Letter from the Director of Alumni Relations

Members of the Class of 1975 with their Grade 4 Pen Pals

Dear Friends,

Friends Seminary's 239th school year has been truly memorable, filled with events that brought many alumni and former faculty back to 16th Street.

Our Advancement Office, led by Marjorie Jean-Paul, was especially keen to engage with alumni this year. We wanted to hear about your experiences at Friends and discover what areas of the School you're most passionate about.

We kicked off the fall by partnering with alumna Elisabeth Robert '91 for a special experience with the Paul Taylor Dance Company. In December, we hosted two successful events: a luncheon for alumni parents and an Alumni Appreciation Gathering following the Holiday Assembly. Earlier in the year, the School held a dinner in honor of our Peace Week Speaker, Dr. Meredith Evans '90, attended by both Friends faculty and alumni. We were also fortunate to have Jocelyn Anker '87 host a wonderful gathering for New York City alumni, bringing together classes from 1972 through 2020.

After spring break, the Alumni Council's signature event, "We're All Grown Ups Now," took place in April, honoring Faculty Emerita Linda Chu. Alumni Council member Marc Mechanic '08 moderated this special event. The very next day, our Alumni Career Symposium featured 24 alumni panelists. This year's program was expanded to include the entire Upper School, a change from past years when only juniors and seniors participated. Click here to see the full gallery from the event.

Reunion, our biggest alumni event, was very well attended this past May. The Classes of 2005, 2015, 1985, and 1975 had particularly strong turnouts! Lastly, I was honored to welcome and give tours to many impromptu alumni visitors throughout the year. I was especially grateful to welcome back the alumni from the class of 1975 for their 50th Reunion. We spent many evenings planning for their celebration. I appreciated witnessing the connections and reconnections between the alumni as well as hearing the stories of their time at Friends.

As we close out the 2024-25 school year, I have one final request: please share your valuable thoughts through our Alumni Engagement Survey, accessible here. Your feedback helps us better serve and connect with our growing alumni network.

In stewardship,

Michael Mudho

Director of Alumni Relations