Bon Voyage, Mr. Ulku-Steiner!

Next year, Upper-School Spanish teacher and JV Soccer coach Mr. Kenan Ulku-Steiner, a member of the Penn Fellow Program, is heading to Head-Royce School in Oakland. Although he has spent only two years with us, Mr. Ulku-Steiner has left a lasting impact on our community, both in the classroom, on the pitch, and even at the fruit cart. 

Out on the West Coast, Mr. Ulku-Steiner will continue to teach Spanish and coach soccer, moving much closer in proximity to college and high school friends, along with his aunt and uncle. Mr. Ulku-Steiner is excited for warmer weather in Oakland, mentioning, “I’m looking forward to having access to a lot of beautiful places to hike and bike, and be outside year-round.” 

What Mr. Ulku-Steiner will miss most about Gilman are the people. He said, "I have some really amazing colleagues, and I’ve grown closer with a lot of boys on my teams and in the classroom.” He also expressed gratitude for the community and his accomplices in the Modern Language Department. 

During his short tenure in the city, Mr. Ulku-Steiner has also grown fond of Baltimore, saying, “There’s a really fun pride. I think I’ll miss the sort of the small town field of Baltimore, where people are proud to be a part of their city. And, I’ll miss that we have access to two great sports teams and the fandom that they bring.” While at Gilman, he has accumulated a multitude of memories, like JV Soccer’s thrilling 2-1 victory over Calvert Hall this year. He also recalled senior retreat, claiming, “I got to connect with guys who I taught, some guys I sort of knew from around campus, and some seniors I really didn’t know at all…It was an opportunity to get to know them better and celebrate their last year.” 

Mr. Ulku-Steiner’s constant source of energy and enthusiasm is reciprocated by both his students and colleagues. Mr. Matt Zealand, chair of the language department and head JV Soccer coach, said, “Every task Mr. U.S. undertakes is imbued with his characteristic enthusiasm, thoughtfulness, and humility. For that reason, it has been an absolute joy to plan classes and practice sessions with him, talk about teaching and life, and observe him positively impacting Gilman students inside and outside the classroom.”. Ms. Susanne Finnerty, an Upper School history teacher, shared Mr. Zealand’s sentiments. She said, “He was a hero when I tore my ACL, and I have been really lucky to meet him and teach and coach alongside him.” Furthermore, The JV Soccer captains this year, Frankie Alonso ‘26 and Aariz Mozayan ‘26, also recollected Coach Ulku-Steiner’s enthusiasm. Aariz said, “He was always so passionate that he made me feel bad for not trying.” Frankie echoed this, proclaiming, “The team exceeded all of our expectations and Coach US was a huge part in making it a season to remember.” 

It’s hard to make such a strong impact on the community in just two years, but Mr. Ulku-Steiner has done so gracefully. On his time at Gilman, Mr. Ulku-Steiner mentioned, “This has been the ideal experience for me. As a young educator, I came in with no classroom experience and was supported from day one, but was also given the freedom to teach and lead…Gilman has prepared me to be a great teacher, but also to be a part of the community, which I think is the most important piece of school, the classroom is just one small piece of who I am as an educator.” So, Mr. Ulku-Steiner, best of luck in California, and from the entire community, thank you!