September 15, 2020
Amanda Campbell is joining the Alumni Association this year as the Parents Of Alumni Liaison. Amanda served on the MPA Parents Association from 2010–2018 when her daughter Quinn [first child of an alum (Ryan Campbell ’90) to attend MPA and 13 Year Club member] graduated. Since 2018, she has been an active member of the POA. It has been a great organization to maintain the connections and friendships made over the course of 13 years as a parent at MPA. Amanda has been the POA Executive Board Secretary and will serve as the Alumni Board POA Liaison for the 2020-2021 school year. She feels fortunate to remain tethered to MPA and its faculty and staff through the POA.
The MPA POA Executive Board consists of Mary Jo Thrane, Amanda Campbell, Jeanne Danaher, Linda Goodno, Carey Ide, Chris Levesque, and Karla Myers. Each are members of the POA with alumni from the graduating classes 2009–2020.
The POA looks forward to hearing from you & catching up at one of our virtual social activities throughout the coming year. For more information, please reach out to the POA directly via email at POA@moundsparkacademy.org.
What advice do you wish you had been told your senior year of high school? I can think of a few things I wish I had known. Like not to rush through the year, to enjoy your last summer in Minnesota and don’t overload yourself on difficult courses your first semester of college. While life has moved very quickly and senior year seems like a lifetime ago, I’ll never forget the people who gave me valuable advice and helped me pave the path to where I am today.
Meet MPA Talks speaker Garseng Wong ’11! Garseng attended MPA from grades 4-12 and went on to study Human Biology at Stanford University. He concentrated on nutrition and chronic disease management and initially thought about working as a primary care physician to continue this interest, but during his time in medical school at NYU, pivoted to psychiatry because the field afforded him more time to get to know patients deeply and personally. He is currently a resident psychiatrist at NYU and hopes to specialize in child-adolescent psychiatry, focusing his work with queer youth and young adults long-term. Get to know more about Garseng before MPA Talks on September 30 with the Q&A below!
This year’s MPA Talks is going virtual! MPA Community members, specifically alumni will be given the platform to share their stories and knowledge through an MPA Talks series this fall. MPA Talks this year will be a platform devoted to the voices of people of color and take place virtually. Save the date for September 30, 2020 to join us at 6 PM live on 
One of the annual traditions our community has enjoyed celebrating is the MPA Homecoming festivities, which had been scheduled for Saturday, October 3, 2020. Due to our ongoing focus on health and safety given the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as limits on social gatherings and visitors on campus, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s activities. We will miss the joy, laughter, and sense of community shared by all during Homecoming, but look forward for new ways in the coming weeks and months for current families and alumni to celebrate our Panther Pride. Look for our chance to celebrate together again during Homecoming 2021!
During his time at MPA, Kethan Dahlberg found his home-away-from-home. From early morning jazz band rehearsals and Nordic ski practices to late night track meets and study sessions for group projects, MPA taught him the importance of teamwork, perseverance, grit, and, importantly, the value and benefit of being an active and engaged member of the community. “Now, reflecting as an alumnus, and especially given the past few months of lock-down orders and quarantines, I feel it’s important for me to become further involved with my fellow alumni and the school to make sure the same strong sense of family and opportunities that I had during my time on campus remain in place for current students,” he said.
As many MPA Alumni are choosing a gap year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Alumni Board Member, Annie Stewart ’11 shares her thoughts and experiences. We want to hear your story! Contact 
by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School
The MPA Alumni Mentorship Program completed its second year full of meaningful connections and a successful networking event to conclude the year. The program is designed to enhance personal and professional development experiences for our senior class students, while also providing alumni with an opportunity to reconnect to MPA and share their own experiences and knowledge with the next generation of graduates.