2017 Summer Bulletin

Last Day 2017: Truth, Toil and the new meaning of True Facts p2

Strategic Vision: Progress on the implementation of Opening Doors p20

New Scholarship Fund: In honor of the Inimitable Mrs. Mac p 48

Mascot Assembly, May 10, 2017.

Head of School

Jane Foley Fried

Editor

Jane Newman

Graphic Designer

Jennifer Bartoli

If you have any questions or comments about this magazine, please contact Jane Newman at jnewman@brearley.org or (212) 570-8588.

Cover art by Christine Cai, Class of 2018 (see About the Cover, page 15)

Special thanks to Eric Antanitus, Ashley Garrett, Jordan Hollender, Elizabeth Mealey, Julius Motal, Paul Schneck and members of the Brearley community for sharing photos with us.

Ellen Jewett ’77, President

Carter Brooks Simonds ’95, Vice President

Jocelyn Strauber ‘91, Secretary

Noah Gottdiener, Treasurer

Christine Frankenhoff Alfaro ’91

Reza Ali

Gideon Berger

Nicholas C. Bienstock

Kristen Chae

Elizabeth Chandler

Virginia Connor

Joe DiMenna

Jane Foley Fried

Jane Gladstone ’86

Ivan M. Hageman

Rebecca Haile

Munib Islam

Elizabeth Harpel Kehler ’79

Stephanie L. Perlman, M.D.

David B. Philip

David Raso

Paula Campbell Roberts ’94

Modupe Akinola Robinson ’92

Terri J. Seligman ’78

Andrew K. Tsai

Honorary Trustees

Georges F. de Ménil

Evelyn Janover Halpert ’52

David T. Hamamoto

Stephanie J. Hull

Alan Jones

Caroline Kennedy ’75

Edward F. Rover

John F. Savarese

Priscilla M. Winn Barlow

Faculty Representative

Debra Glick

The Brearley School 610 East 83rd Street New York, NY 10028

REMARKS FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

True Facts

Today we celebrate Upper School Last Day and the graduation of the Class of 2017. On behalf of the School, I thank all of you for gathering with us and for supporting these students throughout the years. They are fortunate, indeed, to have the guidance and encouragement of such dedicated teachers and staff, family members and fellow students.

In keeping with my Last Day tradition, I address this letter to the graduating Class: Dear Seniors,

When my daughter, Hope, was small and eager for my undivided attention, she would climb onto my lap, place her warm, pudgy and often sticky hands on either side of my face, peer into my eyes and plea, “Mummy, you must listen to me! I have to tell you a true fact!”

Little did I know that 20 some odd years later, the double positive true fact would gain new meaning.

Today we worry about the authenticity and veracity of information; we worry about being bamboozled by fake news. As all Brearley students know, fake news is not new. Used as propaganda throughout history, at its worst, fake news exploits, as philosopher Martha Nussbaum describes, one of our weaker human tendencies, “to protect the fragile self by denigrating and subordinating others.”

Although fake news has been used in the past to sway public sentiment, its ubiquitous and viral nature, communicated via a 24/7 news cycle, spread through social media sites and verified by a tally of likes and followers, makes it potentially more dangerous now than in the past. Fake news is quick and easy, on the tip of one’s fingers fired in the heat of anger or sorrow, with embarrassment or pride. Today’s challenge is not gaining access to information, it is authenticating and confirming that the information one has is accurate and impartial.

Perhaps Brearley’s founders were prescient when they established the School’s motto: Truth and Toil. They seemed to understand that one strives to find truth and, therefore, gave equal emphasis to truth as the inspiration and toil as its pathway. My interest piqued, I dug into the archives to learn a little more about the origin of our motto. There I found a speech given by the then assistant head of school, Miss Dunn, on the occasion of Brearley’s 40th anniversary that sheds more light on our founders’ thinking. Miss Dunn explains, Mr. Brearley founded the School on two principles which neither the passing of the Victorian era nor the European War, nor the new science of education can invalidate. He believed that education can be neither bought nor sold; that it is an attitude of mind rather than achievement; an openness to truth, and a search for truth; the adjustment of a living being to a living universe. And he knew that education cannot be achieved for any child by her parents or by her teachers. In these two principles are rooted our fine motto: By Truth and Toil. These are stable and we abide by them Miss Dunn’s words, spoken almost 100 years ago, are just as relevant today as they were then. Our motto is timeless; the search for the truth is a lifelong endeavor, which follows a natural progression.

continued on next page

“

Your strengths lie within and without, and together, you have room to spread your leaves and grow your roots in your transition to new communities next fall.”

“working out,” but really we are “working in”—mentally pushing ourselves to our perceived limits. And so often, we learn a truth about ourselves, that we can do much, much more than we even imagined.

The field hockey team discovered this last fall during the first round of the New York State tournament. Rye Country Day is always an intimidating team that automatically sows the seeds of doubt in the mind of Brearley athletes. At half time we trailed 1-0 in a closely contested game. And in that half time huddle, we all discovered something about ourselves. A truth that we could do much more than we thought possible. We didn’t win the game, but we learned a valuable lesson about who we are as individuals and a team.

MR. BALDWIN

This year’s MainStage musical, Fiddler on the Roof, took a deep look at the exploration of truth. The themes of family, religion, emigration, assimilation and friction between generations are all magnified as each character journeys to speak his or her own truth. When Chava asks her father, Tevye, to accept her love for Fyedka, a Christian man, Tevye responds, “Accept them? How can I accept them? Can I deny everything I believe in? On the one hand, can I deny my own child? On the other hand, how can I turn my back on my faith, my people? If I try to bend that far, I will break.”

As a cast, students discussed at length the question that lies at the heart of a family and community: How far can one bend in the service of change and acceptance before one breaks from what one holds to be true?

In these three vignettes, we see essential challenges and opportunities inherent in our search for truth. The ability to develop a sense of empathy for those different from ourselves enables us to listen to other truths, a sense of “working in” to push ourselves beyond the familiar informs our persistence in the pursuit of truth, and a bending to the point of breaking opens our minds and our hearts to ideas and beliefs that may contradict who we know ourselves to be, what we are certain to be true.

Yeats reflects:

Though leaves are many, the root is one; Through all the lying days of my youth I swayed my leaves and flowers in the sun, Now may I wither into the truth.

Though you are too young to wither into the truth, the seeking of it is at the core, the heart, of the Brearley experience. The root is one but it is deep and spreads wide, and, as with the thorniest of issues, your teachers have helped you unearth truth in and outside Brearley’s classrooms everyday. Here is what a few of them shared:

MR. MARCH

At the end of the Woolf/Baldwin elective, we read Woolf’s novel The Waves, whose experimental, impressionistic style—in which the narrative unfolds from the different perspectives of six characters—is challenging in the best of ways. As students make their way through the text, there is an evolving appreciation of the intimacy that this style creates, and, consequently, an empathy for people who might otherwise seem very different from ourselves. This text creates many opportunities for examining fundamental truths about how our own private experiences of ourselves, of others, and of the world we share, can both help and hinder our ability to connect.

MS. HENDERSON

I have always felt that physical challenges have been the best way to learn about self truth. When we are physically engaged we say we are

I have long been fascinated with a study by the psychologist Richard Light, begun at Harvard but embraced by many undergraduate institutions, that seeks to identify what it is that enables some students to thrive in their college years. The researchers were particularly interested in identifying first year experiences that predicted success later on. A finding that has remained constant over the more than 20 years of the study is the following: An indicator of a successful college experience is when first year students discover that they are questioning a belief or idea they thought they knew “for sure.” Implied in this experience is the need to both wrestle with a new understanding and give up or adjust an old one. In other words, extend the student’s root system.

Seniors, you have come a long way from your somber class meeting the morning after the election. I will never forget walking into 12G to find most of you in tears. So great was the disappointment for many of you that you struggled to understand what had happened and how to listen to each other. It felt as if the differences of opinions not just in the room but among citizens across the nation exceeded the bounds of empathy and you, as individuals, might break, as your beliefs in some of your personal relationships with friends and family were stressed and your faith in fellow citizens was shaken. The challenges for many persist, but out of the distress and powerlessness that many experienced that day has come a renewed sense of community at Brearley.

You have embraced your intersectional identities, adopting the cliché “Be Yourself,” which you introduced at our Opening of School Assembly in this very room, and have become increasingly passionate about advocat-

ing for diversity and inclusion at Brearley and informing yourself about the human rights and environmental issues that confront your generation. Members of the class have marched in protests, founded a political awareness speaker series that featured a wide range of viewpoints, and engaged in social justice projects that focused on issues such as girls’, women’s and LGBT rights, racial equality, free speech and civil discourse on college campuses—including the conservative viewpoint—and environmental protection.

You have shown persistence and hope throughout this year. Just as Miss Dunn described, you are “adjusting as living beings to a living universe.”

At times, you have questioned the Brearley bubble but you also have used it to your advantage, trying out your voice and ideas and promoting change. There is much work to be done on college campuses and for this country, and I believe you, Class of 2017, are exactly the kind of young people whom we need to lead the way.

But will you continue your activism, without the presence of the classmates and adults who know you well? As you search for truth, what is the core of your passion?

One of you shared with me recently that your class comprises staunch individuals. She explained that, over time, you have learned to come together as a class without sacrificing your individuality, that your spirit of camaraderie took time to develop and may have been second to your individual search for self.

When I consider the roots of your passion as individuals and as a class, I think of a large colony of Aspens. Although appearing to be separate trees, they actually share a common root system, which, over time, can cover many hectares. As amazing is the fact that Aspens are a uniquely durable species. They are able to survive forest fires because the roots grow deep below the heat of the flame, allowing new sprouts to grow after the fire burns out. Their gorgeous golden leaves are easily distinguishable from other trees’ in the fall and their flexible trunks sway with the wind and bend without breaking

when encased in ice. They are an astonishing example of natural diversity, individual but connected, adaptable, hardy, and far reaching, just like you.

Your strengths lie within and without, and together, you have room to spread your leaves and grow your roots in your transition to new communities next fall. As you adjust to your new universe at this particular moment in our country’s history, I offer this advice from Parker Palmer’s Five Habits to Heal the Heart of Democracy. He writes,

If I were asked for two words to summarize the habits of the heart American citizens need in response to twenty-first-century conditions, I would choose chutzpah and humility. By chutzpah, I mean knowing that I have a voice that needs to be heard and the right to speak it. By humility, I mean accepting the fact that my truth is always partial and may not be true at all, so I need to listen with openness and respect, especially to “the other,” as much as I need to speak my own voice with clarity and conviction.

We all know you have chutzpah! I encourage you, though, to listen and engage with humility, to be empathic to those who are different from you, to “work in” to allow yourself to go beyond the familiar, to be open to truth wherever you find it and to accept the toil that invariably accompanies it, knowing that you can adjust to a changing universe without breaking from your true self and your purpose.

And so off you go to college campuses desperately in need of those who have both the skills and inclinations to connect, provoke, include, support and lead. If all goes as planned, we will miss you more than you will miss us. And we will delight in welcoming you back as alumnae to share your experiences with future generations of Brearley students about who you were when you were sitting in their chairs and what you have found to be true in your life.

You will inspire them and us. This, we know, to be a “true fact.”

Congratulations, Class of 2017, and Godspeed.

Your devoted Head of School

Class 17

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWEST ALUMNAE

FIRST ROW: Arushi Gupta, Sarah Greenspon, Barbara Banchik, Kayla Gillman, Rachel Alexander, Julia Maluf

SECOND ROW: Tiffany Lin, Ayodele Lewis, Sara Everson, Anna McDonald, Cecily Burge, Emma Ladouceeur, Sahr Singh, Hannah Zhukovsky, Myint Kyi

THIRD ROW: Emma Sorkin, Margaret Sun, Caitlin Tierney, Christine Yang, Jamie Noh, Isabel Tadmiri, Caitlin Jones, Ashley Prescod, Franziska Harling, Phoebe Landsman, Angelica Rossi-Hawkins

FOURTH ROW: Isabelle Chandler, Michelle Gao, Sophia Danielle-Grenier, Elizabeth Donofrio, Ella Papanek, Kira Zelbo, Morgan Perry, Alexandra Teplitz, Lucy Rinzler-Day, Angela Tejeda, Gabrielle Rich

FIFTH ROW: Maude Latour, Elisabeth Cannell, Charlotte Hutchinson, Catherine McDonnell, Kenyata Plenty, Katherine Strauss, Rachel Rose, Beverly Milberg, Rachel Khutorsky, Allegra Colman, Elene Amiranashvili

Missing: Sakura Davis

We would also like to congratulate the members of the Class of 2017 who went on to graduate from other schools.

UPPER SCHOOL AWARDS

Upper School Discursive Essay Writing Prize

Irene Loewenson, XI

Upper School Analytical Essay Writing Prize

Tiffany Lin, XII

Upper School Poetry Writing Prize

Alexandra Hartman, XI

Upper School Fiction Writing Prize

Avantika Sinha, X

Juliet Whiton English Prize

Tiffany Lin, XII

Catherine Fairfax MacRae ’96 Prize For Excellence in Both English and Mathematics

Michelle Gao, XII

Upper School History Essay Writing Prize

Alexandra Hartman, XI

Dorothy Mills History Prize

Allegra Colman, XII

Ann Chalmers Greek Prize

Sara Everson. XII

Ann Chalmers Latin Prize

Michelle Gao, XII

French Prize

Lucy Rinzler-Day, XII

Spanish Prize

Kayla Gillman, XII

Mandarin Prize

Isabelle Chandler, XII

Judith N. Conant Mathematics Prize

Arushi Gupta, XII

Frances Arnold 1893 Mathematics Prize

Ella Papanek, XII

Science Prize

Isabel Tadmiri, XII

Ursula Loengard Berens ’47 Art Prize

Ella Papanek, XII

Fanny H. Phillips Dramatics Prize

Morgan Perry, XII

Berta Elsmith Music Prize

Franziska Harling, XII

The Brearley Alumnae Cup

Ashley Prescod, XII

Richard B. Stearns, Jr., Memorial Award

Kayla Gillman, XII

Head’s Award

Elene Amiranashvili, XII

FACULTY AWARDS

Class of 1992 Award

Karyn Joaquino

Teacher of Music

Serena Marshall Weld 1901 Award

Karl Paranya Teacher of Mathematics and Technology

Sandra Lea Marshall ’73 Award

Michael Baldwin Teacher of Drama

Margaret Riker Harding

Lower School Fellowship

Coco Yang

Room Teacher, Class III

Chairs for Excellence in Teaching

Annie Byerly

Room Teacher, Kindergarten

Maggie Maluf

Head of the Mathematics Department

Dr. Tom Wright

Head of the Classics Department

KUNZ ART COLLECTION

IX

Charlotte Baker

Gianna Barbee

Diana Bates

Ida Beckett

Grace Bolner

Jennica Cam

Isabella Chambers

Grace Chandler

Caroline (“Pippa”) Chong

Alyssa Dhalla

Katharine Donofrio

Mollie Finnegan

Olivia Frankel

Diana Frelinghuysen

Fiona Galvis

Rebecca Golovanov

Isabel Gormley

Miette Gourlay

Amalia Haile-Manas

Felicia He

Isabella Inouye

Paige Jackson

Frances Keohane

Allison Lee

Sarah Leibovitz

Hannah Lipsky

Imogen Mandl-Ciolek

Ella Marx

Claudia Mironoff

Grace Murdoch

Maya Nguyen

Caroline O’Connor

Sophie O’Melia

Maxine Roeder

Ella Rosenthal

Rebecca Smith

Rebecca Solit

Jane Strauss

Wendy Wang

Zoe Wu

Isabella Yang

Alexandra Zekauskas

X

Alexandra Baird

Kayla Baquiran

Jianna Boswell

Emma Boultinghouse

Victoria Brooks

Caroline Callender

Sarah Cheng-Dargan

Isabel Chess

Grace Cohen

Elizabeth (“Lily”) Fittinghoff

Clara Grudberg

Lola Hagen

Hafsa Hossain

Saima Iqbal

Carrie Johnson

Anastasia Kaliabakos

Isabel Koral

Eve Kreshtool

Jaeyoung (“Chloe”) Lee

Isabelle Levent

Florence Li

Aditi Narayanan

Katherine Nath

Margaret (“Maude”) Peters

Emma Press

Elizabeth Rosenthal

Lauren Scheller

Syona Sidhu

Isabel Stern

Rachel Sturley

Rachel Tanibajeva

Elizabeth van Dyke

Noelle Yoo

Rachel Young

XI

Christine Cai

Pauline Cochran

Kamilah Cooper-Charles

Beatrice Goddu

Isabella Hartman

Alyssa Kapasi

Catherine O’Connor

Mary O’Reilly

Madeleine Rubin-Charlesworth

Isabel Selin

Caitlin Shoemaker

XII

Rachel Alexander

Barbara Banchik

Allegra Colman

Caitlyn Jones

Ella Papanek

Lucy Rinzler-Day

Rachel Rose

Isabel Tadmiri

Rose (“Alex”) Teplitz

Hannah Zhukovsky

Class of 2017 COLLEGE DESTINATIONS

Amherst College 1

Bates College 2

Bowdoin College 1

Brandeis University 1

Brown University 2

California Institute of Technology 1

Carleton College 1

University of Chicago 4

Columbia University 5

Connecticut College 1

Georgetown University 4

Hamilton College 1

Harvard University 7

Kenyon College 1

Lehigh University 1

Middlebury College 3

Northwestern University 2

Oberlin College 1

Princeton University 2

Stanford University 1

University of Southern California 1

University of Tokyo - PEAK 1

Vanderbilt University 1

University of Vermont 1

University of Virginia 1

Wesleyan University 1

Williams College 1

Co-Heads of Self-Government

by Julia Maluf and Beverly Milberg

Our community is strongest when we come together.

Upper School, thank you all for your willingness to collaborate and participate in the activities and projects we led this year. Whether it was a house event, a town hall meeting, or the Upper School dance, you always brought enthusiasm and spirit. Ms. Segal, Ms. Fried and Ms. Rishudeo, the other half of our Self-Government team, thank you for always hearing us out and for bringing us back to reality when need be. We truly would not have made it through this year without your guidance and encouragement.

We started this year with one mission in mind. Our overarching goal was, to quote the speech we gave on the first day of school, “to improve our community; to put more emphasis on bringing our school together and to make it a more comfortable and enjoyable place for everyone.”

In the last couple weeks, we’ve reflected a lot on the effect that we’ve had on self-government, but more recently we’ve taken some time to reflect on the effect self-government has had on us. When we came to think of it, we could not remember a time when our friendship did not involve self-government. As freshmen and continuing as sophomores, we constantly exchanged ideas that we hoped to share later with the Upper School. Our junior year was spent preparing for this year in the hopes that we would lead

the Upper School together, and this year was spent doing so.

Together, we learned how to send unapologetically persistent emails; we learned that if you don’t ask, you can’t get “no” for an answer; and we learned that self-government was indeed a lot harder than we thought it would be. But above all, we affirmed that our community is strongest when we come together.

And because self-government brought us together and allowed us in turn to unify the Upper School, we hope and trust that self-government will continue to be a tool that will bring together and strengthen this community.

We are so thankful to have had this unique experience, and the lessons we’ve learned from it will last a lifetime. Leaving self-government is bittersweet, but we know we are leaving it in more than capable hands.

Above right: Julia Maluf and Beverly Milberg

Class XII Speakers

by Franziska Harling and Rachel Rose

Stand up for what you believe in, no matter what.

“Be yourself.” These lyrics by Frank Ocean, which began our final year at Brearley and now end our final year at Brearley, relay a message with which the Class of 2017 heavily identifies. The idea of staying true to yourself is one that defines this grade. We have passionately defended this idea and we hope that it will be our legacy. From the rainbow flag that adorns the entrance of our homeroom serving as a message that everyone is welcome, the Class of 2017 has set itself apart as a grade of individuals who celebrate exactly that…our individuality.

For Mountain Day we chose a cowboy theme, donning flannels over our senior shirts and, of course, cowboy hats. After the grade-wide song competition, we spontaneously ripped off our flannels, turned to face the mountain that loomed behind us, lifted our arms to the sky, and belted out “By Truth and Toil”— none of this planned in advance. Though we ended up winning the singing competition, it is the memory of standing together, waving our hands above our heads, and feeling such immense love for one another that will remain forever. In that moment, we were reminded that we are, and always will be, a part of something bigger than ourselves.

The strides members of our class have made in making the Brearley community more welcoming for all, such as raising awareness about gender neutral bathrooms around school, constitute

the lasting legacy for which we will be remembered. We effected change that we wanted to see in the world, in the Brearley community. We are surrounded by talent and motivation and spirit. As the seniors, we had a duty to be role models to the rest of the Upper School. Often times our actions spoke louder than our words: we went to protests, we wore leggings and shorts when we wanted to, we didn’t wear bras when we didn’t want to. Other times, our best tool was our voice: we were never hesitant to make a comment or ask a provoking question in an assembly or town hall meeting. We hope that we’ve left a passion for activism and social justice. If we can impart one piece of advice, it is to stand up for what you believe in, no matter what.

Looking back at the wonderful and unique people with whom we have had the pleasure of spending our final years at Brearley, we are filled with such immense pride and emotion at being among the Class of 2017.

It has been the utmost privilege. Thank you.

Above right: Rachel Rose and Franziska Harling.

Incoming and retiring Trustee profiles were written by Charlotte Kingham, who is an attorney and frequent contributor to Brearley publications. Charlotte and her husband, Barry, are the parents of Victoria ‘14, a senior at Williams College, and Will, a senior at the Trinity School.

Kristen Chae, who joins Brearley’s Board of Trustees for a one-year term as the Parents’ Association’s incoming President, has loved Brearley from the moment she first toured the School. “There was wonderful energy in the classroom; the girls seemed so engaged and filled with joy about the process of learning,” she recalls. Now the parent of three Brearley girls, Kristen brings a great deal of enthusiasm and knowledge to her new role, having served as Vice President of the Parents’ Association, Class Representative, Admissions Associate and Co-founder of Brearley’s B+STEAM initiative.

Born in Seoul, Korea, Kristen came to the United States with her family in 1980, settling in Queens, New York. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston University’s School of Management, Kristen joined the San Francisco office of Merrill Lynch. She then moved to Berkeley-based Barra, Inc., a company providing stock indexes and portfolio risk analytics tools. It was there that Kristen met her Bulgarian-born husband, Boris Arabadjiev. In 2001, Kristen and Boris moved to New York City, where Kristen served as Director of Barra’s New York office and Boris joined Credit Suisse. Since leaving Barra in 2005, Kristen has created several start-up companies, including a parent-to-parent communications platform and a children’s photography studio.

Kristen and Boris (now Managing Director and Head of Alternatives for JP Morgan’s Asset and Wealth Management Team) are the parents of Ariana (Class VII), Bella (Class VI) and Cece (Class IV). Kristen says that she and her family “enjoy everything about Brearley; the excitement in the classrooms, the wonderful School traditions, and the deep connection that students have with their teachers and classmates.” Our three girls have “very different styles of learning, and each has been able to thrive at Brearley,” Kristen adds.

As incoming Parents’ Association President, Kristen states that she is “looking forward to working with Brearley’s active and engaged community at this important time in the School’s history.”

Clockwise from top left: with their families, Kristen Chae, Debra Glick, Joe DiMenna and Rebecca Haile.

Joe DiMenna and his wife, Diana—both of whom had attended coed public schools— were convinced that Brearley was the school for their family after only one visit. “Witnessing the dynamic interaction between students and teachers, seeing the displays of the girls’ art and science projects lining the hallways, and hearing from articulate students of all ages—we knew that Brearley was a special place,” he states.

Raised in Trumbull, Connecticut, Joe is Managing Director of Zweig-DiMenna Associates, a global management investment firm that he and Marty Zweig co-founded in 1984, soon after Joe received his BS in Finance from Fairfield University. Fascinated by stocks and markets even as a young teen, Joe had contacted Marty while he was still a student at Fairfield to share some investment ideas, which resulted in Marty hiring him as an intern. The resulting partnership was to last 33 years, until Marty’s death in 2013.

Joe and Diana, a documentary filmmaker and producer, are active in a number of organizations that support education through the arts and the needs of children. Joe serves on the boards of Harlem Children’s Zone, The New-York Historical Society and the Orchestra of St. Lukes, and Diana is a member of the board of Jazz at Lincoln Center and Chair of the Board of Baryshnikov Arts Center. “My father was an elementary school principal for over 50 years, and Diana’s father was a professor of Medieval English Literature, and our parents instilled in us a passion for learning,” Joe explains.

The DiMennas are the parents of Tess, who attended Brearley through Class VIII and is now a sophomore at Grace Church School, and Claire, a member of Brearley’s Class VI. “Our daughters have had such terrific and supportive classmates, and we have been struck by how well Brearley’s teachers get to know each girl and her learning style.” Joe and Diana also appreciate the “strong sense of community” and the “open and thoughtful dialogue between parents and the School.”

As a Trustee, Joe is looking forward to working with Jane Fried and Brearley’s “dedicated and collaborative” Board. “Jane’s vision and leadership have been truly inspiring, and I am so pleased to have this opportunity to contribute to the important work that the entire school community has undertaken.”

Debra Glick is honored to begin a three-year term as Faculty Representative to the Board. A member of the Math Department since 1995, Debbie has had many different roles at the School, including as a homeroom teacher in the Middle School and an advisor and a grade head in the Upper School. This new position will give her another opportunity to learn even more about the School she loves and is dedicated to. A member of the Faculty/Staff Welfare committee since 2014, she says that “to have the colleagues I’ve worked with for so many years nominate me as Faculty Representative to the Board is quite special.”

Debbie has also worked as a scheduler for the past five years and is excited to take scheduling to the next level as Brearley adds more space in a new building and thus creates more scheduling options. Debbie also serves on the Student Life Committee and is looking forward to continuing her work in this area. “Brearley cares so deeply, not only about the academic component of our students’ lives, but also about their health and wellness inside and outside of the classroom.” As faculty advisor to the Upper School Math Team, Debbie organizes the yearly Interschool Math Bowl that has been hosted by Brearley’s fast-growing team since 2015 and provides students with an opportunity to further pursue their interest in math.

A math major in college, Debbie always knew she wanted to teach. This year she is delighted to be teaching Class IV for the first time, in addition to her Class XII students— the “bookends” of the Math Department at Brearley—“which will allow me to be actively involved in the full range of the math curriculum as well as the various developmental levels of the students.”

Reflecting on her years at 610, Debbie says she knew “Brearley was the school for me in my first year here, after coming from a coed high school and learning that math was not only respected but encouraged.” Growing up, as a lover of math, “I had to hide in the closet reading text books because it was considered odd for a girl to be so passionate about the subject.” Debbie’s own daughter, Tara, is a 10th grader at the Heschel School, where her son, Evan, is in 11th grade.

Rebecca Haile is excited to join the School’s Board of Trustees: “My family and I feel lucky to be part of such a wonderful community.”

Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia—where her father was a leading academic and member of parliament—Rebecca and her family were forced into exile when her father was targeted by the military for his advocacy of freedom of religion following Ethiopia’s 1974 coup d’etat. Rebecca’s family eventually settled in St. Cloud, Minnesota, where her father taught at St. John’s University. Recipient of a Tyng Scholarship, Rebecca received a BA from Williams College. She went on to graduate with honors from Harvard Law School where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Rebecca then served as a Law Clerk for the Hon. Dorothy Wright Nelson in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and subsequently worked as a law firm associate.

After leaving law to pursue writing, Rebecca traveled to Ethiopia—becoming the first member of her family to return in 25 years. Her account of her journey, which she took with her husband (and fellow law school classmate), Jean Manas, became her highly acclaimed memoir, Held at a Distance: My Rediscovery of Ethiopia. Following a period of freelance writing and community engagement, Rebecca helped her husband found Foros, a strategic financial and M&A advisory boutique; she is the Chief Financial Officer. Rebecca also serves on the boards of Freedom House, an organization dedicated to democracy, political freedom and human rights, and EMILY’s List, which works to elect pro-choice Democratic women to public office. In addition, Rebecca is founder and executive director of Ethiopia Education Initiatives, a not-for-profit that is building a premier secondary school in Ethiopia.

Rebecca and Jean are the parents of Amalia (Class X), Zenna (Class I), and Mateos, an eighth grader at Dalton. “Our daughters, who have very different personalities, are thoroughly enjoying their experiences at Brearley,” Rebecca observes. Struck by the “cohesive” quality of the Brearley education, she and Jean “appreciate the numerous ways in which the School instills confidence in the girls.”

For Rebecca, joining the Board is a “terrific opportunity to work with fellow Trustees in support of the School at such a vital time in its history.”

SINCERE

THANKS To Our Retiring Trustees

Clockwise from top: Grace Offutt, Julia Pershan, Susan Sagor and Christopher Mann.

As Brearley enters a new and exciting phase of implementing its Strategic Vision, we would like to recognize the Trustees and Faculty Representative who retired from the Board in June 2017 after serving the School with distinction during a pivotal time.

This group has provided invaluable insight and guidance during their terms on the Board in areas ranging from student life and community engagement to investment management. Over the last eight years, the School achieved many milestones, including the successful search for a new Head of School, purchase of the property at 70-74 East End Avenue on which 590 East 83rd Street is being built and oversight of the design and initial construction phase of this part of the campus project.

We are deeply indebted to Chris, Grace, Julia and Susan, whose dedication, wisdom, creativity and commitment to excellence has guided our school and laid the foundation (literally) for Brearley’s future.

Christopher Mann

Current Parent and Parent of Alumnae

Trustee, 2009–2017 (Vice President, 2012–2015; Secretary, 2015–2017)

Served on the Audit Committee, 2009–2017 Building Committee, 2009–2017 Compensation Committee, 2013–2017 Trusteeship Committee, 2014–2017 and Executive Committee, 2012–2017

Grace Offutt

Current Parent

Trustee, 2016–2017

President, Parents’ Association, 2016–2017

Served on the Building/Real Estate and Development Committees, 2016–2017

Julia Pershan

Current Parent

Trustee, 2011–2017

Served on the Building Committee, 2011–2017 Development Committee, 2011–2017 (Chair, 2012–2017) Executive Committee, 2012–2017 Student Life Committee, 2012–2014 Trusteeship Committee, 2013–2017 and Affordability Task Force, 2012–2013

Susan Sagor

Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees, 2014–2017

MISSION STATEMENT

THE BREARLEY SCHOOL

Established 1884

K–XII independent school for girls in New York City Academic excellence. Liberal arts tradition. Cross-divisional teaching.

The Brearley School challenges girls of adventurous intellect and diverse backgrounds to think critically and creatively and prepares them for principled engagement in the world.

Guided by a dedicated community of adults, students develop a command of many disciplines, a love of learning and a resilient and generous spirit. The bond among students and with their teachers is rooted in a passionate exchange of ideas and an appreciation for the unique and lively contributions of each individual.

A Brearley education unfolds over a lifetime. The School instills in its alumnae the confidence to pursue their ambitions and the wisdom to live balanced and purposeful lives.

Tunic Power about the cover

Fearless Girl, the bronze sculpture currently staring down the charging bull statue near Wall Street, has been reimagined by Christine Cai, Class of 2018, as a Brearley Girl. She stands purposefully outside the doors of 610 and on the promenade, looking out at the East River and beyond, as she prepares for principled engagement in the world. Christine used black ink and watercolor to create these illustrations.

Lessons from Alumnae

SENIOR PROJECTS: EVERY APRIL, CLASS XII EMBARKS ON WHAT IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS SENIOR SPRING. STUDENTS CREATE THEIR OWN PROGRAMS FOR THEIR FINAL MONTHS AT BREARLEY, WHICH CAN INCLUDE, AMONG OTHER OPTIONS, SPECIAL MINI COURSES FOR CLASS XII, INTERNSHIPS OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL OR A COMBINATION OF THE TWO. A WONDERFUL TRANSITION FROM BREARLEY TO COLLEGE, SENIOR SPRING TEACHES LESSONS ABOUT TIME MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION AND GIVES STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE THEIR PARTICULAR INTERESTS. UNDERSCORING THEIR STRONG ENGAGEMENT WITH TODAY’S STUDENTS, MANY ALUMNAE RETURNED THIS YEAR EITHER TO LEAD OR PARTICIPATE IN MINI COURSES. BEAVER TANK AND FEMINISM ARE JUST TWO EXAMPLES.

BEAVER TANK

By Gabrielle Rich ’17 and Christine Yang ’17

This spring, four unsuspecting seniors with little understanding of what goes into a business had the privilege of taking Beaver Tank, a mini-course with Jane Gladstone ‘86 that explored the process of creating and pitching an original business idea. Ms. Gladstone, an entrepreneur who founded the financial services advisory business Evercore, gave us the daunting task of concocting a novel business idea and, at the end of our eight weeks together, pitching it to a panel of highly successful female entrepreneurs—these judges included alumnae Rachel Holt ‘01, head of Uber North America, Joelle Kayden ‘72, founder and CEO of Accolade, and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson ‘95, founder of Gilt and Glamsquad and Fitz.

From the very first day, we dove headlong into a complicated— and sometimes scary—world of business and entrepreneurship under Ms. Gladstone’s guidance. Our diverse ideas ranged from a database for facilitating college research to a platform for renting art. As we learned about mission statements and the elements of a successful business, we delved deeper into our proposed companies, which quickly became more than just school projects and went beyond business fundamentals.

Ms. Gladstone, who credits Brearley for her “critical thinking skills and the confidence to be in a room full of very accomplished people and know that my thoughts mattered and were worth contributing to the dialogue,” wants students today to “dream big now” and use their self-confidence and creativity to develop a business—it’s not just “writing a great thesis or getting great grades” that matters. “There was never a day at Brearley that I wasn’t surrounded by brilliant, talented people,” Ms. Gladstone says, “and I got used to that.”

Without a doubt, Beaver Tank reinforced the value of Senior

Spring by making us step outside our comfort zones and into challenging and uncomfortable situations. Whether we were sitting in the first week’s class on “demystifying the business world” or mustering up the courage to speak before an awe-inspiring panel of entrepreneurs (our thanks to Ellen Jewett ‘77, Brearley’s President of the Board, who ran through our presentations with us in advance), we learned lessons that will surely last a lifetime.

FEMINISM: CONVERSATIONS WITH FEMINISTS

Led by Jane Fried, this course considered the women of today’s feminist movement and those who inspired their activism. Each class welcomed a guest speaker from the Brearley community whose work in the public sphere has supported the progress of women and girls. Among the participants were Sarah Lewis ’97, a former trustee and an assistant professor at Harvard University, author and curator, Ría Tabacco Mar ’99, an attorney with the

PLEASE SEND COVERS OF YOUR NEW

Erica Wagner ’85

Susan Fraiman ’74

Bonnie Sour Anderson ’60

Ann Richardson ’59

Elizabeth Fishel ’68

Left to right: Jane Fried, Jane Gladstone ’86, Heidi Messer, Alexandra Wilkis Wilson ’95, Joelle Kayden ’72 and Rachel Holt ‘01.

ACLU’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & HIV Project, Ruth Messinger ’58, a former Borough President of Manhattan and now the Global Ambassador of the American Jewish World Service; Rebecca Kelly Slaughter ’00, Chief Counsel to Senator Charles Schumer, Tara Abrahams (Parent), Executive Director of the Girl Project at Glamour Magazine, Elizabeth Chandler (Parent and Trustee), co-founder of ALKeMi and an executive producer of Letters from Baghdad, Rebecca Haile (Parent and new Trustee), author, CFO of Foros and board member of EMILY ’s List and Freedom House, and Ileana Jiminez, creator of the Feminist Teacher blog and #HSfeminism and #K12feminism hashtags, high school teacher and an associate faculty member at Bard College’s Institute for Writing and Thinking.

Brearley alumnae enjoyed regional gatherings in London, Paris, Portland (OR), Tucson and the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul this year! We are always looking to visit other cities, so if you are interested in hosting or helping to plan a regional event, please contact Alumnae Relations at alumnae@brearley.org.

THANK YOU

to all the alumnae, parents, past parents, grandparents and friends who generously support Brearley each year.

Your gifts through the Annual Fund benefit all aspects of the day-to-day running of the School, from teacher salaries and financial aid to field trips and library books.

YOU

The 2016–2017 Annual Fund raised over $3.8 million. We are deeply grateful for the loyalty and commitment of our alumnae and parents, who participated at rates of 43% and 99%, respectively.

Every gift truly makes a difference for today’s students and faculty, and we thank you for continuing this strong tradition of support.

Ruth Messinger ‘58.

ALUMNAE EVENTS

TWIN CITIES

PORTLAND

LONDON

Student Political Awareness Club

SPRING SPEAKER

SERIES

Charlotte Hutchinson ‘17 and Hannah Zhukovsky ’17, PAC Co-Heads

The Political Awareness Spring Speaker Series originated from meetings at Brearley this fall during which students expressed a desire to hear from speakers who hold a wide variety of political views. The Speaker Series provided a platform for heterodox political opinions and thoughts by hosting guests from across the political spectrum to speak to the Brearley community on a range of issues.

We were fortunate to host three speakers. Our first speaker was Professor Nicholas Rostow (above right), the Charles Evans Hughes Visiting Chair of Government and Jurisprudence at Colgate University who discussed the legal basis upon which Israeli settlements in the West Bank should be considered, as well as their political significance. Our second speaker was Mr. John Podhoretz, editor of Commentary magazine, who discussed Conservatism and the future of the movement. Our last speaking event was a Jeffersonian style dinner with Mr. Martin Elling, a senior partner at McKinsey & Company, in which a small group of students enjoyed dinner and discussed health care and the current state of politics.

We were pleased with the reception for all three events; we had great turnouts and the attendees helped spark lively and informed discussions about politics and political thought in the community. We sincerely hope that the new co-heads of the Political Awareness Club will continue and expand the series next year.

In June we said good-bye to Michelle Wonsley ’97, who left Brearley to return to nonprofit management in the role of Senior Vice President of People Operations at DonorsChoose.org.

As the School’s first Director of Equity and Service Learning, for the last three years Michelle led Brearley’s programs with integrity, compassion and intelligence. Michelle took great care to listen to all of our constituents’ needs. Her many accomplishments include her community-wide work in equity programming, which has featured trainings, discussions and assemblies on the subject of race, identity and the school community. Upon reflection on having launched such an important equity effort, Michelle notes, “I have had the opportunity to support our community in exploring topics that are both complex in nature and essential to understanding the historical and contemporary social and political context.” Fortunately, Michelle is not leaving for good. She will be serving as a Committee Chair of the Miller Society, beginning this fall. We are delighted to welcome Dr. Tanya Huelett, Brearley’s new Director of Equity and Community Engagement, who joined the School on August 1. Tanya is already familiar with 610; for the past year, as a Senior Program Associate at Facing History and Ourselves, an international educational nonprofit organization that fosters learning and dialogue about the roots of prejudice, discrimination and oppression, she consulted with the Lower School on enhancing its social studies curriculum. To read Tanya’s contribution in the Strategic Vision section of this Bulletin , please see page 26.

SUMMER “TITLE” WAVE! FACULTY AND STAFF SHARE A BOOK FROM THEIR READING LISTS

Jennifer Bartoli, Design

Maggie Maluf, Math

Luigi Cicala, Art James Mulkin, Academic Life Jane Fried, Head’s Office

Phoebe Geer ’97, Development and Alumnae Relations

Noel Lamberty, Security/Facilities

BREARLEY BULLETIN WINS GOLD!

JUNE 2017 The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) honored Brearley with a Gold Award for the cover design of its Winter 2016 Bulletin, featuring Women in Finance.

In their comments on the winning entries, the judges “loved the clever illustration of George Washington on the front, and the added red lipstick provided a pop of color and addressed both elements that represented the topic of money and women. We loved that they took a more creative approach, pushed the envelope a bit, and avoided the financial or corporate look. The cover was unique, quirky and effective with only two main colors used. The heavy paper stock and smooth feel added to the appeal of the piece.”

Frances Riker Davis (1915) Award

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2018 Frances Riker Davis Award. The award, established in 1966, honors alumnae in a wide array of professions for extraordinary service to their communities either as professionals or volunteers. Historically, the award has gone to an alumna who has responded to needs in her community at many different levels, including a hands-on approach. If you know of an alumna who has devoted herself to community/public service and whose efforts have made a significant impact on the lives of others, please submit her name and your reason for nominating her by October 1, 2017, to Daryl Gurian Stern, Director of Events and Alumnae Relations, at dstern@brearley.org.

Send Us Your Submissions

LOIS KAHN WALLACE BREARLEY WRITER’S AWARD

Submissions are being accepted for the Lois Kahn Wallace Brearley Writer’s Award. The Award, established in 1999 by the late Lois Kahn Wallace ’57, honors and encourages a Brearley alumna at the beginning of her career as a published writer, or the beginning of writing in a new genre. Adult fiction and non-fiction works are eligible, as are books for children and young adults.

The award is conferred approximately every two years and carries an honorarium. Please apply, or if you know someone who deserves the award, encourage her to apply. Please submit four copies of the work of your choice to Daryl Gurian Stern, Director of Events and Alumnae Relations, The Brearley School, 610 East 83rd Street, New York, NY 10028. If you have any questions, contact Daryl at (212) 570-8516 or dstern@brearley.org.

For a list of past Lois Kahn Wallace and Frances Riker Davis award recipients, please visit http://www.brearley. org/alumnaeawards.

CALLING ALL AUTHORS

The Parents’ Association is seeking authors in the Brearley community to participate in this year’s Community “Bookluck,” which will be held on November 15 and 16, 2017. If you would like to have your book sold, please contact us. Books must have been published in the past 12 months or be published before November 1, 2017. We look forward to hearing from you!

Brearley Book Festival Committee Chairs: Maria Gottdiener (nylawmom@aol.com)

Marty Haessler (martyhaessler@yahoo.com)

Kimberly Reece (kimreece99@hotmail.com)

Carolyn Siegal (cckriz@gmail.com)

Patricia Walker (patiwalker@hotmail.com)

Compilation includes listings from the June 2017 eNfB article by Charlotte Kingham.

Ahmed Najm, Math

Heyden White Rostow ’67, English Lisa Pollack, Upper School

Alyssa Young, Lower School

Keba Rogers, Counseling and Wellness

Betty Wilson, Human Resources

Opening Doors

A Str A tegic Vi S ion

For t he Bre A rley School

by

Photos

Eric Antanitus

Brearley’s mission has long combined outstanding academics with an insistence on larger purpose: a passionate exchange of ideas within the School’s walls that prepares girls of adventurous intellect to put their knowledge and habits of mind and character to meaningful use beyond. From the moment of our founding, our goal has been to ensure all doors are open to our students and alumnae.

“Opening Doors: A Strategic Vision” is the blueprint for the next chapter in Brearley’s story. Among the plan’s highlights are initiatives to maintain and enhance Brearley’s exceptional teaching and curriculum; research into healthy and holistic models of achievement and success for girls; and realizing a 20-year dream to expand and modernize our teaching spaces—unlocking the full power and potential of our program and community.

WE ARE PLEASED TO SHARE OUR PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING THESE GOALS. culti VA ting the A d V enturou S intellect

Jane Foley Fried

he A d o F S chool

Harkening back to a popular Early American allegory, the beehive is a good representation of the administration’s industrious and collaborative work on behalf of the community. As we seek to prepare our students for principled engagement in the world, an endeavor I call the Sixth Course, the way we work together at Brearley is evolving as well.

We encourage the exchange of ideas across divisions through our new K–XII Student Life Committee, which, modeled on our longstanding Academic Affairs committee, has focused in its inaugural year on implementing social-emotional learning across the divisions, assessing school climate (the quality and character of school life) and studying gender diversity in the context of a school for girls.

We engage the whole community and seek new perspectives by

• inviting visiting committees of teachers to collaborate with Brearley faculty in our annual Department Review process.

• providing equity and inclusion training and discussions for all community members

• soliciting feedback through the recently administered Comprehensive School Climate Survey for students, faculty, staff and parents as well as Brearley’s upcoming Alumnae Survey.

• enhancing Brearley’s exposure to global education by participating in the World Leading Schools Association’s Cross-Cultural Leadership Program for students representing institutions from six continents.

• creating opportunities for students and faculty to deepen their understanding of their own country through a new travel study program that will connect Brearley students with peers in Alabama, with the focus on listening to different perspectives while studying the legacy of slavery here in NYC and in the Deep South.

We cast the net broadly in search of talented and diverse students and faculty of integrity from every borough and beyond and employ data from our surveys and community conversations to develop new programs to ensure that all members of the community feel that they belong at Brearley.

The last two issues of the Bulletin highlighted the work of two new offices at Brearley: Equity and Service Learning and Counseling and Wellness. Members of the 2016–2017 Administrative Council now share their accounts of the beehive, buzzing with energy and a spirit of ingenuity and productivity.

James Mulkin

As we strive to offer the Brearley education to a greater diversity of students, we are also seeking to locate, secure and welcome a greater diversity of faculty. We have updated our hiring manual; attended job fairs throughout the Northeast; visited Spelman College in an attempt at creating a relationship with graduates of historically black colleges; and asked recent alumnae to connect us with graduate students, teaching assistants and others of color who might be interested in working at Brearley.

We are doing similar work in our academic program. This year the Lower School, in partnership with the organization Facing History, took a fresh look at its social studies curriculum in order to develop age-appropriate instruction in topics such as the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. We will soon extend that work into Class V with Tanya Huelett, our new Director of Equity and Community Engagement.

The Strategic Vision gave us the impetus for taking this look beyond our walls with greater deliberation. One of its directives, to create a system for the review of academic departments by experienced observers from outside the School, has resulted in recommendations that are having or will have a positive impact on the student experience, including more comprehensive support for students, a closer look at the types of standardized tests, criteria for sectioning in Middle and Upper School math courses and new approaches to professional development for early-, mid- and late-career teachers.

We will also begin this fall to create a new schedule for our academic and co-curricular programs, considering the students’ day in its entirety, in hopes of better understanding their lives in 21st-century New York. These are ony a few of the many things happening here, all focused keenly on a single goal: the education of young women to lead balanced, purposeful lives.

Maria Zimmermann

Everything we are doing at school now is explicitly oriented toward making every student feel like she’s an integral part of the community, and that who she is will be reflected in the people around her and in her classwork. To ths end individuals from every part of the School are working hard to create this experience.

The Lower School teachers this past year have continued to take this work to heart and have been instrumental in launching a new, evidence-based social emotional learning curriculum. They have worked hand-in-glove with the newly hired, full-time Lower School Psychologist, Dr. Annie Mykyta, and the Director of Counseling and Wellness, Dr. Keba Rogers, to keep this program on track and to monitor the results. In addition, the Lower School Faculty, supported by Michelle Wonsley, former Director of Equity and Service Learning, and Winifred Mabley, Director of Lower School Admission, worked through the seminal text Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves, by Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards. Both our Social Studies and Language Arts curricula were revisited through the lens of greater diversity and inclusivity. We were guided in our efforts by Tanya Huelett, our incoming Director of Equity and Community Engagement.

Also new is the K-XII Student Life Committee comprised of teachers and administrators who are working diligently to understand more fully the unique climate of our school community. We are working to make the culture more inclusive, to develop our skills and curriculum in social emotional learning and to help our students manage the rapidly changing landscape of technology and social media. It would be impossible to imagine a more energized and productive hive of activity at Brearley.

Tanya Huelett

d irector o F e quity A nd

I look forward to expanding the work that Michelle Wonsley, the former Director of Equity and Service Learning, spearheaded in the area of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The DEI roadmap that she created last fall will be an invaluable resource for me as we continue to offer and conceive wonderful programs for the entire school community. Equity programming is an essential component of the Strategic Vision and the trainings, discussions and assemblies that took place in 20162017 were both productive and effective in engaging all our members in conversations about race, identity and our school community. As my position provides me the opportunity to engage with every constituency of the School, I will be able to explore and consider best practices in equity programming and service learning. I am eager to support our students and help them develop their voice and agency, continue the work with faculty and staff on the Equity Leadership Council and in each division to deepen their own competence and help them to lead conversations with students and each other, and maintain our open doors for parents to more freely discuss how different facets of their identities shape their and their daughters’ experience at Brearley.

It is evident that the foundation of DEI at Brearley is solid, and I am thrilled to build on it and strengthen our school’s connections—both internally and externally—to becoming an even more inclusive, equitable and just community.

Evy Segal

The Strategic Vision asks us to help our students learn how to live more balanced and purposeful lives. In an effort to know how to help them, Head of School Jane Fried and I conducted focus groups of Classes IX-XII two years ago. We learned that many rising IXs were intimidated by the transition to Upper School life. They talked about feeling pressure to get good grades, which led some of them to delay getting involved in the extracurricular program until second semester or even Class X. After discussing their concerns with faculty and studying different grading models at schools around the country, we decided to implement a new way of reporting grades in Class IX. Students receive indicator grades and comments on assignments throughout the first semester, but the grades are not averaged in their final grade for Class IX. This new approach to reporting grades allows students to feel that they have a little breathing room in their transition to Upper School, and we have noticed that more of them are getting involved in school life outside the classrooms earlier in the year while still maintaining an appropriately serious attitude toward their academics.

We are also moving forward with a “Sophomore Seminar” this fall. Modeled on Junior and Senior Seminars, this weekly meeting for Class X students will provide time for health, public speaking, service learning curricula and leadership development, among other life skills. This provides a thoughtful sequence of programs for Upper School students, which begins with Class IX Health and peer mentorship through seminars in addition to weekly meetings with advisors. We are thrilled that students will have access to these important programs.

Tim Brownell

An aspect of the Strategic Vision that has been under close inspection in the Middle School is “School Culture: Living Purposeful, Balanced Lives”—specifically the objective of developing a school-wide advisory program with consistent and integrated skill development. While the Middle School has had an Advisory program for fifteen years that has been a laboratory of sorts where students develop interpersonal skills and relationships with their advisor, we will now also have the assistance of two new offices at Brearley: Equity and Community Engagement and Counseling and Wellness. Both provide new sources of support for faculty and staff to teach what Head of School Jane Fried calls the Sixth Course, the way in which we live and learn in a diverse and ever changing community and prepare our students for principled engagement in the world. The support of expert colleagues has enabled us to take advisory to the next level by addressing critical social-emotional issues grade-by-grade during the pivotal Middle School years, including identity, appropriate use of social media and technology, friendship and inclusion, nutrition, healthy body image and good decision making. Advisers regularly receive training, refine curriculum, attend Interschool and NYSAIS workshops and conduct research on how to create a foundation for positive personal, social and academic growth in Middle School and beyond.

Sheila Kramer

Connecting different classes and generations of Brearley girls has been an exciting aspect of the Strategic Vision implementation. Middle School students are always eager to learn about our vibrant Upper School program through the experiences of their Upper School peers. Evy Segal, Head of Upper School Student Life, and I have created multiple opportunities for VIIIs to meet with XIs throughout the fall and early winter to gain an inside perspective of life in Upper School classes, extracurricular activities and leadership positions. These budding friendships deepen when IXs return for the new school year to meet their Class XII peer leaders, as well as mentors in athletics, drama, music and clubs. In addition, we have developed new opportunities for recent alumnae to return to 610 to talk with students. Alumnae still in college speak to XIIs and XIs and recent college graduates return to Brearley to share their experiences with VIIs and VIIIs. This model has inspired a variety of other visits with alumnae. This year, Jane Gladstone ‘86 taught a mini course for seniors in entrepreneurship, which featured a number of alumnae as judges for the final assessment—a Beaver Tank! Jane Fried also taught a Feminism mini course, which featured alumnae speakers who are leaders in their fields. (See page 16 to read about these courses.) Alumnae offer helpful advice to students about the enduring value of their Brearley education, the ins and outs of finding one’s path in life and not being afraid to take a risk, even if it does not yield the desired outcome. A Brearley education truly does unfold over a lifetime!

Carolyn Clark

d irector o F c ollege Ad V i S ing

The Strategic Vision guides us as we work to provide greater support for families during the college process.

The College Advising Office, which in 2013 added a second college advisor, Analisa Heinz, has enhanced its programming in the last two years, including Brearleysponsored trips on the two April days given to Class XI for college visits. While open to all, we consider our bus trips as a particularly good opportunity for students whose families’ work or financial situations make visits difficult. The trips have proven very popular. We have expanded our work with Class X families, especially around standardized testing. Our philosophy is that earlier information can alleviate the anxiety that can accompany the college process, especially for families for whom the process is new. Two new events, for senior families just before the early college deadlines and for juniors’ families about college visiting, have also received great feedback for their demystifying the process and providing concrete information.

Working with our colleagues in Alumnae Relations, we welcomed back younger alumnae this year to speak to Classes XI and XII about their transition to college. Lively discussions ensued about making friends, connecting with faculty, succeeding in new environments and living independently. We also continued our recent tradition of inviting a College Dean to discuss the transition to college with Class XI and XII parents and Class XII students.

Rahul Tripathi

The Strategic Vision is integral to many aspects of the financial and operations management of Brearley.

As we think about the future of the School, few current decisions will have greater impact on the program and future generations of Brearley students than the new building. The project at 590 requires the dedicated effort of a small legion of administrators, faculty, staff, board members and external consultants. Led by Doris Coleman, Director of Construction and Facilities, this group has engaged in every facet of the endeavor: from the initial analysis of the impact of project on the long-term financial well-being of the institution, through financing it, through the design process and now into construction. As we near the completion of excavation, the project remains within the designated budget and on schedule. We all look forward to the fall of 2019 and to watching our students fill the halls of that building with all of their characteristic revelry and intellectual curiosity.

Members of our finance and operations team engaged in the Beyond Diversity training with the Pacific Educational Group over the past year. We learned much about our colleagues and the importance of shared perspective and the ability to have productive conversations about race as members of a community.

Following assessments conducted by external consultants, a major overhaul of the Technology Department is in process and the new Director of Technology, Colin Samuel, will report to the CFO/COO. We look forward to Colin’s leadership in helping to ensure that our technology supports and enhances the program and the curriculum as well as that our systems are adequately robust and secure.

Joan Kaplan

The Strategic Vision asks the Office of Admission to enhance recruitment and access in order to attract talented girls from all five boroughs and beyond. Recruitment is inherent in the work that we do, and we have created a solid foundation of outreach efforts over the past ten years on which we continue to build. A staple of our outreach includes our long-standing relationships with placement organizations serving under-represented populations. Over the past ten years we have tripled the number of school fairs we attend and have extended our reach to the outer boroughs, New Jersey and Long Island. In Manhattan too, we have expanded neighborhood outreach; this past winter we organized a successful gathering for prospective families living in upper Manhattan hosted by Brearley alumna and trustee Modupe Akinola Robinson ’92.

As a result of a decade of such effort, the percentage of students of color enrolled at Brearley has risen from 32% to 50%. For the 2017–18 school year, 33% of the Kindergarten families and 20% of incoming Middle and Upper School families identify their daughters as African American, Latina or bi-racial. Eighty-five students (12%) travel to the School from Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Connecticut, New Jersey,

Winifred Mabley

d irector o F l ower School Admi SS ion

Westchester and Long Island. In Manhattan, 301 students (42%) come to Brearley from neighborhoods beyond the Upper East Side. In support of our commuting families, we have organized a Brooklyn bus; financial assistance for the bus as well as public transportation such as New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Railroad is available for all families who qualify.

With the support of Jo David, Director of Communications, we have revamped our admission materials and view book and launched a Brearley Instagram account to familiarize prospective families with Brearley life both inside and outside the classroom. In addition, we open our doors to Middle and Upper School applicants and invite them to attend a variety of theatrical, musical and athletic events.

Experiences shared by our financial assistance students have led us to create a more equitable experience for Upper School students by dedicating additional support beyond tuition, which already incudes lunch, books, supplies and class trips.

Admission is truly an all-school effort, and the Strategic Vision helps to keep all of us on the same page. Our goal is not only to enroll a diverse group of students, but to make sure that the students and their families will thrive and feel at home here.

Anne Bergen

d irector o F d e V elopment

Our alumnae persist in calling themselves “Brearley Girls” well beyond Last Day, which puzzled me when I first arrived at the School, overseeing fundraising and alumnae relations. Why do these accomplished women call themselves “girls?” Now I better understand the pride that stems from attending Brearley. Girls are respected here, for their ideas, their intellect and their contributions to the community. This is a formative experience, and it creates exceptional loyalty.

When speaking with alumnae, parents and friends it is gratifying to describe Brearley’s progress implementing “Opening Doors.” Developed with significant input from alumnae of all ages, parents, students and teachers, the Strategic Vision outlines an exciting future. Participants recognize their feedback in the School’s determination to explore new approaches, while enhancing the best of the Brearley experience.

Among the Strategic Vision’s goals is the imperative to address the need for additional and improved teaching space. It won’t surprise you that constructing a new schoolhouse at 590 East 83rd Street and then renovating our beloved 610 are the most costly elements of the Strategic Vision. Luckily, Brearley is a generous community, and your gifts have long fueled the School’s ongoing success.

Today, in collaboration with dedicated volunteers, the Development and Alumnae Relations team is encouraging the Brearley community to participate in the Strategic Vision by maintaining ongoing support through the Annual Fund and Benefit and, for those who are capable, making stretch gifts to fund our construction and renovation efforts.

With thanks to our early donors, we have already raised $55MM in gifts and pledges and look forward to launching a campaign in September. We hope you will join us as Brearley comes together to embrace its aspirations for philanthropic support and to celebrate our significant progress.

Worldwide, there are almost 5,000 Brearley Girls—but there is only One Brearley.

All Brearley students, families, alumnae, past parents, faculty, staff, friends and neighbors are invited to the

Block Party

ONE BREARLEY is who we are and is the touchstone for our ambitious fundraising campaign to create an expanded and yet more cohesive Brearley.

Saturday, September 16, 2017

11am–2pm 610 East 83rd Street

• Join in games, crafts and activities for all ages

• Enjoy performances by the B-Nats and other groups

• Build a large Lego model of 590 East 83rd Street

• Sign a steel beam for the new building

• Write on the ONE BREARLEY wall

• Savor the Food Court in the Common Room

• And more!

In event of rain, the block party will be held indoors.

www.brearley.org/blockparty

ALUMNAE WEEKEND 2017

Alumnae Weekend and Reunions 2017 welcomed back more than 200 alumnae to Brearley. The joyous, educational and busy weekend kicked off with Thursday’s panel discussion, “Women: Politics and the Media,” in which five alumnae shared their life experiences and tackled relevant questions about women and politics. Friday’s events included Head of School Jane Fried and senior administrators in conversation about topics ranging from the new school building, curricular updates, and the diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at Brearley. Generations of alumnae filled the Assembly Hall for the luncheon and speeches from the 25th and 50th reunion class speakers. Some alumnae opted to attend a mini-course, some to hear from a panel of students, and many packed the Common Room to hear fascinating stories of life after Brearley at the ever-popular alumnae Turbo Talks. Please visit www.brearley.org/Reunionrecap to see photos and video from Alumnae Weekend including Turbo Talks; Up Close with Jane Fried and Senior Administrators; and An Inside Look at Brearley: A Student Panel.

—Daryl Gurian Stern, Director of Events & Alumnae Relations

60TH REUNION CLASS OF 1957

55TH REUNION CLASS OF 1962

70TH REUNION CLASS OF 1947 AND FELLOW ALUMNAE 65TH REUNION CLASS OF 1952 AND FELLOW ALUMNAE

30TH REUNION CLASS OF 1987

20TH REUNION CLASS OF 1997

40TH REUNION CLASS OF 1977 AND FELLOW ALUMNAE

45TH REUNION CLASS OF 1972 AND FELLOW ALUMNAE

35TH REUNION CLASS OF 1982

15TH REUNION CLASS OF 2002 AND FELLOW ALUMNAE

50TH REUNION

50TH REUNION CLASS OF 1967

50TH REUNION SPEECH

How Far We’ve Come

by Carolyn Ellis ‘67

It is an honor to be speaking to you today. As Adrienne Rich has observed in her “Transcendental Etude,” we don’t get to study how to live, like learning natural history or music, we just take on everything at once from the moment we are born and move forward as we can thereafter. Drawing on our innate abilities, we blindly apply what we have learned from our families and the educational institutions in which they enroll us to life’s challenges, but each age presents new challenges for which we can never be totally prepared. We plow headlong down paths that we understand only in retrospect were inevitable results of our often only dimly understood decisions.

Given how fast we are traveling, it is a worthy exercise to look in the rearview mirror from time to time, and measure how far we’ve come. It is fun to look for signposts—some themes that guided us along the way—and acknowledge our debts to those who have mentored us. A fiftieth class reunion is an appropriate occasion to do both.

Certainly, for me, and the rest of the Class of 1967, it is axiomatic that our experiences at Brearley contributed greatly to the women we became. I will be forever grateful that my family decided to send me to Brearley. I made wonderful friends here and learned from exceptional teachers. It provided lifelong lessons which have stayed with me over the fifty years since I was last standing on this stage listening to Jean Fair Mitchell’s final words to her graduating seniors.

My life at Brearley began in Grade IV. I have vivid memories of touring the School with my mother the prior year. We visited the Grade III class room where I saw a life-sized teepee, walls decorated with native American symbols and lots of feathers. I recognized then that school could be an exciting place to learn about the world and I very much wanted to be

part of it. As much as I wanted to learn, I wanted to be in that teepee with other girls who shared my curiosity. I knew that here I would be among like-minded compatriots.

Over the decade that followed, the School more than kept its promise in providing a rich learning environment. We had wonderful teachers. One example shows how the challenges of the School resonated with us. In Grade XII, the entire class engaged in a project to write original research papers on topics we selected about the Elizabethan Renaissance. I remember two of the projects, my own, of course, and Iris Carulli’s. They were in many ways reflective of the character of our class and the age in which we were living. As I recall, Iris focused on Renaissance culinary arts, showing a prescient interest in women’s arts and acknowledgement that all parts of our culture are important and worthy of study. I wrote about Elizabethan utopias and the continuing desire to create purer, better societies where new individuals could flourish—a desire that was at the heart of the cultural revolutions of the 1960s.

All along our time at Brearley, we experimented with ideas that for some became lifelong interests and the basis for professional careers. I remember I went to my one and only toga party in middle school at Debby Roberts’s house where we dressed in sheets and dined on nuts and honey. We lolled on beds in the living room of her Upper West Side apartment enjoying a Roman banquet. Debby later became a classics professor at Haverford College. However, the 1960s were tumultuous, and the School, like many institutions in that era, was buffeted by changes for which it was not entirely prepared. As I remember myself back in 1967, I was challenging of authority, critical of the world around me, disappointed in the institutions that were expected to lead the country, and deeply opposed to the Vietnam War.

continued on page 44

“ We were schooled to look for more in our lives—to strive with loyal heart—in whatever we did.”

CLASS WITH MOST ATTENDEES THIS YEAR WAS 1962 h h h

RSVPs TO REUNION EVENTS

FUN FACT:

MOST SENIOR ALUMNA IN ATTENDANCE BEBE STETSON ‘39 (AGAIN!)

HIGHEST ANNUAL FUND PARTICIPATION FOR A REUNION YEAR CLASS 1962 (74%)

5TH REUNION CLASS OF 2012

10TH REUNION CLASS OF 2007 AND FELLOW ALUMNAE

25TH REUNION

25TH REUNION CLASS OF 1992, with Jane Foley Fried.

25TH REUNION SPEECH

Understanding our Collective Purpose

Modupe Akinola Robinson ’92

Our senior yearbook started as follows:

“Mehitabel, the fictional character meant to symbolize the ‘typical’ Brearley girl, has developed negative connotations over the years…described as brainy, homely, socially inept and boring. We seniors deny the veracity of this stereotype. In order to permanently shatter this misrepresentation, we propose a new persona similar to the true Brearley girl—a woman symbolizing beauty, intelligence, complexity, curiosity, and perfection—the Mona Lisa.”

And we proceeded to compare “Mehitabel the stressed” with “Mona the blessed” What I loved about our yearbook were the ways in which we forced ourselves and others

• To shift our own perspectives from stressed to blessed;

• To actively defy stereotypes; and

• To create and re-envision the persona, the life we desired for ourselves.

I want to focus on those three themes as we embark upon our 25th reunion. How can we spend the next 25 years

• Shifting our own perspectives from stressed to blessed;

• Actively defying stereotypes;

• And creating and re-envisioning the lives—and the world—we desire for ourselves?

SHIFTING OUR OWN PERSPECTIVES FROM STRESSED TO BLESSED

This concept of shifting our perspectives from stressed to blessed resonates deeply with me. You may remember a tradition in the yearbook which was going through everyone in the senior class and comparing our dreams to our realities, giving each person a theme song, and predicting were we’d end up.

Well, my classmates said my “dream” was to be the “best dressed,” but in reality, I was

“the most stressed.” At the ripe age of 17 I was dubbed the most stressed out of our class of 43. We also gave senior awards, and guess who received the “Let me impose my stress on you” award? Me! But I wasn’t alone. I received the award along with Katherine, Marta, Julie Satow, Laura, Anne, Amy and Alexa.

But I really wasn’t alone because the theme song we selected for our class was none other than “Under Pressure”—by Queen, 1981. Remember that song? The first two lines are “Pressure pushing down on me, pressing down on you, no man ask for.” This is the stress we often felt at Brearley—pressure that no man, no woman, no beaver ASKS for. So thanks to Brearley, I devoted my career to thinking about this concept of stress. I literally study the relationship between stress and performance. But here’s the good news. What my research has shown is that stress can actually be good for you. Remember • the stress of wanting to make Ms. Fleming proud on the field hockey green, Ms. McMenamin impressed on the volleyball court, Ms. Zazuri pleased on the soccer field and basketball court?

• Or—wait for it, wait for it—the stress of wanting to make Ms. Asmus and Gabe feel like Bella and Marta Karolyi at gymnastics meets?

• Or—dare I mention—the stress of the PSATs, SATs, APs?

Some of the stress we experienced propelled us to greatness, gave us the energy we needed, gave us the endurance to keep going. There are opportunities inherent in stress. And all I’ve done in sharing these examples with you is the same thing the Class of 1992 did as seniors—shifted the perspective from “Mehitabel the stressed” to “Mona Lisa the blessed.”

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“ Never has a woman’s voice been needed as much as it is needed now.”

50TH REUNION SPEECH

continued from page 39

While I totally embraced the scholarship and intellectual curiosity that Brearley fosters so well, I questioned whether the School truly understood the world we were about to join. I chafed at its rigidity and commitment to precepts I questioned. More than anything I wanted to graduate from school and take control of my life. However, I recognize now that my questioning was probably good preparation for the world I was so eager to join.

So in 1967, armed with our Brearley education, we went out into the world, confident that our soprano voices could be heard, and for reasons well documented by social historians, they were. My classmates, including those who had left the class along the way, joined the ranks of university professors, authors, doctors, lawyers, psychologists, scientists, bankers, businesswomen, media specialists, entrepreneurs, college administrators, civic leaders, religious leaders, wives, mothers and grandmothers, to name a few of the many paths we followed. We didn’t knock, we just walked on, as the old spiritual goes. We met the world head on with gusto, secure that that we were as qualified as the men around us, and eager to assume our place in the work world. Many of us were pioneers. We continued to learn, found mentors and over time, made places for many women where only a few had traveled

before. I know that much of the strength I drew on in becoming a lawyer was my ability to think and communicate, skills that I had honed in my years here. As our classmate Kathie Seymour Stevens explained to me, her Brearley education enabled her to find amusement in the antics of an overbearing boss during her years as a banker.

Yet, as I look back, it was not just Brearley’s commitment to scholarship or the wonderful friends that I made here, that burrowed so deeply into my psyche, however much I protested. It was the ever present message that it was not enough to be smart or well read. We were schooled to look for more in our lives—to strive with loyal heart—in whatever we did, from motherhood to board chair. A good Brearley girl has integrity, is true to her values and respects others. Jean Fair Mitchell’s final counsel to her graduating seniors in May 1967 from the words of Micah has stayed with me for fifty years: to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God. In our current environment of alternate facts and hate speech, the importance of such lessons becomes ever more central to our lives and our response to events around us. As we travel on our various ways, these lessons will continue to resonate and to guide us.

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25TH REUNION SPEECH

continued from page 43

And my, oh my, did we—and do we—have so much to feel blessed about. We had music teachers like Mrs. Nieves who made us think we had voices like Beyonce. We had Mr. Byrnes who taught us that Einstein and Marie Curie had nothing on us. We had Mr. Walker and Mr. Duke who made us feel like Meryl Streep and Viola Davis on stage. We had Ms. Sagor, von Huetz, Harrison, Helman, Marcus, Seminara, Bialabroda, Nedbal, Schmemann, Mrs. Halpert, and countless other teachers who believed in us, invested in us and made this place home.

But most important, we had parents who made countless sacrifices to send us to THE BEST private allgirls school in the country, and dare I say in the world. A privilege that few others have.

So Mantra #1: I want you to leave our reunion with this: next time you feel stressed, just change your perspective. Take a moment to reflect on your blessings and remind yourself, I’m too blessed to be stressed.

Theme #2 from our yearbook? The importance of…

ACTIVELY DEFYING STEREOTYPES

The cover and topic of the winter issue of The Brearley Bulletin warmed my heart. For those of you who may have missed it, the front and back covers were photos of the senior class. Young women varying in their ethnicities, poses, hairstyles, shapes, heights, skin tones. A true panoply of diversity.

The content, focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, made me beam with pride that the School is tackling these critical topics. But at the same time I felt sad as I couldn’t help but think of all the stereotypes each of the beautiful young women on the cover, and even in this room, have already faced, and may continue to.

Think of some of the stereotypes we faced as Brearley girls:

• Well, there was the stereotype of us becoming doctors while women from other unnamed private schools would marry doctors…

• There was the stereotype of being smart, but not athletic, or athletic, but certainly not smart. And today, there are countless maddening stereotypes that threaten to hinder our progress as women. Not buying into these stereotypes is one of the biggest challenges we face as women. But this is something Brearley taught us to do so well. The School gave us the skills to write, argue and challenge systems and stereotypes that run counter to who we are and what we believe as women. We all banded together to defy these stereotypes.

I study this topic of stereotypes in my research. In particular, I examine some of the ways in which stereotypes prevent us as women from engaging in beneficial leadership behaviors. And what research shows is that stereotypes are changed when people witness counter-stereotypical behavior. Let people see you doing something they don’t expect “someone like you” to do.

• As Brearley girls in the 80s and 90s we banded together to support divestment in South Africa even though we didn’t know two cents about finance;

• We banded together to show that we could be smart AND athletic, winning as many sports Championships as we did Harvard Model UN debates.

So just as we seniors banded together though our yearbook to deny the veracity of the stereotype of Mehitabel the stressed…

Mantra #2: I want you to leave our reunion with this: you have an opportunity to be a walking, living and breathing counter-stereotypical exemplar. Part of your presence and existence is intended to change stereotypes just by having the world see you do things they may not have imagined a woman, an Asian, a Latino, a lesbian, a trans person do—and do it so darn well!

Never has a woman’s voice been needed as much as it is needed now. These are troubling times for women. Mona Lisa needs to come off the wall and come to life in order to defy all of those stereotypes we face as women.

And finally, theme #3 from our yearbook highlights how critical it is for us to…

CREATE AND RE-ENVISION THE PERSONA, THE LIFE WE DESIRE FOR OURSELVES

Last June, I had the pleasure of hearing the B-Naturals sing their Senior song. This happened right before our final Trustee meeting for the year. The song was not a new rendition of “Ye Ke Omo Mi”—Remember that Nigerian song Mrs. Harrington taught us that my dad so proudly translated? Nope, it wasn’t that. It was a remix of Natasha Beddingfield’s song “Unwritten.”

Hearing the B-Nats sing this song brought tears to my eyes. To watch them talk about the rest of their lives being unwritten was a reminder of the possibilities ahead of them. I felt so confident that these Brearley girls had the power and potential to change the world. The way in which they re-created and re-envisioned that song was the same way they’d make their mark on this world.

In the most recent Bulletin, my classmates Laurin and Liz captured the many ways in which our class continues to make a mark on this world. It was so inspiring reading about my classmates. Writers, attorneys, business women, artists, psychologists, non-profit creators, incredible mothers, tech entrepreneurs, doctors, nurses. Interestingly, almost a quarter of my classmates are educators—teachers, professors, principals, charter school founders. That should come as no surprise as our Brearley teachers were role models in showing us how much purpose and meaning can come from educating others. In my own family, my younger sister,

Joke ’99, is a learning specialist at an independent K-8 school doing all the amazing things Mrs. Angell and others did in 2M. My older sister, Folake ’89, is a dean at a charter school. And of course, my beloved mom, Mrs. Akinola, whom many of you had, is a Class II teacher about to enter retirement. In fact, my class had seven mothers who taught/worked at Brearley—Mrs. Lucaire, Wademan, Zesiger, Merrill, Gardner and Foy. Talk about role models giving back to the community.

As my mom enters retirement, she will have to re-create and re-envision her persona, her life, her purpose. My niece, Jael, Joke’s daughter who is currently in Kindergarten, is also about to go through a transition as she continues to tell my mom that she’s simply too young to retire. When you ask Jael how old my mom is, she says she’s 46. So I guess she is too young to retire. Like Jael and like my mom, many of us have and will experience transitions where we will need to re-create and re-envision the lives we desire in the same way as the Class of 1992 brought Mona Lisa to life. For some that transition may be a new job, retirement, parenthood, marriage, divorce, illness, workforce re-entry, the passing of a loved one, you name it. But these transitions are just the beginning. As the B-Nats sang—the rest is unwritten.

So, the third and final mantra: I want you to leave our reunion with this: there is a problem that each of us was put on this earth to solve. That you were uniquely created to fix some problem or several problems. The question for you is are you being courageous enough to proactively seek out those problems? To re-create and re-envision the life and world you desire?

There are two people in my class whom I consider role models in this domain. In March 2015, Nechelle Feaster and Lizzy Ratner noticed on Facebook that a Brearley girl in the class below us had metastatic breast cancer and was struggling. Struggling to be there for her two children, struggling to keep her head up, just struggling. Nechelle notified several of us and we decided to step up and do something. Many of us didn’t know Meridith Conyers, Class of ’93, very well. We hadn’t seen her in decades. But 36 Brearley beavers stepped up to fix a problem. And over 100 members of this community emotionally and financially supported Meridith through her last days of life, and continue to support her children. Our experiences at Brearley taught us to look out for and support those in need, especially within our community. It taught us to fix problems, to give back, to step up and to plant seeds for future generations.

So just as we did then, and just as we felt when we exited Brearley 5, 10, 25, 50+ years ago, let’s walk courageously and triUMPHantly, emboldened by our Brearley educations. Let’s shift our perspectives from stressed to blessed. Let’s be walking, living breathing defiers of stereotypes. And let’s solve all of those problems the world is calling us to solve. Because it is indeed true as the School’s new mission states: “A Brearley Education unfolds over a lifetime.” And ladies, the rest is truly unwritten!

Please visit www.brearley.org/Reunionrecap to see photos and video from Alumnae Weekend, including Turbo Talks; Up Close with Jane Fried and Senior Administrators; and An Inside Look at Brearley: A Student Panel.

A good time was had by all at Brearley’s 2017 Benefit! Parents, alumnae, grandparents, parents of alumnae, trustees, faculty, staff and our special guests—the Class of 2017—gathered for a convivial evening at the New York Public Library. The majestic Astor Hall accommodated more than 650 members of the community who came to celebrate Brearley, and particularly its library program; nearly $390,000 was raised for the 2017 Library Fund. Our sincere thanks to co-chairs Rima Khalil and Pam Selin, our underwriting co-chairs and the entire Benefit Committee for making this such a festive and memorable event.

Millicent McIntosh

SCHOLARSHIP FUND ESTABLISHED IN HONOR OF MILLICENT CAREY MCINTOSH, HEAD OF SCHOOL (1930–1947)

The Inimitable Mrs. Mac

In 2016, Kathleen Culman Ridder ‘41 generously endowed a scholarship fund named for her personal heroine, Millicent Carey McIntosh, Brearley’s Head of School from 1930 to 1947. Kathleen, who was admitted to Class VIII with a scholarship, never forgot that day in 1936 when she and her mother first met “Mrs. Mac” (as she was fondly known), and like many alumnae who attended the School during her tenure, Kathleen “absorbed Mrs. McIntosh’s life” and applied her teachings throughout her own.

In The First 125 Years, a book Brearley created in honor of its 125th anniversary, Evelyn Halpert ‘52 (Head of School from 1975 to 1997) writes in the chapter on Mrs. Mcintosh, “Her impact on the School was immediate, far-reaching and exhilarating for everyone concerned.” From a supportive smile at an athletic event to serious life advice to departing XIIs in the Head’s office, Mrs. McIntosh deftly honed the aspirations of a generation of Brearley girls. As Kathleen recalled, “Mrs. McIntosh proved to each Brearley student that we had the potential to achieve a happy and fulfilling life, whatever our varied goals.” Indeed, Kathleen, following in the footsteps of both her own mother and Mrs. McIntosh, also became a proud working mother. She spent more than 60 years in Minnesota, where she raised her four children and was locally known for her feminist activism; she wrote Shaping My Feminist Life, A Memoir, which was published in 1998.

Kathleen Ridder passed away in April 2017, but Mrs. McIntosh’s legacy lives on in the words of Kathleen and her contemporaries, who throughout the years have spoken so eloquently about their beloved Head of School. Here are some examples:

Anne Basinger (Head of the Middle School from 1934 to 1972 and a friend of Mrs. Mac’s): “I suppose she may occasionally have felt tired, but I never heard of it. She was enjoying the supreme well being of a gifted person succeeding at a chosen profession that stretched her to the full. But foremost of everything, she was perfectly happy; she was having a splendid time.”

Sylvia Maynard Sturgis ‘40: “The prevailing mindset outside of Brearley at the time was that successful girls would marry, while others would go on to work. In Mrs. Mac, we saw a woman of dignity and power who did both.”

Joan Ferrante ‘54 (and a daughter-in-law of Mrs. Mac’s): “After she left, she was still the legend of the School. Everyone spoke of Mrs. Mac with love.”

Abby Bonime Adams ‘48: “I’m quite sure I never would have found my way to the fulfilling marital, professional, parental and grandparental life I have now without her extraordinary wisdom and very, very active help.”

Patricia Labalme ‘44: “...Her calm and competent combination of career and motherhood, her delight in both. She was simply who I wanted to be.”

The Millicent Carey McIntosh Scholarship Fund will provide a scholarship for a student who exhibits leadership in the community and who has a single mother. Kathleen created the fund because “I wanted to honor my time at the School, my own working mother and Mrs. McIntosh. I believe in the value of a Brearley education, and I wholeheartedly support the women who will shape Brearley’s future.”

Thanks to Kathleen, Mrs. McIntosh will continue to inspire generations of Brearley students.

“ I have long believed that the headship of the Brearley is the most interesting in the world.”

—Millicent McIntosh, Winter 1947 Bulletin

BIRTHS

1991 To HALLA TIMON and Noah Baylin, a son, Forrest Timon Baylin1

1993 To JESSICA FREIREICH and Geoff Mattson, twins, Eva Rose and Robert Michael

1994 To SOPHIA FOX-LONG KRYDER and Daniel Kryder, a son, Owen Kryder

To JENNIFER KOENIG and Simon Greed, a son, Hunter

1995 To LEIGH STEARNS and Chris Dellasega, a son, Finn Asher Dellasega2

To MOLLY COOPER, a son, Thomas

1997 To TALIA YOUNG, a son, Max Robin Wise Young3

To TERESA CHRISTIANSEN and Anthony Stassi, a son, Enzo Angelino Stassi4

To ELIZABETH CAHILL and Reza Hamid, a son, Henry Reza Hamid5

To EVA CHEN BANNISTER and Thomas Bannister, a son, Tao Bannister6

To LAURA MARSHALL INGLE and Phillip Ingle, a daughter, Phoebe Merwin Ingle7

To SARAH CHARLES GILBERT TILSTON and Shane L’Estrange Tilston, a daugher, Ren Victoria E Tilston8

1999 To COUNTNEY ANDRIALIS VINCENT and Stephen Vincent, a son, Wyatt

2001 To JENNIFER SOLOMON and Joshua Alexander, a son, Max Alexander Solomon

2002 To JULIA RAYBOULD and George Robinson, a daughter, Riley Fleur Raybould9

2009 To LISA MILLER SMITH and Tyler Smith, a son, Wallace Jess Smith10

WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOUR MILESTONES! IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE YOUR PHOTOS, PLEASE BE SURE THEY ARE HIGH RESOLUTION. IF SENDING FROM AN IPHONE, CHOOSE “ACTUAL SIZE” WHEN PROMPTED.

Share your story

MARRIAGES

1999 ELIZABETH VADASDI to James Price Simmons1

2000 CHRISTINE SUK to David Cox2

IN MEMORIAM

1939 Ruth Sulzberger Holmberg

1940 Nancy Ward Berry

1941 Kathleen Culman Ridder

1942 Kate Belcher Webster

1944 MayField Manny Drorbaugh

1946 Dorrence Hill Hamilton

1949 Sterry Twitchell Kipp

1951 Carel Corcoran

1952 Katherine Jarvis Blair

1952 Cornelia Humphreys Rea

1953 Romia Bull Kimball

1958 Mia Mather

1968 Susan Sleeper Thurston

In Memoriam

J.

Kellum Smith

July 18, 1927–April 07, 2017

Brearley Trustee (1964–1980), Board President (1973–1978) and Honorary Trustee; Parent of Alison Smith ’73 and Jennifer Hayden ’79, Grandparent of Helena Anrather ’05 and Julia Anrather ’09, and Brother of Anne Dexter Smith ’49.

Meet Samuel Brearley Society Member EILEEN EPPERSON ‘67

1967

2017

“I was glad to include Brearley in my estate plans. I received an amazing education which has supported me throughout my life. Brearley was a challenging and complex experience, and I didn’t realize at the time how genuinely grateful I would be years later. At Brearley, I was equipped with the training to think for myself and to write well. I am thankful for all those red marks on my papers! The School has continued to grow in my estimation, as I have visited over the past five decades.

I recently celebrated my 50th Reunion, assured in my decision to create a legacy for Brearley. My estate plans reflect my personal priorities, and Brearley’s program teaches today’s girls to be thoughtful, confident and courageous. It is a remarkable training program for young women, and I want to play my part in making sure it continues to thrive.”

Brearley thanks Eileen, and the generous group of alumnae like her, who have created a legacy for Brearley in their wills, trusts or retirement plans.

For sample estate language and further information, please contact Phoebe Geer, Assistant Director of Development, at (212) 570-8609 or pgeer@brearley.org.