Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy

Patrick Garrity

Alum asks Exeter, ‘Are we doomed?”

Economist Geng Ngarmboonanant ’11 tells assembly the answer depends on "courage" to choose a path to a more affordable future.

The Harkness table is a transformational setting for discovery, as nearly a century of learners at Exeter would attest. Just as impactful in a student’s growth can be a guest speaker’s message that opens a closed door or serves as a call to action.

Exeter’s assembly program has long provided Exonians with inspiration, offering speakers that include Nobelists and Pulitzer Prize winners and alumni young and old. Twice weekly, the Academy rises from the table and gathers in community to hear from thinkers, leaders, builders and changemakers.

Already this fall, the list of speakers has included Max Stier, the director of the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit dedicated to making government more effective and accountable; Dr. Kimberly O’Brien, a clinician who specializes in adolescent mental health; and Dr. Nancy Ascher, the first woman to perform a liver transplant.

The list also includes Geng Ngarmboonanant ’11, who returned to campus Oct. 2 to speak on “an uplifting topic” he titled “Are We Doomed?” Ngarmboonanant’s expertise is economic policy. He is a managing director at J.P. Morgan who formerly served as deputy chief of staff to Treasury secretary Janet Yellen during the Biden administration.

Ngarmboonanant used a figure familiar to both former and current Exeter math students to express his concerns about the present-day American economy. “Alex” is character in multiple Exeter math sets who frequently needs the students’ help to find his way out of the desert to a lemonade stand or gas station. How the students steer him, through solving the various problems place before them, determines Alex’s fate.

“What if we lifted this out of a theoretical math problem into a real life one?” Ngarmboonanant asked. “What if Alex made all the right decisions, made all the right turns, drove on the right side of the road, but the lemonade stand that was promised to him was never there in the first place? What if the gas station keeps moving farther and farther down the road?

“I’m worried that for a lot of people in America, the economy right now feels like a version of Alex’s problem with no answer. That for a lot of people, they made the right decisions, made the right turns, worked hard just like Alex did in the desert, but the lemonade, the gas station, the relief never comes.”

Ngarmboonanant used the economic indicators of jobs, housing and the national debt — “What you’ll earn, what you’ll own and what you owe” — to illustrate the challenges teens will face in the coming years.

“Are we doomed? My answer: it depends on us. It depends on the specific choices that all of us make over the next few years,” he said. “We are blessed to live in a democracy, which means that how this economy works is a collective choice that we make.”

Ngarmboonanant left the assembled with messages shaped by the Exeter foundational values of non sibi and goodness and knowledge.

“When I was at Exeter, I was most impressed by the people who were tri-varsity, got good grades, crushed their 333s. But eventually you’ll realize that intelligence and talent is everywhere, but courage, real courage is rarer,” he said. “It isn’t always big and full of great acts of resistance. It can be quiet in the small choices that we make every single day to do the right thing now and into the future.

“Having been in many rooms of power, I can safely say that very few people are actually irreplaceable. In fact, I believe that no one is extraordinary. Everyone is ordinary, but the beautiful thing is that ordinary people together can do extraordinary things. The next few years and beyond will be filled with a lot of uncertainty, but this is our world to shape and with courage, I look forward to seeing all of you doing extraordinary things.”

 

Watch assembly!

Most of our guest speakers’ remarks are streamed live and available on demand on Exeter Live.

A conversation with the principal

Principal Elliott shares advice, vision and some humbling experiences in Student Council Q&A.

Student Council took the stage for its annual assembly last week, providing a window to the student body of what its mission is and how students can put the council to work for them.

And, as is tradition, the council used its time to interview the principal. Student Council President Ari Benenson ’27 posed a series of questions to Principal Jenny Elliott to give Exeter students some insight into her life and what her plans are for the year.

The following is a transcript, edited for length and clarity, of that conversation:

 

Before you were Principal Elliott, many years ago, you were an Andover student, as we all know. I want to start this conversation by going back to that version of you. What were you actually like in high school? Do you have any particularly memorable or embarrassing experiences or stories from back then?

Just what every adult wants to do, talk about our embarrassing stories from high school. There are many, I would say. I got to go to boarding school as a new 10th grader. I grew up in New York, outside of the city, and boarding school was not something that my family had known about or had really considered. I am the third of four kids. And it was my older brother who said, “I really am interested in checking out these schools.” … He ended up going to Andover. And so, he came home and he would bring friends home because we didn’t live that far away from school. And I loved the ways that he and his friends, when they came home, could so swiftly move between really serious conversations and really playful conversations. And I loved the way they talked about school. They loved school. They really were into school. And I remember thinking, “I’m like that. I really like school.”

I was really invested in my sports, in community service, in the radio station, in what we call at Andover, “Blue Key Heads.” I was a Blue Key Head. Spirit was really important to me. So, I did a bunch of different things, but I probably spent less time on my schoolwork than I should have.

Ari asked me about an embarrassing moment. My senior year, our field hockey team was pretty good. … We were coming up to Andover-Exeter and we were playing up here and the girls teams that year were really good. Volleyball team, soccer, field hockey, cross country, we all won New Englands that year. We got this idea in our head to shave the back of our head, put an A in it.

So, I shaved an A in the back of my head. I had pretty long hair and I put it up and just shaved this big old A in the back of my head. And my parents were like, “What in the world?” I came up here all confident that we had this really good team and showed up. I had a huge A in my head — and we did not win that game. I know. It was hugely humbling. We did not win. We ended up winning New England, but we did not win AE, which was embarrassing and really felt silly with the huge A in the back of my head.

 

At Exeter, we spend a lot of time talking about our successes, goals that we set for ourselves and we work so hard to achieve, but we don’t talk as much about the times when we worked hard and believed that we deserve to succeed and nevertheless fell short. Have you had moments like that in your own life and how do you learn to deal with disappointment when your hard work doesn’t lead to the outcome you hope for? And do you have any advice for all of us?

Sure. I mean, at every stage of my life, I think I’ve had these experiences. My dad was a really big proponent of, if you work hard, things are going to work out. And we know this is just not always true, right? It doesn’t always work. You don’t always get what you want or what you believe you should have because of your hard work and your talent or your ability or your passion or your commitment. I felt that in high school for sure. I felt that professionally in terms of really working to bring something about in terms of a change at school and recognizing that the process wasn’t what my community needed at that time and feeling really disappointed and frustrated by that. Oftentimes, in the Dean of Students office in particular, you’re working with students and you really want to support the timeline and their sense of urgency about getting things done and the rest of the school doesn’t necessarily want to move at that pace.

And that was a hard lesson that I learned in terms of how do you move in a way that honors what the kids need and also respects where the community is and what that process needs to look like.

Professionally, I have applied for roles that I haven’t gotten before that I thought I deserved. It’s interesting, you sometimes go through phases of life where you are more confident than you should be. And with each of those disappointments, I think you have a clear-eyed check, like “maybe I need to check myself a little bit here.” To your point about what advice might I have? It’s taken me some time, but I’ve found the people in my life that I can have those really raw, vulnerable, hard moments with where you can be honest about how disappointed you are. Sometimes I’ll respond with anger. At times that’s just totally disguising how disappointed I feel, maybe ashamed, really sad. And to find those safe people who can get you to a place where you can admit those things, like you’re not angry, you’ll say things like they don’t know what they’re doing or they’ve totally got this wrong.

When you dig in, that’s not actually what you think, you’re just so disappointed in yourself and that it didn’t work out the way you wanted to. Trying to reframe that and dig a little, like scratch a little deeper into those emotions to get at what’s really real and figure out who are the folks that you can process that with, I think is really important.

 

You mentioned in those times, people that you lean on, you need to have those people and you’ve been a student, a teacher, a coach, a dean, a parent, and now principal. I know many people look up to you, the students, faculty, many people look up to you, but who’s someone that you’ve always looked up to? Who’s your hero might you say and why?

In high school, we called them house counselors at that point, but my house counselor and my coach for two different seasons is still one of those folks for me. She was here on Saturday coaching the Andover field hockey team. I would say she’s kind of a compass north for me. She’s just someone who has more integrity in her pinky than many people I know. She’s always been that person that I can sort of come to and I know when I go to her, she’s going to be honest with me. And you know those people that you know, like, “Oof, I’m not going to have that conversation yet because I’m not ready to hear what they’re going to say to me.” She’s one of those people in my life. But when I get there and I muster the courage to talk with her, she’s going to be honest with me.

 

In student council, we talk a lot about policy changes and specifically AI now. And just to be clear, every question today has been generated entirely through my own brain and my friend’s brains and an actual human to human interaction with absolutely no assistance from artificial intelligence whatsoever. But on that note, you spoke a bit about AI during Opening Assembly, but we’d like to hear more of your thoughts on it. How do you think we should interact with AI at Exeter? Should we avoid it entirely? And what excites you the most and what worries you the most when it comes to AI and academia?

I have so many thoughts on this. I think we’re in a moment, I really believe, and as someone who studies history, I often spend time wondering how is this chapter going to be written in 20 years, in 40 years, in 60 years? I think we’re going to write this as a moment when the external landscape is shifting really swiftly and we don’t have a ton of control over the pace, over what’s happening, and that we are needing, and the verb I keep coming back to is we are navigating. We are thinking about how is it that we are going to live in this world, respond to these changes, what are we going to do? I’m incredibly grateful that I get to be part of a community that has a very strong mission and sense of identity.

I think in choppy seas, when in uncertain times, you need those really clear guideposts. I think we’re hearing and we’re learning and we’re reading every day more and more about how AI is changing the ways we work, the ways we engage, the ways we consider each other, the ways we consider our own capacities. I think there are real risks to our learning. I think AI poses real risks to the work that we are devoted to doing. Some of the terms that are being used right now are cognitive offloading and atrophying of skills, this term cognitive surrender. I don’t think any of us signed up to join this community to engage in a cognitive surrender, right? That’s not what we’re looking to do here. I think trying to get really clear on what do we know about the way humans learn, about the ways that our minds build and strengthen like muscles, specific skills and competencies, and how is it that over time humans have navigated really tumultuous, uncertain times?

We need to look into the future and be able to say, “This is going to be amazing and you are going to be able to engage in this world in hugely constructive ways, in radically creative ways, in ways that we need humans.” I think that’s our obligation to you. Trying to figure out how we get ourselves into that place despite the very deep worries and concerns that we have about this. What is that going to take? In my mind, I think that’s going to take some discomfort. As teachers, we like being ahead of you. We have expertise, we have experience, we know a lot about our content material, and we have a lot of skill and we like being ahead of you so that we can be coaching and we can be guiding and we can be creating context for you.

And this is a hugely uncomfortable moment where we’re not always ahead of you. And I think as students, you need to have some grace for teachers how we’re doing this and we need to have some grace with you in terms of the ways that we’re engaging. I want to be able to create space for conversations for us to be thinking about this together and that’s going to be hard and it’s going to take time and we don’t all agree. I think actually, and I’ve said this before with colleagues, if we were to do a word cloud right now and I just asked you to for 30 seconds type in all of your feelings about AI, I think we’d have a massive range on the board and I think most of us would say like, “Yep, I feel all of those things.” Competing feelings, dissonant feelings. When we have that dissonance internally, like that cognitive dissonance, that’s really uncomfortable. And so how do we support each other through that? I think that is the work of a school. We are hugely fortunate that we get to have these student-teacher ratios in class and in advising groups and in dorms. We have these contexts and spaces to be able to engage in these conversations, and what I really, really don’t want to do is avoid this and pretend that it’s not happening. I think we need to be able to get brave and develop that trusting dynamic in those spaces and be able to engage with each other on this front. I’m not prescribing how we’re going to use AI. I actually think that’s the work that we’re going to need to do is to figure out what makes sense to be discerning, to be thinking about what are the skills that we know you need and how do we ensure that you’re able to develop them during your time here?

That’s our job and I think you need to also trust us on our judgment on this front, too.

 

You’ve worked at other schools, at other boarding schools. Is there anything that you saw or implemented at Andover or Choate, some of our rival boarding schools, like a policy or an idea that makes you think, “I want to do something just like this at Exeter?”

Look, all of our schools are really different and part of the job is honoring what’s distinct about us. At the Robert Lewis Stevenson School in California where I worked, part of its mission is to lead a joyful life. How awesome is that? And that was probably one of the most instructive places I’ve ever been to be part of a community like that, where part of our job every day was to be thinking about how do we spark joy? How do we carve out space for joy? I do think those are probably some of my favorite traditions in spaces like ours where we are pursuing excellence and where we believe in hard work and the dignity of hard work and the integrity of hard work, that we also need to flex those other muscles. As humans, whether you want to admit it or not, we love to play.

So how do we create space for that? How do we create space for levity and recognize that we can still be very serious people? We can think of ourselves as intellectuals and academics and be playful and that that’s OK. I do wonder, and I will look for opportunities where that’s possible. I’ll note this about myself: I recognize I continue to live in New England and somehow I keep trying to go further north. I’m actually pretty wimpy in the cold and the short days and the darkness actually get me down. And so trying to find ways in the winter in particular when we can open up spaces for play is going to be something I’m going to be seeking and looking forward to. Traditions get born through good collaboration, so I welcome your ideas on this front.

 

I want to end by going back to your Andover resume. Very impressive. You’re an Andover graduate, you’re an alum, you’ve spent 12 years as a teacher, squash coach, dean of students, and you even have three sons who went there. I know you said AE earlier, but with EA coming up, the question on everyone’s mind is, have you fully been converted to red or are we going to see you wearing blue on the sidelines?

To be clear, I said Andover-Exeter because I was talking about the context of when I was a senior, so that was relevant. I will say though, I’ve confessed this to a few of my colleagues, it’s taking me some time to just get EA to roll off the tongue. I’m really fixated on trying to make sure I always say EA, EA, EA. I think you guys need to do some coaching for me on some cheers. I want to make sure those things become muscle memory and that I get real clear on that. You’ll learn about me, I’m very loyal and I’m very spirited and I like getting into things, so I don’t have doubts that I’m going to be all in.

I’m really excited for those moments when I get to be so proud of you and so excited for you. I’ve already seen them being on your sidelines. Field hockey was like 3-3 for a while the other day and it was super exciting when that fourth goal was scored and that fifth goal. That’s super fun. I will look to you to guide me and lead me, tell me, help me know where I’m supposed to be in certain places. Invite me to the sideline where you think I need to be.

 

Remembering Exonians lost on September 11

Three Exeter alumni died in the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City

Twenty-five years ago, three Exonians died in the collapse of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. We remember them and honor their lives, their families and the enduring place they hold in the Exeter community. Their absence remains a part of our shared history, and their memory remains with us.

The following are excerpts of a remembrance published in the Winter 2002 issue of The Exeter Bulletin:

Michael Packer ‘73

On the morning of September 11, Michael Packer, a managing director in Merrill Lynch’s institutional client group, was scheduled to deliver the keynote address at an e-commerce conference on the 106th floor of the trade center’s north tower. Michael, 45, was a widely respected leader in the financial and technology communities. In 1999, Institutional Investor named him one of the country’s top online finance leaders. According to Thomas Davis, an executive vice president with Merrill Lynch, “Michael’s innovation and leadership brought us to the forefront of the industry.”

Michael came to Exeter as a prep in 1969, the year after his brother, Alex J. Packer, graduated. Michael’s later success would come as a no surprise to those who knew him as a student at Exeter, where he served as a proctor and was a member of Cum Laude and president of the Scientific Society. He went on to his B.A., magna cum laude, from Harvard, and M.S. and Ph.D., in mechanical engineering from MIT.

Married more than 20 years, he is survived by his wife, Rekha, and their two children.

“The heart of Michael’s happiness was his family,” his brother Alex said. “Michael spent countless hours taking the kids to their lessons; working with them at the computer and reading their books to he could share the experience.”

Scott Saber ’82

Like Michael Packer, Scott Saber, 36, was a featured speaker at the e-commerce conference on September 11. Executive director of equities with UBS Warburg, Scott had worked in finance since graduating from Lehigh University in 1986, including stints at Merrin Financial, where he was vice president for sales, and at Morgan Stanley, where he was also a vice president.

At each stage of his life, Scott made deep and lasting friendships. “Scott befriended me on the day I arrived at Exeter,” said Webster Hall dormmate Anthony Malloy, “and he was always kind and generous.”

His colleague Kevin Lupowitz said Scott, “had an unbelievable knack of pulling me off the sidelines and dragging me headfirst in to the game.”

Scott was a devoted uncle to two nieces and a nephew. His family, including brother Bruce ’76, established the Scott H. Saber Memorial Fund to maintain in perpetuity the East 76th Street playground in Central Park.

Eric “Rick” Thorpe ’85

Rick Thorpe arrived at Exeter in the fall of 1984 as a post-grad senior and quickly developed a large circle of friends. “In the dining hall or in class, Rick had a way of making you smile, no matter what kind of day you were having,” said his classmate William Bullock ’85. “We will always remember as a super athlete without a big ego,” said Ed Colbert ’85, “engaging to everyone he came in contact with, regardless of class or status.”

From Exeter, Rick went to Lafayette College, where he played varsity football and lacrosse and was a student director of the school’s soup kitchen. Within a few years of graduation from college, Rick was working in the equity sales division of Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, eventually rising to vice president. On the morning of September 11, Rick, 35, was at the firm’s offices in the south tower of the World Trade Center.

Rick is survived by his wife, Linda, and their daughter.

All class: Exeter aces orientation

Class Day kicks off the new year, offering connection and renewing shared values

After three terms on campus, lowers at Phillips Exeter Academy have found their footing at the Harkness table, tackled the new world of Exeter math and cracked the code of a byzantine block schedule.

Beating a jump rope? That’s harder.

Twenty feet of nylon humbled a squad of Exeter 10th graders Thursday, but not even soggy weather dampened spirits on the latest edition of class day activities. Now in its 10th year, the orientation program — made possible through the support of a generous donor — allows members of each grade to meet or reconnect before the school year commences.

Exeter preps and lowers negotiated a series of icebreaker activities and challenges — including that tricky jump rope — presented by a team from the University of New Hampshire’s Browne Center for Innovative Learning, an experiential program that fosters team building, communication, empathy and trust. The Browne Center has been part of Exeter’s class day activities since 2017.

The upper and senior classes each encountered something new. Our 11th graders heard from a group of Exeter alums who returned to campus to talk about their experiences at the Academy and beyond and how they have found meaning and purpose in their lives in a variety of paths and opportunities.

The seniors were put through their paces by professionals from iO Theater Chicago, who led a series of improv-style games to enhance skills around listening, responding and collaborating — reinforcing the Academy’s core values in the process. Among iO Chicago’s notable alums are entertainers Tiny Fey, Amy Poehler, Jason Sudeikis and Stephen Colbert.

By the end of the day, any awkward silences and nervous smiles had yielded to the shared comfort of adolescents in it together.

 

 

Greetings from J. Smith Hall

Principal Jenny Elliott settles in to Exeter life.

Dear Exeter Community,

With delight and optimism, I write to you from the Principal’s Office in J. Smith. I could not feel more honored to serve as the 17th principal of Phillips Exeter Academy, and after months of eager anticipation, I am grateful to be here on campus.

In these opening days and weeks on campus, members of the community have welcomed my family and me with warmth and generosity. Can-do helpfulness and non-sibi spirit are palpable with every interaction, greeting and kind gesture, as folks have assisted with unpacking, orienting and acclimating. My husband, Grant, our four sons, Sam (22), Peter (20), George (18), and James (15), and our two dogs (Piper and Cali), and I have had a blast exploring campus gems, nearby woods, local beaches and Exeter restaurants. As you might expect, evening walks to Stillwells for giant scoops of delicious ice cream have become a ritual. Our first week here, a strawberry moon illuminated our evening stroll across Hill Bridge where fireflies swarmed the banks of the Exeter River.

My days are filled with nonstop opportunities for learning: fascinating conversations with colleagues and members of the alumni community, walks about campus to check out academic, athletic and residential spaces, and visits to the Lamont Gallery and the Class of 1945 Library and Archives. Campus is abuzz with activity, as 547 students from 38 US states and 42 countries and 127 faculty members traverse campus pathways with infectious energy in between their Exeter Summer courses and activities, as campus adults strategize and prepare for the year ahead, as the Facilities team maintains the beauty and function of campus spaces, as Global Initiatives supports our programs around the world, as the dining hall team nourishes us all, and as teams work tirelessly on three major construction projects and fifty smaller ones.

Last week, I had my first sneak peek of the Academy Building. For months, from an outsider’s perspective, I have been fascinated by the orchestration of people, equipment and activity, with the Instagram crane photos topping the charts of my wonder scale. I could not believe my good fortune when I got to don a hard hat and cross the building’s threshold with our director of facilities management and project manager of this remarkable endeavor. The best word to describe my experience: awe. Awe for the extraordinary attention to detail in restoring the beauty, craftsmanship and artistry of the original Harkness spaces; for the deep sense of connection I felt to the Academy’s history as I climbed the carefully preserved marble stairs and imagined the generations of learners who have convened in the elegant Latin Study; for the sense of possibility and potential that I believe the robotics and makers spaces will inspire as we enter the ground floor each day; and for the power of community that we will get to experience each time we gather together in the Assembly Hall. As I stood on the plastic-covered perch at the front of that grand space, looked up at the ornate light-transferring cupola, and scanned the spaciousness that our students and colleagues will soon bring to life, I was filled with awe and gratitude. In a few short months, we will assemble in this astounding physical structure that honors our deep history, creates daily opportunities for learning, growth, goodness and knowledge, and enthuses us to dream about what will and can be.

Students, I am hoping that you are enjoying your time away from campus, and I am curious about how you have filled your days: your work, your play, your time with loved ones, and your efforts to recharge and prepare. I want to know what you have been reading, watching and consuming, and I hope you will tell me about your new hobbies and old favorites. New students, I am counting the days until I get to welcome you to campus and embark on this exciting and transformative learning adventure with you. I am eager to join your classes, visit your practices and rehearsals, host you at Saltonstall House, indulge in Grill cookies with you, admire the latest Lamont exhibit with you, catch up in the omelet line at Elm Street, and cheer for you from the sidelines and the audience.

As I will be finishing my final courses for my doctorate program this year, I will study and draft right alongside you at the Rawson Reading Room tables and in the stacks of the library. Alongside my colleagues, I will be celebrating and supporting you every chance I get.

Each day I sharpen my appreciation for why you love Exeter so fiercely. And I am certain this understanding will deepen even further once you are here.

With much gratitude and excitement,
Jenny Elliott, principal

Exonian wins Pulitzer Prize

Congratulations to Dake Kang '11 for winning journalism's top honor.

Exeter extends hearty congratulations to Dake Kang ’11, who was part of a reporting team with The Associated Press honored this spring with a Pulitzer Prize in international reporting.

Kang covers Chinese politics, technology and society from Beijing for The AP.

The judges cited the team’s “astonishing global investigation into state-of-the-art tools of mass surveillance, created in Silicon Valley, advanced in China and spreading worldwide before returning to America for secret new uses by the U.S. Border Patrol.”

Join Exeter,

Join Exeter,

see the world

Our pastoral slice of New Hampshire is a wonderful setting for learning, but life can get a bit cozy in our Exeter bubble. That’s when our Global Initiatives office gets busy. This summer, 73 students are broadening their perspectives with experiential learning trips run through Global Initiatives.

From Greece to Ghana, Iceland to Germany, coastal Maine to Yellowstone, Exonians are digging (in some cases, literally) into new discoveries and expanding their horizons while exploring culture, food, ecosystems, history and more.

 

Berlin: A city of culture, politics, media and science

The German capital of nearly 4 million people has become an entrepreneurial hub, and its economy is based on high-tech firms and the service sector, encompassing a diverse range of creative industries, research facilities, media corporations and convention venues.

The Berlin program focuses primarily on economics and business, but also explores how these disciplines connect to history, urban studies and culture. During the stay, students live and take classes at CIEE Berlin Global Institute. A former factory, it was recently renovated and boasts beautiful living spaces and state-of-the-art classrooms. In the morning, students have interactive class sessions with CIEE instructors, routinely featuring guest speakers; afternoons are be focused on experiential learning activities in various fields in the downtown neighborhoods of Berlin.

“The classes with Dr. Feldman were incredibly engaging, and I especially enjoyed the way she was able to weave together economic principles with real startup case studies as well as having us apply them to create practical solutions for different problems.” — Sofie ’27

“The Berlin program was one of the most memorable and rewarding opportunities I’ve had through Exeter. I really enjoyed all the classes. My favorite part was the final project, where we developed our own startup ideas. I learned a lot about identifying a specific ideal customer profile and thinking about how a business creates value. My group’s project focused on making a Berlin travel app, and Dr. Feldman’s feedback was incredibly helpful throughout the whole process. She was an amazing teacher and made the class both engaging and practical.” — Claire ’28

Ghana: A story of despair and resilience

From the bustling capital of Accra to the UNESCO World Heritage slave castles, students are fully immersed in the West Africa republic. Central to the trip is exploration of Ghana’s history in the transatlantic slave trade. The country’s coastal regions were critical to the industry, and the Portuguese, Dutch and British established forts and trading posts to facilitate the capture and shipment of Africans to the Americas. Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle, built in 1492 and 1555, respectively, stand as visible reminders of this dark chapter in world history and as beacons of education, truth telling and resilience.

“My time in Ghana carried deep emotional lessons that never would have reached me on campus. Seeing the completely different yet equally fulfilling way people live their lives across the Atlantic showed me that there is no one correct way to live. Even as someone with West African parents, I found Ghana’s unique culture — centered on pride and loving community — surprising and inspiring.” — Myles ’27

“Visiting the two slave dungeons in Cape Coast and Elmina were some of the most memorable and transformative experiences of my life. Our tour guide in Cape Coast led us into the dungeon rooms and turned off the light. We stood there in the darkness people endured centuries ago, still able to smell the death that lingered for all that time.” — Katherine Luo ’27

“Though we had spent much of the Precolonial Africa class discussing the atrocities of slavery, smelling the scents that lingered in the dungeons and walking through the Doors of No Return nearly brought me to tears. I remember walking out of the dungeons and back outside, blinded by the bright white walls and flooring surrounding the patio. I had only been inside the dungeons for fifteen minutes, and I could barely open my eyes; the tour guide reminded us that enslaved Africans were held in pitch-black dungeons for months at a time. Experiencing devastating sights, such as the slave dungeons, has instilled a greater resolve in me to continue educating people on the horrors of slavery and to keep fighting for justice.” — Gavin ’28

Iceland: Land of fire and ice

It is no coincidence that Jules Verne used Iceland as a gateway to the Earth’s core in his novel “Journey to the Centre of the Earth.” In Iceland, you can experience one of the most visibly geological active places in the world, a country that not only inspires imagination but also provides an active showcase on earth formation, access to unique geological areas and use of indigenous renewable energy resources.

Students explore the unique and vibrant geology of Iceland and witness the regional impact of climate change, environmental challenges and sustainability measures. With the oldest continuously running parliament in the world (established in 930AD) and the highest percentage of renewable energy use of any country in the world (86%), you can learn a lot more than geology in this tiny island state in the middle of the North-Atlantic Ocean.

“Experiencing the natural wonders of Iceland reignited my hope for our planet’s future. Whether it was in beautiful hidden waterfalls and ocean views our guide affectionately nicknamed ‘Narnia,’ the renewable geothermal power plant that provides enough power for almost the entire population, or the kind and accepting culture of the island, it was clear that Iceland is an oasis in this fast paced and uncertain world. It also reinvigorated my sense of urgency as it relates to the climate crisis. Walking on the glacier I could see the vastness of its retreat, which was really quite shocking. Amidst all this deep thought and introspection, I was lucky to be with a great group of friends and teachers who gave the trip a great mix of lighthearted fun and real education. This trip was among the most memorable and inspiring 10 days of my life.” — Griffin ’27

“Spending every minute of the trip with my classmates was a special experience. A lot of us were basically strangers or mere acquaintances prior to the trip. We had bonded a little through pre-trip information sessions and our dinner with the Icelandic author and assembly speaker Andri Snær Magnason, but ultimately we all grew close throughout the duration of the trip. Every day was filled with fun conversations on the bus, thoughtful discussions on what we learned, and deeper heart-to-hearts at night. I have always described Harkness classes as transformative and unique in terms of how we bond with our peers and our instructors throughout the term. This trip, however, took that standard to a completely different level. … I now have 11 peers and two teachers I will always say hello to and stop for a chat with on the paths, and I am so glad to have built those meaningful connections. — Audrey ’28

 

Greece: Flashpoint of the refugee crisis

Known best for its ancient history, its countless islands, its mountainous terrain and its wondrous beaches, Greece transformed into a tourist destination in the 20th century. More recently, it has also become a flashpoint for an ongoing refugee crisis.

Through Exeter’s partnership with World Leadership School, students learn about with various non-profit organizations in Athens working on the crisis, which started in 2015 during the Syrian War. As a primary entry point to Europe for many fleeing conflict and other crises in the Middle East and Africa, Greece has struggled to accommodate the influx of millions of refugees and asylum seekers. Greece’s response to the refugee crisis continues to evolve alongside attitudes of neighbors like Turkey and the European Union. During this program, participants will learn from and work with these NGOs to better understand the worldwide refugee crisis, and the varied responses to it.

“Hearing about the countless stories of war, famine and domestic violence while interacting with refugee families and children — many of whom looked exactly like people I’d grown up around back in America — was humbling in a way I didn’t expect. Their resilience and hope have stayed with me long after we left. From learning about these atrocities in the classroom and in the news to interacting with these stories in person, these experiences have instilled in me a perspective I don’t think I could have gained anywhere but in that room, face to face with their stories. Moving forward, I’m empowered to carry their stories forward, both to educate others and to contribute to more tangible initiatives that support people facing similar struggles.” — Derek ’27

“My biggest takeaway from the trip is that everyone in the world is facing such imminent and immense problems, but we truly should be facing them together. I now feel better equipped to help the world in real ways thanks to what I learned in Greece.” — Jules ‘28

Prizewinners honored at end-of-year assembly

Awards handed out for outstanding achievement and embodying Exeter values

 

Exeter recognizes the outstanding achievements of all of our students. Some were honored Wednesday at a special assembly for best embodying the Academy’s values.

 

The Philip Curtis Goodwin  ’25 Athletic Award

The award is presented annually to the four-year male and female who best embody the qualities of Sportsmanship and Participation.  This year the award is presented to: Jack Cassidy ’26 and Ella Shea ’26

 

The Frank A. Weil ’48 Prize for Exemplary Growth and Promise

Given by Mr. Frank A. Weil ’48, this prize recognizes students who have shown through their efforts and improvement a drive and capacity for lifelong growth.  This prize seeks to emphasize that the value of an Exeter education is not measured only by a record of specific achievements, but by the growth and character that is developed through “the journey taken.”

This year, the Weil is awarded to the following three students: Robyn Davies ’26, Cindy Mumbo ’26 and Marco Andres-Rodriguez ’26

 

The Harvard Book Prize

Given by the Harvard Club of Boston in memory of Lt. Colonel Joseph Ganahl, Exeter Class of 1922, to an outstanding Upper. This year the Harvard Book Prize is awarded to: Oluj Okeremi ’27

 

The Wyzanski Prize

Given in honor of Judge Charles Wyzanski, this prize is awarded “to a student whose ethical beliefs and practices have contributed significantly to the welfare of the Academy or community.

The recipient this year is:  Jinmin Lee ’26

 

The Warren Burke Shepard ’84 Award

In the spring of 1980 a boy named Warren Shepard was admitted to Exeter’s prep class for the following fall — the Class of 1984.  At the time, Warren was a student at the American Community School in Halandri, Greece, where his father was stationed in the United States foreign service.

Warren Shepard never realized his dream of attending Exeter; in June 1980 he died of fulminary hepatitis.  Knowing how much Warren had looked forward to being a student at the Academy, his family and friends established at Exeter a prize to be given annually, in his name, to a student at Phillips Exeter Academy who tries hardest to realize the Exeter opportunity, as the award’s namesake would have.  In addition to the award presented today, a plaque that signifies the award and its recipients hangs in the Office of the Dean of Students.

This year’s award goes to: Alex Trotman ’26

 

The James A. Snead ’71 Memorial Prize

This prize honors a distinguished alumnus, as it annually recognizes some of the qualities and areas of interest that were essential to him.  It is given to students who have written effectively on multicultural themes; who have contributed to the evolution of a non-racist culture in the community; or who have exemplified a passion for the humanities that promises to be lifelong.

The Snead goes to:  Janice Darkwa ’26

 

The Powell Prize

Given by Frank T. Buchner ’30, in memory of his grandfather, Omar Powell “for recognition of a student or group of students who has conceived and carried out some creative idea which has resulted in a new and useful addition or benefit to the Academy community through his or her entrepreneurship, persuasiveness, innovation or leadership,”  the prize is given this year to: Marcus Lopez ’26

 

Class of 1964 Environmental Award 

The Class of 1964 Environmental Award is given annually to students who have made outstanding contributions towards achieving the goals set forth in the academy’s sustainability and climate action plan, or who have otherwise promoted the principles of sustainability and environmental stewardship at the Academy.

This year the award goes to 3 recipients:, Marley McMahon ’26, Maya Piluski ’26 and Isabela Silvestre ’26

 

The Gavit Cup

The Gavit Cup is presented annually at Prize Day to a member of the Upper Middle Class selected by members of the Class and the Principal in recognition of outstanding character as displayed in all phases of school life. This year’s cup goes to: Dani Méndez ’27

 

David T. Swift Award

Established to honor David T. Swift, the award reads “In recognition of significant contributions as Dormitory Proctor, in helping to create a positive residential experience at Exeter.”

This year’s recipients are:

Eric Bagg ’26

Siena Saavedra Bagdonas ’26

Ethan Benenson ’26

Sophia Davis ’26

Gray Drobny ’26

Paige Sweet ’26

 

See a list of all of this year’s prizewinners

 

Retiring faculty leave a lasting legacy

Nine instructors depart with over 300 years of collective experience at Exeter.

Nine esteemed members of the Academy faculty who collectively have provided more than three centuries of service to Exeter are retiring this spring. Their impact is immeasurable.

As we get ready to bid farewell to this all-star roster of instructors and contemplate just how to fill the void they leave, Dean of Faculty Meg Foley captures the contributions and influence of her longtime colleagues:

“Walking in the woods with binoculars in hand, hitting balls on the tennis court, chatting excitedly about local politics over coffee outside of Grill, strumming guitar with friends and colleagues, listening to presidential candidates who came through Exeter, cheering on Exeter athletes, storytelling over meals with students… . These are some of the vignettes that come to mind when I think of this incredible group of teachers and colleagues who are retiring this year.

 

“Certainly, their impacts have been felt in their classrooms, offices, on their teams, on the Global Initiatives trips — over 300 years of collective experience at Exeter! How many advisees have they had? How many students have they taught and coached?

“While the numbers might be high, and indicative of their impact, this group stands out to me because they are deeply embedded in the fabric of our lives at the Academy and known by their accumulated smaller moments. This is a group who makes this place more connected. They linger over lunch in the dining hall, or on the sidelines of a game, always making whomever they are with feel like they are worth some extra time and conversation. They will be sorely missed and the rest of us will have to take up the baton in creating more moments of connection in their honor.”

Please help us wish them well.

Share your regards!

You can offer your favorite memories of these instructors or just wish them well @phillipsexeter

Midterm grades: Academy Building rehab progresses

Project includes 45 renovated classrooms, an expanded Assembly Hall and new design lab.

The renovation and expansion of Exeter’s iconic Academy Building is progressing ahead of schedule, with an aim of resuming classes there when school begins in the fall.

When the project is fully completed in early 2027, the 112-year-old building will boast 45 refurbished classrooms, a redesigned Assembly Hall, a new design lab and upgrades to the building’s electrical, mechanical, heating and cooling systems from stem to stern.

Crews from Consigli Construction began work the day after commencement last spring, balancing the need to overhaul the building’s systems while preserving its history. Features such as the high interior ceilings and the beloved marble staircase grooved by a century of Exonian footsteps will be retained. Every window will be replaced, but the marble sills will be preserved and polished.

The building’s newest features — beyond welcome climate control throughout — are still works in progress. Assembly Hall will be spun 180 degrees and seating expanded to accommodate 1,300 people. A massive crane on site will hoist beams weighing as much as 26,000 pounds into the interior to construct the hall’s new balcony.

The building’s north facade will be expanded to provide for the additional seating as well as make space for two new features: A large room overlooking the quad on the building’s first floor in which students can gather, study and relax; and a design lab on the basement floor to replace Mayer Auditorium. A reimagined terrace, entrance and foyer on the basement floor will greet students entering from the quad.

As many as 33 classrooms could be ready by September as the Math, History and Religion, Ethics & Philosophy departments move back in. The Assembly Hall and design lab are on pace to be completed by January or February.

An illustrative view of the expanded north facade and quad-side entry of the Academy Building.