Dear Friends, This November marked the second annual celebration of National Philanthropy Day at Friends. It was the culmination of week-long activity across the School, gathering the entire community to celebrate the ways we support causes and organizations that care for our world, as well as Friends Seminary itself. On November 13, The Advancement Team hosted an assembly for the Upper School with guest speaker  Neil Blumenthal '98 , co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker . C

From the Desk of the Director of Institutional Advancement December 2025 Edition A Season of Gratitude and Giving As autumn settles over the city and we enter the season of gratitude, we are reminded of the many ways philanthropy shapes the life of Friends Seminary. Each act of giving, whether of time, talent, or treasure, strengthens the foundation of our community and sustains our mission. In celebration of National Philanthropy Day , Friends was delighted to welcome Neil B

Reunion 2026 will take place May 15-16! I hope that you are excited to celebrate your milestone year. In order to prepare for this special occasion, I am looking for volunteers to assist me with planning, beginning this fall. If you are interested, please complete this form .

Save the Date All School Holiday Assembly | Friday, December 19, 2025 | Meetinghouse 2 - 3:00 PM  Alumni Appreciation Happy Hour | Friday, December 19, 2025 | Little Rebel, 219 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003|  3:30 - 5:30 PM  We're All Grown Ups Now | Wednesday, February 18, 2026 | Great Room 6:30 - 8:00 PM Regional Friends Gatherings | Atlanta, Boston, LA & San Francisco | Feb - April 2026 | Dates TBD  Celebrating Black & Latinx/Latine Excellence | Friday, May 1, 2026 | Meet

2025 Alumni Soccer Match On Saturday, November 29, former Friends Seminary soccer players braved the cold to play in the annual Alumni Soccer Match in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Friends Celebrates National Philanthropy Day with Neil Blumenthal '98 (P'29, '33) Neil Blumenthal '98 (P29, '33) returns to 16th Street to speak with Upper School students during National Philanthropy Week. His visit offered inspiration to think boldy, act generously and imagine new way to give back. Paul T

What does philanthropy mean to you? A friend recently pointed out the origins of the word, which resonate – it comes from the Greek philein  ("to love") and anthropos  ("humankind"), translating into "love of humanity”. Philanthropy can manifest in many forms in our modern world – donations, volunteering, board work – and sometimes ego comes into play. But at the end of the day, I think it’s all about our search for connection and meaning. What are some projects or activities

At Morehouse, service is a core part of my campus life. I participated in Morehouse’s Get on the Bus initiative for two semesters during my freshman year. Get on the Bus takes current Morehouse students to low-income high schools around the country to promote college readiness and share Morehouse’s mission. I traveled to high schools in New Jersey and Florida, and got to connect with young men and women of color and share my experiences with them and hopefully serve as a role

Class of 1961 Nancy Strong Weyant '61 treated Celia Bonomi '25 (Bucknell University) for lunch in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Class of 1962 Kansas State University President, Dr. Richard H. Linton, recently awarded  Randy Nichols '62  Emeritus status. Class of 1966 Friends alum, Andy Chen '91  treated Judy Anderson '66  to a flight around the city to celebrate her “realignment”. Class of 1970 Martha Burns '70  stopped by 16th street for a tour of the School. Class of 1971 As re

Beyond the Notes: The Transcendence of Education Through Music On October 30, Friends Seminary celebrated the art and craft of teaching at the 17th Annual Teri Hassid Art of Teaching Lecture, presented by Middle and Upper School Music Teacher Dr. Brian Levels. In his talk, “Beyond the Notes: The Transcendence of Education Through Music,” Dr. B reflected on a lifetime shaped by music and the power of music as a universal language. He shared stories from his childhood, moments

December 11, 2000 - October 23, 2025 With sadness, we report the passing of Abram Goren '19 . As teachers of Abram and his brothers, Moses ’17 and Judah, and as friends to Josh as a beloved and treasured colleague and Abram’s mother, Rachel. We will be sharing news from the family about how to join them in grieving the loss of Abram as we hear more.

July 22, 1987 - October 7, 2025 With sadness, we report the passing of Melissa Perez-Colon '05. A tribute from Melissa’s close friend and Friends Alumni, Sarai Narvaez '04  is shared here: Melissa Colón passed away suddenly on the morning of October 7, 2025. Melissa was a strong, opinionated force of nature. Full of hopes and dreams, her life was cut short after a long battle with Lupus. Though Melissa battled illness for many years she did not let that stand in her way. She

June 8, 1940 - October 3, 2025 It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Richard Leete Eldridge on Friday, October 3, 2025, at the age of eighty-five. Rich is survived by his wife of twenty-six years Rosaria (Roe) Golden, stepdaughters Ria and Nora, daughter Susan (Seward) and son David (Lisa), former spouse Lucy, five grandchildren (Ruthanne, Lucy, Ember, Bee and Jamie), sister Muriel, niece Kerry and nephew Ross, as well as a great niece and two great neph