Summer 2009 - Sewickley Academy

SEWICKLEY SPEAKING
T H E M A G A Z I N E O F S E W I C K L E Y A C A D E M Y
Carol Semple Thompson ‘66 is inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
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CONTENTS A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
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“THAT’S JUST SO CAROL”
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2009 FACULTY EMERITI INDUCTEES
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GET THE PICTURE CAMPUS TOUR
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LINDSAY GOTT ’87:
DO WHAT INSPIRES YOU
A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL 1
“THAT’S JUST SO CAROL” 2
GET THE PICTURE CAMPAIGN BREAKFASTS 6
CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP FOR HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION 9
SEWICKLEY ACADEMY AT THE PARADE 9
SEWICKLEY SERIES 2009-2010 10
ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS: 2009 FACULTY EMERITI INDUCTEES 12
NEW TRUSTEES 14
JAYNE PARKER: 2009 ELIZABETH BISHOP MARTIN AWARD RECIPIENT 15
LINDSAY GOTT ’87: DO WHAT INSPIRES YOU 16
SEWICKLEY ACADEMY IN THE NEWS 18
THE ART OF TEACHING: DR. ROB EDWARDS 20
UP-AND-COMING CROSSING BOUNDARIES 21
OUR GRADUATES ARE GOING PLACES 22
REUNION 2009 PREVIEW 24
CLASS NOTES 26
IN MEMORIAM 36
EDITOR Haley Wilson
CONTRIBUTORS Megan Colt
Sharon Hurt Davidson
Jennifer FitzPatrick
Larry Hall
Mandi Semple
Haley Wilson
PHOTOGRAPHERS Harry Giglio
Mandi Semple
James R. Wardrop ’57
Haley Wilson
DESIGN Third Planet Communications
www.333planet.com
Sewickley Academy does not discriminate on
the basis of race, gender, religion, national or
ethnic origin, or sexual orientation in the
administration of its educational policies,
financial aid program, athletic program,
or any other policy or program.
Correspondence concerning
Sewickley Speaking should
be addressed to:
Haley Wilson
Director of Marketing & Publications
Sewickley Academy
315 Academy Avenue
Sewickley, PA 15143
hwilson@sewickley.org
412.741.2230
www.sewickley.org
Dear Readers of Sewickley Speaking,
Confucius is credited with having said, “Do a job that you love, and
you will never work a day in your life.” Whether or not the attribution
is accurate, the sentiment is one that suggests that those who
are passionately engaged in what they are doing, who love the work
for its own sake, are likely to be stimulated and energized and driven
to do their very best regardless of any extrinsic reward.
The best education is one that inspires in students an intrinsic motivation
to learn and grow, to understand themselves and the world
around them, not for a grade or some external payoff, but for the
pure pleasure of the learning itself. That being said, it is vital that
the seeds of internal motivation be nurtured and encouraged by
teachers who inspire in their students a curiosity and desire to know
and become.
This summer edition of Sewickley Speaking offers a glimpse into
the lives of several individuals who have pursued their passions
and, in doing so, have achieved remarkable things. Carol Semple
Thompson ’66, a recent inductee into the World Golf Hall of Fame;
Lindsay Gott ’87, noted chef and culinary expert; and four new
Faculty Emeriti, Karen Coleman, Mary Nichols, Vicki Polinko,
and John Symons, have all exhibited the passion and love for their
vocations that have allowed each to make a significant and lasting
mark in their professions and on those whom they have touched
through their efforts.
I hope these stories inspire you for what they tell us about the human
capacity to achieve remarkable things. I hope they also inspire you
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to recommit yourself to your own passions. It is never too late, and
there are always opportunities just around the corner if we would
just take advantage of them. In her excellent and engaging book,
Mindset, Stanford University Professor Carol Dweck suggests that a
growth mindset – one that encourages learning and personal growth
– is one that can be cultivated in us, students and adults alike. Such a
mindset is essential to truly fulfilling our potential as human beings,
perhaps in a way that might lead to a lasting legacy, but certainly in a
way that that will be deeply and personally meaningful. I commend
the book to your attention, knowing that the Sewickley Academy
community is one that has, at its core, a commitment to growth and
learning well beyond what happens in the halls of the schoolhouse.
With best wishes for a restful and restorative summer with family
and friends,
Kolia O’Connor

“THAT’S JUST SO CAROL”
Carol Semple Thompson ’66 Adds Class to the 2008 Class
of Inductees in the World Golf Hall of Fame
This past fall, Carol Semple Thompson ’66 was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. She is one of only five
people to have won three different USGA individual championship events, three of the others being Arnold Palmer,
Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.
It’s hard for golfers to walk around the old course at St. Andrews
and not get sentimental. The historic motherland of the ancient
game evokes a sense of wonder and, for the members of America’s
2008 Curtis Cup team, pride to be representing their country
on such hallowed ground.
This year’s golfers, led by Sewickley’s own Carol Semple Thompson
as captain, assembled to walk the course in preparation for
the tournament. Semple Thompson walked ahead as her players
paused just outside the Royal & Ancient Clubhouse, stunned to
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This article by Katy Rank Lev appeared in the November 2008 edition of Pittsburgh Professional.
America’s 2008 Curtis Cup team. Golf was a family sport for the Semples. Here, they walk the greens at
Allegheny Country Club.
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see a sign bearing their captain’s name. Semple Thompson had
thought it was a fun gesture when the tournament organizers
temporarily named the pathway along the first hole in her honor,
but she never mentioned it to her team. The players scrambled
to photograph the landmark, but Semple Thompson “didn’t even
want to stand beside it!” player Meghan Bolger says of her captain’s
humility. “That’s just so Carol. She’s always so modest and
completely graceful that way.”
Carol plays on the 1982 Curtis Cup team. Carol and her family at her induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame
in November 2008.
No one would have thought less of Semple Thompson if she had
shown some excitement over the honor. After all, she has earned
it. Over the course of four decades, she has competed in 109
United States Golf Association events (winning seven of them),
qualified for 32 U.S. Women’s Opens, won two Mid-Am titles,
won four Senior Amateur titles in a row, competed on a record 12
Curtis Cup squads, and became one of only 11 women to win both
the U.S. Women’s Amateur and British Ladies Open Amateur. She
is also one of only five people to have won three different USGA
individual championship events, three of the others being Arnold
Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods. And she became only
the second woman in history to serve on the executive board for
the USGA, has victoriously captained two Curtis Cup teams, and
coordinates charity golf events around the country.
Her list of achievements could fill many more pages, and it is in
fact this lifetime of achievement and dedication that earned her
the ultimate recognition. In November 2008, Semple Thompson
joined the likes of Nicklaus and Palmer as she was inducted into
the World Golf Hall of Fame, the game’s highest honor. But she
doesn’t talk much about that.
Carol Semple grew up in a house that was always filled with
accomplished golfers. Her father, the late Harton “Bud” Semple,
would serve as president of the USGA and her mother, the late
Phyllis Semple, spent many years on various USGA committees.
Her earliest memories include players like Helen Siegel Wilson
and Dot Germain Porter staying at her parents’ house during the
1954 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. As a 6-year-old, she
spent many evenings listening raptly as her family talked up the
great game with these female trailblazers at a time when many
still believed that golf meant “gentlemen only, ladies forbidden.”
Her family played host again in 1958, when Churchill Valley hosted
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the U.S. Women’s Open. By then, Semple Thompson knew that
golf would be her world. The middle of five children, her house
had a rule that everyone must practice golf until he or she broke
90. She spent her childhood on the fairways of Allegheny Country
Club and took family trips to watch Curtis Cup matches in Wales
or to play a round or two at St. Andrews as a teenager. By the time
she met her father’s challenge to shoot better than bogey golf,
Semple Thompson was hooked.
When she turned 16, Semple Thompson was ready for her first
significant competition. She began her tournament career in the
Western Pennsylvania Women’s Championship, facing off and
soundly defeating a challenging adversary: her mother, Phyllis.
“I was such a kid. I didn’t even think about what it meant to beat
my mother. I was just excited to hit good shots,” Semple Thompson
says. She topped off the day playing an afternoon mixed event
with her family pediatrician and recorded her first hole in one on
the 16th hole at Sewickley Heights, a “terrible shot” that began
drifting right, but somehow turned back mid-air, bounced on the
green, and rolled into the hole. “That whole day was amazing,”
she says. It would set the tone for a long and successful competitive
career.
A Ryder Cup equivalent for female amateurs, the Curtis Cup offers
several things to American women: the opportunity to represent
their country, the chance to compete as a team (working with
women who are typically their competitors), and a chance to
prove themselves against the best competitors from two continents.
Above all, the competition gives players recognition for the
sacrifices inherent in competitive amateur golf. In Bud Semple’s
opinion, amateur golf was the epitome of sportsmanship, elegance,
and dedication. There was just something about competing
against golfers who had day jobs and had to use vacation time to

“THAT’S JUST SO CAROL” [CONTINUED]
pursue their athletic dreams. Amateur golfers showed character,
something he wanted his children to develop.
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When Semple Thompson graduated from Hollins University with
a degree in economics, she found nothing interested her quite
the way golf did. She suggested to her father that she wanted to
pursue a career in professional golf. Sensing this was a bad idea,
he encouraged her to remain an amateur and said he’d support her
for a year so she could work on her game and focus on competition.
On the course, Semple Thompson found golf to be a fascinating
mental challenge that helped shape her thought processes and
persona. After missing shot after shot, she became angry to the
point of seeing red. Thinking the cliché was only a metaphor, she
was surprised to see the world around her tinged pink. The moment
frightened her and she decided the secret to good golf (and
perhaps a happy life) lay in focusing on the moment and reacting
calmly to whatever may happen.
As she worked the amateur circuit, Semple Thompson practiced
hypnosis and visualization. As she took her stance, she closed her
eyes and saw the ball dropping onto the green, always close to the
hole. “I found that when I relaxed, my body could accomplish what
I visualized,” she says. Never letting nerves interrupt her muscle
flow, she soon found herself in the international spotlight, taking
her first major title in the 1973 U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion-
Carol’s passion for golf was largely inspired by her parents, the late Bud
and Phyllis Semple.
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ship in Pittsburgh. After the 36-hole final match is over, the USGA
president traditionally presents the trophy to the victor. But as the
home-town hero approached the podium, the president stepped
aside so his vice president, Bud Semple, could award the trophy
to his daughter. The moment sealed her decision to remain a
career amateur.
Off the course, Semple Thompson used her economics degree in
investment banking, analyzing municipal credit, and later selling
municipal bonds. Golf practice was squeezed in around long hours
at the bank, and along the way she met and fell in love with Dick
Thompson, a real estate developer and entrepreneur (and golf
lover, of course). They married and Thompson’s successful business,
now focused on self-storage units, enabled his wife to leave
her job, become a full-time homemaker, and pursue her passion
and talent for golf.
Thirty years after capturing her first major title, Semple Thompson
won the one award she will talk about, the one her father would
most approve. She was selected for the 2003 Bob Jones Award,
which recognizes a golfer who embodies the spirit of the game.
“It’s the most flattering award to get,” she says. “It’s given by the
USGA and I was the USGA brat! To be recognized by them and
their highest award, it was just the coolest.”
“I think golf by definition requires good sportsmanship,” Semple
Thompson adds. Where athletes in other sports try to get away
Aside from golf, Carol also enjoyed equestrian in her younger years and
still participates in mock foxhunts in the hills of Sewickley.
with as much as they can, golfers are expected to police themselves.
“Golf asks you to be honorable and if you know you are
doing something wrong, you call a penalty. I think that filters down
to the personalities of golfers. Do the right thing. Just be a good
citizen.”
Semple Thompson continued to be a good citizen throughout
her career. Today, she is the golfer young women look up to, a
household name synonymous with both victory and sportsmanship.
It was no coincidence when the British Golf Museum came
to Semple Thompson in preparing its current exhibit featuring
modern women golfers. Her shorts and a wedge from a previous
Curtis Cup victory hang prominently in the R&A Clubhouse.
Rising stars like Bolger looked up to her as children and now get
to play with her as adults, such is Semple Thompson’s longevity.
Like her heroine, Bolger is one of five golfing children with a very
involved father (he was her caddie at St. Andrews), and another
career amateur, so she felt a special inspiration from Semple
Thompson. When Bolger found herself up against the legend at
the 2006 Mid-Am competition, she had mixed emotions. “That was
the first time I played her head to head,” Bolger says. “Of course
everyone wants to win . . . but to beat Carol is an accomplishment
in itself.” She sighs, still not believing. “I beat her.”
Bolger was equally excited to learn she’d been selected to play
on Semple Thompson’s 2008 Curtis Cup team. “To play under Carol
is the ultimate honor as an amateur golfer.” It was the first Curtis
Cup held at St. Andrews and everyone felt the strain of additional
pressure. The Scottish fans are considered the most knowledgeable
in the world, and the course itself is unbelievably difficult,
with the North Sea winds, pot bunkers, and rough that few
Americans have experienced. But the American squad was able
to remain calm, knowing their captain had golfed there more than
a dozen times for pleasure and in the British Ladies Open.
When the matches were over, with another American victory,
people couldn’t get enough of Semple Thompson. Bolger’s fiancé
even asked his golf hero to pose by the trophy for a photograph
and says his life’s dream is to play a round of golf with her. There
is just something magnetic about a competitor who started winning
before Title IX and continues to beat women a third her age.
The Bolgers were not the only ones who drove to St. Augustine
to celebrate Semple Thompson’s Hall of Fame induction. She has
fostered thousands of such relationships around the world and
everyone was eager to celebrate her success.
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Despite her remarkable resume, Semple Thompson remains
incredulous as to how the World Golf Hall of Fame would come
to select her. “I’ve had a good competitive career and been an
administrator,” she says, “but I haven’t done enough. I guess that
means I have to keep doing stuff!”
So Semple Thompson spends her days organizing charity golf
events, speaking at tournaments, inspiring local Girl Scouts,
competing around the world, and coaching young golfers. She
also serves on the board of directors for the Heinz History Center,
where she helps organize a golf outing every year and raises
funds for the various exhibits, and is a member of the Champions
Committee for the History Center’s Sports Museum.
During her infrequent down time, she prefers to spend her time
with her siblings, stepchildren, and grandchildren. She sometimes
joins relatives and neighbors galloping through the woods of
Sewickley on mock foxhunts, where victory can be as simple as
not falling off the horse.
Semple Thompson insists that the height of her competitive career
is past her, but she still competes, still needing justification for the
two to four hours she spends each day putting and chipping away.
The organizers at the World Golf Hall of Fame would be smart to
leave some white space at the bottom of her plaque.
Carol shares remarks after being inducted into the World Golf Hall of
Fame in St. Augustine, Florida.
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In the PICTURE THIS Campaign’s final stretch, with
$2.7 million from its goal of $20 million, Campaign
leadership hosted two Get the Picture Campaign
breakfasts for the Academy community at the end
of April. At the breakfasts, guests heard remarks on
the priorities and progress of the Campaign by Head
of School Kolia O’Connor and Campaign Chair Amy
Simmons Sebastian ’80. The highlight of the breakfasts,
however, was the unveiling
of the Get the Picture Campus Tour.
While on the walking tour, guests
got a glimpse of each of the exciting
future campus improvements
made possible by Phase I of the
PICTURE THIS Campaign.
On the Get the Picture Campus Tour, student tour guide Max Pawk ’10
describes the green space that will replace the parking lot in front of
Hansen Library.
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Get the Picture
CAMPAIGN BREAKFASTS
Head of School Kolia O’Connor shares remarks on the
priorities and progress of the PICTURE THIS Campaign
with breakfast attendees.
Campaign Vice Chair Jeff Lenchner ’77, along with student tour guide
Mac Means ’09, explains the overall layout of Phase I projects to
Academy parents.
Get the Picture Campus Tour
Picture a safe and sound campus, where students play frisbee in
the grass, work collaboratively in the outdoor space, settle in the
courtyard to read a good book, and move about campus safely and
free of traffic concerns. This is Phase I of the Master Plan.
The Green
Picture Children Playing in the Grass…
Beaver Road Parking
Picture Our Vision for the Future…
Existing houses behind Hansen Library will be replaced by additional
faculty and staff parking and access to the proposed facilities in
Phase II of the Master Plan.
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Where there is now a parking lot will be a green space and safe play
area for students. This new outdoor space will enhance opportunities
for social interaction, create a campus that balances work and
play, and help to ensure the safety of children and adults.
BEFORE BEFORE
AFTER AFTER
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The PICTURE THIS Campaign is currently raising funds to support
Phase I projects totalling $5,000,000. This first step will launch the
Academy toward the most sound use of campus facilities and
property for the future and will further ensure a safe campus.
These campus improvements will only be realized through
your generous support of the PICTURE THIS Campaign.
TOUR THE CAMPUS WITH US TO SEE THE SIX SITES THAT WILL BE TRANSFORMED BY PHASE I OF THE MASTER PLAN.
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Bus Turnaround
Picture a Safer Way to Get to and from School…
The new bus turnaround will relocate all bus and delivery traffic
to the Lower Campus off of Hazel Lane, significantly reducing the
congestion in front of the school during the school day. Rerouting
the bus traffic will streamline the parent drop-off process
with the creation of separate drop-off points for Early Childhood,
Lower School, and Middle/Senior School students.
AFTER
Note: All drawings are conceptual renderings and may not reflect the final design.
(Continued)

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Picture a Sound Use of Space…
Phase I of the Master Plan includes the renovation and beautification
of the Lower Campus with tiered landscapes, additional parking, and
promenades welcoming students, families, and visitors to our school
within a safe and sound space.
BEFORE
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Picture Elegant Walkways through Campus…
BEFORE
Lower Campus Parking
The Promenade
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Picture a Space for Reading and Reflecting…
The newly renovated courtyard provides an outdoor learning
environment and natural landscape to engage in a science project,
enjoy a good book, gather with friends, or simply enjoy the
fresh air. This space will be made possible through a gift from the
Sewickley Academy Home & School Association.
BEFORE
AFTER AFTER
Brick promenades will provide safe pathways for students to
walk between Lower and Upper Campus.
AFTER
The Courtyard
Visit www.sewickley.org/picturethis to contribute to the PICTURE THIS Campaign
and for the virtual version of the Get the Picture Campus Tour.
CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP FOR HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
Two years have passed since Mary Mackey took the reins as Home
& School Association president. During her tenure, she brought a
sense of stability to the organization and worked to engage more
community members in the association. With her background in law,
Mary was effective in working with those on both sides of an issue to
come together to form a solution. As president, Mary served as an ex
officio member of the Board of Trustees. “I was very honored to serve
as president of the Home & School Association that has existed for
many years,” she says. “I met so many people that I would not have
otherwise had the chance to meet — from the maintenance staff, to
faculty members, to the trustees of the school.”
It was not all business during Mary’s term, however. She and her
board reinstated the tradition of Sewickley Academy Kennywood
Day — a fun-filled family day at one of Western Pennsylvania’s most
beloved landmarks. While Mary plans on taking a less formal role
next year, she remains committed to serving at the organization’s
largest fundraiser, the annual Clothesline Sale.
The upcoming school year will see Debie Carbeau as the new president
of Home & School. Serving on the Association since 2003 when
sons Trey ’10 and Charlie ’12 enrolled at the Academy, Debie is no
stranger to volunteering and feels it is one of the most important
things a parent can do. “It’s so essential to be involved with your
children’s education. I come from the mentality that if something is
important to you, you must take ownership of the role you can play in
it.” Deb has previously served as special events chair and vice president
of Home & School. Also, her background in fashion merchandising
served her well as head of the 55th Annual Clothesline Sale that
raised $78,000 for the school last year.
SEWICKLEY ACADEMY AT THE PARADE
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Incoming Home & School Association President Debie Carbeau with former
President Mary Mackey.
Deb looks most forward to working with the women on her board.
“They are all very independent, intelligent, and diverse women. I see
us thinking outside the box on a lot of issues and not being afraid to
try something new.” She is committed to leading the organization in
a direction that best supports the school’s mission. She also hopes
to expand the reach of Home & School to engage more parents in
the organization. “I hope to encourage more parents to be involved
with Home & School because we are all part of this.” Building on the
strong foundation laid by former president Mary Mackey and past
leadership, Debie is poised to lead the Home & School Association
with vision and enthusiasm to foster relationships among parents,
faculty, and administration.
More than 20 Sewickley Academy students and their families came out on May 25 to participate in the 118th annual Sewickley Memorial Day
Parade. As is tradition, alumnus Jamie Wardrop ‘57 drove his 1928 fire truck and Academy parent Gwen Lewis loaned two Jeeps to carry
students through the parade.
Academy students smile for the camera in the back of Jamie Wardrop’s fire
truck.
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Making their way through the crowded streets, these Academy students
proudly represent their school.

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SEWICKLEY SERIES 2009-2010
The second annual Sewickley Series once again brings authors, speakers, performers, and musicians to Sewickley Academy for
the educational benefit and enjoyment of the community. More than 350 members of the greater Pittsburgh community visited the
Academy for its inaugural year, and you won’t want to miss out on the incredible line-up for this year. All Sewickley Series programs
are free and open to the public. Mark your calendars now!
Visit www.sewickley.org/sewickleyseries for more detailed information about each event.
October 13
Michael Thompson, Ph.D.
Michael Thompson, Ph.D., is a psychologist,
consultant, and best-selling
author. Thompson’s work focuses on
the challenges and rewards of raising
children and the role that parents and
teachers play in developing resilience
and a passion for learning in young
people. He has spoken at more than 500
schools in the U.S. and abroad and has
appeared on the Today Show, the Oprah
Winfrey Show, ABC’s 20/20, and CBS’s 60
Minutes. On October 13, Thompson will
speak about the complex social world of
childhood and surviving and celebrating
the college admission process.
Supported in part by the Geller Family
Educational Speakers Fund, established
in 2008.
November 17
Tony Wagner
Tony Wagner is co-director of the
Change Leadership Group at the Harvard
Graduate School of Education. Prior to
becoming a Harvard professor, Wagner
was a high school teacher for 12 years,
a school principal, and a university
professor in teacher education. Tony
consults widely to schools and foundations
and has been senior advisor to
the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
for the past eight years. In November,
Wagner will speak about his new book,
The Global Achievement Gap: Why Our
Kids Don’t Have the Skills They Need for
College, Careers, and Citizenship — And
What We Can Do About It.
Supported in part by the Albert and
Bertha Sector Speaker Series Fund,
established in 1994.
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December 9
The Mata String Quartet
In 2001, after playing together in the
chamber music program at Duquesne
University, a group of talented professional
musicians and teachers formed
The Mata String Quartet. In addition to
performing around the city of Pittsburgh,
the Quartet performs and runs master
classes in the Pine-Richland School
District and teaches at its summer
orchestra camp, as well as at Sewickley
Academy’s summer chamber music
camp. For the second year in a row, The
Mata String Quartet will perform for the
Sewickley community to get us all in the
holiday spirit.
March 5
Attack Theatre
Attack Theatre has been making
personal, accessible, and collaborative
dance-based performances for more
than a decade. Through a combination of
dance, original live music, and multimedia
and interdisciplinary art forms, Attack
Theatre presents work in traditional and
nontraditional spaces both nationally
and internationally. The celebration on
March 5 will include dynamic performances
by the La Roche College Dance
Department and Attack Theatre and a
gallery exhibition at Sweetwater Center
for the Arts presenting works of art from
Sewickley Academy, Aliquippa Impact,
Quaker Valley School District, CAPA, and
Neighborhood Academy.
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April 13
Taylor Mali
Taylor Mali is a teacher and poet. Generally
considered to be the most successful
poetry slam strategist of all time, Mali
was one of the original poets to appear
on the HBO original series Russell Simmons
Presents Def Poetry. A native of
New York City and vocal advocate of
teachers and the nobility of teaching,
Mali spent nine years in the classroom
teaching everything from English to SAT
preparation. Formerly president of Poetry
Slam Inc., the non-profit organization
that oversees all poetry slams in North
America, Mali makes his living these
days as a spoken-word and voiceover
artist, traveling around the country
performing and teaching workshops. In
April, Taylor Mali will celebrate teaching
with us through a faculty presentation,
community performance, and poetry
workshops for students.
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CLASS OF 2009 SENIOR GIFT
This year the Class of 2009 gave
a gift of $2,346 to the Alumni
Scholarship Fund. “Sewickley Academy
will always hold a place in our
hearts and our hope is that the gift
will be used so that it will be possible
for other students to share in the
Sewickley Academy experience,” says
Joy DeBolt ’09. The Alumni Scholarship
Fund was established in 2007
by the Alumni Council to provide
financial aid to children of Sewickley
Academy alumni provided that the
family and child under consideration
meet all admission requirements and
all eligibility requirements for financial
aid as described in the financial aid
policies of Sewickley Academy.
CLASS AGENTS NAMED
At the end of the school year, the Class
of 2009 class agents were named.
Class agents are liaisons between
their graduating class and the alumni
office. They are responsible for sharing
news and updates of their classmates
to the alumni office and coordinating
their reunions. These class agents also
maintain the Class of 2009 Sewickley
Academy Alumni Facebook group page.
The Class of 2009’s class agents, Jack
Billings, Kenny Fedorko, Nikki Becich,
Maria Farrow, Patrick Joyal, and Josh
Otto.

ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS –
2009 FACULTY EMERITI INDUCTEES
“We are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants. We see more [things], and things that are more distant than they did, not
because our sight is superior or because we are taller than they, but because they raise us up, and by their great stature add to ours.”
- JOHN OF SALISBURY, TWELFTH-CENTURY THEOLOGIAN
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This statement holds such relevance regarding the many extraordinary faculty who have shaped Sewickley Academy
into what it is today. While many of the “giants” have concluded their careers at the Academy, their imprints are
many and indelible – shaping the way the Academy inspires and educates today’s young minds. On June 8, the
board of trustees and Head of School Kolia O’Connor recognized four such “giants” as Faculty Emeriti: Karen Coleman,
Mary Nichols, Vicki Polinko, and John Symons.
New and existing Faculty Emeriti inductees Jim Cavalier, Karen Coleman, John Symons, Vicki Polinko, Alden Sector, and Mary Nichols.
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Karen Coleman
Her degrees are many, as well as her
honors, awards, and roles, but what
colleagues and former students most
remember Karen Coleman for is the passion
with which she taught French for 32
years at the Academy. Karen played an
essential role in expanding the foreign
language program, for when she arrived
in 1970, the school only offered French
and Latin. She was also very passionate
about teaching foreign language to
younger students, making frequent trips
to the kindergarten classrooms to share
with them the fun of different cultures.
She saw one of her dreams fulfilled
when French and Spanish were formally
added to the Lower School curriculum
years later.
Karen never shied away from the extra
responsibility and roles presented to
her. She served as developer and director
of the exchange programs to China
and France for many years and chaperoned
numerous student trips around
the globe. She also served as a member
of 10 Middle States/PAPAS evaluating
teams, accrediting independent schools
across the commonwealth. Seeing the
benefits of a faculty mentoring program
at another school, Karen founded and
directed the Teachers as Partners (TAP)
program at the Academy to encourage
teachers to work together and share
their experiences in pedagogy. While the
program has recently been reshaped as
the New Employee Mentoring Program
(NEMP), the fundamentals that Karen
deemed essential still exist.
Upon her retirement in 2002, former
Headmaster Ham Clark wrote, “Karen
Coleman stands for all that is good at
the Academy … She led what has become
one of the strongest departments
at the school and she has for many years
been the consistent voice in the Senior
School for academic excellence.” Karen
has truly left her mark on the Academy
through the programs she founded and
those she inspired.
Mary Nichols
Very seldom has the Academy seen a
teacher with the life and energy of former
third grade teacher Mary Nichols
who taught at the Academy for 34 years
before retiring in 1997. Mary challenged
each and every “doll” in her classroom
to strive for their own individual excellence,
teaching them life lessons along
the way. Each morning the students in
her classroom began the day with calisthenics,
and later in the day could count
on Mrs. Nichols to join them, and sometimes
even defeat them, in a jump rope
contest at recess.
Mary’s appreciation for the arts overflowed
into her classroom. Students
of Mary studied numerous composers,
their lives, and their symphonies.
Her students could describe the differences
between Beethoven and Chopin
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as well as the more modern musicians
of the day. Similarly, Mary’s students
were educated about the greats in the
visual arts and familiar with the collections
and lives of Monet, Picasso, and
Van Gogh. Each young artist was proud
to have their own artwork hung in her
ever-changing classroom exhibit.
With a master’s in counseling from
Duquesne University, Mary was quite
the expert when it came to teaching life
lessons to her students. Colleague and
third grade teacher Cindy Kelley attests
to Mary’s loving but frank demeanor,
“When the tears began to flow and they
wouldn’t stop because of a playground
fight or a lunch forgotten at home, Mary
would look directly into the eyes of the
‘doll’ and offer her finest counseling advice,
‘That’s Life!’ The shock of Mary’s
simplicity to such major issues caused
a tiny smirk to appear on a splotched
red face and the day ended happily ever
after.”
Vicki Polinko
Vicki came to the Academy in 1974 after
teaching at Duquesne University
and immediately began to examine and
establish the theoretical and pedagogical
bases for teaching English to Senior
School students. She worked to create
departmental standards and criteria for
graded essays, being sure that the standards
were easy to understand for students,
parents, and new teachers. Her
expertise with writing and composition
gave her students an unparalleled expe-

2009 FACULTY EMERITI INDUCTEES (Continued)
rience with the English language and literature.
Early in her career, Vicki began the Senior School literary arts magazine that
evolved into what is today’s Ephemera. Through the years, the magazine won,
and continues to win, numerous state and national awards for excellence in its
execution and impressive entries. In the 1980s, Vicki began the Pendragon, a
writing center to assist students as they mastered the written word. Vicki was
also very much involved with the cultural clubs on campus, even before the
term “global citizen” was a buzzword. Always on the cutting edge of advancements
in teaching, Vicki was an advocate for computers in the classroom in the
early 1990s — even taking the initiative to tutor her colleagues on the technology.
In her classroom, Vicki Polinko taught students to analyze symbolism in literature
by asking them to pick an object that best represents themselves. She received
a variety of responses from the students ranging from animals to plants
to even power tools. When asked to choose an object to describe herself, Vicki
shared with fellow colleague Joan Cucinotta that she thought of herself as a
gardener. “Each day she watered and fed the seedlings (her students), but was
careful to let the students do the growing on their own,” explains Joan. “She
pruned and pinched when she had to, but the students were always grateful for
that pruning and deeply appreciated the efforts she took with each one.”
John Symons
As the Senior School math department
chair for the better part of 30
years, John Symons made it his mission
to provide students with a solid
background of fundamental mathematics.
In his classroom, John was
not only a master of the subject, but
was also a master teacher. While it
often meant that he had to teach extra
periods in the day, John was able
to identify each student’s individual
needs and then create a course that
reached the student at their level. He
created the “Blitz Trig” course, which was specifically aimed at preparing new
students for the Academy’s high-level math curriculum.
His passion was to work with students to be sure they mastered the complicated
world of mathematics. “John was certainly a firm teacher. He had very
high expectations for his students but he helped them reach these standards,”
says former Senior School Head Jim Cavalier. John even gave up many of his
Wednesday evenings as he and the other math teachers offered extra help to
students during Math Nights.
While at the Academy, John was the leader not only for his department but
for the entire faculty as well. “He would gently and with humor help new colleagues
feel like they were part of the group,” said colleague Dr. Karen Coleman
upon his retirement in 2000. Summing it up, Jim Cavalier says, “To put it
simply, John was a marvelously effective teacher.”
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NEW TRUSTEES JAYNE PARKER:
Douglas B. McAdams
Bob James ’85
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Doug McAdams earned a
Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh
and began a banking career with the former Equibank. Within
the next 10 years, Doug held several positions and was
promoted to vice president as he pursued studies at Duquesne
University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University
of Wisconsin in finance and business administration. In
1975, Doug entered the trucking industry with his friend and
mentor, Burton S. Singer. In 1988, they formed Transport
Investments, Inc. (TII) to serve as a holding company for
their current and future acquisitions. Today, TII is one of the
largest privately-owned trucking groups in the United States.
As the father of two Academy “lifers” (Heather ’09 and
Megan ’04) and grandfather of Grade 1 student Noah, Doug
has strong ties to the Academy as well as a deep commitment
to service. Over the last two years, Doug has worked with the
school to establish the McAdams Scholarship Fund. He looks
forward to playing a more active role at the Academy by serving
on the board of trustees.
After graduating from the Academy as a “lifer” in 1985, Bob
James received his bachelor’s degree from Boston College and
juris doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center. He
returned to Pittsburgh in 1992 to serve in a judicial clerkship.
Soon after, he became an associate at Titus and McConomy
Law Firm and served as an assistant general counsel for the
Western Pennsylvania Healthcare System. After receiving his
Master of Health Administration and Master of Business
Administration at the University of Pittsburgh, Bob and his
wife, Natasha, relocated to Washington, D.C.
In 2007, Bob joined the law firm of Bryant Miller Olive – a
firm specializing in public finance, employment/labor, and
state and local government affairs. Currently, Bob, Natasha,
and their children, Alexander (6), Sebastian (4), and Isabella
(1), reside in Washington, D.C.
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2009 ELIZABETH BISHOP
MARTIN AWARD RECIPIENT
Lower School teacher Jayne Parker receives the Elizabeth Bishop
Martin Award.
Colleagues describe Lower School teacher Jayne Parker as “a
gentle leader who consistently puts personal concerns aside
while working to support students, parents, and fellow colleagues.”
For this reason and many more, Jayne was awarded
the 2009 Elizabeth Bishop Martin Award by fellow faculty
members. This annual award honors a teacher at Sewickley
Academy who has made a significant contribution to advancing
the mission of the school. David and Ellen Martin, former
Academy parents, established the award to honor the memory
of their daughter who was a 1979 Academy graduate.
Jayne has taught in the Lower School for the last eight years
as a Grade 1 and Grade 3 teacher. With her cheerful demeanor
and selfless heart, she serves a valuable role as morale leader
in the school. Her excitement in the classroom and for life in
general is contagious. Colleagues speak of her as a voice of
reason in times of conflict, and a confidant who provides a sympathetic
ear to many.
On her recognition Jayne comments, “I am truly honored to
be recognized by my peers for this award. My colleagues
have supported and taught me so much since I came to the
Academy.” She adds humbly, “I feel so fortunate to be recognized
although I feel each of us gives of ourselves every day.
There are not enough awards to go around, but once again, I
am so honored.”
Previous award recipients include Sira Metzinger, Julia Tebbets,
John Charney, Lawrence Connolly, Cheryl Lassen, Susan
Pross, Guy Russo, Gil Smith, Pam Scott, Jessica Peluso, Linda
Bowers, and the late Barbara Salak.

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LINDSAY GOTT ’87:
DO WHAT INSPIRES YOU
By and large, Lindsay Gott’s life has taken shape around one thing — passion. The things that inspired her have truly
routed the direction of her life. Thus, her experiences are diverse and have taken her all over the world, from Brussels
the year before the European Union was ratified, to Paris where she graduated at the top of her class from the worldrenowned
Le Cordon Bleu cooking and pastry school. As she puts it, her life “started out differently than it ended” …
but that is not to say that anything about her life is ending. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
Lindsay was born and raised in Sewickley and started at the Academy as a freshman. Though she felt “comfortable” at the Academy,
she always felt that there was something missing from her life during her high school years. She discovered that missing piece — her
passion for international travel — during her freshman year at Drexel University in Philadelphia. She enrolled in an international studies
program that allowed her to choose a part of the world to study through real travel and examination of its language, culture, and business.
Western Europe was Lindsay’s area of choice, and she spent her first summer as a college student in the French countryside of Tours for
a six-week language program.
This first international travel experience changed Lindsay’s life. “I was totally hooked,” she says. She completed a five-year co-op program
at Drexel, where the middle three years alternated between six months in school and six months in industry. The program provided
her with incredible professional direction, allowing her to carry out three different internships relevant to her study of Western Europe.
At the same time, she was able to fully pursue her passion of traveling and working abroad.
South Bank Kitchen, a gourmet delicatessen, was owned and operated by Lindsay Gott ’87 for three and a
half years.
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Lindsay explains that these international
experiences, which she found inspirational,
helped her become a better student.
“I started getting straight A’s as soon as
I came back from my first trip to France,”
she says. “I was enthralled with what I
was doing and experiencing. All of a sudden,
I just began to see all of these opportunities
in front of me.”
In addition to her first travel experience to
France, she also lived in Brussels the year
the Berlin Wall came down. “It was a very
exciting time. I was right there in the middle
of major progress.” Her last overseas
internship was in London at FCB Advertising
in the area of French tourism, where
she was able to make use of her fluency
in French.
Upon graduating from Drexel in 1992, Lindsay
moved to San Francisco and began
working full-time for FCB. She worked in
advertising for six years, and in the meantime,
fell in love with San Francisco. While
she wanted to stay in the west — which
is primarily driven by an Asian Pacific
market — she realized that to continue in European business she
would have to make a move to the east coast. But, right around
this same time, another of Lindsay’s passions came to the surface
and charted her path once again.
“I fell in love with cooking,” she says. Through meetings at great
restaurants with FCB clients, she began to learn about food and
decided she wanted a more handson
approach. So, she took a year off
to learn how to cook. Little did she
know that this year-long venture
would transform into a new career.
“I went to cooking school at Le
Cordon Bleu in Paris and never
looked back.”
Once again, similar to her international
endeavors, the total educational
submersion was what Lindsay
relished most about her cooking
school experience. Taught all in
French, Le Cordon Bleu was rigorous.
“The French are very strict in
how they train you,” Lindsay says,
and she took school very seriously.
She loved every minute of being back in Paris. In 1998, she earned
a cooking and pastry degree and graduated at the top of her class,
excelling in pastry.
Lindsay spent the next 10 years in the food and catering industry.
She started her first business in San Francisco called Gourmet
Gatherings, a company that specialized in teaching people how
to cook in a party environment. After
that, she worked for Alice Waters for
a year at Chez Panisse in Berkeley,
a café and restaurant which opened
its doors in 1971 and was a leader in
the organic food movement.
In 2002, Lindsay left San Francisco
for Hood River, Oregon, where she
still lives today. She decorated cakes
for a year with Polly Wood, who is
known for inventing the “whimsy
cake” and who just closed her cake
business after 17 years. After that,
Lindsay started another business
called South Bank Kitchen, a gourmet
delicatessen, which she owned
for three and a half years. Earlier this
summer, Lindsay sold South Bank
Kitchen, which was perfect timing for the next chapter in her life.
Lindsay and husband Sean Sanders were married in July 2009.
Lindsay spends time with former classmate Bridget Regan ’87
and son in New York.
In July 2009, after a two-year long-distance relationship (with
her in Oregon and him in Scotland), Lindsay married Sean Sanders,
whom she met while on a windsurfing vacation in Mexico.
This September, they will celebrate the birth of their first child. “I
always thought that children would slow me down, but when I met
Sean, I realized that work was not everything,” says Lindsay. “I
always poured my heart and soul into
my businesses, but I began to ask
myself what it was all worth. And I
realized that there is one experience
that none of my other experiences
can replace.” Needless to say, she is
very much looking forward to motherhood.
At this stage in her life and looking
back, Lindsay says that what she
feels most these days is gratefulness.
“Over the past four or five years, I
have just learned to be grateful for
all the feelings and hardships that
came with working in a challenging
industry.” She also feels grateful for
following her heart and living the life
that was true to her and her passions. To any young person trying
to figure out what their life might look like, she says, “Trust your
instincts. Do what inspires you because it’s not worth it otherwise.
There is so much reward when you follow your truth.”
When she looks back at her time at Sewickley Academy, she says
what she took away the most was always feeling supported and
safe. “Jim Cavalier was the head of
the Senior School when I was at
the Academy. There was something
about him that just made me feel
loved. At a time in my life where I
was somewhat directionless, feeling
safe and knowing that people cared
about me was very important.” She
believes that the nurturing environment
at the Academy absolutely
contributed to her confidence that
allowed her to always follow her
dreams. She also values the friendships
she made at the Academy that
she still maintains today. Early this
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summer, she spent some time with
former classmate Bridget Regan ’87
in New York.
Without a doubt, passion has created a full and remarkable life
for Lindsay Gott. Her passion for international travel and business,
cooking, food, and now family have never steered her wrong. And
for that, Lindsay is most grateful.

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SEWICKLEY ACADEMY IN THE NEWS
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Prior to his arrival in Sewickley, Rob taught at the University of Kent
at Canterbury, the University of Cambridge, and The Benneden School
in Cranbrook, Kent. He received his doctorate and Master of Philosophy
in social and political sciences and art history from the University
of Cambridge; a Master of Business Administration in business studies,
arts, and design management from the London Business School;
a Master of Arts in graphic design from the Central School of Art and
Design and Royal College of Art in London; and his Bachelor of Fine
Arts in studio art and visual communication design from the University
of Alberta. To top it all off, he is a concert level pianist and attended the
Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.
Dr. Edwards took some time out of his summer routine to reflect on
his teaching and thinking and how Sewickley Academy has influenced
both.
What have you learned about students and art since you joined the
Academy’s faculty?
I’ve learned that all Academy students have their unique styles and
personalities, and I strive to treat each and every one as the individuals
they are. During each quarter, the primary objectives are to extol to my
students the virtues of drawing to encourage them to draw as much as
possible, and to eliminate the refrain, “Doc, I can’t draw!” from their
vocabulary. Mark Twain once said, “I can survive on a morsal of praise
for a week.” In this spirit, I reckon my role in the art studio is to take
student talent and try to realize its potential through encouragement,
work ethic, and confidence-boosting.
Has your experience here influenced or challenged your opinions on
art and its intersection with politics, history, or critical thinking?
As a teacher I have become more conservative in my teaching - which
can be interpreted these days as being radical. Rather than try to
reinvent the wheel via a progressive studio curriculum, I’m attempting
to return to the basics – to communicate what I feel is the essence
of all visual artwork: the act of drawing. (The sculptor Auguste Rodin
claimed that historically he invented nothing, but instead he “rediscovered.”)
As for the intersection of critical thinking and teaching Middle
Schoolers the glories of charcoal and paint, one renowned German
critic wrote in his Minima moralia: Reflections from Damaged Life that
“the task of art today is to bring chaos into order.” Read that as you may.
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THE ART OF TEACHING: DR. ROB EDWARDS
Just completing his sixth year on the faculty at the Academy, Dr. Rob Edwards is well-recognized among students, faculty,
and the community as a scholar and artist. He is affectionately known as “Doc” in the halls and studios of Sewickley
Academy and continually inspires students to explore their potential through diligent practice and an understanding of art
history and theory.
20
Dr. Rob Edwards beside his drawing of daughter, Eleanor, at age three.
How does your teaching - pedagogy and content - reflect your philosophy
of education?
“Sane judgment abhors nothing so much as a picture perpetrated with
no technical knowledge, although with plenty of care and diligence,”
said the Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer. In my studio, students
are trained to “see”; they are taught to sight and measure the subject
in order to reproduce it accurately using the academic methods
of drawing. They are also taught to render gesture, expression, exaggeration,
and fantasy in order to animate the subject to a high degree
using methods of cartooning and caricature. Students are further introduced
- along with the requisite technical skills – to the disciplines and
“habits of mind” of a traditional atelier studio practice, an environment
that fosters and inspires within each student the elements of close observation;
attention to realism and detail; discipline and persistence;
patience and reflection; contemplation; self-criticism and evaluation;
and a willingness to explore, take risks, and learn from mistakes. All
good stuff. These, I think, are the worthy ingredients for any sound philosophy
of education.
What do you do outside of teaching at Sewickley Academy?
I am a practicing professional artist outside the Academy. I
work on many private commissions - personal, family, corporate
- both in the area and out-of-state. For a decade, I have
somehow managed a consortium of over 40 international artists
via an agency called Drawn & Quartered, which serves a
varied constituency of newspapers and magazines worldwide.
What other little free time I have is spent with my own family of
budding young artists, and digging gardens for my wife.
Please share stories from some of your most memorable
projects.
Some years ago I was commissioned by the University of Kent
in the UK to paint Michel Rôcard, former Prime Minister of
France and European Union Commissioner, who was invited
to Canterbury to give a syntillating keynote address on economics
and the benefits of the euro. I portrayed the illustrious
man as a latter-day Napoleon, standing with hand in jacket,
surrounded by the accoutrements of worldly statecraft. The
Corsican general has a mixed reputation with French socialists,
and here my sensibilities as a political caricaturist collided
with what traditionally could have been formalist flattery.
The portrait was presented to Rôcard onstage with great fanfare.
The ensuing reception was mixed: the University’s Politics
Department (loyal British subjects all) absolutely loved it,
but Madame R never did invite me to Paris for dinner.
They say you should never underestimate the power of art. I
also had an opportunity to draw an oversized portrait of one
Mike Tyson, former undisputed heavyweight champion of the
world, “baddest man on the planet,” and now a latter-day
movie star. This particular work was published and circulated
in many syndicated newspapers at the time, and soon after
Tyson’s entourage came around to my apartment to relieve
me of the original. I sensed life imitating art with Drawn &
Quartered here, but fortunately for me, Iron Mike took a real
shining to the drawing, and the exchange was cordial. In his
very next fight, Tyson lost the belt to James Buster Douglas.
How are you involved in the community?
I try to spend time with Sewickley’s arts and crafts community,
in particular collaborating with my good friend Mark Rengers
of Sewickley Gallery and Frame Shop regarding student exhibitions
and framing issues. My son is also an avid member of
the Sewickley Cycling Club, so if you see a laboring “Clydesdale”
[sic] on a bike badly trailing a youthful Lance Armstrong
through town - that will be father and son.
UP-AND-COMING
CROSSING BOUNDARIES
What were you doing the summer of your 15th year? Was it your
first year as a camp counselor? Were you bussing tables at a
local restaurant? Or, spending your days poolside? This summer,
Sewickley Academy student Evan Fuhrer ‘12 will be performing original
music across the region with his local band Crossing Boundaries. Not
bad for a 15-year-old with a passion for music inspired by the Beatles.
Evan and former SA student Jacob Klein are the two singers and
songwriters for the band, which has established itself as one of the
region’s premier rock ‘n’ roll performers. They have been featured in
the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette and have appeared on KDKA’s Pittsburgh
Today Live. One of their songs, Pretty Lady Goodbye, is being played
on WYEP radio station – the youngest band debut in the station’s
history. They recently opened for Michael Glabiki of Rusted Root and
have attracted over 300 people to their shows. They also just performed
at The Pittsburgh Music Festival as one of the area’s best up-and-
coming bands. Sounds like they are on their way.
So, how did it all begin? Evan began taking piano lessons and Jacob
started playing the guitar. It was not until Evan discovered music
that he loved and Jacob started singing that it all clicked. It helps to
have a community that supports them, explain the musicians. From
parents, to friends, and teachers, Crossing Boundaries has a strong
following in the region and at school.
Over the years, Evan and Jacob have been influenced and inspired by
the Beatles, travel, and nature. As for the future – Jacob has his sights
set on a Grammy. Evan, on the other hand, is taking it all in stride, “My
goal is to write music that I like and is fun to play. I am taking it year by
year and seeing how far it goes.”
Jacob and Evan have “the unique ability to write beautifully constructed
pop songs that appeal to people of all ages. Their soaring harmonies
and wonderful lyrics remind many of The Beatles,” explains one critic.
Their first CD is titled Here’s To Yesterday, a reference to the wonderful
music of the ‘60s, and has received wonderful reviews from as far
away as London. Even at 15, you can go a long way with talent, passion,
and a supportive community.
21

OUR GRADUATES
ARE GOING PLACES
The Class of 2009 will attend 52 different colleges and
universities with 80 percent venturing out of state or
country. Ninety-eight percent of seniors were admitted
to a top-choice college. The class was offered
more than $3.7 million in college merit scholarship money.
American University
Bentley University
Boston College
Brigham Young University
Brown University (2)
Bucknell University (2)
Carnegie Mellon University (3)
Case Western Reserve
University (4)
Colgate University
College of Charleston (2)
College of William and Mary
Columbia University
Cornell University (2)
DePaul University
Duquesne University (3)
East Carolina University
Elon University (3)
Emory University
Fordham University
George Washington University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Indiana University
at Bloomington
Ithaca College
John Carroll University
Kenyon College (3)
Loyola College in Maryland (2)
Macalester College
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Massachusetts Institute
of Technology
McGill University, Canada
Miami University, Ohio (2)
Pennsylvania State University,
University Park
Pomona College
Robert Morris University
Savannah College of Art
and Design
Skidmore College (2)
Syracuse University
United States Military Academy
United States Naval Academy
University of Chicago (2)
University of Colorado
at Boulder
University of Pittsburgh (2)
University of Rochester
University of Vermont
University of Virginia
Vanderbilt University (2)
Villanova University
Wake Forest University
Washington and Lee University
Washington University
in St. Louis
Westmont College
Wheaton College
Yale University
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Seniors Sara Watchko, Mary Wingert, Joy DeBolt, Sarah Breves, Shayne
Harris, Carly Tustin, and Anne Funk steal a moment together before
receiving their diplomas.
Before processing into Rea Auditorium, graduates Curry Dewhirst, Rob
Wennemer, Jeff Del Presto, Boo Urick, and Bobby O’Donnell gather for a photo.
Alumni parents celebrate graduation with their children, the newest
Sewickley Academy alumni. Back: John Means ’71, Nancy Sproull Means
’72, Brian Means ’09, Karen Braumuller King ’76, Max King ’09, Mark Otto ’80,
Joshua Otto ’09. Middle: Peter Wise ’74, Christopher Wise ’09, Shayne Harris
’09, Taryn Harris ’77, Julia Hansen ’09, Gretchen Hansen (spouse of the late W.
Gregg Hansen ’77). Front: Kathleen McGinnis Churchin ’82, Jonathon Churchin
’09, Kimberly Kendrick Cuneo ’73, Katherine Cuneo ’09, Mark Zappala ’77,
Frances Zappala ’09, Kelly Fetterolf ’09, Scott Fetterolf ’76, Devon Behrer ’09,
Arnold Behrer ’73.
The Class of 2009.
Moises Arriaga
Brown University
Nicole Becich
Pomona College
Devon Behrer
Boston College
John Billings
University of Rochester
Nicholas Blodis
Bucknell University
Paul Blumenkopf
Case Western Reserve University
Lauren Bonomo
Yale University
Sarah Breves
Columbia University
Tayler Bungo
Wake Forest University
Gabrielle Catanzariti
University of Pittsburgh
Alexander Chang
Case Western Reserve University
Jonathon Churchin
DePaul University
Benjamin Cox
Elon University
Katherine Cuneo
Miami University, Ohio
Joy DeBolt
Elon University
Jeffrey Del Presto
University of Virginia
Curran Dewhirst
Indiana University
Eric Dingess
University of Pittsburgh
Brienne Donovan
Brown University
Daniel Evanko
University of Vermont
Meghan Fanelli
Miami University, Ohio
Maria Farrow
Villanova University
Kenneth Fedorko
Kenyon College
Kelly Fetterolf
College of Charleston
Michael Fulmore
United States Military Academy
Anne Funk
Westmont College
Karissa Gardner
Brigham Young University
Rahul Goel
Washington University in St. Louis
Mary Greathouse
College of William and Mary
Julia Hansen
Skidmore College
Shayne Harris
Loyola College in Maryland
Evan Hollins
Carnegie Mellon University
Jessica Hough
University of Chicago
Christopher Jones
Bentley University
Jacquelynn Jordan
Duquesne University
Patrick Joyal
Kenyon College
Jessica Karl
Savannah College of Art and Design
Maximillien King
College of Charleston
Eugenia Luo
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Annelise MacLeod
Cornell University
Michael Malus
University of Chicago
Heather McAdams
Cornell University
Rebecca McCarthy
Ithaca College
Sarah McCormick
Carnegie Mellon University
Margaret McGinley
Pennsylvania State University
Allison McKnight
Carnegie Mellon University
Brian Means
Washington and Lee University
Kristina Miller
Georgia Institute of Technology
Zachariah Miller
American University
Stephen Mozur
Vanderbilt University
Charles Mura
Robert Morris University
Nicholas Napoleone
Emory University
James Nocita
Macalester College
Thomas Norton
Case Western Reserve University
Robert O’Donnell
Vanderbilt University
23
Joshua Otto
United States Naval Academy
Owen Pella
John Carroll University
Christopher Porter
Bucknell University
Alaina Raftis
Wheaton College
Daniel Rudolf
Duquesne University
Lauren Scott
Duquesne University
Manon Sohn
McGill University
Julia Sponseller
Fordham University
Samantha Thomas
East Carolina University
Carly Tustin
Elon University
Richard Urick
Syracuse University
Sarah Vondracek
Colgate University
Rohan Wadhwani
The George Washington University
Sara Watchko
Skidmore College
Robert Wennemer
Kenyon College
Mary Wingert
Case Western Reserve University
Christopher Wise
Loyola College in Maryland
Frances Zappala
University of Colorado at Boulder

REUNION 2009 PREVIEW
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
(Subject to Change)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2
NEW THIS YEAR!
Arts Hall of Fame’s First
Induction Ceremony*
Honoring Jim Caruso ’76,
Katherine Clarke ’70,
Greg Nicotero ’81,
Anna Singer ’76, and
Garner Tullis ’55
Rea Auditorium
10:15 AM
All Reunion Celebration!
Allegheny Country Club
6:30 PM
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3
Continental breakfast
9:30–10:30 AM
Tours of Campus including
Phase 1 of Master Plan
10:00 AM–1:00 PM
Coed Alumni Soccer Game
Wardrop Field
11:00 AM
Picnic Lunch
MS/SS Cafeteria
12:00 PM
Games Day Events —
Show your support for the Panthers!
Varsity Girls’ Soccer vs. Quaker Valley
Nichols Field
12:00 PM
Field Hockey vs. Mt. Lebanon
Wardrop Field
2:00 PM
Varsity Boys’ Soccer vs. Freeport
Nichols Field
3:00 PM
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G S U M M E R 2 0 0 9
REGISTRATION
You can now register for Reunion Weekend 2009 and check for updates by
visiting www.sewickley.org. All RSVP’s must be received by September 23, 2009.
Invitations including a list of finalized activities are forthcoming.
HOTEL RESERVATIONS
A block of rooms have been reserved at the Courtyard Marriott in Coraopolis for
Reunion Weekend. Mention “Sewickley Academy Reunion” before September 11
to receive a special rate of $69 per night (Friday and Saturday only).
CLASS PARTIES
Formal invitation from host to follow.
1954 Party at Margaret Adam’s condo
in Sewickley
1959 Dinner at Sweetwater Grille
424 Walnut Street, Sewickley
1969 Party at Cherry Semple White’s
barn at Rockledge Farm
1974 Party at Michael Bollinger’s home
in Sewickley
1979 Reunion celebration was
held in June
1984 Party at Miles Smith’s home
in Sewickley
The Class of 1953 and 1954 perform “The Toy
Shop” in the Christmas of 1949.
The Class of 1969 poses for their eighth grade picture.
24
1989 Party under the tent at
The Sewickley Café
409 Beaver Street
Sewickley, 6:30 PM
1994 Sharp Edge
510 Beaver Street
Sewickley, 7:30 PM
1999 The Firehouse Lounge
2216 Penn Avenue
Strip District, 7:30 PM
2004 TBA
In Mr. Ribar’s seventh grade class, the Class of 1959
learned about history and science.
Students from the Class of 1974 gather in the
rehearsal studio.
Classmates of 1994 after eighth grade graduation.
Some members of the Class of 1979 played on the
“Nichols Pickles” intramural soccer team of 1974.
The Class of 1984. Members of the Class of 1989 attend the
prom in style.
Excited to be starting school, the Class of 2004 poses for their kindergarten picture.
25
*ARTS HALL OF FAME
FIR S T INDUC TION CEREMON Y
Whether they were inspired by the
passionate teachings of Mario Melodia
or by a class trip to the Carnegie
Museum of Art, Academy students
have long thrived in the performing and
visual arts. After leaving the Academy,
many alumni went on to distinguish
themselves as artists in higher education
and the professional realm.
On Friday, October 2, the Academy will
recognize five such alumni as the first
inductees into the Arts Hall of Fame.
They are Jim Caruso ’76, Katherine
Clarke ’70, and Anna Singer ’76 representing
the performing arts category,
and Greg Nicotero ’81 and Garner
Tullis ’55 for the visual arts. Nominated
by fellow alumni, these individuals
display passion and talent in the arts
and exemplify the highest qualities and
character of Sewickley Academy.
Crowded into the Lower School playground, the Class
of 1999 gathers for a photo in their eighth grade year.

CLASS NOTES
1934
Marian Edwards Mukerji ’34 has been coping
with the sudden death of her husband of almost
25 years, Dhan Gopal Mukerji II. A book
of his lectures has been recently published,
The Turbulent Years - United States Foreign
Policy & Diplomacy in Lectures 1998–2008.
Marian now shares her life with her daughter,
daughter-in-law, five grandchildren, 11 greatgrandchildren,
and many friends.
Claire Haines Fairley ’34 writes, “alive and
well living in Birmingham, Alabama!”
1936
After 88 summers in New Hampshire, John D.
Link ’36 and his wife have sold their property
on Lake Winnipesaukee with regrets. They
are residing year round in North Carolina.
1945
Richard Jevon ’45 was one of seven winners
of the 2008 Jefferson Award for Public Service,
which honors outstanding volunteers in
the region. Richard volunteers more than 125
hours each month educating mental health
professionals and families with a mentally ill
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child or spouse. He is an oral historian for the
evolution of mental health care at all levels of
government.
1949
Celebrating 60th Reunion in 2009
Jenny Edson Scott ’49 writes, “I took my entire
family, all 11, to Riviera Maya, Mexico, for
a week in March 2009 for snorkeling, zip line,
etc…Great time.”
1954
Celebrating 55th Reunion in 2009
Stephanie Culbertson Kerns’s ’54 husband,
Jack, passed away January 21, 2008. She
writes, “My family and friends have been
wonderful. I am now back doing volunteer
work, rejoined the women’s committee of Historic
Hampton, and run a taxi service for my
grandchildren!” Stephanie’s oldest grandson,
Andrew Kerns, graduated magna cum laude
in May from Northeastern University with a
Bachelor of Science. Stephanie and Margaret
Adams are hosting the 1954 Class Reunion in
October.
26
1955
Susan Sour ’55 and Jamie Wardrop ’57 enjoyed
leading the Academy entourage in Sewickley’s
118th annual Memorial Day Parade.
1958
Susan Mann Flanders ’58 retired last October
as rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in
Chevy Chase, Maryland. “I’m thoroughly
enjoying family, travel, and the occasional
volunteer clergy opportunities.”
1959
Celebrating 50th Reunion in 2009
Dr. Christopher H. Barker ’59 happily retired
after 30 years in parish ministry in Episcopal
churches in Florida, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
The Barkers now have much more
time to visit their children and grandchildren
and recently traveled to Argentina and Chile.
Christopher and wife Mary celebrated their
40th wedding anniversary and look forward to
seeing old friends in October during Reunion
Weekend.
Stephanie Gerard ’59 is looking forward to
Reunion Weekend and seeing her former
classmates!
1961
Marjorie “Marty” Mann ’61 continues to work
with two psychiatrists at Sheppard-Pratt
Hospital in Baltimore. She is also working
with a law firm as a witness on a malpractice
case. Marty stays in close contact with
Susan Stalling DePree ’61, Lucy Eynon Whitin
’61, Sally Fowler ’61, and Janet Pease Moore
’59. Marty and Don spend their summers in
Martha’s Vineyard and Maine.
1962
Stephanie Rice Ellis ’62 and Peter Erskine
’62 got together in Phoenix, Arizona, in early
April while Stephanie and her husband were
visiting their son. “Peter and I had a great
time catching up on our SA days and Peter
has assured me that he will definitely be at
our 2012 reunion!”
Helen Rose King ’62 shares, “I want to thank
all my classmates for their kind expressions
of sympathy after my mother died. This is not
a journey that I like but one that I accept as
God’s way for us. She lives on in me and I am
blessed with many wonderful memories. Your
support means so much. Love to all.” Helen
returned to Sewickley Academy this spring
for a campus tour. She brought along one of
her sons, sister Ann “Posey” Rose Joyner ’72,
and Oliver Rea ’74.
1966
Diane Beales Lobaugh ’66 and her husband
welcomed their first grandchild, Julia Eliza
Rinaldi, in November. “We didn’t think we
would live long enough to have one! She is
perfect and, of course, the most beautiful
baby in the world!” Diane and her husband,
Garry, reside in Baroda, Michigan.
1967
Alison Walter Martin ’67 welcomed her first
grandchild, Grace, and continues to love
her job as business manager in the finance
service industry.
1969
Celebrating 40th Reunion in 2009
Helen “Hap” Pafford Wertheimer’s ’69 son,
Sam (24), graduated with a master’s degree
in public health from Dartmouth College and
is working at RAND Corporation. Alex (21) is
a junior at Occidental College, captain of the
football team, and a biology major.
Jenny Edson Scott ’49 with her family in Riviera Maya, Mexico. Stephanie Rice Ellis ’62 and classmate Peter Erskine ’62 reunite in
Proudly patriotic, Susan Sour ‘55, Jamie Wardrop ‘57, and crew ride in the 118th annual
Phoenix, Arizona.
Sewickley Memorial Day Parade.
27
1970
In 2008, Mark MacWilliams ’70 published a
book on manga and anime, Japanese Visual
Culture. Mark is currently on a Fulbright
Scholarship to Japan, while his children
are almost through college.
James Thornton ’70 and his wife, Debbie,
opened Old Economy Inn, a bed and breakfast
in the historical district of Old Economy.
There are two fully furnished and completely
renovated apartment-style suites. The Old
Economy Inn is approximately five miles from
the Academy. For more information, visit
www.oldeconomyinn.com.
1971
Joanne Groshardt ’71 is working on the sitcom
pilot, Heaven Help Us, for producer
Michael Taylor, starring comedian Rickey
Smiley as a wise deacon acting as a fatherfigure
for young rapper Bentley Green.
Joanne writes, “It’s Bernie Mac meets The
Bill Cosby Show, emphasizing the current
social problems adolescents face.”
Steve Paleos ’71 married Jill Columbus on
June 13, 2009, at Saints Peter & Paul Greek
Orthodox Church, in Frederick, Maryland.
Ann “Posey” Rose Joyner ’72, Helen Rose King ’62, and family,
along with Oliver Rea ’74 (far right), return to the Academy for a
tour of campus.

CLASS NOTES
Steve is practicing law, with his two sons
in college and his daughter in elementary
school.
1975
Father Joseph Codori ’75 received news of his
reassignment as the new parochial vicar for
St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Parish in Canonsburg,
Pennsylvania. “Stop down and visit
sometime – of course Canonsburg is known
for Sarris Candy! God Bless you all!”
1976
Andrew Schmid ’76 lives in southern Vermont
with his wife, Polly, and children, Nicole (10)
and Xavier (5). Andrew is a dentist, while
Polly teaches and trains horses. Andrew
writes, “We have ducks, chickens, pheasants,
and peacocks and we’re happy to have any
class members visit if ever in the neighborhood.”
1977
Missy Hall Nicholson ’77 replied, “Big year
of milestones for the Nicholsons!” Missy
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celebrated her 50th birthday and 20th wedding
anniversary. Their daughter, Kat, will be
attending Simmons College in the fall and son,
Will, starts fourth grade.
1979
Mary Carroll Weiss Ryan ’71 and Missy Steers Wilich ’72 took
some deserved time off together.
Celebrated 30th Reunion in 2009
Angela Carrera Cooper ’79, husband Jeff,
and sons Chris (15) and Will (13), hosted a
Slovakian high school exchange student for a
semester.
Missy Hall Nicholson’s ’77
children, Kat and Will.
28
Anthony DeJong ’79 shares, “I have just
completed a mid-life career change from
electrical engineering for Intel to patent attorney.
I graduated from Lewis and Clark Law
School in 2005 and I’m practicing patent law.”
Anthony and his wife reside in Austin, Texas.
They have two sons living in Sacramento,
California, and a daughter attending the
University of Arizona.
Whitney Snyder ’79 will be inducted into the
United States Tennis Association Middle
States Hall of Fame in October 2009. He will
Angela Carrera Cooper’s ‘79 family and Slovakian exchange student Ivana at a 3-D movie in Atlanta, Georgia.
Andrew Kendrick ’80 and his bride, Lebritia,
honeymoon in the Dominican Republic.
join 73 prior inductees in the prestigious Hall
of Fame, which welcomed its inaugural class
in 1994.
1980
R. Evans Gebhardt ’80 writes, “Always being
a fan of the grape, I’ve started an online wine
business called www.wiredforwine.com.”
Andrew Kendrick ’80 married Lebritia Parker
in November 2008. Lebritia is a former ballerina
from Miami and is currently a dance
professor at the local college. Andrew is the
founder of Kendrick Consulting LLC, providing
a broad range of services to the oil and gas industry
with offices in Pittsburgh and Atlantic
Beach, Florida.
1981
Mimi Ross Blank ’81, Hilary Rose ’81, Leslie
Lewis ’81, and Malcolm Nimick ’81 got
together in April at the Sewickley Hotel for a
mini-reunion. Mimi and her husband and two
kids, 12 and 15, were visiting from Spokane,
Washington. Mimi creates custom, handpainted
tile murals commissioned through her
website www.tilesbymimi.com.
Hilary Rose, Mimi Ross Blank, and Leslie Lewis
gather for a mini Class of 1981 reunion at the
Sewickley Hotel.
FIVE-STAR SERVICE FOR MAN’S BEST FRIEND
Jonathan Tracy ’81 and Del Gosuico
started O’Paws, a boutique day care
and bed and breakfast for dogs, in San
Francisco after Jonathan left the financial
services sector in 2002. O’Paws
began with the idea of building an au
pair service for dogs. Their vision was
crafted around how well their two dogs,
Os and Sy, were cared for by their dog
walker. They jokingly called her their
dogs’ “au pair,” which is how they came
up with the name O’Paws. Wanting
to provide their dogs with the same
level of fun and attention they received
during the day with their dog walker,
it only made sense for Jonathan and
Del to build a business doing just that.
29
Jonathan Tracy ’81 (left) and partner Del
Gosuico with their O’Paws pals.
In creating O’Paws, Jonathan and Del broke the model of a standard day
care and kennel to create a place that feels like home. “You have to have an
extreme passion for dogs to truly understand.” They purchased a building
specifically for the dogs. The O’Paws facility has three floors and a backyard,
and they use a Land Rover to ferry the dogs to the parks for their daily runs.
When not running around, the dogs are resting on sofas covered with down
pillows and blankets. As Jonathan says, “Our hounds are kind enough to let
us live on the third floor and make it our home, though they regularly invade
and plop themselves down in the middle of our bed!” Although Sy passed
away last October, they still have two Vizslas of their own, Os and eightmonth-old
Igby.
“I have one of those jobs that they don’t tell you about when you are a kid.
I always thought that I would be an attorney, an architect, or even go into
politics. After six years of working with dogs, I can’t imagine doing anything
else.” Del’s “day job” as the primary web site programmer for The Men’s
Wearhouse allowed the two to take on the adventure of starting their own
business. His web design skills are also beneficial in marketing their own
business. “If you take a look at our web site (http://opaws.com) and think it
is a bit over the top for a small business, it is!”
Their B&B clients are not just the lucky canines who are with them every day.
They have also had the occasional human visit them, like Diane Ring ’81 and
Meghan Toth Strubel ’81. “O’Paws is always open to guests of any species,
human or canine, so if you are in San Francisco, give us a ring. Unfortunately
for the human guests, just don’t expect to be pampered as much as the canine
ones!”
The future is bright for Jonathan, Del, and their four-legged friends. They see
their passions and efforts focusing on a fresh food line for dogs. Dabbling in
the dog treat line several years ago, they created Canine Crostini, a dog treat
made with only fresh ingredients. “What we really want now is to create a
fresh daily meal for dogs that you can buy at the grocery store deli.”

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CLASS NOTES DESIGNED FOR SUCCESS
Hilary Rose ’81 does public relations for
Manchester Bidwell Corporation and the Manchester
Craftsmen’s Guild on the North Side,
and Leslie Lewis ’81 is a librarian and faculty
member at Duquesne University where she
loves teaching freshmen. Malcom Nimick ’81
started his own business in late 2007, Ascension
Capital Enterprises, giving capital market
advice to nonprofits that can issue tax-exempt
debt. He is still an Academy parent with his
youngest son, Mac, a rising senior.
A major topic of conversation at their minireunion
was the Class of ’81 Facebook page
that Malcolm recently created. The site now
has over 25 members, and everyone is enjoying
reconnecting and commenting on old photos.
If you are in the Class of ’81 and have not joined
Facebook, do so now! Mimi, Hilary, Leslie, and
Malcolm are all looking forward to their 30th reunion
in 2011 and say, “Be there or be square!”
1983
Alix McGinnis Giometti ’83 is busy in Golden,
Colorado, with her husband Greg, daughter
Hope (12), and son Rob (14), who are both
attending Kent Denver School. She also has
two stepchildren.
Eleanor Huff Stewart Sackson, daughter of Elizabeth
Standish Sackson ’83 and husband, Mark.
Elizabeth Standish Sackson ’83 and her
husband, Mark, welcomed their fourth child
and only girl, Eleanor Huff Stewart Sackson,
on February 4, 2009. This fall, their oldest son,
Nevin, will begin college.
1985
Jack Parrish ’85, wife Umarin, daughter Samantha
(6), and son Max (2), moved to Tokyo
in September. Jack is the managing director
Christine and James Craig ’86 with their newborn. Rola Sangodeyi ’90 is a senior energy business
analyst for Target Corporation.
30
for Equity Derivatives at BGC Partners. The
family is learning the language and doing well.
1986
James Craig ’86 is the vice president of
Shopper Insights & Category Management
for PepsiCo. James and his wife, Christine,
just welcomed their fourth child, Henry.
They reside in Seattle, Washington.
Roswitha Firth ’86 graduated from Rice
Terri Stevens McConville ’89 and family welcomed twins, Mallory Stevens and Josephine Ruth.
University with a master’s degree in liberal
studies.
1988
Matt Duncan ’88 is celebrating 21 years in
Louisville, Colorado, just east of Boulder.
Matt is busy with two companies, their interior
design/home staging business, Design
Matters Home (www.designmattershome.
com), and Sports Data Hub (www.sportsdatahub.com),
a football data analysis startup
company in its second year which supports
fantasy football players. Matt is also
starting a three-year term on the University
of Colorado Alumni Association Board of
Directors. This year his children, Ella and
Davis, will begin second grade and kindergarten,
respectively. “If you are into Twitter,
follow me - @matthewduncan.”
1989
Celebrating 20th Reunion in 2009
Kyri Greenleaf Jacobs ’89, executive vice
president and shareholder of Bonnie Heneson
Communications, was named one of Maryland’s
2009 Top 100 Women, an honor that
recognizes outstanding achievement in business
and community service. Kyri resides in
Laurel, Maryland, with her husband Scott,
son Kyle, and daughter Elizabeth.
Terri Stevens McConville ’89 and her husband
announced the birth of their twin girls, Mallory
Stevens and Josephine Ruth, born on
May 15, 2009. They were welcomed home by
big sister Tess (7) and big brother Drew (4).
The McConville family resides in Oak Park,
Illinois.
Terry Quinn ’89 just finished his 15th year
of teaching English at St. Louis University
High School. Terry is headed to Europe for
the summer. “There to eat like an emperor
on a clown’s paycheck.” If you happen to be
passing through, look for him in Bohemia or
Andalucía.
1990
Rola Sangodeyi ’90 is a senior energy
business analyst for Target Corporation in
When Sarah Hoy ’01 came to Sewickley
Academy in the fall of 1997 for Grade
9, she was already intimately familiar
with the campus. Her older brother had
transferred to Sewickley, and Sarah followed
just two years later. She credits
the Academy with broadening her world
view, giving her an appreciation of culture,
and allowing her to become a lifelong
leader. A self-described “English
and arts” kid, Sarah notes, “Mr. Connolly’s
confidence in my creative abilities was
inspiring. He encouraged me at every
turn. Even though math and science were
not my strongest subjects in high school, Sarah Hoy ’01 at her desk at HarperCollins.
I was particularly thankful for the strong
background the Academy provided in these subjects. Once I got to college, the
requisite math and physics courses were a breeze.”
Sarah went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design at Drexel University,
where she studied abroad in England, performed with the dance ensemble,
and graduated magna cum laude. Just a few months later, Sarah landed a job
as an assistant designer at HarperCollins Publisher in Manhattan. The field of
graphic design appeals to Sarah for its unique blending of creative and technical
work. Measuring, working with her hands, and thinking of creative solutions
for projects are part of her daily routine at HarperCollins. A truly collaborative
effort, Sarah works with illustrators, editors, and artists to create her
final products — novels. Another big part of Sarah’s job entails analyzing and
critiquing artwork, skills she honed through her participation with Ephemera,
the Academy’s award-winning literary arts magazine.
Lower and Middle School students may recognize Sarah’s work as she has collaborated
on a number of recent projects, including an original Berenstain Bears
book, the Chronicles of Narnia series, When Harriet Met Sojourner, and Dirty
Joe the Pirate. The first book to have Sarah’s name listed in the credits was
Mazes Around the World, which was honored as a notable book in the Chicago
Library Review.
Now living in Brooklyn, Sarah enjoys spending time at the Museum of
Modern Art and Central Park in her free time, both of which are mere blocks
from her office. Sarah also enjoys the freelance work she does for two nonprofit
organizations – the Dance Films Association and the Brooklyn Ballet.
31

CLASS NOTES
Minneapolis, Minnesota. Rola has a Bachelor
of Science from MIT, Master of Business
Administration in international business and
finance from University of South Florida,
and is graduating with a Master of Science
in finance from the University of Tampa this
summer. Rola’s life is devoted to raising her
five-year-old son, mentoring students in the
MIT Energy Club, and her church.
1991
Elizabeth Wardrop Lawley ’91 lives in California
with her husband, Jason, and her new
baby boy, Alex.
1992
Heather St. George Gibson ’92 manages the
box office at the historic Wheeler Opera
House in Aspen, Colorado.
1993
Fiduciary360, the global leader in fiduciary
insights, announced the hiring of Kristina
Fausti ’93 to the newly created position of
director of legal and regulatory affairs.
Elizabeth Wardrop Lawley ’91 with her husband,
Jason, and son, Alex.
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Johanna Farin Johnson ‘93 and her husband,
Mark, announced the birth of their son, Tyler
Johnson.
1994
Celebrating 15th Reunion in 2009
On October 17, 2009, Shana Takahashi
Durbin ’94 married her best friend, Jason
Durbin, in Stafford, Virgina, at Rock Hill
Plantation. “Sara Lee Riva’s ’94 assistance
and friendship that day were invaluable and
it was so nice to get to spend time with our
families and other loved ones.”
1996
Adam Shuty ’96 is shooting indi-films and
commercials in New York City. See what
Adam’s up to at www.youtube.com/adamshuty.com.
1997
F. Dok Harris ’97 announced he will run as
an independent candidate in the November
election for City of Pittsburgh mayor. Dok
graduated last year from the joint law-
Tyler Johnson, son of Mark Johnson and Johanna
Farin Johnson ‘93.
32
business degree program at the University
of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper
School of Business. Dok was also recognized
by Pittsburgh Courier’s Fab 40, honoring the
region’s most promising African-American
men and women under the age of 40.
1998
Laurel Weller ’98 married Major Brian Noe,
U.S. Air Force, on May 30, 2009, in Pittsburgh.
Heather St. George Gibson ’92 and her husband in
Germany this past winter. “Prosit!”
Shana Takahashi Durbin ’94 and her husband,
Jason Durbin, walk down the aisle.
Sewickley Academy attendees included
Maid of Honor Julie Bevevino ’99, Lisa
Bevevino ’02, David Bevevino ’06, and
Chris Johnson ’96.
1999
Celebrating 10th Reunion in 2009
After several years in California, Christopher
Au ’99 moved back to Pittsburgh in 2007 so
that his wife, Cindy, could get her Master of
Business Administration at Carnegie Mellon
University. He has been putting his film studies
degree to good use producing and directing
commercial promos for Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh.
“Die-hard sports fans have recognized
me from my cameo as a doctor in the recent
‘Smell Test’ promos airing during Pirates and
Penguins games. I have fun telling people, ‘I’m
not a doctor, but I play one on TV.’”
After spending two years as the director of
alumni relations, Julie Bevevino ’99 headed
Sara Lee O’Brien ’99, Deborah Gettleman ’99, and Connor Kirsch ’99 were in Costa Rica to celebrate
Allison Henry’s ’99 wedding to Christopher “Critter” Gilpin.
Courtesy of Pittsburgh Courier
F. Dok Harris ’97 is named one of the Pittsburgh
Courier’s Fab 40.
Laurel Weller Noe ’98 married Major Brian Noe on
May 30, 2009.
33
back to school for her Master of Business
Administration at the Joseph M. Katz Graduate
School of Business at the University of
Pittsburgh. She received a marketing internship
at Kahiki Foods in Columbus, Ohio, for the
summer. Kahiki manufactures and sells Asian
frozen food to local and national retailers.
You can follow Julie’s adventures at kahiki.
blogspot.com.
Allison Henry Gilpin ’99 married Christopher
Gilpin in March 2009, in Manuel Antonio,
Costa Rica. Allison and her husband reside in
New York City.
Jennifer Neely Grebinoski ’99 married in 2007
after returning from Afghanistan. Since leaving
the Army, Jennifer is working at Caterpillar,
Inc. Jennifer and her husband reside in
Peoria, Illinois, with their four cockatoos.
Blake Segal ’99 is the director of financial
planning & analysis at Harrah’s Entertainment,
Inc. in Las Vegas, Nevada.
2001
Nick Smyth ’01 graduated from Harvard
Law School with his juris doctorate and will
pursue a career in financial regulatory reform
with the federal government.
Christopher Au ’99 (left) acting in a recent local
commercial for Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh.

CLASS NOTES
Philip McClure ’01 graduated from University
of Pittsburgh Medical School cum laude
and Alpha Omega Alpha. He is moving to
Providence, Rhode Island, for his residency in
orthopedic surgery through Brown University.
Philip and his wife, Celeste, welcomed son,
Katahdin McClure, in October 2009.
2004
Celebrating 5th Reunion in 2009
Jackie Grimes ’04 graduated in December
from West Virginia University with degrees in
both mechanical and aerospace engineering
and a minor in Spanish. Jackie is a systems
engineer at Boeing’s Integrated Defense site
in Philadelphia.
Tommy Kehoe ’04, a senior lacrosse player
at Gettysburg College, was named 2009
NCAA Division III National Player of the Year.
Tommy graduated from Gettysburg this spring
and was drafted by the Chicago Machine in
the fifth round of the Major League Lacrosse
draft. He is also employed full-time in business
development and sales at Book Country
Clearing House in McKeesport, Pennsylvania.
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G S U M M E R 2 0 0 9
Urie Norris ’04 graduated from the UCLA Herb
Alpert School of Music in Ethnomusicology,
with an emphasis on jazz. He is the music
director for the Salt Creek Grille, placing and
booking musicians for their two Los Angeles
locations and he also performs on weekends.
Urie is planning a month or two in Japan or
China performing in jazz workshops.
Jared Weber ’04 graduated from the Virginia
Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia, in
May. Jared earned a Bachelor of Science in
mechanical engineering with a concentration
in aerospace engineering. He graduated with
Academic Distinction and 2nd Lieutenant in
the U.S. Army. Currently, Jared works as a
nuclear engineer for Westinghouse Electric
Company in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.
Aside from his civilian job, Jared is in the Army
National Guard (Reserve), and will be attending
a training event in Fort Lewis, Washington, in
July. Upon completion of this event, he will be
transferred from his unit in Virginia’s National
Guard to Pennsylvania’s National Guard as a
2nd Lieutenant, and will join the 2nd Brigade
Special Troops Battalion in Washington, Pennsylvania,
as a combat engineer.
Philip McClure ’01 with his son, Katahdin. UCLA graduate Urie Norris ’04 with his proud parents.
Jared Weber ’04 at graduation with his father,
Academy faculty member Russell Weber.
34 46
2005
Samuel Brown ’05 graduated magna cum
laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Wheaton
College (MA) and for the next six months will
be working as a deck hand on a 19th century
reproduction wooden schooner.
Kristin Buterbaugh ’05 was awarded a Gates
Cambridge Scholarship, funded by the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation. Kristin was among
37 American students selected from 752 candidates
to be selected to pursue a master’s
or doctorate degree at Cambridge University.
In July, she graduated with a Bachelor of
Arts in American studies from Northwestern
University.
Carolyn Devens ’05 graduated from Franklin
and Marshall College and will be going to
South Africa for a three-month internship
with the Global White Lion Protection Trust.
“Their primary objective is the reintroduction
of white lions back to the wild in their
endemic area - the Greater Timbavati region. I
will be working at the TSAU Center for White
Lion Reintroduction and trained as an active
member of their scientific monitoring and
research team. I’ll have a unique opportunity
to gain hands-on game-ranging experience
whilst making a valuable contribution to the
long-term conservation of the white lions.
Upon return in the fall, I will hopefully find a
research assistant position with one of my
many prospective graduate school advisors
for the rest of the year and entering graduate
school for conservation biology in the fall of
2010.”
Katherine Flaherty ’05 is staying at Duquesne
University to complete a Master of Science in
occupational therapy.
Katarina Lackner ’05 graduated from the
University of Pennsylvania and signed with a
basketball team in Caceres, Spain. She’ll be
moving to Spain in September for the start of
the season.
Adam Wilberger ’05 graduated with a Bachelor
of Arts with Distinction in psychology
from the University of Virginia. Adam will be
attending Drexel University College of Medicine
this fall.
2006
Mary Harbist ’06 was one of 10 students at
the University of Pittsburgh to present their
research at the 23rd Annual National Conference
on Undergraduate Research.
The national event provides an opportunity
for undergraduates to showcase what they
have learned from sustained and extensive
faculty-guided research experiences.
Conor Sullivan ’06 is a current student at
Fordham University and recently completed a
semester abroad in London, England.
Rasheda Vereen ‘06 is interning at the Pittsburgh
Tissue Engineering Institute. She is
involved in vascular engineering projects that
utilize stem cells.
PHILADELPHIA ALUMNI HAPPY HOUR!
35
2008
Jocelyn Johnson ’08 is spending the summer
in the Princeton in Munich program, taking
classes at the Goethe Institut in Germany.
When she returns to the states, she will be
finishing out her summer working as a camp
counselor at YMCA Camp Kon-o-Kwee in
Fombell, Pennsylvania.
On Thursday, June 11, the alumni office gathered with Philadelphia alumni for
happy hour at the Public House.
Dr. John Fincke ’88, Jack Mannke ’81, LeeAnne Sebastian ’87, and John Willard ’54 enjoy
their time together at the Philadelphia alumni gathering.
Larry Hall, Sarah Buescher ’85, Carolina Caletti Knight ’86, Dr. Alissa Cowden Wilmot ’97,
and Dani Louchheim ’97 catch up on each other’s lives.

I N M E M O R I A M
ALUMNI
ANN HEUMANN ROSE ’39
Ann Heumann Rose ’39 died peacefully at home in Grand Junction,
Colorado, on March 22, 2009. She was the beloved mother of
Helen Rose King ’62, Caroline Whiting Rose ’67, and Ann Rose
Joyner ’72. She was married to Bernd P. Rose ’38 for 55 years.
Ann was predeceased by her sister, Mary Ottilie Lore ’30, and is
survived by her brother, Chapin Heumann ’34.
In 1942, Ann graduated from Stuart Hall in Virginia. She and
Bernd married in 1944 and during the war she was a WWII Red
Cross Volunteer. When they settled in Sewickley after the war, Ann
was a member of the Child Health Association, Sewickley Valley
Hospital Auxiliary, Board of Friendship House, Board of Union
Aid Society, and board member of the Junior League of Pittsburgh.
Ann loved her family, always supporting and encouraging her three
daughters, eight grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. She
loved summers on Cape Cod and joined her husband and children
on many camping, canoeing, and skiing trips.
ELIZABETH TOWNSEND HARDWICK ’40
Elizabeth Townsend Hardwick ’40 of Mystic, Connecticut, and
Vero Beach, Florida, died Saturday, May 30, 2009. Born November
15, 1925, in Pittsburgh, Elizabeth attended Sewickley Academy,
Ethel Walker School, and graduated from Vassar College in 1946.
Mrs. Hardwick resided in Alpine, New Jersey, Yarmouth and York
Harbor, Maine, and ultimately settled in Mystic and Vero Beach.
She was active in The Junior League and The Englewood Hospital
Auxiliary, garden clubs in New Jersey and Maine, and the Vassar
College Alumni Association.
Mrs. Hardwick is survived by her son, Rob Johnson of Ponte Vedra
Beach, Florida, and daughter, Libby Taft of Holden, Massachusetts;
her niece, Anne Townsend of Boulder, Colorado; her son-in-law,
Ned Taft; her granddaughter, Betsey Taft McCarthy and her
husband, Liam, of Worcester, Massachusetts; her grandson, Ben
Taft and his fiancée, Lisa Spinelli, of Hamden, Connecticut; and her
great-granddaughter, Fiona Taft McCarthy.
STEPHANIE MCCONNELL ’68
Stephanie McConnell ’68 of Cambridge, Massachusetts, died June
2, 2009. Stephanie, who was born in New York, attended Sewickley
Academy, St. Margaret’s School, and Mount Vernon College. She
was the daughter of Shelagh Richards of Sewickley, and David
McConnell of New York, New York (both deceased). Stephanie
is survived by sisters, Constance McConnell Rush ’69 of Maine,
Shelagh “Kippie” Richards Nicholas ’75 of North Carolina, Geraldine
Helene McConnell of New York, Ann Garrett McConnell of
New York, Julie Anderson McConnell of New York and Leila Jones
Richards of Pennsylvania; brother, William Larimer Richards of
Texas; and nieces, Shawn Helene McConnell and Heather McConnell
Rush, both of New York.
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G S U M M E R 2 0 0 9
36
MARY LISA BERGLUND Ph.D. ’74
Mary Lisa Berglund, Ph.D. ’74 of Abilene, Texas, formerly of Seattle,
San Diego, and Pittsburgh, died on August 3, 2008. Born November
20, 1956, in North Bay, Ontario, Lisa was the beloved daughter of Carl
and Mary McLean Berglund and former wife of Norman H. Stamper
of Seattle, Washington. She was a graduate of Sewickley Academy,
Southern Methodist University, and the California School of Professional
Psychology. To her rich and varied work life as journalist for a
public TV station in Dallas, counselor for troubled youth in Austin,
practicing clinical psychologist, research director for the University
of Washington, and most recently tireless consultant to the Texas
Workforce Commission and developer and director of Texas Work
Ethic programs (TWEC), she brought wholehearted passion, untiring
commitment, and dedication to her clients and colleagues.
FRIENDS OF THE SCHOOL
PETER HANNAWAY
Peter Joseph Hannaway, former trustee at Sewickley Academy and
parent of alumni, died April 20, 2009, in his home in Raleigh, North
Carolina. Born in Coatbridge, Scotland, Peter and his wife, Gertrude
(Trudy) McAlindin, were married on July 2, 1963. In 1965, he
emigrated with Trudy and their eldest daughter, Karen, to the United
States. After living in New York, New Jersey, and Washington state,
Peter and his family settled in Sewickley where they lived for 27 years.
After a successful professional soccer career, he began his career as a
mechanical and nuclear engineer, and went on to hold top executive
positions with Schneider Inc., Sargent Electric Company, and Eichleay
Corporation. After officially retiring in 1996, Peter continued to
consult for several companies before becoming interim president of
PMSI Corporation in Orange County, California.
Peter is survived by his beloved wife, Trudy, and four devoted children,
Karen Albright ’82, Paula Murphy ’85, Colin Hannaway ’87, and
Joanne Sweeney ’91; three sons-in-law, Daniel Albright, Leif Murphy,
and Robert Sweeney; eight grandchildren; and his brother and sister,
James Hannaway of Tennesee and Mary Cassidy of New Jersey.
JOHN KENDALL NORWOOD
John Kendall Norwood of Concord, Massachusetts, died peacefully
on March 11, 2009. Norwood was a graduate of Tufts University and
University of Pennsylvania, and former teacher at Sewickley Academy
(1969–1974) and Belmont Hill School, Massachusetts.
I N M E M O R I A M
KATHRYN KRUSE
Kathryn Laura Warren Kruse, 98, of Edgeworth, died March 10,
2009. She was the wife of the late Alfred Rudolf Kruse. She is
survived by her daughter, Kathryn Kruse, nephew, Edward Kruse;
and great-niece, Meredith Helen Kruse.
Born in Pittsburgh, Kay went to Wilson College in Chambersburg,
Pennsylvania, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1933.
She later obtained her master’s in library sciences at the University
of Pittsburgh in 1966. From 1934 to 1939, she taught social studies
at the West View Junior High School. She worked at Sewickley
Academy for 20 years, first as a second grade teacher then as Lower
School librarian.
FAMILY OF ALUMNI
DAVID AUGUSTINE
Brother of Mark Moore ’88
MAVIS SHAW ATWOOD
Mother of Sandy Atwood Vincent ’68, John Atwood ’79,
Bill Atwood ’80, and Katherine Atwood ’83
RONALD COLTRANE, PH.D.
Husband of Deborah Kumer Coltrane ’68
JAMES R. FALBO, SR.
Father of Mary Louise Falbo Heurich ’78, Linda Falbo Haines ’79,
James Falbo, Jr. ’81, Dr. Sandra Falbo Swen ’82, Elaine Falbo Gaydosh
’84, and grandfather of Ronnie Heurich ’06, Adam Heurich ’08, and
Ashley Heurich ’08.
SEWICKLEY SPEAKING GOES GREEN!
PATRICK JOSEPH GMITER
Father of the late Kenneth Gmiter ’83
DENNIS C. HARRINGTON, Esq. and KELLY D. HARRINGTON
Father and brother of Myles Harrington ’77
ELYSABETH HIGGINS
Mother of Elysabeth Higgins Miller ’60, James Higgins ’66,
and Hilary Higgins Parker ’71
JOHN S. KERNS
Husband of Stephanie Culbertson Kerns ’54
VIRGINIA S. McKEEVER
Mother of Virginia McKeever Warner ’68, Barbara
McKeever ’71, and William McKeever ’73
DHAN GOPAL MUKERJI II
Husband of Marian Edwards Mukerji ’34
JANE ROSENBERGER
Mother of Robert Rosenberger ’73
HENRY SCHURMAN
Father of Curtis Schurman ’69
T. AMES WHEELER
Father of Sue Wheeler Mason ’55, Sara Wheeler Forster ’58,
and Laurie Wheeler Brown ’59
This issue of Sewickley Speaking is printed on New Leaf Reincarnation Paper, made with 100% recycled fiber and 50%
post-consumer waste, and processed chlorine-free. By choosing this post-consumer waste fiber paper versus a paper
made from virgin fibers, Sewickley Academy saved the following resources:
TREES
14 fully-grown
WATER
2,644 gallons
ENERGY
6 million Btu
SOLID WASTE
671 pounds
GREENHOUSE
GASES
1,015 pounds

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