A Front Row Seat to the 15th Annual Coast-to-Coast Toast

By Jacquie Klotz ’14, Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement

As a member of the Class of 2014 now working in the Alumni Engagement office, I’ve seen the Lawrenceville School community from many angles. Something special happens when Lawrentians gather, when the years between us dissolve and the shared experience of our time on campus bubbles to the surface.

As the 15th annual Coast-to-Coast Toast (organized with the School’s Crescent Society, which honors Lawrenceville’s women for their support and volunteer leadership and seeks to forge connections among both current and former students) unfolded this month, I found myself moved by something deeper than attendance numbers. I had a front row seat to the global sisterhood that chooses, year after year, to raise a glass and celebrate the legacy of the Crescent – McClellan, Stephens, Stanley, Kirby, and Carter Houses for Third and Fourth Form girls. 

A Bridge Across Generations

In Hong Kong, that space was built through a beautiful partnership. Shirley Gu ’09 had a vision for bringing together those navigating the early years of their careers in Central Hong Kong. She found a mentor and partner in Jean Fang ’90. Jean, who has been a dedicated host in Hong Kong, provided the steady foundation for Shirley’s new ideas. Seeing them work together reminded me that the Crescent legacy isn’t just about looking back at who we were, but rather it is about the women we are becoming and the way we reach back to pull the next generation forward.

Small Tables, Deep Roots

The spirit of the Toast also found its way to Cincinnati, Ohio, carried by Katharine Robinson ’04. In past years, Robinson hosted the Coast-to-Coast Toast in North Carolina and attended in Los Angeles. Now settled in Cincinnati, she found a smaller Lawrenceville community but was determined to make the most of the opportunity to connect.

In a display of "Big Red" devotion, Katharine brought together a cozy gathering of four, including her husband, Elliott Robinson ’03, to ensure the Crescent was represented. It was a powerful reminder that the Coast-to-Coast Toast isn't just about grand ballrooms or high attendance numbers, rather it is about an individual Lawrentian who says, "I am here, and I want to see you." Whether it is a table for 40 or four, the warmth of the conversation remains the same.

From Heads of House to Lifelong Mentors

The heart of the event was on full display in New York City. As Winter Term ended and Lawrenceville’s campus emptied for Spring Break, a group of current and former Heads of Crescent Houses boarded a bus to Manhattan to celebrate with alumni from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut: Mary Calvert (science teacher); Lisa Ewanchyna (senior associate director, Office of Admission); Charise Hall (math teacher); and Bernadette Teeley (Dean of Faculty).

Lawrenceville’s Heads of House help students through their most formative moments, both challenges and triumphs – they are the ones who cheer us on when we get a date to prom, when we win big on the field, or when we get accepted to our top choice of college. Seeing these faculty members travel through rain and traffic to join in celebration with their former students was a powerful testament to the true spirit of Lawrenceville and a reminder that the bonds formed within the walls of the Crescent Houses are truly timeless.

Globally, the Coast-to-Coast toast was attended by nearly 150 women across nine cities. The Alumni and Development Office is enormously grateful to hosts Anne Bunn ’93 and Jenny Savino '88 (Cambridge, Mass.), nd Gina Lloyd ’00 (London), who opened their homes for the evening; and Jen Steele ’91 (Washington, D.C.), Sabeen Ahmad '00 (San Francisco), Lauren Howe ’01 (Denver), Jane Lynch Crain ’99, Mary Baker ’08 and Nina Kumar ’02 (Nashville, Tenn.). 

Whether it was the joyful shrieks of recognition in a crowded NYC lounge, the clinking of glasses in a Hong Kong wine club, or a quiet gathering somewhere in Ohio, the sentiment remained the same: We are part of something that endures.

As we look toward 2027, I find myself deeply grateful to the women who raised their hands to host and the faculty who continue to show up for us. Life will continue to change, but the legacy of the Crescent, and of being a woman at Lawrenceville, will always be the thread that pulls us back together.

For more information, contact Lisa M. Gillard H'17, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.