Alumni Inspiration Day

Building and engaging the community (including our alumni) is central to The Steward School’s strategic plan, Compass 2028: Inspire the Future. Our popular Alumni Inspiration Day, created in 2021, connects the graduating senior class with alumni and parents for guidance about college life and career fields. On January 16, Spartans gathered for a morning filled with conversation, mentorship, and connections. 

Career Fair 

The day began with a career fair for juniors and seniors in the lobby of the Paul R. Cramer Center for the Arts. Thirty-six alumni and parents volunteered their time to have informal conversations with the students, who practiced their networking skills and discussed college and career goals.

After the career fair, seniors attended small-group sessions led by alumni. Students could choose three sessions (out of a total of 14) of their choice; subjects included technology, the business world, engineering, law school, and communication. 

This was the second year that Rafaela Zepeda ’26 participated in Alumni Inspiration Day.

“I absolutely love talking to alumni and learning about different professional realms,” she said. “Mr. John Keefe [Class of 2015], a construction project manager, was my favorite this year. He is such an engaging speaker and talked about the many steps and people it takes to bring a building to life.”

Gracie Goodpasture ’19, who presented “Finding a Career in the Medical Device Industry,” talked to seniors about her experiences as a Steward lifer (a Spartan who attended Steward from junior kindergarten or kindergarten through grade 12). 

“I’ve benefited from every single person I met at Steward, and Alumni Inspiration Day allowed me to share that journey,” she said. At Steward, Ms. Goodpasture played soccer, participated in internships, and made lifelong friends. She credits the College Counseling team with helping prepare her for life after Steward. 

“The College Counseling staff equipped me with the skills I needed to apply to colleges and to go out into the real world,” she shared. The junior college tour was especially meaningful to Ms. Goodpasture. “I thought I wanted to go to a big college, but after the tour, that didn’t feel like a good fit. [College Counseling Director] Heather Jeter helped me pivot and find the right college.” At Roanoke College, she majored in biology, minored in Spanish, and became keenly interested in the medical device industry. Now a Watchman clinical specialist for Boston Scientific, she walks surgeons through the placement of pacemakers. 

Thank you to the alumni who participated in the career fair and/or presentations:

Harry Baron ’01, Katherine Chambers ’16, Kyndall Diamond ’19, Mike Edwards ’03, Alex Fabiato ’19, Gracie Goodpasture ’19, Graham Hickerson ’89, Sarah Austen Holzgrefe ’13, Lindsey Jennings ’04, John Keefe ’15, Chris Koerner ’17, Davis Mohr ’17, Morgan Mohr ’17, Blair Moring ’15, Anna Pastore ’21, Rusty Perkins ’99, Will Perkins ’01, Dorothy Suskind ’92, Caroline Willhite ’18, Mary Warden Good ’07, and Corbin Ryland ’01.

Alumni-student connections are important “because they are a way for me to learn more about what it is I want to do in college and beyond,” said Rafaela. “Many alumni are open to offering internships and becoming networking contacts. They also give fantastic life advice.”