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Lastest Alumni Updates

  • Quinn Schneider '17, US Naval Academy '21
  • Jake Johnson '17, St. Louis University '21
  • Ariana Hoshino '16, Swarthmore College '20
  • Emma Haupt '12, St. Olaf College '16
  • Kathleen Elkins '10, Williams College '14
  • Zachery Lorch '17, US Air Force '21
  • Taylor Scott '16, Rice University '20
  • Paulina Campbell '12, Grinnell College '16
  • Isaac Josephthal '11, NYU-Tisch School of the Arts '15
  • Mallorie Ables '11, UNC-Wilmington '15
  • Claire Lazes '17, College of Charleston '21
  • David Keener '13
  • Hannah Gantz '15, UNC-Wilmington '19
  • Tyler Ganis '15, Shenandoah University '19
  • Amelia Woodall '17, UNC-Chapel Hill '21
  • Reilly Milburn '15, Haverford College '19
  • Sydney Bowman '14, Occidental College '18
  • Claire Stutzman '17, Vassar College '21
  • Phoebe Klett '17, Duke University '21
  • JP Shaw '14, University of Pennsylvania '18
  • Rachel Coutinho '15, Belmont Abbey College '19
  • Sophia Spach '11, Elon University '15
  • Ally Ault '16, Clemson University '20
  • Mackenzie Lorch '14, Virginia Tech '18
  • Lachlan Johnson '13, St. Louis University '17
  • Quinn Schneider '17, US Naval Academy '21

    Summer 2018 officially ended my time as a US Naval Academy plebe and set me off on training that took me hundreds of feet under water in a nuclear submarine, to survival camping atop a snow-covered glacier in the Alaskan wilderness, and finally to high-altitude training in Colorado with 11 other members of the varsity cross country team. Most memorable would be the 21 days in Alaska, where our 15-member crew saw no other humans except the pilot who once a week flew in our food. Most surprising would be the dolphins — considered good luck to see — playing in the submarine’s wake, as well as the submarine crew’s access to about-to-be-released movies, which they could watch long before the movies reached the public.
  • Jake Johnson '17, St. Louis University '21

    I definitely didn’t go into the season expecting to break any records but the training really started to come together once the outdoor season started. As I got closer and closer, meet by meet, I had my sights set on it and finally at Ole Miss I was able to barely edge it out by only a couple centimeters! Throughout the year my personal record increased by a foot and half from 20’ 6” to 21' 11.75" so overall I’m really happy with how year one went and the record was just the icing on the cake!
  • Ariana Hoshino '16, Swarthmore College '20

    This summer I will be going to LA to run a 4 week filmmaking intensive program that I founded with two other partners with a $25,000 grant from the Swarthmore College Lang Center of Civic and Social Responsibility. The program is targeted towards underserved female high school students in the Lincoln Heights area and hopefully, over the next few years, introduce a more diverse group of digital media creators into the industry.

    I am also doing an internship with Stampede Ventures, which is a subset of Warner Bros, founded by the former president. It’ll be on the Warner Bros lot and I’ll be working on some pretty dope films and reading hundreds of pages of screenplays a day, which honestly sounds like a blast. I’m super excited about that.

    I plan to study abroad in Prague next spring. There is a program that has both film and computer science courses which I plan to take.

  • Emma Haupt '12, St. Olaf College '16

    I was just named Director of Music Ministries at Kenmore Presbyterian Church in Buffalo, NY and this summer I will be attending the Organ Historical Society Convention in Rochester, NY as part of the E. Power Biggs Fellowship I received in March. I'm also still teaching high school ESL full time and yearbook is on my mind because I'm the advisor!
  • Kathleen Elkins '10, Williams College '14

    I write articles and produce videos for CNBC Make It, a section of CNBC.com that offers money and career advice to young people. One of the best parts of the job is talking to super inspiring entrepreneurs and sharing their stories with our readers.
  • Zachery Lorch '17, US Air Force '21

    Your first year at the Air Force Academy makes the small things matter 10 fold. Calling your family because you haven’t in 6 weeks, wearing non-military clothes because you haven’t in 9 months, and being able to walk and talk when you want because someone has told you since day one what you can and can’t do. Yet I would do it all over again. I love the people here, the rigorous classes that Woodlawn prepared me for, and the wonderful outdoors of Colorado. I’ll visit Woodlawn after skydive and survival training. Currently skydiving, first jump is solo (no one jumps with you so you are all alone) and have to get 5 jumps then I have survival training where I spend 6 days in the woods learning survival...most of it is classified.
  • Taylor Scott '16, Rice University '20

    I'm triple majoring in Sport Management, Managerial Studies, and Policy Studies, and am minoring in Business. This summer I'll be in DC interning for the NFL Players Association. I just took over as President of the Rice Sport Business Society. And I'm studying for the GMAT and LSAT so I can get my JD/MBA dual degree once I graduate!
  • Paulina Campbell '12, Grinnell College '16

    I am working as a freelance theatre technician and teaching artist in DC, with a focus on stage management and wardrobe. I just finished working as an ASM on a wordless, movement-based production of Titus Andronicus, and now I'm working wardrobe on a play about drag queens, so lots of quick changes! DC is a small enough city to still feel like a town, but there is always lots to do! I love all the different neighborhoods, the diversity and getting to live in the nation's capital!

    Side note: Paulina ran the 2018 Boston Marathon with a finish time of 3:16! (That’s 7:31 pace for 26.2 continuous miles in driving rain and wind!)
  • Isaac Josephthal '11, NYU-Tisch School of the Arts '15

    Curently lives in Brooklyn and continues to pursue a career in acting. Last year Isaac toured France with the French National Theatre's production of Julius Caesar, and will be rejoining the team when they bring the production to the states in 2019. Isaac will also be featured in the scripted drama series, Big Dogs, which will premiere on streaming services this fall.
  • Mallorie Ables '11, UNC-Wilmington '15

    It has been a little over a year now since I started officially working for myself as a full-time potter/business owner. Being my own boss and figuring out how to ‘wear all the hats’ while also being a creative has been one of the most incredible experiences of my young adult life. Jars of Dust is growing in size as well, with 2 part-time employees and a storefront space on the horizon.
  • Claire Lazes '17, College of Charleston '21

    Right now I’m in Zanzibar and in a couple days we’re heading to Arusha. I’m with a group called GIVE that leads us in teaching English while in Zanzibar in a village called Kairo (where GIVE has built a school) and also doing construction. We’re doing more volunteer in Arusha with a women’s co op as well as a safari and ending all of it climbing Kilimanjaro!
  • David Keener '13

    I start classes in my new transfer program at App State during the summer semester. I've finally recovered from injuring my rotator cuff speed-climbing at the 2017 USA Climbing hi Collegiate Rock Climbing National Championship and I've started training to qualify for the 2019 Championship. Also ran one of the biggest clubs at Clemson for two years, managing the auto-racing segment of the club.
  • Hannah Gantz '15, UNC-Wilmington '19

    5/29: I’m only about 327 miles in. I’m currently in the city of León and today marks our 20th day of hiking. It’s been the most surreal experience. I never saw myself doing something like this but it’s truly life changing. I have new opportunities everyday, everything is so spontaneous and I’ve met the most amazing people. I’ve met people from Australia, Canada, France, Italy, South Korea, new Zealand, etc and its just beautiful how people can build such a bond despite a language barrier. —Hiking the Santiago de Compostela in Spain this summer
  • Tyler Ganis '15, Shenandoah University '19

    Going to the Olympics was part of a study abroad program at Shenandoah, I went with 27 other students and four faculty members. There was a lengthy application process, and I was selected to be one of nine from the college of arts and sciences, the rest came from the business school. As part of our volunteer registration, I was placed to work at the Biathlon. I was stationed in ‘access control’ which is where most of us volunteers were. I had the night shift, which was great because I got to see all the biathlon events! But it was also the most difficult because I had to stand outside for five hours every night dealing with the South Korean winter where the temperature was typically around ten degrees fahrenheit. Thankfully we were all given a North Face uniform that came with just about every type of winter gear, from ski jackets to boots! I got to meet many of the athletes and team members as well as people from all over the world!
  • Amelia Woodall '17, UNC-Chapel Hill '21

    This summer I’ll be working for the city of Charlotte’s Office of Sustainability, where I will get to help collaborate on an energy plan for the city, a smart district in the North End, and learn how Charlotte manages its solid waste, water, and air.
  • Reilly Milburn '15, Haverford College '19

    This summer I am on campus at Haverford doing astrophysics research with Andrea Lommen, a Haverford Professor. We are working with NASA and the NICER telescope on board the International Space Station to collect x-ray pulsar data in hopes of detecting gravitational waves. As part of my work, I will also be traveling to New Mexico for two weeks to attend the annual International Pulsar Timing Array Science Meeting. During that time we will visit the Very Large Array, which is an array of radio telescopes.
  • Sydney Bowman '14, Occidental College '18

    I'm spending my first summer post-grad in DC, where I'm a media intern at The Sierra Club, the country's oldest and largest environmental organization. It's an honor to be part of a movement that is fighting relentlessly to save the environment and outdoors from increasing threats coming directly from the administration and corporate polluters. Highlights include drafting tweets about the latest Scott Pruitt scandal, scrutinizing the Environmental Protection Agency's emails for breaking stories that end up getting published in major news outlets like the NY Times and Washington Post, and listening to the Gwich'in people of Alaska defend their land from drilling in the Arctic. I'm looking forward to the rest of my time here and then I'm off to Spain for the next 9 months!
  • Claire Stutzman '17, Vassar College '21

    During my internship at the Raptor Center, I have the opportunity to help transport birds, help out with entrance exams, give fluids and feed them, exercise them, and even observe surgeries.
  • Phoebe Klett '17, Duke University '21

    I was lucky enough to be chosen for the TAMID Summer Fellowship, which involves living in Tel Aviv, Israel for two months. I will be interning at a consulting firm in the south of the city, called CREATORS. Their clients are corporations like Ikea who are looking to constantly innovate. I'm also an editor for the Scoops and Creative sections of Duke's online magazine, "The Standard".
  • JP Shaw '14, University of Pennsylvania '18

    I start work as a paralegal at Ropes & Gray LLP in New York. I'm lucky enough to have snagged myself a great studio in the Upper East Side. The plan is to work for two years then go on to law school.
  • Rachel Coutinho '15, Belmont Abbey College '19

    This year I was selected as a member of the 2017 NCAA Division II Scholar All-American Women’s soccer team for both my achievements in the classroom and on the soccer field. I was shocked to learn this and proud to be selected for the team!
  • Sophia Spach '11, Elon University '15

    I am working on the Supported Living Team in Larche where I am supporting adults with developmental disabilities who are more independent. I support them in daily life, on outings, shopping, cooking, appointments and with personal growth and development.
  • Ally Ault '16, Clemson University '20

    I just added Marketing as another major, so I am now majoring in Business Management (w/ an emphasis in analytics) and Marketing. I am also minoring in Spanish. I’m studying abroad this summer in Seville, Spain and that will finish up my Spanish minor.

    I’m involved with my sorority, Alpha Phi, and also with the Clemson Intercollegiate Eventing Team, where I’m on the exec board. I’m in charge of planning and running our fundraiser horse show, which we put on each semester. I haven’t been competing with the team recently, because of horse injuries, but I hope to be back out competing this summer and fall! I’m also apart of Clemson Hope, which is an organization that partners with local elementary schools and organizes pen pals between Clemson students and the elementary school students. I'm working for the Clemson Athletic Department, as well, as an Academic Monitor for student athletes.
  • Mackenzie Lorch '14, Virginia Tech '18

    Being named MVP of the Virginia Tech Cheerleading team was a huge honor for me. The award is voted on by the team members themselves, so knowing that each and every one of them respected me, and looked up to me for leadership throughout the season was an incredible feeling. Serving 4 years (2 as captain) on the VT Cheer team was the most influential and inspirational time period of my life!

    Mackenzie is pictured with her younger brother, Zach Lorch '17, Air Force Academy '21
  • Lachlan Johnson '13, St. Louis University '17

    I’m currently a Financial Analyst for the Technology, Media, and Telecom group of Wells Fargo! I sit in Denver, CO and am on the Mountain Technology team (covering basically any tech companies that aren’t on the coast... “Mountain” is a loose term!) It’s a 3 year training program to graduate to a position of finding upcoming tech companies rather than just crunching their financials, so there’s a long road ahead but I’m loving it so far!
  • Quinn Schneider '17, US Naval Academy '21
  • Jake Johnson '17, St. Louis University '21
  • Ariana Hoshino '16, Swarthmore College '20
  • Emma Haupt '12, St. Olaf College '16
  • Kathleen Elkins '10, Williams College '14
  • Zachery Lorch '17, US Air Force '21
  • Taylor Scott '16, Rice University '20
  • Paulina Campbell '12, Grinnell College '16
  • Isaac Josephthal '11, NYU-Tisch School of the Arts '15
  • Mallorie Ables '11, UNC-Wilmington '15
  • Claire Lazes '17, College of Charleston '21
  • David Keener '13
  • Hannah Gantz '15, UNC-Wilmington '19
  • Tyler Ganis '15, Shenandoah University '19
  • Amelia Woodall '17, UNC-Chapel Hill '21
  • Reilly Milburn '15, Haverford College '19
  • Sydney Bowman '14, Occidental College '18
  • Claire Stutzman '17, Vassar College '21
  • Phoebe Klett '17, Duke University '21
  • JP Shaw '14, University of Pennsylvania '18
  • Rachel Coutinho '15, Belmont Abbey College '19
  • Sophia Spach '11, Elon University '15
  • Ally Ault '16, Clemson University '20
  • Mackenzie Lorch '14, Virginia Tech '18
  • Lachlan Johnson '13, St. Louis University '17

Alumni News

Hedrick Brothers Turn Hobby Into Business

Written by Alexa Ferraiuolo '21 on 18 February 2019.


After graduating from high school, most are preparing to take on college life and its demanding workload. For Will Hedrick ‘18, he plans on continuing to run and grow his business, Hedrick Custom Designs, with his brother, Drew Hedrick ‘16 in addition to being a full-time college student. Will is in his first year of college studying International Business at High Point University, and Drew is a senior graduating from Appalachian State University this year with a degree in Construction Management.

What was once a designing hobby, the brothers officially turned into a business last year of creating and selling custom pieces such as furnishings, decor, and accents to fit various collections appealing to an individual’s personal style. Currently, the company has over fifteen retail products as well as four collections that will be expanding through 2019. Hedrick Custom Designs has been in the works since early 2018 but grew tremendously over this past summer when Will and Drew were both home and able to devote time and energy to the business and its demands.

Each year, the senior class at Woodlawn must create their own capstone project. They conduct field-based research on a topic that they are passionate about or interested in. Students choose a “big question” that they will investigate for the nine months leading up to a final presentation for the Upper School. Will’s capstone was based on the question "What Creates a Successful Entrepreneur?" Throughout his senior year, he studied what individuals can do to make themselves stronger within the workplace. During his internship week, he was able to work on Hedrick Custom Designs and perfect his final presentation that highlighted the company and its future plans.

In an interview, Will shared that Drew’s connections in the home market industry will create a bright future ahead for the company. The longevity of the company is strong as long as Will and Drew have enough intended time and interest in the custom furnishing field.

With that said, the brothers love working together on the original projects that HCD specializes in. Will reflects, “Working with my brother, Drew, has been one of the best decisions I have made because it has allowed us both to grow tremendously as individuals and to grow the company ourselves. Having someone who constantly wants to improve as much as you do constantly drives you to do better, and his talent of creating items from scratch is incomparable to mine. He is extremely talented and passionate about building, especially when it comes to our pieces.”

Drew and Will together clocked nearly twenty years as Woodlawn students. Will believes that the quote by Daniel Goleman, “In a high-IQ job pool, soft skills like discipline, drive, and empathy mark those who emerge as outstanding,” is a perfect example of what Woodlawn ingrains in its teaching philosophy which enables students to be further prepared for college and eventually the job market. By the school’s focus on life skills inside and outside of the classroom, Will feels equipped and prepared to take on managing his own business.

In the future, Will would like to work for himself. He shares, “Entrepreneurship fascinates me because having the power to create a product that can create a cultural impact, no matter how big or small, is exactly what I want to do. Delivering a message that can positively influence another person is a powerful opportunity we shouldn't miss out on as human beings.” He continues with his longer-term plans, “Once I create a product that I firmly believe in that will create this positive influence, I want to travel the world speaking, meeting, and engaging in a variety of cultures seeing all that the world has to offer.”

To learn more about Will and Drew’s business, Hedrick Custom Designs, you can find them on Facebook and Instagram. By subscribing to their email list you will receive 10% off of your first order.

Latest Alumni News

  • Hedrick Brothers Turn Hobby Into Business
  • Gantz '15 Traverses Northern Spain
  • Clare Robinson '15 Named United Soccer Coaches All-American
  • Class of 2014 Graduates from College
  • Rachel Coutinho ’15: Excellence on the field and in the classroom

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