After leaving Roycemore, Alum Agnes Kolbeck (née Robin Mahung) studied Developmental Psychology at Knox College, completed her Masters in Children’s Law and Policy at Loyola University, and has since done varying levels of work advocating for young people in the criminal justice system. Some of her work has included developing programs that serve as an alternative to the court system, helping to draft a juvenile justice reform bill, establishing and directing a small nonprofit, and managing a million dollar project implementing restorative justice practices in a public school system. Agnes now works as an independent restorative justice consultant in the greater Boston area and is a full time honors student at New England Law | Boston planning to specialize in litigation of juvenile and criminal law. She firmly believes that she wasn’t just lucky to have had the experiences she’s had, but that she can also credit much of her success to lessons learned while at Roycemore. 

“Thinking back on my time at Roycemore, I most value how my teachers were collaborators in my education. They didn’t tell me what to do or how to do it – they sought out my strengths and used them to help me excel. By the faculty modeling how to pull out my best and play to my strengths, they taught me how to do that on my own. The key to my education at Roycemore went so far beyond the classroom. They taught me to know myself, to love myself, to advocate for what I wanted, and that anything is within reach. These lessons have served me far beyond my years at Roycemore and presented me with opportunities that my peers have missed out on – both academically and professionally. I think more impersonal school settings can sometimes discourage students from asking challenging questions and digging deeper in ways that Roycemore definitely encouraged me to do.”

Dr. Terry Gdoutos is a Research Scientist in Aerospace at the California Institute of Technology, in Pasadena, CA, where he designs, analyzes, and develops structural systems for lightweight spacecraft, designed to beam solar energy to Earth, providing limitless power to the planet. After graduating from Roycemore in 2005, he studied Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science at Northwestern University, earning two BS degrees, and subsequently obtained his PhD in Aeronautics from Caltech.

When I remember my years at Roycemore, it is clear to me that Roycemore’s culture of excellence and individuality has positively shaped my life since graduation. Roycemore emphasized learning through discovery, critical thinking, and challenging oneself; values that have remained with me to this day. Outside the classroom, the opportunities to build friendships through the extracurricular activities offered also shaped my character and proved to be invaluable, particularly through soccer, baseball (which I had never played before), and scholastic bowl. Through my January Short Term projects, I learned and was inspired by the logic behind how computers operate, and went on to study Computer Science in college. I still remember how I learned to critically analyze film on another JST project. Roycemore provided me with a truly unique experience. 

Christopher Deutsch has spent over 20 years investing in and working with early-stage startups in ecommerce, enterprise software, social media and consumer internet.  He has been founder, co-founder or founding team member of numerous angel and VC-backed ventures where his responsibilities have included marketing, product development, fundraising, business development and M&A.  After graduating from Roycemore in 1993, Chris received his BA in Economics from Vassar College, where he played varsity lacrosse, basketball and rugby.

Roycemore was much more for me than just a series of challenging courses, competitive teams, brilliant teachers, dedicated coaches, extravagant Palio performances, and clandestine trips to D&D Dogs between periods. Roycemore was, and continues to be, a vibrant, stimulating and diverse community with a wide range of subjects, activities and sports to explore. Not to mention, January Short Term, which I’d look forward to every year. Whether it was living with a French family in Paris, winter ecology and hiking with Mr. Spica in Wisconsin, recreating Normandy’s D-Day invasion, or learning how to run a snowboard shop as an independent study on entrepreneurship, I was able to pique interests, gain international exposure and build lifelong memories.

Geoffrey Mark is a Computer Graphics Supervisor in the Television and Movie Industry. He has worked on such well-known projects as Spider Man 3, Battlestar Galactica, The Vampire Diaries and The Orville. He also spent time in the Video Game Animation business working on several Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo games, even running his own business for a period of time. Reflecting back on his career, Geoffrey is quick to point out that one his first experiences with animation was at Roycemore School during his January Short Term (JST).

When Donnis Hobson graduated from Roycemore in 1966, it was a class of all girls. She sought out a co-ed experience and became the first student from Roycemore to be accepted to Stanford University. It set such a precedent that Stanford came to visit her at Roycemore to ensure the candidate and school were a good fit. At the time, Stanford could only accept 400 women per class of 1200 students. It would be among the first times that Donnis Hobson was in an environment dominated by men.

In 1966 the country was just beginning to see women pursuing careers and families at the same time. Pursuing a career in medicine was all the rarer. When she advanced to the University of Chicago for her MD, she was one of 15 women in a cohort of 90 medical students. When she secured her surgical internship at Northwestern Hospital she was the only female of 30 interns in the surgery rotation. Dr. Donnis Hobson was the 3rd woman ever admitted to the plastics program at Northwestern. Not only was she among the first female board-certified plastic surgeons, she was #769 of Board Certifications in plastic surgery in the entire country.  When she opened her first practice in plastics, she served with the first board-certified African American woman in the country.

Donnis had a great start in her career, and it was Roycemore that gave it to her. Donnis’ father served on the Board of Trustees with Dr. Hal Griffith whose children attended Roycemore as well. Dr. Griffith was the first Chief of Plastic Surgery at Northwestern. Dr. Griffith took Donnis under his wing and inspired her to pursue her dreams of becoming a doctor. “He gave me great opportunities when I came back to do my plastics residency. Imagine a 4th-year medical student sewing up after the Chief! If I did it imperfectly, he would remove the stitches and have me do it again. It was an incredible experience and I had that because of Roycemore.”

Donnis is now retired. After 25 years in practice including private practice in pediatric plastics, breast reconstruction and her recent service to San Mateo county helping prisoners, the uninsured and other vulnerable populations, she looks forward to what may come next. In between those years, she managed to shepherd a marriage of 46 years, raise children who now have children of their own She even completed an MBA from San Francisco State.

“I set these goals as a kid, to be a doctor and to have a family. Maybe I should have done more – maybe there is more left to do.”