The world may look a bit unusual right now, but there are plenty of ways to engage virtually with Mercersburg.
Thank you for your interest in Mercersburg Academy! We look forward to connecting with you and introducing you to our school. Please make use of the resources on this page at your leisure, explore the rest of our website, and be in touch with any questions.
Submit an Inquiry
This is the first step in getting to know Mercersburg Academy and Mercersburg getting to know you. Get the ball rolling with this quick form.
Schedule a Formal Interview
Ready to dive into the application process? Get a Zoom interview or in-person interview on the books by scheduling through the admission portal if you’ve set up log-in credentials or by contacting the Admission Office. Plan for about an hour for the conversation—30 minutes for the student and 30 minutes for the parent(s).
Meet Our Admission Counselors
LIAM CHATTERTON
The Chapel garden. When my family walks around campus, we love to go under the Chapel arch and through the garden gate. My four-year-old son is convinced it transports us into a new world, and the look on his face is magical. It reminds me of the joy that can come from the small things in life.
Declamation at the end of Irving-Marshall Week. I’m amazed by the poise, passion, and confidence that each of the student-declaimers possesses when delivering monologues on stage in the Simon Theatre in front of the entire student body and a panel of judges.
There have been many, but the one that stands above the rest was the birth of my daughter. The support from the community was overwhelming and reinforced just how fortunate we were to be part of the Mercersburg family.

ANNA CROUCH
The Prentiss-Zimmerman Quad or just “the quad.” You can find me doing loops around the quad after lunch with a colleague, in the evening pushing a stroller, or on the weekend with a friend. No matter the season, the mountains create a beautiful backdrop and Adirondack chairs dot the grassy center.
The senior class trip right before Commencement Weekend. As a chaperone, this event means late nights, early mornings, and being in the wilderness with 130 students, but it's also a welcomed chance to disconnect and spend quality time with the seniors and my faculty friends before the year ends.
This moment happens every day: family-style lunches with the entire school! This moment keeps us all connected even when it feels like we are running in a million different directions. Students and teachers make announcements and there’s always a quote of the day. I love the routine of this and the unexpected moments within this time—birthday claps for several students, a poem read, a sports team recognized for a big win the previous night, and skits during Irving-Marshall Week.

LENA ECKSTINE
My seat at Table #36 in the dining hall. I love being able to connect with our entire school community there every weekday, and especially on advisory lunch days! These family-style meals are a way that I've gotten to spend quality time with so many members of our community over the years.
The Moving-Up Ceremony at the end of each school year. The event marks the growth of our students from year to year, similar to a birthday or an anniversary. It reminds us that our students are growing up and maturing, and I always find it to be a profound and proud moment to savor.
One moment that was incredibly special for me was the graduation of the Class of 2020. My work as a student adviser began four years prior, and the graduation of this class marked the first time I witnessed students’ four-year journey so personally from start to finish. What an incredible group of students. From their admission interview to receiving their diploma, their time with us goes quickly, but it is life-changing for them and for us!

JAKE KENNEDY
Irvine Memorial Chapel. Our Chapel is a living museum, and I love how rich it is with history. It's humbling to think about the generations of Mercersburg faculty and students who sat in the pews before us.
Likely connected to my love for the Chapel, my favorite tradition is the candlelight ceremony leading up to the holidays. Filled with music and decked out in local greenery, the Chapel is at its finest!
Nothing beats when I came to visit for my interview and received my campus tour with a Blue Key tour guide. With students and faculty saying “hello” and introducing themselves to me along the way, I felt like I was already part of the family and knew this would be my next home.

AMY MOHR
The Edwards Room. The history of the Academy surrounds me there. I see the hand-carved woodwork, the beautiful chandeliers, the older volumes of books, and the Tiffany stained glass windows—reminders that this was once a bustling dining room and a library.
I love the "Moving Up" ceremony in the Chapel when we pass the leadership on to the next class and physically see the seniors step aside as they prepare to graduate. Seeing the changed faces of each rising class as they move into the seats vacated by the class before them brings me great joy.
One of my favorite moments was when a formerly homesick ninth-grade advisee wanted to serve the dorm as a prefect to new ninth graders to help them through that transition. He went on to become a mentor within his college fraternity and is still helping his classmates transition to the workforce in the job he landed after graduating from college.

ZACH SWOPE
Standing outside the library at night when it’s lit up. Lenfest Hall is beautiful regardless of the time of day, but there’s something special about this building at night—quiet and picturesque from the outside but illuminated from within by students and faculty working, meeting, talking, and studying.
Declamation following Irving-Marshall Week. The mere act of bravery that students exhibit in choosing to declaim is impressive in its own right, but the hard work, time, and emotion that’s delivered by every declaimer year after year is almost awe inspiring.
Some of the most fun I’ve had while “working” has come while sitting at the duty desk in the dorms in the evening or on a weekend. You see everyone in the dorm and interact with students and other faculty in ways you might never expect. Whether it’s just catching up, joking around, discussing school, debating a topic, etc., those informal conversations are some of the most meaningful and entertaining experiences I could ask for.

RUDY WISE
The quad space between the Chapel and the library. The view of the mountains in the background when facing the library is simply breathtaking, and I find it to be a reminder of just how blessed I am to be associated with the Academy.
I just completed my first year, so I have yet to identify my favorite Mercersburg tradition!
Grabbing a school van at least once a month and taking some of the basketball players and other students to the barbershop in Hagerstown, Maryland, on a Saturday morning. As much as the guys looked forward to getting a haircut, I equally enjoyed being able to bond with them and getting to know them while off campus—something I will continue to do while at Mercersburg.
Take a Campus Tour
Campus tours are of limited availability right now because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but below are two tours to experience Mercersburg from afar. Nothing quite substitutes for visiting us, but these virtual opportunities will give you a taste of the real thing.
Contact Our Head Blue Keys
Head Blue Keys are our student tour guide leaders. In lieu of in-person tours, they invite you to reach out with questions about Mercersburg, and they’ll be in touch!

Andy Armbruster
Class of 2021
Mertztown, PA
Blue Key, Civil Air Patrol Club, Conservative Club, Green Team, Student-Alumni Association
Guitar, surfing, reading, volunteer work
Swimming in the Lloyd Aquatic Center
Step Songs and bonfire at Family and Alumni Weekend
“Despite every individual at Mercersburg being so unique from a cultural and personality standpoint, we all have one thing in common: we have goals. I chose Mercersburg because I was sure the culture of hard work and discipline on campus would ensure that I would be around peers and teammates who also had high standards for themselves. Mercersburg is the place to grow academically, athletically, and socially.”

Clara Getty
Class of 2021
Allentown, PA
Cross country, MAPS, Marshall officer/declaimer, peer group leader
Cooking, food blogging, health/lifestyle, studio art, travel
Running on Sycamore Lane
Irving-Marshall Week
“When my family first visited Mercersburg, we were so impressed by the sense of community. Faculty and staff were super friendly and reached out to us throughout the admission process—and have turned out to be amazing resources and advisers during my time here. We all had a good gut feeling and knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity when I got accepted.”

Katrina Lovegren
Class of 2021
San Jose, California
Athletic trainer, diver, former field hockey player, Prefect for freshmen girls in Fowle Hall, The Mercersburg News (front page editor)
Lifeguarding, skateboarding, binging Netflix (Criminal Minds, Gilmore Girls, Parks and Recreation), San Jose Sharks, coffee, cheese
Reading or studying in Lenfest Hall
Irving-Marshall Week
“I chose Mercersburg because of the tight-knit community that I noticed as soon as I walked onto campus. Everyone is so close and caring of one another, and I wanted to be a part of the Mercersburg family!”

Lian Wang
Class of 2021
Hong Kong
Blue Review literary and arts magazine, dance, The Mercersburg News
Reading, writing, hiking
At a corner table in the dining hall on weekend mornings, catching up on work and talking with friends who drop by
Family-style lunches
“Everyone I met when I applied talked about Mercersburg with so much excitement and love for the community. Here, the students and faculty truly care about you as an individual and will enthusiastically support you as a student, athlete, musician, dancer, or anything else you choose to do.”

John Xu
Class of 2022
Shanghai, China
MAPS, The Mercersburg News, Student Council
Music, violin, sports, snowboarding, trying new things, my friend’s Shiba Inu
Rehearsing in the Burgin Center for the Arts
Step Songs and bonfire at Family and Alumni Weekend
“I chose Mercersburg because of the extensive courses, the opportunity to try new things, and, above all, the welcoming community. Mercersburg pushes students out of their comfort zones to try new things and make mistakes, which I believe has been the most valuable part of my experience here.”

Farah Yahaya
Class of 2021
Easton, PA
Black Student Union, The Mercersburg News (managing editor), Prefect
Creative writing, hanging out with friends, reading, pop culture, current events, Pinterest mood boards
Hanging out behind South Cottage
Inbound, dining hall desserts
“I was instantly drawn to Mercersburg because of the warmth and welcomingness of its community. Even as a visitor, I was touched by how thoughtful and dedicated my tour guide and the admission committee were to helping me get a glimpse of what the next four years of my life could be.”
Meet the Faculty
A number of our faculty and staff have shared video messages below about the academic departments, athletic teams, arts groups, and other programs they represent. Feel free to reach out to them directly with any questions, or browse our complete faculty/staff directory.Kristin Ahlgren
Head Girls’ Lacrosse Coach, Head Field Hockey Coach, and English Faculty
ahlgrenk@mercersburg.edu
John David Bennett
Director of Springboard and Dean of Curricular Innovation
bennettj@mercersburg.edu
Jay Bozzi
History Department Head and MAPS (Senior Capstone) Faculty
bozzij@mercersburg.edu
Mike Conklin
Director of College Counseling
conklinm@mercersburg.edu
Kelly Dowling
Stony Batter Players Production Manager and Assistant Director of the Burgin Center for the Arts
dowlingk@mercersburg.edu
David Grady
Head Indoor Track & Field Coach, Boys’ Cross Country Coach, and Mathematics Faculty
gradyd@mercersburg.edu
Pete Gunkelman
Director of Outdoor Education
gunkelmanp@mercersburg.edu
Eric Hicks
Head Boys’/Girls’ Tennis Coach and Science Faculty
hickse@mercersburg.edu
Lauren Hoffman
Head Softball Coach and Associate Director of Athletics
hoffmanl@mercersburg.edu
Trini Hoffman
Director of Student Activities
hoffmant@mercersburg.edu
Nate Jacklin ’96
Head Wrestling Coach and History Faculty
jacklinn@mercersburg.edu
Matt Jacobs
Head Baseball Coach and Assistant Director of Summer Programs
jacobsm@mercersburg.edu
Laura Nickerson
Director of Health and Wellness Services
nickersonl@mercersburg.edu
Justine O’Connell
Director of Global Programs, Model UN Adviser, and Language Faculty
oconnellj@mercersburg.edu
Alexandra Patterson
Director of Library Services and English Faculty
pattersona@mercersburg.edu
Chip Patterson
English Department Head
pattersonc@mercersburg.edu
Kristen Pixler
Head Girls’ Soccer Coach and Arts Faculty
pixlerk@mercersburg.edu
Susan Rahauser
Director of Student Counseling Services
rahausers@mercersburg.edu
Paul Sipes
Head Girls’ Basketball Coach and Associate Director of Athletics
sipesp@mercersburg.edu
Doug Smith
Head Golf Coach and School Archivist
smithd@mercersburg.edu
Jen Smith ’97
Head Diving Coach and Dean of Academics
smithjen@mercersburg.edu
Nikki Walker
Head Outdoor Track & Field Coach and Science Department Head
walkern@mercersburg.edu
Will Whitmore
School Minister and History/Religion Faculty
whitmorew@mercersburg.edu
Will Willis
Director of Environmental Initiatives and Science Faculty
willisw@mercersburg.edu
Leela Woody
English Faculty and Interim Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
woodyl@mercersburg.edu
Connect with a Parent
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