3. 5the magazine of cheshire academy4
ted dziuba '02
As a student at the Academy,Ted’s expertise actually landed him a job as
the Assistant Systems Administrator at school. During that time, he co-
authored an open source Electronic Medical Records (EMR) program known
as OpenEMR, one of the most popular free EMR systems today. After
graduating,Ted worked for a number of top technology companies, including
Google and eBay, the latter of which acquired a startup he co-founded.
Currently,Ted serves as the Vice President of Engineering at Oak Labs,
Inc., where he manages teams responsible for processing retailer product
catalog data and producing retail business telemetry dashboards for retailer
customers. He lives in San Mateo, California with his wife, Julie, and their
two daughters, Ann and Rose.
simon fenner
Simon serves as the managing director of Lukoil Pan Americas, a role in
which he leads the company’s American efforts. He came to Lukoil from
Morgan Stanley where he led the commodities division as the firm’s head
of strategic transactions. Simon’s passion for education has led him to
become involved at other institutions, including Fairfield Country Day
School, where he is a member of the Board of Trustees. He has served on
numerous committees, including his current involvement with the investment
and executive committees. Simon, a British national, lives in Westport,
Connecticut with his wife and children.
lori gailey, parent of emma ’14 and hannah ’17
Lori assumed the role of co-president of the Parents Association at Cheshire
Academy in 2015, and helped overhaul the group, now referred to as PRIDE.
Not only was Lori successful in bolstering the parents association, she also
worked with the development office to increase parent giving. Lori’s resume
speaks to her expertise in retail buying and product development, having
worked with major brands ranging from fashion to food industries. Both
Lori and her husband, Peter, who live in Simsbury, are highly involved in
Academy life.
drew kevorkian '93
Drew came to the Academy in the fall of 1989 as the recipient of the
prestigious Town Scholar Award. He went on to graduate from Dartmouth
College with a degree in classical studies. Drew’s career began at Northeast
Scientific, where he started as an account executive and moved up to serve
as the director of sales and marketing. Currently, he is the president of Ares
Scientific, whose mission is to identify and deliver the most innovative,
sustainable, and value-based technology solutions to the scientific research
community and patient care facilities. Drew founded the company to
provide some of the largest biotech companies with a complete suite of
products to advance science and healthcare. Drew and his family live in
Brooklyn, New York.
brian otis '89
Both Brian and his wife, Gail, are graduates of Cheshire Academy, just one
year apart (Gail graduated in 1990). A postgraduate, Brian only spent one
year at the Academy, but his passion for the school brought him back after
college, where he served in the development office for five years. Brian left
the Academy in 1998 and went on to the University of Connecticut to
work in their development office. In 2010, he became the Vice President for
Development & Campaign Management for the University of Connecticut
Foundation, Inc. Brian and Gail have two children, Colin and Kiley, and live
in Tolland, Connecticut.
katie purdy, parent of jack '19, reese '21, ryan '21
Katie joins the board, bringing with her decades of experience in education
and child counseling. She served as an elementary school teacher in
Southington beginning in 1993, and five years later transitioned into the role
of School Guidance Counselor, addressing both behavioral and psychological
issues, as part of empowering students towards academic success. Once
Katie and her husband, Jeff, had children, she became a stay at home mom.
As her children got older, Katie started volunteering at their schools.Today,
she remains active as a member of Cheshire Academy’s PRIDE Parents
Association, and looks forward to being even more involved in advancing the
mission of the Academy.The family lives in Southington, Connecticut.
Cheshire Academy is proud to welcome six new members to the Board of Trustees.The selection committee carefully assessed candidates based on their
experience with independent schools and personal educational backgrounds, as well as their motivation for serving at Cheshire Academy and how their skills
will benefit the school. Chosen for a combination of their knowledge, passion for education, and their expertise, these new trustees will bring a wealth of
knowledge to the Academy.
See photos and learn more about the new trustees
online at magazine.cheshireacademy.org
17
94
New Trustees
Sincerely,
John D. Nozell, Head of School
It is hard to believe that the holidays are over and we have begun the second
semester. The excitement, and work, of the college selection and application
process is nearly complete for our seniors. Some of our Early Decision
applicants have already received acceptances from schools including Yale
University and Fordham University. We look forward to seeing even more
stellar acceptances throughout the winter and spring.
During the first semester, we completed a major renovation project for our six
“back” tennis courts. They were in dire need of attention, and the result has
been beyond our expectations. I know our tennis players are already enjoying
the improved facilities. On other athletics-related matters, our fall season
resulted in several teams making it to tournaments, and the football team
winning the Wayne Sanborn Bowl game, rounding out an 8-2 season in a
highly competitive league.
In October, the video produced by Public Television’s “Voices in America”
series, which profiled Cheshire Academy, aired nationally.To date, the video
aired nationally reaching 85 million homes and was seen by thousands of
viewers on social media. If you haven’t yet seen the program, I encourage
you to view it on YouTube. You will be amazed at how well our students
represented their school; they were the real stars of the show!
Sadly, I must share that one of our most revered Overseers, Mr. Doug
Morton, passed away in July of this year. Doug possessed a deep love for the
Academy, and was active in supporting and governing the school for many
years. Doug will be sorely missed, and our thoughts and prayers go out to
his family. A tribute to Doug can be found on page 68. During September,
we lost another dear member of our community, Ms. Linda Decormier.
Throughout her career with the Academy, which spanned more than two
decades, Linda worked with hundreds of students in College Counseling
and the Roxbury Program. We all miss her spark and enthusiasm around the
campus.The community shared condolences and stories online, which can be
found at cheshireacademy.org/linda.
As we remember those who have left us, we also look to the future and
welcome new members to our community. It’s my honor to report that we
have elected six new members to our Board of Trustees: Ted Dziuba ’02,
Simon Fenner, Lori Gailey P’14 P’17, Drew Kevorkian ’93, Brian Otis ’89,
and Katie Purdy P’19 P’21 P’21.These talented individuals were present for
their first meeting just this month at the Academy.They bring a tremendous
wealth of knowledge and passion to our Board, and I am very much looking
forward to working with them to make Cheshire Academy even stronger in
the years ahead.Their biographies follow on the next page.
This magazine continues to be a tribute to the Academy’s past, present, and
future, and I hope you will join me in celebrating our storied legacy.
a message from head of school john d. nozell
STRAIGHT
from Bowden Hall
L-R: HEAD OF SCHOOL JOHN D. NOZELL, JENNIFER GUNSBERGER P'17,
AND KEN GUNSBERGER P'17 AT FAMILY WEEKEND 2016
4. 6 7
academy
archives
’76
I think most of us would agree that this Presidential election was one for the
books. By the time you read this magazine, our nation will have sworn in the 45th
President of the United States. Americans, all 322 million of us, have embarked on
a four-year journey under new leadership and we are curious about the future.
In honor of the election year, it may come as no surprise that we wanted to explore
the Academy’s own impact on leadership, governance, and politics in this latest
issue of 1794.The Political Issue isn't about Parties, policies, or what is right or
wrong. Instead, this issue is about the intricacies that go into leading a community,
whether that community is a school or a nation. We wanted to explore the impact
that the Academy has had on the world around us.
Here at Cheshire Academy, we are embracing leadership advancements of our
own. As we look to ensure that the Academy continues to thrive for centuries to
come, strong leadership from the Board of Trustees is vital. Just this month, six new
Trustees attended their first board meeting, and we look forward to their influences
in the years to come.
Similarly, we charge our students with choosing the best leaders for their classes and
encourage them to affect positive change on campus and in the world around them.
This leads to intelligent and prepared alumni, some of whom choose to continue
their leadership at the national level. From campaign managers and fundraisers to
policy makers and interns, many of our graduates are working to ensure our country
is the best it can be at all times.
As you read the pages of this latest issue of 1794, I encourage you to reflect on
not only how others have influenced our nation’s politics and leadership, but also
on your own time at the Academy. Perhaps there were leaders here who directly
impacted your life, such as teachers and coaches who may have pushed you to excel
and step outside of your comfort zone. Maybe there were peers who encouraged
you to step into leadership roles yourself and helped you along the way, or lessons
learned from classes and life here at the Academy that drove you to succeed and
become who you are today.
In our own way, we are all leaders, affecting change in the world around us.Tell me
your story.
Sincerely,
Stacy Jagodowski, Editor
Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications
1794@cheshireacademy.org
LETTER
from the editor
5. 9the magazine of cheshire academy8
academyarchives
ideon Welles arrived by horseback at the Episcopal Academy
of Connecticut in 1819. His rise to prominence as the
secretary of the Navy for President Abraham Lincoln is
fairly well known among historians.
Welles graduated from the Academy in 1821 after attending for
two years. He received a college diploma in 1826 from what is
now Norwich University in Vermont. Welles returned to his home
state after graduation and soon began writing for the now defunct
“Hartford Times” newspaper.
In 1827, he became the editor and part owner of the “Times.”That
same year, Welles was elected to the Connecticut General Assembly,
becoming the youngest to serve in the legislature. He held the
office until 1835 when he was elected as comptroller for the state of
Connecticut. Welles also continued to write opinion pieces for the
paper until 1854.
Newspapers of the era were often aligned with a specific political
party.The “Times” followed the trend and Welles wrote editorials in
support of Democrats. In 1836, his loyalty was acknowledged when
Welles was appointed as Hartford’s postmaster. He held the job
for five years.Then in 1846, Pres. James Polk appointed Welles as
chairman of the Navy’s Bureau of Provisions and Clothing, a post he
held for three years.
By the middle of the next decade, according to the Connecticut
Historical Society, Welles was no longer allowed to write for the
“Times” because in 1855, he organized and formed the state’s
Republican Party.
With his switch of ideals, Welles looked for a new vehicle to
publicize his stance. His solution was to open a new publishing
avenue by launching “The Hartford Evening News.”Welles backed
anti-slavery; the Democrats of the era were the pro-slavery party.
By this time, Welles was firmly established as a politician and
policymaker and was gaining the attention of powerful national
figures. He campaigned for Abraham Lincoln after the Illinois
politician won the Republican presidential primary in 1860.The
two briefly met in Hartford later that year while Lincoln was on a
campaign swing through the state.
As president-elect, Lincoln began to consider who he would
appoint to his cabinet. J. Ronald Spencer, editor of “A Connecticut
Yankee in Lincoln’s Cabinet - Navy Secretary Gideon Welles
Chronicles the Civil War,” wrote that Lincoln was determined to
give one seat on his cabinet to a prominent New Englander. That
Yankee was to be Welles.
g
PORTRAIT OF GIDEON WELLES, CLASS OF 1824
gGIDEON WELLES
g
6. 11the magazine of cheshire academy10
academyarchives
A biography on Welles written by the New York Public Library notes
that “Welles and his wife, Mary, became quite close to the Lincoln
family. In fact, Welles was in the room (in the Peterson House) when
President Lincoln died from his gunshot wound,” in 1865.
Welles died in 1878 at the age of 76, about a decade after leaving
office.The state historical society credits him with the “development
of the Navy into a force that could successfully execute blockades of
southern ports. [It] was a key factor in the North’s Civil War victory.
Also, he was instrumental in the construction of the ironclad USS
Monitor and establishment of the Navy’s Medal of Honor.”
Welles’ diligent and nearly daily entries in his diary while serving in
the cabinet have been released in a variety of forms. One of the most
recently published, with the original manuscript restored, is the 2014
edition by the University of Illinois Press called “The Civil War Diary
of Gideon Welles, Lincoln’s Secretary of the Navy.” A review of the
book from StrategyPage.com, an online magazine about the military,
describes Welles as an insider whose diary provides a rare perspective.
“We get a vivid look at how confusing and frightening the opening
weeks of the Lincoln administration seemed to those experiencing
them,” the review states.
A marble statue of Welles was installed circa 1933 at the Connecticut
State Capitol building. Connecticuthistory.org notes the statue
commemorates his achievements both within the state and in Lincoln’s
cabinet. In 1969, Cheshire Academy named its renovated dining hall
after their famed alumnus. His portrait and a biography are displayed
in the brick building originally constructed in 1926. A middle school
in his hometown of Glastonbury is also named for Welles.
A little known fact about Welles, which was only recently
discovered in the Academy’s archives, is a written account of his
first few days at the Academy. Welles’ words, contained in one
of his school books, reveal a longing to return to his home in
Glastonbury.
october 21, 1819
“This day to my surprise I was coming from school [and] I
unexpectedly met my brother Thaddeus - my joy was great.”
october 22, 1819
“My brother this morning started for home. I yearned to go
with him but thought of the duty to my purpose and the bent
of fathers’ and was silent.The tears (of thoughts of the happy
hours I have spent with my brother) rolled down my cheeks - the
cutting thoughts of abusing that brother came... and filled me
with anger. Goodbye to you all remember me when I am where
you are not.”
Welles was 17 years old when his father, Samuel Welles,
enrolled him in the Academy. According to an article written for
“Cheshirepedia” by alumnus John Fournier ’84, the father decided
it was time for his son to learn “the duties of life.”
Patriarch Samuel Welles supported his wife and four sons by
working in a variety of business-oriented professions: merchant,
crops exporter, and money lender. Based on entries in Gideon
Welles’ schoolbook, headlined “Debtors,” it’s possible he watched
his father offering loans and decided to try it for himself.
Several pages in his small paper-covered book contain names of
classmates who owed Welles money. His arithmetic shows, for
instance, that fellow student Amasa Jackson (who went on to
Westpoint) steadily borrowed funds from Welles.
In Welles' Words
Gideon's Legacy
See scans of Welles' diary entries and links to original
sources online at magazine.cheshireacademy.org/archives
17
94
g He didn’t learn of his appointment to the cabinet until just four days
before the inauguration in March 1861. It was another month before
Welles found out he had been chosen to be Secretary of the Navy (he
thought he may have been appointed postmaster general).
In the introduction to the “Diary of Gideon Welles,” editor John T.
Morse wrote humorously about the appointment. “Mr. Lincoln may
have thought that any New Englander was amphibious,” because
residents lived near the ocean. Lincoln was fond of Welles, and keeping
with the ocean theme, called him “Father Neptune.”
While his appointment was a surprise to many, an editorial in the
“Washington Star” newspaper stated that “Welles administered the
department in such a satisfactory manner during the war that he
served through two [presidential] administrations … and served
the longest continuous secretaryship since the days of [Pres. James]
Madison.”
Welles at the time was one of only four Connecticut residents to have
been appointed to a cabinet post by a president. Newspapers reported
that some members of Lincoln’s administration were disappointed at
the selection of Welles.They believed that “someone with more real
sea-salt experience than Mr. Welles would fill the place better.”
When excerpts of Welles’ diaries were first made public in the
“Atlantic Magazine” in 1909, they showed that the Connecticut native
responded to the “sea-salt” comment by writing that the detractors
were “officious blockheads,” and “factious fools.” A book review from
1943 in the “New York Times” notes that Welles “was a strange man,
this Yankee who, like John Quincy Adams, found release for his
publicly controlled feelings only in his diary.”
State records show Welles was described “as a man of no decorations;
there was no noise in the streets when he went along; he understood
duty and he did it efficiently, continually, and unwaveringly.”The
passage was written by Charles Dana, Lincoln’s Assistant Secretary of
War. Welles served in the cabinet from 1861-1869.
Secretary of the Navy
7. 12 13
THE GOVERNOR
ust months after taking office as the Governor of Connecticut in 1941,
alumnus Robert A. Hurley began raising funds to replace Horton Hall,
Cheshire Academy’s largest building at the time.The building was destroyed by
fire in January of that year. With the substantial weight of his political and personal
reputation behind him, Hurley announced the goal of raising nearly a million dollars
within two years.
The donation campaign was organized through the Cheshire Academy
Sesquicentennial Committee, chaired by Hurley with support from members of the
Academy’s Board of Trustees.The committee included two former governors and
James R. Angell, former president of Yale University; William Lyon Phelps, professor
emeritus of Yale; Dr. Albert N. Jorgenson, president of the University of Connecticut;
and Horace Taft, the headmaster emeritus of the Taft School. Hurley told the
Hartford Times his chairmanship of the committee was “influenced not only by his
loyalty to the Academy … but even more because of his conviction that Cheshire
Academy is an outstanding asset of the state and of the nation.”
Headmaster Arthur N. Sheriff announced in 1942 that the new two-story edifice
being built behind Bowden Hall would be named Gov. Hurley Hall. A $60,000
donation paid for the building which would offer a dormitory and cafeteria.The
governor attended the hall’s dedication as well as the commencement exercises held
the same day in May 8, 1942.
A color guard platoon from the historical First Company of the Governor’s Foot
Guard accompanied Hurley to the event attired in their colonial-era uniforms.
Seabury Hall, now a part of the Watch Factory Shoppes, was also dedicated that day.
ROBERT A. HURLEY, CLASS OF 1915
J
8. 15the magazine of cheshire academy14
academyarchives
“
“
heriff wrote, “In days of cataclysmic change, people turn toward
the man on the platform and ask: What can we do? ...They seek
a voice, unequivocal and forthright, an understanding keen and
broad.They crave the comfort and inspiration of social vision that is at
once practical and prophetic. Gov. Hurley has given Connecticut that
kind of leadership.”
As head of the state government during World War II, Hurley was
considered a “War Governor,” and as such, he ramped up manufacturing
to help supply the military effort. One of his projects, according to the
Connecticut State Library, was “Connecticut’s Compact for Victory.”
The document called for full production of manufacturing plants with
“all of the industrial might and resources of Connecticut … the skills and
energies of our workers.”
Hurley sought to be re-elected for a second term, but he lost by less than
200 votes. He ran again in 1944, but lost by a large margin. Hurley then
retired from politics. In 1946 he became the executive director of the
Council of Lingerie Associations and Manufacturers Inc., at a salary of
$42,000, which is estimated to be equivalent to more than $500,000 today.
In his position, according to the “New York Times,” Hurley oversaw “a
group of unaffiliated manufacturers in a trade-wide program of self-
regulation to prevent abuses and unethical practices.”
Approaching semi-retirement, Hurley returned to his background in
engineering, which he had begun to study at Lehigh University before
enlisting to serve in WWI. He operated an engineering consulting firm in
West Hartford.
The New York Times carried Hurley’s obituary in 1968. He died at the
age of 72 in West Hartford, where he had lived for 30 years.
IN DAYS OF
CATACLYSMIC
CHANGE, PEOPLE
TURN TOWARD
THE MAN ON THE
PLATFORM AND
ASK: WHAT CAN
WE DO?
- ARTHUR SHERIFF
See more photos online at
magazine.cheshireacademy.org/archives
17
94
(L-R) HEADMASTER ARTHUR SHERIFF AND GOVERNOR ROBERT HURLEY
S
native of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Hurley was a
senior when he arrived on campus in 1914. He
attended the Academy for just one year, but in that
time he achieved academic and athletic success and quickly
took a leadership role. He was elected to the student council
and chosen as the orator for commencement.
On the athletic fields, Hurley was a stand-out three-sport
player. He was the halfback on the winning 1914 football
team. Athletic records in the early 1900s were kept by total
points received for the season, rather than wins and losses for
each game, and his team had a total score for the season of 76
compared to 70 for the opponents.
In basketball, Hurley played guard and helped his team again
have a winning season with a combined score of 311 with the
opposing 12 teams scoring just 202 total points. Opponents
included the public high schools in Meriden, Waterbury,
and New Haven. Hurley’s pitching prowess in baseball also
brought accolades. He helped notch a victory against The
Choate School, now Choate Rosemary Hall, the first time the
Academy had bested their rival in the sport.
A biography written in 2012 by Ji Woo Lee ’17 and former
Academy History Teacher Ann Marie Svogun states Hurley
attended Lehigh University in Pennsylvania for a short time
before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1917. As World War I
entered its third year, he was assigned to radio operations
aboard submarines which patrolled international waters.
Hurley was also a crew member on the warships the U.S.S.
Pennsylvania and the U.S.S. Chicago.
By the time World War II was underway, Hurley had
risen from an administrator of the state’s Works Progress
Administration program to a commissioner for the
Connecticut Department of Public Works. His inauguration
as governor came just weeks after the United States declared
war on Japan.
A year later, as a 47th birthday present, a 122-page book
containing a collection of Hurley’s selected papers and
addresses was published.The preface states the project was
“made possible by the cooperation of a group of the governor’s
friends... [to honor] this record of his leadership to the people
of Connecticut.”The foreword was written by Sheriff.
1915 BASKETBALL TEAM; HURLEY PICTURED FRONT ROW FAR LEFT
A
9. 17the magazine of cheshire academy16
years-long collaboration between then
Sen. John F. Kennedy and Kenyan
politician Tom Mboya helped alumnus
Dr. Josphat Mugo Gachuhi ’63 escape a violent
civil war in East Africa when he was only 14 years
old. Gachuhi was one of nearly 800 Kenyans who
were part of a humanitarian airlift program which
transported students to the United States and
Canada between 1959 and 1963.
By adding summer school to his schedule at
Cheshire Academy, Gachuhi graduated in 1963,
just three years after arriving on campus. Upon
receiving a PhD in sociology in 1969 from State
University of New York, Buffalo, his professional
career centered on public service and social justice
reform in both the United States and Kenya.
Gachuhi returned to Kenya in 1970 with his
wife and young daughter. Soon after, he joined
the Institute for Developmental Studies at the
University of Nairobi.Then, in 1975, he was
hired as a consultant for the United Nations
Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO). During a decade-long tenure,
he shared his expertise in sociology as the
international organization’s regional population
adviser for Africa.
In that position, Gachuhi helped regional
governments and non-governmental organizations
implement family planning and population
programs, according to his colleague Charles
Njanga of Kenya. Gachuhi developed a draft
document, Njanga said, that became the basis for
their country’s National Council for Population
and Development. He also began developing an
expertise on support programs for the continent’s
aging population.
At the 122nd session of the executive board of
UNESCO in 1985 in Paris, a resolution was
proposed that a “Trust Fund for Aging” be
implemented to “meet the rapidly increasing
needs of the aging” in developing countries.The
proposal stemmed from a report delivered to
the United Nations World Assembly on Aging
held in Vienna in 1982. Gachuhi’s knowledge
and advice as the regional population adviser for
Africa would certainly have been considered as
part of the larger proposal.
Gachuhi’s path from African schoolboy to a
population expert began when he learned from his
mentor, Mboya, that an “excellent school” had been
found for him. According to his biography “Thirst
for Education: A Kenyan’s Sojourn to America in
Search of Education,” published in 2014, Gachuhi
was told he would attend a school in Connecticut
called Cheshire Academy. Never mind that he
didn’t know where in America the state was
located. Gachuhi noted that the Academy offered
him a scholarship with room, board, and tuition.
“There were no conditions attached other
than maintaining good grades and performing
light duties,” Gachuhi wrote. “I had no other
information about the school other than it had
been founded by Christians,” he noted. His book
reveals that the author did not underestimate
the challenges he would face when he arrived on
campus in the fall of 1960.
A
SOJOURN FOR THE U.N.
After escaping Kenya at the age of 14,
Dr. Josphat Mugo Gadhuhi '63 would
become an expert in sociology and
his planning would help governments
and non-government organizations
implement aging and population
programs.
10. 19the magazine of cheshire academy18
academyarchives
“MUGO HAD TO TOLERATE
A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS
ABOUT AFRICA, IMAGES
FROM AFRICAN MOVIES
LEFT AN IMPRESSION.”
- Ted Langston-Chase '63
One of Gachuhi’s best friends at the Academy
was Ric Haynes ’64. “I sat next to him at the
first school assembly,” Haynes said. “I asked
Gachuhi ‘where are you from, Philadelphia?’ He
told me no, Nairobi. I was aware of the culture,”
Haynes continued. “I asked him ‘are you
Maasai or Kukuli?’ That started the friendship.”
(Gachuhi was Kukuli.) Haynes went on to
learn key phrases in Swahili from his friend.
Haynes also learned what it was like to be
around Gachuhi. “People were prejudiced at
the Academy. It was a rough place in the 1960s.
When you’re friends with a black person, other
students say horrible things to you as well,”
Haynes noted.Their bond endured, however.
“Friendships are more valuable than shaming.
[Gachuhi] was very strong,” in his ability to
ignore the taunts, Haynes said.
“I did not experience extreme racism while at
the Academy,” Gachuhi wrote in his book.
[Most of] the people I met were at least
cordial; others were even good to me …The
family of the late Michael Kita [Junior School
Head] used to invite me to [their] home
for weekends,Thanksgiving, and Christmas
dinners. I felt very welcome in their home
during my years in Cheshire,” he wrote.
The only other black boarding student at the
time was Ted Langston-Chase ’63, who was
from Washington, D.C. “Mugo and I became
close friends in our senior year. Most of his
friends were musical and artistic.Those were
the students who were more inclined to engage
with him,” he said.
Through his parents, Langston-Chase had
met a number of adults from Sierra Leone and
Liberia.The two classmates were members
of the International Club and talked about
countries in Africa and other parts of the
world, Langston-Chase said. By his senior year,
Gachuhi was president of the club.
“He was reserved. Mugo had to tolerate a lot
of misconceptions about Africa,” Langston-
Chase said. “Images from African movies left
an impression.Tarzan for instance. Students
presumed everyone in Africa carried spears and
lived in huts.”
Gachuhi ignored or overlooked the taunts
and went on to a lifetime of achievement.
Following his work with UNESCO, he
joined Kenyatta University College in 1985 to
work in its Bureau of Educational Research.
Gachuhi remained at the college for about 15
years as a teacher, researcher, and community
development specialist.
In 2000, Gachuhi was asked to join a taskforce
in Kenya to write a “National Policy on Older
Persons and Aging.”The paper was reviewed
the next year by the Organization of National
Unity and HelpAge International.
Oxford University came calling in 2004
asking Gachuhi to present a paper to the
university’s institute on aging. He wrote in his
autobiography that scholars from other parts of
Africa and the world attended the conference.
The conclusion was to establish the African
Research on Aging Network which was
endorsed by the United Nations.
During a number of years that Gachuhi was
involved in national committees and task forces,
he also had to contend with a serious disease:
diabetes. In 1997, he had a kidney transplant
and was hospitalized several times in the
following years for complications.
Gachuhi returned to the Academy in 2008 for
the first time since graduation. He wrote in
his autobiography that he hoped to find more
information about how he was chosen to attend
school in Connecticut. Despite reviewing
his student records, Gachuhi was not able
to answer the long-carried question. Former
archivist Ann Moriarty was, however, able
to provide a trove of photos and information
about his student years, some of which is
published in the autobiography.
The same year as his visit to the Academy,
Gachuhi was appointed as a visiting
professor at the Georgia State University
Gerontology Institute in Atlanta. In an
email sent to Moriarty, he writes “I am quite
involved in research on older persons after
doing development research” [for HelpAge
International]. He added that Kenyatta
University planned to offer undergraduate and
graduate classes based on his curriculum.
At the age of 75, Mugo Gachuhi passed away
in Atlanta on March 8, 2016. A message posted
on a memorial page said “Mugo was a man of
immense intellectual capacity. He had a good
sense of humor and he used it to great effect,
making those around him very comfortable and
willing to listen as he ably articulated his ideas.”
Access Gachuhi's autobiography at
magazine.cheshireacademy.org/archives
17
94
“MUGO WAS A
MAN OF IMMENSE
INTELLECTUAL
CAPACITY.”
- ANONYMOUS
RIGHT: MUGO GACHUHI AND THE STAFF OF THE ACADEMY REVIEW, THE SCHOOL NEWSPAPER
12. 22 23
ELECTED BY THEIR PEERS,
CLASS OFFICERS DREAM BIG
TO SHAPE CAMPUS EVENTS
PRESIDENTIAL
PROMISES
JOHN JIANG '17
13. 25the magazine of cheshire academy24
oncampus
nothing could be more important
than election season: Presidential candidates make promises, explain
their values, and campaign for enough votes to earn a four-year seat in
the White House.
At Cheshire Academy,we have our own elections each year: class officers.
Of course, there are key differences; at the Academy, the popular vote
prevails, unhindered by messy checks on
democracy like electoral colleges; terms last
only one year; and this year's winning senior
class president reigns from Von der Porten
Hall (sans secret service).
Despite these differences—and perhaps one
or two others—many students and faculty
see the race to class officership as one that
teaches both elected officials and their
classmates a valuable lesson in democracy.
“The kids learn what it’s like to get up,
speak, apply for a position, and then try and
fulfill their promises. And it’s not an easy
thing to do in an institution even the size of
Cheshire Academy. Now imagine working
to change an entire country! It’s a great
learning experience,” said Senior Class
advisor and Science Department Co-Chair
Ray Cirmo.
Julia Rafferty ’18, president of her class for
the second year running, has the carriage
of a career politician. In her mind, elected
class officers hold positions of service, and
enact the will of their constituents.“We really did put an emphasis in our
speeches that we wanted to not just hold the positions as titles [...], but
really […] be representatives of our class and represent the things they
find important.”
“Last year we had the same ideas in place and this year we’re continuing
our goals,” said Kate Davis ’18, who is in her second year as treasurer
of her class. Incumbents Rafferty and Davis were joined this year by
newly elected junior class officers Vice President Lexi Williamson and
Secretary Jemimah Frempong. Together, they have a special focus on
philanthropy. In addition to working with local food banks to arrange
student participation in service events, they are spearheading service
opportunities with the local St. Francis Hospital using Williamson’s
familial connections.
However, before a student can wield the
power of class officership to enact change, he
or she must first get elected.To do so requires
the popular vote of their class, gained through
rigorous campaigning,a speech,and,of course,
campaign promises.
“My favorite campaign promise has to be a
promise to change the dress code,” chuckled
Cirmo.“However,I always encourage students
to try to enact that promise. I urge them to do
more than say they’re unhappy with the dress
code.Instead,propose a new dress code policy!
Create change in a way that is organized and
orderly.”
This year’s Senior Class President John Jiang
had a more modest proposal: to increase
attendance in campus activities. “John’s
enthusiasm is amazing. His campaign was,
‘I’m going to get more kids involved in
everything,’ and that was really poignant,
I thought,” said International Student
Coordinator Cori Dykeman.
Jiang,with the help of his fellow senior officers
Secretary Miranda Chen and Treasurer Abby Kandel, has been a force
to be reckoned with this year. Their annual senior Halloween Auction
raised $2,735, in part due to the strategic selection of popular teachers to
auction off. Jiang even had a new idea to list bigger ticket items: “Faculty
families,”like the Dykeman family, could be bid on for a higher cost.The
senior class donated $1,400 of the funds to the Lights of Hope, making
their grade the largest donor to the local Cheshire charity.
“WE STILL
HAVE TWO
YEARS, SO
I’M NOT
CROSSING
IT OFF
THE LIST
JUST YET.”
- JULIA RAFFERTY
TO MANY U.S.VOTERS,
L-R: CLASS PRESIDENTS JULIA RAFFERTY '18, JOHN JIANG '17, AND PETER DENG '19.
14. 27the magazine of cheshire academy26
oncampus
SECOND TERM JUNIOR CLASS OFFICERS JULIA RAFFERTY AND KATE
DAVIS REPLICATE THE POSES OF THEIR POLITICAL INSPIRATION:
LESLIE KNOPE, OF THE TELEVISION SHOW "PARKS AND REC."
Some of Jiang’s other initiatives include creating a set time for inter-class
officer meetings once a month and working with campus administrators
to write class officer job descriptions to guide future leaders. He also
aims to create a council with Deng and Rafferty that will allow students
to provide more say in activities run by the school for students, such as
Spirit Week or the Winter Olympics. Jiang’s overall goal is to ensure
that all students feel welcome and included, and can have a voice in the
planning process.
“They really set the bar on campus,”said Cirmo.“The school looks up to
them. They always need to be in dress code and they always need to be
setting the example. That’s what it means to
be a leader.”
The class officers are leaders in more ways
than one. Those who, like Rafferty and
Davis, are in their second-term, have a lot
to pass on to their successors. “I work with
the junior president,” said Sophomore Class
President Peter Deng, “asking for advice
on the dances because basically Julia did
the homecoming dance [last year] so I was
trying to learn from her.” Deng and fellow
officers Vice President Jameson Hardy,
Secretary David Licki, Treasurer Linda
Lin, and Representative Grace Sun are
responsible for planning the Homecoming
Dance—an annual sophomore class officer
tradition.
If planning a dance for the entire school sounds like a logistical
challenge for a high school student, it certainly is. Staying organized,
communicating effectively, and following up to make things happen
are key skills that class officers gain during their tenure. Deng recently
heard from his constituents that they would prefer a different date for
the homecoming dance; however, he learned that vendor contracts had
already been signed—a valuable lesson in event planning and vendor
management.“The biggest challenge that I’m facing is communication,”
said Deng.
He sees his role as providing a link both between students and from
students to teachers. “When I communicate with someone, I have to
think about different perspectives.
The junior class officers have a secret weapon when it comes to staying
organized: Davis.“She won’t give herself credit for it,”said Rafferty,“but
[Davis] does a lot of the organization, and the emailing and saying we
have to have this in at this time, or we have a meeting, and we rely on
her a lot for that.”
Despite Davis’ organizational prowess, sometimes even the best ideas
are thwarted by lack of funds or bureaucratic
hurdles. “I had this grand idea of a music
festival,” said Rafferty. “I wanted to have
local musicians from the town of Cheshire
and artists from campus.” She envisioned a
big tent on the lawn with all-day concerts,
food trucks, and fun—almost like a unity
concert.“With time and with money, maybe
I could draw up plans and pass the idea on,”
she said, “but we still have time, so I’m not
crossing it off the list just yet.”
While the older class officers are seeing
the light at the end of their term tunnels,
those in the freshman class just elected
their representatives this fall: President
William Song, Vice President Jerry Dong,
Treasurer Victoria Ye, and Secretary Julia Gillotti, with the eighth grade
represented by Jonathan Velazquez.The shortened terms gives little time
to enact policy, but ample time for future planning.
As all politicians know, coming up with the ideas isn’t the problem.
Finding the money and getting the green light to make it happen? Well
that’s another story. Ever the optimists though, each officer expressed
hope for future events, emboldened by their gained experience, and
ready to create something great both for their classes and the Academy
as a whole. Certainly, that leaves a lot to look forward to.
See more photos of the class officers online
at magazine.cheshireacademy.org/campus
17
94
“THEY
REALLY
SET THE
BAR ON
CAMPUS.”
- RAY CIRMO
15. 29the magazine of cheshire academy28
oncampus
In an election year, it was no surprise that History Teacher
Christine Monahan wanted to bring the American voting
experience to Cheshire Academy. “We’re an international
school, and what a great opportunity for us to have students
from all over the world participate in a model of the American electoral
process,” she said.Thanks to Monahan’s inspiration, an effort to plan a
Mock Election at Cheshire Academy was started.
A true teacher, Monahan didn’t want to be the driving force behind the
entire effort though; it needed to have a student’s touch. Carly Fischer ’17
was that student. “When you have the political bug, you tend to gravitate
toward others with it,” noted Monahan. “Carly seemed like a natural
choice. She had the skill set and interest that would make her successful at
managing a project like a Mock Election.”
As expected, Fischer rose to the challenge. “I’ve always been involved in
politics with my family growing up, but I never had the opportunity to do
something like this,” she said, noting that she might want to study political
science in college.
With Fischer on board, the two got to work.The plan was to make the
actual voting process as official as possible. Part of that included having
students and faculty register to vote in advance. “If you don’t register, you
can’t vote,” said Monahan. “It’s about responsibility. In most states you have
to plan in advance. We wanted them to have the sense of being left out if
they didn’t take the time to register early.”There were also no incentives
to vote. "We want this to be authentic and real," said Fischer. "People vote
because they care and want their voices heard, not because they get a bonus
on their grade.”
An authentic ballot experience was also on the agenda. “Ideally we
would use a Scantron type device,” noted Monahan, but that method
of assessment isn’t used at Cheshire Academy.They began to research
alternatives for tabulating the results of the election and found Zipgrade.
Fischer agreed that this product, which turns any smartphone or tablet into
a Scantron-like grading machine, could be the solution they needed. “It
looked really efficient,” she said.
Knowing that Fischer and Monahan alone couldn’t coordinate this effort,
Monahan’s two AP Government classes were added to the task force. Since
understanding the election was already a key component of those classes,
it made sense. However, Monahan noted that it was important to not
influence her students with her own political opinions. “I had to be careful
in how I taught, as I need to stay unbiased.”They spent time assessing
the candidates’ strengths and concerns that voters might have about each
of them. “You could really see some of our students grapple with their
thoughts and allegiances to the different parties, and if they could continue
to support their party’s candidate or not,” Monahan observed.
THE MAKING OF A
MOCK ELECTION
16. 30 31
directing them through the process. “We switched up roles so students
worked all the stations and rotated throughout the room,” added Monahan,
which was part of ensuring everyone got the full experience of what it takes
to organize an election.
“It really takes a village,” acknowledged Fischer. “From the outside, it might
seem not complicated, but there are really so many variables that go into
making sure everything goes smoothly. At the end of the day, if things don’t
go well, it falls on us.”
Monahan noted that they were a little disappointed with the voter
registration from the community, but acknowledged that they still held true
to their “register in advance or you can’t vote” policy. By mid-day, just over
60 percent of those who registered to vote had visited the polls. By the end
of the day, 82 percent of the registered Cheshire Academy voters had cast
their ballots.
Once the votes were counted, Clinton took the presidency with 57
percent of the vote at the Academy’s Mock Election. While the Cheshire
Academy election results differed from those the nation saw on November
8, 2016—Clinton received only 48 percent of the vote nationally—the
voting experience that our students had was similar, giving all students the
opportunity for their voices to be heard.
See more photos online at
magazine.cheshireacademy.org/campus
17
94
BELOW: KARLY FISCHER '17
Monahan noted that while
many teachers around the
nation shied away from
the election, especially
with the challenges of
this year's controversial
campaigns, others still
wanted to really bring it
to the classroom and share
information. “The nature of
this particular election has been
challenging though,” she said. “But as the
students get older, it becomes more appropriate for them
to really delve into the details of the campaigns.”
For a while, they anticipated holding mock debates, with students taking
on the roles of the candidates and hashing out the issues in front of other
students. However, the idea had to be nixed. “Once the election became so
polarizing and personally aggressive, it was hard to push students to endorse
either side publicly,” said Fischer.
The importance of election day is why Monahan
and Fischer worked to create this event. “This whole
Mock Election effort is especially important for
upperclassmen like me,” Fischer said, pointing out
that some Academy students are of age to vote in the actual election. “This
experience is helping us understand how campaigns progress over time, how
we assess candidates and what the results of an election mean to us. I’m really
excited to see what the results are, since we have such a diverse community.
Early in the morning, before the mock polls officially opened at Cheshire
Academy, Monahan, Fischer, and the AP Government students were
busy preparing.They had already decorated the event room and set up
registration tables, voting booths, and exit interview stations, plus, the bake
sale station was filling up with freshly made sweets from faculty.The two
AP Government classes took part in an on campus field trip, manning the
polling station for the entire day. “It is pretty cool to see all the students come
together, from all over the world,” said Monahan, as she looked around the
fully staffed room.There were students at each station, welcoming voters and
WHEN YOU HAVE
THE POLITICAL
BUG, YOU TEND
TO GRAVITATE
TOWARD OTHERS
WITH IT.
”- CHRISTINE MONAHAN
“
ELECTION DAY
TOP L-R: BROOKE DEHAIS '17, VICTORIA GIACOBBE '17
BOTTOM L-R: MATTHEW TACOPINA '17 AND OLEG LYUBIMOV '17
17. 32 33
high school students
around the world gather to participate in a club
focused on diplomacy, international relations, and
the United Nations. For almost 100 years, Model
United Nations, also known as Model UN, has
given students the opportunity to learn how to
research, debate, write, critically think, and work
together. For many Academy students, the Model
UN experience isn’t just a way to appease their
academic requirements; rather, it has unlocked
passions they barely knew existed, built skills that
will last a lifetime. And for some it has pushed them
towards careers in politics, government, and more.
The Model UN club’s main goal is to give members
a simulation of the United Nations through which
delegates debate, collaborate, and attempt to solve
wide-ranging international issues. The club's Lead
advisor is English Teacher Theresa West, with the
help of Director of the Writing Center Wendy
Swift and History Teacher Jennifer Dillon. West
reminisced, “When I first started, we held sessions
in the evenings right before study hall. That spring,
Patrick Brown,who was an eighth grader at the time
and now a senior, attended the Kingswood Oxford
Model United Nations Middle School conference
and won best delegate. It was a good start.”
Conferences are where students get to put what
they’ve learned to good use. In January 2013, West
brought 16 students to Yale for the annual Model
UN conference, which the club has attended each
year since. In addition to Yale, Choate Rosemary
Hall also holds a mini conference, which the
Academy has attended for the last two years.
Cheshire Academy itself has held conferences on
topics like gun control and drone use. In November,
the club held a mini conference with Cheshire High
School on the topic of the Syrian Refugee Crisis. In
addition to domestic conferences, in 2015 a small
group from the Academy traveled to Haileybury and
Imperial Service College in England, which hosts
the largest Model UN conference in their country.
Students were given the opportunity to attend the
conference and participate, and several even came
home with a few awards for best delegates.
“In the Model UN club, students learn through
their active participation in conferences. Returning
students teach new club members the skills and
knowledge they need in order to participate
effectively at conferences,” said West. “A student
might address an audience of over 300 students in
a committee at Yale. Our practice conferences help
students gain confidence in their ability to think on
their feet and to express their ideas clearly. Students
work together to develop written resolutions that
address global crises.”
EVERY YEAR,
A MODEL STUDENT
18. 35the magazine of cheshire academy34
to the next level. “The Academy’s Model UN
provided a healthy appreciation for the mechanics
and procedural processes of both governmental
and international organizations, like the United
Nations,” said Thomas Cavaliere ’15. “Without the
hard work—and fun, of course—at our conferences,
I would be without the skills needed to tackle my
internships in the European Parliament and the
Unites States Senate, where I am now.”Cavaliere is
currently studying international affairs at American
University and has interned with the European
Parliament with Czech MEP Miroslav Poche,
who is a Member of the Progressive Alliance of
Socialists and Democrats. He is currently interning
in Senator Richard Blumenthal’s Office (D-CT)
in the U.S. Senate. Read more about Cavaliere's
experiences on page 64.
Recent graduate and salutatorian Paola Fortes
Fernandez’16,who is studying international studies
and focusing on Latin America at the University
of Michigan, clearly remembers the Model UN’s
role in continuing her education. “My dream is to
someday work at the United Nations, primarily the
Development Programme, Children’s Fund;, or
Educational,Scientific,and Cultural Organization,”
she said. “Being a leader and delegate of Model
UN has not only taught me the parliamentary
procedures of the United Nations, but it has also
taught me important life skills such as public
speaking and how to develop a successful argument.”
Fortes even recalls a very special opportunity
that was presented to her while at the Academy:
“Because of my involvement in Model UN and
other extracurricular activities,I was actually invited
to be a part of the Mexican delegation at the UN
General Assembly. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go as it
would have required me to miss more than a month
of school, but I owe part of this achievement to the
Academy’s Model UN club.”
While the necessary skills to work in international
affairs are important, for some students the Model
UN experience opened up a yearning to make the
world a better place through diplomatic means.
Guillermo Garcia Montenegro ’13 remembers
his time in Model UN. “First, it gave me a more
nuanced perspective as to how governments
interact with one another in the international
arena,” he stated. “Second, it also proved to me the
pivotal role that multilateral organizations, like the
UN, play in sustaining world peace and overseeing
the actions of sovereign states within their borders.”
Montenegro is attending Kenyon College for
international studies and sociology. As he continues
with his studies,he’s realized the many complexities
and obstacles that are present in international
politics. However, this has motivated Montenegro
to immerse himself further not only in his studies,
but also with real-world experiences.
In addition to studying related fields in college,
students are also finding new clubs that extend their
passions. “In college, I am taking courses in public
policy, and I am heavily involved in my school’s
Amnesty International club, which is part of the
world’s largest human rights organization,” said
Shannon Lewis ’16.“I took the skills I learned from
Model UN to Washington, D.C. this November,
where I lobbied for The Refugee Protection Act
of 2016 on behalf of Amnesty.” Lewis was also a
Rizzolo-Larson Venture Grant winner during her
time at the Academy and took the “International
Human Rights & Politics”course at Yale during the
summer between her junior and senior years.
The impact of Model UN has also helped some
students to unlock new passions they might not
have discovered. Demi Vitkute ’13 from Lithuania
remembers, “I was in the Press Corps committee at
the Yale conference and it was the first time I felt
the intensity of a press room during breaking news,
even though it was simulated. And here I am today,
still pursuing journalism.” Vitkute is currently
working towards her master’s degree in journalism
at Columbia University and is co-founder of an
online publication dubbed “The Urban Watch
Magazine.”According to the Vitkute, the magazine
looks at “the culture, fashion, business, and people
of New York and London.”
Another example of finding new passions includes
Gabriel Bradley ’14, who’s studying at State
University of New York, Purchase.“Model UN was
a vital opportunity for me during high school …
because it exposed me to and inspired me toward
social activism,”he said.“As a person of color living
today in this country, it is essential to be aware,
informed, and prepared to take action.”
While high schools across the country continue to
offer a variety of clubs for students, none might be
as successful in ushering students into the world of
politics, government, and international relations as
the Model UN. For Cheshire Academy students,
it appears the club is well on its way to producing
some of the world’s greatest politicians, leaders,
writers, and humanitarians.
I’VE NEVER MET A
GROUP OF YOUNG
PEOPLE AS DEDICATED
TO ENGAGING IN THEIR
IDEAS AT SUCH A
HIGH LEVEL AS I HAVE
THROUGHOUT MODEL
UN CONFERENCES.
- PATRICK BROWN ’17
“
“
Share your Model UN memories at
magazine.cheshireacademy.org/campus
17
94
MOST KIDS OUR AGE ARE MORE WORRIED ABOUT
CLOTHES, SOCIAL MEDIA, GOSSIP, WHEREAS
IN MODEL UN YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY YOUNG
PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT GLOBAL ISSUES AND
WANT TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
- ZOE GENDEN ’19
“
“
Working together and meeting new students are
just a few of the major reasons students decide to
join the club. “My favorite aspect would have to be
the students in the club and the other delegates at
the conferences,” said Regina McCoy ’17. “Most
kids our age are more worried about clothes, social
media, and gossip, whereas in Model UN you’re
surrounded by young people who care about global
issues and want to make the world a better place.”
Zoe Genden ’19, a second year club member, added
by saying, “I get to develop a lot of new skills, like
public speaking, debate, and research, while meeting
many different people. I also enjoy listening and
talking to such a diverse group of people, and
eventually you create a network of friends from all
different backgrounds and schools.”
With all the reasons students have joined the
club, it’s Brown, the current Club President, who
summed it up best. “I remember a time during
my first conference at Yale when, after two days of
debate, the room had finally drafted a resolution
that seemed to solve everything we’d been working
on. The vote passed unanimously and a palpable
wave of relief washed over the room. That, to me, is
Model UN at its best," he explained. "Even though
we had been debating fiercely for hours on end, we
were all there to cooperate,and at the end of the day,
it was immensely satisfying to see our work pay off,
even if only in simulation.”
For many students, returning to the club after
their first year is not uncommon. “I have been
participating in the club for three years,” said
McCoy, who started her sophomore year. Brown,
who has served as president for three years, has been
in the program now for five years, having joined
when he was in the eighth grade. Brown said, “The
reason I’ve stayed as involved in Model UN as I have
for as long is the dedication of the community. I’ve
never met a group of young people as dedicated to
engaging in their ideas at such a high level as I have
throughout Model UN conferences.The energy and
commitment that each of us bring to debate is what
makes the process so worthwhile.”
The impact the club is having on students is
evidenced by the fact that many of them are
thinking about continuing their education in similar
areas of study. Even though Genden is only in her
second year of Model UN, she is currently the club’s
secretary and thinking about a future related to it.
“As of now, I can see myself going into government
or politics as I think those topics are really
fascinating,” she said. “I’m currently a sophomore
and interested in majoring in political science.”
Brown, who will be heading to Yale University in
the fall,is also thinking about a related major saying,
“Examining international relations through the lens
of Model UN has piqued my interest; I’m looking
into a global affairs major as a result.”
Even more intriguing are students like Julia Rafferty
’18, whose interests aren't usually associated with
governments. “I have a very strong passion for
musical theater and government, which may seem
very different, but they really aren’t.” said Rafferty.
She goes on to describe how both subject areas
require her to be able to hold herself in front of a
large crowd and perform. In addition, she describes
how passion plays a large role in both foreign
affairs, which she can see herself studying in college
along with musical theater. Rafferty joined her
freshman year and is interested in foreign affairs,
international relations, fighting for social justice,
and public speaking.
While current students continue to figure out if
politics and government are the right fit for them,
alumni who were in Model UN have utilized
what they learned and are taking those passions
19. 37the magazine of cheshire academy36
oncampus
In the quarterfinal round of the NEPSGVA Class
B tournament, the Varsity Volleyball team fell to
Suffield Academy by a score of 3-1 (25-14, 25-12,
20-25, and 25-15) on Wednesday, November 16.
The Cats were led by co-captain Lexe Holmes
’18, who had 15 kills and one block, and Des
Parker ’18, who had three aces, five kills, and seven
blocks. Postgraduate Molly Fusarelli contributed
four aces and 23 assists.
VARSITY VOLLEYBALL SECURES
CLASS B PLAYOFF TRIP
Stefano Del Piccolo ’17 represented his home country of Italy in the 18U Four Nations
Hockey Tournament in St. Polten, Austria, November 3-5. During the three-day event,
the Italian team competed against Hungary on November 3, followed by Slovenia on
November 4, and finally Austria on November 5.
“This is a tremendous honor that I know he is extremely proud of, and everyone
associated with the Cheshire Academy program shares in this pride with him,” said Head
18U Hockey Coach & Hockey Operations Manager Kevin Cunningham. “Stefano is
a very talented player who combines high end offensive skills with a selflessness and
determination to succeed, making him an impact player every time he laces up his skates.”
In addition, the 18U & 16U Elite Hockey Program at Cheshire Academy received a
once in a lifetime experience on Wednesday, September 28, when its players had the
opportunity to go up against the Chinese National Team in Stamford, Connecticut.
ELITE HOCKEY STUDENT-ATHLETE CHOSEN
FOR ITALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
ATHLETICS CAMPAIGNS
VARSITY FOOTBALL CAPTURES NEPSAC WAYNE SANBORN BOWL
On a picture perfect day, the Varsity Football team beat Brunswick School 45-20 to capture the Wayne Sanborn Bowl on Saturday,
November 19. Head Coach David Dykeman’s Cats did it in fine fashion unleashing an explosive offense coupled with a suffocating
defense. Coby Tippett ’17 scored three times racking up 220 yards rushing.Tarik Black ’17 had two electrifying passes and catch
touchdowns in his final game for the Academy. CJ Holmes ’17 carried the ball 20 times for 120 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback
CJ Lewis ’17 was 11-13 passing for 220 yards and three touchdowns. Griffin Burke ’17, Jeremy Imperati ’17, Ryan Whittelsey ’17,
Zach Verdi ’17, Rob Hart ’17, Nick Cardello ’17, and Hunter Verdi ’17 shut down the explosive Brunswick offense. Joe Tacopina ’17
was outstanding all day with six extra points and a 30-yard field goal.The Academy closed the season with eight straight wins.
20. 38 39
STUDENT-ATHLETES RECEIVE LEAGUE HONORS
The following student-athletes received New England Prep School
Athletics Council honors for the fall athletic season:
VARSITY FOOTBALL
Coby Tippett ’17 - Class A All New England Selections
CJ Holmes ’17 - Class A All New England Selections
Tarik Black ’17 - Class A All New England Selections
Jeremy Imperati ’17 - Class A All New England Selections
VARSITY BOYS SOCCER
Ali Cindik ’17 - First player to earn Western New England Prep
Large School First Team, New England Prep School Soccer
Association First Team, and New England Prep School Soccer
Senior Large School All-Star Game, and MVP in his senior year
Luca Mazzella ’19 - Western New England Prep Large School
Honorable Mention
Osa Frederick '18 - New England Top 44 Junior All-Star Game
VARSITY GIRLS SOCCER
Carly Fischer ’17 - Western New England Preparatory School Soccer
Association All-Star, Senior Bowl
Miura Wiley ’17 - Western New England Preparatory School Soccer
Association All-Star, Senior Bowl
Olivia Betancourt ’18 - New England Prep School Soccer
Association Junior All-Star Team (could not play due to concussion)
VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY
Feize Turkmen ’18 - Western New England Girls Preparatory School
Field Hockey Association All-Star Game
Lucey Savino ’19 - Western New England Girls Preparatory School
Field Hockey Association All-Star Game
Find out more about the athletics season
at magazine.cheshireacademy.org/campus
17
94
NATIONAL SIGNING DAY
On Wednesday, November 9, the Academy had five student-
athletes commit on National Signing Day to Division I
universities to play baseball next spring.
“These five athletes are exemplar students and citizens at the
Academy,” said Head Varsity Baseball Coach John Toffey.
“A day like today is a result of countless hours of hard work,
discipline, focus, and determination.The institutional support
students receive at Cheshire Academy is unmatched. I’m very
proud of these boys and know they will be well prepared for
the challenges ahead.”
Commitments include: Jake Randolph (University of
North Carolina - Chapel Hill), Matt Mancino (Clemson
University), Andrew Gorham (Tulane University), James
Judenis (University of Hartford), and Chris Galland (Boston
College).
This is the first of multiple signings that will happen
throughout the winter and will be featured in the next issue.
Join us in congratulating members of the Elite Hockey
Program who participated in the All-Star Game at
Harvard College. A league record of 16 players from
Cheshire Academy were selected for the game, including
Cam Ellis ’18, Josh Waters ’19, Roope Partanen ’19,Tim
Heinke ’20, Chris Adam ’18, Jerrett Overland ’19, Kei
Yasuda ’19, Austin Withycombe ’18, Stefano Del Piccolo
’17, Henry Denne ’17, Danny Crossen ’17,Tyler English
’17, Grant Rodgers ’19, Kyle Anderson ’18, Guy Jung ’18,
and Brayden Pawluk ’17.
ELITE HOCKEY ALL-STAR GAME PARTICIPANTS
21. the magazine of cheshire academy 4140
SCULPTURES FROM DEPARTMENT CHAIR FRAN POISSON ON DISPLAY
For the better part of September, Fine & Performing Arts Department Chair Fran Poisson had
a series of his sculptures put on display in a show entitled “3X4” at Pascal Hall in Rockport,
Maine. Poisson’s collection highlighted different types of cars, which he has been working on for
the last 20 years. With 17 pieces in total, the series is made out of wood with cast iron wheels
and uses a technique called trompe l’oeil, which means fool the eye, and actually entails painting
the wood to look like wood grains and textures.
The majority of the cars are in Poisson’s Bunny Car series, which is inspired by Richard Scarry’s
children’s books and characters like Lowly Worm and the Apple Car.There is also a Refugee
Car, which is derived from a trip Poisson took to Serbia before the war broke out in the 90s.
“My car series are often times inspired by what I see and the political trends of the time,” said
Poisson. “Most recently, I finished a 1960s Italian super-car that includes a cast iron baby head.
I’m a bit of a car buff.”
STUDENTS SELECTED FOR SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT
REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC FESTIVAL
On Saturday, November 5, a total of 21 Cheshire Academy students
auditioned for the Southern Connecticut Regional High School
Music Festival. Competing against all other high schools in southern
Connecticut, 13 of Academy students were accepted and performed in
the festival on January 13 and 14, 2017 at the Middletown High School.
Evan Bajohr ’18 and Olivia Williamson ’20 were accepted for percussion,
Jameson Hardy ’19 and Daniel Li ’18 were accepted for saxophone,
Maggie Guarino-Trier ’18 and Julie Lee ’17 were accepted for flute,
and Alicia Kim ’18 was accepted for violin. For vocalists, James Kim
’17 and Aaron Luo ’19 were accepted for bass; Emma Zheng ’18, Julia
Rafferty ’18, and Samantha Weed ’18 were accepted for alto; and Lexi
Williamson ’18 was accepted for soprano.
See more photos and arts events online
at magazine.cheshireacademy.org/campus
17
94
FALL PLAY GIVES AUDIENCE
DINNER PARTY TO REMEMBER
A three-decade tradition, the annual Christmas party
hosted by the Misses Morkan in her apartment shared
with her niece, Mary Jane, in Ushers Island, Dublin, is
an event to look forward to. Songs were sung, drinks
were drunk, and dances were danced. It’s a play by
Richard Nelson and Shaun Davey based on the short
story “The Dead” by James Joyce in his collection,
“Dubliners” and was this year’s choice for the Fall Play,
performed by the Academy’s Varsity Players.
In total, more than 20 students, faculty, and staff
participated in this year’s production which had three
performances that ran Thursday, November 10 through
Saturday, November 12.
PRIMARY COLORS
L-R: GRACE GREEN '17 AND ABIGAIL ZUCKERT '17
22. 43the magazine of cheshire academy42
ALUMNIEVENTS AND ALUMNI SHAPING OUR WORLD
SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
@CHESHIREACADEMY
Cheshire Academy Welcomes
more than 30 0 Attendees to
Open Houses.
Excited to welcome
@LeilaSalesBooks to campus
today! Blue Room, 11-1pm.
http://leilasales.com
@CHESHIREACADEMY
@CHESHIREACADEMYTV
“My Recipe for Success”
produced and direc ted by
alumnus Otis Poisson ’07.
What’s a Spirit Week without a
Pep Rally! #CASpiritWeek2016
CHECK OUT OUR BLOGS!
BLOG.CHESHIREACADEMY.ORG
BLOGS.CHESHIREACADEMY.ORG/
SCRATCHUP
COLLEGE APPLICATION TIPS
-AMY NOH ‘17
THE CHESHIRE SPIRIT
FOR HALLOWEEN
-RICHARD YANG ‘18
PGS OF CA: TYLER PYNE
-MOLLY FUSARELLI ’17
#goCAcats Student Instagram Photo #oscartao #CAalumni
Lights of Hope.
FACEBOOK.COM/
CHESHIREACADEMY
UPDATE: The numbers are in from
Giving Tuesday and we raised
$115,544 from 129 donors! Thank you
to all who par ticipated this year--
your suppor t is truly appreciated.
Also, special thanks go to Trustees
Richard Katz ‘64 and Donald
Rosenberg ‘67 for their matching
challenge gif ts.
4 COLLEGE ATHLETIC
SCHOLARSHIP MYTHS
-DANIEL MONAHAN
IS YOUR HIGH SCHOOL ART
PROGRAM GOOD ENOUGH?
-CAITLIN GARZI
THE HIGH SCHOOL PHYSICS
CLASSROOM: TIPS FOR STUDENT/
TEACHER SUCCESS
-RAY CIRMO
FINDING THE RIGHT PRIVATE
SCHOOL IS LIKE PLANNING A
WEDDING
-SARAH THOMPSON
23. the magazine of cheshire academy44
alumni
He stays with the same firms to conduct
survey research and polling, television
advertising production, and digital media,
including Facebook and websites.These
ongoing relationships help O’Connell keep costs
low, maintain consistency of work, and increase
the potential for faster turnaround on projects.
O’Connell’s accomplishments as a campaign
manager helped him launch a new chapter in his
career at the time of the interview. Working for
the National Republican Senatorial Committee as
a project manager, he is in charge of running the
ground operation in Pennsylvania on behalf of the
senatorial committee, campaigning for one of the
five seats that will decide which party controls the
Senate Chamber next year. “I like the action and
the challenge of it, it’s sport to me.”
“This is something so different from what I
normally do,” he commented. One of the biggest
challenges for O’Connell today is managing
people, something that wasn’t as prevalent in his
previous roles. “I have a staff of 200 under me,
and I even had to hire local people to go out and
do door-to-door research. I’ve never been given a
task that wasn’t possible, but many of them are
daunting. Knocking on doors in an unfamiliar
and heavily democratic community to survey
them was one of those challenges.” O’Connell’s
solution? Find local people passionate about the
cause who could connect with voters on both
sides of the aisle.
“I have to put together a budget that fits with the
amount of financial resources that the candidate
has … the budget is the biggest challenge in most
campaigns.” O’Connell is no stranger to another
obstacle when it comes to running campaigns,
finances, as he proved with his achievements in
2013. He laughed, “I don’t have an accounting
degree or background in human resources, but
in this role, I’m both an accountant and an HR
manager.” From balancing budgets to hiring
new personnel, a project manager’s job on any
campaign is to make sure everything gets done.
O’Connell has a vast network, and it has been
influencing him for years, even as a student at
Cheshire Academy. “David was a student with
a seriousness of purpose few of his peers could
match. He knew far more about American
political culture than most adults,” said History
Teacher James “Butch” Rogers, who had
O’Connell as a student.
O’Connell pointed out that he didn’t come from
a political family, but his father encouraged
him to pursue his passion. “I was in Mr. Rogers’
government class at the time, and he had this
poster for a high school lecture series down in
DC. My dad went up and took one of those
tear offs for more information and brought it
to me. I threw it away.” Not one to give up, his
father, Gregory O’Connell ’66, went back and
got another one and forced him to go. “I ended
up loving it. I was very into history and the
government at the time,” he said.
“Perhaps it was in AP Government class where
he really learned to articulate his political beliefs,”
Rogers said.That particular class was made
up of students who were very liberal, and
O’Connell was the only true conservative in
the room. But it didn’t bother him one bit. “I
really enjoyed that competition. My experiences
at Cheshire Academy shaped me more for my
general direction than even my college did. I loved
where I went to college, but I knew I wanted to
get a political science degree and work in political
campaign management before I went to college,”
he said.
Since graduating, O’Connell has even come back
to campus to share his experiences and insight
of running a campaign with students, both as a
speaker on the Cheshire Conversations career
panel and in Rogers’ government class. His passion
and leadership have lead him down a challenging
but rewarding career path. “I was reading an article
about how a lot of Americans have anxiety over
the election. I’ve always been competitive and
enjoy that aspect of this work.”
Now that this current race is over, O’Connell
isn’t sure what the future will hold for him. He
explained, “The new president will appoint a new
cabinet, and inevitably will choose new congress
members, which can spur special elections ...
There’s a chance that I could be grabbed to manage
one of those. Another option is that I could go
after a position to become a recruiter to get people
to run for congress themselves. I’d be responsible
for 30-40 seats. I also have some connections to
the senate committee too, and that could affect my
direction. My network will greatly influence the
career path I take after this.”Whatever happens,
O’Connell is confident that, “only good things will
happen for me in the future.”
See more photos of David O'Connell at
magazine.cheshireacademy.org/alumni
17
94
“There were 16 candidates, and we had to get into
the top two spots of the run-off election. We were
outspent by two million dollars, but we were able
to advance despite the discrepancy.That changed
my career, really.” People started to take notice
of O’Connell more than ever, as he was able to
hold his own even without the large budget that
others had at their disposal. “After that, my career
took off. I went to work for the chairman of the
National Republican Congressional committee,”
he said.
“I wasn’t expecting the job offer that I got three
years ago.” O’Connell explained that after the
South Carolina race, he got a call to come to
the Party headquarters in Washington, D.C. “I
met the chairman, who wanted to know how I
designed the campaign because it was so unusual.
I mobilized a large portion of the community that
normally didn’t vote and got them involved.”
O’Connell didn’t know this was an interview.
“I was just shooting the breeze, very casual and
relaxed in my conversations. I didn’t realize that
he wanted me to manage his race, and I wasn’t
prepared for that to be an interview. I just spoke
to him as someone I wanted to get to know.”
Fortunately, O’Connell is someone who can easily
speak about his field without any preparation. He
was still surprised he was offered a job on the spot.
As a political campaign manager, mostly in the
west, O’Connell has been in charge of running 10
different congressional campaigns. His name is on
a short list of people that Republican candidates
who run for congress can call.They can review his
resume, interview him, and decide if they want to
work with him.
One of his secrets to success? Maintaining
consistent relationships with vendors across the
country. “I try to make sure that the landscape and
the candidates are the only things that change.”
RUNNING THE
R CESDavid O’Connell ’02 is no stranger to the challenges of running
a political campaign; he spent the first five years of his career
on the losing side of elections. Back in 2008, he was managing
small congressional races and consistently losing. But, things
changed in 2013 when O’Connell managed a competitive special
congressional election in Charleston, South Carolina.
DAVID O'CONNELL '02
24. the magazine of cheshire academy 47the magazine of cheshire academy46
alumni
BEHINDTHE MAN
THE MONEY
ANY GOOD POLITICAL RACE requires a few basic necessities: a
candidate, running platform, and money. When it comes to the money,
Cheshire Academy alumnus Brian Goldmeier ’02 has quickly made a name
for himself by raising millions of dollars for political candidates. His company,
BYG Strategies Inc., is now the go-to resource for fundraising in South
Florida. However, that wasn’t his original plan.
GOLDMEIER WITH PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AT MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 2016 (DGA EVENT), COURTESY PHOTO
BRIAN GOLDMEIER ’02
25. 49the magazine of cheshire academy48
alumni
When asked about what makes him successful at his job, it wasn’t the
total amount of money raised that Goldmeier touted. In fact, it was the
invaluable contacts he’s created. “My goal is to create relationships,” he
said. “The more people and relationships I create, the more I can help
others when it comes to fundraising.”
The approach is a bit unconventional for the field and is another
reason he can fundraise for both democrat and republican candidates.
Goldmeier thinks first about creating relationships and then later
decides what may be the best giving plan for that individual, if any at all.
“I’m extremely targeted,” he noted. “When it comes to political giving
you have to be very strategic. Not everyone is the right person to ask
for money for a given campaign.” Depending on the politician’s views,
relationships, and office they are running for, Goldmeier will decide who
is best to ask for donations. He used an example of not asking someone
to support a new athletics stadium if you know the person is into the arts.
“Again, you have to be very smart and strategic,” he reiterated. “I may not
reach out to you for months, but when I do, I believe it's because this is
the right cause or campaign for you to get involved in.”
Another reason Goldmeier is focused on creating these strong
partnerships first is because his fundraising doesn’t end at political
candidates. “The relationships I’ve created has allowed me to really help
Miami, which I truly love,” he mentioned. “I have a number of charities
I help fundraise for using my relationships.” Some of those charity
organizations include his local United Way as well as celebrity basketball
player Alonzo Mourning, who created the Mourning Family Foundation
that supports after school programs for inner city youth.”
Goldmeier is also helping with a project called “The Underline.”The goal
is to create a 10-mile linear park below Miami’s Metrorail, which will
create an open space that will run from the Miami River to Dadeland
South Station.The park will give residents a place to support a healthy
lifestyle, art, and more.
Goldmeier isn’t just living in the present either when it comes to the
relationships he’s creating. He’s actively attending networking events
and connecting with the young professionals in the area as well.These
individuals, in time, will become the political and societal front-runners
in the years to come. “Life is about equity, not just retainers,” he said. “I
believe that 15 years down the road all of these relationships will lead to
amazing opportunities.” In short, Goldmeier is putting in the time with
all of the residents of South Florida as he continues to focus on being a
top fundraiser. Whether fundraising for a political campaign, commercial
opportunity, or charity organization, he is there to help and has the
connections to make it all happen.
At the end of the day, Goldmeier may have raised millions of dollars,
but as he continues to support his community and grow relationships it’s
evident that he’s so much more than just the man behind the money.
L: GOLDMEIER AND HILLARY CLINTON IN NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, 2015 (HRC NATIONAL FINANCE COMMITTEE EVENT), COURTESY PHOTO
R: RAHM EMANUAL, GOLDMEIER, AND MAYOR CARLOS A GIMENEZ IN MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 2014 (RAHM EMANUEL EVENT), COURTESY PHOTO
See more photos of Goldmeier online
at magazine.cheshireacademy.org/alumni
17
94
ooking back at his time at the
Academy, Goldmeier admits that he
lacked structure. “My parents sent me
to boarding school at the age of 12,”
Goldmeier stated. “When I landed at Cheshire
Academy, I was very independent.” It wasn’t until
he started playing tennis with Coach Chip Boyd
that Goldmeier truly found a passion. “I really
liked the teamwork and camaraderie of the team.
It made me want to go into a profession that
dealt with sports,” he reminisced.
When it was time for college, Goldmeier chose a
small independent college just north of Boston,
Massachusetts. Endicott College was home to
just 3,000 undergraduates but gave Goldmeier a
major he was interested in exploring called sports
management. “I wanted to be a sports agent,”
said Goldmeier.
After graduating Endicott, Goldmeier looked
to start an internship with a professional sports
team. However, none of the teams he approached
were hiring at the time. While being a sports
agent was still on his mind, he decided start the
process of applying to law school. In the midst of
taking the LSAT, Goldmeier’s father—who has
experience in the political world through his real
estate, housing, and development firm and by
having a business partner close to the Clintons—
suggested he try something in politics.
In 2007, Goldmeier was given the chance to
intern with Hillary’s presidential campaign
against Barack Obama. Positioned on the New
England Finance Team, Goldmeier got his first
taste of fundraising by helping to contact people
in the area about giving to the campaign.
While not terribly excited about the opportunity,
Goldmeier did get a first-hand glimpse at the
role of politics in the world. “I really wasn’t very
interested in politics, but in 2006 Deval Patrick
was running for Governor of Massachusetts
and it kind of caught my attention,” he noted.
“Normally, I’d pick up a paper and read the
sports section and now all of a sudden I was
reading the political section.”
Once the Clinton campaign ended in 2008,
Goldmeier spotted another political opportunity
in New Hampshire that interested him. He
ultimately decided to defer from law school and
joined the Paul Hodes congressional campaign.
However, he felt something was missing. “New
Hampshire just wasn’t my cup of tea,” he said.
“I’m more of an urban and city guy.”
After the Hodes campaign, Goldmeier
discovered an interesting opening in Florida,
where he was originally from. “I saw that Alex
Sink, the current CFO for the state of Florida,
was running for re-election,” he remembered.
After moving to Florida, Goldmeier began
working on the campaign finance team. “You
learn quickly that in politics finance means
fundraising. I think it makes us sound more
professional to people,” he laughed.
During the re-election campaign, after some
political musical chairs, Sink would end
up running as the democratic nominee for
Governor of Florida. During the campaign,
the South Florida Finance Director decided to
leave, which put Goldmeier in an interesting
situation as the next in charge of the region.
While the campaign looked for replacements,
Goldmeier saw this as his opportunity. “Building
your career is about seeing that moment,” he
said. “I said to myself this is my opportunity.
Time to sink or swim.”
While the campaign continued to look for
a replacement, Goldmeier went to work. “I
didn’t sleep,” he said. Goldmeier read business
publications, conducted research, and built as
many relationships as he could in the area. He
constantly attended networking events and
arranged meetings for Sink. At the end of the
campaign, Goldmeier alone had raised about $7
million of Sink’s $30 million total amount. “Even
though Sink ended up losing by nearly a 1%
margin,” he said, “I had begun to make a name
for myself and on the election night of Sink’s loss
a friend came to me with another opportunity.”
Within the next couple days, Goldmeier began
having conversations about working as the
Finance Director on a new campaign for the
current County Commissioner Carlos Giménez,
who was considering a 2012 run for Miami-
Dade County Mayor. In one of the biggest voter
recalls in U.S. history, the current Mayor Carlos
Alvarez was ousted in March 2011. Giménez
decided to run in the special election for the
mayoral position against some steep competition.
“We started polling at six points, while our main
competitor was in the thirties.” Polling wasn’t the
only numbers Goldmeier had to be concerned
about.The opponent had the backing of the
establishment, which came with more financial
backing. However, Goldmeier had managed,
against all odds, to raise more than $2 million
in the special election and it did the trick. “We
won by two points, fifty-one to forty-nine.”
Goldmeier smiled.
“I SAID TO MYSELF THIS IS MY
OPPORTUNITY. TIME TO SINK OR SWIM.”
- BRIAN GOLDMEIER ’02
L
26. 51the magazine of cheshire academy50
alumni
However, while the GAO is non-partisan, they do
sometimes investigate issues with political undertones.
Maddox most recently reviewedThe Immigrant Investor
Program (EB-5, which is set to expire this winter), a
1990 program that grants Visas and Green Cards to
immigrants who invest in American companies and
create jobs in the country.
“Both sides have different views about reauthorizing the
program.The Democrats want to see more transparency
and tighter controls, but they want the program to stay
around, while Republicans push for complete reform
and advocate for certain aspects of the program to
expire,” said Maddox.
In addition to her work at the GAO, the 32 year-old
attorney has her juris doctor degree from the University
of Maryland School of Law. While earning her master
of science degree in public policy from Carnegie Mellon
University, Maddox said that, “about halfway through
my first year I knew I still wanted to be an attorney.
In 2008, I accepted the GAO position in Washington,
D.C. and went to law school at night in Baltimore.”
Never one to pass up on a challenge, Maddox is also a
partner in her Maryland law firm where she represents
clients in family court,many of which are pro bono cases.
At our time of speaking, Maddox had just accepted a
special detail opportunity to work on Capitol Hill for
one year in an Investigative Counsel position with the
U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, a standing
committee which conducts hearings on potential federal
judges, among other things.
Find more photos of Maddox online
at magazine.cheshireacademy.org/alumni
17
94
DETECTIVE
OF THE HOUSE
s part of her job as Senior Public Policy Analyst
with the Government Accountability Office
(GAO), Maddox, twin sister of Nicole Maddox '02
featured on page 50, has reviewed issues such as the
Immigrant Investor Program, Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) performance, and financial products specifically
focused on debt settlement agencies. According to
the agency’s website, the GAO is the “investigative
arm of Congress,” focused on producing non-partisan,
objective reports and recommendations related to the
payment of public funds, recommendations that could
end up as laws.
“We push for recommendations at the agency level.
So every time I can push for recommendations that an
agency implements,I count that as a win,”said Maddox.
For debt settlement agencies, that meant banning
deceptive marketing practices and putting a cap on
the fees the companies could charge. “Consumers
had to pay $500-$800 just to sign up, then they had
to go delinquent on their cards, and often times they
wouldn’t see any results from the companies. Now, these
companies can’t charge consumers until a service has
been rendered.”
While affecting public policy and creating reform is
the end goal, hundreds of hours of research go into
each report. “In grad school, we do everything on the
computer, but for my job, the real information is in the
hard copy and the follow up meetings where I can ask
about every detail in the report,” she explained.
It’s not all reading reports and conducting interview
though—detective work is involved, as well. Federal
agencies rely on GAO analysts like Maddox to uncover
the truth about how money is being spent and where
fraud might be happening. “[Looking] into debt
collecting companies who prey on individuals in debt,we
actually went undercover and did a lot of covert phone
calls pretending to be customers to see how they would
communicate with a customer.The companies provided
false information and gave a deceptive understanding of
who they were.”
Looking back,Maddox knows that her work,which was
used to create new policies, helped plenty of the United
States’most vulnerable consumers.In fact,non-partisan,
independent government review agencies play a key part
in our legislative system of checks and balances.
“Are you interested in lowering your interest rates by an
average of 33 percent?”On the other end of the line could be a
consumerwithhighcreditcarddebt,oritcouldbesomeonelike
Natalie Maddox ’02, investigating debt collection companies
and gathering data that could drive government policy.
A
NATALIE MADDOX ’02
27. the magazine of cheshire academy52
alumni
For international healthcare policy experts
like Nicole Maddox ’02, twin sister of
Natalie Maddox ’02, featured on page 48 however,
making sure citizens get quality care is more than a
partisan debate. Having worked in Zambia, Kenya,
Arkansas,and now Milan,Maddox has an in-depth
understanding of how national policies affect the
real health of individual citizens.
“Healthcare policies are grounded by the healthcare
issues in the country,” said Maddox. “In Africa, key
concerns are HIV testing,malaria interventions,and
access to medication. In the U.S. we’re interested
in making sure everyone has health insurance and
health coverage, and ensuring no one is exposed
to secondhand smoke, as examples. The issues are
different in Zambia.”
In Zambia, the majority of health services in
the country are free to patients. Whether or not
patients can access timely and quality services is
another question, and one that policy analysts like
Maddox are tasked with answering.
Maddox recalls one project in Kenya where she
examined patient mortalities related to cervical
cancer. “I was there for seven months, and I did a
retrospective analysis looking back two years at the
medical records of women who came for cancer
services and a lot of them had died. The women
were coming in the late stages of the disease, at the
terminal stages, so there wasn’t much doctors could
do.” Maddox said that her research showed that a
number of the terminal patients had come to the
clinic at stage one, but not returned until stage four.
According to Maddox, “At the time there was only
one public facility that could perform radiation
on women with cervical cancer. The wait time was
generally six to eight months.” Using that data, the
clinic Maddox worked with proposed opening new
radiation centers to provide care more quickly and
at more affordable rates.
Much of Maddox’s work involves stacks of patient
files. “You wonder where that cartoon image of a
government worker’s desk covered in files comes
from?” she joked, speaking to her own time going
through over 100 patient files, each with their own
manila folder.
To Maddox, policy changes that would mandate
digitizing patient files would make not only her
research, but also the quality of care a patient
receives, happen more efficiently. According
to Maddox, in Kenya, “every time you go into
the hospital they give you a new ID number so
tracking specific patients is very hard.” This is why
it took a special healthcare policy analyst to notice
that patients who were arriving at stage three had
previously visited the hospital at stage one.
While digitizing records is key to helping healthcare
policy analysts conduct research to improve patient
care, Maddox warns that governments (and
consumers) also need to focus on the money. “One
of the things you need to look at when you think
about improving care is how much will this cost,
and who will pay for it? Is it going to fall to the
patient? Is it going to fall to the government? Is it
going to fall to someone else?”
As a country, the United States is dealing with
this issue first-hand. In implementing a new
healthcare policy that will cover more citizens, cost
is a factor—along with who will provide the funds.
“We are just entering the era of having [federally
mandated] healthcare in all 50 states and we don't
quite understand what the cost will be on the
government. It will be interesting to look at the
data in five years to see how this has impacted the
quality of life in the United States and to examine
its financial benefits.”
It’s for this reason that Maddox has decided to go
back to school. She’s currently a PhD candidate
in public policy and administration at Università
Commerciale 'Luigi Bocconi' in Milan. Previously,
she earned her master’s degree in public service
from the Clinton School of Public Service after
her time at Wellesley College where she earned her
bachelor’s degree in Africana studies and biology.
She believes her PhD will give her the skills
necessary to further analyze healthcare policy from
an economic perspective.
Maddox’s interest in healthcare was heavily
influenced by the death of her grandmother. “I’ve
been passionate about working on issues involving
cancer since I lost my grandmother at 13,”she said,
continuing with the caveat,“If you asked me what I
wanted to be at 13,well,I would have said a doctor.”
Though not at the operating table, Maddox is still
influencing the lives of patients through research;
her work ensures governments develop better, more
comprehensive policies when it comes to health.
“I would say this has been a path of discovery.
When I went to do my master’s in public service,
we were required to do an international service
project. I chose Kenya and I really fell in love with
the country and the work I was able to do, and I
knew this is where I needed to be,” said Maddox.
“It’s been an amazing journey thus far.”
"HOW MUCH WILL THIS COST, AND
WHO WILL PAY FOR IT?"
- NICOLE MADDOX '02
Find more photos of Maddox at
magazine.cheshireacademy.org/alumni
17
94
For those living in the
United States, the last
few years have been
something of a crash-
course in healthcare policy.
Even with the Affordable
Healthcare Act fully in
effect, Americans are hardly
well-versed in phrases like
“single-payer,”“universal,”
and “federal mandate.”
THE
POLICY
DOCTOR
NICOLE MADDOX ’02
28. 54 55
This December, parents, friends, faculty, and alumni of the Academy
gathered in the Gideon Welles Dining Commons to celebrate the
holiday season at the 28th Annual Winter Reception.This year’s
reception was attended by over 200 guests.
Strung with festive lights and garlands, the dining hall was
transformed into a winter wonderland complimented by
performances from Cheshire Academy student musicians, including
traditional holiday songs sung by Julia Rafferty ’18. Director of
Development & Alumni Relations Barbara Davis P’17 P’18 P’20
spoke about the importance of the event to the history of the
school. “This is one of those traditions that brings people back to
campus to reminisce with former classmates and teachers,” she said.
One of the newer traditions at the Winter Reception is the Giving
Tree, which made its third annual appearance at the event.The
Giving Tree supports the Classroom Enrichment Fund, which goes
to purchase items for classrooms and departments that will enrich
the learning experience for students.This year the Giving Tree
raised $26,948.25; items purchased included bean bag chairs for the
English department, a camera for the arts department, and an iPad
charging station.
“We had a great time at the Holiday Reception,”said Bob Davis ’74,
who was accompanied by his wife Cheryl Davis also of the Class of
1974.“It was nice to meet with all the old and new friends of CA.”
All are looking forward to next year, and a chance to make new
memories with old friends.
A NIGHT FOR THE AGES
See more photos and browse the Giving Tree
online at magazine.cheshireacademy.org/alumni
17
94
TOP L-R: BOB DAVIS '74, CHRIS CASAVINA '79, AND BOB GARDINER
BOTTOM L-R: PHIL RICCIUTI '87, STEPHANIE CHARNEY,
STEVE DEFRANCESCO '78, PAT ROCCO '78, AND VINNIE ESPOSITO'74
Winter Reception
