Alumni, Seniors Gather for Dinner

Over 200 alumni and parents arrived on Friday and Saturday to attend the Office of Institutional Advancement’s Exeter Leadership Weekend (ELW).The Weekend was organized to help alumni remain connected with each other and to help alumni stay up-to-date on the Academy’s affairs. During their time on campus, attendees saw presentations on Exeter’s finances, toured new facilities, saw student performances at Fisher Theater and attended a senior/alumni dinner with the Class of 2014.Previously called Alumni/ae Council Weekend, ELW expanded last year to encompass both active alumni and parents.President of the General Alumni Association (GAA) David Horn ’85 said that the convocation aimed to recognize the efforts of involved community members.“Exeter Leadership Weekend is about coming back to stay informed regarding recent developments at Exeter, interact with current students and teachers and to understand how we can help Exeter continue to advance, which is all very positive,” he said.The most widely discussed aspect of ELW is senior/alumni dinner, which is held annually as a means to connect the senior class with a diverse range of alumni. During the dinner, Horn also presented the President’s Award to several alumni who have demonstrated a selfless devotion to Exeter in the recent past.

This year, three members of the Alumni Council, Eugene (Ace) Baker ’47, David Underhill ’69 and Scott Dias ’98 received 2013 President’s Awards.Baker was initially asked by his class representative to undertake a class agent role, which catalyzed his involvement in the Academy. He served as the class of 1947’s president and then as a class correspondent for 16 years, during which time he has chronicled the lives of 75% of the class.“This position was perfect for my interests, because it’s very rewarding for me to meet people that I’ve never contacted before, and to hear stories of everyone’s lives. Being class correspondent allowed me to do this,” he said.Baker was surprised to receive an award for doing work he found to be so fulfilling, personally and socially.“I’m stunned to get this award for doing what I enjoy to do,” he said. “It’s unexpected at the very least, I’m truly humbled and appreciate this award. I plan to continue with my involvement in the school.”Underhill has worked as a fundraiser for the Academy since 2003 and chaired GAA’s technology committee beginning in 2010, spearheading developments in the alumni portal that have allowed easier online communication between alumni.He saw the award as one that should be shared with his co-workers. “My first reaction was that I didn’t deserve it, but I’m pleased that in the last couple of years, the people whom I’ve worked with got something big done; this award is a recognition of our efforts, not only mine,” he said.Dias served as an admissions representative and class president form 2008 to 2013, during which time he was active in raising his class’ fundraising. Due to a business commitment, Dias did not attend the dinner and was unavailable for comment.This year, the Office of Institutional Advancement merged the senior reception with the alumni reception to further enhance the connections formed between current and former Exonians during the dinner. Over 270 of the 298 seniors on campus attended.Nat Butler ‘64, who has served as class agent and president, director of the GAA and received the Founder’s Day Award in 2005, appreciated that the dinner fostered interactions and conversations between alumni and seniors.“Each of the current Exeter students has a very interesting story, and I liked to hear those stories and experiences at the dinner,” Butler said.Following the death of his father in 1985, Butler established a small scholarship fund. Each year, he engages with the scholarship student of the year over several lunches to understand their experiences as a student. The dinner offered the same opportunity for interaction on a larger scale.“The dinner gives me the chance to talk with not just one student, but a whole table full of them,” he said.Jenny Young du Pont ‘78, who, among other positions, has served as class president, GAA vice president and president and a Trustee of the Academy, has attended ELW multiple times and enjoyed the dinner.“I think it offers a wonderful opportunity to see and experience Exeter from the different vantage points of current seniors and alumni/ae,” du Pont said. “It’s also a great way for the Academy’s soon-to-be alums to develop relationships with existing alumni volunteers and hear why it is that those alumni hold Exeter so close to their hearts after so much time.”Senior class president Nate Moulton echoed du Pont’s sentiments. “It was great to meet alumni, both recent and not-so-recent,” he said. “They had so many stories about PEA past, from signing up for your college of choice in the cage to needing to wear dress code in dhall in the 90s,” he said.Some alumni were intrigued by the report given by CFO Justin Merrill and trustee Tony Downer ’75 on Saturday regarding the Academy’s finances. Exeter is fiscally strong despite an increasing percentage of financial aid students and a still lagging economy.“I found the financial report to be a very interesting and thorough presentation of PEA today,” Preston said. He raised the question of the Academy’s financial sustainability in an environment of growing costs. “Exeter is in great financial shape now, but the current tuition excludes all but a relatively few students, leaving financial aid as the only option if the school is going to continue to be diverse.”Attendees of ELW were also given some of the first glances at the newly renovated Lamont Health and Wellness Center.Despite external changes to the Academy’s campus, alumnus Philip Faulkner ’41 believes that the identity of Exeter has remained in tact. “I don’t see how Exeter has changed since I went here in 1941, with the exception of girls and the new facilities. The basic meaning of Exeter has not changed at all over the years,” he said.