the centennial strategic plan 1922-2022 - the webb schools

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THE CENTENNIAL STRATEGIC PLAN


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THE CENTENNIAL STRATEGIC PLAN

TheWebbSchools

raymond m. Alfmuseum of paleontologyAlf

the Webb schools


The mission of The Webb Schools is to provide an exemplary

learning community that nurtures and inspires boys and girls

to become men and women who:

– Think boldly, mindfully, and creatively,

– Act with honor and moral courage,

– Lead with distinction,

– Serve with a generous spirit.

O U R M I S S I O N

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Upon our founding in 1922, Thompson Webb established not only a school, but also a legacy—a legacy of ideas and leadership upheld by legions of students, teachers and families. Over the past 90 years, Webb has secured its place as a leader among national boarding and day schools. We have built an endowment, implemented a comprehensive campus master plan, and strengthened nearly every aspect of our program. As part of this important work, on June 30, 2013, Webb successfully concluded its largest and most comprehensive campaign in school history—the $50.4 million Fulfilling Our Promise campaign. In all respects, Webb has continued to become a better version of itself. No proof is more telling than the extraordinary success and meaningful lives lived by our more than 4,100 alumni all around the world. Through our alumni the Webb legacy lives forever.

Looking ahead to our 100th anniversary in 2022, while isolation and seclusion once signified the best a boarding school education had to offer, today and in the future it must be access, connection, and engagement with the global community. As we see it then, Webb must deepen its sense of mission, sharpen its devotion to its distinctive qualities, and embrace new habits of mind to thrive in the 21st century. We are already singular in the most interesting and enduring ways:

Webb is the only boarding and day school adjacent to the Claremont Colleges, on the front porch of Los Angeles, and at the edge of the Pacific Rim;

Webb is the only school in the world home to an accredited museum of paleontology, the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology;

Webb is wholly original in its method of honoring the formative differences between boys and girls with a unique coordinate structure of two schools on one campus;

Webb is the only school to focus on educating unbounded thinkers ready to lead and serve a global community;

Webb is the only school whose institutional DNA was set by Thompson and Vivian Webb to graduate honorable leaders with personal integrity and moral courage.

As The Centennial dawns, through our devotion to this work I am confident that The Webb Schools will become known as one of the most relevant and dynamic boarding and day schools in the nation.

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Sincerely,Taylor B. StockdaleHead of Schools

L E T T E R F R O M T H E H E A D O F S C H O O L S

T h e C e n t e n n i a l S t r a t e g i c P l a n 1 9 2 2 - 2 0 2 2

With this history in mind, in February 2012 the board of trustees and the senior administrative team gathered for a two-day working retreat to begin the visioning process for a 10-year strategic plan—a plan that would see Webb through to The Centennial 1922 -2022.

From these early conversations grew the establishment of a Joint Strategic Planning Committee and five independent study groups, each formed around a distinctive quality of the Schools and composed of students, teachers, staff, alumni and parents. Each of these groups was co-chaired by a member of the board and a member of the senior team. Each of these study groups met an average of five times and conducted independent research projects prior to drafting and testing a series of goals. In total, nearly 200 volunteers participated in the process, and the entire school community and alumni and parent bodies through survey feedback.

In addition to the research done by the five study groups, a number of institution-wide research projects were also completed as part of the overall process—including the construction of a cohort-focused, benchmarking “Institutional Dashboard,” student and volunteer focus groups, a school-wide satisfaction survey known as the “Erdmann Study,” as well as the largest alumni survey in our history and two faculty/staff surveys. Finally, the Head of Schools met independently with each major constituency group, including alumni, parents, faculty/staff, and students. He gathered with alumni and parents across the Pacific Rim, including Indonesia, China and South Korea. He also met with the presidents and academic leaders at Columbia, Harvard, Wellesley, Stanford, USC and elsewhere.

All told there were more than 50 formal strategic planning meetings, numerous site visits to schools, colleges, and corporations on the east and west coasts, and a great deal of research and data analysis in preparation for drafting this strategic plan.

O U R P R O C E S S

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R A Y M O N D M . A L F M U S E U M O F P A L E O N T O L O G Y

At the same time and alongside this work, the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology—coming off its own successful bid for a 15-year re-accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums—began to re-envision itself using the same 10-year horizon. The museum board formed its own strategic planning committee composed of trustees and museum staff. Under the auspices of the Museum Strategic Planning Committee, the museum crafted and adopted a new mission statement, and then composed strategic goals in six major areas: Facilities, Outreach & Communications, Webb Curriculum & Student Programs, Research & Collections, Resource Development, and Human Resources Planning.

Without a doubt, the strategic plans that follow represent the most inclusive and in-depth planning process ever completed by The Webb Schools and Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology. Together, these two ambitious documents and their combined goals span a decade and cover every aspect of school life.

T H E P L A N

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O U R S T R A T E G I C G O A L S

Provide an optimal boarding and day school experience by strengthening our programs and our connection to our location—adjacent to the Claremont Colleges, on the front porch of Los Angeles, and at the edge of the Pacific Rim. This will be accomplished by focusing on people and physical space.

We will:

1.1 Create and maintain an optimal enrollment of approximately 400 mission-centered students while further diversifying the student body through the pursuit of middle class families and the doubling of domestic boarding applications.

1.2 Double the financial aid resources to support fully our student selectivity goals and to ensure every student has access to all Webb programs.

1.3 Increase professional compensation programs so Webb can continue to recruit and retain our nation’s very best boarding school faculty and staff.

1.4 Promote faculty/staff work schedules that fully support a boarding school program while allowing for a work/life balance.

1.5 Develop a Webb faculty/staff internship program that mentors recent college graduates to be teachers of unbounded thinking and moral reasoning while advancing the vocation of education in independent schools.

1.6 Empower the women and men of our faculty and staff to participate equally in campus leadership and decision making.

1.7 Revise the Campus Master Plan to ensure that the vision of campus facilities and amenities is well aligned with programmatic goals and school values. As part of this work, we will:

• Renovate and construct new spaces to create a revitalized academic center that provides an optimal environment for 21st century learning.

• Build or acquire quality housing, and renovate existing housing, to foster a strong residential program.

S T R AT E G I C G O A L N U M B E R O N E

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• Re-imagine a new student center that will enable community interaction through informal co-ed gatherings and recreation, and provide access to student resources throughout the day and night (mail, storage, and food).

• Build a campus-wide technology infrastructure to support an interdisciplinary curriculum and to provide for efficient communication and data management.

• Update and improve athletic facilities to accommodate a competitive sports program. • Establish a permanent home for the alumni/development program and for the Schools’ archives within a dedicated Alumni House.

• Create engaging common areas indoors and outdoors for small and all-school gatherings.

• Steward physical resources to ensure campus safety, functionality and modern infrastructure. • Stay apprised of local and regional development to assess impacts on the Webb campus; as opportunities present themselves, acquire adjacent properties.

1.8 In order to exemplify and model a core value of the Schools and a commitment to conserving our natural resources, implement campus-wide sustainability practices.

1.9 Create a marketing/communications plan focused on raising the world-wide stature of The Webb Schools and Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology.

1.10 Design and launch a comprehensive Centennial Campaign to garner the necessary resources to accomplish the good work of this strategic plan.

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Deepen our commitment to and support of the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology while taking best advantage of being the only school in the world home to an accredited museum of paleontology.

We will:

2.1 Establish the Alf Museum as a research institution of worldwide repute and accessibility.

2.2 Broaden and deepen the Webb student experience with the Alf Museum, focusing primarily on students involved in advanced coursework, fieldwork and original research.

2.3 Redesign the paleontology curriculum within the 9th grade science course.

2.4 Create a summer paleontology program for domestic and international middle school students as part of Webb’s summer boarding program.

2.5 Increase and enhance the physical footprint of the Alf Museum at The Webb Schools to create a world-class paleontology research and exhibit facility.

• Build a new, state-of-the-art research lab and renovated fossil prep lab.

• Expand collection storage capacity, office space for staff, and increase the ease of accessibility for museum visitors.

2.6 In concert with the Alf Museum, create a comprehensive resource development plan to support an expanded operating budget and critical strategic initiatives that benefit the Schools and the Museum.

2.7 In concert with the Alf Museum, develop and expand virtual and onsite educational programming to position the Museum and Schools as a nationally recognized center for innovation in science education.

S T R AT E G I C G O A L N U M B E R T W O

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Strengthen our commitment to co-curricular and residential programs for boys and girls as uniquely pursued here through two schools on one campus—Vivian Webb School (for girls) and Webb School of California (for boys).

We will:

3.1 Make a commitment to creating a personal growth and leadership plan stretching from 9th to 12th grade for each student.

3.2 Participate in and provide leadership to regional and national organizations that are dedicated to developing practices and pedagogies for educating boys and girls.

3.3 Redefine faculty residential roles to enhance day-to-day living in the dormitories and to intentionally create dorm dynamics that reinforce the values of our community.

3.4 Strengthen the experience of boys and girls in the residential program and their integration with students in the day program through an adherence to the core values and traditions of each school.

3.5 Nurture in students a spirit of altruism and also a commitment to sustained civic engagement and service.

3.6 Reshape co-curricular and afternoon offerings to allow for a variety of experiences and opportunities on campus and in the surrounding communities.

3.7 Take full advantage of our unique location in Southern California by exploring the cultural richness of our urban setting while nurturing and sustaining our outdoor programs.

3.8 Provide continued attention to and support of our growing excellence in athletics, and find ways to enhance the student-athlete experience.

S T R AT E G I C G O A L N U M B E R T H R E E

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S T R AT E G I C G O A L N U M B E R F O U R

Re-imagine our liberal arts curriculum with the goal of fostering bold, unbounded thinkers ready to lead and serve a global community.

We will:

4.1 Foster a school environment and academic program that demands students join in the design of their own education, and which makes creativity, innovation, risk-taking, reflection, and resilience central to every academic experience.

4.2 Design a curriculum that emphasizes foundational skills in 9th and 10th grades to serve as a launching pad for rigorous academic work centered on real-world applications in 11th and 12th grades. • Create a core 9th and 10th grade humanities experience that continues to develop fine readers, writers, and thinkers while advancing 21st century competencies such as collaboration—both digital-internet and in-person— and graphic and film literacy.

• Create a core 9th and 10th grade science experience that emphasizes field study and lab work in preparation for advanced research and applications.

• Create a differentiated math curriculum that balances problem-based, real-world applications with skill building and interdisciplinary use of math.

• Build an electives program that allows students opportunities for choice and advanced study in their fields of interest, while also enabling expanded offerings through online curriculum and blended learning. • Build on the success of the Alf Museum’s one-of-a-kind field/research program— providing opportunities for senior capstone projects across the curriculum including internships, design challenges, and advanced research with strategic partners such as the Huntington Library, Claremont Colleges, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, and Disney Studios.

• Expand field study programs so that Southern California becomes an extended classroom and all students have the opportunity for international and domestic travel experiences and language immersion to expand their world views and develop global fluency.

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• Build a collaborative arts program that integrates classical disciplines with modern media while drawing heavily on the dynamic Los Angeles arts world. • Maintain an ongoing professional commitment to developing pedagogical approaches informed by the latest research to support both male and female students.

4.3 Provide state-of-the-art academic resources designed for the 21st century student.

• Build a robust academic technology infrastructure and integrated curriculum that prepares students to be master communicators and creators in the quickly evolving world of digital media and computers.

• Design and build optimal academic spaces such as a new academic center, a prototyping lab, digital arts studios, a machine shop, and an offsite marine science research center.

4.4 Prepare students to be agile thinkers by creating an intentionally interdisciplinary curriculum that focuses on critical thinking, applied knowledge and hands-on learning.

4.5 Assure that Webb’s national reputation among colleges and universities continues by positioning our students in the best ways possible for selective college admission.

4.6 Construct a schedule that is aligned with the new dynamics of thinking and learning in the 21st century. 4.7 Develop summer programming that builds on Webb’s mission and engages students in local and global communities, such as a middle and high school global leadership program and a new Alf Museum middle school paleontology program.

4.8 Provide expanded opportunities for faculty to engage in a vibrant intellectual life, to be models for and practitioners of 21st century learning, to include building on Webb’s longstanding tradition of supporting faculty professional growth and continued education by creating a summer program that supports intensive curriculum development.

4.9 Establish national Unbounded Thinking awards to honor middle school and high school student/teacher partnerships and to promote Webb’s history and culture of teaching excellence.

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S T R AT E G I C G O A L N U M B E R F I V E

Above all else, we will work to honor the core principle on which we were founded—to graduate honorable leaders with moral courage.

We will:

5.1 Inanefforttograduatethenextgenerationofhonorableleaders:

• Developasharedunderstandingofhonor,serviceandleadershipthatis embracedhereandbeyondtheSchools.

• Assessandreviseprogramsthatrecognizehonor,service,andleadershipand promotenationallythosethatproveeffective.

• Establishafour-yearmission-centeredcurriculumthatfocusesonhonor, service,andleadership.Componentsoftheprogramshouldbeintegratedinto eachgradelevelthroughtheacademicandstudentlifeprograms.

• Promotetheintegrationofhonor,service,andleadershipintoacademiccourses.

• Developaseniorseminarthatfocusesonpracticingmoralreasoningskills.

• Createanendowedspeakerseriesfocusedonglobalinnovationwiththe missionofinspiringthehonorableleadersoftomorrow.

5.2 Inanefforttobestservethealumnibodyofhonorableleadersandtocelebrate The Centennial 1922 - 2022:

• Expandsupportforalumniactivitiesandeducationalprogramsthatstrengthen tiestoWebbintheregion,nation,andaroundtheworld.

• Createanalumniawardsprogramthatcelebratesdistinguished,honorable leadersinallaspectsofciviclife.

• Developspecificprofessionalmentoringopportunities,suchasournew Webb@Worksummerinternshipprogram.

• PreserveandsharetheSchools’archivesbyestablishingapermanenthome forthemandbycreatingadedicatedAlumniHouse.

• HonorthelegacyofThompsonandVivianWebbthroughthecelebrationof The Centennial 1922 – 2022andtheestablishmentofaFounders Day.

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Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology

T H E M I S S I O N

The Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology expands the knowledge of the

history of life and inspires students of all ages to explore the fossil record.

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T h e A l f M u s e u m S t r a t e g i c P l a n 2 0 1 3 - 2 0 2 2


Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology

T H E M I S S I O N

The Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology expands the knowledge of the

history of life and inspires students of all ages to explore the fossil record.

17


T H E P L A N – A L F M U S E U M

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S T R AT E G I C G O A L N U M B E R O N E - F A C I L I T I E S

Increase and enhance the physical footprint of the Alf Museum at The Webb Schools to create a world-class paleontology facility.

Implementation Objectives:

– Expand museum within science building to include new research lab and renovated prep lab – Improve handicapped access to Hall of Footprints and Hall of Life – Renovate restrooms – Expand collections storage – Add additional parking for visitors as needs expand – Add additional staff offices – Add rotating exhibit space

S T R AT E G I C G O A L N U M B E R T W O - O U T R E A C H & C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

Develop an expanded online presence centered on student-driven media projects, as well as additional virtual and onsite educational programming to position the museum as a nationally recognized center of innovation in science education.


– Create a summer boarding paleontology program for domestic and international middle school students (in collaboration with Webb’s summer boarding program) – Create a virtual museum tour – Create an online experience (collections/curriculum) – Develop a marketing/PR/social media plan – Create a temporary exhibit program

S T R AT E G I C G O A L N U M B E R T H R E E - WEBB CURRICULUM & STUDENT PROGRAMS

Broaden and deepen the Webb student experience, focusing primarily on students involved in advanced coursework, fieldwork, and original research.


– Enhance Webb’s understanding of and programs with the Museum – Revise paleontology curriculum within the 9th grade science course – Develop guest lecture series – Increase the number and length of research trips for students – Identify specific new areas for field work to support student research projects – Develop program for students to visit other museums to study specimens for their research


T H E P L A N – A L F M U S E U M

S T R AT E G I C G O A L N U M B E R F O U R - R E S E A R C H & C O L L E C T I O N S

Establish the Alf Museum as a research institution of worldwide repute and accessibility.


– Digitize collections – Publicize research – Publicize Peccary Society distinguished graduates and list their accomplishments/publications

– Define the legacy and philosophy of what we research and our acquisition strategy – Establish collaborations with other research institutions – Fund graduate student fellowships and visiting research chairs – Develop a research associate program for colleagues in Southern California

S T R AT E G I C G O A L N U M B E R F I V E - R E S O U R C E D E V E L O P M E N T

Specify budgetary requirements and then develop a comprehensive plan to fund strategic initiatives, in collaboration with The Webb Schools.


– Launch an endowment drive to support additional staff and programs – Increase the annual budget to fully support operations – Complete additional capital improvements as envisioned – Expand donor constituency – Continue to build board capacity for fundraising

S T R AT E G I C G O A L N U M B E R S I X - H U M A N R E S O U R C E S P L A N N I N G

After conducting an operational and staffing assessment based on projected needs to fulfill strategic initiatives, develop a multi-year staffing plan in conjunction with the administration of The Webb Schools.


– Hire a development officer/marketing manager – Hire a fossil preparation specialist – Hire a collections manager – Hire exhibit specialist to manage/develop temporary exhibit space

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S T R AT E G I C G O A L N U M B E R O N E - F A C I L I T I E S

Increase and enhance the physical footprint of the Alf Museum at The Webb Schools to create a world-class paleontology facility.


– Expand museum within science building to include new research lab and renovated prep lab – Improve handicapped access to Hall of Footprints and Hall of Life – Renovate restrooms – Expand collections storage – Add additional parking for visitors as needs expand – Add additional staff offices – Add rotating exhibit space

S T R AT E G I C G O A L N U M B E R T W O - O U T R E A C H & C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

Develop an expanded online presence centered on student-driven media projects, as well as additional virtual and onsite educational programming to position the museum as a nationally recognized center of innovation in science education.


– Create a summer boarding paleontology program for domestic and international middle school students (in collaboration with Webb’s summer boarding program) – Create a virtual museum tour – Create an online experience (collections/curriculum) – Develop a marketing/PR/social media plan – Create a temporary exhibit program

S T R AT E G I C G O A L N U M B E R T H R E E - WEBB CURRICULUM & STUDENT PROGRAMS

Broaden and deepen the Webb student experience, focusing primarily on students involved in advanced coursework, fieldwork, and original research.


– Enhance Webb’s understanding of and programs with the Museum – Revise paleontology curriculum within the 9th grade science course – Develop guest lecture series – Increase the number and length of research trips for students – Identify specific new areas for field work to support student research projects – Develop program for students to visit other museums to study specimens for their research


“ In the end, the singular principle to emerge from this

extraordinary work is simple: Webb is firmly committed to

creating and supporting a school and educational program

dedicated to graduating honorable leaders capable of

tackling national and global issues with unbounded thinking

and moral courage. Every goal in every area of our

endeavor must serve this principle.”

Taylor B. StockdaleHead of Schools

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Bikram Ahluwalia ’94

Will Allan ’94

Jessica Anand ’05

Larry Ashton ’70

Gretchen Augustyn P ’89

Terry W. Baganz

William Baldwin P ’16

Donald Ball

Colleen Bartlett

Peter Bartlett

Bill Bauman ’82, P ’12

Brittan Smith Berry ’05

Jason Blackwell ’91

Lisa Blomberg P ’15

Janis Bride P ’06, ’08, ’10, ’13

Ilia Carson-Letelier P ’17

Andy Chai ’97

Ruchika Chandiok ’97

Lily Chen ’04

Lee Lee Choi ’90

Lisa Christiansen P ’15

Richard H. Clark P ’04

Preston Clarke ’98

Kenneth Colborn ’47

Andy Dahlstrom P ’15, ’16

Jessica Dholakia ’07

Sanjay Dholakia ’87

Kristi Dixon P ’14

Sonja Dominguez P ’11, ’15, ’15

Rick Duque P ’14, ’17

Andrew Farke, PhD

Jon Fidani

David Fitzgerald, EdD

Jenna Gambaro ’95

Mike Gaumer P ’15

Bobby Gonzalez ’13

Jose Govea ’74

Chip Greening ’62

Jack Greening P ’04, ’06, ’09

Doug Gregg ’66

Ronald P. Hagander ’66

Jim Hall, PhD ’59

William Halstead ’67

Erica Hamel P ’14

Wayne L. Hanson ’59

STRATEGIC PLANNING PARTICIPANTS

We wish to thank the following leadership volunteers who contributed their time and talents to the drafting of The Centennial Strategic Plan 1922-2022.

Janel Henriksen Hastings ’87

Glenne Headly-McCulloch P ’15

Patricia Herrero P ’10, ’13

John Holliday ’84, P ’15

Saundra Holmes P ’11, ’15

Jimmy Hsieh ’89

David Ivey-Soto ’82

F. Gard Jameson, PhD ’71, P ’08, ’09

Brett Kennedy ’92

Katherine Kilmer ’10

Sherwood C. Kingsley ’58

Jenny Kong P ’15

Carl Lachman ’86

Sarah Lantz

Helen Lawrence

John Lawrence

Rebecca Lee P ’15

Steve Lesse ’76, P ’09

Keating Leung ’98

Donald L. Lofgren, PhD P ’16

David Loo ’79

Laurie Lundin ’90

John (Dick) R. Lynas ’55

Julia Marciari-Alexander, PhD ’85

Leo Marshall

Stephanie Marshall

Coleen Martinez ’86, P ’16

Hector Martinez P ’16

Wendy Maxon, PhD

Claire H. McCloud P ’95, ’96

Christina McGinley, PhD ’84, P ’12, ’16

Roger Millar ’61

Lisa Miller ’89

Tracy Miller, PhD

David Mirkin, MD ’66

Timothy Moore ’59

Dwight Morgan ’65

Rahmi Mowjood, DO ’90

L. J. Patrick Muffler, PhD ’54

David Myles, PhD ’80

Douglas F. Myles P ’80

Susan A. Nelson P ’95, ’97

Mickey Novak ’70

Brian Ogden

George Oney P ’12, ’14

Kristina Oney ’14

Tina Paredes

Janet Peddy

Michelle Plyley P ’12

Renee Polanco ’94

Joseph Poon ’88

Brett Potash

Kevin Quick P ’14

Sandra Lee Rebish, MD ’88

Paul M. Reitler ’54, GP ’13

Laura Romero P ’12, ’15

RJ Romero P ’12, ’15

Hugh Rose P ’82

Miles Rosedale ’69, P ’92

Kathy Sanders P ’11

Rachel Sang ’13

Pete Sawyers ’68

Stephen Scherer P ’02

Mary Schuck P ’08

Whitney Sevesind ’05

Kunal Shah ’97

Rachelle Silver P ’10, ’12

Kim Smith P ’13

Theresa Smith, PhD

Charles Steinmann, MD P ’98

Anne Stewart P ’11, ’14, ’17

Taylor Stockdale P ’11, ’14

Jeff Stodgel

Kathy Sun ’02

Jordan Taylor ’02

Aminah Teachout ’04

Teri Tompkins P ’14, ’15

Laura Trombley, PhD P ’14

Linda Turczan P ’09, ’16

Tim Tzeng ’06

Adam Walker

Will Walker

Albert Walsh ’00

Laura Wensley P ’13, ’17

JoAnne Williams P ’15

Lance Williams ’97

Marc D. Wilson ’70, P ’04

Joe Woodward P ’10, ’12

Ralph Young ’63, P ’01


1175 West Baseline Road

Claremont, CA 91711-2199

ph: 909.626.3587

fx: 909.621.4582

www.webb.org


the centennial strategic plan 1922-2022 - the webb schools

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