Baccalaureate speakers: Unseen forces helped mold Culver’s senior class

Two graduating seniors chosen by classmates to speak at the Baccalaureate Service Convocation at Memorial Chapel talked Saturday about how hidden influences at Culver Academies had helped mold them and prepare them for the challenges ahead.

Alexandrine Harig (Deerfield, Illinois) talked about how character-building “unseen forces” had played a role in educating seniors at the Indiana boarding school while Bowen Xiao (Shanghai, China) talked about an “invisible hand” that had pushed the students out of their comfort zones.

Harig recalled humanities master instructor Josh Danforth talking about faith and showing students a picture of a tree, its leaves and branches being pulled by an unseen force. He asked what was happening.

She answered: “It’s windy.”

Danforth challenged her: “How do you know it’s windy in this freeze-frame still image? Can you see the wind?”

She realized that even though she could not see the wind, she knew it was there. Danforth said that is faith.

She said the graduating class has seen this faith during their time at Culver.

“In Mr. Danforth’s analogy, we are the tree. We have grown and bent in a wind that we cannot see, but we know it is there. We can feel the Culver Spirit working around us, pulling at the edges of us, connecting us,” she said. “Today, we are windblown, yet sturdy in our roots, affected by the unseen forces of our Culver environment.”

Xiao talked about the major changes the class had witnessed in their four years, such as Culver’s phone policy that required students to keep smartphones concealed in backpacks, purses or in some other zippered container during most of the academic day in a move aimed at lessening student anxiety and creating a more positive learning environment.

Xiao said at first students thought they were unlucky.

“But eventually, the phone policy forced us to reconnect—not with screens, but with each other. Instead of scrolling, we shared real conversations, smiles and eye contact. Ironically, our new comfort zone became the absence of cell phones,” he said.

 

Xiao also talked about how at Culver students found a community that challenged them, supported them, strengthened them and helped them to grow.

“Culver completely shattered my comfort zone and pushed me beyond my limits, it has ironically become my new comfort zone,” he said.

He said Culver redefined what comfort is.

“The truth is that Culver’s demands helped us grow. And when that invisible hand is gone, we’ll feel its absence more than we expect,” he said.

Harig and Xiao both talked about making their beds daily and cleaning up their living areas until it became routine.

“We had faith that if we showed up every day, we would become better,” Harig said.

Harig said that while each senior has their own story, they had experienced Culver together and were shaped by the same environment, the “same wind.”

“We do not only share our common wind, we are also truly entangled in our roots, which will stabilize us as we move forward to experience new winds. And, if there is anything we know about Culver, it is that ‘Culver connects;’ through those entwined roots of ours, we will pass each other nutrients, communicate through care, always side by side just beneath the surface, buried together in the soil,” Harig said.

Head of Schools Doug Bird ’90, Ed.D., told the students that they were a competitive class, but that they channeled that in a healthy way. He also said they were a tight-knit group.

“It was clear to me you have lived our mission throughout your time on campus and embraced the importance of buying into the system, coming together as a team, exhibiting self-discipline, taking care of those you lead and even challenging the process at the appropriate time,” he said. “You learned leadership is a hard but noble endeavor.”

He told the seniors that whatever path they choose, they should embrace their futures with the same zeal that they displayed during their time at Culver.

“What you have done here, the skills you have developed and the virtues and values you exemplify, will no doubt be applied to meet your next set of challenges, all while being mindful of developing new capabilities and expertise along the way,” he said.

Awards

The recipients of the top student awards were presented at Commencement Convocation on Saturday.

The McDonald Award was presented to Cole Heiman (Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois). The award, given by E.C. McDonald, Class of 1915, is awarded to the cadet who -- by his individual work, example and inspiration -- has contributed materially to the betterment of cultural life at Culver.

The Arthur G. Hughes Award was presented to Addison Dollahan (Sheridan, Indiana). The award, named in honor of the late Arthur G. Hughes, first chairman of the Fine Arts Department, is given to the graduating senior girl who has revealed exceptional concern for cultural life on campus.

The Van Zandt Key was presented to Remy Bergeron (Flossmoor, Illinois). The key is presented to the cadet who, by his effort and example, has increased an awareness among the Corps of Cadets of the importance of moral and spiritual values. The award was established in 1954 by Richard R. Van Zandt, Class of 1928.

The Mary Frances England Humanitarian Award was presented to Alexandrine Harig (Deerfield, Illinois). The award is named for the founding director of Culver Girls Academy and is presented annually to the senior girl who, by her acts, has revealed an exemplary concern for others. It was established in 1973 by the Culver Parents Association.

The YMCA Cup, established in 1915, was presented to Jack Christiansen (Culver, Indiana). The award is presented to the cadet who, in the opinion of the faculty and staff, best exemplifies the ideals of Culver.

The Superintendent’s Bowl was presented to Noa Shafeek-Horton (Huntersville, North Carolina. The bowl, given by a former Culver cadet in 1972, is presented to a graduating Culver Girls Academy senior whose leadership, example, influence and total record of achievement has brought honor to the Academies.

Jayme Euh (Seoul, South Korea) was recognized as the valedictorian of the Class of 2025 and the recipient of the Jonas Weil Award. Established by Jonas Weil ’54, the Weil Award provides a monetary award to the valedictorian and salutatorian. Jonathan Xiang (Beijing) was named the salutatorian.

William (Minran) Wang (Shanghai, China) was awarded The Scholarship Medal, which was established in 1946. The award is presented to the cadet with the highest cumulative grade point average during the second- and first-class years at Culver.

Jayme Euh (Seoul, South Korea) was presented the Alfred J. Donnelly Scholastic Award. The award is given in memory of Alfred J. Donnelly, Culver’s long-esteemed teacher, counselor and dean. It recognizes the graduating senior in CGA who has attained the highest academic average during her junior and senior years. The award was established in 1979.

Caro Gicewicz (Hendersonville, Tennessee) was presented with the Thomas Bridegroom Award for fine arts, named for a 2000 graduate who died in 2011.  The award is given to a CMA first classman or a CGA senior intending to study a fine arts discipline at a college, university, or conservatory level. The award was provided by Michael Huffington ’65.

Jack Collins earned The Chambers Award, which recognizes the first-classman who has distinguished himself through a combination of excellence in scholarship and athletics.  The award, established in 1915, is given in memory of Cal C. Chambers, Class of 1908.

Caroline Alderfer (Winona Lake, Indiana) earned the Jane Metcalfe Culver Bowl awarded to a graduating CGA student who has distinguished herself in scholastic and academic achievement.

Dorm/Unit Awards

Harbor earned The Benson Bowl for Academic Achievement with an overall grade point average of 3.8071. The award, established by a former Culver cadet, is dedicated to the memory of Dean Ernest B. Benson and is awarded to the CGA dormitory having the highest academic achievement for the year.

Company C won The Silver Bowl with an overall GPA of 3.6796. Given by E.R. Culver III, Class of 1918, to the CMA organization having the highest academic achievement for the year. The bowl was given by E.R. Culver III, Class of 1938.

 

Faculty Awards

Culver Academies honored faculty and staff for their dedication and service.

Latin instructor Evan Armacost received the Maj. Gen. Delmar T. Spivey Award for Teaching. The award, named for Culver’s sixth superintendent, recognizes and encourages superior teaching among younger promising faculty members. The recipient is selected by the academic department chairs.

Senior mathematics instructor Matt Fenton was awarded the Kaser Scholar Award. The award is presented to the faculty member “whose scholarly interests, enthusiastic teaching, sympathetic understanding, and wise counsel combine to inspire students and kindle in them the zest for life and learning.” The winner is selected by the top 30 percent of the senior class and is named in honor of Mark. B. Kaser ’75.

 

 Huffington Library Director Becky Strati was awarded the John R. Mars Faculty Merit Award. Established by the board of trustees to honor Culver’s 10^th superintendent, the award is given to the member of the faculty/staff who best exemplifies the ideals of Culver and Dean Mars during his 41-year career.

 

Honors and Concentrations

A total of 99 students received diplomas indicating they successfully completed the requirements for concentrations or honors in a discipline.

Students graduating with a concentration in a subject completed a series of prerequisite courses, including special seminars focusing intensively on their areas of interest.

Those students graduating with honors will have produced a body of work judged to be of high merit by the corresponding subject-area faculty committee.

Service Academy Appointments
Nine members of the Class of 2025 accepted appointments to service academies. Britton Crockett (Jonesborough, Tennessee) and Jessica Kang (Greenwood, Indiana) will attend the Naval Academy. Remy Bergeron (Flossmoor, Illinois), Max Holland (Mission Viejo, California),

Kellye Riordan (Coto De Caza, California), John Roberts (Columbus, Indiana), Tyler Stephenson (Colorado Springs, Colorado) and Wolf Woelk (Laramie, Wyoming) will attend West Point. James Stockton (Richmond, Virgina) will attend the Air Force Academy.

 

ROTC Scholarships

John Peter Allen (Culver, Indiana), Vanderbilt, Army; Samuel Boncosky (Indianapolis, Indiana), Indiana University, Army; John FitzPatrick (Crozet, Virginia), University of Wisconsin, Army; Braedon Forward (Danville, Indiana), Boston College, Navy; Ravi Gaba (Granger, Indiana), Boston College, Navy; Alexandrine Harig (Deerfield, Illinois) Yale, Army; Anika Jyothinagaram (Fort Wayne, Indiana) Vanderbilt, Navy; Katherine Laherty (Culver, Indiana), Texas A&M, Navy; Tyler Li (San Diego, California), MIT, Army; Joseph Murashige (Naperville, Illinois), Purdue, Navy.

Emeritus Faculty and Staff

As a way of honoring longtime service, the Board of Trustees established “emeritus” status in 1983 to retiring individuals who have served at least 20 years at Culver. In their May meeting, the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees conferred the following faculty and staff “emeritus” status:

Tim Montgomery, 35 years, assistant dean of CMA

Kristine Myers, 36 years, master instructor