Saint Andrew’s Celebrates 58th Annual Cum Laude Induction Ceremony

Families and students gathered to celebrate the academic excellence, justice, and honor associated with the prestigious recognition bestowed upon Saint Andrew’s scholars during the 58th Annual Cum Laude Induction Ceremony. 

The ceremony, held on April 28, 2025, at the Chapel of St. Andrew, inducted 27 junior and senior scholars into its ranks in honor of their outstanding academic achievements. Dr. Jason Schipper was elected as a new faculty member to the Cum Laude Society, and Mr. Ethan Shapiro was named an honorary member.  

Delivering the keynote address was Dr. Liz Scott ’08, a Saint Andrew’s alumna, Duke University graduate, and practicing Orthopaedic physician. She was introduced by her former teacher and Cum Laude Society member Dr. Lisa Winer. Dr. Scott offered students heartfelt reflections on her journey from the Chapel pews of Saint Andrew’s to the demanding halls of medical school and the lessons she learned along the way.

Dr. Scott began by encouraging students to stay curious and never regret the time spent learning, even when the subject seems unrelated to their future plans. She shared how hobbies and side interests can sometimes circle back in unexpected and meaningful ways. “Be curious—even if it doesn’t seem useful,” she said. “You never know where side interests or hobbies may lead you.”

Her second message focused on persistence over perfection. She explained that big goals are rarely accomplished in one defining moment. Instead, they are built through steady, consistent effort over time. “Big goals don’t get accomplished in one dramatic moment,” she told the students. “They get done in tiny, boring steps, repeated over and over.”

In her final piece of advice, Dr. Scott spoke candidly about the value of struggle. As a physician, she emphasized that some challenges cannot be rushed or worked around—they must be endured and mastered. “You cannot crash study, ChatGPT, or extra credit your way out of understanding the human body as a doctor.” She encouraged students not to panic when learning feels hard but to recognize it as a sign of meaningful growth. “That’s where the real learning begins.”

Dr. Scott concluded her speech with a message that resonated deeply with the students and families in attendance: “This is not the summit; it’s the trailhead. Your path beyond high school is going to be weird, winding, wonderful, and entirely your own.”

The Cum Laude Society, a national independent school honor society, was founded in 1906 and established at Saint Andrew’s School in 1968. Honoring scholastic achievement and qualities of excellence, justice, and honor in secondary schools, induction in Cum Laude is the highest academic honor awarded by Saint Andrew’s School. Students are selected from among the top 20% of seniors and the top 10% of juniors based on the previous three semesters. They must have a minimum of a 4.4 weighted GPA and a minimum of a 3.8 unweighted GPA. In addition to demonstrating academic excellence, students are expected to demonstrate qualities of honor and justice.

Click here to see photos from the induction ceremony.

Saint Andrew’s School proudly congratulates both our current members and new inductees: