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Susan Del Percio to Be 180th Commencement Speaker Williston Northampton School is pleased to announce its 180th Commencement speaker is Susan Del Percio, a member of the class of 1987 and a well-known political strategist and crisis communications consultant. She is a political analyst for MSNBC and a contributor for NBC News “THINK” and “Know...

Founders Day, our annual day of giving, is your moment to join with the entire Williston Northampton School community to show your pride in the Green and Blue. Uplifted by your support, our faculty and students will continue to meet the challenges of this extraordinary year. When 1,500 supporters make a gift, it will unlock $100,000...

Class of 2001 alumnus Ronald Chan delivered the keynote address at Williston Northampton School’s virtual 2021 Cum Laude Society induction ceremony on January 26, when the school bestowed one of its highest academic honors on 12 members of the senior class. (See video of the entire ceremony and the speaker only.) Head of School Robert...

The sculptures of Betsy Lewis ’12 trace intimate, yet stunning, shapes  Betsy Lewis’ metal work suggests the organic: a four-chambered heart, a slim length of spine, a silver wishbone wrapped in a silver strand. The pieces are arresting because they seem familiar, but differ enough from their muses to offer a brief surprise and an...

From marketer to author and publisher, Kimberly Gordon ’03 seizes opportunities and delivers positive messages   Children’s book author and publishing entrepreneur Kimberly (Lindsey) Gordon loved writing ever since she was a little girl, but never thought it could be her career. At Williston, the Franklin, Mass., native channeled her considerable energy into athletics, captaining...

In her work with children’s media, Koyalee Chanda ’92 creates relatable content with representation in mind   For much of her 20-year career as a television director and producer, Koyalee Chanda was often “the only person of color in the room,” she recalls. Today, as vice president for kids and animation at Hello Sunshine, the...

“We can totally figure this out! We can do this! That’s something Williston instilled in us.” Sarah Williams Carlan ’92, P’21, ’23 is talking about values, problem-solving, and giving back to her community. The leadership coach, along with culinary agent Sally Ekus ’03 and chef Laura Bowman ’13 (and plenty of non-Williston folks), has been...

Tapped to coordinate contact tracing for the city of Baltimore, Brendan Hellweg ’14 helped create a model program that generates jobs as it protects public health  Baltimore natives are quick to list the city’s emblematic attractions: quirky neighborhoods, great regional food (crab cakes! pit beef!), water taxis, the Ravens and Orioles. Brendan Hellweg ’14 has...

Author and wildlife expert Dyan deNapoli ’79 advocates for a greener planet Twenty years ago, Dyan deNapoli ’79 was on the front lines of the largest wildlife rescue effort in history. A penguin aquarist at Boston’s New England Aquarium, she was called to Cape Town, South Africa, to join the world’s foremost experts and thousands...

Sidney Baptista ’05 is bringing running—and community empowerment—to his Boston neighborhood With a leg up from Sidney Baptista ’05, runners from all walks of life and levels of experience came together last fall on behalf of racial justice in Boston. An entrepreneur, marathoner, and host of the podcast Fitness in Color, Baptista put together the...

Jeff Bastable ’65 recognizes veterans with Honor Flight Jeff Bastable’s ties to the Armed Forces run deep. Both his father and father-in-law served as physicians in World War II, and his son, daughter, and son-in-law are all veteran Navy officers. His uncle, LeGrande Howell, served in the Navy in World War II before joining the...

 Suzanne Snyder Johnson’80 gives patients and their families a day on the sea—and a chance to leave their worries behind If you’ve ever known a person with cancer—and you have—you understand why you wouldn’t say to them, “The universe has a plan.” But talking to Suzanne Snyder Johnson ’80—cancer survivor, entrepreneur, boat captain, and nonprofit...

 The fall trimester was anything but normal—and utterly amazing as a result  If you have ever been behind in the final moments of a championship game or started your term paper the night before it is due or literally broken a leg on opening night, then you know that challenges can be, well, extremely challenging....

A new album from Pierce Freelon ’02 connects generations   Pierce Freelon’s new album of children’s music was born out of silence. A politician, filmmaker, teacher, musician, and entrepreneur, Pierce is the son of Phil Freelon, architect of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., and jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon....

We remember a booming laugh, a wooden bow tie, and a very large heart A math teacher and so much more, Stan Samuelson began his illustrious career at Williston Northampton School in 1982 and retired in 2014, an expansive tenure in which he was beloved by faculty, staff, and legions of students. Samuelson, who died...

 Anthony Willoughby ’70 still vividly remembers the day his headmaster at London’s prestigious Harrow School suggested he continue his education elsewhere. “He said, ‘Anthony, let’s get one thing clear,’” recalls Willoughby, the eccentric founder of The Nomadic School of Business, a leadership training program that draws on the wisdom of tribal cultures. “‘You are far,...

A new group of alumni are helping to shape a better Williston  In his efforts to keep Williston true to its mission and reflect the values of the school community, Head of School Robert Hill now has a powerful ally. Actually, 43 of them. The Head’s Visiting Council (HVC), an advisory group formed in 2017...

By Ellie Wolfe ’19 As the pandemic disrupts college life, recent alums are learning to adjust—or finding educational alternatives   Last August, when I was preparing to start my first year at Bates College, the most stressful things I had to think about were picking my classes and preparing for my orientation camping trip (Camping? Outside?...

Midsize body-positive blogger Merideth Morgan ’03 creates content through fashion and fitness to reach women who are “in between”—neither small nor plus size  Ask Merideth Morgan for a one-liner about what she does, and she’ll laugh. “I feel like if you don’t have three or four things going on, you’re not a real New Yorker!” And, despite having...

Williston Northampton School is pleased to announce that Ronald Chan ’01 will be the featured speaker for our virtual Cum Laude induction ceremony, to be broadcast on January 26. Chan has had more than a decade of experience in public service and current affairs. Born and raised in Hong Kong, he attended the Williston Northampton...