MISH Empowers Change Through Purposeful Engagement

1/15/2025

MISH (Masters Interested in Sharing and Helping), the oldest co-curricular on campus, is celebrating a renewed commitment to its mission this year.

“We're reinvigorating MISH by intentionally setting out to create community on campus through collaboration with lots of different clubs, as well as off campus with different organizations,” explained Marie-Louise Miller, associate dean of purposeful engagement and MISH advisor.

This work inspires MISH leader Cathy He ’25. “The most significant part of MISH is seeing everyone’s unique upbringing bring diverse ideas that create endless possibilities,” she said.

He and fellow MISH Executive Leadership Committee members Eunice Wang ’25, Brian Wolfson ’25, Taylor Marlowe ’25, Molly Brooks ’25 and Serena Sharma ’25 are committed to making a difference.

In November, MISH partnered with DAA and Feeding Westchester on a Delta-Phi Thanksgiving Food Drive, which benefitted families of Children’s Village, a local nonprofit. In December, middle school MISH leaders Aiden Last ’29, Aidan Mondésir ’29, Chineo Onochie ’29 and Mary Alexander ’29, supported by their faculty co-advisors Lauren Napper and Ilona Shinkar, held a bake sale to support a toy drive.

“We used the money that we raised to purchase holiday gifts for the 10 children from Rose Cottage in Children's Village,” Napper said. “Gifts included clothing, items to decorate their rooms, toys and books.” MISH students also wrote personal cards to each child, which impressed Napper: “They wanted to connect on more than just a ‘Here's something, we're handing it to you’ level.”

Recent initiatives included a visit to local retirement community Kendal on Hudson with Advanced Photography students to interview and photograph residents.

MISH member Eileen Kang ’26 enjoyed the connection with the senior citizens she met. “They had such wonderful stories to tell, and when I shared some hopes and dreams of mine, as well as my concern for the future, they were so kind in giving advice,” she said. “One person who had Alzheimer's disease communicated with us through singing which reminded me of my own grandpa, and why I do this work.”

The group will be partnering with the School’s Afya Foundation and Midnight Run clubs on upcoming events. Miller is buoyed by the MISH students’ energy, enthusiasm and their understanding of intentional engagement.

“I'm really excited about MISH becoming an established program beyond the Masters campus, and within the community service organizations that we touch so that we can all have a sustainable relationship over the years to come,” she said.

He reflected, “MISH opened my eyes to see the world's needs and drove me to take action. It made me more grateful for everything I have and understand how privileged we are to even see the issues and see how this world functions.”