Spring Summer 2015
Moses Brown Cupola
Global Awareness Peter Kilmarx ’79 Battling Ebola Brian Nichols ’83 David Wilner ’83
About Our Cover Peter Kilmarx ’79 is shown visiting a village in the Port Loko District of Sierra Leone last October. See page 16 for more on Peter’s experiences in Africa this past year. Peter was sent to Sierra Leone in September to lead the CDC’s Ebola response team. This issue of Cupola showcases alumni utilizing global awareness in varied careers around the world. Are you working globally, too? Let us know!
Moses Brown, a Friends school, exists to inspire the inner promise of each student and instill the utmost care for learning, people, and place. — Moses Brown School mission statement
Moses Brown School Board of Trustees 2014-2015 Paul Adler P ’14 ’16 Greg Baldwin ’87 Neil S. Beranbaum ’86 P ’22 ’24 Clerk, Enrollment & Marketing Committee
Andy Harding ’75 welcomed everyone back to MB for Reunion 2015. See more at mosesbrown.org.
Amy Curell P ’14 Elaine Dickson P ’18 ’22 ’27 Ted Fischer ’83 P ’12 ’14 ’17 Gary Goldberg ’87 P ’17 ’19 ’20 Clerk, Campaign Steering Committee Brian Goldner P ’14 Habib Y. Gorgi ’74 P ’08 ’10 ’12 ’17 Clerk of the Board Clerk, Executive Committee Karen Hammond P ’10 ’14 ’14 David Holdt Lee Jaspers P ’11 ’14 Recording Clerk of the Board Gardner Lane P ’27 ’28 Kathleen Levesque P ’12 ’14 ’17
The next issue of Cupola will focus on Ethical Leadership. Do you have alumni to suggest for this issue? Are there former teachers or parents we should include? Suggestions welcome!
Assistant Clerk of the Board Rachel Littman ’87 P ’20 ’22 Frederick Martin Mike McGuigan Donald McNemar Kara Milner P ’19 ’21 Keith Monchik ’90 P ’24 ’27 Clerk, MB Alumni Association
Getting enlightened by MB news this summer? Thanks to the Lancaster family for sharing this photo of Bowen ’24 at the lighthouse and Coast Guard station in Chatham, Massachusetts over spring break. Do you take Cupola on your travels? Share a pic! Post at facebook.com/ mosesbrownschool or email to mbnews@mosesbrown.org.
M. Willis Monroe ’04 Clerk, Nurturing Friends Education Mary Lee Morrison Elizabeth Morse Neal R. Pandozzi ’91 Clerk, Trustees Committee Lisa Rocchio ’85 P ’14 ’15 ’21 Clerk, Nominating Committee Martha Schwope Friends Coordinator W. Bradley Shipp ’83 Clerk, Buildings & Grounds Committee Liesa Stamm
Class of 2015 Good luck to the Class of 2015, heading off to new adventures, from Brown to Britain! See Commencement video/ photos at mosesbrown.org. MB ’15 — stay part of Quaker Nation! Be sure we have your new email address for invites to MB events near you.
Nia Thomas Heather Tow-Yick ’94 Dawn Tripp P ’19 ’24 Clerk, Parents’ Association Carl Weinberg P ’90 ’94 ’16 ’24 Treasurer of the Board Clerk, Budget & Finance Committee Cecily Ziegler P ’22 ’24 Matt Glendinning Head of School Jackie Stillwell Clerk of NEYM
Send comments, news, updates, address changes, photos or leads to alumni@ mosesbrown.org. Facebook.com/MosesBrownSchool | @MosesBrown Youtube.com/MosesBrownSchoolNews | www.mosesbrown.org
Global Awareness page 14 Cupola A bi-annual magazine for Moses Brown School alumni Editor Adam Olenn ’91 P ’25 ’27 Managing Editor Kristen A. Curry Class Notes Editor Susan Cordina P ’16 Director of Alumni Relations Karin Morse ’79 Assistant Head of School for Institutional Affairs Ronald Dalgliesh P ’21 Contributors Emily Atkinson P ’14 ’18 Sam Mandeville Adam Olenn ’91 P ’25 ’27 Photography Peter Goldberg Arthur Grace ’65 David O’Connor
Cupola Spring/Summer 2015
Designer Bridget Snow Design Printer Colonial Printing, Warwick, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council
Letter from Matt Glendinning
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News from Moses Brown Today
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Let’s Build Something!
The Cupola is produced by the Office of Alumni Relations for alumni and friends of Moses Brown. Your feedback is welcome. Please send comments to: Cupola, Moses Brown School, 250 Lloyd Avenue, Providence, RI 02906. Send suggestions, class notes, and address updates to MB Alumni Relations via mosesbrown.org or alumni@mosesbrown.org; 401-831-7350 x114. Moses Brown School is a nonprofit institution.
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Reflecting on Global Awareness
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Gifts in Action
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Alumni Profiles:
www.mosesbrown.org
Reunion: Nadja Pisula-Litoff ’90 and Krista Dahlberg Jack ’90 met in the Front Circle, having arrived from Evergreen, Colorado and Austin, Texas.
Peter Kilmarx ’79
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Brian Nichols ’83
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David Wilner ’83
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Esther Bell ’05
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George Bentley ’65
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William Greenough ’47
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Hannah Pearson ’09
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MB Alumni Association Events & News
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Thanks! Departing Faculty
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Athletic Hall of Fame & MBAA Award Recipients
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Reunion 2015
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Class Notes
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Moved by MB
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The Class of 2015: Commencement
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In Memoriam
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Jerry Zeoli
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Essay: Max Jencks ’15
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Thanks to Guest Editor Ab Katzman ’65, page 15.
Transformational Travel A letter from Matt Glendinning, Head of School
Matt Glendinning doing archaeological surveying at Gordion in Turkey in 1995
Today at Moses Brown, we believe in bringing our classrooms to I still remember my first flight on an airplane. the world and the world to our classrooms because we want to Stuck for nine hours in a middle seat in the smoking section (yes, develop students’ global awareness — the ability to speak another still allowed at the time!), I was a really green traveler. But as a language, to understand world affairs, and to work with people from college student headed to a semester abroad in Greece, I was excited. different backgrounds. These are the founding principles behind a Such mild annoyances didn’t even register next to the thrill of being new initiative called MB TRIPs: Travel, Research and Immersion in the company of people speaking other languages, all heading Programs. toward the cradle of western democracy. Recent projects have included service in Kenya and the Dominican While I didn’t know it at the time, that trip abroad shaped the Republic, outdoor education in the Colorado Rockies, environmental direction of my life. While I had boarded the plane an engineering science in Yellowstone National Park, cultural study in Spain, and major, I returned a devotee of the classics. First I fell in love with classical studies in Italy. In addition to a vast array of day trips in Latin, Greek and other languages in the classicist’s toolkit. Then I Rhode Island, our lower school is pioneering new overnight trips, as discovered classical archaeology, a field that challenged and inspired fifth graders prepare for a human rights trip to Washington, D.C. this me like none before. summer, while others will be trekking in the White Mountains of What fascinated me about archaeology was the combination of New Hampshire. material culture, history and science, which required interdisciplinary and cross-cultural thinking. Digging through layers of earth and plodding through obscure articles “As I look back, then, what that one trip to Greece did for me could almost be described demanded patience and focus. And reconstructing as an epiphany. It allowed me to glimpse a level of passion and self-fulfillment that I the past from scanty bits of evidence fostered hadn’t previously known. These are feelings all students deserve to experience.” creativity (and humility!). After honing these skills in graduate school I In this issue of Cupola, we share profiles of Moses Brown alumni was lucky to find a job teaching Ancient Civilizations at Germantown whose personal and professional lives exemplify global awareness Friends School in Philadelphia. The rest — including my path to — whether the cross-cultural cooperation required of David Wilner ’83, Moses Brown — is history. or the world-spanning deployments of Brian Nichols ’83. Moses As I look back, then, what that one trip to Greece did for me could Brown has always fostered global thinkers, and we’re proud to almost be described as an epiphany. It allowed me to glimpse a level celebrate in these pages an enduring legacy that still influences the of passion and self-fulfillment that I hadn’t previously known. These school today. are feelings all students deserve to experience.
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News from Moses Brown Today
How can we embolden a generation of entrepreneurs to invigorate Rhode Island’s economy by leveraging its unique strengths? This summer, MB is offering a culinary entrepreneurship camp called Chez Innovation for Rhode Island high school students. Chez Innovation is a sort of business school through the lens of the food industry, attracting students from around the Ocean State. Activities include visits to Farm Fresh RI, Federal Hill, Amos House soup kitchen, and Daniele Foods. Chez Innovation came out of this winter’s 2030 Forum, voted the most promising plan to use design thinking to inspire young people to be agents of change in their communities. Thanks to community members who helped make Chez Innovation happen: senior Maria Veale ’15, Davide Dukcevich ’92, John Farber P’16, David Ahlborn, Adam Olenn ’91, Jen Rawson, Roosevelt International Academy and others.
Kudos
MB TRIPs Four faculty are recipients of 2015-2016 Leonard Miller ’51 Travel grants. Lisa Evans (above) will travel to Cuba with the Teachers as Scholars program. Matt Herreid (top) will head to Puerto Rico with the goal of establishing an MB TRIPs program there involving ecosystems, marine science, environmental stewardship and U.S. history. Ignacio Pérez-Ibáñez will travel to Barcelona to collect and develop materials for use in the upper school Spanish curriculum. Cathy Van Lancker will undertake a tour of Central Europe to enhance and enrich her knowledge of art, architecture and culture and expand upon her teaching of Expressionist drawing and painting techniques.
In April, MB students won several medals at the Rhode Island Science Olympiad, including a bronze in the science bowl; silvers in cell biology, astronomy and “write it, do it”; and won the bridge-building competition. Eighth grader Jillian Lombardi shared a powerful “This I Believe” essay on Rhode Island public radio; listen at http://ripr.org/post/i-believe -rhode-island-saying-goodbye. Art teacher Kristin Street exhibited work with ArtVenice Biennale 3 in May. The Debate Team swept the state tournament this spring, taking home the #1 novice and varsity trophies. Varsity basketball coach Laurie Center reached a milestone this year that only one other woman has reached in the state of Rhode Island: 400 victories. School archivist King Odell was inducted into the Rhode Island Track Coaches Hall of Fame in April. Congrats, Doc!
Bon voyage! Several faculty will head to the Galapagos Archipelago this summer using an E.E. Ford Faculty Travel grant. They’ll visit the islands in July, exploring conservation and natural history, seeing wildlife found nowhere else, and visiting sites that inspired Darwin. “For me, this trip is a pilgrimage to visit one of the places that sparked world-changing ideas,” says Science Department Chair Eric Aaronian. “Evolution is the central idea connecting all of biology.” 5
The student is the teacher It’s Friday afternoon in French 1 in MB’s middle school. Conversation is a mix of French and English, with encouragement from teacher Karim Sow. The sixth and seventh graders struggle to stay on-topic as the weekend approaches, but one student is all business. It’s David Flaxman, head of the upper school World Languages department. What’s he doing in French 1? “My faculty cohort project is to explore and learn,” he explains, referring to MB’s professional development program for veteran teachers. By experiencing what it’s like to be a novice language student again, he gained new appreciation for the challenges students face in the classroom. David tested his new skills on a family trip to Paris over spring break: “It was amazing to discover the wealth of cultural sights and art in Paris, but also humbling to realize how challenging understanding and speaking a new language can be!”
Moses Brown was pleased to welcome poet Mark Doty to campus in May. Doty is the author of nine books of poetry, including Fire to Fire, which won a National Book Award, and My Alexandria, winner of a National Book Critics Circle Award and the T.S. Eliot Prize.
MB senior named Jefferson Scholar Daniel Ward ’15 has been named a Jefferson Scholar at the University of Virginia. His scholarship will cover the entire cost of attendance for four years at the university. Daniel is the first MB student to receive this recognition and was selected from a pool of 1,600 nominees. As an MB student, Daniel excelled in English and captivated audiences with performances in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and La Bête. He was co-captain of the school fencing club, editor-in-chief of Omnia, and president of Improv We Trust. Daniel advises younger students to not stress too much during senior year: “If you write and speak about what you’re truly passionate about, and what kind of student you are, honestly and in-depth, and convey who you truly are, you won’t have any problems. You don’t have to change yourself or have a perfect GPA. Don’t discount what you’re impassioned about: honor it.” 6
MBe sustainable In the cafeteria, MB is partnering with the Compost Plant, Rhode Island’s first commercial food scrap collection service. MB was one of the first schools to enlist their services. Food scraps are gathered weekly, then sent directly to Earth Care Farm in Charlestown, where it becomes high-quality compost. To date, 103 tons of food scraps have been diverted from the landfill! MB also is partnering with Newport Biodiesel, which produces clean-burning, sustainable fuel from waste vegetable oil. NBD has produced over a million gallons of alternative fuel for diesel engines and home heating furnaces.
Ethical leadership MB welcomed Jacqueline Houtman and Walter Naegle — the authors of Bayard Rustin: The Invisible Activist — to speak with fifth and sixth graders about Rustin’s life. Rustin was an AfricanAmerican Quaker, pacifist, teacher, organizer, advisor, and one of the most important (and least known) activists of the civil rights movement. An advisor to Martin Luther King, Jr., he promoted nonviolent resistance, participated in one of the first Freedom Rides, organized the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and worked tirelessly for marginalized communities. As an openly gay African-American, Bayard Rustin stood at the intersection of many of the struggles for equal rights.
Our Isis Crisis Middle school history classrooms welcomed visitors from Brown’s CHOICES curriculum team earlier this year for a Harkness discussion on ISIS. “I was so impressed by the quality of the Harkness discussion on the U.S. role in the Middle East,” says Andy Blackadar, director of curriculum development and research associate at the Watson Institute for International Studies. “MB students were thoughtful about the many complex issues at play and used their knowledge of history to formulate their thoughts about the present. The respectful and inclusive way that they interact with each other is truly special.”
Go Quakers! Spring athletic news
Lower school students held Meeting for Worship in the Peace Garden this spring and learned about inspirational leaders at the annual Fifth Grade Civil Rights Hall of Fame.
• T he girls’ varsity lacrosse team won the Division I state championship. MB was the only school in the state with boys’ and girls’s teams competing for championships in the same sport. • The girls’ softball team had an incredible undefeated season. • The golf team won its second consecutive state championship; sophomore Will Dickson won his second individual state title. • The varsity tennis team completed an undefeated season. • Boys’ and girls’ outdoor track finished second and third, respectively, at the New England Championship. 7
Let’s Build Something!
MB celebrates groundbreaking for Woodman Family Center At a special gathering on June 4, students, parents, faculty, staff and alumni joined in breaking ground on the Woodman Family Community and Performance Center. During the celebration, community members stood inside the literal footprint of the new center. Everyone grabbed a commemorative trowel to mark the outline of the building, one of the school’s biggest construction projects in two centuries. Nursery student Camilla McCleary made the first cut with Dean Woodman ’46 and his wife Jane (shown right), who provided the financial foundation to begin work with a gift of $5 million — the largest in school history — and followed this with an additional $3 million! The facility is expected to open late in 2016. The Woodman Family Community and Performance Center will replace 150-year-old Alumni Hall as the school’s primary performance and assembly space. At the heart of the school’s 33-acre campus and connected to a renovated Walter Jones Library, the facility is designed to be the intellectual, social, and spiritual hub of the campus. The 25,295-square-foot building will be a uniquely flexible space which can accommodate professional-quality performing arts, host gatherings and symposia, and function as a beautiful setting in which to gather for Quaker worship. The Woodman Family Center will be like no other building in this region. Unique telescoping seating and hydraulic flooring will allow an audience of 475 in theater-style seating for performances and can quickly transform to a flat-floored exhibition hall for community gatherings. As of June 2015, MB has raised nearly $12 million toward the Center’s $17.5 million fundraising goal. To contribute to a project that will be a cornerstone of the MB campus for generations to come, contact Ron Dalgliesh at 401-831-7350 x111 / rdalgliesh@mosesbrown.org. All gifts are greatly appreciated. 8
New Gift: $2.285 Million to Elevate Engineering & Design Programs and Facilities At the ceremony, Head of School Matt Glendinning also announced exciting plans for Alumni Hall. When the Woodman Center opens in late 2016, work will begin to transform this historic space into the Y-Lab, a 5,000-squarefoot innovators’ space named for Thomas Young, an 18th-century Quaker engineer and scientist. A true tinkerer’s studio, the Y-Lab’s learning environment will encourage team-based brainstorming, rapid prototyping and iterative experimentation. The Y-Lab is made possible by a $2.285 million anonymous gift dedicated to engineering, creative problem-solving and educational opportunity. The gift also endows a new all-school program in engineering and design learning and provides significant new funding for scholarship aid. Quaker Makers June 4’s groundbreaking ceremony and gift announcement were the culmination of “Quaker Makers,” a month-long celebration of student creativity in all its forms, including the Student Performing Arts Festival, all-school music convocation, Book Festival, all-school art show, spring musical and concerts, and Versatones a cappella fest. At the grand finale featuring the “creative sciences,” fifth graders operated “math arcade” games they built to teach math skills to elementary students, eighth graders demonstrated complex Rube Goldberg machines they had designed and built, and upper school robotics students exhibited year-end projects.
Reflecting on Global Awareness Current community members comment on this strategic priority at MB.
Kelly Joseph
Upper School Faculty MB TRIPs (Travel, Research & Immersion Programs) bring the Moses Brown classroom to the world and the world to its classrooms. TRIPs aim to create global citizens who can build a peaceful world by providing a significant travel experience for all students and an enhanced service learning program in local communities. Although TRIPs include forays to other states and countries, MB’s newest trip was based right here in Providence over spring break, established by religion teacher Kelly Joseph. In March, several students made the Friends Meeting House their home base. They focused on food and hunger, visiting local organizations to learn and provide service. Students were charged with shopping for food and preparing meals on a strict budget to better understand the challenges of doing so. They ate mac and cheese, grilled cheese and
ramen noodles and rode public transportation to get to destinations. Students interacted with volunteers and guests at Mary House soup kitchen, played with preschoolers at Children’s Friend Head Start, and packed boxes at the R.I. Food Bank. They heard from speakers from House of Hope, the R.I. Coalition for the Homeless, the Compost Plant, and URI’s Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America. This new trip joins MB’s longrunning service trip to the Dominican Republic, middle school team trips, and an annual program in Yellowstone National Park. “It was a great success,” says Kelly. “These students were passionate about their work, good-humored, and inspiring. I have no doubt that they will help to inspire other students to connect meaningfully with our community.” She’s pleased to
be a part of MB, too, saying, “I love the intellectual engagement of my students.” The initial idea for the Spring Break Providence Service Trip came from upper school faculty members, who listened to students recounting the impact that working directly with individuals has on them and their desire to make a difference. They hope this group’s experience translates into new ideas to further connect MB with the Providence community.
Elaine Dickson P ’18 ’22 ’27 Parent, Board Member
Before globalization became a buzzword, Elaine Dickson lived it in her classroom in Jamaica. The world opened up to Elaine through soccer, cricket, history, and literature — the stories of Marco Polo and Malcom X, the works of Zora Neale Hurston and Shakespeare. Now an MB parent and board member, Elaine continues to look beyond the borders of what is set in front of her — she’s a mom of four, business owner, and co-founder of the nonprofit Reading Owls International which provides access to literature for children in impoverished areas of Jamaica. This willingness to take on more may come in part from her country of birth. “Jamaica ‘punches above its weight,’” she comments, “with an outsized reputation for reggae, pristine beaches, smooth coffee and world-class athletes. Yet it is its ‘smallness’ that pushes Jamaicans to look outwards,” she says. This is just what Elaine did when she came to the U.S. for her education and later looked for a school for her children. 10
Elaine appreciated MB’s global worldview, saying, “This was why Easton and I chose Moses Brown for our kids to learn and thrive. The global themes in MB’s curriculum are key to their education. It was important that my kids be part of a school that develops character, sense of self, and care for others as much as academic prowess. I am impressed by MB’s outward focus and how its priorities coalesce around providing a world-class education to students who can tackle global issues.” Elaine models service herself, giving back to Jamaica via Reading Owls International. ROI’s mission is to increase the literacy of underserved children by building and renovating libraries in depressed communities. For many, books are a passport to the world. “Every country — regardless of size and power — stands to benefit from an expansive world view,” she says. “This is also true for individuals. I want my children to respect all citizens of the world, regardless of national or financial standing. They should have an unapologetic appreciation for the U.S.’ strengths, but should never delude themselves into thinking that all knowledge, wisdom and creativity reside in them, their classmates or their country.”
Elizabeth Hoyler ’11 Nearing the “finish line” of graduation, eyes on the prize, few rising seniors decide to chart a completely new course. Elizabeth Hoyler ’11 did: leaving MB after junior year, she pursued a two-year International Baccalaureate at United World College in New Mexico with 200 students representing 80 different countries. “I wanted a more global experience,” she recalls, “but I’m indebted to Moses Brown for instilling that hunger. MB was a great incubator for me. Engaging with others outside our community, like the Hope-MB exchange, are my best MB memories. MB doesn’t rest on its laurels. It’s seeking to improve, to think bigger. That was my sense while there, and I’m glad to see that they’re addressing global awareness even more explicitly now.” Two years later, Liz found fertile ground for her international interests at Duke. As a freshman, she conducted research in Guatemala with Duke’s Global Health Institute. Her team conducted interviews on traditional medicinal practices, translated them from Mayan Popt’i and Spanish, and distributed a compendium of local plants with medicinal applications. After declaring a dual
Alumna
major in economics and global health, Liz landed on yet another continent last summer, working in Nepal’s Bhutanese refugee camps for the UN’s World Food Program. In charge of food distribution, program monitoring, and nutritional studies, she recalled that, “It was inspiring, but frustrating. I saw so many unmet needs, and the aid organizations were so limited and bureaucratic that it was difficult to get much done. The experience encouraged me to work on the ‘system’ of humanitarian aid interventions.” Preparing for her senior year,
Elizabeth has started a nonprofit serving refugee women in North Carolina. Many women from Iraq, Somalia, Jordan and Sudan have skills that aren’t transferable to the U.S. Liz’s group helps them navigate the system, providing English training and workshops with successful, resettled refugee women: “We find them opportunities to use skills they have, gaining American experience to help with future employment. Iraqi beauticians are offering eyebrow threading on campus at Duke — it’s been a huge success!”
Meghan Buonanno ’15 Student
The Buonanno family holds a far-ranging perspective on Moses Brown, with a family member on campus for three generations, starting in 1949 when Meghan Buonanno’s grandfather Bernie ’55 arrived. He was followed by her father Bernie ’84; Meghan graduated this June. (Several other Buonannos have ties to MB as well, from Joseph ’56 to Margaret ’92 and Meghan’s cousin Tommy Chase ’15.) Meghan’s grandfather attended MB at the dawn of the space race. Her father was here for the fall of the Berlin Wall, while Meghan can access global topics or peers at the touch of a screen. Despite the fast-changing nature of our current world, Meghan feels the core values fostered at MB are even more important today. She appreciates MB’s emphasis on global awareness and citizenship as she prepares to look forward
to life beyond the gates, starting with Georgetown next year. She calls two things at MB key to her global education: participation in the Model United Nations Club and Señor David Flaxman’s “Spanish 5: Global Issues in the SpanishSpeaking World” class. Meghan joined Model UN as a sophomore, after a tumultuous year internationally. The European Union had adopted the embargo against Iran, and Vladimir Putin had won his third presidential election amid allegations of voter fraud — “the world stage felt like it was heating up and I was intrigued to learn more.” MB’s club attends the BU conference annually; students represent member states and attempt to reach diplomatic resolutions for real-world problems. This taught Meghan how to work with delegates from all over the world and encouraged her to discuss difficult, but important, topics. In Señor Flaxman’s Global Issues class, she learned about challenges facing countries in Central and South America. Students studied the history of Mexican immigration and the U.S. — Mexico border. They covered immigration and studied child labor and poverty issues around the Spanish-speaking world. “Globalization is here,” Meghan says. “My classmates and I are lucky to to get an MB education to help us prepare.” 11
Gifts in Action
Access & Affordability $15 million fundraising goal for scholarship endowment
“I was given a scholarship to attend Moses Brown when I was 11 years old. I distinctly remember the sense of appreciation I felt. It’s an incredibly empowering experience when someone believes in you that much.” — Albie Dahlberg ’87 P’18 Placing scholarship funding squarely at the heart of Moses Brown’s strategic vision, MB Believes, the school has embraced the goal to raise $15 million for scholarship endowment. “This commitment dramatically enhances access to an MB education,” says Matt Glendinning, Head of School. “It ensures that we’ll continue to enroll the most capable, talented students, enriching the educational experience for our entire community.” $15 million in new endowment funding, along with increased annual fundraising, will add $1 million to the annual scholarship budget, supporting at least 50 additional students each year who otherwise could not attend. “Worldclass independent schools and colleges are almost always leaders among their peers in scholarship support,” says Ron Dalgliesh, Assistant Head of School for Institutional Affairs. “It allows them to attract the strongest students who also match their school’s culture and values.” The educational case for increased scholarship is clear. The quality of the student body drives the intellectual strength of a school as children learn from and motivate their peers. Talented
students raise the level of classroom discussions and empower teachers to push the boundaries of the curriculum. Albie Dahlberg ’87 feels this is essential: “Diversity of perspective is the lifeblood of the classroom. It keeps the classroom energized, and prepares young people for success in the world beyond MB’s gates.” Increasing scholarship also sustains full enrollment and high admission standards. Given Rhode Island’s challenging economic climate, aid requests rose 35% over the past six years. While the school has increased its scholarship budget by 50%, demand is still outpacing resources. “It’s devastating to tell incredible kids we can’t meet their need,” says Hugh Madden ’84, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. “Right now, we simply can’t fund some of our best candidates who I know would add so much to our community.” But MB alumni and parents are answering the call, contributing more than $2.3 million in the past year. “It’s tremendously gratifying to see and hear such a commitment to scholarship from parents and alumni around the country,” says Ron, “and we’re just getting started.”
How can you help MB meet its scholarship goals: • Give to The Moses Brown Fund every year, to provide essential scholarship funding. • Create an endowed scholarship that provides educational opportunity in perpetuity. • Fund a four-year current-use scholarship. • Direct a bequest to endowed scholarship. For more information, contact Ron Dalgliesh at (401) 831-7350 x111 or rdalgliesh@mosesbrown.org. 12
Why Give? Matthew Cornelius ’95 shares why he’s a Moses Brown Fund donor Matt Cornelius lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife, Jessie Andersen Cornelius ’97. Asked about his MB experience, Matt remembers “the openness and honesty the community fostered. As rigorous as the academic experience at MB was, it was the lessons I learned politically and on an interpersonal basis that have served me the best in my career.” As managing director, air policy at Airports Council International — North America, Matt focuses on the future of air travel, which is on the rise. Passionate about transportation since his first job at Bonanza Bus Lines (while he was an MB student), Matt is working on ways to improve air travel, including an app “Mobile Passport Control.” MPC allows U.S. citizens to clear immigration and customs via their smartphone. Matt developed a partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to bring the app to the marketplace. Innovations like MPC will allow airports and airlines to meet the growing tide of passengers without expensive improvements in infrastructure or additions in personnel. He credits MB as an important start on his career path and a boost to his problem-solving abilities. Matt and Jessie give to The Moses Brown Fund because MB “provided an education beyond an exceptional academic experience. MB really is a community and it’s a relationship that didn’t end at graduation. It’s been great to see how the school is doing today and to be able to help support it so it can continue to provide that experience to others.”
$2.285 Million Gift Accelerates Engineering & Design Learning Anonymous contribution also makes major investment in endowed scholarship An anonymous donor has made a major investment that will catalyze a new facility and program focused on creative problem solving skills. One of the central elements of MB Believes, a three-division Engineering & Design Learning Program encourages students to design, prototype and tinker, and to apply knowledge from across disciplines to solve real-world problems. This applied-learning program falls under a broader initiative called the Expert Thinking Model, intended to foster creative thinking and analytical skills. The multi-faceted gift includes the establishment of a major new endowed fund to support engineering and design learning. The fund will provide specialized training and professional development for faculty; the purchase, maintenance, and
replacement of equipment and curricular materials; and resources for related co-curricular programs, competitions, and camps. To ensure MB can continue to attract the most talented students, the gift also provides significant new endowed scholarship funding. Finally, MB’s anonymous donor has provided the lead gift that will transform Alumni Hall into the Y-Lab, a 5,000-squarefoot innovators’ space named for Quaker engineer and scientist Thomas Young (1773-1829). A true tinkerer’s studio, the Y-Lab will include leading-edge technology and low-tech modeling materials. The Y-Lab will serve middle and upper school; a complementary lab is part of a planned expansion of the lower school. “This incredible gift invests in the very core of MB — our people, educational programs and the places we learn,” says Matt Glendinning. 13
Arthur Grace®
“White House aides, 1978,” Washington, D.C. — photo shared courtesy of Arthur Grace ’65.
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Comfort Zones During the 1990s, the term “comfort zone” came into common use to describe the personal environment where satisfaction comes easily and vulnerability is minimized. Finding one’s own comfort zone was seen as a justifiable goal. But the Moses Brown people we have profiled in this issue of Cupola have all either made their mark on the world outside their comfort zones, or aim to leave them to do so. They find their comfort zone in another sphere, one where vulnerability may not be minimized but satisfaction is maximized. Perhaps that’s the new comfort zone for those who are globally aware, a place where they feel comfortable because they are carrying out personal imperatives to achieve their goals. Whether it be treating the victims of epidemic, poverty and war on the other side of the globe or representing their country to foreigners looking for entry through the Golden Door, or devoting a life to showcasing the rest of the world to millions of travelers by whisking them there on aluminum wings, we’re talking about MB people who felt compelled to answer the call and found their own comfort zone in what many might call uncomfortable, even sometimes daunting, situations.
The challenge they choose to face may even be geographically close but culturally distant, as in helping refugees bridge the gap between their strife-torn societies and the complexity of our own. One great gift that MB provided to my class half a century ago was an awareness of the world outside, whether through King Odell and Ted Whitford teaching la belle langue as a key to French culture or David Ransome showing us how our present world was born long ago and far away in the struggles of medieval Europe. I couldn’t understand the intensity of their message then, but the lessons of those teachers and a long line of others like them definitely rubbed off on me, and obviously on those profiled in this issue. Global awareness has as its corollary that foreign does not equal alien and that the people we meet on the other side of the world are pretty much reflections of ourselves, needing not only food in their stomachs but respect for themselves. The lesson we learn from all those among us who have wandered far to do good is that while there are certainly differences among people caused by culture, ideology, environment and circumstance, humanity is pretty much the same all over.
Abner Katzman ’65 spent 32 years working for the Associated Press and Bloomberg News. He carried out assignments in 30 countries throughout North and South Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa. Ab served as AP bureau chief in Amsterdam and Paris, director-global business, regional director for Latin America and deputy director of AP World Services. He now lives with his family in Greenwich, Connecticut and works as an English tutor, writing coach and ghost writer. 15
Peter Kilmarx ‘79 Battling Ebola Given the choice, most people would avoid a level 4 biohazard zone like the plague. Not so for Peter Kilmarx ’79, who has made a career of traveling to medically-underserved areas to tackle some of the planet’s most pernicious diseases. As a captain in the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, Peter has spent almost 30 years battling HIV, AIDS and malaria, and recently headed
for,” he says, “when you ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’ If you don’t have an answer you’re really passionate about, you’re not ready for it.” But Peter was still eager to serve, and his knowledge of biology and a willingness to travel made him a good candidate for a position in fisheries management with the Peace Corps. “It was like gardening with water,” he says of his assignment to Zaire, Peter forged many close relationships with locals: “Some of the now the farmers I worked with named their children after me.” When Democratic Peter saw one of those children bearing his name die of measles, Republic of he found his reason for going to medical school.” the Congo. “Farming the Centers for Disease Control’s Ebola tilapia with nothing more technologically response in Sierra Leone. advanced than a net.” Peter had an early interest in science, During his time there, Peter forged and always thought he would either end many close relationships with locals: up as a farmer or a doctor. He found his “Some of the farmers I worked with interest stoked by MB science teacher named their children after me.” When Jim Maland’s oceanography course, Peter saw one of those children bearing which led him to consider a career in his name die of measles, he found his marine biology. As he neared the end of reason for going to medical school. his pre-med biology studies at Dartmouth Peter was clearly ready for the chalCollege, Peter realized he wasn’t quite lenge — he won Dartmouth’s Dean’s ready to rush headlong into medical Prize for “Outstanding Male Graduate” school. “Med school is one of those in 1983 and a foreign study fellowship, things you’ve got to have a good answer which he put to use studying infectious 16
disease. He leveraged his rapport with the Congolese farmers to talk to them about sexually-transmitted diseases, including the relatively new scourge known as HIV, and its resulting condition, AIDS. Peter’s fellowship in infectious diseases subsequently led him to Thailand, where he spent six years as the chief of the Sexual Transmission Research Section in a collaboration between the CDC and the Thai government. This expertise in large-scale management of public health responses to HIV/ AIDS led him back to Africa for a stint as the CDC representative to partner with the Botswana response to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other conditions. He was then promoted to chief of the epidemiology branch’s division of HIV/AIDS prevention at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, and then again to senior advisor to the director for health reform in that division. But Peter’s passion for field work could only keep him home for so long, and in 2011 he returned to Africa, this time as the director of CDC/Zimbabwe, overseeing all activities of CDC staff there and bearing the responsibility for implementing President Obama’s
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the President’s Malaria Initiative. “AIDS may not be as dramatic as diseases like Ebola,” says Peter,” but where a bad Ebola outbreak might result in 20,000 deaths, we have about a hundred AIDS deaths a day, resulting in about 40,000 deaths every year.” In 2014, Peter got to put this awareness to the test when he was assigned to be the team leader for the CDC’s Ebola response in Sierra Leone. “When you have a rapid doubling of cases, it focuses everyone’s attention,” says Peter, who reports that during the height of the epidemic he could only manage a few hours’ sleep each night before he was up and at it, re-energized for the fight. “It’s the sort of effort that’s only sustainable for a short time,” he says. “We had to stress to our people that they needed to take perfect care of themselves, because if they got sick, that would distract us from doing what we’d been sent there to do.” Given the speed and severity of a case of Ebola, many people imagine that the only possible rescue is a high-tech vaccine, but the truth has more in common with Peter’s low-tech tilapia pools of old. “Even though it’s called ‘Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever,’ people don’t generally die of blood loss. It’s usually multi-system organ failure brought on by shock or hypotension.” Accordingly, some of the most effective treatment for Ebola is oral rehydration solution, which Peter promoted as an effective intervention for the disease. Similarly, coaching caregivers that this simple treatment can save a
patient, that Ebola is not an automatic death sentence, has done good things for survival rates. Interestingly, Peter notes that one of the main challenges with Ebola, like any public health scourge, has more to do with communication than medicine or science — “If there are 100 studies showing that a given treatment works, the 101st isn’t going to convince anyone new.” Instead public health workers need to make sure that the message is being delivered by the right people in the community, because the credibility of the speaker can be more important than the content of the message in terms of getting people to actually accept and practice the proper intervention. “We see this here in the U.S. with vaccines,” says Peter. “Vaccines are some of the most scientificallyproven therapies we’ve ever come up with, but there are still people who need to hear the message from a source they trust, rather than another study reaffirming the same thing.” To find those trusted voices in Sierra Leone, Peter and his team held regular meetings to come up with ‘the Ebola idea of the week.’ They made the rounds to speak with funeral directors about how to handle the bodies of Ebola victims, ran billboards, radio jingles, and met with imams and other religious leaders. They also segmented their audience, asking
questions like “Who makes caregiving and funeral decisions in a family? How do we reach those people?” Peter says the approach was effective, though not always in the ways they’d intended. “Local chiefs started fining the families in their villages if they hid Ebola victims — so many chickens or goats for each one.” Overall, however, Peter is optimistic about what the aftermath of the Ebola epidemic may mean for public health infrastructure in the affected countries. “There was a lot of focus and support for the public systems, bringing in more trained manpower, decent labs, and communi-
cations infrastructure. Those are the basics of any good public health system,” he says. Given the ongoing public health challenges in Africa, he hopes these developments can be leveraged to address the more devastating, though less dramatic, epidemics of HIV/AIDS and malaria. With experts like Peter Kilmarx and his colleagues at CDC on the case, there is good cause to hope. 17
Diplomat
Brian Nichols ‘83
Peacemaking Peace — the word connotes stasis, tranquility, a state of ease. But peace-making couldn’t be more different. And if anyone knows the amount of thought and energy that goes into moving people from a stance of conflict to one of peace, it’s U.S. Ambassador Brian Nichols. Brian grew up on the East Side; his father, a Quaker, taught English at Brown (and founded its Afro-American Studies program). Brian joined MB in third grade and says that his MB education — and the values and approaches he learned here — were great preparation for a career overseas. He first became interested in Foreign Service work during an international relations class at Tufts University; personal anecdotes by the professors made the exotic seem accessible. His interest piqued, he took a course on Latin American history and politics, ultimately passing the Foreign Service exam two weeks before graduation. Brian’s first post was in Peru, where he stood on the front lines of diplomacy and our security ensuring the bonafides of visa applicants. The country was struggling under Weimar-like hyperinflation, daily blackouts, food rationing, and terrorism as communist factions fought to seize power. Brian found it more invigorating than terrifying and his appetite for overseas work grew. After two years, he moved to El Salvador to serve as a political officer during the throes of civil war. Here, he was able to witness the peace process, cease-fire, and reintegration of FMLN rebels into society firsthand. “It was immensely rewarding,” he says, “as I helped to support that peace process while promoting respect for human rights.” Brian says he is attracted to serving in places where there are things going on. Peace-making acumen was in demand in Mexico in 2000, as the country transitioned to the administration of democraticallyelected Vicente Fox, while the Zapatistas professed revolution and narcotics traffickers unleashed brutal violence near the U.S. border. Brian made frequent trips to Chiapas to help poli18
cymakers understand the reasons behind the Zapatista uprising. He led Embassy Mexico’s reporting on the elections and was inside Mexico’s Instituto Federal Electoral when Fox’s victory became official. Brian was next tapped to help the transition to democracy in Indonesia, one of the most ethnically-diverse places in the world and the country with the largest Muslim population. Soon after, the events of 9/11 changed our national focus to counterterrorism. The importance of this work was tragically highlighted for Brian’s team by the 2002 bombing of a Bali nightclub frequented by westerners — killing over 200 people. Brian collaborated with Indonesian officials to create a new police anti-terrorism unit — Detachment 88 — that led the hunt for the Bali bombers and other Al-Qaeda affiliated terrorists. He also worked to resolve the decades-long conflict between the separatist Free Aceh Movement and the Indonesian government. In 2004, Brian found himself once again in the Western Hemisphere, this time as the director of Caribbean affairs. Responsible for managing the U.S.’s relationship with 14 separate nations, Nichols felt a connection to Rhode Island, as the Ocean State has such a strong Dominican population. But while a return to the West may have brought some familiarity, it was anything but an easy homecoming as hurricanes pounded the region soon after his arrival: “The only good thing about natural disasters is that they help people realize they have more important things to worry about. There is this brief moment which galvanizes international support, and if you can take advantage of that quickly, you can put in place positive longterm developments while dealing with the immediate crisis.” “Conflict-resolution is a portable skill,” says Brian, pointing out that the Foreign Service does an amazing job with language and cultural training, essential when going into environments roiling with discord and recrimination. “Tribe, culture, caste, religion — these are at people’s core,” he says. “It takes work and energy, but you can help people past those things to common ground.” He notes the U.S. government’s sensitivity to these issues and creative ways of addressing them. “For Afghanistan,” he says, “we relied heavily on Native American legal experts who could help us understand the nuances between tribal and civil codes of justice.” Now Brian is back in Lima, but this time in one of the highest positions the Foreign Service has to offer: ambassador. “Peru is an amazing country,” he says. “I am honored to further ties between our two countries, promote economic prosperity and education, and work with its citizens.”
“Everyone in the Foreign Service is really smart. What determines the kind of career you’ll have is how hard you’re willing to work, how well you get along with others and your willingness to serve. It’s called ‘service’ for a reason — you’re serving the American people.”
Looking Up The science of astronomy is a global venture — not only do we all view the sky, but cooperation is increasingly necessary for exploration. David Wilner is using his MB-born skills to achieve consensus in the skies. The Harvard astrophysicist is grateful for the education he received at Moses Brown — and its emphasis on Quaker process — as it prepared him to be part of the multinational board which reviews proposals for the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), the world’s largest radio telescope. “This telescope is better than anything we’ve ever had,” says David. “The determining factor for a radiotelescope’s power and resolution is the number of pairs of antennae,” he explains. “If you have 20 antennae, that means you have 190 combinatorial pairs, but if you have 60 antennae, you have 2,195 pairs. It’s a better instrument by an order of magnitude, and everybody wins.” ALMA was so expensive to build that no single nation could afford it. But because so many countries were interested in having access to this kind of instrument, an international coalition of scientists convinced their governments, over several decades, to collaborate to create ALMA high in the Atacama desert of Chile. While David always had an interest in science, it was an MB astronomy class that inspired him to attend the Summer Science Program; this galvanized his interest and led him to study physics, and then astrophysics, at Princeton. Eventually earning a Ph.D. at UC Berkeley and a series of fellowships at the Harvard/Smithsonian Institute, he worked and studied with several renowned scientists, including Brian Schmidt, who recently won the Nobel Prize for his discovery of dark energy. David has made some exciting discoveries of his own, including the presence of methyl cyanide in protoplanetary gas disks. “When stars form,” he says, “there is a lot of gas and dust swirling around them. Optical telescopes like the Hubble can’t see inside those clouds, but ALMA can, because vibrating molecules have their own unique frequency signatures.” It’s typical for stars to have at least one planet, and David’s work focuses on the formation of these planets. He uses ALMA to look inside those disk-shaped gas and dust clouds because they are the
Astrophysicist
David Wilner ‘83 cradles of new planets. Discovering the presence of methyl cyanide (CH3CN) is extraordinary because it’s a more complex molecule than they’ve seen before in space, paving the way for even more complex molecules like sugars and amino acids, the building blocks of life. While David is excited about the images data his team has gotten from the telescope, he’s even more enthusiastic about the possibilities created by ALMA’s data archive. “Hubble has been up for 25 years, and now half of its science output comes from its archives. ALMA generates a terabyte of data in just five hours,” David notes. Scientists get a year to work with the data from their proposals, after which the data is released to public archives in Virginia, Germany and Japan for anyone to use. It’s this sharing aspect that David finds most inspiring, and why he has served on the selection panel several times. “It’s a real community service,” he says, “because it involves a ton of time. There are something like 16,000 proposals for only around 150 opportunities to use the telescope every year, so it involves a lot of reading and evaluation.” He’s inspired by the way science transcends other concerns. “Everyone checks their nationality at the door,” he says, “and all the proposals are really good.” That’s not to say there aren’t challenges. Different cultural modes of communications sometimes require extra time and attention to work through. “I once had a Japanese colleague,” says David, “ who kept telling me that the thing I wanted to do was difficult. I’m American, so I heard ‘difficult’ and thought, ‘Well yeah, but we’ll figure it out.’ What he really meant was ‘impossible,’ though in his culture that’s not something you would say to a colleague. We sometimes have to learn that the same words can mean different things to different people.”
Esther Bell ’05
The first American they meet For tens of thousands of foreigners, the Statue of Liberty wasn’t the woman most representative of America. It was Esther Bell ’05. After Foreign Service postings in Ethiopia and Colombia, Esther just started a new assignment in Washington as a public affairs officer for the State Department. “Consular work is front-line diplomacy,” Esther says. “In four years, I’ve spoken with close to 50,000 foreigners. Since I’m the only American many of them have ever met, their perception of the United States is based on their interaction with me. I work hard to make sure that when they come to the U.S. Embassy they get the best treatment possible.”
From an early age, Esther wanted to become a diplomat, to represent her country abroad and help make the world a better place. She even attended a diplomacy summer camp in Washington, D.C. In her last year at Johns Hopkins, Esther applied for the Foreign Service and — at the end of a nerve-wracking process — learned she had passed. Before beginning her two-year tour in Ethiopia, Esther learned Amharic. As a consular officer in Addis Ababa, she adjudicated visa applications and provided services to American citizens, such as documentation of births and deaths. “I visited Americans detained in Ethiopian jails for polygamy, helped doctors travel quickly to the U.S. for work, and served as a notary for world-class Ethiopian runners,” she says. Processing visas for inter-country adoptions was a challenge: ”If a case required additional investigation or scrutiny, I had to tell families that they had to wait before they could bring their child home. While it was wonderful to be a part of the process that helped create families, it was difficult to deal with the emotions of disappointed parents.” The surprising complexity of an MB middle school project has stayed with her, nearly two decades later. “We had to decide who we’d admit to the U.S.,” she recalls. “It was a simple exercise: the engineer or the mother of two American citizens? Granting opportunity is never simple. This exercise asked us to think about how citizens of other countries view the U.S. As a diplomat, I still do.”
George Bentley ’65 The 30,000’ view
George Bentley’s top career experiences were made up of destinations we dream of, people we’d love to meet and events that mark our era: flying into Berlin, before and after the Wall came down; seeing the sun rise over the pyramids of Giza; the militarized India-Pakistan border at night; watching the Aurora Borealis over the Pacific; meeting the Dalai Lama in a hotel lobby; coming upon the Japanese fishing fleet 600 miles east of Tokyo at night (“a lighted city in the middle of the North Pacific”). But for George these were all part of a day’s work, accompanied by the changing accents of air traffic controllers around the world. George started flying at age 17 (while at MB) and was hooked. The hobby became a career, and George racked up over 20,000 flight hours during his 50 years in the air. Over the years, he flew night mail, skydivers, charters, cargo in a 50-year-old DC-3, as well as scenic flights. George flew internationally for Pan Am, then went to work for Kuwait Airways and United Airlines. He retired in 2007 as an A-320 captain, having flown all varieties of aircraft, including Boeing 747s. “Teachers like Everett Raines, Ted Whitford and Fred Pratt instilled in me a desire to travel,” George reflected. “That and a good helping of James Bond movies. Little did I know then that 20
I would go to many of those places as a pilot. The French and German I learned at MB have served me in good stead.” In decades of flying to every continent except Antarctica, George counted flying troops home from duty in Iraq as one of his most gratifying experiences. “Other than that, knowing that people have faith and confidence in you to fly them safely to see family, do business or go on that trip of a lifetime.”
Wllliam “Buck” Greenough ’47 A healing hand
Dr. William “Buck” Greenough recalls how happy he was to be called to start the Cholera Research Laboratory and hospital in Dhaka in 1962. He initially thought he was going to Dakar in Africa. The geographic confusion between Dhaka East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and Dakar Africa was resolved and he and his young family left for South Asia in July 1962. He joined the U.S. Public Health Service, starting the Pakistan-SEATO Cholera Research Laboratory and working there through 1965. Thus began his career in global public health research. Following the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971, Buck helped convert the cholera lab into an international research and patient care center — the ICDDR,B. During the genocidal war, he established the Bangladesh Information Center and assisted in one of the largest refugee events of the 20th century (10 million Bangladeshi fleeing into India from March — December 1971 when Bangladesh was liberated). Major health initiatives came from the center’s work, including discovery of how cholera causes illness, establishing methods of intravenous and oral rehydration therapy that insure survival of those affected with cholera and similar illnesses. He noted it took 50 years to show that the injected cholera vaccine used before the 1970s was ineffective and to start the long road to an affordable oral cholera vaccine. Buck is now working as a safety monitor on the C. difficile vaccine trial which affects many people globally. The achievement of an inexpensive stable oral cholera vaccine took 50 years. He hopes the C. difficile vaccine will emerge sooner. Recent diseases such as Ebola show that vaccines prevent illness, especially when given in time.
Buck is delighted that global awareness and service have come to the fore at MB. He doesn’t recall studying the rest of the world at MB, and says it was his pastor who directed Buck’s attention to global deprivation. What MB did give him, though, were the tools. “Ted Whitford gave me the confidence to do what I thought I could not. Mrs. Monahon engaged my love of science and Mr. Huston encouraged my curiosity through independent research.” The ethical imperative of the time was repairing the damage of war, making the world a better place. At the same time, the draft was in effect and Buck was classified 1A: “I wasn’t strictly a conscientious objector, but wanted to find a nonmilitary way to serve.” A colleague heard of a humanitarian effort in Southeast Asia, and recommended Buck for Dhaka. “After the 1960’s, there was less talk about service; I hope that’s beginning to change,” he says. “The Quakers are a great example. They’ve always done less talking, more acting.” International service is a risk worth taking, he believes. “The next steps are to prevent disease by establishing good science where the problems exist, building infrastructure for clean water and safer nutrition,” he reflects. Protecting access to education is also critical: “It’s been proven that educating women through sixth grade has a tremendous impact against childhood mortality. Teachers do even more good than doctors.” After years overseas, Buck returned to the U.S., and is currently a professor of medicine and international health at Johns Hopkins.
Hannah Pearson ’09
Hatching a plot for success While springtime gets most people outside planting flowers, it finds Hannah Pearson ankle-deep in cold water. As a hatchery manager at Island Creek Oysters in Duxbury, Massachusetts, she spends her days growing oysters and loves every minute of it. Hannah traces her passion for science back to the sixth grade, when she started at MB, studying science with Mike DeAngelo and Tony PirruccelloMcClellan. It was chemistry class with Joyce Hooley-Bartlett that sparked her interest in marine biology. Hannah says, “She was an incredible science teacher who sparked my interest in studying science in college.”
After MB, Hannah attended Roger Williams University, where she worked in the university’s shellfish hatchery. “When I had the opportunity to spend a day in RWU’s hatchery, I realized that aquaculture was my ‘thing.’” Between January and July, Hannah conditions adult oysters in Island Creek’s hatchery, producing oyster seed, which she then cultures. The oyster seeds are only in the hatchery for the first two months of their lives. The rest of their life happens on the farm. From August-December, Hannah is out there with them. She says this the most gratifying part of her career — seeing the hard work, long hours and tough shifts turn out large and healthy oysters each harvest. From start to finish, it takes over a year to grow an oyster for the dinner table. Island Creek oysters are shipped all over the country, and Hannah subscribes to the motto of “no oyster left behind” in the hatchery. “What I like most about working with oysters is that they’re so darn cute when they’re tiny!” To the naked eye, they look like tiny pepper flakes being dumped into the water. Hannah urges students interested in marine biology to follow their dreams. “I left MB knowing exactly what I wanted to study and I stuck with it. Even more — I left RWU knowing how tiny the aquaculture field is and still found a way to do it.” 21
Events Moses Brown alumni kicked up their heels at alumni events nationwide, just like Dan Levesque ’17 in the spring musical Bye Bye Birdie. 22
Alumni Connections Coast to Coast
The Alumni Association and Moses Brown School have partnered to provide many opportunities for alumni to engage with each other and the school, locally and from coast to coast. If you would like to host an event or serve on the Alumni Association Board, please contact Director of Alumni Relations Karin Morse ’79 at kmorse@mosesbrown.org or (401) 831-7350 x191.
D.C. A Sandra Lynne Fryhofer, Austin Jaspers ’11, Allie Froehlich ’10, Emma Dickson ’12, Frederic Schwartz ’60 and Jill Nevius Schwartz caught up at the D.C. Alumni & Friends Reception at Sequoia in June.
B Sean Link, Joe Altieri ’05, Rob Lavoie ’05, A
Mark Scott ’01, Nick Scott, Andy Read ’05.
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Upcoming Events Austin, Texas Rob Treut ’04 and Maggie McConnell ’08 joined MB’s Perry Buroker in Austin, Texas.
August 13 September 17 October 15 October 16-17
Young Alumni Reception at Flatbread Providence Quaker Classic at Newport Country Club Alumni Homecoming Reception MB Expo: book your travel plans now!
Alumni Hockey Game 2014 1st row (l to r): Colby Farnham ’15, George Panichas ’15, Rob Breslin ’86, Orrin Starr ’15, Anton Zemba ’15. 2nd row: Aaron Simon ’92, Tim Ouhrabka ’88, Jesse Baker ’92, Devin Kelly ’86, Alex Towey ’15, Jason Engle ’98. 23
Alumni Connections Coast to Coast
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Congrats to 11 Legacy Families! 1st row (l to r): George Panichas ’15, Gabby Rocchio-Giordano ’15, Olivia McCahan ’15, Meghan Buonanno ’15, Lily Zexter ’15, Bret Milot ’15. 2nd row: George Panichas ’83, Vin Giordano ’83, Lisa Rocchio ’85, Tim McCahan ’80, Bobby Penney ’15, Mindy Fischer Penney ’84, Bernie Buonanno ’84, Phil Zexter ’81, Hayden Ross ’15, Heather Handrigan Ross ’85, Marc Janigian ’82, Charlie Milot ’76, Leo Janigian ’15, Steve DeLeo ’79, Stephen DeLeo ’15.
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California A Silicon Valley alumni gathered for dinner in Palo Alto: 1st row — Zach Florin ’94, David Wagstaff; 2nd row: Sam Yules ’12, Ashley Haffenreffer Wagstaff ’82, Greg Katzen ’03, Caitlin Miller ’03 and Karin Morse ’79.
B Jeb Barrett ’01 and Amy Lee ’88 joined fellow alumni to hear Matt Glendinning’s presentation about the Woodman Community and Performance Center.
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C Karin Morse ’79 (far right) caught up with Lara Rosenbaum ’91 and Nick Jezienicki ’00 at San Francisco’s Alumni Reception at the Slanted Door.
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Moses Brown Alumni Association
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Florida
Seattle
Head of School Matt Glendinning gave his “Raise the Curtain” presentation hosted by Dean Woodman ’46 at the Palm Beach Yacht Club.
Scott Freschet, Rachel Furman Freschet ’03, Zach Florin ’94, Karin Morse ’79, Clayton Kroh, Peter Asante ’03, Taylor Brown ’03, Rebecca Brown, and Liz Donat ’02 enjoyed the reception at the Whale Wins.
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Providence A Nick Gorham ’79 back on the ice at Meehan Auditorium for the annual MBAA/PA Skating Party.
B Many thanks to our outgoing MBAA Clerk Keith Monchik ’90 (pictured with wife Michelle Lefebvre) for his 11 years of service.
C Alums, former and present coaches, including Hall of Famers, took to the turf for the 2015 Alumni Lacrosse Game held on Reunion.
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Thanks!
Best wishes to departing longtime faculty
Upper school Latin teacher Ruth Breindel celebrated her last year of teaching by throwing a party in her classroom in May. “I love my students,” she says. “They were eager to learn, fun to be with and had many admirable attributes. Since I was usually the only Latin teacher, I could see them develop into thinking young adults “I love my students. They were eager over their upper school years.” to learn, fun to be with and had many Of course, Latin is not the only thing Ruth taught; she admirable attributes.” also specialized in ‘Mrs. Breindel’s life lessons.’ “Even if they can’t remember their conjugations or declensions, or what an ablative absolute is,” she says, “they will, hopefully, remember what is the proper way to live!” Ruth will continue as treasurer of the Classical Association of New England and as president of the R.I. Jewish Historical Association. Ever active and involved, she also plans to volunteer at her public library, tutor at a charter/alternative high school, do some community work, and visit her grandchildren.
Helen “Scotte” Gordon, director of college counseling, joined MB in 1987 and counseled countless MB graduates over the years. “Helping to guide seniors to the next phase of their lives is very satisfying,” Scotte says. She encouraged students to explore campuses in unusual places and to assume responsibility for their own paths. Passionate about community and equality, she was committed to nurturing each student’s inner light. Scotte was dedicated to her work at Moses Brown. A coworker comments, “Scotte made MB a better community by always asking us to consider the right questions and encouraging us to do more, for “Helping to guide seniors to the next ourselves and our phase of their lives is very satisfying.” students.” She is known for the care and wisdom she brought to her work with students and families over the years. One of Scotte’s greatest gifts, which her family and friends still enjoy, is her unfailing sense of humor. Says a colleague, “She could always find the bright spot and interject humor and grace.”
“Young children are always in the present. They are great teachers that way!” Over the years, preprimary teacher Kathy Ryan taught many the meaning of a true child-centered program. The kindness, patience and care she provided to students has left an indelible mark upon the lower school. “I’d like to express my gratitude for the opportunity and privilege to teach here and be a part of this community,” Kathy says. “I am fortunate to have worked in such a dedicated, dynamic, and friendly place as MB’s lower school. I taught with seven different partners over the years — all enriched me and helped me become a better teacher. The support and comfort found schoolwide also give clear witness to MB’s Quaker heritage.” Time evaporates quickly when having fun working, learning, and navigating the land of young children, Kathy says. In her 34 years at MB, Kathy says she learned much from her charges: “Young children are always in the present. They are great teachers that way! Their curiosity, imagination, humor, and literal way of looking at the world taught me a lot.”
Upper school science teacher Jamie German came to MB in 1977, ferrying over from Martha’s Vineyard for her interview. It was fortuitous timing, as MB was returning to coed and an experienced female science teacher was a welcome addition to the faculty. “I found a true community of learners at MB,” Jamie says, “The opportunity to help adolescents “where interactions between teachers and students are genuine develop their voices, strengths and and personal. The opportunity to help adolescents develop their purposes made every day a new and voices, strengths and purposes made every day a new and exciting adventure for me.” exciting adventure for me.” In 2011, Jamie received the Faculty Member of the Year Award from the Alumni Association. A member of Providence Friends Meeting, Jamie appreciated the larger awareness of the world found at Moses Brown. She enjoyed mentoring new teachers and learning from others. Keep an eye out for Jamie — she’ll be on campus as a theater program volunteer and continue her long off-campus involvement with Habitat for Humanity, employing her teaching skills in hands-on help for those in need. 26
Congratulations!
Moses Brown Alumni Association Recognizes 2015 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees Several MB alumni were inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at Reunion Weekend, including Josie Chapman ’97, joined by Matt Glendinning, Head of School, and George Panichas ’83, MBAA, and the 2000 Boys’ Varsity Tennis Team (left to right) Alexander Egan ’03, Jeffrey Engle ’00, Joshua Lindell ’00, Benjamin Brier ’00, Scott Robbin ’02, Jeremy Howard ’00, J. Geoffrey Nelson ’01, and Coach Karin Morse ’79.
MBAA spring award recipients, recognized at Reunion Arthur Grace ‘65, Distinguished Alumnus Award Arthur Grace ’65 began his professional career as a staff photographer for United Press International. Based in Brussels, Arthur covered violence in Northern Ireland, drought in western Africa, and the 1973 Middle East War. Later working for Time and Newsweek, he covered the Iran hostage situation, Poland’s solidarity movement, and the Reagan-Gorbachev summit in Moscow. During his awardwinning journalism career, Arthur’s photographs have appeared in leading publications, including on the covers of Life, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times Magazine, and Paris Match. He has published four books and was a contributing photographer to the A Day in the Life series for Australia, Japan, America, Spain, and the Soviet Union. Arthur’s photographs can be seen in the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian and the International Center of Photography. F. Sessions Cole ‘65, Distinguished Alumnus Award F. Sessions Cole ’65 is the chief medical officer at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and assistant vice chancellor for children’s health at Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Cole specializes in newborn medicine and infant lung disease. “My Moses Brown teachers and classmates provided me with an experience that has shaped and continues to shape the building of my career and character,” Sesh comments. “I still channel the distinctive teaching style of Doc Odell which I vividly remember from Russian class. The gentle support of Ted Whitford led me to apply to Amherst College and Alvah Sulloway’s relentless attention to vocabulary and grammar have served me well. My classmates taught me that wonderful people are made, not born.” Sesh says he most values the rigorous education and small classroom attention he received at MB. Kaplan Mobray ‘90, 25th Reunion Achievement Award Kaplan Mobray is a motivational speaker and author. Also a professional saxophone player, he entertained the crowd at Reunion with a soulful rendition of “Summertime.” Kaplan draws from over 15 years’ corporate experience as a successful business executive where he led corporate marketing, advertising, and brand development initiatives for Fortune 500 companies. He has been featured on CNN, FOX, Businessweek, The Wall Street Journal, Ad Age and shared his message with NFL players at two Super Bowls. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and College of Arts & Sciences. “MB gave me a great start and helped me shape my values for excellence and contribution to society,” Kaplan states.
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Reunion 2015 Classes celebrating their 5th-70th Reunions came together in May to spend time in the shadow of the elms, see old friends, recount memories, and reconnect to MB.
1965
1st row (l to r): Ted Watson, Whip Seaman, Steve Ensign. 2nd row: Dennis Boggs, Mark Titus, George Bentley, Frank Fulton, John Bartlett, Eric Schreuder. 3rd row: Darrell Ross, Geoff Davis, Jeff Toth, Terry Haas, Peter Rapelye, Artie Grace, Bob Jenks, Tom Gross, Chris Kent, John Symonds, Loddy Collins, Ab Katzman, Charlie Temkin, Tom Reed, Richard Fain, Bill Tingley, Mark Warburton, Peter Franchot.
1955
Jerry Leon ’55 and John Sherman ’55 were visibly pumped about their 60th reunion.
George Bentley ’65 greatly enjoyed planning for and seeing the 50th reunion come to fruition. Sadly, George passed away May 19. Read about George on page 20.
First-ever father/son Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Chris Rotelli ’99 and Peter Rotelli ’70.
1985 1st row (l to r): Romi Knott, Steve Winoker, Donna Cirelli, Sara Ryan, Stephanie Masiello, Lisa Rocchio, Jamie Worrell. 2nd row: Tempel Smith, Jill Sugarman, Heather Ross, Eric Magendantz, Josh Kenyon. 3rd row: Peter DeBellis, Andy Nulman, Nadeem Ahmad, Dan Kortick: 4th row: Mark Miller, Robert Humphrey, Sam Dexter. 5th row: Shaun Cutts, Sunil Verma, Dave Mittleman, John Conley, Patrick Murphy.
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Moses Brown Alumni Association 1990
1990
1st row (l to r): Darin Epstein, John Renza, Jamie Morris, Audrey Latham Dreibelbis, Jonna Mollicone Angelone, Lori Geisler, Laurens Goff. 2nd row: Steve Berube, Nobuko Lima, Rhonda Clement Bergeron, Keith Monchik, Meg Ryan. 3rd row: Tom Puleo, Nadja Pisula-Litoff, Krista Dahlberg Jack, Orlando Lima, Anne Marie Reardon, Terry Harris. 4th row: Reza Taleghani, Chris Angelone, Uday Kumar, Kaplan Mobray, Livia Santiago-Rosado, Tom Colomb, Abby Demopulos.
2000
Jessica Brown, Michael “Opie” Opalenski, Stephanie Traynor Lindell and Marla Nasser reunited on the front steps.
Kaplan Mobray ’90 joined the band to serenade the classes of 1970 to 2010.
2005
“I enjoyed reconnecting with former classmates at Reunion! Middle and high school were sometimes tough, but now we are beyond shyness and awkwardness. Reunion was wonderful, definitely a highlight of this past year, even a joy!” — Nadja Pisula-Litoff ’90
2005 strikes a pose.
Congratulations to this year’s inductees into the Athletic Hall of Fame.
For more Reunion photos, visit www.mosesbrown.org.
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Class Notes
William “Buck” Greenough ’47 has played a key role in global health. See page 21.
1951
2014-15 Alumni Association Board The mission of the Moses Brown Alumni Association is to foster lifelong relationships with the school and fellow alumni. Keith Monchik ’90, Clerk George Panichas ’83, Assistant Clerk Brian Panoff ’94, Treasurer Albie Dahlberg ’87, Recording Clerk Taylor Rotondi Anderson ’02 John Baldwin ’94
1942 Hap Poole, writing from Connecticut, says he enjoyed seeing Head of School Matt Glendinning’s winter video “School is Closed” go viral. Hap even heard about it from friends in Seattle!
1945 Reunion 2015 After teaching at five universities, Eliot Roberts and his wife Bev are enjoying country life in rural Sparta, Tennessee with family nearby. They have three children, 18 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Eliot could not attend his 70th reunion but extends greetings to those who did.
Richard Nourie married Martha Whitaker Brown, Wheeler class of 1952, in September. They live in Mystic, Connecticut. Robert West says his MB experience, although only one year, was a valuable addition to his maturation process: “I came from a rural, small school, which had not prepared me academically, nor socially, to enter adulthood. The result was far from perfect, but MB did its best to bring me forward. I never would have been accepted at Brown without having been at Moses Brown!” Robert is now retired in Florida and says he enjoys life every day.
Jason Engle ’98 Thomas Frater ’82 Gina Guiducci ’97 Adrian Hendricks ’58 Hugh Hysell ’83 Austin Jaspers ’11 David Keyser ’89 Jane Knowles ’81 Todd Machtley ’00 David Murdock ’93 David Murphy ’91 John Pariseault ’97 Joss Poulton ’07 Brad Shipp ’83 Ahvi Spindell ’72 Richard White ’84
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Gerrit Sanford ’45 and Davis Sanford ’00 celebrated Reunion together in May — their 70th and 15th, respectively.
Andy Tothy ’55 returned to his Hungarian roots with family last March. They visited Budapest, touring the Opera House, Parliament, houses of worship, museums, a crafts village and a castle. Andy says, “The grand marketplace was a big hit as was taking a boat on the Danube, climbing uphill to Buda on the cog railway, and riding the underground train — the first of its kind on the continent. We even visited the rundown apartment house where I grew up as a child. Certainly, our family now has a better sense of our roots.”
Class Notes
Bruce McInnes ’55 missed his 60th reunion as the choir he directs was on tour. Celebrating its 20th year and having performed in more than 20 countries, Mastersingers USA includes men from across the United States, nearly all of whom have sung with Bruce in his career as a music professor at Amherst College, the University of Wisconsin and other institutions. Bruce’s career spans nearly 50 years. He’s currently teaching music at the University of Maine at Farmington and conducting the UMF Community Chorus.
Bill Butler’s (’57) latest hobby is aerial photography/videography. He recently captured a view of his home near Durango, Colorado: https://vimeo.com/119921726.
1956
1959
1960 Reunion 2015
Chuck Stuart retired from the federal government (FEMA disaster assistance) in 2008. He is still sailing on Chesapeake Bay and trying to keep in touch with MB sailing activities.
Larry Kilham published MegaMinds:
Stephen Dashoff was not able to attend Reunion due to family plans. Stephen and his wife Judy lived in Virginia and had seven grandchildren. He had fond memories of his time at Moses Brown. Sadly, MB learned that Stephen passed away suddenly in June. We will share more on his life in the next Cupola.
Photo: Walker Dalton/NBC Universal
Creativity and Invention and undertook a media tour in the Washington, D.C. area in May.
David Stenmark ’60 recently appeared on Jay Leno’s Garage. David’s hobby is reconditioning and building cars, and he spent years carefully building and restoring a 1952 MG TD hot rod. Last fall, he decided to give it to the former Tonight Show host and noted car collector, and Jay flew David and his wife Carol to California for the occasion. Watch the video where Jay takes a spin with David! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRx6LqWTE-I) 31
Note from Nepal: Stan Armington ’60 MB was relieved to hear that Stan Armington is safe after the devastating earthquakes in Nepal. Stan lives in Pokhara, leading hiking tours in Nepal and Tibet (he penned the Lonely Planet guide to the region). Understandably, Stan could not get to his Reunion given the distance — though he welcomes visitors and sent best wishes for Reunion. “I’m in good shape and so is everyone I know,” Stan writes. “Pokhara, where I live, had almost no damage. We got bounced around a little and the gang in my house decided we should sleep in tents in the front yard, but everything is fine here, although Kathmandu did have real problems.” Pokhara is the gateway to upper Mustang, the once “Forbidden Kingdom” on Nepal’s border with Tibet. There are several Tibetan refugee camps there. Stan has gotten involved with a project to educate children from upper Mustang while keeping them in an environment of Tibetan culture. That led him to make many contacts and friends — horsemen, farmers, monks, even the king — enabling him to run trips there (www. mallatreks.com). Stan invites readers to join him and says, “If anyone is looking for a worthwhile volunteer experience, the hostel (www.hchmustang.org) has opportunities with an amazing group of Tibetan children. There are opportunities to teach English, help with homework, work in the kitchen, and coach our soccer team!”
1964 Lawyer Peter Wright returned to Rhode Island to give a program about special education law and advocacy. Peter represents children with special educational needs, calling himself a dyslexic ADD/ ADHD lawyer (www.wrightslaw. com). His determination to help children grew out of his own educational experiences. After MB, Pete attended college 32
in Virginia, worked in the juvenile justice system for ten years, attended law school, and even brought a special education case before the U.S. Supreme Court. He and his wife have co-authored several books on special education law and taught law at William and Mary. He writes, “I credit MB with much of my success; it turned my life around.” He calls Jerry Zeoli and Doc Odell mentors.
Thanks to Rick Turner ‘62! A world-renowned luthier, Rick returned to MB in February to run his world-famous ukulele-building workshop in the Three Oaks Studio with several students and faculty members. Rick says he had a blast, and was pleased to put more ukes in the world: “It was quite something to be back on campus; it was familiar and yet a lot different from 1962. The kids were great and really nice to one another. Thanks for a great experience and a reminder of what snow is!”
Members of the Class of 1960 visited with Ruth Whitford over Reunion weekend. Ruth’s husband Ted was a celebrated French teacher (1931-72) and early proponent of MB ‘trips’ around language education. Ruth was a devoted on-campus faculty wife and key member of the community. The Whitford Language Lab is named for Mr. Whitford.
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WHAT MOVES ELI EPSTEIN-LUBOW ’18
“I was reflecting on my years in middle school—the way we’re taught and all the great things I’ve done at MB. Jon Gold’s history class, for example, wasn’t like any ‘normal’ eighth grade class. The perspective we’re given, the outlook on the world…I feel like I couldn’t have gotten this anywhere else but MB. “Over the past three years, I’ve realized who I am and who I want to be as a person.”
HOW YOUR GENEROSITY KEEPS MB MOVING Your annual gift to The Moses Brown Fund places you in a unique partnership with thousands of others to make one of the largest gifts to the school each year—about $1 million—creating a powerful engine for growth, innovation, and sustained excellence.
M OV E D BY MOSES BROWN
WORLD-CLASS TEACHING AND ACADEMICS (40%) OPEN ACCESS: SCHOLARSHIPS (20%)
We invest your Moses Brown Fund contribution in four strategic areas to advance MB Believes:
ATHLETICS, THE ARTS, AND FRIENDS EDUCATION (20%) OUR HISTORIC CAMPUS (20%)
Give online: mosesbrown.org/onlinegiving
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1965 Reunion 2015 Tom Gross is enjoying semi-retirement in sunny southwest Florida. He is looking forward to closing his yacht management business and traveling.
Tropic Tales: Richard Armstrong ’65 After MB, Richard Armstrong joined the Navy as a submariner. He completed his training and earned his silver dolphins in 1968, learning electronics and computers. Richard was on patrol when he came across a Time magazine with Dwight Owen’s (’64) picture, and learned that he had been ambushed and killed in 1967. “It haunts me to this day,” Richard writes, “as I knew Dee and his brother John since they were in lower school.” Richard’s service adventures were mostly secret or top-secret, and took him to Hawaii, Okinawa, Guam, Subic Bay, the Philippines, and Hong Kong. He worked in computer maintenance and eventually started his own company in Johnston which evolved into a payroll processing business and is still thriving today under new management. Richard later moved to San Francisco and went to work as a maintenance technician for the Bay Area Rapid Transit System. Over the years, Richard has visited all 50 states and says he never turns down a challenging adventure. Retired at 55, he moved to the Philippines where he became engaged to his second wife. They were married in Honolulu and now live in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. “I live on the Pearl Harbor channel where many years ago I sailed a nuclear submarine,” he writes. “It’s exciting to see submarines and Navy ships going through my back yard.” He works in Waikiki and plans to stay in the tropics: “I will never shovel snow ever again… never… no way, and I don’t care how many songs you can sing about it… NO!” 34
George Bentley credits Paul Kervick with starting him on his eventual career — Paul was going to North Central State Airport for a lesson and asked George if he would like to go along — “he’s the one to blame!” George was hooked on flying; see page 20 for more on his incredible career. “I had the best job a kid could have,” George comments, “with a corner office and a view out the window that changed all the time.” [In late May, MB was saddened to hear that George passed away suddenly after Reunion. We are honored to share on his career in this issue and look forward to sharing more on his life in the next issue of Cupola.]
George Bentley ‘65
Abner Katzman ’65, associate editor of Quaker in his MB days, embarked on a long career in journalism and even lent his talents to MB this winter, guest-editing this edition of Cupola. See page 15 for more. Janet and Peter Rapelye ’65 culminated his 50th reunion celebration dancing to live music in the Field House.
Darrell Ross ‘65 shared as part of the MB Connects panel at Reunion weekend. As President and CEO, Darrell transformed Ross-Simons, founded in 1952 as a retail store in Providence, into a national multi-channel retailer of fine jewelry and luxury items.
Arthur Grace®
Class Notes
“Perspectives, Sistine Chapel” Arthur Grace ’65 was recognized at Reunion with the Distinguished Alumni Award, along with his classmate F. Sessions Cole ’65, who was honored to receive the award but not able to come.
Photo: Courtesy of Royal Caribbean
On a Mission: Andrew Wilner ’73
Richard Fain ’65 has a truly global career as chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the global cruise company. Prior to joining Royal Caribbean, Richard spent several years with Gotaas-Larsen Shipping Corp., a London-based owner and operator of cargo ships. He serves on the World Wildlife Fund’s National Council and has received several awards, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the French Legion of Honor, and the Anti-Defamation League’s Distinguished Community Service award.
1968 A recognizable character actor in Hollywood, Graham Beckel recently reunited with Warren Beatty working on Beatty’s asyet-untitled Howard Hughes project. Graham is appearing in Aquarius, a new series on NBC about cops, murders, Manson and mayhem in L.A. during the sixties. “Our school’s namesake would not approve, but it’s been a fun workplace for me,” he says. Last year, he also had a
recurring role on AMC’s Halt and Catch Fire. Readers may recognize Graham from roles in L.A. Confidential, Brokeback Mountain, NCIS, Scandal, CSI, Heroes, Monk, Grey’s Anatomy, Battlestar Galactica, Six Feet Under, Ally McBeal, The Practice, Moonlighting, Miami Vice, All My Children, Kojak and Another World.
1970 George Williams, a professor of science at Webb Institute in
For the last eight years Andrew Wilner (top left) has volunteered as the medical director of Lingkod Timog, a small nonprofit that makes annual medical missions to the Philippines. Many of the people they serve have limited access to modern medical care. This year, they undertook a two-day mission to Palawan Island, seeing about 800 people per day to provide malaria and tuberculosis screening, medical exams, prescribe antibiotics and other medications, and perform minor surgeries and dental extractions. As a board-certified neurologist and internist, these annual medical missions provide an experience that is far from Andrew’s usual practice of modern medicine in the United States. He faces the challenge of treating unfamiliar illnesses, including malaria and parasites, but says “providing free medical care to people who are so appreciative is heartwarming and life-affirming.” Learn more at www.lingkodtimog.com. Andrew is shown on his latest mission, listening to the breath of a man recently treated for tuberculosis. At right, one of his patients self-treats his asthma using a bicycle pump to aerosolize his medication.
New York, was delighted to see Halsey Herreshoff ’51 on the cover of the last Cupola. George used to visit Halsey’s uncle Frances when he was a teenager and met Halsey at that time. George is now on the faculty at the college where Halsey earned his undergraduate degree, and says he is privileged to see him there several times a year. One of George’s students will be conducting tests of two of Halsey’s grandfather’s
designs in Webb’s model basin (using actual models made by the senior Herreshoff) for her senior thesis next year.
1972 James Smith lives in Groton, Connecticut and is a master carpenter working in period restoration, and takes care of the lighthouse at the mouth of the Mystic River called Morgan Point. Jim is now working on Fishers Island, New York. 35
1979
1985 Reunion 2015
Read about Peter Kllmarx’s experiences battling Ebola in Sierra Leone this past year — see page 16.
John Conley shared thoughts on Jerry Zeoli at this spring’s Reunion, commenting, “Jerry was an all-around fantastic coach, teacher and mentor. Every time I had a conversation with Jerry I always left feeling good. Thanks for everything, Jerry.” John lives in Wakefield, Massachusetts. See more on Jerry’s impact on page 45.
1982 Tom Gagnon, a teacher at Milton Academy, recently finished a sabbatical that involved study of marine life in the Bahamas. Thanks to Peter Ramsden’s wife Laura for passing this on!
1983 A year ago Lisa Preston joined the New School in New York City as associate vice president of strategic marketing. “Recent articles in Cupola on design thinking caught my attention because design thinking has been at the core of our university’s pedagogy since its founding,” Lisa writes. “I want to encourage MB students to check out our university either online or on campus!”
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Lou Izzi ’83 just finished his first year as MB’s new head coach for boys’ varsity ice hockey. Lou is currently assistant director of athletics at Johnson & Wales University and recently completed a master’s degree in sport administration at Canisius College. Lou brings more than 15 years of college coaching experience to lead the Quakers in the New England Prep School Athletic league and was a standout player and team captain for MB in the 1980s. Prior to returning to MB, Lou coached Nichols College for eight seasons where he led the Bison to two 20-win seasons and the NCAA tournament. “I’m extremely excited to be back at MB and have the opportunity to lead the hockey team against strong prep competition,” he says. Harriet Dashoff Lockshine’s (’85) son Louis just finished his freshman year at Rockledge High School in Florida. Louis plays clarinet and is in three bands.
Brian Nichols ‘83 (far right), U.S. Ambassador to Peru, details his global career on page 18.
Uday Kumar ‘90 catches up with Anne Landis, recipient of this year’s MBAA Faculty Member of the Year Award, at Reunion Weekend.
David Wilner ’83 shares more on his work on page 19. Despite coverage in a recent article in Nature, he remains humble and excited about his subject matter: “There’s something in all of us that wants to know more about how the universe is made and what makes it work.”
‘85’s Sunil Verma, Josh Kenyon, Nadeem Ahmad, Sam DeBellis and Dave Mittleman ham it up for their 30th Reunion.
Class Notes
Kaplan Mobray ’90 received the 25th Reunion Alumnus Award in May. He is a motivational speaker, consultant to many Fortune 500 companies, and brand coach to professional athletes. Outside of work, Kaplan is a saxophone player and serves on the national board of ALPFA, the nation’s largest Latino business professional association. He lives in West Nyack, New York with his family. (kaplanmobray.com)
Kirsten Hall ’92 recently wrote a children’s book, The Jacket, that was selected as an Editors’ Choice by the New York Times and named to their 25 Notable Children’s Books of 2014. It also got a mention from The Huffington Post. Kirsten and their illustrator were even invited to do a reading and workshop at the New York Public Library: “It was awesome!”
Zach Florin ’94 caught up with Robin Romanovich ’95 at the alumni reception in Seattle.
Former faculty member Peter Thompson taught French at MB from 1985 to 1994 and coached hockey, baseball and also advised The Quaker. Now he teaches at Roger Williams where he is a professor of modern languages. For his service to French culture, Peter received L’Ordre des Palmes from the French government, an order established by Napoleon. He wrote to congratulate the school on its recent issue about design thinking and we in turn congratulate him for having been knighted!
Welcome, Finn! Nancy Johnston Boissonet ’96 and her husband Clotaire welcomed their second son Finn Marcel in February. Big brother Max and family have just moved from Baltimore to Torino, Italy for Clotaire’s new assignment. While in Baltimore, Nancy enjoyed working from home and occasional visits with Marie Ewens Brown ’95.
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1997 Sheila Dobbyn operates a homestay company (www. dobbynhomestay.com), supporting programs for the ELS Language Center at Roger Williams University and the ACE Language Institute at URI. Sheila has placed students from Johnson & Wales University and St. Andrews School and works with students from China, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Brazil, Ecuador, South Korea, Spain, Colombia, Turkey
and Taiwan! “It is a joy to match these adventurous and motivated students, with the most caring and welcoming American families and to witness the relationships that form and grow during the homestay experience,” she says. “It is very rewarding to be a part of such a positive experience during a time when there is a lot of intercultural misunderstanding and conflict in the world.” Sheila and her husband Roger have a 5-year-old son.
Todd Machtley ’00 and Lisa Raposo were married last August, and live in Middleboro, Massachusetts with their golden retriever Maxwell.
Stephanie Traynor Lindell ’00 and Joshua Lindell ’00 with their 3-year-old son Silas at the Athletic Hall of Fame Induction, held May 9 in conjunction with their 15th Reunion. Kirstin McCarthy Boehm ’99 and her husband Eric welcomed Nash Daniel Boehm last September. Kirstin and Eric live in Washington, D.C. where Kirstin continues to work in international development.
Journalist Ashoka Mukpo ’99 returned to MB in June as the 2015 Commencement speaker. “When I was in your position,” he said to the Class of 2015, “I would never have dreamed I would be up here right now. My guess is, neither would Ms. Morse or the rest of the faculty. The world is full of surprises. Mostly, that’s a beautiful thing.” Visit www. mosesbrown.org for more of Ashoka’s powerful remarks.
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2004
2005 Reunion 2015
Rebecca Harrington has published her second book, entitled I’ll Have What She’s Having: My Adventures in Celebrity Dieting, in which she hilariously documents her experiences with 14 celebrity diets ranging from Gwyneth Paltrow’s (goji berry and quail egg concoctions) to Dolly Parton’s (cabbage soup and Velveeta).
Sara Dickson is enjoying life as a teaching golf professional. “It’s always fun to hear MB news from my brother Will Dickson ’17,” she writes. “I am thankful for my time at MB as it paved the way for my business.” Sara enjoys golfing competitively and helping beginners to tour players reach their golfing goals. Previously in Naples, Florida, Sara recently joined the team at the Golf Club in Purchase, New York.
Class Notes
The Class of 2005 enjoyed Reunion 2015: 1st row (l-r) — Skander Frank, Gillian Lang, Reva Street, Ali Stahl, Margie Fiori, Micah Clasper-Torch, Gabe Amo, Harris Weinfeld, Liam Deegan, Mike Markarian, Justin Savage; 2nd row — Courtney DeStefano, Meghann Plunkett, Cassie Rogg, Sidra Scharff, Eric Lichatin, Evan Rose, Nick Artenstein, Kyle Cassamas; 3rd row — John Lucier, John Harwood, Emily Salander, Andrew Harris, Jon Cesaro, Esther Bell, Lily Ferguson, Zoe Bell, Kendra Forsythe, Maggie Gordon-Fogelson, Andrew Matson, Liz Matson; 4th row — Christina Sabra, Ashley Silvestri, Roz Palmer, Jake Gould, Brad Engle, Andy Read, Evan Wallick, Sarah Pariseau, Rob Lavoie, Ben Cole, and Brad Wasserman. Jen Bennett ’05 is participating in the first Climate Ride Northeast 2015, a multi-day cycling fundraiser, with 150 cyclists traveling more than 320 miles from Bar Harbor to Boston this September. Jen is riding for the Boston Cyclists Union. She was hit by a car while cycling in 2013 and hopes to bring awareness to safety measures and the increased number of cyclists on the road. For more, see bike.climateride.org and search for Jen; at press time, she’d raised 65% of her $2,800 goal. Reva Street ’05 shared on the MB Connects panel at Reunion. She is in a Ph.D. program at Drexel University focusing on spinal cord regeneration. Reva hopes to help service members facing paralysis.
2007 Abby Alexander attends the Miller Medical School at the University of Miami and loves the warm climate! After graduating from Boston College, Kylie Harwood worked on the marketing team for Alex & Ani for two years. She recently moved to New York City and is
now working as the marketing coordinator for the fashion lifestyle brand BENRUS. Larissa Green graduated from Emerson College and has been living in New York City for the past three years pursuing a career in the media industry. She works as a social media editor for a woman’s premium lifestyle website called Refinery29.
Quakers in Vegas! Several alumnae enjoyed a birthday girls’ trip to Las Vegas in October (left to right): Kylie Harwood ’07, Lucy Copp ’07, Linden Nash ’07, Larissa Green ’07, Tara Davignon Levine ’93 and Jessica Howland D’Entremont ’93. “We had the best time!” says Lindy. Thanks to Esther Bell ’05 for sharing more on her career in the Foreign Service. Learn more on page 20. 39
When Hannah Pearson ’09 isn’t in the water growing oysters, she’s in the water scuba diving or catching lobsters. See page 21 for Hannah’s story.
2009 After graduating from Boston University, Luke Martin landed his dream job in a scientific lab in Los Angeles. He is currently training chimpanzees and other great apes for an upcoming mission to Mars scheduled for 2030. His great love for his “coworkers” inspired Luke to adopt a baby chimpanzee, whom he named “Caesar.” Liz Mastors spoke at the Cum Laude assembly in October in Alumni Hall. After MB, Liz
attended Tufts University, where she studied Arabic and entrepreneurial leadership. Her studies shaped her interest in women-targeted private sector development in the Middle East. She is a hobbyist beekeeper and passionate about promoting beekeeping around the world. Liz is now working for Prosperity Catalyst, a social enterprise based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, whose mission is to provide tools, training and access to markets for women in distressed regions of the world.
2010 Congratulations to Wesley Hardman who graduated from Centre College this May. Wes completed his lacrosse career as the captain of the Centre’s men’s lacrosse team. He also recently completed a study program in Thailand and Cambodia.
2013 Catherine Corrente loves living in the District of Columbia and studying accounting and operations management at Georgetown University: “My best to everyone at MB!”
The Class of 2010 enjoyed their first Reunion! 1st row (l-r) — Lily Zucker, Hannah Harry, Jared Salvadore, Andrew Fasano, Allie Froehlich, Abby DeBlois, Sam Oppe; 2nd row — Becky Swaszek, Alison Hayes, Nadia Duryea, Joana Ruano; 3rd row — Corey Robinson, Alli Harrington, Cara Liebman, Sam Pilavin, Tosan Eyetsemitan, Graham Woodberry, Geoff Hogan, David Appolonia; 4th row — Michael Yules, Sam Artenstein, Luc Vernerey, Joe Gorgi, Zack Mann, Christian Romano, Jordan Anderson, Frohman Anderson, and Josh Cohen. 40
Gillian Zwicker ’10 couldn’t attend Reunion, but says hearing about it made her nostalgic for MB. Gillian is studying in China this year and won’t be back in the U.S. until July. She hopes she’ll be able to attend next Reunion!
Elizabeth Hoyler ’11 is in her senior year at Duke, and reflects, “MB helped me understand that education is not so much the subjects you’re learning, but how you’re learning them. Small classes with accessible, involved teachers — shout outs to Michael Himelfarb, Barry Marshall, Hilary Major and Ms. Breindel! — taught me how to be close to professors in college.”
Welcome: The Class of 2015! Noted for its esprit de corps and strong sense of community, the Class of 2015 now heads off to freshman year at college and adventures beyond MB. We wish them the best. Ashoka Mukpo ’99 delivered this year’s commencement address. “Be prepared to expect the unexpected,” he advised graduates. “Nobody is going to hand your destiny to you, and they shouldn’t. But I promise you, you have the tools you need to accomplish great things.” Ashoka shared thoughtfully about contracting Ebola while in Africa last year, the realizations the experience gave him, and what MB graduates can do with their education. See his address at www. mosesbrown.org/commencement2015.
Beyond MB Best wishes to the Class of 2015 heading to:
MB Survivors 2015! MB “lifers” here since lower school.
American University Assumption College (2) Babson College (2) Boston College (2) Boston University (4) Brandeis University Brown University (3) Bryant University (2) Bryn Mawr College University of Chicago Clark University (3) Clemson University Colby College 41
College of the Holy Cross Davidson College Fairfield University Florida Southern College Franklin and Marshall College Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology University of Hartford Haverford College Hofstra University Indiana University Johns Hopkins University Lafayette College Loyola University Lynchburg College Maine Maritime Academy Marianapolis Preparatory School University of Miami (4) University of Michigan Middlebury College University of Mississippi Mount Ida College New York University (2) University of North Dakota University of Notre Dame NYU Shanghai Ohio Wesleyan University University of Oxford University of Pennsylvania (2) Pitzer College Pomona College Providence College (3) Purdue University Rhode Island College University of Rhode Island (2) Saint Francis University Skidmore College (3) Smith College (2) University of South Florida Syracuse University Tabor Academy Texas Christian University Trinity College (2) Tufts University Tulane University United States Naval Academy University of Utah Vassar College University of Vermont (3) Villanova University University of Virginia Wake Forest University (2) Washington University (2) Wellesley College Wheaton College (2) Williams College (2)
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College-bound athletes in the Class of 2015. Go Quakers!
In Memoriam
Classmates and family members gather to commemorate the Class of 1985 Memorial Garden
Howard Caldwell, Class of 1941, and a member of the Moses Brown Athletic Hall of Fame, shared the world record in the 100-yard dash. He attended Amherst College before entering the Army Air Corps as a Second Lieutenant. Howard was a decorated veteran of World War II having served with distinction in the European theater earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and five air medals where he flew 35 missions and was discharged as a First Lieutenant. He later worked as a successful advertising executive for a number of national publications in Boston and New York City. (1/11/15)
the rank of Quartermaster First Class. After graduating from Brown with a geology degree, he had a long career as a hydrogeoloist, working first for the U.S. Geological Survey and then as company president for five years at Leggette, Brashears, and Graham Consulting Ground Water Geologists. Ed was a member of the U.S. LST Association, National Water Well Association, and Old Greenwich Yacht Club. He traveled extensively and was an avid sailor. He loved studying history, researching genealogy, and caring for his houseplants. (3/9/14)
Edward Simmons, Class of 1942, served his country during World War II. Edward served in the U.S. Navy, Pacific Theater on board Landing Ship Tank 910, achieving
Paul Cook, Class of 1945, served in the Marines and attended Williams College. At Williams, he captained wrestling and cross-country and was a two-time N.E.
wrestling champ. Paul went on to be a highly ranked tennis player and play cricket. In 1989, he lost a leg in a hunting accident and became involved with the Boston Center for Independent Living as a board member and community leader; he even developed a program in local elementary schools to encourage acceptance of people with disabilities. Paul also was a competitive masters swimmer, competing in the Massachusetts Senior and Bay State games. (4/27/15) William Dunbar, Class of 1945, was born and raised in Providence and lived in Rhode Island and Massachusetts over his lifetime, most recently in Duxbury. At MB, he swam, played soccer and baseball, served on the dance committee, and was assistant manager of the tennis team.
Moses Brown publishes memorial notes based on published obituaries. Please forward to Office of Alumni Relations, Moses Brown School, 250 Lloyd Avenue, Providence, RI 02906; fax (401) 455-0084; email alumni@mosesbrown.org.
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airline unions. He was active in the Mamanasco Lake Improvement Fund, working to preserve the quality of the lake and started the first recycling center in the state of Connecticut in the 1970’s, the Walter J. McNamara, Jr. Recycling Center. More recently, he turned his energy to flying his 1943 Seabee seaplane. (1/28/15)
In Memoriam Continued
*Close to press time, the MB community learned of the sudden passing of two 1960s alumni: George Bentley ’65 and Stephen Dashoff ’60. Both held a fond connection with MB. We’ll share more on their lives in the next Cupola.
Former Faculty/Staff William and his wife Carolyn had been married for 63 years and had three sons: William, Henry and George. At his passing, his family requested, “Those who wish to remember him might put a smile on the face of someone who needs one.” (1/20/15) John Gillespie, Class of 1950, served in Germany as a captain in the U.S. Air Force. He began his college education at Dartmouth and finished at Cornell, with a degree in hotel administration. After serving as director of the Dartmouth College Parents’ Fund, he retired to Boothbay Harbor, Maine. John was a camper and counselor alumnus of Camp Lanakila (Vermont) and a trustee of the Aloha Foundation. He also served as an overseer of the Hanover Inn at Dartmouth. In retirement, John continued his lifelong love of trains by becoming an Amtrak Ambassador, riding the Downeaster between Portland and Boston, assisting travelers and sharing information about the train and the charms of its destinations. (3/19/14) Richard Mooradkanian, Class of 1950, graduated from Brown and Tufts’ School of Dental Medicine and served with the U.S. Army during the Korean War. For 50 years, he practiced dentistry in Boston’s Back Bay. Richard also served as a clinical instructor at Tufts’ School of Dental Medicine for 45 years. He was a member of the Massachusetts Dental Society and the North Andover Republican Town 44
Committee. He served on the executive committee of the National Association of Armenian Studies and Research, chairing the Greater Boston Chapter. Dick was an active member in his church, working on conference programs and outreach and serving on the prayer ministry team. (3/22/14) Ian McKechnie, Class of 1953, earned an industrial engineering degree from the University of Rhode Island. He then served his country in the U.S. Army’s Picatinny Arsenal, where he spent a 38year career, earning senior ranking and a number of special awards for performance excellence. Ian’s biggest passions were his family, spending time with his grandchildren, and involvement in his church. He enjoyed auto racing, making music in the church bell and choral choir, and his weekly “dates” with his Weight Watchers family. He is survived by his brother Roy McKechnie ’51, in Utah. (3/8/15) Walter McNamara, Class of 1957, a Brown University graduate, served as a helicopter pilot in the Marine Corps, leaving with the rank of captain. He worked as a pilot for United Airlines, retiring as Captain of 747-400’s. He was active in the Airline Pilots Association, and during a strike, Walter developed the Family Assistance Fund, allowing pilots and other airline employees to help each other through the tough financial times of a strike, an innovation still used by
Ann Conroy taught lower school for 20 years at MB. She was born in Iloilo, on the island of Panay in the Philippines and she and her family were in Manila on the morning that the Japanese began bombing, only hours after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. They were held captive in a Japanese prison camp in Manila until they were liberated by American GIs in 1945 and brought back to the United States on the merchant marine ship USS Jean Lafitte. Ann graduated from the University of Rhode Island. She was a member of the former Genesis church group and she loved to travel. On the 50th anniversary of their liberation from the prison camp, she and her siblings joined a group of fellow survivors on a pilgrimage back to the site of the camp in Manila. The Conroy family will hold a memorial service in Ann’s honor on Friday, August 21 at 12:00 p.m. at La Salle Academy Chapel, Providence. (5/2/15) Scott Mason chaired the science department and coached tennis at MB during the 1960s. He played squash at the University Club, where he was a state champion and was honored to be named a lifetime member of the New York Academy of Sciences. Before his career at MB, Scott graduated from Princeton University with a degree in chemistry. He then served in World War II as a radio rifleman in the 104th Infantry Division, which saw action in the Ardennes and freed survivors from the horrific Nordhausen camps in 1945. Scott was the father of Alan ’67 and Caleb ’74. (2/1/15)
Gennaro “Jerry” Zeoli “You meet a handful of people in your life that make a permanent imprint on what type of person you will become. For me, Mr. Zeoli was one of those people. He represented many different ideals for an impressionable teenager. Mr. Z was a coach, teacher, mentor, friend, and Italian grandfather rolled into one. For those of us who had him, we learned invaluable lessons about teamwork, sportsmanship, and the dedication that it took to be our personal best.” — Chris Angelone ’90 Gennaro “Jerry” Zeoli was a legendary Moses Brown teacher, coach and director of athletics. He coached football at MB from 1955-93, wrestling from 1967-72, and basketball from 1958-66. Jerry served as MB’s director of athletics from 1962-93. He coached several undefeated football teams and the 1963 undefeated basketball team. Jerry also taught math at MB. Raised on Federal Hill, the son of Italian immigrants, Jerry made All State in football at Classical High. He served 18 missions as a gunner aboard a B-29 bomber in the Pacific during World War II, before returning home to star in football and track at Brown. Jerry received many honors, including being named to the Moses Brown Athletic Hall of Fame and the R.I. High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He received Coach magazine’s Gold Achievement Award in 1989. Jerry was a revered member of the Moses Brown community. Many have fond memories of him on Campanella Field, in his office/training room or sharing straightforward advice with faculty and students. Dave Hall ’68 is one. In the fall of 1963, Dave was a freshman new to MB. He was excited to play football but had never worn pads. On the first day of practice, he received pads that were not the right size at all, some too big, some very small. “I was lost in that locker room,” he recalls. “Didn’t know anyone. I felt a hand on my shoulder and this man said ‘come with me.’ He took me into the equipment room and made sure everything fit just right. I found out later that the man, of course, was Jerry Zeoli. A gesture I’ll never forget.” Steve Thornton ’59 echoes this sentiment, commenting, “Jerry instilled something in all of his players that we have taken into classrooms, board rooms, and our personal lives.” In his long career, Jerry coached more than 700 football players at Moses Brown, attaining numerous division wins. Jerry supervised the growth of MB’s athletic program from nine varsity sports to 30+ including the inception of girls’ sports, when MB returned to coeducation. Jerry introduced boys’ lacrosse at MB in 1963, making MB the first high school in Rhode Island to play the game. In the 1960s, he oversaw use of the field house as a real-world test site for AstroTurf. He made Rhode Island football history when he played the first girl in a high school game in 1988. Jerry is remembered as a thoughtful, tough, and demanding coach and athletic director. The Zeoli family has asked that contributions in Jerry’s memory be made to support scholarship at MB. The family plans to work with the school to establish an endowed scholarship in Mr. Z.’s name, so his spirit lives on forever at MB. (4/12/15) 45
World View By Maxwell Jencks ’15 Photo: Adventures Cross-Country
Since I was four or five, countries have fascinated me. With emblematic and brightly colored flags, symbolic national tunes, and diverse traditions, countries mesmerized me. By the time I was in kindergarten, hand-drawn flags of every country hung in my room. Each flag was a story — crimson red conveyed independence struggles, while light green represented the agricultural abundance of a country. By sixth grade, I had become captivated by geography. Carrying around my CIA World Factbook, I spent hours studying ethnic
about comprehending the world and its peoples in all its beauty, and being a well-informed global citizen. At the Twenty Shillings School outside of Masai Mara National Park in Kenya, seeing a map was a new opportunity for students to learn about “Amerika” and other countries around the world. Maps seem archaic, obsolete; in developed countries, they have been replaced by Google Earth and GPS. Yet in rural East Africa, most people cannot afford the luxury of these technologies and struggle with understanding global geography. As a leader of ARCC (Adventures Cross Country), a group focused on international community service, instead of merely teaching children the names of continents by pointing out “However, it wasn’t until I traveled abroad with a community landmasses on service group that I fully understood that geography is not about paper, I created numbers, letters, or percentage points, it’s about comprehending a cooperative the world and its peoples in all its beauty, and being a well-inenvironment formed global citizen.” in which we created a lifegroups, languages, and the economies of size and lasting map. Throughout the every plot of land throughout the globe. process, I could have dictated directions Once I reached high school, I found a new and ignored suggestions, but that is not way to look at the world, not just by facts the type of leader I want to be. So, with and numbers, but how layers upon layers open communication and listening, as a of history have shaped and formed each group, we began to construct a map of the country in unique ways. However, it world, with rocks, concrete, and sand on wasn’t until I traveled abroad with a the earth’s rough and dry surface. community service group that I fully Starting with the continents, we understood that geography is not about outlined the smooth edge of Australia, numbers, letters, or percentage points, it’s the wavy edge of North America, and the
difficult exterior of Eurasia. In the center was Africa, the motherland, and in the center of Africa, Kenya, with one big star to mark its place. I asked the children to mark places on the map that they recognized. Many of the students shaped the exact political boundaries of the bordering nations, yet the further from the Masai Mara, the more ambiguous it became. Although initially Brazil ended up in Europe and Mongolia in the Pacific, many countries were in their correct places. With many countries positioned, my group and I clarified the location of the remaining countries; I explained that the U.S. was in the far Northeast, and that Mexico was just underneath it. We laughed when we placed Italy, for it looked like a shoe, and with India, which the kids said looked like a large carrot. The edges set, we poured on cement, with each of us helping make sure that no country was left unfilled. As the cement dried, my transition from a kid who likes geography to a global citizen had been realized. Max Jencks graduated MB this June. Last summer, he taught elementary school students in Kenya. The summer before, he traveled to Thailand for a service trip. At MB, Max played tennis and performed in wind ensemble. Max is a member of Boy Scout Troop 28 Providence and recently made Eagle Scout. This fall, he heads to the University of North Dakota, planning to pursue a career in aviation management.
Is there a person you’d like to hear from in a future issue? Send suggestions to alumni@mosesbrown.org. 46
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Ted Low ’44 and Emily Low Boenning ’81 have been leaders in this community for almost 75 years. Ted served his country and sailed around the world months after his MB graduation and now works side by side with his daughter Emily, operating their own environmental consulting business in Providence. Because of their shared experiences, life-long involvement, and ongoing love for Moses Brown, Ted and Emily have made gifts in their wills that will add to an endowed scholarship fund in their family’s name. Their bequests will create a permanent legacy — one that will be at MB for many more than 75 years. Bequests are flexible and versatile — since you don’t make a gift in your lifetime, you maintain control of your assets and can change your mind at any time. They often allow individuals to make much larger gifts than ever imagined and are relatively simple to set-up with just a few sentences included in your will.
If you are like Ted and Emily and MB is already in your will, please contact Perry Buroker in the Development Office at 401-831-7350 x289 or pburoker@mosesbrown.org. Or if you would like to privately explore 39 estate planning options and run your own personal gift scenarios, visit www.mosesbrown.giftplans.org.
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