Woodstock School Alumni Magazine Vol CIV, 2011
Woodstock School Alumni Magazine Vol CIV, 2011
Woodstock School Alumni Magazine Vol CIV, 2011
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12 - Quadrangle<br />
Back on the hillside<br />
I never, ever, thought that I would find myself back at <strong>Woodstock</strong>. Having grown up in India – in Kolkata, to be precise<br />
– I had had my fill of urban chaos, and swore I would never return – even to the serenity of Mussoorie. My mind was<br />
made up. Marcus Shaw ’87 shares his thoughts.<br />
Never say never.<br />
Twenty-four years after graduation, things<br />
seemed different. What changed? Why did<br />
it take so long? Under what circumstances<br />
would I now consider returning? How could<br />
I use my skill set from the corporate world in<br />
an educational environment? I struggled with<br />
many of these questions – as do many of us. I’d<br />
like to share my journey, together with a few<br />
thoughts from other alumni who have returned<br />
to <strong>Woodstock</strong>. Perhaps you will find that our<br />
stories are not much different from your own.<br />
<strong>Woodstock</strong> has a way of luring us back. The<br />
childhood memories, friendships forged<br />
through trying times, rich traditions that have<br />
spanned a century or more - they all contribute<br />
to the lens through which we view and<br />
interpret our world. As truly global citizens,<br />
we have taken these things to every corner of<br />
the world, yet the formative years spent here<br />
have influenced us in ways that we cannot<br />
escape or deny.<br />
For some, the connection with <strong>Woodstock</strong> is<br />
an integral part of life from the day they leave.<br />
For others, myself included, there is a long<br />
cycle of reengagement - a season, perhaps, of<br />
learning to fly on our own before we reconnect<br />
with the past. I suppose that’s true of<br />
anyone, not just <strong>Woodstock</strong> people; after all,<br />
the years of college, marriage, child bearing,<br />
child rearing and life in general clamor for every<br />
free moment! But, as with the change in<br />
the seasons, we may find ourselves at a certain<br />
point with a yearning to revisit what was, in<br />
comparison with most people’s education, a<br />
truly extraordinary experience. In many ways<br />
I failed to appreciate all the <strong>Woodstock</strong> had<br />
to offer… and almost twenty-five years later,<br />
I am discovering that anew.<br />
Personally, I’d summarize the years since<br />
graduation in the following phases. I can’t<br />
speak for the stages that are yet to come;<br />
I’d love to hear from you more seasoned<br />
veterans!<br />
• College confusion<br />
• Long-term relationship<br />
• Children, diapers, schooling<br />
• Grad school<br />
• Gradually increasing levels of freedom as<br />
the kids gain more independence.<br />
That is where I found myself at when I<br />
received a phone call asking if I would<br />
attend a focus group for <strong>Woodstock</strong>. That<br />
was the start of a wonderful conversation<br />
that eventually led me back here on staff.<br />
The decision to come back to India and to<br />
<strong>Woodstock</strong> has presented some incredible<br />
opportunities for my family – all of which<br />
I am sure you can readily identify with:<br />
• Exposure to many different cultures.<br />
• Rich traditions that cross religious<br />
boundaries and foster tolerance for all.<br />
• An incredible environment of mutual<br />
respect and appreciation.<br />
• The opportunity to bond with my<br />
children as they experience what I did.<br />
Perhaps the biggest stumbling block for<br />
me was the assumption that I had nothing<br />
to contribute, or that the only thing we as<br />
alumni could do was give money. Nothing<br />
could be farther from the truth. When I<br />
arrived, I was surprised at just how many<br />
had actually returned to work at <strong>Woodstock</strong>.<br />
There are currently fourteen alumni on<br />
staff, teaching, working in dorms and in<br />
the support offices, all with unique talents<br />
that contribute to shaping the lives of an<br />
incredible group of kids. Why not join<br />
us? See what opportunities are available<br />
at www.woodstockschool.in/Employment<br />
We would love to hear your story! E-mail<br />
me at MarcusShaw@<strong>Woodstock</strong>.ac.in<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> working at <strong>Woodstock</strong><br />
• Karen Tamminen ’69<br />
Residence Staff<br />
• Abhra Bhattacharjee ’92<br />
Director of Development<br />
• Marcus Shaw ’87<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> Coordinator<br />
• Darab Nagarwalla ’80<br />
Outdoor and Environmental<br />
Education Coordinator<br />
• Anitra Mansson ’74<br />
Health Centre Coordinator<br />
• Judy Crider ’69<br />
Staff Welfare Officer<br />
• Rochita Rao Plonka ’98<br />
Head of English as a Second<br />
Language<br />
• Jeff Rollins ’76<br />
ICT Manager<br />
• Sue Rollins ’77<br />
Teacher<br />
• Haydn Wilkins ’05<br />
Residence Teacher<br />
• Kirsten Brady ’96<br />
Head of Admissions<br />
• Amy Seefeldt ’93<br />
Dean of Academics<br />
• Maya Dutt ’92<br />
Residence Staff<br />
• Ajay Mark ’71<br />
Head of Sports<br />
Maya Dutt ‘92<br />
I grew up at <strong>Woodstock</strong> and entered boarding in<br />
the sixth grade in 1984, and was in boarding<br />
until I graduated in 1992. These were some of the<br />
most important years of my life, and some of<br />
the relationships that I cherish the most from that<br />
time period are those that I continue to have with<br />
my dorm parents through the years. Working as a<br />
dorm parent here has given me the opportunity to give<br />
back to the <strong>School</strong>, and pay forward what these dorm parents invested in<br />
me so many years ago.