Some of Choate’s alumni-turned-faculty pose for a photo before Matriculation this past September.
By Teya Tejavibulya ’28
Choate Rosemary Hall’s faculty alumni cherished their student years at our school upon the hillside. Though their times at the School span decades, with some of their graduating classes roughly 30 years apart, each Choate alumnus can recall unique snapshots of their time as a student. Here’s what a few of them remember.
Debbie Carpenter ’85
Ms. Debbie Carpenter ’85 currently serves as the Office Coordinator for the Choate Programs. As a proud alumna of the School, she loves discussing her time at Choate with current students.
Of the many events Choate hosts, Ms. Carpenter specifically recalls her love for Garden Party; “It was a tea party. I just love how it was one of the final events of my Choate career. It was so nice to see everyone and look back at how much we’d grown together over the years,” she said.
Ms. Carpenter believes that making life-long friendships is the key to happiness and success at Choate. “I feel like every city and place that I go to, if I put that name of Choate out there, I could probably connect with someone,” she shared.
By coordinating Choate’s summer program, she aims to motivate prospective students to value their time here and form enduring connections with their peers.
Will Gilyard ’98
Dean of Students Mr. Will Gilyard ’98 shared some highlights from his four-year journey as a Choate boarding student. He described high school as the “golden years,” considering it one of the best periods of his life.
Mr. Gilyard found his classes at Choate especially memorable due to his incredible teachers. He recalls one familiar face in particular: “I can remember, vividly, my physics class freshman year, and my teacher [was] a woman named Fran O’Donoghue.” Though they are colleagues now, he can still recall the joy he felt when “she used to jump on the tables and just [bring] physics to life. It was amazing.”
In discussing the transformations that Choate has undergone over the years, Mr. Gilyard specifically recalls the notable changes to dorm life. One tradition that he would like to relive is the break during study hours, in which local vendors would come to Memorial Circle. During that time, Mr. Gilyard and his friends would hang out and eat delicious food from restaurants around Wallingford. It was these little moments that made him realize the importance of friendship, as it provided support during hard times and a sense of belonging that enriched his life in innumerable ways.
Michelle Rittler ’98
Senior Associate Director of Parent Giving Mrs. Michelle Rittler ’98 was classmates with Mr. Gilyard. She has lived in Wallingford since her childhood and attended Choate as a day student.
Mrs. Rittler recognizes the many changes to the School over the years, including how our concept of “main campus” has shifted. For many years, multiple classes, such as English, were held in Brownell. More recently, an “intentional redirecting of foot traffic,” according to Mrs. Rittler, has occurred. “The fact that there aren’t classes on the upper campus, [as well as] having the upper campus basically closed to students, is new,” she said. However, the shift in student density across campus shows the ever-changing nature of Choate life; what may seem normal to us will be foreign to the Choate students that come here even 10 years down the line (for context, construction for Lanphier was completed in 2015, the Student Activities Center in 2017, and Colony Hall in 2019).
Reflecting on our School’s recent sustainability efforts, Mrs. Rittler mentioned the School’s implementation of the Environmental Immersion Signature Program (EIP). She expressed her admiration for this change and hopes that it will be a long-term commitment for the future.
In her time as a student, Mrs. Rittler felt she gained valuable life lessons that stayed with her after graduation. As she put it, “I didn’t understand the fact that you didn’t need a [perfect] GPA or whatever to be successful here; it’s not the end of the world. You’re among some of the smartest students of your generation. Be proud of that.”
Chris Aguiar ’11
Mr. Chris Aguiar ’11’s involvement in STEM began at Choate, and he continues to pursue his passion today by working as a biology teacher. His favorite project during his four years here was his “SRP [Science Research Program] research paper, where [he] worked in a genetics lab at Yale.” Mr. Aguiar regards this opportunity as a pivotal moment in his academic journey and in deciding to pursue the study of genetics.
Mr. Aguiar also stated that he values the real-world lessons Choate has taught him. “[The School] prepares you. I think Choate prepared me really well in terms of time management … I knew what I needed to do for myself to succeed, which I think a lot of kids who I went to college with were still figuring out,” he said.
Looking back, he recognizes that his high school experience laid the foundation for his future and the person he is today.
Choate has made a mark on its faculty alumni, with memories ranging from physics classes brought to life to the ever-familiar pain of a long trek to class. These students-turned-faculty continue to inspire today’s students, proving that while its campus and traditions may change, the heart of Choate — its supportive community — remains timeless.
