WEBB Magazine Fall 2014 edition by The Webb Schools

WEBB M A G A Z I N E

Fall 2014

Fostering Independence The Boarding School Advantage researching Webb’s dna

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THE LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE

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Webb today

WEBB

A D M I N I S T R AT I O N

FAMILIES ARE BUILT ON LEGACIES. hat will you share with future generations ith careful planning you can ensure that your most deeply held beliefs are carried forward through the work of others. At he

ebb chools, you can

help in uence the world by supporting the education of tomorrow s honorable leaders, young men and women in their most formative years who will grow up to lead with distinction and serve with a generous heart.

Taylor B. Stockdale Head of Schools Peter Bartlett Director of Student Life Donald L. Lofgren, PhD Director, Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology

M A G A Z I N E

FEATURES

2 4 10 14 20

WEBB TODAY

Leo G. Marshall Director of Admission and Financial Aid Hector Martinez Director of College Guidance Brian Ogden Dean of Faculty Janet K. Peddy Director of Finance, Planning and Operations

Theresa A. Smith, PhD Director of Academic Affairs

Joe Woodward Director of Institutional Advancement BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2014-2015 Paul M. Reitler ’54, Chairman of the Board Claire H. McCloud, Vice Chair, Secretary Sanjiv P. Dholakia ’87, Vice Chair

Meet

icky Ale andro

icky is a consummate blend of scholar and creative artist. A star of the stage, icky s light shined ust as brightly inside the classroom. he is now in New ork City where she is attending Columbia niversity. icky received the eitler Endowed cholarship at ebb, established in 2004 by Paul 4 and Mary eitler and supported with a generous planned gift. “I will never forget you,” icky tells Mr. eitler following her commencement and a quick photo together.

Members of the Thompson and Vivian Webb Society provide for future generations by including he ebb chools in their estate plan. heir decision to make such a gift is personal and can be highly rewarding. emembering ebb in your will is the simplest and most common type of deferred gift, but there are other opportunities as well that pay you income during your lifetime. By planning now, you can create your own legacy and share your values well into the future.

I I www.webb.org plannedgiving O MO E IN O MA ION or contact Bob ass, irector of eadership Giving, 0 44 - 2 2, bfass webb.org

R. Larry Ashton ’70, Chairman, Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, ex officio William M. Bauman ’82 Blake H. Brown ’68 Jenna Z. Gambaro ’95 Wayne L. Hanson ’59 Janel Henriksen Hastings, PhD ’87 John Holliday ’84 Ming Chung Liu David Loo ’79 Christina Mercer McGinley, PhD ’84 Roger J. Millar ’61 Timothy C. Moore ’59 David Myles, PhD ’80 Mickey E. Novak ’70 Janet K. Peddy, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary, ex officio RJ Romero Miles R. Rosedale ’69 Mary A. Schuck Taylor B. Stockdale, Head of Schools, ex officio Ralph D. Young ’63

NEWSNOTES

LIFE TRUSTEES Hugh H. Evans, Jr. ’49 Anne Gould H. Earl (Bud) Hoover II ’52 Murray H. Hutchison Robert Stragnell, MD Volume 18, Number 1

SOCIAL

rom the ead of chools ostering Independence esearching ebb s NA he iberal Arts College ebb s op en

Commencement ports Arts

he Alf at

aculty

A liates

Alumni Profiles

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C and

In Memoriam

Fall 2014

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News

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Schools

he Phone Plate

I always smile when I see T-shirts 2

made by student clubs or classes with terms and acronyms only Webb students would know such as Webb Day, Peccary Trip, CBO, ASB Ball, or Theme Nights. As of this fall, you can add another phrase to the list of Webb-only terminology...The Phone Plate.

Webb Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ Fall 2014

he Phone Plate is a large colorful plate at the center of each dining table at formal dinner. tudents and adults place their cell phones on the plate at the start of the meal, as a way of relinquishing their otherwise 24 devices so that good old-fashioned conversation can happen at the dinner table. he truth is I talk a good game about cell phone usage, but must admit that I break into a cold sweat when placing my phone on he Phone Plate. or better or worse usually worse the device has become a part of me, and while at dinner with the phone on the plate, I still get these phantom vibrations as though I have a call or text message, only to reali e my phone is several feet away.

hen I look back on my own childhood, I reali e now that life was a process of revealed secrets, where I generally learned things at a point in time in my development when I was prepared to handle them. ith older brothers, I certainly was exposed to an inappropriate - ated movie occasionally, but overall, how and when I received information as a child was controlled. oday s teenager is growing up in an unfiltered world for the most part. And we as parents and educators have little to no idea what the implications are for this relatively new reality in terms of a teenager s emotional development, cognitive development, and ability to think deeply and critically.

As usual students have been far more adaptable to this new practice, and we have fun at the table trying not to stare at the phones, each one occasionally making a noise and displaying a message. I ve started hiding the plate, and it is ama ing how quickly it becomes out-of-sight, out-of-mind. e start engaging in a totally di erent way. he power of conversation takes over, and we actually start looking in each other s eyes and being fully present.

As I tell the students often, they are growing up in the most dynamic age in the history of civili ation. hey will have abilities to interact with the world and each other in ways we could only dream of. I fully embrace the power and scope of the digital age, and believe strongly that ebb must continue to provide the very best of a modern, future-ready education in order to prepare leaders for a global economy. But I also stress that we must not lose sight of the most powerful technology of all, and that is the power of human interaction and the ability to inspire.

I see he Phone Plate as one small step for ebb, one giant leap for civili ation. his past summer, you probably saw in the news coverage of the latest research on the psyche of today s teenager, and how in this new age of hyperconnectivity and instant information, teenagers have never felt more disconnected, more anxious, tired and lost. hose of us in education aren t surprised with the findings. It is estimated that by the time a person reaches the age of 1 , he or she will have spent more than 60,000 hours in front of a screen of some type.

As future leaders in industry, health care, politics, education and other fields, our students will not only need a complete mastery of technology, but also an ability to connect with people in person, to build consensus and to galvanize people toward a shared vision through deep and meaningful human interaction.

As so many schools get caught up in a new type of arms race in terms of technology, this more powerful and fundamental skill human interaction is being lost. he power of family, and community in terms of what they do to nurture the soul is timeless, and yet finding places that create this type of eye-to-eye interaction is becoming increasingly rare. In the end, I believe what ebb does better than anything is o er a safe community in which our students are known and can make meaningful connections and contributions, and in which we can nurture and support their development as teenagers in all the right ways. he Phone Plate is one of many ways in which we do this. Chapel talks, Peccary trips, assemblies, dorm activities and many of our regular day-to-day activities are other ways we keep up the good fight in order to preserve our most important student experiences. As you read through this maga ine, you will see many exciting examples of ebb students, faculty, parents and alumni ourishing, and yet at the foundation of it all is a community that involves actual people interacting with one another, telling stories, laughing, generating ideas and thriving. aylor B. tockdale ead of chools

The Webb Schools â&#x20AC;˘ WEBB.ORG

Fostering Independence –The Boarding School Advantage It starts when they first set foot on campus.

hrough freshman retreats where students rappel, climb and even do maintenance on a trail, to a Carlsbad beach where they bond and en oy community time and learn about the onor Code, students are introduced to each other and to the ebb ethos. he school s character and core beliefs all guide students toward the skills of how best to live independently practicing self-reliance and demonstrating respect for oneself with a commitment to honesty and high ethical standards and how to live interdependently celebrating community and global awareness, valuing and respecting each other s unique qualities and contributions.

“ e are very intentional in our programming e orts to achieve this ideal of creating the best learning and living environment,” says Peter Bartlett, director of student life. “Community is the thread. Maybe you were the best at the school you came from, but at ebb, we present the challenge to funnel that talent into making the community the best it can be. It happens in the classroom, on the playing field, in productions and especially in the way we live.” Bartlett likens the experience to a crew race:

“everyone needs to be working together to move ahead.”

here are many statistics that support the benefits of a boarding education. According to a recent study conducted by he Association of Boarding chools AB , of boarding school graduates enroll in “highly” selective post-secondary institutions at ebb, that number tops out at 6 . In the same study, ebb graduates en oyed high rates of persistence completing their bachelor s degree at the same institution they entered as a freshman . In fact, the true measure of a boarding school education can be discerned as soon as graduates move on to college where, according to AB reports, of boarding school graduates compared to 3 of public school students feel “very well prepared” academically for college. Compared to other groups of high school graduates from public and private day schools AB school graduates are more likely to enroll in four-year post-secondary institutions including highly selective colleges and universities. And, compared to other beginning post-secondary students, AB school graduates are more likely to stay enrolled at a single institution and complete a bachelor s degree in 4 or 6 years. Bobby Gon ale 13, who finished his freshman year at arvard in May, says, “the ebb experience is always in the back of my mind. It may sound corny, but it motivates me to try new things, and harder things.” his past year, at one of the most elite colleges in the nited tates, Gon ale walked on to the varsity wrestling team and decided to study Arabic.

“ ebb gave me confidence to believe in my decisions, in my abilities,” he adds. “ hen you have people teachers, administrators, coaches who genuinely care about you, a lot of good things are going to happen. I received a lot of support. It was a life-changing experience and it makes me strive for excellence.” According to elen awrence, this is a common occurrence. “ hen young women come back for their first alumni activities, they talk about how ebb really prepared them for dorm life especially how they were expected to monitor their sleep, handle their studies and manage their money.” ebb students are expected to abide by the rules of the common community to get along with each other, be inclusive, and be tolerant of people from other cultures and customs, especially on a campus with students from 1 di erent countries. As freshman, there are strict guidelines governing library, computer and phone time. “As they mature, we give them more freedom it re ects their ability to self-manage,” adds awrence.

he leadership opportunities are plentiful and varied. In the dorms, there are mentors who work with younger students, helping them to learn to handle all aspects of boarding life, from doing laundry to how to check in for breakfast. “ e talk about good habits,” says arah ant , math teacher and the head of ones dormitory, “but students really learn from their role models.”

In the girls’ dorms, these are the dorm counselors—peers trained by adult counselors—who help incoming and younger students adjust to dorm life; there are also peer advisors, each one has a “younger sister” for whom they are a friend— writing cards and going out to lunch.

“ e encourage them, we tell them, the best thing you can do as a leader is to live your own life well this is the kind of behavior you ll want to see in fellow residents, ” says ant . “ hese girls can manage their social lives, study time, wellness and activities there s a sense of multi-tasking I never had as a high school student and I went to a private day school.” Aminah eachout 04 earned her B.A. from American niversity and a Master of Public Administration in International Management from George Mason niversity she says she didn t get “bogged down” by assignments and presentations in college “I was already used to living in a dorm, reading 100 of the material and planning ahead with writing assignments,” she says. “ aving that discipline enabled me to spend nearly half my time in college studying, interning or volunteering abroad. “I had to apply for grants requiring a lot of planning and visioning I needed a solid head on my shoulders and an imaginative approach based on respected scholarship... and I definitely felt prepared thanks to my ebb experience,” she explains. oday she owns her own business as a yoga teacher and sustainable wellness consultant. Callie enfrew 11, a senior at heaton College in Massachusetts, says that not only did she feel prepared for the process of living with a roommate, meeting new people especially people from all over the world but also for the basics: “I felt comfortable talking to professors, traveling around town I knew how to call a taxi ” enfrew, who is ma oring in neuroscience with a minor in biology and also swims competitively, was a dorm counselor at ebb and relates that the experience taught her how to care for people above and beyond the four siblings in her family. Over in the boys dorms, there are evening seminars how-to talks to help students ad ust to boarding life. aculty advisors meet with prefects and dorm heads weekly to spot trends and remain proactive. “ ometimes, people assume or have a first impression that boarding school must be like a military school, with lots of rules and regulations,” says ill Allan 4, dorm council advisor. “ hey don t reali e that what we re doing is guiding students to live and think independently in a community where they are respected and respectful.” tudents are conditioned for future success because they are encouraged to achieve their full potential at ebb. “ hat we do, we do very intentionally,” says Bartlett. “ ith two schools, there are twice as many leadership opportunities and kids seek them out, not only to round out their college application profile, but to develop the strengths that come with those responsibilities, notably the confidence they have in their abilities to lead and to make contributions.”

In addition to en oying the benefits of serious education and dedicating significantly more time to their studies, boarding school students participate more in extracurricular activities than other students. Gon ale 13 says he felt confident uggling all the di erent facets of a busy college life. “Classes, lectures, practice in the afternoon, study in the evening I had it down from ebb,” he says. Gon ale played football at ebb, where he was also an honor committeeman and an active Peccary man he even worked on a research paper with Museum irector, r. on ofgren. At arvard, Gon ale is the associate executive director for the arvard Initiative for atin American elations and an E tutor in addition to a wrestling team member. e is planning to concentrate in Applied Mathematics and hopes to conduct research in atin America and the Middle East. “Making decisions for others in the community through his participation on the onor Committee , helps me make better decisions for myself in college,” he says. “ ebb teaches you how to overcome challenges. ou re going to make mistakes in school, in life, but with my experience at ebb, I know how to move on. ebb taught me perseverance and fortitude. ou can pick yourself up and do better next time.”

tudies show that boarding school graduates not only excel in college, but advance rapidly in their professional careers.

TABS’ Study of College Progress and Outcomes states: “A boarding school education is a gift that keeps on giving. Not only are its graduates more likely to go on to post-secondary education, but that education is more likely to be at a highly selective, 4-year institution. Moreover, once there and competing with other students admitted to the

evin ack 0 was a dorm prefect at ebb for two years, then co-chairman of the orm Council. ast year, he graduated from the nited tates Air orce Academy. A second lieutenant, he is currently stationed at aughlin Air orce Base in el io, exas, training to be a pilot. “ he leadership skills I gained as a prefect and on the orm Council helped me tremendously at the military academy,” he explains. “ hen you first enter the Academy you re ust learning, but then you can take on more responsibility as you get older ust like the prefect program at ebb.” he curriculum at the Academy is so di cult says ack he credits much of the success he achieved there with the study habits he developed as a boarder. “ ou learn very quickly that you re not going to do very well if you re waiting until midnight to do your homework,” he says of his ebb experience. im eng 06, an honor committeeman and team captain at ebb, graduated from Columbia niversity in 2010. “ eaving for college makes you reali e ust how unique and special a place ebb is,” says eng. “In college, you re faced with so many di erent people and new situations and challenges, social and academic it wasn t like I knew what career path I wanted to pursue, but I certainly knew the type of person I wanted to be, the type of character I wanted to possess. his was possible through the lens of ebb.” “Character doesn t always count everywhere in the world,” explains eng. “But it mattered at ebb and so I look for that in the workplace, in friendships, in all types of relationships. It s a ma or character trait to learn and recogni e to understand that the things you do have consequences, and that you have to own up to the choices you make.” eng also says that ebb s emphasis on academic honesty has stayed with him well beyond college. “Integrity, then as now, cannot be overemphasi ed in the workplace,” he adds. Most importantly, eng says that ebb fosters an openmindedness through programs like Men in the Arena, nbounded ays, the Alf Museum that isn t always easy to find elsewhere: “ he lessons I learned at ebb helped provide a spiritual and moral guidance that have stayed with me through college and beyond.”

same universities under the same admission criteria, TABS graduates continue to do better.”

Data Sources: • Webb Schools Alumni Survey (2013). 535 responses, 65% from WSC alumni, 35% from VWS alumnae. • The Truth About Boarding School: A Comparative Study of Secondary Education (The Association of Boarding Schools, ND). Interview survey of 2,700 high school students and adults: 1,000 boarding school students/alumni; 1,100 public school students/alumni; 600 private day school students/alumni. Samples weighted to match public and private day school populations based on socioeconomic status, college graduation rates and gender. • Study of College Progress and Outcomes: Webb School of California (The Association of Boarding Schools, 2013) • Study of College Progress and Outcomes: TABS Member Girls Schools (The Association of Boarding Schools, 2013).

researching webb’s

DN A

Think about science. Now think about scientists. What comes to mind? Earnest women and men wearing white lab coats, in laboratories filled with exotic equipment? Chances are, you pictured laboratories filling a building at a university, or perhaps at a large corporation. Scientists do still work in big laboratories, but thanks to advances in technology laboratories can be smaller and less expensive to equip than ever before. This has led to a revolution in research: it’s no longer limited to scientists working in professional laboratories. Today original research can be conducted by high school students with curiosity and a desire to go beyond simple demonstration lab experiments — students like those at Webb. Research is in Webb’s DNA. Since Ray Alf led the first Peccary Trip, and students collected the first uncatalogued fossils, in 1936, Webb students have contributed to the field of paleontology. “That’s one of the things that’s exciting about paleontology,” says Andy Farke, Augustyn Family Curator at the Alf Museum. “There’s a history” of non-professionals advancing the field. Paleontology, he says, is accessible to people with just a few tools. In years past, that meant a rock hammer and other simple excavation tools, and material to make fossil casts. With the tools available at the Alf Museum today, however, “you are able to do pretty cutting-edge stuff,” Farke says. At the museum’s newly re-tooled Don Lofgren Paleontology Research Lab, those include a laser scanner, specialized macro-photography gear and a 3D printer, giving students the ability to perform photogrammetry and create duplicates of the rare fossils in the museum’s collection. “We have tools not everyone else has,” Farke says. “It’s kind of cool.” The museum’s fossil prep lab was also recently upgraded, with an enhanced ventilation system (to filter the dust created when students clean away the rock surrounding a fossil), compressed air lines to run the tools used to clean fossils, and an improved dust and dirt collection system in the prep lab’s sink. “We’re way above normal” in the quantity and quality of research tools the museum has available for student researchers, says Museum Director Don Lofgren. The tools allow students to clean, characterize, classify and even re-create fossils, and, because ‘virtual’ fossils can be stored as digital files, they can be shared with fellow researchers across the globe, as well as with scientists who come to the Alf Museum to study its collections in person. “There’s an exchange of ideas and techniques,” notes Farke, “and a sense of collegiality” among paleontologists, which extends to Webb’s student researchers. “I’ve been hoping since I got here to establish some projects in molecular biology”— not words you would’ve heard in a high school science building even just a few years ago. Today, however, that’s chemistry and biology teacher Lisa Blomberg’s vision for Webb’s biology classes. Webb’s science facilities already included a scanning electron microscope and the technology needed to conduct polymerase chain reactions, a technique used to duplicate DNA segments. To this toolkit, Blomberg added micro-centrifuges and electrophoresis equipment used to isolate DNA, and a gel-illumination box, which allows students to see the DNA in a solution immediately.

N A

Using this equipment, starting with a small sample of DNA “you can get enough to sequence it in two hours,” Blomberg says. She envisions Webb students sequencing DNA to identify subspecies of California oak in the local ecosystem, determining if those subspecies are actually genetically distinct, and submitting the sequenced DNA samples to GenBank, the national DNA database. Original research isn’t the sole province of the sciences, however: trends towards smaller and less expensive computers and other technology are allowing students to take on complex engineering problems, as well. High schools routinely use computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting software in place of the drafting tables and straightedges of decades past. Webb’s Media Arts courses, introduced last year, take this idea to another dimension, literally: using software including Autodesk and MakerWare, and MakerBot 3D printers, students engineer and create their own models. The 3D printers have practical applications for Webb’s Gaulbots, a team of students involved in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge, an annual worldwide competition which sees high school students designing, building and programming robots to overcome a series of tests. The robots do not operate outside the arena of FIRST Tech Challenge competitions, but the unique tasks they must perform—and, more importantly, the processes students use in constructing them—mirror the processes engineers use to devise solutions to problems in fields ranging from robotics and software design to civil engineering. Every year, says Webb Math Department Chair and Gaulbots faculty mentor Will Walker, the student creations “better emulate real life” engineering problems and robots. The 3D printers, he says, are useful for the design and fabrication of prototype robot components. Once a component’s design is tested, the final piece is machined from sturdier materials than the plastic pellets used by the 3D printer. Students, says Blomberg, get “super-excited” about seeing the results of their work, whether that’s watching a robot execute a program or seeing DNA luminesce. “The joy of actually getting a result is why it’s so fun.” But are the tools more than high-tech toys? The equipment is less expensive than it used to be, but it’s not cheap. And science is often a protracted, painstaking process. “Equipment is only one part of the picture,” notes Karen Hales ’87, a biology professor at Davidson College. The real cost, she says, is ongoing: the need to continually replenish the materials used in experiments. “You can have a really well-equipped kitchen but still need to buy the ingredients.” Time is also a concern. Research projects can take years to complete.“Typically you spend weeks or months just to troubleshoot your protocols,” Hales says—and that’s working with a full-time staff. Students usually can devote just a few hours a week to a research project, and then only for a year or two, at most. Then there’s the issue of what to do with the raw data. While the equipment used to generate data has become both more sophisticated and more accessible, the software used to interpret data has become increasingly

complex, says Brookie Best ’90, associate dean for admissions and outreach for UC San Diego’s Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and an associate professor of clinical pharmacy and pediatrics. Student researchers at the Alf Museum have grappled with some of these issues for years. And the students, it turns out, are surprisingly amenable to working on research projects that will continue even after they’ve graduated. Overcoming the limitations inherent in conducting original research in a high school setting is a question of choosing projects that fit within those boundaries: characterizing fossils, for example, or the DNA of local flora. While these aren’t projects that advance the boundaries of science, they do contribute to the knowledge base within their fields—the goal of many original research projects. The question remains, though: is the equipment-intensive hands-on approach to science and engineering worth the time and cost? Is it really so much better than classroom instruction? “We’re still struggling” with how to best use technology in the classroom, says Walker. “How do we use the amazing potential of technology to advance kids’ understanding?” The hands-on approach gives students insights into the processes that underlie science and engineering, he

“I try to teach the kids a design-thinking process as a problem-solving tool. That’s where education is going,” he explains. Educators used to focus on facts alone, instilling them in their students. Problemsolving, if it was addressed at all, came later. “Now,” he says, problem solving “is the important stuff – it’s what everybody needs to do” in the real world. says.

In today’s connected world, with facts and figures available at a keystroke, “the key is not knowing all the information, but knowing where to find it,” Walker says. “It’s not about the facts and figures, it’s about knowing where to go to find them when you need them.” And, he adds, the scientific process parallels the design-thinking process he teaches his engineering students. “One of our most fundamental jobs is to show kids that the process is the same” across fields. “The pieces of equipment are just tools,” says Alf Museum curator Farke. “You still have to develop a thought-out plan” and design a research project, from data collection to verification and interpretation and, ultimately, publication. Whatever the tools, Farke says, “the basics of science—critical thinking—these never change.” But the right tools can add immensely to student understanding of science and engineering, including the fact that failure is an important part of the process. Using the Alf Museum’s equipment requires patience —and sometimes troubleshooting, Farke says. “I think it’s really good for students to realize that technology doesn’t always work flawlessly.” Walker agrees. The robotics equipment his Gaulbots team members use “allows kids to muck around the way we did 40-50 years ago... but

at a far more advanced level.” And when the equipment, or the design, or the software program, doesn’t work right, that’s an important lesson. “Kids need to struggle. Kids need to fail... and then turn around and apply that the next time.” Access to advanced scientific and engineering tools also increases “the potential for critical thinking and hypothesis-driven experimentation,” says Kristen Henkins Ambegaokar ’02, post-doctoral researcher at the Fox Chase Cancer Center. “That provides an early exposure to what the scientific process is.” “The ultimate goal is to have them begin to think like scientists... going beyond the content knowledge to answer questions posed to them, even asking their own questions,” says Blomberg, “and developing a set of critical thinking skills. One of our goals as educators is to get students to understand how science is done... and how to evaluate science.” Students who study science without performing experiments “miss out on all the details... and subtleties” of the scientific process, says Mark Torres ’06, an environmental chemistry Ph.D. student at USC. Science, he says, can be a black box. Designing and conducting experiments gives students a deeper understanding of how scientific processes and procedures work, in turn giving them a greater ability to critically examine and interpret scientific data and findings they’ll see throughout their lives. “When we teach the scientific method, we often use contrived experiments where we already know the answer, and the students know the answer, and that’s boring,” says Blomberg. “It’s much more interesting to perform open-ended experiments.” “Working on an actual question brings up all the uncertainties”—and all the excitement—of original research and discovery, agrees Best.

Webb’s new science curriculum supports exactly this type of inquiry-based learning, says Director of Academic Affairs Theresa Smith. The vision of the curriculum is “to blend the latest technology with the spirit of Ray Alf,” engaging students with the real world, she explains. The four-year curriculum begins with freshman evolutionary biology, including paleontology and DNA analysis. Sophomores will study chemistry and physics in an integrated physical sciences course, and juniors and seniors will have the opportunity to enroll in advanced research courses. As opposed to conducting “kitchen labs” students will tackle experimental problems, designing labs to answer questions, in a process fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. “It’s more authentic learning,” Smith says. “It’s a pretty ambitious curriculum,” says Blomberg, “but I’m excited about it. A lot of people think of the limitations, but I’m thinking of the possibilities.”

TO BE OR NOT TO BE the answer might surprise you

he iberal Arts College: elic or evelation

Contrary to widespread reports, the classical liberal arts education isn t dead. In fact, it may be more relevant than ever.

he liberal arts have taken a lot of hits in recent years. he skyrocketing cost of undergraduate tuition and a sluggish ob market for new college grads have led some pundits to conclude that the traditional liberal arts education is fast becoming a relic of an earlier, more a uent age.

No one is arguing that college education itself is unnecessary or irrelevant. hile the unemployment rate for college graduates has risen in the past decade, it is still lower than for people with only a high school diploma or two-year degree1. urthermore, many employers now consider a bachelor s degree a prerequisite for even entry-level obs.

owever, the cost of an undergraduate degree has risen dramatically. he National Center for Education tatistics reports that the in ation-ad usted average cost of one year at a four-year institution is now 0 percent higher than in the early 0s2. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even upper-middle class families that in past generations did not worry as much about the cost of their children s education are now much more aware of the fact that it is going to take a lot of money and perhaps considerable debt in order to acquire that education,â&#x20AC;? says ector Martine , director of college guidance at he ebb chools.

eturn on Investment Being asked, “ hat kind of ob are you going to get with a degree like that ” is nothing new for students in liberal arts fields, but that question is informing college planning more than ever before. “Parents are very worried about their kids futures,” says Assistant irector of College Guidance Anthony hin. “More and more parents bring up the term

OI return on investment

to us and to the colleges.”

College is one of the largest investments many families will ever make, leading some families to conclude that the best way to maximi e the return on that investment is to push students into a “career-ready” pre-professional track. “ ome are very rigid,” says hin, “saying things like, If my son gets into College A, then he must be in the mechanical engineering program because graduates with those two exact factors have the highest ob placements. ” hat approach might seem pragmatic, but is it in the student s best interest Not necessarily, says Martine . “ he fact is that not all of us are made to become doctors, lawyers or engineers even if we want to, let alone having it wished upon us by our parents,” he says. “I oke that my own mother is still waiting for me to apply to medical school. ell, mom, it ain t going to happen ” here is also no guarantee that any specific field or industry will really be a sure bet. “Our economy is changing rapidly, with new industries and new demands in established fields cropping up constantly,” says arah chmidt, senior assistant director of admission at assar College. “Also, even in times of economic prosperity, the average person will change obs at least five times or more over the course of his or her lifetime.” “ ome believe that training in a specific area is required for career success ,” adds tephanie Balmer, dean of admissions at ickinson College. “ hat is simply not the case when you think about the range of experiences you will be expected to use over a lifetime ”

he need for lexibility chmidt believes that the key to success is the kind of versatility fostered by a liberal arts education. “ he most successful individuals are those who are exible, creative, can learn new information quickly, and above all, communicate e ectively,”

she says. “ hese qualities are the backbone of a liberal arts education. ... A traditional liberal arts education produces people who are lifelong learners and e ective communicators who can tackle any number of career paths.” isa Meyer, dean for enrollment and communications at ewis Clark College, adds that a liberal arts education helps students develop the exibility and imagination they need to approach the ob market proactively rather than reactively. “ ather than merely responding to changing times, liberal arts graduates are able to create their own futures,” she says. Although he is still an undergraduate, Andy ee 11 has already had firsthand experience with the importance of such exibility. “ ike many ebbies, I was very ambitious in high school,” he says. “I was simply concerned with attaining admission to an Ivy eague school. hen I received re ection letters from all of my dream schools, I was crushed.” o regroup, ee decided to take a gap year. uring that time, he says, “I stumbled upon a method of learning Chinese that allowed me to improve my reading skills at a rapid pace.” e decided to apply those skills by traveling to aiwan and then Guang hou, China, where he worked full time and honed his uency in Cantonese, Mandarin and aiwanese. hen ee returned to the . ., he enrolled at warthmore College, where he is now studying math and computer science. owever, he says, “I wanted to share with the world my method of learning languages.” e conceived the idea of a startup business and recruited a group of other warthmore students to help him make it a reality. he result was the language education company Elan www.elan.im . Elan is ee s first entrepreneurial e ort, but it s unlikely to be his last. e says his long-term goals revolve around “applying theoretical technologies to solving the world s problems in education, energy and transportation.”

A professional inguist hatever the outcome of ee s entrepreneurial endeavors, his interest in computer science has obvious value in the current ob market. hat about students whose undergraduate interests don t point in such a clearly marketable direction chmidt argues that a liberal arts education s greatest value is in its “overarching emphasis on learning new information and considering points of view from a broad range of disciplines and perspectives,” whatever the specific sub ect or focus. “ his emphasis leads to dynamic and creative problem-solving that is critical for successful leaders,” she says.

Creating a Network Nonetheless, in a rapidly evolving economy, eclectic interests and skills can also become marketable in unexpected ways. As an undergraduate at averford College, Amanda Morris 02 found herself gravitating towards mathematics and rench without a specific ob ective in mind. As a senior, she belatedly recogni ed the missing link between those disciplines: linguistics. “I took my first linguistics course fall of my senior year and everything fell into place,” she says. “In class, I used the logic and formal reasoning from my math background to describe patterns in languages. And everything ust clicked.” he went on to earn her master s degree in linguistics from C anta Cru and now works for Google, where she is a linguist on a natural language understanding pro ect. “Essentially, we re trying to teach computers to be able to understand language,” she explains. “I think attending a liberal arts college gave me the freedom to figure out what I wanted to do,” Morris adds, “a freedom I might not have had if I had attended, say, an engineering school.”

orks in the oad Morris s experience underscores another important point for families to remember: hile some young people have a laser focus on a particular professional goal from an early age, others need the space to find their path or determine if the path they ve chosen is right for them. “I started college thinking I would be a math ma or,” says ylan ittig 0 , who recently graduated from Occidental College. “ owever, through the broad core requirements at Oxy, I was exposed to politics and urban and environmental policy classes, where I became interested in local governance and urban issues.” Although he chose to minor in mathematics, ittig switched his ma or to urban and environmental policy, a decision that was reinforced by a series of policy-related internships. “My first internship was at Esperan a Community ousing in outh os Angeles, an a ordable housing provider,” he says. orking with community residents near the newly expanded Expo ine, ittig helped to create “a community vision for the area to ensure that new development would benefit the community and not ust the developers.” A referral from that pro ect led to his current internship with the City of os Angeles Planning epartment, where he is now working on other transit neighborhood plans. ittig s next step is the C A uskin chool of Public A airs, where he will pursue his master s degree in urban and regional planning. “In five years I hope to have a ob in planning in the nonprofit or public sector,” he says.

or working people at all levels, finding obs often depends as much on having the right contacts as it does on experience or even talent. College is a prime opportunity for young people to make the connections that will foster later success, whether it s the professor whose letter of recommendation helps earn admission to graduate school or the former classmate who provides a foot in the door at a new graduate s dream employer. “ iberal arts graduates are able to make meaningful connections across disciplines,” says Balmer. “I think the beauty of a liberal arts degree in building networks is that your interests are wideranging and allow you to connect with others in meaningful ways about a variety of topics.”

iberal arts colleges older alumni are also an important networking resource for new grads. “I have found the latter to be especially in uential even this early in my career,” says Elena cott- akures 11, a senior at ellesley who chose that school in part because of its strong alumnae network. “ his past summer, I interned at a department of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative tatus with the N, whose vice president responded to an email of mine after noticing on my resume that I attend

ellesley her daughter graduated several

years ago.” hat isn t the only opportunity ellesley s distinguished alumnae have provided cott- akures, who is dual-ma oring in political science and Middle East studies and is cross-registered in political science and government at nearby MI . he s also a fellow in ellesley s Madeleine orbel Albright Institute for Global A airs, a program that includes a global a airs summer internship and a multidisciplinary research pro ect. “I presented my original research on sustainable energy to ecretary Madeleine Albright and former EPA Administrator Carol Browner,” says cott- akures, “which was at once terrifying and exhilarating.” hile not every opportunity is quite so dramatic, Meyer argues that strong alumni networks are another core virtue of a liberal arts education. “ his kind of community builds a passionate and committed network of alumni who are eager to work with and support students and graduates through internships, practica and ob placement,” she says.

he Exhilaration of the nexpected chmidt reminds families that “a liberal arts education at the undergraduate level does not preclude someone from going on to a career in medicine, law, business, or even engineering. In fact, a liberal arts education often makes for more attractive applicants to professional schools.” As an example, she points to the forthcoming update to the MCA , which places new emphasis on critical analysis and reasoning skills. Although some students will go on to graduate or professional degree programs, recent ebb alumni agree that some of the most meaningful aspects of their undergraduate education have been ones they didn t anticipate, whether it was a semester abroad, interactions with roommates and classmates, or discovering new disciplines. “I feel very blessed to have college because I think of this time as a pressure-free time to explore any interest,” says ee. “I m ust trying to soak it up as much as I can.”

“I think everyone has a purpose on this planet,” says Martine , “and one of the best ways to find out what that purpose might be is to attend a liberal arts college that allows you to explore the academic world which includes math, science, and technology so that you might actually find your passion along the way.” 1 . . epartment of Education, National Center for Education tatistics 2013 , Digest of Education Statistics, 2012 NCE 2014-01 , able 3 1. 2 . . epartment of Education, National Center for Education tatistics 2013 , The Condition of Education 2013 NCE 2013-03 , abor orce Participation and nemployment ates by Educational Attainment.

Top 10 things to do before graduating from The Webb Schools High school is a time of exploration and self-discovery, both inside and outside of the classroom. And, nowhere are there more opportunities to realize one’s inner strengths and form a lifelong network of friends than at The Webb Schools. For four years, students live, learn, play and explore together... and it goes by more quickly than you think. A recent survey of students determined the top 10 things one should do before he or she advances from Webb’s leafy, hillside community. From tried-and-true traditions to new adventures, these quintessential experiences are uniquely Webb and fondly recalled for years to come:

Go on a weekend hike to nearby mountains — and join the 10,000 ft. club

Go on a service trip

Participate in a play or musical

Go on a Peccary trip

Sing at Jubilee

Win Webb Day

Go snorkeling with Mr. Lawrence

Play a sport you would never see yourself playing

Run for ASB

Make lots of friends

“Before you leave Webb you have to go on at least one school trip—whether that be service, peccary or local day—after every trip I’ve gone on, I have come back with tons of stories, memories and friends that I may not have met otherwise.”

students

WEBB

Commencement 2014 Reflecting on achievements and looking forward to finding purpose and pleasure in future endeavors. The Webb Schools held its traditional Commencement exercises on Saturday, May 31, with Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale conferring diplomas on the 103 seniors who

made up the Class of 2014.

raduates were delighted to commemorate their successes in the presence of family, friends, faculty, students, alumni, and members of ebb s Board of rustees. he ceremonies marked the achievements of students who came to ebb from around the country and world they were lauded for their outstanding accomplishments in academics, athletics, extra-curricular activities and service to the community. Alumna enna Gambaro addressed ivian ebb chool s graduating class of 4 students as they celebrated on aculty ield in the morning. ater that afternoon, ebb chool of California heard from alumnus obert efner 3 as the 4 boys observed the long-standing tradition of graduating on the Alamo awn. risten ang 14 served as valedictorian for ivian ebb chool. he exhorted her classmates to “pour everything you have into your present, no matter how skeptical you are of the outcome.”

Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

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students

A “I couldn’t imagine a better group of people to share this journey with.” rawing on the support and experience of her four years at , she added: “ o the Class of 2014, as we head o into the unknown, the only thing I can ask of myself and all of you is to take ownership. Appreciate every experience as a lesson and a reason for growth. Care too much rather than not enough. And remember where you came from: it will help you stay grounded. It won t be too di cult, because your anchors are sitting right on this stage next to you. I couldn t imagine a better group of people to share this ourney with.” And then she performed the requisite act of her generation: she took a selfie.

lumna and Board of rustees member enna Gambaro shared her gratitude for a ebb education and explained how it has impacted her life: “If I had been somewhere di erent, it would have been very easy for me to slip through the cracks. But instead, I was here, surrounded by faculty and friends who supported me. hey were patient and generous with their time, and they were determined to see me through all four years. heir faith in my ability to not ust survive but to succeed was so contagious, I ended up believing it myself. I still carry it with me today. Every single one of you has had experiences of your own here that have already shaped and changed your future... let this campus serve as a reminder of what you dared to dream and as an inspiration of what you still have left to accomplish.”

he C class of 2014 was honored to have as its speaker, alumnus and long-time benefactor of the school, obert efner 3. e spoke of the great importance of passion and persistence in a successful life. “ ou must find and follow your passion,” urged efner. “ ig deep if you have to, because it s there you will find it. By doing so, the most wonderful thing will happen you ll never know whether you are working or having fun, something I have had the pleasure of all my life.” And then he added, “But passion is nothing

without persistence! And when I say persistence, I am not simply saying doggedness, but the persistence, the determination that flows from focusing your entire self, your mind, body and spirit on your goal— a goal created from your passion, whatever it may be. And then, Clockwise from upper left: Jenna Gambaro ’95; Robert Hefner ’53; Lisa Blomberg and Sarah Lantz; and Javier Valera and Brian Rogers with Taylor Stockdale.

ebb chool of California graduates heard words of encouragement from their valedictorian, ames im 14, who expressed his faith in the independent spirit and code of honor that is inculcated at ebb: “Even in the worst of situations... I m sure we will always be able to get back on our feet and find a way out of a pinch without compromising the code of honor we have lived by. I have this confidence in my peers partly because the education ebb o ered went beyond purely that of academics it provided a simulation of how a community operates as a whole. he school

Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

has provided a safe haven where some of the most creative, unique boys I ever met can live through the roller coaster life of a teenager, learn from their mistakes, and develop into men and leaders who can stand out among the masses in society.”

never, ever, ever, ever, give up!”

uring the commencement exercises for both schools, ead of chools aylor tockdale also presented the following teaching awards: hompson and ivian ebb Excellence in eaching Award to English teacher Brian ogers, the ean E. Miller Excellence in eaching Award to world languages teacher avier alera the ames . emetriades 0 Endowed Pri e for nbounded hinking to science teacher isa Blomberg and the aurence McMillin Excellence in eaching Award to mathematics teacher arah ant .

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gaul athletics

Teamwork. Leadership. Dedication. Honor on the Field: Athletics at Webb

Commitment. Honor. Coaches, teachers and students use these words to describe The Webb Schools’ athletics program.

It s only after they use these words, after they explain why all ebb students participate in team sports each year, that they use the word win. Make no mistake: winning is a goal for ebb athletes but it s not the goal. ebb athletes reach the real goal when they put their team before themselves. hen they go the extra mile, and learn they can break through self-imposed limitations. hen, at the end of their years at ebb, they look back and see how far they ve come, in athletics and in character. In short, when they use sports to develop ebb s core values in themselves: honor, service and leadership. In many ways, the playing field is a natural place to develop these values. As ebb Athletics irector teve ishek notes, they have always been associated with the highest ideals of sportsmanship. “ here s something about the crucible of competition that forges those things in a way that s not easy to replicate in a classroom.” “It does teach all of those core values,” says e todgel, ebb s head baseball coach and associate director of admission and financial aid. “ or some reason, athletics is deemed separate from academics... e re really teaching the same things, but we re teaching them di erently.”

Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

“ e are developing the whole character,” agrees ishek. “It s not really about the win-loss record, it s about the student experience.” And in that experience, sometimes losing is as important as winning. “ he athletic area is the first time for a lot of these kids that they re going to do everything right... and still fail,” says ishek and knowing how to handle failure is a skill students will use at ebb, in college and beyond. “Colleges are looking for students who aren t afraid to try something, fail, and spring back,” notes irector of Academic A airs heresa mith. “ esilience is important, and students build resilience through adversity, whether that s tackling a really di cult math problem, running for student o ce or playing a tough game.” ports, says ebb cross-country and triathlon coach and math teacher Brian Caldwell, puts people in critical situations again and again. Every race, every game, every match is a critical situation. “Everybody has occasions when they have to rise to the situation or not,” he says. hen ebb athletes face these situations in other aspects of their lives, it s not a new experience for them. Participating in sports builds confidence and young adults who aren t afraid to take on challenges, Caldwell says. “ ports is a great testing place for obstacles,” he explains, because when all is said and done it s only a game there aren t a lot of lasting repercussions, whatever the outcome. “I want to develop them in terms of character... I want them to treat other people, and each other, right: with respect and kindness.” earning how to handle success with honor is as important as learning how to lose with grace, says ishek. hat sense of sportsmanship, in victory and in defeat, is the foundation of ebbs athletic program, and an extension of ebbs core values. “I carry the ebb mission out onto the field as a coach,” explains todgel. “ he onor Code permeated so much of the life” at ebb, recalls hatcher oodley , head swim coach and director of the physical education program at Poly Prep Country ay chool in Brooklyn, New ork. Bringing honor into sports “is found in the subtleties” of an athletics program, he says. “ ou deliver small pieces of the message, and at the end of the season the sum is greater than the whole of its pieces.”

athletes model leadership by training hard to be the best they can be. Others, by supporting the team and encouraging their teammates. till others take on leadership roles by helping their teammates with academics.

“I’ve done sports for most of my life,” says Shannon Torrance ’15, co-captain of the Vivian Webb School swim team. “Just being a part of the team at Webb, it makes you notice the different types of people there are and how that plays out in leadership. “ here is a natural hierarchy... but honestly I have seen so many freshmen and so many sophomores that are natural leaders,” says orrance, also a member of the water polo and volleyball teams.

ebb s boarding school environment encourages team-building, she says. “ hen you re in the classroom and you re in a small setting you get to know people... It s been nice to see the growth, not ust in myself as a player, but in everyone else.” eeing the team develop “that s what it s really all about,” agrees ebb water polo player avid Albers 16. ebb s athletics program emphasi es commitment over individual skill. “It s about dedicating to the team.” eam members who are dedicated, who work the hardest, become the team s key players, he says and that s good for the team. “I want kids who are committed and passionate,” says ishek those are the athletes who will train and play their best, and who will take on leadership roles. And by training, competing and dedicating themselves to their team, ebb athletes embody honor, service and leadership.

he message of sportsmanship of playing with honor is modeled by team leaders. And at ebb, every student has the opportunity to be a team leader. At many schools, ishek notes, being involved in athletics is a brass ring. ebb has sports teams to accommodate di erent experience and skill levels. At ebb, everyone is an athlete, and ishek makes leadership a focus of the athletics program. ebb coaches and team members agree that it s not only the best athletes who become leaders. ome

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the arts

Teacher Jonathan Capone describes it as teaching art through technology.

ichard Parnell 16 designed a mansion on Google ketch p, software that is utili ed by professionals in architecture, construction, engineering and more. e also shot a digital movie.

ebbs new Media Arts class is a creative, innovative technology-based learning experience that provides a hands-on focus in digital design, filmmaking and photography. tudents achieve a uency in creating the images and sounds that are as important as words for communicating in today s and tomorrow s workplaces.

“I had to think about how light a ects the shot and the mood of the scene, how camera angles a ect close-ups and the viewer s perception of the action,” says Parnell. “It s fun to imagine something and put it into a film, 3 output, music... and to have the tools to do that.”

“Whether you’re going to be a scientist or working

Nina idd 1 says she s taken lots of art and drawing classes, but never felt like she was very good. ast year she started playing with her parents camera, and in the photography section of class she says she “actually learned how to use a camera” including the di erent settings, pixels, exposure control, shutter speed and also how to make art from her pictures.

on Wall Street, you’re going to need to present information to people — whether you do it through film or a website, you’ll need to have the ability to do that,” explains Capone.

In the igital Media tudio, which is equipped to o er students access to the computers and software that are the“pen and paper” of digital media, students are being introduced to the latest ways to exchange information, express complex ideas and broaden the scope of their artistic expression.

THE NEW LITERACY

Webb’s Media Arts Program

“ his class has totally changed my perspective,” says arah insley 1 . “I used to think of the arts as something hand-made and now I m creating through the computer.”

“It s very modern, not like a typical art class,” says u of her experience in the inaugural Media Arts class. “It felt like a bridge to the future.”

he igital Media tudio allows students to undertake ambitious personali ed pro ects in myriad mediums, from animation to live action video.

insley says she was actually more interested in the tech side of the class.

In its first year, the Media Arts class provided students an overview of digital photography and filmmaking, 3 printing and modeling, Photoshop and digital image manipulations, and lenticular printing a technology in which lenticular lenses are used to produce printed images with an illusion of depth, or the ability to change or move as the image is viewed from di erent angles . oyo u 14 attends the isch chool of the Arts at New ork niversity where she hopes to ma or in filmmaking she s always been interested in the arts and was excited to explore the technological side of creativity. Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

“I ve always wanted to learn about digital media, but I could never explore it until I got to ebb,” she explains. insley was able to further her knowledge of photography, a pastime she s always en oyed. hrough the use of Photoshop, she crafted a “movie” from her still photography. Students were especially enthusiastic about their creations on the 3D printer, from the useful and usable (cell phone cases, grocery bag holders) to the artful (unique sculptures from merged words—what John Vitale ’16 describes as “visual puns” —such as crab/apple and party/animal). The projects are manifest in PLA, a corn-based thermoplastic.

Media Ar itale used digital photography to create a triptych a 3-sectioned work of art that captured the emotions of people s faces when they are part of a couple.

tudents also completed pro ects for work in other academic venues, for example, Introduction to iterature students used software to craft a visual poem from oseph eller s novel, Catch-22. “ here s not much that s out there that s like this class,” explains Capone. “It covers the full spectrum.”

his year, Capone has added an advanced class that focuses on linear and non-linear storytelling, filmmaking and information graphics, incorporating the full Adobe Creative uite with advanced tools for video editing, e ects creation, graphic design and image editing and for outputting the creative content on various media.

he access to advanced resources and systems will help students continue to unleash their creativity and imagination in new and exciting ways. The Webb Schools • WEBB.ORG

THE

ALF WEBB AT

News from the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology at The Webb Schools

Webb inosaur unters Stri e old in the obi

driven in ussian vans owned by Gobi Mongolians. ames aylor in ured his knee there and had to return to the A. he rest of us settled in at the magnificent hree Camel odge, where we slept in gers, the traditional felt tents of nomadic herders. he hree Camel odge is a bit of paradise in the Gobi, rated by National Geographic as one of the top 0 eco lodges in the world. he next day we drove to ugrigiin hiree, a dinosaur site made famous by the “ ighting inosaurs” specimen found there in 1 1, where skeletons of Protoceratops and Velociraptor were intertwined. In our previous trips to this site, we found little of consequence, but this time was di erent. Our group soon located multiple places where articulated bones were exposed, including skulls and partial skeletons of Protoceratops found by Chin o, eron and kyler 14 Marque , and Bryan okote 0 . Our original plan for the trip was to not collect, ust map what we found by GP so Mongolian scientists can remove the fossils later. But considering the permit Chin o had secured for us, we left ugrigiin hiree with some disappointment because our itinerary had us there for ust a day, not enough time to collect the number of excellent specimens we had found.

By on ofgren

teen members of the Webb commun ty

s ted

ongol a th s past summer

the Alf

useum s fourth

e ped t on to the ob

esert

others ere n and

. n terms of nd ng

d nosaur rema ns th s as the best of the four. e of the ob

esert from the hree amel odge the ob s greenest year s nce

Our group was diverse faculty, students, alumni, trustees, parents and museum friends herwood ingsley museum trustee, his second Gobi trip , ill Allan 4 faculty , oan Antonovich and son Bryan okote 0 , kyler Marque 14 and father eron and uncle ames aylor, arry Price 61 and Martha ussenhop, Bob toddard 1 , evin erris 0 , Peter loess Alf Museum assistant curator , ob eggewie 0 and ebbie urner, and on ofgren Alf Museum director, fourth Gobi trip and daughter ate ofgren 16. andy 0 and ebbie avies and two others in their group had to withdraw from the trip because of an in ury to one of their party. hey were kind enough to donate their spaces to the museum so four others could go in their place, an exceptional act of generosity in spite of their great disappointment in missing the trip. roup photo at the ugr g n h ree camp front ro l r camp staff camp staff arry r ce artha ussenhop ebb e urner camp coo ob egge e on ofgren lead gu de uya ate ofgren ob toddard W ll Allan and oan Antono ch. ac ro stand ng dr er lead coo dr er dr er ass stant gu de emp a her ood ngsley yler ar ue eron ar ue eter loess ryan o ote e n err s dr er and camp staff.

Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

By early uly we were in laanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, where we met our Nomadic Expeditions guide, Buyandelyer Granbaatar “Buya” and our paleontologist Chin orig sogtbaatar “Chin o” from the Mongolian Academy of ciences. Nomadic Expeditions is Mongolia s foremost backcountry tour company and we book them for our Gobi trips because they are the best. Collecting permits are hard to acquire in Mongolia, but Chin o had our permit in hand, the first collecting permit issued for the Gobi that summer hus, with great excitement we ew to the Gobi the next day in anticipation of finding museum quality specimens for the Mongolian Academy of ciences. e landed at alan adgad, and went directly to ol alley National Park

ongol an paleontolog st h n or g sogtbaatar and e n err s th ac eted s eleton of Protoceratops at A drant. r d ng camels at ongoryn ls and unes.

After another pleasant night at the hree Camel odge, our five-day tent camping experience began with a drive to the Avdrant ite, where in 200 we found many good specimens. But the site did not yield much the first day and we kept thinking about ugrigiin hiree and all those fossils we left behind. he second day at Avdrant was the same and we were discouraged until evin erris 0 hit the ackpot in the late afternoon when he found a skeleton of Protoceratops evin has a knack for finding important fossils, such as the world-famous skeleton of the baby duck-billed dinosaur “ oe.” Because we needed another day at Avdrant to recover evins Protoceratops and we were longing to return to ugrigiin hiree, we changed our itinerary. e stayed a third day at Avdrant and then went back to ugrigiin hiree. hus, we were able to collect three partial skeletons of Protoceratops, which were transported to laanbaatar and deposited in the collections of the Mongolian Academy of ciences. An excellent result for all e then visited ongoryn Els, whose sand dunes extend for 60 miles and are up to 600-feet tall. e all had a relaxing day as we rode camels and visited the ger of a local camel breeder, while the most adventurous of the group hiked to the top of the dunes. Our final day in the Gobi was spent viewing the ama ing petroglyphs at avtsgait ill and visiting the laming Cli s at Bayan ag, the world s most famous dinosaur site. It was here in 1 22 that oy Chapman Andrews and his team from the American Museum of Natural istory found the first known nest of dinosaur eggs. On our final night in the Gobi we celebrated kyler s 1 th birthday at the hree Camel odge. he next morning we ew back to laanbaatar, where we en oyed a performance of traditional Mongolian dancers and hoomi throat singers at the tate Opera ouse, followed by a farewell dinner. Everyone en oyed their stay in Mongolia, a trip of a lifetime

New Museum Board Members

EIN is originally from Michigan r. an G C and attended the niversity of Michigan, graduating with a B. . in Cellular Biology in 1 . e received his medical degree from ashington niversity in t. ouis in 1 1, with subsequent training in internal medicine and infectious diseases. e and his wife, Akemi Chang, M , are Claremont residents and parents of ebb graduates e 0 and isa 0 . hey have been fans of the Alf Museum since 1 and en oyed the Peccary trips to Mongolia 0 , China 10, and Madagascar 12, in addition to numerous alumni trips to Barstow and this summer s visits to Pipestone prings, Mont., and the ofgren anch in tah. r. Gluckstein continues to practice medicine in the Claremont area and also en oys gardening and ednesday night adult ice hockey.

•

r. Mary O E has a longstanding passion for paleontology. er father, ugh ose, has been involved in the paleontology field for over 0 years, and her brother, r. Matthew ose, is a 1 2 graduate of the ebb chool of California. he volunteered during paleontology digs with the Black ills Institute in outh akota, and is participating in a pro ect with B I president Peter arson evaluating bone pathology in a Gorgosaurus. r. ose is a clinical psychologist, an assistant professor in the epartment of Medicine, Pulmonary, Critical Care and leep ection at Baylor College of Medicine. he is also a clinician at the AMC leep isorders Center, epartment of Medicine, as well as clinical director of American leep Medicine in ebster, exas. he has been involved in the sleep field for more than 20 years, and holds subspecialty credentialing by the American Academy of leep Medicine in Behavioral leep Medicine. In addition to published abstracts and peer reviewed ournal articles, she has several book chapters in the field of sleep disorders medicine, as well as in the area of psychosocial outcomes in medically ill patients.

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Alf

News from the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology at The Webb Schools

the Webb schools

Fossil Preparation Lab Renovated

s the Alf useum s collect ons and programs e pand t s cr t cal that the fac l t es eep pace. ollo ng the recent update of the all of fe as ell as the add t on of the state of the art on ofgren aleontology esearch ab a modern ed foss l preparat on fac l ty as the ne t step for ard for the museum.

he “prep lab” is a space where fossils are freed from rock, carefully conserved for study and viewing by students, researchers and the general public. Although the basics of fossil preparation are much the same as they were 100 years ago, many of the details are continuously updated, as new techniques and chemicals are developed. he old lab space, which last received a ma or update in the early 1 0s, was no longer serving the needs of the museum or its fossil collection. upported by a gift from Blake 6 and Andrea Brown, the renovated Malcolm C. Mc enna 4 ossil Preparation aboratory is a radical update to the museum s facilities.

he renovation was more than a superficial makeover. he space was stripped down to the studs within the walls, with new wiring and sheetrock. A state-of-the-art dust collection system was installed, to ensure that the gritty lab was a thing of the past. New compressed air lines will help to better power sophisticated tools, and completely redesigned work benches and seating ensure a safe and comfortable place to care for fossils. he lab got its first use during he ebb chools summer program, with full-time use starting with the ebb after-school museum program. rom top to bottom, the renovated prep lab poises the Alf Museum for a big future

ummert me at the Alf

useum

chool was on for summer during the launch of the ebb unior Paleontology Program. wo 10-day residential sessions hosted seventh and eighth grade students on campus for an unparalleled educational experience. he program, part of renewed summer o erings at he ebb chools, allowed students to delve into the daily life of a paleontologist with the facilities at the Alf Museum. obyn ahl, a Ph. . student in paleontology from niversity of California, iverside with an interest in fossil gastropods snails as well as public outreach and education, led the program. tudents traveled a hands-on itinerary through the entire history of the universe, starting with a field trip to collect 1 -million-year-old fossils in the Barstow ormation of the Mo ave esert. A day at the beach allowed students to see modern marine life in the tide pools, alongside their fossili ed ancestors in the beach cli s. One night took the students up to the ebb observatory, where they witnessed ancient starlight as it arrived at Earth, some of it dating back to the time of the Barstow ormation Back at the museum, the students explored the collections, getting a chance to peer at the wonders hidden in locked cabinets. One of the students commented that “taking a tour of a museum s collection room is like visiting... 100 museums at once. ow could the collection room not be my favorite part of camp ” hey also worked in the renovated fossil preparation lab, searching 6 -million-year-old sands and gravels for the tiny bones of mammals, fish, and crocodiles that lived shortly after the extinction of the dinosaurs. Another highlight was using the research lab s 3 printer to create replicas of fossils from the museum s collection it was the first chance for many of the participants to use this technology. hrough it all, the students gained an appreciation for the varied life of a paleontologist, in and out of the museum. o read more about what the students did, check out the program blog at http: webbsummerpaleo.wordpress.com. e look forward to welcoming another round of young paleontologists to the museum next summer. Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

raymond m. Alf museum of paleontology

esearch pdates Harason Horowitz ’02 discusses joining the museum staff as the director of development.

Ray Alf Biography in Progress In 2005, Alf Museum Director Don Lofgren wrote and distributed a 44-page booklet on Ray Alf and the history of the Alf Museum with the assistance of Webb students. This was in commemoration of the centennial of Dr. Alf’s birth (December 1905, Canton, China). A book-length version of Ray’s biography and the history of the Alf Museum is now underway with the support of Ray’s family, particularly his daughters Janet and Mimi. Lofgren will be working with John Fraim ’67, and they plan to complete the book within three years. Dozens of alumni and others have already sent Dr. Lofgren images of Ray and his students on Peccary trips, in the classroom, and more, while others have consented to being interviewed. This has been a rich source of important information, invaluable to reconstructing the museum’s early history. The authors are asking for further help. If anyone has images or stories about Ray Alf and his museum/Webb activities that they wish to share, or if anyone would like to be interviewed, please contact Dr. Lofgren at 909-482-5242 or dlofgren@webb.org.

“ hat are you going to do with your moment of time ” My biggest discovery was only a tortoise shell. Even though I never found a inosaur oe, the peccary trips and paleontology classes were adventures and scientific lessons that shaped me. I have always been grateful for those experiences something that no other school can boast and I am thrilled to oin the museum sta as its first dedicated director of development. After the niversity of outhern California B.A., 2006 and Claremont Graduate niversity M.A., 200 , I worked in di erent areas of development at the Pacific Council on International Policy and at Claremont Mc enna College. his exposed me to the minutiae, the bird s eye view, and all the interconnections required to do this ob well. But, I knew I wanted to put this knowledge towards a program that was more personal to me. Now is an exciting time to be involved with the Alf Museum. tudents have more paleontology course o erings, greater access to research opportunities, and are co-authoring papers at astounding rates 26 total and seven articles in the past year alone all while still in high school hat is truly remarkable and considered a luxury at the undergraduate level, let alone secondary. he museum has undergone extensive renovations and is an even better asset to the community with more exhibits on display and increased educational outreach programs o ered. e have come a long way since r. Alf s handcrafted displays in the basement of the ackson ibrary, but his spirit and passion still thrive today. I look forward to working with the Peccary ociety, our dedicated Board of rustees, and with oc, Andy, and athy to secure the museum s long-term stability. hrough building the prominence of the museum nationally, strengthening the Board and growing the endowment, this world-class museum will have the resources it has always deserved, preserving ay s legacy and creating the unimaginable. Laudate Deum! arason orowit 02

The past twelve months have been a productive time for research at the Alf Museum, with papers published on everything from prehistoric desert tortoises to California’s early birds and mammals. Many of these articles are the culmination of years of hard work by Webb students (in bold) and museum staff, reflecting the unique educational experience and opportunity to do real scientific research. •

Duque, T. T., S. J. Rapoport, and A. A. Farke. 2014. Digitizing ichnotypes from the Cenozoic of the southwestern United States at the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, In Reynolds R. E. (ed.), Not a drop left to drink: the Desert Symposium Field Guide and Proceedings, California State University Desert Studies Consortium, p. 144–149.

•

Farke, A. A., D. J. Chok, A. Herrero, B. Scolieri, and S. Werning. 2013. Ontogeny in the tube-crested dinosaur Parasaurolophus (Hadrosauridae) and heterochrony in hadrosaurids. PeerJ 1:e182.

•

Farke, A. A., 2014. Evaluating combat in ornithischian dinosaurs. Journal of Zoology 292:242-249.

•

Farke, A. A., M. M. Henn, S. J. Woodward, and J. A. Xu. 2014. Leidyosuchus (Crocodylia: Alligatoroidea) from the Upper Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation (late Campanian) of Utah. PaleoBios 30:72–88.

•

Lofgren, D. L., M. C. McKenna, J. Honey, R. Nydam, C. Wheaton, B. Yokote, L. Henn, W. Hanlon, S. Manning, and C. McGee. 2014. New records of eutherian mammals from the Goler Formation (Tiffanian, Paleocene) of California and their biostratigraphic and paleobiogeographic implications. American Museum Novitates 3797:1–57.

•

Lofgren, D. L., and R. Choi. 2014. Tortoises from the middle Miocene Barstow Formation of California. In Reynolds R. E. (ed.), Not a drop left to drink: the Desert Symposium Field Guide and Proceedings, California State University Desert Studies Consortium, p. 150–154.

•

Lofgren, D. L., C. Kwon, J. Todd, S, Marquez, A. Holliday, R. Stoddard, and P. Kloess. 2014. Preliminary analysis of an important vertebrate bearing horizon with abundant avian material from the upper member of the Barstow Formation of California. In Reynolds R. E. (ed.), Not a drop left to drink: the Desert Symposium Field Guide and Proceedings, California State University Desert Studies Consortium, p. 155–164.

•

Maiorino, L., A. A. Farke, T. Kotsakis, and P. Piras. 2013a. Is Torosaurus Triceratops? Geometric morphometric evidence of Late Maastrichtian ceratopsid dinosaurs. PLoS ONE 8:e81608.

•

Maiorino, L., A. A. Farke, P. Piras, M. J. Ryan, K. M. Terris, and T. Kotsakis. 2013b. The evolution of squamosal shape in ceratopsid dinosaurs (Dinosauria, Ornithischia). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 33:1385–1393.

•

Mallon, J. C., R. Holmes, J. S. Anderson, A. A. Farke, and D. C. Evans. 2014. New information on the rare horned dinosaur Arrhinoceratops brachyops (Ornithischia: Ceratopsidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Alberta, Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 51:618–634.

•

Stidham, T. A., D. Lofgren, A. A. Farke, M. Paik, and R. Choi. 2014. A lithornithid (Aves: Palaeognathae) from the Paleocene (Tiffanian) of southern California. PaleoBios 31:1–7.

•

Williamson, T. E., and D. L. Lofgren. 2014. Late Paleocene (Tiffanian) metatherians from the Goler Formation, California. Journal of Vertebrae Paleontology 34:477–482.

The Webb Schools • WEBB.ORG

WEBB

fa c u lt y

Check it Out Webb faculty share their favorite “GREAT READS”

ebb teachers en oy a reputation for acquiring and disseminating the most up-to-date knowledge in their respective fields. hey read all year to prepare for classes, and many work on scholarly articles and ournal postings of their own. Andrew arke, the Alf Museum s Augustyn amily Curator of Paleontology, collaborated with several ebb students to write an article about Leidyosuchus Crocodylia: Alligatoroidea , which was published in the ournal PaleoBios.

Partaking of a reading life beyond that of reading to students, and the curricular standards of one s field, helps teachers expand their views of the world, hone their critical thinking skills and glean an understanding of those di erent from themselves. WEBB maga ine asked several ebb teachers to share insights into the books that brought them into their fields and the books they are reading to teach themselves. ere is a sampling of what you ll find on their shelves indles or Nooks .

DAHLSTROM

PLUMLEY

KOZDEN

WALKER

LAWRENCE

Andy Dahlstrom English epartment Chair

Jessica Fisher istory epartment Chair

Stefanie Plumley ine and Performing Arts epartment Chair

What books brought you into your field? The Brothers Karamazov by yodor ostoyevsky. A great teacher took me through that novel when I was in high school. he fond memory of that blend of work, accomplishment and intrigue has never faded.

What books brought you into your field? I had a professor in college who was more in uential than any book: Anthony Bogues, a professor of Africana tudies at Brown niversity. e always insisted that, “ he questions you are asking are more important than the answers.” e taught us to engage critically with our study of history, culture, and politics. In one of his classes, I read The Wretched of the Earth by rant anon, which was deeply in uential for me, as was Bell ooks Teaching to Transgress.

What books brought you into your field? Not books so much as scripts and scores. My parents played musicals at home all the time so I had a very sophisticated vocabulary as a kid and they took me to see musically and thematically complex shows like Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Evita. And I read a lot I ve always been driven by stories and storytelling. I have an M.A. in English literature, but I prefer to tell and experience stories kinesthetically.

What is your favorite book to teach? I have really en oyed teaching the novel Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann. It s a tremendous book for the umanities. rom a literary perspective, McCann writes so beautifully and explodes the standard narrative structure. Also, the book makes seemingly endless connections to American culture and history from the 1 0s to the present in a way that engages students and facilitates interdisciplinary inquiry.

What are your favorite books to teach? The Pillowman, a play by Martin Mc onagh, The Seagull, a play by Anton Chekhov, and anything by Euripides or hakespeare.

What is your favorite book to teach? om toppard s play Arcadia. I ve probably read it 40 times now it only gets better with more familiarity. What are the must-read books in your field? Instead of the usual highlight list a Gatsby, Hamlet or Macbeth, etc., I ll stick up for nonfiction: essays by Annie illard, endell Berry, and ohn McPhee reveal as much about writing craft and the human condition as the best fiction. What book did you most recently read? om Clancy s new novel, Support and Defend, on what the war on terror looks like in Europe. It is current a airs commentary, wrapped as an espionage thriller. What are your favorite pleasure reads? Vanity Fair the monthly maga ine, not the novel , all novels by Neal tephenson and illiam Gibson, and, believe it or not, Our Mutual Friend, the Charles ickens novel I ust finished with my AP it class.

I believe books have a life of their own and on rare occasions will try to weave themselves into our destiny. Upon wandering through a library, something magical can happen... a book can discover you as much as you discover it. Michael o den

Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

FISHER

What are the must-read books in your field? The Global Achievement Gap by ony agner. It reminds educators that we need to help students today to cultivate essential skills like critical thinking, communication, and curiosity, rather than forcing them to memori e dates and names. Not that concrete facts are never important, but in the “Age of Google,” there is a di erent relationship between students and the acquisition of knowledge than there used to be, and we should prepare them to be engaged thinkers and citi ens rather than human encyclopedias. What book did you most recently read? I m in the midst of reading Redeployment by Phil lay, an intense book that feels like im O Briens The Things They Carried in terms of how it exposes readers to the gritty reality of the daily experience of war, but this time in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also, on a daily basis, I read r. uess Green Eggs and Ham and what feels like the full library of andra Boynton with my daughter, ouise. What are your favorite pleasure reads? Anything by Michael Ondaat e, Annie Proulx, e rey Eugenides or unot a . Plenty more too.

What are the must-read books in your field? The Director’s Craft by atie Mitchell, Teaching with Your Mouth Shut by onald inkel, The Empty Space by Peter Brook. What book did you most recently read? The Goldfinch by onna artt What are your favorite pleasure reads? New plays by Martin Mc onagh and Enda alsh, anything by Philippa Gregory, ilary Mantel, ohn Irving or ose remain.

Michael Kozden orld anguages epartment Chair What books brought you into your field? Gabriel Garc a M rque s El amor en los tiempos del cólera (Love in the Time of Cholera), homas Manns Der Zauberberg (The Magic Mountain) and various works by Isabel Allende, . . . olkien, C. . ewis, r. euss, plus do ens of foreign language textbooks. What are your favorite books to teach? hort stories by ulio Cort ar, Gabriel Garc a M rque , Isabel Allende, orge uis Borges, Ana Maria Matute, aura Esquivel and poetry by Neruda. — continued

The Webb Schools • WEBB.ORG

WEBB

fa c u lt y

affiliates

Meet Mike Gaumer... First I have really enjoyed teaching the novel, Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann. The book makes seemingly endless connections to American culture and history from the 1970s to the present in a way that engages students and facilitates interdisciplinary inquiry. essica isher What are the must-read books in your field? orks on language pedagogy acquisition by tephen rashen, Noam Chomsky and iane arsen- reeman. What books did you most recently read? Trails of the Angeles by ohn obinson, La Sombra Del Viento (The Shadow of the Wind) by Carlos ui af n and Briefe in die chinesische Vergangenheit (Letters Back to Ancient China) by erbert osendorfer.

The Global Achievement Gap, present views on how and why we need to always be thinking about how to best meet the needs of our students these are ideas every educator needs to be actively engaged in developing. What book did you most recently read? Program by Design by r. teven Bloch has given me a new perspective on how to teach introductory computer science to students of all strengths and abilities.

What are your favorite pleasure reads? tephen . onaldsons The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever series of 10 books dramas in Chinese and orean which are like books since characters are written at the bottom of the screen .

What are your favorite pleasure reads? aving been an avid science fiction reader since childhood, I have recently re-read for the third or fourth time arry Nivens futuristic Ringworld series, a great, thought-provoking look at what could be, always with one foot solidly planted in science fact.

Will Walker Mathematics epartment Chair

John Lawrence cience epartment chair

What books brought you into your field? It wasn t a book: after careers as a olkswagen mechanic, restaurant cook and forklift operator, I worked my way through college and into a position as a transmission systems engineer for a utility company in the northeast. hen, 2 years ago, I came to the reali ation that I had ust a ob and that I had not yet found my passion. I started teaching because I knew I needed to be working with people, not ust things. he challenges inherent in working with high school students in today s world makes this ob one that never feels tedious or stale. Every year brings a new perspective.

What books brought you into your field? A Sand County Almanac by Aldo eopold, Silent Spring by achel Carson, The Voyage of the Beagle and Origin of the Species by Charles arwin, The Ocean World by acques Cousteau.

What are your favorite books to teach? As a math teacher, I don t teach books so much as ways of thinking. ith critical thinking and problem solving at its heart, I have always en oyed teaching calculus as it requires students to dig to bear all they have learned in school to date about math. he applications are limitless and thus for every student there is an answer to the age old question “ hy do I need to know this ” What are the must-read books in your field? Clayton Christensens Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns and ony agner s

What are your favorite books to teach? Your Inner Fish by Neil hubin and Environmental Science: A Global Concern by illiam Cunningham and Mary Ann Cunningham. What are the must-read books in your field? An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore a companion piece to the documentary film of the same name , and Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet by Bill Mc ibben. What book did you most recently read? Beneath Cold Seas: The Underwater Wilderness of the Pacific Northwest by avid all. What are your favorite pleasure reads? Adventure books by Ernest hackleton, ack ondon, books about ocean exploration, plus mystery books Arthur Conan oyle s Sherlock Holmes and fantasy like . . . olkeins Lord of the Rings.

Mike Gaumer P ’15 is the 2014-2015 president of The Affiliates of The Webb Schools and he says he was “a little surprised” to find out that he is the first father to assume that role. “It should be mixed-up a bit,” says Gaumer. “It doesn t make a di erence, male or female, ust whoever is willing and able to help.” Gaumer has been more than willing to pitch-in throughout his daughter Maddie s time at ebb. e enthusiastically oined he A liates and with his wife Beth, has volunteered at various events, from admission open houses to debate tournaments. ast year, Mike served as co-recording secretary of the A liates board and Beth was a class representative. In his new role as president, Gaumer, a local tate arm Insurance agent, is eager to engage all parents in the schools activities. he A liates o ers an array of volunteer committees that help make the school community an extended family for all students, and, according to Gaumer, there are numerous opportunities for parents to support school faculty and sta in providing a rich and varied experience for all ebb students. he first order of business for the new A liates board was to change the timing of the annual fundraiser to make it more inclusive for all parents. he inaugural Parents eekend benefit was held on riday, October 10, to coordinate with Parents eekend 2014. he proceeds will support ebb s leadership and weekend programs.

“As a boarding school with international students, it can be di cult for all parents to be involved, or even to get to campus,” explains Gaumer. “Moving the benefit to Parents

eekend provided more

opportunities for parents to attend. e were excited

“I remember our first student orientation, when we got to meet some of the international parents,” adds Gaumer. “ e ate lunch with parents from China and audi Arabia, and it was too short it s tough to develop those relationships.” o that end, Gaumer says there are a number of ways parents can participate in school life, from providing snacks to assisting at events and there is also a need for “people on the phone” an ideal activity for long-distance parents helping to raise awareness of the schools needs, disseminating information and keeping parents connected. A ma or goal for this year is to spread support throughout all student organi ations, from athletics and ma or pro ects to everything students are involved in, including the museum and fine arts. “ e re trying to make a positive impact across the spectrum of activities,” explains Gaumer. As for involving more of the dads, Gaumer says that plenty are helping out at dances and athletic events, but that it would be great to get a few more on the board. ast year Gaumer served with George Oney whose daughters, ristina 14 and eraphina 12, have since graduated. Gaumer looks forward to an exciting year and encourages parents to check the A liates website page www.webb.org parents a liates to view minutes of A liates meetings and find more information. Interested parents can also contact: Anne Stewart, Director of Parent Relations and Special Events at astewart@webb.org or (909) 482-5245.

to have more parents at the event and to have facilitated more parents getting to know each other.

e want to continue to build relationships

with international parents.

Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

Dad

Affiliates Meeting dates for 2014-2015 Tuesdays

• November 11, 2014 • January 13, 2015 • February 17, 2015

• March 10, 2015 • April 14, 2015

The Webb Schools • WEBB.ORG

NewsNotes FROM AND FOR THE ALUMNI OF THE WEBB SCHOOLS

alumni s otlight

J o n at h a n R e e d ’ 9 5

Making the Scene 38

One of those names is onathan eed

, CEO of C Global.

ounded in 2010 through an alliance between eed s previous company, PEC Entertainment, and Berlin-based Colorstorm, C Global has a client list that would make any fashionista swoon: om ord, Vogue, ugo Boss, immy Choo, ate pade and many more. he list isn t limited to the fashion world, either. A small sampling of the company s other clients includes Mercedes-Ben , euve Clicquot, i any Co. and New ork s prestigious Museum of Modern Art.

When the world’s most prestigious

Event planning is only one facet of C Global s business, which encompasses everything from strategic planning and graphic design to commercial photo shoots and film production. “Our services evolved to meet the needs of our client base,” explains eed. “ e grew internally from simply a production company to a more full-service creative and production agency.”

brands need to plan a product launch,

A BIGGER STAGE

a fashion show, or a gala opening,

eed can trace his present career all the way back to ebb and his time in the theater department with teacher Michael ane.

there are only a few names they trust

“I worked as a stage manager,” Reed says. “That experience actually translated really well to one area of my business,

to pull it off with appropriate pomp

which is production: the logistics and planning as well as the

and circumstance.

execution of the show. I didn’t know it at the time, but it set an important course for my later life.” eed went on from ebb to warthmore College, where he studied economics and art history. is main goals at that point were “to live in New ork and run my own business one day.” In late 1 , he fulfilled the first of those ambitions, moving to New ork City and taking a ob with event production firm evin rier Associates A , where he worked with clients like Carolina errera and Gucci. After five years with A, eed says, “I decided it was something I wanted to do, but do on my own.” ulfilling the second of his early ambitions, he established his own event production firm, PEC Entertainment, originally based in his studio apartment on Mercer treet. “ e even had our first client meetings in the apartment,” he recalls, “which was really quite funny trying to make it look more like someone s o ce.”

Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

hat first meeting paid o , landing PEC Entertainment its first production: the launch of a new line from designer tella McCartney. rom there, PEC signed other ma or fashion and beauty clients, including ory Burch, olce Gabbana, and Est e auder. “ e ve never advertised,” eed says. “It s all been word of mouth.”

GOING GLOBAL In 2010, PEC Entertainment was hired to produce a large private event in Berlin. “ henever we work in a new location, we spend a lot of time evaluating the top venues and providers,” eed explains. “ e identified a company called Colorstorm that o ered services that were complementary to what we o ered. e decided to oin forces.” he result was C Global, which takes its name from the parent companies initials and the new firm s expanded international scope. “ e didn t really change,” eed says. “ e ve always worked all over the world, from Bra il to ong ong. hat the partnership with Colorstorm really did was expand our footprint in Europe through their o ces in Berlin.”

he company also expanded its services. “ e added a film division and a consulting division where we do our strategic development, brand communications, and marketing,” says eed. C Global now has seven divisions: C Consulting, C Production, C igital, C esign, C ighting, C ilms and C Media. “ hey re very much interrelated and they all work on most of our pro ects,” eed explains. “ hey also operate independently.” Branding each of the divisions separately, he says, helps to highlight the diversity of the company s talents and allows C Global to better tailor its services to the needs of each client. unning an international business naturally keeps eed very busy, although it gives him plenty of opportunities to travel, one of his favorite pastimes. It also hasn t prevented him from starting a family: eed married fashion designer e rey odd in uly. Given eed s profession, you might expect it to be a grandiose a air, but that s the last thing the couple had in mind. “It was the most under-produced wedding ever,” eed laughs. “Otherwise, it would ust have been work ”

The Webb Schools • WEBB.ORG

NewsNotes

22 and a hal minutes With opera singer and professor of music Sari

Do you still feel like you have to rehearse roles, even if you’re performing an opera that you’ve done many times in the past?

Gruber ’89

Award-winning vocalist, world traveler, and teacher talks about her musical career

A As an adjunct professor of music at Duquesne University, have you settled down, or are you still often on the road performing and how do you find time to balance family and friends with a busy performing and teaching schedule?

ari Gruber compares opera singing to a sport calling it the “ultimate vocal Olympics” because vocalists often sing through the entire range of their voices for several hours at a time, over an orchestra of 40 to 100 instrumentalists, completely unamplified. hough she still performs regularly executing leading operatic roles, song recitals and orchestral repertoire throughout the nited tates, apan and Europe today Gruber is an ad unct professor of voice at the Mary Pappert chool of Music at uquesne niversity in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. he is the 200 winner of the coveted alter . Naumburg Pri e for concert repertoire. Gruber holds a B.A. from ale niversity in Music and heater tudies and an M.M. in oice from he uilliard chool, where she also participated in the uilliard Opera Center for three years.

Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

As singing actors, we never stop growing and changing in both a physical and emotional sense. e have to put roles into our bodies in the same way that someone would train di erently for a marathon if they have ust come o doing a 10 or vice versa. here are di erent challenges each time, even with an older piece sometimes more so, because the habits are old, and you may have made an ad ustment that now needs to be applied to this chestnut in your repertoire. ike an athlete, you have to keep at it every day. Are there other kinds of music that you enjoy singing? For example, Broadway musicals, American standards? And, what do you like to do outside of work?

A couple of years ago, I decided to cut back on my travel schedule in order to find a better balance with my family life, but now that I am teaching in addition to performing, I feel like I am busier than ever I do travel several times a year to sing, but have tried to build up my concert career recital and symphony engagements because the contracts are a few days long rather than four to eight weeks for opera engagements.

I love singing American musical theater and a I actually teach musical theater voice at an excellent theater conservatory called Point Park niversity another ad unct position that I adore. I teach belters how to sing safely, and rockers how to survive eight shows a week. My only hobby coincides with the months that I am not teaching and performing so much perennial gardening in the spring and summer.

Your work is very collaborative whether it is working with a new conductor, ensemble cast or accompanist. What are the keys to a successful collaboration?

What is your favorite opera house? And why? And do you have a favorite role to sing?

Checking one s ego at the door so that the playing field is even makes for the best music-making. he music we perform counts as some of the greatest art and literature in estern history. iva, maestro and walk-on alike need to come to the craft humbled but not cowed by the piece s brilliance, to be processoriented, in pursuit of excellence and with mutual respect. As soon as someone needs to display superiority or insecurity, as is usually the case , the product su ers. e can all learn from each other through a di erent view point or a new idea. What is it like to teach, as well as perform—does it provide you with a different perspective on the art of opera? eaching has deepened my passion for the technique that goes into singing. It is a sport, and we singers train like athletes. Even 20 years into a singing career, I still find myself awed and utterly fascinated by what classically trained singers can do. It is all about e ciency, strength, mental focus, emotional engagement, poetry, words and communicating with an audience through the quality of the sound you choose to produce. elping students to find this tremendous gift within themselves is a great privilege. I learn so much from my students

I used to call New ork City Opera my artistic home. I made my debut there with herrill Milnes, Mignon unn, Bill Burden and Mark elavan quite a way to kick o a career I loved the camaraderie of the company at that time, when they were still doing 16 productions and more than 130 performances a year. It was ama ing to be a part of such a complex creature, season-after-season. adly, it closed a year ago. In recent years, Pittsburgh Opera has been very loyal to me. I now call it my artistic home as well as my real home. A more magnanimous, inclusive community of artists, administrators, and audience members would be hard to find. My favorite opera roles are usanna in Mo art s Le Nozze Di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) and Musetta in Puccini s La Bohème. I have performed each of these ladies so often that they feel like the closest of friends.

forces of singing, orchestral playing, literature, drama, art, dance and architecture. here are many misconceptions about opera in our culture: the acting is bad, all the people are obese, and it is a boring art form for stodgy old society folks. I have news: none of these is true, and you owe it to yourself to make your own mind up about it. Opera singers consider themselves singing actors, and we work hard at our acting to be as honest and open in the midst of the athleticism of our singing. e keep our bodies in good shape, even those of us whose larger bodies house larger voices. And the audiences are as diverse as you can imagine, with seat prices topping out in the hundreds of dollars and falling as low as the $1 to $20 range. If you are looking to see your first opera, you might en oy any of the following titles: La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, La Traviata, Il Barbiere Di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), Le Nozze Di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), Don Giovanni ...there are hundreds more, and many new operas being composed. Check out your local opera company most ma or and mid-range cities have at least one. Many of them have incentives for new opera-goers. Now that you have enjoyed a rich and distinguished career, are there three things you wish you could go back and tell your Webb-aged self about being in the arts? And what advice do you have for upstart opera stars today? Make room in your life to have a life, as scary as that might sound. ave as full a life as you can, so that you have something to sing about A successful performance will not keep you warm at night, and the good reviews from today will only line the kitty litter trays of tomorrow same with the bad reviews. ife is all about balance. What has been the most lasting impact of your time at Webb? ebb in uenced me and saved me in every way imaginable. Perhaps the greatest gift ebb gave me was to be honest in every aspect of my life honest to myself, my husband and my daughter, honest in the food I eat, honest in my art and business dealings. he tenets of the onor Code have woven a brilliant tapestry of personal truths and oy upon which I have built a wonderful life and career. ebb taught me to get my teeth into life, and gave me the courage and strength to pursue my wildest dreams.

If someone has never seen an opera before, where is a good place to start? I encourage everyone ust to go to experience it. It is the most complex art form in existence, with the combined The Webb Schools • WEBB.ORG

NewsNotes

Events and Highlights

ounc l orner

A L U M N I , PA R E N T S A N D F R I E N D S R E C O N N E C T O N C A M P U S A N D A T R E G I O N A L E V E N T S

Teachers of Webb ooking ahead to he Centennial celebration in 2022, the Alumni Council is gathering stories and memories about the teachers of ebb for the school archives. Barstow

San Diego

The annual Alumni Peccary trip was well attended.

Great turn-out of Webbies at our alumni event at Tower 23 in Pacific Beach.

ere is one of the submissions that we have already received.

“Mr. Palmer was unafraid to teach unconventionally when he saw inspiration come to a student in less conventional circumstances. I was such a student with French in that I required a less structured

Hello alumni family! The Alumni Council has been hard at work as Webb launches into another school year. Earlier this year the Council began its “Teachers of Webb” initiative. During our time at Webb, we all had favorite teachers who made a difference in our lives. A survey was emailed to over 3,200 alumni, and we’ve received many great responses. If you haven’t taken the survey yet, we would still love to hear from you.

he Council is excited to move forward with supporting ebb and developing further alumni programs and events. Our annual retreat was held in August, and we are looking forward to more regional events and A nity group gatherings.

environment than a classroom. Mr. Palmer shifted the class to his home on campus

Silicon Valley

In July Regional Rep Sameer Dholakia ’91 and Taylor Stockdale hosted our first alumni event in Palo Alto at The Old Pro.

where his wife would cook from a French cookbook, we’d read sophisticated French literature and speak entirely in French as if we were artisans on the French countryside whiling our hours in deep dialogue in a language in which somehow I became instantly fluent only when

Claremont

Top: The Webb community bid a fond farewell to Dave Fawcett ’61 and Diane Wilsdon at a retirement barbecue in May. Bottom: Alumni gathered at Walter’s to say good-bye to Juli James and Sadie Kingsbury.

I crossed his magical threshold. His

Pasadena

lessons taught me the magic of believing

Alumni gathered to celebrate The Webb Fund March Madness Challenge at Picnik in Old Town.

in alternative methods of success and INTERNATIONAL

these influences have guided my life ever since.”

ip onwiser 1

e look forward to hearing your memories. ake the “ eachers of

ebb” survey:

tinyurl.com/teachersofwebb

New York

In May Taylor Stockdale visited with alumni at the home of David ’79 and Valerie Loo. Pictured with Jason Brooks ’99 and Erica McDaniel Nofi ’99. Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

Phoenix

Alumni celebrated The Webb Fund March Madness Challenge at The Yard.

e want to thank our outgoing Council members for their hard work and dedication aurie undin 0 and oseph Poon , and we welcome our new regional representatives ameer holakia 1 ilicon alley , Brad argent 4 ashington, C and imothy un ong ong . inally, the Council would like to extend our best wishes to ave awcett 61 and iane ilsdon on their recent retirement from ebb. Both of you will be missed as you helped shape not only the students of ebb, but the school itself. he Alumni Council is here to serve you, the alumni body, so please drop us a line and fill out the teachers survey. r. ahmi Mow ood 0 Alumni Council President

Shanghai & Beijing

Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale and Director of Institutional Advancement Joe Woodward enjoyed dinner with families last April. The Webb Schools • WEBB.ORG

NewsNotes T H E W E B B SC HO O L S 1932 • Robert Rummler celebrated his 100th birthday in May. He’s living in a retirement center in Milwaukee. Robert is our oldest active alumnus. - 1 1940 • Peter Bennett now has two grandchildren following in his footsteps at Webb: Sydney ’16 and Spencer ’17.

Alumni in Global eadership Program

1949 • Clarence Huang has moved into a new home in North Seattle and looks forward to traveling back to Southern California to visit Webb and his good friend, Ron Quon ’55. 1950 • Charles Neff has written a new book, Fractured Legacy, available through Island Books and Kindle. Set in fictional Cle Elum, the story includes some characters you have met before and some new ones. There’s more connection with Native American history; a beautiful lake property that belongs to a fractured family; and bad blood that leads to a suspicious death. - 2 1951 • Dave Stricker devoted most of his professional life to The Blake School in Minneapolis and the Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities, where he was the president. Now, Dave is the executive director of a highly successful training program for former prison inmates, called the Construction Career Training Program. The program places scores of ex-inmates in jobs every year, where most stay for at least a year. The jobs include construction, retail, restaurants, hospitality, factories, warehouses and other sectors of the economy.

Brittan Berry ’05 — ostering a Culture o Creativit

1952 • Jack Sterne and his wife Linda visited San Francisco in May. They enjoyed lunch with Norm and Nancy Blackburn and Mike Murray. Norm and Nancy now have 10 grandchildren and the last one just graduated from high school. - 3, 4

1953 • Robert Hefner gave the 2014 WSC commencement address on the Alamo lawn this May. His wife, MeiLi, was also in attendance. He spoke of his work in natural gas exploration and also his shared interest with his wife in energy and foreign affairs in China and Singapore. - 5 1954 • Bob Erving and Bill Bailey recently reconnected at Smoke Tree Ranch in Southern California. Bob’s wife was a sorority sister with Bill’s sister-in-law.

Thank you to our alumni faculty who presented in the Summer Global Leadership Program.

At Google, creativity and collaboration are encouraged on a daily basis. Brittan, who worked in Google s People Operations department after graduating from arvard, led students through a chool Innovation Challenge. he began the MBA program at ale chool of Management this fall. Jennifer Ishiguro ’91 — i s or a Success ul College nterview

1956 • A big thank you to Phil Markert for donating nearly three dozen slides to the school’s archives. The photos, taken in 1956 during his senior year, show Ray Alf and students on a Peccary trip in Barstow, and there are several beautiful images of the campus. “I went on several trips while at Webb, not because I had a commitment to paleontology, but because being around Alf was one of the strongest and most positive features of my education. He could be walking down the imaginary stairs to the imaginary basement in his bio lab or swinging from the pipes overhead when one of us had done something particularly good or bad, and he engaged us completely! That happened at Barstow as Alf regaled us with a description of prehistoric horses and camels walking along the ridge above us at dusk. He brought those old bones to life.” - 6, 7, 8, 9

What is your brand? ennifer asked the Global eadership students to think about their personal brands and how this may interest colleges. ennifer, who has a B.A. from ale and a . . from arvard aw, is managing counsel at oyota inancial ervices. he is a board member of os Angeles eam Mentoring and conducts undergraduate interviews for ale. uring the workshop, six young alumni oined in to lead mock interviews. Pictured: Miya ensley 13 C , aniel ernande 13 Notre ame , Annisa errero 13 Columbia , eraphina Oney 12 ellesley , atherine ilmer 10 Bryn Mawr , Matt Abrams 10 C A and ennifer Ishiguro 1.

Josh Saltman ’87 — Resilienc and Bouncing Bac 7

1959 • Tim Moore enjoyed catching up with fellow trustee Roger Millar ’61 at the VWS Commencement in May. - 10 1961 • Dean Davidge was on campus in June to install new electrical meters from his company, Davidge Controls, in the dorms. The new meters allow Webb to more closely monitor consumption of electricity and teach students about conservation.

osh led students through a case study of odvil, a business he opened in 2011 and closed about a year later. e talked about taking risks, having resiliency and pushing oneself to do your best. osh is associate general counsel at the alt isney Company, and he received his B.A. and . . from Columbia niversity. Kunal Shah ’97 — 10 ssential S ills

ools o

ngineering

Communication. eam work. Problem solving. hese are three of the essential skills that unal discussed with students in the Global eaders Engineering track. As a principal and partner of PB Engineers, unal, an electrical engineer, has worked on ma or pro ects including elta Airlines erminal at A , isney Animation tudios, aiser Permanente, C iverside and more. For information about Webb’s 2015 Summer Programs visit www.webb.org/summer.

Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

The Webb Schools • WEBB.ORG

NewsNotes Headliners Sports Illustrated Cover Story: Jeff Luhnow ’84 and the Houston Astros ouston Astros GM and ebb alumnus e uhnow 4 was featured in the cover story of the Sports Illustrated une 30th issue uhnow is being hailed as the architect of one of the grandest potential turnarounds in baseball history Go Gauls

TIME Names Hosain Rahman ’93 Among Most Influential in 2014

In May, TIME announced its 2014 list of the 100 most in uential people in the world the titans, pioneers, artists, leaders and icons of our day. osain ahman 3, founder and CEO of awbone, is on the Pioneers list. is fitness and sleep-tracking P band has turned awbone into one of the biggest companies in wearables.

Dave Fawcett and his wife Diane Wilsdon were recognized for their combined 69-plus years of teaching at Webb. During the retirement celebration on May 18, Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale presented Dave with a brick from the Vivian Webb Chapel. The Jameson OD Room was named in Dave’s honor, and the Appleby dorm lounge was named in Diane’s honor. John Erving, Catherine and John Wallace, and Dodd Fischer attended the event. The Class of 1961 later established The David D. Fawcett ’61 and Diane Wilsdon Scholarship Fund in honor of their classmate and his spouse. - 11, 12 Tim Kearns wrote: “I changed employment in March 2014 from Keller Williams Realty, Los Alamitos to Charles Briskey Real Estate, Seal Beach. Briskey is the onsite sales office of Seal Beach Leisure World, a 55+ retirement community and the location of our new home. In addition to Leisure World home sales, I provide retiree property consultation and marketing to facilitate relocation and diversification. Seal Beach is a great place to downsize and simplify; retire; or partake seasonally —especially for people who love the sea, as I do.” - 13 1963 • The Boyer brothers, John and Stephen ’64 were once again sleeping under the stars and examining the earth as they reunited for the 2014 Alumni Peccary Trip in Barstow. The trip reminded them of outings with Ray Alf when they were boys.

Rick Clarke paid a visit to the Arizona State Capitol where Steve Farley ’81 is the state senator from Tucson. Here is a picture in front of a portrait of Rick’s grandfather, Harry Hill, who was president of the Arizona Senate three times in the 1920s. - 14

Bob Mixon rode his bike a lot at Webb and took it up again after graduate school. He writes, “Best decision ever. I reached the magical number of 100,000 cycling miles as an adult in July. Lots of adventures from climbing Mt. Baldy and Mt. Haleakala to cycling in Provence. I rode in Oregon’s first organized certified double century ride (200 miles in a day) in 1975 and have since ridden in over seven double centuries and over 40 century rides. My most recent century was at Lake Tahoe June 1.” - 15 1966 • Doug Gregg is enjoying his third year on the Alumni Council. In March, he chatted with Paul Matson ’97, at a regional event in San Diego. - 16

1967 • Peter Huisking joined the staff of Congressman Ron Barber, Arizona Congressional District 2, Cochise County Office. 1971 • Ted White retired at the end of 2013. “This summer Lolly and I headed to Kenya for a horse riding safari! It’s never too early to get started on the bucket list.” 1973 • In July a dozen members of the Class of ’73 gathered for a reunion at Mike Howard’s home in Oregon. The weekend included golf at Pumpkin Ridge, a night of bluegrass music at the Rock Creek Tavern, and Mike’s specialty event, “Guns and Guacamole.” Mike wrote, “It was a sweet time of friendship and fellowship, sharing what brought us to Webb, best memories, teachers, what we do now, what we hope to do, and what life has blessed us with. We also had fun passing the phone around wishing Jerry Rosenthal a happy 59th b-day back in New Jersey.” Pictured: Sandy Maxson, Harry Higbie, John Newman, Rick Barton, Doug Boesel, Stuart Stevens, Mike Howard and Jeff Graybill. Not pictured: Craig Berne, John Carpenter and Richard Swallow. - 17, 18

William Monsour has a new job as sales and marketing director at Icron Technologies (planning, scheduling, optimization software) in Amsterdam. 1977 • We enjoyed seeing Greg Whale on campus for Dave Fawcett’s retirement celebration. Greg is still in the Thousand Oaks area and involved in the auto magazine business. - 19

47 18

1978 • In 1975, Chatchawin “Pong” Charoen-Rajapark, Chris Kneib ’76 and Olarn Issara ’76 played varsity tennis together and helped the team reach the CIF semifinal. Earlier this year, Chris visited his two teammates in Bangkok, Thailand, and they celebrated and reminisced about the good old days. Joining them on the memorable evening were Pong’s wife Daranee, and Olarn’s wife Vilai. - 20

Michael Mills is the proud parent of a WSC graduate. His son John ’14 now attends Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Michael’s brother Jim ’83 joined them for the commencement ceremony on May 31. - 21 11

Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

1982 • William Wilson writes, “Both of my kids are attending Xavier College Prep in Palm Desert. My son Houston (17) is a junior and plays third base and pitcher on his varsity baseball team. My daughter Indiana “Indy,” (15) is a freshman and competes in cross country and track (just like her dad). I’m still teaching Ashtanga Yoga and playing golf during the summer. I recently received a highly coveted listing on the Ashtanga.com Teacher Directory. There are only about 60 teachers listed for the entire U.S. and in California only about 12, many of whom are considered to be among the top teachers in the world.” 1983 • John Powell and his wife Klysta met up with Mike McDermott in Beijing. “We stayed with Mike and his family the first night, and they were tremendous hosts. We saw Mike again in Shanghai where I introduced him to Professor Jindong Cai, music director and conductor of the Stanford Symphony Orchestra, Stanford Philharmonia Orchestra, and Stanford New Ensemble. Prof. Cai later invited Mike to be a guest lecturer at the Stanford campus at Peking University. It was great to introduce Mike to his Chinese ‘neighbors’ even though I was the guest in his town! We also saw Rick Wang ’84 and Walter Chang in Shanghai at the end of our trip.” - 22

Hiroshi Sasaki writes: “I’m chair of the psychology department at a small Buddhist university, where I train therapists and am working on creating a PhD program in Buddhist Psychology and Trauma.”

The Webb Schools • WEBB.ORG

NewsNotes Go Gauls! At Skaggs, Brookie has been engaged in various teaching, mentoring, research, and organizational functions. In 2013, she won the Professor of the Year Award, voted on by the Associated Students of the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

1984 • It was nice to see Jaime Muldoon ’85, John Clements, Jason Keyes ’82 and Fred Heald at our alumni event in San Diego in March. - 23

Julie (Grabowski) Vaughn had a mini reunion at her home in Carlsbad. Pictured: Kevin Berne, Julie, Hoddy Fritz, Annalee Lehman Osborn, Christina Mercer McGinley, John Clements and Tom Stellar. - 24

David West and his wife Lisa flew out from Texas to attend the retirement celebration for Dave Fawcett and Diane Wilsdon. David has many fond memories of his time spent at the Fawcett-Wilsdon home. - 35

Scott Little visited campus with his wife Virginia, their two children, his sister Kim and stepmom. Scott and his family live in Poland. - 25 Kurt Pitzer’s movie Runoff had its world premiere at the 2014 Los Angeles Film Festival. Kurt produced the film, which is written and directed by his wife Kimberly Levin. - 26 The Boston Marathon has been a dream bucket list item for Dana Su Lee. “Christine Carr is responsible for getting me into distance running. In lieu of attending our 25th reunion at Brown University, she suggested we run the Nike Women’s Half in DC, April 2013. Had such a good time (all thanks to her pacing) that it led to another girlfriend (also from Portland) convincing me to run the Santa Barbara Marathon with her last November. Santa Barbara qualified me for Boston, and next up is New York 11/2. My Boston finish time was 3:43:57. Out of 31,926 finishers I was 13,609; 477th in my age division; and the 4,346 woman out of 14,344 to cross the finish line. I love the stats, and at the very least, I hope my children can see that it’s never too late to try something new!” - 27

1991 • Lee Chou and Michi Fu spoke at Sophomore Career Evening on April 27. During the “Health & Wellness” session, students learned about Michi’s work as a psychologist at Pacific Clinics, and associate professor at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, and Lee’s chiropractic practice as co-owner of Nazareth Clinic in Los Angeles. - 36, 37

Mike Leroy and Clifford Rice ’92 attended the retirement celebration in May to say farewell to Mr. Fawcett. - 39 1992 • Arron Mack is now working at Cosmo Supply Lab, a Hong Kong-based company involved with engineered soft-goods, and consumer electronics accessories. As associate director of research & product design management, Arron is in charge of the creative team.

It was great to see Ingrid McDonald and her family on campus in May. Ingrid has two sons, Roscoe and Skyler. They’ve been living in Seattle where Ingrid worked for AARP. They’ve recently moved to Burma for her husband’s work. - 28 1986 • Tom Monroe and his daughter, Elena, visited and toured Webb last fall on a family trip to the U.S. Tom and his family still live in Basel, Switzerland. Elena joined the VWS Class of 2018 this fall! - 29

Geoffrey Yeo and his wife Diana recently celebrated their son Nicholas’ 1st birthday!

Sameer Dholakia is our regional rep in the Silicon Valley. This is a new position on the Alumni Council to help expand our outreach in the area. Sameer is the former group VP and GM for the Cloud Platforms Group at Citrix Systems. A big thank you to him for hosting an alumni networking event in July. - 38

1985 • Ken Block is general counsel for New American Funding in Orange County.

Andrew Wass is living in Berlin with his wife Kelly and their daughter Magdalena. He is a member of the performance groups Non Fiction and Lower Left. His work is heavily influenced by his undergrad studies in biochemistry at UC San Diego and he’s a recent graduate of the MA program of Solo/Dance/Authorship at the Hochschulübergreifendes Zentrum Tanz Berlin.

1988 • David Huang spoke at Sophomore Career Evening as part of “The Doctors” session. David is a radiation oncologist and medical director at the Gamma Knife Center at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles.

A big thanks to Steve Shenbaum for being a guest speaker during the Unbounded Days symposium. Steve led students through group exercises to develop their communication skills. Christine French ’90 stopped by to say hello. - 30, 31 Eugene “B.G.” Whitlock married Romina Mercuri at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay, Calif. on March 29, 2014. Lionel Yang and Tommy Oei ’89 served as groomsmen. The couple live in Menlo Park where B.G. is vice chancellor for human resources & employee relations at San Mateo County Community College District. - 32

1989 • Jeff Hyman is now president at NHN Entertainment Labs, based in Santa Monica, CA.

Steve Mercer spoke at Sophomore Career Evening in April as part of “The Lawyers” session. Steve is a deputy attorney general in the criminal division for the California Attorney General’s Office. In the audience was his niece Cori ’16. - 33 Timothy Sun has joined the Alumni Council as the new regional rep for Hong Kong. We enjoyed seeing him on campus for the WSC Commencement ceremony. - 34

KOTRAPPA

LANTZ

CROWE

Marcelo Leonardi ’94 was named head coach of the omen s ater Polo team at niversity of Michigan, e ective uly 1, 2014. Marcelo was previously the head coach at Cal tate Northridge, where the Matadors were nationally ranked No. this year. In his final campaign, the team finished second in the Big est. Neel Kotrappa ’10 and the Claremont-Mudd- cripps tags Men s tennis team finished runners-up in the NCAA III Men s eam Championships. Neel and his doubles partner also represented the tags in doubles competition at the 2014 NCAA III Men s individual Championships. Andrew Lantz ’10 made his final appearance as a avidson ildcat at the 2014 NCAA I East egional rack ield Meet. e narrowly missed advancing, taking 2 th overall in the 00m. is time of 1:4 .33 was a personal best. A two-time NCAA East egional qualifier, Andrew advanced from the first round to the 00m quarterfinals in 2013 and he was runner-up at the 2014 oCon Outdoor Championships. Andrew still holds the ebb record for the 00m Lindsey Crowe ’10 received the aymond haran ervice Award for her contributions to the Bryn Mawr omen s occer team. Austin Talleur ’12, a redshirt freshman for Pepperdine ater Polo, earned Mountain Pacific ports ederation All-Academic honors. A pre-business administration ma or, Austin appeared in 20 out of 22 matches, scoring four goals, and he was a Pepperdine cholar Athlete for the 2013 season. Pepperdine competes at the I level of the NCAA. Nick Gollin ’13 had a break-out year at ashington niversity in t. ouis. he college freshman was named ookie of the ear by 3baseball.com, and named to the all- AA first team. Nick was selected as the AA Pitcher of the eek three times April 21, May , May 12 .

1990 • Brookie Best was appointed associate dean for admissions and outreach for UC San Diego’s Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in June 2013. She continues her work as associate professor of clinical pharmacy and pediatrics, and she’s a faculty member in the Department of Pediatrics at the School of Medicine-Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego.

Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

Alumni Collegiate Sports News

For more news on alumni athletes in college, visit the website. If you have college athletic news to share, email us at alumni@webb.org.

The Webb Schools • WEBB.ORG

NewsNotes ebb 2001 • Dominique Nong married Kyle Dunn July 4th weekend in Agoura Hills, Calif. Dominque is a clinical fellow at Bloom Legal Clinic, Northwestern University School of Law.

1993 • Eric Chen finished his residency in internal medicine-pediatrics in 2006 and completed a fellowship in nephrology at University of Minnesota. “I am now an attending nephrologist at Regions Hospital, a level 1 trauma center in Saint Paul, Minn. My wife Catherine and I have three beautiful children, and we currently live in Edina.”

On June 18, 2014, Chris Harmon was appointed to the Superior Court Bench in Riverside County by Gov. Jerry Brown. Chris has been a sole practitioner since 2013 and has been executive director and trial attorney at Criminal Defense Lawyers since 2003. He was a partner at Harmon and Harmon from 2000 to 2013.

Jennifer Young participated as a speaker at Sophomore Career Evening this April. As part of “The Doctors” session, Jennifer talked about her experience as a general practitioner at Malibu Medical. Jennifer also practices aesthetic medicine and visits local rehabilitation facilities to treat patients with special needs. 40

It was nice to see Pat Kouwabunpat and Charlotte Hsu Speck at the barbecue for Dave Fawcett and Diane Wilsdon. Pat runs a family practice in Orange County. Charlotte and her family live in Claremont. - 40

2003 • Joshua Geleris graduated from Technion School of Medicine in Haifa, Israel. Since receiving his MD, Joshua has begun a residency in internal medicine at Cornell.

2004 • James Chang and Stephanie Ho spoke together at Sophomore Career Evening on April 27. James has worked in brand partnership & digital packaging at Creative Artists Agency and Stephanie is the manager of corporate development at MGM Studios. They gave students an inside look into the “Entertainment Industry” and even simulated a development workshop.

The Alumni Council welcomes Brad Sargent as a new regional rep for young alumni in the Washington, DC area.

Kit Clark married his long time girlfriend, Sarah, in June 2014. They are living in Denver, Colo. and Kit is working as a geologist for a petroleum exploration firm.

1995 • Ingela (Ratledge) Amundson is a freelance journalist living in Brooklyn Heights, NY. Here she is with her son George. - 42

Madalyn Black married Bradford Melson on August 17, 2013 in Holderness, NH. Lily Chen and Jennifer Pan attended the ceremony. She also received her DVM from Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine in May 2014. - 48

Jenna Gambaro delivered the commencement address to the Vivian Webb School Class of 2014 on May 31. - 43 Molly (Wray) Halligan is still working at Poudre Valley Hospital, which is a part of University of Colorado Health. She is a nurse coordinator and loves it. She shared a picture of her son and daughter with their uncle Thomas Wray ’10 and their older cousin, Emmett O’Brien (son of Georgia Dey-O’Brien ’97). - 44, 45

Andrew Kim ’13 C , Albert Xu ’13 Georgetown , Allen Xing ’11 C and Tommy Tsao ’12 C interned at Blake Johnson ’95s company IMCA Capital in os Angeles.

Rebecca Hsia is now a captain in the U.S. Army, stationed in South Korea. She is working on her third musical production since arriving in Korea. Kate Oakley is in her second year of medical school at St. George’s University in Grenada. “We complete the first two years of med school down on the island, completing the basic sciences didactic learning portion of school, and then for the third and fourth years we perform our clinical rotations back in the U.S. hospitals. I came home to Claremont in May to prepare for my board examination in July. Then I start my clinical rotations at Arrowhead Hospital in Riverside, Calif. I am happy to be home for good, in America, in Claremont, close to Webb.”

Jasmin Iskandar’s essay “Fecundity” was published in the Los Angeles Review of Books Spring Journal. - 51

Colin DeGroote is in Okinawa with the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Unit. 50

Ryan Au ’12 Berkeley interned at Capital Group Companies in downtown A with Todd Wagner P ’17.

Whitney (Sevesind) Wharton enjoyed seeing Emily D’Amico at the alumni event in San Diego in March. Whitney is a project manager for Dickinson Cameron Construction Co. and this is her second year on the Alumni Council. Whitney and her husband GT live in Carlsbad. Emily is CFO with The San Diego Group, Northwestern Mutual-Financial Network and she’s engaged to Tom Hammett. - 50 2006 • Jonathan Geleris married Larissa Kreta in Concord, Calif. His siblings Josh ’03, Bethany ’08 and Ben ’12 were all in attendance. Jonathan also graduated from the NYU School of Dentistry with a DDS degree in May 2014.

Deidre (Echevarria) Braun and Elizabeth Selk ’01 enjoyed seeing Juli James and Susan Nelson at the alumni gathering at Walter’s in June. - 47

Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

Thea Hinkle stopped by campus in February to catch up with Don Lofgren and tour the museum. She recently completed her graduate degree in computer science at University of Wisconsin at Madison. - 49

1998 • Danny Shapiro spoke at Sophomore Career Evening on April 27. He is a project manager at Southern California Gas Company and presented “The Engineers” session with Kunal Shah ’97.

Shivani Verma is living in New York. She just completed her internal medicine residency at Maimonides Medical Center and will start a Clinical Research Fellowship in cardio-oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Sabrina Cash ’12 Pomona College interned with Dr. Bob Connolly ’89 at Connolly Counseling Assessment in Claremont.

2005 • Aaron Hartman got married in October!

Jarasa Kanok is working with Monitor Institute, where she helps leading nonprofits and foundations on issues of strategic innovation and collaboration. “I find it very rewarding to help those who help the underprivileged in our society. I’m also enjoying seeing my daughters (now 2 and 5) learn and grow, and wishing each day had more than 24 hours!”

2000 • Natasha Behl has joined the faculty at Arizona State University as an assistant professor in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. She completed her PhD in political science at UCLA where she focused on race, ethnicity, and politics and comparative politics. She was also awarded a Consortium for Faculty Diversity Doctoral Fellowship at College of Wooster and a Riley Postdoctoral Fellowship at Colorado College.

Aminah (Amy) Teachout is settling into the Phoenix area and enjoying the wintertime weather immensely. “I’ll be completing a 200-hour teacher training program at Core Power Yoga in Denver this summer. After that, EmpathicusTM Sustainable Wellness for ages 6 to 60 is coming to life. This is the entrepreneurial endeavor I had in mind when I left DC last year and it is finally manifesting.” After working on his residency, Andrew Tye started at UCLA for ophthalmology in July 2014.

1996 • Thank you to Stephanie Baron for giving a tour of the anatomy lab at Western University during Unbounded Days. - 46

1997 • Aman Ahluwalia spoke at Sophomore Career Evening on April 27. As part of “The Lawyers” session, Aman spoke about his experience as the managing director of Compliance and Business Affairs at Alaric Compliance where he addresses regulatory compliance and legal needs for a broad range of investment managers.

Now in its second year, the ebb ork program had a busy summer with over 0 internship and shadow day o erings and 1 summer ob placements. A big thank you to the alumni and parents who participated in the program. ere are a few highlights:

Jana Sims Howie spoke at Sophomore Career Evening on April 27. As a financial analyst at The Resmark Companies, Jana provides equity investment capital and asset management services for real estate investments.

Mona Shah-Anderson and her husband Paul welcomed twins Lara and Lennon on May 30. Here is “future Webbie” Lennon. - 41 1994 • Marcelo Leonardi and his wife Kendra are moving to Ann Arbor, Mich. “I have accepted the women’s water polo head coaching position at the University of Michigan. This summer we traveled to Madrid, Spain with the Women’s Youth National Team to compete at the Youth World Championships.”

ork Internships

Kevin Guardia ’13 and Siri Dominiguez ’15 interned at P inancial with Marcus Paredes P ’11. We are now seeking opportunities for Summer 2015. If you have an internship program at your company, or if you can create an internship for a Webbie, contact Laura Wensley in the Alumni Relations office at alumni@webb.org or (909) 482-5277.

The Webb Schools • WEBB.ORG

NewsNotes 2010 • Juli Nokleberg graduated in May from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a bachelor’s in behavioral sciences and a minor in Spanish. She’s now commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant. - 55

Maggie Kelley-Matthews, Heidi Marti, Sarah Lewis and Katie (Pourroy) Dahl joined Don Lofgren for the annual Alumni Peccary Trip in Barstow in May. After a night of fun conversation with the other alumni in attendance and some stargazing, the group ventured out to prospect for the day, all in the hopes of discovering the next big find for the museum. The classmates hope to be back next year, and share this great adventure with more of their Webb friends. - 52 In December 2013, Kathleen Terris graduated with an MSc in forensic anthropology from the University of Central Lancashire in England. She is currently interning with the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Mark Torres was published in the March 2014 issue of Nature. His article, “Sulphide oxidation and carbonate dissolution as a source of CO2 over geological timescales,” focused on the complex and elusive resolution to the Cenozoic Isotope Weathering Paradox. The paper is based on research conducted in the Andes Mountains in Peru, where Mark found that the release of CO2 caused by rock weathering may have played a large role in regulating the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Mark is a doctoral fellow at USC’s Dornsife College and a fellow at the Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations (C-DEBI). He hopes to complete his PhD by mid-2015.

Andy Lee has launched his new start-up, Elan. The company focus is on revolutionizing the way people learn languages. He had three Webb students working for him as interns this summer: Sean ’15, Elisa ’15 and Raymond ’15.

During her junior year, Elena Scott-Kakures was selected as an Albright Scholar at Wellesley. The Albright Institute chooses only 40 scholars from a pool of about 200 student applicants. “Being an Albright Fellow includes an internship related to foreign affairs and presenting at the Tanner conference in the fall of senior year. Last summer I interned in New York with CoNGO, the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. My supervisor is Soon-Young Yoon, the UN representative for the International Alliance of Women, chair of the committee on the Status of Women, and first-vice president of CoNGO.”

2007 • Kamilah Castro is living in New York. “I am currently a PhD student at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine doing research on multiple sclerosis.”

Deboki Chakravarti married Nathan Chan at ISSO Swaminarayan Temple in Middlesex, Mass. on June 29, 2014. Ryan Harbison is a product marketing manager at Designer Products in Scottsdale, Ariz. and was just back on campus to watch his brother Ian ’14 graduate from WSC on May 31. It was great to see Ryan at our March Madness event in Phoenix. Pictured with Preston Clarke ’98 and Aminah Teachout ’04. - 53

Congratulations to Michelle Pastrano who was married on October 11, 2014 to Webb’s head wrestling coach, Don Bower.

In May, Bethany Geleris graduated with a BSN from nursing school at California Baptist University. In the fall, she will begin a masters program at the University of Pennsylvania to become a nurse practitioner. Jarel Hill, aka Phuse, was a featured performer at the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas in June. Many classmates attended the electronic music festival to watch him spin. Gabe Romero graduated from CGU in May with an MBA in leadership and strategy. He worked in Webb’s development office for the past two years. Gabe’s next adventure will be full-time with the U.S. Army to train as a medevac pilot. He first heads to San Antonio, Texas for two months, and then in November he’ll start his year-long training in Alabama. - 54 Lisa Valera is working on a new venture called Grow Simple. Based out of the Silverlake neighborhood in Los Angeles, the company helps to create customized, raised garden beds for your home. Customers can grow anything from vegetables to medicinal plants and herbs in their own backyard. Check out the website at growsimplela.com. 2009 • Nancy Blayney has a new job as an IT sales representative at Micro Focus, located in Troy, Mich. First up was a 12-week company training session in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

2012 • It was nice to see Amanda Fraley and William Ponty at the Fawcett-Wilsdon barbecue. - 57

FO RM E R FACU LT Y & STA F F

Jonathan Ying is a game designer at Fantasy Flight Games, one of the leading producers of board and card games in the industry. 2008 • Riley Elliott and Leah Dixon married on June 28, 2014 in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Attending the ceremony as groomsmen were fellow 2008 classmen Jarel Hill, Addison Brickey and Colin Powell.

Rob Webb was Webb’s director of athletics from 2002-2004. In March, he was appointed president of Chaminade College Preparatory in West Hills. Rob has been with Chaminade for 14 years, most recently as the VP of institutional advancement. - 60

giving and volunteering

Datoka Santana-Grace received the John R. Marquand Award for contributing to the quality of undergraduate life and his generosity in advising, counseling, and helping students. Last year he interned at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass. This summer, he was a mentor at Crimson Summer Academy.

Jack Wiese spoke at Sophomore Career Evening on April 27. As part of the “Business & Finance” session, Jack spoke about his work as a client solutions manager at Facebook, connecting advertisers to their markets.

2011 • Alexis De La Rosa was selected as one of the first Pensby interns at Bryn Mawr College. The internship was created to investigate the histories of underrepresented populations on the college campus and to maintain institutional memory of these student groups. Her project included a survey sent to students and alumnae. With over 700 responses gathered, Bryn Mawr is using the information to inform some of the diversity programs for students during their orientation week. Alexis now works in the Pensby Center as alliance of multicultural organizations student coordinator. - 56

Hall and his companion of 30 years, Eileen Kirby moved back to New Jersey to be closer to their families.

Jessica Buchsbaum Chaintreuil writes, “I am teaching at Marlborough— just wrapped up my third year here. My husband, John, and I welcomed a baby boy, Blake, last November. He’s doing great and we are loving life with him.” Jessica taught at Webb from 2004-2011. Pam McNeil worked at Webb from 1990-2006, starting in admissions and later serving as alumni director. She lives in Reno, Nev. with her husband Ken. “We keep busy helping out our community. We have a breakfast group, a lunch group, and a vegetable gardening club. My pet projects include helping at The King’s Academy where my grandkids attend school. One of our field trips this past year was to Harrah’s Auto Museum, and another to an orthodontist’s office—quite the spectrum. We’re getting accustomed to the snow and have even purchased a 4-wheel drive vehicle. It is an amazing experience having four seasons and weather is an active conversation topic. My latest accomplishment, my first time parasailing with my 11-year-old grandson.” - 58 We enjoyed seeing John and Mary Newkirk on campus. Mary was an athletic coach at Webb from 1986-1998. Pictured: Blair Maffris, John and Mary, Juli James, Janet Macaulay and Clara Soto-Ivey. - 59 Alvah “Hall” Warren, III passed away on March 22, 2014 at the age of 78 in Waretown, NJ. He taught American history at Webb from 1971-1975, and then American history and American literature at Westridge School in Pasadena. Hall loved traveling, and he circled the globe on three different trips. In addition to being a freelance writer, he was a travel tour guide, a real estate agent and an outdoor enthusiast. He volunteered as a docent at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve in Carmel and the Monterey History and Art Association. In 2011,

Congratulations to the Class of 2004 on winning the 2014 ebb und March Madness Challenge and securing the most donors to he ebb und of any class with 33 donors in 2013-14 A very special thank you to class agents ill abos 04 and tephanie o 04 for rallying their classmates to secure this victory. Our runner up in March Madness, and total number of donors, was the mighty Class of 1 6 . hanks to the e orts of class agent letcher trickler 6 , they are always among our top classes. Great work gentlemen Classes with the most donors to the 2013-14 campaign include:

ebb und

33 donors Class of 1 6 : 32 donors Class of 200 : 25 donors Class of 1 61: 24 donors Class of 1 : 24 donors Class of 1 : 24 donors Class of 1 63: 22 donors Class of 1 : 20 donors Class of 2000: 20 donors Class of 2002: 18 donors Class of 2010: 18 donors Class of 2004:

The Webb Schools • WEBB.ORG

In Memoriam

A celebration of life

1937

Robert “Bob” P. Scripps, Jr. ’37 passed away on October 1 , 2012. he eldest child of obert Paine and Margaret Culbertson cripps, Bob served as a director of he E. . cripps Company from 1 4 to 1 , and was vice chairman of he Edward . cripps rust. e shared with his grandfather a love for the land that took root at Miramar, the 2,100-acre ranch in outhern California that was a home of the cripps family. e cultivated a love of farming at Miramar anch, and continued it at his ranch in exas. Bob started in the family business during the depression when he “ran calculators” at the Cincinnati headquarters for the same $20 a week paid to other beginners. e returned to Miramar in the late 1 30s, and in 1 41 he was drafted into the Army. ithin days of the attack on Pearl arbor, he shipped out of an rancisco for Guadalcanal, eventually serving in the Georgia Islands, olomon Islands and Philippines. e was on a troop ship bound for home when the first atomic bomb dropped. After the war, Bob returned to farming and remained active in family businesses. In 1 4 , cripps married Mariana ocha, who died in 2006. hey had 11 children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 1939 Edward (Ted) Middleton Jr. ’39 died unexpectedly April 2 , 2014, while on a trip to California. After ebb he attended Cal Poly an uis Obispo and Oregon tate niversity, ma oring in agriculture. e served in the Army then returned to Aberdeen, ash., to work for Anderson Middleton Co. ed married Elgene Polson d. 1 6 with whom he had two daughters. e married Ethel ove, an electrical engineer d. 2000 . is family

Webb Magazine • Fall 2014

started annual summer visits to an uan Island in 1 . ed and Ethel retired to the island 40 years ago. ed was well known for walking on island trails with his elsh corgis. e loved steam engines, old machinery, farm machinery and books. e also made boats, including rowboats for his daughters and a tug, which is still working in the Port of Olympia. In 200 he made a ma or gift to the Alf Museum s all of ife campaign, in honor of his teacher ay Alf. 1941 Thayer A. Smith, M.D. ’41 passed away on ecember 12, 2012. e always en oyed seeing him and his good buddy Bill Ordway 41 who died in April 2012 at Alumni eekend they came almost every year. hayer was a wonderful volunteer over the years, helping out as a reunion chair and serving on the Alumni Council. 1942 Victor E. Heerman, Jr. ’42 passed away on uly 2, 2014. e was . At ebb, ic was an equestrian, a sport which eventually became his lifelong career. e also en oyed tennis, wrote for the school paper, and loved music. ollowing ebb, he served three years in the Army during II and graduated from illiams College with ean s ist honors. e began his career working for ohn . ert and eventually struck out on his own forming the eerman Bloodstock Agency. e became one of the most successful breeders of thoroughbred race horses. ic is predeceased by his wife of almost 60 years, ucille, and survived by a daughter, eslie, and two granddaughters, ucie and atie.

Merrick Pratt ’42 of ighlands, New ersey, passed away on uly 3, 2014 at the age of 2. uring II as a member of the . . Navy, he was in the Pacific on the battleship exas. Merrick graduated from Caltech with a degree in engineering. e worked for 33 years as a safety engineer for Chevron Oil before retiring in 1 . Merrick s greatgrandfather, Charles Pratt, founded the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N . Among the many places that Merrick and his family traveled to were Istanbul, urkey, Poland, C echoslavakia, and outh Africa. Merrick was an exceptional student at ebb and frequently corresponded with hompson ebb after matriculation. r. ebb visited with him in New ork on at least one occasion. Members of the Pratt family who attended ebb are Merrick s brother ed 3 d. 1 and other relatives: ee 4 and son Nicholas , Curgie 2 and son ewitt 0. Merrick was on the onor Committee, Block , involved with drama, football, swimming, track field, and student government. ebb continued to be near and dear to his heart, and his wife, illian once told us that, “ e talks about ebb nearly every day.” Predeceased by his first wife, Marietta and his second wife, illian, Merrick is survived by his three children, seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. 1943 Henry Bolcom ’43 died March 21, 2010 in Belvedere, Calif. e graduated from C Berkeley in 1 4 after a brief military enlistment. e and his wife, Mona, lived in an rancisco before settling in Belvedere. or much of his career, enry worked for Connell Bros. managing o ces in apan, okyo and ong ong. e retired in 1

and formed his own export company, Embee Enterprises. e was a member of the niversity Club in an rancisco and an avid stamp collector. 1945 Kenneth V. Dole M.D. ’45 died peacefully March 24, 2014 with family by his side, after a long illness. e was a native Californian, born in edlands. e graduated from tanford and niversity of Pennsylvania Medical chool, served two years in the Navy and practiced family medicine at Palo Alto Medical Clinic for 24 years. e was an elder in the iving in Process spiritual recovery community and belonged to welve tep programs: AA, A and Al-Anon. e was passionate about singing in choirs and choruses, helping the sick and in ured at Boy cout Camps and doc-on-call at tanford football games and . . Giants games, civil rights, and sailing hard to the wind. e is survived by his wife, Carolyn, of 62 years, and three children. 1946 Francis “Frank” O. Spalding ’46 died on March 21, 2013. e was a beloved husband and father of six, former Northwestern niversity chool of aw professor and associate dean, and respected arbitrator and mediator. rank had a lifelong love of music and supported the an rancisco ymphony. 1975 e recently learned that T. Sanford “Sandy” Williams ’75 passed away on ebruary 1 , 2011 after a motorcycle accident.

The Webb Schools • WEBB.ORG

2 014

inal Word y

all

h. . Jim Hall is a professor of Physiology and Biophysics, UC Irvine School of Medicine and the recipient of the 2014 Colborn Distinguished Service Award.

hat s the point of a liberal arts education in the brave new technological world, especially for a scientist

his is a dangerous lead sentence.

et me start my answer to the question with an equation:

ra n ng

ducat on

or anyone who has forgotten, the ≠ sign means “is NO equal to.”

raining is valuable of course. It can teach you how to repair automobiles, do open heart surgery or y an airplane. hat it cannot do is teach you how to think and how to live. hat is the function of education, and in my view a true liberal education does that better than anything else. Einstein famously said, “Education is what remains when what was learned in school has been forgotten.” Many take this as Einstein s complaint about the poor ob schools did in his day, but I think he had a more profound point in mind, namely that what counts in true education is not the facts and figures that often evaporate with time but the attitudes, values, and habits of mind that develop with being involved in the vital and compelling pursuit of making sense of nature and ourselves. iberal arts colleges and boarding schools like ebb have significant advantages in providing the kind of education I think Einstein was talking about. Both expose you to things you haven t seen before and may not like much Both provide the opportunity to dig deeply into the investigations of nature and human nature. Both do not devote inordinate amounts of time to “teaching to the test.” he best teachers I had in high school and before were un-credentialed and could not teach in public schools. hat they brought to the classroom was love of sub ect English, history, paleontology, language backed up by life experience, depth of knowledge, and the ability to read student papers without going completely nuts o the boarding school advantage was that real knowledgeable people were choosing the teachers using not a canned set of bureaucratic criteria but sound professional udgment and personal experience.

igher education is a little di erent. ere the professors are more speciali ed, but the ones at liberal arts schools are eager to spread their expertise over other disciplines and to incorporate other disciplines into their own courses. And liberal arts schools challenge you this is a euphemism for “force you” to take courses you aren t initially at least interested in. Pomona College forced me to take a course in economics, a sub ect I had less than ero interest in. It turned out to be one of the very best courses of my college experience, illustrating critical virtues of both the boarding school and the liberal arts institution: they force you out of your comfort one. But what about the place of liberal arts in a scientific education One of the best technical schools in the country, Caltech, is a true liberal arts institution. My post doc mentor, Max elbr ck, a Caltech professor, was a great admirer of amuel Beckett and thought that one of Beckett s stories “Molloy” was a parable of how science works. e gave a wellattended lecture on this view. Max was awarded the Nobel pri e for Medicine and Physiology the year Beckett was awarded the literature pri e and o ered to speak at the ceremony on Beckett s behalf, but Beckett declined the o er. o at Caltech, humanities and science were and are intertwined in a stimulating mix. ow can a liberal arts education help you learn to think in a scientifically useful way Every-day working science is not recalling facts to regurgitate on an exam. It s trying to answer pu ling questions that no one has managed to answer before. here is no recipe for doing this. ou must have imaginative ideas, and the more modes of thought you have been exposed to, the broader your imagination, the less constrained your intrinsic assumptions, the better chance you have of coming up with a useful answer. oday every high school chemistry student knows the ring structure of ben ene, but in 1 64, no one did. In 1 6 August ekul published the famous structure, a great imaginative leap. here did the idea come from According to ekul , he had a dream in which he saw a snake, the legendary ouroboros, swallowing its own tail. hen he woke up, he immediately connected the ring structure of the snake to the ring structure of ben ene. o does a liberal education have a place in today s technological world ou bet it does

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Calendar

he ear in Philanthropy

lumni, parents and friends once again demonstrated tremendous generosity to The Webb Schools in 2013-2014. Over 1,4 0 donors gave more than

$ . million, making it one of the best years ever for total giving to he ebb chools and the aymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology. In addition to this, faculty and sta support reached nearly 100 participation and alumni and parent giving finished strong as well. As most know, annual gifts are the lifeblood of any institution. hese gifts ensure that ebb will continue to have a diverse student body from across the country and around the world in fact, 33 of our domestic students shared in more than $3.6 million in financial aid. our gifts also support our faculty and sta through professional growth and development funds, advanced technology in new and renovated classrooms, and provide for them a campus home. our gifts have a large and lasting impact here. ith the enthusiastic embrace of March Madness late last spring and he e amily $100,000 Matching Gift Challenge in une, support for he ebb und surged in the final quarter of the year. In fact, total giving to he ebb und reached $1.6 million last year. cores of class agents, parent class agents, and other volunteers worked hard to make this happen and for this ebb is again so thankful.

CALEndAR Admission

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ebruar 7 - 11

arch Concert

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Admission Revisit a

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ditor ivian radetto ar eting Coordinator Contributors ebbie Carini, Andrew ar e, Robert ass, ohn errari, anielle ordon, on o gren, Aaron Severson, aura Wensle esign ichael Stewart Stewart Creative hotogra h hil Channing, Andrew ar e, on o gren, anc ewman, Scott ichols, ivian radetto rinting ual ra hics ondiscrimination olic he Webb Schools admit students o an race, color, national and ethnic origin, se ual orientation or an other characteristic rotected b state or ederal law to all the rights, rivileges, rograms, and activities generall accorded or made available to students at the schools. he Webb Schools do not discriminate on the basis o race, color, national or ethnic origin, se ual orientation or an other characteristic rotected b state or ederal law in administration o their educational olicies, tuition assistance, athletic, and other school-administered rograms, or an other basis in law. embershi s ational Association o nde endent Schools Western Association o Schools and Colleges Bo s Schools An nternational Coalition ational Coalition o irls Schools Cali ornia Association o nde endent Schools College ntrance amination Board ducational Records Bureau ational Association o College Admissions Counselors Council or Basic ducation Council or the Advancement and Su ort o ducation Council or Religion in nde endent Schools ational Association o rinci als o Schools or irls and the Cum aude Societ . ublication n ormation WEBB maga ine is the o cial ublication o Webb School o Cali ornia, ivian Webb School, and the Ra mond . Al useum o aleontolog . ublished or amilies, riends and alumni b he Webb Schools. ostmaster Send address changes to he Webb Schools 1175 West Baseline Road Claremont, CA 91711 (909) 626-3587 A (909) 621- 582 email alumni webb.org www.webb.org

The mission of The Webb Schools

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lease chec www.webb.org or regional alumni events.

Credits

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is to rovide an e em lar learning communit that nurtures and ins ires bo s and girls to become men and women who hin boldl , mind ull and creativel , Act with honor and moral courage, ead with distinction, Serve with a generous s irit. the Webb schools

raymond m. Alf museum of paleontology

Webb

Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Permit No. 224 Claremont, CA

the Webb schools

raymond m. Alf museum of paleontology

1175 West Baseline Road Claremont, CA 91711 (909) 626-3587 www.webb.org Change Service Requested

Thank you for making this another great year! In 2013-14 your gift made it possible for us to: • Award a total of more than $3.6 million in financial aid • Open a new pool in the Barbara Mott McCarthy Aquatics Center • Expand our Alf Museum programs and award scholarships to summer Peccary students • Improve technology and functionality in our “Next Generation” classrooms • Continue to educate boys and girls to become young men and women who think boldly, act with honor, lead with distinction and serve with a generous spirit

Annual giving to The Webb Fund from alumni, parents and friends makes it all possible! Thank you for your unwavering support! www.webb.org/giving