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WELCOME HOME: REUNION 2017 

The Potomac School will host Reunion 2017 on April 28 and 29. We hope you will come back to campus to rediscover and renew your lifelong connection to this special place. All Potomac alumni, regardless of graduation year, are cordially invited to Reunion. In addition, we will be celebrating milestone years for those classes ending in 2 and 7!

 

Your registration packet is in the mail, but all the details can also be found online. The links below will help you navigate our site.


  • Review the Reunion '17 Schedule, see who your Class Reunion Chair is, and more.
  • Register Now! Take advantage of our early-bird specials, which run through March 31. For members of the classes of 2007 through 2016, registration is $20 per adult until March 31 and will be $30 starting April 1. For members of the classes of 2006 and earlier, the cost is $40 per adult until March 31 and will be $50 thereafter. 
  • Need lodging or have questions about transportation? Click here to get all the details.
  • Bookmark the Reunion Website and check back periodically to get the latest information on the weekend and see who's planning to attend.

 

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Laura Miller, director of alumni relations. We hope to see you at Potomac in April!

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WHAT MAKES A HIT A HIT? 
On March 9, author and journalist Derek Thompson '04 will be on campus for an evening event hosted by Lisa and Steve Diamond (Michael '04, Jeff '07) and Lori and Dave Durbin (Drew '04). Derek is the author of Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction and a senior editor at The Atlantic, where he writes about economics, labor markets, and the media.


From 6:30 to 7:00 pm, guests 21 and older are invited to a cocktail reception with Derek. At 7:15, all are welcome to join us for a reading and discussion moderated by US faculty member Alex Thomas. Dessert, coffee, and a book signing will follow. Kindly click here to RSVP. Derek's book is available for purchase here.

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ALUMNI PROFILE: A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW

"Hacia el Cielo," or "Toward the Sky," is the tagline Jake Levin '06 displays on his online portfolio of vivid bird photographs from Canada, California, and Florida. The site showcases a variety of birds, ranging from beautiful snowy owls to brightly-colored roseate spoonbills.

 

Currently in the first year of his doctoral program in Hispanic Studies at McGill University in Montreal, Jake manages to devote extensive time to his artistic passion. His geographic location helps; he notes, "You have great possibilities for nature photography here, mainly in the form of the owls that come in the winter time." 

 

In the years since he graduated from Potomac, Jake has completed three degrees. After majoring in Spanish at Bowdoin College in Maine, he stayed in the Pine Tree State, where he taught the language and obtained his M.S. in education from the University of Southern Maine. He also has a master's degree in Hispanic studies from McGill.

 

Though it took a long time to develop his craft, Jake greatly enjoys the art of photography -- a subject that he studied at Potomac with former faculty member Beecie Kupersmith. He also notes that former IS science teacher Peter Munroe "got me hooked on birds."

 

Jake has completed multiple field seminars, learning from master bird photographer Arthur Morris and taking photos in St. Petersburg, Florida, and San Diego, California. Back in Canada, word of mouth helps him find owls to photograph, as does eBird, a website that bird enthusiasts use to report their sightings. However, Jake says that the resource can be "a curse in disguise," drawing massive crowds to sites where rare or otherwise noteworthy birds are reported to have appeared.

 

Jake launched his portfolio this past summer and has sold both greeting cards and prints for framing. He says, "Good wildlife photography is a combination of lots of factors." Getting good shots of birds can present special challenges; Jake notes, "knowing your subject and having a cooperative bird to work with can make a huge difference." He adds, "It also helps to have a healthy dose of luck that puts you in the right place at the right time!" 

 

Upon completing his Ph.D., Jake hopes to follow the academic track and become a professor. He says, "I taught school and enjoyed it, but I felt like I'd enjoy the higher level more because it entails more of what I studied in college and graduate school." He also believes that due to the fall-through-spring work cycle, academia will offer an ideal schedule as far as continuing with his photography. He reflects, "I think teaching is actually one of the better professions if you're going to be a photographer on the side."


Image © Jake Levin

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CAREER DAY 2016: BROADENING YOUR HORIZONS 

The Alumni Office hosted Potomac's second-annual Career Day on December 9. Juniors and seniors spent the morning talking with alumni and a past parent working in diverse fields, ranging from architecture to medicine and science. The upperclassmen had the opportunity to select two panel discussions that sparked their interest. Student moderators led Q&A sessions during each panel, encouraging the speakers to reflect on their career achievements and challenges.


Prior to the panels, the students heard from keynote speaker Rohit Bhargava '93, a trend curator, author, and businessman, who shared a humorous and informative story about his path to becoming an entrepreneur. Rohit's most recent book is Non Obvious: How to Think Different, Curate Ideas & Predict the Future, 2017. His books, dealing with a variety of business trends, have put Rohit on the Wall Street Journal bestsellers list.


Click here to read more about our panelists. Potomac thanks all the participants for helping to make this year's Career Day a great success!

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FROM COAST TO COAST 
The Potomac School Alumni Office recently hosted four parties in cities across the nation, giving alumni the opportunity to meet Head of School John Kowalik and reconnect with teachers. 

 

On January 26, more than 150 Potomac alumni and parents of alumni flocked to The Metropolitan Club in Washington, DC, to see their friends and favorite faculty members, including Cort Morgan, Mary Cahill, Alex Thomas, and more. Thank you to Jamie Sullivan '96 for providing access to this amazing venue.  


Our event at The Grey Lady in New York City on February 1 was another hit. Faculty members Alex Thomas and Tracy Swecker Jaeger traveled to the city for an evening that highlighted the many things our alumni love about Potomac. Special thanks to our host committee: Lauren Clarke '05, Stephen Gavula '01, Katie Fabiani Jaffe '05, Aaron Kur '07, Sam Lee '03, Peter Lerman '00, Conor McNerney '11, and Eric Rosenthal '03.

 

Faculty members Bill Peery and Mary Cahill visited the West Coast on February 15 and 16 for Los Angeles and San Francisco receptions filled with fun and good cheer. Thanks to our host committee members in both cities -- for Los Angeles, Samantha Dockser '12, Heather Wilson '96, Brian Goldman '11, and Danny Adrien '96; and for San Francisco, Caitlin Hackett '09 Phillips Mitchell '09, Golly Tabatabaie Martin '04, Rachel Dyke '03, and Michael Kirkman '03. 

WINTER INTERNS: COLLEGE-AGED ALUMS RETURN TO CAMPUS
For four days over Winter Break, a dedicated group of college-aged alumni were back on campus to participate in our annual Alumni Phonathon. The event offered some of our youngest alums a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with one another as they made calls on behalf of the Potomac Fund. Thanks to Vanessa Luehrs '14, Tiffany Luehrs '14, Tabitha Huff '15, Thomas DeSantis '15, Elliot Kim '16, and Arjun Fischer '16 for their hard work and great Potomac spirit!

DID YOU KNOW? POTOMAC ALUMNI ARE...

BINGE-WORTHY

  • Zal Batmanglij '98, co-creator, producer, and writer of the Netflix series The OA 
  • Vincent Harris '94, producer of the film 72 Hours, A Brooklyn Love Story?
  • Jonathan Wilson '98, host of NPR's All Things Considered 

PAGE-TURNERS 

  • Charlotte Matthews '81, author of Whistle What Can't Be Said
  • Katherine Eastland Messenger '04, designer and illustrator for Thanksgiving: The Heart of the American Experience
  • Ted Starkey '90, author of Chasing the Dream: Life in the American Hockey League
  • Derek Thompson '04, author of Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction

 

WEATHER-WISE 

  • Jason Samenow '94, weather editor for The Washington Post and chief meteorologist for the Capital Weather Gang
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YOU'VE GOT MAIL! 
Event invitations, The Term, and campus news -- we want to make sure you're in the loop! Now's the time to update your mail and email addresses to ensure that you'll always know what's happening at Potomac. 

 

You can submit your updates by emailing the Alumni Office, or by clicking here. Or, if you prefer, mail your updates to Office of Alumni Relations
The Potomac School
1301 Potomac School Road McLean, VA  22101.
 

If you know of a classmate who hasn't been receiving Potomac communications, it's probably because we don't have his or her current contact information. Please forward this to help us ensure that no one misses important updates! 

 

NEEDED: ALUMS WHO WANT TO GET MORE INVOLVED!
The Potomac community thrives thanks to the support of our alumni volunteers. Whether raising funds, planning for Reunion, or organizing social and educational events, Potomac alumni are creative, connected, and committed.


While all graduates automatically become members of the Alumni Association, those who wish to take a more active role can choose from
a variety of volunteer opportunities. There are many ways to get involved, whether through the Alumni Governing Council or as a Class Agent, Class Correspondent, Regional Representative, Class Reunion Chair, Speaker, or Mentor. 


For more information, please click here or email the Alumni Office

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March 8

Alumni Governing Council Meeting

 

March 9

Derek Thompson '04 Book Reading and Discussion


April 8

Spring Stewardship Day


April 28 and 29

Reunion 2017 

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The Potomac School

1301 Potomac School Road, McLean, VA 22101

(703) 356-4100 | www.potomacschool.orgg

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