mawrginalia, may-june 2015

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ContentsMawrginalia May/June 2015

MAWRGINALIA [mar-juh-nay-lee-uh]:

Latin, plural noun. Notes,

commentary and similar

material about or relating

to The Bryn Mawr School.

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FEATURES

16 The Class of 2015• The Next Step: College Report 2015

• Snapshot of the Class of 2015

24 Class Day: Honoring Student Achievements

28 Graduation: In Pictures

32 Mechanical AdvantagesEighth graders at Bryn Mawr tackle a

science project that just might change

another student’s life.

36 Bryn Mawr Junior Wins Princeton Prize in Race Relations

37 Spring Sports Report

41 Pitch PerfectThe Bryn Mawr varsity softball team

finishes the season 17-0, claiming the

IAAM B Conference title.

43 Senior Voices: The Class of 2015

NEWS & NOTES

4 From the Headmistress5 Remawrks6 Pictures of the Month12 Teachers’ Corner13 Mawrtian Minutes

PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

47 Thanks for a Wonderful Year!

ALUMNAE

48 In Their Own Words: Reunion Class Members

50 new Date for Alumnae Weekend 2015

51 Recent events: Generations Tea & new York Happy Hour and Luncheon

51 Kudos!

PAGE 41 The varsity softball team clinches a perfect season.

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4 Mawrginalia May/June 2015 brynmawrschool.org

NEWS & NOTES

From the HeadmistressOn June 9, the Class of 2015 gathered in the Graduation Garden one last time to celebrate the conclusion of their Bryn Mawr years, and the beginning of their next adventure. Below is an excerpt of the words that Headmistress Maureen E. Walsh wrote to share with the girls. If you missed the cere-mony, you can view it on our YouTube channel.

At last June 9, 2015 arrives, and it’s one of those moments that I hope you will always remember. For many of you, it’s the culmination of a long line of events: the Pioneer Picnic, the Greek Myth Plays, International Bazaar, Echo Hill, Camp Letts, and all of the milestones that you have enjoyed with your classmates. You’ve given so much to your classmates and your school, and you leave a legacy of achievement and accomplishment that will live on long after this ceremony concludes.

You have lived Edith Hamilton’s belief from Plato’s “Republic” that “the hard is the good.” Whether it’s real-izing that you’ve moved on to a new topic in math, devel-oping clarity in your critical reading skills, deciphering a difficult passage, or trying to skate backwards when you really haven’t mastered skating forwards, you worked hard here at Bryn Mawr, you did not take the easy way. We’ve been proud of you throughout.

Our founders believed in women’s intelligence, their capacity to create change, their powerful voices and their ability to accomplish great things. The essential core of who you are has been changed by being a Bryn

Mawr student. On this campus, in our classrooms, on the stage and on the playing field, we have encouraged you to be independent, to have an opinion and to share it, to bring a fierce approach to the Harkness Table, to a game, a performance or an argument. It may take years before you understand how much you have been influenced by your classmates and your teachers here at Bryn Mawr.

Edith Hamilton wrote, “All things are at odds when God sets a thinker loose on the planet.” Thinkers, activists, scientists, artists, athletes and dreamers – you are now set loose on the world.

You will always be a Mawrtian. Bryn Mawr never leaves you. Bryn Mawr will always be a part of you. And you, too, will always be with us.

I hope you know how proud we are of all of you, and that you have amazed us again and again. On behalf of the faculty, let me thank you for the joy you’ve given us.

But, because this is the last time, let me remind you to be bold. Be creative, be joyous and be subversive. Do well, and do good. Go on all the rides – twice.

Ex Solo Ad Solem. From this place may you rise to the sun.

Maureen E. Walsh Headmistress

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheBrynMawrSchool

brynmawrschool.org May/June 2015 Mawrginalia 5

RemawrksEach fall, the school year begins in late August or early September. Just as summer begins to bring cooler nights and the evening song of the cicadas we are thrust into a schedule of “school night” routines. On those late August nights I sit on the back deck and listen for the cicadas. As they approach the end of their short time on Earth they sing louder than ever. Are they singing in protest or tri-umph? Do they know what’s coming?

The school year begins moving toward us like a freight train. As the train bears down we begin the ritual of making lists and buying everything new. Our supplies are crisp, sharp, shiny and bright. They promise organization and accomplishment. We will keep our books covered, our notebooks color coded and our assignments neatly recorded in our planner. Our devices will be synced for ultimate precision; we will not miss any communication and will not fail to respond in a timely fashion. It feels like we are in control.

The days begin to move forward. Each week seems to contain more to do and less time. By now the weeks are passing quickly and filling up with homework, rehears-als, practice, projects and friends. Some classes are our favorites; others are much harder and require more work. Things shift a few weeks later – such is the cycle of a school year that shrinks and expands on a schedule to which we are not privy.

I have always considered this roller coaster of a calendar a gift to those of us fortunate enough to be part of the life of a school, with its undeniable demands that come in predestined spurts. The school year is a beautiful cycle of beginnings and endings. When the final measure is taken, we celebrate the highs and let the rest flow beyond memory. No matter the challenges we faced, the losses we suffered or the heights we achieved, the year con-cludes with a sense of satisfaction and joy.

The cycle of a new year begins, as it should, with antici-pation, promises and shiny new stuff. It ends, as it should, with an acknowledgment of hard work and success, a few less-than-stellar moments, and memories of lessons, friends, tears and laughter. For 36 years I have been part of The Bryn Mawr School’s reassuring and reliable school year cycle. I will miss the excitement of the beginning and the bittersweet relief of June. I know that each new school year will continue to carry students and teachers forward to great heights. You will count the days in June. By mid-summer you will look forward to the next new year and will carry on with goals and hopes and dreams to guide you. I wish you Godspeed.

Pat Sheridan Little School Director


PICTURES OF THE MONTH

IT’S ACADEMIC

FLUFFY FRIENDS IN FIRST GRADE

The Bryn Mawr It’s Academic team of Feddi Roth ’15, Claire Drigotas ’15 and Myra Dada ’18 had a great season, making it to the semifinals – a feat no team before them had achieved. “Feddi, Claire and I are a great team,” said Dada. “We really worked well together. I’m glad I got to be a part of the team this year.”

Each year, girls in first grade learn all about ducks in preparation for incubating and hatching their own ducklings. After spending several

weeks learning about oviparous animals, the girls were thrilled to welcome three ducklings of their own. They were even more excited

when, a week after the ducklings hatched, they got to take their fluffy little friends outside for the first time and see them in action!


INTERNATIONAL BAZAAR

ARPILLERAS: ARTISTIC PROTEST

The annual fourth grade International Bazaar, a time-honored tradition and

Lower School rite of passage, took place this year on May 15. In preparation for the

event, girls spent time researching their countries and preparing food and crafts to sell at their booths. The turnout was

fantastic, and all proceeds were donated to a Peace Corps project of the girls’ choice.

In May, the World Languages and Cultures Department (formerly the Foreign Languages Department) led a unique project that brought

together language, art and social justice. Students spent time in and out of class making arpilleras (Spanish for “burlap”), artistic messages

of protest first created in Chile during the Pinochet dictatorship. Girls chose to tackle topics ranging from race and class to salary disparities

between men and women. The resulting works of art are on display in the North Building – stop by and see them if you have a chance!



GYM DRILL

Gym Drill, the most quintessential Bryn Mawr tradition, brought together the community for the 111th year in a row to showcase the cultural and ethnic dances girls have been learning in dance class. The Class of 2015 added their own flavor with their senior dance, choreographed by seniors Quichey Johnson, Teresa Norman and Caroline Marigny.


MAYPOLE DANCE

SENIOR BELL RINGING

On Monday, May 18, the Class of 2015 celebrated their last official day on campus with the traditional bell ringing, a ritual in which each senior asks a few underclassmen friends to join her as she rings the school bell. It was a wonderful, symbolic end to the many years that the girls had spent on the Bryn Mawr campus.

Each year the third grade opens the Bazaar with the Maypole Dance. This year, the girls

had the honor of performing on the upper field right before Gym Drill. They did an

excellent job with their singing and dancing!



LITTLE SCHOOL SPRING SING

LITTLE SCHOOL DAISY DAY

The Little School held the annual Spring Sing at the end of May, giving the children a chance to show off all the music and dance skills they’ve learned this year. It was impressive to watch the children perform a variety of songs, as well as play recorders!

At the end of each year, the Little School celebrates Daisy Day, bidding farewell to friends who are moving up to kindergarten or moving away. As each child was called up to receive flowers this year, he or she was asked what they want to be when they grow up. From the sounds of it we have a group of future firefighters, doctors, scientists, astronauts, singers, dancers, athletes, and Iron Man, and one very excited Tooth Fairy!


FIFTH GRADE CLOSING ASSEMBLY

EIGHTH GRADE CLOSING CONVOCATION

On the last day of school, the fourth and fifth grades gathered for their closing assembly, which celebrated the fifth grade’s contributions to the Lower School. Each girl shared a favorite memory from her time at the Lower School, and then received a special Bryn Mawr charm from fifth grade teachers Katherine Gilbert and Jeannie Emala. After the assembly concluded, they officially “graduated” from their Lower School jumpers. So long, bibs...hello skirts!

On the morning of June 8, the eighth grade gathered for their closing assembly. After enjoying a slideshow put together by their teachers, the girls listened to remarks from classmate Rose Becker ’19 and Middle School Director Amanda Macomber celebrating their successful completion of Middle School.


NEWS & NOTES

Each month we profile two faculty members to give them a chance to share, in their own words,

their thoughts on teaching at Bryn Mawr.

TEACHERS’ CORNER

BOBBIE MIYASAKILower School Science

How has the one-to-one iPad program influenced what you do in your classroom?

It’s been very exciting, because it gives the girls immediate access

to information. It’s also been fun because the girls can record their

experiments, and they can include video, audio and pictures to keep track of what

they’ve done. If a child misses an experiment, she can see a friend’s video of it. I’ve really enjoyed having that tech-nology in my classroom.

What do you think is the most valuable aspect of a Bryn Mawr education?

I think instilling a love of learning and fostering indepen-dence. The girls gain confidence in themselves and their abilities, and they learn to question. All of those aspects are important. The Lower School also teaches values, which are basic to everything. It’s important for anyone to have intrinsic values, because that forms a framework for your life.

How do girls progress through the science curriculum, from the time they start working with you in second grade up through fifth grade?

We build a basic set of skills, and we expand upon that each year. With each year the children become more able to think abstractly, so we can expand the kinds of things that we do and the depth in which we do them. When girls start out in second grade the experiments have to be fairly prescriptive, but as we continue on they become much more independent learners.

JASON GEORGEUpper School History

You’re both a Bryn Mawr teacher and a Bryn Mawr parent. How has that impacted the way that you think about the school?

As I see the enthusiasm that my daugh-ter Olivia has for her teachers, I hope that my students would talk about my classes the same way that Olivia talks about the things that she’s doing in her classes. Being a Bryn Mawr parent really makes me appreciate the traditions that Bryn Mawr has and how those build over time. It’s wonderful to see firsthand how thoughtfully the school prepares girls for each grade level and division.

How has the one-to-one laptop program influenced the way that you use technology in your classroom?

The biggest change is the ease of access to information that the students have. They can be much more inde-pendent and look things up on their own. For example, if we’re talking about a historical event, I might ask them to go to a contemporary news source and look up an article about the event, or they might research a particular his-torical period so that they can do comparisons, or they might look at primary source documents.

What do you think is the most valuable aspect of Bryn Mawr education?

I think it is the degree to which it empowers students to ask a lot of questions, and not just to take things at face value. We talk about bold voices, and I think the girls are really able to develop those, but they’re also able to be crit-ical consumers of information, which is equally important.


Noteworthy news from around the school

MAWRTIAN MINUTES

Bryn Mawr Earns Green School Certification

On April 30, Bryn Mawr was certified as a 2015 Maryland Green School by the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE). Through this recognition, Bryn Mawr is encouraged to take part in educational opportunities that increase awareness and understand-ing of environmental interrelationships that impact public health and our society, and that promote responsible environmen-tal stewardship practices.

Over the past two years, Bryn Mawr has demonstrated and documented a continuous effort to integrate sustainable environmental management prac-tices, environmental education curriculum, professional development opportunities and community engage-ment into our daily operations. This award signifies a

commitment to developing stewards of the Earth and reducing the environmental impact of the school.

“Students, teachers, school personnel, parents and community partners work-ing together to create lasting, positive environmental actions at school are core elements to becoming a Maryland Green School,” says Laura Johnson Collard, MAEOE Executive Director. Students are involved in projects that save energy and reduce waste. Schools are also encouraged

to get students outdoors to the schoolyard or to visit a local nature park. The Maryland Green Schools program plays an important role in fulfilling the state’s commit-ment to ensure that young people become environmen-tally literate by the time they graduate.

Annual Fund Update

The Bryn Mawr School would like to send heartfelt thanks to the more than 2,000 donors who contributed over $1,394,000 to the Annual Fund this year! Thanks to your generosity, Bryn Mawr remains a place where young women are provided with superior academics and the foundation that enables them to go on to lead remarkable lives.


NEWS & NOTES

Two Bryn Mawr Students Honored at Center Stage

In May, two Bryn Mawr students were selected as hon-orees in the 2015 Young Playwrights Festival hosted by Baltimore theater Center Stage. Liza Plant ’19 and Mia Boydston ’23 were two of only ten area students whose plays were selected to be performed by professional actors at Center Stage in late May.

The Center Stage honorees ranged in age from kindergar-ten through twelfth grade, and came from many different Baltimore schools. Like the other honorees, both Plant and Boydston loved watching their words come alive on stage.

“This entire experience has been so cool, and the sup-port I got was incredible,” said Plant, an eighth grader at Bryn Mawr. “Plus, I loved watching someone perform something I wrote.” Plant’s monologue, submitted as part of Center Stage’s “My America/My Baltimore” project, featured a young gay man who struggled to live in a homophobic world. “I wanted to write about something that other people could relate to,” she said.

Boydston, a fourth grader whose play “The Monster at the Border” tackled the difficult topic of illegal immigra-tion, said the experience broadened her view on writing plays beyond just fantasy. “It has made me realize that there are definitely things in real life that you can base your plays on,” she acknowledged. “I heard about what is happening to girls and boys in Central America who are trying to cross the border to America for a better life, but are instead caught and put into dog cages. I was so sad-dened and decided to write my play about it.” Boydston explained that her parents inspired her involvement in theater because they used to be stage managers together. When they found out that she won, she said, “They even let me have extra dessert because it was so special and they were so proud of me!”

Both girls said the experience was more than just excit-ing and fun. “It has definitely made me feel more con-fident in my work,” Plant said. “I would love to do more things involving theater and writing in the future.”

Boydston also used this as a chance to improve her the-ater and writing skills. “When I saw the performance I got even more ideas, and so I added onto the script,” she

explained. “It came out so well, and the performance was everything I had hoped for; I was so happy.”

These young writers spent time both in and out of school working on their plays. They have also taken advantage of many opportunities to be involved in musicals and plays, both at Bryn Mawr and at Center Stage summer camps. And while Plant’s monologue was a requirement for her Bryn Mawr drama class, she said, “I definitely would have done it anyway because I had a really good time writing it.”

Both Plant and Boydston said that this opportunity has encouraged them to continue their involvement with writing, acting, and Center Stage. “I want to continue writing for a long time,” Plant said. “Even if I don’t win, it’s just fun to write.”

ABOVE TOP Center Stage actors perform a play written by Mia Boydston ’23. ABOVE LEFT Liza Plant ’19 at the Center Stage reception. ABOVE RIGHT Boydston works with an actor at the read through of her play.


Dance School Registration Now Open

Now entering its third year, The Dance School is pleased to announce the addition of new classes including tap, lyrical, parent/child, and dance for 3- and 4-year-olds. The Dance School will also continue to offer our popular jazz and ballet classes for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. For more information and to register now, visit www.brynmawrschool.org/danceschool.

Music School Outreach Brings Joy

On April 30, eight Bryn Mawr students performed at Brightwood of Lutherville, an assisted living facility. Brightwood residents enjoyed music performed by students from the Lower and Middle Schools rang-ing in style from traditional English folk to classical. The Music School also showcased a variety of musical instruments. Three of the audience members were Bryn Mawr alumnae, and they could not wait to meet the young Bryn Mawr performers and congratulate them. Thanks to all of the students who participated in this beautiful outreach performance!

Three Bryn Mawr alumnae were thrilled to have Bryn Mawr Music School students perform for them.

http://www.brynmawrschool.org/danceschool

http://www.brynmawrschool.org/danceschool


FEATURES

The Next Step College Report 2015

The 66 talented and motivated students of The Bryn Mawr School Class of 2015 will attend 54 colleges and universities in 27 states across the U.S., as well as two foreign countries. Eighty-five percent will study out of state.

For most students, the college search began near the end of their junior year when they met with one of Bryn Mawr’s three college counselors to begin the process of narrowing down the seemingly endless options. While Ivy League, “Ivy Plus” and other top-tier institutions are well represented on the Class of 2015’s college list, the main goal of Bryn Mawr’s college counseling process is to find the right “fit” for each girl, and to help her identify what she wants from her college experience. “What we want to help them do is figure out who they are, what their values are, and how to articulate that to the world,” explains Patti Whalen, director of college counseling.

Senior Lizzie Smith always knew that art would be in her future. A talented actress, singer and artist, Smith was able to discover her artistic passions in a multitude of ways during her Upper School years. “Bryn Mawr has allowed me to branch off and explore a lot of the things I’m interested in, in terms of extracurricular activities,” she says. “I really got into theater here, and learned how I can lead groups and organizations such as Arts Council – that’s been really great for me.”

However, as Smith started her college search, she real-ized that art school would not be the best fit, because she

wanted to go somewhere that would allow her to explore more subjects. After a lengthy application and decision process, Smith is excited to be heading to the University

University of Michigan

Prospective Major: Undecided

Hear Lizzie’s story >

LIZZIE SMITH


of Michigan next year, where she will be in a program that allows her to take classes at both the Stamps School of Art and Design as well as in the College of Literature, Science and Arts. “I’m really interested in how art and my other studies intersect, and the program I’m in at Michigan allows me to [explore that],” Smith says. “I can take those intensive art classes and then go and talk about Faulkner and connect that to my work.”

Smith credits the Bryn Mawr college process with help-ing her to figure out exactly what would make her happy in college, as well as some other important self-truths. “In the beginning they would say, ‘Essay writing can be fun!’ and I was like, ‘No, that’s not true!’” Smith says, laughing. “But through my writing I identified a lot of things about myself that I hadn’t really known before. It was a really valuable experience.”

For some students, the college process was much simpler than they had first anticipated. When she first started her search, Sabrina Illiano ’15 had a pretty good idea what she was looking for – a school that was relatively large, in an urban environment and that had a lot going on. The summer after her junior year, Illiano visited New York University. “I already had known that I really, really liked it and that it was the top of my list, but that’s when NYU became an 11 on a scale of 1 to 10 for me,” she says. After talking with her parents and Whalen, her college counselor, Illiano decided to apply early decision, which meant that if she got in it would be a binding commit-ment. In December, Illiano got the good news, and just like that, her college search was over.

At NYU, Illiano will be in the Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where she will work with an advisor to craft a major that encompasses all of her interests – politics, sociology and law. The culmination of the pro-gram will be her senior colloquium, a two-hour presenta-tion to Gallatin faculty members.

Illiano is also looking forward to being part of NYU’s Division III track and field program. “It was really not until senior year that I realized that I wanted to continue track in college,” Illiano says. “I realized how much time I had put into track, and how I didn’t regret any of that time at all – I loved it and I didn’t want it to end.” She con-tacted the coach at NYU to express her interest, and was excited to find that she could join the track team. “Now,” she says happily, “it doesn’t have to end.”

In total, 11 members of the Class of 2015 will partici-pate in athletics at their chosen schools. Among them is Quichey Johnson, who will be playing field hockey for Goucher College. An avid athlete, Johnson played field hockey, basketball and softball during all four of her years at Bryn Mawr. She also served as the president of Athletic Association her senior year, helping to keep

New York University

Prospective Major: Politics,

Sociology & Law

Hear Sabrina’s story >

SABRINA ILLIANO


FEATURES

Mawrtian spirit strong through beloved traditions like Spirit Day.

Johnson credits coach and mentor Jeanette Budzik, Bryn Mawr’s dean of students, with helping her find the right college fit. After she decided that she wanted to continue her field hockey career in college, Johnson says that Budzik helped her visit several potential schools and also to narrow down the choices. Ultimately, Johnson chose Goucher because it felt similar in many ways to Bryn Mawr. “I know it’s going to be challenging – I’ve been to a few classes and I already like what I’ve experienced,” Johnson says. “Also, I went on a recruiting trip for field hockey there, and the team is just so close – I feel like that’s definitely like all of my teams here at Bryn Mawr.”

Also in the Class of 2015 are three international stu-dents. One of the girls, Christine Que, came to Bryn Mawr in tenth grade in search of a more well-rounded high school experience. During her time at Bryn Mawr,

Que has participated in clubs like Princeton Model Congress and also played basketball – something she would not have done in China. “I wasn’t very confident at the beginning for the basketball tryouts, but [my friends] told me, ‘You should definitely come, we will have so much fun,’” Que remembers. “There are a lot of moments like this [at Bryn Mawr], so I wasn’t afraid of presenting myself to other people and always trying new things.”

Que will attend Georgetown University, where she plans to study public policy and international relations; she hopes to potentially go into politics in the future. She says that her high school experience at Bryn Mawr has prepared her well for college and beyond – and that she will miss the close-knit community. “I feel like I have a lot of connections here,” Que reflects. “I will definitely miss the people here. I just feel like students here make [strong] commitments to a lot of things, and I will miss that whole environment.”

Georgetown University

Prospective Major: Public Policy & International Relations

Hear Christine’s story >

CHRISTINE QUE

Goucher College

Prospective Major: Business

Management

Hear Quichey’s story >

QUICHEY JOHNSON


BRYN MAWR SENIOR AWARDED JEFFERSON SCHOLARSHIP

In May, Bryn Mawr senior Alexa Corse was named as one of the 2015 recipients of the Jefferson Scholarship at the University of Virginia. A prestigious award based solely on merit, the Jefferson covers the entire cost of attendance for four years at the University of Virginia plus supplemental enrich-ment experiences. It is awarded to only a handful of students each year.

Corse decided to apply for the Jefferson Scholarship with the goal of studying journalism, a passion that she developed at Bryn Mawr. “It really encourages each individual student to follow what they’re pas-sionate about, and it also gives you a really awesome base of support and advising,” Corse says about the Jefferson program.

After a lengthy college process, Corse narrowed her choices down to two schools: UVA and Stanford

University. She felt confident that she would be able to delve deeply into her interest in national security journalism at either school. After going through the extensive inter-view process for the Jefferson, which culminated with a selection weekend in Charlottesville, Corse learned that she had been named a recipient. “It was a huge honor,” she says.

Ultimately, however, Corse chose to go to Stanford because of an expe-rience she had on her second visit to the school. “I met up with Alexa Philippou [’14], and she invited me to lunch with her pre-major advisor,” Corse says. “It happens that that advisor is an expert in journalism and national security, which are my interests.” That experience made her confident that Stanford was the right fit. “I knew I would have teach-ers who were always encouraging me and pushing me to do more, like I have at Bryn Mawr.”

ALEXA CORSE

Stanford University

Prospective Major: Journalism

Hear Alexa’s story >

Senior AthletesIn total, 11 members of the Class of 2015 will be playing sports at their chosen schools. They are: Maddie Stuzin, lacrosse, Columbia University; Hadley Brown, lacrosse, Vanderbilt University; Alex Argo, lacrosse, Princeton University; Julie Blaze, lacrosse, Vanderbilt University; Julia Feiss, lacrosse, University of Denver; Quichey Johnson, field hockey, Goucher College; Maya Lamson, track, Cornell College; Sabrina Illiano, track, New York University; Sarah Herman, crew, University of Wisconsin – Madison; Carly Rizzuto, squash, Dartmouth College; and Catherine Pollack, swim-ming, Middlebury College.


FEATURES

FUN FACTS

AN OVERVIEW

66 GIRLS

14 GIRLS16

5,395 HOURS

$2 MILLION

OF COMMUNITY SERVICE

IN SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS

MORE THAN

5427

COLLEGES &UNIVERSITIES

3 Finalists

11 Commended Scholars

1 National AchievementCommended Scholar

1 National Hispanic Recognition

Program Scholar

12

12

195

SPEAK TWO OR MORELANGUAGES

27 ATTENDED BRYN MAWRFOR 13+ YEARS

DOUBLE LANGUAGE

STATES, INCLUDING D.C.

FOREIGN COUNTRIES

RECOGNITIONS

in this graduatingclass will attend

received a total of

from the

The Class of 2015 completed a cumulative total of

Together, the graduatingclass received

in

2

NATIONALMERITSCHOLARSHIPPROGRAM

and

at home

17,820 MILES TOGILMAN

This year, the seniors walked a collective

15 TRAVELED ABROADfor school-sponsored trips

27 WERE OFFICERSin school-wide organizations

followed a

All 66 girls participated in

track for 3+ years

DOUBLE LANGUAGE

CLUBSCOLLECTIVELY


It’s a wide world. Where are they going?A name in bold signifies that more than one student is attending.

American UniversityBoston CollegeBucknell UniversityCarleton CollegeCase Western Reserve UniversityClemson UniversityCollege of William and MaryColorado CollegeColumbia UniversityCornell CollegeCornell UniversityDartmouth CollegeEmory UniversityEugene Lang College – The New

School for Liberal ArtsFordham UniversityFurman UniversityGeorgetown UniversityGoucher CollegeHamilton CollegeHigh Point UniversityHoward UniversityIthaca CollegeJohns Hopkins UniversityLafayette CollegeMcDaniel CollegeMiddlebury CollegeNew York UniversityNortheastern UniversityNYU Abu Dhabi UniversityPennsylvania State University –

University ParkPennsylvania State

University, YorkPrinceton UniversitySewanee: The University

of the South

Southern Methodist UniversityStanford UniversityThe George Washington UniversityUniversity of AlabamaUniversity of ChicagoUniversity of DelawareUniversity of DenverUniversity of Maryland,

Baltimore CountyUniversity of Maryland,

College ParkUniversity of MiamiUniversity of MichiganUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of RedlandsUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of St. AndrewsUniversity of VermontUniversity of Wisconsin, MadisonVanderbilt UniversityWashington University

in St. LouisWesleyan UniversityYale University

FUN FACTS

AN OVERVIEW

66 GIRLS

14 GIRLS16

5,395 HOURS

$2 MILLION

OF COMMUNITY SERVICE

IN SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS

MORE THAN

5427

COLLEGES &UNIVERSITIES

3 Finalists

11 Commended Scholars

1 National AchievementCommended Scholar

1 National Hispanic Recognition

Program Scholar

12

12

195

SPEAK TWO OR MORELANGUAGES

27 ATTENDED BRYN MAWRFOR 13+ YEARS

DOUBLE LANGUAGE

STATES, INCLUDING D.C.

FOREIGN COUNTRIES

RECOGNITIONS

in this graduatingclass will attend

received a total of

from the

The Class of 2015 completed a cumulative total of

Together, the graduatingclass received

in

2

NATIONALMERITSCHOLARSHIPPROGRAM

and

at home

17,820 MILES TOGILMAN

This year, the seniors walked a collective

15 TRAVELED ABROADfor school-sponsored trips

27 WERE OFFICERSin school-wide organizations

followed a

All 66 girls participated in

track for 3+ years

DOUBLE LANGUAGE

CLUBSCOLLECTIVELY


FEATURES

Class Day Celebrating Student Achievements

On Monday, June 8, the Upper School community gathered to celebrate the student achievements of the 2014-2015 school year, and to recognize the hard work and dedication of the senior class.

Retiring Little School Director Pat Wells Sheridan, concluding her 36-year career at Bryn Mawr, gave a wonderful speech celebrating the long journey that the seniors had taken to this point, and encouraging them to stay connected to the friends they have made at Bryn Mawr. “Just as babies learn to walk by holding hands you too will grow and learn as you take the hand of a friend and form circles of friendship together. Remember that you will be surrounded by people who care about you and are ready to take your hand to steady your journey,” Sheridan said.

Class Day senior speakers Teresa Norman and Eleni Sabracos got the audience laughing with their top tips for leading a considered and consequential life – among them to roll up yoga pants before convocation and that

“if you didn’t SnapChat it, it didn’t happen!” Fellow senior Ellie Grabowski took a different tack, reflecting on the bond between the 66 members of the graduating class and all that they have accomplished together.

Afterward, the graduating leaders of the five all-school organizations – Student Government Association, the Athletic Association, Arts Council, Community Service Learning and Community Alliance for Everyone (CAFE) – passed their gavels, and the mantle of leadership, to the incoming presidents. New all-school organization Environmental Coalition was also officially welcomed. Once the ceremony concluded, seniors were formally welcomed into the Alumnae Association with cupcakes and t-shirts. Congratulations to all of the award winners, and to the Class of 2015!


JULIA MCHENRY HOWARD AWARD

Cecilia Slaughter ’19

FRANCES VIRGINIA WENTZ

TURNER PRIZE

Shanzeh Haque ’15

COMMUNITY SERVICE PRIZE

Sam Silverman ’15

CLASS OF 1953 PRIZE

Lizzie Smith ’15

PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION AWARD

Monita Harrison-Travis ’15

THE WURTZBURGER CUP

Alice Palkovitz ’15

CARYATID AWARD

Emily Maranto ’15

ALUMNAE AWARDS

Raina Coleman ’15 Quichey Johnson ’15 Teresa Norman ’15 Catherine Pollack ’15

PUBLIC SPEAKING AWARD

Sydney Okolo ’15

AGNES WHITING MEMORIAL AWARD

Feddi Roth ’15

STATE OF MARYLAND

SCHOLASTIC AWARDS

Alexa Corse ’15 Claire Drigotas ’15 Ellie Grabowski ’15 Feddi Roth ’15

BRYN MAWR COLLEGE PRIZE

Adeline Choo ’16

EDITH HAMILTON AWARD

Amanda Schmitt ’16

CLASS OF 1943 CUPS

Arts Council Annie Im ’16

Athletic Association Anne-Pearson Smith ’16

Community Alliance for Everyone Sefa Santos-Powell ’17

Community Service Learning Catherine Pollack ’15

Student Government Association Nzingha Campbell ’15

THE BRYN MAWR SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP

(AWARDED AT GRADUATION)

Feddi Roth ’15


FEATURESFEATURES

DEPARTMENTAL AWARDS (GIVEN AT THE

AWARDS ASSEMBLY IN LATE APRIL)

Creative Writing Award Ellie Grabowski ’15

Ruth Bridgman Pagon Memorial Award Maddie Stuzin ’15

Lawrason Perkins deMuth Prize in History Claire Drigotas ’15

Rosemary Elliott Keyser Harder Art Award Sam Silverman ’15

Frances Wyatt Chisolm Photography Prize Mara Sherline ’15

Music Prize Lizzie Smith ’15

Class of 1974 Prize for Performing Arts Lizzie Smith ’15

Evelyn Estey Sanders Classics Award Alexa Corse ’15

Yvonne Green Goodhue Modern Language Prize Anna Delwiche ’15

Clare Coriell Hardy Award in the Sciences Feddi Roth ’15

Britten Moore Math Award Jasmin Liang ’15

Computer Science Award Teresa Norman ’15

Ann Pugh Award Alex Argo ’15 and Julie Blaze ’15

Gymnasium Cup Class of 2015


Senior Gift Effort a Huge Success

On Class Day, the results of the 2015 Senior Gift effort were announced. The effort was a huge success, raising more than $84,000. An incredible number of senior families contributed to the Annual Fund in support of and to honor Bryn Mawr’s wonderful faculty. Thank you to all of the Senior Gift donors and congratulations to the Class of 2015 Senior Gift Chair, Cardee Coleman! Special thanks also to the Senior Gift committee members: Teddy Brown, Debbie Codd, Andrea and John Corse, Carmen Cruz, Hadley and Chris Feiss, Ruth Herman, Grace and Howard Pollack, Anne Schelle, Paula Silverman, Bob and Sheryl Stephenson, and Anne Stuzin.


FEATURES

graduation in pictures

“Most importantly, dare to be different,

never follow someone else’s path – unless

you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you

see a path – then by all means you should

follow that.”

— Class Day Speakers Teresa Norman ’15 & Eleni Sabracos ’15


“More than ever, now that it is about to end, I appreciate

how remarkable our journey together has been. Whenever

we’ve studied for a test, stressed about college, or pondered

the future, we’ve done so together. Equally importantly,

whenever we’ve danced in gold sashes on the field,

fought for social change, pressed “submit” on a college

application, and laughed and cried and hugged and

smiled, we’ve done so together.”

— Class Day Speaker Ellie Grabowski ’15


FEATURESFEATURES

“First and foremost, never wear yoga pants underneath

your uniform skirt. And if you do, at least have the

common courtesy to roll them up before convocation -

unless you want to spend every Saturday in Ms. Budzik’s

office...trust me, I’ve been there.”

— Class Day Speakers Teresa Norman ’15 & Eleni Sabracos ’15


“Whether we came to Bryn Mawr in kindergarten or

junior year, whether we walked two minutes or drove for

twenty to get here, whether we’re going one hundred or

one thousand miles away next year, whatever we think and

hope and wish and dream, I’m glad we’ve all been here

together, at least for a little while, because we could not

have done this alone.”

— Class Day Speaker Ellie Grabowski ’15

This year’s Graduation speaker was Dr. Mariale Hardiman, vice dean of the Johns Hopkins University School of Education, profes-sor of education, and co-founder and director of Johns Hopkins’ Neuro-Education Initiative. Dr. Hardiman’s research and publica-tions focus on enhancing educational practices through techniques that foster innovation and creative problem-solving. Before joining Johns Hopkins in 2006, Dr. Hardiman served in the Baltimore City Public Schools for more than 30 years. Dr. Hardiman is the mother of two Bryn Mawr alumnae, Tara Hardiman Chadwick ’00 and Krysta Hardiman Herring ’03. In her speech, Dr. Hardiman spoke about the many wonderful aspects of a Bryn Mawr education, and encour-aged the graduates to embrace mistakes as an important part of learning, and to occasionally enjoy doing nothing at all. To watch Dr. Hardiman’s full address, visit our YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheBrynMawrSchool


Eighth graders at Bryn Mawr tackle a science project that might just change another student’s life.

Between the buzzing saw and the towering piles of scrap materials, students in this middle school science class are scattered in groups, hard at work on their proj-ects. For weeks the girls have been immersed in a world of trial and error, challenging themselves to bring ideas that were once just sketches into 3D reality. “We were having problems because the conductive tape wasn’t lining up here,” Allison Dockman ’19 explains, pointing to her project. “I was getting really mad and kind of bang-ing on it, and it suddenly lit up. It was literally like the light bulb came on!” Nearby, classmates congratulate Dockman’s group on their success, and celebrate their own victories as they succeed in creating complex com-puter programs and robotic designs.

But these students aren’t working on a typical assign-ment destined to collect dust high on a shelf or tucked away in a garage after the completion of the unit. These projects have the ability to truly change another stu-dent’s education.

MECHANICALADVANTAGES

continued on next page


For the second semester of this eighth grade science class, teacher Adam Barney created a semester-long project that challenged his students to think beyond the classroom. For several years, Bryn Mawr has partnered with The William S. Baer School, a Baltimore City Public School for children with multiple disabilities. This year, Barney combined his science curriculum for the eighth grade – the foundations of physics – with an interac-tive, service-learning project for students at the Baer School. Eighth grade students at Bryn Mawr developed machines that will be used by the Baer School students to give them a mechanical advantage.

“We had been throwing around different ideas,” Barney says. “Then it kind of clicked that we’d been going to the Baer School for several years, so maybe working directly with them would be a great way to go. I really liked it because having the kids working with that demographic would be more meaningful for them.”

The project started with a visit to the Baer School early in the second semester. Barney recalls that as the Bryn Mawr girls arrived, they were greeted warmly by Baer students; it quickly became clear that there was a bond between the students from the two different schools. “One kid just started playing with my hand,” remembers Dockman. “It made me feel like he needed that comfort and he didn’t have a lot to do with his hands, which is what inspired [our project].”

“It was incredibly humbling,” says Barney of the visit. “The kids are ordinary kids, they just have disabilities. But they are interested in the same stuff as our kids.”

During the visit, the Bryn Mawr students gained ideas for their own projects by observing the various learning devices that students at the Baer School currently use. The experience inspired many students to improve upon existing devices. For others, the trip helped highlight a specific area lacking technological assistance, fueling a spark in the students’ creative minds.

With their inspirations in mind, girls began the months-long process of imagining, creating, designing, and building their projects. Working in teams of two to three students, girls combined basic engineering skills they had learned in class with the real-world goal of creating something that will help another child. The projects varied in size, complexity, functionality, mobil-ity, sound, and much more. The small groups allowed each student to work on a project in which she was per-sonally invested.

“Those kids couldn’t just pick up a paper and draw some-thing because they didn’t know when they were draw-ing,” Dockman says she realized after her direct inter-action with the Baer School students. “I wanted to help them make something beautiful!”

Dockman and teammate Blair Hall ’19 designed a draw-ing board that uses conductive tape and an LED pen that lights up when it makes contact with the tape. The project helps students trace any images on the board, in this case a flower and sun. Hall, an artist herself, hopes to eventually attach the drawing board to a computer, which will allow the drawing to be transferred to a com-puter screen and printed out.

LEFT A student shows off the code that powers her group’s robot, seen in action at right.

FEATURES


In another section of the room, Hannalise Shaughnessy ’19 and Nampoina Randrianarivelo ’19 are hard at work on their project, a device to help students learn and recognize animal noises. They demonstrate how after pressing a button with a picture of a farm animal, the corresponding bark, squeak, or crow plays from the com-puter. The girls connected the animal sounds through Scratch, a computer software program. There are other possibilities for the game too, Shaughnessy says. “You can make another software [program], which takes, like, two seconds, so you can have numbers, letters – what-ever you want.”

Elsewhere, Olivia Boniface ’19, Katrina Salmon ’19 and Serenity Bennett ’19 put the finishing touches on their creation, a stuffed animal robot designed to help encour-age children to practice walking. The idea is that children will follow the stuffed animal, which is mounted on a robotic base.

The team knew from the start that they wanted to do something to help children walk, though they were unsure of how to go about that. The idea they ended up using actually began while they were joking around. “Our project started out not being serious, and then we real-ized it could actually work,” Salmon says. Using a Lego Mindstorm design that incorporated various other sen-sors and motors, their robot soon began to take shape.

The biggest challenge they faced was figuring out the programming. “We knew what we wanted to do, but we couldn’t figure out how to accomplish it,” Boniface remarks. “We were meeting with Mr. Barney and we fig-ured out how to use the motion sensor. Once we figured that out, it all clicked. We could get it to stop [when con-fronted with a foreign object] and the sound sensor was working...We felt really accomplished.”

“There were a lot more challenges, but at least we got one thing to work,” adds Salmon.

To assist with their designs, many of the groups used software programs like Lego Mindstorm, 3D Scanner and Scratch. When it came time to build, the Bryn Mawr Operations Department helped gather the necessary materials. The girls also used craft supplies, donated by Middle School Art Teacher Charlotte Armstead, to

decorate their final projects. And they were never far from Barney’s guidance, especially when the time came to use power tools to cut and drill their projects.

It required imagination, persistence, and teamwork to transform the projects from ideas to prototypes to actual, working machines. Barney comments that some teams began to feel frustrated when the design wasn’t functioning exactly as they’d hoped. But after a lot of hard work, the projects truly came together; many ended up being nearly exact replicas of the original plans. “What impressed me the most was watching the students’ imagination actually turn into real projects,” Barney reflects.

Not only did these projects help the Bryn Mawr students master the introductory concepts of physics, many of them will actually be used at the Baer School. Once the girls finished their designs, each group created a “How To” video explaining the purpose, function, and mainte-nance of their individual project. Barney is currently cre-ating a master inventory list to give to the Baer School so that faculty there can determine the best way to incor-porate these machines into their classrooms.

The Bryn Mawr students hope to follow up next year with the Baer School to see how faculty and students have integrated the projects into their curriculum. Dockman feels optimistic about her team’s project, the light-up drawing board. After all, she notes, beaming, “Everyone likes to draw!”

Two students work on their project, a drawing board with conductive tape.


Bryn Mawr Junior Wins Princeton Prize in Race Relations Grace Greene, a junior at The Bryn Mawr School, was recently announced as the Baltimore winner of the Princeton Prize in Race Relations. The award recognizes young people who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the cause of positive race relations and who have worked to increase understanding and respect among all races. Greene is one of 27 high school students from across the country to receive the award this year.

In April, Greene traveled to Princeton University to take part in the annual Princeton Prize Symposium on Race along with the other winners of the prize. During the sym-posium, she had the opportunity to hear lectures on var-ious aspects of race relations from Princeton professors, as well as to present a speech about her own experiences. She also collaborated with the other winners to come up with ideas and programs to implement in the future.

In May, Greene received a citation from Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in recognition of her efforts, and traveled to Washington, D.C. for a reception in honor of the 2015 Princeton Prize recipients from the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas.

Greene has long been interested in issues of race and social justice. At Bryn Mawr she is an active member of Community Alliance for Everyone (CAFE), the Upper School student-led diversity organization. This year, Greene organized a student forum entitled “Raising Voices: From Ferguson to Baltimore,” which aimed to stimulate dialogue about race relations and help edu-cate students about the impact of racial injustice and the importance of diversity. In addition, she organized a protest aimed at emphasizing that empathy is not depen-dent on being part of a particular racial group.

After the symposium, Greene said that the experience helped bring new perspective to her life at Bryn Mawr as well as to her work with race relations. “I definitely learned that Bryn Mawr is very advanced in a lot of ways when it comes to diversity and race relations,” Greene said. “There were a lot of [the winners] who did great things, [partly] because they were the first to implement

a diversity council – like our CAFE – or they were the first to host a Diversity Day. Those are things that Bryn Mawr already has.”

With this in mind, Greene says that she will focus her future efforts on sustaining the diversity efforts at Bryn Mawr. She also wants to concentrate on topics such as implicit bias and privilege. “When I was there I realized that I had certain privileges that other people there didn’t have,” Greene remarked. “For instance, one of the questions was, ‘When you go home, do your parents speak the way your teachers do?’ For some of the other people of color there, their parents speak a different lan-guage. It’s not just about racial privilege, but also about privilege within ethnicities. I thought that was really, really important to bring back to Bryn Mawr.”

FEATURES


SPRINGSPORTS REPORT


The Varsity Golf team finished in third place in the A Conference with a 2-2 record. The golfers faced tough competition, but it didn’t stop them from focusing on performing to their best ability at every practice and match. Each girl on the golf team was motivated and hard-working, and they all contributed a low score at championships. Head Coach Jamie Watson said, “I am so proud of the way they competed under incredible pressure, and more importantly, I am proud of the way they represented Bryn Mawr.”

The JV Badminton team showed incredible improvement throughout their season – one of many season high-lights. Coach Matilde Taborda-Almaguer said the girls always came to practice with a positive attitude and a desire to be better. “When looking at the larger picture, there’s always a series of smaller goals that are designed to get us to where we eventually want to be,” Taborda-Almaguer said. “This year we accomplished just that.”

The Varsity team was full of energy and support for one another. A favorite moment of the season took place during the match against Friends School. In the third and final game, players from both schools gathered in support of their teammates. The cheers from Bryn Mawr helped secure the team’s win in a close match and showed the real character of this team.

GOLF

JV & VARSITY BADMINTON

FEATURES


It was experiences both on and off the field – like a trip to Red Zone, a team dinner at Panera, and big improvements in their skills – that helped this team bond throughout the season. A major highlight was a victory against rival John Carroll, which marked an increase in goals scored. Coach Jackie Kearney said, “A hardworking, fun-loving team made this season a memorable one.”

Not only was this team good, they were incredibly hard-working, had a drive to improve, and were loyal and com-mitted teammates. Coach Wendy Kridel called this team “the hardest working group I have ever coached.” A major highlight of the season occurred when the team came from behind to beat rival Roland Park. Coach Kim Simons remarked, “Whether it was pick-up, practice or just hang-ing out together, this team enjoyed camaraderie, competi-tion and the pursuit of being great.”

Although the weather impeded practice time at the begin-ning of the season, it did not stop the success of the track team. Strong senior leaders helped the team “preserve and set many school records,” said Coach Jim Lancaster. The girls were willing to step up wherever they were needed – in attitude, races, or by helping others. Special highlights from championships included Jordan Askew ’17 winning the 100 meter dash, Sophie Gitlin ’18 placing

second in the two-mile run, Katrina Coates ’16 winning both the shot put and the discus, and the 4x100 meter relay team of Maya Lamson ’15, Jordan Askew ’17, Sage Okolo ’18 and Elena Heinrich ’18 taking second. Overall, the team finished the season in fourth place out of 16 IAAM teams – the highest finish in recent memory and an impressive feat in a tough conference. Coach Lancaster said, “This team seems primed for success in the future.”

JV LACROSSE

VARSITY TRACK & FIELD

VARSITY LACROSSE


SPORTS AWARDS

The Varsity Cup

The Varsity Cup is awarded to a student athlete who partici-pates in three varsity sports within a school year.

First year recipients: Katrina Coates ’16, Sophie Gitlin ’18, Natalie Maranto ’18, Sydney Stephenson ’18

Second year recipients: Georgia Brown ’17, Bridget Danko ’16, Claire Dunbar ’17, Amy Egan ’17, Abby Fisher ’17, Joanna Levin ’17, Sydney Nemphos ’16, Haley Reitz ’17, Gabby Sitko ’17, and AP Smith ’17.

Third year recipients: Hannah Gokaslan ’16 and Anna Steiner ’16.

Seniors Recipients:

1 Year: Emily Maranto, Sam Silverman and Maddie Stuzin.

2 Years: Alex Argo, Alexa Corse, Julia Feiss, Teresa Norman and Sophie Trikeriotis.

3 Years: Julie Blaze, Hadley Brown, Claire Drigotas, Anna Hart, Quichey Johnson and Eva McNabney.

The Price Cup

The Price Cup is awarded to the individual who leads the Athletic Association with general efficiency and successfully keeps the rules of the organization.

Hadley Brown ’15

Scholar Athlete Awards

The Bryn Mawr Scholar Athlete award was established in order to recognize the athletes who participate on either two or three varsity sports in an academic year, while maintaining “honor roll status” through the third quarter of that year.

Seniors: Alex Argo, Julie Blaze, Hadley Brown, Alexa Corse, Anna Delwiche, Claire Drigotas, Lily Fisher, Anna Hart, Sabrina Illiano, Emily Maranto, Eva McNabney, Teresa Norman, Alex Schelle, Auburn Stephenson, Maddie Stuzin and Sophie Trikeriotis.

Juniors: Mary Grace Box, Robin Brocato, Margot Chirikjian, Bridget Danko, Abby Diette, Hannah Gokaslan, Dinara Lardieri, Anna McGinnis, Sydney Nemphos, Kayla Scharfstein, AP Smith, Peyton Smith and Anna Steiner.

Sophomores: Rachel Bogin, Georgia Brown, Mary Duncan, Claire Dunbar, Amy Egan, Abby Fisher, Joanna Levin, Alex McComas, Haley Reitz, Emily Robinson, Rebekah Robinson, Maddy Unger and Jiamin Wang.

Freshmen: Mayalen Brock, Maia Faraone, Josephine Finney, Sophie Gitlin, Deirdre Powell, Gillian Roeca, Hannah Rosen, Olivia Rubin and Emma Villamater.

Ensign C. Markland Kelly Award

The Ensign C. Markland Kelly Award is presented to the stu-dent who has best demonstrated outstanding characteristics in rendering service to her school. This award is given out to students in all schools throughout the Baltimore-metro area annually. The following standardized criteria for selection are to be used: leadership, scholarship, contribution to the team and teamwork, and finally sportsmanship.

Quichey Johnson ’15


The Bryn Mawr varsity softball team finishes the season 17-0, claiming the IAAM B Conference title.

It was the beginning of May, and Bryn Mawr Varsity Softball Head Coach James Brown was in a place that, in more than 18 years of coaching, he had never been before. His team had finished the regular season a per-fect 14-0 – a mark that no Bryn Mawr softball team had ever achieved. Now, they headed into the tournament as the favorites. However, they were almost sure to face Chapelgate Christian Academy, the only team that had very nearly beaten them. Could the Mawrtians hold on to their perfect season?

The seeds of this remarkable season were planted long before the team’s first practice in March. “In the winter, I knew we were going to have at least three pitchers and two catchers, and that set the tone right there,” Brown says. “The workout program for the off-season was great.

And then in tryouts, it just all started coming together.” The team also welcomed Tatiana Motevalli-Oliner ’10 as an assistant coach; Motevalli-Oliner had been a member of the last championship team in 2010.

Junior Robin Brocato, one of the team captains, says that she first started getting excited for the season’s possibilities when she found out that freshman stand-out pitcher Sydney Stephenson would be joining the team. In addition, there were several other talented players on the team, both new and returning. “We have the whole equation – we have a great pitcher, and we were able to fill out our whole field this year, which is very hard for a lot of teams to do,” Brocato says. “Also, we were able to hit all the way through the line up, which was a huge deal.”

Pitch Perfect


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Still, Brocato notes, “I honestly didn’t believe it was even possible to be undefeated – that’s such a crazy accomplishment.”

Emily Maranto ’15, another captain and a four-year member of the team, first realized how much potential the team had when they won against Annapolis Area Christian School, a team that had beaten them resound-ingly in the previous season. “I thought, OK, maybe this could be something – but I didn’t want to get my hopes up too high,” Maranto remembers.

As the season continued, however, it became clear that high hopes were definitely merited. The Mawrtians beat almost every opponent by double digits – until their second game against Chapelgate on April 29. Bryn Mawr fell behind early in the game, at one point trailing by three runs – a large margin given the low overall score of the game. But the team rallied, pulling out a thrilling 8-7 victory and gaining a great deal of confidence. “We had already dealt with that pressure with that team, so we knew that we could come back from it,” Brocato says.

On May 9, Bryn Mawr faced Chapelgate again, this time in a fight for the B Conference title. After three innings, the score was 3-2, with Chapelgate on top. But the Bryn Mawr team wasn’t rattled. “We’d been in this position before. All we have to do is battle, that’s all Coach Brown has been telling us – just hit,” senior Quichey Johnson says. “If we get hits and we get on base, it’s over, because

we’re so good at running the bases – we’re really focused when we’re on base.”

After a pep talk from Brown, who says he reminded the girls, “We’ve been beating everyone by double-digits this season,” the hits started coming, starting with Brocato. Then, Sydney Stephenson stepped up to the plate – and hit a home run. Sister Auburn Stephenson ’15, the third captain, was next at bat. “I was kind of like, ‘she can’t show me up’!” Auburn recalls, laughing. “I’m the older one, I’m the senior, I have to be the boss out here.”

She was as good as her word, sending the ball over the fence. As the Bryn Mawr fan section went crazy, the entire team flooded onto the field to welcome Auburn as she crossed home plate. With that, the entire tide of the game shifted. After three more innings that featured a strong pitching performance from Sydney as well as top-notch fielding from Auburn, Johnson, Maranto, senior Isis Cabassa and sophomore Maddy Unger, the Mawrtians claimed the B Conference championship title, completing a perfect season.

Auburn attributes the win, and the incredible season, to more than just the team’s softball skills. “I think it was really just the team chemistry,” she says. “We had four seniors this year, and they were all great leaders in their own way. We just really bonded well as a team, and I think that’s what made us as good as we were.”

The team celebrates their championship victory.

brynmawrschool.org May/June 2015 Mawrginalia 4343 Mawrginalia June 2015 brynmawrschool.org

In this issue, we are featuring the four Edith Hamilton Scholars from the Class of 2015. Every year, the Edith Hamilton Scholars Program gives several seniors the chance to complete a yearlong independent study project on a topic of their choice. Projects are ungraded, and each girl presents her work to the Upper School student body in a convocation near the end of the year. Below, the Class of 2015 Scholars detail the interesting and diverse topics they tackled this year.

Senior VoicesCLASS OF 2015

Samantha Silverman

For her Edith Hamilton project, Samantha Silverman spent the year studying the work of poet Allen Ginsburg, a seminal author from the Beat Generation – the counterculture of the 1950s. Working with

Professor Tree Turtle of Goucher College, Samantha developed a 32-page paper exploring herself through the lens of Ginsburg’s work. Below are a few short excerpts from her convocation.

I first met Allen Ginsberg one snowy afternoon in my eleventh grade English

class. For someone who has always wanted to be a writer, I have a very hard

time figuring out what to say, and throughout the first 16 years of my life, I had been an avid

lover of literature, but not particularly one of poetry. After reading Ginsberg’s “A Supermarket in California,” however, I realized poetry did not have to be specific words shoved into little boxes in order to fit a certain form, rhyme scheme, or meter. Raw, free verse poetry is an extension of the soul. It is a reminder that feeling hopelessly alone can create and expose such extreme beauty in the world.

My first reading of Ginsberg’s “Transcription of Organ Music” came around the same time I was beginning to realize that I could not just learn when and what I was told. Otherwise, I would never move past simply being an observer of the beauty of the work of others. I had to create and I will create. Sitting in the soft glow of Professor Turtle’s office, I was asked the question, “what is the accompaniment of your life?”

My music is found in silent conversations, in early morn-ing spring drives to school with the windows rolled down, in falling in love over and over again with books, with people, and with specific shades of the color orange. This is what I hope to imperfectly transcribe, to allow poetry to be a deep exhale. Everything I will ever write lives inside of me, it is just a matter of when the right music will need to be transcribed, and when I will allow poetry to create itself.

I hope to find poetry in everything I do, for poetry does not stand on its own. Poetry is the result of witnessing the first purple buds of spring, of falling in love for the first time and becoming forever indebted to the uni-verse’s power of serendipity. And I will leave my doors open, and my flowers in the sunlight, and my being “open to receive” the universe. Love, the acceptance of love, and all of its attached vulnerability, is how I will become a writer. That is how I will sing.

Samantha will attend Colorado College.

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FEATURES

Jasmin Liang

When Jasmin Liang embarked on her Edith Hamilton project – a documentary film about individual-ism in China – there were more than a few potential roadblocks. However, Jasmin says that she had

a very clear motivation: educating people about many aspects of China of which they may not be aware. As she noted, “Evan Osnos, a famous writer and correspondent in China for the New Yorker, once commented that ‘Chinese society is filled with contradictions undetectable to most of the western world.’”

For her project, Jasmin interviewed four different people – Li Jihui, a businessman; Hong Xiaofang, a social worker; Zheng Guogu, a contemporary artist; and her cameraman, who is gay.

Jasmin used these interviews to explore four different “types” of individualism: materialistic indi-vidualism; self-actualization through social obligation; fulfillment of personal ideals; and homosexu-

ality in modern Chinese culture. Below are a few excerpts from her convocation.

China is a realm where discordant forces coexist; where constraints and liberty intertwine; where communism and capitalism merge, at times dependent and at times in conflict with each other; where bustling wealth and power clash with rampant corruption and poverty. These complexities make China remain on the other side of the world a unique existence, so amorphous and mysterious that the only definitive language to describe it would be “huge.” But when the big picture is too overwhelming, we need the individual to serve as a telescope through which we can catch glimpses of the complexities of the system. It is often in a single story, a close-up portrait of a man, that we are able to experi-ence the richness and depth of the truth.

What is amazing and intricate about documentary filmmaking is that it is a spontaneous, organic pro-cess. In documentary filmmaking, you are constantly interacting with the multiple factors of the reality. You begin with a set of expectations, which reality might upset or, instead, surprise you with something greater.

You have to be constantly observant in order to notice these unexpected factors, and after you discover them, you need to be willing to take a risk and dive into the unexpected. Making a good documentary film means you need to be comfortable being constantly pulled between your own idea and the reality.

Before I started making my film, I questioned if individ-ualism exists in Chinese society. Through this process, I have heard story after story, and I realize that these stories are not that different from the ones I heard here, in the U.S. I realized that despite all the cultural gaps, individualism is something universal to human beings. As human beings, we are each born with an indi-vidual consciousness. We have our own wishes, desires, experiences and voices. So listen to those around you, because they each have a unique story to offer. And speak up, because you have a story to tell as well.

Jasmin will attend the University of Chicago.


Alexa Corse

Since first learning about Daniel Ellsburg and the Pentagon Papers, Alexa Corse has had an interest in the intersection of investigative journalism and national security. For her Edith Hamilton projet, Alexa

worked with Shane Harris, senior intelligence and national security correspondent for The Daily Beast and an ASU Future of War Fellow at the New America Foundation. Alexa delved into the world of national security journalism, and maintained her own blog, www.lexonleaks.com, about the topic. Below are a few excerpts from her convocation.

I became interested in journalism when I began to realize how vital it is to democ-

racy. In March 2011, The New York Times and The Guardian reported on 700,000 classified

diplomatic cables and military files leaked to Wikileaks. Around the same time, I learned about the Pentagon Papers. In 1973, former military analyst Daniel Ellsberg leaked to The New York Times a 7,000-page, classi-fied report known as the Pentagon Papers. The report revealed that the U.S. government had repeatedly deceived the public about the Vietnam War. These reve-lations helped turn public opinion against the war.

The Pentagon Papers, Wikileaks and now the 2013 N.S.A. leaks by Edward Snowden share parallels that reveal important things about America’s democracy. They’re also different, in ways that suggest how technol-ogy and contemporary warfare have changed the world. For my Edith Hamilton project, I wanted to research the story behind these stories. What decisions, values and journalistic practices go into the making of a news article about national security?

National security journalists report on how the U.S. gov-ernment acts during conflicts – both abroad and at home. The draft ended in 1973, but America remains at war. Since 1980, American forces have occupied, bombed or

invaded 14 countries in what the Bush administration called the Greater Middle East: Iran, Libya, Lebanon, Kuwait, Iraq, Somalia, Bosnia, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Sudan, Kosovo, Yemen, Pakistan and Syria. National security journalism aims to tell the true stories surround-ing these tough questions and issues, so that you know what’s actually happening in the world.

I often hear people criticize the media. Some news reports are sensational. Some journalists don’t take the time to get to know the communities they cover. We saw some of that in Baltimore during the unrest after Freddie Gray’s death. But we also saw how important journalism is. Rumors spread too easily, especially on social media. We need to support the journalists who work hard to keep us informed, whether they’re in our hometown or halfway across the world. What I’ve learned in the past year is that journalists are people too. Their alternate universe in which they get paid to ask questions – that’s my universe. I do not yet have all the answers, but I still have many questions left to ask.

Alexa will attend Stanford University.

http://www.lexonleaks.com


FEATURES

Casey Codd

For her Edith Hamilton project, Casey Codd researched art conservation and restoration in an attempt to finally answer her nearly life-long question of how works of art are kept in as good a

condition as possible. Ultimately, Casey’s goal was to try her hand at conserving a piece of art, a map that had mold growing on various spots. This map was her grandfather’s and, while it has no real significant monetary value, it holds a great deal of sentimental value. Below are a few excerpts from her convocation.

My grandfather worked on a dude ranch in Montana for several years after

returning from World War II and during this time became friends with the chief of the

Blackfoot Indian tribe. This map had been annotated by my grandfather to include the location of the dude ranch and tribal lands as well as several other locations throughout the area that were significant to him.

I would like to define the difference between conserva-tion and restoration because, while often used inter-changeably, there is a difference. Art restoration, in the simplest terms, is used when a piece of art has decayed or been damaged in a way that requires the restorer to attempt to return the piece to the closest possible version of the art before the damage, often going over parts of the piece that do not need to be touched. Art conservation, on the other hand, is essentially trying to stabilize the work so the original form can last for as long as possible, and only fixing what is absolutely nec-essary. Conservators often look at the wear the works sustain over their lifetime and attempt to determine

how to fix and then prevent this sort of wear in the future. When conservators do fix something cosmetic on the work it is in a way that is easily removable if a reason arises in the future to do so, and in a way that is not distracting from the original work. Helping to guide me through my process was my mentor for this proj-ect, Tom Primeau, a paper conservator at the Baltimore Museum of Art in their conservation department.

I never met my grandfather; he died long before I was born. But working on this map allowed me to feel connected to him, even if it was only for a little while. I think that is the power of art – it can connect people regardless of time. Art conservation and restoration not only allow for those connections between the conservator or restorer and the painter, but also allow for those connections to be made between the painter and the rest of world by helping to maintain the artist’s work for years to come.

Casey will attend Hamilton College.

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under the tremendous leadership of Parents’ Association President emily Fearey P’20, ’24 and President-elect John Maranto P’15, ’18, the Parents’ Association executive Board, class parents and more than 100 parent volunteers, the 2014-2015 Parents’ Association supported and promoted so many opportunities at Bryn Mawr. These events included the After-Prom party, Parent Socials, Spirit Days, Recycled uniform Sales, the Lower School Read-A-Thon, Wellness Committee Coffee with the experts, Faculty/Staff Appreciation, Picture Days, Middle School Mixers the Spirit Bracelet program and Mawrtian Madness, a new event for Lower School families. each program and event is chaired by parent volunteers who graciously donate their time and energy to make Bryn Mawr a remarkable place for your daughters. Thank you for another fantastic school year.

THANK YOU,PARENTSfor another terrific year!

PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

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ALUMNAE

In Their Own Words For this issue, we spoke with two alumnae from classes that celebrate their reunions in 2015. The reunion festivities will be rescheduled for October 2015 – please stay tuned for more details!

Valerie Williams Brennan ’85

Valerie Williams Brennan ’85 serves on the Alumnae Board, was on the Reunion Committee for the Class of 1985, and is a long-time Bryn Mawr volunteer. Brennan’s experience at Bryn Mawr led her to Boston University, where she majored in anthropol-ogy. After graduating, she became a community organizer, which in turn revealed her passion for teaching. She currently works for Baltimore County Public Schools.

When I entered Bryn Mawr in tenth grade, my grades dropped and I didn’t know how to communicate or write effectively. But I was met by teachers who were full of passion. Diane Levine, in particular, had a huge impact on me. It was she who spent hours and hours with me after school helping me learn how to write and analyze critically. In the end, Bryn Mawr really prepared me with the skills I needed for college.

In addition, the freedom I got at Bryn Mawr, to walk around campus and go to Gilman, was a real opportunity for growth and maturity. One lesson that I have learned from my time at Bryn Mawr is how to be effective as an individual, and how to work towards accomplishing a goal that is going to be beneficial not only for myself, but for others as well. After college I became a community orga-nizer; I was teaching adults about environmental policies and I fell in love with teaching. So, I went to school and got my teaching degree.

The senior room was my favorite tradition at Bryn Mawr; decorat-ing it, painting it, and hanging out there was a tremendous way to build a sense of community. Looking back on that time, I wish I would have lightened up and gave myself a chance to really learn life lessons. If I could give one piece of advice to

the current seniors, it would be to make sure you are enjoying your-selves and taking a break from the rigor and the expectations.

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Meagan Perry Occhialini ’00

After graduating from Bryn Mawr, Meagan Perry Occhialini ’00 attended Gettysburg College, where she majored in political science and also played field hockey. She joined the financial ser-vices industry, working first with John Hancock Life Insurance before moving to Sun Life Financial in Boston. She has stayed connected to Bryn Mawr, most recently serving on the Reunion Committee for the Class of 2000.

What I learned at Bryn Mawr, and the philosophies and the support that I was given there, have been by my side throughout my professional career, especially with my beliefs about women in the workplace and feminism. I find that even today, that’s a topic so many young people are uncomfortable with. People in my office, especially the younger people, are scared of the words “feminist” or “feminism.” I definitely

don’t feel that way, and I think it’s the way that we were brought up at Bryn Mawr.

I decided to go into a career in finan-cial services because of the challenge it would bring. It was really outside of my comfort zone, which I liked, and there was also a huge opportu-nity to be successful as a female. The confidence that Bryn Mawr provided me during high school and before gave me some of the steps to be suc-cessful, particularly in a male-domi-nated environment.

For the past four years, I have been an executive board member for the Women’s Leadership Network in my office, and every time we meet, I think quite a bit about my experience at Bryn Mawr and about the fact that I’m still continuing to work with the philosophies that were taught

to me at such a young age. There is definitely never a week that goes by where I don’t leverage the building blocks that I gained during my time at Bryn Mawr.


ALUMNAE

New Date for 2015 Alumnae WeekendPlease save October 9-10 for the rescheduled Alumnae Weekend festivities for classes ending in 0 or 5. Please stay tuned for details, schedule of events, and more information.

While Alumnae Weekend may have been postponed, the efforts from our reunion committees were incredible. Thank you to all of the 2015 volunteers for your hard work!

2015 Reunion Committee Members

1945Ann Allen Dandy June Eager FinneyPolly Simpson Gorman Barbara Burns Moorhead Peggy Cromwell Taliaferro

1950Betsy Seiler McDonaldDottie Wolff PhippsAnn James Yellott

1965Anna Anderson Borg Christie Carrick Coe Jennie Lee Williams Fowlkes Margaret Smith Green Jamie Miller KozumboGail Inman Prather Ann Asper Wilson

1970Mark Allen Hoffberger Patti Wagner Wells Susie Voreacos Ellicott

1975Gibby Blatt Bell Deborah Gisriel Bittar Tara Finn Bull Carol Campbell Haislip Marka Fedder Rodgers

1980Reid Norris Buckley Lisa Uncles

1985Cindy Amitin Katie Geesey Blazek Valerie Williams Brennan Lynn Radbill Crosby

1990Cory Chung Allison Laura Monfried Egerman Jenny Corso Kousouris Jessica Fleischer Sides Ruth McDaniel Trilli

1995Nina Lee Bond Rachel Faulkner Mandy German Fine Chrissy Erb GoldbergLexie Bozzuto Greene Toya Hawkins Meg Athey Lawrence Poppy Buppert McClellanRhonda Smith Wright

2000Tara Hardiman Chadwick Sara Auchincloss Goberdhansingh Katie Coyne Humphries Meagan Perry OcchialiniTheresa Sherry Elizabeth Yen

2005Kaleena BlackDeanna Boyd Mollie Charnas MaggieFarrand Carrie Himmelrich Beth Kaplan Meredith Miller Kemper O’Neill Emily Hankin Petrila

2010Paris Bienert Bailey Johnson Tatiana Motevalli-Oliner Jessica Rizzuto Maryann Massumi


Kudos to Julia Haller Gottsch ’72, ophthalmologist-in-chief of Wills Eye Hospital and one of the few women leading top medical centers, who was profiled recently by The Philadelphia Inquirer. Click here to read more about her inspiring career.

Generations Tea

On May 13, Bryn Mawr hosted the Generations Tea, a gathering for Bryn Mawr girls and their mothers and/or grandmothers who are also alumnae. It was great to see so many alumnae here with their “next gener-ation” Bryn Mawr girls!

New York Happy Hour and Luncheon

Thanks to all of our alumnae who came to the tri-school happy hour and Bryn Mawr luncheon in New York on May 14 and 15!

Click here to view more photos from recent events!

Do you have info to share about yourself or another alumna that you feel is newsworthy? Send it to us and we will post it in Kudos. Email [email protected] to send in your Kudos!

http://www.philly.com/philly/health/Changing_the_optics_of_success.html

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brynmawrschool/sets/with/72157644616609216

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

109 West Melrose AvenueBaltimore, Maryland 21210

410 323 8800brynmawrschool.org

mawrginalia, may-june 2015

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