Mayfield celebrates the graduation of the Class of 2023
Graduation weekend for the Class of 2023 on the Mayfield Senior School campus was especially meaningful, as it marked an end to an era. The Baccalaureate Mass was presided over by two distinguished Jesuit priests, Fr. Greg Boyle SJ, author and founder of Homeboy Industries, and Fr. Gregory M. Goethals SJ, president of Loyola High School of Los Angeles. The commencement speaker was Amber Berrios, a Mayfield alum from the Class of 2007 and current member of Mayfield’s Board of Trustees. Though the focus of the weekend was the graduating class, it was also a fond farewell to Mayfield’s Head of School, Kate Morin, who has been leading this community for eight years.
Senior Class President, Venezia Podesta ’23 talked about the unique trials and triumphs of the last four years. The Class of 2023 were freshmen when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and she thanked the Mayfield faculty “who have guided, encouraged, and loved us through an unharmonized season of our lives.” Venezia remarked on many positive memories too, and she pointed out that although this was the first freshman class that experienced a COVID shutdown, it was also the first senior class to graduate without COVID restrictions.
In her final graduation speech as the Head of School, Kate Morin focused her remarks on grit and gratitude, and the symbiotic relationship between these two qualities. When gratitude feels inaccessible, Kate said, “It’s our grit that we rely on to cope with challenging situations.” And when we feel depleted, she said, “connecting with gratitude refuels our hope and energy.” Kate Morin has more experience in accessing these invaluable traits than most—she helmed the school through the COVID pandemic while also overseeing a $17 million capital campaign and—whether launching sports programs with athletes in face masks or conducting classes around active construction—Kate continued to make Mayfield a true home to its students. On the eve of her retirement and a new era of leadership at the school, Kate credits the Mayfield students for her own well of gratitude, and thanked the Class of 2023 specifically for the ways they continued to inspire her with their resilience. “As we both say goodbye to our beloved Mayfield–I do so with such incredible optimism.”
Mayfield Board of Trustees voted to make Kate Morin an honorary alum to the school, the first Mayfield Head to receive this distinction. Kate now enters her final weeks of school leadership until the remainder of June, and Laura Farrell will officially become Head of School July 1, 2023.
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Established in 1931, Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, CA is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women grades 9-12. Noted for its rigorous academic program, which includes 28 Advanced Placement and Honors courses, Mayfield’s curriculum is underscored by a philosophy of educating the “whole child,” which also encourages commitment to and excellence in the arts, athletics, community service and spiritual growth. The nurturing environment at Mayfield Senior School allows each student to flourish in an atmosphere of personal attention.
