Alumni Experience Archives

June 16, 2025

from Rudy Ford, director of extended day and summer programs

Pursuing the origin story and history of MPA’s summer program has been a bit like unraveling a mystery. There are distant memories of a small group of students gathering in the morning before dispersing to various locations on campus.

“What year was it that we gathered in the Gallery?”
“There were art classes, basketball and soccer, and a theater class. My small part was rocketry, which got expanded after a few years to include paper gliders.”
“When Panther used the current Family Commons, it was called the Kreisher Gym. There was this massive red curtain in there and Panther had this tiny space behind the red curtain…”

In spite of the fascinating details, MPA’s summer story is a common one. As a matter of need, the “extended day” program was first developed in the mid-90s. Starting out in the original lunchroom, the program has run in various locations—including a pair of Upper School classrooms, the Gallery, and behind the red curtain mentioned above! Its growth was driven by family demand, eventually to include summer programming and adopting the “Panther” brand.

As someone who grew up in his town’s “summer playground,” I have a deep understanding of the importance of these programs. In addition to the care and supervision families need, the opportunity is in providing kids the chance to develop new skills, discover new passions, and receive academic and emotional support. The path to my career in education started at the summer playground program, where I had my first job—teaching swimming lessons. Read More

Moments That Matter

June 16, 2025

As I close my five-year chapter serving on the alumni association board, the past two as its president, I find myself reflecting on the moments that have shaped this experience.

MPA taught me to ask questions, speak with conviction, and approach each challenge with determination and curiosity.

Those lessons were instilled in me as a student, and they have never felt more relevant than they do today. In a time when resilience and integrity matter more than ever, I find myself leaning on these lessons time and again, both in life and in my service to this community.

Serving on the alumni board has been an extension of that education. It has been a place where collaboration, curiosity, and care come together to support something greater than ourselves. What began as a simple desire to give back in 2020 evolved into one of the most meaningful leadership experiences of my life. Thanks to the passion and initiatives of this board, our alumni have never been more connected to one another and to the school we all call home.

Over the years, it is not the meetings or agendas that stand out most clearly in my mind. It is the moments—conversations with fellow alumni who found lifelong friends here, the shared pride of seeing new graduates join our community, and the energy and ideas exchanged among this year’s board members, who brought such positivity and drive to our work together. These moments matter. They remind us why this community is worth nurturing.

I am deeply grateful to the MPA Development Office, Angie, Ashley, and Michelle, for your unwavering support, partnership, and belief in the importance of alumni engagement. Your dedication behind the scenes makes so much of this work possible.

To this year’s alumni association board, thank you for bringing such spirit and momentum to this chapter of our work. It has been a privilege to serve alongside you.

I would be remiss not to remind you one more time: if MPA has made a difference in your life, I encourage you to create your own moments that matter. Stay connected. Get involved. Every small contribution helps keep this community vibrant for those who come next.

I will always be proud to be an MPA alum.

With heartfelt thanks,

Amanda Magistad ’12

Alumni Association President

Then & Now: Tradition Of The Senior Walk

May 19, 2025

from Tim Koerner ’03

If you are reading this, you have your own, distinct memories of what it was like to graduate from MPA and your senior year. The auditorium, the proud friends and family, receiving your diploma, and taking pictures on the campus lawn in your cap and gown…

While the classic elements of an MPA graduation have remained the same for more than four decades, a new, poignant element was introduced to the graduation season in 2017—the Senior Walk.

MPA’s director of college counseling, Lisa Pederson, describes the event:

“The Senior Walk debuted in 2017, bringing the whole school community together to honor the graduating class. Seniors process through campus in their graduation gowns, stopping for quick hugs and high-fives from cheering teachers, parents, and friends from other grades. Led by Dr. Hudson, the parade emerges from the Lower School entrance—where some seniors started their MPA education—and follows the sidewalk west to finish at Door 4, near the Black Box. It’s become a fun and beloved tradition for the MPA community, while as a teacher and parent of recent MPA alums, I’ve found it to be a poignant moment as well.”

This year’s Senior Walk will take place on Friday, May 23, at 1 PM, and you can catch last year’s Senior Walk for the Class of 2024 here.

Watching the Senior Walk is often a culmination of sorts for younger Panther classes, who interact with and are exposed to the Seniors and their college selection process throughout the year. Read More

Why I Coach At MPA From Wade Peterson ’87

May 19, 2025

from Wade Peterson ’87

When I relocated back to the Twin Cities in 2007, I was looking to get involved in coaching quiz bowls, as I had done at the school where I was teaching in Eugene, Oregon. That summer, I contacted the Upper School director, Roberta Seum, and asked her if I could get involved. She told me the previous coach had just left the school and asked me to come in for an interview.

Over the last 18 years, I have coached a lot of things at Mounds Park Academy. I have coached Middle and Upper School quiz bowl, Middle School soccer, Middle School baseball, and even a few years of the Future Problem Solvers (FPS) team. I am still coaching soccer, baseball, and Middle School quiz bowl. In fact, I coached a tournament for Middle School quiz bowl recently, and I enjoyed it as much as I did when I first started in 2007.

I love working with MPA students and love the passion they bring to activities. It is a truly wonderful part of my life. It is amazing that I have been associated with Mounds Park Academy as a student, coach, and in various other roles since 1983. When I first visited as a potential student in the spring of my eighth-grade year, I never realized that I would be associated with the school in such an enduring way. MPA is an amazing place, and I am grateful to be a part of it!

Why I Coach At MPA

April 14, 2025

from Takele Thompson-Nelson ’18

One reason I decided to return to MPA as a coach was that I was asked by fellow teammates who were also leaders and captains, Brendan Connolly ’17 and Cooper Olson ’16. I was eager to join the team, knowing that I would have those two by my side. I returned in hopes of passing on the knowledge and values that were given to me through my time at MPA. I also love basketball!

It means a lot to be able to mentor the next generation. However, those feelings are also partnered with fear. To have people, especially kids, relying on you is a powerful thing. But I know I wouldn’t be put in this position if I wasn’t ready. When coaching, I want to make sure that I’m not just hitting the Xs and Os because life is more complicated than that. In my time here at MPA, my coach is someone I could look up to and who helped guide me through other aspects of life beyond sports. I believe that it is my responsibility to also take that role for my athletes if needed.

My past experience as an MPA athlete has filled me with immense pride for everything related to being a Panther. Every win, loss, or game has an emotional connection for me because that was something I used to be a part of. I believe that being an alum and now a coach has created a strong bond between my passion for the team and the school. I am not just a coach but a previous athlete. This connection has given me my “why,” which is the fuel that has guided me to come to MPA every day with the same passion and love I had when I was a student here.

A Message From Alumni Board Member Isabel (McKeown) O’Branski ’14

April 11, 2025

Every year, we seek additional members to join the MPA alumni board, and we recognize that you may or may not know what committing to the board entails. The board is perfect for those who want to connect further with the MPA community or give back to the school that gave them so much without a major time commitment. As a second-year board member, I am incredibly glad I chose to join the board and only wish I had joined sooner.

I’m here to share my experience by debunking a few common myths about joining the board:

Myth No. 1: I have to live in the Twin Cities

I have lived in two cities since joining the Board, neither of which are even located in the Midwest. While there are always alumni and school events you can attend (as a board member or not!) if you live locally, your participation on the board will be entirely virtual. I’ve Zoomed into our meetings from San Diego and New York City over the years and am grateful that I can participate from out of state. Read More

A Message From Alumni Board Member George Mills ’04

March 3, 2025

I hope this message finds you well and continuing to make a meaningful impact in the world! As you may know, each spring, MPA hosts its signature fundraising event—the annual Spring Auction. However, this year’s celebration will be unlike any other.

This year, we come together for a truly special occasion: the 2025 Spring Auction: Gala of Gratitude, an evening dedicated not only to supporting MPA but also to honoring the incredible legacy of Dr. Bill Hudson as he bids farewell as head of school. This will be his final auction, marking the culmination of his years of leadership, his dedication to education, and the profound impact he has made on our community.

In recognition of Dr. Hudson’s commitment to MPA and its students, we are proud to introduce The Hudson Fund for Resilient Students. This newly established endowment will provide crucial support to students facing unforeseen challenges, ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive no matter what obstacles arise. This year’s Fund A Need portion of the auction will be dedicated to growing this vital fund—an opportunity for all of us to contribute to Dr. Hudson’s enduring legacy.

Coaching Q&A With Nate Bander ’09

February 12, 2025

Why did you decide to return to MPA as a coach?

I returned to MPA as a coach in the fall of 2015 during a time of transition in my life. I was considering looking for a new job and sought direction in reconnecting with folks at MPA, a familiar community full of people who had positively impacted my life. I reached out to former head cross-country coach Dan Ethier to see if the team needed an assistant coach.

Thankfully, they did. I ended up coaching three sports—cross country, basketball, and track and field—and working in admissions and marketing for six years. Deep down, I decided to return to coach at MPA to continue to be part of a community that I knew and loved.

What does it mean to you to have mentored the next generation of students?

Coaching and mentoring the next generation of student-athletes at MPA was the honor of a lifetime. It meant everything to me. I am incredibly proud of creating connections with those students that continue today, more than three years after I coached my last game for the Panthers.

It meant so much to me to mentor/coach the student-athletes on my teams in many different aspects of life, from shooting free throws and practicing handoffs to being a good teammate and developing into a leader. I loved hearing them talk about their classes and seeing how incredibly smart and sophisticated they were. Mentoring these student-athletes meant connecting with them not just through athletics but through academics, leadership, and joy. Read More

A Message From Cooper Olson ’16 On Why He Joined The Alumni Board

February 12, 2025

Whenever I’m asked about MPA, the first word that comes to mind is “community.” There aren’t many places with a more unique blend of different ages and experiences under one roof. On one walk through the hallways, you’ll have a chance to experience the curiosity of preschoolers, the angst of middle schoolers, and the optimism of high schoolers, not to mention the enthusiasm of staff you’re bound to bump into along the way.

While all those groups may be unlikely to interact with each other outside of MPA’s walls, inside MPA they mingle to create the welcoming community so many of us have been grateful to call a home.

If you can’t tell from that relatively sappy introduction, I have a deep-seated appreciation for MPA. My appreciation had always been there, but as I left for college and then started my professional career, I realized the impact MPA had on my development. Not only did the lessons I learned at MPA prepare me for the academic and professional challenges that came next, but perhaps even more importantly, the relationships that began at MPA have helped me find and establish new communities that have become some of the most important in my life today. Read More

A Message From Clare Halloran ’03

January 21, 2025

What interested you in pursuing the career that you are in now? What did the process look like to go into your career and what does it look like now? Did you always know what you wanted to dedicate your time to? How do you spend your time outside of your career?

I paused—these were good questions from my mentee, a senior at MPA. It made me think back on my career path and the turns that led me to the niche I find myself in today. I thought back on the years of figuring out “what I wanted to be.” Now I have the opportunity to share my experience—what would have been helpful for me to hear 20-plus years ago?

I first started participating in MPA’s Mentorship Program a few years ago. As part of this program, development manager Angie Gerstner thoughtfully pairs each MPA senior with an MPA alum who shares the interests or career field that the student is thinking about pursuing.

Over a few months, each mentor and mentee share a few emails with the senior leading the questions to help get to know one another, discuss college and career paths, and share challenges and general advice. The program concludes with an informal Alumni Meet & Greet each January on campus (open to all alums, not just mentors!), during which MPA seniors can ask questions of alums across all career sectors and during which alums can reconnect. Read More