On May 22, Delbarton Alumni Association President John Ferramosca '05, introduced by Assistant Headmaster for Advancement & Alumni Craig Paris ’82, P'13,'15,'19, welcomed the Class of 2024 into the Long Green Line of Delbarton alumni. 

"Brothers, welcome. You're in. You'll be a part of this brotherhood for the rest of your life, and there is no shortage of opportunities for you to stay connected to each other and to this very special place," said Ferramosca. 

He offered a powerful case for the Delbarton alumni network:  stay connected with friends, attend alumni events to meet and network with alumni from across the decades, become an active member of and contributor to the Delbarton alumni community, and support Delbarton. He introduced Gianni Vinci '18, pictured below, to explain Delbarton Collegiate, a rapidly evolving program of Delbarton alumni networks on college campuses. Ferramosca outlined the various phases of Delbarton alumni membership: from Delbarton Collegiate, to guidance and mentorship opportunities as members of the Delbarton Young Alumni Association (first 15 years post-graduation), then as full-fledged members of the Delbarton Alumni Association for life. When these 138 young men graduate on June 2, they immediately become a part of the Long Green Line of 5,650+ Delbarton alumni and instant brothers. 

Previously, seniors were encouraged to log onto Delbartonalumni.com, a password protected portal where they now have access to fellow alumni,  news and invitations, and can RSVP to the many events the Alumni Association hosts throughout the year (the first one is right around the corner, the annual Pig Roast/Dinner Meeting in the Garden on Thursday, May 30). Boys can also search jobs and internships, and make valuable connections as they navigate through their college years and beyond.

As the youngest members of the Delbarton Alumni Association, seniors today were also invited to pledge their fiscal support in writing. On average, 36% of Delbarton alumni donate to the School each year, an impressive level of support for any college or independent school. 

Next, Alumni Career Day speakers came onstage, and seniors heard about various career paths from Keith Levinsky '09, (an attorney with Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP Associates), Marcello Cricco-Lizza '07 (Portfolio Manager, Managing Director at Balbec Capital), David Tully '04 (Vice President of Government Relations at the American Academy of Family Physicians), Jack Kiernan '01 (Chief Strategy Officer at SIMBA) and Jermaine Pugh '00 (Associate Vice President, NYC Investment Sales for Matthews REIS). All are pictured below with Alumni Association Board member and mentorship and DelEX organizer Jim Gallombardo '81 on left, and Ferramosca on right. 

Each man offered advice to our graduating Delbarton seniors: do what you enjoy,  keep moving forward, take risks and appreciate the power of the Delbarton network. "What you've learned here from your teachers and coaches has prepared you for everything that's coming up. You've got this," said one speaker. 

Another said, "The network at Delbarton is far stronger than my college and law school networks. Keep Delbarton on your resume."  Another speaker recalled being given a list of Delbarton alumni to connect with during his internship at a major investment firm. "That was life-changing for me." 

Several speakers reminded boys of the gift of their Delbarton education and the authentic community and network that comes with it. Next, seniors had an opportunity to ask questions -- a salute here to the Class of 2024 for asking some terrific ones. After picking up a gift bag contaning an official Class of 2024 t-shirt and a handsome Succisa Virescit keychain, seniors headed to the Formal Garden for a picnic of subs, chips, drinks and dessert courtesy of the Alumni Association. 

Off to a good start for Delbarton's youngest alumni. The Senior Awards Ceremony with the entire student body takes place tomorrow, May 23, followed by the all-class photo on the front lawn of Old Main. After a break for Memorial Day weekend, our young near-grads celebrate at the Senior Prom on Friday, May 31, then join their parents for Graduation 2024 on Sunday afternoon, June 2.

This morning, one alumni speaker concluded, "The only thing limiting you is you. Do your best every day and surround yourself with good people. As you look around this room, these are lifelong connections. Enjoy them, love them, treasure them." 

We salute members of the Class of 2024 as they bridge the gap between Delbarton and college...and beyond!