Ashley Jun ’26
Contributor
Honoring Dean Matzkin, The Burch Ford Kaleidoscope Award

At the All-School Meeting on October 6, Loomis Chaffee’s Dean of Student Life & Wellness, Ms. Jessica Matzkin, won the Burch Ford Kaleidoscope Award. The Burch Ford Kaleidoscope award is a prestigious award from The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) awarded each year to three individuals who, according to TABS, “have exemplified commitment, creativity and excellence in the area of Student and Residential Life.” Only given to three professionals selected from the more than 225 boarding schools around the world that are part of TABS, this award is a significant accomplishment for Ms. Matzkin.
Ms. Matzkin admitted that she was completely surprised to receive this award, even when Ms. Baldridge was on stage talking about it.
“When I first saw the TABS Executive Director Susan Baldridge on campus and went up to talk to her, she told me that she was invited to the convocation by the Head of School Sheila Culbert,” she said. “It took me a while for it to click, … [so] I was totally shocked and thought it was so cool to receive such an award.”
This exceptional praise emphasizes Ms. Matzkin’s love for her work, as her colleagues will confirm.
“Her extraordinary and high reaching school spirit … [are] a true role model behavior for everyone on campus,” said Ms. Mary Liscinsy, Chief of Staff. “I worked with Dean Matzkin for about four years now, and I am always so fascinated by her belief in students and the way she spends lots of time with them, always trying her best to create opportunities and the best environment for students to thrive and find happiness.”
Ms. Matzkin finds this award so much more special because of its recognition of individuals who don’t necessarily teach academics, but rather work to achieve the common good of student life.
“I am so grateful that we get to celebrate our great teachers and even ones doing good work outside of the classroom focusing on student experience,” she said. “This award is actually named after the head of school of Miss Porter’s School where I worked as a counselor a few years ago. The head of school was the first strong female mentor I had as a professional. It is so meaningful to receive an award named after someone that I truly admire.”