MAY 2020
ALUMNI DOING THE GREATEST POSSIBLE AMOUNT OF GOOD
One of John McDonogh's most quoted Rules for Living, "Study in your course of life to do the greatest possible amount of good," is practiced by alumni across the country each and every day. Here is a sample of some of the stories we have collected during the pandemic. We'd love to tell your story, too. Please email us at alumni@mcdonogh.edu   and let us know what you are doing to help.   
Fatima Chaudri ’06 is an attending physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, treating patients in the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. She never imagined seeing a disease like this, and she’s in awe of the fellow physicians, scientists, nurses, techs, and administrators who all yearn to find better options. She is privileged to help, and has never felt that more acutely.
Emily Selonick ’05 has been a ski patroller in Vail, CO for eight years. When the ski resorts shut down in March, hundreds of ski patrollers at Vail and Beaver Creek lost their jobs. Luckily, Emily was hired as one of 20 patrollers to provide back-up first response for Eagle County Paramedics Services.
Lauren Rizzo Bukszar ’02 , founded CarrollBaby to provide a reliable supply of diapers, wipes, and hygiene items to families in Carroll County, MD in need. Her organization has mobilized into emergency relief mode in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Lauren shares that demand in April increased by 33% compared to their average monthly distribution.  
Laura Stone Ellis '88 and Jason Nace '89 are both physicians with Doctors for Emergency Services serving at hospitals across the Delaware region. They found themselves scheduled together in the Middletown Emergency Department one day in April.
Current McDonogh parent and alumna Litsa Wethern '87 and her husband, Thomas, own Dimitri's Restaurant in Catonsville, MD. Together, with their daughter Kali '20, they prepared, packaged, and delivered over 100 lunches to the emergency room providers at Howard County General Hospital.
VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
During these times of social distancing, we hope McDonogh can be a source of information, connection, and entertainment. Please join us for these upcoming live webinars, or enjoy our recorded events at your convenience. We have highlighted a few opportunities below, and will update our website when more become available.

If you have a program idea that you would like to share, email Beth Sauer Hopkins ’02, Director of Alumni Engagement, at bhopkins@mcdonogh.org .

Five Simple Rules for Parents Webinar - TONIGHT
Wednesday, May 6 | 7:00 p.m. EST

Join New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and syndicated columnist Harlan Cohen for an interactive and lively webinar about raising gritty, resilient, and passionate people in the wake of the challenges and changes presented by Covid-19. This program, presented by the Parenting Education Committee of the McDonogh Parents Association, is appropriate for parents of Upper, Middle, and Lower School-age children.

Virtual McDonogh History Lesson with Jon Aaron ’72
Friday, May 15 | 1:00 p.m. EST
Please join fellow alumni for a virtual history lesson led by faculty member and storyteller, Jon Aaron ’72. Jon will discuss important points in McDonogh’s history and share interesting anecdotes from the school’s past as well as photographs and documents curated from the McDonogh School Archives & Special Collections.


Philanthropy in the Time of COVID-19 Webinar
Tuesday, May 19 | 1:00 p.m. EST

Philanthropy has played a significant role in providing resources and relief to nonprofit organizations, small businesses, hospitals, and researchers during this health crisis. Join McDonogh's Office of Philanthropy for this moderated discussion with representatives of local, national, and international foundations who will share what they are observing and experiencing as well as how they are activating the full range of capital to support communities during the pandemic. Speakers include John Brothers P '23 from the T. Rowe Price Foundation and Talib Horne P '24 from the Annie E. Casey Foundation as well as other notable philanthropists.


Additional Office of Philanthropy webinars will be announced soon on our website .

Virtual Memorial Day Service
Thursday, May 21 | 9:00 a.m. EST

Each year, alumni who are serving or who have served in the armed forces are invited to join McDonogh students, faculty, and staff for the annual Memorial Day Service on Memorial Court. This year, as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, we will not gather in person for this meaningful event. However, all alumni are invited to join others in the school community on Thursday, May 21 at 9:00 a.m. for a virtual version of this treasured tradition. 

A link will be emailed to the community the morning of May 21. 

Virtual Upper School Assembly on Doing Good
Available on demand

In April, upper schoolers attended an assembly webinar with alumni host and founder of the Charm City Dreamers podcast Zack Garber '06. The assembly, which provided tangible opportunities for the McDonogh community to connect with young leaders in Baltimore who are making a difference, featured three guest speakers: Van Brooks, Founder and Executive Director of the Safe Alternative Foundation for Education; David Estrin, CEO of Together We Remember (TWR); and Alicia Wilson, Vice President for Economic Development at the Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Health System.


Virtual Happy Hours
Host a happy hour!
Although Reunion Weekend 2020 was canceled and alumni celebrating milestone years were not able to come together, over the last several weeks the Classes of 1975, 1995, 2000 (pictured below), and 2010 did the next best thing and celebrated online! Through a series of Virtual Happy Hours, more than 60 alumni were able to reconnect while staying home. If your class would like to plan a Virtual Happy Hour, please contact Beth Sauer Hopkins ’02, Director of Alumni Engagement, at bhopkins@mcdonogh.org  for help coordinating the event. 
HONORING AWARD RECIPIENTS
While we couldn’t have alumni and friends return to campus for Reunion Weekend this spring, we still want to recognize our award recipients. We look forward to celebrating these special members of the McDonogh community in person at a future date. 
2020 Athletic Hall of Fame Award Recipients

Christopher K. Agorsor '08
Kristen A. Brown '10
Raymond M. Faby '49 (deceased)
Justin M. Gross '10
Curtis M. Holmes '09
Amanda C. Kimbers '09
Giles P. Smith '09

Learn more about the Athletic Hall of Fame Award, or submit a 2021 nomination here .

2020 Young Alumni Award Recipients

Alison K. Barzyk '14
Darrius R. Heyward-Bey '05
Hannah D. Johnstone Mathis '09
Kyle B. Vaughan '12
Kenneth C. Wayman '12
 
Learn more about the Young Alumni Award, or submit a 2021 nomination here . 

2020 Distinguished Service Award Recipients

H. Stacey Boyer '76
W. Boulton Dixon
LaVerne R. Holtz
Allan L. Spencer '49

Learn more about the Distinguished Service Award, or submit a 2021 nomination here .
SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS CONTINUE TO SOAR
Among the many springtime traditions canceled this year due to the coronavirus was the annual Scholarship Luncheon -- an opportunity to celebrate the foundation of McDonogh School. Each year during the luncheon, a member of the senior class, who is a beneficiary of financial aid, or scholarship as it is known at McDonogh, addresses the gathering of students and donors. In January, Sam Mumford ’20 was asked to be the speaker. At the time, no one imagined that his remarks would be delivered virtually on Tuesday, May 5 to an audience of the Upper School community, scholarship donors, mentors, family members, and friends.

IN MEMORIAM
Ed Novak, Former McDonogh Athletic Director, passed away at the age of 94 on April 18, 2020. McDonogh welcomed Ed i n the Fall of 1978 , and he worked tirelessly to serve our coaches and students for over a decade. In 1989, Ed was given an honorary McDonogh Diploma. He was later inducted into the McDonogh Athletic Hall of Fame and the Maryland State Athletic Director's Hall of Fame. In retirement, Ed was still a presence on campus. He researched the name of every team captain and carefully placed them on the boards in the glass cabinets in the hallway of the Rollins-Luetkemeyer Athletic Center. He attended sporting events and alumni events, and was presented with the Distinguished Service Award in 2007. Read more in the Baltimore Sun .
WELCOMING THE CLASS OF 2020
In April, 165 inspirational signs were hand-delivered to each McDonogh senior in a secret operation . Days later, a complimentary 100-foot banner featuring each senior’s name was hung on the fence on McDonogh Road. 

These seniors will soon become part of the McDonogh alumni community, and we hope you will make every effort to welcome them with open arms. If you are interested in supporting members of the Class of 2020, please visit McDonogh Connect and set up your profile to offer mentoring. The connection to McDonogh doesn't end with Commencement, it lasts a lifetime.
VIRTUAL SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH
While the world has turned upside down in the midst of the pandemic, McDonogh continues to deliver on it's mission to provide life-altering opportunities and to develop in students the will "to do the greatest possible amount of good." From our creatively-led virtual classrooms to our outreach efforts in the Baltimore community, McDonogh offers optimism. Read some of the recent news below.






 
All of McDonogh's photo essays, news stories, and videos are located in the Media Hub on our website. You can also follow the School on Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter .
SIGN UP FOR MCDONOGH CONNECT
Making contact with others is so important now, and our alumni network is a great way to find old friends. This platform can also be used to make professional connections, post or view job opportunities, and offer mentoring to current students and recent graduates.
 
Visit connect.mcdonogh.org and use your primary email address to request access. Once you’ve logged in, you can set up a password or connect with your Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn account.
 
Download the mobile app from the Google Play Store (search for McDonogh Connect) or the Apple App Store (search for Graduway Community) and access information on the go!
 
For more information and FAQs click here , or contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at alumni@mcdonogh.org .
MCDONOGH MAGAZINE WANTS TO HEAR YOUR NEWS
Do you have something of interest to share with the McDonogh community? Did you get married? Have a baby? Change jobs? Make a major life move or change? Gather with fellow alumni around the world? If so, we would love to include your news and photos in the Class Notes section of the summer issue of McDonogh Magazine !  

Please submit all news and pictures  here  by May 15. Photos will be published based on quality and available space. Please be sure to identify everyone pictured. Digital images are preferred and should be at least 2 megapixels (1600 x 1200 pixels).
Office of Alumni Engagement | mcdonogh.org/alumni