This article was originally published in the fall 2012 Harker Quarterly.
The Harker School is proud of its faculty, who set an example for the Harker community by going “all in” last year with a record-breaking 100 percent participation in the school’s annual giving campaign drive.
“This is just one of many ways our faculty show their dedication to our students’ education,” said Melinda Gonzales, managing director of advancement.
Now, with the fall launch of this year’s “All In!” annual campaign, parents are poised to join faculty in supporting student programs by making a gift themselves. The official campaign phoneathon is the week of Sept. 30, but parents may make their gift any time by going online to www. harker.org/onlinegiving or by using the envelope included in this publication.
If parents have any questions about making their gift, they are urged to contact Gonzales at melindag@harker.org. They are also invited to visit Harker’s new “Recognition & Thanks” page on the parent portal at www.harker.org/rt.
“Each month we recognize our most recent donors and volunteers – those people who help to create our strong and vibrant community,” noted Gonzales.
This article was originally published in the fall 2012 Harker Quarterly.
Harker ties run deep, as demonstrated by the many alumni and parents of alumni who continue to support the school long after their association with Harker has ended. Highlighted in this issue of Harker Quarterly are several such donors who support the school in this impactful and meaningful way.
“The entire Harker community is enormously grateful to them,” said Joe Rosenthal, executive director of advancement, reporting on the strong and enduring connections of both former Harker students and parents of Harker students.
Silvestri Family
Among the Harker supporters are Chet and Irene Silvestri, who have two sons, Adam ’97 and Matt ’93, who attended Harker back when it was a K-8 school (Matt Silvestri’s wife, Tiffanie, also appears in the photo). After the boys finished at Harker, Irene Silvestri continued to be actively involved in the school as a long-term substitute teacher.
“The Silvestris learned about the positive impact our exciting plans are going to have for the school and were inspired to make a generous leadership gift to our capital campaign,” said Rosenthal, noting that Irene Silvestri continues to be involved with Harker by sitting on the school’s advisory board.
Mandell Family
Jay and Susan Mandell’s two sons, Jeffrey and Sean, both graduated from Harker’s upper school in 2009 and are currently attending Stanford University. While their sons were attending Harker the Mandells became benefactors with their very generous gift to the school’s capital campaign, supporting the scienceand technology center, athletic field and aquatic center.
Following their sons’ graduation, the Mandells continued to support both the annual giving and capital campaigns. Susan Mandell also remains actively involved as a member of Harker’s advisory board.
Shalini Mohan ’02
Another Harker supporter, Shalini Mohan ’02, was a member of Harker’s first upper school graduating class.
She graduated from medical school and successfully completed a six- year combined Bachelor of Liberal Arts/M.D. program at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. She was later awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health and is currently postdoctoral fellow at the Stanford Institute for Neuro-Innovation and Translational Neurosciences.
After a return visit to Harker, which included a chat with her former science teacher Anita Chetty, Mohan took the unique opportunity to name the jellyfish aquarium located in the atrium of Nichols Hall with her generous gift to the capital campaign. In doing so she joined another alumni donor, Neal Mehta ’02, who was his class’ first capital campaign donor.
“It’s an incredible feeling to be fortunate enough to have a career I love and the ability to give back to the school that set me on this amazing path,” enthused Mohan. “I will always be proud to be a Harker Eagle!”
The weather was as warm as the atmosphere as nearly 200 guests turned out for a summer evening reception for new parents held at the Silver Creek Valley Country Club in San Jose in June.
The annual event welcoming newcomers to Harker was graciously hosted by board member Sally Anderson with opening remarks by Chris Nikoloff, head of school, and Joe Rosenthal, executive director of advancement.
After time for mixing and mingling, Rosenthal kicked off the evening by showing clips from televised new stories about Harker and its students. Many of the new parents had not seen the clips and were clearly impressed at the school’s many newsworthy accomplishments.
Following that, Casey Near ’06 spoke about her years and experiences at Harker, noting the impact her peers had on her and how well prepared she was for college and beyond.
Attendees were visibly moved by the event. They also enjoyed appetizers, drinks and dessert while connecting with one another as they prepared to become a part of the Harker community.
Present and future Harker volunteers were treated to an informative and entertaining workshop May 10, hosted by volunteer directors Teré Aceves (K-8) and Sue Prutton (upper school). The event, meant to educate interested parents on the large variety of volunteer opportunities at Harker, also served as a conversation starter, with experienced parents relating the necessary skills, time commitment and nature of each available opportunity.
“The event went extremely well,” said Prutton. “This year we brought in Dr. CK Andrade, associate clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco, to talk about volunteering – its benefits and how to get the most out of the experience without getting overloaded. She was both insightful and very amusing, sharing several anecdotes from her own experiences.”
Parents at the workshop learned of new programs and opportunities, and particularly appreciated hearing from fellow expert volunteer parents, who talked about their experiences and were enthusiastic about the fun they had in their various tasks.
According to Prutton, participation in the Harker volunteer community is more important than necessarily being the most active volunteer. “We have volunteers who work on multiple programs in leadership roles each year and those who can only give an hour, but we’re appreciative of all our volunteers no matter how much or how little time they can give.” To Prutton, it’s all about the passion: “Each year a majority of our families volunteer some time to a program they and their students are passionate about and that’s what matters most to Teré and me.”
This article was originally published in the summer 2012 Harker Quarterly.
Circle Celebration Honors School Donors The Head of School’s Circle Celebration on May 4 brought together hundreds of donors and members of the Parent Development Council (PDC) to honor their generosity and thank them for their part in helping the school achieve its goals.
The audience was treated to special performances by three of Harker’s top performing arts groups: the upper school show choir Downbeat, High Voltage, the middle school all-male dance group and Showstoppers, the middle school girls dance group.
Giving Back: Harker Faculty and Staff Reach Record Level of Participation in Annual Giving Campaign Early this school year, the administration challenged Harker employees to beat the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) average of 94 percent faculty/staff participation in school annual giving campaigns. Harker stepped up with 99 percent participation.
The stage was set last year, when Harker parents Samir and Sundari Mitra (Shivani, grade 11) established the Mitra Family Endowment for the Humanities, which matches gifts for the annual campaign up to a total of $100,000.
“I heard about this initiative,” said Jonathan Brusco, grade 7 social studies teacher.
Brusco then urged others to contribute to annual giving, and was asked to join the newly created Faculty Development Council, a group working to increase faculty participation in the annual giving process. As a result of the record setting faculty/staff drive, many parents were also inspired to make a gift or pledge to the annual campaign.
“We are grateful to the many faculty and staff who participated in annual giving this year. Their contributions benefit and impact every student, parent and teacher here at Harker!” said Joe Rosenthal, executive director of advancement.
For more information about annual giving opportunities at Harker, contact Melinda Gonzales, director of development, at melindag@harker.org.
Volunteer Workshop Informs, Rallies Parents Present and future Harker volunteers were treated to an informative and entertaining workshop May 10, hosted by volunteer directors Teré Aceves (K-8) and Sue Prutton (upper school). The event, meant to educate interested parents on the large variety of volunteer opportunities at Harker, also served as a conversation starter, with experienced parents relating the necessary skills, time commitment and nature of each available opportunity.
“The event went extremely well,” said Prutton. “This year we brought in Dr. CK Andrade, associate clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco to talk about volunteering – its benefits and how to get the most out of the experience without getting overloaded. She was both insightful and very amusing, sharing several anecdotes from her own experiences.”
Parents at the workshop learned of new programs and opportunities, and particularly appreciated hearing from fellow expert volunteer parents, who talked about their experiences and were enthusiastic about the fun they had in their various tasks.
According to Prutton, participation in the Harker volunteer community is more important than necessarily being the most active volunteer. “We have volunteers who work on multiple programs in leadership roles each year and those who can only give an hour, but we’re appreciative of all our volunteers no matter how much or how little time they can give.” To Prutton, it’s all about the passion: “Each year a majority of our families volunteer some time to a program they and their students are passionate about and that’s what matters most to Teré and me.”
This article was originally published in the summer 2012 Harker Quarterly.
The Mitra Family Endowment, established last year, has borne its first fruit. Sarah Howells, grade 12 and the first Mitra scholar, added her effort to the handcrafted social and historical analyses produced by this year’s three John Near Endowment scholars. Howells chose a classic and controversial character for her subject and found an angle not fully explored for her paper, “Winston Churchill’s Efforts to Unify Britain From 1940-1941,” a look at his public relations efforts as they affected Britain’s morale in early World War II. In 2011, Harker parents Samir and Sundari Mitra (Shivani, grade 11) established the Mitra Family Endowment for the Humanities, which matches gifts to the annual giving campaign up to a total of $100,000.
“The subject matters taught under humanities such as history, languages, communications and philosophy are critical skills and knowledge that develop well-rounded Harker students,” said Samir Mitra at last year’s reception. “Humanities is the bedrock of a superior education and will enable our students to stand out as recognized contributors in their future professions.”
“I knew I wanted to apply for the Mitra grant because I had enjoyed world history so much in my sophomore year,” said Howells. “I thought about Britain; my family was affected on two sides by World War II, both in Poland and in Britain.”
Too broad at first, her topic choices “quickly narrowed to Churchill’s remarkable unification of the government and retaining the trust of the people during the war,” said Howells, who will attend Princeton in the fall.
Howells noted, “The most interesting part of writing the paper was transitioning from the researching to the writing. That was the most difficult task for me, since I had a myriad of great resources but no idea how to put them all together.”
Howells took on a subject usually taken for granted – Churchill’s ability to relate to the “everyman” and to the highest in the land (he often personally briefed King George VI on the war’s progress) – and examined its worth in keeping the spirit of resistance alive in beleaguered England. Her writing, worth the read in itself, conveys the passion that Churchill used to inspire fellow politicians and those in the street. Her division of material shows the way for further research on how Churchill handled groups differently.
Like all good researchers, Howells pointed out the weakness in her own paper, the inability to examine the records of Mass Observation and Home Intelligence, a government bureau that monitored the public pulse, due to their volume and her limited access. Howells noted that lacking the confirming information in those records, it was hard to be sure of widespread public approval of Churchill.
“It’s been such a pleasure to work with Sarah,” said history teacher Ruth Meyer, Howells’ mentor through the process. “She is so balanced in her approach to research, she’s so steady in everything that she does, so well organized.”
“Overall, the process of writing the paper was an exciting and challenging opportunity,” said Howells, “and I’m glad I could get a taste of what real humanities research is like before I head off to college.”
At the reception, Howells gave emphatic thanks to her teachers and mentor, saying, “I don’t think I could have done this if you hadn’t suggested to me that I was capable of completing such a long senior thesis.”
“I’m overwhelmed,” said Sundari Mitra, noting the scholars’ efforts to “inspire us parents. We are really honored and proud that with whatever little we could do, the school has utilized it in such a tremendous manner, so thank you Mr. Nikoloff, the faculty, everyone. I’m really touched and inspired.”
The $300,000 John Near Excellence in History Education Endowment Fund, in memory of the 31-year veteran of Harker’s teaching staff who passed away in 2009, was made by his parents James and Patricia Near to, in John Near’s words, “help develop the history department, both through the acquisition of resources and by providing growth opportunities for both faculty and students.” Each year, three students receive grants from the endowment’s proceeds to be used for research.
Near scholar Max Isenberg, grade 12, chose a subject Churchill, as a former First Lord of the Admiralty, would have been very interested in: the use of on-station naval power as a worldwide deterrent, something at which the British were old hands.
Isenberg’s paper, “Arleigh Burke’s Submarine-Based Finite Deterrent: Alternative to the Nuclear Triad,” an examination of Admiral Arleigh Burke’s answer to ballooning costs involved with maintaining a three-point nuclear deterrent (aircraft, missiles and submarines all carrying nuclear devices), was carefully researched and covered the salient points of the argument.
Isenberg, who will attend the University of Pennsylvania for the Jerome Fisher Management and Technology program in the fall in a dual-degree program for business and engineering, noted, “My favorite part of the entire project was looking at the competing theories of nuclear strategy, and how they had consequences not immediately obvious until later in the Cold War.
“The most difficult part of the project was finding solid first-person sources, especially considering the tight classification of many details from the Cold War,” he added. “That difficulty partly contributed to my eventual focus on nuclear strategy as many of the major players in the development of the Triad and finite deterrence had published works, while a lot of the nitty-gritty details of submarines remain inaccessible.”
Isenberg is appreciative of the grant, thanking teacher and mentor Ramsey Westgate, Susan Smith, library director, and Donna Gilbert, history department chair, for their help. “I don’t think there are very many schools of any sort that offer such a rare opportunity to do history research specifically and then give the leeway to explore the topic in such a thorough manner,” he said.
Dwight Payne, grade 12, chose a current social topic and, as he was out of town during the reception, delivered his address via video. His work, “Can Charter Schools Close the Achievement Gap?” was mentored by teacher Kelly Horan.
Payne’s closely researched paper delves into the arcane world of evaluating charter school results. He located a number of studies which threw light on a portion of the process of evaluation and allowed limited conclusions to be drawn on the efficacy of the charter schools studied. Payne identified some commonalities within the studies and used them for his next step, interviewing charter school administrators and examining the records of their schools.
The schools examined in this portion of the project had a spectrum of student results and, although Payne found and used common criteria for eliminating or at least accounting for bias, the differences between schools, including stability, age of students (one was high school, the others lower and middle schools), location, teaching methods and teacher evaluation and training methods made drawing firm conclusions problematic. Payne was comfortable, however, generally endorsing charter schools as an option for helping those desirous of helping themselves, feeling that time will only improve the system as learning processes are refined and expanded.
When it came time to write the paper, “sifting through the breadth of literature was a difficult task,” said Payne, who will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, majoring in business administration with a possible second major in either economics or psychology.
Another hurdle was maintaining objectivity. “It was difficult to swallow my own biases going into the process and accept that most of the literature I read presented inconclusive or conflicting data,” Payne said. “From that knowledge, however, it was rewarding to conduct interviews that examined specific examples of successes or challenges that were illuminating despite the difficulty of reaching an overall conclusion regarding the effectiveness of charter schools in closing the achievement gap. I particularly enjoyed meeting with school leaders, and I was very inspired by their dedication. The administrators whom I interviewed were incredibly helpful and eager to share their work; I am immensely grateful to them.”
Senior Cole Manaster, like Howells and Isenberg, chose a military topic with political ramifications. His effort, “The Changing Dynamic of Unconventional Warfare: The U.S. Special Forces in Vietnam and Their Impact on Modern
War,” traced the development of special operations forces first as trainers of villagers in war zones to strengthen them against enemy efforts, then in their roles as covert, uniformed operators behind enemy lines. Manaster documented the status of special operations forces as, following WWII, they grew from a compound of various forces – Army, Navy, Marine and CIA – to the ultimate acceptance of these forces and their integration in the overall military effort.
Today, we are all familiar with the effort to capture the “hearts and minds” of noncombatants in military zones, and Manaster illustrated how that effort grew from early efforts to keep South Vietnamese and other indigenous groups in Vietnam from falling, or being coerced, under the influence of North Vietnamese communists, while noting that a special operations forces mandate also puts them in the most dangerous situations a soldier is likely to face, i.e., behind enemy lines.
“I was fascinated by this facet of the war– how special forces were used,” he said,“so I looked at how they were used in the Vietnam War and somewhat how they have been used since.”
Manaster, who will be going to the University of Southern California next year as a business administration major, said he “wanted to be able to use the things I have learned in my history classes and all my classes,” but noted, “the toughest part of writing such an extensive paper was keeping myself on track timewise.”
His topic firm, Manaster found the next step a challenge. “If I could do it all again, I would probably have spent more time solidifying my outline before writing the paper itself. What I had in my outline made the writing process itself immensely easier, but I think I probably could have done even more, looking back on it now.”
“I was really happy to be Cole’s mentor,” said Carol Zink, history teacher. “I’ve seen his intellectual growth and development over the years and it’s always tremendously rewarding for a teacher to get to see that.”
Zink noted one of the challenges Manaster had in pursuing his research is that it is difficult to find unbiased sources on this topic. “There are a lot of books that are ‘Yay-rah, Green Berets!’” she said, “and then there are other books that say the United States should never have gone into Vietnam in the first place and they (the Green Berets) were the dirty dogs in the deal. It is very difficult to try to walk the middle line, and I know that was a struggle for Cole, but I know he persevered.”
Pam Dickinson, John Near’s widow and director of Harker’s Office of Communication, again represented the Near family. “Like last year, I felt very much as though John was channeled with the presentations,” Dickinson said, noting facets of each paper that interested the Near family. “John would be incredibly proud. I’m honored to be here on behalf of his parents, and it is a wonderful thing that the Mitras have done. Congratulations. You all have done a wonderful job.”
Manaster echoed the thanks of the other scholars, adding, “All of us have put in a lot of work and it is exciting to see our papers truly come to fruition and to have this at the close of our senior year, as well. I’m very honored to have been a part of this program, and it is something I’m going to remember for a long time.”
This story was originally published in the spring 2012 issue of Harker Quarterly.
Throughout its long history The Harker School has proactively adapted to changing environments to meet the needs of its growing student population. Now, with breaking news that Harker was the top bidder on a desirable, available campus property, the school finds itself at yet another turning point.
For years Harker, the largest K-12 independent school in California, has leased its middle school campus on Blackford Ave. And, while this has worked well, Harker’s forward-thinking administration has long dreamed of owning all three of its campuses. With the current bid accepted and pending final county approval, that vision of building permanency and security seems poised to become a reality.
Chris Nikoloff, head of school, reviewed the plans for acquiring the ideally suited campus property located near Union Ave. and Highway 280 at a recent benefactor’s luncheon.
“We found an available campus structure that is exactly the right fit … so there is a strong sense that we should move on it,” Nikoloff said during the luncheon, after thanking attendees for coming out and partnering with Harker.
He then introduced some Harker science students, who came to the meeting to echo his gratitude to the school’s funders. The students also shared updates on their impressive research projects, with topics ranging from autism studies and embedding enzymes, to lab work towards fighting HIV infections and cancer.
“When I was in high school my biggest concern was why wouldn’t my teacher let me play Ping-Pong at recess,” joked Nikoloff, after congratulating the students on their accomplishments, which illus- trate how far the upper campus has come since its creation in 1998.
Nikoloff used the metaphor of “putting toothpaste back in the tube,” when comparing the option of having to move the middle school back to the upper school campus after the current Blackford lease runs out. “In other words, it is not a viable option,” he said, explaining the school has grown too much and that it would lead to serious problems of overcrowding.
Speaking on behalf of the administration and board members who have been diligently working to secure a suitable property, he added, “We are bullish on the Union property. It just doesn’t happen every day that you find something in the exact area you are looking for, with the exact features.”
The subsequent decision to put in a bid on the building was the result of an exhaustive community-wide effort to secure Harker’s future direction.
Alice Siegel (Elisabeth, grade 8; Kathryn, grade 12), who attended the benefactor luncheon, said that she trusts the school administra- tion to take the lead in moving forward with the bid. A parent of a Harker “lifer,” Siegel said she has watched the school, along with her children, successfully grow and change over the years.
Calling the new campus acquisition process part of the school’s cornerstone campaign, Joe Rosenthal, executive director of ad- vancement, elaborated that purchasing a third campus was one of four previously set strategic financial priorities, including ongoing program excellence, building out a master site plan and increasing endowment and reserves.
“Even when the bubble burst during the economic recession, givers to the advancement campaign pulled through, with continued enthusiasm for the expansion project,” said Rosenthal, noting that additional funds were raised through the capital campaign, which may enable Harker to purchase the new building outright.
“While excellent programs are always at the heart of the school, those programs are enhanced by the facilities and infrastructure that support them,” said Rosenthal.
If the county approves, and the bid does, indeed, move full steam ahead, the purchase and sale would likely close by the end of the summer. And that, said Nikoloff, would be a “major milestone” for Harker’s future.
This story was originally published in the spring 2012 issue of Harker Quarterly.
Throughout its long history The Harker School has proactively adapted to changing environments to meet the needs of its growing student population. Now, with breaking news that Harker was the top bidder on a desirable, available campus property, the school finds itself at yet another turning point.
For years Harker, the largest K-12 independent school in California, has leased its middle school campus on Blackford Ave. And, while this has worked well, Harker’s forward-thinking administration has long dreamed of owning all three of its campuses. With the current bid accepted and pending final county approval, that vision of building permanency and security seems poised to become a reality.
Chris Nikoloff, head of school, reviewed the plans for acquiring the ideally suited campus property located near Union Ave. and Highway 280 at a recent benefactor’s luncheon.
“We found an available campus structure that is exactly the right fit … so there is a strong sense that we should move on it,” Nikoloff said during the luncheon, after thanking attendees for coming out and partnering with Harker.
He then introduced some Harker science students, who came to the meeting to echo his gratitude to the school’s funders. The students also shared updates on their impressive research projects, with topics ranging from autism studies and embedding enzymes, to lab work towards fighting HIV infections and cancer.
“When I was in high school my biggest concern was why wouldn’t my teacher let me play Ping-Pong at recess,” joked Nikoloff, after congratulating the students on their accomplishments, which illus- trate how far the upper campus has come since its creation in 1998.
Nikoloff used the metaphor of “putting toothpaste back in the tube,” when comparing the option of having to move the middle school back to the upper school campus after the current Blackford lease runs out. “In other words, it is not a viable option,” he said, explaining the school has grown too much and that it would lead to serious problems of overcrowding.
Speaking on behalf of the administration and board members who have been diligently working to secure a suitable property, he added, “We are bullish on the Union property. It just doesn’t happen every day that you find something in the exact area you are looking for, with the exact features.”
The subsequent decision to put in a bid on the building was the result of an exhaustive community-wide effort to secure Harker’s future direction.
Alice Siegel (Elisabeth, grade 8; Kathryn, grade 12), who attended the benefactor luncheon, said that she trusts the school administra- tion to take the lead in moving forward with the bid. A parent of a Harker “lifer,” Siegel said she has watched the school, along with her children, successfully grow and change over the years.
Calling the new campus acquisition process part of the school’s cornerstone campaign, Joe Rosenthal, executive director of ad- vancement, elaborated that purchasing a third campus was one of four previously set strategic financial priorities, including ongoing program excellence, building out a master site plan and increasing endowment and reserves.
“Even when the bubble burst during the economic recession, givers to the advancement campaign pulled through, with continued enthusiasm for the expansion project,” said Rosenthal, noting that additional funds were raised through the capital campaign, which may enable Harker to purchase the new building outright.
“While excellent programs are always at the heart of the school, those programs are enhanced by the facilities and infrastructure that support them,” said Rosenthal.
If the county approves, and the bid does, indeed, move full steam ahead, the purchase and sale would likely close by the end of the summer. And that, said Nikoloff, would be a “major milestone” for Harker’s future.
This story was originally published in the spring 2012 issue of Harker Quarterly.
Throughout its long history The Harker School has proactively adapted to changing environments to meet the needs of its growing student population. Now, with breaking news that Harker was the top bidder on a desirable, available campus property, the school finds itself at yet another turning point.
For years Harker, the largest K-12 independent school in California, has leased its middle school campus on Blackford Ave. And, while this has worked well, Harker’s forward-thinking administration has long dreamed of owning all three of its campuses. With the current bid accepted and pending final county approval, that vision of building permanency and security seems poised to become a reality.
Chris Nikoloff, head of school, reviewed the plans for acquiring the ideally suited campus property located near Union Ave. and Highway 280 at a recent benefactor’s luncheon.
“We found an available campus structure that is exactly the right fit … so there is a strong sense that we should move on it,” Nikoloff said during the luncheon, after thanking attendees for coming out and partnering with Harker.
He then introduced some Harker science students, who came to the meeting to echo his gratitude to the school’s funders. The students also shared updates on their impressive research projects, with topics ranging from autism studies and embedding enzymes, to lab work towards fighting HIV infections and cancer.
“When I was in high school my biggest concern was why wouldn’t my teacher let me play Ping-Pong at recess,” joked Nikoloff, after congratulating the students on their accomplishments, which illus- trate how far the upper campus has come since its creation in 1998.
Nikoloff used the metaphor of “putting toothpaste back in the tube,” when comparing the option of having to move the middle school back to the upper school campus after the current Blackford lease runs out. “In other words, it is not a viable option,” he said, explaining the school has grown too much and that it would lead to serious problems of overcrowding.
Speaking on behalf of the administration and board members who have been diligently working to secure a suitable property, he added, “We are bullish on the Union property. It just doesn’t happen every day that you find something in the exact area you are looking for, with the exact features.”
The subsequent decision to put in a bid on the building was the result of an exhaustive community-wide effort to secure Harker’s future direction.
Alice Siegel (Elisabeth, grade 8; Kathryn, grade 12), who attended the benefactor luncheon, said that she trusts the school administra- tion to take the lead in moving forward with the bid. A parent of a Harker “lifer,” Siegel said she has watched the school, along with her children, successfully grow and change over the years.
Calling the new campus acquisition process part of the school’s cornerstone campaign, Joe Rosenthal, executive director of ad- vancement, elaborated that purchasing a third campus was one of four previously set strategic financial priorities, including ongoing program excellence, building out a master site plan and increasing endowment and reserves.
“Even when the bubble burst during the economic recession, givers to the advancement campaign pulled through, with continued enthusiasm for the expansion project,” said Rosenthal, noting that additional funds were raised through the capital campaign, which may enable Harker to purchase the new building outright.
“While excellent programs are always at the heart of the school, those programs are enhanced by the facilities and infrastructure that support them,” said Rosenthal.
If the county approves, and the bid does, indeed, move full steam ahead, the purchase and sale would likely close by the end of the summer. And that, said Nikoloff, would be a “major milestone” for Harker’s future.
This story was originally published in the spring 2012 issue of Harker Quarterly.
Golfers basked in the warmth of a lovely day on the Stanford University Golf Course, sipped fine wines at a beautiful home and also walked away with the good feeling that comes from helping others.
In keeping with a Harker motto, “aim high; have fun,” and thanks to those involved, the event raised more than $30,000. The money will go towards Harker’s general endowment fund, to help benefit generations of students to come.
“This was a win- win for everyone. It was a great game and a great opportunity to unite as a community in support of the school,” said Joe Rosenthal, executive director of advancement, of the day.
The golf course, designed in 1930 by renowned golf course architects William Bell and George C. Thomas, is located in the foothills above the Stanford University campus and is consistently rated one of the finest in the world. In 2009 Stanford was rated the nation’s third best college course by golf coaches.
The Golf Classic offered various packages for single players, couples, foursome and twosomes. It also included some impressive add-ons for avid golfers and wine enthusiasts, culminating with wine tasting at the hilltop home of Harker parents Scott and Susan McNealy (Scout, grade 5; Colt, grade 7; Dakota, grade 8; Maverick, grade 11).
The McNealys graciously opened up their home to golfers, their guests and non-golfers who sponsored a Harker golf team member. Over delicious wine and appetizers, guests reminisced about highlights of the day, from tee-off to their last putt.
More importantly, they left secure in the knowledge that they had played a key role in leaving a lasting legacy by helping to provide a perpetual stream of income to the school.
In addition to the McNealys, the Golf Classic was also sponsored by Gary and Pooja Gauba, Ram and Indira Reddy and Sandeep and Priya Vij. Hole sponsors were WayIn, Cheryl Young Associates, Sarah Hansen Watercolor Artist, Beshoff Motor Cars, Delectus Winery, Jarvis Winery, Vintage Wine Estate, Martin and Dorothy Scarpace and Joe and Blanca Rosenthal.
Overall winners with a score of 60 were Tony Morici (parent of Antonio Morici ’89 and Alexia Lerner ’90), Pam Costello, Steve Hallgrimson and Erik Hallgrimson.