Lucas Chen ‘27
Sep 20, 2024
This year, the Mercersburg community embraced new students and incoming 9th graders and welcomed a storm of new faculty. Each one of them will have a significant impact on our campus, both inside and outside the classroom.
Among them is Matt Hurst, the new head coach of Boys and Girls Swimming and Assistant Director of College Counseling. Hurst has over twenty years of experience working with National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) institutions. Hurst said, “I am really excited to be back on an academic campus after spending two years in a corporate environment away from schools and people who are here for an education. So I am excited to be back in an environment that encourages the growth and development both educationally, physically, and emotionally of young people.” As Glenn Nuefield, Director of Aquatics and Assistant Director of College Counseling, prepares to leave Mercersburg at the end of the year, Hurst will replace him both as a swim coach and college counselor.
Michael Galindo, the new director of financial aid and associate director of admission, has come from the Bay School of San Francisco where he had worked for seven years as the Director of Admissions and Operations. There he also served as the Associate Director of Marketing and Communications for two years. Galindo stated, “One of my biggest roles is helping and providing access to students who can’t necessarily afford an education like this. So what I do is oversee all that application process, and I also help them navigate their financial journey while they are actually a student here.”
Yonatan Weldeberuk, or simply Mr. W, is a fellow in the history department. “My primary goal to meet everybody. I think being able to work at a boarding school is a very rare opportunity, and I really want to be able to experience every part of it for as long as I am here. I think the students here are very great. They come from all over the U.S., all around the world, and they all come with their own experiences,” he said. Outside the classroom, Welderberuk will play an active part in athletics, coaching thirds’ soccer and track and field.
Harvey Hinman is another new teacher joining Mercersburg’s history department. “I’ve been teaching history in Seattle for the past few years, but before that I had quite a meandering career path from journalism in Ukraine to launching grocery distribution centers for Amazon.” Hinman teaches American Studies and World History II. “I am excited to spend all day in the library and to be part of such a kind and welcoming community!”
Mercersburg also welcomes a new member to the science department. Brooks Binau teaches 9th grade biology, and AS Environment Science classes. “Before coming to Mercersburg Academy, I was teaching science at The St. Paul’s School for Boys outside Baltimore Maryland. I taught a 9th grade Earth & Space Science / Biology course and IB Biology.” Binau will also serve as an instructor for Outdoor Education, helping follow his passion for nature and the environment. “ I am most excited about the people, the environmental initiatives, and being close to my family. The people of Mercersburg, the faculty, staff, and the students have all been amazing individuals. I have been impressed by how welcoming all the people at Mercersburg have been.”