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Spring showers fell on Mount Ida as Emma Willard School celebrated the final events of the school year: Baccalaureate and the 211th Commencement. Musical selections, speakers, and citations shared throughout the weekend showcased the unique bond shared among this remarkable class.
Whether you recognize “Emma Magic” as pure hard work, community spirit, and focused energy or something truly supernatural, that enchanting je ne sais quoi was a common theme throughout the closing days of the Emma experience for the Class of 2025.
Baccalaureate
Baccalaureate was held for the first time in Klingenstein Concert Hall, providing an opportunity for reflection and emotional well-wishes for the seniors as they depart from Mount Ida. Junior Class President Stacy C. ’26 and parent Gwendoline Abunaw P’17 ’25 joined Maya Lopez-Camacho ’25 and Associate Head of School Dr. Meredith Legg in offering their encouraging words. In describing how other classes view the Class of 2025, Stacy remarked, “Emma Willard has been so lucky to witness your magic!” From jaw-dropping displays of the arts, broken athletic records, impressive academics, and “fire outfits”—not to mention “the loudest screams of support, the most beautiful friendship dynamics, and an unparalleled sense of togetherness.”
Maya guided the audience through the practice of grounding oneself during times of anxiety: name five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. Her examples were all Emma things, of course.
Due to the rainy weather, the dedication of the bricks along the pathway in Kellas Garden, bearing the names of the Class of 2025, was held indoors. Senior Parents Fund co-chairs Laura and Fred Galt P’18 ’25 announced that a remarkable $62,895 had been donated, thanks to the leadership of many and the participation of 79% of the graduating families.
“We’re here to dedicate the bricks for the Class of 2025 as an enduring reminder that our daughters were here. They studied, they struggled, they learned, they grew. And they are remembered.” —Laura Galt P’18 ’25
Commencement
The finale of the weekend’s activities was the 211th Commencement ceremony, where families, friends, and faculty gathered to support and cheer the remarkable Class of 2025. On the stage with Head of School Jenny Rao were Chair of the Board of Trustees Megan Toohey Scremin ’00, Alumnae Association Council President (AAC) Margaret ‘Maggie’ Bownes Johnson ’83, our distinguished alumna speaker Dr. Yen Pottinger ’97, and Associate Head of School Dr. Meredith Legg.
Between many moments of laughter, Dr. Pottinger shared words of wisdom with both the Class of 2025 and the younger students who remain. “To the underclass women: take ceramics, learn Chinese, play field hockey, master the cello. Indulge in the opportunity to explore the outer limits of what you can learn here. You will not find yourself in this position again. Be a vacuum and hoover it all in. You will not regret it, I promise you,” she advised. She reminded the seniors that “sometimes you think you love something, then you pursue it, and realize you don't actually love it that much—that's not failure, it's refinement.”
“The secret sauce to success is a combination of willingness to learn, being the hardest worker in the room, and surrounding yourself with talented people who are rooting for you.” —Dr. Yen Pottinger ’97
Following the Commencement address, Board of Trustees Chair Megan Toohey Scremin ’00 presented the Jameson Adkins Baxter Award to Mikayla Blake ’25, who has consistently exhibited the requisite qualities of integrity, discipline, and commitment to education. Maggie Bownes Johnson ’83, president of the AAC, then presented the Clementine Miller Tangeman Award to Carly Hunter ’25, highlighting her spirit of enthusiasm, warm nature, kind heart, and bright mind.
Mikayla Blake ’25, winner of the Jameson Adkins Baxter Award
Carly returned to the stage as the chosen senior speaker, delivering remarks for her classmates to cherish. “Like the cherry trees around campus that blossom in the spring, my self-confidence bloomed and blazed upon arriving on campus almost four years ago,” she recalled. “It was as if a spark had been lit within me, warming me from the inside out, making me feel confident, comfortable, and happy. That spark? It's the Emma magic that students, faculty, and alumni are constantly raving about.”
“In your pursuit of greatness, remember to use the magic and light within you to both propel you forward and ground you.” —Carly Hunter ’25
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, Ms. Scremin conferred 92 diplomas to be presented to the graduates of the Class of 2025. Ms. Rao shared reflections for each graduate as they received their diplomas. In keeping with Emma Willard tradition, alumnae family members of many graduates—among them siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts, cousins, and godparents—presented the diploma to their senior.
The Class of 2025 sang their first alma mater as alumnae and then processed around the Senior Triangle to bid farewell to their beloved faculty.
As Dr. Legg said in her closing remarks, “You may leave Mount Ida today, but Mount Ida will never leave you!” Congratulations, graduates of 2025! We will miss your magic and welcome you back anytime your path finds you back in Troy.
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Read more about the fabulous Class of 2025 here
View recordings here: Baccalaureate | Commencement
View more photos on SmugMug: Baccalaureate | Commencement (NOTE: professional photography will be added to the albums soon).
Find more interesting stories about Emma Willard School on our Newsroom page.