Last weekend, Masters hosted its annual family weekend, giving parents an opportunity to meet with their students’ instructors and connect with other parents as well. Family weekend was filled with fun, excitement, and celebration amongst members of The Masters School community, but this time for a more special reason. Full of students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni and members of the Board of Trustees, the new Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (IEC) had its inaugural ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the end of the buildings’ construction, and the beginning of students being able to use its state-of-the-art technology for generations to come.
Leading up to the ceremony, community members lined up outside the building for well over half an hour before the ceremony was set to start, eager to get their first glimpse of the new building. Moments before the ceremony was kicked off, the gates to the entrance were opened, and almost immediately, the building was full. The community checked out the modern design and facilities that the new building had to offer.
The IEC’s first visitors were welcomed with upbeat jazz music played by Health Center Counselor and musician, Brendan Sanders and his band.
The Dobbs 16 a cappella group kicked off the inauguration with their rendition of The Masters School’s “Alma Mater.” Their performance was then followed by speeches from Honorary Trustee Lynne Soebel, Head of School Laura Danforth, along with donors and alumnae, Abby Spencer Moffat, Class of ‘84 and Diana Spencer Davis, Class of ‘56, whose 20 million dollar gift made the IEC possible, reminding everyone in the community to “Do it with thy Might.”
Then, it was finally time for the ribbon to be cut. Upper School Co-chairs Arjun Ratan, Mahlet Messay, and one of the Middle School Co-chairs, Emilia Maschang, were at opposite ends of the ribbon, holding it steady while Danforth stood at the middle of the ribbon, watching as Davis Spencer and Spencer Moffat cut the ribbon with a pair of gigantic scissors. Though there was some difficulty trying to get the scissors to actually cut the ribbon, the crowd patiently waited. After a moment of struggle, they finally cut the ribbon and the crowd applauded loudly, signifying a new era in The Masters Schools’ history.
Ratan and Messay said they were truly excited and grateful to be a part of the ceremony. Ratan, who isn’t personally involved in the IEC program, still said he was moved by the moment. He said, “It was groundbreaking, in the most literal sense. I think it was very special to be a part of it and see all the work put in.”
Messay, who has been a part of IEC programs for all of her three years at Masters said, “I’m super privileged to be able to have classes here, and I’m super excited to be able to experience the space and take advantage of the new equipment here.”
This building was made possible with the support of Davis Spencer and Spencer Moffat of the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation. Believing in the future of the IEC and its programs at Masters, they donated 20 million dollars to kick-start the construction of the new building.
Danforth described how she felt at the event with one word, “inspired.” She said, “You know that book, The Little Engine That Could? I feel that Masters sometimes has been the little engine that could, and doing projects like this, with the faculty that we have in all disciplines, and with the students we enroll — like you guys, I believe we are contenders for one of the best schools in the world. Having people so excited about a program like this one is phenomenal, and I’m inspired by your excitement as students, and I’m inspired by people that want to help Masters make it happen for you.”
