October 22, 2018: Harpswell students had an exciting and busy week of welcoming their new peers, attending a leadership seminar, and meeting with a Harpswell sponsor.On Sunday, Harpswell students attended a leadership seminar led by Harpswell’s Executive Director, Alison Pavia, and her sister Phillipa Pavia. Alison and Phillipa explained their family’s history and shared their career journeys. Alison has worked in the non-profit, corporate and legal sector for over 20 years. Phillipa is a veterinary surgeon, who noted that there are not many women working in the field. One student commented that Alison’s and Phillipa’s many achievements “strongly support women’s empowerment.”

Later in the week, students at the TT dorm met with Harpswell sponsor, Elaine McKinnon. Elaine generously donated the Harpswell library in honor of her mother. One student explained that “she is the reason why we have a beautiful library with so many books for all the sisters to read.” Elaine spent time meeting with the students, including new students, and hearing about their families and their lives at home. We are grateful to Elaine for the well-stocked Harpswell library and for taking the time to meet with our students.