Alumni Networking Event Featuring Anthony Carella ’17
The St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) Alumni Association capped off a fulfilling 2025-26 year with another successful Alumni Networking Event, bringing together graduates from across generations for an evening of connection, inspiration, and meaningful conversation.
Keynote speaker Anthony Carella ’17, who recently completed the 2025 World’s Toughest Row—a 3,000-mile unsupported transatlantic rowing race— kicked off the event. Carella shared his remarkable journey with alumni, reflecting on the challenges, lessons, and experiences that shaped his path from student-athlete to endurance rower and environmental restoration professional.
Moderator and Alumni Association President Andrew Gidaro ’02 opened the evening by welcoming attendees and highlighting the importance of alumni engagement. Gidaro reflected on the shared experiences that unite St. Michael’s graduates and on how these events strengthen the SMCS community after graduation.
During his keynote, Carella reflected on his time at SMCS, where he competed in hockey at the U14, junior, and prep levels, as well as U14 lacrosse. He spoke about continuing his athletic journey at Hebron Academy in Maine before earning an academic scholarship to Hobart College in Geneva, New York.
Carella was introduced to rowing at Hobart. Having never rowed before, he walked on to the Division I rowing team and embraced the challenge of learning an entirely new sport. Following Carella’s graduation, where he earned a bachelor of arts in environmental studies, he attended the University of Victoria to pursue ecological restoration studies while competing for the varsity rowing team. In 2022, he earned a silver medal in the men’s 8+ event at the Canadian University Rowing Championships.
Carella spoke about the perseverance, discipline, and resilience required to prepare for and complete the World’s Toughest Row. Alongside his teammates, he spent more than a month at sea, overcoming physical exhaustion, unpredictable weather, and the mental demands of continuous rowing. The team also raised more than US$100,000 in support of charities focused on youth development, adding a philanthropic purpose to their extraordinary accomplishment.
Throughout his presentation, Carella emphasized the value of embracing discomfort, pursuing opportunities outside of one’s comfort zone, and maintaining a growth mindset. He credited the lessons learned while at SMCS with helping him navigate challenges both on and off the water.
“Rowing the Atlantic was the experience of a lifetime, which I will never forget, but I’d also like to emphasize the journey it took to get there,” says Carella. “While the three and a half years of preparation gave me the mindset and skills to complete the row, they also gave me lessons to apply to all areas of life. When things get tough, all you can do is take the next best step.”
Following the keynote, Carella joined Gidaro for a Q&A session, where alumni asked about his transatlantic journey and athletic career.
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