Aiglon ACAEA Awards 2011 Graduation Speech ... - Aiglon College

Louis Snyder’s ACAEA Graduation Speech – July 2, 2011Introduction:Ladies and Gentlemen…a pleasant good morning to you all.I am Louie Snyder, closely connected to this school for the past 46 years…an Aiglon Graduatefrom the Class of 1969, an Alumni parent of Michelle who graduated in 2000, and a former BoardGovernor. I am also honoured to continue to serve our Worldwide Alumni family as the Presidentof the Aiglon College Alumni Eagle Association, supported by the 1 st Vice President, Rana Sahni,from the class of 1979, and who is a current parent of his daughter, Tara.On behalf of the Global Aiglon Alumni Association- Congratulations to the Class of 2011! We arepleased to officially welcome all 60 of you into our global alumni family.A heartfelt thank you to the Students and Parents of the Class of 2011 for your commitment tosupport this year’s annual Class Gift initiative...the Mac Computer Suite for the Music Department.Over the years, it has been a great Aiglon tradition for our graduates, and their parents, to leave alegacy gift to the school for which their children will be remembered and which will benefit futureAiglon students. Thank you for your exemplary participation and your continuing support.The ACAEA Awards are presented annually to alumni students, alumni parents, or alumni staffand we are very pleased that all three of our alumni stakeholders are being recognized this year.It is my deep honour to announce this year’s Alumni ‘Key’ Award recipient. This is our highesthonour bestowed upon Aiglon alum, in honour of a lifetime of voluntary service to the school andto the alumni community.This first award is being presented to:David RhodesHailing from Yorkshire, in the North of England, David Rhodes came to Aiglon in 1972. He wasappointed by our Founder, John Corlette, to become Aiglon’s first ‘Head of IntegratedStudies’…the knowledge of all the various disciplines and themes in deeper learning. Throughouthis 27 year tenure, he taught math and psychology, and served as Aiglon’s Director- Head ofAcademic, as well as Deputy Head – Pastoral. He also actively participated in the school’s skiingprograms, expeditions, football and canoeing.David genuinely cared about the development of the whole person, as well as the personaladvancement of each student …he pushed kids up, as well as he pulled them up. During thatprocess, the student community received from David their full dose of Aiglon DNA…the Founder’sformula for the successful development of the whole man and woman. After all, this was what theschool had always promoted, as well as what was promised to our stakeholders.During David’s life at Aiglon, both Governors and staff greatly valued his special blend ofleadership qualities, as well as his comprehension, representation and his unique style incommunicating and inspiring others to embrace education, life’s expectations, in concert withAiglon's core values…John Corlette’s ethos and educational philosophy in the development of thewhole person.For almost three decades, parents and students alike found David's special qualities bothrefreshing and sobering. Alumni, in particular, have always appreciated his personal commitment,and Guardianship, in helping the school to promote, and to maintain Aiglon’s guiding principles.Many excellent staff have retired from this great school, but few have done so with as keen aneye, and as passionate a heart, for Aiglon's sustained stability and its future. It is because of his

extreme commitment, deep devotion and sincere loyalty to the school that we honour him todaywith the Alumni Association's highest recognition award.On behalf of the thousands of Aiglonians who know and love this man, we publically thank DavidRhodes for his genuine warmth and ongoing connection to our school, and to our global alumnifamily. He will always be our friend, and he has our deepest respect and appreciation. DavidRhodes is the genuine article, representing one of Aiglon's ‘very best’ of all time, all wrapped upin this wonderful and vibrant package of manhood.Ladies and gentlemen, I am most pleased, and deeply honoured, to invite to the platform the 2011recipient of the ‘ACAEA Key Award’...Hilary's husband, and our great alumni friend...DavidRhodes.…and now I am pleased to present the two “Alumni Citation Awards”, presented in honour ofloyalty and commitment to the school.The first Alumni ‘Citation Award’ is being presented to:Virginia Haugen Lundin... Hailing from Minneapolis MN in the USA, and now a resident of Genevafor the past 15 years…residing on the shores of Lac Leman. Virginia attended Aiglon for threememorable years as a Clairmont girl, graduating in 1979. Virginia’s sister, Lucia, also attendedAiglon.Virginia later attended Trinity College in CT, where she received her degree in Liberal Arts, andtoday Virginia manages an equestrian centre outside Geneva at her family hotel called ‘JIVA Hill’just across the border in France.During the past 30 years, Virginia has maintained close ties to Aiglon College, and she wasparticularly proud when she and her husband, Ian, were able to enroll their two children for fouryears each; Jenna (Class of ’04), and Axel (Class of ’07). By way of example, Virginia is creditedfor encouraging other Aiglon alumni to enroll their children at Aiglon, as well as personallyhosting Mini-Reunions for her friends.Virginia has returned to the school to speak to the students about her efforts to save leopardsfound in the Sudan, where she has established a trust for their well being. More recently, Virginia,and Ian, has generously begun funding their pledge for support towards Aiglon’s ScholarshipFund, the largest ‘alumni’ donation in Aiglon's history, by providing for a student to attend Aiglonby their personally funded Scholarship Endowment.Virginia Haugen Lundin is one of Aiglon’s most devoted and loyal alumni, and we are honouredand indeed proud to present to her Aiglon’s first 2011 Alumni “Citation” Award…however, due tosome last minute family obligations, Virginia is not able to join us this morning, however, beforeher early departure, I was able to present to her this award last evening with both the Head Masterand the Chairman. Thank you Virginia...

The second ‘Citation Award’ is being presented to:Gabriel Echavarria:Mr. Echavarria's family resides in Bogota Latin America.His middle son, Alejandro, graduates with his class today, and his eldest son, Sebastian, (Class of’96), continues the family's long tradition of support to Aiglon by recently hosting the VIPluncheon for the New York Benefit in 2010.Over the years, Mr. Echavarria has influenced 16 students to attend Aiglon, and he has been amajor donor and supporter of the school during this time frame. Mr. Echavarria sits on Aiglon’sCapital Campaign cabinet as the Vice-Chair for Latin America, and he has organised receptions inBogota for the Head Master, promoting both student recruitment and fundraising.Mr. Echavarria is a successful industrialist, having served as Executive Director of a family-ownedInternational Ceramics Organisation, the third largest in the Western Hemisphere and nowmanages five public seaports in Columbia. He serves on three foundations, focused onenvironmental, social, educational, health, and political concerns, and he is presently workingwith the Columbian government, as well as meeting with their President just yesterday, with arecovery plan to help three million displaced citizens due to the exceptionally heavy rain fall intheir country.Gabriel is joined, today, by his wife, Christina, and we are most pleased you are both here duringAlejandro’s graduation, and to receive this award.It is, therefore, with great pleasure, and deep appreciation, that I invite to the platform, GabrielEchavarria, to receive the second ‘2011 Alumni Citation Award’.On behalf of Aiglon’s ‘global’ Alumni Association, congratulations, once again, to the Class of2011 for your significant accomplishment as graduates of Aiglon College, and we wish you allgreat personal achievement, success, and much happiness in your personal futures. Thank you…