Alice Paul Merit Award: Mark Mitchell ’86 honored for lifelong commitment to providing access to independent schools for all students

2021 Alice Paul Merit Award recipient Mark Mitchell ’86 has made a lifelong commitment to keeping the doors of educational access and opportunity open to all students. He was presented with the award virtually by Head of School Julia de la Torre at the Alumni Weekend Kickoff and Awards Presentation on May 7.

Mark came to MFS in ninth grade from Morgan Village Middle School in Camden, NJ as a Camden Scholar under the aegis of A Better Chance (ABC). He was a four-year member of Student Council, competed in track and played basketball, and was a National Merit Commended Scholar. He attended Northwestern University, earning a B.S. in communications.

His career path started out in financial aid and student services, and he has become a thought leader in that field. Today he serves as the Vice President of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and also as Vice President of the Enrollment Management Association. Through Mark’s work at NAIS, he has had a chance to shape the conversation around access to education. He has authored dozens of articles, book chapters and blogs and is a frequent presenter at local, state, regional, national and international conferences. Topics he is expert on include tuition pricing, affordability, demographic and income trends, and school financial aid policy and practices.

Mark describes himself as passionate about “challenging schools to affirm the value of economic diversity in their school communities, keeping themselves accessible to families whose children only lack the financial resources to achieve their greatest potential.”

He built his expertise starting out as an Assistant Director of Financial Aid at Northwestern, then moved on to direct New Student Financial Aid at Lake Forest College. Next, he worked with the Access Group, Inc. of Wilmington DE, focusing on financing graduate student education. While in Delaware, he served on the Board of Delaware Futures, which provided tutoring, mentoring, and college guidance for low-income at-risk youth. Then, over 20 years ago, he joined NAIS.

Mark has also made a point of giving back to MFS. He served on the School Committee from 2005 to 2014, and has always been gracious about being a sounding board for the school about its financial aid and admissions strategies. He spoke at the Convocation celebrating the school’s 225th anniversary in September 2010. He served on the 2011-12 Strategic Planning Oversight Committee. He has been a member of the Camden Scholars Program Ad Hoc Committee. A loyal and generous donor, Mark has been a lead contributor to the Annual Fund, the Van Meter Endowment for the Camden Scholars Program, and the Great Classrooms for Great Kids campaign.

Mark says that without MFS, he would not be doing what he does today. In the workshops and talks he gives to school leaders, he emphasizes that it is a joy to help them do for students and families what MFS did for him and his family. Reflected Mark: “Based on my personal experiences at MFS, I know first-hand the transformative power and value of access to high-quality education. Helping schools make that transformation happen for others keeps my work authentic, true, and rewarding. Moorestown Friends also taught me that there is that of God in everyone. This belief has undoubtedly influenced my professional life and interests. I strive to honor the Light in others by providing opportunities for people to grow and learn how to be better, whether it’s a financial aid director seeking new skills or a parent seeking the right school for her child.”

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