Up From
the Ashes
Innovative financier Woolsey McKernon ’85 uses carbon credits to replant forests devastated by wildfires
“IT’S ALL ABOUT TEAM”
A sense of service and a pocket Constitution—two things Navy pilot and White House military officer Tommy Reed ’10 carries with him from Williston Read more
DISHING OUT DELIGHT
As CEO of Fiesta Tableware, Elizabeth (Wells) McIlvain ’73 is steering her family’s venerable company into the future Read more
WELCOMING NEW IMMIGRANTS
What resources would best help new immigrants to this country? University Settlement spends $52 million annually to assist 40,000 newcomers to New York. CFAO Rabiya Akhtar ’99 helps decide how. Read more
OPENING THE DOOR FOR YOUTH IN NEED
How can we support young people with care they’ll actually use? As Chief of Staff for the New York City nonprofit The Door, Ted Caine ’04 helps oversee a one-stop social-service shop for teens and young adults. Read more
COACHING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH AUTISM
How can we help people with autism build a meaningful and independent life? At Daivergent, a training platform and coaching service for the neurodiverse community, Cameron Dogan ’14 leverages both high technology and human interaction. Read more
GIVING TALENT A SHOT AT SUCCESS
Why are talented kids from underrepresented backgrounds not finding success in the business world? Because they often don’t have the opportunity to prove themselves, says Nicole (Smith) Moore ’97, whose organization Sponsors for Educational Opportunity is working to change that. Read more
5 QUESTIONS FOR TODD KATZNER ’87
As a Supervisory Research Wildlife Biologist with the United States Geological Survey, Katzner does work that informs everything from renewable energy policy to the development of an avian flu vaccine for the California condor Read more
CREATORS’ CORNER
Williston alums are showcasing their artistic talents in podcasts, on TV shows, and in video games. Here are a few to follow. Read more
A SENSE OF PURPOSE
Why Paul Wainwright ’68 gives back to the place that sparked his passion for photography Read more
WilliStuff!
A roundup of intriguing products made by Wildcat entrepreneurs and artists Read more
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
For Williston Northampton’s 182nd Commencement ceremony, alumna Sarah A. Fogleman ’10 returned to campus to give the commencement address. Read more
Around the Quad
KING OF THE CAGE
Five questions for Jason Tirrell ’90 on his role in the Athletic Center’s uniform and equipment hub Read more
SUPPORTING ALL STUDENTS
This year, Williston’s Center for Academic Success turns 5! Here are some of the ways this innovative center is helping students thrive and reach their full academic potential. Read more
5 THINGS WE’RE TALKING ABOUT!
A LOVE OF LEARNING
Sarah Levine taking her teaching to next level with prestigious Fulbright Award Read more
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
At this fall’s Convocation ceremony, Student Council President Kevin Mwangi ’24 imparted words of wisdom on how to make the most out of the Williston experience Watch Video
COOL ON CAMPUS
We polled admission interns about the latest in food, music, and more. Here are their picks. Read more
CAMPAIGN UPDATES
With less than one year to go in the Williston Builds campaign, we are poised to surpass our $70 million goal—the largest in school history.
Read more
ALWAYS PROUD OF THE GREEN AND GREEN
Williston is committed to making campus as energy efficient as possible. Here’s a roundup of some recent improvements. Read more
The class of 2023 is remarkable in so many ways, including its size. There were 145 graduates feted at Commencement 2023, one of the largest graduating classes ever at Williston Northampton.
The class of 2023 knows its way around athletic fields and competitions—51 graduates are now playing sports at the Division I, II, or III level in college.
43 members of the class of 2023 took a Williston Scholars course during their time here. A sampling of topics: Williston’s First Chinese Students; Preserving Languages and Cultures Through Oral History; Emotion Detection with AI; Growing Organs and Transplants; and original creative works of writing, music, dance, and theater.
After graduation, the class of 2023 headed off to more than 80 four-year institutions—both in the United States and abroad. Skidmore and Northeastern were popular choices, with six Wildcats attending each institution.
Head of School Robert W. Hill III issued one call to action to the class in his Commencement address: “I’m going to offer you just my one solitary piece of advice as you await your diplomas. That one piece of advice is this: Think small. That’s right. Think small, not big.” Meaning, do the small things right, class of 2023, and watch the big things fall into place.
The class of 2023 experienced something in their final year that was foreign to them—a “normal” academic year. The class came in as freshman when the COVID-19 pandemic started, and even through May of their junior years, the class members were masked up and testing. “This is what made this year so special and such a success,” class speaker Luke Ballard ’23 said during Commencement.
Flip through this edition of The Williston Northampton School Bulletin featuring the stories on this page and much more.
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