Perspective Spring 2019 by University Liggett School

The Magazine for University Liggett School | Spring 2019

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE

JOIN US AT ALUMNI WEEKEND 2019 Friday, May 17 & Saturday, May 18, 2019 FRIDAY, MAY 17 EVENTS

SATURDAY, MAY 18 EVENTS

9 - 10 a.m.

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Estate Planning Seminar Tarik Ibrahim Commons While change is constant, your estate plan shouldn’t be. Join us for a seminar that will include an overview of basic estate planning, reasons to consider updating your will and trust and an explanation of charitable gifts (including income tax and estate tax benefits). Presented by Jon Colman ‘01 and Don Rosenberg with Barron, Rosenberg, Mayoras & Mayoras. A light breakfast will be provided. Free

11 a.m. – Noon

Pen Pal Meet and Greet for 50th Reunion Alumni 5th-Grade Classrooms All 50th Reunion Alumni are invited to meet their 5th-grade Pen Pals for a short studentguided tour of the lower school and to hear about what’s happening in their classrooms. Free

Noon - 2 p.m.

Lunch and Learn: Meet our 2019 Distinguished Alumnus John Evans ’62 GPUS University Liggett School Tarik Ibrahim ’99 Commons Eat lunch while you meet and hear from John D. Evans ’62 GPUS about his life and career as an innovator in the cable industry and also his important activism and philanthropic work. Free

5 - 7 p.m.

Golden Knights Cocktail Party with Head of School Bart Bronk Head of School’s home, 510 Chalfonte, Grosse Pointe Farms All alumni celebrating 50th and higher reunions are invited to join us at our fourth Annual Golden Knights celebration which includes beer, wine, signature cocktails and appetizers. Free

7 - 10 p.m.

Dodgeball Party The Boll Campus Center Fruehauf Gymnasium Join other young alumni for a dodgeball party in the Boll Campus Center. Sponsored by the class of 2014 Free

4th Annual Guided Bus Tour of Detroit with Faculty Emeritus David Backhurst Meet at University Liggett School Main Entrance Take a field trip through the Motor City with David Backhurst, who will give you a unique and interesting perspective of Detroit, both past and present. (Maximum capacity for the bus tour is 35 attendees). Fee: $20 per person

1 - 3 p.m.

Tour the Boll Campus Center See our newest addition to the campus, the Boll Campus Center, where our students train, condition, take physical education class and play volleyball and basketball. Free

5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

All-Alumni Cocktail Reception and 2019 Distinguished Alumni Induction Ceremony of John D. Evans ’62 GPUS University Liggett School Manoogian Arts Wing Includes open bar, hors d’oeuvres, Distinguished Alumni Ceremony, live music, class photos, the 2019 Spring Raffle drawing and more. Fee: $20 per person*

7:30 - 10 p.m.

All-Alumni & Reunion Class Dinners Manoogian Arts Wing Dance Studio Enjoy a three-course buffet dinner with premium beer and wine selections. Dinner will include photos, yearbooks, memorabilia and a toast from the Head of School, Bart Bronk. Fee: $25 per person* *Attend both events for $40 per person.

Milestone Reunions: A Reason to Celebrate! If your graduation year ends in a “4” or a “9” you will be celebrating a milestone reunion this year. However, all alumni are invited and encouraged to come to campus to enjoy any of our alumni weekend events - regardless of when you graduated!

Register for Alumni Weekend at www.uls.org/alumniweekend or contact Katie Durno at kdurno@uls.org or 313.884.4444, ext. 414.

HOMECOMING 2018 Saturday, October 13 It was a perfect, although somewhat chilly, day for our 2018 Homecoming festivities this past October. Games, activities and athletics were happening all afternoon and in the Alumni Cook tent where they offered hungry attendees snacks and drinks. The Knights had a mostly successful day on the fields: • Varsity soccer defeated Oakland Christian School 3-2 • Varsity field hockey defeated Brighton High School 3-0 • Varsity football lost 20-7 loss to Detroit Leadership Academy

Spring 2019

CONTENTS

4 Around Campus 7 George Thanasas ‘17 Lifetime Scholar-Athlete Named 12 Middle School Houses Create Reasons to Connect 16 “Better Athletes, Better People” Through Positive Youth Culture

20 Sure Foundations Campaign: Endowment Phase 24 Giving Back is a Family Tradition 29 The Legacy of Dr. Katharine Ogden 30 ULS is a Life-Changing Opportunity

42 C-SPAN Co-Founder is the 2019 Distinguished Alumnus 50 Class Notes 62 In Memoriam

The Magazine for University Liggett School

uls.org

Greetings from Cook Road! Spring has arrived and with it a period of tremendous momentum for University Liggett School. With strong enrollment of more than 600 students, a dynamic teaching faculty creating incredible learning experiences, and a school program rich with opportunities for academic, athletic, artistic, and personal growth, we are poised, in this our 140th year, to continue to honor and extend our legacy of shaping graduates who go on to lead lives of significance, excellence, and purpose. There is no better physical symbol of our institutional momentum, of course, than the John and Marlene Boll Campus Center. Glowing boldly onto Cook Road, our newest campus facility was fully utilized all winter, with basketball teams practicing and competing in Fruehauf Gymnasium, middle schoolers enjoying the world’s greatest PE venue, and our student athletes receiving expert strength training in the brand new Lisa Black ‘77 Fitness Center. It seems remarkable that this facility, so vibrant and so ingrained in our school life, was merely a vision some 18 months ago. The realization of this dream has been nothing short of remarkable, and reflects the herculean efforts, constant goodwill and deep faith of so many individuals. Thoreau, in Walden, exhorts “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” University Liggett School has never shied away from bold visions – these so called castles in the air. From campus relocations, to predecessor school mergers, to curricular and pedagogical innovations, our venerable history is consecrated by intrepidity. But Thoreau reminds us that daring must necessarily be accompanied by doing. Castles need foundations. Certainly, the Boll Center has its literal footings, poured first before steel could be erected, but, like so many of our grand plans, it has even more important intangible foundations. It was this indelible notion that inspired the title of the capital campaign that has supported our endowment and our facilities projects: Sure Foundations. Our surest foundations, have been, and will always be, people: invested families and students, loyal friends, volunteers and supporters, and so many faithful alumni, who support the school in so many ways. Contained in the pages of this issue of Perspective are the stories of individuals who, through exemplary lives, through generous current or planned financial support, or through commitment of time, energy, and enthusiasm, serve as the sure foundations for our exciting present, and our ambitious future. Sincerely,

Bart Bronk Head of School

1045 Cook Road, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236 | 313.884.4444 UL S.ORG

AROUND CAMPUS VICTORIA ORTIZ ’20 EARNS SPOT WITH NATIONAL ORCHESTRA Junior Victoria Oritz represented University Liggett School and performed with a national orchestra at a prestigious music festival in Indianapolis in March. Ortiz played violin with the National Honors Orchestra of America at the Music For All National Festival in Indianapolis. The National Honors Orchestra of America selects the top high school musicians in the country to perform. As part of the festival and honors orchestra experience, Ortiz studied with word renowned conductors, artists and master teachers. Ortiz is the first Michigan musician selected for this honor since 2013. Honors Orchestra of America is a national program organized by the music for all foundation and supported by Yamaha.

SPENCER LUKAS ‘19 HONORED BY THE GROSSE POINTE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Lukas was honored with the Youth Achievement Award and a $1,000 scholarship. Elizabeth Jamett, director of college guidance at University Liggett School, nominated him. “Since his early school days, Spencer exhibited a unique set of interpersonal skills. Our former head of school referred to Spencer as ‘the mayor,’ because he was known to students of all grade-levels,” she said in her nomination letter. “Moreover, Spencer exhibits an interest in others that is truly genuine,” Jamett said.

PERSPECTIVE

Photo by Yellow Door Photography

University Liggett School senior Spencer Lukas was honored by the Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce at the Pointer of Distinction awards ceremony in January.

Spencer Lukas with Ted Everingham, and Jennifer Palms Boettcher from the Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce

FIELD HOCKEY WINS SECOND STATE CHAMPIONSHIP Congratulations to the girls’ varsity field hockey team and coaches Jayant Trewn and Amanda Amine for winning the 2018 State Championship! The Knights, seeded No. 3, upset the No. 1 seed St. Catherine of Sienna with a lone goal by sophomore Ella Karolak in the 53rd minute of the game. Goalkeeper senior Madeliene Wujek kept the ball out of University Liggett School’s cage with five saves in the last seven minutes of the game to secure the win.

MERRY GOOD TIME AT THE GROSSE POINTE SANTA PARADE More than 50 families joined Head of School Bart Bronk to march in the annual Grosse Pointe Santa Claus Parade in November. Those who walked in the mile-long parade waved pennants, carried the University Liggett School banner, donned holiday headgear and made all sorts of holiday merriment along the route.

FIVE STUDENTS SIGN NATIONAL LETTERS OF INTENT Five University Liggett School seniors were awarded scholarships to play sports at the college level beginning in the fall. Seniors Bea Bernard, Eva Papista, Isabelle Brusilow, Logan King and Billy Kopicki signed their National Letters of Intent on national signing day — Tuesday, Nov. 20. Bernard will row for the University of Tennessee, Papista will play soccer for St. Francis College, Brusilow will play soccer for Northern Michigan University, King will play baseball for Spring Arbor University and Kopicki will play baseball for Miami University of Ohio. AROUND CAMPUS

EXPLORING PASSIONS UNCOVERING QUESTIONS DISCOVERING ANSWERS Join us at 7 p.m. May 28, 29, and 30 See first-hand what our seniors uncovered from their Academic Research Projects. Learn more about the Academic Research Program at www.uls.org/ARP.

SAVE THE DATE: ALUMNI ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME Friday, September 27, 2019 The Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame was created to honor and celebrate our outstanding alumni athletes and the athletic history at University Liggett School and its predecessor schools. Join us on September 27, 2019 as we recognize the inductee class of 2019.

* For pictures of last fallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event see page 48 6

PERSPECTIVE

AROUND CAMPUS GEORGE THANASAS ‘17 LIFETIME SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD RECIPIENT NAMED The George Thanasas Lifetime Scholar-Athlete Award was created in memory of George Thanasas ’17, a beloved student-athlete who passed away unexpectedly shortly after his graduation in June 2017. This past fall, we were pleased to recognize Anthony George ‘18 as our very first George Thanasas Lifetime Scholar-Athlete, which is bestowed on student-athletes who were three-season varsity athletes and who maintained a 3.5 GPA or higher for all four years of Upper School. “I looked up to George in more ways than one,” Anthony George said. “Receiving this award and being associated with his legacy is an incredible honor.” Anthony George was honored and the placard recognizing the George Thanasas Lifetime Scholar-Athlete Award recipients was unveiled at a ceremony in the Boll Campus Center. Family, friends, coaches and faculty gathered just outside the Fruehauf Gymnasium to dedicate the sign, and recognize Anthony with remarks delivered by Boys’ Varsity Soccer Coach David Dwaihy and Head of School Bart Bronk. “On many occasions as the Boll Campus Center was being built, I referred to the gymnasium as the ‘heart’ of this facility, but this sign is definitely its ‘soul,’” Bronk said. “Having Anthony as the first name on this sign is fitting because, like George, he exemplifies what a scholar-athlete should be.” In addition to the Lifetime Award designation, at the end of each year we will also recognize three-season varsity athletes who maintain high grade point averages as George Thanasas Scholar-Athletes.

AROUND CAMPUS

AROUND CAMPUS LIGGETT KNIGHT RAISED NEARLY HALF A MILLION DOLLARS November 16, 2018 Detroit Athletic Club

Jennifer Barnhart-Fozo ‘87, Tracy Meraw, Christen Zinn and Kristen Harthorn

University Liggett School’s fall auction, Liggett Knight, raised nearly half a million dollars to support academic initiatives, building improvements, athletic equipment and more. The event, held at the Detroit Athletic Club, included live, silent and fishbowl auctions as well as a special paddle call for building and technology improvements. The paddle raising alone raised nearly $184,000 for campus improvements. Bruce Strong, Kenica Adams-Strong, Kamelia Wise and Sterling Wise

Popular live auction items included a week at a Paris apartment, pink tourmaline and diamond earrings donated by edmund t. AHEE Jewelers and a week at the Firesky Lodge in Whitefish, Montana. University Liggett School parents, faculty and staff donated items for the auction. “We would like to express our thanks to our Liggett Knight cochairs, Kristin Nicholson and Huong Reilly, and to all of our Liggett Knight volunteers who helped to make this event a success,” said Kelley Hamilton, associate head of school for external relations. “We also are thankful for our families who attended the event and bid on items, either at Liggett Knight or at home. We couldn’t have raised as much as we did without their participation and support.”

Pablo Ortiz, Mariela Ortiz, Kristen Karolak and Kevin Karolak

Rima AliAhmad, Charles AliAhmad, Ted Metry and Lillian Metry

Scott Reilly, co-chairs Lan-Houng Reilly, Kristin Nicholson, and David Nicholson

LIGGETT KNIGHT BENEFACTOR DINNER October 24, 2018 Hosted by Gary Cone and Aimée Cower

Gloria Butler-Miller, Joseph Miller, Shernaz Minwalla

Patrick Mansfield and Mary Mansfield Houng Reilly, Scott Reilly and Aimée Cower

Gary Cone, Stacey Hall and Jason Hall

Jennie Silva and Alicia Bonahoom

Elizabeth Allaer, David Kien and Deborah Kien

Ed Lukas, DeAnn Lukas ‘85 and Ted Metry

Dr. Peter Francis and Dawn Francis

Wayne Jones with Angela ‘89 and Erin and Paul Fozo ‘91

Bill Brusilow, Karen Fox and Natalia Filipof

Ed Lukas and DeAnn Lukas ‘85

Alexis Walker and Christopher Stroh ‘12

Karen Fox, Connie Ahee and John Ahee

PERSPECTIVE

HISTORY STUDENTS HONORED BY LOCAL DAR CHAPTER The Daughters of the American Revolution recognized two University Liggett School students at the Louisa St. Clair Chapter’s Youth and Education Awards. Senior Kat Tolin (pictured left) received the chapter’s DAR good citizen award. Junior Margaret Hartigan (not pictured) received the chapter’s DAR Christopher Columbus essay contest. As the chapter’s 2018 Outstanding Teacher of American History, Upper School History Teacher Chris Hemler (pictured left) spoke about history education at the ceremony.

SENIORS COMMIT TO PLAYING COLLEGE ATHLETICS Two University Liggett School seniors recently committed to playing lacrosse at the collegiate level. Connor Barthel, left, will play lacrosse at Hope College and Daniel Bowen, below, will play lacrosse at Denison University.

BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPION Sophomore William Cooksey won his second state No. 1 singles title. He is a back-to-back state singles champion. He led the boys’ varsity tennis team to an eighth place finish in the state finals.

AROUND CAMPUS

AROUND CAMPUS MIDDLE SCHOOL HOUSES CREATE REASONS TO CONNECT As if by magic, the Middle School is looking a lot more like Harry Potter’s Hogwarts these days. Each middle school student now belongs to one of six houses that have been established through the school’s new house system. Named for the home streets of University Liggett School’s predecessor schools — Briarcliff, Broadway, Burns, Cook, Parkview and Roosevelt — each house has a motto, a mascot, a flag, 20-something students and faculty advisors. To a fanfare of excitement, students participated in a sorting ceremony in the fall. Each student received a wooden token of their respective houses, which many fashioned into a zip-pull on their backpacks or other types of wearables. This year, the students are creating identities for their houses, participating in friendly competitions to earn house points, and collaborating with students in grades three, four, and five in the Lower School. Born from a mission to create more opportunities to connect and collaborate across grades and disciplines, the houses are designed to build relationships and strengths that wouldn’t naturally emerge in the traditional school structure, said Rob Butler, head of middle school and assistant head of school. “What tends to happen is kids get on tracks and get funneled. They can be striated by grade level, with limited opportunities to interact,” said Butler. “But it’s important to build community. If students feel known and have a voice and a role and feel more connected, they will be more successful.” A committee led by Butler and Assistant Head of Middle School Paul Rossi researched other successful examples to learn about benefits and pitfalls, and then built programming and direction that they knew would work for University Liggett School. Faculty members serve as house heads, putting teachers and administrators from different grades together, offering another layer of development and community. The house committee hoped that the system would be effective in furthering the value of common good. And it has, according to both Rossi and Butler. During this academic year’s Gobblepalooza event, house points, rather than individual student tickets were awarded in exchange for donated items. Even though students were not individually rewarded as in years past, they demonstrated plenty of house pride through the new setup. “We usually take two loads in my pickup truck, but this year we filled an entire bus with donations,” Rossi said. “Our grand ticket total was in excess of 10,000 tickets.”

PERSPECTIVE

Most kids will naturally compete just for the sake of competition, but the recognition that each house can succeed and be celebrated as a whole, rather than as individual parts of that whole, is animportant process for the students. “One of the most powerful pieces is that we recognize behaviors that are consistent with our mission as a school, and people who demonstrate these values and go above and beyond are publicly recognized, but not called out by name,” Butler said. “The students recognize ‘my name wasn’t said, but they are talking about me.’ They get a sense of why that is cool.” In turn, other students recognize that desirable behavior, too. “That’s where it can be really positive,” Butler added. “We’re not worried about this system encouraging too much good.” As the first cohort to participate in the Middle School house system, these students are beginning to understand what it means to create a legacy for their school. “For the most part, they are creating something new, and will understand more next year that what they created will be lasting,” Butler said. “It’s a cool process and they have been instrumental. When they create their house identity and see tangible results, it’s exciting for them.”

UL S.ORG

COMMUNITY WELLNESS: A PRESCRIPTION FOR A HEALTHY COMMUNITY Adolescence, ages 10-19 years, is a time of rapid and profound physical, intellectual, emotional, and psychological changes, as well as development of healthy, or conversely, risky, behaviors that can last a lifetime. Because University Liggett School is committed to helping the children in our community – as well as our faculty, staff and parents – develop strong health habits and wellbeing awareness, the school launched a formal Community Wellness Initiative in fall 2018. Made possible by a grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, with the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Legacy Funds for Grosse Pointe Community Assets, the initiative focuses on the three primary spheres of wellness – social, emotional, and physical – and is designed to provide parents, educators and civic leaders with programming, information and support to help children grow and develop in a healthy and positive way. A major component of the program includes a community education series. For example, in November 2018 we hosted Jessica Lahey, the author of the Gift of Failure, who provided eye-opening, reality-checking advice for both parents and students on how to view failure as an opportunity for growth. Her perspective and feedback for our community was necessarily frank and incredibly powerful, and feedback from her presentations was overwhelmingly positive. In January, we hosted a screening of the documentary “LIKE,” which explores the impact of social media on our lives and the effects of technology on the brain. The goal of the film is to inspire and help equip us to self-regulate. Both the Middle and Upper School students viewed the movie, while an evening screening, open to parents, educators and the community, took place, as well. Max Stossel, narrator of the film and head of education for the Center for Humane Technology, facilitated discussions after each screening. And in May the school is hosting a discussion dealing with the topic of “Coping with Stress & Anxiety.” Facilitated by a panel of both trusted community therapists, as well as our upper school staff therapist, the event will cover the topic from two angles: coping mechanisms for children to employ, and tips for parents who want to help their children dealing successfully manage stress and anxiety. Alongside these community events, the school has found new ways to bring wellness information to its families, through the addition of a Weekly Wellness feature in its weekly parent newsletter, Wellness Boards in each of the division hallways that focus on a common monthly topic in age-appropriate detail, and the creation of the school’s Dean of Wellness position. Through the latter, the school aims to bring greater strategic integration of wellness initiatives throughout the school and keep this critical topic at the forefront of leadership discussions. The prognosis for ongoing community wellness is great, as University Liggett School lays the groundwork for many additional health-focused offerings in the months ahead: • Hosting additional expert-led events to facilitate discussions with the community on leading child development/ adolescent topics, including academic stress, body image, athlete health, substance abuse, sleep and more • For elementary school students, University Liggett School plans to offer yoga classes and mindfulness activities. We will also institute friendship circles as a way to promote and practice kindness and conflict resolution in peer relationships. Middle school students benefit from a comprehensive physical education and wellness curriculum, and events and activities will be planned for upper school students throughout the school year that promote physical activity, mindfulness and wellness. • For our faculty and staff, the school will host wellness fairs/events in partnership with our benefits company. Additionally, faculty and staff have access to the Lisa Black ‘77 fitness room housed at the beautiful new Boll Campus Center. 14

PERSPECTIVE

THE PEERS FOUNDATION DEMONSTRATES THE HAZARDS OF DISTRACTED DRIVING The PEERS Foundation brought the Augmented Reality Distracted Driving Educational Simulator (ARDDES) to University Liggett School in February. Upper School students, and faculty and staff, had the chance to experience the distracted driving simulator. In the simulator, participants were able to experience real-life distractions such as phone calls, text messages and social media notifications. “This new technology allowed our students to experience the difficulties and dangers of multitasking while behind the wheel without putting them in harm’s way,” said Lindsey Bachman, dean of health and wellness. Those in the audience also were able to watch a live-stream view of what was going on inside the simulation, making the demonstrations engaging and impactful for everyone. According to the PEERS Foundation, distracted driving is the number one cause of fatalities for drivers ages 16 to 29. Smart devices and activities like texting while driving have caused driver fatalities to rise at unprecedented levels. Distracted driving claimed more than 3,000 lives in 2015, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The PEERS Foundation is a non-profit organization that seeks to empower young people with the knowledge to build healthy, successful lives by using innovative and interactive learning interventions. For more information, visit www.peersfoundation.org.

UL S.ORG

“BETTER ATHLETES, BETTER PEOPLE” THROUGH POSITIVE YOUTH ATHLETIC CULTURE University Liggett School has recently stepped up to the plate to share coaching best practices with the broader community. On March 2nd, the school held its second University Liggett School Coach Academy, a workshop focused on positive coaching strategies for volunteer coaches of youth sports and made possible by a grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Legacy Funds for Youth Sports. The event featured a combination of technical sessions led by the school’s own coaches and an in-depth discussion on youth coaching strategies led by a trainer from the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), a national nonprofit that works holistically with coaches, studentathletes, parents and administrators to develop “Better Athletes, Better People.” Approximately 50 coaches from a broad range of sports attended the half-day session, eager to learn from the experts — and each other — in order to provide the kids they coach with positive athletic experiences. University Liggett School will continue to provide and expand upon its positive coaching training, powered in large part through its PCA partnership, which kicked off in March, as well. The partnership is a positive step, said Alan Parish, director of athletics. He has been familiar with PCA for several years, and encouraged the relationship as a way to enhance the sports culture, which is an integral part of the University Liggett School life. “The primary purpose of PCA is to help coaches become better coaches, but part of it is getting coaches, athletes, and parents on the same page with continued training,” Parish said. By shifting the focus of youth athletics from outcome to process, the positive sports experience can become something students carry with them for the rest of their lives. “Wins and losses are secondary to that impact,” Parish explained. “This is about helping coaches shift the focus to what are they doing to make radical positive impacts in the kids’ lives.” PCA has partnered with some 3,500 schools and youth sports organizations in the United States, and delivers workshops that blend sports psychology, education, and practical advice about athletic performance from top coaches and athletes. One particular goal for Parish is to help University Liggett School coaches learn to coach in the moment. “When coaches coach in the present, they are better able to give athletes the best experience this year, whether or not they continue beyond that. They are not focusing on the elite athletes that they might play in college, but what the student is doing right now,” he said. This is especially important for an independent school that requires students to participate, and doesn’t turn away any student from joining a team. Diversity of student-athlete ability is fostered and celebrated on every team, with positive outcomes for everyone involved a top priority, he said.

PERSPECTIVE

UL S.ORG

THANK YOU TO OUR ADVERTISING PARTNERS* Advertising at University Liggett School is a unique way to support the extraordinary opportunities that our students receive and promote your business at the same time. There are many ways to advertise your business â&#x20AC;&#x201C; on sports fields, at McCann Ice Arena, with our theater program and more. For more information, please contact Trisha Shapiro at 313-884-4444, ext. 411 or tshapiro@uls.org.

PERSPECTIVE

*Advertising partners as of March 15, 2019

Blessings in bloom. To say that I welcome this spring with open arms is an understatement! It has been an unforgiving winter in the Midwest, but regardless of where this message finds you, I hope that you are reveling in the fresh outlook and new beginnings of the season. For me, the beautiful weather of a Michigan spring always feels like light at the end of the tunnel. For all of winter’s beauty, every year there is the sense that we’ve “earned” spring, and I find that I appreciate the reward of singing birds and longer days more every year. I’m sure you’re like me, realizing that many things in life are worth waiting for and, in fact, are even better because of it: Knowledge and skills that you gained throughout your academic career, applied to your current professional calling. Relationships formed as a child that fill your heart and sustain you as an adult. A sense of community fostered as a young person that informs the way you give back to the world today. As an institution, University Liggett School also ascribes to the notion that good things are worth waiting for. To that end, our endowment – a fund the school invests in and leverages the returns from to support long-term school initiatives – is an important component to our financial health. Because the returns are exponential, becoming greater as the principle grows, our endowment is something we’ve worked hard to secure and just as hard to grow. Whereas the Annual Fund – which so many of you have generously supported – is applied toward offsetting the daily operating expenses of the school, the endowment enables us to plan for and fund our future. This issue of Perspective explains the role the endowment plays in our comprehensive Sure Foundations campaign. While we’ve raised over $39 million for the campaign to date, we recently launched our final and arguably most critical element -- the endowment phase. It’s during this focused period of fundraising that we work to ensure future generations of students have the same premiere dynamic educational experience that all of our families eperienced. From scholarships to unique spaces where students can test and expand their thinking to innovative curriculum enrichment, the endowment matters because we must never stop improving upon ourselves. I hope you enjoy learning not only about the endowment, but also about the people behind the endowment – those who have benefitted from the educational opportunities it makes possible, those who have supported the fund through their own generous donations, and those in whose names donations to the endowment can be made. If you find yourself inspired by these stories and would like to learn more about how you could make a strategic investment in the future of the school through an endowment donation, I’d love to hear from you. It’s a powerful way to support the school, and one that only becomes more powerful over time…much like my love of Spring! Warmly,

Cressie Boggs Director of Development

1045 Cook Road, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236 | 313.884.4444 UL S.ORG

THE SURE FOUNDATIONS CAMPAIGN ENSURES EXCELLENCE TODAY… AND TOMORROW. With a goal of maintaining and building on our school’s legacy of excellence, University Liggett School launched the Sure Foundations campaign in 2012, a $50 million comprehensive campaign to support every aspect of the school and to ensure a strong future for generations to come. To date, we have raised more than $39 million and now we are entering the final phase of the Campaign - the endowment phase. The Sure Foundations campaign comprises three distinct areas of support: CAPITAL: Sure Foundations is an investment in our campus to provide to everyone in the University Liggett School community the finest classroom spaces, facilities, and athletic fields. We are well on our way, with the opening of the state-ofthe-art John A. and Marlene L. Boll Campus Center in September 2018. This wonderful center celebrates the entire community as a gathering place for the generations of University Liggett School families — past, present, and future. And, with the completion of the renovation of our world-class turf athletic fields in 2015, not one athletic team or gym class has missed a practice or a game due to flooding. All of this is a big win for our vital athletic programming in all divisions. ANNUAL FUND: Sure Foundations secures support through a strong Annual Fund. Through generous donations, University Liggett School is able to use the Annual Fund to augment tuition to make up the difference and what it actually takes to run a quality independent school. For many schools, this gap is so wide that they simply could not operate without financial contributions from donors, according to an article on the editorial website ThoughtCo. “It’s not unusual for tuition to only cover 60 to 80 percent of what it costs to educate a student, and an annual fund at independent schools helps make up this difference,” the site says. Through the Annual Fund, University Liggett School has raised money for important enrichments that directly impact our students such as field trips, playground improvements, service learning projects and professional development for faculty.

PERSPECTIVE

“The Annual Fund supports our current year operating budget, while other gifts — such as those toward the endowment — support longer-term projects,” said Cressie Boggs, director of development “Gifts to the Annual Fund have an immediate impact on our students and programs.” Every gift made to University Liggett School, including Annual Fund giving, supports the overall $50 million Sure Foundations campaign. This year, the Annual Fund goal is $1.7 million. ENDOWMENT: And most immediately, we are working to build our endowment. Our endowment serves two purposes: to establish a strong, lasting investment fund that will support the school in perpetuity, and to provide a base for which interest monies can be grown and drawn upon. “A strong endowment is a sure sign that a school’s longevity is guaranteed,” said Kelley Hamilton, associate head of school for external relations. “Just as with any investment vehicle, the goal is to grow the money over time by investing it and not touching the vast majority of it.” Because the endowment phase is perhaps the most critical fundraising stage of the entire Sure Foundations campaign, detailed information about how the fund works and what it means to our school’s financial health is in the pages that follow.

PLANNED GIFTS: A GREAT WAY TO SUPPORT ULS By including University Liggett School in your will, you are joining other generous alumni, parents and friends who are making an impact on the lives of others. Thoughtful estate gifts helps shape superior academic experiences, nurture outstanding teachers and enable talented and motivated students to attend the school. If you have added University Liggett School to your estate plan, or would consider doing so, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Cressie Boggs, Director of Development, with questions or for more information at cboggs@uls.org or (313) 884-4444, Ext. 413.

UL S.ORG

THE ENDOWMENT: FUNDING OUR FUTURE A critical component of the Sure Foundations campaign, the endowment phase is a focused effort to increase funds to support three key University Liggett School priorities: • Our Tradition of Opportunity is the growth of inclusivity and diversity at University Liggett School through robust scholarships and financial aid programs. This means bright, talented students from diverse backgrounds will continue to share their own perspectives in the halls of University Liggett School, and continue to make the environment more enriching, more interesting, more empathetic for everyone. Our Liggett Merit scholarship, new endowed scholarships and scholarships that honor esteemed faculty and staff are all tuition assistance models that the endowment directly supports. • Our Tradition of Innovation includes the tools necessary for encouraging experimentation and problem solving through integrated technology, internet and computer upgrades and in the innovative Makerspace, as well as faculty and staff positions in the technology department. • Our Tradition of Excellence is part of the endowment that is perhaps the most authentic and vital to University Liggett School’s enduring mission. Faculty professional development, experiential learning, the Advanced Research Program in the Upper School, student organizations, and the creation of engaging and secure spaces dedicated to learning are all the bedrock of this tradition. The endowment is a strategic investment tool for the school. The greater the endowment, the more interest generated, and that income can be devoted to important school initiatives and projects without compromising long-term financial security. This is essential to University Liggett School’s value as a student-centered, life-changing educational community that contributes to the greater world.

Is it common for an independent school to have an endowment? Yes! In fact, nationally, independent schools saw an average return on their endowment funds of 7.4 percent in 2018, according to a study by Commonfund Institute. “Just like we see with colleges and universities, independent schools are facing rising costs and limits on their ability to raise tuition,” said Cathleen Rittereiser, executive

PERSPECTIVE

director of the Commonfund Institute, in a release about the study. “Raising non-tuition sources of revenue is imperative and maximizing the returns of their endowments is an important part of that strategy.” A donation toward an endowment fund for an independent school is a gift to financial capital, rather than physical capital, according to the National Association for Independent Schools, of which University Liggett School is a member. It’s also a gift that is held in perpetuity. A gift to an endowment fund can be restricted or unrestricted. A restricted fund is one that the donor has designated toward a specific purpose, such as a scholarship fund, while an unrestricted fund can be used for any need the school determines to be most pressing. Thanks to a carefully maintained and growing endowment fund, University Liggett School is headed toward a more sustainable future.

How does the endowment differ from other funding efforts? You may have already contributed (THANK YOU!) to University Liggett School’s Annual Fund or to the Sure Foundations effort to fund the new turf fields or the Boll Campus Center. These tremendously successful initiatives have raised more than $39 million to support University Liggett School and its students. Funds raised for these campaigns are doing the jobs they were designed to do, and spending has never been more right-sized for these updates and improvements. The endowment, though, is a focus on the future, and it allows University Liggett School to have the long-term stability to continue providing unparalleled educational opportunities to our world’s future leaders. And these are precisely what University Liggett School alumni have said made the biggest impression upon them, and which impacted their lives, in the moment, in further academic endeavors, and in every other life opportunity.

You can make a difference Take a moment to consider your own legacy and remember your own experiences on Cook Road. Many of our alumni and family say if given the chance, they’d do it all over again, and make the same choice to attend University Liggett School. Many more say that their time at the school changed the trajectory of their lives for the better. There are a number of ways to give to the endowment, which our Director of Development Cressie Boggs (cboggs@uls.org) would be pleased to share with you. You can pay forward your own benefits of a University Liggett School education to tomorrow’s students by making a commitment to the campaign with a gift to the endowment today.

UL S.ORG

GIVING BACK IS A FAMILY TRADITION » Henry Ford III ‘98 recognizes the value of his University Liggett School education When Henry Ford was young, his friends and family called him “Sonny.” Did this unique nickname give a young Henry his own identity within a family of so many Henrys? Possibly, he said. “My grandfather’s best friend’s name was Sonny and that became my nickname,” said Henry Ford III. To this day, some friends and family members still call Ford, Sonny, and he’s OK with that. Another thing that has stuck with Ford since graduating from University Liggett School is his commitment to giving back to the community that supported him. In fact, Ford, a former board member, began supporting University Liggett School as a donor just five years after graduation. He’d completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Dartmouth in 2002, and was embarking on an early career as a middle school English and math teacher in Alexandria, Virginia. After teaching, he went on to work for the Ford Motor Co. in labor relations and purchasing, then as a retail salesperson at a Ford dealership in California, before earning an MBA at MIT. It was the impression that University Liggett School teachers made on him that led him to consider becoming a teacher, Ford said. “When I was in college, I started to think carefully about what I wanted to do for my career, and I came to the realization that a lot of the people in my life that had a positive impact on me were from ULS,” Ford said. “I really enjoyed the community at ULS, and I always felt like my teachers were really going above and beyond to make sure I was having a positive experience at school. They were good role models for me.” “When I was in college I came to the realization that education is critical. It really cemented the importance of a good education for everyone,” Ford said. Today, Ford works as manager of corporate strategy at Ford, and though he says no day at work could be considered “average,” his is a role that has a lot of moving parts. “If I had to boil it down to its simplest form, it would come down to teamwork,” Ford said. “I’m hardly ever doing something by myself. I work either with colleagues or industry partners, but in some form, I’m always working closely with others and I enjoy that. It’s fun. The automotive industry is a complex business that is always evolving, and it’s a business in which there are multiple stakeholders. You have to work closely with others to be successful.” In many ways, the University Liggett School educational environment prepared Ford for the work he does today in an industry so vital to our country’s economy.

PERSPECTIVE

“

“I would say there was always a sense of community at University Liggett School that was important for the students, faculty, and parents at multiple levels. Being part of a community and understanding your role in that is something that is instilled at a young age,” Ford said. “I began practicing this without even knowing it from my earliest I was given a good education by University days at University Liggett School.”

Liggett School and would like to, in turn,

By continuing his support of University Liggett School, do my part to help others have an equal Ford is following the actions of his parents, Cynthia and Edsel B. Ford II, who served as co-chairpersons for education. - Henry Ford III ‘98 the University Liggett School New Horizons Capital Campaign in the 1990s, and who made a generous gift, along with the Henry Ford II Fund, to support the construction of the pre-kindergarten center that is part of the lower school building at University Liggett School. In addition, Ford was just elected to a six-year term on the board of the New York-based Ford Foundation, which was created in 1936 by Ford’s great-grandfather, Edsel Ford. Henry Ford II also served the foundation for 33 years and, according to reports, modernized the foundation. The Ford Foundation has made contributions to the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy’s RiverWalk project, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and ShoreBank Enterprise Detroit among others. It also funded the creation of the New Economy Initiative and contributed $125 million to the Grand Bargain to help the city of Detroit emerge from bankruptcy. Ford also serves on the advisory boards of Henry Ford College, The Henry Ford, Operation Hope, and Bridging Communities In Detroit. He also helped start the nonprofit Neighborhood Villages, which is committed to increasing access to early childhood care for families. As Ford sees it, giving back is a responsibility he prioritizes. “I am fortunate enough to be in a position where I can give back, and I have a responsibility to do that,” he said. “That was a lesson my parents instilled in my brothers and me growing up. They have been consistent about that. I was given a great education by University Liggett School and would like to, in turn, do my part to help others have an equally great education.”

DR. SUSAN STUCKEY THOMS ’66 LIG LEARNED HOW TO LEARN AT THE LIGGETT SCHOOL As a young ophthalmologist in the early 1980s, after examining her patients, Susan Stuckey Thoms ’66 LIG was often asked, “When will the doctor come in?” “Patients were not accustomed to a young female physician,” she said. “Happily, times have changed.” Thoms says she learned many of the foundational skills needed to succeed while a student at The Liggett School in the early 1960s.

“

“Liggett gave me a great education. I was well prepared for the rigors of Kalamazoo College and medical school, because the curriculum at The Liggett School was so demanding,” she said. Throughout high school, Thoms participated in afterschool activities such as volleyball, basketball and double quartet. She also swam in national level AAU competitions and had to juggle school work with out of town competitions.

The previous generation supported the school so I could benefit, now it is my turn to pay it forward and support the next generation. - Susan Stuckey Thoms ’66 LIG

“I had to learn time management and organization.” She said she considers it her duty to give back to the school that gave her so much and is including University Liggett School in her estate plan. “The previous generation supported the school so I could benefit, now it is my turn to pay it forward and support the next generation.”

UL S.ORG

ATTENDING GPUS POSITIVELY CHANGED THE TRAJECTORY OF MY LIFE By Charles (Chuck) Nickson ‘58 GPUS* I grew up in Detroit where I went to grade school. At the start of the 9th grade, in 1954, I transferred to GPUS and attended through the 12th grade. It was a great fit for me. It was very representative of the community, and felt like a natural place to be. Regardless of background or interests, all kids found their place. Attending GPUS positively changed the trajectory of my life. When I was at public school, I never considered myself an outstanding student. I remember worrying a lot about my grades, and I didn’t have a vision for myself of ever attending an elite university. GPUS changed all that. First the academics were wonderful and the facility first class. The small classes and the interaction with the faculty made learning exciting to me and was responsible for my academic success. I still fondly think of many of those teachers. My classmates, some with whom I’m still in touch today, were wonderful and we really bonded together as a class. These friendships were important to me and I always cherish the times we spent together. What I learned the most at GPUS was to do a good job in whatever endeavor I undertook. To not settle for mediocrity but to aspire for excellence. To stay with an assignment until it was executed properly no matter what it took. While I did earn top grades, I also had the support of a concerted alumni effort that advocated for GPUS students going to Yale. Upon graduation from GPUS I was accepted to Yale University and completed my undergraduate degree. From there, I went on to the University of Michigan law school where I graduated in 1965. I practiced law in Detroit until 1969, and then decided to go into the real estate business which led me to Texas in 1970. I love Texas and I’ve lived here ever since. My wife of 55 years was born in Boston, though we met in Detroit, and we have three grown children and five grandchildren. My decision to donate a scholarship was in gratitude for all of the opportunity and friendships the school offered me. My advice to current students at the school is to find a profession or line of work that is honorable and that you love. Pursue it with all your devotion and like Confucius is supposed to have said, “You will never work another day in your life.” *Charles Nickson was Charles Uznikian while attending GPUS. He changed his name, legally, in 1962.

PERSPECTIVE

THE LIGGETT SCHOOL GAVE ME A STRONG FOUNDATIONAL EXPERIENCE By Karin Ryding ’60 LIG I am deeply grateful for The Liggett School experience when growing up. I came to Liggett in the fourth grade, in 1951, when my parents moved into Indian Village, and stayed through high school graduation, in 1960. I loved the fact that I could be in the same school from elementary through high school. It allowed classmates to form solid, long-term friendships, especially those of us who lived near enough to school to walk, because we often did things together after school. Mostly this involved riding bikes and getting together at one another’s houses. But what it meant more deeply was that we were a close-knit community, even though we ultimately went our separate ways. I get a lot of requests for alumni donations, having three degrees from three different institutions: my undergrad school (Middlebury), the university where I got my masters degree (the American University of Beirut), and the university where I got my Ph.D. (Georgetown). I appreciate the education I received at all those places, but I feel deeply attached to Liggett, because it is where I grew up, where I had the closest friends, and because as a scholar looking back, I profoundly appreciate the quality of the Liggett faculty as well as their personal care and guidance through the rough times of adolescence. All of these institutions served me well, but Liggett remains my foundational experience because it gave me – a very shy, gawky girl – the confidence to move on and take up adventures. The keys to future learning were foreign language classes: French from the seventh grade through high school, and Latin for three years, from eighth through tenth grade. In college I took Russian, Italian, French, Arabic, German, and Sanskrit, and ultimately became a linguist, a specialist in phonology, morphology and syntax, and in Arabic language (spending three years in Beirut). These specialties led me to the State Department, where I was language training supervisor for Arabic for six years, and then back to Georgetown to join the faculty of the Arabic Department there in 1987. The academic aspects of Liggett were very strong, but extracurricular activities were a large part of my broader education: music, theater, sports, and being the editor of the school newspaper, the Gopher. I particularly remember when we did Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Pinafore” in eighth grade, directed by Miss Cole and Miss Brown. I got to play the part of the Captain and still remember most of the score. It stays with you. But I would say that as a woman academic, the most important experience for me at Liggett was the mentoring and support I had from all the faculty, from chemistry to history to English to math and language classes. Such support wasn’t easy to come by later, as I was going through grad school and as a young academic. Therefore, mentoring young women is something I have tried to do throughout my career, and it is largely based on the kindness, firmness, and unwavering positive regard of Liggett faculty that allowed me to flourish despite the vagaries and challenges of growing up. I feel privileged to be able to give back to University Liggett School and her traditions, and to contribute to her future.

UL S.ORG

LISA BLACK ’77 TAKES THE LEAD TO SUPPORT THE SURE FOUNDATIONS CAMPAIGN During her six years at University Liggett School in the 1970s, Elizabeth “Lisa” Black ’77 was a passionate athlete – she participated in field hockey, tennis, basketball, volleyball, lacrosse, and then tennis again in the spring. However, it was the connections and the relationships she built on the field and in the classrooms that left a lasting impression. Black has a more than 20-year history of giving to University Liggett School. She said the tradition of giving by others inspired her. “I know alumni, friends of University Liggett School, and others gave to the school prior to my attendance to enhance the programs and campus. It is important that I also give back to the school that gave so much to me,” she said. Black started her career at Nuveen, a TIAA Company after earning her MBA at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. During her 31-plus-year career she worked as a research analyst, a portfolio manager, head of portfolio management, head of trading, and chief investment officer of the Global Taxable Fixed Income department. She said University Liggett School gave her the footing and foundation to succeed, another reason she’s given back to the school every year since 1988. “I was a member of a terrific class and combined with the teachers, coaches, and staff, I had a wonderful six years at ULS,” she said. “The Sure Foundations campaign is about ensuring the future well-being of the school for the benefit of the students, faculty, staff, as well as the communities it serves. I give to ULS because I believe in the mission of the school, but more importantly I also give back to an institution that laid the groundwork for my success both personally and professionally.” In late 2015, Black led the fundraising initiative to name the field hockey and girls’ lacrosse field after legendary coach and former athletic director Muriel E. Brock coach/faculty emerita. “I credit the education I received on and off the field for shaping who I am today. When you think of great coaches who inspire and mentor, you think of Muriel.” Since graduation, Black said she’s gained a new appreciation for the staff at the school. “They play a critical role in running the school, which I had little connection to as a student, but as a former trustee and alumna that has changed dramatically. I feel it’s just as important to support them through giving.” And as a former trustee, 2009-2015, not only has Black given to the capital portion of the Sure Foundations campaign she’s taking the lead again and made a gift to the endowment phase of the campaign through her estate. 28

PERSPECTIVE

THE LEGACY OF DR. KATHARINE OGDEN Perhaps the most beloved member of The Liggett School faculty was the legendary Dr. Katharine Ogden whose 36 years as a stern but loving headmistress positively influenced the lives of countless young women and defined The Liggett School experience. Miss Ogden was widely respected and revered by her colleagues in the metro Detroit area and she had a national reputation for being one of the best educators in the country. In addition to that, her students adored her. In total she saw more than 900 young women graduate, and her deep and continuing interest in her students gave them a solid base from which they were able to excel academically, professionally and personally. The Dr. Katharine Ogden Endowment initiative is part of our broader Sure Foundations Campaign and it offers our Liggett School Alumnae and their families a special opportunity to make a gift to University Liggett School that will provide a lasting benefit to our current and future students (and faculty and staff) in much the same way that Dr. Ogden provided so many lucky young women with the educational background that benefitted them for a lifetime.

Please Give Now Thanks to a generous posthumous gift of $10,000 from Mary Louise Drennen ’39 LIG, we have already begun raising money for this important initiative. Now we ask you, our cherished “Liggett Ladies,” to make a gift in honor of Miss Ogden on or before June 12, 2019 - which happens to be the 55th Anniversary of “Katharine Ogden Day” as proclaimed by then Detroit Mayor Jerome Cavanaugh upon her retirement in 1964. Help us keep Miss Odgen’s legacy alive so that future students and families can be reminded of her important, positive and lasting influence on our school.

“

We all admired and respected Miss Ogden. In the 1960s, we were ‘Liggett Ladies,’ and we were expected to behave as ladies. So, we certainly learned respect and proper decorum. Katharine Ogden was the headmistress and was highly respected and maybe a little feared by all students. - Susan Stuckey Thoms ‘66 LIG

Help us keep Miss Ogden’s legacy front at center at University Liggett School, so that future students understand that our unique heritage of excellence began, in part, thanks to Dr. Katharine Ogden and her extraordinary talent and passion for teaching. Contact Director of Developmen Cressie Boggs for more information or to make a gift. online visit www.uls.org/drogden.

UL S.ORG

STUDENT PERSPECTIVE UNIVERSITY LIGGETT SCHOOL IS A LIFE-CHANGING OPPORTUNITY By Madison Baltimore ‘19 I was first introduced to University Liggett School in the seventh grade. My middle school dean provided me with a list of private schools that I may be interested in attending. On that list was, of course, Regina, Cranbrook Kingswood High School, Sacred Heart and University Liggett School. University Liggett School was the only school on that list that I had never heard of. Upon visiting, I instantly fell in love with the school. Although this was such a foreign place, I could definitely envision myself being there for the next four years. Later when I was asked “What high school do you want to go to?” the only option I gave was University Liggett School. I knew that there was a place waiting for me at University Liggett School. Being granted the opportunity to attend this school on an academic scholarship was life-changing. There have been more activities and positive experiences than I could have ever imagined. Challenges, whether academic, physical, or social did come my way, but there was always someone to aid in getting me through them. The ULS community is filled with diverse people from many different walks of life. These diversities allow for students to not only learn, but share their opinions in a safe environment. I believe University Liggett School’s rigorous curriculum and fast work pace have more than adequately prepared me for the many situations and academic challenges that lie ahead. The people put in place to guide me through, not only my University Liggett School education, but life lessons, have been unbelievably amazing. I found another community within the utopia of University Liggett School when I joined the track and field team my sophomore year. Fulfilling extra curricular requirements came very easily. Creating relationships with some classmates and even seniors was something that I thought would never happen. I quickly had a newfound love for throwing and competing with my new family. Becoming a team captain in recent years has allowed me to give that same sense of love and community to newcomers to the team. University Liggett School gives students the space to grow, discover and develop their abilities, to thrive as more than just a student, and for that I will forever be grateful. 30

PERSPECTIVE

SCHAAP SCHOLARS CONNECT WITH SCHOLARSHIP CREATOR Since the first Schaap Scholarships were awarded in 2008, 35 eighth-grade students from Detroit Merit Charter Academy have had an opportunity to attend University Liggett School for four years. That opportunity is thanks to the generosity of Paul and Carol Schaap, who created the scholarship so that highachieving students from Detroit could have access to a University Liggett School education at the Upper School level. Current and former Schaap scholars recently enjoyed the chance to express their gratitude and tell Paul about their experiences at University Liggett School at a luncheon in December at the school.

UL S.ORG

SMALL COMMUNITY, CONVERSATIONS MADE SCHOOL SPECIAL Antoni James “TJ” Dulac ‘17 took an non-traditional path after University Liggett School. He’s currently in his second year at Deep Springs College, a two-year liberal arts college where just 30-some students work and learn on a remote cattle ranch in California. Dulac serves as chair of the Curriculum Committee, in charge of hiring faculty.

Where do most students go after leaving Deep Springs, and what is your next step? Some take a gap year, but a large number go straight on to a selective university like University of Chicago, Yale, Swarthmore, or others. I’m looking at a group of liberal arts schools, where I will likely study philosophy or political science. Right now, I’m staring at a blank page to figure out an approach for my college essays.

You were a Liggett Merit Scholar, how did that experience inform your next step? I had planned to go to the University of Detroit Jesuit High School when I heard back about the Liggett Merit Scholarship. I am very happy I ended up making the choice to attend University Liggett School. I don’t think I’d be at Deep Springs if I hadn’t gone to University Liggett School. Attending University Liggett School has contributed to my most successful experiences at Deep Springs — all under the realm of academics.

Can you share some specifics? At University Liggett School, I began to write and think in ways that were conducive to a more conventional kind of academic success here. Multiple professors have commented on the way I structure my essays and my approach, and they have been impressed by my ability to relate to professors. One of the things I loved most about University Liggett School was how open the teachers were to meet after class and just talk about ideas. Here, it’s a small community and it’s interesting how often conversations continue outside the classrooms on walks or at the dinner table. This came naturally to me because teachers at University Liggett School were open to doing a similar thing.

What do you do in your spare time? I read for fun. I’m reading the C.S. Lewis science fiction trilogy right now with the president of the college. Being stuck in the desert with 30 others, it’s hard not to grow close with your peers, and I’ve grown the most from conversations with others.

PERSPECTIVE

UNIVERSITY LIGGETT SCHOOL WAS A SECOND FAMILY We connected with Ian Homsy ‘18 somewhere outside Clarion, Penn., on a road trip with his mom back to Yale, where he’s currently digging into applied math and film. He’s a board member of the Yale Film Society, is a member of the Yale Arab Student Association, and represents his residential college in council meetings.

You were involved in quite a few activities at University Liggett School. What did you learn from your experiences? I joined theatre when I was playing junior varsity tennis because I could do both at the same time. I realized I liked acting, and I was in “A Streetcar Named Desire.” I also really loved being on the track team . The team was the biggest family I have ever had. Our coaches were the most supportive people of all time. What I really enjoyed about it was even though I wasn’t the most competitive runner, they still let me compete as much as I wanted. The real joy was competing against myself and bettering myself.

What did getting the Liggett Merit Scholarship mean for you? I felt honored to have the opportunity to be at the school. I loved University Liggett School and the opportunities I had there. The connections I made with the teachers were something that prepared me so well for college. Receiving a scholarship told me that they had faith and belief in me that I was capable of doing something and helping my community. That stamp of approval is motivating.

Standout moment for you? Right after we finished senior classes, my Chinese class was invited to Ms. Bai’s house for dinner. We spoke Chinese and met her family. This is emblematic of what makes University Liggett School so special: that connection with teachers that is so strong they want you to actually meet their families and come to their homes … and you feel comfortable doing so!

Favorite film genre? I’m really into foreign language movies right now. My favorite film this year was “Roma.” But I do love every type of movie. Each has its own thing to offer, but I enjoy foreign language films because there is a great world of film outside of Hollywood filmmaking.

What was your Academic Research Project at University Liggett School? I focused on cinematic techniques to portray insanity in film. I learned about the use of different camera techniques to emphasize symbols and relations in film, like “Persona” by Ingmar Bergman, and “Rosemary’s Baby.” My ARP really gave me the opportunity to research and come up with a topic on my own, which has been important so far in college. In college, you have a lot of free space with no prompt. My ARP experience helped me learn how to narrow my focus and create good topics for papers.

UL S.ORG

COLLEGE GUIDANCE PROGRAM WAS A GAME CHANGER After graduating from University Liggett School in 2013, Tori Wuthrich moved to Boston and completed a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. When she completes her master’s degree, also in aerospace engineering, in June, she will move to Oregon to work for Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing, that designs, develops and manufactures unmanned aerial systems.

What is your educational focus? I specialize in autonomous systems, specifically autonomous UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles.

What appeals to you about the prospect of living in Oregon? I love the outdoors, and I’m a big cyclist. Where I will be living offers great opportunities for that. I’ll be able to take frequent hikes. It’s a beautiful area and I’m excited to live there.

Ultimately, what has attending University Liggett School meant to you? As an eighth-grader, I was looking at different schools. I remember touring and following a student around for a day and seeing the classes and thinking there were good student and teacher interactions. I liked that aspect of it. I ended up receiving a LMS half scholarship and it made it possible for me to consider attending ULS. I thought the school offered some very good opportunities and decided to take advantage of it. I’m quite happy that I did. Mrs. Jamett, director of college guidance, in particular, worked hard to get to know each student and see to it that we had good opportunities after graduation.

What do you do in your spare time? I’m on the MIT cycling team, so training and racing takes up a good bit of time.

What cycling technology has made a difference to you? One influential advancement in the field of cycling is the power meter, a device you put on your bike to tell you how much power you are generating at any given time. It’s an extremely useful training tool. It shows how you are progressing over time, and how you are getting stronger.

PERSPECTIVE

I FOUND MY PASSION When Taniesha Williams ‘13 attended Vanderbilt University, she spent her summers working with Math Corps., a Wayne State University-based mentoring program for Detroit public middle and high school students. She loved the experience, but little did she know that it would become her future career.

You switched your major at Vanderbilt because of your experience Math Corps. Why? Even though I don’t like blood, I wanted to be a doctor, until I got into Math Corps. and learned how satisfying it is to motivate kids through the lens of academics. My degree is in human and organizational development, with a focus on community development. It is a degree in the school of education, but focused on what neighborhoods look like and how that influences growth and the individual path outside of the classroom.

Did your choice to join Math Corps. as a career surprise you? I had my first post-college blow when I applied for a job in California but wasn’t selected. I reached out to my boss and founder of the Math Corps. program Steve Kahn, and told him I wanted to be involved with Math Corps. in any way I could. Now, I’m program coordinator and I work on Wayne State University’s campus in the Department of Mathematics. I never thought I’d make my first home in the Department of Mathematics, but here I am!

How did your experience at University Liggett School help you become who you are today? I can share my appreciation of University Liggett School through the lens of my Academic Research Project. I did my project on graduation rates in the Detroit Public School System. It was so cool and interesting to do research on my topic, and it’s exactly what I did in college — put pen to paper with something that got me excited. The emphasis on discovery was something I think is unique to University Liggett School. At University Liggett School the emphasis was about finding a passion and asking really good questions that drive discovery to get to the bottom of things you hope to be important in your life.

What do you do in your downtime? I’m reading “Black Youth Rising” by Shawn Ginwright. It’s super important in terms of the work I’m doing now. Also, I love to write and spending time with friends and family, and I’m active in my church. If I’m being honest, I’m trying to figure out what my new normal is. I’ve been out of college for a year and a half, and the initial “what’s next” feeling has settled. Now I’m trying to figure out what lifts me up.

UL S.ORG

SCHOOL PUSHED ME TO PLACES I NEVER THOUGHT I’D GO Ultimately, Kevin Allen ‘13 hopes to work at the intersection of music and business. He’s in the right place: after earning a bachelor of business administration with a minor in music from University of Michigan, Allen joined Comcast-NBC-Universal for a two-year finance rotational program. We tracked him down just before a move from Los Angeles to New York City for his final rotation with NBC.

You had planned to attend Lakeview High School in St. Clair Shores, but were offered the Liggett Merit Scholarship. What was the University Liggett School experience like for you? It’s impossible to say it hasn’t changed my life. The community was so enthralling — a lot of new people and new things in a challenging environment. It was a must-have for me. The small school forced you to put yourself out there a little bit. That really gave me confidence in a way I don’t think I had before. Everyone knows your name.

Can you share a quick story? The band director knew I played bass, and heard me and some others just practicing for fun in the band room. He said they needed someone to play for the winter musical. I had never even taken band class, but ended up going to the National Theatre Festival. It was a random encounter, that took me to the most prestigious weekend for high school theatre. This type of involvement comes to you in a way that encourages you to participate, which isn’t always the case for many in their high school experiences.

What do you do in your spare time? Road trips! I have caught the bug, which started in college. I have taken multiple 7,000-mile plus road trips crammed into a week and a half. It’s all about finding people you can spend a week in a car with. It’s a really fun way to explore. LA has opened my eyes to food. I stand by the statement that LA is one of the best food cities in the country, if not all of North America.

Did you do an Academic Research Project at University Liggett School? I sure did. My ARP was about fuel cells and how they work. I connected with Wayne State University; they have a lab there. I studied physics and chemistry at University Liggett School, which asked me to think about problem solving. The fact that I did so much science is a testament to the value of pushing limits of knowledge, even if you don’t do anything with it. That’s what is beautiful about a place like University Liggett School. I can read scientific articles now and impress my friends with what I know about fuel cells. It’s valuable knowledge, with or without application.

PERSPECTIVE

MY INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY WAS FOSTERED University Liggett School lifer Nicholas Wu ‘14 attended Princeton, and studied public policy, east Asian studies and American studies. After graduation, Wu became an Atlantic Media Fellow, which puts him in the thick of policy research and reporting at the National Journal in Washington, D.C.

Can you share a fond memory of your University Liggett School life? I particularly remember a moment with teacher Adam Hellebuyck, in maybe my ninth grade world history class, he recognized intellectual curiosity and let me run with it. We had a running joke that some of the history textbook wasn’t well written. I remember pointing out, to him, one section that made the claim that a nation in Africa had converted to Christianity just because one missionary washed up on shore. And he said, ‘Why don’t you figure out what actually happened in this country.’ That’s the kind of environment I really appreciated at University Liggett School. The teachers fostered intellectual curiosity and academic interest outside the textbook.

What did your role as a Liggett Merit Scholar mean to you? I am grateful for the cohort of people the scholarship allowed me to go thru school with. It was nice to have a group of highly motivated, thoughtful people to be around. It definitely did help make University Liggett School a somewhat more inclusive place. It’s my hope that for the future they can bring in students from around the metro Detroit area because it makes for a much more enriching educational experience.

What do you do to relax? In D.C., there are so many interesting things going on — like free talks. I do love the Smithsonian American Art Museum. There are 40 of us in the fellowship program scattered around, and we get together on a regular basis. I’m also studying for the LSATs.

At University Liggett School, you participated in robotics, soccer and theatre. What was that like? I was in the pit band, and we went to the National Theatre Festival in 2010, I think. We took “Chicago” on the road to Lincoln, Neb., and had a great time putting it on. As someone who loves and appreciates music and the arts, I’m glad University Liggett School gave me that opportunity. I was a cocaptain in robotics, so I had experience developing leadership skills. Robotics was new then and almost entirely student-led. Also it gave me practical skills. Would I have learned to use a bandsaw otherwise?

UL S.ORG

I WAS SO PROUD TO RECEIVE A SCHOLARSHIP Call Daria Lewis ‘12 during her workday, and you will hear the lively voices of middle school students in the background, working to solve problems through mathematics. As a seventh- and eighth-grade math teacher at Reach Charter Academy in Roseville, Mich., Lewis says she feels good about giving back to students.

After graduating from University Liggett School, you attended Kalamazoo College. How did you make that choice? Oh, I didn’t want to go there. I wanted to go to a big state school, like Indiana University. But Peter Gaines, the Head of the Upper School, and my college counselor at the time, encouraged me to apply. Kalamazoo gave me the best aid package, so that’s where I went. It reminded me of University Liggett School because it was small, and there were eight or nine other University Liggett School grads there from my class.

How did University Liggett School prepare you for success at Kalamazoo? Academic rigor, definitely. I was prepared for the curriculum aspect of K College, and I had a double major in anthropology and sociology, plus a major in psychology. Socially, as well, I was able to be involved in lacrosse at University Liggett School and at K. I grew up in Detroit, and not many kids on the east side played lacrosse. I took my sticks home and got kids to play with me. Also, I got to travel a lot playing lacrosse.

You were a Schaap Scholar at University Liggett School. How did that influence your decision to attend? I was so proud of myself. My school and my family were proud, too. As part of the scholarship, I went back to do service hours at Detroit Merit Academy, which was great because I knew so many faces. At University Liggett School, my favorite year was my senior year, when I really burst out of my shell. I’m shy, but I got involved. To be able to have a lead role in a theatre production and score my first goals in lacrosse were important to me.

What are you doing now? I started working at Reach Academy as an office administrator, and early last year I started on an alternative certification program to become a teacher. I’m working through Professional Innovators in Teaching with a cohort that meets every other week. The kids make it so worthwhile when they have those ah-ha moments. I feel like I was in their shoes not too long ago. I had so many great educators throughout my life, from Merit and University Liggett School, to K College. I aspire to be one of those great educators, and give kids the opportunity to have teachers who are genuinely invested in them.

Would you say attending University Liggett School was a life-changing experience? Absolutely. Without University Liggett School, I wouldn’t be where I am now. I wouldn’t have gone to K College. And I wouldn’t have branched out at K. Some of the experiences at college were big moments for me, finding out who I am, and my identity, and healing from different things. Without University Liggett School, I wouldn’t have been able to go through those processes.

PERSPECTIVE

MY HORIZONS WERE EXPANDED When he’s in trouble, his parents call him Charles. To everyone else, he’s Tre. We caught up with Tre Caine ‘17 just as he was about to begin school at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, where he will play football and study business, after transferring from Colgate University.

How did sports contribute to your success at University Liggett School? Being involved with athletics at University Liggett School allowed me the opportunity to interact with the student body outside of an academic setting; and that includes teammates and fans. The energy generated on the football field was just different from being in the classroom. My teammates and I — even the student section — shared a common goal we all wanted to win. We all supported each other with everything we did, which builds a sense of brotherhood that lasts a lifetime.

You received a Schaap Scholarship to attend University Liggett School. What did this mean to you? Although receiving this scholarship was a blessing, milestone accomplishments like that are somewhat expected of me. My parents have done a great job raising me to never be blinded by the celebration of success. Going to University Liggett School really expanded my horizons not only as a student, but as a thinker. I’m comfortable enough to understand different approaches to problem solving, and that can be applied to class work and real world situations.

What do you do in your downtime? Secretly, I write a lot. When there’s nothing to do, I’m typically typing away on my phone. Little do people know, I’m actually writing. Free write, poetry, rewriting song lyrics, lyrics — you name it, I’m writing it. It’s another opportunity to get away and be myself. It definitely keeps me level-headed and at peace.

You did an Academic Research Project at University Liggett School. How has it helped prepare you for your next stage in life? My ARP was based on racial stereotyping and profiling. I researched the psychological effects stereotyping has on an individual and how stereotyping becomes almost natural to most people. The phenomenon of transference played an essential role in my project. Transference, in short, is when a person applies past knowledge and/or experiences to present or future situations. After researching this topic, I recognize this in everyday life, especially mine. I am profiled no matter what I do, where I go, or who I’m with, but I am defined by how I react to adversity and not how I am viewed by society.

What teachers did you connect with best at University Liggett School? Elizabeth Wagenschutz. Easily. She understood me as a writer and really established a sturdy foundation, in which I can continue to grow as a writer. I had great relationships with all my teachers at University Liggett School, especially Mr. Dwaihy, Mr. Knote, Mr. Hartigan, and Ms. Minwalla.

UL S.ORG

I WAS OVER-THE-TOP EXCITED TO ATTEND Currently in her junior year at Central Michigan University, double majoring in exercise science and psychology, Kira Borum ‘16 says she was considering attending Cass Tech or Regina High School, but chose University Liggett School when she received a Schaap Scholarship. The decision, she says, was a no-brainer.

Where will your degree take you? I hope to attend graduate school and get a master’s degree in sports psychology, and then work with youth development in sports, or with professional athletes. I love the idea of training bodies and minds. I’m also fascinated with football, because of how concussions are handled within that sport.

What did you think when you were awarded a Schaap Scholarship to attend University Liggett School? I was surprised. I didn’t think that I would be chosen. I felt like I wasn’t noticed enough to receive the scholarship. My family was over-the-top excited that I could attend University Liggett School and not worry about the cost. We all knew the education would be amazing. It has opened a lot of doors for me, and even my sister attends University Liggett School now. Because I didn’t think I could receive a scholarship, I learned to encourage those who are in a similar situation — where they are blessed to have an amazing opportunity and they should take it. Don’t worry about messing up. Do the maximum, to the best of your ability.

What doors were opened for you? My passion for photography. It happened in a research and discovery class in ninth grade. My teacher put a camera in my hand and I started taking pictures and he said I was really good. Now, I have three different cameras, and it’s a hobby that I use in college when things become stressful.

What is a fond memory from University Liggett School? In 10th grade, I had Dr. Jane Healey who was very big on the non-traditional classroom. We read the classics like Great Gatsby and Shakespeare, but we had a non-traditional way of approaching writing about these works. Opening these forms of creativity helped me approach my other academic classes with more creativity. Also, I keep in touch with Erin Raymond, an athletic trainer at University Liggett School. I work with her as a mentee; we text and in the summers I have worked with her on different sports. We have conversations about how the mind and body work, and how we downplay that socially to seem stronger.

What do you do in your spare time? I go to the gym. I’m pretty big on fitness and that’s a great way to relieve stress. Staying active, and picking up weights is great alone time. I also write stories and poems to get my thoughts out of my head and on paper.

PERSPECTIVE

GET TO KNOW TWO OF OUR CURRENT LIGGETT MERIT SCHOLARS » Taveon Colston ‘22, Liggett Merit Scholar What are you passionate about, and how does University Liggett School allow you to explore that? I am an ambitious, curious, innovative student who enjoys math and science. I am passionate about learning and using new technology and University Liggett School allows me to do that. From the use of electronic books, math applications, and online research, I feel my education at University Liggett School is preparing me for the future.

If you could go back, would you choose University Liggett School again and why? Yes, I would choose University Liggett School again because it offers me an experience that I could not receive any place else. The small class sizes, challenging curriculum, and caring teachers provide a great environment for advanced learning, which I am fond of.

What five words do you think describe you today? Are these the same 5 words that will describe you in 10 years — if not, what would those words be? Five words I believe describe me today are: adaptable, diligent, responsible, intuitive, and optimistic. These are the same words that will describe me in ten years because they are required for me to live the type of life I desire.

» Kennedy Marshall ‘22, Liggett Merit Scholar What are you passionate about, and how does University Liggett School allow you to explore that? I’m passionate about the performing arts, especially dance and theater. University Liggett School has a very strong and high-level program that I can participate in. This program allows me to learn and explore more about my craft. I have aspirations to pursue dance and theatre at both the collegiate and professional levels.

If you could go back, would you choose University Liggett School again and why? If I had to go back and choose University Liggett School again I would. So far, it has met my expectations — I have small class sizes, performing arts opportunities, and I am making connections that can help me in the future.

What five words do you think describe you today? Are these the same 5 words that will describe you in 10 years — if not, what would those words be? Five words I’d use to describe myself are: thoughtful, determined, easy-going, loyal, and kind. Yes, I hope that I will still be able to use these words to describe myself in the future. A word I’d like to add to the list is, wise. Even though I’ll only be 25, I hope to have remembered the lessons I’ve learned from my “grows” and my “glows” in life.

UL S.ORG

ALUMNI NEWS 2019 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS: JOHN EVANS ‘62 GPUS Forty years ago, in 1979, Americans were introduced to a brand-new way to engage with the U.S. Congress and their other elected officials: by welcoming them into their living rooms through C-SPAN, the nationally televised cable network dedicated to covering gavel-to-gavel live political congressional sessions, speeches, hearings, and more. The co-founder of that revolutionary cable channel is John Evans ‘62 GPUS and we are delighted to honor him as University Liggett School’s 2019 Distinguished Alumnus during Alumni Weekend, May 17 and 18. As a pioneer and internationally recognized figure in the cable television industry, John Evans built and ran the very first cable system in the Washington, D.C. area, and he’s been a leader in telecommunications since his GPUS days. He’s received many awards and accolades for his success and also for his important philanthropic work. Among other things, Evans co-chairs Dr. Robert Gallo’s Advisory Board for the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland. He has also served in various capacities for the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. At his alma mater, the University of Michigan, Evans founded the John D. Evans fund for Media and Technology in 1997, subsequently creating two chairs focusing on social media’s societal impact. There he also serves or has served on the external advisory boards of the School of Information, the College of LS&A, and the President’s Advisory Group. He has also served on the boards of the Eisenhower World Affairs Institute and the Hollings Cancer Center. In 1998, Evans was appointed to the Advisory Committee of Michigan State University’s Quello Center for Law and Regulation. We recently caught up with Evans to learn more about his experiences at GPUS, his achievements, and his rich philanthropic life.

While at GPUS, you committed yourself to service. Can you share some ways that you volunteered your time and energy, and what you got from the experiences? My experience at GPUS was that service was an integral part to living one’s life. I’m remembering that upon graduation, during the ceremonies I received the school’s service award. Whatever extracurricular services that the school needed, I got myself involved with, like for example the fundraising carnival.

What are some lifelong skills you gained while at GPUS? First would be to be inquisitive so that you can begin to get to whatever is the truth. Also, be true to yourself. I was a maverick in our family. My parents allowed me to be that maverick and take it where it would, so long as it was safe. Be authentic. I learned early on while in high school to be who you are. That’s hard, particularly as a teenager, but this served me well later in life. I always say: “What you see is what you get, because I’m not smart enough to be clever.” When you are trying to be clever you will be found out. To build on that: later in life as I developed these key

PERSPECTIVE

principles, I began to understand that the coin of the realm is trust. Trust is built on four things: integrity, authenticity, empathy, and logic. All of them must be intertwined and truly authentic. That’s true whether you’re a scientist, a businessperson, or a politician. The beginnings of my understanding of that came from my sophomore, junior and senior year and then began to blossom at U of M, where as the director of the campus news radio station WCBN, I covered John F. Kennedy’s tragic assassination in 1963.

You’ve received a lot of recognition in your life for your career – your trophy case must be full! What does receiving the Distinguished Alumni award mean to you? It’s a great honor to be acknowledged and remembered by a school that gave me my foundation, that gave me the values, principles, and knowledge that I was able to build on at U of M, in the U.S. Navy, and during my business career. There are many times I would hearken back to the words of my teachers, and remember whether it was history, literature, philosophy, or spiritual guidance, that their teaching helped me to stay focused.

What prompted your philanthropic/social justice work? It really started in the mid-80s when I was fortunate enough to meet Dr. Robert Gallo, the co-discoverer of the HIV virus. At that time, HIV was seriously affecting the gay population and sadly, many of my acquaintances died from the virus during those years. And while it was hitting close to home for me personally, the more time spent with Bob, the more I realized what a global crisis AIDS had become. During that time, I was running Evans Telecommunications, which was all-consuming. But Bob and I stayed in touch and, in 1995, he gave me a call and said ‘John, I’m leaving the National Institute of Health to form the Institute of Human Virology and want you on my advisory board.’ I told Bob while I was honored, I barely passed biology in high school, and I avoided it at all costs at U of M, so I wasn’t sure exactly I what I could do to assist him. But he said he needed me for other reasons and I naturally jumped in with both feet to help. As a result, we formed the Waterford Project, where we employed broadband technology to connect Gallo’s lab with researchers from Harvard, Emory, Michigan and UCSF to accelerate new HIV vaccine candidates. What was exciting is that we were able to use telecommunications to help break down walls between competing labs so that their research results could be shared and used in real-time. And, as I speak right now (March 2019), Dr. Gallo has an HIV vaccine in human trial. We will find out in next couple of years how well it is doing. In an effort to expand my ability to help with this cause and other matters that are important to me, I created the John D. Evans Foundation in 1993, which focuses not only on HIV/AIDS research, but also on social justice issues, LGBTQ rights, the environment, education, technological innovation, and the arts. My partner Steve Wozencraft and I have worked hard to be LGBTQ civil rights advocates and have been actively involved with a wide range of projects including the U.S. State Department’s 15-country Global Equality Fund and the University of Michigan’s Spectrum Center initiatives. I am proud that Steve and I are the very first openly gay couple to have been officially designated by then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as Patrons of Diplomacy, and our names are engraved on the U.S. Department of State building in Washington, D.C. I’m the first openly gay board member for the NCTA – The Internet & Television Association. I’m so proud of our industry’s commitment to diversity. This is the 38th year I have served on the NCTA board, and because of that, coupled with my work with C-SPAN and my creation of the first cable system in Washington, D.C., I was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame in 2016. For me this is a time of stewardship. For, we will all be remembered by what good stewards we have been of that which has been entrusted to us. To learn more about John Evans and his career, visit www.uls.org/alumni.

DR. ALEXANDRA SOLOMON ‘91 WORKS TO FOSTER STRONG RELATIONSHIPS When Alexandra Solomon ‘91 was four, she hatched a plan to become a pediatrician the minute she grew up. She remained firm until she was a sophomore at the University of Michigan when she took a deep dive into gender, power, race, and relationships in a women’s studies class. “I was done for. Completely fascinated by it. I also took a psychology class and decided to become a psychologist,” she said. “But my north star was always wanting to help people and be of service to people.” Today, Solomon is a licensed clinical psychologist at The Family Institute at Northwestern University, as well as clinical assistant professor in the school’s psychology department. She has a Ph.D. in counseling psychology and a graduate certificate in gender studies, also from Northwestern. She’s the author of one book; another will be published next year. Each year, Solomon teaches a popular course called “Building Loving and Lasting Relationships: Marriage 101” which attracts a wide range of undergraduates. “Male, female, gender non-binary, gay, straight, all ethnicities,” said Solomon. “I may have a gender-queer who is polyamorous sitting next to a Muslim in an arranged marriage.” The course works to expand the traditional narrow model of marriage to expand how students think about what is possible in intimate partnerships, and Solomon says she loves hearing how the course impacts her students’ primary relationships, even years later. “The class is a 10week journey to better understand your love template so you can create a healthy relationship from awareness and understanding,” she says. Teaching at university level helped Solomon appreciate the academic foundation she built as a lifer at University Liggett School. “I appreciate how solid my underpinnings are around writing, critical thinking, and accessing resources like literature and research. Also not being afraid of working hard!” This summer, Solomon says her two children will spend time with her mother, Christine Reif, Faculty Emerita for University Liggett School’s middle school language arts program, working through the grammar program she created. “I’m so particular about grammar and writing because of University Liggett School. And this program is a big source of pride for her and for her identity.” Learn more about Alexandra Solomon at www.dralexandrasolomon.com.

PERSPECTIVE

Photos by Marita Poll Images

STUDENTS CONNECT WITH MEREDITH JACKSON ‘69 GPUS Fifty-three years ago a tall, lanky teenager from Detroit made history by being the first African American student to attend and then later graduate from Grosse Pointe University School (GPUS). Upper School students at University Liggett School had a chance to hear from this groundbreaking alumnus – who is now a pastor living and working in Alabama – as part of the school’s Black History Month studies. The Rev. Meredith Bernard Jackson ’69 GPUS didn’t intend to be a groundbreaker when he decided to attend Grosse Pointe University School in 1966. He recalled that “there was a movement at the time to diversify schools across the nation and then Head of School Hugh Riddleburger was a big proponent of this new philosophy. As an eighth-grade student in Detroit, I took a few national high school entrance exams and I did very well. As a result, I had many high school options, including at many Eastern boarding schools,” he explained to the students. “But, I finally landed on attending GPUS because it was close to home and it was co-ed, which was very important to me as a 14-year-old boy,” he chuckled. During the question and answer session University Liggett School students were curious about the reception he received from fellow students, the struggles he faced while on campus and what daily life was like for him as the only African American at the school.

Meredith Bernard Jackson ‘69 GPUS in his senior photo at Grosse Pointe University School.

Jackson said he realized it was going to be hard to leave his friends behind at his old school and that it might prove difficult to fit in at GPUS. But Jackson explained that “fairly quickly, the students did accept me as a peer, and in fact, I was elected president of the sophomore class, which he admitted was a ‘token vote.’” Jackson still lives by the advice of one of his teachers. “Mr. Kerr told me that I could ‘take being president of the class as an opportunity or just continue to think of it as a token gesture – it all depends on how you choose to use it.’ I choose to take it as an opportunity.” Jackson, a National Merit Scholar while at GPUS, was chosen by his peers to be the senior class speaker at their commencement ceremony in 1969. Headmaster Riddleburger described Jackson at the time as “an elegant guy, a crackerjack athlete, a most responsible and socially conscious scholar. If all boys everywhere were this fine, the world would be a nicer place in which to live.”

Meredith spoke via Facetime at community time in February.

He went on to attend the University of Michigan, and was initially accepted there while still a junior at GPUS. He also has a Bachelor of Science degree from Troy State University and completed a Master of Business Administration from Golden Gate University. In addition, Jackson earned a Diploma of Vocation and a Master of Divinity from Concordia Theological Seminary. He currently serves as pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, in Camden, AL, and is the owner of JayPBSig Creations, a consulting/photography company.

UL S.ORG

JOSH MOULTON ‘96 NAMED 2019 ARTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE “I’m honored and excited to come back to University Liggett School for the Arts Hall of Fame,” Moulton said. “It was clear from day one that I was going to be an artist and I never lost sight of that goal. My teachers at University Liggett School helped me to attain my goal, along with my parents, Amy Trevor Moulton and Conrad Moulton, who worked so hard to send me there.” Moulton, a 1996 graduate of University Liggett School, began work as a professional painter more than 15 years ago. He opened the Josh Moulton Fine Art Gallery in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago in 2011. Moulton’s work can be found in corporate offices and other institutions around the country and has been showcased in galleries in Santa Fe, NM, Chicago and Winnetka, IL. “We are thrilled to honor artist Josh Moulton as our 2019 Distinguished Arts Hall of Fame recipient,” said Katie Durno, University Liggett School director of alumni relations. “He is an incredible talent and his extraordinarily vibrant paintings capture people, architecture, and landscapes in a way that is original, yet identifiable. It’s no wonder he’s found such great professional success pursing his passion.”

Amy Moulton, Josh Moulton ‘96, Ariana Moulton and Dr. Phill Moss

Lloyd Simpson and Diane Simpson with Kelley Hamilton

Previous Arts Hall of Fame honorees are photographer Cybelle Codish ‘94, Michelle “Mitch” McCabe ‘89, actress Julie Harris ’44 CDS and comedian and actress Gilda Radner ’64 LIG. As part of his Arts Hall of Fame recognition we celebrated Josh’s wonderful artwork at a gallery reception in November in the Manoogian Arts Wing. More than 70 guests were there, including Moulton’s family, alumni and faculty and staff.

Marge Fein Faculty Emerita, Amy Moulton and Karen Katanick 46

PERSPECTIVE

Meria Larson, Martha Menge Cox ‘60 GPUS and Monica Dennis ‘92

Lauren Ealba Harris ‘02, Denise Deane, Karen Katanick, Julie Borushko ‘04 and Drew Dettlinger ‘11

NEW YORK ALUMNI RECEPTION October 17, 2018

Alex Brooks ‘07, Sarah Brooks, Ted Bealin, Chelsea Baumgarten ‘07

Our New York City alumni were out in full force at our event at the Lotos Club hosted by Dick Dahling ‘77, at left

Kelley Hamilton, Lisa Black ‘77, Dick Dahling ‘77 and Bart Bronk

We had a fantastic alumni and friends gathering in New York City in October 2018 at the Lotos Club. The event was hosted by Trustee Dick Dahling ’77 and we had more than 25 alumni guests in attendance. Bart Bronk shared an update about all the exciting things happening on Cook Road and it was great to hear about the interesting things our NYC alums are up to these days. Thanks to everyone who came out to see us.

ALUMNI HOCKEY GAME November 23, 2018 More than 20 alumni hockey players took the ice at McCann Arena to face off in the friendly, but always competitive, alumni hockey game in November. Thank you to all the players who laced up their skates and took the ice. Save the date for our fall 2019 game - the game will be November 29.

ALUMNI BASKETBALL GAME November 23, 2018 More than 20 alumni basketball players took center court in the Fruehauf Gymnasium in the Boll Campus Center for the inaugural alumni basketball game in our new facility late November. Thank you to all the players who donned a jersey and came out to play in the game. Save the date for our fall 2019 game - the game will be November 29.

UL S.ORG

ALUMNI ATHLETES CELEBRATED Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame October 12, 2018 Boll Campus Center

Jody Jennings ‘61 GPUS, Wendy Jennings and Head of School Bart Bronk

University Liggett School celebrated the athletic achievements of Susie Mascarin Keane ‘82, Katherine Riddle Miller ‘96, CR Moultry ‘99 and David Backhurst, Faculty/Coach Emeritus at the 2018 Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony in the new Boll Campus Center this past fall. “It was a touching evening as each of the inductees talked about their memories and experiences at University Liggett School,” said Director of Alumni Relations Katie Durno. In addition to more than 150 friends and family members, several previous Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame inductees attended the ceremony, including Muriel Brock, Faculty Emeritus, Bob Wood ‘59 GPUS, Chuck Wright ‘66 GPUS, Laurie Khelokian Byron ‘87, Lauren Ealba Harris ‘02, Monica Paul Dennis ‘92 and Gene Overton, Faculty Emeritus. The Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame was created in 2011 to honor and celebrate alumni athletes and the rich athletic history at University Liggett School. To date more than 30 alumni athletes have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, including former NHL player Jimmy Carson ’86, Olympic rower John Welchli DUC ’46 and Lake Forest College Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Marty Wittmer ‘83.

Shelly Tibbitts Tucker ‘87, Jennifer Barnhart-Fozo ‘87 and Laurie Khelokian Byron ‘87

David Backhurst Faculty/Coach Emeritus, Paul Lanzon ‘90 and Chris Adamo ‘95

Julie Johnson Granger ‘77, Martha Menge Cox ‘60 GPUS/faculty emerita, Kevin Granger ‘72 and Patsy Gotfredson ‘80

CR Moultry ‘99, Katherine Riddle Miller ‘96, David Backhurst, Faculty/Coach Emeritus and Susie Mascarin Keane ‘82

Muriel Brock Faculty/Coach Emeritus, Laurie Khelokian Byron ‘87, David Backhurst Faculty/Coach Emeritus, CR Moultry ‘99, Gene Overton Faculty Emeritus, Katherine Riddle Miller ‘96, Chuck Wright ‘66 GPUS, Lauren Ealba Harris ‘02, Bob Wood ‘59 GPUS, and Monica Paul Dennis ‘92

Danelle Pettway, CR Moultry ‘99 and Andre Pettway ‘99

Berc Backhurst ‘97, Erica Backhurst, Melanie Corneau and Christopher Corneau ‘95

Jason Miller, Katherine Riddle Miller ‘96, Lindsey Miller and Kate Miller

Joe Fodell, Joe Shaheen, Susie Mascarin Keane ‘82 and Bill Shruck

Nannie Maxwell and Sammy Keane

CLASS NOTES 1951

DUS and CDS Representative Janie A. Dow 191 Ridge Road Grosse Pointe Farms, MI janeodow@gmail.com

Janie Dow: Before we left for Florida in December, the Dows had a delightful dinner at the Country Club with Sam and Elise Sherer who were in Grosse Pointe for a family funeral. Sam told us that his tennis game is temporarily in remission due to a sprained wrist suffered in an arm wrestling game with a grandson. The Dow’s were also the beneficiaries of some hospitality at the Grosse Pointe home of Fred and Martha Fordon. Martha is a stalwart in the Grosse Pointe Memorial Church choir. The memories always flow when the four of us get together. Fred and Pete grew up as neighbors in the Indian Village. Martha, Fred and Pete also spent their summers together at The Detroit Boat Club. I had a long catch-up phone call with Cynthia Wheelock Willis. We also grew up as neighbors in Grosse Pointe, Cynthia on Cloverly and me on Touraine. We used to walk back and forth together to the old Kerby school. Cynthia has been in touch with Myron May, who reported he is still golfing at his Florida home in the Villages. We had a beautiful Christmas card from Mary Lou Johnston, Derb’s widow, with one of his paintings on the cover. Mary Lou and Gail Stroh Marantette are neighbors in New Jersey. Finally, I had a long phone call with Sally Fageol Morris. She and her husband are still in Bryn Mawr, but have moved into a continuing care complex, where you own your own facility. Sometime back they built a log home designed by Sally on 250 acres in Westport, New York on Lake Champlain. This past Christmas they had their whole gang there – children, grandchildren, and one great grandchild – visiting. She recalled that Sam and Elsie were at Princeton at the same time as she and Roland, and both couples got married there while still in school. At least temporarily, I have taken on responsibility as class representative for both DUS and CDS, with the loss of Dick Sutherland. Please send me news of you and yours. Stay well and cheers – Janie.

1951

Liggett Class Representative: Barbara Allen Esler P.O. Box 272 Shannon, GA 30172

Our class grows smaller... To the best of my knowledge; there are twelve of us left. Several, I never hear from, but until I receive notification from a relative or an envelope returned with “deceased” written on it, I am assuming they are still alive. After all, we are in our 85th year... I received a Christmas card from Dorothy White Webb in Florida and a beautiful picture of Julius 50

PERSPECTIVE

Send your updates to your class representative. Find a complete list of class reps at www.uls.org/alumni. You can also send updates to Katie Durno at kdurno@uls.org.

and Cynthia Keydel Huebner, but no messages on either of them. The mail brought a newsy message from Judy Hubbard Hutchinson, intended for this “report,” so I will quote her verbatim: “By Jan. 28, 2019 I’ll live in an assisted living facility here in Wenatchee, a town on the Columbia River to the east of the Cascade Mountains. My oldest son, Tom Osgood, and his wife, Kathy, continue to live here, always glad to have their two ‘20-somethings’ visiting. I continue to make scenic oil paintings that I happily give to my six grandkids or my step-kids. Life is good. “I’ve had three tests in five years that show my dementia is on a declining slope, but I’ll maintain my independence as long as possible, driving my Subaru, visiting with friends, discussing good books, keeping in touch with extended family members and ‘old-time’ friends.” The school and I both have Judy’s new address, if anyone wants it. I am friends with Sandy Kreis Gibson on Facebook and keep up with her activities there. In April, 2018, she posted a memory of skydiving on April 7, 2014. Another time, I don’t remember when, there was a picture of Sandy with a large horse with a comment about her bucket list! I don’t have any further explanation on that one! In June, Sandy lost her precious dog, Rascal, of whom I’ve seen many pictures, but I believe she has another one now. In January, I wished Sandy a happy birthday and we had a text conversation. She has three great grandchildren and another on the way. Happily, she says, a nine-year-old lives only a mile away. She took a trip on Viking to the Netherlands in March. Which brings me to my report. In October, I spent a week in Colorado with son, David, and daughterin-law, Erin. The weekend I was there, we had a visit from David’s daughter, Kenda, and her fiancée, Alex. He is a citizen of Iceland, but is the captain of a fishing boat in Norway. He is a delightful young man. I was so happy to see Kenda and have the opportunity to meet him. They headed back to Indianapolis, where Kenda’s mother lives, and were married on October 23rd, and flew to Norway. Alex promised he’d get Kenda back to this country to see her family as often as possible. Christmas day brought exciting news via a phone call from granddaughter, Tiffany, in Hawaii, and her husband, Chris. I will be a great grandmother in August. Chris has three children from a prior marriage, whom I have considered my “greats” (I have met his son, but not his daughters) but this new little one is most exciting and my knitting needles are busy, although they won’t need a lot of warmth as long as they are stationed with the Navy in Hawaii I continue to sing Gospel music and sometimes solo or duet with friends. I attend an ecumenical Bible study on Wednesdays. Recently, however, I was asked to sing at a ladies’ luncheon at a nearby church. The speaker was a Rosie the Riveter from

World War II days. I sang God Bless America in March at the dedication of a rose garden honoring Rosie the Riveters. Speaking of knitting, those who know me are aware that during my Liggett years, I spent six summers at the National Music Camp at Interlochen. I am definitely hooked on classical music. When I am home, knitting, rather than sitting in a silent house, I play All-Classical Portland and hear a variety of musical performances from all over the world. Now, we all know that The Liggett School song is sung to the tune of “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” However, imagine my surprise when suddenly I heard “We, Thy Seniors Hail Thee!” It is from a Divertimento in B-flat by Joseph Haydn. Later, I heard the tune again, as a Brahms variation on a theme by Haydn. I’ve also heard some of the music Katharine Brown played for the processional of the May queen and her court on May Day, but I did not hear the source of that one. Maybe another time.

1954

65th Reunion! CDS and DUS Class Representative Margie Reeves Garbarino 23320 Liberty St. Claire Shores, MI 48080

Margie Reeves Garbarino: I spend my summers in Bayfield, Ontario, Canada. I am involved in many community events and activities. I always look forward to the sunsets over Lake Huron. I am frequently joined by family and friends - making summer a very special time. Many thanks to Richard and Jane Manoogian for their support of the music and arts in the state of Michigan. Judith Richards Spurgin and her husband, Dick, enjoy sunsets with family and friends at their cottage overlooking Lake Michigan. They live in Chicago where they pursue their passion for literature. They belong to many literary groups. Anne Murphy Shaaf and her husband, Dave, live in Escanaba, Mich. They often travel from coast-to-coast visiting family and friends. The children come to Escanaba for visits. Anne is an accomplished artist. Her oil paintings hang in the East Ludington Gallery – a co-op gallery, in which she is very involved.

1955

GPUS Class Representative: Jane Weaver Reuther 81 Lewiston Road, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236 jnb7@comcast.net

Susan Snow: I enjoyed a great family reunion in September. My son, Charlie, was married to the lovely Michele in Twisp, Washington. It was a great

reason to celebrate with family and friends on a beautiful autumn day.

1957

Liggett Update:

Sally Bedrosian: After a 30-year of absence from my home state of Michigan, I decided to return. My years in Florida were rich with the cultural energy. The friends I met and kept through various activities will always be close to my heart. To survive the tropical summers of Florida I spent five of them in Traverse City where I decided I would return to permanently, someday. In December 2017, I found a charming little house in Traverse and moved in. I had already developed friendships with a group of knitters, plus I had cousins and old friends here so the transition was an easy one. Max, my Maltese pup, and I have settled in nicely and are enjoying all the aspects of the four seasons. Although, I have retired from silversmithing, I have continued with my pen and ink drawings, as well as my folk art painting. It has been a joy to accomplish receiving commissions from my art. Mary Yeager Moore: I have recently decided to downsize and moved into a senior living facility.

1958

Liggett Class Representative: Martha Jane Sanford msanford29@gmail.com

Martha Friedricks-Glass: I’m still working fulltime as a real estate broker in New York and never tire of helping people realize their dreams. I took my daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren, ages 14 and 11, to Costa Rica in March. It is the greatest country for family vacations. I even zip-lined 550 feet above the rain forest. It was eight platforms and eight lines - one was almost a mile long. It was a great experience but once in my life was enough. This summer I’m going to Greece for a couple of weeks. It will be my first trip there. I plan to take a yacht trip around the islands and spend a few days in Athens. There is always a down side to life’s joys. I am watching my formerly brilliant husband lose more of his great memory to dementia. He has been living in a very nice facility for almost two years now. I love reading our class news. It would be nice to see some of you in New York!

Martha Jane Sanford: lives in North Carolina and would love to hear from all of you via email at msanford9@gmail.com. Martha also mentioned that she grew up in Indian Village and was able to walk to Liggett, which she did quite frequently with Mary Warren and Tucker Tilly. Martha recalled that the hockey field was right across the street from where she grew up and that field hockey and basketball were the only sports to play at that time. Last time Martha was in Grosse Pointe was for her 50threunion and she reports that “a lot had changed” since when she lived in the area. She has a lot of free time on her hands - and a laptop computer - so please feel free to make contact with her at your convenience!

1958

1959

60th Reunion! GPUS Class Representative Robin Harris Russell rdhr@fivewindsworkshop.com

Julianne McMillan Bockius writes from Florida that she has no news except that she keeps busy. Last spring, she went on a cruise to the Galapagos Islands – “a wonderful experience.” Her daughter is in Los Angeles doing costume design for movies and writing movies and television shows. A quick email from Martha Parker Chamberlin finds her still in Loudonville, just outside Albany, NY. “Life is fine.” Last summer, she had lunch with Joanie and Tim Litle ’58 GPUS at their home in Concord. She also keeps in touch with Jane Evans Jones - exchanging emails with grandchildren

GPUS Class Representative: Suzie Sisman Decker 77 Muskoka Road Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236 ssdeck@gmail.com

Bill McGaughey: I attended DUS or GPUS between the fifth and ninth grades. Then my family moved to Bloomfield Hills. I attended Bloomfield Hills High School in the 10th grade and then Cranbrook in the 11th and 12th grades, as a boarding student. I subsequently attended Yale University; graduating in 1964. Having never been there before, I moved to Minnesota in January 1965 and lived in the Twin Cities area until a year ago. I worked in accounting - for the state of Minnesota, a crane manufacturer, and the public-transit agency for the first 25 years and then supported myself as a small rental-property owner for the next 25 years. I have been married three times, but have no children of my own. I have self-published several books and continue to own two houses in Minneapolis. I am now living in Milford, Penn., in the northeast part of the state, in a house inherited from my parents, along with my wife and her five-year-old grandson. My present ambition is to self-publish a book about history.

From left, Laura and Ned Evans ‘57 GPUS, Katie ’58 GPUS and Jim Stewart ‘58 GPUS and Wendy ’57 GPUS and Bill Krag gathered for a dinner party in September

Sally Bedrosian ‘57 LIG and her dog Max

Julianne McMillan Bockius ‘59 GPUS Bockius during a cruise to the Galapagos Islands

Martha Chamberlin ‘59 GPUS (center) with Tim ‘58 GPUS and Joanie Litle CL ASS NOTES

photos. Martha loves to hear from old friends and hopes “everyone will add to our class notes.” (EdNote: where are the rest of you ‘59ers???) George Haggarty wrote a wonderful email about an urban education program – Racquet Up Detroit – that he is involved in. It uses squash as the “hook” to get kids involved, but education and character development are the important outcomes. There are more than 100 kids in the program, which begins in fifth grade and runs through high school. All graduates are now enrolled in college, including one from University Liggett School; another University Liggett School participant will graduate this June. George has offered to be a tour guide Friday afternoon or Saturday morning of Alumni Weekend if anyone is interested and there is room in the schedule. George sees Peter Kross frequently, Bob Ollison and Sim Leonard from time to time, and Joel Gerschenson, Jim Michelson and Peter Dodenhoff occasionally. (Another EdNote: Hope you last five are planning on coming to Alumni Weekend.) Several communications from Robin Lepard Ward noted that after husband, Nick, had serious but successful hip replacement surgery and retired, they have moved from the Virginia hunt country to South Carolina. They still travel back to D.C., Virginia and Maryland – all central meeting places for her three children and seven grandchildren who are spread about the United States in Denver, Boston and New York. Robin’s oldest daughter, Michele, attends church in Bedford, NY, where

she discovered that Jane Peirce Wood is also a member. Peter Kross reports that their daughter, Katie, is expecting their second grandchild in March; son Andy works in Chicago with William Blair in wealth management. Peter and Peggy escape to Delray Beach and the Bahamas each winter to avoid frigid Michigan. Best news is that Peter and Peggy would like to have a cocktail/buffet dinner party at their home during Alumni Weekend. Details to follow. So the count is marginally better than when I last wrote you all begging for news – George and Susie Haggarty, Peter and Peggy, Robin Lepard Ward, Gordon O’Brien are all planning to come to our 60th. Hopefully more of you will attend.

1960

Liggett Class Representative: Anne Wrigley Molesky 6649 Hawaiian Ave. Boynton Beach, FL 33437 tomjmolesky@gmail.com

Judie Schneider Bailey: I recently flew to Dallas to visit my son, Matthew, his wife and my new granddaughter, Greta. I hope to visit Anne and Tom Molesky soon. Natalie Deloe Riewe: Gordie and I have sold many of our antique cars. Gordie’s hip problem forced us to cancel a cruise out of Florida. We attended the wedding of close friends of our’s on New Year’s Eve in Lapeer. More than 400 people attended the wedding. Karin Ryding: My husband, Victor, recently visited his family in Poland. I spent about a week in the hospital in December, but I am on the mend and recuperating. Bonnie Wilson Skoryanc: Jim and I had a full house for Christmas through to New Year’s. My daughter, her dog and Jim’s family were with us. Both of us are doing well and resting after having a house full of relatives.

1962 Happy Holidays from Gwendy ‘60 LIG and Jim Gugino

GPUS Class Representative: Susan White 58 Waterway Ct. The Woodlands, Texas 77380 suwhite11@aol.com

Well, here we are, “Class of 1962”, in the year when we are all about to turn 75!!!!!! Wow!! That truly doesn’t seem possible and as everyone says, it was way too fast! Lots of living left to do though, so let’s keep on, keeping on! First of all we need to be celebrating and congratulating John Evans for having been selected as the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient - an honor that he’s earned many times over with his exceptional career. MANY CONGRATS JOHN!!! Your classmates are very proud of you!

United States Naval Academy student Colin McMann ’19 and USNA graduate Stanley Bryant ’64 GPUS enjoyed an afternoon tailgate at a fall Navy football game in Annapolis, MD 52

PERSPECTIVE

Rosalie Morrison Kogan: We are selling our house and moving to a high rise in Bethesda - quite a different living experience for us. I still volunteer at Walter Reed and at a conversation group for nonnative English speakers at the local library. Between

Pilates, a book group, bible study, etc. I keep busy! Alan has been teaching classes at AU for OPLLI (Other Lifelong Learning) on American presidents and is really enjoying it. We went to Portugal in March and were in Germany last summer. Our children and grands are doing well. The oldest will be visiting colleges in the spring. Patty Walbridge Ahlbrandt: I would love to see classmates who are in or visiting the San Francisco area. My daughter, Julie, had her fourth child, her third son, so she is having a wonderful time being with all of them. She and her friend, Bill, do some traveling and she is grateful that she is able to do that! I am grateful for that too! Judy Lomax and her friend Stephen have had an exciting moment as they just closed on a condo in Sarasota! They are getting everything settled there and will most likely spend a good deal of time down south come next fall. Can’t wait to see it! Harrop Miller wrote that he spent a few days with Sandy and Sharon Blain at their new home in New London, NH in June. John and Laurie were there as well. Three old Indian Villagers! Harrop also said let’s take note that John Evans is being honored for co-founding C-SPAN and many other achievements in his career. Wow! So nice he is being recognized! John Van de Graff said that he and his wife, Laurie, were also with Harrop visiting Sandy and Sharon Blain at their very nice and spacious home in New London. They enjoyed seeing all the local sights and loved the woodsy setting. One of the nice things about living in New Jersey is, it isn’t a long distance to visit friends and they were also able to see John’s Williams roommate, John Gould, as well. They are also enjoying being close to their daughter and their retirement! Brooke Harrington wrote that in 2017 she and Judy went to Japan for three weeks on a self-designed architectural pilgrimage as our main event. In 2018, we designed and self-published Judy’s book that had been accepted and then put aside by an academic publisher. This inspired us to independently publish the book “CHARDAK, Between Heaven and Earth” and allowed us to create and put in many more images at the size we wanted. You can find it in Worldcat at a number of universities and institutions. The archives of our Balkan research is now mostly turned over to MIT libraries as part of the Aga Kahn Documentation Center. We recently delivered 8,000 images (slides, prints, negatives and related contact sheets) to MIT and then on to New York for some sidewalk time in the City. Elizabeth, my daughter, and Jonathan, my son, are both working in Philadelphia. Elizabeth does market and political research for a national firm and Jonathan teaches high school math and science in the Philadelphia public schools. He also coaches ultimate frisbee, juggles and has been teaching at summer science camp during the last few years.

As a P.S. from Brooke he wrote “As I was doing the evening dishes I thought about the most important event in the past year and I realized learning of Anne Birgbauer’s loss was the most heart wrenching! I only got to know her for four years but my memories of her are vivid and I know her family had two great classmates that influenced us all. And that brings me to our really devastating news that we lost our dear friend and classmate Anne Wood (Woody to all of us) Birgbauer on October 25, 2018. It just doesn’t seem possible that we are at the point where this is happening and I know we all wish that this living could just go on forever. I learned this news from Bicky Bicknell Kellner who went on to Grosse Pointe to visit Anne in the hospital and help with family, friends and other classmates to do whatever they could. There wasn’t a better friend, mother, wife or grandmother to be had. Of course our deepest sympathy and love goes out to Anne’s family and her husband, Bruce. God speed Anne, ‘till we meet again. You are sorely missed by us all! So on we go to 2019 and only three more years to our 60th class reunion! Let’s do it!!! Watch for the information about the Distinguished Alumni Award! Have a wonderful year! - Susan

1964

55th Reunion! Liggett Update:

Alice Wrigley Baetz: Andy and I attended the Lucia party at the Village Club in December. There was a lovely buffet and once again I was the oldest Lucia in attendance. We visited Anne and Tom Molesky at Easter.

1964

55th Reunion! GPUS Class Representatives: William B. Canfield 1334 Merrie Ridge Rd. McLean, VA 22101 canfieldwilliam@gmail.com Terry Book 153 Cloverly Rd. Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236 bythebook@comcast.net

Susan Bryant-Still: We had a pretty busy spring: in April we attended the folk festival we love near Boston and visited a few friends; in early June we went to St. Louis for five days of fabulous hanging out with family on the occasion of my nephew Ben’s wedding - he’s one of Louisa’s twin sons. My son Alex and his family were there too (with Gemma, age 12, and Phoebe, 8?,) as were several cousins from both my mother’s and my father’s sides of the family. Then at the end of June we were back on the East Coast, near Poughkeepsie, for a gathering in memory of Tom’s sister Betty, who’d succumbed to cancer. We’ve stayed closer to home for the rest of the year! I’m a bit incapacitated at the moment: just after I’d finished making a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, I fell and slightly fractured my shoulder as I was taking the pastry board to the wastebasket to dump

the excess flour. Fortunately, Tom was here and took me to the emergency room. I’m wearing a sling for at least six weeks. Tom’s been wonderful about taking me everywhere I want to or need to go. I’m very impatient to be able to use both hands! I’m loving the weather out here: I haven’t needed a coat while I’m dashing about with Christmas shopping. We live far enough away from the terrible fires that the only effect for us in Sacramento was very bad air quality for almost a week. I imagine our classmates in the Bay Area had it much worse. Everyone knows people who lost their houses. Tish (Letitia Litle) Millette: Last year, the week before Thanksgiving, was the culmination of the end of my 13 years in Alaska. Retirement, and then I moved back to Atlanta to live with my daughter’s family in a big separate space that needs to be built out. I’m in a new, big home in a new area of Atlanta I am unfamiliar with - PHEW. Many of my friends and former classmates have done this, for sure. But, goodness, it entailed so very much! Just the ‘simple’ transport of my worldly possessions encompassed the qualities of ‘Big Wild Alaska’. I forwarded our Traffic Department’s main phone to the other Engineering Department, so I could do the final wrap-up and transfer of the Anchorage, Alaska special activity permitting I’d been doing for nine years. Shortly before Thanksgiving, I retired from the Municipality of Anchorage. The week before I’d completed the permit for one of the best-attended events - the arrival of Santa’s sleigh, pulled by very excited reindeer! Then, I flew to Michigan, for a wonderful Thanksgiving with GPUS classmate and great friend and family, Montie Newcomb Curtis, Chuck and Katie! We had a super time in Bay City with two of my cousins, one is a former Liggett student, Wynn Delbridge Hemeon, and her sweet sister, Julia. Then I was off to my new home, “Grammy’s Place” in north Atlanta, for my new life with daughter and family, Kelly, Kenny, Emma, Ben, and Everett; and dog Piper! Leaving Alaska was intense. So many friends came to assist me with the move.

1965

Liggett Class Representatives: Lana Litwin lanar45@gmail.com Mary W. Schrope schropem@gmail.com

Lynne Harrison Miller: My daughter, Katie, and I took the three granddaughters on a tour of Costa Rica before they all went off to college (no parents allowed). We saw toucans, sloths, a huge termite nest, a crocodile, slept in cabins in the rain forest listening for Holler Monkeys, white water rafted, waited on the beach for nesting turtles to arrive, zip lined through the forest and relaxed in beautiful hot springs pools near a volcano and rode horses. We all agreed it was a great adventure!

Lynne Harrison Miller, ’65 LIG, second from left, with her three granddaughters in Costa Rica

1969

50th Reunion! Liggett Update:

Nancy Yakes Stone: I retired in 2013 from the City of Ann Arbor as an environmental communicator - covering e.g., community recycling, water protection, zero waste education. I previously worked at the Ecology Center, U- Mich SEAS, and Gale Research (Publishing) Company in downtown Detroit, where I met my husband, Les Stone. We live in Ann Arbor and have a son Calen in Santa Cruz, CA. I’m currently volunteering with local environmental nonprofits.

1970

Liggett Representative: Renee R. McDuffee 480 Lodge Dr. Detroit, MI 48214 reneemcduffee@gmail.com

Leslie Wrigley: Robin enrolled in Medicare. Les and Robin bought a new Acura in November. We went to Phoenix for New Year’s Eve and stayed for a week. We rented a four bedroom home with four other couples. - Submitted by Anne Wrigley Molesky ‘60 LIG

1972

Class Representatives: Janeen Tingley Beebe 4206 Piney Park Rd, Perry Hall, MD, 21128-9523 janper9999@gmail.com Kevin Granger 943 Hidden Ln Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236 mikevric@gmail.com

Greer Larchen Candler: After 30 years in Grand Rapids, I am now living on Beacon Hill in Boston. Not only is it historic and charming, but there are many Midwesterners who have eased the transition. I have always been in the investment business and am currently a partner at an advisory firm, The Boston Family Office. In addition, various community activities related to historic preservation keep me busy. My daughter, Claire, and her husband are nearby in Connecticut where they are on the faculty of Choate School and expecting their second. My son, Reed, works in NYC in the CL ASS NOTES

ALUMNI RECEPTION AT THE EVERGLADES CLUB Palm Beach, Florida March 6, 2019 Lore Moran Dodge ‘68 GPUS hosted a fantastic alumni and friends reception at the Everglades Club in Palm Beach, Florida in March.

Cressie Boggs, director of development, Lore Moran Dodge ‘68 GPUS and Head of School Bart Bronk

BB Reis ‘69 GPUS, Philip Balas ‘70 and Laura Balas

Robert Evans ‘64 GPUS, with his wife, Lore Moran Dodge ‘68 GPUS and Bill Shelden ‘68 GPUS

BB Reis ‘69 GPUS and Lore Moran Dodge ‘68 GPUS

Walt Cytacki ‘67 GPUS, Marc Shaye ‘61 GPUS, Christine Shaye, Wally Gamber ‘67 GPUS and Debbi Gamber

Anne Lesesne and Ann Opperthauser ‘49 LIG

Tim Litle ‘58 GPUS, Joan Litle and Maureen McCabe

Lisa Prast ‘80 and Albert Prast with Cressie Boggs

Philip Balas ‘70, Gene Overton and Laura Balas

restaurant business and we are busy planning his June wedding. I so look forward to hearing about the rest of our classmates. Steve Danaher: I married a Chinese national in China in 2016 and finally after a 14-month wait, the US Consulate in southern China granted a visa to my wife, Rose Yin. Most Chinese are not allowed a visa to the US unless you are a visiting student or have strong ties to mainland China. She arrived with me this past June 2018 and I have since travelled with her through California, Nevada, Arizona, Virginia, and Florida and she has been to Detroit/Grosse Pointe three times, one week each time, since June. I have known my wife five years now after meeting her during an expo while doing business in China. I have been to China 15 times in the last four years for both business and to visit my wife. She has an apartment in China, so we split our time between Orlando, Los Angeles - my two daughters ages 23 and 25 live there 1.5 miles apart and are in the music business - and China. She is an interpreter/ translator and began learning English at the age of 36 and went on to earn a BA in English in China. She speaks fluent Mandarin and Cantonese. She has a 22-year-old daughter in college in China. I am currently semi-retired, but may be starting a new business this year exporting to China depending on political developments between our two countries. My wife and I enjoy visiting my sister/brother-in-law and my 96-year-old father, who is still not on any day-to-day medication and remains very alert and coherent at all times, in Grosse Pointe. Suzi Sphire Brock: I have moved and am still in the Grosse Pointe area. My email address is the same: sbrock226@gmail.com. Anyone wanting to contact me can do so via email. Michelle Nason Austin: I have had an amazing year of travel. We went to Africa, which has been a personal dream of mine for a lifetime. It was everything, and more, that I had hoped it would be! Animals everywhere and to top it off they mostly all had babies! It made me appreciate how precious our wildlife is and how fragile. My family is doing great - a son in Arizona with my only grandchild, Rowan. She is the light of my life! A daughter in Connecticut who works at a hedge fund in NYC. My youngest has just graduated from nursing school and is engaged to be married in August. Tom and I are enjoying retirement on Cape Cod. My love to you all. I have many good memories of my friends at Liggett and ULS. Cynthia Dunitz: I saw the photos from last year’s reunion and actually recognized everyone. Yeah we are getting old...er but I suspect we still hold on to some of our youthfulness. Looking forward to catching up with everyone. Pat Thompson: I retired from teaching in 2003 ‘cuz of my MS. MS fatigue was the major reason -- a teacher’s day doesn’t end at 3 o’clock. Worked parttime after retiring from teaching as long as I could. Eventually had to get Social Security disability. I no longer run with big dogs... Down sized to

Chihuahuas and walk. I got married in Provincetown several years back when it was only legal there and a in few other states, Michigan not being one of them. We’ve been together almost 24 years. Barb’s pretty handy, remodeled our bathrooms, breezeway, and kitchen, and she’s a good cook. No kids, but lots of recused dogs. Did judo 20+ years, have run a couple marathons, biked across a few states, but now I just bowl. There’s probably more, but I’m saving it for my novel ... NOT! Big dogs in the kitchen were an asset. The floor was kept clean of any food that was dropped. The little ones try to do the same job, but do end up being in the way. I always believed rescued dog make better pets ‘cuz they’re grateful you adopted them. Picture of our kiddies: DD (brindle), nicknamed Monkey (looks like a flying monkey when she flies up to the top chair or sofa and sits behind my head), Gabby (grey), nicknamed Monster dog (she’s tiny and cute but will tear open any bag and scatter stuff all over the place; Sophie, who must sit in your lap and be continuously petted (she’ll bark if you stop), and Max who loved his walks (Took forever to walk half a block- he had to pee on every lawn and sniff every tree). He was 13 and tremendously overweight when we adopted him. Barb “Q”. I started calling her Barbi Q ‘cuz she loved barbecue. Then it got shortened to just Q. Appropriate ‘cuz she was like the Q, an omnipotent being, on Star Trek Mary Wetzel Ware: En route to Detroit last July to celebrate my mom’s 90th birthday, my husband Doug and I spent two wonderful days in Baltimore with my BFF Janeen Tingley Beebe and her husband, Perry. It was such a special time with the most beautiful couple ever. Sadly, Perry passed away on January 27 after a lengthy and brave battle with cancer. What an amazing person he was ... the light of Janeen’s life and someone whose spirit will continue to shine through those of us who were lucky enough to know him. I love you Neeny. Janeen Tingley Beebe: The loss of my beloved soul mate Perry has me reeling. I don’t know how I will survive this overwhelming grief, but by the time this edition of Perspective is published I am sure I will be doing better. Thanks to those of you who posted condolences on FB.

1980

You never know where you’ll run into a fellow University Liggett School alum. Matthew Carstens ‘83 and James Cargas ‘84 bumped into each other in Washington, D.C. at the EBA 2018 Energy Forum

Danné Bullock Johnson ’87 and her family vacationing in the Caribbean

Krag family in Florida this winter

Class Representative: Roxane Lie PO Box 3634 Wilsonville, OR 97070 rml2vizsla2002@yahoo.com

Roxane Lie: I have been in Oregon for 20 years now. I currently work for Ricoh, delivering mail and packages on the Nike campus in Beaverton. I have a dog named Aramis, who is a rescued Vizsla. I have taken several trips to the Oregon coast. Renee Fleming opened the Oregon symphony season this year. We worked together at the Virginia opera in the 1980s. Renee has sung with major opera companies around the world, as well as on Broadway, she sang the national anthem at the Super Bowl, at President Obama’s inauguration,

Wendy Krag O’Neil ’87, Karen Rahm Lambert ’87, Brace Krag ’84 and some other pals put together a mid-January “tribute to the 80s” tennis game in Florida. Wendy reported that no one stepped on the ball! CL ASS NOTES

ARP ALUMNI CAREER FORUM February 26, 2019 In February, alumni returned to campus to share their experiences and expertise with current juniors at the third annual Alumni ARP Career Forum. Alumni spoke about their experiences at University Liggett School, college and their professional careers, before meeting with the students to discuss the students’ ARP topics and offer guidance. Alumni participating this year were Tom Weyhing ’87, U.S. border patrol agent; Dr. Carly Cassleman, DDS ’04 owner of St. Clair Tooth Co.; Christopher Andrecovich ‘05, associate at Exponent, a multi-disciplinary engineering and scientific consulting firm; Joe Conway ’07, MRO buyer at Fisher Dynamics; parent Aimée Cowher, executive assistant to Mayor Mike Duggan and director, Strategic Process Improvement. Parent Lisa Brancato, senior sales strategist and event manager for WDET 101.9 FM and Mary Grech ‘10, data and policy analyst at the Education Trust-Midwest.

Margaret Hartigan and Mary Grech ‘10

Lisa Brancato and Astana Gaffney

Mickey Walkowiak ‘19 and Joe Conway ‘07

Gabby Clinton and Tom Weyhing ’87

From left, Tom Weyhing ‘87, Lisa Brancato, Aimee Cowher, Joe Conway ’07, Mary Grech ’10, Carley Croskey Cassleman, DDS ‘04, Christopher Andrecovich ‘05

PERSPECTIVE

at Queen Elizabeth’s diamond jubilee, and at Sen. John McCain’s funeral. I was able to attend the Oregon symphony season opening concert and go backstage to visit Renee, who remembered me from when we worked together.

1987

Class Representative: Elizabeth Hader Weiner tifundraiser@gmail.com

Walter Butzu: This marks the 27th year I’ve taught English at University Liggett School. It’s a kick to interact with Blasko’s nephews, Pahl and Christie’s kids, Bill Listman’s nephew, and Susan Azar’s children (among others, I’m sure). And yes, I don’t deny that the progeny of the class of ‘87 are by far the coolest students roaming the halls. Wendy Willett McMillan: My son, Andrew, is a junior at University of Michigan and my daughter, Amanda, is a freshman at Northwestern University. Go Big Ten! William Middlebrooks: Is the head basketball coach of Cathedral High School in Los Angeles. This season he decided to add first and last names on the back of the players’ jerseys – saying the addition of the first name was a way to keep players engaged and inspired. Read more here: https:// uni-watch.com/2019/02/12/l-a-high-school-hoopsteam-puts-a-new-spin-on-fnob/. Bob Williams: Long time reader, first time poster... Life is good in the Williams household. After years on the transplant list, my better half, Molly, received a living donor kidney last October. Both she and her donor are doing great! Shameless plug here for anyone who has every considered living donation but were afraid to ask: https://www. henryford.com/services/transplant/center-for-livingdonation. Has a lot of good information to check out. We have three incredible kids; Jack (10), Alexandra (13) and Elizabeth (16) that keep us busy day and night between school and showcase tournaments. College visits are right around the corner! All for now, I’ll check back in another 32 years!

Danné Bullock Johnson ‘87: was appointed to server as the Oklahoma Centennial State Director for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. In addition she was recognized as one of 50 women making a difference in Oklahoma. She recently spent a family holiday on Grand Cayman, where she taught financial regulation in the Caribbean. Wendy Krag O’Neil ’87: Lives in the Berkshires with her husband Tom who is an abstract painter, her son who is a freshman at Trinity College and her daughter who is in 8th grade. She continues her work as a silversmith and most recently created a necklace charm, tie pin and a key chain fob using the new University Liggett School shield logo. See photo at right. You can order these items online at the Logo Store, or you can visit Wendy’s website at www.KragSilversmith.com.

1992

A Wendy Krag O’Neil ’87 creation featuring the new ULS logo

Class Representative: Anne R. Tranchida arh1214@aol.com

A big congratulations, to Duncan McMillan on the release of his debut CD called “Room With A View.” Duncan plays the Hammond B-3 organ and composed all nine songs on the CD, which has been a work in progress since 2004.

1993

Class Representative Amy Shanle amy.shanle@gmail.com

Vince Harkins ’93 was inducted to the Adrian College Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2018. Harkins was a four-year men’s soccer letterman for the Bulldogs from 1993 to 1996, starting in all but one contest on his way to becoming the most successful goalkeeper in program history. He logged more than 6,000 minutes of game action and finished with 795 saves during those four years. He saved his best season for his senior year when he turned aside 221 of 264 shots faced for an .837 save percentage and averaged 11.05 stops per game. He was an All-MIAA selection four times and a team MVP twice. He holds the school records for saves and appearances, and is third in save percentage.

Walter Butzu ‘87 and his wife Ava, who celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in August, are pictured with family near Tanglewood in the Berkshires last summer

Spencer Warezak ‘18, freshman at Dartmouth College, got a chance to meet former ULS Head of School Ray Robbins who took time out of his day to meet him at the Hanover Inn

Connor McCarron ‘17 enjoyed an afternoon skate at McCann Ice Arena with Coach Dan Cimini during winter break

Vince Harkins ’93 was inducted to the Adrian College Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2018 CL ASS NOTES

1994

25th Reunion! Class Representative: Peter Brown pbrown@gpjco.com

Surgeon Dr. Liam Ryan ‘94 appeared on the Today Show on Feb. 20 for Heart Health Month. Liam practices heart-related medicine, including aortic dissection, at the Inova Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, in Falls Church, VA.

Former University Liggett School PreK teacher Melody McCambridge recently met Joella Marron, an ASSIST exchange student from Australia who spent her 1988-89 school year at University Liggett School

2001

Class Representative: Jessica Hall hall2343@gmail.com

Courtney Fox ‘01 dropped us a note to let us know she is living in Glendale, AZ and she recently had a baby boy! Bellamy Gray Fox was born November 26th, 2018, and we hope they are having fun and getting lots of rest!

2003

From left Dan Bowen ‘84, Doug Wood ‘90, Jim Wood ’99 and Addy Wood at McCann Ice Arena

Class Representative Brandon Celestin brandon.celestin@gmail.com

We are excited to announce that Jordan Rossen ’03 is going to be our 2019 Ring and Founders Day speaker on May 10. Jordan is a writer who also teaches World Literature and American Literature at Cranbrook where, in 2018, he was the recipient of the Elizabeth Bennett faculty writing grant . His short stories have been published in several national literary journals including The Baltimore Review, The Colorado Review, The Los Angeles Review, and elsewhere. He’s currently working on a collection of stories and a novel.

2006

Class Representative: Alyssa Bronikowski alyssa.bronikowski@gmail.com

Alyssa reports that she has a new address: 1417 Queen Anne Ave., Apt. #301 Seattle, WA. 98109. Send her updates via email or snail mail anytime!

Aaron Montgomery ’96 with College Guidance Director Elizabeth Jamett

Erin Fleck ‘06, and Evan Degnan of WinstonSalem, NC, were married in Detroit on May 4, 2019.

Aaron ’96 Stephanie with College Guidance Director JackMontgomery Elsey Jr. ‘00 and McIlroy ‘03 (far right) attended the Teach for America event at the Garden Theater Elizabeth Jamett in Detroit. Both Jack and Stephanie are TFA Corps alumni 58

PERSPECTIVE

2009

10th Reunion! Class Representative: Bianca M. Avolio bavoliom@gmail.com

Akshay Verma graduated with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Michigan State University, also completing the Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner program at the University of Tennessee. He started Personalized Veterinary House Calls and Rehabilitation, a veterinary house call practice that serves the greater Detroit and greater Ann Arbor areas. He lives just north of Ann Arbor in Whitmore Lake with his rescued dog Theo, his formerly stray cat Nolar, and his boyfriend, Damon Zuidema, who is a music teacher turned public librarian from Grand Rapids. Margaret Fitzgerald writes “I’m living in Brooklyn, New York. I’m super involved with comedy stuff! I completed the UCB improv program and have been working on sketches, but I’m focusing more on stand-up comedy and performing at a bunch of comedy clubs in the city. When I’m not doing that, I manage and bartend at few cocktail bars (Ramona and Elsa) in Manhattan and Brooklyn.” Rachel Farber writes, “I graduated from Case Western Reserve University with a major in chemistry in 2013, and earned my PhD in chemistry from Loyola University Chicago in 2018. My research focus in graduate school was physical chemistry, particularly surface science. I studied the structural and chemical consequences of high oxygen incorporation on silver, platinum, and rhodium to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms of surface reactions on metals relevant to heterogeneous catalysis. My dissertation work was also awarded top-level awards from AVS (The Nellie Yeoh Whetten Award and Morton M. Traum Surface Science Award) and Iota Sigma Pi, the national honor society for women in chemistry (Anna Louise Hoffman Award for Outstanding Achievement in Graduate Research). I am currently a KadanoffRice Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Chicago in Dr. Steven Sibener’s group, and I am investigating next-generation materials for use in particle accelerator facilities. I would love to stay in academia, and I aim to obtain a tenure-track faculty

Brand new Knight: Charlotte Elaine Elsey, weighing 9 lbs. 7 oz., was born on Oct. 11, 2018 to Jack J. Elsey Jr. ’00 and his wife Merrill Elsey. Jack reports that everyone is “doing great!”

position at a research institution after my postdoc.” Bianca Avolio graduated this past winter with a Master of Science in Nursing from Marquette University, Wisconsin. In February she was hired as a registered nurse working in labor and delivery at Beaumont, Royal Oak. Working three 12-hour shifts, she has helped bring 112 babies into the world. After shadowing with a midwife her senior year at University Liggett School, Bianca has continued to follow the path that would lead to a career as a Certified Nurse Midwife. Once she becomes more familiar with the RN role in L&D, she will then apply for a post-master’s certificate midwifery program and start her journey as a CNM! Quinn Scillian writes “After graduating from the University of Michigan where I studied theater and film, I moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry. Since I’ve been here, I’ve worked professionally as an actor both on-screen and on-stage as well as having filmed a number of commercials (Shop at Stein Mart!). I also work full-time at Keshet Studios in the scripted TV department where we develop television series from initial concept to final product. Unfortunately, I’m still not a dog-mom, but we’re trying! I also briefly worked at SUR, the restaurant featured in Vanderpump Rules on Bravo. I didn’t sign an NDA. Ask me anything!”

2010

Class Representative: Joseph Shannon joseph.j.shannon@ml.com

Mark Ghafari: Is a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch in Grand Rapids, who graduated from Kalamazoo College in 2014. While at K College, he studied economics, played men’s basketball for four years and studied in Strasbourg, France. Ghafari recently became a member of the College’s Board of Trustees. As a recent graduate, he will tell other board members for the next three years what students are experiencing through the K-Plan and explain their perspectives regarding the College. Sophie Mair: Sophie lives in Chicago and works as a Senior Strategist, Digital Influencer at Blue Chip Marketing Worldwide. She leads the development and execution of influencer campaigns to connect patients and caregivers to clinical research studies. KC VanElslander: KC is living in New York and working at VICE as a producer.

2017

Class Representative Sarah Galbenski sgalbens@nd.edu

Sophia Kopicki is in her second semester of her sophomore year at Siena Heights University. She is still involved with the women’s lacrosse team. However, Sophia did make a change in her major of study. She is no longer studying nursing; she is presently studying communications with a business concentration. When Sophia is not in class or at practice, she can usually be found in the library

doing homework, with friends, or in the weight room working out. Sophia is loving college life, but she always loves coming back home to the old stomping grounds of Grosse Pointe and especially University Liggett School. Amelia Doetsch is in her second year studying physics at Wayne State University. Amelia recently completed a research project in which she used nuclear shell model calculations to determine the structure of the Arsenic-73 nucleus. She presented this research at four conferences, including the 2018 joint meeting of the Japanese and American Divisions of Nuclear Physics. Presently, she is assisting her professor at WSU in his research of the Higgs boson. When not doing research, Amelia works as a learning assistant and functions as the president of WSU’s Student Astronomical Society.

2018

Class Representative Marika Vreeken mvreeken@umich.edu

Spencer Warezak ‘18, freshman at Dartmouth College, got a chance to meet former ULS Head of School Ray Robbins who took time out of his day to meet him at the Hanover Inn.

JT Mestdagh ’14 published his first book called Untether in May 2019. For more information visit www.jtmestagh.com

Nicholas Brusilow is in his second year at Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., pursuing a degree in mathematics. He is a member of the Carleton College Vocal Chamber Jazz group and is on the Carleton College varsity track and field team, where he is Carleton’s top 400 meter hurdler. He was placed on the Dean’s List for the 2017-2018 academic year and was within the top 10% of students at the Carleton. Last summer, he attended the Middlebury Language School’s Italian School in Oakland, Calif., studying Italian language and culture. Jovana Djokovic is pursuing electrical engineering at Princeton University with a concentration in circuits and computer systems. She works as an event assistant at Alexander Hall, she sings with the Trego singers, and she is an officer for the First Generation Low-Income Council. She also had a blast last summer working for a graduate quantum-computing lab, and is loving life as a Tiger alongside Lauren Ehehalt ‘16, Maddie Wu ‘17 and Andrew Wu ‘17! Sarah Galbenski is in her sophomore year at the University of Notre Dame where she is pursuing a major in the Program of Liberal Studies (the university’s Great Books program) and a minor in International Peace Studies. On campus, Sarah sings with the University of Notre Dame Folk Choir, serves as a member of her dorm’s Hall Council, and acts as a sophomore representative on the Program of Liberal Studies’ Student Advisory Council. She also works as a research assistant in the Building Resilience After Violence Exposure (BRAVE) Lab, which supports women in South Bend, Indiana and Lima, Peru who have been exposed to intimate partner violence during their pregnancies. Last summer, Sarah spent eight weeks teaching English in San José de Chimbo, Ecuador to classes of fifth graders, seventh graders, eighth graders and high schoolers. This summer, she will be traveling to Holy Cross mission sites in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania with the Notre Dame Folk Choir. During the upcoming fall semester, Sarah will be studying abroad at La Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago, Chile. You can contact her at sgalbens@nd.edu!

Brand new Knight: Bellamy Gray Fox was born November 26th, 2018 to Courtney Fox ‘01

Brand new Knight Zoe Marcella Barone was born November 15, 2018 to Laura Hicks Barone ’08 and Ian Barone

Dr. Akshay Verma ‘09 runs his own veterinary house call practice CL ASS NOTES

IN MEMORIAM We have received word of the recent passing of the following Alumni and extend our condolences to their families and friends. Memorial notices for those for whom we receive a published obituary will appear in the In Memoriam section of Perspective magazine. Upon request, we will also post memorial notices on our alumni Facebook page. If you would like to report the recent death of a classmate or friend, please email a copy of the obituary or a link to the obituary to Katie Durno at kdurno@uls.org.

Walter Mullenhagen ’40 DUS Walter J. Muellenhagen 96, of Scottsdale Ariz., retired host of HGTV’s Remodeling and Decorating Today, and Hands On, passed away July 2, 2018 with his best friend at his side. He was born on May 26, 1922 in Highland Park, Mich. As a young adult, he moved to Knoxville, Tenn., where he started an illustrious career hosting home remodeling shows, first on TNN network, then on HGTV where he continued to host shows until his retirement. Seven years after the death of his wife in 1997, he moved to Scottsdale, Ariz. where he lived out the remainder of his years with best friend and caregiver, Russ Jervis. Walter is survived by son Walter Muellenhagen of Traverse City, Mich., and daughter Judy Muellenhagen of Knoxville, Tenn., as well as numerous grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. Marjorie “Midge” McClure ’43 CDS: Marjorie O. McClure, 91, died peacefully January 10, 2019, after a short illness. Marjorie “Midge” was born in Detroit on January 23, 1927, the youngest daughter of Reece and Margaret Oberteuffer. She was predeceased by her parents; sister, Frances McDonnell and husband, Douglas T. McClure.

Midge is survived by her sons, Douglas Jr. (Leslie) of Rye, N.Y. and Peter (Alecia) of Superior, Colo.; daughter, Julie Chandler (Richard) of Philadelphia and grandchildren, Douglas McClure III, Lindsay, Reece, Lauren and Margaret Chandler and Kyle and Evan McClure. Her greatest joy was watching her children and grandchildren grow and succeed. Joan Lawson Arnos ’44 LIG Joan Lawson Arnos ’44 LIG passed away peacefully November 18, 2017 at Ebeid Hospice Residence in the presence of her family. Joan was born in Detroit in 1927 and graduated from The Liggett School in 1944. She attended the University of Michigan where she developed treasured life-long friends. After having lived in Boston; San Diego; and Birmingham, Mich., Joan, her husband and their three children moved to Toledo in 1960. Joan was a homemaker first and foremost, a champion for her family and friends, with an uncanny ability to connect with people who needed to share their life stories. Full of zest, with unshakable convictions, she used her imagination in playful, constructive ways to make life richer. As a teenager, Joan volunteered as a driver for military officers in the Detroit area during World War II and later worked at Doubleday bookstore. Her charitable work in Toledo included many years as a member of the Toledo Art Museum Ambassadors (formerly TMA Aides) and as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels. Joan and her husband, Richard, loved to travel and traveled widely, with family and friends.

Midge was actively involved in community activities throughout her life. She was an avid

Joan was predeceased by her parents Seward Noble Lawson and Dorothy Ballantyne Lawson

PERSPECTIVE

Nena Elizabeth Cunningham Dahling ‘50 GPUS

bridge player, enthusiastic golfer and tennis player and long-time member of the Garden Club of Michigan, Tau Beta Association and Junior League of Detroit. She enjoyed escaping Michigan winters for the sunshine at the Lost Tree Club in North Palm Beach, Fla.

Midge was a graduate of Pine Manor Junior College in Boston and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arizona. She and Doug were married in 1951 and she outlived her beloved husband by six years. A resident of Grosse Pointe Farms her entire adult life, Midge was the devoted mother of three children and grandmother of seven.

and her sister Barbara Lawson Peirce. Joan is survived by her husband Richard, to whom she was married 69 years, her children; Julia Youngquist (Lowell), Pamela Kate Arnos (Fruth) and Richard Arnos (Denise) and grandchildren; Tyler Youngquist (Michelle), Alex Youngquist, Todd Fruth, Andrew Fruth, Claire Arnos and Caroline Arnos and many nephews and nieces.

Nena Elizabeth Cunningham Dahling, beloved wife, mother and mother-in-law, proud grandmother and lifelong resident of Grosse Pointe, passed away November 13, 2018. Nena was born on January 27, 1932 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the youngest child of Pauline P. Cunningham and Kenneth W. Cunningham, whose ancestral home was in Beaumont, Texas but who later settled with their family in Grosse Pointe. Nena married the love of her life, William Dupont Dahling, on July 23, 1955. Nena and Bill, who predeceased her, had three sons: William D. Dahling, Jr., Richard P. Dahling and Peter W. Dahling; and they both warmly welcomed to the family their sons’ spouses when Bill married Kimberly J. Devlin, Dick married Nancy L. Sanborn and Pete married Caroline B. Davis. More recent years brought Nena the joys of Pete and Caroline’s son John Davis Dahling, particularly during visits in California and Michigan. Nena graduated from Grosse Pointe Country Day School in 1950 and remained an active alumna of the school’s successor institution, University Liggett School. In 1954, Nena received a BA in Economics from Connecticut College, New London, Connecticut, where she made many lifelong friends. Nena returned to Grosse Pointe after college to marry Bill and raise her family, residing in the family home on Hawthorne Road for more than 60 years. As an active member of the community, Nena cherished her decades-long associations with the Michigan chapter of The Colonial Dames of America and the Mary Thompson Foundation, including her service as president of both organizations. Her love of American history and strong belief that it should be a foundational part of school curricula motivated her to support the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Nena loved horses all her life. As a child, she competed in equestrian events and rode at dude ranches in Wyoming and Arizona. As an adult,

she watched the thoroughbreds race at Saratoga Springs, New York and toured its Racing Museum during numerous visits. Influenced by her close relationship with her mother, Nena remained fond of her family’s historical ties to southeastern Texas, and this heritage has inspired her sons and nephews to explore different parts of this vast state. Nena remained close to many of her nieces and nephews, to whom she offered support and guidance over the years. The combination of Nena’s generosity, warm understanding and firm resolve influenced countless others in her lifetime. From her conversations with people in all walks of life, she nurtured a range of relationships that gave her strength and shaped her belief that honesty, integrity and the golden rule are values that serve as the bedrock of who we are as family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and citizens of a country she loved dearly. Alfred Glancy ’56 GPUS Alfred R. Glancy III, a Detroit corporate and community leader more than four decades, died January 10 after a long illness. He was 80 and died at home in Grosse Pointe Woods attended by family. A man whose dry, gentle humor belied his powerful leadership positions, Mr. Glancy led the Detroit Symphony Orchestra though financial crisis, while at the same time, overseeing Michigan Consolidated Gas Co.’s business empire. He also was proud of the role he played in the success of Unico Properties LLC, a Seattle-based privately owned commercial real estate company. Real estate was part of his heritage; his father, Alfred R. Glancy Jr., a co-founder of Unico in 1953, took him to his first board meeting at age 15 and once co-owned the Empire State Building. A graduate of Princeton in 1960, Mr. Glancy was close to the university throughout his life and died surrounded by reminders of his happy time there. Mr. Glancy is survived by his wife of 56 years, the former Ruth Mary Roby ‘58; half-brothers, Rick and Larry Ramstrum and Michael, Terrance and David Glancy; children, Joan “Jody” Courts Glancy ‘82, Alfred R. “Rob” Glancy IV ’86 and Andrew Roby Glancy ’02 and daughter-in-law, Leigh Douglas Glancy. He was predeceased by his half-brother, Peter Glancy and son, Douglas Glancy ‘96. Mr. Glancy’s grandchildren Tucker Noble Scott, Alfred R. Glancy V (Quin), Matilda Glancy Scott, Ruth Roby Scott and Payson David Glancy all called him “Bapa” and he doted on them to their delight, taking pictures with the many cameras he accumulated, although his daughter, Jody, lovingly

joked he “often forgot to focus the lens.” He was an avid reader. Crime novels were always stacked up at his bedside and he went everywhere with a book. A friend recalled his reading a paperback throughout a trip on a raft down the Colorado River in the 1960s. While the Grand Canyon walls got deeper and the rapids more fierce, he bounced along with his nose in a book, enjoying the ride and the read. Mr. Glancy spent most of his career in the energy business, joining MichCon in 1962 soon after he earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. He worked his way up within the company, eventually becoming chairman, president and chief executive officer in 1984, serving as CEO until 1992 and chairman until 2001. MichCon was spun off from its former parent, American Natural Resources System, in 1988 and formed its own holding company, MCN Energy Group Inc. MCN grew from less than $1 billion to nearly $5 billion in assets over the years in exploration and production, pipeline and processing, storage and marketing, electric power production distribution businesses throughout the U.S. and several emerging countries, primarily India. In 2001, MCN merged with DTE Energy Co. Mr. Glancy was chairman and CEO of MCN for its entire existence. He retired in 2001, then served on the DTE board until his retirement in 2009. “He had significant influence in the gas industry,” DTE Board Member Frank Hennessey said. “He hired some outstanding individuals with real abilities in that business.” Hennessey said he was outspoken and “we admired him for letting his feelings be known.” Throughout his successful business career and well into his retirement, Mr. Glancy devoted himself to many Detroit area nonprofit organizations, none more intensely than the DSO, on whose board he served four decades. “It was his passion,” Jody Glancy said. The feeling was mutual. The DSO’s Anne Parsons said he “served over so many years in a leadership capacity and had such an impact in the early ’90s when state funding was lost” and later while launching the Orchestra Place project. “He was bigger than life,” Parsons said, “very passionate, with a heart as huge as anybody I’ve met. He was incredibly generous with his time and resources.” He became the first chairman emeritus in recognition of his six years as chairman 1992 to 1998. A listing of Mr. Glancy’s other community leadership is long. Organizations where he served as chairman included Detroit Renaissance Inc., The Detroit Medical Center, New Detroit Inc., Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, MLX Corp. and Wayne County Airport Authority Board. He also served in board positions at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Business Leaders for Michigan (formerly Detroit Renaissance), Shorebank Corporation, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Hudson Webber Foundation and on the University of Michigan Visiting Committee for the Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics. He was a trustee of Citizens Research

Council of Michigan. Mr. Glancy also was chairman of The Glancy Foundation and Manager of Glancy GKW Enterprises LLC. Among friends who reflected on Mr. Glancy’s friendship was John Stroh who said, “When I think of Al, I think of honesty, integrity and intellectual acuity, combined with a great sense of humor and lightning-quick wit. He was a man who was deeply committed to his family and his community. He was well known for his candor and you could always count on Al to provide a frank assessment of the various business or political matters he was dealing with. He was very proud of his children, delighted in his grandchildren. He cared deeply about making our community a better place and worked tirelessly for it.” Recalling her father’s favorite things, Jody Glancy cited his pet fish which included big Koi in an outdoor fountain at his home where he emerged each morning to feed them and show them off to visitors. She also said scotch, steak, chocolate and hummers were favorites, although green vegetables definitely were not. Robert (Skip) Johnson ’57 GPUS Robert Roy “Skip” Johnson, 79, of Palm City, Fla. passed away December 7, 2018 at Treasure Coast Hospice in Stuart, Fla. Skip was born May 12, 1939, in Detroit, Mich. He is survived by his partner, Andrea Lutz; sons, Eric Johnson and Kurt Johnson (Holly), daughter, Wendy Johnson; and grandchildren, Sam, Will, Cat, Madeline and Caroline; and sister Jane Johnson. He was predeceased by his parents George and Edith Johnson, his brother Richard “Dick” Johnson, and his beloved wife Nancy. Skip was a graduate of the University Liggett School and Dartmouth College, in Hanover, NH. Skip was a true renaissance man at Dartmouth. He was a standout halfback on the football team as well as a pitcher on the baseball team. He was also a member of the Glee Club. Skip enlisted in the Army after college and served in Albuquerque, NM. Following his service, he had a distinguished career as an Executive at US Steel, and was a Portfolio Manager at JP Morgan and The Church Pension Fund, where he retired in 2014. Skip was known for his sense of humor, his commitment, and his precision. He was a lover of travel and music. As a talented pianist, he often composed original songs for his loved ones and most recently played for the Sandhill Cove Retirement Home residents on a weekly basis. He was a man loyal to his family, his friends, and his

UL S.ORG

IN MEMORIAM CONTINUED alma maters. Skip was active in many social and athletic clubs; The Union League of NYC, The Yale Club and Harbour Ridge Club. Elizabeth “Betty” Carpenter ‘61 GPUS Grosse Pointe Farms resident Elizabeth N. Carpenter, 75, died October 28, 2018. Born October 23, 1943, in Buffalo, N.Y., to Ruth N. and Horace Carpenter Jr., Betty graduated from Grosse Pointe University School in 1961 and earned a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College, where she was a Pendleton Scholar. Her family believes it may have had something to do with the 790 (out of 800) she earned in Latin on her SAT. In 1967, she answered an ad for a six-week job at the J.L. Hudson Co. and left 16 years later, having managed the advertising department’s photography studio many years. She learned her styling and dark room skills there. Betty became a photographer in the Grosse Pointe and Detroit areas as well as for Lincoln Cathedral in Lincoln, England. Betty left a legacy of printed works for many organizations, but Grosse Pointers may remember her most for her postcards, posters and calendars of Grosse Pointe. In England, she was best known for the Lincoln Cathedral Guidebook, which took years of work to produce. Betty enjoyed gardening in Grosse Pointe and at her home in England, which was Lincoln Cathedral’s Garden Cottage. For work or pleasure, Betty often was seen driving around Grosse Pointe in her convertible sports car with her beloved basset hound, Scarfone, beside her. Betty was a member of Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, where she served as an elder and deacon, as well as on various committees. She also sang in the church choir more than 20 years. Betty was predeceased by her parents and brother, Horace N. Carpenter ’60 GPUS. She is survived by her twin sister, Margaret N. Carpenter ’61 GPUS; sister-in-law, Lynn G. Schneider ’62 GPUS; niece, Carolyn C. Devlin ‘90 (Stephen) and children of Aspen, Colo., and nephew, Steven G. Carpenter ’88 and son of Arlington, Mass. Anne Wood Birgbauer ‘62 GPUS Anne Wood Birgbauer, a resident of Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., passed away October 25, 2018. She was born in Detroit on March 14, 62

PERSPECTIVE

1944. She graduated from Grosse Pointe University School and Connecticut College. Mrs. Birgbauer was predeceased by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. Gordon Wood. Mrs. Birgbauer met the love of her life, Bruce D. Birgbauer ’60 GPUS, at Grosse Pointe University School, and they lived in Cambridge, Mass. as newlyweds before returning to Michigan. She was always outgoing and cheerful and would greet friends and family with a big smile and hug every time they saw her. She had a deep love for family and cherished time spent with her children, grandchildren, and extended family. Mrs. Birgbauer was known for spontaneous acts of giving, including mystery trips, buying lunch for the person in line behind her, walking in the Thanksgiving Day Parade, and organizing appreciation events for the Detroit Police Department. Mrs. Birgbauer was an avid bridge player who became a Life Master. She was also a competitive tennis and field hockey player, as well as a tennis coach. She also worked as an outreach coordinator for the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. She was involved in various organizations in Grosse Pointe as well as Boca Grande, Florida including the Garden Club of Michigan, Sigma Gamma Association, Junior League of Detroit, Junior League Gardeners, and the Boca Grande Women’s Club. She was past President of Sigma Gamma Foundation, a founding member of The Boca Grande Duplicate Bridge Club, and past President of The Planters Garden Club. She is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Bruce D. Birgbauer; her brother, Bob (Kathy) Wood ’59 GPUS of Greenville, SC and sister, Betsy (Jack) Dalrymple ’68 GPUS of Casselton, ND; her children John W. ’86 of Grosse Pointe Farms, Beth (Colin) Jackson ‘88 of Portsmouth, RI, Carrie (Andrew) Friedberg ’93 of Portola Valley, CA and Peter H. ’97 of London, England; and her beloved grandchildren Ellie ‘17, Karl, Kate ‘19, Ian, Thais, Lucy, and Max. Memorial donations may be made to University Liggett School for the benefit of the field hockey program (1045 Cook Road, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236). Mrs. Deana Georgopoulos, Faculty Emerita Constance “Deana” Georgopoulos passed away on October 2, 2018 on what would have been her 63rd wedding anniversary. She was born in Port Huron, Mich., March 27, 1929, the oldest of four children born to Constantine and Athanasia Deligianis. She graduated from Port Huron High School and then completed her education at Michigan State University where

she obtained her teaching certificate. She taught elementary school for several years in Port Huron. She married the love of her life Alexander Georgopoulos on October 2, 1955. They moved to St Clair Shores where they started their family, moving to Grosse Pointe Woods in 1963. She returned to work as a nursery school teacher at the Liggett School in 1964 and continued to teach there for 34 years. She eventually graduated to first grade. After her retirement she continued to sub and volunteer in the library. She kept in touch with all her teaching friends, meeting for breakfast at the Pancake House or rotating dinners at each other’s homes. She loved her students and continued to keep in touch with many of them through Facebook. She touched so many lives.

She was active in the Greek community and her church and was a member of the Daughters of Penelope. She enjoyed traveling with her husband and together they had many adventures in Greece, and she particularly enjoyed their annual trips to Puerto Vallarta. She was very close to her three brothers and spent every summer with them in Lakeport Michigan. Her family was most important to her, and she loved attending family functions be they wedding, or reunions. Her children were a source of great pride and love. She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband. She is survived by her daughter Gaia Georgopoulos (Ron Hoffman), her son Alexander Georgopoulos, her brothers William, Leo and Dan Deligianis, her grandchildren Stephanie Georgopoulos, John Johnson, and Reese Jones, and numerous nieces and nephews. Contributions in her memory may be made to University Liggett School.

JIM SCHMIDT, FACULTY/COACH EMERITUS Jim Schmidt passed away on February 10, 2019. Jim was a beloved member of the University Liggett School faculty for 37 years. Jim will be remembered fondly for his good work in the classroom and on the softball field. He was also the voice of ULS football, hockey and having served as a game announcer for many years. Among other things, Jim was known for his legendary geology trips out west which were enjoyed by many students. He will be missed by the entire ULS community. In lieu of an obituary. Here are some memories about Jim that people have shared with us: Barbara Homan: Jim was truly unique and there are very few teachers who do what he did. All three of our children attended ULS and went on his first geology trip - the Northern Rockies. Our youngest, Katrina, went not only to the Northern Rockies, but also the later trips - the Southern Rockies and Alaska. She also was a chaperone on a number of his trips. Jim’s influence on Katrina was significant. She went to Colgate to study geology, then on to U Mass for her advanced degree in volcanology. For the past number of years, she has been teaching science, including geology at Choate Rosemary Hall. And she was instrumental in establishing the geology course there. Carolyn Ryan Devine ’87: Sent in the photo of Mr. Schmidt on a rafting trip with a number of students. She said she loves the photo because, “It shows his love of life and the adventures he shared with us kids. Knowing what I know now about rafting guides, river flows, etc., I just love his expression, sitting there in the middle of the raft.” That day, most of the rafting companies said that the flow was too high and they’d not take us. Jim found an outfitter and off we went. The eight miles normally takes 3.5 hours. We sped through much faster. I went on two of Jim’s geology trips. I’ve even been a naturalist / hike leader and guide on rafting trips drawing on my experiences and knowledge gained through him. Joan Micou ‘48 LIG: What a huge loss to the entire community. He will be so missed. In addition to the school, Jim was a huge presence in the duplicate bridge world, both as a director and player. As a partner of his, I really feel his loss. We were lucky to have had him in our lives! William Peck ‘90: I was so sorry to hear about the passing of Jim Schmidt. The summer after 8th grade I went on Mr. Schmidt’s famous 2-week trip to the ‘Northern Rockies’, visiting Devils tower, the Badlands, Yellowstone, and Craters of the Moon. Back in those days Mr. Schmidt took two groups on this trip every summer, and did a longer trip for highschool students as well: I spent a whole month a few years later on his “Southern Rockies” trip, which visited Bryce Canyon, Zion, Yosemite, Crater Lake, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, and other parks in the southwest and west coast. The next summer he took another group of us to Alaska. These were spectacular and really very fun trips, and were some of the best experiences of my high-school years. Several of us took Mr. Schmidt’s high-school Geology elective and went on to major in Geology in college. I have a lot to thank Mr. Schmidt for. It was through his trips that I grew to love camping and the outdoors. Because of him I majored in Geology in college, which led to graduate school and meeting my wife (another geologist), and eventually to a career as a Geology professor. I didn’t know it at the time, but much later I realized that Mr. Schmidt’s trips were high-school versions of the field trips he must have gone on while he was a Geology student at Western Michigan University in the early 70s. Summer trips and field courses are a staple of Geology departments, and every year I take my own students out west to look at rocks and hike around different National Parks– just like Mr. Schmidt did with us. We will miss him a lot. Memories of the great hikes and fun conversations are what I will hold on to. Walt Gasser ‘92: It is very sad to hear of Mr. Schmidt’s passing. He was a great teacher and a philosopher and a comedian at heart. I had him as a teacher in both middle school and high school. I don’t know if that was typical. I went on his geology field trip to Yellowstone National Park as an 8th grader and I have to say that it opened doors for me. He will be truly missed. To read Upper School Faculty Elizabeth Hastie’s tribute to Jim visit www.uls.org/alumni.

IN MEMORIAM CONTINUED BOB WOOD ‘59 GPUS, FACULTY/COACH EMERITUS Robert (Bob) Wood ‘59 GPUS passed away on Feb. 16, 2019. Bob was a visionary Athletic Director, beloved advisor and revered coach. His career at ULS spanned 38 years and included national historic success in both boys and girls tennis. He was inducted into the ULS Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012. In addition to his incredible impact on and leadership of generations of ULS student-athletes, Bob was also so proud of his family’s nine-decade connection to ULS and our predecessor schools, beginning with his father H. Gordon Wood ’33 DUS, continuing during his own successful tenure as a GPUS student and athlete (including several state titles in doubles tennis), through the attendance of several of his children, and extending all the way to today’s fourth generation, with grandchildren Douglas ’22 and Drew ’30, who are current ULS students. Robert (Bob) Gordon Wood, a long-time Michigan resident, passed away in Simpsonville, SC on February 16, 2019. Bob was born in Jackson, Michigan on May 23, 1941. He graduated from Grosse Pointe University School ‘59 and earned his degree from Elizabethtown College. Bob was predeceased by his parents, Gordon and Mary Helen Wood and his sister Anne Wood Birgbauer ’62 (Bruce ‘60). After teaching and coaching for four years at Harrisburg Academy in Pennsylvania, Bob returned to his alma mater, University Liggett School, where his name became synonymous with “athletics.” For 38 years at ULS, his drive, spirit and commitment to young people and student-athletes could not be matched. As a coach and athletic director, he exemplified high ethical values for fair play and sportsmanship and he insisted that coaches under his care modeled those same standards. Bob was considered an icon in the field of Michigan high school tennis because of his reputation for excellence in the ULS tennis program. In his 37-year coaching career, his teams won an unprecedented 39 state championships. He led the boys to 27 state titles, and in his 13-year career as the girls’ coach, he added 12 more state championships to the school’s history. Although Bob’s teams consisted of outstanding tennis players, his goals for all players were to improve their skills and enhance their enjoyment of the game. He believed that there were more important things in life than state championships. Bob wanted his players to understand they were responsible for their actions and that they represented more than just themselves. After retiring from ULS, Bob remained involved in high school tennis. His coaching success continued as he assisted with teams at the University School of Jackson in Tennessee and All Saints Episcopal School in Tyler, Texas. His overall coaching record concluded with 52 state championships. Bob received countless honors throughout his career. He was the first tennis coach in the nation to be honored in the NFHS National High School Hall of Fame in 2005. He was recognized in 1981 as the NHSACA National Tennis Coach of the Year and was inducted into MHSTeCA Hall of Fame (1986), MHSCA Hall of Fame (1989), and NHSACA Hall of Fame (1997). Two of his most memorable recognitions were the dedication of the Robert G. Wood Tennis Center (2002) at University Liggett School and his induction into the ULS Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame (2012). Bob further expressed his love for tennis by volunteering at the USTA Boys’ 18 & 16 National Championships at Kalamazoo College every August. For 38 consecutive years, he served in the press area of the Kalamazoo tennis tower, answering phones, retrieving players for interviews and often participating in local television coverage of the finals. What he considered to be a “labor of love” earned him a Green Jacket designation, the highest honor for a volunteer at the tournament. In addition, he was the founder of the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association. Across three states, Bob served as a coach, mentor and friend to students, coaches, colleagues and parents. According to a friend, “the world was a better place with Bob Wood in it”. His many athletic achievements led to the establishment of the Robert G. Wood Endowed Scholarship at University Liggett School. His wise counsel, volunteerism and love of tennis served as inspiration for the Bob and Kathy Wood Scholarship at All Saints Episcopal School in Tyler, Texas. As a proud father and grandfather, one of Bob’s greatest pleasures was to watch his children and grandchildren participate in athletic events. He is survived by his wife, Kathy R. Wood of Simpsonville, SC, and his sister Betsy (Jack) Dalrymple ’68 GPUS of Casselton, ND; his four children Robert (Nancy) G. Jr. of Phoenixville, PA; Kimberly (Dave) Czarnota of Highland, MI; Douglas M. ’90 (Beth ’89) of Grosse Pointe Farms; James W. ’99 (Rebekah) of Grosse Pointe Farms; their mother Sharon R. Wood; his two step-children Katherine R. ’96 (Jason) Miller of Alexandria, VA; John ’98 (Laura) Riddle of Greenville, SC; seven grandchildren Tommy, Wyatt, Jack, Douglas (2022), Bobby, Andrew (2030), Addelyn, and five step-grandchildren Lindsey, Kate, Hank, Beau and Luke. A memorial service for Bob will be held at 11:30 a.m. on May 19, 2019 on the University Liggett School campus in Grosse Pointe Woods, MI. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Robert G. Wood Endowed Scholarship (www.uls.org/giving, which was established to celebrate and honor Coach Wood’s many athletic achievements by providing a scholarship to an incoming ninth-grader who has an interest in athletics, gives back to the community and has a strong academic record.

ADVA N CIN G

CREATIVITY

SINCE 1878

PAVING THE FUTURE: PURCHASE YOUR PAVER TODAY! University Liggett School provides a special opportunity for alumni, friends and families. You can purchase a brick paver for the new Boll Campus Center entrance courtyard and at the same time support the Sure Foundations campaign. For more information and to purchase a paver, visit www.uls.org/paverlegacy. You can also contact Trisha Shapiro at 313.884.4444, ext. 411 or tshapiro@uls.org with questions or to purchase your paver.

Pavers come in two sizes: • 8" x 8" square bricks - $10,000: Contains space for up to 70 characters, 5 lines with 14 spaces per line. • 4" x 8" rectangular bricks - $5,000: Contains space for up to 42 characters, 3 lines with 14 spaces per line.

SAVE THE DATE: LIGGETT KNIGHT 2019! Make Plans to Attend! Friday, November 15, 2019 at the Detroit Athletic Club Join our co-chairs Mary Mansfield and Rebecca D’Arcy O’Reilly ‘96 and have a chance to bid on trip and vacation packages, shopping packages, exclusive opportunities and more! This lively evening will feature drinks, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, and the always-exciting live, silent and fishbowl auctions. For more information or to become a sponsor contact Lauren Blue at 313.884.4444, Ext. 418 or lblue@uls.org.

PERSPECTIVE

LEARNING BY DOING It started with a question. “Who was Henry Ford?” it turned into a three-month project. What started out as a simple question, became a project that incorporated every third grade subject at University Liggett School - art, math, science, technology, social studies, reading, English - and it pulled in a few unanticipated subjects - automotive design, fabrication, welding, sawing and drilling. The inception of this innovative project came during the group reading of a biography of Henry Ford in Linda Brown’s third grade classroom. “What if we built a car?,” she asked. The students eyes lit up, and the brainstorming process began with an enthusiastic - “Yes, we can do it!” “From that moment on, the design and manufacturing elements were all student-directed and student-driven. We were their support - serving as a factory forwomen,” Brown said. The students used research and critical thinking skills to understand how cars are constructed and to understand the history behind the automotive industry and Henry Ford’s impact on it. The third-graders ended up designing and creating two cars, complete with working headlights, working windshield wipers and working tail lights. “Students were divided into teams of their choice to work on various car parts. Because they choose their teams, enthusiasm and motivation was high,” said third grade teacher Sarah Carron. After months of designing, coding and fabricating, the project culminated with the third graders working an assembly line in the hallway to piece the cars together. In addition to experiencing an assembly line, the goal was to build the second car faster than the first, while maintaining the quality and integrity of the vehicle. The first car rolled off the assembly line at just over six minutes - the second just over four minutes. The students high-fived and jumped for joy. Mission accomplished with considerable learning by doing along the way.

UL S.ORG

PERSPECTIVE LENS

ADVA N CIN G

CREATIVITY

SINCE 1878

1045 Cook Road Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236-2509 313-884-4444 uls.org | facebook.com/ulsalumni

HEAD OF SCHOOL Bart Bronk OFFICE OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS Associate Head of School for External Relations Kelley Hamilton DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Cressie Boggs DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS Katie Durno DIRECTOR OF ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT Stephanie Sikora SPECIAL EVENTS MANAGER Lauren Blue ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS Marina Harvey ANNUAL FUND MANAGER Trisha Shapiro ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS Solomon Spann ADVANCEMENT SERVICES MANAGER Genevieve Valiot UNIVERSITY LIGGETT SCHOOL 2018-19 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Connie Ahee Anthony Alcantara ‘81 Bart Bronk, ex officio William Brusilow Gloria Butler Miller J. Lewis Cooper III Aimée Cowher Richard P. Dahling ‘77 James A. Fitzgerald ‘56 Karen Fox Kenneth A. Fruehauf ‘85 Louana Ghafari, Secretary Jason Patrick Hall Patrick Mansfield Tomasine Marx ’78, Treasurer James T. Mestdagh Matthew Moroun ‘91 David A. Nicholson, President Rebecca D’Arcy O’Reilly ‘96 Thomas Robinson ‘80

University Liggett School is Michigan’s oldest, co-educational, pre-K through grade 12, independent day school. University Liggett School does not unlawfully discriminate against any person on the basis of religion, race, creed, color, sexual orientation, genetic information, national origin, sex, age, disability or any other protected class as provided by applicable law.

Savarior Moss-Service Shema Spivey John W. Stroh III ’78, President Emeritus Marcie Lee Taylor Anne Widlak ’70, Vice President Cynthia Ford, Honorary Trustee Ruth R. Glancy, Honorary Trustee William W. Shelden, Jr., Honorary Trustee 2018-2019 ALUMNI BOARD OF GOVERNORS Vice President: Katherine Andrecovich 2004 Jeffry Bauer 1973 Julie Borushko 2004 William Canfield 1964 (Regional Rep) Joseph Cobb 2004 (Regional Rep) Drew Dettlinger 2011 Ania Dow 2014 Jack Elsey, Jr. 2000 Ellie Farber 2011 Patsy Gotfredson 1980 Jessica Hall 2001 (Regional Rep) Thomas Henry 1961 GPUS (Regional Rep) Waref Hawasli 2000 Gail Kachadourian Howe 1989 Robert Jewett 1987 Angela Walton Jones 1989 Greg Jones 2007 Billy Marx 2012 Abigail McIntyre 1991 Muffy Boomer Milligan 1973 Patrick Monahan 2012 Kassidy Olson 2012 Lynn Carruthers Park 1973 President: Christopher Stroh 2012 Secretary: Anne Hildebrandt Tranchida 1992 Rahsaan Trice 2012 PERSPECTIVE – SPRING 2019 DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Jane Berger GRAPHIC ARTS DESIGNER AND ARCHIVIST Lee Ann Gusmano COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Rebecca Wall PERSPECTIVE DESIGN SERVICES Chris Stamper, LLC

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit #2439 Detroit, MI

1045 Cook Road Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236-2509

A tradition of inspiring students to do great things. University Liggett School is a dynamic PreK-12 independent school that sends children down a rewarding path of discovery. While this journey never ends, it always results in our students discovering and embracing their purpose in the world.

1045 Cook Road, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan 48236 313-884-4444 | www.uls.org

ADVANCING

UNDERSTANDING

SINCE 1878

Perspective Spring 2019

Articles inside

Sure Foundations Campaign Ensures Excellence Today ... and Tomorrow

Better Athletes, Better People through Positive Youth Athletic Culture

2019 Distinguished Alumnus: John Evans '62 GPUS