Hotchkiss Magazine | Winter 2026

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Timothy P. Sullivan ’81, P’13,’16, President

Charles Ayres ’77, P’22, Vice President

Robert Chartener ’76, P’18, Vice President

Raymond J. McGuire ’75, P’21, Vice President

Roger K. Smith ’78, P’08, Vice President

Rhonda Trotter ’79, Vice President

U. Gwyn Williams ’84, P’17,’19, Secretary

Joseph P. Baratta P’24,’29

Kevin Brown P’26

Craig W. Bradley, Head of School, ex officio

Rafael Carbonell ’93, Co-President of the Alumni Association, ex officio

Margarita O’Byrne Curtis

Anne Matlock Dinneen ’95

Thomas J. Edelman ’69, P’06,’07

Patricia Barlerin Farman-Farmaian ’85, P’21,’24

Elizabeth J. Ford P’11,’13

Harry Gruner ’77

Alex Hurst ’97

Ignacio Jayanti P’26,’29

Martin Kelly P’24

John Khoury ’95

Julia Tingley Kivitz ’01, Co-President of the Alumni Association, ex officio

Annika Lescott-Martinez ’06

Nisa Leung Lin ’88

Michael J. Mars ’86

Mary Pat McMahon

Naveen Nataraj P’24,’26

Aaron Oberman ’92, P’24,’27, President, The Hotchkiss Fund, ex officio

Carlos Pérez ’81

Thomas R. Seidenstein ’91, P’24,’29

Richard M. Weil ’81, P’23,’25

EMERITI

Howard C. Bissell ’55, P’82

John R. Chandler Jr. ’53, P’82,’85,’87, GP’10,’14,’16,’22,’27

Lawrence Flinn Jr. ’53, GP’22

Robert R. Gould ‘77

John Grube ’65, P’00

Elizabeth G. Hines ’93, P’27

Dan W. Lufkin ’49, P’80,’82,’88,’23

Robert H. Mattoon Jr.

Robert A. Oden Jr. P’97

Kendra O’Donnell

Jean Weinberg Rose ’80, P’18

John L. Thornton ’72, P’10,’11,’16

Rebecca van der Bogert

ON

THE COVER: Wylie Warchol ’23, center, and Quinn Spillett ’23, right, participated in an alumni lacrosse game at Hotchkiss on May 31 in honor of retiree Chris Burchfield P’08,’10,’18, instructor in English and longtime coach. Both alumni currently play at Colgate University. Photo by Brian Wilcox.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Neetu Ahluwalia ’93

Caroline Barlerin ’91

Rafael Carbonell ’93, Co-President of the Alumni Association

Julia Chen ’16

Ernesto Cruz III ’01, VP and Co-Chair, Admission and Engagement Committee

Chris Dorr ’81

James Freeman ’88

Whitney Gulden ’12, VP and Chair, Nominating Committee for Membership

Cameron Hough ’09, VP and Co-Chair, Nominating Committee for Awards

Temitayo Ifafore-Calfee ’99

Julia Tingley Kivitz ’01, Co-President of the Alumni Association

Robert Kuhn ’75, VP and Co-Chair, Diversity and Inclusion Committee

Richardine Mamam Nbiba ’23

Scott Meadow ’73, P’02

Keith Merrill ’02, VP and Chair, Communications Committee

Daniel Pai ’19, Chair, Young Alumni Task Force

Colin Pennycooke ’89, VP and Co-Chair, Diversity and Inclusion Committee

Mark Pierce ’67, P’13, VP and Co-Chair, Admission and Engagement Committee

Sarah Thornton-Clifford ’76, P’07,’23

Alexandra Treyz ’04

Madison West ’05

Lisa Bjornson Wolf ’82

Whitney PakPour Zeta ’04, VP and Co-Chair, Nominating Committee for Awards

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS

Craig W. Bradley, Head of School

Robert R. Gould ’77, Co-President, Board of Trustees

Brooke Harlow ’92, P’28, Past Co-President, Alumni Association

Elizabeth G. Hines ’93, P’27, Past Co-President, Board of Trustees

Paul Mutter ’87, P’26, Past Co-President, Alumni Association

Aaron Oberman ’92, P’24,’27, President, The Hotchkiss Fund

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Craig W. Bradley

CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS

OFFICER

Hope Reisinger Cobera ’88, P’24

EDITOR

Darryl Gangloff

MAGAZINE DESIGNER

Julie Hammill

CONTRIBUTORS

Catherine Calamé, Robert Chartener ’76, P’18, Anne Day, Eliott Grover, Jeffrey Hinz, Roberta Jenckes, Ellie Matasar ’29, Aly Morrissey, Randy O’Rourke, Tracy Pham Ngoc ’28, Erin Reid P’01,’05, Mason von Jess ’19, Brian Wilcox, Missy Wolff

PLEASE SEND INQUIRIES AND COMMENTS TO:

The Hotchkiss School 11 Interlaken Road Lakeville, CT 06039-2141

Email: magazine@hotchkiss.org Phone: (860) 435-3122

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Hotchkiss Magazine is produced by the Office of Communications for alumni, parents, members of the faculty and staff, and friends of the School. Letters are welcome. Please keep under 400 words. We reserve the right to edit and publish letters.

Squash Makes History

Bearcats shine on national stage with their first

How a global outlook shaped a lifelong commitment to education

Hall Honors Fallen Alumni

The renovated dorm carries on the legacy of Memorial Hall

United by a love of learning, a family supports research programs

Natural World

Claire Emery ’90 transforms field observations into woodblock prints

The Joy of Community

AS I WRITE TO YOU TODAY, a blustery and very snowy Sunday in Lakeville, I have announced to students that tomorrow will be a Head of School Holiday. I called it in honor of all of the Hotchkiss staff members who keep the School running, and for the first time, I made the announcement in the new Dining Commons. You can imagine the roar of delight! We are due for 18 or more inches of snow, so tomorrow will be a day of winter fun and play. This is all part of the joy of Hotchkiss.

I announced the holiday in the Dining Commons because this beautiful new

space, made possible by the profound generosity of many donors, has already become integral to strengthening the sense of community at Hotchkiss. Winston Churchill once said, “We shape our buildings; thereafter, they shape us.” He was speaking to the House of Lords in 1943 regarding the rebuilding of the Parliament building, which had been destroyed in 1941. While our context is vastly different, I genuinely believe this is true about buildings, and I find it particularly apt to the Dining Commons. The old Hotchkiss dining hall was

built in 1948, and it had outlived its utility. Built for a school of 350 boys, it had become too cramped, too loud, and inadequate for the needs of the School. In designing the new facility, we focused on creating a place that would not only feed people but would genuinely enhance the community. The Dining Commons is modern and fresh, full of light and new spaces. Yet it retains familiar hallmarks: wooden paneling, traditional light fixtures, and Maria Bissell Hotchkiss’s portrait in its rightful place over the hearth. This building represents the best of Hotchkiss: it is beautiful and forward-looking while remaining true to its past.

The work was made possible by gifts to the Ever Forward campaign, which continues to be extremely successful. Another critical enhancement to campus was made possible by the Hurst Family (Bob and Soledad P’97,’23,’24; Alex ’97, Jaidyn ’23, and Jared ’24), whose generosity made the full renovation of Hurst Hall possible. We are also grateful to Larry Flinn ’53, whose support provided for the renovation of the Common Room. This room is formally dedicated to all Hotchkiss alumni who lost their lives in war, and plaques inside list their names. During a lovely ceremony in the fall, we

“The Dining Commons represents the best of Hotchkiss: it is beautiful and forward-looking while remaining true to its past.”

— CRAIG W. BRADLEY

formally dedicated the area behind the building as Memorial Quadrangle, in honor of fallen soldiers, which is marked with a carved stone.

While community is always at the center of life at Hotchkiss, it has felt particularly evident to me this year. Throughout the fall and winter, I have had the joy of traveling to visit Hotchkiss families and alumni in a number of cities in Asia and across the U.S. As these groups come together, the sense of connection to a place we love and to our shared community is powerful.

As always, Family Weekend was great fun, with students keen to share their Hotchkiss experience with their loved ones. The HDA performed Pippin as the fall show; the Hotchkiss Philharmonic played two stunning concerts; and

we won Taft Day again this year (go, Bearcats!). A joyful fall holiday was called in honor of Trustee Emeritus John Grube ’65, P’00, who has made countless, valuable contributions to the School, particularly as chair of the Buildings, Grounds, and Environment Committee during his time on the Board.

As I continue to say, the moments of this year hold a special poignancy for me, because it is my last as head of school. Yet as I consider what comes next, I do so with absolute confidence in the forward trajectory of Hotchkiss. As announced in September, Dr. Anne Bruder will take over as head of school on July 1. She brings great intelligence, insight, and vision, and I look forward to all that she and the School will accomplish in the years to come.

I hope you will enjoy the stories in the pages that follow. Each of them represents the strength of this community, as do each of you.

All good wishes,

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Remembering a Legend

These letters remember Walter E. DeMelle Jr. P’94, the longest-serving director of the Edsel Ford Memorial Library. He died on Feb. 1, 2026. Read his obituary on Page 62.

Arriving as a freshman in 1981, I was so impressed with the intelligence, kindness, and professionalism Mr. DeMelle displayed. It helped me realize I chose the right institution when I left home for Hotchkiss. Mr. DeMelle left us an incredible legacy of dedication and service.

FRANKIE CRUZ ’85

Walter was my mentor. As a scholarship kid at Hotchkiss, I was assigned work duty in the library. That was my lucky day. Walter supported me on tough days, opened my mind to the world of this incredible library. As a 17-year-old, I considered him a trusted friend. He was a kind and inspiring person. Condolences to his family.

CAROLE HAWLEY MOORE ’75

Craig W. Bradley

SQUASH MAKES HOTCHKISS HISTORY

Bearcats shine on the national stage with the first championship title for the boys and a second consecutive runner-up finish for the girls.

BY DARRYL GANGLOFF

THE HOTCHKISS BOYS VARSITY SQUASH

“You embodied the spirit of what it means to be a team.”

— BOBBY BURNS ’08 SQUASH PROGRAM DIRECTOR

TEAM won the School’s first D1 national title on Feb. 22 in a 4-3 final against 2024 champions St. Andrews during the U.S. High School Team Squash Championships at the Arlen Specter U.S. Squash Center. The girls varsity team earned a hard-fought second-place finish against Greenwich Academy.

“It’s the biggest tournament in the world, every year. Team squash is the best squash,”

Bobby Burns ’08, squash program director, said immediately following their victory. He applauded St. Andrews and expressed his respect and admiration for their team. “That was as good as competition gets,” he said.

Burns then addressed the Bearcats. “You embodied the spirit of what it means to be a team. You came together at every single moment in which it felt like we might drift apart, and this is the end result. I want you to remember that. Teams can do great things together. We’re better together. Congratulations, boys!”

Dempsey Quinn, director of athletics, said, “This title for the boys, and sustained excellence for the girls, is the product of years of investment and trying to put our students in the best possible position to succeed. It is amazing to see all the time, hard work, and investment pay off for the students, for the coaches, and for the program as a whole.”

Boys Squash Wins National Championship

The second-seed Bearcats won their first match against 15-seed McCallie School 7-0, followed by a 6-1 victory against Mercersburg Academy in the quarterfinals. Hotchkiss defeated Haverford in the semifinals.

The final match against St. Andrews was a backand-forth 4-3 win, thanks to victories by Jude Cha ’28, Reed Morris ’28, Knox Vitrano ’28, and Simrith Gaddam ’28. Parth Khera ’26 and Rohan Gupta ’26 both went to five games against their opponents. Simrith scored the final title-winning point with a fantastic between-the-legs shot. His fellow Bearcats roared as they rushed the court to celebrate their historic championship.

“Winning the deciding match feels like a dream come true, but I don’t deserve all the credit. It wouldn’t have been possible without the victories of Jude, Reed, and Knox, along with the entire team’s support, which gave me the strength to keep fighting for the win,” Simrith said.

The boys capped their undefeated season with a New England Championship victory on March 1.

Girls Squash Earns #2 in Nation for Second Year

“High school squash nationals is the biggest squash tournament of the year,” said Maja Clark, head coach of girls varsity squash, noting that 95 girls teams from around the country competed for the title of champion.

The Bearcats came in as the second seed, and they won their opening match against 15-seed Darien High School 7-0. Their second match was against Nobles and Greenough, and Hotchkiss beat them convincingly 7-0.

“Our third match was tougher against the 3-seed, Andover. It was a 6-1 victory for Hotchkiss,” Clark said. Sunday brought the finals against the perennial winners, Greenwich Academy.

“It was a thrilling nationals and our second year finishing at the #2 spot.”

MAJA CLARK HEAD COACH OF GIRLS VARSITY SQUASH

Hotchkiss fell 2-5 to the Gators with wins from Trinity Moshi ’29 and Makeda Moshi ’26. Olivia Choo ’26 and Charlotte Mcafee ’28 both went to five games against their opponents.

“It was a thrilling nationals and our second year finishing at the #2 spot,” Clark said. “We will sharpen our competitive edge as we look to the future!”

A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

BY ROBERT CHARTENER ’76, P’18

The Board of Trustees met on Sept. 2, 2025, by phone and on Oct. 23 to 25, 2025, in Lakeville. Here are some highlights from the meetings.

New Head of School – The trustees unanimously elected Dr. Anne Bruder to become Hotchkiss’s 16th head of school on July 1, 2026. Dr. Bruder currently serves as dean of academic affairs at Deerfield, having previously worked as a professor of literature and writing as well as chair of the English department at Berea College and as a post-doctoral fellow at Bryn Mawr. Educated at Middlebury College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Dr. Bruder was an instructor at Hotchkiss from 2000 to 2002; she taught English, lived in Bissell, and coached soccer and lacrosse. Dr. Bruder attended the October meetings and reviewed her plans for her transition over the coming months.

Dining Commons – The trustees had a hard-hat tour of the Dining Commons in its final phase of construction. The main Dining Hall preserves the appearance of its Delano & Aldrich predecessor in almost every respect but is about 20 feet longer at the south end to accommodate additional students. The area to the east has been expanded significantly, partly to seat more people and partly to create a courtyard area that is also bounded by Griswold Science Building and Wieler. The kitchens and servery to the north constitute a striking space that features various areas for different types of meals and large windows provide views of Redlich and Bissell Common. A new dining service, CulinArt, has been hired and has been well-

received. The Dining Commons opened in early December, nearly two years after construction began.

The Hotchkiss Student Research Programs –Dr. Jeff Blevins, an English instructor and director of the Hotchkiss Student Research Programs, gave a presentation. The programs have expanded considerably from their start, when the MacLeish Scholars first went to Yale in 2021, followed by the Hersey history program in partnership with Harvard. The Euclid to Einstein mathematics program at Cornell began in 2025, and the Matthiessen environmental science program will begin in the summer of 2026 in the Yale Great Mountain Forest. Other potential programs are in the planning stages. These offerings provide students with a high degree of autonomy in their research, giving them time and space to make mistakes, learn from them, and make significant contributions to the knowledge about their subjects. The scholars programs are extremely popular, and making them available to more students has been a priority.

Open Discourse at Hotchkiss – Rick Hazelton P’19,’22, director of the Center for Global Understanding and Independent Thinking (CGUIT), discussed an Open Discourse Workshop for teachers held in conjunction with the University of Chicago in June 2025. Hazelton was joined at the meeting by two 2024 Hotchkiss graduates (now at Georgetown) to speak about open

discourse at Hotchkiss. The goal has been to give students an opportunity to express their viewpoints and learn the difference between opinions and arguments. The young alumni spoke compellingly about their experiences at Hotchkiss, and the trustees felt that Hotchkiss’s commitment to open discourse should continue to be strongly supported.

Niche.com Ranking – The School was pleased to be ranked by Niche.com as the #1 independent school and the #1 boarding school in the United States. The website is viewed in particular by prospective parents and candidates; not surprisingly, the number of admission inquiries and applications this year has never been higher.

Capital Projects – While the Dining Commons is a major focus, other projects have continued in recent months. The Ford Food Court reverted to the Ford Indoor Tennis Courts. The artificial turf on Sprole Field was replaced, the steam and condensate network on campus and ammonia piping system at the rinks was renewed, a new campus fire alarm system was installed, and the bathrooms in Dana were replaced.

Trustees Emeriti – Elizabeth Hines ’93, P’27 and Bob Gould ’77, who served as co-presidents of the board of trustees from 2019 through 2025, were elected trustees emeriti.

Hotchkiss Announces Next Head of School

Anne Bruder, Ph.D., was announced as Hotchkiss’s next head of school during a meeting in Katherine M. Elfers Hall this fall. She will be the first woman to lead Hotchkiss when she starts on July 1, 2026. She succeeds Craig W. Bradley, who will retire in June 2026 after 10 years of devoted service to the School.

Bruder comes to Hotchkiss from Deerfield Academy, where she is currently dean of academic affairs. Before joining Deerfield, she spent 11 years at Berea College in Kentucky, which is a tuition-free liberal arts college for low-income students. She served as a professor of literature and writing and chair of the English Department. Early in her career, she spent two years at Hotchkiss. She taught English, coached Bearcats in lacrosse and soccer, and lived in Bissell.

“It will be the honor of

a lifetime to return to Lakeville as Hotchkiss’s next leader.”

— DR. ANNE BRUDER

DEAR HOTCHKISS COMMUNITY,

I had the distinct honor of standing onstage in Katherine M. Elfers Hall as Tim Sullivan ’81, P’13,’16 announced my appointment as Hotchkiss’s next head of school. The energy and warmth I felt from students, faculty, and staff was unlike anything I have ever experienced. This community is extraordinary.

This will not be my first time at Hotchkiss. I spent two formative years in Lakeville as a young teacher. I arrived on a dusty summer day with a couple of duffle bags, a big box of books, and my trusty hound, Arlo. I had come to Hotchkiss to teach English, but in so many ways, Hotchkiss schooled me: when to listen and when to lead, how to build an educational culture elevated by curiosity while grounded in diligence, and why living in a community that collectively teaches the whole student is so deeply rewarding. Those lessons have stayed with me.

My professional journey has taken me from the rolling hills of North Carolina to the Kentucky bluegrass to the gleaming suburbs of Boston and Philadelphia, from boarding schools to colleges and universities and back to boarding schools again. When I begin my work in July as Hotchkiss’s 16th head, I will do so with profound respect for your School, a School that will soon become mine as well. It will be the honor of a lifetime to return to Lakeville as Hotchkiss’s next leader.

At the heart of my work is a vision of a school as a place of growth and transformation where young people prepare not merely for college or career but also for lives of deep meaning. That kind of school revolves around a rigorous academic and co-curricular program that cultivates lifelong habits of curiosity, judgment, resilience, and joy. It thrives when the community commits to this shared purpose while also celebrating the range of ideas and practices that make schools vibrant learning laboratories. Hotchkiss is just such a place.

During the announcement, Tim noted that I will be Hotchkiss’s first female head of school, but I won’t be Hotchkiss’s first woman leader. That honor belongs to Maria Bissell Hotchkiss. Her founding act of generosity, her belief in the power of a secondary education to change a young person’s life for the better, and her choice to situate the School in a place of natural beauty and wonder: those decisions are our shared heritage and our touchstones.

But Hotchkiss reinvents itself each year. All great schools do. The School endures but it never stands still. That’s because learning is a great adventure and education is a process of continuing self-discovery.

I am deeply grateful to Tim and the search committee for choosing me to lead Hotchkiss beginning next summer. My gratitude extends to the members of the Board for placing their faith in me. Most of all, I thank Head of School Craig W. Bradley, whose steady hand over the past decade has guided the School through challenging moments as well as triumphant ones. Under Craig’s leadership, Hotchkiss has grown stronger, more caring, more generous, and more optimistic. Craig and I will partner to ensure a seamless leadership transition.

Guided by each other, let us seek better paths.

Sincerely,

Anne Bruder, Ph.D.

A Life Without Borders

BY ELIOTT GROVER

How a global outlook shaped a lifelong commitment to education and service.

BILL MACARTHUR ’59, GP’23 has never taken the predictable route. After two years as a Wall Street lawyer, he moved to Tokyo, where he practiced law before helping American Express launch its international banking business back in New York.

In 1977, he and a colleague founded the Trans-Arabian Investment Bank in Bahrain with Saudi partners. While his partner expanded operations across the region, MacArthur connected Middle Eastern clients with U.S. real estate opportunities. Five years later, sensing another shift

ahead, he sold his stake and launched Brooksville Development Corporation. Drawing on relationships forged in Japan, he helped Japanese investors eager to enter the U.S. real estate market.

Over four decades, Brooksville and its Japanese partners developed single-family communities, shopping centers, and the 1,500-room Waldorf/Hilton Hotel complex at Disney World. MacArthur retired in October, closing a chapter on a career defined by bold turns and global reach.

“I’ve had a bit of an unconventional life,” he says.

MacArthur grew up in New England. His parents separated when he was 10, and he stayed with his father, a school administrator. “It was not a particularly happy time,” he recalls. Boarding school soon emerged as the best option.

In seventh grade, he enrolled as a boarder at Hackley School in Tarrytown, NY, where his uncle taught. Two years later, his father joined the faculty as director of admission.

“I was an active child, which is to say I got into trouble fairly frequently,” MacArthur says. “I was putting my uncle and father

in an awkward position.” Despite his strong academic and athletic performance, he amassed a long disciplinary record.

Scholarship Opens Doors at Hotchkiss

A lunch with his godfather, Russ Edwards—the beloved Hotchkiss Latin teacher and head of the School’s Dramatic Association—sparked a new direction. MacArthur applied to Hotchkiss and was admitted as a lower mid. Receiving the Lawrence W. Murphy Scholarship enabled him to attend.

“There was no way in God’s green acre I could have gone without a scholarship,” he says.

Lakeville gave the 15-year-old the change of scenery needed, but not the freedom he wanted. “Because of Hackley’s physical position in Tarrytown, it was relatively easy to ‘go over the hill.’ The school was on a hill, and there were local bars and stuff that my friends and I were discovering,” he says. “Hotchkiss seemed a prison compared to that.”

Hotchkiss students could leave campus only one weekend per semester, and MacArthur chafed under the School’s structure. A few days before his upper-mid year started, he decided to return to Hackley. “I indulged in a lot of foolishness that year,” MacArthur says. “I was spiraling down.”

The following summer brought a reckoning. MacArthur began to think seriously about the direction of his life. In late August, he returned to Hotchkiss on his own and pleaded for readmission as a senior. Despite his checkered record, he had finished in the top 5 percent of his class and lettered in three sports—soccer, swimming, and track. The School agreed to take him back, though there was no space in the dorms. He slept on his godfather’s couch until a bed opened later that fall.

His senior year proved transformative. “I stopped a lot of silly behavior and got serious about my work,” he says. “I owe Hotchkiss an enormous amount. God bless the School. Looking back, I realize what a pivotal moment that was for me––having the nerve to somehow feel that I could talk my way back in. To have that be successful taught me that you could do almost anything if you set your mind to it.”

“I owe Hotchkiss an enormous amount.”

— BILL MACARTHUR ’59, GP’23

That lesson would serve him well throughout his career, where he came to believe that fundamental change should never be avoided when necessary. MacArthur graduated from Yale University and Columbia Law School, but he maintains that the teaching and mentorship he received at Hotchkiss was the best of his education. English instructor Clint Ely left a particularly indelible mark.

“He had this wonderful openness,” MacArthur says. “You really felt that he listened to you. You mattered to him as a person, not just as a student. At that point, I needed a senior male figure in my life, and Ely filled that role.”

After Yale, MacArthur took a teaching job in the Philippines. “I’d grown up in the Northeast and felt I hadn’t experienced much of the world,” he says. The year broadened his perspective and planted seeds that would blossom throughout his life.

His time abroad ignited a lifelong fire. He met his first wife in law school, and their son, Andrew MacArthur P’23, was born while the couple worked as Wall Street lawyers. They quickly became disenchanted with corporate life in New York. When an opportunity arose to join a firm in Tokyo, they leapt.

Two years in Japan were followed by a year-long journey with then 4-year-old Andrew through Southeast Asia, India, and Afghanistan. In Kabul, they bought a used Volkswagen van and spent four months driving and camping through Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey en route to Europe. “A lot of places you wouldn’t take a 4-year-old child today,” MacArthur chuckles.

The trip was seamless. They sold the van outside the American Express

office in Amsterdam, the exact same place the young hippy from whom they had bought it in Kabul had purchased it two years before.

The young family returned to the States in 1973. Having lost interest in domestic law, MacArthur joined American Express International Banking Corporation—a professional transition that coincided with a personal one. He and his wife had been drifting apart and decided to separate.

At American Express, MacArthur met his second wife, Luz Thoron-MacArthur. Originally from the Philippines, she had worked at the United Nations before moving to Egypt, where her first husband served as president of the American University in Cairo. After his passing, Luz returned to the U.S. and joined American Express. She and MacArthur became a couple in 1976 and have been married for 46 years.

Their relationship is anchored by a shared love of travel and service. MacArthur has visited 103 countries. “I’m horrifically embarrassed to admit that I’m a monolinguist,” he says. “But my wife speaks six languages, so we’re covered.”

Today, they divide their time between Florida, a family compound on the Maine coast, an apartment in New York City—where their children and grandchildren live—and another in Paris. Travel remains constant, often tied to their nonprofit work. Luz co-chairs the Bhutan International Film Festival, and together

they support a range of organizations focused on children and education.

After starting Brooksville, MacArthur made a shrewd decision. “I had the good sense to hire three guys who knew more about the business than I did in individual areas,” he says. “That left me with a lot of free time.”

He has spent that time giving back. In the 1990s, while accompanying a friend— then the world’s leading turtle expert—on a turtle hunting trip to Madagascar, he met a Catholic nun named Sister Lucy, who ran an order called the Sisters of the Good Shepherd.

“I met her and she was an extraordinarily charismatic person helping to educate street children in the capital, so I emptied my pockets to her,” MacArthur says. He has supported the order for more than 30 years.

Since then, his philanthropy has taken many forms. Building on his work in Madagascar, MacArthur has helped run a girls’ school in India and a job training program in Tibet, and he has served on nonprofit boards worldwide devoted to education and health. He has also supported a production company whose documentaries on children’s issues have

earned international recognition, including an Academy Award. Through it all, he has found deep satisfaction in helping others gain the opportunities that once changed his own life.

MacArthur Fellowship Gives Gap Year to Bearcats

Two years ago, MacArthur returned to Hotchkiss for the graduation of his granddaughter, Aislinn MacArthur ’23.

The following day, his son Andrew invited him to join a meeting with Head of School Craig W. Bradley.

“My wife was in the car, and I was a little puzzled,” MacArthur recalls.

Bradley described a new scholarship program Andrew was helping to launch— one that would fund overseas experiences for young alumni.

“What a great program,” MacArthur said.

“I don’t think you understand,” Bradley replied. “Andrew is naming this after you.”

MacArthur burst into tears. He quickly composed himself and embraced his son.

“I was deeply touched by my son’s generosity and thoughtfulness,” he says. “It was such a wonderful thing,

“If students can map out a year and do all sorts of different things without worrying about earning money along the way, that’s a fantastic opportunity.”

— BILL MACARTHUR ’59, GP’23

given what my interests were and how important that time abroad was for me going forward. Andrew recognizes the value of a gap year abroad. He spent 10 years in Asia after graduation, working for The Wall Street Journal, arranging conferences and establishing print sites throughout the continent. That period abroad of independent activity also formed the basis of an exceptionally successful entrepreneurial career in real estate.”

The MacArthur Fellowship, the only one of its kind among peer independent schools, awards three graduating seniors or recent alumni a grant to fully fund an international gap year. Fellows design their own projects around service, internships, learning, cultural immersion, adventure, or other pursuits.

“I did that on a shoestring,” MacArthur says of his year in the Philippines and ensuing trip home. “If students can map out a year and do all sorts of different things without worrying about earning money along the way, that’s a fantastic opportunity.”

He speaks with quiet pride and gratitude as he reflects on his son’s gesture. For MacArthur—who has stayed connected to Hotchkiss through his class reunion committee, ongoing support of The Hotchkiss Fund, and participation in an online forum with his classmates—the fellowship is more than a tribute. It’s a continuation of his heartfelt belief that time spent exploring the world can open minds, deepen empathy, and shape a person for life.

And, importantly, it maintains his ongoing connection to Hotchkiss.

Giving Back to Hotchkiss

Meet Town Hill Society member Bill Tyree

’81, P’14: “I have designated Hotchkiss in my will for all the School has meant to me.”

BY CATHERINE CALAMÉ

Bill Tyree ’81, P’14 is managing partner of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. and a longtime Class Agent. He served two terms on the Board of Governors and Board of Trustees (treasurer), was co-chairman of his 25th reunion, and for the last 31 years has volunteered for The Boys’ Club of New York, where he has served as chairman of the board since 2016. Bill and his wife, Kathryn George, live in New York City and have three children: Brophy ’14, Hutch, and Didi.

Why did you choose to attend Hotchkiss?

I chose Hotchkiss because it was coed and my brother, Tom ’79, was there, as well as my cousin, David Cleveleand ’76. My son, Brophy ’14, attended Hotchkiss, and I have several nieces and nephews who are also Bearcats.

What did you do after graduation?

I was a skier and soccer player at Hotchkiss, and then I enrolled at Dartmouth, where I skied on the development team. I fell in love with English at Hotchkiss, so I majored in English at Dartmouth and wrote for the school newspaper. Dartmouth had an active career office, and because my brother was at Colgate and two years ahead, a lot of the uncertainty of what to do after college was taken out of the picture. I had one internship at Bank of Boston and another at Morgan Guaranty. While in Manhattan, I bumped into a Hotchkiss friend who told me about his role at Brown Brothers Harriman, and he introduced me to some colleagues. Coincidentally, the head of personnel at Brown Brothers was the father of one of my Hotchkiss classmates. I received job offers

JOIN THE TOWN HILL SOCIETY

from two companies and chose Brown Brothers. After working for a few years on a highly specialized team, I thought I needed a business degree to round out my credentials. I attended The Wharton School while continuing to work. I loved Brown Brothers and wanted to stay forever. I consider my experience there a gift.

How has Hotchkiss helped to shape your life?

There’s a mosaic of ways Hotchkiss has shaped my life. It’s the experiences I lived, the people I knew, the academic credibility I received, the skills I learned, and the broad network of instant friends I gained. When I travel near and far, I always bump into Hotchkiss graduates or someone who knows one. And when I do, I’m always welcomed because of that shared experience.

What legacy option did you choose to support Hotchkiss?

I have designated Hotchkiss in my will. It is one of three institutions that will receive an outright distribution upon my death. My wife, Kathryn, has likewise designated three

Members of The Town Hill Society have named Hotchkiss as the beneficiary of bequests, gifts from retirement accounts, gifts of life insurance, and life-income gifts such as charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder unitrusts. These gifts, no matter the size, provide Hotchkiss with critical and lasting support.

in hers. So when I go, my gifts will be distributed at that moment. We set this structure up a long time ago and have periodically increased the Hotchkiss gift size as our estate has grown. Our first priority is, of course, our kids, for their nest eggs, but after them, it’s Hotchkiss for all the School has meant to me.

Why have you chosen to support Hotchkiss financially through the Town Hill Society?

Hotchkiss provided the perfect transition for me, growing up as an “Army brat.”

The School launched me into a world full of opportunity; it introduced me to classmates from around the country and the world who are now friends; and it inspired me to love the classroom and learning. To me, there’s no question I owe some part of whatever success I’ve had back to Hotchkiss. My only question is how to give back? I’ve chosen scholarship support so that gifted teenagers who can’t afford a Hotchkiss education can still benefit from one.

We would be honored to discuss with you how your own Town Hill gift can allow you to bridge your current financial situation with the gift you dream of making to Hotchkiss. Contact Director of Gift Planning Brent Alderman Sterste at giftplanning@hotchkiss.org or (860) 435-3263, or visit hotchkiss.giftplans.org to learn more.

Dining Commons Opens as the Heart and Hearth of Campus Life

A bright, welcoming space designed to bring the community together.

WHEN THE NEW DINING COMMONS opened on Dec. 1, 2025, the Hotchkiss community gained more than a place to eat. Bright, welcoming, and designed for gathering, the new space has quickly become a hub of daily life where students, faculty members, and staff share meals, meet with advisors, study with friends, and connect throughout the day.

The beautiful facility was made possible through the generosity of many donors to the Ever Forward campaign, whose support— along with the dedication of many hardworking staff members— brought this vision to life. Their generosity has created a space that strengthens the sense of community at Hotchkiss.

The Dining Commons offers indoor and outdoor multi-use spaces for meetings and features a large, modern servery with numerous food stations as well as self-cooking options, including stir-fry stations and panini presses. The seating capacity of Bissell Dining Hall—named in honor of Howard Bissell Jr. ’31, who gave his four sons a Hotchkiss education—increased by more than 50 percent.

The design blends new energy with familiar tradition. Warm wood paneling, classic lighting, and Maria Bissell Hotchkiss’s portrait above the hearth echo the spirit of the School’s past while supporting the needs of today’s community.

“I’ve been spending hours every day in the new space,” Sia Reddy ’26 told The Hotchkiss Record. “It is really conducive to socializing, studying, and eating, all my favorite things.”

More details on the Dining Commons will appear in the next issue.

A Taste of the Past: Student Curates Dining History Exhibit

BY DARRYL GANGLOFF

Jeffery Gong ’26 curated “Tasting History: A History of Food at Hotchkiss,” an extensive exhibit that explores the Dining Hall’s past and the area restaurants that have fed the community. Drawn from the Hotchkiss Archives, local historians, and stories from faculty and staff, his passion project took approximately 10 months to complete and debuted with the opening of the new Dining Commons in December.

“I wanted to create an exhibit on local history because the more I look, the more cool stuff I seem to discover. What better topic than the history of the Dining Hall? It’s a very important part of our lives, and I just love food in general,” he explained. “By telling the history of taste, I hope that you will taste the history here.”

He discovered that over the years, the Dining Hall has expanded to offer a wide range of healthy and diverse food options. “There is an emphasis on flavor and health, which I think is a natural progression of things. Then we introduced the salad bars and the stir fry station. We have special programming, like Culture Week, and we focus on the diversity of cuisines. We’re all evolving together. That’s amazing.”

He chose to highlight area restaurants in his exhibit because “Hotchkiss is part of the local community.”

Jeffery thanked everyone who helped make his passion project a reality. “It is my project as much as it is a lot of other people’s project.”

A NEW NAME, AN ENDURING LEGACY

The dedication of Hurst Hall, formerly Memorial Hall, renews a historic dormitory while ensuring that the sacrifice of Hotchkiss alumni who died in war will always be remembered.

REMEMBERING THE FALLEN

Through the history of a beloved dormitory, Hotchkiss honors alumni who died serving their country.

IN 1923, MEMORIAL HALL —now known as Hurst Hall—was named in honor of the 23 Hotchkiss alumni who died in World War I. Over time, it has come to commemorate all Hotchkiss alumni who have died in service to the United States: 59 in World War II, four in Korea, and six in Vietnam. The building stands as a physical reminder of the ultimate sacrifice made by these 92 alumni.

Henry Rowe ’27, co-head of the Veterans Club, is passionate about sharing their stories. “Last year, I conducted a research project on the men for whom the dormitory was named,” he said. “Through their stories, I gained a deeper understanding of and connection to these alumni. Each of the names on the plaques in the dorm’s Common Room represents a person. They were teenagers, students like us, with hopes and dreams for the future. They shared the same Hotchkiss experience we do now. Yet, in service to a cause greater than themselves, they made the ultimate sacrifice so that we might enjoy the freedoms we have today.”

Throughout the fall and winter, Henry, along with Veterans Club co-head Anders Johnson ’27, led presentations at Hotchkiss to honor these alumni. They highlighted the four stories featured on these pages.

WORLD WAR I

KENNETH MACLEISH, CLASS OF 1914

“One story that has stayed with me is that of Kenneth MacLeish, class of 1914,” Henry Rowe ’27 said. “I read The Price of Honor, a list of all of MacLeish’s letters home, for a project last year. MacLeish was a naval aviator, a founder of the Yale Aero Club, and U.S. Navy officer who was shot down over Flanders, Belgium in 1918. He left behind a fiancée, a promising future, and a family who would never see him return. Kenneth is one of the 23 World War I alumni commemorated on the plaque in the common room. His older brother, Archibald MacLeish, Class of 1911 and a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, survived the war, and his legacy endures at Hotchkiss through the MacLeish Scholars Program.”

WORLD WAR II

THORNTON H. LYTTLE ’44

Thornton H. Lyttle ’44 was a four-year senior who came to Hotchkiss from The Buckley School in New York City, where his pediatrician father was a faculty member at Columbia University’s College of Physicians & Surgeons. Lyttle loved Hotchkiss. President of his class senior year, he was a good student with a particular interest in studio art. An avid skier, he also belonged to the Hotchkiss Dramatic Association and chaired the Mischianza He hoped to become an architect after college. Although he was accepted early to Harvard University, on his 18th birthday he registered with his local draft board and enlisted in the Marines. Less than two months later he found himself at boot camp in San Diego. In January 1945 he wrote Headmaster George Van Santvoord, Class of 1908, from “a beautiful island in the Central Pacific,” noting, “Now the sea breeze blows through the palm trees, the red ants and lizards crawl up my legs, and I sit, with one of my six bottles of beer a week, and dream of the hockey pond and the ski jump in the woods. ... We talk nostalgically about better days, which I’m afraid we didn’t realize were as much better than they were in light of the succeeding ones.” Van Santvoord did not receive another letter from Lyttle. Instead, in mid-March his parents wrote, reporting that their son died March 6, 1945 at Iwo Jima, one of 4,189 Marines killed in the 26-day siege. He was one of six Hotchkiss alumni who served at Iwo Jima. His classmate, Thomas Henry Guinzburg ’44, was also present. As a memorial, his parents tracked down a painting Lyttle and his father had seen a year earlier at Klaus Perls Galleries on East 58th Street, New York City. The piece had been sold, but the new owner was persuaded to sell it to the Lyttles, who wanted their son remembered at Hotchkiss with a painting he loved. Rue de Village is currently on display in the Head of School’s Office as part of Hotchkiss's collection.

“Now the sea breeze blows through the palm trees, the red ants and lizards crawl up my legs, and I sit, with one of my six bottles of beer a week, and dream of the hockey pond and the ski jump in the woods.”

KOREAN WAR

EDWIN BROYLES ’45

“The death of Edwin Broyles, Class of 1945, carried particular symbolic weight,” Anders Johnson ’27 said. “Broyles, a graduate of Yale University and a standout athlete during his school years, embodied the postwar ideal of the scholarathlete turned serviceman. Serving as a naval aviator, he was the last U.S. naval pilot lost before the end of the war, marking his death as a tragic closing note to the conflict. His loss resonated deeply within the Hotchkiss alumni network because it came so near the war’s conclusion.” Broyles was reported missing by the Navy when the jet bomber he was flying failed to return from a strike 200 miles north from the battle line in Korea. He graduated from Yale in 1949 and was with the Baltimore Sun before joining the Navy. He was awarded the Air Medal, a gold star in lieu of a second Air Medal, and the Distinguished Flying Cross for “heroism and extraordinary achievement.”

VIETNAM WAR

RANDOLPH FORD ’53

Commander Randolph Wright Ford ’53, a career pilot in the United States Navy, went down in Vinh, North Vietnam, near the coast, in June 1968, and was taken Prisoner of War (POW) by the North Vietnamese Army. His remains were returned to the U.S. on Aug. 14, 1985, and he was buried at the St. Augustine National Cemetery in St. Augustine, FL. His Bronze Star Medal with Valor Citation reads: “For heroic achievement in connection with operations against the enemy while serving as a pilot serving with Attack Squadron EIGHTY-SIX, embarked in USS AMERICA (CVA-66) on June 11, 1968. While on a night armed reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam, Commander (then Lieutenant Commander) Ford was forced by enemy action to eject from his A-7A Corsair II. Once on the ground, with his position compromised by the close proximity of enemy forces, and despite his having sustained injuries, he exhibited extreme courage and total disregard for his own safety by ordering the rescue forces to depart his immediate vicinity and proceed to a safe position where they would be out of the area of enemy fire. This action on his part greatly reduced and ultimately eliminated his only chance for rescue. Commander Ford’s daring actions, courage, and loyal devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”

HONORING THEIR SACRIFICE

Plaques in the Hurst Hall Common Room honor the brave Hotchkiss alumni who sacrificed their lives to keep us free.

WORLD WAR I (1914-1918)

Elbert C. Baker ’11

Alexander T. Burr ’13

Richard L.J. Conner ’03

Lyman H. Cunningham ’15

Allan W. Douglass ’15

Meredith L. Dowd ’14

Franklin C. Fairchild ’13

Charles A. Fleischmann ’15

Henry N. Grieb ’14

Roy E. Hallock ’03

William K. Inglis ’16

John L. Lilley ’05

Kenneth MacLeish ’14

Holmes Mallory ’14

Wilson Marshall Jr. ’16

Maxwell O. Parry ’05

Wilhelmus M. Rice ’06

John F. Richards II ’13

James W. Waters ’07

Glenn D. Wicks ’14

Hubert C. Williams ’03

Wallace C. Winter Jr. ’15

Reginald S. Young ’12

WORLD WAR II (1939-1945)

Arthur H. Adams III ’26

Courtenay D. Allington Jr. ’33

Paul B. Badger Jr. ’36

Robert L. Baker ’43

William Baker ’14

Eugene C. Brewer ’39

Mclntosh Brown ’33

William T. Brown Jr. ’39

Robert L. Brush ’38

Thomas J. Carter ’41

William H. Chickering II ’33

Harry J. Coombe ’41

Brenton W. Creelman ’31

Clarence P. Edmunds ’44

Foster M. Fargo ’37

William S. Farish Jr. ’33

Edmund M. Flaherty Jr. ’43

Lawrence N. Flinn ’28

William Flinn II ’36

Jonathan D. Grout ’36

George E. Haines ’38

William Harlow ’40

Thomas C. Hart ’35

Francis M. Hayes ’30

Robert R. Hogan ’44

George D. Holmes ’37

Robert S. Holt ’18

Gordon P. Hoover ’35

Martin H. Johnson ’29

Robert G. Lancaster ’40

John W. Lasell ’16

James Lee ’39

James L. Luke ’22

Thornton H. Lyttle ’44

Lucius B. Manning ’14

James S. McClave ’38

James G.K. McClure III ’37

George N. McLennan ’37

George H. Mead Jr. ’37

Ward Miller ’39

Charles S. Mitchell Jr. ’39

John C. Needham ’34

Carlton B. Overton Jr. ’37

John S. Parsons ’42

Charles M. Perry ’39

Richard C. Powell Jr. ’36

Hubert K. Reese Jr. ’36

Charles G. Ryan ’39

Robert W. Small ’34

William S. Snead Jr. ’39

Edmund C. Stout Jr. ’21

Lucian S. Strong Jr. ’40

George E. V. Sykes ’38

David E. Tileston ’39

William H. Wade ’25

William G. White ’37

Henry R. Wilson III ’37

Robert P. Woodhull ’36

Henry N. Young III ’35

KOREAN WAR (1950-1953)

David W. Bell ’49

Sully I. Berman Jr. ’49

Edwin N. Broyles Jr. ’45

Talbot Unz ’47

VIETNAM WAR (1955-1975)

Michael J. Carley ’58

Randolph W. Ford ’53

Allan C. Hoffman Jr. ’54

Richard W. Keithline ’65

Donald P. Pearson ’62

Bruce B. Warner ’60

DEDICATION OF HURST HALL HONORS FAMILY’S GENEROSITY

The renovated Common Room and new Memorial Quadrangle pay tribute to Hotchkiss graduates who made the supreme sacrifice in foreign wars.

BY DARRYL GANGLOFF

HOTCHKISS MARKED A HISTORIC MOMENT in the fall with the naming of Hurst Hall, formerly known as Memorial Hall. The iconic dormitory’s new name honors the extraordinary generosity of the Hurst family: Bob and Soledad Hurst P’97,’23,’24, Trustee Alex Hurst ’97, Jaidyn Hurst ’23, and Jared Hurst ’24. Their early and transformative gift to the Ever Forward campaign allowed the School to move forward with the long-awaited renovation of the building, ensuring that it will remain a rewarding residential community for students and faculty for generations to come.

During the dedication ceremony on Oct. 25, 2025, Head of School Craig W. Bradley reflected on the building’s long history and its enduring place in School life.

“This moment has been a long time in coming, and it is highly anticipated,” Bradley said. “The building behind me has long been known as Memorial Hall. It was originally dedicated to honor ‘those sons of Hotchkiss killed during World War I.’ The dedication was later extended to Hotchkiss alumni killed in all foreign wars.”

The Common Room within Hurst Hall, the renovation of which was made possible by Larry Flinn ’53, GP’22, remains dedicated to all Hotchkiss graduates killed in war. Their names are inscribed on plaques in the Common Room (see previous page).

As part of the day’s celebration, Bradley also announced the formal dedication of the space connecting Hurst, Wieler, and two faculty houses as Memorial Quadrangle, preserving the legacy of the original Memorial Hall name. A new engraved stone set into the pathway is dedicated to “the Hotchkiss graduates who made the supreme sacrifice in foreign wars.”

HISTORY OF

THE DORMITORY

Designed by architect Cass Gilbert, Memorial Hall was constructed in 1923 as the first 20th-century addition to the campus. Gilbert was quoted in 1924 as saying, “The style of the simple, old brick buildings of the Early Colonial or Georgian period was adopted … in the belief that the maintenance of simple standards of living in an environment of good taste and beauty would be an important factor in the training and development of the boys.”

The building was renovated in 1963. By the time 60 more years had elapsed, modern renovation was long overdue. Thanks to the Hurst family, the renewed building reopened to acclaim from the community in the fall of 2023. “It is now one of the most soughtafter residential halls on campus,” Bradey told the crowd at the dedication ceremony. He

emphasized the importance of the Hurst family’s gift in preserving and modernizing the building. “We are delighted to join with all of you in expressing our gratitude to the Hurst family for their generosity.”

Alex Hurst ’97 offered gracious words of thanks on behalf of his family, after which Board President Tim Sullivan ’81, P’13,’16 expressed gratitude for the Hurst family’s vision and impact on the residential experience at Hotchkiss.

“Alex, I offer these words to you and to all of the members of your family: thank you. You have preserved an absolutely iconic part of the Hotchkiss campus, ensuring that students for generations to come will remember living in this beautiful building.”

Sullivan then noted that the renovation has strengthened both student and faculty life on campus.

“You have preserved an absolutely iconic part of the Hotchkiss campus, ensuring that students for generations to come will remember living in this beautiful building.”

BOARD PRESIDENT TIM SULLIVAN ’81, P’13,’16

“Today, the faculty apartments in Hurst are some of the nicest on campus,” Sullivan said. “When campus adults are happy with their living space, they are much more likely to stay in it. Over time, long-serving teachers may raise families in a building. Their own children come to know it as home. And that creates a warmth and sense of continuity for the students, year after year, who live there. It feels like home for them, too. In that way, your family has done much more than renovate a dorm. You have contributed in a profound and lasting way to the high quality of the residential experience at Hotchkiss and to the strength of the Hotchkiss community.” In closing, Sullivan acknowledged the significance of the Hurst family’s generosity to the Ever Forward campaign. “Your

family’s incredibly generous gift is one of the largest we received during the campaign. It not only made the renovation of this historic building possible, but it also galvanized the campaign.”

Trustee Tom Edelman ’69, P’06,’07 ended the ceremony with a toast to Alex Hurst: “I just want to say how grateful we all should be, and certainly I am, to have him with us leading Hotchkiss into the future for decades to come.” He also acknowledged Hurst’s overall service on the Board and his new role as chair of the Board of Trustees’ Building, Grounds, and Environment (BG&E) committee.

Inside Hurst Hall, a plaque commemorates the building’s history and the enduring generosity of the Hurst family. The

text of the plaque reads as follows:

“This building is named in honor of the Hurst Family, whose extraordinary generosity made its renewal possible. Originally built in 1923 as Memorial Hall, named in memory of Hotchkiss graduates who lost their lives in World War I, Hurst Hall will continue to serve as a place of learning, friendship, and community for generations of students to come. The Common Room and Memorial Quad honor Hotchkiss graduates who made the supreme sacrifice in foreign wars. Hotchkiss will forever remember the Hurst Family’s enduring love for the School.”

Leadership Rooted in Relationships

Peter T. Grauer ’64 shares lessons on mentorship and

BY DARRYL GANGLOFF

WHAT DOES IT TAKE to be a good leader? “Relationships are absolutely key,” Peter T. Grauer ’64 told the crowd of students as he received the Alumni Award, Hotchkiss’s highest honor, during a ceremony in Katherine M. Elfers Hall on Jan. 30.

Grauer is a philanthropist and business leader who served as a top executive at Bloomberg, the global financial technology company, for more than two decades. He was named Chairman Emeritus in 2023 and retired from Bloomberg in 2025. His list of career accomplishments is extensive. Currently, he is president of the Board of Trustees of the Inner City Scholarship Fund in New York City. He serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Wildlife Conservation Society, the WNET Group, and the Buzzards Bay Coalition. He is a member of the board of the Prostate Cancer Foundation, chairman of the College Advising Corps, and founding chairman of the U.S. 30% Club. He is also a trustee of The Economic Club of New York and Rockefeller University. He has received numerous awards, including the Papal Order of Merit. In 2017, he was inducted into the North Carolina Media & Journalism Hall of Fame.

“Returning to Hotchkiss to receive the Alumni Award brings back reflection on my three years at the School,” he said. “Hotchkiss was instrumental in building the foundation of my leadership that resulted in a career in business that exceeded my wildest expectations and enabled me to give back to a number of important causes.”

During his time at Hotchkiss, Grauer served as president of the Student Council, secretary of St. Luke’s Society, sports editor for The Mischianza, and class treasurer. He was also co-captain of the football team

giving back.

and was named most valuable player for hockey and track.

Head of School Craig W. Bradley took to the Elfers stage to welcome Grauer. “This annual ceremony is one of the highlights of each academic year. It’s an opportunity to celebrate a lifetime of achievement and accomplishment. It’s an opportunity for us to learn, to be inspired, and to contemplate the significant influence Hotchkiss alumni have on the world,” Bradley said.

Robert Kuhn ’75, a member of the Alumni Association Board of Governors who sits on the Awards Nominating Committee, then spoke about the history of the Alumni Award. Since 1931, Hotchkiss has recognized 93 alumni for their exemplary work and achievements. “They embody our school’s motto: ‘Guided by each other, let us seek better paths.’ Peter, your extraordinary leadership in nonprofit and philanthropic ventures, as well as the business world, exemplifies this motto and the true spirit of the Alumni Award,” Kuhn said.

Anne Dinneen ’95, a member of

the Board of Trustees and chair of the Hotchkiss Investment Committee, joined Grauer on stage for a fireside chat. Grauer shared how he serendipitously met Michael Bloomberg while their daughters enjoyed horse-riding lessons, which led to Grauer’s lengthy career with the company. “You never know where these relationships are going to take you,” he said.

“Mentorship has been very important to you, and you’ve embedded it into the Bloomberg organization. Why is it so important for you to give back?” Dinneen asked. Grauer explained that the mentorship program he created gave employees “opportunity to grow.” He emphasized that you “can receive just as much in return” when you give back.

In his August 2023 Alum of the Month profile, Hotchkiss Trustee Emerita and former Board President Jean Weinberg Rose ’80, P’18, said, “Peter Grauer embodies the essential characteristics and qualities with which we want our students to graduate. He is passionate about everything he does and is an inspiration to those around him.”

Empathy in Action

Scott

Busby ’77 reflects

BY DARRYL GANGLOFF

THE HOTCHKISS COMMUNITY

on advancing human rights and answering the call to serve.

gathered in Elfers Hall on Nov. 4 to honor Scott Busby ’77 with the Community Service Award. He has dedicated his career to advancing human rights and supporting refugees worldwide. His service, spanning roles with the U.S. government, the United Nations, and other organizations, reflects his deep commitment to protecting vulnerable populations and strengthening global communities.

Head of School Craig W. Bradley opened the ceremony by noting that “service is integral to who we are and whom we aim to become.” He reminded students that the award reflects the School’s mission to prepare young people for lives that improve society.

Cameron Hough ’09, vice president of the Board of Governors and co-chair of the nominating committee for awards, emphasized that “service to others is a common bond that unites generations of Hotchkiss students.” She described Busby’s “extraordinary dedication and work in public service around the world,” sharing her hope that his example will inspire current students “to set your sights high.”

Busby worked for more than 30 years on human rights, refugee, and migration issues with the U.S. government and the United Nations before retiring from the Department of State in 2023. He received the F. Allen “Tex” Harris Diplomacy Human Rights Award from the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area. He is currently a senior advisor at Human Rights First, a senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a Distinguished Fellow with the Human Rights Institute of Georgetown University Law Center.

Katie Allen Berlandi ’88, P’19,’21, a former Trustee and former Board of Governors member, joined Busby on stage for a fireside chat. “I sit here so grateful for our lifelong friendship and to have this opportunity to chat with you in this wonderful community of people,” she said.

When asked how his interest in service began, Busby said it was “a deeply ingrained principle in my family.” He placed this in the context of his era at Hotchkiss, including “the end of the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and a lot of

ferment in U.S. society,” which fed his early desire to make the world better. “Hotchkiss actually helped me explore that,” he said.

He recalled an art history teacher writing noblesse oblige on the board, then telling the class that their privilege came with an obligation to give back. That idea “stuck with me,” he said, and it continues to motivate him.

Working on behalf of the public good allowed him to focus on people, and some of his most lasting memories came from helping asylum seekers find safety. He said that a highlight of his career was assisting a 16-year-old Guatemalan boy fleeing military abuse. “It still sticks with me because he was crying during the proceedings. Others were crying. It was a monumental change in his life. Moments like that are really rare, and I think you can experience those in community service,” he said.

Busby offered advice to students who want to pursue community service. “If you want to do international work, learn a language and live overseas. Go to a country you’re interested in and explore the issues there. Consider the Peace Corps.” He also suggested joining Hotchkiss clubs, such as St. Luke’s Society, and working with local communities. “There are all sorts of needs wherever you go.”

“Your ability to listen and synthesize and have empathy and intelligence is just amazing,” Berlandi told Busby. “Empathy is key to doing community service,” he responded. “You need to put yourself in the shoes of the people you’re trying to help. Listen to them about what their needs are and how they want them to be addressed. That is absolutely critical to being successful in community service.”

Hotchkiss Named Top Private and Boarding High School in America

THE HOTCHKISS SCHOOL is proud to be recognized as the #1 private high school and #1 boarding high school in America by Niche, the country’s leading college and school search platform. Niche also named Hotchkiss the #1 best high school for STEM in Connecticut. These prestigious rankings reflect Hotchkiss’s exceptional performance across numerous factors analyzed by Niche, including academic performance, extracurricular activity opportunities, college enrollment, data from dozens of public data sources, and user input from students, alumni, and parents. Hotchkiss thanks its faculty, staff, students, parents, and community for their hard work and dedication in making the School a place where excellence thrives.

Head of School Holidays Honor Alumnus and Essential Employees

HEAD OF SCHOOL CRAIG W. BRADLEY has declared two surprise Head of School Holidays so far this academic year.

The fall holiday was called in honor of John Grube ’65, P’00. He served on the Hotchkiss Board of Trustees for a combined total of 25 years. He is now a Trustee Emeritus. During Grube’s time on the Board, he made countless valuable contributions, particularly as chair of the Buildings, Grounds, and Environment Committee. “It is not an exaggeration to say that the campus we know and love would not exist in its current excellent state were it not for John Grube,” Bradley said.

The winter holiday was called in honor of the essential employees who worked so hard to keep the campus safe during a winter storm. Bearcats spent their free time enjoying the holiday and the snow.

Theatre Students Take the Stage

BY TRACY PHAM NGOC ’28 AND ELLIE MATASAR ’29

Pippin Kicks Off HDA Season

THE HOTCHKISS DRAMATIC ASSOCIATION presented Pippin from Nov. 7-9. It tells the story of Charlemagne’s firstborn son, Pippin, played by Jack McCarthy ’26, as he searches for meaning and fulfillment. The narrative unfolds as a show within a show, performed in the style of early medieval theatre.

Thirty-five students collaborated to bring the production to life in under two months. “We started by learning the music for the show and then added choreography. The final step of the process was adding the technical elements,” said director MK Lawson, instructor in theatre.

Olivia Kwon ’26, who played Catherine, Pippin’s love interest, said singing before a large audience was a challenge. “Ms. Lawson and Mr. Dan Koch, our musical director, worked closely with me to boost my confidence and technique,” she said.

When Pippin meets Catherine’s son, Theo, played by Hermione Wu ’27, their unlikely friendship leads to some of the funniest moments in the show. “Playing Theo challenged me to capture the physicality of a young boy and to convey his connection with Pippin and Catherine,” she said.

Pippin’s story was narrated by the charming and mysterious Leading Player, played by Carla Oudin ’26. “The Leading Player is supposed to feed off the audience, so it pushed me to step outside my comfort zone,” she said.

The show featured action-packed scenes, including dances, stunts, and fight choreography. Lily Siris ’26 enjoyed performing Glory, describing stage fighting as “grown-up kids playing pirates.” Tyler Rosenblum ’27 was the heartless and commanding King Charles. “I knew I had to be bold and confident in my acting to do the role justice, and it has helped me expand my range as an actor,” Tyler said.

Frankenstein Comes to Life

THE HDA PRESENTED FRANKENSTEIN from Feb. 13-15. It was co-directed by Director of Theatre Derek Brashears and William Becker ’26.

Thirty-one students and six faculty members and local artists supported the show’s design and management. Destiny Herd ’26 served as production stage manager. Kate DeAngelis led costume design, while Brashears handled set, lighting, and sound design. Yanlin Fazzone ’29 and Autumn Hemelt ’27 did makeup design. Davida LaCosse was technical director, and Andrew Knight, instructor in English and theatre, managed props.

The play follows Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Jack McCarthy ’26) as he creates a living creature (Steven Hicks ’26) from corpses, only to abandon it. The plot follows the Creature’s evolution and the dynamic between creator and creation.

Brashears described the play as a story about how the Creature is misunderstood. “He is born into abuse and fear, and yet somehow still gains his humanity,” he said. William noted, “This story grapples with who is the monster and who is the man.”

Chiwo Mupita ’27, who played the role of Madam Frankenstein, said, “Mr. Brashears is just relaxed enough where I feel like I can really have fun on stage, yet he also pushes us to be better. It is the perfect happy medium.”

Music and set design were chosen to create a dark setting, and the lighting created moments of horror and visual attention. “Movement, sound, and clean, powerful visuals drive this production as much as a great script and performances to match,” Brashears said.

Audience members responded positively to the show.

Chloe Cairns ’29 said, “Steven’s acting was incredible; he embodied the character so completely.”

HDA will present Romeo and Juliet from May 8-10. Versions of these articles originally appeared in The Hotchkiss Record.

Nalen Lecturer Celebrates Love of Literature

BY DARRYL GANGLOFF

HOTCHKISS WELCOMED New York Times bestselling author Lauren Groff for the Nalen Lecture, an annual celebration of Daily Themes in English 250, on Feb. 18.

“Narrative is what makes us human,” she told the crowd of students in Walker Auditorium.

“It allows us to connect to other people.”

The Nalen Lecture represents the annual celebration of the Daily Themes essay unit in English 250. All students attended this year’s lecture due to their high engagement with Groff’s work over the past two years.

Upper mids and seniors read Groff’s novel Matrix ahead of English 350 as their summer reading. Preps and lower mids read her essays and stories in preparation for her visit.

Groff is the author of The Monsters of Templeton, Arcadia, Fates and Furies, Matrix, The Vaster Wilds, and the short story collections Delicate Edible Birds and Florida. Her honors include The Story Prize, the ABA Indies’ Choice Award, France’s Grand Prix de l’Héroïne, and the Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She was named to Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list in 2024 and owns an independent bookstore in Florida with her husband.

William Becker ’26 and Avery HinesMudry ’27, who had both written

comparative essays on Groff’s work for their English classes, introduced Groff and shared how her writing shaped their own thinking in and beyond the classroom. William described his first experience with Matrix and the way it stayed with him long after summer reading ended. “Matrix was my introduction to Groff’s writing,” he said. “I was immediately struck by the liveliness and detail she gave to historical fiction.”

Avery highlighted the questions Matrix raises about power and agency. “Matrix explores themes of matriarchal rule, female agency, ambition, and the connection between the human and natural worlds,” she said, noting how the novel helped her think about possibility and resilience.

When Groff took the stage, she thanked students for reading with such care and energy, adding how meaningful it was to join a community gathered for books and ideas. She reflected on what brings people together in an auditorium on a winter evening. “We are here celebrating our love of literature, a love of the life of the mind.”

Groff’s remarks returned again and

again to the connective power of stories, and how reading and writing can help you make meaning, build empathy, and feel less alone. “Art is the distillation of everything that is good in humanity. Art is our generosity, our joy and beauty, our gentleness, our attention, our expertise, our craft, our love of materials, our fleeting gods, our urge to communicate with other souls through time, even those that are long dead, even those who have yet to be born.”

The Nalen Writing Program was established by Skip Nalen ’48, P’79, GP’13,’15 as a gift to the School in appreciation of the writing instruction generations of graduates have received at Hotchkiss.

Guest Speakers Inspire Students

Hotchkiss’s Center for Global Understanding and Independent Thinking hosted Jing Qian, vice president of the Asia Society, who discussed “Finding Your Way in the Era of AI and Geopolitical Transformation.”

Drawing on his experience as a cancer survivor, an educator working closely with young people, and a practitioner of U.S.-China dialogue and peacebuilding, he explored a simple but demanding framework for a meaningful life.

What’s it like to live on the International Space Station? Students learned the answer from Dr. Jennifer Lavasseur , curator of the Space Shuttle and ISS programs at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution. Her talk tied directly to this year’s All-School Read, Samantha Harvey’s Orbital, which tells the tale of six crew members on the ISS.

Read about this year’s Preston Lecture on Page 31.

From Jeju to Dubai: Hotchkiss Around the World

United Nations Shares

Student’s Documentary with Global Audience

REMY LEE ’26 CREATED a documentary, The Mermaids, that has been officially endorsed and promoted by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. This global UN initiative connects people and the ocean.

Filmed in Jeju, where Remy grew up, The Mermaids explores the culture of Jeju Haenyeo, Indigenous female freedivers whose practice has been recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. Remy’s documentary showcases Haenyeo lessons in communal strength, resilience, and courage.

The Mermaids was on view at Hotchkiss in 2024 as part of Remy’s YoungArts-winning solo photo essay, Sea, Breath, Songs: Story of the Haenyeo. Now it has a global audience.

“Sharing the lessons of Haenyeo culture with a greater audience was a mission I had from the beginning, and I feel extremely grateful and humbled for the opportunity to do that in such an amazing way,” Remy said. “This promotion rings even more meaningful to me because Haenyeo culture has been facing a threat of discontinuity due to the changing ocean environment and aging population. Some experts estimate that it may go extinct in the next 20 years. Unfortunately, this narrative is one shared by many other indigenous seaside communities around the world. I hope my documentary will contribute to preserving Haenyeo’s heritage for the future.”

Delegation Builds Global Connections at Round Square Conference in Dubai

SEVEN STUDENTS AND TWO FACULTY members traveled to Dubai in the fall to represent Hotchkiss at the Round Square International Conference. They collaborated with students from around the world on the Round Square IDEALS of international understanding, democracy, environmental stewardship, adventure, leadership, and service. Hotchkiss is a member of Round Square, which is an international community of more than 280 schools in 50 countries.

“At the official opening ceremony, we watched traditional dances, singing, drum playing, and even a robot show, all performed by students at the host school. I was able to make friends with people from all around the world.” CALEIGH LANE ’27

“Today was environmentalism day. We were greeted by a speaker who talked about climate change. After dinner, the cultural evening was one of the highlights of the day. Delegates from around the world displayed their culture in a rich collage of performances.” RYAN LEE ’28

“The highlight of the day was sand dune riding. Imagine surfing or snowboarding but on waves of sand.” SHAAN PATEL ’27

“Learning about Abu Dhabi and experiencing the young city firsthand was the most fun I’ve had in our journey so far.” JUSTIN KEARSE ’27

Family Weekend Highlights

Community Spirit

It was a joy to welcome families back to campus for Family Weekend in the fall. Over three days, parents and guardians joined their students for classes, performances, meals, and conversations that showcased the energy and warmth of the Hotchkiss community. They also gained fresh insights into the college admissions process through a thoughtful discussion between Jeff Selingo, New York Times bestselling author of Who Gets In and Why and Dream School, and Director of College Advising Serena Oh Castellano. PHOTOS

Boys Basketball Triumphs to a Trophy

BY MASON VON JESS ’19

AS THE FIRST SIGNS OF SPRING began to show across New England during the weekend of March 7-8, boys varsity basketball Head Coach Joe Busacca and his team had their focus firmly on completing their goal set during the teeth of winter: bringing a championship back to the Hotchkiss community. And on March 8, they did just that. Hotchkiss defeated Phillips Andover 66-54 to secure the NEPSAC Class A Boys Basketball Championship, adding to their season résumé after already winning a Founders League title.

Although neither Coach Busacca nor any of his players had ever competed in a NEPSAC Championship, the group had familiarity to lean on in the minutes leading up to the game. Their playoff journey would end on the court of Worcester Academy, where it began four days earlier in a quarterfinal contest pitting Milton Academy, the neutral-site host, against the Bearcats. While their classmates and teachers cheered from a viewing party in the new Dining Commons in Lakeville, the team established a halftime lead that held through a 57-54 victory over the Mustangs.

No such stream was necessary on Saturday as Hotchkiss played host to Phillips Exeter

on March 7 in the semifinal matchup. Feeding off the energy vibrating through the Forrest E. Mars Jr. Athletic Center, the team gave its supporters plenty of reasons to cheer. Hotchkiss never trailed, trouncing the Lions 69-52.

This victory earned the team one more opportunity in the final game to collectively manifest the calling card of their coach: Be Better Than Yesterday (BBTY). Busacca said he was most proud of the team’s “resilience” during this playoff run. “This group had the mental grit to lock in when we needed it most.” And it would be easy to understand why for fans who had followed the team from the start of the season. They ran a 5-on-0 and press breakdown drill every day to fall in love with the details.

“Usually, it can be hard to invest high school players in these types of drills, but this group wanted to be better,” Busacca said. “That’s what is so special about this group of guys. They had the individual discipline to see the long-term goal and what needed to happen every day to get there.”

Once the team returned from Winter Break, they found form, leading to a 19-1 record in 2026, helping capture the Founders League title, the first under Busacca. “It

means a lot to the community. There have been so many community members who played a pivotal role in our success,” he said. Another message embodied by this team is the essence of community and group contribution. “This was the first year that I didn’t start the season by choosing captains. The seniors on the team this year were all such good leaders in their own ways that it almost felt like choosing a captain would be a detriment to the team. Every practice and every game, they set the bar and supported the younger guys along the way.”

That does not undermine the significance of the performances from the tournament MVP, Jordan Ghee ’26, All-Founders League players (Jordan, 1st team; Preston Merrick ’26, 1st team; Alonzo Archbold ’27, 2nd team), or any other teammate, but rather draws on the collaboration that helped yield these individual recognitions, along with the team’s championship.

“For Hotchkiss basketball, it's a stepping stone,” Busacca said. “We have won two NEPSAC titles in five years and are looking forward to continuing that success.”

Running Toward the Record

Copey Rollins ’26 turns years of training into a record-breaking run and a Founders League title.

BY DARRYL GANGLOFF

ON A CRISP OCTOBER AFTERNOON during Family Weekend, Copey Rollins ’26 rounded the final turn of the Hotchkiss cross country course and caught sight of the clock. For most of the race, the record had felt just out of reach. Then, suddenly, a smile crossed his face.

“I realized this is actually going to happen,” he said. “And then I pushed super hard at the end.”

He crossed the finish line in 16:19, setting a new School record and shaving time off the previous record set in 2018 by Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff ’19. The victory was particularly meaningful because it was his last time running this course as a Bearcat. Racing on Family Weekend, he also had his parents and grandmother there to watch. “It was really cool,” he said. “It was important to me that they were there.”

Just weeks later, Copey celebrated another milestone performance, winning the Founders League Championship in 16:11.8 after breaking away early in the race. With that finish, he joined Huck Whittemore ’22 and Marco Quaroni ’16 as the only Bearcats to win the Founders League title since the 1980s.

Copey has been working toward his record-breaking run for years.

“I joined cross country my freshman year at Hotchkiss, and I fell in love with it,” he said. What began as a casual decision not to pursue another sport quickly became something more. Early races revealed his potential, and encouragement from his coaches and teammates inspired him to strive for his personal best.

That sense of possibility deepened over time, but not without setbacks. After a strong sophomore season, injuries disrupted his progress. “Junior year got me nowhere in cross country,” he said. “I don’t think I

had a single personal record.” The course record, once a distant goal, began to feel even further away.

He focused on the work. Training became the foundation of his success. “In the winter and summer, I’m alone,” he said. “You have to keep yourself accountable. And I really enjoy that.” During the school year, training shifts to long runs with teammates.

“It’s really nice to be with friends,” he said. “You get to talk, and it definitely helps you push yourself when there’s somebody you’re trying to run with.”

That balance shaped his senior season. By early fall, his times were improving, and his confidence began to build. Still, the record felt uncertain.

“If you had asked me the day before if I was going to break the record, I would have said there’s no way,” he said. “I was going to

try, but I didn’t really think it would happen.”

He approached the race with a willingness to take a risk. “This is my last time. There’s really nothing to lose. Why not give it everything?”

That perspective carried him through the toughest stretches of the course, including the final climb, where fatigue often decides the race. By the time he reached the top, the possibility of the record came back into view. He didn’t let it go.

He also points to the steady support around him at Hotchkiss and thanks the coaches, teammates, and friends who believed in him. “Coach Pierre Yoo has always told me he thought I could break the school record,” Copey said. “Just having the support from my friends at Hotchkiss really meant a lot to me.”

Boys Hockey Skates to Successful Season

Boys varsity hockey completed their most successful season in recent history. The team qualified for the Elite 8 playoff bracket and won their first postseason game (a 3-0 victory over St. Sebastian’s, pictured above) since 1997 before falling to the eventual champions, Avon Old Farms, in the semifinals. They skated to a 17-6-4 record, including winning the 60th Annual Flood-Marr Tournament for the first time in 18 years.

Mountain Biking Rides to Fourth Straight League Title

The Hotchkiss mountain biking team raced to another Housatonic Mountain Biking League Championship this fall, topping seven schools and nearly 100 riders to finish an undefeated season and claim their fourth straight league title. Hotchkiss dominated the league standings with Asher Frankel ’26, Thatcher Meili ’27, Tiger Mutter ’26, and J.T. Popp ’26 finishing first, second, third, and fourth overall, while Greta Roswech ’29, Sasha Carmel ’27, Maya Grogean ’26, and Coco Sheronas ’26 swept the girls’ top four.

Juliet Webb ’26 Swims to Founders League Championship Title

Bearcats Roar to Taft Day Victory

Hotchkiss’s annual Taft Day rivalry showdown was held in Lakeville in November. Bearcats roared to a thrilling 10-2-2 victory as the loud and proud Blue Mob cheered for the field hockey, volleyball, girls soccer, boys soccer, and football teams against the Rhinos. While Hotchkiss athletes battled on their home fields, the boys and girls JV and varsity cross country teams traveled to Taft on Taft Day to compete in the New England Division 1 Championships. All four teams defeated the Rhinos on the road to add to Hotchkiss’s winning tally. “Congratulations to our teams for the most successful Taft Day in terms of victories. It was a lovely day,” Head of School Craig W. Bradley said.

Field Hockey Wins Championship

Varsity field hockey won the Founders League Championship. The team was undefeated in league play and competed in the NEPSAC Class A Championship quarterfinals.

Juliet Webb ’26 won the girls 50-yard freestyle swimming event at the Founders League Championship in February. She also placed second in the girls 100-yard freestyle.

PROGRESS TOWARD EQUITY

Democracy as a Beloved Community

Hotchkiss celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day

BY DARRYL GANGLOFF

THE HOTCHKISS COMMUNITY came together on Monday, Jan. 19, for a full day of learning and conversation in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Centered on the theme “Democracy as a Beloved Community,” workshops and discussions invited students and faculty to engage with King’s vision of democracy as both an aspiration and a shared responsibility.

The day began with an All-School Program in Walker Auditorium featuring a keynote address by Timothy Patrick McCarthy, an award-winning scholar, educator, and human rights defender who has taught at Harvard University since 1998. He framed the significance of the day not as a moment frozen in history, but as a living challenge.

“I’m here today because I believe in my bones that Dr. King’s life and legacy matter in different ways to all of us,” McCarthy said. “I am here because I believe that we can learn a great deal from the lessons that Dr. King and his generation of freedom fighters left for us.”

He emphasized that democracy is unfinished work. “This nation and our world need more loving critics like Dr. King, people who are willing to question the status quo and speak truth about the injustices of our own time, precisely because we are so deeply committed to building a world together that we can all share freely, equally, and peacefully,” he said.

“It’s this loving criticism that King and so many others represent that helps us get to the beloved community,” he continued. “But the beloved community is not just coming. It’s not waiting for us. It doesn’t exist yet. It’s something we have to work for.”

Ashley Aluko, Walter Crain fellow, co-director of pluralism and community, and instructor in history, then joined McCarthy on stage for a fireside chat. “What does it mean to practice democracy daily rather than simply believe in it?” she

asked her former professor. “Democracy is how we treat one another within the society that we’re sharing and we’re trying to change and build for the better,” he answered. He also mentioned voting, staying engaged, asking tough questions, and being good neighbors.

Workshops and Reflections

Following the keynote, students moved into nearly 20 workshops exploring democracy, justice, identity, storytelling, science, ethics, food, athletics, and activism. Some classrooms focused on discussions of the Constitution and mapping voting districts. In the new Dining Commons, students learned how to cook southern cuisine. In the only student-led session of the day, attendees talked about the life of Fannie Lou Hamer, a leader of the Civil Rights Movement. The Songs for Smiles club also organized a performance featuring student musicians at Noble Horizons, a retirement community in Salisbury, CT.

“Today’s speaker and programming reminded me how one person’s voice can inspire change and leave a lasting legacy,”

Pahal Bhasin ’26 told The Hotchkiss Record Dorm-based conversations in the afternoon allowed students to reflect on their own experiences and what they had heard throughout the day. Representatives from each dorm then shared their thoughts in Katherine M. Elfers Hall during a closing ceremony, which featured speeches by Head of School Craig W. Bradley and Jason Larson, director of religious and spiritual life and instructor in philosophy and religion.

“Democracy is not a spectator sport. It’s about participation,” Bradley told the crowd before dozens of students headed to the microphone to share their reflections.

One student said, “Today we gathered together in our dorm’s Common Room and had a great discussion about how, in our residential community, we all affect each other in our actions. We each share the responsibility of lifting one another and making others feel safe. I want to carry the responsibility of leading quietly in my own communities, like my dorm, clubs, and sports teams. Everyone should be treated with fairness and respect, and that starts with me and you.”

Preston Lecturer Discusses ‘The Impact of Antisemitism in America’

HOTCHKISS WELCOMED DR. RACHEL FISH as this year’s Preston Lecturer on Dec. 2. She engaged students, faculty, and staff in a powerful conversation on “the impact of antisemitism in America in the 21st century.”

Dr. Fish is a leading scholar and educator who co-founded Boundless, a nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing Israel education and combating antisemitism. She also serves as a special advisor for The Brandeis University President’s Initiative on Antisemitism, is an associate research professor at the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies, and teaches Israeli history and society at George Washington University.

Two Faculty Members Named Co-Directors of Pluralism and Community

The Edward B. Preston ’79 History Speakers Fund was established in 1986 by Ted Preston’s family following his death. In 1991, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Preston Jr. P’75,’79 and their son and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Preston III ’75, added additional funds. This endowed fund has been used to bring practicing historians to campus to give lectures and participate in classroom discussions.

Lunar New Year: Music, Food, and Tradition

The Hotchkiss community welcomed the Year of the Horse in February with a joyful, student-led Lunar New Year celebration that brought the campus together for performances, hands-on cooking workshops, shared meals, and evening festivities.

ASHLEY O. ALUKO , Walter Crain Fellow and instructor in history, brings her background in history and equity design to cultivate spaces where belonging and critical inquiry coexist as co-director of Pluralism and Community at Hotchkiss. She is in her 15th year of what began as a two-year commitment to education. Deeply invested in storytelling, pedagogical development, and values-based community building, her work spans teaching history across grades 7-12, coaching and working with Teach For America Memphis, and later founding and leading a History Department while developing the school’s first director of equity role—all toward cultivating spaces where people think critically about the world and one another. She holds a B.A. in history from Stony Brook University, an M.A. in Secondary Social Studies Education from Hunter College, and an M.Ed. in Education Leadership from Harvard University.

PIERRE YOO P’21,’23, instructor in chemistry, serves as the co-director of Pluralism and Community at Hotchkiss with a student-facing focus. He arrived at Hotchkiss in fall 2011 after working at The Hill School, Thacher School, and St. George’s School. He is the proud parent of two daughters from the classes of 2021 and 2023. He served as a facilitator for the Asian, Asian Pacific Islander Affinity Group at the People of Color Conference (PoCC) from 2017-24 and co-presented a workshop in 2022 at PoCC. He completed training as a SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) leader. He also attended the Interschool Leadership Institute, the National Practitioners Institute, and the NAIS Diversity Leadership Institute. He enjoys being the head of Edelman dormitory and previously enjoyed his time as the head of Dana; he is in his 33rd year living and working in a dormitory. He is the head coach for the boys cross country team, which won the School’s first two Founders League Championships in 2021 and 2023. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Science in Educational Administration from the University of Scranton.

to Celebrating

COAST COAST

The Coast to Coast tour has so far made its way to Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Palm Beach, and New York City. Alumni, parents, and friends connected, heard updates on the Ever Forward campaign, and honored Head of School Craig W. Bradley in his final year at Hotchkiss. The next stop is Washington, D.C., on May 6, 2026.

Marking Milestone Reunions

Members of the Classes of 1960 and 1975 visited Lakeville in the fall for their milestone reunions. Laughter, stories, and friendships picked up right where they left off.

Bridgerton Author Represents Hotchkiss

As the latest season of Bridgerton returned to Netflix, Julie Cotler Pottinger ’87 (known to dearest gentle readers as Julia Quinn, bestselling author of the Bridgerton book series) served as Hotchkiss’s host at the Eight Schools Association alumni networking event in Seattle on Jan. 27. Attendees from a variety of industries led small-group discussions centered on their professional paths, industry trends, and life beyond boarding school.

From left, Bridgerton author Julie Cotler Pottinger ’87, Kate Hartnack Beltramini ’90, and Margaret Hamilton Reeves ’91.

Across Generations, a Family Makes an Enduring Gift

Four family members, united by a love of research and learning, create lasting support for Hotchkiss’s University Scholars Programs.

BY DARRYL GANGLOFF

AT HOTCHKISS, CURIOSITY DOES not stop at the classroom door. Through the Hotchkiss Student Research Programs, students travel to prestigious libraries to conduct research in English, history, math, and environmental science as part of the MacLeish, Hersey, Euclid to Einstein, and Matthiessen programs. They are guided by faculty mentors and fueled by their own intellectual drive.

For one family, that kind of learning feels deeply personal.

Dr. Daniel and Jane Glazer P’27,’29 and Drs. Roslyn and Stuart Orkin GP’27,’29 recently established an endowed fund to support these programs in perpetuity. Their gift reflects not only a belief in the power of research but also a shared family commitment to education and giving back.

These values span generations.

“For our family, our number one value has always been education,” said Jane, who received the McKee Award in recognition of her tireless work for The Hotchkiss Parents Fund (see p. 36). “More specifically, for most of us, research has always been something that has been forefront.”

They are a family of lifelong learners and researchers who want to share that passion with young Hotchkiss students.

Jane is a dual board-certified nurse practitioner in pediatrics and family medicine. Dan serves as the CT Service Chief for Mass General Brigham, and he is an associate professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School. Stuart is an award-winning researcher, physician, and distinguished Harvard professor. He is

celebrated for his pioneering gene-based treatments for sickle cell disease and thalassemia, and he was honored by the National Academy of Sciences for his contributions to medicine. Roslyn is trained as an extracellular matrix developmental biologist and transitioned to academic administration. She joined Boston Children’s Hospital and became associate chief for faculty development in the division of hematology and oncology.

Their shared perspective came into focus during a presentation about the Hotchkiss Student Research Programs. Hotchkiss students in these programs spend their summers conducting original research. They work with primary sources and contribute new insights to their chosen subjects. For the Glazer-Orkin family, the opportunity

felt both rare and essential.

“The fact that the students have access to the materials they have and the depth and breadth of the challenge that they have, it seemed special, unique, and just went along with everything that we love as a family,” Jane said.

For Dan, the appeal was immediate and specific. As a history major, he remembers the impact of working directly with primary sources and sees that same transformative potential for Hotchkiss students. He was particularly drawn to the Hersey Scholars Program, which gives selected students the opportunity to conduct research focused on history, politics, cultural studies, economics, and philosophy at archives in Boston, including Harvard’s Schlesinger and Houghton libraries.

“I found conducting primary source research was a way to really bring that material to life and just make it seem so much more exciting,” he says. “You could actually look at the material from whatever era you were studying and make your own conclusions.”

Providing that opportunity can change how students learn. “Having that opportunity available to high school students is wonderful,” he continued. “It will hopefully teach them how to get excited about an intellectual question and give them this sort of little window into all the possibilities that are out in front of them.”

The structure of the programs also stood out. Students pursue projects over time, balancing independence with mentorship. This approach mirrors the inquiry-driven work the Glazer-Orkin family members have experienced in their own careers.

“It really gives the students a lot of freedom, but also guidance,” Dan said. “They set up a project of something that they’re passionate about and are able to see that forward throughout the course of the year.”

Drawn to Hotchkiss’s Culture

That combination of rigor and support reflects Hotchkiss’s emphasis on both high expectations and a caring, connected community.

Jane saw that balance firsthand through her son, Jake ’27, and daughter, Lilah ’29. “The thing that drew us to Hotchkiss was Jake,” she says. “He set foot on the campus

and said, ‘I’m going to email them and say it’s my first choice.’”

The School’s culture stood out to the Glazers as much as the academics. “The reason for that is the realness of the students,” Jane said. “They’re smart, but they’re also empathetic. The idea that working together, everyone’s better. That’s been Jake’s and Lilah’s lived experience.”

Dan echoes that sense of connection, emphasizing the great relationships his children are building with friends and teachers. “You combine the academics and the athletics and the community, and just create this wonderful sense of being,” he said.

“For our family, our number one value has always been education."

JANE GLAZER P'27,'29

For Stuart, that sense of engagement extends into the classroom and beyond. After speaking with students in the Hotchkiss Medical Club, he came away impressed by their curiosity and ambition. “They asked very good questions about their career path,” he says. “It gave me a sense of the students and their enthusiasm for looking ahead.”

That enthusiasm mirrors a lifetime of his own work in medical research. “I’ve been doing medical research for 40-some-odd years,” Stuart said. This perspective informs

both his professional life and the family’s philanthropic approach.

Roslyn shares a similar background, having spent decades in research and academic leadership. Together, their experiences have shaped how they think about supporting future scholars—not just for today, but for years to come.

A Strong Sense of Philanthropy

“Because it’s permanent,” Stuart says of the decision to create an endowed gift, “it doesn’t get spent away immediately.”

Roslyn says the long-term impact is key. “It gives multiple generations a chance to support the program over time,” she said. “We appreciate the need for current funds, but also the need for permanent funding opportunities.”

Jane sees permanence as both practical and symbolic. “When you’re thinking about the permanent nature of something, you’re showing extra support,” she says. “Not only the physical support, but also the idea of longevity was important.”

Continuity across generations is central to the family’s story. Philanthropy, like education, is something they hope to pass forward.

“I grew up with a really strong sense of philanthropy,” Jane says. “We’re lucky enough to be able to give back, and it’s really important. And part of that is teaching our kids to do that as well. Hopefully they’ll teach their kids.”

Stuart reflects on that perspective in simple terms. “We hope that they appreciate it themselves, and might do the same sometime down the line,” he says.

In many ways, the gift brings together the family’s values of intellectual curiosity and commitment to others. It also reflects trust in Hotchkiss and in the students who will carry these opportunities forward.

“It’s a testament to the School that we’re comfortable sending our most prized possessions away from home,” Jane says. “We’re supporting their choice to be able to tap these opportunities that don’t exist anywhere else.”

Through their endowed support of the Hotchkiss Student Research Programs, the Glazer-Orkin family is helping ensure that those opportunities continue for today’s students and for generations to come.

Hotchkiss Honors Outstanding Volunteers at Awards Ceremony

Peter Carnes ’57 and Jane Glazer P’27,’29 received awards for their distinguished service to Hotchkiss at a ceremony at the Harvard Club in New York City this fall. Their dedication has strengthened the School’s mission and fostered connections among alumni and parents. The School is deeply grateful for their continued support.

Peter Carnes ’57

ARMITAGE AWARD RECIPIENT

The Armitage Award is named in honor of the late Thomas W. Armitage, Class of 1925, in recognition of his tireless work for The Hotchkiss Fund. It is presented each year to an outstanding class volunteer for their distinguished service to The Hotchkiss Fund.

PETER CARNES ’57 received the Armitage Award for his extraordinary leadership.

“Peter has maintained personal connections with his classmates for nearly seven decades, ensuring that every member of the Class of 1957 feels connected to Hotchkiss,” noted Mark Lufkin, director of The Hotchkiss Fund, during the presentation ceremony.

Carnes’s impact on his class has been so profound that he earned the nickname “Mr. Hotchkiss” among his peers. His classmate George Longstreth ’57, P’82,’85,’96, GP’22 offered a moving tribute: “Since 1957, some 68 years ago, month after month, year after year, Peter Carnes has urged his classmates to donate to our alma mater, raised funds, supported the School, encouraged classmates to join in. He has usually done this by himself, occasionally asking classmates to help.”

Longstreth added, “In short, Peter Carnes has been the key that kept our classmates thinking about and connected to Hotchkiss. You could not have selected a better recipient for this honor.”

Jane Glazer P’27,’29 MCKEE AWARD RECIPIENT

The McKee Award is named in honor of Hugh and Judy McKee P’78,’80,’84,’89 in recognition of their tireless work for The Hotchkiss Parents Fund. It is presented each year to Hotchkiss parents for their outstanding volunteerism and distinguished service to the Fund.

JANE GLAZER

P’27,’29 is parent of Hotchkiss students Jake Glazer ’27 and Lilah Glazer ’29. Her unique approach combines warmth with remarkable effectiveness, creating a welcoming environment where every parent feels genuinely connected to the Hotchkiss community. Her personalized communications, from welcome messages to timely check-ins throughout the year, have transformed the Hotchkiss experience for many families.

“Being a part of the Hotchkiss community has been a joy!” Glazer said after receiving the award. “I firmly believe in the School’s mission, and know that by working together, showing kindness and empathy, we will all be better.”

Under Glazer’s guidance, the Class of 2027 has consistently achieved remarkable participation rates in everything from fund drives to campus events. Her work with the Class of 2029 is already showing similar promise as she helps the newest Hotchkiss families feel immediately embraced by the community.

THE ART OF THE NATURAL WORLD

In an art installation at Hotchkiss, Claire Emery ’90 transforms field observations into vivid woodblock prints that explore connection, attention, and the living landscape.

BY DARRYL GANGLOFF

hen you step through the doors of Main Building, you are greeted with beautiful, colorful images of nature in action. A lynx stands tall. A canoe drifts through the water. Flowers sway. The pieces were originally small woodblock prints that are now enlarged for the installation. They invite you to slow down and look closely.

The work of Claire Emery ’90 honors both the spirit and the vitality of wild landscapes.

“I am an artist, naturalist, and educator who lives surrounded by the wild earth in Missoula, MT,” she writes in her artist statement. “Intensely curious and introspective by nature, I engage with my community deeply, noticing details that others simply pass by.”

Emery focuses on attention and connection in her pieces. “Hopefully, we can find that connection today with another human being, and then with a standing tree, a flying bird, or a twisting leaf on its way to the ground,” she said. “When we can find this, and feel it, we are family. We are inextricably bound. The flower and I, the tree and I, the soil, the sky, the water and I, we are connected. One family. One home.”

Her work is grounded in field journals. She transforms sketches, observations, and reflections into woodcuts, carving each image by hand.

“Using a variety of carving tools, I carve the woodblocks, drawing images out of the darkness of the wood and into the light,” she said. The process takes hours of careful planning. “Every carving is a discovery, not a formula. The work has its own life.”

Those stories shape the work that is now on view at Hotchkiss through August 2027. They form what Emery calls “journal entries of the moments I’ve had in my life.” Each print that hangs on the walls is the result of a specific encounter Emery had with plants, animals, and places. “The bear, lynx, hawk owl, heron, lakes, rivers, and skies are my neighbors and my relations, and I owe them my best.”

Emery speaks often about what happens when we pause long enough to truly notice. “What happens when we actually stop ourselves, and we pay attention to what’s happening right now, in front of us?” she asks. That pause, she suggests, can create “a moment of connecting intimacy that can travel with you for the rest of your life.”

“Every carving is a discovery, not a formula. The work has its own life.”

An Unconventional Path

Emery describes her path into art as unconventional. “I became an artist through a back door,” she writes. She pursued a graduate degree in natural science illustration from the University of California in Santa Cruz. In 2005, she completed an M.S. in environmental studies from the University of Montana, with an emphasis in place-based education and art, and she received an MFA in visual art from Vermont College of Fine Art in 2015.

While studying wilderness in a multidisciplinary program, she encountered the practice of keeping a natural history journal. The impact was immediate. “I discovered that I loved this,” she says. “I learned more about the land than I ever had.”

She worked as a scientific illustrator, collaborating with institutions like the New York Botanical Garden and Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. But over time, she felt a pull toward something more interpretive. Woodblock printing became the answer. “I cannot help but get to know my subject better as I go along, choosing tools, marks, patterns, space, and substance,” she said.

Finding Inspiration at Hotchkiss

Emery did not arrive at Hotchkiss intending to become an artist. While she never took an art class as a student, the foundations of her work were already forming.

“In my teens, I thrived in the stimulating Hotchkiss community as a student, a runner, a swimmer, a cyclist, a pianist, and a photographer. The rambling woods and meadows surrounding the School became my second home. This is where I first heard the booming of ice. This is where I first saw

the running of fish. This is where I found the pulse and majesty of life beyond the confines of the walls,” she said.

She looks back on her time in Lakeville with “great joy” and remembers long hours on the cross country and cycling teams, moving across the landscape with curiosity and freedom. “We would train 50, 60 miles a day, but we were just having fun enjoying that intimacy with the land from a bicycle.”

Her creative interests surfaced in other ways, too. She studied photography with Bob Haiko and worked in the photography lab for hours at a time, experimenting and learning through trial and error. “I would be in there from before dawn until after dark,” she recalls, “just developing photos and figuring out how to navigate the process.” These experiences would later converge in her artistic practice. At the time, they were ways of engaging with the world.

To return to Hotchkiss now, with her work installed at the School’s entrance, is both full circle and something new.

“It feels like I’m coming back to have a conversation with this place that I never could have had when I was here,” Emery says as she walks through the trails surrounding the campus during a recent visit, just as she had when she was a student.

“It just feels good to come back and have my work speak for something we never spoke about,” she continues, looking up at the trees on the Hotchkiss trails. “How to be a good steward, how to be aware of your environmental impact, how to have a relationship with the earth, water, sky, and seasons.”

To learn more about Emery’s work, go to www.emeryart.com.

The Alumni Association Board of Governors congratulates Alumni Award recipient Peter T. Grauer ’64 and Community Service Award recipient Scott Busby ’77

“Peter, your extraordinary leadership in nonprofit and philanthropic ventures, as well as the business world, exemplifies the true spirit of the Alumni Award.”

–Robert Kuhn ’75, member of the Alumni Association Board of Governors and the Awards Nominating Committee

“Scott, your dedication and work in public services around the world exemplify all of the qualities the Community Service Award represents.”

–Cameron Hough ’09, vice president of the Alumni Association Board of Governors and co-chair of the Awards Nominating Committee

NOMINATE ALUMNI FOR AWARDS

THE ALUMNI AWARD, Hotchkiss’s highest honor, recognizes individuals who, through personal achievement, have brought honor and distinction to themselves and Hotchkiss.

THE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD honors the service contributions of Hotchkiss graduates to their respective communities, whether local, national, or international.

Groundbreaking Moment

As shown in the July 1947 Hotchkiss Alumni News, Headmaster George Van Santvoord, Class of 1908, and Henry Noyes ’47 ceremoniously dug the first shovelful of dirt for a new Dining Room, which was ready for the return of faculty and students for the fall term on Sept. 18, 1948. Nearly 80 years later, the new Dining Commons opened its doors to the Hotchkiss community on Dec. 1, 2025 (see p. 12).

September 2025 Alum of the Month: Carlos Garcia ’77

By Erin Reid P’01,’05 ’77

SEPTEMBER 2025 MARKED 52 YEARS

since Carlos Garcia ’77 first set foot on the Hotchkiss campus. “I can still see myself driving from Brooklyn in my uncle’s Volkswagen Beetle, along with my father, heading through rolling hills and fields toward a place I had never even seen before,” he recalls. “I was filled with anticipation, unsure of what boarding school life would be like, but confident that it would change my life for the better.”

Garcia’s career has spanned decades at the New York State Education Department, where he has helped improve graduation rates and worked in programs dedicated to access, equity, and inclusion. His personal journey with education began through the encouragement of his junior high school guidance counselor, who urged him and a group of classmates from the accelerated program at George Gershwin Junior High School to take the PSAT and apply to boarding schools, including Hotchkiss. He arrived in Lakeville as a prep along with Mark Miranda ’77, a junior high classmate who was also accepted as a Bearcat.

“Access and inclusion have always been central to America’s promise as a land of opportunity. That promise is realized only when individuals are given the chance to develop their talents in environments that prepare them to contribute fully to our nation’s success,” Garcia said. “For me, that opportunity came through A Better Chance, an organization that continues to help underrepresented students attend boarding schools across the country.”

Hotchkiss’s association with programs for historically marginalized communities began in the 1960s, through the U.S. Grant Program, by Hotchkiss graduates attending Yale. At that time, the School started its long partnership with A Better Chance and launched the Greater Opportunity (GO) Program to provide teenage boys

from disadvantaged backgrounds with a transformative academic and cultural experience. The program, which ran for nine years, educated some 250 boys from New York City, New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford.

Following his time at Hotchkiss, Garcia matriculated at St. Lawrence University and enrolled in the New York State Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), designed to support students who were economically and educationally underrepresented. “While I sometimes wrestled with the labels that accompanied admission to elite institutions through designated affirmative action programs, I came to understand that such programs were essential responses to systemic inequities,” he says.

After graduation, Garcia began his career working as an assistant director of HEOP at St. Lawrence, then continued at Columbia University HEOP. During that period, he pursued graduate study in counseling psychology, ultimately earning two master’s degrees. “St. Lawrence President Laurence Gulick later recruited me back to St. Lawrence, and my path eventually led to the New York State Education Department, where I worked in programs dedicated to access, equity, and inclusion.”

In 2003, Garcia’s leadership of the Science and Technology Entry Program and the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program led him to the White House, where the programs received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Math, and Engineering Mentoring from President George W. Bush.

Garcia has now spent 36 years at the New York State Education Department and is “wrestling” with the idea of retirement. “I have the honor of leading the Liberty Partnerships Program, the nation’s only statewide dropout prevention program for

youth,” he explained. “Our office helped launch the nation’s only statewide My Brother’s Keeper initiative for improving outcomes for boys and young men of color and is now preparing to expand with a My Sister’s Keeper initiative. I have the privilege of working with nine Native tribes in the state through the My Brother’s Keeper Indigenous Education Grant. My career also took me into leadership roles beyond education, including serving as secretarytreasurer of the Public Employees Federation. Through it all, I have drawn upon the intellectual rigor, critical thinking, and communication skills that were sharpened during my days at Hotchkiss.”

Garcia credits the mentorship of several Hotchkiss faculty members for his accomplishments, including Walter J. Crain Jr. P’86,’89 and Art Eddy P’78,’80,’81, GP’23. “Their strength and care kept me on track.”

He continues to support Hotchkiss. “My two terms on the Hotchkiss Alumni Board of Governors have shown me a community willing to confront its challenges while holding fast to its strengths.” He expressed his gratitude to his fellow Governors, Head of School Craig W. Bradley, Director of Alumni Engagement Caroline Sallee Reilly ’87, and Chief Advancement Officer Ninette Enrique.

“God has blessed me with a wonderful wife, children, and grandchildren, along with my Hotchkiss family,” he said.

’79

December 2025 Alum of the Month: William Hanway ’79

By Erin Reid P’01,’05

WILLIAM HANWAY ’79 discovered his passion for architecture at Hotchkiss. He now designs and delivers some of the world’s most iconic sports venues, including several facilities for the Olympic Games, as well as the Intuit Dome, home of the LA Clippers. He is executive vice president and global sports leader at AECOM, an infrastructure consulting firm that was recently recognized as the top company on Fortune magazine’s list of the world’s most admired companies in its industry.

“My father, D. William Hanway ’42, went to the Allen-Stevenson School and then to Hotchkiss, so the preferred path was clear!” says Hanway. “My interest in architecture began at Hotchkiss, where I enjoyed the opportunity and flexibility to follow my interests. Special recognition goes to Brad Dellenbaugh, who was a history teacher with a personal interest in architecture. He created a one-on-one course that allowed me to explore design, eventually opening it up to others. We ended up with six students in the studio in the second year. Without the chance to explore design, I would not have come to such an early commitment to my future career.”

He matriculated at Washington University and then attended Harvard, where he earned a master’s degree in architecture and developed an interest in civic and sports design.

His reach is worldwide. He currently leads the AECOM team for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games plan. Previously, he led the team that delivered the plans for the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Games and London 2012 Games. He also served as an advisor to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government on the Tokyo 2020 Games.

“I have always had an interest in sports, especially lacrosse, as well as architecture, but the final piece came through my work

on large-scale urban regeneration projects. Combining sports, architecture, and urban planning created the ability to leverage the capital investment required to host major sports events and venues to produce positive economic benefit and physical improvement to the surrounding urban environments.”

He notes some of the biggest challenges in planning his well-known venues. “Delivery requires playing the long game as many projects take over 10 years to plan and deliver, costing in excess of $10 billion. The key is establishing a clear vision and set of principles that can withstand global economic cycles, political turnover, competing interests, and unforeseeable issues such as the COVID pandemic. Olympic and Paralympic Games planning usually spans two elections as well as one global economic crisis. For London 2012, the mayor changed from a labour to a conservative government, but the strength of the vision allowed for continuity.”

He says the location of the venues and infrastructure investment is intentional to transform impoverished metropolitan areas. “The scale of investment required to deliver major sports events, arenas, and stadiums can create significant economic and social benefits to challenged areas. In London, we helped transform the East End, an area that

has historically faced economic challenges. The location of the Olympics was a contaminated 450-acre industrial site, and we were able to deliver a new 150acre public park, 10,000 homes, two schools, and a regeneration of the River Lea.”

Hanway collaborated with Steve Ballmer, owner of the LA Clippers, on the design and development of the Intuit Dome, the Clippers’ home arena. “Steve specifically chose Inglewood because of his commitment to improving communities. This included instructions to us to ensure work went to local businesses, workforce development, youth training, and apprenticeship programs.”

The Intuit Dome is his current favorite project. “I worked on this for 10 years with Steve to transform his goals into a physical manifestation of his vision. It opened in August 2024. It has won 34 design awards and is the world’s most sustainable and technologically advanced sports arena, as well as arguably the best place to watch an NBA game. It represents a combination of my interest in sports architecture and Olympic and Paralympic Games, with LA28 hosting the basketball competition in this venue.”

He said that it is also important for all buildings to mitigate their impact on the climate. “At Intuit, we were able to deliver unparalleled measures, including enough solar panels and batteries to run a full basketball game, release pressure on the grid, reduce water by seven million gallons per year, provide 100 percent fresh air, and achieve net zero carbon on day one.”

At the Olympic and Paralympic Games, his favorite moment is walking around at the Opening Ceremonies and seeing the smiles of all the fans and spectators.

’87

August 2025 Alum of the Month: Susan Green Roberson ’87

By Erin Reid P’01,’05

SUSAN GREEN ROBERSON ’87 grew up in rural Virginia, but by the time she came along as the youngest of three children, her family was somewhat familiar with New England prep schools. Her sister, former trustee Eleanor “Duffy” Green Long ’76, was “actually the second in our family to go prep school,” explains Roberson. “Our older sister went to Exeter as Hotchkiss was not coeducational at that point. But after visiting both schools, I picked Hotchkiss. The faculty welcomed me warmly.”

Roberson said her time in Lakeville helped prepare her for decades of leadership in finance, media, and marketing. She spent much of her career overseeing financials and operations at the global media company, Time Inc., and for many of those years at TIME and Sports Illustrated. She is currently the chief financial officer at the Anti-Defamation League, which combats antisemitism and seeks to secure justice and fair treatment for all.

She says she particularly enjoyed Hotchkiss’s English classes and the teachers who brought literature to life. At Hotchkiss, she was encouraged to speak up, think critically, and ask questions. She says those skills continue to serve her to this day.

Roberson says her career in finance was entirely accidental. “I was an English major and a college newspaper writer and editor at the University of Virginia. I actually don’t see myself as a finance person, though I did receive my MBA from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin in 1996. At Time Inc., I spent many years in direct marketing, which is mostly analytical, and it led to financial modeling and strategy, and then to general management, which included oversight of finance. But really, just like everything else, good financial management

requires telling a clear story. My academic background helps a lot.”

Roberson’s advice to students and people starting their careers is simple: try not to overthink it. “What you choose to do in your first job is not what defines you as a professional. You can grow, and you can change. Also, don’t take it too seriously. Your family and friends are what really matter. Don’t lose sight of that, as life is short!”

TIME magazine was founded by Hotchkiss’s own Henry Luce and Briton Hadden, both members of the Class of 1916. “There was quite a Hotchkiss tradition ingrained in the DNA of the company. It was special,” she notes. In fact, former Hotchkiss trustee and current Board of Governors member Sarah Thornton-Clifford ’76, P’07,’23, who had a long career at Time Inc., was the reason Roberson found her way to her first summer internship that led to her first job. Roberson said she left Time Inc. after two decades because the industry was changing fast and her role was less about the mission of journalism and more about cost management and earnings calls. “I knew long-form journalism was going away, and it was hard to have a front-row

seat to that. So I retired and sought out nonprofit, mission-oriented work.”

After leaving Time Inc., Roberson served as CFO at the Blue School and the Markle Foundation before joining the AntiDefamation League (ADL) in 2023. She works closely with her ADL team to play a key role in the growth and transformation of the organization through financial and strategic analyses and by overseeing enterprise processes and policies.

She was drawn to ADL, in part, for its similarity to a media company, with a strong programmatic and philanthropic mission. “It is a media company in the sense that it needs to be responsive to evolving events and dynamic news cycles, while remaining strictly nonpartisan. We have been navigating a great deal of change. For example, with the surge of antisemitism on campuses, we pivoted to address it both in our communications and in our programmatic actions centrally and in the regions around the country.”

Roberson has remained involved with Hotchkiss since leaving Lakeville in 1987. She served as president of The Hotchkiss Fund and was a member of the Board of Trustees. In hindsight, she realizes she was shy and not very self-confident as a student. “Coming from rural Virginia, I didn’t think I had much in common with my classmates. Over the years, however, I’ve gotten to know folks from my class and other alumni as well, and I have gotten to reacquaint myself with so many amazing people with interesting stories making exciting contributions in the world. Of all the things I value about having gone to Hotchkiss, I value that the most.”

November 2025 Alum of the Month:

Julian Happy ’12

By Erin Reid P’01,’05

JULIAN HAPPY ’12 served seven years in the United States Marine Corps, during which he flew the AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopter. As he soared through the skies in that aircraft, he learned valuable lessons in leadership, teamwork, and how to remain calm in high-pressure situations.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity. The friendships and trust I built in the military have stayed with me,” he said. He emphasized that Veterans Day, which was observed on Nov. 11, is “a time to honor all who have served and to remember the service members and their families who made the ultimate sacrifice. Freedom is not free, and their courage and selflessness ensure we continue to enjoy the freedoms of this country.”

trusted to lead and hold myself to the highest level of performance.”

He realized his dream of flying through summer training, and the Marine Corps led him to the AH-1Z Cobra. “I am grateful for every hour I spent in that aircraft.”

The leadership skills he learned at Hotchkiss, combined with his degree in international relations, improved his ability to analyze geopolitics, alliances, and the incentives that drive decisionmaking. “That perspective helped me lead more effectively and prepared me for a globally connected career after the military,” he said.

He is also grateful that he attended Hotchkiss for two years as a recipient of the George Van Santvoord ’08 Scholarship. The fund was established to honor Van Santvoord upon his retirement as headmaster by the Classes of 1930 and 1940 and has been generously supported by alumni, including Francis F. Randolph Jr. ’45. “Without the scholarship, I never would have been able to join the Class of 2012,” explains Happy. “Hotchkiss taught me time management, resilience, how to be a great teammate, and how to balance academics with sports. That built in me discipline and a strong work ethic, habits that carried directly into my experience at the Naval Academy and later into my time as a Marine.”

Happy served as a proctor in Dana his senior year. “It was a long walk to classes from Dana,” he remembers, “but I never failed to stop and behold the incredible view.” Two faculty members in particular

stood out to him. “Brant Hadzima P’20 was my assigned advisor and Spanish teacher, but he became much more than that to me. His family welcomed me into their home, and I owe much of my success in life to him for the guidance he provided all those years ago. I would also like to recognize Julia Wu Trethaway P’06,’09, an amazing woman who brought light into all our lives. I cannot describe the loss I felt when I heard the news of her passing.”

Between his upper-mid and senior years, Happy participated in a summer internship in New York, where he was first introduced to finance. It sparked an interest that he planned to pursue once he concluded his military service. He was accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy and earned a B.S. in international relations. “I decided to go into the Marines as I felt a responsibility to give back to the country and the people who had given me so much. The Marine Corps stood out for its high standards, tight-knit teams, and reputation for answering the toughest calls. I wanted to be part of a branch

Following his military service, he interned at a private equity firm in Houston, where he focused on energy, renewables, and infrastructure. He is now pursuing an M.B.A. in finance at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School and is a fellow with the Center for Alternative Investments. He also serves as president of the Goizueta Finance Club. “My longterm plan is to become a trusted advisor in leveraged finance,” he said.

Happy offers advice to Hotchkiss students considering military service.

“Talk to officers and enlisted leaders across branches and ask about their day-to-day work. Challenge yourself in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in leadership roles to build grit and humility. If you want to serve your country, grow as a leader, and be part of something bigger than yourself, the military is a great path. Service academies and ROTC provide outstanding education and mentorship along with real responsibility,” he said.

“My time at Hotchkiss instilled in me a lasting desire to give back and was a large part of the reason for my decision to serve in the military. My life would have been very different if it weren’t for Hotchkiss.”

October 2025 Alum of the Month:

Amelia Cao ’16

By Erin Reid P’01,’05

AMELIA CAO ’16 works to protect the health and rights of every child around the world as a coordinator for the Demand Hub for Immunization at UNICEF. Her interest in immunization was inspired by her great-grandfather, who pursued fellowships in the U.S. in the 1940s and became a pioneer of epidemiology in modern China. “Although I didn’t study or practice medicine, working in the field of immunization gave me an opportunity to follow in his footsteps.”

Cao learned about Hotchkiss from family friends who sent their children to boarding school in the United States. “I was finishing my ninth grade in China and applied as a lower mid. I vividly remember flying with my parents for the tour in the late fall, and I immediately fell in love with the School.”

She was strongly motivated in academics, music, athletics, and service by the Hotchkiss faculty. “Humanities and history with Thomas Drake ignited a true spark for me. I am grateful for Fabio and Gisele Witkowski’s incredible support in piano and music composition, and our concerts hosted in Beijing. I remember traveling to Mount Everest Base Camp with my Hotchkiss peers and mentor Charles Iannuzzi while we visited Tibetan monasteries and hiked in the Himalayas.”

Cao also loved running on the crosscountry course around the lake. “Training with the team made running outside a part of my routine that continues.”

Her inclination to serve others was fostered at Hotchkiss. “Dave Bolmer ’73 would drive us to the retirement home at Noble Horizons on Sundays, and we would perform music pieces as part of a club called Songs for Smiles. Our conversations with the residents following performances were among my most rewarding memories.”

After matriculating at Brown University, Cao was drawn into political science and

international public policy and affairs after taking a class on China’s political economy. “I was curious to explore the empirical lenses behind China’s economic growth and societal changes and understand the social-political dynamics behind countries’ developmental trajectories, geopolitical tensions, and the global economy,” she explains. Cao received her bachelor’s degree with honors in 2020 and then studied at Harvard’s Kennedy School, earning a Master of Public Policy in international relations.

While in Cambridge, Cao worked as a team researcher at the Taubman Center for State and Local Government and also as a research assistant at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. In 2022, she spent a few months at the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance at the United Nations Secretariat before joining UNICEF that year.

UNICEF was established in 1946 by the United Nations to provide emergency relief to children in countries devastated by World War II and was expanded in the 1950s. According to Cao, “Current programs include key areas such as education, nutrition, health, child protection, climate change and environment, water and sanitation hygiene, and social policy. Immunization and health are among the many areas UNICEF works to ensure that children across the world have the right to survival, growth, and development.”

She explains that UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives and help them fulfill their potential. She says that UNICEF is the world’s largest single buyer of vaccines.

“The poorest and marginalized children are often the most in need of vaccines,” she said. “We stand at a precarious point with significant reduction in old threats, yet are vulnerable to resurgence and new dangers, especially where conflict impedes health

systems. Without vaccination efforts, polio could quickly return, undoing decades of progress and leaving thousands of children paralyzed each year. The final battle continues in places of fragility and conflict. Simultaneously, new and re-emerging threats from Ebola, mpox, measles, malaria, and cholera are surfacing globally.”

Cao says, “The misinformation on vaccines not only poses critical challenges to our work on immunization but also to the public trust and health system that builds on science and effective health interventions.”

She is grateful to Hotchkiss for many things, including her fiancé and classmate, Jerry Yang ’16, and her brother, Zachary Cao ’28. Currently, she is volunteering as an alumni interviewer for the Hotchkiss Admissions Office. “Hotchkiss endowed me with the critical thinking mindset to explore and be challenged at a young age. It equipped me with the life skills of independence and social responsibility to grow in a diverse community, and it gave me lifelong friendships with cherished memories. I still draw on the traits of adaptability and perseverance I learned at Hotchkiss.”

Ambassador Paul Lambert ’46, Former Trustee, Dies at 97

PAUL C. LAMBERT ’46, P’76,’81, GP’13,’29, former Hotchkiss trustee and lifelong friend of the School, died peacefully at his home in New York City on Jan. 2, 2026, at age 97. He is survived by his wife, Mary, of 70 years, his children, Jennifer P’13, John ’81, P’29, and Mary, and his grandchildren, Emily, Alex ’13, Annika, Hanna, Siri, and Charlotte ’29. He was predeceased by his brother Joseph ’42 and his son Chris ’76. Hotchkiss’s annual Lambert Lecture series, which brings writers of prose and poetry to campus, was established by Paul and Mary in Chris’s memory.

Paul was born on March 14, 1928, in New York City to Lorena and Prall Lambert of Middletown, NJ. He graduated from the Rumson Country Day School in 1942, The Hotchkiss School in 1946, Yale University in 1950, and Harvard Law School in 1953.

He entered Hotchkiss as a prep in September 1942. During his four years at the School, he became well-known to his classmates and faculty members as an accomplished and active student. He engaged himself wholeheartedly in School life, taking advanced courses and playing on the football, basketball, and baseball teams. He was co-captain of the basketball team and captain of the baseball team. He served as president of St. Luke’s Society, chairman of the LIT, and treasurer of his class for two terms. At graduation, he was president of the Student Council and winner of the Treadway Prize. The class poll named him the student who had done the most for Hotchkiss and was most influential, most likely to succeed, most versatile, most popular, and best athlete.

After serving as an Army intelligence officer from 1953 to 1955, he began his trusts and estates practice with the law firm of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley and McCloy. He was a partner at Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan from 1966 to 1990, where he chaired the Trust and Estates Department for many years. He ended his law career at McLaughlin & Stern. From 1990 to 1992, he served as the U.S. ambassador to Ecuador.

Paul served on numerous boards that reflected his passion for education, health, and classical music. He was a board member for the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Brearley School, and The Hotchkiss School. He also served as the chairman of the Board of Governors of the Association of Yale Alumni and a member of the Yale Development Board. In recognition of his service to Yale University, he was awarded the Yale Medal in 1988.

Following the same path of enthusiastic involvement in Hotchkiss life that he demonstrated as a student, Paul led the

“Dad truly loved Hotchkiss. The legacy of the Lambert Speaker Series also turned what was a tragic life event into something inspiring and beautiful. Hotchkiss changed his life.”

— JOHN LAMBERT ’81, P’29

School’s annual giving program for several years. He served as president of the Alumni Association and as a Hotchkiss trustee from 1973 to 1981. In 1996, he headed the 50th reunion fundraising for his class and represented the Class of 1946 at the dedication of the William C. Fowle Gymnasium.

Paul and Mary established the P. Christopher Lambert Jr. ’76 Fund at Hotchkiss in 1981 in memory of their son, Chris, who died in 1979. The fund brings writers of prose and poetry to Hotchkiss to work with students in the English Department and offer an evening lecture for the community. Recent Lambert Lecturers include U.S. poet laureate Ada Limón, award-winning poet and essayist Ross Gay, and poet Edward Hirsch.

“Dad truly loved Hotchkiss,” his son, John, wrote. “The legacy of the Lambert Speaker Series also turned what was a tragic life event into something inspiring and beautiful. Hotchkiss changed his life.”

Paul loved both state and national politics, relishing thoughtful discussion and spirited disagreement alike. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the New York State Republican Party from 1983 to 1990 and served as a Steering Committee and Finance Committee member of the 1988 George Bush for President election campaign. He was a member of the New York Delegation to the Republican National Conventions in 1984, 1988, and 1992.

Paul had a deep love and appreciation for sports and the outdoors. He was a lifelong Yankees fan. One of his fondest memories was playing shortstop for Yale in the 1948 College World Series. Tennis was a passion that he enjoyed playing well into his 80s. He was a singles and doubles Club champion at Seabright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club. He also loved boating on the Navesink River and hiking and skiing on many family trips to the mountains.

Paul was hard-working with a quick wit and a host of jokes and card tricks for his grandchildren. He was loved by his family and many friends in New York and New Jersey. His work ethic, tenacity, humor, and loyalty were an inspiration to many, and he will be deeply missed.

Walter E. DeMelle Jr. P’94, Guiding Force Behind Edsel Ford Memorial Library, Dies at 82

WALTER E. DEMELLE JR. P’94, the longest-serving director of the Edsel Ford Memorial Library, died on Feb. 1, 2026. He was 82. In his four-plus decades as director, from 1970 to 2011, he oversaw several important renovations, helped define and design the library’s spaces, and introduced timely innovations.

The library expanded during DeMelle’s tenure, not only in physical size and in number of volumes but also in educational opportunities offered. He led the way through the many technological changes of those years and was instrumental in developing the library-based School archives. He became known in his profession as an expert on independent school libraries and their facilities, acting often as a consultant and presenting at conferences and workshops.

Born June 3, 1943, in Worcester, MA, DeMelle earned his B.A. in 1965 from Hobart College. After graduation, he taught English to grades nine through 12 at Hawaii Preparatory Academy and married Susan Sullivan, whom he had known since childhood and dated since high school. It was at Hawaii Prep where DeMelle first worked in a school library.

After earning a degree in library science from Rutgers in 1970, he accepted the position at Hotchkiss. In addition to his role as director, he advised students and served on numerous faculty committees, including those on summer programs, health services, long-range planning, and educational policy. For a decade, he coordinated the Human Relations and Sexuality Program at the School. He was awarded the Edgar M. Cullman Endowed Teaching Chair in 1993 and served as secretary of the faculty from 200006. During a sabbatical in 2003-04, he conducted interviews as a beginning to an oral history of Hotchkiss. Beginning in 2005, he served as a founding director of the Salisbury Forum and then as its president. He also served on the board of the Scoville Memorial Library in Salisbury.

In the 2024-25 school year, both DeMelle and Susan, his wife of 57 years, participated in the celebration of 50 years of coeducation at Hotchkiss. They contributed memories and perspectives to the history and appeared alongside other faculty from that era in the School’s documentary film. They also attended events on campus. DeMelle is survived by Susan and their sons, Jeff and Brendan ’94.

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BRUCE NICOL BENSLEY of Madison, NJ, died on Aug. 4, 2024. He was 95. Born in Summit, NJ, in 1929, he spent most of his life in Madison. He was the son of the late Muriel Nicol and Dr. Maynard G. Bensley, co-founder with Dr. William Lawrence of the Summit Medical Group, now Summit Health. He attended the Pingry School and Hotchkiss, and he graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 1951. He attended graduate school at New York University. He began working at the Hanover Bank, now JPMorgan Chase, and held management positions at Goldman Sachs and C. J. Lawrence & Sons (subsequently Deutsche Bank). He served on the Board of the Summit YMCA and was president of the Morristown YMCA and the Central Atlantic Committee of the national YMCA. A trustee of Hobart and William Smith Colleges, he also served as chair of its Investment Committee. He received an honorary degree from Hobart College in 2001. He served as president of the Parents Leadership Council of Trinity College. In addition, he was a trustee of the Fannie E. Rippel Foundation for more than 30 years and chaired its Investment Committee. He was also a director of the Morris County Savings Bank and a trustee of Morristown Memorial Hospital, now Morristown Medical Center. A longtime member of Grace Episcopal Church in Madison, he served as senior warden. He was a leader of the capital campaign that significantly expanded the church complex in 2009. He received the David P. Hegg II Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the Episcopal Diocese of Newark. He was a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts; the Investment Committee of the National Investment for the Blind; the Squadron A Association; the Saint Andrew’s Society of New York; and the Stock Exchange Luncheon Club. He was also a trustee and vice president of the Morristown Club and a member of the Morris County Golf Club and Baltusrol Golf Club. Energetic and athletic, he loved sailing, golf, tennis, and skiing. He was an avid bridge player and delighted in traveling. He was warm, outgoing, and endlessly generous with his time and gifts. He thrived on sharing time with his family and his friends. In addition to his late parents, he was predeceased by his first wife, Joan Rippel Bensley; his beloved stepmother of 78 years, Helen Flemmer Bensley; and his brother, Gordon G. Bensley. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Diane Wickstrom Bensley; his sister, Penelope Bensley Truitt; three children: Lisbeth Richards Bensley (David Anderson), B. Nicol Bensley Jr. (Carolyn Young), and Carolyn Bensley Muszala (W. Matthew Muszala); four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

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KEITH DAWSON passed away peacefully on Aug. 14, 2025, at age 94, leaving behind a life rich in service, friendship, and family. He is survived by his beloved wife, Betty (McGillis) Dawson; his children, Brian (Heather), Celia, and Chris (Libby); and his eight grandchildren. Born in New York City in 1930, Keith devoted his professional life to caring for people living with diabetes. Educated at Hotchkiss, Princeton (AB), Columbia (MD), and McGill (Ph.D.), he spent decades as a respected endocrinologist and professor at the University of British Columbia. As a McLaughlin Scholar and recipient of an NIH Fellowship, he moved to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, in 1961. He served on the

McGill faculty until 1978, when he moved to Vancouver as head of medicine, Shaughnessy Hospital. Keith spent decades as a respected endocrinologist and professor at UBC. He gave many years of service to the Canadian Diabetes Association and was especially proud of his pioneering work supporting physicians in remote First Nations communities, a commitment he continued until the age of 90. In recognition of his contributions, Keith received the Gerald S. Wong Award and the Prime Minister’s Distinguished Service Award for his work with First Nations communities. Beyond medicine, Keith’s heart belonged to Magog, Quebec, and the Hermitage Club, where he and Betty built lifelong friendships. Friends and family will remember not only his dedication, but also his quick wit and, at times, his fiery spirit, whether in lively conversation or on the tennis court. He delighted in life’s simple pleasures: the company of friends, the camaraderie of a doubles match, and, most famously, his trusty 1978 VW Rabbit, which he kept running for nearly 50 years. Keith will be remembered as a devoted husband, father, and grandfather; a physician who never stopped caring for patients; and a friend whose warmth, humor, and passion left a lasting mark.

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HERBERT (“HERB”) LOBL died on Sept. 14, 2025, in his home at The Osborn in Rye, NY. He was 93 and a beloved husband, father, and grandfather. For nearly 30 years, as the Parisbased partner in the New York law firm of Davis Polk, he gained prominence as an advisor to U.S. and European companies on highprofile transactions, such as negotiating with the French government on the nationalization of ITT’s and Honeywell’s French operations. He was born and grew up in Vienna, Austria, until the age of 6, when his family first moved to France. In 1940, he and his parents emigrated to the U.S. and eventually settled in Holyoke, MA. After graduating from Hotchkiss, he earned degrees from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He was also a Fulbright scholar at the University of Bonn, Germany, and he served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Intelligence Service in Berlin from 1954 to 1956. He joined Davis Polk after graduating from law school in 1959, and he remained with the firm for his entire legal career, except for a two-year stint from 1960 to 1962 as assistant counsel to then-Governor Nelson Rockefeller. Upon his return to Davis Polk, Herb was assigned to the firm’s Paris office for an initial two-year rotation, but then remained in the Paris office for nearly 30 years.

Upon his retirement from Davis Polk, he taught a seminar at Columbia Law School and then devoted much of his time to writing fiction. His three novels—Welcome to West Berlin, A Tender Offer, and A Reckoning in Berlin—were inspired by his experiences in Berlin and Paris. An honorary member of the Paris Bar, he served on a number of European and American corporate and charitable boards of directors. Herb is survived by his wife of 61 years, Dorothy (Dorie) Lobl of Rye, NY; his son, Peter Lobl of Ardsley, NY; his daughter, Michelle Lobl New of Rye, NY; and his four grandchildren, Samantha, Benjamin, Liam, and Danielle.

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GEORGE TUXBURY ALLEN died on Sept. 27, 2024. He was born on July 17, 1932, in Pittsfield, MA, to Edwin and Margaret “Peg” Allen. He graduated from Hotchkiss in 1951 and went on to Yale University, where he graduated in 1955 and received a fellowship to continue on to Andover-Newton Theological Seminary. A professor at Yale had suggested applying for the fellowship after observing George incorporate his belief in a creator God in several assignment papers. At AndoverNewton, George met the love of his life, Helen Garlett; they were married in 1956, remaining in love for the next 64 years. George and Helen graduated with master’s degrees and only a vague notion of what life as a minister was really like. George aligned with the Congregational denomination and after graduation chose the twin community churches at Mesa and Eltopia, WA, north of Pasco. They lived in Mesa, and each Sunday George would start a service in one church, give a sermon, hop in his car, make the 15-minute drive to the other church, give the same sermon, and wind up the second service. Their son David was born in 1958, followed by Betsy in 1960 and Jonathan in 1962. In 1963, the UCC offered George an on-campus position at Eastern Washington State College in Cheney. In 1968, he accepted an offer to go back to a pulpit in the community church in Pasco, the First Congregational Church. Many members there already knew him from his work in nearby Mesa and Eltopia. He took the offer. The family took some epic vacations, including a camping trip around the USA and a trip to Europe that included stays in Great Britain and Germany. In 1980, Oberlin Church offered George its pulpit, and he accepted. He remained there until retirement in 1995 at age 65. During that time, he partnered with many others in the UCC to form a group called Biblical Witness Fellowship. By 1994, he had resigned from the UCC to join a different Congregational

denomination. George joked that he was busier in retirement than when he had been at work. He filled in for vacationing pastors in the region. He was a regular rotating volunteer pastor at the church on Anderson Island. He did three missions to Micronesia in the South Pacific. He and Helen organized family reunions at places they loved, like Mount Rainier National Park, the Oregon coast, and Bend, OR. After Helen’s death in 2021, George moved to the Tri-Cities to be near relatives. He lived in an independent apartment in a retirement center, eating meals in the dining hall and making new friends. He said it reminded him of boarding school, and he liked it. George loved language and wordplay, music, woodworking and furniture making, and the outdoors, hiking and camping, first finding God in the beauty of the mountains and forests. He was predeceased by his brother, Ted, and his son, Jonathan. He is survived by his sister, Marci Cole; his brother, John Fitch Allen; his son David (married to Terri) and daughter Betsy; five grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

WILLIAM ALEXANDER “LEX” BLOOD , 91, set off on his final great adventure on Feb. 13, 2025, in Kalispell, MT. Born to Constance and Alexander P. Blood, Lex was raised in the East and graduated from Hotchkiss in the Class of 1951. He attended Yale but left to realize his dream of becoming a Marine. He was proud of his service, training with the 10th Mountain Division in Japan. Upon his return, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Virginia and a Doctor of Science in Geological Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. After his early career in the mining industry, he and his then-wife, Alice Fisher Blood, and four children moved to Montana to try their hand at ranching. Lex brought his children up to work hard and be responsible, and he instilled in them a deep sense of place and community. The family went on many epic hiking and canoe trips and learned to respect and care for the world around them. Lex later divorced and married his soulmate, Judith Pressmar, who shared his love of travel, the outdoors, philosophical discussions, and passion for social justice. From backpacking and kayaking in the Alaskan wilderness to international travel, they shared many adventures throughout their 35 years. Lex was many things: husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, exploration geologist, drill instructor, triathlete, ardent adventurer and consumer of outdoor gear, passionate conservationist, mentor, champion wood splitter, visionary, and gifted educator. He retired after 26 years as Professor Emeritus from a distinguished teaching career in geology, geography, and earth sciences at Flathead Valley Community College and adjunct professor of

natural resources at the University of Montana. Geology was never boring with Dr. Blood, and his field trips were legendary. Who else could drive a van over the Going to the Sun Road geologizing with both hands? Who needs hands when you have a knee? After retirement, Lex and Judith were privileged to perform geologic assessments for conservation easements in locations throughout Montana, savoring the best of the Last Best Place, accompanied by their faithful geo dog, Taz. From sailing as a teen to teaching his granddaughters the fine art of bridge-jumping, Lex loved the water and was one of the first to jump into the icy water of Lake McDonald in early May. An accomplished paddler, Lex won the solo Lake to Lake Race in 1983, and his kayaking exploits encompassed the entire Pacific Northwest. He was also an avid hiker, skier, cyclist, and mountaineer who was known to out-hike men half his age. A voracious reader of history, Lex enjoyed exploring distant lands and culture, and was known for initiating lively conversations with his probing questions. He made many daily rounds of Ceres, Insty-Prints, and Rocky Mountain Outfitter, sharing his stories and infectious smile. In 1984, Lex co-founded the Glacier Institute, serving as president, executive director, and instructor for many years. He was a founder or founding board member of numerous conservation nonprofits. He loved Glacier Park and served on the UNESCO World Heritage Site Nomination Team. Lex is survived by his wife, Judith Pressmar; daughter, Lisa Flowers, and sons, Tom, Peter (Tricia), and Nathaniel; five siblings; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

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EDWARD “ED” CUNNINGHAM of Springfield, IL, died on July 4, 2025, at Cedarhurst Senior Living, surrounded by his loving family. He was 91. He was born on Oct. 30, 1933, in Chicago, the son of James and Elizabeth (Berkley) Cunningham. Ed grew up in Barrington, IL. He attended the Asheville School and Hotchkiss before earning his undergraduate degree in history from Yale University in 1957 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago in 1960. He also studied at the Hague Academy of International Law. Edward married Caroline C. Lanham on June 27, 1964, in Champaign, IL. After law school, he started his professional career with Dallstream & Schiff in Chicago. He then became a trial attorney with the National Labor Relations Board before deciding to move to Springfield in 1965 and accept a position with Brown, Hay & Stephens. He practiced law for over 50 years. Ed had an incredible intellect, work ethic, and passion for numerous causes. He was among those who started the

Springfield YMCA soccer program, petitioned the Springfield School District to have soccer in the schools, was a founding member of the Illinois Hospital Association, taught healthcare law at Sangamon State University, served on the board of directors of the Springfield World Affairs Council, and was an active member of First Presbyterian Church. He also wrote a book titled The Perfect Patsy. In his later years, he enjoyed painting and was a docent at the Lincoln Presidential Library. He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Christina Cunningham; and brother-inlaw, Robert Coulson. He is survived by his wife, Caroline Cunningham of Springfield; daughter, Carrie (Mark) Pennell of Sherman, IL; sons, Clark (Martha) Cunningham of Springfield and Curtis (Theresa) Cunningham of Monona, WI; grandchildren, Jake, Olivia, and Mia Pennell, and Allison, Vivian, and Frederick Cunningham; siblings, Cynthia Coulson of Riverside, CT, and Michael (Becky) Cunningham of Evergreen, CO; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

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PETER WALLACE ARNOLD P’78 , of Charlestown, RI, died on June 28, 2025. He was born in Brooklyn, NY, on Jan. 19, 1936, the son of Lyndon and Irene Johnson Arnold. He leaves his wife of 67 years, Sandra; a son, Deryck, Class of 1978; two grandchildren, Ryan and Gillian; and three great-grandchildren—a spate of Arnold family members who live in Charlestown in the Arnolda Colonies founded by his great-uncle and grandfather. Peter attended Hotchkiss, graduating in 1954, and Yale University, where he graduated in 1958, almost simultaneously with his marriage to his college sweetheart, Sandra Marshall, R.N. In his undergraduate years, he was a “small group” singer and soloist in two undergraduate groups, the Yale Spizzwinks and the famous senior singing society, the Yale Whiffenpoofs. Peter began his career in banking at The First New Haven National Bank, interrupted by a two-year tour of duty with the U.S. Army. After 14 years, he was hired by the Washington Trust Company as senior vice president of the world’s best bank. He was subsequently called to work for Proctor Bank, Vermont, as senior vice president. He ended his 51-year career in banking with Hospital Trust/Bank America. He served as president of four Estate Planning Councils in Connecticut and Rhode Island, chairman of the board of the School of Banking at Williams College, and trustee of the American Banking Association National Trust Division. He was also president of the New England Bank Marketing

Association and the Woodstock and Chariho Rotary Clubs. Working with D.E.M., Peter succeeded in placing a number of precious pieces of family property into permanent conservation, including a 50-acre farm abutting the old Arnold homestead in Charlestown, RI. Peter was an avid hunter and fisherman in his youth, and in adulthood became a “diamond life sponsor” of Ducks Unlimited. His collection of Duck decoys fills his home and his decoy room at the top of his garage, and it was his passion during his lifetime.

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ROGER POMEROY DAY , of Woods Hole, MA, died July 7, 2025, at the age of 80. A descendant of the first settlers of Hartford, CT, he was the son of Pomeroy Day and Katherine Long Day. He attended Hotchkiss and went on to Yale University, carrying on a family tradition that went back to the first graduating class of the college. After graduating, he married Judith Lang in Woods Hole and completed his training as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army. The Days were sent to Bavaria, Germany, for over two years, stationed at Herzogenaurach, the home of Adidas and Puma Sporting Goods. Together they traveled all around Europe on weekends and during vacations. Leaving the army as a Captain in 1972, the two visited the Middle East and Egypt before returning home to Woods Hole. Roger and Judy moved to Boston in 1976, where he earned his MBA from Boston University and was then named director of development for the Institute of Contemporary Art. He later co-founded a seed capital firm providing earlystage investments to start-ups and emerging companies, and he also provided financial consulting for several nonprofits, including the Next Move Theater Company. Roger’s ties to Woods Hole were very strong, as he spent summers there as a small child. As a teenager, he worked in the supply department of the MBL and later at Pinkey’s Boat Yard on Eel Pond. He was an avid fisherman and knew the water around the Hole well, including the location of every rock, “having hit every one of them,” as he would say with a wry smile. Roger moved back to Woods Hole full-time in 2004, where he and Judy both became active in several nonprofits. Roger served as chairman of the Nobska Beach Association for many years, volunteered as a consultant to small businesses with SCORE Cape Cod and The Islands, and as the first chairman of the Cape Cod Theatre Project, a position he held for more than 10 years. Together, Roger and Judy developed the Arts Alive Festival from a one-day painting exhibit into a three-day, townwide celebration of the visual and performing arts, involving more than 200 musicians and 50 craftspeople. To help

promote arts and culture in town, they formed Arts Falmouth, the umbrella organization that helped to create JazzFest and the Woods Hole springtime Trad-Stroll. For several years, they also coordinated the landscaping and gardening efforts at Gosnold’s Miller House. To many runners of the Falmouth Road Race, Roger was the man in the straw hat standing in front of the Magic Cottage and providing a welcome spray of water after they completed the arduous run around Nobska Point. To his friends and family, he was the man always ready with a quick turn of phrase, peppering his conversation with quick wit and frequently self-effacing humor. His love of life, family, and friendships was clearly reflected in his shining eyes and winning smile. Roger was predeceased by his sisters, Betsy Day Bolton and Pamela Day Pelletreau. He is survived by his wife, Judith, of Woods Hole; his equally loved daughters, Abigail Pomeroy of Boston, and Caroline Hadley and her husband, Julian Marsano, of Brooklyn, and their children, Henry and Charles. Also surviving are his brother, George Day, and his wife, Jan, and many cherished nieces and nephews.

CHARLES HENRY JOHNSON JR. , age 79, passed away on June 30, 2025, in Los Angeles, CA. Born on May 24, 1946, in New Haven, CT, Charles was the son of Helen T. Johnson and Charles H. Johnson Sr. He spent his formative years in Connecticut and graduated from Hotchkiss in 1964. He went on to attend Yale University, earning both his undergraduate and law degrees there. Charles participated in Operation Crossroads Africa in 1968, spending the summer in Ethiopia. It was an experience that sparked a lifelong love for travel and cross-cultural connection. While at Yale, Charles also joined the Peace Corps and served in Kenya. Among his many travels, France remained especially close to his heart. Charles devoted his career to the legal profession, applying his talents across government agencies and the insurance industry. He also served as a law clerk within the California judicial system, where he demonstrated a steadfast commitment to justice and public service. Known for his fun-loving nature and inquisitive mind, Charles brought laughter and warmth wherever he went. His sharp sense of humor was matched by a deep appreciation for music and cooking—two passions that filled his home with joy and flavor. He is survived by his spouse, Dawn Clark-Johnson; his cherished daughter, Shannon Johnson; and his younger brothers, Gary (Hotchkiss Class of 1968) and Gerry. His life was a celebration of curiosity,

compassion, and adventure. May his memory bring comfort to those who knew him.

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STEPHEN ELLIS , 74, died peacefully at home in Charlottesville, VA, on June 24, 2025. Born in Southport, CT, he was the youngest of three brothers. He attended Hotchkiss and graduated from Lake Forest College. He built a career in marketing, but found the most joy in travel, photography, and golf. A former member of The Country Club of Fairfield, he played many renowned courses with friends and colleagues. Steve was rarely without a camera. He was drawn to beauty often overlooked: a worn chair, peeling paint, the flow of a river. He taught those around him to notice the details—and to wake before sunrise and catch the light at its best, while the world was still quiet. He was known for his quick wit, dry humor, and deep knowledge of seemingly everything. His clever remarks, sharp observations, and stories stayed with you long after they were told. Most of all, Steve was devoted to his daughter, Lindsay Peyton Ellis. When she was little, they shared a nightly ritual: she’d spin a globe, stop it with her finger, and he’d teach her about wherever it landed. He was a steady force in her life: calm, thoughtful, loyal, and deeply proud. Without him, her world feels off its axis. He is also survived by his brother, Winston Ellis, as well as a niece and nephew. He was predeceased by his parents, Anne and Carleton Ellis, and his brother, Carleton “Tony” Ellis III. To view Steve’s photography, visit www.steveellisphoto.com.

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DOUGLAS “DOUG” CAMPBELL III P’01 passed away on Sept. 2, 2025, at his home in Stamford, CT, after a courageous, fouryear battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He died peacefully at home with his wife, Gwynne, and children, Caroline and Colin ’01, by his side and holding him. During these years of illness, he received an abundance of love and support from family and friends. Born on March 6, 1953, in Detroit, he was raised in Grosse Pointe Farms, the son of the late Douglas Campbell Jr. and the late Elizabeth MacColl Campbell. He attended the Grosse Pointe University School and graduated from Hotchkiss in 1971. A year later, at a family wedding in Portland, OR, he met the love of his life, Gwynne (MacColl) Campbell. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire, completing a B.A. in Spanish and international relations.

After graduation, he joined one of his professors to coauthor Major Issues of the Law of the Sea, used widely as a textbook for decades by universities from Harvard to Johns Hopkins. He then completed an internship at the State Department, consulted at the United Nations in New York City, and worked with the U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment in D.C. to implement and regulate the 200-mile fishing zone. He then moved to Alexandria, VA, where he started a weekly newspaper. In 1979, he and Gwynne married on Cape Cod. Shortly after, they moved to Charlottesville, VA, where Doug earned his MBA at the University of Virginia’s Darden School in 1980. After graduation, they moved to Stamford, CT, and Doug joined the corporate world at Champion International. They relocated to Darien in 1983, where they resided for the next 35 years, opening the first Sylvan Learning Center on the East Coast, providing comprehensive after-school tutoring and test prep for students of all ages. Doug developed a passion to help business leaders achieve strategic goals, think outside of the box, and have a good work-life balance. In 1995, he founded The Success Coach. For 30 years, he coached CEOs and top executives and their teams to reach higher levels of success, tapping his skills in business and as a member of The National Speakers Association. Always dedicated to coaching young people in sports or business, Doug taught MBA marketing and entrepreneurship for two decades at Sacred Heart and Fairfield universities. In 2019, he helped launch and co-hosted the Stamford Ferguson Library’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence Program, a free, online, and in-person coaching program for local entrepreneurs to improve their businesses and share their experiences with other innovators. He also served on many local boards, including the Darien Chamber of Commerce, Communities Health Charities, the Darien Land Trust, and the Hotchkiss Alumni Board of Governors. From 1998 to 2014, he ran monthly breakfast meetings for groups of “high talent creatives,” usually featuring a pitch from an innovative, emerging local company that then garnered feedback from local businesspeople. His coaching, speaking, and experience with many case studies inspired him to write and self-publish two business books: Where to Go from Here: Reinventing Your Business and Your Career and The 16-28 Solution: Unleash the Passions of Your Youth. Most of all, Doug was proud of the family he and Gwynne raised. His son, Colin, and wife Tara (Craft) have two daughters, Alma and Chloe. His daughter, Caroline, and husband Robert Dickie have two sons,

Brooks and Miller. Doug is also survived by his two brothers, Dwight and Duncan, and their families. Doug loved coaching his kids, Colin and Caroline, on their youth ice hockey and baseball/softball rec teams. A lifelong golfer, fisher, biker, ice skater, and swimmer, Doug loved his sports, incessantly rooting for the University of Michigan, UVA, all four of Detroit’s professional teams, and Connecticut’s Whalers. A member of Noroton Presbyterian Church, he served on the Missions Board and co-founded a multi-denominational men’s bible study group, now in its 18th year. With the Fairfield County Micro Investor’s Council, he helped to establish micro lending initiatives in Ecuador and El Salvador. As the head coach of Wilton High School’s golf team, he enjoyed seeing them win the county championship and place third in the state. He enjoyed camping and hiking in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and continued to enjoy the beach in Matunuck, RI. Doug and the family enjoyed trips to Mexico and the Caribbean, Italy and France, England and Scotland, South Africa and Botswana, Morocco and Spain, and more. In later years, he and Gwynne visited their kids, then living in Australia and the Middle East. In early 2022, he was diagnosed with ALS and resolved to fight the terminal illness with positivity, science, humor, and diligence, while staying active and inspirational in the business community and with his family and friends. The amount of support and consistent visits and calls by so many dear friends, especially when he was no longer able to leave the house or his wheelchair, meant the world to his family. Doug cherished his four grandchildren and loved playing tickle monster and chess, and watching them create art, build structures, and see animals at the Nature Center. During the years of his illness, he had battled ALS with determination, grace, and fortitude, a role model during and at the end of his life.

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KENNEDY AUSTIN ADAMS , beloved father of Raven Adams, passed away in May 2025. The son of Pauline and Joe Adams and the brother of Nadine Adams, he grew up in Menlo Park, CA, and attended Hotchkiss with the Class of 1975. Kennedy studied theater, film, and art, and participated in the early years of Shakespeare Santa Cruz. He graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz with a customized B.A. in performance studies. He married Caecilia Straten “Gaia” Adams, and they raised their daughter in Santa Cruz. After Gaia passed away in 1996, Kennedy and Raven moved to Corralitos, where he found

joy in gardening and focusing on being a great dad. Kennedy loved the arts, especially music, theater, film, television, and painting. He played piano and drums beautifully. He also enjoyed the design of classic cars and loved making model cars and ships. He was an avid reader and amateur historian of World War II. Later in life, he dedicated his time to creating art. He considered his great life work to be “Fragment,” a mixed-media collage composed of obituaries of World War II veterans (newspaper clippings from the San Jose Mercury News and The Pajaronian) and oil painting, spanning 12 large (8x6 feet) canvases. He was a generous philanthropist and supporter of the arts, especially Shakespeare Santa Cruz (now Santa Cruz Shakespeare). Kennedy was a believer in random acts of kindness, and his parting sentiment was “love is greater than fear.” A note to the Hotchkiss Class of 1975 and reunion attendees: “The Hotchkiss reunions were a consistent source of joy throughout his life; as soon as he checked out of the Interlaken Inn, he started looking forward to the next reunion. He loved Hotchkiss and the bond you all shared there. Upon learning of his terminal diagnosis, his first question was, ‘Will I make it to reunion?’ He is with you in spirit.”

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DAVID RENVILLE TOWNSEND passed away on Aug. 22, 2025. He was born on Dec. 26, 1958, in Detroit, MI, to Elizabeth “Betsy” and Paul Henson Townsend Jr. He joined his older brother, Paul III, and was followed by his younger sisters, Elizabeth and Sarah. In his youth, he was a member of the Grosse Pointe Children’s Theater, and he starred in leading roles in many musical productions, including Oliver, The Sound of Music, and Daddy Long Legs, to name a few. He graduated from Hotchkiss in 1977. He attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he was in a self-designed Honors English program and graduated with a B.A. in English and American literature, with a cognate in intellectual history. His love of nature led him to write his senior thesis about American transcendentalism, focusing on Moby Dick by Herman Melville. He received his MBA from the Washington University Graduate School of Business in St. Louis, MO, in 1985 with a focus on marketing and strategic planning. He met his wife, Regina “Reggie” Aloe Townsend (née Sprung) in St. Louis, a few years before attending business school. They married at the Missouri Botanical Garden in May 1983. He worked for many years in business strategy development and consulting, particularly in the information

technology and automotive sectors. A lifelong musician, gifted songwriter, and talented guitar player, he loved to write, record, and mix musical compositions in his home recording studio, and he played hours of music with family and dear friends over the years. An avid outdoorsman, he loved fishing and hunting. One of his favorite pastimes was rowing an antique wooden rowboat while fishing on lakes in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. He loved hiking, tennis, horseback riding (particularly in the desert), cooking, and gardening. He also loved dogs and enjoyed caretaking many canine companions over the years. He loved his wife and children dearly. He is survived by his loving wife Regina “Reggie” Aloe Townsend, daughter Margaret “Meg” Elizabeth (Paul Braestrup), son Eli Baer (Emma Wolf), and granddaughters Audrey and Eloise Braestrup. He will be remembered and missed by many dear friends here and around the globe.

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RHYS V. BOWEN , 65, of Foxboro, MA, died in his sleep on Sept. 15, 2025. Rhys was born in Sharon, CT, on April 9, 1960, to Anne H. Bowen and the late John G. Bowen. His brother, David, died in 1979. Rhys grew up at Hotchkiss, where his father taught English for 30 years. Attending Hotchkiss during high school, he excelled in academics and played soccer, basketball, and baseball. During these years, Rhys also learned the challenges and joys of running, and continued to run 50 miles a week, often before dawn, until the day he died. In 1982, Rhys graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College and returned to Hotchkiss to teach biology, where he met his wife of 35 years, Rebecca (Becky) Snow. After two years of teaching, he left to join a team setting up a research field site in Borneo. The following year, he went to the University of California, Davis, where he earned a Ph.D. in animal behavior in 1995. Rather than follow an academic tenure track, Rhys preferred the sunup-to-sundown, seven-days-a-week, solitary focus of field ornithology. He spent the next several decades researching the ecology of bird species in California and on Cape Cod and the Islands. He believed passionately that in order to maintain species diversity in robust numbers, society needed to protect land in perpetuity. His proudest achievements, therefore, came through his work for the Lakes Region Conservation Trust in New Hampshire, where he served on committees and the Board of Trustees for 20 years, including three years as chair. Always a teacher, he enjoyed leading guided bird walks on LRCT properties to introduce folks to the

natural history of birds and the landscape. At the conclusion of a walk, he would pose the question, “What’s your bird of the day?” Deeply intellectual and curious, Rhys dove into new challenges. He learned Homeric Greek so he could read The Odyssey and The Iliad in their original language. An amateur Melville scholar, he amassed 94 books in his personal library and would wax poetic about reading Moby Dick for the umpteenth time. He valued the writings of Henry David Thoreau, E.O. Wilson, Peter Matthiessen, and Barry Lopez, each of whom vividly described the natural environment and questioned what the fate of our planet and humanity might be if habitat destruction continued unchecked. Rhys’s spirit was filled by the performing arts. Concerts by the Handel and Haydn Society and Boston Early Music Festival often brought tears to his eyes, while Boston Bluegrass Union shows delivered toe-tapping fidgetiness. Rhys eagerly awaited that one breathtaking moment in any production by Shakespeare and Company or Lyric Stage. Rhys will be missed greatly by his wife, Becky Snow; his mother, Anne Bowen; his extended family, friends, and anyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. Rhys is buried with his father and brother (and cat!) in the Town Hill Cemetery at Hotchkiss. 86

JULES FRAUENHOFER , 56, died on March 24, 2025. A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Jules was a vibrant presence in the lives of all who knew her. Born in 1968, Jules graduated in 1986 from Hotchkiss, where her passion for learning and literature began to flourish. She went on to earn a B.A. in foreign languages and literature from Emory University in 1990, a testament to her love of culture and communication. After college, Jules chose to make the Atlanta area her home, where she would spend the rest of her life, nurturing both her family and her community. Jules dedicated nearly 19 years of her professional life to GE, where she was known for her unwavering work ethic and her ability to inspire those around her. Her colleagues admired her for her intelligence, integrity, and kindness, qualities that extended far beyond her workplace. Jules was a devoted mother to her son, Xander Johnson, and daughter, Luci Lara, who were the lights of her life. She was also a proud mother-in-law to her daughter-in-law, embracing her family with open arms and a heart full of love. Jules is survived by her husband, Pedro Lara; her siblings, Suzie Frauenhofer and Dave Frauenhofer, and his wife Kelly, as well as her beloved mother, Rosemary. Jules was preceded in death by her father, David

Sr., whose memory will forever remain in the hearts of her family. A passionate gardener, Jules found joy in nurturing her plants, cultivating beauty in her surroundings, and sharing her love for nature with friends and family. Her garden was a reflection of her spirit—vibrant, colorful, and full of life. Jules leaves behind an expansive circle of friends, many of whom she touched with her warmth, generosity, and infectious laughter. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all who had the privilege to know her.

ELIJAH CHRISTIAN WOODS went to be with the Lord on July 27, 2025. Elijah was born in Austin, TX, to Stacey and Mark Woods. He grew up in San Antonio and spent much of his life at the family ranch near Fredericksburg. During the pandemic, he lived and studied there. He attended Hotchkiss and graduated from Saint Mary’s Hall. Then, at Trinity University, he served on the Student Senate and was a member of the Investment Club. He graduated from Trinity with a B.S. in accounting and an M.S. in accounting. He was an avid adventurer, having spent much time hiking around Telluride, CO, and as far away as Slovenia. His travels took him to many countries in Europe, as well as New Zealand and Argentina. He truly was a Renaissance man, as he could spend the day hunting birds and wild game, cook a delicious dinner, discuss world events, and then entertain after with many guitar renditions. He was an accomplished scholar, sportsman, and musician. Elijah is preceded in death by his grandmother, Tiggy (Glenda Woods), and grandfather, George W. Moyer. He is survived by his parents, Stacey and Mark, sister Olivia, grandfather Gary Woods, and many other family members and friends. To know Elijah was to love Elijah. There truly are not enough words to properly articulate how special he was. He was a great son, grandson, and brother, but most importantly, a great friend.

FORMER FACULTY

LAWRENCE W. BECKER , devoted teacher, head of school, and mentor whose career shaped generations of students and schools, died on Oct. 11, 2025, in Naples, FL. He was 83. Known for his warmth, wit, and unwavering dedication to education, he leaves a legacy of scholarship, leadership, and meaningful relationships. Born on Nov. 16, 1941, in Albany, NY, to Randall D. and Hilda (Meuser) Becker, Larry graduated from Schoharie Central High School in 1959 and left the family farm for Amherst College. Larry

credited Amherst with opening new worlds for him: he excelled academically, formed lifelong friendships, and discovered a passion for teaching and mentorship that would define his life. As a student, he balanced diligence with a playful sense of humor, navigating dormitory pranks and student life with grace, and serving as a dorm proctor—a role that foreshadowed his lifelong commitment to guiding young people. After graduating from Amherst in 1963, Larry attended the Harvard Graduate School of Education, earning his MAT in mathematics, and then began his teaching career at Hotchkiss in 1964. At the School for more than two decades, he taught mathematics, coached, and lived in the dormitories. During this time, he coauthored a series of math textbooks that were used in schools around the country. At Hotchkiss, he met his future wife, Grace Zelinka, while chaperoning a school dance—a romance celebrated by students and sealed with a wedding in 1969 at the Ethel Walker Chapel. Together, they built a life full of love, partnership, and shared dedication to education. Larry wore nearly every hat available at Hotchkiss during his 22 years at the School, serving as director of college counseling, dean of admission and college counseling, dean of the faculty, and assistant headmaster. In 1986, Larry was appointed the third headmaster of Brooks School in North Andover, MA, a position he held for 22 years. Even as head of school, he continued to teach calculus, embodying his belief that leadership is most powerful when paired with hands-on engagement. During his tenure at Brooks, Larry set the school on a strong path forward while building on the nurturing culture established by the school’s founders. After retiring from Brooks in 2008, he brought his expertise to schools worldwide as a consultant with Carney, Sandoe & Associates, helping identify and cultivate leaders for independent and international schools. In retirement, Larry and Grace divided their time between Florida and Massachusetts before settling in Bonita Springs, where he built a community of friends, shared many travel adventures with Grace, cheered on Florida Gulf Coast University’s men’s basketball teams, and enjoyed playing bridge with friends and online. He also continued his lifelong dedication to education as a fundraiser and math tutor at New Horizons of Southwest Florida, an afterschool program for at-risk students in the area. Predeceased by his parents, brother Alan, and sister Susan (Becker) Calabro, Larry is survived by his wife, Grace, their beloved dog Maddie, and a wide circle of family, colleagues, and friends who will remember him for his brilliance, warmth, and unwavering devotion to others. His life was a testament to the power of education, mentorship, and friendship.

Under the Stars

JUNE 12-14, 2026

CLASSES ENDING IN 1 AND 6

For more information, please contact Caroline Sallee Reilly ’87, director of alumni engagement, at (860) 435-3892 or creilly@hotchkiss.org. We look forward to celebrating with you!

SEPTEMBER 25-27, 2026

CLASS OF 1976 50TH REUNION

CLASS OF 1963 63RD REUNION

LEARN MORE AT hotchkiss.org/alumni/events-reunions