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The Suffield Academy community welcomed Evan McGlinn ’81 back to campus as the 2026 recipient of the Alumni Leadership Award, recognizing his distinguished career in photography. Director of College Counseling Ann Selvitelli reflected on the purpose of the award, established in 2000 by the Alumni Association. “The Alumni Leadership Awards were created to recognize graduates who demonstrate outstanding leadership in their professional lives or within their communities,” she shared. “These individuals exemplify the very best of what our school hopes to inspire—character, commitment, and the courage to lead with conviction.”
Ann emphasized that the award is more than recognition—it is a connection. “It is a celebration of shared values and a rare opportunity for our students and faculty to engage directly with some of Suffield’s most inspiring alumni,” she said. She also noted the thoughtful and inclusive nature of the selection process, with nominations coming from across the Suffield community. “Today’s celebration serves as an important reminder of what is possible and reaffirms the powerful legacy of leadership that begins here at Suffield.”
Head of School Charlie Cahn introduced Evan, highlighting the throughline of storytelling in his work and life. “Whether through writing or photography, his work has always centered on telling meaningful stories,” He mentioned Evan’s passion for fly fishing and travel, where he has combined his interests in storytelling, photography, and the outdoors. “Evan’s path started in many ways here at Suffield, and his career reflects many of the values we hope our alumni embrace—curiosity, discipline, and a commitment to doing work that matters.”
During his inspiring and engaging talk, Evan reflected on the lasting impact of his time at Suffield. “Looking back now, as I stand before you today at the age of 64,” he shared, “I can tell you that attending Suffield is one of the greatest gifts of my life.” Drawing from a career that has included work for The New York Times and projects with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Evan spoke candidly about growth, reinvention, and the pursuit of mastery. He encouraged students to actively seek mentorship and learn from those they admire. “If you want to be good at something,” he advised, “get a mentor and study the greats who came before you. Better yet—find them and ask them for help.”
Evan also offered insight into his artistic philosophy, emphasizing empathy and curiosity as essential tools. “As a photographer, you have to have empathy for the human condition and be curious about people’s lives.” His path, he explained, has been one of continual evolution. After years in documentary and editorial photography, he found himself drawn to new creative challenges—experimenting with landscape and fine art photography rooted in New England. Through persistence and eagerness to learn, including seeking out new mentors later in life, he developed a distinctive style that blends watercolor techniques with high-resolution digital imagery to achieve unique effects. “Art might look easy,” he noted, “but it’s not.”
Throughout his remarks, Evan returned to the themes of curiosity, community, and place—values he credits in part to his time at Suffield. “Like me, you were lucky to be part of a community that is much bigger than just this campus,” he shared. He concluded with a message that reflected both his journey and his hopes for the students: “Stay together, stay curious, and good luck down the road.”
Evan’s visit to campus extended beyond receiving the award. He spent several days working closely with advanced photography students—continuing the cycle of mentorship and inspiration that the award is all about. Larina Zhang ’27 shared “ Mr. McGlinn helped me understand two different sides of photojournalism: creative fine art and professional editorial work. Through his teaching, I learned how Photoshop can go beyond basic editing to create more expressive, layered images by combining details from multiple photos. His work showed me how photography can be experimental and artistic, not just documentary. I’m very grateful for the time we had together.” August Shapiro ’26 added “Mr. McGlinn showed me that photography has no limits—and just how much I can create with this powerful art form.”
