WEBB Magazine Fall/Winter 2017 by The Webb Schools

WEBB

FALL/WINTER 2017 Technology and the Temporal The New Career Ladder Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a Ladder The Master Class

Magazine

the new world of work

BE A PART OF...

Support the

Webb Fund! WEBB FUND GIFT CLUBS

the

HEAD’S CIRCLE - $10,000 & ABOVE Blue Patron $100,000 & above Patron $50,000 - $99,999 Principes $25,000 - $49,999 Pioneers $10,000 - $24,999 LEADERSHIP SOCIETY - $2,500 - $9,999 Founders $5,000 - $9,999 Friends $2,500 - $4,999

joy

of sustaining The Webb Schools for generations to come!

PACESETTER’S CLUB FOR YOUNG ALUMNI Graduates of 2002 - 2006 $250 & above Graduates of 2007 - 2011 $100 & above Graduates of 2012 - 2017 $50 & above ASSOCIATES - $1 - $2,499 Gold $1,000 - $2,499 Blue $500 - $999 Gauls $1 - $499 All donors will be recognized in the 2017-18 Annual Report.

HASTINGS SOCIETY When you make a gift for three consecutive years or more, you will be recognized as a member of the Hastings Society, named for Alfred B. Hastings ’4 2.

GIVE TODAY! webb.org/giving Questions? Contact The Webb Fund oﬃce at (909) 482-5288 or giving@webb.org.

the

traditions that connect our community across nine decades!

Meet our writers... Debbie Carini is a writer and development professional. She has been affi liated with The Webb Schools since 1999 as a writer for the magazine as well as various campaign and fundraising materials; she is also a successful grant writer for the schools and Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology. She is a contributing writer to the Claremont Courier and Straus News including 12 newspapers in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania with the monthly humor column “Out of My Mind.”

John Ferrari has experience as a newspaper journalist and as a writer, editor, communications strategist and public outreach specialist in higher education. He has written feature articles on topics ranging from astrophysics and genetics to theme parks and, of course,

WEBB Magazine FALL/WINTER 2017

FEATURES

From the Head of Schools The New World of Work The Master Class Technology and the Temporal The New Career Ladder

WEBB TODAY

24 27 30 34 36 40 44

Unbounded Days Return Junior Scholars Program Theater Arts Athletics The Alf Museum Faculty Giving and Volunteering

NEWSNOTES

48 52 53 62 74 76

Alumni Proﬁles Council Corner Events & Highlights WSC and VWS News In Memoriam Final Word: John Scalzi ’87

the Alf Museum. He also serves as a public

2 4

affairs officer in the Navy Reserve.

Cover image by Scott Nichols: Webb students at work in advanced studies in biotechnology.

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

Building Bridges I D O N ’ T K N O W A B O U T YO U, but when I graduated from college I felt lost. I put up a strong front. I had a degree in history and political science—which, suffice to say, didn’t lead to corporate recruiters kicking down my dorm door and hiring me on the spot. And while I had a plan that at least set me on a course for getting started with my professional life, I knew deep inside that I really had no idea what I wanted to be or ultimately do. I had a job offer from Bank of America in San Francisco, so I took it. It was something.

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

Ultimately, it was not a career counselor or an “aha” moment I had while writing my thesis that set me on my path, but rather a bus ride that changed everything. After graduation, in the late fall of 1985, I joined my parents for a sporting event. We took a bus to the stadium. My mom was many things in her life and had reason to be enormously proud of her accomplishments. From appearing on the national stage to balancing a more than full-time career while raising four boys in the 60’s and 70’s—managing her life was no easy feat. But, of all the things she was, the thing she was most proud of was her role as a teacher. She taught middle school English and study skills mostly, and also tutored students with dyslexia. In the late 1960s, she taught middle school English in San Ysidro near the Tijuana border, and in fact, many of her students lived in Tijuana and would get up at 3 a.m. each morning just to make it to school to attend her class. As we rode the bus that day to the game, a middle-aged man came aboard during one of our stops. As he walked down the isle, he stopped and looked at us and said, “Are you Mrs. Stockdale?” She said yes and he then introduced himself. He was one of my mother’s students from Southwestern Jr. High School. In fact, he was one of her students who had lived in Mexico and at that time spoke very little English. My mom recognized him immediately. They hugged and she asked what he was doing now. With great pride he said he was a professor of English literature at a local university.

They embraced again. They were actually quite emotional (as we all were at that point). He then said his best friend from the class was a deputy sheriff for the San Diego Sheriff’s Department. A little bit later, when we were all departing from the bus, he said, “Mrs. Stockdale, I was never able to tell you thank you for building me a bridge, a bridge to the person I am today.” And with that, for me as I watched and listened, I experienced the proverbial record scratch or big bang. That was the moment in time when I gained clarity for my life. I knew then and there that I wanted to serve a community devoted to helping students build bridges. This issue of WEBB magazine is a provocative one, focusing on the future of work and how it will continue to be transformed in this new, technologically rich, hyperconnected, globalized economy. Building bridges for a world that is hard to imagine is challenging, to say the least. Most schools simply haven’t “gone there,” and instead have remained largely the same—pretending as though they were still preparing students for the 20th century workplace. Being the place Webb is, a true pioneering and innovative leader unbounded by past modes of doing things, we have taken very intentional steps with our curriculum and overall program to align with this new world in the most dynamic and relevant of ways. Our faculty and administrative team have modeled our mission beautifully

in having the creativity and courageous leadership to construct a curriculum that is focused much more on skills and habits of mind than on content memorization. After a core foundation in the first two years, students are empowered to choose from a wide variety of courses in their junior and senior years—courses such as biotechnology and honors ethics and modern global affairs. Our curriculum emphasizes hands on, real world experiences in both the lab and the field. Walk around campus now, and you will see students who are not just absorbing material, but who are acting as scientists, entrepreneurs, artists, mathematicians and more. Connections between our classrooms and the world beyond our campus are apparent and embraced by students and faculty alike. As alumni, parents and friends of Webb, you have reason to be very proud of your school community. We remain true to our values of honor and service, and at the same time have the courage to push forward in ensuring our students are prepared to be the courageous leaders who typify Webb graduates. While the world will continue to change, and Webb will continue to adapt in smart and thoughtful ways, our commitment to nurturing, inspiring and challenging our students will remain our cornerstone. Building bridges for young people to lead productive and meaningful lives has never been more important. Taylor B. Stockdale Head of Schools

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

the new world of work

BY JOHN FERR ARI

How technology and globalization are shaping work culture

Technology and the Temporal

Webb students using UV light during a DNA lab.

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

Work used to be a place: you went to work. You went to a building and went to your office (or cubicle). You used the company’s resources, from office supplies to the break room microwave, and spent your workday alongside your colleagues. Technology has changed that. With widespread high-speed internet access and Wi-Fi, and cloud data storage, for more and more professionals work isn’t a place; it’s a state of mind.

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

“ BEING IN THE OFFICE

isn’t the definition of working anymore,” notes Alyssa Sittig ’07, a global business-to-business brand marketing manager with LinkedIn in the San Francisco Bay Area. “You no longer need to be at the office to be presumed working.” Webb graduates across the professions are experiencing a transformation in how people conceptualize the nature of work and its place in their lives: more and more work remotely – from home, coffee shops, coworking spaces; wherever they can plug in a laptop and access the internet – and outside traditional business hours. They’re part of a paradigm shift that’s redefining work for millennials (often defined as the generation born between 1982 and 2000), a cohort ranging from established professionals now in their 30s to those just graduating from high school.

Sampling 8,000 college-educated and fully employed millennials in 30 countries, the 2017 Deloitte Millennial Survey found that 69 percent of respondents have some degree of flexibility in their work hours. As well, 64 percent are able to work from locations other than their employer’s primary site – an increase of 21 points over the 2016 survey. These and other ‘work-life and convenience’ benefits are especially popular with millennials, for whom the ability to set their own work-life balance is important. They’re also the first cohort to have grown up with constant, instant access to data and communications.

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

“Technology is ubiquitous in everything I do,” says Sittig, giving her the flexibility to work where and when she wants. For her, that means videoconferencing with her team in San Francisco while she works in LinkedIn’s Sunnyvale office, or from her home in Palo Alto. “I work in a more creative environment,” she says. “It’s applauded if I say I need to work from home today. No apologies are made if someone’s dialing in from their couch.” There is a flip side to this flexibility: the expectation that because someone can work anywhere, anytime, they will be working anywhere, anytime. The ability to connect with people and information at any time “creates a culture of instant gratification… it can be hard to wait a day for an answer.”

When work was a place, boundaries between work and home were clear: in the office, out of the office. The idea is captured in the ubiquitous “out-ofoffice” email setting, but with internet-accessible email, no one ever has to be out of the office and unreachable. The overall effect is to blur boundaries between work and non-work; negotiating those boundaries is an experience common to telecommuters and flextime employees. “When I first started working from home, I had to set boundaries,” recalls Christine King ’96, vice president of operations with online video production company 90 Seconds in San Francisco. “The teams I worked with were all around the world; because of that I had to be more thoughtful of how I used my time… I started really setting parameters for myself.” Now, she says, she works in blocks of time, rather than straight through an eight-hour day. She may work mornings, take a break, and then work into the evening, calling and videoconferencing with colleagues and clients in different time zones. While telecommuting and flextime have dimmed the lines between work and away, lines distinguishing colleagues from friends have brightened. Telecommuters don’t have interactions with their coworkers that were once taken for granted, from impromptu in-person collaboration to afterwork socializing.

THE MASTER CLASS

Alyssa Sittig ’07, a global business-to-business brand marketing manager with LinkedIn.

ip Konwiser ’81: Producer/Creative Artist

Kip Konwiser ’81 is an independent producer who, with his brother Kern, owns Konwiser Brothers Entertainment, a film, television and music production company that has produced more than 60 projects in all media. The pair won the Primetime Best Picture Emmy in 1997 for producing Miss Evers’ Boys, and their 2000 TNT documentary On Hallowed Ground: Streetball Champions at Rucker Park won a Sports Emmy for their writing, directing and producing.

“When a person makes a commitment to the arts, you’re making a commitment to the gig economy,” explains Konwiser. He described the three elements of leverage necessary for being successful in his industry: 1. Equity. Cash! Approximately 10-30% of your budget to structure the balance in debt. 2. D istribution. Marketing effectively to a specific consumer via the myriad of expanding worldwide distribution platforms. 3. T alent. A-List talent is a rare commodity. Relationships and access are critical to successfully packaging media that is authentic to audiences.

“ IT’S

APPLAUDED

if I say I need to work from home today. No apologies are made if someone’s dialing in from their couch.”

Konwiser was born to “gig”; at the ripe old age of nine he began working for his father’s construction company every summer for a decade. At the same time, he and his brother honed a professional tap dancing, juggling and comedy career that took them from street corners across the country to some of the finest stages in town. Professional skiing led to the start of their film careers; while still in college they began working for Warren Miller Ski Films. Their formal collaboration began after they graduated from the University of Southern California Cinema-Television MFA graduate screenwriting and production programs. “From 1988 to 1998, my graduation from USC to my first Primetime Emmy Award, I worked for other people, so when I entered the ‘gig’ economy, I did it with momentum; it is invaluable to spend time learning from other people as one’s own goals mature. My brother and I work hard—but enjoy every minute as a privilege to not only bring compelling stories to the world but also collaborate with some of the most exciting talents in the industry over the past 30 years,” he said. At Webb, Konwiser was the campus’ only ballet dancer. “Nobody (else) was wearing tights on campus, that I know of! I discovered my identity at Webb and that it’s better-than-okay to be different, to be independent and live without fear,” he said. Konwiser recently launched a financing company called The Money Pool, with three features already completed starring actors such as John Travolta, Andy Garcia and Laurence Fishburne; another feature is lined-up for Kern to direct in 2018 in association with Sony Pictures. “The gig mentality comes down to believing you have something special to share with the world and an unrelenting desire to get it done,” he said. “That kind of thing generally happens as a result of having a good education and support from your ‘village.’”

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

Webb students co-working in Fawcett Memorial Library.

“ I DEFINITELY THINK

living with people, being around people constantly, helped my communication skills, especially interculturally.” “I really do feel like I miss out on a lot of that,” says King. Videoconferencing gives geographically separated coworkers a way to hold face-to-face meetings, “but it’s never going to take the place of happy hour on Thursday.” Beyond that, the dispersion of workforces in smaller offices, nationally and globally, also tends toward a fragmentation of corporate culture. For example, while there is a 90 Seconds corporate culture across the company’s offices, “it’s harder to create a culture when there are people around the world who have their own way of thinking,” notes King. Managing offices around the world takes cross-cultural communications skills and sensitivities in order to give different teams the incentives and conditions they need to work effectively. King’s time at Webb was invaluable in developing those skills. “I definitely think living with people, being around people constantly, helped my communication skills, especially interculturally.” As technologies like videoconferencing become increasingly available (and increasingly high definition) and professionals become increasingly comfortable with remote interactions,

differences between real and virtual face-to-face interactions may themselves blur. “It’s important to meet in person at times,” says Jarasa Kanok ’96, “but the majority can be done remotely.” Kanok helps manage Deloitte Consulting’s Monitor Institute, some 25 people spread across the United States. “We still feel like a pretty tightly knit team,” she says, but adds that in-person meetings do strengthen that sense of teamwork and shared commitment. At the same time, the ability to call colleagues in cities from Shanghai to Barcelona lets Kanok get different perspectives on the day’s project or topic—a benefit of instant cross-cultural communication. The ability to draw on a national or global network of colleagues is valuable, but it also has altered the workplace dynamic that fostered friendships among colleagues. The instant communication afforded by the internet has alleviated the sense of isolation felt by telecommuters in the 20th century, but telecommuting also has sharpened distinctions between coworkers and friends.

THE MASTER CLASS

“I want to spend time with people I haven’t seen all day,” notes Sittig, not necessarily the people with whom she has been working, albeit remotely. There are bonding opportunities that aren’t available to colleagues who aren’t working in a shared space, Sittig explains, “but I really don’t feel disconnected from the core team.” And, she adds, telecommuters do have spontaneous interactions: pop-up chats and messages take the place of impromptu meetings in the hallway or breakroom. While millennials are comfortable connecting with their colleagues remotely, that’s not true of every executive. Particularly at larger organizations, there has been some pushback against the idea that interacting via the internet can replace in-person interactions. Over the past few years, businesses including Aetna, Bank of America, Best Buy, IBM and Yahoo have scaled back their telecommuting programs. Driving this counter-trend is a desire to encourage innovation and collaboration between employees. As IBM’s Chief Marketing Officer Michelle Peluso put it, “Bringing people together creates its own X factor.” Aetna cited research findings that telecommuters collaborate less with their coworkers, in turn discouraging innovation.

This doesn’t presage a mass exodus of employees back to the office, though. According to the Society for Human Resource Management’s 2017 Employee Benefits Report, 62 percent of organizations offer some type of telecommuting, and 57 percent offer flextime for some portion of their workforce, numbers that have risen steadily. And as more millennials reach C-suites, businesses may be more likely to disassociate teamwork and collaboration from in-person interactions. Some employers are already using remote communications technologies within, as well as between, work spaces. Emi Hayakawa ’99 recalls that in South Korea, most people attended meetings within their own workplace remotely— only a few key people actually went to a conference room. Far from emphasizing the distance between people, she says, technology creates a richer work environment. Hayakawa, who recently relocated from South Korea to Los Angeles,

essica Anand Gupta ’05: Client Solutions Manager

In 2009 Jessica Anand Gupta ’05 graduated from Wellesley College ready to begin a career in law. Working as a paralegal changed her mind. Law firms tend to be traditional workplaces and demand long hours. “Lifestyle isn’t taken into account at a lot of law firms,” Gupta says. It’s one thing to understand that intellectually, and another to experience it. She entered the burgeoning e-commerce sector, but even in 2010 her ability to set her own work hours and location was hampered by technological limitations. Now, she says, “I actually can work remotely as much as I like.” The ability to telecommute isn’t just about her own preferences; it’s also about working efficiently. At Great Place to Work Institute, where Gupta is a client solutions manager, “a lot of people find it more valuable to be on the road with clients” than in the office. Work place and work time flexibility also fosters employee loyalty and longevity. As someone who assesses workplace culture, she says lifestyle flexibility is important to today’s professionals. Working with people to build flexibility into their positions encourages them to perform at their best. Her own situation is the perfect example: a new mother, she needs the kind of flexibility her company allows. Colleagues may now work thousands of miles apart, rather than at the next desk, but workplace camaraderie is still important, Gupta says, and that’s a hallmark of the Webb experience. “Webb prepared me for camaraderie because there’s a lot of team-building and teamwork.” Webb also taught Gupta how to delegate and how to create and manage teams. Working remotely requires a reciprocal level of trust and responsibility— the same dynamic Gupta appreciated at Webb. “The teachers place a lot of trust in their students to do their work,” she says, adding that the school’s learning environment was fluid, not rigid. “I really appreciated that.” That environment encouraged her to have faith in her own intellectual abilities. Have faith in the work that you do, Gupta advises new graduates, but keep your ego in check. “Be picky but not too picky. Look for what an opportunity or position can give you by way of experience; don’t just focus on perks.” Webb does a really good job of teaching girls that they can be just as strong as boys in the classroom, Gupta says. “Hold on to that confidence.”

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

G T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

Webb students working in

advanced studies in biotechnology.

works for the Seoul-based Buddhist Television Network and its U.S.-based nonprofit, BTN World. Even if she worked alongside her colleagues, she’d rely on the internet: online collaboration, she says, is more dynamic than in-person interaction. Not only can you work with people near and far, she explains, you can work on your own time. “I believe that it’s much more efficient and increases productivity,” Hayakawa says. “It doesn’t limit my social boundaries; it’s a more dynamic way to interact with people … Face-to-face interaction doesn’t mean you’ll have a deeper connection.” And, she adds, Webb gave her the time management skills to successfully navigate the boundaries between work time and personal time.

Those boundaries have always existed, and they’ve always been subject to negotiation. Sittig remembers staying at the office through the evening to finish a project—now when she has to work extra hours, she can do so at home. “Work goes on real time,” Hayakawa notes. “It doesn’t stop.”

THE MASTER CLASS

ichael Arias ’84: Director/Visual Effects Artist In 2008, Michael Arias ’84 won the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year with his directorial debut Tekkonkinkreet. He is best known as the first nonJapanese director of a major anime film. Arias lives and works in Japan, where his work as a filmmaker takes him from one project to the next.

“Because my jobs often last years, I’ve never thought of myself as being part of the gig economy. But I suppose I am, insofar as I lack a fixed employer and rove from one contract to the next,” he explains. “Many directors I know are, technically, freelance. In Japan, there are also some directors who are under a fixed contract with an agency, and then some others who work full-time for television networks or production companies.”

Arias said that he had reached “a point of diminishing returns with the artist rep [he] was under contract to,” and directing offers were coming in, so he decided to break out on his own. He has worked variously as a visual effects artist, animation software developer, and producer. Asked if he misses some of the perks and security of a salaried job, Arias replied: “I never felt particularly secure when I had a permanent job; and to a certain extent, that was just the nature of the work I do. Japan has universal health coverage, but if I were living in the U.S., I expect health insurance for me and my family would indeed be an issue of concern.”

Through his website, michaelarias.net, Arias advertises his projects and maintains his network. He measures success through box office numbers, reviews (“by the press, not by my manager”), and, ultimately, through his own level of satisfaction and accomplishment with the project in question.

Gig 13

the new world of work

When the Career Ladder Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a Ladder

How Webb Alumni Are Finding Success in the Gig Economy

BY DEBBIE C ARINI

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

Anyone who has ever felt bound by those strictures— confined in a cubicle, distracted by a micro-managing boss, or exhausted by office politics—has probably dreamed of going-it-alone.

ot so very long ago, the question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” had a somewhat limited set of answers, for example: a lawyer, a banker, a teacher.

What most of these jobs had in common was a traditional 9-to-5, be-in-the-office-5-daysa-week, employees-report-to-management, arrangement. Individuals worked for the same company for 30 or 40 years and walked off the job with a fancy plaque and gold watch engraved with their name and a company logo.

And today, potentially transformative new digital platforms such as Airbnb, Uber, and Upwork are creating bigger, and more efficient, marketplaces to connect entrepreneurs with buyers of their services. Welcome to the “gig economy” which is defined in several ways including, as “the sharing economy.” People who work in this arena also call themselves many things, from freelancers to 1099 workers. Inc. magazine says “there are also many different aspects of gig work, which lets people find a good fit for their skills but also makes it more difficult to define. Some work is more flexible, other work is rigid; some work involves growing a client base, other work is solitary; some positions require previous skills and a certain educational background, other positions can be learned on the job.” Just this past spring, WorkMarket Inc., a freelancermanagement startup, raised $25 million in its latest round of fundraising (bringing that figure to a total of $56 million since the company’s founding in 2010). Growth in the “gig economy” has exploded as companies do more work with fewer employees and look to freelancers to pick up the slack. According to researchers at Harvard and Princeton universities, some 16 percent of the U.S. workforce in 2015 comprised people in contingent work arrangements, up from 10 percent in 2005. Others say these numbers are even higher. Traditionally, artists were the original “gig” workers. In fact, Merriam Webster dictionary includes this definition of “gig”—“a job usually for a specified time, especially: an entertainer’s engagement.” On his Twitter page, Jack Gilliat ’13 describes himself as an actor, filmmaker and dreamer. His company is Eye of a Fly Productions, whose tagline is “where art meets reality,” and whose mission is to “create, fund and produce groundbreaking; controversial; topical; provocative; evocative theater and film, with a strong message, to set an alternative entertainment agenda.”

THE MASTER CLASS

onathan Ying ’07: Game Designer

Jonathan Ying ’07 is relatively new to the gig economy and describes it as “simultaneously more independent, and more harrowing a career path. It’s still the wild west – people take what they can get with various degrees of success.” Ying is perhaps most well-known for designing the popular board game Star Wars™ Imperial Assault while working at Fantasy Flight Games, located in Minnesota. A combination of weariness with the weather and being handed projects he didn’t always want to work on, helped push him into independent work. “There’s been a board game renaissance over the past 10 years,” explains Ying. But he cautions that the freelance economy can be very cutthroat. He often feels he oscillates between two states: too much or too little work. He also misses the resources that were available to him at a larger company including art teams and sculptors. “I have to make sure I keep an eye on my schedule,” he says. “It’s really important that I estimate my time properly.” He recently launched an LLC for which he raised $50,000 through crowdfunding via Kickstarter to design a new game that is exclusively of his design, and in the process, commenced a career as a small business owner. An important aspect of his work is cultivating and nurturing connections. “I’ve doubled-down on going to conferences – I’m not sitting in a cave somewhere,” he says. He also maintains a strong social media presence and keeps his website up-to-date. Exposure can be a double-edged sword however. “Reviews are a huge thing in my field,” says Ying. “I’m always thinking, ‘where am I on Amazon?’ It’s hard not to check all the time to see how many stars I’m getting.” Jack Gilliat ’13, actor, filmmaker, dreamer and founder of Eye of a Fly Productions.

He measures success, however, in the most basic manner – “I can keep myself fed!” And, he credits his Webb experience with giving him the confidence to approach more famous or experienced professionals in his field for advice. “At Webb, the small class sizes and the availability of teachers helped me to learn how to communicate with my peers and with the adults on campus. I could go to a teacher’s house, knock on the door, and be welcomed in to have a lemonade,” he says. “Today, I have the confidence to talk to even famous people in the industry and say to them, ‘you’ve been doing this longer – can I ask you some questions?’”

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

THE MASTER CLASS

r. Aaliyah Yaqub ’01: Medical Advisor

Dr. Aaliyah Yaqub ’01 says she was on an academic career path, graduating from Rice University and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, when, during her internal medicine residency at Stanford University, she saw the future of health care taking shape in Silicon Valley, and decided she wanted to be a part of it. Now she’s a medical advisor with San Francisco-based health care provider Forward, Inc. “It’s what the doctor’s office experience will be like 50 years from now, except we’re doing it now,” she explains. “It’s about leveraging human relationships and also technology.” That theme has informed Yaqub’s career. It may be the theme of the millennial generation’s workplace experience, too. “We’re developing new technology that is making it easier for us to do the tasks that used to take a lot of time,” Yaqub says. She’s speaking about health care, where technology is replacing paper charts and notes with digital records, and the biannual checkup is giving way to on-demand health care monitoring. The integration of technology doesn’t lead only to better data, though: it also frees physicians to spend more time listening to their patients. This paradigm is new to health care, but it’s already become a hallmark of high tech industries, from Silicon Valley’s internet giants to New York’s financial powerhouses. The Silicon Valley companies with which she’s familiar are constantly looking for ways to make life better for their employees, Yaqub says. Bringing more technology into the workplace and offering more benefits to employees allows them to focus on those things that add value to the company: thinking creatively and collaborating, freed from mechanical tasks that can be performed by a software program. Webb, says Yaqub, is a fantastic school for preparing people to enter rigorous careers that require flexible thinking and engagement. “I often look back on all of my schooling and I think that Webb was the most challenging of all of my career,” combining academics and extracurricular activities with a vibrant learning community. “Webb does a really great job filling your time with productive activities.”

“I couldn’t handle working in an office,” says Gilliat. “In the arts, social media and the internet have made the audience accessible – you can form and define your own territory, your own destiny.” Gilliat, who was always fascinated with the entertainment industry, realized early on that being an actor doesn’t always pay the bills. So, he decided to create his own work by forming a company that could service virtually every aspect of the industry. He identified the industry’s least favorite part of entertainment production—the logistics of making a project work—for example, scouting locations, determining demographics, identifying distributors, as well as finding actors, musicians and other support personnel. The beauty of the “gig economy” says Gilliat, is that “you can form and define your own territory.” According to a report for the McKinsey Global Institute entitled, “Independent Work: Choice, Necessity, and the Gig Economy,” 20 to 30 percent of the working-age population in the United States and the EU-15 (European Union-15), or up to 162 million individuals, engage in independent work. Zachary Kidd ’95 is an entrepreneur, and through his company, SwingSpace, he facilitates access to temporary office space for others in the gig economy. With his partner, Richard McBride, Kidd has created a more efficient way for tenants to find and lease small office spaces; McBride has dubbed it the “Airbnb of office leasing.” The platform allows landlords to easily lease unused space in their offices to small companies in search of some space—for anywhere from a week to longer. “Technology-enabled marketplaces are the future,” says Kidd. “From Ebay in the beginning to the App Store to Bumble (a dating app), it’s all buyers and sellers interacting with the aid of technology. Ultimately, it’s easier to go on Ebay than it is to go to a bunch of garage sales.” Kidd, who previously founded and still owns Dupont Studios, which provides custom computer programming services, says a core skill of survival in the gig economy is “being able to attract good people who bring something unique to the table— something different than what others have.”

With a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University and an undergraduate degree from Morehouse College, Kidd seemed destined for a path in the corporate world and worked for a time in a private equity firm. “The thing you miss most when you’re on your own is working with a great team,” says Kidd. “It takes time to build up another organization. It’s difficult to have the resources of an entire company and then not—to only have the possibility of success. As things develop though, if you’re lucky, it’s extremely gratifying to build something.” Be that as it may, most gig workers will tell you that there are ups-and-downs to their work. Adam Saltzer ’11 is an artist, a woodworker and the owner of Lucky Fish Designs, which he launched in January. After graduating from the University of Puget Sound, Saltzer had several “gig” jobs—in catering, as a bartender, even as a pop culture analyst for Source3, a company that recognizes, organizes and analyzes branded intellectual property in user-generated content. “The flexibility of all those different jobs helped me to have extra money while I was growing Lucky Fish,” explains Saltzer. At Lucky Fish Designs, Saltzer handcrafts wood furniture, cutting boards, even handbags. He is still working 9 to 5, and even beyond. “I can never miss a gig,” he explained. “I’ll meet a client at the coffee shop at 8 p.m. to discuss a job.” He also describes himself as “being on everything” to advertise his business—LinkedIn, Facebook, Yelp, Instagram, Craigslist and more. “I’m very fortunate to be able to choose a creative path,” he says of the support he’s received from his family. “But in this line of work you do miss out on some things—even a 401K. I’ve worked at a desk, at a company—you made the sale, did the data, kicked it to someone else. Now I work with a 400-lb., 3-dimensional object—you never get to experience that in an office!”

Adam Saltzer ’11, artist, woodworker and owner of Lucky Fish Designs.

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

Kenny Tsai ’05, manager of current programming at Universal Television.

Kenny Tsai ’05 actually does work in an office—he is the manager of current programming at Universal Television— but says that the entertainment industry is mostly comprised of gig economy workers.

In the “gig economy,” Tsai says the most important attribute to have is flexibility.

“People work on a show, then they’re on to the next one,” he said.

“You never know what can happen—your job description can change on a daily basis,” he says. “In Hollywood, you need to have a thick skin, to be able to adjust, to deal with temperaments and be open.”

“That’s how I came up,” he explains citing his work as a showrunner’s assistant on the HBO series, Boardwalk Empire.”

It’s also crucial to maintain your reputation. “I’m always honest, diplomatic and respectful of people.”

“I didn’t have family members or a lot of connections in the entertainment industry. I tried to intern a lot and draw on those experiences,” says Tsai. “There is no ‘set’ career ladder in Hollywood—my boss was going to be a doctor, she went to the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.”

In fact, the future of work looks a lot like Hollywood and its coterie of independent—or gig—workers, from directors and actors to gaffers, caterers, and accountants. In an article entitled “The Future of Work Will Look A Lot Like Hollywood,” author Stephane Kasriel, the CEO of Upwork, a

global freelancing platform where businesses and independent professionals connect and collaborate remotely, writes: For top-shelf talent, striking out on your own may be the best way to maximize your earning potential, letting you sell your services on an open market that’s willing to pay you what you’re worth. And like movie stars, some of these super-talented technologists have even hired agents. In and outside tech, it seems likely that working teams will soon be a lot more like movie crews. This shift may be unsettling to some, but it can benefit companies as well as the people who work for them. Businesses will gain efficiency and flexibility. Professionals will gain a better lifestyle, more control over their work, and in many cases better income.

There are some downsides to the gig economy—in addition to the lack of a team, gig workers usually don’t get employerpaid benefits, such as premiums on health insurance and contributions to retirement plans. There is also no sick leave— or paid time off; no work means no pay. Finding a steady stream of work and scheduling jobs can also be complicated.

Linda Silva, Webb’s director of instrumental music, has worked “gigs” nearly all her adult life, and in fact, in addition to her responsibilities at Webb, she still teaches clarinet independently, and plays in orchestras around Southern California. “We called ourselves ‘freeway flyers,’” said Silva of the musicians she worked with after moving to the Los Angeles area. She has played professionally with the Riverside Symphony; San Bernardino Symphony; Redlands Symphony and has taught at Pomona College; University of California, Riverside; California Polytechnic State University, Pomona; and California State University, San Bernardino. Silva attended the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music where she earned a Bachelor’s of Music degree; she received her master’s degree in orchestral studies from Rice University. She has been playing the clarinet and piano since she was a child. But she knows the perils of “gig” work.

THE MASTER CLASS

ichael McDermott ’83: Executive Producer/Founder, Gung-Ho Films Michael McDermott ’83 may include in his resume gigs like The Amazing Race, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the film Her, and working with Fortune 500 companies such as Apple and Nike, through his company Gung-Ho Films. But he says the best way to start in any business … is from the bottom.

“In college, [at UCLA], my first job in the entertainment business was as a production assistant,” says McDermott. “I was at the very bottom of the food chain. But I was hungry, and worked extremely hard. While at UCLA I also started a video equipment rental business. We worked on music videos for legends like David Lee Roth, John Fogerty, Barbara Streisand, Billy Crystal and a lot more.” At UCLA, McDermott also took his first class in Mandarin Chinese. Soon after graduating, he moved to China and continued studying at the Beijing Film Academy and a graduate school in Taiwan. Later he became a United States diplomat in Beijing. In total, McDermott has been in China for 27 years.

In 2001, McDermott set-up Gung-Ho Films, a film and TV production services company. Today, they have offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. As a Webb boarder, McDermott says he became eager to learn another language as he had many classmates who spoke multiple languages. “I was upset that I could only speak one,” he says. “So I signed up for French.” “As it turned out, one of my favorite teachers at Webb was Jacques Pauwels who taught the French classes. And every summer, Mr. Pauwels took Webb students to France. Unfortunately my parents had other plans for me during the summer. But it ignited a love of language, and was a big catalyst for me going to China,” says McDermott. “Webb gave me the confidence to follow my instincts, even though when I first arrived in China I knew no one, nor did I speak the language. Webb taught me that anything is possible when you work hard, think boldly, and, above everything else, act with integrity,” he explains citing his experiences as tennis team captain, honor committeeman, and editor of the Blue and Gold. “I never thought I would do any of these things.”

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

THE MASTER CLASS

ailey Stockdale ’11: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Consultant

Use your time wisely, Bailey Stockdale ’11 tells students. “Try to fill your summers with experiences that matter”— experiences that put your knowledge to practical use. Stockdale, who graduated from Colorado College in 2015 with a major in economics, has built a career combining the theoretical and the practical, and his knowledge of economics and business with his interest in computer programming. A consultant based in Mato Grosso, Brazil, Stockdale uses unmanned aerial vehicles and airplanes to collect crop data, and computer analysis to interpret it, giving Brazil’s large-scale farmers information and advice on how to best manage their crops and their lands. He is also the founder and director of the Unmanned Agriculture Institute, an association for professionals in agricultural robotics. His advice to those considering their career paths: identify the skills you need, and develop technical skills, no matter where your interests lie. “Technical skills of any kind at any level are critical.” When you enter the workforce, he continues, focus in on the industry in which you want to work and begin to build a network, positioning yourself as a connector. The biggest difference between new graduates and seasoned professionals, he reminds, is experience, and connecting with both new and experienced professionals is a foundation for career success. Living and learning with students from across the United States and around the world on a daily basis, Webb students develop a global outlook and strong multicultural skills. Webb is also, Stockdale adds, an environment that encourages students to develop time management skills. “That’s huge,” he says. “Just that basic discipline of small habits and routines” to accomplish tasks. Stockdale advises recent graduates to have confidence, “but also know when you’re right and when you’re wrong.” And no matter where you are in your career, he says, you should be willing to develop and ask questions.

“I

called a lot of people— looking for work—and didn’t say ‘no’ to anything. I tell my students about my experiences because I don’t think they know about it or have a sense of what it is to be a professional musician,” she explains. Silva has also brought professional groups to campus to talk to students about having music in one’s life, no matter what career path one chooses. “We had a string quartet play for the students, and one of the musicians is a full-time physics professor,” she says. “I want students to know – no matter what path you choose, you can have music in your life.” Silva stresses that Webb’s honor code is a good standard for gig workers. “I’ve worked hard to maintain a professional reputation for 37 years,” she emphasizes. “It’s important to live-up to that, to work hard, be prepared, continue your education.” She also said that gig work has life lessons—“You develop the tools to do something, plus discipline and problemsolving skills.” Not having a traditional chain of command through which to report and be assessed is also an unusual aspect of gig work.

A core skill of survival in the gig economy is â&#x20AC;&#x153;being able to attract good people who bring something unique to the table â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something different than what others have.â&#x20AC;?

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

oiceover artist, Stephanie Riggio ’85 jokingly says, “everything is easier than all the homework we used to get at Webb!”

“It’s a constant self-reassessment that goes on,” said Silva.

And then she adds: “At Webb, I learned to be confident

Kidd also chimed in with advice for those entering the gig workforce: “When you work for yourself, or in a small team, it’s important to seek out people who work in the same industry to serve as mentors.”

in myself.”

Saltzer stressed the need to establish a community of likeminded entrepreneurs, in his case, other artisans. “I’m missing out on some things – like a 401K,” he says. “But the artistic community in Austin is great. I’ve connected with other woodworkers, even metalworkers – everyone is trying to lift each other up, everyone wants you to succeed.” And having a Webb experience has been advantageous. “I wasn’t the straight A student at Webb, but you could be anybody you wanted to be there. Whatever you chose to chase in life, you had a community at Webb ready to support you. That acceptance from teachers and friends gave me the confidence to go my own way later in life,” says Saltzer. Tsai mentioned the sense of responsibility he internalized at school through the block schedule and carving time out of his day to study.

Kidd invoked the honor code: “I think about that a lot,” he said. “There are times when I’m looking at a financial model—you might think to yourself that the numbers aren’t as good as what people assume, you could go with the popular opinion without raising an objection—but that’s not the honest thing to do.” Self-employed Americans and the workers they hired accounted for 44 million jobs in 2014, or 30 percent of the national workforce, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of data the U.S. Census Bureau recently made publicly available for the first time. The self-employed, 14.6 million in all, represented 10 percent of the nation’s 146 million workers, and they in turn provided jobs for 29.4 million other workers. According to several experts—the biggest driver of the gig economy is time—an elusive commodity. New York Times bestselling author and serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk explains: “Time is the one commodity we can’t get enough of and will pay to preserve at any cost. No matter where you are or what your economic situation is, you will never have more time. It’s why we as humans will do anything to purchase it. It’s also why

THE MASTER CLASS

tephanie Riggio ’85: Voiceover Artist

Stephanie Riggio ’85, an accomplished voiceover artist whose client list includes Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, major retailers and even World of Warcraft, the world’s most subscribed massively multiplayer online roleplaying game, says she actually had no plans to go into the voiceover industry. After she graduated from Northwestern University with a B.S. in theater, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be an actress after all. While filling time as a substitute teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District, working as a waitress, and temp office work (9-to-5 jobs which she described as “torture”), she took the suggestion of a friend and signed up for a workshop in voiceover – work soon followed. She’s enjoyed a successful career, but says, in her line of work: “you have to be okay with not knowing what’s coming next.”

the gig economy is here to stay, as it goes so far towards satisfying our need to free up a few hours.” A Webb education prepares students for the rigors of a shifting global community and imbues their day-to-day experiences with the spirit of “unbounded thinking.” “That slogan—unbounded thinking—it’s thinking not about who you are or where you came from,” says Gilliat. “It’s more about the sense of how hard you work and how creatively you can solve a problem. And I’ve brought that into my work—don’t give up, no problem is too big to solve. Webb gifted that to me. It’s helped me so many times not to give up and to realize, ‘I’m worthy of my success.’”

Today, she enjoys the variety and even unknown aspects of her various voiceover work. “I like it. Every job is different; it’s exciting,” she says. She attributes some of her success to having a great agent, but says an artist needs to keep hustling and trying to learn. In addition to her voiceover work, Riggio also works in film in ADR/looping (dialog that cannot be salvaged from production tracks must be re-recorded in a process called looping or ADR) and is also hired as a singer for animation projects. “I still take workshops and pound the pavement,” she says. “I still hustle. There’s always somebody else who wants the gig.” Riggio designed her own website and logo to market herself. She’s also flexible in her ability to get work done. “If I have a Wi-Fi signal and can make a fort of sound efficiency, I can do a job,” she explained. “I’ve worked from Costa Rica, Tennessee, Hawaii.” She also said that she auditions for everything – promo gigs, radio, television, animation and video games. Riggio is an accomplished singer with a 4-octave range and also dabbles in songwriting and watercolor painting. A career in voiceover work is competitive and can be complex. The actor must be able to get a point across, relate a feeling, and act into a microphone. “I trust the people in the field who tell me I’m doing a great job,” she says.

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

todayunbounded

WEBB

Webb is unbounded. Education and discovery extend across disciplines, outside classrooms and beyond campus to encompass Southern California. It’s part of Webb’s heritage: Thompson Webb founded the school with an unbounded spirit, and math and biology teacher Ray Alf, perhaps Webb’s most influential faculty member, championed unbounded creative thinking at the young school. Today the unbounded spirit imbues learning at Webb, from cross-disciplinary studies and student-driven education to travel opportunities around the world. Webb’s biennial Unbounded Days program embodies this spirit, presenting over two dozen classes that combine the school’s intentional course design and student-driven learning with the educational, cultural and natural resources of the entire region.

“

nbounded thinking is sprinkled throughout the curriculum,” says Director of Experiential Learning Sally Mingarelli, “but this is a real honoring of our mission statement.” Unbounded Days honor Ray Alf, too. The spark for the series of three-, four-and five-day classes that go beyond traditional academics came from Robert A. Hefner III ’53. Alf served as a lifelong mentor to Hefner, and as Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale recalls, Hefner wanted to inspire Webb students as Alf had inspired him: by encouraging creative, unbounded thinking. Together he and Stockdale developed a vision for “a meaningful program in which students could go beyond the regular day-to-day program and engage in some hands-on discovery learning in which they were passionate,” Stockdale says, and Hefner’s generous gift to The Webb Schools helped bring that idea to life. This year’s Unbounded Days program takes place in February, the culmination of almost a year of planning. Faculty begin brainstorming course ideas by looking to the program’s goals, says Mingarelli: “to encourage students to consider who they are and what they can achieve.” She helps teachers from different departments work together to create interdisciplinary courses that approach topics from new perspectives. “A lot of unbounded thinking happens by faculty first,” Mingarelli says. Webb’s recently reshaped

curriculum emphasizes the potential of both off-campus learning and partnerships with institutions in the Los Angeles region. Webb faculty conceptualize their courses with this in mind, she explains. “We want to take advantage of Webb’s unique position to connect students with the richness of culture and education that Los Angeles has to offer, so we have a very expert faculty in terms of designing experiential learning.” Take just one of the unbounded program’s 28 courses this year: Cinematic Los Angeles. The course introduces students to buildings, landmarks and neighborhoods they may have seen on the silver screen—sometimes standing in for places wildly divergent from their actual context. The course, though, has the potential to go beyond that; to interrogate questions of social and cultural geography and markers of identity. Students may consider why we think of certain attributes when we think of a poor or wealthy neighborhood, or what architectural design elements have come to be used as cinematic shorthand to denote certain times or places. Of course, faculty consider student interests as they design their courses. Although each student enrolls in just one Unbounded Days course, they each select six courses, in order of interest. When the final course rosters are released in November, students meet with their Unbounded Days course instructors several times. Student input “informs the last three months of course design,” Mingarelli says. “Teaching and learning can be so much more dynamic than it used to be.”

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

WEBB

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

todayunbounded

This year’s Unbounded Days includes 28 courses:

3-Day Courses The Amazing Race Animatronics & Storytelling The California Landscape & the Artist California Women’s Activism Then & Now Catalina Island: History, Science & Culture Cinematic Los Angeles Climate Change & Catastrophe Compose Yourself! Ghost Hunting & Divinations Good for the Body & Soul

LA Multicultural Adventure Food is the entre to some of Los Angeles’ vibrant communities in this course – Chinese, Japanese, Mexican and Korean. In between noshes, students try everything from calligraphy to card games, from the San Gabriel Valley to metro L.A. Unbounded Days is an opportunity for students to understand that, as Mingarelli notes, at Webb “the walls of your classroom encompass an entire county.”

SoCal Marine Scene: Snorkel, Surf & Science The essential elements of the SoCal lifestyle – sun, sand and surf – meet

Investing: Strategies for Success

the science that underlies the laid-back landscape. “In our courses we’re

Keeping Music Alive in Your Life

teaching students the skills and the knowledge to tie together different

LA Multicultural Adventure

disciplines,” Mingarelli says.

Learn to Sail Notes from the Cultural Underground

Virtual Reality

Science Fiction: Worlds Beyond Imagination

Does giving form to an idea make it real? Beyond creating virtual environments

SoCal Marine Scene: Snorkel, Surf & Science

using Webb’s VR technology and exploring the idea of theme parks – real

Survival Skills 1.0

virtual environments – this course will examine the boundaries between lived

Things You Should Know How to Do

and virtual experiences. Mingarelli says faculty and advisors ask students to

Virtual Reality

consider both “diving into an existing passion or trying something new” when

4- or 5-Day Courses

considering their course selections… Virtual Reality may do both.

The Art of Video Games Bike Tour of the California Coast Canyoneering in Zion National Park Design Me in the Right Direction Not Muirley a Hike Optimizing Athletic Performance Public Art & Expression World War II: A Southern California Experience

27 WEBB

todaysummer

Endless Summer… Opportunities Living and Learning Under the California Sun Summer at Webb: you might imagine it as a sleepy time when the dorms are empty, the dining hall is quiet, and the classrooms are dark. But you’d be wrong.

The goal of this exciting venture is to provide an educational summer program that produces innovative leaders, breakthrough thinkers and imaginative problem solvers. And, in turn, to discover the very students who might want to join the Webb family for their high school education. The Junior Scholars—students entering 7th, 8th, and 9th grades—experience the Webb boarding program, engage in active inquiry and learn in powerful new ways. Sally Mingarelli is Webb’s director of experiential learning, and also heads the Junior Scholars Summer Program.

Thanks to Webb’s Junior Scholars Summer Program, the campus is alive with the very unbounded thinking that makes a Webb education so unique, highly sought after, and valuable. This coming summer marks the fifth year of the program, which has grown to include four trackways of study and two sessions (plus a bridge session), with a diverse group of 80 to 90 students each term.

“Part of the reason I head the program is my job title— experiential learning. During the Junior Scholars’ stay, we spend at least two of the 10 days in the field and while the students are here on campus, we’re doing very hands-on activities,” explains Mingarelli. “The reasoning is very much the same as the Webb educational philosophy of Unbounding Thinking,”— that high-level thinking skills are critical for success. Nnenna Ochuru’s interest in the program was piqued by the leadership program and the boarding experience. “I always had the feeling of taking the lead,” explains Ochuru, “but I did not know exactly how, and the program helped me to acquire the skills. The boarding experience

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

WEBB

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

todaysummer “These classes are immersive,” explains Mingarelli. “Students pick one topic and dive in for 10 days. The programs are perfect for kids who have a known passion, or for someone who wants to learn something totally new.” All four tracks in next year’s program mirror things that Webb does well, according to Mingarelli. And students benefit from working in world-class facilities, with Ph.D. instructors. In addition, students’ boarding day includes afternoon interests such as sports, drama, photography, drumming and creative writing. Residential life leaders—or fellows—who work with the young residents in the afternoon and evening are college students and several are young Webb alumni.

taught me to take care of myself physically and mentally. I was accountable for getting to meals and classes promptly, and for being diplomatic and compromising the best possible solution with my roommate if conflict arose. I was looking forward to the challenge I was taking at the age of twelve.” Today, Ochuru ’21, who hails from Riverside, is a freshman boarder at Webb, but prior to her summer experience, she had little enthusiasm for the boarding life.

“ My mother went to boarding school, and wanted me to have a similar experience,” she says. “She believed it would make me independent and responsible. She was correct, and I relished my summer experiences.”

The day is modelled after an actual Webb school day, with academic pursuits from 9 a.m. to noon, and then 1-3 p.m., followed by afternoon activities and then dinner in the Webb dining hall. And while the courses are academically rigorous, it is summer after all, so there is no homework. The young scholars also have access to Webb’s worldclass facilities including: • the digital media studio and maker’s space, which features CAD software to design a 3-D object for printing and Oculus Rift virtual reality goggles, • the Thornton Science Lab where students can synthesize molecules and learn about chemistry, neuroscience, robotics and marine biology, and

The 2018 slate of summer programs includes study in Digital Arts, Leadership, Paleontology, and Science and Engineering.

• the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, with its collection of more than 175,000 specimens.

Summer scholars are paired-up in dorm rooms based on their answers to a questionnaire that is sent out before each session begins. “They get to know each other in an intense way,” says Mingarelli of the living arrangements. The boarding aspect presents an exciting opportunity to meet people from all over the world and across the United States, representing a microcosm of Webb – last year’s group included students from Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Thailand.

“I had the chance to meet new people and stay in touch with them even if they did not end up attending Webb,” says Ochuru. “In the dormitory, everyone lives with one another and it feels like a close-knit community. I very much relish the nights where we would all gather blankets and popcorn and sit on the couch watching Mamma Mia or Grease. Sometimes we would also go to the dorm room of a friend and there would be a vibrant group chatting and laughing. That summer I tried something that was foreign and made new friends.”

The summer experience also had an impact on Ochuru’s decision to attend Webb for high school. “The program to me was a preview – ‘would I be able to take care of myself?’” she says. “I decided to attend Webb not only because of the academic rigor, but also the leadership opportunities.” Ochuru has since worked in the museum and said she learned in summer school that she could take care of herself and was prepared for Webb’s rigorous academics. “I am responsible for getting to classes on time and getting my homework in when it’s due. I knew the campus and some of the teachers and even had some friends so that facilitated my transition as well,” she says. Each year, the program builds on its success with input from teachers and alumni fellows. It started as just one class and has grown to include a new class each year. The application to Webb’s Junior Scholars Summer Program is available online and the priority deadline is March 15, but Mingarelli says it is important to apply early as slots fill up. Need-based financial aid is available. For more information go to webb.org/summer.

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

THE

RTS IMAGINING THE POSSIBILITIES What can playing an instrument, treading the boards, painting scenery, crafting a ceramic piece or creating a podcast provide an intelligent, multi-tasking studentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; especially one who is sustaining a rigorous academic schedule? How about these essential, lifelong skills: time management, dedication, discipline, perseverance, creativity, teamwork, overcoming fears, stress management, passion and the simple, yet well-known fact that life isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always fair.

WEBB

todayarts

“ On a day-to-day basis, the arts give students the opportunity to be creative and expressive in ways that are different from their other classes or activities,” says Stefanie Plumley, chair of the arts department. “For example, blurting out the free association of ideas or physicalizing of emotions or ideas would be disruptive in a traditional class, but is very welcome, and even encouraged in a theater class.”

oday’s students have come of age in the Information Age — a period in history characterized by the shift from traditional industry to an economy based on information computerization. In addition to the knowledge found in lectures and textbooks, learning in the Information Age isn’t wholly dependent on what a student knows, but also his or her ability to find and use that information quickly, creatively and cooperatively. That makes study of the arts an integral development of each student. Arts education refers to education in the disciplines of music, dance, theater and visual arts. There is a two-year arts requirement at Webb; Plumley explains that many students stay with the subject they begin with in their freshman year, while others use their second year to explore something different. And the range of options is remarkable. “The arts department strives to serve all students interested in the arts, from the dedicated and devoted to those who just want to dabble and explore,” says Plumley. “All of the disciplines (theater, instrumental music, vocal music, visual arts and media arts) offer introductory skills courses, as well as advanced classes.” Additionally, honors classes are offered for instrumental music, vocal music and visual and media arts. And there are evening labs where students can work one-on-one with their teachers. “Our afternoon programs are strong and very popular amongst the student body,” adds Plumley. “The theater program rehearses our mainstage play and musical in the fall and spring seasons, dance is offered during the fall, and the dance

company is selected during the winter season in preparation for the January dance show. Also during the winter season, instrumentalists use afternoon time to rehearse individually or practice in small groups. In the spring artists can work on their portfolios or collaborate on group projects. For those who like to work behind the scenes, we offer theater tech for all three seasons. Those in the tech program learn about stagecraft, lighting, sound and design and work as the crew for the play, the dance show and the musical.” The skills developed through theater not only train students how to convincingly deliver a message, but also build the confidence they need to take command of the stage. And theater tech work is a good way to learn how to think on one’s feet, to identify problems, evaluate solutions and figure out what to do. The programs are supported by passionate educators and first-rate facilities. In addition to being teachers, all of the faculty members in the arts department are working artists. For example, instrumental music teachers Linda Silva and Kyle Champion are performing artists in professional orchestras and faculty members at colleges (Silva at California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, and Pomona College, and Champion at the University of Redlands). These connections also link students to music events at the colleges. Ardina Greco, visual arts teacher, recently received her Ph.D. in art education, Jackie Leishman, art teacher, is a local artist who has a studio practice and exhibits frequently; and Michael Szanyi, dance teacher, works with several dance companies in the Los Angeles area. Jonathan Capone pioneered our digital arts program; he started out teaching two introductory media arts classes in the Copeland Donahue Theater and has since added two advanced classes and an honors media arts class. Capone helps teachers and students incorporate creative technologies into their art. According to Plumley, one of the greatest strengths of the department is the collaboration between her and Technical Theater Director Alex Valdez. “We endeavor to run the department like a professional theater,” Plumley explains. “There are the practical elements of running a theater—managing the systems, designing and running all kinds of events and performances, scheduling the use of the spaces, production schedules, the inventory and care of our props, sets, costumes, and make up, ticket sales, and

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

WEBB

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

todayarts

establishing community with parents, the student body and the greater Claremont area. Our primary focus (and passion) is teaching the kids about all aspects of theater. We want them to be knowledgeable about their craft and confident in their abilities so that they can be proud of doing exceptional work. For this reason, so much of our time is spent teaching skills, talking about theory, focusing on technique, and the rigors and rewards of professional behavior.” Equally important, says Plumley, is stressing that theater is truly a “team activity, and everybody is valuable, and everybody must do their part to make it all work! Obviously, we love it when things go off without a hitch, but one of the greatest things for us is to see the kids pull together and fix something when it is in danger of going horribly wrong!” The arts cannot be learned through slapdash or random exposure any more than math or science can. And that is why it is also important for students to have professional spaces in which to express themselves and practice. The Liu/Cheung Theater with its sophisticated lighting and sound capabilities has allowed teachers and students to produce almost anything they can imagine. The Copeland Donahue Theater also presents myriad opportunities for dancers and singers.

“The ‘sprung’ floor (constructed to absorb shocks in Copeland Donahue Theater) makes it a comfortable place for dancers to rehearse, and our vocalists can really open up in that big, airy space,” says Plumley.

Most recently, Plumley directed students in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. She started the rehearsal process with students/actors writing down all the things they remembered about the characters—with most of the comments adhering to the cultural mythology about the play. “As we began to explore the work and ran a fine-tooth comb through every line, action and date, we discovered that our assumptions often didn’t hold up to textual analysis. The actions of the characters on the page were often at odds with the stage directions. As we moved through the rehearsal process, we held fast to the dialogue, assumed nothing and questioned everything. The result was a modern day, modern dress Crucible. The modern dress was not to align the story with any specific event that is happening now, but to illuminate that while fashion, technology, and social mores change, human behavior rarely does,” she says.

eyond taking classes and being involved in dance and theater afternoon programs, there are many ways students can express themselves at Webb, including student art shows (known as “Art Cafes”) or in “on-demand” rehearsal spaces where students who play an instrument or want to jam with friends can play and practice. There is also a team of pianists who play for the weekly chapel program. Teachers across the academic spectrum are also assigning projects that integrate the arts into assignments, so students can access the theaters—and also the technology to create short films, podcasts, music and photography in the Digital Media Studio. In the W. Russell Fawcett Memorial Library,

Mark Dzula, director of teaching and learning resources, hosts a performance series that takes place every Friday where students can perform a set on acoustic or digital instruments, with many students performing works of their own creation.

Scholar) and Vicky Alejandro ’14 is a major force in Columbia University’s a capella groups. Ben Davis ’11 played the French horn at Webb and went on to study at the USC Thornton School of Music; he currently works as a music production specialist and professional guitarist in Los Angeles.

Students benefit at all levels of participation; several recent studies

Plumley also continues her study of theater, as does Valdez, by going to national conferences, taking classes with professional groups in Los Angeles and beyond, and seeing plays and musicals throughout the year (often with Webb students in tow).

have concluded that the creativity and innovation utilized in the artistic process will be highly valued by employers in the United States in the coming years as the nation continues to shift into a global economy.

And many Webb students go on to successful artistic endeavors in college and beyond. Jack Gilliat ’13 graduated from the American Academy of Music and Drama in New York City; Marcus Baldwin ’16 is in the acting program at CalArts; and Allie Glukova ’17 is at the Parsons School of Design. Many more have continued with the arts at big universities and small liberal arts colleges: Amber Goboy ’09 (Stanford) and Nathan Turczan ’09 (Santa Cruz) both majored in opera. Goboy is working on an opera career in Hong Kong, and Turczan is pursuing a post-grad degree in digital music at CalArts. Dylan Turczan ’16 received a performing scholarship to Willamette University and several recent graduates are currently pursuing degrees in technical theater. Brendon Baptista ’12 continued to study the bassoon at Harvard (where he was also a Fulbright

As for what’s coming up in the theater, Plumley has decided to return to her beginnings at Webb. In 2008, her first big musical production was Les Misérables. “So much has happened during that time. We built the beautiful and technically sophisticated Liu/Cheung Theater, hired a technical director, created a dance company, and the program has doubled in size and is still growing! So, to celebrate all the amazing things that have happened over the last 10 years, and to honor the exceptional talent of our performers, we’re doing Les Misérables again this year.” The show runs from May 17-19, 2018. For more information, go to webb.org/page/arts/theater.

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

WEBB

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

todayathletics

VWS TENNIS Another milestone was surpassed this year as VWS tennis secured a fourth consecutive league championship! League MVP and singles champion for a second year running, Thea Kirkpatrick ’18, led the Gauls into CIF play. Macy Huang ’18 and Emily Schoffman ’19 finished the season as league doubles champions. 1

WSC FOOTBALL With a 4-1 win record in league and 9-3 overall, our WSC football team battered their way into the CIF quarterfinals and the record books. Webb football secured its first home playoff game and first playoff win since returning to 11-man football in the late 90s. Nick Johnson ’19 was named League MVP. 2

WSC WATER POLO Our WSC water polo team competed to a second place finish in league. They reached the second round of CIF losing in a one goal heartbreaker to Camarillo. 3 6

VWS GOLF The young but mighty VWS golf program made program history this year by securing 5 league wins! 5 8

VWS VOLLEYBALL

VWS CROSS COUNTRY

It was a year for building on fundamentals for the VWS varsity volleyball program. The team fought hard this fall, finishing with a 3-5 league record in 2017-18. 9

VWS cross country ran to their third consecutive league championship this year. The League MVP this year was freshman Lily Miller ’21, who qualified to run in the state championships in November. 7

WSC CROSS COUNTRY The WSC cross country team ran to a fourth consecutive league championship this fall—and then straight into the post seasons events at CIF. Jackson Bibbens ’18 was named League MVP. 4

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

WEBB

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

todaymuseum

ALF

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

museum at webb

L. Collection space before renovation; stacks of immobile storage cabinets were bolted to floor. R. Compactor rails were installed before concrete was poured in the empty collection room.

World Class Collections Make a World Class Museum For decades, the Alf Museum has hosted stellar exhibits, students, staff, lab spaces, and fossils—yet, the collections storage space for priceless documents of past life did not match our aspirations to be a truly world class facility. The fossil collection is the heart of our museum. Cabinets and shelves were bursting at the seams with specimens, limiting the museum’s ability to collect new fossils

L. First carriage installed on rails that would soon house a double row of cabinets (those in foreground were mounted on this carriage). R. Collection space after installation of compactor system; double rows of cabinets now move laterally on rails and storage capacity increased 60 percent.

and safely house historical ones. We needed additional space, and we needed it soon! Constructing a new building or expanding into existing rooms wasn’t an option. Fortunately, storage technology offered a creative solution.

f you can’t make new space, the best alternative is to make existing space more flexible. Sliding rows of cabinets offered a perfect solution! McMurray-Stern, a local company that specializes in storage for museums, worked with Alf Museum staff to create a new vision for the old collection space. The final plans provided a 60 percent increase in storage capacity. The previous cabinets, along with many newly purchased ones, would be placed onto a carriage system. Each bank of cabinets sits atop a metal frame housing an internal motor—with the touch of a button, the whole bundle of cabinets slides along rails set into the floor. Aisles open and close to permit access to each row of storage. In order to install the system, the previous configuration had to be removed first. But it wasn’t as simple as just removing old cabinets and shelving, as all of the fossils had to be moved too. The downstairs exhibit area (Hall of Footprints) was closed and used as a temporary storage space. In May 2017, after the last school tour of the year, a crew of museum staff, volunteers, and Webb students sprang into action. Our 70 new cabinets, ultimately slated for the collection, were unloaded into the Hall of Footprints. Then drawers of fossils from the collection were moved into the new cabinets, with the location of every drawer carefully recorded for later reference. Every single drawer was also photographed, to provide a complete visual record of our collection—the first time it has ever been done! Once the old cabinets in the collection were emptied, they were moved into the Hall of Footprints. For the first time in decades, the collection room was completely empty! Next, a construction crew installed the compactor rails and then poured a new layer of concrete to support the compactor system, followed by carriage and cabinet installation. Once each bank of cabinets was back in place, museum staff and volunteers moved drawers of fossils into the reinstalled cabinets. It took long hours, but the amazing organizational efforts of Collections Manager Gabe Santos, working with the whole museum team, ensured that each specimen was where it belonged—not a small task when moving 231 cabinets and more than 175,000 fossils! However, the sliding rows of cabinets are only the most visible part of the renovation. We needed to upgrade the work space too. Curation practices have advanced considerably since the

Gabe Santos with the cabinets full of fossils temporarily stored in the Hall of Footprints.

founding of the museum. In the “old days,” it was sufficient to record data on an index card and paint a permanent label on each specimen. Today, every specimen is entered into a computer database and photographed digitally. Also, delicate fossils need custom foam mounts. Each of these steps requires special materials and workspaces. So, the final portion of the project included the installation of new computers, photographic equipment, and tables for volunteers and staff to process fossils and their associated data. The collections upgrade provides space not just for the acquisition of new fossils, but also for the proper storage of “old” ones. Prior to the renovation, many of the fossils were overcrowded into drawers, sometimes with bones sitting on top of other bones. The next big task is to “uncrowd” these fossils (particularly those from the early years of the museum). Also, many fossils have not been fully identified and entered into the museum database. There is a lot to do yet! Museum Director Don Lofgren notes that “completion of this project means our collections are now more fully accessible, thus increasing our global footprint in the paleontological research and museum education communities. Also, we now have space to house all the fossils that will be found by Webb students on peccary trips over the next few decades.” With that, we extend special thanks to those who provided support for the project. Major benefactors were Blake ’68 and Andrea Brown, Yanji Luo and Li Jiang P ’20, the Zemurray Foundation, Sam Zemurray ’61, Dodd Fischer ’61, Ronald Quon ’55, the McMahan Family Fund at the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation, James Wang ’51, Hugh Pitcher ’68, and Richard Kron ’68. Additional support for the project was provided by Jason Pasley ’96, Monica Atiyeh Whitaker ’96, Brian Zipser ’96, Christopher Cord ’60, William Marshall ’96, Daniel Dexeus ’96, and Heidi Marti ’06.

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

WEBB

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

todaymuseum

LIFE TRUSTEE

Hugh Rose On the 4th of July, the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology lost one of its great leaders and supporters, Hugh Rose. A very successful business executive, Hugh and his wife Mary amassed a spectacular collection of fossils and taught paleontology out of their Illinois home decades ago. In the 1970s, Hugh was asked to assess the Alf Museum’s collections and ended up becoming a founding member of the Museum’s Board of Trustees, and enrolling his son Matthew ’82 in Webb School of California.

Hugh and Mary recognized the largely untapped educational and research potential of the museum and donated most of their fossil collection in 1985, and also established the Hugh & Mary Rose Endowed Fund to provide a permanent revenue source for the museum. Also, Hugh was the creative force behind the museum’s Peccary Society Dinners and Peccary glasses, as well as the first Mongolia Peccary Trip. Without Hugh’s foresight and pragmatism, the museum could not have experienced the tremendous growth it did over the last 25 years. As Board Chairman Larry Ashton ’70 recalls, “Hugh was a giant supporter of the Alf Museum in every sense of the word. It is largely because of Hugh’s efforts, at a time when the then fledgling museum was in question, that we have the museum today. Hugh rightfully earned his place as a Life Trustee. His passing is a big loss, but I’m glad that we have his daughter Mary Rose on our board to continue in the Rose tradition.” Museum Director Don Lofgren also notes that “when I was new to Webb in the 1990s, I was able to gain a lot of confidence knowing that I could count on Hugh. A more enthusiastic, dedicated, and visionary leader is hard to imagine. I think the legacy of Hugh Rose will be felt far into the future as his infectious passion for paleontology was an inspiration to all.”

L-R. Wann Langston, Mary Rose, Hugh Rose and Don Lofgren at the Flaming Cliffs of Mongolia in 1995.

Webb seniors in Calgary, (l-r) J. Bibbens, A. Tarakji, B. Kong, K. Henry, P. Raus, E. Lee, A. Bi.

Staff & Students Present at Conference in Canada In August, seven Webb students, Collections Manager Gabe Santos, Webb science teacher/Museum Research Associate Tara Lepore, and Museum Director Don Lofgren attended the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) meeting in Calgary and participated in various workshops and technical sessions.

News from the Raymond M. Alf

Museum of Paleontology at The Webb Schools

Students were coauthors on two research presentations: 1) “Mammalian biostratigraphy of high elevation Tertiary strata in the Gravelly Range of SW Montana,” by D. Lofgren, D. Hanneman, J, Bibbens ’18, B. Kong ’18, and A. Tarakji ’18; and 2) “A new azhdarchid pterosaur from the Kaiparowits Formation of southern Utah,” by N. Carroll, A. Farke, S. Chai ’17, and A. Oei ’18. By attending SVP, students were able to interact with paleontologists from all over the world. The paleontological research program at Webb continues to flourish, as 58 Webb students have now coauthored a paper published in a research journal. Of the total number of 34 papers that have appeared, 22 were published in the last five years. Only Webb provides the opportunity for high school students to do paleontological research and our Advanced Studies in Paleontology classes are always fully enrolled.

“Joe” to an adult dinosaur and human. Currently, Phillip is doing a first-ever artistic reconstruction of a long-running museum study of 60-million-year-old fossil vertebrates from California. Phillip notes that “at a museum like the Alf, I have immediate access to a well-documented library of specimens as well as multiple paleontologists specializing in a variety of study areas. These resources help ensure that the media I am creating is not only engaging, but accurate to current research.”

Wes Lachman (right) with museum director Don Lofgren in the renovated Rock Room.

Rock Room Upgrades Phillip Krzeminski, science illustrator intern.

Alf Museum Hosts Science Illustrator The fossils at the Alf Museum hold clues to long-vanished worlds; yet it can be difficult even for paleontologists to imagine what these worlds looked like. It takes an expert artist to resurrect a prehistoric environment and through internships, the museum gains an opportunity to collaborate with professional artists, while the artists gain professional experience in a museum setting. Thus, we are fortunate to host Phillip Krzeminski, from Cal State Monterey Bay, our second intern from that nationally renowned science illustration program. Phillip was a high school art teacher before transitioning into science illustration and he has collaborated with the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History on illustrations and sculptures for their ornithology hall. Phillip’s first rendering at the Alf Museum featured a comparison of the internal skull anatomy of our baby dinosaur

Gear storage isn’t glamorous, but well-organized camping and cooking supplies ensure a successful start to any Peccary Trip. An Eagle Scout project by Wes Lachman (son of museum trustee Carl Lachman ’86) featured a major upgrade to shelving, cabinetry, and tables for “The Rock Room.” This space, adjacent to the fossil preparation laboratory, has long served as storage for field and lab gear. “This Eagle Project is my way of giving back to the Alf Museum and showing how much I appreciate all that I have learned from its staff and volunteers,” says Wes Lachman. Wes, a student at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach, has attended numerous alumni and summer peccary trips with his father since he was four years old. He solicited funding for the project from local community organizations, and assembled the new storage items with his fellow members of Boy Scout Troop 90 of Newport Beach. “Thanks to the efforts of Wes and his scout troop, our Rock Room is a much cleaner, and more organized and effective space from which to launch our field expeditions. We really appreciate his support of the museum—the Eagle Project makes a big difference,” says curator Andy Farke.

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

WEBB

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

todayfaculty

Brian Rogers Author and Teacher

Brian Rogers practices what he teaches. In his Advanced Studies class, Existentialism and the Human Condition, he educates students about the works of Kurt Vonnegut, Margaret Atwood, Samuel Beckett, Simone de Beauvoir and others. He also leads classes in American Studies and Creative Writing. About authors, he knows from whence he speaks.

hat’s because Rogers is also an accomplished writer and recently published his first book, The Whole of the Moon, a novel that features six crisscrossing storylines spanning the years from the late 1950s to the present. The unifying factor? “All of the characters have checked out the same library copy of The Great Gatsby, though they don’t know this. Some of the stories unfold in a single day, others over the course of many years,” explains Rogers. Now in his seventh year as a faculty member at The Webb Schools, Rogers received his B.A. in English from the University of the Pacific, where he also did significant coursework in political science, and his M.A. in creative writing from San Francisco State University. “The Whole of the Moon is my first published novel,” says Rogers. “I’ve been gratified by the reception, both in terms of receiving some nice reviews and the kind words from so many people.” The Kirkus Review called it: “Infused with subtle, evocative details, each story beautifully, quietly beats on against time’s current.” Rogers claims that the library at Webb provided the “wellspring” for the idea of the novel.

“ Our books at Webb still have the good old-fashioned library cards. I have always been struck by seeing the names there, some going back decades,” he says. “I’d see the names and wonder about their lives, what brought them to checking out that particular book, for instance. So, I dreamt up six storylines – in the novel, the book comes from a public library – and wrote the stories concurrently.”

e began writing the book right after Thanksgiving, two years ago, and wrote mostly at night. Rogers did graduate work in creative writing, mainly poetry (what he describes as “very bad poetry”) and says he began writing fiction in earnest when he started teaching. Since its publication, Rogers has traveled around the country to publicize the book. He did his first reading in Chicago, had several readings and a book release party in Southern California, and most recently read at Green Apple Books in San Francisco. “The latter was a bit of a homecoming since I used to perform stand-up comedy just a few doors down from the store, and I spent lots of hours wandering around Green Apple when I was living in the Bay Area and performing and going to college there.” He has also performed readings on the Webb campus including once as part of the Friday Performance Series that Director of Library Technologies Mark Dzula presents at the W. Russell Fawcett Memorial Library and Jackson Library (which Rogers describes as a space with “some good old literary bones”). Webb Canyon Chronicle also ran a feature on the book. “When I read on campus, students’ questions are not so far off from any other reading,” says Rogers. “They want to know,

Rogers claims that the library at Webb provided the “wellspring” for the idea of the novel. where did I get the idea, how long did I work on the book, et al. Students have been generally upbeat about the fact that one of their teachers published a novel.” Although Rogers says it’s “a minor miracle for anyone to get a novel published these days” and is grateful for all the support he’s received, he isn’t resting on his laurels. In fact, he’s revising a manuscript that he actually wrote before Moon and is also working on a one-act play, a solo show. “If there are any Webbies out there who want to play a 40-year old man in crisis,” he says, “let me know!”

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

WEBB

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

todayfaculty

Christina Duron ’08

Alumna Inspires the Next Generation of Webb Students Several instances in Webb history have found alumni of the schools returning to reunite with the community through the ranks of its faculty. There was the legendary Dave Fawcett ’61, who taught history at Webb for nearly 40 years, and Will Allan ’94 who teaches economics and Anthony Shin ’99, assistant director of college guidance and journalism teacher. There was also Gabe Romero ’08 (advancement fellow and assistant golf coach) and Heidi Marti ’06 (admission officer) among others.

oining this notable group is Christina Duron ’08 who is now in her fifth year of teaching precalculus and third year of teaching computer programming at Webb. Recently, Duron was honored with the Pick Fellowship Award, which includes a $10,000 stipend, for her work as a doctoral student in mathematical sciences at Claremont Graduate University. She is currently devising statistical models to understand a form of pediatric brain cancer that affects the optic nerve to ultimately find ways to target the disease’s mechanisms. Duron’s entire family is involved in education—her parents are teachers (dad Ziyad is the Jude and Eileen Laspa Professor of Engineering at Harvey Mudd College and mom Suzanne is a pre-school teacher. Her siblings Andrea ’05 and Ziyad ’15 also attended Webb.) Duron graduated from Swarthmore College with a B.A. in mathematics followed by an M.A. in applied math from the University of Washington.

“ The thought of pursuing a career as a teacher was something always in the back of my mind,” says Duron. “I remember struggling with the complexity of mathematical concepts, and spending countless hours figuring out how to re-word them so that I could understand them. I wanted to become a teacher in order to help translate those same complex ideas for students, which would hopefully in turn, improve their confidence moving forward in life. I love my job because seeing students overcome that mountain and become more confident than when they entered – there is nothing better than that.” Duron made her return to Webb for the 2013-14 school year as the schools’ first Teaching Fellow in Mathematics. As a teaching fellow, Duron taught a reduced load of courses while working closely with master teachers in mathematics. “My teachers at Webb truly cared about me, and taught me how to work hard, to push through difficult times, but most

importantly, they were all there to support me throughout my career,” she says. She cites teachers such as her advisor Jessica Buxbaum, Juli James, Rick Duque and Diane Wilsdon, and then-Head of Schools Susan Nelson, for serving as mentors in her educational journey. In fact, her experience as a student at Webb—as a busy honor cabinet member, a Peccary enthusiast, and a varsity starter in basketball—helped prepare her for her return, and for working full-time while completing an advanced degree. “When I was a VWS student, I learned how to manage my time and to ask for help,” she says. “Those have been keys in managing both working and studying full-time. I use my free blocks to get curriculum work finished, and spend my nights on research. But even with the best time management skills, I would not be able to accomplish even a fraction of this if not for the supporting community here at Webb.”

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

WEBB

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

todaygiving

eith Loring ’46 Funds $650,000 Scholarship Fund When Keith Wilson Loring ’46 attended Webb School of California in the early 1940s, he acquired more than an education. He became part of something larger than himself, an extended family.

Loring’s own father died when he was only five months old. His stepfather’s sister was Edith Tyndall, Thompson Webb’s secretary, and she helped Loring get into Webb on a “work program,” whereby he did odd jobs around campus to help cover the cost of his tuition. This was the earliest form of financial aid at the school. Many years later, Keith described his experience at Webb to his classmates: “When I was a student, no one ever knew that Pappy took a big chance on me by giving me a full ride. He treated me with the same respect as he treated each of you and had equally high expectations. Together, each of us learned about leadership, honor, and loyalty, lessons that became embedded in my core.” Loring passed away on May 8, 2017—he was 88 years old. In his final act of appreciation to the schools, Loring kept a promise he made to Thompson in 1949 when he wrote in a letter, “You are all wonderful to me, and I’ll never forget it. I only hope that someday I’ll be in a position to help other needy students, as you did me. Let’s wait and see …”

This summer, Webb received news that Loring bequeathed a share of his estate to Webb, capping a lifetime of generosity towards the schools including 64 lifetime gifts beginning in 1960, when Webb first began fundraising efforts as a nonprofit organization. The estate gift will be added to the Keith Wilson Loring ’46 Scholarship Fund, which was founded in 2011 to provide scholarship support for Webb School of California students. Loring actually had the pleasure of meeting the first Loring Scholar, Brian Christensen ’15, via Skype and the two bonded immediately. “This gift reflects one man’s love of an institution, and his profound gratefulness for the opportunity to experience an education that set him on a path for life,” says Taylor Stockdale, Head of Schools. “As we approach The Centennial, Keith’s commitment to financial aid endowment insures that others just like him—smart, motivated, and above all, honorable—will enjoy the rewards of a Webb experience.” At Webb, Keith described his masters as “father figures.” He was especially close to Ray Alf who was his mentor and track coach and from whom he learned important lessons about endurance, mental and physical toughness, and risking failure to achieve success.

“This gift reflects one man’s love of an institution, and his profound gratefulness for the opportunity to experience an education that set him on a path for life.” Loring later attended Princeton University where he also “worked his way through” at odd jobs that included waiting tables in the dining hall and working the ticket booth at football games. He went on to work for the National Life Insurance Company in Miami, Florida for 46 years. Loring was a prostate cancer survivor and leader of several prostate cancer support groups where he spent more than a decade helping men cope with this pervasive disease. He fancied himself an amateur standup comedian and performed his jokes whenever possible. Keith is survived by four children: Scott, Bruce, Grant and Catharine. Webb was always dear to his heart though. In 1949, Thompson Webb wrote a letter to the president of the Rotary Club of Coral Gables, Florida, offering to help Loring receive a scholarship for his ﬁnal year at Princeton: “Loring entered this school [Webb] in September 1943 in our sophomore class and spent three full years here, graduating in June 1946. He made a splendid record in all respects. Loring is a very ambitious young man – an exceedingly hard worker. His behavior with us was always above reproach and deserved our highest recommendation. In his senior year, we were very much pleased with the strong stand which he took on the right side of several exciting issues in the student body. He showed leadership and personal courage which aroused our admiration very much.”

Keith never forgot Pappy’s devotion to his students. In an email to the advancement office Loring wrote, “My personal values and code of ethics are all based heavily on my three years at Webb, and they have served me well over the years when confronted with ‘easier but always incorrect’ solutions to various problems.” Loring embodies Thompson Webb’s hope that his graduates would carry with them always, “the fundamental principles of character and the highest ideals of right living …” With this gift, Keith Loring ’46 upholds his legacy as a leader, not an ordinary man, and makes it possible for others to follow in his footsteps. Pappy Webb would be proud.

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

WEBB

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

todaygiving/volunteering

Webb Doubles Campus Size to 150 Acres with Purchase of Wilderness Hillside

Claraboya

Newly Acquired Land 80 acres (The Webb Campus)

It’s no exaggeration to say that The Webb Schools rose from humble beginnings. As the story is told, Thompson and Vivian Webb sold nearly all of their worldly possessions in a tag sale to ﬁnance a trip from

The Webb Campus 70 acres

Tennessee to California to take over an abandoned

n 1922, the asking price for the ramshackle property in the hills above Claremont was somewhere between $30,000 and $40,000. The owners wanted half of the asking price in cash. Well, again, with less than $100 on hand other arrangements had to be made. And they were.

Through personal loans and private leases Thompson and Vivian cobbled together the resources they needed to get things started. And over time, with the success and growth of the school, more permanent and lasting arrangements were made. Now, as Webb prepares for The Centennial 1922-2022, wouldn’t Thompson and Vivian be pleased to see how Webb thrives! During those early days of the 20th century, the wilderness hillsides to the east and north of the Webb campus were the property of two sisters who had been awarded the acreage by homestead. As time passed and suburban development grew, the value of the hillsides above Claremont grew with it. Actually, for more than three decades, Webb has been in talks with the two sisters and members of their families about the possible purchase of the land for the schools. Webb’s interest in this hillside land has always been threefold: First, to maintain our Western heritage of wild arroyos and heritage oaks to our east and north; second, to create a buffer between the

AD RO

was to be equal parts dream and determination.

ON NY CA BB WE

less than $100 in their pockets. Their unlikely success

TOWNE AVENUE

school campus above Claremont. They arrived with

BASELINE ROAD

campus and suburban development; and third, to allow for future campus improvement and development as the school community and board of trustees desires. All three of these goals have now been accomplished. “ This historic purchase of wilderness hillside, doubling the size of our campus, will allow Webb to be in control of its destiny for the next 100 years. It’s a remarkable accomplishment, made possible only by the hard work of the senior administrative team, Board of Trustees, life trustees and a small group of major benefactors,” says Taylor Stockdale, Head of Schools.

“As Taylor rightly points out, this is a great moment in Webb’s history. I, too, want to thank and acknowledge the senior administrative team, the Board of Trustees, and those leadership donors that made this all possible. I am thrilled to be a part of this work and this moment. All of us in the Webb community should be excited beyond measure about Webb’s future as we look to The Centennial and beyond,” says Sanjay Dholakia ’87, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

news 22 &

notes

THE WEBB SCHOOLS

a half minutes with

Stephanie Baron ’96, Director of the Health Center As a student, you would find her on the basketball court or with friends in South Hutch lounge. Over 20 years later, you’ll find this alumna back on campus in a new role: director of the health center.

B Y J E S S I C A R I C E ’12

riven by her passion for medicine and desire to give back to The Webb Schools community, Stephanie Baron ’96 has returned home to Webb. Known by students as “PA Baron,” she brings years of clinical and educational experience to her new position. Baron attended Colby College in Maine and later attended Physician Assistant (PA) school at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Calif. She worked in general surgery and urgent care and found her way back to Western U,

where she worked and taught in the PA department for 10 years. She transitioned back into clinical practice over the last year. Baron’s love for Webb was always clear. She regularly attended alumni events, spoke at Sophomore Career Evening and hosted students for Unbounded Days when she was teaching at the university. When a position opened up in the Health Center, Baron was a seamless fit. “She had all the technical skills. She had the training. She had all the experience. And then she had all the intangibles for someone that could execute this job very well,” including her life experience as a Webb student, says former Alumni Council president Rahmi Mowjood ’90, who helped with the search for a new director. Baron stepped in as interim director in August and was officially named the health center’s new director less than two months later. Here she reflects on, as an alumna, her new position.

q&a What brought you back to Webb? Webb was an integral part of shaping who I am. I had so many strong role models who inspired and supported me through my years here. Jeaney Garcia (Dupras, married to Rich Garcia ’87) was athletic director when I was here, and was my first basketball coach. Her fun spirit and ability to motivate us to reach our full potential quickly made her one of my idols. When I started working here, one of my Webb friends jokingly said to me, “So, basically, you’re going back to Webb to be the next Jeaney.” In short, yes. Reaching young people at this stage in their lives and being that positive person they can recall from their Webb experience is a dream come true. What is it like being back on campus? Surreal. There are moments when I’m walking on campus and feel like the 14-year-old kid that I was. Then I walk up gym hill and remember that I’m not—that I’m pushing 40 now. It is two different stages of my life overlapping and coming together, so it’s surreal, but I love it. What motivated you to pursue this career path? I always knew I wanted a career in medicine and could not envision myself in any other field. The PA profession intrigued me in particular because of its shorter course to practicing medicine, compared to the time commitment that comes with medical school. The other great thing about the PA profession is the flexibility it affords. Since we are trained in general medicine, we are not necessarily bound to one specialty.

fun fact: Baron served on residential hall staff at Colby College with Ben Farrell,

WSC Dean of Students. They were both head residents.

Did you ever think you would come back to work at Webb? I thought it would be very cool to come back and work at Webb. As I returned for alumni events and reconnected with faculty and old friends, it fueled my desire to give back to a community that had given me so much. As a student, what did you do on campus? I was a day student when I was here. I played basketball during the winter and was on the honor cabinet senior year. I also played ice hockey in Ontario on a boys team. I sort of had a reputation of being too rough during intramurals and other campus competitions like Webb Day.

“ The most vivid memory I have of Stephanie is her ‘Bear Hugs,’” Spanish teacher Javier Valera recalls. “She would see me, run towards me and once in a while, squeeze the life out of me. I remember being so afraid of her that several times I hid to avoid the hug.” Do you think your time at Webb had any impact on what career path you chose? I think so in that you are among very high-achieving people who also have high aspirations. In that kind of

environment, you find a lot of strength and encouragement from your peers who truly understand you. I believe it is why such strong bonds are fostered among the people here. Do you have any goals for yourself as director of the health center? I hope to continue efforts to create a space for the community to feel welcome, supported and safe. I would also like to be more involved in health education on campus. From my perspective as a health care provider and former educator, taking care of and advocating for yourself are important life skills. Additionally, I would like to expand my knowledge base and receive more training in sports medicine so I can play a larger role in evaluating and managing our athletes’ injuries. I was a student athlete and I know what it’s like to be in the training room recovering all too well. I have a good idea of the mentality of the student athlete and am able to commiserate with them. What is your favorite thing about Webb? We are a big family with all of the dynamics that entails. I have always said that when I am on campus, I feel that sense of peace and calm that only home brings.

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

ALUMNI PROFILE

Jeff Luhnow ’84, General Manager of the Houston Astros From Webb to the World Series. B Y J E S S I C A R I C E ’12

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

eff Luhnow ’84 grew up rooting for the Dodgers. He listened to legendary broadcaster Vin Scully on the radio as an honor committeeman in Appleby Dorm and regularly went to Dodger games with renowned teacher Rick Whyte ’57. “I bled Dodger blue back then!” Luhnow recently wrote to Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale.

This November the 51-year-old stood on the field at Dodger Stadium with his son Henry in his arms, moments after the Houston Astros clinched their first-ever World Series title. General Manager Luhnow said the feeling of walking onto the field was amazing and surreal. “It’s a goal that we’ve been working towards since I got here,” he says. Luhnow joined the Astros as general manager in December 2011. At that point, the “Astros were the worst team in baseball, with one of the worst farm systems in baseball,” he acknowledges. Some five years later, the Astros finished the 2017 regular season 10161, and went on to defeat the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees and finally the Los Angeles Dodgers to clinch the historic title. Many have credited the team’s success to Luhnow—someone who never thought he would work in baseball.

“I figured that to work in baseball you have to be either a former player or coach or know somebody,” he says. Growing up, Luhnow played baseball and collected baseball cards in Mexico City, where he was born and raised. He was an infielder who “had trouble hitting a good fastball,” but did not play at The Webb Schools because it was the same season as tennis, he notes. After graduating from University of Pennsylvania with dual bachelor’s degrees in engineering and economics, Luhnow wrote a letter to a fellow U Penn graduate in the O’Malley family, who owned the Dodgers at the time, to see if there were any opportunities to work with the team. “It was a long shot but I figured it was worth a letter!” he says. Although he did not get a response, his love and interest in baseball followed him into adulthood. He completed a project on the Chicago Cubs while earning his MBA from Northwestern and played fantasy baseball for years. Luhnow worked as an engineer, a management consultant and a technology entrepreneur before he found his way to baseball. He says his career experience helped him develop skills he needs as a baseball executive and believes it is one of two things that differentiate him as a general manager. The other is his bicultural background and ability to speak both English and Spanish fluently. “This is a very international game, and the largest population outside of Americans are players from Latin America whose first language is Spanish,” Luhnow says. “So being able to communicate with them and understand where they come from

“We were able to give some joy and some happiness to people who suffered incredible devastation,” he says. “To be able to give them a distraction, something to think about, something to hope for, and then ultimately something to really cheer about and be proud of,” every person affiliated with the team was proud to do that for the city, he says. Several publications have called Luhnow the architect behind Houston’s win, some citing key acquisitions, draft picks and data-informed decision making as part of his strategy.

is a tremendous advantage for a general manager.” In 2003, the owner of the St. Louis Cardinals started looking for someone with a technology and business background to help in the front office. Luhnow said a former colleague recommended him and he got a call “out of the blue.” He was working for the team three months later. “The Cardinals gave me a chance to work on scouting and player development, which are really the lifebloods of the baseball operations organization,” Luhnow says. “The experience I had in those areas allowed me to have the credibility and the experience to essentially take over a club in 2011, because I wasn’t someone that spent my life or my career in the industry. I had to catch up very quickly, and the Cardinals experience definitely allowed me to do that.” Luhnow experienced World Series success with the Cardinals in 2006 and 2011, but not as general manager, or the person putting together the

baseball operations, organization and the team, he notes. When he started seeing his contributions succeed, he began thinking about how fun and challenging it would be to run baseball operations himself. He was drawn to the Astros because of the challenge, and the potential to “really make people happy” in Houston, he says.

“Because it was a tough situation in 2011, we (owner Jim Crane and I) were able to do things the way we really felt they needed to be done,” Luhnow says. “Not the way teams had done it in the past, not the way the media felt we should do it, but really the way we believed was the right way to get the team to bounce back.”

“When you actually do turn a franchise around and help a team win and help people smile and be happy, it’s very satisfying,” Luhnow says.

While Luhnow is flattered by the recognition he has received, he is quick to credit the rest of the Astros organization for the team’s success.

Joy over the Astros’ success could not have come at a better time. After Hurricane Harvey ravaged Houston, players wore patches on their jerseys emblazoned with the word “strong.”

“Behind every architect, there are a lot of people … doing the drawings that support the initiative,” he says. “It’s a team effort. There’s no question about it, just like it is on the field.”

“We wanted a reminder to ourselves and to our fans about what happened in August, but it was also about the resilience of the people of Houston and Texas in general to rebuild after Harvey,” he reveals. Given the timing, Luhnow says he feels “privileged to have been a part of” the Astros’ win.

He is already thinking about next season. “No team has repeated as world champions in decades,” Luhnow says. “And now that we have the first, we’d like to be the first team to repeat in a long time, and certainly want to win another one.”

news FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

notes

THE WEBB SCHOOLS

COUNCIL CORNER

I am humbled by my new assignment as president of the Alumni Council. With the election of new members, our council of over 30 members from six decades of class years represents alumni living across the U.S. and around the world. Nearly 10 people have stepped into new roles on the council: Whitney Wharton ’05 is the council’s new vice president; Micol Issa ’05, Ed Ratinoff ’83 and Aminah Teachout ’04 were elected as members at large; and David Ditz ’72, Michael McDermott ’83 and Chan Woo Sung ’86 have joined as regional representatives. I would also like to thank Rahmi Mowjood ’90 for serving two consecutive terms as president. He will remain on the council as a non-voting member and has joined the Board of Trustees.

I am looking forward to furthering the schools’ goals and traditions, and want to keep striving for an equal representative balance of Webb School of California and Vivian Webb School alumni on the council. For the short term, I’d like to explore establishing an Alumni Council Alf Museum affinity group and to keep asking ourselves what we can do better to engage all our alumni and the schools. I look forward to discovering what we can and will accomplish together. Warm regards, Doug Gregg ’66

When the student becomes the teacher

Stephanie Baron ’96 and Christina Duron ’08 are not the only alumni to find their way back to Webb. Some 10 alumni currently teach or work at The Webb Schools or in the Raymond M. Alf Museum.

Will Allan ’94, humanities teacher, dorm head and coach, has worked at Webb for 19 years

Lexus Beaman ’08, assistant director of stewardship & donor relations, is in her fourth year of working at Webb

Anthony Shin ’99, associate director of college guidance, is in his sixth year of working at Webb

As a student, did you ever think you would teach at Webb?

Did you ever think you would work at Webb?

What was your favorite thing to eat from the dining hall?

Not at all, I was very quiet in class as a student. I was more comfortable in the dorms or on the playing field. When (former Head of Schools Susan) Nelson told me that I got the job over the phone, I hung up and thought to myself, “What have I just done?” What brought you back to Webb?

The people, the campus and the positive message the school reinforces.

Yes, I could see it, but I wanted to be the VWS School Counselor, aka Melanie Bauman.

Corned beef hash after a morning swim workout.

What brought you back to Webb?

Everything Webb stands for, honor, integrity, community. I loved my four years here as a student and jumped at the opportunity to come back and give back to a place that gave me so much.

Mr. Martinez was my junior year advisor and made applying to college a fun and rewarding experience. I was excited to have the chance to work with him and do the same for others.

EVENTS & HIGHLIGHTS Reunions, regional events, and more! Alumni, parents, and friends reconnect. Find more event photos at webb.org

PARENTS WEEKEND

More than 450 parents and family members attended Parents Weekend, October 6-7, to experience a day in the life of a Webb student.

AFFILIATES BENEFIT

More than 300 parents and friends enjoyed dinner, and silent and live auctions on the lower field. The Affiliates Benefit, themed Dream. Plan. Do., raised over $280,000 in support of ongoing activities and opportunities for students to learn and grow, making it the highest grossing benefit in Webb history!

news FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

notes

THE WEBB SCHOOLS

EVENTS & HIGHLIGHTS

ALUMNI WEEKEND

More than 300 alumni and friends attended Alumni Weekend, with 12 classes celebrating a reunion. Alumni traveled from eight countries and 25 states. A highlight of the weekend was the Class of 1947’s 70th reunion!

ack in Class at Alumni Weekend The weekend featured some of our talented alumni.

FRIDAY 9:50 a.m. VWS Chapel During her chapel talk Alyssa Sittig ’07, a brand marketing manager at LinkedIn, described hiking to Table Mountain in South Africa and how she learned that the right mindset makes all the difference. Her walk out song, “Soak Up the Sun” by Sheryl Crow, was the same song she played after her senior chapel talk.

11:50 a.m. Meet the Author During his freshman year at Webb, Ohio-based John Scalzi ’87 had an epiphany that he wanted to be a writer. Over 30 years later, the New York Times bestselling science fiction author returned to campus for a reading and Q&A with alumni, students and faculty.

PECCARY DINNER

The celebration for the 25th Annual Peccary Society Dinner was a memorable one, breaking the all-time fundraising record with $146,750 in sponsorships raised, a tribute to founding board member Hugh Rose, and tours of the recently-renovated collections room. The crowd was inspired by the Alf Award for Excellence in Paleontological Research and Education winner, Dr. Bolortsetseg Minjin, and her work repatriating fossils to Mongolia and teaching the next generation of Mongolian paleontologists. Laudate Deum! Find more event photos at webb.org

12:40 p.m. B Block Media Arts Class Michael Kwon ’87, a senior design director for Nike China in Shanghai, visited Jon Capone’s media arts class to talk about his career in design and the creative arts. His advice to students included: be inspired, always be curious, stay connected and always be a child.

2:30 p.m. Afternoon Dance Andrew Wass ’92, a dancer living in Germany, taught three dance classes during the week and shared his expertise with students.

SATURDAY 10 a.m. Laughter Yoga Erin Smith ’87, a certified laughter yoga instructor, led a group session to enhance participants’ physical, emotional and spiritual health and wellbeing. Smith said she was incredibly grateful to teach a class at Webb.

6:30 p.m. Alumni Dinner Ben Davis ’11 and his band serenaded alumni and guests during the dinner celebration on the Lower Field. We loved hearing him play his guitar on campus again.

news FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

notes

THE WEBB SCHOOLS

WASHINGTON D.C.

PORTLAND

In April alumni and friends joined Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale for a fun evening at Lincoln Restaurant in Dupont Circle.

Dodd ’61 and Nancy Fischer hosted a reception at the Multnomah Athletic Club for over 30 alumni and friends in May. Pictured: Toni Greening, Bill Bailey ’55, Chip Greening ’62, Elliott Trommald ’55, Nancy Fischer, Joanna Bailey, and Board of Trustees Chariman Sanjay Dholakia ’87.

NEW YORK CITY More than 60 alumni and friends gathered at the National Arts Club in April at a reception hosted by Webb trustee David Loo ’79. Alumni represented six decades of Webb.

EVENTS & HIGHLIGHTS

CHICAGO

NAPA WINE TASTING

Alumni and parents met for dinner in October with Anne Stewart, director of parent relations and special events. Back row: Alec Hou ’13, Dani Baron ’03, David Schoffman P ’17, ’20, John and Alma Marie Graf P ’21. Front row: Anne Stewart, Roxanne Zong ’15, Alicia Y. Zhang ’14, Su Yeon Yang ’14, Kitty He ’17, Michelle Huang ’16, Allen Stewart ’14, Hary Higbie ’73 (kneeling).

In June, young alumni in the Bay Area joined San Francisco Regional Representative Will Habos ’04 for a Napa wine tasting tour that included Artesa Winery, V. Sattui Winery and Frog’s Leap. L-R: Valerie Kraus ’11, Chauncy Henn ’11, Callie Renfrew ’11, Meghan McCabe, Will Habos ’04, Sasha Shekhar Grimm ’00, Carl Grimm, Abbey Kingsbury ’14, Brandon Scolieri ’13, Nick Gollin ’13, Thomas Yu ’06, and Jun-Ha Yoon ’04.

ALUMNI PECCARY TRIP TO BARSTOW Over 80 alumni, parents and friends joined the Alf Museum for its annual Alumni & Friends Peccary Trip on May 5-6, 2017 in Barstow, Calif. Friends old and new enjoyed the hike into the Badlands for fossil hunting and dinner around the campfire.

news FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

notes

THE WEBB SCHOOLS

HONG KONG

SHANGHAI

On April 18, Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale began a 16-day Asia trip with an event at the Hong Kong Bankers Club for alumni, and current and incoming families.

Shi An Liu and Ping Xu P ’13 hosted 70 parents and alumni at the Shanghai reception in honor of Taylor and Anne at the Xijiao Hotel. Trustee Denis Yip P ’18, ’19 gave opening remarks and introduced Stockdale, who gave an update on the school year, followed by an update on college guidance from Hector Martinez.

BEIJING

SEOUL

Webb received a warm welcome in Beijing from more than 100 guests at a dinner hosted by Chen Zhang and Shuhong Li P ’19 and Hui Qian and Xiarong Ju P ’18 at the Four Seasons Hotel. Taylor Stockdale welcomed the many incoming students and their families, Hector Martinez spoke about college guidance and Dutch Barhydt discussed the lifelong association that Webb students develop with the school. Stockdale also announced that parents Amanda Bi and Michael McDermott P ’18 made a gift to Webb to establish The McDermott Family Fund for Excellence in Mandarin.

Parents in Seoul, led by Byong Suk Hwang and Eun Young Rim P ’18 hosted a dinner at the Lecomptior Restaurant for the Stockdales, Hector Martinez and Dutch Barhydt. This wonderful evening provided the opportunity for all parents to converse at length about their students’ lives at Webb.

EVENTS & HIGHLIGHTS

SENIOR DINNER FOR THE CLASS OF 2017

HEAD’S RECEPTION FOR LEADERSHIP DONORS

The Alumni Council hosted its annual dinner for the senior class, to officially welcome them into the alumni community. John Fuelling P ’11, ’15, ’17 of the Corner Butcher, catered the event.

Members of the Head’s Circle, Leadership Society and Pacesetter’s Club gathered at Taylor and Anne Stockdale’s home, in May as a thank you for their continued support.

ALUMNI, PARENTS AND STUDENT SWIM

ALUMNI STUDENT BADMINTON

In March, coaches Ken Rosenfeld and Tom Jurczak hosted a swim meet and barbecue for alumni, parents and students. Alumni and parents were represented by Wilson Parnell ’13, Adrian Hui ’15, David Albers ’16, Richard Parnell ’16, Gregory Jung P ’17, ’19 and Marty Davis P ’11, ’19.

Current students got to play with members of Webb’s 2011 and 2012 League championship team last March. Coach Kevin Quick and Assistant Coach Sujata Sheth P ’03, ’07, ’10 welcomed back Sam Nam ’14, Chris Kwon ’14, Kevin Pandji ’13, Alicia Y. Zheng ’14, Terence Tien ’13 and Lisa Pangilinan ’12.

news FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

notes

THE WEBB SCHOOLS

Six Alumni Honored During Alumni Weekend 2017 Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award Garland Reiter ’72 is executive chairman of Reiter Affiliated Companies (RAC), the world’s largest fresh berry producer, with farms in five countries and customers around the world. Reiter focuses on reinforcing the foundations of RAC’s business and its corporate motto: “Honesty, Fairness, and Respect.” Reiter has worked hard to promote those values in his company’s operations and in its treatment of its workforce. One of his achievements was making RAC the first U.S. agribusiness to offer a network of health clinics for farmworkers. He has also placed great emphasis on community service through RAC’s corporate philanthropy program. Reiter has been an active part of Webb’s community for almost 30 years. He has remained keenly interested in Webb’s commitment to developing leadership and character, which have meant so much to him and his company. Katy Carr White ’87 is a family practice physician who has devoted her career to bringing medical care to those less fortunate. In 2009, she became a family practice physician for Los Angeles Christian Health Centers (LACHC), which has two clinics and 11 satellite sites throughout greater LA. She is

now LACHC’s chief medical officer. Last year alone, LACHC served more than 10,000 patients—most of them desperately poor, many of them homeless. Carr White has made frequent visits back to campus. She is part of the Hastings Society through her consistent support of The Webb Fund and has given several chapel talks. She has warm memories of her time at Webb, crediting Laurence McMillin for teaching her “to appreciate each person as an individual.” Young Alumni Rising Star Award Jessica Dholakia ’07 is the marketing manager for San Francisco-based Taulia Inc., a B2B supply chain finance company that supports businesses around the world. Dholakia’s leadership and strategy enabled her team to boost revenues by 630 percent in one year, earning Taulia the 2017 Commercial Marketing Team of the Year award from Marketo, Inc. Dholakia’s affinity for Webb began early on. She became a member-at-large on the Alumni Council in 2013 and her ongoing generosity in supporting Webb has earned her a place in the Hastings Society.

ummer Fun for Alumni at Webb

Colborn Distinguished Service Award Bud Hoover ’52 served as a Webb trustee from 1969 to 1980 and as chairman of the board from 1973 to 1975. He also served as president of the Alumni Council from 1967 to 1969. Hoover is a life trustee and a generous supporter of Webb. He’s a member of the Thompson & Vivian Webb Society and has established the H. Earl Hoover II Fund to provide scholarship support to students, a legacy that will contribute to the schools for generations to come. Hoover is extensively involved with nonprofit organizations, including the Los Angeles chapter of the Boy Scouts of America, the Palm Springs Historical Society, and the Palm Springs Art Museum, just to name a few. Kimball McCloud ’67 has remained in close contact with Webb since graduation. In 1984, he joined the Alumni Association and became its president from 1989 to 1991. From 1991 to 2006, he was a member of the Board of Trustees and served as Chairman of the Board from 2000 to 2004. The McClouds have continued to support Webb in innumerable ways, giving generously both financially and of their time. His immediate family includes five Webb alumni as well as a life trustee and former Affiliates president, his wife Claire. The McClouds have hosted many dinners and volunteered for countless strategic committees and task forces. Janel Henriksen Hastings ’87 joined the Alumni Council in 2006 and in 2009 became the first VWS alumna president of the Council. In 2012, she brought her humor and vision to the Board of Trustees, where she will serve until at least 2021. Henriksen Hastings has rallied alumni support for Webb events and strategic campaigns, developed new alumni activities and hosted social events. She continues to lend Webb her expertise in institutional research and student affairs. In her 2012 VWS commencement address, she encouraged the graduates to embrace the spirit and “quiet yet essential leadership” of the remarkable woman whose name their school bears.

Once again the Junior Scholars Program welcomed alumni legacies, with students coming from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Costa Rica, New York, San Francisco and Southern California.

Sakthip Krairiksh ’67 (Thailand) - grandson Supapat “Tun” Samalapa, leadership and digital arts Mickey Novak ’70 (Costa Rica) – Caleb, science and engineering John Hamilton ’84 (Los Angeles) – Josie, digital arts

Hubert Chen ‘87 (San Diego) – Ivan, digital arts Patrick Ma ’87 (Hong Kong) – William, digital arts Franklin Yap ’88 (New York) – Ava, digital arts

Jimmy Hsieh ’89 (Taiwan) – Andre and Audrey, twins, paleontology Michael Chang ’92 (San Francisco) – Ian, digital arts

Amy Sharrow ’94 (Running Springs, Calif.)– Charlotte, science and engineering

Kienan Dixon ’14 and Will Martinez ’16 were 2017 summer fellows. If you are interested in the summer program, visit webb.org/summer.

L-R: Alumni Council Vice President Whitney Wharton ’05, Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale, Kimball McCloud ’67, Janel Henriksen Hastings ’87, Jessica Dholakia ’07, Garland Reiter ’72, Katy Carr White ’87, and Alumni Council President Doug Gregg ’66

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

news

notes

THE WEBB SCHOOLS

1947 Bill Stead and Larry Thum attended Alumni Weekend to present the Colborn Distinguished Service Award named in memory of their classmate Ken Colborn. It was the first celebration of a 70th reunion in Webb’s history. 1 1952 Norm Blackburn, John Stevens, Mike Murray, and Jack Sterne reunited for their 65th reunion. Bud Hoover received the Colborn Distinguished Service Award in absentia, but his classmates proudly accepted it on his behalf and delivered a prepared acceptance speech. 2 1953 Save the dates for the 65th reunion. Alumni Weekend is October 12-13, 2018. While in town for his 60th reunion at Pomona College, Sam Neff made a surprise visit to campus. Sam and his brothers John ’50 and Charles ’51 were day students at Webb in the late 1940s and early 1950s. 3 1956 Thane Atherstone’s granddaughter graduated from Vivian Webb School in June. Maggie ’17, daughter of Tom ’82, is the third generation of the Atherstone family to attend Webb. Maggie is a freshman at Carleton College. 4

1960 Roger Witalis was representing the blue and gold at Alumni Weekend. Tom Butterworth ’63 took a photo of him wearing his letterman jacket (complete with Block W patch) and Roger’s license plate “Webb 60.” Roger still carries the tag that Les Perry gave him, “Hustle without enthusiasm is a waste of time.” 5 1962 John Bayne lives in Florida and recently stopped by campus to say hello. John’s dad was Webb’s business manager back in the 1950s and 1960s and his office was located in the administration building where the deans now work. John remembers a large blue and gold-colored parrot named Dizzy that sat outside by the pond. 6 Chip Greening led a small, but exuberant group to their 55th reunion and classmates are already making plans for the 60th in anticipation of The Centennial year. 7 1963 Dale Boller is looking forward to rallying the class for the 55th reunion celebration next year. Save the date! Alumni Weekend is October 12-13, 2018! Ralph Young used a lifetime of nautical skills to avoid catastrophe when he and his motor cruiser were passed by Hurricane Irma while docked on the small island of Culebra, west of St. Thomas. He took refuge in Puerto Rico where his fellow mariners and the Weather Service thought they would be safe. However, it wasn’t too long before Hurricane Maria took a turn toward Puerto Rico and pounced on Ralph’s fulltime residence, the Summer Star, an 80-foot yacht, population two, Captain Ralph and his first mate.

1965 Gregory Grant enjoyed seeing Skip Valentine and Bob Wu. “A year ago I visited Skip, and his wife Marie, at their lakefront home in Idaho near the Canadian border. Skip designed the home and retired there after a career with Exxon-Mobil. I also met Bob Wu while my ship was docked near their home in Taipei. Bob is retired after a career with Bank of America in international banking. His son Michael, who recently returned from military service, was our tour guide. A highlight was a visit to TAIPEI 101, which until 2010 was the world’s tallest building. The sign of a successful visit is the desire to meet up again somewhere in the world to continue the unfinished story.” 8 1966 Doug Gregg is the new president of the Alumni Council effective July 1, 2017. He is looking forward to working with council members and furthering the schools’ goals and traditions. In November, Jonathan Wygant was on campus with Sebastian Terry, a motivational speaker who is part of Jonathan’s Big Speak Speakers Bureau. 9 1967 In October, the Class of 1967 came back to Webb to celebrate their 50th reunion with a record number of class members in attendance. Special thanks to Bill Halstead, Fletcher Strickler and Bill Schoonmaker for leading the reunion committee. It was a truly memorable weekend. 10

1968 The 50th reunion is coming up! Mark your calendars with October 1213, 2018. 1969 John Dey shared a photo from his family’s annual summer gathering. Fourteen members of the Wray-Dey family have attended Webb, starting with the Dey brothers, Doug ’66 and John, and the Wray brothers, Michael ’69 and Mark ’72. “Every year my kids’ generation gets together for a weekend celebration—this year at the WC Ranch (42 people including their kids). L-R: Ben Dey ’00, Alexandra Dey ’95, Emily Nelson ’08, John ’69, Georgia Dey ’97, Henry Nelson ’10, Thomas Wray ’10 and Amanda Hedges ’11. 11 1970 Larry Ashton and his wife Alicia enjoyed a visit from Ralph Young ’63. They toured the Natural Museum of Utah to see the Gryposaurus monumentensis, a skull that has ties to Webb’s paleontology program. They also observed the solar eclipse and visited the world’s first KFC location. 12

Don Lofgren enjoyed showing Bill Fraim and his family around campus in May. They explored the Alf Museum, visited Bill’s old dorm room and heard the latest from students in the dining hall. It was moving to see Bill share his Webb memories with his family. Howard Goss took a trip to Costa Rica in April 2017. Their rafting guide, Pedro, found somebody’s gym shorts. Take a close look at the picture and call him if they are yours! 13

1972 Fifteen members of the Class of 1972 celebrated the 45-year reunion on October 13-14 in Murphys, Calif. It was a wonderful turnout with classmates coming from Virginia, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming and all corners of California: Rea Ashley, James Bothamley, Tim Broderick, Karl Brown, Bill Chadwick, Richard Downie, Malcolm Glover, Greg Joslyn, Shawn Libaw, Bob Morton, Jock Piel, Ron Pepitone, Garland Reiter, Bill Reitler, and Tony Rowland. A big thanks to Jock for organizing the reunion. A smaller group visited Webb the following weekend to cheer on Garland as he received the Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award. 14 15 1973 Stuart Stevens is living in Penryn, CA with his family. His home is situated on over 30 acres amid the beautiful hillsides just outside of Sacramento. Stuart looks forward to getting the class together for the 45th reunion, so watch for more details coming soon. Save the dates of October 12-13 for Alumni Weekend 2018. 1974 In September Bob Heintz, Carey Million, Carey’s mom, Jose Govea, and Walter Ogier caught up over dinner at the Border Grill in downtown Los Angeles. 16 1976 Pete Sanders was appointed headmaster of Memphis University School. “As a graduate of a boys’ school myself, I feel a special connection to MUS and its mission.” Congratulations, Pete!

1977 Thirteen members of the Class of 1977 attended Alumni Weekend to celebrate the 40th reunion. Those who attended were Normando Novelo from Mexico, Erik Wong from Hawaii, Raj Ratan from New York, Bob Gutentag from Texas, Dan Dingle from Washington and the California crew of Bill Butler, Geri DeMasi, Lawson Evans, Leonard Magier, Mark McReynolds, James Murphy, Greg Moore and Greg Whale. Steve Lesse ’76 also joined the group. A big thanks to Raj for organizing the Friday night dinner at Tutti Mangia, and Geri who thrilled us in the Vivian Webb Chapel with his beautiful keyboard skills on the organ and piano. 17 18 1978 We invite the Class of 1978 back to campus for the 40th reunion! Mark your calendars for Alumni Weekend, October 12-13, 2018. If you are interested in helping with the reunion, contact the Alumni Office at alumni@webb.org. 1980 Steve Guilford is challenging the way people store files on computers with newly-patented streaming technology. The technology is part of a larger system being prepared for commercial release in January 2018. To read more, click on Latest News at webb.org/alumni. 19

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

news

notes

THE WEBB SCHOOLS

1981 On June 5, 2017, Steve Farley announced his campaign for governor of Arizona against incumbent Republican Governor Doug Ducey. He has been a member of the Arizona State Senate since 2006, representing Tucson. This summer he was in Claremont to see the progress of his murals at the Pomona rail station. 20 1982 Ninteen members of the Class of 1982 celebrated the 35th reunion. Alumni Weekend highlights included ultimate frisbee on the Webb campus, drinks and a food truck at Last Name Brewery (hosted by Scott Austin), Saturday breakfast at Robbie Warner’s home in Mt. Baldy, and dinner under the big tent at Webb. Those who attended include John Wirum from Alaska, Michael Moyses from Florida, Scott Carollo from Nebraska, Jessey Grover from Nevada, David IveySoto from Virginia, and the California crew of Jesse Albert, Tom Atherstone, Scott Austin, Duane Baker, Bill Bauman, Carl Curtis, Phil Ebbert, Robert Frey, Sam Gregory, Scott Grossman, Jason Keyes, Mike Stoler, Jason Yee and Robbie. A big thanks to Jason and Robbie for cochairing the reunion. 21 22

1983 In September Webb students were treated to Bill Anapoell’s hypnotist show. His brother Steve ’81 and nephew Ethan also attended. Bill is a hospitalist at Scripps Hospital. 23 Ed Ratinoff and his wife Marissa are the proud parents of a WSC graduate. Josh ’17 received his Webb diploma in June and is now a freshman at UConn. Ed’s daughter Olivia also got to experience Webb by working as a Summer Fellow in our summer program. On July 1, Ed joined the Alumni Council as a member-atlarge. 24 1986 Coleen Martinez was the graduation speaker at the VWS Commencement in June. On hand were Clara Soto-Ivey and Janet Macaulay, both teachers who made a big impact on Coleen’s Webb experience and life. To listen to Coleen’s speech, go to youtube.com/ thewebbschools. 25 Mark Shpall has been named the new head of school of de Toledo High School, effective July 1, 2018. Mark is serving as head of school designate this year, working closely with the current head to ensure a smooth transition. Mark, a founding faculty member of de Toledo, was chosen from a national pool of candidates. He has held numerous positions: AP government teacher, 11/12 grade dean, director of community programming, coordinator of CAIS/WASC accreditation, and dean of students.

1987 Class of 1987 celebrated its 30th reunion during Alumni Weekend with 40 members. Classmates flew in from four countries (Omar Shantouf from Lebanon, Adit Harinasuta from Thailand, Michael Kwon from China, and Janel Henriksen Hastings from England) and eight states! Several classmates were featured: Michael gave a presentation in a media arts class; John Scalzi gave a reading in Ahmanson; Erin Smith led a laughter yoga session; and Janel and Katy Carr White were honored during the Alumni Awards Ceremony. Other highlights included the dinner at Walters on Friday and dancing under the big tent on Saturday night. A big thanks to the reunion committee: Melissa Barnes Dholakia, Sanjay Dholakia, Josh Saltman, James Sun and Sarah Tong Sangmeister for organizing the reunion activities. 26 Alf Museum staff ran into Kevin Browne at the iDigBio workshop at the UC Museum of Paleontology. Kevin is the information manager of the UC Natural Reserve System and works with the 40 biological research stations in California. Congratulations to Yassmin Sarmadi and her husband Chef Tony Esnault! Los Angeles Times food critic Jonathan Gold listed their restaurant Spring as number six on his annual list of LA’s 101 Best Restaurants. Their downtown Los Angeles restaurant specializes in French cuisine.

1988 Get ready for the big 30th reunion coming up next year. Save the date! October 12-13, 2018. If you are interested in helping with the reunion, contact the Alumni Office at alumni@webb.org. In June, Alicia Ahn and her brother George ’83 attended the VWS commencement to see their niece Jordynn West ’17 graduate. Alicia still lives in Portland with her husband John and their daughters Eloise and Helen. 27 In August, Keith Chiu and alumni in Hong Kong gathered at Club Lusitano to remember Chris Chow ’87, who passed away earlier in the year. Back row: Mason Ma, Joseph Poon, Timothy Sun ’89, and Keith. Front row: Paul Lai ’87, Chapman Lam ’89, Patrick Ma ’87, David Kahm ’90, Michael Kwon ’87 and Tony Shu ’87. 28 Steve Shenbaum was the 2017 WSC Commencement speaker. He discussed the importance of mystery, incentive, laughter and empowerment in everything the new graduates will do in the next phase of their life. Watch Steve’s full speech online at youtube.com/ thewebbschools. 29

1989 Jimmy Hsieh, Steve Koo, Stan Kang, Ed Arpawong and Tommy Oei had lunch at the Capital Grille in August. Jimmy was in town to drop off his children at Webb’s Summer Program. 30 1990 Andrew Holt, who came to Webb his junior year, made a surpise visit to campus in March. He lives in Colorado and works as a carpenter. 31 1992 Eighteen members of the Class of 1992 came to Alumni Weekend to celebrate the 25th reunion. Andrew Wass flew in from Germany and was a guest teacher in the dance class. Other highlights included Friday night drinks at Casa 425 and a beer and wine reception on the Webb House patio (with drinks donated by Naveen Jeereddi). In honor of the reunion, members of the class have started the Webb and VWS Scholarship Fund to provide financial aid to students in need. If you’d like to participate, contact the Alumni Office at alumni@ webb.org. Many thanks to the reunion committee: Naveen, Naren Desai, Tia Rajasingham and Jennifer Wong Gatewood. 32 33

Edmond Ng stopped by campus in September. His daughter is a high school senior, and they were in town touring the Claremont Colleges. Edmond and his family live in Taiwan. He was sorry to miss the reunion. 34 Hali Preston attended one of Kevin Kumar’s concerts. Hali is a senior project manager for Sony Pictures Entertainment. Kevin is the co-founder of Salastina Music Society, which performs chamber music throughout Southern California. 35 Ardeep Sekhon is a neurologist working for Sutter Neuroscience Medical Group. She lives in Sacramento with her husband, an anesthesologist, and their three children. Ardeep enjoyed returning to campus for the 25th reunion. 1993 Heidi Froehlich and Philipp Neuhaus visited campus in November. Philipp was in town visiting from Switzerland. While they walked around campus, they shared fond memories of their time at Webb. Heidi is looking forward to their 25th reunion next October 12-13, 2018. 36

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

news

notes

THE WEBB SCHOOLS

Now in his sixth year with Cal State Northridge, Jonathan Kelber was awarded a $1.46 million grant from the National Institute of Health to support his research group. Over the next four years, the grant will help fund Jonathan’s ongoing research of the cancer “support wall” gene called PEAK1. This research has implications for diagnostic and treatment practices in breast and pancreatic cancer patients. Jonathan was a visiting professor at Harvard Medical School this summer where he has begun a collaborative project with the Brugge Laboratory. 1995 Entrepreneur magazine featured Blake Johnson in its October issue. The article highlighted three core things that Blake has prioritized in his business ventures: cash flow, expenses and cost per aquisition metrics. 1996 Two alumni serving in Afghanistan met up at Bagram Airfield. Dr. Jason Pasley is director of the trauma center at the airfield, and Gabe Romero ’08 is an Army dustoff helicopter pilot in northern Afghanistan. 37

Megan Tracy Benson is the senior program coordinator for the Heyman Interages Center at the Jewish Council for Aging in Maryland. “I coordinate intergenerational programs that bring older adult volunteers and youth together for mentoring, tutoring, dialogue groups, and early literacy work. We work with more than 200 volunteers and my programs serve toddlers up to high school seniors, in public schools and county service centers. The work is challenging and rewarding, and I love my coworkers and the work-life balance at the organization.” 1997 The Class of 1997 celebrated its 20th reunion at Alumni Weekend in October. It was great to see so many members of the class at Casa 425 on Friday night and on campus all day Saturday. A big thanks to the reunion committee of Namath Hussain, Paul Matson, Kunal Shah, and Lisa Shonnard Sipprell. 38 Welcome to a new little Webbie, Madeleine Chai, born September 23, 2017 and weighing 6 lbs. 12 oz. Congratulations to Andy Chai and Vanessa Dell ’99 on their new addition. 39 After more than a decade of practicing law, Shampa (Chatterjee) Mukerji is running for a seat on a Civil District Court bench in Harris County, Texas. “If I was elected, I would be the first South Asian female judge in Harris County.” 40

Lance Williams, an Alf Museum trustee, married Grant Kretchik on June 17, 2017 on a private wildlife conservancy in central Kenya. They administer The LanMar Fund, a charitable fund that supports endangered species conservation projects, such as Kenya-based “Save The Elephants.” It was a thrill be able to share the beauty of wild Africa with their loved ones. 41 1998 In February, Robbie Bedi married Samantha Kuroski in a ceremony officiated by classmate Preston Clarke at the Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. Bobby Bedi ’01, Ankush Sharma, Michael Madanat, Alejandro Pena, Craig Rosenstein, and Ryan Riddle attended the wedding. 42 Harason Horowitz ’02 enjoyed seeing Jennifer Habos, a management consultant in Cincinnati, OH. The two laughed over their little brothers Loren ’04 and Will ’04, and the tight bond that is the Class of 2004. 43 1999 Rita Forte and Shekhar Grimm linked up in Oakland in October to talk possible co-working and collaborations with their businesses: The Olive Street Agency and The Politics of Hair. 44 2000 Congratulations to Deval Dvivedi and his wife Snigdha, who welcomed baby boy Riaan on July 26, 2017. 45

Webb at the

World Series

This fall we enjoyed all the social media posts from alumni who attended the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros. Webbies attended every aspect of the series, from Game 1 at Dodgers Stadium to the Astros parade 1

in downtown Houston. To kick off the series, Dodgers Stadium was full of Webbies for Game 1. Rahmi Mowjood ’90 and Kyle Smart ’92

, John Richmond ’96

Daniel Smith ’03, Bryan Rhee ’03, Josh Verseput ’03

and Jessica Rice ’12

were in the stands to cheer on their local team. The next night, Max Nelson ’95

was on deck for Game 2. When the series went to Houston, Kathleen Terris ’06

stepped

up to the plate to cheer on the Astros, her hometown team, at Minute Maid Park. The

series made its way back to Los Angeles where Julia Villaseñor ’03

and Dana Edwards ’11

braved the cold to watch the Dodgers tie the series and force a Game 7. On the final night

of this historic series, Annie Lai ’86

Naveen Jeereddi ’92, Rich Lin ’92

Douglas Lee ’96

and Charles Hung ’97

watched from the bleachers as the Astros defeated the Dodgers to earn their first World Series championship. And to celebrate the Astros’ history-making win, Stephanie Black ’10 attended the victory

parade in downtown Houston. 7

Another alumnus who had a front row seat to the entire series was Jeff Luhnow ’84, General Manager of the Houston Astros. To read about his experience with the Astros and their journey to the World Series, go to the Alumni Spotlight on page 50.

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

news

notes

THE WEBB SCHOOLS

2001 Andrew Raser married Hannah Roshetko on July 22, 2017 in Lake Leelanau, Mich. The two met in business school at the University of Michigan and reside in Providence, R.I. Josh Maloff attended, and the ceremony was officiated by minister Rob Zondervan ’03. 2002 How has it been 15 years? The Class of 2002 had a reunion kick-off party at AOC Wine Bar in Los Angeleson Friday, and had a terrific time catching up all weekend. Great to see Usman Ali, Omar Dabuni, Sabeen Dhand, Melissa Drachand, Kathy Fredrich, Stefanie Kuga, Julian Rachlin, Arjun Rao, Ben Scherer, Dan Suhr and Jordan Taylor. 46 After years in Barcelona and hopping around the globe, Michelle Fabregas came back to visit campus. It was extra special meeting her daughter, Chloe. It felt like no time had passed. Jordan Taylor and Elaine Kwon’s startup company Kwontified was featured in a GeekWire article. “Kwontified wants to help retailers ... navigate the complexities of selling on Amazon and other e-commerce platforms and get the most out of their virtual storefronts,” GeekWire reported. Jordan said things are looking very promising.

2003 Congratulations to Daniel Smith and his wife, Christine, who welcomed their second son, Theo Joseph Junji Smith on March 7, 2017. Big brother Caleb who is 3 years old is enjoying having a little brother! 47 48 2004 Emily Boyce is back in Los Angeles working as the assistant director of front office at the new Waldorf Astoria, Beverly Hills. Webbies in Boston met up for dinner in August. L-R: Robert Bennett ’05, Lily, Jeff ’s girlfriend, Jeff Gluckstein ’05, and Stanley Eosakul. Robert is a Portfolio Manager at TPRV Capital; Jeff is a neurology resident at MGH and BWH; and Stanley is a pain medicine fellow at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. 49 Jessica Franks married Jesse Furman on August 5, 2017 in Los Angeles. The two have been together for over three years, and own the Free Range Cafe on Balboa Island in Newport Beach, Calif. Stop by! Whitney Hanlon ’04, Tara De Silva ’04, and Harason Horowitz ’02 enjoyed the wedding celebrations. 50 Sarah Mojarad is now a faculty member at the University of Southern California teaching a new course on social media and digital communications. Within USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering, the course is designed to teach engineers, scientists, and others in STEM fields how to communicate their ideas in innovative ways to a wide audience.

Nihar Shah and Vivian Long got married in August at the Pelican Bay Resort in Newport Beach, Calif. Many members of the Class of 2004 were on hand to celebrate 51 2005 Brittan Berry and husband Andrew welcomed their fi rst child Zion Joseph Berry on September 10, 2017. He came at 12:09 a.m. weighing 6 lbs. 13 oz. They reside in Cleveland, Ohio where Brittan is the lead innovation strategist for University Hospitals. 52 Cheers to the indefatigable spirit of the peccary women on the annual alumni and friends peccary trip: Alicia Ashton, Harason Horowitz ’02, Stephani Cook, Emily D’Amico Hammett, Micol Issa, Kathy Thibodeaux, and Thea Hinkle! We hope you’ll join us next time in Barstow, Calif. over the weekend of May 4-6, 2018. 53 Jessica Anand Gupta and her husband Parag welcomed a daughter, Ahna Gupta, on June 25, 2017. 54 2006 Congratulations to Brittany Loya for receiving the Department for International Trade’s international global delivery award. “This is one of the highest awards one could receive at my organization of over 2,000 people. It is linked with my performance towards trade and investment with the UK compared to my peers around the globe.” 55 Jack Wiese and his wife Megan welcomed baby girl Riley Elizabeth on October 21, 2017.

69 ALUMNI PROFILE

VWS Alumna Collects Soccer Gear at Webb for Hurricane Harvey Relief After Hurricane Harvey ravaged Houston, Marina Lesse ’09 stepped up to help, collecting more than 1,000 pieces of soccer gear for children affected by the storm. Soccer means a lot to Lesse. She has played almost her entire life and coaches several teams as a full time student. As a student at Webb, Lesse organized a drive for Hurricane Katrina relief. When Hurricane Harvey happened, she reached out to see how she could help. When Lesse’s plea went out to the Webb community, many parents rallied neighbors and friends who play soccer to find additional gear to bring to campus. Day student prefects collected soccer balls, cleats and other gear, helping Lesse gather some 1,189 items from Webb and two other locations combined. “I’m so overwhelmed with how much support I got for this,” Lesse said. Amid the collection drive, Lesse and her friends went to the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas where the tragic mass shooting unfolded. Although Lesse suffered minor injuries including a sprained ankle, she and her group made it out safely. She came to Webb just days later to pick up the items for Houston. “It was kind of like a retreat for me, to be able to get myself out the door to this safe place that I knew would bring a smile to my face,” she said. Between the collection drive and her experience at the festival, Lesse said being “the change that you want to see in the world” is a big thing for her now. “There’s a lot of crazy stuff going on,” she added. “If you want to see good being done in the world, it can start with you.”

2007 Class of 2007 celebrated its 10th reunion at Casa 425 Friday night and on campus Saturday during Alumni Weekend 2017. Members of the class came out to support Alyssa Sittig, this year’s alumna chapel speaker, and Jessica Dholakia, recipient of the Young Alumni Rising Star Award. A big thanks to the reunion committee: Jessica, Alyssa Hackett, Riley Lewis, and Michelle Pastrano. 56 Kamilah Castro is finishing up her Ph.D. and hopes to graduate soon. She is studying multiple sclerosis, specifically looking at the role of a high fat diet on disease course in multiple sclerosis.

2008 Get ready for the 10th reunion! Plans are already in the works, so save the date, October 12-13, 2018. It’s sure to be a memorable weekend! Christian Blount married Amanda Lee ’09 at the Five Crowns in Corona del Mar on May 5, 2017. Amanda’s father, Rob Rycerz, walked her down the aisle. Rob has been a member of the Webb staff for over a decade. 57 Jeff Cripe’s new startup Cargo aims to help drivers for ride-sharing services like Uber make more money by selling convenience store items in their cars during rides. Jeff told Fox Business Network that the company hopes to make for a better passenger experience, and “will serve as a new datadriven distribution channel for brands.” 58

Gabe Romero married Maximanova (Max) Greenberg on July 28, 2016 in an intimate ceremony in Grand Marais, Minn. Gabe is at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska working as a medical evacuation Blackhawk pilot. He just returned from an 8-month deployment in northern Afghanistan with the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade.

2009 This past summer, Alya Ahmad conducted research for a pharmaceutical company in San Diego doing clinical trial data analysis. She is currently in her second year of medical school.

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

news

notes

THE WEBB SCHOOLS

Judy Yang married David Braakenburg on September 22, 2017 in Brooklyn, New York. Her bridesmaids included Sarah Fuentes, Annabel Starratt and Elizabeth Thomas. 60 Michael Dahle started his Ph.D. in chemical engineering last fall.

Dylan Sittig is part of a UCLA’s Luskin Community Scholars team, which received a national award for their study on distribution of goods in the Los Angeles area. 61

2010 Ariel Fan founded GreenWealth Energy Solutions, the leading hotel energy management company providing sustainability solutions for real estate owners. “Many utility incentives and proven energy technologies were not being taken advantage of by the hotel and commercial real estate industry.” Classmate Edman Urias has built the company with Ariel, handling operations and vendor management. Ariel says, “we have each other’s back personally and professionally.” 61 Carly Paris and Juan Martinez-Hill ’08 helped Webb’s admission office at the Inspiring Young Minds Fair in New York this fall. 62

Brent Silver graduated from BU School of Medicine in May and will stay in Boston the next four years to finish a residency in neurology at Boston Medical Center. He lives with his brother Drew ’12, who is starting his third year at BUSM. 63

A short film directed and produced by Yiwa Lau was nominated at the Glendale International Film Festival in October. “Waterfall” was Yiwa’s graduation film for the the Beijing Film Academy, and is in the fashion film genre. Some of her classmates went to the screening. 66

2011 Alexis De La Rosa is working at UPenn running their Educational Opportunity Center, a college access center that offers a free program to Philadelphia residents who are 19 years and older, low income, first generation students.

Jessica Rice has joined the advancement office for this school year. She writes for the website, assists with alumni relations and events. We’re excited to have her join our team. In October, she started the new Webb alumni Instagram account! Are you following us? 67

Jared Jackson is now a senior consultant for a small business loan company in Los Angeles. A Boston Globe video featured Shihan Wijeyeratne as “the first runner to show up for the Boston Marathon.” Shihan’s former coach Geoff Owers said he frequently comes back to Webb to run with him and Brian Caldwell “just for fun.” Mason Lin ’13 also ran the Boston Marathon. 64 2012 Over 20 members of the class attended the 5th reunion in October. Everyone enjoyed catching up at Casa 425 and Walter’s restaurant on Friday night and playing volleyball in memory of Adam Cave on Saturday. A big thank you to the reunion committee: Ben Geleris, Abby Hess, Megan Kilmer, Seraphina Oney, Sam Woodward, and Henry Xu. 65 Ryan Au is working at healthcare start-up Omada Health as a software engineer.

2013 Kate Belyaeva graduated from University of Colorado, Boulder in December 2016 and is working as an electrical engineer at Arup in San Francisco. Belinda Lei is a first year MBA student at the Yale School of Management. As a Silver Scholar, she will work next year before returning for the final year of the MBA program. After graduating from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Science degree in human biology, Marcos Lopez enlisted in the United States Army. He completed basic combat training in October and is training as a nodal network operator in the Signal Corps. 68

1995

1967

1987

20 17

Alumni Weekend

1967

2007

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

news

notes

THE WEBB SCHOOLS

Build your

network with

@work

2014 Dolly Bai went on an archaeological excavation in northern Israel by the Golan in an area called Omrit. She participated as a funded research assistant to one of her Williams College professors. Dolly has dug at Omrit for two seasons and was assistant supervisor in a team of five. Her experience on the excavations fits well with her interest in the competing use of antiquities by scholars, private collectors, and political groups. Hailey Beaman worked at HBO this summer as a creative development intern in the company’s Miniseries and Cinemax department. In addition to her regular duties, Hailey worked with co-interns to develop and pitch an original scene script to a team of HBO executives. It “taught me a lot about how projects come to fruition from page to screen!” 70 2015 Daniel Crisostomo was selected for the 2017 All-Big West second team after a successful season on the University of California, Irvine men’s soccer team. 71

Megan Fuelling studied social sciences and humanities at the University of Amsterdam during the fall 2017 semester through IES Abroad. Megan is majoring in science, technology and society at Scripps College and is slated to graduate next year. 72 Frank Li had a busy summer. His internship at Taiping Senior Living Management, a branch of China Taiping Insurance Group, was his favorite. “The department was responsible for investing in hospitals, housing and projects that involve the senior living industry so the internship involved traveling around China to look for feasible investments.” Justin Parker had a summer internship with Kunal Shah ’97s company PBS Engineers in Glendora, Calif. This was an engineering position offered through the Webb@Work jobs board. 73

2016 Rika Shinozaki is an intern with a Japanese magazine. “I got to go to some of the NYFW shows so I’m very excited! I went to the Ab[Screenwear] Presentation and to La Perla and Adeam as well as the opening night gala.” Ryan Whithorn met up with Jeff Luhnow ’84 at Angels stadium during an Anaheim-Houston game. 74 2017 It’s the first year at West Point for Wes Chen. He said it is a lot of work but he is enjoying it. 75

Highlights of Webb@Work 2017 • Justin Parker ’15 completed a three-month internship with PBS Engineering, hosted by Kunal Shah ’97. Justin’s internship was an entry-level look into mechanical engineering. • Kevin Zhu ’16 had a three-day externship with I Like Pie in Claremont, hosted by Annika Corbin P ’19, ’20, before a 1-month internship at LPL Financial, hosted by Marcus Paredes P ’11. David Albers ’16 also had an internship at LPL Financial with Marcus. • K ienan Dixon ’14 and Will Martinez ’16 were back on campus as summer fellows for Webb’s summer programs. Check out the Jobs Board or learn how to be an Internship Host at bit.ly/WebbatWork or contact Laura Wensley at (909) 482-5277 or lwensley@webb.org.

FORMER FACULTY, STAFF & FRIENDS Norma Carlson and Janet Heald retired from Webb in 2017 after working more than 40 years combined for the schools. Norma served as the database coordinator for over 23 years and Janet as the administrative assistant for almost 20 years, both in the Advancement Office. Norma and her family have moved to Idaho and are enjoying more time together. Janet misses everyone at Webb and likes not having to wake up early every day! Lucia Galloway (Dick) has a suite of prose poems, “Earth Beneath the Snow,” appearing in the fall issue of the literary journal Mid-American Review. Based on stories from her father’s boyhood in the early 20th century (1906-1918), this narrative piece was a finalist in MAR’s 2017 Fineline Competition.

It was nice to see many former faculty members at Alumni Weekend: Kathy Simon, Janet Macaulay, Clara Soto-Ivey, Jacques Pauwels, Blair Maffris and Steve Sittig. Kathy flew in from Kentucky, where she works as the director of education abroad at Transylvania University in Lexington. She and Janet joined the Class of ’87 at Walter’s on Friday night. Blair caught up with Class of ’92 at Casa 425. Jacques brought his old Webb ID and enjoyed catching up with some of his former French students. Susan Hong ’92 enjoyed seeing Dave Fawcett ’61. 76 77 78 Oliver ’Jol’ Everett and his wife Sue live in Eastham, MA. They spent two years at Webb from 1966 to 1968, and were happy to see the campus and reconnect with the Class of ’67 at their 50th reunion. Jol was a history teacher and Sue tutored students. 79

Jinx Tong is planning a trip to Hong Kong to visit her son, Kurt, who is the US Consul General for Hong Kong and Macau. Jinx, who was the VWS dean from 1991 to 1996, and director of residence from 1983 to 1991, lives in Massachusetts. She hopes to connect with alumni while she is China. Sadly, her husband Curtis passed away in January. When they lived in Claremont, he was the athletic director and physical education department chair at Pomona College. 80

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

In Memoriam 1944 Michael Gallagher passed away unexpectedly on August 25, 2017 in Victorville, Calif. Michael and his wife Charline were instrumental in supporting Webb’s campus master plan. Their gifts supported the Kirkhill Dorm renovation, the campus turnaround and the reconstruction of the student quad area. The Gallaghers focused their support on improving the living spaces on campus in an effort to provide the best living environment possible for all Webb students. Michael is survived by his mother Georgiana, wife Charline, daughter Candace ’07, son Michael ’09 and granddaughters Genevieve and Adelais.

Frederick Johnson passed away on May 28, 2017. At Webb, he earned two varsity letters in track and was a member of Block W and the dance committee. He worked on El Espejo and contributed to Blue & Gold. Fred earned his bachelor’s degree from Pomona College and later served in the Navy as part of the V-5 Program at Colorado College. He received his MBA from University of Michigan and later moved to Pasadena, Calif. where he went on to have a 32-year career in marketing and communications. He was a life director of the Tournament of Roses Association, serving as president from 1985-86. He is survived by his wife Nancy, two children, two step-children and seven grandchildren.

On July 4, 2017 the Alf Museum lost one of its most cherished leaders and supporters, Hugh Rose. At age 90, Hugh passed away from natural causes surrounded by his family at their Tucson home. Hugh’s passion for education and paleontology was always evident. While building a career as a successful business executive, Hugh and his wife Mary amassed a spectacular collection of fossils and began teaching paleontology out of their Illinois home. In the 1970s, Hugh was asked to evaluate the value of the Alf Museum’s collection and he ended up becoming a founding member of the Board of Trustees in 1979, later enrolling his son Matthew ’82 in Webb School of California. He most recently served as a life trustee. He and Mary donated most of their personal collection of fossils in 1985 and also established an endowed fund for the Museum’s operations. Hugh is survived by his wife, Mary, his children Nancy, Greg, Matt ’82 and Mary and 12 grandchildren.

1945

Henry Sharp, better known as Hank, passed away on October 4, 2017. Hank and his wife Harriet worked at Webb from 1975 to 1981. Hank taught math and physics, and served as assistant coach of the football team. The pair then moved to Santa Barbara, where Hank embarked on another career as a financial planner and founded his own company, First Public Financial Services. He was a lifelong sports enthusiast and Cubs fan, and was thrilled to see them win the 2016 World Series. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, his sister Dorothy Herzog, his four children, Katherine, Henry, Andrew ’78 and Edward ’79, and six grandchildren.

George Krusi passed away on November 20, 2016. After Webb, George joined the U.S. Navy and enrolled in the V12 Electronic Technician School. He completed his service and went on to attend University of California, Berkeley, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in engineering. He served as lead engineer for numerous projects in the Bay Area. George is survived by his wife of 65 years, Barbara, and their children and grandchildren.

1946 Keith Loring passed away on May 8, 2017. At Webb, Keith earned varsity letters in football, track and basketball, along with a life membership in California Scholastic Federation. He held editorial positions for Blue & Gold and El Espejo, and was credited with starting the weight-lifting craze during his years at Webb. He enjoyed playing tenor sax and collecting jazz records when not helping his intramural softball team win as pitcher. He received his bachelor’s degree in political science from Princeton University, and went on to have a distinguished career as a chartered life underwriter. In 1996, he was diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer, and became an active volunteer for cancer support groups. Keith bequeathed a share of his estate to Webb, capping a lifetime of generosity toward the school. Keith is survived by his four children: Scott, Bruce, Grant and Catharine. We recently learned that Richard Stasand passed away on June 13, 2014.

A celebration of life 1949

1962

John Cosgrove passed away on February 24, 2017. Described in the 1949 El Espejo as “one of Webb School’s leading lights,” John was a member of Block W, an honor committeeman and a California Scholarship Federation Life Member. He dominated the basketball court and captained the baseball team his senior year. After Webb, he graduated from Stanford University and was drafted into the Army. John served for 21 months, and then graduated first in his class from Stanford Law School in 1959. He went on to work as Menlo Park’s city attorney. He is survived by his wife Chwinn, their children and grandchildren, and his brother Bob ’54.

Richard Power informed us that Dean Potter passed away on July 1, 2017 after a lengthy illness. Dean excelled academically at Webb. He was vice president of the Lincoln Debating Society, spent two years playing in the orchestra, and had a leading role in the Drama Society’s annual production.

1952 Bill Ray passed away on June 15, 2017. At Webb, Bill was president of Block W and was described as “probably the best allaround athlete at Webb” in the 1952 El Espejo. He played varsity baseball, basketball and football, and captained the football team his senior year. When he was not leading the Gauls, he was circulation manager of Blue & Gold. Bill attended Claremont Men’s College after Webb and served in the Army before he started W. H. Ray Enterprises and made pop-up canopies for 19 years. He is survived by his wife Karen and their three children.

1958 We recently learned that James “Kem” Rogers passed away on June 11, 2014 in Bakersfield, CA with his children by his side. After college, Kem enlisted in the Army, and later went on to pursue a lifelong career in the cattle feeding business.

1961 On November 17, 2017 Webb lost one of its most distinguished and loyal alumni, Dodd Fischer, after a valiant fight against pancreatic cancer. Dodd personified all that is great about Webb. He served the schools with loyalty, honor and humility, bringing his classmates and countless others into the fold, with his energy, passion and kindness. In addition to being an alumnus and parent, Dodd served as a class agent, trustee, reunion chair, member of the “Fulfilling Our Promise” Campaign leadership, and with his wife Nancy, as the host of many Webb events in Portland, Oregon over the years. In addition to his generous service to Webb, Dodd advanced the schools with his philanthropy, making multiple leadership gifts to the endowment for operating support, scholarships, and the physical plant. In 1981, Dodd founded Storables, a housewares and lifestyle retail concept that currently has four locations. Dodd is survived by his wife Nancy, their daughters Paige ’89 and Cameron, and their son Christopher.

1972 John Berg passed away on March 16, 2017 at his home in Kingman, Ariz. after a short battle with cancer. After Webb, he studied at the University of Miami and Cal Poly Pomona before taking over the family business, Berg Hardware in Pasadena, Calif. “Mr. Berg” ran the business for over 35 years.

1979 Dave Pinder passed away peacefully at home on October 27, 2017 after a long battle with cancer. At Webb, Dave was a member of the Honor Committee and tennis team. After graduation, he attended UCLA and then built a career in computer software sales. We often saw Dave at the regional events in Philadelphia and appreciated his help with reunion planning. Always one to enjoy life, Dave and his family spent last summer in France. Larry and Cindy Recht were able to spend a couple of weeks with them enjoying Provence and lots of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Dave is survived by his wife Gretchen and their two children, Lauren and David. Eric Rosenberg passed away on September 28, 2017 after a fatal motorcycle accident. He had a stroke while riding, which caused the accident. A celebration of his life took place in November at the Rivers Edge Ranch in Ojai Valley.

1987 Chris Chow passed away on March 26, 2017 after a lengthy battle with cancer. His classmate, James Sun, described him as a “super-positive person and a joy to be around.” He is survived by his wife and two children.

2008 Andrew McIvor passed away unexpectedly on March 16, 2017. After Webb, he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Chapman University, where he was awarded with Chapman University’s Men of Integrity award in 2011. He worked at Downtown Reel Productions as an executive assistant and production assistant. He is survived by his parents Deborah and Owen, and his brothers Matt ’05 and Alex ’10.

FALL/WINT ER 2017 WEBB M AGA ZINE

T HE WEBB SCHOOL S webb.org

The Final Word

By John Scalzi ’87

I’m going to come out and admit that I wasn’t really expecting that much out of my 30th reunion.

art of that is because of something I’ve said jokingly for a while, but which I always sort of believed, which is that the 20th high school reunion was the one that actually mattered. My thinking here (such as it was), was the reunions before the 20th were too soon for any major life changes—at your 5th reunion, you’re barely out of college (and may still be in it if you took a relaxed attitude toward classes), and at the 10th, you might still be in grad school or on the lower rungs of your profession. At the 20th, however, you are well into the swing of your professional life, you are possibly married and have kids, and you are finally old enough to have some perspective on life. You have, in effect, become an adult and the person who you were destined to be. And that’s what makes 20th reunions interesting: You get to find out who all your classmates have actually become, away from the expectations of who you thought they would be, literally half a lifetime before. And after that? Well, every reunion after that is just kind of anticlimactic, more of the same, on and on for as long as you can. Oh, look, there’s Bob and Joan, they’re the same, just older again (and don’t worry, Bob and Joan are thinking the same about you). That was my thinking anyway, at least through my 20th reunion, and possibly one reason why I didn’t worry about not making my 25th. So how was it that, in fact, my 30th class reunion was by far and away the best, and

most emotionally satisfying, of all the reunions that I’ve been to so far? Well, and to begin, clearly my “the 20th reunion is the only important one” is silly nonsense. Which is fine! As I get older I’ve realized just how much silly nonsense I’ve believed over the years, especially if it made for a pithy quote or monologue. I spend a lot of time confronting my own shallowness these days. Yay, maturity. But, aside from pithiness, why was I wrong? I think it’s because in my arrogance in singling out the 20th as the reunion where “we become who we are,” I papered over an important fact, which is that at no point in our lives do we ever stop becoming who we are. We don’t in fact hit 38 years old and then have our personalities and perspectives sealed up in a vacuum tube, to remain the same as we get older. We keep growing and changing and having life experiences, some good and some less so. We’re never static. We’re always becoming. And yes, this all seems obvious now. But it’s still okay to say it out loud: Turns out every reunion, from the 5th to the 50th (and beyond if you’re lucky), is another opportunity to meet the people you thought you knew, and to learn about who they are today. And this brings us to another reason why I found this 30th reunion so satisfying: Turns out, I really like the people who my classmates have become. I mean, I liked most of them when we were at Webb anyway. Our school has small graduating classes and when you live with the same few dozen people for four years, you (or at least I) found

things to like about most of them. At the same time, high school in general and I would argue Webb in particular is a hothouse environment, and the teen years are, well. Fraught is probably the euphemism I’d use. I was as fraught as anyone else. One of the great advantages of time is that it takes you away from the emotional and hormonal upheaval of your teen years and gives you the life experience that allows you perspective and, I think, a generosity of spirit, not just with others but with yourself. We learn to be kind, and to be warm and to appreciate the people who are in front of us for who they are today—and not just to appreciate them but to celebrate them, not just for their accomplishments but for who they are. And it turns out that who my classmates are, are people who I’m glad I get to know. I would want to know even them without the benefit of having lived with them all, 30 years ago. I feel fortunate in saying that our friendships have not just weathered the years, but have improved because of them. I hope they feel the same about me. It’s why the 30th was better than the 20th, and why I’m looking forward to the 35th, which happens the same year as our school’s centennial. I’ll be there. I’m looking forward to seeing my classmates again, remembering who they were before, and meeting for the first time who they are now. John Scalzi ’87 is a three-time Hugo winner and former president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. In 2013, he was awarded the Hugo Award for Best Novel for Redshirts.

ADMINISTRATION

CREDITS

Taylor B. Stockdale Head of Schools

Executive Editor Joe Woodward

Theresa A. Smith, Ph.D. Assistant Head of Schools

Contributors Lexus Beaman ’08, Debbie Carini, Andrew Farke, John Ferrari, Harason Horowitz ’02, Don Lofgren, Jessica Rice ’12, Laura Wensley

Dutch Barhydt Director of Institutional Advancement

Design Shari Fournier-Oleary

Jamila Everett, Ph.D. Director of Admission & Financial Aid Donald L. Lofgren, Ph.D. Director, Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology Hector Martinez Director of College Guidance

Janet K. Peddy Director of Finance, Planning & Operations Joe Woodward Director of Strategic Communications

Sanjiv P. Dholakia’87, Chairman David Loo ’79, Vice Chair Christina Mercer McGinley ’84, Vice Chair, Secretary R. Larry Ashton ’70, Chairman, Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology Board, ex officio Sara M. Adler Blake H. Brown ’68 Michael M. Chang ’92 Deval R. Dvivedi ’00 Jenna Z. Gambaro ’95 Janel Henriksen Hastings ’87 John F. Holliday ’84 Roger J. Millar ’61 Rahmi Mowjood ’90 David C. Myles ‘80 Mickey E. Novak ’70 Janet K. Peddy, Director of Finance, Planning and Operations, Chief Financial Officer & Secretary, ex officio RJ Romero Miles R. Rosedale ’69 Wendin D. Smith ’89 Taylor Stockdale, Head of Schools, President & Chief Executive Officer, ex officio Denis Yip

LIFE TRUSTEES Hugh H. Evans Jr. ‘49 Anne Gould Wayne L. Hanson, ‘59 H. Earl Hoover II ‘52 Murray H. Hutchison Claire McCloud Susan A. Nelson Paul Reitler ’54

Photography Lisa Blomberg, Phil Channing, Houston Astros, Don Lofgren, Sally Mingarelli, Nancy Newman, Cat Ngo ’16, Scott Nichols Printing Dual Graphics

Tracy Miller, Ph.D. Director of Studies

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2017-18

VOLUME 21, NUMBER 1

ALF MUSEUM BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2017-18 R. Larry Ashton ’70, Chairman Gretchen J. Augustyn Terry W. Baganz William Baldwin Richard H. Clark Sanjiv P. Dholakia ’87, Chairman, T he Webb Schools Board of Trustees, ex officio Daniel Gluckstein, M.D. Jack Greening Ronald P. Hagander ’66 James E. Hall ’59 F. Gard Jameson, Ph.D. ’71 Sherwood C. Kingsley ’58 Carl W. R. Lachman ’86 Donald L. Lofgren, Ph.D., Director, Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, President, ex-officio John R. Lynas ’55 David P. Mirkin, M.D. ’66 L.J. Patrick Muffler, Ph.D. ’54 Douglas F. Myles Michelle Plyley Mary W. Rose Charles Steinmann, M.D. Taylor Stockdale, Head of Schools, ex officio Page W. Thibedeaux Monica Atiyeh Whitaker ’96 Lance C. Williams ’97 Tammy Zipser

LIFE MEMBERS

Anne G. Earhart Hugh Rose Michael O. Woodburne, Ph.D.

Nondiscrimination Policy The Webb Schools admit students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the schools. The Webb Schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law in administration of their educational policies, tuition assistance, athletic, and other schooladministered programs, or any other basis in law. Memberships The Association of Boarding Schools; National Association of Independent Schools; California Association of Independent Schools; Western Boarding Schools Association; Western Association of Schools and Colleges; National Coalition of Girls’ Schools; Independent Curiculum Group; College Entrance Examination Board; Educational Records Bureau; Association of Independent School Admission Professionals; National Association of College Admission Counselors; Council for the Advancement and Support of Education; and the Cum Laude Society. Publication Information WEBB magazine is the official publication of The Webb Schools. Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Webb Schools 1175 W. Baseline Road Claremont, CA 91711 PH (909) 626-3587 FAX (909) 621-4582 EMAIL: alumni@webb.org webb.org THE MISSION of The Webb Schools is to provide an exemplary learning community that nurtures and inspires boys and girls to become men and women who: Think boldly, mindfully and creatively, Act with honor and moral courage, • Lead with distinction, • Serve with a generous spirit. • •

1175 West Baseline Road Claremont, CA 91711

NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 224 CLAREMONT, CA