From WFS to Pharmaceutical Engineering: Madeline Malone ’18 Shares Her Journey
Madeline Malone ’18 came back to campus in May and spoke with our upper school STEMinist club!
After graduating from WFS, Madeline went to Lehigh University, where she earned her B.S. in chemical engineering with a biomolecular concentration and a minor in Chinese. She has since built a career in pharmaceutical manufacturing and gave students a fascinating look into her work as a process engineer, sharing how science, problem-solving, and collaboration come together in real-world applications.
During her presentation, Madeline walked students through her journey from WFS to college and into the workforce, highlighting how her interests evolved along the way. She spoke candidly about the challenges of engineering programs, balancing academic and social life, and navigating major and career decisions. She also spoke about the wide range of opportunities within engineering, from environmental and biomedical fields to manufacturing and process optimization, and offered a behind-the-scenes look at how vaccines are developed and produced. Madeline also shared that her minor in Chinese (an interest that began at WFS) enabled her to travel to Taiwan for work.
Madeline’s advice to students was to try new things, don’t be afraid to ask questions, build connections, and advocate for yourself. She emphasized the importance of real-world experience, mentorship, and staying open to unexpected opportunities.
We are so grateful to Madeline for sharing her time, insight, and encouragement with our students and for helping inspire the next generation of STEM leaders.
Second Grade Teacher Alex Mellow ’01 is one of 25 teachers selected as a Pilot Light Food Education Fellow, a program that helps students learn more about food and nutrition in their everyday classroom learning.
For Spirit Week Sports Connections, upper- and middle-school athletes visited the lower school and introduced students to cross country, field hockey, football, soccer, and volleyball.
Kaylee Ogbeide ’28 was one of three students who completed the Penn Social Innovators Program last spring—a 12-week virtual program centered on social entrepreneurship that awards a certificate from the University of Pennsylvania.
ADVIS (Advancing Independent Schools) and Future Design School leader Leslie McBeth co-designed and facilitated our most recent professional development day workshop.
During our professional development day on Friday, October 9, faculty and staff learned more about their colleagues' sabbaticals: middle school English teacher Sean Kerrane and 2nd grade teacher Alex Mellow ’01.
Today, seniors met with their first-grade buddies on the lower school playground and enjoyed playing 4-square, climbing on the “Big Toy,” and much more!
Congratulations to Pamela Moore ’27 on winning Delaware Online Athlete of the Week for her excellent performance last week against St. Andrew’s. Moore had three kills, one ace, one block, eight digs and 17 assists in a 3-1 win over St. Andrew's. She also surpassed 1,000 career assists.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for Saturday’s Home & School Back-to-School Picnic, and to the volunteers who made it possible! From bouncy houses to face painting and dance parties, the afternoon was filled with laughter and joy.
On Saturday, September 26, 2026, we officially celebrated the opening of our reimagined lower school campus! Guests gathered in the lobby and checked out the beautiful panda donor wall.
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.