Alumni Spell SuCCESs in the Upper School Career Program
During Alumni Celebration Weekend

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Thirty CCES alumni representing careers in law, medicine, entrepreneurship, finance, marketing
and communications, service and education spent the morning of March 31, 2006 offering their
advice and networking opportunities to juniors and seniors in the Upper School during the second
annual Career Program.


Wesley Walker ’93, President of the
2005-06 Alumni Association, provided
the introductions.

Then the program kicked off with Wayne Hopkins ’91, an accomplished musician, jamming with students
and drum teacher Paul Riddle.

Wayne provided an affectionate, uplifting, and sometimes humorous keynote address to the Upper School. "While you are here at CCES," he told the students in all seriousness, "you have the greatest opportunity in the world to shape your own future. You are learning how to learn, and that's a skill that will guarantee that your career will be your creation and not your prison."

For highlights from Wayne's address, click here.

Before the students were dismissed to attend the panels they had selected, Development Director Connie Lanzl introduced the panelists with highlights from their careers. The introductions gave students an impressive picture of their own future possibilities for achievement and success.

Students had the opportunity to attend two of the seven panels offered. Here, future financiers
listen attentively as Hagen Rogers ’89 makes a point. US math teacher Charlie McGee moderated
the Finance Panel, which also featured panelists Craig Comer ’91, left, and Bryant Brewer ’91, center.



Attorney James Wyche ’96, center, responds to a student's question about preparing for the legal
profession. At left, Susan Gaddy ’81, and right, Tod Hyche ’86, concur. Also participating on the
legal panel was Clayton Jennings ’91.



Sarah Stafford ’86 describes the circuitous route she took to her current position as Associate
Professor of Economics at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. Scott Summers ’86 had
a similar experience moving from his early career on the PGA golf circuit to his current position
as an agent with the U.S. Secret Service. The members of the Service and Education panel all
urged students to make "finding something they really love to do" their top career priority.



Right, Katherine Chisholm ’01 explains the burgeoning field of public health to students attending
the Health panel as pediatric resident physician Caroline Hill ’96 listens. Both panelists invited
students to "shadow" them if they are interested in pursuing similar careers.



Katherine Chisholm ’01 points on a classroom map to Rwanda, where she spent last summer
assisting in an AIDS research project.



Following the panel discussions, alumni gathered for an elegant lunch served on the third floor
of the Upper School. Here, Headmaster Lee Cox connects with Caroline Hill ’96.



Former CCES teacher Barbara Harrison, left, with her daughter, Linda Harrison Hatcher ’76, and
Marie Park ’76, both of whom participated on the Entrepreneurship panel. Linda currently runs
her own business as a landscape designer. Marie has been a private art dealer for the last 25
years. Other participants in the Entrepreneurship panel included Elliott Goldsmith ’96,
Alex Marion ’76, Musette Stern ’75, and Kirk Stone ’76.



The Marketing & Communications panelists had a disproportionately high share of Allisons
among them. At left, Allison Simpson ’91, Production Coordinator for the Michelin Guides, and
Allison Martin Mertens ’81, VP of marketing and sales at Creative Resources in Greenville.
This panel also featured David Belk ’91, Charlotte Grist ’01, and Emilie Roy Pazdan ’86.



Carmelita Hopkins (Wayne's mother), left, and Charles Reyner ’91, center, a participant in the Finance
panel, seem fascinated by Scott Summers' adventures in the Secret Service.



The program ended with the luncheon. From there, participants were off to the Cavalier
Classic Golf Tournament.



But before heading to Verdae Greens, some alumni took a tour of the CCES campus, which, since
their days here, has been totally transformed with new buildings. Still, the alumni connected with
faculty they remembered fondly. Here, Wayne Hopkins and Scott Summers visit with Nancy Riegel
in the Lower School library.