Featured Alumni

He was ten years old when he moved into a Rectory dorm. It took him a long time to feel like he fit in, and given the option to figure things out or go home, he chose to figure things out. When he returned to campus for his 8th-grade year, he was a bit more mature and sure of himself, and he discovered the sport of wrestling which would become one of his early passions. He excelled as an “older student” and after successfully completing high school and college, went on to become an award-winning advertising producer.

He came to Rectory from Coventry, CT each day, carpooling with 4 or 5 other students. The day student experience in the 1980s was a bit unusual, but the quality of the academic program and support from the faculty was undeniable. He credits Rectory with setting a strong foundation for his future learning, and his connections to the school remain especially strong considering he works at a school whose Head of School is none other than the son of Rectory’s former Headmaster, John Green.

She was one of Rectory School’s first female boarders, and she enjoyed a slew of new experiences while living on campus. Sarah Lee ‘10 took an interest in visual arts as a student and even created a campus map that is mounted, to this day, on the Infirmary walls. Her legacy endures here on campus, but she has now expanded her influence to New York City. She uses her artistic eye and creativity as a consultant in the corporate real estate field, helping people reach the full potential of their built environments.

Doug Cohen ‘73 grew up in Mansfield, CT and carpooled to Rectory School with two fellow classmates. He has always been passionate about the arts and theater and, as a student, once dedicated a free Sunday to create a detailed diagram of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater just for fun. Cohen remembers Rectory as an environment that encouraged him to hunker down and learn how to channel his energy into academics. He is now a successful musical theater playwright and teacher at the world-renowned Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, but he still likens his recent experience receiving a Drama League Award nomination to his childhood memory of winning the Goodridge-Barber Cup on graduation day.

Gen Cohen ‘09, CEO and founder of Gen’s Gym, started her own business in her mid-20s and has since helped over 100 career-oriented women attain their fitness goals. Gen’s Gym offers a popular online coaching program called Happy Bod Squad. Featured in Women’s Health Magazine, Cohen runs a wildly popular Instagram account with over 70.2K followers!

Norm Riker ‘85, now head coach of women’s soccer at Connecticut College, excelled at soccer and lacrosse growing up and always knew he would pursue a career in sports. For Riker, academics required a great deal of effort, and he credits Rectory for helping him navigate his dyslexia. Riker describes his serendipitous journey to Rectory’s campus and recalls fun memories of dorm life!