May 5, 2023 Hi, Friends, This edition of Happenings is full of details on upcoming events, news about several important recognitions that our alumni and alumnae have achieved, and briefs on some recently held events. It all goes to prove that there is a lot happening at The Albany Academies!

Jeff Levine '67 to speak at Scholar Luncheon on Sunday We’re looking forward to hearing from Jeff Levine ‘67 on Sunday at our annual Scholar Luncheon in the Stevens Center. Jeff will share his experiences as a student at Albany Academy and what inspired him to initiate two endowed scholarships. We look forward to welcoming 160 families and donors to the event!

Reunion is just two weeks away We hope you have made your reservations to attend Reunion 2023, which is coming up soon on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, May 18, 19, and 20. There is still time to register! You don’t want to miss all the fun. You can find the full Reunion schedule and register here: albanyacademies.org/reunion-2023.

Athletic Hall of Fame honorees named Seven distinguished athletes will be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame during Reunion weekend on Thursday, May 18 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Crowne Plaza - The Desmond Hotel in Albany. This year’s inductees are David Rider ’73, William Marks ’83, Michael D’Amelia ’83, Patrick Bryant ’98, Trevor Ortolano ’03, Teagan Ketchum ’13, and Maura Mulligan ’15. The event recognizes and honors alumni, alumnae, coaches, and teams for outstanding contributions to athletics and their dedication to the ideals of The Albany Academies, including the highest level of sportsmanship. Out heartiest congratulations to these fine athletes!

Newest additions to the Arts Hall of Fame We are also pleased to announce the 2023 inductees into the Arts Hall of Fame: Theodore Bouloukos ’80, Ashton Holmes ’96, Armen Garo ’73, Stephanie Bortis Stoltzfus ’98, and Robert LuPone P’24 (posthumously). Join us during Reunion weekend for performances and the induction ceremony from 2 to 3 p.m. and a reception from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 19 in the Albany Academy for Girls auditorium and help us celebrate these outstanding artists. Congratulations to all!

Tis the season for Reunion Giving Reunion is always a wonderful time for our Alumnae and Alumni to pay it forward in honor of their classes, their teachers, or coaches, or in gratitude for the support and life lessons they received during their years at The Albany Academies. We’re polishing the Giving Cups to award the classes with the highest participation and the highest dollars raised at Reunion 2023. Please join in the tradition and make your gift today at boostmyschool.com/academies-strong.

Alumni and Alumnae Golf Outing planned Spring is here and it’s the perfect time to hit the links! Join us on Monday, June 19, at Colonie Golf and Country Club for a fun-filled day of golf. Come out to meet some of our scholar-athletes, purchase raffle tickets, have dinner with us, make a donation, or join us for a round of golf – no golf experience needed! The cost is $250 per person for golf and dinner and $60 per person for dinner only. To register, purchase tickets to our awards dinner and raffle, or make a donation, CLICK HERE.

Celebrating at the Spring Gathering We had a lovely evening on Saturday, April 29 as a great group of 250 attendees joined us for our annual fundraiser to support merit scholarships and financial aid. We were pleased to recognize this year’s honorees: Nancy Carey Cassidy P’13, P’15, longtime president of The Albany Academies Board of Trustees; Caroline Mason, former headmistress of Albany Academy for Girls; and Dave Pascone P’02, beloved Academies faculty member. The event was a great success, raising nearly $170,000. Click here to see a photo gallery from the event.

Michael Obel-Omia '84 inspires students Upper School students had a wonderful opportunity to hear from Michael Obel-Omia ’84 recently when he visited campus on community service day to share his inspiring story of spending 15 weeks pedaling more than 4,000 miles from Oregon to Boston last summer with Stroke Across America. His journey raised awareness about stroke and aphasia. Michael was an accomplished educator and athlete before he suffered a life-altering stroke in 2016. He now lives with aphasia, which affects his ability to communicate. We are grateful to Michael for sharing so personally with our students.

Alumnae and Alumni gather in NYC Thank you to Mila and Tom Tuttle ’84 for hosting a wonderful gathering of New York City area Academy alumnae and alumni at their home on April 14. It was a special night and such a pleasure to see so many alumnae and alumni together again.

Gifford Faculty Innovation Awards announced Several Academy teachers have received awards of up to $10,000 to be used in support of their innovative proposals, made possible through a generous legacy gift from Robert L. Gifford ’40. These awards fund the design of educational experiences that transcend the regular school curriculum. The 2022-23 Innovation Award recipients include faculty from the Visual Arts Department for their Digital Arts Technology program; the History Department for a Speaker Series; and the Science Department for the purchase of a laser cutter. Congratulations to all!

U.S. Navy honors Cmdr. Seth DiNola '01 with prestigious award Congratulations to Albany Academy alumnus Cmdr. Seth DiNola ‘01 who was named the U.S. Navy’s 2022 Helicopter Commanding Officer of the Year! Seth was commissioned from the U.S. Naval Academy in May 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in physics and a specialty in oceanography. Following training in Corpus Christi, Texas and Pensacola, Florida, he was designated a naval aviator in August 2007. Seth has more than 2,400 hours flying the H-60 B and R multi-purpose helicopter. He has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four times), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (twice), the Battle Effectiveness Award (five times), as well as multiple unit and service awards. What an accomplished aviator he is! Thank you, Seth, for your service.

Students honor the history of Albany Academy for Girls with spirit wear Here’s a new way to show your pride in being an Albany Academy for Girls alumna: The members of the AAG Class of ‘24 have designed a crewneck sweatshirt to honor the history of the school as well as women’s history. I hope you’ll consider supporting the students’ efforts and order one today. Visit https://tinyurl.com/mutm5fzv to see the design and place your order soon.

A2 coming soon We’re in the process of finalizing the next edition of A2, our alumni/alumnae magazine, and it should be arriving in your mailboxes soon. The edition is brimming with delightful stories that I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading. And remember, send any news you’d like to share with your classmates to us in the Advancement Office so we can include it in Happenings.

I’m looking forward to seeing many of you soon at Reunion! Best,

Ann Wendth Chief Advancement Officer

albanyacademies.org

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