Testimonies reveal impact of New School on alumni
Leading up to the reunion and 50th anniversary celebration on April 13, New School alumni were asked to share their stories 鈥渂ecause of New School.鈥� Here is a selection of testimonies from alumni of various decades.
鈥淏ecause of New School I became the person I am today. It altered my thoughts and approaches to everything. Within an environment that evolved and shifted with every action and decision of students and facilitators, we learned to embrace change and discovered kindred spirits. We learned that supporting each other鈥檚 creativity and intelligence and championing successes and community involvement was fulfilling and engaging. Fifty years later, I am still grateful, as the school鈥檚 influences continue to guide my creative work and daily life. It was an immense privilege to participate in such an intimate and exciting experiment.鈥�
鈥�聽 (Allyna Harris, 1975; facilitators: Greta Hofmann Nemiroff, Pat Powers)
鈥淚 engaged in every aspect of learning at the New School from physically getting the 鈥榦ld mansions鈥� ready for learning, to selecting our books and committing to the participatory model that was the core of this learning. This experience prepared me to leave the avenues of Verdun and to begin my journey as a educator in the Yukon. The New School gave me the personal foundation, education and confidence to go beyond what I thought possible as I was the only one in my family to go to college. Thank you to the New School and to Greta Nemiroff.
鈥� David Greig, 1974; facilitators: Greta Hofmann Nemiroff, Sonja ?, David Gelinas ? And others who I forgot their names
鈥淣ew School helps me be creative amidst the arduous journey that is a health sciences in CEGEP. It provides me with a safe space where I can be unapologetically me: I鈥檝e already made many close friends in the short time I鈥檝e been at Dawson! It gives me something to look forward to every week, even when I’m not feeling my best. It has given me the flexibility I have so desperately craved all these past years. It鈥檚 hard for me to find the right words, so I鈥檒l just end this by saying thank you to everyone who has made New School what it is.
鈥� Anne-Marie Andrei, 2025; facilitators: Cory Legassic, Andrew Katz, Mari, Jay Shea
鈥淚 was able to discover learning for fun. I would look forward to seeing the people in my class! We would hang out after and chat and it was so much more fun than traditional lecture classes.鈥�
鈥� Daniel Shapiro-Callahan, 2022; facilitators: Cory Legassic & Sarah Burgoyne
鈥淚 learned great techniques of inclusion and making space for everyone. Still use this daily in my corporate life, currently in the video game industry.鈥�
鈥� Don Russell, 1999; facilitators: Susan, Pat, Peter, Joanne
鈥淚 became passionate about higher education. I got a Ph.D. taught at several universities, and now I am a Vice Provost at a University in Utah. I owe the New School a lot and have fond memories of you, Ron, Sherleen, and even Guy! Mostly the New School helped me find my voice as a person and academic. It got me an ivy league graduate education, teaching positions at great universities, and since 2016 a senior administrative position. As a Vice Provost, I was awarded a $2.2 million federal grant to redesign first year experience of underprepared, mostly low income, ethnic minority, and first Gen students. What I designed looked a little like the New School with learning communities and courses designed for students to find their voices. I hesitated to call it a curriculum of affect! But, it also included community engagement, corequisite math and English classes, and other ways to validate the students as learners! I think that is what I learned at the New School! All my best, Eric.鈥�
鈥� Eric Amsel, 1975; facilitator: Shirleen Schermerhorn
鈥淚 discovered my creative voice and finally felt I belonged somewhere.鈥�
鈥� Evan Beloff, 1990; facilitators: Greta Nemiroff and Pat Powers
鈥淚 really appreciate the different angle on learning provided by New School. I have always felt that most school systems are very restricting in their teaching means and don’t provide students with enough liberty and time to develop an interest in what they are learning. I am grateful to New School for giving me an experience learning through connections with other individuals, and teaching me how to become interested in topics and teach myself and others.鈥�
鈥� Flora Finch, 2025; facilitator: Cory Legassic
鈥淚 discovered bell hooks and decided to go into a wholly different career path. I gained confidence in my creative writing skills.鈥�
鈥� Florencia Vallejo-Ortiz, 2018; facilitators: Liam Lachance; Andrew; Rushdia; Mari; Chloe; Rebecca (?)
鈥淏ecause of New School, as a student, I found a community in education that I did not know could exist. Before New School, I did not have the kind of confidence my future would demand of me. The intimate and community-oriented learning environment was one of the first steps in learning to trust my own voice. When I decided to become a facilitator a decade later, I was granted a renewed love for learning while watching students make an otherwise abstract education concrete in their own lives and perspectives. I owe a lot of who I am to New School.鈥�
鈥� Hannah Brais, 2009; facilitators: Greta Hofmann Nemiroff, Neil Briffett, Laura Mitchell, April Leptire
鈥淚 learned so much more than the material viewed in class. I learned about myself and others, empathy and the world. After almost 10 years of graduating now, I can say that some friends I met in New School are still friends to this day.鈥�
鈥� Martina Marri-Boivin, 2015; facilitators: Laura Mitchell, Mark Ambrose Harris, George Turski
鈥淚 grew as a person! Expanded my knowledge of life and self!鈥�
鈥� Sandra Molloy, 1992; facilitators: Lucie, Susan, Pat, Fred, Abe, and of course Greta
鈥淏ecause of New School, I have had a more expanded notion of what education can mean. I have more agency and self-direction in my community-oriented work, and passion for studying what calls to me.鈥�
鈥� Tristen Clarke Cousineau, 2019; facilitators: Rosemary Mcconnel, Cory Legassic
鈥淏ecause of New School, I was able to feel included and accepted in New School. The kindness and the empathy that this community has shown me has helped me open up to others and discover a different way of learning: that in which all of our ideas and experiences matter.鈥�
鈥� Ruqaia Mahmud, 2025; facilitators: Cory Legassic, Mari Heywood
鈥淚 continued my education at Concordia Film School and I had a career in documentary film editing.鈥�
鈥� Dab Hedy, 1978; facilitators: Susan, Chris, Conchita (Mary)
鈥淏ecause of New School, I discovered the importance and the benefits of thoughtful, non-judgmental, communication and community.鈥�
鈥� Deborah Stone, 1985; facilitators: Greta, Jerry, Andres
鈥淚 bravely headed out to explore the world, and found my passions and my talents. Thanks for the great start on self-directing!鈥�
鈥� Duffy Fainer, 1975; facilitators:聽 Margo Johannson, Hugh Shankland, Julia Hoerner
鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled to see New School is alive and well. I was there in 80/81 and for me it was the single most important experience in my life to establish the person I became and I鈥檓 still to this day. With mentors like Julia, Pat, Simon, and most importantly for me Greta, how could I go wrong? It鈥檚 been about 26 years since I was last in touch, but it warms me that there are new generations being touched by its ideology.鈥�
鈥� Dyana Forshner-Juby, 2008
鈥淚 learned how to communicate. It helped me to open to the creative self and to explore who I am. I learned how to be better at critical thinking and less about judgement. It awakened my awareness of diversity and complexity of the community. I was encouraged to try new things and was opened to more possibilities. I received the gift of Hope.鈥�
鈥�Janice Canning
鈥淚 feel that I learned more in those two years (three semesters) than I did in four years of university.鈥�
鈥�Daniel Gravel, 1992-鈥�93
鈥淎n early motto of New School publicity was 鈥淟earning humanly.鈥� Because of New School, I learned what this meant.鈥�
鈥擥ail Edwards, 1975
