Three Cranbrook Kingswood alumni—each a creative force in the entertainment industry—are giving back to the community that helped shape their path. Bill Prady ’77, Rob Edwards ’81, and David Baxter ’82 have come together to offer an unforgettable Hollywood experience as a featured item in the live auction at Cranbrook Schools’ Window to the World gala on May 10, 2025.

On Friday, April 25 Crane Clarion alumni and faculty advisors came together to surprise English Teacher and newspaper advisor Jordan Rossen in celebration of his 10th year teaching at Cranbrook Schools. It was a great celebration and brought together current and past Crane Clarion reporters and advisors. Mr. Rossen's colleague Dr. Gania Barlow was on hand, as was former faculty member and current Crane Clarion advisor David Watson. Ric Bowdy came from northern Michigan. Crane Clarion alumni from recent classes got together to catch up with Mr. Rossen and each other.

Architect Dirk Denison, ’75, always puts people at the center of his work
Award-winning architect Dirk Denison was part of the Cranbrook family even before he was born. His parents met and fell in love there, and over the course of the next seven decades, scores of other family members walked its halls. Dirk’s own journey began just down the road at Christ Church, where he attended nursery school before starting at Brookside, on his way to becoming a Cranbrook “lifer.”

As Reunion draws near, we enter a season that is both joyful and reflective—celebrating the accomplishments of our distinguished alumni, honoring retiring faculty, and remembering the beloved teachers and administrators we have lost over the past year. In that spirit, we invite alumni from around the world to visit our Sharing Pages: dedicated spaces where you can post messages of congratulations, gratitude, and remembrance. Whether you are celebrating our 2025 Distinguished Alumni, extending well wishes to retiring faculty, or sharing memories of those who left a lasting mark on our community, your reflections help keep the Cranbrook Kingswood spirit alive.

Alumni from across had a strong presence in WE56, as sixteen graduates returned for the annual trek to the Smokies. Josh Maher '16, Adrian Stone '20, Arash Babaoff '84, Nate Gorman '22, Ian Perkins '05, Bobby Tarchinski '13, Betsy Saylor '16, Courtney Wright '17, Lauren Reno Phettenplace '15, Emma Van Houten '20, Alex Smith '23, Emma Block '20, Kelly Snyder Levasseur '98, Roxanne Shaviro '22, Maggie Baumgartner '23 and Lexi Fournier O'Kulich '09 carved out time to support CK sophomores on their journey through the beautiful Nantahala and Cherokee National Forests of North Carolina and Tennessee. Click here for the full size photo.

Former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson '50 passed away on March 14 and his memorial service was held in Cody, Wyoming on March 31. The service was livestreamed by Wyoming PBS on YouTube, and in his introduction of his father, Bill Simpson included his post-graduate year at Cranbrook and mentioned how much Alan loved his time at the school.

The service also featured an homage by his brother Pete Simpson '49. Click here to watch Dr. Simpson's eulogy for his brother Al.

Former faculty member Sue Hahn Spencer passed away earlier this month. Sue came to Cranbrook in the fall of 1981 as Dr. Hahn, taking on the role of head of the Science Department and becoming part of the Cranbrook residential life program. She married Robert Spencer in 1989 and moved off campus, but stayed very active in campus life, serving as a Wilderness leader for many years, including the 1993 blizzard and beyond. Dr. Spencer received the Alumni Appreciation award in 1998. She stepped down as department head that year, but continued to work part time at the school for two years as lab technician and tutoring students. Former students and colleagues noted her passion for chemistry, her intrepid spirit and her devotion the teaching of science. Upon her retirement, Spencer stated that "Cranbrook is a unique place in the world and the beauty never ceases to amaze me."

Here is a link to her obituary to share condolences or memories: bit.ly/ckInMemSSpencer

We are saddened to share the passing of former instrumental music teacher Janet Kapala. From 1977 to 2016, "Mrs. K" inspired CK band students from Lower to Upper School with her joy, warmth, and love of music. In the course of her long Cranbrook career, she shared her own significant musical talents with the community, with memorable flute and saxophone performances and more.  Over four decades, she nurtured young musicians from their tentative beginnings in lower school and guided accomplished upper schoolers to award-winning performances - all with equal joy, care, and dedication.

Click here for her obituary page and to leave a memory or condolence

On March 6, San Francisco area alumni gathered at the Exploratorium at Pier 15.  The evening featured a wonderful behind the scenes tour hosted by alumna Amy Snyder ’80, who is the Exploratorium Director of Photography. Snyder's tour gave the group access to spots like The Exhibit Shop, where technicians maintain the collection of more than 650 exhibits and develop new ones.

Right before spring break, the Leaders in the Environment Club (LITE) hosted a career chat with CK alumnus Aubrey Agee '92. Mr. Agee is aNet Zero Developer and Sustainability Champion who has worked in a wide range of industries including energy justice, the renewable energy sector, technology, the entrepreneurial ecosystem, automotive engineering and design, architectural design and management, and advocacy through economic development. He talked about his current initiative with EcoWorks, focused on .developing environmentally friendly, net-zero spaces for community-based organizations.

To watch excerpts of the virtual career chat with Aubrey Agee '92, click here.

Go to the main Alumni News page 

After their normal closing time last Sunday afternoon, the Cranbrook Institute of Science opened their doors to Cranbrook Schools alumni and their guests, who who enjoyed exploring the exhibits, including "The Science of Archimedes," a planetarium show on the Michigan Sky and visits to the observatory. There was a record turnout for this annual event which was hosted by the Cranbrook Kingswood Alumni Association.

Click here to view photos of this event and other alumni gatherings.

Go to the main Alumni News page 

Milestone classes ending in 5 and 0 are beginning to buzz about their upcoming milestone reunions coming up this June 6-7-8, and that includes the class of 1945! Kingswood classmates Gretchen Markle Thams and Marjorie Smith Hendrick, both from the class of '45 got together to talk about their upcoming 80th reunion. At their reunion meeting they reminisced about classmates and their Kingswood days together, and made plans to show off campus to family members that weekend.

On Thursday, March 6, alumni who live or work in the San Francisco area will have the opportunity to gather at the Exploratorium. The evening will feature a behind the scenes tour hosted by alumna Amy Snyder '80, who is the Exploratorium Director of Photography. The tour will take place from 6:00-7:00 p.m. followed by a reception at the After Dark Lounge on the Moore East Gallery Mezzanine from 7:00-9:00 p.m. It will be an exciting evening with the opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni living in the Northern California area, as well as Cranbrook Schools leadership.

Thursday, March 6 | 6:00-9:00 p.m.
6:00-7:00 p.m. (Tour)
7:00-9:00 p.m. (Reception)
Exploratorium
Pier 15 Embarcadero at, Green St, San Francisco, CA 94111

Register for this event by emailing alumni@cranbrook.edu and let us know if you plan to join us for the tour, the reception, or both! Space is limited.

On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, more than 85 alumni from four Detroit-area Independent Schools including Cranbrook, University Liggett School, Roeper, and Detroit Country Day School attended the second annual Detroit Independent Schools Joint Alumni networking event at TechTown Detroit.

The Cranbrook Kingswood Alumni Association (CKAA) were sponsors of this career networking event, which was was geared toward alumni either within or transitioning to the tech industry. Representing Cranbrook Schools, alumni speakers included Ian Perkins ’05 (moderator) and Phyllip Hall ’84 (panelist). Each school represented featured a panelist.

Ian Perkins led the group in a thoughtful panel discussion that spoke to their varied careers in tech and touched on industry trends, ethical concerns and the rise and emergence of technology-based companies in the Metro Detroit area.

After the panel discussion concluded, alumni guests from the four schools stayed to mix, mingle and network with each other. It was a wonderful, collaborative evening, and alumni can expect to see more events like this planned in the future with a focus on other industries.

Visit the alumni gallery for photos and video from this event and other alumni gatherings


Go to the main Alumni News page 

Dr. Barbara Bowen Oberg ‘60, renowned early American historian, editor, and scholar died at Connecticut Hospice in Branford on September 14, 2024.

Blue Note recording artist and Cranbrook and HUB alum, Dave McMurray '73 will be performing at Kingswood Auditorium February 7 with composer/pianist/singer Alvin Waddles, and Gospel vocalist, Rosa Warner-Jones. The artists will present a tribute to music legends Fats Waller, John Coltrane and Mahalia Jackson.   During the day the trio will also be presenting special performances for students from Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School, Cranbrook Kingswood Boys/Girls Middle School, and Horizons-Upward Bound. There are a limited number of tickets still available for the event, which is hosted by Cranbrook Schools along with its performing arts parent volunteer board BRAVO. See below for registration information.

In anticipation of the event, FocusCK caught up with the celebrated saxophonist

On January 29th the Kingswood auditorium and dining hall were a hive of activity as 70 career mentors and nearly 200 juniors and seniors came together. The event, which has been held in this format since 2014, is sponsored by the Cranbrook Kingswood Alumni Association, and involves outreach to local alumni and friends who serve as mentors in an evening of one-on-one conversations about educational paths, career choices and more.

On Tuesday, February 25, the Cranbrook Kingswood Alumni Association (CKAA) is hosting a Tech Industry Career Mentoring & Networking Event from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at TechTown Detroit. The event will begin with a panel featuring local industry experts, followed by a networking session for professionals from all levels of experience.

Interview with Cranbrook Educational Community trustee Bob Wilson '76. Bob is a multi-generational alumnus who, along with his wife and fellow CEC trustee Sandy Smith, has served the community in a multitude of ways over the years. In addition to his role as a CEC Trustee, Wilson is a Cranbrook Art Academy governor and a member of Cranbrook's Center for Collections and Research Committee.