S P R I N G 2 0 1 1 S H A R I N G T H E I M P A C T O F P H I L A N T H R O P Y A T M E R C E R S B U R G

(continued on page 4)

“MERCERSBURG IS LIKE FAMILY,” says Kevin Glah ’00. “I’d have

a hard time walking away and not staying in touch.”

For Glah, the relationships formed with faculty at Mercersburg

is one of the reasons he continues to stay in touch and volunteer

his time, talent, and treasure as a class agent and reunion volunteer.

As many students experience during their time at Mercersburg,

faculty—and faculty families—also become their family.

Perhaps no other Mercersburg alumni understand these

relationships more than “Fac Brats,” the sons and daughters of

Mercersburg faculty, who often are also alumni. They see the

relationships inside and out and benefit from their own powerful

connections to faculty.

“More than where I went to college, I identify as a Mercersburg

grad,” says Ann Quinn ’84. “Mercersburg gave me such a great

foundation for my life.”

Like her father Jay, who is an emeritus faculty member and school

archivist, Quinn has found meaningful ways to stay engaged with the

school: she is a former class agent and is currently serving on the

Alumni Council.

“I was excited when I was asked to be part of the council,” notes

Quinn. “It’s a great way for me to stay involved and help keep the

Mercersburg community vibrant. I’m always working to find ways to

use my work, my skills, my background to reach out to other alumni.”

“Mercersburg is likefamily. I’d have a hardtime walking away andnot staying in touch.”

—Kevin Glah ’00

“More than where I went to college, I identify as aMercersburg grad.”

—Ann Quinn ’84

The Power of Faculty Relationships & Alumni Engagement

87731 CEH_Layout 2 3/21/11 9:01 PM Page 1

THIS IS OUR FOURTH ISSUE OF MPACT.

I hope you are enjoying the stories of volunteers and contributors

who are having a real impact on the lives of Mercersburg students.

This new issue continues to tell the great stories of alumni,

parents, and friends.

Andrew Ammerman ’68 has made extraordinary opportunities

available for students with his gift for tickets to the Arena Stage in

Washington, D.C. Larry Ransom ’65 has honored his German

teacher, Earle Grover, with a gift that will provide field study in

Germany for today’s German students. Mel Stewart ’88 allows us

to share a portion of his blog that tells the story of Ruth Baxter and

honors her memory. Ruth and her husband George Baxter ’36

were exceptional Mercersburg benefactors and charter members

of the McDowell Society.

Every day Mercersburg alumni are in the world making an

impact and every day Mercersburg alumni are making an impact

on this campus too. How does that start? Is there something in the

water here? More likely, it is learned from the faculty and from the

culture of this unique community. “Hard work, fair play, clean

life.” Is it truly that simple? Learning in a boarding environment

can look so natural that you may think it is all-natural—or maybe

it is the opposite? Is it magical?

I know Debbie Rutherford, our associate head of school, has

wished for a “Sorting Hat” like the one in the popular Harry Potter

books, to help make dorm and roommate assignments—if only it

could be arranged so easily! In reality, a lot of careful thought and

attention is involved in Mercersburg’s residential program.

During the last two years, the faculty conducted a complete

review of the residential program. Faculty members visited peer

schools, studied new research on the adolescent brain, heard from

experts on learning, and read about workplace needs for the

21st century. All of these provided valuable information, and

combined with their own experience, the faculty are developing

a contemporary program to meet the needs of learning and living

in a boarding environment.

Students today are constantly connected to technology.

Information is available everywhere—not just from your teacher—

and learning has become much more experiential, active, hands-

on, and dynamic. It is less about receiving and more about doing.

The outcome of the faculty review of the residential program

will be students who gain mastery of 21st century skills,

understand and work comfortably with new technologies, develop

an authentic international perspective, and graduate with a greater

sense of responsibility for their own learning and the well-being of

our planet. Living and learning in a boarding environment has

never been more important.

Thank you for all the ways you love and support Mercersburg.

Mary K. Carrasco

Assistant Head of School for External Affairs

P.S. I would love to hear from you. If you have a special memory

about learning in a boarding environment, please share it with

me. I can be reached at carrascom@mercersburg.edu.

Greetingsfrom Mary

Mary Carrasco (center) with Judy and John Butterfield ’56 at the

Candlelight Service Reception in December.

2

Nolde MemoriesIn the last issue of Mpact (Winter 2010-2011), we

highlighted the renovations to Nolde Gymnasium

and invited you to “Share Your Nolde Memories.”

Steve Upham III ’71 offers this recollection:

“When I arrived at Mercersburg in the fall of 1968 for

my lower-mid year, I was a tall skinny kid with a lot of

endurance. I have never been known as one who likes

to sleep in, so I used to get up at the crack of dawn on

Saturday mornings and head off to Nolde Gym.

My emotional release and quality thinking time was

had on the indoor track, where I would run full tilt—as

fast as I could—for a full hour. I liked the challenge of

the banked corners, and the rhythmic pounding of my

feet on the track deck was mesmerizing.”

87731 CEH_Layout 2 3/16/11 4:08 PM Page 2

WHAT’S NEW AT MERCERSBURG

3

Some of the most important lessons at Mercersburg don’t

happen in the classroom at all, but from the activities,

traditions, and routines that develop from living in

community with others.

Associate Head of School Debbie Rutherford puts it this way:

“Our students learn a lot about living thoughtfully in collaboration

with others. They leave here with experiences and skills that help them

be successful in a global world.”

You may have taken it for granted while you were here, but the day-to-

day Mercersburg boarding experience is actually carefully and thoughtfully

designed to provide students with unique opportunities for learning and

growth.

After all, it’s not easy for anyone to drop into a new community and live,

sleep, eat, and learn with others 24 hours a day. From dining halls where

students rotate tables every few weeks to meet different peers and faculty

members to dorm-based group meetings with faculty advisors,

Mercersburg deliberately creates regular opportunities for students

to interact and expand their horizons.

“I believe Mercersburg students enjoy a richer experience and share

more of day-to-day life with each other than average teens,” says

Rutherford. “My group of advisees have discussed everything from the

health effects of drinking too much soda to choosing to be vegan. They

really share life lessons with each other.”

Student leaders within the dormitories also play an important role in

creating a robust boarding experience. Mercerburg’s new director of

dormitories, Eric Hicks, is working with students and faculty to establish

more frequent training opportunities that begin earlier in a student’s

Mercersburg career to help them prepare for and become residential

leaders.

In addition to dormitories, the student center also serves as an important

hub for community life. Plans are under way now for renovations and

additions to the student center that will provide even greater opportunities

for interaction. According to Rutherford, “The newly renovated student

center will complement existing spaces as a larger, more vibrant area

where students of all ages and interests can find something to do.”

The student center will enhance the Mercersburg experience by

providing dedicated spaces for clubs, easy access to transportation services,

and a great room to accommodate student-planned events. It will be a

place where young people can take an active role in planning and setting

up their own activities.

In everything we do, in the classroom and beyond, our goal is to help

our students learn valuable communication skills, explore who they are,

and discover what they can be. Your gifts to True Blue: The Mercersburg

Annual Fund and the many other ways you support Mercersburg help us

provide the best boarding experience possible and prepare our students

for success in college and beyond.

Giving Opportunities to Support the Student Center

If you are interested in making a gift in honor or memory of someone special, such as a favorite faculty member or

classmate, naming opportunities are available in the studentcenter. Gifts from parents are eligible for a special match.

Please contact Gail Reeder at 717-328-6323 or reederg@mercersburg.edu for more information.

At Mercersburg, student learning extends beyond the classroom.

Learning at Mercersburg Happens

24 Hours a Day

87731 CEH_Layout 2 3/16/11 4:08 PM Page 3

ALUMNI GIFTS IN HONOR of influential teachers

are a longstanding Mercersburg tradition. They

reflect the strong bonds that are built between

Mercersburg students and teachers, many of which

last a lifetime.

Earle Grover, teacher of German at Mercersburg

from 1952 to 1992 and faculty emeritus, had not seen

his former student, J. Laurence “Larry” Ransom,

M.D., since graduation day in 1965. But four and a

half decades later, Larry honored Herr Grover for his

teaching excellence and his lifelong impact with the

Earle H. Grover Endowed Fund.

At a heartfelt campus event in November 2010

commemorating the gift, Ransom stated, “Earle

provided me with a solid foundation of knowledge and instilled in me an interest to (continue)

learning independently; that is the mark of a superb and inspirational teacher.”

Ransom’s gift of $100,000 will be used to endow a German immersion experience for

current and future Mercersburg students to study in Germany. The gift was also deeply

meaningful to the teacher it honors. “Larry’s remarkable gift represents the defining moment

and the crown jewel of my Mercersburg career,” said Grover, who opened and closed his

remarks in German. “That generosity means more than I can say.”

The full text of Grover’s remarks is available at www.mercersburg.edu/grover.

To learn more about ways to honor inspirational faculty, please contact Mary K. Carrasco

at carrascom@mercersburg.edu or 717-328-6109.

WHAT’S NEW AT MERCERSBURG

Larry Ransom ’65 (left) honored his former

German teacher, Earle Grover (right), with

an endowed fund for Mercersburg

students to study in Germany.

Matt Simar ’86 has also stayed involved at Mercersburg. Simar’s father

is longtime faculty member Ron Simar. This summer, Matt organized an

Octet reunion to celebrate the life of the late Paul Suerken, emeritus

faculty member. He found that bringing together many voices was a

powerful way to honor his friend and have a bigger impact.

“It’s so gratifying to me when I can engage other alumni to re-kindle

their Mercersburg connections,” he shares. “I’m not always able to make

significant financial contributions. But working with others, I know that

together we can do something to make a difference.”

It’s no wonder that faculty inspire students to stay involved with

Mercersburg long after they graduate. Head of School Douglas Hale sees

the boarding school age as the time when young people look for significant

adults in their lives who can serve as role models. “At this particular age

and stage in a young person’s life, who you are (as a faculty member) …

and what you say matters at least as much to your students as what it is

you teach,” Hale says.

Claire Lazo ’05 found relationships with faculty meaningful during her

time as a student at Mercersburg. Living in a dormitory setting allowed her

to develop a different type of connection with the faculty beyond their in

loco parentis responsibilities. “Some faculty members played an

instrumental role in shaping my adult life,” she explains. “Those faculty

relationships can develop into friendships that last beyond school.”

Lazo recently returned to campus as a guest speaker for the Friday

Chapel lecture. She stays in touch with several Mercersburg faculty and

credits those connections with helping sustain her interest in the school.

“Coming back to Mercersburg was an amazing opportunity, and I didn’t

realize how it would affect me until I arrived on campus,” she says.

“Returning to Mercersburg was a surreal experience, and I hope to make

my visits more frequent.”

THE POWER OF FACULTY RELATIONSHIPS (continued from page 1)

Honoring Remarkable Teachers

“It’s so gratifying to mewhen I can engage otheralumni to re-kindle theirMercersburgconnections.”

—Matt Simar ’86

“Some faculty membersplayed an instrumentalrole in shaping my adultlife.”

—Claire Lazo ’05

Class Notes are now online atwww.mercersburg.edu/classnotes.

Submit your own note by emailing

classnotes@mercersburg.edu.

4

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW:

October 14-16, 2011

All alumni are invited back to campus for Step Songs, a True Blue BBQ, bonfire,

student athletic contests against Hill, and much more.

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It takes a lot to win Olympic Gold.No one ever owns the accolade alone. Aside from coaches,

athletes lucky enough to stand atop the medal podium always

owe a debt of gratitude to a tight crew of supportive friends

and family. I lost one of my biggest supporters last year,

Mrs. Ruth Baxter, when she passed away on Monday

morning, July 19, 2010.

I first met Mrs. Baxter at a cold October

football game in 1985, in my first month at

Mercersburg.

“Melvin? Are you Melvin Stewart?” She

smiled sweetly. “I’m Ruth Baxter. George’s wife.”

I stood awkwardly, thinking: she, her

husband, they’re paying my tuition. Be polite.

But I think I was stunned. To me, she seemed to

shimmer in the sun.

Mrs. Baxter was so open and kind, I wanted

to crawl inside the safety of her coat pocket and

hide.

“Mel, this is Mr. Baxter,” she said, turning me

to a tall white-headed gentleman, his handsome

angular face framed behind black tortoise shell

Gucci glasses.

“George,” she said directly to him, “Mel ought

to come for Christmas dinner.”

Mr. Baxter scrutinized me the way his wife

did. “I think that’s a good idea, to get to know

you. Would your parents mind?”

I must’ve sounded so backwoods and leather-

raw to them, but of course, they never let on.

They treated me with absolute respect.

Miraculously, by the time I left their home that

first Christmas, I had promised to apply the

same effort to my academics that I had always

channeled into my swimming.

Three weeks later, I received a package at

school. It was a Ralph Lauren navy blazer, a

boarding school must. Mrs. Baxter’s note was

short and to the point: “Something to keep you

warm—and you might consider trimming your

hair, particularly in the back. You are a swimmer!

Love, Mrs. B.”

That’s how it all began, with

Mrs. B gently nudging me in

the right direction, never

judging me.

I graduated Mercersburg with a

complete Ralph Lauren wardrobe, very

short hair, and the award for “Most

Academically Improved.” When I lost

at the 1988 Olympics, the Baxters consoled

me. When I won in 1992, they celebrated

and advised me. When I married, they paid

for and hosted an intimate and utterly gorgeous

wedding. And when my daughter was born, we

named her Bayley Ruth in honor of Mrs. Ruth

Baxter.

I last saw Mrs. B a few months before her

death. She was 90, the skin on her arms papery

and loose like it wanted to let go of the bones.

I was nervous. She took my hand, “It’s okay …

I’m okay … Talk to me about Bayley Ruth. Tell

me about my little Ruthie.”

I loved Mrs. B … and Mr. B. I miss them

terribly. But mostly I’m just grateful they shared

their lives with me.

Ruth Baxter died July 19, 2010; she was

preceded in death by her husband, George,

on February 5, 2004. To read the full

version of this essay, visit Mel’s website at

www.goldmedalmel.typepad.com/mel/2010/07/

index.html and read the entry for July 26, 2010.

TRADITIONS

Ruth and George Baxter ’36Olympian Mel Stewart ’88 remembers

Mel Stewart ’88 credits much of his Olympic

success to the support he received from mentors

Ruth Baxter and her husband George ’36.

87731 CEH_Layout 2 3/21/11 9:01 PM Page 5

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLEAnonymous DonorMarguerite Lenfest &

Gerry Lenfest ’49Carol Prentiss &

John Prentiss ’65 P ’89, ’92Deborah Simon ’74Carol Smith & James Smith (d)Patty Zimmerman &

William Zimmerman ’67 P ’96

REGENT’S CIRCLEJudith Butterfield &

John Butterfield ’56 P ’88Edward Hager II ’50Lisa Lang & Glen Lang P ’13Stacie Rice Lissette ’85 &

Dylan Lissette P ’14, ’14Julie Prentiss & Ames Prentiss ’89Kimball Prentiss ’92

HEAD OF SCHOOL’S CIRCLEAndrew Ammerman ’68Josephine Ammerman P ’68Helen Cochran &

Thomas Cochran Jr. (d) ’38 P ’68Lori-Ann Eckert & Bruce Eckert ’62Gabriel Hammond ’97Pamela Hoehn-Saric &

Christopher Hoehn-Saric P ’13Marilyn Kurtz & Robert Kurtz Jr. ’52Gail Reeder & Jeffrey Reeder P ’97, ’00Susan Reilly & Edward Reilly P ’08, ’10Jane Rice & Michael Rice P ’85Martha Rich & Brian Rich ’78John Rich Jr. ’71Judy Rich & John Rich P ’71, ’78Janice Stanton &

James Stanton ’70 P ’11, ’11Timothy Strickler P ’08, ’12

Gina Vecchiarelli & Daniel Vecchiarelli P ’13

Nancy Voorhees P ’12Deborah Weaver & Scott Weaver ’82Jean Witmer &

Richard Witmer Jr. ’70Judith Zern & Allen Zern ’61

BENEFACTORAnonymous DonorPaul Alexander ’50Wendy Barensfeld &

David Barensfeld ’69Jeffrey BiegelsenGwendolyn Bleakley(d) &

Jay Bleakley Jr. ’43Carroll Coyne ’50 P ’77James CreighClaude Davies &

Michael Davies ’85 P ’10Esther Flanagan & Thomas Flanagan

’38 P ’68, ’69, ’70, ’74, ’76, ’81, ’84

Joanne Frantz & David Frantz ’60Dwight Goldthorpe (d) ’37Yen Vo Hendrickson &

James Hendrickson ’67 P ’11Mary Imler &

Joseph Imler ’72 P ’05, ’09Jung Eun Kim &

Young Kyoon Jeong P ’11Richard Klopp ’39Martha McAllister &

Kenneth Kupke P ’11Barbara Lawrence &

John Lawrence ’58Aimee Lehrman &

Robert Lehrman ’69Margaret Lloyd &

Philip Lloyd ’62 P ’90, ’94David Millstein ’63David Moore ’74JoAnn Queenan &

Charles Queenan Jr. ’48Kathleen Lucas & Larry Ransom ’65Stacey Smith & Robert Smith P ’14Sandralee Thompson &

William Thompson ’61John Ware IV ’60

PATRONAnonymous DonorMadeleine AlbrightEsther Alpert &

Andrew Alpert ’82 P ’14Carolyn Blaney &

Gerald Blaney ’43 P ’66Patricia Burns & Barrett Burns ’63Melissa Cantacuzene &

Rodion CantacuzeneKumok Chun & Jong Yoon Chun P ’12John Connolly Jr. ’54David Dupont ’80 P ’12Harry Esbenshade Jr. ’43Joan Ewing & John Ewing Jr. ’58Lynn Grove & Frederick Grove ’52Peggy Hale & Douglas HaleTorrence Harder ’61Elizabeth Hershey &

Thomas Hershey ’61 P ’85, ’88Gu In Jung & Sung Il Jun P ’11Barbara Kaplin & Richard Kaplin ’43Margery Masinter &

Edgar Masinter ’48Sandra McIntosh &

Charles McIntosh P ’12

RECOGNITION

(d)=deceased

2010-2011 WMIS CONTRIBUTORS (AS OF JANUARY 2011)

6

EACH YEAR, A GROUP OF ALUMNI,

families, and friends of Mercersburg

contributes to the school’s mission of

preparing young men and women for

college and for life in a global community. These

supporters make leadership gifts as members of

the William Mann Irvine Society, named in honor

of the school’s first headmaster.

WMIS members are essential to the financial health

of Mercersburg, accounting for approximately 80

percent of total gifts to the school. Their giving of $1,893

or more symbolizes the school’s founding year and

helps ensure that an extraordinary Mercersburg

experience remains possible for our students.

For more information about the William Mann Irvine Society, please contact

Will Waldron at waldronw@mercersburg.edu or 717-328-6159 or visit

www.mercersburg.edu/wmis.

Generosity & Leadership in Action

Class of 1959 Foyer:Rebuilding andRededicationTo mark their 50th reunion and to show

their appreciation and love for Mercersburg,

the Class of 1959 contributed a naming

gift for the North Foyer in Nolde Gym.

The space was renamed the Class of 1959

Foyer when the gym’s renovation was

completed last fall.

87731 CEH_Layout 2 3/16/11 4:08 PM Page 6

Lotta Mellott & Paul Mellott Jr. ’70Stella Miller & Hugh Miller ’48 P ’74Katherine Pryor & Stephen Pryor P ’12Fran Risser & Phares Risser III ’59Frank Skinner ’49Shirley SontheimerCarol Steigelman &

Keanneard Steigelman ’56Anne Stolz & Robert Stolz P ’13Liyan Wang & Shiwei Wang P ’12Elizabeth Shabb Warner ’76 P ’10, ’11Bettina Harrer-Zschocke &

Christian Zschocke P ’12

SPONSORDolores Brake & Harold Brake ’54Donna Duda & John Duda Jr. P ’10, ’14Susan Fox & John Fox ’55Elizabeth George &

Robert George P ’96, ’98, ’01Dolores GruppeJohanna Harris & William Harris ’44Claudia Bayona Hovenden ’84 &

Todd Hovenden ’84Hyun Gyu Kim & Dong-Hun Lee P ’12Marion MacMahon &

Paul MacMahon P ’11Janet Mayo & Ned Mayo ’54 P ’89Judith Moore & Charles Moore Jr. ’47

P ’67, ’74, ’77, ’94Dyane Hummel & Todd Price P ’04Richard RotzJung Hee Hong &

Sung-Bo Sim P ’09, ’11Susan Archer & Ming Siu ’83Miriam StaymanVirginia Tavss & John Tavss ’72 P ’08David Wagner ’81Kelley White & Duncan White ’82

MEMBERKimberly Alvarez & David Alvarez P ’13Gail Andreae & Mark Andreae ’64Joanne Banzhaf &

Michael Banzhaf ’64 P ’02Kay Mazzo & Albert Bellas ’60Virginia Berents &

Kenneth Berents ’67Melissa Blanchard &

Joseph Blanchard P ’11Elizabeth Steinhauser Bray ’86 &

Christopher BrayJerome Broder ’44 P ’68, ’71Margaret Bryan & Barry Bryan ’48Ann Bryan & Robert Bryan ’44 P ’70Margaret Buchanan &

Thomas Buchanan ’46Amy Burnett & George Burnett P ’13Patricia Carey & Jack Carey P ’89, ’91William Carey ’72Julianne Carl & Charles Carl ’53Mary Carrasco &

Philip Carrasco P ’06, ’11Lori Clark & Kenneth Clark P ’14Paige Cofrin ’70 P ’07Jocelyn CooperDouglas Corwin Jr. ’79Carol Crago & Andrew Crago ’67Tiffany Crevier & Andrew Crevier P ’14Virginia Crisman &

Benjamin Crisman Jr. ’66Robert Donehower ’37

Donna Duffy & Kent Duffy ’71Frances Ferguson &

Gary Ferguson ’72 P ’08Jane Freeland & John FreelandAndoria Garofalo &

James Garofalo ’72 P ’12Anne Genter & David Genter ’52Maralyn Gillespie &

George Gillespie Jr. ’46Wendy Gordon & Solvin Gordon ’72Susan Gridley &

William Gridley ’69 P ’04, ’06Barbara Harrison &

Barry Harrison Jr. ’50Holly Ross &

Timothy Hartung P ’05, ’09Thomas Heefner ’57Finley Hess (d) ’24Kyle Higley ’00Pamela Hjelle & Mark Hjelle ’88Mary Hoffman & Charles Hoffman ’48Akiko Ikenaga & Seisho Ikenaga P ’13Patricia Fiori & William Jackson P ’04Heejae Kim & Heungsoon Jang P ’11Eun Joo Kim & Chung Hyeun Jo P ’12Barbara Jones & Richard Jones P ’09Ruth Joslin & Robert Joslin ’39Nancy Josten & Bruce Josten ’69Jane Kart & Barry Kart ’61Christine Keeler &

Robert Keeler P ’91, ’94Hisu Kim & Byung Soo Kim P ’12Yun Jeong Song &

Sung Chun Kim P ’14Richard Kline Jr. ’52Ruthanne Koffman &

Burton Koffman ’43Lyn Lansdale & Page Lansdale ’76Jane Lebouitz & Stanton Lebouitz ’61Kyung Hee Lee & Ho Geun Lee P ’13Hyunah Lee and

Kwang-Myong Lee P ’14Hyun Ok Jeon & Sang Du Lee P ’12Hyun Joo Lee & Sang Jin Lee P ’13Ju Mi Kim & Sang Min Lee P ’11Soon Hee Yun & Sang Tae Lee P ’12Dal Bin Han & Seung Bo Lee P ’13Linda LeRoy & Blair LeRoy ’50Stoner Lichty Jr. ’62Mag Lin & David Lien P ’10Joan Linderman &

John Linderman ’55 P ’91Mike Lindsay ’77Ann Lockyer & Kenneth Lockyer ’75Elizabeth Gildea Logie ’81 &

Scott LogieSarah Lowry & John Lowry ’48Emily Grier Madan ’94 & Rajiv MadanChristopher Marston ’07Karen McDowell Marston ’79 &

Robert Marston ’79 P ’07Thomas Massey III ’43Paula McClure & James McClure ’69Webster McCormack ’44 P ’73Rita Mellott &

Brian Mellott ’75 P ’04, ’06, ’07Lyman Menard P ’65Min Ah Lee & Seong Jin Moon P ’12Betty Morefield &

Fred Morefield ’53 P ’74, ’88Kimberly Lloyd ’90 & Jonathan Nessel

Julie Noorbakhsh & BabakNoorbakhsh P ’13

Min Gu Hyun & Chang Woo Oh P ’13Jean Palmer & Richard Palmer Jr. ’64Carol Parsons & Emory Parsons Jr. ’59Kathleen Peterson &

Wickliffe Peterson ’65Jon Peterson ’57Anne ReedSally Rhoad & Dennis Rhoad P ’14Bruce Ricciuti ’83Barbara Robins & Frederick Robins ’58Blair Rohrer & Ivon Rohrer Jr. ’60Eun Sook Lee & Sangki Sa P ’11Kelly Schoenberger &

Kevin Schoenberger P ’13Phyllis Shearer & Joseph Shearer ’62Tucker Shields III ’68Andrew Shirk ’00Sheila Shorr & Richard Shorr P ’11Julia Smith & Edward Smith ’83Gregory Smith ’65 P ’95, ’99Tina Snyder & James Snyder ’69 P ’05Yvonne Stanier & Richard Stanier ’47Elizabeth Strode &

Joseph Strode Jr. ’47Kathleen Su & William Su ’88Kate Suggs & William Suggs Jr. ’84Diana Sydnor & Stanford Sydnor P ’12Kay Teach & Stuart Teach P ’97Cheryl Thomas &

Gregory Thomas P ’14Mehret Kidane &

Tunde Tijani P ’13, ’14Amy Titus P ’11Jane Walsh & Bruce Walsh ’55Carole Walter &

William Walter III P ’14Mary Ann Walton &

Robert Walton Sr. ’57 P ’82, ’86, ’89

Cynthia Watkins & Scott Watkins ’71 P ’01, ’06

Noele Wein & Alan Wein ’58Elisabeth Wiener & John Wiener P ’14Cynthia Wilde & Ross

Wilde P ’06, ’06Loong Yong P ’11Xiao Guang Zhang &

Hongchao Zhu P ’13

ASSOCIATEEmily Gilmer Caldwell ’92 &

Robert CaldwellWilliam Colby ’07Myles Dowling ’07Sarah Duda ’10Heather Dunmire ’01Grant Ferguson ’08Gina Fochtman &

Nathan Fochtman ’03Ashley Irving ’09Elizabeth Klinger ’08Maija Lawler & Clinton Lawler ’97John Marshall ’08Jolene Martin & Joseph Martin ’93Andrew Miller ’00David O’Brien ’08Jonathan Palmer ’99Lucia Rowe ’09Trevor Smith ’09Ian Thompson ’02Napat Waikwamdee ’09Anmargaret Warner ’10Tyler Wilcox ’09

Restoration ProgressTHE LOYALTY CLUB, WHOSE MEMBERS are from classes that

have celebrated their 50th reunions, is making swift progress in its

efforts to raise funds to complete the restoration of the Holy Grail

Window panels in the Irvine Memorial Chapel.

Generous gifts have been received, and all Loyalty Club members are

encouraged to join the effort. Donors will be recognized at Reunion

Anniversary Weekend in June.

Please contact Mary K. Carrasco at carrascom@mercersburg.edu or

717-328-6109 to participate.

(d)=deceased

87731 CEH_Layout 2 3/21/11 9:01 PM Page 7

EVERY YEAR A CORE GROUP of Mercersburg students volunteer

to make phone calls to alumni as part of the True Blue annual

fundraising campaign. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to

talk with alumni while developing their own philanthropic

tradition. Students also gain an understanding of the importance of alumni

gifts in creating and sustaining the Mercersburg experience.

Several times a year, students and staff gather in the library media room

over pizza or subs and start dialing. Sometimes, friendly competition arises

around who can reach the most alumni or secure the most participation.

This year’s volunteers have generously donated their time, their talent,

and their enthusiasm to this cause. They are great examples of what it

means to be True Blue!

2010-2011 phonathon helpers have included:

VOLUNTEERING

did you know?Small but PowerfulMore than half of all gifts to

True Blue: The Mercersburg

Annual Fund are $100 or less.

Rising SupportMembership in the William

Mann Irvine Society is up

32 percent compared to this

time last school year.

Storytelling

Check out the latest True Blue videos at

www.mercersburg.edu/trueblue.

$100OR LESS

32%UP

Student Volunteers Ask:

Are You True Blue?

U P D A T EOne of Mercersburg’s greateststrengths has always been the visionand generosity of our alumni, families,and friends. So far during the 2010-2011 school year, the collective effort ofnearly 1,600 donors has yielded $1.5million for True Blue: The MercersburgAnnual Fund.

Gifts to True Blue go to workimmediately in support of academics,athletics, the arts, financial aid, facultydevelopment, and everything thatmakes the Mercersburg experiencepossible for our students. Each gift has an impact on our mission toprepare young men and women forcollege and for life in a globalcommunity.

Please consider adding your support

and showing your True Blue colors.

Visit www.mercersburg.edu/trueblue

to learn more.

Student callers help make the annual True Blue

campaign a success.

8

Georgia Baker ’11Jane Banta ’11Lulu Cao ’13Hayley Griffin ’12Ana Kelly ’11Kayleigh Kiser ’11

Phoebe Moore ’13Justin Reyes ’12Liza Rizzo ’11John San Filippo ’12Max Strauss ’12Nikki Wolny ’11Paige Wolny ’13

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VOLUNTEERING

9

Profile: Reunion Volunteer Julia Clark MacInnis ’86

AT MERCERSBURG, I LEARNED THE VALUE

of hard work and discipline. That ethic guides my

work as a photographer and my many volunteer

activities.

My father, Don Morse Clark ’43, and my

grandfather, Henry Morse Clark ’15, were both

Mercersburg alums, so being involved with

Mercersburg is part of our family legacy. And

I really believe in the educational mission of the

school.

But the main reason I volunteer for Reunion

Anniversary Weekend is that I want to see my old

friends. I want to make sure people come back

and get to be part of the fun! I’m a relationship-

oriented person, and I’m not afraid to call

anybody and talk. So reaching out to other alums

to share about reunions is a natural fit.

I’m especially excited because this year is my

25th reunion, and I really believe this is going to

be our biggest yet. I’ve spoken to many classmates

who tell me they’ll be coming this year, many of

them for the first time since they graduated.

It’s a great team effort. Several classmates,

including Elizabeth Steinhauser Bray, Mary Curtis

Blair, Nancy Gallagher Jones, and Bruce Keizler,

are working as fellow reunion committee

volunteers and making calls to help get others

involved, too.

So whether it’s your 5th reunion or your

50th reunion, I look forward to seeing you at

Mercersburg for Reunion Anniversary Weekend,

June 10-12, 2011! To learn more about what to

expect, visit www.mercersburg.edu/raw.

Julia Clark MacInnis is a mother of two who

runs her own photography business in Fairfax,

Virginia, and takes time to volunteer for

Mercersburg. Her photography website is

www.juliamacinnisphotography.com.

Mercersburg’s Alumni Council

A Reunion by Alumni, for Alumni

AT THE HEART OF EVERY successful Reunion Anniversary Weekend is the

enthusiasm of alumni who contact fellow classmates and encourage them to

attend the weekend’s events. Alumni Council members encourage these

alumni volunteers to make calls or send emails.

At the upcoming Reunion Anniversary Weekend, June 10-12, class years ending in “1”

and “6” will be celebrating reunions. Relax with friends on Ford Patio, catch up with faculty,

enjoy a walk around campus, and stay in the dorms! Plans include a welcome luau, 5K run,

class photos and dinners, and Q&A with Head of School Douglas Hale about Mercersburg

and the future.

If you haven’t already, mark your calendars for June 10-12, 2011. We look forward to seeing

you at Reunion Anniversary Weekend!

Alumni Council Corner

Are you......A young alum? (Classes of 1992-2010)

...An alum celebrating a class reunion in June?(Class year ending in 1 or 6)

Then you can help Mercersburg secure $100,000! Visit www.mercersburg.edu/truebluechallenge.

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I’M A JEWISH MAN educated at Christian and Catholic schools

who went to work with the government of the Kingdom of Thailand

and ended up his 25 years overseas on a Hindu island in a Muslim

Republic. Mercersburg provided me the base of confidence from

which I was able to go out into the world.”

These are the words of Andrew Ammerman, a member of

Mercerburg’s Class of 1968. A teacher, businessman, and patron of the

arts, Ammerman believes Mercerburg’s influence runs through every

aspect of his life. “I think Mercersburg does a very good job of training

you to do what life may demand of you,” he says.

According to Ammerman, his years at Mercersburg helped him develop

an appreciation for the value of community and the importance of actively

contributing to society. Those values are at the heart of his many

philanthropic efforts on behalf of the school. He has been a member of

the Board of Regents, an Alumni Council member, and a phonathon

volunteer; and he is a member of the McDowell Society of donors.

Ammerman is passionate about broadening students’ horizons, and he

and his mother Josephine have funded many programs at the school that

help expose students to new perspectives and experiences.

In 1999, Andrew and his mother endowed the Ammerman Family

Lecture Series in memory of Andrew’s father, H. Max Ammerman, and

his brother, Stephen C. Ammerman. The series gives Mercersburg

students the opportunity to understand how issues of the day are relevant

to their lives by bringing nationally renowned speakers with unique

viewpoints to campus. The speaker this school year was poet and

MacArthur Fellow Edward Hirsch, who helped students see the power

of poetry as an art form.

Ammerman sponsors several trips each year for Mercersburg students,

faculty, and staff to attend performances at the Arena Stage in

Washington, D.C. “The arts have a civilizing effect on the individual,”

he explains. “It makes us feel a part of something larger than ourselves.”

In addition, Ammerman is the force behind Mercersburg’s

Distinguished Teaching Award for Religious & Interdisciplinary Studies.

This annual award recognizes Mercersburg educators who have

challenged students to address the spiritual, moral, ethical, and artistic

dimensions of their lives, or to bring recognition to special religion

scholars-in-residence.

Ammerman is also a patron of the Fund for the Future of Our Children,

an organization dedicated to promoting peace through the Abrahamic

faiths by nurturing future leaders. Last year, a Mercersburg student

claimed top prize in the fund’s annual essay contest co-hosted by

Georgetown University.

Andrew Ammerman is a shining example of the best of Mercersburg

Academy. His generous contributions of time, talent, and treasure are

helping to ensure that today’s students at the school are equipped to have

an impact on their world, just as he has.

Andrew Ammerman ’68, pictured here with his godsons Craig Collin (left)

and Sean Collin (right), provides opportunities for Mercersburg students to

experience the arts in major metropolitan areas.

Andrew Ammerman ’68 Shows His

Mercersburg

2011 UPCOMING EVENTSApr | 30 Regional Event

Home of Jorge Celaya ’84Baltimore, Maryland

May | TBA Regional EventWashington, D.C.

May | 27 BaccalaureateChapel

May | 28 COMMENCEMENT

Jun | 10-12 Reunion Anniversary Weekend for classes ending in 1 and 6 and the Loyalty ClubOn campus

Jun | 11 50th Birthday Bash for the Class of ’79On campus

Sep | 23-25 Family WeekendOn campus

Oct | 14-16 Fall Alumni WeekendOn campus

Learn more at www.mercersburg.edu/events

Love for VOLUNTEERING

“I think Mercersburg does a very good job of training you to do what life may demand of you.”

– ANDREW AMMERMAN ’68

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The Mercersburg Community

Out & AboutEmail photos and captions to mpact@mercersburg.edu.

11

Mercersburg alumni and Board

of Regents members gathered

at the Norton Museum of Art

in West Palm Beach, Florida, in

January for dinner and to hear

from architect Chad Floyd,

who designed the Norton’s

Nessel Wing and is designing

renovations to the student

center at Mercersburg.

Pictured at right are Harold

Goodemote II ’77, Joe Huber

’64, Judy Zern, Head of

School Doug Hale, Regent Allen Zern ’61,

and Louise Huber. Below are Charlie

Carl ’53, Julianne Carl, Carol Parker, and

Jack Parker ’49.

Alumni, family,

and friends of Mercersburg gathered for the annual

Christmas Candlelight Service and Reception in December.

Pictured above are multiple generations of founding

headmaster Dr. William Mann Irvine’s family, including his

grandson, William Mann Irvine Slade (standing, far right).

At right are Kayla Cherry ’11 with her parents, Kathy and Linear.

Marc Strauss ’78 P ’12 plays golf at a

regional event he and his wife, Rhonda,

hosted in Boca Raton, Florida.

Alumni Council

members Jim Zeger ’65,

Carol Furnary Casparian

’79, Nancy Gallagher

Jones ’86, Laura

Linderman Barker ’91,

and Ann Quinn ’84

took in a few holes at

Whitetail Golf Resort

during Fall Alumni

Weekend 2010.

Robert Walton ’57 of Quantico, Maryland, and his

grandson Connor, son of Paige Walton Diskin ’86,

walked in a 5K for Women Supporting Women for

Breast Cancer in Salisbury, Maryland.

Mpact is published three times per year by the Mercersburg Academy Alumni & Development Office.

We welcome your questions and comments. Please email mpact@mercersburg.edu or call 800-588-2550.

Mercersburg Academy abides by both the spirit and the letter of the law in all its employment and admission policies. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.

C To minimize its impact on the environment, this publication is printed on paper made with 30% process chlorine-freepost-consumer recycled fiber. The inks contain a high proportion of renewable vegetable-based ingredients.

’67 alums Ed Russell, Freddie Cook,

and Bill Zimmerman pose for a photo

at a mini-reunion at Travinia’s in

Asheville, North Carolina, on

November 12.

More than 100 people

attended a campus regional

event hosted by the Alumni

Council on February 12 that

included dinner and Stony

Batter’s winter production,

The Sound of Music.

Pictured here are Andy

Alpert ’82 P ’14 (right) with

former head of school and

faculty emeritus Walter

Burgin Jr. ’53 and his wife,

Barbara.

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