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Dear Alumni,
The shouts of happy summer campers and the steady hum of mowers are rising to my second-floor window here in the Homestead as I write to you. Even in this hottest of hot seasons, The Williston Northampton School’s campus is very much alive, inspiring us to keep moving forward on behalf of this remarkable place and its people.
 For those of you whom I’ve not yet had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Melanie Sage, and I’m the new director of alumni relations. I began my tenure at your school just a few short weeks ago, having transitioned over from Amherst College, where, among other duties, I oversaw 50-plus regional associations. Prior to Amherst, I worked for six years in the alumni affairs and development office at Phillips Exeter Academy, and before that, in the admission office of my alma mater, Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
I am both delighted and deeply honored to have joined the staff here at Williston Northampton, and I have so much to learn from all of you! I hope to be getting out on the road in the next few weeks to see as many of you as I can, and I sincerely hope that many more of you will reach out to me and share your stories, insights, and hopes for Williston Northampton. You can reach me anytime on my direct line, (413) 529-3301, or via email at msage@williston.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Enjoy this summer issue of Connections!
Warm regards from Easthampton,
Melanie Sage
And A Good Time Was Had By All
 As one alumnus put it in a recent email to Dean of Students Glenn Swanson ’64, P’14, ’16, this year’s Reunion was a “smashing success.” Graduates of Williston Academy, Northampton School for Girls, and The Williston Northampton School traveled from as nearby as a few streets over and from as far away as Bangkok to connect with one another, current and former faculty, and the school of today.
Featuring tours and talks by alumni and faculty, an art exhibit conceived and curated by the Class of ’70 (in honor of former faculty member and renowned artist Barry Moser P’81, ’83), and plenty of fine food and entertainment, this year’s Reunion attracted 387 alumni ranging from the Class of ’35 to the Class of ’07. View a slideshow of Reunion images, and mark your calendars now for next year’s Reunion: June 10-12, 2011.
Annual Fund Thank You
The 2009-10 Annual Fund closed on June 30, with just over $1.4 million raised. The combined gifts from alumni, families, faculty, staff, and friends help to provide support for the school’s operating budget and make the Williston experience possible for today’s students. Thank you to all of our donors both on and off campus, and to our volunteers for your hard work in reaching out to others to encourage giving. Together, your generosity makes Williston the extraordinary institution and community it is today.
Onward from Williston
 The Williston Northampton School’s 169th Commencement took place on Saturday, May 29, on the Williston quadrangle in front of the Reed Campus Center with 136 students graduating. Dr. Neal B. Abraham, executive director of Five Colleges, Incorporated, and Five College Professor of Physics, gave the address. Our graduates were accepted at over 200 colleges and universities. (View the list.) Watch a slideshow of Commencement.
Alumna Spotlight: Rachael Volpe '08
 A successful Williston career often involves juggling a great many interests as well as bravely trying new things. Rachael Volpe ’08, who entered the school as a sophomore, quickly learned to navigate the transition, balancing her classes with sports and club meetings. In her senior year, she switched from softball, which she’d played since she was a child, to water polo, which was completely new to her. “Although I sincerely enjoyed playing softball,” she says, “making the water polo team gave me the confidence to try new things and helped me become more receptive to change.” Rachael calls on these skills frequently now that she is attending the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Coming from a patriotic family with a strong military and law enforcement background, Rachael knew she wanted to join the armed forces. She also wanted to continue her academic education. As she has a strong interest in languages, she is pursuing a double major in Arabic and Spanish as well as completing West Point’s bachelor of science requirement with a nuclear engineering sequence. Last summer, she studied Arabic in Cairo, and she plans to study abroad in Mexico next spring. When she’s not studying, or swimming on her company’s intramural team, Rachael manages West Point’s football team, which “requires a lot of work, but is very rewarding.”
In May, Rachael reported to South Korea, where she shadowed the leader of an Air Defense Artillery Unit’s fire control platoon, learning what her responsibilities as a 2nd Lieutenant will be like. She also found time for sightseeing and base-jumping by wire (in photo above, at a Daegu, South Korea, theme park).
And what does the future hold? Rachael has learned that “the future constantly changes, and most times, plans go awry, especially in the military.” But she has been well prepared, and credits her Williston advisor Ann Pickrell, along with coaches Jarrod Zwirko ’00 and Amanda Rappold, for helping her find the support and confidence to both meet the future’s challenges and enjoy its rewards.
She adds, “I was very excited to see that [S.A. Fogleman ’10 and Thomas Reed ’10] are attending the Naval Academy. Hopefully, we’ll run into each other at this year’s Army-Navy game.”
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Head of School Arrives
Robert W. Hill III, The Williston Northampton School’s new head of school, officially arrived on campus July 1. We took his picture during his first day on the job and posted it to the school’s Facebook page. (Are you a fan yet?)
Bob has already received a warm welcome from the online community as well as the campus community. He will be formally installed at Convocation and Investiture on September 24, 2010. See below for details.
Quick Links
Athletics Information
Our Website
Campus Calendar
Upcoming Events
Join us at one (or more!) of these upcoming gatherings ... and bring a friend! For event information, contact Melanie Sage at (413) 529-3301 or msage@williston.com.
Updated event information is always available at our alumni events calendar.
Regional Events
Saturday, August 14, 5-8 p.m.
Pre-Saratoga Reception
At the Glenmont, NY, home of Grant Randall ’73 and Virginia Plaisted P’07. More info
Sunday, August 15, 1 p.m.
A Day at the Races
Saratoga, NY, event for the Williston community. Lunch will be served from 12:30-3:00 p.m. More info
Events On Campus
Friday, September 24, 6 p.m.
Convocation and Investiture
Join us for the official installation of Robert W. Hill III as The Williston Northampton School’s 20th head of school. For more information, contact Ellen Frank, director of donor relations, at (413) 529-3307 or efrank@williston.com.
Saturday, September 25, 7 p.m.
Williston's First Varsity Football Home Game of Fall 2010 Under the Lights
Come cheer on the Wildcats as they play against Westminster, and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow alumni and parents! This year, look for our expanded tailgate. View full athletics schedule.
Spring Semester Successes
S. A. Fogleman ’10 was named a 2010 U.S. Lacrosse Girls' High School All-American by the Western Massachusetts U.S. Lacrosse Chapter. She is the first Williston student to be named girls’ lacrosse All–American. Read more about S. A.
The Williston Northampton School Academic Team won the first-ever state-wide championship of "As Schools Match Wits," the high school quiz show on PBS.
Tim Murray ’10, Ben Kravitz ’10, Justin Segal ’10, and PJ McCadden ’10 were selected to play in the New England Secondary School Lacrosse Association’s East-West All-Star game in May at Worcester Academy.
At the U.S. Northeast Regional Rowing Championships, two of Williston's rowers, Harrison Druin-Reed ’10 and Matt Slodden ’11, were in the boys’ heavyweight boat that qualified for the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships. Read more about the crew team.
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