NEWS

SALMAGUNDY

Inside The Bubble

ASA and ConstellAsians: Fall in Review

By Su Li ’23, Aizah Ali ’24, and Jianing (Jennifer) Lin ’24 Heads of the Asian Students Alliance/Affinity

On September 10th, ASA and ConstellAsians hosted a Mid-Autumn festival moon gazing event. The community was invited to snack on mooncakes and other traditional treats before walking to the Hill-Stead to admire the moon. Stories about the origin of the Mid-Autumn festival were told, One of which being the tale of Chang-e, who drank an elixir of immortality and floated to the moon. The Mid-Autumn festival was then created to com memorate Chang-e, observe the moon, and celebrate the season’s harvest.

On Tuesday, October 25th, ASA and ConstellAsians held the first Diwali sit-down in three years. Diwali, also known as the festival of lights, is the celebration of light over darkness and of good over evil. The Heads of ASA and ConstellAsians decorated the dining hall with fairy lights, tea candles, and other colorful ornaments. Students were asked to wear semi-formal colorful clothing as part of sticking with Diwali traditions. As the lights dimmed, the student heads of ASA and ConstellAsians stood in front of the community and gave a presentation of what Diwali is and how it is cel ebrated. Many students and faculty enjoyed the vegetarian Indian cuisine served and claimed that it was one of the best sit-down dinners ever

On October 27th, ConstellAsians and ASA hosted a bake sale to raise money for the severe flood in Pakistan, which started in mid-June. As a result, one-third of Pakistan needs to be rebuilt and over 33 million people have been affected in many dangerous ways. Pakistan’s minister for cli mate change stated that this flooding is “the worst humanitarian disaster of this decade” and it is a prominent example of the effects climate change has on the earth and human beings. In Main Parlors, traditional Pakistani foods were sold, such as potato samosas, jalebi, and zarda. All members of the community came together to support Pakistan, whether it be through buying delicious baked goods or donating. In the end, the affinity and alliance surpassed their original goal and donated over $600 to the cause. This event exemplifies how considerate and concerned Porter’s community is about issues around the world, as well as how welcoming and interested everyone is in different cultures.

Salmagundy

2022-23 New Faculty Profile

By Leah Glaspey ’24 Staff Writer

With a new academic year comes new faculty! For the 22-23 school year, Porter’s has welcomed seven new faculty members to campus. Each new member comes with a fantastic set of unique interests and skill sets.

To start, Julie Zurolo joined Porter’s science department. Prior to coming to Porter’s, Mrs. Zurolo taught science and coached swimming at the Kent School and the Peddie School. With an educational background in psychology and medicine, Zurolo has taught various science concepts such as chemistry, biology, and environmental science.

Additionally, the science department has also gained Rafia Ali., who started her teaching career in Pakistan after earning a Master’s in Physics from UC Berkeley. During this time, Ali earned a doctorate in theoretical nuclear physics. In 2015 she relocated to Cuba, and in 2019 to El Salvador, where she continued teaching high school science.

Sarah Archer is joining the language department this year. She received a B.A. in French from Presbyterian College, where she traveled to both France and China for study abroad programs. After finishing her education at Presbyterian College, Archer became a freelance translator before teaching French and Spanish at the Frederick Gunn School. Outside of teaching, Archer also finds a passion for music.

Ryan Bliss is one of the two new faculty joining the TIE department. As a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Bliss holds a long list of degrees: he has a B.S. in mechanical engineering, a Master’s in Education, and a Master’s in engineering, science, and technology entrepreneurship. Bliss’ professional experiences include teaching math and coaching soccer, as well as working on entrepreneurial technology projects.

The second and final TIE addition is Penn Fellow Lee Beckwith. Before starting the Master’s in Education program at the University of Pennsylvania, they attended Scripps College and earned Bachelor’s degrees in environmental analysis and computer science. They are fundamentally a problem-solver, focusing on using computation research as a means of solving global issues.

In the Humanities, Penn Fellow Ariana Baez hopped on board. Before Penn, she attended Wesleyan University, where she studied social studies and education. In addition to this work, she also earned a certificate in Social, Cultural, and Critical Theory. During her time at Wesleyan, Baez wore many hats, serving as a senior interviewer for the admissions office and a representative to the board of trustees.

Finally, Eileen Flynn DeLaO joined the English department. A part of Porter’s class of 1993, she studied creative writing and philosophy at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. After finishing there, she went on to be a successful journalist for papers such as the Austin American-Statesman, and later taught journalism at the university level. Her expertise will most definitely make for meaningful classroom experiences on our campus.

Porter’s is lucky to welcome such a remarkable group of educators to the faculty family this school year. Whether it’s their twentieth or first year of teaching, the community is excited to have “Porter’s” be at least a line in each of their biographies.

Goals for the 22-23 School Year: An Interview with Dr. Windsor

By Ava Cargan ’23 Opinions Editor

Dr. Windsor began our interview by asking a question that challenges the word that we’ve been hearing over and over again since the beginning of the pandemic: What is normal? Entering the new school year, Dr. Windsor wishes to avoid using the word normal; she doesn’t like the connotation of the word, as it’s demeaning and expresses disapproval.

Despite that we are entering a school year where the threat of COVID has been lowered, Dr. Windsor envisions a joyful, exciting year where student health and safety is still at the top of the list of priorities. A lot of weight has been put on improving the community in the past years, such as renovating campus buildings, cultivating a sense of belonging, and reforming the curriculum. Among other issues, Dr. Windsor wants to further address equity and inclusion from a place of joy and celebration. She wants to make sure that in this upcoming school year, we are balancing growth and joy with the work that still needs to be done.

Firstly, Dr. Windsor wants students to get through the school year. This is especially true for the seniors, as crossing the finish line together serves as a closure to their Porter’s experience. Dr. Windsor recognizes that this will look different for everyone, and acknowledges that as long as we are human beings, we are imperfect. Therefore, she hopes to lead us through the good, the bad, and the ugly times while also sharing laughs, surprises, and even the cringes with students.

Secondly, Dr. Windsor would like to keep working on resources for mental health, equity, and belonging in our community, infusing as much joy as possible into the work. There’s still so much work that need to be done, she reminds us, even when the students can’t see it. For example, Dr. Windsor mentions that surveys were sent out to Ancients before they came to campus to collect information about their identity; through these surveys the Reunion Weekend planners were able to create spaces on campus such as a Friends of Bill (AA) resource on campus to support recovering Ancients while there was alcohol at events. Currently, Miss Porter’s School is working on a Land Acknowledgement Statement that will be released to the community soon.

Dr. Windsor hopes that with so many new people joining our community for this upcoming school year, they are all ready to jump in and make a difference. She wants all of the new students to take advantage of our structures on campus and take part in the joyous year that she wants for all of us.

The Office of Admissions’ Vision for 2022-2023

By Jaimie Ng ’24 Opinions Editor

The Admissions Office is planning on some big moves for the 22-23 school year. Not only are they hoping to host larger-scale admissions events on campus, but also resume admission trips around the world, which have not happened since 2019 due to COVID-19. Though these past couple of years have been restricting for the Admissions Office, the 2022-23 school year will allow for a return to normalcy.

This year, the admissions officers will be traveling to many countries, such as Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong S.A.R., and Mexico. In these countries, Porter’s will participate in numerous admissions fairs and talk to prospective families, admissions consultants, and company executives to expand their network of boarding schools.

In addition to international events, the admissions office will also be expanding events that happen within the U.S., and even on campus! This fall, they have been hosting large open houses with approximately 70 families, and mini-receptions with a tour, faculty panel, and interview. For prospective international families, virtual open houses will be held in order to make events accessible to those who aren’t able to travel but are still interested in learning more about Porter’s. In February and March, there will be Porter’s challenges for prospective students every month with prizes for the winners in order to keep them engaged and enthusiastic. Porter’s will also host Porter’s Leads events for middle school students, such as a hackathon, a Global Seminar Series hosted by the Porter’s Center for Global Leadership, and smaller receptions in different areas to help these students understand more about life at Porter’s. However, the most exciting event of the year will be a big Revisit Day, held in the Spring to allow prospective students to get to know Porter’s even more!

The Office of Admissions is also hoping to figure out how they can better engage prospective students throughout the admissions process with new and innovative events, such as book club meetings in smaller regions. They are also hoping to involve more students in events as tour guides, panelists, and to greet prospective students, especially during the aforementioned Revisit Day.

However, many prospective students are still not able to travel to Porter’s due to travel restrictions, financial reasons, and more. As a result, the admissions office will still offer virtual visits and tours. Led by Kat Simison, the Director of International Recruitment, these often happen in the morning from 7-10 am to accommodate differences in time zones. Porter’s will also continue offering three slots a day for prospective students to tour and interview, and mini-receptions for families who are not comfortable attending large-scale events. Additionally, Simison claimed that although quarantine mandates remain active in countries such as China, there is hope to travel to northeast Asia in the Spring.

After a hiatus due to COVID-19, Porter’s is finally able to resume largescale events on campus and international travel, connecting with more and more prospective students!