Class of 2017

Teachers have had some of the most complex jobs during the pandemic, so I’m honored to celebrate Sarah Epstein! Sarah teaches government and economics at a high school in the Bronx and is the school’s social studies department chair. She loves her job, appreciates how passionate and engaged her students are, and is grateful to teach subjects that are applicable to her students’ lives.

After teaching remotely for a great period due to the Bronx’s high Covid transmission rates, Sarah is happy to be back in the classroom. Although the learning and teaching conditions are much better, she recognizes that both the students and staff are working through the trauma of Covid. She asserts that this year has required a lot of empathy. Sarah says that teachers, “often feel like counselors more so than teachers because of the constant need to be a strong support system for students. Building relationships with the students is the best part of the job, but the challenges of the last two years have made teaching really draining. Everyone is balancing classroom teaching, administrative responsibilities, being there for students, communicating with parents, trying to keep everyone safe with Covid precautions, and continuing to work in high-risk environments.”

Let’s give it up to Sarah for persisting throughout the pandemic and supporting the minds, well-being, and safety of our youth. We appreciate you, Sarah! When Sarah is not teaching, she likes to Peloton and kickbox, cook new recipes, and take walks in Central Park. She also spends ample time with fellow ’17s, Emily Castle, Gabby O’Donoghue, Sam Guiry, and Josh Pearl in the city.

A few hundred miles to the west, we have the magnificent Milwaukee Moriah Morton! Moriah moved to Milwaukee in 2018, and she loves it there. Since Moriah grew up in Lebanon, New Hampshire, the small city life suits her well. Moriah earned a spot on Milwaukee’s semi-professional basketball team and played with the team for two years. She coaches basketball for the Milwaukee School of Engineering and since Milwaukee has a rich basketball community, she still plays from time to time. Life as an athlete doesn’t have to end after college! Additionally, Moriah and her husband, Ben, have started a lovely life together in Milwaukee. The couple had an intimate garden wedding last summer with their immediate family. They welcomed their daughter, Vera Genesee Hebl, on April 14, 2021. Moriah says that parenthood has enriched and changed her life. Moriah and Ben also operate a bar in Milwaukee’s beer district near the Fiserv Forum. Moriah runs marketing, social media, and graphic design for the bar. She is thankful that Dartmouth’s studio art program was multidimensional because her education enables her to handle many areas as a small business owner. Shout-out to Moriah for being an outstanding mom, wife, entrepreneur, athlete, alum, and so much more!

Last but not least, congratulations to Ashley Sissell, who earned her master’s in biological and environmental engineering from Cornell! After graduating in December 2021, Ashley moved to Virginia to work as a project engineer for Wetland Studies and Solutions. Her colleagues have been wonderful and many of them graduated from the same Cornell program, so they have similar experiences and deep passions for environmental restoration and nature-inspired civil infrastructure design. Even when she is not at work, Ashley expresses her love for plants! She has an indoor garden and experiments with some new challenging plants. She also enjoys exploring nearby state and local parks, then finding post-hike local vineyards and wineries and breweries.

—Dorian J. Allen, 3 Rue Jacquard, 3ième étage, Lyon, France 69004; dorallen2017@gmail.com