Alumni Awards

Jan Allinder Anestis ’67
Morrison Medallion

Jan Allinder Anestis graduated from Transylvania in 1967 with a degree in elementary education, and she earned a master’s degree from New York University. As an educator, Jan taught a wide range of students, including individuals in residential mental health facilities. A lifelong educator, she spent much of her time advocating for children, including her own. 

While raising her children, Jan volunteered for a number of civic positions on town boards and was active in her parent-teacher organization. In the mid 1980s, she was elected as a write-in candidate to the nonpartisan Weston, Connecticut, Board of Education. She served on the board for eight years.

Over the years, Jan’s love of writing led to opportunities as a columnist for the Weston Forum, a blog author and, most recently, a novelist and co-author with classmates Wanda Cole, Bill McDonald and others. 

A dedicated and longtime supporter of Transylvania, Jan has represented the Class of 1967 for many years, as a reunion gift chair and class agent. She served on the Transylvania Alumni Board from 2007-12 and on the Board of Regents from 2017-23. Jan’s support includes her work as a Together for Transy giving day challenge donor to support diversity and equity initiatives and the student food pantry, as well as playing an important role in generating interest for two endowed scholarships. One of these funds memorialized a Transy friend’s late daughter, and the other served to honor her graduating class.