Alumni News: March 2024
Hello friends –
How is it March already?! In typical Baltimore fashion, we’ve seen a glimpse of warm days followed by some bitter cold. I even saw snowflakes on Sunday evening! Most of the Friends community is off for Spring Break. As I write this, many of our students are abroad – engaged in language immersion programs in France, Switzerland, and for a second year in a row, Kyrgyzstan. Many of you may recall this Friends tradition and I am sure have fond memories of it.
For those of us still on campus, we are delighted to see that the Whiting-Turner team has started working on the Lower School renovation. This is part of a larger project to renew both East and West buildings, as well as the playground which runs along Charles Street. Once the projects are complete, students and teachers will benefit from spaces – indoor and out – that promote curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and reflection, and inspire joy in learning. The East Building is in fact the second oldest building on campus, and many of you will be happy to hear we will be preserving its historic character and beauty while providing necessary upgrades in line with sustainability, accessibility, and our commitment to excellence in academics. We’re excited to see it come to life over the summer!
Spring always brings a buzz to the Friends campus after the winter months. Lower School students shed their coats at recess, Middle School and Upper School spring athletics have begun, rehearsal for the Spring Musical is underway and more. Additionally, we have several alumni focused happenings coming up which I invite you to partake in. You’ll find more information below in in the Alumni Happenings and News section, along with several alumni spotlights.
If you have any questions, would like to learn more about on campus activities, or are interested in volunteering in the Friends community, send me a note. I look forward to connecting with the Alumni community further and hope to see you on campus sometime soon!
Sophia Springer '13
Director of Alumni & Parent Engagement
Alumni Weekend | May 2–5, 2024
Registration for Alumni Weekend is now open! Call your friends from Friends and enjoy Alumni Weekend festivities together. While the weekend is focused on Reunion Classes ending in 4 and 9, we welcome all Friends alumni and families to come celebrate with us. Don't wait to sign up for activities. Be sure to register by Friday, April 26!
Information about Class Parties and activities can be found on the Alumni Weekend webpage.
- Register and view the Alumni Weekend schedule here.
- Update your information with the Alumni Office here.
Alumni Happenings and News
Alumni Association Board Celebrated 100 Nights Dinner with the Class of 2024
Each year, the Alumni Association Board host a celebratory dinner for the Senior class. This year we welcomed the Class of 2024, with members of the Board providing a glimpse into life after Friends. The evening consisted of dinner, trivia, and of course some alumni swag giveaways. Hilary Baldwin Ruley ’95, Ali Pappas ’07, and one of the Board’s newest members, Holden Marshall ’15 shared fond memories of their time at Friends and ways to stay connected after graduating. The Class of 2024 graduates on Sunday, June 3.
Friends Hosts Reception with Visiting Artist Dean Mitchell on March 20
We invite you to join us at a reception for artist Dean Mitchell on March 20. The event will be held in the Katz Gallery, located in the lower level of the Forbush Building, from 3:45–5:30pm. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to rsvp@friendsbalt.org.
Mitchell is known for his figurative, landscape, and still life work. In addition to his watercolors, he is accomplished in other mediums including egg temperas, oils, and pastels. Mitchell has been featured in numerous publications including the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, American Artist, Artist Magazine, Fine Art International, and Art News.
Mitchell’s work, Power and Light, is on display in the Katz Gallery until April 12. Gallery visits outside of the reception time are by appointment only. To make an appointment, contact faculty member and alum Erin Hall ’98 (ehall@friendsbalt.org).
This visit and exhibit was made possible by The Class of 1989 Visiting Scholars Program and the Fay Karfgin ’59 Annual Art Lecture fund.
Alum Emilia Halvorsen Saporiti ’15 and No-No Boy Visit Friends & NYC
Emilia Halvorsen Saporiti ’15 is a current law student at Lewis & Clark Law School. However, outside of school, she is a musician with No-No Boy as a harmony singer, keys player, and music video director, and is co-producer of their most recent album Empire Electric, released last September by the Smithsonian Folkways label.
No-No Boy is an immersive concert experience that illuminates hidden Asian American histories through folk songs, sound pieces, live projections, and storytelling. NPR Music has hailed it as “one of the most insurgent pieces of music you’ll ever hear which re-examines Americana with devastating effect… An act of revisionist subversion.” Nashville-born songwriter and scholar, and Emilia’s spouse, Julian Saporiti, takes inspiration from his own family’s history living through the Vietnam War as well as many other stories of Asian American experiences. He has transformed his years of doctoral study into an innovative project that bridges a divide between art and scholarship.
No-No Boy will perform for students during an Upper School Collection in March. If you’re interested in seeing Emilia and Julian, they will be playing at Joe’s Pub in New York City on March 29. More information can be found here.
Alum and 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient, Philip J. Merrill ’81, Presents "Baltimore and the Civil Rights Movement" in Conversation with Dana P. Moore on April 3
Philip J. Merrill ’81 is the CEO & Founder of Nanny Jack & Company LLC, an African American heritage consulting business. He served eight seasons as a Chesapeake Collectibles appraiser on PBS Maryland Public Television (MPT) and six seasons as a PBS Antiques Roadshow appraiser of Black Americana. In 2013, his oral history was archived in the Library of Congress and in 2021, he received the Baltimore City Historical Society’s History Honors Award. Philip is a historian and author, as well as the owner of an extensive collection of rare African American material culture which he exhibits widely and uses to lecture extensively to emphasize the historic accomplishments and contributions of African Americans. In 2022, he co-hosted an Upper School course, Artifactual History, with Upper School History teacher and fellow alum, Molly Smith ’82.
Philip will be speaking at Red Emma’s Bookstore Coffeehouse (3128 Greenmount Ave, Baltimore, MD 21218) on Wednesday, April 3 at 7:00pm. All are welcome to attend, click here for more information and to RSVP.
The Friends School Parents Association Invites you to Night Out With Friends: Celebrate Baltimore! on April 13
The FSPA invites you to their signature springtime fundraiser event, Night Out with Friends. This year’s theme is “Celebrate Baltimore!” The evening will include a silent and live auction featuring items from around Baltimore, Friends students’ original artwork, a host of trips, and unique experiences. Join them in the Penguin Room at Whitehall Mill in Hampden; tickets and more information may be found here.
If you are interested in Sponsorship opportunities, please click here for additional information.
All money raised goes to the Friends School Wish List.
Are you doing something exciting or interesting? Let us know so we can feature you in the newsletter! - alumni@friendsbalt.org
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For nearly 300 years, Friends School has been providing a vigorous Quaker education that is built on a framework of academic excellence. When students graduate from Friends they have a foundation of learning that prepares them to lead meaningful and productive lives.
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