Featured Alumnus: Andrew Valentine ’05

Intersession is one of the unique learning opportunities offered at Avon Old Farms. It allows students to spend a week participating in hands-on learning outside of the classroom, in a subject of their choice. It’s also an opportunity for alumni to get involved! This year, Andrew Valentine ’05 took advantage of that.

Andrew explains that during Intersession last year, he saw a few of his former classmates judging the dishes made by one of the culinary courses and wanted in. “I saw pictures from last year and that made me jealous,” Andrew shares. So, during the last week of March, Andrew spent two days on Avon’s campus helping students as they learned how to cook various foods and then sampling the results. On Friday, it was handmade pasta and sauce from scratch, followed by Spanish paella cooked and enjoyed at Nimrod Cabin. On Saturday, he served as a judge in the student cooking competition.

It was a chance for Andrew to return to campus and once again immerse himself in the energy of our all-boys environment. It was also a chance for him to mentor students in cooking, something he has a passion for. “Cooking is something I’ve always enjoyed, even before I ever got to Avon. It’s an area that I’ve always felt safe to express myself in.” He adds that cooking has also been a way he’s reconnected with some of his former classmates. “Over the years, I’ve rekindled friendships with a few guys over cooking. It’s funny. We all played football together, and back then I couldn’t imagine us all bonding over this type of thing.”

He's hoping to be able to see a lot of those guys in the fall when he returns to campus for his 20-year reunion. “I already have PTO taken for it,” Andrew says. “Hopefully we get a good group of guys there.” After missing his 10-year reunion due to a broken leg, he’s excited for his next chance to catch up with his brothers and mentors. “There’s really a lot to look forward to, including embarrassing myself on the golf course. But really, I’m most looking forward to reconnecting with everyone, seeing where they’ve gone and what they’ve done. We all have a similar start to our stories with how Avon impacted our lives.”

In fact, several members of Andrew’s family have a chapter dedicated to Avon in the story of their lives. It began in the 1940’s when distant relative Jimmy Stewart ’43 enrolled at the school. Jimmy’s cousin Abrahm Valentine, Andrew’s grandfather, served on the Board of Directors for several years. Abrahm's son, and Andrew’s uncle, Richard Valentine ’64, continued the legacy. 

For Andrew, his own Avon story began his sophomore year, when he decided he wanted the freedom of living away from home. He toured different boarding schools throughout the country, but his dad nudged him toward Avon Old Farms after hearing about the experience his family members had. Andrew says it didn’t take long for him to know it was the right choice. “I’ve been thankful since pretty much day one. At public school, I felt like I was just a number. Avon allowed me to feel comfortable and seen. By my second year, I really started to find my place. I started to figure out who I was in this world and what I needed.”

At Avon, Andrew was a member of the Network Club and the varsity football and tennis teams. “I brought the same kind of physicality that I brought to football to tennis, too,” he jokes. “Thankfully Matt Jones ’05, my doubles partner, kept me under control most of the time.”

While his athletic involvement provided him with plenty of memorable moments, he says his fondest memories from Avon came during uneventful evenings in the dorms, where entertainment was found just by stepping out into the hallway. “Really when I think about Avon, I think about the fun we had on that floor in Pelican. If you were ever bored, you didn’t have to walk far to find someone to hang out with. Jeff Soyster ’05 was in the next room over and he was the best man at my wedding. Quinn Bannon ’05 was another. I’ve never lost contact with those guys.”

Just as memorable and influential for Andrew was the time spent with mentors, like Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08 and Tim Roller. “Just being able to sit and talk with them about anything was helpful. I felt heard.” As a peewee football coach, Andrew says he now finds himself teaching his players much more than just the fundamentals of a sport—something exemplified for him through interactions with Driscoll, Roller, and other Avon educators. “That was something I learned from Avon: a lot of lessons aren’t taught in a classroom. That’s what I try to do now with my team. Passing down knowledge is one of the best things we can do as people.”

After graduating from Avon, Andrew studied business management at Springfield College, where he met his wife, Stephanie. The two were married on Avon’s campus in June of 2012, and now have two daughters.

Following his time in Springfield, Andrew returned to the Philadelphia area, where he is originally from, and began his career working as a financial advisor. After a few brief stints at different companies, he settled in at Vanguard where he held multiple roles managing and directing billions of dollars. He remained there for 12 years until this past fall when he took a job with the National Philanthropic Trust. In his new role, Andrew still works in the finance industry, but in this case helping donors achieve their philanthropic needs. “It’s nice knowing that the end work I’m doing is going to help people.”

Andrew says his time at Avon ingrained in him a few qualities that have translated to success in his career. First and foremost, he says, is accountability. This trait was instilled in him within his first few months at Avon, when he accidentally set off the fire alarm in Eagle. As students and faculty filed out of the building, Andrew says he found Mr. John Crocker P’11 and immediately admitted he was to blame. As a result, Crocker made sure Andrew’s punishment wouldn’t be a severe one.

The second life-long lesson Avon gave Andrew was the importance of community. “Community is a big part of it. Whether at Avon or in your hometown, you need to be active in the things you care about.”

The third trait Andrew picked up at Avon is the ability to be a good leader. “Leadership is another thing Avon teaches you. One of the greatest lessons Avon taught me is when to lead, and when to rely on others to lead.”

In addition to his role in the recent Intersession course, Andrew gives back to Avon through his participation in the Alumni Mentorship program. Through this program, Andrew was appointed a recent Avon graduate to provide general or niche advice. “We talk on the phone every week. It provides him an insight into what he’ll expect in the workforce.”

It’s just another way for Andrew to give back to Avon, and stay in touch with a place that means so much. For any alumni that share a similar feeling and are looking for their next opportunity to come back to campus, Reunion 2025 will be held on the weekend of September 19-21. More details can be found here.