Every Exonian has experienced laying their head into their pillow, dreading the 7 a.m. wake up ahead after a long night of studying. They’re not sure that their body has the energy to get through another five classes the next day, and just need a break. Then, their eyes fly open. They grab their phone, and turn off the alarm. They don’t have a reserve format tomorrow — their history class isn’t meeting.

“I learned everything from playing sports. That’s why I do the job that I do.” If one takes a stroll on the second floor of Love Gym, they are bound to find the striking office of the Director of Athletics and Physical Education, Jason Baseden. The endless decor is perhaps dizzying for an onlooker, but its charm is almost nostalgic — a myriad of sports memorabilia spans every wall and table in the office. With decades-old helmets, lacrosse sticks, squash rackets, volleyballs, and at least a few dozen picture frames, Baseden has it all. The history of Exeter athletics is enshrined here, and just as sports touch every corner of his workplace, it is apparent that athletics permeate every facet of his character and values. Sports is what he’s about. Baseden is undeniably on his way to becoming a legend of Exeter athletics if he isn’t already one. With an incessant passion and belief in the “perfect vehicle” that is interscholastic sports, his love for the game is so contagious that he can instill it within every person he meets. Apart from his devotion to athletics, Baseden has produced real and measurable improvement within the department in just five short years since his appointment in 2020. His work has completely transformed how the department functions and will continue to do so. Growing up in Oregon, Baseden was exposed to sports from a young age. He recalled, “The kids in my neighborhood always played sports in the street. We played no matter what season it was.” Baseden carried his passion for sports past childhood, playing football, basketball, and running track at Beaverton High School in Oregon. He then received a division-one scholarship to run track and field at St. John’s University, a Big East Conference school in New York. Although Baseden now works in education and athletics, his career began with working “in the television industry in Los Angeles and New York.” After graduating from Saint John’s with a major in Communication Arts, Baseden started his professional journey at Universal Television. He shared, “I then moved to Madrid for a year to learn a new culture. From there, I went to Cape Town to help my friends who had started a not-for-profit, Hoops 4 Hope.” He continued, “As I ran out of money, I had to move to NYC and start working at Discovery Channel.” Baseden’s path was winding, but he eventually landed in the right place: educational athletics. “I moved to France and worked in television on the Tour de France and shows like ‘The Bachelor.’ I was introduced to the Director of Athletics at The American School of Paris and I had a change of heart as to what I wanted to do as a career. From that point on, I switched to the education industry.” Baseden explained, “After coaching four years at The American School of Paris, I became Athletic Director at the International School of Brussels, in Belgium. I was in that role for seven years before moving back to New Jersey as Director of Athletics at The Peddie School. I was at Peddie for five years before arriving at PEA.” Since arriving at Exeter in the summer of 2020, Baseden has held many roles, serving as the Director of Athletics and Physical Education, working on Principal Rawson’s leadership team, and supporting the Curriculum Committee. However, his work extends past athletics, as he also has “eight excellent advisees.” He added, “On Tuesday nights, I am on dorm duty in Ewald.” Baseden’s time is filled with meetings around campus and communicating with his counterparts at other schools. He shared, “Most of my day is spent working with those who are coaches and those who work in the athletic office, from the equipment room to the Downer Fitness Center and boathouse.” He continued, “I also spend a fair amount of time speaking with alumni and parents of current and prospective parents.” Assistant Athletic Director Brian Muldoon praised Baseden for his versatility: “Mr. Baseden is very adept in the world of educational athletics. There is not an aspect of the job that he cannot speak to. He has his finger on the pulse of sports in society and how that affects our students and our coaches.” Dana Barbin, former Instructor in Physical Education and Head Coach of boys’ varsity hockey, spoke about his impact on the department. “He has given athletics and physical education a strong voice around campus with other colleagues.” He added, “I also love that he has a real eye and concern for making the gymnasium a more attractive and comfortable workplace for those of us who basically live there every day.” These improvements that make his colleagues feel as though work is something they can enjoy foster a tight-knit environment. Physical Education and Athletics Coordinator Tracy Coole echoed the same sentiment: “He spearheaded the addition of three furniture spaces in the gym in an effort to warm the brutal concrete building. He is also responsible for the illuminated lion on the front of the building.” For Baseden, personal connections are equivalent, if not paramount, to the athletes themselves. Muldoon explained, “My first impression of Jason was that building relationships is very important to him. He wants to get to know every colleague and student as people first.” Barbin added, “He’s someone that coaches and athletes can go to and talk with or ask advice of.” Hilary Hall, head coach of the track and field team and Instructor in Physical Education, described Baseden as someone with “a steady, amiable way that quickly allows connections to build whether we are talking about advisees, colleagues or alumni.” Baseden discussed his attachment with his advisees. “I would say talking with the boys in Ewald over the years has been very special to me. I always appreciate them and their care for each other. I learn a lot about the student experience from them here at PEA.” Barbin talked about his first impressions of Baseden. “I met Jason when he came to campus to interview for the Director of Athletics position. He was young, strong, handsome, and intelligent. Four plus years into his tenure at PEA, it’s fair to say that he is very supportive of all the coaches, support staff, and students.” His charismatic personality is accompanied by a warm character — that’s what makes Baseden so welcoming. Muldoon reflected, “I genuinely enjoy working with him and appreciate his approach to the work that we do. I never wake up dreading coming to work and that is because of the community and atmosphere he has helped create.” Interestingly enough, many of his colleagues also find much of Baseden’s identity humorous at times — most noticeably, his fashion. Hall said, “He has an amazing fashion game, particularly his footwear.” Coole continued, “He is always overdressed for the cold weather. If it is below 50, he has a hat on. He is a huge sneaker fanatic. I’d be curious how many pairs he actually owns.” Barbin commended Baseden’s “real fashion sense for team uniforms and coaches attire, particularly old-fashioned jackets.” Clearly, Baseden knows how to dress. When asked about how Baseden has changed over the years, Muldoon made sure to mention something that hasn’t changed: “The Steelers still have not won a playoff game since he has been here.” He also added that “[Baseden] runs his hands through his hair when he is stressed!” Believe it or not, Baseden is bald. These jokes perfectly reflect the “familial atmosphere” that Muldoon described — the department members are genuinely relaxed with one another. Much of that is through Baseden’s own efforts. This acknowledgment from his peers is exactly what Basedan tries to shape his work around: “I hope to leave a legacy as someone who was an advocate for educational athletics in a very academic institution. Someone who tried to provide a great experience in athletics and PE for all our students, not just the more athletic ones.” His caring nature doesn’t just impact sports; it changes our campus as a whole. Jason Baseden is an icon by no short measure. He has left a lasting impact on his colleagues and students, inspiring those around him to become more selfless and to remember that our colleagues are humans before they are students and teachers. That is true non sibi. On his final note, Baseden said, “I hope to stay here at PEA for the remainder of my career. We have a lot of work to do to become what I believe can be the best educational and athletic experience of any school in the world. That is my personal goal, and it will take time. Nothing worthwhile happens overnight.”

When you were a chWhen you were a child, you could spend time with people for hours, maybe even days. You loved hanging out with your friends and playing outside for hours. There were nights when you needed to talk to someone or you would go crazy. Loneliness now, however, is a part of the ordinary. As children, our friends dictate the flow of our lives — we play outside, go to as many birthday parties as possible, and as many playdates too. The more we went out, the more energy we seemed to gain. I used to think my parents were crazy for getting tired from being at parties and talking to other parents. The more the merrier, right? At Exeter, there are nights when there is nothing more I want than to watch a movie alone. On those nights, hanging out with friends drains me rather than the other way around. When I return home, there is nothing more I want to do than rot in bed and sleep all day. Part of this has to do with how stretched out we are at Exeter students. We wake up, go to classes, have athletics, then clubs from the time we leave our dorm to check-in. For many students, school extends until the later hours of the night as we grind ourselves under the load of homework our teachers subject us to. The only “me-time” that we are able to indulge in is sleep, and for most students, this factor is severely lacking. It’s undeniable that hanging out with other people drains you in some way. Whether it be talking, shouting, or singing, I always find myself tired after a long night out. It is undoubtedly fun, but when we are overworked and stretched, sometimes the last thing you want to do is go out to Grill and talk with your friends. The concept of a social battery exists because, at some point, you are done with having to listen to everyone laugh and talk. While it may be different for everyone, everyone will have a certain point when they just wish they could be alone. That is not to say that you enjoy being alone. Nights spent alone in your room may be depressing at times but they are entirely different things. In a way, friendships are transactional. Our friends serve us as a way to have fun, a way to share, and a way to have a support system. But in spending time with them, you gradually give up more and more of your social battery, and the only way to replenish it is through time for ourselves alone, which most of us lack. Exeter constantly pushes us and pulls us in different directions; towards classes, towards athletics, towards clubs, towards socials. We are asked to spread ourselves thin, and anything spread too thin is easier to tear. No matter how much we give, the external world fails to give anything truly replenishing back. But we live in a culture, especially at Exeter, that admires this. We wear our schedules like badges of honor, boasting about how many things we’re juggling, how many people we are connected to, and how we’re always on the go. The busier we are, the more successful or accomplished we feel. Just wait until you burn out. We don’t know how to live anymore without a gadget in our faces. We become so focused on the next thing, the next event, the next deadline, that we stop taking the time to sit still, to reflect. To be present in the moment. And we risk losing the essence of what makes life beautiful. We seize every opportunity we get, but we fail to seize the day. The impact of this constant busyness extends far beyond our own sense of well-being. As we stretch ourselves thin, we have less to give to our family, our friends, and our peers. When we say yes to everything, we dilute the quality of our time and energy. We leave ourselves unable to make connections. Instead, we wear different masks, hiding the real us behind the roles we play. How many masks do you have? How many people in your life truly know you? Does anyone know the real you, not just the version of yourself you present? True connections form from being present, from showing up without distractions, and from investing time and attention into the people who matter most. So, in the end, do you know who you are? Slow down. Find what truly matters and you’ll see how much you’re missing the whispers, the gestures, the small moments, and the subtle expressions that are drowned out in the flood of our daily lives. Appreciating the world isn’t a luxury, but a necessity. It’s about reclaiming the moments that matter, nurturing the relationships that bring us joy, and most importantly investing in ourselves so we can give our best to the people who matter most. Take care of your social battery. We want to be seen for who we really are, not just in our titles, but in our hearts. But this requires us to create the space for others to see us, and for us to see them. The most meaningful relationships are built on presence, vulnerability, and the time spent together, from the depth of our interactions, not from the quantity of them. Because in the end, we all want to be known by the ones we love.

Every Tuesday after check-in, Michelle Soucy—a beloved three-year member of Hoyt Hall—hosts a smoothie night, giving Hoytians a chance to grab a healthy snack while they study. “I want them to have something nutritious, so I bring the ingredients in and make smoothies,” she explained. Beyond just a quick snack, her check-ins often spark easygoing conversations, making the Hoyt common room a natural gathering spot for students looking to unwind. Ms. Soucy has served as an instructor in health at Exeter since 2008, and throughout her tenure, she has become certified as a grief educator, a nutritionist, and a positive educator, as well as serving as an advisor for Fight Club. A veteran in the world of college health education, Soucy often saw Exeter’s campus on a drive to visit family who lived near the Academy. Following a job opening, Soucy applied but surprisingly did not get the job, a loss that would have cost the Academy dearly. “I was so excited. I was like, I want to work here. This is exactly what I want to do. And they didn’t hire me,” Soucy shared. However, a year later, the position opened up again, leading Dean Carol Cahalane (who was the Health Education Department chair at the time) to hire Soucy. Since then, Soucy served as dorm head of McConnell for 12 years and was the class advisor to the classes of 2013, 2016, and 2026. Unsurprisingly, the challenges of teaching health at a college institution are very different from those at a high school such as Exeter. “I mostly worked with college students. So it was very different in terms of working with students whose parents were more involved in their life as opposed to college students,” she said. “There was definitely a learning curve coming to Exeter and understanding what a boarding school life is like and what it meant to live and work in a boarding school.” Excluding the changes in life, Soucy also attributed Harkness to a “huge learning curve” from the typical lecture style you would find in colleges. At Exeter, Soucy has not only grown as an individual but as a professional in the health sector. “Exeter has been very generous in providing educational opportunities to me, for me to expand my knowledge,” she shared. “That’s the thing with health: it changes all the time. It’s not like you learn it, and it’s the same thing for 20 years. New illnesses come in.” For Soucy, health is a way to see how students can learn about their well-being and develop skills that help them stay healthy in an independent boarding school. Her tagline in classes is: “I’m not here to help you survive Exeter, I’m here to help you thrive at Exeter.” Soucy is a beloved and appreciated dorm faculty within Hoyt Hall. Many members of Hoyt had a lot to say about their appreciation for her presence in the dorm. Especially appreciated were her smoothie nights, a favorite amongst many Hoytians. Eli Pratt, senior and proctor in Hoyt, commented, “I love coming to the common room to chat with her and get a famous Soucy smoothie. Her smoothie Tuesdays and grape Saturdays are the best.” Ms. Soucy is often described as “down to earth” and genuine. Sofia Wang, also a proctor and senior in Hoyt, commented, “My favorite thing about Ms. Soucy is her down-to-earth personality and her genuine care for the well-being of students in Hoyt. She always makes sure to see everyone’s faces during duty nights and goes out of her way to check in with you about your day. She’s a very supportive and important member of the dorm community and I genuinely couldn’t imagine Hoyt without her.” Prep Abbe Sarpong noted her gratitude for the smoothie nights, adding, “It’s such a small thing, but it really shows how much she cares about making the dorm feel like a home.” Lucy Jung, proctor of Hoyt and senior, remarked on Ms. Soucy’s memorable duty nights and her innovative conundrum-solving. “Every Tuesday night, Soucy stations herself in the Hoyt common room, making herself available for any Hoytian who wants support, needs someone to talk to, or just wants to say hello. I usually stay in the common room with her on Tuesday nights, and I see her giving excellent advice to lowerclassmen, going ‘mom-mode’ on uppers who haven’t been getting enough sleep, and laughing with seniors,” Jung explained. “Her reliable presence supports all Hoytians. I myself have asked for Soucy’s advice on multiple occasions, sometimes at ridiculous hours, and she’s helped me through all those situations. I love talking through my conundrums with her—she is a fantastic and reliable confidant.” Many Hoytians enjoy having chats with her after a long and exhausting day of Exeter life. Thea Vaughan, lower in Hoyt, commented, “She’s one of those dorm faculty I feel comfortable chatting with. Like if I’m checking in when she’s on duty, I tend to hang around and talk to people because the environment is always so chill.” Soucy has succeeded in “creating a warm and welcoming environment in Hoyt so that it feels like a true home,” said Alyssa Wang, lower in Hoyt. Daniella Mendez, another lower in Hoyt, described Soucy as “supportive” and “not afraid to be real,” claiming that she’s like a fun aunt on campus. “Mom, mom, mom” were the three words Jung used to describe Soucy. ”During my lower year, I’d often check in with a proctor and go to sleep around 10 pm. Every Tuesday, Soucy would always wake me up with her stubborn knocking, and I had to work my way to my door in pitch-black darkness to reassure her I was in the dorm. Now, as a senior, the dialogue between Soucy and me that happens almost every Tuesday night is: ‘So-and-so hasn’t checked in.’ ‘They checked in with the proctor-on-duty, Soucy.’ ‘Yes, but I haven’t seen their faces. Let me go check on them. I’ll be right back.’ ‘You’re such a mom!’” Despite her comedic take on Ms. Soucy’s protectiveness and “momness” of Hoyt residents, Jung believes that Ms. Soucy is someone who is easy to admire and love. “Though I love to tease her, I do have a genuine respect for Soucy’s protectiveness,” Jung noted. “I am constantly in awe about how much she cares for everyone in Hoyt and their safety—you can tell that she cares not just because it’s her job but because she loves each and every one of us. And that is the reason I love her so much.” On Campus, Soucy also advises Fight Club, a group that helps students deal with grief. In the same way in which she supports students in her dorm, Soucy does the same for those in the group. “It’s been really nice to be able to help students who don’t quite know what they need when they’re grieving. Sometimes, their loss is eight years ago. Some of it’s really new. So I just try to connect with students when I hear that they’ve had a loss.” Adhering to her philosophy of helping students thrive at Exeter, Soucy elaborated on the process. “So I’ll reach out to that student and just explain Fight Club and that you’re welcome to come anytime. Sometimes, we even have meetings at my house just to make it more “homey” and comfortable. So it’s been really nice to be part of that group.” For Soucy, teaching health and being a teacher at Exeter is about the aid she provides for her students. Her most common piece of advice to students on campus is: “You’re doing great. You are enough, and you are smart enough. You’re supposed to be here.” She said, “I know students doubt that sometimes. Every single student who’s here, I believe, deserves a seat at the table. I want students to hear that from an adult so that they believe that they are in the right place.” This method of showing care for her community has bettered the community of Hoyt. Sarpong commented, “Ms. Soucy’s ability to be there for us, even in small ways, has taught me the value of being present and supportive of others.” Through the support she provides both in and out of the classroom, Ms. Soucy has guided her students to thrive at Exeter.

Acting as “parents” of a community, dorm faculty are integral and valued members of Phillips Exeter Academy. They ensure safety, respect, and support for students living on campus. Full-time faculty employment at Exeter is contingent on fulfilling 10 years of on-campus residence. The process for a dorm faculty member’s placement in dorms is complex and idiosyncratic — matching the needs of the Academy to those of the faculty. Faculty backgrounds in a dorm are usually eclectic, ranging in Exeter tenure, academic discipline, and family size. However, for most, the duration of their stay with students is similar. “Faculty need to live in dormitories for the first 10 years of their time at Exeter,” Wheelwright dorm faculty and Instructor in History Sally Komarek said. “After that, they can choose to move either off campus to a house that they’ve purchased or are renting, or they could move into what’s called post-dorm housing, which is academy-owned housing, for a limited time. You can stay in dormitory housing for up to fifteen years and then choose to live in academy housing or purchase your own house. If you stay longer, you get more time in Academy-owned housing after the dormitory.” Instructor in Spanish Ellen Glassner said, “If you stay over ten years, every extra year is two years in a faculty house.” However, some faculty members cannot immediately live in a dorm during their first year. Many faculty members are first affiliated with a dorm and live in a school-provided apartment off campus for their first year. “For example, if you’re gonna be a dorm head, then they give you housing in the dorms immediately,” explained Instructor in English David Rhee. “But they have different rounds depending on what’s available.” These rounds are when faculty members can “apply” towards living in a dorm. Despite the importance of dorm sentiment and culture for many of Exeter, faculty do not necessarily get to decide what dorm they can be in. “When given an apartment in a dorm, you automatically become the dorm faculty for it,” Rhee said. After their first year, the faculty’s dorm residency usually begins. When faculty are placed in dorms, “housing availability, length of service, family size and other space or accessibility needs, the composition of the dorm team, and whether they will serve as a dorm head” are all criteria for location, according to Dean of Faculty Eimer Page. Wheelwright dorm faculty and Instructor in Health Courtney Shaw described her application to become a dorm faculty, “We just have to fill out a form that states our needs, as far as family size, if we have any allergies, and if we are willing to be dorm head.” Exeter’s consideration of faculty needs is paramount in ensuring that during their time in the dorm, they don’t have to live in a space that doesn’t suit their spacing and family needs. Most faculty members spend time in a dorm, which is dynamic and can be subject to change based on living conditions and needs. Glassner described her numerous dorm switches, starting her journey in Wentworth, then moving on to Webster, Abbott, Ewald, a faculty house, and now Cilley, respectively. “We had to be clearer about why we needed a bigger place. But we needed to move because it wasn’t a suitable apartment after having another child,” Glassner said about her move from Webster to Abbott. While the dorm faculty system is important to students, it also benefits teachers, allowing them to connect with the community more profoundly. “It’s convenient to live in the dormitory when you’re working with students to be able to check in with an advisee on a non-duty night to meet your advisees in the common spaces,” Komarek said. “From a working perspective, there are many ways that the connections with students are a little bit more direct when you’re living on campus. or even if it’s something small.” Instructor in Art Adam Hosmer, a member of the Langdell’s dorm faculty, concurred: “I think living in the same dorm as advisees allows you get a better sense of who they are. You hang out with them more, you talk with them more — two weeks ago, I had all my advisees over to my apartment for dinner.” Dunbar dorm head Samantha Fahey described a contrasting perspective, highlighting a benefit of living off-campus: “Off-campus housing allows you to get that separation from the school and the students. Not in a bad way, but it allows you to, even when you’re not on duty, really not be on duty. When you’re in the dorm, you still feel responsible to the students there.” “Off-campus housing makes a work-life balance a little bit easier,” Alia Haskins, an OMA intern and member of Dunbar’s dorm faculty, added. “You do not live where you work, so detaching from PEA life is slightly easier. It also offers more privacy because you do not see colleagues and students during your free time.” Fahey, who lives in the dorm with her family, noted, “The housing system can be stressful, especially when you have a family involved, because it’s kind of your family’s livelihood.” “As resident faculty, we have way more responsibilities, not just doing duty once a night, we meet with our advisees once a week, and sometimes we have weekend duties, so that’s twice a week,” Shaw explained. “We also have other commitments, such as holding spaces for students in the dorm, walking through the dorm during the day, and also being present for events such as Wheel Tea. It’s part of our contract.” Komarek explained the difference between being a dorm faculty or living in faculty housing, “I think from a working perspective, there are a lot of ways that the connections with students are able to be more direct when you’re living on campus. This would never happen to me, but if you forget a book or a computer at home, just like for boarders versus day students, it’s easy to run home and grab it.” Whether living on or off campus, all full-time faculty must be affiliated with a dorm and fulfill at least 10 years of dorm residency. Staff members can also elect to be dorm affiliates. “I decided to be a dorm affiliate because I didn’t know any students. To be successful in any community, you must know people in that community,” said Safety Operations Manager and Langdell dorm affiliate Andrew Pixley. Director of Choirs and Instructor in Music Kristofer Johnson described an upside of dorm affiliation: “We music faculty have so much evening duty to the Music Department that we should be affiliated with dorms that have a larger dorm faculty team because we have to be out so often. It doesn’t leave us with a lot of flexibility.” However complicated, the dorm faculty housing system is essential to the Exeter community. Dorm faculty guide students through their most formative years and many depend on this support system. At the end of the day, Exeter wouldn’t be the same without its devoted dorm teams.

By KEVIN THANT ‘27 On Tuesday, Feb. 5, the student body heard the co-secretary candidates speak for the first time. 14 candidates ran in this year’s Co-Secretary race, the most for any of the three positions. Out of those 14, for the 2025-26 Student Council Executive Board, Exeter chose lowers Ari Benenson and Jade Yoo to serve as their Co-Secretaries. Student Council has been a core part of both Exonians’ Exeter journey. Benenson decided to follow in his brother’s footsteps to pursue a career in StuCo, and Yoo has served as both a class and a dorm representative. “I was inspired by the current exec board. I’m especially good friends with Cam and Kyle,” Benenson said. “The work that they’ve done in the past year inspired me to become a part of StuCo and I wanted to do that by becoming a co-secretary.” Yoo shared, “I love working with the student body. I’ve been holding different positions since fourth grade, but no matter what the role was, it brought me a lot of joy.” Yoo’s journey in Student Council began long before her time at Exeter. From this experience, she has gained many integral skills. “I have seven years of experience in StuCo, and through these experiences, I’ve learned how to coordinate teams, manage events in a timely manner, advocate for inclusivity, and handle logistics and communication.” The same can be said for Benenson who, similarly to Yoo, stressed the importance of managerial skills and communication which he learned during his role as eighth-grade class president. “I learned what it takes to get up there and talk to administration and handle rejection with certain initiatives and negotiation as well,” he shared. As both have highlighted, strong communication is an attribute that is necessary for the role of Co-Secretary. “Being Co-Secretary carries the significant responsibility of being a bridge between the student body and administration by making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes and making sure everything is operating in a way that’s transparent, accessible, inclusive, and effective,” explained Yoo. The role of Co-Secretary is limited in power compared to that of President, as Yoo shared, but that isn’t stopping either electee from fulfilling the promises they made during their campaign. “I have initiatives of my own and I wanna press those upon the President and Vice President of the Student Council. And I want things that I told people I would get done to get done. That’s my role,” Benenson said. Yoo agreed, “I will also actively seek out student input and make sure that the input is heard and implemented effectively by working closely with Exec, evaluating our progress and making improvements when necessary.” However, even as they push their own initiatives, both understand the importance of continuity and communication. “It’s just respect and teamwork that’ll make us get the most done, be the most efficient Exec Board the school’s ever seen,” Benenson stated. Yoo agreed but also emphasized external communication, recognizing her role as the bridge between the student body and the Executive Board. “I plan to use my experience to create clear and effective communication channels like a StuCo Newsletter, online feedback systems, and Council Chats to make sure everyone is informed and engaged.” Outside of the council, extracurricular activities have provided both Co-Secretaries insights and skills necessary to achieve their visions. Benenson is a lifelong soccer player, and on the field, he has learned the traits of grit and perseverance, skills that are necessary for any member of Student Council. “Anyone on the soccer team will tell you that’s my number one trait, and it’ll carry over from the soccer field to Student Council.” Yoo is a member of the Advanced Debate B Team and a prominent member of the Model United Nations, both clubs that provide her with the eloquence and rhetoric essential to being a strong communicator. “I sharpen communication skills every day in Debate and Model UN, which could help me advocate for the student body.” In a final word, both Co-Secretaries look forward to their future in this role. I’m truly honored by the trust that was placed in me. I’m excited to take on this responsibility,” Yoo shared. Benenson expressed a similar sentiment: “It’ll be exciting, and we’ll be able to do a lot of good for the people.”

Kindness, cookies and travel: three words that could very well be used to describe Instructor of Health Brandon Thomas. With his return to campus following a spring sabbatical in which he traveled the world, Thomas came back with many experiences and lessons to share.

With campus still abuzz from last weekend’s events, students prepared for yet another round of Halloween festivities. As the sky dimmed on a warm October afternoon, all sorts of creatures, characters, and witty makeshift costumes from Godzilla to Spiderman headed toward the most anticipated event of all: trick-or-treating.

The Academy prides itself on its rich history of alumni and faculty who have impacted the Exeter community in one way or another. Every once in a while, though, someone comes along and strikes so deeply upon the core principles of the Academy, that they can only be considered a legend of Exeter.

By Aryan Agarwal, Kevin Thant, Arjun Velan, and Andrew Yang

Throughout athletic events, the roars of the PEA student section can be heard above all else, and the Big Red Zone team is the epicenter. The school’s hype squad is composed of six seniors dedicated to ensuring that Big Red athletes receive the support they deserve. They are in charge of theme coordination and driving student attendance at athletic events. Even more importantly, they are in charge of hyping the crowd up at games so that Big Red never loses its spirit.

By: Logan Beckerle, Kevin Thant, and Arjun Velan

By: Angela He, Hugo Shinn, Kevin Thant, and Annie Zhu

On Friday, April 25, Big Red’s girls’ varsity softball went out strong and played against Buckingham Browne & Nichols. Despite already having a full day of exhausting classes, PEA came out on top with a resounding victory and final score of 13-1.

On Friday, April 25, professor, journalist, author, and alumnus Lincoln Caplan ‘68 enthralled the Assembly Hall with a discussion on the adverse effects of Typhoon Merbok, which hit Alaska in 2022. As a journalist who has reported on the Supreme Court and was a member of the editorial board of The New York Times, Caplan founded the Legal Affairs magazine in 2002. He has authored several books, notably The Insanity Defense and the Trial of John W. Hinckley Jr., which won a Silver Gavel Award by the American Bar Association. Currently, Caplan is an English lecturer at Yale University and a visiting lecturer at Yale Law School.

On Saturday, Feb. 14, the boys’ varsity basketball team blew Deerfield out in a dominant fashion. Throughout the game, shoes squeaked on the court, large posters waved in the bleachers, and shouts from coaches filled Love Gym. This game marked the penultimate home game before E/a for the ten seniors on the team and Head Coach Jay Tilton, whose tenure at Exeter will conclude after this term. To commemorate the special night, the stands were filled with the players’ families, alumni, colleagues, and acquaintances who came to honor Coach Tilton.

As the shot fires, the sprinters race on the track, and another group gets ready to do the same. While sprinters and distance runners are running, the jumpers and throwers warm up for their own events. The track team is the largest team at Phillips Exeter, and amidst the chaos and hundreds of events happening at William Boyce Thompson Field House, at the helm of it all, is head coach Hilary Hall.

Organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers blossom and thrive under the abundant sun on Late Bloom Farm. Employees carefully tend to the crops, which undergo seed propagation, watering, and harvesting. Here, a section of the Academy’s English 310 students roam the fields, learning about cultivating harvests, owning a farm, and managing land. As they conclude their adventure, the students munch on apple cider and donuts while discussing what they learned throughout the trip. Around the makeshift Harkness table, they are led by Instructor in English and Modern Languages Pilar Pérez Serrano, who has shared her love for gardening by connecting it with her fall term English 310 section’s reading, “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck, a novel incorporating a story of a tenant farmer during the Great Depression.

In a school that preaches unity, it’s hard to imagine a campus so divided between what side of Elm there is to sit upon. From the looks of it, it should be the same, the same horrible food, and the same awkward color scheme.

Exeter’s Swim and Dive team has undergone major improvements in recent years, with the girls’ team winning the NEPSAC championship for the past two years and the boys’ team placing second last year. A large part of this success is due to the leadership surrounding the team, including head coach Don Mills and captains Brianna Cong, Sophie Phelps, Ethan Guo, and Winston Wang, all seniors. Their leadership qualities unite the team through their work in the pool and the captain-organized events outside of the pool.

Many students were shocked upon first opening their winter term schedules on myExeter. The infamous 70 minute long block had been shortened to 60 minutes, and the beloved 40 minute short block had disappeared entirely—changes reminiscent of last spring’s pilot schedule.

One of the most acclaimed shows of the 21st century, Breaking Bad is the only show ever with a perfect IMDB score of 10. Chronicling the tale of a dying chemistry genius turned drug lord, Walter White is your typical wasted genius. He’s a Nobel Prize Winner who struggles to pay his bills today. With the freedom of a dying man and fueled by the desire to leave a legacy for his family, he begins a meth business with old student-turned-junkie dealer Jesse Pinkman. He convinces himself that he needs to make money, but through the course of the show, we are exposed to the complex mind of Mr. White. It is a rollercoaster of emotion, murder, adultery, and crime. Still, it is masterfully weaved into a beautiful story, one which can get anyone hooked.

Similarly to offices nationwide, Phillips Exeter Academy accepts more students than they plan on enrolling to ensure that the class is always filled. Because not every applicant says yes to Exeter, deciding how many extra applicants should be enrolled is always a struggle. The yield for last year’s incoming students was 79 percent, about four points higher than usual, leading to hardships such as emergency doubles and other housing issues. The over-enrollment also affects the school’s acceptance rate, which may have influenced the Academy’s updated rankings. Here’s what affected students, as well as Admissions faculty, had to say about the matter.

As one of the largest campus clubs, The Exonian is an extracurricular for many students. Many interviews are conducted weekly, thousands of words are written, and a well-made print edition is put together. Members of the club are working overtime. So when people say, “No one even reads The Exonian,” it begs the question of what the point of the newspaper actually is. Many key concerns about The Exonian is its redundancy. Indeed, there can’t be much happening on the Exeter campus for a new issue to be published weekly, right? That’s probably what most of the schoo

As the foliage varies in autumn colors and fresh faces cross paths, many noticeable changes on campus have influenced the experience of students and faculty alike, but none as striking as the newly implemented lunch schedule. Lunch is generally the most busiest meal of the day. “We have to feed an equal amount of staff and students in a shorter period of time,” said Elm Street dining hall worker Frank.

As we all know JV Football is off to a fantastic start this year with a 0-4 record! However, some people have questions about the current quarterback state and other internal matters of the team, and this article will answer those worries.

As the fall foliage returns to the Phillips Exeter campus, so do parents. Families of many students from all over the globe gather to have the “Exeter experience,” a time to immerse themselves into their students’ lives by attending classes, sports events, and other extracurriculars. But is it true immersion?

The grand beauty of our universe and the guilt of parenthood are the backdrop for a quest to save humanity. Interstellar, directed by Christopher Nolan, chronicles the journey of the crew of the Endurance, hurled light years from everything that they love to search for colonizable worlds. Nolan’s Interstellar is not a science fiction epic—it’s a movie about family and humanity with science fiction as its backdrop.

A jangling set of keys and a warm smile is the image most students associate with Mrs. Jackie Weatherspoon. Along with her husband, former Dean of Students Russell Weatherspoon, the two have been iconic on campus for the past 37 years. Following retirement, J. Weatherspoon is now back in Exeter, this time as a building monitor in the Elizabeth Phillips Academy Center (EPAC). Many recognize her roaming EPAC, opening locked doors, and making sure students clean up after themselves. But behind this is a woman of incredible character and accomplishment that few know.

Every October, Exeter’s Family Weekend invites families of current students to witness their Exonians in action at the Academy. This year, on Oct. 18 and 19, families arrived on campus, some even hailing from overseas, to attend students’ classes, sports games, and extracurricular activities. Families came with the hope of experiencing a day in the life of their students and spending valuable time with them over the weekend. For administration, this meant accommodating almost twice the number of people on campus. Students and instructors noted changes across campus and wondered if Family Weekend realistically reflects a day in the life of an Exonian.

The town of Exeter, NH, closes at 8 p.m. If you don’t go out by then, you’ll be lucky to even enter a restaurant. It’s like living in a closed-off state. In Exeter, New Hampshire you are not affected by the rest of the world nor the affairs that concern it.

An electric show about a genius with a photographic memory navigating his way through the treacherous roads of New York corporate law, Suits captivated viewers from day one with its premise, wit, and characters.

While most Exonians began their breaks with travels back home or with vacation, the Exeter boys’ and girls’ varsity swim team traveled to Hotchkiss to cinch their 8-1 record and undefeated record, respectively. They competed against multiple other New England prep schools — Brunswick, Greenwich Academy, Suffield, Hotchkiss, Deerfield, St. Paul’s, Sacred Heart Greenwich, Andover, Choate, and NMH. The teams swam outstandingly; the girls finished first with a wide margin of 73 points, and the boys finished second.

One of the most distinctive opportunities that Phillips Exeter Academy offers is the Global Initiatives Program, which allows students to explore new cultures, meet new people, and learn about topics they’re interested in. Similarly, many athletic teams provide the opportunity for their players to receive some extra training before the season. The work that goes on behind the scenes to prepare for all of these trips is tremendous and often overlooked. For this edition, The Exonian explored the process of planning the preseason and global initiatives trips.

The Grill Cookie has long been a staple of Exonian culture. For many students, purchasing the gooey chocolate chip cookie, priced perfectly at 50 cents, became a daily ritual. For over a hundred years, the cookie has been the most popular item at Grill, and over 200 are sold every day. For only a single Grill Point, the Exonian was able to purchase four cookies — perfectly affordable and a perfect even integer. Following the return from spring break, students were rudely awakened by a 50 percent price increase: tragically, each cookie was momentarily 75 cents. To the relief of students, on Wednesday, April 2, the price of the cookies returned to 50 cents.

This past week, the boys’ varsity tennis team started the season strong by competing and winning against both Groton and Loomis. Unlike normal tennis matches, this was held in an indoor court, rather than an outdoor court.

On Thursday, May 23, 2011, after principal emeritus Thomas Hassan announced the year’s recipient of the Founders’ Award, Exonians watched Rick “Non Sibi” Mahoney ‘61 take the stage. Despite speaking only for five minutes, Mahoney adeptly threaded a story that touched the hearts of every audience member, connecting the strings of his legacy and experience with those of past, current, and future Exonians.

Pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat. An eternal rhythm echoes throughout the William B. Thompson Field House. It is music to a runner’s ears as the pack of athletes endures a challenge much greater than just physical strain — to perform is an obstacle of the mind. Their spikes strike the clay track with periodicity like a pendulum. This sport is an art.

A classroom, a gallery, or a library? History instructor Kent McConnell’s classroom is perhaps all of them.

The boys’ varsity basketball team had a strong victory this Saturday, winning by 30 points in an 82-52 blowout. The victory marks the 12th consecutive victory for Big Red, as Exeter now sits on an undefeated record.

In 2023, “The Matrix” had a sequel after almost two decades. The hype surrounding the movie was incredible, and expectations were set high. But even after the dwindling success of the second and third Matrix movies, the fourth one ended up being dubbed the worst in the trilogy. You could physically see the difference between the first three and the fourth one, but why did the movie that had two decades of pioneering CGI and special effects get beaten by its predecessor?

When people think about economics, they see a Wall Street trader hunched over a cluttered desk wearing a Patagonia vest and rolled-up sleeves. Three monitors sit in front of them with red and green numbers flashing, Outlook notifications ping, and, most importantly, money is being made.

The Regeneron Science Talent Search is America’s oldest and most prestigious science competition for high school students. With 13 Nobel prizes in the alumni, students compete for over $3.1 million in research grants. Last year, Achyuta Rajaram ’24, Alan Bu ’24, and Riya Tyagi ’24 all placed and won awards in this prestigious competition. This year, senior Davido Zhang was named a finalist.

Each week, all Exonians are required to attend one or two assembly talks regarding a wide range of topics offered by current event speakers and alumni sharing their experiences at the Academy. However, what goes unseen behind these 30-minute sessions is a long checklist of selecting speakers based on their past and the academy’s goals and working out the logistics.

“Which Aryan (or Aaryan) are you?”

On Saturday, Oct. 26, boys’ water polo had a doubleheader and senior night against Loomis Chaffe and Hamden Hall. In their first game against Loomis, Exeter performed dominantly, having a lead as big as 15-1 against the team. For some team members, it would be the last water polo game they have ever played at Exeter.

When you came to this school, you were promised “lifelong friends.” You’ve been deceived.

Two characters falling in love due to an exterior motive is one of the most overused tropes in the romantic comedy genre. But How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days remains a nostalgic favorite in most people’s hearts and was one of the most famous love films of its time.

Meditation, college applications, and a healthy sleep schedule are three words not often used together. Senior fall seems to be the epitome of Exeter’s busy schedule. As the term comes to an end, early decision applications are almost due, and hundreds of college essays are being written on campus.

In a world where TV shows represent intense drama, shouting, and a myriad of swear words, one show chooses to stand out. “Ted Lasso” abandons convention and goes against the realism and emotions that dramas usually represent. The show, originating from an NBC TV skit, gained popularity during the pandemic as a light of positivity at the time.

Among the new faculty introduced at opening assembly this year, one particularly accomplished teacher stood on that stage, coming to us from halfway across the world: Dr. Eric Olson, Instructor in Science. Although he’s only been here for a few weeks, he’s already making an impact in the classroom, the dorm, and on the water.

Students were taken by surprise when they received emails this past summer regarding a platform switch from LionLinks to MyExeter, formerly known as Blackbaud. This announcement shocked many Exonians: LionLinks had been in use since what seemed like the Middle Ages. However, the platform’s outdated 2000s-esque UI did have the community calling for a more modern replacement. The administration’s answer was MyExeter. But MyExeter did not only replace LionLinks, but an entire system of platforms that students had grown accustomed to—OLS, Student Connect, and Campus Commons.

By ALEX LIM, MARVIN SHIM, KEVIN THANT, and  JADE YOO    Every Tuesday night, the Daniel Webster Debate Society meets in the Assembly Hall. The debate...

By  JUNO COWANS, ERIN HAN, LILY RAMPE, MARVIN SHIM, KEVIN THANT During the two weeks between Sept. 14 and 28, as most Exonians rushed into their secon...

By ARYAN AGARWAL ‘27, SAM ALTMAN ‘26, KEVIN THANT ‘27, and ANDREW YANG ‘27 All the time, we hear that Exeter is renowned for its diversity of o...

The gun fires as sprinters rush off the blocks, their spikes piercing through the track, as the scores begin reading off the screen. A sea of red cheers them on, as records are broken and PRs set. This is the largest team on campus: indoor track.

Friday nights are supposed to be quiet in Ransome Gym. The gym’s rusty weights already go untouched throughout the day as the masses flock to its more modern counterpart, Downer. With the campus getting ready for the night, the gym is supposed to be completely empty. Yet the rhythmic hum of the rowing machine cuts through the silence of the night.

The couple. The myths. The legends. For almost 40 years, Russell and Jackie Weatherspoon have been pillars of kindness, wisdom, and non-sibi that held up Phillips Exeter Academy; their presence on campus is not forgotten, and their legacy continues within Exonians every day.

On Friday, April 25, professor, journalist, author, and alumnus Lincoln Caplan ‘68 enthralled the Assembly Hall with a discussion on the adverse effects of Typhoon Merbok, which hit Alaska in 2022.

By ADELLE PITTS, KEVIN THANT, MARVIN SHIM and HANNAH WEI      As the clock ticked 8:30 p.m., Tho

By  ARYAN AGARWAL, MARVIN SHIM, KEVIN THANT, and ANDREW YANG Climate change is one of the

By Erin Han, Maya Shah, Hugo Shinn, Kevin Thant, and Jade Yoo During the first week of class