57 minute read
Pelican Sports
BASEBALL GLORY
The varsity baseball team capped off a great season by winning the inaugural Founders League Tournament title in May in front of an ecstatic home crowd at Sellers Field. The Pelicans, under head coach Donnie McKillop, defeated Avon Old Farms 5-3 in the championship game.
VARSITY RECORDS
BASEBALL 18-2
Founders League Tournament Champion
BOYS GOLF 9-10
GIRLS GOLF 10-5-3
Founders League Championship, 2nd Place
BOYS LACROSSE 8-9
Founders League Tournament Semifinalist
GIRLS LACROSSE 9-7
Founders League Tournament Semifinalist
SOFTBALL 10-5
Western New England Tournament Quarterfinalist
BOYS TENNIS 10-6
GIRLS TENNIS 3-6
BOYS TRACK & FIELD 7-2
Founders League Champion Division I New England Championship, 4th Place
GIRLS TRACK & FIELD 9-1
Founders League Champion Division I New England Championship, 3rd Place
GIRLS WATER POLO 10-2
New England Tournament Semifinalist
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1 2 3 4 Senior Cam Miranda Junior Daisy Xu Freshman Sydney Huttner Junior Olivia Beauvois
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5 6 7 Junior Drew Biller Freshman Trey Dodd Senior Pilar Wingle 8 9 10 Sophomore Eli Velepec Junior Sophie Powless Sophomore Orion Browne
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Close to Home
On Summer Trips with the Alvord Center, Students Explore the Connecticut River, the Adirondacks, and Buzzards Bay
BY Becky Purdy
On the morning of June 8, 13 Loomis Chaffee students and two faculty members hiked along the U.S.-Canadian border to visit a pond that forms the headwaters of the Connecticut River and to embark on a 10-day journey, mostly by canoe, to the river’s mouth on Long Island Sound.
On that same morning, 14 other students and their faculty leaders explored the docks and commercial fishing vessels of New Bedford, Massachusetts, the first stop on the group’s nine-day adventure to discover identity, diversity, and sense of place on Buzzards Bay.
Meanwhile, a third group of 14 students roamed the ruins of a fort on Lake George and learned about local place names as they and three faculty leaders started the first full day of their week of exploration and leadership-building in the Adirondack Mountains of New York state.
The three simultaneous trips pioneered an expansion of the school’s educational travel programs to include “Close to Home” adventures along with the international and farther-flung domestic trips that are slated to resume next spring after a two-year, pandemic-induced hiatus. The school’s Alvord Center for Global & Environmental Studies, which marks its 10th anniversary this year, organizes the travel programs as part of its broader mission to develop globally and environmentally engaged leaders in the Loomis student community.
It’s not necessary to travel halfway around the world to encounter cultures, heritage, and landscapes that offer lessons about a place, explains Marley Matlack, the Christopher H. Lutz Director of the Alvord Center. Nor is it necessary to fly to a far-away locale to see poverty or delve into environmental challenges, experiences that also inform place-based learning and offer opportunities for engaged citizenship.
By all accounts — including personal stories, journal entries, photo and video chronicles, and blog posts along the way — the 41 participants in the Close to Home trips in June gleaned powerful lessons and profound insights while also simply having a blast.
From Headwaters to the Sound: The Connecticut River
PHOTOGRAPHS BY Marley Matlack
The Northeast Kingdom and Connecticut River trip focused on the sense of place created by the river and the importance of the river’s watershed.
The group spent the first few days of the trip based in Averill, Vermont, a stone’s throw from the Canadian border. “Our favorite part of the day was hiking along the Canadian border to the 4th Connecticut Lake,” wrote rising junior Sofia Rincón and rising senior Will Howley in a post on the trip’s blog. “We thought the lake was cool because it is the official start of the Connecticut River, which we interact with every day at Loomis and at our respective homes in Glastonbury, Connecticut. The trail was quite muddy and rocky, and we tripped a couple of times, but we thoroughly enjoyed the adventure! Now that we have seen where the river starts, we can’t wait to continue our journey along the river to gain a greater perspective.”
In those initial days, the students considered a variety of perspectives on the river’s importance and impact. They visited a fish and wildlife refuge, discussed environmental stakeholder analysis with a Dartmouth professor, met an elder of the Abenaki people to consider an indigenous view of environmental efforts, and enjoyed a sunset poetry reading by Matt Miller,
LEFT: Rising senior Sandro Mocciolo paddles on the Connecticut River in Vermont. RIGHT: At the end of the second day of paddling, the tents are set up at the Lyman Falls Campsite in Bloomfield, Vermont.
Hammocks are a campsite luxury after a day on the river.
The group packs their canoes and prepares for a 16-mile day of paddling.
LEFT: Rising junior Sofia Rincón and rising senior Elliot Shani navigate the waters. RIGHT: On day three on the river, the travelers enjoy the perfect spot for a picnic lunch and swim in Maidstone, Vermont.
LEFT: The Cow Pond is the backdrop for the final night of camping at the journey's end. RIGHT: Sunset on the Connecticut River author of Tender the River, a collection of poems about the Merrimack River Valley of New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. They also mountain biked in the pouring rain, plunged into the cold waters of Forest Lake, made camp fires, listened to loons, and geared up for their six-day canoe trip.
Pushing off from the riverbank in Colebrook, New Hampshire, on the first day of their river journey, the group paddled to Lyman Falls, where they camped for the night. “12 miles, 4 sets of rapids, 2 rainstorms, 1 bald eagle, 0 cell phones, and 13 happy students!” the day’s blog post reported.
“Everyone became a lot closer today, facing challenges together,” wrote rising sophomore Brighton McMahon and rising junior Duhee Lee along with a drawing of Brighton and rising senior Bridget Hickey setting up hammocks at the campsite.
Over the following five days, the students, faculty, and their river guide paddled another 63 miles on the Connecticut, camping along the way and stopping at various points to meet with a wildlife photographer; learn about wastewater treatment in Hanover, New Hampshire; and speak with the director of the Connecticut River Conservancy in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
The students were able to learn about the landscape as they canoed through it, says Marley, who was one of the faculty leaders on the trip, along with Myunggyo
The students write and draw in their journals around the campire at Lyman Falls Campsite.
Kim. Passing by farmland, wilderness, small towns, and rural settlements, they discovered the multitude of connections between the river and life in and around it, including both the people and the eagles, herons, fish, and other wildlife they encountered.
“We learned the importance of leaving no trace on the beach when we got rid of any traces of fire. We learned to be respectful of private lands of farmers and camping with their generosity,” wrote rising sophomore Laura Phyu and rising senior Alex Ahn in the trip journal entry for June 12. “After running out of fresh water, we learned the different ways of purifying water,” they noted.
Through the physical and teamwork challenges of the trip, the students also made discoveries about themselves. “We are all mastering our different strokes on the canoe and getting better at it,” Laura and Alex continued. “To prove this point, no one has capsized today! Our challenges today were keeping it consistent while paddling and staying with the group. We are excited to paddle 21 miles tomorrow and getting closer to Loomis. We are determined to achieve our goals.”
On the final paddling day, the group canoed the 10 miles from their campsite on King’s Island in Suffield, Connecticut, to the familiar Meadows at Loomis Chaffee. They pitched their tents next to the Cow Pond for their last night together, and the next morning, the group drove to Old Lyme, Connecticut, where the river empties into Long Island Sound. Completing their journey, they reflected on what they had experienced and learned before bidding farewell to each other until the fall.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY Stacy-Ann Rowe ’97
The Buzzards Bay trip touched on many of the same themes as the Connecticut River program but through a different lens. In partnership with the school’s Center for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, the Alvord Center designed the Buzzards Bay itinerary to focus on identity and how it creates a sense of place. The trip leaders, Courtney Jackson and Stacy-Ann “Ro” Rowe ’97, both are faculty members in the Center for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion along with their teaching and other roles at the school.
Beginning with several days in New Bedford, the top fishing port in the United States and a city known for the ethnic and racial diversity of its residents, the group learned about the commercial fishing industry, visited historical and cultural sites, and experienced some of the rich mix of cultures in the city. A capital of the whaling industry in the 19th century, New Bedford has attracted immigrants for hundreds of years. More than half of the city’s population is of Portuguese descent, and the city also has significant Puerto Rican, Dominican, Polish, and French-Canadian communities, among others.
The students spent much of their time on the waterfront, where they witnessed a seafood auction, toured commercial fishing boats, learned about the changing workforce in the
TOP LEFT: During a visit to Woods Hole, Massachusetts, the group learns about the impact of climate change on Buzzards Bay and explores the Coonamessett River Restoration project with Christopher Neill, senior scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center. TOP RIGHT: Rising senior Rebecca Fowler, Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe elder Kristina, and rising senior Rene Russell on Martha’s Vineyard. ABOVE: Rene, Rebecca, rising seniors Mattie Wright and Sophia Prendergast, and rising junior Lauren Patterson enjoy the group’s sunset cruise off Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard, an adventure that elicited jokes and laughter as the students watched their peers take turns steering the boat.
city, and took sailing lessons for firsthand experience at navigating ocean waters — or at least the harbor. They also explored the New Bedford Whaling Museum, learned about support for immigrants and other residents at a community economic development organization, and ate dinner at a local seafood restaurant, where the owner discussed the restaurant’s mission of sustainability.
“I enjoyed learning about the inner workings of a fish auction, especially watching one in real time,” wrote rising senior Maggie Hamel in the trip blog. “I also had a great time learning how to sail with my friends!”
“I was really grateful that we got the opportunity to meet with an organization [that works] with immigrants in the area and helps them find jobs, along with dozens of other things they need help with,” wrote rising sophomore Phoenix Ahipeaud.
On their final full day in the city, the group delved into the Black history of the area, taking a tour with the New Bedford Historical Society, visiting a house where Frederick Douglass lived, touring an underground railroad site, and joining a drum circle at the Cape Verde Community Center. “We also learned about the 54th regiment. It was a [Civil War infantry regiment] that enlisted Black men, and we saw their representation through murals, statues, and a park,” wrote rising juniors Jazmyne Ahipeaud and Lauren Patterson in their blog entry for the day.
A food tour of the city was a major hit with the students, who raved about the variety of foods they tried, from stuffed clams to Cape Verdean dishes.
After their adventures in New Bed-
The group shared an outdoor meal with Aquinnah Wampanoag elder Kristina (seated third from right) at Orange Peel Bakery, a native-owned business, where they ate fresh fish and other traditional dishes prepared in an outdoor oven, seen behind the group.
ford, the group traveled to Woods Hole, Massachusetts, where they visited a climate research center and learned about an environmental restoration project on the Coonamessett River. Then they loaded onto a ferry and departed for Martha’s Vineyard, where they would spend the rest of their trip.
A spectacular sunset welcomed the travelers to the island, and they checked in to a hostel in the village of Menemsha.
Over the next four days, the group learned about the history of Martha’s Vineyard, including its Black and indigenous history, and about environmental and food issues on the island. A Martha’s Vineyard Historical Society museum visit, walking tour, and sunset cruise introduced the students to the variety of cultural and environmental influences on the island and the roles of the whaling industry and the treacherous seas in Martha’s Vineyard history.
On one particularly action-packed day, the travelers further learned about Black history on the island as they explored the African American Heritage Trail, visited the town of Oak Bluffs, and conversed with heritage trail staff and the vice president of the Martha’s Vineyard NAACP. Later that same day, they delved into the history of the Wampanoag tribe, spending time at a cultural center in the town of Aquinnah and sharing a traditional indigenous dinner with Wampanoag elder Kristina Hook, whose stories and advice made a strong impression.
“Kristina shared wisdom with me that I never thought could touch me in the way it did,” wrote rising sophomore Zack Donohue in a blog post at the end of the day. “I felt a connection with Kristina that cannot be described with words. Very rarely, if ever, have I walked away from an interaction a different man. I do not know how to describe it, but Kristina’s words changed me.”
“Listening to Kristina tell stories and give advice during our INCREDIBLE dinner was a one-of-akind experience, and I’m very happy to have met her,” wrote rising senior Mattie Wright.
Environmental issues were the focus on the group’s final full day on Martha’s Vineyard. The students spent the morning volunteering with and learning about Island Grown Initiative, a local program that works to provide affordable, locally-grown food in the community. The students helped to sort food at a food pantry and gleaned strawberries at a local farm. (Gleaning is the practice of harvesting produce that a farm, for a variety of reasons, is not planning to sell.) After volunteering, the students took a cooking class togeth-
FAR LEFT: The students learn to sail on Buzzards Bay off the coast of New Bedford, Massachusetts. NEAR LEFT: The group was fascinated to climb aboard Lagoda, a half-scale model of a whaling bark, at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. BOTTOM: The students and their faculty leaders tour a working scallop boat in New Bedford harbor after witnessing a scallop auction and walking through the auction house.
er, making spring rolls for lunch.
The group enjoyed another stunning sunset on their last evening on Martha’s Vineyard. “I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end the day with picking and then making our own dinner, [eating] ice cream and watching the sunset on the beach. I am so grateful for this trip and the people I have grown closer to,” wrote rising senior Sophia Prendergast.
The students and their faculty leaders alike described the Buzzards Bay and Martha’s Vineyard trip as a powerful experience. “We focused on the ‘Power of Place’ on this trip, so the activities and itinerary focused on everything from people being displaced, living off of the land, trying to hold onto one’s culture and language, food, environmental issues, and simply connecting with others. Every day brought a deeper understanding of the people and the land that we were privileged enough to visit,” Ro wrote on the blog at the end of the trip.
Ro, who coordinated the trip blog, was surprised by many of the student participants’ entries. “What I believed to be the activity that everyone would write about as their favorite of the day was not always accurate. It was great to see which aspects of the trip really had an impact on each person,” she reflected.
TOP LEFT: Carrie Camilo Tankard, an Oak Bluffs resident and vice president of the Martha’s Vineyard NAACP, and faculty member Stacy-Ann “Ro” Rowe ’97 pause during a walk on the Martha’s Vineyard African American Heritage Trail, where the group saw houses and historic markers honoring Black history on the island. TOP RIGHT: The students join local children for an outdoor yoga session in New Bedford. BOTTOM LEFT: The travelers participate in a Cape Verdean drum circle as part of a cultural exploration of the New Bedford community. BOTTOM RIGHT: Rising senior Sophia Prendergast makes a new goat friend at the Farm Institute of Martha’s Vineyard, where the students harvested greens and took a “cooking for climate change” class, preparing spring rolls for their dinner and leaving the scraps for the farm animals.
Leadership Learning: The Adirondack Mountains and Lake George
PHOTOGRAPHS BY Lillian Corman
The third Close to Home trip this summer brought 14 students — all girls — and three faculty members to the shores of Lake George in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Leadership development was the focus of the six-day experience, and the success of the all-girls trip “proved the power behind a sisterhood,” the faculty leaders wrote at the trip’s conclusion. “Fourteen students, not all friends, came together and worked through their own group dynamics … in a variety of different settings. Not to mention, too, the opportunity they had to just be kids, which they often don’t get the chance to do in our busy schedules back on the Island.”
The Alvord Center organized the trip in partnership with the school’s Norton Family Center for the Common Good. Matt Kammrath, the Keller Family Director of the Norton Center, and Lillian Corman, the Norton Center’s associate director, led the trip along with Dean of Students Michael Donegan. The inaugural director of the Norton Center, Al Freihofer ’69, also made a cameo appearance.
Home base for the trip was a lakeside YMCA retreat center in Silver Bay, New York. But before leaving Loomis Chaffee for their Adirondack adventures, the group engaged in a place-based learning activity on campus to prepare for similar activities
TOP: A double rainbow greeted the students over Lake George. BOTTOM PHOTOS: Al Freihofer ’69 treats his guests to rides in his 102-year-old boat on Lake George during the group's visit to Al's home on the lake.
Al Freihofer ’69 and his partner, Peg McCarty, hosted the group for a homemade dinner, boat rides, and porch conversation at their home on Lake George.
during the trip. The students examined the history of the school and the surrounding land and learned about indigenous tribes that lived on the land before the Loomis family settled there. In the context of this history, they discussed the significance of place names and the importance of leadership.
After the long drive and their first overnight at Silver Bay, the students spent a morning with Pete Nelson, a North Country Community College professor and a co-founder of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative, a local organization that works to make the Adirondacks a more welcoming and inclusive place for residents and visitors.
“We built off yesterday’s lesson about the importance of place names in leadership by visiting the ruins of Fort St. Frederic at Crown Point and by presenting our findings about the true name of Mount Marcy,” rising seniors Avery Martin and Karly Saliba reported in their blog entry for the day. “We discovered that indigenous tribes, especially the Mohawk, occupied the area before many people originally thought. Although this mountain is now named after William Marcy, the state governor at the time, it was originally called Tewawe’estha, meaning Cloud Splitter. Through our conversations, we learned about equity and empathy in leadership.”
The group followed up the morning of exploration and discussion with a mindfulness exercise on a labyrinth at Silver Bay. “Mindfulness helps leaders be calm in the face of problems — which we soon found out! After pizza, we headed downtown to an escape room,” wrote rising seniors Madison Oh and Ellie Abrams. The teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity required to “escape” from the roomsized puzzles helped the students identify their strengths and weaknesses, practice their leadership skills, and have fun.
A white-water rafting excursion awaited the students the following day. While chasing the rapids and enjoying the scenery, the students and faculty also talked about the name of the Indian River on which they were rafting and how it could be renamed.
After their rafting adventures, the group visited Al Freihofer and his partner, Peg McCarty, at their lakeside house. “Al and Peggy spoiled us with boat rides on Lake George in a 102-year-old boat, a homemade dinner, and porch conversations,” the trip blog reported.
TOP LEFT: Josie Foley, Hana Bois, Karly Saliba, Avery Martin, and Loden Schweizer, and faculty leader Matt Kammrath begin their white-water rafting adventure. TOP RIGHT: Madison Oh, Avery Martin, and Ellie Abrams enjoy an evening on Lake George. MIDDLE RIGHT: Inari Barrett and Delaney Denno like their stern seats on the 102-year-old boat owned by Al Freihofer ’69.
Rain? What rain? Rock-jumping added to the fun of white-water rafting in the Hudson River Gorge.
NEAR RIGHT: The group’s evening at Al Freihofer’s home was also an occasion to celebrate 10 years of the Norton Family Center for the Common Good with Al, the inaugural director of the center. Pictured are Dean of Students Mike Donegan, Norton Center Asso-ciate Director Lillian Corman, Keller Family Di- rector of the Norton Center Matt Kammrath, and Al.
“While reflecting under a beautiful double rainbow, we realized how valuable it is to slow down and admire the world around you.”
In the ensuing days, the students participated in a mixture of active outdoor challenges and more introspective lessons and activities. They hiked, did trail work for the Lake George Land Conservancy, navigated a low ropes course at Silver Bay, and braved a high ropes course. Insights into leadership and community-building emerged as the students reflected — often around campfires or in camp chairs looking out on Lake George — on all of the group activities. After navigating the high ropes course, rising senior Hana Bois reflected, “I thought it would be much less teamwork compared to the low ropes course. After, I realized it was not an individual activity and we worked together. Working our way through levels one to four was difficult at times. We needed to recognize when others were struggling and needed help.”
As they considered what worked and what didn’t work in the group’s efforts to overcome challenges, they practiced key skills such as offering and receiving constructive criticism, perceiving group dynamics, and resolving conflicts. And they discussed the importance of both leadership and followership and the different approaches to these roles.
One fireside exercise helped each student identify her own leadership style based on whether her personal characteristics defined her most as a “harmonizer,” “driver,” “energizer,” or “analyzer.” The students discovered that no single leadership type is best, as rising juniors Liv Dunlea and Elena Higgins noted in their June 10 blog entry: “We learned about how different leadership styles are important and bring different skills that balance each other.”
After six days of adventure and discovery, the group packed up and loaded into their Loomis Chaffee “toaster” — a term of endearment for the school’s mini-buses — for the drive back to the Island.
The faculty chaperones looked back on the trip with pride in the students’ good work and person-
OPPOSITE PAGE: The group tackles the Spider Web challenge at the low ropes course at Silver Bay. BELOW: Hana Bois, Loden Schweizer, and Avery Martin traverse the high ropes course at Adirondack Extreme Adventure Course in Bolton Landing, New York. Loden Schweizer and Hana Bois place new trail markers on trees for the Lake George Land Conservancy.
al growth. “These 14 rising juniors and seniors were already qualified to lead and to follow with purpose,” they wrote. “Now, though, with some more introspection and intentional reflection and group discussion, we are confident that they will return to campus in the fall ready to serve our community and leave behind a legacy from which their peers will benefit.”
The Alvord Center plans to resume its international education programs in the coming year, but, based on the success of the summer’s Close to Home trips, Marley says the center also hopes to incorporate more domestic programs among the future offerings. After all, adventure and discovery are just a toaster ride away.
Seven Seniors
BY Matt Ruffle
PHOTOGRAPHS BY Jessica Ravanelle Cassandra Hamer
Budding scientists, leaders, communitybuilders, actors, poets, athletes, changemakers. These attributes begin to describe the Loomis Chaffee Class of 2022. For a closer look, we introduce you to seven of these newest alumni and ask what led them to the Island, what they learned in their classes and about themselves, and what lies on their horizons.
Lillie Szemraj
HOMETOWN
Northbrook, Illinois
EXTRACURRICULARS
Equestrian Team; Girls Track & Field; Physics and Astronomy Club President
ACCOLADES
J. Newfield Senior Science Prize; Junior Science Award
SENIOR COURSES
College-level English IV: Shakespeare; Collegelevel English IV: Satire; College-level English IV: Contemporary Literature; College-level Multivariable Calculus; College-level Physics II; College-level Astrophysics; College-level History: Seminar in Immigration and Ethnicity; Computer Science Independent Study
NEXT YEAR
Princeton University
As someone who loves to gaze at the stars, it’s only natural that Lillie Szemraj’s favorite place on the Loomis Chaffee campus would be in the Meadows. Lillie would often go there to sit during the day and watch the sky at night. “There is a little bench out in the fields that’s beautiful in the fall” she says. “This past year, I also brought my telescopes there at night.”
Even before Lillie enrolled at Loomis, she felt comfortable on campus. She became familiar with the Island when her older sisters, Kalina Szemraj ’19 and Emilie Szemraj ’16, were students, but Lillie says she also felt a connection of her own to the school. “When I visited, it really felt like home. I loved the emphasis on science, history, and writing, and I wanted to challenge myself,” she says.
Lillie’s interest in the night sky drew her to the study of astrophysics at Loomis, and in her senior year, as president of the Physics and Astronomy Club, she found and scheduled astrophysicists from colleges and universities around the United States to share their wisdom with students and staff members during “Evening of Science” programs. She also incorporated her passion for astronomy into her senior project where she studied the stars, creating a presentation, “In the Starlight.”
Her academic interests extended well beyond the sciences, however. “One class I loved was my CL [College-Level] U.S. History class with Mr. [Harrison] Shure,” she says. Lillie took the class in her junior year, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, so classes were online for part of the year. But even over Zoom, Lillie and her classmates bonded. “We had very intense discussions about history, and Mr. Shure encouraged us to express our ideas, and we had interesting discussion prompts as well,” she recalls. “When we were in person, it was even more amazing. It felt like a family because we all supported each other.”
Outside of the classroom, Lillie gravitated to the school’s equestrian program, a sport with which she had some previous experience. “Even though it’s an individual sport, the team really encouraged each other and created such a team atmosphere that it really felt like we competed together,” she says. “I love being around horses, and the equestrian team was a great way for me to relax. It’s challenging because the horse has feelings and emotions too, and you must create a bond with the animal that you’re riding.”
Lillie improved considerably as an equestrian athlete in her years on the team. “We have wonderful coaches in the barn that support and help us to achieve our goals. When I came here, I could jump cross rails (a jump with two poles that form an “x” shape) but I moved up to three-foot rails, which is a dramatic difference when you ride. I have been able to grow so much as a rider, and in my final show as a senior, I won first place.”
Reflecting on her time on the Island, Lillie says she was able to be herself. “Loomis caused me to grow as a person and helped me to develop into a leader, which allowed me to share my passions with the community.”
Corey Plummer
HOMETOWN
Windsor, Connecticut
EXTRACURRICULARS
Boys Track & Field; Boys Cross Country; Head Tour Guide; PRISM Co-President; Co-President of Brothers in Unity; Peer Mentor; Pelican Support Network Mentor
ACCOLADES
Nathaniel Horton Batchelder Prize, awarded at Commencement; Matthew Whitehead Award, in recognition of contributions to creating and supporting an inclusive community at Loomis Chaffee
SENIOR COURSES
College-Level Statistics; College-Level English IV: The Harlem Renaissance; English IV: The Graphic Novel; English IV: Voices of Dissent; Spanish IV; Ceramics; Introduction to Economics; Macroeconomics; Microeconomics; Topics in Ethical Theory; Middle East: History of Peace and Conflict; Developmental Psychology
NEXT YEAR
University of Connecticut
Running the Loop is one of Corey Plummer’s favorite things to do on the Island. A captain of the Loomis Chaffee boys track and field team and a standout 400-meter runner, Corey says he finds traversing the Loop especially fun “when you run with a friend or two, listening to music, jogging and having a laugh.”
It follows that Corey also loves being around people. A head tour guide, president of the student multicultural organization PRISM, president of Brothers in Unity, and a leader of the Pancake Society during his senior year, Corey thrives on meeting people and feels comfortable talking in front of them. That was not always the case; his outgoing nature is a trait he discovered after entering Loomis as a freshman, and it took time for him to grow into a leader.
When he first came to the school, he says, he was a quiet student and was not comfortable getting up in front of a crowd of people and speaking his mind. Now, leadership and speaking skills are two of his abilities that he values most. He says he developed these skills through his Loomis experiences. “It’s great that students have a lot of opportunities to improve themselves through speaking at events,” he says. “Having those opportunities would not necessarily happen elsewhere.”
Academically, Corey considers math and science his strongest fields of study, but he says English and writing are the areas where he grew most as a Loomis student. “I look back on my work as a freshman and think that some of the papers that I wrote were awful,” he reflects. “But my teachers always took the time outside of class to help me succeed. I scheduled a lot of one-to-one meetings with them, and all my teachers were open to helping me improve as a writer and a person.”
A Windsor resident, Corey has known about Loomis Chaffee for most of his life, and he admits that part of his reason for attending Loomis was “convenience” since the Island is close to his home. What sealed the deal for him, though, was attending a revisit day for accepted students. “Interacting with students and faculty members, Loomis felt a lot more welcoming than the other schools that I visited,” he says.
The school will soon be a family affair for Corey as his younger sister, Lauren, will attend next year as a freshman. “She knows a lot of people on campus and feels very connected to the school already,” he says.
Pilar Wingle
HOMETOWN
Farmington, Connecticut
EXTRACURRICULARS
Captain, Girls Water Polo; Captain, Girls Swimming & Diving; Captain, Girls Cross Country; Tour Guide, President of Pa’Lante; Marketing Director for Student Activities; Peer Mentor; Model U.N.
ACCOLADES
Ammidon Prize, awarded at Commencement; Founders Prize
SENIOR COURSES
College-Level French IV; College-Level Economics; College-Level Statistics; CollegeLevel English IV: Creative Writing; CollegeLevel English IV: Satire; College-Level English IV: The Harlem Renaissance; College-Level Biology II: Cell Biology; College-Level History Seminar: United States Immigration/ Ethnicity; Topics in Ethical Theory
NEXT YEAR
University of Pennsylvania
Ask Pilar Wingle where she most likes to spend time on campus, and she will mention two precise spots: the Adirondack chairs in Rockefeller Quad and the shady grass under a Sycamore tree on the far side of the track. She associates both locations with community.
“It’s the idea of having the chairs in little circles outside,” she explains. “That is why I also like the big tree over by the track that we used as a meeting place for cross country. … It’s a place that a lot of people are drawn to.”
Drawing people together is a recurring theme in Pilar’s Loomis Chaffee experience. Throughout her time on the Island, she worked to bring people together, as the president of the Pa’lanté affinity group, as co-vice-president of the Student Council, as captain of three varsity sports in her senior year, and as an Alvord Center Global & Environmental Studies Certificate earner.
Representation also is important to Pilar. “I came from a school where there was no conversation about race and identity,” she says. “I have grown in the last four years by coming into who I am and recognizing my own identity.”
An international education program through the school provided a springboard for Pilar’s personal growth.“I went to Peru with the Alvord Center [for Global & Environmental Studies] when I was in 10th grade and felt like I belonged there in Latin America,” she reflects. “When I came back, I sought leadership in Pa’lante.”
She also saw an opportunity to further the Loomis community’s understanding of Latin America and its culture through changes in the school’s history curriculum, and last summer she helped to create a resource bank of sources on Latine culture to be used by the History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies Department.
Loomis Chaffee’s emphasis on balance in life attracted Pilar to the school, and she was not disappointed. “We are a school that values students who can do a lot of things well. You can be so much more than just what you are good at,” she comments. “You are supported and valued by everything you choose to do.… The school encourages you to be multidisciplinary.”
Pilar sums up her Loomis experience as a personal journey. “I’ve grown as a writer and a student in my formulation of who I am and my identity. I have a good understanding of who I am as a person and what my strengths and weaknesses are. Now I feel like I can look outward and ask, ‘How can I use college to find a way to improve the world?’”
Aidan Cooper
HOMETOWN
Rutland, Vermont
EXTRACURRICULARS
Theater; I.D.E.A. Film Festival; Editor-in-Chief of The Loom
ACCOLADES
Cum Laude Society; Norris E. Orchard Senior English Prize; J. Newfield Senior Science Prize, Junior English Award
SENIOR COURSES
College-Level Statistics; Advanced Physics; College-Level English IV: Shakespeare; CollegeLevel English IV: The Harlem Renaissance; College-Level English IV: Creative Writing; College-Level History Seminar: Race in American History; Topics in Ethical Theory; College-Level Biology II: Microbiology; CollegeLevel Biology II: Cell Biology I; College-Level Biology II: Cell Biology II; Neuropsychology
NEXT YEAR
Amherst College
Being on stage is nothing new to Aidan Cooper. He has been a fixture in the Loomis Chaffee theater program since he arrived on the Island.
When he visited Loomis as a prospective student, one of the first places he stopped was the Norris Ely Orchard (NEO) Theater. “I walked into the NEO with my dad, and we talked with Mr. [David] McCamish [the theater director] for about 45 minutes,” he says. “I got a glimpse into life at Loomis... The connection felt natural.”
In Aidan’s three years on the Island, he played a prominent role in the Loomis Chaffee Performing Arts Department productions of Macbeth, Antigonick, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Love of Three Oranges, and Spamalot.
Loomis wasn’t all glamour and curtain calls for this talented, hard-working student, however. Spring term of 2020–21, his junior year, was difficult, he says. “There were moments where I was at my lowest. I was struggling with a class. I was not sleeping as much as I wanted to, and I was also involved in the Putnam County Spelling Bee,” he says, referring to that spring’s musical theater production. The play had two casts that alternated performance days, and Aidan was the only junior in a cast that was otherwise all seniors, students he had looked up to since coming to the Island. “What helped me move past that moment was listening to music,” he says.
Taking in the view of the Meadows from his favorite bench also brought Aidan peace of mind whenever he needed it. “I go there all the time to sit and listen to music and look out over the Meadows,” he says. “It is the most calming place. At the bench, I can just be and listen to myself.”
A gifted writer, Aidan received multiple accolades for his prose and poetry at Loomis. He says he especially enjoys writing poetry. “I like being able to express myself in a way that is unique and vulnerable, but cryptic and metaphorical. This allows the audience to try to figure it out,” he explains. Aidan was chosen to read an excerpt from his essay on William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at this spring’s English Honors Tea.
As he gained confidence in his ability to express himself, Aidan also explored social issues that interested him. In a culminating endeavor, he and fellow senior Hazel Le worked together on a Senior Project during their last two weeks on campus. They created a handbook and a series of lesson plans to help teachers integrate discussions of gender and sexuality into their curriculum. “We did this to offer help to teachers because we think it’s a discussion worth having,” he says. Aidan and Hazel also organized a student discussion of their project to encourage other students to share their views and “feel empowered when these topics do arise in the classroom.”
Aidan looks back on his Loomis experience and sees how much he has grown. “I can communicate my ideas, beliefs, and interpretations in a stronger way,” he says. “I have met a lot of great people, and I am coming out of Loomis with a better sense of myself than when I entered it.”
Andrew Park
HOMETOWN
Suwon, South Korea
EXTRACURRICULARS
Editor-In-Chief of The Log; Captain, Robotics Team; International Student Ambassador; Boys Track & Field; Boys Cross Country; Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services Tutor
ACCOLADES
The Charles Henry and Mary Chaffee Willcox Prize, awarded at Commencement to the second scholar of the graduating class; Cum Laude Society; Norris E. Orchard Senior English Prize; Sara Ribicoff Senior Journalism Prize; Chéruy Modern and Classical Language Prize (Chinese); J. Newfield Senior Science Prize; Founders Prize; Junior English Award; Junior Mathematics Award; Junior Modern and Classical Languages Award (Chinese); Junior Science Award
SENIOR COURSES
College-Level Chinese V; College-Level Linear Algebra; College-Level English IV: Contemporary Literature; College-Level English IV: Satire; College-Level English IV: Creative Writing; College-Level Astrophysics; CollegeLevel Organic Chemistry II; Neuropsychology; Forensic Science; Science Independent Study: Quantum Mechanics
NEXT YEAR
Harvard University
Andrew Park is in his element in the Pearse Hub for Innovation (PHI). Surrounded by tools made for brainstorming, creating, and inventing, his mind and his hands are in high gear. And no one is telling him what to do.
The PHI gives him freedom “to do what I want here,” he says. “I also like this space because we have robotics in here, and I like to tinker and keep my hands busy.”
A member of the robotics team since his sophomore year and a captain as a senior, Andrew also challenged himself in some of the school’s most advanced math and science courses. In addition to taking College-Level Linear Algebra, College-Level Astrophysics, and College-Level Chemistry II this year, Andrew also completed a science independent project in quantum mechanics. Astrophysics with Steve Stewart was his favorite class. "We learned ideas and equations that aren’t normally taught at the high school level,” he says.
Along with that daunting course load, Andrew served as an editor-in-chief of The Log this year, ran on the cross country team, and competed in the triple jump for the track and field team, among other pursuits.
Despite his multitude of activities and wide circle of friends today, Andrew describes himself as being “antisocial” when he first arrived at Loomis. During his time on the Island, he says he “learned how to know people better and to be more outgoing and polite to others.” His role with The Log also helped him to grow as a leader. “I learned how to create strong relationships with people and how to get them to do the work that needed to get done,” he reflects.
Andrew’s comfort in being alone was a benefit during the COVID-19 pandemic. He spent much of the 2020–21 academic year at home in South Korea, attending classes online, but returned to campus this fall. “I am more of a social recluse, so quarantine was fine,” he says. “And masking was easier for me, coming from Korea where many people wear masks because of the sand blowing in from the Gobi Desert.”
Andrew’s journey to Loomis Chaffee was, by his own description, “unconventional.” He attended elementary schools in Bellevue, Washington, while his family lived in the United States then attended middle school in South Korea when his family moved back there. His two older sisters, (Yujin “Rosie” Park ’18 and Yujung “Stacy” Park ’19), went to Loomis, and Andrew knew he wanted to be a part of the Loomis community when he was old enough to come here. Andrew says he has learned the importance of forming strong relationships with his classmates, coaches, advisors, and teachers, which is something he will take with him for the rest of his life.
Will Cleary
HOMETOWN
Windsor, Connecticut
EXTRACURRICULARS
Captain, Varsity Boys Soccer; Varsity Boys Basketball; Varsity Boys Lacrosse; Tour Guide; Peer Mentor
ACCOLADES
Charles Edgar Sellers Faculty Prize, awarded on Class Night; Friends of Loomis Chaffee – Grubbs Prize; Social Science Prize; Cum Laude Society; Connecticut Prep Player of the Year for Boys Soccer; Founders Prize; Junior Physical Education Award
SENIOR COURSES
College-Level Spanish V; College-Level Economics; College-Level Statistics; CollegeLevel Biology II: Genetics; Comparative Anatomy; Social Psychology; English IV: Stories of War; English IV: Voices of Dissent; English IV: Banned Books
NEXT YEAR
Stanford University
Will Cleary has been a member of the Loomis Chaffee community for a long time. The son of Associate Director of Admission Nancy Cleary and math teacher Joe Cleary, Will has lived on the Island since the day he was born.
“All my role models were Loomis students when I was younger,” he says. He adds that being around the students and seeing them in plays, music performances, and athletic events over the years had a strong impact on Will. “I really idolized the students … but I also saw all the people that came to cheer and support the students.”
Despite living on the Island all his life, Will’s decision to attend Loomis as a student was not set in stone. “I got the sense from the students I spoke to before coming that the teachers really help students to really have balance in their lives,” he says. “Athletics are never more important than academics, but teachers understand when you have an event to go to.”
Playing three varsity sports was challenging at times for Will. He lists time management and “figuring out schedules” as two of the most important things he learned as a student-athlete. He needed to learn to take advantage of and make the best use of the time he was given to get his work done; he reflects.
Will’s growth as a student was more than just learning to complete his work with a tight schedule. He also grew to feel more comfortable with subjects that were difficult for him. “Writing was such a huge challenge for me and used to take me a lot of time,” he says. But, with the help of now-retired English teachers Jeff Scanlon ’79 and Fred Seebeck, he was able to improve his writing. “I feel like I struggled as a writer when I first came here, but, because of their help, I was able to improve my writing and am now much more comfortable.”
In addition to improving his writing and communication skills, Will was able to grow in other areas. “Over my four years I have learned to take more risks and not worry about what other people might think,” he says. “I also enjoyed the diversity of Loomis and the variety of diverse backgrounds of the students here.”
“I have found that I am good at connecting people and making the people around me better. In soccer, I help the people around me, and I like to do that in the classroom as well, by working in groups and collaborating with my classmates.”
Mercy Olagunju
HOMETOWN
Lagos, Nigeria
EXTRACURRICULARS
Step Team; Robotics Team; Longman Leadership Institute (recently renamed the Chaffee Leadership Institute); Pelican Support Network Mentor; Managing Editor of The Log; International Student Ambassador; PRISM; Tour Guide; Community Engagement Program
ACCOLADES
Jennie Loomis Prize, awarded at Commencement; Norris E. Orchard Senior English Prize; Matthew Whitehead Award; Cum Laude Society; Founders Prize; Abraham Koppleman Junior History Award; Junior Modern and Classical Languages Award; Junior Science Award
SENIOR COURSES
College-Level EnglishIV: Shakespeare; CollegeLevel English IV: Creative Writing; CollegeLevel English IV: Contemporary Literature; College-Level Biology II: Molecular Biology; College-Level Multivariable Calculus; CollegeLevel Physics II; College-Level Computer Science; Innovation Trimester
NEXT YEAR
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mercy Olagunju immersed herself in life on the Island from the moment she first stepped on campus four years ago. She dove into campus life, engaging in a full slate of activities in the dorms and in the classrooms. Taking on leadership roles as she grew from a freshman to a senior, she made a positive impact on her teachers and classmates as well as her fellow Loomis Chaffee students.
Her involvement in the community is more remarkable when you realize that she only “visited” the school through the internet and had never actually set foot on the Island until she arrived as a freshman. “I liked the way Loomis looked online. I liked the feel of the campus, and it had a warm vibe. When I came to campus, the first day of orientation was beautiful and I was so glad I chose Loomis.”
From there it has been a whirlwind of classes and activities as Mercy forged her path at the school. A resident assistant in her dormitory, a member of the Step Team, an international student ambassador, managing editor of The Log, and a member of the Longman Leadership Institute are just a few of Mercy’s roles during her time on the Island.
Mercy treasures the opportunities for leadership and personal growth that her experience at Loomis gave her. Among those opportunities, Mercy was part of a student/ faculty team this year that researched the lives of 18 people enslaved by the school’s founding families in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Loomis community played a significant role in her development, according to Mercy. “I have had excellent mentors, both teachers and students, that I have modeled myself after,” she says. “They have helped me with my confidence in general and knowing my worth.”
Chance meetings with faculty and their families in the dorms, in the dining hall, and around campus helped her to get to know her teachers, which made it easier for her to ask them questions in the classroom, she says. And friendships and interactions with peers from a variety of backgrounds broadened her perspective. “I’ve met people from all over the world and gotten to know more about their culture, which makes me feel more enlightened than when I came in,” she says. “I have become a more empathetic person. My best friend is Vietnamese. I have a lot of Asian-American friends. Things that affect their community affect me as well.”
Despite her busy schedule Mercy still found beauty in her moments of respite. Grubbs Quadrangle was her favorite place on campus for reflection. “The light hits at just the right places as you walk down the senior path. This makes me happy that I have had the opportunity to be here,” she says.
Reunion RETURNS
BY MATT RUFFLE
Alumni from near and far returned to the Island June 10–12 for the first in-person Reunion Weekend since 2019, enjoying the chance to catch up with classmates, reconnect with faculty and staff, learn, play, and simply have fun together. Because the pandemic caused the cancellation of reunions for the previous two years, this year’s event celebrated the Chaffee, Loomis, and Loomis Chaffee classes from years ending in 2s and 7s, 0s and 5s, and 1s and 6s as well as alumni who graduated more than 50 years ago.
Members of 50th Reunion classes mingled in the garden of the Head’s House during a special reception on Friday evening of Reunion Weekend 2022. Photo: Jessica Ravenelle
Friday Arrivals
Festivities began on Friday afternoon with a golf outing at Wintonbury Hills Golf Course in Bloomfield and several on-campus events. As reunion-goers arrived on the Island and convened under the tent in Grubbs Quadrangle, classmates and friends greeted them with smiles, hugs, and gleeful shouts of recognition. The day culminated with dinner and dancing for all classes under the tent.
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1. Nancy Budd ’82 and Laura Steben Van Velkinburgh ’82 get ready to tee off at Wintonbury Hills Golf Course.
2. Twentieth Reunion celebrants catching up under the tent in Grubbs Quadrangle on Friday evening include Kevin Wilcox ’02, Joseph DiNardo ’02, and Nell Casey ’02.
3. Sherly M. Francois ’16, faculty member Mary Coleman Forrester, and Sasha Mesmain ’16
4. Sam Cox ’16, Sam Kent ’16, and Charlie Parsons
5. Bryce Loomis ’16 and Helen Williams ’17
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The 50th Reunion reception was held in the Head’s Garden in the golden Friday evening sunshine. This year, members of the Loomis and Chaffee classes of 1970, 1971, and 1972 were invited to celebrate.
6. Martha Anderson Eichler ’71 and Steve Siegel ’71
7. Jay Mixter ’70, Andy Cohn ’70, Helen Reavis (spouse of Steve Engel), Steve Engel ’70, and Bob Kieckhefer ’70
8. 50th Reunion celebrants gather for the garden reception.
9. Carl Booker ’72 and fellow 50th Reunion celebrants
10. Jean Farquhar McCoubrey ’71 and Suzy Rothfield Thompson ’72
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Night Owls and Early Birds
Alumni enjoyed reconnecting well after nightfall on Friday and soon after dawn on Saturday. For late-night appetites, faculty member Ed Pond flipped burgers and greeted former students on Friday night. And on Saturday morning, events started bright and early with a “Birding on the Island” walk with Head of School Sheila Culbert and a traditional Chaffee breakfast at Sill House on The Chaffee School’s former Palisado Avenue campus.
11. Faculty member and former Kravis dorm head Ed Pond grills burgers for his former students.
12. Alice Schafer Smith ’57, Anne Schneider McNulty ’72, Fred McNulty ’11, John Elliott ’81, Julia Ivanitsky ’12, and Sheila Culbert with binoculars and cameras at the ready for a bird walk
13. Chaffee graduates outside Sill House on the Palisado Avenue campus of The Chaffee School
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The morning and afternoon schedules on Saturday were packed with presentations and activities for reunion-goers. Presentations included a mindfulness session led by Rebecca Pacheco ’97; a conversation with Scott Havens ’91, chief executive officer of Bloomberg Media; a discussion of the school's new campus master plan; a presentation by the school's archivist, Karen Parsons, about artist Evelyn Longman Batchelder, wife of the school’s first headmaster, Nathaniel Horton Batchelder; a sustainability tour of campus hosted by the Alvord Center for Global & Environmental Studies; student-led tours of the campus; and a State of the School address by Head of School Sheila Culbert. Sheila spoke on a range of topics, from the school’s response to the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic to admissions data showing an unprecedented recent rise in interest in Loomis Chaffee among prospective students.
14. Karen Parsons, history teacher and the school's archivist, converses with alumni outside Longman Hall, originally the studio of artist Evelyn Longman Batchelder, wife of the school's first headmaster.
15. Scott Havens ’91, chief executive officer of Bloomberg Media, is interviewed by Associate Head for External Relations Nat Follansbee for an audience in the Norris Ely Orchard Theater.
16. Susan Wyatt ’81, Kimberly Reed ’81, and Rebecca Pacheco ’97
17. Associate Director of the Alvord Center Jeffrey Dyreson speaks to alumni about the school’s solar field during a sustainability tour of the campus.
18. Rebecca Pacheco ’97 leads a mindfulness session in the dance studio of the newly opened John D. and Alexandra C. Nichols Center for Theater and Dance.
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19. Members of the 25th Reunion Loomis Chaffee Class of 1997 Kate Sabatini, Kari Diamond Kayiatos, Nancy Liu, Erin Shoudy Meyer, Kathy Agonis, Sarah Zimmerman, David Ente, Rebecca Pacheco, and Yelda Batur Kalkandelen
20. Kat Kenney Dufour ’02 and Kristina Peterson ’05
21. A bagpiper leads the Alumni Parade of Classes through campus.
22. Jeff Bilezikian ’87, John Bussel ’87, and Andrew Kurian ’87
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Fanfare and Food Trucks
At midday on Saturday, the Alumni Parade of Classes wove its way through the campus, taking a new route this year by following “The Way” from the Nichols Center, after Sheila's State of the School address, to Grubbs Quadrangle, where food trucks and family activities awaited attendees.
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23. Young alumni gather at the food truck lunch on the quad.
24. Face-painting was a popular activity for alumni children during lunch. Other children's activities on Saturday afternoon included "Fun in the PHI" in the Pearse Hub for Innovation, and mini golf and other games on the quad.
25. Food trucks for Saturday's lunch included a firetruck retrofitted to cook wood-fired pizza.
26. Current and former soccer players gathered for a friendly game on Helfrich Field. Alumni lacrosse and tennis matches also drew athletic graduates on Saturday afternoon.
27. Simone Afriyie ’17 reunites with faculty member Ali Murphy.
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Tributes and Memories
Alumni attended a memorial tribute to longtime visual arts teacher Walter Rabetz in the Sue and Eugene Mercy Jr. Gallery of the Richmond Art Center on Saturday afternoon. The gallery featured an exhibition of works by Walter; his wife, Marilyn, who also was a longtime visual arts teacher and gallery director at Loomis Chaffee; and Sarah Lutz ’85, an artist and former student of Walter and Marilyn. As part of the tribute, Marilyn and retired philosophy and religion teacher Dom Failla read selected poems from their own collections.
28. Marilyn Rabetz, Dom Failla, and Sarah Lutz ’85
29. Susan Failla, Liz Failla ’99, and former faculty member Courtney Carey
30. Samantha Rabetz Healy ’89 with her mom, Marilyn Rabetz
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After the tribute to Walter, a crowd gathered in the newly remodeled Ratté Quadrangle for its rededication to former Headmaster John Ratté. In his remarks, John reminded attendees of the history of expansion and growth on the Island, in both learning spaces and educational practices. The campus is now “linked in a steady flow ... up and down the river-like Way,” he concluded, indicating the pedestrian pathway that now winds from north to south through the campus. Chair of the Board of Trustees Duncan A.L. MacLean ’90, Sheila, and Karen Parsons also spoke at the event. Saturday afternoon's activities also included an open house at the Center for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and an alumni remembrance service in Founders Chapel.
31. Alumni and current and former faculty gathered on the lawn of the Ratté Quadrangle for the rededication ceremony.
32. Head of School Sheila Culbert, John Ratté, and Chair of the Board of Trustees Duncan A.L. MacLean ’90
33. Family members Catherine Ratté, John Ratté, Lou Ratté, Felicity Ratté, and Meera Miller
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Saturday Evening Gatherings
As the sunny day drifted toward evening, Reunion celebrants turned their attention toward a series of gatherings. In the Scanlan Campus Center, alumni enjoyed a Grapes and Hops event with presentations by Ed Kurtzman ’82 and Peter Cowles ’87. The garden of the Head’s House was the setting for a Reunion Leadership Reception, where the school honored the support and generosity of alumni who contributed their time and effort to ensuring a fun and successful weekend for all. Alumni gathered with classmates for class dinners across the campus, followed by an all-class dessert and dancing to live music from Rick Express under the tent in Grubbs Quad. The weekend concluded with a Sunday morning breakfast, where alumni bid each other farewell until next time. Many more photos from Reunion Weekend 2022 are available for viewing and downloading at loomischaffee.smugmug.com/Events/Reunions/Reunion-2022.
35. A table of young alumni sample the offerings at the Grapes and Hops event in the dining hall in the Scanlan Campus Center.
36. Pauline Chen Halsey ’82, who helped organize the 40th Reunion for her class, speaks at the Reunion Leadership Reception.
37. Leaders of the 5th Reunion Class of 2017 Meghan Cross, Jason Liu, Ifteda Ahmed-Syed, and Skyler Dovi
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41. Former Pelican basketball teammates Samantha Roy ’16 and Stephanie Jones ’15 under the tent on Saturday night
42. Patrick Hogan ’97 on the dance floor
43. Natasha Otton ’16 and Isabella Epstein ’16
44. Sharon Flannery ’82 and Andy Snelgrove ’82 38. Dorothy Smith Pam ’57, Alice Smith ’57, and Joan Thompson ’58 reconnect at a special reception and dinner for the 50th Plus Reunion classes at the Hubbard Music Center.
39. Father and daughter alumni Bill Kronholm ’62 and Jennifer Kronholm ’97
40. You wouldn't know it from meeting Joe Cymerys ’49, but he was the oldest graduate in attendance at Reunion Weekend.
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Chaffee Class of 1970
Front: Susan Browne Benzyk, Linda Shea Flanders, Deidre Taylor McGary, Dana Battey Regett, Martha Livingston Bruce, and Margaret Klarman. Back: Diane Fuller, Linda Cartin Hatten, Blanche Savin Goldenberg, Roselle Mann, Jody Moreen, Joan Ross Ruzika, and Joan Blick Alexander. Reunion attendees missing from photo: Linda Bronstein, Diana Dill, Alison Hunt, Barb Smith Noyes, Sally Shulman Rosengren, and Brenda Roulhac Stovall
Loomis Class of 1970
Front: David Margolick, Kent Myers, Steve Seligman, Brian Rooney, Tom Kimmell, Bob Kieckhefer, Lee Burton, and Tom Quinn. Back: Rich Lintz, David Harvey, Sig Wissner-Gross, Rich Raymond, George Catlin, Rich Moran, John Bosee, and Jay Courage. Reunion attendees missing from photo: Andy Cohn, Steve Engel, Jim Gleason, and Jay Mixter
Chaffee Class of 1972
Front: Anne Schneider McNulty, Amy Clark, Ellen Kennedy, Susan Hamlet, Karen Polivy, Terry Childs, Cathie Brady Fernandez, Kitty Johnson Peterson, Suzy Rothfield Thompson, and Pam Kneisel. Back: Carol Nussbaum, Carol Bangert Gwatkin, Debra Smith Benard, Jenny Tufts, Beatrice Bastiany, Deborah Dill, Amanda Gilbert Shelburne, Mary Ellen Farrell Cash, Gail Budrejko, Anne Shortliffe, Janet Bailey Faude, and Merle Kummer. Reunion attendees missing from the photo: Nancy Sisitzky Alderman, Sarah Lowengard, Stacey Savin, and Kathy Skelley
Loomis Class of 1972
Front: Barry Bedrick (former faculty), David Russell, John Shulansky, Wesley Gilbert, Greg Miles, Michael O’Brien, Bob Richer, David Low, Carl Booker, and Frank MacMillan. Back: Jeremy House, Carlo Cella, Chris Wallace, Bill Berman, Jon Marks, Larry Brautigam, Bob Cappelletti, Tom Daniells, Tom Rogers, Scott Wallace, and David Anderson. Reunion attendees missing from photo: Andy Bassford, Jim DeStefano, Rick Horan, Peter Kremer, Sean O’Malley, Larry Richmond, Rick Russell, Rick Sondik, John Staton, and Laurence Waltman
Loomis Chaffee Class of 1995 Loomis Chaffee Class of 1996
Jason Mulvihill, Jen Hart, Jeffrey Hoffman Reunion attendee missing from photo: George Trumbull Front: Liz Martin, Susan Tynan, Brandy Little, Will Sargent, Erin Champlin Barringer, Tim Hatton, Sam Pease Doering, and Brian Rouse. Back: Chris Mattei, Keith Berman, Lee Saunders Raynes, Amy Haberman Mahoney, Bruce Townsend, and Tyler Purtill. Reunion attendee missing from photo: Bhavna Sacheti Singh
Loomis Chaffee Class of 1997
Front: Seth Shaw, Kate Sabatini, Suzette Lee-Romagnolo, Haverhill Leach, Christie Yamron, Eve Temlock Urrutia, Nancy Lui-Canales, and Jennifer Kronholm Clark. Middle: Brian Andre, David Achterhof, Rebecca Pacheco, Michael Piorkowski, Matt Wax-Krell, Sarah Zimmerman, Patty Piesiur Berky, Kathy Agonis, and David Ente. Back: Rob Scannell, Brian-Logan Reid, Michael Chambers Jr., Derek Marcus, Patrick Hogan, Ryan Belden, Kari Diamond Kayiatos, Victoria Hays, Elizabeth Galbreath Carr, Liz Dunn Marsi, Yelda Batur Kalkandelen, and Erin Shoudy Meyer
50th Reunion
Loomis and Chaffee Classes of 1971
Front: Martha Anderson Eichler, Karen Bradley, Debbie Davis, Jean Farquhar McCoubrey, Barbara Keith Rosengren, Deb King, Mary Lombard Jeppsen, Mary Lowengard, Katy Ramaker Rinehart, Isabel Servici Rathbone, Debbie Shwayka Hunsberger, Susan Wight Craddock, and Nancy Wood Heitz. Middle: Dick McGrath, Steve Siegel, Rick Hood, Bruce Maier, Glenn Shor, Michael Lederman, Phelps Gay, Tom Figgatt, Bill Bernhart, Brad Gewehr, Doug Hargrave, and Andy Gunther. Back: Tim Carney, Jon Goodman, Manny Weiss, Bob Gibson, Rick Otis, Bart Kummer Reunion attendees missing from photo: David Chapman, Susan Cole Halevi, Mimi Cutler Willard, Michael Dannehy, D.B. Gibson, Pete Howe, Paul Murphy, Lisa Silvestri, and Nat Treadway
