Visiting Changemakers on Campus
Peek into a classroom in the Lower School and you may see an architect speaking about sustainability and environmental efficiency. Visit the Middle School on a different occasion and you may run into a human rights activist in one room and a local councilperson in the next. Make your way to the auditorium for a Wednesday morning assembly and you could be met by an award-winning author, a prominent businesswoman, or a captivating young entrepreneur. All of these firsthand learning experiences that happen at Ellis enrich students’ understanding of core concepts, real-world issues, and help them imagine the role they’ll play in the world after graduation. We know it benefits girls to “see it” if they want to be it, and bringing dynamic, world-renowned guest speakers to campus is just one way we do it.
Alumnae Career Panel
Ellis alumnae Abigail BAYLES Wiebenson '59, Captain Anne MAGNUSSEN Lockhart '79,
Kitty COOK '89, Brooke GENERETT '99, Indea HERNDON '04, and Hallie BENNETT '09 spoke to Middle and Upper School students about their careers, backgrounds, and time at Ellis during Reunion Weekend 2019.
Elizabeth Arkush
Archaeologist Elizabeth Arkush visited the Lower School to speak about her career, research, and field. As part of the grade 3 curriculum centered around how people learn about history, she talked to students about how archaeologists use artifacts to learn about the past and solve mysteries.
Ari Brazier
Ari Brazier, a play-driven community organizer and educator, visited Ellis to speak about the importance of play and the power it has to bring people from different communities, cultures, and circumstances together. Using hand clapping games as an example, Ari modeled to Ellis girls how games can relieve stress, help people communicate across language barriers, and promote cooperation.
Ashley Cox and Christine Mondor
Ashley Cox, Urban Designer, and Christine Mondor, Principal Architect and Head of the City of Pittsburgh Planning Commission visited Ellis from evolveEA, a consulting and green design firm, to speak with grade 7 students about architecture and green infrastructure in Pittsburgh. The architects discussed how their work impacts city neighborhoods, the importance of sustainability and green spaces, and how design and problem-solving go hand-in-hand.
Earl and Lenora Dingus
Earl and Lenora Dingus, members of the Seneca and Cherokee Nations respectively and founders of Echoes of the Four Directions, visited grade 3 students during their unit on Native America to introduce them to the history of Woodland Native American tribes. Through an interpretive program, students learned about Native culture from a historical perspective as well as what it looks like today.
Disability Advocacy and Awareness Panel
Pittsburgh disability advocates Josie Badger, Heather Tomko, Chaz Kellem, and Cori Frazer led an assembly and answered questions about allyship, visible and invisible disabilities, accessibility, and the challenges they face in their daily lives.
Prue Gershman
Educator and counselor Prue Gersham led a workshop for faculty and staff on partnering with families, managing difficult conversations, and supporting students at every age.
Katlyn Grasso
Katlyn Grasso, Founder and CEO of GenHERation, met with faculty and staff, parents and community members, and Middle and Upper School students about how girls can embrace an entrepreneurial mindset. During a hands-on workshop with Middle School students, Katlyn challenged girls to create their own elevator pitches, think on their feet, and ask probing questions.
Alex Guibault
From struggling as an orphan to being adopted by a Canadian family at the age of 23, Alex Guibault, a human rights activist from Guatemala, shared his personal story of resilience with grade 7 and 8 students. His visit informed students’ year-long Global Pittsburgh project and taught them firsthand lessons on humanity, perspective-taking, and identity.
Chelsea Hilty
Chelsea Hilty, an education coordinator from the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), visited an Upper School anatomy class to share how smog and pollution affect our bodies. To illustrate the points she made in her presentation, Chelsea then led a demonstration with a pair of pig lungs to show students how different air pollutants affect the body and lung function.
State Representative Summer Lee
Summer Lee, State Representative for the 34th District of the Pennsylvania House, delivered the keynote address at Culture Jam: Beyond the Buzzword. She spoke about how critical it is for today’s youth to voice their opinions and stand up for what they believe in if they want to make the world a more equitable and safe place now and in the future.
Darren Lloyd
Darren Lloyd, Associate Principal at mossArchitects, visited the grade 4 class to speak about architecture. A licensed architect in Pennsylvania since 2007 and a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited professional, Darren visited to discuss sustainability and environmental efficiency in architecture.
Kilolo Luckett
Art historian and cultural producer Kilolo Luckett spoke about her background, her zig-zagging career path, and her powerful work as a curator at museums and institutions across the country with Middle and Upper School students. Whether it’s women or artists of color, Kilolo emphasized the fact that most art is created by and for a specific group identity, and how crucial it is that other perspectives are included moving forward.
Julie Lythcott-Haims
Julie Lythcott-Haims, New York Times bestselling author and former Stanford University Dean, visited campus for a Q&A session with Pittsburgh independent school educators and leaders. Julie shared her thoughts on the importance of raising and educating young people to be resourceful, responsible, and resilient and how teachers can foster a sense of agency in their students.
Mary Jayne McCullogh
Mary Jayne McCullough, Founder and Director of Global Wordsmiths, spoke to Upper School students about the importance of language accessibility and the work she’s done to make Pittsburgh a more inclusive space for immigrants and refugees. Mary Jayne shared how she’s overcome personal struggles and persevered in the face of the unknown, spoke about her journey in entrepreneurship, and offered suggestions on how students can get involved with causes they care about to make a difference.
Melonie Nance
Dr. Melonie Nance, an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) otolaryngologist, visited the Lower School to speak to grade 1 students about traveling to South America to perform medical procedures.
Melonie serves as the section chief of Otolaryngology at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System and specializes in cancer surgery of the head and neck.
Erika Strassburger
Councilperson Erika Strassburger visited the Middle School to speak to students about her work as a member of Pittsburgh City Council. The first woman to be elected to represent Pittsburgh’s 8th District, she spoke about development plans in Shady Hill Center and Bakery Square in conjunction with the grade 7 architecture project.
Damon Young
Author and Pittsburgh native Damon Young spoke to Upper School students about his experiences growing up as a Black man in Pittsburgh, his memoir, What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker, and his own personal writing process. Damon then returned to Ellis to host writing workshops that encouraged students to bring their own unique perspectives and styles into their writing.
Envision Her at Ellis
If you're interested in exploring Ellis for your daughter, let's connect! Request information about enrollment, attend one of our upcoming events, or hear about Ellis from those who know it best: our students.
