Ava Fonss, Editor-in-Chief
@afonsscourant
Each year, members of the most recent graduating class return just before the start of winter break to attend the Alumni Roundtable, an annual event that allows graduates to give feedback to the Board of Education and provide guidance to seniors currently going through the college application and decision process. This year’s event took place in the Wagner Room on December 22, and thirteen members of the Class of 2022 attended.
College and Career Center Coordinator Susan Carroll, who helps coordinate the event, views the Alumni Roundtable as both an informative and assuring experience for seniors each year. “The event allows seniors to seek advice from college freshmen right as they are hearing back from colleges,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to ask about how the application process played out for students who have already gone through it, and to ask what advice they might offer.”
Alumna Lauren Doherty, who currently attends Georgetown University, decided to attend the Alumni Roundtable this year to share her college experience and put seniors at ease during the application season. “I went through a long and stressful college process myself,” she said. “I applied to one of my top schools through early decision and was deferred and then rejected, which was difficult. I wanted to help the current seniors in any way possible to support them as they navigate the difficult admissions process.”
Alumnus Cole Schubert, who is currently a first-year student at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, also attended the event to share his perspective and advice. “When I attended the Alumni Roundtable last year, it was really interesting hearing about the various experiences from across the country and the UK, and it was nice to see how many options there were to explore,” he said. “This year, I wanted to catch up with peers and pass on a bit of knowledge to help put the current seniors at ease. The process can be super stressful while you’re going through it.”
In addition to seeking advice regarding applications, students are also able to ask about various aspects of college life. “Conversations often include topics like how to deal with roommates, what budgeting is like as a college student, and what the registration process is like for courses,” Ms. Carroll said. “At this point in the year, most seniors don’t know where they will end up, so it’s nice to hear what the first semester was like for students who are at different schools.”
As an international student, Cole also wanted to help students who are looking to attend institutions outside of the United States. “St. Andrews is one of the few UK universities on the Common Application, but I did apply to a university through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), which is the UK equivalent of the Common Application,” he said. “For students who are looking to apply through UCAS, it’s important to reach out for help and read online.”
For Alumnus and University of Georgia Freshman Michael Mank, the roundtable was an opportunity to share his personal college experience. “As seniors begin to make their own college decisions, I wanted to give them a look into what it’s like attending an SEC school and also share some experiences that strengthened me as a college student—both academically and socially,” he said. “I attended the Alumni Roundtable last year, and the event helped me understand the reality of college life and how well the school system prepares students.”
After the panel-style group discussions, students are also able to ask questions to individual alumni. “Each year, graduates wear sweatshirts with the name of their college on it so students know exactly which school they go to,” Ms. Carroll said. “If a senior sees an alumni who attends a school that is on their list and wants to have a private conversation, there is also the opportunity for that as the meeting wears down.”
Senior Evelyn Slatoff found it helpful to hear directly from college students at various schools. “The students who came back offered some very good insight on the transition between New Canaan High School specifically and their respective colleges,” she said. “It was really interesting to learn about what it is like to go through that transition through many different lenses.”
The event also allowed Evelyn to learn about the offerings at different institutions. “There are some things that seniors applying to colleges can’t exactly find on a website or college research page, and hearing from students who have first-hand experience was interesting,” she said. “As I go through the process myself, it was nice to find out about campus life, as well as the opportunities and courses that different colleges have to offer.”
In addition to speaking with seniors, certain alumni attending the event also decide to meet with members of the Board of Education. “The Board of Education likes to hear from students about how the education that New Canaan offers serves its graduates,” Ms. Carroll said. “This year, most of the members have children who are in elementary or middle school, so they haven’t yet gone through the college process. It’s a very formative experience.”
Historically, these conversations with the Board of Education have led to substantial curriculum changes. “When the school district had fewer girls interested in STEM, there were many questions for the young women around the table, especially about their science classes,” Ms. Carroll said. “Students are asked if there are any classes they wished were offered at the high school. This is how we got AP classes in Economics and Psychology, and also how calculus was made available to a greater number of students.”
Lauren decided to speak with the Board of Education this year to share positive feedback regarding her experience in the school system. “I wanted to emphasize how well NCPS prepared me for a school like Georgetown,” she said. “The school system is doing a great job preparing its students academically for college. I have many friends at Georgetown who attended top-ranked boarding and private schools, and I feel that I was just as well prepared as them.”
Lauren also attended to share constructive feedback with the board. “Something I wanted to share is that I wish that I became more engaged in STEM-based classes in elementary school,” she said. “Science is a huge part of Georgetown’s culture, given our proximity to Georgetown Hospital and Georgetown’s Medical School, but I have never found myself having a pull towards the sciences. I wonder if this would be any different if I had been more engaged in the sciences earlier in my life.”
Ms. Carroll believes that the alumni return each year to speak with both seniors and the Board of Education as a demonstration of gratitude and service. “New Canaan has offered these students a world-class education, especially if they took advantage of everything that was offered,” she said. “It’s nice to come back and thank the people who provided that for you, and I also think that the alumni feel an obligation to help the current senior class. Pride is what incentivizes graduates to come back, and I hope that continues year after year.”
