“Watch the faculty, not just the ones in your best subjects! And, of course, the staff. They all have something to teach you, regardless of their position at the school.”
After graduating from Wilmington Friends School, Barbara Bovbjerg ’68 earned a degree in Philosophy and Literature from Oberlin College, where she was active in meditation and management of cooperative living. She later completed a Master’s in Regional Planning at Cornell University.
Barbara spent her entire career in public service, 30 years of it in the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), retiring in 2020 as Managing Director of the Education, Workforce, and Income Security team. In this role, she oversaw hundreds of major projects and reports that supported congressional decision-making. Earlier in her career at GAO, she managed the retirement income sub-group, developing deep expertise in Social Security, pensions, and retirement savings.
What Barbara valued most about her work was the opportunity to make a difference at the national level through nonpartisan, fact-based analysis. “Helping Congress and federal agencies better serve the public was the greatest job on Earth. Even when I didn’t agree personally with a policy decision made in my area of expertise, I knew the decision was made with access to the best analysis and the true facts.” She especially appreciated “the opportunity to interact directly with Congress—Members and staff both—and debate the policy and analytic implications of certain policies or proposals.”
Barbara credits her time at Wilmington Friends with laying the foundation for a life of public service and principled leadership. “I learned that there is a broader community in the world than just people I knew, and we should all do what we can to benefit that broader community. Spending my career in the public policy arena was likely the result of the fine faculty and staff I saw every day at Friends.”
WFS also gave her the tools to think critically and speak truth to power. “Learning to think logically and for oneself was a really valuable academic gift. But Friends also demonstrated the importance of staying true to yourself and speaking out against the wrongs of the world.” That preparation served her well during her years at Oberlin, particularly during a time of national unrest. “When I moved on to Oberlin College, I was really ready for the type of anti-war activism that was endemic there at the time.”
She participated in a wide range of activities while at WFS, including basketball and music (piano), and was recognized with academic awards in math and English. She also served as editor of the Class of 1968 yearbook.
Reflecting on her journey, Barbara traces her passion for making a difference directly back to the values and voices she encountered at Friends: “Interest in improving the world, interest in analytic thinking—it all came together for me.”
“Watch the faculty, not just the ones in your best subjects! And, of course, the staff. They all have something to teach you, regardless of their position at the school.”
“WFS taught me how to work through interpersonal issues starting in Pre-K. Those lessons have stayed with me and shaped how I handle challenges in every setting since.”
“I attended WFS from Pre-K until graduation, and respect for all people was a central tenant to my education. It frames how I see the world, build relationships, and this inclusive mindset has helped me be successful in so many parts of my life.”
“Cultivation of sitting in silence, listening to the voices of spirit within and around me, through meeting for worship. This foundational contemplative practice, which led me to Buddhism, Integral Spirituality and beyond, is the basis of my music, psychotherapy, and teaching.”
“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.
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.