6 minute read
Alumni Spotlights
Mike Coleman ’88
A Coach on and off the Field
For Mike Coleman ’88, giving back is part of his DNA. Following his graduation from Wilmington Friends, Mike has remained a fixture at the School as a coach, a mentor, a volunteer, and a financial supporter. Throughout his 23-year stint at the YMCA in Wilmington, running youth sports leagues and summer camps, he refined his skills in youth development, skills he’s brought to his work at Wilmington Friends. “I loved my time at the YMCA,” Mike explained. “It really helped me to understand a lot about youth development, and also helped me hone my relationship-building skills.”
Mike has been coaching at Friends for decades, and feels that coaching is a real opportunity to connect with young people. “I love coaching. I think about it more as mentorship than anything,” he said. “I always looked up to the coaches I had in youth leagues and at WFS, and so I try to bring that same mentality to my coaching.” Being able to be a mentor, particularly for students of color, has been most rewarding to him. “When (students of color) can see someone like them who went to the School and can understand what they’re going through, that’s an opportunity for me to really make a difference in a kid’s life.”
With that said, Mike is well aware that Friends, like all schools, is not perfect, and he acknowledges that he had tough times as a student of color at Friends. He believes the tough times at Friends, the times of discomfort, were important to his growth, helping him to navigate uncomfortable situations throughout his career.“I would never trade my experience at WFS, the good or the bad,” he said. “And there was certainly more good than bad.”
As a member of the recently formed Black Alumni Advisory Council, Mike is hopeful that he and his fellow alumni can act as a sounding board to help students of color and their families navigate life at Friends. He hopes to help develop a system where kids and their parents or guardians can connect with alumni and engage in dialogue about their experiences. “I’m proud of the work we’ve undertaken as a School community,” he said. “It’s my hope that we get to a point where, when it comes to equity and inclusion, we’re not working on it anymore, we’re just there.” to the rigors of academics and athletics. “Friends made me work harder, pushed me to give more academically and athletically than I ever thought I could give,” he said. “When I went to pursue my Master’s degree, I really leaned on the skills and lessons I learned from WFS to get me through.” He also highlighted the interconnectedness of our community as something unique to Friends. Networking and relationship-building are important in every facet of our lives, he explained. “The Friends connection is always a great foundation to start a relationship.” Wilmington Friends is grateful to Mike for all that he’s done and continues to do in support of the School, in support of young student-athletes at Friends, and in support of the larger Wilmington community. He truly sets an example by letting his life speak.
David Linton ’78
David Linton ’78 recently concluded a 35-year career building a boutique merger & acquisition advisory firm. Through “repurposing,” he is now sharing his time, talent and treasure in “servant leadership” with select entrepreneurs and leaders of employment social enterprises. Married to his best friend for 33 years, he and his wife enjoy traveling, sharing a good bottle of Pacific Northwest red, and raising twin King Charles pups. He is an avid reader, especially of the Stoic philosophers.
David believes that a person is fortunate if, over their lifetime, they end up having a few good friends, one or two key mentors, and an institution that serves as the crucible for their learning and growing. “Friends was the latter for me,” he writes. “It provided the initial foundation in my formal education, but perhaps more importantly helped shape my identity, core beliefs, and values. Those are attributes that I carry with me every day, so you could say Friends’ impact has been immeasurable.”
“I am perhaps most appreciative of being given the chance to fail (a lot!) while at Friends. Unfortunately, in today’s protective world, the gift of failure is often held back from us, especially our youth. I count my failures among my most valuable lessons, and whether it was struggling through Mr. Harvey’s algebra class (got to take that one twice!), or sitting at the end of the bench during basketball games, I learned that it’s all about ‘The Striving, Not The Arriving.’ My parents always said it was character-building for me to attend Friends, and they were right!”
David was awarded the Mendinhall and Bush awards. His fondest memories from attending Friends stem from the intimacy and offering of the place. “Where else could I have had the chance to play (sometimes!) three sports, sing in multiple musicals, act in a play, take college-level courses from Master teachers, co-lead a student/faculty/administration-wide business meeting, spend my formative years with all the same peers, have a best friend that always came to my defense and a really great girlfriend, to boot?! To me, Friends was a smorgasbord, and a safe place to put it all out there. As a result, I have always thrived in small, intimate work/play environments and found myself most self-actualized with passionate, authentic people.” advance preparation, and disciplined teamwork courtesy of Coach Tattersall. He credits his history teacher Harry Hammond with teaching the importance of pattern recognition––of tying the past to the present. Friends developed his confidence by being able to present on stage under the direction of musical theatre director Violet Richman. “I developed empathy and a passion for social justice from one of the most kindhearted lovers of all people, Rick Reynolds. And I learned the power of expression through the written word from one of Friends’ most authentic teachers, Kerry Brown,” he writes.
His advice to today’s students is, “Fully recognize that you have the “A Team” of subject matter experts right at your fingertips, so do not waste a nanosecond! Engage; Learn From Them; Soak It All In. Friends is your personalized incubator for starting to identify your character traits and develop your unique ability. And discovering what those are will help you get in the right “swim lane” for finding meaning and purpose in your life.
“One other piece of advice, which may be especially apropos in current times, is for students to worry less. I have found that those who are outwardly focused, optimistic, bring positive attitude and energy, and can roll with life’s uncertainties tend to experience the most joy and success. I have had my own personal “moments of truth” during my life, and it’s been both remarkable and comforting to find that the sun really does come up the next day and life does go on. So, just be your best/authentic self and let the chips fall where they may.”
