Episode 8: How Loomis Teaches Languages and Perspectives

Episode 8: How Loomis Teaches Languages and Perspectives

Dean of Enrollment, Jake Dellorco and Senior Associate Director of Admission, Liz Stewart interview Eera Sharma, head of the Modern & Classical Languages Department, about the school's robust languages program, which offers Spanish, French, Latin, Chinese, and Arabic from levels one through seven. They also talk about real-world communication skills and cultural awareness, opportunities for study abroad trips and year-long exchanges, as well as developing not just language skills but also empathy, critical thinking, and cross-cultural competency.

Episode 7: New Student Perspectives

Dean of Enrollment Jake Dellorco and Dean of Freshmen Mike Donegan interview four new students Willa, Dami, Siena, and Angelo about their experiences transitioning to The Loomis Chaffee School. They share insights about what drew them to Loomis, their academic transitions, dormitory life, and the many extracurricular opportunities they love on campus.

Episode 6: Residential Life at Loomis

Jake and Liz welcome Director of Residential Life Liz Bucceri '07 and junior Alijah to talk about boarding life at Loomis. They explore how the residential life program creates a 'second home' for Loomis students, the mentorship roles of prefects and RAs, dorm activities, weekend programming, and more. Alijah also shares his personal growth from a shy freshman to a confident leader.

Episode 5: Inclusive Excellence & Belonging

In this episode of Pelicans in a Pod, hosts Jake and Liz interview Dr. Roland Davis, Director of Loomis Chaffee's Center for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging. He discusses the meaning of inclusive excellence as a framework that embeds inclusivity and belonging into every aspect of the school experience, from prospective students to alumni. The conversation covers how Loomis measures belonging through surveys, revealing that the overwhelming majority of students feel they belong at the school. Dr. Davis describes both large-scale programmatic initiatives like the revamped tenth-grade seminar and the Illuminators Gathering conference, as well as direct student support through programs like SOAR and affinity groups. He emphasizes Loomis' strengths in having institutional support from leadership and the board, while acknowledging that this work is ongoing as the social landscape continues to evolve. The episode concludes with Dr. Davis encouraging future students to be themselves, knowing that Loomis will support and embrace them for who they are.

Episode 4: Growth at Loomis

Join seniors Charlotte and Shane as they take the mic to share their Loomis journeys — from what first drew them to the Island to how they’ve grown as leaders and individuals along the way. Tune is as they reflect on the experiences that shaped their time at Loomis and the roles they’ve stepped into on campus.