09/08/2026
🍎School Bell: MRHS Alumni Speaker Series Kicks Off🍎
By Suzanne Marino
High school students are looking ahead to what comes next. Whether heading to college, the military, or the workforce, many questions remain. Senior Macenzi Campbell worked for over a year with the administration to coordinate a panel of recent MRHS grads with at least a year of college experience. These homegrown experts shared their knowledge with current students on topics important to them. Campbell served as the moderator and said her impetus for the event was that her sister was not as prepared for the transition to college as she could have been, and she wanted future grads to have a clearer vision of what to expect next.
📝This installment of the MRHS Alumnae Speaker Series helped students wrap their heads around what to expect as they transition from the familiar hallways of Mainland to the next chapter of their lives. College life, academically and socially, took center stage as recent grads talked about how they were navigating their own successful journey.
📝MRHS Principal David Jacobs and Athletic Director Billy Kern introduced the alumni to begin the program. The panel included Mazi Salartash from Duke, Anika Deshpande from the University of Pennsylvania, Kasey O’Brien of the University of Virginia, Elizabeth Ong of the University of Pennsylvania, Katie Leonard of New York University, Colin Kummings of Rutgers, Joseph D’Alessandro of Wesleyan University, and Kylee Watson, who recently completed her master's degree at Villanova.
📝There were several rounds, and students had submitted questions in advance for the panel. Macenzi invited students to interrupt her if they had follow-up questions.
📝She kicked off the questions by asking Mazi Salartash about the transition from MRHS to Duke academically and socially. He said he enjoys the rigor of his college courses, and he likewise enjoys the work-hard-play-hard mantra at Duke. He spoke about meeting new people and assured those in the audience, “In college, you find your own family.” He told students that he treats school as a 9-to-5 job and has learned to compartmentalize.
📝The moderator asked Anika Deshpande what inspired her to study mechanical engineering and applied science. She replied that she wanted to have a degree that would keep as many doors open as possible. Kasey O’Brien has chosen the fields of architecture, civil engineering, and business. Macenzi asked her to explain her reasoning. For Kasey, it is about the minors complementing the architecture. Macenzie asked Elizabeth Ong if her family ties to Penn influenced her to choose the school. Elizabeth responded that she always envisioned herself there. Katie Leonard chose percussion and instrumental performance as her major. When asked why, she said it was where she felt she would thrive and added that NYU had already opened doors for her.
📝Colin Kummings is in the honors program at Rutgers, majoring in finance. He gave the MRHS students real food for thought, saying, “Surround yourself with people who work hard. Do the work, and social comes when the work is done.” Joseph D’Alessandro balances academics, coaching, and extracurricular life at Wesleyan. Joseph said he puts in about 50 hours a week as a member of the football coaching staff in season. For him, achieving balance was important. He advised anyone with an eye on athletics to study and work hard every day. “Accomplish that, and you will be able to find time to meet with friends without falling behind. Being a student comes first, but athletics take up the time.”
📝MRHS basketball record holder Kylee Watson attended several schools and talked about the transitions and transfers. Kylee first attended the University of Oregon after graduating from Mainland. She loved her friends but decided to go through the portal and transfer to Notre Dame, and she loved her time there. She graduated from Notre Dame and had the chance to play basketball for another year, but chose to be closer to home and the people and culture of the shore, and transferred to Villanova. For a big-time college athlete, Macenzi asked, "What tactics did Kylee incorporate to stay on top?" “Time management and setting priorities. All the work you have to put in is time-consuming, so you have to understand your priorities. Procrastination will catch up with you.”
📝The students then had plenty of follow-up questions: Has a professor inspired you? Have you joined clubs? How is the food? For the record, the “freshman 15” is real at Duke. Rutgers has eight dining halls, but Villanova has a Wawa on campus. Colin Kummings advised students to get involved in some professional organizations to help them stand out. For him, it is the Little Investment Banker at Rutgers. Kasey O’Brien summed the transition up by saying, “When your parents leave, and you are on your own, it changes your perspective. It is not hard, but it is a big change.”
📝Mainland students had many follow-up questions for the Mustang alum. Macenzi was upbeat, adding that the information shared was valuable for students entering their senior year.
