Adam Nemon ('03)
Horseman, Veteran, Father
Ann Arbor native, born and raised, Adam Nemon (Class of 2003) would not label himself as the traditional “Steiner kid.” He, in fact, is a perfect example of how everyone who experiences Waldorf education ends up having a different relationship with it and how Waldorf education can have a variety of impacts on a person’s life.
Growing up, Adam began his educational journey by going to a public school for elementary school and a boarding school in California for middle school. He joined his Steiner class halfway through 10th grade and states that he was “not artsy, not especially musical, and [that] my initial impression of eurythmy was that it was quite possibly the dumbest thing I'd ever seen.” However, despite feeling different from his classmates at first, Adam soon discovered that the Rudolf Steiner School of Ann Arbor had things like acceptance, tolerance, and permission to have different ideas and perspectives in abundance. He says that Steiner provided him with the space he needed to grow into the person he was then becoming, as the small, welcoming environment provided a much-needed boost for his self-confidence. During his time at Steiner, Adam was the captain of the varsity basketball team, captain of the golf team, president of the yearbook, founder of the school’s hiking club and much more. Adam found himself with opportunities to grow, as a student and a person that he says he would “never have enjoyed at a larger public school.” In addition to everything Adam enjoyed, other school requirements such as participation in the all-school choir and the senior play, taught him the importance of being pushed out of his comfort zone which has continued to serve him well over the years.
After graduating from RSSAA, Adam began pre-medical studies at the University of Michigan but decided to put his education on hold, having been profoundly impacted by the attacks of September 11, 2001. He enlisted in the United States Army Infantry, where he was selected to serve in the 3rd Infantry Regiment. In 2005, Adam was awarded the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Identification Badge, which at the time was the rarest award across all military branches. Following that assignment, Adam served in other high-profile Honor Guard positions, including at the White House, the Pentagon, as a casket bearer in Arlington National Cemetery, and in presidential inaugurations and state funerals.
Adam left the United States Army in 2007 to continue his education, studying Biomedical Science at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Service being a central tenant of Adam’s identity, while studying at WMU, Adam served as President of the Kalamazoo chapter of the American Medical Student Association, leading a push to expand student volunteerism in the local community and resulting in being nominated for the Kalamazoo Gazette’s annual STAR Awards. During his time in Kalamazoo, Adam also received a variety of research grants and scholarships, including one from the Society of the Honor Guard, a national organization for which Adam now serves on the Board of Directors.
Following his education, Adam found success in the Chicago area, working in the medical device field, and at one point leading a large team at Baxter Pharmaceutical. In need of something more fulfilling and space to continue personal growth, Adam left that industry and relocated to a quaint town of 800 in western Illinois. Adam and his wife Rachel are raising their five children on a 1,200-acre horse ranch in rural Elizabeth, Illinois, just a stone’s throw from the Mississippi River. He credits his RSSAA education for many of the things he now finds so vital to a well-rounded childhood, such as a connection to nature, art, music, theater, and most importantly – embracing and accepting each child’s uniqueness. Living in a small, rural community, Adam is determined to ensure his family remains exposed to diverse ideas, cultures and people. He achieves this through frequent family travel but also by supporting the arts locally, including as Vice-President of Timber Lake Playhouse, the oldest summer stock theater in Illinois. This, by the way, after pledging to anyone who would listen that the 2003 RSSAA senior production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It would be the first and very last time he ever stepped foot on a stage. Perhaps Adam was a “Steiner kid” all along.