Letter from the Director of Alumni Relations

Dear Friends,

Happy 2026! I hope 2026 is off to a great start for you and your family. January is often a time for resolutions, goals, and lists of what we wish to accomplish. In the months ahead, as you prepare to put your plans into action, I hope that engaging—and in some cases reengaging—with Friends Seminary is on the top of your list. There are many opportunities for alumni to connect on campus, whether by attending an upcoming performance, scheduling a tour, or simply stopping by to say hello to your former faculty and friends. The Advancement Office will continue to create events and activities that bring our alumni together with each other and the extended school community. Aligning with your interests to strengthen your connection with the School and our alumni community is our priority. Please stay in touch and share your ideas with us.

Plan a trip back to 16th street soon! It is always a privilege to welcome you back. Looking ahead to our first community event of the year, we are delighted to welcome Willie Perdomo '85 as our Peace Week Speaker on Thursday, January 22, at 6:00 PM in the Meetinghouse. In addition to teaching English at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, Willie is an award-winning poet, educator, and former state Poet Laureate. His acclaimed books—including Where a Nickel Costs a Dime, Smoking Lovely, The Essential Hits of Shorty Bon Bon, and The Crazy Bunch—as well as his children’s books Clemente! and Visiting Langston, explore themes of identity, community, and belonging. His writing illuminates the lived experiences of Puerto Rican and Afro-Latiné communities in New York City, lifting up stories and voices often overlooked. We are excited to have him join us as our keynote speaker. Peace Week is a special time in our school year—a moment to pause, reconnect with our Quaker testimony of Peace, and consider how each of us can help create a more compassionate and just world. In addition to his keynote address, Willie Perdomo '85 will also engage with students in all divisions, including reading and performing poetry as well as a luncheon with the Upper School.

This year, storytelling is at the heart of our reflections. Sharing our stories—and listening deeply to others—helps us recognize the Light in each person and strengthen the bonds of our community.

We see this "truth-telling" in the work of Tamar Sarai Davis '12, currently a doctoral student at Temple University researching Black American history. As Tamar recently shared: “The world that ‘ought to be’ is one where people are honest about both what is happening presently and what has happened in the past... I understand the work that I’m doing now as an exercise in truth-telling.” In a similar vein, we are proud to celebrate Ava Rikki '15, who was recently named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Marketing & Advertising. This recognition honors young creators like Ava who are reshaping how stories are shared and consumed in today’s digital landscape.

Friends on the Road

The advancement office is taking Friends Seminary on the road and coming to a town near you beginning with visits to Los Angeles and San Francisco for alumni living in California, Boston for alumni living in the New England region on March 11 and Atlanta for alumni in the south, in March. Please contact Michael Mudho at mmudho@friendsseminary.org for more information.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

In stewardship,

Michael Mudho

Director of Alumni Relations