Mercersburg Academy’s Alumni Council has announced the recipients of its 2026 awards, which will be presented Saturday, June 6, 2026, during Reunion Weekend. The awards are bestowed upon members of the Mercersburg alumni community for their service, leadership, and distinction. 

This year’s awards will be presented to Charlie Bell ’71 (Alumni Council Medal for Distinguished Achievement), Christopher Spurry ’66 (Alumni Council Medal for Distinguished Service), Kathryn Vickers ’06 (Alumni Council Prize for Achievement), Alexandra Hyrkas Moyle ’11 (Alumni Council Prize for Service), and Steven Zhang ’11 (Young Alumni Leadership Award). Board of Regents President Emerita, Denise Dupré ’76, will also receive the school’s highest distinction—the Class of ’32 Distinguished Alumni Award.

Charlie Bell ’71 will receive the Alumni Council Medal for Distinguished Achievement. Established in 1997, this prestigious award recognizes alumni who have excelled professionally or personally, bringing distinction to themselves and Mercersburg Academy. 

The son of longtime faculty members Frank and Rosie Bell, Charlies’ connection to Mercersburg runs deep. He boarded for three of his four years on campus, later returning to teach and coach at the school and serving on the Board of Regents for 10 years.

Following graduation, Charlie spent a gap year at Shrewsbury School in Shropshire, England, before entering Princeton University. There, he played varsity soccer, earned an engineering degree, and served as class poet. After three years working for IBM in Manhattan, Charlie left the corporate world to embark on an unsponsored, unsupported, solo lap of the continental United States—a 10,000-mile journey on foot that began from his parents’ home on Irvine Drive.

While working on a three-volume account of his odyssey, Charlie then returned to education, teaching, and coaching at both Mercersburg and Hotchkiss. A professional storyteller praised by The New York Times, he recorded a yearlong series for Connecticut Public Radio and has published articles in Reader’s Digest and Sports Illustrated. In 2023, he returned to campus to share his stories at the Joseph Hilliard Beauregard ’18 Memorial Spirit of Generosity school meeting.

Recently, Charlie and his daughter Amelia created long/run, a father/daughter podcast inspired by his younger daughter, Eliza, to share the stories of his remarkable journey. He and his wife, Kay Lindsay, live in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts.

Christopher "Chris" Spurry ’66 will receive the Alumni Council Medal for Distinguished Service. Established in 1957, this award honors alumni who have made outstanding contributions to Mercersburg Academy’s mission and its continued excellence in faculty, students, facilities, and financial strength.

The son of a commercial fisherman, Christopher grew up on the Chesapeake Bay before coming to Mercersburg on a full scholarship in 1963. On campus, he was a dedicated student leader and athlete: he served as a proctor in Main Hall, earned varsity letters in soccer, wrestling, and lacrosse, and worked as the head waiter for William C. Fowle during the year Ford Hall opened.

Chris attended Johns Hopkins University on a full scholarship before pausing his studies to raise a family. He paid his own way through subsequent studies at Loyola University, St. Joseph’s University, and the University of Maryland while working his way up the corporate ladder. Over 20 years, Chris rose from a messenger at the B&O Railroad to Executive Vice President of a multinational industrial holding company in New York. In 1983, he launched his own entrepreneurial journey, founding two successful companies in the commercial food service and refrigeration industries.

Today, Chris works part-time as a consultant and focuses on his family—a role he jokingly calls “the best job in the world.” His favorite Mercersburg memory is watching the snow fall on the Chapel.

Kathryn "Katie" Vickers ’06 will receive the Alumni Council Prize for Achievement. Established in 2016, this award recognizes alumni within 25 years of graduation who have distinguished themselves in their professional or personal lives and, in doing so, have brought honor to Mercersburg.

Kathryn is a choreographer and performer who explores the friction between sensation and meaning. With a background in both dance and experimental choreography, she questions how the body can discover the unfamiliar within the familiar. Her work has been presented across the United States and Northern Europe with support from institutions like deSingel, Dommelhof TAKT, and Uferstudios.

In her practice, Kathryn values the necessity of working in collectivity. She approaches the theater as a site of transformation—prioritizing “caring, softening, and tending” to create spaces that encourage autonomy in how audiences process performance. Her current research delves into themes of ecological concern and collective storytelling.

Kathryn is a graduate of P.A.R.T.S. (Belgium) and The Ohio State University, and holds an MFA from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

Alexandra “Nikki” Hyrkas Moyle ’11 will receive the Alumni Council Prize for Service. This award was established in 2016 to recognize alumni within 25 years of graduation who have made significant contributions to Mercersburg Academy’s mission. The award celebrates alumni who support the school’s excellence in areas such as faculty, student body, facilities, and financial strength.

At Mercersburg, Nikki was a dedicated student-athlete, serving as captain of the women’s swim team and as a member of the Marshall Society. She continued her athletic and leadership journey at the United States Naval Academy, where she competed on the Division I women’s swim team and served as a platoon commander before commissioning as a Naval officer.

Nikki embarked on a distinguished career as an MH-60R Seahawk pilot. Her exceptional leadership was recognized with the prestigious Carrier Air Wing 11 Peer Leadership Award and the Officer Leadership Award. She later served as an Instructor Pilot, teaching advanced flight operations and representing Naval aviation at the Women in Aviation International Conference.

Most recently, as Aviation Department Officer for the Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One, Nikki coordinated flight operations for 18 warships and pioneered policies for integrating drone technologies in active combat zones.

Nikki has remained deeply connected to Mercersburg, serving as a class reunion co-chair and a member of the Alumni Council. She is also a volunteer educator at the USS Midway Museum. She lives in San Diego with her husband, Jack, and their son, Jon Jon; the family is expecting their second child in January 2026. Nikki enjoys cooking Greek food, skiing, surfing, and cheering on the San Diego Padres.

Steven Zhang ’11 will receive the Young Alumni Leadership Award. This prestigious honor, established in 2016, recognizes alumni within 15 years of graduation whose achievements reflect excellence in their profession, service to their community, and contributions to humanity, the public, or Mercersburg. The award embodies the values, spirit, and pride of the school.

A Presidential Scholar and member of the Cum Laude Society, Steven fully immersed himself in campus life during his time at Mercersburg, including as a member of the Octet and a participant in Stony Batter productions. Following graduation, he attended the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, where he earned a B.A. in Economics.

Steven began his career in investment banking and capital markets at Morgan Stanley before making history in the sports world. As President of FC Internazionale Milano (Inter Milan), he became the youngest and one of the most decorated presidents in the club’s history. 

Steven serves as a board member of Suning.com Co., Ltd. In this role, he oversees strategic management, operations, and investment, working to support sustainable growth across retail, real estate, and financial services. Recognized by Fortune China as one of the “40 Under 40” most influential business leaders in consecutive years, Steven is deeply committed to fostering cross-cultural exchange and strengthening commercial and technological collaboration between East and West.