Schools

MFS Graduation: 'I Want to Try to Affect Change in the World'

Ahead of Saturday's commencement at Moorestown Friends School, we asked five seniors to tell us about their plans for the future.

Seventy-one students will graduate fromMoorestown Friends School (MFS) during commencement Saturday night.

The students represent the Quaker institution's 227th graduating class. 

Patch interviewed five members of the senior class and asked them about their college and career plans. You can read their responses above. 

Find out what's happening in Moorestownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This year’s seniors will attend colleges and universities including Brown University, Bucknell University, University of Chicago, Columbia University, Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University, Lafayette College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University’s Tisch School, Northwestern University, Rutgers University, University of Pennsylvania and many more in the United States and abroad.

The commencement speakers will be English teacher Scott Hammer (MFS class of 1999), and students Nate Riggins and Emiko Borne, both of Moorestown. Commencement speakers are selected by members of the senior class. MFS does not compute class rankings or designate valedictorians/salutatorians. Traditionally one male and one female student are selected along with a teacher, and it is considered an honor to be chosen. 

Find out what's happening in Moorestownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Moorestown Friends’ commencement ceremony includes a number of significant traditions. Graduates have worn white dresses and formal men’s attire in lieu of caps and gowns since at least the early 1900s (MFS was founded in 1785). Quaker secondary schools traditionally do not use robes, which are an outgrowth of clerical garb. Another tradition is that the head of school reads the diploma of one of the “originals”—students who have attended MFS since kindergarten. Thirteen members of the class of 2013 are originals.

The graduation ceremony is scheduled to be held outside, with seniors exiting from the front of the Upper School and walking around the driveway known as “the Oval” to the group seating area. In case of inclement weather, commencement will be held in the Field House.

Information provided by Moorestown Friends School


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here