friends forever five questions for sffs alumna—and pandemic coordinator—evie hidysmith ‘13
Evie Hidysmith always knew she was going to come back to her beloved San Francisco—she just didn’t expect it to be in the midst of a devastating pandemic. It turns out that this was exactly where she was meant to be, serving in a crucial role at the Urban School (where she graduated from in 2017) and looking for ways she can center equity and promote change in the local independent school landscape. We were so happy to welcome Evie back to campus this past fall, and she sat down with Alumni Engagement Coordinator Dan Sullivan to talk about her work at the Urban School and her inspiration.
1) Why did you choose to come back to the Bay Area after attending college on the East Coast? I was never going to stay away from San Francisco. The only reason I left is because I felt like college was the only time I was ever going to leave. I wanted to try it out, but I knew I was going to come back. I grew up in San Francisco and all of my family is from here. I’m obsessed with the history of the city and I’m fascinated by the way it’s changed as I’ve grown up. I can’t imagine living anywhere else. among friends: winter 2022
––––––––– 2) What drove you to take a job at an independent school? The answer to that question is complicated. I wrote my college thesis on private schools, wealth, and progressivism. I explored a lot of my own experiences both at Friends and at Urban and interviewed some students and teachers at those schools. I tried to interrogate the experiences of students on financial aid at schools like these because that’s what my situation
was when I was there. It’s almost impossible for an independent school to be completely equitable and so I felt really uncertain about working here, but I also know that if I’m not working here someone else will. Independent schools aren’t going to disappear anytime soon and by working in one, I have an opportunity to make it more equitable and improve it. –––––––––– 3) What does your role as the pandemic coordinator at the
