February 22, 2018
Logan Erickson ‘15 has been awarded the prestigious international title of IGDA Scholar from the Independent Game Developers Association Foundation. Logan is one of 18 recipients in the World to receive this honor for 2018. The IGDA Scholars conference scholarships are among the most coveted awards for students in game development and related disciplines. Read the full press release here. Congratulations, Logan!
February 22, 2018
On Tuesday, March 6, we are calling on our alumni community to participate in our annual 24 hour giving challenge! As a nonprofit institution, we rely on financial contributions to support the programs and opportunities that our students take part in. When alumni show their support by participating in the Alumni Challenge, they not only affirm their faith in the teachers that supported them, but they show the community the reach and impact that MPA alumni can truly have on the world—from Youth Ambassadors to the United Nation to socially conscious business owners to MPA Panthers running through Times Square!
We are beyond excited to see how you challenge each other and the collective impact you will have on this day!
To make a gift on that day, click here.
February 22, 2018
Rachel Katar is a member of the Mounds Park Academy Class of 2002.
What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally?
My husband and I are expecting our first baby in April. I am a middle school science teacher and dorm parent for high schoolers at The Masters School in New York. My favorite part of my job is seeing students set up their own experiments to test ideas and learn more about how the world works.
How did you get there? Where did you attend college? Are there key experiences or relationships that have inspired you?
I took a circuitous route to become a teacher. My mother was a band director in the Roseville schools, my father taught at the University of Minnesota Medical School on occasion, and both my grandmother and my grandfather were teachers. So, naturally, I did not want to become a teacher. When I told my grandmother what I was doing for work though, she replied, “That sounds a lot like teaching to me….” During my college years at Lawrence University and St. Olaf College, I volunteered for Biology Club to teach the water cycle to elementary students. After graduating, I worked at the Science Museum of Minnesota teaching cell biology principles to high school students, so they could in turn teach over 50,000 museum visitors yearly. I then worked at the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities to manage Youth in Government, Leadership Team, and the Achievers college readiness programs. At Saint Paul Public Schools Community Education, I doubled the science and music class offerings for preschool through high school age students. I even saw Mr. Thompson (MPA faculty member) while planting native plants with students along the Keller Lake shoreline.
Show Your MPA Pride At Spirit Night
February 1, 2018
Bring your Panther pride and cheer on MPA on Friday, February 9 as we take on IMAC rival St. Paul Academy for Spirit Night! Students, alumni, and families from all divisions are encouraged to pack the Lansing Sports Center for an evening of basketball and school spirit! The C and JV teams play at 4:15 PM, followed by the girls varsity at 6 PM, and boys varsity at 7:30 PM. Go Panthers!
MPA Alum Honored by Local Nonprofit
December 14, 2017
MPA alum Rose Miller ’06 received a special honor at the Animal Humane Society called the Values Award. This recognition celebrates individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the organization and exemplify the Animal Humane Society’s organizational values: be good to animals, partner with people, and lead responsibly with compassion.
Rose is the social media producer for AHS, turning the organization’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat profiles into resources for supporters. Rose has helped grow the loyal audience to more than 120,000 followers. She exceeds in her role as the voice of AHS and takes it very seriously. She uses her skills and storytelling tools to post thoughtfully and engagingly, developing her content and organization tactics far in advance. Read More
Seeking Nominees for the MPA Board of Trustees
December 7, 2017
MPA’s Board of Trustees is a self-generative body of about 18–22 trustees, each of whom serves up to two 3-year terms. The Governance Committee of the Board solicits, evaluates, interviews, and recommends to the full Board, for its consideration, potential candidates to serve as trustees.
Over the upcoming weeks, the Board’s Governance Committee is commencing its annual process of identifying, evaluating, and interviewing a slate of potential trustee candidates. Candidates will be presented to the full Board at its May meeting, and candidates who are selected to serve will begin their first 3-year term in July 2018.
MPA Alum Receives Student Film Production Award
December 7, 2017
Erin Law, Class of 2012, received a Crystal Pillar Award at the the Chicago-Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences last weekend! The Crystal Pillar is NATAS’ highest award for student productions.
Erin is in her second year of graduate studies, mastering in digital media and storytelling. Erin’s documentary, created with Megan McKinley of California, was “Dress For Success.” The mission of Dress For Success is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.
Congratulations, Erin! We love how you are dreaming big and doing right!
Jacob Schwartz ’09 Named Head Varsity Boys Basketball Coach
November 16, 2017
Mounds Park Academy Boys Basketball is thrilled to announce Jacob Schwartz ’09 as head varsity coach! He is taking over for Dan Haase, who moved into the role of Athletic Director after 16 years coaching basketball at MPA. Previously, Jacob coached MPA’s Junior Varsity team while also acting as an assistant coach on the Varsity bench.
“I’m most excited about working with the kids in our program,” said Jacob. “I’ve built some great relationships with them over the years and to see their progression has been terrific. I’m excited to help them achieve both team and individual success as we strive to take MPA basketball to the next level.”
Evan Ferlic ’15 Receives Big Ten Sportsmanship Award
November 3, 2017
Congratulations to Evan Ferlic ’15 for receiving the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for the University of Minnesota Men’s Cross Country Team!
The Big Ten Conference honors athletes who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. Athletes must be in good academic standing and must have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
As a Panther, Ferlic helped lead MPA to a second place finish at the 2013 MSHSL State Cross Country Meet and anchored the 2015 Class A State Champion 4x800m relay team in Track and Field.
Congratulations, Evan!
Laurel Schwartz’s World Premiere
October 20, 2017
Laurel Schwartz ’11 began creating video content about chronic illness when she was just 12 years old through her work with Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. Now 24, her documentary “Running Breathless” will world premiere at the Twin Cities Film Festival October 21 (tomorrow!) at 12:10 PM.
This is her directorial, editorial, and acting festival debut. Having spent the last two years as a producer at Leo Burnett’s internal production company, Greenhouse, she is now returning to school to pursue social work at Columbia University. In grad school, Schwartz hopes to explore uses for digital communication in chronic illness management and advocacy. She hopes to use her passion for film and digital media to share stories about chronic illness often left out of popular media.