Leslie Davis Guccione ’65, armed with art degree and college creative writing, began her fundraising career with Wilmington’s Shipley Associates. Two years later her move to Boston launched a decade of award-winning appeals for nonprofit organizations including record-setting letters on behalf of Red Sox players for Dana Farber Cancer Center’s Jimmy Fund.

All the while the now married, mother of three continued to dabble in fiction. The simultaneous sales of her teen mystery and adult suspense, with plots drawn from local lobstermen, harbor masters, cranberry growers and sailors made full time novelist possible. Her prolific career includes 31 novels in eight languages concluding with Barnes & Noble debuting their ebook division with her light-hearted The Chick Palace. Seven young-adult titles feature deaf protagonists. Her middle-grade Brandywine Valley Underground Railroad historical fiction Come Morning, was inspired by research at Wilmington Friends School (WFS) and is dedicated to her classmates. Leslie’s honors include state Teen Choice Awards, School Librarians International’s Best Books Selection. Beyond her personal achievements, she spent 14 years influencing the next generation of writers as mentor and adjunct faculty at Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction MFA program.

Leslie’s noteworthy commitment to volunteer service began with “play lady” shifts at Boston’s Children’s Hospital. Her marriage to independent school administrator Joseph Guccione took

them to three states where she chaired church altar guilds, junior sailing programs, art associations, historic preservation research, mentored teen writers and juvenile offenders. Leslie returned to Delaware after Joe’s death from ALS. She remains available to ALS caregivers and as a dedicated member of Christ Church, serves the community through their extensive outreach programs, from first aid packages for Ukraine, children’s Easter baskets to the Interfaith Thanksgiving Project. For the third year she has meticulously restored a donated dollhouse for the annual Christ Church Christmas Green Show fundraiser.

Leslie’s connection to Wilmington Friends School remains strong. She organizes reunions, contributes to the Annual Fund, and is a member of the 1748 Planned Giving Society. Described by her peers as one of the most positive and upbeat individuals, Leslie embodies the spirit of generosity and excellence that Wilmington Friends School strives to instill in its students. Her extraordinary literary career, combined with her unwavering dedication to community service, makes her a deserving recipient of the Distinguished Alumna of the Year award. 

Stephanie Bonnes ’04 exemplifies the impact of a Quaker education through her commitment to social justice and equality. As an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of New Haven, Dr. Bonnes has made significant contributions to understanding and addressing systemic inequality, particularly within the U.S. military. Her groundbreaking research, which began with her dissertation on the harassment of servicewomen, culminated in her 2024 book, Hardship Duty: Women’s Experiences with Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, and Discrimination in the U.S. Military (Oxford University Press). This work critically examines the persistence of sexual abuse in the military despite extensive prevention efforts, highlighting Dr. Bonnes’ dedication to uncovering and addressing deep-seated institutional issues.

Dr. Bonnes’ academic journey is marked by an impressive array of degrees, including a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, an M.A. in Political and International Studies from Rhodes University, and a B.A. in Sociology and History from Gettysburg College. Her scholarly achievements include numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, focusing on gender inequality, workplace harassment, and violence against women. Notable articles include "The Bureaucratic Harassment of U.S. Servicewomen" in Gender & Society and "Femininity Anchors: Heterosexual relationships and pregnancy as sites of harassment for U.S. Servicewomen” in American Sociological Review. Her work has garnered multiple awards. In the last year she won the "Scholarly Achievement Award" from the Society for the Study of Social Problems' Crime and Justice Division, the "New Scholar Award" from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences' Victimology Section, and the "Inconvenient Woman of the Year Award" from the American Society of Criminology's Division of Feminist Criminology.

Beyond her academic and research accomplishments, Stephanie remains deeply connected to the Wilmington Friends School community. She actively serves as a class agent and loyal donor, continuously fostering the bonds formed during her time at WFS. Dr. Bonnes' unwavering dedication to service and integrity, alongside her scholarly contributions, make her a truly deserving recipient of the Young Alumna of the Year award. She joins fellow Class of 2004 classmates, Colleen Farrell, Jeff Palmer, and Sarah Lester in receiving the award.