Announcing Our New Moravian Academy Alma Mater: A Celebration of Unity and Tradition

After a year of hard work by our music and English faculty from all three campuses, I am thrilled to share the new Moravian Academy Alma Mater with you.

 

honoring the founding mothers
who envisioned this great school.
Joyful and creative spirits
fill these hallowed halls with cheer.
To the school that we will cherish,
our Moravian, so dear!

This year, our school theme, Creators of Community, challenges each of us to nurture belonging and champion connection, fostering an environment where everyone feels seen, valued, and empowered to thrive. It is only fitting that we strengthen our three-campus community with a new, unified Alma Mater, following a recommendation by a cross-campus culture committee that convened in the 22-23 school year.

 

Earlier this year, we announced that the music department had thoughtfully selected Dulce Carmen, attributed to Michael Haydn, as the music for our new Alma Mater. The English department then initiated a collaborative process, inviting community members to submit lyrics. We were amazed by the creativity and talent displayed in the many submissions we received from students, parents, faculty, and alumni. Ultimately, the chosen lyrics were written by Lisa Dubreuil, our Co-Director of College Counseling!

Today, the new Alma Mater was sung by the Upper School Camerata at the Family Lovefeast on the Historic Downtown Campus, at a special town hall on the Swain Campus, and during the alumni chapel at the Merle-Smith Campus. Following the inaugural performance, students at each campus sang the new Alma Mater together for the first time.

 

This marks an exciting step toward furthering a unified school where every individual feels a sense of ownership and belonging. We also understand the sentimental attachment many seniors have to the current Moravian Academy Alma Mater. In recognition of this, we will continue to sing it at this year’s commencement while thoughtfully incorporating the new Alma Mater into other ceremonies.  In addition, as is tradition, we will sing all alma maters, including Swain’s former alma mater, at our annual honorary and distinguished alumni luncheon during Country Fair weekend.  

 

Moravian Academy has a rich history of growth and meaningful change. In 1971, during the merger of Moravian Seminary for Girls and Moravian Preparatory School to create Moravian Academy, both schools had cherished alma maters. To foster unity, a contest was held to create a new alma mater. Miriam Devey, the beloved wife of then Head of School David Devey, won the contest, and her alma mater has been sung for the past 50 years. Just as that process helped bring two schools together, I have immense hope that this new Alma Mater will do the same for our community now.

 

Thank you for your continued support, dedication, and engagement with Moravian Academy. I look forward to learning the new Alma Mater and singing it with you as we embrace this new chapter in our school’s history with pride and enthusiasm.