September 28, 2017
by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School
I hope that you were caught up in the wave of school spirit last week during Homecoming. It was a fantastic week as students, parents, and alumni “came back” to celebrate the special place that MPA holds in their hearts. Newly retired athletic director Joe Kordosky remarked that the turnout for Saturday’s events was the largest he could remember. As I moved from event to event, I reveled in the strong school spirit and morale.
We had a wonderful showing of alumni for a happy hour Friday night and a more formal reunion on Saturday evening. Several alums participated in a tour of the school that I led on Saturday morning. Interacting with alumni is an aspect of my job that I really enjoy. You’ve probably come to know that I love to hear people’s stories. It is particularly rewarding to listen to the stories that alumni tell about the influence MPA has had on their lives. Many say that it was, in fact, “life-changing.” For instance:
- “MPA is a strong community that (to cite a previous slogan) “doesn’t teach students what to think—it teaches them how.” The further I go in my career the more I appreciate the critical thinking and civic responsibility that MPA helped develop in me. I appreciate the alumni community—stronger than the one at my college, actually—and the various events and forums that the school hosts. The supportive faculty and wide range of opportunities helped me grow and explore in ways that have had a very big and positive part in who I am today.”
- “As a graduate of MPA, I am confident in saying that the school prepared me to flourish not only in college but also in the ‘real’ world. Entering college, I felt well prepared to dive into rigorous college courses while also balancing life outside of academics. After college, I have used life tools and lessons that MPA taught such as problem solving, critical thinking, and perseverance every day both in the corporate aspect of my job as well outside of work.”
MPA is a young school. Founded in 1982, the school opened with 106 students. The first graduating class in 1986 consisted of nine students. In total, we have just more than 1,400 alumni who have graduated in the last 32 years. In recent years, the school has intentionally reached out to alumni, inviting them back to campus, keeping them abreast of school happenings, and connecting them with one another.
Other independent schools can draw from their long histories and generations of alums to secure their financial viability and build their endowment. We are still in the process of planting seeds and planning for the future, hoping alums will be generous to the school when they are in a position to do so. As a sign of hope, participation of alumni in the MPA Fund has increased 10 percent in the past three years, from three percent to 13 percent (the national average participation rate for independent schools is just more than seven and a half percent).
As you read this, I will be In New York City for a very special event. During the last Alumni Challenge for the MPA Fund, James Cordon ’97 challenged his class to reach a 25 percent participation rate, promising to run through Times Square in the Panther costume if they hit that mark. The Class of 1997 came through and I will be on hand to witness the spectacle. Watch it unfold live on MPA’s Facebook page at 4 PM our time.
The origins of word “alumnus” is Latin for “being nourished” or “to nourish, grow.” Each day, students are nourished and inspired to dream big and do right at MPA. As alumni, they leave here to live lives of meaning and purpose. As I stand at the front door and greet students, I find myself wondering what they will do with their lives. I do so with confidence, knowing MPA that will have the same impact as it has had since 1982.
