Dedication to The Brick Commemoration Dinner

COURTESY OF DEERFIELD COMMUNICATIONS

On March 28, Deerfield Academy gathered students, faculty, staff, and alumni for a commemoration dinner celebrating the newly renovated Brick Dining Hall. The dinner, which was held on a weekend night separate from the regular sit-down meal schedules, was a formal recognition of the dining hall’s new transformation. It began with remarks from key speakers, and ended with the long-lasting Deerfield tradition of singing the Evensong. For students, faculty, and alumni, this moment extended far beyond the meal: tradition, hope, and Deerfield spirit.

Speakers at the dinner included: Head of School John Austin, President of Board of Trustees Leila Govi ’93, and Ambassador Woody Johnson, all of whom played a critical role in bringing the renovations of the Brick to life.

Chief Financial Officer Matt Sheehy observed that these speakers shared a common line in their addresses: “Each of the speakers echo[ed] their commitment to sit-down meals in an era without in-person connection.” He emphasized the role of Deerfield in this endeavor, saying, “Deerfield continues to do an excellent job at this, through its current programs and new advancements like the dining hall.”

The underlying message across each speech was their commitment to keeping human connections alive in an age increasingly defined by the lack of interpersonal exchanges. This evening also left a strong impression for students seated at their sit-downs: “When the speakers talked about what Deerfield meant to them years after their graduation, it made me appreciate the traditions of Deerfield and cherish every small moment of my time here,” said Gabby Kilroy ’29.

Miriam Toshik, ’29 further expanded off of Kilroy’s idea when explaining: “The evening was structured to remember tradition and create new memories. Speakers reflected on their career at Deerfield but also expanded on how that impacted their current roles – it was a short moment but it inspired me to carry the Deerfield spirit further.”

Head of Deerfield’s Advancement Office Chuck Ramsay ’88 spoke further on the importance of including a sit-down meal in the program for the Brick dedication. He said, “The tradition of sit down meals at Deerfield goes back to the early 20th Century. We could not think of a better way to celebrate our community and dedicate the Brick than to have it occur during a sit-down meal with students and faculty at Deerfield.” 

Mr. Ramsay emphasized the building process and outlayed the philanthropic donations supporting the project. “The project cost was 58 million dollars, and all of it was covered by gifts and pledges to Deerfield from generous donors.” He underscored why he orchestrated the dedication by “including starting the ringing of the chimes and the Deerfield Blessing, having student waiters, and finishing with the Evensong.” “We end many Deerfield alumni events with the singing of the Evensong – it is a cherished tradition,” he said.

Ellora Devitre ’26 echoes the importance of tradition while emphasizing the benefits of recent changes as well. “Walking into the dining hall felt different,” said Devitre, “You could actually hear the person across from you – this might seem like a small change, but it makes a big difference in terms of how you connect with your table.” 

The Brick’s renovations were made according to concerns by the student and faculty bodies including the Brick’s acoustics. Mr. Sheehy spoke on this, saying that he and his team were able to “keep the familiarity and warmth of the dining hall,” while tackling infrastructural issues during the renovation.

For many, the hope of this evening lingers as the Brick Dining Hall becomes more than a place to eat, but, underscoring Mr. Sheehy’s expectations: to “make friends and meet new people”.