Photo courtesy of the Archives
Few faculty members have made as large an impact on campus life as Mr. Jim Yanelli. After coming to Choate from Berlin in the early ‘80s, he quickly took on an instrumental role in transforming the old Student Activities Center into a lively hub of entertainment. He has pioneered campus traditions such as Last Hurrah, Holiday Ball, and the Deerfield Day Pep Rally. In addition, Mr. Yanelli played a pivotal role in the look and feel of St. John Hall, and many of its features can trace their roots back to him.
“Whenever I see Mr. Yanelli, either in the SAC, or around campus, he always seems to be in a good mood. He just has really genuine personality”, said Ahmed Wise ’20, who has known Mr. Yanelli since having him as a dorm advisor freshman year. Mr. Yanelli’s ability to connect with students, and listen to their concerns, has proven invaluable in evolving student life into what it is today.
He has also taken on numerous roles outside of student life, including teaching German and co-heading the Peer Educators and Prefect programs and spending time in Memorial House as a Head of House and an Advisor. He has coordinated campus storage systems, organized vending machine distribution, and worked closely with both the school store and the E&R laundry service.
The loss of Mr. Yanelli’s presence on campus will ring throughout campus. “ I will miss that JY always checks up on me and others, just to see how we are doing.” Wise added, “Mr. Yanelli has taught me to be complete and thorough with everything that I do, and that being nice to those you don’t know can bring much joy to your life”. After three decades of above-and-beyond service to the Choate community, Mr. Yanelli will certainly be missed.
