Ellis Magazine Archive

2025

Past Articles

  • Rachel EKSTROM Courage ’98

    Rachel EKSTROM Courage ’98 Finds the Story in Every Chapter

    For Rachel EKSTROM Courage ’98, storytelling has always been at the heart of her life. As a literary agent, publishing professional, and author, she’s built a career on championing voices and stories that inspire, challenge, and connect readers. But when she looks back, she’s quick to credit her earliest lessons in storytelling to her time at The Ellis School.
  • A Legacy of Helping Others

    How Three Ellis Alumnae Are Making Their Mark on Maternal Health in Allegheny County

    Alumnae speak frequently and fondly of the lasting friendships they formed as students at The Ellis School. An environment where girls are encouraged to be their authentic selves, raise each other up, and create close connections with their classmates, the Ellis campus has been the starting point for so many decades-spanning camaraderies.
  • All in the Family

    A four-generation Ellis family on the importance of girls’ schools, the impact of Ellis, and ensuring a legacy that will benefit future generations of girls and young women

    On a busy day in May, when The Ellis School’s students and teachers excitedly looked ahead to end-of-year ceremonies and Commencement, Louise Kay CHILDS Woodside ’87 visited campus and indulged in some quiet time to look back.
  • Colleen DAILY Simonds ’95

    Alumna Spotlight: Five Questions for Colleen DAILY Simonds ’95

    Colleen DAILY Simonds has carved out a reputation for designing spaces that are as bold and original as they are beautiful. An accomplished interior designer who has been featured in publications including House Beautiful, Luxe, Good Housekeeping, and The New York Times, Colleen has built a career that seamlessly combines business and beauty. Whether it’s an unexpected use of color or a fearless combination of pattern and texture, her aesthetic is unapologetically distinctive—and she credits Ellis with nurturing the sense of self that allows her to trust her instincts.
  • Sara HANEY Stroud ’04 and family

    Celebrating Our 2024 Sara Frazer Ellis Awardee and Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

    Each year during Reunion Weekend, The Ellis School takes great pride in honoring alumnae whose achievements and character reflect the values of an Ellis education.
  • Class of 1979 Wins the Alumnae Cup Challenge—with Style and Spirit

    Congratulations to the spirited and generous Class of 1979, winners of this year’s Alumnae Cup Challenge! With the highest number of gifts and dollars raised among all reunion classes, this incredible group of alumnae proved that Ellis pride only grows stronger with time.
  • Claire Devereux, Director of Advancement and Alumnae Engagement

    From The Director of Advancement and Alumnae Engagement

    Dear Ellis Community,

    The theme of this issue of the Ellis Magazine, A Bold Legacy, invites us to reflect on how creativity, discovery, and connection continue to shape the story of The Ellis School.
  • From the Interim Head of School

    Dear Ellis Community,

    I am truly honored to step into the role of Interim Head of School at The Ellis School. While my role here is new, Ellis is not new to me. As the former Head of a neighboring school, I've had the privilege of knowing every Head of School at Ellis since Rebecca Upham, and my personal connection to Ellis is further enriched by my marriage to an Ellis alumna.
  • Future Vision: Kjerstin Pugh ’03 on Peacebuilding, Art, and Inclusion

    Peacebuilding can feel like a big, complicated system, conjuring images of high-stakes negotiations or global summits. But for Kjerstin Pugh ’03, peace begins in the quiet moments—when people come together, share space, and begin to truly see each other.
  • National Girls & Women in Sports Day at Ellis

    In honor of National Girls & Women in Sports Day, students, faculty, and alumnae came together for a powerful celebration of athleticism, leadership, and the enduring impact of women in sports.
  • Reunion Weekend 2024: Celebrating Connection, Legacy, and Lifelong Bonds

    From October 4 to 5, Ellis was alive with energy, laughter, and heartfelt reconnection as we welcomed alumnae back to campus for Reunion Weekend 2024.
  • Sweet Connections at the Ice Cream Social

    In January, Ellis recently hosted its beloved Ice Cream Social, bringing together current students and college-aged alumnae for a fun and meaningful afternoon on campus.