Established in 2000 by a generous gift from Delores and Allen Lastinger, the Lastinger Fellowship provides funds to support faculty pursuing meaningful summer professional development opportunities, including travel, study abroad, and other unique academic experiences. The fellowship enriches faculty members’ academic and intellectual lives while positively impacting their students and colleagues.
Across the country and beyond, Episcopal faculty spent their summer learning, exploring, and reconnecting with the passions and experiences that shape the way they teach and serve our students. From professional development and academic conferences to personal journeys and hands-on exploration, these experiences bring fresh perspectives back to our campuses and classrooms. Read on to discover the summer journeys of our faculty and the ways they will inspire and inform their work with our students this year!
Kate Gomes, 5th grade Social Studies & Math teacher on the Beaches Campus, explored her New England heritage at the Mayflower Society House in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Her journey continued through historic sites in Salem and along Boston’s Freedom Trail. By experiencing these places firsthand, Kate gained new perspectives on the people, stories, and events that shaped America’s past!
Amy Burrows Perkins ’92, Director of Student Services on the Munnerlyn Campus, traveled to New Mexico for a Cultivating Purpose workshop at the Modern Elder Academy. She reconnected with personal and professional interests while exploring how purpose can be cultivated daily. Amy shared: “The landscape, art, and serenity of New Mexico all contributed to the way my mind and heart stayed open to the complete experience and I look forward to sharing lessons learned with faculty, staff, and students this fall.”
St. Mark’s Learning Specialist, Sheryl Brantley, attended Learning and the Brain Summer Institute at the University of California–Santa Barbara, a week-long conference focused on the science of learning. The experience broadened her understanding of how students move from surface knowledge to deep understanding and, ultimately, transfer. Sheryl gained practical strategies including retrieval practice, manageable instruction, and meaningful connections to prior knowledge that she can immediately apply in the classroom.
The Director of Technical Theater on the Munnerlyn Campus, Megan Elsila, spent 11 days immersed in the 2026 Biennale Teatro and Arte in Venice, Italy. Megan attended 10 theatrical productions and explored countless art exhibits throughout the city’s historic palazzos, experiencing the work of artists and storytellers from around the world. The experience gave her the rare chance to step away from the role of creator and educator and become an observer, allowing her to reconnect with her own creativity and imagination. She returned with a deeper appreciation for the transformative power of art and live theatre, along with new perspectives that will shape her work with students for years to come!