What Matters to Me and Why: Deb Miliaresis

        Last Wednesday, Deb Miliaresis H’22 P’27 of the Bath House Café shared some of her most meaningful experiences and important advice for students at a “What Matters to Me and Why” event hosted by the Religious Life Council (RLC). During the event, Miliaresis showed attendees a photo album that shared deeper insight into her family background, and explained how her upbringing inspired her to become more environmentally conscious throughout her life and at Lawrenceville. The discussion encouraged many students to rethink how community members at Lawrenceville engage with environmental sustainability on a day-to-day basis, while sparking conversation about the importance of family. 

       Charles Potter ’25, a member of the RLC Board, noted that the open dialogue style discussion allowed participants to bond more closely with Miliaresis. “Giving attendants the opportunity to engage in direct conversation with the speaker helped them forge a more personal connection [with Miliaresis],” he elaborated. Potter resonated most with Miliaresis’ advice to “not take [oneself ] too seriously,” especially in an environment like Lawrenceville that can feel stressful or overwhelming at times. 

        Myra Zhou’s ’24 favorite part of the presentation was when Miliaresis showcased some of her grandfather’s possessions, as it felt “surreal.” Zhou, reflecting on the experience, said that attending the event gave her “the chance to get to know [Miliaresis] at a deeper level.” While her usual interactions with Miliaresis were mostly just “exchanging a few words while getting snacks at the bathhouse,” the open dialogue showed Zhou “a glimpse of [Miliaresis’s] life and something unique that matters to her.” Most importantly, she appreciated the relevancy of the conversation to building a stronger community at Lawrenceville, especially when Miliaresis talked about “how much of a change we could make if we work as a team.” Miliaresis’ focus on community encouraged Zhou to reflect on some of her own experiences at Lawrenceville, specifically how she and her peers grew to become more “compassionate and caring [through] Covid-19 as well as through some difficult times over the past few years.” One suggestion Zhou brought up for future “What Matters To Me and Why” events was for the student body to have more say in the faculty and staff members who are featured.