Life After Waldorf

Our Graduates

Alumni of The Waldorf School of San Diego

The Waldorf School of San Diego grads choose a wide variety of college majors from STEM, to the creative and practical arts, to multi-disciplinary fields that cross traditional lines.  Students have participated in structured Gap Year programs focused on performing arts and foreign languages, community service and formal outdoor life skills training.  We have a grad who is a fully trained EMT, one training to become a firefighter and another training to be an electrician. Waldorf education successfully prepares graduates for any and all pathways they may choose!

Since our first graduating class in 2012, The Waldorf School of San Diego alumni have continued their studies in a wide variety of colleges and universities.

Aberystwyth University (Wales, UK)

Academy of Art University San Francisco (CA)

Agnes Scott College (GA)

Albion College (MI)

Allegheny College (PA)

American Academy of Dramatic Arts (CA)

Arizona State University (AZ)

Augsburg College (MN)

Augustana college (IL)

Bangor University (Wales, UK)

Bard College (NY)

Bard Conservatory (NY)

Beloit College (WI)

Bennington College (VT)

Bethel College (KS)

Cal Arts (CA)

Cal Poly Pomona (CA)

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (CA)

California College of the Arts (CA)

California Lutheran University (CA)

California Maritime Academy (CA)

California Polytechnic State University (CA)

Cal. State University, Channel Islands (CA)

Cal. State University, Chico (CA)

Cal. State University, Humboldt (CA)

Cal. State University, Long Beach (CA)

Cal. State University, Monterey Bay (CA)

Cal. State University, Northridge (CA)

Cal. State University, Sacramento (CA)

Cal. State University, San Diego (CA)

Cal. State University, San Francisco (CA)

Cal. State University, San Jose (CA)

Cal. State University, San Marcos (CA)

Cal. State University, Sonoma (CA)

Cal. State University, Stanislaus (CA)

CETYS Universidad (MX)

Chapman University (CA) 

Cinecreatis Lyon (France)

Clark University (MA)

College of Idaho (ID)

College of the Atlantic (ME)

Colorado College (CO)

Connecticut College (CT)

Cornell College (IA)

Creighton University (NE)

Curry College (MA)

Denison University (OH)

Earlham College (IN)

Eastern Mennonite University (VA)

Eastman School of Music (NY)

Eckerd College (FL)

Emory University/Oxford College (GA)

Escuela Libre de Arquitectura (MX)

Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts (NY)

Eurythmeum Stuttgart (Ger)

Evergreen State College (WA)

Franklin University (Switzerland)

Fordham University (NY)

Fort Lewis College (CO)

George Mason University (VA)

Goucher College (MD)

Gonzaga university (WA)

Goshen College (IN)

Grossmont College (CA)

Guilford College (NC)

Hampshire College (MA)

Hawaii Pacific University (HI)

Hendrix College (AR)

Humboldt State University (CA)

Hunter College (NY)

Illinois Institute of Technology (IL)

International Christian University (Japan)

Juniata College (PA)

Kalamazoo College (MI)

Kenyon College (OH)

Kings College (TN)

Lawrence University (WI)

Lewis & Clark College (OR)

Linfield College (OR)

Loyola Marymount University (CA)

Macalester College (MN)

Mannes School of Music – The New School (NY)

Marlboro College (VT)

Marymount Manhattan College (NY)

Menlo College (CA)

Merrimack College (MA)

Metropolitan State University of Denver (CO)

Mills College (CA)

Minneapolis College of Art & Design (MN)

Monash University (AU)

Mount Holyoke College (MA)

Mount Saint Mary’s University (CA)

Naropa University (CO)

Northern Arizona University (AZ)

Oberlin College (OH)

Oregon State University (OR)

Pace University (NY)

Pacific Lutheran University (WA)

Pepperdine University (CA)

Pitzer College (CA)

Point Loma Nazarene University (CA)

Pomona College (CA)

Pratt Institute (NY)

Reed College (OR)

Regent University (UK)

Regis University (CO)

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY)

Richmond, The American International University in London (UK)

Sacramento State University (CA)

San Diego State University (CA)

San Francisco State University (CA)

Santa Barbara City College (CA)

Savannah College of Art and Design (GA)

Seattle Pacific University (WA)

Seton Hall University (NJ)

Southern Utah University (UT)

St. Mary’s College of California (CA)

St. Olaf College (MN)

Stetson University (FL)

Syracuse University (NY)

The College of Wooster (OH)

The New School New York (NY)

The New School, Parsons Paris (FR)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC)

Universidad Iberoamericana (MX)

Universidad Panamericana (MX)

University at Albany and Albany Law School (NY)

University of Arizona (AZ)

University of California, Davis (CA)

University of California, Irvine (CA)

University of California, Los Angeles (CA)

University of California, Merced (CA)

University of California, San Diego (CA)

University of California, San Francisco (CA)

University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)

University of Colorado Boulder (CO)

University of Denver (CO)

University of La Verne (CA)

University of Melbourne (AU)

University of Nebraska (NE)

University of Portland (OR)

University of Puget Sound (WA)

University of Redlands (CA)

University of Rochester (NY)

University of San Diego (CA)

University of San Francisco (CA)

University of the Pacific (CA)

University of Sydney (AU)

University of Vermont (VT)

Warren Wilson College (NC)

Watson University (CO)

Westmont College (CA)

Whittier College (CA)

Whitworth University (WA)

Willamette University (OR)

Wittenberg University (OH)

Woodbury University (CA)

*Universities attended by the Class of 2021

Our Graduates

Featured Alumni

Melody Cahoon

Melody Cahoon

Class of 2012

Melody graduated from Augsburg College in Minnesota with a BS in Music Therapy.  Her 3.5 GPA placed her on the Dean’s List, and she was the recipient of the Regent Scholarship and Hogander String Scholarship.  Melody has an extensive resume of therapy and mental health counseling within various organizations. She has written music for a sleep study at Masonic Children’s Hospital, and has performed with several community orchestras.  Melody currently works as a Music Therapist at Abbot-Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. She also leads a weekly therapy group titled “Melody’s Melodies” for women in chemical dependency treatment. Melody has a passion for helping others coupled with the determination and expertise to do it well.

Matt Garratt

Matt Garratt

Class of 2014

Matt moved to the UK where he studied at Bangor University in Wales, achieving First Class Honors for his BSc in Ocean Science in 2017.  During his university vacation, he spent 6 weeks in Spain at the Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute, where his WSSD Spanish came in very handy!  He then went on to study for a Masters in Marine Environmental Protection, also at Bangor, graduating in 2018 with Distinction. His thesis on the effects of artificial light pollution on intertidal ecosystems was subsequently written up as a paper and published in the journal “Science of the Total Environment”.  He has been working as a research assistant for the past year in the Fisheries Directorate at the Department of Environment, Food & Agriculture on the Isle of Man (British Isles). Matthew is now considering a Ph.D. and hopes to pursue a career as a fisheries scientist. 

Julian Klincewicz

Julian Klincewicz

Class of 2014

Julian has always been a creative soul and multi-disciplinary artist, delving into fashion design, socially conscious art, and video filmmaking.  Julian’s art & design exhibits were featured in Tokyo and the U.S. His solo runway show “Hey, I Like You” was a sellout at the Art Institute of San Diego and Julian took time after the show to greet the younger WSSD students in attendance, who were thrilled by his genuine interest in them.  Fun fact: his models were a variety of ages, shapes, and sizes (before it became fashionable!) and several wore hand-painted eurythmy shoes and silks along with custom pieces! He recently contributed film footage to the Beyonce concert documentary “Homecoming” and has worked with Kanye West and other notables.  Julian made the worldwide list of famous Waldorf alumni. 

www.thewaldorfs.waldorf.net.

Delavan Vannaken

Delavan Vannaken

Class of 2015

Delavan graduated from UC Merced, Class of 2019, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science and Engineering. Even more impressive, Delavan was one of only 3 students in the program to graduate Summa Cum Laude. Delavan is an avid video gamer and some of you may remember that for his WSSD Senior Project, he learned basic computer coding and created his own video game.  Delavan isn’t the only WSSD graduate to choose engineering as their major. So far we’ve had graduates entering the fields of computer, electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering. 

Milan Joinson-Szekerka

Milan Joinson-Szekerka

Class of 2015

Milan is currently a full-time student in her final year at San Diego State University majoring in Socio-Cultural Anthropology.  She has an excellent GPA and made the Dean’s List this year.  She was invited to be a featured student on the SDSU website (Anthropology) and gave a shout-out to her Waldorf education!  Milan has worked part-time at a boutique at The Headquarters for almost 3 years, helping to pay for college, and using her discretionary income to travel.  This year she has visited central Mexico, Bali, and the Riviera Maya, is currently planning a visit to Spain over Christmas Break, and an extensive trip to Europe after graduation.  Milan will graduate in May 2020 with zero student debt.  In the interim, she is working on an idea for a new small business (her third). 

Sarah Bowen

Sarah Bowen

Class of 2015

Sarah recently graduated from UC Irvine with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Earth System Science with a specialization in Oceanography.  She is currently working as a laboratory assistant for the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project.  She is also in the process of applying to various graduate schools in order to pursue a Master’s Degree in Oceanography.  Sarah lives in the Irvine area and is passionate about ensuring water quality.  Her dream job would be to work within a government agency in the capacity of an environmental specialist.  Sarah still keeps in contact with her WSSD besties and returns to San Diego to visit her family including her 5 siblings (4 of whom attended WSSD!). 

Delpha Hanson

Delpha Hanson

Class of 2015

Delpha attended Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. While at Hampshire, Del took classes in theatre, studio art, and history and even got the opportunity to be a Teaching Assistant for a class in which students built and ran an escape room!  Del graduated in May with a B.A. in Props Design and Fabrication. Del is currently the Props Fellow at Berkeley Repertory Theatre where she will be building, buying and painting props until June 2020. Following her fellowship, Del hopes to work as a Props Artisan at a regional theatre.

Maxine Calle

Maxine Calle

Class of 2016

Maxine is a second-year graduate student and NSF graduate fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. “I’m generally interested in algebraic topology and homotopy theory, and I also have an interest in mathematical visualization and communication.” She graduated from Reed College in 2020, where she got a BA in Mathematics and spent a lot of time in the Philosophy Department.

“Aside from academics, I enjoy practicing aerial acrobatics and making artwork (some of which you can see here). I am also very passionate about creating an inclusive, diverse mathematical community. To paraphrase this post by the AMS blog Inclusion/Exclusion, I believe that we must work towards an environment in which any person who wants to be a mathematician, can. We must work against the aspects of academia and STEM that sustain a racist system, and we must work to change mathematics itself to that it actually serves Black and Indigenous communities.”

Hunter Ottman

Hunter Ottman

Class of 2016

Hunter was here at the Waldorf School from Early Childhood through High School graduation.  For college, he chose UC Davis and is working on his BS in Landscape Architecture, with a Minor in Geographical Information Systems.  Hunter is the Vice-Chair of the Environmental Policy and Planning Commission (Associated Students, UC Davis).  He is also interning at Smart Landscape, via the Learning by Leading program offered by UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden.  Hunter was a lively and energetic youngster who learned to harness his drive and passion, becoming a model high school student.  He excelled in academics, particularly in math and science, and is also a gifted artist.  Hunter says he misses his Waldorf years, but “I feel their impression on me and on the decision I make every single day.”  

Quinten Giglio

Quinten Giglio

Class of 2016

Quinten decided to defer college and take a Gap Year after graduation, but not just any old gap program would do.  Quin auditioned for the off-Broadway musical STOMP and was accepted into the cast after many weeks of tryouts.  At just 18 years old Quin was the youngest member of the cast by 10 years and performed with the STOMP show for a year.  Quin took another year off to travel and teach drumming and is now enrolled at Lawrence University in Wisconsin majoring in Engineering (his WSSD Senior Project was 3-D printing!). 

Emiliano Gonzalez-Martinez

Emiliano Gonzalez-Martinez

Class of 2016

Emiliano began his college studies at the Escuela Libre de Arquitectura in Mexico.  Shortly thereafter, Emiliano was seriously injured in an accident resulting in paralysis from the neck down. While this would crush most people, Emiliano (with the loving support of family and friends) kept his winning smile and positive attitude and embarked on a journey of recovery through grueling physical therapy.  He has regained some movement in his hands and upper body and continues to work hard at healing. Emiliano recently gave an inspiring TED talk in his native Spanish language via CETYS University in Mexico. Emiliano says with a smile “accidents will happen” and it’s how we respond that can shape our life. He continues to live life undeterred and on his own terms. We can all learn a lot from Emiliano! Watch more here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLTd3Ql6Csw

Jason Hurlbut

Jason Hurlbut

Class of 2017

Jason studies violin performance at the Eastman School of Music and has taken masterclasses with a variety of renowned teachers. Jason placed first in the New Youth Orchestra (NYO) Solo Competition and was a finalist in the Alice and Eleonore Schoenfeld International String Competition and the Classics Alive Young Artists Auditions. In 2015, he was selected as the Moscow Ballet’s Musical Wunderkind San Diego, performing Saint-Saën’s Dying Swan at Copley Symphony Hall. He was an instructor at the NYO’s 2015 Mexico Summer Festival in Ciudad Guzman, a volunteer at ROCMusic, in Rochester, NY, and also offers private lessons. He is also an enthusiastic new music advocate who has performed with OSSIA New Music, premiered works of many Eastman student composers, and has performed his own original composition in the 2014 Harmony and Motion International Dance and Music Festival with the San Diego Civic Dance Company. Additionally, Jason was a recipient of the Eastman Institute of Music Leadership Mentorship Grant for the creation of a music video to the Giga from Partita No. 2 by J.S. Bach. When not playing the violin, Jason enjoys surfing, reading, chess, and listening to music.  You can watch his videos here:

https://www.jasonhurlbutviolin.com/portfolio

Below is a link to Jason’s Senior Recital at the Eastman School of Music.