MUS News Archive

School is Out, Summer is Here!

5/26/2023

Our regular academic year has concluded, and fourth-quarter grades will be available online Friday, June 2. MUS will be closed in observance of Memorial Day on Monday, May 29. Summer programs begin soon - see details HERE.

Summer Math Packet Help Labs!

5/23/2023

Summer Help Labs will be open selected Tuesdays (July 11, July 18, July 25, and August 1) from 9 a.m. – noon for students who need to ask questions about Summer Math Packets.

ACT Math Prep Class: June 5, July 10

5/22/2023

Owls in rising grades 9-12 should check out this new ACT Math Prep Class, offered in June and July. Practice makes perfect, so get ready for the upcoming ACT with Mathematics Department Co-Chair Phillip Stalls! You will take a practice exam each day and review areas that proved challenging. Gain experience and prepare for success!

AP History Prep Class: June 19, 26

5/22/2023

Rising sophomores and juniors should take advantage of the NEW AP History prep classes offered beginning June 19 or June 26! These one-week courses introduce the AP exam format and hone testing skills.

IMPORTANT: New Opt-In for Emergency, Other Notifications

5/19/2023

MUS weather closings, emergency notifications, and athletic team messages are sent to families via our texting system – and the system is changing our number June 2.

IMPORTANT: Text YES to the new number, 79041, to opt-in so you will begin getting MUS text notifications after the number change, and save 79041 in your contacts so it won’t be blocked.

Summers Named to Hergenrader Chair

5/19/2023

Headmaster Pete Sanders has named Dr. Kyle Summers as the Sally and Wil Hergenrader Chair of Excellence in Science. Summers has taught Biology and AP Biology since arriving at MUS in 2020 and serves as co-advisor for the school’s HOSA Club.

Taylor Receives Jean Barbee Hale Award

5/19/2023

Ask anyone in the Athletics Department who is the most valuable member of the team, and they are likely to name this staff member: Athletics Administrative Assistant Beth Taylor. When Headmaster Pete Sanders announced that Taylor was the 2023 recipient of the Jean Barbee Hale Award for Outstanding Service, employees assembled for the Faculty Luncheon rose for a standing ovation.

Varsity, JV Baseball Tryouts

5/19/2023

Varsity and JV baseball tryouts will be Wednesday-Thursday, May 31-June 1, 5-6:30 p.m., on D. Eugene Thorn Baseball Field.

Class of 2023 Videos, Photos

5/17/2023

Baccalaureate and Commencement were wonderful celebrations! You can download the videos HERE.

We have posted many Class of 2023 pictures in our Photo Gallery Look for Baccalaureate, Commencement, Graduation Awards, Headmaster Lunch/Grad Rehearsal, and Senior Picnic folders. You can download the photos free from there.

Valedictorian Frederick Huang

5/16/2023

Valedictorian Frederick Huang is an inquisitive scholar, an accomplished swimmer, a gifted musician, and a caring friend. His insatiable intellectual curiosity and tireless work ethic are hallmark traits. His focus on overall wellness – physical, mental, and social-emotional – including prioritizing sleep, sets an example for all.

Order of the Owl, Latin Honors

5/16/2023

Lower School students and families gathered in Dunavant Lecture Hall of Hull Lower School to celebrate the Order of the Owl and Latin Honor Society inductions May 12.

Salutatorian Jeffrey Liu

5/16/2023

Salutatorian Jeffrey Liu is a scholar distinguished by independent research, academic competition, and support of fellow students.

2023 Commencement Awards

5/16/2023

Faculty members presented awards to graduating seniors at the 2023 Commencement ceremony on May 15.

60 Owls Earn Spanish Honors

5/16/2023

Sixty Spanish students garnered national recognition for their performance on the 2023 National Spanish Examinations. Owls earned a total of 10 Gold, 14 Silver, and 13 Bronze Medals, along with 23 honorable mentions. Patrick Burke ’25 achieved a perfect score on the Spanish II examination.

Springfield Society Inducts 10

5/13/2023

Faculty and families celebrated 10 eighth-grade Springfield Society inductees during a banquet May 11. These scholars are in the top 10% of their class and demonstrate character consistent with the high standards of the school’s Honor Code and Community Creed.

Be a 2023-24 Peer Mentor!

5/11/2023

The Counseling Department is accepting Upper School volunteers for next year’s Peer Mentoring program - become a Wingman! Help a newer, younger student learn about the U! You will get training before you are paired with an underclassman. This is a great leadership and service-hours opportunity, so contact Mrs. Candy Harris with questions or sign up today!

Lower School Football Sign-Up

5/11/2023

This is your invitation to join the 2023-24 Lower School football team. We will have separate teams for seventh and eighth grade players. Both will participate in a municipal and independent schools league. We are fortunate to have a very experienced group of alumni who coach our Lower School teams.

Summer Library Hours

5/11/2023

Hyde Library will be open during the summer months each Wednesday from June 7 through August 2, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Students are encouraged to check out books all summer!

Summer Reading - Plan to Succeed!

5/11/2023

The Hyde Library wants to help you get started with Summer Reading assignments! Everyone must complete the reading assignment before next fall, and the exam deeply influences first-quarter grades - so make your plans NOW to take (and pass) a Summer Reading Mastery course or by doing the reading assignment yourself over the summer.

Christenbury Speaks to Lower School

5/9/2023

Stephen Christenbury ’19, who graduates with a degree in civil engineering from Mississippi State on May 12, spoke to Lower School boys about advice that has impacted his life.

Crowd Cheers Trigon Final

5/9/2023

Students and faculty flocked to Thomas Amphitheater to watch as three Lower School contenders took to the arena for the trigon finals May 4.

Jackson and Packard Celebrated

5/5/2023

In a twist of fate, the Student Council chaplain couldn’t make it to chapel May 5. Luckily, Robert J. Hussey, Sr. Chair of Religion David Jackson was available to deliver the devotional, because Headmaster Pete Sanders was honoring him, along with Instructor in Math Leigh Packard, to celebrate their retirements.

McCarroll German Honors

5/5/2023

Freshman Miles McCarroll received a Silver Award for his performance on the 2023 National German Exam. The American Association of Teachers of German hosts the annual exam.

Miller, Distinguished Teaching Award

5/5/2023

Headmaster Pete Sanders awarded Science Instructor Shauna Miller the 2023 Distinguished Teaching Award in Hyde Chapel May 5.

Owls French Exam Honors

5/5/2023

Junior Marley White earned a Bronze Medal on the National French Exam this spring, and 20 Owls earned honorable mention honors.

Sign Up for BCA Sports Fest!

5/4/2023

CSO volunteers are needed! We are hosting a sports festival and cookout for Binghampton Christian Academy students Saturday, May 6, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Class of 2025 Ambassadors Announced

5/3/2023

The Ambassador Selection Committee – which includes Counseling Director Joe Abrahams ’96, Admissions Assistant Director Emily Bailey, Lower School Athletic Director Matt Bakke, and Admissions Director Buck Towner ’07 – announced the Class of 2025 Student Ambassadors during chapel May 1.

Owls Succeed in Robotics Challenge

5/3/2023

Upper School Robotics engineers from the Class of 2023 put their skills to the test this semester as they built, programmed, and operated their creations to navigate a speed maze and clean up a trash pit in Science Department Chair Lee Loden’s Physics II: Robotics class.

Time to Schedule Class of 2024 Portraits

5/3/2023

It is hard to believe, but it is time for the Class of 2024 to schedule senior portraits. Parents, please call Holland Studio now to set up the appointment because sittings begin in June.

Fall Auditions Set: May 8, 10, 11

5/2/2023

Upper School and Lower School students interested in participating in the MUS Theater Company’s fall musical, Mamma Mia!, should head to Hyde Chapel May 8, 10, and 11 for auditions and tech interviews. Theater Assistant Director Ted Fockler ’10, Instructor in Music Matt Tutor ’91, and Theater Technical Director Robert Fudge welcome potential actors, actresses, designers, and crew members.

Latin Club Holds “Insanity” Contest

5/1/2023

Seven teams of Owls in Latin II, III, IV, and V competed in the Latin Club’s April Insanity Certamen Tournament, and the quartet of juniors Will Gramm, Parth Patel, Alan Zhou, and freshman Joshua Gramm came out on top.

Math Modeling Owls 2nd in Nation

5/1/2023

Five Owls worked about 170 hours – six hours a week from October to April – to analyze the problem of recidivism in Iowa prisons and formulate solutions based on predictive mathematical models. Their 38-page report resulted in a second-place finish nationally in the 2022-23 Modeling the Future Challenge, sponsored by the Actuarial Foundation.

Nine Owls Sign NLIs

5/1/2023

Nine Owls committed to the next stop in their academic and athletic journeys in front of families and friends April 27. The recruiting process ended as these seniors made their decisions final in the Wunderlich Lobby.

Zaptin Named Presidential Semifinalist

5/1/2023

The United States Presidential Scholars Program has named senior Jack Zaptin a semifinalist.

Candidates are selected based on demonstrated excellence in scholarship, leadership, artistic and technical pursuits, personal conduct, and selfless service to others. Those who advance from semifinalists to Presidential Scholars will receive an expenses-paid trip to Washington where they will receive a medallion during a special ceremony sponsored by the White House.

Owls Top State Math Competition

4/28/2023

What was needed for the Owls to bring home a state championship from the 2023 Mu Alpha Theta State Convention and Math Competition? Intense preparation, sure. But other factors – Nerf guns, late night pizza in the hotel, two stops at Buc-ee’s Travel Center, and basketball pickup games – cannot be ruled out.

Competing in this event for the first time since 2007, the Owls came away with nine top-3 awards including the Overall Sweepstakes. In the Math Bowl, two Owl teams met in the finals.

Cross Country Signup

4/26/2023

The 2023-24 cross country team is open to any Upper School Owl who is interested! The team will begin training Monday, June 5; the schedule is HERE.

Language Fair Latin Awards

4/26/2023

Congratulations to these students for winning awards in the Latin Translation Contest at the 2023 University of Memphis Language Fair.

All-Sports Awards Announced

4/25/2023

Teams and families celebrated 2022-23 achievements at the Jake Rudolph All-Sports Awards ceremony April 25. Seventy-five seniors received varsity-letter plaques celebrating their careers at MUS while 331 underclassmen received newly earned letters.

Classics Writing Contest Honors Owls

4/23/2023

Congratulations to seniors Max Mascolino and James Van Der Jagt and junior Brandon Nicholson for receiving recognition in the Monmouth College Bernice Fox Classics Writing Contest.

Owls Excel on NLE

4/20/2023

Owls earned 140 awards for achievement on the 2023 National Latin Exam – 84 Summa Cum Laude Gold Medals, 29 Maxima Cum Laude Silver Medals, and 22 Magna Cum Laude and 5 Cum Laude certificates.

Seniors Honored with Awards

4/20/2023

Class of 2023 family members joined students and faculty in Hyde Chapel on April 19 for the Senior Academic Awards program. Faculty presented the awards while praising each student for his accomplishments.

Theater Spotlight Shines on '70s

4/20/2023

Thespians and tech crew from the 1970s – “The Elder Era” – gathered to celebrate legendary MUS theater directors George Elder and Andy Saunders April 14 and 15.

12 Seniors Earn Biliteracy Seal

4/17/2023

Twelve Owls earned the Seal of Biliteracy, a program recognizing students who have achieved proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation.

Piecuch Named Music Educator of Year

4/17/2023

Instructor in Instrumental Music and Director of Band and Orchestra Programs Chris Piecuch has been named the University of Memphis Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music Educator of the Year. He will receive the award in an April 26 ceremony in the Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center.

April Proclaimed Latin Appreciation Month

4/14/2023

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee once again renewed our request to proclaim April as Latin Appreciation Month, carrying on a tradition started in 2014. The MUS student-created Latin phrase Musica e montibus fluit (“Music flows from the mountains”) continues to be the honorary Latin motto of the state.

Owls Honored with Awards, Inductions

4/14/2023

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland presented The President’s Volunteer Service Award to seven Owls at the Special Awards and Honor Societies Induction ceremony in Hyde Chapel April 12.

After reading about the selfless volunteerism of the honorees, he likened their work to the actions of the Good Samaritan toward the injured man in the famous parable. “People walked or rode by and thought, ‘If I stop, what will happen to me?’ The Samaritan flipped that and said, ‘If I don’t stop, what will happen to this man?’ And that is what these young men have done.”

How to Win with Money 101

4/13/2023

In this course about making sensible life choices combined with the power of compound interest, students learn how to build wealth and change their financial family trees forever! Taught by Pam and George Sousoulas Chair of Economics Orlando McKay, subjects covered will include zero-based budgeting, car purchases, the world of credit cards, long-term investing, and much more. See a quick video message from him about this course HERE!

Academic Progress Check Reminder

4/11/2023

We have arrived at the midpoint of Quarter 4.

Owls Place in WordSmith Olympics

4/11/2023

Eleven students participated in the 2023 WordSmith Olympics February 26 at the University of Memphis, led by Instructor in English Eric Dalle. Among the awards, seventh grader Gus Williams won a Gold Medal, and junior Jerry Xiao a Silver Medal. The Owls also earned school second-place trophies for seventh and 11th grade.

Owls Earn YIG Honors

4/6/2023

Forty-five Owls participated in the 2023 YMCA Youth in Government Tristar Conference in Nashville March 20-April 2, leaving with a multitude of awards and leadership roles.

Sports Camps: Feel the Need for Speed?

4/5/2023

Led by Assistant Football and Track/Field Coach Stephond Allmond, our speed camps focus on the techniques and fitness required for accessing maximum strength, speed, explosive power, and the ability to “play fast.”

DECA Members Win Awards

4/3/2023

Members of the DECA Club received several awards during the Tennessee DECA State Career Development Conference March 8-11 in Chattanooga.

The club was elevated to Thrive Level, which allows up to six members to participate at Thrive Academy in this year’s International Career Development Conference in Orlando. They also earned the Club 75 Achievement Award for membership.

2023-24 Cheerleaders Announced

3/31/2023

Cheer advisors Mrs. Rebecca Keel and Mrs. Michelle Crews have announced the 2023-24 cheerleading teams! Congratulations to these Owl cheerleaders.

Boelte Portrait Unveiling

3/31/2023

The Alumni Executive Board has memorialized the late Faculty Emeritus A. Robert Boelte, Jr. with the 18th painting in the Faculty Portrait Series. At the portrait unveiling March 23, family, alumni, and colleagues gathered to celebrate the popular teacher who also served as an administrator.

Coates ’06 Rogers Forum Speaker

3/31/2023

Entrepreneur and podcaster Sam Coates ’06 spoke in Hyde Chapel as the 2023 Rogers Leadership Forum special guest, sharing three principles for a life full of meaning:

Knowing who you are
Showing up
Doing the work

Coates wove in lessons he has learned from guests on his podcast, “Driven By,” and other successful people, including some at 6191 Park Avenue.

Register Now for Summer Fun!

3/31/2023

We offer a ton of fun and enriching activities to keep you moving, growing, and enjoying your summer. Co-ed options are available in chess, How to Win With Money, and lacrosse. Camp U is a day camp experience for boys in rising Grades 3-7 featuring weekly themes, quests, outdoor survival science, and games. Summer Reading Mastery will help you knock out your Summer Reading Assignment in style. Click on the camp names to sign up and get your summer planned U-style! For more information, visit musowls.org/summer.

Math Modeling Team 2-Time Finalists

3/30/2023

The team of seniors Amar Kanakamedala, Jeffrey Liu, Henry Yu, Lou Zhou, and junior Evan Wu were finalists in two math modeling competitions, each requiring extensive data mining and analysis followed by a detailed written report.

Bridge Builders Deadline: April 7

3/28/2023

Bridge Builders COLLABORATE is a year-long leadership program for students in Grades 7-12. The 2023-24 application deadline is Friday, April 7.

14th-Straight TJCL Championship Win

3/27/2023

The Bubones brought home their 14th-straight first-place trophy from the Tennessee Junior Classical League Convention held March 23-24 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Knoxville.

A total of 36 MUS students, representing Latin I through Latin IV, contributed to this victory. They tallied 1,445 total points while the second-place team in the AAA Division, Webb School of Knoxville, scored 416 total points.

NHS Inducts 62 Owls

3/24/2023

The Memphis University School chapter of the National Honor Society inducted 62 members from the junior and senior classes in a ceremony March 24.

Dr. David Jackson, chair of the selection committee, welcomed students and families to the ceremony while speaking on wisdom and the National Honor Society principles. Senior members then addressed the four pillars of the society, lighting candles to correspond with each trait: Amar Kanakamedala on scholarship, Parth Mishra on leadership, Carter Campbell on character, and John Lee on service.

Students Elect Owen Honor Council President

3/23/2023

The student body elected junior Bennett Owen to be the 2023-24 Honor Council president.

The Honor Council, composed of representatives from each class and a president elected by the student body, is charged with the responsibility of seeing that the school’s Honor Code is upheld and that any violation is dealt with fairly and justly.

Spain Named MUS Assistant Principal

3/22/2023

Mr. Ross Spain has been named Memphis University School’s new Lower School assistant principal and Admissions associate, effective this summer. Spain comes to MUS from Presbyterian Day School where he has been director of Student Life since 2009.

Wu Biology Olympiad Semifinalist

3/21/2023

Junior Evan Wu was among 400 semifinalists from around the world who competed in the Biology Olympiad on March 16. Wu and juniors Bryan Ding and Eshaan Patnaik and freshman Ari Thiyagarajaa took the online open exam February 2.

Owls Complete 14-Hour Contest

3/7/2023

Armed with laptops, a whiteboard, comfortable clothes, and assorted snacks, seniors Amar Kanakamedala, Jeffrey Liu, Henry Yu, Lou Zhou, and junior Evan Wu sequestered themselves for 14 continuous hours March 3 to compete in the MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge, an online contest with $100,000 in scholarships at stake. They completed a research paper titled "Riding into the Future: Evaluating E-Bikes."

Cummings Named Admissions Director

3/6/2023

Joe Cummings has been named Memphis University School’s new director of Admissions and Enrollment Management, effective August 1.

Celebrate Owls With Dedicated Books

2/28/2023

Celebrate your student's birthday, graduation, or other accomplishments by dedicating a book to the Hyde Library! Dedicated books are displayed during the year and include a special book plate honoring your Owl’s birthday or achievement.

Owls Advance in Computational Linguistics

2/28/2023

Thirteen Owls competed in the North American Computational Linguistics Open Competition January 25, and seniors Varun Krishnamurthi and Ismael Qureshi and junior Gabe Chen have qualified for the invitational round March 16. In Tennessee only six students advanced, and three are Owls.

Robotics Team Wins Think Award

2/28/2023

The 14-man Upper School robotics team was hard at work throughout this school year preparing for the TN FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship at Middle Tennessee State University February 18. After going 5-0 in qualifier matches and competing in the semifinals, they won the Think Award, given to the team that best reflects their journey through the engineering design process.

Three Owls Win at Mock Trial

2/27/2023

A dental model lost control of her scooter after skidding on sand that had spilled from a “party wagon.” The model suffered numerous injuries including the loss of her two front teeth, and she sued the driver for damages. The MUS Mock Trial team took on the case during the Mock Trial District 14 Competition.

Cum Laude Society Inducts 26 Owls

2/26/2023

The Memphis University School chapter of the Cum Laude Society inducted 26 new members from the classes of 2023 and 2024 during a ceremony February 24. Membership in the Cum Laude Society is the highest academic honor students in a secondary school can receive. The MUS chapter, which was modeled on Phi Beta Kappa, was chartered on December 14, 1967. The society encourages scholarship under the motto, “Excellence, Justice, Honor.”

DECA District Honors, Orlando Trip

2/16/2023

Twenty-five DECA members qualified for the state competition after finishing in the top 40 in the district competition. The state competition will be held March 9-11 in Chattanooga.

Toolbox Tuesday Adds Money Sense

2/14/2023

The uber-popular Toolbox Tuesday continues into the new year for eighth graders with an added program for seventh graders. Pam and George Sousoulas Chair of Economics Orlando McKay will teach his “How to Win with Money 101” course to seventh graders in Dunavant Lecture Hall every other Tuesday for the remainder of the semester. The class is usually offered over the summer to Grades 9-12.

Robotics Engineers Top Competition

2/13/2023

The Lower School Robotics Club took home the highest honor, the Middle School Excellence Award, at the West Collierville Middle School VEX Robotics tournament February 11. The top trio of engineers – eighth graders Ike Emmert and Walker Shirley and seventh grader Mustafa Rehan – qualified for the state tournament March 4 at Brentwood Academy. See the guys in action from another recent event (at SBA) HERE.

Chrishton King Music Chapel

2/10/2023

Sophomore Chrishton King used Wednesday’s chapel to highlight how Black music has influenced most popular tunes filling the radio waves.

Lower School Co-Edge with Bees

2/10/2023

The eighth grade Owls and seventh grade Hutchison Bees made the trek across the tree line separating the two campuses to swap places for Co-Edge Day.

LS Owls Top Shelby League

2/9/2023

The seventh and eighth grade Owls won the Shelby League Tournament Finals of their respective basketball leagues February 8.

Nine Owls Compete in AIME

2/9/2023

Nine Owls competed in the prestigious American Invitational Math Exam Tuesday, February 7. The students scored well enough on their American Math Competition exams to qualify for the three-hour, 15 question AIME.

Robotics Owls Compete at SBA

2/9/2023

Three Owl robotics squads competed in the VEX Robotics Competition at St. Benedict at Auburndale Saturday, January 28.

Students Advance in Shakespeare Competition

2/9/2023

Freshman Miles McCarroll won the schoolwide English-Speaking Union Shakespeare Competition January 27 by performing an excerpt from Henry IV, Part 2, Act 5, Scene 5. Sophomore Amrik Chakravarty placed second with a performance as Nick Bottom from Act 4, Scene 1 of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Varsity Swimmers Win County

2/9/2023

The Upper School swim team won the Shelby County Championship for the 11th time Saturday, January 28.

Coach John Jarnagin Honored

2/8/2023

The Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association honored Head Baseball Coach John Jarnagin for his 784 career victories.

JV, Varsity Golf Tryouts: July 19-20

2/8/2023

Tryouts for the 2023-24 JV and varsity golf teams will be held July 19-20 at Windyke West Country Club at noon.

Aitken ’23 Commits to Memphis

2/3/2023

Senior Stryker Aitken committed to continue his football career at the University of Memphis. He put pen to paper in front of friends and family in the lobby of the Sue H. Hyde Sports and Physical Education Center.

Business “Generalist” Speaks to DECA

2/3/2023

Executive Director at USRowing Rich Cacioppo spoke to the DECA club on “The Case for Being an All-Around Athlete” or becoming a well-rounded businessman.

Taylor ’11, About Finding His Lane

1/17/2023

Mr. Scooter Taylor ’11, co-founder of West Peek Productions, spoke to students in chapel Friday about discovering their own paths in life.

Five Owls Win Art Awards

1/12/2023

Five Owls earned honors in the Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards for work they produced during the first semester. See their work HERE.

Andrew Xu ’23 entered an illustration titled “Poli Sci,” which earned a Gold Key. Xu’s art will be on display at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, and it will be sent to New York for national judging.

Applying for Financial Aid

1/6/2023

We encourage every family to apply for need-based financial aid, even if they think they might not qualify. Some colleges are surprisingly generous with their financial aid awards, so it is worth applying to receive full consideration.

Also, to be eligible for aid consideration all four years, some colleges require families to apply for financial aid the first year.