Each May, the Alumni Association hosts a special dinner to officially welcome the graduating class into their ranks.  Held on Tuesday, May 20, the dinner marked the beginning of a week full of celebrations leading up to commencement.  

Alumni speakers from varying stages in life and career join the celebration to share insights and well wishes with the class. The evening was emceed by Head of Upper School Aaron Sundstrom, who welcomed guests and introduced Director of Enrollment Management Margaret Mahood Mills ’76 to share a few thoughts.

Mills, who is retiring in June, reflected on her unique Ravenscroft experience and career. “As I look out at your class, I am happy that — whether you came here a few years ago or in PreKindergarten —  I was part of the process that brought every single one of you to Ravenscroft,” Mills said. “I’m proud of each one of you and grateful that you are Ravens.” In closing, Mills emphasized the importance of maintaining Ravenscroft connections and celebrating even the smallest wins along the way.

Speaking about the special and unique connections formed at Ravenscroft, Dan Ressner ’99 encouraged the Class of 2025 to not only cherish the friendships made but remember the faculty and staff who mentored them.  “As time goes by and you get further away from this place physically and mentally — and maybe hit middle-age like me — you will start to remember those voices and recall their words of wisdom.”  

Hana Kabir ’20 shared her perspective as a recent Ravenscroft graduate, offering insight about the importance of self-discovery while remaining true to your core. “Keep building yourself based on what you already know and who you want to become.” 

“It is true that you discover yourself in college,” Kabir said. “But don’t forget about what you already learned from these past years, and the people that supported you along the way.” 

Kabir also shared a story about the ties that are created because of our shared community. On the first day of her graduate school classes, she was lost and looking for a classroom when she crossed paths with a Ravenscroft classmate. The mutual connection to Ravenscroft led to a new friendship. Now, several years after their Ravenscroft graduation, the two are very good friends. “It doesn’t matter how close you were to someone while here at Ravenscroft, we are all connected because we have this community in common.” 

In closing, Head of School Derrick Willard shared how proud the Ravenscroft community is of each and every graduate. “And now, I would add GO LEAD,” said Willard. “We do not simply expect you to attend college, we expect you to lead yourself, lead with others, and change your world.”

Congratulations to the Class of 2025 and welcome to the Ravenscroft Alumni Association! 

View and download photos from the evening from our Flickr album. Read more about the Class of 2025 on our webpage Celebrating Senior Success.