Six Questions with Alumni President Taylor Kirkpatrick
The new president of the Alumni Association, Taylor Kirkpatrick ‘88, has invested plenty of time and energy in Graland, including 11 years as a student and four on the alumni board. In this issue of Graland Today, he shares his goals for the association and his motivation to stay involved with Graland.
The new president of the Alumni Association, Taylor Kirkpatrick ‘88, has invested plenty of time and energy in Graland, including 11 years as a student and four on the alumni board. In this issue of Graland Today, he shares his goals for the association and his motivation to stay involved with Graland.
Graland Today: Why did you join the Alumni Association board?
Taylor Kirkpatrick: I appreciate that the important, formative experiences during my years at Graland led to my commitment and interest in early childhood education and literacy. Serving with the Graland Alumni Association allows me to use my volunteer experience on other boards, like the Denver Public Library Commission, Bright By 3 and ACE, to benefit the school and do some good.
GT: How would you describe your role as president of the alumni board?
TK: This is a fun board to work with. Everyone knows the Graland mission because they’ve lived it, and I see my role as creating and sustaining excitement about staying connected to — and being
ambassadors for — Graland.
GT: What are some of your goals as president and/or the overall goals of the board?
TK: One major priority is to create strategies that re-engage millennials and recent graduates. I’d also like to formalize and further define the roles and responsibilities of the committees to make sure they are operating efficiently between the full board meetings.
GT: Why is staying connected to the school important to you?
TK: On a personal level, I find that Graland alumni are some of the most interesting people in Denver. I get a charge out of seeing my peers all grown up and learning about how people have found their passions, created meaning and defined success in their lives.
GT: Tell us about your career and how Graland helped prepare you.
TK: I’m the president and CEO of Babson Farms, a family office overseeing operating businesses in agriculture and insurance, real estate investments, mineral interests and public and private equity investments. At Graland, I learned organizational skills, situational thinking and critical thinking. I would list Mr. Hickey as one of the teachers who had a big influence on me and my love of language. I recall fondly how his colorful verbs made diagramming sentences adventurous, which is a real feat.
GT: What advice do you have for younger alumni?
TK: Don’t squander the opportunity to take advantage of the Graland network when pursuing your ambitions. There is a special kinship that alumni have, and making that connection will be rewarding whether you are seeking assistance with a hobby, a career or a new community.
Fast Facts about Taylor
High School: St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire; class of 1991
College: Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont; class of 1995
Spouse: Married to Molly since 2005
Son: Henry, age 5
Related to: David ‘86, Tim ‘95, mom Libby who was a Graland trustee from 1980-83
Hobby: Book collecting, especially Lost Generation authors like Ernest Hemingway
Interest: Wine aficionado who is in training to be a sommelier
Passion: Early childhood education; Taylor is a published children’s author whose book, Worthwhile, is used in Graland classrooms.
Favorite Memories from Graland: Southwest trip, Knighting and Field Day
Back
Graland Today: Why did you join the Alumni Association board?
Taylor Kirkpatrick: I appreciate that the important, formative experiences during my years at Graland led to my commitment and interest in early childhood education and literacy. Serving with the Graland Alumni Association allows me to use my volunteer experience on other boards, like the Denver Public Library Commission, Bright By 3 and ACE, to benefit the school and do some good.
GT: How would you describe your role as president of the alumni board?
TK: This is a fun board to work with. Everyone knows the Graland mission because they’ve lived it, and I see my role as creating and sustaining excitement about staying connected to — and being
ambassadors for — Graland.
GT: What are some of your goals as president and/or the overall goals of the board?
TK: One major priority is to create strategies that re-engage millennials and recent graduates. I’d also like to formalize and further define the roles and responsibilities of the committees to make sure they are operating efficiently between the full board meetings.
GT: Why is staying connected to the school important to you?
TK: On a personal level, I find that Graland alumni are some of the most interesting people in Denver. I get a charge out of seeing my peers all grown up and learning about how people have found their passions, created meaning and defined success in their lives.
GT: Tell us about your career and how Graland helped prepare you.
TK: I’m the president and CEO of Babson Farms, a family office overseeing operating businesses in agriculture and insurance, real estate investments, mineral interests and public and private equity investments. At Graland, I learned organizational skills, situational thinking and critical thinking. I would list Mr. Hickey as one of the teachers who had a big influence on me and my love of language. I recall fondly how his colorful verbs made diagramming sentences adventurous, which is a real feat.
GT: What advice do you have for younger alumni?
TK: Don’t squander the opportunity to take advantage of the Graland network when pursuing your ambitions. There is a special kinship that alumni have, and making that connection will be rewarding whether you are seeking assistance with a hobby, a career or a new community.
Fast Facts about Taylor
High School: St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire; class of 1991
College: Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont; class of 1995
Spouse: Married to Molly since 2005
Son: Henry, age 5
Related to: David ‘86, Tim ‘95, mom Libby who was a Graland trustee from 1980-83
Hobby: Book collecting, especially Lost Generation authors like Ernest Hemingway
Interest: Wine aficionado who is in training to be a sommelier
Passion: Early childhood education; Taylor is a published children’s author whose book, Worthwhile, is used in Graland classrooms.
Favorite Memories from Graland: Southwest trip, Knighting and Field Day
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
