Oct 24, 2017 | Faculty + Staff
Technology
This year, Dr. Danielle Mirliss joins Pingry as an advisor on the technology committee. Among several technology-related roles, she will be helping the faculty integrate Schoology into their classes.
Dr. Mirliss received her B.A. from Rutgers University, her M.A. from New York University, and her M.Ed. and Ed.D. from Columbia University.
Having studied psychology and instructional technology, Dr. Mirliss decided to pursue teaching technology at Seton Hall University.
There, she worked on various technology projects such as developing creative spaces for new technology as well as online courses. When asked about her experience there, Dr. Mirliss said, “The environment of helping the faculty and students showed me the benefits of teaching.”
At Pingry, Dr. Mirliss looks forward to being involved with computer science, robotics, and other new technology projects.
One idea that she is currently working with is using virtual reality (VR) headsets to display art in a new way. She is working to have VR available for the whole school to use.
In her free time, Dr. Mirliss enjoys spending time with her family. With her son starting fourth grade at Pingry this year, she is very excited to be both an administrator and parent with Pingry. She enjoys attending her son’s sporting events and working on robotics projects with him.
This year, Dr. Mirliss hopes to build connections with the faculty and learn about the student culture. When asked what her goals are for the year, she responded, “Not only do I want to support the community, but I also want push innovation at Pingry.”
Oct 24, 2017 | Faculty + Staff
Drama
Mr. Alan Van Antwerp joined the Pingry drama department to teach Drama and Public Speaking in both the Middle and Upper Schools. He will be teaching Drama 8 in the Middle School, Drama 2 for sophomores, and Public Speaking, an elective open to all Upper School students. Additionally, he is the club advisor for the Podcast Club and will be taking the role of Technical Theatre Director, overseeing lights for the upcoming plays and musicals this year.
Mr. Van Antwerp attended Montclair State University in New Jersey where he received a Bachelor of the Arts. He is also pursuing his masters in Theatre Studies. When asked what made him want to become a drama teacher, he said, “I had an amazing theatre director in high school and I took a lot from how he taught and directed shows.”
Mr. Van Antwerp has had many professional experiences in theater. He was the stage manager and event coordinator for Broadway Sings, a company that takes Broadway actors on their off days and has them perform a ninety-minute original musical cabaret act. Also, for almost nine summers, he taught Performing Arts at the Passaic Valley High School in New Jersey.
Regarding his experience at Pingry so far, he said enthusiastically, “I love Pingry! The students have been very welcoming and the Drama Department has been very supportive. Pingry values the arts and I really appreciate that.” His goals for the school year are “to ask good questions and to be a fair and balanced evaluator. My funniest goal might be to not get lost.”
In his free time, Mr. Van Antwerp likes to take part in community theatre. He has a number of other hobbies as well. He commented, “I love golf and I love tennis. I love dogs and in my spare time I often play with my best friend’s dog.” He added, “I love food. So having lunch here has been extraordinary.” When asked what advice he can give to aspiring actors, he replied, “To be your toughest critic and to continue to think about the process of getting better, not the end result.”
To the community, Mr. Van Antwerp would like to say, “Theatre sometimes might get a bad rap in school. I think that theatre is something that teaches you life skills in a non-classroom way. Theatre teaches empathy.” Mr. Van Antwerp is very excited to be a part of the Pingry community, and he is ready to spread his passion for theater throughout the school.
Oct 24, 2017 | Faculty + Staff
Computer Science
Dr. Marie-Pierre Jolly joined the ranks of the Computer Science department in Pingry this year, teaching Survey of Computer Science, Intro to Computer Science, and Advanced Placement Computer Science. She has not yet decided on how to join the Pingry community (for example, as a coach or club advisor) but is interested in advising the research team and the Girl Code club.
Dr. Jolly, who is originally from France, received her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Technology of Compiègne in northern France. She then moved to the United States and received a Master’s and a PhD in Computer Science from Michigan State University.
After graduating, she started working in Princeton, New Jersey, at Siemens AG, a leading automation company. When asked what she worked on, Dr. Jolly said, “I was a research scientist working on image analysis for cardiac MRI [Magnetic Resonance Imaging].” She was at Siemens for twenty-two years before coming to teach at Pingry. When asked why she made the switch from Siemens to Pingry, she said, “I’ve done a lot of programming, and I wanted to instill all this knowledge into the new generation while helping students make the right choices with their programming ability.”
Dr. Jolly nurtured her love of teaching long before her stint at Siemens, when she was a Teaching Assistant (TA) at Michigan State. As a mother, she says, “I really enjoyed tutoring my kids and their friends, and I tutored my kids in French and helped them with their math and computer science and physics and chemistry and you name it.” She also says that her children, now in high school, really inspired her to become a teacher.
When asked how she likes Pingry so far, Dr. Jolly responded, “Oh, I love it. It’s a great school with great kids.”
In her free time, Dr. Jolly likes to cook and read, specifically fiction. When she has the time, she also enjoys arts and crafts.
Dr. Jolly grew up in Compiègne, which is about an hour north of Paris. “My dad was a university professor, and he’s the one who kind of inspired me to be a computer scientist. He brought computers into the household really early, back in the eighties.” She said that her upbringing taught her to be very organized, which she still is.
“Things were very scheduled when I grew up,” she explained.
Dr. Jolly really appreciates the sense of community at Pingry, calling it her favorite aspect of the Pingry experience. “It’s like a family here, it seems. I like that,” she said. She believes the students are more conscientious and responsible because of the Honor Code, saying that students are “serious in trying to do well and trying to do good in life, not only in academics but in everything they do.”
On a less serious note, she appreciates the quality of the food in the Pingry cafeteria. “The food is better than what you would expect from a school cafeteria…and I like all the choices,” she said.
Oct 24, 2017 | Faculty + Staff
Middle School Director
This fall, Ms. Laurie Piette joined the Pingry community as the new Middle School Director. In addition, she will be playing many other roles, such as teaching the new Form II Leadership course with Mr. Gerry Vanasse.
Ms. Piette attended Wellesley College where she received degrees in English and classical civilization. She has an M.A. in creative writing from The City College of New York as well as an M.Ed. in private school leadership from Columbia University. When asked if her interests were limited to humanities, she responded, “I wouldn’t say I am a scientist, but I can help a science teacher and plan out science lessons and concepts.”
She went on, “I’m very interested in brain research and mental cognition. I just finished my M.Ed. at Columbia and we did a lot of work on the various ways you can produce deeper learning in students, and that fascinates me.”
Regarding her other interests, Ms. Piette said, “I love to read, I love history, I love the story of history, and I love the fact that you can interpret history from your own perspective, while acknowledging there can be multiple perspectives on one part of history—in fact, there have to be.”
Ms. Piette has vast experience in the field of education. When asked about her background in teaching, she said, “I’ve taught English, history, creative writing, and Latin for grades four through twelve.” Her position at Pingry is not her first as a director for middle school students. She commented, “In my last position, I was in charge of the curriculum for a nursery-to-eighth-grade school, so I really learned how curriculum is put together there.”
In terms of her goals for the year, Ms. Piette said, “My goals for the year are to fully implement the schedule and to tweak it so that it’s even more effective moving forward.” She also looks to encourage risk-taking in the classroom.
When asked about her thoughts on Pingry so far, she said, “I absolutely love it. Pingry has such a talented group of faculty, administration, and parents who are really invested in their children doing well.” She finds Pingry students to be “amazing, intelligent, and articulate. They walk the walk: they really represent the honor code and take it seriously.”
Ms. Piette is ecstatic to be Pingry’s new Middle School Director. She would like the community to know, “I’m just so excited to be here. I hit the ground running in July first, and it’s been just a wonderful experience so far and I’m looking forward to the rest of the year.”
Oct 24, 2017 | Faculty + Staff
English
This fall, Ms. Audrey Enriquez joined the Upper School English Department, teaching both the eighth and ninth grades. She is also serving as co-advisor for an eleventh grade advisory and the Quiz Bowl Team.
A citizen of the Philippines, Ms. Enriquez described herself as a “third culture kid.” She grew up in Indonesia, attending international schools that made her a native speaker of English. She studied at the University of Asia and the Pacific, majoring in humanities.
During her first two years in college, Ms. Enriquez did not make any decisions about her occupation. In her junior year, however, she had a special dream in which she stood in front of a class and taught kindergarten kids. She took this as a sign and went on to pursue a career in education. Ms. Enriquez attended Bard College and earned her M.A.T. in English.
She also graduated from the Teacher Training Center for International Educators, FL with a Certificate in Advanced International Teaching, a preferred credential by international schools all over the world.
After graduation, she taught at multiple high schools in New York, including Dwight School in Manhattan, Harlem Children’s Zone, and Kew Forest in Queens. She then decided to leave New York for Europe, aiming to work in Vienna. However, at a job fair, she met a group of teachers from Pingry and changed her mind. She interviewed and joined the school.
As an English teacher, Ms. Enriquez aims to teach diverse literature from all five continents, and all major religions – not just specifically Asian, Jewish, and Muslim.
She wants to include elements from different cultures, religions, and races to make her class truly a “world literature course.”
In her free time, Ms. Enriquez enjoys watching Broadway musicals. Her favorite ones include The Book of Mormon and Miss Saigon. She is also a foodie and loves traveling.
“When there’s a three-day weekend, I’m out. When there’s a longer holiday, I’m out of the country,” she said.
Ms. Enriquez appreciates different kinds of literature, especially books by authors who share similar experiences teaching overseas. She also listens to different genres of music and goes to concerts frequently. “My next concert is reggae,” she added.
She greatly values the diversity present in Pingry. She said, “I have never taught in a more diverse school than here, even in all of New York.” She also spoke highly of the way Pingry takes care of its teachers, and she believed that this would not only help the development of her skills but also her personality.
Regarding her goals this year, Ms. Enriquez mentioned that she would like to get to know more of her students. She also wants to take advantage of all the opportunities given to teachers including various arts exhibits, conferences, and even the Taiko Drumming Club.
Oct 24, 2017 | Faculty + Staff
Art
After stepping in for Ms. Jennifer Mack-Watkins during her leave of absence last year, Ms. Nancy Ring joined the Pingry Arts Department permanently this fall. She now teaches Art Fundamentals in the Upper School as well as two eighth grade electives, Drawing & Painting and Art & Nature. Eager to immerse herself in the community, Ms. Ring has taken on roles beyond the art studio; she co-directs the Hostetter Gallery along with Ms. Rebecca Sullivan, hosts the Middle School Art Club, co-advises Form III students with Mr. Freiwald, and serves on the Diversity Committee and the Multicultural Team.
Outside of Pingry, Ms. Ring works as a professional artist and occupies a studio space in East Orange. In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry, baking, and going for runs. She recently picked up a new hobby: “I play the violin––badly. I started taking lessons in May, so I play like a kindergartener, but I love it.” Her “pride and joy” is her 20-year-old son, a music major at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.
As an undergraduate student, Ms. Ring attended the Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts and earned her B.F.A. (Bachelor of Fine Arts) in Studio Art. Of the experience, she said, “[It was] a large university and I loved the diversity. It’s a passion of mine. The fact that there were not only artists there but also people studying every single kind of subject you can imagine––I found that exciting.” She went on to graduate from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia with her M.F.A. (Masters of Fine Art).
Ms. Ring’s passion for the visual arts has been integral to her life for nearly as long as she can imagine. “I knew I was an artist when I was eight years old,” she said. “It’s who I am. I have a very visual experience of the world…As a little, little girl, I told everyone who would listen that I was going to be an artist. I just knew.”
In this coming year, she hopes to infuse that same passion in the hearts of her students, Upper and Middle Schoolers alike. Ms. Ring’s goal “is to make sure that my students feel they own their work, that it’s not me giving out projects that matter to me but rather finding ways to relate the projects to the students’ lives in as many ways as I possibly can.” With a laugh, she added, “If I can manage it.”
If there’s anything she loves particularly about the Pingry community thus far, Ms. Ring said it’s the school’s attention to the arts. “Pingry honors art,” she explained. “In a lot of schools, art is just something on the side––you know how it is. At Pingry, there’s an arts building, there’s a professional gallery…there are a lot of talented artists. The enthusiasm for the arts here is very rare and special.” Joining an environment as conducive to artistic exploration and experimentation as Pingry has brought her nothing short of joy.
“I love Pingry. Pingry’s amazing,” she remarked. Ms. Ring added, “I knew it when I worked here as a leave replacement. I really wanted to come back, so I feel as though this is a gift. It’s wonderful!”
Oct 24, 2017 | Faculty + Staff
Psychology
This fall, Dr. Brandyn Fisher joined the Pingry community as a new teacher in the Psychology Department. Dr. Fisher is teaching four sections of AP Psychology. He will also be co-advising a Form V advisory with Mr. Douglass Scott and hopes to assist in coaching Pingry’s tennis programs.
Initially inspired by his high school teacher, Dr. Fisher set out on becoming a psychology teacher himself. He attended West Virginia University, where he enjoyed being around passionate people who motivated him to pursue his passion in psychology. Regarding his academic pursuits in college, Dr. Fisher said, “I liked that college allows you to be who you want to be.”
Dr. Fisher graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a PhD in Sports Psychology, and two master’s degrees, one in Community Counseling and one in Sports Psychology. In order to get his multiple degrees, Dr. Fisher attended a rigorous concurrent-study five-year program.
In graduate school, Dr. Fisher taught undergrad classes, as he wanted to “hopefully lead other people into what they are passionate about.” After college, Dr. Fisher coached and consulted for sports psychology, specializing in tennis. He worked with several Division I college athletic programs, such as NCAA All-Americans, USTA National Champions, ITF players, and ATP/WTA players.
Dr. Fisher was drawn to Pingry because of its high emphasis on education and achievement. He wants to teach in an engaging way and “inspire a passion for psychology” in the same way that his high school psychology teacher inspired him. He predicts that his toughest challenge this year will be teaching “the tougher subjects in psychology in a way that students can learn effectively.”
Dr. Fisher also hopes to use his background in psychology to start a new mental performance program at Pingry. The program would offer mental performance training in order to have students working at their best and most confident levels. Explaining his motivation behind the program, Dr. Fisher said, “I want to learn more about the culture at Pingry and then add to that culture in some way.”
In his free time, Dr. Fisher enjoys a multitude of outdoor activities, including mountain biking, skiing, hiking, and tennis. He is a parent to two sons, aged two and three.
Dr. Fisher is very excited to teach at Pingry and is ready to inspire students to pursue their passions.
Oct 24, 2017 | Faculty + Staff
Academic Support Coordinator and Learning Specialist
This year, Ms. Susan Conklin joins the Pingry Upper School as the new Academic Support Coordinator and Learning Specialist. In describing her role, Ms. Conklin said, “When an aspect of academic rigor poses a challenge to learning, a learning specialist problem solves strategies for students to achieve at a higher academic level.”
Ms. Conklin received her B.A. from the City College of New York, her M.S.W. from the Hunter College School of Social Work, and her Ed.S. in Language and Literacy from Simmons College.
Prior to joining Pingry, Ms. Conklin worked as a Learning Specialist in several different schools, both public and private, and was a psychotherapist in private practice.
When asked about her first impressions of Pingry, Ms. Conklin commented, “I loved it from the second I got a phone call asking me to interview for this position. I love the students and faculty, and am energized by the four pillars of education the school holds: diversity and inclusion, intellectual engagement, sustainability, and honor. When people live by these four pillars, we sculpt ourselves into the finest human beings on the planet.”
In her free time, Ms. Conklin enjoys reading, sailing, traveling, socializing with her friends, and going to the Bugliari Athletic Center. In October, she will be attending the teacher workshops at Comic Con in New York because she knows “some students enjoy reading graphic novels for pleasure, but there are also many themes represented in this growing genre which include significant academic material.”
Ms. Conklin is most excited to live the Pingry life. “I love that students and faculty are intensely involved in all aspects of whatever they are learning and teaching as we grow together,” she said. “People here are prompt, engaged, respectful, kind, and happy, so who wouldn’t want to work at a place like that?”
When asked about her goals for the school year, Ms. Conklin replied, “To get to know the specific learning challenges of the students at Pingry. All pathways to learning are valid.”
When asked what obstacles she might encounter, Ms. Conklin said, “Keeping up with the pace of all of the wonderful ways to contribute to this community. But I’m encouraged; I’m just going to ‘drive’ like a New Jersey driver—with speed, agility, and presence of mind!”
Ms. Conklin is delighted to be a part of the Pingry community. “I am happy to be here everyday, and I hope everyone else is too!” she said.
Oct 24, 2017 | Faculty + Staff
Biology
This fall, Ms. Olivia Tandon joined the Upper School Science Department to teach Biology I, Biology II, and AP Biology. Previously, Ms. Tandon taught at New York City public schools for two years, at a charter school in the South Bronx for one year, and at Poly Prep in Brooklyn for four years.
Ever since she was a child, Ms. Tandon has always been interested in nature. She grew up playing outside and collecting all kinds of insects, rocks, and other natural treasures. Gradually, she began to develop her love of the natural world. She understood that it is often not valued enough, resulting in numerous environmental issues threatening the insects, frogs, and plants that she had always loved to collect. Later, during graduate school, Ms. Tandon took classes in geology and paleontology through which she rediscovered her passion for these subjects.
For her undergraduate degree, Ms. Tandon attended Columbia University, where she double majored in Environmental Biology and Creative Writing.
Ms. Tandon then became interested in teaching. She started her teaching career in NYC public schools as part of the NYC Teaching Fellows and simultaneously received a Master of Earth Science Education from Brooklyn College. Last year, Ms. Tandon took some time off from teaching to pursue her second master’s degree in Private School Leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Because Ms. Tandon’s father was a professor, teaching was an important part of her life growing up. Throughout her school years, she had met several incredible teachers who also inspired her to pursue a career in education. Also, she explained that her students at the public schools where she previously taught had instilled a love of teaching in her.
Initially, she planned on teaching at the NYC Teaching Fellows for around two years and then returning to graduate school to pursue an academic or nonprofit research career. In the end, however, Ms. Tandon “fell in love with teaching and wasn’t ready to quit after my commitment with the Teaching Fellows was up!”
When asked how she likes Pingry so far, Ms. Tandon referred to Pingry as an “incredibly welcoming place” and is happy that Pingry has already embraced the chicken coop. She is excited to work with fellow colleagues to build the Pingry farm over the next few years. She will also be coaching squash in the winter season.
Having recently moved from New York City, Ms. Tandon is excited to be able to hike and garden more, “both of which I can now do right in my own backyard and neighborhood, rather than having to travel miles away.” She also has two border collies, Archie and Finn. Archie, who has been trained in agility and flyball for many years, might come to the Pingry farm in the future and work as a herding dog!
Ms. Tandon is looking forward to a wonderful school year and continuing to get to know the Pingry community.
Oct 24, 2017 | Faculty + Staff
By Caroline Friend (V)
Mr. Peter Delman, former Drawing and Painting and Art Fundamentals teacher, is taking on the new role of Sustainability Coordinator at Pingry this year. As the Sustainability Coordinator, Mr. Delman has many projects planned to give Pingry a “greener” campus this upcoming year.
These “green” projects are inspired by Mr. Delman and the student-led Green Group, which he advises. “There is really a great group of student leaders this year,” Mr. Delman said. The returning leaders for the Green Group are Isabel DeVito (V) and Nick Ladino (VI), and the new leaders include Josie Cummings (VI), Caroline Petrow-Cohen (VI), Natalie Ladino (IV), and Isabella Acosta (IV).
One of Mr. Delman’s areas of focus is developing Pingry’s green campus design with Pingry graduate Scott Loikits, Principal/Design Director of Greenburg Farrow. Mr Loikits was a lead architect on the new Whitney Museum and the renovation of the Museum of Modern Art, and other major global projects. Loikits has been creating drawings and other plans for several upcoming projects, including a marsh walk and a tree canopy walk to be used in studying the wildlife around campus in science classes and for everyday access. In addition, there are plans to install an industrial- strength composter to process food from the cafeteria and possibly grass cuttings as well. The resulting compost will then be used as fertilizer for the soil on Pingry grounds.
One project that connects sustainability to academics is the outdoor classroom. According to Mr. Delman, timber-frame builder Greg Katz has proposed that “we upgrade significantly the outdoor classroom that we have now.” The outdoor classroom is currently located in the woods behind the cafeteria. Mr. Katz will “work with classes like Architecture and Art and Nature” on the project.
Mr. Delman is also working with Ms. Olivia Tandon, a new science teacher in the Upper School, to develop a farm program. Mr. Delman said, “Right now we really want to get students who will be part of our farm team.” The farm program currently includes seven chickens and a rooster, and future plans for the farm include planting fruit trees and bringing in pigs and goats.
There are also plans to install a deer fence around certain areas of the campus. Mr. Delman hopes that the deer fence will keep the deer out and allow other wildlife to to thrive. DeVito (V) added, “This will be used as a living laboratory for certain classes.” The deer fence is expected to be installed by October 15.
What is most important, Mr. Delman said, is that we “integrate all these programs into the curriculum.” He added that he hopes to “work with the Middle School and Lower School more, as well as with the wider community.”
Oct 24, 2017 | Featured, Summer Experiences
By Miro Bergam (V)
Early last summer, I embarked on my first foray into the professional working world. Dressed in my business casual best and armed with a shiny new MetroCard, I hopped on the 7:30 A.M. train for the first day at my internship with a video journalism company down the street from the New York Stock Exchange.
After series of newbie mistakes—buying a ticket to Newark Penn Station instead of New York Penn Station, walking up Wall Street at least five times before finding my building, forgetting a photo ID, etc.—I arrived thirty minutes late to my office feeling even more daunted than before. I expected nothing less than a stuffy, time-crunching work environment run by an exacting boss, who would be annoyed by my tardiness on the first day.
Upon arrival, I was astonished to find that I was earlier than my boss. When he arrived, he apologized for his lateness, saying he was exhausted from a weekend of surfing. Before he showed me what I would be working on for the next month, he insisted on having coffee with me so we could learn more about each other. I’m not sure whether it was the relaxed manner of my boss and coworkers or the massive poster of an almost-naked Howard Stern on the wall near my desk, but I could tell that this job was not going to be the stereotypical, stringent, Wall Street experience I had expected.
That’s not to say my work wasn’t highly rigorous and educational. Over the course of my internship, I learned about the production of video journalism at all of its stages. I operated several different advanced cameras, used advanced editing software, and distributed videos to our third party buyers. Beyond these technical skills, I wrote and reported on reputable news stories. I also learned about finance through my multiple visits to the NASDAQ and New York Stock Exchange.
The casual and colorful environment under which I worked optimized my learning and made for a positive experience to which I would be eager to return. My boss made a point of this to me; he told me that he would rather his employees come to work happy than punch in a card on time, so long as all the work (around 15 videos per day) got done. He always emphasized the importance of loving one’s job, telling me how he had left his job on the Stock Exchange to pursue journalism. He said that although his previous job had been more lucrative, he had chosen to follow what made him happy. His choice to run his business in an easygoing, lively way reflects that same desire for all his employees to come to work with a smile on their face. The functionality of this work model really shone through when one of the reporters had a crisis at home. Thanks to the compassion of my boss and coworkers, the reporter took as much time off as she needed to handle the incident, as the rest of the employees gladly filled in for her. If the workplace were not run so leniently, I doubt anyone would have been as eager to help out, and the reporter would have had to compromise either her work or deal with the issue at home. However, since the company had been understanding in their times of need, the employees readily offered to fill in.
I came away believing that the style in which my boss leads his company should be applied to our lives at Pingry. On a personal level, this translates to how students allocate their time. I know how hard it is for Pingry students to quit anything; it took me several years to quit swimming, an activity I started out of obligation instead of interest. However, as my boss taught me in regard to his old job, doing something you dislike is neither productive nor sustainable, and pursuing what you are passionate about will optimize happiness and mental health.
Oct 24, 2017 | Featured, Summer Experiences
By Nicole Kloss (V)
Ever since I was a young child, I have visited my family in Germany every year. I used to love running around the quaint town of Schwabisch Hall, splashing my feet in the Kocher River, and playing mini golf tournaments with my cousins. Over my years of spending time in Germany, my love for the country and its culture has grown, which drove me to apply for a couple of internships in Germany this summer. However, the internship that stood out to me the most was one for BMW.
BMW, the Bayerische Motoren Werke, is a successful car company founded and located in Munich, Germany. The luxury car company is a large part of German culture and I was honored to have the opportunity to contribute to this amazing company. After being accepted to intern in the contracting department at BMW, my uncle and his family helped make the opportunity a reality by offering their home for me to stay in for one month.
Towards the end of June, I packed a suitcase full of business casual clothing, got on a plane with my family, and flew to Germany in anticipation for my internship. When we arrived at the airport, my mom and sister drove two hours west to Schwabisch Hall, and my dad and I drove two hours south to Munich. After arriving in Munich, my dad helped me settle in and I caught up with my extended family. However, it was not until the next morning, when my dad had already left for Schwabisch Hall, that I realized how independent I would have to become.
At home, my parents care a lot about my safety. They don’t want me to use public transportation alone, stay out late, or even walk around New York City by myself. But without my parents around, I had to adapt to my new independence. Along with becoming independent, I was determined to make the most out of my internship at BMW.
On my first day of work, my uncle explained to me how to get to BMW. Following his instructions, I walked from his house to the subway station, bought a subway ticket, boarded the U2 subway, and was finally on my way to BMW.
After the thirty-minute ride, I stepped out of the subway station. Directly in front of me was a large, sleek BMW building. I quickly realized that this building was where I would work, and I was stunned. I walked through the revolving doors and met Selin, a college intern whom I was to shadow. As I followed her towards our department, I was surprised by the amount of people I passed by. I later learned that tens of thousands of people work in that building alone.
When we got to our office, Selin showed me around the contracting department, gave me a desk, and explained what was expected of me. My duties included speaking only German and working from 8am to 4pm every day. Selin then gave me a tour of BMW through BMW’s employee bus service. The area BMW occupies is much larger than I had imagined, as the building I first saw occupies only a small area. I saw several large factory buildings and Selin even brought me to the nineteenth floor of the BMW headquarters. She then led me back to our office and gave me PowerPoint presentations to read about BMW and their history. I also learned a lot about the contracting department. After a long day, I took the subway back home. I was exhausted and went straight to bed.
Although my first day at BMW was overwhelming and required a lot of independence, my excitement to intern at a company I was passionate about continued during the time I was there. As an intern, I completed many tasks including translating contracts, filing contracts into excel sheets, and attending meetings with potential suppliers. I also experienced a factory tour.
My internship at BMW has helped me mature and I am grateful to have had a wonderful opportunity to learn more about German people, experience their culture, and be a part of the working environment at one of the most successful companies in the world.
Oct 24, 2017 | Featured, Summer Experiences
By Shruti Sagar (VI)
More than two dozen field hockey sticks and giant harrow backpacks were piled on top of each other as we checked in at the Newark airport. I started to feel overwhelmed by the fact that this trip was actually happening. It was less than a year ago that my field hockey friends and I were joking around with our coaches about taking a team trip to Holland, so the fact that I was starting my senior year traveling to Europe with my best friends was still hard to believe. After weighing our bags, waiting in a long security line, and scrambling for last minute snacks, twenty-eight girls and four coaches boarded our evening flight to Amsterdam.
We arrived in Holland early in the morning and immediately boarded a bus to our home for the next nine days. Our team stayed in villas filled with common areas where we spent our time together every night. After dropping off our bags, we hit the ground running with a full day of sightseeing in the Dutch countryside. We were able to try Dutch pancakes, explore windmills and bakeries, and gain familiarity with the sights and sounds of Holland. We continued sightseeing the next day as we ventured into the capital city of Amsterdam. We spent our day touring Anne Frank’s house, shopping and exploring in smaller groups, and taking pictures in front of the beautiful buildings and elaborate canals.
After two full days of exploring Holland, it was time to finally play some field hockey. We each rented a bike and rode through the forest in the rain to the field hockey club where we would train. Field hockey clubs in the Netherlands are synonymous to country clubs in America; they have endless amenities and allow for athletes to socialize while practicing their skills using state-of-the-art facilities. We met our Dutch coaches, who became our friends and role models during our days of training. Their expertise and humor kept us entertained and working hard. We still reminisce about their jokes daily.
We fell into a routine while training that the team would come to love and miss once we came home. We hopped on our bikes each morning, sore from the previous day and bundled up in sweatshirts because of the windy, rainy weather.
We practiced with our Dutch and Pingry coaches for a few hours each day; then we took a break for lunch, which almost always consisted of sandwiches. The Dutch coaches introduced us to a couple of their favorite sandwich combinations, like peanut butter and chocolate sprinkles. After lunch, we would get back on our bikes to play a few more hours of field hockey. We also played in international matches with and against Dutch and international field hockey players. These athletes were incredibly skilled and agile, and it was amazing to see the differences in technique compared to American teams. One night, we were even able to watch the Dutch national team compete in a friendly match against India. Many of us had never seen field hockey at this caliber, and we were stunned watching their speed and flawless passing.
Throughout our trip, our coaches set phone restrictions for us that allowed us one hour of phone time each day; when we were touring and playing field hockey, our phones were to stay turned off in the villas. When we first heard about these phone restrictions, many of us felt uneasy about staying “unplugged” in a foreign land, but after nine days full of dance parties, solving a thousand-piece puzzle, deep talks, and endless rounds of elephant master and card games, many of my teammates reflected on the no phone policy as a positive experience. Because of our efforts to live in the moment, we were able to immerse ourselves in new perspectives and cultures, creating an unforgettable experience that will remain a part of Pingry field hockey for years to come.
Oct 24, 2017 | Featured, Summer Experiences
By Alisa Chokshi (V)
This past summer, I was fortunate to receive a National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) scholarship from the US State Department for a language and cultural immersion program in China. NSLI-Y’s goal is to help prepare American citizens to be leaders in a global world by helping students gain critical language skills and cultural knowledge to promote communication between countries. The Chinese language has always fascinated me with its complex characters and tones. As an aspiring polyglot, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to learn it.
I became part of a group with 27 other teenagers who turned into family over the course of six weeks.
The program offered the unique chance to communicate with Chinese people from all walks of life, such as the ones I met and befriended on domestic flights, my host family, teachers, peer tutors, the elderly, young children, shopkeepers, and waiters.
From climbing the Great Wall to swooning over cute pandas, from having a traditional farm lunch in the countryside to crashing Chinese weddings, I was truly immersed in the local Chinese culture, an experience unlike anything I could have imagined.
My excitement made my host family appreciate their culture even more. Wednesday was my favorite day of the week because we had morning language classes and then spent the rest of the day on a cultural excursion to usually do community service. I volunteered at a kids’ summer camp, helped out at senior citizen centers, and taught young children English.
On one particular Wednesday we went to Huang Long Xi, a famous ancient town that has a river flowing through it. There were hundreds of Chinese people playing around in the water, and my friend and I tried to stay away to avoid getting soaked. Unfortunately, this was not so easy. As my friend was taking a picture of me, a man came up behind us and soaked us with a bucket of water. We were annoyed, but at the same time, we realized we were getting the authentic experience.
Among my favorite times were the weekends when my host family and I would go on long road trips to a different cities, exploring their history and culture. Overall, I went to six different cities over the course of six weeks. In the end, I was in tears at the Chengdu airport. Saying goodbye to my host mother and sister was so difficult.
I have a lot to think about now that I’m back in America.
During the first week in Chengdu, I remember hearing a thought-provoking statement during our visit to the US Consulate. A representative had told us that the relations between two countries are built on people-to-people interactions more so than exchanges between media, government, etc., and I remember thinking that this concept was so simple yet so powerful.
After finishing my program, I can now say with certainty that the people-to-people interactions I had with Chinese people were the most rewarding part of my experience. Whether it was joking around with my Chinese friends, having meaningful discussions with my host family, or simply bargaining with shopkeepers in Chinese, I broke down many stereotypes and gained a true appreciation for China and its deep culture.
Oct 24, 2017 | Featured, Summer Experiences
By Anjali Kapoor ’20
It was 2 AM and I was alone in the woods. Under the stars and next to a fire, I stayed up all night writing a letter to my 21-year-old self. It was vigil night—a camp tradition since 1930. Camp Rising Sun is a full scholarship international leadership camp that I attended this summer in Rhinebeck New York.
Growing up I always heard the term “diversity,” but this camp was diverse on a whole new level. I got to meet girls from over 30 countries in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. In fact, a couple of my best friends at camp were from Israel, Korea, and Spain! We received instructions about academics, art, or culture every day, led by campers or counselors. One of my favorite instructions was by a Spanish camper who taught us a Spanish dance, el candil. In another instruction, a counselor who is an acrobat at a circus taught us how to do tricks on the silks. I learned cultural dances, listened to new music in different languages, and tried food from all over the world. One girl described camp as a way to “travel around the world without going anywhere.”
Another fun part of camp was being sachem. Sachem is a Native American term for chief or leader, and the sachem gets to run camp. I was chosen as sachem of our wilderness trip, a three-day hiking and camping trip at another campsite. At the campsite, we cooked by fire and sang our favorite songs every night as we made s’mores. When another camper was sachem, she organized a fashion show. It was so fun dressing up, taking pictures, and strutting down our runway. Another night, the sachem organized a murder mystery night. We teamed up and ran around the buildings with flashlights looking for clues about the murderer among us.
We also had council on Thursdays, another camp tradition. It would start by us meeting after dinner in silence, singing “Rise up Old Flames,” and walking into the woods in a single file line holding candles. We would sit around a huge fire and pass around the council rock. When you received the rock, you had the opportunity to talk in front of the whole camp. Counselors would share life advice and campers would share personal stories or sing songs. Finally, we would end every council with our arms around each other singing “Lean On Me.” This really reinforced the bond between everyone at camp.
This camp is everything a traditional summer camp is and more! We still did the usual fun summer activities, such as canoeing in our camp lake and sleeping in cots underneath large tents of tarp every night. However, I also got to meet girls from all over the world. This camp was such a life-changing experience, I wanted to share it with everyone. I learned so much and have made friendships that will last a lifetime!
