Margaret Sarkela and John Curtis P'01

When Sarah Curtis '01 arrived at Exeter in the fall of her lower year, she did what so many Exonians who've come before her have done: embarked on an adventure in unexplored terrain.

Like any journey into the unknown, there were some unexpected obstacles to overcome. Her parents, Margaret Sarkela and John Curtis, remember well that Sarah was very homesick during her first term. Support from her advisor, dorm supervisors and the school health center staff helped, as did becoming involved in dramatic productions at Fisher Theater.

The most profound antidote to Sarah's early reservations about Exeter, however, was the faculty guidance she received. Her parents agree: "Our daughter's instructors were all uniformly wonderful and supportive." Eventually, as initial doubts and fears gave way to a passion for Exeter and its unique, student-centered teaching philosophy, both Sarah and her parents became more involved with the PEA community. Margaret, the chair of the history department at Greenwich Academy, and John, a managing director at Goldman Sachs, joined the Parents Committee. Through increased contact with other parents and members of the Exeter community, says John, "We developed an enormous respect for the Exeter faculty's teaching methods, the academic standards at the Academy and the diverse nature of the student body."

In honor of their daughter's tremendous experience at the Academy, and of the faculty that made such an experience possible, Margaret and John have established the Sarah E. Curtis, 2001, Faculty Development Fund. The fund, established in December 2000, will be used to support faculty sabbaticals and faculty development initiatives as determined by the dean of the faculty. It will assist the Academy in its goal to provide teachers with the time and financial resources to refine their teaching skills and pursue individual academic interests.

When asked about their decision to designate their gift in this way, Margaret and John explain, "Exeter is a national treasure, serving youth from every quarter. It is one of those institutions that is absolutely worth supporting, and the heart of it, year in and year out, is its faculty." Their own family connection to the teaching profession was also a factor. As Margaret observes, "As a teacher, I was impressed by the faculty at Exeter and by their commitment to both their students and their subjects. I know how difficult it is to maintain the excellence of a faculty at Exeter's level."

As for the name of the fund, John notes, "There was never any doubt that we'd name the fund for our daughter. She is our connection to the institution." He continues, "Sarah is a true Exonian through and through. When we thought of making a gift, we wanted to do something that would last over time and to which she could contribute in the future."

Once a novice to the Exeter landscape, Sarah departs an Academy aficionado. A thespian during her years at the Academy, Sarah became president of DRAMAT, appeared in numerous productions and won the Merrill Speaking Contest. She graduated cum laude with a classical diploma and will be joining the class of 2005 at Harvard this fall.

If the Sarah E. Curtis, 2001, Faculty Development Fund does what the Curtis/Sarkela family hopes it will do, many more students will be able to have the kind of transformative experience Sarah had-guided by faculty who are refreshed, renewed and at the top of their game.

"Exeter is a national treasure, serving youth from every quarter. It is one of those institutions that is absolutely worth supporting, and the heart of it, year in and year out, is its faculty." - Margaret Sarkela and John Curtis P'01