|
Summer 2024 Alumni Newsletter
Greetings from Pam Farmer
Assistant Director of Development for Alumni Engagement
| |
Dear St. Andrew’s Alumni, | |
We have just finished our 131st school year and we have 50 new alumni members to welcome. It was wonderful to see so many of you come back! This is a time to reflect on all of you and the difference you are making in the world. I would like to congratulate those finishing their bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees. There are so many life events to celebrate, as others are getting married and starting families. You all make the world a brighter place with the love and dedication you have. | |
|
|
We had a wonderful Commencement speaker, my friend Barbara Papitto. Barbara talked about many important subjects and I’d like to emphasize those. She spoke on finding your passion, staying close to your family and friends, finding love, spreading kindness, giving back, and keeping your faith. Commencement is a good time to look back on your year and reflect on these words of wisdom. Have you found a passion? Many find it in their careers and some use their careers to fund their passion.
As Barbara said, “Even when life gets hectic and crazy, take time for family, take time to stay connected to friends.” With that in mind, it brings me great joy to see you celebrating each other's milestones together. Many alumni attended the Saints Gala in support of their classmate Ben White ‘08 as he and his family were honored. It is worth it to make an effort to keep in touch with friends and family. We have a group of alumni who call themselves the “Bad Boys of the 60s” and they follow true to this; they are each other's families. They are there to celebrate the good times and the bad with each other. When not with our dear friends, we strive to be with our dear loves, find a love that will endure, and put effort into it to make it stick.
Continuing to echo Barbara’s sentiments, she also spoke about kindness. As we all know, kindness is one of the most important lessons we teach at St. Andrew’s — please keep it going! Karma and kindness are often intertwined as they have a way of rewarding you. Barbara also believes in the power of giving back. Give your time, treasure, and talent to an organization that helps others. At St. Andrew’s we rely on the kindness and support of others. Can you share your time, treasure, or talent with us to help our current students also receive an exceptional educational experience?
To conclude, Barbara spoke about faith and incorporating and passing on the values and traditions you learned as a child or here at St. Andrew’s. When times get tough, this often can get you through the difficult parts of your life.
I wish you all a wonderful summer. Go put your feet in the grass and the sand. Enjoy the sunshine and know you can always come home to St. Andrew’s for a visit.
Warmly,
Pam Farmer
Assistant Director of Development for Alumni Engagement
pfarmer@standrews-ri.org
P.S. Follow our Alumni Facebook page for news and announcements.
| |
|
Top Left: Class of 2024; Top Right: King Medal Winner Sydney Green '24, who was the Commencement student speaker and also performed at Awards Night as the winner of the 2024 Claire Frye Monologue & Spoken Word Competition. Sydney will pursue creative writing at Kenyon College.
Bottom Left: Sydney Luna '23 and Brennan Taylor '24; Bottom Right: Carson White '23, Brian Cerullo '22, Will Guillette '23, Makenzie Ross '23, and Alexandra McMullen
| |
|
As a proud alumnus of St. Andrew’s School, I am honored to share a bit about my journey and why this school continues to hold a special place in my heart.
When I think about my time at St. Andrew’s, I am filled with gratitude for the sense of community that defined my time there. The dedication and support from my teachers helped me overcome a ton of challenges, and the friendships I formed during those years have been lifelong and are cherished.
Since graduating in 1987, I have built a life filled with friends, love, and purpose. I live in Massachusetts with my wife and children. Professionally, I own a Valuation Consulting and Services Company, a venture that has been both challenging and rewarding. My oldest daughter just graduated from Bryant University with a degree in finance and my oldest son now lives in Arizona, where he builds motorcycles for a living.
| |
|
One of the greatest gifts I received from St. Andrew’s were the lifelong friendships I formed. My best friends, whom I met during my time at the school, have been a constant source of support and joy in my life. These relationships are a testament to the strong sense of community that our school fosters.
Some years ago, while reconnecting with my classmate and friend, Craig Casey, our reunion inspired a special project. I asked Craig to design a pin, which I then had made. These pins are now presented to alumni during a special ceremony at graduation, symbolizing the enduring connection we share. With these pins comes a profound responsibility and a gentle reminder of the importance of giving back. They represent not only our lasting bond but also our commitment to contribute positively to our community and uphold the values we cherished at St. Andrew’s.
| |
I want to express my deep appreciation for the role St. Andrew’s has played in my personal and professional growth. Giving back to the school is my way of ensuring that future generations of students can experience the same sense of belonging, support, and friendship that I did. | |
Shirley and Chuck Woolley ‘64, David Walters ‘90, and Ella Fiore ‘21 got together with Sue McGann and Kerrie Donahue for an alumni reunion in Florida. Chuck and Shirley divide their time between Florida and Alaska. Ella will graduate from Lynn University with her Master’s degree next year, and she also plays basketball for them. David and his wife have been married 20 years working at the same company selling boat parts wholesale. Anyone who has a boat can contact him. His daughter is a high red belt in karate going for black in November. | |
Steve Caruolo ‘69 stopped by with a very generous donation for our arts department. Stevie is part of the group called “The Bad Boys of the 60s.” Despite their name, they are wonderful and generous to our community. | |
Billy Jones ‘87 and his family joined Pam Farmer and Sue McGann on one of their trips to Spain and Portugal. | |
Jen Masse ‘87’s son Tyler Gallagher ‘24 graduated from St. Andrew’s this spring. | |
Justus Anderson ‘92’s son JD Anderson ‘24 and Calliope Anderson ‘22 graduated from St. Andrew’s. Calliope is studying Business at the College of Charleston. | |
Misker Gizaw Derseh '96 retired after 20 years in the Marine Corp. Misker, thank you for your many years of service and the sacrifices you and your family made. Thanks to Doug Johnson for the picture and for always being there for him and Ana Depina Derseh '94 | |
Camino Jarque ‘99 caught up with Sue McGann in Madrid. Camino works at Ralph Lauren Madrid and has an 8-year-old daughter Mencia. | |
Jamison “Jaima” Albritton ‘04 designed the cover for the 2024 St. Andrew’s yearbook. As you may remember, Jamison was the Happy White Visiting Artist last year and helped the students design and paint a mural in Adams Hall. https://jaima.co/ | |
Binbing Lin ‘16 stopped by with her fiancé to visit Andy Schirber. Binbing is recently engaged. | |
Devon Pires ‘18 is coaching at Nativity Prep and teaching English language and social studies. | |
Cole Swider ‘18 and Jack Quinlevan ‘18 stopped by for a visit, with Cole being a guest speaker at Bible Study Club. Cole is playing for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League. Jack is with US Bank as an Alternative Investment Accountant. | |
Percy Mason Williams ‘18 was a shining star on a billboard on Route I-195 for UMass Dartmouth! Percy is highlighted on their website. | |
Julio Lopez ‘22 stopped by campus to visit with friends, including new alumna Ruby Joachim-DelPoio ‘24. | |
Congratulations to Megan Donahue '20 on winning the 2024 Mary Hayes North Piano Competition at Ithaca College. Here is what Megan had to say about the competition: "Performing in this year's Mary Hayes North Competition for IC piano seniors was challenging, as we each had to play 30 minutes of memorized music straight through. The works that I presented were Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3, Chopin's Ballade No. 3, Granados' Concert Allegro, and two of Earl Wild's piano transcriptions of songs by George Gershwin. Professor Michael Salmirs from SUNY Binghamton was this year's judge; he was very kind and gave us insightful comments about our performances afterward. Overall a very rewarding experience!" | |
Ana Dornback ‘22 and Joshua Couto welcomed baby Christiano. They came to Commencement and she got to catch up with Shelby Green ‘22, who is a junior at Adelphi University. | |
Former St. Andrew’s faculty Susie Murphy Mack and Nancy Azano were spotted out at dinner with their sister Mary. Susie was a dorm parent in Perry Hall and taught English in the 80s; Nancy was an Art teacher for 34 years and won the Gladys Trudeau Fischer Award her last year. | |
|
Lily Deslaurier ‘22 is now a pastry chef at Gracie’s Restaurant in Providence. There is a long history of many St. Andrew’s alumni who have worked at Gracie’s since 2000 when Eric Mack ‘00 was a busboy.
| |
|
Barbara Zdravesky ‘85 is written up in an article on People in Preservation. She is interviewed about preservation projects in Pawtucket. Barbara found her passion when she bought an old house in Pawtucket. Barbara has a great love for local history. At one time she took me to see Father Chapin’s gravestone!
Chris Parent ‘87 reports, “For many years I worked as a Community Relations Coordinator for a private university in Florida and helped high school seniors plan their future by going out into the community to provide education and resources about options they have after they graduate high school. As of March 2024, I am now a Community Partnership Specialist for a local hospice here in Florida. In my new role, I provide education and resources about hospice. I also go out into the community to break down myths and barriers regarding death and dying. This allows us to have open conversations to help them better prepare for the journey. I guess you could say I went from working with one group of seniors to a different group of seniors! It has been profoundly life-changing. Speaking of life changes, our family is eagerly anticipating the arrival of our first granddaughter, Gwendolyn Tanzia Parent, in July. We cannot wait!”
Monique Graham Citron ’92 has a business called Girl Friday LLC. She uses the skills she developed from working on Wall Street, construction, and other careers to develop her passion for organizing and helping others. Read the bio… I loved it.
Michael Carter-Williams ‘11 wrote a wonderful reflective article about his time playing basketball. It is a must-read for all our basketball players and everyone.
| |
|
Welcome to our littlest Saints — congratulations, alumni parents!
Soohuen Ham ‘99 and his wife Josephine welcomed their second child Duke Yoo Jin Ham in June.
Meredith and Loren Provenzano ‘01 welcomed baby Theo in April.
Haley and Matt Newell ‘10 had baby Oliver in May.
| |
|
The Saints Gala was a beautiful evening in celebration of St. Andrew's School and three generations of the White Family's support of our mission and learning community. We were thrilled that 19 alumni attended!
From fabulous performances by our students during cocktail hour to a spirited live auction, to heartwarming speeches by alumni, trustees, and our honorees, the gala was truly a shining evening. Alumna and faculty Ashley Taber ‘02 spoke about the impact of a St. Andrew’s education, as well as the legacy of her family supporting the school with the Joan and Jeff Taber Scholarship Fund. Great job, Ashley!
To honor the White Family, we presented them with a named space on campus, the White Family Commons in Hardy Hall. We are thrilled to have this gathering place as a reminder of their enduring commitment to strengthen St. Andrew's for our current and future Saints.
Many thanks to everyone who made the gala an unforgettable evening! Because of our community's generous support, we met and exceeded our two giving challenges.
|  | |
St. Andrew's 13th Annual Golf Classic | |
|
St. Andrew’s 13th Annual Golf Classic is coming up fast! The tournament will be held on Monday, August 12, at the beautiful Rhode Island Country Club. The Golf Classic is one of our school’s main fundraising events and is a fun day of sportsmanship with 18 holes of golf and on-course games, lunch and a post-golf dinner that features an online auction and raffle. All proceeds provide immediate-use funds to support St. Andrew’s students, mission, and financial aid program.
Last year 8 alumni golfed with us. Will you join us this year? You can sign up to sponsor, golf, or donate to our auction and raffle standrews-ri.org/golfclassic.
| |
|
Alumni Pin
There is quite a buzz about the alumni pin. Since 2017, every senior/PG who graduates from St. Andrew’s is given the alumni pin and they wear it on graduation. The pins were designed by Craig Casey ‘87 and made and donated by Sarah and David Turner ‘87. This year when I posted a picture of them, everyone wanted one. You can get yours by making a donation of any size to St. Andrew’s. David is making another delivery to me soon with more pins so make your donations! You can give online at standrews-ri.org/donate. Thank you for your support!
| |
|
Do you remember the excitement on Olympiad Day in the battle of the classes? Suiting up in St. Andrew’s colors before heading out onto the court? Showcasing your talents in the spring musical? Exploring the world with your favorite teachers? Celebrating end-of-year moments like Prom and Commencement? These moments and countless others are at the heart of a St. Andrew’s experience.
From cherished memories to life-changing lessons, our school has always been more than just a place of learning — it’s also a home where students grow, discover, and form lifelong friendships. These experiences are made possible by the generosity of a community of donors including alumni like you.
We invite you to participate in the St. Andrew's Fund to support our students and programs. Your contributions ensure that today's students can also create their cherished memories and benefit from the same exceptional education and community that you did.
Make your gift online at standrews-ri.org/donate, through venmo (@standrews-ri), or by mailing a check (dated by June 30) to the school (63 Federal Rd, Barrington, RI 02806).
Alumni who make a gift before the close of the fiscal year on June 30, will receive an alumni pin, as mentioned above. Only 5 more new alumni gifts and we’ll surpass last year’s alumni participation. Every gift counts!
If you have any questions about the St. Andrew's Fund, please contact Assistant Director of Development for Annual Giving Paola Martinez at pmartinez@standrews-ri.org.
| |
|
Newsletter Reminder
We love to hear from you! Please update Pam Farmer on your happenings to be included in the upcoming Alumni Newsletter. Thank you!
| | | | |
