Contact Information
-
MAILING : P.O. Box 8, Los Olivos, CA 93441
Ed Carpenter '64 Named Recipient of JDDA Award
Ceremony to Take Place April 27, 2024
Midland School is proud to announce Ed Carpenter ‘64 as the 2024 recipient of the John Dreyfuss ‘52 Distinguished Alumni Award (JDDA). This award is meant to honor a Midland graduate who has supported Midland and the greater community through distinguished service. JDDA recipients exemplify the ideals and values of the school, and each year the community gathers to honor the contributions of the recipient during our annual Alums, Parents and Friends Day.
Ed, a Portland-based artist whose work can be found around the world, served as a Midland Trustee from 2005 to 2021. During this time, he became Vice-Chair and ultimately Chair as well. His son Luke attended Midland and graduated with the Class of 2012. Ed’s spouse, Lauren Sheehan, is an accomplished and prolific musical performer who has also supported the Midland mission.
In the words of Christopher Barnes, Head of School, “Ed’s years of competing for and winning public art projects translated into a unique and valuable skill set for Midland. He never wavered from upholding the vision and mission in the moment, yet was always task and results-focused, led effective meetings, and had a gift for explaining complexity such that committees and the board could make good decisions. Ed led a decade-long campus planning effort that resulted in a significant expansion and improvement in faculty housing, renewed key facilities, and replaced half of our student housing – an astounding accomplishment! He would surely delegate much of the credit to others, yet it simply would not have happened without his leadership!”
Current Board Chair Tom Mone ‘72 speaks about the Board’s decision to honor Ed, “Ed Carpenter recognized the opportunity to apply his experience working with urban planners and architects as Midland’s campus upgraded its infrastructure as part of its long-term capital improvement plan. The most important skill Ed brought to this process was that he ensured all constituencies had a voice. The result of his collaborative and innovative approach is a campus that is beautifully positioned as it moves toward its centennial year and beyond.”
During Ed’s time as a Midland student, he was involved in several endeavors including serving as a photographer and ultimately Associate Editor of the Midland Mirror student-run newspaper. He was also active in track, basketball, soccer and baseball.
Competing in hurdles during the track season
To get to know what Ed was like as a student, read what the Midland Mirror graduation issue from 1964 said:
Ed has taken full advantage of the great outdoors during his stay at Midland, having spent many weekends and half-holiday afternoons hunting, fishing and camping, He and Moock have donated many live fish to the Midland museum and the reservoir, and Ed has spent the last two summers working at summer camps in the Sierras. Ed has participated enthusiastically in athletics in all his four years, lettering in track for his last three years, and in basketball, soccer and baseball his senior year. Ed has developed qualities of positive leadership during his stay at Midland, as is evidenced by his election to the class presidency in his junior year and the respect that the lower classmen have for him. Ed plans to attend Colorado College next year.
Midland students in 1964
The Midland community is grateful for all that Ed has contributed, during his time as a student and as an alum. A theme that comes across from his student days until now is his ability to create, to bring others into the process, and to make the world around him a beautiful place. Congratulations Ed!
Interested in Supporting Midland?
Continue exploring Midland stories View all
Continue exploring the Midland experience