Lisa Sun Installed as Eleventh Head of School
With the mountain in full fall colors as a backdrop, the IMS community celebrated Lisa Sun with an Installation Ceremony on Thursday, October 16, 2025.
“This moment fills me with immense gratitude,” Lisa said to the crowd. “For the privilege of being part of this remarkable community, and for the trust you’ve placed in me to help lead IMS into its next chapter.” Present at the ceremony were IMS students, faculty, and staff from both campuses, Lisa Sun’s family, the Board of Trustees, alumni, friends, and former head of school Jody Reilly Soja and her family.
Left to right: Melodie Sun, Peter Sun, Lisa Sun, Jody Reilly Soja, Kevin Soja, Russell Soja ’22
Assistant Head of School and Dean of Faculty, Alex Hodosy, opened the event. He said, “Today is a celebration not only of new leadership, but of our community and of the spirit that has guided IMS across generations and continues to shape its path forward.”
Lisa was escorted into the tent by the entire student council, while the IMS Rock Band played. Later, there were beautiful musical performances from our Lower Campus students and an original song composed by Jasper Burger ’27 and Sasha Leven ’27.
Our student council leaders, Roberta Craig de Silva ’26, Paolo Santillana Abate ’26, Nicole Liu ’26, and Barrett McLain ’26, shared advice they had solicited from other students. Guidance for Ms. Sun ranged from “More movie nights,” to “Let us bring pets to advisory!” Other, more serious advice included, “When you are in the hard moments, you should take a deep breath, and try to be present. You matter more than you know.” And finally, “Be yourself.”
IMS Alumni and current senior at the Hotchkiss School, José Jiménez Rodríguez ’23, talked about the lasting impact IMS has had on his life and said to Mrs. Sun, “We look forward to seeing you inspire students and alumni alike while strengthening the connections that make this community so special.”
Head of School at the Loomis Chaffee School and Former IMS Head of School, Jody Reilly Soja, who led IMS through nine years of remarkable growth, received loud applause as she walked to the podium. She talked about the history of the school, the mountain, and the Maroon and Gray tradition. She joked about the “rivalry” she (team maroon) and Lisa (team gray) have already established. She wished Lisa, her husband Peter, and their children, Melodie and Christian best wishes and heartfelt support.
IMS Board President, David Nuzum, formally outlined the job of the head of school, and spoke of the process that led the Search Committee to Lisa Sun. “In Lisa, we found a person who pursues excellence by leading with curiosity, purpose, and joy. Who has integrity, is a good listener, an exceptional mentor, and a visionary who encourages collaboration. Who celebrates our mountain, while inspiring us to climb higher.”
In her address to the community, Lisa Sun highlighted the things that called her to the mountain. She said she wanted to be part of a school that “believes there is magic in the mess, that growth must be nurtured with care, and that childhood is something to be honored and preserved.” She touched on the founding of the school by Francis Behn Riggs, and spoke of her own journey, coming to the United States from Korea in the 1970s. “My parents taught me that education is not only a pathway to opportunity, but also a responsibility — to serve, to help others, and to make a difference,” she said.
Looking toward the future, Lisa spoke of the chance for the community to define what IMS will be in the next decade, “a school that honors its past while leading boldly into the future. A school that reflects the diversity of the world our students will enter. A school where every child and every adult feels known, valued, and inspired.”
My hope for all of our students is this: That you will look around you — at your teachers, your friends, your coaches, your families — and know how much you are supported. That you will be courageous. That you will find joy. That you will pursue your passions. And that you will use them to make a difference in the world around you.
Since she took residence in Becket House with her family last summer, Lisa Sun has embraced what it means to be a falcon. She has been in the classrooms, engaged with teachers and students, participated in honored traditions, cheered our teams on from the sidelines, and even joined a flash mob dance to announce Mountain Day. It feels – wonderfully – as though she has been here a long time already. Welcome to the mountain, Lisa Sun!