Quinn & White Cognition and Learning Building Dedicated in Honor of Stacy Quinn ’69, P’08 and David White ’71

On Saturday, September 26th, members of the Forman community gathered to celebrate the naming of the Quinn & White Cognition and Learning Building, honoring the generosity and lasting commitment of Stacy Quinn ’69, P’08, and Trustee David White ’71.

Family and friends joined Stacy and David for the dedication ceremony, which offered an opportunity to recognize their connection to Forman and reflect on the experiences that shaped them as students and continue to inspire their support of the school.

In her remarks, Head of School Amy Clemons spoke about what the building represents for Forman and the students and educators who use it each day.

Since opening in January 2025, the building has become home to Forman’s Cognition and Learning Department and Quinn Assessment Center, as well as the work led by Dr. Kristin Simmers, Director of Cognition and Learning, to build partnerships and advance research focused on understanding how students learn.

Amy emphasized that Stacy and David’s generosity has helped create a space where this important work can continue to grow. “They are two individuals who not only were so generous to us in support of the school and the building that we’re celebrating and naming today, but also with the foresight that they have had to help us get to this moment and the moments that come from here, because this truly is just the beginning.”

She continued, “This building is just the building. It’s the things that happen inside it that give it meaning. And in the almost year and a half since it opened, it has already become a place of incredible meaning for Forman School.”

President of the Board of Trustees Michael Cook P’15 also spoke about Stacy and David’s generosity and the example they set for the Forman community. He noted that the building was named in their honor at the school’s request—not theirs—as a way to recognize not only what they have given to Forman, but also the example they provide.

“We want to remember, not just thank them for what they’ve done,” Michael said. “We want to remember, and we want future generations to remember.”

For David, giving back to Forman is deeply personal. During his remarks, he reflected on struggling in a traditional classroom environment before coming to Forman, where, he said, the focus shifted from “teaching classes” to “teaching students.”

At Forman, David learned not only how to learn but also how his mind worked and how to use his differences as strengths.

“They taught me how to learn,” David shared. “They taught me how to use my disability, if you would call it that, as a tool.”

That experience shaped David’s life and ultimately influenced his decision to give back.

“Giving back to the school was to pay it forward to somebody else to get the same opportunity that I had and end up where I ended up,” he said, looking back on the path that followed his time at Forman—from earning multiple degrees to running his own construction company. “I could not have done that without the help I received at that school. It saved my life.”

For Stacy, the dedication carries a similarly personal meaning. As an alumna and parent, she reflected on how Forman helped her understand and appreciate the way she learns.

“It was at Forman that my own cognition and learning were brought to the forefront and celebrated as an important part of who I am,” she said.

Stacy recalled her years at Forman, when John and Julie Forman led the School, and the teachers who encouraged students to explore their strengths while holding them to high standards. She also shared a story from her time as a Forman student that has stayed with her for decades.

Stacy was once asked to meet with the Formans at their home. She arrived unsure of what awaited her and was instead greeted with smiles, handshakes, and a tea set prepared in the living room. For the next hour, they asked Stacy about her studies, what she enjoyed, what gave her pause, and where she saw her life heading.

“They had given me a 30,000-foot view of my life and an elevator speech as to who I was and where I was going in one meeting,” Stacy recalled. “They were astounding. Now that is cognition and learning.”

Stacy offered that same perspective to the current Forman students gathered for the dedication.

“You are amazing, and it is your cognition and learning that have brought you to this point,” she shared. “Stand tall and bring an eraser, as none of us get it right the first time. Edit, edit, edit until you are walking the walk of the exquisite person who is in your mind.”

Following the naming ceremony, members of the Forman community joined Stacy, David, and their guests at the home of Trustee Elizabeth Garber Daniels ’93 for a lunch reception.