Honoring Friends Select Alumni, Faculty, and Staff

Distinguished Alumni Award

The Distinguished Alumni Award honors alumni who have displayed distinctive achievements in a chosen field or endeavor and have made significant contributions to public service and society. 
 

The Honorable Vincent J. Hughes ’74 

Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent J. Hughes is a leading progressive voice on local, state, and national issues. As Democratic Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Hughes holds a major role in developing Pennsylvania’s annual budget, carefully guiding the state’s spending priorities.

As a key member of the Senate’s Democratic leadership team, Sen. Hughes is a champion for major policy issues such as constitutionally funding Pennsylvania’s education system, ending the gun violence epidemic; expanding health insurance for the uninsured; raising the minimum wage; defending the right to vote; expanding housing options for working- and low-income residents; and investing in small, diverse businesses.

He is also a member of Cheyney University’s council of trustees. He and his family established the James Hughes Memorial Scholarship Fund in honor of his late father, which has awarded more than $1 million in college scholarships to talented students who have overcome challenges and want to make a positive difference in the world. Sen. Hughes is extremely dedicated to the progress of his district, which is made up of parts of Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties. He is a member of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, and he is supported by his loving wife, Emmy award-winning actress, entertainer, and activist Sheryl Lee Ralph, and their blended family of four children.

Distinguished Teaching Award

The Distinguished Teaching Award recognizes faculty and staff who have contributed significantly to the life of the school through their teaching and mentoring over a minimum of five years. Criteria include a commitment to the school community; a record of outstanding teaching effectiveness; an ability to inspire, promote, and sustain the intellectual and developmental needs of students; a pedagogical approach that is innovative, intellectually rigorous, creative, and engaging; and a commitment to Quaker values, practice, and service.

Jim Brubaker  

Jim Brubaker joined Friends Select in 1980, teaching physics, computer science, electronics, astronomy, and robotics. For 33 years, he managed upper school scheduling, developing computer programming for scheduling, grade recording, and comments. Jim played a pivotal role in Friends Select’s technology evolution, serving as computer coordinator and later as director of technology. He oversaw the transition from Apple IIe and Commodore Pet computers to networked systems, smartboards, projectors, and a learning management system. As science department chair, he initiated the Math Science Symposium, a tradition lasting 25 years. Jim received the 2006 Outstanding Science Teacher Award from the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers. "At present he is a ceramic artist, showcasing his work at a Manheim, PA farmers market and online at jimsclaycreations.com.

Meritorious Service Award

The Meritorious Service Award honors an individual for sustained and exemplary service to Friends Select School. Eligible individuals include alumni and other qualified “honorary” alumni of the Friends Select community, such as faculty, staff, trustees, administrators, parents, and guardians.

Ingrid Lakey ’89, P’27 

Ingrid Lakey graduated from Friends Select in 1989 and is the parent of a 10th grader at the school. She is also in her ninth year on Friends Select’s board of trustees and fifth year as board clerk. As someone deeply committed to Quaker education because of the profound effect it had on her life, Ingrid is a practicing Quaker and a member of the Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. Ingrid received her bachelor’s degree in communications from Temple University in 1994. 
She has been a trainer and a facilitator for more than 25 years, with 15 years in the field of public radio working for NPR, local Philadelphia stations, and the national program Justice Talking. Her activism, focused mainly on climate change and antiracism, is rooted in her Quaker faith and practice.

Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

The Athletic Hall of Fame honors alumni and coaches who have exemplified outstanding athletics as well as good sportsmanship while representing Friends Select School. For alumni, the nominee's class year must be at least five years from the time of nomination. The nominee may also have served the school as a coach or administrator for a minimum of five years.

Betty Everett ’42 

Betty Everett is a dedicated supporter of FSS and has contributed for over 30 years. Betty was not only an outstanding student; she was also a leader in the athletic program as a member of the field hockey, tennis, basketball, and softball teams and the recipient of the girls’ athletic award during her graduating year. Her Friends Select experience shaped her academic success and influenced her career, as she pursued graduate studies and earned a doctorate in physical education administration. She then became chairperson of the women’s physical education department at the University of Northern Colorado. An advocate for Title IX, Betty worked to ensure gender discrimination was not a barrier for women in collegiate sports, and she was inducted into the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003. Betty was instrumental in developing the Intermountain Conference, which became the template for other collegiate women's athletic conferences in the 1960s and 70s. Today, Betty is an avid sports fan and lives in Arizona.

Paul Marcucci ’69 

After his graduation from Friends Select School, Paul Marcucci received degrees in both chemistry and biology from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in 1973, and graduated from Temple University Dental School in 1977. He entered his father’s dental practice that same year and eventually managed two of his family’s practices before opening his own in 2004. Paul continued his career in dentistry until officially retiring in 2020. Paul has volunteered for various organizations. He has served as a member of the board of trustees of the former Phila-delphia College of Bible and as a choir director, and he is actively involved in youth ministry. He and his wife, Marilyn, currently work with children at Solid Rock Baptist Church in Berlin, NJ. They have two sons and two granddaughters.

Bruce Gessner ’74 (posthumous)

During his time at Friends Select, Bruce Gessner forged strong lifelong friendships both on and off the basketball court and soccer fields. After graduation in 1974, Bruce earned a degree from Susquehanna University. He began a long career as a mechanical engineer, and his first job led him to meet his future wife, Patricia, whom he married in 1982. He became stepfather to William Lokey and the couple added two children shortly thereafter, Shannon and Sean. The family lived in Juniata Park, NJ for many years until moving to Cherry Hill, NJ in 1998. Bruce worked the majority of his career for Wick Fisher and White Engineering. After a short illness, Bruce passed away in 2023 surrounded by his family and loved ones. Bruce enjoyed being a grandfather and great-grandfather.

Emily Payne ’14

Emily Payne was a 12-season athlete during her time at Friends Select, participating in soccer, cross country, basketball, and softball. She graduated 
from Bloomsburg University in 2018 with a degree in psychology. Currently a support coordinator in Philadelphia County, Emily manages services and supports for individuals who have autism and intellectual disabilities to help them live happy and fulfilling lives. Although not as active as she was 10 years ago, Emily enjoys biking along the Schuylkill River Trail and playing ping pong with her wife.

To nominate a classmate or faculty member for the 2025 Alumni Awards, and to learn about the criteria for nomination, visit friendsselect.org/alumni