What can today’s University students imagine for their futures when they hear from graduates who once sat where they sit?
That question helped shape University High School’s Founders’ Day assembly on Friday, Sept. 25. Six alumni returned to join Head of School Alicia LaMagdeleine for a panel connecting this year’s theme, The Gifts We Offer, to the lives and careers they have built since graduation.
Founders’ Day honors Sept. 28, 1998, the day University was officially incorporated. Established during the school’s 25th anniversary, the tradition offers a chance to reflect on the belief that helped bring University into being: high school could be different, students should be taken seriously, and relationships should be central to learning.
This year’s observance brought that history into conversation with the future. In her invitation to the panelists, LaMagdeleine described University itself as a gift—a place where students can develop into the people they want to become. She invited alumni established in their careers to help current students see the possibilities between their high school experiences and meaningful work.
The panel brought together:
- Merry Faller ’07 – Family Medicine Physician at St. Vincent
- Patrick Kozey ’07 – Visiting Professor of Spanish at Wabash College
- Jon Rangel ’07 – Owner of La Margarita and Daisy Bar
- Amelia McClure ’08 – Vice President of Government Affairs for Indiana at UnitedHealth Group
- Isaac Mervis ’15 – Portfolio Manager for Education and Economic Development at Glick Philanthropies
- Hallie Harrison ’19 – Scientist at Eli Lilly
To prepare for the conversation, each panelist was asked to consider what University had given them: perhaps an opportunity, a relationship, or a chance to lead. They were also invited to reflect on how those experiences now help them make a difference in the lives of others, professionally and personally.
Together, their paths offered students a view of the many forms meaningful work can take. They also provided a starting point for questions that reach beyond choosing a college or career: What do I have to offer? What matters to me? How might my interests and abilities serve someone else?
Those questions will continue to guide University’s exploration of The Gifts We Offer throughout the year. Founders’ Day was an opportunity to consider them alongside alumni whose journeys began in the same school community—and whose contributions now extend far beyond it.