Winsor Travels “Beyond Boston” with Events in DC and NYC

Winsor is back on the road with the popular Beyond Boston event series and hosted receptions in both Washington, DC and New York City this fall. 

Kicking off in October, Washington, DC was the first stop of the 2024–25 Beyond Boston tour. “Gathering Winsor’s DC contingent at our home was wonderful—such a great mix of generations, professional paths, and Winsor memories and connections,” said Armine Afeyan ’08, who along with her husband John Ringer graciously hosted a cocktail celebration at their townhouse in Georgetown.

In addition to Head of School Sarah Pelmas, President of the Board of Trustees Allison Kaneb Pellegrino ’89, P’21, ’22, and Chief Advancement Officer Erika McMahon, the event brought together over 30 Winsor alumnae and friends in the nation’s capitol. 

Ms. Pelmas, who is in her ninth and final year as Winsor’s head of school, offered brief remarks at the gathering and spoke about the priorities of the Winsor Leads Campaign. “I am proud of what we have accomplished together for Winsor as a community. And the Winsor Leads Campaign is a culmination of that,” said Ms. Pelmas. “From today and for generations into the future, the Winsor Leads Campaign will be critical to securing the future of this school, so that Winsor may, forever, attract and retain the most extraordinary teachers, and so that we may always recruit and fully support the most exceptional students, regardless of their family’s ability to afford tuition,” she explained. 

“Because of our belief in the Winsor Leads Campaign, my family and I established the first-ever endowed coaching chair, the Lisa Stone Chair for Crew,” Armine told guests. The remarkable gift—the brainchild of Armine and her sisters Taleen Afeyan ’10, and Lena Afeyan ’13—marks the first time that an endowed chair supports a head coaching role. For the Afeyans, the idea for this groundbreaking gift was sparked when they learned that Coach Stone P’03 was retiring in 2022. All three sisters rowed for her and eventually became crew captains, experiences that had lifelong impacts on them.

“Experiencing alumnae life in Boston and beyond has shown me that Winsor is so much more than a place,” shared Armine, “it’s a living, growing community of lifelong learners.” Armine said of her fellow alums, “Curious, determined people are among my favorite, so a room full of former Winsor students is one I’ll often want to be in. I’m looking forward to more such rooms in the years to come.”

In November, an unprecedented number of Winsor alumnae and friends made the Beyond Boston event in New York City the largest on record with over 100 guests in attendance. In fact, as invitation responses poured in, Winsor had to change venues to accommodate the growing guest list! Hosted at the Carlyle Hotel in the Upstairs Inspired by Bemelmans Bar, the event boasted an impressive turnout of graduates from 1950 to 2024. 

“From today and for generations into the future, the Winsor Leads Campaign will be critical to securing the future of this school, forever, and ensuring that Winsor remains a leader in girls’ education for decades and decades more,” Ms. Pelmas told gathered guests.

Chief Advancement Officer Erika McMahon echoed the forward-thinking sentiment. “This campaign is also important because its impact will outlast any of our lifetimes. It is a privilege for all of us at the school, right now, to steward these critical campaign dollars, and generations after us will do the same.”

Conceptualized during the 2023–24 school year, Beyond Boston events bring alumnae together to socialize and network, reminisce about their days on Pilgrim Road, and learn more about supporting Winsor. Among many far-flung locales, Beyond Boston events have previously included New York City, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Palm Beach.