crump Elementary, school supplies for Promise Academy and additional Lausanne community needs. Additionally, the group promotes current volunteer opportunities on the school’s website and works with SGA to help spread the word among students.

Along with the impact students have made working with the organization, LynxServe has also given its members a greater sense of involvement within the Lausanne community.

“I

always loved volunteering, and being a part LynxServe has taken that interest to another level,” McManic said. “It also has helped me get to know some of my classmates on a deeper level, which makes volunteering together even more meaningful.”

Rachel Hammons, Director of Lausanne 360 and advisor of LynxServe, says Nikhita, Hayley and Evan have excelled at making it a student-centered service club.

Memphis community. The groundwork they are laying now will help to foster LynxServe growth for future Lynx.”

Student-athletes team up to create to-go bags for victims in shelters.

have

“This student advocacy is what we want for our students—to find a passion and push to explore, grow and work within that passion,” Hammons said. “Nikhita, Hayley and Evan all bring a different voice to the table when it comes to service, so their teamwork and different leadership styles create a unique experience in helping to connect the Lausanne community to the greater

LAUSANNE WINTER 2022

ARTS at Lausanne

ARTS GALA AND NIGHT OF BROADWAY

Night of Broadway returned in full force this Fall, with 25 different acts taking the stage to perform their Broadway favorites.

Hosts Jasmine Younes ‘23 and Malaika Kumar ‘23 introduced students from 1st through 12th grade as they shared their musical talents with a live audience in Elder Performing Arts Center (EPAC).

The evening also featured a return of our Arts Gala, an exhibition of various works of art from Lausanne Lower, Middle and Upper School students. Live musical performances by Lower School students and the Upper School band entertained audiences during the event.

JULIUS CAESAR MEETS HIS END ON EPAC STAGE

Lausanne’s Upper School thespians brought one of Shakespeare’s greatest works to EPAC’s stage as they performed The Tragedy of Julius Caesar for this year’s Fall production. Cast members captivated audiences with a performance that recounted the infamous Roman Emperor Julius Caesar’s dramatic downfall as his own Senate turned its back on him and crafted a treacherous plan for his bloody assassination. The play took the audience through the events leading up to Caesar’s brutal murder as it delved into the minds and conversations of the conspirators behind his assassination.

MUSIC STUDENTS HOST WHIMSICAL WINTER CONCERT

This year’s Winter Band and Strings Concert brought chorus and band students together for performances celebrating their talent and desire to create live music. Three ensembles of strings, two bands and one Upper School choir provided various music all evening. From “Smoke on the Water” to a stylized version of “All Star,” each session was simply outstanding.

MIDDLE SCHOOL THESPIANS TAKE CENTER STAGE FOR MATILDA JR

The rebellion was his in Matilda Jr., this year’s Middle School production, as the Lynx cast performed a gleefully witty ode to the anarchy of childhood and the power of imagination! Based on Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s novel, Matilda Jr. tells the story of a precocious five-year-old girl who loves books, hates bullies, and is revealed to have telekinetic powers, which inspires her favorite teacher Miss Honey and helps defeat the tyrannical headmistress Miss Trunchbull of her unpleasant school.

LYNX SENIOR EARNS RECOGNITION FROM FRIST ART MUSUEM

Congratulations to Lausanne senior Julia An ‘23 for being chosen by the Frist Art Musuem to display her limited palette oil painting, A Warm Welcome, in the Young Tennessee Artists Advanced Art Exhibit.

“Julia is a spectaculary gifted artist,” Upper School Visual Arts instructor Kate Manzo shared. “She is wise beyond her years, and I have no doubt that one day she will be a phenomenal professional. This is one student to watch.”

This biennial statewide competition showcases the top 36 artworks by students in Tennessee’s AP and IB Visual Arts courses. Julia’s exhibition piece will remain on display at the Frist Art Musuem in Nashville from September 2, 2022, through February 12, 2023.

Upper-level studio art courses allow passionate students to build and refine their portfolios through ongoing investigation, practice and reflection. The dedicated teachers in AP and IB programs challenge their students’ artistic perceptions and encourage them to develop aesthetic methods, both conceptually and in execution.

MIDDLE SCHOOL SHOWCASES ARTISTIC ABILITIES IN EXHIBITION

From textile arts with sewing and embroidery to three-dimensional sculptures, this year’s Middle School Arts sampling focused on a vast assortment of media and visual techniques created by our Lynx artists. Displayed in Blackmon Gallery, each piece reflected the range of talent our Middle School students gain from the art classes at Lausanne.

“Students excel in the Arts when they are offered the opportunity to explore their imagination to create original works,” Middle School Visual Arts teacher Geri Passaro-Floyd shared. “The visual art teachers at Lausanne love to foster creative minds and guide them as they grow on their artistic journey!”

ATHLETICS at Lausanne

VARSITY POM TEAM’S MEMORABLE FIRST SEASON

Noelia Jones, Head Coach of the Varsity Pom team, introduced the idea of having a Pom Dance Team in April to her dance classes but was a little hesitant due to it being her first year teaching at Lausanne. However, Jones had an overwhelming turnout of students who wanted to join the team during an interest meeting, which led to the decision to establish the team. Upper School English teacher Natalie Thomas joined Jones as the Assistant Coach, a decision influenced by Thomas’ background as a professional dancer and choreographer. The team spent the summer connecting and practicing their skills, which led to their flawless debut at the first football game of the season followed by many successful performances since. Due to students’ interest in dance and the team being larger than expected, Jones has decided to make two teams next school year for those who want to compete with UDA and a team for game day.

“The talent on this team blows our mind because not only can they dance, they are scholars of excellence,” Jones said. “Lausanne is truly a school that stands firm on its vision and mission, and dance is just a vessel that allows students to create, connect and perform. We are so thrilled to see what the next year brings, but for now we are going hard for our basketball season.”

VARSITY VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS EARN ALL-DISTRICT RECOGNITION

Three Varsity Volleyball team members were named as part of the TSSAA Division II-A West All-District Volleyball Team. Aaliyah Bethea ‘23 earned First Team All-District, and Jayla Bond ‘25 and Emma Reed Robert ‘25 both received Honorable Mentions. Way to go, Lynx!

MIDDLE SCHOOL FOOTBALL ACHIEVES

UNDEFEATED SEASON

Lausanne Middle School football wrapped up an undefeated season with a 40-8 victory over Northpoint! Fantastic job, Lynx!

MIDDLE SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY

Middle School’s cross-country team represented Lausanne well at State this year, with Adelaine Donecker ‘30 finishing 38th and Micah Lewis ‘31 following closely behind in 39th place out of more than 300 runners. Zachary Califf ‘30 added to the competition excitement as he placed 66th out of 329 boys.

VARSITY CHEER TEAM EARNS BID TO NATIONALS

Lausanne’s Varsity Cheer team began competition season at the end of October when they competed at the 2022 UCS & UDA Mid-South Regional competition. Finishing 2nd overall in regionals, the team earned a bid to the National High School Cheerleading Championships held in February. The following week, the Lynx cheerleaders took their talents to Nashville for the state championships, where they finished 6th out of 18 teams competing. Let’s go, Lynx!

LAUSANNE QUARTERBACK COMMITS TO FLORIDA STATE

Over Thanksgiving Break, Brock Glenn ‘23 announced his commitment to attend Florida State University, ending a long recruiting battle for the Lynx quarterback. After previously announcing his intent to attend Ohio State, Brock’s decision ultimately came down to his desire to become a professional quarterback, which made the Seminoles the right choice for the senior athlete.

Class Notes

Life has thrown its fair share of obstacles our way over the past few years, but Lausanne’s’ mission, strength and resilience remain the same. To the Lausanne Alumni Board and Young Alumni Advisory Council, thank you for your flexibility and willingness to pull together and lead during a time of uncertainty. To our alumni community, as we return to in-person events both locally and countrywide, we’ve missed you and would love to reconnect!

In October, the Lausanne Alumni Association celebrated the return of our most popular event, Alumni Weekend, which included a celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the varsity football program, a Rise & Shine Alumni Brunch and individual class parties around town! We are so happy to have celebrated classes 1972 to 2012, with some alumni visiting after being away for more than 50 years! We have more alumni events and opportunities coming soon, so be sure to follow Lausanne Alumni on social media and join Lausanne Link, our alumni networking platform, to connect with alumni all over the globe.

Lastly, I want to express my gratitude for the Lausanne Alumni Board, the Young Alumni Advisory Council and countless alumni for your endless support in keeping Lausanne the extraordinary school that it is. I’m honored to have met new faces and begun lifelong friendships with so many of you, and I look forward to meeting more of you as our travels take us your way in the new year!

Spencer Director of Alumni Relations aspencer@lausanneschool.com

Ariel

CLASS NOTES

1965

1974

Anita Picaza Soler ‘65 shared that she is a happy grandmother, with three granddaughters born in the last three years. Identical twins arrived on October 12 to complement a thirtymonth-old toddler. Mother and babies are doing great - grandma is over the top! Pictured with this proud grandmother are Camille (Camila) Esther, Celine Georgina and Anabel Maria.

1971

Jane Nell Luster ‘71 retired from Louisiana State University–Health Sciences in 2014 but did not retire from work. Her company Com-Link, LLC provides education consultation services to state education agencies and other agencies in special education organizational systems. They also provide evaluation services. She has a wonderful daughter, Amy, son-in-law, Bob, and almost ten-year-old grandson, Cayden. Her husband of almost forty-two years passed away over four years ago. She recently read an article in Delta Magazine about Maude Schuyler, her roommate for most of her junior year.

Dee Dixon Buhr ‘74 was excited to share this photo from the recent Lausanne Current and Past Trustee Soirée. She is pictured in front of her Lausanne basketball uniform now on display in the library as part of the Lausanne Archives. She played in the late 60s thru early 70s, when the student body was made up of all girls. As Dee put it, “I had no height, so I played with heart.”

1982

Dawne Dickey Davis ‘82 is currently Managing Broker for Parks Realty in Murfreesboro, TN. She also continues to represent buyers and sellers in Middle Tennessee. We loved having her back on campus for her 40th reunion!

Sally DePriest Whitehorn ‘82 has been working at the Memphis Business Journal as Sr. Multimedia Consultant for the last seven years. She has been married for twenty-eight years to Lowry Whitehorn. In the last two years, they have downsized and now live in the South Main Arts District of downtown Memphis. They are very proud of our their two daughers — Emma Whitehorn ‘17, who is now teaching 6th grade Science at Lausanne, and Julia Whitehorn ‘19, who is a junior at the University of Texas Austin, studying public relations and marketing.

2001

After eight years at Google, Patrick Fonzo ‘01, has decided to step into a new chapter and has recently joined the Corporate Partnerships team at Adobe. Congrats, Patrick!

CLASS NOTES

CLASS OF 1972 REUNION

Sherry Hecht Katzman ‘72 shared, “We had a few last-minute cancellations, but the eleven of us who were in Nashville had a great time. We have a very active group and, having been boarding students together for those years, still have a strong bond. I was Miss Lausanne in 1972! As you can tell, eating and drinking played a large part in our fun time together!”

Those in attendance were Emily Crosby Alldredge ‘72, Lynette Denton West ‘72, Mary Gilchrist Stinson ‘72, Paula Gish Babcock ‘72, Ann Harrison Brinkopf ‘72, Sherry Hecht Katzman ‘72, Janie Oliver Reiselt ‘72, Libby Pryse Ivens ‘72, Debbie Sherrill Tallman ‘72, Cindy Sullivan Reese ‘72 and Fran Wortham Farmer ‘72

Congratulations to Candace Billings ‘01, who recently opened Sundara Wellness Center, a multidisciplinary health practice and wellness center in Midtown Memphis!

2002

Blythe Shaver ‘02 is currently Living in Northbrook, IL with her two children, husband and two dogs. Blythe is working at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago in Sales and also as a Cub Scout Leader and Sunday School teacher.

2004

Congratulations to Marc Gasol ‘04! The former Memphis Grizzly now resides in his native country of Spain, where he founded and plays for Bàsquet Girona, which recently won the Second Tier Spanish Basketball League. Marc also earned “Most Valuable Player” in the finals by helping his team beat Estudiantes 66 to 60. The win now elevates Bàsquet Girona to Spain’s top professional league for the first time in franchise history.

2008

Sharwil Bell ‘08 is loving being back in Memphis and working as a Doctor of Physical Therapy at 901PT. She also recently became an adjunct faculty member at South CollegeKnoxville Campus within the hybrid Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Sharwil was even featured in the September issue of Memphis Health and Fitness!

2009

Congratulations to Jarred Reed ‘09, who recently was invited to become a member of the National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40.

2010

Sapna Jain ‘10 recently accepted a position at Robinson+Cole in the firm’s Labor, Employment, Benefits + Immigration Group.

She advises clients on general employment matters, including anti-discrimination and anti-harassment laws as well as restrictive covenants while investigating complaints of discrimination and harassment and conducting trainings on these topics.

Catherine Clubb-Brown Turner ‘10 welcomed her first child in December 2020!

Hillary Weiss Samuels ‘10 is an attorney at Harkavy Shainberg Kaplan in Memphis. Hilary is married to Jacob, and the pair has one daughter, Ruby, born January 19, 2022.

2011

Congratulations

CLASS NOTES

birth of their son, Broadrick “Brody” George Blocker, on August 5, 2022!

Briella Baer Chen ‘11 will be starting a new journey at Towson University as a tenure-track assistant professor of Special Education, teaching and researching how to support autistic students.

Julia Perkins ‘11 is currently working as the Tennessee Titans’ Director of Project Management! She is also recently engaged to her fiancé, Matt Bender, a videographer and creative director in the music industry. They live together in Nashville with their two dogs, Jack and Elvis.

Nicolas Leal ‘11 is currently a Clinical Research Coordinator at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and is applying to medical school.

Brian Mounce ‘11 is currently a Federal Defender and a history and political science professor at Christian Brothers University. Lausanne welcomed Brian back to campus on December 12 as a featured alumni speaker during Upper School Convocation.

2012

Christian Nelson ‘12 graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and chemistry from Tulane University in 2017. He recently accepted a new job as process control leader at Georgia-Pacific.

Congratulations to Alexandria Orange ‘11, who recently started a new position as a Judicial Law Clerk with Shelby County Government.

to new parents Cole Blocker ‘11 and his wife, Chandler, on the

CLASS NOTES

Hailey Nelson ‘12 is currently the Producer and Production Manager at Coca-Cola Studios.

Leslie Pace ‘12 graduated in 2019 with a master’s in biomedical engineering from the University of Memphis and is currently working at Edwards Life Sciences as a Senior Specialist in their Transcatheter Heart Valve business unit.

Reese Craft ‘12 is currently in graduate school in Barcelona studying for her MBA. After she graduates in January, she is looking forward to coming back to the U.S.

2013

Sabaa Sharma ‘13 has accepted a new position as a Legal Associate with IBM’s legal team. She is excited to be going directly in-house post-law school and can’t wait to continue with her team!

Avery Baker ‘13 recently graduated from UTHSC with a master’s in pharmacology. She also joined the class of 2026 at UTHSC College of Medicine this fall.

2014

Elizabeth Dia ‘14 recently started her second year of law school at New York University. This past summer, she worked as a legal intern at the civil rights organization, Latino Justice PRLDEF.

2016

2018

Contact Ariel Spencer, Director of Alumni Relations, at aspencer@lausanneschool.com.

This past summer, Afif Showkat ‘16 had the opportunity to work with two outstanding physicians, Dr. Samy Abdelghani (Cardiology) and Dr. David Portnoy (Oncology). Afif worked with Dr. Abdelghani at St. Tammany Parish Hospital and Ochsner Health Center clinic in Covington, LA and with Dr. Portnoy at the West Cancer Center Clinic in Memphis. From catheter labs to different surgical operations to witnessing patients ringing the bell after becoming cancer-free, this was an experience Afif will not soon forget.

2017

Congratulations to Kristen Wright ’17, who recently accepted a full-time offer with Google, joining the Machine Learning Team as a Technical Program Manager.

Salome West ‘18 graduated in May with a BA in anthropology and pre-medicine and a minor in biology from The American University. Among her many honors are:

• 2019–2020 VP of Programming for Phi Delta Epsilon-DC Beta Chapter

• 2020–2021 President for Phi Delta EpsilonDC Beta Chapter

• 2021–2022 Captain/President of Club Volleyball Team

• Fall 2021 Initiate into Lambda Zeta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

• Spring 2022 Chapter President (and every other officer position) Lambda Zeta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

• Research Assistant and MCHC/RISE-UP Intern for Johns Hopkins University and Kennedy Krieger Institute

2022.

Destiny Hinton ‘18 recently graduated from the University of Memphis with a bachelor’s in public relations and interned for Hearst Corporation as a Talent Strategy Associate during the Summer of

2022 Alumni Weekend

Over the weekend of October 14–15, more than 150 alumni returned to campus for Alumni Weekend—back and in-person after a two-year absence.

We were so excited to see so many alumni, especially those celebrating reunions (classes ending in 0, 1 and 2). The festivities began with a Homecoming reception and a Lynx football win on Friday night, followed by the Rise & Shine Alumni Brunch and individual class parties on Saturday.

We also celebrated the 10th Anniversary of Lausanne’s Varsity Football Program. Several coaches and alumni players were honored on the field, including former Athletic Director and coach Dr. Troy Baker, as well as Zach Stanford ‘16, Wesley Carr ‘18, James Babb ‘17 and Adam Boyce ‘16

In Memoriam

Lynn Davis Anderholm ‘71

Lynn Davis Anderholm ‘71 passed away on July 10, 2022.

Sue Dickey ‘71 shared the following heartfelt message with her classmates:

“It is with lots of sadness that I write to members of the class of 1971 to inform them of the death of another classmate, Mrs. Lynn Strother Davis Anderholm. Our class size gets fewer as we approach our 70th birthdays. Some of you may have known Lynn since Middle School, when she joined our Lausanne cohort after her earlier school years at her home in Corinth, MS.

Lynn had some fine adventures in her life, both when she and I went to Paris immediately after our graduation in 1971 to attend summer school at La Sorbonne, University of Paris. Lausanne arranged this for us through the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS). We both wound up as Vanderbilt freshmen in the fall of 1971, although she had originally planned to attend Sewanee, the University of the South. A last-minute change of heart led her to Vanderbilt where she met her lovely husband, James (Jim) Anderholm. Later, as a military wife, she and Jim lived in various spots throughout the world, including Kaneohe, HI, where she gave birth to daughter, Anna-Leigh at Tripler Army Medical Center. Lynn was a math whiz and did some graduate work at Cornell. You will have to ask her children about the exciting circumstances of Andrew’s birth, but suffice to say that Jim

delivered him! They raised their lovely children, Anna-Leigh and Andrew (Drew) mostly in Mt. Vernon, VA, where Jim worked at the Pentagon and Fort Belvoir before retiring from the U.S. Army. Lynn was a wonderful wife, and they shared forty-one years of marriage until Jim passed away last year around the time that Hurricane Ida was making its way up the interior of the country as far north as Pennsylvania and New Jersey (~ August 31 – September 1, 2021).

This lovely photo of Lynn was taken in Corinth on the Saturday after Thanksgiving 1970, when she and Jim were married. I was honored to serve as Lynn’s Maid of Honor. Lynn and Jim are survived by their children, Anna-Leigh Anderholm Heath, husband Richard, and daughter, Fiona, of San Diego, CA, and their son, Andrew Anderholm of Alexandria, VA, along with siblings, nieces and nephews (mostly east of the Mississippi River, as far as I know). As I have missed all of you from the classes of 1971 and 1972 and felt the loss of those who have passed away already (24% by the year 2011 by our count back then), I will miss Lynn and the rich, ongoing relationship that we had as lifelong Lausanne/Sorbonne/Vanderbilt friends.”

in her spare time she continued to work with ZAP for the betterment of the Memphis Zoo. Although it started off as just a small group of volunteers, ZAP continued to evolve throughout the 1970s. Its purpose also advanced from merely policing the Memphis Zoo to growing it, which is probably best reflected in the organization’s name change from “Zoo Action Patrol” to “Zoo Action Program”. To this end, Fisher and her fellow ZAPPERS began staffing the zoo’s first petting area and gift shop, “The Elephant’s Trunk.”

The ZAP group worked quietly for years to improve the Memphis Zoo for both animals and visitors, but it eventually became clear that the zoo was destined to become much more than originally envisioned. To reach its full potential, broader support beyond the zoo’s young volunteers was needed. Thus, in 1981 ZAP merged with the dormant Memphis Zoological Society, and prominent businessmen and women were recruited for the zoo’s development efforts. Donna herself prepared the merger resolution between ZAP and the Society and helped draft the Society’s bylaws and first personnel policies. After serving on its board of directors throughout the 1980s, Donna was elected president of the Society in 1989, while simultaneously carrying on with her law practice. During her presidency and throughout the 1990s, she tirelessly assisted in the effort to grow the Society’s membership and financial base. She also helped coordinate many of the zoo’s most popular events, such as Zoo Lights, Zoo Boo and a Run on the Wild Side. Donna was an Honorary Director for Life of the Memphis Zoological Society and served as a counsel in the law firm of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak and Stewart, where she represented management in labor and employment matters.

Donna Kaye Fisher ‘67

Donna Kaye Fisher ‘67 passed away on August 14, 2022. She was born in 1949 to Kay and Gene Fisher, graduated from law school in 1974 and went on to work for the East Memphis labor and employment firm of McKnight and Hudson, but

2019

Liv Clayton ‘19 traveled to Virginia Beach in September to attend the Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists’ fall conference and to present findings on the strength-based coping mechanisms used by solid organ transplant recipients. She shared a special thanks to her mentor, Dr. Camilla Nonterah, the research assistants of the EQUITY Research Lab and to Dr. Heather Bruschwein of the University of Richmond for their support of this opportunity.

2020

In the summer of 2022, Anaum Showkat ‘20 conducted her own biomedical research project at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in the College of Pharmacy under the direction of Dr. Udai Singh. Her research explored the benefits of Resveratrol, its beneficial effects on cardiovascular diseases and neurological disorders and ultimately its potential therapeutic use for metabolic diseases.

Ambria Williams ‘20 was recently announced as a recipient of the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service, also known as the Voyager Scholarship, created by President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and Brian Chesky, Airbnb CEO. The Voyager Scholarship was created to “help shape the next generation of leaders that will create meaningful change through understanding, empathy and cooperation”. Out of nearly 1,800 applicants, only 100 students were selected for the scholarship. Ambria plans to focus her public service on health law and policy and how it relates to improving access to treatment for diverse populations. In the future, she plans to become a health and intellectual property attorney.

2021

Justice Crawford ‘21 recently began his second year at the University of Southern California – Marshall School of Business!

Marc Bonnot ‘20 spent a semester abroad this fall at UC Berkeley’s Gump Research Station in Moorea, French Polynesia. We can’t wait to hear more about his experience!

2020 Catching up With the Class of

Only a few years since commencement, the graduates of the Class of 2020 have already seen many triumphs and are well on their way to forging a successful life after Lausanne.

As we near the three-year mark since a global pandemic split the 2020 graduation into eleven masked and socially distanced ceremonies, we are reminded of the importance of community and human connection, the value of generating knowledge and what can be accomplished when people come together to tackle a problem. Although it was a challenging senior year with a graduation experience like no other, these circumstances did not define the Class of 2020’s ability to move forward. Now, we’ve caught up with a few alums who shared an update on life since they walked across EPAC’s stage over two years ago and set out into the world.

Ambria

Williams ‘20

What have you been up to since graduating from Lausanne? Since graduating in 2020, I have been pursuing a bachelor’s in public policy with a minor in bioethics/public health at NYU. During my sophomore year, I found my passion for health law, policy, and bioethics and spent a semester studying at the NYU campus in Washington, DC. I have also interned at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Division of Medical Ethics, pursuing research on transplant policy and ethics. On campus, I have assisted in leading pre-law organizations and am a member of the undergraduate Public Policy Student Board. This year, I was named an inaugural recipient of the Obama-Chesky (Voyager) Scholarship for Public Service. I am currently conducting projects on health law and policy research.

Based on what you’ve learned in the past two years, what advice would you give to yourself in May 2020?

I would tell my past self to continue asking questions to evolve in endeavors and continue to explore academic interests and focus on self-development in college. There are many opportunities available: make sure you are researching, continuously learning and being open-minded. You’ll find your passion and your why. Be patient.

What is your favorite Lausanne memory?

One of my favorite Lausanne memories would have to be playing various roles in the Middle and Upper School theater productions. A favorite of mine was playing Gingy the Gingerbread Cookie in Shrek the Musical when I was in Middle School. I enjoyed the role and my costume design. In general, I cherish my time in the theater department and believe that it really helped improve my public speaking skills. Another favorite memory would be going to various Model UN and Youth in Government Conferences. Serving as President of the Model UN club and preparing for Youth in Government Conferences were valuable experiences I will never forget.

Stephan French ‘20

What have you been up to since graduating from Lausanne? Since my graduation in 2020, I’ve been attending Indiana University full-time, majoring in computer science and minoring in business. During the Summer of 2021, I worked at SAS, a tech company based out of North Carolina, as a Technical Intern working with their Fraud Division on secure financial messaging. This past summer, I interned at Accenture as a Tech Arch Delivery Analyst doing project management work with my clients. This upcoming summer, I’m returning to Accenture. On campus, I’m a student ambassador for the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering. I’m also a member of the Dean of Students Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion, a member of the prestigious board of AEONS, Social Chair of the National Society of Black Engineers and the Strategus for the Alpha Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Based on what you’ve learned in the past two years, what advice would you give yourself in May 2020?

The advice that I’d give myself is to get out there as much as you can, whether that’s getting involved on campus or in the community, talking to as many professors as possible and attending as many career fairs/sessions as possible.

Middle left: Stephan poses with two of his Indiana University fraternity brothers.

Bottom left: Like the Lynx community he had at Lausanne, Stephan has found a community at Indiana University.

Shivani Koka ‘20

What have you been up to since graduating from Lausanne? After graduating from Lausanne, I came to Florida to study at the University of Miami! I am now a junior studying business technology with a focus in cloud computing. Here, I felt as if I already had a community, since multiple Lausanne alumni also attend! Now we have Lausanne Class of 2020 alumni visiting Miami often. Within my university, I am involved in the business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi, where I met my best friends. I am also working for a student-run consultancy, Orange Umbrella, doing web design/development for our clients. Besides school, I love the beautiful weather at the beach, trying some of the best restaurants in the country and enjoying the Miami nightlife. I also had the opportunity to visit my friend’s home country, Peru, over Spring Break and trek Machu Picchu!

Based on what you’ve learned in the past two years, what advice would you give to yourself in May 2020?

I would tell myself not to wish away time because you are so excited for the future! I miss Lausanne and am so grateful for the community I still have there. Time is moving so fast in college that I make sure to enjoy every moment and not stress over the small things.

What is your favorite Lausanne memory?

My favorite Lausanne memory is the first day of the Class of 2020’s senior year—a day filled with our senior brunch, the drive-through and the pep rally!

Top: Shivani travels to Peru with friends from college.

Middle: Shivani shares a moment with Lausanne alumni Bryant Haley ‘20, William Giles ‘19 and William Lenz ‘20

Lynx friends Olivia Oh ‘31, Bianca Lima ‘31, Zaria Jackson ‘31, Stevie Stewart ‘31, Jane Livingston ‘31, Leighton Weatherby ‘31, MetaRose Altman ‘31, Rhiya Ramachandran ‘31 and Morgan Watson ‘31 showcase their silly side.

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