Bovender Family Faculty Chair Awarded at Convocation
The second teacher to be awarded the Bovender Family Faculty Chair was named at Senior Convocation this week.
High school math teacher Justin Fitzpatrick succeeds seventh grade math teacher Joel Bezaire, who received the honor in 2014. The chair was endowed that year with a gift from Jack and Barbara Bovender, their son Richard Bovender ’97, and his wife Sara.
Announcing the award at Convocation, Vince Durnan described "Dr. Fitz," as he is known to students, thus:
"We celebrate someone with deep subject knowledge, with a transitive property capacity to share that love of subject with students regardless of prior interest, someone who is really good, and I quote from student comments “at explaining stuff.” We celebrate an old-school personality with new concept interests and curiosity that ends up being avant-garde, a pioneer with a pick and shovel work ethic."
Seniors turned their tassels and graduated from University School of Nashville on Sunday, May 17, on the Back Lawn. Visit usn.org/classof2026 for more highlights from their last year on Edgehill and to learn what they will do next.
The girls lacrosse team ended its season in overtime to become state runner-up. Tennis players Carter Kojetin '29 finished as a state quarterfinalist, Sophie Oliver '26 and Mary Kate Adler '28 finished as state semifinalists, and Veer Kodali '29 and Max Parker '29 finished as state champions. Meanwhile, eight runners competed at the state track and field meet in Knoxville, where Griffin Davidson '27, Caleb Freifeld '28, Drew Zwerner '28, and Jack Fruin '27, sprinted to first in the 4x800m relay and Jack also placed first in the 800m dash.
For the entire USN community: an invitation to give in gratitude, in celebration, and in honor of the woman who has given so much to our school. Make a gift at usn.org/giving to support students with needs beyond tuition and honor Interim Director Juliet Douglas.
USN Mission: University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.