Pingry Review, Fall 2015 by The Pingry School

“A WHOLE NEW SCHOOL” IN SHORT HILLS

CLASS OF 2015 COMMENCEMENT

MODERNIZED SCIENCE RESEARCH LABS

LETTER-IN-LIFE AWARD

ATHLETICS CENTER GROUNDBREAKING

REUNION

FALL 2015

CELEBRATE MILLER! DAN FEITEL ’05 ON JEOPARDY! MORNING CHAPEL IN THE PARKER ROAD GYM

FALL 2015

IMPACT By THE NUMBERS!

Number of years that 33 current Magistri faculty have collectively served Pingry

61 100 Number of arts classes offered K-12

National ranking of Pingry’s athletics program in the MaxPrep Cup awards competition

1133

Number of National Merit finalists in the last five years

12,907

Number of hours dedicated by Middle and Upper School students to community service in one year

Percent of Pingry’s 2015 graduating class made a gift to Pingry last year

229

Percent of Pingry faculty members have earned at least a master’s degree

Number of Upper School students who are enrolled in AP classes

Your Pingry Fund gift supports every aspect of a Pingry education. Please make your gift online at blueprint.pingry.org, by phone at (908) 647-7058, or by mail with the provided reply envelope. Please contact Holland (Sunyak) Francisco ’02, Director of The Pingry Fund, at (908) 647-7058 or hfrancisco@pingry.org for more information.

110

Number of Pingry student-athletes recruited to play sports in college in the last four years

THE PINGRY FUND

THE PINGRY REVIEW 12 Groundbreaking for the Miller A. Bugliari ’52 Athletics Center For years, many in the community have longed for a stateof-the-art facility to equal the status and success of Pingry’s teams, and to bring Big Blue Athletics to the next level. Pingry made that vision a reality by breaking ground during Homecoming.

42 New Areas of Expertise in Research Program Not only was the science research lab expanded and modernized this summer, but Pingry also has new science teachers with backgrounds in neuroscience and biophysics. Other improvements to the research program will allow more students to become involved.

46 Balladeers Sing in Full Voice Under Jay Winston’s Direction Mr. Winston knows that the public expects a chorus to sound unified, but he also believes in a healthy approach for young singers. Find out how this tenor works with his vocalists to reach their full potential and give them extra confidence.

67 Duane St. John ’50 Receives Letter-in-Life Award

What is Pingry’s philosophy regarding financial aid? Why is financial aid a Campaign goal? How does the financial aid program impact the admission process and benefit students in the classroom? Eight voices in the Pingry community answer these and other questions to provide an inside look at this invaluable resource.

72 Dan Feitel ’05 on Jeopardy!

Lifting the Veil on Financial Aid

The Pingry Alumni Association’s most prestigious award is bestowed upon a graduate who has brought honor to the School. Mr. St. John earned a Purple Heart in the U.S. Marine Corps, was a successful business leader, and embodies the ideals of the Honor Code.

Mr. Feitel loves trivia and competition, and he considers Jeopardy! to be the ultimate stage in the field. What were some of the categories? Why does he think he was successful? What is his advice for other Pingrians who want to be on the show?

78 Morning Chapel in the Parker Road Gym Taking us back to the late 1940s, Dr. Joseph Hanaway ’51 brings to life several events in the Parker Road Gym: Morning Chapel, formal dances, theater, and a challenge for the Honor System. As he points out, students learned valuable life lessons.

On the cover: Financial Aid is a major tool to increase the number of students who can enter the Pingry halls and access a Pingry education. Departments

From the Headmaster . . . . 3 Philanthropy . . . . . . . . 10 Scene Around Campus . . 18 Ask the Archivist . . . . . . 81 Class Notes . . . . . . . . . 82 In Memoriam . . . . . . . . 92 Closing Word . . . . . . . . 96

School News

Commencement . . . . . . 22 New Trustees . . . . . . . . 28 Faculty and Staff . . . . . . 30 Magistri . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Summer Fellowships . . . 38 Convocation . . . . . . . . 41

Athletics

Big Blue Roundup . . . . . 47 Scholar-Athletes . . . . . . 50 College-Bound Athletes . 51 Letter-of-Intent Signings . 52 College Student-Athletes . 53

Alumni News

Reunion . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Celebrate Miller! . . . . . . 59 Athletics Hall of Fame . . . 64 Achievement in the Arts . 66 Homecoming . . . . . . . . 68 Pingry in Print . . . . . . . . 73 Where are They Now? . . . 73 Alumni Events . . . . . . . 74

FALL 2015

Opening Shot The entrance to the Basking Ridge Campus on a sunny fall afternoon.

Editor Greg Waxberg ’96 Communications Writer

Editorial Staff Kate Whitman Annis Associate Director of Institutional Advancement Allison C. Brunhouse ’00 Director of Admission and Enrollment Andrea Dawson Senior Writer David M. Fahey ’99 Director of Alumni Relations and Senior Major Gifts Officer for Athletics Melanie P. Hoffmann P ’20, ’27 Director of Institutional Advancement Dale V. Seabury Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing

Design and Layout Ruby Window Creative Group, Inc. www.rubywindow.com

Photography Peter Chollick Cherilyn Reynolds Michael Gunselman

Bruce Morrison ’64 Debbie Weisman

Administration, 2015-2016 Nathaniel E. Conard P ’09, ’11 Headmaster Theodore M. Corvino P ’94, ’97, ’02 Assistant Headmaster-Short Hills, Lower School Director Jonathan D. Leef P ’15, ’18 Assistant Headmaster-Basking Ridge Denise M. Brown-Allen P ’13 Upper School Director Philip Cox Middle School Director Olaf J. Weckesser P ’25 Chief Financial Officer and Director of Operations John W. Pratt Chief Operating Officer Allison C. Brunhouse ’00 Director of Admission and Enrollment Lydia B. Geacintov P ’84, ’88 Director of Studies Melanie P. Hoffmann P ’20, ’27 Director of Institutional Advancement Carter Marsh Abbott Director of Athletics Brian C. Burkhart Director of Educational and Information Technology Timothy P. Lear ’92 Director of College Counseling

The Honor Code

Pingry believes that students should understand and live by standards of honorable behavior, which are essentially a matter of attitude and spirit rather than a system of rules and regulations. Decent, self-respecting behavior must be based on personal integrity and genuine concern for others and on the ethical principles which are the basis of civilized society. The members of the Pingry community should conduct themselves in a trustworthy manner that will further the best interests of the school, their class, and any teams or clubs to which they belong. They should act as responsible members of the community, working for the common good rather than solely for personal advantage. They should honor the rights of others, conducting themselves at all times in a moral and decent manner while at Pingry and throughout their lives as citizens of and contributors to the larger community of the world.

The Pingry Review is the official magazine of The Pingry School, with the primary purpose of disseminating news and information about the School, alumni, students, faculty, and staff. Contact the editor with comments and story ideas: The Pingry School 131 Martinsville Road Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 gwaxberg@pingry.org 908-647-5555, ext. 1296 2

THE PINGRY REVIEW

A LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER

Dear Members of the Pingry Community Excitement, anticipation, and perhaps a bit of apprehension predictably accompany the start of a new school year. Particularly in light of tumultuous world events, the beginning of the school calendar is also a time to reflect on our collective good fortune—students and alumni, for having (or having had) an educational opportunity unthinkable to many of their global, much less local, peers; faculty, for a teaching environment supportive of their creativity and development and for students who are extraordinarily engaged and eager; parents, for knowing that their children are learning and growing at the highest level possible, in all ways imaginable, within the walls of a safe and secure institution; and we, the administrators, who are in the lucky position of stewarding and developing such a singular academic setting. It is against this backdrop that we focus a lens on financial aid at Pingry. Consider that, in 1958, when it was common for the children of clergy and local business owners to attend Pingry, the average annual teacher’s salary was eight times Pingry’s Upper School tuition.1 Today, that salary is a mere 1.3 times the cost of tuition. What measures is the School taking to help moderate tuition growth? What impact has this change in studentbody composition had on Pingry? And what role should financial aid play in it all? These are important, complex questions, with equally thorny answers. The Pingry Review last examined the topic of financial aid in 2010, when we were still very much feeling the repercussions of the 2008 economic downturn and coming to terms with some rather grim realities of the global economy. Fast-forward five years and not much has changed. The world economy remains turbulent. Financing an independent school education continues to challenge families across the country. Despite the challenges, I’m pleased to report that, at least at Pingry, in the last five years—and indeed, well before then—effective, successful measures have been taken to moderate the rate of tuition increase. In 2010, I reported that the trailing five-year compound growth rate in Form VI tuition at Pingry, which peaked in 1984-85 at an astonishing 14.4%, was at 5.1%, the lowest it had been in 50 years. Today, that figure has dropped a full percentage point, to 4.1%. Controlling costs, growing other revenue sources, implementing energy savings in our facilities (did you know that, with the construction of the Middle School, 29,000 square feet of space was added, and yet we yielded a 30% net energy savings on the Basking Ridge Campus?), and other efficiencies have all contributed to this decline, but the affordability of a Pingry education—and access to it—is a conversation that remains very much front and center in both our Strategic Plan and our Blueprint for the Future Campaign goals. Our 2007 Strategic Plan stated the goal simply, “. . . to develop a well-rounded student body, rich in potential and character, diverse in perspectives, backgrounds, aspirations, and talents. . . . To raise sufficient financial aid endowment funds to enable the best students who are admitted to enroll at Pingry.” In this, the final “countdown” year of the Campaign, during which we seek to add $20 million to our financial aid endowment, the conversation is more important and pressing than ever. And so, in this issue of the Review, among other topics reported on, we will tease out some of these complexities and shed light on the financial aid program—and the remarkable student body it makes possible—through the voices of eight School constituents who sit at the center of it. For all the behind-the-scenes budget balancing and financial strategizing that must inevitably occur, one need only stroll the hallways of Pingry to be reminded of the larger importance, the greater goal. To be sure, we are all quite fortunate to be part of the Pingry community. In the words of the late former Board Chairman Warren S. Kimber, Jr. ’52, in his opening to the 1987 Strategic Plan, “Our biggest and simplest conclusion overall . . . is that education is a magnificent enterprise. Pingry is in the right field.” Sincerely,

Nathaniel E. Conard P ’09, ’11 U.S. Department of Commerce and Bureau of the Census (January 15, 1960). Income of Families and Persons in the United States: 1958. Current Population Reports, Consumer Income. Series P-60, No. 33. 1

FALL 2015

Endeavoring to explain a school’s approach to financial aid in a handful of comprehensible— and hopefully, compelling— pages is a tall order. Rather than focus on a single aspect of aid at Pingry, or delve into the nuts and bolts of the application process, much of which is readily available on the School’s website, we decided instead to zoom out, illuminate the bigger picture, and address some of the most common uncertainties. Why does Pingry tuition 4

THE PINGRY REVIEW

cost what it does? What steps is the School taking to moderate its rate of increase? Who benefits from financial aid? And what does the School hope to accomplish by offering it? Eight of Pingry’s institutional voices, including a financial aid donor and an alumnus recipient, weigh in on these questions and more, giving legitimate voice to—and demystifying —the significant impact of the financial aid program at Pingry.

Nathaniel E. Conard P ’09, ‘11 Headmaster

To a parent who asks why a Pingry education costs what it does, how would you respond?

As both headmaster and teacher, you have a unique perspective on financial aid and what diversity brings to a classroom. What would you characterize as the School’s greatest challenges vis-à-vis financial aid?

I see two major challenges: affordability and accessibility. As The majority of Pingry’s budget goes to faculty and staff salatuition rises, achieving affordability is a continually moving ries. Operating an independent school is a people business. target. Despite our success moderating the rate of growth Skilled, devoted people working together, and with students, over the past five years or so, tuition increases are inevitable. create the experience that is Pingry. It’s a competitive labor Our goal is to keep those increases consistent with the rate market, and we need to be able to attract the best teachers of income growth. For every dollar that tuition goes up, a and staff possible. Another factor in tuition is the sheer family’s financial aid package increases a dollar. So, we need breadth of programming that we offer. If you compare the to increase the value of our endowment restricted to financost of a Pingry education to a public school education on cial aid (currently 47%) in order to continue supporting cura per-pupil basis, our school-size is half, yet the breadth of rent families, as well as help new families. programming is far greater. Students can conduct research The challenge of accessibility is about making a Pingry eduexperiments in a university-caliber lab, choose from among cation available to the best and broadest range of students five different world languages, or take vocal classes from a professionally-trained operatic tenor. This breadth of offering extends beyond just the classroom into more than 80 sports teams, over 50 student clubs, six annual theater productions, studio art and dance opportunities, and many other activities. Every single one of these programs requires Nathaniel E. Conard P ’09, ‘11, Headmaster people to run it, facilities, and resources.

‘‘

“The challenge of accessibility is about making a

Pingry education available to the best and broadest range of students possible, irrespective of cost.”

Lastly, it’s important to remember that tuition doesn’t cover the total cost of a student’s education here. We need our annual fund, our endowment draw, and our auxiliary programs to make up the difference. [Last April, a “Tuition Runs Out” day was observed to illustrate this point, and gave students an opportunity to thank the School’s many donors.] So, in a sense, every Pingry student receives financial aid.

What is your philosophy regarding financial aid? In an ideal world, Pingry’s admission process would be needblind. We would make our admission decisions without any knowledge of a family’s means to pay, and, if a student were deemed admissible, we would make it possible for them to come here. With a student body crafted in this way, we could create the most extraordinary experience for everyone. But this is not the reality of our financial capacity. So, my philosophy is two-fold: First, we want to ensure that we have the best student body that we can have. This doesn’t mean a class of students selected merely because they have the highest test scores, however. It means a student body that reflects the most dynamic mixture of talents and backgrounds and interests—individuals who, when they come together, create the best possible community. The second component of my philosophy is to consider the impact of socioeconomic diversity on the experience of everyone in the community. Students learn from one another. Their experiences are different, so their perspectives are different. Sharing these varied perspectives leads to a better educational outcome for everyone.

possible, irrespective of cost. While not as Sisyphean as affordability, it is still a challenge. In 1958, it was common for the children of clergy and local business owners to attend Pingry. At the time, the average annual teacher’s salary was eight times 1 Pingry’s Upper School tuition . Today, that salary is a mere 1.3 times the cost of that tuition. The demographic of the School has changed considerably in the last 50 years, and that is something we can work to balance through financial aid.

How do you plan to keep Pingry affordable in the years to come? We are very proud of the efficiency of the School’s operations. For example, since 2004, our facilities’ costs per square foot have increased at 1.6% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) versus industry averages of 6% to 8%. If our expenses had grown at industry averages, our cost per student would be $1,600 (4.5% of average tuition) per year higher than it is today. We have also had success over the last decade moderating the School’s tuition growth rate by exploring other revenue opportunities, like auxiliary programs. We are keenly aware of our responsibility to steward our resources well for the next 150 years, and we consider our auxiliary programming to be a significant, alternative income source, which broadens our overall revenue base. Going forward, we will continue to identify and pursue creative opportunities to moderate tuition growth as much as possible. U.S. Department of Commerce and Bureau of the Census (January 15, 1960). Income of Families and Persons in the United States: 1958. Current Population Reports, Consumer Income. Series P-60, No. 33. 1

FALL 2015

Allison Brunhouse ’00

Director of Admission and Enrollment

Samantha Schifano

Assistant Director of Admission and Director of Financial Aid How does financial aid intersect with the Admission process? Does it help or hinder it? Allie: Pingry offers financial aid to families with a demonstrated need—the difference between what a family can afford to pay, which is determined by the formula applied by Tuition Aid Data Services (TADS), the third-party application provider used by independent schools, and the total cost of attending. It’s our hope and goal that financial aid makes the admission process more accessible for families who wouldn’t otherwise consider a Pingry education feasible. It also allows us to admit the most qualified, most diverse student body, regardless of their socioeconomic status. This specific range of diversity is something that many public schools offer that we can’t to the same degree, so financial aid is a tool for us in Admission. Samantha: But we don’t achieve socioeconomic diversity only through financial aid; we really value it, uniquely, as an asset to the School. Every year, our top selections of candidates are made before we know anything about their financial status. Some years, we are fortunate and are able to admit all of those candidates we would ideally like to; other years, we have to make some tough decisions, given the constraints of the financial aid budget.

“Pingry would not be the same without the contributions of students who receive financial aid.”

‘‘

Allison Brunhouse ’00

What is Pingry’s policy regarding aid to current versus new families? Allie: Because we have limited funds, we have to set priorities. It makes institutional sense that we support our current families before we extend aid dollars to new families. When we offer financial aid to a student, it’s for their entire career at Pingry, assuming circumstances remain the same. If that family demonstrates a change in circumstance, such as a job loss or a death, we do our best to support them and adjust their aid as necessary. Any family who perceives a need for aid can apply. 6

THE PINGRY REVIEW

Where does the financial aid budget come from? What percentage of Pingry students are on financial aid? Samantha: Financial aid funds are a percentage of Pingry’s total revenue, a portion coming from the School’s endowment and a portion coming from the School’s general operating budget. This school year, $4.7 million [up from just under $1 million in 2000-2001] was awarded in full and partial aid, helping 163 students in Kindergarten through Grade 12, or 15% of the total student body [a figure that has remained consistent over the past several years].

What is your biggest Admission challenge when it comes to awarding financial aid? Allie: At the same time that we want families to be aware of Pingry’s financial aid opportunities, we have to be cautious of over-promotion because our budget, while extraordinarily generous, is still limited. A need-blind admission process is not feasible for us right now. We’re fortunate to have a steady stream of very bright, qualified candidates applying, but, at the end of the day, the financial aid budget limits our ability to craft what we would view as the “perfect class”—a class filled with students of assorted talents and interests, leaders, followers, athletes, poets, musicians, computer programmers, and thespians. Deciding which students to admit is an art, not a science—we have to ask, “What is the fabric of the class that we’re adding to?” By far, the hardest part of our job is notifying the students who were admissible, but for whom we didn’t have the financial aid funds to support.

What are some common, behind-the-scenes, financial aid-related conversations that you have with families interested in attending Pingry? Allie: We talk to all prospective families about financial aid, not just those who know they need it. And we treat every family individually because circumstances can be very different, even within similar income ranges. Families can learn more about the aid process by participating in a confidential webinar and deciding if they want to complete the financial aid application process. Samantha: It may come as a surprise to learn that 24% of financial aid recipients this year come from families earning over $180,000. Twenty-one percent come from those earning under $70,000. The remaining 55% are somewhere in between. A large segment of our families, those receiving financial aid and even those who don’t, reprioritizes their lifestyle and spending habits to make a Pingry education work. Allie: The School, through the financial aid formula, expects that families will demonstrate a commitment to prioritizing education over other forms of discretionary spending. But these are difficult conversations to have with families. Anecdotally, I’ve noticed that, since the financial crisis in 2008, which the Board’s Financial Aid Task Force had the foresight to plan for, when it comes to talking about money, families are, in general, less self-conscious. Confidentiality is still a priority, certainly, but I’ve found that people are much more willing to have these conversations. For more information on Pingry’s financial aid and its policies, please visit their website at pingry.org/financialaid.

Melanie Hoffmann P ’20, ’27

Director of Institutional Advancement Why has financial aid been identified as a Blueprint for the Future Campaign goal? Increasing our financial aid budget was identified by the Board of Trustees as a top priority, based on the School’s 2007 Strategic Plan, and as a way to help increase socioeconomic diversity at the School. We see great value in all forms of diversity. In 2015, 47% of Pingry’s total endowment of $87.2 million was restricted to financial aid, and growing that figure continues to be a top priority.

With financial aid a pillar of the Campaign, why is $20 million the goal? What will this number do for the annual financial aid budget? Of the total Campaign goal of $65 million, and of all the other Campaign priorities, we knew we wanted the financial aid “bucket” to be one of the biggest. The Board started with $15 million, but, after looking into what that meant in terms of benefit to prospective and current students and how it would balance against other Campaign objectives, they decided to raise it to $20 million. Students, they made clear, are our number one priority. The $20 million we hope to raise for financial aid during this Campaign goes into the endowment, and the annual investment income—at a 3% “draw” rate—helps to support current and incoming families. That $20 million will generate an annual income of about $600,000, funding approximately 25 or more students on full and partial aid. While $600,000 may not sound like much, endowment donations are a gift that will retain their purchasing power forever, continuing to fund students’ education. It’s not insignificant. We’d like to be able to offer a Pingry education to a broader spectrum of kids. That’s my hope. And that’s really the transformative piece to this Campaign and to this financial aid budget. This spring, the Campaign will kick off a “financial aid challenge,” and we’d like to inspire the entire Pingry community to give toward it.

Can you share some key points from conversations with donors (what their concerns are; what students they would like to see benefit from their gifts)? Messages from donors vary. I work with donors who want to restrict their gift to help kids in economically disadvantaged areas or situations. Other donors feel we shouldn’t overlook middle- and upper-income families who live comfortably by certain standards but don’t earn enough to send their kids here. This addresses the “What about the middle class?” question that is often posed nowadays. Alumni donors tend to be very nostalgic. Specifically, alumni from Classes in the ’50s and ’60s recall how students came from varying backgrounds and really enriched the community, and how their experience at Pingry would not have been the same without that diversity. When alumni give, they are often trying to recreate this diversity of experience and perspective. On the other hand, many donors simply want to give back. I am reminded of an alumnus I worked with who came from modest means and was given the opportunity to attend Pingry. Because he is now able to pay full tuition for his children to attend, it was very important to him to fund a financial aid award to help someone else, to give back. There is always a story behind a gift. Giving is very personal and impossible to generalize.

‘‘

“The amount of financial aid we’re able to confer is a balancing act. While we are not currently able to be need-blind in our admission process, we value financial aid as an institutional priority. Unlike some other schools, we make a conscious decision to draw aid dollars from our operating budget, in addition to our endowment, in order to create what we feel is an enhanced learning environment for everyone.” Olaf Weckesser P ’25, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Operations

FALL 2015

Peter Delman P ’97, ’98 Fine Arts Teacher

John Crowley-Delman ’97 History Teacher

Father and son are both faculty members. Peter is in his 40th year at Pingry; John, also an alumnus and Pingry lifer, his 10th.

What changes to the student body have you noticed during your combined time here? Peter: When I first arrived at Pingry 40 years ago, it was a very buttoned-up world to me. Even though it wasn’t a foreign culture—I attended the Trinity School in Manhattan—I didn’t feel completely comfortable here. The students challenged some of my more outside-the-box ideas. Now, thanks to a more diverse student body, the kids are much more open to new ideas and embrace experimentation. John: I have definitely noticed a change, both since my time as a student and in the 10 years that I’ve been a teacher here. When I was a student, there was a dominant background among kids who attended—it was a very homogenous culture, a bubble. We were taught about the “other,” but we had no one in class to speak to it. Thanks to the hard work of Pingry administrators to make diversity a priority, there are just so many more perspectives now.

“When I was a student here . . . it was a very homogeneous culture, a bubble. We were taught about the ‘other,’ but we had no one in class to speak to it.”

‘‘

John Crowley-Delman ’97

How has diversity influenced your teaching style? John: I’ve noticed that, as the student body has become more diverse, there’s a greater comfort level among them to have rich discussions about different backgrounds and perspectives. I don’t have to bring up the counter-argument nearly as much. More and more now, the students do that themselves; they are teaching one another.

THE PINGRY REVIEW

Peter: The richness of the art-making experience, especially in how students interact with and learn from one other, is powerfully enhanced by diversity in our studio courses. My own teaching practice is influenced by an awareness of being a “contributor to the larger community of the world,” as Pingry’s Honor Code puts it. I feel much more comfortable teaching from this mindset now than I did 40 years ago.

Are there any aspects of diversity that could be improved upon? John: While racial and ethnic diversity have definitely increased, I do think socioeconomic diversity at the School still needs work. This aspect of diversity enriches a classroom just as much as ethnic diversity does, but it’s different because it’s not as visible; it’s not as easily talked about. When I teach about unions in my American History class, for example, it’s hard for the kids to have a meaningful dialogue about it when no one in the class has any knowledge of or experience with them. It’s important to tie the discussion of financial aid back to the mission of the School, and, at its heart, the Honor Code. If our goal is to create ethical citizens of the world, we need to reflect the wider world. And financial aid is a tool by which to achieve this.

John P. Bent, Jr. P ’80, ’82, ’84

Honorary Trustee and Financial Aid Donor Why do you believe in financial aid in general, not just at Pingry? Any child should be able to apply to a private school and know that, if admitted, he or she can qualify for financial aid commensurate with his or her family’s financial circumstances.

What motivated you to give recently in support of financial aid at Pingry? I feel very fortunate that our three sons were able to attend Pingry. Our family’s support of financial aid will make available the same outstanding experience to children whose families could not otherwise afford the cost of a Pingry education.

How do you envision that your gift will make an impact on the School? When I was active on Pingry’s Board, the School ranked behind its peers in terms of awarding financial aid. I am pleased that this Campaign will increase the opportunity for a diverse group of young people to have access to a superior education, creating a student body more representative of modern society.

Financial Aid Recipient Anthony, 23, entered Pingry in 2004, in Grade 7. In 2014, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a B.S. in the Biological Basis of Behavior, and he is pursuing a neurosurgery track at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

How would you characterize the impact that Pingry had on you when you began in Grade 7? Before I came to Pingry, I would sometimes be made fun of for being intellectual and enjoying my education. I never had that experience at Pingry. In fact, I was able to flourish at the School with many like-minded students who also were passionate about their education. I really did come into my own. Before Pingry, I was never truly challenged academically, and, through the School’s dedication to providing a complex college preparatory curriculum, I was able to reach my full potential as a student and attend an Ivy League university. Without Pingry, I don’t know if that would have been possible.

‘‘

Anthony Parisi ’10

“I am pleased that this Campaign will increase the opportunity for a diverse group of young people to have access to a superior education, creating a student body more representative of modern society.” John P. Bent, Jr. P ’80, ’82, ’84

What were your feelings or impressions about the socioeconomic diversity at Pingry? Pingry’s robust financial aid program gives many students, like myself, the opportunity to take advantage of all the School has to offer, even though they could never afford full tuition. The cost of tuition certainly skews the socioeconomic diversity of the School more toward the upper class. That being said, the student body definitely includes kids who are more like myself and would consider themselves middle class. My socioeconomic status never detracted from my experience at Pingry; I was never excluded from anything, and I was able to have experiences that many people in my position could only dream of. The opportunity to be a part of the Pingry community was a strong motivator for me to perform well in school. I saw the lifestyles that many of my classmates were able to live, and I wanted to be able to provide the same for my family one day.

If you had any advice for Pingry regarding its financial aid process, or its diversity in general, what would it be? Pingry offers a generous financial aid program, and the School dedicates a substantial portion of the endowment toward making it as robust as it is. It’s so important to fund worthy admission applicants in order to give kids like me a chance at such a wonderful school. I am very grateful for my Pingry experiences; they made me who I am today.

FALL 2015

BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE

THE CAMPAIGN FOR PINGRY

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON! On September 9, 2015, the first day of school, the Blueprint for the Future final countdown began. Eight months* and $8.8 million remain in order to successfully complete the Campaign by June 30, 2016. Together, the Pingry community has raised $56.2 million or 86% of our $65 million goal. Our plan provides for:

Greater Opportunity and Accessibility

$20 million for Financial Aid

An Elevated Education

$16.25 million for The Pingry Fund

A Competitive Edge

$14.4 million to improve athletics facilities

An Enhanced Learning Environment

$6.35 million to modernize the Basking Ridge Campus $3 million to modernize the Short Hills Campus

A Transformative Influence

$5 million to attract and support faculty

As we count down, Pingry is counting on you! Please join us in seizing this historic opportunity to improve The Pingry School for generations to come! To learn more about Blueprint for the Future, please visit blueprint.pingry.org/yourgiftcounts or contact Campaign Manager Judy Brown in the Office of Institutional Advancement at (908) 647-7058 or jbrown@pingry.org. *As of October 1. 10

THE PINGRY REVIEW

EVERYONE WALKS THROUGH THE SAME DOOR IN THE SAME WAY When Henry G. Stifel III ’83 attended school on the Hillside Campus, Pingry was a diverse place on many different levels. That diversity enriched the lives of all the Pingry students and teachers—and it continues today, but the challenges are much greater with the higher cost of education. With his decision to endow a scholarship fund for Financial Aid, Mr. Stifel seeks to ensure that Pingry continues to be in a position to accept people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicities as well as people with disabilities. Mr. Stifel’s dedication to Pingry, and Pingry’s to him, began many years ago and was solidified when he sustained a spinal cord injury his junior year of high school. “Pingry has always been Henry G. Stifel III ’83 with Tatiana Oliveira ’15, winner of the Stifel Award in 2014. loyal and dedicated to me,” he says. “After my injury in ’82, my family would have had a difficult time moving forward without the support, friendship, and love that came from the Pingry community.” From that time, he has always felt that Pingry is an inclusive place, and he has worked to do his part to ensure that everyone has access. “Inclusion and community are the cornerstone of the values of the School,” Mr. Stifel says. “When it came to my Campaign gift, I felt important for it to be in parallel with those values.” Mr. Stifel established The Henry G. Stifel III ’83 Award Endowment Fund in 1997. For Mr. Stifel, the value of having different perspectives at Pingry is most important. “Everyone learns from everyone else. That is true of every student and teacher at Pingry—it doesn’t have to be a disability, it’s all walks of life—everyone learns from the interests, strengths, and weaknesses of others.” The Stifel family has always believed in trying to give back to their community, and Mr. Stifel has certainly done that, not only through financial support, but also through a gift of time. He served on the Pingry Board of Trustees from 2006 to 2015. Mr. Stifel cherished his board experience, and found that his greatest learning experience centered on the real cost of running an educational institution. “It doesn’t matter what it is, private, public, or religious, the cost of education is the cost of education,” he says. “The inflation rate on health and education is much greater than the inflation of overall economy—that’s why it’s so important for Pingry to have a very strong financial aid package.” “My Campaign gift was to try to highlight the continuing need for inclusion and to try to provide a little bit more of an opportunity for everyone. Be it someone with a disability, socioeconomic challenges, or different ethnic backgrounds,” he continues, “It’s what will continue to strengthen our community.” Part of Mr. Stifel’s newest gift will provide better access to the School for those with physical disabilities. For the first time, through the removal of old physical barriers, he was able to enter the building’s front door unassisted. He states, “You want everyone to walk through the same door in the same way. Then everyone can truly feel a part of this incredible community.”

“Everyone learns from everyone else. That is true of every student and teacher at Pingry—it doesn’t have to be a disability, it’s all walks of life— everyone learns from the interests, strengths, and weaknesses of others.” - Henry G. Stifel III ’83

FALL 2015

A COMPETITIVE EDGE

BREAKING GROUND

THE MILLER A. BUGLIARI ’52 ATHLETICS CENTER GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY A record number of students, parents, alumni, and friends came home to Pingry on September 19. Homecoming Weekend on the Basking Ridge Campus had an extra air of excitement as ground was broken on the Miller A. Bugliari ’52 Athletics Center. For years, the possibility—indeed, the dream—of this new Athletics Center has been the subject of much conversation and deliberation. From coaches, students, and parents to alumni, trustees, and administrators, many in the community have longed for a state-ofthe-art facility to equal the status and success of Pingry’s teams, and to bring Big Blue Athletics to the next level. The collective dream became a vision; the vision is now a reality.

Melissa Rotatori and Douglas Rotatori (Parents ’10, ’13, ’16).

Peter Wolfson and Marsha Wolfson (Parents ’15, ’18). 12

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Headmaster Nat Conard P ’09, ’11 said, “Today, we are making history. With the construction of the Miller A. Bugliari ’52 Athletics Center, we will have the rare privilege to witness a transformative step in the evolution of our School—both in the physical and philosophical sense. The new building will have 44,000 square feet of space and state-of-the-art equipment that will enable our students to compete at the highest level.” The Athletics Center will bear the name of a teacher, coach, and mentor who lives, breathes, and teaches the Pingry philosophy of “promoting excellence at all levels of school life” and who exemplifies

A rendering of the 44,000-square-foot Miller A. Bugliari ‘52 Athletics Center.

The Groundbreaking Carter Abbott Director of Athletics Miller A. Bugliari ’52, P ’86, ’90, ’97, GP ’20 Special Assistant to the Headmaster Elizabeth Bugliari P ’86, ’90, ’97, GP ’20 Holly Butrico ’16 Student Body President Nathaniel E. Conard P ’09, ’11 Headmaster The Squash Team celebrates the groundbreaking of the Athletics Center and looks forward to home court advantage. Front row: Chris Zachary ’19 and Will Rothpletz ’19. Second row: Zayna Nassoura ’16, Namita Davey ’18, Julia Masch ’17, Haley Park ’16 (Co-Captain), Lindsay Stanley ’16 (Co-Captain), Libby Lee ’16, Rachel Chen ’18, Ami Gianchandani ’18, and Alisa Chokshi ’19. Back row: Head Coach Ramsay Vehslage, Mitchell Pavlak ’18, Kiran Chokshi ’16, Dan Hutt ’17, Brendan Raimann ’17, Sam Scherl ’17, Mark Shtrakhman ’16 (Co-Captain), Yash Jaggi ’16 (Co-Captain), Owen Wolfson ’18, Ish McLaughlin IV ’18, and Krish Bhavnani ’18.

that the “Pingry experience is based on mutual respect and personal integrity. If anyone has shown that the greatest respect is due students, it is Miller Bugliari.” Thanks to the generous support of many Blueprint for the Future Campaign donors, the School has raised 80% of the total $11.5 million needed to break ground on the 44,000-square-foot Athletics Center. Pingry quietly started fundraising in 2010, and, by the time the $65 million Campaign launched in October 2014, the School had also announced a goal of $10 million for the Athletics Center. As of today, Pingry has raised just over $9 million for the building—a tremendous thank you to the generous donors for making this possible! Earlier this year, upon reaching $8 million (the 80% target needed to break ground), Pingry bid the project and quickly discovered that, due to an improving economy and, thus, rising construction costs, the true cost of this building is now $11.5 million. The Board of Trustees examined these numbers closely and determined that this is the right number to build the building they envisioned and need for the Pingry athletics program. Today, Pingry is more than 80% of the way to this new number, and the School is confident that, with past support—and with new Carl Ruggiero, Sandra Ruggiero (Parents ’06, ’15), support—goals will be reached by the Carl Ruggiero ’06, Eddie Wen, and Winnie Wen close of the Campaign in June 2016. (Parents ’20, ’23). For more information, contact David M. Fahey ’99 in the Office of Institutional Advancement at (908) 647-7058 or dfahey@pingry.org.

A photo taken the day of the ceremony, looking down at the field where the Athletics Center will be located. For the event, the Athletics Center’s walls were outlined in blue, and signs were stationed in the ground to indicate named areas of the building.

Jeffrey N. Edwards ’78, P ’12, ’14, ’18 Chair, Board of Trustees David E. Greig ’98 Callahan Greig Melanie P. Hoffmann P ’20, ’27 Director of Institutional Advancement Kathleen M. Hugin P ’11, ’13 Trustee and Campaign Co-Chair Stuart M. Lederman ’78 Trustee and Chair, Buildings & Grounds Committee Steven M. Lipper ’79, P ’09, ’12, ’14 Chair, Friends of Miller Committee Stephan F. Newhouse ’65, P ’95, ’97, ’99 Trustee and Campaign Co-Chair Michael Virzi P ’18 Former Director of Facilities

Olaf Weckesser P ’25 Chief Financial Officer and Director of Operations

Jody Birotte and Patrick Birotte ’87 (Parents ’20) with their children Patrick D. Birotte ’20 and Chloé Birotte.

Tom Trynin ’79, Jon Younghans ’79, and Steve Lipper ’79. FALL 2015

AN ENHANCED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT PHASE 2

MODERNIZED LOWER SCHOOL This year, the first day of school on our Short Hills Campus was anything but ordinary. Lower School students, parents, faculty, and staff returned to a spectacular new building! Following months of construction and shuttling among “borrowed” classrooms, September 9 was a momentous day for faculty and students alike, who could be heard referring to their revamped campus as a “whole new school.” Thanks to the support of 70 donors contributing a total of $1.5 million toward the $3 million Campaign goal, from the start of the Campaign through September 1, 2015, the Lower School has been modernized to create an innovative, bright, open, and flexible learning environment for our students. To complete the modernization, Pingry still needs your generous support. Please contact Melanie Hoffmann P ’20, ’27 in the Office of Institutional Advancement at (908) 647-7058 or mhoffmann@pingry.org.

The modernized art room has new shelves to display works-in-progress, tackable surfaces, stainless steel countertops, and a polished concrete floor.

Lower School students now enjoy classrooms equipped with state-ofthe-art technology, large windows conducive to visible learning, flexible furniture to accommodate teamwork and cross-disciplinary projects, and common spaces that combine with classrooms to form dynamic learning neighborhoods. Even the drama room features such thoughtful improvements as a padded floor and a high ceiling to support singing. Lower School Director Ted Corvino P ’94, ’97, ’02 said, “I’ve experienced 41 ‘first days’ of school at Short Hills, and our new building really sets this day apart from all the others. It’s not just a renovation, it’s really a reinvention of the building. And it’s not simply cosmetic. The renovations support the curriculum design and pedagogy that we have so carefully developed. I am so grateful to everyone who had a hand in the planning, design, and construction, and to our donors who have made—and still can make— such a difference for our students and teachers.”

The new turf field is lined generically, with a half field and two end zones, so students can create a game. The new playground in the distance offers new opportunities for imagination (with a gravity cube, for example) and group play.

This common space combines collaboration spaces and classrooms to form a dynamic learning neighborhood. 14

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This hallway outside the fifth-grade classrooms features cubbies in place of lockers. Throughout the building, lockers or cubbies are inside or outside classrooms, based on teachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; preferences for that age group.

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The modernized Dining Room has an acoustic ceiling, a professional AV system, and poles with tackable surfaces.

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In addition to welcoming visitors in a spacious, comfortable environment, the new Commons announces that guests have arrived at Pingry. The space also has a skylight and is visible from the Main Office and Dining Room. FALL 2015

AN ENHANCED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

UPPER SCHOOL

Upper School students returned to the Basking Ridge Campus this fall to find some amazing new updates for the first day of school as well! The Campaign has enabled Pingry to improve access to technology, provide the most current equipment to facilitate learning in classrooms, and create additional collaboration spaces for students and faculty.

Among the many changes this summer, two staircases were moved and widened, additional collaboration spaces were created, and Upper School science began its transformation. The Research Lab is established for Pingry’s many science students, affording them the chance to become real researchJournal Club members meeting with science teacher Luke De in a new ers before they finish high school. New science labs and a rencollaboration room. Anyone can write on the new windows. ovated faculty office were made possible by several generous grants from alumni, parents, and The Hyde and Watson Foundation—Pingry is extremely grateful to all for continuing the tradition of philanthropy at Pingry. Of the $6.35 million Campaign goal to modernize the Basking Ridge Campus, Pingry still has $4.35 million to raise. To help support, please contact Melanie Hoffmann P ’20, ’27 in the Office of Institutional Advancement at (908) 647-7058 or mhoffmann@pingry.org. Over the past six years, Pingry has had 10 Semifinalists and one regional finalist in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology—the only school in New Jersey to have semifinalists in the past six consecutive years. Last year, we had two Intel semifinalists: Peter Shim ’15 created a theoretical complex proof of chromatic numbers, and Abhiram Karuppur ’15 studied the pathways of prostate cancer cells. However, it is not just the numbers of semifinalists and finalists in prestigious competitions that make Pingry great. It is the quality of what they are learning and doing with their knowledge that is most impressive. Science Department Chair David Maxwell recently told new parents, “Pingry is different from other schools I’ve experienced because of our commitment to science as a process. Where other schools may achieve good scores on standardized tests by studying science as a mass of facts, we teach science as a process by which one can learn new things that nobody else knows. And the students respond to that with enthusiasm. They do a wide range of research projects on such topics as addiction, cancer, and biofuels.”

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Stairwells are wider and were moved to make room for collaboration spaces, which include glass boards that act as writing surfaces and create visibility across open spaces—students can see and be seen. Acoustics are addressed through tile ceilings with LED lights (gaps between tiles create spaces for sound to escape and be trapped) and through colorful sound soak wall tiles (to improve acoustics). On the upper level, carpet is adjacent to black rubber tile that absorbs footsteps and requires less maintenance. On the lower level, carpet is adjacent to cost-effective polished concrete that is easier to maintain and does not require waxing. 16

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The expanded research lab. The entire room is visible from nearly every vantage point. All of the lab stations are movable, there is extra space for the classroom, elements of the lab can move into the classroom, and desks can move into the lab. All of the pieces fit where needed.

A modernized biology classroom includes movable tables with chemical-resistant surfaces, retractable power cords that connect to the tables, a refrigerator for chemical storage, updated cabinets, and three white boards that can be raised and lowered (a glass window is behind them).

A unique aspect of this modernized biology lab is â&#x20AC;&#x153;living blinds.â&#x20AC;? The plants are used in biology experiments, but, more importantly, are part of a closed system. Algae and plant debris from the plants are pumped into a reservoir containing fish. The fish consume the plant products, and their waste is pumped into the ceiling to feed the plants.

Common spaces with cubbies allow for more collaboration among students. FALL 2015

Scene Around Campus

The Gilbert Harry Carver ’79 Memorial Lecture Judy Shepard, mother of Matthew Shepard, the victim of an anti-gay hate murder in Laramie, Wyoming in 1998, returned to Pingry on April 14 to deliver The Gilbert Harry Carver ’79 Memorial Lecture for the second time (she was the inaugural speaker six years ago). Mrs. Shepard emphasized how we need to respect and care for each other as fellow human beings; be conscious of what you say and how you say it; learn outside your comfort zone by engaging in public service; and accept that you are who you are—and you love whom you love. For information about the Matthew Shepard Foundation, visit www.matthewshepard.org. The Gilbert Harry Carver ’79 Memorial Fund was established in memory of Gilbert Carver ’79 by his father Calvin and stepmother June Carver, his sister Marcey Carver, his brother Chip Carver, Jr. ’77, and Chip’s wife Anne DeLaney ’79. This fund supports open dialogue on self-esteem and acceptance and, thanks to its supporters, will continue in perpetuity.

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Financial Literacy Lecture Rana Foroohar, TIME’s Assistant Managing Editor and CNN’s Global Economic Analyst, spoke about the global nature of the economy in the Financial Literacy Lecture on May 7. First discussing the 2008 economic crisis and our country’s weak, lengthy recovery, she noted the current disparity in U.S. jobs (plenty at the “top” and “bottom,” such as CEOs and fast-food restaurant workers, but not many in the “middle”). Ms. Foroohar pointed out that this inequality causes social problems that affect the American economy, which drives the world economy, which, in turn, is growing at a slower rate. Technological innovation is a popular method to reverse this trend, but, even with the U.S.’s technology boom, that growth is not reflected in productivity numbers because new companies (such as Twitter and Facebook) do not have many employees. Technological changes can also cause social unrest as people lose their jobs to machines, but citizens’ acceptance of and adjustment to digitalization may simply take time, as happened in the Industrial Revolution. The Financial Literacy Lecture, part of Pingry’s financial literacy initiative, is made possible thanks to the contributions of several generous donors who believe in educating Pingry’s students to become financially responsible members of society, with a working knowledge of the global financial system and comfort and dexterity in managing their personal finances.

Legacy Quilt On May 29, the Class of 2019 unveiled its 90-square legacy quilt—one square for each member of the Class. They were the fifth eighth-grade class to create a quilt as their legacy to the Middle School. The theme—What Do We Stand For?—arose from their field trip at the start of the school year to the war memorials in Washington, D.C. Students were asked to create squares that express the values or traits they stand for. Middle School science teacher and Grade 8 advisor Dr. Patricia Lowery sewed together the entire quilt!

A Taste of Pingry Thanks to the collaboration of The Pingry School Parent Diversity Committee and the Pingry School Parents’ Association (PSPA), over 400 people sampled over 80 international dishes during the inaugural multicultural event “A Taste of Pingry” on May 17. Videographer Peter Hiscano ’75 remarked, “When I entered the tent, it was as if I were walking into a United Nations celebration. The wonderful diversity I witnessed that day would have been unrecognizable in my time.” Along with the cuisine, attendees enjoyed crafts, games, K-Pop dancing, and Chinese songs, and learned Chinese calligraphy. Pictured right, Aashiya Jaggi ’19 performing a Bollywood dance.

Moving Up Day The Lower School celebrated the achievements of the fifth-grade students on June 5 as the Class of 2022 prepared to leave the Short Hills Campus for the Basking Ridge Campus. Teachers recognized students for their accomplishments in the arts, physical fitness, community service, and other disciplines. Headmaster Nat Conard P ’09 ’11 presented a certificate to each student. FALL 2015

Cum Laude Society Inductions In April, 14 members of the Class of 2015 became new members of The Cum Laude Society. Established in 1906 as the secondary school equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa (the country’s oldest collegiate honor society), The Cum Laude Society honors academic excellence and scholarship among its 382 member schools, and it recognizes individuals who demonstrate a love of learning and respect for honor, integrity, and character. Membership in this prestigious academic organization is limited to 20 percent of each Pingry Class, with half elected as juniors and half elected as seniors. Front row: Emily R. Yan, Frederick Chang, Anthony Z. Wang, Shuang “Gladys” Teng, Sydney L. Streicher, Richard Morash, and Nicole Mo. Back row: Julia Friend, Hunter Conti, Jay Bass Bober, Russell Ford Beckerman, Tomas A. San Miguel, Sarah H. Beckmen, and Nathan D. Ballintyn.

Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day This event has been an annual Lower School tradition for nearly 30 years, and this was the first Grandparents’ Day to showcase modernized classrooms. The morning is such a special bonding experience for students and their guests that some of the attendees had traveled from California, Nevada, Oklahoma, India, and South Africa! In their classrooms, students delighted in showing (and sharing) their coursework and projects, including Spanish grammar; Women in History; Chinese studies; playing dulcimers (stringed instruments placed on the lap and played by plucking the strings; the students made the dulcimers in art class); and planting basil, lettuce, and spinach to take home as part of a unit about “eating green.”

Middle School Musical: The Secret Garden A cast and crew of over 40 Middle School students performed a shortened version of the Broadway play, based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel. Drama teacher Patricia Wheeler directed and choreographed a cast that included Ally Lima ’19, Dorothea Miller ’19, Ian Dugan ’19, Rajeev Doraswamy ’19, Ketaki Tavan ’19, Kat Deliargyris ’19, Andrew Cowen ’19, Isabel DeVito ’19, Lucas Vazquez ’19, Nick Grimaldi ’19, Mary Kovacs ’19, Udochi Emeghara ’19, Rashida Mohammed ’19, Aashiya Jaggi ’19, and Joshua Thau ’20 in leading roles. They were supported by the First Ensemble of Annaya Baynes ’19, Grace O’Mara ’19, Leah Edwards ’20, and Lydia Gargano ’19, as well as the rising talent of the Second Ensemble and Sixth-Grade Ensemble. 20

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Lower School Musical: My Son Pinocchio JR. A large cast participated in the spring musical, directed by drama teacher Alicia Harabin ’02 and choreographed by Cindy McArthur, Director of Summer and Auxiliary Programs. The production reflected the collaboration and learning that take place in the Lower School’s drama program.

Yearbook Dedication The Blue Book staff gave science teacher and Blue Book Advisor Ronalee Newman a wonderful parting gift after her nine years at Pingry: the dedication of the 2015 Blue Book. In a departure from the format of past years’ dedication pages, Mrs. Newman’s page looks like one of the “senior pages,” with her name and portrait in the upper right corner, surrounded by her dedication text and pictures from around school. Taking her cue from that design, she told the students, “I feel like one of you! I am so grateful for this, and so proud of all of you. Come visit me in South Carolina!” Pictured are Editor-inChief Emily Yan ’15, Ronalee Newman, and Editor-in-Chief Victoria Castillo ’15.

Paris Saint-Germain For two weeks in July, the Basking Ridge Campus got a taste of Paris—Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), that is, one of the best-known and most successful professional soccer clubs in the world. From July 15-29, thanks to the efforts of Charlie Stillitano, Jr. ’77, P ’17 of Relevent Sports, the three-time defending French national champions used Pingry as their North American base for part of their pre-season Summer Tour. Luminary players Zlatan Ibrahimovic, David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani, and Marco Verratti, among others, brought their rock-star status to the School, performing drills on The Miller A. Bugliari ’52 World Cup Soccer Field, working out in the Greig Family Strength and Conditioning Center, and tirelessly signing autographs for over 400 members of the Pingry community who attended two open practices during the team’s stay. “I felt like a little girl at a Justin Bieber concert,” says Yanni Angelides ’16, a member of Pingry’s Boys’ Varsity Soccer Team. FALL 2015

Class of 2015 Graduates! The 154th Commencement Exercises took place on June 7. Pingry trustees, teachers, and the graduatesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; families attended the ceremony on the Basking Ridge Campus.

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Commencement 2015 [ 1 ] Jamie Smith ’15, Clayton Wright ’15, Christopher Lucciola ’15, Joseph Padula ’15,

Jonathan Butler ’15, Charles Muller ’15, Robert Diaz ’15, Clayton McCollum ’15, JC Sorenson ’15, Doug Lachenauer ’15, and Ryan Salamon ’15. [ 2 ] Assistant Director of Admission and Coordinator of Diversity & Multicultural Affairs Dr. Diana Artis P ’09, ’16 and Stephanie McMorran ’15. [ 3 ] Jamie Finnegan ’15 and Sebastian Lutz ’15. [ 4 ] Bridget Harrison ’15, Alessandra Ruggiero ’15, Emily Nilsen ’15, Coby Harris ’15, Sarah Beckmen ’15, Dana Wang ’15, and Kimberly Chen ’15. [ 5 ] Gianna Arata ’15, Bella Walton ’15, Kacey Weiniger ’15, Sydney Lieberman ’15, Claire Putman ’15, and Julia Muro ’15. [ 6 ] Denise Stires P ’15, Robert Benou GP ’15, Hunter Stires ’15, Gurli Benou GP ’15, and Todd Stires P ’15. [ 7 ] Heather Leef, Assistant Headmaster Jon Leef (Parents ’15, ’18), Max Leef ’15, and Clyde Leef ’18. [ 8 ] Victoria Castillo ’15 and Lauren McLaughlin ’15. [ 9 ] Kamau Holston ’15, Glenn Myrick, Sharon Myrick, Kendi Holston, and Sherri Little-Tree Holston P ’15. [ 10 ] Evy Barnett ’15, Cory Ransom ’15, Emily Yan ’15, and Nicole Scavone ’15. [ 11 ] Satish Pulapura P ’15, Sharanya Pulapura ’15, and Aruna Nathan P ’15. [ 12 ] Taylor Dillon ’15. [ 13 ] Emily Friend P ’15, ’19, Julia Friend ’15, and Alexander Friend P ’15, ’19.

FALL 2015

Mary Shea, Stephanie Coughlan, Henry G. Stifel III ’83, Amy Quinn, and Charlotte Stifel P ’83.

The Cyril and Beatrice Baldwin Pingry Family Citizen of the Year Award Retiring trustee Henry G. Stifel III ’83 was honored with this award, presented to members of the Pingry family who, in rendering meritorious service to the community, have demonstrated those qualities of responsible citizenship that Pingry aspires to instill in all of those associated with the School. Mr. Stifel spent nine years on the Board and was recognized for being a dedicated volunteer whom many people would describe as a hero. In 1984, he and his family established The Henry G. Stifel III ’83 Award, presented to “the person who best exemplifies those characteristics exhibited by Henry…in the aftermath of his accident and spinal injury: confidence, endurance, optimism, compassion, and spirit.” Board of Trustees Chair Jeff Edwards ’78, P ’12, ’14, ’18 noted that Mr. Stifel “has worked to identify areas where we need to improve or install handicap accessibility and funded those improvements for the community’s benefit… his quiet determination to recover and lead a full life, his Board service, his leadership in raising funds, and his support for the Stifel Award, financial aid, and increased handicap accessibility set an example to which we can all aspire.”

Commencement 2015

[ 14 ] Logan Bee, Damon Bee, Justin Friedman ’15, and Dr. Kim Bee. [ 15 ] Tracy Dungo Porges ’03, John Porges ’03, Leigh Porges P ’03, ’05,

’07, ’10, ’13, ’15, Fred Porges ’10, Maggie Porges ’05, Carol Porges ’15, Randy Porges P ’03, ’05, ’07, ’10, ’13, ’15, William Porges ’13, and Anna Porges ’07. [ 16 ] Hannah Ajmani ’12, Leah Ajmani ’15, Sonny Ajmani, and Dini Ajmani (Parents ’12, ’15). [ 17 ] Dominic De Almeida, Leonor De Almeida P ’15, Roberto De Almeida ’15, and Filipe De Almeida P ’15. [ 18 ] Helen Lucciola P ’11, ’13, ’15, ’17, Natalie Lucciola ’17, Chris Lucciola ’15, Matt Lucciola ’13, Michael Lucciola ’11, John Lucciola ’17, and Mike Lucciola P ’11, ’13, ’15, ’17. [ 19 ] Bella Zinn ’15, Herb Geller GP ’15, Sharon Zinn, Dr. Bill Zinn (Parents ’15), Rochelle Zinn, and Norman Zinn (GP ’15). [ 20 ] Dr. Bishop Igomu, Winifred Chikwendu GP ’15, ’17, May Nwankwo, Bennet Chikwendu GP ’15, ’17, Uzoamaka Ikoro P ’15, ’17, Obi Ikoro ’17, Ugo Ikoro ’15, Dr. Nnaemeka Ikoro P ’15, ’17, Evonne Nwanwko Igomu, Ugoada Arinzeh, Julius Arinzeh, Sarah Ikoro GP ’15, ’17, Chinelo Ofoma, and Mabel Arinzeh. Standing in front of Ugo: Chancellor Igomu and Ambrozia Igomu.

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Magistri Laudandi Award and The Class of 1902 Emblem Award

Kimberly Chen ’15—Magistri Laudandi Award, for being the student who champions the greater good and cares the most about helping all succeed.

Hunter Conti ’15—The Class of 1902 Emblem Award, for having the greatest amount of school spirit.

FALL 2015

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Colleges Attended by the Class of 2015

Commencement 2015 [ 21 ] Alex Wolfson ’15, Peter Wolfson P ’15, ’18, Owen Wolfson ’18, and Marsha Wolfson P ’15, ’18. [ 22 ] Ana Vollbrechthausen, Karem Robert, Andrea Ehrenberg, Alejandro Vollbrechthausen ’15, Veronica Marin, and Claudia Torres. [ 23 ] Mike Dieffenbach, Matthew San Miguel ’17, Alex San Miguel P ’15, ’17, ’24, Tomas San Miguel ’15, Lucas San Miguel ’24, Laura San Miguel P ’15, ’17, ’24, Carmen San Miguel GP ’15, ’17, ’24, Rix Dieffenbach, and Beverly Dieffenbach (GP ’15, ’17, ’24). [ 24 ] Tiffany Yu ’15, Christina Ou ’15, and Claudia Jiang ’15. [ 25 ] The 13-Year Club (members of the Class of 2015 who attended Pingry since Kindergarten) Front row: Caroline Freinberg, Julia Muro, Jennifer Wilkens, Sydney Lieberman, Ruth Advokat, Carol Porges, and Georgia Miller. Back row: Natalie Mullins, Emma Engel, Coby Harris, Matthew Dannenbaum, Christopher Lucciola, Rahul Oza, Clayton McCollum, Jonathan Butler, Matthew Fromm, and Griffin Mullett. Not pictured: Christine Daifotis, Jake Greenberg, and Evan Seals. [ 26 ] The Class of 2015 on Senior Day, proudly sporting their college gear. [ 27 ] Legacy Families (members of the Class of 2015 with their parents or grandparents who graduated from Pingry) Front row: David Freinberg ’74, P ’12, ’15, Caroline Freinberg ’15, John Thomas ’48, P ’88, GP ’13, ’15, Emma Thomas ’15, Dr. Maureen Baxley-Murray ’82, P ’15, and Kathleen Murray ’15. Middle row: Georgia Miller ’15, Nancy Kalkin ’82, P ’13, ’15, ’19, Lily Fitzpatrick Graff ’15, Martha R. Graff ’84, P ’15, ’17, ’20, Emery Sorvino ’15, Dr. Damian Sorvino ’80, P ’11, ’15, Michael McLaughlin ’80, P ’12, ’15, Lauren McLaughlin ’15, and Maureen (Kelly) McLaughlin ’80, P ’12, ’15. Back row: Mark W. Biedron ’70, P ’15, ’17, ’19, Mark Biedron ’15, Betsy (Lucas) Vreeland ’84, P ’11, ’12, ’15, Meg Vreeland ’15, Zachary Steinhardt ’15, Joanne Steinhardt ’84, P ’15, Griffin Mullett ’15, and Conor Mullett ’84, P ’14, ’15.

American University (1) Amherst College (2) Babson College (1) Barnard College (1) Boston College (4) Bowdoin College (3) Brown University (2) Bucknell University (2) Carnegie Mellon University (6) Chapman University (1) Colgate University (4) College of the Holy Cross (1) College of William & Mary (1) Columbia University (3) Cornell University (3) Dartmouth College (4) Denison University (1) Duke University (2) Elon University (1) Furman University (1) The George Washington University (2) Georgetown University (2) Georgia Institute of Technology (1) Gettysburg College (2) Hamilton College (5) Harvard University (7) Howard University (1) Lafayette College (2) Lehigh University (6) Muhlenberg College (2) New Jersey Institute of Technology (1) New York University (6) Northwestern University (2) Occidental College (1) Pennsylvania State University, University Park (1) Pomona College (1) Princeton University (3) Quinnipiac University (1) Rhodes College (1) Rice University (1) Savannah College of Art and Design (1) Seton Hall University (2) St. Lawrence University (1) Stevens Institute of Technology (1) Syracuse University (1) Trinity College (1) Tufts University (2) Tulane University (2) University of California, Berkeley (1) University of Cambridge (King’s College) (1) University of Maryland, College Park (1) University of Michigan (3) The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1) University of Pennsylvania (7) University of Richmond (3) University of Rochester (3) University of Southern California (2) University of Virginia (1) Vanderbilt University (1) Villanova University (1) Washington and Lee University (1) Washington University in St. Louis (6) Wesleyan University (1) Williams College (1) Xavier University (1) Yale University (3) FALL 2015

Board of Trustees, 2015-16: Standing, center: Board of Trustees Chair Jeffrey N. Edwards ’78, P ’12, ’14, ’18. Front row: Jonathan M. Peacock P ’17, Denise M. Grant P ’23, Elliot S. Berndt P ’18, ’20, Amy B. Saunders P ’19, Jonathan Z. Wilf ’02, Katharine W. Procter P ’22, ’26, Genesia P. Kamen ’79, P ’11, ’13, Donald C. Mullins, Jr. P ’15, ’20, Kathleen M. Hugin P ’11, ’13, John T. Connor ’92, Kevin D. Eng P ’24, ’26, Holly R. Hegener P ’14, ’16, ’18, ’20, and Kurt G. Conti P ’07, ’09, ’15. Back row: Dev C. Ittycheria P ’19, ’22, Julian H.B.L. Scurci ’99, Louis G. Zachary, Jr. P ’14, ’16, ’19, ’22, Stuart M. Lederman ’78, Craig Larson P ’18, ’20, Stephan F. Newhouse ’65, P ’95, ’97, ’99, Janice C. Beckmen P ’15, ’19, ’19, Deborah J. Barker P ’12, ’16, Stephen M. Barral P ’14, ’18, ’22, Alison C. Malin Zoellner ’83, Peter L. “Chip” Korn ’89, Ian S. Shrank ’71, Anne DeLaney ’79, P ’09, ’11, ’14, ’14, John W. Holman III ’79, P ’09, ’11, ’14, and William G. Mennen IV ’85, P ’21, ’22.

Board of Trustees Welcomes Six New Members Stephen M. Barral and his wife Angela are the parents of Jack ’14, Benjamin ’18, and Grace ’22. Mr. Barral is a Managing Member of Gulfstream CM, LLC, an investment manager focused on the municipal securities market. Previously, Mr. Barral was managing director at Barclays Capital and JP Morgan in convertible sales and trading, and managing director at Merrill Lynch in equity derivatives and mortgage capital. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Essex Hunt Club and has previously served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Far Hills Country Day School and the Board of Governors of the Somerset Hills Country Club. He received a B.S. from Colgate University. ––––––––––––– Elliot S. Berndt and her husband Andy are the parents of Alice ’18 and Lucy ’20. Mrs. Berndt is President of the Pingry School Parents’ Association (PSPA) for the 2015-16 school year. She has served on the PSPA’s Advisory 28

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Board and most recently was First Vice President of the Executive Board. Mrs. Berndt is also a volunteer and board member with several other educational organizations. She serves on the Board of Directors of New Jersey SEEDS and was Chair of Friends of SEEDS. In 2013, she co-chaired the annual benefit for DreamYard, a nonprofit organization that brings the arts to underserved students in the Bronx. Mrs. Berndt has worked in Layout and Design for National Geographic magazine and has experience in multimedia publishing and interior design. She received a B.A. in English from Duke University. ––––––––––––– Dev C. Ittycheria and his wife, Dr. Anju Thomas, are the parents of Luke ’19 and Daniel ’22. Mr. Ittycheria, a software executive and venture capitalist, is President and CEO of database company MongoDB. Prior to this position, he was Managing Director at OpenView Partners. Earlier in his

career, he cofounded the software company Applica and served as President and CEO until it was purchased by Breakaway Solutions. Mr. Ittycheria joined Breakaway after the sale, serving as Senior Vice President and General Manager. He then became Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Bessemer Venture Partners and founded the management software company BladeLogic (which went public in 2007), serving as President and CEO until it was sold to BMC Software, and he was then President of BMC’s Enterprise Service Management division. From 2012-2013, he was an investor and a partner with Greylock Venture Partners. Mr. Ittycheria was named “Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for New England” (2004), has written about entrepreneurship for Forbes, and is a board member for several software companies. He received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Rutgers University.

Jonathan M. Peacock and his wife Kathleen are the parents of Matthew ’17. Mr. Peacock is Chairman and CEO of Biotech company Bellerophon Therapeutics and is a board member of Kite Pharma. Both are listed on NASDAQ. Prior to this, he was CFO of Amgen Inc., based in California, and, before that, CFO of the Pharmaceuticals Division of Novartis AG, based in Switzerland. Before joining the Pharma industry, Mr. Peacock was a partner at McKinsey and Co., where he was co-head of the European Corporate Finance practice. Mr. Peacock was also a partner at Price Waterhouse in London and New York from 1993-98. He is on the Board of Trustees of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Mr. Peacock is a Chartered Accountant and received an M.A. in Economics from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. ––––––––––––– Amy B. Saunders and her husband Brent are the parents of Amanda ’19. Mrs. Saunders is a licensed attorney, having been admitted to the bar in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado,

and Washington, D.C. Previously, she was Associate Litigation Counsel at WorldCom. Prior to that position, she was an Associate with Akin Gump, LLP, Blank Rome, LLP, and Bray & Reardon, PC. Mrs. Saunders is an active volunteer for Pingry: she chaired the Wine Pull for the PSPA’s 2015 Spring Soirée and is involved with various PSPA committees. She received a B.A. in Psychology, magna cum laude, from The George Washington University and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, where she was Associate Editor of The Georgetown Immigration Law Journal. Mr. and Mrs. Saunders support Community Hope, which provides housing and support services to veterans and individuals struggling with mental illness, and they established The Saunders Family Scholarship in the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Athletics. ––––––––––––– Jonathan Z. Wilf ’02 and his wife Rachel have one child, Miles. Mr. Wilf is a Partner in Garden Homes, the familyowned, nationwide leader in retail,

commercial, and private residential development based in Short Hills. He has been a member of the Minnesota Vikings ownership group for a decade, and serves as their Executive Vice President – Strategic Planning and Business Initiatives. He plays a lead role in developing revenue-generating initiatives as well as enhancing and expanding technology applications within the organization and at the team’s new stadium set to open in 2016. He also serves on the new stadium development team. Mr. Wilf is actively engaged in philanthropy as a trustee of the Wilf Family Foundations. He received an Engineering degree in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania and a law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University. “We are very fortunate to be welcoming a terrific new class of trustees. I thank them for their commitment to Pingry and their leadership in helping drive forward the School’s key initiatives,” says Board of Trustees Chair Jeffrey N. Edwards ’78, P ’12, ’14, ’18.

Retired Trustees Kent A. Clark P ’15, ’20, Kendrick K. Jahng P ’19, ’23, Conor T. Mullett ’84, P ’14, ’15, and Henry G. Stifel III ’83 have retired from the Board, and Pingry is grateful for their service. • Mr. Clark’s primary contribution was to serve on the Investment Committee of the endowment, where his expertise was invaluable in ensuring that the endowment’s purchasing power was maintained for future generations. • Mr. Jahng, 2014-15 PSPA President, increased communications for parents; created new events, such as LEGO Project Night; and helped to establish a new Pingry family tradition, “A Taste of Pingry.” The PSPA also held a successful benefit, in terms of funds raised, attendance, and number of volunteers. • Mr. Mullett was an organizer of Friends of Miller and served on the Steering Committee, helping to lay the groundwork for the Miller A. Bugliari ’52 Athletics

Center. He also developed and chaired the Dashboard Taskforce to help the Board build a more sophisticated financial model and metrics for financial sustainability, and was involved with the Community Task Force. • Mr. Stifel invested a great deal of time and resources on Pingry’s behalf. Among other contributions, he served on numerous committees, including the Committee on Trustees and Campaign Steering Committee; chaired the Development Committee and The Pingry Fund; and helped to improve accessibility on both the Basking Ridge and Short Hills Campuses. At Commencement, he received The Cyril and Beatrice Baldwin Pingry Family Citizen of the Year Award. Read more about his accomplishments on page 24.

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Pingry Welcomes New Faculty and Staff David Azar, Systems Administrator, held the same position with Corporate Resource Development in New York City. He also worked for the Archdiocese of New York, performing systems work in a role similar to his position at Pingry. He earned a B.S. in Computer Science at Long Island University. Felicia Ballard, Middle School Librarian, previously spent seven years as Youth Services Librarian at the Bernardsville Public Library. A former lawyer who was immersed in information (and access to it), she loves libraries and books for young people. Mrs. Ballard received a B.A. in Communications from Fordham University, an M.L.I.S. (Masters of Library and Information Science) from Rutgers University School of Communication and Information, and a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law.

dedicated to preserving and making available documents concerning New Jersey’s environment. He was also Adjunct Digital Projects Librarian for William Paterson University, where he managed the school’s digital preservation work. A professional musician, he received a B.A. in History from William Paterson and a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) from Rutgers School of Communication and Information. Reid Cottingham, Upper School English teacher (Grades 9 and 10), recently moved from Los Angeles, where she taught English for 13 years at Marlborough School. Dr. Cottingham graduated from Harvard and received an M.A. and a Ph.D. in English and American Literature from the University of Chicago. She will also be working with the Peer Leadership program.

Rachelle Bastien, Advancement Services Associate, previously worked in the same capacity at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Born to Haitian parents, Ms. Bastien spent time in the country after the 2010 earthquake, helping the town where many of her extended family currently live.

Andrea Dawson, Senior Writer in the Communications Department, comes to Pingry from W. W. Norton & Company, where she was a book editor for 13 years. She received a B.A. in French Language and Literature from Mount Holyoke College, where she also ran cross country and track.

Peter Blasevick, assuming the newlycreated position of Digital Archivist, worked at Rutgers University Libraries as Manager of the New Jersey Environmental Digital Library, a project

Dana De Santis, Lower School Administrative Assistant, previously worked as an Administrative and Technical Assistant for the Township of West Orange Fire Department, and later

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Ariana King ’11, Ann Swenson, Matt Honohan, Sue Tummarello, Jennifer Mack-Watkins, Paul Garavente, Jennifer DiBiasi, Scott Garrow, Reid Cottingham, Carol Mahida, David Azar, Rachelle Bastien, Peter Blasevick, Colleen Kirkhart, George Mihalik, Eleanor Lear, Reid Prichett, Azadeh Samadani, Maria Lampón, Diane Fiore, Josh Orndorff, and Cherilyn Reynolds.

in their Building and Planning Department. She received a B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Business Administration from Rutgers University. Jennifer DiBiasi, Middle and Upper School Nurse, as well as a health teacher for Grades 7 and 8, was the Nursing Skills and Simulation Coordinator at Warren County Community College, where she also taught Foundations of Nursing and Pediatrics in the Adult LPN Program at the Warren County Technical School for Post-Secondary Education. She earned a B.S. in Nursing at Robert Wesleyan College and has 22 years of clinical experience as a pediatric nurse. Kyrie Eiras, Middle School English teacher (Grades 7 and 8), taught ninthgrade English at the School for Enterprise, Business, and Technology in Brooklyn before coming to Pingry. Among her teaching and mentoring

experiences, she spent a month in Guatemala City, providing educational support to over 60 high-need middle school children. Ms. Eiras received a B.A. in English and American Literature from Bowdoin College and an M.A. in English Education from Columbia University Teachers College. Cait Finneran, Special Events Manager, comes to Pingry from Merrill Lynch/Bank of America, where she worked for 18 years as an Event Planner, among other roles. She was also a Business Manager/Planner for the Merrill Lynch Video Broadcast team. She received a B.A. in English from Fairfield University. Diana Fiore, Lower School Spanish teacher (Grades K-3), comes to us from North Plainfield High School, where she worked as a Spanish and English Language Learner (ELL) instructor. With a B.A. in Spanish and an M.A. in Communication from Rutgers University, in addition to an M.A. in Education Leadership from the College of Saint Elizabeth, she also taught Spanish for over 10 years for Gill St. Bernard’s, Tewksbury Elementary School, and CrossRoads Middle School in South Brunswick. Paul “Woody” Garavente, financial literacy teacher for Grades 6 and 9, as well as a substitute teacher, joins Pingry from Tradeweb, an electronic trading software firm. Prior to Tradeweb, he traded bonds in the rates markets for 17 years. He received a B.S. in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University and has coached lacrosse in Chatham for the last 21 years, including the last seven as an assistant for the Girls’ Varsity Team at Chatham High School. At Pingry, he is also advising the Pingry Credit Union, Future Business Leaders of America, and the Entrepreneur Club, in addition to coaching lacrosse and Girls’ JV Basketball. Scott Garrow, Middle and Upper School permanent substitute teacher, as well as head coach of Middle School ice hockey, assistant coach for Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey, and assistant coach for Boys’

Thirds (freshmen) Soccer, comes to the School from Princeton University, where he was an assistant ice hockey coach for three years. Prior to this role, he coached 20 years of Division I ice hockey, including 12 years at Cornell University and five years at Western Michigan University. He received a B.Sc. in History and an M.S. in Sports Studies from Western Michigan University, where he was a member of their varsity ice hockey team. Matt Honohan, Upper School World History teacher and assistant coach for Varsity Baseball, comes from the Gilman School in Baltimore, where he taught history and coached baseball for 10 years. He also served as Chair of the History Department and as an Upper School Admissions Counselor. Prior to Gilman, he taught for three years at The Wheeler School in Providence. He received a B.A. in Political Science from Boston College and an M.A. in International History from the London School of Economics, and conducted graduate work in history at Ohio University. He was a Fulbright Fellow and Visiting Associate at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. He will also be assisting with the Speech and Debate Team. Ariana King ’11, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, is honored and elated to return to Pingry. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College, majoring in Africana Studies with a concentration in Education Policy and a minor in Theater Arts. At Mount Holyoke, she was an assistant in Rooke Theatre’s costume shop and supervised hair and make-up for productions. Colleen Kirkhart, biology teacher, is assisting with Pingry’s Independent Research Team (iRT). She graduated from Wellesley College with a B.A. in Neuroscience and recently earned a Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of California-Berkeley, where she studied the neural circuitry underlying associative memory in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly). In addition to teaching undergraduate science classes at Berkeley, she tutored homeless middle and high school students in Oakland. Read more on page 42 about what she brings to Pingry’s expanding research program.

Maria Lampón, Middle School Spanish teacher (Grades 7-8) and assistant coach for Middle School Girls’ Soccer, taught at Warren Middle School for 13 years before joining Pingry. Since 2009, she has also taught Spanish as an adjunct professor at Raritan Community College. She earned a B.A. in Political Science at Upsala College and an M.A. in Teaching Spanish at Rutgers University. Eleanor Lear, part-time Grade 10 English teacher and Middle School Green Group Advisor, most recently worked for eight years at Kent Place School, teaching Upper School English and advising the Diversity Council. She has also worked at Summit High School and Hood River Valley High School in Oregon, teaching English and ESL and advising the environmental groups at both schools. She earned an M.A. in English at Middlebury College, a teaching certificate at Portland State University, and a B.A. at the University of Pittsburgh. Alexandra Logerfo ’11 joins the science and research faculty, assisting in the biology and research classrooms and coteaching while Dr. Morgan D’Ausilio is on maternity leave. Ms. Logerfo is also involved with both the Independent Research Team (iRT) and Journal Club; read more on page 42. As a Pingry student, science courses were her favorite, and she was involved with iRT. She graduated from Georgetown University with a B.S. in Biology—covering molecular, cellular, and evolutionary aspects of biology—and plans to pursue a graduate degree in the field within the next year. Jennifer Mack-Watkins teaches Digital Filmmaking (Grade 8) and Art Fundamentals (Grade 9). Previously, she worked as an art teacher at Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy II, where she taught Kindergarten through high school art and advised their Middle School Art Club. She is also a gallery studio art instructor at The Brooklyn Museum, where she teaches art courses based on the museum’s permanent and FALL 2015

current exhibitions. She received a B.A. in Studio Arts from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, an M.A. in Art Education from Tufts University, and an M.F.A. in Printmaking from Pratt Institute. She is also assisting with yearbook photography scheduling. Carol Mahida, sixth-grade English teacher, most recently taught seventhgrade English at the Allen-Stevenson School in Manhattan, where she was an English Department team leader and Upper School Advisor to the Boys of Color Affinity Group. Prior to this role, she taught at the NYC Lab School for Collaborative Studies, where she was the chairwoman for AIDS Action Day. Ms. Mahida received a B.A. in English from the University of South Carolina and an M.A. in the Teaching of English from Columbia University Teachers College. At Pingry, she will

also coach Middle School Boys’ Basketball and assist with the Speech and Debate Team. George Mihalik, Admission Coordinator, brings much experience to Pingry Admission, first as Assistant Director of Admission for Seton Hall University, and, most recently, as Director of Admission and Summer Programs at Don Bosco Prep. He graduated from Seton Hall University with a B.S. in International Relations and Diplomacy. Josh Orndorff, Middle and Upper School computer science teacher and assistant coach for Girls’ Varsity Cross Country, previously worked as a physics and computer science teacher at Princeton International School of Mathematics and Science. He also worked for the Johns Hopkins Center

for Talented Youth summer program, teaching their electrical engineering course. He received a B.S. in Physics from Calvin College and an M.S. in Physics from the University of Toledo. Reid Prichett assumes the newlycreated role of Dean of Faculty for Teaching and Learning, which will nurture the ongoing professional growth of the School’s faculty (read more on page 96). He will also assist with the wrestling program. Previously, Dr. Prichett was Assistant Head of the School for Learning and Teaching at The Episcopal School of Dallas. He was Headmaster at the Bryn Athyn Church School and a mathematics teacher at a number of boarding schools including The Lawrenceville School and Episcopal High School. He earned a B.S. in Economics at Williams College.

New Positions Judy Brown Blueprint for the Future Campaign Manager Ms. Brown was previously Associate Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving, with a focus on Reunion, Reunion giving, and Homecoming planning.

Jake Ross ’96 Upper School Dean of Student Life and Upper School History Mr. Ross formerly taught Grade 7 history. He has also been assistant coach for Boys’ Varsity Soccer and Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey for the last two years.

Holland (Sunyak) Francisco ’02 Director of The Pingry Fund Mrs. Francisco has worked at Pingry as Co-Director of The Pingry Fund and, before that, as Associate Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving.

Samantha Schifano Assistant Director of Admission and Director of Financial Aid Mrs. Schifano has served in the Admission Office for four years, most recently as Assistant Director of Admission.

Breanne Matloff Major Gifts Officer Ms. Matloff formerly served as Campaign Manager, overseeing the silent phase of the Blueprint for the Future capital campaign and organizing its public launch. Now, she works to strengthen the base of support for the Campaign and the School. Mary Ogden P ’10, ’12 Grade 2 Mrs. Ogden began teaching Kindergarten at Pingry 18 years ago, switching to Grade 1 three years later. Her husband is Henry Ogden ’78, P ’10, ’12. Rebecca Patterson Associate Director of The Pingry Fund Ms. Patterson was previously Assistant Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving.

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Dale Seabury Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing Mrs. Seabury, who is managing all-school communications, was previously Assistant Director of Admission and Director of Financial Aid. George Sullivan History, Grade 7 Mr. Sullivan taught financial literacy last year to Grades 6 and 9. He is assistant coach for Middle School and Varsity Wrestling, and head coach of Boys’ JV Lacrosse and Middle School Boys’ Soccer. He is also faculty advisor for the Pingry Credit Union. Matty Yorkshire Spanish, Grades 4 and 5 With the arrival of Mrs. Fiore, Mrs. Yorkshire, who used to teach Spanish to Grades 1 through 5, is now focusing on Grades 4 and 5.

Additionally, he received an M.A. in Mathematics Education–Curriculum and Instruction and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, all from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Cherilyn Reynolds, Web and Social Media Strategist, previously worked at Rider University for six years, most recently as Senior Assistant Director of Admission. She received a B.S.B.A. in Advertising and an M.B.A. from the university. While at Rider, for three years she led a freshman seminar class on adjusting to life in college and choreographed for their dance department every spring. She is currently a barre3 instructor in Livingston. Azadeh Samadani, physics teacher and a mentor to the School’s Independent Research Team (iRT), was a physics professor at Brandeis University for nearly a decade. She has more than 10 years of experience teaching advanced undergraduate and graduate-level courses in physics and quantitative biology. She received a Ph.D. in Physics from Clark University and was a postdoctoral associate at MIT for four years. Read more on page 42 about what she brings to Pingry’s expanding research program. Derrick Shearer, Director of Advancement Services, comes to Pingry from the American Jewish Committee (AJC) in New York City, where he was a Senior Business Analyst. Prior to this position, he worked in Advancement Services at both Seton Hall University and Drew University. He received a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Seton Hall University. Ann Swenson, Associate Director of The Parent Fund, most recently worked as Director of Advancement at The Stanley Clark School in South Bend, Indiana. Prior to this position, she worked at The Dalton School for eight years, first as assistant to the high school director and, subsequently, as development and research associate.

Returned to Pingry Kate Whitman Annis, Associate Director of Advancement, was Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving at Pingry from 2011-2012. She recently returned to the School after three years in Brussels, Belgium, where she earned an M.B.A. with honors at Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management. Previously, she worked for several nonprofits, had her own business, and served as Communications Director for a United States Congressman. She earned a B.A. in Political Science at Wesleyan University. Barrington “Barry” Fulton, assuming the newly-designed role of Middle School Dean of Students, returns to Pingry from a one-year sabbatical during which he received an M.A. in Educational Leadership from The Klingenstein Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College. Prior to his sabbatical, he was a Middle School English teacher at Pingry from 2011-2014, as well as Grade 6 Team Leader. He has taught English at the Berkshire School and The Pennington School, where he also served as Dean of Intercultural Affairs. He earned a B.A. in English and Psychology at Williams College. At Pingry, he also teaches Grade 6 English and the Grade 6 co-curricular class “Learning to Lead.” Maureen Maher, Associate Director of Alumni Relations, worked at Pingry from 2008-2014, most recently as Associate Director of Communications and Sports Information. Maureen returns to the School after a year as Associate Director of Communications at Delbarton. She received a B.A. in Economics from the College of the Holy Cross and an M.B.A. with honors from the University of Notre Dame. Eva Ostrowsky assumes the newly-created role of Middle School Dean for Student Culture. She is also teaching Grade 6 history. She returns to Pingry from an 18-month sabbatical during which she received an M.S.W. (Master of Social Work) from Columbia University. Prior to departing, she taught Grade 6 history and was head coach of Girls’ JV Field Hockey and assistant coach for Girls’ JV Lacrosse from 2011-2013. She earned a B.A. in Government at Cornell University, where she also captained the field hockey team. Homa Watts, Grade 1 teacher, has returned from a two-year sabbatical in Abu Dhabi, during which she taught Kindergarten to Emiratis—with limited or no English—at Emirates National School. She also served on academic and newsletter committees at the school, and took Arabic language and calligraphy classes. Prior to her sabbatical, she had been a Kindergarten teacher at Pingry from 2006-2013.

She received a B.S. in Psychology from George Washington University and an M.A. in Public Relations and Corporate Communications from New York University. Sue Tummarello, Lower School science teacher (Grades 3 and 4), brings over 25 years of educational experience, particularly with STEAM, to her new position, having served as a Lower

and Middle School Science Department Chair, Educational Technology Coordinator, and teacher for 17 years at the Montclair Kimberley Academy. Most recently, she was the Lower School Technology Integrator at the Elisabeth Morrow School. She received a B.S. in Education, Biology, and General Science from Clarion University and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Seton Hall University. FALL 2015

Saying Farewell to Faculty and Staff Joanne Childs, School Nurse/Health Teacher, retired after 22 years. Thanks to the mentorship of Health Department Chair Sue Marotto, Mrs. Childs transitioned from full-time nurse to part-time nurse/part-time health teacher and became an advisor. “I loved connecting with students each day outside of the nurse’s office,” she says. During her time at the School, the administration supported her and the Health Department’s efforts to improve the quality of care for students, faculty, and staff. Among the upgrades: computerized health records; a flu vaccine clinic for staff; an annual blood drive; and an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Program (in 2008, Mrs. Childs, Mrs. Marotto, and Joyce Livak received the American Heart Association’s Heart Saver Hero Award for saving the life of staff member Hank Langowski in 2006, using one of the School’s defibrillators). Pingry’s generosity also enabled her to attend annual conferences for school nurses, as well as a Summer Fellowship to attend a global health program. In 2012, she received The Woodruff J. English Faculty Award. “It was a great ride!” Mrs. Childs says of her time at Pingry. Zachary Cohen, Middle School history and English teacher for three years, is teaching seventhgrade social studies and eighth-grade poetry at the American International School of Johannesburg, South Africa; he is licensed to teach English in other countries and wants to explore the world of education outside America. At Pingry, Mr. Cohen was Head Coach of Middle School Boys’ Basketball and Baseball, Faculty Advisor of the Middle School Green Group, Middle School Debate Team, and Jewish Affinity Group, and a member of the Middle School Multicultural Team. 34

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Shamayne Cumberbatch, Middle School English teacher for one year, got married over the summer, moved to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and is teaching at a Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) school while conducting research for the Blake School. At Pingry, she was Assistant Coach for Middle School Field Hockey and a member of the Middle School Multicultural Team. Indigo Dow, a permanent substitute on the Basking Ridge Campus for two years, is teaching Middle School history at La Jolla Country Day School in San Diego. At Pingry, he also cotaught seventh-grade history (with Jake Ross ’96) and coached football, basketball, and Middle School track. Mr. Dow was also a member of the Middle School Multicultural Team and Co-Leader of the Multiracial Affinity Group, and directed workshops and classes about African drumming. “I am truly grateful for my experience at Pingry and learned so much from the faculty and students. I have made close connections to the people at Pingry will truly miss this community,” he says. Barrington Edwards, Upper School history teacher for four years, is teaching history at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta. Along with teaching history at Pingry, he was a Form Advisor for the Class of 2017, Co-Advisor of the Speech and Debate Team, Co-Coordinator of the Public Speaking Committee, a member of the Upper School Multicultural Team, and a faculty member of the African-American

affinity group. “I love the classroom and can’t imagine working in a setting more rewarding than Pingry. I am going to miss it,” he says. Jane Edwards, Middle and Upper School fine arts teacher, retired after 26 years. Her mission was to help younger students improve their art skills and motivate them to further pursue the arts as they advanced in the Upper School—she always encouraged students to try new techniques and new media. During her Pingry career, Ms. Edwards initiated a three-trimester course (Fundamentals of Art), taught Upper School painting, assisted with the Blue Book, designed and built sets and designed costumes for the theater program, and recently taught Art Fundamentals. She is known for her mastery of still life, sculpture, drawing, acrylic painting, puppetry, sewing, calligraphy, watercolors, and many other art forms—she told The Pingry Record that she cannot remember a time in her life when she did not love art. Laura Gerard, English teacher for seven years, is Dean of Faculty at Cristo Rey New York High School. She joined Pingry in 2008 as Interim Chair of the English Department and joined the Middle School faculty in 2009. Ted Li, Upper School English teacher, retired after 42 years. Over the course of his Pingry career, he taught English to students in Grades 7-12, including many electives: Closing of the Frontier (late 19th century American literature), American

Renaissance (Poe, Hawthorne, Melville, Emerson, Thoreau), Greek Drama, Modern Drama, Roman Literature, Epic Sagas and Romances, World Literature, Hero/Antihero, Utopian Literature, Visions of Hell, and Moby Dick. “More than teaching the literature, the fun part was exploring the literature with students,” he says. “I already know what I think of these works, but I wanted to find out what they think.” Mr. Li coached tennis in 1973 and coached fencing since 1975, at the request of then-Director of Athletics George Christow: “I didn’t have any experience with the sport, but Mr. Christow asked me to coach it. I’ve learned about fencing through networking—especially when the trials for the U.S. Olympic Team were held locally—reading, and observing. I’m still learning.” Pingry’s fencing program has flourished under his leadership. He was honored in 2013 as the New Jersey Boys’ Fencing Official of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), and he will be inducted into the USA Fencing Hall of Fame in 2016. As he begins a new phase of his life, Mr. Li will continue to coach fencing at Pingry and consult for the sport. Of Pingry, he says, “It’s been a fun ride.” Ridie Markenson, Upper School Dean of Student Life and English teacher for five years, is Head of the Upper School at The Winsor School in Boston, where she is near family. She was also Faculty Advisor of Pingry’s Honor Board and Blue Key. Marisa Marks, four years as Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing and, most recently, Director of Development Communications, is pursuing new opportunities. While at Pingry, she oversaw the School’s communications efforts for the 150th Anniversary as well as Blueprint for the Future: The Campaign for Pingry.

Ronalee Newman, Upper School science teacher for nine years, is teaching eighth-grade physical science at Christ Church Episcopal School in Greenville, South Carolina; she moved because her husband’s job relocated. At Pingry, Mrs. Newman taught Chemistry, Conceptual Physics, Physics, and Grade 7 Science. For the past three years, she also served as Faculty Advisor of the Blue Book (fittingly, she is the 2015 dedicatee—read more on page 21). Over the years, she coached cheerleading, sewed costumes for the Fall Plays and Winter Musicals, advised Robotics, was a member of the girls’ affinity group, and part of the Community Service Board. Susan Ortner P ’97, Middle School Spanish teacher, retired after 34 years; she started in the Upper School and moved to Middle School later in her career. Mrs. Ortner is proud to have started the annual Spanish class trip to Union City, which allows Spanish III students to visit restaurants and stores and experience Spanish culture; led eight student trips to Spain; and organized the Spanish 2 Middle and Upper School trip to Dover. Thanks to a Summer Fellowship and other professional growth opportunities, she was able to live with Spanish and Mexican families. Mrs. Ortner also coached Middle School Field Hockey all 34 years. “I learned a lot from the students. They kept me perpetually young, and they’re creative. I always loved the energy of the Middle

School,” she says. Mrs. Ortner received The Herbert F. Hahn Junior Faculty Award (1998) and The Albert W. Booth Chair for Master Teachers (2009). Rob Schur, Associate Director of Advancement for four years, is Director of Institutional Advancement at the Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts. At Pingry, he was also Assistant Coach for Varsity Football. Tony Weinkopff, Upper School science teacher for three years, moved north to be closer to his family. He taught biology and chemistry, coached JV Boys’ Soccer and JV Boys’ Basketball, and was Faculty Advisor of the Waksman Research Program. One of his favorite parts of teaching at Pingry was seeing students take ownership of their learning. Pingry also thanks former members of the Office of Institutional Advancement for their service to the School: Dawn Lozada Baker (oneand-a-half years each as Associate Director of The Parent Fund and Co-Director of The Pingry Fund, now at the Ramapo College Foundation), Tara Enzmann (four years as Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, now at Drexel University Admissions), Beth Parsons (nine years as Director of Advancement Systems), and Lisa Ryan (Advancement Services Associate, now at the Philadelphia Museum of Art).

Letter to the Editor

Regarding the Crowther article about the untimely death of Welles Remy Crowther during the World Trade Center collapse [For John Hanly Lecture on Ethics and Morality, “Pure Humanity” on 9/11, May 2015 issue], it should be mentioned that another Pingry alumnus was on that same floor, working at Sandler O’Neill: Bob Lawrence ’78. I knew his nickname was “Lars,” but I did not know him well. He was in his second day on the job, which was that Tuesday. He didn’t survive, and his death should not be forgotten. - Peter Hiscano ’75

FALL 2015

Drew Burns, Dr. Susan Dineen, and Patricia Wheeler Celebrate 25 Years at Pingry Arriving in 1990, these three faculty are the newest members, joining 85 others, including Dr. Pingry, of the Magistri Maxime Laudandi (“Masters Most Greatly to Be Praised”), marking their 25-year milestone at the School. on to serve as Assistant Director of Admission at Franklin & Marshall College, where northern New Jersey—including Pingry—was his territory.

In 1996, a mere six years after Drew Burns began teaching at Pingry, thenfaculty member Mary Ellen “Melen” Cuneo P ’96, ’98, ’02 took the time to pen a letter to then-Headmaster John Hanly. In the letter, she praised the science teacher, remarking that her son “never felt any enthusiasm for subjects that have always seemed disjointed, quite arbitrary, and usually remote.” She went on to say, “Suddenly, all that has changed this past semester in Drew’s physics class… Drew has been able to make the abstract come alive, to finally untangle all those dangling math knots, and, in my son’s words, to ‘show the kids the magic of nature.’” Revealing the “magic of nature” is no easy task for a teacher, and it speaks to Mr. Burns’s passion for teaching chemistry and physics in innovative ways, like teaming up with fellow science teacher Tim Grant P ’03, ’06 to design a Star Trekthemed molecular geometry lab. With a B.A. in Chemistry, magna cum laude, from Williams College and an M.S. in Organic Chemistry from MIT, Mr. Burns began his career in academia as a science teacher and Assistant Residential Housemaster at Lawrenceville. After two years, he moved 36

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During a Pingry visit in his second year at F&M, he was concluding a meeting with then-Director of College Counseling Dave Allan P ’75, ’77, ’79, ’83, who asked him, quite seriously, when he was going to return to teaching. As Mr. Burns remembers, “He [Allan] thought a position might open up at Pingry and told me he’d put a word in for me. Well, sure enough, a position did open up, and I got the call for an interview. During my tour of the School, I’m walking down the stairs outside of the faculty lounge when I hear someone yell, ‘What are you doing here?’ Sure enough, it was Becky Nazario ’90 [whom he had interviewed at F&M earlier]. It was really fun to see her and reconnect with her. While I had other job offers, it was the wonderful kids and fantastic colleagues who made the greatest impression on me and brought me to Pingry. The rest, as they say, is history.” During his 25-year tenure, Mr. Burns has been the recipient of numerous teaching awards, including Pingry’s Edward G. Engel Chair for Mathematics and Science (2008-2011) and Woodruff J. English Faculty Award (2004), the Tufts University Outstanding High School Teacher Award (1997), and The University of Chicago Outstanding High School Teacher Award (1994). He was also a finalist for The American Chemical Society’s U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad mentor program (1994). Among students, he is known for his compassion and mentoring. “Mr. Burns teaches because he wants us to love learning, not because he just wants us to memorize the information,” says Avni Memani ’16. “He is not just my teacher, but also my friend. Without him, I think my high school experience would have been shaped very differently.”

It is perhaps fitting that Dr. Susan Dineen, an omnivorous lover of literature, was inspired, in part, to pursue independent school teaching after reading the classic career book What Color Is Your Parachute? Having earned a Ph.D. in English Language and Literature and an M.Ed. at Rutgers University, where she taught composition and literature, she envisioned a university life. However, becoming aware of the paucity of collegiate-level jobs, and after uninspiring work experiences at CBS Publications and an opinion research firm in New York City, she decided to seek the advice of her former Princeton High School English teacher, who had become the Upper School Head at The Hun School. He ended up hiring her, and she spent seven years teaching at Hun before meeting a Pingry teacher at a seminar, who encouraged her to apply for an open position. “I got to Pingry and thought I had landed in heaven,” Dr. Dineen says. “The students were smart and engaged, and I loved my new colleagues. At the time, Vicki Grant was the only other woman teaching upper-level English classes in the Upper School.”

Twenty-five years later, she has proven herself a true scholar and teacher of writing, instructing a range of courses in the English department, including a tenth-grade Honors Class and juniorsenior electives like “New Voices” and “Literature and Madness.” She also founded and advises the Justin Society’s Creative Writing Festival and Creative Writing Contest and served as a member of the Interdisciplinary Committee. Since 1991, she has also been the advisor to The Pingry Record, a role of which she is most proud. Although advising the creative writing magazine was her original hope, Mr. Hanly persuaded her to revivify a languishing newspaper, a role she has whole-heartedly embraced for 25 years. From day one, she has tirelessly committed herself to teaching English in imaginative, exciting ways, and has been a strong advocate for the faculty in her role on the Upper School Faculty Committee. From 1995-1998, she was the recipient of the Norman B. Tomlinson, Jr. ’44 Chair for History and Literature. Assistant Headmaster Jon Leef P ’15, ’18 reflects, “When I observe a class of Susan’s, I’m always struck by the high level of the discussion and by the fact that her students do the heavy lifting. Responsibility for moving the conversation forward, drawing the big conclusions, and involving the entire group rests with the class members. Susan is like a master conductor. The students rise to the occasion and are at their best.” ––––––––––––– With a performing arts repertoire of dance, choreography, collaborative theater, movement for actors, yoga, and mindful awareness, drama and dance teacher Patricia Wheeler has always been at the forefront of artistic pedagogy, expanding the horizons and challenging the personal growth of students and colleagues. With a B.S. in Dance from the University of Oregon and an M.F.A. from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, Ms. Wheeler is an accomplished dancer, choreographer, and performer, having danced with both modern dance companies and ballet companies in

“Year after year, class after class, [they have] shared their talents, knowledge, and love of learning with hundreds of students… Their loyalty and dedication are exemplary, and I am delighted to recognize them for their talents and the hard work they have brought—and continue to bring—to the Pingry community.”

Headmaster Nat Conard P ’09, ’11 at their induction ceremony

Greensboro, NC and Eugene, OR. Prior to her arrival at Pingry, Ms. Wheeler taught creative dance at the Bergen School and movement education/ dance at the Vail-Deane School in Mountainside. In 1989, with the support of Mr. Hanly, Drama Department Chair Al Romano hired Ms. Wheeler to choreograph the Upper School’s production of Pippin.

A year later, she became a permanent member of the Drama Department with the expansion of drama to the Middle School. Perhaps best-known for her dynamic choreography of the Upper School musicals and her direction of the Middle School musicals, she also generously shares her talents with her colleagues by providing mindful awareness and yoga classes to the Pingry community. She has received two Summer Fellowships while at Pingry—the first sent her to Cuba in 2008 with guide Denise Lionetti ’85 to study Afro-Cuban dance, and the second, just this past summer, took her to California and New Mexico, where she participated in retreats for mindful educators (read more on page 39). This year, she and drama teacher Stephanie Romankow co-teach mindfulness within the Drama 6 curriculum. Ms. Wheeler currently studies AfroCuban salsa with her Brooklyn-based teacher, Rebecca Bliss. A certified yoga instructor, she teaches privately and at Satsang Yoga in Westfield. As Ms. Wheeler continually stretches her own bounds of creativity and learning, her students are always benefiting. “The best thing about Ms. Wheeler is that she brings out parts of you that you wouldn’t expect to find, and you don’t know that she’s doing it,” says Victoria Castillo ’15, who worked with Ms. Wheeler since Grade 6. For her part, Ms. Wheeler is awed by the quick passage of time at Pingry. “Having looked up to established teachers over the years, like Al Romano, Peter Delman, and Jane Roxbury, I realize now the extent to which you hit your stride as a teacher in your 50s. They all have so much wisdom, compassion, patience, fearlessness, and problem-solving abilities, and I’m so happy to now be in their company.” ––––––––––––– Congratulations to Mr. Burns, Dr. Dineen, and Ms. Wheeler, and welcome to the ranks of the Magistri! FALL 2015

Music, Mindfulness, and More through Summer Fellowships Summer Fellowships provide outstanding professional growth opportunities for teachers, which, in turn, translate to enhanced learning experiences for students when teachers incorporate personal experiences into their lesson plans. The School remains grateful to the donors whose generous funding continues to help make these fellowships possible. Margi Dillon P ’17, ’18, ’20, Kelly Jordan P ’04, ’06, Patricia Wheeler, Patty Finn, and Mike Webster P ’24, ’27, ’27 were awarded fellowships that they completed this summer.

Margi Dillon

Dancing and Architecture in Spain Upper School Spanish teacher Margi Dillon chose dance as a tool to improve her knowledge of Spanish art and history. Along with taking dance classes in Granada, she traveled to Barcelona, where she studied the architecture of Antoni Gaudí. In her dance classes, Mrs. Dillon studied Sevillanas, a folk dance that is performed in pairs. She spent a week taking classes with five other Spanish teachers (two Germans, one French, and one American) as they viewed films and listened to music that could be used in their classSpanish teacher Margi Dillon P ’17, ’18, ’20 learning Sevillanas in Spain.

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rooms. Mrs. Dillon also took time to visit one of the main tourist attractions in Granada, the Alhambra, which she describes as “an exquisitely-preserved example of Moslem architecture.” Back at Pingry, Mrs. Dillon plans to incorporate Gaudí’s work into a unit about the Spanish home, share her experiences from Barcelona, and teach some of the dance steps she learned. Further, through her classes, she has a renewed appreciation for what her students experience on a daily basis: “I see again, from the student perspective, the value of scaffolding [breaking up learning into chunks], active participation, and repetition—I had to repeat those dance steps until I had them in muscle memory.” Overall, Mrs. Dillon will be able to expose students to what she says is “the unique culture of Southern Spain,” as well as the modern style of Gaudí.

Kelly Jordan

Exploring “France away from France” “When I went to school in France, I studied the DOM-TOM (Départements et Territoires d’Outre-Mer), lands located overseas, outside of France,” says Upper School French teacher Kelly Jordan. “I learned that France had territories on six continents, and that the two-and-a-half million people who live in those territories were French citizens, like me, even though some looked different and even spoke their own language in addition to French.” This summer, she realized her dream of visiting French Polynesia, former French colonies that are now part of the French Republic. Of French Polynesia’s 118 islands and six archipelagos, Mrs. Jordan traveled to Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora with several goals: to learn about the education system (their schools teach in French and follow the French school calendar and curriculum); to see the mixture of French and Polynesian cultures; to speak French and eat French food; to learn about the natives’ history (they are mostly from Asia); to learn about wood sculptures, Tahitian (“black”) pearls, and

ful teachers and warm, friendly, and enthusiastic students in one of the prettiest settings in the northeast.” She is referring to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, home of The Gaelic College, where she studied bagpipes, the bodhrán (Irish drum), harp, Celtic piano, and guitar, and learned Gaelic songs.

French teacher Kelly Jordan P ’04, ’06 posing with dancers after a lesson in “Tamure”

Tahitian dances; to meet Tahitians; and to learn about local ecology (Polynesians respect the environment, as is evident from their clean beaches and water). Looking ahead to how this fellowship will benefit her students, Mrs. Jordan says, “I am working on a unit about French Polynesia to show them Francophone places, some not so far from the United States, like Saint Pierre et Miquelon, and others much further, where the lifestyle is different from, yet reminiscent of, France. I also hope the students will someday have the chance to travel to and explore French Polynesia.”

Patricia Wheeler

Retreating into Silence Ever since Middle and Upper School drama teacher Patricia Wheeler took over leadership of Mindful Awareness at Pingry, she has wanted to deepen her personal practice, refine her skills in teaching mindfulness, and connect with the community of mindful teachers in schools. For her fellowship, she attended two retreats for mindful facilitators and educators, one in California and the other in New Mexico. The Mindfulness Facilitators Retreat at Spirit Rock in Woodacre, California was a seven-day silent retreat with renowned

teachers Bob Stahl, Mark Coleman, and Diana Winston, which offered an experiential understanding of this ancient practice of mindfulness. Ms. Wheeler says the silence served to “make me more aware of my thinking. I could hear the voices in my head.” Much of the day was spent listening and watching. Each day had a rhythm comprised of formal sits, guided meditations, instructional talks, walking meditation, eating, and resting. The silence was broken on the last day to give time to study issues related to Mindful Awareness, such as diversity, presence, and embodiment. The second retreat was Mindfulness for Teachers at Vallecitos Mountain Ranch in New Mexico, with mindful educators Erin Treat and Kate Mundling. Similar to the Spirit Rock retreat, this one brought its attendees outdoors to contemplate nature for mindful walks and sits. With both retreats under her belt, Ms. Wheeler plans to help Pingry become a more mindful School by sharing her experiences with her students this year.

Patty Finn

Joyfully Learning Five Irish Instruments Lower School music teacher Patty Finn also enjoyed a retreat of sorts—a musical retreat without laptops, cell phones, and televisions that proved to be a joyful experience because of “the wonder-

Mrs. Finn’s days were filled with lessons, and evenings were spent practicing with other students from many parts of Canada and the U.S. “I love Irish music and want to bring more of it into my classroom,” she says. “Specifically, I want third-grade students to explore other types of music. Kindergarten and Grades 1 and 2 are spent establishing a good understanding of our own musical traditions—by Grade 3, we can branch out to other musical genres. The fellowship made me a better musician, too, since it’s always beneficial to extend yourself out of your comfort zone.”

Mike Webster

Deeper Understanding of D-Day For Middle School history teacher Mike Webster, telling stories is one of the most important parts of his job—to bring history to life. Seeking to gain an emotional connection to World War II, he went to Normandy to see the D-Day battle sites and visit The Memorial de Caen in Normandy. He also saw the Bayeux Tapestry for the first time. “I have a deeper and better understanding of D-Day, having physically been to the site—seeing the hills and beaches, standing on Normandy Beach. Even something like seeing areas with rocks versus sand, I learned about the topography and geographical features that figured into the battles. The buildings look the same. I visited cemeteries and saw lots of plaques and other commemoratives. All of this contributed to an emotional visit—understanding the power of the event and the sacrifices made.” In the classroom, he will seek to attach more emotion to his lessons about World War II though photos and stories: “The visit made an emotional impact on me, so I want to transfer that to the students. I want to tell better stories, and emotion can make stories better.” FALL 2015

Faculty Awards Knowing that a strong faculty is key to the School’s reputation for excellence and honor, Pingry places a high value on the professional development of its teachers. The School provides opportunities for its faculty to attend conferences and workshops, make educational trips, pursue advanced degrees, conduct research, and learn skills to enhance their current courses or develop new ones, among other professional growth activities. Faculty members are also recognized for making significant contributions to the School with the following endowed awards.

The Albert W. Booth Chair for Master Teachers

The Woodruff J. English Faculty Award

ESTABLISHED IN 1993 TO HONOR ONE OF PINGRY’S BELOVED MASTER TEACHERS, ALBERT “ALBIE” BOOTH, WHOSE PINGRY CAREER SPANNED 64 YEARS.

ESTABLISHED IN 1996 IN HONOR OF WOODRUFF J. ENGLISH ’27

This award is given to a faculty member from any department who has taught at Pingry for at least five years and reflects those qualities of honor, integrity, idealism, dedication to students, and reverence for scholarship which defined Mr. Booth’s life and work.

2015 – 2016

Kelle S. Leonhard, Mathematics Upper School 2015 – 2016

This award recognizes teachers who instill in their students the love of learning and commitment to living the ideals of the Honor Code.

2015 – 2016

Lindsay A. Baydin, Fine Arts 2015 – 2016

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Jay P. Winston, Music

Middle and Upper Schools ––––––––––––––––

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ESTABLISHED IN 1993, THIS AWARD IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THIS MASTER TEACHER TO RECOGNIZE TEACHERS WHO BEST PERSONIFY THE PINGRY PHILOSOPHY.

FIRST AWARDED IN JUNE 2005 TO HONOR DAVID B. BUFFUM WHO TAUGHT AND INFLUENCED A GENERATION OF PINGRY STUDENTS. This chair is awarded to an outstanding faculty member in the Pingry History Department who embodies Mr. Buffum’s dedication to and love of education and history at Pingry.

2013 – 2016

This award is given to encourage young, experienced teachers to stay in teaching and recognizes good teaching and successful involvement in multiple extracurricular responsibilities.

This award recognizes outstanding teachers in the disciplines of natural sciences, mathematics, and technology.

2015 – 2016

Lucas A. De, Science Upper School

The Senior Class Faculty Chair

2015 – 2016

ESTABLISHED IN 1997 AND FIRST AWARDED IN JUNE 2007

Upper School

This award was established to honor a distinguished teacher and provide a stipend for professional and curricular development in his/her discipline.

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The Edward G. Engel Chair for Mathematics and Science

The E. Murray Todd Faculty Chair ESTABLISHED IN 1989

PINGRY’S FIRST ENDOWED CHAIR, ESTABLISHED IN 1983 IN HONOR OF “EDDIE” ENGEL, THE CLASS “MATHEMATICAL AND SCIENTIFIC GENIUS” WHO PARTICIPATED IN EVERYTHING FROM MUSIC TO SOCCER.

This award is given to a faculty member from any department who has taught at Pingry for at least five years and who has shown extraordinary dedication to our students.

This award is given to a faculty member in the mathematics or science department who has taught at Pingry for at least five years and made a significant contribution to the life of the school outside the classroom.

Victor A. Nazario, Spanish

Upper School

ESTABLISHED IN 2005 AND FIRST AWARDED IN JUNE 2007

Lower School

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2014 – 2017

James P. Whitlock, Jr. ’60 Faculty Development Fund for Science, Mathematics, and Technology

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Alicia M. Harabin ’02, Drama

Jacob J. Ross ’96, History

William W. Bourne, Science

Upper School

2015 – 2016

John P. Crowley-Delman ’97, History Upper School

2014 – 2017

Judith L. Lebowitz, English

The Herbert F. Hahn Junior Faculty Award

The David B. Buffum History Chair

ESTABLISHED IN 1989 This award is given to a faculty member in the humanities who has taught at Pingry for at least five years and made a significant contribution to the life of the school outside the classroom.

Lower School

Deirdre E. O’Mara, Science Upper School

The Norman B. Tomlinson, Jr. ’44, Chair for History and Literature

2013 – 2016

Upper School

2015 – 2016

Christopher M. Shilts, English Upper School ––––––––––––––––

The Greig Family Endowed Faculty Chair ESTABLISHED IN 2011 AND FIRST AWARDED IN JUNE 2015 This award is given to a faculty member who has been at Pingry for at least five years in recognition of his/her excellence in both teaching and coaching. The intent is to honor those teachers who best exemplify the Pingry philosophy of educating students both in and out of the classroom.

2015 – 2016

Michael H. Webster, History Middle School

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Convocation: Take Risks to Become Your Best Self Convocation is an event of reverence and tradition as Middle and Upper School students open the school year by reaffirming their commitment to the Honor Code—the School’s most fundamental value system— and honoring the School’s founder by singing “Old John Pingry.” On the 14th anniversary of September 11, 2001, the community also observed a moment of silence. In his Invocation, senior faculty member Miller Bugliari ’52, P ’86, ’90, ’97, GP ’20, beginning his 57th year on the faculty, told students that “you are, to a degree, the sum of your parts—your genes, your upbringing—but you have some say here [at Pingry], as well. Will you bring your best self? Be honorable, reach out to others, smile, and be friendly to a newcomer.” Student Body President Holly Butrico ’16 drew a parallel between Pingry and the students: just as the School has numerous traditions—notably the historic tradition of signing the Honor Code—yet continues to progress with the times, students should examine their own traditions while taking steps forward socially, academically, and athletically. Honor Board Chair Madeline Temares ’16 spoke about how much the Honor Code means to her in the way that it fosters a tightly-knit community. She and Holly collected Honor Code pledges that Middle and Upper School students signed in their advisory groups that morning. Board of Trustees Chair Jeff Edwards ’78, P ’12, ’14, ’18 pointed out that it is more important to consider the school year’s

Holly Butrico ’16 Student Body President “Try something new…try asking more questions. Make new traditions and new habits for yourself. It’s the next generation who will follow in our footsteps, honoring our actions and continuing them for years to come.”

journey than the finale: “Life is about living…the acts that you undertake, and not the inventory of memories.” Headmaster Nat Conard P ’09, ’11 recognized each of the current Magistri—faculty members who have taught at Pingry for at least 25 years. Collectively, this group has served Pingry for 1,133 years! In his remarks, Mr. Conard reflected on two different tomatoes. The first, in perfect condition because it was grown through a commercial, formulaic process, looks indistinguishable from every other tomato. “It has that all-important attribute—uniformity,” he said. “The second tomato is slightly scarred, bright red on the bottom, still a little green on top.” The difference? The Headmaster grew the second tomato himself, watching it develop through multiple challenges—growing in soil enriched by compost, being visited by insects, being surrounded by crabgrass, receiving too

Madeline Temares ’16 Honor Board Chair “The Honor Code pushes us to be the absolute best versions of ourselves. It is an incredible privilege that allows each of us the opportunity to reach our full potential.”

Honor Board Chair Madeline Temares ’16 and Student Body President Holly Butrico ’16 collecting signed Honor Code pledges.

much moisture at times and too little at others, and almost being eaten by crows. “No two tomatoes from that [second] plant could be said to look alike in any but the most general way. I guarantee that you would find this first tomato bland and uninteresting, and the second one sweet, flavorful, and complex.” Mr. Conard used these tomatoes as a metaphor for the results of the defining choices that Pingry students will make. “Each of you can decide for yourself what path to follow, what risks to take.” To encourage students to take chances, Mr. Conard reminded those gathered of Pingry’s strong sense of community, guided by the ideals of the Honor Code, which creates a safe, productive training ground in which to take risks and learn from failure.

Jeff Edwards ’78, P ’12, ’14, ’18 Chair, Board of Trustees “Take on each challenge with the greatest possible enthusiasm, passion, and the utmost integrity. Take advantage of the incredible resources and extraordinary facilities that surround you and are here to empower you. Measure your success by your courage, your effort, and your engagement.”

Nat Conard P ’09, ’11 Headmaster “You could choose to be the human equivalent of the first tomato, taking no chances, watching the year go by. On the other hand, if you wish to challenge your assumptions, reject simplistic arguments or answers, and take intellectual, artistic, and athletic risks, you may get a few bumps and bruises along the way, but no one will ever be able to accuse you of being bland and uninteresting.” FALL 2015

New Areas of Expertise and New Opportunities in Research Program Thanks to Pingry’s Upper School modernization and expansion of the research lab, as well as new science faculty with neuroscience and biophysics experience, the Research Program is able to offer more Upper School students the chance to conduct real-word research that is even more in-depth than in past years. For the first time, Pingry has eight fulltime teachers who are operating and expanding the program: Brian Burkhart, Dr. Morgan D’Ausilio, Luke De, Jeff Jenkins, Dr. Colleen Kirkhart, Allie Logerfo ’11, David Maxwell, and Dr. Azadeh Samadani. Notably, Ms. Logerfo is the first teacher to have been on the Independent Research Team (iRT) as a student when she worked on the PTC (Phenylthiocarbamide) lab. Six teachers are now working in a lab that was enlarged this summer to become a Research Suite, making space for more students who want to join the research program, and supporting the specialized equipment and safety measures that Pingry students need for their work. In particular, the lab makes it possible for students to use fluorescent microscopy, described by Luke De as “one of the most valuable current techniques in research,” and the lab enables students to work in groups without disturbing each other. “We’ve had ideas for this lab for years, but it was a ‘perfect storm’ with modernization,” he says. “A ‘well-designed’ lab became an ‘ideal’ lab.” New faces in the science wing, together with veteran science teachers with new responsibilities, produced a number of improvements to the research program for 2015-16.

“It is really important that female students are now seeing role models who are both female and researchers.”

Luke De tant because I want the program structure to allow new teachers to start doing research on day one, rather than having to wait several months or years to get a project off the ground,” he says.

David Maxwell

Luke De

Wolbachia Project

Coordinator of Research

Wolbachia is a symbiotic bacterium that Science Department Chair David Maxwell says lives in at least 20 percent of insects, spiders, mites, and crustaceans. The primary purpose of this project, open to freshmen and sophomores, is to give students lab experience, as they collect and identify insects and use molecular biology techniques to determine if Wolbachia is present. “Our older

Continuing as a mentor to independent research projects, Luke De has assumed a more supportive role in the research program, overseeing the infrastructure of iRT, ensuring that iRT members learn leadership skills, and bringing new teachers on board. “This role is impor42

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Dr. Colleen Kirkhart, Allie Logerfo ‘11, and Dr. Azadeh Samadani.

students are doing self-designed, openended work and may use a variety of techniques. The Wolbachia project exposes the younger students to some of these techniques, but they are following an established procedure to learn fundamental skills and potentially discover something new,” Mr. Maxwell says.

Dr. Colleen Kirkhart

Neuroscience and Fluorescent Microscopy “I could not believe the participation— the meeting takes place in the morning, is optional, and is not for credit, and about 60 students were talking about primary literature,” Dr. Kirkhart says about her initial reaction to Journal Club, a weekly event during which students make presentations about scientific articles. “These kids are so advanced in science that I can use college-level research with them, and they have incredible facilities at their disposal, especially for a high school.” She brings to Pingry her expertise in behavioral neuroscience—analyzing genes in the brain to understand behavior.

Dr. Kirkhart also has extensive experience with fluorescent microscopy: “In contrast to traditional light microscopes, which use magnifying lenses and the full spectrum of reflective light, fluorescent microscopes allow you to emit a narrow range of wavelengths. You can use different dyes to absorb and emit different wavelengths, allowing you to target and image multiple things in a single sample without losing specificity. For iRT, this opens up a wide variety of anatomical methods. Right now, you can look at big structures, like the outline of a brain or a tissue. Going forward, with this targeted approach, you have the capacity for more specificity—you can look at a receptor and see where it is in the brain. I’m looking forward to applying many different methods to the students’ research.”

Dr. Azadeh Samadani

Biophysics and 3-D Microscopy Impressed by the quality of student research published in The Pingry Community Research (PCR) Journal, and by Journal Club presentations that she considers to be on par with university students, Dr. Samadani came to Pingry to fulfill her desire to conduct research and teach (she was facing a career decision about whether to conduct research or teach, and Pingry gave her the best of both worlds). She will bridge the gap between biology research and physics by helping students understand biological questions from a physicist’s pointof-view—looking at a system (a network of nerves, for example) rather than details (such as how genes are connected). “It’s an engineering approach, using principles from physics,” she says. Engineering is also part of an interdisciplinary project with physics and biology: 3-D microscopy. Dr. Samadani explains that “many microorganisms float or swim in liquid, but a regular microscope sees 2-D projections of 3-D motion. To get information about the third dimension, we use a special microscope to see the organisms’ diffraction patterns. By looking at 2-D projections and those diffraction patterns, we get a 3-D image.” So, students will build horizontal 3-D microscopes (engineering), learn about diffraction (physics), and

develop an understanding of how cells move toward light and food (biology). “This is beyond high school-level physics, but I have confidence in the students,” Dr. Samadani says. In fact, she plans to develop more biophysics projects and, eventually, physics research.

ing sure that audiences understand why the topics are important. This approach is important for students who haven’t presented, and it’s good for the audience,” says Ms. Logerfo, who suggested building in more time to remedy the preparation challenge.

“As a female physicist and researcher, Azadeh stands out. It is really important that female students are now seeing role models who are both female and researchers,” Luke De says.

Under the new system, weekly meetings with each presenter include selecting an article, investigating the background information, carefully reviewing the article’s scientific data, finalizing the visuals that will be used to present the information, and—one week ahead—a final review of the presentation to critique the student’s skills. Also, since cancer and obesity have been the subjects of many past talks, Journal Club is encouraging students to cover a broader range of topics, such as aging and energy.

“Journal Club will focus on the ‘bigger picture’— making sure that audiences understand why the topics are important.”

Allie Logerfo ’11

iRT Alumna Returns! A recent graduate of Georgetown University with a B.S. in Biology, Ms. Logerfo provides a unique perspective that is invaluable to iRT because she is the only teacher who was part of the program as a student. In addition to her microbiology knowledge, she has taken on the task of streamlining research at Pingry and making this complicated discipline more accessible to students. “It is a way to give back and help to make a program that was so influential even better,” she says.

Journal Club Revamped Research is important, but understanding how that research fits into a global picture is equally important. In the past, students had a month of training before their presentations. “That’s not enough time to fully understand the science and prepare to explain it to an audience. Now, articles are approved six weeks ahead of time, and Journal Club will focus on the ‘bigger picture’—mak-

New Application Process for iRT The Independent Research Team is now open to applications from any Upper School student and is open to any field of study, with a transparent application process. “It’s like an abbreviated version of proposing a thesis in graduate school,” Dr. Kirkhart says. The first part requires a summary of the project proposal, links to current articles, and an explanation of why the project is interesting, the students’ questions, and their plan for answering those questions. Then, students whose applications are approved make 10-minute presentations, during which teachers ask clarifying questions and make sure the students have considered all aspects of their projects (such as experiment controls, budget, and equipment). Ultimately, the teachers will select the projects and pair the students with faculty mentors. The research faculty are thrilled with the progress that Pingry is making to help students become scientists. As Luke De says, “Research needs to be fresh, and the only way to force progress is to bring in new eyes and new ideas. Those new eyes need to help us identify problems we may be unaware of, and they make our program stronger.” Editor’s Note: Although there are currently eight teachers in the research program, Ms. Logerfo is preparing to fill in for Dr. D’Ausilio while she is on maternity leave later in the school year. FALL 2015

Love for Learning Leads Miro Bergam ’19 to Top Spot of Warren Buffett Competition For the first time, in 2014-15, Pingry boasted the Individual Winner of Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club “Grow Your Own Business Challenge” for children ages 7-14: Miro Bergam ’19. Sponsored by the Fairholme Foundation, the competition receives over 4,000 entries from around the country each year. The previous three years, Pingry had three finalists and two semifinalists—all in the Middle School—the most semifinalists and finalists of any school in the nation since the challenge’s inception four years ago; appropriately, Pingry students have the opportunity to participate in the challenge through the School’s financial literacy classes. “Choose a business based around something you are truly passionate about. You will need to speak a lot about why you chose your business,” Miro advises future entrants into the competition.

Miro’s business, stemming from his own passion for learning, is “Beyond the Books,” a free collaborative web site that will enable students to learn about subjects their school does not offer. A bibliophile whose love for learning has blossomed at Pingry, Miro wanted to learn AP Human Geography (a study of mankind’s impact on earth) in his free time. “There weren’t many resources online that can teach the course comprehensively and chronologically. I realized that it would be great to have a web site—which anyone can contribute to—that teaches a variety of subjects,” he says. Users create courses and upload notes that will ultimately become study guides, and they can suggest edits of one another’s notes to ensure accuracy. As a finalist, Miro had traveled to Omaha in May to present his business idea to Mr. Buffett and a panel of judges at a Grand Prize Event, and online voting

also accounted for part of his winning score. Miro won $5,000 and received 10 shares of Berkshire Hathaway B Stock. “Beyond the Books” should be operational by mid-2016.

Painting by Nancy Lu ’17 on Display in Washington, D.C. A beautiful oil painting by Nancy Lu ’17 that won a National Gold Medal in the 2015 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards received an impressive honor this fall: one of 25 National Award-winning works of art selected by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) for the exhibit “Art.Write.Now.DC 2015-16.” It is on display in the LBJ Department of Education Building in Washington, D.C. until August 2016. Nancy describes her inspiration for How Ironic Melancholy in the Spring Must Be: “I really wanted to illustrate the ephemeral, innocent sublimity of the young before it tends to fade away, succumbing to the ubiquitous pressures that tend to suppress the genuine expressions of self far too often as members of the youth grow up. However, when I saw my model for the first time, the complex emotions in her face—especially her eyes, the way she glanced at me—really struck me as something special, something that needed to be captured in a much more dynamic way 44

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How Ironic Melancholy in the Spring Must Be, by Nancy Lu ’17.

than just through a photograph. I realized that I should portray even more facets of a fleeting innocence and not just the happy aspects; I wanted this painting to leave some sort of impression that runs deeper than simply ‘oh, she looks so cute!’

Even though young people are like the glistening spring—filled with promise, optimism, and new beginnings—sometimes there are deeply-tacit sorrows that pollute even this time that should be the happiest in one’s life; thus, the title came to be How Ironic Melancholy in the Spring Must Be. I also wanted to add a quirkier and more creative twist to match this little theme and my original model, so what better way than to also use flowers, which are also of this young and temporary spring? Not only was this piece a way to really express my emotions and explore new techniques, it was also an awesome learning experience.” Editor’s Note: The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers identifies teenagers with exceptional artistic and literary talent through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teenagers in the U.S. “Art.Write.Now.DC” is presented in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education and PCAH.

New Arrangement of Art Song is Dedicated to Balladeers Hal Leonard Corporation has published Giuseppe Torelli’s “Tu Lo Sai” in a new arrangement by New Jersey-based choral composer and conductor Dr. Thomas S. Juneau…an arrangement dedicated to none other than Pingry’s Balladeers. “A dedication is lasting—the name goes into the piece, which is published and distributed worldwide,” Dr. Juneau says, when asked about the significance of dedicating any piece of music. “The piece also represents a high standard, so the ensemble to whom it is dedicated has that high standard in order to perform it. The Balladeers are a talented group because they are willing to try new pieces, and their work makes a positive impact at Pingry and in the community. And [Pingry music teacher] Jay Winston is an excellent choral director.” In 2013-14, the Balladeers had enjoyed their first exposure to Dr. Juneau’s music when they collaborated with him on “The Rose of Sharon.” Mr. Winston had

heard the piece in concert and describes it as “one of the most harmonically-beautiful pieces of music I’ve heard that was arranged for women’s voices. I knew it was a challenge.” After the school year ended, Dr. Juneau sent Mr. Winston a variety of music, including the as-yet-unpublished “Tu Lo Sai” that the Balladeers had the option of premiering in the fall of 2014. “I told him that we would be honored to do so, and we performed it in the fall of 2014 at the Upper School Ensembles Concert. Dr. Juneau told me that, if the song were published, he would dedicate the arrangement to the Balladeers,” Mr. Winston says. According to Dr. Juneau, many people consider “Tu Lo Sai” the premier and most fundamental art song in the solo vocal repertoire, so the Balladeers are linked as a wonderful ensemble to a wonderful Italian art song. “This song teaches so many aspects of singing,

Tu Lo Sai: Words by Anonymous. Music by Giuseppe

Torelli. Arranged by Thomas Juneau Copyright © 2014 by HAL LEONARD CORPORATION International Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved Reprinted by permission of Hal Leonard Corporation “Tu Lo Sai,” Hal Leonard No. 140675; $1.90; Available via www.musicdispatch.com or at your local music retailers nationwide

including breath support, phrasing, and musical nuance,” he says. “I arranged the piece because I believe that everyone in a choir should know this song, not just those who study private voice.”

They Can “Ring the Bell for Old John Pingry”—Handbells, That Is Upper School students who might not consider themselves “trained musicians” have an outlet to play handbells, thanks to the efforts of Sophia Cortazzo ’16, Libby Lee ’16, and Emilia McManus ’16. As freshmen three years ago, with music teacher Jay Winston’s encouragement, they formed a Handbell Club because, in Libby’s words, “the School has handbells, but the activity was missing.” Mr. Winston recalls that, at the time, “I thought it would be a great opportunity to have however many people wanted to participate play a few of our combined songs in the Winter Festival. They met weekly, without me, to work on the music. I came once or twice just to guide them, and then I directed them in the concert.” The club picked up momentum—12 girls as of 2014-15, partly because Emilia asked some of her field hockey teammates to join— and they continue to rehearse on their own and perform in the concert. “It’s fantastic that the girls who are running the club are taking the initiative to do so without any reward in return,” Mr. Winston says.

Members of the Handbell Club performing in the 2014 Winter Festival: Tessia Detore ’18, Lindsay Stanley ’16, Emilia McManus ’16, Zayna Nassoura ’16, Sophia Cortazzo ’16, Lindsey Larson ’18, Libby Lee ’16, and Nwamaka Nnaeto ’16.

Students’ Perspectives By Emilia McManus ’16, Sophia Cortazzo ’16, and Libby Lee ’16

To our surprise, there was no opportunity to play handbells in the Upper School. We began playing in the Middle School class and decided to take the initiative to begin a club once we entered high school. The reason we love handbells so much is that it is a “team instrument.” While most instruments allow one person to play all the notes, the handbells require a group effort. Because each

member plays only two notes, it is crucial for the choir to be in sync and have a strong group dynamic. When the group successfully works together, the melody comes together beautifully, and the sound resonates throughout the auditorium. We felt as though the Winter Festival would be missing a key component if the handbells were not present because they add a beautiful dimension to the Festival. Playing at the concert is something that we all look forward to, and we hope the tradition continues. FALL 2015

Arts Profile

Balladeers Sing in Full Voice under Jay Winston’s Direction “Be mindful of your jaws staying released…the sound will be pressed with a tight jaw…feel your facial energy when you lift your cheeks…be very specific on those eighth notes…” Music teacher Jay Winston, director of the Balladeers—Pingry’s select Upper School women’s ensemble—is rehearsing “I Want You Back” by The Jackson Five (an arrangement by Yumi Casagrande ’13). His right hand is playing the piano while his left hand turns the pages of the score. At the same time, he frequently sings along, demonstrating the sound he wants and snapping his fingers to illustrate the rhythm. A tenor in his own right, Mr. Winston is in his eighth year at Pingry, leading the Balladeers in genres from classical to pop to world music. He is so committed to his work at the School, and so consistently energized by the Balladeers’ performances, that being part of their performances satisfies much of his own

Music teacher Jay Winston with the 2015-16 Balladeers: Front row: Sonali Mehta ’16, Ally Lima ’19, Ursula Dedekind ’16, Sehyr Khan ’18, Maya Huffman ’18, Katharine Matthias ’17, Hannah Guglin ’16, and Anna Wood ’18. Middle row: Caroline Terens ’16, Victoria Watson ’17, Iman Khan ’18, EmmaClaire Marvin ’17, Melissa Tungare ’18, Dilan Mushayandebvu ’19, Isabel DeVito ’19, Nia Gooding ’16, Dorothea Miller ’19, and Erin Dugan ’16. Back row: Olivia Sartorius ’16, Jessie McLaughlin ’17, Annette Jones ’19, Jazmin Palmer ’16, and Aidan Zola ’16.

desire to perform. Nevertheless, an outing in October 2014 as Beadle Bamford in Cranford Dramatic Club’s production of Sweeney Todd was a great opportunity for him because the demands of the music and the role’s need for a classically-trained sound fit his voice. Mr. Winston has a keen understanding of voices, particularly how a voice can be used to great effect in different settings. “When I audition singers for the Balladeers,” he says, “I value versatility because it gives the group flexibility. A singer might be able to sing soprano or alto, so I try to place singers where their vocal qualities will work best and give us the sound we need, depending on the genre or style of the given song.” Ah, yes, the “sound.” Mr. Winston’s challenge is to balance the unified sound people expect to hear from a chorus with what he considers a more pressing need: a young voice’s healthy approach to singing. 46

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“I do not want my singers to sound like each other,” he says. “Many choir directors emphasize ‘blend, blend, blend’ or ‘pitch, pitch, pitch.’ Those are important, but I also have a background as a singer and private voice teacher. My feeling is that asking for vocal ‘blend’ often takes away the unique qualities of an individual voice, and I feel that can be a disservice to the individual and their vocal development. A high school singer should be encouraged to allow their whole voice to come out. I appreciate a choral sound with a good blend, but I still want to encourage singers to use their special instruments.” Above all, Mr. Winston has made it his mission to give the Balladeers something fundamental: “more confidence in themselves and more recognition in the School by creating an environment in which they feel valued and respected as performers.” Confidence and respect sounds like a winning combination!

Athletics Results

BIG BLUE ROUNDUP: Spring 2015

Baseball: 16-11 Skyland Conference/Mountain Division: 2nd place NJSIAA Non-Public B: Quarterfinalists Somerset County Tournament: Quarterfinalists Skyland Conference All-Conference/Mountain Division: Justin Friedman, Joe Possumato (1st team), Brian Miller (2nd team) Courier News All-Area: Justin Friedman (3rd team), Brian Miller, Joe Possumato (Honorable Mentions) Star-Ledger All-Non-Public: Justin Friedman (3rd team)

Somerset County Tournament: Champions—first county title in Pingry boys’ golf history NJSIAA Tournament of Champions: 2nd place in Non-Public B; 5th place in all groups out of 20 teams. Jake Mayer placed 3rd in Non-Public B with 76, the 7th best score out of 133 golfers. Star-Ledger: Ranked No. 6 in Top 20 Skyland Conference All-Conference/Valley Division: Justin Chae, Jake Mayer, Matt Dannenbaum, Alex Wolfson, Bobby Rigby (1st team), Philip Zachary (2nd team) Star-Ledger All-State: Jake Mayer (3rd team)

Softball: 8-11

Girls’ Golf: 3-12

Skyland Conference: Tied for 3rd place Skyland Conference All-Conference/Valley Division: Katie Marino, Kassidy Peterson, Amanda Van Orden (1st team), Maddie Parrish (2nd team) Courier News All-Area: Katie Marino (1st team), Kassidy Peterson (Honorable Mention) All Prep: Katie Marino Katie Marino reached career milestones of 100 hits and 100 runs scored.

Skyland Conference: 3-11 Somerset County Tournament: 5th place Skyland Conference Championship: 7th place. Ami Gianchandani placed 2nd. Skyland Conference All-Conference/Delaware Division: Ami Gianchandani (1st team), Lorraine Kim (Honorable Mention) NJSIAA Tournament of Champions: Ami Gianchandani placed 2nd in the state Star-Ledger All-State: Ami Gianchandani (1st team)

Boys’ Golf: 16-2

Boy’s Golf Team Wins Somerset County Tournament The Boys’ Varsity Golf Team won the Somerset County Tournament with a score of 302—the first county title in the history of the Pingry boys’ golf program! Jake Mayer ’17 was county champion with a score of 69 (three under par), and Justin Chae ’16 shot 72 to place 2nd. Matt Dannenbaum ’15 and Alex Wolfson ’15 scored 76 and 85, respectively. Skyland Conference: 1st place Skyland Conference Tournament: Champions—first Skyland Conference title in Pingry boys’ golf history. Their score of 304 was eight strokes better than second-place Montgomery. Justin Chae won the individual title with a 2-under-par 70.

Boys’ Lacrosse: 17-6 Team tied for most wins in program history, and set record for most goals scored in a season NJSIAA Non-Public Group B: State Champions—first title since 2006 NJSIAA Tournament of Champions: Semifinalists (1st TOC appearance since 2006) Somerset County Tournament: Finalists Star-Ledger: Ranked No. 7 on NJ.com’s Top 20; ranked No. 4 among non-public schools US Lacrosse All-American: Jonathan Butler NJILCA All-State Non-Public: Jonathan Butler (1st team), Clayton Wright, Rob Diaz (2nd team), Clay McCollum (Honorable Mention) Skyland Conference All-Conference/Raritan Division: Jonathan Butler, Rob Diaz, Clay McCollum, Clayton Wright (1st team), Ben Shepard, Jamie Smith, JC Sorenson (2nd team), Austin Chang (Honorable Mention) Courier News All-Area: Clayton Wright (1st team) Star-Ledger All-State: Jonathan Butler (1st team) Star-Ledger All-Non-Public: Jonathan Butler (1st team), Clayton Wright (2nd team), Rob Diaz, Clay McCollum (3rd team) Star-Ledger All-Freshmen/Sophomore Team: David Metzger (1st team), Jake Moss (2nd team) Clayton Wright, Clay McCollum, and JC Sorenson each reached the career milestone of 100 points. Mike Webster was named Courier News Boys’ Lacrosse Coach of the Year and Skyland Conference Boys’ Lacrosse Coach of the Year.

FALL 2015

Boys’ Lacrosse Captures State Title The Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse Team defeated Morristown-Beard 14-8 to win the NJSIAA Non-Public “B” state title. Six goals by Clay McCollum ’15 helped to fuel the win, along with strong offense from JC Sorenson ’15, Clayton Wright ’15, and Austin Chang ’16. David Metzger ’17 made 10 saves. Despite a 13-9 disadvantage in face-offs and an opponent who had only lost to three teams, Big Blue was victorious, taking home the School’s first Non-Public “B” state title since 2006.

Girls’ Lacrosse: 13-8 Skyland Conference: 3rd place Somerset County Tournament: Semifinalists NJSIAA Non-Public A: Sectional finalists Skyland Conference All-Conference/Delaware Division: Mary Pagano, Meg Vreeland (1st team), Annelise Kinney, Jennifer Wilkens (2nd team), Gianna Arata, Amanda Cosentino, Lily Graff, Sydney Lieberman, Casey Malone (Honorable Mentions) Courier News All-Area: Mary Pagano (1st team) Star-Ledger All-State All Group I: Mary Pagano (1st team)

Boys’ Tennis: 20-4 Skyland Conference: 2nd place NJISAA Prep A Tournament: Champions—first title since 1998. Jeff Zucker was 1st singles champion, Jonathan Lee won 2nd singles, and Julian Chartouni won 3rd singles. Josh Metzger and Neil Sambamurthy won 2nd doubles. NJSIAA Non-Public B: Sectional Champions Somerset County Tournament: 2nd place. Jeff Zucker was 1st singles champion for the 2nd consecutive year. NJSIAA Non-Public B South: 2nd place Star-Ledger All-State: Ranked No. 2 among all non-public schools NJSIAA/New Balance Singles Tournament: Jeff Zucker was a semifinalist 48

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Skyland Conference All-Conference/Valley Division: Jeff Zucker (1st team, 1st singles), Jonathan Lee (2nd team, 2nd singles), Julian Chartouni, (2nd team, 3rd singles), Josh Metzger and Neel Sambamurthy (2nd team, 2nd doubles) Skyland Conference Boy’s Tennis Player of the Year: Jeff Zucker Courier News Boys’ Tennis Player of the Year: Jeff Zucker Star-Ledger All-State: Jeff Zucker (2nd team, singles) Star-Ledger All-Non-Public: Jeff Zucker (1st team, singles), Wesley Jakimowicz and William Johnson (2nd team, doubles), Jonathan Lee (3rd team, singles)

Boys’ Track & Field: 0-4 Skyland Conference: 4th place Somerset County Meet: 6th place. Garrett McGregor was pole vault champion (13’) and placed 6th in triple jump. Jordan Hansen placed 4th in 100M dash, 5th in 400M dash, 6th in 200M dash, and 4th in high jump. Mike Carr place 2nd in high jump. NJSIAA Non-Public B State Championship: 7th place. Garrett McGregor placed 2nd in pole vault, Jordan Hansen placed 3rd in 100M dash, 3rd in 200m dash, and 4th in 4X100M relay with Tyler Williams, Sean Wang, and Mike Carr. Thomas Tarantino placed 4th in 3200M run. 4X800M relay team (Ben Vasquez, Jay Bober, Thomas Tarantino, and James Barker) and 4X400M relay team (Ben Vasquez, James Barker, Tyler Williams, and Sean Wang) placed 5th. NJSIAA Non-Public B South Sectional Championship: 4th place. Garrett McGregor set a new record in pole vault (12’6”, breaking the former record of 12’). Jordan Hansen placed 2nd in 200M and 400M dashes, 3rd in 100M, and 6th in high jump. Sean Wang placed 3rd in 4X100M relay, 4th in 400M dash, 4th in 4X400M relay, and 5th in 400 intermediate hurdles. Mike Carr placed 3rd in high jump. Thomas Tarantino place 3rd in 3200M. Skyland Conference Meet: 6th place. Garrett McGregor was pole vault champion (12’6”). Mike Carr placed 5th in high jump. Jordan Hansen placed 6th in 200M dash. Skyland Conference All-Conference/Raritan Division: Jordan Hansen (1st team, 100M dash, 200M dash), Garrett McGregor (1st team,

pole vault; 2nd team, triple jump, long jump), Mike Carr (1st team, high jump), Sean Wang (At-Large) Ridge Novice Meet: Shot put A team (Rich Le Grand and Brandon Beckford) placed 1st Skyland Conference All-Conference/Raritan Division: Jordan Hansen (1st team, 400M dash, 100M dash), Garrett McGregor (1st team, pole vault), Mike Carr (1st team, high jump), Garrett McGregor (2nd team, triple jump, long jump), Jordan Hansen (2nd team, 100M dash), Sean Wang (At-Large) Krish Bhavnani set the freshman record for triple jump (34’10”)

Girls’ Track & Field: 2-2

NJSIAA Non-Public B South Sectional Championship: 2nd place. Julia Dannenbaum won pole vault. Libby Parsons placed 3rd in high jump and triple jump. Anna Wood placed 2nd in 1600 and 3200. Emma Palmer won 800 and placed 3rd in 400 H. Sydney Streicher placed 3rd in 3200 and 6th in 1600. Cory Ransom placed 3rd in shot put, 4th in javelin, and 2nd in discus. Sarah Moseson placed 5th in 100 H hurdles. Sophia Weldon placed 2nd in triple jump and 5th in high jump. NJSIAA Meet of Champions: Julia Dannenbaum placed 3rd (pole vault), Sophia Weldon placed 7th (high jump) All-Conference: Emma Palmer (1st team, 800 and 400H), Julia Dannenbaum (1st team, pole vault), Libby Parsons (1st team, high jump), Anna Wood (2nd team, 3200), Sophia Cortazzo (2nd team, pole vault). Meet of Champions qualifiers: Sophia Cortazzo (pole vault), Julia Dannenbaum (pole vault), Sophia Weldon (high jump), Libby Parsons (triple jump), Emma Palmer (400 H), Shannon Kirdzik, Alexis Elliot, Keileh Atulomah, Victoria Watson (4X100 relay), Cory Ransom (shot put, discus, javelin). Skyland Conference All-Conference/Raritan Division: Emma Palmer (1st team, 800 and 400H), Julia Dannenbaum (1st team, pole vault), Libby Parsons (1st team, high jump), Anna Wood (2nd team, 3200), Sophia Cortazzo (2nd team, pole vault) Courier News All-Area: Julia Dannenbaum (1st team, pole vault) Star-Ledger All-Non-Public: Julia Dannenbaum (2nd team, pole vault), Libby Parsons (2nd team, high jump) Julia Dannenbaum set the school record in pole vault (12’ 1/2”)

Squash Player Renee Chan ’20 in SQUASH Magazine Ranked No. 32 in recent US Squash national rankings for Girls’ U15, Renee graces a page in the June issue. The reason: Her April win of the 2015 US Junior Silver Squash Championships U15 Singles at Meadow Mill Athletic Club in Baltimore.

Fencer Katie Vella ’16 in New Jersey Monthly Magazine Katie was profiled in the May 2015 issue. Peter Dorfman’s article, “Fencers Focus on Summer Glory,” highlights Katie as one of the state’s top high school épée fencers and a regular at national competitions. A member of Pingry’s Girls’ Varsity Fencing Team, Katie was named NJ.com Girls Fencing Athlete of the Week last season for winning her first District 3 épée title.

Sophia Cortazzo ’16 and Julia Dannenbaum ’17 won the girls’ pole vault at the Somerset County relay meet. Both athletes set personal records—Sophia with 11’ and Julia with 11’9”—and they broke the previous Somerset County relay meet record (21’); their combined height of 22’9”would have won a gold medal in the boys’ pole vault. In addition, Julia’s jump qualified her for Nationals. Sophia and Julia also combined to win Skyland Conference relay titles. Skyland Conference: 7th place Somerset County Meet: 5th place NJSIAA Non-Public B State Championship: 2nd place. Individual winners: Emma Palmer (800), Julia Dannenbaum (pole vault), Libby Parsons (high jump—new school record of 5’4”, breaking her own school record). Emma Palmer placed 5th in 400 H. Cory Ransom placed 3rd in discus, 6th in shot put, and 4th in javelin. Libby Parsons placed 4th in triple jump. Sophia Weldon placed 3rd in high jump. Anna Wood placed 3rd in 3200. FALL 2015

Seven Scholar-Athletes

First row: Lauren McLaughlin ’15, Kate Northrop ’15, Lily Graff ’15, and Christina Ou ’15. Second row: JC Sorenson ’15, Jamie Smith ’15, and Sebastian Lutz ’15.

Somerset County Scholar-Athletes

NJISAA Scholar-Athletes

Sebastian Lutz ’15, Harvard University, is an eight-time high school AllAmerican swimmer, an eight-time New Jersey State High School Champion, and a two-time NJISAA Prep Championship MVP. He will join Nic Fink ’11 at the Olympic Trials in Nebraska next summer, when Sebastian will compete in the 50-yard freestyle. A three-time YMCA National Champion, Sebastian holds the state record in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle. He was also a 2014 USA Swimming Scholastic All-American. Kate Northrop ’15, Princeton University, was Captain of the Girls’ Varsity Fencing Team, having lettered all four years, and a United States Fencing Association Junior Olympian. In 2013, she earned a place on the United States Junior and Cadet World Championship Team, representing the U.S. in Croatia and making her one of the top three fencers in the country. While at Pingry, she also traveled to domestic and international competitions throughout the year.

Lauren McLaughlin ’15, Bowdoin College, was Captain of the 2014 Girls’ Varsity Soccer Team and a two-year Captain of the Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team (2013-2014 and 2014-2015). Her soccer accomplishments include NSCAA Regional AllAmerican and NJGSCA All-State Top 20 in 2014, and she was named to the Courier News All-Area First Team and Skyland Conference/Delaware Division First Team, both in 2014.

Skyland Conference Scholar-Athletes Lily Graff ’15, University of Virginia, a three-sport standout in field hockey, swimming, and lacrosse, was named to the National Academic Squad by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (in addition to being Assistant Captain her senior year), captained the swim team to a 2015 State Championship, and was a 2014 recipient of the U.S. Lacrosse Girls’ High School All-Academic Team. Jamie Smith 15, Amherst College, earned numerous accolades in lacrosse, including winning coveted spots on Leading Edge Elite teams all four summers of his high school career. Captain of the Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey Team his senior year, his coaches awarded him the Captain’s Award and the Coaches Award (junior year), and named him the season’s MVP. On the soccer field, he scored two of the three goals in the 2014 NJSIAA Non-Public “B” State Tournament Final, leading the team to a win. 50

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JC Sorenson ’15, University of Michigan, was a four-year starter for the Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse Team, scoring 106 points (66 goals and 40 assists). He received three invitations to play in front of college coaches at the Jake Reed Nike Blue Chip Lacrosse Camp, the nation’s premier recruiting camp for high school players, and was invited last fall to participate in Paul Rabil’s Project Nine, a lacrosse training camp for select Division 1-bound students from across the country.

NJSIAA Scholar-Athlete Christina Ou ’15, Carnegie Mellon University (2015 Charpie Scholar), Assistant Captain and four-year member of the Girls’ Varsity Swim Team, qualified for the YMCA National Swimming Championships in 2011. Her talents helped the team secure the Prep “A” State Championship in 2014 and the NJSIAA NonPublic “B” State Championship in 2014 and 2015. She was named to the 2014-15 NISCA/Speedo Academic All-American squad, which requires a GPA of at least 3.75 and a varsity letter in senior year.

Football Players Compete in 3rd Annual Basilone Bowl Five Pingry players from the Class of 2015—Jake Greenberg, Austin Schmidt, Thomas Foreman, Rahul Oza, and David Braverman—represented Pingry at the John Basilone Bowl, sponsored by the United States Marine Corps and Somerset County Football Coaches Association to honor the memory of USMC Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone. The Basilone Bowl is a postseason, all-star game comprised of over 80 recentlygraduated seniors from Somerset County’s 13 footballplaying schools, as well as Delaware Valley Regional High School in Hunterdon County. In recognition of Basilone’s heroism, players are chosen by the Coaches Association for their athletic ability, scholastic performance, and content of character.

Swimmers are All-Americans and Scholars The Boys’ Varsity Swimming 200 medley relay and 200 free relay teams were named All-Americans. Sebastian Lutz ’15 is an All-American in the 50 free, 100 free, and 100 fly. Ingrid Shu ’16 was named to the NISCA 2014-15 All-American team in the 50-yard freestyle—she swam 23.58 in the finals of the 50-yard freestyle at the NJSIAA Individual Championship Meet, placing 2nd in the event. Also, the Girls’ Varsity Swimming Team achieved Bronze Level in the 2014-15 NISCA/SwimOutlet.com Scholar Team Awards program with a combined GPA of 3.45. NISCA—National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association NJGSCA—New Jersey Girls Soccer Coaches Association NJILCA—New Jersey Interscholastic Lacrosse Coaches Association NJISAA—New Jersey Independent School Athletic Association NJSIAA—New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association NSCAA—National Soccer Coaches Asso

Seniors Planning to Play Sports in College

Thirty-one Pingry graduates are taking their athletic skills to 21 college teams, playing nine different sports for some of the nation’s most premier college athletics programs: baseball (2), field hockey (1), fencing (1), football (2), lacrosse (8), squash (2), soccer (7), swimming (6), and track & field (2). Five of these athletes will be playing at Division I schools, which required signed national letters of intent, but many others are also playing at other top Division I and III athletics programs. Front row: Sebastian Lutz (Harvard University/swimming), Jonathan Zeitels (University of Pennsylvania/squash), Christina Ou (Carnegie Mellon University/ swimming), Kate Northrop (Princeton University/fencing), Emery Sorvino (Amherst College/ field hockey), Jennifer Wilkens (University of California, Berkeley/ lacrosse), Annelise Kinney (Lafayette College/lacrosse), Diana Masch (Columbia University/squash), Lauren McLaughlin (Bowdoin College/soccer), Tanika Roach (Seton Hall University/

soccer), Rachel Noone (Bowdoin College/soccer), and Emma Palmer (Colgate University/track). Back row: Roberto De Almeida (Xavier University/soccer), Jonathan Butler (Harvard University/ lacrosse), Jordan Hansen (Quinnipiac University/track), Jamie Cook (Hamilton College/soccer), Rahul Oza (Washington University/football), Max Lurie (Dartmouth College/soccer), Alejandro Vollbrechthausen (Tufts University/ swimming), Austin Schmidt (St. Lawrence University/football), David Braverman (Hamilton College/ baseball), Clay McCollum (Hamilton College/lacrosse), Clayton Wright (Bowdoin College/lacrosse), JC Sorenson (University of Michigan/lacrosse), Christopher Lucciola (Gettysburg College/soccer), Rob Diaz (Denison University/lacrosse), Justin Friedman (George Washington University/baseball), Jamie Finnegan (Williams College/ swimming), Jamie Smith (Amherst College/lacrosse), and Alex Wolfson (Trinity College/swimming). Not pictured: Kamau Holston (New York University/ swimming).

FALL 2015

Seniors Sign NCAA Division I Letters of Intent In the fall of 2014, five Pingry seniors signed formal NCAA letters of intent to continue their educations and athletics careers at top Division I schools: Justin Friedman ’15—George Washington University—Baseball Justin is the Pingry baseball program’s fourth player in four years to commit to a Division I baseball program, following Dan Keller ’12 (Bucknell), Ryan Toomey ’13 (Georgetown), and Kyle Walker ’14 (Rutgers). In 2015, Justin earned his third varsity letter as a three-year starting pitcher. In his sophomore and junior years, Justin struck out 72 batters in 85 2/3 innings while walking only 23—statistics that are all the more impressive when considering that, as the proverbial “ace” of the staff, he pitched against most of the team’s toughest opponents last season. Annelise Kinney ’15—Lafayette College—Women’s Lacrosse Annelise was a four-year member of the Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse Team and served as Captain her senior year, having already been Assistant Captain of the Field Hockey Team. Her honors in 2014 included being selected for the New Jersey Under Armour Underclassmen Lacrosse Tournament, and her selection by the NJSIAA and New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women as one of 153 award recipients on National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Jennifer Wilkens ’15, Annelise Kinney ’15, Tanika Roach ’15, JC Sorenson ’15, and Justin Friedman ’15.

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Tanika Roach ’15—Seton Hall University—Women’s Soccer Tanika played for Pingry’s Girls’ Varsity Soccer Team since 2012, contributing to the team’s 2012 NJSIAA South A Sectional Championship and Non-Public A State Championship, 2013 Skyland Conference Championship, and 2014 Somerset County Championship—for the 2014 championship, she scored game-winning goals to help Pingry win the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the championship. Among her many honors, Tanika earned All-State honors from NJGSCA in 2013 and 2014, and she made the association’s Top 20 list in 2014 for New Jersey North 2. JC Sorenson ’15—University of Michigan—Men’s Lacrosse A four-year starting midfielder for the Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse Team, JC also played JV and varsity football, varsity soccer, and JV basketball during his Pingry career. For more, see his entry under “NJISAA Scholar-Athletes.” Jennifer Wilkens ’15—University of California, Berkeley— Women’s Lacrosse Jennifer played four years for the Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse Team and served as Captain this spring. She was named to the Skyland Conference/Delaware Division 2nd Team (2013) and 1st Team (2014), and was invited to the Nike Elite 120, an invitation-only showcase of top girls’ lacrosse players from the East Coast.

Update: Collegiate Student-Athletes

Baseball

Dan Keller ’12 (Bucknell University) was named to the Dean’s List and Patriot League Academic Honor Roll for the spring semester. The Dean’s List requires a GPA of at least 3.5; the Honor Roll requires a GPA of at least 3.2.

Men’s Soccer

Sarah Williams ‘12 and Corey DeLaney ‘12.

Women’s Soccer & Sailing

Corey DeLaney ’12 and Sarah Williams ’12, both former Pingry lacrosse players, are captains of two teams at Dartmouth College—women’s soccer and sailing, respectively. Sarah was named to the ICSA 2015 All-Academic Team. Each honoree must be a junior or senior, have at least a 3.3 cumulative GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale, and be a starter or key reserve in at least seven universitysponsored regattas.

Credit: Marc Hagemeier

Mael Corboz ’12 (University of Maryland) was honored to be one of 28 collegiate players invited to Carson, California to train with the prestigious U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team in August (not since Andrew Lewis ’94, who played for Princeton and went on to a professional soccer career, has a Pingry alumnus been invited to participate in a national team camp). The training camp, led by Head Coach Andi Herzog, allowed the coaching staff to scout a new crop of collegiate players as the team continues its preparations in hopes of qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. “It was nice to play and interact with guys who are normally my opponents,” Mael said. “And it’s always nice to be part of the national team set-up and get to know the staff. It was a really

fun camp.” One of the best soccer players to wear Pingry blue, the 5’11” Corboz racked up plenty of accolades during his time on campus, and was sophomore captain of the Rutgers team, garnering All-American recognition, before transferring to Maryland, one of the top soccer programs in the country. He has trained with Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls reserves (2013), previously attended the U17 Men’s National Cup Team camp (2009), and was a member of the U15 Boys’ National Team (2009).

This school year, the Patriot League is celebrating its 25th anniversary as an all-sports conference, so the league announced its 25th Anniversary Teams for each sport that it has sponsored since 1990-91. Four of Bucknell University’s all-time most outstanding studentathletes made the 25-person Patriot League Men’s Soccer 25th Anniversary Team, including Brendan Burgdorf ’09 (each Patriot League school selected 25 players for voting by other schools in the league, and schools could not vote for their own student-athletes). Brendan was the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year (2010), a three-time All-Patriot League selection, and the first Bison in nearly a quarter-century to earn NSCAA All-Region honors four times. He helped lead the Bison to Patriot League championships in each of his first two seasons, and, as a freshman, scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Princeton in the NCAA Tournament. As a senior, Brendan was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List. He became a member of the 20-goal club that year and graduated ranked in the top 10 on Bucknell’s career charts in points (T-10th with 55) and assists (T-8th with 15). A physics major, Brendan was also selected to the Capital One Academic All-District Team and the Patriot League Men’s Soccer All-Academic Team. He was also an NSCAA Scholar All-American.

ICSA—Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association NSCAA—National Soccer Coaches Association of America MAC—Missouri Athletic Club FALL 2015

celebrate! PINGRY reunion2015

Reunion 2015 [ 1 ] Jenni (Knight) Bodnar ’80, former trustee and former PAA

President Jonathan Shelby ’74, P ’08, ’11, ’19, Kyle Coleman ’80, Trustee Stuart Lederman ’78, Jordan Lederman, and Emerson Lederman. [ 2 ] Richard Goldberg ’56 and Elizabeth Goldberg. [ 3 ] Sam Cole ’35 and Manton Martin ’35. [ 4 ] Larry Oxley ’45, Al Bauer ’45, and Fred Rapell ’45. [ 5 ] John Leathers ’57. [ 6 ] Chris Franklin ’96 and Henry Franklin. [ 7 ] Members of the Class of 1965 at the 50-Year Club Luncheon. [ 8 ] Guy Fisher ’65 and Bob Jensen ’65. [ 9 ] Jazz Band director Sean McAnally and Joshua Breakstone ’73. [ 10 ] The Jazz Band playing “Stop” by Achievement in the Arts Award recipient Joshua Breakstone ’73. [ 11 ] Chuck Wynn, Jr. ’55, Miller Bugliari ’52, P ’86, ’90, ’97, GP ’20, Spanish teacher Victor Nazario P ’90 ’94, and Jo Ann Nazario. [ 12 ] Dr. Tom Behr ’58, Jeff Hodde ’65, and Gil Roessner ’66. [ 13 ] Alumni Lacrosse Game. First row attendees included Larry Hallett ’75, Charlie Muller ’15, Andrew La Fontaine ’10, John Dugan ’13, Ryan Salamon ’15, Chris Melligon ’14, Steve Newes ’78, Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse Head Coach Mike Webster P ’24, ’27, Charlie Malone ’20, E. Paul duPont ’03, and John Brady ’78. Second row attendees included Billy Baldwin ’78, Miles Koenig, Skot Koenig ’77, Rob Diaz ’15, former coach Howard Shirley, Jonathan Butler ’15, Clay McCollum ’15, Jamie Smith ’15, Doug Lachenauer ’15, Clayton Wright ’15, JC Sorenson ’15, Dan Muller ’10, David Metzger ’17, Josh Gradwohl ’80, Ben Muller ’12, James Ogden ’12, Will Kelly ’12, Morgan Griff ’06, Liam Griff ’04, Andrew Houston ’00, Alex Baydin ’93, P ’26, Wyatt Kasserman ’99, and Chris Franklin ’96.

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FALL 2015

Steve Lipper ’79 Receives 2015 Nelson L. Carr Service Award

Steve Lipper ’79, P ’09, ’12, ’14 and Stephanie Lipper ’14.

The surprise presentation of this award is a Reunion tradition. Named in 1992 for Nelson L. Carr ’24, who served as PAA President (1942-43) and received Pingry’s Letter-in-Life Award (1982), it is given for faithful and dedicated service in support of Pingry. Steve Lipper ’79, P ’09, ’12, ’14 received the honor from Trustee Stuart Lederman ’78 during the PAA’s annual meeting.

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Mr. Lipper entered Pingry as a sixth-grade student in 1972. An Honor Roll student all four years of high school, he played football, baseball, and lacrosse, and was a diver on the swim team (six varsity letters—three as a diver, two for football, and one for lacrosse). In their college recommendation letters, his teachers described him as a “real gentleman” who was “concerned for everyone’s well-being.” Mr. Lipper attended the University of Pennsylvania and works as a Portfolio Manager for Royce & Associates in New York. His extensive Pingry activities over the past 35-plus years include Class Agent; Reunion volunteer; Career Day speaker; PAA Board member; Trustee and PAA President for four years (two terms); Chair of the Alumni Awards Committee, which selects Letter-in-Life and Nelson Carr winners; Chair of the Achievement in the Arts Award Nominating Committee; and Chair of the Friends of Miller Steering Committee. “I know other recipients of the Nelson Carr Service Award,” Mr. Lipper said upon accepting, “and it is an honor to join their company. They are models of service. Volunteer activities bring you closer to the Pingry family. When you find special places like Pingry, you throw yourself into the activity and help make them continue to be great.”

Reunion 2015 [ 14 ] The Buttondowns: Brian Grimaldi ’16,

Dedication of the Michael Joseph DePaul History Room Thanks to the generosity of the members of the Class of 1965, who named a classroom in honor of their late classmate Michael Joseph DePaul, Chief Warrant Officer of the U.S. Army, Pingry will be able to modernize an Upper School history classroom. Members of the Class, Headmaster Nat Conard P ’09, ’11, and Special Assistant to the Headmaster Miller Bugliari ’52, P ’86, ’90, ’97, GP ’20 attended a solemn dedication ceremony for the classroom named for DePaul, who was killed in action in Vietnam in 1971. “I did not know Michael, but memories of that era are powerful. I can only imagine what it was like [to serve in Vietnam]. I officially dedicate a history classroom in honor of Michael Joseph DePaul, Class of 1965, and ask for a moment of silence in his memory,” Mr. Conard said.

Jonathan Huang ’18, Jared Tiggs ’18, Jimmy Topor ’17, James Moore-Gillon ’17, Gabe Gever ’17, Matthew Peacock ’17, TanTan Wang ’16, Brian Miller ’16, Hunter Stires ’15, Daniel Hutt ’17, Ben Zhou ’17, Thomas Horn ’16, Michael James ’16, and James Robertson ’17. [ 15 ] Ted Smith ’00 and Kate (Martuscello) Smith ’00. [ 16 ] Gary Chwazik ’75 and Lu Chwazik. [ 17 ] Kitty Scheuerman Fowler ’95, Marshall McLean ’98, Christine (Iacuzzo) Dickler ’95, and Kim (Barbieri) McLean ’98. [ 18 ] Mark Bigos ’79, P ’22 and Martine Bigos ’22. [ 19 ] Mariah Smith ’19, Grant Smith ’77, Sophia Smith, and Ulysses Smith III ’22. [ 20 ] Christian Hoffman ’94, Jane (Shivers) Hoffman ’94, and Miller Bugliari ’52, P ’86, ’90, ’97, GP ’20. [ 21 ] Members of the 2004 Girls’ Soccer Team: Maggie Porges ’05, Nicole Rhodes Boulukos ’05, Alison Sarokhan ’05, Girls’ Varsity Soccer Head Coach Andrew Egginton, Marisa Stock ’06, Casey Rupon ’08, and Michelle Aueron ’07. [ 22 ] Victor Nazario P ’90, ’94 and Jamil McClintock ’04. The framed photograph they are holding (taken by Chris Faytok) appeared in The Star-Ledger on June 3, 2004, the day after the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. At that event, Mr. McClintock won the 110-meter high hurdles (14.07). [ 23 ] John Wight ’62, P ’03 and Headmaster Nat Conard P ’09, ’11. [ 24 ] Bob Dwyer ’65, Jim Hecox ’65, and Percy Young ’65 with their seventh-grade pen pals and Latin teacher Margaret Kelleher ’01.

FALL 2015

Reunion 2015 [ 25 ] [ 26 ] [ 27 ] [ 28 ] [ 29 ] [ 30 ] [ 31 ] [ 32 ]

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Class of 1955. Class of 1975. Class of 1980. Class of 1985. Class of 1995. Class of 2000. Class of 2005. Class of 2010.

Hundreds of guests packed the tent on Friday night of Reunion Weekend for another amazing scene in Pingry history: a grand tribute to Miller Bugliari â&#x20AC;&#x2122;52, who won his 800th soccer game in September 2014 and then celebrated his 80th birthday in May. Combining his years as a Pingry student and his years working at Pingry, he has been at Pingry for 73 years. His 56-year coaching record at the conclusion of the 2014 season was 814-102-68.

FALL 2015

“He is the soul of Pingry soccer and, dare I say, the soul of Pingry.”

Charlie Stillitano, Jr. ’77, P ’17 2

Along with family members—his wife of 50 years, Elizabeth, their sons Boyce ’86, Anthony ’90, P ’20, and David ’97, and Anthony’s wife Katie P ’20—attendees included alumni, generations of soccer players and their parents, assistant coaches, and current and former trustees, faculty, and staff. Two screens displayed photos and videos from decades’ worth of soccer seasons, including highlights from championship games and Coach Bugliari’s 500th and 700th victories. “How does one actually ‘celebrate’ an icon of The Pingry School?” Headmaster Nat Conard P ’09, ’11 asked in his remarks. “We invited all of Miller’s friends and immediately reserved the largest tent available! I want to express my appreciation to Miller for everything that he has given to this institution. Miller really is Pingry, and Pingry really is Miller.” Other speakers included Roberto De Almeida ’15, Co-Captain of the 2014 Boys’ 60

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Varsity Soccer Team; Dr. Tom Behr ’58, author of the new book Eight Decades at The Pingry School: The Life and Times of Miller A. Bugliari ’52; Charlie Stillitano, Jr. ’77, P ’17 (who has spent his career in soccer management and is a member of Pingry’s Athletics Hall of Fame for his soccer achievements); and, of course, Coach Bugliari himself. He took the stage to thank his family; his players; Pingry itself, including Mr. Conard, Melanie Hoffmann P ’20, ’27, and David M. Fahey ’99 (Mr. Fahey for helping to make the evening possible); his assistant coaches; Mr. Stillitano for “giving back to Pingry soccer in so many ways”; his classmates, including Kim Kimber; Dr. Behr, Gil Roessner ’66, and George Ellison ’66 for their work on the book; and Peter Hiscano ’75 for his soccer films.

Celebrate Miller! [ 1 ] Anthony Bugliari ’90, Katie Bugliari (Parents ’20), David Bugliari ’97,

Boyce Bugliari ’86, Elizabeth Bugliari, Miller Bugliari ’52, Susan Budd, and David Budd ’66. [ 2 ] Dr. Tom Behr ’58, Elizabeth Bugliari, and Miller Bugliari ’52. All three share another connection, having taught at Pingry at one time (Tom Behr taught English, Elizabeth Bugliari taught social studies in the Junior School, and Miller Bugliari taught biology). [ 3 ] Former trustee and former PAA President Jonathan Shelby ’74, P ’08, ’11, ’19, Sean O’Donnell ’75, Mimi O’Donnell (Parents ’05, ’10), and James Baxley ’75. [ 4 ] Miller Bugliari ’52, Phil Burrows ’55, and Todd Burrows ’90. [ 5 ] Dr. John Boozan ’75, Jim Hoitsma ’75, and Don Tansey ’67, P ’00. [ 6 ] Taylor Wright P ’12, ’15 ’18 and Ed Acosta P ’18. [ 7 ] J. Scott Magrane P ’05, former trustee and former PAA President Rob Gibby, Jr. ’60, P ’87, Miller Bugliari ’52, Alan Gibby ’66, and Jerry Fechter P ’05, ’09, ’13. [ 8 ] Miller Bugliari ’52 with four members of the 2014 Boys’ Varsity Soccer Team: Roberto De Almeida ’15, Jamie Cook ’15, Max Lurie ’15, and Clayton Wright ’15. He is also shown with two gifts: a birthday cake in the shape of the future Miller A. Bugliari ’52 Athletics Center, and his shovel for the groundbreaking at Homecoming on September 19. [ 9 ] Peter Cipriano ’06, Gaetano Cipriano ’74, P ’06, ’08, and Dr. Aaron Welt ’67, P ’06. [ 10 ] Martha (Ryan) Graff ’84, P ’15, ’17, ’20, Michael Lucciola, Helen Lucciola (Parents ’11, ’13, ’15, ’17), and Katie Bugliari P ’20. [ 11 ] John Rhodes, Jr. ’02, Bill Kovacs ’03, and John Porges ’03. [ 12 ] Hank Slauson ’69 and Gretchen Slauson.

FALL 2015

“I wish I could spend more time with all of you. Each person is an individual, and that is the magic in teaching, in coaching, and in life. You’re all wonderful, and I thank you.”

Miller Bugliari ’52 16

“Learn to trust, be compassionate, be honest, set high standards, and have ambitious goals, because those qualities represent how Miller has treated all of us and how he has lived his life.”

Dr. Tom Behr ’58

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“Coach, you are the best thing that has ever happened to soccer, and to me.”

Roberto De Almeida ’15

Celebrate Miller! [ 13 ] Trustee Alison Malin Zoellner ’83, former trustee and former PAA President Gordy Sulcer ’61, P ’95, ’01, and Trustee Stuart Lederman ’78. [ 14 ] Todd Lurie P ’15, ’18, Miller Bugliari ’52, and Max Lurie ’15. [ 15 ] Scott Aimetti ’89, Brad Cook P ’15, and J. Michael Coughlin ’90. [ 16 ] John Dugan ’13, Henry Flugstad-Clarke ’13, Rahul Rakhit ’13, Hugh Thompson ’13, and Mitchell Flugstad-Clarke ’18. [ 17 ] Rob Diaz ’15, Clayton Wright ’15, and Freddy Elliot ’12. [ 18 ] Robert Logan, Elizabeth Bugliari, and Sarah Dwyer ’03. [ 19 ] Randy Falk ’11, Jay Falk, and Tom Strackhouse ’06. [ 20 ] Barbara Kimber P ’76, ’79, GP ’07, John Stamatis ’05, Brad Fechter ’05, and Upper School Spanish teacher Gerardo Vazquez P ’18, ’19. [ 21 ] Former trustee and former PAA President Raymond Londa ’57, P ’88, ’91, Patricia Radcliffe, and Dr. Warren Radcliffe, Jr. ’49 (GP ’16). [ 22 ] Freddy Elliot ’12, Elizabeth Bugliari, and Patience Elliot P ’12, ’18. [ 23 ] Julian Greer ’14, Matt Mangini ’14, Max Helfman ’14, and George Zachary ’14. [ 24 ] Sudipta Rao P ’14, ’18, Joan Helfman, Dr. Alan Helfman (Parents ’14), and Vijay Rao P ’14, ’18. [ 25 ] Chip Carver, Jr. ’77, P ’09, ’11, ’14, Frank DeLaney ’77, P ’12, Trustee Anne DeLaney ’79, P ’09, ’11, ’14, and Charlie Stillitano, Jr. ’77, P ’17. [ 26 ] Former Director of College Guidance Dave Allan P ’75, ’77, ’79, ’83, John McLaughlin, former Grade 4 teacher Mary Jean McLaughlin (Parents ’78, ’80, ’83, ’84, GP ’12, ’15, ’18, ’21), and former Grade 1 teacher Connie Allan P ’75, ’77, ’79, ’83. [ 27 ] Bronson Van Wyck ’63, Mary Lynn Van Wyck, Miller Bugliari ’52, and Elizabeth Bugliari. [ 28 ] Bruce Morrison ’64, Allison Fahey, Frank DeLaney ’77, P ’12, and Warren Kimber III ’76, P ’07. [ 29 ] Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse Head Coach John Magadini, Nick Ross ’97, Tyler Umbdenstock ’97, and James Fraser ’97. [ 30 ] Uzoamaka Ikoro P ’15, ’17 and Miller Bugliari ’52.

FALL 2015

Athletics Hall of Fame Inducts Two Alumni and One Team

Jamil McClintock ’04, Gloria “Laney” Bevill ’89, and the 2004 Girls’ Soccer Team For 25 years, Pingry has been inducting new members into its Athletics Hall of Fame during Reunion Weekend. The Hall honors former studentathletes, varsity coaches, and members of the athletics staff who have demonstrated leadership and whose accomplishments in Pingry athletics have been of the highest caliber. These are the citations for the 2015 inductees.

David McClintock P ’04, ’10, Jamil McClintock ’04, and Jamie McClintock P ’04, ’10.

JAMIL DAVID MCCLINTOCK ’04

CHAMPION HURDLER RECOGNIZED FOR HIS DEDICATION TO THE SPORT One of the most talented and versatile runners ever to grace the Pingry track, Jamil McClintock continually refined his natural abilities through perseverance and hard work. During high school, Jamil earned four varsity letters in men’s track, serving as captain of the team his senior year. At the 2004 NJ State Meet of Champions, Jamil won the 110 meter high hurdles, becoming the first Pingry athlete since 1992 designated as a Meet of Champions’ champion in track and field. Two-time qualifier for the national high school track and field championships, in 2004 Jamil was named 1st team All-Conference, All-County, All-Area, and All-State, and was further honored as NJ State Hurdler of the Year. Best known for the 110HH, an event for which he set five Pingry records, Jamil also demonstrated tremendous versatility as an athlete, claiming a varsity letter in football, setting the school high jump record, 64

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and winning the long jump the first time he competed in the event. Jamil continued to run track at Brown University, garnering four varsity letters and serving as captain of the men’s track team for three years. He received the team’s Freshman of the Year award and won the Coaches’ Award for Most Outstanding Athlete in his junior year. In 2007, Jamil was the #1 ranked Ivy League hurdler and a member of the national All-Academic team. He set Brown University records in the 110HH, in the 60HH, and as part of the 4x200 record-setting relay team. An inspiration off the field, Jamil is an active volunteer with NJ SEEDS, and he provides pro bono legal counsel to several non-profits in the San Francisco Bay area. Coach Chris Shilts, Jamil’s first high hurdles coach, spoke about Jamil’s remarkable speed and the four qualities of an outstanding hurdler: technique, speed, strength, and flexibility. “By the end of

Jamil’s senior year, he had all four. A hurdler who acquires all four of those skills is a special athlete,” he said. Jamil’s legacy also figured in his remarks: “After Jamil graduated, Pingry had a strong 10-year run of exceptional hurdling, for boys and girls…Jamil redefined and reinforced what ‘good’ means. Two true qualities of a leader are these: people beneath the leader become successful leaders, and the organization continues to thrive.” In his heartfelt remarks, Jamil expressed his immense gratitude for the honor of being inducted into the Hall of Fame, saying, “I must have done something right!” He received encouragement from all of his coaches, particularly Chris Shilts, Vic Nazario, Mike Webster, and Tom Boyer. Jamil was also grateful to his “30 brothers” on the football team for helping him feel like part of the Pingry community. Concluding, Jamil said, “The Hall of Fame represents the greatness of the Pingry community, and Pingry is a special place that develops people.”

LANEY BEVILL ’89

MULTI-SPORT CAPTAIN INSPIRED HER TEAMMATES THROUGH SELFLESSNESS A joyful competitor who excelled in soccer and lacrosse, Laney Bevill brought speed, intensity, and the spirit of teamwork to every game. During her career, Laney earned eight varsity letters in soccer and lacrosse, serving as captain of both teams during her senior year. Laney led the 1988 Girls’ Varsity Soccer Team to a 17-3-1 season, by far the most successful showing for Pingry girls’ soccer at the time. Although the varsity squad lost several key players to injury early in the season, the 1988 team was noted for its unity and optimism, and the group persevered to win the State Prep School Championship and the Somerset County Championship. Teammates and coaches from that winning season remember Laney as an agile and aggressive player whose petite

stature often gave her opponents a false sense of security. A star in her own right, Laney always gave her teammates the opportunity to shine. Upon graduating, Laney held the all-time assist record for girls’ soccer; she also ranked second in all-time scoring. That year, Laney was named All-State and All-County. As a senior, Laney received the Reese Williams Award in recognition of her achievements as a scholar-athlete, and the Pingry Mother’s Association Women’s Sports Award. After Pingry, Laney earned a B.S. in Environmental Design and Architecture at the University of Vermont. Former Girls’ Varsity Soccer Head Coach Dr. Michael Richardson honored Laney (in absentia), describing her as soft-spoken off the field and an incredible player with an “instinct for the field,” always knowing the

position of her teammates and who was open for a pass. Dr. Richardson read her statement in which she expressed gratitude for her Hall of Fame induction and singling out Chuck Coe, Pat Lionetti, and Dr. Richardson for their compassion during her student days.

2004 GIRLS’ SOCCER TEAM

21-1 SEASON, CONFERENCE, COUNTY, AND STATE CHAMPIONS Conference, county, and state champions, the team delivered an almost flawless (21-1) season while capturing the triple crown. A group noted for its remarkable cohesiveness, the team secured the rank of first in the state and ninth in the nation. In recognition of its record in the state of New Jersey, the team was awarded The Star-Ledger trophy, becoming the first Pingry girls’ soccer team to claim that honor.

Girls’ Varsity Soccer Head Coach Andrew Egginton pointed out that the team’s three championships were not easily achieved when one remembers the high level of competition in girls’ soccer at the time. “For me,” he said, “I consider the Athletics Hall of Fame the team’s most important and memorable achievement.” In his opinion, this group of players was a “dream team with blistering speed—we

oozed speed—balance between grades, finesse, and technically-gifted players. The team scored 97 goals—an average of nearly 4.5 goals per game—while giving up only nine goals all season. They were a cohesive unit.” Looking at the players as he concluded his remarks, Coach Egginton said, “One of the biggest compliments I can pay you is the legacy of Pingry girls’ soccer.”

FALL 2015

Jazz Guitarist Joshua Breakstone ’73 Honored for Achievement in the Arts

Not even 13 years out of Pingry, Joshua Breakstone ’73 received a glowing review from a noteworthy source: “Joshua Breakstone, a young guitarist from New Jersey, is at the West End Café through today, playing with a serene, swinging assurance and a melodic warmth that suggests a musician of longer experience than he has had…Mr. Breakstone produces guitar lines that flow through smooth, mellow-toned, bop-based phrasing…There is depth and thoughtfulness in his playing, a sense of graceful development even when he is swirling along with jumping intensity,” John S. Wilson wrote in The New York Times on January 12, 1986. Mr. Breakstone forged a distinguished international career as a jazz guitarist— composing, teaching, writing, performing, recording, touring. “Jazz feels great,” he says. “It communicates, and, for an individual like myself who considers himself to be an improviser, it’s the ultimate musical place to be.” During Reunion, Pingry honored his accomplishments with the Achievement in the Arts Award, which celebrates the achievement of an outstanding alumnus or alumna and affirms the School’s commitment to the arts. In a fitting nod to the recipient, music teacher Sean McAnally led Pingry’s Jazz Band in his arrangement (written for them) of Mr. 66

THE PINGRY REVIEW

Joshua Breakstone ’73 with Pingry’s Jazz Band. First row: Madeleine Parrish ’18, Jackson Artis ’16, Jack Laurent ’17, Ami Gianchandani ’18, Carlo Taglietti ’16, Nick Carrion ’16, and Giancarlo Castillo ’18. Second row: music teacher Sean McAnally, David Rockoff ’15, Libby Parsons ’16, Sandeep Biswas ’17, Connor Smith’18, Ryan Feeley ’18, Joshua Breakstone ’73, Aaron Cooper ’16, Liz Cooper ’16, Jake Robinson ’16, and Miles LeAndre ’17.

Breakstone’s “Stop,” an arrangement that highlights each of the band’s sections. Mr. McAnally says that Mr. Breakstone is a “great craftsman, able to develop a motif across an improvisation. Good improvisation is like speaking extemporaneously… it’s nice to listen to, there’s a lyrical development of ideas, and you’re taking the listener on a journey that has a logical conclusion. The beauty of it is that the listener doesn’t realize it’s happening!” Accepting his honor, Mr. Breakstone said, “An award like this validates the importance of arts in the world. More than receiving this award, I am proud of what Pingry has done in the arts.” To this point, Mr. Breakstone recalled the influ-

ential people and experiences from his Pingry years. At the time, a jazz band did not exist—the regular band did not play jazz, nor did it play any music with a “swing” feel. Nevertheless, Mr. Breakstone had begun playing the guitar, so band teacher Bernard Stark invited him to join the group. However, the Tal Farlow Trio’s performance at a School assembly ignited Mr. Breakstone’s love of jazz. “I’d never heard a guitar played like that. It was a different type of music, played with a lot of intensity and interaction between the band members,” he recalls. He also fondly remembers the encouragement of Jesse Morgan, then Assistant Headmaster, with whom he shared a love of jazz, as well as retired history teacher and Director of College Guidance Dave Allan P ’75, ’77, ’79, ’83, whom he credited with teaching him to think critically and creatively. “It’s not enough to know the song,” Mr. Breakstone advised the mostly-student audience. “You have to know where to take it and how to make it your own. It’s one thing to have knowledge, but a more powerful asset is being able to think creatively and arrive at your own conclusions.”

Duane St. John ’50 Receives Letter-in-Life Award The Letter-in-Life Award is the most prestigious award bestowed upon a graduate by the Pingry Alumni Association. First presented in 1938, it honors those who, in gaining distinction for themselves, have brought honor to the School. This is Mr. St. John’s citation, presented at Commencement. Duane St. John entered Pingry in the eighth grade in 1946. He rounded out his studies by participating in the Spanish, Dramatic, and Glee Clubs; playing soccer; and organizing his own band with classmates. Each of these activities helped to shape Mr. St. John’s character, but the aspect of the Pingry experience that had the most lasting impact on his life was Pingry’s Honor Code. Together with the United States Marine Corps’ code of “Honor, Courage, and Commitment,” Pingry’s Honor Code created the values system by which Mr. St. John has lived his life. His greatest hope for today’s Pingry graduates is that they, too, will live with the Honor Code as their moral compass. Mr. St. John, at age 16, with his parents’ permission, enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve during his sophomore year at Pingry. Within a month of his Pingry graduation, his reserve unit was called to active duty in the Korean War. In the epic Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, Mr. St. John’s battalion was ordered to rescue the beleaguered Fox Co. and defend the Toktong Pass. Exhausted from the sub-zero weather and seven miles of waist-deep snow through enemy territory and 4,000-foot mountains, the “Ridgerunners” accomplished their mission. Wounded by gunfire that night, Mr. St. John then walked 14 more miles under constant attack to HagaruRi where he was airlifted to safety in a Turkish aircraft. For his service, he was honored with a Purple Heart and a Presidential Unit Citation, among other decorations. After 10 months in St. Albans Naval Hospital and medical retirement from military service, Mr. St. John graduated

from Washington and Lee University in 1955 and worked for his father’s business, H.W. St. John & Co., a foreign freight forwarder and customhouse broker. He quickly made his mark on the company, instituting new systems to increase productivity and decrease error. With his knowledge of forms requirements in export/import shipping, Mr. St. John was asked by the President of Apperson Business Forms to develop an International Trade Forms Division and open and manage a New York sales office. After 13 years, he was recruited by the President of Form Systems of St. Louis, where he developed and managed a computer program to provide multibranch national customers with controlled inventory, distribution, and cost allocation of printing and office supplies. Throughout his career, he demonstrated foresight and an ability to adapt to and incorporate technological advancements into business practices. Mr. St. John is a multi-engine/instrument-rated pilot and, with his wife Nancy, raised sheep for 13 years. In 1995, St. Louis County sought ways to reduce the amount of paper going to landfills. Mr. St. John, again showing determination and entrepreneurialism, responded by co-founding Enviropak, a pioneer company that recaptures waste newsprint and other paper waste, taking it out of the waste stream and

Duane St. John ’50 and his wife Nancy St. John.

repurposing it as raw material in the manufacture of 100 percent biodegradable and recyclable custom-designed protective packaging. He served 16 years on the board, two as Chairman. Mr. St. John’s significant contributions to the business world are matched by his commitment to volunteerism and philanthropy. He is an advocate for the Semper Fi Fund, which assists catastrophically-wounded Marines and soldiers on a lifelong basis. He has held civic posts, including Vice Chair of the Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care. A life member of the Marine Corps League, he guided the establishment of an endowed scholarship at Northwest Florida State College. Mr. St. John was honored to be the Keynote Speaker at the 238th Marine Corps Birthday Ball, an address that is included in his recently-published memoir, A Gift of Time, which chronicles how his life has truly been a reflection of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s inspiration: “Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Pingry is proud to present Duane St. John with the 2015 Letter-in-Life Award, recognizing his service to his country, successes as a business leader, and embodiment of the ideals of the Honor Code. FALL 2015

Homecoming 2015

Celebrating the Past, Present, and Future of Pingry Athletics What a great day for Pingry athletics and Big Blue pride, as 1,000 fans of all ages—from the youngest children to current students and their parents to alumni from the 1950s—came out for Homecoming on September 19! Indeed, it was a day to celebrate the past, present, and future of Pingry athletics, as the School combined Alumni Soccer and Alumnae Field Hockey games, nine regular-season games for varsity and JV soccer, water polo, football, and field hockey, and the historic groundbreaking of the Miller A. Bugliari ’52 Athletics Center (read more about the groundbreaking on page 12). It was actually a great week for Pingry athletics when students celebrated Spirit Week with a different theme each day, and Spirit Week itself culminated with a pep rally on Friday. At the rally, Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey Head Coach John Magadini motivated the Upper School students by talking about competition. “Generally, it involves being part of a team, with everyone working together as a unit to make the team successful. It Homecoming 2015 is the obligation of every member of a team to get better at [ 1 ] Big Blue and friends cheering for Pingry! [ 2 ] Students, parents, and alumni in the anything they do for that team,” he said, and referred to a bleachers at Parsons Field. [ 3 ] Thumbs up quote by Nelson Mandela when he added, “Each of you is the from Coach Joe Forte. [ 4 ] These young guests had fun with face-painting. [ 5 ] The master of your own fate and the captain of your own soul.” Of Football Team on their way to kickoff and a course, it wouldn’t be a Pingry pep rally without Coach win against Manville. Magadini leading the students in his signature “Hoorah!” 68

THE PINGRY REVIEW

“I had more fun playing for Pingry than I did playing for any other team. I am so glad that we have such a supportive and engaged group of field hockey alumnae.”

Taylor Sankovich ’08

FALL 2015

“Getting to play with parents of my students, women I once played with, and women I once coached is a really exciting experience and one that highlights the deep ties of the Pingry community.”

Margaret Kelleher ’01

Homecoming 2015 [ 6 ] Children enjoying Coach Doug Scott’s strength and conditioning equipment. [ 7 ] Jacquie Jakimowicz ’16, Hannah Curtis ’16, and Caroline Kellogg ’16. [ 8 ] Christopher Harvell and Dr. Lezli Levene-Harvell (Parents ‘19) with Ryan David Saniuk ‘90 and Mark Bigos ‘79, P ‘22. [ 9 ] Looking from main Basking Ridge Campus building toward Parsons Field, with the football game underway and fall colors in view. [ 10 ] Lacrosse players Téa Simon ’18 and Elle Braverman ’18. [ 11 ] On this day of Pingry sports, there was a beautiful musical touch: members of Pingry’s Balladeers, led by music teacher Jay Winston, sang the National Anthem prior to the Boys’ Varsity Soccer Game. Mr. Winston calls the Balladeers’ performance “a good bonding experience.” [ 12 ] Coed Varsity Water Polo playing Ethical Culture Fieldston School. Pictured is Grace O’Mara ’19. [ 13 ] Varsity Field Hockey playing Watchung Hills Regional High School. Pictured are Myla Stovall ’18 (foreground) and Amanda Celli ’17 (background). [ 14 ] A great day for the Big Blue Bear, Pingry’s mascot since 1979. [ 15 ] The Pingry community enjoying a BBQ lunch under the tent on a warm, sunny afternoon.

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“I love the ‘pure sports’ at Pingry even more than professional sports. It’s all about teamwork here, and the best part for me is getting to know the kids.”

Bruce Morrison ’64, Pingry athletics photographer

FALL 2015

Answer: This Pingry alumnus who loves trivia and competition appeared on Jeopardy! in 2015 Question: Who is Dan Feitel ’05? “I’m like a philatelist or a numismatist, except that I cultivate facts instead of stamps or coins, and I always want to expand my collection,” says Dan Feitel ’05. “Being on Jeopardy! was like playing in the Super Bowl or landing on the moon—the pinnacle of achievement in the field [of trivia]…the ultimate stage.”

Of all the categories he faced—such as Books’ First Lines, Psychology, World Capitals, Architecture, Anatomy, Transportation Milestones, and Beowulf—Perfume and TV Movies made him freeze, while Baseball Stadiums, Vocabulary, and Fictional Places helped him relax a little. “I was dreading politics and almost all of the fine arts, except painting,” he says. Fortunately, the only fine arts category that came up was “Painters and Painting,” and even though politics surfaced in “Final Jeopardy!” this New Jersey-born attorney could breathe easily because he had an insurmountable lead. Two Pingry factors contributed to Mr. Feitel’s success on Jeopardy! He credits Mr. Keating, Mr. Li, Madame Castaldo, Mrs. Landau, Mr. Burns, and Ms. Ananya Chatterji as brilliant teachers, and Mr. Feitel was surrounded by smart and 72

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Jeopardy! Host Alex Trebek and Dan Feitel ’05.

uniquely-talented students who made him feel welcome to participate in Quiz Bowl. He also had the confidence to make big wagers because “I figured that I might as well make a bunch of money or go out in a blaze of glory. I liked the idea of betting on myself,” he explains. Ultimately, Mr. Feitel won five games and earned $127,998. In October, he returned to Jeopardy! to tape the Tournament of Champions for airing in November. Dan Feitel’s advice for other Pingrians who want to be on Jeopardy! • Look at random episodes from the past decade on j-archive (www.j-archive.com) to see how clues are written. A lot of information is reused, so you can see what material continues to resurface, and clues often contain hints that allow you to come up with the right response. • Watch the show standing up, with a click pen in your hand, and try to click the pen furiously at the moment Alex Trebek finishes reading the clue. • Glean everything you can from erudite Pingry faculty members!

“Final Jeopardy!” (Answers at the bottom)

1. Ancient Times

(This was Mr. Feitel’s favorite clue because of his elation and relief when he knew the answer.) Aristotle said that an ancient Athenian law made uprooting one of these trees punishable by death.

2. Governors

Governors of adjacent states, these 2 ex-prosecutors are also adjacent on an alphabetical list of governors.

3. American Literature

(Mr. Feitel was most proud of his response to this clue because the game was on the line: “to use the hints to come up with a guess in 30 seconds…I still can’t believe I pulled that off.”) Published a year later, Good Wives was a follow-up to this 1868 novel.

4. Colleges & Universities

Mens et manus, “mind and hand,” is the motto of this university whose alumni include I.M. Pei, Amar Bose, and Richard Feynman.

5. Sports Rules

The Syracuse owner created this in 1954, and it may have helped his team succeed the Lakers as champs the next year. 1. What is an olive tree? 2. Who are Christie and Cuomo? 3. What is Little Women? 4. What is MIT? 5. What is the 24-second shot clock?

Mr. Feitel’s appearances in late May and early June fulfilled a lifelong goal and marked his first experience on a quiz, game, or television show (although he did play on Pingry’s Quiz Bowl Team later in high school). “I remember watching Jeopardy! with my dad when I was a kid, and I was so impressed because he knew the answers to questions I couldn’t even understand, like he was a supercomputer. Those experiences probably contributed to my love of reading, collecting nuggets of trivia, and being a show-off,” he says. Mr. Feitel had previously auditioned for the show’s College Championship, then took an online test for the regular show in January 2013 and auditioned a few months later. About two years passed before he got the call, only a few weeks prior to taping this past March.

Pingry in Print: New Books by Alumni

demographic analysis that lie at the core of social sciences and public health.”

Essential Demographic Methods

Dr. Wachter explains the central concepts of demography, which have names such as exponential growth, cohort and period measures, proportional hazards, parity, marity, and stable theory. “[This book] reasserts the place demography held for hundreds of years as Queen of the Social Sciences. Demographers want to teach how things fit together, what is connected to what…connections reaching out to experience, to all the sciences, to history, to the world of letters [literature],” he said at a signing event. The book includes passages from Shakespeare and allusions to literature, many of which Dr. Wachter fondly remembers learning at Pingry from former English teacher George Moffat.

Dr. Kenneth W. Wachter ’64 Why is demography important? In the introduction to Essential Demographic Methods, Dr. Wachter points out, “As children, our earliest steps forward in awareness take us into demography, as we number our birthdays, put numbers on the ages of people

around us, number the others in our family, our town, our country, and our planet, as we learn that the years we will have to live are numbered. As adults, we cope with a world whose problems and opportunities are shaped by demography.” An award-winning teacher and renowned demographer—and Pingry’s 2007 Letter-in-Life Award recipient—Dr. Wachter is Professor of Demography and Statistics at the University of California, Berkeley. According to Harvard University Press, beginners, advanced students, and researchers can benefit from this book, which presents the “full range of ideas and skills of

Where are They Now?

Adam Goldstein ’06 Pioneers the Agony and Ecstasy of Hipmunk If you were offered a choice of flights that differ in cost by $20, which trip would you select? What if you knew that the less expensive option consisted of two flights with a three-hour layover, while the more expensive flight would be non-stop? Would your decision change if the price difference were $50? $100? Even for an extra $50, Adam Goldstein ’06, MIT ’10, would choose non-stop, and therein lies the inspiration for his entrepreneurial venture Hipmunk—avoiding the agony of travel, since most travel search engines automatically sort by price…and only price. Hipmunk, of which Mr. Goldstein is Co-Founder and CEO, receives millions of monthly searches and was included on TIME’s list of “50 Best Websites” in 2011 (about the name: because travel-related domain names were taken, Mr. Goldstein’s girlfriend suggested an online search of misspellings of small animals to find a fun name and mascot). “When I was captain of MIT’s Debate Team and booking the team’s trips, I was frustrated because websites never had a clear picture of what the trade-offs were between flight options,” he says. “The notion behind Hipmunk is to save people that frustration by helping them

hotels like the fact that Hipmunk offers options besides price.”

Search results on Hipmunk for Seattle hotels, sorted by “ecstasy” and layered with a “heatmap” that highlights nearby amenities.

visualize those trade-offs—flight length and number of stops, relative to price. Even though you can sort multiple ways, ‘agony’ is the default.” Hipmunk incorporates information from over 100 other websites, including travel agencies, airlines, hotels, Airbnbs, and discount sites such as Hotwire. Hotels can be sorted by “ecstasy,” a combination of price, number of stars, and location. Users can also search for rental cars. “Customers love how the information is presented, but, even more than that, they love that Hipmunk is built with their interests at heart,” Mr. Goldstein says. “Generally, they view the deck as ‘stacked against’ the customer when it comes to booking travel, but airlines and

Mr. Goldstein’s interest in computers can be traced to Maria Palmer’s Kindergarten classroom at Pingry, where he played with the programming language “Logo” on Apple computers (he controlled a graphic by giving it commands for movement). “I began to understand computers and the power we have to control them,” he says. At age 16, he wrote AppleScript: The Missing Manual. “AppleScript was easy to understand once I saw it, but there is complexity in how you write it, just like all of the rules in English. I pitched the idea of a book to [Yahoo! Tech Founder and “how-to” author] David Pogue, who initially said no, but I earned his trust while he was developing a series of software books, and my pitch finally worked.” With all of these technology experiences under his belt, Mr. Goldstein anticipates expanding Hipmunk’s reach by partnering with other travel sites (Hipmunk currently powers Yahoo! Travel) and initiating “verticals,” such as being able to simultaneously book flights and hotels. His philosophy is simple: “Building great customer service is the best strategy for the entire ecosystem.” FALL 2015

Alumni Events

Alumni Events [ 1 ] Los Angeles: Attendees included Chris Bender ’89, Boyce Bugliari ’86, David Bugliari ’97 (host), Brendan Burgdorf ’09, Cameron Chidsey ’11, Paul Ciszak ’72, Headmaster Nat Conard P ’09, ’11, Christian Donohue ’86, Director of Alumni Relations and Senior Major Gifts Officer for Athletics David M. Fahey ’99, Matt Fechter ’09, Seth Friedman ’79, Brittany Gildea ’07, Dr. Tim Gustafson ’71, Bill Hillbrant ’48, Sharon Hillbrant, Eric Hynes ’08, Charles Iacuzzo ’89, Sherwood Kelley ’62, Tamara Kelley, Charles Laud ’10, Eugene Mancini ’66, Kevin McNulty ’09, William Parham ’06, Luke Pounder ’10, Lori Schaffhauser ’92, Eric Schonberg ’05, Jamie Shapiro ’97, Robert Siegel ’01, Scott Simon ’03, Jennifer Stavitsky ’02, Emily Strackhouse ’10, Roy Sykes ’66, Tom Thomas ’52, Robert Thurston ’52, Ashley Uyeshiro-Simon, and Peter Ventrella ’82. [ 2 ] Jersey Shore Party: Hosted by the Corbet Family

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Alumni Events [ 3 ] Alumni Soccer: Attendees included (front row) Brian Combias ’06, Assistant Coach David M. Fahey ’99, Jeremy Goldstein ’91, Jim Gensch ’83, P ’13, John Dziadzio ’88, P ’19, Tyler Smith ’10, Adam Jacob ’11, Joey Padula ’15, Roberto De Almeida ’15, Assistant Coach Kim Kimber III ’76, P ’07, and Stephen McCarthy, Jr. ’77. Back row: Joe DiMartino ’88, Head Coach Miller Bugliari ’52, P ’86, ’90, ’97, GP ’20, Jim Corbett ’69, former Director of College Counseling Dave Allan P ’75, ’77, ’79, ’83, Dave Zenker ’72, Chris Allan ’79, Peter Hiscano ’75, Trustee Stuart Lederman ’78, Colin Bennett ’96, Jeff Boyer ’96, Chris Franklin ’96, Steve Lipper ’79, P ’09, ’12, ’14, Tom Trynin ’79, Josh Gradwohl ’80, Amadi Thiam ’03, Park Smith ’06, Eric Hynes ’08, and Bob Dudley ’65. [ 4 ] Alumnae Field Hockey: Head Coach Judy Lee, Ellis Kelleher ’04, Margaret Kelleher ’01, Caitlin Morahan ’02, Jessica (Saraceno) Carroll ’02, Lauren Callaghan ’02, Katie Scott Old ’99, Shelby Bartlett ’08, Taylor Sankovich ’08, Georgia Cook ’09, Martha (Ryan) Graff ’84, P ’15, ’17, ’20, Gretchen (Weiss) Oatman ’89, P ’20, ’20, and Edie (McLaughlin) Nussbaumer ’84, P ’18, ’21.

FALL 2015

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Alumni Events Golf Outing: [ 5 ] Bernard Davidson P ‘17, ‘19, Thomas White, Sharif Warden, and Rudolph Woode. [ 6 ] Michael Borkowski, Nancy Borkowski, and Edward Borkowski (Parents ’17). [ 7 ] Logan Marshall ’06, John Marshall P ’01, ’06, James Fabian, and Luigi Galbiati. [ 8 ] Eugene Hung, Brad Bonner ’93, P ’20, ’23, ’25, Ben Lehrhoff ’99, and Gil Lai ’86, P ’19. [ 9 ] Nolan Convery ’98, Alec Kaisand ’13, David M. Fahey ’99, Matt Margolis ’99, and Kevin Schmidt ’98. [ 10 ] Alex Wolfson ’15 and Lower School P.E. teacher Jeff Patten. [ 11 ] Ellen Baker and Ann O’Connell ’85. [ 12 ] Special Events Manager Cait Finneran, John McManus P ’14, ’16, ’21, Associate Director of The Pingry Fund Becca Patterson, Sam Partridge ’92, Lower School science teacher David Szelingowski, and Board of Trustees Chair Jeff Edwards ’78, P ’12, ’14, ’18.

FALL 2015

Lessons from Morning Chapel and Other Events in the Parker Road Gym, 1945-1951 By Joseph Hanaway ’51, MD, CM

“Crash through that other line and send the backs around the end, Fight, fight for every yard Pingry’s honor to defend Rah, Rah, Rah…” (Tune: Princeton Cannon Song) This song echoed Pingry spirit to the rafters of the Parker Road gym during a Friday assembly before an afternoon game.

MORNING CHAPEL The Pingry day began at about 7:15 a.m. when students who lived in nearby Elizabeth or Hillside volunteered to set up 350-375 folding chairs for the Middle and Upper School daily chapel. Eustace Laurence Springer (Headmaster from 1936-1961), a Princeton graduate with a Master’s Degree, who stood behind the wooden lectern to lead the assembly, was an impressive figure whom we all revered. He felt strongly that students’ spiritual and secular development was important, so he gradually introduced religion, particularly at the beginning of World War II. Morning chapel began with the Pledge of Allegiance—schools across the country required students from Grade 1 and up to recite the pledge as part of a push for national pride. We recited the Lord’s Prayer and sang a hymn, accompanied by Roy Shrewsbury on the electric organ. Although World War II had ended in 1945, the nation’s patriotic spirit was 78

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still very much alive and, through military songs and war songs, helped rouse school spirit. There followed Mr. Springer’s comments and announcements about events on the School calendar, special events like class trips, the Honor Roll (once each month, when pins were presented), and visiting college representatives (southern colleges particularly wanted northern private school applicants and sent representatives to interview prospective students), then reminders of various club meetings and accounts of sporting events. Then the fun began. Once each year, every student in Grades 7-12 (Forms I-VI in Pingry terms) had to give a threeminute speech about any topic before the entire Middle and Upper School. Standing behind the dreaded wooden lectern (still used at Pingry today), the students had to deliver a talk that was loud enough to please Herbert Hahn and, later, Edward Hathaway, and be heard by the assembly. If not, it had to be repeated at the end of the year,

Figure 1: Morning Chapel. The wooden lectern is barely visible in the middle of the stage.

which was the privilege of the author whose speech about the newly-constructed Idlewild Airport (now Kennedy), was not heard beyond the fifth row (fig.1). Pingry was not for the faint-hearted— the School challenged the boys in a patriarchal society where we were expected to grow up, meet challenges, and not complain—and the public speaking program was an example. There being no serious guidelines about public speaking, you just had to watch the seniors and then get up there and do it. Fear was the great motivator in the first few years until we learned to conquer it, and then we were comfortable behind the lectern. Although few students reached oratorical brilliance, there were a few memorable speeches. One was about the Louisville Slugger baseball bat, and Bill McClenaghan ’49 waved the bat in the

education conducted by the unforgettable Mr. Les (Vincent Lesneski) in 1949; and speeches by religious leaders who, knowing the School’s secular nature, encouraged a spiritual upbringing.

FORMAL DANCES

Figure 2: Fleet Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey, Class of 1900, speaking at Pingry on November 7, 1945.

air on his way to the lectern and continued to wave it during his talk. Another was about a device that rolled cigarettes, which the speaker demonstrated, and, to everyone’s surprise, he lit the cigarette. Another was a singing performance by Howard Thain ’50, a very talented and classically-trained tenor from Chatham. Most memorable, on November 7, 1945, was a talk delivered by the popular World War II Pacific Fleet Admiral, William F. “Bull” Halsey, Class of 1900 (fig. 2). Admiral Halsey, a charismatic and oft-quoted naval hero in the Pacific campaign (19401945) was known for “telling it like it was.” At a special assembly, he exhorted the students to get a good education to prepare for the world and said that he would give anything to be starting out again rather than ending his career. At times, there were entertainers: who could forget the man with liquid air who, in a funny presentation, froze fruit, vegetables, and tennis balls and hurled them against the wall to smash into little pieces? Another guest speaker was a thoughtful Syrian, Salom Rizk, who talked about his book Syrian Yankee (1943). He made us see our lives in the eyes of an enthusiastic immigrant who showed us how unique was our freedom and how much we took for granted, and said we should take note of what we were missing in life by not living each day to its fullest. Chapel in the late 1940s and early 1950s began to evolve with the introduction of sessions about world affairs by Mr. Hahn, who involved students by assigning topics for discussion; a course on driver’s

There were four formal dances a year in the Pingry gym—a football dance, one at Christmas, one in the winter, and one in the spring. These were gala events, and a dedicated Dance Committee made sure they were. Decorating the gym was a full day’s effort. Five long lines of wires attached high up to each end of the gym temporarily lay on the floor. Students taped 50-foot-long blue and white crape streamers to the walls about one foot apart, and draped the streamers over the lines on the floor. When raised, the lines produced a marvellous blue and white canopy, supported by striped, Venetian-style poles that were propped up along each side to create a tent-like appearance (fig. 3). After other decorations, and setting up chairs for the band and chaperones (two faculty couples were invited), the members of the committee got home in time to change their clothes and pick up their dates. Local five-man bands who played for $25 per musician supplied live music from 8:00 p.m.-midnight. One of our frequent favorites was Freddie Schleckman and his marimba (a xylophone with tubes under each bar to enhance the sound). No one influenced dance music at the time more than the incomparable Lester

Lanin, whose society beat dominated the northeast social scene for decades. Mr. Lanin, an energetic, bald impresario, bounced on his feet as he led his musicians playing his version of popular show tunes and a smashing Charleston, and passing out Lanin hats for unbroken hours, all for a very high price. All of the dances were formal with black tie and ball gowns. Despite rain, cold weather, or snow, to the girls’ great credit, they piled—fully-gowned—into frequently-unheated station wagons (still wooden sides at that time), jeeps, and 1930 roadsters. We lived in a world of fading traditions, in conservative, mostly Republican, Protestant families; because of the gradual relaxing of society’s rules after World War II, the formal way of life that our parents adhered to gradually ebbed away. So, these elegant occasions (dances and parties), which involved many people in planning and participation, were well-attended and considered by many to be our finest memories of Pingry. It was the peak of the “Big Band” era (1935-1955) with 78 and 33rpm records and nascent stereophonic sound. We were entertained by records, on the radio (TV was in its infancy), and, on the stage of Radio City Music Hall, by stars like Tony Martin, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante, Bing Crosby, Jo Stafford, Jane Powell, June Allison, and Lena Horne, and the bands of Glenn Miller (killed during the war, but the band continued under Tex Beneke), Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Xavier Cugat, and Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, to mention a few. Elvis “the Pelvis” Presley, Rock and Roll, Chubby Checker, and the Twist and the Bump were in the wings.

THEATRICALS

Figure 3: The gym set up for a dance.

Pingry’s Drama Club produced and performed one non-musical play annually on the small stage in the old gym. Mr. Casmir France, Head of the English Department, was a once-in-a-lifetime mentor to us, an inspiring man who could convince people to try things because of his attitude that anything was possible. He chose the plays, auditioned the performers, directed the rehearsals, and was a very hands-on person. Along with the actors, the large FALL 2015

Drama Club attracted students with a remarkable array of talents in make-up, set design, light and sound effects, and stage management, all coordinated by Cas France. The women in our plays came happily from a sister girls’ school, Vail-Deane, and this worked out very well because, frequently, we knew one another. Also from Vail-Deane, the fabulous Mrs. John Emery assisted Mr. France in rehearsals and with actors’ lines. In 1949, Mr. France chose Herman Wouk’s timely drama The Traitor about a disillusioned U.S atomic scientist who gave atomic secrets to the Russians in the mistaken dream of creating a balance of power. Starring Gaddis Smith ’50, Duane St. John ’50, Barkley Manierre (Vail-Deane ’50), Win Corson ’50, Rich Ritterbush ’50, Gil Burke ’50, and Joan Barranger (Vail-Deane ’50), and stage managed by Greg Sullivan ’50, this dark drama was characterized by trench coats, low lights, sinister and impassioned speeches, a leap from a window, and a gunshot. In 1950, Mr. France chose the zany comedy Room Service about a struggling young producer trying to produce the play Godspeed. The author of this article played a Russian waiter who had to deliver lines in Russian, learned from Pingry’s linguist Abel DeGryse. Frank Young ’51, Costan Berardinelli ’51, Mike Mehr ’52, Jere Ross ’52, Clark Warren ’53, Tiny Kirkland (Vail-Deane ’52), Pete Van Leight ’52, Barb Weiner (Vail-Deane ’52), Dean Johnson ’51, Dick Feleppa ’53, Gene Conroy ’51, and Bill Burks ’51 starred, and Judge Landis ’51 was stage manager. The convoluted story involving a contentious hotel management situation, the intrigue of two women, and the production of a play with waiters as actors, in summary, was a mad house on stage (fig. 4). A comedy offered the opportunity to ad lib on stage. Teachers’ names were substituted for names in the play, and it was difficult to keep a straight face after delivering an impromptu line when the house was going wild. No harm was done, but I am sure our benevolent director gained a few gray hairs from some of the ad libs that caught him by surprise. 80

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THE HONOR SYSTEM It was in the gym that the well-established Honor System met an early challenge. At issue were A) a senior party during the football season in Short Hills in 1946 where drinking, smoking, and a lot of noise were reported to Coach Williams and the Headmaster, and B) how far outside Pingry’s walls the Honor System extended. The confrontational meeting with parents and staff, held in the gym, was humorously described as being similar to a meeting of the Virginia House of Burgesses when Patrick Henry discoursed: a lot of emotion, shouting, hand-raising, and selfrighteous opinions were expressed on both sides. Reason eventually prevailed, and it was decided that offering alcohol was creating peer pressure that no one wanted, and it was not to be made available at these parties. Smoking was forbidden for athletes during the season. For those who wanted to continue playing football, and there were a few, they had a week off to run, stumble, or fast-walk five miles around the track every day. Challenges such as this and others led to an evolving and expanded Honor System, which, when revised, was renamed the Honor Code in 1949. A timely perspective: teenagers and young adults, high school graduates, not much older than the Pingry seniors in 1946, had just fought and died in a World War that forced men to grow up quickly. Drinking and smoking were the norm for the G.I.s. Audie Murphy, only 19 years old, had fought in Europe for three years, was wounded three times, and became the most highlydecorated soldier in the history of the U.S. military. The seniors at Pingry in 1946 were growing up, too, but the context was not combat. Regardless

Figure 4: The program from Room Service.

of what was happening, many of the older generation of parents and teachers did not seem to realize and did not see it coming. Boys were becoming men before their eyes and considered out-of-step when, actually, they were in-step as a new generation. What we learned from our morning chapel, speeches, plays, dances, and games in the Parker Road gym in the late 1940s were not just high school lessons, but life lessons and values learned for a few years under guidance, values as fresh today as they were then.

“March, march on down the field Fighting for Pingry. Crash through the other line Their strength to defy. We’ll give a long cheer for Pingry men…” (Tune: Yale’s Down the Field) This song echoed again to the rafters of the old gym in a resounding chorus of support for the Big Blue.

Ask the Archivist 2 1

3 5 8

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Pingry Classmates: 1950

A Challenge from Tom Ulrich ’65

Dr. George Mushet ’52 submitted this photograph of Pingry classmates taken in 1950. If you recognize anyone in the picture, please contact Greg Waxberg ’96 at gwaxberg@pingry.org or 908-647-5555, ext. 1296. Thanks to Geoff Dugan ’69, Gil Barno ’71, David Ford ’71, Oliver Mading ’71, Peter Mindnich ’71, Stan Kozlowski ’72, Scott Morrison ’72, Dr. Steve Naughton ’72, John Roll ’73, and Jonathan Shelby ’74, P ’08, ’11, ’19 for responding about the picture of the 1970 Football Team. 1. Stan Kozlowski ’72 2. Morgan Bentley ’71 3. John Christakis ’71 4. Bob Cunningham ’72

5. John Cole ’71 6. David Ford ’71 7. Jack Van Wagner, Jr. ’72 8. Tony Spirito III ’71

2 1

9. Nick Bensley, Jr. ’71 10. Tom Mangan IV ’71 11. John “Jocko” Kerr ’71

I was delighted to return for my 50th Reunion this past May, and it was a wonderful occasion. I had been very involved in music (Balladeers, Buttondowns, Glee Club, Chapel organist), and classmates had some musical memories to recall. Several times during the weekend, people asked about a song we used to sing, the “Centennial Hymn,” written by C. Brett Boocock in 1961. In addition to its use in Glee Club performances, all of the seniors in the early-to-mid 1960s sang it together at graduation. The song is not in Pingry’s archives, and, using the Internet, I wasn’t able to identify any of Brett Boocock’s family contacts to see if they might have any of his old music. The challenge: Pingry is seeking the words and sheet music for the “Centennial Hymn.” The lyrics begin: “For stalwart men, who…”

If you are able to help with this search, please contact us!

FALL 2015

Class Notes Share all your news!

Contact Ariana King ’11, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, at aking@pingry.org, The Pingry School, 131 Martinsville Road, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920.

1935

es in April. The three are pictured as they are about to walk the final three miles to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Woody is Chairman of the Board of West Chemical, a family-owned specialties chemical company headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey. Joe is a partner at Perella Weinberg Partners in New York.

1952 HANK WEEKS, a member of Pingry’s 1934 Soccer Team, celebrated his 98th birthday in September. His grandson Chris Weeks is Director of Soccer Operations for Men’s Soccer at Manhattan College.

1947 JEAN AMABILE TELLJOHANN ’77 sent news of an impromptu Pingry reunion along the Camino de Santiago, a medieval pilgrimage route in northern Spain, when JOE GATTO ’74, Jean, and WOODY PHARES met while walking sections of the route with their spous-

WILLIAM TATLOCK writes, “After graduating from Pingry, I went to Yale, Class of 1956, and Harvard Law School, Class of 1959. I have lived in New York City for most of my adult life, perhaps appropriate since I was born in New York City, with a brief time-out during a failed first marriage when I lived in New Jersey. Currently, my wife Anne and I live in Brooklyn, where we live within walking distance of our two married daughters and five grandchildren. We have a son who lives in Manhattan, and I have a son by my first marriage who lives in Maine. Anne and I also have a country house in western Massachusetts where we spend many weekends and holidays. Anne and I have been married for

Joe Gatto ’74, Jean Amabile Telljohann ’77, and Woody Phares ’47. 82

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John Roll ’73, Ed Roll ’47 P ’73, and Miller Bugliari ’52, P ’86, ’90, ’97, GP ’20 met for lunch in August.

48 years. Anne, maiden name McNiff, is the daughter of Irish immigrants and a Vassar graduate who went to work on Wall Street and broke through the glass ceiling to become the CEO of the company where she worked for many years. I practiced law for many years with several law firms and then as in-house corporate counsel.”

1964 HOWARD GEORGI writes, “The old part of Leverett House was renovated last year, and the result is spectacular. I hope I get some more Pingry students in the House while I am still Master. Happy Birthday, Miller—from one of your least-talented bench players ever.”

1965 JACK BRESCHER P ’99 writes, “Reunion was great. To update my classmates, I have been practicing law at McCarter & English in New Jersey for nearly 40 years, and have been involved with a number of non-profit organizations. In 1995, I was invited to become a trustee at Pingry, and I was on the board for 19 years, the last six as Chair. It was a great experience, and I truly enjoyed working with the extremely motivated and intelligent people on the board. My wife of 44 years, Toni, and I have lived in Pottersville, New Jersey for 25 years. We have one son, John, who graduated from Pingry in 1999. He and his wife Jessie live on Nantucket with their 10-monthold son Robert.”

Bill Dow ’54 and Jack Bryan ’54 at Jack’s workshop in Lake George.

Personal: I married late (55) a college physics professor (Ashley) and have 11-year-old twin boys. They are at a great age and can do everything faster than I can at this point: ski, run, bike, and certainly think. Keeps me young, or at least I would like to think so. My hobbies include music, choral singing (thanks, MR. DUBOURG), running slow, yoga, and lots of time with family. My boys are quite active in Boy Scouts and I am assistant scoutmaster. If you come through Spokane or want to drop a line, my email is steinharts704@gmail.com. ‘Sturdy scion of New England, old John Pingry we hail!’”

Miller Bugliari ’52, P ’86, ’90, ’97, GP ’20 with members of the Class of 1965 in the former Fiske Garden during a Reunion tour of the former Hillside Campus: Tom Ulrich, Al Moore, Jim Hecox, COL(Ret) Bill Lord, Bob Jensen, Percy Young, Guy Fisher, Peter Meyer, Jack Brescher P ’99, and Terry Plum.

BOB DWYER writes, “I enjoyed seeing my classmates, especially those from my Pingry soccer, baseball, and music activities. Our 50th was made special by coinciding with Miller’s book party and birthday celebration. I continue my legal practice at Boies, Schiller & Flexner in New York City, where I’ve litigated antitrust, securities, and sports cases. On balance, the most important single piece of ‘learning’ I got from Pingry was how to succeed (and be satisfied) as a role player, providing complementary talents to the superstars on my ‘team.’” BOB JENSEN writes, “I really enjoyed our 50th Reunion. I think it was only the second Reunion I have attended, and it seemed that a majority of our returning classmates were also attending for the first or second time. It was really nice to get together and share recollections and life stories with good people, and to touch the essence and values of Pingry again, aided in no small part by the participation of Miller. I plan on attending again in the future. In 2008, I gladly retired from practicing corporate law with a big firm in Washington, D.C. and moved to the country. We live in Grasonville, Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay. It is hard to explain exactly what I do with my free time now, but my days feel full. I am trying to learn golf at an advanced age, I fish and sometimes catch, and we travel.

My wife and I do volunteer mediation together (she is a former therapist, so it is a good combination). There must be some irony that my retirement activity is directed to helping people avoid going to court. And I take bunches of courses, searching for the meaning of life—or just searching.” STEVE NEWHOUSE P ’95, ’97, ’99 writes, “I am truly sorry to have missed Reunion, but was undone by a long-standing commitment out of the country. Having the Co-Chair of the Capital Campaign miss the festivities was probably not all bad for the attendees, but it won’t happen again. My best to all my classmates who made the effort to be there. I look forward to seeing you all at a future Reunion… hopefully before number 60.” LEWIS SATULSKY writes, “Really enjoyed the Reunion activities on Friday morning! All Reunion events were well-planned and staffed by the A-team. Miss Porges handled the tour with great enthusiasm, providing lots of information new to most of us. Pen Pal program (with Matt and Henry and others in their homeroom) had special meaning. Interfacing with alumni can provide seventh-grade students with insights on education, in particular, and life, in general, which they hadn’t considered before. More of this sort of thing might be a good idea for the future. Thanks again for all you do.”

DR. JONATHAN STEINHART writes, “Sorry that I missed the Reunion and a chance to greet and reminisce with classmates and the opportunity to see and thank, I believe, our only remaining teacher still part of the School, Mr. Bugliari. COFGSV! (his biology class acronym—still sticks with me). Here is a brief recap of the last 50 years. Academic: After Pingry, I went to Amherst College. I credit Pingry for the inspired love of learning and discipline to complete four degrees: B.A., M.A.T., M.P.H., M.D. Professional: In 2009, I retired as a Captain from the United States Public Health Service. I served a 29-year career as a medical officer, the last 23 as an ob/gyn physician on the Navajo reservation in Shiprock, New Mexico. In 2009, I moved with family to Spokane and have been working part-time in urgent care.

TOM ULRICH writes, “Nothing but praise for the outstanding work done by the alumni services folks who made our 50th Reunion so memorable! The events were wonderful—tours of North Avenue Campus and the current facility, meals, parties, chance to interact with current students, etc. And, of course, it was great to see classmates, and reconnect. On a personal note, I appreciated the chance to meet with faculty members DR. ANDREW MOORE (who invited me to ‘test drive’ the updated pipe organ) and AL ROMANO (who gave a detailed tour of the drama and arts facilities). Many thanks to all, and I’m really glad I attended!” PERCY “CY” YOUNG writes, “After graduation from Kenyon College in 1969, I bought my first BMW motorcycle and rode it through New England and out to Ohio to visit my girlfriend (now wife of 45 years). She and I rode BMWs for a few years while I was getting my A.M. in Physics from Dartmouth College. I sold it when we moved down to Long Island to

Percy “Cy” Young ’65 with his current BMW motorcycle at Reunion. FALL 2015

work in Computer Services with a division of Grumman Data Systems and did without a bike for 15 years. The Grumman job led to a career in programming and systems design, including over 30 years for Burlington Coat Factory, from which I retired in 2014. My wife Beth and I lived in Thetford, Vermont for almost 40 years. We raised a daughter Jessica (now an architect in New York) and a son David (now a computer interface designer in California). We recently downsized to a ‘retirement house’ in West Lebanon, New Hampshire and are enjoying the amenities of in-town living after many years in the country. I got a ‘new-to-me’ 11-year-old BMW in 1988 and have ridden it and its successor BMWs several hundred thousand miles in 44 of the 50 states, plus the six southern Canadian provinces. This includes a couple of cross-country solo trips. This May, I took a 10-day motorcycle tour in central Spain, arriving back just in time to ride my current BMW (a 2013 R1200R) down for Reunion. I figured most people might remember me as the photography geek (most of the candids in the ’65 yearbook and even some of the photos in the Pingry history are mine) and thought this would be a fun and memorable change.”

1968 STUART CONWAY P ’94, ’95 writes, “Julie and I left home on June 1, 2014, on board our trawler Meander, cruising America’s great loop. Unfortunately, we didn’t return to New Jersey waters until

mid-June. I want to wish Miller all the best for his next 20 years of Pingry association.”

1970

DR. DAVID WILDER, University of Iowa Professor of Biomedical Engineering, was inducted as an Honorary Member of the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health at the May 4 University of Iowa College of Public Health Annual Awards Presentation and Luncheon. Further coverage of his honor will appear in a future Pingry Review.

1972 DR. IAN ALEXANDER writes, “Helping taking care of orthopedic needs of Ohio State buckeye athletes, including the 2015 NCAA National Championship football and wrestling teams. Go Bucs! Eldest daughter on OB staff, son an orthopedic resident, and youngest daughter finishing physical therapy doctorate, all at OSU.”

Dr. Steve Naughton ’72, Dr. Bobby Cunningham ’72, Eric Fowler ’72, and Greg Hewett ’72. 84

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and around the nation. The Peter W. Rodino, Jr., Citizen’s Award is presented to a citizen of New Jersey who merits recognition for distinguished service in advancing and promoting the health and wellbeing of the people of our state. Dr. Costabile was also elected as President-elect of the Medical Society of New Jersey at this year’s House of Delegates meeting in May.

Captain Joseph P. Costabile ’72 with the Edward J. Ill/Peter W. Rodino, Jr., Citizen’s Award for Excellence in Medicine.

CAPTAIN JOSEPH P. COSTABILE, MD, a board-certified general and vascular surgeon who practices at Virtua Surgical Group and has dedicated many years of service to the U.S. Armed Forces, received the Edward J. Ill/Peter W. Rodino, Jr., Citizen’s Award for Excellence in Medicine this past May. The Excellence in Medicine Awards are named for Edward J. Ill, MD, a New Jersey physician who was a pioneer in promoting continuing education in ways that set the national standard. Each year, exemplary New Jersey physicians and leaders are honored for their dedication to education, research, and public service that have significantly impacted the delivery of healthcare in the state

DR. STEVE NAUGHTON writes, “What do you get when you combine four ex-teammates, wonderful food, drinks, and a classical setting at McLoone’s Boat House in West Orange on a gorgeous summer night in August? An absolutely fabulous time of reminiscing, laughter, and shared expressions of our Pingry experience. We will be repeating the experience, but want more of you guys out there to join us—we’re easy enough to find!” DAVID ZENKER writes, “Pingry, in every way, from friendships to teachers to classes to teams to activities, was the most rewarding and fulfilling of all of my academic experiences and actually one of the periods of my life that I recall often and fondly.”

1973 RICHARD KURTZ, an artist in Santa Fe, was featured in the June issue of THE, Santa Fe’s monthly magazine of and for the arts. He will have a one-person show at &gallery in Miami in December.

Artwork by Richard Kurtz ’73 in THE magazine.

Gina Passarella Cipriani, ALJ feature reporter and Senior Staff Writer for American Lawyer Media’s newspaper The Legal Intelligencer, Christopher Naughton, Esq. ’73, and Valerie Jones, ALJ Producer.

CHRISTOPHER NAUGHTON, ESQ. ’73 was awarded an Emmy for television broadcast excellence on September 19 as Host and Executive Producer of The American Law Journal. The category for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences was Interview/ Discussion Program/Special for the program “Sexual Orientation, LGBT & The Workplace: ‘ENDA’ of Discrimination?” The American Law Journal was nominated in three additional categories, including On-Camera Talent - Program Host/Moderator for Christopher. He created The American Law Journal, which has been airing on the Philadelphia CNNNews affiliate WFMZ-TV for more than 25 years, to provide legal information and help the public understand how the law impacts their daily lives. The program is produced live with viewer calls, taped instudio at WFMZ, or on location, including at the National Constitution Center, law schools, and historically-significant venues. Covering consumer, business, and Constitutional issues, the program can also be viewed on www.youtube.com/LawJournalTV. JOHN ROLL writes, “I am so pleased to have attended the Achievement in the Arts ceremony, celebrating the accomplishments of former ‘bandmate’ JOSHUA BREAKSTONE. Josh and I were members of the musical quintet Moon Unit from 1970-1971 along with NATE ZINSSER, CHARLIE MONROE, and CHARLES HYMAN ’72. We performed a lot of original material during that time, encompassing the genres of jazz, blues, and rock. One major highlight was winning First Prize in a talent show at Parsippany-Troy Hills High School.”

Dr. Andy Faber ’75 with his family.

1975 DR. ANDY FABER writes, “Hey, Greg. How’s that chemistry homework coming? We moved to Florida this past November after 29 years near Syracuse. Barbara loves it here. She’s retired from 33 years as a high school math teacher. She was almost as crazy as MR. TRAMONTANA. He drove me to be a math major! Then came medical school and three great kids. The youngest graduated from Franklin and Marshall in May. I am an internist and function as the

Three current or former New Jersey mayors at the 40th Reunion Class Party: Paul Mirabelli ’75 (Mountainside’s mayor), Greg McDermott ’75 (formerly Westfield’s mayor), and Mark Fury ’75 (formerly Plainfield’s mayor). They attended Pingry since Lower School, played on the same football team, and were/are mayors in the same county.

director of a hospital medicine program near Sarasota, Florida. I have kept in touch regularly with BOB CAPLETTE and TONY GINESI. My best to all.” DAVID JEFFREY writes, “We are very proud to announce that Calluna Vineyards has been selected by Wine & Spirits Magazine as one of the Top 100 Wineries of 2015! And our 2012 Calluna Vineyards Cuvée was also named one of the 100 Best Wines of the Year. This is a great milestone for Calluna, and we’re honored to be included in this group. We poured alongside these wonderful winemakers on October 20 for a special Top 100 Tasting in San Francisco.” DAVE RAPSON writes, “Our Class Reunion Party on May 16 was an absolute blast. GREG MCDERMOTT and Andrea McDermott were wonderful hosts and made everyone very welcome in their beautiful

home. We had a great time seeing the following classmates, some of whom we last saw on Graduation Night 40 years ago: MATT BURNS, BOB CAPLETTE, GARY CHWAZIK, MARK FURY, LEWIS GASOREK, PETER HISCANO, JIM HOITSMA (with Pam Callander, part of Pingry’s exchange program with Kent Place in 1974-75), BILL LEVINSON, JOE MAUTI, PAUL MIRABELLI, SEAN O’DONNELL, and JEFF PRIBOR. The party was also made memorable by a visit from MILLER BUGLIARI ’52. As Co-Chair of the Reunion, I also had fun speaking and e-mailing with quite a number of other classmates who could not attend the party. Many said that they were unable to attend that night because their kids were graduating from college that same weekend. Those of us who did attend vowed not to wait for our 50th Reunion before getting together again. We’re planning

Scott Macrae ’75, Ted Daeschler ’77, Timmy Macrae ’12, former trustee Doug Macrae ’77, Don Macrae P ’75, ’77, ’79, ’82, former administrator Dr. Rob Macrae ’82, Susie Macrae ’79, Karen Eschenlauer Macrae ’77, Kim Parham P ’06, and Copeland Eschenlauer ’80 on September 11 at the rehearsal dinner for the wedding of Caitlyn DiPietro and William Ross Macrae, son of Karen and Doug Macrae. Dinner was held at The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia where Ted Daeschler is Curator of Vertebrate Biology. FALL 2015

another extravaganza for our 45th Reunion. Therefore, mark your calendars for May 2020, stay well, and please send Pingry’s Alumni Office and me all address, phone, and e-mail changes as they occur. That will make it much easier getting in touch with everyone.”

1979 After TOM TRYNIN and CHRIS BARTLETT played 18 at Somerset Hills in September, they met MILLER BUGLIARI ’52 and BILL CONGER P ’89, ’05 for dinner at 3W—after soccer practice! Fun dinner!

1978

1980

Lobbyist STEVE ELMENDORF received the Bryce Harlow Business-Government Relations Award from The Bryce Harlow Foundation. The foundation honors the late Bryce Harlow (who served under four U.S. Presidents and created the first White House Congressional Liaison Office) to promote integrity within the lobbying profession and to increase the understanding of its essential role in the development of sound public policy. The BusinessGovernment Relations Award is given annually to a leader in the advocacy community in recognition of an exemplary career in the profession. Steve is a principal at Elmendorf | Ryan, a leading lobbying firm in Washington, D.C. Prior to starting his firm in 2006, he served as a senior advisor to House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.) for 12 years and held senior positions in the presidential campaigns of Gephardt, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.). Mitch Bainwol, Vice Chairman of the Bryce Harlow Foundation, said in a release, “Steve’s career is an example of lobbying with the highest standards of ethics and honesty, reflecting the standards of Bryce Harlow himself.”

KYLE COLEMAN writes, “I absolutely cannot believe it’s been 35 years since we graduated! I got JENNI (KNIGHT) BODNAR to come down from Vermont and enjoyed catching up with our classmates.” JAMES KOVACS writes, “Enjoyed seeing some old friends at 35th Reunion. We live nearby in Bridgewater, and our daughters love Pingry (Mary ’19 and Anna ’21). The tradition continues—and Pingry gets better every year.” BRAD ROTH writes, “I continue teaching and writing on international law, as well as directing the undergraduate program in Political Science at Wayne State University in Detroit. I remain closely connected to my many Pingry friends, whether near (LIZ SIMMONS ’81 at Michigan State University) or far (JOHN VIGMAN ’81 in Japan); my financial advisor is none other than STEVE BRISGEL! It was great to see everyone at Reunion.”

1982 DR. ROBERT MACRAE is the new Head of School at New Canaan Country School, an independent, co-ed day school for Pre-K through Grade 9. Previously the Head of

School at Cincinnati Country Day School, he is the fifth head of New Canaan Country School, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2016.

1985

Kerry Mooney, wife of John Skowronski ’85, founded Brendan’s Meadows Rescue.

JOHN SKOWRONSKI and his wife Kerry Mooney celebrated the fifth anniversary of his wife’s founding of Brendan’s Meadows Rescue (“BMR”) in memory of her father Brendan Mooney. Based out of Mountainside, New Jersey, BMR is a foster-based, non-breed-specific dog rescue that has saved nearly 100 dogs to-date, primarily by pulling them out of “Kill-Shelters” in the south and transporting them to both foster and “Forever” homes throughout the northeast. BMR is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization and is always looking for foster families to help save more dogs. Please visit www.BrendansMeadows.com to learn more.

1988 DR. ANGELICA DIAZ-MARTINEZ has been appointed Interim President & CEO of Cerebral Palsy of North Jersey. She has been Senior Vice President for Operations since 2013 and will return to that position when the new president is hired.

1990

Bill Conger P ’89, ’05, Chris Bartlett ’79, Miller Bugliari ’52, P ’86, ’90, ’97, GP ’20, and Tom Trynin ’79. 86

THE PINGRY REVIEW

DAVID CURTIS writes, “Reunion was fantastic! It was amazing to catch up with our Class after all these years. I want to specifically thank those who worked to make this possible: Jake, Lydia, Ryan, Blake, and Amy. Being able to enjoy a night with so many of our friends is something that I appreciate more and more as the seasons pass by. Thoughts of those years at Pingry

flash across my internal landscape, continuing to nurture my heart and spirit as my story is written. It is my greatest hope for our Class that we will continue to foster our shared connection through charity and development in our own unique way. Whether donating time or resources to The Pingry School or to those new communities we now call our own, I believe that, by doing so, many others might then have the same types of experiences we so fondly reflect upon during times we pause in our life. Carrying this forward allows such heartfelt joy to be witnessed across countless lifetimes and journeys, just as those years with you continue to brightly shine in the heart of mine.”

1991 D. BLAKE BEATTY married Daniel Hubbard in Telluride, Colorado on March 4. They reside in New York City and West Cornwall, Connecticut.

Meg Vreeland ’15, Woody Weldon ’91 with son Thomas Weldon ’23, and Bill Thomas ’88 with sons Peppin and Jasper spent a day in Toms River in August at the “No Tears Regatta.” Bill and Meg’s mom taught Woody how to sail, and now Meg is teaching Thomas Weldon and Peppin Thomas!

1992 JOSH CONNOR and his family moved to Montecito, California this summer. Lily, Jack, and Abby are enrolled at the Marymount School in Santa Barbara. Josh retired from investment banking after 15 years at Morgan Stanley and four years at Barclays, where he had the position of Managing Director and Head of the Industrials Banking Group. He is starting his own transportationfocused investment firm and was recently elected to the Board of Directors of Frontier Airlines.

William A. Franke, Chairman of the Board at Frontier Airlines, said in a statement that “Josh brings extensive aviation, finance, and private equity experience and will be a great help in the development of the airline’s strategy.”

can still remember the historical and cultural significance of the names and events mentioned in Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire,’ which he taught us in Form II History!” Mr. Webster says, “Our daughters ended up in the same summer theater camp, and we met later that same week at the county fair. Small world.”

1993 AMANDA HAWK writes, “Bonjour! Very excited to have relocated to Paris, France. I’m still with LVMH, but have moved from the champagnes to the spirits side, as global brand director of Hennessy V.S cognac. Always happy to welcome Pingry alumni who are visiting Paris, and would dearly love to hear from any who are also based here in France. Bises!”

1997

1996

1995 Jennifer Lee Koss ’96 and Johann Koss with Annabelle, Aksel, and Andreas.

Jen Jackson ’95 and Mike Webster P ’24, ’27, ’27.

JEN JACKSON met up with history teacher and boys’ lacrosse coach MIKE WEBSTER P ’24, ’27, ’27 at the Washington County Fair in Richmond, Rhode Island on August 15. Jen lives in Rhode Island with her husband Elias Muhanna and their daughters Laila and Maya, and Mr. Webster was visiting in-laws who live in the state. Jen writes, “It was fun to reconnect with Mr. Webster and meet his family. Thanks to him, I

JAKE ROSS is Pingry’s new Upper School Dean of Student Life. He writes, “Still coaching boys’ varsity soccer and hockey, teaching ninthgrade history. Three sons, Charlie,

Credit: FYI Network

Sandra N. Salter ’93, who operates under the moniker of Cordelia Donovan, with Drew Cortese ’93, her daughter Gianna Donovan, and friend Jordan Mahome at Sister’s Keeper.

JENNIFER LEE KOSS writes, “We have a new addition to our family! On February 15, we welcomed little Andreas to our family. Aksel and Annabelle are excited to have a new little brother, and Johann and I certainly have our hands full.”

In the spring, Adam Gittes and Ryan Molloy ’94 returned to the baseball field to coach their kids, who were in Kindergarten together.

1998 RACHEL HAYNES married Jamieson Provan on April 11 at Round Hill in Washingtonville, New York. The wedding party included LINDSAY TASHER ’96, DREW TIPSON ’96, and OOANA TRIEN ’96. Also in attendance were JOSHUA DUNN ’99 and MICHAELA MURRAY-NOLAN. The Provans

Credit: FYI Network

SANDRA N. SALTER, who operates under the moniker of Cordelia Donovan, co-wrote and directed the new play Sister’s Keeper, which received its world premiere in New York in September as part of Theater for the New City’s “2015 Dream Up Festival” (TNC is a Pulitzer Prize-winning community cultural center that produces 30-40 premieres of new American plays every year). The play is a rewrite of the late Lynda J. Jones’ play Miracles, about a young African-American Christian woman who contracts AIDS. This production realized Ms. Jones’ dream of presenting her play in New York. Cordelia, an assistant for the original production in Newark, New Jersey, helped “re-imagine the work as a look at the modern-day plight of the HIV/AIDS epidemic among the African-American community,” according to BroadwayWorld.com.

TIFFANY (SHENMAN) VOLZE and her husband Fred welcomed their first child, daughter Holly Joan Volze, on July 7 in Hoboken, New Jersey. Tiffany writes, “We are so in love with this little girl and are enjoying every minute with her!”

Danny, and Will. Great to see so many people back at Homecoming: JEFF BOYER, LESLIE (PLUMERI) LEVASSEUR, LAUREN (GRUEL) DIEMAR, CHRIS FRANKLIN, and COLIN BENNETT.”

ANDREW GRUEL, CEO and Founder of Slapfish Restaurant Group, is cohost with Anthony Dispensa of the new reality TV show “Say It To My Face!” on FYI Network. Andrew writes, “We bring yelpers (online reviewers) face-to-face with restaurant owners and chefs and let them battle it out. Restaurants apply to be on the show.” The idea is for restaurants to acknowledge their critics and improve their business. See more about the show at www.fyi.tv/shows/say-it-to-my-face.

Andrew Gruel ’98 at Cammarano’s in Simi Valley, California.

FALL 2015

HOLLAND (SUNYAK) FRANCISCO is Director of The Pingry Fund.

2003

Michaela Murray-Nolan ’98, Rachel Haynes ’98, Drew Tipson ’96, Joshua Dunn ’99, and Lindsay Tasher ’96.

live in Brooklyn and welcomed a baby boy, Dashiell David Provan, on June 26.

Hoboken and spoiling my nephews (from GWYNETH ’95) every chance I get!”

MONIQUE KANDOU writes, “I launched my own business with ASH+AMES, a new jewelry brand that inspires consumers, empowers female artisans around the globe, and gives back to developing countries and charities. Haiti is especially important to our brand and mission. Our pieces are interesting and unique and have amazing stories behind them. Since launching in December, ASH+AMES has received notable press coverage in Elle, US Weekly, and In Touch, and on Style.com. Celebrities including Beyoncé and Jessica Alba have already been spotted wearing our jewelry! You can view the collection and learn more about the brand at www.ashandames. com/ambassador/mkandou.”

1999

MICHAELA MURRAY-NOLAN writes, “I am in my 12th year running Kids Corp, my family’s nonprofit that provides academic summer and after-school programs for 3,000 underprivileged children in Newark, New Jersey. I have started to compensate for my lack of childhood athletics trophies with charitable awards from The United Way and Prudential Foundation, and I have just joined the TEAM Academy Charter School Board of Trustees. I am living in

Classmates got together in April at DEVON GRAHAM’s house, including Catherine and DAN BUELL, Patrick and KELLY (SHERIDAN) FLORENTINO, Ellie and NICK SARRO-WAITE, and Libby and WYATT KASSERMAN.

2000 SHILPA CHEELA completed her residency in Emergency Medicine in June 2014 and is working as a traveling physician in various states across the country.

2002

THE PINGRY REVIEW

2005 DAN FEITEL appeared on Jeopardy! this spring. Read more on page 72. SARAH FILIPSKI writes, “Sad to have missed my 10-year Reunion, but spent the weekend graduating from medical school! I have since moved up to Hanover, New Hampshire with my fiancé Fletcher Bingham for my pediatric residency at Dartmouth. Intern year will end with a big celebration...getting married! 6.18.16.”

CHANTAL BERMAN writes, “I’m a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University, focused on contemporary Middle East politics. My research on Tunisia’s democratic transition was published in June by the Brookings Institution Center for Middle East Policy. I’ll spend this upcoming academic year conducting field research for my dissertation in Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt. Happy to find Pingry alumni in the Middle East.” KELLY PEELER gave a TEDx Talk about NextGenVest, titled “Millennials, money, and changing the word,” at Johns Hopkins University on March 7. She explained that many college students are not prepared to deal with complex and potentially-embarrassing financial situations and do not know how to make basic financial decisions, and, yet, there are more student loans every year. “This is really alarming to me,” she says in the talk, “namely because you are the generation that’s supposed to change the world. But instead of tackling major, complex problems [like disease, hunger, and war], you’re getting derailed at the worst possible time with financial problems that you don’t really know how to handle.” Kelly emphasized that, to change the world, students need to take risks, and they cannot take risks if they lack a financial plan. They need guidelines for how to handle money before they make mistakes, so NextGenVest provides accessible, low-stress financial guidance that is short, to-the-point, and personalized.

AMY (CORVINO) BEYER and Nick Beyer welcomed a baby girl, Quinn Beyer, on September 15. She weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces.

MICHAEL CHERNOFF ’99 has been named General Manager of the Cleveland Indians. A member of the organization since 2003, he previously served as Assistant General Manager for five years. Further coverage of his new position will appear in a future Pingry Review.

MICKI (RUPON) COBOS and her husband Jonathan are happy to announce the birth of their son Niko James on June 17, 2014. Niko celebrated his first birthday surrounded by friends and family, including Micki’s sister CASEY RUPON ’08 who is thrilled to be an aunt and is already doing whatever she can to ensure Niko develops a love of soccer.

2006

Juliette Jordan Whitten ’06 married John Whitten on July 11 in Morristown, New Jersey. John is from Randolph and attended Bucknell. Back row: Director of Studies and French teacher Lydia Geacintov P ’84, ’88, former French teacher Gail Castaldo P ’00, Charlotte Williams ’06, Kelley Finlayson ’06, Dana Apruzzese ’06, Jennifer Hetrick Lawrence ’06 (also in the Bridal party), Margot Gianis ’06, and Juliette’s brother Jeremy Jordan ’04 (also a groomsman). Middle row: Frances Callaghan ’06, Katy Pinke ’06, and Kristin Maletsky ’06. Front row: Ashley Ulker ’06, French teacher Kelly Jordan P ’04, ’06, Juliette Jordan Whitten ’06, and John Whitten.

2008 LYNN MASSENGILL is pursuing a master’s at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, focusing her degree on international energy policy. She spent the summer working in the Bureau of Energy Resources at the State Department in Washington, D.C. Lynn was recently selected as a Robertson Fellow and, following graduation, plans to work for the federal government.

2009 WILLIAM WELDON is attending the The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

2010 EZRA (MYLES) BRISTOW, after graduating from Trinity College in May 2014 with a degree in Studio Arts and the completion of his first independent comic book project in hand, has moved on to graduate school. He finished the first year of an M.F.A. in Illustration for Graphic Novels/Comic Books at Academy of Art University in San Francisco, while working as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator. After starting a hip-hop dance team and spending four years as a featured performance poet at Trinity, his spare time is spent looking into new ventures to further explore creativity and active service in the community. He writes, “I discovered my love of the arts, in all its forms, in the Hostetter Arts Center at Pingry. I can’t thank Pingry enough for preparing me academically and helping me grow personally, but, most of all, for allowing me to explore and find my passion for creativity.”

Quartet, Contemporaneous, Asphalt Orchestra, the Crossing, and TILT Brass. “I got the opportunity to play through Contemporaneous, a chamber orchestra founded by friends at Bard College. I’ve been performing with them for the past couple of years,” Kate says. This summer, she performed at the Bard Music Festival in the Hudson Valley and, with the ensemble Contemporaneous, recorded music for the independent feature film Quest. She began a Master’s in Violin Performance at SUNY Stony Brook in the fall. JENNY GORELICK worked for the 69th Annual Tony Awards where, during the telecast on June 7, she coordinated the nominees, presenters, and seat-fillers from the audience. But the true soon-to-be Tony Award-winning star is ANDREW GORELICK ’12, who recently played Uncle Vanya in Uncle Vanya and the Mechanic in Middletown on Gettysburg College’s Mainstage. LILLIE RICCIARDI writes, “I am a 2014 graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and a professional actress based in New York City. In July, I performed the female lead in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music at Palm Beach Dramaworks in

Credit: Geoffrey Churchill/Palm Beach Dramaworks

Since graduating from Princeton University with an A.B. in French, KATE DREYFUSS has been pursuing a career as a violinist. Currently based in New York City, she made her Lincoln Center debut in July 2014, performing in the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Luther Adams’ Sila: The Breath of the World, a piece commissioned by Lincoln Center and performed outdoors in Lincoln Center’s Hearst Plaza. Kate was one of 81 musicians performing alongside members of eighth blackbird, JACK

Kate Dreyfuss ’10 performing in the world premiere of Sila: The Breath of the World.

Lillie Ricciardi ’10 and William Michals ’82 in A Little Night Music.

West Palm Beach, Florida, and realized through a discussion of New Jersey schools that the male lead WILLIAM MICHALS ’82 also graduated from Pingry—we confirmed this by singing ‘Ring the Bell for Old John Pingry,’ a song from our pasts that we both still knew by heart. William also told me he had received the 2013 Achievement in the Arts Award. We thought it was such a funny coincidence and wanted to let Pingry know how strong its alumni network is—two of its arts alumni worked together in a completely different state. William and I played husband and wife Frederik Egerman and Anne Egerman.”

2011 NIC FINK became a professional swimmer after his final NCAA meet this spring. This summer, he made his second appearance in the FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation—International Swimming Federation) World Championships in Kazan, Russia, which features only the top two U.S. swimmers in each event. He placed 10th in the semifinals for 100 breast (1:00.14) and 12th in the semifinals for 200 breast (2:10.04). MAX INGRASSIA graduated from Hamilton College cum laude. The Dean of Faculty wrote in a letter, “Hamilton’s academic program is

Making Business News Enjoyable for Millennials They may not have realized it at the time, but a few college friends of ALEX LIEBERMAN ’11 prompted him to start a business that now serves about 5,000 people. A graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Business Administration, Alex is CEO of Morning Brew, a free daily email newsletter for millennial business professionals. During his senior year, he was giving his friends and colleagues career advice and helping them prepare for job interviews, all while sharing opinions about the business world. Those conversations made Alex realize two things: reading lengthy business news feels like a chore for young people, and traditional business news seems to cater to an older audience. “Because of its traditionally dry, dense, and long format, people read it because they have to, not because they want to,” Alex says. “I wanted to create a platform that gets you excited to read business news. Morning Brew aims to identify with the wants and needs of its demographic— providing conversational 70-word summaries of both world news and business-related stories that our target truly cares about, such as tech and entrepreneurship.” Initially, for two months, Alex wrote summaries of the day’s biggest stories, defined a business term, and explained a complex business topic, then sent a PDF to his immediate friends. Only a few weeks later, probably through word-of-mouth, 250 students had subscribed, and the number increased as Alex spoke with every class in the university’s business school, sent emails to all of the university’s business clubs, joined listservs for other majors that might be interested in business news, and created “representative” programs at other schools (including weekly contests for those students to find more subscribers). Morning Brew now has a 10-person team of students from a range of universities. The whole time, Alex has been more interested in adding value to people’s lives than in making money. “It’s important that millennials have the information they need and want for success in the business world. Profit will come later,” he says. However, in the category of “I wish I had done this better,” Alex says he should have collected feedback from subscribers earlier in the process of improving Morning Brew, instead of trying to guess what they wanted and then asking them. At Michigan, Alex held leadership positions with several clubs and secured three internships in finance. He is now a Fixed Income Trader at Morgan Stanley. On June 8, he appeared on the podcast Driven to Better (targeted to young entrepreneurs). To subscribe to Morning Brew and/or its podcast, visit www.morningbrewdaily.com.

FALL 2015

rigorous and challenging, and graduating in the top of his class is testimony to Maxwell’s academic ability and hard work—as well as to the quality of college preparation at The Pingry School.” ARIANA KING is Assistant Director of Alumni Relations at Pingry. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College, majoring in Africana Studies with a concentration in education policy and a minor in Theater Arts. ALEXANDRA LOGERFO graduated from Georgetown University with a B.S. in Biology and has joined Pingry’s science and research faculty, assisting in the biology and research classrooms and co-teaching while Dr. Morgan D’Ausilio is on maternity leave. Read more on page 42.

WHITNEY WELDON graduated from Georgetown University and received the Louis McCahill Award. It is given to the student of the graduating class who has shown perseverance and determination of a high order in pursuing his or her educational objectives at Georgetown.

Camp Director for MODA; Executive Chairman, Vice Chairman of Alumni Outreach, and top fundraiser for the Student Alumni Committee; studying abroad in Vienna; becoming nearly fluent in Chinese after having no prior experience with the language; and three summer internships. The last of these was with Chrysler Group LLC, and Harrison started to work with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in July.

meant to build the leadership, teamwork, and communication skills of college students who are at least two years from graduation and who are studying accounting and/or business.

2012

LEAH AJMANI writes, “Had a great time at Pingry! Looking forward to the coming year.”

TANNER MCMAHON, studying neuroscience at New York University, was one of 17 undergraduate college students from New Jersey and New York chosen from 250 applicants to participate in Overlook Medical Center’s summer medical internship program. It is led by Dr. Clifford Sales, a vascular surgeon who is president of the medical staff. For students who are interested in pursuing medicine as a career, the four-week program exposes them to the healthcare field by giving them a close-up perspective of life in medicine. Students shadow different medical professionals (doctors, therapists, administrators, nurses, social workers) and observe operating rooms, the emergency department, the cancer center, and many specialties. During the internship, James witnessed three births in one day, which he described in an NJ.com article as “very intense. As soon as a baby starts crying, it kind of clicks in your head, ‘Oh, wow! This is a human.’”

2013 CAMERON KIRDZIK writes, “Pingry has always been a second home to me. I was very excited to go back [for Reunion] and see the people who made it so special!”

Jeffrey Yu P ’11, ’14, Harrison Yu ’11, Allison Yu ’14, and Josephine Chang P ’11, ’14.

HARRISON YU graduated from The University of Chicago with a major in Political Science, concentrating on International Relations and Chinese Politics. He shared highlights of his four years: Head Designer and Designer Boot 90

THE PINGRY REVIEW

STEPHEN RIENZI, attending Stevens Institute of Technology, is a member of The Pinnacle Scholars Program. This spring, as in his previous three semesters, he qualified for both the President’s List for scholar-athletes (GPA of 3.75 or higher) and the Dean’s List (at least 12 credits and a 3.0 GPA). A starter for the fencing team, Stephen is pursuing a Bachelor’s and a Master’s of Science in Information Systems and was selected to attend the Ernst & Young “Emerging Leaders Program” in May. The program is

2015 RUTHIE ADVOKAT writes, “Yo, Pingry! It’s been so real. Excited to be at Lehigh! Good thing it is so close—I can come back and visit.”

YANDELY ALMONTE writes, “The best experience at Pingry was meeting a group of friends I will always cherish.” EVY BARNETT writes, “Looking forward to college.”

to college. I think Pingry has prepared me well!” WILLIAM BIERDS writes, “Congratulations, guys! It has truly been a pleasure to know all of you!” KYLE BOYLAN writes, “Though I am sad to leave my friends and Pingry as a whole, I am excited to take on Boston College, knowing I have been well-prepared.” DAVID BRAVERMAN writes, “Life moves pretty fast if you don’t stop to look around every once in a while. I loved it here (Ferris Bueller quote).” JONATHAN BUTLER writes, “I am so excited to play lacrosse at Harvard.” VICTORIA CASTILLO writes, “Finishing my book, editing it thoroughly, and figuring out how to get it published.” FRED CHANG writes, “I will miss the Honor Code. In college, I’ll have to actually watch over my bag.”

Russell Beckerman ’15 with Raenard at the high school walk, part of Russell’s ISP with CPNJ in the spring.

RUSSELL BECKERMAN writes, “I am so excited to be at Dartmouth. I am going to miss all my Pingry friends, though.” During Pingry’s Community Service Day in October 2014, Russell became familiar with Cerebral Palsy of North Jersey (CPNJ) when he visited their Horizon High School in Livingston. For his ISP this spring, Russell chose to work for CPNJ, and the agency profiled him in their summer newsletter. His projects included targeted marketing research and staff training, and he worked with CPNJ’s students, organizing and serving as MC for a pep rally at the agency’s Horizon Elementary School. Russell also sponsored a student for the annual Wheelin’-n’-Walkin’ Challenge fundraiser and was the event’s top volunteer fundraiser. “I love working with children, and it meant so much to me to be able to help children with disabilities,” he said in the newsletter. SARAH BECKMEN writes, “I am going to miss all my teachers and friends, but I am very excited to go

JULIAN CHARTOUNI writes, “I have learned so much and have grown tremendously because of my teachers and friends at Pingry. You have helped me discover my interests and passions. I will forever cherish my Pingry relationships and my time spent here.” KIMBERLY CHEN writes, “I can’t wait to come back and see all of my friends and teachers.” KATIA COLON writes, “I am excited for this next chapter in my life, but I am really going to miss Pingry. Pingry has been such a great experience, and I am so grateful and lucky to have had such an amazing education.” HUNTER CONTI writes, “Really excited to be at Vanderbilt. I am definitely going to miss Pingry and can’t wait to come back and visit.” JAMIE COOK writes, “Looking forward to playing soccer in college. Going to miss all of my friends.” CHRISTINE DAIFOTIS writes, “I’m so excited to attend the University of Richmond!” MATTHEW DANNENBAUM writes, “I couldn’t have asked for a better place to spend the past 13 years.” ROBERTO DE ALMEIDA writes, “I really enjoyed playing soccer at Pingry.”

ROBERT DIAZ writes, “I love Pingry. So excited to play lacrosse at Denison after setting records for Pingry lacrosse.” TAYLOR DILLON writes, “I’m very excited to start college, but I still can’t believe my years at Pingry are over.” MARGARET DING writes, “After an amazing four years at Pingry, I am very excited to start college. I know that I will definitely miss my friends and teachers. However, I am very happy, excited, and nervous to start another chapter in my life.” JAMIE FINNEGAN writes, “I had a great experience working in the Alumni Office and working alumni weekends (Reunions) at Pingry. Working the weekend highlighted the importance of donating back to the School and what it means to be a Pingry alumnus.” THOMAS FOREMAN writes, “I am very excited to attend William & Mary.” JULIA FRIEND writes, “I’m going to miss all of the special people at Pingry. Thank you all so much for everything, and I’m excited to attend Washington University in St. Louis!” LILY GRAFF writes, “I am sad to leave Pingry friends and memories behind, but I am excited for my new college experiences.” GAURAV GUPTA writes, “I am super-excited to attend Northwestern University.” COBY HARRIS writes, “I can’t believe it’s been 13 years, and I am excited for the next chapter of my life! I will miss my friends and teachers dearly.” UGOADA IKORO writes, “It’s been real, Pingry. Worked over the summer to save up money for college.” RACHEL JACOB writes, “I am really looking forward to GW.” CLAUDIA JIANG writes, “Thank you all for a wonderful four years at Pingry! I will forever remember the time I’ve spent here and am grateful for the opportunity to meet all of you!” TAKIYAH JOHNSON writes, “I am at Duke.” WILLIAM JOHNSON writes, “I am so excited to attend Dartmouth.” ABHIRAM KARUPPUR writes, “Excited to be attending Princeton University! Hope to meet up with

fellow classmates and alumni in the area.” ANNELISE KINNEY writes, “Pingry has made the past seven years so special, and I can’t wait to see what college brings. I will always have great Pingry memories.” KEERTHI KOTHA writes, “Pingry was a great experience, and now I’m excited to be in college with the foundation Pingry has given me.” ELIZABETH KRAEUTLER writes, “Excited about college, but I am going to miss all the amazing people I met at Pingry.” DOUG LACHENAUER writes, “I loved Pingry. Excited for Bucknell! Pingry was great to me.” SYDNEY LIEBERMAN writes, “After 13 years, I can’t believe graduation was finally here.” CHRIS LUCCIOLA writes, “CLAY MCCOLLUM and I made McLucc’s the best coffee stand ever.” PAUL LUDWIG writes, “I’m going to miss Pingry a lot. I’ve met so many people here!” SEBASTIAN LUTZ writes, “I am so excited to be at Harvard and swim for them! I liked Pingry. It was fun.” CAITLIN MAHONEY writes, “I’m definitely going to miss my friends and teachers, but I’m excited to open the next chapter of my life.” DIANA MASCH writes, “Pingry gave me friends for life and prepared me so well for college.” CLAY MCCOLLUM writes, “Can’t wait to see everyone again soon.”

EMILY NILSEN writes, “I have been at Pingry for 10 years. I am excited to move into bigger and better things.” CHRISTINA OU writes, “I’m sad to be leaving all of my friends at Pingry and home, but also excited and ready for the new challenges and bonds I will form at Carnegie Mellon University.” JOSEPH V. PADULA writes, “I am excited to come back and watch sporting events.” EMMA PALMER is studying at Colgate. CAROL PORGES writes, “I’m very excited to be attending Boston College. Congrats to the Class of 2015!” SHARANYA PULAPURA writes, “Couch crew, I love you.” CLAIRE PUTMAN writes, “I have had an amazing 10 years and am excited to start the next chapter at Richmond.” CORY RANSOM writes, “I’m so excited for college, but Pingry will always be my second home.”

summer at Ninety Acres. I am excited to start at Amherst College and play field hockey there.” ZACH STEINHARDT writes, “I had a great eight years. Can’t wait to visit!” GABRIELLE STERN writes, “I’ve had a wonderful four years at Pingry, and can’t wait to begin the next chapter of my life.” HUNTER STIRES writes, “This summer, I worked as an intern and a research assistant for two professors of the Strategy and Policy Department of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Best of luck to everyone in the next stage of your development.” SYDNEY STREICHER writes, “I am so excited for college, but I am going to miss Pingry.” ANDREW VERDESCA writes, “Having come to Pingry in Grade 9, I can attest that Pingry positively shaped my academic experience.” ALEJANDRO VOLLBRECHTHAUSEN writes, “I am really excited for life.”

TANIKA ROACH writes, “I really enjoyed my years at Pingry, and I’m excited to be in college.”

BELLA WALTON writes, “I worked on a lake this summer in Canada and got ready for Tulane!”

DAVID ROCKOFF writes, “Getting to play music in front of the Pingry community has been one of the most amazing and transformative experiences of my life.”

SARAH WANG writes, “I’ve had a great time my five years at Pingry, and I am sad to go. But looking forward, college and the real world seem both daunting and exciting. No matter what, I know I’ll come back to Pingry.”

GEORGIA MILLER writes, “I interned at PAPER magazine this summer. It was my ISP, and I was happy to be continuing it!”

ALESSANDRA RUGGIERO writes, “I am really going to miss Pingry! I can’t believe it has been eight years since my first year here. Pingry has given me values I’ll carry with me forever.”

NICOLE MO writes, “I can’t wait to come back and visit my friends and teachers.”

TOMAS SAN MIGUEL writes, “I am going to CMU. Pingry was good. Shalom!”

JENNIFER WILKENS writes, “I’ve spent an awesome 13 years here, and I’m sad to leave.”

NATALIE MULLINS writes, “So excited for Penn! Yay!”

ADRIANA SAVETTIERE writes, “I was excited to graduate.”

ALEX WOLFSON writes, “Pingry was a ball.”

NICOLE SCAVONE writes, “Can’t wait to see everyone at all the Reunions.”

CLAYTON WRIGHT writes, “I loved Pingry. This place was great to me. Can’t wait for Bowdoin.”

SAHAR SHEIKH writes, “Pingry gave me friends for life, and I couldn’t be more grateful!” JC SORENSON writes, “I’ll miss this place and all my great friends.”

TIFFANY YU writes, “I am excited to graduate, but sad to leave Pingry, especially my fellow KPop members. Stay awesome, keep dancing, and continue to amaze everyone.”

EMERY SORVINO writes, “I continued my ISP in an internship this

ISABELLA ZINN is studying art at Washington University in St. Louis.

JULIA MURO writes, “Had a great 13 years at Pingry! So sad it is over! I’ll miss everyone.” KATHLEEN MURRAY writes, “I’m so excited to go to Colgate and Cornell Universities! I am so lucky that I’ve gotten the opportunity to experience two amazing schools. I had an awesome time riding on the Florham Park First Aid Squad for my ISP, and graduation was a culmination of my 10 years at Pingry!”

KACEY WEINIGER writes, “I’ll miss everyone, but I’m excited for new experiences ahead.”

FALL 2015

In Memoriam

Pingry Remembers Honorary Trustee Warren S. “Kim” Kimber, Jr. ’52 September 17, 2015, age 82, New Vernon, N.J.

Mr. Kimber was a member of the Board of Trustees for 19 years, from 1976-1995, a tenure that included serving as President of the Pingry Alumni Association (PAA) from 1977-1978 and Chair of the Board from 1988-1995. Early in his time on the Board, Mr. Kimber was supportive of Pingry’s move from Hillside to Basking Ridge and assisted the School with his knowledge of the local communities, and he later was a member of the Headmaster Search Committee that brought John Hanly to Pingry. Mr. Kimber’s tenure as Chair coincided with more than half of Mr. Hanly’s 13-year tenure as Headmaster, which ran from 1987 to 2000. Mr. Hanly experienced some growing pains during the first part of his headmastership, so Mr. Kimber’s steady influence and positive motivation helped him overcome them. According to Honorary Trustee William V. Engel ’67, who succeeded Mr. Kimber as Chair, Mr. Kimber cared deeply about honesty, ethics, and character, and his quiet, caring, informed leadership was critical for Pingry to be able to thrive in its new location in Basking Ridge and plan for the School’s future. Mr. Kimber received the PAA’s Letter-in-Life Award in 1983, and, when he retired from the Board in 1995, Pingry honored him with The Cyril and Beatrice Baldwin Pingry Family Citizen of the Year Award and named him an Honorary Trustee. Upon Mr. Kimber’s retirement from the Board, Mr. Hanly noted, “The relationship between the head of a Board and the head of the School is as delicate and sensitive as a marriage...Pingry has been blessed with a Board Chair who has been as superb for the institution as he has been for me as Headmaster. He has shown courage, perspective, integrity, judgment, and kindness throughout those seven years. He has always known when to ask if I needed advice, and he has supported me whether or not I followed that advice. That’s the test of a great leader.” Over the decades, Pingry has benefited greatly from the Kimber family’s significant philanthropy. Most recently, as an expression of their long-time association with the soccer program, the family’s lead gift in memory of Warren S. “Kim” Kimber IV ’07 supported the reconstruction of The Miller A. Bugliari ’52 World Cup Soccer Field. The Kimbers have also supported 92

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the Miller A. Bugliari ’52 Scholarship Fund, John Hanly Scholarship Fund, The Pingry Fund, production costs for the 150th anniversary book, The Greatest Respect: Pingry at 150 Years, and the New Building Fund when the School was planning the move to Basking Ridge. Mr. Kimber was a founding member of the C.B. Newton Society and a member of the True Blue Society and 1861 Leadership Society. He served as Honorary Co-Chair of The Campaign for Pingry. “I knew Kim since the late 1940s, and he’s one of the greatest Pingry personalities I’ve ever seen—a wonderful student, alumnus, parent, and grandparent. He was a wonderful leader and loyal friend, always encouraging, friendly, giving of his time, and generous...one of those rare people who cared about everybody. Kim was instrumental in helping Pingry enjoy its success in this wonderful facility in Basking Ridge, with such fine faculty and staff. He was one-of-a-kind,” says Miller Bugliari ’52. Mr. Kimber entered Pingry as a freshman and was active with the athletics program, playing football (two years), basketball (three years), and baseball (two years); serving as Captain of the 1951-52 Basketball Team; and serving as Sports Editor of The Pingry Record. The 1952 Blue Book described him as “one of the most modest members of the Class of ’52.” He received a B.A. from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where he won three letters in football and three letters in lacrosse. Mr. Kimber served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate Corps and studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University. Long-time Chairman and CEO of Kimber Petroleum Corporation in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, Mr. Kimber was also President of AmoMAC (Amoco Managers Acceptance Corp.), 1994; President of Carlton Oil Corp., 1988-1994; and President of Bassett Associates, 1978. A trustee of Hobart College, he served on the Board of Directors of Summit Bank, Chatham Savings Bank, CrossAmerica Partners, and the United Way; and was a member of the Amoco Jobber Advisory Board, Amoco National Advisory Board, and Board of Directors of the United Way of Summit. In addition, Mr. Kimber actively participated with many not-for-profit organizations in Summit.

Throughout his career, he remained active with the game of lacrosse. Mr. Kimber was an intercollegiate official and became both Chief Referee and, for over 20 years, District Assigning Director for the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA). In addition, he was National Coordinator of Men’s Lacrosse Officials for the NCAA, for whom he also served on the Board of Directors. As National Coordinator of Lacrosse Officials, he organized the coverage of all collegiate games and selected the officials for the Final Four. Mr. Kimber was a member of and Chief Referee for the New Jersey Interscholastic Lacrosse Officials Association and a member of the USILA Metro-New York Officials Association. In 1997, he was among the first inductees into the New Jersey Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame. Mr. Kimber was predeceased by his grandson Warren S. “Kim” Kimber IV ’07. Survivors include his loving spouse of 59 years, Barbara Kimber P ’76, ’79, GP ’07; son Warren S. “Kim” Kimber III ’76, P ’07 (Sarah Kimber P ’07); daughter Kathy Kimber ’79 (Kevin Schmidt ’98); grandchildren Casey Kimber (Nic Esposito), Seamus McDonald, Katie McDonald, Sean McDonald, and Sloane McDonald; and great-granddaughter Phoebe Esposito.

Henry H. “Harry” Hoyt, Jr. ’45 August 17, 2015, age 88, New York, N.Y.

Mr. Hoyt, an Honorary Trustee since 1983, served the School as a trustee from 1971-78. He was President of the Board from 1973-78 during a momentous period in Pingry history, including the proposed merger with Kent Place, the eventual merger with Short Hills Country Day School, and Pingry’s transition to coeducation. He served in the U.S. Army Transportation Corps and graduated cum laude with an A.B. from Princeton University. Mr. Hoyt joined the pharmaceutical and consumer products company Carter-Wallace, Inc. in 1950 and rose through the ranks to become Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer in 1974. He served on the Board of Directors of the American Paralysis Association (now the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation); was Member-at-Large of The Metropolitan Opera Association and Princeton University’s Council for University Resources; served on the New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Eye Advisory Council; and was Director of the Deafness Research Foundation, Proprietary Association, the Board of the Overlook Hospital Foundation, and the Arthritis Foundation of New Jersey. At Pingry, he was a member of The 1861 Leadership Society and a very generous financial supporter, providing major funding for the David B. Buffum History Chair, the Albert W. Booth Master Chair, and the Henry H. Hoyt, Jr. ’45 SEEDS Scholarship Endowment Fund, which provides financial scholarships to four SEEDS Scholars each year. In 1987, he received the School’s Letter-in-Life Award. His father Henry H. Hoyt and brother Charles O. Hoyt ’47, P ’71 also served as Pingry trustees. Mr. Hoyt’s first wife Muriel predeceased him. Survivors include his wife Molly, daughters Heather and Holly, sister Suzanne, nephew Scott ’71, and four grandchildren.

Hans H. Angermueller ’42 July 11, 2015, age 90, Westerly, R.I.

Mr. Angermueller, a Pingry trustee from 1975-1978, served on the board during the years when Pingry was planning the move to Basking Ridge. He received a B.A. from Harvard University, an M.S. in Engineering from Harvard Graduate School, and an LL.B. and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. In 1950, Mr. Angermueller became a Partner at the New York law firm Shearman & Sterling, whose principal client was Citicorp. In 1972, he joined Citicorp as Senior Vice President and General Counsel, specializing in U.S. banking law and regulation, financial service regulatory and legislative reform, and structuring

international financial transactions. When the American Embassy in Tehran, Iran was seized in November 1979, Mr. Angermueller helped devise a financial deal to free American hostages. The U.S. government had frozen Iranian assets at U.S. banks, and Citicorp was one of many banks embroiled in litigation with the Iranian government over its outstanding debts. Mr. Angermueller helped create a secret plan to use Iran’s frozen deposits in European banks to pay off the country’s creditors. In exchange, the hostages would be freed. That deal helped lead to the hostages’ release in 1981. Later in his Citicorp career, Mr. Angermueller was appointed one of three Senior Executive Vice Presidents and was eventually named Citicorp’s Vice Chair. He retired from Citicorp in 1989 and returned to Shearman in 1990 as Of Counsel. His wife Katherine predeceased him in 2013. Survivors include his daughters Susan, Katherine, and Marianne; sons Hans ’70 and Victor ’75; 10 grandchildren; and five greatgrandchildren, with one great-grandchild on the way.

John Swift “Jack” Anderegg, Jr. ’41

Ellen W. Harris

June 21, 2015, age 89, Pennington, N.J.

July 7, 2015, age 68, New York, N.Y.

Mrs. Harris served as a Pingry trustee from 1995-1998 and as General Chair of the 199596 Annual Fund. She received a B.A. in History from the University of Rochester, an M.A. in American History from Stanford University, and a J.D. from New York University School of Law. She practiced law for 37 years, including as a Counsel of Securities Law at Sidley Austin LLP in Manhattan, where she worked for 21 years specializing in funds and investments. Earlier in her career, she was Assistant and Legislative Aide to Senator Jacob K. Javits, and a member of the Corporate Department and Managing Partner of New York and New Jersey offices of Keck Mahin Cate & Koether. Mrs. Harris’s parents Mimi West (driving force behind the Los Angeles Free Clinic for three decades, and founder of Friends of the Los Angeles Free Clinic) and Bernie West (Emmy-winning writer of All in the Family and producer of Three’s Company) instilled in her a love of culture and fine arts and the importance of giving back to society. She was on the board of Rioult Dance New York. Survivors include her sister Isabel and sons Michael ’00 and David ’03.

August 5, 2015, age 91, Buzzards Bay, Mass.

Mr. Anderegg enrolled at MIT, then enlisted in the U.S. Army’s Signal Corps during World War II and its “Ghost Army” in the Italian Campaign (to deceive the enemy, the “Ghost Army” impersonated other U.S. army units). After the war, he attended secretarial school to learn shorthand, then re-enrolled at MIT. Mr. Anderegg was a traveling salesman for American Wire and an engineer for Draper Labs before co-founding Dynamics Research Corp. He served as both President and Chairman of the Board. He was predeceased by his stepdaughter Jennifer. Survivors include his wife Frances; children Gretchen, Murray, and Susan; grandchildren Nathan, Jeremy, Raef, Fiona, Finnegan, Rebecca, Jack, and William; and stepchildren Jill and Charles.

Charles Homer Burkman ’44 Mr. Burkman enrolled at Princeton University, served in the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps from 1944-46, and returned to Princeton, where he graduated in 1952. In 1959, he began graduate studies at Rutgers Library School, began working at Princeton University Library, and met his wife-to-be. After receiving a Master’s in Library Service, he served his alma mater for 34 years, both as a Reference Librarian and a Cataloger, retiring in 1993. Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Sally; daughters Katherine (Theodore), Elisabeth (Edwin), and Sarah (Anthony); and grandchildren Matthew, Andrew, and Nathanael.

Walter Davis “Walt” Miller ’46 July 17, 2015, age 87, Fort Bragg, Calif.

Mr. Miller studied at the Academy of Arts, Pratt Institute, and the Art Students League, began his career as a fine artist, and switched to commercial art, producing magazine cover and story illustrations. Many of his illustrations appeared in “pulp magazines” such as Astounding Science Fiction. He served in the Korean War from 1950-1952 on the island of Okinawa, producing manuals and training aids for the troops. Later, Mr. Miller worked as V.P. of Advertising and Marketing at Sloan Technology and at Larson-Bateman Advertising. While at Larson-Bateman, his work included the Prop. 1 campaign (the forerunner of Prop. 13.). He also was involved with Gov. Ronald Reagan’s gubernatorial campaign. Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Del, and sons Christopher (Betsy) and Jonathan Miller (Karen). FALL 2015

Fred W. Schmidt ’47

James Pearsall “Jim” Douglass ’50

Richard Lincoln MacNett ’57

Mr. Schmidt studied at Hamilton College and at the University of Buffalo in business administration. During the Korean War, he served in active duty with the U.S. Air Force. Mr. Schmidt spent his career as a senior account executive with Merrill Lynch. He was inducted into Pingry’s Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the 1947 Track Team. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Barbara; daughters Patricia (William) and Margaret (William); son Thomas (Helen); six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and sisters Anne and Claire.

Mr. Douglass studied chemistry at the College of Wooster, then left for conscript military service. He was a chemist for American Cyanamid and then worked for Wiley & Wilson. Mr. Douglass was also active with the Lynchburg Society for Engineering and Science, of which he served as President, and the Robert E. Lee Soil and Water Conservation District; he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors and received awards for his leadership in conservation and devoted and distinguished service. He also served as President of the Friends of Lynchburg Stream Valleys, and President of the Central Virginia Men’s Horticultural Club. The City of Lynchburg’s Division of Parks & Recreation awarded Mr. Douglass The Blackwater Creek Stewardship Award for his outstanding community service in the fields of natural resource protection, environmental education, and trail construction/maintenance for the benefit of all citizens of Lynchburg. His wife of 47 years, Donna, predeceased him. Survivors include his children Bill, Sherwood (Kathy), and Deanna (Will); grandchildren Michelle, Don (Chelsea), Blake (Brittany), and Benjamin; greatgrandchildren Christopher, Caleb, Wyatt, Ayden, and Madilyn; and sister Jocelyn.

Mr. MacNett graduated from Gettysburg College and earned a Master’s degree at Seton Hall University. He taught history, was a guidance counselor, and served as Chair of the Guidance Department at Bloomfield High School. While there, he met his future wife, who also taught in the district. He also coached lacrosse for the Maplewood Lacrosse Club, winning the state championship in 1969, and was named “N.J. Coach of the Year” in 1972. His lacrosse team was inducted into the Columbia High School Hall of Fame in 2013. Survivors include his wife of over 50 years, Carol; sons Robert (Bree) and Ross (Jennifer); grandchildren Sydney, Grace, Aidan, and Logan; and step-grandchildren Estevan, Olivia, and Emanuel.

April 16, 2015, age 85, Burlington, N.C.

Frederick Davis “Fritz” Walters ’48 August 21, 2015, age 85, Boston, Mass.

Mr. Walters worked at Pingry from 1962-1978, teaching English; coaching soccer, track, and tennis; advising the Junior School Debating Team; and serving as Drama Director, Director of Alumni Affairs, and Director of Admissions. He was inducted into Pingry’s Athletics Hall of Fame as Assistant Coach of the 1964 Soccer Team. Mr. Walters received a B.A. in Speech and Drama from Centenary College and an Ed.M. from Rutgers University. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was among the first generation of U.S. pilots to train in the T-33/P-80 Shooting Star jet fighter, the first jet fighter used operationally by the U.S. Army Air Forces. He became Cadet Commandant and was asked to re-enlist and become an Air Force flying instructor. Mr. Walters was an actor and a radio broadcaster who created and hosted the first classical music radio show in Louisiana. Later in his career, after leaving Pingry, Mr. Walters was a stage and voice actor, including a collaboration with author Robert Fulghum, developing the script for and starring in a stage production of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Dorothy; brother Jeremiah Ross ’52 (Jane); sister Mary (Larry); stepbrother Alan; children Leslie ’76 and F. Davis ’80 (Kimberely); and grandchildren Christopher (Stephanie), Devon, Alexandra, James, Kyle, Madelyn, Samuel, and Jeremy.

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August 18, 2015, age 83, Lynchburg, Va.

Dr. Robert Louis Wegryn ’55 May 5, 2013, age 76, Westfield, N.J.

Dr. Wegryn attended Cornell University and Cornell Medical School, receiving an M.D. He was an attending surgeon at Trinitas Regional Medical Center (1980-2006), chief and attending surgeon of Elizabeth General Medical Center (19852001), president of the Union County Medical Society (1987-1988), and medical director of the Center for Hope Hospice (1981-2009). Dr. Wegryn also served on the board of the Center for Hope Hospice (1981-2013); won the Union County Medical Society “Auxiliary Physician of the Year” Award (1992), and received the New Jersey Hospice “Physician of the Year” Award (1997). The State Medical Society of New Jersey recognized him for 50 years in medicine. Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Roberta; children Kevin ’79 (Sheila), Mark ’85 (Danielle), and Joye ’80 (George); and grandchildren Kelly (Tom), Matthew, Bryn, Jordan, Hope, Robert, and Justin.

June 17, 2015, age 76, Irmo, S.C.

The Honorable Joseph E. Irenas ’58 October 16, 2015, age 75, Princeton, N.J.

Judge Irenas received an A.B. in Political Science from Princeton University and a J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School. He clerked for New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Haydn Proctor before becoming an associate with the law firm of McCarter & English in 1966. He rose to Partner in 1972. During his time in private practice, the Supreme Court of New Jersey appointed him to serve as a bar examiner. On November 14, 1991, President George H.W. Bush nominated him to a newlycreated seat on the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, he was confirmed as a federal judge in April 1992, and he became a Senior District Judge in 2002. As a district court judge appointed for life, Judge Irenas heard cases that arise under federal statutes or the Constitution. In addition to his judgeship, he served as an Adjunct Professor at the Rutgers University School of Law (in 2002, the Rutgers Law Journal dedicated a volume to him), tutored students for the bar exam, became a member of the New Jersey Board of Bar Examiners, lectured nationally about law, was Chairman of the Board of United Hospitals in Newark, and served as Director and Treasurer of the United Way of Essex County. He recently retired from the Board of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Mercer County, and was the first recipient of the NAMI Mercer Pillar Award. Judge Irenas served on or chaired a number of committees and, among his many awards, he received Pingry’s Letter-in-Life Award in 2009. In his acceptance speech, he advised graduating students to respect all people, behave ethically, be grateful for the support of family, and tip restaurant servers well. Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Nancy; children Ted and Amy (Bob); grandchildren Joe, Patrick, Charlie, Jenna, Shayne, and Zoey; sister Diana; and 23 years of law clerks and staff whom he cherished.

Donald G. Meyer ’61

July 16, 2015, age 72, Lebanon, N.J.

Mr. Meyer graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University and was as an advertising salesman for The Wall Street Journal. He went on to work as a New York Stock Exchange Registered Bond salesman for Clark, Dodge and Co. before running the Mortgage Backed Securities Desk at Kuhn, Loeb & Co. and Thomson, McKinnon Securities Inc. He then started D. G. Meyer & Co., Inc., a Mortgage Backed Securities Interdealer Brokerage firm. Mr. Meyer switched careers to focus on his first passion, restoring and trading antique cars, and became a member of numerous clubs and associations. He was inducted into Pingry’s Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the 1960 Football Team and 1961 Lacrosse Team. Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Elizabeth; sons Donald, Jr. (Janine) and Richard; daughters Kathleen (Richard) and Christina (Daniel); and grandchildren Michaela, Donald III, Kristin, Jesse, Sean, Benjamin, Julia, and Nicole.

Dr. Steven Mark Murray ’66 August 30, 2015, age 67, Houston, Tex.

Dr. Murray and his son Mark died in a private plane accident in Kewanee, Illinois. Dr. Murray received a B.S. from Duke University and both an M.S. in Geology and a Ph.D. in Geochemistry from the University of Southern California. He worked as a geologist, first in uranium and then in oil and gas. Survivors include his wife Nancy, daughter Samantha, daughter-in-law Gretchen, grandsons Haydn and Zane, mother Juanita Murray, and sisters Marilyn (Andy) and Lisa (Peter).

Richard William Lang, Jr. ’68

October 8, 2015, age 65, Westfield and Scotch Plains, N.J.

Mr. Lang attended Plainfield High School, where he served as Student Council President, was a standout on the 1967 state championship football team, and is honored through the “Richard Lang Outstanding Graduate Award.” He graduated from Princeton University and spent his career in banking, starting as Manager of the United National Bank, Netherwood branch, and later becoming a managing director for Smith Barney. Survivors include his wife of 35 years, Barbara; children Richard, former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy, and Morgan (Lieutenant Commander Ian Patrick Hutter, U.S. Navy); mother Lois; sister Suzanne; sisters-in-law Sandra (Marc) and Harriet (Joseph); and nephews Rusty and Warren.

John J. Sprowls ’76

July 8, 2015, age 57, Edison, N.J.

Mr. Sprowls graduated from Gettysburg College with a degree in English. He also received a degree in Chemistry from Southampton College and a Master’s Degree in Toxicology from St. John’s University. Mr. Sprowls was a senior scientist at Merck & Co. for over 25 years. He was inducted into Pingry’s Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the 197677 Basketball Team (he played on the team during a post-graduate year at Pingry). Survivors include his children Kathleen and Dillon and his sister Mary.

Eric Gould ’86

July 16, 2015, age 47, Chatham, N.J.

Mr. Gould graduated from Tulane University, earned an M.B.A. at Pace University, and was Senior Vice President of Valley National Bank. He was the guitarist of the band First Word, a rock and blues band in New Orleans in the late 1980s. Survivors include his children Ruby, Benjamin, and Spencer; parents Lawrence and Jane; brother Lance (Michele); and nieces Samantha and Lucy.

Clare Marie Goggins ’12 July 7, 2015, age 21, Chatham, N.J.

Ms. Goggins was a student at Drew University and will be remembered forever by her father John, mother Sheila, and sister Mary. She was a loving friend, classmate, niece, cousin, and granddaughter.

FALL 2015

Closing Word

Why I’m So Passionate about Serving Teachers By Dr. Reid Prichett, Dean of Faculty for Teaching and Learning As a child, I wanted to be the world’s greatest fisherman, and dreamt of the massive fish I would catch. That dream hasn’t come true...yet. Instead, I strive to do something far more meaningful: help teachers become the teachers they dream of being. Why am I so interested in serving teachers, whose hard work and impact on students’ lives are often underappreciated and misunderstood by society? To answer these questions, I will share the story of how I arrived at Pingry. My father is a mathematician who loves teaching people calculus. He is also one of my heroes. He taught me the importance of humility, and I wanted to be like him when I grew up. In school, I was fortunate to have great teachers who looked out for me and helped me through my struggles. They cared deeply about me and my success, which formed the basis of relationships that continue to this day. I was inspired by and grateful for what my father and teachers gave me and did for me. I wanted to give back by becoming a teacher—I wished to feel the exhilaration that accompanies helping a student solve a problem. At first, I taught and coached in boarding schools. I was learning not just how to teach mathematics, but also relearning the math. My first experiences were ones of “being handed the books and told ‘see you at graduation.’” In other words, I was on my own to figure out how to teach, which was incredibly demanding. On top of that, I received highly-critical feedback on occasions when students suggested things weren’t going well. So lonely and disheartening was this experience that I nearly left the profession. But then I landed at Episcopal High School with a group of colleagues who brought me onto their teaching team. I saw that teaching could 96

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be a team sport; we could share, not hide, our materials. And we could learn through trusting relationships by being vulnerable with one another. Motivated to better understand how teachers make the biggest difference in students’ lives, I moved to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study how teachers become experts. This not only exposed me to research on best practices for teaching and learning, but also put me in classrooms with many master teachers whose students improved in their disciplines and became better people. Among other things, I learned

learning (other schools are also adding similar positions to support their faculty). Since improvement of teaching is a team sport, I will be collaborating with Director of Studies Lydia Geacintov, Assistant Headmaster Jon Leef, and the Department Chairs to refine Pingry’s process of professional development. I’ve set a goal of informally visiting every teacher’s classroom this year. When I step into a classroom, I spend much of the time watching the students because seeing what students do— what they create—gives us a better understanding if lessons are having the

I strive to do something far more meaningful: help teachers become the teachers they dream of being. that good teachers make the biggest difference in students’ lives; teaching is complex work requiring hundreds of daily decisions; and expert teachers are learning throughout their careers by engaging in reflection. But I found it most rewarding to work with teachers on the dilemmas of teaching. I knew at that point, more than anything, I wanted to work with and serve teachers, and have continued to do so since. So, I’m thrilled with the opportunity to be at Pingry, to learn with and from the School’s teachers on the Basking Ridge Campus, and positively contribute to their journeys as teachers. This role stems from Pingry’s recent three-year Curriculum Review and its recommendations to make professional development more hands-on, more driven by teachers’ needs, more collaborative, and more innovative; and to have more people available to assist with teachers’ learning, especially as it directly relates to student

intended impact. Teaching is complex work, an acutely personal vocation. Stepping into a teacher’s classroom means stepping across a threshold, so I have come to respect such opportunities, and the dignity and respect that accompany this responsibility of seeing a teacher at work. It’s perfectly natural for teachers to feel anxious when someone steps into their classroom, but, after years of working with teachers, I’ve found that those emotions are transformed into excitement when reflection becomes a discussion of the students’ experiences. So, my informal visits will be followed by feedback that recognizes what is going well in the classrooms. In turn, I anticipate that these observations will begin fruitful dialogues about teaching and learning at Pingry. I’m looking forward to serving Pingry’s teachers on their journey! This article is adapted from Dr. Reid Prichett’s presentation to faculty and staff at the Ignite Sessions in September.

PINGRY ALUMNI CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

Alumni Class Notes Send us your latest news!

Do you have a new job? New baby? Just married? Recently moved? Or any updates to share with your classmates? We are collecting class notes and photos for the next issue of The Pingry Review. Mail them to Ariana King ’11 at The Pingry School, 131 Martinsville Road, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 or email them to Ariana at aking@pingry.org.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Turkey Bowl Soccer Game Basking Ridge Campus – 9:00 a.m.

Friday, November 27, 2015

Annual Hockey Game and Alumni Party Beacon Hill Country Club – 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Back-from-College Luncheon Basking Ridge Campus – 11:30 a.m.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Pingry Reception in New York City

Hosted by the O’Toole Family at the Racquet and Tennis Club – 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Boston Reception Find us on Facebook! * Page name is Pingry School Alumni Follow us on Twitter! *Handle is @PingryAlumni Join us on LinkedIn! *The Pingry School Alumni Network

Hosted by Chris Milton ’65 at Greenberg Traurig, LLP – 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

San Francisco Reception

Hosted by Julian Scurci ’99 at The French Club Check pingry.org and watch your emails for information about upcoming regional events.

Visit us online: For volunteer opportunities or any additional questions, please contact:

David M. Fahey ’99 Director of Alumni Relations and Senior Major Gifts Officer for Athletics dfahey@pingry.org Dates, locations, and times are subject to change or will be announced soon. Check www.pingry.org for updates. (908) 647-7058

Non Profit Org

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THE PINGRY SCHOOL Basking Ridge Campus, Upper and Middle School Short Hills Campus, Lower School 131 Martinsville Road Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 Change Service Requested

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C.B. Newton Society?

C.B. Newton’s dedication and vision allowed Pingry to attract legendary master teachers, establish an endowment for the School’s future, weather the Great Depression, and officially establish the Honor Code in the quest to make “good [people] and good citizens.” Today, C.B. Newton’s legacy is honored through the alumni, families, and friends of all ages who have thoughtfully provided for Pingry’s future by making a bequest or other planned gift to the School. You can join the C.B. Newton Society by using a variety of gift vehicles that may provide you with tax benefits, including: • Charitable Gift Annuities, Charitable Remainder Trusts, Charitable Lead Trusts • Bequests • Beneficiary Designations (such as IRA, 401K) • Gifts of Real Estate (after lifetime) For more information about planned gift options, and to learn if your planned gift can be counted toward Blueprint for the Future, please contact Melanie P. Hoffmann P’20, ’27, Director of Institutional Advancement, at mhoffmann@pingry.org or (908) 647-7058.