Newsletter May 2026
LETTER FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT
Kindle Samuel
When I was the age of today’s Samuel Ready Scholars, I would not have imagined that the many vividly contoured, interesting and deeply meaningful intersections of my life would all weave together to create such a distinct tapestry. But this ever-evolving journey has led me to more fascinating places than I could have dreamed.
This is in part why I connect so deeply with Samuel Ready Scholarships. The Samuel Ready School first opened on November 1, 1887 as an asylum for female orphans, with seven young residents. I’m not sure the Founder and the early Board could have imagined how we look today, 139 years later. But, driven by an openness to evolution and leaders who seized opportunity and optimized partnerships, this organization continues to advance its fundamental mission, supporting the awesome trajectories of incredible young women.
This concept of evolution was on my mind as we worked to complete our strategic plan last year, and it serves as a cornerstone as we approach next year’s dual anniversary, marking 50 years of Samuel Ready Scholarships and 140 years since the Samuel Ready School’s founding. This is a truly consequential, legacy-affirming time in our history.
Evolution is also a central tenet for our scholars and alumnae. These scholarships offer life-changing opportunities—and our scholars are young women who seize opportunity! From the moment they join our independent school partners, these young women grab onto passions and interests, develop new friends and mentors, and emerge as leaders of their schools and communities. Then, after graduation, they keep going.
Since I joined the Samuel Ready Scholarships Board, I’ve heard countless stories from our scholars, alumnae and their families about their unique journeys, from their days as students here in Baltimore to what they have gone on to accomplish in the world. (In this issue, we highlight alumna Mira Kautzky, whose career continues to evolve, even after decades in primary medicine.)
The story of our organization reflects a steadfast commitment to core values, coupled with an adventurous sense of what comes next. And that story echoes across our current scholars, our alumnae, our Board members, and our partners. It’s a momentous time to be part of Samuel Ready Scholarships, and I’m honored to lead the organization at this historic moment.
Kindle Samuel
Board President
ALUMNA SPOTLIGHT
Mira Kautsky
It started with the daily paper
If Mira Kautsky’s grandparents didn’t read the newspaper — including the ads — her life might look very different today.
An ad for The Bryn Mawr School in a local Baltimore paper caught their attention in the early 1980s when Mira was in elementary school. They were especially drawn to the line mentioning possible scholarships.
“My mom was like, ‘what’s private school?’” Mira remembers. “But we thought, let’s just try it. The only reason I ended up at Bryn Mawr was because of the scholarship fund.”
For Mira, the acceptance to Bryn Mawr and the Samuel Ready scholarship that enabled her attendance were intertwined; she was able to attend Bryn Mawr because she knew the costs would be covered. Her 6th-to-12th-grade experience helped shape a career that continues to evolve today.
“A campus where girls do everything”
Mira was the first in her family to be born in
the U.S. Her grandparents had twice fled Czechoslovakia due to anti-Semitism and intellectual persecution, and after her parents divorced, her mother moved to Baltimore to be closer to family. They didn’t know what to expect when Mira entered Bryn Mawr in 6th grade, but it became her “intellectual playground.”
“I was one of those who loved all the subjects. I really love the sciences. I love the languages. My passcode to a lot of things is still a sixth and seventh grade teacher’s name,” she said.
Over time, she realized how much Bryn Mawr had affected her trajectory. She had the confidence to play intramural sports in college only because she had been required to play team sports in upper school. When her writing skills impressed a medical school advisor, she credited the rigor of Bryn Mawr’s middle school, not her college education at Yale. And she deeply understood the value of female leadership.
“I don’t think there’s any way to fill young women up with a sense that they can actually do anything, except by providing them with a campus where girls do everything,” she said.
Continuing evolution
After a prestigious educational trajectory, Mira spent more than two decades in primary care medicine in Philadelphia, then Boston. But following the COVID-19 pandemic, she wondered about next steps. The curiosity that drove her path as a Samuel Ready Scholar continued to propel her forward.
Recently, she moved into two new jobs that she said mark “a big career change,” supporting a relatively new home-hospital program through Massachusetts General Hospital and the Indian Health Service in South Dakota.
“They were both a stretch, so it was a big hard thing to do,” she said. “But it’s been really fun.”
ALUMNAE NEWS
We love to hear from our alumnae! If you are a Samuel Ready School alumna or a Samuel Ready Scholarships alumna, please send a note to [email protected], and let us know what you have been up to.
BOARD SPOTLIGHT
Robbie Black receives the Rebecca Gale Powel Trustee Service Award
Robbie Black joined the Samuel Ready Scholarships Board in 2021, bringing expertise that includes more than two decades at Exelon Corporation. In 2025, Robbie’s board colleagues honored her passion, commitment and dedication with the Rebecca Gale Powel Trustee Service Award.
Robbie, originally from New Jersey, finished high school at Milford Mill Academy in Baltimore County and currently serves as Director of Transmission and Substation Work Management and Business Planning and Support at Pepco Holdings, an Exelon company. She described her connection to Samuel Ready Scholarships in the following Q&A.
How did you get involved with Samuel Ready Scholarships?
I became involved with Samuel Ready through a connection at work. I was referred to the board due to my accounting/finance background.
Although I did not attend an independent school, my daughter attended Bryn Mawr School from 7th-12th grade. Her experiences and growth were exponential to what she had experienced prior. I remember how tough it was for me to make the financial sacrifices for her to attend. I feel fortunate to be part of an organization whose main purpose is to provide the gift of education to girls.
How does your career affect your commitment to this work?
My career at Exelon has expanded my community engagement. Community engagement is a key pillar of our company as we see firsthand the negative impact of customers struggling to pay their utility bill. Working with Samuel Ready, I have the opportunity to contribute to supporting talented young women pave a bright future for themselves which benefits their families and our community.
When talking to friends or family about Samuel Ready Scholarships, what do you tell them about the Scholars and their families?
I share with family and friends how fortunate I am to be part of Samuel Ready Scholarships. Every event that I attend, I walk away inspired by the girls. They are strong and bright students who have the ambition and potential to continue to lead when they are on their college campuses and beyond.
What does the Rebecca Gale Powel Trustee Service Award mean to you?
I was honored and pleasantly surprised to receive the award. The award is a reminder that I am contributing to the success of this amazing organization. This is a highly engaged board where we are all committed to supporting the success of the girls.
READY FOR MORE
EVENTS
Back-to-School Lunch at St. Paul's School for Girls
At the beginning of each school year, the Samuel Ready Scholarships community gathers for a back-to-school lunch. This year, St. Paul’s School for Girls graciously hosted the event. Scholars, families, school administrators, and our entire community celebrated the achievements of the remarkable young women involved with our organization.
Photo credit: Mollye Miller Photography
We were honored to welcome Breechaye Milburn, a 2012 alumna of Samuel Ready Scholarships and St. Paul’s School for Girls. Breechaye shared insightful reflections on her time at St. Paul’s and offered words of encouragement to our current Scholars.
Photo credit: Mollye Miller Photography
As the event drew to a close, Scholars gathered outside for a series of high-energy games with Mr. Moo of Get Mooving Games. It was the perfect way for the girls from the different schools to bond, make new friends, and enjoy themselves.
Photo credit: Mollye Miller Photography
