Nobles SUMMER 2026
Moments
Top left: The Beach comes alive during Art Street as students explore food, games, performances, and activities hosted by clubs and affinity groups.
Bottom left: High-fives from faculty welcome Class V students into the upper school following the Step Up ceremony.
Right: Serhan Marvi ‘26 and Vedant Kulkarni ‘26 celebrate the start of graduation before taking their seats with the Class of 2026.
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Moments
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Left: A group of adventurous students and faculty members navigates the rapids of Idaho’s Salmon River during the EXCEL summer trip.
Right: Middle school civics students take advantage of a beautiful spring day, moving class outdoors to work on their papers.
Nobles SUMMER 2026 3
Moments
Top Left: Alexander Meng ‘27 warms up for a chess match by taking on two boards at once. Bottom Left: Alling Lubitz ‘26 and Evelyn Cloonan ‘27 use colored glasses to view Ishihara plates during a physics lab on optical phenomena and color perception.
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Top Right: The Nobles Theatre Collective brought Is This a Room to the Vinik stage, transforming a verbatim FBI transcript into compelling drama. Bottom Right: The Nobles Symphony Orchestra performs the triumphant finale of Shostakovich’s “Symphony No. 5, Op. 47” to conclude the spring instrumental concert.
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Contents
24
A Place for Everyone A reimagined Shattuck Schoolhouse presents boundless opportunities for learning and connection. 6 Nobles SUMMER 2026
SUMMER 2026
CAMPUS DRIVE
9 Bulldog Reaches New Heights 10 Academic Showcase
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10 EXCEL Partnership
22 37
11 AP Art Show 12 Portraits in Prose 14 Performing Arts 16 Learning in Relationship 18 Redefining Computer Science 20 Retirements 23 Athletics Season Highlights
32 Looking Back 34 Graduate News 60 In Memoriam The Shattuck Schoolhouse murals on front and back cover by Sandra Rilova
CONNECT WITH US ONLINE
Meet the Athlete
Wrestler Kate Osakwe ’27
Mothers and Other Strangers
I N E V E RY I SS U E
8 Head of School Letter
Assembly Highlight
A new novel from Corey Ann Haydu ’01
ABOUT THE C OV E R M U R A L
L I F E AT N O B L E S : FAVO R I T E P L AC E S A N D S PAC E S Across Nobles’ 173-acre campus, the spaces that shape daily life become part of a shared journey. Gathering spots, stages, trails, and quiet corners hold memories of discovery, friendship, and tradition. From the energy of the Lawrence Auditorium stage to the calm of the Castle terrace, the boathouse along the river, and the winding paths of Kern’s cross country
WWW.NOBLES.EDU
@NOBLEANDGREENOUGH
course, each setting reflects a different rhythm of campus life. In Gleason Hall, among the stacks in the Putnam Library, and in the Henderson Arts Center lobby, students gather, learn, and connect. Together, these favorite places form the backdrop of everyday life at Nobles, where curiosity is sparked, community takes shape, and memories take root.
@NOBLEANDGREENOUGH @NOBLEANDGREENOUGHGRADS
Nobles SUMMER 2026 7
from the head of school
Nobles S UMMER 2026
Editor Tiffany Truong Director of Marketing and Communications
Dear Nobles Community, At Nobles, each new chapter is shaped by both a deep appreciation for who we have always been and a shared belief in what is possible. This summer, I have been reflecting on the remarkable progress of the past year and the momentum carrying us forward. The 2025–26 academic year marked the launch of our strategic plan, which affirms the transformative power of human connection and outlines ambitious priorities for our people, programs, and place. The most visible priority was the reimagining of Shattuck Schoolhouse. This yearlong project renewed a century-old building while honoring its history and expanding its potential. Our schoolhouse reopening on April 1 was the highlight of my year. After so much planning and anticipation, it was remarkable to see it all come to life in a way that buoyed and galvanized our entire community. Learn more on page 24. Looking ahead to the upcoming school year, we will build on this momentum as we continue implementing a strategic plan anchored in the best of Nobles and driven by our aspirations for the future. This fall, we will embark on the reimagination of the Omni. The long-awaited renovation will be transformative for our ice hockey and tennis programs while creating new possibilities for our broader community. The project is expected to take approximately 18 months, with hockey teams continuing to use the facility during construction. The year ahead will also usher in meaningful work to deepen our investment in our people and programs. We are ambitiously facing this very complex chapter in education with humility, optimism, and confidence in the enduring value of a Nobles experience. I look forward to sharing more about the next phase of our strategic work and engaging faculty and staff, students, families, and graduates in shaping the future of Nobles together. —Catherine J. Hall, Ph.D., Head of School 8 Nobles SUMMER 2026
Assistant Editors Kim Neal Associate Director of Marketing and Communications Ben Heider Director of Creative Media Anne McManus Lead Writer/Web Content Manager
Creative Direction and Design Dog Ear Creative dogearcreative.com Lilly Pereira aldeia.design
Photography and Illustration Yoon Byun Chad Case Joel Haskell Ben Heider Leah LaRiccia Jared Leeds Adam McCauley Anne McManus Mirabel Pictures Tom Olin Sandra Rilova Risley Sports Photography Nobles is published twice a year for graduates, past and current parents/ guardians and grandparents, students, and friends of the school. Noble and Greenough School is a day and 5-day boarding school for grades 7–12 in Dedham, Mass.
www.nobles.edu Letters and comments may be emailed to communications@nobles.edu or mailed to 10 Campus Drive, Dedham, MA 02026. © Noble and Greenough School 2026
Campus Drive After months of careful planning, course plotting, construction, and calculations down to the gram and the cent, Alex Cheng ’26 and Emery Nordahl ’26 launched a helium-filled weather balloon as part of their mechanical engineering class project. Equipped with a temperature sensor, GPS tracker, parachute, stuffed bulldog, and cameras to capture the journey, the payload soared 114,000 feet into the stratosphere before descending for recovery near Worcester after launching from western Vermont. See video from the launch at nobles.edu/stratosphere.
CAMPUS DRIVE
ACADEMICS
Celebrating Learning In the final weeks of the academic year, the Class of 2026 inaugurated a new Nobles tradition: the Academic Showcase—a celebration of the depth, range, and creativity of senior academic work. Across campus, students shared the questions, projects, and ideas that shaped their final work at Nobles. “It’s a different kind of experience to explain your work and findings and respond to questions on your feet,” said Head of Upper School Alison Easterling. “As an academic community, it’s exciting and valuable to have a public sharing of what our students are up to. Students are being asked to publicly explain their thinking, their work, and their conclusions. There’s a celebratory feeling in all of those presentations, because it’s a culmination. It’s really an embodiment of our core values, from the playfulness that we saw in physics—a stuffed bulldog being launched into the stratosphere—to the curiosity that drove each of the Honors Research Seminar presentations.” The showcase featured courses across English, science, history and social sciences, and other disciplines. Together, the presentations reflected not only what students had learned, but also how they had learned to investigate, create, collaborate, and communicate.
ENGLISH: Students in Creative Writing II spent a month crafting New Yorker-style profiles of Nobles community members through interviews, observations, and additional sources. During a panel discussion, students read excerpts, reflected on their writing process, and answered questions. In Literary Adaptations, students explored how short stories and novels are translated to film. Working in small groups, they created original adaptations of selected scenes, screened their films, and presented a “director’s cut” analysis of their creative choices. Students in City in Literature examined how writers use cities as both settings and symbolic characters. For their final projects, they wrote independent “Little Essays” and presented the ideas, processes, and decisions behind their work. SCIENCE: In Mechanical Engineering, students moved through the engineering design process from concept to production. Projects included sending a weather balloon to the stratosphere, building a foosball table with 3D-printed bulldog figures, and creating a hovercraft. AP Physics students presented independent investigations on topics including Doppler laser 10 Nobles SUMMER 2026
cooling, particle motion, habitable zones, special relativity, and orbital mechanics. Students in Anatomy and Physiology shared research posters examining sleep paralysis and stress, the cardiovascular and metabolic effects of energy drinks on adolescents, and the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCES: In Entrepreneurship and Innovation, teams used design-thinking methodologies to develop and pitch original concepts in a Shark Tank-style format. Ideas included temporary housing for people displaced by natural disasters or homelessness, an AI-powered wardrobe-styling app, and a fastcasual build-your-own breakfast restaurant. The yearlong Honors Research Seminar culminated in a 30-page paper and a 20-minute public presentation. Students shared their research questions, theses, arguments, historiographies, and processes on subjects ranging from refugee law after September 11 to American foreign policy and South Africa’s post-apartheid electrical infrastructure. The Academic Showcase celebrated students’ scholarship while highlighting the curiosity, confidence, and intellectual independence they will carry beyond Nobles.
E XC E L PA R T N E R S H I P
PROJECT OLAS, GUATEMALA At the heart of EXCEL programming is a commitment to authentic, lasting partnerships shaped by participating communities. One example is Nobles’ relationship with Project Olas, a nonprofit connecting language learners with women in Guatemala City. Project Olas supports mothers in Zones 3 and 7—communities surrounding the city’s municipal dumpsite—by providing safe, sustainable employment. Women with limited access to higher-paying employment are trained as language tutors, creating pathways to economic mobility. The partnership began in Spanish classes, where students strengthened conversational skills via Zoom with Project Olas tutors. These real-world exchanges push students beyond vocabulary, fostering empathy, cultural competency, and meaningful human connection. Because Guatemala is a cornerstone EXCEL travel destination, this partnership extends far beyond a screen. On an 11-day EXCEL trip, students explored the region’s complexities, from Mayan history to current sociopolitical climate. This “full-circle” connection was cemented when students finally met their tutors in person. As one student shared: “My sessions with Angélica became a mutual exchange of stories. Meeting her in person felt like reconnecting with an old friend. Project Olas taught me that when curiosity is mutual, learning becomes a shared experience.” During the 2024 trip, Executive Director Rebecca Cox de Méndez shared that English proficiency is a primary driver of upward mobility for these women. In response, a new collaboration emerged through the Community Service Afternoon Program, with Nobles students serving as English tutors for Project Olas mothers in a model grounded in reciprocity and community-defined impact. Spanning classroom learning and global travel, EXCEL fosters a collective Nobles experience that transcends borders and deepens human connection.
ON VIEW More than 50 student artists transformed Foster Gallery into a deeply personal exploration of memory, identity, family, place, and the passage of time for the annual AP Art Show. Through photography, painting, drawing, ceramics, and mixed media, students translated ineffable experiences—from childhood memories and family traditions to questions of beauty, belonging, and self-discovery. Together, the works revealed art’s power to preserve what is fleeting, give form to the intangible, and make the invisible visible.
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CAMPUS DRIVE
AC A D E M I C S
Portraits in Prose A SS E M B LY H I G H L I G H T
David Sun Kong, director of the MIT Media Lab’s Community Biotechnology Initiative, spoke about the intersection of synthetic biology, design, art, and community. A scientist, educator, musician, and creative innovator, Kong explored how breakthroughs often emerge when disciplines collide—and how biotechnology can be shaped by creativity, collaboration, and collective imagination.
A SS E M B LY H I G H L I G H T
Boston-based dance company Jean Appolon Expressions brought Haitian folkloric and contemporary dance to the Assembly stage. Through performance and conversation, the company explored Haitian history, identity, resilience, and healing, demonstrating the power of dance as both storytelling and cultural education.
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Students in Creative Writing II immersed themselves in the art of the profile, crafting New Yorker–style portraits of Nobles community members. As David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, describes it, a profile is “a biographical piece—a concise rendering of a life through anecdote, incident, interview, and description (or some ineffable combination thereof ).” Over the course of a month, students conducted interviews, observed their subjects in action in classrooms and around campus, and gathered perspectives from those who know them best. The resulting pieces, ranging from 2,000 to 6,500 words, offer a thoughtful snapshot of faculty and staff brought to life through the curiosity, humor, and care of student writers. Below are excerpts from two students’ profiles.
THE ACTIVATION ENERGY
For Sheila McElwee, the gap has always been more interesting than the grade. By Teja Hanumolu ’26 McElwee grew up in Winchester, Massachusetts, during the 1960s in a house that was, at the time, unusual. Her brother had been adopted from Korea, making their family the only mixed-race household for some distance in any direction. Winchester was, she said, “mostly white” where difference was visible enough to matter, and where the response to that difference shaped you whether you chose it or not. And that reckoning of contrasts had implications within her own house, too, as one of McElwee’s brothers had significant learning differences. It was here that McElwee understood the value of equal chance. “My mom was this extraordinary advocate for neurodiversity, long before neurodiversity was termed,” McElwee said, leaning forward slightly, as though proximity to the subject still animated her. “She worked really hard to make the public schools in Winchester responsive to students with learning style differences, and I learned so much from her advocacy.” And in the class-
room, that inspiration has come to life. McElwee, unlike most teachers, doesn’t just mark my tests as wrong or right. She always includes small notes in the margin that tell you precisely where your thinking went sideways. What her mother was demonstrating, she understood only later, was kindness at scale, one that requires a particular kind of tenacity. It is, as McElwee put it, “one of the hardest things a person can do.” Baker 211 is a chemistry classroom on the second floor of the Baker Science Building at Nobles. McElwee has occupied it, in one form or another, for the better part of four decades. The room announces itself before you enter it. Glass windows line the hallway wall, turning the room into something akin to a fishbowl. Students, faculty, and prospective tours can see, at any hour, whether something is happening inside: a class mid-lecture, a student hunched over a late makeup, McElwee herself erasing and re-erasing something on the large whiteboard wall as chemistry inevitably fights back. Inside, the tables are arranged in a wide U-shape, open at the front, so that no one sits behind anyone else, and McElwee can reach any student in a few steps. In the back are four large, black
Visual arts faculty member David Roane
lab tables, etched with years of pencil marks, each one a small fossil of some prior experiment that gave the room its own unique lived-in feel, one that’s been complemented by McElwee’s teaching presence. Since joining Nobles, McElwee has primarily taught Honors Chemistry to sophomores and AP Chemistry to juniors and seniors (I’ve been lucky to be a student in both classes). Now a senior, Amrit Hari Madhav, who had McElwee in his sophomore year, recalled that “the first thing she said is that Honors Chem[istry] is really hard, but she wanted us to know that she was there for us and she had our back.” It was a small thing to say, and she probably says it every year, but the students I spoke to remembered it the way you remember something that turned out to be true. THE ROANE LESS TRAVELED
On identity, twinship, and the canvases in between By Brynn Bryant ’26 In the art studio, Mr. [David] Roane is known less for moments of harsh confrontation than for a kind of intentional stillness. Similarly, his space is bright, airy, and subtly alive. Bright studio lights are positioned next to displays and hang overhead from a high ceiling, filtering across an oval array of wheeled wooden desks permanently decorated with blotches of paint, charcoal, and pencil from overly excited artists who extended their work off the paper. Blue easels stand nearby, paired with armless rolling stools that glide across a pearl marble floor, dribbled with dried oil paints and the occasional runaway pencil, as if the room is slowly accumulating its own autobiography.…
When asked how life has compared to what he once imagined, he pauses. In college, he says, he loved the universe— and, rather naively, believed it returned the sentiment. “Fast-forward 30 years,” he says, “and I think life—at least the authentic kind—is what you make of it.” He does not define “authentic.” It doesn’t seem necessary. If asked to describe himself in one word, he offers “tough.” Then corrects it before it settles. “Mentally tough. Resilient.” The life obstacles are familiar in outline but personal in texture: being underestimated because he is small in stature and smiles easily; and, on another axis entirely, being Black in a predominantly white world where identity was often assigned before it was understood. “The twinship,” he adds, complicates the question of identity in ways that
are not immediately visible. Roane and his identical twin brother, Jamie Roane, were inseparable growing up, “in a way that seemed to blur the boundary between self and other.” Roane explained, “When you think about being an identical twin, it’s like you standing up and splitting in half, and all of a sudden, there are two of you. That premise really governs a lot of how I see life,” he said. “It’s on a subconscious level; it drives most of my existence.” This sense of shared identity offered both grounding and complication. If identity is a negotiation between how one is seen by others, twinship adds another dimension: how one is reflected in another version of self. For Mr. Roane, this meant that questions of identity, race, belonging, and perception were never entirely solitary. Nobles Summer 2026 13
CAMPUS DRIVE
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PERFORMING ARTS
No More Running Water
What happens when basic human needs become controlled by power and profit? The Nobles Theatre Collective’s 2026 production of Urinetown invited audiences into a world where water is scarce, private toilets are outlawed, and even the smallest freedoms come at a cost. Blending sharp satire with unforgettable music and humor, the Tony Award–winning musical challenged viewers to reflect on authority, inequality, and the price of compliance—all while showcasing the remarkable creativity, commitment, and collaboration of the cast, crew, and orchestra behind the production.
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CAMPUS DRIVE
The EXCEL spring break group in Guatemala hikes Volcán Pacaya, one of the country’s most active volcanoes.
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<< E XC E L
LEARNING IN R E L AT I O N S H I P In Guatemala, Nobles students found learning everywhere: on the trail of an active volcano, in preschool classrooms, across a soccer field, around a cooking table, and in conversations that stretched well beyond language or geography. The spring break EXCEL trip centered on education, community development, and cultural exchange. What unfolded was both expansive and intimate. The group hiked Volcán Pacaya, visited Iximché, explored markets and ruins, cooked pepián, learned salsa, and traveled by boat across Lake Atitlán. Yet the heart of the trip lived in the relationships students built along the way. At Planting Seeds, students spent time in preschool classrooms in San Lucas and Sacalá, where they joined children at learning stations and led activities they had prepared. In conversation with teachers, parents, and families, students learned about life in rural Guatemala while also reflecting on the communities that shape their own lives. Connections deepened through time with Planting Seeds community center leaders, English students, and Project Olas mothers from Zone 3 of Guatemala City. In those exchanges, students listened to stories of culture, resilience, mental health, and daily life, discovering how quickly difference can give way to recognition when people meet one another with openness. There was adventure and beauty throughout the trip, from zip-lining near Lake Atitlán to weaving with Amigos de Santa Cruz and learning the craft of chocolate making. But in their final reflections, students returned most often to the people: the relationships formed, the questions they would carry home, and the new ways they understood Nobles’ mission to unlock the potential to do good. See page 10 for more on Nobles’ partnership with Project Olas.
A S S E M B LY
Notable NED Talks B I G I D E A S . R E A L S TO R I E S . D I S T I N C T LY N O B L E S .
“Every time I stepped out of my comfort zone, it grew just a little.” — H A R R I S O N A B B E R ‘ 26
“Remember that you cannot always control what happens in your life, but you can control how you respond.”
— E M M A E D G A R ‘26
“If you don’t feel uplifted and valued by the people around you, you’re not in the right place.” — C H R I S T I N A H A L L ‘ 26
“Unapologetic authenticity is the first step to making lasting bonds with others.”
— A N D R E W H U M P H R E Y ‘26
“Home isn’t a place. It’s a feeling.” — M AT T H E W N E W M A N ‘ 26
“Don’t let nostalgia hold you back, and let moments go. … Let your future grab more of your attention than your past.”
— L A R A S A H AG U N ‘26
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AC A D E M I C S
Redefining Computer Science With the rapid advancement of AI, many are asking: Why study computer science? It’s a question the Nobles community is taking seriously—and answering thoughtfully. “Truth is, coding will probably be as obsolete as Morse code in a decade,” says Jayden Leung ’27. “This puts increasing emphasis on understanding underlying computer systems, especially in the realm of AI.” The Nobles computer science department has embraced this reality by making programmatic changes to increase accessibility, reimagining pathways around essential computational thinking skills that will prepare students for the world ahead. “All of the jobs students will aspire to—business, entrepreneurship, journalism, art, politics, public service—are going to have a significant technological, computational, and data dimension,” explains Computer Science Department Head Max Montgomery ’14. “Computing foundations are part of the skills and knowledge that every student needs in the age ahead—not as a specialty, but as part of a liberal arts education.” Reimagined Pathways The restructured program creates multiple entry points into computer science. All incoming Class VI students take a quarter of computer science (CS6), exploring basic programming, block coding, visual programming, and introductory robotics and physical computing. Class V students can continue with a semester-long elective (CS5). 18 Nobles SUMMER 2026
The most substantial changes will take effect in the upper school starting in fall 2026. Introduction to Programming and Introduction to Robotics will merge into Fundamentals of Computing, a single entry point that covers the foundational principles of programming, electronic engineering, and robotics. Students can then move
freely across courses in programming, AI, and electronics. Offerings include AP Computer Programming, Advanced Robotics 1 and 2 (which focus on different aspects of robotics and electrical engineering), and a dedicated AI course. In the AI course, students explore questions about machine learning, intelligence, and the
In the robotics lab, Natalia Calvillo ’26 uses a soldering iron while working with Aashna Dialani ’26 and the Nobles Society of Women Engineers to build a submarine.
societal implications of AI before completing an independent project. Open to All As the department evolves, accessibility and representation remain central priorities. At Assembly earlier this year, Montgomery presented a slide showing the leaders of the six largest AI companies in the world—all men. “We live in a time of accelerating change, and they are going to decide who this technology is for, who it represents, and who it benefits,” he shared. “I think it is absolutely critical that all of you know that you are capable of participating in this world and that you belong in this world. I think it’s equally important that many of you do, in order to ensure that this technology broadly represents humanity and benefits us all.” Montgomery’s message resonated with Natalia Calvillo ’26, president of Women in STEM and co-president of Nobles Society of Women Engineers (NSWE). Calvillo, who plans to study naval architecture and marine engineering with a minor in environmental engineering in college, has known she wanted to be an engineer since elementary school. “Engineering, for me, is about giving back to our world and our planet,” she explains. “Ever since I was 8, I have wanted to develop what I call the ‘indigestible microbot,’ a robot to help solve pollution.” Calvillo is one of a growing number of students at Nobles committed to ensuring that a broad range of voices have a seat at the table. While being one of the few girls in computer science never fazed
A SS E M B LY H I G H L I G H T
her, by her sophomore year, she felt a responsibility to address the gender gap. Since founding NSWE, Calvillo and co-president Aashna Dialani ’26 have inspired more girls to get involved in computer science and engineering. For these students, the presence of Molly McGuigan, a female computer science teacher, has also reinforced the sense that they belong in these spaces. “You don’t have to be somebody who likes coding or wants to do Java or Python all day,” Calvillo explains. “There’s a lot of diversity in the courses you can take.” Beyond the Classroom The department’s reach extends beyond the classroom. This year, robotics became a middle school Afternoon Program option for the first time, culminating in an intersquad FIRST LEGO League competition. In the upper school, students can compete in the FIRST Tech Challenge through the robotics winter Afternoon Program. A growing slate of clubs, including Robotics, AI, Coding, Women in STEM, and the NSWE, offers even more ways for students to get involved. “The rapidly shifting AI era is posing deep and complex questions for the sector of education,” shares Head of School Cathy Hall. “As Nobles strives to continue to be an academic exemplar, we need to meet this moment with curiosity and confidence, identifying the elements of teaching and learning that must evolve and the aspects of human connections that have never been more important.” Through its redesigned curriculum and expanding programs, the department is preparing students to shape the future of technology, regardless of where their paths lead.
Faculty and staff members Molly McGuigan, Gwen Chiaranda, Chris Pratt, and colleagues led an Assembly affirming support for LGBTQ+ student-athletes at Nobles. In partnership with Q2Q, Nobles’ affinity group for LGBTQ+ students, the group later hosted an Athlete Ally gathering for community members to discuss how to continue making Nobles a safe and welcoming place for queer and questioning athletes.
A SS E M B LY H I G H L I G H T
In honor of Neurodiversity Awareness Month in April, president of Synapse (Nobles’ club to raise awareness of neurodiversity and offer support) Amanda Rosa ’26 and librarian Talya Sokoll presented on the history of the disability rights movement and the growing importance of disability pride. They traced key moments from the 504 Sit-ins to the Capitol Crawl and the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, reminding everyone that disability rights remain an ongoing movement rooted in access, visibility, justice, and belonging. Used with permission. © Tom Olin—Tom Olin Collection
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CAMPUS DRIVE
RETIREMENTS
Beyond the Lessons The best teachers don’t just teach their subjects; they shape the communities around them. Earlier this year, Nobles said goodbye to two educators who dedicated decades to doing exactly that, leaving behind people and programs that will continue to thrive and a community forever shaped by their presence.
LOUIS BARASSI
AT NOBLES SINCE 2000
“The best educators are those who can combine intellectual curiosity, passion for the subject, steadfast humility, and a sense of humor in sharing ideas in a classroom, guiding a team, and setting expectations for oneself and others,” shares retired English faculty member Alden Mauck of his former colleague, History Department Head Louis Barassi. “For 25 years, Louis was both a notable model and a principal steward in upholding the highest standards for a Nobles teacher, coach, and colleague; all of us who know him—students in history classes, athletes on the tennis court, and fellow teachers—were inspired and improved by his effort and care.” The quintessential educator, Barassi raised his hand whenever help was needed. Over the years, he served in numerous leadership roles—director of community service, Class I coordinator, co-chair of the Evaluation and Discipline Committees, and three terms as head of the History and Social Science Department. Yet it was perhaps in less-assuming roles—teaching at every grade level, coaching JV tennis, serving as an admission interviewer, working at Upward Bound—that he made his greatest impact. What Barassi’s former students and colleagues make resoundingly clear is that it won’t be the titles he held that mark his legacy, but 20 Nobles SUMMER 2026
the daily interactions: in his classroom, on the courts, in the hallways, and all of the moments in between. “When I took his America and Genocide class last spring, we didn’t learn from statistics but were urged to find the little stories that revealed far more about these histories than any textbook could,” shares Hailey Rashes ’26. “Outside the classroom, Mr. Barassi is just as intent on storytelling. Our quarterly lunches are filled with tales from his time at Nobles and abroad, advice shared so graciously, and frequent debriefs on the latest international period dramas we both so enjoy to binge.” In Barassi’s classroom, students were fully engaged by the authenticity of his lessons and inspired by his passion for the subject and his investment in each of them. His colleagues, reflecting on their years teaching alongside him, describe a similar experience. “Louis is widely known among his colleagues for his tremendous integrity, seemingly endless wisdom, and fantastic sense of humor,” shares Head of School Cathy Hall. “He has a unique ability to wade into the most complex issues and conversations with both students and colleagues with a diplomacy and empathy that is matched by his honesty and kindness, always leaving others feeling heard, seen, and valued.” Whether they taught alongside Barassi for three decades or three years, colleagues point to the integrity, humor,
wisdom, and humanity that define his work. “Louis has been a steady anchor in the history department,” shares history and social sciences faculty member Nahyon Lee, “offering humor, humility, and visionary leadership as he helped guide the department through many stages and supported our growth over the years. He lives our mission every day—always putting relationships before tasks and modeling what it means to build genuine connections with students and colleagues.” History and social sciences faculty member Doug Jankey, who helped develop the Honors Research Seminar with Barassi, captures the breadth of his impact: “Louis has been the best and most important colleague and mentor of my teaching life. His genius as an educator lies in his ability to approach any situation in a class or meeting with a magical combination of humor, empathy, and the capacity to find the path forward for growth. Kids love and trust him because they know that he will
affirm what is good, while concurrently challenging them to do their best.” Wherever you found him on campus, his pedagogy and his persona emanated the perfect medley of intellectual curiosity, passion for the subject, steadfast humility, and sense of humor. Hall captured the essence of Barassi’s legacy: “Louis is someone who always turns his bright light to shine on those around him, bringing out the best in others and ensuring they know how much they matter. He makes every space he enters better for his presence.”
MICHAEL TURNER
AT NOBLES SINCE 1988
In 1988, a young music teacher came to Nobles to direct that year’s musical, Sweeney Todd. In December 2025, after 37 years of classes, rehearsals, and concerts, former Director of Music Michael Turner took his final bow on the stage in Lawrence Auditorium. Performing Arts Department Head Daniel Halperin captures the essence of Turner’s legacy and his impact on the lives of countless students and colleagues, sharing, “In his nearly 40 years at Nobles, Mike has inspired countless students to sing, study, and write music. Quite possibly, Mike has meant more to music at Nobles than any other human in the history of the school.” While it is Turner’s work in the music department that is so widely lauded, his contributions extended far beyond the concert halls. Shortly after starting full-time in 1989—before the Information Systems and Support departments existed—he became computer coordinator, installing Nobles’ first computer network and founding the first computer club. He then served as the registrar and database administrator, designing and implementing
Nobles’ first relational database system, which he managed until about 2010. “Michael’s contributions to our early computer science program are just one example of the many ways Michael has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to doing what is needed to best support our students, colleagues, and school community,” says Head of School Cathy Hall. “Always willing to offer his talents and time where he can make a positive difference, he has always said ‘yes’ whenever he knew his help was needed.” The breadth of Turner’s dedication—to his craft, his students, and his community—is astounding. Over nearly four decades at Nobles, he directed six ensembles, including Chamber Singers, Greensleeves, Concert Choir, Middle School Chorus, Middle School Jazz Band, and the Instrumental Chamber Ensemble; taught seven different courses ranging from Music VI to AP Music Theory; and served as both performing arts department head and director of music. The department— and the school—flourished under his leadership, with success measured best by the admiration of those who worked alongside him. Former Head of Middle School and visual arts faculty member John Gifford reflects, “Over more than three decades, Michael took a distinguished but, in retrospect, fledgling program and elevated it into something outstanding, expanding its reach within the Nobles community while refining its excellence. His skill and dedication have transformed the program into a vital part of the school’s identity—one that will endure and inspire generations to come.” Turner’s colleagues express immeasurable gratitude for the lessons he taught them along the way. “It has been a true privilege and honor to have been able to learn from Michael and grow as a musician and educator by working alongside him for the past 10 years,”
shares current Director of Music Nhung Truong. “From a program that started with a handful of ensembles to one that currently comprises over one-third of the school, Nobles music would not be the program it is today without the vision, passion, dedication, and artistry that he has tirelessly put forth for the past 37 years.” Above all, it was the students— thousands over the course of his career—who felt Turner’s dedication most deeply. “I’ve felt immensely lucky to have the opportunity to learn from and work with the humble, musically brilliant, and compassionate Mr. Turner over the past six years,” shares Elodie Weinzierl ’27. “His constant willingness to accompany me on the piano at Assembly, help me dissect diminished seventh chords for music theory, and geek out about beautiful songs for Chamber Singers are just a few examples of the irreplaceable role he filled for me and for so many others in his nearly four decades at the school. Mr. Turner’s selfless and tireless work grew the Nobles music program into what it is today, and for that, the entire community is infinitely grateful.” At Turner’s tribute concert in fall 2025, that impact was palpable. Hundreds of graduates spanning nearly four decades filled Lawrence Auditorium to celebrate his legacy and thank him for inspiring a love of music that has stayed with them long beyond Nobles.
Nobles Summer 2026 21
What drew you to wrestling? When I came to Nobles, I had to pick a sport. One of my teachers encouraged me to try something different, and I wanted to do wrestling. [Wrestling] coach [Charles] Danhof was my English teacher that year. I already knew he was nice and welcoming. Wrestling also felt really beginner-friendly. How has Coach Danhof shaped the team experience? I think he makes the community better. Some coaches don’t want girls on their team, or it’s really hard for them to have girls, but he has pushed for more girls and equal opportunities. His goal is for us to have fun and build an inclusive community, which means a lot to me. What has it been like to help grow girls’ wrestling at Nobles? In my freshman year, there were three girls on the team and now there are eight. This year, we hosted the first girls’ division of the Graves Kelsey tournament. Being the first school to host something like this meant a lot to me. There were so many people from the community supporting us, and it was really special seeing girls from all over the ISL wrestling together before New Englands and nationals. MEET THE ATHLETE
Tell us about the nonprofit you started focused on girls’ wrestling. I started an Instagram account @WrestleForHer. We share resources for girls in wrestling, like clubs, clinics, tournaments, and safety information. We also highlight girl wrestlers around New England and connect people with opportunities. I wanted girls here to know that there’s a bigger wrestling community out there and that they have opportunities, too.
Kate Osakwe ’27
What makes wrestling rewarding? I’ve played on a lot of team sports, but wrestling is different because when I step onto the mat, it’s completely on me. I think the hardest thing in practice is the warm-up. You have to give 100 percent. All the preparation you do in practice all of that’s rewarding. If I don’t know what I’m doing, someone can pin me in 10 seconds. Those six minutes on the mat are some of the hardest six minutes I will ever have. What did winning nationals mean to you? I remember during my final match, I thought I had won the match in 30 seconds, but the other coach threw a challenge block. After they reviewed the footage, I actually didn’t win, and I had to go back and do it again. About a minute later, I pinned her again and won. It was such a great feeling to know that I proved to myself that I could do it. I had my teammates from Nobles supporting me, but also girls from other schools cheering me on. I didn’t wrestle as a kid, and having the opportunity to be big at something I never thought I could be is amazing to me.
Sophie Sunshine ’27
AT H L E T I C S SEASON HIGHLIGHTS W I N T E R 202 5 –2 0 2 6
Boys varsity alpine skiing finished fifth in the ISL and eighth at a competitive NEPSAC slalom race.
Englands, placing 21st at the U.S. High School Nationals and 11th at the New England championships.
Girls varsity alpine skiing captured the ISL title and placed fourth at NEPSAC.
Girls varsity squash captured the ISL title, finished fifth in New England (Class A), and seventh in Division I at nationals.
Boys varsity basketball posted a dominant 14–2 record in Class A, earning a No. 1 seed in a 24-team field and the opportunity to host a playoff game for the first time in more than 20 years. Girls varsity basketball finished 20–8 and earned a spot in the ultra-competitive AAA tournament, falling in a close contest to New Hampton. Izzy Kittredge ’27 and Alannah Morantus ’28 each scored 1,000th career points. Boys varsity hockey was honored with the ISL Keller Division Team Sportsmanship Award, voted on by Keller Division coaches. Girls varsity hockey won the Harrington Tournament, captured the ISL title, and earned the No. 1 seed in the NEPSAC Elite 8 tournament. Boys varsity squash finished fourth in the ISL and placed above their seeding at New Boys 1V: Riley Gordon ’26, Henry Hazen ’28, Ben Levering ’27, Elliot Davis ’27, LJ Bianchi ’27
The varsity wrestling team hosted the first girls division of the Graves/Kelsey Tournament, a milestone for girls wrestling in the ISL and at Nobles. Kate Osakwe ’27 won Prep Nationals for the second consecutive year.
S P R I N G 2026
Varsity baseball earned a home playoff game for the second consecutive year, finishing with an 8–3 ISL record. Boys varsity crew reclaimed the Bassett Cup from Belmont Hill and won both the 1V and Team Point Trophy at NEIRA for the first time since 1999. The team also qualified to compete at Youth Nationals in June. Girls varsity crew continued its championship run, with the 1V capturing the NEIRA title for the second consecutive year and the 4V earning gold at NEIRA. The team also won the overall New England
championship for the fourth year in a row. Varsity golf improved from 5–7 in 2025 to 7–5 in 2026. The team’s growth was reflected in several winning individual records and an all-league performance at the league championship. Boys varsity lacrosse secured a home playoff game after a strong spring that included a win over Belmont Hill for the first time in nine years and a season-ending victory over Milton Academy. Girls varsity lacrosse completed an undefeated regular season (12–0) and captured the ISL championship for the fifth consecutive year. Ava Newman ’26, Corey Kumin ’27, and Presley Upton ’27 each reached the 100-point milestone, while the team outscored opponents 316–116 and held opponents to fewer than five goals per game on average. Varsity softball closed the regular season on an eightgame winning streak and earned a share of the ISL championship with Lawrence Academy and Brooks. A key win over previously undefeated Brooks helped secure the team’s place atop the league standings. Boys varsity tennis advanced to the New England Class A semifinals and finished as ISL runner-up for the second consecutive year with a 14–1 record. Multiple players went undefeated in league play in singles and doubles.
A SS E M B LY H I G H L I G H T
Amrit Hari Madhav ’26 took to the Assembly stage for the second time as a vocalist, performing Lord Huron’s “The Night We Met” with Alex Cheng ’26 on guitar and Christian Eckford ’28 on drums.
Girls varsity tennis turned a rebuilding year into a strong 8–4 season after graduating five seniors from last year’s team. An April win over eventual ISL champion Groton sparked a five-match winning streak and helped propel the young team to a successful finish. Varsity track and field had the most successful season in its eight-year history, with a program-record 81 student-athletes. At the ISL Championship, the girls finished sixth and the boys earned their best-ever finish, placing third. At the NEPSTA Division II Championship, the girls reached the podium for the first time with a second-place finish, while the boys captured the New England championship and finished with an overall record of 12–1. MORE Stay up to date and see a full schedule at bit.ly/noblesathletics.
Nobles Summer 2026 23
T H E S H AT T U C K S C H O O L H O U SE
24 Nobles SUMMER 2026
A PLACE FOR
MORE THAN A MONTH
after the reopening of the reimagined Shattuck Schoolhouse, one message resonates: It was never about the building. While the newly unveiled center of academic and student life elevates the work and relationshipbuilding within its walls, human connection provides the energy and purpose. Nobles students and educators grasp the power of shared goals in an era of digital distraction and ideological fracturing: They provide a sense of meaning, the discovery of joy in the everyday, and a beacon illuminating where to go next.
BY K I M N E A L
EVERYONE
Nobles SUMMER 2026 25
“We know this place is not about buildings; it’s about people. It’s about the values we pass on, the examples we set, and the opportunities we create for those who follow.” —M AYO S H AT T U C K I I I ’72 at the 2026 Head of School Dinner, on naming Shattuck Schoolhouse for his father, Mayo “Jim” Shattuck Jr. ’44
SPACE S FOR CONNECTION In 2025, Nobles introduced its rearticulated mission and core values, along with a strategic plan centered on people, place, and possibility. The Shattuck renovation elicited high expectations: to embody those ideals and enact them now and into the future. The project team exhaustively evaluated how Nobles gathers, works, and builds community. They knew a multiuse space for offices, classrooms, health and wellness, and social and study areas had to be both immediately welcoming and functional for the long term. Unlike the library and academic center, which started with a fresh slate, Shattuck was imbued with more than 100 years of history. Project Lead Architect Andy Jonic, of William Rawn Associates, Nobles’ partner for the previous project, says, “Really, it comes down to understanding the love students, faculty, and staff have for Shattuck. For the last 100 years, thousands of students have spent their formative years learning and connecting with one another in the Schoolhouse. The memories of those who went to school here are embedded in this building.” The team considered how Nobles should thoughtfully update the school’s most iconic academic building while honoring its traditions. Connection scaffolded the Shattuck Schoolhouse renovation from the start, guiding the arrangement of student support offices, classrooms, common areas, and courtyards. Plans were informed by best practices in teaching and learning, as well as lessons from the 2018 Putnam Library and Edgerley Academic Center project with William Rawn Associates and Shawmut Design and Construction. Design goals included restoring Gleason Hall as the heart of the Schoolhouse, reenergizing gathering spaces, 26 Nobles SUMMER 2026
facilitating flow, and strengthening the connection to the landscape. The team balanced each decision with attention to detail, from preserving the beloved oak wainscoting in the first-floor hallways and the original wood beams in Gleason’s ceiling to installing new utility systems to increase security and energy efficiency. While some upgrades wowed—the colorful ergonomic seating and sleek café in Gleason Hall—more practical elements also proved essential for comfort, safety, and sustainability, including the concrete slab and vapor barrier throughout the first-floor crawlspaces. For Director of Buildings and Grounds Mike McHugh, practical, impactful aspects are most thrilling, like the all-electric HVAC system. “I have the unsexy version of my hopes: to get control over the HVAC so people would know the heat or cooling was going to work … and to create a building with an air-exchange rate of four times an hour, so illnesses should go down because we’re not reusing the same air,” McHugh says.
Chief Operating Officer and Assistant Head of School Steve Ginsberg says, “The concept was: How do you have your physical spaces be an embodiment of your mission? Over time, that became more and more clear as this project evolved. … The exciting thing about building design is that if you bring the right constituents to the table, you understand the mission, the needs, and the future of the school in a way that allows you to create and facilitate things that work for the people in those spaces.” Head of School Cathy Hall envisioned three main objectives for the construction project, the first being to intentionally create more natural opportunities for human connection. “In large spaces like Gleason Hall or in some of the nooks and crannies, relationships are forged, and conversations, teaching, and learning are happening,” Hall says. The second was to centralize offices for all student support staff, including the health office, DEI, the college office, academic
support, and counselors. Hall hoped the new arrangement would allow those teams to collaborate in unprecedented ways. Third, she says it felt “off ” that the primary academic building was so dated, when Nobles strives to be an exemplar. “We need classrooms that are more interactive, agile, and adaptive, with seamless technology,” Hall says. “Making sure the academic presence was clear felt like a pretty important statement.” Jonic says, “The biggest challenge was trying to enhance what Shattuck already was without losing the soul of the building.” One such example was the preservation and reinvention of the Gleason ceiling. “We worked with the old structure; I sanded the beams one day myself just to see how the finish would come off. Fortunately, it was the same color as the ceiling we were proposing.” Collaborating with an acoustician on the wood-slat ceiling created a “little bit of magic,” allowing conversations to be had even when the
The Class of 2026 celebrates the “Final Countdown” tradition in Gleason Hall on the eve of their graduation.
Nobles SUMMER 2026 27
room is full. Redesigning the Gleason entrance to the Beach with an atrium-like seating area also transformed the heart of the building, linking it to surrounding structures to embrace the campus green. Masons also installed a new bluestone patio behind Gleason, preserving a beloved Japanese maple as its centerpiece. SPACE S FOR P OS SIBILITY One aspect of the renovation that made a dramatic difference is the purposeful connection to the surrounding environment and increased natural light. Tripleglazed windows throughout particularly along extensive dormers in the college counseling suite and Learning Center, and at the Gleason entrance to the Beach flood the building with sunlight and natural panoramas and integrate it with the rest of campus. Office and classroom doors inlaid with large glass panes complement Nobles’ open feel. Head of Upper School Alison Easterling says, “It’s more inviting. We’re not working behind closed doors; there’s literal transparency. We want to welcome people into what we’re doing.” 28 Nobles SUMMER 2026
Director of Teaching and Learning Mike Kalin facilitates open classroom experiences and collegial sharing sessions with the belief that some of the best professional development happens right on campus. “It’s so fun when somebody wants to talk about what they saw and bounce ideas off one another,” Kalin says. “To see exactly what’s happening in the classroom enriches the professional growth conversation. … Having these different departments in one place will make a big difference.” Collaborating with the project team, Chief Technology Officer Devareaux Brown ’97 considered the nuances of classroom and office usage in the new building. His Information Services Support (ISS) team knows that faculty reliant on technology often teach in multiple rooms. They sought to answer, “How do we bring more consistency, stability, and best practices into creating a model for our classrooms?” ISS planned and installed network drops, emergency speakers, classroom clocks, projectors, and more to maximize efficiency—all with an eye toward future flexibility.
Left: Flooded with natural light from a new dormered wall of windows, the Learning Center provides space for students to study, collaborate, and meet with teachers throughout the day.
Director of Clubs and Organizations Violet Richard worked with ISS to project event and club announcements on a screen in Gleason, raising awareness about upcoming opportunities. Students feel a sense of ownership and anticipation. “It’s informative, but it’s also a celebration of all the different interests and passions,” Richard says. SPACE S FOR SUPP ORT McHugh sees the college counseling suite as a meaningful culmination of the Nobles journey. “When you arrive for the first time, you go to a beautiful admission area, where you first learn about Nobles. Then when you leave to go off to college, you now have this amazing space that will help direct the next part of your life,” McHugh says. Director of College Counseling Kate Boyle Ramsdell is grateful for the possibilities the new layout offers, from hosting essay-writing workshops to welcoming college visitors. She says, “What I wanted to preserve of the old Shattuck that’s emerging in this new space is that
Right: Students play hacky sack on the Beach outside Gleason Hall. The new glass-filled entrance strengthens the connection between the building and campus.
it belongs to everyone. One of the things that Nobles really should pride itself on and really excels at is that adults and kids share space all the time. That’s part of what helps us build relationships with students.” As another school leader building a sense of belonging, Chief Equity Officer Edgar De Leon ’04 was determined to make the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion office student-centered. He is grateful for Hall’s aligned commitment. “We’ve always talked about DEI being a partner, not separate from everything else we do here,” De Leon says. “The central location [upstairs from Gleason Hall] and proximity to other spaces, and having kids be able to go from the academic center to college counseling, with DEI in between, speaks to how thoughtful we’ve been about bringing the mission to life.” Director of Psychology and Counseling Jen Hamilton, who has been at Nobles for 25 years, observes, “It’s really nice to see the different kids who are sitting together in Gleason Hall, and a big mix of kids playing and learning, talking and connecting. To be able to do all of that in this one space is so beautiful. Nobles just feels a lot more connected since the Shattuck renovation.” For Hamilton, the new arrangement of offices has transformed communication. “Where I might have sent an email before, now it’s just so easy to walk down the hall and have a quick, meaningful conversation about a kid or a situation. It’s definitely impactful.” Nobles SUMMER 2026 29
In tandem with tending to students’ mental wellbeing, Nobles is dedicated to their physical health, recognizing the two are deeply interdependent. Caring for sick students has been challenging in a cramped health office tucked away in Pratt Middle School, especially during the pandemic. The new health wing features two sophisticated exam rooms, a waiting area, and separate spaces for ill community members. Director of Health Services Lisa O’Connor says, “Privacy is the biggest piece. That’s huge from a wellness perspective, as is having natural light and fresh air. Until now, we did not have a window in our office, so that was the first thing that we noticed.” She also welcomes the new central location for increased foot traffic, seeing herself as a community builder wherever she is. “It’s not just a health office–focused job. We are all doing so many different things, teaching classes and working with kids, and that’s really important,” she says. Another revitalized student-support area is the Learning Center, located upstairs in a light-filled wing framing the Castle. Director of Academic Support Heather O’Neill says, “Our goal is to normalize that everyone needs some sort of support. It doesn’t neces30 Nobles SUMMER 2026
sarily mean you need accommodations or a one-on-one meeting with your teacher. Sometimes it’s figuring out, ‘How do I balance my time while managing classes, activities, sleep, and a social life?,’ Having a space dedicated to helping students work through the multiple levels of what it means to be a student has been wonderful.” The Learning Center neighbors the new math office, a pairing intended to benefit students and facilitate collaboration—and it’s working. “The other day, I looked in, and there were kids sitting on the floor; Jakob [Hernandez] was doing a lesson up at the board; there was a pod working with Mike [Grilli],” O’Neill says. “Everybody was engaged. Everybody was working.” Class IV Dean and Associate Director of College Counseling Nora Dowley-Liebowitz, whose office looks into the heart of Gleason Hall, says, “Being able to see how students are moving through that space tells you a lot about how kids are moving through Nobles. Having all of the deans along the flanks of Shattuck also sets the tone that we’re available, and we’re there in informal times, too. It’s deeply relational. It sends the message that this isn’t just a student space; this is a Nobles space.”
Left: Students in Kate Blake’s City in Literature class share their writing beneath the Japanese maple in the Shattuck courtyard.
A SPACE FOR EVERYONE Dean of Admission Brooke Asnis ’90 P ’19 ’21 has worn multiple hats at Nobles as a student, parent, graduate, coach, and graduate affairs director. She knows Nobles deeply, and also sees it with fresh eyes via every prospective student. She says, “Shattuck Schoolhouse still has, in some ways, the same purpose that it has had for so many of us, just in a very different, more attractive, and highly functional way. That’s what I love about it: It’s thoughtful, intentional, and really important to academic life, yet it still has the same vibe.” In addition to Shattuck’s academic benefits, Dean of Student Engagement Mark Spence firmly believes in the power of the organic connection that the new flow fosters. “Just a simple hello or head nod, showing ‘I see you,’ adds up,” he says. “You never know when
Top Right: Brian Day teaches a microeconomics lesson on the kinked demand curve, exploring price rigidity and competition in oligopolistic markets.
Bottom Right: Reginald Toussaint works with Lucy Wildeman ‘28 during history class in a renovated Shattuck classroom.
“[Shattuck] feels like truly a place for belonging. It is a place for everyone, and that feels pretty special.” —N O R A D OW L E Y- L I E B OW I T Z Class IV Dean and Associate Director of College Counseling
something is going to grow from a moment that’s really small.” Overlooking those connections at Nobles means missing out, he cautions. But leaning into those moments, he says, “is what makes all of us really shine.” Dowley-Liebowitz sums up the sentiments so many have expressed: “[Shattuck] feels like truly a place for belonging, and it doesn’t matter what you do here, what your effort or program is, or your academic capacity or academic expertise. It is a place for everyone, and that feels pretty special.” Nobles SUMMER 2026 31
looking back
THE SHATTUCK SCHOOLHOUSE BY A R C H I V I S T N A D I N E R I C H A R D S O N
Since Noble and Greenough School moved from Boston to Dedham in 1922, Shattuck Schoolhouse, the center of academics at Nobles, has undergone five additions and three renovations over its 104 years, reflecting the shifting needs of the school community. The space that originally housed a large study hall, five classrooms, and a “laboratory for recitations” has since expanded and shifted to serve at various times as art studios, an Assembly space, additional classrooms, a foreign language lab, a library, a middle school, a music practice space, and science laboratories. Through time spent in classrooms, alcoves, and Gleason Hall, the Schoolhouse holds memories for every generation of Nobles students. 1922 S C H O O L H O U S E O P E N S Designed by architect William G. Perry, Class of 1901, the Schoolhouse opens as the first academic building on campus with the move to Dedham. 1950 A D M I N I S T R AT I O N WING ADDITION The need for additional office space leads to the addition of an administrative wing, more commonly known as the Memorial Room wing. This first addition to the school’s physical plant brings administrators into the heart of academic life and provides the first dedicated library space in the Memorial Room honoring Nobles alumni who died in World War II. 1957 S T I L L M A N W I N G A D D I T I O N The addition to the main school building opens and is dedicated in memory of Ernest G. Stillman, physician, scientist, longtime benefactor, and trustee of the school.
32 Nobles SUMMER 2026
1961 LY M A N L I B R A RY A D D I T I O N As part of the Centennial Fund projects, the Lyman Library is built in the lead-up to the school’s 100th year, opening to students in spring 1962. The new library is named for the Lyman family: Arthur Lyman, Class of 1879, first vice president of the board of trustees; his son Arthur T., Class of 1912, a 26-year trustee; and his grandson, Arthur T. Jr., Class of 1937, a 22-year trustee.
1985 F I R S T R E N OVAT I O N Originally used as the main schoolhouse study room, Gleason Hall has long since been reclaimed as a recreational space for students. It was known for most of the 20th century as the Commons, a social hall where students could complete schoolwork and spend time with friends. The hall also served as the first home for the Dawson Art Gallery, which displayed student artwork in the new balcony and loft spaces. The Commons is
renamed in honor of Nobles’ fourth head of school, Edward “Ted” Gleason, following its renovation in 1985. The space is aptly named for Gleason, who passionately led morning Assemblies there until the addition of Lawrence Auditorium in 1975. A second floor is also added to the building. 1997 S E C O N D R E N OVAT I O N Completed just in time for the 1997–1998 school year, the renovation widens hallways, increases classroom sizes, and
creates the iconic alcoves. The Schoolhouse is dedicated in honor of Mayo “Jim” Shattuck Jr. ’44, a longtime trustee and school treasurer, by his son and major donor for the project, Mayo Shattuck III ’72.
Above: Gleason Hall was used as a meeting space and classroom in 1972. Right: Mayo Adams Shattuck Jr. ’44
2026 T H I R D R E N OVAT I O N Completed at the end of March 2026, the renovation transforms the historic Shattuck Schoolhouse into a reimagined center for community and connection.
Mayo Shattuck III ’72 rededicated the Schoolhouse in memory of his mother, Jane Shattuck, and his father, Mayo Adams Shattuck Jr. ’44. Nobles SUMMER 2026 33
Graduate News
34 Nobles SUMMER 2026
ILLUSTRATION BY ADAM MCCAULEY
The Young Graduate Award Created in 2011, this award is given annually to a recent graduate who models the spirit and values of Noble and Greenough School as set forth in its mission statement. Through professional, academic, and/or volunteer roles, the recipient has demonstrated a deep commitment to serving others and doing good. The recipient must have graduated within the past 15 years. DOING GOOD
Leading with Purpose, Serving with Integrity Patrick Murray ’16, Nobles’ 2026 Young Graduate Award recipient, has always led with purpose and an unwavering commitment to others. Whether on the athletic fields at Nobles or serving alongside NATO allies overseas, Murray has brought focus, humility, and deep care to every role he has undertaken. Today, he serves as a military intelligence officer in the U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, with the 10th Special Forces Group. The roots of that leadership were formed early in Murray’s upbringing in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Murray and his brothers, Mike and John ’19, were raised in a family grounded in public service. His mother, Courtney, built a career in the Boston Public Schools, while his father, Timothy, served in both the U.S. Marine Corps and law enforcement. That example instilled in Murray a strong sense of responsibility and an enduring dedication to something larger than himself. “Pat Murray embodies focus, purpose, character, and gratitude in all that he does,” says Brian Day, social science and history faculty member. “His service and leadership in the United States Army are a natural continuation of a lifelong commitment to others—rooted in family tradition, guided by integrity, and marked by a sincere care for everyone he encounters.” From January 2022 to July 2025, Murray was forwardstationed in Vicenza, Italy, with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team—the U.S. Army’s Contingency Response Force in Europe. In leadership roles including rifle platoon leader and company executive officer, he led and trained airborne infantry forces alongside NATO allies throughout the European theater, strengthening military readiness and international partnerships. At Nobles, Murray quickly established himself as a steady and respected presence as a member of the Sesquicentennial
Class of 2016. He was a boarder in Wiggins Hall, served on the Dorm Leadership Council, and was an admission tour guide. He was also a standout athlete, captaining the varsity hockey team and competing on the varsity baseball team. Day recalls Murray as the kind of leader who elevated everyone around him. “He led both vocally and by example,” Day says. “His intensity, commitment, and relentless drive to succeed raised the standard for everyone around him. Yet for all his competitiveness, Pat never lost sight of joy; he pursued everything with enthusiasm, humor, and a genuine love for camaraderie.” Murray attended Harvard University on a National Army ROTC Scholarship and graduated in 2020 with a degree in economics. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as an infantry officer and began his Army career at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he completed the Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course, Airborne School, and Ranger School. Reflecting on the influence Nobles had on his life and leadership, Murray spoke about the lessons he continues to carry into his military service. In his acceptance speech for the Young Graduate Award during reunion in May 2026, Murray shared, “I experienced Nobles’ mission statement to forge human connections, to inspire a lifelong process of discovery, and to unlock the potential to do good, not as some abstract prose or banner on the website, but through the teachers, coaches, mentors, friends, and teammates who invested in me, challenged me, and believed in my potential before I really believed in myself. That was the gift of this place, and it is one that shaped me into the leader I am today.” Ten years after graduating from Nobles, Murray continues to embody the values that first shaped him here: respect, leadership, generosity, and a deep commitment to doing good.
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GRADUATE NEWS
AT H L E T I C E XC E L L E N C E
Built on Team Nobles inducted the following graduates into its 2026 Hall of Fame.
Christopher Tierney ’04 established himself as one of the top soccer players in Nobles history. A standout midfielder and defender, Tierney was known for his technical skill, vision, and competitiveness. He also excelled as a skier, earning All-ISL honors for four years and serving as team captain. Tierney played a key role on the 2002 New England Class A Championship soccer team, which was inducted into the Nobles Hall of Fame in 2018. During his junior season, he set school records for goals (26), assists (22), and total points (74). His impact across the field earned him Team MVP and Rookie of the Year honors. After Nobles, Tierney played at the University of Virginia, appearing in 79 games and recording 11 goals and 16 assists. He returned to Nobles as an assistant coach before beginning an 11-year professional career with the New England Revolution. Tierney became one of Major League Soccer’s (MLS) top left backs, earning MLS AllStar honors in 2015 and the Revolution Defender of the Year award in 2016. Tierney now serves as general manager and chief soccer officer of the New England Revolution. Mike Videira ’04 was among the most decorated soccer players in school history. A dynamic midfielder, Videira helped elevate Nobles’ soccer to national prominence through his technical skill, work ethic, and leadership. During his three varsity seasons, Nobles compiled a 37–4–8 record and captured the 2002 NEPSAC Class A Championship. Videira recorded 8 goals 36 Nobles SUMMER 2026
and 16 assists as a junior and followed with 10 goals and 9 assists as a senior. Videira earned numerous honors during his career, including Parade and McDonald’s All-American recognition, Gatorade State Player of the Year, and Boston Globe/ISL All-Scholastic honors. At Duke University, Videira became one of the nation’s top midfielders and served as team captain. He later played professionally for Hamilton Academical in the Scottish Premier League and for the New England Revolution and Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer. The 2006 baseball team holds a unique place in Nobles history as the program’s only ISL champion. The team finished with a 21–3 record, led by dominant pitching, strong defense, and one of the top offensive seasons in program history. Led by ISL Pitcher of the Year Mark Gormley, the Bulldogs posted a team ERA under 2.00. Ryan Maguire ’06, Matt Karis ’07, Chris Sullivan ’06, and Rick Goode ’08 contributed to a deep pitching staff, while Chase Davenport ’08 and All-ISL shortstop John Muse ’07 anchored the defense. At the plate, ISL Batting Champion Alex Rokicki ’07 led a lineup that hit nearly .400 as a team. Under Head Coach Alex Gallagher ’90 and Assistant Coaches Don Allard and Bill Kehlenbeck, the Bulldogs combined talent, preparation, and teamwork throughout the season. The team dedicated its season to Bill Kehlenbeck, and the presentation of the ISL trophy to Kehlenbeck during Assembly remains a memorable moment. The 2006 team continues to represent the standards of excellence,
sportsmanship, and teamwork central to Nobles athletics. Robert Schlesinger ’08 was one of the most accomplished two-sport athletes of his era at Nobles. A four-year varsity athlete in football and lacrosse, Schlesinger distinguished himself through his leadership, toughness, and consistency. On the football field, Schlesinger was a two-time First Team All-ISL linebacker and helped lead Nobles to consecutive New England Championships in 2006 and 2007, including a perfect 9–0 season in 2007. He recorded more than 150 tackles during his junior and senior years and was known for his physical style of play and leadership. In lacrosse, Schlesinger scored 240 career points and led the league with 88 points as a senior. He earned AllAmerican honors, was a three-time All-League selection, and received the Arnold Lacrosse Prize. Schlesinger played his lacrosse at Brown University, where he served as captain and earned All-Ivy and All–New England honors. Following college, he served four years as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps. Chelsea Landon ’11 was a standout multisport athlete at Nobles, excelling in soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. She distinguished herself through her athleticism, competitiveness, and leadership across all three programs. On the lacrosse field, Landon established herself as one of the top players in school history. She was a two-time US Lacrosse All-American, an Under Armour All-American selection,
BOOKSHELF
Mothers and Other Strangers BY COREY ANN HAYDU ’01 Little, Brown and Company
a three-time First Team All-ISL honoree, and a two-time NEPSWLA All-Star. She also earned Academic All-American honors and Boston Globe All-Scholastic recognition. A team captain during both her junior and senior seasons, Landon received team MVP and ISL MVP honors while finishing her Nobles career with 196 goals and 190 assists. Landon continued her lacrosse career at Duke University, where she appeared in 55 games and contributed 18 goals and 13 assists while competing at the national level in the ACC and NCAA Tournament. Katie Benzan ’16 is one of the most accomplished basketball players in Nobles history. During her six years in the program, Nobles compiled a remarkable 127–8 record, including an undefeated 60–0 mark in league play. Her teams won five ISL championships and five consecutive New England Championships. A prolific scorer and consistent leader, Benzan distinguished herself through her shooting ability, court awareness, and competitiveness. She earned numerous honors during her career and helped establish one of the most successful eras in program history. Benzan played at Harvard University before transferring to the University of Maryland. At Maryland, she became one of the top three-point shooters in the country and helped lead the Terrapins to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances. Benzan is now the general manager of the Salt Lake City Stars and manager of pro scouting for the Utah Jazz.
Two estranged childhood best friends reunite as expectant mothers after a mysterious falling-out between their own mothers kept them apart for years. When Sydney and Mae meet on the playground as toddlers, it seems like kismet. Even their very different mothers—the Type-A Beth Ann and the free-spirited Joni—agree the girls are made for each other, and it’s not long before even the mothers become inseparable. Then a falling-out draws them apart, and decades later, the loneliness still lingers for the newly pregnant Sydney. Adrift in the absence of her closest friend, Sydney has been drawn into a multi-level marketing scheme, exacerbated by the demands of her inflexible mother, Beth Ann, whose constant scrutiny seems reserved only for her daughter. Across the city, Mae is stunned to find herself single, pregnant, and still haunted by the loss of her mercurial late mother, Joni, whose mysterious death holds as many unanswered questions as Mae does herself. Mae is an artist who has lived in the shadow of the one painting (of two girls) that made her famous years ago, the success of which confines her as much as it defines her. When Sydney and Mae find themselves back in each other’s lives, each with a baby girl on the horizon, it once again seems like destiny. Each begins to pull the other away from the coercive influence of outsiders—mommy groups, marketing schemes, artistic pressures, and ex-boyfriends. But the two women will soon discover that it’s not destiny that has drawn them together this time, but a devastating secret at the center of their orbits—a truth that will bind them together or shatter them for good. An intimate and searing novel about mothers and daughters, destiny and desire, Mothers and Other Strangers takes a full-hearted look at those relationships in life that are as impossible as they are essential.
Nobles SUMMER 2026 37
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AT H L E T I C S
Omni Rink to Olympic Official Kelly Cooke ’09 has built a trailblazing career at the forefront of women’s hockey officiating, working high school and collegiate women’s hockey games in addition to her career as a corporate lawyer. In a defining moment, Cooke took to the ice as an official for the women’s Olympic gold medal game in Milan. Just weeks before Team USA won gold, she was in the Bliss Omni Rink refereeing a Nobles girls varsity hockey game. “Being part of the 2026 Olympic Games was truly a dream come true and something that I will cherish forever,” shares Cooke. “The gold medal assignment was a true honor and a reflection of the many mentors, friends, family, and the hockey community who helped me achieve that dream on the biggest stage.”
38 Nobles SUMMER 2026
SCREENING ROOM
Yo (Love Is a Rebellious Bird) A Mirabel Pictures Production BY ANNA FITCH AND BANKER WHITE ’91 After the death of her beloved friend Yo, filmmaker Anna Fitch spends a decade building an intricate one-third-scale replica of Yo’s house—large enough for Fitch to crawl through its tiny doorway. Inside lives a puppet version of Yo, and within this handmade world, their relationship continues. When they first met, Yo was 73 and Fitch was 24. Their immediate and unlikely connection grew into a profound friendship that defied age, convention, time, and eventually death itself.
Blending intimate vérité footage from Yo’s final years with dreamlike miniatures, puppetry, archival material, and reimagined memories, the film becomes both a portrait of an extraordinary woman and a meditation on grief, creativity, and love. Born in Switzerland in 1924, Yo lived defiantly on her own terms, challenging expectations around sexuality, motherhood, aging, and independence. As memory and invention intertwine, Yo (Love Is a Rebellious Bird) reveals how artistic creation can become an act of devotion—a way to keep someone present, and to share the transformative power of love and loss. The film earned a Silver Bear for outstanding artistic contribution at Berlinale, the Berlin International Film Festival.
COFFEE’S ON US! Celebrate the opening of the new café in Gleason Hall with a complimentary coffee or tea for graduates on campus.
R E D E E M F O R : One regular coffee or tea beverage LO C AT I O N : Shattuck Schoolhouse C O N TAC T: Director of Graduate Affairs Shannon Hutteman at shannon_hutteman@nobles.edu to schedule your visit and a tour of the newly renovated Shattuck Schoolhouse. VA L I D T H R O U G H J U N E 2 0 2 7
50 YEARS
50th Reunion, Class of 1976
R E U N I O N 2026 More than 600 graduates and guests returned to campus on May 8 and 9 for a grand gathering. Highlights included the Athletics Hall of Fame Ceremony, a cookout and carnival, Assembly, and class reunion gatherings. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony honored standout contributors to Nobles athletics: Christopher Tierney ’04,
Mike Videira ’04, Robert Schlesinger ’08, the 2006 baseball team, Chelsea Landon ’11, and Katie Benzan ’16. During Assembly, the community recognized several distinguished graduates and a faculty member for their remarkable impact. Director of College Counseling Kate Boyle Ramsdell was presented with the Coggeshall Award;
Eli Ingraham ’76 with the Distinguished Graduate Award; Patrick Murray ’16 with the Young Graduate Award; and Harry Blackman ’71 with the Lawson Service Award. Katy Monaghan Berlenbach ‘08 was named a Graduate Trustee and will begin a three-year term on the Nobles Board of Trustees in fall 2026.
Nobles SUMMER 2026 39
GRADUATE NEWS R E U N I O N 2026 1. Caitlin Fang Blair ’06, Melanie Bello, and Emily Reid ’06 2. Class of 1956 (path walk)
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7. 15th Reunion, Class of 2011 8. Heather Kerns Labenski ’86, Abigail Cook Russell ’86, and Heather Wild Steele ’86
3. Harry Blackman ’71 earns the 2026 Lawson Service Award.
9. Noblest Reunion
4. 20th Reunion, Class of 2006
11. 10th Reunion, Class of 2016
5. 45th Reunion, Class of 1981
12. Caroline Harrison ‘06, Brad Caswell ‘06, and Michelle Caswell
6. Krysten Keches ‘06 performs Debussy’s First Arabesque in Assembly.
10. 40th Reunion, Class of 1986
13. Hall of Fame inductee, the 2006 baseball team
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3
4
20 YEARS
40 Nobles SUMMER 2026
6
45 YEARS
5
8
15
7
YEARS
9
10
40 YEARS
11
10 YEARS
12
13
Nobles SUMMER 2026 41
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14
35 YEARS
30
R E U N I O N 2026 14. 35th Reunion, Class of 1991
15
YEARS
15. 30th Reunion, Class of 1996 16. Wild World of Reptiles show led by Joy Densler Marzolf ’86 17. 5th Reunion, Class of 2021 18. 25th Reunion, Class of 2001
16
5
YEARS
17
18
25 YEARS
42 Nobles SUMMER 2026
Graduate Notes
Brianna Favazza and Chris O’Connell ’98 were married in February 2026.
Nobles SUMMER 2026 43
GRADUATE NEWS
1951 class correspondent
Galt Grant 781-738-4655 galtgra@gmail.com
1955 class correspondent
Bob Chellis 781-237-9436 rdchellis@gmail.com
1956 class correspondent
Gren “Rocky” Whitman 443-691-9370 grenwhitman1@gmail.com Gren Whitman and Tim Leland share: “With ample support from school staff members Carolyn Flynn ’93 and Allie Trainor, N’56’s 70th reunion on May 8 and 9 was a rousing success. (Thanks, you two!)
We 10 elderlies gathered on Friday at the top of The Path, and our reminiscences, conversations, and jokes were immediate from one and all—Dave Hoffman, George Waterman, Gage Bailey, John Felton, Tom Oleson, Fred Wells, Bob Bach, Bill Wiese, Tim Leland, and Gren Whitman. Carolyn gave us a tour of the renovated Shattuck Schoolhouse, still showing its structural bones, but otherwise almost unrecognizable from our days. Where there once were 160 study hall desks, not one remains; absent also is the platform from which Headmaster Putnam held forth daily, molding us rowdies into reasonable, productive citizens. (Five physicians from a class of 29 is impressive!)
GRADUATE NOTES POLICY: ■ Noble and Greenough School is a nonprofit institution with no religious or political affiliation. ■ Send graduate updates and photographs to class correspondents if you have one. ■ Digital photographs must be high-resolution JPEG images (1MB+) to appear in print. ■ Editorial staff reserves the right to edit, format, and select all materials for publication, to accommodate eight decades of classes in the magazine. ■ For more information, visit the graduate notes online submission page: www.nobles.edu/community/submit-aclass-note/. ■ Volunteer to become a class correspondent by contacting Director of Graduate Affairs Shannon Hutteman at shannon_hutteman@nobles.edu. Please note: If your class correspondent is not listed, you may submit your notes online at www.nobles.edu/community/ submit-a-class-note/ or contact Shannon Hutteman at shannon_hutteman@nobles.edu for your correspondent’s information.
44 Nobles SUMMER 2026
Head of School Catherine Hall filled us in on various challenges that occasionally keep her awake at night—Nobles is in good hands. Thank you, Catherine! And our conversations continued in the Castle’s superb dining hall over plates of surf-and-turf and tasty desserts. On Saturday evening, we gathered in ETP’s familiar study in the Castle, a room especially nostalgic for boarders who said “good night” to him there over crackers and milk after nightly study halls. Because David Carroll and John Fritts were unable to make it to Dedham, we called them on an open iPhone to share thoughts and let them know how much we remembered them and missed them. (We couldn’t reach Marsh Morgan, but Tim reached him soon after for a long talk.) At the end of the evening, Gren read the name of each of our departed 16 classmates and invited memories of them from those of us present. Speaking of memories, this milestone 70th reunion included a handsome booklet, entitled “Reflections.” With a contribution from each classmate, it’s “a collegial collection of memories, observations, critiques, predictions, ruminations, retrospections, reexaminations, and reflections from members of the Class of 1956 on the occasion of their 70th reunion.” The booklet is dedicated to “the teachers who gave so freely of their time, their guidance, and their wisdom…and to the man who showed us the moral way forward, Eliot T. Putnam.”
1957 class correspondent
Eliot Putnam 781-431-8584 etputnam@earthlink.net Eliot Putnam writes, “Notes here about our recently departed Nim Marsh, along with Nim’s own piece in a recent Nobles magazine about the passing of Bob MacLeod, remind me of the closeness of our friendships, the Nobles experience we shared, and the gaps these passings quietly leave in our lives. I have been thinking of other passings lately, as well. For many years, Jan and I have participated in a monthly Black Lives Matter vigil outside the Unitarian Church in Wellesley, Mass. In an era when our national leadership seems buoyed on a tide of fascism, authoritarianism, and racism, this is, without fail, a quiet moment for me to reflect on what I hope and believe most of us stand for.” David Woods shares, “In response to Eliot’s call for memories of our late classmate Nim Marsh, I wish to share the story of the canoe trip in Algonquin Provincial Park that four Nobles classmates undertook in the two weeks before we graduated as members of the Class of 1957. The four were Nim Marsh, Bill Gallagher, Loring Conant, and David Woods. We had two 60-pound Grumman aluminum canoes. We fastened them securely on top of the Gallagher family car. We packed lots of delicious dehydrated food, not enough mosquito and black-fly repellent, an adequate supply of matches, two carrier racks that weighed heavily on our shoulders for portages between lakes, and an excellent topographical
Nim Marsh ’57 pondering his catch-of-the-day, standing by his famous beach wagon
map of Algonquin park showing the lakes and the portages, measured in ‘chains.’ There was singing along the way. Sunsets were beautiful. The two tents were sprayed with bug repellent and kept sealed. The black flies were fierce, and we often jumped into the lake to escape their blood sucking forays. Nim was a great companion. His sense of humor
kept our spirits high. Loring has a few great shots of Nim from this trip. I asked him to submit them to join this note. Nim is part of the memory of a great trip that completed our time together at Nobles.” Loring Conant writes, “David Woods has already cited the canoe trip he, Bill Gallagher, and I had with Nim Marsh. He was
the perfect companion, always cheerful, upbeat, in spite of the plague of black flies. Nim’s resilience was impressive. He struggled academically and came to life when a visiting English teacher from England, a Mr. Longland, discovered Nim’s talent for writing. Nim kept in touch with him for decades as he pursued his career as a writer and editor for a number of outdoor magazines. Nim was one of my ushers for our wedding 62 years ago. We were second-generation buddies. His dad and mine were adult camping and fishing companions. Attached is a photo of Nim pondering his catch-of-the-day, standing by his famous beach wagon. Fastforward: Throughout his cancer illness, his spirit was consistently buoyant, always citing something good and special around him. ‘I can’t complain.’…We were so very lucky to have him as a classmate and friend.” Lance Grandone shares, “Well, we are getting ready for another hurricane season here in sunny, hot Florida. Reading prognostications from various agencies concerning La Niña and El Niño, I don’t know what to expect. We got a pass last year, so I’ll just get my emergency kit together and hope for the best. My latest project is a concentrated effort to downsize and get rid of ‘stuff ’ we have accumulated over the years. So far, I’ve filled my SUV six times and a large dumpster twice, plus donated numerous pieces of furniture we no longer need. Because the real estate market is so volatile here in Florida and selling property can be a real chore, we decided to donate one of our condos to
PBS and claim the tax deduction over a multiyear period. We have been supporters of PBS and NPR for 60 years, and with the withdrawal of federal support, we felt this was a good choice. I encourage all of you to consider the same choice for unwanted real estate, vehicles, boats, etc. It is a very worthwhile cause. Things are moving at a pretty slow pace here. We had our 65th wedding anniversary this year in March. I think the classmate who was married earlier was Stew Burchard. I remember visiting Stew and his first wife and their new baby son with Robert Patten, Clint Snyder, and Gordon Wentworth at their apartment. Speaking of classmates, we were asked for reminiscences about Nim Marsh, who passed away earlier this year. Although I was not close to Nim during our school years, I fondly remember our reunion dinner that was held at Harry Healer’s home in Dover, about two miles from my old home in Needham. All the classmates were there with their wives except for Nim (I believe he was single at that time) and myself. Karin was working, and her school district would not give her time off to attend the reunion with me. Nim and I sat together during dinner and had an absolutely wonderful time. What a great conversationalist he was—and that sense of humor. I look back on that night frequently and constantly regret that I didn’t take the initiative to spend more time with Nim when we were classmates. I can truly say he was a special guy, and I treasure that evening we spent together. I’m sticking pretty close Nobles SUMMER 2026 45
GRADUATE NEWS
to home these days. My fused ankle is giving me a lot of problems lately, and walking any distance is painful, and the cortisone shots are becoming more frequent and less effective. Looks like I may be investing in an electric scooter fairly soon, although my sense of pride says ‘No.’ On the plus side, Karin and I could stage drag races around the house. I haven’t engaged in those since my days at Nobles. I’m spending more hours as primary caregiver for Karin, as she has had some new health issues arise that make daily routine less pleasant. I’ve increased outside assistance coming to the house to take some of the load off me. When I get frustrated or despondent, I go back to our marriage vows, particularly the phrase ‘in sickness and in health,’ and continue to soldier on. We will try to stay in our home in Nokomis as long as possible before joining an assisted living community. Our daughter, Susan, is working for Cyclic Materials in Toronto after being lured out of retirement by a close executive friend. She is now senior VP of capital projects and has just bought a townhouse in Yorkville, Canada, that is on the historical register. She is planning to apply for dual citizenship because she is so fed up with the political environment and situation in Washington, D.C. We are so proud of her accomplishments. Our son, Cass, has been retired from Abbott for several years and is doing consulting work in the healthcare systems and equipment areas. Unfortunately, he has been going through some major emotional issues involving his wife and one daughter that is requiring Karin and me to spend 46 Nobles SUMMER 2026
a lot of time in a support role. Hopefully, we will get through the issues with as little disruption as possible. That’s it for now. I am going to do my utmost to make our 70th reunion in 2027, assuming I’m still aboveground. My best regards to all surviving classmates of the Class of 1957.”
1958 class correspondent
Chris Morss 508-395-5671 knossos@aol.com Chris Morss writes, “Five members of the Class of 1958 enjoyed the Friday night Noblest Dinner over the May Reunion weekend. Present were Charlie Long, with guest Betsy Nelson, daughter of the late Percy Nelson ’40; Peter Norstrand and his wife, Kathy Tallman, who has recently retired as the executive director of the Coolidge Corner Theatre; Bob Puffer and his wife, Jane; Bob Bland, and I, Chris Morss. On Saturday at Nobles, Chris had a leisurely lunch with his goddaughter Esther Healer ’96, who had come from London to visit her parents, Harry Healer ’57 and his wife, Cynthia, in New Hampshire, and to attend her Nobles 30th reunion.” Peter Wadsworth writes, “On advice of counsel, and in keeping with the school’s guidance regarding time-sensitive announcements, I would like to report that, as of the moment of this writing, I am still among the living.” Bill Danielson writes, “It’s a frosty May Maine morning, as I consider the school’s request for ‘personally significant events or news that will still be relevant then and not outdated’ way
off in the far future—late August. Perhaps my obit might qualify by then! But I’ll try for something more upbeat. Hoping you’re all well.” Tappy Wilder writes, “I continue to manage the Wilder Family LLC, the holder of copyrights that appear to matter, at least one hopes so. The creepy crawly thing known as public domain (or PD) is beginning to devour them, however. Thornton Wilder’s The Bridge of San Luis Rey, for example, is now PD and in fact will be 100 years old next year. This means that our publisher can continue to love it but no longer needs to subsidize the hot dogs I enjoy at Costco. So my wife and I will go to Maine this summer for two months to cry about it, but most important of all, to enjoy my daughter, Jenney, granddaughter Niven (12 years, band-proud student at Waynflete School in Portland), and my sister, Dixie, Mainers all. PS: The Bridge doesn’t go into PD in much of the rest of the world, including England, for still a good spell. Perhaps we’ll see each other next year in London? They love falling bridges over there.”
1959 class correspondents
Whit Bond 617-633-5120 whitbond41@gmail.com John Gibson 318-834-2100 jgib1963@aol.com William Taylor 978-879-4255 williamtaylor2@mac.com Bill Taylor writes, “All is well with me. For 35 years I’ve been
involved with local nonprofits, giving them a bit of money and a lot of advice. They love the money, but they seem to never take the advice. My two children are fine and live within three miles of me. My granddaughters seem to be excellent students and athletes…something I was never able to accomplish. I’ve bought a small building in the city of Gloucester so my son can set up a music business there. These days I’m staring blankly at my garden wondering what more I can do and wishing my groaning back and ever-weakening legs hold up another year or so, but I am blessed on all fronts. I am blessed to be busy and 100 percent engaged in way too many aspects and prospects in life. Nobles is a vast and successful place, now as big as a small college and filled with every enhancement and smart students! Carry on as best you can, and let’s really think about our next reunion!” Bill Cutler writes, “My wife, Penny, and I have seven grandchildren, two of whom will graduate from college this year. Our Brandeis grad, Sophia, will enter a doctoral program in chemistry at McGill University in Montreal this fall. Kiki, a senior at Notre Dame, was admitted to Phi Beta Kappa this spring. She will begin a management training program at Abercrombie and Fitch this summer.” Notes from Whit Bond: “Faith and I are enjoying our lives in Cumberland, Maine, since our move from Massachusetts three years ago. The weather has been good with the exception of this past winter, when we endured numerous heavy snowstorms.
1
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1. Tom and Janice Quigley ’59, Al Vandam ’60 and wife Alison, Dudley Post ’60 and Lee Secrist Leffingwell, enjoying the Graduate Weekend Dinner 2. Bert Dane ’61, Jim Newell ’61, and Sam Mandell ’61 at Aquitaine Restaurant in Brookline, Mass., Saturday night of their 65th reunion
look forward to seeing as many classmates as possible in 2026. We will visit Nobles to see the Shattuck Schoolhouse renovations soon. Stay well, and keep in touch.”
1960 class correspondent
The highlights from this winter were our trip to Naples, Fla., to see our grandson in Ft. Myers, who is completing his junior year at Florida Gulf Coast University, and attending our oldest grandson’s wedding in Dallas in late March. The golf season is just beginning, and Faith and I plan to enjoy many rounds during the next four months. We continue to stay in good health and
Al Vandam 978-844-1197 arvandam42@gmail.com
1961 class correspondent
Peter Ward 307-413-4055 peward@wyoming.com Jim Henry writes, “I will always remember how much Nobles meant in my life, and I always feel grateful to have had that
experience.” Well said, Jim. John Merrill was “both gratified and horrified that it was our 65th reunion! How did we get to be so old?” Yup. I think we all agree. John is recovering from a stroke last December. With excellent medical care and a major boost from a very supportive wife and family, he is making a good recovery. He is both reading and writing. He explains, “I have kept all my marbles, plus, so I’m told, my sense of humor!” Warmest wishes, John. The Willauer sailing dynasty will compete in this year’s 100th Newport Bermuda Race beginning June 19. Brad Willauer will provide shore support while his kids and grandkids sail Breezing Up. Brad and Ann “were fortunate to have our three kids and our three youngest granddaughters to a house we rented near St. Maxine, in Provence, for 10 days this April. We would not have gone if they weren’t with us, as they made it so much fun.” Speaking of dynasties, Boynton Glidden has one grandson attending Nobles in the fifth class and one granddaughter coming into the sixth class in September. Jim Newell and Sally enjoy witnessing their six grandchildren growing up, as well as touching base from time to time with some of their 30 to 40 genetic grandchildren. Chuck Kaman writes that the granddaughter of the man who brought the Castle over from the “old country” lived down the street from him and died a few years ago. Peter Ward is earning frequent-flyer miles at the local ER and ICU, dealing with atrial fibrillation. Twelve visits in a year! After two ablations and a pacemaker, things
are settling down so that “I can get back to walking with the magnificent Teton views.” Sam Perry still hopes to retire soon, once he gets an appropriate wealth advisor trained. But he is working from home and looking forward to sleeping late, walking a lot, and getting more deeply involved with gardening, one of his lifelong passions. Bert Dane and Sally got a new mini schnauzer puppy a few weeks ago. Their beloved old schnauzer had died just before Christmas. “The new puppy is the darling of North Hill but is very feisty and has incredibly sharp puppy teeth. She takes a lot of time and work.” Happy retirement, Bert! Chris Schmid flew in from Bordeaux yet again for the reunion. Kenny Reiber writes, “It was fun to see Boynton, Jim, and Chris at the reunion dinner” Friday night.
1962 class correspondent
Pete McCombs 215-947-8017 prm9244@gmail.com
1963 class correspondent
Jim Lehan 508-320-5250 jlehan.jl@gmail.com
1964 class correspondent
Ned Bigelow 339-203-0086 moe9817@aol.com Ned Bigelow writes, “I hope this finds members of the Class of ’64 doing well. As I’ve mentioned before, I always read the Nobles magazines from the back, as that’s where the Class Notes Nobles SUMMER 2026 47
GRADUATE NEWS
are. Personally, it’s my favorite section, and the older I get, the more important it is to me. So, that said, please know that classmates and others are really interested to hear what’s going on in your world. The Bigelows are blessed to have all our family nearby, and as a result, we are spending the spring going to grandchildren’s games (including baseball, lacrosse, tennis, and crew) and other events (including musical performances, plays, and school grandparent days). We wanted to let the Nobles community know that Topher Cutler passed away after a remarkably valiant battle against a nasty cancer on June 16, 2026. He was one of the original 21 “Sixies” who entered Nobles in the fall of 1958, and all went on to graduate in the spring of 1964. Topher will be remembered for his ever-present smile, bow ties, and his lifelong love of crew. More will be said in the next issue of this magazine.” Clint Smith shares, “Elizabeth and I spent a very enjoyable week in mid-March with Colin ‘Rip’ Cunningham ’63 and his wife, North, at their place in Snowbird, Utah. The legs are still working, although, for the first time in my life since the 1950s, I shunned the doubleblack-diamond trails (and the single-black-diamonds as well). I am happy to say that I had been having a delightful ‘back and forth’ correspondence with classmate Topher Cutler via postcards, of all things (plus occasional visits). Yes. Oldfashioned U.S. Mail: postcards, with each of us reaching into the bottom drawers of our respective desks and pulling 48 Nobles SUMMER 2026
out old unused postcards from collections that we had bought on various trips decades ago but never got around to sending to anyone. Like the canals of Venice, the Algarve, the Matterhorn, and Old Faithful. Really enjoyable and really easy. Always generating a smile. Also, Elizabeth and I had an extremely enjoyable visit and dinner at the most recent ‘Noblest’ evening. Enjoyed time with Terry Lyman ’63 and John Watson ’63. A brief hello with Ken Reiber ’62. Also spent a moment with Cooch Owen ’66. We were invited to sit and dine with members of the Class of 1971, including Harry Blackman, Win Perkins, Tim Clark, and Chad Callahan. Lots of fun. Lots of laughs. I have always enjoyed the Noblest Night, and now Elizabeth is a fan as well. This was her first time— won’t be her last! Certainly not mine! Our one son, Traver, just graduated college, and our one daughter, Annie, is on track to do the same in 2027. They are exceeding our greatest hopes for them. My wife, Elizabeth, has her own rapidly growing law firm (practicing out of our home) specializing in ‘life sciences’ and biotech law (Lexington Life Sciences, PLLC). My practice of law is greatly reduced, as it should be. We are still enjoying Lexington. Cheers all around!”
1965 class correspondent
Jim Summers 617-510-1520 jimsummers@post.harvard.edu
1966
1967
class correspondent
class correspondent
Ned Reece 773-935-0442 ned4047@sbcglobal.net Pat Grant shares, “The 2025/2026 ski season was a good one except that my wife, Susie, fell on her first day and micro-fractured her pelvis. She was out for the year and may not ski again. Hopefully, that won’t be the case. I did manage to get in a lot of days, and the conditions were superb, except for late March, when the weather became uncooperative. Even before her fall, Susie was planning to get her arthritic right ankle replaced, and, in fact, that happened on April 7. The surgery went well, and after being non-weight-bearing for two weeks, she is now in a walking boot for four weeks. I was anticipating a similar procedure on my arthritic left ankle in the spring. However, I decided to get a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection now to see if it could regrow cartilage and do away with the arthritic pain and thus the need for surgery. Had it done on April 13. It takes between four and six weeks to see if it has a positive result. After almost four weeks, I am seeing some improvement in my pain level. Fingers crossed. Granddaughters are growing up fast. My oldest will be a senior in high school next year, and my youngest a sophomore. The oldest has her license. Both are avid skiers and love volleyball. My son and daughter are doing well in their jobs and family life.”
Drew Sullivan 617-549-7253 DrewSull49@aol.com
1968 class correspondent
Mike Sherman 781-244-2717 msherm@att.net
1969 class correspondent
Peter Pach 860-575-3954 peterbpach@gmail.com Steve Baker sent some sad news. “My mother died on Ash Wednesday, February 18, at 101.5 years. Her death had many good signs about it. She was obviously ready to go, and God’s hand was clearly in the mix. I have no regrets either about how many years I spent taking care of her or with her death, but I am nonetheless delighted to be on my own and starting to catch up on the hundreds of tasks and projects I have had to set aside for the past decade. My siblings and I have combined our efforts to get the estate settled surprisingly quickly and are all doing well together. I have no current plans to travel, but instead I am simply enjoying my newfound freedom. I will be busy catching up for probably the next couple of years. Who knows what life will be like for any of us two years from May 2026? I suspect an enormous amount of change is happening even as my classmates read this comment.” John Clark reported in with his usual exuberance. “None of this has been created with AI! I am doing well. Now in
J O H N C L A R K ’69
my fourth year of retirement, I am still able to afford my New Hampshire home and live a pretty good life without a part-time retirement job. I continue to give to my town of Epping by serving as an elected library trustee, acting as treasurer for our tiny garden club and beautifying our small downtown, and as a member of Rockingham Grange #183, helping to feed the hungry. I am also a volunteer land steward with the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire’s Forests and a frequent platelet donor (22 times in 2025). I frequently hike in Pawtuckaway State Park and the many conserved forests in the area (not so much in the White Mountains these days), and I ride my gravel bike on the Rockingham Recreation Trail, which is the old railbed from Manchester through Epping to Newmarket. My main group of friends I made trading Grateful Dead shows on the internet beginning in the mid to late ’90s. We had a few annual gatherings in the 2000s, and then as age (and occasionally the grim reaper) caught up with us, large gatherings have decreased but not vanished. I resumed our annual April adventures in Austin, Texas, in 2024, after a six-year hiatus, and I just notched my second year of volunteering at Eeyore’s Birthday Party, held the last Saturday in April in Austin. I also started a new annual trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, last year and am currently planning an August trip this year before I host my Austin and Vancouver hosts here in Epping in October. My family is doing very well (two children, one son-in-law, four
“ Please be safe and kind while savoring and sharing all the jewels along your paths.” grandchildren and four spouses, and six great-grandchildren). I will be hosting all of them for a week’s vacation in July at Lake Chocorua. I celebrated my 75th birthday with classmate Bob Perkins in March in Camden, Maine, which is becoming an annual tradition, too. To all my classmates: Please be safe and kind while savoring and sharing all the jewels along your paths.” Bob Perkins seems to be either rowing or skating depending on the water temperature. “Your note,” he wrote, “catches me on a fine May day in Maine. I drove to Augusta—38 degrees with rain—to try out my new skates, which, it turned out, had not been sharpened in the factory...not good. Anyway, having just turned 75, I find that it feels pretty nice to be in the middle of the physically active retirement years, where it doesn’t really matter if what I am doing is important to anyone else as long as it’s important to me. Buying new skates at 75 may seem like a bad investment, but it keeps me young and around younger people. In fact, last week, one of my teammates on the ice was 6 years old and not even related to
me! Two of my three grandchildren are out of college, and one is finishing his sophomore year at Bard. Experiencing them as young children and with me as a doting grandparent was wonderful, but it is also nice to be getting to know them with both of us as adults with a very close connection. I am involved with some organizations in the community and state, but, if I’m honest, that is mostly to create a social network, which I miss since retiring from work. All in all, it is nice to have the time to notice the birds at the bird feeder and the energy to also go use the day.” Mark Haffenreffer writes, “I am firmly committed to putting the children of all the doctors in the Beth Israel cardiology department through college. Multiple operations later, I am doing very well! I recently got married, and in spite of the medical demands, I am loving life. The project [he and his wife are renovating a house in Nonquitt] to-do list has started to dwindle again, although the dictum of no ladder or tree climbing is a hindrance. Golf is still a swear word, and I am getting
pretty good at commenting on the surrounding beauty and protecting the fairways from any personal traffic. Nothing really to complain about, and the best to everyone.” Brad Wilkinson’s many grandchildren have him all up and down the coast and into the mountains of New England, which sometimes sparks memories of his youth. “In January,” he wrote, “I skied with my Middlebury College grandson at Sugarbush. It brought into sharp relief memories of our Nobles ski trips some 60 years ago. We stayed at a big, old rental and skied the local northern Vermont areas, mostly Glen Ellen, absorbed by Sugarbush many years ago. The trips were led by Mr. Biddle (an earnest and good man—I have distinct memories of him in the school hallway, stunned and in tears, on the afternoon of Nov. 22, 1963).” Peter Gates reports, “I am still working—part time in a small corporate strategy consulting firm, with a recent gig for a Moroccan government-controlled company.” Outside of work, Peter was recently appointed president of the board Nobles SUMMER 2026 49
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B O B P E R K I N S ’ 69
“ I find that it feels pretty nice to be in the middle of the physically active retirement years, where it doesn’t really matter if what I am doing is important to anyone else as long as it’s important to me. Buying new skates at 75 may seem like a bad investment, but it keeps me young and around younger people.” of the Petey Greene Program. “It provides high-school-level tutoring (by college volunteers) to incarcerated kids up and down the East Coast and just engaged with Rikers Island.” He also is taking an online MIT course on programming in Python and doing solitary fly-fishing. “I’m reading a great book, Tale of Genji, about a Japanese prince and his many affairs, which 50 Nobles SUMMER 2026
was written in the 11th century (by a woman!). Said to be the first novel ever written.” He just helped celebrate the first birthday of his fifth grandchild. And when considering if he was headed toward shooting his age in golf replied, “That is not possible, but I persist with my mediocre 20-plus handicap.” Tom Taylor could well be a Field & Stream correspondent
as he writes about life at his home in Parish, N.Y. In May, he was still thinking about the winter. “Well, we are starting to unfreeze in Upstate New York after a long, much colder winter than last year. We had about 25 feet of snow, which was better than the 40 feet in the previous winter. I’m back in the woods cutting down trees and splitting wood for my summer
camp firewood business. I’m also working in the garden and finishing the renovations on my 1880s house. At 75, it’s taking a toll on my body. I did not fish this winter despite great steelhead fishing due to the bitter cold that affects the hand I injured cutting wood a couple of years ago. I’m looking forward to the fall king salmon run in late September to early October. I do pure Spey fly-fishing (using two-handed rods) and custom flies tied over the winter. My house looks like a fishing museum and camp. I’ll be back to Martha’s Vineyard for traditional bow hunting for whitetail deer in November.” When he’s not outdoors, Tom loves following the hockey career of his grandson, who plays varsity goalie for his high school team on Martha’s Vineyard, where Tom, for many years, was an active proponent of building the game. Life in Middle Haddam continues apace for your correspondent. David Brown and I tested our “ski it if you can” mettle at Mad River Glen last winter, and while we didn’t tackle the Creamery (a steep, bumpy trail through the woods), we covered many of the tracks we first made together 60 years ago. (David was tuning up for his seventh walk across Scotland in May, which you can read about on his blog: aweewalk.com.) Brad Wilkinson and I also strapped on the skis together at Stratton, as we have for many winters. Here at home, my wife, Kathy, and I spend a lot of time with our soon-to-be-3 granddaughter, who only lives 30 minutes away. This spring, we made a trip to Chicago to visit our daughter,
who teaches at the University of Chicago. We walked around the then-unopened Barack Obama Presidential Library on the South Side and went to the city’s terrific art museum. A destination wedding has us scheduled to go to Paris in October, and we plan to stop and visit my wife’s Irish relatives on the way. Keep in touch.
1970 class correspondent
Lev Byrd 857-998-1507 levsbyrd@gmail.com
1971 class correspondents
Harry Blackman 845-549-8821 Harry.Blackman@skadden.com John Dewey 817-713-4672 jrdewey@usa.net Nick Mittell 617-590-2639 phred.j.dog@gmail.com Win Perkins 201-919-8938 wperkins@mmuftc.com
1972
Leave a Lasting Legacy With a Planned Gift You’ve helped build the Nobles community in so many ways. Planned giving is a chance to continue that tradition, ensuring that students for generations to come experience the same support, scholarship, and spirit you did. LEARN MORE If you are interested in including Nobles in your will or trust, or naming us as a beneficiary of your retirement plan or other account, please contact Major Gifts Officer Carolyn Flynn ’93 at cflynn93@nobles.edu or 781-320-7017.
class correspondent
Art Depoian 518-265-6069 adepoian@gmail.com
1973 class correspondent
Nat Watson 617-850-2286 nfwatso@gmail.com John Stalvey shares, “We bought our house in New Hampshire with the plan to host family gatherings. In keeping with that goal, we hosted our first Thanksgiving back in the lower
48 with our two sons, daughters-in-law, and six grandchildren along with my brother, Larry Stalvey ’75, and Marcy’s two sisters and brother-in-law. Despite the chaos, we managed to take in a Dartmouth men’s hockey game with all but two of the visitors attending and didn’t lose anyone. We’ve made several trips to see family and have now seen our grandkids more in the last nine months than we did in
the previous four years. Marcy and I also have enjoyed skiing together midweek at Killington, which is about 50 minutes from our home. Although we got a late start on the season, we had many fun days from January through March. We have several stands of sugar maples on our property, and I decided to give sugaring a try. I did an early and a late sap collection and got two distinct syrups. It was fun.
I learned a lot about making maple syrup, and I plan to make some adjustments and do it again next year.” Sam Bennett writes in, “I enjoyed our 50th reunion very much. I was so sad that John Cross passed away, and I was saddened to know that others had passed, including Todd Heath, Henry Riemer, Roger Vose, and Charlie Rudd. Todd was a close friend, and I wish Nobles SUMMER 2026 51
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I had kept in touch over the years, but I know that we often lose touch as we get busy with our adult life. I wish that Tom Haskins and Geoff White had been there, among others who I have not seen in a long time. It was fun to reconnect with everyone who was there, and I think we all experienced a fondness for each other that we may not have fully realized when we were young. It was great to sing a little with Nat Watson, Sandy Leith, and Jeff Wellington at the reunion, trying to remember our renditions of ‘Fun, Fun, Fun,’ ‘Their Hearts Were Full of Spring,’ and ‘Graduation Day,’ from prior Nobles performances under Brian Jones’ instruction. I have kept in touch with a few of our classmates, including Bill Lowell, Lewis Bryant, Tuck Bigelow, Jeff Baker, and Paul Hartshorne, who are all doing well. Since this is my first entry in over 50 years, I must mention my appreciation for a few of my favorite teachers who inspired and/or supported me in very significant ways, including Bob Warner, Bob Bulkley, Tim Coggeshall, Bob DePopolo, Chris Mabley, and Brian Jones. In the news department, I have a wife, Vivian, and four children, Pedro, Sylvie, Erodita, and Abby, who give me great joy. Vivian, Abby, and I live in Marblehead. I am retired after 35 years as a lawyer with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. My primary area of practice was in regulating development on Massachusetts waterways under M.G.L. c.91, including current and former tidelands, Great Ponds, and rivers (some of which I had 52 Nobles SUMMER 2026
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1. Dan Power ’80, about 1,000 nautical miles southeast of the Canary Islands in North Africa, during his journey to St. Lucia 2. Kristin Sorenson ’80 (R) with her son, William, in Costa Rica 3. Kristin Sorenson ’80 (R) with her daughter, Sophie, in Peru
1974 class correspondent
Kevin McCarthy 617-480-6344 kmac56@gmail.com
1975 class correspondent
Doug Floyd 49-152-5177 Ext 8800 dfloyd44312@yahoo.com
1976 class correspondents
previously navigated in a Nobles four-oared shell). It was a fun job, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I am still singing Beach Boys and other songs with some old Marblehead pals while
remembering the fun we had in the Glee Club and Nobleonians. Thanks to Nat Watson for getting us to write something, and I look forward to reading others’ entries from the Class of ’73.”
Tom Bartlett tom_bartlett58@hotmail.com Rob Piana 615-491-7499 robert.piana@vanderbilt.edu Tom Bartlett shares, “‘To talk of old times with old friends is the greatest thing in the world.’ —Will Rogers. Our 50th reunion on Friday, May 8, was a joyful occasion and a resounding success. Immense gratitude goes to the Nobles Development Office, Head of School Cathy
Hall, all staff who helped with the day, and our class organizing committee for putting together a full and enjoyable schedule. It included morning assembly, tours, classroom visits, a heartfelt memorial gathering, meals, and cocktails. Six seemed to be the magic number of the gathered: 36 of the 66 present graduates of ’76 were in attendance, and, on a quirky note, six airline rows separated yours truly from Henry Singer, on the same flight from London to Logan, neither of us knowing the other was on board (some form of jet lag prelude?). For those of you who were unable to attend: You were missed, but remembered. So, until next time, keep healthy, keep happy, and keep in touch! ‘The only thing sweeter than union is reunion.’ —Kathleen McGowan”
1977 class correspondent
Sarah Gleason Ross sross@gilman.edu
1978 class correspondent
Chris Reynolds 800-444-0004 chreynolds@comcast.net
1979 class correspondent
Dan Rodgers 616-648-1100 dvonredern61@gmail.com
1980 class correspondent
Martha Kittredge Rowley 781-801-6903 martharowley@comcast.net After 42 years of working life, Kristin Sorenson retired and is enjoying adventures with
her children. Early last spring she spent time with her son, William, in Costa Rica. In May, she and her daughter, Sophie, trekked a 50-mile Inca trail with NOLS in Peru. They hiked from Huancacalle to Yanatile and finished the trip with a visit to Machu Picchu. Dan Power shared, “In November and December 2025, I was fortunate to be part of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), a sailing event where I crewed on a 53-foot sailboat, traveling over 2,850 miles in 20 days from the Canary Islands off North Africa to St. Lucia in the Caribbean. It was an amazing experience that inspired me to get my U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license after getting back. Looking forward to sailing a lot this summer, and hoping to hear from my Nobles ’80 classmates at powerd@hubdesigns.com.”
1981 class correspondent
John Fiske 978-880-4125 johnfiske@comcast.net
Our 45th reunion began on Friday, May 8, at Sam Smart’s home in Sudbury. Twenty classmates, from as far as Seattle and London, as well as a few spouses, converged, conversed, consumed (food and beverage), and confirmed our shared connection—the 81 in 1981. About 10 of us joined the huge reunion throng in the Castle the next night. Some tidbits heard: Jack Capobianco now lives in Mattapoisett. Lyle Fulkerson moved to Portsmouth, N.H. John Allen plans to move to Madrid. Barbara Swinton deButts now lives in Virginia. Meg Robb Bartlett still calls Jamestown, R.I., home. Jorie Ewald Blackwell’s two sons are now out of college. Michael Young has relocated to Cape Cod. The correspondent may have heard more but didn’t retain it. Please send your corrections and amendments! This arrived from Ben Lloyd in March: “Last fall I launched my ‘act 3’ and am enrolled in the master’s program in Clinical Counseling, Mindfulness-Based
Members of the Class of 1981. Back row, L to R: Kathy Hart, Jack Sylvia, Connie Berman Moore, Richard Lincoln, John Keohane, John Fiske, Laurie Bidstrup Knight, Stokley Towles, Meg Robb Bartlett, Jack Capobianco, Mark Hurley, Michael Young. Front row, L to R: Andy Boyd, Lyle Fulkerson, Sam Smart, Barbara Swinton deButts, Jorie Ewald Blackwell, John Allen, Tara Nolan, George Whiting
Transpersonal track, at Naropa University in Boulder, Colo. I continue to run my consulting business, bxlloyd consulting, networking my butt off for the new ‘Rocky Mountain Team.’ Life in Boulder is great, except the climate disaster deprived us of our usual snow, so now we will have to ration water next summer—the new normal? I continue to explore performance by practicing, performing, and teaching long-form improvisation, and am looking forward to discovering how this aspect of my life will blend with the new journey I am now on!”
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1. Rob Finlay ’83 and Doug McLeod ’83 2. Celebrating Michele Simeone Abrecht ’84 at their famous haunt, the Olde Colonial Cafe: ’84 classmates Tom Lyons, Bill Allen, Paul Sheehy, and John Caragliano [present but missing in photo: Jim Michals]
1982 class correspondent
Holly Malkasian Staudinger 914-656-2893 hollyamalkasian@gmail.com
1983 class correspondent
Nancy Sarkis Corcoran 781-492-5576 nlsc3@me.com Hello, Class of ’83. I was in touch with Susan (Sudie) Naimi DiGiovanni last winter after seeing her son Nick on season 54 Nobles SUMMER 2026
3 of the reality show King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch. Nick is a chef, and he was showing Ken Goldin some of his pieces from his Ratatouille (2007 movie) memorabilia. He also made a huge Ratatouille cake that was amazing! I asked Sudie for an update on all of her kids (and she and husband Chris). She was kind enough to oblige. “Will is currently living near Fenway and applying to medical schools, interested in orthopaedics, oncology, and infectious disease. Pete graduated Georgetown McDonough School of Business, finishing the second half at Bocconi Institute in Milan, and now lives alternately between Brooklyn and Milan; amongst other endeavors, he’s managing Happy Potato ‘clothing that feeds’ with proceeds solely
benefiting Farmlink, a nonprofit he helped pioneer. Our second oldest son, Cam, recently graduated from UVA law school and is now working in Boston at WilmerHale. Our oldest, Nick, has various social media channels, mostly focused in the food space; a salt company, Osmo; and a cookbook, Knife Drop. Chris and I remain mostly in and around Boston; outside of work, we’re trying to learn a bit more Italian—for me, it’s a matter of needing to achieve a certain level of proficiency if I wish to join the rest of the family with citizenship.” Rob Finlay, who lives in Washington and retired two years ago, writes: “Doug McLeod and I got together this past winter (see photo). I also taught skiing up on Mt. Hood at Meadows Ski Resort. Please tell anyone traveling through the PNW that I’d love to host, catch up, and share some local adventures out here if they have the time. I really feel like I’m living in heaven in the gorge and would love to share it with everyone.”
1984 class correspondent
Christine Hegenbart Todd 617-699-1933 christinetodd@me.com
1986 class correspondents
Eliza Kelly Beaulac 703-476-4442 embeaulac@verizon.net Heather Markey 617-365-3836 hsmarkey@icloud.com Jessica Tyler 617-312-1369 tylerjessica@me.com
1987 class correspondents
Emily Gallagher Byrne 914-656-4127 egbyrne@verizon.net Elise Plunkett Gustafson 310-292-2694 elise_gustafson@yahoo.com Mark Haddad writes, “I’ve been living in Holliston, Mass., for the last 22 years with the wife, three kids, and dog. First kid graduated from Trinity a couple of years ago and works for Aon in Boston. Second kid just graduated from RPI and will be a nuclear engineer at the Portsmouth Navy Yard. Third will be a Junior at UMass. I’m working for a small SaaS company based in Portland, Maine. Wife and I are looking forward to retirement within the next few years and moving close to the coast in Marshfield, Mass.”
1988 class correspondent
Sasha Leland 508-916-8202 sasha@thelelands.com
1989 class correspondent
Rachel Spencer 917-921-5916 rachelwspencer@yahoo.com
1990 class correspondent
Lisa Donahue Rose 617-633-7127 lrose90@nobles.edu
1991 class correspondent
Amy Russell Farber 781-856-4689 amy.farber.143@gmail.com Kelly Flynn (inset right) was recently named a member of
the Board of Advisors for the Campaign for Catholic Schools (CCS). The following press release highlights Kelly’s appointment and role. “[BRAINTREE, MA] - The Campaign for Catholic Schools (CCS), a change agent for rebuilding Greater Boston’s urban Catholic schools, is pleased to announce that Kelly A. Flynn has been named a member of the organization’s Board of Advisors. Ms. Flynn serves as Senior Managing Director, Lead Private Growth Capital Portfolio Manager, at Winslow Capital Management. She previously served as a managing director at Credit Suisse and began her career at UBS. Ms. Flynn has been a loyal friend and supporter of CCS since 2011. She served on the $10 million CCS campaign to renovate the circa 1915 St. Gregory School in Dorchester into what is today the Lower Mills campus of Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy (SJPIICA), a co-sponsored academy of CCS and the largest Catholic elementary school in Massachusetts. ‘We are incredibly grateful to Kelly for saying “yes” to our invitation to join our Board of Advisors as we continue to define what a sustainable and successful future looks like for urban Catholic education in Greater Boston,’ comments Mary Myers, CCS’s Vice President of Development and Strategy. The 14-member Board of Advisors represents industries including finance, real estate, education, and health science sectors. The Advisors work with the CCS Board of Trustees and staff to
Family get-together in fall 2025. Back row, L to R: Chris Tyng ’87, Mark Epker ’89, Ted Epker ’25, George Ruch, Henry Ruch, Baird Ruch. Middle row: Kristin Epker Tyng ’87, Alison Epker Ruch ’92, Erin Keith Epker ’90. Front row: Kylan Tyng, Molly Epker ’22, Nancy Collins, Charlotte Epker ’20, Ethan Tyng
through mentoring and other networking opportunities and helps advise the CCS Board of Trustees on new ideas and priorities.’ Ms. Flynn is a graduate of Harvard University and serves on a number of boards. She and her husband, Peter, reside in Concord, Mass.”
1992 hone new ideas as CCS builds on its successes to improve urban Catholic education in the communities of Greater Boston. ‘The CCS Board of Advisors plays an important role in expanding reach and promoting the CCS mission to potential supporters and to the general community,’ explains Myers. ‘Additionally, the BOA assists CCS alumni
class correspondents
Lynne Dumas Davis 508-463-6107 lynnemddavis@gmail.com Rachel Levin 415-378-8319 rachellevinsf@gmail.com Rachel Levin shared, “I was back in Boston in April, where I got to sneak in a dinner with Regan Buckley Fradette and a quick college tour around Maine with my daughter. (Our Bowdoin tour guide turned out to be a
Nobles graduate, which was a fun random connection for us Californians.)” Heard from Ali Epker Ruch, who wrote in from Concord to say she loves seeing Amy Forker Schneider (hi Aim!), as well as Lawson Allen Albright ’94 regularly. “I also wanted to share that last fall we had a very fun family get-together that included the Epkers, Tyngs, Ruchs, and our mother, Nancy Collins.” A whole bunch of Nobles grads! Photo taken by Nobles’ Director of Creative Media Ben Heider. Sarah Kurker is still working at Arizona State University, teaching social work and integrative health. “I super love my job and impacting students who go out in communities and make positive change,” she writes. “My children are now in college! Evan is studying optical engineering, Nobles SUMMER 2026 55
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M AU R A M A C L E O D ’98
“ It was amazing to hear such beautiful music in venues where some of the greatest composers once worked.”
1999 class correspondent
Gabi Herman gabriela.herman@gmail.com
2000 class correspondent
Lisa Marx Corn lisamarx@gmail.com
2001 class correspondent
Lauren Kenney Murphy Lauren.Kenney1@gmail.com
2002 class correspondent
and Emily is studying speech pathology. I am so proud of them. In my free time, I like to work out, hike, bake, and do constant self care.” Sarah Kurker—as happy and healthy as I remember her! Did anyone in our class make it to the reunion in May? Keep the N’92 news coming!
1993 class correspondent
Sam Jackson 978-837-8909 sambjackson@hotmail.com
1995 class correspondent
Chad Godfrey godfrey22@gmail.com
1996 class correspondents
Matt Kane 617-443-1100 mkane.esq@gmail.com Sean Greenhalgh theheat2@gmail.com
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1997 class correspondent
Bobbi Oldfield Wegner 617-980-1412 bobbiwegner@gmail.com
1998 class correspondent
Nina Freeman 347-301-2633 ninahanlon@gmail.com Michael O’Donnell relays, “After 12 years as dean of students and two years as assistant head for residential life at Groton, I’ll serve as associate head of school starting in July of this year. Vin Broderick used to call the Groton rowing course ‘The Heart of Darkness,’ so it’s a little weird to consider it home now. My wife, Ryan, is a college counselor here, and our daughters, Maeve (11) and Nessa (9), delight in life on campus. I feel very fortunate that I still get to teach Latin (II, IV, and VI this year) and sometimes U.S. History, and I get to coach girls cross country (I see Pete Sullivan at Middlesex during the fall) and boys crew
William Duffey III williamduffey@gmail.com (when I get to see Nina at Brooks!) during the spring. And the fact that I still get to see Bob Kern at cross country meets is just amazing.” Maura MacLeod shares, “My family and I traveled to Vietnam in February. We really enjoyed being around such friendly, welcoming people during the Tět holiday. We were also lucky enough to have a layover in Hong Kong during Lunar New Year celebrations. It was great to be back in our favorite area of the world. In April we also traveled to Paris to watch St. Paul’s Choir School (where our two oldest boys attend) perform. It was amazing to hear such beautiful music in venues where some of the greatest composers once worked.” Chris O’Connell shares, “This past February, Brianna Favazza and I married in Livingston, Mont. We—along with our Belgian Malinois, Kiki!—love spending time there and in nearby Tom Miner, but are primarily based in Los Angeles.”
2004 class correspondent
Carolyn Sheehan Wintner carolyn.wintner@gmail.com
2005 class correspondent
Saul Gorman saul.gorman@gmail.com Sam Dean writes, “Earlier this year, I helped launch a new magazine with an old name: Gourmet magazine now publishes twice weekly (one story, one recipe) online and to your inbox at gourmetmagazine.net. I have to thank faculty members Mark Sheeran and Amadou Seck for what little culinary French I manage to pepper in the copy, and many long lunches at the Castle for my lifelong appreciation of pasta on Wednesdays and chocolate pudding anytime. (Also, after nearly a decade in California, I now live in Bennington, Vt. Let me know if you’re ever up this way and want to say hi!)”
2006 class correspondent
E.B. Bartels ebandersenbartels@gmail.com Reunion was so much fun! So many of you were there, and it was so very great to catch up! We learned so many new things about each other! Scott Runyon learned that if you confess to buying your children donuts at Market Basket, like he did to Jillian McVicar Nelson, the chief marketing officer of Dunkin’ Donuts, you will break Jill(y)’s heart, but then she will give you one of the Dunkin’ gift cards she always carries in her purse. Janna Herman and Emily Reid figured out that they live 30 minutes apart in Western Mass, not too far from Tanglewood, where Krysten Keches performs all the time during the summer. (Krysten also absolutely crushed it performing in the Graduates Assembly at Reunion!) I learned that Mike Shanahan is living on the Cape (elbow part) and working on his singer/songwriter career, and I confirmed that Becky Barbrow Grant still loves teaching high school math, and I also discovered a new colleague of mine at Wellesley used to work with a bunch of Nobles people at Upward Bound, including Mariel Novas. Small world! Scott also realized that he, Will Dunn, and Alex Burns all have three daughters. (Alex’s third is on the way!) Plus, Scott, an orthopedic surgeon, discovered that the Class of 2006 could “start a small hospital” (his words) between Chantal Denis Nicolas, who is an NP in the ER, Hillary Segar, who is an NP in neuro, Khristianna Jones, who
1. Maura MacLeod ’98 and her family in Paris while traveling to watch St. Paul’s Choir School perform 2. Maura MacLeod ’98 and her family traveled to Vietnam in February 2026. 3. L to R: David Medina ’05, Daniel Rosmarin ’05, Alexander Phillips ’05, Willa Howe, Sam Howe Verhovek ’78, Jason Gavris ’05, Peter Howe ’82, and John Howe ’74 at Alexander’s wedding to Willa in December 2025 at Artists for Humanity in Boston.
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“ AI is developing rapidly worldwide, making my thesis especially exciting because I was writing about a policy issue that continued to develop and change as I was researching it.”
years, so please let me know if there are any other informal reunion-type get-togethers. Would love to catch up with more of the class.” Jay Kelly also emailed, “I’d be happy to let everyone know that my wife and I are living in the Portland, Maine, area and recently welcomed our third child. Baby Juno Kelly was born in April. Holler if you’re ever up Portland way!” I already can’t wait for our 25th, and I hope to see many of you around before then. XOXO
2007 class correspondent
Kat Sargent katharine.sargent@gmail.com
2008 class correspondent
Michael Polebaum Mpolebaum08@nobles.edu is an MD in family medicine, and Sara Snyder Phillips, who is an MD in dermatology. I learned that Caroline Harrison is doing art full time now! In her words: “After leaving my advertising job in late 2024 to focus on art, I’ve been super lucky to have a few art-related travel opportunities. I went to Walla Walla, Wash., in July of 2025 as a featured artist for a metal and wine zine’s annual festival (really) with a satellite art show at Walla Walla Foundry. I started 2026 with short-term residencies in both the Smoky Mountains, Tenn., and San Diego, and am looking forward to Greenpoint Open Studios at the end of May. I’ve also started teaching art in North Brooklyn!” Also, Caroline gave detailed and 58 Nobles SUMMER 2026
encouraging feedback to Lydia Paine Hagtvedt’s daughter on her drawings while at Reunion. I also found out that Hannah Mauck Sokol just got a job working in the admission department at Nobles! By the time you read these notes, she will have already started working at our alma mater. Plus, I was horrified to find out that some of the kids I still think of as my little Sixie students were also present in the Castle on May 9…at their fiveyear reunion. YIKES. How long ago did I teach seventh-grade geography? (Jk, love you, Class of 2021!) Oh, and many of you discovered my fun fact studying our graduation class portrait while hanging out at the Reunion Class
Dinner: In the caption I am listed as “missing” from the photo despite sitting right in the middle of the front row. Brad Caswell gave me a hard time for this. We also have some updates from classmates who weren’t able to make it to Reunion! Wes Garner emailed me to say that he missed Reunion because he and his wife were in Palm Beach, Fla., for their babymoon! Wes writes: “We’re expecting our first, a girl, in August. Will certainly follow up with pictures for the next class notes installment. Not too much to share otherwise. We’ve been in Newton for going on five years (crazy how time flies), so not too far from campus. It’s been nice to reconnect with a few ’06 folks over the past few
2009 class correspondent
Maria Sibilia mcmontes14@gmail.com Megan Bunnell and husband Eric Schlobohm welcomed baby girl Martha. She joins brothers William and Henry.
2010 class correspondent
Tori Goyette tgoyette10@gmail.com
2011
class correspondent
Katie Puccio-Williams katie.pucciowilliams@gmail.com
2012 class correspondent
Coco Woeltz Maritz Colby.Maritz@gmail.com
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2013
2017
2021
class correspondent
class correspondent
class correspondent
Caroline Thayer carolinejthayer@gmail.com
Harry Sherman harry74sherman@gmail.com
2014
2018
class correspondent
class correspondent
Alexandra Charron alexandra.l.charron@gmail.com
Jillian Radley jillradley22@gmail.com
2015
2019
class correspondent
class correspondent
Natalie Hession natalie.a.hession@gmail.com
Ally Guerrero guerreroalessandra@gmail.com
2016
2020
class correspondents
class correspondents
Sabrina Rabins srabins@gmail.com Mariana Vega vegamariana612@gmail.com
Drew Barry drewbarry1177@gmail.com Hailey Brown hailey@birksbrown.com
Hadley Winslow hadleywinslow@gmail.com Taylor Hyland was featured on the Princeton University LinkedIn and Instagram accounts for her senior thesis. The following write-up is from Princeton’s post: “As AI continues to increasingly become central to everyday life, what implications are there in healthcare? How do privacy laws like HIPAA impact the use of AI tools in medicine? These were the questions Taylor Hyland ’26 investigated as part of her senior thesis. She did so while playing for the ECAC regular-season champion Princeton Women’s Hockey team. Taylor’s interest in the topic was sparked
1. Megan Bunnell ’09 and husband Eric Schlobohm welcomed baby girl Martha. She joins brothers William and Henry. 2. Taylor Hyland ’21 was featured on the Princeton LinkedIn and Instagram accounts for her senior thesis topic. For her thesis, she investigated AI implications on healthcare, and how privacy laws like HIPAA affect the use of AI tools in medicine.
junior year while serving on the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs Task Force on AI and National Security led by lecturer Ali Nouri. Serving on a Policy Task Force is a core requirement for SPIA undergrads, presenting an opportunity for students to gain practical exposure to policy and international Nobles SUMMER 2026 59
GRADUATE NEWS
affairs. In addition to her SPIA major, Taylor, from Wellesley, Mass., has earned a minor in Values and Public Life. The experience from the task force and working with Nouri left Taylor thinking more about how governments can impact innovation through regulation, while still safeguarding citizens’ personal data and serving the public good. Her senior capstone project was locked in. By comparing Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations in the U.S. and the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) regulations in China, Taylor’s thesis explored ‘how each country’s regulatory environment shapes the strategies that companies and research institutions use to build medical AI models.’ Her thesis advisor was professor Jacob Shapiro. In addition to online and textbased research, Taylor also worked with Princeton Precision Health. Throughout the process, Taylor learned something about herself, too. ‘It helped me realize how much I enjoy working on topics actively evolving in real time. AI is developing rapidly worldwide, making my thesis especially exciting because I was writing about a policy issue that continued to develop and change as I was researching it. Throughout the process, I also saw how the discipline I learned as a student-athlete translated into my academic work. The perseverance, consistency, time management, and dedication needed to write my senior thesis are all connected to what hockey taught me.’ She dedicated her thesis to her grandfather Art Hyland, Princeton Class of ’63.” 60 Nobles SUMMER 2026
2022 class correspondent
Alex Janower ali@janower.net Most folks in the Class of 2022 are graduating from college this year and stepping into the professional world for the first time. Here’s what a few of us will be up to next year: Danielle Frankel—Associate Consultant at Boston Consulting Group Channing Bryant—Associate Consultant at Bain Peter Del Col—Investment Banking Analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald Celia Cheng—Investment Banking Summer Analyst at Jefferies Grace Fiorella—Investment Banking Analyst at Jefferies Norah Jankey—Human Resources Associate at F.L. Putnam Investment Management Company Sid Balu—Private Equity Analyst at Audax Claire Mao—Co-Founder at Instance Rhodes Martinez—Naturalist at the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies Alexis Nawara—Systems Engineer at Systems Planning & Analysis Charlotte Walkey—Asset Management Analyst Trainee at AEW Nate Szpak—Business Analyst at Capital One Charlotte Bell—Research Assistant at Weill Cornell Medicine Ryan Sanghavi—Private Equity Analyst at One Rock Capital Partners AJ Liu—Student at Tufts University School of Medicine
In Memoriam F E B R UA RY– J U LY
F R A N K F. DAV I D S O N J R . ’54 F R A N C I S “N I M ” M A R S H I I I ’57 J O H N R . R AY E ’56 J O H N C . “ TO P H E R ” C U T L E R ’64 M A R K C . R I V I N U S ’67 J A M I E E . P E E B L E S ’ 70 J E F F R E Y M . A B R A M S ’91 To read the obituaries of deceased graduates, please visit www.nobles.edu/in-memoriam.
2023 class correspondent
Madi Shaer mbshaer@gmail.com
2024 class correspondent
Devin Gray devinmcgray@gmail.com
2025 class correspondent
Eli Schotland elissaios_schotland@brown.edu
BEHIND EVERY NOBLES EXPERIENCE A teacher who inspires A mentor who believes An opportunity that changes everything The Annual Fund makes these moments possible for every student.
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L I F E AT N O B L E S : OUR ECOSYSTEM
Step outside these doors, and you enter a living classroom. Nobles’ 173 acres of forests, wetlands, and river habitats reveal the connections among plants, animals, water, soil, and people—reminding us that every species plays a role in sustaining life. Time spent in these landscapes invites both curiosity and renewal. The natural world has a quiet way of sharpening our attention while restoring our sense of balance.
Healthy ecosystems provide clean air, clean water, and habitat for countless species, including our own community. In return, we share a responsibility for stewardship—protecting the forests and wetlands that filter water, store carbon, and sustain life. This illustrated ecology invites you to explore the living systems of our campus and care for the landscape we share.