BE OUR GUEST! AUGUST – DECEMBER 2021
Together Open House
Reunion
Holiday Party
Hockey Games
Fun
trivia
Connections
Laughter
Nostalgia
Alumni
Breakfast at Blake
Homecoming Award Recipients
Golden Bears Luncheon
INSIDE: BREAKFAST AT BLAKE REUNION & HOMECOMING WEEKEND AND MORE
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
SAVE THESE DATES! COMMUNITY
Greetings, Blake alumni community!
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SEPT. 9
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SEPT. 30-OCT. 2
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OCT. 28
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NOV. 11
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DEC. 18
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DEC. 22
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OPEN HOUSE
BREAKFAST AT BLAKE REUNION & HOMECOMING WEEKEND ALUMNI TRIVIA NIGHT BREAKFAST AT BLAKE ALUMNI & ALUMNAE HOCKEY GAMES ALUMNI HOLIDAY PARTY
VIRTUAL ALUMNI HOLIDAY PARTY DEC. 23
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ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS & ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
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Greetings, Blake Alumni Community! What a year it was to join Blake as the director of alumni parent engagement. I hope your summerand months have been relaxing, Together, we made it! Blake’s students, recharging and filled with memorable activities. teachers and staff were amazing and As fall approaches, we look forward to took the start every challenge head on, proving the Blake of the 120th school year at Blake. community is strong and bold. All this year’s events were virtual, which allowed us to several This past year, our community reached thehear goalfrom of $80 millionout-of-state for alumni speakers at Breakfast at Blake and to welcome alumni Excellence Accelerated: The Campaign for Blake. As a result, we from are around theopen globe at events like the Alumni Holiday Party. Wecampus, also excited to new and transformational spaces on the Blake added opportunities Trivia Night, whichField, was aa hoot with students, facultylike andvirtual alumniAlumni enjoying the turf at Glenn and will now be a permanent event. remodeled ice arena and new Dining Commons. As passed the offer one year mark in this role,alumni I havegatherings, learned that TheI have pagesnow of this preview details on upcoming one indicator of a strong school is the involvement and support which will allow you to connect with classmates, colleagues and ourof its former students. we at work to speaker shape opportunities school. Plan to joinInusAdvancement, for the Breakfast Blake series, Reunion that keep Blake relevant and close to the hearts of our alumni. & Homecoming Weekend, the Great Blake Get-Together, hockey We games hope you will make a point to connect with one another and with our and, of course, the Alumni Holiday Party. This year we are celebrating faculty and student connections allow the school draw every member of thebody. Blake These community at the Saturday Social (seetopage upon the dynamic network of voices and backgrounds, enriching the 10). Be part of the school festivities and plan to be there! school’s learning environment and providing resources and support to our Inside this preview is a lookofatalumni our upcoming events. Please Blakealumni. is an amazingly vibrant community with many different make it a priority to connect with your alma mater as it is an effective journeys and lived experiences. A strong school keeps alumni connected place to network andplease learnmake fromsure others. wherever they go, so you are up to date in BlakeNet (see page 5). BlakeNet fosters connections among classmates, other alumni Finally, pleaseand make sure your contact information is upinterests. to date in in your region with those who share your professional Veracross. Doing so helps us stay connected with you and gives you access to classmates, other alumni in your regionyou and who share Please stay in touch, and I look forward to seeing atthose our upcoming your professional interests. alumni events. Thank you for all you do to support our school and the Blake community. Thank you for all you do to support our school and the entire Blake community. Warm regards, Warm regards, Annie Linvill Seidel ’85, P ’22, ’24 Director of Alumni & Parent Engagement Jon Friedell ’85, P ’28 aseidel@blakeschool.org Director of Alumni & Parent Engagement 952-988-3436 jfriedell@blakeschool.org 952-988-3436
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COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE Tour the Blake campus to discover the newly completed Entry Hall, Dining Commons and so much more. Explore these new spaces, enjoy an ice cream sundae, visit with Blake friends and meet Cyrus the Bear. All ages welcome at this open house—we can’t wait to have the whole community back together again.
INTERESTED IN ATTENDING ALUMNI EVENTS? RSVP at blakeschool.org/alumni/events.
Wednesday, September 1, 2021, 4-6 p.m. Location: Blake campus, Entry Hall
BREAKFAST AT BLAKE: SEPTEMBER HEAD OF SCHOOL EDITION ANNE E. STAVNEY, PH.D. Join Blake alumni, parents and friends as we return in person to kick off the popular Breakfast at Blake series. We begin this year with our annual Head of School address during which Dr. Stavney will share updates on the school followed by Q&A. This complimentary event includes a full breakfast. Thursday, September 9, 2021, 7:30-9 a.m. (RSVP required) Location: Blake campus, Dining Commons
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CYRUS MONTHLY AND YOU Want to be featured in an upcoming issue of the alumni e-newsletter? Every month, we profile someone new in our Bear Pause Q&A. It’s simple, fun and a great way to connect with your fellow Bears! To participate, visit blake.mn/BPQuestions or email cyrus@blakeschool.org.
STAY CONNECTED THROUGH THE ALUMNI PORTAL! Don’t miss event invites and emails; connect with classmates and alumni in your region and network with those who share your professional interests. Visit https://portals.veracross.com/blake/alumni
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REUNION & HOMECOMING WEEKEND
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
GOLDEN BEARS LUNCHEON Start your reunion weekend at this intimate luncheon for longtime friends and alumni from the classes of 1945 to our newest Golden Bears, the class of 1971. Share favorite memories from school days past and catch up on each other’s lives today. Head of School Dr. Anne Stavney will welcome you and share a brief update on the school. The Upper School’s a cappella choir also will perform. All attendees who have celebrated a 50th reunion or greater should wear their Golden Bear pin, with pins provided to those who have not previously received one.
NORTHROP CAMPUS TOUR Experience a step back in time and a leap into the future as you explore this beautiful building, which incorporates modern renovations, such as the Ankeny Center for Science, Design and Research, while retaining its historic character. While much has changed throughout its 100-plus years, the Northrop campus continues to positively impact learning and teaching. The tour will be led by former faculty member Jan Woolman. 2–3 p.m. (RSVP required) Location: Northrop campus, Carlson Commons
11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. (RSVP required) Location: Northrop campus, Donald C. Dayton Library
THE TAKE ON BLAKE: DIVERSITY AT BLAKE, PAST, PRESENT AND WHERE WE ARE HEADED Join Tyneeta Canonge, director of Blake’s Office of Equity and Community Engagement, and current students to hear how Blake has changed over the years regarding equity and inclusion. Canonge will talk about the school’s efforts to create a more equitable community and how programs like the Equity Lab assist with this priority. Students will share how these efforts impact their experiences. 1–2 p.m. (RSVP required) Location: Northrop campus, Carlson Commons
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REUNION & HOMECOMING WEEKEND
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1
BREAKFAST AT BLAKE: REUNION EDITION STEPHEN HOGE ’94 The reunion edition of the popular Breakfast at Blake speaker series features our Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Stephen Hoge ’94, a doctor, scientist and president of Moderna, which developed one of the first government-approved coronavirus vaccines. Jenny Stephens Hagen Spirit Award recipient Malcolm McDonald ’54 will also be recognized. This complimentary event includes a full breakfast. Please note the later start time for this event. 9–10:30 a.m. (RSVP required) Location: Blake campus, Bovey Chapel
BLAKE CAMPUS TOUR Exciting changes have taken place on the Hopkins campus! Come see the transformation of our oldest campus while revisiting familiar spaces. Check out the new Entry Hall and Dining Commons and the refurbished MacMillan Performing Arts Center. The future meets the past on our present-day walk through campus. The tour will be led by Director of Buildings & Grounds Lisa Uhler. 10:30–11:30 a.m. (RSVP required) Location: Blake campus, Bovey Commons
THE TAKE ON BLAKE: STUDENT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Hear from Upper School students whose volunteer efforts help connect Blake to its Minneapolis neighbors. Students will talk about their personal engagement and Blake’s partnerships with the Learning in Style School, the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery and LearningWorks at Blake. In addition, Director of Service Learning and Community Engagement Lisa Sackreiter will share how students across divisions participate in and support community partnerships. 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (RSVP required) Location: Blake campus, Pillsbury Conference Room
GREAT BLAKE GET-BACK-TOGETHER All alumni are invited to this Reunion and Homecoming Weekend event. Reunite with friends and classmates, enjoy complimentary tailgate snacks and cheer on the Wolfpack—Blake’s co-op football team with Minnehaha Academy and St. Paul Academy—to a homecoming victory. Dress in your favorite BearWear for this casual event. A cash bar will be available. 6:30–9:30 p.m. (RSVP required) Location: Blake campus, Blake Terrace
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WINTER EVENTS
ALUMNI TRIVIA NIGHT
After last January’s wildly successful trivia night, we are excited to put on our competitive thinking caps and gather with alumni from all over the country for an online Alumni Trivia Night hosted by Trivia Mafia. Register with a pre-formed team or sign up individually to be placed on an intergenerational super team. The winning team will be crowned “Smarter Than the Average Bear.” Thursday, October 28, 2021, 7-9 p.m. (RSVP required) Location: Virtual
BREAKFAST AT BLAKE: NOVEMBER JENIFER NEILS ’68 Jenifer Neils ’68, archaeologist, art historian, academic and 2020 Outstanding Alumna of the Year, will travel from her home in Greece to be honored at this event. She will share her thoughts on “Life as an Archeologist,” discussing how we interpret history by unearthing the physical remains of the past and what lessons are relevant to the issues of today. This complimentary event includes a full breakfast. Thursday, November 11, 2021, 7:30-9 a.m. (RSVP required) Location: Blake campus, Bovey Chapel
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ALUMNI/AE HOCKEY GAMES Hockey alumni of all ages face off on the ice in good-natured and fast-paced scrimmages. Sharpen your skates and refresh your skills as you reconnect with former teammates and Blake friends. Enjoy complimentary donuts, pizza and hot chocolate. Date: Saturday, December 18, 2021 (RSVP required) Location: Blake Ice Arena (Hopkins) ALUMNI HOCKEY GAMES 9-10 a.m. Older Alumni vs Older Alumni 10:15-11:15 a.m. Open Alumni vs Open Alumni ALUMNAE HOCKEY GAME Alumnae vs Blake Girls’ Hockey Team 12-1 p.m. GIRLS’ HOCKEY VS OWATONNA 1:30 p.m.
ALUMNI HOLIDAY PARTY Gather with friends, classmates and faculty for a night of good cheer as we celebrate the holiday season. Enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Wednesday, December 22, 2021, 6-9 p.m. (RSVP required) Location: Northrop campus (Minneapolis) Thursday, December 23, 2022, 4-6 p.m. (RSVP required) Location: Virtual
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2021 ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS OUTSTANDING ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR STEPHEN HOGE ’94 Stephen Hoge ’94 is a doctor, scientist and president of Moderna, a biotechnology company that pioneered the use of messenger RNA for making medicines and developed one of the first coronavirus vaccines to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He leads all research and development for the company. Hoge joined Moderna in 2012 from McKinsey & Company, where he was a partner in the healthcare practice. Prior to McKinsey, he was a resident physician in New York City. Hoge holds an M.D. with a thesis from the University of California, San Francisco and a B.S. in neuroscience from Amherst College. He entered Blake in seventh grade and participated in football. Currently, Hoge serves on the board of directors of Axcella Health, Inc., a publicly traded, clinical-stage biotechnology company. He lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his wife and three children. Hoge will be honored at the Breakfast at Blake: Reunion Edition in October 2021 where he will be the featured speaker.
YOUNG ALUMNA OF THE YEAR LUCY COSGROVE ’01 Lucy Cosgrove ’01 works for the Minnesota Department of Health as an epidemiologist and coordinator of the Minnesota Vaccines for Children Program. In this role, she oversees vaccine distribution of all childhood-recommended vaccines for children who are uninsured or enrolled in Medicaid plans in the state of Minnesota. Throughout the COVID-19 response, Cosgrove has assumed many roles at MDH including performing COVID-19 case investigations, acting as the MDH liaison to local public health directors, drafting COVID-19 guidance for summer camps and performing contact tracing for the schools and childcare team. Beginning last December, Cosgrove’s focus has been on leading the team that operationalizes the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in Minnesota. Prior to working for the MDH, Cosgrove was the medical interpreter and patient advocate at the Phillips Neighborhood Clinic. She also spent time as an English teacher at WorldTeach in Costa Rica. Cosgrove entered Blake in eighth grade and participated in alpine skiing. She received her undergraduate degree from University of Puget Sound where she majored in international political economy. After Puget Sound, she earned her Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota. She lives in Minneapolis. Cosgrove will be honored in February 2022 at Breakfast at Blake during which she will be the featured speaker.
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2021 ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS JENNY STEPHENS HAGEN SPIRIT AWARD
2021 BLAKE ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES CLAIRE RICHARDSON ’07
MALCOLM MCDONALD ’54
Claire Richardson ’07 is an internal medicine specialist in Seattle, Washington.
Malcolm McDonald ’54 worked for 17 years at First National Bank in St. Paul (1960-77) and then 25 years at Space Center, Inc., an industrial real estate firm. He held various positions, including director, senior vice president and trustee, from 1977-2004. He was also an adjunct professor for graduate programs in management at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul from 1975-94.
Richardson entered Blake in kindergarten and graduated cum laude. She participated in choir, cross-country running (letter, All-Conference, MVP, state participant), nordic skiing (letter, All-Conference honorable mention), and track and field (letter, All-Conference, Outstanding Freshman, state participant and Roloff Award). Richardson received the David C. Hitch Award in 2003 and the John R. Hartmann Athletic Trophy. She worked at Blake in 2012 as an assistant varsity cross-country coach.
McDonald is involved in several organizations aimed at improving the achievement gap. He is engaged in many civic, foundation and corporate boards and is currently involved with Project Success and Sherbrooke Capital. Most recently, McDonald was recognized for Excellence in Real Estate from Marquis Who’s Who. McDonald is a loyal donor and volunteer to Blake. He served on the Blake Alumni Board from 2013-19 and as an alumni class representative from 2003-18 and an Annual Fund volunteer. He was a member, lead volunteer and decade chair for the Excellence Accelerated Comprehensive Campaign Alumni Committee. He also co-chaired his 45th Blake reunion. McDonald has attended 58 Blake events since 2004 including his 50th reunion, the Alumni Holiday Party, Breakfast at Blake, Golden Bears Luncheon and LearningWorks receptions. McDonald entered Blake in sixth grade. He graduated cum laude and participated in football. He received his undergraduate degree from Yale University where he studied political science and graduated magna cum laude. He then earned his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He has three children, Malcolm, Philip and Margaret, and lives in St. Paul. McDonald will be honored at the Breakfast at Blake: Reunion Edition in October 2021. 14
After Blake, Richardson attended Harvard University where she studied history and science while participating in track and field. After four years of track and field at Harvard, she suffered a stress fracture, allowing her an extra season of NCAA crosscountry eligibility, which she used at Georgetown University in 2011. She added a national title when she helped the Georgetown Hoyas to victory.
ROWLAND “CHUB” BETTELS Chub Bettels taught and coached at Blake from 1953 until his retirement in the spring of 1970. He believed that athletics played an important role in the lives of students. He valued and worked to instill sportsmanship, honor, pride and dedication in all athletes and motivated young athletes to achieve their full potential. A Blake seventh grade American and Minnesota history teacher, Bettels coached junior varsity football, junior school boxing and varsity track. He was considered the founder of track at Blake, with a record of 10 conference championships and two state independent school titles in 16 years. The Chub Bettels Scholarship Fund was established in 1992 to honor his memory. “This annual scholarship goes to four Upper School student athletes who exhibit the traits and values that Chub encouraged and taught.” 15
2021 BLAKE ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES ISAAC ANDERSON ’06
LESLIE HALE ’83
Isaac Anderson entered Blake in 8th grade and participated in football, basketball and track. In basketball he played JV and varsity and was named MVP. In track he lettered and was all-conference. In varsity football, his sport all four years of Upper School, he was named all-conference honorable mention. He went on to play Division I football at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where his team won the Big Ten championship.
Leslie Hale participated and was a captain at Blake in both cross country and nordic skiing. She went to the Junior Nationals in 1982 and 1983. For Blake, she made the state tournament in cross country and was the 1983 recipient of the Athena Award.
Following graduation he was an undrafted free agent with the Washington Football Team in the NFL. Isaac has worked as a personal trainer in the metro area at Anytime Fitness as well as Maximum Impact Training and has served as Blake’s strength and conditioning coach. A certified fitness professional with the NETA (National Exercise Trainers Association) and NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association), Isaac has worked with a variety of clients ranging from youth to Olympic athletes.
After Blake, she attended Brown University and the University of Minnesota. She has served as the Minneapolis Southwest High School girls’ nordic and cross country skiing coach. She was one of the Minnesotans skiing in the Masters World Cup (athletes age 30-90+) when it was hosted at Theodore Wirth Park by the Loppet Foundation in 2018. She competed in three races. She now cross country skis at the Masters Level.
CHARLIE “SPARKY” SEEL MEGAN GALLIVAN MAZZULLO ’08 At Blake, Megan Gallivan Massullo was a four-year letterwinner, captain as a senior, three-time all-state and all-conference selection, and was named Ms. Soccer in the state of Minnesota following her senior season. She led the Bears to a runner-up finish in the state tournament as a senior while scoring 18 goals and registering 15 assists and was a member of the Bangu Tsunami club team, which ranked 10th in the country in 2008. Megan went on to play soccer and major in psychology at Columbia University. 16
Charlie Seel joined Blake right out of college and served as the boys’ varsity soccer coach, a math instructor, Upper School counselor, PK-12 student services director and the assistant Upper School director during his tenure from 1968 until his retirement in 2008. Charlie coached over 500 different boys at the varsity level, his teams won 12 conference titles, three state titles and finished second in three other state tournaments. In 671 varsity matches, their record was 420 wins, 188 losses, 61 ties. He succeeded Chub Bettels as track coach for a time, leading the 1971 track team to its eighth M.I.S.L. title. In 1991, he was inducted into the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He was also selected as the Boys’ Soccer Class 1A Coach of the Year for 2007-2008 by the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association, and as the 2008 State Boys Coach of the Year for Minnesota Private and Parochial Schools by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. 17
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BLAKE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 2020-21 Melissa Allen ’82, Vice President Ellen Archibald ’65 Sarah Carthen Watson ’11 Jane Cowles ’73 Aren Faruq ’96 Adam Garen ’97, President Valerie Golden ’72, Secretary Chad Goldenberg ’86 Katie Grudnowski Goldstein ’04 Andy Gustafson ’99 Sarah Malkerson Hargadon ’00 Tom Heffelfinger ’66 Peter Herfurth ’69 Maggie Herfurth ’04 Erin Hoeg ’12 Merritt Jackley ’07 Dan Lowin ’98 Joe Mannelly ’81 Amanda McGovern ’83 Tom Racciatti ’95 Andy Rich ’99 Jaylon White Rosenblum ’01 Nedda Noori Salehi ’02
110 Blake Road South Hopkins, MN 55343 tel 952-988-3440 blakeschool.org