Alumni Archives

August 9, 2019

Meet 2019-20 Alumni Association Board member Kathryn Andersen ’09!

Following graduation from MPA, Kathryn attended the University of Notre Dame, majoring in History and Pre-Med. She has also earned her M.Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Since college, she has worked in higher education, helping students through the admissions process at the University of Notre Dame and now in the MBA Admissions department for the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. Kathryn credits MPA with instilling a love of learning, inquisitive thinking, and soft skills that have helped her throughout her education and career.

“I loved my time at MPA and am passionate about supporting the school. Especially working in education, I’ve realized all the ways in which MPA was so ahead of its time and so unique in its mission and community,” she said. Read More

Big Points For School Athletics

August 9, 2019

Building Character and Academic Success
Back to school also means back to sports, with many students reuniting with their fall teams, moving up to the next level of play, or trying out a new activity. Mounds Park Academy has been at the forefront of cultivating student athletes, with an emphasis on good sportsmanship and leadership that extends from the classroom to the courts, tracks, fields and stadiums where our Panthers compete.

Healthy mind, healthy body
MPA offers one of the broadest prep school athletic programs in the Twin Cities, including more than 20 Upper School teams and a range of competitive Middle School sports that begin in fifth grade. Our student athletes transform their gifts and talents into accomplishments that bolster their educational experience, with research showing that sports help create better students, and better citizens. For example, the University of Missouri’s Adolescent Medicine program highlights that many athletes do better academically and encourages all children to participate in sports, reinforcing that “physical exercise is good for the mind, body, and spirit. Team sports help teach adolescents accountability, dedication, leadership and other skills … [and how] to effectively communicate to solve problems.” MPA’s athletics embraces this theme, welcoming students to take part in sports at all levels of experience—developing commitment, character, perseverance, initiative, and teamwork. Read More

Celebrating Our Progress

August 8, 2019

by Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, director of development and community engagement

I hope your family has been enjoying the summer months! Two of the highlights of my summer include some much-needed family time with my two children before they are officially third and eighth graders and seeing the incredible progress that has been made on our new spaces being funded through the Together, We Dream campaign. It has been a daily reminder of the impact of our collective generosity and your commitment to the future of MPA.

I am so thrilled to share with you that after reaching our first fundraising milestone on May 1 to fully fund the new commons/cafeteria and kitchen and our beautiful new library, construction is on schedule! We’ve had a busy summer of picking out finishes, planning for the ways the new spaces will be used, and sharing our school with a large crew of dedicated men and women who are working hard to make sure our children’s smiling faces will be met with beautiful new spaces on the first day of school. Our new library could be ready well before the holiday break and will be a space that will be enjoyed and treasured by our entire community. Read More

Meet Michael Velin ’06!

August 5, 2019

Meet 2019-20 Alumni Association Board member Michael Velin ’06!

Michael attended MPA ninth through 12th grade. He is currently a financial consultant for families and works with them to transition not only their wealth and businesses to the next generation, but also their missions and values. He and his wife Ashley Cooper, Middle and Upper School counselor at MPA, live in St. Paul and are expecting their first child this month!

Ever since graduating from MPA in 2006, Michael says he has gained a deep connection and sense of gratitude for a community that has driven his desire to constantly learn and explore new adventures.

“MPA has always been a second home for me and to some degree I didn’t want to lose touch of that feeling,” he said.

He is inspired to continue the spirit of giving back and helping the community. He wants to continue to be active in the broader Twin Cities community with activism and philanthropy.

Stay tuned for more extended profiles of your 2019-20 Mounds Park Academy Alumni Association Board!

Alumni, We Need Your Help!

July 23, 2019

Do you enjoy reconnecting with your classmates and like to stay up-to-date on the milestones in their lives? The MPA Alumni association is seeking additional class representative volunteers to help us stay connected with you and your classmates.

These class leaders will help to keep their fellow alumni engaged and serve as the lead in helping to share exciting life events happening with their classmates. Your commitment will be minimal and the MPA Alumni Association will make it easy for you to have what you need to serve as your class representative. Contact us to learn more!

Homecoming and Reunion Weekend Save the Date!

July 23, 2019

The weekend of September 27-28, 2019, we will be celebrating the classes of: 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2014, and 2015 for their milestone reunions.

On Saturday, September 28, we will have an alumni gathering for these class reunions and an All Alumni event at Lake Monster Brewing Company, 550 Vandalia St. #160, Saint Paul. Plan to attend for a great time and to reconnect with your classmates and other MPA alumni!

MPA Alumni Student Mentorship Program

July 23, 2019

Last year, the MPA Alumni Association launched an innovative student enrichment opportunity, pairing Upper School seniors with alumni mentors. 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.

The program connected alumni like Meghan Martineau ’02 with Rayaan Ahmed ’19. Upon the program’s conclusion, Martineau shared, “She blew my socks off. I was so impressed to know that she volunteered with newly elected U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. As she heads off to George Washington University in the fall, I know she’s poised to change the world. Serving as a mentor to Rayaan was a lovely experience.” Read More

Panthers Embark On Global Summer Adventure

July 11, 2019

On June 16, 16 MPA students, parents, and faculty headed to London for the first leg of a two-week journey that would take them from London to Paris via Normandy, Brittany, and the Loire Valley.

The trip began focused on British history with an emphasis on World War II. After a visit to the Churchill War Rooms in London, students boarded a boat and crossed the English Channel to Normandy, where they spent the next few days exploring and learning more details of the D-Day invasion. Since it was the 75th anniversary, this visit was even more poignant in the villages and historic sites of Cherbourg, Caen, Arromanches, St. Mère Eglise, the American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, and Point du Hoc. Students were assigned a person involved during the D-Day invasion and had several days to prepare a presentation about them, which was shared with the group at Point du Hoc. MPA Senior Charlie Galicich also shared with the group the story of Class of 2018 alumna Katie Jacob’s grandmother, following her experiences as a nurse days after the initial invasion. Read More

Class of 2019: Mats Dahlberg, Saint Paul

June 17, 2019

As the 2018–19 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of several members of the Class of 2019!

In what grade did you come to MPA?
I came to MPA in Kindergarten.

How did you come to choose the college that you did?
I chose Columbia College Chicago because it has a strong dance and visual arts program and they would let me be involved in both. I wanted to go to a college in a city surrounded by a vibrant art scene and so many museums and traveling exhibits especially because I’m studying arts. Columbia is right in the middle of the city on Michigan Avenue and has great speakers and events including some notable alumni.

What are you most excited about as you embark on your college experience?
I’m excited to explore my independence, especially in a new city. I am very excited to expand my circle and meet a new very diverse crowd of people with different viewpoints than I’ve been exposed to. I’m excited to have my ideas challenged and add to my skillset with education from new teachers and more high-level art classes. I’d love to take a printmaking class or a textile and fiber works class, something that I haven’t had the opportunity for at MPA, but have the basic artistic foundation for because of the Fine Arts education here. (And I’m excited to try all the pizza Chicago has to offer). Read More

Meet Your Newest Alumni Board Members!

June 17, 2019

During its June 2019 meeting, the MPA Alumni Association unanimously approved the following new board members.

Cathryn Camacho ’04: Following graduation from MPA, Catie moved to California to attend Pomona College. Catie graduated with a BA in Economics and worked as an analyst for a litigation consulting firm before switching gears and pursuing a Masters of Interior Architecture from UCLA/Cal Poly Pomona. In 2015 she returned home to Minnesota to run her family business and enroll in the Carlson School of Management for her Masters of Business Administration. Catie now serves as the President of Camacho Contractors and is involved with MPA in a variety of ways.

Christopher Staral ’06: Chris Staral graduated Mounds Park Academy in 2006 and attended Carleton College, where he majored in Chemistry and minored in Biochemistry while also performing medical research at the University of Minnesota’s Lillehei Heart Institute. After graduating in 2010, he enrolled in the University of Minnesota Medical School where, during his studies, he discovered a passion for investing in biotechnology companies. He moved to New York City where he worked initially as a Biotech and Specialty Pharmaceuticals analyst at Canaccord Genuity, and then in a similar role at Goldman Sachs. Chris is now an investment analyst at Mangrove Partners, a long/short hedge fund based in New York City, where he focuses on small and mid-cap biotech and pharma investments for the fund. He is still very involved with life at MPA and is particularly excited about expanding unique mentorship opportunities for students that can help guide their self-discovery process while at MPA and beyond. Read More