At Friends since Kindergarten, Cecilia Ergueta ’18 has interspersed her Humanities studies in California with experiential learning in Germany.
After a gap year in Berlin teaching children cooking on a kitchen bus, she entered an intensive program in Classics & Philosophy and designed costumes for the repertory Shakespeare Company during her freshman year at Stanford. When the pandemic moved classes online, she joined a Berlin social enterprise as a Marketing Manager. How did you choose to move to Berlin during college?
After living within the tight-knit cohort of Stanford’s Structured Liberal Education program, I struggled with the isolating online school format. I spent months applying for jobs from home until I decided to fly to Berlin for an interview-- and wound up getting the job, working in marketing for Germany’s largest neighborhood network. Berlin fascinates me as a city with pulsing potential, where history and ideals spill out into the grungy, patchwork streets. Coming from a year in Silicon Valley, I’m also thrilled to gain first-hand experience in helping my company transition from an investor-backed start-up into a social enterprise serving its community sustainably.
What are your current interests? I love integrating art and sustainability into my daily routines. I thrift clothes and fabrics to upcycle them into my own designs, sometimes borrowing from vintage styles. I also love taking seasonal vegetables and bringing them to life in different recipes. In a world saturated with information and brimming with “stuff,” I love thinking, “how can I give this new life, new meaning, for myself or others?”
How has WFS impacted or guided you since graduation? My involvement with Quaker Life while at Friends encouraged me to place the values of stewardship and community front and center in big life decisions. Although a devoted bookworm, I’m currently considering a Master’s in Sustainability Science and Practice, because I believe that my study of history and love of communicating ideas can contribute to the battle for a greener world. I love working for a neighborhood network which gives people the platform to reach out to their local communities and get involved, connecting strangers even in our socially-distanced era.
What are your favorite WFS memories? As a teacher’s kid, I loved walking around the halls after classes had let out. Teachers’ doors at Friends always seem open to a quick hello or friendly conversation after the busy hubbub of the day! I particularly loved running into Julie Rodowsky, now Head of Lower School but formerly my second grade teacher, who played a big role in fostering my love of reading.
“Wilmington Friends School provided me with the foundation for understanding what a community truly is. My teachers, coaches, and classmates helped me learn that a community is not necessarily a physical space but a feeling where everyone is valued and has a sense of belonging. Most importantly, my time at Friends formed my core belief that there is light in everyone and that every human being deserves to live a life of dignity.”
“I believe my time at WFS prepared me for success at CWRU both academically and athletically. Academically, the high rigor of WFS courses like AP Physics gave me a great foundation coming into CWRU. However, I think the most effective tool I learned from WFS was building relationships with teachers. Building relationships with teachers at CWRU has helped me monumentally with assignments and exams.”
“My experience at Wilmington Friends School set me up for success by providing challenging coursework that required critical thinking. Learning how I learned and figuring out a process that worked for me was one of the most important things because regardless of what you want to major in or what sport you want to play at a higher level, you will need to learn the information and how to apply it when it is necessary. Friends helped me facilitate my learning process, and I’ve continued to adapt and improve it based on the situation.”
Congratulations to Jocelyn Nathan ‘23 and the Penn State University women’s volleyball team on winning the National Championship! In their 3-1 victory over the University of Louisville this afternoon, Nathan recorded a career-high ten digs.
Jocelyn is pictured with her parents, Len and Lynne, and sisters, Dani ‘19 (bottom left) and Alyssa ‘17.
“My experience at Wilmington Friends School taught me the importance of time management, resilience, and community. Academically, the rigorous curriculum helped me develop my critical thinking skills, intellectual curiosity, and the habits to handle complex material, all of which have equipped me with the tools to excel at Williams.”
“I always mention Wilmington Friends as having an incredible influence in my life as preparation not only for college but well beyond. Acceptance and curiosity in understanding sound simple enough, but as I get older, I realize the world would benefit greatly if more people were taught those lessons at a young age.”
“There’s no need to be modest about your ambitions or your hopes. If there is something that you want to do or something that you want to see happen in the world, move toward it one little step at a time, and you can be a part of how things change.”
On the latest episode of the Quaker Matters Podcast, hosted by Piper Roskovensky ’26, Josh Galperin ’00 discusses what it’s like to work in environmental law, what he enjoys most about teaching law, and shares advice to students who are interested in pursuing a career in law.
When Kaylea Ann Donaghy, age 3, walked into Wilmington Friends Lower School in January, 2021, she was not aware that she may well be the ninth generation and 38th member of her family to attend or be involved with the oldest school in Delaware.
Voices of Friends: Enterprise Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President of Research Administration and Scientific Affairs for ChristianaCare, Dr. Omar Khan ’90.
Statement of Nondiscrimination as to Student Enrollment
Wilmington Friends School admits students of any race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of these schools. Wilmington Friends School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin in administration of their educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.