Mercersberg MPACT Newsletter January 2010

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 0 S H A R I N G T H E I M P A C T O F P H I L A N T H R O P Y A T M E R C E R S B U R G

THE BEGINNING OF MPACT • MAKING A DIFFERENCE: A LITTLE MERIT GOES A LONG WAY • MERCERSBURG

REGENT LEADS COMMUNITY OF CARING • SUPPORT EVERYTHING YOU LOVE ABOUT MERCERSBURG! • HOW

DONORS IMPACT THE MERCERSBURG COMMUNITY • MERCERSBURG DEDICATES REGENTS’ FIELD • PIONEER

COACH RETURNS TO MERCERSBURG • AN UPDATE ON STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVES • MERCERSBURG

LAUNCHES TRUE BLUE • GIVING TO MERCERSBURG • IRVINE VS. IRVING/MARSHALL: WHAT AM I? •

DID YOU KNOW? • ALPINE ADVENTURE: FROM MUNICH TO ZERMATT • REUNION ALUMNI: PLAN YOUR TRIP!

• UPCOMING EVENTS • ALUMNI COUNCIL CORNER • THE MERCERSBURG COMMUNITY OUT & ABOUT

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BY MARY K. CARRASCO

IT IS NOT EVERY DAY that we make a little Mercersburg

history, so I am quite excited to present this new Mercersburg

publication, Mpact, to you. I know you will enjoy the stories

and photos of alumni, parents, students, faculty, and friends,

all of whom have been impacted through gifts to the school. I

want to share with you the many and varied, incredible and

personal ways that this extraordinary community is

connected. When you read these stories, you will see how the

timeless values that you attribute to your days at Mercersburg

still thrive today—in places far from Mercersburg and right

here on campus.

Three times each school year Mpact will be delivered to your

mailbox (and available online), and, if it accomplishes what we

intend, you will keep it at hand for a few weeks, you will recognize someone’s story, you will meet new Mercersburg

friends on these pages, and you will learn how generations of Mercersburg community members are living out the values

they learned during their extraordinary educational experiences at Mercersburg. This new publication is NOT curtailing or

replacing Mercersburg magazine. You will continue to receive the magazine as you always have, and it will continue to offer

the award-winning design and articles that you have come to know and love.

For this first issue of Mpact, I am really happy to introduce to you Lorraine Simonis ’10. Lorraine is the 2009

Michelet Prize recipient and an exceptional senior. Also, classmates of Paula Johnson Smith ’83 will already know about

her exceptional talents. Now all of you have the opportunity to learn her story—how she has continued to share her

talent in her community in Salt Lake City, Utah—and beyond—and as a member of the Mercersburg Board of Regents.

Susie Lyles-Reed ’88, president of the Alumni Council, introduces a section of Mpact about the dedicated work of this

25-member alumni volunteer group for Mercersburg.

I had the pleasure of meeting former faculty member, Carol Anderson (1972 to 1980) in October during Fall

Alumni Weekend. Carol was on campus with several field hockey alumnae for their reunion. Many of these incredible

Mercersburg alums were the first women to attend the school as boarders, and Carol was an important coach, teacher,

dorm dean, and mentor to them. Carol describes those years inside.

Each issue of Mpact will feature the school’s Strategic Plan Initiatives. Let me know your thoughts about these

initiatives. We are also launching in this first issue a brand new concept for recognizing Annual Fund donors who are

True Blue. After all, the Annual Fund supports every single thing that you love about Mercersburg. There’s a happy new

face to the Fund: now when you make an ongoing, monthly commitment to contribute to the Mercersburg Annual Fund,

you are making a statement that you are True Blue. Find out why Jordan Jefferson ’09 calls himself True Blue inside.

Please send me your suggestions, story ideas, and photos! They will be used in future editions and through other

communications from Mercersburg. If you would like to write for MPact, let me know; I hope future editions will

provide opportunities for a diversity of Mercersburg writers. Email your ideas to [email protected].

Thank you for the many ways you support Mercersburg. I’m looking forward to our next opportunity to visit.

the beginning of

Mary Carrasco with stained glass Artisan Dieter Goldkuhle and

Regent Emeritus Tom Mendham P '90 '87 during a recognition

reception for the chapel windows restoration project.

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Mercersburg Regent Leads Community of CaringBY NATASHA BROWN

IN THE EARLY ’80s, WHEN New York City native Paula Johnson Smith ’83 entered Mercersburg

Academy, she quickly noticed that teachers were deeply involved in the lives of students. She realized

how much they wanted her to succeed. Smith would later learn that many of the Mercersburg

traditions—family-style interaction, community trust, and responsibility—are also the components

that create school environments that help students succeed.

The Mercersburg experience and her own love for education developed into a lifelong passion for

Smith to create school communities that are inclusive of all children. In addition to her volunteer

role on the Mercersburg Board of Regents, she fuels this passion as the executive director of the

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Center for Community of Caring, based at the University of Utah.

“Essentially what I have been doing throughout my career is designing programs that schools can

implement to help kids avoid problem behavior. One of the ways to accomplish this is to make sure

kids feel socially and emotionally safe in school,” Smith said. “By changing environments so that

students are socially and emotionally safe, students actually perform better and they are more likely

to avoid problem behavior.”

Caring, respect, responsibility, trust, and family are the five core values of Community of Caring,

a K–12 comprehensive character-education program with a unique focus on disabilities. The

organization was founded in 1982 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who also founded Special Olympics.

Community of Caring has been adopted by almost 1,400 schools nationwide and in Canada.

(continued on page 4)

BY NATASHA BROWN

TODAY, LORRAINE SIMONIS ’10

is a four-year Mercersburg senior.

She’s navigated the social and

academic scenes so well that her

classmates elected her president of the Student

Council. She’s also co-editor of the Mercersburg

News, a Blue Key (Admission tour guide), cross

country runner, and most recently, the recipient

of the coveted Robert H. Michelet Prize, awarded

each year to a student who, during the upper-

middler year, has most distinguished himself

or herself in scholarship, character, and

school spirit.

But four years ago, Simonis had not yet

considered a boarding education for high school.

She was an 8th-grader, living with her father in

Philadelphia. Her mother had died a few years

prior, and her dad’s career required him to work

long hours. He wanted Simonis to have a quality

education. A family friend recommended

boarding school, specifically Deerfield Academy.

She narrowed her school options to Hill,

Deerfield, Westtown, The George School, and

Mercersburg. This of course was after a process.

Simonis searched BoardingSchools.com, each

school’s website, and called each one to measure

how “nice” the person was who answered the

telephone. (She had to have some way of

narrowing down her options, right?) So why did

she choose Mercersburg?

It’s simple. “The reason why I came here

is because I received the Regents Merit

Scholarship,” she said. “In my opinion, the

way for Mercersburg to attract the best students

and increase its standing is to offer more merit

funds. Once I am able to give back to the school,

I will most likely support financial aid so

that other students can have the experiences

that I did.”

Extremely poised and intelligent, Simonis

has excelled in all aspects of the school and will

undoubtedly represent the school as an alumna

very well.

“She has been a leading member of my ‘all

star’ advisee group. Even in her 9th- and 10th-

grade years, Lorraine impressed everyone with

her maturity, self discipline, study habits, goal-

oriented approach to everything in her life, not

MAKING A DIFFERENCE | How members of the community are impacting the world…

A Little Merit goes a long way

Regent Paula Johnson Smith ’83


Lorraine Simonis accepts the Michelet Prize from

Head of School Douglas Hale during Opening

Convocation.

3

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4

to mention her intelligence and outstanding

oral and writing skills,” said Simonis’ advisor,

Language Faculty member Peter Kempe. “Since

then, she joined my German classes, did an

intense summer study program to jump a level

from German II into German IV, and achieved

amazingly well on some of our standardized

tests.”

The financial aid program that ensured her

attendance at Mercersburg is the Regents Merit

Scholarship. Mercersburg has three merit

scholarships, which include the Lenfest Legacy

Scholarship (endowed by H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest

’49 for a child or grandchild of a Mercersburg

alum); the Mercersburg Scholarship (awarded

to a day student); and the Regents Merit

Scholarship (awarded in honor of Mercersburg

Regents to a boarding student).

Simonis is evidence that merit scholarships

and gifts for financial aid go a long way toward

attracting the very best students and have

domino effects in the Mercersburg community

and beyond.

“Some of my best experiences at Mercersburg

were off campus. During my 10th-grade year,

we took a trip to the Middle East for a

symposium about peace keeping and conflict-

prevention, based on a book called High Noon

(by Jean Francois Rischard) and Challenge

20/20,” said Simonis. “It was nice that the

school gave [students] a chance to travel.”

Last year, she was one of several students on

the spring break trip to Prague, led by Fine Arts

Faculty member Laurie Mufson. “We went to

the opera, ballet, symphony, toured historical

sites and the Terezin Concentration Camp,”

Simonis said.

Because of the Regents Scholarship and

additional financial aid, she has experienced an

extraordinary Mercersburg education, complete

with strong friendships, opportunities to lead,

competition in athletics, travel abroad, and

learning from exceptional faculty. One day,

she hopes to return to Mercersburg as a

history teacher.

Simonis doesn’t know where she’ll attend

college yet, but one thing is certain. Just as she

did four years ago, she is a student with plenty

of options.

To learn more about how you can support financial

aid for Mercersburg students, contact the Alumni &

Development Office.

Since 2007, Smith has led the organization’s efforts to implement school programs that

develop the character, social, and emotional skills students need to succeed in life. For instance,

as part of their science class, students from Sarasota Middle School in Sarasota, Florida,

participated in a shore cleanup. According to Smith, the students were shocked to see so

much pollution on the shore.

“They were able to reflect on why the shore cleanup was important and what it meant for

the ecology. That kind of event not only brings in science, but it allows students to be stewards

of the earth,” she said.

Another school, Woodstock Elementary School, in Salt Lake City, Utah, integrated a history

lesson about World War II with a hands-on community service project. After the National World

War II (WWII) Memorial in Washington, DC, was constructed, the school invited war veterans to

the campus to share their stories about how the war impacted them. As a thank-you, students

made blankets for the veterans, personalized with WWII mementos.

“That’s the kind of integrated learning that not only teaches kids, but internalizes and

develops their empathy and sense of community passion,” Smith said.

She stressed that Community of Caring focuses on making school environments inclusive

for all children, including students with disabilities. Smith’s experiences as a student and

Mercersburg Regent have enhanced her understanding of how the life-changing programs she

creates in her professional life make a difference for students throughout their entire lives.

“From my Mercersburg involvement, as a student and now as a Regent, I have learned that a

caring school community that includes students, alumni, parents, and friends of the school can

make all the difference in the options and availability of a quality education.”

To learn more about Community of Caring, visit www.communityofcaring.org.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE | How members of the community are impacting the world…

Regent Paula Johnson Smith ’83 with her staff at Community of Caring

A LITTLE MERIT (continued from page 3) MERCERSBURG REGENT (continued from page 3)

As part of the Community of Caring program, students from Sarasota Middle School participated

in a shore cleanup.

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BY NATASHA BROWN

ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2009, Mercersburg held a reunion dinner

honoring former coaches and players of field hockey, wrestling, girls and

boys soccer and lacrosse. Many former field hockey players were brought

to tears as they reunited with Mercersburg’s first field hockey coach, Carol

R. Anderson (1972 to 1980), who

was also honored at the dinner.

Players were excited to see

Anderson, and even more

enthused that she was being

recognized for her work with the

field hockey program.

“She was very enthusiastic

about the sport and very

knowledgeable about what it took

psychologically to become a good

player. ‘Coach A’ had to mold the

program, which is never easy,

especially back then when girls were just starting out at Mercersburg and

in organized sports. She was a leader in a lot of different regards,” said

field hockey alumna Pilar Diaz Benassi ’78. “She should be honored and

recognized, because she started the program, so I think she deserves that

recognition.”

“Coach A”, as her players call her, met with Development

Communications Associate Natasha Brown after the dedication of

Regents’ Field during Fall Alumni Weekend. The interview took place in

Nolde Gymnasium. Anderson’s adoration for the Mercersburg community

and her former players showed as she fought back tears with laughter

during the interview.

How did it feel to reunite with so many of your former players?

I love those kids, and it’s been really great to see them all as adults. Chris

Russell Vick ’75 even came from England to be here. It’s really special to

see them all. Chris’ mother was the president of the All-England Field

Hockey Association and she set up a two-week tour so 15 of the girls could

play in England. Could you imagine? [She laughs.]

5

STEWARDSHIP | How donors impact the Mercersburg community

Mercersburg’s first field hockey coach,

Carol Anderson (left), with Athletic

Trainer Marilyn Houck during the

dedication of Regents’ Field.

THE SCHOOL DEDICATED THIS handsome new field as

Regents’ Field during an October 17 ceremony.

The official name, Regents’ Field, commemorates the school’s

volunteer leaders—most importantly the women and men of

the Mercersburg Board of Regents who served at the turn of the 21st

century.

“The name Regents’ Field will forever honor the strong leadership of

the individuals who have most recently, most faithfully, and most selflessly

dedicated their considerable time, expertise, and resources to make

Mercersburg the extraordinary school it is today,” said Board of Regents

President Denise Dupré ’76.

The dedication included remarks by Head of School Douglas Hale,

Director of Athletics Rick Hendrickson, and President of the Board of

Regents Denise Dupré ’76. With the addition of Regents’ Field, field

hockey, girls’ lacrosse, and boys’ and girls’ soccer teams now have a state-

of-the-art training and competitive surface at a similar level of quality to

what Mercersburg athletes will find at the next level of competition.

This new field will change the way that two signature girls’ sports play

the game. The benefits for field hockey and lacrosse teams are numerous,

as they are able to have a consistent training turf that is both easier on

their bodies and more suitable for competition than normal grass fields.

It also gives the athletic department enhanced practice options during

inclement weather, and even the football team has used the field for a

non-contact practice during their season.

Be sure to stop by Regents’ Field during your next visit to Mercersburg.

The field is located to the right of Sycamore Lane (main road to the school).

Board of Regents President Denise Dupré ’76 is presented with a field hockey

stick signed by current team members during the dedication of Regents’ Field

on October 17.

Regents’ FieldMercersburg dedicates


The philanthropic communityhas made the school’s first synthetic-turf field a reality.

Pioneer Coach Returns to Mercersburg for Regents’ Field Dedication Q & A with Mercersburg’s First Field Hockey Coach, Carol Anderson

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6

And Denise Dupré ’76, another one of your

former players, spoke during the dedication.

How is it to see Denise as the Board of Regents

president?

I’m really proud of Denise and the work that

she’s done on the Board. Out of all the kids that

I coached, Denise Dupré may have been one of

the hardest-working kids that I’ve ever coached.

I coached Denise ‘76, Laura ‘77, Jan ’80 and

Heidi ‘81—all the Dupré sisters. They were

some very talented athletes. One time the

players took Jan’s hockey stick and filled it with

lead and sealed it unbeknownst to me. She

came back and was hitting the ball hard and

doing really well. So I thought, “Oh I must be

doing a great job with her,” because she had

shown a lot of improvement. Then they came

back and unwrapped the stick and showed me

this big hunk of lead. Those girls were

something else.

You were honored last night at the dinner. Was it

a surprise or did you know why your players were

so eager to get you back on campus?

I didn’t know I was being honored. I just kept

talking to Patty Seltzer-Wagner ‘78, telling her

that I was running late after my flight. I just

kept hearing Patty on the phone telling me,

“You’ve got to make it. You have to hurry!”

Field hockey began in ’72. What do you

remember about that time as the only female

coach at the school?

It was a pretty rough going when we started

hockey here. I went to my first coaches’ meeting

and was asked if I wanted to be the recording

secretary.

I remember it being suggested that field

hockey players should play games in their gym

suits. But I said, “Oh no, we won’t be doing

that.” The Mercersburg Faculty Women’s Club

purchased the team’s first uniforms in ’72.

Although the fields were not regulation, and

there were definitely some bumps along the

way, the spirit and the commitment were there,

and we just went with that. We had an

equipment manager, Darrell Ecker, who was

“everybody’s dad.” He took me under his wing

and he was such a good and righteous man. He

helped me grow up and took care of all the field

hockey girls.

How did you recruit back then? Was it

tough to find players since girls were just

entering the school?

I approached anyone who had a daughter

entering the school and tried to convince them

to play field hockey.

And now, is it almost like you’ve come full circle?

You were the first coach. And here you are

attending the dedication of the school’s first

state-of-the-art turf field.

I’m very proud of what’s happened with the

program at Mercersburg. I want to see more

participants. I think this new field will bring

more women field hockey players to

Mercersburg. It would be so much fun to recruit

at the school now!

Coach Carol Anderson lives in Hadley,

Massachusetts, with her partner of 30 years, Polly

Keener, and their 11-year-old son, Gunner. She is the

owner of Penn Monto Field Hockey, official ball

supplier of the NCAA Field Hockey Tournament

and the U.S. Field Hockey Association.

(www.penn-monto.com)

Field hockey players established the Carol

Anderson Coaches’ Endowment Fund to support

the Mercersburg field hockey program.

To contribute to the fund, visit

www.mercersburg.edu/giving

or call 800-588-2550.

STEWARDSHIP | How donors impact the Mercersburg community

(continued from page 5)

An Update on Strategic Plan Initiatives A MERCERSBURG EDUCATION IS grounded in character development and an

extraordinary educational experience. Students today, like the generations of Mercersburg

alumni who preceded them, define themselves through the values they develop here: hard

work, character, critical thinking, and community. They apply those values in their rigorous

scholastic preparation to lead lives as role models and leaders.

In the same regard, Mercersburg faculty, staff, and administrators continually demonstrate

their commitment to developing students’ character, potential, and academic strengths.

The Board of Regents has endorsed a five-year strategic plan that identifies the most critical

investments required to sustain and enhance the values and extraordinary experience that

define a Mercersburg education.

The current Strategic Plan will take Mercersburg in an exciting and necessary direction.

This plan focuses on our people—to admit the best students, to provide the financial aid

they need, to ensure that we retain and attract the best faculty and staff, and to provide the

education that families expect from a world-class, college-preparatory boarding school.

The current Strategic Plan calls for the following initiatives to implement these goals:

• Building the endowment in support of faculty and staff compensation, financial aid for

students, and programs for extraordinary educational experience,

• Increasing participation in the Annual Fund to provide operating budget support for the

school’s most critical priorities, and

• Improving physical spaces that are in greatest need of renovation or repair.

While Mercersburg’s focus remains on building the endowment in support of faculty,

scholarships, and programs, we are fortunate to have funds already in hand to move forward

with improvements of some of the physical spaces in greatest need of renovation or repair.

Thanks to a very generous bequest of $11.5 million from Dwight Goldthorpe ’37, Mercersburg

will begin renovations to the center of Nolde Gymnasium during the spring of 2010.

If you would like more information about these initiatives, please contact

Steve Blake, senior director of major gifts and planned giving, at 711-328-6210.

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7

Giving SocietiesSOCIETY NAME DEFINITION NO. OF MEMBERS

Torchbearers donors who make gifts for three consecutive 1,977years or more, every year their child has been a student, or every year since their own graduation

William Mann Irvine Society donors who contribute $1,893 or more yearly** 409

Marshall & Irving Alliance donors who include Mercersburg in their estate plans 358

True Blue donors who make consecutive monthly gifts 27

** WILLIAM MANN IRVINE SOCIETY LEVELS

Associate $100 per year until your 5th anniversary reunion (based on graduation year) $500 per year until your 10th anniversary reunion

$1,000 per year until your 20th anniversary reunion $1,893 at your 20th anniversary reunion celebration

Member $1,893-$2,999

Sponsor $3,000-$4,999

Patron $5,000-$9,999

Benefactor $10,000-$24,999

Head of School’s Circle $25,000-$49,999

Regents’ Circle $50,000-$99,999

President’s Circle $100,000 or more

GIVING TO MERCERSBURG

Mercersburg launches

THE MERCERSBURG COMMUNITY IS a group of alumni, family,

and friends of the school who realize that together they can make

a tremendous impact in the lives of students and faculty. Mercersburg's

Annual Fund donors are a community of philanthropists who

help enhance this extraordinary educational experience.

When you make a gift to the Annual Fund, you are making a

decision to participate in one of the most important initiatives in

life—philanthropy. This year, please participate in the Annual

Fund and support everything you love about Mercersburg.

(www.mercersburg.edu/giving or 800-588-2550)

THIS FISCAL YEAR, THE school launched

True Blue to recognize donors who give monthly

consecutive gifts to the school, donors like

Jordan Jefferson ’09.

Jordan Jefferson ’09 was a post graduate who

entered Mercersburg to prepare for college. But

upon entering the school, he hardly realized how

the Mercersburg experience would impact his life.

“Mercersburg gave me the opportunity to be

where I am now. That’s why I want to give back

to Mercersburg,” said Jefferson. “The school

helped me become more of a leader because

I was older than most of the students at the

school. With football, I had to immediately

become a leader on the field and off.”

Last fall, Jefferson entered Yale as a freshman

football player, and he was happy to become the

first alumnus to help tell the True Blue story.

True Blue gives alumni, families, and friends

of all ages an opportunity to become leaders in

the giving community. Consecutive monthly gifts

to the school of any amount help sustain

Mercersburg for students and faculty.

Consider making a monthly pledge via

credit card to become True Blue.

Visit www.mercersburg.edu/giving or call

800-588-2550.

In December, Mercersburg released a True

Blue video of Jefferson’s path from his pre-

Mercersburg years in Palo Alto, California, to

Mercersburg and then Yale. Be sure to watch

Jefferson’s story online by clicking on the True

Blue button on the home page. Contact the

Alumni & Development Office if you’d like to

be featured in an upcoming True Blue video.

Jordan Jefferson ’09, a Yale football player, was

featured in the first True Blue video filmed in

November by Alumnus Zander Hartung ’05.

“True Blue”

FACULTY • FINANCIAL AID FOR STUDENTS • IRVING-MARSHALL WEEK • ATHLETICS • CLASSROOM RESOURCES

• UNIQUE EXPERIENCES • STONY BATTER PRODUCTIONS • LIBRARY

• COMPUTERS • AND MORE!

To support everything you love about

Mercersburg with a gift to the Annual

Fund, visit www.mercersburg.edu/giving or

call 800-588-2550 and make an

unrestricted gift. You may always support

your favorite part of Mercersburg

by designating your gift to Athletics,

the Arts, Academic, International, etc.

ASK US FOR DETAILS.

S U P P O R Teverything you love about

Join the Annual Fund Community in 2010You may just be one step away from changing someone's life forever.

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8

TEN YEARS AGO, School Minister

Larry Jones and his wife Cindy,

director of the Burgin Center, saw

the Passion Play in Oberammergau.

From July 2 to 11, 2010, they will lead travelers

from Munich to Zermatt to experience the

magnificent performance that thrills crowds

only once every 10 years. Below, Reverend and

Mrs. Jones inform the community of what’s

in store for Mercersburg travelers.

You and Cindy traveled to Oberammergau in

2000 to see the Passion Play; what was most

memorable to you ten years ago, and what

aspect of the performance are you looking

forward to sharing with Mercersburg travelers?

There is much that is remarkable about this

play. First of all, it is performed in German,

but everyone is handed a book when he or

she walks in. The book has the script in six

different languages. We and our two

daughters, then 10 and 11, held the book open

in front of us as the play unfolded. None of

us remember the play being in German. Of

course, everyone knows the story, but the play

is riveting and opulently done. Second, the

theatre seats 7,000, but there isn’t a bad seat

in the house. Wherever we sit, we will be

involved with the action. Third, the little town

of Oberammergau knows how to cater to its

guests. It does so all summer long every 10

years. It is a shopping experience, and what

one shops for are carvings and wood creations

that defy the imagination. There is plenty of

time to wander the streets, shop, and

appreciate the artistry of the entire village on

many levels.

Tell us what excites you most about being in

Germany and Switzerland next summer?

Munich was almost completely destroyed in

World War II, but today it looks like an old

medieval town. When it was rebuilt after the

war, the town elders did the reconstruction

right. It is a gem, with worthwhile tourist

spots and small, interesting holes-in-the-

wall alike.

Our special visits on July 4 to the

Deutsches Museum and the BMW Museum

promise to be especially interesting. The next

day, we will see many people pausing to take

pictures of Neuschwanstein Castle, and for

good reason. It is the stereotype of the

picturesque castle and is the model for the

Disneyland and Disney World castles. When

we take the “highlights tour,” we will learn

MERCERSBURG LEGACIESThere are 1,203 alumni whose parents attended the school299 alumni had grandparents who attended the school49 alumni had great-grandparents who attend the school4 had a great-great-grandfather who attend the school 131 alumni have three-generation-deep legacies11 alumni have four generations of family that attended Mercersburg

There are 38 married alumni couples, including a few international alumni! > Lena Karl Kulak ’03 and Nils Kulak ’01 of Germany> Jini Eum Lee ’03 and Alex Lee ’01 of Korea

did you know?

GIVING TO MERCERSBURG EVENTS

Alpine Adventure:Irvine vs. Irving/Marshall: WHAT AM I? Mercersburg has several societies with references to Irvine,

or Irving and Marshall. The most popular, of course, are

the Washington Irving and John Marshall Literary

Societies. Read the article below to learn more about the

history behind these societies. If you have questions,

email ([email protected]).

WASHINGTON IRVING AND JOHNMARSHALL LITERARY SOCIETIES

Most students who have ever attended

Mercersburg can claim being a member of

either Irving or Marshall (unless they opted

out). These two societies participate annually in

a fun-loving but fierce midwinter competition

connected to a long and serious tradition of

debating at the school.

In fact, the societies are the school’s oldest

organizations—older than the school itself.

Precedent for societies began in 1835, when

the original students of Marshall College

maintained two societies, the Diagnothian and

Goethean literary societies. In the late 1800s,

they were renamed the Washington Irving

Literary Society and the John Marshall Literary

Society, named after two prominent figures of

the 1800s. The first debate occurred in 1894,

under Mercersburg’s founding headmaster Dr.

William Mann Irvine on Washington’s Birthday.

This began the tradition of midwinter weekend

competitions in February.

WILLIAM MANN IRVINE SOCIETYThe William Mann Irvine Society (WMIS) is

a leadership giving society that recognizes

donors who contribute $1,893 or more annually

to Mercersburg. The school founded WMIS in

honor of the school’s first headmaster, who

served in that position for 35 years. Dr. Irvine

was a visionary whose all-consuming passion

was to help students fulfill their greatest

potential. He believed that through

philanthropy, Mercersburg’s alumni, family,

and friends could define the Mercersburg

experience. Membership in the WMIS

distinguishes a donor’s philanthropic leadership

in the ways of the school’s founder. There are

several membership levels. Please review the

list of “Giving Societies” for details.

MARSHALL & IRVING ALLIANCE Formed in 1993, the Marshall and Irving

Alliance honors benefactors who provide gifts

to Mercersburg through their estate or a life-

income plan. Their generous legacies touch

Mercersburg’s most significant programs, making

it a fitting memorial with enduring benefits.

Alumni Travel OpportunityJuly 2–11, 2010

Cindy and Larry Jones

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EVEN

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why so many people take pictures from the

outside: it was built to be pretty, not to be

practical! The Passion Play will have you

vowing to return in 2020, and the trip

through Switzerland in its aftermath will

ensure it! Although I was last in Zermatt 26

years ago, the memory of the Matterhorn still

lives with me, and seeing it again (weather

permitting!) will be the pièce de résistance

of a spectacular trip!

Our new travel program is the school’s

chance to re-engage with alumni, parents, and

friends who are “lifelong learners” and curious

about the world. What will make this tour

unique for the Mercersburg community?

The important thing, I guess, is that this will

not just be a haphazard collection of tourists

put together by a travel agent. This will be a

group of people all sharing the Mercersburg

experience, either personally or through

family connections. As such, we can count on

the travelers all being intellectually curious,

academically inclined, and ready to embrace

the new, the interesting, and the quirky!

Larry, with different co-leaders, led three

trips of Mercersburg students to this area in

the early to mid-1980s, and then Larry and

Cindy led the Oberammergau trip in 2000

from their church. Certainly the unexpected

will happen, but with Mercersburg people on

the trip, the unexpected events will become

the memories that will lift this experience out

of the ordinary!

Visit www.mercersburg.edu to view the

complete brochure, or request a brochure

from the Alumni & Development Office

(800-588-2550). The tour cost is $4,695 per

person. A deposit is required to reserve a

place on the Alpine Adventure: From Munich

to Zermatt.

Dates are July 2–11, 2010.

2010 Upcoming Events Jan | 21-22 Winter Board Meetings

New York City

Jan | 21 Reception for leadership donorsColumbia University New York City

Jan | 21 NYC Regional EventColumbia University w/Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute, Columbia University

Jan | 30 Winter Alumni Council MeetingOn campus

Feb | 27 Bo Burbank Squash TournamentOn campus

Feb | 23-24 Irving/Marshall PhonathonOn campus

Mar | 19-21 Asian Family Event Nanjing, China

Apr | 30 Spring Alumni Council MeetingOn campus

Apr | 30 Alumni Council Recognition LuncheonOn campus

Apr | 30 Senior Dinner and Slide Show On campus

May | 7-8 Spring Board of Regents MeetingOn campus

May | 7 Regents’ ForumOn campus

May | 7 McDowell Society Recognition DinnerOn campus

May | 11 Phonathon w/alumni, parent, and student callersOn campus

May | 12 Phonathon w/alumni, parent, and student callersOn campus

May | 19 Phonathon w/coachesOn campus

Jun | 11-13 Reunion Anniversary Weekend (classes ending in 0 and 5)On campus

Jul | 2-10 Alpine Adventure: From Munich to Zermatt, featuring the Passion PlayGermany & Switzerland

Oct | 1-3 Family WeekendOn campus

Oct | 22-24 Fall Alumni Weekend Celebration of Mercersburg’s Olympians and track & field, swimming & diving, cross country, and winter track alumni reunionsOn campus

Oct | 22 Fall Alumni Council MeetingOn campus

Fall | 2010 Alumni trip to IsraelIsrael

For information about upcoming events, contact De-Enda Rotz at [email protected] 717-328-6178.

Reunion Alumni: Plan Your Trip! Reunion Anniversary Weekend June 10–13, 2010 THIS REUNION WEEKEND IS for alumni in classes ending in 0 and 5 and Loyalty Club

members who have celebrated their 50th reunion. This is the perfect opportunity to relive

your Mercersburg experience. Bring family or friends, stay in the dorm, and reconnect with

classmates and alumni. Spend time in the classroom with current faculty, and enjoy the

freedom of having the campus to yourself!

“Meeting other alums of different generations and hearing their stories of Mercersburg

is a great experience,” said Nick Mellott ’04, who attended Reunion Anniversary Weekend

last June.

Contact De-Enda Rotz in the Alumni & Development Office for more details about

Reunion Anniversary Weekend, [email protected] or 717-328-6178.

from Munich to Zermatt

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Alumni Council President Susie Lyles-Reed ’88(left) and Head of School Doug Hale (far right)with 2009 Alumni Council Service AwardWinner Regent Deborah Simon ’74 andAlumni Council Achievement Award WinnerJohn Treat ’64 during the Alumni CouncilAwards Luncheon in June.

Alumni Council Member Ann Quinn ’84 (left)with her Mercersburg roommate RachelHaines Bowman ’84

Alumni Council members Capt. JohnLinderman ’55 (honorary), Lindley PetersonFleury ’77, and Jack Reilly ’62 during a 2009Fall Alumni Weekend reception.

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In this first issue of MPact, I am pleased to be able to reintroduce you to the Alumni

Council (AC). We are a group of dedicated volunteers comprising 27 alumni from

seven decades and diverse geographical locations and professions.

Our mission is to provide resources to the Alumni & Development Program to advance the cause

of the Academy and create a community of support within our alumni body throughout the world.

Our vision is that the AC be a must-have resource for the Alumni & Development Office and the go-

to place for our fellow alums. As key ambassadors for Mercersburg (along with other volunteers), the

AC leads the charge on alumni engagement, and we are proud that alumni and students know who

we are and what we do.

We profile alumni and their accomplishments and continue to recognize their legacy and

contributions. We perpetuate a community of lifelong learners and ensure that alumni and faculty

remain connected.

Although we are systematic in how we work, we are flexible, with the ability to change when

we need to. Every Council member is an expert on the school and its needs. Because we measure

our effectiveness routinely, our members feel they have traction and can make a difference.

The Council is made up of three task groups and four standing committees focused on

specific programs:

• Alumni Student Programs Task Group – Engages alumni and students with each other by

planning, developing, and implementing programs that will teach current students the

privileges and responsibilities of membership in Mercersburg’s alumni community.

A chair and co-chair lead this group of six to eight members.

• Alumni Leadership Development Task Group – Seeks to re-engage alumni with the school

community and increase support of Mercersburg through giving and volunteerism. A chair

and co-chair lead this group of six to eight members.

• Communications Task Group – Works with the Alumni Council, Alumni & Development

Office, and Strategic Marketing & Communications Office to create communications that

engage and inform alumni about the work of the Alumni Council. A chair and co-chair lead

this group of six to eight members.

• Executive Committee – Governs the entire AC and consists of the chair of each task group

and standing committees, and the AC officers. This committee is chaired by the president

of the AC.

• Nominating Committee – Identifies and nominates candidates for membership on the AC.

There are five members on this committee, all of whom are appointed by the AC president.

The AC president serves as an ex-officio member.

• Loyalty Club Committee – Develops a relationship between Loyalty Club members (alumni

who have celebrated their 50th anniversary reunion) and the school through events,

communications, and other appropriate activities. This committee consists of all Loyalty Club

members serving on the AC and other members of the Loyalty Club appointed to the

committee by the Loyalty Club chairperson.

• Performance Measurement Committee – Is responsible for collecting data from each task group

and standing committee for performance measurement purposes. This committee is chaired by

the 2nd vice president of the AC and has representation from each task group and standing

committee.

Volunteering on the Alumni Council is a challenging yet rewarding Mercersburg experience.

If you are interested in supporting Mercersburg as a member of the AC, contact De-Enda Rotz in

the Alumni & Development Office at [email protected] or 717-328-6178. For more information

about the AC and its members, visit us on the Mercersburg website (go to www.mercersburg.edu,

click on Alumni at the top and then Alumni Council in the menu bar underneath).

Sincerely,

Susie Lyles-Reed ’88

Alumni Council President

Council CornerAlumni

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11

The Mercersburg Community

Out & AboutEmail photos and captions to [email protected].

Contact Natasha Brown in the Alumni & Development Office at [email protected] or 800-588-2550 with questions or comments.

MPACT is published three times per year by the Mercersburg Academy Alumni & Development Office.

The wedding of Laurel Kalp ’02 and Stephen Sviatko III took place on August 8, 2009, in the Irvine Memorial Chapel. In attendance were (L-R) Melissa McCartney ’05 and classmates Lauren McCartney ’02 and Bryan Stiffler ’02.

John Marshall ’08 climbs “Satisfaction Guaranteed”climbing route in New River Gorge, West Virginia,last September.

A scene from Stony Batter’s fall productionof Young and Willing. L to R – back row:Susan Durnford ’11, Tally Diaz ’10, AaronPorter ’10, Zach Olivos ’10; front row:Aimee Chase ’10, John Henry Reilly ’10,Eliza MacDonald ’10; sitting on floor:Maggie Goff ’10.

Alumni and parents attended a regional event at the home ofEdgar ’48 and Margery Masinter in Jackson Hole, Wyoming:John Prentiss ’65, P ’89 ’92, Margery Masinter, Doug Hale,Charlie Moore ’48, P ’67 ’74 ’77 ’94, Back Row: Peggy Hale,Carol Prentiss, Judith Moore P ’67, ’74, ’77, ’94EdgarMasinter ’48.

Loyalty Club Members during their JuneReunion Anniversary Weekend: Chuck Hatch ’54, Ned Mayo ’54, John Hornbaker ’55, J. Martin Myers, Jr. ’36, Dale Williams ’54, and Faculty Emeritus Jay Quinn.Toshia Fries ’10 with her host family during

School Year Abroad in Beijing. Photo credit: Toby Fries

Faculty member Jeff Shamp, BruceMcLaughlin ’09, and John-Eric Bell ’12 atLions's Head Outcrop during the longweekend Mercersburg Outdoor Educationexcursion. Photo credit: Sue Malone

Members of theClass of 2009enjoyed Steps

Songs andSchool Cheers

during FallAlumni

Weekend.

Harold Frederick Young (left), the grandson of Frederick Rupley Schaefer,Class of 1896, stopped by the Alumni & Development Office last fall tomeet with Academy archivist Jay Quinn (right) and A & D staff to learnmore about his grandfather’s time at Mercersburg. Mr. Schaefer was one ofthe first students at the school, under Dr. William Mann Irvine’s leadership.

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NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDNORWICH, CT

PERMIT NO. 51

For information on how you can be involved with these reunions, contact De-Enda Rotz in the Alumni & Development Office at [email protected] or 717-328-6178.

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Mercersberg MPACT Newsletter January 2010

Documents

Transcript of Mercersberg MPACT Newsletter January 2010