2021 Distinguished Service Award winners honored

The Andover Distinguished Service Award is presented annually by decision of the Academy Resources Committee of the Board of Trustees to volunteers whose services to Andover have been distinguished by commitment, uniqueness, and effectiveness. Their efforts on behalf of their school provide an inspiring example for all Andover volunteers. This year’s recipients were celebrated on September 25, 2021, as part of Volunteer Summit Weekend.

The 2021 honorees are:

Andover Host Families

Each year, hundreds of students travel from across the country and around the world to attend Phillips Academy. For many of these students, Andover’s volunteer host families provide an extra layer of support and kindness and help ease the concerns of parents and guardians back home. Approximately 90 caring local families who have a student of their own at Andover assist with welcoming international students to campus, checking in on their assigned student’s progress, and sending occasional invitations for meals and family celebrations at their home. In some cases, they open their home to students who cannot travel back to their own home during winter or spring breaks.

In March 2020, as the world seemed to shut down, Andover’s host families were called on to help in new and unprecedented ways. When many students staying locally found themselves with no way to return home when the campus was forced to close after spring break, host families stepped up to support them for many weeks and, in some cases, well into the summer. And when the international student coordinator put out a call for extra support, host families took on new students. In addition to providing good meals and a safe place to stay, host families assisted with airport runs and scheduling vaccination appointments.

In an exceptional year and under exceptional circumstances, our host families went above and beyond. The Academy is deeply grateful for their resolve and compassion.

Lillian S. Kiang ’96

Volunteer partners in Asia—and all corners of the world—are vital to the work we do here at Andover. Lillian Kiang, a volunteer leader and organizer in the Hong Kong region, has been a member of the Asia Council since its launch in 2010 and an active partner with the Office of Academy Resources (OAR) in developing PA’s engagement and philanthropy strategy. Lillian has been a volunteer for the Hong Kong Regional Leadership Team since its inception in 2016, and her hard work regularly brings the region’s alumni community together for meaningful conversations and special events. Lillian and fellow Distinguished Service Award (DSA) recipient Kevin Kwong ’95 are currently the leadership team’s co-chairs.

Lillian has also assisted Team Shuman as an alumni admission representative for more than a decade. She has further strengthened the ties within the Andover family in Hong Kong by planning social gatherings and Non Sibi projects. From beach cleanups to volunteering with the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong, Lillian’s “not for self’ spirit makes her an inspirational leader. Her efforts have an even broader reach by often including the alumni and parents of other institutions in the Eight Schools Association. An active member of the Andover Development Board, Lillian consistently returns to campus for its annual meeting. Most recently she served on the Class of 1996’s 25th Reunion planning committee.

Kevin K.W. Kwong ’95

Kevin Kwong, a member of the Hong Kong Regional Leadership Team since 2016, currently serves as the team’s co-chair along with fellow DSA recipient Lillian Kiang ’96. His dedication to and love for Andover is evidenced by his tireless efforts to support the school in myriad ways and his meaningful presence at PA meetings and events, both in Hong Kong and on campus.

Kevin has worked in creative and very successful ways to gather our Hong Kong alumni and parents and has been instrumental in organizing events across the globe—from welcoming new families to the Andover community and heads of school to Hong Kong to leading Non Sibi projects and annual holiday celebrations. An alumni admission representative since 2013, Kevin has helped bring smart, motivated new students to Andover. During his recent term on the Alumni Council (2016–2020), Kevin served as a member of its Executive Committee from 2019 to 2020. The depth of his commitment to Andover was exemplified by his willingness to travel 8,000 miles for the school’s annual fall Volunteer Summit Weekend and Alumni Council meetings. His thoughtful and active contributions as a member of the Annual Giving Board have been deeply appreciated by OAR staff as well as his peers.

Our Andover community in Hong Kong has never been more connected to the Academy thanks to Kevin and Lillian’s stalwart volunteerism for more than a decade.

Daniel A. Lasman ’73, P’06

This past spring, Dan Lasman concluded his six-year tenure as co-chair of the Alumni Council’s Annual Giving Board (AGB) and a two-year term as alumni trustee. During his time on the AGB and the New England Knowledge & Goodness Regional Campaign Committee, Dan was a steadfast and grounded partner to the Office of Academy Resources—especially its development team. With the Academy’s best interests always in mind, Dan led through collaboration. He invited participation from others and valued the input and perspectives of both fellow alumni and Andover partners.

Dan went above and beyond expectations to answer each call for partnership, particularly as the Academy navigated the many challenges of the past year. He was an essential influence in rallying class agents and also in helping the development team thoughtfully pivot solicitation plans and messaging during times of national crisis. His sound counsel helped shape important new endeavors, such as the Andover Challenge for Equity & Inclusion and several Alumni Council fundraising initiatives, which included a named space in the Oliver Wendell Holmes Library and a current-use scholarship for a student of color.

Dan was also an Alumni Council member from 2004 to 2008, began as a class agent in 1993, and has been a co–head agent since 1998. As he continues in this role, we are grateful to know we can count on Dan as a friend and champion of the Academy.

Aisha Jorge Massengill ’88

Aisha Jorge Massengill served as a member of the Abbot Academy Fund (AAF)—formerly known as the Abbot Academy Association—from 2014 to 2020. Her leadership as AAF president from 2018 to 2020 focused on ensuring that members of the AAF were continually guided by the legacy, traditions, and ideals of Abbot Academy. This included making sure that supported proposals had broad impact at Phillips Academy and beyond, and that those programs/proposals fostered collaboration among students, faculty, and staff whenever possible.

Aisha led the AAF to grant support of a gift of $2.5 million—as part of PA’s Knowledge & Goodness campaign—to name the dance suite in the new Pan Athletic Center, slated to open in fall 2022. This important legacy, which will benefit generations of students to come, includes naming opportunities of the dance suites as well as a space to honor longtime Abbot Academy dance instructor Sra. Cristina Rubio, who joined PA’s faculty in 1973 and created the school’s first dance program.

Returning to campus in 2017 as guest speaker at the Senior Alumni Dinner, Aisha talked about her enduring ties to Andover, which include service as an alumni admission representative, reunion co-chair, and keynote speaker at the senior sports banquet on two occasions. She also served as a member of the AfLatAm@50 Planning Committee and as a thoughtful advisor in the launch of the Af-Lat-Am Alumni Committee.

Marcia B. McCabe ’73

Marcia McCabe’s volunteer roles have spanned so many programs and committees that she is known to and respected by decades of volunteers. Based in New York, Marcia has been an invaluable partner in developing engaging regional programming since 2014 and has also hosted annual Non Sibi projects with Meals on Wheels for more than 10 years. Her energy and involvement have been important factors in drawing together area alumni for the Academy’s annual 9/11 Day of Remembrance and Todd A. Isaac ’90 Memorial Basketball Game.

While Marcia’s non sibi spirit and commitment to Andover embody the aspirations of the merger of Phillips and Abbot academies, she maintains an especially strong connection to her classmates and the Abbot legacy. Marcia has served as a class secretary since graduation, helping to create a tight-knit group of Class of 1973 alumnae who get together regularly. She currently serves as co-chair of the Class Secretaries Committee of the Alumni Council and also as a class agent since 2008. Marcia is a former member of the Abbot Academy Association (2000–2003) and the Andover Development Board (1990–1998).

Over the years, Marcia has been a consistent and generous donor to Andover. For example, she donated a dressing room to the Tang Theatre when the space was renovated in the early ’90s. Her dedication, positive attitude, and warm personality make her an esteemed partner in any Academy venture.

DSA Luncheon Celebration

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(L-R) John & Justine Ko P’19, ’22 with their host student Aaron Chung ’22, and Jose Peralta, Andover’s international student coordinator. The Kos accepted the award on behalf of Andover Host Families and have been part of the Host Family program for seven years.

Head of School Raynard Kington, MD, PhD, P’24

Dan Lasman ’73 and Marcia McCabe ’73