Westtown School Alums

Congratulations, Jair! ✨During Alums Weekend, the Alums Association Board was thrilled to present the Young Alum Changemaker Award to Jair Bolden ’16! 🤎

This honor recognizes graduates from the last decade who truly exemplify Westtown’s mission and the Quaker calling to steward a better world.

Today, as Head Video Coordinator and Player Development Coach for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, Jair continues to lead with heart. Beyond the court, he founded the Grey Rose Foundation, a non-profit combating socioeconomic inequities by giving youth in under-resourced communities access to competitive basketball programs, camps, and equipment.

Jair, thank you for the powerful ways you let your life speak and for translating our testimonies of stewardship, equality, and community into action every single day.

In honor of his impactful leadership, the Alums Association proudly made a donation to support the Grey Rose Foundation. Join us in celebrating Jair in the comments!👇

Know a young alum who is lighting the way and making a difference? Nominations are open year-round!

🔗 Click the link in our bio to nominate a fellow Westonian.

Gratitude on the Final Day of our Fiscal Year + the Spirit of ‘76 ✨ As we reach the very last day of Westtown’s fiscal year, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our incredible community—and share a special moment of gratitude for the Class of 1976.
✨ This milestone 50th Reunion group truly brought the “Spirit of ’76” to campus over Alums Weekend! Proudly presenting on behalf of his classmates at the Annual Meeting, Craig Pikaard ’76 announced a class gift totaling over $618,000. This incredible generosity includes the establishment of two new endowed funds—the Spirit of ‘76 Faculty Fund and the Spirit of ‘76 Financial Aid Fund—as well as over $128,000 directly supporting the Westtown Fund. We are deeply grateful for this profound commitment to Westtown’s faculty, students, and future. 👏
✨ Join the Spirit of Giving Today ✨
Today is the final day to make a gift that counts toward this fiscal year. If you haven’t yet had the chance, we invite all alums to join the Class of 1976 in supporting the Westtown Fund. Every gift, no matter the size, directly impacts the daily lives of our students and keeps the Westtown experience thriving.
🔗 Click the link in our bio or comments below to make your gift before midnight!

Westtown Alums in the Music World 🎶 + Submit your Class Notes by July 1! 📝

It really is a small Westtown world. No matter how far our alums travel, that shared Westtown connection has a beautiful way of bringing people back together in the most unexpected places.

We loved hearing from Read Connolly ’06 and Michael Haldeman ’10, who crossed paths on the road in Europe this past summer:

"A long way from West Chester! Two Westonians were on a large music tour in Europe this summer. Read Connolly (2006) plays steel guitar and banjo for Zach Bryan, and Michael Haldeman (2010) plays guitar for Dijon. Their tour spanned the UK and Ireland, playing for crowds as big as 50,000 people." — Read Connolly ’06

"We were so excited to realize that we shared a lineage extending to Westtown and southeast PA, and had found our way into careers as musicians ultimately crossing paths ahead of this massive tour we endeavored upon! A true treat of happenstance." — Michael Haldeman ’10

Where has life taken you? ✨

Whether you’ve had a chance meeting with a fellow Westonian, started a new chapter, or have a simple update to share, your community wants to hear it.

Help us fill the next edition of The Westonian with your stories. Send us your updates by July 1!

🔗 Click the link in our bio or in comments below to submit your Class Note.

The smiles, the hugs, the community... what an unforgettable Alums Weekend! 📸✨

The full photo gallery is officially live, capturing all the joy, energy, and connection from our time together. Whether you were playing hard (or cheering from the sidelines!) at the Alums Field Hockey & Soccer games, catching up on the Granolithic, taking a quiet canoe ride down at the Lake, or sharing stories at our Belonging is Sweet reception, your presence made the entire weekend so vibrant.

Ready to find your class photo and relive the magic? 👉 Head to the link in the comments below to browse and download the full gallery!

Tag your classmates below and drop your favorite memory from the weekend in the comments! 👇

How do our environments shape our health, and how can we empower communities to connect with the landscapes around them? 🌿🔬

Join us this Wednesday, June 10, at 7:00 p.m. EST for the next virtual session of Westtown’s Conversations from the Facing Bench series!
Grounded in the Quaker wisdom of “letting your life speak,” series creator and moderator Toby Zuckerberg ’21 sits down with Nicole Solano ’13, a Disease Ecology PhD Candidate at the University of Georgia.

Nicole’s vital research examines how environmental and human-driven factors shape mosquito population dynamics and disease transmission. Beyond the lab, she is a passionate educator and mentor who uses science, art, and education to transform how communities experience the natural world.
Together, they’ll explore Nicole’s journey from Westtown to higher education, the crucial intersection of environmental health, and what it looks like to live a life dedicated to community engagement and scientific discovery.

🔗 Link in bio to will allow you to join virtually via Zoom this Wednesday!

Alums Weekend 2026 ☀️ Check out the full Saturday schedule below so you don’t miss a moment. From the Annual Meeting to the Explore Westtown sessions, it’s going to be a day to of connection, nostalgia, and shared laughter.

Not on campus? 💻 We want you to be part of the celebration from wherever you are! Virtual offerings are available so you can tune in from afar.

Check the full schedule and find virtual access links at the link in our bio! 🔗

But the celebration isn’t just limited to Saturday! Make sure to join us for the bookends of the weekend:

🎤 Friday Afternoon (4:00 p.m.): Kick things off with the Alums Panel in the West End Collecting Room. Hear how “Westtown DNA” has shaped the lives of graduates across the decades.

🥞 Sunday Morning (9:00 a.m.): Join us for our Closing Breakfast followed by Meeting for Worship at 10:30 a.m.—the perfect, peaceful conclusion to our time together.

✅ Decided to join us last minute? Don’t worry! Walk-in registrations are welcome on Saturday at the tent in front of the Belfry. (Just a friendly reminder: if you’re planning to stay for lunch, registration is required!)

We can’t wait to see you soon!

Your story is part of our history! 📖 One of the most special parts of Alums Weekend is hearing your Westtown stories. This year, we are returning to a tradition (begun by Karl Vela ’03) where stories are preserved for generations to come.

Stop by the Alum Storytelling Booth in the Library this Saturday! Whether it’s a funny dorm memory, a reflection on a life-changing teacher, or the story of a lifelong friendship that started right here, we want to hear it.
Saturday, May 16 | Storytelling Hours:
🕙 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
🕐 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Drop in or sign up for a time when you arrive. Your recordings will be shared and kept within our official Archives as a permanent part of the Westtown legacy. 🎙️🏛️

Coming for the day? If you haven’t registered yet, don’t worry! Walk-in registrations are welcome on Saturday morning. ⚠️ Friendly Reminder: If you plan to join us for lunch, registration is required. Be sure to secure your spot at the registration desk so we can celebrate together over a great meal!

One week until Alums Weekend 2026! ✨ We are just seven days away from welcoming you back home. If you haven’t secured your spot yet, this is your moment—registration ends this Sunday, May 10, at 11:59 p.m.!

To kick off the weekend, join us next Friday, May 15, at 4:00 p.m. for one of our most anticipated events: The Westtown Alums Panel. 🎤

This cross-generational conversation is open to all students and alums. Come hear how the Westtown experience and Quaker values have shaped the careers and lives of these incredible Westonians:

🎖️ Darrell Mayers ‘81: Service, Discipline, and Leadership in Military & Education.

🎬 Hannah Shakespeare ‘83: Storytelling for Social Justice in the Film Industry.

🤝 Harve Nichols ‘84: Empathy and Community in Public Health & Social Work.

🍎 Adam Salo ‘97: The “Student Pulse”—Insights from current Westtown Faculty.

🍃 Claire Murphy ‘16: Stewardship and Policy at the Dept. of Energy.

💻 Sammie Pavlov ‘16: Innovation and Strategy in the world of Big Tech.

From navigating high-pressure boardrooms to advocating for the planet, our panelists will share how their Westtown cornerstones continue to ground them.

Don’t miss out on the panel, the Annual Meeting, the Alums Games, and so much more! ⏳ Registration CLOSES Sunday night. Help us make sure there’s enough food and fun for everyone by signing up now!

🔗 Register at link in comments!