CAMPAIGN NEWS

This year’s Graduation speaker is John Avlon, Milton Academy Class of 1991. John is an award-winning journalist and author of six books, including Lincoln & the Fight for Peace and Washington’s Farewell. He is a CNN senior political analyst and anchor, known for his “Reality Check” segments across the network. Previously, he was the editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast and chief speechwriter for the mayor of New York City during the attacks of September 11, 2001. He lives in New York with his wife, Margaret Hoover, and their two children, Jack and Toula Lou.

In the aftermath of WWII, Milton Academy needed a revolutionary educational thinker to lead the preparatory school (later the Lower School) into a more hopeful and vibrant future. In the tumultuous post-war period, principal Elizabeth Greenleaf (later known as “Betty Buck”) revolutionized the teaching practices and priorities of the Lower School while reigniting the passion of teachers and students alike. Breaking with more traditional teaching philosophy, Buck believed in nurturing students at the level and pace that fit each learner best. Her commitment to expanding access to education led her to form the Saturday Course, a program that continues to provide a challenging supplementary curriculum to promising students from nearby public schools. She also was responsible for much of the Milton A.P.P.L.E. (A Personally Planned Learning Experience) program, which brought together children from private and public schools across Milton for an educational summer program. Buck’s unique perspective on the role of education in students’ lives and of Milton Academy in its surrounding community were aspirational, shaping a vision of public service that continues to inspire the Milton community today.

Join us Friday, June 16, and Saturday, June 17, as we celebrate class years ending in 3 and 8. Reunion will feature panels with current students and fellow alumni, classroom experiences with Milton faculty, a Family Festival on the Quad, class gatherings, and more. This Reunion is especially memorable as Head of School Todd Bland will deliver his final State of the School Address with reunion-year alumna and incoming Head of School Alixe Callen ’88. This is one Milton weekend you won’t want to miss! Visit our Reunion website, www.milton.edu/reunion, to register or learn more!

Over the last few weeks, we hosted the Milton Academy 2023 Department of Equity, Inclusion, and Justice speaker series. The series featured talks from Dr. Howard Stevenson, Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer ’87, and Grace Chan McKibben ’86. Dr. Howard Stevenson discussed how to promote racial literacy in education, health, and community institutions. Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer ’87, executive director at the Interfaith Center of New York, discussed how to overcome prejudice, violence, and misunderstanding by activating the power of grassroots religious and civic leaders of today. Grace Chan McKibben ’86 discussed how to bring communities together and amplify the voices and influence of marginalized communities. To watch the recordings of any of these events, please visit https://vimeo.com/miltonalumni. If you participated in any or all of these events and would like to provide feedback, please take a moment to fill out this survey.

March 9 is Giving Day 2023! From arts to sports to hands-on learning experiences and enrichment, a Milton Fund gift makes a positive impact by helping our students learn, grow, and become the leaders we know they can be. The best part? You don’t have to just imagine 1,000 generous Giving Day donors earning $100K to the Milton Fund. You can help make it a reality. Ready to get started? Add Giving Day to your calendar |  Watch the 2023 video | Support us as a Giving Day advocate

As we prepare for the Spring 2023 edition of Milton Magazine to drop in the mail soon, we are already looking forward to reading the class notes and receiving submissions for the fall issue. Do you have a Milton love story or a new addition to the family to share? How about a career update or relocation to tell your classmates about? Submit a class note today at http://forms.gle/4NHrztmPtjPpGq6n6!

Pictured are Heather McGhee ’97 and Cassim Shepard ’97 on their wedding day in October of 2016. The couple have been best friends since their sophomore year at Milton, when they shared their first kiss in the basement of Wigg Hall.

Dr. Howard Stevenson, the first of Milton’s 2023 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) speakers, recently spoke to the alumni community, as well as Upper and Middle School students. You can access the recording of his talk to the alumni community here. Upcoming speakers include Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer ’87, who will speak on February 28, and Grace Chan McKibbon ’86, who will speak on March 7. You can register for the upcoming speaker events at https://www.milton.edu/graduates/events-calendar.

While the past two years have brought myriad heartbreaks and headaches into the public school classroom, alumni working in public school education say they have also profited from important lessons and opportunities. Read more.

Classes ending in 3 and 8, get excited because Reunion is just five months away! Mark your calendars for Friday, June 16, and Saturday, June 17, and keep an eye out for registration information in February. In the meantime, please visit www.milton.edu/reunion to view a preliminary schedule, check out your class page to connect with fellow alumni, join your class committee, and make a gift in honor of your reunion year.

Sitting in the bright, airy headquarters at College for Social Innovation in downtown Boston, Eric Schwarz ’79 describes what has driven him over the past several decades to envision and create two experiential learning programs that give students from underserved communities some of the same opportunities that their more privileged peers have. Read More.

Milton recently hosted a virtual event that explored the collaborative and engaging student clubs that uplift Asian culture at Milton. “Life at Milton: Clubs, Community, and Connection” featured faculty panelists, as well as students who expressed that these clubs offer a “home away from home” and give them a feeling of acceptance and belonging. Access the event recording here: https://vimeo.com/788435340.

Gifts to the Milton Fund provide vital resources for Milton to fulfill its mission by supporting financial aid, faculty development, innovation, and flexible funding for Milton’s greatest needs. Please make your donation before the calendar year ends at www.milton.edu/donate.

Alumni and parent volunteers serve as a vital resource for our students and the greater Milton community. Board of Trustee member Yeng Felipe Butler ’92, P ’35, ’33 recently spoke with Milton’s Invest in Girls club about her life and career in finance. Invest in Girls is a national organization serving more than 2,000 girls a year and was founded by former Trustee Dune Thorne ’94 and Chelsea Mehra ’11. If you would like to explore ways to stay connected and give back to the Milton community like this, please take a moment to complete this brief form to indicate your interests. In particular, we are currently seeking volunteers with expertise in sustainability, digital media, or social justice for upcoming events. A member of our team will be in touch to discuss volunteer opportunities once this form has been completed: https://forms.gle/yz9UhMwTXxrMNBDr6.

Emma Pengelly ’98 is working with communities in Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta to create greater opportunities for their citizens. “Our job is really to help people with ideas and people with passions realize their vision,” she says. Read more

This spring will feature several virtual and in-person events, including Milton Basketball at TD Garden; receptions in Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, and San Francisco; virtual conversations with new Milton faculty and staff members; a DEIJ speaker series; Reunion; and much more. Visit our Upcoming Events calendar at www.milton.edu/graduates/events-calendar for more information.

What makes Milton Academy so special for today’s students, faculty, and staff? On #GivingTuesday, November 29, we will hear from Milton’s newest community members about what drew them here. Your Milton Fund support helps our school grow and thrive through recruiting and retaining the highest quality faculty and staff, and by making a Milton education accessible to bright students through financial aid.Tune in on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter,  and make your gift to the Milton Fund at https://www.milton.edu/givingtuesday.

Thank you to the hundreds of Milton Academy graduates who have completed the alumni survey sent earlier this week as part of the school’s self-study process. Your voices are vital as the school prepares for reaccreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Your insights will help us to see Milton’s areas of distinctive strength more clearly and to discern future growth opportunities. If you haven’t yet had a chance to share your thoughts, please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey by Friday, December 2. We appreciate your participation!

As a professor and the director of Africana Studies at Northeastern University, Régine Michelle Jean-Charles ’96 strives to create a community where students and ideas flourish. “In my view, the job of the formative educator is to make justice irresistible.” So writes Jean-Charles in her 2021 book, Martin Luther King & The Trumpet of Conscience Today. In the same passage, she describes helping a group of students process an act of police brutality they witnessed in Paris at the tail end of a course she taught there. Read More.

Have you written a book? Gotten hitched? Added to your family? Your classmates want to know! Share your news in the spring issue of Milton Magazine by submitting your class note by December 2 at forms.gle/4NHrztmPtjPpGq6n6.

Rosamond van der Linde ’54 shares that she has finished her third book titled “Our Dear Deer Island,” which includes stories from 40 summers of adventures in New Brunswick, Canada. She wrote the book to help the island celebrate its 250th year.

Milton-Nobles Day was held on Saturday, November 12, at Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, Mass. Many students, alumni, family members, and friends cheered the Mustangs on to victory in varsity volleyball (3-0), JV field hockey (2-1 OT), varsity football (38-26), and the under-35 men’s alumni soccer game (4-1). Kevin MacDonald, Varsity Football Head Coach finished his coaching career on a high note with his 237th career win. It was a wonderful day filled with celebration and Milton pride! View photos from the day.

Every ten years, Milton Academy undertakes a self-study in preparation for reaccreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. This period of thoughtful, thorough reflection relies on the participation of the full Milton community. We need to hear your voices! Your insights as graduates will help us to identify Milton’s distinctive strengths and discern opportunities for our future growth. In the next few weeks, you will receive an email with more details about the self-study process and a link to a brief online survey. Please take just a few minutes to share your thoughts. We appreciate your participation.

The inaugural TEDxMiltonAcademy event filled King Theatre with ideas about belonging, health, climate, identity, and psychology, as six speakers from the Milton community shared carefully crafted and passionate talks on subjects of their choosing. The event featured talks from three alumni: Cecilia Guan ’18, who discussed the psychology of a “beginner’s mind”; Michael Kennedy ’01, who shared ideas for involving low-income stakeholders in clean-energy solutions; and Katherine Walker ’02, who spoke about finding humanity as a physician in a pandemic-stricken intensive care unit. Two students, Nika Farokhzad ’23 and Scarlett Eldaief ’24, spoke about the need for comprehensive, national sex eduation and about the complexities of Middle Eastern/North African identity issues, respectively. English Department faculty member Kristine Palmero shared her story of donating bone marrow and the connection she forged with the recipient. Read more.

We are pleased to offer a host of affinity spaces and cultural groups across a wide range of identities, including gender, ability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, and race. Trained facilitators are working with school leadership to create and maintain spaces that are affirming for identity development and supportive of cross-cultural interactions. To learn more, visit https://www.milton.edu/graduates/engage/affinity-groups, or to join an affinity group, please fill out this form.

You’re not alone! Many alumni say that the Class Notes section of Milton Magazine is one of their favorite things to flip through. That’s because people want to know what you’re up to! Share your news and life updates with your Milton family by submitting your class note by December 2 at forms.gle/4NHrztmPtjPpGq6n6.

Pictured is Sarah (McGinty) London ’98 who was named to Fortune‘s 2022 Most Powerful Women in Business. Centene Corporation, where Sarah serves as CEO, noted that “this recognition is a testament to Sarah’s leadership and ability to inspire our team members to deliver on our purpose of transforming the health of the community, one person at a time.”

Last week, Austin Vyas ’17 delivered a beautifully restored Harkness table to Milton just in time for the start of school. This restoration was part of a large, four-table project that Vyas took on as an homage to his career at Milton. Vyas shares, “As a 2017 graduate, I certainly benefited from the Harkness style of learning. I thought it very important to get back to that style of learning after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic had passed.” Vyas also had the help of his brother, Ryan Vyas ’19, in repairing the tables, and Evan Scales ’17 in documenting the project. You can see more photos of Vyas’ restoration work on his company Instagram page, @avyascarpentry.

Have news to share? The fall issue of Milton Magazine will be delivered to mailboxes in the coming weeks, but there’s still time to share your news for the spring issue. Share your accomplishments and life updates with your Milton family by submitting your class note by December 2 at https://forms.gle/VFu3UpDzobUZ9bLB6.

Pictured is Annie Jean-Baptiste ’06 who shared that she launched a LinkedIn learning course on equitable design practices, which focuses on helping organizations build inclusive and equitable products across various industries.

Milton will celebrate alumni in class years ending in 3 and 8 on Friday, June 16, and Saturday, June 17, 2023, and there are many opportunities to get involved as a volunteer. If this is your reunion year, and you would like to explore ways to stay connected and support Milton during this milestone year, please take a moment to complete this brief form, and a member of our team will be in touch to discuss volunteer opportunities: https://forms.gle/yz9UhMwTXxrMNBDr6

Each year, the impact of donor and volunteer support is felt in every corner of Milton Academy. Students, faculty, and staff benefit in innumerable ways from the generosity of our broader community. We are excited to share with you some of the many stories that illustrate the tangible difference made by those who give back to Milton. Visit www.milton.edu/impact today to learn more.

This fall will feature several virtual and in-person events, including Milton at the Boston Red Sox, annual receptions in Boston and New York City, Milton-Nobles Day at Nobles, the annual Gratwick Concert featuring award-winning violinist Keila Wakao, and much more. Visit our events calendar at www.milton.edu/graduates/events-calendar for more information!

The best way to stay connected to Milton and be sure you receive news and invitations to our featured events is to keep your contact information current. Update your contact information today at https://signup.e2ma.net/signup/1769091/1741325.

Alumni and parent volunteers serve as a vital resource for our students, build community for those who are no longer on campus, and support our annual fundraising activity. If you would like to explore ways to stay connected and give back to the Milton community in the upcoming year, please take a moment to complete this brief form to indicate your interests, and a member of our team will be in touch to discuss volunteer opportunities: https://forms.gle/yz9UhMwTXxrMNBDr6

2021–2022 was an exciting year for Milton. The incredible support of more than 3,100 alumni, parents, students, and friends of the school resulted in donations of $17.9 million to fuel innovation and excellence in education at Milton, including $5.6 million for the Milton Fund. We also returned to in-person events, with gatherings in Boston, New York, and on campus, which were attended by more than 700 alumni, parents, and friends. Our 12 virtual events included sessions focused on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice; networking and professional development; and more.

After a two-year hiatus, Milton returns to the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) for Milton at Tanglewood. Join us for this celebrated tradition on Sunday, July 31, with a lunch hosted by former trustee Dottie Weber ’60 and Steve Weber P ’04 before the concert. With Andris Nelsons conducting, the concert will open with a BSO co-commissioned piece by American composer Elizabeth Ogonek, followed by “Symphony No. 3” by French female composer Louise Farrenc, one of the most accomplished musicians of the early Romantic era. Beethoven’s final concerto “Emperor” will end the program, perfectly balancing virtuosity with substance and depth. Lawn and Shed tickets are still available for purchase. Already have tickets? You may also RSVP for the lunch only at www.www.milton.edu/invite/tanglewood2022.

Save the date! Milton will celebrate alumni in class years ending in 3 and 8 on Friday, June 16, and Saturday, June 17, 2023. Reunion will feature sessions with current students and alumni, classroom experiences with Milton faculty, class gatherings, and more. So mark your calendars and plan to join us back on campus to celebrate with your classmates! Stay tuned for more details.

Alumni and parent volunteers serve as a vital resource for our students, build community for those who are no longer on campus, and support our annual fundraising activity. If you would like to explore ways to stay connected and give back to the Milton community in the upcoming year, please take a moment to complete this brief form to indicate your interests, and a member of our team will be in touch to discuss volunteer opportunities: https://forms.gle/yz9UhMwTXxrMNBDr6

Alexandra (Alixe) H. Callen ’88 has been selected by the Board of Trustees to be Milton Academy’s 13th head of school, effective July 1, 2023. Callen, a Milton graduate with extensive teaching and leadership experience in both public and independent schools, currently serves as the head of St. George’s School in Middletown, Rhode Island, a position she has held since 2017. Read more.

Milton awarded diplomas to 185 seniors during the school’s commencement exercises on June 10, 2022. One longstanding tradition of the ceremony is students electing their student speakers, which assures seniors that they will, at their last Milton gathering, hear from classmates they have chosen. This year, students selected Karol Querido and Tyler Tjan. Delivering the commencement address was alumna Heather McGhee, Milton Academy Class of 1997.

Read speeches, watch video of the ceremony, and view photos from the day.

This year, Milton expanded time and resources for extracurricular activities. The Milton Fund supports opportunities for students to think creatively, solve problems, work as a team, become leaders, and serve their community. Visit www.www.milton.edu/donate by June 30 to support the programs that provide transformational opportunities for students on campus today. 

Andi ’25 shared that the Habitat for Humanity club has helped her grow, in and out of the classroom. ”A skill that Habitat for Humanity has given me in the classroom setting at Milton is giving me practice with speaking up and sharing my opinion … and that is something that’s required in a Milton class.”

On April 30, the Board of Trustees honored its outgoing president, Lisa Donohue ’83, with the Milton Medal, recognizing her years of leadership and dedication during a significant period of growth for Milton Academy. “Lisa’s incredible service to Milton clearly makes her deserving of this important honor,” said Board member Claire Hughes Johnson ’90, who will succeed Donohue as president on July 1. Read more.

This year’s Graduation speaker is Heather C. McGhee ’97. She is an author and public policy advocate who designs and promotes solutions to inequality in America. For nearly two decades, she helped build the policy organization Demos, serving four years as its president. Her New York Times bestselling book, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, was long-listed for the National Book Award and the Carnegie Medal for Excellence. She holds a B.A. in American Studies from Yale University, a J.D. from University of California at Berkeley School of Law, and has been awarded several honorary degrees. McGhee lives in Brooklyn with her husband, whom she met in Class III at Milton, and their three year-old son. Graduation will be held the morning of June 10.

Reunion is just under one month away! Will we see you there? 200 alumni have already registered. Reunion will feature sessions with current students and alumni, a classroom experience with Milton faculty, lunch on the Quad, class gatherings, and more. New this year, some of our in-person programs will also be available virtually for alumni unable to join us on campus. Don’t miss out! Register today, and visit our Reunion website to learn more!